Everybody wants a Healthy Heart
Staying healthy can be a pain in the neck, but it beats having a pain in your heart. Since February is American Heart Month, here are ways you can learn how to improve your health and maybe have some fun, too.

Feb. 4: Ridge Riders Snowmobile Fun Run
Join the Cook County Ridge Riders for the Third Annual Snowmobile Fun Run. Begin at the Devil Track Landing to receive the first card from 8:30-10:30 a.m. and then proceed to Trail Center, Windigo, Hungry Jack, Gunflint Lodge, and Gunflint Pines, but be sure to return to The Landing by 5:30 p.m. Have lunch along the way and participate in games and prizes. Entertainment will also be provided along with food and drink specials.

Feb. 4: Wooden Dala Horse Carving Tradition
What’s a Dala Horse? Join master carver and North House instructor Harley Refsal for a free presentation of the Dala Horse carving traditions of Scandinavia on Sat., Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. In Nordic countries, generations of carvers of little wooden men, women and horses marketed their works to supplement meager farm incomes to feed growing families. Refsal is a well-seasoned carver, and for years he has engaged in a collaborative art project called “Dalapalooza,” inviting friends and fellow artisans to ornament his carved horses.

Feb. 4: Grand Portage Snowarama
Head up to Grand Portage with your snowmobile for the Easter Seals Snowarama, a fundraising event supported by the OFSC, helping Ontario’s children and youth with physical disabilities. Raise pledges, earn prizes and end the night with dinner and a dance. For every $99 pledges raised, enter for a chance to win 1 of 3 snowmobile weekend getaways.

Feb. 15-20: Northern Fibers Retreat
The Northern Fibers Retreat at the North House Folk School, co-hosted with the Grand Marais Art Colony, offers more than 25 classes. Each class will provide lessons on how to use different fibers to create such items as mukluks, rugs, quilts, mittens, scarves, socks and more.

Feb. 18: Ridge Riders Hungry Jack Drag Races
Bring your snowmobile and show off your speed and skills with the Ridge Riders Snowmobile Drag Races on Hungry Jack Lake. Sign-up ends at 11 a.m., and racing starts at noon. Prizes will be awarded in the Hungry Jack Lodge after the races.

Feb. 18: Sawtooth International Cross Country Ski Race
Test your abilities with both classical and freestyle 10k and 20k races on the beautiful trails of Pincushion Mountain. The 10k classical race will be held at 10 a.m., and the 20k freestyle will begin at 11 a.m. Both races will be held on a 10k loop featuring intermediate level terrain. Advance registration is encouraged.

Feb. 25: Winter Photography Sugarloaf Cove
Landscape photographer Chris Sandberg will be holding a workshop designed to help outdoor photographers improve their skills with tips and techniques, with a focus on how to work in cold and snowy weather. The class will focus on topics such as what and what not to take into the woods, how to avoid the obvious picture, how to adapt to winter’s changes and opportunities, learning to go beyond your camera’s settings and how to use Adobe’s Photoshop to produce great pictures.

Mar. 2: Vinyl Cafe at the ACA
Stuart McLean, one of Canada's most beloved storytellers and a best-selling author, is bringing his hit CBC radio show Vinyl Café to the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais at 7 p.m. Fri., Mar. 2. The family-friendly live show features a mix of stories, humor and live music. Vinyl Café airs locally on WTIP North Shore Community Radio. Tickets are on sale now at tix.com. Simply enter “Vinyl Café” in the “Find your Tickets” section.

Free Training for Emergency Response
Do you know what to do during an emergency or disaster? North Shore emergency managers are offering a Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) course in January and February. Students will learn about disaster preparedness and be trained in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, disaster medical operations, and light search and rescue.

Art Colony Winter Art Festival
Join the fun of the winter Plein Air Painting festival. Painters will take in the beautiful landscape of the North and learn to appreciate the color white. Painting occurs Jan. 30-Feb. 5, and the exhibit will be on display from Feb. 3-12.

Winter Tracks Festival
Grab your winter gear and come frolic in the snow during the Winter Tracks Festival across Cook County. First, grab your skis and head to Lutsen for the Family Fun Fest Feb. 3-5, which includes family Olympic races, snowshoe tours, fireworks and a bonfire. Then, on Saturday, Feb. 4, head up to Grand Portage with your snowmobile for the Easter Seals Snowarama.

New Directory Highlights Volunteers
Cook County has a wealth of volunteer organizations that contribute to all aspects of the community. From arts and education to faith and emergency services, these groups and the people who volunteer in them, make positive difference for the county’s quality of life.