Rudyard
By Kerry Fountain 495-5533

David Eggert of Chesterland, Ohio, was among sixty competitors at last weekend's Great Lakes Sled Dog Association races in Kinross.

I would like to introduce myself to the readers of The St. Ignace News. My name is Kerry Fountain, and I will be writing a weekly article about social news in the Rudyard area. I would like to let everyone know if they have something they would like me to write about, please give me a call. I can be reached at (906) 495- 5533.

I moved to this area in 2003, after graduation from Eastern Michigan University. My husband is Ryan Fountain from Pickford, and we have a son named Wyatt. My stepson, Tyler, goes to school at Rudyard Middle School, and is active in the Junior Bulldogs football team.

It was an exciting weekend for the Great Lakes Sled Dog Association in Kinross.

Sixty teams turned out this year to compete in the eight-mile speed course in nine different events, ranging from junior sled two-dog speed class to adult sled eight-dog speed class.

This weekend, competitors came to Kinross from near and from far away, including Pennsylvania, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, Ontario, and of course Michigan.

Rudyard High School held its annual alumni women's and men's basketball games Wednesday, December 26, with players from graduating classes in odd years winning the women's game 58-51, and the men's contest 91-82. Members of the girls "odd years" team include (front, from left) Summers Captain, Emily Ross DeYoung; (back) Corine Ross, Michelle Spencer, Laurie VanSloten, and Julie Kauppila. (Photograph by Kathleen VanSloten)

Dale Wolfe, president of the association, said that this weekend featured international winners running in some of the races. The dogs run between 20 to 21 miles an hour, averaging three minutes a mile. Racheal Rodenhouse, 10, of Gownen enjoyed running her dogs, Sage and Tessa, in the twodog junior half mile. She started racing when she was two, with the 100 yard dash.

Eric Ayers came all the way from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He races in the adult sled eight- and six-dog speed class. He races his purebreed Siberian huskies, coming to every race in Kinross, and he said he loves it here. When he's not racing his dogs, he's a software engineer and Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

Melanie Desotelle, 24, a local resident from the Raco area, was racing in the six- and four-dog races. She says that she started training her dogs in the fall, using a four wheeler, as it helps with stability. She races Siberian huskies, as well, but says hounds are faster. The two-day event was started off by Grand Marshall George Lewis.

The next dogsledding events in Kinross will take place February 23 and February 24, along with a winter carnival and pageant. All are welcome to attend.

This weekend, visitors to Rudyard included my parents, Ed and Martha Tamonis. They love the beauty of the Upper Peninsula.