MIBowhunter
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Banquet will benefit Fly Factory in Grayling
October 23, 2003
It's not unusual for a small business to fail these days. But when word got out that the Fly Factory in Grayling might go under, dozens of customers and friends of owner Steve Southard rallied to put on a benefit banquet they hope will keep the 70-year-old institution alive.
The event will be held Nov. 1 at the Holiday Inn in Grayling. It will include a dinner and silent and live auctions of items that run the gamut from handcrafted bamboo fly rods to guided trips on rivers across the United States.
"I'm overwhelmed -- humbled and overwhelmed," said Southard, who has run the business for 23 years and whose family has owned it since 1979. "I knew I had friends, but something like this . . . what do you say?"
Southard was named the 2003 conservationist of the year by the Paul Young chapter of Trout Unlimited. His company includes Ray's Canoe Livery, one of the state's largest canoe rental firms, and the Fly Factory, a trout fishing shop whose customers come from across the country to fish the Au Sable and Manistee rivers.
The business, founded in the 1930s as Sailor Bill's Fly Factory, sits on the banks of the Au Sable and is the launch site for the annual Au Sable Canoe Marathon. The sluggish national economy, poor weather this summer and the illness of a family member have put the business in jeopardy.
Nick Majeske, a Trout Unlimited member from Allen Park and longtime Fly Factory customer, examined Southard's records and was convinced the company could survive if it could get over a cash crunch. So he joined sculptor Ed Walicki and wildlife artist Bob Perrish in organizing a benefit.
To purchase tickets ($30-$100) or learn more about the auction, call 248-305-5557 or go online to www.stevesfriends.com. By Eric Sharp
October 23, 2003
It's not unusual for a small business to fail these days. But when word got out that the Fly Factory in Grayling might go under, dozens of customers and friends of owner Steve Southard rallied to put on a benefit banquet they hope will keep the 70-year-old institution alive.
The event will be held Nov. 1 at the Holiday Inn in Grayling. It will include a dinner and silent and live auctions of items that run the gamut from handcrafted bamboo fly rods to guided trips on rivers across the United States.
"I'm overwhelmed -- humbled and overwhelmed," said Southard, who has run the business for 23 years and whose family has owned it since 1979. "I knew I had friends, but something like this . . . what do you say?"
Southard was named the 2003 conservationist of the year by the Paul Young chapter of Trout Unlimited. His company includes Ray's Canoe Livery, one of the state's largest canoe rental firms, and the Fly Factory, a trout fishing shop whose customers come from across the country to fish the Au Sable and Manistee rivers.
The business, founded in the 1930s as Sailor Bill's Fly Factory, sits on the banks of the Au Sable and is the launch site for the annual Au Sable Canoe Marathon. The sluggish national economy, poor weather this summer and the illness of a family member have put the business in jeopardy.
Nick Majeske, a Trout Unlimited member from Allen Park and longtime Fly Factory customer, examined Southard's records and was convinced the company could survive if it could get over a cash crunch. So he joined sculptor Ed Walicki and wildlife artist Bob Perrish in organizing a benefit.
To purchase tickets ($30-$100) or learn more about the auction, call 248-305-5557 or go online to www.stevesfriends.com. By Eric Sharp
