DPW employees and village administrative staff members collect and report local weather as part of a NWS program in northern Michigan that covers 25 counties (23 in northern lower and two in the UP).

The National Weather Service's Cooperative Observer Program consists of nearly 12,000 observers across the nation and is considered to be "the backbone of the nation's climate record,-Berger said. "The vast majority, including the Kalkaska DPW, are unpaid volunteers, who perform data collection tasks daily É taking temperature and precipitation readings and sending them into their supervising NWS office.

"Some take part in the program because of their strong interest in the weather.ÊOthers do it out a sense of service to their community.Ê The good folks in Kalkaska are made up of both camps.Ê Their efforts are greatly appreciated É both locally and nationally."

The Kalkaska DPW actually took over weather observations in 1972, which puts their service record over the 35 year mark. The NWS Length of Service awards for institutional observers run in 25 year increments, as opposed to individual observers in a private residence, whose awards run in five year increments.Ê "When reviewing coop observers for 35 year awards, we discovered the 10 year old error,"

Berger said. "Knowing the quiet dedication of this group of individuals, we felt we had to make things right.Ê It's bad enough that these unsung heroes don't get the recognition they deserve, but then when they're due, only to fall through the cracks.

"I can't apologize enough.Ê However, I've come to know Craig Wood (DPW supervisor) over the past couple of years and know him to be a pretty easy going, and good humored fellow.Ê So I know he'll appreciate the fact that at least the award wasn't presented posthumously."

Weather records from the Kalkaska cooperative observing site are archived at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina, where they are available for public and private climatological studies.

Compiled by Heidi Berden. Berden can be reached at hberden@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-258-4600.