LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Community Will Be Served If Goehring Stays on as Museum Mentor
To the Editor:

As a summer resident of Boot Island, I subscribe to The St. Ignace News and read it regularly. Amy Polk's clear, complete coverage of Les Cheneaux events has impressed me ever since she began working for the paper.

Last week in particular, the article about Annegret Goehring deserves praise. Amy Polk obviously had an in-depth interview with Mrs. Goehring. The well-written sketch includes enough biographical information and touches on the range of talents and expertise which Mrs. Goehring brought to her career with the Les Cheneaux Historical Museum. It is so rare to find a person with artistic ability who also has organizational skills. Add to that her passion for historic preservation, and you have someone who is close to indispensable.

My late husband, Jack Kausch, and I became involved with the Les Cheneaux Historical Association when Mrs. Goehring approached him to produce slide shows for the museum. We were always treated as respected friends, not as "those summer people." We were introduced to other involved members of the Les Cheneaux community. It was then that we truly began to feel that this lovely place was our second home.

It is with sincere regret that I have learned of Mrs. Goehring's retirement. Wouldn't the community be better served if she were requested to remain on staff as a mentor until a new curator has experienced a summer season in the position?

It is highly unlikely that a candidate for the position of handling both the historical and boat museums can be found on such short notice, and such an employee will need expert guidance. A transitional period would give assurance to concerned members of the community that their historical treasures will continue to be preserved in the manner that they have been under Annegret's Goehring's leadership. If she can be persuaded to stay during a transition, the community will not lose a valuable resource.

Betsy Kausch

Birmingham