One question we hear a lot is, “Where’s Karen these days?”

For several years, Karen and I were both on Drummond Island full time, but this year looks a little different. While I continue living on the island year-round, Karen is now based in Grand Rapids, where she works behind the scenes for Northern Properties. She’s still very much involved—managing payroll, staff schedules, homeowner communications, inventory, and countless other details that keep everything running smoothly—but she also gets to spend more time with longtime friends and enjoy her home downstate.

Many of you know that we rent our home on Willoughby Island whenever Karen isn’t staying there. It has become one of our guests’ favorite vacation homes, but it’s also where our family gathers whenever we can steal a little time together.

That balance has reminded us of something we’d almost forgotten.

Long before Northern Properties existed, before we managed vacation homes or answered guest calls, our family came to Drummond Island for one week every July. For more than 25 years, we spent our annual vacation at Wa-Wen Resort, counting down the days until we could return.

Those weeks shaped so many of our favorite family memories: long days on the water, evening campfires, exploring the island with no particular destination, and simply being together.

Looking back, it’s amazing to realize that those family vacations eventually grew into the business we have today.

Now, when Karen comes north, we make a conscious effort to experience Drummond Island the way we did all those years ago. We take the paddleboards out, enjoy dinner on the deck, watch the sunset, or simply sit together without talking about work. Those moments remind us that while we’re fortunate to help others create vacation memories, it’s just as important to make our own.

We hope you’re finding time to do the same this summer.

Whether this is your first visit or you’ve been coming to Drummond Island for decades, thank you for allowing us to be a small part of your family’s traditions. We know how meaningful those weeks together can become—because ours eventually changed the course of our lives.

See you up north,

Amy & Karen

Northern Properties Vacation Home Rentals