Paddling for a Cause

commenced a midwestern courtship, and ended with their marriage in 1915. Though Bettina gave up her Indianapolis home for a new one in Cincinnati, she would not give up Walloon, as John bought a parcel near the old hotel, along a short loop of road, Indiana Avenue, as a gift to his young wife. John, though no architect, was a confident engineer, so he designed, and with the assistance of George Depew, built the simple clapboard cottage that still stands today. The year was about 1918. Who named the cottage 'Breezy Bank' has been lost in the shadows of time, but there is no doubt about the northwesterly breezes for which it was named.”

John's cousin Margaret "Pinky" McCutcheon Wagner, with help from brother John McCutcheon and daughter Brigitta Wagner, continues the family story:

“Bettina Hargrave and her sister Louise Dixon, who spent her summers at Breezy Bank, tended vast flower gardens, always toiling in dresses and big, straw hats. Our grandfather John was a golfer and loved fishing. His large bass still sits above the fireplace. The young Balkes became close friends with their first cousins, the Hargrave girls: Betty (Johnson), Peggy (McCutcheon), and Joan (Frondorf), who spent summers at the Hargrave cottage ‘Breezy Bank’ on Lake Grove Road. Thus began an era of generosity and warmth between the two families that continues today in their descendants.

My mother Peggy Hargrave, a sailor, loved the active and relaxing summers on the West Arm of Walloon. In August 1941, she married my father Ted McCutcheon at Breezy Bank. Ted had grown up swimming and sailing on nearby Torch Lake and went on to establish McCutcheon Boat Works after World War II, in Walloon Lake, later in Charlevoix.”

Today cousins Margaret (Pinky) McCutcheon Wagner, Ginny Wohlgemuth Doggett, Ted McCutcheon Jr., Barbara Wohlgemuth, John Frondorf, Jan Wingenroth, Ellen Johnson Ziegler, Steve Frondorf, John McCutcheon, David Fenstermaker, Alan McCutcheon, Holly Wingenroth Lambert, Kris Wingenroth, and their families still cherish the family's unique legacy on Walloon. "Breezy Bank" plus the original site of "Idle Wild" still remain in the family and are generously shared with the extended family.

WALLOONER BRINGS AWARENESS TO MICHIGAN’S BEAUTIFUL BUT TROUBLED WATER

Last summer we shared a short adventure story about Wallooner, William Wright, and his friends paddling from Walloon to Elk Rapids. During their trek, they saw near record high water, shoreline erosion, and the ferocity of a Lake Michigan storm. Most concerning to them however was seeing a Lake Michigan that wasn’t entirely how they remembered it. Since their initial journey, Wright has been motivated to learn more about the changes affecting the Great Lakes. Talking to individuals that have dedicated their lives to studying and protecting Michigan and its water exposed Wright to issues that were right in front of him.

Ultimately their experiences last summer inspired an upcoming 425 mile, 45 day paddle expedition from Mackinac Island to Lansing. This month, Wright and his co-paddler will embark on a journey to further investigate the man-made issues facing the Great Lakes. Joined by a film crew, their team will show the beauty of the Great Lakes, Northern Michigan, and the Grand River as they dive into topics including the Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, invasive species leading to the death of the fishing industry, climate change affecting our iconic fruit industry, and farming runoff altering our watersheds. Along their journey, Wright will meet with business owners, politicians, tribal leaders, scientists, farmers, fishermen and the general public to capture stories that reflect, not only the beauty of Lake Michigan, but also the closeness we are to forever changing it.

Wright and his team hope that their independent film will contextualize the issues their non-profit partners fight every day; bringing the myriad of issues affecting our home to the forefront. If you would like to learn more about the project, visit their website at troubledwaterfilm.com.