Kim Altobello completes first year of Chamber Institute

Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is pleased to announce that Kim Altobello, Associate Director of the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce, has completed her first year of a four-year nonprofit leadership training program at Madison, Wisconsin. Institute graduates are recognized across the country as leaders in their industries and organizations," said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, the U.S. Chamber Foundation's vice president

of Institute for Organization Management. Through a combination of required courses and electives in areas such as leadership, advocacy, marketing, finance, and membership, Institute participants are able to enhance their own organizational management skills and add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively. Institute website.

Boyne City Farmers Market plans an event-filled summer

The Boyne City Farmers Market outdoor market season is in full swing, open every Wednesday and Saturday from 8 a.m.- to noon at Veterans Park. The outdoor market will feature more than 65 regular produce vendors, all local, serving seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs; gourmet baked goods and preserves; eggs and cheese; honey and maple syrup; proteins, fish, potted annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs, and cut flowers; plus a juried craft market with unique hand-made items for your home or a special gift. A full line-up of the vendors and their offerings is available on the website. “The farmers never missed a beat! Greens were available all winter and with the many hoophouses and greenhouses the produce has been amazing since mid May,” says Becky Harris, market manager.

This is the fourth year accepting Bridge Cards. Customers swipe their card at the market booth and receive tokens to shop with. Eligible foods include vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat, eggs, bread, jam, pickles and pastries, as well as seeds or plants that produce food. The market also partners with Fair Food Network’s Double Up Food Bucks program. “Doubling the value of federal nutrition assistance spent at our market helps people bring home more locally grown fruits and vegetables. It’s really a ‘win/win/win’ as it helps low-income consumers eat healthier, local farmers gain new customers, and more food dollars stay in the local economy,” says Harris. “When customers spend $10 with the Bridge Card, we provide another $10 to buy fresh fruits and veggies grown in Michigan, with a match up to $20 each market day.” More information visit http://www.doubleupfoodbucks.org.

A full season of activities have been arranged including cooking demos, children’s food education series, “Food: Make it Easy” sessions, health screenings and live music every Saturday starting June 20. “We are really excited about a special appearance by Michelle Bommarito. She will present “Energize your Pantry” at Blackbird Gardens, graciously sponsored by Grain Train,” says Harris.

2nd Annual Food Truck Rally will take place Thursday, July 16, 6-9 pm at Veterans Park. Over 25 local food and beverage stations will be available. The evening will also feature live music with Disastroid. The cost is $10 per person, which includes two beverage tickets. Children under 12 are free. “This fun event with live music attracted a lively crowd of food enthusiasts last year,” Harris said. “It is meant to connect friends and strangers, while sharing local food and drink while supporting the smallest of small business.”

Friends Farm Meals are a highlight of the season, breaking bread and toasting the farmers and others who make Michigan’s agricultural community so vibrant. Two dates are available this year: Elvyn Lea Lodge, Walloon Village on Saturday, July 25th and A Matter of Taste, Tapawingo in Ellsworth on Saturday, August 22nd. . The price is $75 per person. Reserve online or at the Market Booth or call 231-330-2704 with any questions. Musical guests will appear at both venues. Proceeds raised from these events will be used to help fund the Community Pavilion, which will become the market’s winter home.

The Boyne City Farmers Market is a program of the Boyne City Main Street Program / Downtown Development Authority. It is governed by an 11-member committee consisting of vendors and community members. For a complete line-up of our market events visit www.boynecityfarmersmarket.org. For more information contact market manager Harris at 231-330-2704 or Main Street at 231-582-9009.

Boyne City celebrates SOBO and the arts with June 26-27 Festival

The Arts will be celebrated in Boyne City with the 6th annual SOBO Arts Festival on June 26 and 27. Located in historic and vibrant Boyne City, the juried festival provides high quality cultural experiences for festival patrons and attracts artists from all over the region representing all fine arts. 
The festival kicks off on Friday, June 26, with “Stroll the Streets” from 6-9 pm, showcasing musical performances, family and children’s activities, culminating with an outdoor concert featuring the Bay Area Big Band playing in the heart of SOBO. This performance is supported by a grant from The Charlevoix County Community Foundation. The 17-member band builds on a proud tradition of such historical names as Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Count Basie and Glenn Miller and creates an unforgettable musical experience. It promises to be a great evening for dancing in the streets. There will be beverage tastings at Lake Street Market and a poster signing by local artist Julie Stratton, creator of the 2015 festival poster. The original framed 8 x 10 painting will be raffled off with the winner announced at 9 pm. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at Cindi Franco’s Cool Stuff, Freshwater Gallery, Smitten Designs Studio, Boyne Arts Collective and Country Now and Then until 8:45 pm Friday, June 26. Kids of all ages will be able to create a pottery bowl for “Empty Bowls,” benefiting the Manna Food Project.
On Saturday, June 27, activities move to nearby Veterans Park on the shore of Lake Charlevoix. The festival, adjacent to the Boyne City Farmers Market, will run from 10 – 4 pm, when patrons can enjoy local bounty, and local and regional talent. The Gypsy Artists’ Caravan will have its “maiden voyage” this year - bringing a mobile studio and entertainment stage featuring student visual and performing artists working, displaying, performing and selling their work.
A new addition to this year’s event is the En Plein Air Paint-Out. This competition runs from 8 am – 3 pm and is designed to connect art and people to their surroundings. Local and regional artists, as well as students, will be inspired by the beauty of historic Boyne City and pristine Lake Charlevoix. These paintings will be for sale at a reception and exhibition at 4 pm at Northern Table in the SOBO Arts District of Boyne City.
The Festival will also feature the local culinary arts with food trucks from The Landing, Boyne Valley Lions, and Luckey's Coney Island, along with other outstanding food vendors. 
Festival organizer Becky Harris noted that “All festival activities are free of charge to our patrons, thanks to the support of our local sponsors, Pat O’Brien & Associates Real Estate, Café Sante, Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau, State Farm, EYES on Main Street, and Progressive Dental, as well as a generous grant from The Charlevoix County Community Foundation for the Bay Area Big Band. We are so fortunate to have the support of our community.” 
The Charlevoix County Community Foundation is a local charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all citizens of Charlevoix County by building permanent endowment, addressing needs through grant-making, and providing leadership resources to serve the community. More information about The Charlevoix County Community Foundation may be found at www.c3f.org or by calling 231.536.2440.
For more information on the SOBO Arts Festival, visit www.soboartsfestival.com, or call the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce at 231.582.6222 or Boyne City Main Street at 231.582.9009. 

Boyne City downtown historical walking tour kicks off June 12

Boyne City is kicking off a new downtown historical walking tour in tandem with the first night of Stroll The Streets from 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 12. The Stroll Through History self-guided walking tour will include over 50 stops featuring the rich history of Boyne City’s downtown.  A printed brochure will be available as well as online content with additional photos, narrative and audio options.  Those wishing to take the tour will be able to download an app on their smartphones or tablets to see each featured building and access the information.  In addition to the self-guided tour, everyone is invited to visit the historic Wolverine-Dilworth Hotel at 7 p.m. Friday, June 12, for guided tours (in conjunction with and special thanks to the Charlevoix County History Preservation Society and Patrick McCleary), following a re-enactment of one of Teddy Roosevelt’s famous speeches.
Additional highlights will include a wide variety of music around town for Stroll the Streets, people dressed in period clothing, vintage cars and tractors, horse and wagon tours and other highlights from the past.
  On Saturday, June 13, a vintage base ball game between the Petoskey Mossbacks and the Ludington Mariners will take place at Rotary Park at 1:30 p.m., complete with period uniforms.  Fans can watch the game “as it was meant to be played.”  To round out the Stroll Through History weekend, an ice cream social will take place on the veranda of the Dilworth Hotel at 3:30 p.m.
  City Manager Michael Cain said, “We are pleased that the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Michigan Historic Preservation Network chose to partner with us on this worthwhile project, and we are excited to showcase our historic past with others.”
  The Dilworth is slated for a full restoration that will begin this summer.  “This will be a great opportunity for everyone to see the ‘before look’ and watch as it is transformed back to its original glory,” said Lori Meeder, Main Street Director.   “We are so fortunate to have a community advocate like Dilworth owner Bob Grove who sees the importance of the history and has the commitment to bring this historic landmark back to its full potential.”

New community-based food pantry in Boyne City discussed

Concern over food insecurity in the Boyne City area has led local food pantries and The Manna Food Project to explore ways to improve access to food for families in need.

The Boyne area has three pantries serving families in need of food assistance: The Seventh Day Adventist Food Pantry and the Boyne City Community Pantry at Trinity Fellowship, both in Boyne City; and the Boyne Valley Pantry in Boyne Falls. 

Until recently, there was also a pantry at the Walloon Lake Community Church. Ninety Boyne City families were visiting the church's food pantry on a regular basis. When the pantry closed in January, it created a gap in services for many area families.

The Boyne City pantries are run by small churches who fear there is now more need than they can accommodate. Although they receive support from the community at large, it is a burden for a small congregation, both financially and in terms of volunteers. They also have concerns about the sustainability of their programs, since each pantry relies heavily on one person to manage all aspects of pantry operations.

“If I were to retire and take a step back from the pantry, I’m not sure if there would be someone to take over,” said Jack Dunlop, director of the Seventh Day Adventist pantry. “It’s a big job for a small church.” 

Deb Noblett, executive director of The Manna Food Project, and Boyne City resident,
has been discussing these issues with the three pantries and is looking for ways to help them meet the need. Manna works with all of the pantries in Antrim, Charlevoix, and Emmet counties, and notes that Boyne area families are traveling as far as Ellsworth and Harbor Springs for help.

"Manna’s mission is to feed the hungry in northern Michigan," Noblett said. "We want to support the Boyne Community in any way we can to be sure those in need have enough to eat without traveling long distances to receive that support." 

The Manna Food Project is a non-profit organization established in 1987 to help feed the hungry in northern Michigan. Manna operates a food bank, a food rescue program, a “Food 4 Kids” Backpack program, and a food pantry. The food bank and food rescue program serve 34 partner agencies (food pantries and soup kitchens) in Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet counties. For more information about Manna’s programs, see www.mannafoodproject.org. 

One question Noblett says Manna gets asked is how to determine need in a community. The United Way recently released the ALICE report for Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet counties that sheds light on this question. ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These are households that earn more than the U.S. poverty level, but less than the basic cost of living for the county. Combining the poverty and ALICE numbers shows how many households are struggling to meet basic needs.

In Charlevoix County, 13 percent of households are below the poverty level and 25 percent of households are at or below the ALICE level, for a total of 38 percent, or 3,855 households struggling to afford basic needs such as food. For more information on the ALICE report, see www.charemunitedway.org/alice.

Feeding America reports food insecurity rates on their website (www.feedingamerica.org), including data for the local area. Food insecurity is the most broadly-used measure of food deprivation in the United States. The USDA defines food insecurity as “consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.” According to Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study, the food insecurity rate in Charlevoix County is 21 percent for children and 13 percent for adults. 

"Our pantry works hard and helps feed a lot of people, but I think there is more need than what we can supply,” said Lei (Kipapa) Nahinu of the Boyne Community Pantry.  “I see so many families going through difficult times."

"I think our situation in Boyne City could be helped by spreading the burden more broadly and involving more people and organizations in the community," said Dunlop. "Another pantry could help increase access to food assistance in Boyne City. I appreciate Manna's assistance in starting a dialogue toward that end."

"Boyne City is a wonderful, supportive community," Noblett said. "Community members pull together to support those in need, and there is definitely need."

> IF YOU'D LIKE TO HELP - A committee is being formed to explore creating an additional food pantry in Boyne City, with involvement of community members, Manna, and the three existing area pantries. Issues to explore include finding a location for the pantry, as well as volunteers and additional funding. Those interested in joining the exploratory committee or assisting in other ways should call Manna at 231-347-8852. 

10 new businesses opening for summer in Boyne and Walloon Lake

Northern Table staff at Business Expo/Taste of Boyne

As often happens at this time of year, there is a flurry of new business activity in and around Boyne City. Here are some of the highlights:

> Northern Table restaurant will be opening soon in the former Thirsty Goat location at 220 S. Lake St. Owner Mark Warner and chef Meghan Wruk are heading up the crew that is bringing the restaurant back to life after the facility was vacant for more than a year. They gave us a sneak preview of their menu that emphasizes locally sourced foods during the Business Expo Taste of Boyne and Farm To Frame Stroll last week. Northern Table's upstairs area will be known as Boyne Pub, featuring wood-fired pizzas, craft beer, cocktails and entertainment in a fun atmosphere. They hope to open in time for the Mushroom Festival in mid-May. Info: 231-459-4487, www.northerntableboyne.com.

> BC Pizza will open a second Boyne City location in the former Spicy Bob's building at 427 N. Lake St. Officials say the new location will open "before the summer rush." Info: (231) 582-2288, www.bcpizza.net.

> Friggy's SOBO Pub plans to open in June in the former Sunset Grill location at 5 West Main Street.

> Smitten Designs Studio has just opened at 120 Water St. in the store previously occupied by Boyne's Beyond Borders. Owner Ivette Dixon previously rented a smaller space in that building, which is now occupied by On Water Art & Design, a gallery featuring the work of local artist Shannon Pearce. Both businesses are hosting a grand opening ribbon cutting and open house at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 8. Info: 231-459-6808, www.smittendesignsstudio.com

> I Love Boyne City, a beach-themed clothing and gift shop, will be taking over a portion of the former Sunburst Marine store at 101 Water St. The owners are currently remodeling the inside of the store, and they hope to open by mid-May. They currently have a similar shop called I Love St. Joe in St. Joseph, MI.

> 52 Weekends is also taking over a portion of the former Sunburst building with their third location in addition to stores in Petoskey and at Boyne Mountain. The store sells women's clothing, accessories and gifts. Info: (231) 347-5250, shop52weekends.com.

> Boyne Country Propane has opened in a new building at 1701 M-75 South, between Boyne City and Boyne Falls. Alan Wells is the managing partner and owner; he can be reached at 231-582-2700. They offer retail propane sales and service. Info: 231-582-2700, www.boynecountrypropane.com

> CapTrust Financial Advisors has opened an office in Suite 1B at 109 Water St., Boyne City. The managing director is Paul R. Moody. Info: 231-459-4461, Website.

> Hotel Walloon will open May 18 in Walloon Lake Village. Owner Matt Borisch describes the 32-room hotel as a place "where guests can enjoy the charm and hospitality of the early 19th Century along with the comforts of every modern amenity." Info: (231) 535-5000.  www.hotelwalloon.com.

> Boyne Area Medical Center is not a new business, but their staff will be celebrating the completion of their recent expansion from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at 223 N. Park St., Boyne City.

Boyne City lakeshore property has new owner

One of the most important lakefront properties in Boyne City has a new local owner. 475 Lake Street LLC, purchased the fenced-in lakeshore property on North Lake Street, located across the street from Family Fare and next to the Boyne City Boat Launch. The sale closed April 24. Partners in 475 Lake Street LLC, are local residents Bob Grove and Mike Dow. 

“We have both looked at that fence for years and felt something needed to be done,” Grove said. “We saw an opportunity and pursued it.  We both feel a great sense of satisfaction securing this property under local ownership.”

“We are not developers and we have no specific plans for the property at this time,” Dow said. “We both appreciate the beauty of Lake Charlevoix and know how important this property is to the community.”

Terms of the sale were not released. The seller was represented by Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate of Charlevoix and agent Richard Lobenherz. Representing 475 Lake Street LLC, was Kirk Jabara of Boyne City and attorney Dan Barron of Barron & Engstrom of Charlevoix.

The property is 4.5 acres and includes 590 feet of lake frontage. It has been owned by Headwaters Properties, Inc. (formerly Devlon Properties) for several years. Headwaters Properties had proposed building a 24-unit hotel on the property and 90-slip marina. While little progress was made on the development the previous owner did receive all the permits necessary to build the marina. 

The new owners have not yet determined final plans for the property. Their first objective was to secure the property and clean up the site. “We want to explore several different alternatives to maintain the undeveloped state of the property,” Grove explained.

While the new owners realize the fence enclosing the property has been a sore spot for the community for several years they cautioned that it will take time before the fence comes down. The owners will need to do a comprehensive review of all the issues related to the property, complete some cleanup, and make landscape improvements before removing the fence.

In addition to the lakefront property, Grove is also owner of the historic Dilworth Hotel in downtown Boyne City. He said work on the hotel’s renovation is moving forward and exterior renovations will begin no later than July 1. 

Dow is long-time resident of the area and is active in many local organizations. “My interest in Boyne City dates back to the 1970s when we were original owners at the Landings Condominiums,” Dow said. “I admire the progress the community has made and look forward to working with Bob on this great opportunity.”