ESCANABA — I have heard my friend Craig Woerpel explain on the radio, “That in the U.P., Mother Nature decides when spring comes.” We had a little taste of spring weather and then our reward of a few snow storms to remind us where we live. The calendar says that we should have our clocks “Spring Ahead” at 2 a.m. on Sunday March 12. That has to be a sure sign that spring is on its way. I really like the seasonal changes and especially the transition from winter to spring.

Everything is coming back in some form of renewal, the grime from the winter is soon washed away by spring showers. Another reason for optimism is the start of a new Delta Force Leadership program this past Thursday. It is amazing to see that the program is still flourishing after 20 plus years. We have 25 young area leaders that are taking advantage of the 2023 program. It is refreshing to see our area businesses’ investment in the development of their employees. I will have my time with them in September during Economic Development Day. I am always impressed how engaged they are & leave the sessions feeling better about our future. Many of our area civic and business leaders have participated in the program.

I also received my invite to participate in this year’s Mock Interview sessions at Gladstone High School in April. I really enjoyed the sessions I had with some of our other future leaders. It is very rewarding to be able to help others succeed and hopefully be more confident as they prepare for future career events. I know how much I appreciated many of my mentors through the years and the positive insight they gave freely to make my situation easier. Many of our area businesses and organizations take part in this very worthwhile event.

It won’t be too long and we will see people participating in some of our non-winter outdoor events. I always appreciate how much talent we have on our youth sports teams and the community pride they generate. The area golf courses will soon be open and we will have an opportunity to help many of our local charities during their golf events. Two of my favorites are the Chamber event on Thursday, June 1 and the Island Resort Championship will take place the week of June 19th. It is always wonderful to hear the positive comments from our visitors about the area and the people they have interacted with during their visit.

Speaking of visitors, I am sure you have heard that American Queen Voyages have added Escanaba as one of their ports during their Great Lakes excursions for 2023. Between May and the first week of October there will be 26 tentatively schedule stops in Escanaba. This will be another opportunity to share the beauty, history and culture of Delta County with many people that will have their first experience in the U.P. The cruise stops will have a very positive impact on our local economy.

While we have a lot of projects and opportunities in our area in 2023, it looks like this year will be a great year for the area.

Best wishes.

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Ed Legault is the director of the Delta County Economic Development Alliance