The Society’s annual business meeting and election of officers will take place on:

Tuesday, July 6
at 7 P. M. at the Depot

The 2003/2004 business/membership year will be reviewed, and a new slate of officers elected for the coming year. Members are encouraged to attend to ask questions about the Society, how it is run, its administrative structure, and the Board of Directors’ short and long term goals.

After this meeting (approximately 30 minutes), the floor will be given over to two Society members who will present a program on our second historic quilt exhibit which will be opened to the public over the long weekend of:

July 8 through July 11
(Thursday - Sunday)
11 A. M. - 4 P.M. at the Depot

Society Treasurer Cynthia Garland and Exhibit Chairperson Karen Lewis are co-chairing this exhibit. Our first quilt exhibit three years ago was such a success that popular demand has brought back a second one. The quilts to be exhibited are not necessarily historic in the sense they were made here, but they all have historic connections to Charlevoix area residents. None of them were in the previous show.

Cynthia will give a short history of quilting in this area, and a bit on quilts in general with examples on hand to illustrate various points of technique and design. Karen will talk about how this particular exhibit was put together—where the quilts came from, a few stories of their backgrounds, how an exhibit of this type is planned and the equipment needed to mount it.

Please join us for both events. The illuminating program on July 6 is open to the general public also, not just members. Bring your summer guests to both program and exhibit, and enjoy the splendor of the new Depot Heritage Garden beside the building as a bonus. No entry fee for the exhibit, but donations accepted.

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ANNUAL DUES TIME AGAIN, FOR 2004-2005

Enclosed in the June newsletter is the envelope for ANNUAL members' dues payments for the coming fiscal / membership year. As has been explained in previous years, life members, patron sponsors, Ralph Hamilton Circle members, business, organizational, and student complimentary mailings please ignore unless the three latter wish to join as members. Postal regulations require uniform weight for all pieces that go out under fourth-class bulk mailing permits. Those who have already renewed or joined recently, also ignore. But, members who have summer/winter residences and need to update us regarding changed mailing addresses and/or residency periods, please let us know by filling in that information and mailing it in, calling the Harsha House, or notifying us by e-mail or fax. Members who are past due will see a dash (-) next to their name on the mailing label. Call the Harsha House if you are unsure of your dues level or status. We have only two annual dues levels starting this year: $15 individual and $25 for a couple or family.

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SUNSET CRUISE TICKETS TO BE MAILED SOON

All area members will soon be receiving two tickets to the seventh annual Sunset Cruise aboard the Beaver Island Boat Company’s Emerald Isle on July 27. As in previous years, these are distributed on the honor system. Those who will be utilizing them can pay for them by mailing in a check or stopping by the Harsha House where more tickets will be available. Those who can’t use them, try to have others purchase them or return them with perhaps a donation to help defray expenses. The tickets will be $15 pre-sale, $20 at the dock an hour before sailing.

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VENETIAN WEEKEND ACTIVITIES

Once more, the Society will be plenty busy on the Friday and Saturday of Venetian Festival weekend, July 23 and 24. Our hugely popular potluck dinner that fills the Depot Beach pavilion will take place at 7:00 P. M. on the 23rd, with of course spectacular fireworks to follow. All members and their guests are invited. The Harsha House will be represented in East Park both Friday and Saturday with displays of our old high school sports trophies and photos in tune with the Festival’s overall theme this year of Charlevoix’s sports history. More information next month.

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2004 CHRISTMAS BULB AND 2005 PHOTO CALENDAR ON THE WAY

The museum store committee has ordered the eighth Christmas bulb, always a big seller, which will arrive sometime this summer. 2004's theme is Charlevoix’s old landmark water tower that stood high on the Park Avenue bluff from 1906 to 1995. (All the previous bulbs are still available except the first one from 1997, the lighthouse coated in ice, which sold out.) The 2005 Charlevoix in Historic Photos calendar is on the press and should be ready in a few weeks with all new photos and texts. We sold over 450 last year. Only a handful of the 2004 edition is left. They again will also be available at the Maison & Jardin store at 228 Bridge Street.

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HIGHLY WELCOME GRANTS RECEIVED

Two grants have been awarded to the Society through the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. $5225 arrived from the Andrew Lonyo Fund. This will be applied toward construction of two badly needed storage units at the rear of the museum. $1500 arrived from the Society’s endowment fund and will be used to purchase the first of three additional fireproof file cabinets for our always-expanding photo and document archives. We thank Mr. Lonyo again for his generous support of the Society.

The Charlevoix Area Garden Club, which has been developing the Heritage Garden on the west side of the Depot in conjunction with the Society, also received support through the Foundation. Patti Aikin, Society member and grant writer for the Club, has announced receipt of $10,000 from donor-advised funds toward completion of the project.

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KOHLER/BARTLETT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Over twenty excellent entries were received in the Kohler/Bartlett scholarship contest so it was exceptionally difficult to choose winners this year. Therefore the number of scholarships was doubled and four were awarded. These awards were presented to the winning seniors at the Charlevoix High School Honors Convocation on May 19.

Rebecca Kanine chose to explore why Rayders, the all-team sports nickname, is spelled with a "y." She thought that the pirate emblem of the high school was named after the famous coach Ray Kipke, but then she heard that the "y" appeared in Rayders before his time. She attempted to uncover the mystery, but couldn’t find anything as proof. She did, however, discover why Charlevoix chose this winning coach to embody the Rayders. Finding Mr. Kipke's life story inspiring, she thought it was important for the town, especially its students, to remember this influential man. Rebecca will be attending the University of Michigan to study psychology.

York Smith wrote about the Smith, or Schmidt, farm on Lake Charlevoix. Because of all the stories told to him by his father and grandfather York wrote about his family history. He felt that the tales always had special meaning to him and therefore sparked an interest to learn more about the family’s historic ties to the Charlevoix community. York plans on attending the University of Nevada-Renoís College of Engineering to pursue the field of chemical engineering.

AnnaKate Trubilowicz wrote about “Big Rock, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” Consumers Power’s Big Rock nuclear power plant three miles north of Charlevoix has been part of her family since she was born. Her father has been employed at Big Rock for that long. She has access to a wealth of historical information as well as many archival photographs. AnnaKate will be attending the University of Michigan to pursue a degree in political science, after which she would love to be part of the Washington, D. C. political scene.

John L. Wilkinson’s essay was on the Charlevoix Life-Saving Station, later Coast Guard Station #258. The station had once been located in the channel area where he fished, which sparked his interest about its history. John plans to pursue a mechanical engineering degree at Kettering University.

All the students who submitted essays will be awarded honorary memberships in the Society for one year beginning in July. Our congratulations and best wishes to them all.

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2003-2004 ANNUAL REPORT AVAILABLE SOON

The Society’s annual report summarizing its activities, committee chair reports, and financial status has just gone to press and will be available by the time of the annual business meeting on July 6. It will be distributed to all officers, patron sponsors, and Ralph Hamilton Circle members. Members who would like a copy can pick one up at the Harsha House or have it mailed.

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BOARD MEETING SUMMARY

The Board of Directors met Tuesday, June 8 at the Depot. Nominated officers Paul Hoelderle (Vice-President) and Paul Nowak (Membership Chair) were introduced. Our patron sponsor campaign so far this year totals just over $28,000 which includes in-kind donations. The Sunset Cruise this July will offer soft drinks and snacks only because the cost of single-event insurance for the sale of alcohol has soared. All those under twenty-one will be welcomed back aboard. The Depot’s needs now are replacement of steadily eroding exterior pillars and air-conditioning. Grant applications to request funding for a package of all Depot needs will be written. A large exhibit on Charlevoix’s Native-American history is intended for the Depot next year with the assistance of Harbor Industries for displays. The New Year’s party may be done in conjunction with the Garden Club. The regular meeting was followed by the 2005 calendar event planning session and the annual "brainstorming" session to delineate our one-, five-, and ten-year goals which will be finalized and prioritized later.

The Society recognizes all who assisted Exhibit Chairperson Karen Lewis in mounting the five new exhibits at the Harsha House: Cynthia Garland, Jan Glass, Steve Goslee, Jim Lewis, Nita Martin, David Miles, and Kate Smith.The Society welcomes new members: Ted & Marilyn Dumbauld, Paul & Sally Hoelderle

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The Society welcomes new members: Ted & Marilyn Dumbauld, Paul & Sally Hoelderle