Wahkon, Minnesota celebrates its Centennial!

Hi — greetings from Jane Leonard, Sesquicentennial Executive Director. I just returned tonight from Wahkon, MN, the community I consider my hometown. Wahkon is celebrating its Centennial this summer and the big event is next month, August 17-19, 2007, with fireworks, parade and an all-around good time planned.

The picture you see is of my niece Jane, and me, at Centennial headquarters. We represent the 4th and 5th generation of Bezansons and the 4th and 5th generations of Bergs, early white settlers to this region on the south end of Lake Mille Lacs in east central Minnesota. I was named after my great-great Aunt Jane Bezanson, and my niece Jane, was named after me.

My great-grantparents came to Minnesota from Nova Scotia and Sweden in the closing days of the 19th century and made it up to Wahkon and Isle Harbor Township at the turn of the 20th century as the little city on the south end of Lake Mille Lacs was just beginning. My great-grandparents helped start the Presbyterian church there that is also celebrating it’s 100th anniversary this year. Like many Minnesotans, generations of our family have stayed connected through the years to communities like Wahkon. I spent every summer of my childhood at my grandparents farm there and now co-own the farm.

It was a truly amazing day at Wahkon Presbyterian, where generations of many families gathered and reminisced and looked toward the future together. I am blessed to have such a strong, loving group of people continue, to this day, to care about me and one another. The pastor spoke of connectedness, and another pastor, one of my favorites from growing up, talked about how this church family was so aware of what was going on in the world and so engaged in doing good works in that world. Such grace and faithfulness is inspiring.

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