Preach and Bonnie Altman to lead Hawks? weekend festivities
by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor
So many Hawks area residents have been honored during the annual Spring Fling celebration. It was only a matter of time before founder Carl “Preach” Altman’s turn would come around. That will be this year, during the 23rd year of the event. Altman and his wife Bonnie, will lead the parade Sunday at 1 p.m.
The couple, married since 2003, is looking forward to serving as parade co-grand marshals during a celebration, which officially ushers in summer in Presque Isle County. For Altman, it is a fitting tribute to a man who brought a community together to celebrate the grand opening of the business he purchased with his late wife Jackie (Lyons) in 1987. They purchased the Night Hawk Inn in October 1986 and decided it was too late in the year for a grand re-opening, so they waited until after winter. The first “Fling,” as is the case this year, had a softball tournament.
FOLKS HAD such a good time that Altman and other people of the community felt compelled to keep it going. “Someone said, ?this is a lot of fun, you should do this every year.’ ” What followed was the establishment of the Hawks Community Improvement Association (CIA) and the building of other event staples such as the chicken barbecue dinner, kiddie games and the parade.
In the early years, it wasn’t always during the Memorial Day weekend, but it soon nestled into its usual place on the calendar.
“The parade didn?t start right away,” said Altman. “(Former Hawks proprietor) Tom Hanson believed there should be a parade. It ran the other way through town.” Altman said, “It brought people together and made people proud of the town.” The Spring Fling reached a crescendo in 1996 when the tiny town celebrated its centennial. “MY NAME was brought up before for grand marshal, but I kind of pushed it off,” said Altman. He said there are other worthy candidates, who have been involved since the events inception.
Altman shares many of the organizational responsibilities with his wife of six years. Bonnie and Preach start putting the main components of the mini festival together in February.
?There is a lot to it,? said Bonnie, who works 16 to 19 hours days during the weekend. ?It is just nice when you s
And if you wondering where a bar owner received such an interesting nickname, it?s not because he?s preaching from behind the bar, it?s because Altman once studied theology. ?Over the years I have remained active with Sunday school teaching,? said Preach. ?I?m currently taking some classes to do some lay ministry work.?
The couple attends St. John Lutheran Church of Hagensville. Preach also worked 30 years at Michigan Limestone Operations, before retiring. He currently is chairman of the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners.