October 2010 Newsletter www.home.comcast.

net/~bpila

BOARD MEMBERS
President Tom Manikowski 691-7116 Vice President Jennifer Medema 691-7057 Secretary Lisa Zigmont 691-7995 Treasurer Paul Mulheisen 691-8501
P.O. BOX 115 BELDING, MI 48809

BPILA

Note from the President

I am occasionally asked what is accomplished at our BPILA quarterly association meetings? I thought I would take a few moments and outline The Anatomy of a BPILA Meeting. BPILA holds four meetings per year, one in every season with the meetings held at the Grattan Township Hall. We always invite the Grattan Township Supervisor Frank Force to attend the meeting and provide a few minutes for him to address the group and eld any specic township questions. Some of the discussion from our August 25 meeting included our attendance at shoreline management class through Michigan Lakes and Streams. Our involvement in lake quality is always a priority topic. Our lake management representative reported that our recent water clarity test is one of best results we have seen. We discussed natural seawall alternatives and educational material for area residents to consider when designing their shoreline. We also had a very successful reworks display and discussed feedback we received to make the display even better next year. These are just a few of the many topics discussed. A primary component of our association meetings is to drive resident involvement and participation. To this point we have increased visibility and communication to our BPILA members via an email distribution list and the BPILA website. Please join us at our October Annual meeting or contact me direct at bpilapresident@gmail. com.

Lake Improvement Rep Dan Bailey 691-7995 Newsletter Pat Talbott 691-8501

DAT E S TO REMEMBER!
Mon-Thurs 3-7 Sat & Sun 12-6 $1.99 Shots and Pop Fri - 9-11 Buy One Drink Your Family Pub and Restaurant Get 2nd for $1.00 Thurs. & Sat. Karaoke 9pm MONDAY: BUY ONE SIZZLER DINNER GET ONE FREE (Beverage required) TUESDAY: TWO BURRITOS FOR $10.99(bev required); Homemade Goulash & Garlic Toast $8.99 WEDNESDAY: ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH FRY $7.99 / THURSDAY: Chicken Dinner $8.99; Liver & Onions $8.99 FRIDAY: BUY A BEVERAGE GET ONE FOR $1.00 9pm til 11pm / SUNDAY: PIZZA $5.00 ALL BASKETS $1.00 OFF

BPILA Annual Meeting Wednesday, October 20, 2010 Grattan Twp. Hall 7:00 pm Check our BPILA website or any changes
www.home.comcast.net/~bpila

We want to thank you all who contributed to our Fireworks Fund this year. Thanks to your donation, we were able to cover almost all of the costs for the July 2010 reworks display.

Important Announcement
The reconstruction of the BPIL Public Boat Launch is nally complete, and the boat launch is ofcially open!!

THE GRATTAN IRISH PUB

CATERING AVAILABLE!

HAPPY HOUR

History of the McArthur Family continued :

Roy McArthur, grandson of Frank and only child of Ray represents the third generation farming and living on BPIL. Roy married Leona on 9/24/1931 and had two children, Gwen (Stanton) and Charles. They farmed the land as did the last two generations. Potatoes being their main source of income, they also raised hogs. In the mid 30s Roy ventured into dairy farming; the cattle grazed freely on his land at the north end of BPIL. Roy had the foresight as a teenager and envisioned a new way to prot from the lake. He borrowed money from his grandfather, Frank so he could build 6 shing boats to rent. McArthur grew his eet adding more boats each year; eventually, he had 33 boats renting at $1.50 per day. He used his mothers washtub so he could cool pop he sold to the boat renters. As time went on, he developed a tourist campground at the northeast end of the lake and built a log cabin that he rented for $8.00 per week which included a shing boat. Business was doing so well that he added two more cottages which he rented for $10.00 and $12.00 a week. Of course the cost included a shing boat. One of the original cottages still stands north of the swimming area at the trailer park. GTHS issue 66, June 1996; interview with Gwen Stanton 2008 Cont. next news letter: resort and swimming area Cathi Kirkbride

Boater Safety
On July 20th and 27th I attended a free Boaters Safety course conducted at the Grattan Township Hall. The course was instructed by the Kent County Sheriffs Department Marine Unit. Approximately 20 people attended the class, which covered general information on boating regulations and responsible boating. All participants completed the Michigan Boater Safety Exam at the end of the twoday session. Because the instructors shared their personal experiences and answered all posed questions, I found this class to be very informative and entertaining.. The knowledge provided in the inclass education is something you will not get from the online courses offered by the state. I hope to see this offered as an annual event for the residents of Grattan Township, to educate boaters and keep our waterways safe. Even if you are not required to take Boaters Safety because of state age requirements, most Boat or PWC insurance companies give discounted rates if you have successfully passed a Boaters Safety course. The Kent County Sheriffs Department Marine Unit plans on offering another class next Spring, although the exact date has not been determined as of yet. I would highly recommend that township residents take this course. If you are unable to attend the next class,you can enroll online at www.boated.com. The online class costs $29.99, and allows you to study and test at your own pace. If you have previously completed a Boaters Safety, Hunter, Trapper Education, ORV, or Snowmobile Education Course and your original certicate has been lost or misplaced, you may apply for a duplicate certicate free of charge by phone at (517) 373-3292. Scott De Meyer BPILA Health and Safety/Webmaster www.home.comcast.net/~bpila/

M-44 Five Mile Harvest Trail

In the Summer and Fall I nd the green markets along M-44 as handy as a supermarket. When we have last-minute guests arriving for a cookout, its so easy to grab a few ears of fresh corn and some tomatoes at one of the nearby farm markets. It is almost like having a backyard garden without all of the hassle. So I decided to take a drive and nd out more about these small, familyowned farms along the ve miles from Wabasis Rd to Bartonville Rd. As I drove into the parking lot at Geldersmas, I glimpsed Doug Geldersma parking his tractor at the edge of the eld. When he saw me approaching, h e hopped down and shook my hand. After I explained about my association with the BPILA, he agreed to tell me a little bit about his farm that had been in the family since about 1965. He had some great stories about working the farm as a youth, then biking to BPIL and jumping into the water at the beach resort which was located where the Willow Resort is today. Doug is proud of the fresh corn, tomatoes, apples and other fresh produce he sells. His market opens in the early Spring and continues until late Fall. The market is open 24/7 because he uses the honor system as customers can pick their produce and deposit their money in a small box on site. After saying good-bye to Doug, I headed East on M-44, past Lincoln Lake Rd. to H&W Farms where I spoke with Sheila Wright. H&W is a family partnership that was started in 1970 by Clayton Heffron and Johnny Wittenbach, and which continues as a family-owned and operated business. H&W is open year round. Their specialty is the fresh red tart cherries. However, they also take pride in their peaches and apples. Sheila says they are able to ship a number of their products. Their store also offers a variety of dried and frozen fruits and nuts, as well as candies, jams and other local products. Its a fun place to shop for that signature Michigan product that makes such a great gift when visiting family in another state. Last but not least on my tour was Paulsons Farm Market, a little further East of H&W. Paulsons has been a family operation for 30 years or more. They are open from July through October, and offer a variety of fresh vegetables, and some fruits. I loved driving into the lot and looking down into a valley dotted with orange pumpkins! It is one of our favorite places to visit in the Fall, especially around Halloween. You can nd every variety and size of pumpkin or gourd. The smells, the colors, and the sight of small children wandering among the orange and green shapes are a true celebration of the Harvest season. If you are interested in going Green, just remember, that these local, family-run markets provide some of the freshest vegetables and fruits available sometimes only hours from the eld to your table! So experience the real taste of Michigan on this ve-mile strip of M-44! Patricia Talbott

Mail your check for the sum of $20.00 to: BPILA, PO Box 115, Belding, MI 48809
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