Great Lakes Boat Building School Dedicated to Noyes Family at Cedarville
By Amy Polk

Above: At a donor appreciation reception and dedication August 4, Great Lakes Boat Building School Board Chair Paul Wilson hangs the plaque dedicating the new building to "Nick, Steve, and Janet Noyes, and to all who cherish the Les Cheneaux Islands."

"The Great Lakes Boat Building School has been a venture in faith," said the school's building committee chair, Mike Davis.

The school has floated on the vision of a group of volunteers and donors who worked quickly to turn that vision into a steel, wood, and concrete homage to the area's boating heritage.

Inside the newly completed main facility are classrooms, a cathedrallike main room in the center of the building, and a future sail-making and repair loft where boat builders and restorers will be trained. Built to resemble the 1920s and 1930s-era construction prevalent throughout the Les Cheneaux Islands, the facility was dedicated August 4 in memory of Nick, Steve, and Janet Noyes, and "to all those who cherish the Les Cheneaux Islands."

Janet Noyes' daughters, Nancy Ayres and Janet Carrington, made significant financial contributions to the boat building school to get the project off the ground, and the school building is dedicated to the three children of Nicholas and Marguerite Noyes, who built the family's summer cottage in the Les Cheneaux Islands. Seven generations of the Noyes family have spent every summer here, and loved and enjoyed the place, said Ms. Ayres.

Great Lakes Boat Building School Board Chair Paul Wilson praised three "behind-the-scenes heroes" (from left) Nancy Ayres, Janet Carrington, and Bonnie Mikkelsen, for their planning guidance at a donors reception and dedication in August.

During the dedication, Boat Building School Board President Paul Wilson attributed the school's success so far to the inspiration and guidance of Ms. Ayres and Ms. Carrington, and another lifetime cottager, Bonnie Mikkelsen.

All three women have worked behind the scenes, Mr. Wilson said, lending business expertise and financial assistance to guide the school through its initial phases and August opening.

The school's Building Committee, comprised of Mike Davis, Tom Mertaugh, Dave Janz, Bob Smith, Tony Autore, and Keith Kester, steered the school's construction, meeting every Saturday morning for nearly a year to plan and review the building progress, said school Director Dave Lesh.

The 12,000- square-foot building on Meridian Street in Cedarville is now ready for classes and will launch its nine-month certificate program in two weeks. The program will train students who want to pursue a career in boat building and refinishing, and so far has about half a dozen students enrolled in its first vocational training program. The target enrollment is 20 to 30 students, once the school becomes established.

Three weeks ago, the school was filled with 40 to 60 students each day for nearly two weeks. They were attending free classes offered at the school to generate interest in the school's offerings.

Many retired and vacationing cottagers joined new and prospective students in taking advantage of the school's classes on boat building, boat restoration, and metal casting. A few who took classes said they would be interested in the ninemonth vocational program, while others showed interest in taking future summer enrichment classes.

Some students who participated in the 10-day free classes stayed at local resorts and motels, accomplishing what the school's planners are hoping to do: stimulate the local economy by bringing more people to the area to stay and buy goods and services. The school board abandoned ideas of building a dormitory for students, to give existing resorts the first opportunity of housing students. Some of the resorts and motels are taking the incentive to fill rooms during the quieter time of the year, offering a discount to nine-month boat school students.

"We wanted to support the boat school, and hopefully it will give them an opportunity to succeed. We're doing it to support one another," said Pam Schebel, co-owner of Lindberg's Resort in Hessel, one of those offering a discount to ninemonth students. The resort is housing one of the school's fall students.

"Short-term, affordable housing isn't really easy to come by here," she said, noting one of the reasons resorts were approached about offering short-term rental options and affordable rent.

Plus, renting during the traditional "off seasons" of fall and winter, when tourists typically are not around, gives resorts the opportunity to continue renting rooms to summer tourists when vocational classes end in the spring.

Spring Lodge of Cedarville is one that plans to offer the discount even during the busy summer season. Ms. Ayres said she was pleased to hear the resort picked up a twoweek client during the free August summer classes. The school referred the student to a list of resorts, and Spring Lodge offered a significant discount to the student.

"That's just the kind of thing we hope will happen," Ms. Ayres said. "We hope the school will have this kind of effect in the community."

Les Cheneaux Motel owners Kathy and Bill Mudloff also offer a discount to summer students, and have discussed a special rate for nine-month students. Mrs. Mudloff said she and her husband want to help support something with the potential to grow business in the community.

"I think it's great. Instead of hearing about another business closing in town, here's one that's opening," Mrs. Mudloff said. "It's wonderful and it's something that is bringing people to town."

The Great Lakes Boat Building School recently became the only state-licensed boat building school in the state, and starting September 24, master boat builder and instructor Pat Mahon will teach lofting, design theory, woodworking, joinery, repair, restoration, and traditional and modern boat building.

The license allows the school to partner with Michigan Works! to connect prospective students to the school to train for boat building and boat refinishing jobs. Michigan Works! is administering the State of Michigan's "No Worker Left Behind" program, which offers up to $5,000 a year to qualified people to offset the cost of tuition, books, materials, fees, academic counseling, and career advising. The program targets displaced workers and people looking to change careers. Participants must pursue an associate's degree or occupational certificate in a high demand field, emerging industry, or an entrepreneurship program. Participants must be at least 18 years old and, if employed, making no more than $40,000 a year.

Details can be obtained by calling the school at (906) 484-1081, or by visiting www.michigan works.org. Local Michigan Works! offices can be contacted for information in St. Ignace at 643-8158 or in Sault Ste. Marie at (906) 635- 1752.

The school is working with North Central Michigan College of Petoskey to offer the state's first associate's degree in boat building. The degree will allow boat building school students to obtain the core general education courses needed to obtain an associate's through North Central, and will allow North Central to expand its degree offerings to its own students. General education classes such as communications, English, business, or mathematics can be taken in Petoskey or Cheboygan. Some will be offered online or at the boat building school in Cedarville. The degree program will also open additional financial doors for students seeking financial aid available to college students, such as Pell Grants, said Mr. Lesh.

"An associate's in boat building is another layer of education students can get that we think will be more attractive to future employers seeking not only workers, but people to potentially fill management positions," Mr. Lesh said.