The fire north of Newberry is a daily topic around the village this past week. We can see the haze of smoke in the sky, and smell the burning vegetation, depending on the direction of the wind. Personnel and equipment from the local Hudson and Hendricks fire departments have been called to assist in the effort to bring the fire under control.

Thursday we celebrated the life of Lee Quigley with a memorial service at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brevort. A luncheon was served after the service by the Trinity ladies. At 6 p.m. another service was held at the Elks Club in Sault Ste. Marie with the Reverend Herb Agee presiding.

June White has been vacationing at her and Denny's home on Wildwood Lane for two weeks.

Lisa Chalmers is visiting with her parents, Joe and Sharon Chalmers, this week. Also there are Diane Geralt, Andrea Geralt, Victor Geralt, and Diane's friend, Jack. It is Mr. Chalmers' birthday and he received tickets to a Tigers game and a framed picture of the family pet, CoCo Chanel, who passed away some months ago. He said Ms. Chalmers' present was her presence. Alot of golfing and Texas hold-em was on the program for the weekend.

Sally Conklin reports that her visitors this week are Sam and Pat Locricchio of Shelby Township. They were planning a day to Whitefish Point but decided the Soo Locks might be a better choice, owing to the forest fire.

Frank and Mary Lou Hogan are in residence at their condo this week.

Sunday morning found Trinity Lutheran Church filled to capacity. Dawn Akers mentioned it was wonderful to hear all of the singing voices. We had the pleasure of meeting Bob Skockley of East Lansing during the service. Mr. Shockley is a marathon runner and is burning up the roadsides around the area, keeping his edge.

Bob Flora is preparing with his family this week for their annual summer foray to Brevort. Ann Flora and John Ryan of Tecumseh, Kathy and Larry McGranahan of Iowa City, Iowa, and Maria and Hank Boots of Denver, Colorado, were due in Monday, August 6.

Dan Lasley treated his dad, Larry Lasley, to a trip to Detroit for a pair of Tigers games over the weekend. Unfortunately, the Tigers lost both games.

Andy and Lisa Movalson spent the weekend at the Charlie and Pam Movalson cottage on Lake Michigan. Both are avid fishermen, and Andy was lucky enough to catch a 27-inch, six-pound walleye somewhere on Big Brevort Lake.

Barb and Owen Jorgenson are hoping for a visit from their son, Les Jorgenson, and his wife, Carol, as they recently left Muskegan on their sailboat.

Dave and Charlene Kull and their grandson, David Kull, dropped by for a visit Saturday. The senior Kulls are from Brighton, and have a place here in the village.

Candy Quigley and her husband, Herb Agee, and son, Ross Houle of Englewood, Florida, have been the guests of Joe Stewart and Lorie Quigley in the new house on Shore Road. The family was here for their mother's memorial service.

Mark Spencer, the elder, and Mark Spencer, the younger, attended the National Fur Trappers convention in Goshen, Indiana, over the weekend. On the way home, they stopped at Atwater, Ohio, to pick up Mr. Spencer's grandson, Richard "Toad" Miller. Toad will be spending quality time with his grandparents and great-grandparents, Mark and Barbara Spencer and Mark and Joan Spencer, for a week and a half.

Eric, Kelli, Miss Amanda, and Zach spent a long weekend at the lake house. Amanda and Zach visited Sophia and Drew Laughlin of Annapolis, Maryland. Miss Laughlin was an overnight guest of Amanda Movalson Sunday at the lake house. JoAnne Laughlin and children, Sophia, Drew, and Theo, are vacationing in Brevort this week.

Friends and family gathered at Tom and Joyce Gustafson's deck for a cookout Saturday night. They celebrated what would have been Mother Mildred's 93rd birthday Sunday, August 5. In honor of the occasion, Sharon Smith made Mildred's famous fresh blueberry pies.

John and Pega Kennedy's daughter-in-law, Chrissy Becker, and grandchildren Jacob, Allen, and Danielle, visited with them at the shop. They stayed with Ms. Becker's family in Cheboygan and attended her family reunion Saturday, August 4.

Visitors at the Shepards' last week were Thora's cousin, Bob Quellette, with Marie Lowry and two daughters, Adele and Claire, of Detroit. They visited Tahquamenon Falls and the Soo Locks, had a pontoon boat ride at Trout Lake, and ate Mrs. Kennedy's pasties, which the girls declared the best ever.

After the three-day visit in Brevort, everyone traveled to the home of Thora's other cousin, Albert Mundt and his wife, Rhonda, in Mio to attend the Mennonite World Relief Auction Friday, August 3, and Saturday, August 4. New quilts were the order of the day, the weather was beautiful, and everyone came away with new treasures.

On their return trip, Thora and Jack were Sunday night dinner guests of Anita Dumas, and her brother, John.

The Movalson family held a reunion at their home on Fisherman's Drive Sunday, August 5. We celebrated Zach Movalson's sixth birthday. Celebrants included Tracy Movalson, Dave Movalson Jr., Roy and Marilyn DuMond, Joe and Deb Berry and children Joey and Marilyn, all of Traverse City, Jake Weiss, and Jake and Rebecca Weiss, of Gorman Road, Gloria and Rick Weber of Brevort Lake, Eric and Kelli Movalson, Amanda, and Zach of Howell, Candy Quigley and Herb Agee of Englewood, Florida, Lorie Quigley and Joe Stewart of Fort Meyers, Florida, and Bob Flora of Brevort.

Happy birthday to Carson Yoder August 11, Mark Spencer August 12, Dot Glashaw August 14, Larry Lasley August 15.

Please remember Todd Backus, formerly of St. Ignace and Brevort, in your prayers, as he has had a recurrence of the cancerous tumor in his brain. We can hope for a miracle, but the prognosis is not good. Send cards to Mr. Backus at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030.