8/7/24 C & G Special Edition — Macomb/Grosse Pointes by C & G Newspapers

NEWSPAPERS Special Edition

AUGUST 7, 2024

candgnews.com

Macomb County and Grosse Pointe papers

Stevenson grad places first in Michigan bodybuilding championship

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — He needed something to light his competitive fire, and bodybuilding was the answer.

Throughout his years at Sterling Heights Stevenson High School and Hope College, Royal Oak resident David Clark’s sole focus was being an athlete.

A two-sport athlete in football and track, Clark, a 2017 Stevenson graduate, revolved his life around two things — sports and the gym.

See CLARK on page 4A

TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER

ABOVE: Lia Lomasney, 9, of Sterling Heights, operated Lia’s Lemonade Stand July 20 to help raise funds to provide clean drinking water for individuals in Guatemala.

LEFT: Sterling Heights Police Department officer Nick Bruno was among those who paid a visit to Lia’s Lemonade Stand.

Residents can donate to the cause of providing clean drinking water for people in Guatemala by visiting integrityint.org/donate. Funds will be donated to Integrity International, a nonprofit that helps provide clean drinking water for people in Guatemala.

Photos by Donna Dalziel

Royal Oak resident and Sterling Heights Stevenson graduate David Clark is all smiles after winning the NPC Natural Michigan State Championships June 15 in Ypsilanti.

Photo provided by NPC Natural Michigan State Championship

The Exterior Painters Celebrate 20 Years of Transforming Properties, Neighborhoods

Nothing transforms a property and makes it shine brighter than a fresh coat of paint. It’s simply the best and most cost-effective investment you can make for your home draped in the colors of yesterday.

The Exterior Painters have been revitalizing properties for 20 years.

“We specialize in just exterior painting, and the reason why we do that is we believe that repetition is the mother of all skill,” said owner Brian Scott. “For 20 years, that’s all we’ve been doing is outside work. When it comes to that, we do wood replacement and siding replacement. It makes us the perfect ﬁt for homeowners who don’t want to re-side their whole house.”

The Exterior Painters replace damaged siding and boards as needed, but they’re not looking to push for a full siding replacement.

“It gets people by another 10 years and transforms the look of the house, bringing it to the next color trends of today,” Scott said.

“Another thing we do that makes us unique, we have a full-time color consultant,” Scott added. “For most people, that’s the hardest, most stressful part, choosing what color they want. Our consultant comes out and

meets with the homeowners and gives them an idea of what the new color trends are so they can make a good color choice that complements their landscaping, brickwork and architectural features.”

The Exterior Painters also specialize in brick staining.

“A lot of younger people are buying houses. We’re taking it from grandma’s house of the ’50s, ’60s or ’70s and bringing it to that HGTV look,” Scott said.

Power washing the siding — and for an additional charge, soft washing the roof if needed — can also make a big difference in terms of curb appeal.

you’re getting a bigger bang for your buck.”

It’s a win for everyone, from the crews The Exterior Painters employ and pay well to the homeowners who see their neighborhoods transformed. The company paints 30 houses a week on average in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne and Livingston counties, and boasts a ﬁve-star Google review average.

“With us you’re buying certainty. We don’t ask for a large deposit, and you don’t have to worry about anyone running off with your deposit,” Scott said.

Scott said his crews often see their work spread from house to house in a neighborhood as the properties are transformed through fresh paint, siding repairs and much-needed washing.

“We stand by our work. We provide a warranty and proven results by taking care of everybody in the community. We’re Nextdoor’s No. 1 preferred contractor in Rochester two years in a row. It’s that certainty factor. You know what you’re going

“It’s the cheapest home the community. We’re Nextdoor’s No. 1 preferred to get.”

“Compared to other home improvements,

“It’s the cheapest home improvement you can do without breaking the bank,” Scott said.

The Exterior Painters are located at 2365 Avon Industrial Drive in Rochester Hills. To request a quote or for more information, call (248) 844-8888.

DEMOLITION OF OLD COUNTY JAIL BUILDINGS UNDERWAY

WING FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH TO BE BUILT

BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com

MOUNT CLEMENS — For about a year, Macomb County’s top elected officials have dreamed and debated about tearing down old buildings at the Macomb County Jail. On a hot morning July 19 while wearing 10-gallon hardhats, the county’s executive and sheriff finally got their wish.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham bashed the first hole into the wall of the Macomb County Jail Annex, ceremonially beginning demolition and paving the way for a new jail building to be built. Hackel and Wickersham were joined by Macomb County Board of Commissioners Chair Don Brown and contractors to mark the occasion.

“Demolition is starting today,” Hackel said. “This is the groundbreaking — this is actually going to be a wall breaking.”

Demolition commenced in earnest on July 22, beginning with the annex building. The old maximum security, D Block and rehab buildings are slated for demolition at a later time to make way for the new central intake and assessment center. The goal is to better address inmates with mental health and substance abuse issues.

“Today does begin the next journey that will improve our operations here at the sheriff’s office and the county jail,” Wickersham said. “It will make a better environment for my

Shelby Township art fair to return for 41st year

BY KARA SZYMANSKI kszymanski@candgnews.com

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — In a little more than a week, artists will be unveiling their greatest creations at the Shelby Township Art Fair, which will be celebrating its 41st anniversary this year.

The fair, which is co-hosted by Shelby Township, the Art Fair Committee and the Shelby Township Parks and Recreation Department, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 10-11 at River Bends Park.

The fair will include more than 120 artist and marketplace vendors, food, musical entertainment and more. There will also be free crafts at the Kid’s Craft and Activity Corner.

Entry and parking will be free. There will be free parking in the lot located at the park and additional free parking nearby at Woodall Park with free shuttle buses.

Joe Youngblood, Shelby Township Parks, Recreation and Maintenance Department director, said that since moving the art fair to River Bends Park, it is more popular than ever before.

“The fair brings the perfect time to enjoy our park and all the wonderful amenities of the art fair. Bring the whole family out for many eats, arts and entertainment for all to enjoy,” he said.

The event brings more than 15,000 visitors each year to enjoy the weekend’s festivities.

Jessica Thomas, the Shelby Township Art Fair coordinator, said that from the array of artworks to the lively beats of the live bands — and the laughter echoing from the Kid’s Zone — there’s something magical about seeing it all come together.

“The dynamic fusion of vendors, delicious food and engaging activities … all in front of a beautiful River Bends Park backdrop really creates such an amazing atmosphere. We also have the (Detroit Institute of Arts) returning this year with their Art Making Experience under the Mapleview Pavilion,” she said.

The Art Making Experience provides workshops with all materials supplied.

River Bends Park is located at 5700 22 Mile Road, between Shelby and Ryan roads. The fair hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Photos by Dean Vaglia

For more information, visit shelbyart fair.org/festival.

TOP: Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, left, and Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham drive sledgehammers into the Jail Annex building on July 19. The ceremonial demolition, followed by the start of the actual demolition on July 22, is the latest step in the construction of the new central intake and assessment center. ABOVE: Hackel speaks on July 19 during a “wall breaking” ceremony for the central intake and assessment center project.

The Shelby Township Art Fair is returning for its 41st year.

Photo provided by Jessica Thomas

Clark was a gym rat to the fullest extent and credited Stevenson for developing his passion for working out.

“Stevenson actually got me working out in the first place,” Clark said. “I started working out as a freshman, and I kind of got addicted to the gym. I was working out every single day all the time. I was working out with seniors and juniors that were bigger than me and stronger than me, but I just wanted to work. I wanted to improve and I wanted to get better. That was always my mindset, especially when it came to the physical aspect of sports and lifting.”

Once sports were no longer in the picture after college, Clark’s constant time in the gym was more so for his job as a personal trainer at Pulse Fitness in Pleasant Ridge rather than working towards a goal for himself.

Bodybuilding became an answer, but it never seemed to be the answer Clark was looking for until now.

“The concept of bodybuilding was that I wasn’t going to be able to run, jump and be athletic anymore, so I was really focused on athletic training and stuff that I was used to,” Clark said. “Fast forward to last year, I have a co-worker who won Mr. Ohio in 2021, and he was telling me that I have a great physique and that I have what it takes. I was considering it and thinking about it, but I was leaning more towards not doing it because I was used to being athletic and wanting to stay athletic and doing athletic movements, but at the same time, when I worked out at the gym, and I work at a gym, so I’m always in the gym, I was just working out without a goal, since I didn’t have sports anymore. Bodybuilding gave me that goal to work towards in the gym and gave me a goal to achieve.”

On June 15 at the NPC Natural Michigan State Championships in Ypsilanti, Clark achieved his goal as he took first in the Men’s Classic Physique category, which focuses on how defined and symmetrical the muscles are.

It was Clark’s second show ever after finishing in third a week prior in an open show.

“It felt good, but it didn’t really hit me at the moment,” Clark said. “I wouldn’t say I was expecting it, but I was confident in my ability of where I would place. It felt good, especially when it sunk in and I could sit back and say that I won.”

Embarking on any new journey can be difficult, but Clark was lucky enough to have his friend and coworker Jake Chandler by his side to guide him through the process.

A bodybuilder himself, Chandler has competed in competitions since he was 17 years old after his grandmother, who also

competed in fitness competitions, got him into working out when he was 12. Chandler, who is a bodybuilding coach, said he understands the struggles his clients tend to face, so he was able to give Clark pointers early on.

“When we first started off, I just wanted to make sure his head was in the right place and kind of give him some expectations on what to expect,” Chandler said. “It’s one thing to get lean for the summer and lose a couple extra pounds of body fat, but when you’re going for a bodybuilding show, you’re getting yourself to sub-6% body fat levels. I told him right off the bat that this was going to be a very intense version of what we have our clients do.”

What was the meal plan looking like for Clark? Well, more of the same every day for roughly three months.

“It was the same exact thing every single day, pretty much,” Clark said. “I got it memorized for real. I’d have two eggs, 200 milligrams of egg whites, 40 grams of oats, and 75 grams of blueberries for breakfast. That was meal one. I’m not the biggest fan of eggs, so I’d combine the egg whites, the oats, the blueberries, and put some protein powder in and add banana to make a little shake and eat the two eggs separately. Meal two was 6 ounces of chicken and asparagus, and meal three was 6 ounces of chicken and asparagus, and then, like, 200 grams of rice. Meal four was beef and rice, and then I had a shake, so I had four meals plus a shake every single day.”

The workout routine wasn’t anything new for Clark, but it was more detailed, as opposed to an explosive workout routine.

Chandler said the routine focused on certain parts of the body each day with increased cardio each week.

“It’s kind of a combination of everything,” Chandler said. “We usually separate the cardio and the lifting. The lifting is very hypertrophic based, so you’re doing anything from 6-12, or even 20, rep ranges, and you have a variety of rep ranges in there. It’s mostly weight training and isolating certain muscle groups. Instead of a full upper day or a full lower day, you’re breaking things into body parts. You might have one day where you’re training chests and another day where you’re training arms or quads, and maybe a fourth day where you’re training your back and hamstrings. The cardio is separate from the workout. Once you finish your lifting, you’re either getting on the stairs, the bike, or the treadmill and doing another workout on top of what you did.”

Only two shows in and already a first place finish to his name, Clark said he plans to compete in more competitions in the future.

Fundraiser will make a ‘splash’ for kids

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — A group of generous boaters are ready to set sail on Lake St. Clair next month for the second annual Splash for the Kids fundraiser.

Eric Lafata, owner of Lafata Auto Body in Roseville, and Chip Miller, owner of Miller Marina in St. Clair Shores, started the fundraiser last year. Through their efforts, they attracted about 200 people on 40 boats and raised $20,000 to benefit the Tennessee Children’s Home headquartered in Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Both Lafata’s dad and Miller’s dad died when they were kids, and they wanted to do something to support children going through the same experience. It was Lafata who found the Tennessee Children’s Home.

Based in Spring Hill, Tennessee, the home has four campuses: Henderson, Clarksville, Spring Hill and Knoxville. The generosity of the Splash for the Kids fundraiser will cross state lines.

“It’s a charity that helps kids and puts them through a Christian education right on their property,” Lafata said. “They help kids that have been in some really bad situations.”

The faith-based organization is dedicated to providing a safe harbor for displaced families and youth. Services offered include residential care, education, counseling, alcohol and drug treatment, in-home care, and spiritual guidance for at-risk youth, victims of abuse and orphaned children. Lafata visits the facility twice a year

SPLASH on page 11A

The second annual Splash for the Kids fundraiser will be held Aug. 16-18 on Lake St. Clair. Money raised will benefit the Tennessee Children’s Home, located in Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Photo provided by Eric Lafata See

U.S., SWEDISH HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLERS FIND COMMON BONDS

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

MACOMB COUNTY — A recent two-week wrestling camp between the Vasteras Wrestling Club of Sweden and the Viking Roughneck Wrestling Club, which is made up of wrestlers across Oakland and Macomb counties, ended with tearful eyes and the exchange of social media information.

The clubs are all too familiar with each other as Roughnecks leader John Jeffire, a teacher at Chippewa Valley High School, and Vasteras leader, Christer Persson, have built a bond over the course of four decades.

“It goes back 45 years to 1979,” Jeffire said. “I was on a U.S. team that toured Denmark and Sweden, and that’s when I went to the city of Vasteras. We competed there and I met this guy, Christer Persson, who was the head of the Vasteras Club. In 1980-1981, I went over there for a year and trained with

the Vasteras club, and Christer was my coach. Fast forward to now, I’ve brought four teams over to him and he’s brought four teams over to me over the decades. We’re still keeping this tradition alive.”

The tradition was alive and well from June 23 to July 7 as the Swedish wrestlers stayed with local host families and took part in various American cultural activities courtesy of the Viking Roughneck club. Of course, the wrestlers — the clubs had wrestlers from 9 to 22 years old — took their cultural differences to the mat. They last met in 2022 when the Roughnecks went to Sweden.

The first week of training took place at Chippewa Valley, with a competition taking place on June 28. Practices then shifted to Revolution Wrestling in Highland Township and Revolution Combat in Allen Park.

Throughout the two weeks, differences became similarities between the two clubs, but overcoming the obstacle of adjusting to

each other’s wrestling styles was still difficult at times for both sides.

“They are predominantly Greco-Roman wrestlers, which holds from the waist up,” Jeffire said. “There’s no grabbing the legs or attacking the legs or tripping the legs. It’s significantly different. Freestyle is like our high school and collegiate ranks where you can attack the legs, but Greco is a whole other animal. They love Greco. They don’t care for freestyle, and they don’t wrestle folkstyle, which is what we do in high school here. When they come over here and we go over there, we not only have our cultural differences but our athletic differences. They kick our butts in Greco, and we have the upper hand in freestyle.”

Outside of wrestling, the Swedes were given a full tour of everything you’d hope to see in a two-week span in metro Detroit.

The Viking Roughneck Club treated their visitors to a Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park and a United Shore Professional

Baseball League game at Jimmy John’s Field, with classic hot dogs and hamburgers. They hosted a Fourth of July party, went to Mavrix in Shelby Township for chicken wings, went to downtown Detroit for the Peddle Bar, and many other activities.

“Wrestling is what ties us all together, but during the past two weeks we have also experienced true American hospitality,” said Karl Holmqvist, who took the trip to the U.S. alongside his daughter Astrid. “American families opened their homes to us and showed their culture. I’m returning back to Sweden with a lot of memories as well as friends that I hope to see again on our side of the pond.”

The similarity is wrestling — that’s what brings the two groups from across the globe together, but the importance stretches far beyond the sport.

Sure, the significance of having local wrestlers work the mat with wrestlers of

The Vasteras Wrestling Club of Sweden and the Viking Roughneck Wrestling Club pose for a group photo.

Photo provided by John Jeffire

Wrestling

page 6A

different cultures is immeasurable, but the friendships and bonds are what make this tradition all the more special.

Jeffire said the impact showed itself when the groups took part in the Peddle Bar downtown on July 5.

“The driver allowed one of the Swedish girls to be the DJ, and I don’t know how you do it, but she had her iPhone with her, and she had a playlist with a combination of Swedish and American music,” Jeffire said. “It was just watching everyone enjoy the other culture’s music. From the laughter and the smiles you saw, you really had a good feeling about what this was accomplishing culturally for everyone involved.”

Aside from assimilating the American wrestler to Swedish music, the female wrestlers from the Vasteras club did much more than add a couple of songs to the Roughnecks’ playlist.

Girls wrestling finally seems to be taking off in Michigan, but its prominence in Sweden is far beyond what the local female wrestlers could imagine. For local high schoolers, it can be difficult to train properly when you’re constantly going up against guys, but

the Vasteras Wrestling Club brought four girls of their own over.

“As a girl wrestler, it’s often hard to find your place in a team, but with these kids I never had to do that,” Chippewa Valley sophomore Bridget Maas said. “It was such a great experience, learning so much about wrestling, culture, and friendship. I will never forget these past two weeks, and these friendships are forever.”

The Macomb/Oakland County wrestlers are already hoping that a trip to Sweden is in the cards for them, but Jeffire said his sole focus is keeping the tradition alive.

“I think of Vasteras as my second home and I think of the Vasteras Club as my club and something that I’ve been invested in from 1979 to now,” Jeffire said. “I feel a part of what they do. The great thing about social media today is I can find out what the wrestlers in Vasteras are doing, and they’re following us and our wrestlers here. It’s really cool. This week was the national championships in North Dakota, and we’ve been following the results for our kids that are out there, but the Swedes are following it, too, and the Swedes have been cheering our guys on and our guys are cheering them on at their meets halfway around the world. It’s amazing how small the world becomes when you get involved in something like this.”

SUMMER COLLECTION

Ford ambulance used to carry rations to dressing station of Field Hospital 307 at Blanzy, France.

ROLE OF FORD AND DETROIT IN WWI EXPLORED

DETROIT — Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum Board Trustee Mike Skinner, of St. Clair Shores, will use photos and other historical materials to present “Ford at War: World War I” at 10 a.m. Aug. 11 at the museum, 461 Piquette St. in Detroit. The program will include coffee, juice and breakfast items, and will cost $20 per person; it’s free for museum members and those who purchase a membership that day. Attendees can also take a guided tour of the museum at noon or 2 p.m. that day at the discounted price of $10; tours are free for museum members. Event proceeds benefit the museum. Piquette was Ford’s first facility and the birthplace of the Model T. For tickets or more information, visit fordpiquetteplant.org or call (313) 872-8759.

MBC to hold auditions, open house

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Macomb Ballet Company will hold 2024-2025 open auditions Aug. 22 and Aug. 29. Dancers must be between the ages of 8 and 19. The nonprofit organization welcomes dancers from all backgrounds and training levels to audition. For more information about how to audition, visit macombballet. org. The cast will perform two shows: “The Nutcracker” Dec. 7-9, 2024, and “Wizard of Oz” April 25-27, 2025.

The Macomb Ballet Company also invites the public to its open house from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aug 14. The MBC is located at 51504 Danview Technology Court in Shelby Township. For more information call (586) 843-3374.

HOOKED ON SCIENCE

ABOVE: During the second annual Lake Fest July 27 at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Griffin Rucinski, 6, of Clinton Township, compares his length with that of a grown sturgeon. The sturgeon cutout was part of a display from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Adventure Center.

BELOW: Ford House Tour Associate Emily Beeman interacts with kids around a faux fishing pond featuring replicas of fish found in Lake St. Clair. Multiple stations were set up at Lake Fest with information and activities to learn about wildlife on and in the water.

Photo provided

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

Photo provided by Brian Weitzel Photography

staff and for the inmates. We will focus on a direct supervision model. We will focus on a very hybrid medical and mental health facility dealing with individuals that have those issues and are remanded here by the bench.”

The central intake and assessment center is planned to be over 159,000 square feet with a capacity for 278 beds, setting the total jail capacity at 1,178 beds. Prior plans called for the building to be 177,000 square feet, housing up to 303 inmates. Design renderings call for a bow tie shaped building that is four levels tall and has an extensive use of windows to let in as much natural light as possible.

“Granger Construction has an extensive resume of correction projects that have been completed over the years, but the central intake and assessment center is truly unique,” said Jeff Havranek, Metro Detroit regional director for Granger Construction. “With an ever-increasing need to address medical, mental health, substance abuse and behavioral disorders that are present in our community, it takes an alternate approach to treatment and therefore an alternate ap-

proach to the design and construction of a facility seeking to address those needs.”

Design features will be paired with changes to processing, with correctional deputies screening new inmates for mental health or substance abuse issues upon intake. From there, inmates in need of assistance will be diverted to programs on the top, second and ground floors. Other features planned for the central intake and assessment center include improved video trial capabilities, community corrections facilities, a “full service” court, offices for the county prosecutor and public defenders, and a passageway between the jail and the intake center.

“We know that this county jail is the responsibility of the county to provide a county jail for those that are arrested and detained, and they are now becoming the responsibility of the sheriff,” Hackel said.

“We have this responsibility to make sure that we have the right type of facility to manage the people coming in there, but also making a determination as to what are those issues these people may have.”

Plans for the project were announced in May 2023, with the aim of addressing three main improvements for the county jail recognized in a 2016 Macomb County Sheriff’s Office survey: intake and assess-

ment, pretrial services and new medical/ mental health environments and services. The $228 million price tag for the project has been consistent since its announcement with funds coming from the county’s general fund, state funding and federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

“Macomb County is managed financially conservatively and as a result, our balance sheet is strong and enables us to pay cash for this project,” Brown said in a press release. “The collaborative effort between the Sheriff, County Executive and

Editors: Brian Louwers | (586) 498-1089 | brianlouwers@candgnews.com Annie Bates | (586) 498-1071 | abates@candgnews.com David Wallace | (586) 498-1053 | dwallace@candgnews.com

Sports: Jonathan Szczepaniak | (586) 498-1090 | sports@candgnews.com

Artroom: (586) 498-1036 | ads@candgnews.com

Classifieds: For ad rates (586) 498-8100

the Board of Commissioners has led us to this point. When completed, those who come in contact with law enforcement and have drug or mental health issues receive a chance to turn their lives around. This not only benefits them and their families, but the taxpayers and society at large.”

So far, the project is ahead of its initial schedule, which planned for demolition to begin sometime in 2025. Currently in the third phase of the project timeline, construction is expected to be completed sometime by or within 2027.

facebook.com/candgnews @candgnews

For retail ad rates: Karen Bozimowski | (586) 498-1032 | kboz@candgnews.com

Legals and Obits: (586) 498-1099

Automotive Advertising: Louise Millar | (586) 498-1054 | lmillar@candgnews.com

Real Estate Advertising: Paula Kaspor | (586) 498-1055 | pkaspor@candgnews.com

Splash

to distribute clothing, shoes, sporting equipment and more to the kids.

“I like working with the kids to make some kind of difference,” Lafata said.

Last year, representatives of the Tennessee Children’s Home attended the Splash fundraiser. Lafata’s wife, Sarah Lafata, and his mom, Mary Edna Lafata, also help with the fundraising.

This year’s Splash for the Kids is a threeday event set for Aug. 16-18. The fun will begin with a pool party on Friday, a charity poker run Saturday and a raft-off Sunday. The events will take place rain or shine. All boats must be registered and paid for before the date of the event.

The Aug. 16 pool party will begin at 6 p.m. at the Algonac Harbor Club, 1999 Pointe Tremble Road. Boats can be placed into the well at any time that morning. The event is for anyone who signed up to participate in the poker run.

The poker run, scheduled for Aug. 17, is limited to 60 boats and will begin from the Algonac Harbor Club. A number of destination stops are planned along the way where

boaters will pick up envelopes to draw cards. After the run, they will reveal their poker hands, and the three best hands will receive prizes.

Keep your energy up because on Sunday is the raft-off from noon to 4 p.m. on Muscamoot Bay. Disc jockey Marky Giles will provide the music, and Gorilla BBQ will serve lunch. Those interested in the raft-off must be registered as a poker run entry.

Miller is glad to be back for the event again this year.

“I try to help Eric and Sarah. They are the main drivers behind it all. They work tirelessly to pull this off,” said Miller, who does his share by promoting the event, supplying boat hoists and recruiting participants.

He enjoyed being part of last year’s inaugural event.

“It was fun. It was a great turnout with a lot of good people. Everyone was excited to help the cause,” Miller said. “It’s nice to see everyone coming together to help people in those situations. There’s nothing more vulnerable than children.”

Visit splashforthekids.com to register and for more information on the event. Sponsorships and donations also are welcome.

with a home standby generator.

Make power outages a thing of the past with a home standby generator.

Trusted Protection During Unpredictable Weather

The frequency in severe weather has led to an increase in power outages. More than ever, you need to be prepared. Without power, your everyday modern essentials are rendered useless. Think about it, you’ll have no lights, heating or cooling, or refrigeration. You can’t even charge your cell phone. But when you have a Generac home standby generator, you will have power when you need it the most. It’s time to get serious about preparing your home.