Uncategorized – University of Okoboji Winter Games

Winter Games 46 Results

February 2, 2026January 26, 2026 by wintergames

Chili Cook-Off sponsored by Hinn Real Estate

Best Overall

Goliath Discs.

Best Non-Profit

Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis

Best Decorated Booth

Grace Lutheran Church

Chocolate Classic sponsored by Ingvall Real Estate Team

1st: Painted Ladies

2nd: B&J's Sweets

3rd: Crave Bakery

Axe Throwing – 10 for $10 Tournament at The Throwing Post

Men: John Obrist

Women: Jenna Miller

Bean Bag Toss Tournament sponsored by Snappers

1^st:

2^nd:

3^rd:

4^th:

Broomball sponsored by MHR Insurance

1^st: New Ulm

2^nd: WestO

3^rd: Polar Penguins

Hard Water Open sponsored by Emerald Hills & Mullets

First Flight

1st Place - Skyler Baber

2nd Place - Ryan Broidenberg

3rd Place - Christian Dhyrkop

Second Flight

1st Place - Jaylen Rees

2nd Place - Justin Helgeson

3rd Place - Preston Spooner

Third Flight

1st Place - Jodi Weber

2nd Place - DJ Weber

3rd Place - Sue Devit

Cribbage Classic

1st Place - Nick Rock

2nd Place - John Hough

3rd Place - Mike Berry

4th Place - Rick Kent

Flag Football sponsored by Parks Marina

1^st: HawkTuha67

2^nd: Raw Doggs

3^rd:

Stump Tournament sponsored by West O Beer

1st: Kelley Welch

2nd: Kathleen Moench

3rd: Steve Schmidt

4th Place: Andy Van Dollen

Polar Plunge sponsored by Okoboji Motor Company

The cold temps didn't keep people from Polar Plunge. We had 107 brave souls that took the plunger into the icy waters of West Lake Okoboji raising funds that benefit the Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire & Rescue.

Snow Softball sponsored by The Ritz

1^st: Martini's

2^nd: Boji Nites

3^rd: Drinkers

Thank you for making another Winter Games a success!

January 26, 2026 by wintergames

On behalf of the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, we would like to thank you so much for making our 46th Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games another success for our business community.

Events of this scale are not possible without an army of volunteers and the continual support from our entire community. It truly takes a village to make something like this happen and we would like to take a second to thank some key leaders for this year’s event.

Thank you to our sponsors for making so much of this possible. Our Presenting Sponsor WestO Beer. A huge shout out to our Platinum Level Sponsors City of Arnolds Park, Smart Powersports of Okoboji, Atlantic Bottling Co./Monster, WalMart Spirit Lake, and BLINK Marketing. Gold level sponsors include Hy-Vee, Pure Fishing, Rosenboom, and Dr. McGillicuddy’s, and our Silver sponsors include Alliant Energy, Invenergy, Boji Powersports, and Black Hills Energy.

Thank you to our individual event sponsors Okoboji Motor Company for the Polar Plunge, Tony Thelen with The River Coaching and Consulting for the Food Truck Festival, Bank Midwest for the Burning of the Greens, Consumers Lumber for the Fireworks, Snappers Turtle Bay Cafe for the Bean Bag Toss Tournament, The Ritz for Snowball Softball, Ingvall Real Estate Team for the Chocolate Classic, Hinn Real Estate for the Chili Cook-off, Kozy Heat for the 5K Fun Run, West O Beer for the Stump Tournament, Fareway for Cribbage, MHR Insurance for the Broomball Tournament, and Parks Marina for Flag Football. We also would like to thank Emerald Hills and Mullets Okoboji for sponsoring our new event this year, the Hard Water Open, and O’Ferrall Sisters and No Streaking for Human Foosball.

We would also like to thank Regional Transit Authority for providing transportation for our cheerleaders and media, ShoreStation for providing a trailer stage for Burning of the Greens and Diamond Concrete for providing the storage containers for the collection of trees.

We appreciate the leadership of this year’s Chair Mickey Harrington, Co-chair Jordan Butler, and our 9 wonderful Winter Games Cheerleaders. A huge thank you to Rocky Thompson Photography for providing us with amazing footage of the games all weekend long. Thank you to our hundreds of volunteers, event chairs, Arnolds Park Amusement Park’s hard-working staff, KUOO, the Dickinson County News, the Lakes News Shopper, MC22, and all other news outlets for their non-stop coverage.

Thank you to County and City governments for working with us, the courageous Law enforcement of the Lakes Region, the Iowa DNR, Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire & Rescue for keeping us safe, and all of the Chamber businesses that hosted events that lead to a memorable weekend for our tens of thousands of visitors. Each and every business and their hardworking staff deserves a round of applause for welcoming individuals from near and far and making this weekend happen each and every year. It takes a very special community to unite & support an event that brings joy to our locals and visitors alike with an economic boost for our Chamber Members. Thank you to each and every one of you.

Blain Andera — CEO/President

Morgan Strauss — Director of Marketing and Events

Michaela Arneson – Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce

WG 46 Cheerleaders!

January 15, 2026 by wintergames

Winter Games Cheerleaders: THE VOTES ARE IN!

After collecting nominations for all of December and holding a community-wide voting on January 5th & 6th, the Winter Games Committee has officially tallied up the votes! This year around 1,000 ballots were counted both electronically and in person at the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber. We now present to you the 2026 University of Okoboji Winter Games Cheerleaders, and due to a tie we are announcing 9 deserving individuals.

Emily Boettcher

“Emily always has a ready smile and a giving heart.You're never a stranger for long, just someone she hasn't met yet. She is a proud farmer/cattleman and loves to share her farm experience with anyone! She is active on golf and bowling leagues and participates in many fundraising events in these sports around the area. Emily is an avid hunter as well. She was a 4-Her and continues to give back to the community volunteering at the County Fair and also with Ag in the Classroom activities through Iowa State University Extension. She loves Winter Games and can be found out and about with friends participating in various activities. Emily is the epitome of service, she is the VP of Dickinson County Farm Bureau Board, Commissioner & Treasurer of Dickinson County Soil & Water Conservation District and is active on the Dickinson County Cattlemen Board. She is one of the Iowa Farm Bureau Ag Leaders and has been a panel speaker for the State Women In Ag Conference.”

Josh Carr

“Josh has worked for Camp Foster impacting lives for over 20 years. Josh has been a great community member through his volunteer work with youth programs, his church and supporting Chamber events.”

Nicole Evans

“Look no further than voting for Nicole Evans as a cheerleader for the 2026 University of Okoboji Winter Games! Nicole never says "no" when asked to volunteer or serve in our community- her can-do, go-getter, positive attitude and willingness to pitch in whenever needed is inspiring! Nicole is a caring, committed, generous community leader. Nicole serves on the Good Neighbor Fund board, Spirit Lake Youth Little League Board, treasurer for the Dickinson County Relay for Life, Family Crisis Center Board, and is the past president of the Spirit Lake Elementary PIE committee. Nicole works at Northwest Bank and lives in Spirit Lake with her husband Tommy and two children Davis and Charlee.”

Michael Jensen

“Lifetime resident. Donates time and money to the area. Works tirelessly to promote preservation of the area. He gives back through the life jacket program, food drive, Halloween programs and Okoboji Wave”

Nick Plueger

“Nick is one of the gym teachers at Okoboji Middle School. He and his wife own CrossFit Okoboji. Nick is probably one of the biggest motivators and supporters for those in the community. Those who know him know he has such a huge heart. If you ask any of the kiddos at Okoboji Middle School who they want as a PE teacher, it’s Mr. Plueger. Nick is nothing short of an inspiration and a role model for all ages! Nick would make the perfect Okoboji Winter Games cheerleader!”

Krista Stafford

“To know Krista is truly to love her‚ always up for a good time and known for sharing laughs and good company (often with a Busch Light in hand). Krista is an exceptional nominee for Okoboji Winter Cheerleader because her heart for the Iowa Great Lakes community is evident in everything she does. Krista’s blend of community leadership, volunteerism, and infectious spirit makes her a true cheerleader for Okoboji in every season.

As CEO of the Iowa Great Lakes Board of REALTORS¬Æ, she leads with a mission rooted in service and giving back, organizing and supporting impactful initiatives such as backpack programs, food drives, school supply drives, pet drives, and blood donation sponsorships that directly benefit local families and organizations.”

Krista & Trevor Smith

“Trevor and Krista grew up in the Iowa Great Lakes area and returned home in the last few years to set roots and start their family. Trevor works for the Iowa Lakes Corridor and is a key supporter of the Lakes area and all it has to offer. Krista recently started working as the Executive Director of the Spirt Lake Chamber. Both Krista and Trevor are true cheerleaders of the area and are dedicated in their personal and professional lives to strengthening the community. They are involved in Special Olympics, Spencer Young Professionals, Kiwanis, K-Kids and so much more.”

Andy Wolf

“Andy has served the Bedell Family YMCA for over 15 years in multiple roles. Outside of work, Andy has impacted numerous children as a volunteer coach for youth basketball, football and baseball. He currently serves as the Varsity Baseball coach for Okoboji High School.”

WG 46 Chair & Co-Chair

November 24, 2025 by wintergames

University of Okoboji Winter Games 2026 Chair & Co-Chair

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the Chair & Co-Chair of the 46th Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games scheduled for January 22nd-25th, 2026!

The Chair of the 46th Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games this year is Mickey Harrington. “My husband, Jason, and I have proudly called the Iowa Great Lakes home for the past 23 years. We raised our two children here and are grateful that both carry the strong Midwest values with them as Alec is a physician in Florida and Brooke is a math & science teacher in Texas. (We hope to bring them closer to home one day!)

I’ve been a REALTOR® with Okoboji Realty for over a decade, following a fulfilling career with the Bank Midwest team. In both roles, I’ve had the privilege of helping others discover the beauty, charm, and welcoming spirit that make our area so special.

Giving back is incredibly important to me. This community has given so much to my family, and I’m honored to serve and volunteer whenever I can.

When it’s time to unwind, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, boating, biking, golfing, catching concerts in the park—and indulging in my secret passion for professional bull riding!

A heartfelt thank you to all the Winter Games sponsors, our amazing Iowa Great Lakes Chamber staff, first responders, police officers, and the many dedicated chamber businesses. Your unwavering support and tireless efforts ensure that Winter Games 46 will be one to remember.

Be safe, have fun, and enjoy Winter Games!”

Co-Chair this year is Jordan Butler. Jordan lives in Spirit Lake with his wife, Christa, and their three kids, where they make the most of life in the Iowa Great Lakes. We love spending time on the water in summer and on the ice in winter. As the General Manager at Boji Powersports and a board member for the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, Jordan is all about fueling fun in the community. For the Butler family, the University of Okoboji Winter Games are the ultimate celebration of what makes this area special — great people, big energy, and a love for the lake no matter the season. Jordan is thrilled to help represent and rally the community he and Christa are proud to call home.

We believe that both Mickey and Jordan enjoy being involved in the constant growth and enhancement of the events and they look forward to helping ensure that this year’s Winter Games continues to thrive while grasping on to the important traditions.

Thank you for making WG 45 a success!

October 17, 2025 by wintergames

On behalf of the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, we would like to thank you so many for making our 45th Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games another success for our business community. Although the games may have felt a little different from those of the recent past, lifelong memories were made for so many individuals from near and far. Events of this scale are not possible without an army of volunteers and the continual support from our entire community. It truly takes a village to make something like this happen and we would like to take a second to thank some key leaders for this year’s event.

Thank you to our sponsors for making so much of this possible. Our Presenting Sponsor GrapeTree Medical Staffing. A huge shout out to our Platinum Level Sponsors Smart Powersports of Okoboji, West O Beer and the City of Arnolds Park. Gold level sponsors include Hy-Vee, Pure Fishing, Rosenboom, Bug Masters of Okoboji, Fireball, and Dr. McGillicuddy’s, and our Silver sponsors include Alliant Energy. Thank you to our individual event sponsors Okoboji Motor Company for the Polar Plunge, Tony Thelen with The River Coaching and Consulting for the Food Truck Festival, Bank Midwest for the Burning of the Greens & Fireworks Extravaganza, Consumers Lumber for the Fireworks, Snappers Turtle Bay Cafe for the Bean Bag Toss Tournament, The Ritz for Snowball Softball, Ingvall Real Estate Team for the Chocolate Classic, Hinn Real Estate for the Chili Cook-off, Kozy Heat for the 5K Fun Run, West O Beer for the Stump Tournament, MHR Insurance for the Broomball Tournament, and Parks Marina for Flag Football. We would also like to thank Black Hills Energy for sponsoring the Winter Games schedules, Regional Transit Authority for providing transportation for our cheerleaders and media, ShoreStation for providing a trailer stage for Burning of the Greens and Diamond Concrete for providing the storage containers for the collection of trees.

We appreciate the leadership of this year’s Chair Andy Lux, Co-chair Mickey Harrington, and our 9 wonderful Winter Games Cheerleaders. A huge thank you to Rocky Thompson Photography for providing us with amazing footage of the games all weekend long. Thank you to our hundreds of volunteers, event chairs, Arnolds Park Amusement Park’s hard-working staff, KUOO, the Dickinson County News, the Lakes News Shopper, MC22, and all other news outlets for their non-stop coverage.

Blain Andera — CEO/President

Morgan Strauss — Director of Marketing and Events

Michaela Arneson – Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce

2025 Winter Games Results can be found at uofowintergames.com!

Meet your WG45 Chairs!

October 17, 2025 by wintergames

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the Chair & Co-Chair of the 45th Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games scheduled for January 23rd-26th, 2025!

The Chair of the 45th Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games this year is Andy Lux. Andy has lived in the Lakes Area since 2003 and works at Rosenboom as the Director of Purchasing. Andy and his wife currently reside in Spirit Lake and raised their two daughters who both graduation from Sprit Lake. Andy enjoys everything about the lakes from boating, to biking. He was also a cheerleader during the 40th Annual Winter Games.

Co-Chair this year is Mickey Harrington. Mickey has enjoyed the wonderful attractions the Lakes Area has to offer since her youth and in 2003 her family had the opportunity to move to the Iowa Great Lakes and become a true local. Mickey is a Realtor with Okoboji Realty for the last 11 years. Her work allows her to share her passion for the Lakes Area. Mickey believes in giving back to the community who has been to gracious to her family. Mickey and her husband Jason have two grown children who were raised in the area and graduated from Spirit Lake.

We believe that both Andy and Mickey enjoy being involved in the constant growth and enhancement of the events and they look forward to helping ensure that this year's Winter Games continues to thrive while grasping on to the important traditions.

Click the link to learn more about Andy and Mickey!

Meet your WG44 Chairs!

October 17, 2025March 21, 2025 by wintergames

Get to Know your Chair & Co-Chair!

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the Chair & Co-Chair of the 44th Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games scheduled for January 25-28, 2024.

The Chair of the 43rd Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games this year is Rachel Fandel. Rachel works at Fillenwarth Beach Resort in Arnolds Park. She is a 2008 graduate from Estherville Lincoln Central and a graduate from the University of Iowa. Rachel, her husband Craig and their two children reside in Spirit Lake.

When it came time to choose an area to settle in, the lakes area was a simple choice. Her love of the lake, for the community and her roots in the area help drive her to give back whenever possible.

Fandel is a member of the Okoboji Tourism Committee and a past IGLACC Board member. She enjoys helping area businesses thrive and helping visitors from all over the world learn about what makes Okoboji special. She is also the President of the Spirit Lake Elementary PIE and truly enjoys volunteering her time to benefit the kids in the area.

When Rachel isn't busy working or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, while taking full advantage of all that being an Iowa Great Lakes Area resident has to offer.

Over the years, Rachel has been involved in Winter Games as a spectator, participant, volunteer and Co-Chair. She is thrilled to yet again represent the community, the IGLACC and the University of Okoboji at this year's Winter Games!

Co-Chair this year is Andy Lux. Andy has lived in the Lakes Area since 2003 and has been employed at Rosenboom for the past 18 years where he currently serves as the Director of Purchasing. Andy and his wife currently reside in Spirit Lake and raised their two daughters in the Lakes Area where they both graduated from Spirit Lake Community School District.

Lux was drawn to the Lakes Area for its unique opportunity raise his family in a community that offers an ideal work life balance. He enjoys the incredible small-town community that often has a bigger town feel. Andy often enjoys the many avenues for professional growth as well as getting involved with all the great things that the area has to offer.

Andy is the current the acting Board President of the IGLACC and has previously served as the Board President of the Bedell Family YMCA as well as Staff Parish Relations Committee Chair t the Spirit Lake United Methodist Church.

In his free time, Andy enjoys boating, golfing, biking the many trails, taking in live music, and dining at the many fine food and entertainment venues that this area has to offer.

Andy was elected as a Winter Games Cheerleader during the 40^th Annual Winter Games. He enjoys being involved in the constant growth and enhancement of the event and looks forward to helping ensure that this year’s Winter Games continues to thrive while grasping on to the important traditions of the past.

Rachel and Andy are looking forward to the preparation ahead for our awesome winter tradition, and they are ready to make this year the best yet!

To get involved in the University of Okoboji Winter Games, please contact the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber at 712-332-2107.

Winter Games 45 Results

January 14, 2026January 27, 2025 by wintergames