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State of the Schools: Academics, Part I

INSIDE

Supervisor Brian Loftus “The State of the Township” Address See page 7

Grosse Ile girls soccer team aims to make another run See SPORTS page 37

Tradition of Excellence Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series exploring the State of the Grosse Ile Township Schools Julia Hyde Keith was born in 1841, and came to Grosse Ile as a bride and teacher in 1863. Writing about her experiences on Grosse Ile in Our Little Island, she recalled, “In the summer of ’63 I was in charge of the school, with about twenty pupils. We

By Bill Stevenson studied, recited, and ate our luncheons on fair days out under the trees, finding additional ‘sermons in stones, and books in the running brooks.’”

“About 1911, a graded school was built on East River Road. High school pupils went, and still go to Detroit to continue their studies, and our Ann

Arbor University is not far away.

There is a school omnibus now on the Island, so all attendance problems are solved.”

Oh, Julia, if you could see the handiwork of your profession now.

You would be proud.

Oh, to harken back to a much simpler time.

Fast forward to the State of the Schools: Academics, part I Every Grosse Ile Township School strategic plan since the 1950’s has had as its number one goal: Student Achievement -continuous improvement. Grosse Ile Township Schools have long embraced the philosophy of W. Edwards Deming, best known for his work in rebuilding Japan after World War II. His 14 Points for Continuous Improvement are best summed up in the Japanese word, Kaizen, which means “improvement” or “change for the

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best.” And while the Industrial Model of Education has evolved, and may have been replaced, so too has the school system, built on a tradition of excellence, adapted to the challenges of education in the 21st century.

Superintendent Joanne Lelekatch reflects, “Our graduation rate continues to be among the highest in the state.

The entire school community is working hard to close achievement gaps, not only between general education and special education, but between gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. We are proud of our student achievement, Kindergarten through 12th grade, but know that we can strive to do better.”

Curriculum Director Audrie Kalisz recently highlighted areas of curriculum and instruction districtwide,that address continuous

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Page 2 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

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In 2019 Leo Stevenson has been recognized by:

2019.

2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 3

The next 100 years

Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club looks to the future It’s not your grandpa’s country club any more. That sentiment was the overall takeaway when members gathered last month at the Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club for their usual scrumptious Sunday brunch. Not that the sense of history and tradition that allowed club members to look forward to their 100th year of

By Bill Stevenson existence was ever a bad thing. They obviously have been doing more than something right for a very long time. It’s just that like many storied institutions, things have changed. And so, too, has the Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club not only adapted, but has grown and is flourishing.

President Leo Stevenson was ebullient in his praise of the membership and the 21 different committees that have worked tirelessly with the professional staff to improve the overall experience for anyone -visitors or members who come to the Club.

“This is one of the most exciting times for the Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club. It’s been magical what’s been happening as we move forward into the next 100 years,” Stevenson said.

“It’s mainly because of you - the members.”

“When I first became president, my wife and I were in Florida and as we were on the pool deck, I called 120 members to be on our committees, or to create new committees as they saw a need. No one said, ‘No.’” And while a “tip of the tam,” may go to the empowered members, a decade ago the Club’s future was seriously challenged. As the Great Recession of 2009 hit all segments of the economy, the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club saw its membership dwindle to 67 members. Some long time members privately worried that the Club would have to close its doors.

But, through prudent cost cutting, sound financial management, tough decisions on the part of the Board of Directors, and the commitment of

A SPECIAL 1919 COMMITTEE WAS FORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUTURE PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY, AS WELL AS THE 100 YEAR GALA CELEBRATION TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2019. dedicated members, the Club fought its way to growth.

So much so, that the current membership is more than 500 members, and growing weekly.

Stevenson said, “We have not had a dues increase in more than 10 years. There have been no assessment adjustments upward. We take our fiduciary responsibility very seriously.”

“That, and the fact that in the last 10 years, we have increased our ‘Next Generation’ members, who are 40 years old and younger to 25 percent of our current membership. One hundred and twenty-five members are under 40.”

So the image and the programming of the Country Club has changed to keep up with the times. And changed, they have.

A number of new committees were established. For instance, Chairwoman Kathy Altenburg said, “we are working hard to make improvements in the women’s locker room and workout room to meet the needs of our female members.”

“We are looking to have more attendants for our golfers, and the newly renovated Mixed Grille has agreed to open at 4 p.m. so people can grab a bite to eat before league play.”

Shane O’Donnell leads a Family Committee and said, “Our group has focused on activities for families of all ages. Throughout the year, there’s a Kids Scavenger Hunt, Fourth of July parade, a Summer Camp, a Parents Night Out, and other family-themed events.”

This is in addition to the outstanding Junior Golf Program, the Caddie Program and the support of the Evans Scholarship. Further, the Club offers a championship swimming program under the direction of Coach Max Monas, which sees hundreds of participants on the competitive swim teams or for swimming instruction.

Not to be outdone, the tennis center, led by tennis Hall of Fame coach, John Shade and head professional Audrey

Shade, provides individual instruction, adult and youth match play, and opportunities for friendly challenges where “love” means nothing.

Celebrating its centennial, the Club history states, “In 1919, the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club was incorporated after Mr. John Kelsey, founder of the Kelsey Wheel Company and a group of associates envisioned an 18-hole golf course on the Island.

The group acquired 290 acres in the center of Grosse Ile, and hired world renowned golf course architect, Donald Ross, to design and construct the course, working with $350,000 advanced by Mr. Kelsey.”

“The construction took two years, as thousands of cubic yards of cinders, loam, and sand were spread throughout the course and seeded. It was one of the first all-watered courses in the state, and the third course in the United States to have watered fairways.”

A special 1919 Committee was formed for the purpose of future planning and sustainability, as well as the 100 Year Gala Celebration to be held on September 14, 2019.

Under the leadership of the Board of Directors and Dr. Richard Nykiel, the 1919 Committee has raised more than $400,000.

Throughout the years, the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club has hosted a number of prestigious U.S. tournaments such as the Western Amateur, the GAM Michigan Amateur, and its own, Michigan’s oldest—since 1937, the Grosse Ile Invitational. Such notables as Arnold Palmer, Chuck Kocsis, Chick Harbert, Walter Burkemo, Frank Stranahan, Glenn Johnson, and Justin Hicks have competed in the Invitational. Every Grosse Ile High School state champion, male or female, have played the course. Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, not to mention many a Detroit Lion, Tiger, or Red Wing has attempted to conquer the GIG&CC. The current golf program is bolstered by head golf professional Eric Ganzberger, PGA.

Greens and Grounds Chairman, Golf Hall of Fame coach, Jim Bennett has conducted extensive research on Donald Ross golf courses said, “I’ve studied original blueprints and aerial photographs of the earliest days of the Country Club, and there are evergreen plantings in the 70s that are not consistent with a Donald Ross course.

And while we may not be able to remove them, we have removed other dead trees that posed a safety hazard to our golfers.”

“Looking forward, our next big project will be sanding the fairways to improve drainage and dry out low sections to improve play. The challenge is that we need 275 tons of sand, and with the issues of weight restrictions on the county bridge, it makes it cost prohibitive. We are looking for ways to solve the problem.

The work would take five to six years to complete.”

Recently completed, the clubhouse has undergone extensive renovation, with an upgrade to the ballroom and formal dining area, as well as the informal Mixed Grille with a first class bar.

Chef Nathan Yorke prepares an exquisite menu that features Club member favorites as well as a number of new dishes.

Club General Manager, John Paul, said, “This is the greatest amount of excitement I have seen in the 32 years I have been with the Club. There are so many great things that are happening.”

And, as they move to the Gala 100 year celebration, President Leo Stevenson sums it up, “We are a social club. My best friends in life, I met at the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club.

Echoing the Club’s tagline, “‘It’s where you belong.’”

In honor of its centennial, the Club is offering 50 percent off all new member initiation fees. If interested in becoming a new member, contact Director of Marketing and Membership, Elisabeth Maurer at 734.676.1166.

Page 4 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

Saturday, April 27, 2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

GROSSE ILE GRAND

April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 5

McLouth demolition continues; public can bring concerns to EPA Concerned about McLouth Steel demolition issues?

Residents who want to comment or learn more are invited to talk to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials at the Trenton Veterans Memorial Library April 9-11. It’s not a public hearing, but what the EPA calls a

By Paula Neuman step in developing a CIP - CommunityInvolvement Plan.

To comment or discuss the McLouth demolition and cleanup during the three-day CIP interviews, contact EPA contractor Meg Moosa at meg.moosa@ tetratech.com or 440-688-4006.

“The last CIP (March 25) was basically discussion on what was going on,” Grosse Ile Supervisor Brian Loftus said. “We’ve established a better line of communication, I think. We’ll have better communication from here on out to advise our residents.”

The Trenton McLouth complex — 197 acres of derelict buildings and 23 heavily polluted subsurface structures, including pits, basements and lagoons — is directly across the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River from Grosse Ile. The site’s cleanup is nearing finalization for inclusion on the Superfund National Priorities List.

Superfund listing means some of the cleanup work will be eligible for federal

funding.

The ultimate goal is to make the waterfront site viable for redevelopment, perhaps making use of its deep-water port for boats.

Demolition at the site is ongoing, although it mostly can’t be noticed when driving past the blighted steel plant on West Jefferson Avenue.

“For one thing, they’ve put a berm between what’s going on and the waterfront to preclude any runoff,” Loftus said. “It’s on the water side.”

The McLouth site is now owned by billionaire Manuel Moroun’s family company Crown Enterprises Inc., and MSC Land Co. LLC, also a Moroun business. To meet Superfund requirements, first Crown must demolish 45 buildings of the complex within two years, and also remove all contaminated sludge and water from the lagoons and pits, then fill them with clean fill materials Asbestos and anything contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

must be removed from the site as well, according to the EPA. Stormwater management also has to be in place to protect the river. The berms are a part of that effort.

Recent asbestos removal at the site led to procedural violations being discovered and cited Jan. 22 by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The agency investigated and reported that no air pollution occurred during the violations of removal procedures.

The Trenton McLouth Steel plant, first opened in 1949, was once celebrated as an industry leader.

The company brought in notable technological advances in its early years. McLouth was the first plant in North America to use an oxygen process to convert iron to steel, raising production and creating a superior product to meet the automotive industry’s demands.

For decades, the plant employed thousands of workers, and from miles

away, residents could see Downriver’s eastern night skies turn a fiery orange when molten metal was poured.

Imported steel from Japan and Europe, depressed prices, changes in construction materials to plastics, and economic recession all took their toll on McLouth in the early 1980s, and a new owner eventually purchased the once thriving company, now in bankruptcy.

“In 1995, McLouth filed again for bankruptcy and the property has been transferred to multiple owners between 1996 and 2017,” according to the MDEQ. In 2017, Wayne County foreclosed on the site, leading to its purchase by the Moroun companies, and the pending Superfund cleanup.

Residents who notice possible issues as demolition continues at the site can contact their community leaders, state government representatives or EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Kirstin Safakas at safakas.kirstin@epa. gov or 800-621-8431, ext. 66015.

Grandma, granddaughter book to become a musical

By Paula Neuman Once upon a time, a 7-year-old girl wanted to write a book.

So, helped by her grandmother, she did The girl — Emily Frucci, who today is a 20-yearold pre-med student at the University of Michigan — wrote about the adventures of her great-greatgrandfather, Sheridan Howard, and his twin brother when they were growing up in Mendon.

Emily had heard the stories from her grandmother, Pamela Frucci of Grosse Ile, who is 86 now, who had heard them from her own mother, Bernie Marsh.

The book Emily and Pam wrote, “The Visit to my Great Great Grandfather,” is now being made into a musical, to be presented at 2 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center, 2447 W. Jefferson Ave., Trenton.

That date, fittingly, is National Grandparents Day. “Grandparents will pay $10, but they can bring all their grandkids for free,” Pam said.

Here’s how it all came about:

At first, Pam and 7-year-old Emily sat down together and did some brainstorming, jotting down their ideas. Then they took turns typing up the story, and came up with ideas for illustrations. They chose Southgate artist Nancy Pitel to create the drawings of Emily sailing through time to 1872 to visit her greatgreat-grandfather and his brother.

Pam paid to have the book published, and both she and Emily are pleased that their family stories are in print — and will now be in musical form.

Pam had been thinking about making the book into a musical for children, and then she met composer and musician Ken Medema of Grand Rapids two year ago when he was at her Grosse Ile church, where his cantata was performed with the church choir and the Grosse Ile Chorale.

“Afterward, I went right up to him and said to him, ‘I’ve never been this close to a genius before,’” Pam said. “I told him about the book, and said, ‘I’m wondering if you’d be interested in writing the music for the book.’’ His aide read it to him. He’s been blind

since birth. Later, he wrote back to me and said he’d love to do the story and write the music.”

She applied for a grant to fund the musical, didn’t get it, so she and her husband Jack are paying for the production.

The Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra will play the music via a video during the Trenton production, Pam said. And she finds that fitting. Her grandfather played bass in the school orchestra when it was the Michigan Agricultural College in the 1920s. And Medema has promised to attend the Trenton show.

“Emily and I will be there, too, and there will be a reception afterward to meet the composer and the authors,” Pam said. “We’ll have books for sale in the lobby. The whole theme of the book is to encourage kids to interview their older relatives while they’re still with them and write their life stories for future generations.”

Page 6 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 7

FROM THE SUPERVISOR

The 2019 State of the Township There is the annual State of the Township Address from Township Supervisor Brian Loftus.

The Board of Trustees you elected in 2016 is midway through it third year in office with the primary responsibility of governance; bringing your concerns to the staff for action and ensuring the Township provides the services you expect.

This Annual Report will serve to present the State of the Township,

By Brian Loftus what we, your Township Staff and elected officials, have accomplished throughout the past year, what we are doing now and our plans for the near future.

MY MISSION This will be my eleventh year as your Supervisor; my mission remains unchanged from day one: to ensure that the Board of Trustees and the Township staff preserve and improve Grosse Ile Township as one of our country’s most desirable residential communities. With the support of your Board of Trustees, I will continue to seek and implement every means to develop and market those assets that distinguish Grosse Ile Township as a family’s best destination to call home.

We are all neighbors and stakeholders, so along with your Board I will continue to seek your input and advice on how to improve both government performance and our community’s appeal.

LOOKING BACK Another busy year for all of us at Township Hall, keeping Grosse Ile Michigan’s best place to live.

Our Township Manager has an extensive list of accomplishments, most not glamorous or exciting but absolutely necessary to keep the Township running smoothly. You will find them listed in his report; I’ll just cover some of the highlights and attempt to give credit where credit is due.

The mission of Township Government is to provide service, so

I will begin with our Department of Public Services.

Our major public works project, the West River Road water main replacement, went very smoothly, and we should all consider it quite an accomplishment. The teamwork between by our Department of Public Services, our DPS Commission, Engineering consultants at CE Raines and the numerous contractors all contributed to the success.

The new high density polyethylene water main is virtually indestructible and will provide reliable water for household use and fire suppression for at least the next century. In addition, we replaced sewer lines and storm drains, and partnered with Wayne County to repave the road. I am proud to announce that our DPS was awarded an American Public Works Association award for that project. At the same time, almost unnoticed, a portion of East River Road was also repaved by the County. In all, we received nearly 1.2 million dollars in road funding from Wayne County this past year.

Based on this project and her other proven performance as Grosse Ile’s Interim Director, we promoted Ms. Lorinda Beneteau to the position of Director of Public Services, one of the very few females to lead a public service department in the state – well deserved!

We have some new faces in our Police Department – Chief Mark Warnick, along with Deputy Chief Brent Hardin and Lieutenant Ken Pelland compose our new command staff, following the retirement of Joe Porcarelli and Robert Bow. I am also pleased to introduce Susan Dalpiaz, Grosse Ile‘s first female police officer.

After thoroughly considering all available alternatives, we signed a thirty year contract with the Great Lakes Water Authority. We approached this with justifiable trepidation, because the former alternative, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, presented an uncomfortable number of concerns.

We are convinced that the GLWA is well managed and capable of providing affordable water to Grosse Ile for the duration of the agreement.

I was disappointed to learn of the closing of the PNC Bank; the last thing we need is another empty storefront on Macomb Street. Our Downtown Development Authority director, Angela Sukockas, has been working to facilitate new offerings in our business district, including the Public Service Credit Union and Tastee Freez. She is also planning several events to bring, and keep, people downtown.

Island Fest continues to grow in attendance, offering something for everyone! Great planning and participation (along with perfect weather) resulted in a memorable community festival for 2018.

Yes, traffic was a bit hectic – as always, especially after the spectacular fireworks show, but our Police and Police Reserves got everyone, residents and visitors alike, in and out safely for a truly memorable weekend.

Island Fest 2019 opens in two months!

AT THE MOMENT I’ll begin with the latest news, Grosse Ile Township has once again been named Michigan’s safest community; the National Council for Home Safety and Security just released their findings for 2019.

I hope none of us ever take this status for granted - we are all responsible for this, from supporting our police force (and the entire public safety team) to looking after our neighbors and neighborhoods. Well done, everyone!

My thanks to the Nature and Land Conservancy again this year. Sunrise Park, our only waterside retreat, is being transformed from a hidden gem into a destination! The park will reopen soon, drop in and see what they have been up to and prepare to spend more time there – or at the Gibraltar Bay Unit of the international Wildlife Refuge, also stewarded by the Conservancy.

At last, progress in the demolition and remediation at the former McLouth / Detroit Steel Company site across the channel in Trenton.

While many are not happy that the property will most likely be returned to some level of industrial activity, the blighted eyesore will be gone and

the contamination will be removed.

This will be a lengthy, tedious process with intense oversight by both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

I will do my best to keep you informed of any developments regarding this project, particularly those that affect our air and water quality or those that might impact the viability of the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge.

With that said, please consider rumors from unaccountable sources as just that - rumors. We will keep you informed of every development by every means available. We are accountable to you.

LOOKING FORWARD All rumors aside, we are conferring regularly with Wayne County on the status of our bridges and now have a proposed schedule for repairs. Our most critical bridge, the East River Road causeway to Meso Island, is first on the list, with replacement to begin very soon. Only one lane will be available during construction, so expect some delays but, in the meantime, please cross the bridge slowly – the 5 MPH signs are for your safety and the bridge’s integrity.

The next project will be the support piers for the Grosse Ile Parkway bridge. We recently learned that federal funds are available for the repair of this bridge and that the pier reinforcement will be a design-build project to begin this summer. Despite even more bizarre rumors, the County has again advised us that no long term closures are expected for this portion of the repairs.

Continuing our infrastructure improvement program, this year we will begin a project along Parke Lane north of Bridge Road. You may recall we suffered numerous water main breaks in that area due, in part, to aged pipes and a failed Pressure Reducing Valve. Like the West River Road project, this main will ensure more residents have reliable water to their homes and hydrants.

In April I will be off to the Michigan Townships Association SEE TOWNSHIP, Page 8

Page 8 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

TOWNSHIP Continued from page 7

conference. These professional retreats give me the opportunity to learn from my fellow Supervisors and the MTA instructors so that I can do a better job for you.

My immediate quest will be for guidance on our approach to recreational marijuana.

Possession of recreational marijuana, or ‘marihuana’ as it is spelled in legislation, is now legal in Michigan, but the yet-to-be-finalized legislation will still allow communities to ‘optout’ of allowing commercial sales within their borders.

The challenge for Grosse Ile, as well as many communities within the state, will be to honor the will of the electorate while trying to avoid the dismal results that Colorado has experienced.

As a cautionary note, while legal in both Michigan and Ontario, possession of marijuana while crossing the international border remains a criminal offense under federal law, including possession on vessels on “boundary waters” such as the Detroit River.

We all agree that our roads are in terrible condition, so road funding, one of Michigan’s most misunderstood financial responsibilities, will remain at the top of everyone’s list of priorities for the

foreseeable future. Unfortunately, with so many new faces in Lansing, there is little agreement as to how to generate the necessary dollars. This is much more than just a funding issue, with specifications, weight limits and a number of other considerations on the table.

Consider also that within the Township we have 12 internal bridges in addition to the aforementioned Meso Island bridge, all very expensive to repair and maintain, some in better condition than others.

I wish I could finally and completely quash the forecasts of this Township’s impending financial doom. Municipal finance, including pensions and

other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEBs) is very complicated, particularly with actuarials and other costs and liabilities changing almost hourly.

Our Township – yours and mine – is well managed and efficiently operated with limited resources and minimal staff. We are in compliance with the letter and intent of all current legislation, no matter how poorly crafted.

Thanks to shared sacrifices, we have recovered from Michigan’s Great Recession and are planning for a brighter future, albeit with a guarded restraint.

Working together, we can, and will, make tomorrow’s Grosse Ile an even more desirable place to live, work and play. We should all be optimistic about our future, so I’ll close by reminding everyone, once again, that we all have a responsibility to make this the community we want our friends to discover and to join us, the community we are proud to call home, and the community we want to leave for our children and grandchildren. And remember, if you’re lucky enough to live on Grosse Ile, you’re lucky enough.

Thank you again for your confidence, your support, and your participation.

IN CELEBRATION OF OUR 100TH ANNIVERSARY, JOIN BEFORE MAY 11 AND RECEIVE...

50% off membership initiation fees $100 food and beverage credit Range, locker, and bag storage fees waived for 1 year

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• Casual dining without leaving Grosse Ile • Newly renovated dining area and bar • Premier banquet facilities for events of all sizes • Adult, children, and family events every month •18-hole Donald Ross championship golf course

• Competitive swim team – the “Devil Rays” • Beautiful 25-meter, six lane pool • Championship clay tennis courts • Golf, tennis, and swim lessons available • Family-oriented fun, all year-round!

Contact Elisabeth Maurer, Director of Membership & Marketing for more information: (731)-676-1166

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*To take advantage of 30% off initiation fees for any membership, applications must be submitted by Saturday, May 11, 2019. Tiered monthly dues are based on applicant’s age. Membership based on review and approval GIGCC’s board of directors. For more information, contact the Club at (734) 676-1166.

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GROSSE ILE GRAND

April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 11

LISTENING IN ON THE ISLAND

Grosse Ile women serve the Detroit Institute of Arts Five Island women have been involved with the Detroit Institute of Arts as either volunteer docents or decorators for years and the DIA director Salvator Salort-Pons is grateful for their volunteer work.

Longest serving is Addie Firnschild who in 2000 was

By Pamela A. Frucci named Volunteer of the Year. She has been a docent giving tours of the museum for 35 years but is not as active now.

Trained docents are asked to donate 50 hours a year and lead at least 20 tours. Mrs. Firnschild, now an associate docent, still gives 12 tours and volunteers once or twice a month.

Knowledgeable and loving what she does, she recalls a nun on a tour offering her a cash tip.

“I don’t accept money,” Mrs. Firnschild told her. The nun then offered to bless her, which she did. Later that day Addie, who was a golfer, hit a great shot and says she owes it to the blessing! Mrs. Firnschild admits she’s not creative and loves seeing the work of artists at the DIA. A retired teacher who taught in Detroit for 22 years, Flora Case was trained as a docent for nine months and started her volunteer work as a tour guide in 2012. Docents are not paid for their service but wear a badge and get free parking.

Mrs. Case will led tours of 25-30 people as well as groups of children and smaller numbers. She recalls a recent tour and meeting an Italian guy who was known as a “pasta sculptor.” Case serves as a photographer for the docents who number 150 and Mrs. Case credits her love of art to her mother who was an art

Lea Schelke, right

teacher.

Another long serving docent is Lea Schelke, who retired from teaching at Trenton High School in 2002. It was Addie Firnschild who talked her into becoming a docent. Ms. Schelke trained in 2007.

Docents’ “final exam” is doing a sample walk through.

This volunteer has now put in 200-300 hours at the DIA. She loves meeting people who visit the museum from all over the world. In fact, she said,

Addie Firnschild

“This museum speaks to the whole world!”

A totally different volunteer is Jeananne Joaquin. She’s an active member of the Friends

of Art & Flowers. Every week this group buys flowers and does arrangements to compliment the art work at the DIA They also plan special events bringing in florists from all over the world who give lectures. The event includes a luncheon, with the next one coming up in May. Fellow Islander Carolyn Cardoza is also a member of the Friends. When the DIA did a special exhibit called “Chocolate, Tea, and Coffee,”

Carolyn and Jeananne were asked by the DIA director Salvator Salort-Pons to do a special display featuring both chocolate and flowers!

Jeananne is known for her creating amazing mosaic items including her dining room table set with attractively arranged broken pieces of pottery. She credits her creative mother for her interest in flowers and art. Mrs. Joaquin has been a member of the Grosse Ile Garden Club and in 1974 founded the Herb Society.

Page 12 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

Oh, what a feeling! Take time to do some good Connie Fedel, owner and instructor of Taylor Yoga, and a very dear friend of mine, talked to me about one of her students, the very lovely thirty-something year old Jeannie.

Jeannie asked Connie if there was any type of yoga that may be beneficial to her 72-year-old mother, Linda. Linda was in the late stages of Parkinson’s disease. She was wheelchair bound and her condition was degenerating daily.

Connie decided home visits would be best for Linda and she had made three such visits by the time she told me about her.

I remembered what my now late brother Wayne once told me:

By David L. Dyer “There is no greater feeling than to be able to give to something you truly believe in.”

I told Connie I would like to pay for Linda’s lessons.

I, in fact, insisted on it and gave her a check for $300.

When she heard what I had done, Linda wanted to meet me just as I wanted to meet her.

I asked Connie to see if Jeannie could bring her mom to the yoga studio the next Wednesday since my wife, Janet and I were scheduled for our weekly session. It was all set up and on that Wednesday at noon Janet and I met Jeannie and Linda in the parking lot of Taylor Yoga.

Janet and I assisted Jeannie in helping Linda out of the car and into the wheelchair. I then wheeled her into the studio. There was no question about her degenerating condition. Linda could not talk but she had a beautiful smile on her face as she reached her arms out to me. I fell to my knees and hugged her.

That special moment has remained with me and will for the rest of my life.

There was no way Linda could participate in any type of exercise. I then wheeled her back to the car and with Janet’s assistance out of the wheelchair and back into their car and we waved goodbye. That same night I Emailed Jeannie and told her if I was at all responsible for that beautiful smile on her mother’s face, it was worth all the time and effort I put into it.

Linda died that evening. She was just too weak to have made that outing. Jeannie Emailed me the details.

I felt terrible. I should have stayed out of it. What right did I have to involve myself into their lives.

The next day she sent me an Email that would dispel all of my negative thoughts. It read in part: “Thank you David, I feel blessed to have met you.

Thank you for allowing me to spend so many hours with my mother on her final day.”

Jeanne and I became good friends. I took her to a seminar at Cobo Hall. We sat in the front row and I was called onto the stage. I read this story to that audience of 2,000.

That was the end of that story, or so I thought.

A few months later I received a beautiful story via the internet. It shed a light within me and brought my story back. It goes like this: “A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding.

They all reached but one. He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when he arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight.

Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 13

New bouys could warn of hazards near free bridge

By Paula Neuman High water levels in the Detroit River have prompted Wayne County to install temporary orange buoys near the Grosse Ile “free bridge.”

The buoys are there to make sure boaters steer clear of a bridge support pier on the upstream part of the bridge.

A metal structure on the edge of that pier is partially underwater right now.

“That pier is on a rock pile basically in the middle of the river,” Township Supervisor Brian Loftus said. “It used to have wood timbers controlling it, but on the upstream side, most of the wood has washed away over the century and a half that it’s been there. With the high water, part of the metal structure on the edge of that pier is partially submerged.

“The buoys mark the perimeter of the entire crib — the supporting pile of rocks — which is probably 300 feet long from end to end.”

Boating season officially begins April 15.

“The water is unseasonably high,” Loftus said. “It usually starts rising this time of year, and stays fairly high

HIGH WATER LEVELS IN THE DETROIT RIVER HAVE PROMPTED WAYNE COUNTY TO INSTALL TEMPORARY ORANGE BUOYS NEAR THE GROSSE ILE “FREE BRIDGE.”

through the middle to end of June.

Then it gets consistently lower. But it hasn’t gone down. The water levels have been high for the last couple of years.”

That’s not necessarily a bad thing for island residents and others.

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place, but there are some shoreline and erosion concerns,” Loftus said.

Most of the island’s west shoreline is protected by sea walls, and the few natural shorelines on the east side of Grosse Ile are probably already underwater now, he said.

He’s heard no complaints from

residents about the high water levels.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is forecasting possible record high water in Lake Erie for May. The lake that adjoins the island’s southern end has risen 4 inches over the last month, and the water level is expected to keep going up. If spring weather is rainy, the lake could be about 2 feet over normal levels in May, according to the Army Corps.

The Grosse Ile “free bridge,” a property of Wayne County, is a swing bridge constructed in 1933. Repair work for the bridge is slated for late in the summer, but no long-term bridge closures are forecast for this year, Loftus said.

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Page 14 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

GROSSE ILE GRAND

April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 15

TELESCOPING THE TOWNSHIP

Recyclers: Think of your neighbors There have been complaints from neighbors who find on a windy day that loose lightweight items in their neighbors’ recycling bins blow away and become litter in the neighborhood.

Wise recyclers, who deserve a hand for recycling,

By Pamela A. Frucci should make sure their recycling bin is covered or weighed down so their effort to recycle doesn’t end up as trash!

Hydroponic gardening next for environmentally conscious neighbor Our neighbor John Roos, burns wood for heat and has installed solar panels on his roof. He’s come up with a project he’s looking for help with.

Concerned that his kids should be eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, he’s looking for a location to begin hydroponic gardening.

I’m knowledgeable about this means of growing in fertilized water since my father founded Marsh Greenhouses in Rockwood after WWII and grew tomatoes hydroponically that tasted like they were farm-grown.

John would like to have help finding a location for this form of gardening since it wouldn’t require weeding.

He also would like to involve young people in the project. If this sounds like a project you’d like to be involved in, contact John at 286-2667.

KEEP-A-POEM-IN-YOUR-POCKET WORKSHOP MAY 4 The Grosse Ile Alliance for the Arts has been mostly involved in offering artsy events to the public, but is trying something different.

Since they sponsor the Creative Writing Club, which had a session in writing poetry with poet Pat Barnes, the GIAA decided to offer a workshop for the public interested in writing poetry.

Mrs. Barnes, who has written the lyrics for 40 songs for the Sweet Adelines and won prizes for her poetry from the Poetry Society of Michigan and other poetry societies, will lead the workshop.

The event is slated from 10-

11:30 a.m. on Sat., May 4 in the newly remodeled lower level of the Public Service Credit Union at 8095 Macomb. To attend merely show up that day to the Keep-a-Poem-in-YourPocket workshop. There is no charge to attend, but a free-will offering basket will be available.

JOHN DINGELL TRIBUTES GET RESPONSE FROM DEBBIE DINGELL At the March. meeting of the Creative Writing Club, the prompt was to write a tribute to the longest serving congressman John Dingell who passed away in February.

The essays were sent to the office of his widow Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. I got a response from her aide that Mrs. Dingell enjoyed reading our tributes and wanted the addresses of the writers so she could send them a personal thank you.

Coincidentally, her aide’s name was Callie Bruley, a variation of the French name Brule. She, along with the Ed Brule, who were my landlords when I was teaching in Hancock, Michigan in the 50s, are descendants of Etienne Brule, the first white man to explore Michigan back in 1620 and the first to see Lake Superior.

IS THERE A SUNSET PARK IN OUR FUTURE? In past issues of the Grand, the Perdue property on the northwest side of Meridian Road, has been the topic of discussion. What is proposed is for the township to purchase the property and convert it into Sunset Park so inland residents would have a place to park, picnic, and enjoy the colorful sunsets at this waterfront park.

I’m proposing people interested in making this a part of our community, just like the Centennial Farm, which was bought through a millage, might want to join in an effort to put on the ballot a millage proposal to buy the property.

That way through a vote of the residents, if Sunset Park is going to be established in the future, we can find out if residents are willing to pass a millage.

SEE TELECOPING, Page 16

Earth Day to be celebrated

by GINLC on April 28 Earth Day, established April 22, 1970 after two major events in 1969 an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara and the astronauts landing on the moon to visually look back at Earth and know we’re all connected - will celebrate its 48 anniversary this year.

The Grosse Ile Nature & Land Conservancy will celebrate Earth Day on Sat., April 28, since the Centennial Farm isn’t available on April 22.

Scheduled from 2-5 p.m. there will be activities for all ages. Inside will be displays with presenters on a variety of topics such as protecting monarch butterflies, the Heritage Tree protection survey, and how to grow a healthy lawn.

On display will be the 2018 high school photo contest winners. There will also be an opportunity to buy GINLC clothing and tote bags. A refreshment table will also be set up. There is no charge for the event but membership forms will be available to support the GINLC’s many projects to protect our woods and water on the Island.

Carl Graves’s daughters, Isla, Josie, Speakers for the afternoon Payton, and Sophia, holding Earth Day include Susan White, the banner. manager of the International Wildlife Refuge; Anita Twardesky, active in establishing the Downriver Linked Greenways; Jeff Bouwman, Grosse Ile resident and science teacher in Gibraltar who was named Michigan Science Teacher of the Year; Emily Wash, high school Ecology Awareness Club president; and a representative from DTE Energy speaking on their Home Energy Conservation opportunity.

Outside activities designed for kids will be nature crafts including planting a natural wood vase with a succulent plant, a pond study and identifying tree species in the area. Huron Metro Parks will have live animals for the kids to enjoy up close.

There’ll be a “It’s Easy Being Green” at the event. Ever since I read Cheaper by the Dozen in junior high school, I’ve been a waste-not addict.

The father in the story would take a moving picture of his kids doing dishes and play it back for them to show them how they could cut the time at the sink by being more efficient. He also pointed out that by buttoning their sweater from the bottom up, they could save time getting dressed in the morning.

Those waste-not thoughts stayed with me. I’ll have a self-administered quiz for Earth Day celebrants to see how environmentally conscious are you and lots of examples on how I cut back on waste.

I’ll have a mannequin wearing the lace pant suit I bought in 1970 for my 20th high school reunion that I’ve altered six times for six different occasions including Ronald Reagan’s Inaugural Ball in 1981.

Then I’ll be wearing my wedding dress (a short white linen) I’ve worn for every anniversary for the past 57 years. I even will have on hand a coffee mug with my favorite waste-not slogan: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

Page 16 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

TELESCOPING

Stay at Home HealtHcare

Continued from page 15 GINLC VICE-PRESIDENT COLAROSSI ENERGIZES EDUCATION COMMITTEE In an effort to make the message of protecting our land and waters of Grosse Ile more widespread, chair of the Grosse Ile Nature & Land Conservancy’s Education Committee and vice-chair of the GINLC, Guido Colarossi has been working with both school age youth and senior citizens.

Colarossi also works closely with the Huron Metro Parks.

The Education Committee will be presenting two events for the Senior Citizens Club this year and will be reaching out to the schools. Colarossi likes to quote Nelson Mandela who said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

He’s using this message to help make a positive impact on our Island through getting across that we all need to be involved in making sure our air and water are as clean as nature intended them to be.

WILL MCLOUTH NOW BE A BETTER NEIGHBOR? A lot of people who have lived with the eyesore created when the McLouth steel plant was abandoned, cheered when Crown Enterprises, representing Matty Maroun, purchased the land and are responsible for its demolishing and cleaning up contaminants.

Luckily, there’s an oversite group called the Trenton Visionary and Stakeholders Commission which is monitoring the project.

Doug Thiel, Island resident and former BASF Emergency Health & Safety Manager, has joined the commission, which also includes representatives from Riverview. Also on the commission is Pat Hartig, former mayor of Trenton. They meet monthly. The commission has observed that the site is “grossly contaminated,” so the commission has the responsibility to provide environmental oversight.

Thiel has done an air quality test for asbestos and found no signs. According to Thiel, Crown Enterprises hasn’t yet specified future use of the property, so speculation on its use is still up in the air.

Those of us anxious that the future of McLouth property will not adversely affect residents in the area, have to look to the Visionary and Stakeholders Commission to look out for our best interests.

Continued from page 15 about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, “Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did.

Are you okay?” She nodded through her tears.

He continued with, “I hope we didn’t spoil your day too badly.”

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, “Mister...” He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes.

She continued, “Are you Jesus?” He stopped in mid stride. He gently went back and said, “No, I am nothing like Jesus. He is good, kind, caring, loving,

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and would never have bumped into your display in the first place.

The girl gently nodded, “I only asked because I prayed to Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like him – only He knows who will do his will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister.”

Now back to my story. After her mother’s passing, Jeannie re-lived that last day several times. She told me she did not want to bring her to the studio that day. She was much too weak and in terrible pain. She said that Linda insisted on going to meet the person that paid $300 and wanted to meet her.

She remembered praying to God that very morning for anything that would ease her Mother’s pain and suffering. It didn’t dawn on me at the time, it took that apple story to bring it out. Could I have been answering “A calling from God?” Yes, Wayne, you were right, there is no greater feeling.”

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 17

CENTURY 21 Riverpointe Honors Top Producers CENTURY 21 Riverpointe agents were celebrated in February at their annual Awards Breakfast held at the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club.

E. Ann Redfield, Broker/Owner, thanked her entire team for their hard work in making 2018 yet another successful year.

“It’s an honor to have such a great group of real estate associates dedicated to quality customer service and professionalism,” said Redfield.

“I’m sure the unwavering support of their families as well as the administrative team of CENTURY 21 Riverpointe helped to make their individual successes possible.

“We love what we do and get great satisfaction from helping to make each transaction an experience that our clients remember fondly.”

Rose Koval was named Top Producing Sales Associate for 2018.

Redfield announced that on a national level, Rose Koval has been nominated for the Hall of Fame Award.

“It’s such an honor to be nominated for this award,” said Redfield, “and even more of an honor to have the opportunity to work with someone like Rose on a daily basis.”

CENTURY 21’s criteria for this award is very stringent and difficult to qualify for. Only about 50 agents out of over 27,000 CENTURY 21 agents nationally qualified for the award. Once you qualify you must be nominated by your Regional Brand Ambassador and ultimately are selected by a special board based on community service and the time you give to help others. The winner of the award will be announced at the International Convention in Las Vegas.

Other award presented for OUTSTANDING performance in 2018 were (in the order of production level) Joe Maher, Judy Cemer, Lorie Polgar, Tim Wojtala, Rob Pizzimenti, Gloria Wilson, Sandy Misko, Gloria Leuchtmann and Jennifer Kish.

CENTURY 21 Riverpointe has been in its Grosse Ile location since 1984 and is one of the most respected names in real estate and among the top producing offices in the market.

Since their inception CENTURY 21 Riverpointe has been recipients of CENTURY 21’s Gold Medallion,

Ann Redfield hands out awards to CENTURY 21 Riverpointe’s top agents.

Centurion, President’s and Pinnacle Quality Service Awards.

CENTURY 21 Riverpointe is an independently owned and operated franchise affiliate of CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC (century21.com), franchisor of the iconic CENTURY 21® brand. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is comprised of approximately 9,400 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 80 countries and territories worldwide with more than 127,000 independent sales professionals.

Page 18 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

Take the 40-day generosity challenge Instead of giving up something for Lent, members of St. Thomas Lutheran Church are turning Lent upside down by giving something with 40 simple daily acts of generosity.

For those who have signed up, a daily email brings a three-level challenge such as thanking the boss, or doing something that costs you nothing but brings someone else joy. The focus is on being generous with your time, talents, skills and attitude as well as money.

The 40 days of generous acts is a good antidote to our self-absorbed lives with our ‘to-do lists,’ agendas and me-first attitude.

Opportunities arise when we start noticing people around us.

The day two challenge was to “people watch.” The challenge starts with getting rid of distractions by putting your cell phone on airplane mode or taking out the headphones for one hour when you are out among people.

Focusing on the needs of others could be as simple as smiling and “saying have a great day” to someone you don’t even know. Every day is full of potential mini miracles and sometimes immediate action is the best way to take advantage of those opportunities.

A group of ladies and youth at St. Thomas also took on a group challenge during the week of March 17th.

We visited four nursing homes in the area and gave away olivewood cross necklaces from Jerusalem and eggs filled with candy.

During that week we touched the lives of close to 300 people who were so grateful to be noticed and cared about. When you are generous with others, you are also opening up someone’s ability to receive.

This process can start unexpected conversations and produce those mini miracles.

My favorite challenge was Chocolate Tuesday.

The challenge was to buy a bag of chocolate bars and joyfully distribute them everywhere you go. As I handed out my chocolate I spoke to some people I

walk past every day and not one person refused to take what I offered.

The challenges have made me more aware of other people’s life situations and how I can make a difference. I think we all admire a life that puts generosity and others first. So, even if you don’t have a lot to spend you can still give a lot with your time, energy, skills, resources and prayers.

The 40 Acts program is a free one started six years ago in the United Kingdom by a charitable organization, “Stewardship.” Over 100,000 individuals and thousands of groups participate in the annual challenge. It is estimated that 40 Acts has generated over four million generous acts in 180 countries around the world.

There are two easy ways to get connected with the 40 Acts of Generosity Challenge. You can sign up on the 40 Acts website by entering your email address at https://40acts.org.uk/ Once you have signed up, you will receive a daily email with that days challenge and three ways you might complete it along with a short inspirational story with how generosity played a role in the writer’s life.

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 19

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Winter can seem very long, especially for an older person who lives alone and seems to be outliving friends and not getting out a lot. Fear of falling and losing independence keeps many older people indoors.

It is fun to think of ways to prepare for spring. With the help of the computer here are a few fun pre-spring activities.

I love to think of ways to recycle.I have been saving the toilet paper cores to reuse them in some way. An idea I found on the computer was to fill them with potting soil and put in very few flower seeds.

The container holding several of these cores go in a sunny window. In a few days, the seeds begin to grow. It is fun to watch and plan where to place them when it is warmer outdoors.

The tiny plants and the dirt filled-toilet paper core can go directly into a container on my deck. Toilet paper cores will biodegrade in the outdoor planter. I have a large deck that is not used much anymore. I do try to make it look nice for me or for someone just walking past. I have many planters on the deck railings.

Also, I have a bird sanctuary out front with a tree and some tall grasses. I would not be surprised if people looking at it might call it an eyesore. I put some bird edible items on toilet paper cores. A bit of syrup or oleo just enough to hold some dry food that a hungry bird would enjoy. These then go on a pants hanger on the wood rod that holds trousers. The birds barely wait until I walk away to jump on the wood hanger for a meal.

These small nearly no expense actions that combine recycling with feeding birds and providing beautiful planters on the deck works for me.

Page 20 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

CULINARY CAPERS Among the most extraordinary shopping extravaganzas in the Downriver area are the spring and fall rummage sales of the Episcopal Church Women of Grosse Ile’s St. James Episcopal Church.

The sales, scheduled for May 3 and 4 and Oct. 4 and 5, offer literally thousands of items, including high-end

By Evelyn Cairns women’s clothing in a “French Room,” an accessories boutique, children’s toys and clothing, antiques, indoor and outdoor furniture, electronics, tools and much much more. Proceeds are earmarked for the charities supported by St. James.

Hours for the spring sale are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

May 4. Items will be on display both inside and outside the church, which is located at 25159 East River Road.

Donations of items are accepted beginning two weeks before the sales, and that’s when some 40 to 70 Church Women begin the arduous tasks of sorting and pricing the mountain of contributed items, stopping only for lunch. Workers volunteer to provide main dishes and desserts for lunch using favorite recipes from the organization’s exceptional cookbook, which was published in 2015.

The Episcopal Church Women’s Cookbook ($20) is still available, but in short supply. Three of the members’ favorites follow. I’ve made all three of them and enjoyed every bite.

You won’t believe how easy and delicious Nancy’s Chicken Parmesan is (wish there were room for the picture), and Judy’s Jell-O salad is addictive.

Sharon’s raspberry bars are diet busters, but well worth every calorie.

BAKED CHICKEN PARMESAN (Nancy Crysler) 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 cups Pepperidge Farms stuffing mix crumbs 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese 1 stick butter, melted Salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse stuffing mix in food processor to make crumbs. Combine with cheese.

Alternately dip thighs in butter and

stuffing mixture and place on lightly greased foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet.

Add seasonings. Bake about 45 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Cover with foil if chicken gets too brown.

JUDY’S AMAZING CHERRY JELL-O FRUIT SALAD (Judy Christie, known as the Gelatin Queen) 6-ounce package cherry Jell-O 2 cups boiling water 16-ounce carton frozen sliced, sweetened strawberries 14-ounce can whole cranberry sauce 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water, then stir in strawberries, which will defrost and chill gelatin. In another bowl, stir cranberry sauce until smooth. Add to Jell-O mixture with pineapple. Chill until mixture thickens slightly, then stir to distribute fruits evenly. Chill until firm.

HUNGARIAN RASPBERRY BARS (Sharon Shumate) 1 cup sugar 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup butter, softened 1 egg, beaten 2¼ cups flour 2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For crust and topping, combine sugar, pecans, butter and egg in stand mixer.

Reserve 1½ cups for topping and press remainder in 8x8x1½ baking pan.

Spread jam over crust to within ½ inch of edges. Crumble remainder over jam.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

WINS SOUPER BOWL Congratulations to Pat Cobb of Lincoln Park for being crowned the 2019 Kroger Souper Bowl Champion at the Grosse Ile Kroger-employee soup cook-off in January. Pat won the contest, a prelude to the Feb. 3 National Football League Super Bowl, using Johnny Kolokowski of Wyandotte’s recipe for Italian Sausage and Bean Soup. The recipe was published in the January Culinary Capers column. If you need a copy, contact me at: Evycairns@aol.com ~ HAPPY COOKING

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 21

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Page 26 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 27

HERB FEST 2019 The Grosse Ile Herb Society’s annual giant herb and perennial plant sale is Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

This year’s theme will be “Savoring the sweet and spicy – highlighting the herbal trends of 2019.”

The festival will include all things herbal: demonstrations and tastings; fresh baked goods; herbal infused sugars, salts, spices and condiments for purchase; tag sale; children’s garden activities.

The event will be hosted by Centennial Farm, rain or shine - look for the tent!

Herb associates will be available to answer questions and help you plan your herb garden.

Proceeds from this event support Grosse Ile student scholarships. Visit us on Facebook: Grosse Ile Herb DUMP THE JUNK; FIND THE TREASURE SET FOR MAY 11 Residents who have items that normally aren’t picked up with weekly trash, have an opportunity to bring them

to the DPS yard on Groh Road on Sat., May 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The annual Dump the Junk; Find the Treasure, sponsored by the Open Space Committee, will take place only one weekend in 2019.

It’s a good way to both get rid of unwanted items and prevent dumping in our open spaces. Besides being able to dump junk, residents can bring in still useful items they no longer need and place them in the Find the Treasure section of the DPS yard where other residents might find an item they can use.

This includes unused bikes and a bike that may need some repair. Those are picked up and taken to Back Alley Bikes in Detroit where they’re made into working condition and either sold or given away. Back Alley Bikes has been in business for over 15 years and even trains youth and adults to repair bikes which they get to keep.

GROSSE ILE SENIOR CITIZENS CLUB Meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 11:30 p.m.

SPRING RUMMAGE SALE St. James Episcopal Church 25150 East River Road, Grosse Ile

Friday, May 3 • 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 4 • 9 a.m. – Noon

Outside Furniture, Books, Electronics Open 8 a.m. both days Half price or $1.00 for a filled brown grocery bag on Saturday. Donated items accepted from April 19 until noon May 2.

For more information call 734-671-6492 Please no underwear, children’s car seats, slatted cribs, safety helmets, textbooks, console TVs (flat screen TVs only), computer hard drives, mattresses, refrigerators, freezers or other large appliances

Refreshments followed by a short business meeting, programs, bingo. This is a social club for men and women 55 years and up living on Grosse Ile. VOLUNTEERS The Township is always on the lookout for volunteers.

Helpers are needed for community events like the Fall Festival, Halloween Parade, Island Winterfest, Winter Olympics and the Easter event.

Volunteers are also needed as golf course rangers and workers at summer events like Safety Town and youth camps.

And, as always, volunteers are needed to help plan, set up and clean up Island Fest.

To become involved call 734-6752364.

TAKE IT OUTSIDE The Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy is sponsoring the High School Nature & Wildlife Photo Contest. Entrees accepted now through Thursday, May 9, 2019. Open to all high school students. Students may enter photos captured locally that inspire us to appreciate and steward our environment.

There are three categories are Creatures, Critters, and Crawly Things, Amazing Moments; and Patterns & Textures.

Enter at www.ginlc.org. Click on “Photo Contest” for the entry form.

CHILDREN’S CHOIR Grades 3 to 8 continues on Wednesdays until May 29 from 3:15-

4:15 p.m. at Meridian School. Contact Barbara Conroy at bjconroy@gmail. com or (734) 675-2364 with questions.

Library teen volunteers Interested in volunteering at the library?

If you’re 14-17 yrs old, take a look through our volunteering information and fill out our application. Follow this link to the Teen Volunteer Application, fill it in and drop it off at the library’s circulation desk or email it to Amalia Ash: ataash@trenton.lib.mi.us.

Once the completed application and work permit is given to library staff, you will be contacted within five days for a volunteering opportunity. Please note that as we have a limited number of volunteer opportunities and changing library needs, we cannot guarantee a certain number of volunteer hours or immediate placement.

COME KNIT The Knitting Club of Grosse Ile meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Riverview Veterans Memorial Library. Come from some great fun, conversation and, of course, knitting Call 734-283-1250 or go to Riverviewpubliclibrary.com.

LOOKING FOR A NEW BEST FRIEND? The Grosse Ile Animal Shelter, 24525 Meridian, has dogs, cats and kittens ready for new homes. Stop by and meet your new best friend.

For shelter hours, call 692-9688.

Cousineau Chiropractic doctors will answer your questions Greetings, I am Dr. Nicole Cousineau, and I am one of the two doctors at Cousineau Chiropractic. We are both second generation Chiropractors.

My father, Henry Cousineau, started the practice in 1975 and we have been proudly serving the Downriver area ever since.

Now that my father has retired, my sister and I continue to help our community as much as possible, just as our father did for many years.

Chiropractic is known to help with many conditions including back pain and neck pain, but there are many other benefits of chiropractic care.

While getting your spine to optimal function, patients experience relief of secondary conditions.The best way to find out if chiropractor can help you is to talk with one.

Most offices, including ours offer complimentary consultations.

We look forward to discussing many health topics. We would like to answer questions. Please submit any questions to info@cousineauchiropractic.com.

The office phone number is 479-1880

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What’s Happening Grosse Ile ...

Page 28 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

ADVERTISING INFO CALL 734-282-3939 AND GET RESULTS

TRADITION Continued from page 1 improvement and student achievement.

Both Parke Lane and Meridian Elementary schools have implemented new initiatives in reading and writing instruction using the workshop model in all K-8 classrooms.

For example, each session begins with a mini-lesson, focusing on fluency and skill development. Students are then sent off to work independently, where the teacher confers with them, and then leads small workshop groups. Partway through the teacher delivers a mid-workshop teaching point, whereupon the lesson ends with students sharing their work.

“Instruction is very differentiated, that is, individualized to both student strengths and areas of improvement,” Kalisz said, “there is a great deal of student choice in the reading and writing materials. Our teaching staff understands that students learn at different paces and different rates.”

Through a partnership with Wayne RESA, Kalisz and Parke Lane Principal Nicole Garza are working with the Parke Lane staff and others throughout the county to develop an “Instructional Rounds” model at Parke Lane Elementary. Based on the model and practice of medical rounds, teachers will visit their colleagues’ classrooms with a “problem of practice” in mind. Together they make recommendations and plans to more instructional practice forward and as a result increase student learning.

In the Middle School, a new elective class for the 2019-2020 school year has been approved by the Board of Education, Lego Mindstorms. The course is designed to introduce students to a variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) technologies with LEGO kits. The introductory topics will include forces and motion, measuring, and energy. These lessons will then lead into a variety of real world applications such as pneumatic models, solar cells, wind turbines, and hydroelectric power plants.

Kalisz added, “This course will not only generate skills ours students could use into adulthood, but it will also provide an engaging curriculum that will be sure to keep students involved and challenged.”

“The committee voted twenty-five

dollars for the purchase of books, and classes were instituted, not only in the “three R’s” but in history, algebra, and other sciences.

At Grosse Ile High School, Advanced Placement teachers Amy Seguin in history, and Amy Rossow in English language arts have been chosen by the College Board to be examination readers and scorers this coming summer. “This is a great opportunity and will open doors for our students, “ Kalisz said. “By having teachers who understand how the AP

exams are scored, our students will gain that knowledge through better coaching in preparation for the exam.”

As you read this in The Grand, students, teachers, and school officials will be under the pressure of high stakes testing in the State of Michigan.

Starting on April 9, 2019, high school juniors and eligible seniors will be taking the college entrance SAT with Essay. That same day, a new PSAT 8/9 will be given to all 8th graders, while 9th graders will be taking the PSAT 8/9 and sophomores will complete

the PSAT 10. The work skills: ACT WorkKeys test will be given to juniors the following day.

Also, the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) will be given to students in grades 5, 8, & 11, during a testing window starting April 8 through May 3. The M-STEP includes summative assessments in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. All tests are computerized. Students who are absent will have an opportunity to make-up the exams at an April or May date.

Students in grades 3, 4, 6, & 7 will take the M-STEP with a testing window from April 29 through May 24.

Students with an Individualized Educational Plan, developed for each child who needs special education, will have an accommodated testing window to complete all the exams.

If this seems a little confusing or you’re thinking “It wasn’t that way when I was in school.”

You’re right. And these high-stakes proficiency tests are in addition to regular chapter tests, unit tests, diagnostic tests, or placement tests.

Yes, Julia, there is more to education and learning than proficiency on a standardized test!

Life is a test.

What about learning kindness and compassion, what about creativity, what about good citizenship, what about civility, what about perseverance, what about teamwork, what about striving for excellence, what about coping with failure, what about trying new things, what about the joy of learning, what about understanding other cultures, what about respect for diversity, what about finding one’s way and living one’s passion?

All parents and educators want what’s best for their children. They want them to be happy, healthy, productive citizens. Yes, with skills for college and career readiness, for lifelong learning, and more, provided by the home and Grosse Ile Township Schools.

“Let us hope that the new ways may continue to mean progression, and that those who come after us may realize, as we have, the loveliness and distinction of this unique little island, our beloved Grosse Ile.” Julia Howe Keith

April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 29

Ah, Humbug: The waiting is the hardest part Like wide-eyed children anxiously yearning for Santa’s presents on Christmas morning, environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts will have to continue to wait for the opening of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at the Humbug Marsh Unit. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which manages the site, reported the delay stating both the visitor center building and the site of the fishing pier remains under construction.

Aw, come

By Bill Stevenson on! Christmas is cancelled. Bah, Humbug.

But, wait. Just like the Charles Dickens novel, there is a happy ending, and Scrooge, as well as the entire story is transformed.

The new refuge manager, Susan White, who took over the position from Dr. John Hartig, in July, 2018, doesn’t seek to fix the blame, but rather fix the problems.

“We understand the frustration in the delay,” she said, “moving an urban, industrial brownfield to a hub for connecting people to the outdoors has not been without its surprises and obstacles to be overcome.”

“What many people do not know is that the site is not in our direct control at this time. Due to multiple construction problems and a default by the original contractor, the Refuge Gateway John D. Dingell Jr. Visitor Center construction is now under the control of the bond company, Western Surety.”

The Refuge Gateway on Jefferson Avenue, was owned by the Chrysler Corporation and operated as an automotive brake pad adhesive and paint facility from 1946 to 1990.

The plant was closed in 1990 and remediated to the State of Michigan industrial/commercial standards. It lay in decommissioned status until 2002, when Wayne County purchased the 44 acre parcel with the vision of restoring the area to its natural state, and making it accessible for public use.

In a unique partnership, most of the Gateway is still owned by Wayne County which administers it as a part of its Parks and Recreation

Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is named for the late Congressman John Dingell

Division of Public Services, while the federal government, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service owns the Dingell Visitor Center. The county and federal government work collaboratively to manage the site. Together, with citizens, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and local communities—all entities seek to build and sustain the capacity of the refuge.

Just last spring, when digging the storm water ditches for the Gateway, rusted barrels of chemicals were discovered buried on the property which required coordinated remediation with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

During that same discovery, construction was further delayed by an uncovered buried power line. And, in addition to the ghosts of Industrial Past, the most recent phantom appearance seems to be the seemingly mundane, but vexing sewer problem from the Gateway Visitor Center.

According to Deputy Refuge Manager, Steve Dushane, “The sewer line leading from the Visitor Center to

the main sewer is a gravity line that incorrectly runs uphill at one point.

What goes in, must go out. The surety contractors are working to solve the problem. But, the entire area of the Gateway is an active construction area—and why the Gateway remains closed.”

Through all this, Manager White reaffirms, “In reclaiming this area, the health, safety, and well being of the public is our paramount concern. Of equal importance is the restoration of fish, wildlife, and plant habitats for current and future generations to enjoy. With the unique environment and history of this area, come unique challenges.”

The Refuge Gateway property is adjacent to the Humbug Marsh Unit, a 410-acre preserve that contains the last mile of natural shoreline along the U.S. mainland portion of the Detroit River. Humbug Marsh was designated as Michigan’s first “Wetlands of International Importance” by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 2010. Humbug Marsh contains a vast biodiversity of habitats with old and secondary forests, coastal marsh and

wetlands. It is a significant stopover area for many migratory birds, and as many a fisherman knows, a great spot for thriving bass, walleye, and other piscatory populations of the Detroit River.

This whole concern about the opening of the Gateway Visitor Center and access to Humbug Marsh could have had a different ending.

Enter the Ghost of In the late 1990s, a development company, Made in Detroit, Inc. sought to build on the Humbug Marsh area-- that last remaining mile of natural shoreline.

Their original plan was to build more than 300 condominiums and luxury homes, a golf course, marina, equestrian center, and a riverfront amphitheater. A bridge was proposed to connect the mainland to Humbug Island in the Trenton Channel. Many people supported the development, as an upscale addition to an otherwise industrialized stretch of Downriver.

Many more people opposed the plan.

Many more.

The Michigan Department of SEE HUMBUG, Page 34

HAVE AN EVENT OR FUNDRAISER? LET US KNOW AT 734-282-3939

GROSSE ILE GRAND

Page 30 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

GROSSE ILE GRAND

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 31

As virtually everyone knows, I write a lot about the pursuit of the excitement and satisfaction of excellence in retail that only independent retailers can bring.

My travels always include such a search; you never know when or where you’ll find something that lights

By Peter Rose you up.

And lighting ourselves up is important, to the point that nearly everything else takes a back seat.

When my grandfather opened Chelsea in 1943, Wyandotte was a retail shopping hub, a world apart from anything else in the Downriver region. There were others in the metro Detroit area, and Wyandotte held its own against all regional districts where shopping was done.

There were three movie theaters with four screens, shoe stores, department stores, 5 & 10 stores, furniture stores (maybe a dozen of them, ask Scott at White Furniture), newspaper headquarters, banks galore, clothing stores to beat the band….

Wyandotte was a beehive of activity, a community hub that naturally drew folks, where they could see neighbors and get all their shopping done.

Unless they wanted to go to Detroit, meaningful and close by alternatives were scant.

There was no Southgate at the time and Riverview was just a small village. Not so long ago, the landscape was as different as to be another region entirely.

Things change. As the region ballooned in population through the 50s and 60s, it spread, and fostered a new era of retail in formats called strip centers and then malls.

Downtown retail hubs like Wyandotte across the country withered, suffering reverses and diminishment as these

Virtually all the businesses are local and independent, too

new, hotshot retail destination location places prospered.

Some actually died, nearly all of them were and still are shadows of that former golden era.

But Wyandotte has found a new core in which to build a reputation as a hub: The restaurant and bar industries have invested a mint in Wyandotte, establishing and furthering a breadth of fantastic options to imbibe and ingest.

Every one of them is local and independent.

I used to bemoan the phenomenon of a tired and poorly attended downtown eatery scenario, while the likes

of Applebees and Olive Garden and Red Lobster were always packed. Today, that scene has shifted fairly dramatically.

Turns out, there just weren’t enough “authentic” and wellexecuted restaurants. Corner bars throughout the city remain, but the growth has come from quality establishments, serving solid to excellent food, in a one-of-a-kind environment.

The real thing. Right here in Wyandotte, in large focus.

Our region (outside of Wyandotte actually exists, it turns out) is blessed with other places to eat as well; some new establishments, others old and re-energized places, all with

a common basis: Real and authentic and not cookie cutter.

Places where everybody knows your name, if you get my drift.

There’s more, of course.

When I joined our company in 1972, there were three banks in town: Wyandotte Savings Bank, National Bank of Wyandotte, and Downriver Federal Savings Bank - all local banks.

We just had a new investment, resulting in a new credit union in our downtown, the first ever, I believe? A few new retail joints have joined the fray, and are contributing to the reputation as well, for Wyandotte as a place to go

for cool things, unique things, artful things.

We don’t need our version of what the big box and national chain stores offer. What is offered in Wyandotte is, for lack of a more communicative word, “cool.” And that is just what the doctor ordered.

Places that can operate among the bars and restaurants, offering a different mix of products, more creatively displayed, and with some very unique faces doing the explaining of what it all means, what each product is actually all about.

The millennial generation is so widely derided for being the cause of today’s retail issues. The truth is: They want real. This generation of people agrees with me (so they are correct, of course) in seeing the sea of sameness of stores at shopping mall after mall across the country, offering their version of the same, bland, meaningless stuff that is not worth the investment.

So they avoid those places like the plague, because they are the plague, having infested a once unique and varied landscape of uniqueness with disposable nonsense.

Millennial’s support for wineries and distilleries and the joints that offer those unique products is heartening and so encouraging. This generation wants places like Wyandotte to thrive, because they love that vibe. While there are countless members of prior generations that share that passion for “real,” those generations also enabled the infestation.

Businesses like mine are doubling down, daring to be different, and insisting on quality and scarcity of availability.

It’s an interesting time.

Remember, you can be a part of creating the next true wave of authentic and unique in Downtown Downriver. OK, and all of Downriver, for that matter.

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HUMBUG Continued from page 25 Environmental Quality and the Army Corps of Engineers held a series of public hearings to gather input on the Made in Detroit, Inc. proposal.

Outraged citizens and environmental groups flooded a hearing held at Carlson High School on Sept. 15, 1998, prompting the fire marshal to shut the doors as the venue reached capacity. Michigan State Police closed the exit from I-75 as traffic backed up two miles with people waiting to attend the meeting.

The scientists came and spoke. The duck hunters spoke. The fishermen spoke. The bird watchers spoke. The tree huggers spoke. The builders spoke. The kayakers spoke. The Native Americans spoke. The local residents spoke. The following year, the Army Corps denied the company permits to fill wetlands or build on Humbug Island. The People had spoken!

Local politicians stood up and took notice. Congressman John D. Dingell, Jr, an avid hunter and outdoorsman, had long been monitoring the Humbug development. As champion of the environment, he was instrumental in the passage of the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act, among a host of other significant pieces of legislation. Working with a diverse array of partners, Congressman Dingell sponsored the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Establishment Act, which President George W. Bush signed into law, Dec. 21, 2001.

Merry Christmas.

What many may not realize, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge stretches along 48 miles of the Detroit River and western Lake Erie, as well as the Priority Areas administered by the Canadian Wildlife Service on the Ontario side. It establishes a “conservation crescent,” and is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. Humbug Marsh and the Refuge Gateway are only a small portion of the much larger preservation effort.

Deputy Manager Dushane and Joann Van Aken, Executive Director of the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance concur, “Without the concerned citizens, and private/public

WHAT MANY MAY NOT REALIZE, THE DETROIT RIVER INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE STRETCHES ALONG 48 MILES OF THE DETROIT RIVER AND WESTERN LAKE ERIE partnerships with businesses and different environmental conservation groups, the refuge would not be here.”

“The community is the refuge.”

So, what’s in store for an anxious public upon the grand opening of the Detroit River International Wildlife John D. Dingell Jr. Visitor Center?

For one, there will be ample, lighted parking to access the trails and wildlife of the Humbug Marsh unit. The visitor center itself will be a 12,000-squarefoot Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum design. Inside, visitors will find a wildlife observation room, two classrooms for educational programs for all ages, a multi-purpose room, and areas devoted to hands-on activities for children.

Venturing to the Trenton Channel, there is a 740-foot dock, a 200 foot fishing pier that extends out into the river. Along the shoreline, there are three observation decks, an outdoor environmental classroom, and over three miles of hiking trails. Passersby the area now notice bike paths that connect to more than 100 miles of Downriver Linked Greenway Trails.

And when the gates of the refuge are finally opened, there will certainly be a sigh of relief on the part of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife officials. But as people get outside and reconnect to nature, they will find their peace and say, “Ahhh, Humbug.”

The operation of the Gateway Refuge and the Humbug Unit, would not be possible without citizen volunteers. If you would like to be involved contact Shannon Nelson at driwr_volunteer@fws.gov or call 734.692.7638.

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 35

DCA thrives under new executive director The historic, 20,000-square-foot building that houses the Downriver Council for the Arts is a rabbits’ warren of rooms, hallways, nooks, crannies and hidden hidey holes of all sizes.

Thanks to the DCA’s executive director, Erin Suess, vibrant new life is starting to buzz all through the three floors of the stately, unconventional building at 81 Chestnut St. in Wyandotte.

By Paula Newman Her No. 1 goal when she was hired three years ago, Suess said, was “just breathing life into this building — having it busy and artists creating everywhere and things going on.”

And that’s exactly what she’s done, although it’s an ongoing venture.

The structure today is full of artists at work in rented studio spaces, galleries of ever-changing art exhibits, classrooms full of students, and even a large commercial kitchen in use by artisan chocolatier Jamie LeBouf, a Lincoln Park native. Concerts, poetry readings, fashion shows and lectures often are in progress, and a gift shop offers original creations for sale.

An expanded theater on the third floor and a large studio space located off the balcony area is used by the Downriver Detroit Student Film Consortium. One small rented studio is home to podcasters. That space also offers a large “green room” for people waiting to be interviewed by Podbros Network, the creation of Downriver “Podfather” John Bruske.

The building, owned by the city of Wyandotte since 2008 and renamed the James R. DeSana Center for Arts and Culture when the DCA took it over in 2010, was built in 1911 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and then bought by the Fraternal Order of Free and Accepted Masons in 1943, who kept their secrets there for 50 years.

Suess, with the help of a few volunteers, has been cleaning out and revitalizing the structure’s many ramshackle spaces for the last three years, and making the place a haven for artists in all media. She and her helpers — especially filmmaker Scott Galeski of Wyandotte, founder and director of the student film group, and a DCA board member; and Andy Chorkey of Wyandotte, DCA resident artist and musician — have pulled up carpets to reveal wood floors, dry-walled, painted, paneled, plastered and renovated.

That work, too, is an ongoing venture.

“I keep expecting to unearth something really cool one of these days,” Suess said, with a laugh.

studio itself.”

Grosse Ile artist Donna Boisseau Hinson gave up her island studio to nab a space at the DCA, where she also teaches classes for children and adults. Michael Mullen of Grosse Ile has a studio there, where he focuses on drawing and printmaking. He’s also a musician who plays guitar, mountain dulcimer and Celtic harp, and his concerts at the DCA draw fans.

Tim Porter of Southgate, also known as Tim Porter McKeenn, often can be found painting as he listens to music in his DCA studio. His wife, artist Michelle Porter, is a DCA board member. Allen Park artist Martine MacDonald has a DCA studio, and Wyandotte artists Karen St. Martin and Jan Dunbar share a studio space. Dunbar is president of the DCA board. Dave Maran of Wyandotte uses his DCA studio to build ukuleles.

“Having resident artists is just amazing,” said Suess, who is an artist and photographer herself and also has 20 years of experience as an art director and as a multimedia designer for the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press.

Suess, who puts in 16-hour work days, also has been hard at work seeking grants; updating the DCA website (www.downriverarts.org) to reflect everything that’s going on; planning and developing exhibits, events and classes; staying in touch with community groups; and attending seminars and workshops at the Southeast Michigan cohort of Arts Leaders as Cultural Innovators, a leadership development Photo by Larry Caruso program presented by Culture Source.

Chorkey built out the stage in the theater about 4 She was excited that the DCA was among the more feet, she said, and also built a sound booth.

20 groups chosen for that program, which usually is “He does good work,” Suess said. “Scott and Andy limited to organizations with budgets of more than did all the physical labor” to upgrade the theater. $500,000.

Much of the work took place during the Christmas “It’s a national program and this is first time they holiday break of 2017, when the DCA was closed, are doing it in Detroit,” she said. “It’s kind of a big and the end result included an extra 600 or more deal because the DCA only has an annual budget square feet added to the theater, where Odd Fellows of about $150,000, and only myself and a part-time and Masons once held ceremonies. secretary, but they accepted us!”

“We were putting in 17 hours a day,” Suess said.

The program is intensive and invigorating, she What’s needed now is railings for the balcony to said. bring it up to code, and more brick work and tuckApril’s DCA calendar includes a host of art lessons pointing, so the theater won’t have leaks when it for all ages and also yoga, sewing, and an artists’ rains. meditation session. Upcoming events include an “The city is getting bids for that,” she said. “I’m so artists’ rummage sale open to the public. Last month’s grateful.”

Indie Art Fair drew crowds of art lovers to the Wyandotte artist Joseph Hosler was one of the first building where so much is going on. to rent a space in the DCA’s labyrinth-like building.

The nonprofit DCA, founded in 1978, serves 21 “My studio is in the back stairwell,” he said in a communities. Visit downriverarts.org to learn more recent DCA social media interview. “I’m always in about studio space, classes, and upcoming events. my studio painting, splashing paint or working on the

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You gotta have art!

Page 36 • April 11 - May 8, 2019

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Erin Suess brings talent and experience to the DCA When Erin Suess was a little girl growing up in Lincoln Park, she was already an artist and entrepreneur.

“I would make pictures, roll them up, put them in a little plastic picnic basket and walk around to the neighbors trying to sell them,” she said with a grin.

She lives in Wyandotte now, and for the last three years, has been executive director of the Downriver Council for the Arts.

She brings her talent and experience as an art director to the nonprofit organization. She also brings a tremendous amount

By Paula Neuman of energy. She credits her early morning workouts at the gym for that. By the time she gets to work, she’s already been up for hours and has exercised. Working at the DCA for 16 hours a day is a regular thing for her.

After “awkward” teenage years, survived by playing sports and making art, Suess earned an associate’s degree at Henry Ford Community College and a bachelor’s degree in art from Wayne State University.

After that, she worked as a graphic designer for design agencies and for the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. Then she went on to work as an art director for Jackson Dawson Communications in Dearborn.

“Working in the creative industry for most of my career, I have developed a strong discipline for sticking to a timeline, managing products and creative people,” Suess said.

She also served on the DCA board for six years, and volunteered her services for website design and upkeep, graphic design and social communication.

Now she leads the organization, and it hasn’t all been easy.

“When I got here, the building (a historic, threestory structure of 20,000 square feet divided into many rooms of all sizes full of stuff left by past owners) was very underutilized,” Suess Suess said. “I wanted to utilize the building better, revitalize the board and connect more with the community.”

It’s working. She has cleaned and rehabbed rooms to make art studios for artists, and already has nine or 10 rented out, breathing new life into the old building.

“All those years, this is what we were trying to make the DCA — a community space that was thriving and busy,” Suess said.

She likes busy. And that’s a good thing, because the DCA staff is just her and a part-time secretary. No development director. No custodian.

Suess began her working life at 15 as a hostess in “one of those little greasy diners,” she said. “I thought it was gross the way they washed dishes.”

Customers were continually complaining to her about lipstick marks left on their cups.

“So many people would be mad at me,” Suess said.

“I can remember thinking that I hate every aspect of this. I also worked at a drive-through party store.

Creepy dudes pulled up in cars.”

After high school graduation, she had several jobs at one time. One was working as a cashier at a hardware store but the best job was at Toys R Us working the midnight shift stocking shelves.

“That was fun as heck because I was 18 and my girlfriend worked there and other people our age,” she said. “It was fun.”

Her advice for teenage artists going through tough times?

“Art is something that saves you,” Suess said. “If you’re really mad or sad, you can use your art to get your feelings out in a way that’s OK.” For struggling artists of all ages, it’s important to find mentors and to put effort into what you do.

“You’ve got to put in a lot of work,” Suess said. “Do your homework. It all depends on how much you want it.”

Her own art, mostly put on the sidelines now as she

guides the DCA’s growth, is in mixed media, drawing and photography. In 2007, she was honored with an Emerging Artist award by the organization, before she ever got involved as a board member.

Suess was raised as the only child of a single mother with a grandmother in the picture, too.

“We didn’t have anything handed to us,” she said. “It was a very loving and supportive home, but Grandma was hard and strict. She was tough in a loving way.

My mom was so loving and compassionate, so very supportive. I was a good kid and I was given markers and crayons at a very young age. I always wanted to be an artist.”

Artists of all ages are welcome at the DCA, and many classes and summer camps are available for children.

“Any level of art you can do, you’re welcome to do here,” Suess said. “I think art is a great tool to help people get through hard times and mentally challenging times.

“One of the big things about art is that it teaches creative problem solving. If you’re encouraging that in a community, it makes people’s skills that much more valuable. Beside the aesthetics, art can make people think and interact. And it gives people pride in the neighborhoods, in their city.”

April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 37

SPORTS

Grosse Ile soccer team ready to make another run First-year varsity girls head coach Kyle Lesperance found a problem when he joined his team at the start of the season: The Red Devils had no goalkeeper, and seemingly, none on the pipeline.

“No goalie,”Lesperance said. “It was a huge problem.”

Enter freshman Veronica King.

King, an excellent young forward, was tossed into the net during tryout week and she didn’t just do well, she did great.”

And Grosse Ile’s fortunes quickly went from “oh, no” to “oh, boy.”

By Hank Minckiewicz Grosse Ile, which is still getting used to Lesperance’s defensive system, suffered a stinging 6-0 loss to state power Detroit Country Day School in its first contest of the season, but in that game, King made an amazing 22 saves, some of them of the spectacular variety.

To get King some time on the pitch outside of the goal, Lesperance will have her share netminding duties with junior Morgan Frost.

Grosse Ile figured to have an excellent offensive team with two high scorers back and with the goaltending situation figured out, the team could again be on track for a state tournament run.

“This team is good,” said Lesperance. “It’s a very talented offensive unit.”

Leading the way up front are senior Brooklyn Donckers and junior Rozlyn Mehall. Donckers had 24 goals last year and Mehall had 25.

That on a team that won the Huron League and

After missing all of last year with a knee injury, senior Ava Napolitan hopes to help the Red Devils to some more state tournament hardware this season.

regionals titles and played all the way to the regional finals before falling.

Also back this season is Elizabeth Molnar, who had eight goals last year. Lesperance said he has moved her into more of a striker position this year and he expects her offensive output to increase.

The Red Devils are captained this season by seniors Lauren Naso, Ava Napolitan and Lindsay

Jurecki. Having Napolitan and Naso back is like having a couple of new players because each missed all of last year with knee injuries. Junior Anna Shumate also missed all of the sophomore season with an injury and she returns this year.

The rest of the team is seniors Sonja Vicko, Lillian Centlivre, Megan Ferguson and Amanda Quinn; juniors Alexis McNeil and Julia Whitty; sophomores Ava Pascuzzi and Emmi Pinkowski; and freshman Alyssa Naso.

The Red Devils again look to be the class of the Huron League, but districts will be a little different.

For the past few years Grosse Ile has been in a fairly weak district, but the Michigan High School Athletic Association shuffled things and this year the Devils will be in an eight-team Division 3 tournament at Livonia Clarenceville. Among the teams there are Clarenceville and Wixom St. Catherines.

“St. Catherines is really the wild card,” said Lesperance. “In years past they have always lost to Country Day in the district finals, so they are probably glad to be out of that district.”

The league season starts for Grosse Ile April 9 against Jefferson. The Devils will play on the 10th against Airport before going to the Marshall tournament on April 12. There, the team could run into host Marshall, the No. 2-ranked Division 2 teams in the state.

Grosse Ile golfers are reloaded and ready to challenge again

By Hank Minckiewicz After two-time regional champion and team leader Joey Test graduated last spring, perhaps a few Huron League and Downriver golf teams thought Grosse Ile might be a little more vulnerable this season.

Sorry, guys, the Red Devils have simple reloaded and, led by four players with state-meet experience and bolstered by a crop of amazing freshmen, the Red Devils will be back in the hunt for Huron League, regional and even state titles.

Grosse Ile won the Huron League and regional titles last year, but a terrible first day at the state meet doomed their chances of winning the Division 3 title. The Devils made a

furious second-day comeback, led by Evan Lemerand’s rain-soaked round of 78, but the team could do no better than its third-place finish.

Coach Carlie Butler said that although the rough showing last year hurt at the time, it will help this year’s team.

“A lot of our guys have been through it now,” said Butler. “They know what to expect. They know about the whole overnight stay and more people watching and they should be much more comfortable with it.”

The Red Devils will be led this year by a trio of seniors, captains Evan Napolitan and Cody Keenan and Alex Melhorn.

Butler said he leans especially

heavily on Melhorn.

“He has a lot of game,” said Butler.

“We really need him, especially to help along the younger kids. He is our leader.”

Lemerand, who made such an impression with his second-day state-meet play last year, is back for his junior campaign. And in the “rich get richer” department, Grosse Ile welcomes aboard junior Evan Johnson, a transfer from Gabriel Richard, who Butler said is, “a very strong player.”

As strong a top five as that might be, Grosse Ile’s seemingly endless depth goes on and on. Butler kept a whopping 15 players on the team this season, mostly because his freshmen were so good he simply could not cut

them.

Two of the top ninth-graders are Anthony Naso and Luke Champnella.

Butler said Naso, in particular, is amazing in his accuracy.

“He has a lot of chops. He is not very long, but from 100 yards and in, he is money. You can count on it getting up and down,” Butler said. “I wish I had his short game and he is very, very straight.”

The rest of the Grosse Ile team is junior Joe Davis; sophomores Jacob Christie, Luke Taulbee and Joey Boisture; and freshmen Parker Miklos, Ben Lazorka, Aidan Pullen and Harrison Lee

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 39

Young Red Devils looking forward to a new season

By Hank Minckiewicz The Grosse Ile baseball team may be setting a new standard for youth movements this season as the Red Devils feature nine sophomores and freshmen on their 16-man roster.

“We knew this was coming,” said coach Mario Garza. “The senior class was small right from the start and we lost a few guys through the years. The junior class is small, too, and when you put them back-to-back, you get this situation.”

But while the Red Devils are a little light on varsity experience, they are blessed with a full pitching staff worth of arms and, as any baseball coach well tell you, pitching is the name of the game.

“One of my assistant coaches was laughing at the start of the year. He said, ‘hey, this is the first time we don’t have a two-man pitching staff,’” said Garza.

The arms race starts with two impressive seniors Ricardo ‘Bubba’ Madrigal and Zack Thompson.

“Ricardo is an exciting player. He is fun to watch,” Garza said. “He is a high-energy kid and a lefthander who throws hard.”

After a tough, injury filled regular season in 2018, the Devils nearly beat Trenton in the district tournament and it was Madrigal who was on the hill for the tough 3-2 loss.

“I was super proud of the kids that day,” said Garza. “They came in and battled behind their ace

LAST SEASON, GROSSE ILE’S YEAR WAS BASICALLY WRECKED BY INJURIES TO TWO STARTERS BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED. and Bubba pitched a great game. We just didn’t win.

That’s baseball.”

Thompson, the team’s other ace, is entering the third varsity season of his senior year after quarterbacking the Grosse Ile football team to league championship and a record-setting campaign and then starting for the Grosse Ile basketball team.

This is Thompson’s fourth season of varsity baseball and Garza said he could see great growth in his veteran player during the football season.

“You could tell just watching him - and I told him this - that he has reached a new , different, higher level of maturity. He’s cool under pressure, a good leader and a very, very solid player.”

Offensively, Garza said, Thompson “gets things going.”

Backing the two seniors are juniors Matt Groat and Nick Chittum, who are “mid-80s guys,” on the mound and key parts of the batting order.

Sophomores Nate Brown and Tyler Quade and freshman Mike Madrigal round out a deep staff.

Brown was on the varsity last year. He pitched a lot

as a freshman and gained valuable experience Justin Riggs is another key junior.

“He’s quite a leader,” said Garza. “He’s a guy who shows up and does what needs to be done everyday.

I’m really happy to have him.”

Senior Drew Ramirez and junior Gabriel Richard transfer Evan Johnson are the only other upperclassmen on the team.

The other sophomores are Tim Veres, Trey Swick, Collin Linting and Nick Esordi. The other ninthgraders are, Ty Garza and Ben Carter.

Last season, Grosse Ile’s year was basically wrecked by injuries to two starters before the season started. With a small, thin team, Garza said injuries are always a worry. But if the team can stay injury free, the coach said it’s pitching depth could carry it a long way.

Garza said Airport, Riverview and Huron likely will be strong league contenders this season. Airport, though, he said, was the key.

“If you can beat Airport twice, you know you are probably in the league title hunt,” Garza said.

The Devils played three non-league games before spring break and Garza was happy with the results.

Grosse Ile beat Wyandotte and Taylor and dropped a decision to Trenton.

The Devils play non-league Gariel Richard April 10 and start league play April 12 against Flat Rock.

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April 11 - May 8, 2019 • Page 41

Grosse Ile High School spring sports schedule BASEBALL Wednesday April 10 at Gabriel Richard 4 p.m.

Friday April 12 at Flat Rock 4:30 p.m.

Monday April 15 at New Boston Huron 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday April 17 Riverview 4:30 pm Thursday April 18 Summit Academy 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday April 24 at Jefferson 4:30 p.m.

Friday April 26 Monroe St. Mary CC 4:30 p.m.

Saturday April 27 at Southgate Anderson (DH) 1o a.m.

Monday April 29 at Airport 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday May 1 Milan (DH) 4 p.m.

Thursday May 2 Dundee (DH) 4 p.m.

Friday May 3 at Lincoln High School 4 p.m.

Monday May 6 Flat Rock 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday May 8 Huron 4:30 p.m.

Saturday May 11 Ida 10 a.m.

Saturday May 11 Wayne Memorial noon Monday May 13 Riverview 4:30 p.m.

Thursday May 16 at Monroe St. Mary CC 4:30 p.m.

Monday May 20 Jefferson 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday May 22 Airport 4:30 p.m.

GOLF Monday April 15 at U of D Jesuit Golf Invitational 1 p.m.

Wednesday April 17 Monroe St. Mary CC 3 p.m.

Monday April 22 at Lake Orion High School 2 p.m.

Wednesday April 24 at Flat Rock 3 p.m.

Thursday April 25 at Flat Rock (Jamboree 1) 9 a.m.

Monday April 29 Airport 3 p.m.

Wednesday May 1 at Huron 3 p.m.

Friday May 3 at Huron (Chuck Unseld Memorial) 9 a.m.

Monday May 6 Jim Bennett Invitational 8:30 a.m.

Monday May 6 at Jefferson 3 p.m.

Wednesday May 8 Riverview 3 p.m.

Monday May 13 at Milan 3 p.m.

Tuesday May 14 at Huron (League Meet ) 8 a.m.

Friday May 17at Big Rapids Invitational 1 p.m.

Saturday May 18 at Big Rapids Invitational 9 a.m.

SOCCER Tuesday April 9 at Jefferson 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday April 10 Airport 4:30 p.m.

Saturday April 13 at Marshall High School 10:45 a.m.

Monday April 15 Milan 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday April 17 at Monroe St. Mary CC 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday April 23 at Flat Rock 5:30 p.m.

Thursday April 25 at Huron 4:30 p.m.

Friday April 26 Jefferson 4:30 p.m.

Monday April 29 at Woodhaven 6 p.m.

Wednesday May 1 at Riverview 6 p.m.

Friday May 3 at Airport 4:30 p.m.

Monday May 6 St. Mary CC 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday May 8 Flat Rock 5:30 p.m.

Monday May 13 Huron 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday May 15 at Milan 5:00 p.m.

Monday May 20 Riverview 4:30 p.m.

SOFTBALL Friday April 12 Flat Rock 4:30 p.m Saturday April 13 at Dundee (DH) noon Monday April 15 Huron 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday April 17 at Riverview 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday April 23 at Lincoln Park (DH) 4 p.m.

Wednesday April 24 4:30 p.m Friday April 26 at Monroe St. Mary CC 4:30 p.m.

Saturday April 27 at North Farmington and West Bloomfield TBA Monday April 29 Airport 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday April 30 at Inter-City Baptist 5 p.m.

Wednesday May 1 at Milan (DH) 4 p.m.

Friday May 3 at Trenton 4 p.m.

Monday May 6 at Flat Rock 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday May 8 at Huron 4:30 p.m.

Friday May 10 Renaissance 4:30 p.m.

Saturday May 11 at Hits for Heroes Tournament 8 a.m.

Monday May 13 Riverview 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday May 15 Western International 4:30 p.m.

Thursday May 16 Monroe St. Mary CC 4:30 p.m.

TENNIS Wednesday April 10 at Ann Arbor Pioneer 4 p.m.

Thursday April 11 at Grosse Pointe North 4 p.m.

Saturday April 13 QUAD at Grosse Ile 8 a.m.

Tuesday April 16 at Huron 4 p.m.

Saturday April 20 at Rochester Invitational 8 a.m.

Tuesday April 23 Milan 4 p.m.

Wednesday April 24 University Liggett 4:30 p.m.

Thursday April 25 Carlson 4 p.m.

Saturday April 27 QUAD at Grosse Ile 9 a.m.

Tuesday April 30 at Airport 4 p.m.

Monday May 6 at Greenhills 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday May 7 Riverview 4 p.m.

Tuesday May 14 Monroe St. Mary CC 4 p.m.

TRACK Thursday April 11 at Airport 4 p.m.

Saturday April 13 at Jefferson Invitational 9 a.m.

Tuesday April 16 Milan 4 p.m.

Tuesday April 23 Huron 4:00 Friday April 26 at Carlson High School (Marauder Invitational) Thursday May 2 Monroe St. Mary CC 4 p.m.

Friday May 3 at Flat Rock (Ram Relays) 4 p.m.

Tuesday May 7 at Jefferson 4 p.m.

Thursday May 9 Flat Rock 4 p.m.

Saturday May 11 at Roosevelt (Metro Classic) 8:30 a.m.

Friday May 17 at Milan (Regionals) 9 a.m.

Tuesday May 21 at Milan (League Meet ) 3 p.m.

Saturday June 1 at State Finals TBA LACROSSE Tuesday April 9 at Bedford 5:30 p.m.

Thursday April 11 at Grosse Pointe South 7:30 p.m.

Saturday April 13 at Gabriel Richard Away 2 p.m.

Tuesday April 16 at Monroe St. Mary CC 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday April 23 University Liggett 6:30 p.m.

Thursday April 25 Lincoln 6:00 p.m.

Saturday April 27 at Brighton 4 p.m.

Monday April 29 Bedford 6 p.m.

Wednesday May 1 Grosse Pointe South 7 p.m.

Monday May 6 Gabriel Richard 6 p.m.

Wednesday May 8 Monroe St. Mary CC 7 p.m.

Friday May 10 Arbor Prep 6 p.m.

Monday May 13 Belleville 6 p.m.

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