All the way from Albuquerque

A number of local citizens rallied together last week to make one man’s visit to Rainy River District a very special one.
Marty Wellman, a 46-year-old from Albuquerque, N.M., was in International Falls on a trip sponsored by the Make a Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to critically-ill children and adults.
Wellman, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and is wheelchair-bound, told his family his wish was to see Minnesota and Canada.
“I’ve been to every state in the U.S. except Alaska, Hawaii, and Minnesota,” he said. “So I decided Minnesota would complete the circle.”
Wellman arrived in the Falls last Monday with his sister, Eva Espinoza, and her fiancé, Gino Garcia. There, they booked into the Northern Lights Motel, where they met Canadian owner Pam Poster.
When Poster, originally from Fort Frances, heard the family’s story, she immediately set about to make sure their trip would be one they would never forget.
Poster called Jane Johnstone at the Ontario Travel Information Centre here and asked if a special welcome could be arranged for Wellman and his family.
With just one day’s notice, Johnstone was able to enlist the help of Fort Frances Museum curator Pam Hawley and Mayor Dan Onichuk.
After spending a day visiting on the U.S. side of the Rainy River, travelling to Baudette and Ranier, Wellman and his family arrived in Fort Frances last Wednesday morning.
Accompanied by Poster, the three arrived at the Ontario Travel Information Centre, where they were greeted by Mayor Onichuk, Hawley, and Johnstone.
Wellman was presented with a Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship cap, a Fort Frances centennial T-shirt, as well as postcards of the local scenery and a copy of the book “Fort Frances: A History.”
Poster came along to show the three Americans a little of her home town. “I’ve lived here all my life and I just love sharing it with other people,” she said.
She also was impressed at how many people were able to participate in the official welcome with such short notice. “Everyone just rallied together. It was just great,” Poster enthused.
“We definitely stayed at the right motel,” Espinoza said of their hostess. “We can’t believe how helpful she’s been.”
The group planned to visit the museum here, see the bridge at Sioux Narrows, and go for lunch at La Place Rendez-Vous, where they could enjoy the view of Rainy Lake.
Wellman and his family returned to Albuquerque on Friday, hopefully with fond memories of their Canadian neighbours.