Stiggs Brewing to serve up beer, food starting in January

From the Petoskey News-Review: As he prepares to open Stiggs Brewing Co., Mike Castiglione sees a couple of reasons why its downtown Boyne City setting should be favorable for business. Castiglione expects a soft opening for the brewery at 112 S. Park St. during the first week of January and plans a grand opening on Jan. 27. “Boyne City is a vibrant small town,” Castiglione said. “It’s really growing.” And, with Stiggs joining other beer-focused establishments downtown — including two taprooms that have opened during the past year — “I think if you’re a beer connoisseur, you’ll come to Boyne City to try them all.” The bar at Stiggs will feature more than 30 taps. About seven of the brewery’s own beer selections will be available at launch. Full story.

Which of these deserving nominees will win awards at Annual Meeting on Jan. 19th?

Find out who wins the awards for leadership, entrepreneurship, volunteerism and more - at the Chamber's Annual Meeting on January 19th. The readers of the Boyne Chamber/Main Street newsletter picked the winners. More than 350 people responded to an online survey and voted for the best of Boyne in December. As one respondent commented: "Wow, what great and difficult choices. There are several deserving choices in every single category. It's the people who make the Boyne City area so successful and great. No wonder Boyne rocks!"
Here are the terrific nominees in six categories:
> Sally Roselli Business Leadership Award
  Michelle Cortright of Harbor House Publishers
  Elizabeth Looze of Challenge Mountain
  Jane McKenzie of Northern Homes Community Development Corporation
  Pat O'Brien of Pat O'Brien and Associates Real Estate
> Entrepreneur of the Year
  Chuck, Joel, and Jeff Smith from Northern Michigan Sports Medicine
  Rich Bergmann of Boyne City Taproom
  Shelley Bush of Up North Imagewear
  Jim Smolak and Matt Cozzens of 7 Monks Taproom
> Young Entrepreneur of the Year
  Michael Cortright of North Country Cycle Sport
  Sara Manchester of Create Community Arts Studio
  Mike Dunlop of Boyne City Taproom
  Donnie Towns of Friggy's SOBO Pub
> Heritage Award
  Jeff Wellman & Gary Deters of RE/MAX Resort Properties
  Mark Kowalske of Coldwell Banker Schmidt Associates
  Michelle Cortright of Harbor House Publishers
  Mike Cain of the City of Boyne City
> Community Pride Award
  Challenge Mountain
  Mushroom Festival Committee
  Eta Nu
  Northern Homes Community Development Corporation
  Boyne Valley Lions Club
> Volunteer of the Year
  Susan Conklin of Good Neighbors Food Pantry
  Mike Sheean of the Top Of Michigan Trails Council
  Scott MacKenzie of Boyne City Kiwanis
  Jackie Wollenberg of Boyne Arts Collective
  Cindy Janssens of Boyne Appétit!

> Here are the winners, announced Jan. 19th at the Chamber's Annual Meeting.

Last River Draw sculpture installed in the Boyne River

After years of planning and months of construction, a new sculpture celebrating Boyne City's historic roots was installed on the banks of the Boyne River in the heart of the downtown on Wednesday. The permanent sculpture entitled "The Last River Draw" was created to celebrate Boyne City's lumbering heritage. This life-size sculpture represents a "River Rat" using his pike pole to help move the logs down the river. The sculpture depicts the interaction of the person, log and water. While the sculpture is anchored on land, it is partially out in and floating on the river for a very realistic representation. Local artists Martha Sulfridge and Wally Barkley along with local artisan and builder Andy Poineau are the three key people behind transforming the vision and models of the sculpture into the fully developed reality. The project has been sponsored by the Boyne City Main Street program and its Design Committee. It was funded primarily thru donations from members of the public in a crowdfunding campaign and a $25,000 matching grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. A formal dedication will be help at a later date.

Pictures by Walter Barkley showing the installation, step by step.

City receives $2.7 million in grants for Open Space and Boyne Valley Trail

Boyne City Mayor Tom Neidhamer speaks to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board, which approved two major grants for the city.  

The City of Boyne City was awarded a $2.4-million grant Wednesday, Dec. 7th, to help purchase the Lake Street Open Space property, and another $300,000 to help build the first phase of the Boyne Valley Trailway, a non-motorized biking and hiking path from the Boyne City Airport to Boyne Falls.

Before sunrise, at around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, December 7th, six members of the Boyne community left to appear before the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Board at their annual grant award deciding meeting in Lansing. Traveling to Lansing were Boyne City Mayor Tom Neidhamer, Commissioner Hugh Conklin, City Manager Michael Cain, Boyne City School Board President Ken Schrader, Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce Board President and Boyne Mountain Food and Beverage Manager Michael Doumanian and Chamber Executive Director Ashley Cousens. Also attending were State Senator Wayne Schmidt and Little Traverse Conservancy Executive Director Tom Bailey, who joined Mayor Neidhamer in expressing their support of a grant to help purchase the Lake Charlevoix Open Space property at 475 North Lake Street.

After presentations to the MNRTF Board, it approved a motion making additional income they had received thru the year available to help fund both property acquisition and site development grants. In doing so the board was able to fund all active property acquisition requests statewide and many more site development projects. The MNRTF, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2016, is primarily funded by gas and oil lease revenue generated on State of Michigan lands. Two projects applied for by Boyne City were funded. Funding for the MNRTF Board’s recommended projects next goes before the State legislature for final approval. Much additional local work such as providing appraisals and developing more detailed plans for the trails will be taking place well into 2017 in the months ahead.

In addition to those sizable awards, Boyne City received a check for $35,218 for improvements funded by the mParks recreation program at Waterworks and Avalanche Parks. Some of those improvements, such as a new trail linking the two properties have been fully completed while others will be finalized in the spring.

On Monday of this week Boyne City was notified that it received a $47,500 grant from the Great Lakes Fishery Trust to help Catt Development develop a new proposed public fishing pier at the west end of the Water Street walkway. The pier is expected to be constructed in 2017.

In addition the City of Boyne City appears to be in line for an additional $4,000 tree planting grant from DTE Energy. Paperwork has been submitted and is awaiting final approval.

In a little over two weeks just over up to $2.8 million in grant funds have been received, awarded or pledged to the City of Boyne City. These five grants have taken months and in some cases years to get to these points and while much work remains to bring them to final completion the efforts to date will bring long term benefits to residents and visitors to the region for years to come.

News-Review story with Boyne Valley Trail details and map.

Trails Council map of all regional trails below:

Team Boyne is one of the keys to Boyne City's success

Written by Boyne City Manager Michael Cain, reprinted from The Review, the official magazine of the Michigan Municipal League: Team Boyne is a voluntary group of members of the business community, nonprofits and leading organizations interested in promoting entrepreneurship and development. It is a welcoming environment where new and existing businesses can get confidential support and guidance from the rest of the Boyne City community. Team Boyne brings community leaders together on a monthly basis for some very important networking. It isn't uncommon to have 25-30 people sitting around the table, each sharing what is new or important with their organization, as well as what they are hearing on the street. This way, everyone has a good, general understanding of where the community is going and any items that might need to be addressed. This process helps avoid surprises and circumvent parties working at cross purposes. It has been amazing how guards have come down and real dialogs have developed.  Full article PDF.  Full page-turning article, pages 36-37.

Smitten Designs started small, grew fast

Reprinted from the MyNorth.com newsletter: The story of Smitten By The Mitten, a Boyne City business, starts six years ago with a Google search for “best places to retire.” Among the results were Traverse City and Petoskey, sparking an idea. Ivette Dixon, a Louisiana native, was moving to Michigan.

Despite never visiting the state before, she saved her money for a year, found a house on Craigslist and moved to Boyne City with her husband in 2010.

“I wanted to live someplace with camping, lakes, beaches—the outdoors,” Ivette says. “There’s fours seasons. I can go skiing or boating and it’s beautiful. You can’t find that everywhere.”

When Ivette moved to Michigan, she had no intention of starting a business. She worked at several local businesses including Cafe Santé and then Petoskey Brewing. Jewelry making was a hobby. But when she wore one of her lockets while bartending, coworkers and patrons kept asking where she got it. So she started selling them on the side. In 2013, Ivette did a giveaway on Facebook and the post went crazy. She got so many orders she quit her job, made a website and took out a $5,000 loan for equipment. Smitten By The Mitten State took off.

As Smitten By The Mitten continued to grow, Ivette moved locations several times for more space. Now she’s downtown (118 Water St.) across the street from Red Mesa Grill.

At the shop you’ll find a mix of region- and event-specific products such as the craft beer long-sleeve shirt, Detroit athletics hoodie and Yooper jewelry collection.

Including the U.P. in her designs and logo, is important to Ivette. “So often you just see the Lower Peninsula mitten in designs. The U.P. is gorgeous and a huge part of our state.”

Ivette designs and makes all the jewelry, apparel and displays for the store. She also does custom floral arrangements, wreaths and wood signs.

Exploring different regions of Michigan has inspired many of Ivette’s designs. A few of her favorite places to visit are Glen Arbor, Empire Bluff Trail, Marquette and Pictured Rocks. Ivette recently started a journal on her website to share her travel finds and recommendations. 

“I wasn’t born here, but I love this state. I want my designs to be meaningful and to invoke feelings of home so people can wear them again and again.” Full story on MyNorth.com.

Country Living features Boyne in "Best Small Mountain Towns" for winter

Boyne Mountain Resort

Boyne City is featured in the Country Living magazine website along with high-profile winter towns including Jackson Hole, Park City, Bozeman, Steamboat Springs and Lake Placid. The story says readers can "Treat cabin fever by booking a winter break in these high-altitude towns where snow is considered a good thing."

Here is the profile of Boyne City and Boyne Falls: "Can you even discuss winter weekends without mentioning mittens? Boyne Falls is at the top of the Michigan Mitten and offers some of the most reliable snow in the Midwest. The two skiable mountains catch all the winter weather coming off Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, refreshing the powder on the slopes and terrain parks. If there's too much weather, you can slip away to the indoor water park or head into Boyne City, a historic downtown district that welcomes visitors year-round. You'll find plenty of candy shops, restaurants, breweries, boutiques and bookstores along Water Street and Lake Street to distract you. Read the full story." See the story online.

8th annual Business Expo/Taste of Boyne is Nov. 2 at Boyne Mountain

Boyne Mountain chefs at last year's Expo and Taste.

Enjoy food, fun and VIP networking from 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, November 2nd, in the Civic Center at Boyne Mountain Resort. This Expo is one of the largest business networking events in Northern Michigan with more than 1,000 people coming to see 80 exhibitors in 90 booths. It's open to the public. Admission is $5 and includes a Taste Card good at all 12 Taste of Boyne booths. New this year - if you vote for your favorite "People's Choice" food booth, you'll be entered in a drawing for a $100 Boyne Mountain gift card.

Also new this year, we have a fun photo booth that will be free for everyone who attends. We will also have two cash bars with happy hour prices, dozens of giveaways, upbeat music from Roger Coates' Experience DJ's, plus ongoing demonstrations from the award-winning Boyne City Blaze Robotics Team. Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Pat O'Brien & Associates Real Estate!

Get a free ticket, a free Taste Card and meet dozens of people - volunteer for a two-hour shift. It's easy - you'll be checking people in at the front door and/or marking off Taste Cards at food booths. Call 231-582-6222 or email us.

For more information and a list of exhibitors and taste booths, visit: http://www.boynechamber.com/business-expo.  Photos from last year.

State of Community is bright in a year of change and growth

From the Petoskey News-Review: The Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce annual State of The Community event that took place at Boyne Mountain Thursday highlighted a year of change and growth in the Boyne City area. Among the most notable changes were the faces of the people delivering the updates about the activities of the chamber, and the Boyne City Public Schools. The event served as a bit of a passing of the baton from outgoing chamber executive director, Jim Baumann, to his recently hired replacement, Ashley Cousens. Cousens served as the master of ceremonies of the event while Baumann, who will retire in about three weeks after more than eight years at the helm of the organization, used most of the chamber's presentation time slot to thank the community. "This has been a great job. It's truly been the best job I've ever had," Baumann said. "You come to this event and you hear all this great stuff, and that's kind of my life every day." The other new face among the presenters was Patrick Little who in early July became the new superintendent of Boyne City Public Schools, replacing Peter Moss who retired at the end of January after more than five years in the position.  Little said it was the connectedness of the Boyne community, as evidenced through events such as Thursday's, that was a big part of what made taking the position with Boyne City Public Schools appealing to him. Full story.
> School Supt. Patrick Little's presentation (PDF).
> City Manager Michael Cain's full text of comments.
> Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, 4Front Credit Union.

Ashley Cousens named Boyne Chamber exec director

The Boyne Area Chamber board of directors has hired Ashley Cousens as their next executive director. Her first day in the Chamber office will be Tuesday, Sept. 13th. 

Board President Michael Doumanian noted that Cousens was hired on a Tuesday and she immediately enrolled in Leadership Charlevoix County and attended their orientation two days later. "We had more than 20 applications for this position, we interviewed six finalists, and Ashley was our consensus choice," Doumanian said. "We're confident that she will do a great job and everyone who meets her will be as enthusiastic as we are."

Chamber members are invited to meet Cousens at the Chamber's Business After Hours on Thursday, Sept. 15th. That event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Good Neighbors Food Pantry and Boyne Area Free Clinic, 624 State St.

Cousens will work with outgoing Executive Director Jim Baumann until early November, when Baumann will retire after 8 years in the position.

Cousens has a strong background in community and workforce development. She grew up in New Hampshire, attended college at the State University of New York in Plattsburgh, where she earned her B.A. in Spanish and revived a Peer Advising program on campus. 

After graduation, she spent the next decade in Plattsburgh, close to the Adirondack Mountains, working in community and workforce development. She specializes in working collaboratively with community partners and developing unique programs to enrich the quality of life for community residents. 

She has worked with high schools to incorporate work training programs, she has counseled youth who have dropped out of school to help them improve their skills and find jobs, and she has worked with employers and community organizations on grants and projects and on all sides of the workforce development relationship. She has also worked for and with non-profit organizations.

Cousens relocated to Northern Michigan in February with her partner, Matthew, when he began working for the Health Department of Northwest Michigan. Soon after arriving, Ashley began working for the Friends of the Jordan River Watershed as the Program Director and has spent the spring and summer working to further the mission and goals of that organization. 

In her spare time, Ashley loves to be in the great outdoors; whether she is hiking, kayaking, boating, mountain biking, skiing, or camping. She also enjoys reading, baking, attending community events, volunteering, and meeting new and interesting people. 

Ashley Cousens' LinkedIn profile.

"40 Under 40" article on Cousens from Strictly Business magazine in Plattsburgh NY, 2013.

Officials dedicate first phase of BC-Charlevoix trail

Michael Sheean

Officials from numerous state, county, city and township governments and agencies were on hand Thursday, Sept. 1, for a dedication ceremony and ribbon-cutting at the new Boyne City to Charlevoix non-motorized trail. The ceremony was held along the trail where it passes through Young State Park. Boyne City trail advocate Mike Sheean was one of the speakers, who commented, “I am very happy that I have lived long enough to see the first phase of this trail completed, after 11 years of effort by many dedicated people here today. This is only the first phase that will make Boyne City the “Trail Town of Northern Michigan” along with the Boyne Valley Trailway, the new mountain bike trails at the Boyne City School Forest Property and the major new mountain bike trail-building project beginning this month at the Avalanche Preserve.”
Boyne City Manager Mike Cain said, “If you ever need an example of what perseverance and cooperation can accomplish, look about you at this beautiful trail. What began as a vision well over a decade ago by people like Michael Sheehan we now come together to dedicate as a reality. But this trail is not the work of any one person, it is the combined effort of many. And while I am proud that Boyne City was the first governmental entity to step forward and commit to this project by agreeing to apply for the first major grant, this was truly a team effort. Partners included the Charlevoix County Planning Dept., the Charlevoix County Parks and Recreation Committee, Evangeline Township, the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners, the Charlevoix County Road Commission, and the State of Michigan through MDOT and the MDNR, whose grants largely made this project possible. And of course the staffs, the property owners and many private donors who all worked so hard. Again a true team effort."
"Even though we are here to officially open the trail today I’m getting reports from local businesses that are already seeing very real positive economic impacts. More customers mean more business and more jobs throughout the region. On so many levels this trail and its future phases will help improve the quality of life in Charlevoix County and beyond.
As I said almost 5 months ago a lot of the credit for this trail becoming the reality that it is goes to Ross Maxwell. Thru seemingly endless challenges, setbacks and distractions Ross calmly worked towards solutions. Ross took what at times seemed like impossibilities and made the trail a reality; it just took a bit longer than some of us might have wanted. Some of them could have driven him literally batty, but Ross persevered and prevailed.
So here it is and soon it will be joined by future phases of this trail and the other trails in and around Boyne City and the County that have the real potential to make this area a nationally recognized hub of quality trails opening the door even wider for continues improvements to our quality of life and economic opportunities. That reality is within our grasp. Let’s takes today's momentum and continue to build on it."
"Congratulations and thank you to everyone who helped transform a vision into reality."
> Petoskey News-Review story.

Jim White honored for 50+ years in hardware business

Jim White receiving
his Golden Hammer award

This past weekend Jim White, owner of Boyne City Hardware, received a Golden Hammer award from Ace Hardware Corp. at the Ace Hardware convention in Chicago. The award celebrates Jim’s 51 years in the hardware industry. Here is the backstory of how Jim and his family got into the hardware business in the first place. Jim grew up in Midland. His father, Fred White, worked at Dow Chemical and his mother, Marge White, was a housewife. When Jim was 16 years old, his mom told him he needed to get a job so he looked through the paper and saw an ad for a stock boy at the 5 and Dime store downtown. He rode his bike 4-5 miles to apply for the job. As Jim says, he was rather puny at age 16 and the owner took one look at him and turned him down flat. Dejected, but still determined to not go home without a job, he was sitting on a bench in downtown Midland looking across the street at the local hardware store. He decided to go in and apply. The owner told him they weren't necessarily hiring at the time and asked Jim why he wanted to work there. He told the owner, "I've been shopping here with my dad and your store is pretty messy. I think I can clean it up." He was hired on the spot. Three years later, his dad ended up BUYING the store and Jim continued working there through high school and college. The Midland Ace Hardware store is still owned and operated by Jim’s brother, Greg White. 
How Jim ended up in Boyne City
In 1975, after graduating from MSU his dad had a proposition for Jim and his then wife Connie (now deceased). He wanted them to move to Boyne City in northern Michigan and temporarily operate a failing hardware store in the area. None of them had ever heard of, yet alone visited, Boyne City. The business was for sale and losing considerable money , and the owner had recently propositioned Jim’s dad to buy it. The plan was for Jim and Connie to operate the business for one year, then close it down, get a large tax write-off, and move back downstate. 
Well… after living in Boyne City and getting to know the customers, the store grew and so did its profitability. They decided to see how long they could keep it going, and now here it is, 42 years later, one of the longest running businesses in town. His current wife Sharon has worked at the store for over 30 years, his daughter Jessica now works there full-time, and you can frequently see his 8-yearold grandson Miles helping out and stocking the shelves just like his grandpa used to.

Registration opens for 8th annual Business Expo & Taste of Boyne

Registration is now open for the Boyne Chamber's 8th Annual Business Expo and Taste of Boyne. The Expo will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, at a new location -  the Civic Center at Boyne Mountain Resort. This expo is always one of Northern Michigan's largest business networking events, as 1,300 people come to see 90 local exhibitors, including a dozen Taste of Boyne food booths. The public is welcome to attend for $5 admission, which includes tastings from a dozen food and beverage providers. Exhibitors receive extra admission passes for their employees, friends and clients. A cash bar will be available. Online registration plus pictures and the exhibitor list from last year are at www.boyneexpo.com.

Register early! Sponsors receive top booth location priority, followed by exhibitors in the order that they turn in their registration and payment. Booth space on the Main Level of the Boyne Mountain Civic Center is limited to about 65 exhibitors; additional space is available on the Lower Level, and booth fees are lower for that level. Expo exhibitors are limited to Boyne Area Chamber members. If you're not yet a member, here's how you can join us.

> THANKS TO OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR:

Pat O'Brien & Associates Real Estate

AND GOLD SPONSORS:

Petoskey News-Review * 9 and 10 News * Boyne City Gazette

Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Hospital, Boyne Area Health Center and Boyne Rehab Center

> Email jim@boynechamber.com, for info on how to become a sponsor.

Leadership Charlevoix County Class of 2016-17 starts its journey

Leadership Charlevoix County is excited to announce its newest class for 2016-2017. The program is entering its sixth year as a comprehensive training experience for community members seeking to play a more active role in leadership and their communities. The program creates community awareness, networking opportunities, and focuses on leadership skill development through an educational and hands-on curriculum.

The 21-member class started with an orientation meeting at Boyne Mountain Resort, where they met each other and potential mentors. Their first class session is a two-day overnight retreat to Beaver Island on September 11-12, followed by one all-day class every month until graduation in May 2017. Class topics include Connecting with Your Government; Ethics, Culture & Philanthropy; Building Your Toolbox; Economic Development; Education Today; Health & Human Services; Environmental and Natural Resources; and “Where do we go from here?” Putting newly learned skills to use.

LCC graduate Dan Reynolds highly recommends it to others. "What I expected was a series of lectures and exercises. What I got was a front-row seat to witness and interact with the community's most influential leaders, a network of resources I will depend on throughout my career, and a new perspective on what it means to be a leader."

This year’s class is a diverse group or emerging leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds, locations and industries. LCC welcomes the following participants to the class: Kathleen Adkison of Van Dam Custom Boats, Bettina Baron of Southwest Airlines, Chelsea Biddick of Charlevoix Area Community Pool, Savanah Cool of Charlevoix-Emmet Dept. of Health & Human Services, Ashley Cousens of the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce, Heather Diggs of Bear River Health at Walloon Lake, Mark Druesne of Town & Country Cedar Homes, Lisa Dunson of Grandvue Medical Care Facility, Sarah Hescheles of Lake Louise Christian Community, Lauren Ingle of Boyne Mountain Resort.

Also in the class are Jane Korthase of Grandvue Medical Care Facility, Jamie McLane of Hoffman CPA Firm, Renee Nowka of EJ, Anora O’Connor of Castle Farms, Stephanie Olszewski of Mason Kammermann & Rohrback, Emily Selph of Charlevoix County, Melissa Symons of EJ, Erica Tosch of Boyne City Main Street, Tina VanderArk of the City of East Jordan, Katelyn Vincent of Boyne Mountain and Katie Way of Charlevoix State Bank.

Leadership Charlevoix County is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was founded by the Charlevoix, Boyne City and East Jordan Chambers of Commerce. For more information, call any of those chambers or visit www.leadershipcharlevoixcounty.com.

Leadership Charlevoix County Class of 2016-17 starts its journey

Leadership Charlevoix County is excited to announce its newest class for 2016-2017. The program is entering its sixth year as a comprehensive training experience for community members seeking to play a more active role in leadership and their communities. The program creates community awareness, networking opportunities, and focuses on leadership skill development through an educational and hands-on curriculum.

The 21-member class started with an orientation meeting at Boyne Mountain Resort, where they met each other and potential mentors. Their first class session is a two-day overnight retreat to Beaver Island on September 11-12, followed by one all-day class every month until graduation in May 2017. Class topics include Connecting with Your Government; Ethics, Culture & Philanthropy; Building Your Toolbox; Economic Development; Education Today; Health & Human Services; Environmental and Natural Resources; and “Where do we go from here?” Putting newly learned skills to use.

LCC graduate Dan Reynolds highly recommends it to others. "What I expected was a series of lectures and exercises. What I got was a front-row seat to witness and interact with the community's most influential leaders, a network of resources I will depend on throughout my career, and a new perspective on what it means to be a leader."

This year’s class is a diverse group or emerging leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds, locations and industries. LCC welcomes the following participants to the class: Kathleen Adkison of Van Dam Custom Boats, Bettina Baron of Southwest Airlines, Chelsea Biddick of Charlevoix Area Community Pool, Savanah Cool of Charlevoix-Emmet Dept. of Health & Human Services, Ashley Cousens of the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce, Heather Diggs of Bear River Health at Walloon Lake, Mark Druesne of Town & Country Cedar Homes, Lisa Dunson of Grandvue Medical Care Facility, Sarah Hescheles of Lake Louise Christian Community, Lauren Ingle of Boyne Mountain Resort.

Also in the class are Jane Korthase of Grandvue Medical Care Facility, Jamie McLane of Hoffman CPA Firm, Renee Nowka of EJ, Anora O’Connor of Castle Farms, Stephanie Olszewski of Mason Kammermann & Rohrback, Emily Selph of Charlevoix County, Melissa Symons of EJ, Erica Tosch of Boyne City Main Street, Tina VanderArk of the City of East Jordan, Katelyn Vincent of Boyne Mountain and Katie Way of Charlevoix State Bank.

Leadership Charlevoix County is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was founded by the Charlevoix, Boyne City and East Jordan Chambers of Commerce. For more information, call any of those chambers or visit www.leadershipcharlevoixcounty.com.

Birds Nest moves to new location in cottage on Water St.

The Birds Nest has moved to its new location at 230 Water St. in the cottage next to Bob Mathers Ford. Store hours are 10-5 M-TH, 10-9F, 10-4 Sat, 12-4 Sun. Owner Holly Watson posted this message on Facebook: "Thanks to all of you for your kind words of encouragement as we transition to our new Nest. It's been 10 wonderful years of helping you shop for a special gift or outfit and maybe even just having a good ole chat on your visits. Being an up north store gives us the freedom to become more personable with our customers and many of you have become our dear friends. We are grateful to each and every one of you for supporting our store. The changes we are making no doubt have been very stressful and emotional for myself and staff, a few tears and a few laughs as we reminisce over the past years. They say three times is a charm and so we move into our third location, which is a charming little cottage where we will nestle in, in the lovely town of Boyne City."

11 years later - First segment of BC-Charlevoix Trail opens

Click here to see a video of part of the trail.

The first two-mile section of the long-awaited Boyne City-Charlevoix Non-Motorized Trail officially opened July 29. The open section runs from the Boyne City limits through Young State Park to Nelson Road. County Parks Director Ross Maxwell tells us the next mile from Nelson Road to Park of the Pines at Springwater Beach Road should open in a week or so. We snapped pictures of a runner and several cyclists, including Bill Cross, who said the new trail was "fantastic." 
Longtime trail supporter Mike Sheean took pictures of the trail paving as it began and emailed this note to friends who have supported the project: "Friday, July 22nd was a very special day in my life and I would like to thank you for making it happen. Attached is a photo of the first paved section of the Boyne City-Charlevoix Trail. I followed the asphalt trucks out to the middle of Young State Park. After 11 years of struggle, I am very happy to see this project come to fruition." The next section of the trail from the Little Traverse Wheelway south about three miles is due to go out for bids this fall and Maxwell hopes construction will begin in the spring. News-Review story.  

E-Commerce Round Table debuts to help local business

Are you interested in learning more about using e-commerce in your business? Or would you like to share your knowledge with other entrepreneurs? And maybe have a beer and do a little networking? Then you should come to the first Boyne City E-Commerce Round Table at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1, upstairs at the Boyne City Taproom, 220 S. Lake St. Jonathon Thompson of Outline Industries and his brother Jeff Thompson of Shaggy's Skis, both local businesses and Chamber members, are hosting this informal gathering at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1, upstairs at the Boyne City Taproom. The first Round Table meeting will be a simple meet and greet for the group and to meet the founders and have some light discussion of the plan moving forward, and take input on the group's direction and how we can help the members. Business people from Charlevoix and Emmet Counties are welcome.
> You can see more info, get updates and RSVP on Facebook. 

USA Today features Boyne City: "Small towns that go all out on the 4th of July"

From USA Today: From a soap box derby to a pie-eating contest, foot races to raft races to duck races, Boyne City epitomizes the perfect small town American Independence Day celebration. The big highlight here is the Commemorative Raft Race, where participants race down the Boyne River that flows through town on homemade rafts, while the crowd of onlookers douses them with water balloons, buckets of water and water guns. After the raft race comes the duck race, when nearly 1,000 rubber ducks are thrown into the river and prizes are awarded to the first ducks to cross the finish line. After dark there's a big fireworks display to cap off the birthday weekend. > USA Today story & photos  |  July 4th schedule.

13th Annual Boyne Thunder roars into Boyne City July 8-9

Bigger than ever, the 13th annual Boyne Thunder Poker Run will bring speed, thunder and excitement to Northern Michigan on July 8 and 9 in Boyne City. The poker run showcases 115 high-performance boats from all over the country, including California, Washington State, Florida, New York and Ontario, roaring through the waters of Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan on a 130-mile excursion in search of the best poker hand. 
The Poker Run begins with a series of parade laps starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, leaving from the Boyne City Marina. Veterans Park offers some of the best views for spectators. Card stops include Northport, Elk Rapids, Harbor Springs and Bay Harbor, with a lunch stop in downtown Charlevoix The Beautiful. Boaters wrap up their day on the water with a final card stop near Horton Bay and a reception at Sommerset Pointe Yacht Club. The day concludes with a dinner and an auction at Veterans Park, where participants play their cards to see who has the best hand.
In addition to the Poker Run, the weekend offers other activities in Boyne City, including a Friday night dinner for the boaters in Veterans Park and Stroll The Streets, running from 6 to 10 p.m. This downtown even includes music, entertainment and incredible displays of power boats and classic cars filling the streets for people to see up close. This year the addition of Fountain Friday will showcase a wide array of Fountain boats lining Lake Street. While here, people can also enjoy Boyne City’s newest dining establishments – the Boyne City Tap Room and 7 Monks Taproom, both located on South Lake Street.
Saturday activities also include the “best in the north” farmers market from 8 a.m.-noon at Peninsula Beach, a beautiful park on Lake Charlevoix, just south of downtown, and a Champagne Cruise to get an up-close view of the spectacular boats aboard yachts generously donated for the day by area boat owners.
Boyne Thunder is brought to you by Boyne City Main Street and supports two non-profit organizations, Camp Quality and Challenge Mountain. Camp Quality serves children with cancer and their families by providing a year-round programs, experiences, and companionship. Challenge Mountain is dedicated to enriching and improving lives for the mentally and physically challenged through outdoor recreation.
SPONSORS - Main Street and the Boyne Thunder Committee expressed their special thanks to their major sponsors: Mystic Power Boats, Sommerset Pointe Yacht Club, Fox Motors and Ajax Paving. For more information about Boyne Thunder, visit www.boynethunder.com or email mainstreet@boynecity.com.

Boyne City SOBO Arts Festival Set For June 24 and 25

The 7th annual Boyne City SOBO Arts Festival will be an interactive art extravaganza on June 24 and 25, from noon to 6 p.m. in Sunset Park. Committee co-chair Becky Harris commented, “In the spirit of encompassing all arts, this family-friendly interactive art festival is about creating an experience through art. Stations will invite guests to interact in a variety of art forms in an engaging, entertaining and collaborative way.”

The event will kick off Friday night during Stroll the Streets with the celebration and installation of 9 new sculptures in the second year of the Walkabout Sculpture Tour. In all, there will be 12 sculptures in the tour, scattered about town and ready for enjoying.

Saturday events include a Plein Air Paint-Out Competition taking place throughout town from 8 am to 3 pm. Come and see artists, inspired by the beauty of historic Boyne City and Lake Charlevoix, create beautiful work. Artists arrive with a blank canvas and will create a one of a kind piece that will be available for viewing and purchase at the artists’ reception and exhibition taking place at 5 p.m. where the winners will be announced and cash prizes awarded.

New to this year’s festival is the Sidewalk Chalk-Out Competition. Artists will create chalk art on the sidewalk surrounding Sunset Park. Artists of all ages and abilities – from the beginner to experienced chalk artist - are welcome to be a part of this contest which runs from noon to 4 pm, with winners announced at the 5 pm reception.

Pre-registration is required. To get complete set of rules, go to www.soboartsfestival.com, call Becky Harris at 231-330-2704 or email mainstreet@boynecity.com. Please send the $10 fee to SOBO Arts Festival, 319 N. Lake Street, Boyne City, MI 49712 or pay when you arrive.

Family friendly activities include interactive stations that will be placed throughout Sunset Park where everyone can enjoy music, dancing, a puppet show, puppet-making workshops, a paint graffiti wall, a chalk wall, selfie photo opportunities, live statues, art vignettes, pottery making, gratitude stations, Salvador Dali and more. Bring the entire family for an afternoon of artistic, hands-on fun.

The festival is supported by major sponsors Lynda’s Real Estate Service, Charlevoix County Community Foundation, and Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau. For more information, go to www.soboartsfestival.com, or mainstreet@boynecity.com.

Brews for many tastes as 7 Monks opens in Boyne City

From the Petoskey News-Review: Whether they prefer to stick with in-state beers or sample those from afar, 7 Monks Taproom can offer options for customers.
The beer bar and restaurant, which opened its first location nearly five years ago in Traverse City, is preparing to open its second at 202 S. Lake St. in Boyne City. 7 Monks co-owner Jim Smolak expects the opening to happen sometime the week of June 20.
The company looked at multiple locations around Michigan as possibilities for expansion, Smolak said, but attention kept returning to Boyne City. The operators worked with Catt Development, local Realtor Wally Kidd and city leaders as they secured a space in Catt’s newly redeveloped business complex in downtown’s “SoBo” area.
“It was just a really, really welcoming business community,” said 7 Monks co-owner Matt Cozzens. “They were ready for some additional concepts like this.”
7 Monks’ name references the beers brewed by Trappist monasteries, often prized because of their rarity and unique tastes. When the bar opened its original location, seven monasteries in the world were considered authentic Trappist beer producers — although several more have since been added to the list.
The Boyne City location will feature about three dozen beers on tap, as well as numerous canned and bottled brews. The selection will include examples from Michigan and elsewhere around the United States as well as imports.
7 Monks also will offer ciders, wines and a cocktail option — specifically a Moscow mule. As for food, it will serve lunch and dinner with options such as gourmet burgers and pizzas, with a goal to source some ingredients locally.
The Boyne City location’s interior will feature a mix of bar, booth and table seating. A patio also will be available seasonally, with an outdoor fireplace that can be used in cooler weather. Full story.

Boyne City Taproom opening for summer of 2016

From the Petoskey News-Review: With stakes in two beer-focused businesses already operating at Lake Charlevoix's west end, Rich Bergmann and Aaron Hagen plan to launch a dining and drinking establishment this summer near the east end. Bergmann, majority owner of the new Boyne City Taproom, said it's on track to open by early July at 220 S. Lake St., Boyne City, where the Northern Table restaurant closed earlier this year. He and Boyne City Taproom operating partner Aaron Hagen are also co-owners of Lake Charlevoix Brewing and Bridge Street Taproom in Charlevoix. The new owners are currently hiring staff for the Boyne City restaurant/bar and giving its dining area a freshening. This involves new paint, an updated bar area, a new tap system and multiple new flat-screen TVs and monitors, which will display sports programming as well as beer menu listings.  Full story.

19 graduate as Leadership Charlevoix County completes 5th year

THE GRADUATES: Front row from left - Charity Gee, Great Lakes Energy; Nicole Skrocki, The Insurance Shop; Barb Brooks, City of Boyne City,; Heather Jackson, City of East Jordan; Molly Hauxwell-Currier, Petoskey News-Review; Liane Hagerman, Health Dept. of NW Michigan; Ashley Sonnevil, Munson Healthcare-Charlevoix Hospital; Alissa Post, Castle Farms; Carrie Titus, 4Front Credit Union; Jennifer McAndrew, Boyne Co-op True Value. Back row:  Jeffrey Minkwic, Boyne Mountain; Kimberly Altobello-MacNaughton, Ralph Gillett CPA; Devin Butterbrodt, Classic Instruments; Lisa Meyer, Charlevoix Public Schools; Randall Sutton, Boyne Mountain; Kristen Austin, Re/Max Resort Properties; Clifton Porter, Cannonball LLC; John Wayne Cool, Charlevoix State Bank. Missing was Hannah Sanderson of  Northern Lakes Economic Alliance.

Leadership Charlevoix County completed its fifth year Wednesday with a graduation ceremony at Boyne Mountain Resort, which sponsored the event. The graduates were encouraged by keynote speaker Dr. John Jeffries, a well-known retired local educator, to continue building their leadership skills throughout their lives. 

"This year's class is a fantastic group of people," said program coordinator Kendall Hayes. "They are smart, driven, enthusiastic and ready to take on leadership roles throughout Charlevoix County. I can't wait to see the things they accomplish in our community."

There are now a total of 73 graduates of the leadership program, which was started by the Boyne City, East Jordan and Charlevoix Chambers of Commerce with funding assistance from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation.  

> APPLICATIONS are now being accepted for the 2016-17 program, which begins with an orientation in August and an overnight retreat on Beaver Island in September. More information may be found at www.leadershipcharlevoixcounty.com or by calling the Boyne Area Chamber at 231-582-6222.