CALUMET -- Friends of the Calumet Public Library are holding a Used Book Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 2, in the CLK Multi-Purpose Room, located down the hall from the library. The sale is open to the public. Proceeds of this annual fundraiser go to support efforts of the Friends of the Calumet Public Library. When entering the building from the library parking lot, turn left and the multi-purpose room will be a few feet down the hall on your left.
Proceeds from this fundraiser go to sponsor library services and programs not provided for by the general library budget. In 2010-2011, funds were used to purchase large print books, a cart to assist in delivering books to elders in the community, many new titles for the children’s collection including board and picture books, novels for middle readers, as well as non-fiction titles for middle school, high school, and adult patrons. Funding also supports multiple titles for the Red Jacket Readers book club, and helps bring evening programs to the library throughout the year. This event is scheduled during Calumet’s PastyFest celebration -- family fun for everyone -- another reason to enjoy the day’s festivities!
For more information, visit the library or call 337-0311 ext. 1107.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Friday, July 01, 2011
Recall Rick Snyder petition signing to be available in Calumet July 1-2, Houghton July 9
HANCOCK -- Petition signing for the campaign to recall Governor Rick Snyder will be available in Calumet Friday, July 1, and Saturday, July 2, during PastyFest, and Saturday, July 9, in Houghton.
During the June 26 petition signing at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock, Krissy Sundstrom, right, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, explains petition gathering procedures to new volunteers Nancy Barbour, left, of Hubbell and Davison, Mich., and Mary Kay Du Temple of Bootjack. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)
Volunteers will be walking near the Farmers and Artisans Market that opens at 4 p.m. today, Friday, July 1. Watch for their sign and official lapel tags beginning around 5 p.m. They may also be circulating on Fifth Street during the First Friday art exhibit openings this evening.
On Saturday, July 2, the petition volunteers will be on the sidewalk near the restroom building in Agassiz Park from noon to 1 p.m. during PastyFest.*
Another petition signing event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, at Veterans' Park in Houghton. In case of rain it will be held at the UAW (United Auto Workers) Office at 509 Shelden Ave. in Houghton.
Krissy Sundstrom, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, said on June 26 that the committee had collected about 600 signatures in the Copper Country so far.
Volunteer Sean Clancey said he collected more than 100 signatures last weekend at the Firemen's Tournament in South Range.
"I went up and down Trimountain Avenue from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.," Clancy said.
Sundstrom, who joined Clancey for a short time in South Range and collected about 40 more signatures there, said the Adams Township people have been especially supportive of the recall effort.
Volunteer Stephanie Kajpust of Dollar Bay joined Sundstrom and Clancey at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock, on June 26 to help with the petition signing.
"I feel pretty strongly about this," Kajpust said. "I work in the school system so it's a pretty big issue for me."
Benjamin Bandt-Horn of Ripley, riding his bike through Hancock, stopped at the Orpheum Theater to sign the petition. He noted his support for unions as one reason he was signing the petition against the Michigan governor, whose policies are opposed by many union members in the state.
Benjamin Bandt-Horn of Ripley signs the petition to recall Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder during the petition signing event at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock last Sunday, June 26. At left is volunteer Sean Clancey, who collected more than 100 signatures in South Range last weekend. Krissy Sundstrom, right, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, has been organizing the Copper Country petition signing effort. In the background, volunteer Stephanie Kajpust of Dollar Bay welcomes people arriving at the theater for the event.
"I would say that public workers aren't necessarily the best example of the need to organize," Bandt-Horn noted, "but when you consider something like mining the need is obvious and essential. I think unions are the only way workers can be on an equal footing with government and corporations."
Ariel of Houghton, who also signed the petition at the Orpheum event, gave another reason for supporting the Recall Rick Snyder effort.
"He's greedy. He's selfish. He's a dictator," she said.
Any Michigan registered voter can sign the petition at the local signing events. It is not necessary to be a resident of a local county.
*Editor's Note: The Recall Rick Snyder petition signing events are not officially related to the PastyFest, the Farmers and Artisans Market or the Orpheum Theater. Sundstrom has confirmed that the local petition signing effort has received solicitation approval from the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce. This covers the Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet areas.
During the June 26 petition signing at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock, Krissy Sundstrom, right, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, explains petition gathering procedures to new volunteers Nancy Barbour, left, of Hubbell and Davison, Mich., and Mary Kay Du Temple of Bootjack. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)Volunteers will be walking near the Farmers and Artisans Market that opens at 4 p.m. today, Friday, July 1. Watch for their sign and official lapel tags beginning around 5 p.m. They may also be circulating on Fifth Street during the First Friday art exhibit openings this evening.
On Saturday, July 2, the petition volunteers will be on the sidewalk near the restroom building in Agassiz Park from noon to 1 p.m. during PastyFest.*
Another petition signing event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, at Veterans' Park in Houghton. In case of rain it will be held at the UAW (United Auto Workers) Office at 509 Shelden Ave. in Houghton.
Krissy Sundstrom, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, said on June 26 that the committee had collected about 600 signatures in the Copper Country so far.
Volunteer Sean Clancey said he collected more than 100 signatures last weekend at the Firemen's Tournament in South Range.
"I went up and down Trimountain Avenue from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.," Clancy said.
Sundstrom, who joined Clancey for a short time in South Range and collected about 40 more signatures there, said the Adams Township people have been especially supportive of the recall effort.
Volunteer Stephanie Kajpust of Dollar Bay joined Sundstrom and Clancey at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock, on June 26 to help with the petition signing.
"I feel pretty strongly about this," Kajpust said. "I work in the school system so it's a pretty big issue for me."
Benjamin Bandt-Horn of Ripley, riding his bike through Hancock, stopped at the Orpheum Theater to sign the petition. He noted his support for unions as one reason he was signing the petition against the Michigan governor, whose policies are opposed by many union members in the state.
Benjamin Bandt-Horn of Ripley signs the petition to recall Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder during the petition signing event at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock last Sunday, June 26. At left is volunteer Sean Clancey, who collected more than 100 signatures in South Range last weekend. Krissy Sundstrom, right, BHK (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw) County captain with the Committee to Recall Rick Snyder, has been organizing the Copper Country petition signing effort. In the background, volunteer Stephanie Kajpust of Dollar Bay welcomes people arriving at the theater for the event. "I would say that public workers aren't necessarily the best example of the need to organize," Bandt-Horn noted, "but when you consider something like mining the need is obvious and essential. I think unions are the only way workers can be on an equal footing with government and corporations."
Ariel of Houghton, who also signed the petition at the Orpheum event, gave another reason for supporting the Recall Rick Snyder effort.
"He's greedy. He's selfish. He's a dictator," she said.
Any Michigan registered voter can sign the petition at the local signing events. It is not necessary to be a resident of a local county.
*Editor's Note: The Recall Rick Snyder petition signing events are not officially related to the PastyFest, the Farmers and Artisans Market or the Orpheum Theater. Sundstrom has confirmed that the local petition signing effort has received solicitation approval from the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce. This covers the Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet areas.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Horsetail Scramble to offer run, walk at Churning Rapids Trails July 4
A runner crosses the finish line during the July 4, 2010, Horsetail Scramble at Churning Rapids. (2010 file photos by Keweenaw Now) HANCOCK -- The 14th Annual HorseTail Scramble -- a 10-k Trail Run and a 5-k Fitness Walk -- will take place at Churning Rapids Trails on Monday, July 4.
Hostess Sue Ellen Kingsley on mandolin joins fellow Rhythm 203 band members Phyllis Fredendall, center, Norman Kendall on guitar and Randy Seppala on percussion for folk songs preceding the feast. A young music lover, left, seems to enjoy the entertainment.Registration is on site from 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m. The races begin at 1 p.m.
At 2:30 p.m. the Heart and Hands of the Keweenaw award for 2011 will be announced.
Host Terry Kinzel gives a racing award to winner Elo Wittig.The feast begins at 3 p.m. Bring a dish to share, your own place setting and friends.
Corn on the cob, strawberries, and beverages are provided. After the feast, join in games for the whole family.
The pie eating contest is a favorite of all ages. Even if you don't win, you get an extra dessert!Churning Rapids is at 53044 Hwy M-203, 4.5 miles north of Hancock.
For more information call (906) 482-6827.
Updated: Michigan Attorney General asked to investigate state permitting of Eagle Mine
From Stand for the Land *
LANSING -- On June 15, 2011, a small group of people, including mining expert Jack Parker and conservationist Laura Gauger, sent a request to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, asking him to investigate allegations of criminal activity at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The subject of the requested investigation is the department’s approval of Kennecott Minerals’ mine permit application for the Eagle Mine Project in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Read the revised press release on Stand for the Land ...
*Editor's Note: You can read about Jack Parker's reports on the potential instability of the Eagle Mine in our Dec. 6, 2010, article, "Mining expert Jack Parker says Eagle Mine likely to collapse," and about Laura Gauger's book, The Buzzards Have Landed, and her experience with Kennecott's Flambeau Mine in Wisconsin in our Jan. 25, 2011, article, "Updated: Lawsuit filed against Kennecott subsidiary for water pollution at Flambeau Mine site."
LANSING -- On June 15, 2011, a small group of people, including mining expert Jack Parker and conservationist Laura Gauger, sent a request to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, asking him to investigate allegations of criminal activity at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The subject of the requested investigation is the department’s approval of Kennecott Minerals’ mine permit application for the Eagle Mine Project in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Read the revised press release on Stand for the Land ...
*Editor's Note: You can read about Jack Parker's reports on the potential instability of the Eagle Mine in our Dec. 6, 2010, article, "Mining expert Jack Parker says Eagle Mine likely to collapse," and about Laura Gauger's book, The Buzzards Have Landed, and her experience with Kennecott's Flambeau Mine in Wisconsin in our Jan. 25, 2011, article, "Updated: Lawsuit filed against Kennecott subsidiary for water pollution at Flambeau Mine site."
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Calumet galleries to present new exhibits July 1
CALUMET -- On First Friday, July 1, downtown Calumet will be the scene of art events at three galleries.
Ed Gray Gallery
The Ed Gray Gallery will host a one-person show: "Agraria," by Emily Gray Koehler, from July 1 to Aug. 3, 2011. An opening reception will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, July 1. Refreshments will be served.
The Ed Gray Gallery is at 109 Fifth Street in Calumet.
Vertin Gallery
At the Vertin Gallery, local artist Bob Dawson will exhibit "Further Afield," his abstract watercolors inspired by nature.
Watercolor by Bob Dawson. (Image courtesy Vertin Gallery)
"This painting pictures is a haunting occupation. I often ask myself, why am I doing this? And the correlative question, how will other people relate to it?" writes Dawson in his Artist Statement. "I exercise my muse in an attempt to communicate. I paint because I have to."
Bob Dawson’s work is a conversation between artist and painting. Using shape and color to form ideas, the watercolors speak visually of a philosophic, meditative and spiritual journey. Figures in paint build paragraphs, asking questions, making arguments and drawing conclusions about man’s spiritual relation with nature.
"Every day is a new beginning. Hiking further afield for images with stir my inner-most being and cause me to want to bring them into the light," Dawson explains.
Born in Grand Rapids in 1949, Dawson attended classes at Kendell School of Design and at Michigan Technological University. He graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science, art major and biology minor. He has worked for the Ontonagon County Road Commission for 31 years plowing snow and grading roads in Misery Bay. Dawson is currently living in Calumet and is an active member with both the Copper Country Associated Artists and the Calumet Art Center.
Located in the heart of downtown Calumet, the Vertin Gallery is one of the Upper Peninsula’s premiere galleries, featuring art across all mediums including painting, copper, jewelry, sculpture and fine woodworking. The work in the gallery changes frequently and, each month, premiers a new exhibit to feature fresh new artists of the highest quality. For more information on the gallery and upcoming events, please visit www.vertingallery.com or call (906) 337-2200.
Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAA)
The CCAA will be presenting a first Friday (July 1st) evening of contour drawing using a variety of sketching materials. Push your powers of seeing to create loose, graceful sketches. This class, taught by the teacher who has taught the teachers -- Nancy McCabe -- starts at 7 p.m. All are welcome to enjoy bakery and coffee.
Ed Gray Gallery
The Ed Gray Gallery will host a one-person show: "Agraria," by Emily Gray Koehler, from July 1 to Aug. 3, 2011. An opening reception will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, July 1. Refreshments will be served.
The Ed Gray Gallery is at 109 Fifth Street in Calumet.
Vertin Gallery
At the Vertin Gallery, local artist Bob Dawson will exhibit "Further Afield," his abstract watercolors inspired by nature.
Watercolor by Bob Dawson. (Image courtesy Vertin Gallery)"This painting pictures is a haunting occupation. I often ask myself, why am I doing this? And the correlative question, how will other people relate to it?" writes Dawson in his Artist Statement. "I exercise my muse in an attempt to communicate. I paint because I have to."
Bob Dawson’s work is a conversation between artist and painting. Using shape and color to form ideas, the watercolors speak visually of a philosophic, meditative and spiritual journey. Figures in paint build paragraphs, asking questions, making arguments and drawing conclusions about man’s spiritual relation with nature.
"Every day is a new beginning. Hiking further afield for images with stir my inner-most being and cause me to want to bring them into the light," Dawson explains.
Born in Grand Rapids in 1949, Dawson attended classes at Kendell School of Design and at Michigan Technological University. He graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science, art major and biology minor. He has worked for the Ontonagon County Road Commission for 31 years plowing snow and grading roads in Misery Bay. Dawson is currently living in Calumet and is an active member with both the Copper Country Associated Artists and the Calumet Art Center.
Located in the heart of downtown Calumet, the Vertin Gallery is one of the Upper Peninsula’s premiere galleries, featuring art across all mediums including painting, copper, jewelry, sculpture and fine woodworking. The work in the gallery changes frequently and, each month, premiers a new exhibit to feature fresh new artists of the highest quality. For more information on the gallery and upcoming events, please visit www.vertingallery.com or call (906) 337-2200.
Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAA)
The CCAA will be presenting a first Friday (July 1st) evening of contour drawing using a variety of sketching materials. Push your powers of seeing to create loose, graceful sketches. This class, taught by the teacher who has taught the teachers -- Nancy McCabe -- starts at 7 p.m. All are welcome to enjoy bakery and coffee.
Main Street Calumet to hold annual PastyFest July 1-2
CALUMET -- Main Street Calumet invites the public to the 2011 PastyFest Friday and Saturday, July 1 and 2, in Calumet's Agassiz Park.The event celebrates the Cornish pasty [PASS-tee] -- named after Cornwall, England. These savory TURNOVERS consist of a short-crust pastry enfolding a chopped meat-and-potato filling. Other vegetables and sometimes fish are also used. In the 18th and 19th centuries, pasties were the standard lunch of Cornwall's tin miners. It was common to place a savory mixture in one end and an apple mixture in the other so both meat and dessert could be enjoyed in the same pasty.
A mainstay of Cornish miners and their families during the Copper Country mining days, the pasty was adopted by virtually all ethnic groups inhabiting the Keweenaw Peninsula in northern Michigan. Today the pasty stands as a local icon and is recognized as a traditional Copper Country dish.*
This year's PastyFest T-shirt is now available through Main Street Calumet. See below. (Photo courtesy Main Street Calumet)Here is the Schedule of Events:
Friday, July 1:
4 p.m. - 7 p.m. -- Farmers and Artisans Market -- Agassiz Park**
7 p.m. -- Main Street Calumet Community Service Awards -- Calumet Colosseum Ballroom -- coffee and cake
6 p.m.- 9 p.m. -- First Friday Gallery Show Openings -- downtown Calumet
Saturday, July 2:
9:30 a.m. -- "The Great Pasty Chase" -- 5k fun walk / run -- $10 registration. Funds support the Calumet Wolverines Hockey Club. Corner of 5th and Scott Streets
11 a.m. -- PastyFest Parade -- 5th Street
11 a.m. -- Registration opens for Horseshoe Partners Tournament -- Agassiz Park
12 noon - 5 p.m. -- PastyFest in Agassiz Park: Music, Food, Vendors, Free Horse-drawn Tours, Games, Pasties!!
1 p.m. -- Pasty Bake-off Judging begins
4 p.m. -- Bake-off Winners announced
The 2011 PastyFest T-shirt is now available from Main Street Calumet. Click here for details.
*Visit the Main Street Calumet Web site for more about pasties.
** Click here for details about the GRAND OPENING of the Main Street Calumet Farmers and Artisans Market.
Photo of pasties courtesy Main Street Calumet.
Portage Library to host "Children’s Opera Afternoon" June 30
HOUGHTON -- Children of all ages are invited to hear opera singers from the Pine Mountain Music Festival perform especially for them from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, at the Portage Lake District Library.
The "Children’s Opera Afternoon" will highlight the different types of voices in an opera. The opera singers will perform a duet from Candide, a duet and aria from Don Giovanni, an aria from The Battered Bride, and an aria from Werther.
There is no admission for this concert and all are welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.
The "Children’s Opera Afternoon" will highlight the different types of voices in an opera. The opera singers will perform a duet from Candide, a duet and aria from Don Giovanni, an aria from The Battered Bride, and an aria from Werther.
There is no admission for this concert and all are welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.
Michigan Messenger: Benton Harbor Emergency Manager restricts park access
BENTON HARBOR, MICH. -- Locals are no longer allowed to take early morning walks in the park under an order issued by Benton Harbor’s Emergency Manager Joe Harris.
Jean Klock Park, the city’s public waterfront which has already been partially privatized as a Jack Nicklaus golf course, will only be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. between May 1 and Sept. 30, according to a May 4 order from Harris.
Residents claim that the order conflicts with the city’s charter, the deed that granted the park to the city and other legal agreements. ... Read more of this article by Eartha Jane Melzer, posted June 28, 2011, on the Michigan Messenger.
Jean Klock Park, the city’s public waterfront which has already been partially privatized as a Jack Nicklaus golf course, will only be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. between May 1 and Sept. 30, according to a May 4 order from Harris.
Residents claim that the order conflicts with the city’s charter, the deed that granted the park to the city and other legal agreements. ... Read more of this article by Eartha Jane Melzer, posted June 28, 2011, on the Michigan Messenger.
Public Comment period extended for Waters of the U.S. Draft Guidance
WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have extended the public comment period by 30 days for the draft guidance on Identifying Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act. In response to requests from state and local officials, as well as other stakeholders, EPA and the Corps will take additional comment until July 31, 2011, on this important draft guidance that aims to protect U.S. waters. These waters are critical for the health of the American people, the economy and ecosystems in communities across the country.
This change in the public comment period will not impact the schedule for finalizing the guidance or alter the intent to proceed with a rulemaking.
Public input received will be carefully considered as the agencies make final decisions regarding the guidance. These comments will also be very helpful as the agencies prepare a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
The original 60-day public comment period was originally set to expire on July 1, 2011. The agencies will be publishing a notice of this 30-day extension in the Federal Register.
Click here for more information: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm. Then click on Contact Us or Click here for contact information.
This change in the public comment period will not impact the schedule for finalizing the guidance or alter the intent to proceed with a rulemaking.
Public input received will be carefully considered as the agencies make final decisions regarding the guidance. These comments will also be very helpful as the agencies prepare a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
The original 60-day public comment period was originally set to expire on July 1, 2011. The agencies will be publishing a notice of this 30-day extension in the Federal Register.
Click here for more information: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm. Then click on Contact Us or Click here for contact information.
Trail Dog Gromit: Can you help build this?
Gromit’s been working on the storage shed this week at the Maasto Hiihto Tomasi trail head and could use some help. She says, "You don’t need any carpentry skills, maybe just some gloves and a 'go for it' attitude, like me! We just need some help with the large parts. Please get a-hold of my pack if you’d like to help with the fun." You can call Arlyn Aronson at work 906-370-2911 or home 487-9229. Check out Gromit's trail blog: http:/trailmuttreports.blogspot.com/. (Photo © and courtesy Arlyn and Sandy Aronson)Monday, June 27, 2011
Michigan Tech Affirmative Programs Director Sherry Kauppi retires; Jill Hodges appointed
By Jennifer Donovan, Michigan Tech Director of Public Relations*
HOUGHTON -- Sherry Kauppi, Michigan Tech University director of Affirmative Programs, is retiring July 1, after more than 22 years at Michigan Tech. Jill Hodges, formerly associate director of the Multiliteracies Center, is now director of Affirmative Programs, effective Monday, June 27.
"Sherry has devoted her efforts at Tech to the fundamental principles of fairness and inclusion," said President Glenn Mroz. "She is widely respected for the advice and counseling she's given and, in particular, the training sessions she's conducted on dealing with difficult conversations and situations. Sherry is dedicated to making sure that everyone on campus enjoys the benefits of equal opportunity in the workplace and the classroom alike."
Kauppi first came to Tech as an undergraduate and earned a Bachelor of Science in Scientific and Technical Communication. She has been employed at the University since 1989, beginning her work life at Tech in Financial Services. In 1991, she took a position in Human Resources as the employment manager. In 1993, she moved to director of Affirmative Programs. From 2006 to 2008, she served as director of both Human Resources and Affirmative Programs.
Hodges has been associate director of the Department of Humanities Multiliteracies Center -- which used to be called the Writing Center -- since 2009. The center was established to address the challenges of learning and communicating in complex and culturally diverse environments.
"Jill is an ideal choice for carrying forward the great work that Sherry has done," President Mroz observed. "Her devotion to helping our culturally diverse student body communicate more effectively has prepared her well to tackle and resolve affirmative action issues campus-wide."
Hodges, a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), says she has a strong attachment to the local area.
"I grew up fishing and hunting and still enjoy those things," Hodges noted. "I have strong ties to the land here and that's why I have never left!"
Hodges was raised in Calumet, where she and her husband, Bill, still live.
Hodges' work has long focused on affirmative programs, too. She helped design and oversaw the implementation of Tech's sexual harassment prevention program. She also presented an employee professional development workshop series on sexual harassment and another one on stereotypes and communicating respectfully in a diverse world.
"The work of growing an inclusive learning and working environment that is free from prejudicial discrimination and harassment is vital to our future," Hodges says. "Our climate here on campus has been constantly improving due to educational and communications programs that have been implemented. Continued conversations regarding an inclusive workplace and learning environment are crucial."
Hodges earned her Master of Science and her PhD with honors in Rhetoric and Technical Communication at Michigan Tech. She also completed her Bachelor of Arts in English and her secondary education certificate at Tech. Her daughter, Kristin Arola, resides in Pullman, Wash., and her son, Adam Arola, in Portland, Ore.
Kauppi, a graduate of Hancock High School and Oakland Community College in Chicago, also has family roots in the Copper Country. In her early years, she worked in her family's businesses in Copper Harbor and Gay. After returning to the UP to raise her family, Kauppi also owned and managed her own businesses. She tutored at the college level and taught community classes in Chicago and near the Twin Cities. She has also done consulting locally and nationally.
Her son, Emmett Schneider, lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and her daughter, Anna Magliocco, lives in New York. She has four grandchildren.
Kauppi fondly recalls her affirmative programs work at Tech .
"Michigan Tech is a marvelous cosmos of brilliant specialists who are focused on their careers, and they have an admirable commitment to the higher good," she said. "They would tell me about their struggles with thorny situations -- basic issues of fair compensation, personal identity, professional accomplishment or difficult relationships -- and I was privileged to help them find resolutions."
Kauppi said she leaves many good friendships behind. "I sincerely wish everyone many successes, professional and personal."
Regarding the world of affirmative action, Kauppi said she has seen both the growth of the program and the more recent assaults on the program in Michigan, as well as nationwide.
"The US has a passionate love affair with fairness," she remarked. "Government-mandated inclusive programs can be used to expand everyone's potential rather than simply a competition for pieces of a shrinking pie."
However, she adds, "The fires behind the fights over fairness are sure to continue as long as humans live. Preserving inclusive practices is especially needed during hard times, when the darker side of competition can take over if left unchecked."
*Text reprinted with permission from the article posted on Tech Today June 24, 2011. Photos of Sherry Kauppi and Jill Hodges courtesy Michigan Technological University.
HOUGHTON -- Sherry Kauppi, Michigan Tech University director of Affirmative Programs, is retiring July 1, after more than 22 years at Michigan Tech. Jill Hodges, formerly associate director of the Multiliteracies Center, is now director of Affirmative Programs, effective Monday, June 27.
"Sherry has devoted her efforts at Tech to the fundamental principles of fairness and inclusion," said President Glenn Mroz. "She is widely respected for the advice and counseling she's given and, in particular, the training sessions she's conducted on dealing with difficult conversations and situations. Sherry is dedicated to making sure that everyone on campus enjoys the benefits of equal opportunity in the workplace and the classroom alike."Kauppi first came to Tech as an undergraduate and earned a Bachelor of Science in Scientific and Technical Communication. She has been employed at the University since 1989, beginning her work life at Tech in Financial Services. In 1991, she took a position in Human Resources as the employment manager. In 1993, she moved to director of Affirmative Programs. From 2006 to 2008, she served as director of both Human Resources and Affirmative Programs.
Hodges has been associate director of the Department of Humanities Multiliteracies Center -- which used to be called the Writing Center -- since 2009. The center was established to address the challenges of learning and communicating in complex and culturally diverse environments.
"Jill is an ideal choice for carrying forward the great work that Sherry has done," President Mroz observed. "Her devotion to helping our culturally diverse student body communicate more effectively has prepared her well to tackle and resolve affirmative action issues campus-wide."
Hodges, a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), says she has a strong attachment to the local area."I grew up fishing and hunting and still enjoy those things," Hodges noted. "I have strong ties to the land here and that's why I have never left!"
Hodges was raised in Calumet, where she and her husband, Bill, still live.
Hodges' work has long focused on affirmative programs, too. She helped design and oversaw the implementation of Tech's sexual harassment prevention program. She also presented an employee professional development workshop series on sexual harassment and another one on stereotypes and communicating respectfully in a diverse world.
"The work of growing an inclusive learning and working environment that is free from prejudicial discrimination and harassment is vital to our future," Hodges says. "Our climate here on campus has been constantly improving due to educational and communications programs that have been implemented. Continued conversations regarding an inclusive workplace and learning environment are crucial."
Hodges earned her Master of Science and her PhD with honors in Rhetoric and Technical Communication at Michigan Tech. She also completed her Bachelor of Arts in English and her secondary education certificate at Tech. Her daughter, Kristin Arola, resides in Pullman, Wash., and her son, Adam Arola, in Portland, Ore.
Kauppi, a graduate of Hancock High School and Oakland Community College in Chicago, also has family roots in the Copper Country. In her early years, she worked in her family's businesses in Copper Harbor and Gay. After returning to the UP to raise her family, Kauppi also owned and managed her own businesses. She tutored at the college level and taught community classes in Chicago and near the Twin Cities. She has also done consulting locally and nationally.
Her son, Emmett Schneider, lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and her daughter, Anna Magliocco, lives in New York. She has four grandchildren.
Kauppi fondly recalls her affirmative programs work at Tech .
"Michigan Tech is a marvelous cosmos of brilliant specialists who are focused on their careers, and they have an admirable commitment to the higher good," she said. "They would tell me about their struggles with thorny situations -- basic issues of fair compensation, personal identity, professional accomplishment or difficult relationships -- and I was privileged to help them find resolutions."
Kauppi said she leaves many good friendships behind. "I sincerely wish everyone many successes, professional and personal."
Regarding the world of affirmative action, Kauppi said she has seen both the growth of the program and the more recent assaults on the program in Michigan, as well as nationwide.
"The US has a passionate love affair with fairness," she remarked. "Government-mandated inclusive programs can be used to expand everyone's potential rather than simply a competition for pieces of a shrinking pie."
However, she adds, "The fires behind the fights over fairness are sure to continue as long as humans live. Preserving inclusive practices is especially needed during hard times, when the darker side of competition can take over if left unchecked."
*Text reprinted with permission from the article posted on Tech Today June 24, 2011. Photos of Sherry Kauppi and Jill Hodges courtesy Michigan Technological University.
Portage Library to host Peace Corps presentation June 28
HOUGHTON -- As part of its Summer Reading Program, "Reading Takes You Around the World," the Portage Lake District Library will host Peace Corps volunteers from Michigan Technological University from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28.
Patricia Butler was a Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia, and Michelle Cisz volunteered in Paraguay. Both participated in a program that allows Michigan Tech students to earn a Master’s degree while serving in the Peace Corps. Professor Blair Orr, director of Michigan Tech’s Peace Corps Master’s International programs, who teaches in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, served as a volunteer in Lesotho.
Slides of Armenia, Paraguay, and Lesotho will be shown. The presenters will describe their experiences in the countries where they volunteered, discuss the projects they worked on, and read or tell a folk tale from each country. There will also be displays of items or photos from the countries they visited. Orr will also talk about the Peace Corps in general and provide information on how to join.
Library programs are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.
Patricia Butler was a Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia, and Michelle Cisz volunteered in Paraguay. Both participated in a program that allows Michigan Tech students to earn a Master’s degree while serving in the Peace Corps. Professor Blair Orr, director of Michigan Tech’s Peace Corps Master’s International programs, who teaches in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, served as a volunteer in Lesotho.
Slides of Armenia, Paraguay, and Lesotho will be shown. The presenters will describe their experiences in the countries where they volunteered, discuss the projects they worked on, and read or tell a folk tale from each country. There will also be displays of items or photos from the countries they visited. Orr will also talk about the Peace Corps in general and provide information on how to join.
Library programs are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.
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