Birch Clump, Michigan
Home of famous Across the River Bridge Walk
___________________________________________________
Native American Heritage Day
Celebrations Planned for Birch Clump

Birch Clump, October 18, 2008 - The Birch Clump Village council gave unanimous approval to begin discussions and to seek ways on how to properly celebrate the new Native American Heritage Day federal holiday that was made into law as of October 8th of this year when President Bush signed the H.J. Res. 62 into law establishing the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day.
     “Too many resolutions speaking of and favoring Native American self determination have been passed by governments and Church bodies,” Bro. Mandaamin told the council and villagers present, “That have only been filed away and not acted upon. I’d like to see our village move on this new Federal Holiday with vigor. Lets make November 28, 2008 count.”
     Several in attendance supported Mandaamin’s proposal declaring their interest or intent to plan for significant and well publicized events honoring and respecting Native American Heritage Day. It is estimated that about a third of the village residents are Native American or are of mixed ancestry to include native heritage.
     Fred Biwanag was given the microphone, “It is too easy to say wait until next year, there is not so much time for this year to plan. Heck, if all we can get going is to put out a fry bread breakfast over at one of the Churches and play some music; that would be something. We should do something like that if we can’t pull of something bigger. But I feel we can all come up with some events commemorating our heritage.
     “We all know some Elder relative who went through a lot to preserve our heritage. Lets begin honoring them and thanking them. I propose we do something special to honor Rev. Minwahjimo Winini Luke Matthews. You know, Our dear Abbot walked on a little over a year ago and he always talked about Elder John Bird and about The Man With a Good Message and how they got things going so that we have the freedoms we have today here in Birch Clump and in other parts of Indian Country. I say we honor them on this first ever Native American Heritage Day, and we honor the Elders still with us today that worked along with those respected ancestors, our elders Joseph Mandaamin, Cuahtlotatzin, Rubin, Bro. Moses, Grandmother Lillian Swanningson, Grandfather Jamie Fox and the others; you know like Grandmothers Rose Mountainflower and East Medicine Woman Singing.”

____________________________________________________
Labor Day Bridge Walk
Record Crowds

Birch Clump, Sept. 1, 2008 - The annual Birch Clump Bridge Walk was held, as usual on Labor Day. Over 5,000 people attended the festivities that began Friday evening at the Marina and across the street at the restaurant.
     Twin Friars, Bros. Mandaamin and Cuatlotatzin arrived along with four other friars from the Wisconsin monasteries associated with our own home town Annunciation Monastery. They are more or less credited with starting up the Birch clump annual bridge walk after they were delayed several hours trying to drive north over the more famous Mackinaw Bridge during that better known five mile annual Labor Day Drive back in 1980 or when ever.
     The Birch Clump Gazette was proud to help sponsor the event and to provide free cans of Dr. Pepper soda pop to folks participating in the morning portion of the 100 yard long bridge in Birch Clump. They ran out of free pop with the unexpected swell in participants this year.
     Bro. Joseph Mandaamin, OSJ, had written to the Dr. Pepper company a few times hoping to get a few free Dr. Pepper posters to attract visitors to this small village, but the company never responded to his requests.
     “Sgt. T. Douglas saw to it that the author of Hawk Dancer would include the mention of Dr. Pepper in the book, a history of sorts of this little place along Green Bay,” Mandaamin told the Gazette. “We weren’t asking the company for sponsorship or any kind of money. I just wanted to promote my favorite soft drink. We figured if we placed a Dr. Pepper poster next to our own village posters promoting the Bridge Walk, well, it would be a win-win for the pop company and for us.
     “Seems the least that company could do would be to write back and say No Way, not just ignore us.”
     The give-a-way of Dr. Pepper was through the Gazette and via donations for this purpose offered to the Monastery funds and donations from a local AA chapter. The organizers of the annual Bridge Walk place barriers up forbidding alcohol or non-prescribed drugs within the confines of the Bridge Walk and the event park way on either side of the bridge. The restaurant and Marina store has even voluntarily banned the sell of alcoholic beverages during the three day Labor Day weekend.

_____________________________
Cloudburst, the Novel is Published

Staten Island, NY - Bro. Joshua Seidl, SSP announces that his latest novel came out this past June 30, 2008. It retails for $24.95, and is available from Barnes and Noble and most other booksellers on line, and practically any walk in book store can order a copy for you. We have copies available at the Gazette offices and down at the General Store.
     Signed copies are available from the author at a generous discount. Click here contact the author directly via email. Click the HOME page key at the bottom of this page for details or click the photo of the either book cover on this page (Hawk Dancer or Cloudburst) to be taken to links that take you directly to the ordering site of Barnes & Noble, Target, Amazon, and other sellers carrying Bro Joshua’s books.

____________________________________________________

Gazette Mission Statement: Every reader counts.

____________________________________________________

--The Side Column--
Weather, Births, Sports
and other tidbits
___________________________

The Weather in Birch Clump as reported from near by Cedar River

If you want one of these nifty weather screens for your web site, just click the image above and learn how. Its so easy)


____________________

B.C. Job Rate

Birch clump, April 14, 2008 - The Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth office released state wide figures last week. Birch clump had an unemployment rate of 6.5%, one of the lowest figures for the State of Michigan.

     State wide average is 7.8%, with the Upper Peninsula averaging 9.2, up from 8.8 posted in January.

____________________

Figures leaked from the Department of Education reports that all students in Birch clump are above average. Residents who are not students were not included in the reports.
_______________________________
Village Bored Meeting - Bond issue was approved to pave the driveway at the Opera House. Mrs. Vivian Tress raised a concern about all the violence indecency on her DVD player and felt the village should do something about that. The unresolved dispute on tipped over garbage can continued. some residents blame it on possuoms, others on stray cats. Karl Karlsson offered video proof that neighborhood cats are to blame, but the Opera House DVD player was locked away at the last meeting. A viewing as to if it is cats or possoms has been postponed.
_______________
Year in review
June-June 2008-07




Click below to see all of the 2007-08 BC Gazette photos.



Strange metal object pulled from B.C. marina waters, June 2008

1. HOME PAGE
2. To order Hawk Dancer
3. SITE MAP
4. Reviews
5. About us
6. Read a selection
7. Illustrations by Kathy Johnson
8. Photos & art by Br. Joshua
9. Essays / Native issues
10. NATIVE NEWS (and video)
11. Ministry Links
12. Facts & FAQs
13. Village of Birch Clump
14. This Month's Short Story
15. free mini poster
16. Research & Resources
17. Quips from readers
18. Scheduale of Events
19. Why I Wrote Hawk Dancer
20. Audio Clip Messages
21. NEW: VIDEO by Joshua
__________________________
Cloud Burst HOME PAGE
The newest novel by Brother Joshua in the publicaiton process. Due out in print late May or June 2008.