Just Keweenaw project seeks to promote Copper Country, support community charities; fundraising deadline: Jan. 8, 2015

CALUMET -- There's no doubt, the Keweenaw Peninsula is beautiful. The people who live and visit here have a deep connection to this unique area and love sharing their experience with others.

Local residents Jonathan Soper and Michael Juntunen are opening a store in Calumet along with a website (justkeweenaw.com) to promote the Keweenaw and give back to the community by utilizing their current web development and graphic design business, Base Nine Studios (baseninestudios.com). They have been working with other local businesses, merchants, metalsmiths, printers, and artists -- all of whom are very excited about participating in this project.

This conglomerated effort will produce high quality shirts, coats, drinkware, jewelry, and crafts -- all created locally by folks we know, thus ensuring that everything offered from Just Keweenaw is built to last. Just Keweenaw aims to donate five percent of all future monthly sales to local charities and to showcase them on the Just Keweenaw website and social media in order to raise public awareness about organizations that need help.

"We'll be working to benefit the artists -- that's our mission," Soper explains. "And we'll be selling both on the website and in the Calumet storefront."

Just Keweenaw is currently raising startup funds on Kickstarter.com, a popular crowd-funding website. When you make a pledge on Kickstarter, you'll receive rewards in return. You are not charged until, and only if, the project reaches its funding goal.

The deadline for this Kickstarter fund raiser is next Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015.

Everyone is encouraged to visit JustKeweenaw.com, watch the video, like their Facebook page, and make a small pledge on Kickstarter if possible -- by Jan. 8. Just Keweenaw is working hard to meet their funding goal by the Jan. 8 deadline. They are confident that people will love to show off their Keweenaw pride with style.*

Jonathan Soper and Michael Juntunen live in the Keweenaw and have 30 years’ experience in marketing, business management, design and interactive development. Base Nine Studios has developed websites for many local businesses -- including The Michigan House (michiganhousecafe.com); Carmelita's, a Southwestern Grille (carmelitasasouthwesterngrille.com); and Fitzgerald's Restaurant/Eagle River Inn (eagleriverinn.com).

* Click here to go directly to Just Keweenaw's Kickstarter page and learn more about the project and rewards for supporters!

(Just Keweenaw logo courtesy Jonathan Soper.)