Northern Notes: Knitters say ‘hats on Needles were flying early in March at the Thistledown Shoppe of Suttons Bay and when the yarn was
gone, Thistledown knitters had completed 36 handcrafted wool watchcaps to present to Leelanau County Road Commission Superintendent Herb Cradduck. The caps were made for Leelanau County snowplow drivers in appreciation of their “Can Do” attitude that was repeatedly demonstrated over the past tough winter as they maintained more than 700 miles of Leelanau County roadways. A special effort was made to match the plow colors of orange and black and Brown Sheep Yarn Co. of Nebraska helped supply the yarn. • The Lucky Leprechaun Ball at Kilkenny’s netted more than $3,000 for the Father Fred Foundation. The foundation is a nondenominational charity that helps families in crisis. It accepts no federal or state funding, but receives tremendous community support from a wide variety of food drives, individual donations and special events like the Lucky Leprechaun.
The key to the success of this year’s event was the donation and auction of musical performances by great local talent. Event organizers would like to give a big Irish “thank you” to Tom Kaufmann, Michael Beauchamp. John Filmore Bentley, Miriam Pico, Maggie Mallory, the Wild Sullys and the New Third Coast. Also auctioned were celebrity couch potatoes including Norm Wheeler, Dave Denison, Rich Brauer and Mike Sullivan. Auction bidding was spirited and led by Greg and Mark Bancroft from Wayne Bancroft Auction Services.