​Beaver Island, Michigan
November 16, 2021
 
Beaver Island, Michigan is a tiny and close-knit community known for its assistance to community members in times of trouble.
Today, it is the swift actions of dozens that may save the grape crop of Kate Leese and Adam Kendall. The young couple perished on November 13th, 2021 in a tragic plane landing at Island Airways, Beaver Island, MI.  The couple died immediately, along with their family dogs,  Baker and Franklin and with the pilot,  William Julian of Traverse City.  Local family member Mike Perdue also lost his life in that crash,  while it is some good fortune that he sheltered and protected his 11-year-old daughter Laney and she is recovering in a nearby hospital.
For Kate and Adam,  it was the end of a beautiful dream as they led a life of travel, adventure, business and love that endeared them to all of Beaver Island over the past two years. That dream included Antho Wine Farm,  a place that Adam and Kate had declared a place of welcome and full hospitality.  Most islanders had already met Kate and Adam,  worked with them or been invited to gatherings at the farm.
In a Detroit News article just last week, on the couple’s birthdays Kate said, “Our goal is to have that kind of place that brings people together.” 

In that respect, their goal has been met. When the notice came that the couple’s family were arriving and that it would be possible to help save their grape crop,  the island people assembled dozens of workers to apply soil to the vines, then place pine boughs on top of the soil.  Bill McDonough of McDonough’s Market said, “The placement of the pine boughs will definitely capture and hold snow in place to protect the vines and hold nutrients and moisture in.”
It is impossible to name and thank all those who reached out to help the family upon arrival,  to help with transportation, loading cargo to the boat dock and most of all to offer the comfort that Kate and Adam were loved by all they encountered.  And to let them know Kate and Adam were well-loved and welcomed to the community by all.
In efforts to help the families of William Julian and Mike Perdue, the island has assisted with donations to Go Fund Me accounts on Facebook for both families. Click visit those websites for information and to donate.
Fundraiser for Christie Perdue by Friends of Perdue Family : Prayers for Perdues (gofundme.com)

William Francis Julian Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information (reynolds-jonkhoff.com)

Fundraiser by Bill Donberg : Help Support Katie and Betsy Julian (gofundme.com) 

At left, Daryl Butler hauling in soil to spread on the grapes, while others spread pine boughs.  Below, Chamber director, Paul Cole assists in spreading mulch on the vines.  

Beaver Island Dark Sky astro-photography Event
What are They all looking at? 
Photos below by Taffy Raphael, Becca Foli and Cynthia Johnson are all from an Astrophotography Workshop with Alex Mullins.  Alex travelled from Delaware, Ohio to teach members of the Dark Sky Committee and Taffy Raphael how to take pictures in Space.
Tony Miller, Astronomer contributed greatly to the project, aiding with the purchase of telescope parts, finding Alex Mullins and helping the committee coordinate efforts to create Dark Sky Events this year.
Cynthia Johnson, Point of Contact for the committee presented Michigan State Legislation recently passed declaring July 2021 as Michigan’s Official Dark Sky Month.  Johnson also said the Dark Sky Sanctuary Application is completed, thanks to some expert editing assistance from Anita Mauro, and the committee expects an announcement in October.  Read more about that application and status by clicking below. ​

    June 20, 2021  Solstice Celebration
 Nathan Altman and Sarah C. Mueller and crew erected a magnificent art sculpture at Paradise Bay, Beaver Island, Michigan today.  The Inner Sun Project sculpture was unveiled near the recently named “Best Harbor in the U.S. at Paradise Bay, Beaver Island.  Beaver Island Municipal Marina, North is next-door neighbor to the Inner Sun and the Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce.  Chamber director, Paul Cole was on hand with a small gathering of thirty people, just dropping in to see what was happening in the harbor.
Cole said, “Beaver Island has always possessed an “inner sun”  within its pristine environment,  peaceful and quiet shorelines and in the self-reliant and friendly people.  This sculpture adds more.”  Photos below,  Residents and visitors gather to view the sculpture.  Left, the hands.  Right,  Nathan Altman, securing the structure.
Why Beaver Island?

St. James Township Campground to Start Renovations in the Spring The St. James Township Campground, located just off Donegal Bay Road on Beaver Island, will begin a major renovation and addition of facilities this Spring. Currently the campground is for rustic camping only with a policy of “first come first served’; has three pit toilets; and a manual water pump which services 10 lovely rustic camp sites on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.

​Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. In March, bids will go out for the addition and development of a full-service bath house with flush toilets, sinks and showers for both men and women. Six of the campsites will be upgraded to electric. While the rest of the camp sites will remain rustic, there are future plans to expand the number of rustic campsites to include a group gathering site which can house multiple tents and campers. The campground will be renovated with the plan ...Click below to read more...

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go to www.stjamestownship.org to read all the news from St. James Township

​The Clarke Historical Library, a part of Central Michigan University, is pleased to announce that over the next few months The Beaver Beacon, published between 1955 and 1958, will be digitized and made freely available online.
 The Beaver Beacon  was begun in 1955 by the Beaver Island Civic Association. Individuals who paid for a membership in the Civic Association received the newsletter. Each issue was filled with the news of the Island happenings, contact information for servicemen and women, weddings, births, deaths, birthday and anniversary celebrations and school events. It was run as a public service more so than profit-making venture.
 

BelowThe Northern Lights were visible on Beaver Island, March 13 and 14th, 2021 and clearly seen with the naked eye as a white gleaming display of towers and bars across the harbor.  Glimpsed as a pearly spread of light across the Northern tip of the island and farther,  skywatchers saw the lights rise up and down from 9 pm-1:00 am on both nights from the St. James Township Campground, down East Side Road, Sloptown road and from behind the CMU boathouse.  
In the camera, a long shutter exposure captures and reveals the colors not seen by the naked eye,  as illustrated above and below in the phots by Cynthia Hector-Johnson, editor of the NorthernIslander news.  Watch for more geo-magnetic activity beginning March 18th and onward, as the earth experiences a new cycle of solar activity that sometimes causes amazing displays of this un-earthly phenomenon. Below:  as seen in the camera and with plain eyeballs...