LIVE. WORK. PLAY. EMMET COUNTY, MICHIGAN

Transcription

IMAGINE
LIVE. WORK. PLAY. EMMET COUNTY, MICHIGAN
PETOSKEY · HARBOR SPRINGS · MACKINAW CITY
2012-13 · emmetcounty.org
Tra vel Mich igan’s
Tunnel of Trees
Quite possibly one of the most cherished scenic highways in the country, the Tunnel of Trees along M-119
(Lake Shore Drive) snakes its way along the twists and turns of the Lake Michigan shoreline, stretching 20 miles from
Harbor Springs to Cross Village. Grab your camera and hit the road, there’s plenty to see and do along the way.
Stop and visit. Taste. Shop.
Dine. Experience. See. Create.
And then, do it all over again for
years to come. Explore the shore
along Michigan’s Tunnel of Trees.
THREE PINES STUDIO
5959 Levering Road, Cross Village
231.526.9447, threepinesstudio.com
2
L I V E . W O R K . P L AY.
E M M E T C O U N T Y. O R G
LEGS INN
End of M-119, Cross Village
231.526.2281, legsinn.com
GOOD HART GENERAL STORE
M-119, downtown Good Hart
231.526.7661, goodhartstore.com
A STUDIO
231.526.7110, astudioshop.com
GOOD HART GLASSWORKS
112 W. Townline Road, Good Hart
231.526.7283, artistsnorth.com/dinning
NORTHERN CREPES
231.526.0276, facebook.com/northerncrepes
TRILLIUM WOODS ANTIQUES AND ESPRESSO BAR
M-119, two miles south of Good Hart
231.526.6569 or 231.838.0649
PRIMITIVE IMAGES
231.526.0276, primitiveimages.com
HARBOR SPRINGS WINERY AT POND HILL FARM
M-119, ﬁve miles north of Harbor Springs
231.526.3276, pondhill.com
| Introduction
Emmet County:
COMMITTED TO DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY,
WITH EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS
S
hawn Wonnacott was enjoying a day
at Walloon Lake with his kids last
summer when he struck up a conversation with another beachgoer. She mentioned she was from a suburb of Chicago,
and Shawn inquired about what brought
her to Emmet County.
The woman told him she saw a television
ad for Emmet County, and it enticed her
and her family enough to make the approximately seven-hour trip to the northern
shores of Lake Michigan. What the woman
didn’t know is that Wonnacott is an Emmet
County Commissioner, one of seven who
in 2011 approved an expanded marketing
campaign that includes television advertisements in the southwestern Michigan/
Chicago region.
In the past months, stories like this have
become more common as Emmet County
continues to garner state and national headlines — and not for the typical doom-andgloom budget forecasts, staff cuts and the
like that have plagued many communities.
Instead, Emmet County has been featured
in the Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune and
Sun-Times, Midwest Living Magazine,
Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press,
Traverse City Record-Eagle and dozens of
other publications and media outlets for
the unique assets that are setting us apart.
It’s the result of a single word that embodies the spirit of Emmet County, its leaders, residents, business owners and families: Commitment.
This commitment is evidenced in continued upgrades to parks and recreation
opportunities that draw thousands here
each year. A commitment to conservative
fiscal management over many, many years
has helped Emmet County weather the financial downturn better than most. And a
Lyn Johnson,
Emmet County Controller
commitment to seizing new opportunities
when they arise has kept us a leader in
providing unique experiences, such as the
International Dark Sky Park at the Headlands.
Commitment is a word that is also embraced by the people featured in this year’s
issue of Imagine — our fourth year publishing this annual magazine. Inside these
pages you’ll read about those who have
committed to investing in Emmet County,
be it in their business decisions, family life
or community involvement that improves
the quality of life for all who live here.
Their commitment is woven into the fabric of our communities along with so many
others who work tirelessly to preserve
Northern Michigan’s exceptional way of
life. Look around us, every day — at our
bustling bike paths, packed beaches and
campgrounds, vibrant downtowns, awardwinning ski resorts and the plentiful boats
cruising the Inland Waterway during the
summer months.
Emmet County has made a conscious decision to take our fate into our own hands,
knowing that no one can preserve and advance our county’s vitality but ourselves.
It’s a course of commitment we will continue, together with the communities of
Northwest Michigan.
...a single word
that embodies the
spirit of Emmet
County, its
leaders, residents,
business owners
and families:
Commitment.
VISIT US ONLINE WITH
YOUR SMARTPHONE!
PETOSKEY · HARBOR SPRINGS · MACKINAW CITY · BAY HARBOR · ALANSON · PELLSTON · CROSS VILLAGE
3
Madigan/Pingatore
Insurance Services
Insuring over 3 billion dollars of client assets.
Madigan/Pingatore Insurance Service
77ATER3TREET3AULT3TE-ARIE-ICHIGANs
Stephen H. Madigan
0INECREST(ARBOR3PRINGS-ICHIGANs
Serving the Great Lakes Since 1895
WWW.MADIGANPINGATORE.COM
4
Recycling for your world.
Providing cutting-edge recycling services to families
and businesses throughout Emmet County.
IMAGINE
Providing materials to local industry.
Emmet County Department
of Public Works
emmetcounty.org
231-348-0640
www.EmmetRecycling.org
For more information about Emmet County,
visit emmetcounty.org or call 231.348.1704.
EDITOR & WRITER
BETH ANNE PIEHL
HISTORY’S HOME IN HARBOR SPRINGS
Emmet County Communications & Web Director
bpiehl@emmetcounty.org
PHOTOGRAPHY
G. RANDALL GOSS
Northern Michigan Review, Inc.
rgoss@petoskeynews.com
349 E. Main Street | Harbor Springs, MI 49740
LAYOUT & DESIGN
(231) 526-9771
WENDY WOLFSEN
www.HarborSpringsHistory.org
Northern Michigan Review, Inc.
wwolfsen@petoskeynews.com
ADVERTISING SALES
Northern Michigan Review, Inc. Advertising Staff
CHRISTY LYONS
Advertising Director
clyons@petoskeynews.com
Landmark Lodging. Waterfront Dining.
EMMET COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
JAMES TAMLYN, CHAIR
LESTER ATCHISON, VICE CHAIR
LARRY CASSIDY
PAUL HRAMIEC
JACK JONES
DANIEL PLASENCIA
SHAWN WONNACOTT
LYN JOHNSON, COUNTY CONTROLLER
IMAGINE is published by Emmet County, 200 Division
Street, Petoskey, MI 49770, in conjunction with Northern
Michigan Review, Inc. (231.347.2544). Content may not
be reproduced without prior written consent from the
editor. Content subject to change without notice. All
rights reserved. ©2012
BAY VIEW INN, BAY VIEW
CROOKED RIVER LODGE, ALANSON
Victorian country inn on the shores
Family-friendly lodge, overlooking the
of Little Traverse Bay. 800-258-1886 picturesque Crooked River. Indoor pool.
231-548-5000
PIER RESTAURANT, HARBOR SPRINGS
Waterfront dining at the marina
in beautiful Harbor Springs.
231-526-6201
PERRY HOTEL, PETOSKEY
Just off the bay in Petoskey’s historic
downtown Gaslight District.
800-737-1899
WEATHERVANE RESTAURANT, CHARLEVOIX
Charlevoix’s only true waterfront dining.
On the channel at the drawbridge,
downtown. 231-547-4311
STAFFORDS.COM
5
IMAGINE
8
CONTENTS
On the cover: International Dark Sky Park at the
Headlands. Robert de Jonge photo.
22
INFORMATIVE
THE ESSENTIALS OF
EMMET COUNTY
10
INVESTED
COMMITMENT
TO BUSINESS
SUCCESS
INFLUENTIAL
CALLING EMMET
COUNTY HOME
IMPRESSIVE
Headlands
EMMET
COUNTY
PROPERTIES:
FOR THE
PUBLIC,
FOREVER
34
INVIGORATING
THE GREAT
OUTDOORS!
30
42
38
INSPIRATIONAL
NURTURING AN
ARTS AND CULTURE
COMMUNITY
INTRIGUING
HISTORICAL
POINTS OF
INTEREST
44
6
INCOMPARABLE
SMALL TOWN CHARM,
BIG CITY AMENITIES
Harbor Point, Harbor Springs
this is where
become lifelong memories
open Year
Year-Round
Round
Two exhibition halls, one art gallery,
230 seat theater, studios—all in a fully restored,
122-year-old architectural gem.
ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
Concerts, Kids’ Art Camp,
Workshops, Coffee At Ten,
Holiday Art Bazaar,
New Year’s Eve at CTAC!
The beauty, charm and relaxed pace
2012 EXHIBITS
of our resort towns bring you a vacation
Artists of
Mackinac Island
June-September
dreams are made of.
Michigan
Watercolor Society
& Juried Fine Arts
Featuring Michigan artists
All work for sale
September-November
Affordable to extravagant
ART TREE GALLERY
PetoskeyArea.com
800.845.2828
Free Vacation Guide
In beautiful, downtown Petoskey!
www.crookedtree.org
(231) 347-4337
harborsir.com
L
IVE HERE
Petoskey
u
Harbor Springs
u
Boyne City
bayharbor.com
S
TAY HERE
P
LAY HERE
The world-class residential and resort community of Bay Harbor is situated along 5.5 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline nestled between Petoskey and Charlevoix.
Bay Harbor encompasses a 27-hole championship golf course, marina. Equestrian Center, Yacht Club, boutique shopping & dining and hotel & conference center.
When you’re ready to reward yourself with Northern Michigan living at its best, Bay Harbor is your destination!
BAY HARBOR PREMIER EVENTS
Northern Michigan’s Premier Chauffeured Black Car Service
The Highest Quality Service at a Reasonable Price
231.492.9232 or reservations@baytobaycars.com
baytobaycars.com
Open Air Market every Friday - May 25 from 2pm - 6pm
In Water Boat Show - June 15-17
Vintage Car & Boat Festival - June 22 - 24
Fireworks and Petoskey Steel Drum Band - July 3
Main Street Parade - July 4
Bay Harbor Arts Festival - August 4 & 5
Trunk or Treating - October 31
Ice & Spice Festival - January 18 & 19, 2013
7
| Informative
Emmet
County
The essentials
of Emmet County
Harbor
Springs
EDUCATION
PRIVATE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
E
very day, Emmet County schools’
graduates are making a difference
in the world. The best and the
brightest emerge as leaders from these
top-achieving districts whose alumni
excel thanks to well-rounded curricula,
dedicated teachers and a community
committed to education.
PUBLIC
• Petoskey, the largest with
approx. 2,960 students,
petoskeyschools.org
• Harbor Springs, approx.
800 students, harborps.org
• Littlefield-Alanson, approx.
320 students, alansonvikings.net
• Pellston, approx. 610 students,
pellstonschools.org
• Mackinaw City, approx.
200 students, mackcity.k12.mi.us
• Concord Academy of Petoskey,
K-12 charter school, fine arts
emphasis, approx. 270 students,
concordpetoskey.com
• Petoskey Montessori Children’s House
and Elementary, approx. 65 students
(includes pre-K), petoskeymontessori.org
• Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School
District, (regional educational services),
char-emisd.org
8
• St. Francis Xavier (Catholic, pre-K
through eighth-grade), approx. 200
students, petoskeystfrancis.org
• Harbor Light Christian, (pre-K through
12th grade), approx. 140 students,
harborlightchristian.org
• Seventh-Day Adventist (K-8), approx.
8 students, (231) 347-2560
ALL ENROLLMENT FIGURES ESTIMATED 2011-12
TRANSPORTATION
FLY FROM NEARBY
Pellston Regional Airport is known locally
and nationally as one of the most alluring airport terminals anywhere, with its log-cabin
look, cozy feel and native Northern Michigan
details including fieldstone fireplaces, lodge
furnishings and hand-carved signage. But it’s
not just pretty; it’s also the most convenient
way for residents and visitors to travel to and
from Emmet County.
The airport is located in Pellston, about
20 minutes from Petoskey and about 15
minutes from the Mackinac Bridge. It is
owned and operated by Emmet County
and serviced by Delta, with flights daily to
Detroit for connections around the world.
About 70,000 passengers rely on the
airport for personal and business travel,
and numerous local businesses utilize the
airport to fulfill global commerce and
transportation needs. It’s also a busy spot
for general aviation and private pilots, plus
there’s an upper level restaurant and bar,
Hoppie’s Landing.
The airport code is PLN; call
(231) 539-8423 for flight information.
For airport information, go online to
www.pellstonairport.com.
• Municipal airport: A second local
airport, Harbor Springs Municipal
Airport, provides services and facilities
for general aviation.
(231) 347-2812.
• Roads: The county is situated near
major transportation routes including
U.S. highways 31 and 131, and also
interstate I-75.
• Ferries: Several ferry boat providers
transport thousands of visitors each year
from Mackinaw City across the Straits of
Mackinac to Mackinac Island.
GOVERNMENT
Organized in 1853, Emmet County today
has 21 units of government, which includes
two cities, three incorporated villages and 16
townships. www.emmetcounty.org
CITIES
• Petoskey, the county seat, pop. 6,000
• Harbor Springs, pop. 1,600
VILLAGES
Alanson • Mackinaw City • Pellston
TOWNSHIPS
Bear Creek, Bliss, Carp Lake, Center,
Cross Village, Friendship, Littlefield,
Little Traverse, Maple River, McKinley,
Pleasantview, Readmond, Resort, Springvale,
Wawatam, West Traverse
DEMOGRAPHICS
OF NOTE
ACCOLADES
• Population, 2010 Census: 32,694.
That number grows by tens of
thousands in the summer months
with resorters and seasonal
residents return.
We love it when they love us! Rarely a year
goes by without several publications and
their writers discovering all the wonderful
things about Emmet County. We’ve been
featured in: Midwest Living; “The 100
Best Small Towns in America;” “The
Great Towns of America;” “America’s 100
Best Places to Retire;” “100 Best Outdoor
Towns;” Outdoor Life; “1,000 Places to See
in the U.S.A. and Canada Before You Die;”
GOLF magazine; Where to Retire; “Best
Places to Live in Rural America;” Conde
Nast Traveler; CNBC; the Today Show;
New York Times; Boston Globe;
Travel + Leisure magazine.
• Emmet County encompasses
more than 460 square miles,
of which roughly half is land
and half is water.
• The county seat is Petoskey.
• Average annual snowfall: 90-110 in.
• Tourism is the main economic engine,
driven by winter and summer sports.
• One of the largest employers is
McLaren-Northern Michigan, formerly
Northern Michigan Regional Hospital.
McLaren-Northern Michigan, a subsidiary
of McLaren Health Care, is a 202-bed,
regional referral center located in Petoskey,
serving residents in 22 counties across
northern lower Michigan and the eastern
part of the Upper Peninsula. Other large
employers are the Little Traverse
Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, which
operates Odawa Casino; Bay Harbor
Company; Walmart; Home Depot and
Lowes; Moeller Aerospace and Circuit
Control Corp.
RAVE REVIEWS FOR
EMMET COUNTY
CHAMBERS
OF COMMERCE
• Petoskey Regional
Chamber of Commerce
(231) 347-4150
Petoskey.com
• Harbor Springs Area
Chamber of Commerce
(231) 526-7999
Harborspringschamber.com
• Mackinaw City
Chamber of Commerce
(231) 436-5574
Mackinawchamber.com 
Petoskey State Park
You voted.
LINDA
MICHAELS
“Top 5 East Coast Pipes”
2009 Transworld Snowboarding Magazine Reader Poll
“Michigan’s Best Ski Resort”
All things Petoskey Stone & more!
2008 Oakland Press Best of the Best Survey
“#1 ranked Terrain Park in North America”
“#4 ranked Grooming program in North America”
Jewelry • Clocks • Serving Pieces
Picture Frames • And More!
Ski Magazine 2007 Reader Survey
“Michigan’s Best Ski Resort”
2006 and 2003 Detroit News
“#1 Ski Resort in the Midwest”
Ski Magazine 2002, 2003 and 2004 Reader Surveys
500 Nubs Nob Road | Harbor Springs, MI 49740
Snowline: 800-SKI-NUBS | 231-526-2131
www.nubsnob.com
Thank you
Exclusive • WeeForest Folk Dealer
Turquoise Bracelet
Handcrafted Sterling Silver & Turquoise Ring
(231) 347-0261
313 E. Lake Street • Downtown Petoskey
www.lindamichaels.net
9
| Influential
Calling Emmet County home
A successful county depends on the commitment of its citizens to make
conscious decisions that improve quality of life for all. In these pages, read
about the individuals and families who do just that. Thanks to their efforts
and involvement, Emmet County remains a truly one-of-a-kind community.
FRANK FOSTER:
On the move in the political scene,
but still rooted in Northern Michigan
A
regular at area events like chamber luncheons, economic development task
forces and YMCA board meetings,
Frank Foster looks every bit the part of a polished politician — well-dressed, well-mannered and well-informed. He’s a hand-shaker
who greets people by name and tailors his
remarks to address each group’s specific
concerns.
But get Foster talking about his Emmet
County roots and his upbringing in one of
the most outdoor-oriented counties in the
state, and his down-to-earth, humble background is evident.
“My dad was a builder so we moved a lot.
We lived all around the county — Alanson,
Pellston, Petoskey,” said Foster, 25. “I’m
the fourth generation of Fosters in this area.
And I don’t think there’s a better place to be.”
These days, Foster is splitting his time
between Petoskey and Lansing as one of
the youngest legislators voted into office; at
age 24 he became the Representative for the
107th District, defeating Democrat Richard
Timmer for the House seat.
After the 2010 election, protecting and
promoting natural resources quickly rose to
the top of Foster’s priority list. By 2011, he
was chairing the Natural Resources, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee as
one of just two freshmen committee chairs
10
appointed by the Speaker of the House and
the youngest person ever in state history to
lead a committee.
“For me, the important part of keeping our
natural resources pristine is not only to attract tourists and promote economic development,” Foster said, “but we have to be responsible for what we have been given.”
A YOUNG MAN WITH A PLAN:
GROW BUSINESS, CREATE JOBS
His father, Frank Sr., is still a local builder
in Emmet County, and his mom, Susan, a
dental hygienist. They raised Frank, their
only child, to appreciate the outdoors and the
beauty of small-town life. His youth was spent
playing hockey and exploring the wide-open
acreage that’s afforded to kids who grow up in
Northern Michigan.
After graduating from Petoskey High School
in 2004 he attended Grand Valley State University where he earned a business degree in
2009. He interned for Rep. Pete Hoekstra one
summer and started developing an interest in
politics and the desire to spur positive change.
Still, he graduated with the expectation of
returning home to Emmet County to manage his family’s third-generation construction
company. But his interest was piqued when
he started hearing about the open 107th seat.
Foster took part in hockey as a
youth in Emmet County.
The district includes Emmet, Chippewa and
Mackinac counties, and two townships in
Cheboygan County.
He campaigned on a message of business
growth and job creation and surprised his
family by announcing he would run as a Republican; many members of his extended family had served as Democrats in local offices,
including one icon who had served for years as
Emmet County’s Democratic Party chairman.
“I was somewhat familiar with the legislative process, as I’d gone to Lansing during college to advocate for higher education funding
and affordable housing for students,” Foster
said. “I had played hockey in St. Ignace and
had family in Sault Ste. Marie, but the stigma
was that no one from below the Bridge could
Photo: G. Randall Goss
of the Little Traverse Conservancy and member of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on
State Parks and Outdoor Recreation. “After
talking with county leadership and the Dark
Sky team, he made sure that there was unanimous support from the three involved townships and the county board. He then took the
initiative of introducing the legislation to help
make the Dark Sky Coast a reality.”
‘THESE ARE THINGS
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
CAN DO TOGETHER’
Michigan Representative Frank Foster, at the family farm in Petoskey,
has his roots deeply anchored in Northern Michigan.
win the seat.”
the get-go.
He proved that theory incorrect and landed
“He was a bright young man out of school
63 percent of the vote. Since then, he appears
and he was very active in college,” said Beck.
to be following Gov. Rick Snyder’s famous “When we started putting his campaign to“working in dog years” pledge to get Michigan gether, what really impressed me was how
back on the right track. Foster has already in- hard he and his staff worked and how many
troduced dozens of bills and supported others, thousands of doors they knocked on. He’s
including a sustainable funding model for the
been a fast learner and we’ve shared a lot of
state’s award-winning Pure Michigan cam- the same interests, like how do we create a
paign. He’s been recognized as “Leader of the
smaller but more efficient government.”
Year” from the Michigan United ConservaBeck said he foresees a future with Foster in
tion Clubs, “Alumnus of the Year” by Grand
public service. “Public service is a fine career.
Valley State University’s Seidman College of Frank’s young age, his energy and his intellect
Business, and was selected among 20 fresh- will serve him well if that is what he wants to
man state legislators in the U.S. to attend the
do.”
2011 Emerging Leaders Summit in WashingMany in Foster’s district note that he reton, D.C.
mains tuned in to issues that affect individual
He’s logged tens of thousands of miles demonstrating his commitment to his constituents
We have to be responsible
and his state, and usually spends four-day
weekends in-district attending ribbon-cut- for what we have been given.
tings, meeting with community leaders and
FRANK FOSTER
visiting his family.
His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed by those
communities. One example is the pending legin the beltway and beyond it.
“Frank Foster epitomizes the ideal of intelli- islation to designate a Dark Sky Coast along
gent, compassionate and concerned represen- Emmet County’s northern coast, to completative of our rural district in Northern Michi- ment the International Dark Sky Park at the
gan, the Straits Area and the Eastern Upper Headlands.
“It’s wonderful that Rep. Foster sees proPeninsula,” wrote Kim Hagen, a Yahoo blogtection of the night sky as part of his work in
ger after a Foster visit to St. Ignace.
chairing the House Committee on Natural
Harbor Springs resident Larry Beck, who
helped with Foster’s election efforts in 2010, Resources, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation,”
said Tom Bailey, long-time executive director
said Foster’s enthusiasm impressed him from
‘
’
Supporting parks and recreation opportunities is particularly meaningful in Northern
Michigan where residents work to protect
tracts of land and access to waters for future
generations, Foster noted.
“There isn’t as strong of a sense downstate,
I don’t think, of passing things on to the next
generation. But there is Up North,” said Foster.
“I vied really hard to be chair of the Natural
Resources, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
Committee to continue that momentum.”
That committee dovetails with his efforts to
ensure steady funding for the Pure Michigan
campaign. “We have to go after the global tourism market in Michigan. Our two peninsulas
and all there is to offer here — the Dark Sky
Park at the Headlands in Mackinaw, Camp
Pet-O-Se-Ga in Alanson, Pictured Rocks
glass-bottom boat tours — are truly unique
experiences that will draw global visitors.”
He added, “These are things that Democrats and Republicans can do together. We
need to make it a priority.”
Opportunities for youth are a natural offshoot of recreation, he said. To that end, Foster
serves on the board of directors of the Northern Michigan YMCA, based in Petoskey, and
he has worked to support the Hunter Heritage
package that would allow younger youth to
hunt with proper supervision.
He recalls fondly his own time as a youth in
Emmet County, playing at the Petoskey Winter Sports Park, walking to the movie theater
and meandering the storybook downtown
Christmas open house.
“One of the things that I am most proud
of is the wealth of knowledge that Northern
Michigan residents have and the resources
that we have,” Foster said. “That results in
projects like extending an old train track to
make a terrific bike trail, or the creation of the
state’s only Dark Sky Park. There are a lot of
hands working together and I’m most proud
how everyone’s doing their part in Northern
Michigan.”
Foster’s online office keeps constituents up to date
24/7 on current events, his thoughts and activities
around his district and the state. Friend him on
Facebook or go online to www.repfoster.com.
“INFLUENTIAL” CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
11
| Influential
The Garber family at home in Petoskey, (clockwise from left) Tad, Jack, Peter, and Trish.
THE GARBERS:
Petoskey’s first family of
broadcasting reinvents radio as son
Joey keeps wowing the golf world
E
very day, the work of Trish Garber and
consecutive years) and becoming one of the
two of her three sons reaches into the youngest winners ever of both the Michihomes, vehicles and workplaces of tens gan Amateur tournament and the Michiof thousands of Northern Michigan resi- gan Jr. Amateur in the same year.
dents and visitors. As owners of MacDonLike his brothers, who clearly excel as the
ald-Garber Broadcasting, the family radio
next generation in the radio business, Joey
legacy that started more than 35 years ago
credits his upbringing in Emmet County as
continues today in a radius reaching from
a key factor in his success on and off the
Traverse City into the Upper Peninsula.
golf course.
And while Trish, husband Jack, and sons
“When someone from down here in GeorTad, 26, and Peter, 25, work hard to deliver gia asks me what Petoskey is like, it takes
music and news to listeners, son Joey, 20, me a bit to give them the whole story,” Joey
finds himself among those making the wrote, in an email interview with Imagine.
headlines. The University of Georgia soph- “I describe Petoskey how most people do, in
omore is a championship golfer who regu- regards to it being one of the most pristine
larly swept the competition during his days
and beautiful places in the summer …
at Petoskey High School, earning the title
“But when I tell them how I feel about
of Michigan High School Mr. Golf (two Petoskey and what I think of it as growing
12
up, it’s more like this: A close-knit community with great people. A community that
is so invested in making it a better place
for everyone. Great educational opportunities from elementary schools to a college.
Friday night lights at Curtis Field, the atmosphere inside the gym, the inspiration
in the classroom — all of these things are
what I think of when I think of my childhood and growing up in Petoskey and Emmet County.”
THE RIGHT FORMAT
“Our family’s commitment is first and
foremost to Petoskey — that’s our first
priority,” says Trish, in the family’s home
that is stunning, spacious and comfortable
like only a house that’s raised kids can be.
On this day, all the family members except
Joey have settled into the living room that
has a beautifully distracting view of Little
Traverse Bay outside a wall of windows
and patio sliders.
“We have resisted the move to Traverse
City, which really is the hub of commerce
in Northern Michigan, frankly,” Trish continued. “While I like Traverse City, Emmet
County has so much more. It’s more intimate and the community gives us as much
CHILDHOODS SPENT OUTDOORS
Tad, Peter and Joey remember a childhood spent on the course at the Petoskey-
Photo courtesy Petoskey News-Review
as we give them.”
Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Trish was
familiar with Emmet County; her family had a ski chalet in nearby Boyne Falls,
where she developed a passion for skiing
that ultimately led her to Aspen. In the early 1980s, Trish’s father, Kenneth H. MacDonald, recruited his daughter to come
back to Michigan to help him grow his
then-Saginaw-based radio station holdings.
With two of her brothers as principal stockholders, the family agreed to expand north;
they took ownership of WKHQ, Lite 96.3
FM and 1340 WMBN.
Trish and Jack, also a Saginaw native,
were married in 1982 and chose Petoskey
as home base. In 1989, Kenneth passed
away, leaving her to handle much of the operations and future growth. It was a challenge she took head-on and continues to
enjoy today. “I was really attracted to the
business side and the opportunity to turn
a radio station group around,” says Trish.
Among her first steps was increasing the
power of WMBN-FM to 100,000 watts.
While the call letters have changed to
WLXT and the power has grown triplefold, the format has remained the same,
playing adult contemporary music on 96.3.
On the AM side, the company made the decision to change the format of 1340 AM to
“The Ticket,” an all-sports station, on Jan.
1, 2012.
Today, the company also owns and operates 1270 WMKT, “the talk station;” the
new BOB FM (104.5) in Traverse City,
playing 80s and 90s music; and three stations in Cadillac. In total, the eight stations
reach from south of Cadillac to the Soo in
the Upper Peninsula.
“It’s a powerful market. At any given
time, KHQ alone has nearly 200,000 listeners. That is a huge responsibility to both
entertain and inform those active listeners
24 hours a day and one we don’t take lightly,” Trish said.
As Trish was developing the radio stations, Jack was pursuing his own business
interests. While his background was in
the car business with his family’s dealerships in Saginaw, he followed his bride to
Petoskey and went into commercial real estate. He then went on to become a retailer
in Petoskey’s Gaslight District via the Orvis Whippoorwill store, which continues
to provide fly fishing guide services despite
closing the store after Jack experienced
some health issues.
While he and Trish didn’t share a common broadcasting background, they did
share a passion that they inherently passed
along to their three sons: Golf. And lots of
it.
Joey Garber
air time for the youngest Garber.
Bay View Country Club, picking up the
Tad is currently the director of MacDongame their dad played in college and one
ald-Garber’s Interactive Division, handling
their mom enjoyed as a hobby.
the advancement of online, mobile and vid“I remember being dropped off and
spending my entire day putting and chip- eo components of the radio business, and
managing social media. He’s based in Traping,” said Peter. “I loved it. I still love the
game of golf. It’s probably a big part of who verse City. Tad graduated from Northwood
we are as people, because from a young age University, where he also played golf.
He and Peter are co-owners of the new
we interacted with adults. Emmet County
station, BOB FM. Peter, a University of
did provide us the freedom to learn about
ourselves and how to behave in a safe set- Michigan graduate, is the company’s creative director. After living in Colorado and
ting.”
While all the boys excelled at sports, it Chicago, both sons were enticed back to
was Joey who had the desire to take it to Northern Michigan by their mom to start
the next level. “Joey has had a very success- BOB FM. They share a place in Traverse
ful athletic career which can be attributed City now as they develop the station.
“We were given this frequency and it was
to his older brothers. They were wonderful
an opportunity to get my creative juices gorole models for Joey,” said Jack.
That strong family support helped Joey ing,” said Peter, a writer who enjoys developing ad content and campaigns.
win four Golf Association of Michigan
“To have these guys come into the busichampionships and nearly every high
school event his last two years at Petoskey ness with refreshing new approaches has
High School. Joey hopes that after gradua- taken what we have always done and intion from the University of Georgia, he’ll jected a shot of energy,” said their mom.
“I think they’re doing remarkably well. I
be playing on the PGA Tour.
“PHS is a very close-knit, diverse school can’t tell you what a blessing it is to have
that really had a great influence on how I them interested in not just broadcasting
viewed myself and how I was going to cre- but in the area. It’s so gratifying to have
them nearby. They are the next generation
ate the path of my future,” Joey said. “High
of business leadership.”
school golf meant so much to me, because
Jack said Emmet County has provided
I felt like I was playing for more than myself. I was supported so wholeheartedly by him opportunities to further bond with his
sons outside of the business world. “I grew
my school and community that it kept me
up in an outdoors family, hunting and fishmotivated and focused.”
ing in particular,” Jack said. “This area offers me that. It took my boys a while to find
REFRESHING RADIO
an interest in that, but now I think they like
IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN
to hang with their dad hunting and fishing.
As Joey pursues the pathway of a pro, his That’s very satisfying to me.”
community will be cheering him on, and
so will his family — who will surely find
13
| Influential
THE FISHER
FAMILY
Walter Fisher and daughter Elise Hayes at Nub’s Nob ski area.
COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY HEALTH — THROUGH WORK AND PLAY
Nub’s Nob owner and family leaving
their mark throughout Emmet County
W
alter Fisher and Elise Hayes are
a dynamic father-daughter pair
who have committed their lives to
investing in and ensuring the health of
Emmet County, as owners of Nub’s Nob
— a favorite local winter recreation spot
— and as board members making critical
decisions guiding the operation of the region’s largest health care provider.
And while they have had a significant
impact on the lives of many Northern
Michigan families, Emmet County, too,
has affected theirs. Since Walter was a
young child, visiting Northern Michigan
on his parents’ yacht from their home in
the Detroit area was part of a beloved summer routine. He is 85 now, and remembers
well those trips in the early 1930s to the
shores of Petoskey and Harbor Springs.
“We were a water family,” said Fisher,
who splits his time living in both Harbor
Springs and Bloomfield Hills today. “I
was raised on the water.”
14
Fisher married his wife, Sis, in 1955,
and they began ferrying their three children “Up North” each summer, too. It was
during those trips they found Wequetonsing, a small resort enclave near Harbor
Springs. “We rented in Wequetonsing in
the early days where we would swim and
sail in Little Traverse Bay. It was such a
nice atmosphere, there were a lot of Michigan people, but also Cincinnati and Chicago families,” Fisher recalled.
In the mid-1960s, they built their first
seasonal home in Roaring Brook and they
have become interwoven into the community fabric ever since, most notably as
leaders with the hospital and its philanthropic arm, the Northern Michigan Regional Health System Foundation.
Fisher was first elected to the Lockwood-MacDonald Hospital board in 1963.
Lockwood merged with Little Traverse
Hospital to form Northern Michigan Regional Hospital (which in March 2012
changed its name to McLaren — Northern
Michigan after an affiliation with McLaren Health System in Flint). He retired in
the early 2000s after serving on and off
the various hospital boards for 40 years.
In 2011, he was honored with the Jack
Clark Philanthropy and Service Award for
his exceptional contributions to the Northern Michigan Regional Health System
Foundation. Of special note was Fisher’s
involvement in the merging of LockwoodMacDonald and Northern Michigan Regional Hospital many decades ago and his
consideration of how the merger would
positively affect colleagues and the community.
His daughter, Elise, who is chairperson
of the foundation, presented him with the
award. During the ceremony, she noted:
“This award is presented to individuals
who are visionaries and philanthropists
at heart. These individuals have provided
direction and leadership to the foundation
and have been instrumental in making our
health system what it is today.”
LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
Hayes, 55, first joined the board of the
Northern Michigan Regional Hospital
Foundation when she was in her late 30s, after a phone call from a friend requesting her
involvement. “She said, ‘Elise, it’s time
you get involved,’” Hayes recalled. “She lit
the fire in me and made me aware of how
much good the foundation does.”
She has now been chairperson of the
25-member foundation board for five
years, having served since 2002. The foundation, which meets up to eight times a
year, oversees all philanthropic decisions
that impact the hospital and its services,
plus VitalCare Hospice of Little Traverse
Bay, and community outreach such as the
local free clinic. Each year, the foundation
has a fundraising goal; this year, it’s $6
million. “We are very close,” said Hayes.
The fundraising efforts have paid off for
patients in ways such as new equipment
for digital mammography and heart and
I have gained much
‘more
than I have given.’
of Nub’s Nob ski resort in Harbor Springs,
one of three regional winter recreational
areas and a favorite of locals.
Fisher and his brother purchased Nub’s
Nob in 1977 and today it is operated largely by Hayes, who enjoys being on-site and
helping the resort sustain its motto, “Firstclass and friendly skiing” with long-time
general manager, Jim “JB” Bartlett.
Back when the Fishers first became
owners, the resort had hotel rooms and
a swimming pool; skiers rode to the top
of the slopes with rope tows and a T-bar,
with just two or three chairlifts in operation. Today, Nub’s has nine chairlifts and
53 runs over 248 acres, and it is consistently ranked in national publications for its
grooming, snow conditions and a terrain
park that draws thousands of skiers and
snowboarders.
“I skied for over 60 years,” said Fisher,
who recently had to give up the sport. “I
still have an office there, right under the
clock. I like to go to the lobby at Nub’s and
talk to the guests; they think it’s great that
they just met the owner. It’s very exhilarating for me to talk with the guests.”
While Elise has taken on a more active
role in management of the ski area, she
also continues to support her other passion: the local arts community, which her
mother has long supported as well. Her accolades for the level of performing arts in
the region are high.
“We went to see the Nutcracker at the
new Performing Arts Center in Harbor
Springs and we were blown away,” Hayes
said. “It was a seasonal highlight for us.”
Hayes said while her résumé of community involvement appears lengthy, the
benefit has been to her the most. “I have
gained,” she says, “much more than I have
given.”
vascular machines, and facilities such as
the stunning new John and Marnie Demmer Wellness Pavilion in Petoskey.
Two long-time hospital supporters, Bob
Bleyaert and Hiland Hall, eventually
asked Elise to join the “big board” at the
hospital, as her father had done for 40
years. In 2003, she accepted a position on
the Health System Board of Trustees, on
which she continues to serve.
Through her commitment to the hospital and the foundation, Elise, like her parents, also developed a special connection
to Emmet County. She met her husband,
Rip, on a chairlift at Nub’s Nob in 1979,
33 years ago. They have two children;
daughter Logan, 27, who works in public
relations in Manhattan, and son Stewart,
23, who works for a developer in British
Virgin Islands.
The family lives in Bloomfield Hills and
owns a seasonal home in Roaring Brook,
a stone’s throw from her brother, Greg
Fisher, and sister Yvonne McCready, and
their families.
“It is a great place to bring children …
There is so much to do here in a safe environment,” Hayes said. “Our children grew
up with both local and seasonal friends,
which was broadening then and to this
day.
“We would spend the whole summer up
in Harbor Springs. They had summer jobs
and were part of the normal rhythm of life
up North. In the winters, we would spend
Christmas in Harbor Springs and our children were on the ski teams so we were
here every weekend, too. Our children
have developed wonderful relationships
and roots here.”
THE FAMILY THAT SKIS TOGETHER …
The Fisher family has helped shape the
health and well-being of the community
in another significant way — as owners
Photo courtesy Petoskey News-Review
ELISE HAYES
Nub’s Nob terrain park
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15
| Influential
The Fleming family:
Anne, Kieran, Claire, Ellie
THE FLEMINGS:
A GRASS-FED REVOLUTION
Committed to
bringing healthful
food choices to
Northern Michigan
(Adapted from an article by Wil Cwikiel that originally appeared in the Harbor Light Newspaper,
with additional writing from Beth Anne Piehl)
MEET THE FLEMINGS
In the tiny community of Bliss — about
equidistant from Sturgeon Bay and the Bliss
General Store — is the 20-acre Fleming
Farm, run by Kieran, 45, and Anne, 43, and
their daughters Claire, 14, and Ellie, 11.
Although Kieran and Anne both have
day jobs, they are committed to doing their
part to bring local healthy food choices to
Northern Michigan. So, in their “spare time”
they run Fleming Feirm. Feirm is the Gaelic
spelling of farm, and this spelling of farm
isn’t the only example of how they do things
in a traditional manner.
For thousands of years, livestock were
raised on pasture, the growth of which was
fueled by the sun. The Flemings explained
that “pasture” is actually the generic term
for a community comprised of dozens of
herbaceous plants and is home to thousands
of species of insects and other arthropods.
When animals dine on this diversity, they
are treated to a full complement of nutrients.
It wasn’t until the 1940s and 50s when petrochemicals (in the form of everything from
gasoline to fertilizers to herbicides and pesticides) made growing corn and soybeans so
cheap that farm animals were switched to
a seed-based diet (i.e., corn and soybeans)
and produced on factory farms. The result is
what we see today: copious quantities of inexpensive protein, animal wastes polluting
waters, unsavory living conditions for farm
16
Photo: Darrell Amlin
T
here’s been a quiet revolution going on
in Emmet County. It will not involve any
“shots heard ‘round the world” or NATO
forces. And the only “tweets” are from actual baby chickens.
The masterminds of this revolution are a
couple in their 40s and their kids, running
a local family farm and trying to provide
healthy food choices to themselves and their
neighbors. The beneficiaries are the consumers who are willing to put their money
where their taste buds are.
animals (not to mention farm workers), and was at his suggestion that we get the equipmeat with questionable food value, accord- ment to process the birds right on the farm.”
ing to the Flemings.
The Flemings have decided to go “back to
DOWN ON THE FEIRM
the future” by growing meats the way they
When compared to a factory farm, things
were grown for the 10,000 years of agricul- are a lot different at the Flemings. First, the
ture before the 1940s — on pasture. This is
chickens — Cornish Cross, ISA Browns,
at the heart of the current grass-fed revo- Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds — are
lution taking place at Fleming Feirm and
purchased as day-old chicks from a farm
other small family farms across the country. in Zeeland each week. They are mailed to
“Our inspiration started with the fact that
the Flemings in a box. “The postmaster
both of us came from farm backgrounds,” calls and says, ‘You’ve got chicks,’ and you
said Kieran. “Anne’s family had 160 acres
can hear them peeping in the background,”
nearby and her dad loved to farm. He used Anne says.
draft horses for most of the work. In fact, I
After a few weeks under warming lights
am convinced he farmed just so he could
in a brood house, the chicks are moved outhave horses.
side. Instead of being cooped up in an enor“I grew up in dairy country of Wiscon- mous pole barn with a square foot of dirt per
sin where every kid’s first job was baling
bird, Fleming Feirm chickens are raised in
hay and milking cows. We had a small “chicken tractors” where they are moved to
farm, though my dad was a dentist. When fresh pasture every day. A chicken tractor,
we finally moved back here in 2000, I was
also known as a “pasture pen,” is a lightchamping at the bit to get some chickens. weight, movable, floor-less cage that gives
We both really like the idea of providing our the chickens access to the pasture for foragcommunity with high-quality, clean and
ing while at the same time providing shelter
healthy meats. Anne’s dad had been raising
from rain, excessive sunlight (which could
and selling chickens for many years and it overheat the chickens inside), and protec-
of the operation — college is not cheap these
days! If the demand is there and we can
make a fair profit, perhaps we will expand
even more.”
WHERE YOU CAN
FIND FLEMING FARE
Across the country, many high-end restaurants are featuring fresh, local, pastured
chickens grown like the Fleming birds. Locally, many establishments and gourmet
stores are doing the same.
Starting June 1, 2012, the chickens and
eggs will be back at their regular sales outlets, including Toski Sands, Harbor IGA,
Pond Hill Farm, Grain Train and “hopefully a few others,” Kieran said. Restaurants
and catering services have used their birds,
too, including: The Crow’s Nest, Blackbird
Gardens/Real Food Dream Kitchen, Nancy Kelly’s Pellston Market, and Stafford’s
Hospitality.
“We butcher on Wednesday evenings. I
‘Hard work builds character!’
KIERAN FLEMING
then drop fresh birds off at Toski Sands and
Harbor IGA on Thursday morning. This
allows customers to buy a bird that is less
than 24 hours in the bag. This is the absolute highest quality chicken you can find because it is not only a well-cared for pastured
product, but you just can’t get it that fresh
through big distribution systems,” noted
Kieran.
Sue McGlaughlin, co-owner of ToskiSands with husband Keith, said they strive
to provide high-quality products to their
customers. “Having direct communication
with a vendor like this is extremely beneficial for everyone involved — the farmer,
the store and, ultimately, the customer,”
she told Edible Grand Traverse, an online
magazine that recently featured the Flemings. “Though the price is higher than our
other chicken products, the customers understand the difference in economics for a
small farmer versus a mass producer. Comments have been that it is a small price to
pay for eating healthy.”
JOIN THE GRASS-FED REVOLUTION
“Are the Flemings the forbears of our local food revolution?” wrote this article’s
original author, Wil Cwikiel, of Harbor
Springs. “They may be, but it’s going to take
more than one family in Northern Michigan growing chickens on grass. It’s going
to take all of us to start supporting all our
local growers, for our local offerings will
only expand when we divert enough money
into the local economy so our neighbors can
make a living growing our food. Just like
the colonists protested sending money back
to England in the form of taxes, we need
to keep our food dollars local to create the
market for our local producers.”
He added: “I’m very glad there are people
like Kieran and Anne Fleming — people
who are willing to create options so that
my family can make choices that keep us
healthy, help support a vibrant local economy, and that are good for the planet.”
Learn more: www.flemingfeirm.com
Photos: Mark Flemming/Harbor
Light Newspaper
tion from predators. Each tractor also has a
waterer that provides the chickens with all
the water they need.
Twice every day the girls venture into the
rolling green behind the barn to move each
8-foot by 12-foot pen forward 12 feet so that
each group of chickens is on fresh pasture.
Instead of dust, odor, and the cacophony of
30,000 chickens in one building, the girls
(and chickens, for that matter) experience
fresh air, contented clucking, and the symphony of wind in nearby trees, insect sounds,
and distant birdsong. They fill the waterer
and top off a grain feeder that balances out
the chickens’ diet. They make sure each
chicken looks healthy and that there are no
holes in the fence that could provide access
to a wily coyote or cunning raccoon. When
done driving the chicken tractors, the girls
go on to finish other chores, ride their horses, or kick a soccer ball around.
Claire and Ellie are just as much a part
of the business as Anne and Kieran. In fact,
they are part of the inspiration for the business. Anne and Kieran want their children
to see farm life first-hand, everything from
the joy of a newborn baby calf to the reality of how living animals are converted to
table fare. Claire and Ellie, Harbor Springs
Public Schools students, have learned that
all living creatures are to be treated with respect and cared for in the most humane way
possible. And, perhaps most importantly,
these two girls are learning the value of hard
work — not only that it has its monetary rewards (the girls receive a cut of the profits —
half of which goes to their respective college
funds and the other half for them to manage
as they see fit), but also the inexplicable joy
of experiencing authentic accomplishment.
And, as Kieran says, “Hard work builds
character!”
There’s more character-building ahead,
according to their dad: “This summer (2012)
the girls will try to raise over 1,000 chickens
in about 15 batches — all moved twice daily
on to fresh pasture. The girls help butcher
and package them as well. At some point I
hope they will help market them, too.”
It’s worth noting that Fleming Feirm
houses the only licensed chicken processing
facility in Emmet County. The demand, the
Flemings say, is there for them to expand —
but they’re hesitant to take more hours away
from their family time. Already Kieran is
the full-time director of land protection for
the Little Traverse Conservancy, and Anne
is a communications consultant whose primary client is the conservancy.
“Our plan for the future is in flux. We see
tremendous demand but want to guard our
family time (and sanity) to some extent,”
says Kieran. “We decided we are going to
try and increase production a little more
this year and see what the market response
is. If it’s favorable, we will then gauge the
girls’ interest and ability in taking on more
17
| Influential
THE BASSETTS:
thrown into it.”
About that time, she met Justin Bassett,
who owned a cottage near her parents’ place
at Nub’s. The two fell in love, married and
are now raising their three children in Harbor Springs, in a new neighborhood that
backs 110 private acres owned by friends of
the Bassetts — which means it’s a forest adventureland for the Bassett kids, Elizabeth, 4,
Instead of routine meeting coverage, read- Max, 7 and Noah, 13.
ers started finding essays from community
As she became more confident in her writleaders discussing what brought them to
ing abilities, Charles O’Neill continued to
Emmet County — and what has kept them
encourage her to vary her writing style and
here. They met people in the area doing good
approach to coverage. In 2010, he asked her
things to better the quality of life for all. And
to take over content development.
they started developing a deeper connection
“It was a hard decision, because we have
to both the paper and their neighbors in the
three kids at home,” said Kate, who still
process.
works mostly from home except on Tuesdays
Each week, readers can also get a little — production day. “But he sold me on it. If it
insight into the Bassetts’ life and love of had been just a job for me, I would’ve been
Northern Michigan, through columns and
able to walk away from the offer. But I feel so
commentary that keep the “sense of place” strongly about our paper and I’m so grateful
commitment in focus. “When there’s a tough
he had that faith in me that I said ‘yes.’”
story to tell, we tell it,” says Kate. “But we
Kicking off the new year in January 2011,
always ask ourselves first, ‘Why are we tell- she and Charles started talking about how
ing this story?’”
the paper could better reflect the community
and branch out to cover more of a regional
THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY
perspective.
Born and raised in Saginaw, Kate’s family
“People look to the paper as the voice of the
had traveled each winter to Harbor Springs
community. We are partners with the comto ski. She moved to Harbor Springs in 2000
munity,” says Kate. “It’s a privilege to be a
to take a summer internship at the Harbor part of that.”
Light.
“I was planning to teach high school Eng- KEEPING FAMILY TIME AT THE FORE
lish, but this was a good opportunity for me
With a full-time staff of three, publishing a
to use my writing skills,” Bassett said. “I weekly paper is a hectic job. Plus, Justin, 42,
didn’t have any journalism experience, ex- is the marketing and sales director for Walcept in high school classes, so I was totally strom Marine, so his summers are jammed
Committed to instilling a sense of
place in both work and family life
W
hen Kate Bassett talks about what it
means to nurture a strong sense of
place through the newspaper she edits,
it’s clear she’s not only talking about her work
life. She and her husband, Justin, are equally
committed to ensuring their three children
appreciate the beauty and opportunities of
life in Emmet County.
The Bassetts embody what it means to be
an Up North family — working hard and
playing hard and caring for the community
in which they live. And reporting about it
each week for all to read is a responsibility
Kate doesn’t take lightly.
“I really do feel like a community is made
up of its stories. We tell those stories — that’s
what it means to me to be a paper of record,” says Kate, news editor of the Harbor
Light Newspaper, a weekly based in Harbor
Springs.
Kate, 33, had been a writer for the Harbor
Light for 11 years before being promoted to
news editor in December 2010. At that time,
she was encouraged by the paper’s owners
(see article on the O’Neills on page 20) to follow
her instincts that were leading her to use the
paper as a vehicle to explore the unique sense
of place that characterizes Harbor Springs
and the county overall.
18
We carry many
with opportunity. The family was facing the
time pressures that many others do, and both
Kate and Justin didn’t want their kids to miss
out on having mom and dad around. So on
top of their jobs, they have also chosen to
homeschool their children.
“We never had the opportunity to have
family time,” says Kate. “So we consciously
made the decision after Noah was in first
grade that we would homeschool until high
school. It’s been great; they can learn at their
own pace and we can do schoolwork sitting
on the beach. The biggest thing for us was
having that family time.”
With this family, that means lots of outdoor adventures. They’re avid sailors, crosscountry and downhill skiers, snowshoers
and beach-goers — especially at treasured
Sturgeon Bay. “I went under water one day
and came up and said, ‘I can never leave this,’”
Kate says, with a smile.
Justin, who was raised in Ann Arbor, recalls driving north each weekend as a teenager to ski at Nub’s Nob and Boyne Highlands,
and knowing the north is where he wanted
to permanently land. “I thought it would be
such a great spot to raise kids,” he says, adding, “I’ve sailed in a lot of spots around the
world, and nothing compares to me like coming around Harbor Point and seeing Harbor
Springs from the water. Every time I think,
‘Ah, there’s home.’”
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19
| Influential
Committed to
telling the stories
of their community
T
Photo: Mark Flemming/Harbor Light newspaper
THE O’NEILL
FAMILY:
hroughout the history of newspapering, it
was a given that reporters would attend
most governmental meetings and write a
piece the next day, detailing each action item
and discussion point.
(Even if, well, it was kinda boring.)
It was how the industry viewed its role —
to be the “paper of record.” And while the
watchdog role of the media is still a vital
part of a democracy, readers started wanting
more. They wanted to be told compelling stoCharles O’Neill, editor and president of the Harbor Light newspaper in Harbor Springs.
ries. They wanted to feel good about where
on Maurer’s Mackinac Island weekly, The
retirement from the Harbor Light. “I knew
they lived, and read about how others were
contributing to the fabric of their communi- Town Crier. Upon graduation, Maurer if I wanted to try moving back up North to
helped Kevin land a job with the St. Louis
run the family business, that was the time,”
ties.
Charles said.
The owners and staff of the Harbor Light Post Dispatch, as Sunday magazine editor.
As he and Ruth started thinking about
Newspaper spent the last couple of years
reflecting on what it means to be a weekly where they wanted to raise their growing
EXPANDING THEIR VISION
newspaper in the distinctive community of family, Kevin thought back to his time in
In 1995 he joined the paper working closely
Harbor Springs and overall in Emmet Coun- Harbor Springs. “Raising a family in a big
ty. Instead of simply reporting facts, they city was not something mom and dad want- on all aspects of running the weekly together
ed to do,” said Charles. “So they decided to with his dad, who still keeps a pen in the jourwanted to start telling the stories that give
nalism world. “He hasn’t retired. He’s not
this region of Michigan its peerless sense of move north and buy the paper from Wes.”
involved
in the day-to-day deadline side of
While his dad was running the paper, “it
place.
And at a time when many newspapers are was old-school journalism,” Charles recalled. it, but he’s all about the newspaper business,”
struggling to stay viable, the Harbor Light’s “They covered news county-wide. One time, Charles said. “And if someone calls and my
mom doesn’t answer the phone here, they’ll
renewed focus on telling good stories and fos- the mayor chastised his coverage of a council
say, ‘Where’s Ruth? Is everything OK?’”
tering community pride has brought in new meeting and said, ‘You can’t write what we
While he writes on occasion, Charles’
revenue and new readers to the long-stand- say in the paper!’”
main
enjoyment lately is taking stunning
Young Charles paid his newspaper-family
ing local weekly.
“We’re no longer going to be stenographers dues, working in the dark room develop- area photos found throughout the paper and
at meetings,” says Harbor Light President ing photographs, cutting and pasting copy handling graphic design of each issue. He
manages the business side as well. “We’re a
atop the light tables and driving the pages
Charles O’Neill. “And a lot of this has to do
very
stable paper, and we’re very fortunate,”
with Kate (news editor Kate Bassett). Her ad- to Gaylord for printing each week. When it
dition to the staff for the last 12 years, and her came time for college, Charles was more in- he said. “Part of that is because we’ve expanded our vision of what a weekly paper
terested in business than journalism.
new leadership role over the past year, has
“Dad is a journalist and a business man. I can be. And our readership is unbelievably
brought energy and life into the paper. She
brings a fresh look at things.” (See story on was more interested in all parts of the paper,” loyal and caring.”
Whether Charles’ son, Quinn, 7, wants to
said Charles, 47, who attended Bowdoin ColBassett, page 18).
follow
in his family’s journalism footsteps relege, a liberal arts college in Maine, where he
mains to be seen, of course. None of Charles’
majored
in
economics.
After,
he
enrolled
at
FROM EMMET COUNTY GRAPHIC
siblings followed the journalism course; EmNorthwestern University where he majored
TO THE HARBOR LIGHT
in corporate public relations, but then trans- ily is a grant writer in New York City; Ruthie,
is a freelance writer and producer in L.A.;
The new editorial direction is the next step
ferred into the Medill Journalism School.
in the evolution of the Harbor Light, which
Still, business was more interesting than Brian is a golf pro at Boyne; and Louise is a
was founded in the 1950s and known then journalism to Charles, and after Northwest- teacher in Royal Oak.
“Quinn likes to say, ‘My dad makes newspaas the Emmet County Graphic. In the early ern he was accepted into the University of
pers, and my mom makes money,’” Charles
1970s, it was purchased by Kevin and Ruth Michigan’s Business School. Afterward, he
says with a laugh about Quinn’s mom, Jill,
O’Neill, Charles’ parents.
worked for a period of time in public relations
an accountant and financial executive. “My
While Kevin was in journalism school at in Grand Rapids, representing small cap
the University of Michigan, one of his pro- Fortune 500 clients. He then moved to Chi- dad always reminded me, that when you
fessors, Wes Maurer Sr., sent him to intern cago where he worked in marketing for a golf write about someone in a small town, you’re
going to see those people every day. It’s a very
at the paper he owned in Harbor Springs — course ownership/management company.
humbling experience.” 
the Harbor Light. O’Neill also spent time
In 1994, his parents began to contemplate
20
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| Invested
INVENTIVE, INSPIRING AND …
Committed to business
success in Emmet County
E
mmet County is the place where creativity, ingenuity and hard work are
rewarded by a quality of life that simply can’t be surpassed. For generations, the
most respected and internationally regarded
families, entrepreneurs, executives, corporate
leaders and retailers have set foot in Northern
Michigan and found it impossible to leave.
Summer homes have become year ‘round residences as technology allows people to be able
to work where they want to live - not the other
way around.
The region’s diversified economy is a mix
of successful retail, industrial, tourism-oriented enterprises, manufacturing, agricultural,
building trades and health and medical professions. They’re buoyed by responsive local
units of government, convenient transportation, state-of-the-art technological infrastructure and alliances of business professionals
region-wide.
As the following stories tell, Emmet County
is a place where business opportunity is met
with an open door, a cooperative attitude and
ultimate success.
NORTHERN LIGHTS
FAMILY OUTFITTERS:
E
A top-selling Carhartt store
“in the middle of nowhere”
veryone knows Shannon Redding isn’t really Shannon Redding.
She’s “The Carhartt lady.”
From a 600-square-foot garage-turnedretail store in the dead-center of rural Emmet
County, this Carhartt seller has become one
of the company’s most profitable outlets, in
both Michigan and the United States.
And she doesn’t even sell online.
“There aren’t many people like us around
anymore,” says Redding, who at age 37 is
ebullient in both her approach to selling what
is arguably the most premier, durable line of
work wear and being a mother to three active
children who use the family’s 10 acres as a
personal playground.
Even in the winter, the Reddings’ long,
steep driveway off the winding, sparsely
populated Pleasantview Road doesn’t deter
22
Shannon Redding “The Carhartt Lady” at Northern Lights Family Outfitters, in Levering
customers from steadily coming in to buy
their Carhartts (“Conveniently located in the
middle of nowhere!” she touts.) Each May,
they arrive by the hundreds for a day of fun
called the “Redneck Day Family Reunion” —
all about grilling and gear. And year ‘round,
Redding can be found urging customers of
both genders to let her measure them for a
proper fit — including the inseams.
Traditional enough for you?
“I’m like a private Carhartt fitting room,”
she laughs. “And the wives love me. One
woman told me, ‘I’m so glad you did that! For
20 years I told him that his rear end looked
saggy in pants!’ I just educate people about
clothes.”
The result of Redding’s fun, relaxed and
upbeat attitude has proven to be a formula
for success. Her store ranks fifth in Michigan
out of 500 locations in sales, and 242nd in the
nation out of 4,500 doors. Northern Lights
has been in the top 10 for sales by location for
the past three years in the state of Michigan
as well.
By the way, did we mention she doesn’t do
Internet sales? “I don’t know how they find
me in Texas, North Carolina, Virginia but
they do!” Redding exclaims, as she hangs
up after helping a Texas caller find the right
workboots to suit his farming methods. (Editor’s note: If you Google “The Carhartt lady,” her
name actually comes up!)
There are other traditional ways Redding
does business, too. She offers free shipping,
orders and offers quality products (such as
Muck and Red Wing boots) at discounted
prices every day, and allows customers to return items any time — even if years pass.
“We are all about personal service,” said
Redding. “That’s what we do.”
BECOMING ‘THE CARHARTT LADY’
A Levering native, Redding’s first experience with Carhartt was in the mid-1990s,
when she was hired to work in human resources at the company’s Dearborn headquarters after she graduated from Aquinas College.
Perhaps the inspiration for running her own
shop two decades later came from witnessing
corporate management at the 120-year-old
company.
“It is a family-owned business and they run
it that way,” Redding said. “It was so simplistic. When Hamilton Carhartt discovered
there was a need for quality work wear for
those working the railroads of Detroit, he set
up shop. A call would come in and they’d say,
‘All right, we’ve got an order! We need five sets
of bibs and jackets’ and they’d just start sewing them. Now that’s service!”
Redding’s boss took her under her wing
and taught her everything she knew, not just
about Carhartt but about growing a quality
company without compromising its integrity.
Still, Redding had a passion to become a
school counselor, and the more she reflected,
the more it swayed her to return to school. “I
needed to live my dream. I didn’t see myself
living in Dearborn; I wanted to be Up North
and I had to get out of the city. So I said ‘money shmoney’ and I went back to school.”
She left Carhartt, earned her teaching certification, married her husband, John, and accepted an internship with an inner-city school
in Grand Rapids in 1999.
At the same time up north, Redding’s brother, Jeff, and his family were experiencing a
personal tragedy. His wife was diagnosed
with Huntington’s disease and with three
young children at home, he needed help. His
sister volunteered.
“John had a seasonal job and was about to
get laid off, and I just finished student-teaching, so we turned to each other and said, ‘Let’s
go north and let’s go help him.’ We agreed
that this was our chance to go live up north.”
‘RAISING OUR KIDS IN
THE PLACE WE ADORE’
After returning to Emmet County and
settling into the new routine of helping her
brother and looking for work, John and Shannon started thinking about starting their own
family. They hoped to find a way that Shannon could both work and be home for the kids.
As they were building their home on Pleasantview Road, Shannon started earning
some extra cash by hosting garage sales with
end-of-season Children’s Place clothing that
she would pick up at huge discounts from outlet stores. When locals snapped up the pieces,
John, an employee of the Emmet County
Road Commission, suggested she look into
selling Carhartts.
She called her former employer and they
agreed to send up a sales rep to discuss the
proposal. In the meantime, they had finished
the 600-square-foot space that was to be the
garage before it was revamped for retail space.
The Carhartt rep told her, “’You’ve already
got a business established here.’ And they
opened me up,” Shannon said.
She opened for business in 2004.
While she worked to develop a loyal clientele, the babies started coming. Today, they’re
all school-age and attend Pellston Elementary School: Mariah, 10, Levi, 9, and Axel,
6. In between feedings and diapers, errands
and school projects, Redding has memorized
the “Carhartt Bible,” remembering hundreds
of item numbers and important nuances like
which jackets fit different body types and
which boots are the best for each job.
She guides moms who are concerned about
spending money on clothes that won’t fit their
kids well; she builds confidence in girls who
aren’t rail-thin in how to look their best; and
she famously encourages men to actually try
on their pants and boots before purchasing
them, to assure proper fit.
Taking the time and care to get to know her
customers has catapulted Northern Lights
Family Outfitters to the tops among Carhartt
dealers.
Today, she takes care of more than 300
businesses and many more individuals.
“I keep it simple,” she says, rather simply.
If you stop by to pay her for something and
she’s not home, it’s OK to slip it under the
door. Sunday is designated family day, and
she appreciates customers waiting until Monday to drop by if they can. “We still don’t have
regular hours,” she notes. “It’s a good idea to
call first before you come and make sure that
I’m here.”
During this interview, a conversation is
overheard with a customer about selecting
the right boots.
“There’s a lot of stuff I don’t know, but I do
know about boots,” she tells him, “and I do
know about Carhartt.”
She returns from the shop to the kitchen
table. “It’s like a counseling session in here
sometimes,” she says with her trademark
smile and laugh. “It’s like a barbershop. We
want people to come here and feel at home.
And they do.”
And she feels at home, too, in Emmet
County.
“We get to live in the most beautiful part of
the country,” Redding said. “We get to live
the lifestyle in the place where people want to
vacation. We get to raise our kids in the place
we adore. It’s not just making a living; it’s
making a life.”
Northern Lights Family Outfitters is located at
7037 N. Pleasantview Road, about 15 miles north
of Harbor Springs. Also find at Northern Lights:
Muck Boots, Red Wing Boots and Wonder Wink
Scrubs.
Mark you calendar!
32nd Annual
Blissfest Music
Festival
July 13-15, 2012
Festival Farm
3695 Division Road
Harbor Springs, MI 49740
A world of music and dance
in your own backyard with
over 50 folk and roots
performers on three stages.
Blissfest Music Organization
2000 Harbor-Petoskey Road
Petoskey, MI 49770
231.348.7047
www.blissfest.org
www.PetoskeyDowntown.com
Find more online,
www.northernoutfit.com. Phone (231) 537-2382.
“INVESTED” CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
23
| Invested
Dennis Tippett, manager at Jervis B. Webb Company, now Daifuku Webb,
stands in front of a series of robotic fork lifts in the 80,000 square foot factory in Harbor Springs.
AUTOMATION POWERHOUSE:
T
JERVIS B. WEBB CO.
here’s a good chance that last time you
traveled by commercial airline, your baggage found its way from check-in to cargo
hold thanks to a Harbor Springs company.
For nearly 50 years, Jervis Webb Company
— now Daifuku Webb — has been quietly operating in a mammoth, bigger-than-it-looks
facility next to the Harbor Springs airport.
At 80,000 square feet, it’s one of the largest
manufacturing plants in Emmet County.
“This company is known for its innovative
engineering and commitment to developing
new technologies that improve the way materials are moved,” said Den Tippett, a Harbor Springs native and 42-year veteran of the
plant who has been its manager since 2003.
The roots of the Webb company began
in 1919 in Farmington Hills, when Jervis B.
Webb adapted the forged rivetless chain conveyor for the automotive industry. This single
product revolutionized mass production and
forever changed the way automobiles were
manufactured. The company evolved to produce a variety of material handling systems
for all types of manufacturers, plus “smart
handling systems” and automated guided vehicles used in manufacturing and warehouse
facilities.
The Webb family, Tippett noted importantly, also happened to be summer residents
in Northern Michigan. When they sought to
move up North full time, they bought an old
aluminum foundry and opened a second Jervis B. Webb facility at its current location near
24
the Harbor airport.
While that is often the story behind many
retail outlets in Northern Michigan — a person with a passion opens a storefront downtown selling their unique wares — it’s not so
often the story of how manufacturing moves
to Northern Michigan.
But it’s an important one, especially for the
57 employees who work from Webb’s Harbor
Springs location.
“The Webb family vacationed up here and
they just really loved Northern Michigan,”
Tippett said.
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THERE?
Inside the sprawling facility, employees
handle everything from processing raw materials to fabricating parts, painting product
and testing robotics. In one large room, small
robotic vehicles — “SmartCarts” — operate
by following magnetic strips affixed to the
floor; in real-life, these carts can be found
moving huge shelving units of parts to workers on a vehicle assembly line. Other large,
loader-type vehicles are also designed to operate without a human driver; they navigate by
using a rotating light on the top that “reads”
reflective tape strategically placed on walls
and support columns.
These are known as AGVs, or automated
guided vehicles. “We do custom automation
for clients who have a problem they want
solved,” said Tippett.
He’s not kidding. When the U.S. Army
needed an AGV to carry a large “bowl” of solid rocket fuel, Jervis Webb devised a solution.
For some of the largest airports around the
globe, shuttling baggage behind-the-scenes
from the check-in counter to the proper airplane can produce a logistics nightmare. But
Webb’s engineers consistently figure out how
to get from point A to point B without the
traveler ever knowing the hundreds of miles
of conduit needed to make it happen. Their
airport clients include O’Hare, Miami and
Newark, to name a few.
In yet another section of the building, workers are assembling large round frames. Inside
each one, an intricate maze of wires in all colors connect to electronic components, switches and gears. Eventually these will be amusement park ride components, demonstrating
the variety of work that goes on inside the
Harbor facility.
COMMITMENT TO BEING
ON THE CUTTING EDGE
For an area known for its heavy retail and
resort economy, Jervis Webb is an example
of how economic diversity is still working for
Emmet County. Most likely, not many people
envision groundbreaking technology and revolutionary robotics being invented, tested and
sold from the idyllic shores of Little Traverse
Bay.
But that’s happening at Jervis Webb, both
the Harbor Springs plant and its sister-facility
in Boyne City, in next-door Charlevoix County. A Pellston facility serves a testing site for
Webb’s AGVs, including the “SmartCarts”
that really live up to their name.
Watching the ground-hugging carts maneuver by reading magnetic tape is intriguing. Each one gets eight hours of testing
time before being released to the client, Tippett said. “Customers can design their own
load-handling frame, so whatever they need
transported can be accommodated with the
SmartCart design,” he noted. “These types of
vehicles are continually bringing inventory to
the assembly line. They’re extremely efficient
for work flow.”
Not only are the carts designed and tested
in Emmet County, the software engineering
that drives them is also developed here. The
software experts join a staff that includes fabricators, welders, assemblers, wiremen and
technicians all working together to meet customer expectations.
“The Webbs wanted to be able to have total
control of every aspect of the manufacturing
process,” Tippett said.
The airport baggage handling systems remain the company’s main product line. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Jervis
Webb saw its business increase as airports
around the country were required to change
security procedures and flow of people and
baggage. “We started getting a lot of change
orders,” said Tippett. “They needed more
conveyors and more controls to achieve the
new regulations. It’s the airport work that
kept us going through the leaner times.”
Three years ago, the Webb family looked
to divest itself from day-to-day operations,
and the company became a subsidiary of
Daifuku. A Japanese firm, Daifuku is one
of the largest material handling companies
in the world. It’s helped afford stability to the
workforce at the company’s multiple global
operations, including Harbor Springs.
“We have a lot of employee longevity at
this plant,” said Tippett. “Right now we have
three people who’ve been here over 40 years,
and another 10 people who’ve been here more
than 30. The company provides good jobs to
area residents. And for me personally, I never
had to move from this area. I was fortunate
that I could get a job here in manufacturing,
which was my career path, and that I didn’t
have to go somewhere else to find work.”
Providing access to
COMPASSIONATE,
Q
QUALITY HEALTH CARE
for all of northern Michigan.
northernhealth.org · 800.248.6777
416 Connable Avenue, Petoskey
ABOUT THE COMPANY:
Jervis B. Webb Co. is a global leader in
providing durable material handling systems,
including automatic guided vehicles (AGVs),
conveyors, baggage handling systems
and automated storage and retrieval
systems. Webb systems are the centerpiece
of thousands of manufacturing plants,
warehouses and airports. It is a subsidiary of
Daifuku Co., Ltd., a Japanese firm.
Webb is headquartered in Farmington
Hills, with manufacturing locations in Harbor
Springs and Boyne City. One of its product
demonstration facilities is located near
Pellston Regional Airport.
Learn more: www.jervisbwebb.com.
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25
| Invested
Storybook setting:
arolyn Sutherland probably can’t help it.
After decades of running the tiny Good
Hart General Store in the tiniest of towns,
you get to know a lot about your customers
and your neighbors, and their customers and
neighbors.
And so if you try to talk with her about doing business in Good Hart, you inadvertently
find out instead about everything — the history of the store, the history of the town, the
history of the people that comprise this sleepy
resort area along Lake Michigan. It’s a bit like
the “Cheers” of highway M-119, without the
bar, but with a cast of equally amusing and entertaining characters.
There’s Carolyn and Jim Sutherland. Carolyn has run the general store for more than 40
years after moving Up North from the Detroit
area to the county she long adored. She met
Jim, then a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter pilot,
28 years ago, when he was in town for a family reunion and stopped by to pick up a paper;
they’ve been married over 25 years. And then
there’s Ami Woods, Carolyn’s daughter, who
was raised in Good Hart, led the big-city life
in Chicago, and came back to her roots, because, well, she missed the beach.
What is so charming about this store, its
characters and its setting is its picturesque
placement along one of the most scenic drives
in the United States — the Tunnel of Trees.
When you’re driving this twisting, narrow
road along the Lake Michigan shoreline,
there is nothing around for a long while except
glimpses of big, beautiful and mostly seasonal
homes, thick forests and panoramic views of
the turquoise waters of Lake Michigan down
below the steep bluff.
The Good Hart General Store arrives after you’re a good 20 minutes north of Harbor
Springs, serving as a resting stop for M-119’s
thousands of annual travelers. It’s easy, when
you pull up, to imagine how many bicyclists,
convertible drivers and motorcyclists have
used the bright red store as a backdrop for
their photos (M-119 is among the most popular routes for motorcycle trips in the country).
If in your mind you picture what a general
store looks like — with its gourmet goodies,
worn benches, fresh baked goods, maps and
logowear representing the town itself — that
is what you will find here. Tilted floors, hound
dog and all.
“There aren’t many of these,” says Ami.
“General stores simply don’t exist like this anymore.”
She’s right. During the last few decades,
they’ve been displaced in many areas of the
U.S. by specialized retailers and Big Box
stores. But Good Hart, in many ways, is different from most communities. Its history is
rich and deep and dates back to the earliest
of Native Americans, who called it “the land
26
C
THE GOOD HART
GENERAL STORE
Carolyn (left) and Jim Sutherland with daughter Ami
Woods (center) run the Good Hart General Store.
of the crooked tree.” It’s in the middle of one
of the most breathtaking drives you’ll ever
take, whether it’s during the lush green days
of summer or the blazing fall color season. Its
secluded beaches, with plentiful public access,
can only be described as incomparable.
And it has a landmark — the Good Hart
General Store.
40 YEARS AND COUNTING
After a couple hours of chatting with Ami
and Carolyn, and sporadically with Jim, there
was an overflow of entertaining stories —
about myriad topics. There were lots and lots
of laughs and some descriptive story-telling,
not confined to the history of the store, but
about life in Good Hart overall (Population:
about 500).
In 2011, Ami penned a piece about the
store’s 40th anniversary under her mother’s
ownership. She explained in that article that
the store was built in 1934 by Cliff Powers and
purchased by Sutherland in 1971, and she has
operated it year ‘round ever since. Housing
a United States Post Office, the store oper-
General stores simply
‘don’t
exist like this anymore.’
AMI WOODS
Tunnel of Trees
store in downtown Petoskey.
Her parents, Hazel and Ed Crowle, evenates six days a week to accommodate mail
tually retired to Harbor Springs where her
service for residents.
father was a city clerk and well-rememBorn and raised in Huntington Woods, bered community activist. Sutherland and
Sutherland had a successful early career then-husband, Gary Woods, followed her
as a dental technician and professional or- parents north, purchased the store and
ganist. She recalled summering in Emmet
relocated permanently to Emmet County.
County during the time when her grand- “We had the chance to move up here, and
mother worked at Saks Fifth Avenue’s
this is where we wanted to be, so we did,”
Carolyn said. Both were eager to leave
their careers, and embrace the Up North
lifestyle.
Carolyn and Jim continue to operate the
store along with store manager, Jamie Harris. It is one of few businesses to achieve the
40 year mark and likely one of few authentic general stores still in operation today.
“In addition, the business continues
to thrive due to successful online business and national shipping of our famous
chicken and beef pot pies,” Ami noted. In
2011, the business produced nearly 10,000
pot pies that were either purchased in person, delivered locally, or shipped across the
country.
Ami herself is one of the store’s known
subjects. Many customers remember the
day she was brought home from the hospital — during a time when steaks were
cut to order, neighbors traded baskets and
native art for canned goods, and the outhouse was still in operation. Ami returned
to Northern Michigan six years ago after
a career in Chicago and she now oversees
marketing efforts and specialty purchasing,
while also running a successful marketing
business.
“The concept of the general store as a
business is a dying model. These beautiful
stores that were the heart of our nation’s
commerce in the ‘30s and ‘40s are no lon-
Great Lakes
Eco-Adventure
Center, LLC
6016 Martha Street
Indian River, MI 49749
Phone:
231-881-7863
Email:
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www.glecenter.com
GPS:
45.409131°
-84.612772°
00333795
00
0
03
03337
0
3337
3337
33
337
33
379
795
95
ger. I’m happy to say that we’re one who
survived, and we will continue to survive,”
Woods said. “Forty years is a very long
time for any business, let alone a business
that should have failed years ago. We’re the
hub of our community and we’re proud to
serve that purpose to our customers, who
are also our friends.”
Those who do stay year ‘round in Good
Hart, and the tourists and resorters who
swell the local population during the warmest months, will find that the Good Hart
General Store includes a deli featuring
homemade salads and sandwiches, a bakery with fresh breads and specialty items
such as the pot pies, general merchandise,
provisions, unique gift items, beer, wine, liquor, branch office to Harbor Springs’ Graham Real Estate where Carolyn has served
as a broker also for 40 years, and of course,
the U.S. Post Office that was established in
1874 (ZIP code 49737).
Friends and neighbors hold court daily,
and just as it was done 40, 50, 60 years
ago, the world’s problems are solved over a
doughnut and coffee.
Visitors will note several original facets
of the 1934 structure including the original
hardwood countertops, hand-carved wood
cooler, National cash register (with bill of
sale and warranty), brass Post Office boxes
and stained glass windows, plus plenty of
souvenirs to remember their visit.
“We go through literally thousands of
biker patches,” says Carolyn. “Everyone
wants a keepsake of this trip.
“They say, ‘This is God’s country up here.’
They can’t get over how beautiful it is.”
For additional information on the Good Hart
General Store, visit www.goodhartstore.com or
www.facebook.com/goodhartstore.
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Photos: G. Randall Goss
| Invested
KILWIN’S
CHOCOLATE KITCHEN:
A commitment to making quality
candy from home base in Petoskey
hungrier.
“This whole building was designed around
giving tours,” said McCarty. “It is Kilwin’s
to the core.”
‘THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO LIVE’
While Kilwin’s is a well-known name
t each of the 80 Kilwin’s candy stores
among local “fudgie” towns like the touraround the United States, customers
ist spots up North, it’s also renowned naget a little taste of Petoskey.
tionwide. In fact, 80 percent of retail sales
Most of the decadent sweets, treats and
occur outside of Michigan, McCarty said
confections sold in the franchises of the fa- — making the company’s commitment to
mous local candy retailer are made inside a
keeping production in Emmet County that
sprawling Charlie and the Chocolate Facto- much more significant. They employ more
ry-esque new production facility in Petoskey. than 50 staff year ‘round, including a dozen
The new building, which opened in May candy makers.
2011, serves as the continuation of the com“It really was always a question whether
pany’s commitment to staying in Emmet Kilwin’s would stay in Petoskey,” McCarty
County and producing fine chocolates, can- said. “You don’t necessarily need to have
dies, ice cream and more.
all the production services here, especially
“About 20 percent of products are made
since 80 percent of our product is shipped
in the individual stores, and our ice cream
out of state. But we wanted to be here. This
is made off-site to our specifications, but is where we want to live.”
the rest of our products are made here in
McCarty and his wife, Robin, first bePetoskey and shipped around the country,” came involved with Kilwin’s in 1979, when
said Kilwin’s CEO Don McCarty.
they got jobs working in the Mackinac IsTours of the candy-making process let land location. In 1983, they invested in the
visitors get a through-the-glass look at what
newly formed franchising company and
it takes to produce thousands of pieces of opened Kilwin’s first franchised store in
candy each day. Chefs and cooks dressed in Grand Rapids, and then expanded to Saucrisp white outfits roll and pull taffy, pour gatuck, Florida and other locations. They
warm chocolate into molds and glaze pop- bought the Kilwin’s company in 1996 from
corn with caramel as hungry onlookers get Wayne and Lorene Rose and kept the com-
A
28
ABOVE: Kilwin’s new sea salt caramels
get final hand toppings.
TOP: Kilwin’s new headquarters
and candy facility in Petoskey.
pany’s commitment to using original recipes.
“We try to make the best quality products
we can using the freshest possible ingredients,” said McCarty.
While tours were given at the former
Petoskey production facility on Mitchell
Road, the older, cramped 10,000 square
foot building didn’t allow for the panoramic
views like those inside the new, larger building. At 40,000 total square feet on two levels, it was designed by local architect Elaine
Keiser in the former Oleson’s grocery store
on U.S. 31.
In their first summer of tours in 2011,
more than 8,000 people came through to
watch the candy-making process. Thousands more are expected in coming years
to see, taste and smell the “chocolate story,”
which is told not only in sugar and spice, but
also in photos and information throughout
the building.
McCarty said one of his favorite activities
is visiting the plantations personally where
the cocoa beans are grown.
“We want people to see the whole process
and learn, from how it’s planted and grown
to how it’s harvested and made into product,” McCarty said.
Back at the store’s entrance after the tour,
visitors will once again see the end result of
the hard work that goes into making candy.
There are gooey bear claws the size of a
grizzly paw, coconut marshmallows, striped
caramel puffs, enormous pecan “turttles,”
and at least 100 different kinds of chocolates.
Kilwin’s makes more than 400 varieties of
chocolates in total.
“We do carry a lot more products, but
we still make the original recipes from 65
years ago,” said McCarty. “That’s what I
like about the candy business — it doesn’t
change that much. It’s about quality and
about people coming up North to have a
good time. We enjoy being a part of that.”
Kilwin’s president Don McCarty.
OUTSIDE OF KILWINS
Don and Robin McCarty have received
a lot of attention for their stunning new
Kilwin’s Chocolate Kitchen in Petoskey.
But another side of how the McCartys are
impacting people’s lives comes in their mission work in Africa, where the husbandand-wife team spend months committed
to helping families impacted by AIDS and
Take a tour: Kilwin’s Chocolate Kitchen is lo- children orphaned in disease-ravaged nacated at 1050 Bay View Road, Petoskey. The free
tions.
tours take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays
“I think we all have a reason and a puron the half-hour. A typical tour is about 30 min- pose for being here,” says Don, “and we
utes. www.kilwins.com
need to give back.”
Together with several other area families,
the McCartys started the nonprofit called
“SAME” — South African Medical Expeditions — in 2004.
“People need to see what’s going on there,
with the amount of HIV cases and the devastation and poverty,” said Don. “In the
areas we work there is a 30 percent HIV
infection rate.”
The families involved in SAME contribute financially and with their time. They
have started medical clinics that can dispense AIDS-slowing medications and educate people about how to stop the spread of
the disease. They’ve been able to hire staff
for their African clinics and nurses to go
into homes to administer tests and medications. With an annual budget now of about
$180,000, the McCartys feel that they have
made a difference in the lives of many.
“This has become our passion,” said Robin. “We saw these kids who didn’t have any
place to go, no food, no medical help. Now,
we know kids who would not be alive today
without intervention.” 
Sturgeon River
Pottery
A Northern Michigan Destination
for over 30 Years...
Offering a huge collection of:
Northern Michigan Art
Handcrafted Pottery & Tile
Petoskey Stones
Jewelry
Rustic Furniture
Birdhouses & Feeders
Garden Art & Décor
Open 7 days a week,
all year!
Just 2 miles west of
Petoskey on US 31
(Charlevoix Ave)
(231) 347-0590
29
| Impressive
Emmet County
PROPERTIES
Emmet County’s vast tracts of
dense forestlands and expanses
of clear, clean, Caribbean-blue
waters are priceless recreational
assets for residents and visitors.
Through the decades, Emmet
County’s Board of Commissioners
has taken the necessary steps to
ensure these properties and
attractions remain accessible
and open to the public. In fact,
nearly 30 percent of the county’s
300,000 acres remains in public
ownership (among federal, state
and local governments).
THE HIGHLIGHTS:
THE HEADLANDS
INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY PARK
In May 2011, the 600-acre Headlands
property became the United States’ sixth
International Dark Sky Park and just the
ninth in the world! The prestigious designation was awarded after years of proven
commitment by Emmet County officials
to limit light pollution through commonsense lighting design and county ordinance;
to provide regular educational programs
that are free and open to all; and to ensure
community outreach that engages others in
working together to protect the night sky.
Each month, the county hosts free monthly programs at the park with Dark Sky Park
program director Mary Stewart Adams of
Harbor Springs. She weaves celestial lore
with astronomy, astrology, indigenous cultural stories, poetry and contemporary science to present one-of-a-kind programs that
focus on naked-eye observation.
Some of our most frequently asked questions about the park include:
What is an International
Dark Sky Park?
MAP COURTESY OF NICKEL DESIGN
30
A Dark Sky Park, as designated by the
A brighter future for Dark Skies
International Dark-Sky Association in Tucson, Ariz., is a park or other protected public land possessing exceptional starry skies
and natural nocturnal habitat where light
pollution is mitigated and natural darkness
is valuable as an important educational,
cultural, scientific and natural resource.
What will I find at the
Headlands International
Dark Sky Park?
• 600 acres of pristine forest about
2 miles west of downtown
Mackinaw City;
• 4 1/2 miles of trails, with a self-guided
interpretive cell phone tour;
• 2 1/2 miles of frontage on Lake Michigan, where an estimated
80+ shipwrecks lie;
• Two residences accommodating
large groups for programs and overnight events; and
How do I find out about
programs at the Headlands?
Who is the Dark Sky Park
program director?
Emmet County provides information
through its dedicated Dark Sky Park page
on the county website, www.emmetcounty.
org/darkskypark/. Also find out about us
through local resources such as Mackinaw
Area Chamber of Commerce, Great Lakes
Lighthouse Keepers’ Association, Straits
Area Audubon, Little Traverse Conservancy, Heritage Village Historical Park and local media.
In addition, the county offers biweekly
email blasts with programming details and
also information about what to watch for in
the night sky in the days and weeks ahead.
To register for the email alerts, email Emmet County Communications Director
Beth Anne Piehl at bpiehl@emmetcounty.
org.
To email specific questions about the
night sky or to schedule programs for your
organization or group, contact Adams directly at the email or phone number listed
below.
Mary Stewart Adams is a star lore historian, storyteller and author who has been
immersed in the history of star knowledge
for nearly 30 years. For the past several
years
Mary
served as the
leader of the
initiative that
achieved International Dark
Sky Park designation for the
Headlands.
Mary
was
honored
in
2006 with the
Gary R. Williams Dark Sky
Advocate of the
Year
Award.
She writes and
speaks extensively to local,
national and
i nte r n a t io n a l
Mary Stewart Adams audiences on
our
relationship to the night sky and its cultural consequences. Join Mary under the stars to celebrate the fundamental human happiness
that results from learning the history, the
art, the science, and the poetry of the stars.
Mary makes her home with her four
children under the starry skies of Harbor
Springs. She can be reached at (231) 8388181, or email starmare.adams@gmail.
com.
• Spectacular starry skies!
When can I see the
Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights, also known as the
Aurora Borealis, are difficult to predict and
don’t occur at any particular time of the
year more than another. Contemporary scientists believe they are caused by electromagnetic storms on the Sun. Indigenous
cultures, however, believed they were the
sweeping hem of the garment of Gitche
Manitou, and they appear when the Great
Spirit dances for joy and protection of the
Earth. Go to www.spaceweather.com,
NASA’s website, for email alerts about
when solar activity may spur Northern
Lights in our region.
What about the
Headlands during the day?
At all hours of the day, visitors may
glimpse an abundance of wildlife, including bald eagles, osprey, white-tail deer,
turkeys, coyotes and black bear. Marked
nature trails take visitors throughout the
acreage and along the shoreline, guiding hikers, bicyclists, cross-country skiers
and photographers past wetlands and oldgrowth forests in each breathtaking season
of the year. To inquire about rental properties for overnight stays, call (231) 436-4051.
What are the major
observational events I can
see from the Headlands?
The north ‘circumpolar’ constellations,
including Ursas Major and Minor, Draco
and Cassiopeia and the Milky Way. In addition, annual meteor showers can also be
observed from the Headlands, such as the
Lyrids in April, the Perseids in August and
the Geminid meteor showers in December.
Guest house at the Headlands
(231) 436-4051
7725 E. Wilderness Park Dr., Mackinaw City
www.emmetcounty.org/headlands/
“IMPRESSIVE” CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
31
swimming beach on Pickerel Lake and trout
fishing. Facilities include 90 campsites with
electricity and water, modern restrooms
and showers, four-season rental cabins —
including three new additions in 2011-12 —
playground equipment and open field game
areas.
There is also a recreational hall/multi-use
building and an open-air pavilion available
for rent.
Throughout the summer, outdoor movies
are shown in the pavilion on Saturday evenings.
MCGULPIN POINT LIGHTHOUSE
Since Emmet County purchased McGulpin Point Lighthouse in 2008, it has attracted
tens of thousands of visitors who have ventured here step back into Emmet County’s
past. The property is one-of-a-kind historic
asset; it was the original site of an Odawa
village (known as Ottawa in early years) and
was the first deeded property in the county.
The lighthouse was established in 1869 and
served as a crucial beacon on the Straits of
Mackinac as it guided vessels through the
shoal-filled waters. In 1906, the light was extinguished and the property passed into private ownership for the next 100+ years. Today, it has been restored to period detail and
a gift shop has been added. More plans for
developing the historic site are in the works.
There is no charge to visit the lighthouse,
located at 500 Headlands Dr., two miles
west of downtown Mackinaw City. The season is Memorial Day weekend through the
second weekend of October. Daily hours are
May-September, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and noon
to 5 p.m. October weekends. (Check the
county Web site to ensure dates and times.)
(231) 436-5860
www.emmetcounty.org/mcgulpin/
CAMP PET-O-SE-GA
One of Northern Michigan’s most treasured campgrounds and waterside parks,
Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga in Alanson keeps getting better. The park was originally constructed in the 1930s as a boys’ camp. Today,
Emmet County maintains its 300 acres that
provide year-round recreation to daytime
and overnight guests with nature trails, a
32
Lake Michigan. Fishing is permitted on the
Carp River, which flows through the park.
A boardwalk leads visitors from a parking
area off Straits View Road. Covered pavilion and access points to the Carp River are
available.
Directions: From I-75, head west
on Central Avenue, then south on Wilderness Park
Drive. Cecil Bay is located near the intersection of
Cecil Bay Road and Wilderness Park Drive.
www.emmetcounty.org/cecilbay/
11000 Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga Road, Alanson
Reservations: (231) 347-6536
www.emmetcounty.org/petosega/
CECIL BAY
A mile of unspoiled shoreline and 800
acres of wilderness to explore are the characteristics that make Cecil Bay appealing to
rugged adventure-seekers. Located about
8 miles southwest of Mackinaw City, Cecil Bay boasts sandy beaches perfect for
picnicking and sunbathing after a swim in
New lease on operations
CROOKED RIVER LOCK NOW
UNDER COUNTY OPERATION
T
he Crooked River Lock in Alanson is
under new operational management,
with Emmet County partnering with
the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to run the lock.
Emmet County has entered into a sublease with the DNR to operate the lock
for five years. The move came after more
than a year of discussions with the DNR
and following the recommendations of
the Crooked River Lock Consortium. An
agreement was signed by the chairman of
the Emmet County Board of Commissioners, James E. Tamlyn, in early 2012.
The county’s Parks and Recreation Department will be taking over the operations
of the lock for the boating season.
“The agreement allows the county to
provide reliable, continued operation of
the lock while decreasing passage fees and
extending the boating season through the
lock,” said Dan Plasencia, Emmet County
Commissioner, District 4, and chairman of
the consortium. “The county encouraged
this partnership, believing it will enhance
recreational, economic and developmental impact in Emmet County and the surrounding communities along the Inland
Water Route.
The 2012 passage fee will be $30 annual
and $10 daily. The 2012 lock schedule is as
follows:
— April 14-15, 21-22, 28-29: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
— May 25-June 30: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
— July 1-Aug. 19: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
— Aug. 20-Sept. 3: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
— Sept. 4-10: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
— Sept. 11-30: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
— Oct. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Crooked River Lock closes for the
season at 5 p.m. on Oct. 28.
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| Invigorating
Get out!
Zipline, Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs
OUTDOOR AMENITIES COMBINE FOR A ONE-OF-A-KIND WAY OF LIFE
Y
ED WAGAR:
Touring Gear
Ed Wagar has raced through the mountains and along the scenic roads of Colorado, with some of the top professional racers.
He had made a name for himself, too, as a
top racer in rides that sometimes traveled
up to 70 miles in one stretch.
Back home now in Emmet County years
after ending a successful professional rac-
ou can be indoors anywhere. But where
would you like to be outdoors, every
season of the year?
In Emmet County, the only unknown is
what you want to do today: Golf, morelmushroom hunt, bike, in-line skate, hike,
go to the beach, swim, boat, snorkel, kayak,
canoe, camp, skydive, parasail, ski … you
get the picture.
All it takes to enjoy the outdoors here is
a little imagination and momentum to get
moving. Get out, and live it up!
Ed Wagar, of Touring Gear, downtown Harbor Springs.
34
ing career, Wagar still finds plenty of challenges and enjoyable rides over the terrain
of Northern Michigan.
“I got to ride all around the country and
some of the trails we have right here are
some of my favorites of all time,” said
Wagar, 46, owner of Touring Gear in Harbor Springs.
The long-time bike retail and repair store
was purchased by Wagar and a partner,
Tim Jarvi, in 2007. It’s evolved into a place
where residents and visitors can stop not
only for new purchases, repair and gear,
but also maps and suggestions about routes
to ride. Wagar, a Petoskey native, also offers guided tours and a host of background
info on what people may find along the way.
“We are trying to do a lot more than just
sell bikes here,” he said. “We are promoting being outdoors and enjoying Northern
Michigan.”
In order to offer some riding tips to get
the most out of your biking experience in
Northern Michigan, we asked Wagar for
his recommendations on where to put your
mettle to the pedal. “There are literally
hundreds of rides I could take someone on,”
said Wagar. “We are very lucky to have the
kind of riding that we do here, whatever
your level.”
WAGAR’S SUGGESTED RIDES:
ROAD BIKING
— M-119 “Tunnel of Trees,” Harbor
Springs to Cross Village
— Emmet Heights Road, Harbor Springs
— Joy Valley Loop — beginning at Evergreen/Maxwell Roads in Springvale
Township
OFF-ROAD BIKING
— North Country Trail, Emmet County:
“It’s great riding, we’re lucky to have
it right here,” says Wagar. “Some sections are tougher than others, but we
can guide riders and teach them how
to negotiate the terrain.”
— Bear River Recreation Area and corridor, Petoskey
ALL AGES
— Little Traverse Wheelway, Charlevoix
to Harbor Springs (paved)
— Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs
Behind Boyne Highlands is an approximately mile-long route that’s “perfect
for kids learning how to mountain bike,”
Wagar says. “It’s a single-track, all-mountain bike trail system. That’s an awesome
ride for kids.”
A BIKING BACKGROUND
Biking was in Wagar’s blood from an
early age. Starting at age 12, he worked in
a Petoskey bike shop at a time when bikes
were so heavy he couldn’t lift them onto
the repair stand. Later, while he was a student at North Central Michigan College,
he worked for Le Cyclist, “where I got
my first road bike and my first mountain
bike. Everyone there was a biking enthusiast and they were all very active in riding
around the area,” Wagar recalled.
It rubbed off on Wagar, who became
more interested in racing. “That’s when I
decided I was going to head to Colorado,”
he said. “Mountain biking in particular
was growing like crazy at that time.”
He lived in Colorado from 1993 ‘til 2001,
working for a bike shop and racing on its
team. “The rides were amazing and I had
access to a coach and fitness services,”
Wagar said. “But it was difficult. I was
in the top 10 in Michigan but I dropped
down a category when I moved out there.”
Still, he continued to race hard and
work hard and his level improved. “When
I finished, I was racing mountain bikes in
the elite/experts category,” Wagar said.
As his professional career began winding down years later, he endured a serious injury and began looking to return to
Michigan. “I came back here to my hometown and I wasn’t sure what I was going
to do,” he said. Wagar stopped by a local
bike shop in Petoskey in 2002 and was offered a job, which he accepted. A few years
later, he looked to buy his own bike business when Touring Gear came up for sale.
Now a Petoskey resident with two children, Hannah, 10, and Ben, 8, Wagar is
enjoying sharing his biking background
and knowledge of the area with his kids
and residents and visitors looking to pedal
the area — at slow or fast speeds.
“I think that for younger riders or people
who want to race their bikes, there is a lot
of opportunity here — more than there
used to be,” Wagar noted. “And there are
opportunities like those that we provide,
tours of the area and riding clinics that
teach people better techniques so they can
enjoy the ride more when they’re out.
“A lot of us who live here take this area
for granted, but people who visit here are
blown away at how nice this area is and
how great the biking is all over Northern
Michigan.”
Touring Gear is located at 108 E. Third St.,
Harbor Springs, behind The Outfitter. Learn
more at www.touringgearbicycles.com or call
(231) 526-7152. Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Monday-Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.
WE HAVE IT ALL!
Golf: A dozen or more public and private courses make Emmet County your
own private tee-box.
Ski resorts and winter sports:
Nub’s Nob and Boyne Highlands in
Harbor Springs are meccas for snowboarding, skiing, tubing and crosscountry skiing, with dozens of hills for all
levels of riders and skiers. For a smaller
venue, check out the Winter Sports Park
in Petoskey for sledding, skating and
skiing, too.
Iceboating on the Bay
Watersports: Get out on the water at
these inland lakes: Walloon, Wycamp,
Larks, Crooked and Pickerel, and Little
Traverse Bay.
Nature preserves: The Little Traverse Conservancy owns and manages
more than 164 nature preserves within a
five-county area, including Emmet.
Request a map: www.landtrust.org.
Rec sports: The city of Petoskey and
the Petoskey YMCA both offer recreational league sports for kids and adults,
from Little League to soccer and men’s
and women’s basketball, and softball.
OH WAIT – THERE’S MORE!
Geocaching, kayaking, festival-going,
food tastings, art fairs, outdoor concerts,
autumn color tours, hunting and fishing,
farmers markets, pumpkin patches and
corn mazes, ice skating, hockey, tubing,
ice sailing …
ABOVE: The trail systems that crisscross Emmet
County are part of a larger network that includes 220
interconnected miles. The jewel is the Little Traverse
Wheelway, which begins in next-door Charlevoix
County and travels into Emmet County through Bay
Harbor, Petoskey and Bay View to Harbor Springs
– 26 miles total of black-topped path that draws thousands of trail users to Northern Michigan each year.
35
| Invigorating
New recreation destination:
PETOSKEY’S BEAR RIVER REC AREA
T
he 36 acre, 1.5 mile long valley along the Bear
River in Petoskey has become a showpiece in
the local recreation scene. All located within the
city of Petoskey, this expansive park features steep
terrain, unpaved and paved trails, forests and boardwalks. It’s the perfect spot for biking, hiking, walking, fishing, picnicking and kayaking/canoeing.
In fact, it’s the Lower Peninsula’s only whitewater
park! Plus, it’s just a two-block walk from Petoskey’s
downtown shopping district. Entrances to the park
are located on West Lake Street, Sheridan Street
and several adjacent neighborhoods. (Note: This park
is operated and maintained by the city of Petoskey.)
GLLKA
Life
Auto
Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association
Home
Health
Business
Annuities
Retirement
A registered not-for-profit
organization dedicated to
lighthouse restoration and
preservation.
Financial Services
Employee Benefits
Proud to partner with
Emmet County in the
Relighting of McGulpin
Point Lighthouse
We’re With You Every Step
Visit our Lighthouse Gift shop at
707 N. Huron Ave in Mackinaw City.
Across the street from
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Boyne City East Jordan Petoskey
231-436-5580
36
Senior Services
www.korthaseflinn.com
800-303-4113
info@korthaseflinn.com
PASSPORT TO
ADVENTURE!
Getting Kids Outdoors
takes kids and their families
around the county
In Emmet County, Getting Kids Outdoors is a full-time commitment. A new
Passport to Adventure program encourages children and their families to get
outdoors and explore, while promoting
local events, programs and nearby natural destinations.
Families are encouraged to get a passport and visit the destinations it recommends. It’s free, and there is no start or
end date; families can pick up a passport
any time of year and complete it in one
season or over the course of a year or
more.
The passports are available at any of
the participating partner sites, such as the
Little Traverse Conservancy on M-119 in
Harbor Springs.
“It’s limitless!” said Alison Berry, education coordinator with the Little Traverse
Conservancy in Harbor Springs. “Our
goal is to update the sites every couple of
years to keep things fresh, interesting and
fun. It gets kids and their families outdoors, exploring local places many people
travel to the north to see, but that many
locals rarely get a chance to go out and
explore themselves. It encourages exploration and discovery in the outdoors for
kids of all ages.”
Some of the locations families can expect to find include the conservancy’s
nature preserves, Oden Fish Hatchery,
Top of Michigan Trails Council trails, the
Headlands International Dark Sky Park
and many more. One page encourages
participants to create their own destination site in Northern Michigan, with suggestions listed both in the passport map
and online.
GKO’s mission is to build a community-wide effort that embraces and promotes getting kids outdoors as part of a
healthy lifestyle, while promoting the national movement, Leave No Child Inside.
For more information about GKO and
the Passport to Adventure, go online to
www.gettingkidsoutdoors.org or email
Berry at Alison@landtrust.org. For help
getting a passport, call Berry at (231) 3470991.
Welcome
to the neighborhood.
• Barber & Beauty
• Dental &
Medical
p
• Hospice
• Medical
Appointment
Transportation
• Vision
• X-Ray
• Pharmacy
•
•
•
•
•
•
Social Services
24-Hour Care
Therapy
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37
| Intriguing
An extraordinary past
INFLUENCES THE FUTURE
Central Michigan College student study for
a full semester in Ireland. The society also
holds an annual Robert Emmet Remembrance Day on Sept. 20.
RAILROADS AND RESORTS
Big Rock at McGulpin Point
A
t least 395 years ago, French explorers
were navigating the treacherous Straits
of Mackinac as they explored the new
world. Along the shoreline near what is today known as McGulpin Point Lighthouse,
they relied on a 54-ton rock to gauge water levels as they navigated in canoes along
the tumultuous waters between Michigan’s
Upper and Lower Peninsulas.
The McGulpin rock — named “chi-sin”
by Emmet County’s Historical Commission to reflect the native Odawa (Ottawa)
language — has been observed since at least
1615 as an aid to navigation around the time
voyager Etienne Brule was traveling the
Great Lakes. Native Americans, of course,
used it much earlier and it endures today as
a symbol of the area’s earliest origins.
The big rock was even mentioned in
1749 in a journal by French-Canadian voyager Michel Chartier de Lotbiniere, who
compiled sketches of the layout of Fort
Michilimackinac and described the area
in his writings. (Read his journal entry at
www.emmetcounty.org/mcgulpin/)
McGulpin Point Lighthouse and the 300
feet of Lake Michigan shoreline where chisin rests are owned by Emmet County.
38
FROM ‘TONEDAGANA’
TO EMMET COUNTY
Centuries before being discovered as a
resort destination, the area’s qualities drew
Native Americans to the verdant woods
and rivers for hunting and fishing, and enticed Europeans for trading and later, logging and shipping.
Prior to 1842, Emmet County was known
as Tonedagana County, named after an
Odawa (Ottawa) Indian chief from Cross
Village. In 1842, an act of the State Legislature changed the name to Emmet County,
in honor of Robert Emmet (1778-1803), an
Irish patriot of the time with no known ties
to Emmet County or Michigan.
However, he was known globally for
a speech he gave on the eve of his execution in Ireland that said, in part, “when my
country takes her place among the nations
of the earth, then, and not until then, let
my epitaph be written.”
The Robert Emmet Society, based in
Petoskey, works to keep a focus on the
Irish heritage of the county namesake. The
group, formed in 1989, has offered a scholarship for the last nine years to a North
Growth of the county was expedited
when the Grand Rapids and Indian Railroads started traveling to Petoskey in the
mid-1800s. While the soil was poor for
farming, the lumbering was good, and after the height of lumbering passed the resort industry flourished.
The first resort was Bay View, founded in
1875 by the United Methodist Church, just
outside Petoskey and along the Little Traverse Bay shoreline. Bay View is a National
Historic Landmark community which is
home to more than 30 community-owned
buildings, nearly 450 cottages and two inns,
situated on 337 terraced acres. Generations
of families continue to visit their Victorian
cottages each summer, swelling the local
population and hosting public music, worship, lectures and educational seminars.
Bay View was followed by the Harbor
Springs resort communities of Wequetonsing and Harbor Point, exclusive enclaves of
storied homes and waterfront parcels.
Through the last century, the resort industry thrived, as resorters came north to
escape allergies and the heat of the summer
in the cool, clean environs of Emmet County. They wanted their children to splash in
pristine lakes, wander lush, thick woodlands, and linger amidst unspoiled beauty
until summer faded to fall.
And still today, that hasn’t changed.
THE ODAWA WARRIORS’
JOURNEY EXHIBIT
Meet key historical figures from Odawa,
French and British history, watch a movie
based on a French soldier’s journal during the time of the French and Indian War
(1750-1761), and tour an authentic wigwam
at “The Odawa Warriors’ Journey” exhibit
at Pellston Regional Airport.
The exhibit details the journey of Odawa
warriors from Emmet County to Farmington, Penn., to join the fight for Native
sovereignty. The Pennsylvania battle in
the summer of 1754 was the opening ac-
MEREDITH HENRY:
Tour reveals
another side of
Emmet County
O
Characters depicted in the Odawa Warriors’ Journey exhibit.
tion of the French and Indian War. At
least 20 Odawas (Ottawas), known as the
Anishinaabe, were among those who traveled about 630 miles to this battle against
George Washington.
The exhibit, a project of the Emmet
County Historical Commission, is open
daily free of charge from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Exhibit components include interpretive
display boards, a self-guided cell phone
tour and life-size figures telling their own
stories from the time period.
Emmet County received a $15,000 Michigan Humanities Council grant to help
fund this project. Collaborating with the
development of the exhibit and lending of
artifacts are Mackinac State Historic Parks,
the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa
Indians and the National Park Service,
through Fort Necessity. The Odawa Warriors’ Journey had been on display at Fort
Necessity, in Pennsylvania, from July 2010
to July 2011.
The local exhibit committee further
expanded the journey by tying in key figures and events in the Mackinaw region to
the national actions going on at the time,
through the use of a special movie and
characters such as Patrick McGulpin, the
namesake family of McGulpin Point Lighthouse just west of downtown Mackinaw
City, and Charles Langlade, a prominent
Odawa leader who impacted numerous
battles and events here and nationally.
The Pellston display will be open through
at least August 2012. (231) 348-1704, or
bpiehl@emmetcounty.org.
Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island
HAPPY 125TH ANNIVERSARY,
GRAND HOTEL!
Since it opened on July 10, 1887,
Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island has
been one of America’s premier summer
vacation spots. Its history as a summer
getaway—and as an integral part of
the history of the state of Michigan—
is indeed rich and auspicious. In 2012,
Grand Hotel will be celebrating its
125th anniversary as America’s Summer Place, where five U.S. presidents,
countless dignitaries from around the
world, many other political leaders,
authors, celebrities, and captains of industry—as well as countless families,
groups and associations—have enjoyed
exceptional accommodations, dining,
and activities, all in an unparalleled locale.
The hotel’s president, Dan Musser
III, and his wife, Marlee Brown, and
their children reside in Petoskey and on
Mackinac Island.
www.grandhotel.com
nce you take a tour of Emmet County with Meredith Henry, you’ll never
look at it the same again.
The ski hills that rise from the landscape
in Harbor Springs are actually Nokomis and
Mishomis, a grandmother and grandfather
placed together for eternity by the Creator.
The waves of sand dunes at Petoskey State
Park didn’t develop from the blowing winds
off Little Traverse Bay; they are the “Seven
Sisters” or “Serpent’s Back” that comprise
the back of a serpent thrown to shore after a
fight with the Underwater Panther.
To Henry, a member of the Little Traverse
Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, the history of
Emmet County is much deeper than contemporary historians relay; the stories here
reflect generations of cultural lore shared
among Native people who have called this
area home for thousands and thousands of
years.
“I feel like it’s my job to be here in my community educating people. I love raising my
kids in Emmet County, and I want to educate the community about the people who
live in it,” Henry says. “But it’s difficult,
because how is a person supposed to hang
on to their past when sweetgrass fields have
been replaced by golf courses?”
Many Odawas such as Henry hold tight
to their traditions of storytelling, reliance
on the wisdom of elders and the desire to
proudly pass their heritage on to the next
generation. In Henry’s family, the stories
are more multicultural than many; her
background is Scottish, German and Odawa. She is married to a Jamaican, Kenroy
Henry, which means their children, Sophia,
6, and Cameron, 5, embody many cultures,
with many traditions to celebrate.
She and Kenroy, married eight years,
have coined a new phrase for their children
(who have dual citizenship): Anishnaicans,
a combination of Anishnaabe and Jamaican.
And they’ve found about 25 other families
north of Gaylord like them.
“I’m a modern Anishnaabe person. I’m
Christian and I’m Native. We rock the baby
Jesus to sleep on Christmas and we go to
Ghost Suppers to honor our dead,” she explained. “We are a multicultural family.
You have to make them work together, and
you can.”
TAKING THE TOUR
On a sunny spring day, Henry, 31, a Harbor Springs native, begins a tour of Emmet
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
39
| Intriguing
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39
County that you won’t find in a guidebook. As she drives, she explains that every major roadway was once a footpath
for the Anishnaabe (a general term for
all Michigan Indians) to travel downstate.
U.S. 31 toward Charlevoix, for instance,
was known as the Chief Blackbird Trail —
Makadadebneshiinh Miikan.
The first stop is the casino hotel on U.S.
131, which is an important part of the Odawa community. “One of the biggest misnomers is all we do is own casinos,” Henry
says. “Yes, it is our biggest money maker.
But this is why we are able to have our government complex, higher education scholarships, etc., because of the economic base
it provides.”
As the car pulls around, Meredith points
to a conifer with a large “knot” of branches and needles in the middle. She calls it
a “Little People’s Home” — a place where
fairy-like creatures live, in her traditional
lore. “They are known to steal your children,” she explains. “My kids won’t go
near them in the woods!”
The drive back toward Little Traverse
Bay reveals the story of the grandmother
and grandfather hills, better known today as Nub’s Nob and Boyne Highlands.
“They loved each other so much that the
Creator placed them side-by-side forever,”
Henry says. “Those hills are really important to our tribe because they represent the
bond of the circle of life — you end up becoming part of the land when you pass on.”
Passing by Bay Harbor, Henry relays
how the now-opulent resort community
was once a heavily populated Indian area
popular for fishing. And a nearby golfcourse was once one of the most renowned
areas for picking sweet-grass as recently as
the 1930s; the plant is one of four sacred
medicines in her tribe, along with tobacco,
cedar and sage.
One of the most significant stops Henry
wants to make is at Greensky Hill Church
in Charlevoix County. We drive past the
crooked trees that served as landmarks for
natives as they traversed the area, past Bay
Shore and Big Rock — both with important Native histories attached — and onto
a narrow dirt road. To the left is a large
circle of reaching, mature trees that once
served as “council tree,” or meeting place.
“This is a really important place, because
this is where the Indians started getting
converted to Christianity,” Henry explains. “It really brought Indians from all
over together. Many of them assimilated
for survival.”
Including, she says, her own family.
COMING HOME, SHARING STORIES
Once we enter her hometown, Harbor
Springs, we pass the former Indian board40
The Henry family (from left) Kenroy, Cameron, Sophia, and Meredith on the shore of Little Traverse Bay.
Behind them on the horizon are the hills known as the “Seven Sisters” or the “Serpent’s Back.”
ing school at Holy Childhood Church.
Henry was a student there, as was her father and his siblings, and thinks her family
had it easier than many Indian children
because of their lighter skin tone. She’s
heard many stories from others with tainted memories; the school closed in the mid1980s.
We drive through “Indian town” and
visit a cemetery where many white crosses
I feel like it’s my
‘responsibility
to teach my
children about all of their
cultural backgrounds so they
know where they come from.
MEREDITH HENRY
ishing her master’s degree in educational
leadership from Ferris State University.
She recently left a full-time position with
the tribe to start her own consulting business, Great Lakes Consulting Ltd., with a
Native colleague.
“When I left the tribe, I learned there’s
a bigger picture. There’s Emmet County
and there’s a global perspective; I can
do a lot more educating and I can reach
a lot more people this way,” Henry said.
“That’s my whole goal with this company.”
Her willingness to share personal insights also stems from her instinct to
make her children proud of their diverse
background, which she says is more common in Emmet County than what first
meets the eye. Much like our tour, I think
to myself.
“I really appreciate my mom — she is
the one who taught us about our Indian
roots. My dad was gone a lot; he’s a captain on a Great Lakes freighter, so it was
up to her to tell us about our culture and
our ancestors, even though she’s not Indian,” Henry said. “And likewise, I feel like
it’s my responsibility to teach my children
about all of their cultural backgrounds so
they know where they come from.”
Our last stop is at the figure of Chief
Petoskey, a statue which looks out over
Little Traverse Bay near the Perry Hotel
downtown Petoskey. He’s looking out
over the bay, over the grandmother and
grandfather hills, with the Seven Sisters
to his right. He’s dressed in European
garb, but with moccasins on his feet and
holding an eagle feather and a pipe.
“He’s living in two worlds at once,” Meredith points out. “That’s how I feel culturally, too.” 
’
bear crowns for the spirit to wear to the
Ghost Suppers.
At her childhood home on Fisher Road
(Meredith’s maiden name is Fisher) in
Stutsmanville, the road ends in a cul-desac where a watering hole, fed by a spring,
was the family’s version of going to the
beach. The pond is surrounded by thick,
plush mint and the memories elicit wide
smiles and happy memories for Henry as
we stop there to talk.
“This is the most secret spot in Emmet
County,” she smiles. “It’s the best water
you’ve ever had.”
For a young Native American, Henry’s
desire to know her ancestry and the accompanying stories is inspirational. Perhaps it’s her teaching background that
drives her to educate others; she is fin-
Alanson
Swing Bridge
Historical home in the Bay View Association
HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST
UNIQUE TO EMMET COUNTY
ALANSON
MACKINAW CITY
Alanson Swing Bridge
Inland Waterway & Museum
Hillside Gardens
Mackinac Bridge
Cecil Bay (former lumbering community)
McGulpin Point Lighthouse
Mackinaw Heritage Village
Colonial Ft. Michilimackinac
Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga
CROSS VILLAGE
Mackinac Bridge
Devil’s Elbow spring, along the Tunnel of Trees
Cross on the hill
Leg’s Inn
“Tunnel of Trees” M-119
Skillagalee and Waugoshance light stations
GOOD HART
St. Ignatius Church and beach
Good Hart General Store
HARBOR SPRINGS
Andrew J. Blackbird house/museum
Ephraim Shay House
Wequetonsing
ODEN
Oden State Fish Hatchery,
(originally established in 1921)
PETOSKEY
Bay View Association
Stafford’s Perry Hotel & statue of Chief
Petoskey
Petoskey’s historic downtown district
St. Francis Solanus Mission Church
(the oldest building still standing in
Northern Lower Michigan)
Little Traverse Historical Society
HISTORICAL MUSEUMS: Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Bay Harbor, Pellston,
Mackinaw City, Inland Water Route Museum in Alanson
For a free Emmet County Historical Tour Map,
call (231) 348-1704 or email bpiehl@emmetcounty.org
Prehistoric prize:
The Petoskey Stone
Michigan’s state stone (1965) is prevalent along the shoreline of Little
Traverse Bay. A Petoskey stone is a rock and a fossil that is composed of
fossilized coral, Hexagonaria percarinata. The stones were formed as the
result of glaciation and originally deposited during the Devonian period
some 350 million years ago.
41
| Inspiring: Arts & Culture
Robert deJonge’s
award-winning photo,
“I am an Island,” was taken
at Wilderness State Park in
northwest Emmet County.
The Headlands Dark Sky Park
PHOTOGRAPHER
Robert de Jonge:
Committed to family, faith and
capturing Northern Michigan’s essence
T
here is no lack of inspiration in Emmet vast depth of the night sky and its millions
County for Bob de Jonge’s photographic
of bright, shining objects.
eye. Likewise for the viewers of his
And he had volunteered his time for this, I
photographs.
asked Mary again?
I was introduced to de Jonge’s work in 2010,
“I was happy to do it,” says Bob, an imwhen the county first began offering Dark Sky posing man in height but not in demeanor.
Park events at the Headlands (see article, page “Night photography is a whole different ani30). Mary Stewart Adams, Dark Sky Park mal than day photography. What makes it
program director, had mentioned that a pro- fun nowadays is the equipment. For one, senfessional photographer whose work she appre- sors on digital cameras now are a lot more
ciated had offered to shoot an event for us.
sensitive than film could ever be. You used to
It was the night of the total lunar eclipse
have to keep the shutter open a half-hour to
on Winter Solstice in December 2010, and get good night shots. Now, you hold the shutthe event came in the midst of a very snowy ter open for five minutes and the photo looks
stretch. Many of us expected it to be too over- more realistic.”
cast to witness the celestial goings-on high
Once he has the raw images, technology
above. However, as has been our luck on sev- comes in to play again; this time, on his home
eral occasions, the skies cleared completely computer with image-enhancing software.
this crisp night and Bob was able to get clean
“The whole technological and art fields
shots.
merging really interests me,” Bob says. “In
When I saw the photos, my chillbumps
the human eye, there is nothing mechanical.
weren’t from imagining how cold it must have The camera can’t always capture a scene the
been out there on the Straits of Mackinac in way an eye can see it. I try to re-create that by
the middle of a cloudless December night. I using other techniques that bring out details
couldn’t believe how Bob had captured the
the camera normally can’t see, but which are
42
there.”
I was reminded of the countless times I’d
photographed a landscape or other captivating scene that was so magnificent in person,
but looked so blah when I got the print backs.
They just weren’t the same as what I had seen
with my own eyes.
Technology, Bob says, enhances that photographic experience but doesn’t diminish its
artistic value.
“I do take liberties and I take an artistic
approach. I make images impressionistic,
artistic,” says Bob. “In talking about my approach to photography, I have found that the
best way to explain it is that I’m interested
in creating art and the camera happens to be
my tool of choice, rather than a paintbrush or
chisel. I don’t pretend to be a photojournalist.
Many times my images are realistic in style,
but if I feel that the ‘truth’ of the subject is
best expressed by a more impressionistic or
abstract approach, a camera can help me do
that too. And if a computer and software can
further express my artistic vision, I’m happy
to add that to my artist’s toolbox.”
HOW EVERYTHING CLICKS UP NORTH
The Grand Rapids native, 57, and his wife,
Manette, moved to Petoskey in 1995. With
four children — the youngest then in kindergarten, the oldest a sophomore in high school
— they appreciated the beauty of the area and
the lifestyle afforded them, particularly when
it came to churches and schools in Emmet
County. Danielle and Clara attended Concord Academy charter school in Petoskey, and
Arianne and Andrew attended Harbor Light
Christian School in Harbor Springs.
“It was a real fit for our family here,” says
Bob, a graphic designer by profession. Since he
was a student at Calvin College, he’s worked
for the Calvinist Cadet Corps, a national BoyScout type organization with a more Christian, Bible-centered focus. He works from
home, handling the creative needs of the organization, from their annual magazine to videos, promotional materials, website updates
and graphic design projects.
When the family started looking to move
north, they considered the Leelanau Peninsula first, but ultimately felt Petoskey had
more to offer. “We found it to be a really great
community. We became members of the First
Presbyterian Church in Petoskey which is a
very active church here. There’s a great hospital and we were very pleased with the schools.
I really love the balance we have,” Bob says.
“And the community is very supportive of the
arts. The Crooked Tree Arts Center is very
active in promoting the arts and artists here.
There are all these positives. For being a moderate-size city, we’ve got a lot of great things
going for us.”
While Bob continued his graphic design
work for the Cadet Corps, Manette took a position as the coordinator of the Wellness Center at the Manthei Veneer Mill, also in Emmet
County. In his spare time, Bob started exploring the area more and more from behind the
lens. He considers photography less a “hobby”
and more a “calling,” a passion and skill that
he’s been gifted.
“My first real itch to do photography started
at age 15 when my dad bought me a camera
for Christmas,” he recalled. “That following
summer we did a circle tour of Lake Superior
and I took my camera with me. That was really the start.”
As he continues to enjoy shooting the idyllic
scenes that nature often presents, his work is
getting attention from more than just those of
us at the county. His photographs of the Dark
Sky Park at the Headlands have landed on the
cover and within several national and state
magazines and publications, including Midwest Living and Every Day with Rachael Ray.
They’ve been featured on television segments
and websites across the country as well.
Some of his other photographs have earned
him local awards, including first place in the
Charlevoix Circle of Arts juried photography
show in November 2011 and second place in
the 31st annual Juried Photography Exhibit
hosted by the Crooked Tree Arts Center. He’s
also served as Artist in Residence at the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Acadia National Park in
Maine, the Petrified Forest in Arizona, Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Peninsula and
Isle Royale in the middle of Lake Superior.
“In my galleries you’ll find images from outside of Michigan,” says Bob, “but you might
sense a special kind of love comes through in
my local work.”
Likewise, Bob. 
Editor’s Note: On the cover of this magazine is Bob
de Jonge’s photograph of the sky over the Headlands
International Dark Sky Park in Mackinaw City, taken in
November 2011.
POINTS OF INTEREST
| Instrumental
An arts-oriented
community
EMMET COUNTY’S
CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS:
• Bay View Association: Summer arts
and entertainment open to the public.
bayviewassociation.com
• Blissfest Music Organization:
Preserving and promoting the cultural
heritage and diversity with a focus
on folk and roots music, dance, oral
history and crafts from America and
all cultures. blissfest.org
• Crooked Tree Arts Center:
crookedtree.org
• Emmet County Fairgrounds:
Antiques shows, fair, garden expos
and benefits.
emmetcounty.org
• Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra:
Live orchestral performances.
glcorchestra.org
• Harbor Springs Performing Arts
Center: Performance venue for
students and for professional
groups and non-profits, such as the
Association for Harbor Arts.
harborps.org/PAC/pac
• Little Traverse Civic Theater:
Community theater. ltct.org
• Northern Michigan Chorale
(Facebook)
• Odawa Casino: Gaming,
entertainment, concerts.
odawacasino.com
What does he shoot with? A Nikon D3
Where are his favorite places for photography?
Petoskey State Park beach; Fisherman’s Island;
Sturgeon Bay; nature preserves of the Little
Traverse Conservancy, especially McCune
Preserve on the Minnehaha Creek (“All the
protected lands here are a huge asset for me,”
Bob says); Oden Island; Good Hart; Wilderness
State Park
What is his must-have equipment? Tripod, cable
release (he prefers wired to wireless because
of the unreliability of batteries required for wireless — what if you’re all set up for the perfect
shot and the batteries are dead?)
Bob and Manette deJonge near the dunes of Where can you find de Jonge’s images?
Petoskey State Park on Little Traverse Bay. www.robertdejonge.com
E M Bay
M E TView
C O U NHall
T Y. Auditorium
ORG
43
| Incomparable
SMALL TOWN
charm
T
BIG CITY
amenities
44
here aren’t many rural places
in America with abundant
natural beauty and outdoor
recreational opportunities that
also provide world-class amenities
within walking distance of each
other.
But Emmet County isn’t like
anywhere else.
From medical care to education,
recycling to veterans affairs, emergency services to cultural opportunities, Emmet County is the place
where it all comes together for the
benefit of the 36,000 year ‘round
residents and tens of thousands of
resorters who live among us during Michigan’s warmest months.
A unique combination of quaint settings and sophistication
makes Emmet County a destination for everyone.
HEALTH CARE
Courtesy photo
Dr. Peter Armstrong, Radiation Oncologist
TRILOGY:
A COMMITMENT TO BEATING CANCER
A new generation of doctors use the newest generation of
cancer-fighting equipment at Mclaren - Northern Michigan
I
t’s difficult to not notice Dr. Tom Boike’s
youthfulness. At age 32, the McLaren —
Northern Michigan hospital radiation
oncologist represents the next generation of
physicians who are attacking cancer with
fresh drive and determination — and they’re
using the next generation of tools to do it.
The newest in the arsenal has a long name:
Trilogy Stereotactic RadioSurgery. But its
mission is simple: Kill cancer.
“It is one of the most powerful, most versatile SRS technology available today,” said
Boike, a radiation oncologist.
If you’ve ever driven downstate, you’ve
passed the billboards along I-75 for CyberKnife and GammaKnife cancer treatment
centers in mid-Michigan. Just as those were
cutting edge cancer-fighting methods when
they came out many years ago, Trilogy with
BrainLab has surpassed them in its technology-driven method of eradicating cancer from
all areas of the body.
The Trilogy with BrainLab relies on a variety of imaging capabilities and robotics to
do its job; the computer reads CTs, diagnostic X-rays and 4-dimensional CT scans that
monitor patient breathing and tumor movement. All are digitally compiled to provide a
comprehensive picture of where the cancer is
located. Then the precise x-ray beam delivers
a high dose of radiation to the smallest of targets, breaking apart the tumor’s DNA strands
and killing it.
It’s a lot of work behind the scenes by the
doctor, physicist and the machine, but not
necessarily for the patient; treatment time on
the table can be as brief as 15 minutes.
“Now we can see and treat something that
is 4 millimeters in width with sub-millimeter
accuracy, and the radiation is delivered in
about 5 minutes,” Boike said. “Most of the
time is spent making sure the patient is lined
up on the table correctly.”
‘We can offer the best treatment available
without patients having to go downstate’
If you have passed those downstate billboards, you’ve likely driven through the
stomping grounds of Dr. Boike, who was
raised in the Fenton/Flint area. His dad was
a specialist in gynecological oncology, and
it inspired Boike to pursue oncology as well.
Boike attended medical school at Wayne
State University and completed his research
residency at Beaumont Hospital in Royal
Oak. Afterwards, he headed to the University
of Texas-Southwest in Dallas to complete his
radiation oncology residency and pursue his
interest in teaching and research.
With a growing young family and a fresh
perspective on treating cancer patients, Boike
began looking for a position within a medical facility. “After my residency, we looked all
over the Midwest for a job. I was more interested at that time in a more academic, researchbased hospital,” Boike said. The couple originally stayed in Dallas, where Boike took a job
as assistant professor of radiation oncology at
the University of Texas Southwestern. While
maintaining a busy practice and research, he
was recruited by a former colleague to considCONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
45
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45
er joining with Traverse Bay Radiation and
Oncology, based in Traverse City but whose
doctors share time at NMRH.
He and his wife of seven years, Wendy, both
share a love of being outdoors along with enjoying a small but progressive community;
they found Emmet County and NMRH to be
the right fit.
“They were doing some new and exciting
stuff — including the introduction of Trilogy.
We had our first child on the way, and that
got my wife thinking of where we should be,”
Boike said. “My dad has had a place on Lake
Charlevoix for many years, and I have uncles
up here, so I knew what a beautiful place
Northern Michigan is to live.”
Because radiation oncology is a small, specialty field with infrequent openings, Boike
knew the timing to join the practice was right.
“I interviewed again and my wife and I agreed
this was the place for us,” Boike said.
They moved permanently to Petoskey in
March 2011 and he started in his new position April 1. A radiation oncologist has to
complete a 5-year residency program; there
are only about 170 residents per year across
the country, Boike said, and just about 60
percent of those students go on to private
practice. Tied closely with the technology, radiation oncologists deliver guided and precise
radiation to cancerous tumors with equipment such as the Trilogy system. Just as not
all cancers respond to chemotherapy, not all
respond to radiation; it’s up to experts such as
Boike to determine which method will provide the best outcome for the patient. Sometimes, both chemo and radiation are required.
“We work very closely with chemotherapy and the oncology staff to treat patients,”
Boike noted.
Boike said more than 1.6 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year, with
550,000 deaths from cancer projected in 2012
in the United States. Lung, breast, colorectal
and prostate cancer are among the most common, and having breakthrough technology
on hand is a huge benefit to patients. Having
it in a small community like Petoskey is remarkable in itself, Boike noted.
“When I was interviewing, I didn’t want
to go somewhere that didn’t have the tools
available to me that I had in Dallas at the
University of Texas, which is a leading cancer hospital,” Boike said. “We have that here.
We also have a tumor board that holds weekly
meetings to discuss patients and challenging
cases. That is not something common for a
community hospital.”
The first patient was treated with the Trilogy system in November; after this magazine
interview early in 2012, the team was preparing to treat a small tumor in a patient’s brain
for the first time.
“Previously we were sending patients downstate — Midland, Saginaw — for treatment.
We were a good department, but there were
some patients who benefitted from more
46
advanced treatment than we could provide,”
Boike said. “But it’s hard for patients to travel
that far from here for treatment. Now they
don’t have to. We can offer the best treatment
available without them having to go downstate.”
Boike said the staff initially projected about
100 patients per year who would have had
to go down state for treatment will now be
served locally with Trilogy available here.
“But it might be more. Right now we are
treating about 40-45 patients per day with
two physicians,” Boike said. “Our services
are becoming a little broader and the hospital has been adding more physicians. We’re
seeing more head and neck cancers, so they
are increasing access to care with more ENTs.
There have been a few more young physicians
joining the staff to see patients in this regard.
The oncology department just keeps getting
stronger.”
And with his young, growing family, which
includes daugher Olivia, 1, now a part of the
fabric of Emmet County, so does the community.
“We came to Northern Michigan to be outside,” Boike said. “We do look forward to doing more in the community.”
“INCOMPARABLE” CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Courtesy photo
| Incomparable
Dr. Tom Boike
Manna
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25 Years
...and growing
1987 - 2012
Courtesy photo
Zak Kruskie
HEALTH CARE
TRAGEDY
AVERTED:
TEEN’S LIFE SAVED AFTER CRITICAL
HEAD INJURY ON THE BALLFIELD
‘Without the hospital being
so close, who knows what
would’ve happened’
S
chool had just ended for the year
and on an early summer afternoon,
teams of teen boys were warming up
for North Emmet Little League games
at Pioneer Park in Pellston. It was a
gathering of local All-Stars, and Zak
Kruskie was among them.
Then 13 years old, Zak had his back
turned to a couple of players when an errant throw was missed by a teammate. It
connected painfully instead with Zak, at
his left temple.
“Everything went black. I covered my
face with my glove and when I pulled it
away, I felt a little dizzy. I started to walk
to the bathroom to look in the mirror and
suddenly I couldn’t walk any farther,” recalled Zak.
“I saw him wandering around and wondered what was going on. I did not see
what happened,” said his mom, Pam
Kruskie. “I went over to him and he said
he had been hit in the head with the ball
and he wanted to leave the field immediately.
“I said we needed to get him to the hospital right away,” said dad Jeff, recalling
the sense of urgency that June afternoon
four years ago.
“In the car, Zak said to me, ‘My head
hurts so bad. Please don’t let me die,’”
his mom continued. “He said it over and
over. I said, ‘Zak, we’re not going to let
you die.’”
In those 15 minutes from Pellston to
the region’s highly-awarded and largest medical care provider — Northern
Michigan Regional Hospital in Petoskey
— damage was starting inside Zak’s
brain. The Kruskies would learn after
a CT scan that the ball had fractured
Zak’s skull and severed a vein behind the
temple; a pool of blood was visible on the
scan. Neurosurgeon Dr. Blaine Rawson,
of the Center for Neurosurgery, arrived
within minutes to prep Zak for immediate surgery.
The surgery took 90 minutes and involved an arduous array of procedures.
Zak’s jaw muscle was detached in order for doctors to reach the bleed. Two
plates and a piece of titanium mesh were “So many kids have gone on to college
attached to his skull, the damaged vein
and achieved academically and in athletwas cauterized and then the skull was re- ics. We’ve had a lot of opportunities gocovered. Thirty-three staples closed an ing to school in Pellston.”
incision from Zak’s temple to the front of
Living in a small, close-knit commuhis left ear.
nity like they do, in Readmond Town“I don’t remember anything really from
ship west of Pellston, Pam said provides
that first day at the hospital,” said Zak, immeasurable comfort in times of need.
now a 17-year-old star shortstop for the “The amount of support that we had from
Pellston Hornets who will play ball at
the community was overwhelming,” she
Delta College in Saginaw next year.
recalled. “People were filling the waiting
His North Emmet Little League team- room with us 24 hours a day.”
mates likely remember that day. The
When thinking back to the day of the
teens were so distraught by the accident accident, it’s difficult for the Kruskies to
and the subsequent medical interven- not consider the “what ifs.” Pam said betions happening to their friend that they fore they decided to leave for the hospital,
didn’t want to continue playing. “Most of
she had given Zak an Advil to help alour team folded up, it was so traumatic
leviate the pain while she and Jeff talked
for them to see Zak on a breathing ma- about whether he needed to rest from the
chine and to be hurt,” said Pam. “And
injury (“Was it a concussion,” they wonwhen Zak woke up, he was upset that he
dered, “or worse?”) or be seen at the hoscouldn’t play. He wanted to play.”
pital.
Because of the requisite recovery time
They are beyond thankful that they
for a brain injury, Zak spent his freshman
trusted their instincts. “They said if we
year as the Hornets’ football varsity team had waited an hour he would have died,”
manager instead of as a player. By spring, said Pam.
he was able to play baseball for both the
“If we would’ve let him fall asleep to
JV and varsity teams. “I was really ready rest, he never would’ve woken up,” added
to get back into it,” said Zak, who will Jeff.
graduate in June with the 51 other memFor Zak, the level of gratitude toward
bers of the Class of 2012 — and with a
the staff and hospital that saved his life
number of athletic accolades, including
is tough to adequately put into words. “I
All-Conference and All-District distinc- don’t even know how to say it,” he says.
tions.
“Without the hospital being so close, who
“Pellston is a small school but there are
knows what would’ve happened.”
so many great things about it,” Zak said.
“INCOMPARABLE” CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
47
| Incomparable
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE
9-1-1
CENTRAL
DISPATCH:
LOCAL CENTER A MODEL
IN MICHIGAN AND BEYOND
Long before government leaders began
calling for counties to consolidate services
to help stem Michigan’s economic woes,
Emmet County had partnered with nextdoor Cheboygan and Charlevoix counties
to create a model 9-1-1 authority that continues to lead the way.
“It’s a model not only for Michigan but
the nation. Consolidation can work well
and today it’s quickly becoming the preferred method — and our counties did it
15 years ago,” said Greg Clark, assistant
director for the Charlevoix-CheboyganEmmet 9-1-1/Central Dispatch Authority.
“With the new push for counties to consolidate their efforts around the state, we say,
‘If you want to see how it’s done, come to
the ‘Tip of the Mitt’ and see what we’re
doing.’”
It was not a simple task; the region is
the size of Rhode Island, and during the
height of tourist season it includes more
than 300,000 people living, working and
playing up North.
The dispatch center, centrally located in
Petoskey, went live in 1996 and receives
nearly 70,000 calls per year.
48
NCMC:
COLLEGE COMMITTED
TO COMMUNITY EDUCATION
North Central Michigan College in
Petoskey is more than a community college;
it’s a community itself. Its influence propels
students of all ages and backgrounds into
a brighter future, provides employers with
convenient training opportunities, and enriches area residents through lively public
programs and activities.
“North Central provides high school students an opportunity to get an early start on
college through dual enrollment and other
options, and many high school graduates
come here for an economical start on college,” said Dr. Cameron Brunet-Koch, college president. “Many adults come here for
school because they can take classes without
leaving their families and jobs behind. The
community comes here for enrichment activities that include classes for fun, speeches
by interesting people, exercise and inspiration from our campus art and our natural
area.”
Students have about 60 programs of study
to consider, from associate degree programs
to certificates, certificates of development
and non-degree courses. These programs
can provide a freshman with insight into a
future career or an adult the opportunity to
reinvent theirs.
More progress is ahead for the 54-year-old
college that has about 2,900 full- and parttime students. A new $10.4 million Health
Education and Science Center is set to open
in the fall of 2012.
HIGHER
EDUCATION
Aerial view of the NCMC campus
COURTESY PHOTO
SERVING
THOSE WHO
HAVE SERVED
Jim Alton
VETERANS
AFFAIRS:
COMMITTED TO HELPING
VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
An estimated 6,000 veterans call Emmet County home, and county Veterans
Affairs director Jim Alton said his office
works daily to make sure these men and
women have access to resources to help
them recover from service-related injuries
and events. Ensuring the vets and their
families are aware of their earned benefits
is a key part of the local VA’s job as well.
“Our veterans’ service to the United
States of America has been and continues to be appreciated with the utmost respect and gratitude,” said Alton, a Marine
Corps veteran. “We are here to serve you
who have served this country; please let us
know who you are and how we can help.”
Reach the VA office at (231) 348-1780, or
online at www.emmetcounty.org/VA/. In
April 2012, the VA office relocated from
the county building downtown Petoskey
to the John R. Watson Community Resource Center on Harbor-Petoskey Road;
the new address is 3434 M-119, Harbor
Springs. It is in suite D, on the lower level.
RECYCLE MORE, SORT LESS:
MAKING RECYCLING EASIER FOR RESIDENTS, VISITORS AND BUSINESSES
The numbers continue to climb for the county’s successful recycling program. In 2011, the
amount of material going through the facility
was up 25 percent by weight over 2010 levels.
“We’re a well-established program so additional gains aren’t so easy to come by, but we
made recycling easier and started taking more
materials and, sure enough, Northern Michigan really did ‘recycle more,’ just like our slogan
for the new system: ‘Recycle more, sort less,’”
said Elisa Seltzer, director of Emmet County
Recycling.
The county continues its momentum after
a major facility expansion in 2010, and on a
regular basis staff announces new initiatives to
recycle new products and reduce the need for
landfilling items. For instance, in the past year
the recycling staff added latex paint recycling,
mattress recycling and hosted a hugely successful carton recycling contest that drew attention
to the variety of cartons that can be recycled locally. Curbside recycling participation continues to soar as well, along with participation in
the free electronics recycling effort.
“Recycling opportunities in Emmet County
are unparalleled compared to other rural communities, and even to most cities,” said Seltzer. “It’s easy to recycle well and recycle a lot
in Emmet County. And no other community
in the state provides such a first-class recycling
program without utilizing general fund tax dollars. Emmet County’s program has been selfsupporting since 1991.”
RECYCLING
For more info about the progressive recycling program:
www.emmetcounty.org/recycling/.
Small town charm…
N
othing quite gives the feeling of smalltown enchantment like Emmet County’s quaint, eclectic and dynamic downtowns.
For well more than a century, the shopkeepers, restaurateurs and entrepreneurs that
fill Northern Michigan’s downtowns have
catered to the tens of thousands of resorters,
tourists and locals who meander the streets for
one-of-kind items not found in big-box retailers or large city shopping malls.
Along these tree-lined, flower-laden lanes,
shoppers will find stylish boutiques and custom jewelry designers amidst art galleries
and gift stores carrying distinct items that
reflect the Northern Michigan lifestyle, such
as Petoskey stones, conversation-piece relief
maps of area waterways, vintage signs from
the earliest resort days, apparel emblazoned
with favorite Up North towns, and much more.
And then there’s the food. Local downtowns
are known for their range of palate-tempting
eateries, coffee shops, fine dining establishments, pubs, fudge and ice cream outlets —
and everything in between. Whether you’re
looking to dine on an unbeatable breakfast at
a mom-and-pop bistro or in a candlelit corner
mulling over an award-winning wine list, the
downtowns of Petoskey, Harbor Springs and
Mackinaw City deliver.
Two other small towns are as quaint as they
come, too. Alanson residents and business
owners have gone full-throttle into beautifying their town and adding unique shops and
restaurants over the last decade-plus. This
tiny community is tying its downtown to the
ambling Crooked River out its back door with
events such as the annual Riverfest, and plans
to develop ferry service and more access to the
scenic, renowned waterway.
Pellston, too, is drawing attention to its
walkable downtown and community, as a destination for those traveling along U.S. 31 and
year ‘round residents. Passing through town,
visitors are encouraged to pull over for gourmet food, a picnic in the park and a few shop-
ping stops as well.
Along with shopping and dining, the vibrant downtowns throughout Emmet County
take pride in their presentation, with concerts
in the park during the summer events and dozens of fun, family-friendly events in safe, inviting environments.
Make it a point to experience the downtowns of Emmet County, whether you’ve lived
here your whole life or you’re starting a new
one up North. ■
49
Pellston Regional
Airport
W
hether you’re a visitor to Northern Michigan or a
resident returning home, Pellston Regional Airport
welcomes you with the warmth and ambiance of a
rustic lodge in the Northern wilderness. Hand-carved signs,
native wildlife displays, on-site restaurant and free parking are
complemented by an award-winning log design to create an
airport like no other. Daily commercial flights to Detroit Metro
connect you to anywhere you want to go — if you can bring
yourself to leave.
Incomparable convenience with no hurries, no hassles.
It’s the Up North lifestyle.
231.539.8441 • pellstonairport.com • North U.S. 31, Pellston, Michigan 49769
DAILY FLIGHTS • FREE PARKING • WIRELESS INTERNET • HOPPIES LANDING RESTAURANT • GENERAL AVIATION SERVICES
CONFERENCE AND MEETING SPACE • BUSINESS CENTER • RENTAL CARS
Pellston Regional Airport (PLN) is serviced by Delta
50
1751 US 131 S Petoskey, MI 49770 P: 231-497-0991 TOLL: 888-497-0105
Education • Health Care • Industrial
Municipal • Multifamily Residential
DeVere
Construction
Company, Inc.
1030 DeVere Drive
Alpena, MI 49707
P: 989-356-4411 F: 989-356-1198
www.deverecc.us
51
Northern Michigan Premier Properties
Lake Charlevoix Waterfront
125 Belvedere Avenue, Charlevoix -This beautiful boathouse was designed and
built by Andre Poineau and truly a landmark for Lake Charlevoix. The home
features five bedrooms, seven full baths, four half baths, 10,437 square feet,
custom kitchen, guest apartment and numerous windows overlooking Round Lake.
The Boathouse currently houses 30 boats and really shows off the homes
spectacular unique craftsmanship completely finished with cypress wood. Visit
www.winnboathouse.com to view more photos and information. $7,950,000
Walloon Lake Waterfront
f
06360 Red Pine Road, Boyne City - Enjoy spectacular views of the West Arm of
Walloon Lake from this five bedroom, five bath, 5215 square foot home. Features
include a large custom kitchen with granite countertops, Brazilian cherry hardwood
floors, large stone fireplace in the great room, finished lower level with an exercise
room, family room, and bar. Entertain family and friends on the expansive Bluestone
decks that has an outdoor built-in grill with granite countertops, sunken hot tub and
fire pit all with amazing views of the 147’ of sandy private frontage. $1,995,000
Downtown Petoskey
615 Bay Street, Petoskey - Enjoy beautiful summer days sitting on your covered porch
from this classic in-town home overlooking Little Traverse Bay and downtown Petoskey.
Features include; four bedrooms, two and one-half baths, custom kitchen with beautiful
cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, and an amazing cooking
fireplace. The rest of the house is no exception to quality, with numerous fireplaces,
central vac, sound system, irrigation, custom lighting system, two car garage, workshop
and master suite above, and so much more. $719,000
Contact Patrick Leavy for a personal tour!
PATRICK LEAVY
(231) 838-6700 Mobile -patleavy@kiddleavy.com
Visit www.patleavy.com to view other properties available
52