Commencement held at Beaver Island Community School

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The four graduates of Beaver Island Community School walked into the commencement ceremony on June 8 to “Pomp and Circumstance” played by retired BICS faculty member Judi Meister. The junior class provided an arbor of flowers and the graduates presented the blooms to their family members in recognition of their support.
  
The welcome was give by Principal/Superintendent Kitty McNamara, and diplomas were given (with handshakes and hugs) by Board of Education President Jessica Anderson and Board Trustee BICSGradsNancy Tritsch.
  
The commencement speakers were faculty members Deb Robert and Adam Richards. The two explored a number of truisms in their address to the graduates; Life lessons they could incorporate into their lives in the big world beyond Beaver Island. But there was also a call to be proud of their Island heritage.

Robert concluded her portion of the speech with, “Stand tall and be proud to be an Islander…You leave here with a top notch education, a fully developed work ethic and the greatest advantage of all: Look around you, we are all your family! God bless the Class of 2013.”

The Class of 2013: McCauley Edward Connaghan,Marissa Von Crandall, Michael Allen Pryor and Jean Paul (JP) Stigall.

Scientists from US & China to study water/wetlands issues

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In the best of worlds scientists throughout our globe work together to share research and solve common problems. That is just what is taking place between Central Michigan’s Institute for Great Lakes Research (IGLR) and the Jiangxi Normal University in the People’s Republic of China.

Dr. Donald Uzarski, Director of CMU’s Biological Station on Beaver Island and also the Director of the IGLR, explained that China was facing challenges with their largest lake, Lake Poyang.

Visiting China's Lake Poyang.

Visiting China’s Lake Poyang.

Lake Poyang, Uzarski says, is “essentially drying up.”  What used to be 3500 km2 is now only about 200 km2. The Chinese also must deal with a large dam, the monsoon season which brings torrential rains, and water levels that fluctuate 30 to 45 feet in short amount of time. They now have a huge wetlands area and also are challenged by pollution and invasive species.

Dr. Ian Davison, Dean of CMU’s College of Science and Technology, began the formation of a collaborative effort between the scientists and spent time in China last December to start the process. This March a contingency of CMU’s Institute for Great Lakes researchers headed back to China to formalize the creation of the JX (Normal University) – CMU Sino – U.S. Joint Center for Lake, Watershed and Wetlands Studies.

Some of the problems faces by the Chinese and Lake Poyang are quite startling. Dr. Uzarski related an incident when they visited the lake to demonstrate to the Chinese their way of taking water samples. They were told not to even touch the water; skin must never be exposed. “They have a parasite, similar to the one that causes swimmer’s itch,” said Uzarski, “except their parasite is deadly…it gives you a different perspective on some of the problems we face.”

This summer one Chinese faculty member and two graduate students will be spending an extended time on Beaver Island learning the protocols and procedures used at the Institute for Great Lakes Research. They, along with students and researchers at the Institute for Great Lakes Research will all be using one brand new tool in their studies this summer – the new research vessel R/V Chippewa.

For the complete article about this joint scientific venture see the June issue of NorthernIslander.

Two Events on Island announced

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PRESENTATION AT CMU ON MAY 22
Dr. David Long from Michigan State University will be presenting data on toxicant levels in Michigan Lakes – including Lake Geneserath, at CMU Biological station on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 7 PM.  Community members are welcome to attend.

ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS OFFERED ON MAY 31
Tom Erhart, Entrepreneurship Director for Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA) will be on the Island and available to meet with interested Beaver Island business owners on May 31 between 1-4 p.m.

NLEA has funds available to held business owners with a variety of projects, including:
Accounting system set up; Website development; Marketing materials; Legal issues; and Business growth projects.

For more information – contact either the Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce (448-2505) or Tom at NLEA (231-582-6482).

Island to be featured on morning news show

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Channel 9 & 10 interview Steve West at the Chamber office.

Channel 9 & 10 interview Steve West
at the Chamber office.

“You’ve never been to Beaver Island?” asks Channel 9 & 10’s reporter Kalin Franks.
“This is one place that should be on everyone’s up north bucket list this summer.”

Franks’ interviews on May 13 were filmed by TV 9 & 10’s photo journalist Stephanie Adkins. Adkins is a familiar face on the Island, having at times accompanied and assisted her husband Cory, an accomplished videographer who has filmed many segments of life on Beaver Island for TV.

Franks and Adkins spent a busy day on the Island, doing segments at Welke’s Airport, the Chamber of Commerce, the AMVETS Memorial Park, the Toy Museum, and both the Print Shop and Marine Museums. They will also spend a morning filming aboard the Emerald Isle, showing viewers not only ‘how’ to get to Beaver Island but many of fun and interesting things to see and do while visiting.

The feature on Beaver Island will be aired on Channel 9 and 10 and their Fox affiliate (channel 32) on Thursday, May 23. Each small segment will be about two minutes long and shown basically around quarter after the hour and quarter to the hour beginning at 5:00 a.m.  to 7:00 a.m. on Channel 9 & 10, followed by the 7:00 a.m. news on Channel 32.

Both Franks and Adkins are hoping to return to do even more filming on Island events later this year, possibly even doing a ‘live remote’ from the Island sometime this summer.

Rite of Spring: Annual Road Rally!

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RallyChamps

2013 Champs: Anna Martell, Elaine West, Connie Boyle, Alvin LaFreniere

The 11th annual PABI Road Rally was held on May 5, a beautiful sunny day for a trek around the Island!

Event organizers Lisa Gillespie and Liz Lanier read the rules, which revolved around a Dr. Seuss theme, “Oh the places you’ll go!” The third organizer, Joan LaFreniere was off Island, but was in attendance in spirit and in the many photos posted at the Shamrock.

Lisa noted that if any rallier had complaints, they could meet Joan’s plane on Monday afternoon and discuss it with her personally!

Map challenges, word searches, some foreign language – we are still not really sure what language it was – and other clues took the teams from Bishop Baraga’s Landing to trailheads, Barney’s Lake and the tennis courts (among other places).

At the conclusion of the rally the teams converged again at the Shamrock where Dana and Eric put out a spread of food and the groups read their own “Seuss-like” poem about their experiences on the rally for some much needed extra points. Trophies were provided by a benefactor and the top three teams took home large trophies, with each rally car receiving a miniature trophy.

The 2013 Champs: Anna Martell, Elaine West, Connie Boyle and Alvin LaFreniere were thrilled with their win. Driver Connie Boyle thanked the organizers for all their work in providing such a fun springtime event on the Island.

For more photos of the event, watch for the June issue of NorthernIslander.

Joe Moore is Beaver Island Citizen of the Year!

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Joe Moore is Citizen of the Year.

Rachel Teague presents Joe Moore with the Citizen of the Year award.

It was an evening to honor the very best of Beaver Island Citizens as the community celebrated at the 12th annual awards banquet held on April 27. Chamber President Rachel Teague read off the list of worthy nominees and excerpts from the nomination letters. She then announced Joe Moore as the Citizen of the Year and the audience gave him a standing ovation and many a cheer!

In addition to the award presented by the Chamber of Commerce, Joe  received a special tribute signed by State Representative Greg MacMaster, State Senator Howard Walker and Governor Rick Snyder. The tribute noted Joe Moore’s dedication to the musical culture and heritage of the Beaver Island, his commitment to the Island’s youth, his essential services as a paramedic and leadership in BIEMS, and his service in providing residents with new through his website and live-streaming events.

The Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce also presented Jeff Cashman with a special Beaver Island marketing award at the April 27 banquet. The Resolution passed unanimously by the Chamber Board stated, “For more than a decade Jeff served as the designer and host of the Chamber’s web site. During that time, his dedication, talent, skill and work far exceeded what he charged the Chamber. As a result Beaver Island gained a great deal of valuable marketing and advertising that provided economic benefits to the whole community.” The award honored him for  this important and valuable contribution.

Chamber of Commerce Board President Rachel Teague presents Joe Moore with the Beaver Island Citizen of the Year award at the April 27th award banquet.

For more on all the worthy nominees of Beaver Island’s Citizen of the Year, see the May issue of NorthernIslander.

Citizen of Year Banquet on Saturday!

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“The Citizen of the Year winner this year will delight everyone and all will be pleased to congratulate him / her,” said “The Chamber Guy” Steve West.
 
Don’t delay – make those reservations today for the banquet set for this Saturday. Cocktails at 6, dinner at 7, the award at 8 all at the beautiful Beaver Island Lodge. Call 231.448.2396 to reserve your table. If there is a temporary phone problem at the Lodge please call the Shamrock at 2278 or email erichodgson@mac.com

Dinners include salad and dessert.

Tomato pesto crusted chicken breast with creamy cheddar polenta
Filet of beef with Lobster & Boursin mashed potatoes & a merlot reduction
Grilled halibut with corn coconut curry sauce & cherry tomato chutney

Harbinger of Spring…we hope!

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- By Steve West -

Ice Breaking in Paradise Bay.

Islanders gather to watch the ice broken in the harbor.

The Coast Guard’s St. Ignace based Biscayne Bay broke the ice in Paradise Bay on April 3rd, one day later than planned this year due to her heavy work load in the St Mary’s River. The Emerald Isle made her first run of the season on Thursday April 4th.
Commissioned in 1979, the cutter Biscayne Bay is the fourth vessel of the Coast Guard’s 140 ft “Bay” class. This class of icebreaking harbor tug was designed to replace an aging fleet of harbor tugs and to meet the Coast Guard’s domestic icebreaking responsibilities well into the twenty first century.

Her primary mission is maintaining tracks in the connecting waterways in the Great Lakes and assisting vessels through the icebound shipping lanes of the Great Lakes. Her primary areas of operation are the Straits of Mackinac, northern Lake Huron and Lake Michigan including Beaver Island.

Biscayne Bay was designed with many innovations aimed at increasing her icebreaking capabilities. This vessel has greater horsepower, displacement, and a wider beam than the older vessels it replaced. She is equipped with a hull air lubrication system, commonly referred to as a “bubbler” system. The bubbler forces large quantities of low pressure air through ports along both sides of the cutter’s hull that greatly reduces the friction caused by the contact of ice and snow on the cutter’s hull for more efficient operation.

For more of early spring’s arrival on Beaver Island, see the May issue of NorthernISlander

 

Community Quiz Bowl coming in April

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Another Community Quiz Bowl is coming your way this April!

Last year’s event was a hoot, with four teams squaring off and sitting with their hands poised over the buzzers. Along with some brilliant answers, a number of flubs and a lot of laughter, the teams answered 20 questions in each round, followed by a “lighting round” of varying difficulty.

How would YOU have fared? Here is a sampling of a few of the questions: What river flows through Oklahoma, OK? What is the name of Dagwood’s dog? Who invented the sewing machine (not Singer!).

The Quiz Bowl was a fundraiser for the Beaver Island Community School’s National Honor Society and assisted the group in putting on game nights for the younger students and other NHS activities. It’s a great cause and great fun for both participants and spectators.

Another Community Quiz Bowl is planned at the school for Monday, April 22, starting at 5:30 p.m. The tourney will consist of eight teams, with 4 – 6 members on each team. Four players will compete at a time, but you can sub in for the lightening round or take turns playing the various rounds. The donation is $15 per player.

Get your award winning team together and reserve your spot by call the school 448-2744 or emailing NHS advisor Connie Boyle (connieb@bics.us).

NorthernIslander will cover the big event and bring you the results in the May issue!

Snips & Snails & Puppy Dog Tales

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Levi and dog

Levi Connor and
his new pup Griffith.

There’s no place like Beaver Island if you’re a dog!

The populace is crazy about them, and you just can’t beat exploring woodland trails in the fall, playing in mounds of fresh snow in the winter, tracking in lots of wet sand during “mud season,” and the fun of swimming in the big lake on a hot summer day.

A number of new pups have arrived on the Island recently and are being happily welcomed by the community.  They sure have brought a lot of much needed smiles to folks during the last few weeks of an icy and cold winter.

We hope you enjoy their photos and their “tales” in the April issue of NorthernIslander.