To the Journal editor:

“We are at our best when we are grateful.” — Matthew Kelly

And we are grateful when we know that people whom we trust have done their best. PA ‘Mick’ Kreis has done that for the larger Trenary community through his service at the health clinic in this small, rural U.P. town.

Over the years Mick has offered, along with his medical wisdom and experience, a smile, a hug, a joke, an admonition and his advice for countless people who have come to trust his presence in our communities.

He’s shared his own medical challenges, his pride in his children and grandchildren, his pride in his military service with all of us, making him a source of medical advice that we recognized as ‘one of us’.

When he decided to cut back on his hours of medical practice, he chose to still service the clinic in Trenary on a part-time basis, and we were grateful.

When he decided to ‘really’ retire, he worked with our new doctor, assuring us that, to the best of his ability, he would make sure that this new person would be a good fit for us.

And so we welcome Dr. Kathryn Lerche. But we also want to make sure that PA Kreis knows how much he was appreciated here. He gave more than medical service; he gave his best!

Thank you, Mick!

BEN AND DENISE BARTLETT

Traunik