Marenisco offers free picnic at Lake Gogebic County Park

­By P.J. GLISSON

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Marenisco - The final day of 4th of July activities in Marenisco included a well-received picnic lunch in the pavilion of Lake Gogebic County Park on Friday.

The relaxed crowd enjoyed a free picnic lunch, including brats grilled by Marenisco Township trustee Dave Hagen, whose wife, Sally, was nearby.

"It's nice today," said Hagen of the day's balmy weather. "Good brats, too."

Afterward, kids played wiffle ball on the neighboring lawn under the direction of Karsten Gaardner of Marenisco, who also pitched.

"The great majority of the people here are residents, or they were residents," said Marenisco Township supervisor Richard Bouvette, who was there with his wife, Cheryl, and was chatting with various attendees such as Ed Wilke of Marenisco and Dave Beck of Marshall, Mich.

"We all camp here," said Wilke.

In referring to the campground that is part of the park, Bouvette said, "It's a pretty cheap way to come out and spend the summer at the lake."

He added that camping represents a good economic choice in comparison to people who own property on the lake.

At another table, Gogebic County Circuit Court Judge Michael Pope and his wife, Angie, visited with Kirt and Wendy Grasso while the Pope's dog, Jazzee, hung out next to them.

Outside, Ron Powell lounged under a tree while gazing at the lake, which included people waterskiing, fishing or just wading by the shore.

Powell said he's a Marenisco native who just moved back here after living in Marinette, Wis. He was with his grandkids, Matthew and Chase Montie and Brody Roberts, along with the boys' friends, Victoria Carlson and Kaylee Corporal, all from Wakefield.

According to township clerk Donna Kenney, this was the third year of the picnic.

Marenisco had an ambitious calendar of events to celebrate Independence Day. This included a pancake breakfast, a dunk tank, volleyball, a quarter scramble, a corn-hole toss, a mini log-rolling contest, a t-shirt challenge, kids' games and races, and several opportunities for meals and treats.

"For a little town, we have a lot of stuff going on," said Kenney. "We had a good time. It's been a busy week."

The clerk explained that the events were organized by Marenisco's Fourth of July committee, which she said could use more members to plan next year's festivities.

Township officials cancelled Thursday night's fireworks due to fog, but were expected to offer them Friday night as a culmination to the week.

Bouvette and Kenney said the township's next big event will be an inaugural Oktoberfest, for which the date is not yet set.