News About People On Mackinac Island
By Jeannette Doud

White sails are seen in the sunrise and sunset as they appear under the Mackinac Bridge and beyond. In the early morning and afternoon of Monday, July 18, a brisk southwest wind is bringing many of the Chicago-to-Mackinac sailboats hurriedly towards the finish line at Windermere Point. Each time one passes over, the sound of the cannon can be heard. The day is a magnificent summer day on the Island welcoming the sailors and their families. The sky is a brilliant blue with very hot and humid temperatures. A view of the fleet at the marina and Arnold pier is not often seen on Mackinac, very beautiful, picturesque, and colorful. The much-looked-for event has been taking place for years and years. A huge white tent on Windermere Point is where the judges calculate the winners. A Chicago Yacht Club flag flies in the breezes of the Straits of Mackinac. It’s a wonderful event happening each year as the racers choose Mackinac as their finish line.

At approximately 4:20 a.m. this on, Monday, July 18, a fierce electrical storm lit up the sky over the Island. The lightning and heavy thunder was frightening. Our first concern was for the racers on Lake Michigan and the Straits. A stiff wind began blowing from the southwest, bringing much needed rain but barely enough. Sadly, the storm lashed away at the blooming flowers all over the Island, especially the beautiful geraniums. Fortunately, the storm passed quickly, but very nearly took down the tent on Windermere Point and turned over the garbage cans.

Late in the afternoon of Monday, July 18, the emergency medical team was called to the marina for two sailors who were injured on two separate boats. Here they found that more help was needed. Jason St. Onge and fellow volunteer firemen responded to the scene. The injured sailors were later transfered by ambulance to the Mackinac Island Medical Center, where a team of doctors, nurses, and paramedics were waiting. While responding to these two emergencies, a third call for medical help came in from Woodbluff, where a small child was treated following a bicycle accident. Once again, we owe special thanks to our medical team and to each and every one who responded to duty. Our medical center is very busy, day and night.

A very happy birthday to Patty Bynoe Schoenborn July 19. Enjoy a wonderful, cooler day on Mackinac.

Another bundle of joy has arrived. Dr. and Mrs. Fred Brodeur of Traverse City are the proud parents of Evelyn Ann Brodeur, who was born Thursday, July 14, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. Evelyn Ann weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces at birth and was joined at home by her older brother, Frank. Congratulations to her parents, Lisa and Fred. Island grandparents are Loretta and Tony Spata and the late Fred Brodeur. Great-grandfather is Dennis Brodeur and great-grandmothers are Letha Brodeur of Traverse City and Mrs. J. Vecchio of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Island friends send warmest and best wishes to the happy family.

Happy 18th birthday July 23 to Emma Christine Chambers, daughter of Jody and Mark. Emma will be leaving in August, when she will study nursing at Ferris State University in Big Rapids. Best wishes, Emma, from family and friends. We shall all miss you very much.

Happy birthday July 15 to Ken Sawatzki of East Lansing, father of Jill Sawatzki. Enjoy a great day.

The big news the past two weeks has been the exhausting heat wave, something many of us being in the north haven’t seen in many, many years. Business was down, as folks didn’t travel to Mackinac in the hot weather. Lawns are burned and the flowers needed watering several times a day.

Kathleen and Brian Culliton of Livonia with sons, David and Patrick, were happy to vacation over the long weekend on Mackinac and the family home on Market Street. Kathleen is the daughter of Barbara Hellis and the late David McIntyre. She is an employee of the Ford Motor Company.

A very happy birthday to Eric St. Onge and Frank Bloswick Jr. July 17. Enjoy a fun day.

It was truly the most beautiful day on Mackinac the past week when Dr. Mary Alban of St. Ignace entertained her sister and niece, Amy and Jenna Severson of Dallas, Texas, and Jenna’s friend, Ristine, also of Dallas. The highlight of the day was the most beautiful scenic horse and buggy drive from Buck Sharrow, who was driving summer cottager Mike Young’s great team harnessed to the best carriage imaginable. Beginning at Grand Hotel and west end cottages, it was truly the most relaxing drive, where so much beauty was before us. Special thanks to Buck for being so very kind to all of us. Very nice, too, to greet members of Dr. Mary’s family.

A very impressive high mass was celebrated at Ste. Anne’s Sunday morning, July 17, when Donald Logan Joseph Libby, who was ordained Saturday, July 16, by the Most Reverend Patrick Cooney, Roman Catholic Bishop of Gaylord. Congratulations and warmest wishes to Father Donald from Island friends. He is the son of the Donald Libbys of Grand Rapids. Family and friends celebrated with Father Donald on his most holy day.

It’s Tuesday morning, July 19, a wonderful, cool day following weeks of hot temperatures. Two-hundred fifty boats in the Chicago-to-Mackinac fleet have arrived on the Island with one still sailing. It will be the very last sailboat. It’s very exciting and unbelievable to see so many beautiful sailboats on the Island, a tradition of many years.

Best wishes to Gary LaPine, who is a patient in the Mackinac Straits Hospital Long Term Care facility in St. Ignace. Gary was a trusted employee of Mackinac State Historic Parks and a familiar figure each day getting the mail for director of the park, Phil Porter.

Charlotte Bruckner Schmitt of Burr Ridge, Illinois, is enjoying vacationing at her summer home in Hubbard’s Annex. Charlotte has been coming to Mackinac since her early childhood. It’s great to see her once again.

Happy birthday to Nona Tacey July 18. Nona is one of the dedicated emergency medical technicians who is always there when duty calls.

A CBS film crew were on the Island over the yacht race, where they filmed the arrival of the first sailboats and also the Chicago Race Committee’s cocktail party Sunday, July 17, on the porch of Grand Hotel. Great publicity for Mackinac.

Gloria St. Onge Borland visited family members in St. Ignace. While there she celebrated her birthday July 13, her sister, Pam’s, July 21, and her nephew, Drew Cope’s, July 27. Happy birthday to all you nice folks.

Best wishes to Jill Sawatzki, who is with her parents in East Lansing. We sincerely hope that you’re feeling better, Jill. Have a happy birthday July 28.

In the near future, the City of Mackinac Island and all those interested in purchasing a new ambulance are most excited. Anyone wishing to donate to this wonderful cause may do so by sending their donation to the Mackinac Island Community Foundation, which is collecting the funds.

Father Jim Williams, pastor at Ste. Anne’s, preached the sermon at the first mass Sunday, July 17, for Reverend Don Libby.

All of the horses are doing well now that the cooler weather has arrived. It was just too humid the past two weeks or more.

Candi Dunnigan, with James and Claire, are very happy to be at their Easterly Cottage on the shore of Mackinac. Candi is doing very well following her recent surgery and is now able to ride her bicycle.

Bicycle and horseback riders are thankful for the cooler weather. Great sports, but not on a hot day.

Carolyn Artman, former summer resident, visited the Island Friday, July 1, through Sunday, July 3, for a Mackinac girl’s weekend in celebration of her upcoming nuptials. Carolyn worked as Public Relations and Marketing Officer for Mackinac State Historic Parks from 1994-2001. Carolyn enjoyed visiting with old friends. The gathering was hosted by summer resident Jill Lynn. Friends had lunch at the Fort Mackinac Tea Room, dinner at the Iroquois Hotel, followed by dancing at Grand Hotel. Carolyn will wed Jeff Samoray Saturday, July 30, at Cranbrook House and Gardens in Bloomfield Hills. Congratulations and best wishes to Carolyn from Island friends.

Dr. Steven Ledtke, an East Bluff cottager, welcomed his wife, Kathryn, and their three daughters back from their spring vacation cruise to Russia, Poland, and the Scandinavian countries. They were able to enjoy a couple of long weekends on the Island before Kathy and their son, Christopher, ventured on a medical mission trip to Brazil. The two of them joined a team of 27 health care workers and provided medical, dental, and optical care to hundreds of Terena Indians in the Campo Grande region. Kathy shares her vacation time between the Island and her mission trips. Earlier in the year, she and her daughter, Autumn, were able to spend time in Mexico on a medical mission trip. Dr. Ledtke prefers to spend any time he takes off on Mackinac.

The following news item was given to me by Marilyn Zaetta, who was attending the Day reunion on Mackinac. In the 1960s, John and Marian Day of Saginaw first visited Mackinac Island. Not only did they enjoy the beauty of the Island and develop long-lasting friends, but they also transported their horses and carriages across the Straits. Each summer they could be seen driving around the island. More importantly, a tradition of visiting the Island, along with their children and grandchildren, was started. Since the 1960s, with a few exceptions, members of the Day family have continued to visit the Island and enjoy the atmosphere, historic homes, and, of course, the horses. Mr. and Mrs. John Day have passed on; the Day family vacationed on Mackinac this year at the Goodwin Cottage on the West Bluff. John Day II and his wife, Marge, traveled from Baltimore, Maryland, Jerry and Marilyn Day Zaetta came from Romeo, and Bob and Jean Minninger arrived from Bloomfield Hills. Many other family members came from Ohio, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Mike Zaetta, at one time, was a Mackinac Island Carriage Tours employee. The tradition will continue for years to come. Of the 37 children and grandchildren, only one family was missing. Hopefully, they will be here with their new baby in 2006. It’s always a pleasure to see the Day family on Mackinac. There are many great memories.

Happy summertime. Enjoy all the beautiful blooming flower gardens.