August 31, 2006 Officers and Members of the Duluth Retriever Club P.O. Box 375 Duluth, Minnesota 55801 Dear Ladies & Gentlemen: Let me introduce myself, I am Mary Clark Pavoni, the oldest child of ‘D. C. Mike Clark’ and myself, a life long member of the DRC. I read your newsletter faithfully because your club and the friendship of the members meant so much to my Dad and Mom, and I like to hear how the Club is doing. Mike Clark never met a soul who was downhearted he would not help, a dog he did not understand, or a kid he did not love. He also loved the DRC, the land, the trials, and the people and from what I remember, even the spaghetti dinners. Between them neither he nor his wife Toy, were never without quick sympathy or a fast smile. When Dad died and your club put his name on the building, not one of us could speak of him, we missed him so and Mike Clark was not a man to tolerate tears at death, like many Irish he believed death was a passing to a better place and was not a cause of sorrow.  He would rather tell a story and make you laugh than allow you to cry and he wanted us to be the same way. When we are together, Todd, Claudine, Michael and my mother, Toy, we talk about our Dad, we always remember your club, and the members who called him, came to see him, and comforted him as he slipped away. We have never forgotten your kindness or your generosity in naming the club after him. We are honored and grateful. I believe that Mike Clark knows of your club’s success and that he heard that joyous shout at the awesome achievement of Jeff Wiklund and his retriever Romeo’s Clipper Annie. What a wonderful triumph for Jeff, his family, Annie the Champion Dog, and all of you. My brothers, Todd and Mike and my sister Claudine, Mom and I congratulate your Club’s success and join you in celebrating Jeff and his dog Annie’s remarkable success.  Now there is a story Mike Clark would have loved and told to anyone who would listen! Best wishes for further growth and success—good hunting this fall. Mary Clark Pavoni PS: For those of you who knew Mike and Toy Clark, Mother lives in Hibbing near my brothers and is doing well in her cute little house. She celebrates a ‘significant’ birthday next year (one that ends in zero) and sends you her warmest regards.