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Island Diary June 2023
Thu., June 1st – Aaron Wilson (PIBHS Class of 1999) and Barry Behnfeldt, the duo planning to fly to each of the lower 48 states in 48 hours, fly into Put-in-Bay where they are met and greeted by island family and friends. Island librarian Karen Wilhelm, Aaron’s aunt, made a flag for everyone to sign that Aaron and Barry will have onboard as they attempt to set a world record for the Guinness Book of World Records. A striping crew is on the island painting SR 357 from Peach Point to the tip of East Point. The summer reading program kicks off at the island library. Eli Heineman celebrates his birthday at Heineman Winery.
Fri., June 2nd – It’s a beautiful Friday with a nice forecast for the weekend’s weather. Patrick Masalko is entertaining at Richard Warren’s Great Lakes Tobacconist cigar lounge in the afternoon.
Sat., June 3rd – Oops! Spoke too soon! The forecast changes and there’s a strong ENE dry wind brewing that keeps many boaters away from the islands. Services for longtime summer home owner and past PIBYC Commodore Jack Bergan are held at Mother of Sorrows, followed by a reception at PIBYC. Betsy McCann is center stage as she goes over the results of the Island Survey with a packed Senior Center. When asked about the verdict of the results, PIB Property Owner Association President Bill Slough had the perfect answer, “Guilty!”
Sun., June 4th – It’s a beautiful day for the PIBHS Alumni Association Lunch at the Crew’s Nest Pavilion. David Bianchi and Matt Parker are the only two from the Class of 1973 who show up to celebrate their 50th year anniversary from PIB High School. Very special guests are Mel Geithman, Bill Woischke and Joan McCann from the Class of 1953. Island softball league games start in the evening. The first game is Mojito Bay vs. Blue Marlin. Over on Middle Bass the MBI Fire Dept. holds a fundraiser pancake breakfast.
Mon., June 5th – There’s a garlic mustard pull at Duff Woods in the morning. Put-in-Bay’s science teacher Missi Kowalski and her two sons, Caleb and Cody, are exploring Maine.
Tue., June 6th – Council passes a resolution extending the implementation of the Parking Permits for parking on some Village streets to July 7th. Scott Market celebrates his 60th birthday.
Wed., June 7th – Kendra Koehler and Barb Hunter are busy at the museum making up the baskets that will be in a silent auction at the Ohio’s Island Wine Festival on June 17th. Wednesday Euchre begins at PIBYC.
Thu., June 8th – Members of the Village Council and the mayor meet with Mike Russell to discuss the future use of the Village’s Frederick property on Erie Street. In the morning, volunteers are cutting up strawberries at the Park Hotel for St. Paul’s short cake booth at Founder’s Day.
Fri., June 9th – The Mills Race sailboats are headed to the Bay from Toledo. This is the 99th Mills Race. The Put-in-Bay Yacht Club has a cruise out to Kelleys Island.
Sat., June 10th – Saucy Brew Works opens their Tiki Bar and Coffee House at BayShore Resort. DeRivera Park is busy all day starting with the Pooch Parade in the morning and Founder’s Day fun in the afternoon. At the Goat Biergarten, there’s the All Gemini Birthday Extravaganza with the Phi Yan Polka Band and Cal Jackson on the accordion for entertainment. There’s a wedding at Ashley’s Island House. The Perry Group hosts an onboard, beer and wine reception on the Brig Niagara to start off the BicenTen, the 210th Anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie.
Sun., June 11th – The Travel Section of the Sunday Plain Dealer is devoted exclusively to the islands: ‘Where to eat, drink, play and stay on Put-in-Bay, Kelleys Island, Middle Bass and Pelee.” Diane Nemec and Marc and Nan Burr were inducted into the Skip Duggan Car Club Put-in-Bay Parade of Fame! Rain starts in the late afternoon and goes into the night. The youngsters taking part in the Community Swim/Sail program and their parents meet at the yacht club in the evening to go over everything they need to know for the 2023 classes.
Mon., June 12th – It’s Pride Day at Put-in-Bay! The festivities kick off with a fun-filled “Color Run” in the morning, then make a splash at the Sand Bar Pool Party after lunch. There’s a parade in the evening featuring an assortment of vehicles and vivacious drag queens. The night is capped off with the Drag Show at the Round House where Ray Fogg and Tyler Whidden hold court.
Tue., June 13th – The PIB Village Council hold a rare evening meeting. The PIBYC Auxiliary goes “On the Town” for its first luncheon of the season. At Perry’s Monument, visitors can get letters and postcards hand-canceled by the Put-in-Bay Postmaster JR Domer with a new Put-in-Bay postmark. Wild Tuesdays begin at the Nature Center. At the end of the day, there was an opportunity to meet Put-in-Bay Hometown Heroes at the PIB Volunteer Fire Dept. station.
Wed., June 14th – At the PIB Yacht Club, members of the PIB Garden Club enjoy a program about designing perennial gardens. If you stayed until after the meeting, you can play Euchre with the Wednesday group of players. PIB Postmaster JR Domer is celebrating “Bourbon Day!’ PIB School’s science teacher Missi Kowalski is over in Marblehead in the quarry taking part in the Teachers Rock Ohio workshop. Workers are busy getting the fountain in DeRivera Park fixed and ready to go. Celebrating their 20th anniversary with a party at their home on Catawba Island are Jeff and Lisi (Faris) Puffenberger. Lisi graduated from PIB High School in 1986. Among the guests from Put-in-Bay are Marty and Kelly Faris, John Ladd, Jeff and Kendra Koehler and Walt Duff. Also among the guests are Joe and Kim Passabet who taught at Put-in-Bay High School many years ago.
Thu., June 15th – Before 9 a.m., there are already lines at the Boardwalk and the Keys for those answering the open casting call for Season 47 of the longtime TV reality show Survivor. By 11 a.m. the line along the waterfront extends about B-dock to the entrance to the Boardwalk. There is also a long winding line in the parking lot at the Dairy Isle. The call is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m., but begins early and runs late. In the evening, Amanda and Ty Winchester host a “Toast to Teri Winchester” at the Crew’s Nest pavilion. Their mother passed away when Covid first struck and there was never a real celebration of life for the woman who managed the Round House for three decades. The event is interrupted by storm sirens and a welcome rain, but that doesn’t stop the wonderful tribute from her son and entertainment by Ray Fogg and Bob Gatewood.
Fri., June 16th – The Community Swim/Sail Program draws a good crowd at the yacht club for its Spaghetti dinner fundraiser. The dinner is a booming success, and Jan Anteau from Sybil Blvd. gets the last treat off the dessert table, a delicious green cookie. Thanks to Brian and Lynn Kezur from the West Shore who donated tickets for the live auction for the OSU vs. Youngstown football opener in September. Thanks to everyone who generously donated for the silent auction. All monies raised benefit the Put-in-Bay Community Swim/Sail Program.
Sat., June 17th – The young sailors from PIBYC are off to North Cape for their first regatta of the season! Several Ohio wineries showcase their wines at Heineman Winery for the inaugural Ohio’s Island Wine Festival presented by Ohio Wine Producers Association and Heineman Winery. A silent auction to benefit the Lake Erie Historical Society is also held during the event. The treasures in the auction have a grape/wine theme to them. Graveside services for Dianne Szabo, longtime East Point summer resident, are followed by a reception at the PIB Town Hall. Entertainer Alex Bevin is on hand to entertain at the PIBYC’s 3rd Annual Mayfly Fest. The special is “May Fly Stew,” also known as Skoch’s Onion Soup. Mike “Mad Dog” Adams is performing at St. Hazard’s on Middle Bass.
Sun., June 18th – It’s a delightful day at PIB for the fathers who get to spend the day on the island. The Brig Niagara leaves the harbor after a several-day stay at the Jet Express Dock. The Antique Car Parade after-party takes place at PIBYC. Wally and the Beavs, sponsored by Island Grind, are entertaining at Lonz’s on Middle Bass.
Mon., June 19th – Steve Heineman is conducting TIPS training at the Niagara Events Center. TIPS, a program for those who service alcohol, stands for “Training in Intervention Procedures.” A well-attended celebration of life for DJ Parker is held at DJ’s Ice Cream Shop in the afternoon. Family and friends who attended the event will never forget this ice cream and cake social celebration of life. After everyone leaves, about 30 tourists stop in, and although closed, they were served extra large free scoops of ice cream. It’s surely an island story they will all take home. A rental cart with three passengers heading east on Thompson Rd. speeds past the stop sign on Langram Rd. and flips over against the pyramidal arborvitae trees along the road by Fox’s Den. No one is injured and there’s only slight damage to the cart. It’s surely an island story these people will all take home, too. Nature Camp begins for the kids on Middle Bass Island, plus the PIB Twp. Port Authority holds one of their two yearly meetings on MBI at the Town Hall.
Tue. June 20th – The Village Council meets in the morning and pretty much kills the implementation of the new permit parking ordinance. The Auxiliary/Silver Sails Luncheon takes place at PIBYC. The theme for the Wild Tuesday program at the Nature Center is snakes. Members of the Tuesday Supper Club have dinner at Hooligans.
Wed., June 21st – Dr. Gabriela Kaplan offers a talk at the Senior Center on holistic medicine. Summer Solstice Prayers are offered on the Labyrinth in the morning. Summer officially begins at 10:27 a.m. A wonderful group of twelve ladies taking part in the Words & Wine Book Club show up to enjoy the beautiful vineyards of Susan and Walter Duff. New members are always welcome to these meetings. Lobstermania begins at the Boardwalk for the summer.
Thu., June 22nd – Kathy Schrader and Jean Hilt are busy getting the mayflies off the netting on the hanging flower baskets on the lampposts around the downtown park. Professor Tony Sweet, aka the professor of nonsense, is at the school-multipurpose room with a great comedy and juggling routine entertaining kids and adults alike! The restoration of the Mammoth Cave building is in its beginning stage. An 86-ft. Catamaran, reportedly belonging to Betsy DeVos, the former Secretary of Education, is in the harbor.
Fri., June 23rd – The 15th annual Pyrate Fest kicks off with a flag raising ceremony in the afternoon and a spirited Pyrate pub crawl in the evening to indulge in island-flavored, Pyrate-inspired drinks crafted with Malibu Rum. The mayor tells police to start ticketing carts in Delaware Avenue’s diagonal parking spots that are more than 4-passenger, plus to start ticketing vehicles that impede traffic. This is being done to allow emergency vehicles to get down Delaware Ave. faster. Council approves a computerized system for Village dockmasters to collect dockage on the city docks. The Schooner Appledore IV is docked at the Village dock offering a day and sunset sail for each day during Pyrate Fest.
Sat., June 24th – It’s meeting day on the islands. The Middle Bass Town Hall Annual Meeting takes place at their town hall and at the PIBYC there’s a board meeting in the morning. At PIB’s Senior Center, property owners meet and hear PIB Mayor Judy Berry, Township Trustee Chris Cooper, Village Police Chief James Kimble, Lt. Jerome Arnold and Ottawa County Sheriff Stephen Levorchick discuss policing issues on the islands. Pyrate Fest is teeming with activities for the family. There are cannons on display, stage presentations, a Pyrate Kids Zone and loads of people in pirate attire in the downtown park. An Adults Buccaneers Ball and a costume contest take place at the Reel Bar in the evening. Diane Nemec, her brother Carl, Ron and Audrey Borchert, and Janet Grantham and her grandson Eli enjoy a ride above the islands on a Huey helicopter. There is a pirate party at the Benson Ford shiphouse on the West Shore.
Sun., June 25th – The electricity goes out on parts of the island for a time in the morning. Mother of Sorrows provides the hospitality hour for both churches after services. There’s a “Meet the Mayfly” program at the Monument. The cloud cover and light wind make for great weather for the final day of cannon booming at the Pyrate Fest. Entertainers Reese Dailey and Ray Fogg perform a show of Pat Dailey’s (Reese’s dad) music for a full-house crowd of Pat Dailey fans! Mike and Terri Wolf, the new owners of Chan Steven’s home just east of the Monument, report they witnessed three waterspouts while sitting on the front porch when the storm went through at dinner time. The Wolf’s realtor who was visiting was blown out of her seat, but saved the wine! That only comes from experience. One of the lakefront trees on Bayview Ave. was blown over by one of the spouts and blocked the road for a time. George Stoiber, who has lived here all his life, says he’d never seen one, and just like that, sees multiple ones.
Mon., June 26th – In the morning there clean up at Scheef’s East Point Nature Preserve. Loads of debris have washed up due to the high winds and low water levels this winter and spring. A storm after lunch knocks out power on parts of the island. Martini Monday is back at The Forge. At the museum, curator Dan Savage and Kendra Koehler are going over some of the great island memorabilia items that will be auctioned off at the museum’s fundraiser auction on August 3rd, at Heineman Winery.
Tue., June 27th – The program topic for the Wild Tuesday program at the Nature Center is native plants. The PIBYC Auxiliary Luncheon is at the Picnic Basket. A few new electric poles are being put in on Meechen Rd. A new roof is being put on the old Mammoth Cave building.
Wed., June 28th – A smokey haze similar to fog fills the sky above and around the islands. You can hardly see Middle Bass from Put-in-Bay. Apparently, this is from the smoke of the wildfires in western Canada. Former East Point summer home owner and Crew’s Nest member Jan Howley ends a short visit on the island with coffee and breakfast at Topsy Turvey’s with Kendra and Jeff Koehler, Joan Kempf and Joan Booker.
Thu., June 29th – Valerie Kowalski from Yardworks is at the island library presenting a program about planting succulent planters. Stone Lab and Ohio Sea Grant host a live web event to announce NOAA’s annual HABs Forecast for western Lake Erie. It’s not the best, nor the worst we’ve seen. Members of the Garden Club are on the mainland visiting The Lavender Farm in Pemberville near Toledo.
Fri., June 30th – It’s the last day of the month on the Lake Erie Islands.
Putinbay.com is proud to present the Put-in-Bay Gazette’s Island Diary for June 2023, in the July 2023 issue of the Gazette.
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