‘In the Pits’: Veliquette book shares 45 years of cherries and family

By: 
Barb Mosher, Contributing Writer

Photo by Barb Mosher

Norm Veliquette has written a book detailing the history of GLPC, a business he grew from an idea into a successful family venture over 45 years. He retired in 2016 but stops by the facility regularly to keep up with family and friends.

 

KEWADIN – Norm Veliquette believes everyone has a story to tell. His story happens to be about cherries and family – lots of cherries and lots of family.

“I just feel the urge to make a record of stories I think have significance,” he said, resting his hand on the cover of his newest book, “45 in the PITS!” which chronicles his four-and-a-half decades in the cherry processing industry until his 2016 retirement. The Elk Rapids Area Historical Society (ERAHS) will host a book release celebration open to the public at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 24at Great Lakes Packing Company (GLPC), 6556 Quarterline Road in Kewadin.

“This is my story, but it’s more than my story,” Veliquette explained. “It’s the story of a family business and an iconic industry that has changed a lot during my lifetime.”

“45 in the PITS!” is a year-by-year narrative of the development and growth of GLPC, the business he started in 1972 alongside his cherry-growing twin brothers, Gene and Dean. That partnership and its various off-shoot enterprises continue to provide purposeful and profitable work for a number of their siblings and successive generations, as well as opportunities for hundreds of seasonal and year-round employees.

Read the full story in our regular edition of The Review. To subscribe to the paper for just $34 a year, which includes access to our full online e-edition, please go to the subscription page on this website at: http://www.antrimreview.net/subscribe/

 

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