Forty Athletes Spanning Decades Compete in First Annual Alumni Game at LCO

Submitted by Curtis DeCora

Gitchi Movin' Board Member

On March 25, 2022 the 1st Annual Hayward/LCO alumni game was held at the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School. This was the first time Hayward/LCO were brought together for a community event honoring the alumni. The event was organized by the newest non-profit organization - Gitchi Movin’. Gitchi Movin’ is a newly founded non-profit organization focused on bringing family-friendly, community-oriented events to the area.

This was a fundraising event in which Gitchi Movin’ raised over $2,400 which will be used for donations to other local programs and organizations, and also for future athletic events. The alumni game had a great turn out with 40 athletes with ranging graduating classes from the 1980’sto 2022. Every decade was represented well. This was a true community event with adults and teens, male and female, playing basketball all while plenty of family and friends cheered them on. There was also a silent auction held with roughly $4,000 worth of items auctioned. Community members received great deals on some amazing items, thanks to our sponsors!

On behalf of Gitchi Movin’, we would like to thank the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School for allowing us to use their facilities, their staff for helping us set up for the game, and teardown after the game was done. We would like to thank our game officials: Billy O’Brien and Mike Siverling (former Hayward Hurricane football coaches, and current teachers in the Hayward School District), Dion Doyle and Gabrielle Lacapa for working the scorekeeping table. We would also like to thank our volunteers, the Boys & Girls Club of Lac Courte Oreilles ‘Images’ program ladies and Meloney Miller.

This successful event would not have been possible without great sponsors. Gitchi Movin’ would like to send out a huge thank you to the following sponsors: Sevenwinds Casino, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College, Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Government, Boys and Girls Club of Lac Courte Oreilles, Big Fish Golf Course, LCO Country Store, Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Police Department, AJ & Sons Construction LLC, Tribal Business League, Becker Property Maintenance LLC, Devil’s Lake Tree Service LLC, Monica Isham Chase and Michael “Mic” Isham, Jr, LCO Development, Oakwood Haven and Staff, LCO Conservation.

Congratulations to our winning team which included: Niizhoo Sullivan, Jesse Hanlon, Michael Sullivan, Jacob Boss, Chelsea Warder, Neveah Cross, Patrick Martinson, Obizaan Morrow, and Mic Isham.

2nd place team included: Nicole Barthel, Shaylena Corbine, Ayden Froemel, Tony Dennis, David Dennis, Joseph Benjamin, David Boswell, and Curtis DeCora.

3rd place team included: Jacob Trepanier, Elizabeth Ton, Demitri Dennis, Marley Corbine, Nicos Oben, James White, Matthew Taylor Jr, Ashinees Larson, and Daniel Bressette.

4th place team included: Monica Chase, Melvin White, Jonah Sullivan, Casandra Carley, Nick Quagon, Tyson Radermacher, and James Wilson.

Gitchi Movin’ will be working hard on future athletic events for the community.

We appreciate all the support and we hope to see you all come out and play, or cheer on your fellow community members. Check us out online at www.Gitchi-Moving.com.

Gitchi Movin’ Board Founders include Jacob Trepanier (President), Patrick Martinson (Vice-President), Kaylee Trepanier (Secretary/Treasurer), Heather DiCosimo (Board Member),Curtis Decora (Board Member), and Marie Wooten (Board Member).

Pictured are board members from L-R: Kaylee Trepanier, Patrick Martinson, Jacob Trepanier, Heather DiCosimo, Curtis Decora. Not Pictured: Marie Wooten