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Linda Fryer Way dedicated in Ely

Portion of Seventh Ave.named for longtime Chamber president

Keith Vandervort
Posted 6/29/22

ELY – A new street name, Linda Fryer Way, was dedicated last week for the longtime Chamber of Commerce leader whose efforts went a long way to put this community on the map.Family, friends, Ely …

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Linda Fryer Way dedicated in Ely

Portion of Seventh Ave.named for longtime Chamber president

Posted

ELY – A new street name, Linda Fryer Way, was dedicated last week for the longtime Chamber of Commerce leader whose efforts went a long way to put this community on the map.
Family, friends, Ely civic and tourism leaders, and business owners gathered at Whiteside Park last Thursday for the formal unveiling of the new street name for Fryer who passed away earlier this year. Linda Fryer Way runs for one block along the west side of Whiteside Park.
Fryer led the local Chamber of Commerce for nearly a quarter of a century. She retired in 2013.
Longtime local business owner Kerry Davis admitted that Fryer “would have hated this” as supporters honored her at the brief ceremony.
“She would never have allowed this,” he added. “She was never one to blow her own horn.”
Fryer developed Ely’s two popular festivals, Blueberry Arts and Harvest Moon, and was instrumental in developing the popular Aprils Fool’s marketing campaign that put Ely on the tourist map across the state and Midwest.
Ely Tourism Board leader Cindy Smyka said, “Her love of community shows in everything she did.”
Mayor Roger Skraba looked back to the first time he was elected to the city’s top leadership position.
“I went to visit Linda and she told me, ‘Just so you understand, don’t come down here thinking you can tell us what to do.’ She was a big promoter of Ely, but she was a defender of Ely, too,” he said.
Chamber of Commerce Vice President Dave Sebesta highlighted Fryer’s passion for the region. “She loved the woods. She loved everything about this town and the area,” he said.
Earlier last week, Skraba and the Ely city council declared Linda Fryer Day. The proclamation read:
“Whereas, Linda Fryer had served the Ely area and the city of Ely as the administrative director of the Ely Chamber of Commerce for 25 years, and was an involved, dedicated citizen for all of those many long years and more; and
Whereas, with marketing awards and accomplishments too numerous to list, Linda promoted the Ely area in ways that few thought possible. She made Ely a household name and a destination for tens of thousands of additional people and by doing so has enriched the lives of so many of us who live and work in the Ely area; and
Whereas, Linda’s impact on the Ely community will benefit our citizens and visitors for years to come. Linda was a pillar of the community that will be greatly missed, thus establishing one more way that Ely stands out as an exceptional community.
Now therefore, I, Roger Skraba, mayor of the city of Ely, Minnesota, do herby proclaim June 23, 2022 as Linda Fryer Day in the city of Ely.”