Don Jess loves Charlevoix because...

I love Charlevoix because I was raised here and people know me and my family. Sometimes people say, “oh you’re Bob’s son” or call me by one of my older brother’s names and it’s always with a smile because in Charlevoix and any small town, your reputation precedes you. I love that about a small town and I’m excited to teach my two sons that in Charlevoix, our small town, your reputation can be a tremendous asset for you when you are older. The connections you make in this small town can provide tremendous opportunities for you later in life. 

I love Charlevoix because my two boys were born here at the Charlevoix Area Hospital. We had better care during our stay than we would have had anywhere else and that is because in our town people know you. For two days we were the only family there with a newborn. The doctors and nurses are fantastic and we’ll forever be grateful for the individualized care we received during our overnight stays. 

I love Charlevoix because my wife and I met here. We were both counselors at Camp McSauba. In our town, businesses trust in the youth that we raise and hire local. This summer my son spent the night at McSauba and it was the highlight of his summer. The counselors are amazing and they make everyone feel special by making sure everyone is rewarded with an individualized award at the end of the week. Just one more way people in our town make others feel special. 

I love Charlevoix because you can bring your kids to a birthday party AND leave them at their friend’s house for a couple hours because in our small town you know all the parents and they have the same values as your family does and they treat your kids as their own. In Charlevoix, your kids friend’s parents are your friends and for fun you play games, meet at the beach, go to the library, meet for movies at the movie theater, and coach T-Ball together because that’s just what we do in Charlevoix.

I love Charlevoix because Santa visits on a fire truck and our Christmas tradition, similar to other locals,  includes seeing the lights at Dale and Marilyn Boss’ and having our picture taken with Baby Jesus  which reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas while we’re there. 

I love Charlevoix because my children’s teachers know my wife and me by our first names and they treat my kids as their own. They want the best for them and go above and beyond for them while sacrificing their own family just to make sure my student is succeeding and having a fantastic school experience.

I love Charlevoix because we spell “Rayders” with a y and maroon is a color that is worn with pride. Our seven year old wants to wear his Rayder gear and  Fridays are football nights. When my son says “everyone is at the game” he’s right. People help out and support our teams. They encourage coaches and offer donations when purchases need to be made and money needs to be raised.

I love Charlevoix for a lot of reasons, but I really love the people in this community. We are a caring and hardworking community. Sure we have our differences from time to time, but people look out for each other and me and my family, that’s something you can’t put a value on and wouldn’t find in other towns or bigger cities.

My name is Don Jess and I love Charlevoix.