May 2024 Marquette Monthly

May 2024

No. 421

Publishers

Jane Hutchens

James Larsen II

Managing editor

Kristy Basolo

Calendar editors

Erin Elliott Bryan

Carrie Usher

graPhiC design

Jennifer Bell

Proofreader

Kingsley Agassi

CirCulation

Dick Armstrong

Chief PhotograPher

Marquette Monthly, published by Model Town Publishing, LLC, located at PO Box 109, Gwinn, MI, 49841, is locally and independently owned. Entire contents

Copyright 2024 by Model Town Publishing. All rights reserved. Permission or use of editorial material in any manner must be obtained in writing from the publishers. Marquette Monthly is published 12 times a year. Subscriptions are $65 per year. Freelance material can be submitted for consideration to editor@marquettemonthly.com. Events can be submitted to calendar@marquettemonthly.com. Ad inquiries can be sent to james@marquettemonthly.com or jane@marquettemonthly.com.

About the Cover Artist

Tom Newhouse is an industrial designer and artist. In semi-retirement he is concentrating on colored-pencil drawing. His wife Jill was born in Hancock, and they have hiked, snowshoed and kayaked virtually everywhere that is accessible on that beautiful peninsula, and some other regions of the U.P. Nature photography is a primary inspiration for his realistic artwork.

5 City notes

HigHligHts of important Happenings in tHe area

14 New York Times Crossword Puzzle savings plan (answers on page 64)

16 then & now

Superior View eagle Harbor scHoolHouse

18 feature erin elliott Bryan isHpeming girls basketball team wins cHampionsHip

25 loCals

Jennifer Champagne negaunee community leader wins History award

28 loCals

Brad giSChia Marquette MailMan’s band gets national recognition

33 the arts

Brad giSChia retired teacHers offer students musical opportunities

37 sPorting life pam ChriStenSen Marquette’s chapMan Makes u p sports hall of faMe

41 in the outdoors

Brad giSChia local forest management battles invasive species

47 the arts

Jennifer Champagne local artist inspired by family Heritage

53 lookout Point pam ChriStenSen service organizations get creative in recruitment

58 lookout Point

Jennifer donoVan History center offers senior support series

60 in the outdoors

SCot Stewart sandpipers: a walk on tHe beacH

67 Conversation hannah JenkinS nmu band director slides into retirement

70 the arts

kathy ihde gift of music program Helps community Heal

73 suPerior reads ViCtor r. Volkman cHogan and tHe vision Quest

74 Poetry

a

out &

city notes

League of Women Voters set meeting for May 1

The League of Women Voters of Marquette County will hold its next membership meeting on May 1 in Studio 1 on the lower level of the Peter White Public Library. Social time will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by the meeting at 6:45 p.m.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

All community members are welcome to attend. For details, email lwvmqtco@gmail.com or visit lwvmqt.org.

Pro wrestling event to raise funds for Bay Cliff MarquetteMania2, presented by UPW Pro Wrestling, will take place on May 4 at Lakeview Arena in Marquette. It is a fundraising event for Bay Cliff Health Camp.

There will be appearances from wrestling stars like Jimmy “Mouth of the South” Hart, The Headbangers, Mr. Kennedy, Gangrel, Sharkboy and more. WWE wrestler Ricardo Rodriguez will serve as ring announcer.

Meet-and-greet ticket holders have access from 4 to 6 p.m. Doors for the general public will open at 6 p.m. with

the show to follow at 7 p.m. For tickets, visit nmu.universitytickets.com.

History center to host postcard show May 4

The Marquette Regional History Center will present a Postcard Show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 4. Collectors will have an opportunity to showcase their collections and the public can enjoy the keenness of antique postcard enthusiasts.

Attendees can view postcards from the Detroit Publishing Company, U.P. Vintage Focus on Boats, Superior View of the Past, Large Focus Landscape and more. Postcard trading is encouraged and individual collectors may sell at their tables.

There is a $5 suggested donation. For details, visit marquettehistory.org or call 906-226-3571.

Jon C. Stott to discuss new book, ‘Yooper Ale Trails’

The Crystal Falls Community District Library, in partnership with the U.P. Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA), will host historian and beer aficionado Jon C. Stott, author of “Yooper Ale Trails: Craft Breweries and Brewpubs of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.”

The discussion will take place via Zoom at 7 p.m. Eastern time, 6 p.m. Central time on May 9. Contact Evelyn Gathu in advance at egathu@crys-

Vermilion book reprinted

Proceeds from sales of a newly reprinted book about the Vermilion Life Saving Station in Chippewa County will benefit its endowment fund to help preserve the historic site. Vermilion was one of four stations constructed along Lake Superior’s south shore and between 1876 and 1935, its crews answered 1,003 calls for assistance and saved about 900 lives. The station’s history was first documented in the book “Life on a Lonely Shore” by Ed Canfield and Tom Allan in 1991, with a second printing in 2001. The reprinting is available at several outlets and at landtrust.org. For details, call 231-347-0991.

talfallslibrary.org or 906-875-3344 for the Zoom information.

Stott’s book takes readers through eight possible unique tours of U.P. craft breweries and brewpubs and features 170 locally brewed lagers or ales. Short essays on each brewery introduce the brewers, the places their beers are served and the flavors of the beer. Stott includes road maps for each ale trail and photographs of each establishment.

Stott has spent extended summers in the U.P. for more than 50 years. He is the author of five beer travel guides, as well as two other books about the U.P.: “Paul Bunyan in Michigan: Yooper Logging, Lore and Legends and Summers at the Lake: Upper Michigan Moments and Memories.” He also writes a blog at beerquestwest.com.

For details about the U.P. Notable Book list, U.P. Book Review and UPPAA, visit UPNotable.com.

Hancock’s Orpheum Theater plans May line-up

The historic Orpheum Theater, restored from a vaudeville stage and movie theater, will host three shows in May in downtown Hancock. Buffalo Galaxy will perform on May 10. The group’s music is de-

DID YOU KNOW ...

the first national lakeshore was in the U.P.?

In1964, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Alger County was created to preserve the beauty of the region and was the first national lakeshore to be created in the United States. It was first visited by Europeans in 1659 and was considered one of three major natural attractions in the country well into the 19th century, until the creation of Yellowstone National Park.

Submitted by Dr. Russell M. Magnaghi, history professor emeritus of NMU and author of several books, including Classic Food and Restaurants of the Upper Peninsula.

scribed as “where heavy hitting psychedelia meets old timin’ bluegrass,” and its members play banjo, mandolin, upright bass and acoustic guitar. Their catalog ranges from Bill Monroe and Lil Nas X to Grateful Dead classics and original songs.

On May 11, the Go Rounds will present a “blend of psychedelia, Americana, twang-rock and jelly-roll with a healthy dose of pop sensibility.” The group writes music “that sounds like bits and pieces of all your favorite bands exploded into rock ‘n’ roll confetti” featuring fingerpicked guitar, distorted tones and synth-pop.

Luke Winslow-King, a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist, singer, producer and songwriter from Cadillac, will perform May 20 with Roberto Luti. WinslowKing was named Best Blues Artist by Gambit Magazine and is nearing 10 million streams on Spotify, where he has 240,000 monthly listeners.

The Orpheum Theater is located at 426 Quincy Street in Hancock. For details, call 906-483-2294.

Wilson Creek open house to take place May 11

The14th annual Wilson Creek Woodsmithing “Spring Cleaning

at the Sawmill” will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 11 at 115 CR KR (Brown Deer Road), which is just past the Halfway Location off of CR-550.

This is a family-friendly open house, community party, lumber liquidation event with wood for sale. There will also be a free wood pile. The event will include a potluck lunch around noon, interactive wood quiz with more than $500 worth of wood prize giveaways, horseshoe court and local artist, non-profit and farmer vendor booths. For details, call Justin Savu at 906-360-7288.

Calumet library to host discussion of ‘Copper Divide’

TheCalumet Public Library’s Red Jacket Readers book club will host a discussion of “Copper Divide” by Beth Kirschner at 6:30 p.m. on May 15 in the library’s Community Room. It is open to the public.

“Copper Divide” is one woman’s story of friendship tested by a society torn apart by a labor strike that resulted in the 1913 Italian Hall Disaster. Hannah Weinstein is a Jewish merchant’s daughter; her Finnish friend Nelma is married to a striker and places herself on the front lines of the dispute. When a train pulls in with a group

of scab miners, tensions escalate and two of the scabs are shot. As the strike grows more and more deadly, Hannah and Nelma must find a way to reconcile. For details, visit the library or call 906-337-0311, ext. 1107.

Hiawatha Music Co-op plans

May events, sets festival

Hiawatha On Tap will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on May 15 at the Ore Dock Brewing Company in Marquette. The featured performer will be Bayou Chocolat presenting traditional Cajun music of Southwest Louisiana along history on the roots of Cajun music and culture.

Tickets are $5 for Hiawatha members, $10 for nonmembers, and free for children 12 and younger.

Hiawatha’s Songwriter’s Woodshed, a monthly open mic and workshop, features a guest songwriter who shares a song, their creative process and a singalong.

Songwriters can sign up, perform on stage and receive feedback from the guest songwriter and other attendees. On May 16, the Songwriter’s Woodshed will welcome Kerry Yost from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Fold, 1015 N. Third St. The event is free and all skill levels are welcome.

The 44th Annual Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival will be held July 19-21 at Tourist Park in Marquette. For details, visit hiawathamusic.org.

Registration begins for Big Bay Relay on May 18

Registration is open for the 2024 Big Bay Relay. The 46th annual

MSO concertmaster announces retirement

Marquette Symphony Orchestra (MSO) concertmaster Janis Shier Peterson announced her plans to retire as concertmaster and take on a new role. Peterson is a founding member of the orchestra and only missed two concerts over 27 seasons. The orchestra honored Peterson by renaming an award that recognizes its volunteers — the Janis Shier Peterson MSO Distinguished Service Award. The retired orchestra teacher’s spirit and dedication have kept the MSO alive and growing.

race will take place on May 18. It will begin at 8 a.m. at the Kaufman Sports Complex in Marquette and finish at Draver Park in Big Bay.

Registration divisions include five-person all-female, all-male or mixed teams, and seven-person junior division teams.

The teams will cover approximately 26 miles and runners log about one mile each before handing the baton to a teammate. While one person is running, the rest of the team are on support duty in the race vehicle. As each runner begins, the crew in the vehicle drives ahead and meets them at the exchange point to pick them up and

drop off the next runner.

The Big Bay Relay began in the spring of 1972, coordinated by Race Director Karen Kunkle and her husband, Jack. It is now organized by the Noquemanon Trail Network.

For information, email bigbayrelay@gmail.com; to register, visit runsignup.com/Race/MI/Marquette/BigBayRelay.

Zonta Club to honor women on May 23 at Barrel + Beam Zonta Club of the Marquette Area will host its third annual fundraiser, “Honor a Woman,” from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on May 23 at Barrel + Beam. The

event will be a celebration of women in the community.

The evening will include a Rosie the Riveter presentation, as enacted by Claire Dahl, light dinner and dessert, basket raffles and a 50/50 drawing. For an additional donation, guests can honor a woman in their life. Funds will support the causes of Zonta through its programs and scholarships.

Tickets are $50. For details, call 906-361-4446, email zontamqtevents@gmail.com or visit tinyurl. com/HAWzontamqt.

L’Anse lakefront concerts schedule announced

TheVillage of L’Anse/DDA has announced its free 2024 Lakefront Concerts schedule.

The concerts are held every Thursday in the lakefront park at the foot of Broad Street at the lake. There is limited seating, so bring a chair or blanket. In case of inclement weather, Meadowbrook Arena or L’Anse Township School will be used as an alternate location.

The summer schedule will be UP Gumbo on June 13, Keweenaw Brewgrass on June 20, Derrell Syria Project on June 27, A Place to Land on July 4, Rolling Thunder on July 11, Aura Jamboree Preview on July 18, Gordon Lightfoot Tribute on July 25, Lightning Ridge on Aug. 1, Black Pearl on Aug. 8, One Voice on Aug. 15, Gypsy Soul Food on Aug. 22, Chad Borgen Collective on Aug. 29, Uncle Pete’s Red Hot Revue on Sept. 5 and The Knockabouts on Sept. 12.

MRHC campaign kickoff open house set for June 25

The Marquette Regional History Center will host an open house and campaign kickoff from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on June 25. Attendees can see the Longyear Research Library’s map display for Art Week and learn how they can help keep Marquette’s history alive.

There will be complimentary appetizers, wine and music by All Strings Considered. Reservations by June 10 are appreciated, but not required; call 906-226-3571 or email emily@marquettehistory.org.

Registration open for plein air painting festival

Artists can now register for the Fresh Coast Plein Air Painting Festival, which will take place June 28-30 in Marquette. The festival is sponsored by the Lake Superior Art Association and will include $2,500 in awards and prizes.

Artists can participate in one or both of the plein air painting sessions.

On Friday, June 28 from 5 to 10 p.m., the Dusk to Dark session will provide a chance for artists to capture the evening light, sunset or nighttime cityscapes. Canvases will be stamped beginning at 5 p.m. at the Presque Isle Pavilion and completed works must

be turned in by 10 p.m.

From 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, artists have the opportunity to paint daytime scenes inspired by Marquette landscapes. Canvases will be stamped beginning at 7 a.m. and turned in by 4:30 p.m.

Artists can choose to enter as professional/advanced painters or as novice/intermediate/recreational painters. Entry fees include both Friday and Saturday sessions, award ceremony, public reception/exhibit, and Sunday morning afterglow event. Artists are encouraged to price their artwork for the public exhibit and reception.

For details and to register, visit lakesuperiorartassociation.org or contact Marlene Wood at posstroke@sbcglobal.net.

Youth sailing lessons to be offered in July

The Marquette Junior Yacht Club will offer youth sailing lessons to the public this summer. The program will provide the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of sailing with classroom instruction that takes place both on and off the water by certified instructors.

Youth sailing lessons will be available for youth, ages eight to 17, July 8-12, July 15-19, July 22-26 and July 29-Aug. 2. There will be two lessons

Bradford Veley is a freelance cartoonist, illustrator and farmer in the U.P. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and at bradveley.com.

each day: one in the morning from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and one in the afternoon from 2 to 4:45 p.m.

Lessons will take place at the Marquette Yacht Club, 201 Main St. Each weekly session will cost $200.

For details, call 919-698-2181 or email mqtjunioryachtclub@gmail. com. To register, visit eventbrite.com.

Tracy Byrd to perform at U.P. State Fair on August 14

Country music artist Tracy Byrd, along with special guests The Riflemen, has been announced as the first musical act of the 2024 U.P. State Fair. Both will perform on Aug. 14.

Gold circle tickets are on sale from the presenting sponsor, Island Resort and Casino, at islandresortandcasino. com/entertainment. General admission seating for all grandstand entertainment is free with gate admission to the fair. For details, visit upstatefair.net.

Red Wings alumni game slated for September 13

Members of the Yooper’s United Hockey team will face off against the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association team on Sept. 13 in Marquette. Proceeds will support the United Way of Marquette County.

Fundraisers and events will also take place throughout the summer.

Details for the hockey night are still being finalized. Businesses interested in sponsoring the event can call 906-226-8171. Tickets for the game are anticipated to go on sale in June. For details, visit uwmqt.org.

Marquette among top ten small town cultural scenes

The City of Marquette has been named among the Top Ten best small town cultural scenes in the United States, according to a ranking by USA Today’s 10Best. The recognition highlights Marquette’s cultural community, where galleries, museums, festivals and performing arts thrive alongside the region’s natural beauty.

The listing noted that Marquette’s vibrancy is “rooted in collaboration” and is not reliant on any single industry. A blend of public, private, non-profit, for-profit players and individuals all contribute to the cultural opportunities throughout the year. For details, visit MQTcompass.com.

Partridge Creek Farm seeks support to acquire truck

To achieve its goal of cultivating 9,000 pounds of produce in 2024 for distribution to the Ishpeming community and school district, Partridge Creek Intergenerational Farm is ask-

ing the community for help to purchase or donate a farm truck.

PCF is seeking a well-maintained farm truck for seasonal use during the growing period. Its primary purpose will be transporting tools and produce across seven PCF sites.

Those interested in helping can make a financial donation or donate a truck. They can also spread the word to friends and family. To contribute or learn more about donating a truck, visit partridgecreekfarm.org.

Marquette fish production facility to be updated

The Marquette State Fish Hatchery is one of six Michigan Department of Natural Resources fish hatcheries that are being improved by updating outdated and aging infrastructure. The Marquette hatchery is expected to receive $3.5 million for improvements.

The facility is slated to get a new roof on the hatchery building and a new energy-efficient boiler, as well as updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls in 2024. A new brood-isolation building will be built to replace the current structure.

Leveling of settling concrete around the facility to improve accessibility will cap off the 2025 projects. Finally, in 2026, the facility will be completely repaved.

The Marquette State Fish Hatchery houses brood stock for brook trout, lake trout and Arctic grayling programs. It is also a production facility that stocks brook trout, lake trout and splake in Michigan waters. For details, visit michigan.gov/hatcheries.

DNR reminds residents to be Bear SMART

Asspring appears, black bears are leaving their dens on a quest for food and water. Bears are an essential species in our ecosystems because of their critical roles as seed dispersers and insect and small mammal predators.

The DNR urges residents to take steps now to prevent conflicts with bears later. Bears that find food sources close to homes can become repeat visitors and over time may lose their fear of humans, cause damage to property or create dangerous situations for humans, livestock and pets.

These simple actions can save time, money and stress, and keep wildlife safely foraging at a distance: remove bird feeders or replace with bird baths, nest boxes or native flowers; bring in outdoor pet foods and keep grills and patio furniture clean; secure garbage cans indoors overnight and take them to the curb on the morning of pickup; and protect beehives and small apiar-

ies with electric fencing.

To learn more about being Bear SMART this spring, visit michigan. gov/wildlife or call 517-284-9453.

Prescribed

burns scheduled in Hiawatha, Ottawa forests

The USDA Forest Service is preparing for prescribed burning on the Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests. Such burns are weather-dependent and will likely be conducted between late April and early fall.

During active burning, smoke and flames may be visible from roads and in areas downwind of the burn site. Smoke may settle in some areas in the evening hours; however, ignition days and times will be adjusted to avoid smoke sensitive areas.

For those with health problems that may be aggravated by smoke, contact the nearest Zone Fire Management Officer: Hiawatha East Zone at 906630-1386; Hiawatha West Zone at 906-474-6442, ext. 1014; or Ottawa National Forest at 906-358-4036.

Affected individuals will be notified of prescribed fires that are conducted on Forest Service Lands in their vicinity the day of the burn. For details, visit inciweb.wildfire.gov.

Collaboration protects kids from firearm injuries

The Michigan State Police (MSP) and Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced they are partnering to protect children from unsecured firearms.

Using $500,000 in state funding, the MSP facilitated the purchase of 75,000 cable-style gun locks from Project ChildSafe that are available at MDHHS county offices and local health departments while supplies last. All MDHHS offices should have gun locks available no later than June.

In 2020, firearms injuries became the No. 1 cause of death for children in the United States and Michigan, surpassing motor vehicle deaths and those caused by other injuries.

Public Act 17 of 2023, which took effect Feb. 13, 2024, generally requires individuals to keep stored or unattended firearms unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is known or reasonably should be known that a minor is, or is likely to be, present on the premises.

Free gun locks can also be obtained through Project ChildSafe police partners across the state.

State achieves second lowest recidivism rate in history

Each year, the Michigan Department of Corrections reviews the

outcomes of all individuals who were released from prison three years prior and subsequently tracks them to determine the state’s recidivism rate.

The 2020 release group, which is the most recent group to complete three years of post-release tracking, included more than 6,100 individuals who successfully completed their incarceration and community supervision and did not return to prison for either a technical violation of parole or a new crime in the 36 months since their initial release.

As a result, Michigan’s recidivism rate remained near record lows, with 22.7 percent of those released by the MDOC in 2020 returning to prison within three years. This reflects the second-lowest recidivism rate in Michigan’s history.

New application tracker can monitor benefits status

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) released a new function to the MI Bridges website where Michiganders apply for benefits such as Medicaid, food assistance and more. The new application tracker will allow residents to follow the progress of their benefits application online rather than waiting for a determination letter or having to call a local office.

Residents will be able to log in through their phone or other device to see when their application is received, if an appointment has been scheduled, if additional documents are required and if a decision has been made. At each step, applicants will have quick links available to view more information on what is required for the application to move forward.

Applicants can also receive assistance through the MI Bridges virtual assistant chat or by calling the MI Bridges help desk at 844-799-9876.

Michigan seed award recipients announced

The Michigan Good Food Fund has announced the recipients of its inaugural Seed Awards. The awards total nearly $150,000 and were presented to 11 food and farm businesses that are committed to promoting racial equity, enhancing healthy food access, fostering job creation and embracing resilient climate practices in their business.

Among the recipients were Dynamite Hill Farms in L’Anse and Peace Pie Company in Marquette.

Dynamite Hill Farms is dedicated to producing traditional, clean and artisan foods that reflect the owners’ Ojibwe heritage. Funding will be used to make infrastructure improvements

on their acreage.

The Peace Pie Company bakery will use Seed Award funding to cover startup costs, equipment purchases and fair wages for its employees.

For details, visit bit.ly/4aeNXGE.

New fund to invest in outdoor recreation startups

InvestUP and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has announced the creation of the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund, a $3 million pre-seed fund to support entrepreneurs across the state in the outdoor recreation industry.

The fund will make investments ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 in Michigan-based startups that are commercializing cutting-edge technologies in outdoor recreation. The fund is the first of its kind in the U.P., the only seed fund in any rural location across Michigan and one of only two funds managed by economic development organizations in the state.

To better ensure success for the fund, InvestUP has created an advisory board of collaborative partners from across Michigan, including Innovate Marquette SmartZone and Michigan Tech University. These partners will help the fund evaluate startups for potential investments and offer connections to outdoor recreation organizations, venture funds, seed funds and investors and partners in Michigan and nationwide.

The fund expects to support 30 to 35 companies over the next two to three years. For information, visit michiganoutdoorfund.com or contact the fund’s managing director, Jim Baker, at jim.baker@michiganoutdoorfund.com.

Funds approved to support entrepreneurial ecosystem

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced Michigan Strategic Fund approval of up to $22 million in State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) 2.0 Michigan Small Business Venture Capital Program (SBVCP) funds to support two venture capital investment funds.

Union Heritage’s Future Heritage Fund will target Socially Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI) and very small businesses (VSBs), while Venture Investors Healthcare Fund will support early-stage companies in the health sector.

SBVCP provides up to $75 million to increase the availability of capital to early-stage, technology-based businesses in Michigan. The program supports funding for qualified for-profit early-stage, technology-based busi-

Photo contest winners

The first-place winner of Visit Keweenaw’s Spring Photography Contest is Colton Haataja with his shot titled “Lake Superior Ice Wanes under a Spring Sunrise,” at right. The photo was taken at Brunette Park on Gay Lac La Belle Road during a past spring in the Keweenaw. Haataja was awarded $150 Keweenaw Cash and a framed print of his work.

The second-place winner was Chris Guibert’s “Spring Thaw in the Bete Grise Preserve,” bottom right, and John Lothian earned third place with “Lights and Falls,” below.

nesses by investing as a limited partner in venture capital funds operating in the state.

The Future Heritage Fund is being launched as a venture capital investment fund to realize long-term appreciation from early-stage venture capital investments in private companies that are primarily led by underrepresented and/or socially and economically disadvantaged founders or provide a product or service that addresses an issue that disproportionately affects SEDI populations. The fund has a target size of $25 million and will operate exclusively within the state.

MDHHS

seeks proposals for EMS workforce grants

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workforce grants to provide funding for enhancing and

training Michigan EMS workforce personnel.

The focus of the program is to continue and expand the workforce development program used for training people in EMS. The intent is to address the critical shortage of paramedics statewide and increase accessibility by reducing barriers to enrollment in EMS education programming, specifically paramedic programs.

MDHHS has identified several potential uses for funding: traditional grants to cover the costs of tuition and associated fees for paramedic training at a Michigan-approved education program and hourly reimbursement for time spent in EMS training programs.

EMS Education Access grants may be funded in the following potential categories: expansion and increased access to EMS education to areas currently not served by initial education programs; barrier reduction efforts; or outreach campaigns to increase

enrollment in EMS training programs.

The award period will begin Oct. 1 and will end on Sept. 30, 2025. MDHHS expects to award approximately $9 million, with a maximum award of $400,000 per applicant.

Project director requests to get access to the application are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 23. Grant applications must be submitted electronically through the EGrAMS system by 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 30.

For details or to apply, visit egramsmi.com/mdhhs and select the “About EGrAMS” link in the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual.

Gov. Whitmer seeks federal relief for drought impacts Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sent a letter to congressional leadership and the heads of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency

student

(FEMA) urging them to create new paths of federal relief for those impacted by exceptionally warm winters. Some counties in the U.P. and most of the Lower Peninsula are not currently eligible under current federal guidelines.

Under an expanded declaration, 43 Michigan counties are covered by a disaster designation for drought from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including Alger, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft.

Through SBA declarations related to those designations, businesses in these counties may be eligible for emergency loans that offset their business losses if the loss is related to the drought. For details, contact the Michigan Small Business Development Center at 833-522-0025 or visit lending.sba.gov.

News from the desk of U.S. Senator Gary Peters

• Sen. Peters, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, convened a hearing on April 16 to examine the U.S. Postal Service’s current service, operations and finances, including oversight of changes to the postal service’s network and their potential impacts on mail delivery. The committee also heard about facility and transportation changes that have caused service declines and discussed the impacts additional proposed changes could have on service in rural areas, including in the U.P. Peters and witnesses discussed the importance of studying the impacts of future network changes to ensure they do not negatively impact the millions of Americans that rely on timely postal delivery.

• Peters helped pass legislation to fund the government through Fiscal Year 2024, which runs through Sept. 30. The legislation includes funding for key projects across the U.P., including a community-based cybersecurity resource for small businesses at NMU; research and development of Autonomous Driving Systems for use in inclement winter weather at Michigan Technological University; and construction of a new facility for the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District’s Career and Technical Education Center.

Local business news…in brief

• The Lake Superior Community Partnership presented the 2024 Distinguished Service Awards to Carol Fulsher (individual recipient) and J.M. Longyear (business recipient).

• The Dickinson Area Economic

Development Alliance has named its new executive director, Mindy Meyers, who previously served as program director of the Iron Mountain Downtown Development Authority For information, visit daeda.org.

• Active Physical Therapy (Active PT) has opened a new clinic at 111 W. Division St. in downtown Ishpeming. The clinic will offer specialized services catering to women’s health, neurological patients and general physical therapy. Patients can request appointments at stayactiveup. com or by calling 906-204-7400.

• Aquapodics, the first float center in the Upper Peninsula, is now open at 706 Chippewa Square, Suite 203 in Marquette. Float therapy provides an effective way to alleviate pain, tension and stress, and promotes overall mental and physical wellness. For details, visit aquapodicsmqt.com.

• UP Health System – Marquette, a Duke LifePoint hospital has been reverified as a Level II Trauma Center by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

• Dr. Charles (Chuck) Wallace, associate professor of computer science and associate dean of curriculum and instruction at Michigan Tech, has been named one of three recipients of the 2024 Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year Award by the Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU).

• Sen. Debbie Stabenow received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alzheimer’s Association for her work to find a cure for disease, fund research and support people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers and families. Stabenow’s bipartisan HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act was implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which requires Medicare to pay for an individual care plan for newly diagnosed Alzheimer’s patients; the Senator’s bipartisan Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act would reduce medical complications for Alzheimer’s patients by creating a new way to fund care through Medicare; and her bipartisan Concentrating on High-Value Alzheimer’s Needs to Get to An End (CHANGE) Act would encourage early diagnosis.

MM

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ACROSS

1 First name in 1990s alternative rock

7 Hall of Fame QB John

12 Showing embarrassment

18 Enormous

20 Target competitor

21 Results of an iron deficiency?

22 Buck, in slang

23 A.P. Stylebook entry that lost its hyphen in 2011

24 Like Constantinople from 1453 to 1922

25 Under the counter, say

27 One on the links?

28 Carpenter’s curve cutter

29 Hagen who wrote ‘‘Respect for Acting’’

30 Lydic of ‘‘The Daily Show’’

31 Group of connected PCs

32 Nashville attraction, with ‘‘the’’

33 Dust-up

35 Something you might break into

37 FedEx alternative

38 John Denver’s ‘‘Thank God ____ Country Boy’’

39 ‘‘Succession’’ family name

40 App used to track fertility

41 Joins a pot

43 Response to ‘‘Are we there yet?’’

46 With sickly pallor

47 Enjoys a home-cooked meal

49 Psychoanalyst Alfred

50 Submitted with TurboTax

52 When ‘‘golden goals’’ are scored, for short

53 Bel ____ cheese

54 Covering for a pomegranate seed

55 Capone adversary, informally

58 Substance originally made with animal fat and wood ash

60 Without much thought

62 Wraps (up)

66 Dirty water inside a ship

68 Home to Millennium Park

72 Swamp creature, informally

73 Brew

74 A bull market it is not!

76 ‘‘Bond. James Bond,’’ e.g.

77 First-and-second bet

79 Existential threat in 2021’s ‘‘Don’t Look Up’’

80 Spoke at length

82 Martini & ____ (beverage brand)

84 Mythical bird

85 Stop on a major tour

86 Gas-station convenience

89 Mozart’s ‘‘Così Fan ____’’

91 Conked out

92 Biden’s signature 2022 legislation addressing rising prices, for short

95 Once-popular rug style

97 Outstanding

101 With ____ to (acknowledging)

102 Bowed

104 Disappear . . . like the circled creatures might do, if not for the 112-/114-Across

106 Dishes

107 Tiny ‘‘canvas’’ on which to paint

15 Member of an elite fighting force

16 BEFORE: Theme park chain

17 QVC alternative

19 BEFORE: Rear-end, e.g.

21 BEFORE: Having physical form

26 Bouncy melody

28 Meeting places

29 Basic cable channel

Route

36 BEFORE: Begin operating effectively

40 BEFORE: December temp worker

42 I.R.S. ID

44 Like some ancient Greek poetry

45 Cargo

46 Game console that debuted in 2006

48 Mobile platform

51 Loose item at the bottom of a fast-food bag

55 Basic cable channel

56 AFTER: Tiny amount

57 Soccer star ____ Morgan

59 Scoff in Offenbach

61 Scat syllable

63 Suffix with Paul or marion

64 AFTER: Slangy ‘‘Amen’’

65 Broadway letters of success

67 Theme park known for its international food

69 ‘‘Are you ____ out?’’

70 AFTER: Military pattern

71 Two shakes

109 Shows signs of disuse

110 Mission honored by the ‘‘Fallen Astronaut’’ lunar memorial

112 With 114-Across, conservation law that celebrated its 50th anniversary in December ’23

114 See 112-Across 116 Before now

117 Not fine

118 New ____

119 Sushi garnish

120 Web portal with a butterfly logo

121 Senator Joni of Iowa 122 Screens, say 123 Some U.K. Lords

Social media symbols

BEFORE: Coupon stipulation

Greek heroine tempted by golden apples

Salt, symbolically

Signed

Like Troy in the ‘‘Iliad’’

Pull (out), as a win

City in San Bernardino County

BEFORE: Game with annoying pop-ups?

72 Brobdingnagian

74 AFTER: Like some statues

75 AFTER: Target of a facial cleanser

78 Houston sch.

81 Back, in a way

83 Langston Hughes poem about racial inequality

85 Baldwin who was the first to play Jack Ryan

86 All together

87 Hordes

88 Philip II of ____, father of Alexander the Great

90 Pinnacle achievement, metaphorically

91 Solar phenomenon

92 How one might bolt upright

93 ‘‘The Future of Law Enforcement,’’ according to a 1987 movie

94 Pop-ups can lead to them

96 AFTER: Actress Rowlands

98 Ooze

99 Some linemen: Abbr.

100 Scatterbrained

101 AFTER: Shakespearean title starter

103 Get down, so to speak

104 Extract

105 Sails in a zigzag way

106 Cape Colony settlers

108 Assistant of classic film

111 Painter Mondrian

113 Monopoly set, for short

115 Before, to Shakespeare

Smith who wrote ‘‘A

Country whose national animal is the elephant

then

The Rathbone School in Eagle Harbor, pictured here circa 1910, was the location where schoolmaster Justus H. Rathbone was first inspired to write the ritual that is the basis of the Order of the Knights of Pythias. This building was constructed in 1853, and was the first schoolhouse built in the area.

Photos provided by Superior View Studios, located in Art of Framing, 149 W. Washington Street Marquette viewsofthepast.com

The Rathbone or Eagle Harbor School was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1971, and listed on the National Register of Historic places in 1972. It is also known as the the Pythian Shrine; a memorial to Rathbone was erected nearby in 1931 and still stands as part of the museum.

Hematites earn state championship

Ishpeming, Negaunee teams represent U.P. at Breslin Center

By Erin Elliott Bryan

On March 23, the 12 members of the Ishpeming High School girls basketball team stepped onto the court at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center in East Lansing to play in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division 4 state championship game.

After a near-perfect season (they had just one loss to cross-town rival Negaunee) and demonstrated dominance in its seven tournament games (winning each by at least 19 points), the team was poised to achieve something big.

And they did.

When the final buzzer sounded, this Hematites team — Journey Comment, Jenessa Eagle, Maia Hemmila, Mya Hemmer, Peyton Kakkuri, Kadie Kaukola, Laynie Korpi, Jenna Maki, Payton Manninen, Addie Morton, Lilly Swanson and Kaitlyn VanDeuren — had earned its first state title in school history after defeating the Cardinals of Kingston, 73-54.

In a tournament highlight video posted to the MHSAA website, commentator Lexi Ayala noted that the

Hematites team was “a small community getting it done at the Breslin Center on the biggest stage.”

“They played team basketball and everyone weathered the storm togeth-

er,” Ayala said. “They worked from the inside out. They found those open three-point shots. The defense was good. They shared the basketball. The fundamentals of this Ishpeming team

[were] what was completely on 10, got them the win, had them stay together until the whistle blew.”

Even Kingston’s head coach, Jay Green, complimented the team’s per-

The Ishpeming Hematites girls basketball team celebrates their state championship. (Photo by Cara Kamps)

formance.

“I told their coach after the game that they can make the final four in Division 1, 2, 3 or 4,” Green said in the postgame news conference. “That team is outstanding. Everybody knows that.”

Hematites Coach Ryan Reichel wasn’t surprised.

“It’s not a mistake that this happened,” he said.

Road to the Breslin Reichel said preparation for this season began almost as soon as last season ended, despite two of his players, Kaukola and Morton, being sidelined with torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs).

“We traveled over 2,000 miles for team camps over the summer,” Reichel said. “We wanted to see if we had championship caliber, then we do have a legitimate chance [to win a state title].”

Throughout the regular season, Reichel said the team played at an intense level. He described his players as “so mentally tough” and hardworking as many of the girls are dual-sport athletes who also play tennis or volleyball.

“It didn’t bother them when they could come back from any deficit,”

Reichel said.

He also said he could rely on his entire team, not just the five starters.

“We use the whole team, our bench as well,” Reichel said. “We can wear the other teams out. We’re fresh on the floor at all times.”

Ishpeming’s only loss on the season came on Feb. 9 at home against the Negaunee Miners. Ishpeming had previously beaten Negaunee, 57-53, on their home court on Jan. 12. This time, however, it was Negaunee who came out on top, 65-56.

“Negaunee is one of the best basketball programs in the state of Michigan and probably the best coach as well,” Reichel said, referring to Negaunee Coach Mike O’Donnell. “Both teams took a lot from that about winning and losing.”

The Hematites reached tournament play in March, defeating L’Anse and last year’s Division 4 runner-up Baraga in the districts and then Carney-Nadeau and Ewen-Trout Creek in the regionals to reach the quarterfinals in Gladstone where Ishpeming defeated St. Ignace, 65-45.

Ishpeming then advanced to the semifinals on March 21 in East Lansing where they faced the Eagles of Fowler who had made an appearance in the semis for five straight seasons.

They were back again, even after graduating five starting seniors at the end of last year.

In the postgame news conference, Reichel commended Fowler and said

it “shows what their program is like and what that coach is like.”

“Fortunately for us, we play a lot of man-to-man throughout the season,” Reichel said. “I think that’s what we

In the third quarter, Ishpeming’s Mya Hemmer goes up for a shot over Kingston’s Gracy Walker and sinks the basket. (Photo by Cara Kamps)

want to establish — teams have to adjust to us, and when you only get one day [of rest], it’s hard to mimic the chaos that we provide.”

Ishpeming’s Maki, a senior, scored a game-high 30 points, and the Hematites forced 34 turnovers to win, 75-40. Maki’s 30th point broke the school scoring record.

“She broke it on her 30th point and immediately subbed out,” Reichel said. “But we did not know she did until I checked my stats. She had no clue she was even close.”

Maki went on to set the school scoring record at 1,331 points over four varsity seasons. Her accomplishment was also named MHSAA’s Performance of the Week on March 28.

Onto the finals

The Division 4 Championship

Game was slated for 10 a.m. and Ishpeming took the court to see the stands packed with fans wearing Hematite blue who had made the seven-hour drive to support the team. Plenty more took to social media to say they were watching the live video feed or listening to the radio broadcast from around the country.

The MHSAA Girls Basketball 2024 Champion Ishpeming Hematites are, from back left, Athletic

Matson, Arya Reichel, Head Coach Ryan Reichel, Ayla Reichel, Journey Comment

Kakkuri (0), Jenessa Eagle (3), Mya Hemmer (14), Assistant Coach Josh Eagle and Assistant Coach Paige

and, from front left, Nora Reichel, Jenna Maki (1), Maia Hemmila (33), Kadie Kaukola

Addison Morton (2), Kaitlyn Van Deuren (10) and Payton Manninen (11). (Photo

“The Hematite faithful are really proud of this group — it was amazing,” Reichel said. “They’re so proud of girls they’ve never met. But that’s the Hematite culture, it’s family, and we’re going to treat you like family.”

After tip-off, it was Kingston that started out strong, going on a 16-2 run late in the first quarter. Sophomore

Eagle, Ishpeming’s leading scorer, put up just two points in the game’s first 15 minutes and Kingston led by 11 going into the second quarter.

But Ishpeming rallied back, even after Maki left the court due to her third foul, to lead 31-30 at halftime. And the team continued to rely on that momentum in the second half, eventually going on a 10-0 run to take a 73-50 lead with 3:21 remaining. Eagle scored a game-high 27 points.

Director Bruce

(44), Laynie Korpi (4), Peyton

Yoho,

(5), Lilly Swanson (12),

by Cara Kamps)

Amid enthusiastic chants of “U.P. Power,” the Hematites of Ishpeming closed out the game with a final score of 73-54 to become the first girls’ basketball team from the U.P. to win a championship since Calumet and St. Ignace in 2015.

“We would have needed to play a perfect game for four quarters to be able to hang around with them and they took advantage when we started to struggle,” Kingston’s Coach Green said.

Reichel said the victory meant a lot to him personally, especially as he was able to share it with his daughters — Ayla, Arya and Nora.

“I’ve had ups and downs in my career, so it’s fun to do something this huge,” he said. “But I’m most proud of our team and our community.”

On the drive back to Ishpeming later that day, the team was greeted with celebratory messages right from the time they crossed the Mackinac Bridge. The caravan picked up a long line of police and fire escorts, beginning in Munising (55 miles from home), and encountered hundreds of cheering fans all the way back to Ishpeming High School.

“It was pretty special just to see how connected the U.P. is,” Reichel told Upper Michigan Today’s Elizabeth Peterson. “When you get a chance to win one of these state championships, it’s for the U.P, not just your own town.”

The day after the win, Reichel brought the championship trophy to Congress Pizzas in Ishpeming.

“In professional sports after winning a championship, they all say ‘We are going to Disney World.’ In Ishpeming, we say we are going to the Congress!” he wrote on Facebook. “Can’t wait for our girls’ picture to be on the wall for the rest of their lives.”

Fifty years in the making

Throughout the season, Reichel has not lost sight of those who helped lay the foundation for his team to succeed. Right from the start, he sought recognition for the establishment of girls’ basketball in Ishpeming 50 years ago.

The 1974-75 team, Ishpeming’s second team, won a regional title that, until this year’s state championship, had been the school’s best result in the sport. But the team had earned that title with little to no fanfare or celebration, so Reichel recognized them whenever he could. Some of the women from that team were honored at a regular season game and were present when the 2024 team earned its own regional title.

“Our girls became teammates with

those ladies as well,” Reichel said.

Sarah (Kulie) Kohtala was one of two seniors on the inaugural 1973-74 team. She recalls talking to Superintendent Allan J. Olds at the “spur of the moment” about the possibility of starting a girls’ basketball team at Ishpeming.

She said at the time she didn’t know about Title IX, the 1972 civil rights law that prohibited sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government. Kohtala simply expressed to Olds that there were some girls who wanted to form a team.

“I went in as soon as I heard Negaunee was going to have a team,” Kohtala said. “We had played and we knew we had a good team.”

When she left the meeting, however, she said her “understanding was there wasn’t going to be a team.” But later, Kohtala heard that there would be a team and that a coach had been hired from NMU.

“Somebody championed it, but never made themselves known,” she said. “Me making a little noise didn’t do it.”

To play, however, the girls were in charge of readying the gym, opening the doors, turning on the lights, sweeping the floor and pulling out the bleachers — many of which remained devoid of fans. They also had to craft their own uniforms using school-issued shorts, white T-shirts and numbers made with tape.

“I was happy to play,” Kohtala said. “We had fun. I had a great time.”

Watching this year’s team win the

championship, Kohtala said she was proud of how the girls overcame that early deficit.

“It’s a team sport and they all worked together well, and that’s an important part of life,” she said. “The way you conduct yourselves in sports is how you will conduct yourselves in life.”

Deb Larson, the other senior on the 1973-74 team, said she feels “humbled and honored that there was this look back” at the origins of girls’ basketball in Ishpeming.

“At that time, there just wasn’t a recognition the same as the boys of what you were accomplishing,” she said.

Larson recalled the “feminization” of the mascot names from neighboring communities, such as the “Minerettes” and “Redettes.”

“You couldn’t do that with Hematites,” she noted.

Larson further noted how poignant this story is, particularly in a year when women’s sports — especially women’s basketball — has come to the forefront.

“I respect [Coach Reichel] and his willingness to connect this team 50 years later to his team, which is full of heart and skill and grit,” Larson said, adding that the team has grown an inner strength through their experience, practice, discipline and resilience.

“That strength will serve them on whatever journey they choose,” she said.

Lynn Czap was a junior and walkon basketball player at NMU in 1973 when she was tapped to coach the first girls’ basketball team in Ishpeming.

In the first quarter, Ishpeming’s Kadie Kaukola goes up for a lay up against Kingston. (Photo by Cara Kamps)

She returned for the second year when she was also a student teacher in physical education at IHS and led the team to its regional title. That same year, she became NMU’s leading scorer.

“None of us really knew what we were doing,” Czap admitted. “We loved having another team come to the gym. It was just exciting because they were playing a sport they loved to play and they were finally able to play.”

Czap said she had been contacted by people in Ishpeming during this season and was invited back to town, though she wasn’t able to make the trip. She hopes to meet up with some members of the original teams sometime this summer.

“What was really heartwarming was that the coach thought about the relevance of celebrating the 50th anniversary of our team,” she said. “He incorporated the family aspect of basketball.”

Czap began seriously following this year’s team after they won the district title and was rooting for the Hematites when they took the court against Kingston, which is just about 25 minutes from where Czap lives after retiring from a 41-year career as a physical education teacher, school counselor and coach.

“There wasn’t any question who I was supporting to win the game,” she said. “It was pretty exciting to get to see that.”

Negaunee makes historic run Incredibly, Ishpeming wasn’t the only Marquette County team to make an appearance at the Breslin Center this year. The Negaunee Miners also made the trip to compete in East Lansing, though they fell short to the Detroit Edison Pioneers, 63-46, in the Division 2 semifinals.

“A lot of girls had never been in the building. It’s a big arena with a big scoreboard and it was a pretty neat experience,” Coach O’Donnell said. “But Detroit Edison is a powerhouse and we competed very well.”

O’Donnell said his team had lost in the regional finals the last two seasons and the seniors’ ultimate goal was to make it past that point.

This year’s Miners — Theresa Anderson, Macyn Dellangelo, Aubrey Johnson, Gretel Johnson, Ella Mason, Grace Nardi, Clare O’Donnell, Madison Pekrul, Callie Rajala, Sadie Rogers, Liliana Saunders and Keira Waterman — accomplished that goal to make it to the state semifinals for the first time in the program’s history.

“We made a lot of memories,” O’Donnell said. “It was just a cool season.”

Prior to the semifinals, Negaunee’s only loss had been to Ishpeming on Jan. 12 at home.

“Both teams are really competitive, so it was a tournament-like atmosphere,” O’Donnell said of that game. “There was a big, loud, intense crowd, and we were both undefeated

Negaunee’s Keira Waterman drives to the basket while being defended by Detroit Edison PSA’s Marianna Jones. (Photo by Cara Kamps)

at that point, so it added interest to the game.”

Ishpeming came out on top that night by just four points, 57-53.

“We probably grew as a team and experienced things we would see in the [state] tournament,” O’Donnell said. “We were better off for it.”

A few weeks later, Negaunee beat Ishpeming on their home court, handing them their only loss on the season. Both teams, however, earned a conference title this year: Negaunee in the WestPAC Conference and Ishpeming in the Mid-Peninsula Conference.

When Negaunee advanced to tournament play, O’Donnell said his team became “road warriors.”

The Miners defeated Kingsford and Sault Ste. Marie to win the districts. In the regionals, the team traveled to Manistique to play Petoskey, then to Petoskey to play Ludington, a team that beat the Miners two years ago.

“The girls found a way,” O’Donnell said. “We were able to get over that regional finals hump.”

To ease the amount of travel for Negaunee, the MHSAA moved the Division 2 quarterfinal game from Gladwin, about 40 miles northeast of Mount Pleasant, to the Soo.

There, Negaunee defeated the Chargers of Powers Catholic High School, a private high school in Flint, 50-45.

To travel to the Breslin Center,

both team buses left from Ishpeming and Negaunee on Thursday, March 21. Driving through Munising, the students and staff of its middle-high school were outside waving from the side of the road and the buses received a police and fire escort through town.

“‘U.P. Power’ has been a calling card for many years in all sports,” O’Donnell said. “We felt that… ‘U.P. Power’ is definitely a thing.”

Negaunee was able to cheer on Ishpeming in its semifinal game on Thursday night and the Ishpeming players and many of their fans returned to support Negaunee on Friday.

“We’re all in it together when it comes to March,” O’Donnell said. “We’re not in the same division, so we’re all rooting for each other.”

Although they didn’t win a state title, Negaunee did earn an Academic All-State Award from the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan. Collectively, the team had a grade point average of 3.977 — the second highest in the state.

Senior Mason broke Negaunee’s girls scoring record and later the school’s all-time scoring record for girls and boys. She ended the season with 1,412 points, the majority of which came over three seasons.

“This was a dream group to coach,” O’Donnell said of his players, including his daughter Clare. “They came to practice, they worked hard,

Negaunee’s Callie Rajala takes a shot while being defended by Detroit Edison PSA’s Isis Johnson-Musah. (Photo by Cara Kamps)

they played hard. They were a very responsible group and a pleasure to work with.”

But O’Donnell is also thrilled for Ishpeming and for Reichel, a friend he has known since he was a kid.

“I’m super happy for him and proud of him,” O’Donnell said. “He built this thing from the ground up. It’s great to get rewarded for putting in the time and doing things the right way.”

Looking forward

Following the final game, many of the Ishpeming players and their families traveled to Florida for spring break. A community celebration was eventually held in the high school gym on April 7.

“There are no words to explain how incredible this experience was, the community and the team and all of our coaches,” Senior Swanson told TV6 at the event. “The community here is something so special. They’re protective of us and they’re so passionate for us. We couldn’t have asked for anything better from them. They were with us every step of the way.”

But as Ishpeming takes the time to revel in its big win, Reichel is already looking ahead to next season. Seven

seniors will graduate this year, including Kaukola, Maki and Morton.

On April 12, Kaukola and Maki signed letters of intent to play basketball for Bay College in Escanaba. Morton also signed with Bay College but committed to the school’s volleyball team.

The other graduating seniors are Hemmila, Manninen, Swanson and VanDeuren.

But this year’s team also had two starting sophomores, Eagle and Hemmer, and Ishpeming has a junior varsity team coached by Paige Yoho.

“We’ll keep reloading for the next few years,” Reichel said.

The 2023-24 Hematites team will forever be known for bringing home its first-ever title and building on 50 years of girls’ basketball in Ishpeming, no matter where its players ultimately end up.

“We know these girls are going to be very successful,” Reichel said. “They’re state champs for life. That’s a pretty good legacy.” MM

Erin Elliott Bryan is a 1998 graduate of Ishpeming High School. She is a freelance writer and a Marquette Monthly calendar editor.

During their last time out, Ishpeming Hemitite fans celebrate their victory over Kingston, 73-54. (Photo by Cara Kamps)

Award-winning leadership:

Paulson preserves history and heritage in Negaunee

By Jennifer Champagne

Virginia Paulson’s decades-long commitment to preserving Negaunee’s vibrant history and her personal resilience in the face of adversity has earned her one of this year’s prestigious Helen M. Longyear Awards from the Marquette Regional History Center (MRHC).

The Helen M. Longyear Award is presented by the MRHC to individuals who have made significant contributions to the enhancement, restoration, conservation, or interpretation of the history of the local area. Named after Helen Longyear Paul, a staunch advocate for historical preservation, the award aims to recognize and promote achievements in preserving Marquette County’s rich history and cultural heritage.

At 85, Paulson is an active community member with a deep passion for history and volunteering. She served on the city council for 15 years, the school board for 20 years and volunteered at the hospital for 15 years. Her interest in local history began when she started helping at the Negaunee Historical Society Museum after her husband passed away. She took over a project to compile pictures and stories about the Negaunee area and became hooked on historical preservation.

“Preserving our history is essential because it shapes our understanding of the past and influences our future,” Paulson said. “Historical preservation is not just about preserving buildings; it’s about preserving the stories and memories that make our community unique.”

She has a strong connection with the local community, particularly with school children who visit the museum. Paulson enjoys giving them tours and sharing stories about Negaunee’s history. She believes that making personal connections through history is essential, sharing heartwarming stories of helping people trace their family roots and connect with their past.

“Community involvement is not just about giving back; it’s about building relationships and creating a sense of unity,” Paulson said. “Volunteering allows us to connect with others who share our passion for mak-

ing a difference. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve my community and make a difference in the lives of others.”

Paulson reflected on her work with children. “I worked for the Intermediate School District, now MARESA, with hearing-impaired children and children with other disabilities,” Paulson said. “When I volunteered at the hospital, it was in the specialty clinic with differently-abled children.”

At the age of 81, Paulson embraced a new chapter in her life by taking on a role as a licensed lay minister for Community Lutheran Church — a place with profound family significance. Recalling this pivotal moment, Paulson shared with a little humor, “So at age 81, I started a new job. I’m 85 now and I was 81 when the bishop appointed me to serve as a licensed lay minister.”

This wasn’t a sudden leap into religious service for Paulson; she had been involved in pulpit supply for over two decades prior. However, her appointment to serve at the church where she was baptized, confirmed, married and in the very church that her grandfather had built holds special meaning for her. Paulson’s dedication to her faith and community shines through her longstanding commitment to religious work, which continues to inspire those around her.

Dave Dompierre, a longtime friend and collaborator of Paulson’s through their work with the historical society, spoke highly of her exceptional leadership qualities. “Her total commitment, tremendous knowledge about the community’s history and her ability to share that knowledge with those interested set her apart,” he said.

Paulson has been instrumental in creating displays that showcase the history of Negaunee using large flip charts with pictures and stories. She collaborates with Laura Jandron on these displays, which offer a comprehensive look at the town’s history, including its sports achievements.

Jandron, who works closely with Paulson at the historical museum, shared a poignant example of Paulson’s dedication, recalling the meticulous reconstruction of the Victorian house’s front porch. “After an acci-

Above, Virginia Paulson of Negaunee received the 2023 Helen M. Longyear Award at the Marquette Regional History Center, presented by Longyear’s granddaughter, Carol Brady. Below, Paulson takes a moment with multiple generations of her family to celebrate the award, which honors advocates for historical preservation and other achievements in the local history field. (Photos courtesy of Virginia Paulson)

dent damaged the front porch of our Victorian house museum, she led the effort to rebuild it exactly as it was before,” Jandron said. “It took a couple of years, but she ensured everything was done correctly.”

Paulson’s leadership within the historical society has been exemplary. As its former president and now board trustee, she has united people for common goals and played a pivotal role in various projects, including rallying efforts for whatever the call of action is.

Reflecting on Paulson’s leadership, Jandron admired her visionary approach.

“As the longtime president, she was involved in everything within the organization,” Jandron said. “She was excellent at bringing people together for projects, even during challenging times.”

Beyond her critical role with the historical society, Paulson’s community engagement is multifaceted. Her service in city government and her active participation in her church

demonstrates her commitment to serving others. Paulson’s storytelling talents are evident in her contributions to The Mining Journal’s weekly history page. Her engaging narratives have captivated readers, spotlighting Negaunee’s unique heritage. Dompierre emphasized the significance of Paulson’s contributions, stating, “Her stories give Negaunee exposure that it wouldn’t otherwise get.”

Paulson’s life is marked by both her significant contributions to historical preservation and her personal resilience in the face of adversity. As the mother of four children, she resides near two of them — her son lives just two blocks away, while a daughter is two miles distant.

Paulson has endured profound challenges, most notably the loss of two sons — one to a heart attack and another to a meth overdose. Despite these heart-wrenching tragedies, she has transformed her grief into a powerful advocacy platform. Paulson speaks openly about drug-related issues, sharing her personal experienc-

In addition to her historical interests, Paulson recently was appointed a licensed lay minister presiding over Community Lutheran Church in Suomi, a place near to her heart. (Photo courtesy of Virginia Paulson)

es to educate others about the dangers and consequences of substance abuse.

“I’m not afraid to tell people about it,” Paulson emphasized, underscoring her commitment to shedding light on the challenges and tragedies associated with drug-related issues.

“I want people to understand the realities and the depth of what families go through. My son’s struggles with addiction started when he was just 12 or 13 years old.”

His journey was fraught with challenges, leading to a tragic accident that left him paralyzed and later overdosing. Despite the heartbreak, Paulson remains determined to share her story.

“I’ve spoken publicly about my experiences to ensure that others don’t feel alone and to highlight the devastating consequences of drug abuse,” she said. Her advocacy not only raises awareness but also offers solace and support to those grappling with similar hardships.

“Despite facing personal challenges, I remain committed to serving my community with enthusiasm and compassion.”

The nomination letter for the Helen M. Longyear Award, submitted by Kaye Hiebel, further underscores Paulson’s contributions. “It’s no secret that Virginia Paulson is passionate about local history, particularly Negaunee’s,” the letter reads. “Her leadership has led to a greater community appreciation for local history, as well as increased financial support for the Society. All of these accomplishments make her a perfect choice

for the Helen Longyear Paul Award.”

Cris Osier, executive director of the Marquette Regional History Center, shed light on the significance of the Helen M. Longyear Award. “The program started in 1984. The Helen M. Longyear Award is offered to an individual who has made their mark in Marquette County local history,” Osier said.

Paulson’s journey epitomizes the transformative impact of lifelong learning, dedicated service, and unwavering perseverance. “The term I would like to use for myself is that I’ve always been interested in being a lifelong learner,” Paulson said. Her multifaceted contributions to Negaunee’s community have touched lives and ignited a passion for history in generations to come.

Celebrating Paulson’s well-deserved recognition with the Helen M. Longyear Award, we are reminded of the indelible mark one individual can leave when driven by compassion, faith and an insatiable thirst for knowledge.

Through her remarkable endeavors, Virginia Paulson has not only safeguarded the rich legacy of Negaunee’s history but has also enriched countless lives, leaving an enduring legacy of love, learning and community spirit.

MM

Jennifer Champagne is an accomplished entertainment and visual effects writer with a passion for storytelling. When she’s not crafting articles on industry giants, you’ll find her enjoying life with her family.

Virginia Paulson enjoys guiding many school class tours for local students to learn about the history of their community at the Negaunee Historical Society Museum. (Photo courtesy of Virginia Paulson)

locals

Local mailman can carry a tune

By Brad Gischia

Everyone has a story; it keeps journalists in business. Each person you pass on the street has something going on in their lives that is worth knowing about — the guy stocking shelves at the grocery store, the woman at the paint desk at the hardware store, your mailman.

Mike Maple, Marquette mailman, has a story. More importantly, Mike Maple has an album. Again.

Liquid Mike is a Marquette-based indie rock band that features Maple, Zack Alworden, Dave Daniels, Nick Erickson, Cody Marecek and Monica Nelson. The band plays indie rock inspired by the sound of bands of the early ’90s. Maple’s roots start there.

“I listened to a ton of records when I was young,” Maple said. “As I got older, I got a guitar. When you listen to indie bands, they’re not super polished, and that makes it seem attainable.”

Maple ground it out in Ashland, Wisconsin through his high school years, playing with kids he knew and listening to Nirvana and Green Day before moving on to more niche bands like Pavement and Dinosaur Junior.

“There wasn’t much of a music

scene (in Ashland), no local bands to look up to,” Maple said. “That was a double-edged sword for me. It was bad because there was no one to play with, to help you along. At the same time, it was good because we were able to be ourselves, to just be weird. We were making our own world.”

Maple brought that world with him when he moved to Houghton to attend Michigan Tech and began playing and forming bands there. He spent that time honing his sound and imitating those bands that he loved so much when he was growing up.

“I think a big part of what I like

about their sound is that it reminds me of bands that I got really excited about when I was younger,” said Jon Teichman, owner of The Emporium Vintage Vinyl in Marquette. “I hear it and it reminds me of post-Beatles power pop — bands like Cheap Trick, Pavement, Weezer, even like the pop-

Mike Maple of Marquette and his band, “Liquid Mike” recently released a new album. (Photo by Marissa Dillon)

punk of the late ’90s early 2000s. It’s hooky and crunchy and grabs your attention.”

Teichman’s ear is accurate because that’s what Maple says about their sound as well.

“I think that ’90s sounds have been sort of evergreen for the last 20 years,” Maple said. “That music features a lot of melodic-forward music with a lot of guitar, and that makes it very approachable.”

“They have a real ear-wormy nature to their music,” said Chris Judy, owner of Kitschy Spirit Records in Calumet. Judy helped to release Liquid Mike’s fourth album, “Self-Titled.” “I was really impressed with Liquid Mike.”

Because their sound is so comfortable with the listening audience, it follows that the sound Liquid Mike has cultivated would fit in today as well. “Right now there’s a lot of ‘poptimism’ going on,” Maple said. “It’s not a bad thing to be accessible. We’re not reinventing the wheel. It’s all about writing good songs. Get in, get out and just rock.”

After college, Maple moved to Marquette where he got a job with the U.S. Postal Service and continued making music in his downtime. The balance between work and music is crucial.

“The job can be demanding, but you find ways to make it work,” Ma-

ple said. “If you’re on a route that you know real well, you can kind of write songs while you’re working. Then you can record after work whenever you want. When you love something, you find a way to make it work.”

The stability of that day job is important for creatives and can provide unseen inspiration.

“Doing that job especially keeps your mind sharp — you’re always alert,” he said. “It keeps your perspective fresh. It can help with writer’s block as well. I remember before I had a full-time job, it was sometimes hard to write songs. There are a lot of stimuli out there and being out in the world is beneficial.”

It seems to be working.

On March 28, Liquid Mike held a release party for its fifth album at Ore Dock Brewing Company. Five albums for a band that has only been together for about four years is impressive, and it’s starting to get noticed on a national level.

The new album, “Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot,” was featured in a Rolling Stone article at the beginning of February.

“These guys turn their Upper Peninsula Banger Blues into guitar gold,” said Jon Dolan in his article for Rolling Stone Magazine. He also said the album was excellent — high praise from arguably the most popular music magazine in the world. Praise that

Liquid Mike’s latest album, “Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot,” recently received a rave review in Rolling Stone magazine. (Photo courtesy of Liquid Mike)

came as a quick and welcome surprise to the members of Liquid Mike.

“The whole buildup to the Rolling Stone article — we had been mentioned in a lot of smaller press outlets, but all of it felt surreal,” said Nelson, who plays synth and brass in Liquid Mike. “The timing felt lucky with everything hitting when it did.”

Maple didn’t know it was happening until the day before the article was published. “It was crazy,” he said.

“Very often with rock journalism, it seems like the stuff they write about is very personality-based,” Teichman said. “This article felt like they were writing about the songs, and that’s important.

“You want to see this band before they get too big for Marquette.”

All of “Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot” was recorded in Maple’s home studio, and it’s the first album that feels like there’s a little bit of pressure on the band.

“Our fourth album was called ‘Self-Titled,’” Maple said. “It caught a lot of recognition in niché music circles. There was a lot of praise for it. So, on this album, we were swinging for the fences.”

Judy said they originally put them out on cassettes.

“Then there was a lot of Internet hype,” he said. “It kind of blew up from there and we pressed a record after that. Mike had been sending me tracks as they got finished. I really

dug them.”

Judy said the album as a whole is a further progression of Liquid Mike’s sound over the span of the five records.

“They’re not changing their sound, they’re getting better and better at the songwriting craft, and better at the music,” Judy said. “It’s a more concise album for sure.”

“Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot” clocks in at a quick 25 minutes, each of the songs is written by Maple.

“I write most of them by myself and then let the band add their parts to it,” Maple said. The short nature of his songs makes it easier for the other band members to add their parts. “There’s less to goof around with.”

He said most of his time writing is spent messing around on the guitar and making “word salad” until something starts to come out of it.

“Mike records a demo,” Nelson said. “Sometimes he has something in mind, a lot of times we just play around until it feels right.”

Despite the buzz around the record, Maple and Nelson say that they’re not rushing into looking for representation.

“We’re just sort of getting to a point where we need to start making decisions about the future,” Nelson said. “What is it worth for us? We don’t want to give too much away in terms of our lives.”

Maple agrees that the indepen-

Mike Maple said he would be nothing without his band, which fills in the instrumental parts of their songs after he sorts through what he calls “word salad” (Photo courtesy of Liquid Mike)

dence they now enjoy is part of what makes their band what it is.

“We love the creative freedom we have,” Maple said. “We’re able to have a different sound on each album and don’t have to run that by anyone. If we felt like we could do it alone, to get our music to all the ears we want to get it to, we would absolutely do that.”

Maple knows that his act isn’t a solo act.

“I have the best band in the world,” Maple said. “I wouldn’t be anything without them.”

Liquid Mike is another in a long line of local bands that have found popularity, though not quite on the same level.

“There’s something about having a local band you can root for,” Teichman said. “The lifespan of most bands in Marquette is like two to four years because of the university. You have to catch that feeling and hold on to it.”

Judy said local music is essential.

“Local music is cottage style, grassroots culture,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with a cover band, but original songs are special. There’s something special about a band playing their own original songs. This is an expression of who they are and where they’re from.”

Teichman urges people to go see all the local music they can.

“People will drive to Chicago, they’ll drive to Madison or Green Bay, and we have great bands playing here in our hometown,” Teichman said. “We need to support our local artists. People talk about sustainability, about sustaining your community. Going to shows and buying something from the merch table is a great way to support these local bands.”

The future is unknown for Liquid Mike, but even if the band doesn’t hit the Top 40, they’ll still be making music.

“We would love for this to be sustainable,” Maple said. “But we’ll still be doing it even if it isn’t.”

Liquid Mike’s music is available on all of the popular streaming services as well as at liquidmike.bandcamp. com. Hard copies are also available at many local music stores.

“Be a patron of the arts, better yet, be a punk rock patron of the arts,” Teichman said.

MM

Brad Gischia is a writer and artist native to Upper Michigan. He has published two children’s books and done illustrations for both comic books and novels.

Liquid Mike band members Zack Alworden (bass), Mike Maple (vocals, guitar), Cody Marecek (drums) and Monica Nelson (synth) gather for a nostalgic ’90s photo. (Photo by Marissa Dillon)

Duo finds a place to land in retirement the arts

By Brad Gischia

Retirement is full of options. Often people take up a sport like tennis or golf. Sometimes they delve into the jigsaw puzzles or perhaps learn a musical instrument. Brian Maier and Rebecca Hicks decided that they would continue the course they’d set for themselves during their careers.

Maier had spent his working career as a special needs preschool teacher while Hicks was a dance instructor. “Brian was a musician and I wasn’t,” Hicks said. Maier had several recurring gigs across the Upper Peninsula that included playing at Tahquamenon Falls, in Manistique, Munising and Marquette.

The pair found their retirement home in Germfask. “It’s kind of in the middle of everything and in the middle of nowhere at the same time,” Maier said. The location is perfect for being able to reach all areas of the U.P. in a fairly short amount of time.

After following Maier to gigs and watching him play, Hicks decided that she would like to take up an instrument so that she could join him onstage.

“I picked up a (upright) bass,” Hicks said. “I didn’t know how to play it, but I thought it looked cool.” After several hours of YouTube tutorials, Hicks thought she was ready to play with others. “We had sort of a jam session at our house, and afterwards this very kind woman came over to me and said ‘You’re going to have to do more than that,’” Hicks said. “So after that, it was back online and more practicing.”

The pair went on stage together and haven’t looked back. They formed their duo, A Place to Land, about four years ago and began doing gigs

Rebecca Hicks and Brian Maier play for students at Whitefish Township Schools and other school districts across the U.P. (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Hicks)

around the U.P., playing at the Marquette Farmers Market, Tahquamenon Falls and at By George Brewing in Munising.

That could have been their retirement. But a chance encounter has changed their mission.

“We were asked last summer to play at Paradise School,” Hicks said. “We agreed, and then realized we had no idea what we were going to do.”

So Maier and Hicks went back to their home in Germfask and gazed at the array of instruments in their home.

“We didn’t know what to bring,” Maier recalls. “So we brought them all.”

When A Place to Land showed up at the school, they had 18 different instruments. Banjos, mandolins, guitars, stand-up bass and all manner of shakers and percussive instruments.

“There are only about 40 kids in the whole school, K-12,” Hicks said. “So everyone was able to try at least one instrument out.” The pair played several songs from their catalog, mostly Americana music and classic ’70s hits. When they had finished, Hicks said: “We need to do this again.”

They formed the H.O.M.E. (History of Music Experience) Place Project, an effort to get into local schools, senior centers and libraries to bring their love of music to people in the

U.P. who may not have the ability to see and try some of these kinds of instruments.

Thus far they have played at Paradise and in Gwinn.

“We’ve really seen that, when we play, kids especially are fascinated with the music,” Hicks said. “You see their natural rhythm come out. It’s incredible.”

Mikal Done is an English teacher for Grades 6-12 in the Gwinn School Systems and was present for the H.O.M.E. Place presentation.

“The kids loved it,” Done said. “Afterwards the kids asked if we could have that kind of program all the time. So we created a K-12 music group this semester, and they come and play instruments and we record it.”

For some students, this is a rare opportunity.

“A lot of these kids aren’t exposed to these kinds of instruments or to live music,” Maier said. “It enlivens their senses. I let a kid use my good banjo, and his eyes just lit up. You could see him realizing that he could play something like this.”

Maier said his uncle used to call square dances and his grandpa played the fiddle, so he was ripe with musical opportunities. “It was great to grow up around that kind of music.”

Done agrees that this introduction to music is important. “It gives them an opportunity to get their hands on instruments they wouldn’t normally be able to. We have a band, but that’s trumpets and drums,” Done said. “These are instruments that they might not have ever heard of. It gets their interest level up.”

If you have an organization that

would like to host the H.O.M.E. Place Project or would like to contact A Place to Land, visit aplacetoland.net. MM

Brad Gischia is a writer and artist native to Upper Michigan. He has published two children’s books and done illustrations for both comic books and novels.

The duo brings more than a dozen instruments to schools with them for students to experiment with. (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Hicks)

sporting life

Marquette’s Chapman joins her coach in U.P. Sports Hall of Fame

By Pam Christensen

Three inductees in the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame’s 2024 Class — Shel Chapman, Doug Ingalls and Jill Wettuhn Beaudo — had illustrious careers in Michigan high school girls basketball.

Chapman, from the Marquette Senior High School Class A State Championship girls basketball team of 1976 is being honored posthumously. She joins her coach, Barb Crill, a 2002 inductee.

Ingalls has a resume that includes standout performances as an athlete at Gladstone High School, NMU and with the Saint Ignace LaSalle High School Saints as a coach for boys and girls basketball. He joins his wife, Doreen, who was inducted in 2016.

Beaudo was a member of the record-producing Carney-Nadeau girls basketball dynasty that racked up Class D state championships in 1989 and 1990. She joins her coach Paul Polfus, a member of the class of 1996.

Also joining Chapman, Ingalls and Beaudo in the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024 are Terry Smith, Karen Olson-Flanagan, Harold “Buddy” Duggan, Candy Swetkiss, Mark Marana and Fritz Wilson. The Induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 11 at the Island Resort and Casino in Bark River. More information is available at upshf.com.

Women’s sports get a boost

In 1972, President Richard Nixon signed an amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965. This omnibus education bill was called Title IX, and it would change the way educational institutions that received federal funding would provide women equal access to education. Many people do not know the entirety of Title IX or its ramifications beyond women’s athletics, because it has become synonymous with women’s sports, especially at the collegiate level.

There is no doubt that Title IX impacted collegiate sports, but those changes also benefited women’s sports at the high school level where, prior to that time, women’s sports were not always encouraged, sometimes overlooked and often underfunded. In fact,

in many U.S. high schools, sports for women were non-existent.

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, high school participation rose from 294,015 women in the 1971-72 school year to 3.4 million in the 2018-19 school year. During those same time periods, there were 3.67 million men participating in high school sports in 1971-72 and 4.5 million in 2018-19.

At the collegiate level, there were 29,977 women athletes at the NCAA schools in 1971-72. By 2020-21, the number of women athletes rose to 215,486, compared to 275,769 men athletes in 2020-21.

Record-setting duo

Coach Crill moved to Marquette to work with the Job Corps program in 1966. It wasn’t long before the administration at the Marquette Area Public Schools offered her a position teaching English and coaching at Marquette Senior High School.

Crill was instrumental in the MSHS sports program. She started the women’s basketball and track programs. In 1970, the Michigan High School Athletic Association formalized a girls basketball program, giving Crill and her girls a path to sports history.

Those early days were rocky. The MSHS girls lacked opponents and took many long road trips in search of competition. During her coaching career, Crill amassed a record of 124 wins and eight losses. Her team took four Great Northern Conference crowns and three district titles. Her girls basketball team was state quarter-finalists in 1974 and semi-finalists in 1975. In December 1976, the girls took home the Class A State High School Girls Basketball Championship.

Her 1976 team was a collection of talent. Starters Shel Chapman, Karen Levandoski Helmila, Cheryl Aho Reynolds, Janet Hopkins and Caron Krueger Larkin all played the entire game, winning 68 to 41 over Farmington Our Lady of Mercy and notching a perfect season.

During that Championship game, Chapman scored 23 points. She was a member of the varsity team for all

four years of her high school career and held scoring records for MSHS and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).

In 1977, Chapman set a one-game scoring record of 59 points in an October match-up between MSHS and Ironwood. She lost that title to another MSHS player, Beth Blake, who scored 61 points in a game between MSHS and the Negaunee Miners in November 1989. Chapman’s 59 points in a single game has only been done by five other players, and she still stands at sixth place in the single-game scoring record for the state.

According to Alex Tiseo, athletic director for MSHS, Chapman still

holds two basketball school records.

“Shel still holds the ‘Most Points in Career’ title for MSHS at 1,341 points from her career 1974-77,” Tiseo said.

“She also holds the record for most points based on season average for her 1977 season at 31.2 points.”

All this without the three-point shot, which was not added to high school basketball until the 1987-88 season.

“It is amazing to think of Shel’s stats,” said Chapman’s sister, Deb Fure. “Her scoring records have stood for so long, and she played before the three-pointer was added. Can you imagine what her records would be if she played after three-pointers were

Shel Chapman was offered a full ride to play at Stanford, but only stayed one season before moving on to play for her high school coach Barb Crill at Pittsburg State University. (Photo courtesy of Deb & Russ Fure)

part of the game?”

Following a successful high school career, Chapman was offered a fullride scholarship to play women’s basketball at Stanford University. She played one season at Stanford before moving to Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas to play for her high school coach Barb Crill. Chapman spent two years at Pittsburg and still appears on the roster of school records for women’s basketball double-doubles for games in the 1979-

80 season. In December she scored 29 points and 13 rebounds in a game against Missouri State-St. Louis and in January she had 24 points and 10 rebounds against Washburn. She lettered at Pitt in 1980.

Chapman joined the Michigan State University women’s basketball squad in 1981 but was sidelined by a career-ending knee injury and subsequent surgeries.

While Chapman deserves recognition for her basketball skills, she was so much more. Kay Levandoski Angeli and Chapman were best friends through middle and high school.

“To think of Shel on the basis of her basketball career is only part of her entirety,” Angeli said. “She was so smart; she also had more basketball knowledge about how the game was played than just about anyone I have ever known. She analyzed other players and the flow of the game. She would have been an excellent coach, but I don’t think she thought she had the temperament to coach, which is a shame.”

Fure is quick to point out that Chapman excelled in just about any sport she tried. “She was also a standout in track in the discus and long

jump,” she said. “Her track records stood for a long time at MSHS.”

More than just an athlete

After surgery to repair both knees, Chapman gave up her basketball career and moved to the West Coast. She graduated from the University of Oregon in 1984. Following graduation, she embarked on a new career as a general contractor of her own construction company. Most of her work was done in the Portland, Oregon area. She was well known for her ability to create spaces with artistry that were functional as well as meeting the needs of the homeowners.

Chapman came back to Marquette to care for her mother Anne Chapman-Vonck, who developed Parkinson’s Disease. During that time, she served as construction supervisor at Marquette’s Habitat for Humanity. She worked with Ken Koltvedt from the fall of 2015 to early 2016.

“During that time, we completed four homes for Habitat families,” Koltvedt said. “Shel was knowledgeable, conscientious and dedicated to Habitat and the families we served. She was a pleasure to work with, and there was nothing Shel would not do. She got along with everyone and would climb on the roof, carry drywall or do whatever needed to be done.”

Koltvedt said Chapman still re-

Above, Shel Chapman holds the 1976 State Girls Basketball Class A Championship trophy. Below, Chapman also had an accomplished career in construction. (Photo courtesy of Deb & Russ Fure)

membered her days at MSHS.

“Barb Crill was her mentor, and [Chapman] idolized her, but she could also move beyond her basketball career and succeed at just about anything she tried,” he said. “After she left Habitat, we worked on many construction projects together. I could do decks and stairs and Shel did plumbing and electrical — we were a great team. What I remember most about Shel is how dedicated she was to her family and her friends. She would do anything for them. As someone said, ‘If you met Shel, you would love her.’ And that was so true.”

After leaving Habitat, Shel worked privately around the Marquette area for four or five years before resuming her building career in Tucson, Arizona.

It was in Tucson that Chapman started to have balance and movement issues. It took quite a while for her to be diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This is the same disease that felled baseball great Lou Gehrig. ALS is the most common degenerative disease affecting the adult motor system. It causes damage to the motor neurons as they travel from the brain to the spinal cord. The loss of motor neurons is responsible for progressive weakness and ultimately death.

As her ALS progressed, negatively affecting her health and safety, Chapman returned to Marquette and made her home with Deb and Russ Fure. She died from ALS on July 23, 2022.

“The best thing about her diagnosis was the fact that she returned to Marquette and got to spend the last five

months with her family and friends,” Deb said. “She was surrounded by love, and everyone tried to make sure her final months were comfortable

and meaningful.”

Brother-in-law Russ Fure said he thinks Chapman would have enjoyed this year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball finals.

“All of the attention that the women’s teams are getting, especially Caitlin Clark of Iowa and JuJu Watkins of University of Southern California,” Russ said. “She always complained that when she went into a sports bar, all of the televisions would be playing men’s sports, not women’s. This year the interest in the Women’s March Madness is at an all-time high, and she would appreciate that.”

So next time you turn on a television or visit a sports bar, turn to a station featuring women’s sports and give a toast to an exceptional female athlete, Marquette-born Shel Chapman — she would appreciate that. MM

Pam Christensen graduated from Western Michigan University with a major in English and later a master’s in the science of librarianship. She loves to write and do research about the people, places and events that make the U.P. a special place.

Shel Chapman shows her niece Ashley Fure the basketball moves that propelled her career. (Photo courtesy of Deb & Russ Fure)

Members from the 1976 team are, from left, Sue Belanger, Karen Levandoski Helmila, Kate Jennings, Kris Morin, Cheryl Aho Reynolds, Sue Micklow, Karen Meyers Hafner (assistant coach), Jill Malin, Shel Chapman and Kay Levandoski Angeli. (Photo courtesy of Kay Angeli)

in the outdoors

Invasion imminent: U.P. officials work to combat invasive species

By Brad Gischia

April showers bring May flowers. Those warm days also heat up the species that are not supposed to be sprouting and awakening. Instead of daffodils and crocus coming up on your lawn, you may see things like dandelions and spotted knapweed, which, although pretty, are considered invasive species in Michigan.

“Most people wouldn’t realize that there are invasive species everywhere in our landscape already,” said Elise Desjarlais, coordinator for the Lake to Lake Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA). “Look across the street to your neighbor’s yard and see the little yellow flowers in the spring, the dandelions sprouting everywhere — those dandelions are invasive.”

Every so often, one of these species comes onto the news and makes a splash. Zebra mussels. Emerald Ash Borer. Many feel plants take care of themselves, so there is no need to worry. But since the Emerald Ash Borer made its way through Michigan, it is estimated it has killed tens of millions of ash trees throughout the state. That’s just one variety of insect and one specific plant.

Our only defense is to be vigilant.

Yoopers like to think that we’re separate from so many things that happen in the rest of Michigan. Unfortunately, as Desjarlais says, “Plants don’t care about property boundaries.”

The Lake to Lake CISMA, one of many CISMA’s across the state, stretches between Lakes Superior and Michigan and comprises Marquette, Delta, Alger and Schoolcraft counties.

It has a pretty important job as it works with partners to mitigate the problems of invasives. Desjarlais works with about 25 partner agencies, which range from UPPCO and the Marquette Board of Light and Power to organizations like the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve and the U.P. Land Conservancy. Each signs a memorandum of understanding, which allows the funding that Lake to Lake CISMA has secured to go to any of its member organizations dealing with an invasive species problem.

The long and short of it is that the CISMA is in place to stop invasive species from taking hold in the U.P. and has established a network of people and organizations to help with that.

“We all have this common theme of ‘What do we do about invasive species?’” Desjarlais said.

“What species are a problem in the Upper Peninsula is less of an issue than what we can do about the invasives that are here.”

Those who deal with invasives see a trend in what needs to be managed.

“The annual non-native invasive species management plan on the Hiawatha National Forest is fairly consistent year to year,” said Justin Bournoville, the forest botanist for the state park. “We anticipate that the 2024 season will be similar to past years.”

Bournoville said the focus for Hiawatha is to give top priority to the invasives that flower the earliest, like garlic mustard in May, and spotted knapweed in June and July.

After that the staff moves to the other problems, usually in order of habitats that might be in danger.

“It’s often a game of putting out

Butterbur is a herbaceous plant that invades shaded areas with moist soil, and is under the scrutiny of the Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area. KISMA has been managing a half-acre area infested with butterbur in Chassell, with optimistic results. (Photo courtesy of L2L CISMA)

fires,” said Rob Miller, Invasive Species Prevention and Response Specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

And sometimes those fires just have to be left smoldering.

“As invasive species managers, we’re always looking at the point when a species becomes something we just have to live with,” Desjarlais said. She used spotted knapweed as an example. “It’s got this purple thistley flower and you see it on almost every roadside, sidewalk crack, construction sites. It’s just more than we can fight. What we worry about is the sensitive habits, like our dune systems. We want to keep those as intact as possible.”

It becomes a matter of what is doing the least damage, as well as where management truly has an impact on the species.

“There’s a threshold for when your efforts have an impact,” Miller said. “For spotted lantern fly or hemlock wooly adelgid, it’s going to be an issue. With those species, the effort and money and time you put into the problem, you’re either eradicating it or slowing the spread.”

Miller noted that slowing the spread is only to give time for the researchers to come up with a better solution to the problem. That could be several things, including introducing bio-controls like predatory wasps or other insects that prey upon the invasive.

“That’s a tricky thing though,” Miller said. “You have to be certain that the new species is going to prove to be a very site-specific control.”

But slowing the spread has been effective from a research stance. For example, the emerald ash borer is now off the invasive species list.

“It’s come and done the damage it’s going to do,” Miller said.

Breeding populations of ash trees resistant to the insect has had a good effect on the future population of the variety in Michigan.

“These are conversations that are happening daily and evolving constantly,” Desjarlais said. “There are a variety of landscapes within our CISMA. With the Great Lakes coastlines, those coastal ecosystems are very specialized habitats. Anything that threatens those special habitats is on our watch list. Right now we’re working

Phragmites (Common Reed) are a warm-season perennial grass that reduce native fish and wildlife populations, block out native vegetation and can be a fire hazard. (Photo courtesy of L2L CISMA)

Hemlock wooly adelgid, above, sucks sap from hemlock needles, killing needles, shoots and branches and can cause tree death. The Asian Longhorn Beetles, at right, attack and kill many tree species, including maples, poplar, willow, sycamore and horse chestnut. (Photos courtesy of L2L CISMA)

against non-native phragmites, also known as the common reed. We’ve been pretty successful with our fight against that. In our wooded habitats … we’re on the lookout for forest health invasives like hemlock wooly adelgid. Our top ten most wanted is always evolving.”

Hiawatha Invasives

Hemlock wooly adelgid (HWA) is not on the top ten most wanted list for nothing.

“It came from Asia and moved up and down the east coast,” Miller said. “We found it first around 2015-2017 in Michigan. There seems to be some resistance from host trees in its native range, but the hemlocks in Michigan have no inborn resistance.”

It is found along the west side of the lower peninsula, Miller said. “The Hemlock wooly adelgid is a small aphid-like insect that uses its long siphon-like mouth parts to suck the sap out of a tree. In four to ten years, the tree will weaken, which will kill the hemlock.”

Both MDARD and the CISMAs in the state are on the lookout for HWA, along with scores of volunteers and landscape professionals. And it’s fairly easy to spot. “Survey in the winter,” Miller said. “It’s easy to see them then. Flip over a bough on a hemlock tree and you’ll see what looks like little white cotton balls at the base of the needles. They’re only about one to two millimeters big. That’s the HWA.”

Miller also warns against balsam wooly adelgid (BWA), which is similar except for the placement on the trunks of fir trees rather than on the underside of the needles. “This one attacks all fir trees,” he said. “There are about two billion fir trees in the state of Michigan.”

Those are two very small reasons to be very worried, though they have not been seen in the U.P., and only in very small amounts elsewhere in the state.

Those are just two insects. Think of all of the species of insect in the world. So few of them are native to the U.P. But they can all get here thanks to the movement of people.

“Can you love something to death? Everyone is coming into the U.P. to go for hikes and see waterfalls and use waterways,” Desjarlais said. “We have to keep a very close eye on recreation. We have a huge education and outreach component.”

Those who use any public campgrounds or boat launches will be familiar with the signs about not relo-

cating firewood and decontaminating a boat before launching it.

“Recreation vectors are huge up here,” Desjarlais said. “It’s a huge part of our economy.”

So people, ultimately, are the cause of invasive species spreading, with the help of animals.

“Pathways of non-native invasive species introduction include natural and human vectors,” Bournoville said. “For example, the common reed can be dispersed when stem or root fragments are transported through wave action and non-native invasive woody shrubs such as Japanese barberry and common buckthorn are dispersed by birds who consume the fleshy fruits and expel the seeds. These are difficult vectors to manage.”

Bournoville said they have installed several ways to manage the human component.

boat wash stations/decontamination units at boat launches to clean watercraft to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species into water bodies.”

“

AFTER WE HAVE A DETECTION, WE TRY TO RESPOND RAPIDLY... ANY HELP WE CAN GET FROM VISITORS

Both Desjarlais and Miller also said general transportation of goods and materials, including nursery stock for your garden or yard, are ways to inadvertently bring invasives in. “We move around and stuff moves around with us,” Desjarlais said.

If a species is found in Michigan, there is a system in place to report it and start the wheels of government moving to take care of it.

IS

IMPORTANT

Chelsea Kallery, U.S. Forest Service

“Hiawatha National Forest installed boot brush stations at several trailheads, so forest users can clean their footwear to prevent the introduction and spread of non-native invasive species along trails,” Bournoville said. “We also implemented portable

“After we have a detection, we try to respond rapidly,” said Chelsea Kallery, public affairs officer with the U.S. Forest Service. “We have about one million acres in the Hiawatha National Forest, and that’s a lot of ground to cover.” Kallery said visitor interaction is part of their detection plan. “Any help we can get from visitors is important.” When reports come in, the agencies responding need to do so with a critical eye.

“When we have a new find, we tend to respond on an emergency footing,”

Himalayan balsam alters the behavior and composition of pollinating insects, and can alter water flow at high densities, causing the risk of erosion and flooding. (Photo courtesy of L2L CISMA)

Miller said. “What happens is we get a report, but most of our concerned citizens aren’t entomologists. About 99 percent of our reports are lookalikes. If it looks like something we have to follow up on, I send someone out. Then we talk to some of our partners, like at the DNR and the CISMAs.

Here’s where the importance of a strong CISMA comes into play.

“Our program is unique because we work cross-jurisdictionally,” Desjarlais said. “Forest service can only work in certain places, DNR only in certain places, private land on private land, etc.

“When we have a confirmed invasive, we can partner and work at a landscape scale rather than agency by agency.”

Once an invasive is confirmed then the army of field crews under the CISMA goes to work, either mitigating the severity of the invasive or trying to eradicate it immediately.

“Anyone who has requests for invasive species help can come to us,” Desjarlais said. “Sometimes we physically remove the plants and bag them to be destroyed later. Sometimes it’s a matter of a spray application to kill the plant. Later we can come in and replant natives to fill the gap.”

There is a lot of work being done, but help is always needed, especially

from people who are out in the environment. Miller said if you see something you suspect of being invasive, check the MDARD invasive watchlist page at michigan.gov/invasives/id-report/watchlist.

There are currently more than 30 invasives that they’re watching for, including HWA, BWA, the Asian Longhorn Beetle and other varieties of plants and fish.

Information about the Hiawatha National Forest can be found at fs.usda.gov/hiawatha.

If you have other questions, call or stop in the CISMA office on Commerce Drive in Marquette or visit l2lcisma.org.

“I will always take phone calls — I welcome them all,” Desjarlais said. The end goal of the CISMA is to be a resource.

“We don’t charge for any of these services,” she said. “We want it to be accessible for anyone. If we can’t help you, we know someone who can. People from our staff will come out and help you address your concerns.”

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Brad Gischia is a writer and artist native to Upper Michigan. He has published two children’s books and done illustrations for both comic books and novels.

Spotted knapweed is poisonous to other plants, creating barren areas where only knapweed grows. (Photo courtesy of L2L CISMA)

the arts

80 years of artistic resilience

By Jennifer Champagne

In the serene foothills of the Austrian Alps, Christine Saari’s childhood unfolded on a rustic farm, framed by echoes of World War II. Now, at the age of 80, Saari’s memories shimmer with simplicity, nature and a tenacious appetite for life. This setting, devoid of modern conveniences, laid the groundwork for an artistic essence destined to leave a lasting impression on the world.

Saari’s parents were instrumental in nurturing her creative passions. Her mother Anna, a journalist and writer, ignited her literary spark, while her father Michael’s artistic talents planted the seeds of Saari’s artistic aspirations. Although these inherited innovative abilities were the foundation, it was Saari’s move to the United States that truly set her on her artistic path.

“Growing up on a farm in the foothills of the Alps was a magical experience, despite the challenges of World War II,” Saari said. “My mother’s writing influenced my literary talents, while my father inspired my visual arts talents.”

Saari’s life took an unexpected turn when she met Jon, her now life partner, at an international student work

camp in Austria. Though she had no plans to return to the United States after attending a similar camp there, love led her to embrace a dual-continental lifestyle. Now, she spends three months each year at her soul place — the Austrian farm where she grew up — balancing her time between two worlds.

Moving first to Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband, then a graduate student, Saari’s initial reluctance to follow her mother’s journalistic footsteps faded as she started documenting American lifestyles for Austrian publications.

“I wasn’t planning to become a journalist like my mother,” Saari said. “Austria is a small country, and everyone knew her. It was too small for both of us.”

Six years after relocating to Cambridge, Saari, her husband and their children made their home in Marquette in 1971. There, Saari discovered a harmonious blend of natural serenity and cultural vitality, reminiscent of her cherished homeland of Austria.

This move also sparked a discovery that photography deeply resonated with her. Setting up a makeshift darkroom in the bathroom, Saari be-

Originally from Austria, Christine Saari and her husband Jon made their home in Marquette in 1971. (Photo by Kristine Granger)

gan an artistic journey of self-discovery, fueled by her curiosity and the encouragement of a neighbor who happened to be a photography professor at Northern Michigan University, recognizing her latent talent. Her involvement with the Marquette Artist Collective and other artistic groups has enriched her creative spirit, fostering relationships that inspire and challenge her.

Saari’s husband Jon, now a retired professor from Northern Michigan University with a deep expertise in Chinese history, has stood as a steadfast pillar of support throughout Saari’s artistic discovery. Having spent extensive time in the Far East, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, his understanding of history and culture adds depth to their shared life experiences, fostering a dynamic marital partnership that continues to inspire.

tially a personal treasure, became the inspiration for her first piece, “Letters from my Father.” Recognizing their universal significance, Saari entered this work in the U.P. Women’s Art Exhibit and won first prize, affirming its artistic value. This recognition ignited a passion in her, leading to an annual tradition of creating pieces for the exhibit.

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MY MOTHER’S WRITING INFLUENCED MY LITERARY TALENTS WHILE MY FATHER INSPIRED MY VISUAL ARTS TALENTS.

For Saari, art is a journey — a path that has taken her through two continents, across eight decades, and into the depths of her family’s history. What began as an unplanned endeavor has evolved into a life’s work, a testament to the power of storytelling through various mediums.

This odyssey began with a collection of letters from her father, a soldier writing to his child. These letters, ini-

Realizing the vastness of her project, Saari applied for a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts, enabling her to focus solely on her art. This launched her continuing initiative, a collection that spans two decades and captures the essence of her family’s history that grew to be “Family Album.” Housed in the gallery in the hayloft on her farm, this permanent installation serves as a living testament to Saari’s life work, touching viewers deeply and often moving them to tears.

Her journey into her family’s past through the “Family Album” project has been profoundly personal and revealing. The most significant aspect of this project for her was the opportunity it provided to connect with her father, whom she lost at a very young age. Through his letters from the front lines of war and his drawings, she was able to rediscover him in a way that her childhood memories couldn’t capture.

The hayloft in Christine Saari’s farm is home to an art installation, “Family Album,” that explores the stories of her family through artifacts and 3-D objects she created. (Photo by Oswald Teichmann)

“I think the most significant thing was to get to know my father,” Saari reflects. “Because I was five when he died, I had very few personal memories, just snippets. To get to know him through his words, his drawings and his letters with flowers, especially those he wrote to me from the front lines, were invaluable. He would ask about the flowers he found, like red roses, which showed his connection and love.”

These letters, written by a soldier to his young daughter on a mountaintop, became the cornerstone of her project, allowing her to explore themes of love, loss and connection in a deeply personal way. Through her work, Saari not only honors her father’s memory but also offers a universal perspective on the impact of war and the enduring power of love.

From this body of work emerged “Love and War at Stag Farm: The Story of Hirschengut, an Austrian Mountain Farm 1938-1948,” a book that expands on Saari’s experiences and reaches a wider audience than her exhibits. Through her writing, Saari paints a vivid picture of an ordinary family’s life during wartime, shedding light on the daily struggles and triumphs of the civilian population.

But Saari’s artistic exploration didn’t stop there. Encouraged by fel-

Above, the courtyard of the Saari farm in Austria, at which Christine still spends three months every year. (Photo by Christine Garceau) Below, Saari poses in her mother’s Austrian garb; she loves to pick wildflowers at the farm (Photo by Roswitha Resch Grünmann)

low members of a writing group she belongs to, she ventured into poetry with a book entitled “Blossoms in the Dark of Winter,” distilling her experiences into verses that resonate with readers.

Kristine Granger, whose mother founded the Writing Sisters Group, is a close friend and fellow artist. She sheds light on Saari’s journey. “Christine is someone who knows herself, who honors herself,” Granger said. “She does not shy away from giving her opinion, and she is tender and caring.” Their bond began when Granger’s mother introduced her to Saari’s visual work during a family album workshop. This connection blossomed into a close friendship and mentor-mentee relationship. “She is a person that I hold extremely dear to my heart.”

Martin Achatz, the coordinator of the Marquette Poet Circle and the adult programming coordinator at Peter White Public Library, also shared his admiration for Saari. “Christine is a wonderful, wonderful person,” Achatz said. “She’s a force to be reckoned with. Aside from being a wonderful writer, she’s just a fantastic artist as well. She’s like a renaissance woman; she does everything.”

Their friendship traces back to their mutual involvement in the Marquette Poet Circle and activities at the Joy Center in Ishpeming. Achatz recalled attending poetry readings and art gallery openings where he was consistently impressed by Saari’s talents and contributions. “She fits into so many groups,” he said. “She’s a wonderful writer, a great visual artist and also a wonderful advocate for arts in the area.”

He shared a heartwarming story from a team poetry writing workshop where Saari interacted with young students. He emphasized her abili-

ty to inspire people across different generations, noting how she connected with the students and ignited their passion for poetry and art. He said Saari’s boundless energy and creativity have had a positive impact on the arts community in Marquette. Not just her early involvement in the group’s founding, but also her ongoing contributions, such as coordinating exhibits that combine poetry with visual art.

Navigating between visual art, memoir writing, and poetry, Saari finds each medium presents its own set of challenges and rewards. Yet, they all serve to keep her historical materials fresh and relevant, ensuring that her family’s stories continue to inspire and educate. When asked about the emotional challenges of delving into her family history, Saari mentioned that while it was painful, it was also therapeutic. She balanced this work with her cigar box shrines, described as unique 3-D cigar boxes. “I just needed something more whimsical and something more light-hearted about the balance,” Saari said. “And so I started my cigar box series. It offers a counterbalance to the emotional depth of the Family Album project.”

Joy Bender Hadley, another close friend, provides a unique perspective on Saari’s journey. They met in the early ’90s at the Oasis Gallery, a non-profit contemporary art gallery in a small town. Hadley describes Saari’s transition from a photojournalist to a multifaceted artist, blending photography, sculpture and interactive elements.

As the manager of the gallery where Saari showcases her work, Hadley eagerly anticipates each new creation, celebrating Saari’s diverse and ever-evolving artistic portfolio. “Christine’s work has had a significant impact on the local art community in Marquette,” Hadley said. “She

Christine and Jon Saari pose by some of her artistry, which can be seen in her writing and poetry as well. (Photo by Oswald Teichmann)

shares her experience, has a following of both locals and tourists and her work is very moving.”

Looking ahead, Saari is delving deeper into the realm of poetry, a medium she describes as “condensation” and a form of expression that allows her to convey profound sentiments in a compact format. “You can say in one poem what you can say on 50 pages,” she said. Initially not considering herself a poet, Saari’s involvement with the Marquette Poets Circle transformed her perspective, leading her to explore this rich form of artistic expression. As she continues to evolve as a poet, Saari’s upcoming collection promises to be expansive, capturing the essence of her experiences living in the U.P., her travels to Cairns and reflections on her past and present.

Embracing this broader scope, Saari shares, “The one I’m working on now is much more weighty. It’s about everything — living in the UK, visiting Cairns and delving into my past and present, my family.” This forthcoming anthology embodies a multifaceted exploration of life’s intricacies, blending personal memories with broader observations. Through her poetry, Saari invites readers to join her on a journey through time and

place, celebrating the richness of existence in all its dimensions.

Saari’s lifelong dedication to art remains unwavering. Her work, ranging from whimsical mixed-media cigar box shrines crafted from recycled treasures to poignant installations, resonates with viewers across various platforms. You can explore Saari’s captivating creations at The DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University. Her pieces also grace the collections of institutions like Bay College and The Gallery on Washington Street in Marquette. For those eager to delve deeper into Saari’s world, her work can be discovered in her personal gallery and studio space at Wintergreen Hill Gallery & Gifts. Through her art, Saari not only showcases her immense talent but also underscores the timeless power of creativity, resilience and storytelling, proving that age is no barrier to artistic expression.

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Jennifer Champagne is an accomplished entertainment and visual effects writer with a passion for storytelling. When she’s not crafting articles on industry giants, you’ll find her enjoying life with her family.

Christine Saari looks through artifacts in the loft of her Austrian farm that houses the “Family Album” installation. (Photo by Christine Garceau)

lookout point

Service clubs get creative Organizations boost membership by offering fun

By Pam Christensen

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is blessed with many active service clubs that improve the quality of life, sense of community and social programs in the areas they serve. Internationally based service organizations such as Lions, Zonta, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs are all represented across the U.P.

Unfortunately, in many areas,membership in these organizations is declining as the population ages, businesses shrink, and individuals have competing demands on their time.

“As a non-profit leader concerned with the health of the community, I have learned that local service clubs make a positive difference in many ways,” said Andrew Rickauer, executive director of United Way of Marquette County. “That is why I have been concerned about declining membership in many of these clubs. I have done some research and have found that membership in civic organizations has changed. Young adults want to be engaged and involved in their communities, but they don’t always see a connection between service clubs and community improvement.”

The United Way of Marquette County introduced Yoopers United (YU) to the community three years ago. This robust volunteer engagement tool has evolved along the way. What started as a tool to inform the general public about volunteer opportunities is poised to become a powerful recruiting tool for service clubs.

“Right now, Yoopers United features volunteer opportunities in Marquette County,” Rickauer said. “The system has the capacity to serve the entire U.P., but our staff of two cannot support growth beyond Marquette right now. We would love to talk to other communities about how they could use YU, but at this point, there has not been an organization willing to provide the support that would be needed to expand YU beyond Marquette County.”

Yoopers United is more than just a volunteer tool. The site includes almost 100 partner agencies, a calendar of events, info for students and youth,

skills-based volunteer opportunities and a section for businesses. YU has registered 2,700 volunteers. The State of Michigan’s Volunteer Michigan uses the same platform as YU, and YU volunteer opportunities are also listed at the site. YU activity accounts for approximately 70 percent of the opportunities at that site.

“According to that statistic, we are using YU much more effectively than other parts of the state,” Rickauer said.

Business United supports the efforts of local businesses to engage employees in the community. It helps employers strategically plan community engagement efforts over the course of a year and integrate a variety of employee engagement goals. UW staff can help businesses survey employee interest, develop a community engagement plan, locate high-impact projects for the team, identify innovative projects and opportunities for the company and encourage employees to volunteer.

The benefits to the business are numerous. Volunteerism builds employee leadership, boosts employee morale and teamwork, increases employee retention, enhances the company’s reputation and relationships in the community and helps the company address social responsibility.

“The latest research into employee recruitment and retention points to the desire of employees to be engaged in their communities,” Rickauer said.

“The America’s Charities Snapshot on Employee Research has found that 88 percent of employees believe effective employee engagement programs help attract and retain employees.”

In addition to helping businesses build a better climate for employees and the corporation, Rickauer has been working to improve the information about service club partners on the site. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Marquette and has developed a club profile that explains Kiwanis and invites people to join their organization through volunteering at club

activities. He followed that expansion with other YU partners; Community Connect, Marquette West Rotary Club and Zonta Club of Marquette. Information about United Way and Yoopers United can be found at uwmqt.org.

The two Marquette Kiwanis Clubs merged several years ago due to declining membership, but membership has been growing in part due to new members joining the group for volunteer opportunities.

“Many of [Kiwanis] new members have been the result of people who saw our volunteer opportunity on YU and joined in a project that interested them,” Rickauer said. “Once they get familiar with the organization, our mission and what we do, they want to be more involved and end up joining the club. “This is one of the reasons he encourages local organizations and service clubs to share information about their group and their volunteer needs.

For details about Kiwanis Clubs in the U.P., visit the District 30 Kiwanis

The Marquette Area Rotary Clubs joined together to sponsor a lithium battery recycling event in October 2023. Lithium batteries collected during this event were sent to an approved recycling facility, diverting these dangerous batteries from unsafe disposal. (Photo courtesy of Marquette Breakfast Rotary Club)

“People hear about Lions, Zonta, Rotary, Kiwanis and other clubs, but they really do not know the vital role these organizations play in the community,” Rickauer said. He is trying to break down the perception that service clubs are “exclusive” organizations resistant to new members. “So many people feel that you must be invited or recruited to join a service club. This is not the case, and most organizations are actively looking for new members who support the mission of the service club.”

This is a sentiment shared by Fran Finley, current president of the Marquette Breakfast Rotary Club and membership chairperson for Rotary District 6220. The District serves 1,200 Rotarians and 45 clubs in the U.P. and Wisconsin. Growing membership has been a priority for the district for the past three years that she has been involved at the district level. Rotary International has been focused on growing membership for the last 20 years. The 2022-25 District Action Plan is to “Grow Rotary Through Service.”

“It isn’t enough for clubs to just grow membership,” Finley said. “All

civic organizations need to keep new members engaged. Our research has found that 50 percent of new Rotary members leave the organization after one year. Some of these departures are due to changing circumstances like a job change, family responsibilities or leaving the area, but some members leave because they don’t feel connected to the club.”

Surprisingly, Rotary International’s largest membership growth is coming from Ukraine. The clubs in Ukraine have become more visible in their communities in the days and months following the start of the war. People are witnessing the positive impact members are having during this difficult time, and that service inspires new members to join Rotary to continue the important work Rotarians are doing in the country.

Rotary clubs in the United States and other countries have also developed service projects to respond to the needs of the war-torn country. Rotarians have sponsored service projects providing generators for hospitals, food, medicine and clean water. India is also experiencing growth as Rotary has become an integral part of the social fabric of the country. The values of unity, service and humanitarianism appeal to citizens. Women in India face more gender inequality and Rotary is a place they can grow and thrive.

“Rotary International is also proactive about exploring barriers to membership,” Finley said. “The organization has taken a hard look at underrepresented populations and there has been an effort to attract membership from the Latino and indigenous communities. There is an LGBTQ+ club that sponsors a marvelous Mardi Gras event each year. All of these segments of the population are invested in improving their communities.”

One of the avenues successful clubs have used to attract new members is to reduce the number of meetings and the cost of membership dues. Another is to identify what motivates new members. Two years ago, the Marquette Breakfast Rotary Club sponsored a satellite club that meets two times per month, rather than weekly. One meeting is a social meeting while the other is taking part in a community service project. The group has helped with the Noquemanon Ski

“Honor a Woman” is one of the Marquette Zonta Club’s latest events; it honors local women who exemplify Zonta’s mission of “Building a Better World for Women and Girls.” (Photo courtesy of Zonta Club of Marquette)

Holly Michelin and Karen Thompson, Zonta members, work with Habitat for Humanity on a recent build. (Photo courtesy of Zonta Club of Marquette)

Marathon, Ore to Shore and Salvation Army bell-ringing. Club members select a project and members of the group volunteer. They locate many of these projects using Yoopers United.

Other Rotary Clubs have started satellite clubs marketed to young professionals who may not have time for a weekly meeting. These members can take part in the club’s activities and meetings but are not required to do so. Instead, they set their own meeting schedule and activities. Many of these satellite members are new business owners or work in the tech field bringing new enthusiasm, expertise and talent to the sponsoring club.

Bryan Lopac, past president of Marquette West Rotary Club and co-chair of the group’s annual HarborFest, said that getting new members, potential members and current members involved is very important to the health of their club. “We find that many of our new members join Rotary because they were involved in HarborFest as a volunteer,” he said. “They enjoyed that experience so much, they took a harder look at our club and joined. Working on a largescale project like HarborFest brings members together for a common goal, and they also have fun.”

For details on the club, visit the Rotary District 6220 site at ridistrict6220.org.

COVID-19 brought many changes to the way service clubs operated during the lengthy shutdown. Marquette’s Zonta Club actually benefited during this time. They quickly moved to a Zoom platform for monthly meetings, which eliminated the costly lunches, a change that continues post-COVID. They looked at their dues structure that discouraged some potential members from joining. President Kia Richmond was president during the initial phase of COVID and Luci Contois was club vice president. Together with treasurer Karen Thompson, they worked to lower dues as much as possible. Their goal was to maintain membership and improve member engagement, despite not being able to meet in person.

Contois moved into the club president position in 2021-22.

“I felt very strongly that we should do everything we could to keep every member of the club during this stressful time,” Contois said. “Luckily the club had some reserve funds and money designated for the unused lunches. We were able to revise our dues structure and develop ways to meet via Zoom or outdoors. I am proud to say that we did not lose one member during that time. I actually feel it brought our club closer together. People had nowhere to go and looked forward to the Zoom meetings. Our meeting attendance improved, and members were more involved.”

It was during this time, the Zonta leadership looked for other ways to

Ellen Sargent and the Grinch, both members of Marquette West Rotary, prepare to wrap holiday gifts at the Shop with a Cop event. (Photo courtesy of Marquette West Rotary Club)

Many civic clubs support community events by volunteering as a group. Here members of Marquette Kiwanis staff an Ore to Shore aid station along the trail. (Photo courtesy of Marquette Kiwanis Club)

keep members engaged. The fairly new Zonta book club took on more importance, and they opened membership to anyone who was interested whether they were a Zonta member or not.

“The book club meets monthly after work hours and meets at a member’s home, a local park or the Federated Clubhouse,” Contois said. “The book club has been very successful and instrumental in attracting new members.”

One of those new members was Holly Michelin, Program Coordinator at United Way of Marquette County. “The United Way board encouraged me to get more involved in the community,” she said. “I visited several service clubs and explored my options. I was interested in the Zonta book club and started with that. After reviewing the dues structures of local clubs, I found Zonta was an affordable option and the projects they sponsor appeal to me. The women in Zonta are so supportive and encourage each member to get involved to the level that works for her. It has been the right club for me.”

Zonta has also found that special events and volunteer opportunities have led to new members. “We have

been proactive about putting sign-up sheets out at our events for people to sign if they are interested in learning more about Zonta,” Contois said. “It has also informed potential members that we are looking for new members, and we are not an exclusive invitation-only organization.”

The result of their combined efforts has led to a 77-percent increase in membership over the past two and a half years.

The U.P. has two Zonta Clubs, one in Marquette and one in Escanaba. Information about Zonta can be found at the Zonta District 15 site at zonta15.org/find-a-club-near-you.

Service clubs bring immeasurable benefits to their communities. Membership is not exclusive and those who are interested in making a positive impact are encouraged to explore the many service club options in their area.

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Pam Christensen graduated from Western Michigan University with a major in English and later a master’s in the science of librarianship. She loves to write and do research about the people, places and events that make the U.P. a special place.

John Sutton, a member of Marquette Kiwanis, serves up some tasty chicken during the organization’s annual chicken barbecue event. (Photo courtesy of Marquette Kiwanis Club)

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Senior Support Series brings older adults together for fun, learning

By Jennifer Donovan

Seniors often feel isolated, and the COVID-19 pandemic made the problem worse. Seniors were stuck at home — no church services, no shopping trips, no coffee shops or lunch with friends. And many of them still have not recovered.

There are a lot of seniors in Marquette. The number of residents over 65 has doubled since 1970, from less than 6,000 to 12,000, according to statistics reported by Marquette County Aging Services.

Kevin Dorr works with seniors every day as the founder and owner/ broker of Mapping Medicare, a Marquette-based insurance business that helps seniors understand their Medicare options and make informed decisions. He has seen the extent of the problem.

“In the audience I work with every day, I see the consequences of folks being isolated,” Dorr said. “During the pandemic, seniors just shut down. They felt more isolated than ever, and when the pandemic ended, they had gotten used to being isolated. It had become a habit, and many of them have not come back. They still don’t go out. They don’t see friends. I’m an oldie myself, and I understand. I wanted to help. I wanted to kickstart people back into life. I wondered, what can I do?”

He came up with an answer. It’s called the Senior Support Series and consists of free, quarterly programs to lure seniors out to learn something while they socialize with their peers.

Dorr was thinking about the series he wanted to create as he walked to a coffee shop he visits every day. He passed the nearby Marquette Regional History Center (MRHC) and stopped to contemplate it. Dorr is a member of the MRHC. He knows it has a large membership of seniors, a beautiful meeting room and an effective marketing and outreach program. The Marquette Regional History Center would make a perfect partner, he thought.

So Dorr approached them. The staff was excited about his idea. He met with Betsy Rutz, the center’s edu-

cation director, and they brainstormed a plan for the series.

“We have been creating programs for the community as part of our mission as a non-profit since our beginnings back in 1918,” Rutz said. “Our experience with programming over these many years has taught us what is most valued and appreciated by a wide variety of community members.”

The history center learned that seniors especially like — low- or no-cost daytime programming — so when Dorr proposed a free, early afternoon event, the Senior Support Series was born.

The center took the lead, hosting the programs, finding and scheduling presenters and planning each program with the help of the presenters and Dorr. The center also does all the promotion and facilitates the events themselves, Rutz said.

“The Central Upper Peninsula, much like the rest of the country, has a need for programming and activities for senior citizens,” she said. “Folks

are looking for a place to socialize and also learn something new, with no demands put on them.”

And how has the series been received? “It’s been fantastic. Beyond our expectations,” Rutz said.

Dorr said nearly 90 people attended the first program, Music as Medicine. “We were blown away,” he said.

Music as Medicine

The first program took place in January. Reflecting its theme of music as medicine, two local musicians performed, and a music therapist led the seniors in simple exercises designed to connect music to their lives.

Cellist Adam Hall and violinist Danielle

The first program in the series, “Music as Medicine” took place in January and was well attended, above. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Dorr) Violinist Danielle Simandl, below, was one of the performers; the aim was to get people to listen to music in different ways. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative)

Simandl performed classical music. Board-certified music therapist Theresa Camilli taught participants how to listen to music and how music can evoke emotions. She led exercises such as drawing mandalas while listening to a piece of music being played.

As music from different eras was played, the history center projected photos from the time that genre of music was popular. And plenty of time was left for the participants to discuss their experience.

Mary Berryman, 69, attended the program. “I really enjoyed it,” the Ishpeming resident said. “I like experiencing new things. It was something different. It created a new way to think about music.”

Personally, Berryman says, she likes rock & roll and easy listening. “But it was fun to experience music that was new to me.”

Berryman saw a few people she knew at the event and met others from different areas. One lived as far away as Ann Arbor and was visiting Marquette.

Berryman drove to the program from her home in Ishpeming. But she’s thinking about looking into the free bus service next time. And she definitely plans to go to the next in the series.

The Rest of the Series

Three more Senior Support Series programs are scheduled. At 1:30 p.m. on June 5, there will be a program called Smart Shopping. Another program, Shipwreck Story, is sched-

uled for October 9, and Prepping for a Long Winter is planned for December 4.

There is a free parking lot on site, although it’s small, and Berryman said she would like to see the sponsors arrange for more free parking nearby. The history center also is located across the street from a bus stop, which makes it easy for participants to get there by bus.

The hosts provide complimentary

coffee and award door prizes in the form of $100 in grocery gift cards at every event.

Letting Seniors Know

TheMarquette Regional History Center emailed its members about the series and posted fliers. They also contacted area senior centers.

Lori Stephens-Brown, director of Marquette County Aging Services, said she thinks the series is a great

idea. “There is a great need for activities and educational opportunities for our seniors. It is good to see free or low-cost options for our seniors, as most have limited budgets.”

Marquette County Aging Services has 185 senior volunteers working with 50 agencies and nonprofits all over the county. Stephens-Brown said the volunteers connect with hundreds of seniors through the programs they work with.

The history center is dedicated to the concept behind the Senior Support Series. “We believe social interaction, igniting curiosity, and community involvement, contribute to your overall health and happiness,” their announcement for the series said.

“Providing a space and backbone for programming such as this fills the need for retaining active minds, social interaction, and lifelong learning in our community,” Rutz said.

For details on the Senior Support Series, contact Kevin Dorr at KevinDorr@MappingMedicare.com or 906-360-0948. Participants may also inquire at the Marquette Regional History Center by calling 906-2263571.

MM

Jennifer Donovan is a freelance writer based in Houghton. She has decades of experience as a newspaper reporter, magazine writer and university communications specialist, most recently as director of news and information at Michigan Tech.

The Senior Support series was the idea of Kevin Dorr. The Marquette Regional History Center staff embraced it, gave it a venue and took the lead on promotion. (Photo courtesy of Marquette Regional History Center)

Board-certified music therapist Theresa Camilli taught participants different ways to listen to music and they drew mandalas and other art while they listened (Photo courtesy of Kevin Dorr).

in the outdoors

Shorebirds: A walk on the beach

This is the first of a two-part series about shorebirds; the next can be found in the June 2024 issue of Marquette Monthly.

By Scot Stewart

“To stand at the edge of the sea, to sense the ebb and flow of the tides, to feel the breath of a mist moving over a great salt marsh, to watch the flight of shore birds that have swept up and down the surf lines of the continents for untold thousands of years, to see the running of the old eels and the young shad to the sea, is to have the knowledge of things that are as nearly eternal as any earthly life can be.”

—Rachel Carson

Warmer weather in the Upper Peninsula stirs a desire to get to water. On very warm days, and especially on those rare Upper Peninsula hot days, it can blow cool breezes onshore. On those beaches of the Great Lakes comes a feeling of relaxation, a breath of fresh air, and a sense of total freedom too. Waves lapping up on clean sand seem to come as an invitation to get away from clutter and chaos, to escape all that is here and head to a special place far away.

A visit to the beach, especially before the water warms enough to draw the swimming crowd, can bring a spe-

cial respite from all that is in town. It also can offer a chance to spend time with a special group, a seemingly free bunch racing up and down the beach, but with a totally different agenda — searching out food and a moment’s escape from wind, falcons and the ex-

ertion of travel.

Spring’s warmer weather provides a great opportunity to join those special individuals, plovers, sandpipers, avocets, and other waterbirds, and to see these special groups of birds making brief stops in northern Michigan.

Nearly all are chance encounters. Many are making unplanned stops because of weather, hunger, physical challenges or unexpected challenges, like forest fire smoke. They are en route to summer homes on incredible trips from South America to the northern reaches of Alaska and Canada for the summer and on return trips each fall, with an entourage of young in tow.

Spring and fall migrations are amazing times to catch these international travelers and maybe a U.P. summer resident as well.

More than 30 species of shorebirds can pass through the Upper Peninsula during spring and fall migrations, but only a handful stay to nest during the summer months. Among the plovers, killdeer and piping plovers stay. While black stilts are found occasionally nesting downstate, none have been found in the U.P. Five sandpipers and their relatives have been found nesting in the U.P. Upland and spotted sandpipers nest across the state. American woodcocks and Wilson’s snipes are inland nesters and prefer habitats near wetlands.

This American Golden-plover was seen at the mouth of the Dead River. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

A Wilson’s phalarope female forages on a pond in Chocolay Township. (Photos by Scot Stewart)

Wilson phalaropes are a species of beautiful wetlands sandpipers, found from time to time in the U.P. during migration, but discovered possibly nesting in the U.P. in just one location in Delta County during the last Michigan breeding bird atlas. The rest of these shorebirds turn up here as wandering vagrants or migrants on their way to distant places.

“If we had better hearing, and could discern the descants of sea birds, the rhythmic tympani of schools of mollusks or even the distant harmonics of midges hanging over meadows in the sun, the combined sound might lift us off our feet.”

—Lewis Thomas

Beaches

are some of the best places to see all of these birds, especially near the mouths of those like the Dead River in Marquette and the AuTrain River in Alger County. The Lower Harbor breakwater is another great place to see shorebirds in Marquette.

During variable periods in the spring, there often are large hatches of midge flies along the large rocks bolstering the concrete portion of the structure. Many of the midges are bloodworms — midges with bright red larvae living in the lake near the breakwater. These larvae contain hemoglobin, like the protein in blood, to give them their red color. They use the protein to pull oxygen out of the water.

The midge larvae are an important food for fish, but when they mature into adult flies, they spend a short time — usually just a few days — swarming as they mate and lay the next generation of eggs on the water. They often hatch in great swarms flying over and landing on the breakwater. These clouds may be a nuisance for walkers, but a bonanza of food for sandpipers and plovers racing over the rocks and concrete.

The hatch of midges can be a critical source of food for shorebirds making epic flights, some from the southern tip of South America to the Arctic Circle. Their arrival is often timed to coincide with the midge hatch. Sandpipers and occasionally some plovers will spend days there scooping up large numbers of these insects. In Marquette, the midge hatch also attracts barn, tree, bank and cliff swallows here for the summer, and also some visiting rough-winged swallows too.

“…recognize and respect Earth’s beautiful systems of balance, between the presence of animals on land, the fish in the sea, birds in the air, mankind, water, air, and the land. Most importantly there must always be awareness of the actions by people that can disturb this precious balance.”

—Margaret Mead

The most common spring sandpipers initially on the breakwater in

Semipalmated Sandpipers are small shorebirds and long distance migrants dependent on key stopover habitats during their migration. This pair was seen on the breakwater in Marquette. (Photos by Scot Stewart)

Marquette and along the beaches are least sandpipers, then semipalmated sandpipers, but they can be joined by dunlin, sanderlings, Baird’s, whiterumped, buff-breasted and spotted sandpipers, and once in a while others like willets.

The least sandpipers, as their name suggests, are the smallest of the sandpipers. They are a little easier to identify in a crowd with their small size and yellow legs. They stand out in contrast to other sandpipers with gray, brown or black legs.

Larger pectoral and solitary sandpipers and two species of yellowlegs also have yellow appendages but are much less common on the beaches and are rarely on the breakwaters. Least sandpipers running up and down the breakwater will pluck up midges resting on the rocks. They will show up on beaches and the muddy edges of ponds and lakes. Their bills are short and curve down just slightly and work better in less muddy places as they look for small invertebrates.

Semipalmated sandpipers are a little larger than the least sandpipers but have dark gray or black legs. Baird’s sandpipers have longer wings extending past their tails and are noticeably larger.

White-rumped are heavily streaked across their chests and have a larger white patch above their tails. Buff-breasted sandpipers have a more

upright posture and small heads and bills. Spotted sandpipers are easy to pick out as they move along the rocks or beach because they bob their tails up and down. They are also the most common sandpiper in North America, found across all of the continental United States, except for a tiny strip of Alaska at some point during the year. They are the only one of the sandpipers in this group that will remain in the Upper Peninsula for the summer to nest.

Dunlins have become a little more common during spring migration at the breakwater, and are considerably different than the rest with longer, slightly down-turned bills, large black patches on their chests and a chunky build. Sanderlings are larger sandpipers with dark upper plumage in spring and nearly white plumage in fall.

In the spring, five other fairly common sandpipers will also pass through the area, being more properly considered wetland-loving species. Three are closely related — solitary sandpipers, lesser yellowlegs and greater yellowlegs.

They all have eye rings, yellow legs and can be found often in flooded grassy areas and the edges of shallow ponds pulling earthworms and other invertebrates out of the water. The main difference between them is their size. Solitary sandpipers are about the same size as spotted sandpipers

American woodcock are known by many other names, including timberdoodle, mudbat, bogsucker or night partridge. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

Semipalmated plover forage for food on beaches, such as this one seen at the mouth of the Dead River in Marquette. (Photo by Scot Stewart)

— about seven to eight inches for the spotted and seven-and-a-half to nine inches for the solitary sandpiper. Lesser yellowlegs are nine to ten-anda-half inches long and greater yellowlegs are 11.5 to 13 inches. The bills of all three are distinctly different sizes, too, and can help with identification.

The whimbrel is another large sandpiper seen occasionally during spring migration in northern Michigan. They often migrate in large flocks of 100 or more, and those flocks are seen from time to time migrating past the Stonington Peninsula in Delta County. Single birds do occasionally show up, usually on the shores of the Great Lakes. Several have been seen over the years at the mouth of the Dead River.

This year will be different for birds during spring migration there as work continues to redirect the Dead River straight east out of its outlet and remove a large part of the sand spit on the south side of the river. This area has been a great foraging and resting area for shorebirds in both spring and fall, but probably not this spring.

Stilt sandpipers are large water lovers, too, and are fairly rare U.P. visitors. The Dead River and lagoons at Whitefish Point have hosted them recently during migration. As their name suggests, they have long legs and are almost always seen along the beach.

Although they are all called shorebirds, some sandpipers are at home in grassy fields. As its name implies, upland sandpipers prefer open fields and grasslands. Upland sandpiper pairs that are probably nesting have been found in all the U.P. counties except Schoolcraft and Keweenaw.

With small heads and bills and light plumage, they cut a distinct profile while sitting on fence posts at the edge of fields. They prefer habitats with very short grass where they hunt insects like grasshoppers and are among the first to head south in July for “fall” migration. Their calls are among birder favorites, rising then falling in a high trill.

Two other large sandpipers — marbled and Hudsonian godwits — are often seen in upland areas during their nesting seasons and frequently during migration. Both are generally between 16 and 19 inches and have very large, slightly upturned pinkish bills.

In May 2014, a large flock of around 14 marbled godwits stopped for several hours at the mouth of the Dead River and in May 2018, a single bird was seen in the fields near the Superior Dome for two days. Hudsonian godwits are less common, but in May 2019 one spent two days near a Chocolay Township golf course. They are seen from time to time along the Lake Michigan shoreline in spring. Another godwit, not seen in Michigan, the bar-

tail, is one of the most accomplished migrant shorebirds of them all. One record non-stop trip documented using microchips was 8,425 miles in eleven days from Alaska to New Zealand.

One of the most unusual shorebird sightings came in 2019 at the mouth of the AuTrain River in Alger County on Lake Superior. Although it was really late in the season for shorebird migration, a large flock of American avocets spent most of a late, windy October afternoon at the river mouth. There are occasional reports of single avocets and occasionally pairs frequently along the Great Lakes, but flocks of more than 20 are extremely rare.

They have been reported in Marquette, Gwinn, Seney National Wildlife Refuge, AuTrain and Whitefish Point, but probably have made short stops in many other places. Random sightings have been reported across the Lower 48.

Avocets are remarkable-looking shorebirds with long upturned bills that can be up to 3.7 inches long. They also are larger shorebirds, about a foot tall and 17 to 18 inches long. In summer, they have beautiful buffy-orange heads and black-and-white bodies.

In winter plumage, they are nearly all gray, white and black. They are adept at catching small insects, crustaceans, fish and aquatic plant seeds. They spend their summers in the prairie pothole country of the Central

Plains and the wetlands of the northwest and winter across the coastal areas of the south and in Mexico.

Like the avocets, black-necked stilts have long legs, but are pink, not bluish, and are just a little smaller than the avocets. Their bills are straight and a little smaller than avocets, with bodies that are mostly black, with white chins, necks and chests. Although their bodies are slight and legs are extremely long, they do have a feisty disposition, willing to challenge much larger sandhill cranes, dive-bombing them until they feel their nests or young are safe.

Black-necked stilts are a really impressive shorebird that has not made it to the Upper Peninsula but may soon. Although they have a spottier range than avocets, including some locations in the southeastern U.S., in the past few years they have been found nesting in Horicon National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin and occasionally the extreme southern counties downstate.

That said, it seems just a matter of time until they show up in Northern Michigan. They have been reported across much of the Lower 48, but not yet in the U.P.

MM

Scot Stewart is an educator, writer and photographer with an inherent love of the natural world. He is active with the MooseWood Nature Center at Presque Isle Park in Marquette.

Answers for the New York Times crossword puzzle, located on Page 14.

Band director takes first steps toward retirement

By Hannah Jenkins

Dr. Stephen Grugin, director of bands and professor of low brass instruments at Northern Michigan University, has been a fixture in the school’s music program for nearly 30 years.

His partial retirement in May will kick off two more years for him at NMU, as he will soon begin a limited appointment solely as a low brass instructor. As he approaches the end of the last semester of his current position, Grugin sheds some light on how he got his start as a music educator, how he came to NMU in the ’90s and how he plans to stay involved in the Marquette music scene post-retirement.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you come to be a band instructor and music educator?

My first teaching job was in Oxford, Ohio — you may have heard of Miami University of Ohio. So, I was the high school band director in that town. And then I went on to get my master’s at Northwestern University in Evanston (Illinois).

After that, I was a 27-year-old college professor at Western Kentucky University. I was associate director of bands. When you’re an associate director of bands, you’re directing the athletic bands, the marching band, the pep bands, maybe the second concert band, that kind of thing. I also taught the low brass students there, too.

After three years there, I went on to get my doctorate at Florida State University. I was a graduate assistant at Northwestern, also at Florida State,

Dr. Stephen Grugin has put in almost three decades of work as teacher, director and local community music leader. (Photo courtesy of NMU)

which means I had some teaching responsibilities. I taught the conducting classes at Florida State and assisted at Northwestern too. Then I spent a year in Texas at Stephen F. Austin State University, but kind of wanted to move back home or closer to home, maybe above the Ohio River.

I started working at Western Michigan, was director of the Bronco marching band there for six years and enjoyed that. And again, I was an associate director. Same situation, except for I didn’t teach the low brass students; I taught classes in music education. I’ve done that routinely along the way, and my experience as a high school band director lends itself well to that. The job opened up here at Northern …. one of my first thoughts was, “Well, how do we do marching band up in the U.P., right?” But thank goodness, we have the spirit going.

It had been built by the time I got here in 1997, and, having been an associate director at those other schools, it was time for me to have my own program. I always consider myself to be kind of a builder when it comes to programs, so I looked at this as a challenge. There were 38 students in the marching band before I got here. This year, we had 140. So that’s kept growing. It’s like anybody else, you move up to the U.P. and you think, “Well, we’ll give a try. We’ll spend a couple of years here and will probably move on.” And then you fall in love with the place. There are a lot of opportunities for our kids and for my wife and I too. I never wanted to leave.

Did you know growing up through high school and middle school that was what you wanted to do? How did that come to be?

Wellit’s interesting you asked that — I didn’t know. I’ll give you the long story. With Frankfort being the capital of Kentucky, I was kind of familiar with government and politics. I had some people asking me if I was going to become a lawyer and maybe run for office. But at the same time, my dad was a pharmacist and he wanted me to become a doctor. I had some different influences that way.

I thought, I enjoy figuring things out and understanding how things work, and wondered if I wanted to become an engineer. But — and I’m not trying to brag here, but it was just part of what influenced me — I was voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” There I felt like “OK, I’ve got to go out and make a million dollars.”

When I figured out that the thing I love to do the most was be involved in music and play in bands … I was in rock bands and I had written musi-

cal arrangements when I was in high school that my high school marching band played. I think there were 10 of them that I wrote. I had really, really great music teachers growing up. I thought of our high school band program as the best in the state. They were really great musicians and great teachers. I had figured out that I enjoyed teaching other people what I knew about music.

What really did it was when … a little light bulb went off in my head … that my definition of success was not necessarily going to be tied to how much money I made. And then, so I started at Ohio State as an audio recording major. But it didn’t take me long, sitting in a dimly lit room behind the consoles and a bunch of buttons for hours at a time to figure out that really wasn’t what I wanted to do. And then I chose a music education path. But, along the way, I was a jazz player and also majored in jazz performance at the same time.

You’ve been here for decades at this. What made you stick around this long?

Well, Marquette offered a lot of opportunities for me and my family. Betsy and I and our young daughter, Elizabeth, moved here in 1997. The Marquette Symphony had just done one concert the previous May. We became involved in Marquette Symphony right away …. Just being able to play in the symphony, and conduct a holiday concert along with some other colleagues in the community, just did the one this year. And then the director of the Marquette Arts and Culture Center wanted to start a youth theater program. So my wife noticed there was an ad that

Dr. Grugin has been involved in more than 50 commencement ceremonies in his time at NMU. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Grugin)

they were going to put on that show “Annie.” And we wondered if Elizabeth, who was five or six then might want to audition to become a part of that. That was the first youth theater production in town. She was in that, and that program continued with the Arts and Culture Center for several years and Betsy found herself conducting a bit of orchestra.

When the city stopped doing the youth theater shows, the children’s theater latched on to the Lake Superior Theatre for a few years and then became its own thing. It’s called the Superior Arts Youth Theater, SAYT. I was on the original board and a founding member of that, so our daughters enjoyed that opportunity. And I found myself being asked to conduct the Marquette City Band, which I still do. Then Betsy and I became members of the Westerly Winds Big Band.

I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve gotten to do at NMU, but I still have a lot of involvement with music and arts in the community.

Do you plan on continuing that after retirement?

Yeah, people think I’m retiring from everything. But actually, I’m not even completely retiring from NMU. I’m going to be on a limited appointment for two years. So, I’m retiring as the band director.

I just finished probably my 51st commencement. I think there might have been three or four of them that I haven’t conducted …. So, it’ll be my last one in May. So, my job here as the director of bands includes the marching band, which is the most visible, but also the symphonic band, which is a concert band, geared mostly toward non-music majors. And then the University Wind Ensemble, which is a band mostly comprised of music majors.

But I still look forward to conducting the Marquette City Band and playing in the Westerly Winds and Marquette Symphony Orchestra … when [people] ask me what I’m going to do my retirement, I just kind of answer, “Well, I’m going to go from being insanely busy to just very busy.”

Are you going to be directing in all of those groups or will it be a mix of directing and playing?

It’s mostly the performing on my trombone that I do with the Marquette Symphony. I am the conductor of the Marquette City Band. That’s a really enjoyable thing that I do during the summer, but we also give concerts in the winter and spring … We have a children’s concert here in town and we take that music and perform it out

at Bay Cliff. We volunteer to do that. Our summer concerts are held out at Presque Isle Bandshell.

Going back to the getting-ready-for-retirement aspect, what will you miss the most?

That’s easy — I will miss the students. They’re just the greatest students you could ever ask for, hope for …. and they’re just a lot of fun. We just all have a great time working together and working toward our performances like our halftime shows at the football games. When a campus visitor comes and is asking me about the band program, I don’t try to pretend it’s not about half social and half musical.

That’s probably what makes it fun, I would imagine.

They work really hard, and we have a great time doing it … We have a band camp the week before classes start. The marching band students go one week early and we work on our marching fundamentals and learn our pregame show and start working on our first halftime show.

They work all day — we start at 8:30 in the morning and we quit at nine o’clock at night. Now, I tell them that if they do well enough, I’ll give them a little time off for lunch and dinner. But it’s like a big family, so it’s just being part of the organization and being around the students. And plus, it’s really enjoyable and fulfilling to know that we can prepare the entertainment for all the people that come to a football game for the half-

time show. I enjoy that part of it. A lot.

It’s a lot of preparation …. And then just the recruitment and the planning and everything that goes in is a significant amount of work. It’s time for somebody else to take that on.

So, I’m still going to teach the low brass students, probably the low brass class. And that frees up the music department to hire a band director that’s not necessarily a low brass teacher. So, when they hired me, they were looking for a band person that also was a low brass player.

Do a significant number of them go on to that field?

Well, the music majors do. So, there are way more students in the band that are not music majors. You don’t have to be a music major to sing in the choir or play in the orchestra, play in marching band. But the ones who are music majors, yeah. We just had our high school band day where we had 17 high school bands join us for a halftime show at one of the football games …. And the majority of the band directors for those bands have been our students, my students. So, I get a lot of satisfaction knowing that I had a little bit to do with that.

What kind of advice would you leave for your successor or any music students, band members, anyone in that realm?

Well, it’s got to be a lot of fun. Music is meant to be enjoyed. But a high level of musicianship has to be maintained. We work hard at the

marching part of it, too. We do a different show for every halftime. Most of the high school bands don’t do that. Marquette band is one of the few high school bands that’ll still do different shows …. I’d also like to see the philosophy that we have for band and the style continue.

How would you describe that philosophy and that style?

Even though our football team is Division II, we do things more or less like any Division I band that you’ll find downstate or anywhere else. My models have been Ohio State, Northwestern and Florida State … I’ve just brought that into our smaller program. Our band resembles a smaller Division I college marching band, and I’d like to see that continue. Another thing I’ve been proud of is the development of our alumni band. When I first got here, my first year we brought in the alumni and I think there were maybe a dozen, maybe 15 alumni that came and played at homecoming, and they joined the college band. Last year, we had 170 alumni. So that was actually larger than the college band …. I’m looking forward to continuing as the director of the alumni band, and maybe that group will become a little more active and continue to grow. MM

Hannah Jenkins is a U.P. native, longtime Marquette resident and journalism student at NMU. She hopes to enrich the community through coverage of the people and places that make Marquette what it is today.

Dr. Stephen Grugin directs the Marquette City Band Centennial Tour Group that performed at the 2017 Finland Brass Festival during Lieksa Brass Week. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Grugin)

the arts

Music helps heal community’s pain

By Kathy Ihde

The Dan Schmitt Gift of Music is a non-profit organization based in the Keweenaw, which was started by the Parsons family to honor the late musician and namesake.

Schmitt died in a 2007 traffic accident. In 2008, the Parsons started the Farm Block Music Festival to honor him. As time passed, the Parsons started the Gift of Music Fund to provide free instruments and music instruction to area youth.

“Dan Schmitt was a close friend of our family,” John Parsons said. “He was especially close to our son, Graham. They met in seventh grade and started playing music together.”

According to Charmaine Parsons, Schmitt was a gifted guitar player and musician. He graduated from Calumet High School in 2006 and played with Graham in local bands Blurred Thoughts and Lake Effect with Joe Peterson and Aric Danis, and the Squeaky Clean Cretins with Joe Artibee. Schmitt played in venues both locally and in the Kalamazoo area. At the time of his accident, he had recently released his first CD.

“He was like another son to us,” Charmaine said. “He was at our place all the time.”

Schmitt and Graham had big plans for their musical future. That plan was touring around the state, playing in coffee shops and small venues along

the way. Unfortunately, he was killed in an automobile accident on December 29, 2007, shattering his family and friends. He was just 20 years old.

“Our family was devastated,” John said. “We have a big family on our block; everyone was depressed.”

The Parsons called a family meeting to help sort it all out.

“Graham, said, ‘We’re supposed to be at music festivals!’” Charmaine said. “‘We’re supposed to be doing this!’ And our son Ben said, ‘What about creating a Farm Block festival?”

That was the beginning of the annual reunion benefit for the Dan Schmitt Gift of Music. It was a way to help the Parsons family work through their grief. This is their 16th season holding the event on the Parsons family farm on Farm Block Road in Allouez.

In the beginning, the money raised from Farm Block went to Keweenaw Krayons, a local non-profit at the time.

“They were offering music lessons; they had an arts program,” Charmaine said. “Whatever the kids needed.”

The Gift of Music program began at Copper Harbor’s One Room Schoolhouse, under the instruction of James North. “We bought ukuleles for all the students.”

In 2013, the Keweenaw Krayons program director Carol Rose retired. “When someone leaves a program, it changes that program,” Charmaine said. “The needs of the community change. Carol’s replacement told us we should become a non-profit. So, we made that happen in 2013.”

A large component of the Gift of Music is their outreach program, which provides free instruments and music lessons, and after-school music programming. In the Keweenaw, they’ve partnered with the Calumet Theatre and local musicians to offer guitar, piano and bass guitar lessons.

In Southwest Michigan, they’ve partnered with the Youth Arts Alliance in Kalamazoo to bring healing-centered creative empowerment workshops to youth detention centers and alternative high schools.

According to Charmaine, music lessons help with depression and self-esteem, giving children something meaningful to do after school, especially during COVID. “That was a tough time,” Charmaine said. “The kids are slowly coming back.”

The Farm Block festival is held on the Parsons family farm in Allouez, and was started to help a grieving community deal with the loss of one of their own. This is the 16th year for the event. (Photo courtesy Mike King)

The Farm Block Annual Reunion and Benefit offers fun for the whole family, including an art project and live music. (Photo courtesy Mike King)

John noted the Parsons were teachers their whole lives, so they see the impact music has on students. “I was a high school teacher and Charmaine was an elementary teacher and reading specialist.”

Currently, the Gift of Music has two talented music instructors. Jake TenHarmsel gives piano lessons in the Calumet Theatre ballroom and John Snyder gives guitar lessons in his office at the Calumet Theatre.

“These guys are professionals,” Charmaine said. “They’re musicians themselves.”

While they are professionals, they don’t take things too seriously, and meet their young musicians where they’re at. Sometimes families even get involved in the lessons.

“Some students bring their whole family to lessons,” TenHarmsel said.

“They finish their schoolwork while waiting their turn at the piano. I have two or three kids, one right after the other.”

Snyder said he and TenHarmsel share a family of five music students. “I teach two guitar students and Jake has three piano students.”

Charmaine said they have more home-school students coming in, and students are of all ages. The youngest students are five. According to Jake, it’s about maturity, not age.

“We’ve had kids who were clearly too young,” he said. “Sometimes, it’s difficult for younger students who have other issues; they’re too immature. Focusing for half an hour straight is not an option. Once they can focus and hang out for half an hour, they’re ready to go.”

According to Charmaine, music

Embracing memories of musician Dan Schmitt

By Kathy Ihde

Allouez native Graham Parsons lives with the death of his friend Dan Schmitt every day.

“It’s been 17 years since Dan Schmitt passed away,” Parsons said. “How is that even possible?”

His memories of the time they had together, and how they met haven’t faded. “I’ve been blessed with the people in my life,” he said.

As a seventh grader, Parsons wanted to sing in his brother Ben’s classic rock band when he heard about Dan Schmitt, a seventh-grade “guitar shredder.”

Parsons called him. “I was a musician and heard he played guitar,” he said. Dan set down his landline phone and played a couple classic rock tunes.

“I said, ‘We needed to hang out and make music together!’ That was the beginning of our friendship; our brotherhood.” After that, Schmitt spent a lot of time on Farm Block Road.

“Dan didn’t have an enemy in the world,” Parsons said. “Everyone loved him, and he loved everybody. There was no pretense with Dan; he was so pure.”

In high school, they played covers and started writing original songs. After high school, Parsons attended Western Michigan in Kalamazoo and Schmitt stayed in the Keweenaw.

“That was really hard for me,” Parsons said. “He was my closest musical friend and companion. I learned everything I know about

guitar from him. It’s hard finding someone you click with creatively and musically; it’s so rare.”

In Kalamazoo, Parsons met Joey Artibee and they started playing music together. After two years of college, they decided to tour.

“We called Dan and toured as Squeaky Clean Cretins — a threepiece with bass, two guitars and us singing. That was a magical time, driving around in a trailer we built with Joey’s dad. Playing in coffee shops, playing for food, playing for gas. Living it up and writing songs.”

After six months of touring, Parsons told Schmitt he was going back to college. “I told him he needed to

live in Kalamazoo with me,” Parsons said. “He was so smart. My family pushed him to get his GED.”

In late December, they found an apartment and drove up to the Keweenaw. “We loaded our things in a snowmobile trailer,” Parsons said. “We were going to drive to Kalamazoo to drop off a load and drive back to the Keweenaw for another one.”

The weather was getting bad.

“I told him we should stay in Marquette, sleep there and have a shorter drive to Kalamazoo the next day. Dan said he had ‘things to take care of.’ He wanted to spend another night in the Keweenaw. I left for Marquette before the weather got re-

ally bad.”

That was the night the accident happened, the last day of Dan Schmitt’s life.

“I was driving downstate when I found out Dan had died,” Parsons said. “I was in shock. I just kept driving. I moved into our apartment; I had to go to school. I had to drive Dan’s stuff back to his dad’s. I had to be at Dan’s funeral.”

It was Parsons’ first serious interaction with grief. “It was disorienting, a feeling of displacement, of isolation,” he said. “I lived in that space for six months before I had another roommate.”

It also was the first year of the Farm Block Festival. “It was so small,” Parsons said. “My mom cooked for the attendees, three meals a day. We built the stage five days before the festival and hung-up shop lights for when it got dark.”

Schmitt’s death rocked their community, and for some, the healing process was nowhere near complete.

“I remember standing on that first Farm Block stage,” Parsons said. “Playing with bandmates who’d played with Dan and me — when we stopped playing, everyone in the audience was weeping. It felt like a collective moment of healing. We celebrated it; we had to cry.”

According to Parsons, the antidote to his grief was love, community and connection.

“Ultimately, I’m sad,” he said. “I wish I could still be playing music with Dan.”

The Farm Block Annual Reunion and Benefit in Allouez is an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the Keweenaw, a celebration of art and music and fun for the whole family. (Photo courtesy Mike King)

Dan Schmitt and Graham Parsons formed a friendship over their mutual love of music. (Photo courtesy of Charmaine Parsons)

lessons are free. “Kids are learning music,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what their socioeconomic background is. We don’t ask for financial information. We have families who can’t afford lessons and families who can afford lessons.”

The Gift of Music recently received a Giving Tuesday Grant through the Copper Shores Foundation in Hancock to help offset costs for those families.

“I think Jake and John are the reason the program is so successful,” Charmaine said. “They’re dedicated, professional musicians themselves. They have this really laid-back attitude. I’ve had potential teachers contact me and I figure out pretty quickly if they’re going to be nice to our kids or not. These guys are really nice!”

One of TenHarmsel’s first students was a young boy named Jonah.

“He had a little bit of practice with his mom’s piano and a bit of knowledge,” TenHarmsel said. “I was going to their house because we didn’t have a music venue yet. It worked out that first season. They’ve stuck with us ever since. He’s gotten really good over the years; it’s pretty fun to see.”

Charmaine said one of her goals was having Gift of Music students perform on the Farm Block stage. “It’s so powerful,” she said. “We had a return student named Matthew who played onstage last year. I hope he comes back to the fold this year.”

This student took his music very seriously — maybe more so than even his teachers.

“He actually went from having me as a teacher to a program that was regimented,” Snyder said. “He wanted to learn a different kind of music that I was unable to teach him. He went to another program; it paid off for him. He’s doing really well. His performance at Farm Block last year was amazing. He’s a prodigy.”

Every year, the Gift of Music has a sign-up period for the students during which they fill out some paperwork about their aspirations for their placement in the program.

“A couple of questions are really important to me,” Charmaine said. “It’s not so much the paperwork, it’s what the students hope to learn and why music is important to them. I use those responses for grant writing.”

The Gift of Music purchases guitars and other instruments for students to use along with free music instruction in a variety of formats. In addition to instruction, the fund has donated instruments to youth in Keweenaw County, Kalamazoo, Southern California and Interior Alaska through Gift of Music satellites.

Besides music, the Gift of Music provides youth with free programming and outdoor education opportunities emphasizing food independence, environmental sustainability and a connection to the natural world.

It provides opportunities for students in Kalamazoo and the Keweenaw through a cooperative effort with area schools. There is instruction in gardening and making apple cider and maple syrup on the Parsons’ Allouez farm. It also includes outdoor writing activities and wildlife observations.

In Kalamazoo, the Gift of Music is working with Kalamazoo County Parks and the Kalamazoo Garden Alliance to develop an “edible and educational trail,” bringing community members and local businesses together to promote the utilization, beautification and cultivation of the city’s public landscapes.

In addition to grants, the Farm Block reunion benefit is an important source of income for the Gift of Music Fund.

About 25 local, regional and national musical acts perform annually. Workshops on a range of topics, such as gardening, local geology, forestry, yoga, music, and art projects, are offered every year.

The 2024 annual reunion benefit for the Dan Schmitt Gift of Music will be held on August 2, 3 and 4. MM

Kathy Ihde and her husband, Jeff, retired to Copper Harbor from Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, where she was a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Daily Jefferson County Union for more than 28 years.

The Farm Block Annual Reunion and Benefit is set for August 2, 3 and 4 this year. (Photo courtesy Mike King)

Middle-grade novel appeals to all ages superior reads

Review by Victor R. Volkman

“Chogan and the Vision Quest” is the fifth installment in as many years of this popular middle-grade reader. The series begins in the 14th century, with “Chogan and the Gray Wolf,” which is the first book. Larry Buege sets the series in that era, which he calls “100 years B.C.” (Before Columbus), so the stories can be told without the complicating factors of the French and English incursions into the Upper Peninsula.

As “Chogan and the Vision Quest” opens, Chogan is about to turn 12 years old and soon to assume some of the burdens of being a man in his Anishinaabe tribe. The vision quest he will embark on late in the book essentially acts as the rite of passage for him. But I am getting ahead of myself.

I had a little bit of trepidation starting a book on the fifth installment, but I’m here to say that I found it extremely accessible in that regard and did not feel as if I had been left out.

Recurring characters are introduced gradually enough that I felt the narrative was opening naturally in front of me. And what a narrative it is, a complete “Hero’s Journey” in the motif of Joseph Conrad. Buege gently and deftly introduces Anishinaabe language and customs without ever becoming pedantic or a bore.

Although I previously read about birchbark canoe construction in Deborah K. Frontiera’s “Superior Tapestry,” the way Buege pulls it off I found equally enthralling to learn about.

It is rare for me to pick up a middle-grade reader that is not specifically aimed toward either boys or girls. In Chogan’s world, I found it refreshingly written in such a way as to be equally accessible to both. Chogan (“Blackbird”) himself is laconic and prone to thoughtful contemplation of a situation. His sister Kanti (“Sings”), a few years younger, is a chatterbox and often as rash or impulsive as Chogan is stolid. She is Yang to Chogan’s Yin. For example, Chogan will calculate how to turn the strength of the towering bullies Taregan and Ahanu against themselves, but Kanti cannot resist delivering a barb that tells them they’ve been tricked into foolishness. When the bullies plan to wrest away the firewood that Chogan and Kanti have painstakingly gathered in

their own arms for an important tribal meeting, Chogan points them to an especially good-looking log that he has previously noticed contains an active hornet’s nest.

Speaking of barbs, Kanti carries a vicious-looking bone-tipped spear for hunting. This weapon belonged to Chogan, but he has taken his grandfather’s bow and passed his old spear down to his sister. This is definitely not how the girls in this tribe roll, and that makes Kanti a bit of a tomboy. As such, she is a perfect comrade-in-arms for a reluctant Chogan whether they are running the trap line of snares or sneaking off in a mad plan to save the village in one of the later episodes.

The band which Chogan and Kanti belong to live a few miles south of the shore of Lake Superior on a small tributary in the vicinity of AuTrain Lake (some 10 miles west of where Munising sits today). As the story

opens in late summer, a massive thunderstorm rolls through and completely wipes out the waterborne growth of wild rice for miles and miles.

Neighboring villages report that this staple crop has been destroyed all along the south shore of Lake Superior. This becomes the impetus for our Hero’s Journey: an expedition must be immediately mounted to gather what trade goods they have in stock— deer skins, moose robes, cord, nets, anything at all of value—to chance it all on a journey of nearly 200 miles each way. They will traverse by land south to Lake Michigan and then by canoe, eventually hugging the coast of Wisconsin deep into the heart of Winnebago country.

As if that were not a difficult enough journey, there are language barriers aplenty. Grandfather speaks the language of the Sioux, which is similar enough to that of the Winneba-

go, to get some basic points across.

However, it will not make for a complicated trade negotiation. As such, they must seek out the well-traveled Winnebago trader named Chunka, who is fluent in both languages. Otherwise, their trip is doomed and the band may very well starve due to the difficulty of finding winter game and for the lack of the caloric value of the missing wild rice. The book moves along quite quickly—all of this background is covered in the first three short chapters.

Inasmuch as I enjoy watching TV series with Native American themes, I have always found their portrayal of vision quests as laden with unsatisfying hallucinatory visuals. I found Buege’s depiction of Chogan’s vision quest intriguing, and the messages received by the young boy fit the story to a tee. The author lays down the background of how the quests are conducted without the reader feeling like he’s being lectured to.

Throughout the book, Chogan has a recurrent nightmare of a whiteout snowstorm with no landmarks in which he loses Kanti. This is all rewardingly wrapped up in the books’ denouement.

I highly recommend “Chogan and the Vision Quest” for boys and girls who enjoy middle-grade adventure stories in the great outdoors. The book would be equally at home in a Native American Studies class at a reservation school. Approaching my 60th birthday, I rarely reach for a middle-grade book, but I found “Chogan and the Vision Quest” to be a welcome sojourn into a world that existed for hundreds of years before today’s problems. MM

Victor R. Volkman is a graduate of Michigan Tech (Class of ’86) and is current president of the U.P. Publishers & Authors Association. He is senior editor at Modern History Press and publisher of the U.P. Reader.

Send Upper Peninsula-related book review suggestions to victor@LHPress.com. Books submitted for review can be sent to: MM Book Reviews, 5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. How to submit a book

poetry

Elegy For a Friend

By John Hilden

You’ve already been gone for a number of years as I pass a guy in the foyer of a hospital failing to recognize him as your roomie from our college days

As recognition dawns I wonder if his thoughts on the manner of your death chime with mine bold face to our lower case your Harley colliding with a bear

John Hilden is an inveterate scribbler from way back, having picked up the habit as a green apple of nineteen. He’s in extra innings now and still scratching away. He’s on the seventh floor and still looking up.

This poem is from the 10-year anthology, Superior Voyage, which is available for purchase.

All proceeds benefit Peter White Public Library.

Superior Voyage was selected as a 2023 U.P. Notable Book by the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association.

on campus

Bay College to host seedling sale

The Bay College Greenhouse will be selling native plant seedlings and vegetables starts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 3.

This one-day event will take place at the greenhouse and biology lab (Room 116) in the Math and Science Building on its Escanaba campus.

The sale will include a section of native wildflowers, perennials, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Pricing starts

at $25 per flat (mix and match), and $1 per individually potted plant. All proceeds support the continuing operation of the greenhouse and plant donations to various community groups and projects.

The Bay College Greenhouse is committed to providing a local source of native plants for area gardeners interested in local flora.

Native plants are adapted to local conditions and have natural defenses

to disease and insect pests. They also provide habitat and food for butterflies, hummingbirds, songbirds and beneficial insects. Once established, they require little care or supplemental watering.

For details, visit the greenhouse web page at baycollege.edu/greenhouse or contact Brian Black at blackb@baycollege.edu or 906-2174051.

NMU to host world premiere of history play

Atthe end of World War I, American soldiers—mostly from Michigan—were deployed to join the Northern Russian Expeditionary Force for a vaguely defined mission. They found themselves embroiled in a civil war, battling Bolshevik revolutionaries for months after the Armistice ended fighting in France.

A new play inspired by these men, known as the Polar Bears for enduring harsh winter conditions, will have its world premiere May 9 through 11 at Northern Michigan University.

The idea for “Ghost Soldiers” by Keli Crawford-Truckey came from a war-time journal bound by leather from the boot of a dead Bolshevik soldier kept by the grandfather of NMU employees Dan and Paul Truckey.

More than 100 men from the U.P. served in the Polar Bears. Almost all were first-generation Americans, some not even yet citizens, and they represented the great social and ethnic diversity of the U.P. during that era. The men endured hardships, deprivation and great loss.

“This is a really interesting regional story that most people don’t know much about,” said Crawford-Truckey, who is also directing the show. “I did a lot of my own research and read a lot of soldiers’ journals and diaries, then pulled excerpts from a bunch of their experiences and tried to find the most dramatic ones.”

The play focuses on six young men who are not drawn from specific individuals, but a representation of the soldiers and what they went through.

“It’s hard to portray war scenes in a live performance on the smaller Panowski Black Box Theatre stage,” she said. “Fighting is implied, but we focus on a lot of the soldiers’ downtime and mix in brief vignettes of their lives in later years, from the 1930s to the 1970s.”

Crawford-Truckey said the story addresses the themes of self-identity, constructed in the reflections of family and the country’s politics; selfworth, which is often influenced by parents; and relationships, particularly between fathers and sons. The play is also about what individuals express to the people they love, and what they internalize.

“I’m also very interested in the spirit in which most men engaged in war,” she said. “There was such a pride and virility to it; it basically defined one’s manlihood. If you didn’t fight in World War I or II, it was perceived that there was something lacking in your experience.”

Dan Truckey, director of the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center, has the war-time journal of his maternal grandfather, Dalton Gollinger of Munising.

“It is very matter of fact; there’s very little emotional content,” Truckey said. “But it inspired me to study the Polar Expedition when I became a history student at Northern because I didn’t understand it very well.”

Truckey said the American soldiers joined an international force in Russia commanded by the British. The treatment they received, compared with their British counterparts, led to strong resentment that lingered for the rest of his grandfather’s life.

According to the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan, a winter of fighting Bolsheviks and wondering why they were still in combat when the war with Germany had ended led to severe morale problems among the American troops. This resulted in an alleged mutiny in March 1919 by members of one company in Archangel, and the presentation of an antiwar petition by members of another company in the same month.

Tickets for Ghost Soldiers, the 2024 Panowski Playwriting Award winner, are available at nmu.universitytickets.com. Cost is $20 for the general public, $15 for NMU faculty/ staff, military and seniors; $13 for students 18 and under; and $5 for NMU students with an ID.

“Ghost Soldiers” will premiere May 9 through 11 at NMU’s Panowski Black Box Theatre. (Photo courtesy of NMU)

Rozsa seeks new director, plans 25th anniversary

The Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts announced that Mary Jennings has accepted a new role and will step down as director effective May 1. Jennings has been with the Rozsa for a decade and has served as the venue’s director since May 2021.

“I have worked closely with Mary since 2014 and have been so impressed with the leadership that she has provided to the Rozsa Center,” said Jared Anderson, chairperson of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Michigan Tech. “We will miss Mary and wish her well as she steps into the role of executive director of the Grand Rapids Ballet, a return to her creative roots as a classically trained ballet dancer.”

Jennings said she is grateful to have been a part of the growth the

campus has experienced, and the role the Rozsa has played in contributing to Houghton and the Keweenaw being a vibrant and inviting place to live.

“I hope I have the opportunity to bring Michigan’s only classical ballet company back to the Keweenaw for masterclasses and performances in the coming years,” she said. “I’m excited for the bright future ahead, including the upcoming 25th anniversary in 2025, where the Rozsa will continue to be a place of gathering, celebration, and joy for decades to come.”

In May, the Rozsa Center and Michigan Tech’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts will embark on a search for a new director. Plans have already begun to prepare for the Rozsa Center’s 25th anniversary.

Dance team places in Nationals

The Northern Michigan University Dance Team qualified to compete in the National Dance Alliance (NDA) college nationals for the first time in history. Team members traveled to Daytona Beach, Fla., to compete in two Division II categories: pom, placing eighth in the nation; and jazz, placing eleventh.

“It feels like such a surreal experience to be making history for the NMU Dance Team,” said Rose Goltz, NMU Dance Team president. “It shows that all of the hard work that we all have been putting into the sport/art is not going to waste and that we are really working toward something.”

In the DII category at nationals, the team performed a pom routine to a mix of songs called “I Like To Move It,” and a jazz routine called “Don’t Blame Me.”

“This was a valuable opportunity for the team to compete against other teams in the same division as us, and to get to see what other teams are doing so that we can improve in the future,” said Goltz.

Members hope this experience will positively impact the Dance Team moving forward. They now will work to secure another trip to nationals and ideally place higher in their events.

The NMU Dance Team placed eighth in the nation in pom and eleventh in jazz at the National Dance Alliance in Florida. (Photo courtesy of NMU)

Michigan Tech opens new H-STEM Complex

After more than five years of planning and two years of construction, Michigan Technological University announced the completion of the H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex (H-STEM Complex).

This state-of-the-art facility officially opened its doors to the public, becoming the most significant reflection yet of Michigan Tech’s commitment to advancing interdisciplinary health-related research and education.

Designed to encourage collaborative research and integrated educational programs focusing on health-related and human-centered technological innovation, the H-STEM Complex will house transdisciplinary, hands-on and student-led research.

With its STEM-focused approach, the complex supports industry-relevant educational and research programs in health and human-centered engineering, furthering Michigan Tech’s position as a leader in technology and innovation.

Spanning approximately 63,000 square feet, the H-STEM Complex combines new shared and flexible laboratory spaces with renovated classrooms and learning environments within the existing Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building.

Located in the heart of campus, the complex includes multiple conference

rooms, offices for 34 faculty, workspaces for 84 graduate students and three teaching labs. The building is on track to be certified as LEED Gold for sustainability, with advanced features such as occupancy sensors integrated into the lighting, air system and fume hood exhaust to increase energy efficiency.

In addition, a top-line HVAC energy recovery unit uses the hot and cold air being vented from the building to help heat and cool incoming air.

As a research institution, Michigan Tech is on track to achieve R1 status by 2025, and continues to enhance its research efforts, educational programs and community engagement. The H-STEM Complex is part of the University’s comprehensive Campus Master Plan, which outlines goals for growing enrollment at a steady, measured pace, attracting top-caliber faculty and achieving a $300 million endowment.

Notably, Michigan Tech’s last three incoming classes have been the largest since the early 1980s, reflecting a clear trend of increasing enrollment. Among the new program additions at Michigan Tech is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, which illustrates Tech’s dedication to meeting evolving educational needs in the region.

The H-STEM Complex houses cutting-edge lab and classroom spaces, driving Tech’s commitment to advancing health-centered technological research and education. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech)

out & about

Out & About is a free listing of Upper Peninsula events. Events included must cost $25 or less (except fundraisers).

All events are free and in Eastern time unless noted. We print information sent to us by a wide variety of people and organizations. It pays to double check the date, time, place and cost before heading out.

E-mail your June events by Friday, May 10 to: calendar@marquettemonthly.com.

Marquette

6:35 a.m.;

Ishpeming

p.m.

• Crochet Club. This is a time to gather with fellow crafters to socialize. Supplies and instruction will be provided for those who are interested in learning how to crochet. 5:30 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring

Ecology of Coyotes and Foxes | May 2 | Marquette

Photo by Hans Veth on unsplash

on the town

Baraga

• Ojibwa Casino Pressbox.

- Saturday, May 4: Diversion.

- Saturday, the 18th: DJ Express.

- Saturday, the 25th: Tom Katalin & Highway 41.

Music is 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 16449 Michigan Ave. 906-353-6333.

Gwinn

• Hideaway Bar.

- Mondays: The Hideaway All-Stars. 7 p.m.

741 M-35. 906-346-3178.

Hancock

• Orpheum Theater.

- Friday, May 10. Buffalo Galaxy.

- Saturday, the 11th: Go-Rounds.

- Monday, the 20th: Luke WinslowKing and Roberto Luti.

Music is 7:00 p.m.

426 Quincy St. (906) 483-2294.

Marquette

• 906 Sports Bar and Grill.

- Wednesdays: Trivia. 6:30 p.m.

145 W. Washington St. 906-273-0706 or 906barandgrill.com.

• Blackrocks Brewery.

- Thursday, the 16th: Paul and Tom. 6 to 9 p.m.

- Mondays: Trivia. 7 to 9 p.m.

-Wednesdays: Open mic. 6 to 9 p.m.

424 N. Third St. 906-273-1333 or blackrocksbrewery.com.

• Drifa Brewing Company.

- Mondays: Musicians’ Open Mic. 6 to 8 p.m.

- Thursdays: Trivia. 7 p.m.

- Saturday, May 18: DayDreamers

Acoustic. 6 p.m.

501 S. Lake St. 906-273-1300.

• Flanigan’s.

- Tuesday through Thursday: Karaoke. 9:30 p.m.

Cover charge on weekends only.

429 W. Washington St. 906-228-8865.

• Kognisjon Bryggeri.

- Friday, May 3: Osi and The Jupitar, Avowal and Christopher Bolde. 4 to 6 p.m.

- Saturday, the 4th: Whiskey Ryan. 6 to 9 p.m.

- Thursday, the 9th: Tavern Night with Mar Quest LARP.

- Saturday, the 11th: No Expectations with John Beere. 6 to 8 p.m.

- Friday, the 17th: Anniversary Party with Syttende Mai. 6 to 11 p.m.

- Saturday, the 25th: Chris Valenti. 6 to 10 p.m.

- Mondays: Beer Study Hall. 2 to 7 p.m.

- Tuesdays: Trivia. 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.

- Wednesdays: Brewery Bazaar. 6 to 8 p.m.

- Thursdays: Game Night with Iron Golem Games. 6 to 11 p.m.

- Sundays: Open Mic Night. 6 to 10 p.m.

1034 N. Third St. 906-273-2727.

• Lake Superior Smokehouse.

- Friday, May 3: Blue Deuce.

- Saturday, the 4th: Chris Valenti.

- Friday, the 10th: Eons.

- Saturday, the 11th: The Daydreamers.

- Friday, the 17th: Vinyl Tap with Chris Valenti.

- Saturday, the 18th: Make Believe Spurs.

- Friday, the 24th: The Reveal.

- Saturday, the 25th: Jim and Ray.

- Friday, the 31st: Lifters.

Music is 6 to 9 p.m. unless noted.

200 W. Main St. 906-273-0952.

• Ojibwa Casino Marquette Lounge.

- Saturday, May 4: Lost Cause.

-Friday, the 10th and Saturday, the 1 1th: Risque.

- Saturday, the 18th: Chad Borgen and the Collective.

- Satuday the 25th: Reveal.

Music is 8 p.m. to midnight.

105 Acre Trail. 906-249-4200.

• Ore Dock Brewing Company.

- Thursday, May 2: Drag Show, a Marquette Fringe fundraiser. 6:30 p.m. All ages (parental guidance recommended).

- Friday, the 3rd: Chris Michels Trio. 8 p.m.

- Saturday, the 4th: Silver Creek Revival. 8 p.m.

- Tuesday, the 7th: Euchre. 7 p.m.

- Friday, the 10th and Saturday, the 11th: The Insiders: A Tom Petty Tribute. In advance, $20; day of show, $25. 8 p.m.

- Sunday, the 12th: Westerly Winds Big Band Swing. Students, $5; adults, $10 (cash only). 2 p.m.

- Tuesday, the 14th: Euchre. 7 p.m.

- Friday, the 17th: Davey and The Midnights. $7. 9 p.m. Ages 18 and older.

- Saturday, the 18th: Pump Up the Booms, a Marquette fireworks fundraiser. 6:30 p.m.

- Sunday, the 19th: Luke WinslowKing with special guest Roberto Luti. In advance, $12; day of show, $15. 7 p.m.

- Tuesday, the 21st: Euchre. 7 p.m.

- Friday, the 24th: Dead North. 8 p.m.

- Saturday, the 25th: Lavender Lions. 8 p.m. Ages 21 and older.

- Sunday, the 26th: Pop Culture Trivia with Jon. 6 p.m.

- Thursday, the 30th: Sweet Water Warblers. $25. 7 p.m.

All shows are free unless noted. 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.

• Rippling River Resort.

- Friday, May 3: Chris Valenti. 9 p.m.

- Friday, the 10th: Chris Valenti. Music is 6 to 9 p.m. unless noted. 4321 M-553. (906) 273-2259 or ripplingriverresort.com.

• Superior Culture.

- Tuesdays: Open Mic night. 8 to 10 p.m.

717 Third Street. 906-273-0927 or superiorculturemqt.com.

Negaunee

• Smarty’s Saloon.

- Sunday, May 12: Daydreamers Acoustic. 2 to 5 p.m. 212 Iron St. 906-401-0438.

Republic

• Pine Grove Bar.

- Friday, May 3: DSP. 7 to 10 p.m.

(continued on page 81)

Paul and Tom | May 16 | Blackrocks Brewing, Marquette

on the town

(continued from page 80)

- Saturday, the 4th: TBA. 3 to 6 p.m.

- Saturday, the 4th: 141 North. 8 p.m. to midnight.

- Friday, the 10th: Whiskey Ryan. 7 to 10 p.m.

- Saturday, the 11th: Dylan CongerLyewski. 3 to 6 p.m.

- Saturday, the 11th: Last Call. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

- Sunday, the 12th: Chris Valenti. 3 to 6 p.m.

- Friday, the 17th: Ethan Bott. 8 to 11 p.m.

- Saturday, the 18th: Nolium. 9 p.m.

passwords with you. 1 to 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

• Teens Game On! Youth in sixth through 12th grades can drop in for a selection of video games, board games and more. 3 to 6 p.m. Teen Zone, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321, apierce@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

• League of Women Voters of Marquette County Meeting. All interested community members are welcome. Social time, 6:30 p.m.; meeting, 6:45 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. lwvmqt.org.

• Marquette County Quilters Association Meeting. All skill levels are invited for socialization, program events and show and tell. Yearly membership fee, $20. 6:30 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. marquettequilters.org.

• The Modern Family Tree. As part of National Library Preservation Week, the Marquette Regional History Center will showcase digital formats and techniques that work for preserving original documents and how to work with metadata. Family trees can be preserved and shared digitally. Suggested donation, $5. 6:30 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906226-3571 or marquettehistory.org.

Negaunee

• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

• Wings of Fire Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

• House Plant Workshop. Plant Daddy Ashley will speak as part of the “So You Want to Learn About ...” program. Each participant will receive a plant to keep. A craft will be available for younger attendees. 6 p.m. Negaunee

to 1 a.m.

- Friday, the 24th: Troy Graham. 8 to 11 p.m.

- Saturday, the 25th: Toni Saari. 3 to 6 p.m.

- Saturday, the 25th: SPUN. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

- Monday, the 27th: Lost Cause. 3 to 7 p.m.

- Friday, the 31st: Jackson Taylor. 8 to 11 p.m.

286 Front St. 906-376-2234.

MM

Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906475-7700, ext. 18.

02 THURSDAY

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311, ext. 1107, or clklibrary.org.

Gladstone

• Estate Planning Seminar. “Estate Planning for Everyone,” a free seminar presented by elder law attorneys Scott Brogan, John Yonkers and Eryka Symington, will cover topics and considerations for U.P. families. 6 p.m. Terrace Bay Hotel, 7146 P Rd. To register, 906-228-6212.

Ishpeming

• Feeding America Food Distribution Drive-Thru Site. 8:30 to 10 a.m. North Iron Church, 910 Palms Ave. feedwm.org.

• Feeding America Food Distribution Walk-up Site. 9 a.m. VFW parking lot, 310 Bank St. feedwm.org.

• Book Club. This month’s selection will be Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Senior Center, 121 Greenwood St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• Planning and Planting (Medicinal and Culinary) Herbs. 5:30 p.m. Margaret Dundon Reading Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Toddler Storytime. Children ages 18 to 36 months and a loving adult can enjoy stories and songs, followed by sensory play activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.

com.

• NCLL: Ecology of Coyotes and Foxes. Wildlife specialist Cody Norton will discuss ecology and the preferred habitat of coyotes and foxes in the Upper Peninsula. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 1:30 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-475-4252 or bbraden@consultant.com.

• MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Meeting. Discussion includes the ups and downs of motherhood and everything in between. Open to moms of children of any age. Childcare typically provided. 5:30 p.m. Messiah Lutheran Church, 305 W. Magnetic St. renee.n. jewett@gmail.com.

• Marqueetown Screening. The film portrays the history of motion pictures through one iconic screen and features dozens of Michigan locations and characters. Filmmakers Joseph Beyer and Beth Milligan will be present and the screening benefits Peter White Public Library and Fresh Coast Film Festival.

7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

• Building Club. Youth ages five and older will discuss a topic that will be the focus of their creations and then have time to build with blocks such as LEGO bricks. Participants can have their creations displayed in the library until the following meeting. 4:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

03 FRIDAY

sunrise 6:32 a.m.; sunset 9:01 p.m.

Curtis

• Dave Boutette and Kristi Lynn Davis. This duo pairs Boutette’s songwriting with Davis’s gift for harmony. Ticket prices vary. 7 p.m. Pine Performance Center, N9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906-586-9974 or mynorthtickets.com.

Gwinn

• Storytime. Preschool-age kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Marquette

• NCLL: Work Day at Bay Cliff Camp. NCLL members will volunteer to help Bay Cliff staff get ready for the summer. Lunch in the “Big House” will be provided. Meet in the Target Parking lot to carpool. 9:30 a.m. 906-458-5408 or csteinha@nmu.edu.

• Preschool Storytime. Preschool-age children and a loving adult can enjoy stories, songs, finger plays, crafts and other school-readiness activities. Siblings are welcome. 10:45 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public

Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

04 SATURDAY

sunrise 6:30 a.m.; sunset 9:02 p.m.

Big Bay

• Dash for Trash. Hosted by the Big Bay Stewardship Council, individuals, teams, businesses and organizations are invited to pick up trash along Powell Township’s roads, trails and waterways. A potluck will follow. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Draver Park. 847-894-3763.

Crystal Falls

• Documentary: Marqueetown. $5. 7 p.m. CDT. Crystal Theatre, 304 Superior Ave. 906-875-3208.

Escanaba

• Ink Society Local Writers’ Group. Free for ages 16 and older. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Little Lake

• Craft and Vendor Show. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.

Marquette

• May the 4th Be With You: Star Wars Day! Families with youth of all ages can drop in to celebrate Star Wars Day with themed crafts and activities, movies and more. Costumes are encouraged. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl. info.

• Postcard Show. Attendees will have a chance to view postcards from the Detroit Publishing Company, UP Vintage Focus on Boats, Superior View of the Past, Large Focus Landscape as well as postcards from collectors. Trading is encouraged and individual collectors may sell at their tables. Suggested donation, $5. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906-2263571 or marquettehistory.org.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.

• Swing Dance. A free one-hour swing dancing lesson will be followed by a social dance. 7 p.m. Dance Zone, 1113 Lincoln Ave. 602-358-6839, events@ yooperswing.com or yooperswing.com/ dance.

• MarquetteMania2. Presented by UPW Pro Wrestling, this is a

fundraising event for Bay Cliff Health Camp. Ticket prices vary. 7 p.m. Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair Ave. nmu. universitytickets.com.

Negaunee

• Pokémon Club. Youth ages 7 and older can play Pokémon card games, discuss their favorite Pokémon, trade cards, make friends and have fun. 10 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-4757700, ext. 18.

05

Ishpeming

• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Marquette

• Story Time at MooseWood. Marsh Music by Marianne Berkes will be read followed by an activity or craft. Suggested donation, $5 per child or $10 per family. 11 a.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.

06

Marquette

• NCLL: Habitat for Humanity. Henry Sale, repairs coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, will provide an overview of the organization and how families and locations are chosen. Volunteer opportunities will also be included. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 3 p.m. Habitat for Humanity Restore, 133 Carmen Dr. 906-360-2859 or mouserhouse@ gmail.com.

• Senior Theatre Experience: Monthly Theatre Workshop and Discussion. Intended for ages 55 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.

• U.P. Rowing Meet and Greet. U.P. Rowing will provide information about its summer 2024 adult Learn to Row program. 6 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. gbrayden@charter.net or uprowing. com.

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

07 TUESDAY

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Tot Tuesday Storytime. Stories, songs, and movement activities will be followed by an optional craft and playtime for toddlers and preschoolers. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• U.P. Notable Book Discussion. This month’s selection will be Grim Paradise: The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer, a U.P. Notable Book by Rod Sadler. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Little Lake

• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open, 5 p.m.; early bird games, 6:30 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.

Marquette

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn

how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

• Director Chat. Stop in to chat with Library Director Andrea Ingmire. 11 a.m. to noon, and 5 to 6 p.m. Circulation Lobby, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl.info.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655.

• What’s Up? (Zoom). Scott Stobbelaar of the Marquette Astronomical Society will provide a virtual monthly guide to what can be seen in the skies of the Upper Peninsula. 7 p.m. Via Zoom. 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

08 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 6:25 a.m.; sunset 9:08 p.m.

art galleries

Calumet

• Calumet Art Center. Works by local and regional artists. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228. calumetartcenter.com.

• Copper Country Associated Artist. Works by members and workshop participants in watercolor and oil, drawings, photography, sculpture, quilting, wood, textile, clay, glass and other media. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 205 Fifth St. 906-337-1252 or ccaartists.org.

• Gallery on 5th. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Call or visit Facebook for up-to-date store hours. 906-299-0118 or galleryon5th.com.

Curtis

• Erickson Center for the Arts–Waterfront Gallery. Features unique work from local artists, including photography, pottery, jewelry, woodworking, paintings and more. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.

Copper Harbor

• EarthWorks Gallery. Featuring Lake Superior-inspired photography by Steve Brimm. Daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 216 First St. 906-231-6318.

Escanaba

• Besse Gallery.

- Celebration of Student Success: Winter 2024 Student Art Exhibition is on display through Aug. 31. Days and hours vary. Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.edu.

• Hartwig Gallery. Featuring works by local, regional and national artists. Days and hours vary. Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.edu

• William Bonifas Fine Arts Gallery.

- Work by artists of the East Ludington Gallery is on display through the 2nd in the Powers Gallery.

- 13 Woman of the Blue Moon Clan, featuring work that must incorporate at least one Blue Moon bottle cap is on display through the 2nd in the Studio Gallery.

- NMU Art and Design Student Biennial. Works by NMU School of Art and Design juniors and seniors will be on display May 9 through June 20, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on May 9. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 700 First Avenue South. 906-786-3833 or bonifasarts.org.

Garden

• Village Artisans/Garden Gallery. The Gallery has approximately 50 consignors each year featuring

paintings, photography, quilting, stained glass, woodwork, pottery, jewelry and more. Open House will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on the 23rd. Beginning May 24, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. 6367 State St. 906-644-2025 or villageartisansofgarden.org.

Hancock

• Finandia Art Gallery.

- Evolution, a retrospective of art textiles for the wall by Finnish American artist Heather Allen Hietala, is on display through June 5. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy St. 906-487-7500 or gallery@finlandiafoundation.org.

• Kerredge Gallery.

- Works by Bill and Edith Wiard will be on display through May 4.

- Forest Spirits, featuring works by Joyce Koskenmaki, will be on display May 7 through June 1, with an opening reception at 6 p.m. on the 9th. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Copper Country Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or coppercountryarts.com.

• Youth Gallery. Featuring works by local students. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or coppercountryarts.com.

Marquette

• Art—U.P. Style. Art by Carol Papaleo, works by local artists, gifts, classes and more. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. 130 W. Washington St. 906-225-1993.

• DeVos Art Museum.

- The NMU School of Art and Design

Senior Exhibition, featuring works by graduating seniors in a variety of media, is on display through the 4th. A screening of digital work at 6 p.m. and closing reception from 7 to 9 p.m., with an awards presentation at 8 p.m., will take place on the 3rd.

- The annual Children’s Exhibition, featuring elementary students’ artwork in all media organized by art teachers from local schools, will be on display May 6 through 26 with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on the 9th.

- By Design: Looking at Living, an exhibition that considers our relationship to design using objects from the gallery’s permanent collection, is on display through June 1. Monday through Wednesday and Friday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday, noon to 8 p.m. Corner of Seventh and Tracy streets. NMU. 906-227-1481 or nmu.edu/devos.

• Graci Gallery. An installation by Amber Dohrenwend is on display through the 31st with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. on the 25th. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 110 N. Third St. gracigallery.com.

• Huron Mountain Club Gallery.

- Arts in Education Student Exhibit by MARESA, Great Lakes Recovery and Amber Dohrenwend, is on display through the 31st with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on the 11th. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472.

• Lake Superior Photo and Gallery. The studio features landscape photographic art by Shawn Malone, including naturescapes of the Lake Superior region. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 211 S.

(continued on

Fred Brian | Untitled | DeVos Art Museum, Marquette

art galleries

Front St. 906-228-3686 or lakesuperiorphoto.com.

• Marquette Arts and Culture Center Deo Gallery.

- High School Art Show is on display through the 31st with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on the 9th. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472.

• Presque Isle Station. This working pottery studio features pottery by Michael Horton and Terry Gilfoy, along with works by local artists. Days and times vary. 2901 Lakeshore Blvd. 906-225-1695.

• The Gallery: A Marquette Artist Collective Project. Works by local and regional artists. Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Suite U7, 130 W. Washington St. mqtartistcollective.com.

• The Studio Gallery at Presque Isle. Works by local and internationally acclaimed artists. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 2905 Lakeshore Blvd. 906-360-4453.

• Wintergreen Hill Gallery and Gifts. Watercolor paintings by Katie Archambeault are on display through the 31st with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on the 17th. Wintergreen Hill

Gwinn

• Forsyth Township Public Library Board Meeting. The public is welcome. 5:30 p.m. Community Room, Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary. org.

Ishpeming

• Meet the Author: David Biedrzycki. The Marquette-Alger Young Authors Conference will present this year’s featured author, David Biedrzycki, for a presentation and book signing. 5:30 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Manistique

• Estate Planning Seminar. “Estate Planning for Everyone,” a free seminar presented by elder law attorneys Scott Brogan, John Yonkers and Eryka Symington, will cover topics and considerations for U.P. families. 6 p.m. Comfort Inn, 617 E. Lakeshore Dr. To register, 906-228-6212.

Gallery strives to create an immersive art experience for visitors who are looking to buy or just looking for inspiration. Local art by local artists. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 810 N. Third St. 906-273-1374 or wintergreenhill.com.

• Zero Degrees Gallery. The gallery features works in oils, watercolors, mixed media, jewelry, photography, metals, woods, recycled and fiber arts and more. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 525 N. Third St. 906-228-3058 or zerodegreesgallery.org.

Munising

• UP-Scale Art. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. 109 W. Superior Ave. 906-387-3300 or upscaleart. org.

Rapid River

• Ritch Branstrom’s adhocWORKshop. Specializing in award-winning found object sculpture. By appointment or chance. 10495 S. Main St. 906-399-1572 or adhocworkshop. com.

Sand River

• Aurelia Studio Pottery. Featuring high fire stoneware, along with functional and sculptural pieces inspired by nature, created by potter and owner Paula Neville. Open by appointment or chance. 3050 E. M-28. 906-343-6592.

Marquette

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.

• Caring For an Aging Loved One. Attorney Erica Payne from Taproot Law will offer guidance on having hard conversations now as well as what to expect about legal matters related to caring for an aging loved one. There will also be a brief presentation on hospice services, presented by Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice. 1 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library , 217 N. Front St. 906-225-7760.

• Senior Visual Art Classes: Silk Scarf Painting with Diane KribsMays. Intended for ages 50 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents. 1 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 1 to 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

• unTITLEd Teens. Teens in sixth through 12th will deconstruct books and create different pieces of art from them. 3 p.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4321, apierce@pwpl.info or pwpl. info.

• Community Knit/Crochet Club. 5:30 p.m. Alley Kat’s Quilt Shop, 1010 W. Washington St. 906-315-0050.

• Adult Learn to Row Meet and Greet. Learn about the U.P. Rowing team and the learn to row summer sessions. 6 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St.

• Craft Magic Series: Punch Needle Magic with Lydia Taylor. Fiber artist Lydia Taylor will teach basic punch needle skills and participants will leave with their own handmade project. Starter kits will be provided. 6:30 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl. info.

Negaunee

• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

• Wings of Fire Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

09 THURSDAY sunrise 6:23 a.m.; sunset 9:09 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311, ext. 1107, or clklibrary.org.

Crystal Falls

• U.P. Notable Books Club (Zoom). The guest will be Jon C. Stott, author of Yooper Ale Trails: Craft Breweries and Brewpubs of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. 7 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Central. Via Zoom. 906-875-3344 or egathu@crystalfallslibrary.org. upnotable.com.

Ishpeming

• Great Lakes Great Books Club. Students in fourth and fifth grade will discuss the middle-grade fantasy novel Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Downtown Development Authority Board Meeting. 8 a.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. downtownmarquette.org.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• Powerful Tools for Caregivers. This six-week in-person workshop will help caregivers focus on how to take care of themselves. Offered by Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP) in partnership with Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice. 1:30 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. To register, 906-225-7760 or dial 2-1-1, or upcap.org.

• Second Thursday Creativity Series. This month’s theme is “Lost Socks.” Guests can enjoy hands-on craft activities and free Culver’s frozen custard. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-226-3911 or upchildrensmuseum.org.

• Marquette Art Muses Meeting. Open to the public. 5:30 p.m. The Courtyards, 1110 Champion St. lbuckmar2@yahoo.com or 906-399-9824.

• Youth Rowing Information Meeting. Youth entering ninth through 12th grades and their parents or guardians can learn about U.P. Rowing’s summer 2024 Youth Rowing program. 6 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906250-4486 or uprowing.com.

• Yarn Winders Fiber Guild of Marquette. 6 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St.

• Community Showing: Bad River. 7 p.m. Thomas Theaters, 1525 Commerce Dr. superiorwatersheds.org.

• Marquette Poets Circle. Local poets, writers, and poetry enthusiasts gather to workshop their current work, followed by an open mic. New and experienced poets are welcome for either or both events. Workshop, 6:30 p.m.; open mic, 7:15 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906 226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info, or pwpl.info.

• Ghost Soldiers. This Panowski Playwriting Award-winning play by Keli Crawford-Truckey tells the story of the soldiers who were a part of the “Polar Bear Expedition” during World War I. NMU students, $5; student 18 and younger, $13; military, seniors and NMU faculty and staff, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.universitytickets.com.

Negaunee

• Building Club. Youth ages five and older will discuss a topic that will be the focus of their creations and then

have time to build with blocks such as LEGO bricks. Participants can have their creations displayed in the library until the following meeting. 4:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

10 FRIDAY

sunrise 6:22 a.m.; sunset 9:10 p.m.

Gwinn

• Storytime. Preschool-age kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Homeschool Hangout. Homeschooling families are invited to hang out with other homeschooling friends, network with library staff, and learn about library resources. 10 a.m. to noon. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• Afternoon Movie: The Bad Guys. Popcorn and water will be provided; guests can bring their own snacks or drinks. 1 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• Teen Book Fair. Teens and young adult book lovers can drop in to browse a selection of new titles and choose two free books to keep. 1 to 5 p.m.

Margaret Dundon Reading Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Docu Cinema: Going Sane: The State of Mental Health Care in America. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this documentary follows three families’ struggles to find the best treatments for loved ones with mental illness. Noon. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• TV6 Mother’s Day Craft Show. Youth age 12 and younger, free; age 13 and older, $3. 5 to 9 p.m. Superior Dome, NMU.

• Ghost Soldiers. This Panowski Playwriting Award-winning play by Keli Crawford-Truckey tells the story of the soldiers who were a part of the “Polar Bear Expedition” during World War I. NMU students, $5; student 18 and younger, $13; military, seniors and NMU faculty and staff, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.universitytickets.com.

11 SATURDAY

sunrise 6:21 a.m.; sunset 9:11 p.m.

Calumet

• Second Saturday Market and Dessert Plate Fundraiser. The market will feature local handcrafted items. The purchase of a plate for $20 will include dessert. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228 or calumetartcenter. com.

Chatham

• Storytime. The storytime will also include songs and crafts. 10 a.m. Rock River Township Library, E3667 State Hwy. M-94. 906-439-5360 or rrtlibrary@gmail.com.

Escanaba

• LEGO Club. This month’s theme is “Baby Animals.” 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Books ’n Blooms. All ages can enjoy floral craft stations, a tea tasting, book displays and a feature of the library’s Seed Library. At noon, Kitty from Hope-Dreams Art will guide participants to make flower arrangements using discarded books (registration required). 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main

St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.

• Silent Book Club. Guests can bring their own book or pick out something at the library to read silently for one hour, followed by time to socialize and talk about books. Pajamas or loungewear are welcome and snacks will be provided. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• TV6 Mother’s Day Craft Show. Youth age 12 and younger, free; age 13 and older, $3. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Superior Dome, NMU.

• Wilson Creek Open House. This 14th annual “Spring Cleaning at the Sawmill” is a family-friendly open house, community party and lumber liquidation event, which will include a potluck lunch, wood quiz with prizes, horseshoe court and local artist and farmer vendor booths. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wilson Creek Woodsmithing , 115 Co. Rd. KR (Brown Deer Road). 906-360-7288.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.

• Ghost Soldiers. This Panowski Playwriting Award-winning play by Keli Crawford-Truckey tells the story of the soldiers who were a part of the

“Polar Bear Expedition” during World War I. NMU students, $5; student 18 and younger, $13; military, seniors and NMU faculty and staff, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.universitytickets.com.

Negaunee

• Pokémon Club. Youth ages 7 and older can play Pokémon card games, discuss their favorite Pokémon, trade cards, make friends and have fun. 10 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-4757700, ext. 18.

12

Mother’s Day

Marquette

• TV6 Mother’s Day Craft Show. Youth age 12 and younger, free; age 13 and older, $3. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Superior Dome, NMU.

13

Marquette

• Estate Planning Seminar. “Estate Planning for Everyone,” a free seminar presented by elder law attorneys Scott Brogan, John Yonkers and Eryka Symington, will cover topics and considerations for U.P. families. 6 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-228-6212.

• Will Writing Workshop. An expert from Taproot Law will offer advice, hints and details about creating a last will and testament. 6 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

• NCLL: Michigan Iron Industry Museum. Barry James, DNR historian for the Upper Peninsula, will provide a video of the history of mining and of current iron pellet production. Time will be provided to explore the exhibits, outdoor trails and store. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 10 a.m. Michigan Iron Industry Museum, 73 Forge Rd. 906-458-5408 or csteinha@ nmu.edu.

• Outdoor Book Sale. Hosted by the Friends of the Negaunee Public Library. All sales will be by donation. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Outdoor lawn, Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

14 TUESDAY

Calumet

• Friends of the Library Meeting. New members are welcome to learn about programming ideas, volunteer opportunities, the Red Jacket Readers book club and more. 5:30 p.m. Community Room, Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311, ext. 1107, or clklibrary.org.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Gwinn

• Literature at the Lodge. This month’s selection will be Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. 7 p.m. Up North Lodge, 215 S. Co. Rd. 557. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Tot Tuesday Storytime. Stories, songs, and movement activities will be followed by an optional craft and playtime for toddlers and preschoolers. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Little Lake

• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open, 5 p.m.; early bird games, 6:30 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.

Marquette

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

• Tasty Reads Book Group. This month’s selection will be Love, Lemons and Olive Oil by Mina Stone. Noon. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl.info.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• Lake Superior Knitters. Knitters and those who crochet are invited to expand their knowledge and mentor others in the fiber arts. Open to all age groups and skill levels. If new to knitting, bring a skein of light colored yarn and a Size 7, 24-inch circular needle. Suggested donation of $1 to $5 to the MRHC for the study and preservation of the fiber arts. 1 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. beedhive47@yahoo.com.

• Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655.

• Senior Dance Class. Intended for ages 55 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.

15 WEDNESDAY

sunrise 6:15 a.m.; sunset 9:16 p.m.

Calumet

• Red Jacket Readers. The group will discuss Copper Divide by Beth Kirschner, described as one woman’s story of friendship tested by a society torn apart by a labor strike that resulted in the 1913 Italian Hall Disaster. 6:30 p.m. Community Room, Calumet Public Library. 906-337-0311, ext. 1107, or clklibrary.org.

Gwinn

• After School LEGO Club. Children ages five and older are welcome to drop in and build. 4 to 5 p.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Scam/Fraud Awareness. Presented by staff from Embers Bank. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.

• Senior Visual Art Classes: Silk Scarf Painting with Diane KribsMays. Intended for ages 50 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents. 1 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 1 to 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

• Hiawatha on Tap (HOTAP). Featuring music by Bayou Chocolat Cajun Band. Hiawatha Music Co-op members, $5; general public, $10. 6 to 8 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Co., 114 W. Spring St. 906-226-8575 or hiawathamusic.org.

• Marquette County Genealogical

Big Bay Relay | May 18 | Big Bay

Society Meeting. Members, visitors and guests are encouraged to attend. 6 p.m. Family Search Center, 350 Cherry Creek Rd. marquettecountymigeniesociety@gmail.com or lakesuperiorroots. org.

• Nick Baumgartner Reading and Book Signing. Olympic gold medalist Nick Baumgartner will read from Gold from Iron, his recently published memoir. 6:30 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-4757700, ext. 18.

• Wings of Fire Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

• Negaunee Beautification Committee Meeting. No gloves or green thumbs are needed and everyone is welcome. Participants do not need to be residents of Negaunee to join. 6:30 p.m. For location, 906-362-8160.

16

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311, ext. 1107, or clklibrary.org.

Curtis

• Tempest Tossed Presented by the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company, this production is lively, interactive and appropriate for all ages. Adults, $15; 18 and younger, $10. 7 p.m. Pine Performance Center, N9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906-586-9974 or mynorthtickets.com.

Escanaba

• Author Talk with Rod Sadler. True crime writer Rod Sadler will discuss his new book, Grim Paradise: The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer. 6 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7328.

Ishpeming

• Crochet Club. This is a time to gather with fellow crafters to socialize. Supplies and instruction will be provided for those who are interested in learning how to crochet. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• Adult Fantasy Book Club. This month’s selection will be The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie

Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• Powerful Tools for Caregivers. This six-week in-person workshop will help caregivers focus on how to take care of themselves. Offered by Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP) in partnership with Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice. 1:30 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. To register, 906-225-7760 or dial 2-1-1, or upcap.org.

• Marquette Rug Hookers Meeting. Learn techniques of rug hooking, resource sharing, instruction, show and tell, and fellowship. Participants may bring dinner. 4 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center Studio Room 2, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-360-8700.

• Songwriter’s Woodshed. Featuring Sue Demel and guest songwriter Kerry Yost. 7 to 9 p.m. Hiawatha Fold, Village Shopping Center, 1015 N. Third St. 906-226-8575 or hiawathamusic. org.

Negaunee

• Building Club. Youth ages five and older will discuss a topic that will be the focus of their creations and then have time to build with blocks such as LEGO bricks. Participants can have their creations displayed in the library until the following meeting. 4:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

17 FRIDAY

sunrise 6:13 a.m.; sunset 9:19 p.m.

Gwinn

• Storytime. Preschool-age kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks. 10:30 a.m. Forsyth Township Library, 180 W. Flint St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Author Visit: True Crime Writer Rod Sadler. Rod Sadler will discuss the true crime behind his newest book, Grim Paradise: The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer. This event is intended for adults. 1 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Global Cinema: Jane Campion’s An Angel at My Table As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, this New Zealand biographical film presents the life of author Janet Frame, following her impoverished youth to her struggles with mental illness and her writing career. Rated R. 11 a.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl. info.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• U.P. Notable Book Author Rod Sadler Reading. Rod Sadler, author of the U.P. Notable Book Grim Paradise:

The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer, will read from his true crime book and discuss this infamous murder case. 3 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

• The Reluctant Dragon . SAY Theater will present an adaption of The Reluctant Dragon by Kathryn Schultz Miller in which friends face their fears and become heroes. In advance, $12; at the door, $14. 7 p.m. Masonic Theater, 128 W. Washington St. saytheater.org.

• Marquette Male Chorus Concert. The Marquette Male Chorus, directed by Wayne Hanmer and accompanied by Dawn Betts, will present “Harmonies and Melodies: Music of Bacharach, Mancini and Mercer.” $10 suggested donation. 7:30 p.m. Messiah Lutheran Church, 305 W. Magnetic St. 906-249-9867.

18 SATURDAY

Crystal Falls

• Lake Monitoring Workshop. This training will help volunteers gather data on lake health and contribute to a statewide database. Lunch will be included. Sponsored by Iron County Lakes and Streams Partnership. 9 a.m. Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp, 138 Fortune Lake Camp Rd. To register, send name, email address, name of your preferred lake and the county to iclakesandstreamspartnership@ gmail.com. For information about lake monitoring, visit micorps.net/ lake-monitoring.

Gwinn

• Gus Macker. This nationwide threeon-three basketball tournament will include a slam dunk contest, food trucks, kids’ activities and a community fair. Proceeds will support athletic programs within the Gwinn community. Opening ceremony, 8 a.m. Gwinn High School, 50 M-35. gwinnmacker@yahoo.com or facebook.com/ gusmackergwinn.

Hancock

• Buellwood Weavers and Fiber Arts Guild Meeting. All fiber artists are welcome and can bring their show-and-tell projects. 1 p.m. Fiber Arts Studio (Room 105), Finnish American Folk School, lower level, Skyline Commons (formerly the Jutila Center), 200 Michigan St. jegale@att. net or 906-221-5306.

Marquette

• Big Bay Relay. Teams of five adults or seven youth runners cover 26 miles and will run one-mile segments in this annual fundraiser. Proceeds benefit the Noquemanon Trail Network. $185 per team. 8 a.m. Kaufman Sports Complex. 846 Hawley St. noquetrails.org.

Gus Macker | May 18 and 19 | Gwinn

museums

Big Bay

• Big Bay Lighthouse. The grounds of the 1896 lighthouse are open year-round. 3 Lighthouse Rd. 906-345-9957.

Calumet

• International Frisbee/USA Guts Hall of Fame and Museum. Learn about the history of Guts Frisbee. Days and hours vary. Open when events are held. Second floor ballroom, Calumet Colosseum, 110 Red Jacket Rd. 906-281-7625.

Caspian

• Iron County Historical Museum. The Iron County Museum is one of the largest outdoor museum complexes in the U.P. and is the designated “Log Cabin Capital of Michigan” with more historic log structures than any place in the state. Exhibits include the Carrie Jacobs-Bond House, Stager Depot, St. Mary’s Church, Toti’s Tavern, Pioneer School House, Giovanelli Studio and Gallery and Lee LeBlanc Memorial Art Gallery. Children five and younger, free; students. $10; adults, $15. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 100 Brady Ave. 906-265-2617 or ironcountymuseum.org.

Escanaba

• Upper Peninsula Military Museum and Honor Flight Legacy Museum. The museum honors Upper Peninsula veterans, and features exhibits and dioramas portraying the Upper Peninsula’s contribution to U.S. war efforts from the Civil War through the Afghanistan wars. Learn the history of the honor flight trips. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request. Inside the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, 1001 N. Lincoln Rd.

Grand Marais

• Pickle Barrel House Museum. This 16-foot-high barrel has been restored to its condition as a cottage, built for author and illustrator William Donahey, who created the Teenie Weenie characters. Open by appointment. Downtown. grandmaraismichigan.com.

Houghton

• A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum. New exhibit on Yooperlites, sodalite-bearing syenites that possess fluorescent properties. View the largest collection of minerals from the Great Lakes region and the world’s finest collection of Michigan minerals. Prices vary. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1404 E. Sharon Ave. museum.mtu.edu or

906-487-2572.

• Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw. New exhibits are Message in a Bottle, featuring artifacts long buried beneath Houghton’s streets that were found during excavations in 2021; and Celebrate the Lift Bridge, which includes building activities and the 1960s-era video about building the Lift Bridge. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 105 Huron St. 906-482-7140 or carnegiekeweenaw.org.

• MTU Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections. Features a variety of historical memorabilia, highlighting life in the Copper Country. Open by appointment. Lower level of the J.R. Van Pelt Library, MTU. 906-487-3209.

Ishpeming

• Ishpeming Area Historical Society Museum. Displays include a military exhibit and artifacts from the Elson Estate. Open by appointment. See website for updates. Gossard Building, Suite 303, 308 Cleveland Ave. ishpeminghistory.org.

• U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum features more than 300 Hall of Fame inductees, presented in photographs and biographies, and displays and exhibits of skiing history and equipment, an extensive library, video show, gift shop, special events and more. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. US-41 and Third Street. 906-485-6323 or skihall.com.

K.I. Sawyer

• K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum. The museum promotes and preserves the aviation history the air base brought to the area. Air Force-related materials are on display, including photographs, flags, medals and more. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment. 402 Third St. (906) 236-3502 or kisawyerheritageairmuseum.org.

Marquette

• Baraga Educational Center and Museum. View artifacts and tools used by Venerable Bishop Baraga. Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. 615 S. Fourth St. 906-227-9117.

• Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center. Extraordinary Women of the U.P. , which commemorates 60 influential women native to the U.P. or who settled in the area later in life and their significant contributions in the fields of education, the arts, politics, medicine, activism and public service, is

on display through July 27. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 12 to 4 p.m. Corner of Seventh and Tracy streets. NMU. 906-227-1219 or nmu.edu/beaumier.

• Marquette Regional History Center.

- Consumer Co-operatives in the Central Upper Peninsula: A Middle Way, which highlights the history of organizing consumer cooperatives and how they were involved in more than just selling goods, is on display through the 27th. The museum also includes interactive displays as well as regional history exhibits. Youth 12 and younger, $2; students, $3; seniors, $6; adults, $7. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 145 W. Spring St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org.

• Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum. A variety of interactive exhibits offer learning through investigation and creativity. Prices vary. Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-2263911 or upchildrensmuseum.org.

Menominee

• West Shore Fishing Museum. Tour the Bailey Family Homestead, site of a pioneer commercial fishery and a stop on the Great Lakes Heritage Trail. The grounds include a restored 20th-century home, twine shed and carriage house. View exhibits of tools, equipment, boats and Native American fishing practices. Walk the expanded waterfront and woodland trails and enjoy the gardens. Opens May 25. Saturday and Sunday, 1 to

4 p.m. 15 miles north of Menominee or 8 miles south of Cedar River on M-35. Turn at Bailey Park entrance. 715-923-9756.

Munising

• Alger County Historical Society Heritage Center. Exhibits include the Grand Island Recreation Area, Munising Woodenware Company, barn building, homemaking, sauna and more. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1496 Washington St. 906-387-4308.

Negaunee

• Michigan Iron Industry Museum. In the forested ravines of the Marquette Iron Range, the museum overlooks the Carp River and the site of the first iron forge in the Lake Superior region. Museum exhibits, audio-visual programs and outdoor interpretive paths depict the largescale capital and human investment that made Michigan an industrial leader. The museum is one of 10 museums and historic sites administered by the Michigan Historical Center. Michigan Recreation Passport required for parking. Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 73 Forge Rd. 906-475-7857.

South Range

• Copper Range Historical Museum. Exhibits recreate life from the 1900s to the mid-1950s of the immigrants who built the towns and villages of the area. Collections include photographs, books and artifacts. Open by appointment. 44 Trimountain Ave. 906-482-6125 or 906-487-9412. MM

Upper Peninsula Military Museum | Escanaba

Photo by James Larsen

• Farmers Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. mqtfarmersmarket. com.

• Summer: A Solstice Story Book Release. Families with youth of all ages are invited to this book release and reading for Summer: A Solstice Story by local author Kelsey Gross. Attendees can participate in guided summer-related movement and stretching, and create a planting craft. 10:30 a.m. Great Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.

• The Reluctant Dragon. SAY Theater will present an adaption of The Reluctant Dragon by Kathryn Schultz Miller in which friends face their fears and become heroes. In advance, $12; at the door, $14. 1 and 7 p.m. Masonic Theater, 128 W. Washington St. saytheater.org.

Negaunee

• Pokémon Club. Youth ages 7 and older can play Pokémon card games, discuss their favorite Pokémon, trade cards, make friends and have fun. 10 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-4757700, ext. 18.

19 SUNDAY

Gwinn

• Gus Macker. This nationwide threeon-three basketball tournament will include a slam dunk contest, food trucks, kids’ activities and a community fair. Proceeds will support athletic programs within the Gwinn community. Games begin at 8 a.m. Gwinn High School, 50 M-35. gwinnmacker@yahoo.com or facebook.com/ gusmackergwinn.

• Dance. Music will be provided by the Country Express. All are welcome. $8. 1 to 4 p.m. K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum, 402 Third St. 906-346-2251.

Ishpeming

• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.

Negaunee

• Growing on a Budget: Plant and Seed Swap Workshop. Presented by Partridge Creek Farm. 11 a.m. Campfire Coffee, 320 Iron St. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org.

20 MONDAY

sunrise 6:10 a.m.; sunset 9:22 p.m.

Marquette

• Senior Theatre Experience: Monthly Theatre Workshop and Discussion. Intended for ages 55 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.

• Quick Fics Book Group. This month’s selection will be Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. 6 p.m. Dandelion Cottage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4323 or pwpl.info.

Negaunee

• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

21 TUESDAY

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.

Little Lake

• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open, 5 p.m.; early bird games, 6:30 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.

Marquette

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655.

• Dungeons and Dragons. Jordan from Iron Golem Games, will lead a group of teens in sixth through 12th grades on a quest with this role-playing game. Registration is required. 4 p.m. Teen Zone, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4321, apierce@

pwpl.info or pwpl.info.

• Senior Dance Class. Intended for ages 55 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.

• PWPL Board of Trustees Meeting. This monthly meeting of the board of trustees of the Peter White Public Library is open to all. 5 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. pwpl.info.

• NCLL: Annual Meeting and Sister Cities of Marquette. A short meeting on the organization’s business will be followed by a presentation from the Marquette Area Sister Cities Program, which will discuss the cities of Hiroshima, Japan, and Kaajani, Finland, as well as future travel opportunities. Dinner will be provided. NCLL members, free; nonmembers, $15. 5:30 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register by May 14, 906-360-2589 or mouserhouse@gmail.com.

22 WEDNESDAY

Houghton

• Estate Planning Seminar. “Estate Planning for Everyone,” a free seminar presented by elder law attorneys Scott Brogan, John Yonkers and Eryka Symington, will cover topics and considerations for U.P. families. 6 p.m. The Bluffs Assisted Living, 1000 Bluff View Dr. To register, 906-228-6212.

Ishpeming

• Adult Horror Book Club. This month’s selection will be Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

• 22nd Annual Family Night. 5 to 7:30 p.m. Aspen Ridge School, 350 Aspen Ridge School Rd. 906-485-3178.

Marquette

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.

• Senior Visual Art Classes: Silk Scarf Painting with Diane KribsMays. Intended for ages 50 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents. 1 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring

passwords with you. 1 to 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

• Mystery at McClure Solved. Learn about a giant meteor that struck 1.85 billion years ago which formed the outcropping at the McClure Basin. $5. 6:30 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Baraga Ave. 906-226-3571.

• Dancing with Our Stars. Watch local couples compete in this fundraising dance compeition. Proceeds benefit U.P. Hospice Foundation Prices vary. 7 p.m. Forest Roberts Theater, NMU. 906-225-4545 or dwos.uphomehealth. org.

Negaunee

• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

• Wings of Fire Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

23 THURSDAY

sunrise 6:07 a.m.; sunset 9:26 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311, ext. 1107, or clklibrary.org.

Ishpeming

• Graphic Novel Book Club. Students in fourth through eighth grades will discuss Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable. 4 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Geoff and Jon’s Record Show. Noon to 11 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• Powerful Tools for Caregivers. This six-week in-person workshop will help caregivers focus on how to take care of themselves. Offered by Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP) in partnership with Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice. 1:30 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. To register, 906-225-7760 or dial 2-1-1, or upcap.org.

• Honor a Woman. This third annual fundraiser for Zonta Club of the Marquette Area will feature a presentation on Rosie the Riveter as enacted by Claire Dahl. There will also be

light dinner and dessert, basket raffles and a 50/50 drawing. $50. 5:30 to 8 p.m. Barrel + Beam, 260 Northwoods Rd. 906-361-4446, zontamqtevents@gmail.com or tinyurl.com/ HAWzontamqt.

• Dancing with Our Stars. Watch local couples compete in this fundraising dance compeition. Proceeds benefit U.P. Hospice Foundation. Prices vary. 7 p.m. Forest Roberts Theater, NMU. 906-225-4545 or dwos.uphomehealth. org.

Negaunee

• Building Club. Youth ages five and older will discuss a topic that will be the focus of their creations and then have time to build with blocks such as LEGO bricks. Participants can have their creations displayed in the library until the following meeting. 4:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

24 FRIDAY

Crystal Falls

• Peter Bergin. Michigan-based artist Peter Bergin will present stories and the rhythms and history of ragtime piano. Students, $5; adults, $23. 7 p.m. Crystal Theatre, 304 Superior Ave. 906-875-3208 or thecrystaltheatre.org.

Ishpeming

• Homeschool Hangout. Homeschooling families are invited to hang out with other homeschooling friends, network with library staff, and learn about library resources. 10 a.m. to noon. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381.

Marquette

• Blockbusting Cinema: Oppenheimer. This 2024 Best Picture winner features Oscar-winning performances by Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey, Jr. Rated PG-13. 11 a.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4322 or machatz@pwpl.info.

• Geoff and Jon’s Record Show. Noon to 11 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

25

Calumet

• Celebration Concert. The program will include a musical setting of the children’s book Who Cares What You Want? I’m the Cat! by Lee

Arten, featuring Kathleen AlataloArten, keyed instruments; Dr. Kathryn Summersett and Dr. Samantha Arten, sopranos; Ethan Arten, guitar; Linnea Sieh, dance; Jan List, clarinet and organ; and others. There will also be a flash mob of Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.” In celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary, the first 50 attendees will be guests of the Artens. Refreshments will follow. $5. 2 p.m. Keweenaw Heritage Center, 25725 Scott St.

Houghton

• Locavore Festival. This event will kick off the farmer’s market season and will include locally grown food and local artistry, live music, farm animals and food trucks. Noon to 3 p.m. City of Houghton Public Pier. amy.zawada@ cityofhoughton.com.

Ishpeming

• Asian American Heritage Month Storytime and Craft. Jenny Cho, an anthropologist and certified Korean teacher, will lead a presentation and children’s storytime followed by a craft to decorate an Asian fan using watercolor techniques. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. To register, 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.

Marquette

• Farmers Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. mqtfarmersmarket.com.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.

• Pottery Demonstration. Participants can experience a pottery wheel demonstration and the opportunity to test their skill at bowl making, either with the wheel or by hand. Pinch pots can be made by younger visitors. Noon to 3:30 p.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. moosewood.org.

• Geoff and Jon’s Record Show. Noon to 11 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.

26 SUNDAY

sunrise 6:04 a.m.; sunset 9:29 p.m.

Marquette

• Story Time at MooseWood. A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use by Sara Levine will be read followed by an activity. Suggested donation, $5 per child or $10 per family. 11 a.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.

• Geoff and Jon’s Record Show. Noon to 11 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.

27 MONDAY

sunrise 6:04 a.m.; sunset 9:30 p.m.

Memorial Day

Ishpeming

• Memorial Day Services. 10 a.m. Ishpeming Cemetery, 1705 N. Second St.

Rock

• Memorial Day Services. Services will be led by the Rock Legion Post, followed by coffee and snacks at the Rock Senior Center. 10 a.m. Rock Cemetery.

28 TUESDAY

sunrise 6:03 a.m.; sunset 9:31 p.m.

Escanaba

• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323.

Little Lake

• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open, 5 p.m.; early bird games, 6:30 p.m. American Legion Auxiliary Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.

Marquette

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.

• Lake Superior Knitters. Knitters and those who crochet are invited to expand their knowledge and mentor others in the fiber arts. Open to all age groups and skill levels. If new to knitting, bring a skein of light colored yarn and a Size 7, 24-inch circular needle. Suggested donation of $1 to $5 to the MRHC for the study and preservation of the fiber arts. 1 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. beedhive47@yahoo.com.

• Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655.

• Senior Dance Class. Intended for ages 55 and older. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township

residents. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.

Munising

• Estate Planning Seminar. “Estate Planning for Everyone,” a free seminar presented by elder law attorneys Scott Brogan, John Yonkers and Eryka Symington, will cover topics and considerations for U.P. families. 6 p.m. Lakeshore Manor, 200 City Park Dr. To register, 906-228-6212.

29 WEDNESDAY sunrise 6:02 a.m.; sunset 9:32 p.m.

Marquette

• All Booked Up (Online). Upper Michigan Today’s Elizabeth Peterson and Tia Trudgeon, along with Peter White Public Library staff, will lead a discussion of Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. 9 a.m. Via the TV6 Facebook page. 906226-4322 or pwpl.info.

• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.

• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 1 to 3:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.

Negaunee

• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-4757700, ext. 18.

• Wings of Fire Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

30 THURSDAY

sunrise 6:01 a.m.; sunset 9:33 p.m.

Calumet

• Preschool Story Time. 10:15 a.m. Calumet Public Library. 906-3370311, ext. 1107 or clklibrary.org.

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m.

• Powerful Tools for Caregivers. This six-week in-person workshop will help caregivers focus on how to take care of themselves. Offered by Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP) in partnership with Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice.

1:30 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. To register, 906-225-7760 or upcap.org.

• Drag Cabaret. Presented by NMU

support groups

• Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families— Marquette. Sundays, 7 p.m., Use the parking lot entrance. Downstairs meeting room, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Ridge St. adultchildren.org/meeting.

• Alano Club—Marquette. Twelvestep recovery meetings daily. Monday through Saturday, noon and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. 3000 US-41 (back side of mall).

• Al-Anon/Alateen Family Groups A fellowship offering strength and hope for friends and families of problem drinkers. al-alon.org.

• Al-Anon—Ishpeming. Friends and family who have loved ones dealing with alcohol issues are invited. Mondays, 6 p.m. Wesley United Methodist Church, 801 Hemlock St. 906-361-9524.

• Alcoholics Anonymous. Meetings throughout Marquette County, open daily, at many locations and times. Twenty-four-hour answering service, aa-marquettecounty.org or 800-605-5043.

• Open AA Meeting—Gwinn. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Basement, Gwinn Community Building, 165 N. Maple St.

• Open AA Meeting—K.I. Sawyer. Fridays, 8 p.m. 906 Community Church, 315 Explorer St.

• Men’s AA Meeting—Gwinn. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church, 280 Boulder St. (entrance to the right of main entrance).

• ALZConnected. This is a free, online community for everyone affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other memory loss diseases. alzconnected.org.

• American Legacy Foundation. Smoking quit line for expectant mothers and cessation information for women. 800-668-8278.

• Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Checks. Cholesterol checks are $5. Call for Marquette County schedule. 906-225-4545.

Theatre and Dance to kick off Pride Month. NMU students, $5; student 18 and younger, $13; military, seniors and NMU faculty and staff, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.universitytickets.com.

Negaunee

• Building Club. Youth ages five and older will discuss a topic that will be the focus of their creations and then have time to build with blocks such as

LEGO bricks. Participants can have their creations displayed in the library until the following meeting. 4:30 p.m.

Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.

31 FRIDAY sunrise 6:01 a.m.; sunset 9:34 p.m.

Marquette

• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge

• Caregiver Support Group— Ishpeming. May 20. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Multi-Purpose Senior Center, 121 Greenwood St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.

• Caregiver Support Group— Marquette. May 8. 2 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.

• Celebrate Recovery—Gwinn. Wednesdays. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. First Baptist Church of Gwinn, 195 N. Billings St.

• Divorce Care—Ishpeming. This non-denominational group is for people who are separated or divorced. New members are welcome. Tuesdays, 6 p.m. Northiron Church, 910 Palms Ave. 906-475-6032 or northiron.church.

• Grief Share—Ishpeming. This non-denominational group is for people dealing with grief and loss. Mondays, 2:30 p.m. Northiron Church, 910 Palms Ave. northiron. church or 906-475-6032.

• Grief Support Group—Ishpeming. U.P. Home Health and Hospice will offer support for those caring for a loved one with a life-limiting diagnosis or who recently experienced the loss of a loved one. Second and fourth Thursdays. 2 p.m. Ray Leverton Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-225-4545.

• Gamblers Anonymous— Marquette. This group is for those who have or think they have a problem with gambling. Thursdays, 7 p.m. Library Room, First Presbyterian Church, 120 N. Front St.

• Grief Support Group—Gwinn. People dealing with grief and loss are encouraged to attend. Individual grief counseling is available. May 8. 2 p.m. Forsyth Senior Center, 165 Maple St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.

• Grief Support Group—Marquette. U.P. Home Health and Hospice will offer support for those caring for a loved one with a life-limiting diagnosis or who recently experienced the loss of a loved one. First and third Thursdays. 3 p.m. Dandelion Cottage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-4545.

• iCanQuit. Smokers are invited to learn more about quitting with the help of a quitting coach. 800-480-7848.

• Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous. Tuesdays, 12:05 p.m. Upstairs, The Crib Coffee House, 401 N. Third St., Marquette. ITAAMQT@ zohomail.com.

• Marquette Codependents Anonymous Meeting Mondays, 7 p.m. LoveMarq Church, 728 W. Kaye Ave. coda.org.

• Michigan Tobacco Quit Line. This free quit smoking coaching hotline provides callers with a personal health coach. 800-784-8669.

• Motherhood Support Group— Marquette. This free group meets the second Thursday of each month. 6 p.m. Suunta Integrative Health, 1209 N. Third St. 906-273-0964.

• Nar-Anon Meetings—Ishpeming. Family and friends who have addicted loved ones are invited. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Mission Covenant Church, 1001 N. Second St. 906-361-9524.

• Narcotics Anonymous Meetings— Marquette. Family and friends who have addicted loved ones are invited. Open meetings on Wednesdays and Sundays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Closed meeting on Fridays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Downstairs Social Room, Marquette Hope First Campus, 111 E. Ridge St. (use the Ridge Street entrance).

Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St.

• Drag Cabaret. Presented by NMU Theatre and Dance to kick off Pride Month. NMU students, $5; student 18 and younger, $13; military, seniors and NMU faculty and staff, $15; general public, $20. 7:30 p.m. Panowski Black Box Theatre, NMU. nmu.universitytickets.com.

MM

Individuals living with mental illness and friends or families living with an individual with mental illness are welcome. May 9 (Zoom date may be subject to change). 7 p.m. Email ckbertucci58@charter.net or call or text 906-360-7107 before 6:45 p.m. the day of the meeting to receive the Zoom invitation. namimqt.com.

• Nicotine Anonymous. 415-7500328 or nicotine-anonymous.org.

• Parkinson’s Support Group. Open to people living with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. May 15. 2 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.

• Sexual Health and Addiction Therapy Group. Call Great Lakes Recovery Centers for more details. Dates, times and locations vary. 906-228-9696.

• SMART Recovery—Calumet. A self-help group for alcohol and substance abuse and other addictive behaviors. Mondays, 7 p.m. Copper Country Mental Health, 56938 Calumet Ave. smartrecovery.org.

• SMART Recovery—Hancock. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 p.m. Conference Room No. 5, U.P. Health Systems–Portage Hospital, 500 Campus Dr.

• SMART Recovery—Marquette (Zoom). Mondays. Noon. Via Zoom. smartrecovery.com.

• Take Off Pounds Sensibly. This is a non-commercial weight-control support group. Various places and times throughout the U.P. 800-932-8677.

• Caregiver Support Group— Gwinn. May 14. 1:30 p.m. Forsyth Senior Center, 165 Maple St. 906225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.

• National Alliance on Mental Illness—In-Person Support Group. Individuals living with mental illness and friends or families living with an individual with mental illness are welcome. May 13 and 16 (email ckbertucci58@charter.net to confirm meeting). 7 p.m. 1025 W. Washington St., Suite C, Marquette. 906-360-7107 or namimqt.com.

• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Food Program. Clinics include nutritional counseling and coupon pick-up. Appointments required. Call for Marquette County schedule. mqthealth.org or 906-475-7846. MM Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St.

• Grief Support Group—Marquette. People dealing with grief and loss are encouraged to attend. Individual grief counseling is available. May 15. 5:30 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. 906225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.

• National Alliance on Mental Illness—Zoom Support Group.

• Virtual Caregiver Support Group. U.P. family caregivers are welcome to join. A device with an internet connection, webcam, microphone and an email address are required. Advanced registration required. Second Tuesday of each month. 2 p.m. 906-217-3019 or caregivers@upcap.org.