Holiday fun abounds in and around Omena! The Annual Holiday Concert with the Village Voices and the Northport Community Band is always a highlight of the season. It is this Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Northport Performing Arts Center. You can go to the Northport Performing Arts Center website to get tickets. This Saturday is the Northport Women’s Club’s annual Treats and Treasures from 9 a.m. to noon at Trinity Church in Northport. The event supports educational grants.
Two Fridays, December 15 and 22, Northern Latitudes Distillery (NLD) will be holding a Holiday Hygge to raise money for two local organizations. Hygge is a Danish word that is the concept of creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. Both events are from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at NLD’s Lake Leelanau location. The first one supports the Leelanau Christian Neighbors’ (LCN) Blessings in a Backpack, and the second one supports Leelanau Investing in Teens (LIFT). Blessings in a Backpack provides meals for qualified students in all of the Leelanau County public schools. LIFT provides after school programs for students in Suttons Bay and Northport.
The Omena community is saddened at the death of two residents recently. Bob Koch was a life-long summer resident in Ahgosatown. Growing up, he spent every summer here. This is where he met his wife-to-be, Omena resident Gail Southwell. He and Gail returned to Omena for a vacation almost every year. Bob remembered being fascinated by the Traverse City, Leelanau and Manistique railroad train, locally nicknamed Maude, which ran all the way to Northport. He would sometimes hop on board in Ahgosatown and ride to Northport and back.
Maude may well have inspired his lifelong love of trains. Almost every year, Bob carefully researched and planned a trip that he and Gail would take to see different trains all over the world. He loved being on the water, mostly in his motorboat, but he also had a small sailboat. Bob loved fast cars, fast boats, trains and Gail and his family. He was a friendly person who always made you feel welcome. Our sympathies go to Gail and all of his family and friends.
Ed Ruffley was a year-round resident of Omena, having moved here a number of years ago Suttons Bay. He and his wife Mary loved walking in and around Omena Point. He was a wonderful neighbor, who was known to quietly help when he was needed. He was an active member of St. Christopher’s Church, and was a Senior Warden there for a number of years. Our sympathies go to Mary and their family. He will be missed by his Omena neighbors and friends.
Happy Birthday this week to Alice Littlefield, Tess Edgley, Denise Sica and Jeff Singer. Happy Anniversary to Chico and Mary Luna, and to Benjamin and Suzanne Cherry.
