09/08/2026
WE DID IT. 💜🦋🏁 What an incredible weekend for Waves of Honor Watercross, presented by the Sturgeon Lake Lions Club & Selah Wellness Clinic!
We set a goal of $60,000, and because of our sponsors, racers, volunteers, vendors, spectators, and this community showing up in such a huge way, we raised $61,311!
After the $25,270 it cost to host Waves of Honor Watercross, $36,040 will go toward Weeping Willa’s mission and our continued work supporting parents who have lost a child at any stage of life.
We want to be transparent about what it takes to bring an event of this size to our community. Those expenses included IWA racing, insurance, advertising, entertainment, lodging, event infrastructure, sanitation, wristbands, programs, signage, and so many of the behind-the-scenes pieces necessary to make the weekend happen.
Bringing Watercross back to Moose Lake after eight years was something special, but seeing what this weekend was able to do for families experiencing unimaginable loss means even more.
There are so many people who deserve recognition for making this weekend what it was.
A huge thank you to the Moose Lake Cheerleaders, who raised and donated $202 through face painting for Weeping Willa while also spending their day cheering on our racers and bringing so much fun to the event.
Thank you to Willow River Party Co. for generously donating the bounce houses and giving our youngest spectators something fun to enjoy throughout the weekend.
Thank you to the Moose Lake and Willow River Royalty for showing up, helping throughout the event, interacting with our racers and community, and being part of making the weekend such a success.
We are incredibly grateful to the City of Moose Lake for allowing us to use the city’s land and giving us the opportunity to host Waves of Honor Watercross in Moose Lake. Bringing Watercross back after eight years would not have been possible without the City welcoming this event and working with us to make it happen.
And, of course, thank you to every racer who made the journey from across the Midwest to race with us. You brought the excitement, put on one heck of a show, and gave Moose Lake a weekend of Watercross we won’t soon forget. We are so grateful you took a chance on our first year and helped us bring this sport back to Moose Lake after eight years. We couldn’t have done it without you! 🏁
We also owe a huge thank you to those who helped keep everyone safe throughout the weekend. Thank you to the Essentia Health of Moose Lake medics for being on site and ready when needed, the Moose Lake Area Fire Department for your presence and assistance throughout the races, and the Carlton County deputies for being there and helping us provide a safe environment for everyone attending.
A special shoutout to our door prize donors: The Squirrel Cage, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Ace Hardware Sandstone, Pizza Pub of Sturgeon Lake, Cassie Fjosne Creative Co., Straightline Performance, Paul Widenstrom, and Bombshell Beauty Co. Thank you for helping make the weekend even more fun for our racers and spectators!
And to every sponsor listed here, every volunteer who gave their time, every food vendor, every racer who traveled to Moose Lake, and every person who bought a wristband, raffle ticket, food, merchandise, donated, or simply came down to the park and supported us - THANK YOU.
An event of this size does not happen because of one person, one organization, or one business. It happens when an entire community decides to show up.
And you showed up for Weeping Willa in a way we will never forget.
💜 Our goal: $60,000
🏁 Raised: $61,311
🦋 Funds for our mission: $36,040
That is $36,040 that will go directly toward supporting parents who have lost a child at any stage of life; helping fund funeral expenses, medical bills, grief resources, and keeping their lives as normal as possible after facing the unimaginable loss of a child.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making the first Waves of Honor Watercross one we will never forget, and, more importantly, for helping us continue showing up for families when they need it most. 💜🦋🏁
