St. Ignace
By Miriam Blair 643-7994

The LaSalle High School Courtwarming group includes (front, from left) Samantha Radecki, Kayla Gustin, Rachel Therrian, Brooke Garries, Alyssa Pechta, Audrey Wyers, Jodie Langstaff; (back) Rob Robinson, Curtis Gustin, Chris Binger, Brendon Steiner, Corey Swope, Taylor Dykstra. Missing from the photograph is Kevin Guillard.

Hello again, welcome to another good week with warmer temperatures and fluffy snow.

A topic of conversation around town is all of the sports action planned to take place on the Moran Bay ice for the next two weekends. The first weekend will feature softball and high school class competitions, and the second weekend will be all about pond hockey, with organizers planning to set up 10 rinks on the ice to host teams from across the country. The winter fun has been expanded this year, with two weekends to play outdoors and more hockey teams expected.

Several St. Ignace players will be representing the home town in the pond hockey competitions. Mark Sposito, Tom Sposito, Andy Brown, Ralph Colegrove, and Bob Sweeney, with a friend, Tim Gulden of Alpena, will play in the 40-and-older division.

Scott Winkelman will field a team in the 30-and-older division, with Ben L'allier and Josh Zike of Coast Guard Station St. Ignace, and Shawn Connors of Cheboygan.

In the women's division, led by Missy Rickley, will be the "Dangerous Divas," including Robin Belonga, Wendy Bouschor of Sault Ste. Marie, Jody Woiderski of Mount Pleasant, and sisters Emily and Jenna Roland of Traverse City.

We wish the local teams luck in the hockey action.

Scott Winkelman, president of the St. Ignace Hockey Association, will act as the tournament manager, to help coordinate the large event.

Food, hot chocolate, and live music will be enjoyed on the ice during both weekends. Spectators and players are welcome to all of the events, and people can sign up at the Visitors Bureau.

The weekend's Michigan Snow X Series snowmobile racing at Kewadin Shores Casino will feature a few local residents, too, including the Thunder Racing team of Jamie Massey, 21, of St. Ignace, and his racing partner, Fred Luepnitz, 21, of Moran. Another local racer is 17-year-old Jordan Bruce of St. Ignace.

Mr. Massey, who races in the semi-pro level, took a first place finish in last year's series in St. Ignace. Mr. Jordan races in the sport level and Mr. Bruce races in the sport and junior levels.

Good luck to these young men. The 2008 Michigan Snow X Series will be Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, at St. Ignace Kewadin Shores Casino.

Registration is from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, February 15, and racing begins at 9:30 a.m. each day.

It was great to receive a touching note from Patty (nee Cronan) Brooks of Scottsdale, Arizona. Ms. Brooks enjoys her hometown paper, The St. Ignace News, and is a writer herself.

The all class reunion of LaSalle High July 25 will be the occasion of her next visit here, and she hopes the class of 1968 does something special.

Gloria Davenport has moved back to St. Ignace after living in Gaylord for years. She is now staying with her son, Jeff.

Birthday greetings to Margaret LaRocque and Carl Belonga February 13, Ed Martin and Coolidge Fraser February 15, Bernard Savard February 16, and Betty Grondin February 19.

Happy Valentine's Day!