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As always, things are rockin’ on the Old Mission Peninsula. Here are a few upcoming events. If I’ve missed yours, feel free to email me, [email protected], or add it in the comments section below the story.
Men’s Breakfast – Saturday, Sept. 30, 8 a.m. Gather with your friends and neighbors at Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church, 16426 Center Road, for this monthly get-together organized by Dave Tuttle and the breakfast team. Carpool with your neighbor! Invite a friend!
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Bowers Harbor Park Celebration – Saturday, Sept. 30, 2 – 4 p.m. Come check out all the work that’s been done to improve this lovely park in our community. There are lots of activities planned, including kids’ games, a free-throw competition, a scavenger hunt and more. Snacks are provided by Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church and apples by Wunsch Farms/Third Coast Fruit Co. and Johnson Farms. More details about the celebration here.
Here’s a photo of Parks Committee member Michele Zebell (on right in orange), who has worked tirelessly (well, maybe SOME tiredness!) to not only organize the event, but round up volunteers to help with the park improvements.
Legion Dinner – Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, Old Mission Legion Hall, 4007 Swaney Road. On the menu is butter chicken, vegetables, rice pilaf, nana bread and cucumber tomato salad, with appetizers and dessert to be determined. Dinner starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. (gather at 6 p.m. to chat), and the cost is $15/person. Take-out meals are also available. Call (231) 223-4433 after 4:15 p.m. that day to order.
Oktoberfest – Wednesday, Oct. 4, 5 – 8 p.m., Mission Proper, 13795 Seven Hills Road. Owner Jennifer Kuhar is super excited to offer this celebration that includes a German-based menu. “I personally am so excited as owner of the cafe to share a piece of my family heritage with the community!” she notes.
“Saving the American Chestnut Trees on the Old Mission Peninsula” – Thursday, Oct. 5, 6 p.m., Old Mission Peninsula School, 2699 Island View Road. This presentation of the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society features co-president Tom Dalluge, who has been working to save these trees and propagate more, in cooperation with the school and the Peter Dougherty Society, stewards of the historic Dougherty Mission House on Mission Road.
Once ubiquitous in America, the American Chestnut tree was decimated by a plague beginning in 1904. Currently, there are only 5000 of them worldwide, and 50 of them are on the Old Mission Peninsula. As always, the meeting is open to the public, and guests are welcome to attend. For more info, contact Tom Dalluge, [email protected].
St. Joseph’s Fall Festival – Saturday, Oct. 7, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., St. Joseph Catholic Church, 12675 Center Road. Join the folks at St. Joe’s for their 3rd Annual Fall Festival. Highlights include wine tastings with Old Mission Peninsula wines, a Kids’ Tent, raffle, silent auction, and Mexican food provided by Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.
Harvest Dinner – Saturday, Oct. 7, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church is hosting their 38th Annual Harvest Dinner at the church, 16426 Center Road. Everyone in the community is invited. On the menu is Swiss Steak, potatoes, hot vegetables, rolls, beverages and the best home-made desserts from any Methodist church on the planet (and you know that’s saying something, because Methodists are known for their potlucks). Free will donations are accepted, and take-out orders are available by calling (231) 223-4393.
Here’s a photo of Darlene Pope and Raul Gomez at the Harvest Dinner a few years ago, serving up some “tasty tads,” as Tim would say.
“Songs You Know & Love” – Thursday, Oct. 12, 7 – 8:15 p.m., Peninsula Community Library. Don’t miss my friend Dave Baumann, who’ll be cranking out tunes by The Beatles, The Eagles, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash, U2, America, John Cougar Mellencamp, Dan Fogelberg, Jackson Brown and more at the library.
Dave is a vocalist and guitar player with decades of experience entertaining audiences with songs you know and love. He’s played in many bands since college, namely in Minnesota, Washington state and the Detroit area, and has also sung in several community theater productions in and around Detroit. (We expect you to belt out “Oklahoma” that night, Dave). Dave’s musical mantra is “if you don’t know it, I probably don’t play it!” Dave and his wife Pam have been residents of the Old Mission Peninsula since 2010.
Fire Department Open House – Saturday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. The Peninsula Township Fire Department is hosting an open house at Station 1, located at 14247 Center Road (Mapleton). Stop by and grab some food, visit with your firefighters and check out the equipment and station. There will also be activities for kids, station tours, a drone demonstration, a bounce house and more.
Below: These kids have grown up a little since this Open House in 2019!
“How to Research Your Home’s History” – Wednesday, Oct. 25, 12 noon., Mills Community House, 891 Michigan Ave., Benzonia (and on Zoom). This event does NOT take place on the OMP, but so many people ask me about the history of their homes that I thought a lot of you might be interested. I know *some history of the homes out here, but Tim or my Dad would likely have ALL the info, and I haven’t mastered the art of the seance yet.
Presented by Robert Myers, Director of History Programming, Historical Society of Michigan, and hosted by the Benzie Area Historical Society, this workshop will show you how to research your home, what to look for, and where to conduct your research. For more info, visit benziemuseum.org, call the museum, (231) 882-5539, or email [email protected]. (OMP Historical people: Maybe we can ask him to speak at one of our meetings.)
Christmas Bazaar – Saturday, Nov. 18, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church will hold their annual Christmas Bazaar, with plenty of treasures, crafts, baked goods and more. They’ll also have a few local “vendors” this year, with hand-crafted artwork, crafts and more. The bazaar will take place in the community room in the lower level of the church, 16426 Center Road. Some of those vendors include:
- “Simply by Marge,” a.k.a. Marge Long, a longtime vendor at the Red Dresser Marketplace in Traverse City, will be there with handcrafted items and her much-loved “Vinyl-Lined Car Trash/Multipurpose Bags.”
- And I’ll be there with items from my Old Mission Peninsula Store, including Old Mission Coloring Books, 2024 OMP Calendars, OMP Photos/Wrapped Canvas Wall Art, vinyl car stickers, M37 coffee mugs and more. (You’d better get cracking on those calendars, Jane.) I’ll also have some brand new items I can’t wait to show you.
Welcome Wednesday – Every Wednesday, 10 – 12 p.m. Join your friends at Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church for a time of fellowship. Everyone in the community is welcome. If you have a crafting project, bring it along. (Sometimes I’ll take my laptop and clean up my inbox while I’m chatting with everyone.)
The church is located at 16426 Center Road, and you don’t have to stay the whole two hours. Feel free to drop in and say hi. And no need to get dressed up! (Although *some clothes are preferred.)
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SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper.
Because Old Mission Gazette is a "Reader Supported Newspaper" -- meaning it exists because of your financial support -- I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks our way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the OMP. In a time when local news is becoming a thing of the past, supporting an independent community newspaper is more important now than ever. Thank you so much for your support! -Jane Boursaw, Editor/Publisher, Old Mission Gazette
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