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September 12 - October 9, 2019 • GI-GrandNews.com
8146 Macomb St. Grosse Ile, MI 48138-1574 Bus: 734-675-6870 Fax: 734-675-0492 rita@ritacole.com
Hoist the mainsail Local sailors complete epic summer of sailboat racing Three local sailors just completed an epic summer of sailboat racing, with victories in the three most prestigious yacht races held on the Great Lakes. Kip Stoneburner of Wyandotte and Denise McLaughlin, whose family owns McLaughlin’s Furniture in Southgate, and Dr. Matthew Dubois of Grosse Ile, were part of the eight member crew of the Tartan 4000 sailboat named Roxy, owned by Dr. Don Condit of Grand Rapids, that was the winner of the three races. The journey began on July 12th, with Roxy taking first place in the Cruising One Section of the Chicago-Mackinac Race, a 333 mile race up the west side of the State of Michigan, sailing between the Manitou Islands and past the famous Sleeping Bear sand dunes, finishing at Mackinac Island, just after passing under the Mackinac Bridge. In addition to
Roxy
placing first in their section, Roxy placed second overall in the 40-boat division. The following weekend, the boat continued its winning ways with a firstplace finish in the Doublehanded Division of the Port Huron-Mackinac race, a 299 mile race across Lake Huron, crossing the finish line in the shadow of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The trifecta was completed two weeks later on Aug. 3, with Roxy taking first place in both Class B and Overall in the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) division of the 360-mile TransSuperior Yacht Race, a bi-annual trek across Lake Superior, which starts in Sault Ste Marie, MI, with the finish in Duluth MN, after sailing around the northern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Stoneburner and Mclaughlin run SEE HOIST, Page 3
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Page 2 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
GROSSE ILE GRAND
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GROSSE ILE GRAND
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 3
Denise McLaughlin and Kip Stoneburner
Matt Dubois at the helm
HOIST
Continued from page 1 the foredeck and trim headsails and spinnakers on the 41-foot race boat, while Dubois is a watch captain and helmsman. “It’s usually a very good season when you win one of the big races,” said Dubois. “To pull off wins in two of the races in the same year is really special, but to win all three in the same year is unheard of. That’s what makes this such an incredible accomplishment.” The trio, all Trenton High School graduates, who normally race on Dubois’ 33-foot sailboat in the western Lake Erie race fleet, connected with Condit eight years ago, when Dubois’ daughter, Meghan, married Condit’s son, Patrick. They were invited to race on the then brand new boat, and have been a regular part of the Roxy crew for the big Great Lakes races ever since. “We were worried about the TransSuperior, because everyone who’d done it talked about how cold it was,” said Stoneburner. “We had heard all the horror stories about 40 degree temperatures and 10-foot waves, but we caught Lake Superior in a pretty benign condition. We were lucky; we rounded the Keweenaw Peninsula with a spinnaker up, sun shining, wearing shorts and t-shirts.” For Dubois and Condit, the Doublehanded Port Huron-Mackinac race was extra special. Two years
WE WERE LUCKY; WE ROUNDED THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA WITH A SPINNAKER UP, SUN SHINING, WEARING SHORTS AND T-SHIRTS. ago, they raced together in this race to celebrate the birth of their grandson. This year, the two grandpas were celebrating the birth of their new granddaughter by doing the race together again. Winning was just a bonus for them. “Racing a big boat like this with only two people, when the boat normally takes eight or 10 crew to make it work can be especially grueling,” said
Dubois. “Sleep patterns get really interrupted and maneuvers, such as sail changes, are much more difficult. If you run into a storm, which we did (the duo encountered a line squall of thunderstorms with almost 50 mph winds during this year’s race) it can be especially dangerous. But the sense of accomplishment you get just from finishing is really worth it. It’s really a personal test of how far you can drive
yourself.” For McLaughlin, going through the Soo Locks was a pleasant surprise. “We got to see the St Mary’s River Rapids from the water, which very few people get to do, then got to go through the Soo Locks, which fewer people get to do,” she said. “And to top it off, we got to race on Lake Superior, with great friends and a great crew.”
Page 4 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
GROSSE ILE GRAND
It is a sad day for local indies: Farewell, Ray Hunter All independent businesses have their “regulars” - the customers that become devotees over the years, as relationships forged long ago get set in stone. Not only are they comfortable and trusting of the service and honest representation of the industry such places provide - they also like, even love the place, maybe the owner, certainly the people that make that place what it is. By Peter Rose These people don’t need to be asked to shop local. Their response, quite appropriate, might be something like “Uh, yeah, duh….” They would never hurt the store they value. They know that their world in particular would be the worse for the absence of the store that served them so well. My daily or even periodic travel routines don’t take me out onto Eureka all that often. I wasn’t paying attention to the drama that was
unfolding at Ray Hunter Florist and Garden, as they prepared to close their doors for the last time on July 14. I have to tell you that even typing those words, for a business that is not mine, no less, makes me sad. Sadder because I didn’t know. A business that began and stayed local, serving the needs of the Downriver community, and staying connected to that community, is gone. 100 years. The Ray Hunter business is not going to be eulogized here - it has already been done, and I’m certain, better than I could hope to do. What hits me now, after the fact, is the expression of sadness of one long time patron who simply said, paraphrased: “Oh, no, not another special place closing! You will be sadly missed.” It is easy to lament the loss after the fact, and many will. It is harder to recognize the truth: All of their “specialness” was not enough to overcome the onslaught of competition that may have had lower prices.
Ray Arthur Hunter cited on-line habits as the primary culprit (with three or four Lowe’s, three or four Home Depots, and now a Menard’s within a few miles, big box retail had to have also hit them like a ballooning tsunami as well). Hiis explanation seems sanguine and clinical. Mine would not sound anything like that. I might sound angrier, but there is no question that I would not sound accepting. I would be devastated as if I had lost a family member. For people like me that live and breathe the business we’re in, that business and the person are one and the same. The “disconnect” I have talked about in this column does, in fact, lead to this end game. People that are not in the acolyte category don’t actively try to hurt the Ray Hunters of the world. They simply have no awareness at all of the impact of their buying decisions. They are disconnected; they have lost the thread that makes up a community. As a
result, we no longer even have the option of shopping at Ray Hunter. We are left with the internet, and the big box alternatives that are staffed by people that know less about their products and that don’t know us personally. When that staff goes home at night, trust me, they are not thinking of you, not thinking of making sure they ordered you exactly the right thing, or any other detail that relies on personal engagement with real people. Independent is the real deal, the authentic and original version in a sea of publicly funded ripoff artists that invade and compete by offering a lesser product at a lower price. Nationals take local ideas and try to mass produce them, while sucking all the money out of the area that it once bounced around in. Internet options are even worse. I miss what has been lost. I resent that what has replaced it. The crappy new version of reality for all of us that, SEE SAD DAY, Page 13
GROSSE ILE GRAND
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 5
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FROM THE SUPERVISOR
Township government, it’s about days and dollars Like it or not, we, your Township government, may have all the plans in the world to make Grosse Ile Township an even better place to live, but there is little we can do without the days and the dollars to make things happen. I will use this column to update you on some current financial issues - not exciting but a big part of my world – my days By Brian Loftus and our dollars. Some of you may remember the public and social media pummeling I have taken over our Township’s finances, lately the result of Michigan’s Public Act 202 (I’ve opined on that poorly crafted legislation in the past) where our Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEBs, and in our case retiree health care) costs are computed and ranked against our ability to fund them. Unlike pensions, which are defined legal obligations and somewhat computable for future costs, no one can predict the future cost of health care, making binding predictions on those liabilities almost quizzical. A number of factors are involved in the future liabilities predictions, most notably are employee management, union contracts and future assumptions. First, the management decisions. Since I took office (followed immediately by Michigan’s devastating recession) we have reduced staff positions, added cost controls and cost sharing of benefits. These and other decisions made by our management team are already showing reductions in future pension and OPEB liabilities. Now the fun part - the assumptions. Among the many variables in attempting to predict future health care liabilities are life expectancy, investment returns and costs, none of which are precisely predictable. Regardless, under 202, we are expected to establish a fund which will be measured against very fluid cost predictions. The good news
is that, with the advent of 202, the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (MERS) established accounts for member communities to begin prefunding these OPEBs. We now annually pre-fund our expected costs in this account, which is earning currently 6-8 percent interest per year, as opposed to the 1.5 percent our other idle funds are earning. Health care costs are paid from this account throughout the year. We very recently received the consultant’s 2018 Actuarial Valuation Report for Retiree Health Care. Short version - with cost reductions through management programs, pre-funding with increased interest returns, and other more favorable assumptions, our future OPEB liabilities have been reduced from $24 million at the close of financial year 2017 to $14 million at the close of financial year 2018. Full disclosure – the 2018 numbers are pre-audit report but I am confident in our finances. Additionally, the assumptions are this year’s assumptions, next year’s may be different and we may start anew, but for now the state can focus on someone else. Huge sigh of relief from me, at least for a moment; please read on. More money issues – our favorite bridge. One bid came in for the reinforcement of the settling piers (the even numbered ones that were placed in the 1870’s) and it was much, much higher than anticipated, hence rejected and additional delays to the repairs. The plan now is to execute Phase 1 (the piers) and Phase 2 (the structure) concurrently during an extended closure. I should have more information on when this will occur at our September meeting with the County. I’ll update everyone then. Bids open for the replacement of the Meso Island bridge next week; I hope we don’t get the same ‘sticker shock’ and have to delay that project also. As for roads, again, cost is the issue. We did not make the County’s top 100 list for major repairs. SEE TOWNSHIP, Page 13
Page 6 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
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September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 7
Solving a mystery
Grosse Ile woman heads fibromuscular dysplasia group
By Tom Tigani A local woman’s quest to find out what was happening her has put her in charge of an organization that now helps patients and medical professionals worldwide to better understand what was once thought to be a rare disease. Island resident Pam Mace first suffered the symptoms of fibromuscular dysplasia 19 years ago at age 37. During the first couple of years, she had a small stroke and two aneurysms, resulting in two stents placed into each of her carotid arteries. Two of her arteries were dissected in 24 hours, then a third.“ I was not healthy, and there was nobody to talk to,” said Mace, a former emergency department nurse. She had two of the most common symptoms, headaches and high blood pressure, as well as a swishing noise in ears known as pulsation tinnitus. The common nature of those symptoms, however, makes FMD difficult to diagnose.
FMD is a vascular disease, first diagnosed in 1938, that causes cell development in the walls of one or more arteries to develop abnormally. That can increase patients’ risk for artery blockages, stroke, coronary artery dissection or aneurysm. Many patients show no symptoms and only learn of their condition through a radiology scan for some other health issue. At the time of Mace’s initial diagnosis, two of her brothers already had died of other causes. “They thought I was going to die too,” she said, “but I didn’t want my daughter, who was 6 at the time, to go through what I did, so I kept asking questions.” Cousins, nieces and nephews all stepped up and volunteered to donate blood to help Mace deal with her disease. “I have a very supportive, involved family,” she said. “I’m lucky. “When I was diagnosed, there wasn’t a lot of information out there, but I
kept looking around and found this group, the Fibromuscular Dysplasia Society of America, founded by Susan and Rich Gould and Marie Yeh. That was a real exciting day for me. “Doctors kept telling me my disease was rare, so when I found this support group, people were asking how to raise awareness and share their stories. One group member had filed paperwork to start a website, and because that member also was from Ohio — where Mace lived at the time — she started volunteering. “I just jumped in and started sharing stores to raise awareness,” she said. “I really think it was my ability as a nurse and as a patient that caused people to listen to my story.” That awareness and the hard work of many others has led to the society’s evolution into an international registry and a medical advisory board that provides information about FMD to emergency departments, specialists and primary care physicians. Mace worked her way up from volunteer to society board member, vice president and then president before becoming its executive director. She said an important milestone for the group came a few years back when the American Stroke Association recognizing FMD as a cause of cause of stroke; she credits her persistence for making that recognition happen. Because FMD typically presents in children through their kidneys, medical professionals previously had thought it was primarily a renal disease, Mace said, but the sharing of society members’ stories, along with Mace’s efforts, made the Stroke Association officials realize that they had to consider the disease’s effect on carotid arteries. The organization now boasts thousands of members from all over the world, as well as a go-to website and the United States Registry for FMD, launched in 2009 at the University of Michigan Clinical Outcomes Research and Reporting
Program. The nearly 2,500 patients nationwide can visit one of 14 registry sites nationwide to share information about things like their diagnosis, testing, medical history and family history. Additionally, a support group’s Facebook page has 3,400 followers. Mace and other society members have met with doctors in Belgium and Poland now are planning another meeting this fall in Vancouver. And their work has led to 43 registries in 23 countries that help patients find answers and tell their stories. “It’s amazing to have that many people become part of the awareness and education about this disease,” Mace said. “Now in 2019 we have researchers all over the world diagnosing patients, and doctors all over the world are working together on FMD. “I feel very blessed. A lot of doors have opened.” Mace’s grandson recently asked her what it’s like to be famous. “I just kind of laughed,” she said. “I don’t know that I see myself as being famous. Everything I’ve done is for a cause and to help. I was just trying to find answers. “Our organization is really helping to advance the research on FMD, and with so many working together, I know we’ll start to find those answers.”
Page 8 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
GROSSE ILE GRAND
Grosse Ile ready to ‘Paint the Town Red’ again By Hank Minckiewicz The high school football team is back at work. Kids are back in school and fall is right around the corner. That means a lot of things and one of them is that Paint the Town Red can’t be far away. For the third straight year the Grosse Ile DDA is helping sponsor the event, which is held in conjunction with Grosse ile High School’s Homecoming each year. This year’s “Paint the Town” will be Friday, Oct 4 and Saturday, Oct. 5 and, as usual, most of the action takes place on Macomb Street. The event changes from year to year and this time around a new and fun twist has been added: The Kiwanis Scavenger Hunt. The Saturday event, which runs from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., is meant for kids, but it is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The free event focuses on hunting for trivia about Grosse Ile. There will be Scavenger Hunt Spots around the Island with the main goal of having kids and teens learn more about the wonderful place they live. The event will include trivia or activities that participants must complete at each spot to earn tickets for the prize basket drawings. Take as long or short a time as you like. This will be a self-guided event. Kiwanis volunteers will be at the Grosse Ile Commons at the corner of Macomb and Meridian from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. to help you get
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started and to confirm the spots contestants complete when they are finished. You can team up with other people or try to go to as many spots as you can by yourself. The drawing for the prize baskets will be at 4 p.m. and you do not need to be present to win a prize, just make sure the Kiwanis has a way to get in touch with you. The first 100 kids who register by Sept. 15 get a commemorative t-shirt. The weekend kicks off Friday when local business on Macomb Street decorate their storefronts. At 4:30 the traditional Barry VanEngelen Homecoming parade runs the length of the Island’s main drag and businesses with provide snacks and games. After the parade there will be a pep rally in Lyons Park with cheerleaders and the band, a photobooth and a big Red Devil cutout for people to take photos with.
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From 4-7:30 p.m. the Grosse Ile High School senior class will run a tailgate and tacos fundraiser. Galindo’s food truck will be on the Fifth-Third property dishing up food for attendees. There will be a bonfire and games and a portion of the evening’s proceeds will go to the senior class. At 7 p.m., of course, is the football game with the defending Huron League champion Red Devils hosting league rival Flat Rock. After the game, fans are invited back to Macomb to celebrate at Perdino’s, Lloyd’s and other establishments. Saturday brings the Macomb Street Market with vendors and community groups setting up tents in Lyons Park. “We encourage people to come on down to Macomb and celebrate,” said Angela Sukockas of the Grosse Ile DDA. Entertainment during the market will be provided by Barry Van Engelen from noon until 2 p.m. and by the young duo Mirror Image from 3-5 p.m. There will also be facepainting, a bounce house and other family-friendly entertainment. The Kiwanis group is still looking for sponsors or donations for the Scavenger Hunt. If you are part of a business or other organization that would like to participate, please email GrosseIleKiwanis@gmail. com for more details on how you can get involved.
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September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 9
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At the Men’s Invitational, Sunday’s championship matches are an amazing scene. The galleries start showing up early to watch friends and family compete for their flight championships. Spectators enjoy great golf, complimentary hospitality tents and lunchtime barbeque. The championship match teed off at 1:30 p.m. and this year’s final match featured former champions Nick Geftos / Andy Mathews against Korey O’Brien / JP Swint. The match was very competitive with Geftos / Mathews taking an early 2-up lead with birdies on No. 1 and No. 2. The match had many great shots with O’Brien / Swint finally tying the match with birdie on No. 15. It took a par on the 23rd hole by Korey O’Brien to win the championship. “This is what the Grosse Ile Invitational is all about. A fun-filled week of camaraderie and great golf competition for all levels of golfers on a Donald Ross jewel. “Any participant will tell you GIGCC Invitational is very special tournament. Playing in the Sunday finals is a unique golf experience” said John Paul, General Manager. The 2019 tournament was truly a classic living up to its great
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The 83rd Grosse Ile Invitational, oldest member guest tournament in Midwest, was truly a classic tournament this year. The GIGCC traditional five-day invitational had 120 teams with one of the strongest fields in history. The championship flight had six former champions competing for the John “Corky” Hancock trophy. The field was broken into 15 eightteam flights all competing for flight championships. The weather was spectacular and the renowned Donald Ross golf course was in great condition. All players commented on how fast the tricky undulating Ross greens were rolling all week at 11 on the stimpmeter. The tournament started with a practice round on Wednesday and a steak dinner for 230 players after golf. At the Wednesday Stag Night after the practice round, the committee honored John Czarnik as the winningest invitational player in its 83 year history, winning it seven times and finishing running up 12 times in years spanning six decades. The following three days held roundrobin match play qualifying to see played in the Sunday finals.
om
Demare, Scooter / Pace, Jamie Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Thornley, Kyle / Pydyn, Larry Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Naso, Charles / Donckers, Bob Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Wayne, Matthew / Wayne, Mark Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Southward, Pat / Southward, PJ Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Coolsaet, Jeff / Brooks, Steve Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Weidenbach, Dave / Weidenbach, Andy Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Fieldstone GC of Auburn Hills Simone, Mike / Simone, Matt Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club
3 up 6&5 6&5 2&1 1 up 3 up 1 up 3&2
Cetlinski, David / Coffield, Brad Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Carl’s Golfland Plymouth Piunti, Nick / Watkins, Ryan Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Dearborn Country Club Levko, Denny / Levko, Brett Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club
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Lyons, Steve / Lyons, Jack Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Holmberg, Ed / Tatti, John Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Michigan Publinx GA Bujaki, Chris / Horvath, Mac Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, West Shore Golf & Country Club CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT O’Brien, Korey / Swint, JP Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, West Shore Golf & Country Club
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Joly, Bob / Garber, Van Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Gatti, John / Gatti, Jack Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Booker, Nick / Booker, Doug Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Griffith, Jerry / Doherty, Rick Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Laske, Mark / Lake, Mike Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club LaJeunesse, Tony / Genaw, Jay Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Porter, Michael / Nickols, Daniel Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Teringo, JT / Fisher, David Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, West Shore Golf & Country Club Christie, Mike / Housler, James Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Barton Hills Country Club Bacarella, Scott / Henger, Brian Inverness Club Frucci, Jay / Sigler, Justin Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Oakhurst Golf & Country Club Conti, Tom / Conti, Tommy Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Bragadin, Anthony / Mahanic, Ivan Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, West Shore Golf & Country Club Taylor, John / Taylor, Sheldon Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Polo Fields Golf & CC Geftos, Nicholas / Matthews, Andy Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Boyne Resorts
Page 10 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
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Page 12 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
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September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 13
CBD products abound, and may be helpful, but buyer beware By Paula Neuman CBD – short for cannabidiol – is for sale all over Downriver and beyond in a variety of forms. You can find it as an oil, a powder, a rub-on cream or gel, as gummies, patches and even infused into food and beverages. Across the country, millions of people are using some form of CBD, which is extracted from hemp plants and doesn’t get you high, to treat all sorts of health issues, including anxiety, pain and insomnia. The trouble is, the CBD craze is way ahead of the science about its effectiveness. And it’s largely unregulated, so what you get – and it’s expensive – may not be what the package says it is. A number of local pharmacists and doctors declined requests to comment about CBD. They said they just don’t know enough about it to comment. Nevertheless, it’s flying off the shelves. You can find it online, in some drug stores, smoke shops, video stores, food co-ops and even in some gas stations. Total Health Foods in Wyandotte offers a variety of CBD products, including some for pets. The demand is huge, co-owner Annette Crossman said. “People want to drink it, they want to rub it, they want to swallow it,” she said. She and twin sister and co-owner Janette Crossman started carrying CBD products about two months ago, Annette said. “I had to do some research first,” she said. “I needed to find clean companies.” The store’s CBD products are organic and non-GMO (genetically modified organisms), she said. Crossman said she herself uses CBD
SAD DAY
Continued from page 4 together, could have been avoided, if only we understood. It doesn’t happen by magic, and it doesn’t happen by letting everyone else carry the water. If you want your area to be populated by cool and unique and excellent businesses of all kinds, you have to patronize those places. You have to let it sink in that your own, personal purchase decisions are incredibly powerful. If you stop to
for joint pain, and finds it helpful. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many others do, too. Kelly Wise of Wyandotte said she uses it occasionally for pain, and finds it effective. Georgie Heron-Willoughby of Huron Township said CBD helps her arthritis pain. But dosages are undefined and
think that another 25 purchases a day at Ray Hunter, diverted from stores that wouldn’t notice the difference well, they wouldn’t be gone now. We deserve and need local and independent, and we make it succeed or fail. Help push back against the dumbing down of the American shopping experience. Congratulations and appreciative thanks to Ray Hunter for 100 years, plying your trade, making a difference, leaving happy memories. You are already missed.
unregulated. You basically have to guess how much will help you and find out by trial and error. Long-term effects? Side effects if you take too much? Interactions with other medications you may take? Nobody really knows yet. Small trial studies are underway on CBD’s effectiveness for pain, depression and other health issues. In 2018, the
National Institutes of Health allocated $16 million to study CBD. The one thing clinical trials have shown for sure about CBD is its effectiveness in treating epileptic seizures in children with a rare and severe disorder. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a CBD drug called Epidiolex for seizure treatment. Early and small trials suggest that CBD might ease anxiety, pain and schizophrenia. Testing has been slow because the FDA only declassified parts of the hemp plant as controlled substances in 2018. Its earlier classification kept researchers from getting it for testing. Scientists on the cutting edge of CBD research believe current evidence suggests there’s promise for the compound to treat some ailments. But they warn consumers to look for a product that is third-party tested to make sure it’s really what it claims to be, and to talk to their doctors before taking it. “You cannot know for sure that the product you buy has active ingredients at the dose level on the label,” wrote Dr. Peter Grinspoon in an Aug. 24 publication on CBD by Harvard Medical School. “We also don’t know the most effective therapeutic dose of CBD for any particular medical condition. “Some CBD manufacturers have come under government scrutiny for wild, indefensible claims, such as that CBD is a cure-all for cancer, which it’s not. We need more research, but CBD may prove to be an option for managing anxiety, insomnia and chronic pain. Without sufficient high-quality evidence in human studies, we can’t pinpoint effective doses.”
TOWNSHIP Continued from page 5
However, we will receive $250,000 through an Intergovernmental Agreement with the County to repair some residential streets, our .4 mill Road Maintenance Millage allows us to provide the necessary matching funds. Obviously there is much more going on, but I really wanted all of you to know that the decisions made by our management team and your Board of Trustees are generating sound financial results. We maintain a ‘AA’ Bond Rating (stable, investment grade) from Standard and Poors. The experts know that your Township is on solid financial ground, you need to know it also Finally, school is back in session so please be careful!
Page 14 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
GROSSE ILE GRAND
Flu Season is Upon Us
Photo by Dave Gorgon
Shown inside BAE indoor storage warehouse on Grosse Ile, are Sideshow organizers Mary Combs, Craig Bogart and Kevin Corder.
Sideshow returns to raise funds for Downriver for Veterans By Dave Gorgon Anything with a motor – anything! – will be on display during a unique show that will raise funds for Downriver for Veterans, an organization that supports military veterans. The public is invited to “Sideshow,” which returns to Grosse Ile after a several-year hiatus from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 21 at 27255 Midway. While the show is advertised as a classic car and motorcycle show, organizers invite anyone with any vehicle with a motor – even a boat or a plane – to participate. “We invite people who are car enthusiasts, mini-bikes, go-carts – anybody who wants to support the cause,” said Mary Combs, who is with IPSUM Total Marketing, is a volunteer who is helping plan and promote the event and is a past president of Downriver for Veterans. Admission to the family-friendly show is free; it’s $20 to enter a vehicle, which is basically a donation to benefit Downriver for Veterans, a Wyandottebased nonprofit organization that to date has helped more than 350 veterans with food, clothing, shelter, paperwork and transportation to medical appointments. During Sideshow, vehicle owners will compete for class trophies. There will be live music, vendors, a 50/50 drawing and activities for children and families.
The show’s other promoters are Craig Bogart of Grosse Ile and Kevin Corder of Huron Township, the owneroperators of BAE indoor storage. Both worked behind the scenes on previous Sideshows, are big supporters of Downriver for Veterans and members of Shielded Souls, a law-enforcement motorcycle club. Shielded Souls members support active police and firefighting emergency services, those lost in the line of duty, members of the military and veterans. Some other highlights include: ● Guy Fire (#84) will show off his race car that competes at Flat Rock Speedway. ● A go-cart Army tank, built during the last season of “American Restoration,” will be on hand, courtesy of American Legion Post 217 of Wyandotte. ● Members of Drop-In Downriver, a positive Wyandotte-based group for young people, will demonstrate their skateboard skills. ● Among the vendors will be a metal artist. “This is the first year of what hopefully will become a Downriver tradition,” Corder said. For more information about Sideshow, visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/thesideshow1 or call (734) 818-0928 or (313) 300-2383.
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Congratulations to Martha Butler of Grosse Ile for winning not one, not two, not three, but four gold metals . . . plus a silver medal . . . for her sugar-free recipes in the recent Downriver Senior Olympics hosted by the Southgate Recreation Department. The gold medals By Evelyn Cairns were for her triple chocolate Bundt cake, pumpkin bread, a white-chocolate pumpkin cookie (her grandson’s favorite) and an apple pie made with ricotta cheese. The silver medal was for her sugar-free fudge. Martha, who started baking when she was 10 years old, said her first attempt was a chocolate mayonnaise cake. A diabetic, she said she is now experimenting with a recipe for sugarless salsa. More than 500 seniors from the age of 50 to 99 took part in the Downriver Olympics, vying for 563 gold, silver and bronze medals in categories ranging from baking and cooking to pinochle and ping- pong. The competition was climaxed by an awards banquet at Crystal Gardens. I baked Martha’s Gold Medal SugarFree Bundt Cake and was surprised that a cake without sugar could taste that good. But don’t even think of using a Bundt pan smaller than 10½ inches with a 12-cup capacity, or the batter will overflow. And the simple glaze is simply amazing. SUGAR-FREE TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE 16-ounce box Pillsbury Sugar-Free Devil’s Food Cake Mix 1.4-ounce box Jell-O Sugar-Free Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix 4 eggs, beaten 1¾ cups water ½ cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon vanilla ½ cup sugar-free chocolate chips Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a Bundt pan generously with Pam or other baking spray. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes. Then on low speed of an electric mixer, mix in the beaten eggs, water, oil and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 more minutes. Stir in the
chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick tests done in several places. Cool completely before removing from pan. Turn out onto a serving plate, then pour Sugar-Free Chocolate Glaze over the cake, allowing the glaze to run down sides. SUGAR-FREE CHOCOLATE GLAZE 1 cup sugar-free chocolate chips ¼ cup butter ½ teaspoon vanilla Add chips, butter and vanilla to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir ingredients and repeat until the desired consistency is reached, approximately 1½ to 2 minutes. ••• I tore the following quick-and-easy fruit-crisp recipe from a cookbook a few years ago and have enjoyed making it numerous times (I use Gala apples). Apologies to the publisher and the author, as I didn’t write down the names of either. With apples now at their peak and blueberries always available, this is a perfect time to make the crisp. APPLE BLUEBERRY CRISP 4 medium-size tart apples, such as Granny Smith or Pippin (about 2 pounds) 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ¼ cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup rolled oats ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar ¼ cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted Set oven at 400 degrees. Peel and core apples; then cut lengthwise into slices about ¼-inch thick. In a 2½-quart casserole, mix apples, blueberries and the 1 tablespoon flour, granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a small bowl, mix oats, the ¼ cup flour, brown sugar, pecans and butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over the fruit and bake until topping is nicely browned and apples are tender when pierced, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. (I like it with vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream). Contact me at Evycairns@aol.com. Please include a telephone number.
Page 16 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
GROSSE ILE GRAND
Voice of Democracy
Patriot’s Pen competition begins By David L. Dyer On behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) I take pride in announcing this year’s Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen national essay writing contests have begun. These contests are open to all students in grades 6 through 12. This is an opportunity for the students in their own words to express their views on patriotism. There are two separate programs, one for high school and the other for middle school students. This year’s theme for both programs is the same: “What Makes America Great.” The high school project is “The Voice of Democracy.” It is the VFW’s premier scholarship program. More than 40,000 students compete annually for the ultimate award of a $30,000 scholarship. There are monetary and other awards awarded at each of four levels of competition, which begin right here at our VFW Post 7310. You must write an essay in your own words on this year’s patriotic theme:
“What Makes America Great.” Then you must record it on an audio disc or a flash drive. The duration must be at least three minutes and not more than five minutes with a five second allowance at either end. American history teacher Mrs Tina Bertino will be heading this program at the high school. All essays are due in to our VFW post no later than Oct. 31. The other program is “The Patriot’s Pen.” It is a challenge to all middle school students. The same rules apply as to the levels of competition and the due date. The only differences are your essay will not be recorded and must be at least 300 words and not more than 400 words. In lieu of a scholarship the grand prize winner will receive a cash award of $5,000. Mrs Andrea Dishon will head this program, as she did last year. One last thing as I close: Everyone that participates in either program will receive a certificate from the VFW which will be well worth framing. Good luck and good writing to all.
A new look
Girl Scout Seniors Kayt LaMothe, Katie White and Emma Trombley show off their completed project of restructuring the landscaping in front of VFW Post 7310 in quest of their Girl Scout Silver Award.
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GROSSE ILE GRAND
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 17
Learn about a famous painting
On Friday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m., the public is welcome to attend a fascinating talk describing the detective work involved in retitling Monet’s painting Rounded Flower Garden, formerly known as Gladioli. You will be surprised by the clues uncovered by DIA curator Jill Shaw and the history (provenance) of the masterpiece owned by the Detroit Institute of Art. The presentation, brought to you by the Grosse Ile Book Club, is free at St. James Episcopal Church. Light refreshments will be served. LEARN TO ROW If you are a student in grades 9-12 and have wondered if the sport of rowing is for you, now is the time to find out. A learn-to-row program is being offered at the Wyandotte Boat Club on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. No experience is necessary. Email coach Scott Sitek at scottsitek@girowing.com if you have questions.
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Sleep is an essential ingredient in staying well Dr. Nicole Cousineau Special to Grosse Ile Grand
Are you getting enough sleep? Not getting a good night’s sleep could mean a cranky morning. Many sleepless nights can affect more than just your mood. Did you know that your body does its physical repairing while you are sleeping. More specifically during REM sleep. Studies show that getting good quality sleep on a regular basis can help improve many issues. When you sleep your brain is processing the emotions of the day. If you don’t give your mind enough time to reorganize these emotions you tend to have more negative thoughts and fewer positive ones. That translates to an overall “bad mood.” Sleep plays a large role in learning and memory. Without proper sleep your brain does not have time to properly store memories and
information in order to recall them at a later time. If your brain has not stored the days information it makes it harder to process new information. Poor sleep has been associated with high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes and obesity. Hormone levels are unstable and your body has trouble regulating glucose levels. Here are a few tips to help improve your sleep habits. n Try keeping a consistent schedule. n Keeping bedtime and wake up times the same. n Try avoiding irregular or long daytime naps n Skip the evening caffeine and late night snacks. n Start a routine. A relaxing bath or shower. n Also avoid the blue light of electronics before sleep.
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Page 18 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
GROSSE ILE GRAND
Rx: Visit Michigan’s Historic Farm, Often
Westcroft Gardens: A Grosse Ile Gem The first thing you notice as you turn down the sloping gravel road, is the expansive white house commanding the hill overlooking the river. Ancient, gnarly trees evoke memories of joyful children clamoring and By Bill Stevenson swinging in their leafy expanses. Just ahead, is a barn that looks like it belongs in Greenfield Village. To the right there are two signs; one reads, “Please No Cars Beyond This Point,” the other, “Michigan Centennial Farm. Owned by the same family over one hundred years.” Beneath it, an update: “Over two hundred years.” Bursts of floral colors, trees and shrubs of unique design, the melodies of songbirds—all overwhelm the senses. You feel like you have stepped back in time, transported to a place of peace and beauty not often found so close to home. You have arrived at one of the jewels of the State of Michigan: Westcroft Gardens. Maybe, you visited in the past, but forgot about Westcroft Gardens. Could be, you’ve lived in the area, and never knew it existed. Perhaps, like many who like their lives to be real and organic, you come here on a regular basis to purchase annual or perennial flowers, trees, and plants, or to get expert information about your local horticultural issues. Or, maybe you just like to wander the beautiful gardens, “forest bathing”, soaking up the energy and healing power of nature while you escape the stress and pressures of modern life. “May I help you,” snaps you out of your reverie. A trim,
bespectacled young woman emerges from the rows of hanging baskets. She is Erica (de Beausset) Jackson, the 8th generation family member who manages the oldest farm in Michigan still owned and operated by the same family, established on July 6, 1776 - as in the Revolutionary War and Declaration of Independence, 1776. Jackson provides a concise history, “The island of Grosse Ile along with what is now Westcroft Gardens (Westcroft means West Farm) was purchased on July 6, 1776 by William and Alexander Macomb from the Pottawatomi Indians. Alexander sold his portion of the island to William in 1791, and William’s three sons inherited a third of the island each in 1811. David Macomb
of the second generation inherited the center section of Grosse Ile which included the current Westcroft property.” “David sold his portion to his nephew, John Anthony Rucker (third generation) who built the large white house on West River Road north of the entrance in 1835. Rucker’s cousin’s son,
Robert Lee Stanton (fourth generation) purchased the farm and house in 1873, and farmed Westcroft with diversified crops but mainly supplied hay for the horses that pulled trolleys in Detroit” As more automobiles appeared on the streets of Detroit, the market for hay greatly diminished. “It was our great grandfather, Ernest Stanton, the fifth generation descended from the Macombs, who changed Westcroft into a nursery,” continued Jackson. “Ernest fought in World War I, and had been exposed to mustard gas while fighting. When he returned home, his doctors recommended he spend much time outdoors in the fresh air. He became an expert on acid
soil plants like rhododendrons, azaleas, laurels, and dogwoods, which we continue to specialize in to this day.” As we are talking, a tousledhaired man in a green shirt comes upon us. Alexander Macomb de Beausset, is the seventh generation owner of Westcroft Gardens. “Xandy,” as he is called, is in town to visit his son, Kyle and his wife Jennifer who have just recently given birth to his latest grandchild - the ninth generation. Xandy invites me for a visit of the historic Rucker-Stanton House, the grand white house atop the hill at the entrance. As for the tour, that’s for another fascinating story. Jackson continues and we enter Ernest Stanton’s office, complete with well-worn chairs and desk, 1930s copies of horticultural books, dust and cobwebs one would expect in an outdoor office, and showcase placards detailing the history of Westcroft Gardens from its earliest days to the present. Somewhat naively, I ask if Mr. Stanton had won any awards. Erica Jackson points to the many frames adorning the walls with blue ribbons and accolades from national and international organizations. “As you can see, my great grandfather won quite a few awards. He was one of the founders of the Rhododendron Society of America. He developed many hybrids that took five to 10 years to prove their breed stock and viability to be Michigan hardy plants. Other experts would come to Westcroft in the early ‘30s to test their plant experiments in this environment.” And for those of us who live in southeastern Michigan, local gardeners are well aware
SEE WESTCROFT, Page 19
GROSSE ILE GRAND
WESTCROFT Continued from page 20ww
of the clay soil one has to deal with. Ernest Stanton developed a special Greenleaf Compound, used for greener, healthier foliage and more abundant, vibrant blooms. You only have to stroll the magnificent gardens of Westcroft, to see the towering rhododendrons, lush azaleas, and flowering dogwoods, the results of great nature and nurture. This past summer from mid-June to late August, Westcroft hosted a farmer’s market, every Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon, as well as a lecture series for interested gardeners. Their most prominent tenant, the non-profit Community Grown Gardens, formerly the Gardens of Hope, was started by Bob and Mike Johnson in 2015, and is now managed by Danielle West. The mission of the Community Grown Gardens is Teach. Grow. Give. Leasing an acre and a half parcel from Westcroft, the CGG seeks to involve student and adult volunteers in using sustainable growing techniques in an “urban garden” setting. They raise and sell organic produce such as kale, chard, squash, eggplant,
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 19
After a hard day in the garden, many might wish to beautify their fingernails, so Color Street nail wraps are part of the eclectic offerings one will find at the Saturday market. As we head into the fall season, an autumn family outing wouldn’t be complete without a Phantom Forest hayride at Westcroft Gardens, which they have done since 2001. Rides are offered from Sept. 27 through Oct. 27, every Friday and Saturday from 7 - 11 p.m. Every Sunday from 6 - 7 p.m. there are daylight rides without the scaring for those just wanting a fun time taking in the joys of a Michigan fall. From Oct. 28 to 30, tickets are on a sliding price scale, the closer you get to Halloween. Included in admission are the hayride, a drink and a snack, and a bonfire to warm your body and soul, while warding off evil spirits. Spread over 27.5 acres, with 10 greenhouses and four acres of meandering natural walkways among beautiful trees and flowers, Westcroft Gardens has been the site for weddings, special receptions, and photo shoots by professional photographers. While the retail operation closes up
AS MORE AUTOMOBILES APPEARED ON THE STREETS OF DETROIT, THE MARKET FOR HAY GREATLY DIMINISHED. peppers, beets, radishes and tomatoes, and also supply produce to Promenade Artisan Foods restaurants, every Tuesday and Friday. Additionally, more than 20 percent of the vegetables raised are donated to local charitable organizations to feed those in need. Other artisans at the Westcroft Saturday market include the GI Bread Brothers, Duncan and Tristan Fogt, who sell sourdough baguettes, full batard loaves and a scrumptious variety of cookies. Within the same open air greenhouse, Raftcraft opens shop with husband and wife artists, Scott and Rhonda Raft offering unique polymer clay items, and organic bath and beauty products. Just across from Raftcraft’s booth is Color Street with Maggie Jaskula, the independent stylist displaying chip-free nail polish strips.
for the winter, the botanical gardens are open every day of the year from dawn to dusk for seasonal pleasure. “We are looking into providing greater facilities for weddings and receptions,” said Jackson. “And we are planning to expand out planting fields to include sweet cherries, lavender - anything the deer won’t immediately decimate.” “We are proud to be the oldest farm in Michigan still owned and operated by the same family, and hope to continue the beauty and legacy of Westcroft Gardens.” If you would like more information about Westcroft Gardens, visit their website at info@westcroftgardens. com or visit at 21803 West River Road Grosse Ile, Michigan.
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THREE STORES IN ONE! Ask Marie Pucak how she happened to become the owner of Grosse Ile Pet & Garden Center and she will tell you that while owning a store such as this was not something she planned, it now appears undeniable that this is where she belongs. After a high-profile and successful career in the corporate world of the Cleveland, Ohio area, Marie Pucak relocated to Grosse Ile when her husband Rick was offered a promotion in the Detroit area. Literally left on an Island where she didn’t know anyone, she accepted a part-time job working for the Grosse Ile Marketplace in 2014. “They needed my help, and I needed them. God put me where I needed to be,” Marie quipped. In May of 2016, Marie purchased the business from the previous owners and will be celebrating her second full year of ownership this month. “I never expected to fall in love with being a store owner, but now I can’t imagine my life any different”, she said. Asked what sets her garden & pet supply apart from other comparable businesses, Marie was quick to say that their customer service is second to none. If we don’t carry an item that a customer wants, we will try to arrange to stock it. And my staff treats everyone who comes in here like family. We really have three different businesses operating under the same roof. Our pet food and supply segment, our huge garden center and our recently expanded gift section. Come in and visit us soon!
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Goodbye vacation! Hello to school! Hello new class, Goodbye old pool. Vacation time is over, School time is here, Now we welcome a new school year!
Back to School
In spite of state budget bickering, GITS on solid ground By the time you are reading this article, children throughout the state of Michigan have started a new school year—one filled with promise and hope. But, for the first time in nine years, the Michigan legislature and governor have not completed a budget in June. And By Bill Stevenson while we all know the old adage, “there will be school in September,” such financial uncertainty has boards of education, school superintendents, and particularly, school business managers sharpening their pencils in nervous anticipation of what the future holds. One only has to recount stories of school closures in Detroit, Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Benton Harbor or more affluent Farmington, and Grosse Pointe, to understand that many districts are on edge when it comes to school finances. Grosse Ile Township Schools is no exception. Schools Business Manager, Linda Drzyzga explains, “As of today, the state of Michigan does not have a finalized budget. The governor, the house, and the senate all have proposed different funding amounts for the state school budget. This is a challenge in the budgeting process for all school districts in the state, as the state foundation allowance (the district per pupil allocation) is unknown.”
“The Grosse Ile School District, in computing the 2019-2020 revenues, conservatively projected the state foundation allowance using last year’s (20182019) amount, which for Grosse Ile is $8,714 per pupil,” Drzyzga said, “The student count is crucial, when budgeting for 2019-2020, the number of students used in the projected budget was based on the students currently enrolled as of mid-June, 2019. Historically, during the summer months, the district does see a slight increase in the student count as families move to Grosse Ile, and as of today, that is the case.” State law requires that school districts submit a balanced budget by June 30 of
each year. According to the Michigan Department of Education, if a district adopts a deficit budget or incurs an operating deficit “as evidenced by its total General Fund balance as negative, or projected to be negative at the end of the current fiscal year, or other funds have negative fund balances or projected negative fund balances that are greater than the General Fund” they must submit a Deficit Elimination Plan which must be approved by the local board of education and then be submitted to the Department of Education for approval. A timeline for eliminating the deficit is then established, to complete the correction. As of June, 2019, the
Grosse Ile Township School District shows a fund balance of $2,766, 111. The unrestricted fund balance as a percentage of expenditures is 13.08%, and as a percentage of revenue is 13.02%. During the 20182019 school year, the district finalized and approved contracts with food service, custodial/ maintenance, teachers, secretarial/transportation, paraprofessional and administrators’ bargaining units. “Due to the contract approvals, the District, in FY 2019-2020 will have additional expenditures to meet the contractual obligations as set forth in the contracts,” Drzyzga said.
“Even with these additional costs, we are conservatively projecting a fund balance in June, 2020 as $2,246,500.” As Ben Franklin so aptly put it, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” For the average citizen and taxpayer, it might be easier to understand an autopsy regarding cause of death, than to decipher the “fund” a mentals of public school financing in the State of Michigan. And rather than attempt to teach a course on School Finance 101, readers are encouraged to view the February, 2019 presentation by Kathryn Summers, Associate Director of the Senate Fiscal Agency in Lansing at http:// www.senate.michigan.gov/ sfa/departments/datacharts/ dck12_schoolfundingbasics. pdf or see Grosse Ile Township School’s Business Manager, Linda Drzyzga’s June 25, 2019 presentation to the School Board at https://www. gischools.org/downloads/ business_office/2019-2020_ projected_budget_ presentation.pdf. The tradition of excellence, and the history of tremendous success of the Grosse Ile school system, continues to be based on a solid foundation of fiscal responsibility and prudent management. Given those underpinnings, we can safely say to our school children, “Welcome back to a new school year!”
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Grosse Ile EPA facility closes despite protests On Aug. 21, the federal government closed the Environmental Protection Agency’s Large Lakes Research Station located at the Grosse Ile Airport. A lot of people are protesting the closure, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn), Michigan’s U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters (both Democrats), and By Paula Neuman local politicians such as Grosse Ile Supervisor Brian Loftus. Twenty EPA employees who worked at the Grosse Ile station are being transferred to office space in the federal agency’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emission Laboratory in Ann Arbor. Most of those 20 employees are emergency responders. The former McLouth Steel complex in Trenton — 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 huge contaminated McLouth site is on the agency’s National Priorities List for Superfund cleanup action, which is underway. Cleanup action, recently begun, has already incurred EPA-cited violations. Those who protest the Grosse Ile station closure question the wisdom of moving emergency responders so much farther from the Detroit River, from the McLouth Superfund site and from other sites where chemical spills or toxic releases occur. “I am very disappointed that the EPA, especially the on-scene coordinators, are leaving Grosse Ile,” Loftus said. “I realize this is part of a cost-saving effort, but with Michigan’s largest environmental remediation project across the channel from us, relocating the responders farther away will certainly not improve their ability to protect our health and safety. Imagine trying to get from Ann Arbor to Trenton during a Michigan football game.” Nick Schroeck, founder of the nonprofit Great Lakes Environmental Law Center and director of the Environmental Law Clinic at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, said, “For monitoring cleanup at contaminated
Dingell presses EPA on mistake of closing Grosse Ile station Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) continued to express concerns about the closing of the Grosse Ile EPA station. Dingell continued to press the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with concerns about the closure of the station on Grosse Ile and the critical work being done by EPA employees at the site. She also asked EPA to provide an update to Grosse Ile employees being transferred on air quality reports of their new workplace in Ann Arbor. Dingell led legislation to prevent the closure of any US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional or program office, including the EPA’s Large Lakes Research Station office on Grosse Ile. The Recognizing the Environmental Gains in Overcoming Negligence (REGION) Act comes as this administration continues to propose cutting EPA’s budget and weakening environmental protection laws. In June, the House accepted measures by Dingell to the Interior Appropriations package that would prevent the EPA from closing the Large Lakes Research Station on Grosse Ile. Dingell’s measure prevents the EPA from closing or relocating any office or facility that houses either emergency responders or a criminal investigation unit responsible for carrying out the agency’s mission, such as the station on Grosse Ile. A copy of Dingell’s letter can be found here or below: Dear Administrator Wheeler, This letter is in regard to the closure of the Large Lakes Research Station on Grosse Ile, Michigan. Today, August 21, marks the final day employees will be working from the station on Grosse Ile before being consolidated with the Ann Arbor office. There continues to be serious concerns about the potential impact on the Great Lakes and the surrounding environment of this decision. This is the station that has led the cleanup of hazardous waste sites and after major environmental events, for example the Flint drinking water crisis. The work there has also included Criminal Investigation Division investigations of such crimes as illegal storage and disposal of hazardous waste, the improper removal of asbestos, the illegal export of electronic waste, and public corruption. The kind of work that has been done at Grosse Ile requires rapid response to emergency situations. The more distant relocation of this office could impose longer drive times to emergencies. I will continue to push for efforts that places EPA employees in strategic locations critical to the Great Lakes and rivers in Southeast Michigan. Further, the consolidation of Grosse Ile and Ann Arbor stations has also raised concerns about employee workplace safety and security. Current plans would have Grosse Ile employees work in prefabricated workstations placed in a warehouse. Employees have raised questions about adequate ventilation and air quality standards in the workspaces. As Administrator of the EPA, you of all people must know that everyone deserves to work in a space that meets minimum air quality standards, and this is even more important for the employees tasked with ensuring our communities’ air and water quality standards. It is also disturbing that an imposed contract with AFGE employees has placed restrictions on their use of official time and prevented union representatives from asking management critical questions about the quality of air and the standards in their new workspace. It is imperative that you and the EPA allow AFGE representatives to review the results of air quality testing being done in the Ann Arbor space to ensure a safe workplace and allow AFGE representatives to ask these questions when they can reasonably get the answers during the work day. It is not acceptable that EPA employees, whose job it is to protect our environment are being kept in the dark on the safety of their own work space. Sincerely, Debbie Dingell
sites like McLouth, the EPA needs to have boots on the ground. One concern with moving the EPA’s office to Ann Arbor is that the additional travel time may decrease the number and length of site visits by EPA staff. A bigger concern is that the EPA disaster-response folks will be 45 minutes away from the area in southeast Michigan where we have the majority of environmental disasters. Delayed responses can be very harmful to the environment and public health.” Dingell is working on a House of Representatives initiative to approve added language to a U.S. Department of Interior appropriations bill that would save the Grosse Ile station. The Republican-led Senate would have to approve it, as well. The EPA station’s relocation was first ordered in 2015 as a cost-saving measure to consolidate federal offices.The federal agency owns outright the Grosse Ile building – formerly the Grosse Ile Naval Air Station – that housed the EPA station at the airport before Aug. 21. No plans to reuse the building have been announced so far. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees also use the building, but plan to move when the new welcome center under construction at the nearby Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is completed. EPA officials said in a statement that the move to Ann Arbor is not expected to have an impact on response time to environmental emergencies. The Grosse Ile building is need of costly renovations, and moving the station to Ann Arbor will save about $500,000 a year, according to EPA officials. Trenton resident John Hartig, former manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, sciencepolicy advisor for the International Association for Great Lakes Research and visiting scholar at the University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, said, “The Large Lakes Research Station was a hallmark of Great Lakes research for nearly 60 years. With algal blooms flourishing in Lake Erie, considerable remaining contaminated sediments and brownfields, and observable impacts of climate change, this loss of scientific capacity will be felt throughout the Great Lakes Basin.”
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September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 27
Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church saves the day Since Bill Bynum and Co. had to scratch their performance on July 7 because Bill ended up at Wyandotte’s Henry Ford Hospital, he was good enough to schedule an appearance for an end-of-thesummer concert on Sept. 1. However, the weather didn’t cooperate. It had rained that day and the grounds at the Commons were still so wet that it wouldn’t work to ask people to set up on the lawn. As the organizer for the Concerts on the Commons for the By Pamela A. Frucci Grosse Ile Alliance for the Arts, I called the dispatcher at the Public Service station (fire and police) to see if we could use their meeting room. We were turned down. Since Karen Skocki was out of town, (she has the key to St. Thomas Church, our usual back-up to a rain-out at the Commons,) I called Rev. Phil Reed, the minster at the Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church, to see if we could use their fellowship hall. He graciously agreed to open the church. Luckily Robb Albrecht was close by with a key since he’s a deacon at the GIPC. He opened the church and over 70 followers of the Concerts on the Commons found their way to the church and enjoyed a whole hour of upbeat country and bluegrass music. RESIDENT CONCERNED FOR SAFETY OF STUDENTS WALKING ON LYONS Jerry Hatley is a resident in the area of Grosse Ile High School and is concerned over the safety of kids using Lyons Road to get to Macomb Street. The sidewalk along the road is too narrow for kids walking together so they use Lyons. Jerry watches the kids in the street and is worried that they might get hit by a car. He said he strongly feels that the safety of our kids should be a No. 1 priority and he suggested the sidewalk be widened so they can sue the sidewalk and not the street. He’s said he suggested this to the township, but so far so positive outcome to his concerns. LEGACY LIBRARY MEETING HELD AUG. 31 In order to plan ahead on building a Legacy Library on the grounds where once stood the 1911 Building, a planning committee meeting was held at the home of Jack and Pam Frucci on Aug. 31. Attending the meeting were Donna Jensen, who heads the adult services at the Trenton Library and lives on Grosse Ile, Theresa McCarthy, Jackie Shannon, and Fred Watson as well as Jack and Pam Frucci. They studied the architectural drawing of the proposed building by Emmanual Kolitas, who works for the firm Sydock in Wyandotte. When it was owned by John Wilkie, his firm was hired to make the old Naval Air Station hangar into the current township hall. The committee learned
that they can make changes in the proposed plan and that Kyle deBeausset, 8th generation of the Macomb Brothers who bought the Island from the Potawatomi Indians in 1776, is working to get the original treaty from the Burton Historical Library to be on display at the Legacy Library; thus the name Legacy Library. The library would also be an art gallery, mounting the Frucci collection of Grosse Ile artists. The committee decided that besides a reading and lending library and an art gallery, they’d like to see it as a community center for meetings since we lack a community center. As far as a fundraiser to build the library, no date has been set until the committee works out an agreement with the school board to hold it on the proposed site. Also to be decided on is the wording for a future millage election in 2022. The millage to pay for the use of the Trenton and Wyandotte libraries will be up for renewal and it’s hoped that a slight increase would cover not building a library, but paying for staff and maintenance of a library on Grosse Ile.
GROSSE ILE MUSICALE SETS PROGRAMS FOR 20192020 As it has since its founding in 1932 by Mrs. John Karmazin, the former Friday Musicale, now known as the Grosse Ile Musicale, has sent out their annual notice to members listing the programs for the coming year. Almost all the programs are at local churches at 1 p.m. in the afternoon. The Musicale, headed by Greg Genter, recently sent out membership forms with the 2019-20 programs listed. Due to an increased cost to cover not only the fee paid to performers, but the annual scholarships awarded deserving students going into music in their future, the yearly membership was raised to $55 for a single membership and $100 for couples. If interested, you can mail a check to the treasurer Gene Swift at 28707 Chatham. The programs for the year begin at St. James on Oct. 11 and will feature Al Allotta and his troupe of banjo players. Future programs will follow every month until May when the scholarship winners perform at the Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club. The programs will provide a variety of music to please all musical tastes from country to classical. On Feb. 14, 2020 a trip to the Dearborn Performing Arts Center is planned to hear the Dearborn Symphony perform a concert “Whole Lotta Love” on Valentines Day. ST. JAMES NEW MUSIC MINISTER IS AN EDUCATOR AND A MUSICIAN Having been born and raised in Texas near a shipping canal in Port Arthur, Jim Johnson was attracted to Grosse Ile because it is surrounded by water. It took him a long time to get here because of his
active life. Originally a Lutheran and going to a Lutheran school in Port Arthur, he was educated in church schools and started his musical career by learning to play the organ while in 9th grade. He’s now been sitting at an organ bench and involved with music education for 37 years! His voice training came from performing for many years in college choirs and community chorales. Because of all his schooling in Lutheran schools, he developed a love of church music and this became his vocation through the years. Jim Johnson Jim has earned his near doctorate at Wayne State in Detroit, but spent a lot of his college years at Concordia Teachers College in Austin, TX. Through the years, he worked as a music educator and teacher in various schools and ended his career as an elementary school principal in Westland, while also acting as the music minister at a church in Livonia. How did he discover Grosse Ile? His fine voice got him involved in the Grosse Pointe Community Chorus, the Downriver Community Voices, and eventually the Grosse Ile Chorale, led by Dr. Jim Parker, who recruited Jim to sing in the Parker Chorale and told him about the traveling that the Grosse Ile Chorale did. Jim’s gone on several of their trips to foreign countries such as Spain and South Africa. Jim’s made fast friends with many in the Chorale and sang in the recent Boar’s Head Festival in 2018. Because he knew so many in the Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church’s choir, he became a member until St. James lost their music minister and was looking for a replacement. Phil Dinwiddie, the minister there, got so many calls from members to contact Jim Johnson to replace Bobbie Ragoonanan, that he called Jim to be their interim music director until they could find a permanent music minister. He worked out so well that when Father Phil sat down with Jim and told him they’d found a replacement, he announced that St. James decided he was the one. For an experienced organist and choir director, Jim has found a niche both he and the congregation are very happy with. They both feel blessed with the arrangement. Jim’s even working on a series of musical programs to invite the public to at St. James similar to the programs that the prior music director organized. Jim wants the programs to follow five words beginning with I: Invitational, Informative, Interesting, Interactive, and Inspirational. The first one will be coming up in October. Watch for more information about the musical series in the October Grand.
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Here’s an interesting take on what connects us on Grosse Ile I never know when I’ll run into a possible item for my column. It happened in the post office waiting in line the other day, and the guy standing next to me (Larry Toporek of Knudsen Dr.) had read in my columns about all the good reasons people like living on Grosse Ile. One of those reasons is a feeling of being “connected.” His comment came in the form of a question: “Do you know what By Pamela A. Frucci connects us? Well, it’s because Grosse Ile is held together with poison ivy and spider webs!” THE FRUCCIS ARE LUCKY TO HAVE TICKETS FOR NYC PLAY Jack and I got a call from our daughter Marti who lives in New York City. She knew we wanted to get tickets for To Kill a Mockingbird starring Jeff Daniels, the founder of the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea, MI where he grew up. We’ve ushered at the theater and have been following Jeff Daniels’ career in theater and movies. Also in the show is Cecelia Keenan-Bolger playing Scout. She’s the daughter of an old friend and we met her after appearing in another Broadway show. She’s one of three Bolger kids who was trained by a tough theater director in a Grosse Pointe High School. Two of the three are on stage in Broadway shows and the third is a Broadway producer. Tickets for To Kill a Mockingbird are pricey and hard to get, but Marti got us two tickets to see Jeff Daniels who is leaving the show after we see it Oct. 13. TALENTED TEACHER SHARING HER KNOWLEDGE When Amy Patrosh was a Grosse Ile High School student and graduated in 2003, she received a scholarship given by the family of Bernie Marsh who died in 2002. Marsh left money in her will for scholarships for deserving students
going into teaching since she was a former first grade teacher at Meridian School. Mrs. Marsh was my mother and Amy’s mother Donna recently gave me an update on Amy. She’s now married to a fellow teacher Nick Lauerman, who teaches in Woodhaven. Amy is teaching fifth grade at Thurston Elementary School in Ann Arbor. She’s such a creative teacher and comes up with so many great ideas to get across her lessons that her lesson plans are sold on the Internet site Teachers Pay Teachers. Amy has already earned $2,000 selling her plans! COO COO CLOCK NOW WORKING Our coo-coo clock, which I bought in Germany and carried by train back in the late 1950s, had hung on our wall at 24531 Hickory Circle for almost 60 years. It sat idle while we got settled in our new digs on East River Road but it’s now up and running. It reminded me of a coo-coo clock my brother down in Tucson inherited from our mother Bernie Marsh. It stopped running so Pete sent it for repairs to his son in Germany, where he is stationed in the Army. Then it was flown back to Tucson. Pete hung it up and it didn’t run for several days and all of a sudden it started ticking and coo-cooing. He tells me it must have had “jet lag!” QUICHE LORRAINE STRIKES OUT Ever since I studied French in Lyon, France in 1968, I’ve made the recipe for quiche Lorraine that my lovely landlady used to make. In our former house, my quiche would work perfectly in our electric oven. Here in our new digs we have a gas stove and I haven’t dared to bake it, so I tried a microwave version. It burned black twice in a row. Finally on the third try it worked. But microwaved quiche doesn’t quite measure up to Mme. Gros’s quiche. I’m hoping I can master the workings of our gas stove and bake my next quiche in an oven..
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Go, Junior Devils
Have you seen those wooden football signs around on lawns around Island? The ones with players names, saluting them for playing on the Junior Devils of the Downriver Junior Football League. Ever wonder where they come from? They come from the hard work of volunteers, who spend hours cutting, assembling and painting more than 100 signs. Way to go, guys
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GROSSE ILE GRAND
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 31
Grosse Ile kickers ready to scale mountain again WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING COMING BACK FOR US.
Coach Jon Evans
Adam Skehan
Tony Bogataj
By Tom Tigani “Historically, we’ve been the top Grosse Ile High School’s boys’ four teams consistently.” soccer team is looking for another The Red Devils have been chance to be king of the mountain league champs four years in a after falling just short last year. row and are hoping to make it The Red Devils fell to a fifth. Last year they lost only Hudsonville Unity Christian in the first game of the season — to overtime in the state championship University of Detroit Jesuit High final. They lost School — and Name # Grade four starters their last game Adam Skehan 1 12 from last year of the season. Max Aston 2 12 but return six The Devils and Spencer Polgar 3 10 — their top six U-D already Joe Duke 4 12 field players: have met this Tyler Slowik 5 9 center back year and tied Anthony Shaheen 6 10 Tony Bogataj, 2-2. Ty Garza 7 10 midfielder Joe In Huron Chris Griffin 8 12 Zach Bast 9 11 Duke, Max League play last Bosh Tanyi 10 11 Aston, Alex year, the Devils Clayton Lafayette 11 10 DeSana, Luke went 14-0 Drake Rossi 12 9 Yops, Josh and scored 96 Luke Yops 13 12 Davis and goals, while not Ethan Bast 14 11 midfielder allowing a single Tony Bogataj 15 12 Luc Kawadri. goal against. The Cannon Kawadri 16 9 Senior streak put them Alex DeSana 17 12 goaltender at third in the Luc Kawadri 18 12 Lucas Centlivre 19 10 Adam Skehan United States Josh Davis 20 12 also returns. for consecutive Jon Duke 21 10 “We have shutouts at 24. Drew Cardinal 23 9 a little bit of Evans Hayden Watson 25 9 everything attributes his coming back team’s success for us,” Coach Jon Evans said. to consistency and style of play.“In “Other than losing (the four those games we kept the ball starters), we pretty much expect mostly on their half of the field,” to get back to where we were and he said. “By the time the other change that result come November. teams started to counterattack, they “The ball just bounced the right didn’t have enough players on that way for them. I honestly wouldn’t side of the ball.” be surprised if both teams made it The Red Devils plan to continue back again.” their winning ways by defending In the Huron League, Riverview well individually and as a whole. Community High School, Huron “It’s a formula that works for High School and Monroe St. Mary us because our players are really Catholic Central are the next three buying into the system,” Evans best teams this year, he said. said.
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GROSSE ILE GRAND
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 33
A ton of of the Grosse Ile football team’s experience, talent and leadership walked out the door on graduation night last June. Quarterback Zak Thompson, running back Luke Harwood and receiver Karar Al-Rekabi were the trio of engines who powered the 2018 squad and they powered it to unpresented heights. The Red Devils By Hank Minckiewicz went 9-0 and won the outright Huron league title last year and qualified as a No. 1 seed in the Michigan High School Athletic Association state tournament. It was an amazing run that electrified the Island. But it is now 2019 and Coach John Bodner and his staff are back at work, trying hard to keep the Devils among the league’s elite. And they have some weapons starting with senior John Blanzy, who is getting recognition as one of the top players in the league and in the area. He does double duty as a linebacker and offensive lineman. His running mate, Josh Zemmin, is a fellow senior, who also plays linebacker and offensive line. Riverview coach Derek McLaghin called Blanzy and Zemmin the best pair of linebackers in the Huron League. Max Athens, another senior, is a wide receiver with the ability to get down field and get to the ball, much like Al-Rekabbi. Blanzy, Zemmin and Athens are joined by Nick Lepidi and Justin Riggs as the only seniors on this year’s Grosse Ile team. But seniors alone don’t drive this team. Chris Pizzo, who was a big piece of the puzzle last year as a sophomore, will likely step into an even bigger role this year. A fast, shifty runner, a good pass catcher, a good kick return man and a fine kicker, Pizzo is a big weapon in the Red Devils arsenal. Pulling the trigger this season for the Devils is another junior, Nathan Brown. Brown is a strong-armed lefty and a tough runner, who will likely get better and better as the season progresses and he gains more and
2019 GROSSE ILE RED DEVILS Nick Lepidi Keegan Mott Will Davis Nathan Brown Trey Swick Nicholas Esordi Brent Chazer Joe Pizzo Jstin Riggs Anthony Everson Joey Boisture Max Athens Ethan Bammer Johnny Blanzy Steven Hemsworth Barry Reynolds Abdullah Alam Curtis Heard Josh Zemmin Matt Payette Jack Weise Mitch Lewis Joey Tekko Jack Reno
Photo by Larry Caruso
Grosse Ile senior Johnny Blanzy recovers a fumble against Gabriel Richard
more varsity experience. All of the Devils will have to learn quickly and improve this season if they hope to survive in the Huron League, which appears to be at a competitive high this season. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, which lost to Cassopolis in the Division 7 state regional final last season, returns nearly its entire lineup and looks like the class of the league, but there are no nights off. Grosse Ile’s arch rival, Riverview, has reloaded and is tough, Milan is strong team and Flat Rock, Jefferson, Airport and Huron are no pushovers. Grosse Ile’s season-ending nonconference game is again with Dearborn Heights Crestwood, which had the best season in school history
last year. Grosse Ile’s schedule is frontloaded with home games, which should help the young players get their sea legs. The Devils opened the Huron League season by hosting Milan Sept. 6. They go to Airport Sept. 13, but then are home on Sept. 20, Sept, 27 and Oct. 4 The first game in October is homecoming against Flat Rock. GABRIEL RICHARD 21, GROSSE ILE 15 The Red Devils opened the 2019 season with a disappointing 2115 road loss to Riverview Gabriel Richard. In that game, quarterback Nathan Brown, in his first varsity start, threw for 243 yards and a touchdown and
the Red Devils gained 285 total yards, but four pass interceptions led to Grosse Ile’s downfall. It was a pass interception that snuffed out the teams last chance. With the ball on the Gabriel Richard 44 yard line with just over a minute to play, Grosse Ile had a chance to go down and snatch away a victory. But on the first play of the drive, Brown threw the ball deep and Richard’s Robbie Henderson picked it off to end Grosse Ile’s hopes. The first half also ended on a pass interception with Grosse ile knocking on the door. The end was especially disappointing because the Red Devils had just driven 78 yards to score and the defense held Richard to a quick three-and-out, so all the momentum was riding with the Red Devils. Grosse Ile scored its first touchdown late in the first quarter when Brown scrambled and found Max Athens with a 23-yard scoring pass. The point-after was mishandled and Brown ended just running in a two-point conversion and Grosse Ile led 8-7. Late in the fourth quarter, Brown hit Keegan Mott with a 55-yard pass to the Gabriel Richard 5-yard-line and SEE RED DEVILS, Page 36
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Remembering Steve The Simsonian Race, a big, old Grosse Ile reunion This one is personal. It always has been. For those who knew and loved the late, great Grosse Ile High School teacher and coach, Steve Sims, it’s deeply personal. Family, friends, loved ones, colleagues, former parents, students and athletes who gathered for the 17th Annual Simsonian 5K Kick-Off Classic on August 17, 2019, all expressed the full range of emotions. Sorrow, grief, emptiness, anger, incredulity. And as all the runners and walkers came to the starting line for the one mile Fun Run, there was a moment of silence. A quiet memorial, not just for Steve Sims, but for all those who had lost loved ones and for those whose spirit and lives we carry with us in this journey called Life. Looking at the crowd, one could see the family who lost their oldest brother, a young doctor soon to be By Bill Stevenson married, in a tragic car accident. Another, our relatives, wiping tears from their eyes, remembering the husband and father who died just last year from a heart condition similar to that which took Steve. The race starter who spent the day before
in the ER with his ailing, aging mother. But, after that dramatic pause, there was life and joy and excitement. The race was about to begin. Wide-eyed children about to run their first one mile race, stretched their youthful limbs, and assumed a sprinter’s posture, not knowing just how long a mile is. Parents and grandparents, either alongside or as spectators, shouted their encouragement, giving their high fives long before the race even started. High school runners, goofing around, knowing a one-mile warm-up is just that - a warm-up. The 87-year-old still in the hunt, but only entering the Fun Run, because she hurt her ankle. Smiles, and laughter. And when the gun went off, you’d think you were at the start of the Boston Marathon. The race, which began in 2003, has been held in honor of the beloved teacher and coach, who
died unexpectedly that year of a dissecting aortic aneurysm at age 47. His family and the Friends of Sims established the Steve Sims Leadership Scholarship, awarded annually to an outstanding female scholar/athlete at Grosse Ile High. The annual run has become the sole revenue source of the scholarship, which to date has awarded $38,000 to young women to carry on their education and the spirit of Steve Sims The scholarship criteria is gender-specific because Steve coached girls’ basketball, and girls’ track and was the winningest coach in Grosse Ile history in both those sports. Steve devoted his life to young people. His former students and athletes agree his greatest legacy was his sense of fairness, and helping SEE STEVE, Page 35
STEVE
Continued from page 34 them develop into strong, independent women and men. After 17 Simsonian runs, not many people ever knew Steve Sims. But, the race has done something the organizers may not have thought of. Every year, in the third week of August, on Grosse Ile, Michigan, the community comes together, like one big reunion. Young and old and in-between. Serious athletes and first timers. Grosse Ile alumni and folks who just moved to the Island. Runners, and walkers, babies in strollers. Some bring their canine support who help drag their masters across the finish line. This year, we even had a family who ran together, pushing a member in a wheelchair. And after the race is over, the awards ceremony kicks-off with the Grosse Ile fight song, accompanied by the Red Devil cheer team. Talk about community pride. It’s bustin’ out all over at the Sims Run. This year’s 5K winner was Ricky Holdby, Jr., 19 year old runner from Gibraltar with a strong finishing time of 17:26. The women’s overall winner in the 5K was Meghan Dieball, 16 from Grosse Ile, with a time of 21:18. An event such as the Simsonian would not be possible without the continued support and dedication of our sponsors. Presenting Sponsors: Mans Lumber, Monroe Sports Varsity Athletics, our own Grosse Ile Grand, Watson Racing and Engineering, the Kobiljak Family, the Lewis Family, the Reno Family, the Sullivan Family, the Whitty Family. Supporting Sponsors: Total Runner, the Kroger Company, Kurtzhals Farm, and the Bailey & Bailey, Mruzik, Barnard, Bennett, Hanley, Okler, Perry, Quinn, Sims, and Stevenson families. This year, Steve’s “Greenville Gang” and Spartan friends attended their 45 year reunion and didn’t make their annual pilgrimage. Word in Greenville, they passed the hat, and Steve’s old classmates did their part remembering Steve. Special thanks go to the Grosse Ile Township Schools, the Grosse Ile Police and Reserves, Kim O’Farrell and the Recreation Department, Pastor Heather Oberlin and members of St. Tom’s Lutheran Church for race day aid and assistance.
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 35
THE JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP. Race timing was quickly and efficiently managed by Brad Olsen and Race Time Services. DJ’s Mike Pehote and Patrick Rice rock the party house, before, during, and after the race. A big shout out goes to the members of the Grosse Ile cross country, girls’ basketball, and cheerleading squads for their participation and help in the after race party. It says something about Steve Sims and the race when the Carlson and Monroe Jefferson cross country teams show their respect and competitive spirit by running year after year. Truly, a community event of this caliber would not be possible without the talent and expertise of running gurus, Ray Geist, Max Bailey, GIHS Athletic Director Jim Okler, and Lakewood Schools A.D. Mike Quinn. Their attention to detail and their indefatigable spirit help make this a first class race. This year’s rallying cry, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” is not just the literal wisdom of Lao Tzu that Steve and I used for eighteen years as running partners. It’s a call to action when faced with life’s challenges whatever they may be. We all have to start one step at a time. NOW is a good time, because you never know. . . Complete results of the 2019 Simsonian Run can be found at: racetimeservices.com Next year’s Simsonian 5K Kick-Off Classic is August 15, 2020. Mark your calendars and get moving. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
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Page 36 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
GROSSE ILE GRAND
Grosse Ile volleyball team is aiming high in 2019
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By Tom Tigani It might take some doing to get there, but the Grosse Ile volleyball team is looking to finish first in the Huron League this year. “It’ll take a lot of work to win it all,” Coach Amanda Sammons said, “but it’s one of our team goals. “We have a lot of talent coming back, but the biggest things we’ve worked on are our communication and chemistry. To say it will be handed it to us would be a gross understatement, but the kids understand that and are planning to give it their best effort.” The Red Devils recently placed second in the River Rouge Invitational Tournament and will begin their season at Flat Rock on Sept. 11. Sammons said she’s looking for leadership from senior Maddie Smedo, juniors Meg Balogh and Skye Livingston and senior Brooklyn Wiewiura. Now in her 10th year at the helm — “It seems hard to believe even when I say it” — Sammons’s team is coming off a third-place league finish and a loss in the district finals to Carleton Airport. “We would’ve been a third-time district champ,” she said, noting that fate dealt the Devils a blow when Balogh broke her foot during warmups three minutes
YOU CAN PLAY A GAME JUST TO PLAY, BUT WE’RE REALLY STRESSING THAT WHEN YOU WALK OUT ON THE COURT, YOU’RE GOING TO LEAVE IT ALL OUT THERE. before the start of game five. Sammons credits her team for its mental toughness, however. “We didn’t just lay down given the circumstances,” she said, “but we needed that one extra-strong player on the court to really put the final nail in the coffin. We battled and they fought hard for it, but it was too much for us to overcome.” And although Airport is not in Grosse Ile’s district this year, “they’re still in our league, so we’re looking forward to playing them again.” Especially now that Balogh is back. “She’s ready to play, Sammons said, “and so is everybody else.” The Red Devils will be helped by some experience that’s returning this year, she said, noting that the league is more competitive than in years past. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central is always tough, she said, and Flat Rock High School will be more
Grosse Ile cross country team hits the trails By Hank Minckiewicz The four-time defending Huron League champion Grosse Ile girls cross country team is back to work winning trophies and medals. The Red Devils finished first at the early-opening, mostly-for-fun Trenton Watermelon Invitational at Elizabeth Park. Grosse Ile placed two runners among the top eight, four among the top 11 and all five scorers placed in the top 20 of the race as the Red Devils scored 56 points to easily outpace second-place Allen Park. Grosse Ile’s top two finishers were Caitlin Korte (7th, 21:10) and Megan Dieball (8th, 21:46). They were followed by Andi Fulmer (10th, 22:31), Hannah Fulmer (11th, 22:32) and Anna Malonson (20th, 23:24). It was a good start for a team that has been the best in the Huron League for four straight years and among the best in the area, as well. Two day before, the Devils won the three-team Milan Puddle-Jumper event with 19 points. Dieball was first
in that event and Grosse Ile runners were first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. The boys have not enjoyed as great a start as the girls, finishing 12th in Trenton and fourth at Milan. Joey Gall was Grosse ile top performer in each event. Rounding out the Grosse Ile team this year are: Ciara Armstrong , Rylan Armstrong, Avery Brooks, Emily Chao, Colin Colwell, Sullivan Cowan, William Elliot, Emma Griffin, Nicolas Griffin, Zeinab Hamadi, Gregory Howard, Ahmed Kanso, Sean Kearney, Katie Keim, James Malonson, Griffin Mahalko, Ansh Patel, Avi Patel, Luke Porter, Nicole Roque, Kyle Strong, Hayden Swan, Michael Thompson, Cecilia Vespermam and Ami Yezman. Both Grosse Ile teams will be at the Huron Invitational at Willow Metropark Sept. 14 and begin the league season at the first Hurin League Jamboree, hosted by Milan High School Sept. 17.
competitive. Huron High School also is looking better this year. Sammons said she believes her team is up for the challenge. “We’ve really stressed being competitive,” she said. “You can play a game just to play, but we’re really stressing that when you walk out on the court, you’re going to leave it all out there. We want to communicate and just work together as a team.” The rest of the squad is, Gina Daly, Reyna Hughes, Sydney Polk, Lauren Clum, Olivia O’Brien, Megan Krueger, Zoe Sehmer, Anna James and Chloe Wiewiura. Sammons is grateful for the support from Grosse Ile community, is hoping for more of it. “I’d like to see more people in the community come out and just see what the game’s all about,” she said. “We have a great student section and great parent support. Just come out and see the atmosphere in the gym.”
RED DEVILS Continued from page 33
Pizzo rushed in a play later. Richard scored on its first possession of the game on a 23-yard pass, in the second quarter on a two-yard run and on the first play of the second half when Nick Szczechowski took the kickoff back 98 yards for a score. Brown was 15-for-35 in the game and the Grosse Ile rushing attack was held to less than 50 yards, but there were bright spots and it was clear that Coach John Bodner and his staff have a lot of talent to work with. Starting with Brown, who can really throw the ball. He had five pass completions of 27 yards or more, including bombs of 40 and 55 yards. He also rushed for 31 yards, a total that was knocked down by several sacks. Pizzo is a game breaker, who never really got loose in the opener and - like others - battled leg cramps in the opening game. And junior Will Davis kept Junior Nathan Brown showing up on both sides of the ball. The Red Devils were at Airport Sept. 13 and will be home the following three weeks. They face Monroe Jefferson Sept. 20, New Boston Huron Sept, 27 and Fat Rock (Homecoming) Oct. 4
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 37
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Page 38 • September 12 - October 9, 2019
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John Shade retires after Hall of Fame tennis coaching career; daughter Audrey takes over varsity teams
T
Passing the torch
he torch has been passed in the coaching ranks of the Grosse Ile High School tennis program. Legendary hall-of-fame Coach John Shade has retired after 47 years as the head of the Red Devils boys and girls teams. That’s 94 seasons when you combine boys and girls teams. His successor is daughter Audrey Shade, who was the top singles player for four years on her father’s teams, starred in college and has coached the By Dave Gorgon junior varsity for the last 10 years. John Shade – who goes out as the winningest high school coach in Michigan tennis history with 790 victories – was the only coach the Grosse Ile boys and girls teams ever had. At age 70, he is a member of three coaching halls of fame: the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches, the Michigan High School Coaches and the National Athletic Coaches Association. “John is one of the nation’s best coaches,” said Grosse Ile Athletic Director Jim Okler. “He’s coached for 47 years, has won multiple state champions and has earned state and national hall of fame honors. He has coached the program from its inception, working with so many student athletes. He’s had an amazing career.” A native East Detroit, Shade lived near the public tennis courts, so he played tennis and wrestled – playing doubles on the very strong high school varsity teams that produced a number of college players. Shade graduated from Central Michigan University, where he played tennis for three years while majoring in physical education. He also earned a master’s degree in secondary education from Eastern Michigan University. He accepted a teaching position at Grosse Ile right out of college. He taught for 36 years.
“I was an educator, which goes along with coaching and I had a love of sports,” Shade said. “I got here just as those (tennis) programs were beginning. I was at the right place at the right time.” The Red Devils found success right away and advanced quickly. He credits boys and girls learning to play tennis and playing on the 15 private courts on the island. The boys teams would go on to win two state championships in 2005 and
had so much fun. When the season was over, they said they wished they would have done it sooner.” One of Shade’s all-state players was Audrey, who played No. 1 singles all four of her high school years, earned individual regional titles and played for strong teams before graduating in 1999. She earned a full scholarship for tennis at Cleveland State University, where she continued to play No. 1 singles while earning a bachelor’s degree upon graduation in 2003.
Photo by Dave Gorgon
Audrey Shade, the 38-year-old daughter of Hall of Fame coach John Shade, takes over from her retiring father.
2007 and finish runner-up twice. The girls teams were state runner-up in 2013 before earning a state title the next year. He coached 20 individual state champions and more than twice that amount in all-state players. The team played in the state finals almost every year. The Grosse Ile boys team is on a streak of winning 34 consecutive Huron League titles – while the girls were league champs 23 times – both things that gives Shade great satisfaction. “The kids know Grosse Ile is successful at tennis,” he said. “They want to be involved in successful, thriving programs. I get more kids that started playing on the junior varsity as seniors that did it because they heard we
She coached tennis for two years at an indoor club in Cleveland and then moved to California to teach tennis at a club before returning Downriver. “She does a great job,” Shade. “Hopefully, she’s learned from me and will carry on. The kids love her – the older kids, the younger kids – across the board.” Audrey, 38, said she is happy to follow in her father’s footsteps. “It’s neat,” she said. “I’ve learned so much and done this for 10 years or so. He’s basically been grooming me to do this. I’m trying to take it right in stride.” Working with her father “is great,” she added. “Some people can do it, some people can’t. We are fortunate enough that we can really get along and
work professionally together. There are stresses in business and coaching, but we work really well together and have been successful at it.” Since she has “known and coached most of the kids since they were little,” Audrey said, “I know them, I know their tendencies, I know how to push them and I know when to back off. I’ve coached them in one way or the other, either on the junior varsity or in private lessons.” At the same time, she feels some pressure to succeed. “When you follow someone who is so accomplished and has done so many things and has set such high standards, there is always a little bit of pressure,” she said. Coach Audrey Shade said she knew her dad would retire at some point, “but I didn’t know it would be this year. I was happy for him. It’s his decision; he knew when it was time. When he was done, he was done and you’ve got to respect that.” John Shade, who has been married to wife Lee Ann for 45 years, said one thing that has been consistent at Grosse Ile is the quality of kids playing tennis – one of the main reasons he has kept coaching so long. “I’ve had good kids all these years,” he said. “If I didn’t have good kids, I would have done something else.” THIS YEAR’S RED DEVILS The boys season is under way. Eight Grosse Ile players graduated in June so this could be considered a rebuilding year for the Red Devils. “The team is solid,” Audrey Shade said. “We’re still working through some kinks to put it all together. We’ve got solid, good players.” No. 1 singles is senior Lucas Kopp, with sophomore Anthony Naso at No. 2. Seniors Michael Carney and Lorenzo Delgado are at No. 1 doubles. Rounding out the 12 starters are Robert Standen, Ben Percha, Alex Stewart, Nick Hahn, Alex White, Stefan Kobiljak, Divum Mital and Harrison Lee.
September 12 - October 9, 2019 • Page 39
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