'Ma & Pa' ready for big weekend

For 40 years, the city of Kettle River has celebrated Ma & Pa Kettle Days, designating a new "Ma & Pa" couple each year. Longtime community volunteers John Karulak and Kathy Siegle get the rocking chairs of honor this year.

John has been on the family farm in Split Rock Township all his life. His great-grandfather settled the homestead in 1888 and was also named John Karulak. An immigrant from Poland, John's great-grandfather built a farm on the land while harvesting timber to make a living. Since then, each generation has kept the farm productive while also working outside the farm.

John was a union laborer working as a mason tender. He is still a union member and has his 45-year service pin. During those years he had three children, two boys and a girl. He drove to construction jobs throughout the region during his working career.

He's also been involved, like his forebears, with Kettle River's famous meet-up spot.

"I have been involved with Star Club for most of my life," John said. "For several years there were only a handful of volunteers that worked at the club and kept it going. More area people have joined and the group of activists has made the membership stronger."

John keeps himself busy helping out people in the neighborhood. When a neighbor ended up in a care home, John and other neighbors stepped in to mow grass and plow snow. He said that is what neighbors do in a rural community.

Kathy Siegle is John's significant other and has lived on the property for 22 years. She worked for the a dentist for more than 40 years - the last 22 commuting from the farm to an office in Esko. She looked forward to that driving time when she could drink her coffee, relax, and listen to books on tape, she said.

Kathy has three children, two girls and a boy, which are about the same age as John's children. She met John after volunteering at the Kettle River mud bog event. Kathy said she didn't even know what a mud bog was until she came to Kettle River and helped out.

For more than five years she was active on the committee organizing the parade, even acting as president.

"I believe these festivities are good for a town and community," Kathy said. "It is a social gathering where people come home to their roots and renew old acquaintances. The elderly people get a chance to sit down and visit with people they seldom see the rest of the year. The event builds the feeling of community."

Kathy has been the secretary of the Star Club for 10 years and is active in gatherings there.

Her passion is raising golden retrievers and she built a kennel for that on John's farm. She has a litter for sale periodically. She has been an active member of the Duluth Kennel Club for nearly 40 years as a board member.

John and Kathy said they are honored to be named Kettle River's "Ma & Pa" for 2024 and continue to have an interest in helping out in the local community.

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Festival grows

More events and vendors highlight this weekend's 40th anniversary Ma & Pa Kettle celebration in Kettle River.

The fun kicks off Friday night with a steak fry at the firehall at 5 p.m. with other food vendors and refreshments by the Park Lake Saloon, and dance music until the late hours.

Saturday starts with an 8 a.m. pancake breakfast at the Senior Center, while the midway - with various businesses, vendors, food and organizations - will line both sides of Minnesota Highway 73 (Main Street) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. An ice cream and homemade pie social runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Senior Center and a bean bag tournament starts at noon (signups at 11 a.m.).

The ever-popular mud bog returns at 1 p.m. and will be followed by bingo at 3 p.m. at the Senior Center. There's live music at Park Lake Grill & Saloon starting at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights.