Here’s a roundup of recent news and photos around the Old Mission Peninsula. If I’ve missed your news item, email me, [email protected].
Support Your Local Farmers. The next meeting of the Peninsula Insights group is Wednesday, June 19, 7 p.m. at Peninsula Community Library. The speakers are MSU Extension specialists Rob Sirrine and Mary Reilly, who will present a program on “How to Cultivate Local Farm Economics.” The talk will focus on the challenges facing small and medium-sized farmers and what citizens can do to help them economically.
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Upcoming speakers for the group include our community police officer, Tony Martinez, in July, and the League of Women Voters in September. The meetings are always on the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. For more info, contact Brit Eaton, (231) 499-4438, [email protected], or David Tucker, (810) 348-3695, [email protected].
Chicken BBQ. The annual (and tasty) Chicken BBQ at Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church is happening on Saturday, June 22, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the church, 16426 Center Road. This is a community event, and everyone is invited. A free will offering is accepted.
The buttery-good chicken is grilled over an apple wood fire pit at the church. There will also be sides like potato salad, old-fashioned coleslaw, baked beans, and plenty of homemade desserts, including Annie’s Cherry Whatchamacallit (Ann Fouch’s iconic cherry dessert). Just drop in between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m., or call for takeout earlier in the day, (231) 223-4393.
Car Show. St. Joseph Catholic Church is hosting their 3rd Annual Car Show on Saturday, June 15. At 3 p.m., participants will cruise the Old Mission Peninsula, and at 4 p.m., the cars will be available for viewing at the church, 12675 Center Road. At 6 p.m., there will be a dinner of pulled pork and smoked chicken, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.
Quilts made by the church’s Patchwork Ministry Group will be raffled off at the event, with proceeds going to support Single Momms and PoWer Book Bags for Kids organizations. This is a community event, and free for all to attend and register your cars. Vehicle registration is accepted on the day of the event, space permitting. For more info, contact the Parish Administrative Assistant Nicole Harmeson, (231) 421-7310, ext. 1.
Lighthouse Wine Label. The winner of the 2024 Mission Point Lighthouse Wine Label Contest is Artist Gary Odmark of Holland, Michigan. The organizers give a special thanks to Left Foot Charley in Traverse City for hosting the event and creating the Pinot Grigio for this year’s Lighthouse fundraiser. The wine will be released later this summer and will be available at Left Foot Charley. Here’s the winning artwork…
Dougherty House Summer Hours. The historic Peter Dougherty House at 18459 Mission Road in the village of Old Mission is open for the summer, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays. Below is a photo of the docents at a pre-season refresher led by Tom Dalluge, who also introduced the group to this year’s special exhibit, which pays homage to the OMP’s agricultural heritage.
Attending were Teri Hedrich, Anita Klein, Patti and Rudy Rudolph, Connie Sargent, Nancy Schulte, Ann Swaney, Carolyn Taylor, David Taylor, Judy Weaver, Chris Rieser, and Barb Hansen. OMP resident Alice Burbank will be the summer staffer this year, leading tours and anchoring the 2024 tour schedule. She has a background in museum work and has been volunteering with Anita Klein and Ann Swaney to catalog the many items on the Dougherty property.
Monster at the North End. My farmer brothers do contract farming for smaller farmers around the Old Mission Peninsula, and my brother Ward recently spotted this monster at the north end of the OMP. Woodchuck? Neanderthal creature who’s been growing out there for centuries? You decide!
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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.
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That’s a big and healthy whistle pig!
Looks like a red Panda 🤣