Almost every backyard has a shrine to cold air. It’s called an a/c unit. WaterFurnace will help you take back that space.
Air conditioners are unsightly and often located in the worst places. They’re vulnerable to the elements and can become home for small critters. But with geothermal, you won’t have an outside unit or any of these problems. So, reclaim your backyard. Plant some flowers and enjoy the unseen beauty that is WaterFurnace. Geothermal is the only renewable that provides reliable operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Allendale
Allendale Htg & Clg (800) 327-1937 allendaleheating.com
Bad Axe/Ubly
Cutting Edge Htg & Clg (989) 551-0986
Berrien Springs
Waterfurnace Michiana (269) 473-5667 gogreenmichgeo thermal.com
Big Rapids Stratz Htg & Clg, Inc. (231) 796-3717 stratzgeocomfort.com
Clifford Orton Refrig & Htg (989) 761-7691 sanduskygeothermal.com
Hart Adams Htg & Clg (231) 873-2665
adamsheating cooling.com
Indian River
M&M Plmb & Htg (231) 238-7201 mm-plumbing.com
Lansing Candor Mechanical (517) 920-0890 candormechanical.com
Lowell Arctic Inc. Htg. & Clg. (616) 897-4213 heatingcoolingonline.com
Mancelona Top Notch Htg, Clg, & Geothermal (231) 350-8052 Topnotchheatandair.com
Michigan Center Comfort 1/Air Serv of Southern Michigan (517) 764-1500 airserv.com/southernmichigan/
Mt Pleasant Walton Htg & Clg (989) 772-4822 waltonheating.com
Muskegon Adams Htg & Clg (231) 873-2665 adamsheatingcooling.co
Portland
ESI Htg & Clg (517) 647-6906 esiheating.com
Sunfield
Mark Woodman Plmb & Htg (517) 886-1138 mwphonline.com
Traverse City
D&W Mechanical (231) 941-1251 dwmechanical.com
Geofurnace Htg & Clg (231) 943-1000 geofurnace.com
CO-OP REBATE INCENTIVES
Cloverland: up to $4,200
Great Lakes: up to $3,000
Homeworks/Tri-County: up to $3,000
Presque Isle: up to $2,700
Cherryland: up to $2,500
Thumb Electric: up to $2,000
Alger Delta: up to $2,000
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Casey Clark
EDITOR: Christine Dorr
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Karreen Bird
RECIPE EDITOR: Christin McKamey
COPY EDITOR: Yvette Pecha
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Emily Haines Lloyd
PUBLISHER: Michigan Electric Cooperative Association
Michigan Country Lines, USPS-591-710, is published monthly, except August and December, with periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Mich., and additional offices. It is the official publication of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association, 201 Townsend St., Suite 900, Lansing, MI 48933.
Subscriptions are authorized for members of Alger Delta, Cherryland, Great Lakes, HomeWorks Tri-County, Midwest Energy & Communications, Ontonagon, Presque Isle, and Thumb electric cooperatives by their boards of directors.
Postmaster: Send all UAA to CFS.
Association Officers: Tom Sobeck, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op, chairman; Gabe Schneider, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, vice chairman; Chris O’Neill, HomeWorks TriCounty Cooperative, secretary-treasurer; Craig Borr, president and CEO.
CONTACT US/LETTERS TO EDITOR:
Michigan Country Lines
201 Townsend St., Suite 900 Lansing, MI 48933 248-534-7358 editor@countrylines.com
CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please notify your electric cooperative. See page 4 for contact information.
The appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.
6 AMERICA’S BEST CAMPGROUND IS RIGHT HERE IN MICHIGAN
After staying at 350-plus RV parks, Terrell and Katie Deppe applied their experience to develop the award-winning Indian River RV Resort.
10 MY CO-OP KITCHEN
One-Pan Meals: These delicious dinners make cleanup a breeze.
14 THE GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECK MUSEUM PRESERVES MICHIGAN’S RICH MARITIME HISTORY
The recently found wreck of the Nucleus adds to the museum’s many discoveries.
18 GUEST COLUMN
At One with Plants: Inheriting his grandmother’s love of horticulture, Gary Bopp made gardening his passion and his career.
#micoopcommunity Instagram contest winner Morning glow @chelseaolkowski (Chelsea Olkowski)
To enter contests, submit reader content & more, visit countrylines.com/community
Instagram Contest
Use #micoopcommunity for a chance to be featured here and on our Instagram account.
Win $100 for photos published!
Recipe Contest
See details on page 10. Pumpkin recipes due Aug.1; Family Favorites due Sept. 1
Win a $100 bill credit!
Guest Column
Share your fondest memories and stories. Win $200 for stories published. Visit countrylines.com/ community to submit.
Win $200 for stories published!
Mystery Photo
See details on page 18. Win a $100 bill credit!
cherrylandelectric.coop
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Schweitzer, President
231-883-5860
dschweitzer@cherrylandelectric.coop
Melinda Lautner, Senior Vice President
231-947-2509
mlautner@cherrylandelectric.coop
Gabe Schneider, Secretary 517-449-6453
gschneider@cherrylandelectric.coop
Tom Van Pelt, Treasurer
231-386-5234
tvanpelt@cherrylandelectric.coop
Valarie Handy, Director 231-392-4705
vhandy@cherrylandelectric.coop
Terry Lautner, Director 231-946-4623
tlautner@cherrylandelectric.coop
Dean Adams, Director
231-642-0014
dadams@cherrylandelectric.coop
CEO: Rachel Johnson
Co-op Editors: Courtney Doyle: cdoyle@cherrylandelectric.coop
OFFICE HOURS
Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
231-486-9200 or 1-800-442-8616 (Mich.)
ADDRESS
P.O. Box 298, Grawn, MI 49637
PAY STATION
Cherryland Electric Cooperative office
5930 U.S. 31 South, Grawn MI, 49637
Cherryland Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
The 2023 Cherryland Electric Cooperative election came to a close at the 85th Annual Meeting on June 15. Members elected one at-large director and one Leelanau County director.
The membership re-elected David Schweitzer as an at-large director and Tom Van Pelt as the Leelanau County director. Complete election results can be found on our website.
Cherryland members are eligible to receive rebates for energy efficient upgrades in their homes or businesses. Common upgrades include purchasing Energy Starqualified appliances or making energy efficient upgrades.
For a guide to our residential rebate program and a complete listing of rebates available, visit our website at cherrylandelectric.coop/rebates.
Interested in going solar? Cherryland offers a suite of solar programs designed for those who want to support renewable energy with their cooperative. The suite includes community solar, net metering, and buy-all sell-all programs. Whether you want to cover your annual energy costs or use the clean energy you generate, there is a solar program for everyone!
To learn more, visit our website at cherrylandelectric.coop/renewable-energy-programs.
The Cherryland office will be closed Monday, Sept. 4, in observance of Labor Day. Normal business hours will resume Tuesday, Sept. 5.
Line crews are on call to respond to any outages or emergencies. You can report an outage by texting OUT to (800) 442-8616, logging into SmartHub, or by calling us at (231) 486-9200. Visit our website’s Outage Center for more details.
The latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows the combined use of clothes washers and dryers, dishwashers, small appliances, and other electrical equipment (noted as "all other uses" below) accounts for the largest percentage of electricity consumption in American homes.
3.5% TVs & Related Equipment
4.4% Lighting
2.3% Computers & Related Equipment
6.9% Refrigerators & Freezers
39.4%2
All other uses
11.4% Water Heating Source:
15.9%1 Space Heating
16.2% Space
By Rachel Johnson, Cherryland CEO
From 2009 to 2021, Cherryland ran a state-mandated energy waste reduction (EWR) program that required us to incentivize a 1% reduction in our electric sales annually by offering rebates to our members for energy star appliances and lighting upgrades. While we are proud of the impact we had, we celebrated the end of that mandate because it was costly to administer and it was no longer meeting the needs of our members.
During our first year with full control over our energy program, we shifted our focus away from EWR and toward greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. This allowed us to broaden the scope of our rebate program to include modern and emerging technologies like heat pumps, electric vehicles, and even autonomous electric mowers while still rebating efficiency measures like Energy Star-rated appliances. The feedback from our membership has been overwhelmingly positive.
To monitor our effectiveness, we worked with an engineering firm to design a model that measures the GHG reduction impacts of our energy programs. I’m pleased to report that in 2022, our rebate program resulted in an annual GHG reduction of 254 tons. That’s roughly the equivalent of the carbon captured by 12,700 trees annually throughout the lifetime of the item we rebated.
Unlike the state-mandated EWR program, many of the technologies we are rebating do not lead to lower sales. Conversely, they grow new electric sales because the member benefitting from the rebate is often transitioning from a fossil fuel to our 62% carbonfree electricity. This is good for the environment because it decreases the carbon impact of that heating or transportation source. It’s good for the cooperative because higher sales mean more kilowatts to spread our costs across. And it’s good for our members because these technologies help them
meet their environmental and home comfort goals.
This shift in our energy program stemmed from feedback from our members. That’s one of the neat things about being a cooperative— we don’t need state mandates to do the right thing for our members. It’s literally built into our business model DNA. That’s why I am baffled and disappointed to see that current energy legislation in the Senate (SB 273) proposes to not only reinstitute an EWR mandate for Michigan’s electric co-ops but to double the mandated requirement.
During the 13 years of the EWR mandate, Cherryland spent over $3.5 million to meet the requirement. On average, we gave out $138,000 annually in rebates, and the rest of our costs were administering the program and satisfying the state’s reporting requirements. In 2022, without the administrative burden of the mandate, we were able to fund almost $200,000 in rebates and an additional $50,000 toward programs for low-income households. Reinstating new EWR requirements would be devastating for our energy program because it would inevitably require us to pull resources away from the programs we’ve developed over the last year.
Cherryland’s only goal is to meet our members’ needs. As our members’ needs have evolved, we have worked hard to evolve with them. As the Senate and House continue to revise their future energy bills, I urge them to allow cooperatives to administer programs in partnership with their members that are responsive to the unique needs of their rural communities. So far, year to date, we’ve worked with our members to reduce 241 tons in GHG emissions. They’re happy, we’re happy, the environment is happy. So, what problem is this mandate really trying to solve?
Want to learn more about Cherryland’s clean energy program and the model we designed to track it’s reduction in greenhouse gas emissions? Scan here to check out or latest episode of Co-op Energy Talk!
Once upon a time, in the middle of the woods, there was an RV park. It was neither too little nor too big. Neither too old nor too modern. Neither too remote nor too busy. It was, as our friend Goldilocks would say—just right. It was that “just rightness” that was likely the key to Indian River RV Resort being named Campspot’s 2023 Best Campground in America.
The story of any business, even one as charming as Indian River’s, is never a picture-perfect fairy tale. The owners of the RV park are Terrell and Katie
Deppe, who had no intention of buying an RV resort, or even an RV, until 2007. Terrell had taken a job in the tech industry, leading the couple to sell their home in Texas and move to Minnesota. The market had been good for home sales, but the couple was hesitant to pay the high prices the buyers’ market was asking. So, they rented, moving twice. During one of their transitions, Terrell, who was able to work remotely, was struck with an idea.
“I looked at Katie and said, ‘If we are going to have to keep moving, let’s just KEEP moving. Let’s buy an RV,’”
To learn more about Indian River RV Resort or to book a lot at the Best Campground in America, visit:
said Terrell. “It took her a while to wrap her head around the idea, but when she realized that the amount of money we were spending on rent and moving could pay for the depreciation of an RV in less than a year, she committed to 10 months.”
Ten months turned into five years during which the Deppes traveled to 46 of the lower 48 states in the U.S. and stayed in over 350 private, state, and national RV parks. They experienced the best and worst of them and were getting a feel for what worked and what didn’t in their nomadic lifestyle.
For the next decade, the Deppes began looking for an opportunity to take the knowledge they’d gained on the road and put that, along with their passion and grit, into an RV park of their own. That’s when Indian River RV Resort came into their lives. Finally, at the end of 2019, they had made an offer and were prepared to take on the challenges of owning an RV park— maybe not the sort of challenges they were about to face.
“I quit my job on Friday, March 13, and the country shut down on Monday,
March 16,” said Terrell, referencing the COVID-19 pandemic. “Had we just made the greatest mistake of our lives, or was God going to lead us to our promised land? We chose to act in faith.”
The Deppes went to the park to help the current owners open for the season—getting their hands into daily operations, waiting for the sale to close, and preparing for the July Fourth weekend.
While much of the world had seemed to shut down, folks were still eager to travel with their families, and one of the few things open was the great outdoors.
“We were receiving an average of one call per minute, not counting the people standing in front of us to book future dates,” said Terrell. “We were using the resort’s previous paperbased reservation system. It felt like we were failing, and we had to make some big changes—fast.”
Luckily, Terrell’s experience in tech and the multitasking wizardry Katie had developed while home-schooling the couple’s four children were the
perfect skill set for the challenges they faced. They quickly switched to an online reservation system and were able to focus on creating a clean, quiet, family-friendly space similar to the ones they had enjoyed on their own RV travels.
Now the Deppes, along with their son Jonathan, turn their attention to maintaining the gorgeous land, keeping the facilities pristine and welcoming, and dreaming up ways to improve their guests’ experience. They often go above and beyond. One of their most recent projects was consulting with a certified master arborist about the well-being of their trees. With the findings, they swapped ground leaf removal for mulching and are already seeing healthier grounds. It’s this sort of attention to detail that allows their guests to let the busyness of the world fall away. It’s just the sort of thing you hope for when you head out to escape the dragons of the world and find yourself, for a time at least, living happily ever after.
Despite unseasonably cold temperatures and a little bit of rain, nearly 800 members attended the 85th Annual Meeting! This year’s event was particularly special as we hosted National Rural Electric Cooperative CEO Jim Matheson and celebrated Tony Anderson’s last day before retiring as Cherryland’s general manager.
At this year’s business meeting, the membership re-elected Dave Schweitzer as an at-large director and Tom Van Pelt as the Leelanau County director. For more details on the election results, visit our website cherrylandelectric.coop/governance.
Be sure to check out more photos from the 85th Annual Meeting at cherrylandelectric.coop/am-photos/
Win a $100 energy bill credit!
Pumpkin recipes due Aug.1; Family Favorites due Sept. 1
Submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a $100 bill credit and have your recipe featured in Country Lines with a photo and a video. Submit your recipe at micoopkitchen.com , or send it via email (include your full name and co-op) to recipes@countrylines.com
WINNING
Jean Horrocks, Presque Isle Electric
1 pound ground beef
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
8 ounces (2 cups) uncooked elbow macaroni
½ cup chopped onion
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sour cream
• water, as needed
Brown meat in large skillet. Drain off all the fat as it collects. Stir in remaining ingredients, except sour cream. Add ¾ to 1 cup water and stir. Heat to boiling. Cover and simmer 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently. Add additional water if mixture is too thick. Cook just until noodles start to soften, then stir in sour cream; heat through but do not boil. Makes 6 servings.
Watch a video of this month’s winning recipe at micoopkitchen.com/recipe_ type/videos/
Shanasee Tersigni, Presque Isle Electric
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves black or regular garlic
1 cup fennel, chopped (with fronds)
¼ –½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
¼ –½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Calabrian chili flakes or red chili flakes
1 sprig rosemary leaf
1 handful chopped fresh oregano
1 pound ground venison
2 zucchini, peeled and chopped
1 cup morel mushrooms
2 cups chopped kale
1 can (15-ounce) Italian stewed
tomatoes
2 cups organic chicken bone broth
2 cups low sodium V8
1 (8- ounce) box quinoa elbow
pasta, or favorite pasta noodles
1 (15.5- ounce) can cannelini
beans
1 (15.5- ounce) can dark red kidney beans
½ cup Peppadew peppers (a pickled piquant pepper) (substitute with sweet cherry peppers, sweet drop peppers, pimentos, sweet red peppers, or pepperoncini) & splash of pickling liquid from jar
• fresh basil and lemon zest, for garnishing
Heat ceramic cast iron pot to medium heat. Add oil. Sauté onions, garlic, fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook until onion and fennel are tender. Add herbs and ground venison. Cook until meat is browned. Add zucchini, morels, and kale. Sauté a minute, stirring. Add all remaining ingredients. Cook until pasta is al dente. Add additional broth or vegetable juice if needed. Garnish with fresh basil and lemon zest. Season to taste.
Linda Heintz, Great Lakes Energy
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound uncooked chicken breast, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 small sweet onion, cut into chunks
1 small red onion, cut into chunks
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 cup small broccoli florets
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1 cup chicken broth
½ pound asparagus, sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 cup pea pods, strings removed
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
• green onions, sliced
Heat oil in large wok over medium-high heat. Add sliced chicken and sauté until no longer pink. Add onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and cauliflower. Sauté until just beginning to get tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth, put lid on pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove lid, then add asparagus and pea pods. Sauté until just beginning to soften and color turns bright. Mix together soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Add soy sauce mixture to pan and stir quickly. Continue to stir in all liquids and ingredients as sauce thickens. Can also sprinkle sliced green onions on top when finished. Serve alone or over rice. I use this same recipe with venison steak and use beef broth instead of chicken broth. You can use any vegetables you have on hand, but save the ones that cook quickly for the time period after the 2-minute simmer.
4 bone-in skinless chicken breasts, quartered
• salt & pepper
½ cup flour
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups white wine
1 (5- ounce) jar Spanish green olives, sliced with pimento
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper chicken breasts and then dredge in flour. Heat olive oil in skillet and fry chicken until crisp
on both sides but not fully cooked. Remove chicken from skillet and pour out all but a ¼ cup of the olive oil. Turn temperature to medium. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute, turning. Add white wine and let cook down until reduced by half. Add olives and roughly 4 tablespoons of juice from the jar. Add the cinnamon and stir. Add the chicken and put a lid on. Simmer for 30 minutes. Best if served over longgrain rice.
Lynn Hagon, Great Lakes Energy
1 pound hamburger
1 (15-ounce) can vegetable soup
1 (15-ounce) can tomato soup
2 cups water
3–4 carrots, cut up
2 medium potatoes, cut up
1 small onion, chopped
Brown hamburger and onion; drain. Add soups, water, and vegetables. Cook for about 45 minutes or so.
Kim SchumacherMALLORY MACDONALD attends Michigan State University and is pursuing a master’s degree in social sciences, specifically family community studies. Mallory graduated from Saginaw Valley State University in December 2018 with an education degree and decided to pursue a career in child welfare with the state of Michigan. Through these experiences, Mallory decided to obtain higher education to better serve families and the community. Mallory is a local sports coach at Traverse City West Senior High and plans to continue to give back to the community.
AVA PLAMONDON is studying aviation at Northwestern Michigan College. She’s a student pilot currently working towards earning her Private Pilot License (PPL). This fall, she begins work to become Instrument Rated (IR) as the next step to fulfilling her goal to become a commercial airline pilot.
PEYTON METZ was born in Traverse City and is graduating from Traverse City West High School. She’s a member of the National Honor Society as well as the National Spanish Honor Society. Along with basketball, 4-H, and figure skating, she has played softball, including travel, for as long as she can remember. In the fall, Peyton will be in the Honors College at the University of Alabama to pursue a degree in business, specializing in health services management. Her goal is to someday be the CEO of a hospital and eventually run a network of hospitals.
EMMA NELSON is a graduate of Leland Public School and will be attending the University of Michigan this fall. Emma participated in the National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, Student Council, Varsity Golf, and Natural Helpers. She is co-valedictorian of her graduating class and received the Rural and Small Town Recognition Award from College Board. She volunteered for two years as a Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) junior ski instructor for the Crystal Community Ski Club (CCSC) program at Crystal Mountain and has been involved in the Traverse Symphony Orchestra Sinfonia String Orchestra for the past three semesters. Emma is thankful to all who supported her throughout the last four years and is excited to continue exploring her interests at university.
BETHANY SCHUTTE is graduating from Traverse City West Senior High. After graduation, she plans to attend Montana State University, in Bozeman, to major in biochemistry/pre-med. She enjoys a number of outdoor activities across beautiful Northern Michigan, including hiking, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, and paddleboarding. She also recently obtained her EMT basic license and looks forward to working on an ambulance this summer, getting valuable hands-on experience in the medical field.
Learn more about Cherryland’s scholarships at cherrylandelectric.coop/scholarships
Each year, 3,800 people in the U.S. die from drowning. Electric shock drowning occurs when an electric current escapes boats, docks, and lights near marinas, shocking nearby swimmers. There are no visible signs of current seeping into water, which makes this a hidden danger. The electric shock paralyzes swimmers, making them unable to swim to safety.
• Never swim near a boat or launching ramp. Residual current could flow into the water from the boat or the marina’s wiring, potentially putting anyone in the water at risk of electric shock.
• If you feel any tingling sensations while in the water, tell someone and swim back in the direction from which you came. Immediately report it to the dock or marina owner.
• Ensure your boat is properly maintained and consider having it inspected annually. GFCIs and ELCIs should be tested monthly. Conduct leakage testing to determine if electrical current is escaping the vessel.
• Use portable GFCIs or shore power cords (including “Y” adapters) that are “UL- Marine Listed” when using electricity near water.
• Regularly have your boat’s electrical system inspected by a certified marine electrician. Ensure it meets your local and state NEC, NFPA, and ABYC safety codes.
IF YOU SEE ELECTRIC SHOCK DROWNING TAKING PLACE:
DO NOT enter the water. You could become a victim, too.
“In a musty old hall in Detroit, they prayed In the maritime sailorsʼ cathedral
The church bell chimed ʻtil it rang twenty-nine times For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
By Emily Haines Lloyd
The recent discovery of the wreck of the Nucleus is just one of many stories brought to light by the museum.
The Gordon Lightfoot song made the Edmund Fitzgerald, a freight ship lost in Lake Superior in 1975, the most famous shipwreck in a century. However, the depths of the Great Lakes are the secret keepers and silent graves of thousands of ships lost in its waters. Among them is the recently discovered Nucleus, a 144-foot Barquentine found under 600 feet of water around 40 miles northwest of
Vermilion Point on Lake Superior. The Nucleus was lost at sea over 150 years ago in 1869.
“It can be hard for folks to understand how a ship could go missing for so long without being discovered,” said content & communications director for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS), Corey Adkins. “But these ships went down before radar, before GPS. So, how is it documented when a ship goes down back then?”
Lucky for historians and maritime aficionados, the technology has grown exponentially, and the efforts of groups like GLSHS discover more missing vessels each year.
GLSHS fi rst discovered the wreckage of Nucleus using a Marine Sonic Technology side-scan sonar in the summer of 2021, and positively identifi ed the wreck in 2022 using the organization’s ROV (remotely operated vehicle). The wreck was in surprisingly good condition, which helped with the next phase of the discovery. Much like any investigation, the next steps included a great deal of research.
“There was no name visible, but the wreckage was a perfect size and in the perfect place to deduce it was Nucleus,” said Adkins. “From there, you piece together a story using old news articles and documents. Little by little, the story becomes clearer.”
Part of Nucleus ’ story includes a history of nine or 10 accidents at sea and the fact that it had sunk two other times—which earned it the
moniker of “Bad Luck Barquentine.” Additionally, on the Nucleus ’ fi nal and fateful voyage, another ship, the Union, had come upon the sinking vessel, slowed down, and eventually steamed on without any sort of communication or effort to rescue the crew.
“That is just not done,” said Adkins. “There is an unwritten law of the sea, that you always help another ship in distress. The fact that the Union didn’t assist just adds to the mystery of this wreck. But still, amazingly, there was not a single life lost.”
Mystery solving is at the heart of GLSHS’ mission. They are actively looking for wrecks every summer into early fall, hoping to piece together more stories of both the ships and those who sailed on them. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, operated by GLSHS and located at the Whitefi sh
Point Light Station, offers more stories for visitors to discover and an opportunity to walk the beach afterward to reflect on the area’s rich history.
“We are proud to share the history and tell the stories of these discoveries,” said Adkins. “Every story is important to us. All the lives and the losses. Most people only know about the Edmund Fitzgerald . But that is not the only story.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Top: An anchor from the Nucleus.• The board received a special presentation about Cherryland’s participation in the USDA’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program. Over the last 26 years, the revolving loan program supported 33 local organizations with $5.2 million in USDA-funded loans. For more information on how to apply, visit cherrylandelectric. coop/business.
• The board reviewed and approved changes to the Cherryland Cares bylaws. The bylaws had not been updated since the program began. The updates include administrative changes to allow for more flexibility on scheduling meetings.
• Mild weather continues to result in lower-than-expected electric sales. Cherryland’s CFO reported that the co-op’s net operating margins were negative for April and that necessary changes to the budget will be made if summer sales don’t make up for the first half of the year.
Area nonprofit agencies seeking financial help can apply for a grant through Cherryland Cares.
This program distributes funds to local nonprofit organizations seeking assistance. Cherryland Cares is overseen by a five-member board that reviews grant applications and allocates funds to nonprofits seeking assistance.
Cherryland Cares is funded through Operation Round Up—the voluntary rounding up of one’s monthly electric bill to the next whole dollar amount. A member’s average annual contribution is approximately $6. Your annual contribution to Cherryland Cares is reported on your monthly statement in December. Participation in Operation Round Up is voluntary and may be discontinued at any time.
For a more in-depth look at our May board meeting, listen to our Co-op Energy Talk: Board Meeting Brief podcast at cherrylandelectric.coop/podcast
All grant information is highlighted in Michigan Country Lines and on Cherryland’s Facebook page. The deadline for thirdquarter applications is Friday, Sept. 1. For additional information regarding Cherryland Cares, please call Dawn Garrock at 231-486-9234 or email her at dgarrock@cherrylandelectric.coop.
Enter to win a $200 energy bill credit!
Submit Your “Everything Fall” Photos By July 20!
Submit your best photo and encourage your friends to vote! The photo receiving the most votes in our Facebook contest will be printed in an issue of Country Lines, along with some of our other favorites. Our July theme is “Everything Fall”! Photos can be submitted through July 20 to be featured in our October issue.
Enter Your Photos And Win A Bill Credit!
To enter the contest, visit cherrylandelectric.coop/photo-contest or visit facebook.com/cherrylandelectriccoop for a link to the current photo contest. Enter your picture, cast your vote, and encourage others to vote for you as well. If your photo is printed in Country Lines during 2023, you will be entered to win a credit of up to $200 on your December 2023 bill.
Michigan
strange trip
he was seldom seen without an apron and seldom seen not working. She was a farmer. Forever. And even when she didn’t live near fields and barns, she was a farmer still, in her heart. She mentored many and inspired far more. A little grandson followed her, closer than her shadow. He learned her love of plants and gardens—it was far more caught than taught. He’d quote her homespun adages, like scriptures learned in church. Some were rather humorous, like when he’d say, with serious tone: “My grandma says she knows she’ll never go to hell, because the devil knows she builds a better fire,” or “I don’t need to rest, I can sleep when I’m dead!” As this grandson grew in stature, he still loved the things she loved. With spades and trowels as his artist’s tools, he created lovely gardens. He learned the proper names of every plant he planted—good friends should have good names. He’d learned from his aproned grandma which plants chose sunny spots and which preferred the shade. He knew when each would be awake and bring their brightest flowers, so he’d plant his gardens in such a way that some would always be in bloom.
This grandma’s boy went off to school, to Michigan State one day. And there he chose to study plants and gardens and propagation. He’d learn his grandma’s favorites had Latin names as well. He’d graduate with honors, assisting his professors. He’d later maintain gardens at the Edsel Ford estate and land a job he’d hold for years, growing perennials for Wiegand’s Nursery. His grandmother moved to heaven—she tends the gardens there. But Gary Bopp, without an apron, continues her gardening here. Retired, he now spends his summers in Lewiston, a rare jewel in northern Michigan. He lives in a place called Bliss Cottage, surrounded by Bliss Gardens. He still propagates perennials, knows each by name, knows each one’s game. He sells them each Saturday morning at Lewiston’s Farmers’ Market. He’s become a local consultant, inspiring the love of the garden. He loves to know his green “children” find
good homes with his neighbors and friends. He likes to imagine he might be a part of making this world more beautiful—spreading awe and fueling wonder in gardens. Last year he propagated 5,000 perennials, tough tested by Lewiston’s climate. He watches with pride as they’re carried from the market to gardens nearby. And somewhere in heaven, an angel with an apron worn over her robe looks down and tells those around her, “I taught him all that he knows.”
“When some people leave this world,” Gary reflects, “they leave a grand monument, a vast estate, or a collection of tributes, awards, and accolades. I hope to leave a garden.”
About the author: Rik Cryderman is happily retired after a 35-year career as director of pastoral care for Beaumont Hospital in Troy, Michigan. He splits his time between Lewiston, Michigan, and Naples, Florida, enjoying grandchildren, gardening, travel, photography, and writing. Fueled by his faith and inspired by his friends, he finds each of life’s chapters better than the last.
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