What a fun adventure this has been! The ice has broken, the barrel is in and the first-ever Mustang Melt has officially come to a close — leaving behind a lot of laughter, plenty of excitement and even more hope for what’s ahead.
When we launched the Mustang Melt fundraiser in mid-March, the idea was simple: Bring the community together to guess when our Mustang-painted barrel — affectionately named “Bucky” — would fall through the ice in Munising Bay. Half the proceeds would go to the winner, and the other half would directly support student activities at Munising Middle/High School.
Getting to this point wasn’t easy. Inspired by the Teal Lake Meltdown, I thought at first it would be as simple as painting a barrel and setting it out.
But bringing the Mustang Melt to life took almost a year of planning, environmental permitting through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy — and a lot of patience.
Our first two attempts were foiled, once by ice that melted too soon and once by a winter that never froze safely enough. But we stuck with it, and this year, we finally made it happen.
Here’s how it all shook out:
• 118 guesses submitted and officially paid
• $610 was raised for the event
• $305 was awarded to the winner In an incredible act of generosity, our winner, Marvin Johnson, chose to donate his $305 prize right back to the students.
“I’m astonished that I won. Not a very educated guess, but it worked,” Johnson said. “The giving back is for the future of not only my children and grandchildren but for the future of all students. God blesses me, so that compels me to be a good steward and help others.”
The funds raised through the Mustang Melt will help us celebrate student achievement throughout the year — supporting ice cream socials, rewards days and no-tardy celebrations that recognize effort, growth and Mustang pride.
Beyond the numbers, what really made this special was the energy around it.
Updates on Bucky’s breakout and her slow (and sometimes very speedy) movement across the bay sparked so many conversations, online and around town. When heavy rain and strong winds finally broke Bucky free, the whole community jumped in to help keep tabs on her — until Joel Lasak launched a boat and safely wrangled her home.
The excitement we’ve seen has already set the stage for an even bigger event next year. We’re planning to start ticket sales earlier, expand payment options and connect with more families through events like basketball games.
From the bottom of my heart — and from everyone at Munising Public Schools — thank you. Your support made this new tradition possible, and your enthusiasm ensures it will only grow stronger.
We can’t wait to see where Bucky floats next year. Until then, we’ll keep cheering on our students — because when a community shows up like this, there’s no limit to what they can do.
Anyone wishing to support student activity rewards can make a donation to Munising Public Schools by stopping by the Munising Middle/High School office.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook @MustangMelt to stay tuned for next year’s adventure.
