Project Stephenson is a volunteer organization whose sole purpose is the beautification and improvement of the community.

Once the cold weather ceased, we went right into summer and that means flower planting in our City. Nick Diehm, Loren Hulsizer, Alvin Etelamaki and Pete Getzen tilled all the curbs along U.S. Highway 41 and Ron Leeseberg and Marvin Sundstrom prepared and fertilized all the planters in the downtown area.

Volunteers planting and tending city flowers this summer included: Tim and Jeanne Chaney, Cheryl & Larry Pepin, Ashley Zahorik & Danielle Macco, Bea Gerue and Donna Walli, Virginia Parrett and Irene Dishneau, Bev, Gary and Dana Anderson, Betty Parrett, Alv and Sharon Etelamaki, Aquila Resources, Hollie Phillippo, Karen Brzezinski, Brittany Hoeffler, Shirley Leaveck, Beth Mireau, and Jean Getzen.

Other supporters contributing monetary gifts were: the City of Stephenson, Loren and Ann Hulsizer, Alv and Sharon Etelamaki, Pete Getzen, Pastor Jim Mathews, Marian Gruenstern, Marion Suchovsky, Harold Oysti, Barb Wangerin, Lorraine Wangerin, Marla Tuinstra, and Donna Walli. The family of Cezonne Upton has donated money and created displays for the supertunia tree.

Still others contributing time and “talents” were: Bea Gerue, Irene Dishneau, Sharon Etelamaki, Karen Brzezinski, Cheryl Pepin, Jan Poisson, Ron Leeseberg and Marvin Sundstrom, all the ladies who furnished salads for the luncheon, the Krist Oil employees who graciously accept our glass bottles, the American Legion (use of the hall for the annual Salad Luncheon), Gary’s employees who help with the cans, the City of Stephenson for promoting community projects on the city sign, the Menominee County Journal for printing all the information of our city beautification projects and anyone else we may have missed who has supported our local community events.

Summer concerts began on June 14th with the Country Classics. Subsequent concerts included The Augustine Family Band, Lovin’ Country, Cathy Bolton, The Jack Clarkson Band and Ron Kendricks & Chuck Johnson.

The annual Salad Luncheon was held on June 24th at the American Legion Hall on River Rd. in Stephenson and money was raised to sponsor the summer events.

On December 7th the annual Christmas Tree Lighting was held in Veterans’ Park, near the gazebo, with the Assembly of God Church carolers, Santa Claus and the tree decorating by the children. Shirley Leaveck provided the candy for the children and the United Methodist Church provided cookies and hot chocolate for all to warm up afterwards.

The final event of the year, coordinated by Project Stephenson, was the Residential Lighting Contest. The judges were randomly selected, some from the city and some outside the city. Those receiving prizes were the Leo Fitt family, the Tim Harris family, the Al Oczus family, the Bob Brabec family, Tamara Walcher family, and the Ron Zahorik family. All prizes were U.S. Savings Bonds provided by the Wells Fargo Bank. Honorable mention went to the Jim Tharp family, the Stanley Lesperance family, the Keeter Kakuk family, Mary Ann Fadroski, and Cheryl Hanson.

Project Stephenson is a non-profit, all volunteer, organization whose sole purpose is the beautification and improvement of the community.