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Up North
Voice Vol. 12, Issue 9
Strengthening the communities of Northeast Michigan
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September 2021
Firemen’s Memorial Festival By Don Nickel
The Michigan Firemen’s Memorial Festival Committee (MFMFC) is anxious for the third weekend in September to arrive. ▪ See FESTIVAL on page 4
2021 Village Days a success
IN THIS ISSUE:
Out & About A-2 Rosco COA 8-A Iosco Fair 9-A Higgins Master Plan A-10 Crawford Library 14-A Hunting basics 12-A Eagle Voice B-1 Across County Lines 4-B Hale car show 6-B
By Ronda Brown-Spears
The Iosco County Fair was held recently in Hale. Pictured in the dairy barn were (l-r) Missy Mayhew and Lane Guoan. See more fair photos inside.
HOUGHTON LAKE – Marshal Doug Mueller kicked off 2021 Houghton Lake Village Days as the official village marshal. The weekend started off with our annual gathering around the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance and Star Spangled Banner. ▪ See VILLAGE DAYS on page 3-B
Neighbors
Left: In 2004, Karen was awarded the Caring for Children Angel Award by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan. In addition, Friends helping Friends was awarded $1000 in her name. She also has been honored by the girl Scouts of America with the President’s Award, was named ZONTA Woman of the Year, Chamber of Commerce Community Service award, and served as parade marshal to the Firemen's Memorial Parade. Above: Karen helped secure funding to replace the Smith
Bridge builder and friend: Karen Walper By Donna Thoma
In Roscommon, the name Karen Walper and community service, are pretty much synonymous. Karen and her husband Paul, moved here in 1988 from Armada, in northern Macomb County. Together, they owned and operated Paddle Brave Canoe Livery and Campground for six years. During that tenure, Karen discovered the Crawford County Road Commission was planning on removing the deteriorating Smith Bridge. They had not planned on replacing the bridge due to cost estimates, and because it only crossed the AuSable near M72, leading to a parking lot and no other access. In
other words, “a bridge to nowhere”. Canoe Livery owners were concerned, as it would negate their access to canoeists at that landing site. Karen was a strong voice at meetings and in getting the Roscommon County Board of Commissioners to replace the old bridge. The Army Corp of Engineers were instrumental in the rebuilding of “a bridge to nowhere.” It is still a vital part of that landing and South Branch of the AuSable recreation area. Karen was always willing to help with local fundraisers for someone who was ill, accident victims, and the like. Many times, she'd be heard saying...” someone should do
something, people need help now and they can't wait to see if insurance will help.” Many times, those were children with cancer, leukemia, or had been in a car accident. After one such event, she called a friend and said - “I did it!” “I filed papers to start a foundation to help Roscommon County children.” Friends Helping Friends began with Karen and a small group of friends, and since 1997, helped many young people and their families, providing gas cards, food certificates, and covering other expenses. Their final act prior to recently disbanding the foundation, was to help the family of a 17-year-old who had been severely injured in a freak accident.
Karen has a knack for “including” friends in her “volunteer” work. Hearing that the former Roscommon County Fair Board was in debt, she joined, became the president of the fair board, and enlisted “helpers” to work, fund raise, and get the fair board out of the red. She and her small group of “volunteers,” participated in a rock-athon, bought a cotton candy machine, and made cotton candy for the 4th of July fireworks, sold ice cream, and a host of other endeavors, raising approximately $20,000. One fundraiser was hosting a Circus … with elephants. A board member had brought her dog to the ▪ See NEIGHBORS on page 5