Past-E-Mail

Past-E-Mail: Cam Notes - 2003: November: Nov 01-03

Mainstreet Calumet ...scroll down to share comments

This week's awards ...scroll down to share comments

By Courtesy of the Daily Mining Gazette on Saturday, November 1, 2003 - 08:31 pm:

Main Street program wins chamber award
By GARRETT NEESE
Gazette Writer
HOUGHTON — In a night set aside to honor people, the big winner was a project dedicated to reinvigorating the Calumet-area business district. Main Street Calumet received the Keweenaw Peninsula Chamber of Commerce “Person” of the Year award Thursday at the chamber’s annual awards banquet. Main Street Director Tom Tikkanen said the award, like the project, transcends Calumet. “It’s not about Calumet, it’s not about Laurium, it’s not about Houghton, but a community called the Keweenaw,” he said. Main Street is a federal program designed to create economic growth by marketing historic aspects of a community, encouraging new construction and rehabilitating old and dilapidated structures. Calumet received its Main Street designation in June. Tikkanen said he appreciates the support the project has received from area businesses. “We’re very, very pleased with the vote of confidence from the community of the Keweenaw,” he said. “We’re just getting started, and to receive this is a surprise, but we appreciate the recognition, because it’s been a tremendous effort.”

Also Thursday, the Keweenaw Industrial Council presented Charlie Hopper of Pasty.net and Pasty Central with the Business of the Year award. Pasty Central began in 1996 as a way to promote Stillwaters Assisted Living Community with a Web site showing pictures of the Copper Country and Stillwaters residents making pasties. The business grew to sell 50,000 pasties annually and spun off the local Internet service provider Pasty.net, which now receives more than 6 million hits per month. Hopper said his company’s next big project will be to set up “hot spots” for wireless technology at the Houghton County Airport. He hopes to follow this with similar efforts in downtown Calumet and some isolated backwoods areas. “We’re just going to continue our efforts to get wireless out to the unserved communities — the ones that don’t have broadband,” Hopper said.

By Mary Drew on Saturday, November 1, 2003 - 08:49 pm:

Congratulations Charlie and on a well deserved award. This site is something special for so very many people. Now that I'm seeing firsthand how much time Charlie Hopper puts into this site and into Pasty.net, it's appreciated that much more. Thank you Charlie!

By Ms. Katie, Ill. on Saturday, November 1, 2003 - 09:21 pm:

Congratulations to everyone involved with the pasty.com, the Assisted Living people and everyone who's made each of my days since discovering this wonderful site and all who are involved in any way. I'm proud to consider myself a "descendt" of the area and it's people. WAY TO GO!

By RD, Iowa on Saturday, November 1, 2003 - 09:23 pm:

Congrats to the Mainstreet Gang for their persistance to gain this designation. The national Mainstreet program is a dynamic project, which Calumet should be proud to be part of.

And a standing ovation for the business of the year, just down the block from Mainstreet. Way to go pasty people!

By Nancy, Massachustts on Saturday, November 1, 2003 - 09:47 pm:

Yay for youse guys!

By Donna on Saturday, November 1, 2003 - 09:56 pm:

CONGRATULATIONS!

Hey Charlie...get Baraga online! I'm still waiting!

By Me. Mi. on Saturday, November 1, 2003 - 10:03 pm:

How about doing something useful on 4th. street,
like putting the free parking on the opposite
side of the street so us older folks do not have to cross a heavy traffic street to be able to
shop on 5th. street. What say? A retired local.

By Kevin K. Lodi, Ca. on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 12:59 am:

Congrat's to you all.
Keep up the great work. I really enjoy this site, come to it every day. Even tho I was raised below the bridge, it gives me a sense of home.

By Jim, Twin Cities Grandson of a Yooper however temporary he may have been on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 01:33 am:

Congratulations Charlie and company. You guys are fantastic. This is a wonderful website. I enjoy it very much and learn so much from it. And the beneficiaries of it are so deserving. You deserve the recognition. Keep up the good work.

By Mary Lou on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 06:02 am:

Congratulations Charlie and company!!!....and thank you for all you do for us.....especially the unique way in which the wonderful history of the area is being preserved for all time. I think if this website had not been developed so much of the history would have been lost....this site is a gathering place for those of us who are interested in seeing it preserved. It's a way we can honor those who came here to this wilderness and gave us the qualities that make us "Someplace Special"...

By Gliderrider on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 06:02 am:

I just want to say a "Huge" Thank You to Charlie and Company for creating such a great place of communication and a place for all of us to express ourselves through photography. Kudo's to you all.

By Gliderrider on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 06:26 am:

Congratulations to Charlie and all of you at Pasty Central for making this a great place of communication and a fantastic historical archive. It has also become a dynamite place for us Camists to express ourselves through photography. Thanks all.

By Gliderrider on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 06:28 am:

Sorry about the double post. Only thought one posted. LOL

By Leslie at the Northern Lights Lodge - Cadillac on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 09:03 am:

Congratulations to Charlie and everyone at Pasty Central whose dedication make this such a great site!

By geri, kingsford on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 10:23 am:

congratulations to charlie and staff, this is the best site ever, it is a daily stop for me, as i enjoy the photos, the information, and the fun everyone has on this site. the things i have learned about the keewenau and the u.p. is wonderful. keep up the good work and a big thank you for all your efforts

By John P MI on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 12:30 pm:

I'm sure Charlie knows how dedicated I am to this site. He and others have had to put up with me twice when I was unable to connect to the site. Thanks Charlie and, to those that haven't found out yet, Charlie has the patience of a saint.

By Connie - Colorado on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 04:28 pm:

So does anyone know the names of the individuals in the awards photo? I would like to know who they all are!

By Mary Drew on Sunday, November 2, 2003 - 10:03 pm:

Connie - Colorado,
I can't name them all, but I know a few of them...

Top photo: Tom Tikkanen, holding the placque, second from the right - Frank Fiala, Keweenaw National Historic Park Superintendent.

Bottom photo: Good-looking gent on the right - Charlie Hopper

Sorry I don't know more of the folks, perhaps Charlie can fill in the blanks.

By Connie - Colorado on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 - 10:50 pm:

Mary,
The guy on the right is Charlie? He's much younger than I thought he was!! He might be younger than I am!

Congratulations!!!

By BJS on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 - 12:13 pm:

I love this photo as do all the old ones of Calumet. I am very excited about the Main Street event. Just a point I noticed in this old picture the first time I saw it--the road was in pretty bad shape even then and could have been a clue of what was under the asphalt????