Stretch Run on Grant Proposals
My focus this past week would be on writing grant proposal narratives for the four grants I am seeking for Chassell Township and one for the Chassell Heritage Center. These proposals include: Recreation Passport and Natural Resources Trust Fund proposals to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for a project that would further develop the canoe/kayak launch on the Sturgeon River to the southeast of town; a small grant proposal to the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation seeking seed funding for the new Blight Mitigation Fund that would need to be matched by local contributors; a Visit Keweenaw Destination Grant seeking funding for a sign at the US 41 entrance to the Sturgeon River Launch; and a Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission Grant seeking funding for electrical and LED lighting retrofits for the Chassell Heritage Center as well as a power connection for a commercial stairlift we plan to have constructed later this spring. I squeezed these efforts in whenever I could, but I particularly enjoyed pondering these matters late in the evening when all was quiet.
Monday I would work with Township Clerk Lynn Gierke on submitting an FY25 congressionally directed spending project for a new township sewage lagoon to Senator Gary Peters office which included running down important letters of support.
That evening we would be in Hancock for a remote worker networking event at Sunflower Books and Coffee. I provided an update on Remote Workforce Keweenaw and introduced City Manager Mary Babcock who provided the remote workers an update on the city’s master planning process and encouraged their involvement. The remote workers had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the group and nice connections were made among the ten Hancock remote workers who were in attendance. I would like to extend special thanks to Mary for partnering on the event and for providing food and drinks! Also a special thanks to Susan Mattila for hosting the event at her business!
From Hancock it was back to Chassell where I chaired a Chassell Historical Organization Board meeting. During the meeting I secured board approval for the required match on the KNHP Advisory Commission grant proposal for the electrical/lighting project and we made the decision that we will proceed forward with the installation of the commercial chairlift this spring.
Tuesday I knocked out and distributed the minutes from the February Hancock Trails Club meeting in preparation for that evening’s board meeting. I also made contact with Rob Tervo at the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Ishpeming office to discuss a letter we need to submit from MDOT with our site control form to establish our ability to cross their easement from US 41 into the launch site. In between these activities I was able enjoy some time by the lake checking out eight trumpeter swans that were chilling out with the geese out in front of our sauna.
After getting in a 2,500 yard swim (mostly as a pull) at MTU’s SDC on Wednesday morning, I spent the rest of Wednesday working narratives and pulling together documentation needed for the MDNR grant proposals.
Thursday morning would start out the same way Wednesday wrapped up, but that afternoon I would head over to the Chassell Historic Trail for the Buckthorn Bash. As I have noted in previous issues, we have been working with Sigrid Resh with the Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA) to prepare for this mitigation project which would involve the Chassell Township Schools 4th Graders, the men of Sigma Rho Fraternity, other MTU student volunteers (particularly in Applied Ecology), Planning Commission Chair Brian Waters, Township Clerk Lynn Gierke, and me. Sigrid started off by briefing the guys from Sigma Rho. You can catch a portion of the briefing at this link.
Some of the Sigma Rho guys would then start flagging the buckthorn while others started cutting. Sigrid would then talk to the 4th graders who would be a big help hauling the cut buckthorn to a pile where the Chassell Volunteer Fire Department can burn it.
I had my chainsaw along, so I took care of cutting down the larger trees. Most could be cut with hand saws or loppers as Township Clerk Lynn Gierke demonstrates below.
Chassell Planning Commission Chair Brian Waters with the pile of cut buckthorn accumulated from the project.
After finishing up, I took a quick shower and then Julie and I headed over to the MTU Union Ballroom for the Keweenaw Chamber’s annual SparkPlug dinner. This is a great opportunity to learn about the amazing people doing great things here in the Keweenaw. In addition to an outstanding meal, the event provides an excellent chance to network.
Friday morning we were back in the pool where I put in 2,500 yards, but 2,000 as a pull to help with my IT rehab. The rest of my day would be devoted to writing narratives for the MDNR grant proposals.
Saturday morning I would check in with Brian Waters to get him up to date on the Sturgeon River Launch narratives I had been writing. I then took a break from grant proposal writing so Julie and I could run over to Houghton High School for the MakerFest sponsored by the Superior Fab Lab which is a community makerspace. While there I ran into one of our Chassell remote workers, Craig Tarvanen, who does cybersecurity work for a financial institution and was able to brief him on the upcoming remote worker networking event taking place at the Chassell Township Fire Hall on Thursday, April 4th, at 6 p.m. If you are a remote worker and I haven’t talked to you about it, please consider yourself invited!
Returning home, I would then turn my attention to writing the narratives for the KNHP Advisory Commission grant proposal. I wrapped that one up by dinner time at which point we enjoyed pasties that we had picked up from Griffin Cafe as they were present at the MakerFest. I spent my evening and on past midnight writing the narratives for the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation Small Grant.
Since the weather had remained cold over much of the week, our hiking group met up on Sunday for a ski at Swedetown. Outside of the Hancock Trails Club Retro Ski, this was only other time we have gotten together to ski on a Sunday this past winter. Although the trails were not tracked, the skiing under snow showers turned out to be surprisingly good!
You can check out my GoPro video from the ski on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel at this link:
Do you embrace winter and have the ability to work remotely? Consider locating in the Keweenaw where you will find ubiquitous natural beauty, no congestion, and lower crime! Not sure? Come UP for a workcation to check it out! Learn how at Visit Keweenaw at https://www.visitkeweenaw.com/plan/trip-ideas-itineraries/workcations/ Visit Remote Workforce Keweenaw at https://remoteworkforcekeweenaw.com. Learn about those making the decision to locate here by following the Remote Workforce Keweenaw Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RemoteWorkforceKeweenaw.