Les Cheneaux Islands Association officers (from left) Diane Patrick, Jan Williams, Mike Mahoney, and John Hotchkiss gather at the entrance of the group's annual fundraising dinner at Clark Township Community Center in Cedarville Thursday, August 6. The group held its annual business meeting at Les Cheneaux Community Schools before the meal. Improvements went smoothly in the Les Cheneaux waterways last year, members learned when the Les Cheneaux Islands Association held its annual business meeting Thursday, August 6, in the Les Cheneaux Community Schools' commons area in Cedarville. During the meeting the group discussed its accomplishments from the previous year and thanked those involved in its projects. About 50 people attended the annual business meeting.

The meeting updates members on the activities of the group's 12 committees over the past year. Association manager Mark Engle said the group's efforts over the last year went quite smoothly.

"Everything we have to report this year is pretty positive," he said.

The group's four goals are to provide semi-monthly property inspections to seasonal residents' homes when they are out of town, maintain the 112 channel markers in the Les Cheneaux waterways, organize water quality efforts and support waterway restoration awareness in the community, and conduct a free recycling program for all area residents.

This year the group spent $4,353 to purchase 12 new channel markers and 1,100 feet of chain to secure those buoys to anchors. Association member Steve Honnila of Viking Boat Harbor maintains the buoys for the association, which are set in place each year using global positioning before Memorial Day, and removed by October.

Sherri Young and Alice Heuck Goldfarb were newly elected to the board of directors and will each serve three-year terms to replace outgoing directors John Hotchkiss and Michele Royan.

Association president Mike Mahoney, first vice president Jan Williams, second vice president Diane Patrick, and secretary and treasurer Hotchkiss were re-elected to one-year terms as officers.

Jonas Carpenter, Steve Fountain, Vaughn Rye, and Larry Sherlund were also recognized by the association for their work as property inspectors of members' homes when they are away.

Immediately following the meeting, the group held its annual fundraising dinner down the road at the Clark Township Community Center. More than 215 people attended, raising almost $4,000 in ticket sales.

The group enjoyed a turkey dinner and raffled off donations from Arfstrom's Pharmacy, Beacom's Canoes Antiques and More, Cedar Pantry, Hessel Bay Inn, Lakeside Construction, Les Cheneaux Islands Art Gallery, Nadine Cain Estate Services, Northwoods Flooring and Rustic DÈcor, Snickerdoodles, Taylor Lumber Company, The Village Idiom, Woods and Water Ecotours, Bay View Bed and Breakfast of Mackinac, Boat House Antiques, Cedarville Ace Hardware, Hessel Harbour Market, Les Cheneaux Historical Museum, Mertaugh's Classic and Antique Boats, Noreen Rudd, Pickle Point, Snows Bar, The Pine Cone, and The Wooden Door.

Dinner entertainment was provided by Terry Bennette, Brian Harrison, Ethan Lamoreaux, Dave Morrison, Stephanie Sabatine, and Tom Spencer of the Les Cheneauxbased The Bait Shop Boys bluegrass band.

About 430 member families belong to the Islands Association representing Les Cheneaux area families, businesses, and cottagers.

"This organization is not just for the seasonal people," Mrs. Patrick said.