 By JENNIFER STOCKINGER
Staff Writer
BAXTER -
Down to earth,
generous, loving and giving were
common words people used Tuesday
night to describe Dutch and Irma
Cragun.The Craguns, owners of Cragun's
Resort in East Gull Lake, were
honored at the seventh annual
Distinguished Service Awards
Banquet as the 2005 Brainerd
Citizens of the Year. The couple,
along with 11 others, were honored at
the banquet at The Lodge for their
service in the community.
The banquet was sponsored by
the Brainerd Jaycees, Brainerd
Community Action and the Brainerd
Dispatch.
Other honorees included Terry
Crocker, Outstanding Law
Enforcement Officer of the Year; Ron
Meyer, Outstanding Young Citizen of
the Year; Ida MacFarland,
Outstanding Senior Citizen of the
Year; Kathy Hegstrom, Outstanding
Educator of the Year; Kevin Dens,
Outstanding Health Care Provider of
the Year; Dennis Logelin,
Outstanding Firefighter of the Year;
Mark Cross, Outstanding Emergency
Care Provider of the Year; Alan Jabs,
Outstanding Agribusiness Person of
the Year; Tammy and Trevor Ebinger,
Outstanding Child Care Providers of
the Year; and Michael McColgan,
Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the
Year.
People at the banquet talked
about the Craguns' volunteer work
and how deserving the couple was to
receive the award.
Evelyn and Bill Matthies of
Brainerd said Dutch and Irma have
kind hearts, are civic-minded and
creative. Bill Matthies said the
Craguns always think of others and
are generous people.
T
erry McGaughey, Brainerd, said
he has known the Craguns for a long
time and he often was a guest on their
sailboat. McGaughey said the
Craguns always wanted him to go
with them so bad on their sailing
adventures, so he asked them why
they wanted him to go.
"Dutch said, 'Irma why don't you
tell him,'" said McGaughey of the
conversation. "Then Irma said to me
that they get along better when I was
there."
McGaughey said the couple
works hard and he admires them for
their service.
Ruth Gmeinder, who owns Gull
Lake Resort, near the Cragun's resort,
said Dutch and Irma taught her many
valuable skills when she opened her
resort.
"They are wonderful neighbors
and very deserving of this award,"
Gmeinder said.
Marilyn Wannebo, Manhattan
Beach, said Dutch and Irma are
loving people, generous and down to
earth. Wannebo said her husband,
Larry, served on the Lakeland Public
Television board with Dutch.
Jiggs and Kathy Blanck of
Brainerd have known the Craguns for
years. Jiggs Blanck said he was
Dutch's campaign manager when he
ran for the Legislature years ago. He
said Dutch did good in the primary,
but lost by a few votes in the election.
Blanck said the Craguns have
always been thoughtful, considerate
and were never mean-spirited people.
Kathy Blanck said, "They did a
lot for this community ... They earned
this award."
JENNIFER STOCKINGER can be reached at
jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. |
