Welcome to Families First Monthly

Summer is in full swing. The highlight for me was spending time with my two grandsons on a golf cart while we watched their dad golf, and hosting a lemonade stand in our yard for them. The water warmed for beach fun. Sailboats and motorboats dot the bay. The season is ripe for play. Farmer’s markets are open weekly in communities across our area – see our listing of them. Jackie Bojarski wrote a touching story about a niece and her aunt spending time at a farmer’s market called An August Outing. The break students have will come to an end in September as school doors open for the new 2017-18 year.

Our issue has stories related to back-to-school and summer too, as there are still things to do with/in it. Our Places in History features The Music House, and there is a story about Voyageur canoes. You can see them at The Maritime Heritage Alliance located near the Great Lakes Children’s Museum on S W Bay Shore Drive in Traverse City. Another history related story is all things old school. We have an excerpt from Myrtle R. Kelderhouse’s memoirs about her time teaching at the one room school on South Manitou Island during the 1930s. If you haven’t been to South Manitou Island – put a day trip on your list of things to do. It is a wonderful place to experience history and summer.

I wish all of you a healthy, happy summer.

Thank you for reading

Laura Lee Kalchik