Saturday, November 14, was a perfectly beautiful fall day on Mackinac with warm sunshine and bright blue sky. Walking up Cadotte Avenue was so quiet and peaceful because the fallen leaves made a cushion underfoot. People were taking walks all over the Island, enjoying the wonderful weather. The roses are still blooming by the pool at Grand Hotel, and a hollyhock is starting to bloom in front of Mary K. McIntire’s house. Traffic is very slow, compared to the busy summer days. Many folks are on vacation or have gone hunting. It was a pleasure to walk leisurely along and enjoy the beauty of the Island.

Walking down the boardwalk at night, one can see the magnificent Mackinac Bridge bedecked in lights. They cast their beam on the still waters of the Straits of Mackinac. What a joy it is to view our Island in the four seasons of the year.

Thursday, November 12, Jane Manoogian informed us of the death of her beloved father, Robert Cameron, who died at his home in Pacific Heights, California, Tuesday, November 10, at the age of 98. His obituary is published in this issue of The St. Ignace News. A story about him was also featured on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle. He had a fascinating life with a special love for Mackinac, where he visited his daughter, Jane, and her husband, Richard Manoogian, at their lovely home on the West Bluff. His photography was featured in his book “Above Mackinac,” and he donated many of his large pictures of the Island to raise money for the Mackinac Island Medical Center. Friends may write Jane at the following address: 15520 Windmill Point Dr., Grosse Pointe, MI 48230. Deepest sympathy from Island friends.

Katie Cederholm, a staff member of Mackinac Island State Historic Parks, was among the cast when the stage play “Chicago” was performed by the Northland Players at the Cheboygan Opera House in Cheboygan.

Ted and Brenda Horton of Surrey Ridge Condominiums left the Island Sunday, November 1, for their winter home on Lake Blackshear in Georgia.

Happy belated birthday to Mary Wojcik and Mary McGuire Slevin November 13. Hope your day was special.

There will be a food drive on Mackinac called the Harvest Gathering. Please remember the less fortunate at this Thanksgiving time and contribute non-perishable food items. You may drop off items at Ste. Anne’s Hall or Doud’s Market until Monday, November 30.

A very special happy first birthday to Luke Richard Shellhorne November 22. He is the son of Jennifer Putnam and Luke Shellhorne. I’m sure Grandma Ellen will help you blow your candles out.

The Christmas Bazaar will be Saturday, December 5, Sunday, December 6, and Monday, December 7. Any donations would be greatly appreciated.

The Mackinac Island Christmas tree will be lit Friday, December 4, at 5 p.m. Following the tree lighting, there will be an early bird sale at the fire hall. There will be many interesting items, and hot dogs, hot chocolate, and cookies will be served.

Happy birthday to Bob St. Onge, Sr. November 23. Have a great day.

Armand “Smi” Horn is attending a bus tour convention in Reno, Nevada.

The Village Inn closed Saturday, November 14, for two weeks and will reopen Tuesday, December 1.

Bill and Erica Chambers with their daughters, Shannon and Charlotte, from Virginia visited family and friends on Mackinac last week.

Game Night will start Thursday, November 19, at 7 p.m. at Ste. Anne’s Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Kathi Wightman returned to Mackinac Friday, November 6, where she continues to recuperate after her surgery for a second knee replacement in Lansing. She is making a remarkable recovery. Best wishes from Island friends.

Jack Dehring will celebrate his birthday November 24. Have a great day.

Congratulations to Lucas Karhoff, who will play on the Findlay High School junior varsity hockey team this year. Good luck from Island friends.

Happy birthday November 25 to Anna Rogers Stott, James Mitchell, and Darcy Brodeur-Bunker. Enjoy your day.

Seen boarding their small boats to Bois Blanc Island were the orange-coated hunters bound for their camps for opening day of deer season, Sunday, November 15. Joe Kompsi flew over with Paul Fullerton and is enjoying visiting his many friends.

Our doctor, Karen Miljour, is an avid deer hunter. She left Mackinac Saturday, November 14, to join her husband at their deer camp in Powers.

Nancy and Jean Laborde of Crivitz, Wisconsin, enjoyed visiting friends and members of their family, the Mark Chambers family and Jeannette and Margaret Doud of Mackinac, and the John Chambers family in St. Ignace. Happy birthday to Nancy November 29. They will spend the winter in Arizona.

Kay Hoppenrath and Loretta Spata drove to Detroit to visit Marti Carey, manager of the Cloghaun. She continues to recover from her recent surgery. Island friends send best wishes to Marti.

Margaret McIntire traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, Friday, November 13, to visit her sister, Pat Hamilton, and her two daughters, Leslie and Linda.

Lula Belle D’Arce remains a patient at Mackinac Straits Hospital in St. Ignace. We send her best wishes and hope that she will be able to return to her home on Mackinac soon.

Father Rey Garcia of Ste. Anne’s is visiting his sister in Dallas, Texas. Before leaving he stopped by the Mackinac Straits Hospital Long Term Care facility in St. Ignace to see all of the patients there from Mackinac, as well as Karen McCabe, who is a patient at Independence Village in Petoskey.

Anna Mary and Gary Cusack of Petoskey have been enjoying their Lakeshore residence with its magnificent view of the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge.

Following the 83rd Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC, the Purina Dog Show, which has already taken place, will be televised for two hours. CH Round Town Mercedes of Mary Scot “Sadie,” the Musser’s Black Scottish Terrier, won this show. Mackinac Island will be mentioned on national television once again. Congratulations to the Musser family from Island friends.

Kevin Leveille will leave Thursday, November 19, for Minnesota, where he will spend the Thanksgiving holiday with his brother, Tim Leveille and family.

There will be an 11 a.m. Mass at Ste. Anne’s Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26.

Happy birthday to Michigan State Police Trooper Joe Brodeur November 19. Have a great day.

We are all sad in the Straits area to learn that the barge, Chief Wawatam, owned by Purvis Marine in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, had to be scrapped because of structural problems. The Chief Wawatam was always a majestic boat, transporting railcars and automobiles between St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. An article about her was published in The St. Ignace News November 12.

John Hulett of Grand Hotel spent several days on Mackinac overseeing work at the hotel.

Deb Carley has been visiting her parents, Cal and Mary Rogers, in St. Ignace. Mike and Josh Carley and Joe Rogers are in Sault Ste. Marie at their hunting camp. Joe shot a spikehorn.

Tim “Doc” Dockery, owner of Doc’s House of Magic on Main Street, is currently hospitalized following a motorcycle accident he suffered Friday evening, November 13. Doc apparently hit a black bear, which caused him to suffer many broken bones. Friends may send him a card or note at the following address: Northern Michigan Regional Hospital, Room 266, Petoskey, MI 49770.

We send best wishes to little Gracie Irish, daughter of Ryan and Amy Benser Irish, who is a patient at University Hospital in Ann Arbor. Island friends send special greetings.

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather!