The second week of the month is a busy one in DeTour Village. The DeTour Board of Education, Friends of the Library, EUP Fine Arts Council, and Chamber of Commerce all meet during this week.

The school board continued its search for a superintendent/principal at a special meeting of the board Monday, October 19. According to acting superintendent Pete Everson, 75 applications for the position have been received. Board members reviewed the applications this week and will decide on candidates to call for interviews at the special meeting. During the regular meeting Monday, October 19, adults and students spoke in favor of hiring the current principal, Angela Reed, for the position. A petition signed by local residents in favor of Mrs. Reed was also presented to the board.

Business at the Arts Council meeting centered on reports on restoration work for the Cultural Center and plans for the annual Village Christmas weekend Friday, December 4, through Sunday, December 6. Many events will take place in the school this year while the Cultural Center is under renovation. Saturday, December 5, elementary school parents will begin the day with a light breakfast in the school’s Raider Room, while children enjoy breakfast with Santa at Fishers Restaurant, sponsored by the DeTour Museum. Friends of the Library will host the Kids Corner Workshop and Reading With Mrs. Claus in the library, and a craft show will be in the school’s multipurpose room.

Union Presbyterian Church will host its annual bazaar and soup and pie luncheon, and local businesses will have special events and raffles.

The DeTour Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a horsedrawn wagon loop throughout the community to take shoppers from place to place.

Participants are invited to dress in period clothing to further the theme of an old-fashioned village. Friday, December 4, there will be a tree lighting at the village fire and ambulance garage, and Sunday, December 6, the DeTour Museum will sponsor a pancake breakfast at the Village Hall.

By the 7:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce meeting Wednesday night, October 14, DeTour was in the dark owing to a fire at the Cloverland DeTour electrical station. Lights throughout the area were out for about three hours. With fast action by the Cloverland Electric crews, power was restored before homes could cool down too much. An abbreviated Chamber meeting did take place, with Kevin Barrett reporting from the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) on plans for a new information center at the turn-around by Malette Park. The center will have a bulletin board for businesses and organizations to post information. The Chamber has agreed to purchase brochure racks for member information as needed by the EDC.

The local Habitat for Humanity group met Tuesday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the DeTour School. On the agenda was planning for a special veterans appreciation event with music by the Northland Chorus from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, and the DeTour Community Choir, followed by a light supper Sunday afternoon, November 8.

If you would like to sing with the community choir for this event, or the annual Christmas concert, rehearsals are now underway Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. in the high school multipurpose room. Anyone who enjoys singing in group harmony is welcome. The Christmas concerts are scheduled for Thursday, December 17, at 7:15 p.m. at the Drummond Island Lutheran Church, and Sunday, December 20, at 3 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Church in DeTour Village.

The annual Wilderness Tabernacle Church Fall Women's Luncheon will be Saturday, October 24, with doors opening at noon and lunch served at 12:30 p.m. The hosts invite participants to bring an item to help others; this year the item is hand cream or lotion. All area women are invited to attend.

In addition to Trunk or Treat in DeTour Halloween night, Saturday, October 31, Raber will entertain the children of the area at a Halloween carnival at the Raber Hall Friday, October 30. Halloween is not just for the kids. DeTour senior citizens will also celebrate with a party and costumes during the Friday, October 30, nutrition program. All area seniors are invited to attend the noon luncheon and party.