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Up North
Voice Vol. 12, Issue 7
Strengthening the communities of Northeast Michigan
Free
July 2021
Kids at critters and Iosco Fair
HALE – The 2021 Iosco County Fair is scheduled for July 26-31 at the Iosco County Fairgrounds, located at 5717 Curtis Road (M-65) in Hale. The fair will feature traditional events such as a ♦ See IOSCO FAIR on page 5
Marathon week kicks off
IN THIS ISSUE:
By Traci Cook
GRAYLING - Summer is in full swing, which means the community is gearing up for the 2021 AuSable River Festival taking place in Grayling July 16-24, 2021, an extension of the famous Consumers Energy AuSable River Canoe Marathon! ▪ See MARATHON on page 4
START ‘EM EARLY - Thomas Vinyard (front) and Marcus Vinyard of Roscommon were able to sit in a 1951 Willy’s Jeep at the Blue Collar Festival Car Show held in Mio recently. See more photos on pages 8 A. - Photos by Mark Constance
Neighbors
Stauffer comes full circle By Theresa Ekdom ROSCOMMON – Not many people can say they’ve worked at the same place for 50 years. But Barb can. Not many people can say they are one of seven generations living in the same town. But Barb can. Barb Stauffer was born and raised in Roscommon, one of the last people born at home in the county. Both her mom and dad were also born and raised here as well. She knows the family stories, of her Great-grandfather, as well as her Uncle Dave Myer, who were both heads of the county health department. And of her grandfather, Bob Myer. Her stories of town often reference the past. “My grandfather, Bob Myer, was the janitor at the school, the CRAF Center now,” Barb said. “They lived just across from the village hall, the old village hall. He used to walk over to the school once or twice a night in the wintertime to put coal in the furnace, to keep the building warm.” She tells of local politicians and other influential family members, not hard to do when there are seven generations of relatives living in the area. “My mother’s side of the family and my father’s side of the family, we have had now, with my three little great-grandsons, seven generations live in town. Not many people can
say that!” exclaimed Barb. She is sought out at her place of employment when questions arise. “I don’t know how many times in the building they’ve said they hate to see me leave. They would say I’m the historian, and if they don’t know the answer to something, they would say ‘Ask Barb because she’s been in the building forever.” Barb is the Crawford-Roscommon Conservation District (CRCD) Administrator and the Roscommon County Recycling Coordinator. She attended business school after graduating from high school and went to work at Roscommon State Bank the day after graduating. “I was engaged to Clint when I went to business school. He was working in the area. Our goal was always to stay here. And then we got married right after I got out of business school. I got the job at the bank, and he got the job at the (Roscommon County) road commission. So, the rest is kind of history,” Barb reminisced. Three children came along, along with the decision to stay at home for a while. “There was an ad in the paper for this job. It was advertising for a half a day a week. And that’s what I started out with,” said Barb. “It was business, and it was doing outdoor work which I liked, and it was a half ♦ See NEIGHBORS on page 5
Above: Barb Stauffer sits at her desk while employed by the Crawford-Roscommon Conservation District (CRCD) in 1981. Barb started with the organization in May, 1971. Right: Barb Stauffer in 2021, still employed by the CRCD
A-8 Mio is ‘Blue Collar’ A–10 West Branch ‘Gaga’ pit B-1 Fairview Eagle Voice B-3 Grayling Lions golf B-8 St. Helen’s Bluegill’ B-12 Higgins Lake Mayor B-13 Hale softball title B-14 Rosco Rotary