The old cliché still holds true. Each year newly minted small town high school and college graduates pack their bags and move to big cities, seeking opportunities they don't think their hometowns can offer.
At the same time, however, young people from big cities are settling in small towns, enjoying the peace, the abundance of woods, lakes and clean air, and the know-your-neighbor easygoing lifestyle.
These young people bring with them a new spirit and vitality to Upper Michigan towns that are sagging under the weight of the economic downturn. The
Young Professionals of the Upper Peninsula is a group that unites these men and women with a common goal of enhancing themselves and enhancing the future of their communities.
Iron Mountain Main Street manager and Young Professionals member Jonathan Ringel says the "young" in Young Professionals is actually a state of mind.
"The YP of the UP is actually a wide cross-section of people from 19 to 65 who gather to socialize and network in a relaxed setting. The idea was recommended to me by a local high school teacher from Minneapolis who desperately sought out a way to meet other local professionals who were committed to contributing to our community and being active. Assisting with local downtown efforts and volunteering was really made a side priority to simply building friendships and providing a social outlet," says Ringel.
For optometrist
Ryan Brown, YP of the U.P. gave him the connections he needed to establish friendships in his new hometown. Brown and his wife, Katie, a physician's assistant, knew "absolutely no one" when they moved to Kingsford less than two years ago.
"We heard through my employer that there was a young professionals group," Brown says. In fact, until he went to a YP event, he and his wife hadn't met a single person in their 20-something age group.
"It's a pretty solid group," Brown says. "We have a handful of organized get-togethers, but outside of that people get together, too."
While social events and networking are a large part of Young Professionals of the U.P., the group is also committed to enhancing small town life. In downtown Iron Mountain, group members are working on the
restoration of the Braumart Theatre. Once a movie theater, the building is now used for community theater productions, and plans are in the works to make it more of a cultural center for plays and concerts.
"The YP of the UP has helped to volunteer at downtown events including Italian Fest and Harvest on Hughitt Oktoberfest. There is renewed energy in the downtown, with many YP of the U.P. events and gatherings taking place downtown. One recent member has even started renting an apartment downtown to provide for walking to work. The group is engaging, active, and supportive of the local community. We have been able to bounce ideas and thoughts around about the community and are slowly becoming more engaged in community improvements," Ringel says.
And for the most part, says Brown, the community is open to the group's goals and ambitions.
"There's s handful of people who definitely want to see those things, people who have moved to the area, or people who left and came back. There are some people who lived here all their lives and they don't think things need to change, but for the most part people are accepting; they just need a group to spearhead efforts. That's why I like YP," he says.
Brown says he and his wife see themselves staying in the U.P. long term. While the couple enjoys small town life, their vision for a revitalized Iron Mountain-Kingsford area includes a more active cultural and social scene.
"I guess it would be nice to have centralized businesses and restaurants and lounges where people can get together and relax. I think it's getting better, but it would be great to have more places, where you could go to dinner and a play. An increasing cultural awareness would be a great thing to see. We come from big cities, so we miss that," he says.
Ringel's vision for Dickinson County's healthy economic future also includes new business opportunities.
"Dickinson County is strategically located and poised for continued growth. Our location at the gateway to the Upper Peninsula provides us direct access to much of the Wisconsin Northwoods and U.P. communities. The community will continue to benefit from projects such as the expansion of care at Dickinson County Healthcare System, new corporate offices for the Oldenburg Group, System Control expansion, addition of the Northern Lights YMCA, recent groundbreaking of the Dickinson County Bellin Healthcare Clinic, the new Fornetti Dental Center, completion of the Lake Antoine Bike Path and recent art gallery and restaurant expansions in the downtown," he says. "Dickinson County is moving in the right direction and the local business professionals are the driving force of the change."
Socializing, networking, connecting and developing, Young Professionals of the U.P. brings a fresh perspective, a new energy and a needed vitality to small town U.P. life.
Lifelong U.P. resident Deb Pascoe is an editorial assistant and columnist for The Mining Journal
, as well as a freelance writer. A collection of her columns, Life With a View
, is available in area bookstores.