Heartfelt Thanks
Submitted by: Lisa Howie
Thank you from the Howie family….
This past Memorial Day weekend was the annual Turtle Ridge Rock Crawling contest held on Drummond Island. Our son, Jesse Howie lowed participating in that competition, and had spend hours working on his jeep the past couple of months, getting it ready for this weekend.
He competed in 2008 for the first time, and placed 3rd, which meant he was automatically invited to compete in 2009, which he did, and took 2nd place.
His spotter (team mate) both years was Jesse’s good friend AJ Spaay, and they were an awesome team.
When Jess passed away unexpectedly on May 5 of this year, just three weeks before the competition, AJ and their friends decided they’d like to take on the challenge of running Jesse’s Jeep in that race.
AJ was the natural choice to drive, and we all chose Jesse’s close friend Josh LaCombe to spot him. They too were an awesome team, putting on a very exciting show and taking a very proud 2nd place in Jesse’s honor.
Jess loved Drummond Island for the off-roading experiences it provided.The deeper the mud, the higher the cliffs to climb or drop off of, and the more friends around to share it with, the happier he was.
But what really made this weekend special for Joe, Lea, and myself was the number of friends who made the drive and spent the money to share in that emotional roller coaster weekend.
It meant the world to us, guys, every moment, every hug, every tear, every belly laugh…. Each of you helped us heal the hurt of losing Jess, and we hope it helped you too.
We’d like to thank so many people, it’s just impossible to know where to start, but we’re going to try…
Tony Amato, thank you for welding the things on the jeep that Jess didn’t get to and for making those welds as beautiful as Jess would have wanted. (He was such an artist when it came to his welding). Mobert Markillie, Josh LaCombe, and AJ Spaay for tweaking the mechanical work.
Crystal LaCombe – those t-shirts were awesome and absolutely perfect!
And thank you to Logo Pros for getting them out so quickly, even though we drove you nuts with pressure, it meant the world to us to wear them at the event.
AJ and Josh, you couldn’t have done a finer job tackling those courses and working as a team, giving the crowd such an exciting show. We are so proud of you both, and so thankful that you wanted to do this for Jess!
Jeremy Loper, how can we possibly thank you and all the people who helped you for one of the most beautiful gifts of the weekend – that plaque just took our breath away.
And for your guys to pick Jesse’s favorite spot on the island (Marblehead) to present it to us, well, it couldn’t have been any sweeter. Thank you.
Not to mention all the work the entire group went to providing a buffet for that hungry crowd!
Angie and Wayne Sobleski (and family), thank you for keeping our precious grand daughter/daughter overnight and all weekend so we didn’t have to worry about her for a moment, knowing she was in the best of hands.
Carlton and Shirley Howie, same goes for keeping Jesse’s precious Ada, for all the same reasons.
We hope the people on Drummond Island read this and know that we are so thankful for their hospitality and tolerance every time we invade their town – the Drummond Island Resort (LOVE your camp fire area, we sat for hours watching the stars, singing while the guys played guitar, and no one complained that we know of. That’s huge!) No wonder Jess loved that place.
The Bear Track Restaurant – you guys went above and beyond to accommodate the Boyne City crowd, and your staff treated us to the best service and pancakes – again, Jess always raved about you and your food!
Thank you to all the volunteers who work their butts off every year to put on the Turtle Ridge Rock Crawl and who acknowledges our love for Jess in so many ways, and so many times…
You guys from Unemployed Films who introduced yourselves t us and presented us with DVD’s of the YouTube video you put together…. That means so much to Jesse’s family and friends, to have those memories to watch forever of his smiling face.
And the guy who presented all the competitors with “In memory of” stickers for everyone to stick on their Jeeps… Just incredible that you would even think to make them someone you’d only met and jeeped with a couple times… Thank you for that.
Honestly, the list could go on and on, but please know that each and every one of you are special to us and you gave us a weekend to remember, to rejoice, to heal and to celebrate 25 years of having Jess in our lives. Like the t-shirts say, ‘This ride’s for you, Jess Howie’… And it was, Sweetie. It really was.
Joe, Lisa and Lea Howie (Soltis)
