Congratulations to the organizers and volunteers at this year’s Cedar Polka Fest! Omena’s former Mayor, Rosie Disch, had a lot of fun as the grand marshal at the Cedar Polka Fest Parade Saturday. Her driver, Matt Bresinski, was wonderful to her and made sure she had plenty of air conditioning in the heat. She wore her pink Dolly Parton cowboy hat, and the crowd loved it. Many thanks to Mary Clark and her daughter Susan Todd for convincing Rosie that she absolutely should wear it, and to Kanda McKee for replacing the elastic band with a much more comfortable ribbon.
Omena residents Bob and Jeanne Grabowski were also at the parade to see their granddaughter, Haven Skorupa, who was a princess on the parade’s royalty float. Each grade school in Leelanau County was invited to select a prince and princess from the first grade to represent the school. In addition to the Cedar Polka Fest parade, they appeared in the Cherry Festival parade and at a Pit Spitters game. Haven was selected by Leland Public School.
Lauris Woolford has been enjoying the past three weeks with her new granddaughter, Lucy Charles Gibson, who was born in Chicago on July 20. Her parents, Austin and Shelby Gibson were married at Cherry Basket in Omena, and are celebrating their one-year anniversary this year. Lucy will be baptized this week at Suttons Bay Congregational Church by Pastor Robin Carden, who also married Austin and Shelby.
Charles and Pam Woolford from Newport, Kentucky, were also here in Omena for part of the visit. They were all joined by Austin’s parents from Lake Leelanau and Columbus to celebrate Shelby’s birthday last week.
The Northport Arts Association (NAA) has two wonderful exhibits in September. Michelle White’s Interactive Exhibit opens at noon on Sept. 6, with a reception at 6 p.m., and runs through the weekend from noon to 4 p.m. each day. Then Friday, September 20, is opening reception for the Tom Woodruff Retrospective, which will run through September 29.
This Friday is the final Music in the Park in Northport. Thank you to the Northport Performing Arts Center for another wonderful season, and to the local businesses which help sponsor it, and to the Leelanau Township Community Foundation, which has made this free familyfriendly event possible for many years as a major sponsor.
Even though many things are coming to an end for the season, the Leelanau Farmers markets in Northport and Suttons Bay are continuing on into September, with lots of wonderful produce available this time of year.
The Omena Presbyterian Church welcomes you to the last worship service of the 2024 season this Sunday at 10 am. Rev. Dr. Peter Moore will be preaching. The special music will be soloist Dorothy Duensing, with Patrick Kuhl and Linda Zylstra playing on organ and piano for a great hymn sing. You won’t want to miss this service!
Happy Birthday this week to Diane Joyce, Dean Hulett, Nora Read, Brendan Duffiney, Stephen Eisenhard, and B J Harrand. Happy Anniversary to Roger and Karen Edgley, Rick and Laura Keye, and to Austin and Shelby Gibson on their oneyear anniversary.
I hope that everyone has a fun and safe Labor Day weekend.
