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| Highlights Welcome to the Northland 300 Highlights Page... Enjoy news about Northland 300 events, participants, and much more...
2010 Northland 300 Article published in the Lake County News Chronicle (January 15, 2010) 
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2010 Northland 300 Article published in The Ely Echo (January 9, 2010) 
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2010 Northland 300 Article published in the Babbitt Weekly News (January 8, 2010) 
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U of M Women's Soccer Team Showcases Special Olympics Minnesota Athletes Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium (October 4, 2009) Sunday, October 4, 2009, the University of Minnesota's Women's Soccer Team showcased Special Olympics Minnesota Athletes (front row) Haley Blomster, Roberta Blomster, Maria Rassel, Katie Timmer, Bobby Kimber (next to Gopher Mascot), Steven Eull, Jonathan (Maria Rassel's Unified Partner) and Louis Nosan. Professional Sports announcer Kirk Possehl (announcer for Special Olympics Minnesota), Kris Possehl and Kathy Karkula helped support this volunteering partnership. |
2010 Northland 300 - The Time is Now! Ad published in Minnesota Snowmobiling (September 2009) 
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Marc Williams, Northland 300 Participant Article published in the Farmington Independent (June 25, 2009) 
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Marc Williams, Northland 300 Participant Article published in Farmington Thisweek Newspapers (June 2009) 
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Athlete Steven Eull and Coach Jason Reinsch at Special Olympics Minnesota State Winter Games, 2009 Northland 300 Participants Article published in the Pioneer Press (March 2, 2009) .jpg) |
Athlete Steven Eull Interview, 2009 Northland 300 Article published in the Ely Timberjay (February 7, 2009) 
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2009 Northland 300 Article published in The Ely Echo (February 7, 2009) 
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Athlete Steven Eull and Coach Jason Reinsch, 2009 Northland 300 Participants Article published in the Vadnais Heights Press (February 4, 2009) 
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2009 Northland 300 Article published in the Ely Timberjay (January 24, 2009) 
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2009 Northland 300 Article published in Lake County News-Chronicle (January 23, 2009) 
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2009 Northland 300 Article published in Lake County News-Chronicle (January 9, 2009) 
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Athlete Steven Eull and Coach Jason Reinsch, 2009 Northland 300 Participants Article published in the White Bear Press and Vadnais Heights Press (Wednesday, January 7, 2009) 
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2009 Northland 300 Article published in Minnesota Snowmobiling (December 2008) 
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Athlete Steven Eull and Coach Jason Reinsch, 2009 Northland 300 Participants Article published in Michaud Cooley Erickson employee newsletter (November 17, 2008) 
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Athlete Steven Eull and Coach Jason Reinsch, 2009 Northland 300 Participants Article published in the Ely Echo (Saturday, November 8, 2008) 
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Janel Vorel, Northland 300 Participant 
Janel Vorel, receives Wells Fargo Volunteer Service Award September 25, 2008, Janel was presented with the "Volunteer Service Award" by John Stumpf, President and CEO, Wells Fargo Bank N.A. (shown left); John Campbell, CEO, Wells Fargo Minnesota; and Beth Opperman, Senior Director of Investments. This award was presented to 161 employees nationwide. On July 15, 2008, Janel recieved a letter from the 2008 Volunteer Service Award Selection Committee awarding her for her achievement. Below is an excerpt... "For over 150 years, Wells Fargo team members have been dedicated to building and sustaining healthy, thriving communities. The leadership you have demonstrated through your extraordinary volunteer efforts proudly relfects our Vision and Values. Team member volunteers like you are a key reason that Wells Fargo is regarded as one of the world leaders in corporate citizenship. After a three month process of reviewing nearly 500 nominations, our dedicated Volunteer Service Award Selection Committee has selected you to receive one of the 2008 Volunteer Service Awards. I hope this award communicates Wells Fargo's appreciation of the incredible contributions you provide to your community. Team members like you play a critical role in our success through your volunteer efforts. A check in the amount of $1,000 for you to present to Special Olympics Minnesota/Northland 300 will be sent to your manager within the next few weeks. Thank you for your commitment to Special Olympics Minnesota/Northland 300 and the community it serves." |
Marc Williams, Northland 300 Participant 
Marc Williams, receives FAA Civil Servant Award 
Marc Williams is an environmental technician at the Minneapolis ARTCC in Farmington and also known as the “Money Man” to the Minnesota Special Olympics. Marc has been actively involved in the Northland 300 Snowmobile Ride fund-raiser for the Special Olympics since 1989. For that 1989 ride the required donation was $300.00. By contacting friends and family Marc came in with $1542.00 and that was just the beginning. They adopted him as the Trail Leader after that. Over the years his bond with the Special Olympics has strengthened. Marc has served on the board of directors and has held every position associated with the ride. Additionally, he has helped athletes run the Special Olympic Flame of Hope. He’s been involved with the Minnesota Winter and Summer games and has raised over $100,000.00 for the Minnesota Special Olympics. |
Northland 300 
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Marianne Preblich, Northland 300 Participant Article published in the Cook, Ely, and Tower-Soudan Timberjay.. 
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Marc Williams, Northland 300 Participant  
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Marc Williams, Northland 300 Participant Read the article about Marc Williams in the Farmington Independent www.farmingtonindependent.com Money man
Michelle Leonard The Farmington Independent
Published Thursday, January 10, 2008
Special Olympics Minnesota development director Kathy Karkula can’t gush enough about Farmington resident Marc Williams, a man she calls “amazing,” “one in a million,” and “the ultimate volunteer.”
And perhaps rightfully so. This marks the 20th year Williams has participated in the Northland 300 snowmobile ride fund-raiser for Special Olympics Minnesota. Over those years, Williams has raised more than $100,000 for Special Olympics, and he’s on his way to donating still more this year.
Farmington’s Marc Williams (left) has done many things during his 20 years with the Special Olympics Minnesota fund-raiser, Northland 300, including helping athletes to carry the Flame of Hope.
A lasting relationship
It was 1989 when Karkula — a woman who had been doing charity snowmobile rides for several years — got the idea to organize one for Special Olympics. At the time, she said, most of the rides she and her friends had been on were organized by people who were not really snowmobilers. Karkula said she and her friends “sat down one time and did it right” when they created the Northland 300, and it has been going ever since.
That same year, Williams’s friend, John Marshall, asked Williams to ride along to an organizational meeting for the first Northland 300. He did. By the end of the meeting, Williams wanted to go along.
“I had about a week and a half to raise the minimum amount,” Williams recalled. In 1989, the minimum was $300.
A piece of cake, or so it seems. Williams hit up friends, family and the Farmington Eagles Club for donations. When he arrived for the first Northland 300, he came with a donation of $1,542 in hand.
On his first ride, Williams recalls, his group got lost once, then a second time. After the second time, he kind of took over leading the group he was with.
“They adopted me as one of the trail leaders after that,” he said.
Little wonder, though, that he would become a trail leader. A member of the Farmington Sno-Tigers snowmobile club for about 35 years, Williams is the local safety instructor for snowmobile training.
Over the years, his bond with Special Olympics has strengthened. He has been involved with Minnesota’s winter and summer games, served on the board of directors, held every position associated with the ride and, “probably received every award that is possible,” Karkula said. Additionally, he has helped athletes run the Special Olympic Flame of Hope and light the cauldron to kick off different events.
“I love working with Marc. If all volunteers could be like that, gosh, would we be in a good world. Besides that, he really knows how to ride a snowmobile,” she said. “He’s everybody to the sport of snowmobiling. He’s the ultimate volunteer.”
A corporate sponsor
For several years, Williams was getting a sizable donation from the Farmington Eagles Club, where he is a member. In recent years, though, Williams has given up that portion of his contribution, and lined the Eagles Club up to become one of the Northland 300 corporate sponsors. This year, the Eagles Club is cosponsor for first prize in the Northland 300’s annual raffle, a 2008 Yamaha Grizzly 450 ATV.
Karkula gives credit to Williams for getting the Eagles involved because, thanks to a request by the Farmington Eagles Club fund-raising committee, Farmington now has its own Special Olympics team — the Farmington Tiger Paws Special Olympics Team.
Williams receives donations from other service organizations in Farmington, as well, particularly the Farmington American Legion and the Farmington VFW. All proceeds from this Sunday’s monthly Sons of the American Legion omelet breakfast at the Legion will go toward Special Olympics.
Motivation
In 20 years, Williams has never missed a Northland 300 ride. Even while he was living out of state, he came back for the ride. Oddly, he does not own a snowmobile, but borrows from friends when the time comes.
So why does he keep it up? The answer is a simple smile.
“Sometimes (the Special Olympic athletes) do real well, and sometimes they’re just so happy to finish. When they win a medal ... just to see the smile on their faces and the happiness inside them, it’s heartwarming,” Williams said.
It helps that he has developed many friendships over the years through Northland 300.
“You really meet a lot of great people. Everybody gets along, and we’re snowmobiling for a good cause,” he said.
Over a four-day ride, Northland 300 participants will log about 300 miles. This year, the group will meet in Two Harbors on Jan. 23. On Jan. 24, an 8 a.m. opening ceremony is planned, with the Lighting of the Olympic Flame. Riders will then depart for Ely, a 150-mile run in one day. Friday, Jan. 25 is a free day, open for drivers to ride as they please. On Saturday, Jan. 26, the group returns to Two Harbors for a banquet and awards ceremony.
Last year, Williams was one of 96 snowmobilers to participate. The group raised $171,211 for Special Olympics. To date, Northland 300 has raised nearly $2.6 million. Anyone interested in donating to Special Olympics may call Williams at 651-341-6616. |
Jim "Fuzzy" Deminsky, Northland 300 Participant 
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