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Text Box: New SSA Members

Text Box: Donnie, Luke and Lisa Curnow enjoy spending time with friends and family at "The Red Shack". Originally from Crystal Falls, they vacation there on weekends during the summer months. They are in the process of fixing up the cabin, although it is quite difficult getting any work done while being on vacation and only steps away from the South Shore of Lake Superior! Mark and Bonnie Hannemann have enjoyed having the log house at Mandan since 1980. They were there often with their children the first five years when they lived in Calumet. Since 1985 they have lived in Crivitz, Wisconsin (an hour north of Green Bay), so their time in the Keweenaw is limited because of Mark's life as a Lutheran pastor and Bonnie's sewing business, Threads of Life. It has been wonderful in recent years to spend time there occasionally with their grandchildren, as their parents introduce them to the beauties of the area. It will be a few years yet before they can be more active as members of the South Shore Association, but they support its goals and are glad for its existence. Ken Wikgren has lived in Upper Michigan since 1979, had a camp on Lac La Belle since 1998, and is now a year-round resident of Lac La Belle. When he's not off working on soil survey projects for NRCS at various job locations, he enjoys spending time at Lac La Belle. He enjoys skiing, canoeing, trail running, mountain biking, and of course sauna followed by a dip in the lake. The Drake family first arrived in Keweenaw County in 1877. The family began to vacation in Lac La Belle in 1946 and built one of the first cottages on Sand Point Road. Many family members spanning multiple generations have fond memories of summers at Lac La Belle. They plan to carry on this tradition for many generations to come. Nancy (Hilden) Drake is the Director of Clinical Services in Fort Bend County, Texas. She has resided there with her husband, Marty since 1979 and plans to retire to the UP. Andrew Hilden is a lifelong resident of the UP. You might know him as your oil deliver man from Krans Oil Company. Clinton Drake is an undergraduate student at the University of Houston majoring in History and Anthropology and has spent many summer months and other holidays in the UP. George and Pam Petry, from Sand Point Road, spend their winters in Red Lodge, Montana. They coach skiing, snowmobile, winter camp, ice climb, snowshoe, and have time for a bit of work also. Still haven't had the urge to look for the beach. Love the snow. Jim and Mary Jean Nicolas are from Iron Mountain, MI. Jim is a practicing veterinarian and Mary Jean is the office manager for the practice. They fell in love with Bete Gris when their son was attending MTU and found out about the area through him. They own a lot on Lagoon Lane and for the present, spend their time camping in their RV. They hope to have something more permanent when retirement allows for more time to spend there. Besides camping at Bete Gris, they enjoy fishing on Lake Superior, hiking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, down hill skiing, as well as the beauty that the surrounding area has to offer. They have even experienced winter camping in their RV while snowmobiling this past winter! They think that Bete Gris and the South Shore is the most beautiful place in Michigan! They have a son, Andy, who is an engineer for John Deere in Davenport, IA, and a daughter, Jenna, who works for them at their practice. They all hope to spend many years ahead enjoying everything that the South Shore has to offer. Tom Shaposka has been visiting the Lac La Belle area regularly since 1976. His camp, Big Smoke, has a longstanding tradition in the hunting community. When they make it up to the area, they are very busy with maintaining the place and the remaining time going to their interests: hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, four wheeling, berry picking, colors, and hopefully some rest. They reside in Brighton, MI. the rest of the year. Tom is a single parent of Brittney, 14, and Shelby, 13. The girls and Tom lost their mother and wife, Karen Lyn, to cancer in December. They hope to be at camp much of the

Text Box: Thanks to the following people who donated money to SSA in 2008 Marilyn Buelteman George Petry Thomas Shaposka John & Carol Sturos James & Mary Jo Eaton Cheryl Hermann Larry & Mary Jo Kristapovich List, Chris, & Kate Berg William Dwyer