The Voice of the Greater Mackinaw City Business Community Since 1955

July 2024

Hello Kelly,

As we gather to celebrate our nation’s independence, I would like to extend my heartfelt wishes for a joyful and safe holiday. Whether you're enjoying a barbecue with family, watching the fireworks over the Straits of Mackinac, or participating in our local festivities, I hope this day is filled with happiness, community spirit, and patriotic pride.

We can be grateful for the vibrant community we share and the contributions of each business and resident in making Mackinaw City a wonderful place to live, work, and visit. To show your support of our vibrant community, you can find a directory of places to eat, shop, and things to do in this link.

As we embark on the rest of the month, you don't want to miss all that our members are doing, welcoming new businesses, and so much more.

For the latest updates and detailed information about our events, please visit our website at MackinawChamber.com and follow us on social media. 

We look forward to celebrating the 4th of July and a fantastic summer season with all of you!

Enjoy the celebrations and have a fantastic Fourth of July!

Amy Millard

Executive Director

www.mackinawchamber.com

231-436-5574

If you have an event or announcement you'd like to share with our community? Reach out to us at (232) 436-5574 or via email at amy@mackinawchamber.com, and we'll be happy to help spread the word for you!

Recent, Upcoming and Of Importance

On Tuesday, June 18th we celebrated the new location for the Mackinaw City Medical Center.

www.mackinacstraitshealth.org

Friday, June 28th, we cut the ribbon for Cavanaugh Knife Company!

www.cavanaughknives.com

Mackinaw City Farmers Market Opens Today for the Season!

We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of the Mackinaw City Farmers Market today, Monday, July 1st! Join us at the beautiful Conkling Heritage Park waterfront location at 9:00 am to celebrate local growers and artisans. We will be cutting the ribbon at 9:15 am and look forward to welcoming everyone on our opening day!

Featured Vendors Include:

• Big Stone Bay Fishery
• Birch n Lavender Apothecary
• Honey Buttons, LLC
• Ken Newsome
• Mack City Chips
• Sandy's One of a Kind
• Strait to the Roots
• Sue's Soaps & Helena's Healthy Native Products
• Sully's Sweet Shop
• The Mayflour Bakery & Co.
• Verna Fay

To become a vendor or for more information, please contact us at 231-436-5574. We welcome all local growers, artisans, and those with homemade goods to be a part of this exciting new venture that will take place on Mondays from July through September.

We are excited to announce an opportunity for local businesses to sponsor our new farmers market. Each week, a business can become our featured sponsor for just $100. This sponsorship includes several valuable benefits:

• Booth Setup: Your business will have the option to set up a booth at the market, providing direct access to our vibrant community and allowing you to showcase your products or services. (no sales please)

• Social Media Highlight: Your business will be highlighted on our social media platforms, reaching our growing online audience and increasing your visibility.

• E-Newsletter Feature: Your business will be featured in our weekly e-newsletter, which goes out to all our subscribers, ensuring that your brand gets in front of dedicated local consumers as our featured sponsor of the week.

This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with the community, increase brand awareness, and support a local initiative. Join us in making our farmers market a central part of the community while promoting your business.

For more details and to secure your spot, please contact us at 231-436-5574 or by email. Let's grow together!

PNC Bank offers your seasonal staff, including J-1 and H-2B employees, a convenient solution for setting up a local bank account. They can visit the Chamber of Commerce office to initiate the process hassle-free. Alternatively, if you prefer onsite sign-ups at your business location, PNC Bank is available to facilitate this service directly.

Thank you for supporting this initiative to enhance convenience and efficiency as a benefit for both your employees and your business operations for our seasonal workforce.

Chamber of Commerce Office Bank Account Sign-Up Opportunity

Date: Tuesday, July, 2nd

Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Location: 707 N. Huron Ave., Mackinaw City

Simply send your employees to the Chamber of Commerce Office. We will have a sign-up sheet and work on a first-come basis.

Employees should bring the following:

• Passport
• Visa
• Current physical address
• Home address
• Email address
• US phone number

To coordinate onsite sign-up opportunities at your business, please contact Jordan Hogg at PNC Bank directly at 231-627-1945.

Celebrate Independence Day in Mackinaw City this year on Thursday, July 4th!

You will enjoy activities the whole family will enjoy throughout the day including;

• Noon - Mackinaw Woman's Club Strawberry Social on the Marina Lawn
• Noon - Bounce Houses on the Marina Lawn
• 1:30 pm - Games on the Lawn For All Ages
• 9:00 pm - Straits Area Concert Band in Conkling Heritage Park
• Dusk - Fireworks Display

MAC CA$H Makes the Perfect Gift for Any Time of Year.

MAC CA$H makes the perfect gift or employee recognition for any occasion and at any time. We've added a few *NEW* participating merchants to our list.

Don't miss out on promoting your business and bringing customers to your doors. If you are a business interested in learning more, contact Amy today!



To purchase MAC CA$H and #ShopMackinaw, click on the link below.

The 35th Annual Corvette Crossroads Auto Show - August 24 *Only 1 Month Left To Save

The 35th Annual Corvette Crossroads Auto Show takes place on Saturday, August 24th! We are looking forward to another exciting event this year and registration is now open for all Vette enthusiasts! Be sure to register now! The price to register will go up on August 1st.

Come take a break from your busy day and join us for lunch!

To show our appreciation, we're inviting you to lunch! Our Ambassador Team will be grilling hot dogs at the Chamber of Commerce Office. It's a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new acquaintances. Don't miss out on this fun-filled afternoon of food, friends, and fun!

This event is free for members of the Greater Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce, but be sure to let us know how many from your office will be attending so we can plan accordingly.

Please RSVP to Kelly at kelly@mackinawchamber.com no later than Friday, July 12.

The Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce has a wide range of volunteer opportunities at our upcoming community events! We need enthusiastic individuals to help place signs for our new farmers market, assist with our 35th Annual Corvette Crossroads Auto Show, distribute certificates at the Labor Day Bridge Walk, and support our Business After Hours events.

Volunteering with us is a wonderful way to engage with the community, support local initiatives, and be part of the excitement. Join us in making these events a success—your involvement makes all the difference! For more information and to sign up, please click the link below or contact the Chamber of Commerce office.

Recent New Members

Welcome New Member Lake Superior Woolen Company

Lake Superior Woolen Company is a small, family business that raises sheep from their farm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. We are excited to have their first retail store now open in Mackinaw City and encourage you to show them your support and well wishes as they embark on this brand-new journey.

What you'll discover;

• 100% Beautiful Wool Blankets
• Wool sourced from a local Upper Peninsula Shepherd
• We own and operate a certified Centennial Farm
• Blankets are machine washable

You can visit them at 502 S. Huron Ave., Mackinaw City.

Phone: 231-818-6693

Facebook

www.lswoolen.com

Welcome New Member - Cavanaugh Knife Company

We are happy to introduce you to Cavanaugh Knife Company.

Cavanaugh Knife Company uses locally sourced materials to produce knives that blend artistry and craftmanship with the practicality of design, creating blades that are both elegant and reliable.

You will discover high-quality cutlery from their Michigan workshop for;

• Hunting Knives
• Kitchen Prep Knives
• Damascus Knives
• Fillet Knives
• Refurbished Vintage Cutlery
• Kitchen Sets

Order online at www.cavanaughknives.com or locally in Mackinaw City at their new location - 216 E. Central Ave. | 906-399-8015

Recent New Members



We are pleased to welcome the following recent new members to the Greater Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce! If you, or someone you know, is interested in learning more about being part of this fantastic group of businesses, contact us at (231) 436 - 5574 today!

• Lake Effect Restoration
• Northland Self Storage Mobile To you!
• Lake Superior Woolen Company
• Cavanaugh Knife Co
• Great Lakes Center for the Arts
• Impact 100 Little Traverse Bay
• PNC Bank
• Detail Mackinaw
• El Zarape Mexican Taqueria
• Peninsula Fiber Network
• Prim Aesthetics
• Valot's Citgo

If you want to learn more about joining businesses like these and making a difference in the Greater Mackinaw business community, we welcome new memberships! Contact Amy Millard at 231-436-5574 or by email.

Member News & Information

This is your place to share upcoming news and information about your business, milestones, successes, and accomplishments. Please notify the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce office of any updates that you would like us to include in the next bi-weekly e-newsletter.

The deadline to submit information is the 25th of the month prior, to include information in the monthly e-news, or the 10th of the month to submit information for the mid-month e-news.

Or consider one of the following for even greater visibility:

• An exclusive email for your business - $100
• Display ad with a web link at the top of this newsletter - $50

Contact Amy for more details.

Q) Tell us how long your business/organization has been around

A) Citizens National Bank was chartered on January 24, 1931, and opened its branch in Mackinaw City in 1970.

Q) What is an interesting fact about your business/organization that people may not know? 

A) Many people do not realize how generous our employees are with the many volunteer hours our staff donates to our communities – in 2023 alone we donated 1,495 hours to 53 local organizations.  

Q) What is one of your biggest accomplishments? 

A) Maintaining our independence as a community bank, especially in this recent climate of bank mergers and acquisitions.

Q) What is something new you would like to share with others? 

A) Our Mackinaw City Branch Operations Supervisor is celebrating 45 years with CNB on July 24, 2024! Be sure to wish her a happy anniversary month when you visit the branch and join us for cake to help celebrate on the!

Q) What additional information would you like to provide? 

A) CNB is a full-service community bank serving lower northern Michigan for 93 years and will continue to serve its communities and customers for many years to come.  

MACKINAW CITY, MICH. — Join Mackinac State Historic Parks at Colonial Michilimackinac for fireworks of a different kind as the interpretive staff dressed as British soldiers will fire all of Michilimackinac’s artillery at sunset, including muskets, the wall gun, and mortar, topped off with a blast of the cannon in near total darkness.

      “This event allows us to share some new and exciting elements of Michilimackinac with our visitors that they don’t usually get to experience,” said Craig Wilson, Chief Curator for Mackinac State Historic Parks.

      The entrance to the event is located on Straits Avenue, west of the Mackinac Bridge, opposite the Fort Fudge Shop. Gates open at 9:00 p.m., and a banner will mark the entrance with staff on hand to assist. While the event is free, donations are welcomed. In the event of inclement weather, Fire at Night may be canceled.

      Support for many Mackinac State Historic Parks programs comes from Mackinac Associates, friends preserving and sharing Mackinac’s heritage.

      For more information visit mackinacparks.com. A downloadable version of this release can be found here. Additional or higher resolution pictures available upon request. This event will also take place on September 1. 

Join us on the Village of Mackinaw Marina lawn. It's the Mackinaw Woman's Club 19th year of hosting the Strawberry Social! $5 per bowl of yummy biscuits, ice cream and cut strawberries! Served with love and care! All proceeds go to support Mackinaw Woman's Club programs! A tasty community event.

The Straits Area Concert Band will open the 41st season of Music in Mackinaw with its traditional pre-fireworks concert at 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 4 at Mackinaw City’s Conkling Heritage Park.

The band is open to any musician wanting to play. Some players travel 100 miles one way for the regular Tuesday rehearsals that precede their concerts. Under the direction of Doug White, the band specializes in marches, show tunes, and American music with guest vocalists and guest conductors. Patriotic marches will form the core of the setlist for the July 4 show.

Great Lakes Irish will take the stage at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 5, presenting songs of Ireland and telling the story of the Irish immigration to America. Led by Doug Berkshire, the group features acoustic guitar, bass guitar, fiddle, and mandolin with three vocalists.

The popular 126th Army Band’s rock group Live Fire returns to Mackinaw City for an 8 p.m. concert on Saturday, July 6. Known as “The Governor’s Own,” the group will feature a break-out section of musicians who will perform a rock ‘n roll show for the Mackinaw City audience.

Music in Mackinaw operates as a volunteer committee under the auspices of the Village of Mackinaw City and the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for the one-hour shows, held at the park’s Roth Performance Shell.

For more information, contact Mike Fornes, Music in Mackinaw Chairman, at (231) 436-5050 or mikefornes@gmail.com

CHEBOYGAN, MI: Citizens National Bank is excited to announce the appointment of Samantha Gould as the new Director of Marketing and Community Relations. Samantha joins the bank following the retirement of Nancy Lindsay, who has served the bank with distinction for over 20 years as Vice President of Marketing.

Samantha brings a wealth of experience in strategic marketing, community engagement, and omnichannel marketing strategies. Her proven track record includes developing and executing impactful marketing initiatives for businesses, including those in the banking industry. Samantha's expertise will be invaluable in driving the bank's marketing efforts and enhancing our community relations.

"We are thrilled to welcome Samantha to our team," said Matthew Keene, President & CEO of Citizens National Bank. "Her extensive experience and innovative approach to marketing will be instrumental in continuing the legacy of excellence established by Nancy Lindsay. Samantha’s background in collaborating with small and medium-sized businesses aligns perfectly with our commitment to supporting the local community."

Before joining Citizens National Bank, Samantha served as the Marketing Manager at SharedTEAMS, a full-service marketing agency, where she managed a cross-functional marketing team, ensured marketing efforts maintained compliance with industry laws and brand policies, and developed omnichannel marketing strategies.

Samantha's career also includes roles at a community college and public library where she honed her skills in public relations, social media, and brand visibility. Her collaborative leadership style and passion for community engagement make her a perfect fit for Citizens National Bank.

"I am honored to join Citizens National Bank and look forward to contributing to the bank’s marketing and community relations efforts," said Samantha Gould. "I am eager to leverage my experience to drive strategic marketing initiatives that align with the bank's objectives and support our community."

Samantha holds a Bachelor of Arts in Writing from Bluffton University in Bluffton, OH, and has earned a certification in HubSpot Marketing Software. Her diverse skill set includes campaign management, content marketing, and digital communications, positioning her to lead the bank's marketing efforts effectively. Samantha resides in Levering, MI, with her husband David and daughter Ruth.

As Samantha steps into her new role, Citizens National Bank extends its deepest gratitude to Nancy Lindsay for her two decades of dedicated service. Nancy has been a cornerstone of the bank's marketing and community outreach, and her contributions have left a lasting impact on the bank and the community.

Citizens National Bank is a full-service community bank headquartered in Cheboygan, MI, with branches in Onaway, Mackinaw City, Pellston, Indian River, Alanson, and Petoskey. Visit www.cnbismybank.com to learn more.

Mark your calendar for Thursday, July 25 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm for the annual BIG Garage Sale at St. Anthony Catholic Church located at 600 W. Central Ave. in Mackinaw City.

Market Update from Coldwell Banker Fairbairn Realty

Do you have a home, condo, acreage/lot, or commercial property you'd like us to sell?

Start your selling journey today on ➡ www.FairbairnRealty.com and contact your favorite Coldwell Banker Fairbairn Realty REALTOR®

📲Call us at 231.548.9336

🏠www.FairbairnRealty.com

Job & Volunteer Opportunities

If you or someone you know is looking for employment, check out the link below for a listing of our businesses looking for you!

If your business is hiring, email a brief job description including contact information to Kelly or Amy to include on our website employment link. 

Mission Membership Partners

Community Marketing Membership Partners

Premier Membership Partners

Thank You to our current Membership Partners for your continued support of the Greater Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce and the greater Mackinaw community! Contact us to find out how you can join these businesses and become a membership partner at 231-436-5574 or by email.