A Party for R.J. Peterson

Guests at Tower Marina in Douglas talk before lunch is served Friday, Dec. 23, to celebrate the 85th birthday of R.J. Peterson, front right. Peterson’s birthday is Dec. 31.

R.J. Peterson, right, at Tower Marina.

R.J. Peterson was busy upstairs at Tower Marina early this afternoon. He was filling out state permit requests for dredging in Kalamazoo Lake.

Downstairs, friends and marina employees were busy arranging snacks, sandwich fixings and, of course, the large sheet cake to celebrate the marina owner’s 85th birthday.

Sealed envelope in hand, Peterson came down the stairs to cheers from more than a dozen people.

As he mingled with the crowd, Peterson talked about dredging and the move to consolidate Saugatuck and Douglas cities with Saugatuck Township.

Marina worker Kim Rewa briefly protested, telling Peterson that this was a birthday celebration, not a time for working.

Peterson just smiled and kept on chatting until he was called to cut the cake that said: “Merry Christmas and happy Birthday R.J.”

His birthday is actually Dec. 31.

Keewatin site

The Great Lakes steamship Keewatin is now floating in Kalamazoo Lake for the first time in decades. The ship had been resting in mud until dredging removed the sediment earlier this week.

The ship will be towed out of the harbor in June to its new home in Canada.

To see a video of the dredging site, visit:

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/videos/x1282423391/Keewatin-Dredging-Site