Les Cheneaux
By Helen Shoberg 484-2626 mink1@cedarville.net

This group of young men from the Les Cheneaux area was photographed in 1936 or 1937 near where the Hudson Hardware building in Cedarville now stands. Pictured are (back row, from left) Bert Weston, Lyle Hudson, Archie Dunn, Earl Duncan; (front) teacher Floyd Wallis, Archie Visnaw, Clayton Hamel, Ivan Hamel, Clarence Lofdahl, and Thurman Visnaw. (Photograph courtesy of Archie Dunn)

Winter has finally made its appearance, making those who enjoy winter sports, and those whose livelihood depends on winter sports, happy, and we're happy for them. It has certainly been a strange winter so far. Many have asked if we, who have lived here for many years, can remember a winter such as this. I can remember very mild winters, in fact we had one not too many years ago, but in my memory, I cannot recall a winter with consistently mid 30 and 40 degree temperatures such as we have had for such a long time.

The spaghetti dinner sponsored by the Les Cheneaux School's band was a great success again this year. The money from this occasion goes toward instruments and trips to various band festivals that the band attends throughout the year. It's a worthwhile fundraiser.

The Lions Club $100 raffle winner January 9 was Darryl Hill.

The Les Cheneaux Yacht Club is having a rendezvous in Mount Dora, Florida. The dates are March 7, 8, and 9. Reservations must be made for this occasion and members who are interested should go to www.mountdora.com for more information.

The old photograph shown here of a group of young men came to me from Archie Dunn, who received it from Izetta Izzard. Izetta recognized Archie in the picture and sent it to him. Archie cannot recall the occasion for the photograph, but remembers that it was taken on Meridian Street near where the Hudson Hardware building now stands, in 1936 or 1937. Archie Dunn is the only person in that photo living today.

Nine-year-old Joey Duncan seems to be following right along in his family's footsteps. The son of Sonja and David Duncan was a winner in the U.P. Elks Hoop Shoot on Saturday, January 6, in Ishpeming.

Joey shot 21 out of 25 free throws and came in first in the Northeast division (for eight- and nine-year-old boys) of the Upper Peninsula. This qualifies him to go to the State Finals in Midland January 27.

A new and special award was given this year to the top free throw shooter in the U.P. Hoop Shoot of all ages and divisions. Joey was also the winner of that award, consequently, he came home with not only one, but two awards. Congratulations, Joey. We're proud of you.

Another Bruce Patrick story follows. This one is about hunting coyotes on the ice in St. Martin's Bay. It was quite a popular sport not too many years ago.

"The bay had been frozen over; a big high wind had broken the whole bay up, so there was a very rough surface. Then another southeast wind broke it all up again. It broke up to a crack running across from Little St. Martin's Island to St. Martin's Point, so one could not be sure where the solid ice was.

"This coyote hunter was running his car all over the bay ice. He did not notice when he ran off the rough, frozen ice onto the unfrozen part, so down he went. They tried to follow where his tracks went, but to no avail. The next fall while duck hunting, Dave Mondoskin found the body of one of these men in the bullrushes near land.

"So you see, this is what can happen if one is not very careful when out on the ice fields. They even dragged for the car the next summer. They never caught hold of the car. It was an old model A Ford cut down to hunt coyotes on the ice fields.

"Ed Dutcher, who I was sawing lumber for, fished under the ice with gill nets every winter for years. He caught walleye and herring in the winter. He would build a shack over the lifting holes, thus the net twine would not freeze. Of course, he had a wood stove in the lifting shanty."