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Here’s a roundup of news and photos around the Old Mission Peninsula…
Cover Donkey. Look who’s on the cover of the March/April issue of Northern Michigan Woman Magazine! OMP’er Cassandra Rossbach and her adorable donkey Ollie. I recently wrote about her “Hire a Donkey” service here. Writes Cassandra, who owns Harper’s Ridge Farm with her partner Jeff Kane (the old Herkner farm on Center Road south of Fire Station 2), on her Facebook page…
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“It is not often that I find myself at a loss for words, but this left me speechless. If you know me, you know I’m not one to share or bring much attention to myself. I’d rather hear more about you than talk about myself and I’m a total introvert. So when approached to share our story alongside all these incredible women throughout Northern Michigan living their dreams, my gut reaction was NO! Crazy right?! But when I sat down and really thought about it, I found myself saying, why not??? What we have built through all the blood, sweat, tears, beers and little long ears is something I’m proud of, and there are women just like me out there that feel the way I do that need to be inspired to share!”
So proud of you, Cassandra! Well said. To read the story, visit the magazine’s website here and click on “Issues.” And a big thanks to my local media colleague Kerry Winkler for continuing to share women’s stories through her magazine.
Safe Harbor Dinner. The folks at Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church recently served up dinner at Safe Harbor in Traverse City — something they do on a regular basis. Safe Harbor is a non-profit, volunteer-run seasonal emergency shelter and a year-round housing and human services resource center. They also focus on community partnerships in order to better collaborate on long-term solutions to ending homelessness in the Traverse City region. Read more here.
Upcoming Events…
3/6 – Rich Brauer Film. The Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society‘s next meeting is Thursday March 6, 2025 at 6 p.m. in the Community Room of the Peninsula Community Library (PCL). Traverse City filmmaker Rich Brauer will present his film “The Wreck and Rescue of the Schooner J.H. Hartzell.” The film is 43 minutes long, and Rich will be available for a Q & A following the screening. PCL is located at 2893 Island View Road. A brief business meeting and refreshments will follow the presentation. Admission is free and open to the public.
3/13 – National Writers Series. The next featured author is Jonathan Eig, who on Thursday, March 13, will talk about his Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, King: A Life, the first major biography written in decades about civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. Eig casts fresh light on King’s origins, as well as his complex relationships with his wife, father and fellow activists. Doors open at 6 p.m. with live music and a cash bar, and the conversation begins at 7 p.m. This event includes a Q&A session, and an author signing event following in the lobby. Click here for more info and to buy tickets.
3/13 – Coloring Party. PCL is hosting an Adult Coloring Party on March 13, 5 – 7 p.m. at the library. Join the Friends of PCL for an evening of creativity, community connection, snacks and prizes. Buy an art item from the tree in the library’s foyer for admittance to the coloring party — which helps to support PCL’s Budding Artist Art Supply Drive. Supplies provided, bring a friend, adults only. RSVP by clicking here.
3/15 – Coffee Tasting Event. Love coffee? Me, too! Mission Proper is hosting a coffee tasting event with the Panther Coffee team on Saturday, March 15, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. The curated coffee tasting experience will feature specialty coffee paired with bites designed to bring out the best in every sip. Choose between two tasting boards:
- CASA – Smooth and Balanced with notes of milk chocolate, baking spices and caramel. Served with chocolate, dried apricots, cherry preserves, cashews, spice cookie and a croissant.
- ABAKUNDAKAWA – Bright and Floral with notes of berries, lemon and elderflower. Served with fresh berries, lemon shortbread, lemon curd, honey-glazed pastry, elderflower sorbet and a madeleine.
The cost is $22 per tasting experience. Bring a friend and experience the best of both worlds. Reserve ahead or just show up the day-of between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mission Proper is located at 3795 Seven Hills Road. RSVP here.
3/19 – Peninsula Insights. The next meeting is scheduled for March 19, 7 p.m. at Peninsula Community Library. The guest speaker is Lt. Robert Watrous, SSMP Course Coordinator at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. (I believes SSMP stands for Strategic Sealift Midshipman Program, but correct me if I’m wrong!)
3/31 – Books at the Boathouse. The 19th annual fundraiser for Peninsula Community Library is coming up on Monday, March 31, at 6 p.m. The event includes a four-course dinner, including wine or beer. Background music will be provided by OMP musician Johnny Keyes, with a live auction by UpNorth Live news guy Marc Schollett (whose mom lives on the OMP!) as auctioneer. And the food, as always, is amazing! Tickets are $150 per person, and available at the front desk at the library.
Also Read…
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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