The Straits Area Snowmobile Club reports the trails were groomed for the first time Thursday, December 10.

The club will meet Saturday, December 19, at 11:30 a.m. at the Super 8 motel in St. Ignace and is calling for more volunteer groomer drivers. The meeting will feature information about the program. For more information, or if you have questions, call Neil Hill, Jr. at 643-9374.

The St. Ignace school music concert Monday, December 7, at LaSalle High School was very well attended. The senior band is the largest in 15 years, with 67 students. The music department is seeking instruments to be donated to the program.

Mabel McCord tells me her mother, Delia Bickham, will celebrate her 90th birthday Thursday, December 17. Mrs. Bickham is feeling well and living at her home in Evergreen Shores. Jack and Jackie Laver hosted a 90th birthday party for Jackie’s mother, Mary Jane Ryerse, Saturday, December 12, at the Community Senior Center on Lake Street. Cake and punch were served. The cake was made by Brenda Spencley. Mrs. Ryerse’s granddaughter, Lynne Stiebe, of Traverse City along with daughter, Devon, and grandson, Jack Riegel, with his daughters, Rachael and Amanda, attended the party. It was an exciting day for friends and family sharing stories of laughter.

Brenda Montie (left) and Judy Fenlon were in El Paso, Texas, to send off their niece, First Lieutenant Amber Welch, for deployment to Iraq Saturday, November 21. Welch will be serving one year in Kirkuk, Iraq, as an information analyst. Her address: 1st Lt. Welch, Amber, HHC STB 1/1 AD, FOB Warriot, APO AE 09338. (Montie family photograph) Connie Litzner is asking people who may have a shopping basket at home from the Hope Chest to return them to the store, where they are sorely needed.

Birthday greetings to Shannon Horn, Nick LaChapelle, and Blair Katherine Kline December 20, Annette Bloswick and Madge Grace December 22, Zach Harrington December 23, and Andy Therrian, Rob Winkelman, and Jaclyn Paquin December 24.

Don Smith of St. Ignace (second from left) has his eight-point buck inspected by DNR officer Arnie Karr in Cass City. Mr. Smith shot the deer Monday, November 16. (Photograph courtesy of the Tuscola County Advertiser) It was good to see Sue (nee Olsen) Aprill, who has moved back to her hometown.

St. Ignace VFW Post 5114 will host a children’s Christmas party Sunday, December 20, at 1 p.m. Santa Claus will be on hand to listen to all of the children’s wishes.

Deepest sympathy to the family of Bob Cataline of Hessel, who passed away Saturday, December 5. He had been ill for a few months. An obituary was published in The St. Ignace News December 10.

Gladys Tamlyn of the United Methodist Church reports that a reading program started there in September. If you are interested in joining the program, call the church office at 643-8088 weekdays.