A team of volunteers that included four employees of Specialty Granules of Pembine, Wis., along with two spouses of members of the Lake Antoine Park Partners, recently assembled the ADA-compliant picnic tables and benches.

SGI, a mining and mineral processing company that specializes in roofing products and building materials, is committed to local communities.

“That’s why each of our locations regularly engage in volunteer activities, support needs-based drives and provide meaningful charitable contributions to non-profit organizations,” a SGI spokesperson said.

The new pieces of furniture will be positioned on the newly poured concrete picnic area in front of the beach house.

THE VOLUNTEERS who worked at Lake Antoine Park’s Sunset Beach area — from left, in front are Specialty Granules employees Will Middlemas, Cameron Chudy, Peyton Ritchie and Craig Mazur; in back are Joe Hruska and Steve Rauch. (Doni-Mae Rauch photo)

New walkways have been added for easy access for wheelchairs and walkers to the lakefront and restrooms, as well as a large boulder wall to allow for stability.

Trees have also been planted in the area to provide shade, said LAPP member Doni-Mae B. Rauch, adding the areas around the concrete work will be filled, seeded or mulched.

Butterfly gardens will be replanted in the spring.

Since the time LAPP was formed in 2017, financial donations from the public and grants created opportunities for the volunteer board to meet their mission to preserve, improve, promote, and protect the park.

Sponsored benches include —

— In loving memory of Anne Jester by Matthew Jester;

— In memory of Gary W. Brooks/G. Brooks Electric Inc.;

— In honor of all Iron-Mountain Kingsford Community Federal Credit Union employees;

— In loving memory of Douglas R. Nelson Jr.;

— In loving memory of Buck and Judy Brooks;

— Riverside Auto Group;

— First Bank;

— Tourism Association of the Dickinson County Area.

The two handicapped-accessible picnic tables were sponsored by Kwik Trip and the Dickinson Area Community Foundation.

“Lake Antoine Park Partners appreciate all the folks who volunteer their time to work on projects,” Rauch said. “We could not do it without the volunteer manhours from the first workday in the spring of raking the winter away to now creating Sunset Beach’s picnic and sitting area when the fall is approaching.”

Phase I of the project will be finished for next spring.

A $50,000 Greenspace Enhancement Grant from The Toro Company and BOSS Snowplow will support Phase II — an adjoining inclusive pocket park — coming in 2025.