WTIP’s Mark Abrahamson named Cook County Citizen of the Year!

Each year the Grand Marais Lions Club names one resident Cook County Citizen of the Year during Fisherman’s Picnic. This year, they honored Mark Abrahamson. Abrahamson is a retired nurse and nursing instructor. He is an avid choral musician, and a WTIP volunteer host and DJ. He regularly hosts North Shore Morning and Sounds of the Spirit. Abrahamson also hosts Tuesday Classics once per month.

Marcie Wood nominated Abrahamson for the award. She told WTIP that his positivity was part of why she nominated him. She said, “I’ve known Mark for years. I’ve known him through the Playhouse. I’ve known his beautiful voice, and then I worked with him at the Care Center for a number of years. I also have worked at Cook County higher education. So I knew Mark as an instructor there. And he has just gotten us through Covid in a really hard time on the radio as a voice for our community, and he’s always affirming and uplifting. His musical choices make us dance and make us happy, and he’s just a very upbeat, lovely, committed person.”

Abrahamson has been a Cook County resident for the past 40 years, and he described it as a land of opportunity for him and his family. He reflected on the ways he has been part of the community. He said, “I can’t believe all the wonderful things I’ve gotten to be involved in, and including working at Grand Portage for 13 years, best job in my whole life. And the support of the Grand Portage community as a nurse and and all the volunteer things that I got to do up there, and and then the whole rest of the county too… all sorts of fun volunteer things that I’ve gotten to do, including the Playhouse and radio and church and all those kinds of things. Those are all great opportunities.”

Abrahamson went on to thank some individuals who have helped facilitate his community involvement. He said, “I want to thank Marcie. And then I also need to thank Matthew Brown from here at WTIP, because this has been the best volunteer job I’ve ever had. I love working with the staff here and being able to be part of the community. And I also have to thank my spouse of 10 years and 38 years together, Steve Byers. He’s the one who makes all this possible that I’m able to get out and be part of the community, and so supportive. And our kids. We’re extremely lucky to have our son, Chad, here now, and Jesse and our grandson, Leighton, living with us. So good things came out of the pandemic, as well as being able to be part of the community on WTIP for the pandemic too.”

Steve Byers and Mark Abrahamson. Photo by Matthew Brown

In 2000, Abrahamson’s parents, Joan and Howard, won Cook County Senior Citizens of the Year. Abrahamson said that this made his own recognition extra special. He said, “That’s who I learned all this stuff from, to be part of the community, you know. And more than just work, you need to get out and be part of things. And they’re master gardeners. They helped design Harbor Park. They helped with the care center designed for outside, outdoor things, and just they loved being up here and being part of the community. So anyway, I guess it’s turning into a family tradition. Maybe we’ll see how our Byers family does with becoming part of the community too!”

The WTIP staff is proud to have Mark as a dedicated volunteer at the station, and happy to see his recognition of his commitment to the community.

Kirsten Wisniewski August 5, 2024