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Southgate product Mario Garza brings his love for the game to Grosse Ile

A baseball-themed life Tom Tigani Southgate Star

Boys’ baseball at Grosse Ile High School, like sports at all Michigan high schools, isn’t being played and won’t be this school year.

But the 2020 season - if it would have started - would be the fifth under Coach Mario Garza, who started his tenure with a district championship in 2016, and would have been an interesting one for the Red Devils and their coach.

Garza has worked to reenergize baseball at GIHS, where it had become sort of a forgotten sport for years because of a glut of spring

sports, too few athletes and a weak feeder system.

“It is interesting to come to a place like this,” he said. “My first year, I didn’t know a lot about kids around here. I didn’t know a lot of people or players. I just did what I’ve always been taught to do: believe in competition and fundamentals.

“It took me a little bit to realize I had a great group of kids and our baseball team had a great run in 2016.”

Garza played high school baseball at Southgate Anderson High School.

“I was very fortunate to play for a group of coaches that not only were great

teachers of the game, but were also great competitors that taught us to be winners,” he said. “Scott Ferrante and Brad Gratz are still mentors that I rely on. I realize now, more than ever, how good those teams that I played on in 1993 and ’94 were.”

The Titans won a regional championship in ’93, and in ’94 they played in the state championship game, losing to Birmingham Brother Rice.

Garza went on to play college baseball at the University of Michigan, and again was exposed to some great coaches.

“Bill Freehan and Geoff Zahn were both

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fierce competitors,” he said. “From a pitching perspective, I was able gain invaluable knowledge from Coach Zahn.”

Garza, the oldest of four children in a baseballobsessed family, was a pitcher at U of M from 1994 to 1998. He won one Big 10 championship, and studied engineering while playing as a walk-on who had to make the team every year. His sister, Christina, played softball at Michigan from 1998 to 2001, and his brother Bobby pitched there from 2001 to 2004. His brother Tom wrestled there in 2002.

SEE GARZA, Page3

Mario Jr. (left), Mario Sr. and Ty Garza

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Page 2 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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in 2019 Leo Stevenson was recognized by: Forbes: “America’s Top 250 Wealth Advisors” list *Source: Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, February 2020. The ranking for this list by SHOOK Research is based on due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Forbes is a trademark of Forbes Media LLC. All rights reserved. Rankings and recognition from Forbes/SHOOK Research are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor.

SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 3

GARZA

Continued from page 1 Garza also spent two seasons learning from Ace Adams, a mentor who encouraged him to keep working and to never quit. He met Adams during the summer after his senior season at Southgate Anderson through Andy Green, his American Legion baseball coach in Allen Park.

“Along the way I played with some great players too, some of which remain mentors and resources to me today,” Garza said. “Having a network of former coaches and teammates to reach out to is so important.”

And he’s done a lot of reaching out during his 10 years of coaching youth baseball, including nine Mario Garza played for this Southgate staff in 1994 and the team reached the state championship game. years of travel baseball coaching with the Michigan Wildcats. But it was one of Garza’s former managers in the community trying to grow the game. He’s started at third base last year; Ty Garza (Mario’s son), who reached out to him to take the Grosse Ile job after implemented a similar program on the island, where who started at second last year; and catcher Ben Carter.

Garza moved to the island in 2015. his youth camp for a local baseball league drew more “Those three really got thrown in there last year. Ty Jim DeSana is manager of the Michigan Monarchs than 75 kids last year. was second or third on the team in hitting. They really of the Great Lakes Collegiate Summer League. Garza “It continues to grow and build momentum,” he got a good learning experience last year, and we’re and his brother Bobby played for him, and Garza said. “We’re trying to create some excitement here.” looking for big things from them this year.” considers DeSana a friend and a mentor.

Garza realizes that the success he had his first year Besides preventing practices, the statewide school “My wife and I went to watch his team play in the on the island isn’t an automatic thing. shutdown also has created issues for colleges who summer of 2015, and that’s when he approached me “Last year was a challenge because we had a big want to get a live look at some of Garza’s players. about applying for the opening,” Mario Garza said. underclass,” he said. “We started three freshmen and “Obviously the game pales in comparison to what’s “It took a little while that first year, but the team lost the district championship to Trenton. It was a going on, but (the shutdown) has created some draft made my life easy at the end of the program,” he said. tough heartbreaker of a game that went to the last out.” issues,” he said. “For example, colleges are looking at “We ended up winning a district championship. We’ve Garza said he had a number of good players coming Nate Brown.” had our ups and downs. We’re a small school, with in this year, including two college-bound seniors, But because a lot of player vetting is done by video baseball going up against tennis, golf, and soccer every Nick Chittum, who will attend Eastern Michigan, and and by email correspondence, Garza said everybody spring.

Matt Groat, who’s headed to Wayne State. Chittum has a plan.

“If we lose players to something else they want to continues to throw in the high 80 to mid-90 mph range “A lot of players worked with travel teams to get do, we’re going to be in trouble. We don’t have 45 and Groat keeps throwing 80 to 90. ready, now it’s all on hold,” he said, adding that the trying out every year. We’re going to have to deal with “We also have three sophomores from last year who interrupted season is “a challenge for sure.” what we get every year.” are just outstanding players,’ Garza said. “They’ve “We just try to provide online information on In order to get the pipeline going, Garza has drawn really stepped up to be leaders. And we have good training to our players about what they can do at home on his experience as a player at Southgate Anderson, pitching and really good defense. and at the gym, and just hope they’re’ staying on top where he recalled how his coaches were always out The three sophs are infielder Mike Madrigal, who of it.” < Tyler Garza

Playing for dad has advantages, challenges This year once again finds Grosse Ile High School baseball Coach Mario Garza coaching his son, Ty, which creates a unique situation that requires adjustments on both their parts.

“There’s no doubt that growing up as the son of a coach provides advantages, but that also comes along with some real challenges for the player,” Mario Garza said. “We’ve always had a good understanding of when I’m coach and when I’m dad.

“We both work hard to make sure we allow the proper amount of time for both, especially the dad part.

“As a coach, I look to peers that I trust to help me evaluate him as a player and provide me with an unbiased view. So far, it’s worked well for us.”

Page 4 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 5

SOUTHGATE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Find school district’s Continuity of Learning Plan online Jill Pastor

Special to Southgate Star

The Southgate Community posted our Continuity of Learning Plan to our website on April 14 after it was approved by Wayne RESA Intermediate School District.

Our plan meets the required components required under state Executive Order 202035. The plan lays out how students and parents of all grade levels would be able to access instruction remotely and communicate with teachers and support staff.

Teachers and administration have been reaching out to families to gather some initial information from each family.

If your family has not been in contact with a teacher or an administrator please reach out to us at 734-246-4600.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said, ““Instead of thinking about strict compliance, we need to focus on five “c” values communication, common sense, compassion, creativity, and collaboration.”

We believe that our plan encompasses these values.

The plan has a mix of

remote learning through hard-copied materials mailed to K-8 students and online opportunities for students in high school. Teachers are offering Google Meet or Zoom meetings to further enrich learning opportunities.

Each teacher has office hours each week.

Through all this hard work we know that nothing will replace face-to-face learning opportunities. We need to remember that we are in this

together. We are going to make mistakes; this is new for all of us. We are all learning to connect in different ways.

The district continues to provide free meals to families on Tuesdays. We have provided over 60,000 meals since March 17. This would not be possible without the dedication of our food service

department, our maintenance department, many volunteers and the Southgate Police Department.

We are offering emotional support and resources in order to support students and families who are experiencing anxiety, fear or stress during this time of uncertainty.

Families contacting us at 734-249-6468 or support@ southgateschools.com may leave a detailed message and will receive follow up support by a school psychologist, school social worker or a school counselor.

Although we don’t get to shake hands, high fives or hugs, we hope that you and your families are staying safe and healthy during this historic time.

School is a little different for everyone these days, but these Southgate Community School District students seem to be making the most of it.

The district has posted its Continuity of Learning Plan on its website. If you have not been in contact with a teacher or an administrator please reach out to the district at 734-246-4600.

Page 6 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

‘Solidarity’

Public health law professor speaks in the face of Covid-19 PAULA NEUMAN

P

Lance Gable

Southgate Star

rofessor Lance Gable has been warning the public and the government for many years that the nation is not prepared to handle a pandemic.

An associate professor of law at Wayne State University and an internationally known expert on public health law and bioethics, Gable has a master’s degree in public health from The Johns Hopkins University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

He has published books and journal articles on pandemic preparation, and also articles in more popular publications, including “Three Ways the U.S. Should Prepare for the Next Flu Pandemic” in Salon. com and The Conversation in 2018. In 2012, he led a committee for the Michigan Department of Community Health to create a set of ethical guidelines to assist the healthcare system and public health officials if they have to ration resources such as ventilators during a public health emergency.

Now the nation faces the Covid-19 pandemic health emergency, and an increasing number of situations where hospitals are running out of resources to treat patients.

But public health guidelines, including an Obama-era National Security Council playbook on fighting pandemics, were ignored by federal officials for months.

“As somebody who’s worked on these issues for 20 years, it’s incredibly frustrating,” Gable said. “We’ve been planning for years and years. To see that not being used is incredibly frustrating. We could have made it so much less

bad. It’s tragic.”

A lot of what happens going forward with the pandemic depends on what governments and people do, he said.

“We can take steps to greatly reduce its impact,” Gable said. “We need to keep these (stay at home) measures in place for much longer than two weeks to stop the outbreak from growing, and we’re not going to be out of the woods at that point either. The virus isn’t just going to go away. The strategies we should use are testing and targeted self-separation. The problem is that we need to have the political will and social will to do that.”

With widespread testing for the virus, measures such as stay-at-home orders and school and business closings can be targeted to only the areas where they’re necessary. It’s what should have happened months ago in Washington State, when the virus first got a foothold in the country, he said.

Even now, with extensive testing, “we could allow more things to get closer to normal without spreading the disease the way it’s spreading now,” the professor said. “It’s kind of what they did in South Korea.”

A significant shortage of tests for the virus was the case early in January, and there still aren’t enough tests nationally. Testing availability today varies by state. One problem early on was that the initial test kits from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention were faulty, Gable said, and the federal government seemed to have a “lack of urgency” about the matter, declining to use kits from other nations.

“Other tests were being used effectively in other countries, but we decided we were going to make our own,” he said.

Now, with the virus widespread, some hospitals, including those in Wayne County, are short of equipment, including ventilators, to deal with the crisis, and are facing difficult choices of just which patients will get resources. Those decisions ethically can’t be based on factors such as ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability statuses unrelated to the immediate prognosis, Gable said.

“We can’t use it as a reason to devalue the overall lives of people who have chronic health conditions,” he said. “Health care workers are confronting this. These are such tough situations to try to work through.”

The health care system has to have capacity for situations that aren’t related to the virus, too — heart attacks, strokes, emergency surgeries, he added.

Right now, with the virus rapidly spreading through different parts of the country, including Wayne County, we need to adhere to the state’s stay-home order, use good hygiene, listen to scientists, and support each other as much as possible, Gable said.

“We have to have some measure of social solidarity,” he said. “We’re in this together.”

We also need to make sure there’s a moratorium on home evictions and utility payments for those without resources, and make sure people have access to extended unemployment benefits to support everyone and keep them safely at home, he said.

“Our poorest communities are going to be affected the worst, and they’ll have the least opportunity to access the programs to help,” Gable said.

“There are many possible end results to this situation — everything from society falling apart to having a much greater cohesion. I think people tend to support each other and are more willing to help others when times are dire. Hopefully, that’s actually what happens in this crisis, as well.

We need ways to help each other socially and financially.”

The $2 trillion federal relief bill enacted March 28 is a good start, but we’re going to need more, Gable said.

“It’s going to take a long time to recover from this,” he said. “We really need to have support systems in place that can help people survive — financial support, health care. The more we can reassure people that we’re not going to let them fall through the cracks, the better. We’ve got to adapt and think about how we can find support for the people in our communities.”

In the short term, the pandemic will “require our government to be much more aggressive in providing social support for people,” Gable said.

“Even if we miraculously have this thing in control in a year or a year and half — maybe we have a vaccine — even under those circumstances, we’ll have gone through significant trauma. Tens of thousands of people are going to die. Our society is going to take years to recover from this.

“I can’t imagine this doesn’t change our politics. I think it’s inevitable that it will. We’re going through a situation that affects many fundamental aspects of our society. I think inevitably, in the long term, it will look different.

We should be thinking about how to make our society better. We may end up better in the long run, but that’s going to take some very deliberate action. We can’t let this happen again.”

SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 7

For those in pain, some natural help for carpal tunnel Did you know that chiropractic isn’t just for addressing spinal issues?

In fact, many chiropractic techniques help benefit other parts of the body. We’ve helped joints of the knees, ankles and even wrists.

For those who have jobs that require constant use of their hands, carpal tunnel syndrome is a concern. Symptoms can include tingling, numbness and pain in the hand and wrist.

This type of repetitive stress injury can occur when the median nerve gets compressed in the carpal tunnel of the wrist.

Fortunately, there are natural ways to manage carpal tunnel syndrome without resorting to surgery. If possible, rest the affected hand and wrist and consider wearing a wrist support.

Apply ice to the affected area to reduce swelling. Even better, consult our practice and see if your wrist could benefit from a precisely delivered adjustment. We’ve helped many with carpal tunnel symptoms.

Sciatica prevention strategies Sciatica is a burning, persistent pain that runs from your lower back through the buttock and down into one or both legs.

Although it can’t always be prevented, there are some simple strategies that may help.

Aim to maintain proper posture and a healthy weight. It’s also a good idea to avoid sitting for long periods of time.

If you have a desk job, be sure to get up and walk around periodically. Even better? Consider getting a standing desk.

If you need to move heavy objects let your legs, not your back, do the work. Be sure to bend your knees and ask someone to share the load with you.

Exercising regularly is not only good for your health but your back too. When your back is strong, you may avoid experiencing sciatica.

Oh, and regular chiropractic checkups may also help prevent sciatica.

Add some green for a healthier environment Eating a plant-based diet may reap health dividends. But surrounding oneself with plants may improve your health too.

There’s no need to turn your home into the Amazon rainforest. Positioning plants throughout your home or workplace may help improve your health in small, yet significant ways.

Can a humble houseplant really help improve health?

Plants improve air quality by removing toxins in the air and adding oxygen. Some plants are also thought to absorb electromagnetic radiation created by computers and other electronics.

Feeling under the weather? Indoor plants may help diminish coughs, sore throats and other illnesses related to the common cold.

The reason? Plants help to increase humidity levels. Looking to subtract stress from your environment? Plants may help provide a soothing, calmer atmosphere and boost your mood too. ~ Cousineau Chiropractic

Anderson’s Isis Antio wins prestigious scholarship Paula Neuman Southgate Star

Isis Antio, Southgate Anderson High School drum major and graduating senior, has been awarded a Winter Guard International scholarship.

“She’s been our rock for the last five years,” said Brendan Walter, director of the school’s band and choir.

“She’s kind of helped shape our program into what it is now. She got the award over probably a thousand kids.

She definitely deserved it.”

Nonprofit WGI is the governing body for indoor color guard, percussion and wind instrument activities.

The organization holds competitions that draw more than 33,000 participants at the regional level. Michigan has more than 75 sanctioned Winter Guard teams, and Anderson’s varsity team is among the best of them.

In 2016, the team was the top scholastic champion in Isis Antio the Michigan Color Guard Circuit. was supposed to be over.

Antio’s $1,000 award is “The WGI season ending is the Fred J. Miller Memorial what hit me the hardest first,” Scholarship, awarded to an she said about the impact of outstanding student majoring the school closings. “It was in music education. the best season I’ve ever had “This is one of the most and probably the best show prestigious scholarships I’ve ever performed. The awarded by WGI,” Walter Michigan Youth Leadership said. conference announced its Antio is not just a drum cancellation for the 2020 major. She plays French horn conference. Drum Corps in the school band and loves International cancelled their to sing, as well. Choir and summer tour. Lastly, my band are her favorite subjects senior year ended. A lot of in school. really amazing things in my Her senior year — like life were ended, but I know those of so many, many that next year it’s all going to other students — came to an come back even stronger.” early, abrupt end due to novel Next year she’ll attend corona virus school closings Oakland University, majoring in Michigan and across the in both music education and nation. The school closing performance. Antio has been ended Antio’s last season of playing a musical instrument WGI competition before it since the sixth grade.

“Making music has always been very rewarding to me,” she said. “I love working for weeks on pieces and finally seeing and hearing it all come together. It’s really beautiful.

Music is like an escape, a break from everything else, and time just to create.”

She is grateful to her grandparents, Leslie and Andrew Emond, and to the school’s band directors and music education staff.

“They have taught me so much and have been there for me when I needed it,” Antio said. “They are all so passionate about what they do, and it’s inspired me to further my education in music.

“I look forward to new experiences as I continue my music career.”

Page 8 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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Finding ways to cope

Families deal with school closings, stay-home order PAULA NEuMAN

S

Southgate Star

chools are closed to stop the spread of the Covid 19 virus, but kids are still learning at home.

They’re taking online classes and doing the work teachers send home to them in a number of innovative online ways. And in some cases, the learning is going beyond standard schoolwork.

The situation is particularly challenging for parents who aren’t used to serving as teachers, but the kids seem to be taking it in stride for the most part.

Anne St. Onge of Grosse Ile is mom to second-grader Mary and first-grader Owen, who are students at Parke Lane Elementary School. The kids can’t go to class now, but their teachers have sent home resources and are using Seesaw for Schools to communicate online with their pupils.

“Owen listens to his teacher (Kallie Davey) read a couple of books,” St. Onge said. “She’s reading stories to her class that way. It’s really nice.”

The children are doing math games online, too.

And Mary’s dance classes through the Trenton School of Dance, where St. Onge teaches, haven’t missed a step.

Dance school Director Meredith Shamanski started online classes for her students on March 16.

“I’m sort of blown away by the director’s timeliness on this,” St. Onge said. “My daughter didn’t miss a dance class, which is incredible to me.”

Using Zoom, dance instructors had their students set up a home studio with space to move and a chair instead of a barre — all in sight of a computer screen. The instructors conduct their classes over Zoom in a video conference call, and the students can see what to do and also be connected with each other.

“Mary is used to going to dance every week and seeing those people, and now she’s still able to see those people,” St.

Onge said. “It’s really very cool.”

She teaches the youngest children at the dance school, and has started teaching even tiny kids online. St. Onge wasn’t sure how that would go, but it’s working out well.

“I taught my first class to my babies — 3- and 4-year-olds — and it was so cool,” she said. “At first, I thought it was going to be really challenging — I’m not the most technology-oriented person — but it was so simple and so good.”

Having her kids at home all day is fine with St. Onge.

“I’m used to having a little more quiet, but I actually enjoy having my kids at home,” she said with a laugh. “I’m kind of a homebody. It’s challenging in the sense that they want to go see their friends and play, but they understand in their own way that they can’t right now.”

For Wyandotte parents Kelly Wise and Chad Kellogg, having their children — fourth-grader Ellie and fifth-grader Jack — learn at home has been challenging.

The parents were working full-time until the state’s March 23 stay-home order for nonessential employees.

“It’s very difficult,” Wise said. “You can’t make babysitters teach your kids.

So when we got home from work, we got busy.”

Ellie Kellogg, 9, is in Brittany MacGraw’s class at Jefferson Elementary School in Wyandotte.

“My teacher has been putting assignments on Google Classroom, and I’ve been doing them,” Ellie said.

“She also uses ReadWorks and puts assignments on there. You have to read

and then answer questions about the books you read. My last one was about weather.”

How does she feel about learning at home?

“I miss recess and all my friends,” Ellie said, “but I like that there aren’t a lot of distractions. A lot of the kids are distracting.”

“She’s done a lot actually,” Wise said.

Matulonis’ class at Jefferson.

Besides online lessons, he has other schoolwork.

“Our teacher also sent home packets of work,” Jack said. “We’re going to turn it in when we go back to school.”

He likes learning from home, he added.

“I can take a break whenever I want,” Jack said. “But I miss not being able to

“It’s too bad we can’t get to the library.

We have books at home on famous people, and they’re reading one of those a day.”

She and Chad are taking advantage of the school closing to teach the kids more than schoolwork, she added.

“We’re teaching them cooking and how to clean better — life skills,” Wise said. “Ellie made deviled eggs all by herself yesterday!”

Jack Kellogg, 11, is in Terry

see my friends.”

Ashley Locke-Herald of Wyandotte is using the Khan Academy website to teach her second-grader, Malik, who normally attends Washington Elementary.

Locke-Herald majored in elementary education at Eastern Michigan University, and had classwork there about online teaching. She doesn’t work SEE COPE, Page 10

Page 10 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

COPE

Continued from page 9

as a teacher, but she remembers her college lessons.

Her two older children get regular schoolwork to do from their teachers, but she hasn’t gotten as much for Malik.

The website has been helpful for him.

“It works out perfectly,” LockeHerald said. “You can pick whatever you want to work on. We just do it day to day.”

Stasia Convery of Southgate is mom to Lily, who is a fourth-grader at St. Joseph Catholic School in Trenton.

“For now, they’ve sent home weekly homework packets — work to do daily,” Convery said. “She’s not overwhelmed and she’s still learning and reviewing things. We don’t push our luck trying to do more.

It’s a little stressful, but we’re pushing through. Her school has super open communications through texting and email. They’re very open for Lily to able to reach out.”

Lily and her classmates are connecting online with each other frequently through FaceTime video chats, and her piano teacher, Sarah Bond of Trenton, is keeping up the music lessons through FaceTime.

Even parents such as Ron and Leah Hinrich of Riverview who regularly homeschool their children are having some challenges because of the stayhome order to stop the spread of the virus.

The Hinrichs homeschool their children —Natalie, 7, and Ronnie, 3 — with help from online resources such as freehomeschooldeals.com and moneysavingmom.com.

“They know about the virus because they keep hearing about it, but we’re working through our day like we normally do,” Leah said.

She offers advice for parents who are new to being teachers for their youngsters.

“I think the main thing I would say is to connect with your child and enjoy the time you have with them,” she said.

“And give yourself a break. Go read a book or have the kids watch a show for 20 minutes. It’s hard to have your kids with you constantly all day.”

The family has started beginning the day at the breakfast table by reading a chapter of a book or a poem with the children to set the tone of learning.

They are all missing their weekly church services, and Natalie misses her dance class in Garden City.

“We haven’t gone the last couple of weeks, and she’s really upset about that,” Leah said.

Kathy Kuhn of Wyandotte is another mom who homeschools her kids and is missing some of their regular activities due to the stayhome order.

“A lot of homeschool families, ours included, do different extracurricular activities several times a week, so my kids interact with other kids and people on those days,” Kuhn said.

She interacts with those families through a local homeschool co-op group. Her three children, ages 9, 7 and 5, are missing those social activities and going to church on Sundays, she said, although her regular home teaching routine hasn’t changed much.

“The real big change was when I had to tell them we can’t go to co-op or to church,” Kuhn said. “But it was a good teaching lesson. We had a big science lesson about viruses and how they spread. I have more experience with teaching at home, and I feel sorry for those parents who just got into it suddenly. It just got dropped on them. It can be overwhelming, even for me.”

The hardest part of the situation for her family has been not seeing the children’s grandmother. Older people and those with health problems are being warned to self-isolate to avoid catching the virus, which can be exceptionally lethal for them.

“The kids are very close to my mother-in-law,” Kuhn said. “She usually takes the kids one day a week to give me a break. We haven’t been able to do that now. We all miss her.”

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SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 11

School closings spark questions, create problems PAULA NEuMAN Southgate Star

The Covid-19 virus-caused closing of schools raised all sorts of issues, and also is shining a spotlight on existing inequities in education.

So said the experts during a March 31 online Education Town Hall hosted by state Rep. Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Twp.) with the help of State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn), Michigan Education Association President Paula Herbart and American Federation of Teachers Michigan President David Hecker.

Questions — typed in to the live Zoom video conference by participants at home — were many. An executive order by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued the next day offered some answers.

“We know there are a lot of questions about what will happen with our schools,” sad Camilleri, whose district includes Grosse Ile. “How do we move forward as a state, making sure that every child has access to education?”

In the wake of the statewide school closing, teachers are working hard to offer lessons to kids online in innovative ways, but handing out paper packets of schoolwork is important, too, the experts said.

“Our state — our country — has a digital divide,” Hecker said. “An estimated one-third of kids don’t have hardware or connectivity to go online….

Low-income communities are less likely to have families with this kind of access…. We don’t want to widen that divide, but at the same time, we want every student to get the best education they can. That is a real struggle.”

Even handing out paper packets of schoolwork can be problematic given the current setting of “social distancing.”

“Who puts them together; how do they get printed?” Herbart said.

And how are they delivered to children’s homes?

“This is going to take so many of us to think in new ways,” she said.

The governor’s order requires school districts to come up with a plan by April 28 to “provide alternative modes of instruction other than in-person instruction and a summary of materials

each pupil and the pupil’s parents or guardians will need to meaningfully access the alternative modes of instruction included in the plan.”

Educators are allowed to be in a school building to accomplish that plan as long as they adhere to socialdistancing rules, and parents are allowed to visit schools to pick up packets for their children.

Besides finding ways to reach students, educators also are preparing meals and passing them out to children who are used to being fed one or two meals a day at school, Herbart said.

Hammoud said, “We have seen educators go above and beyond, really Hecker put their minds together and come up with out-of-thebox resources for their students.”

The governor ordered that schools continue the food distribution to eligible children.

“The big question we keep getting is the timeline,” Camilleri said.

When can kids and educators go back into classrooms full-time? It all depends on the virus.

“This is a public health crisis first,” he said. “We need to make sure our students and our educators are safe. It’s not going to be possible for every student to receive everything they need.”

The virus situation has exposed “vulnerabilities in our education,” Hammoud said. “The more this progresses, the more problems we’ll identify and the more solutions we’ll put our heads together to address.”

The legislators and educators agreed with the governor’s decision to close schools for good this school year and to graduate already passing high school seniors and promote students already on-course to a new grade instead of weighing the decision every two weeks to see if reopening schools earlier might be possible.

“Children cannot handle that kind of insecurity,” Herbart said.

But much will be lost. She said students and parents will need to grieve for what they will miss by the early

If schools are funded for the rest of the year, then all employees need to be paid. No one should be penalized because of Covid-19. ~ David Heckler school closing — a senior prom, a kindergarten fly-up ceremony, a formal graduation. And educators and school social workers need to find ways to help families who will be dealing with the loss of their jobs and with “significant crisis,” including the deaths of loved ones.

Hecker stressed the importance of “that connection between the teacher and the support staff and the students — that the student knows the teacher still cares about the kid.”

Students in special education are particularly at risk without classes and services provided by schools, the experts said. As it stands, those kids often are not getting the sessions they need with occupational therapists, speech therapists and other specialists.

“Those are the kinds of things that have to be considered,” Herbart said.

“It’s still up in the air whether we’ll Herbart even be able to meet those needs.”

Hecker said, “The special education piece of the puzzle is the hardest piece to grapple with because of the needs those students have.”

What about SAT tests, normally taken in the spring by high school juniors and required by many colleges for admission?

Union leaders advocated for the state to allow those students to take the SAT tests in the fall, and the governor’s order allows for that.

Will there be summer school this year?

“That’s more of a health question than an education question,” Hecker said. “It depends on where we are. Is it safe for people to get together in a classroom in the summer? And do people think it’s safe?”

Teachers have questions, too.

Standardized tests for the year have been waived by the federal government, and the experts agreed that was positive, but many other education requirements remain to be considered due to the closings.

“We have to have a waiver of the required days (for a school year) and the 75 percent rule (that applies to the number of students in class),” Hecker said. “There are some issues that directly affect the women and men who educate our children. If I need to be recertified, how is that going to work if I can’t do the classwork? What’s going to happen to evaluations?”

The governor’s order permits school superintendents “to issue a temporary one-year teaching certificate to an otherwise qualified individual who is unable to take an appropriate subject area examination….”

The order also allows educators and school staff be paid for the rest of the year, and to continue pension accumulation during the time schools are closed.

“If schools are funded for the rest of the year, then all employees need to be paid,” Hecker said. “No one should be penalized because of Covid-19.”

The legislators and Camilleri educators also agreed that many solutions, as they are realized, should be tailored with input from individual school districts.

“One thing we are consistently advocating for is local control,” Camilleri said. “This is not a one-sizefits-all situation.”

The governor’s order related to K-12 education in the wake of the virus can be read at Michigan.gov/Whitmer. It is order No. 2020-35.

Page 12 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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After a fun filled day of boating, fishing, scuba diving or soaking up the sun relaxing by one of the largest pools in the Florida Keys or relaxing by the pool overlooking the marina and Atlantic ocean, or even sinking your toes in the sand like the song says “only worry in the world is the tide going to reach your chair” on our private upland sunning beach. There is always something for everyone!

Paradise isn’t over yet as you walk through your own private courtyard, a bricked patio garden with relaxing furniture, then up just one flight of stairs, your private oasis awaits you…where you can unwind from a fun filled day. You can cook your fresh day’s catch in your fully equipped new kitchen with lots of natural light glistening off the solid surface countertops and the stunning stainless steel appliances and eat in comfort. Or go “out on the town” and relax in some of the best restaurants in the area where you are pampered as your fresh catch is being prepared to your specifications as you relax drinking a glass of wine watching the beautiful Florida Bay Sunset. The perfect end to a wonderful day in paradise.

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SWCRC and DCC aiming toward economic recovery Ron Hinrichs SWCRC President

As we navigate through the current health and economic crisis, it is critical that we confront this challenge as a united region.

The Downriver Community Conference and Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber have adopted a joint resolution uniting our region as one voice, and addressing various needs of our community as we look toward economic recovery.

The resolution states our desire to address our region’s needs in the areas of 1) support for Downriver municipalities, 2) workforce development, and 3) support of local small businesses including providing more available access to Paycheck Protection Program funding for small businesses who hold their accounts with non-SBA approved lenders.

The SWCRC and the DCC have drafted and adopted the joint resolution, which has been sent to our partners including US Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. The DCC, SWCRC, regional business community, and all DCC member municipalities are united as we tackle this crisis in partnership with our federal and state elected leaders. We thank our leaders for their efforts and are committed to our continued partnership as we work together to serve our region’s job providers, entrepreneurs and workforce.

Local businesses have been forced to close during

this time and they need our help.

In addition to the resolution’s addressing the need for proper emergency funding for our region’s municipalities, there is a critical need for our community to support our Downriver businesses as we look toward revitalizing our economy while protecting the health and well-being of our citizens.

Now more than ever, it is vital that we support our Downriver and southern Wayne County job providers, entrepreneurs and workforce.

Even during the Stay Home order, there are ways to support our businesses online and by also providing encouragement and promotion on social media.

Imaging and messaging is very important for the uplifting of our region, and for this our communities are looking to its leaders.

As a part of this joint resolution, the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber and the Downriver Community Conference will be asking our communities to participate in a campaign to support our local businesses during the current stay home order, and at the right time reopen and boost our local economy in a responsible, safe and effective way.

More information and social media graphics for the #SupportDownriver campaign to encourage our residents to support local enterprise can be found at SWCRC.com/supportdownriver.

Further, we ask our members to support your fellow businesses. The Chamber’s membership directory

with contact information and social media links can be found on SWCRC.com.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has provided new guidance in regards to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) due to very high demand on this program. The federal loan programs, many of which include forgivable portions, and loans and grants being administered by all levels of government are critical for our Downriver job providers and entrepreneurs during these uncertain times.

The SBA has issued updated guidance that it will provide initial EIDL loan disbursements at a reduced amount of up to $15,000 per borrower. The reduction in disbursements is resulting from the high demand and limited funding available. There are also new guidelines and limitations on the cash advance portion of this program of up to $10,000. It is critical for our business community that this program receives additional funding. The SWCRC has reached out to our partners in Congress to ask for their support.

Our region’s small businesses need immediate access to capital to ensure their businesses remain operational.

Thank you for your tremendous leadership and partnership, and let’s work together to support Downriver and southern Wayne County in a dynamic way! View the joint resolution: https://conta. cc/34xtYCh

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SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 13

Page 14 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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Southgate summer events are cancelled Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is with thoughtful judgement that the City of Southgate is cancelling our upcoming Heritage Days festivities scheduled for mid-June, as well as, our annual “Market in the Park” and outdoor summer Concert Series.

This decision was difficult to make since Heritage Days has been a popular event for the past 45 years.

But, we needed to put the safety of our residents, employees and guests above all else.

“The virus has changed our lives in many ways,” said Mayor Joseph Kuspa. “We all want things to get back to normal as soon as possible. But we sincerely

Photos by Larry Caruso

believe that it would be imprudent to promote large public gatherings at this time.”

Council President John Graziani added, “Having grown up here, like the Mayor and several of my council colleagues, Heritage Days is a part of our history. It is unfortunate that we will not be holding it this year, but we must be concerned with public safety.”

Mayor Kuspa further said, “although the festivities have been cancelled for this year, we sincerely hope that we will all be back and in good health to celebrate Heritage Days next summer.”

SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 15

CULINARY CAPERS

If you’re a label reader, you probably have noticed that the labels on many food purchases have changed.

That’s because the Food and Drug Administration required that large manufacturers of food update their labels by 2020, and smaller companies by 2021.

According to the FDA, the changes reflect the realistic current eating habits of Americans and provide scientific information to help consumers make healthier choices in their diets.

Serving sizes and calories are now in bolder type and are based on what EVELYN people actually eat and drink.

CAIRNES The makeover eliminates Vitamins Southgate Star A and C, because research shows that deficiencies in those nutrients are rare today, but Vitamin D and potassium are added because consumers don’t always get enough of either.

The new label doesn’t list calories from fats, because studies show the type of fat consumed is more important than the amount. *** Although I love to cook and bake, I don’t like to spend all day in the kitchen. So, I’m always on the lookout for quick and easy recipes. Two of my favorite main dishes that fill the bill both feature chicken tenders and rice Both are cooked for only about a half hour. Boneless chicken thighs can be substituted in the second, but will take longer to cook. I like the dish with Major Gray’s Chutney on the side and a sprinkling of dry roasted peanuts.

QUICK AND DELICIOUS CRANBERRY CHICKEN (Adapted) ¼ cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon olive oil 1½ pounds chicken tenders ¼ cup ketchup 1 teaspoon dry mustard 16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until clear. Add chicken and cook about 5 minutes on both sides. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, dry mustard, cranberry sauce, brown sugar and vinegar. Stir until combined and pour over chicken. Cover and cook about 20-25 minutes. Serve over white rice with green beans for a colorful plate. Chicken thighs can be substituted for tenders with adjusted cooking time.

CURRIED CHICKEN WITH MANGO RICE (Adapted) 1 teaspoon curry powder, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 pound chicken tenders 1 cup chicken broth ½ cup water ½ cup white wine (I used apple juice) 1 cup long-grain white rice 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Still feeding students Even in these trying times, the Southgate Community School District is still working hard to keep students fed. The food service staff, maintenance department, volunteers and the Southgate Police Department are all involved in the effort. Keep in mind that there are many school feeding sites that families may access. Find the full list: resa.net/community/feeding.

1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 cup (1 can) diced mango, drained Combine the curry powder, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Rub the mixture into the both sides of the chicken tenders and set aside. In a large, non-stick skillet, combine the chicken broth, water and wine or apple juice with the rice. Stir in the brown sugar, dried parsley and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sir in the chopped mango and arrange the chicken pieces on top of the rice. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes and remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, until all of the liquid is absorbed, at least 5 minutes. *** If you just can’t wait until the blueberry season arrives, consider making my easy recipe for blueberry cobbler, which I demonstrated many years ago at the Michigan State Fair. You won’t believe how easy it is.

EVELYN’S EASY BLUEBERRY COBBLER Blend together 1 can blueberry pie filling and ¼ to 1/3 cup water, depending on consistency of filling.

Heat until mixture boils, then add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and pour into a 1½-quart baking dish. Set aside.

For batter, in a small bowl, combine 1 cup Bisquick and ½ cup Pet Milk, mixing well. Drop onto filling in four portions. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

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A few of my quick and easy recipes for you to enjoy

Page 16 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 17

PETER ROSE Southgate Star

The disorientation that has resulted from this sharp, stark line in history is felt by everyone. So many of our markers of normal are - at best suspended - and will be found in many cases to have been relegated to the distant past of early March 2020.

The speed of our transition away from our various norms has been breathtaking (literally, unfortunately).

As I begin to write this on March 26, only three weeks have passed since the news stopped for any other topic.

The damage wreaked upon our civilization is already shocking and yet is still only looming.

The real fallout has not Remember to support your local businesses as much as you can now, and especially after the social distancing order is occurred; it is anticipated and lifted. is being braced for, but it is still only theoretical in our of respect and appreciation. scarier. at all. Right now, not much away by means of national experience. I still don’t know It’s called bravery, even if it is I resisted the urgings to makes sense, period. chains or internet options. anyone that has been stricken, motivated by fear. hunker down, shut down, stay By the time of the next With so much now on the although it is only one or two My stores complied with home, and I am now feeling edition of these publications, line, I am urgently hoping, steps removed. At any time the mandate, of course, but did the nerves of it all. I am not I hope to be writing about no, I am assertively predicting that could change - for all of what we felt we had to do until panicky, but respectfully things that are going on as we that when the chips are down us.

Tuesday, March 24 by staying fearful, and additionally, I experience the waning days of and it will be even more Financially and open. am so intensely aware of the this assault on our civilization. true that every meal served operationally, we don’t yet Being as smart as possible, havoc that is being wrecked I hope now that this is not makes a massive difference, know the residual impact of wiping and disinfecting on the machine that makes our wishful thinking. Our year was when every item purchased at the shutdowns. incessantly. We didn’t want nation work. beginning auspiciously, with any indie business is also an Wrangling aside, it really is to tell our team it was time, What happens when we both stores feeling a sense of investment in our own slice noteworthy for the U.S. Senate and we have expenses that do finally get the notification that optimism for 2020. of heaven, our Downriver to have passed a bill of this not stop when the doors stay it is safe to begin carefully Until March 10 or so, residents will rise to the magnitude as quickly as they closed. I was personally very returning to work and half this was not on very many occasion, once they are able. did. upset by the looming edict to the restaurants and shops and people’s radar screens. As this And don’t think I don’t feel It remains to be seen how shut bars and restaurants down services that once provided does subside, enabling the that sort of pain for us all, many of the bars, restaurants and tried to support them our area with those things process of restoring normalcy, too - the effects of reduced or and shops that have been before they did. It’s my DNA. cannot share in that rethe independent and locally eliminated pay are not to be closed by edict will not be able Small business is my opening? owned businesses of our minimized. to re-open; hopefully, this bill passion, whether it be mine It’s not an abstract question. Downriver area are going to Please stay safe, my friends. will include meaningful and or anyone else that creates I ask that you consider that be in greater need of support Before any of the stuff I write readily available relief so as a niche, nurtures it, fans and let it sink in just how than ever. about can mean anything to truly help. Let alone all the the flame and develops devastating this has the You know that’s why I write at all, our people must be actual people that will need a following. This is my capacity to be, on top of the these columns; to advocate healthy, have to be alive and help staying afloat. definition of capitalism. I love taking of lives. And yet, the for small, as the very best well and able to make the Those businesses that bit the it, participate in it and defend business community that means of ensuring a vibrant decision to “buy local.” bullet and shut down before it at nearly all costs. includes mine does have to local economy. To get as People first, business being mandated and those that I say “nearly” because the be second to the primary call many people as possible to somewhere after that. curtailed all operations when stories are already scary, and to protect the people that realize their own power in that Be mindful that fear is they could have remained by the time you read this, patronize these businesses. process, and not deflate our everywhere, so be kind and open are particularly worthy they are predicted to be much Nothing else makes any sense bouncy ball by sending dollars thoughtful. We are Downriver.

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Our lives in the time of the Coronavirus

Page 18 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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Drive-through testing site at Sam’s Club

First responders, frontline workers, those with symptoms are a priority To assist with the nationwide effort to increase the availability of secure COVID-19 testing sites, the City of Southgate is pleased to join in this vital partnership. ~ Mayor Joseph Kuspa

A

COVID-19 drive-through testing site began operating in the parking lot of the Sam’s Club on April 16.

The site is supported by Walmart, Quest Diagnostics and local authorities and testing is offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to those who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, and all health care providers and first responders, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms.

Individual test results are expected within an average of two days.This is the first COVID-19 testing site in Southgate.

“The key to beating COVID-19 is to make testing available to everyone who needs it,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. “Wayne County has been hit hard with cases and providing barrier free testing opportunities all across the county will help in saving lives. I am thankful for the partnership with Walmart and the city of Southgate in continuing our efforts to combat this virus.”

Testing will require an appointment through Quest’s MyQuestTM online portal and app, www.

MyQuestCOVIDTest.com, which will screen and

Photos by Larry Caruso

schedule appointments for those individuals that meet CDC eligibility for the testing sites.

Once on site, those being tested will need to stay in their cars for verification of eligibility criteria, ID check and a self-administered test.The site will be staffed by volunteers, including Walmart health care professionals and Quest employees. For the safety of all those on-site, the test site is not available to those who walk up.

“To assist with the nationwide effort to increase the availability of secure COVID-19 testing sites, the City of Southgate is pleased to join in this vital partnership”, said Mayor Joseph Kuspa. “Localizing our testing capacity will also allow our medical and public safety personnel to be tested more efficiently.

We all have the goal of saving lives and more testing will greatly assist with that important effort.”

••• Details regarding the testing sites: n The site will use a self-administered nasal swab test that will allow those being tested to swab their own nose onsite while in their vehicles, observed by a trained medical volunteer to ensure the sample is taken correctly, and drop the sealed sample into a

container on their way out of the drive-thru site. n Quest Diagnostics will handle processing test samples and communicating results to those tested and applicable departments of health. n Testing is not available inside Walmart stores or Sam’s Clubs. n Any questions regarding testing and appointments, please call Quest’s dedicated COVID-19 line at 866-448-7719, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. n While individuals who are tested are awaiting results, please follow CDC guidelines and take steps to help prevent the virus from spreading to people in your home and community.

••• “Walmart is part of the community, and we are proud to help support the expansion of COVID-19 testing in Southgate during this unprecedented time,” said Erik Hingst, Walmart Public Affairs Director for Michigan. “We are grateful to our associates who keep our stores running, our pharmacists who support these testing sites, and to Quest and local officials as we work together to open the site and help our community.”

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SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 19

Page 20 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 21

Shannon Rossi Special to Southgate Star

One thing can be said, without a doubt, about the Downriver community, they step up to help when there is a need.

Cheryl Zemke of Riverview and Todd and Patti Duffett of Grosse Ile have been following the news about the problems hospitals and first responders have been having in getting adequate amounts of protective gear for treating patients that have been hospitalized due to complications from COVID-19.

Zemke is a fashion designer and owner of C. Creations Sewing and Design.

Todd Duffett, a sales engineer and a self-described 3D printing and electronics tinkerer.

Both Zemke and Duffett first learned about the desperate need for protective gear via sources in New York.

“I first heard about what was happening in New York,” Zwmke said. “People were talking about hospitals not having enough masks for staff.”

Duffett saw an article in a Syracuse, New York newspaper about a company in New York State, Budmen Industries, that was trying to unite those in the general public who enjoyed working with 3D printers.

The number of COVID-19 cases has steadily grown since the first two cases were announced by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on March 10. Wayne County has so far been hit the hardest with the largest number of cases in the state.

Lack of adequate protective gear for medical personnel on the front lines of this crisis also has been in the news.

“I immediately thought that making masks was something I could easily convert my business to,” Zemke said.

Zemke has completely converted her fashion design

business over to creating masks for healthcare workers.

The Duffetts had a similar idea.

“I have a 3D printer and I thought I could help in a similar way to what Budmen Industries in New York is doing, but with a focus on our local community needs,” Duffett said.

Duffett’s sister and niece created a Facebook page for their group, Operation Face Shield – Downriver.

Although people began talking about creating homemade masks and donating them to healthcare facilities, Zemke heard from several sources that doctors and nurses would not use these homemade masks.

But Zemke later saw a post on Facebook about nurses being able to accept masks.

She also made her own video tutorial, available to view by searching “Sewing a Deaconess Style Mask” on YouTube.

“The style I am doing is meant to go over the top of the N95 masks that health care workers use,” said Zemke.

“They are meant to lengthen and protect the life of the N95 masks, not replace them.

They’re also not intended for people to use when they go out.”

The masks use simple sewing supplies that are usually readily available at fabric and craft stores, including fabric, twist wire, and elastic.

“One of my clients has a

niece who is a nurse at U of M hospital. She said her niece would love to have a mask.”

Zemke committed to giving her a few masks for a 14 hour shift. She also inquired about making a few extra for the other nurses on this person’s floor.

“I didn’t know anything about the numbers of nurses on a single floor. And I found out that there are 250 nurses just on

this one person’s floor,” Zemke said.

At that point, she knew the need was dire.

“It hit me in the gut,” she said.

Zemke has gotten requests for masks from many healthcare facilities in the area.

Requests for Operation Face Shield – Downriver have come from individuals through word of mouth referrals.

“Many are for nurses or EMTs that are at smaller facilities that don’t have the resources,” Duffett said.

Zemke said: “It would be helpful if I had someone else

home to work with me. I can’t make as many on my own.”

She put out a call on Facebook March 27 for assistance with any step in the process of creating these face masks.

“I reached out to my sewing groups and others on Facebook,” she said. “Everyone has been so supportive in the community.”

Even if people don’t sew there are many ways that they’ve stepped up to help with this mission.

People have donated money for supplies, have offered to cut fabric or run out to get supplies and deliver them to sewers.

The masks are made with simple supplies and inexpensive supplies, like fabric, wire twist ties, and elastic, that can usually be purchased at fabric or craft stores.

A single 3D printed mask costs only $5.

The visor is printed on a 3D printer using a filament called PLA. According to Duffett, it is an easy to use material and one of the lower cost options available. The shield screen is made from clear plastic, and elastic and foam rubber strips for the headband.

“We have used mylar, vinyl and acetate sheets, whatever we can get our hands on that can be safely cleaned with bleach,” Duffett said.

“The clear plastic for the face covering is in short supply, as is elastic,” he said. “We have resorted to cutting girls’

headbands in half or using really long rubber bands as an alternative. Anything in a pinch.”

Downriver has come together to help provide for those working hard to save lives in this time of need.

As of March 31, Zemke had made 348 masks.

The Duffetts delivered or shipped 25 masks before running out of the clear plastic needed for the face covering.

“We keep printing and have materials on order thanks to several generous donations,” Duffett said.

“For years, I’ve known that sewers are the most compassionate and responsive people you will ever meet.

The sewers I know don’t hesitate to help out sewing gowns and caps for premature babies, pillowcases for Motts Children’s Hospital, blankets for the homeless,” Zemke said.

“The list goes on and on, but how they have responded during the COVID-19 crisis warms my heart. It really shows how much our community can and does come together.”

The Duffetts, too, want to emphasize the generosity of the community.

“I am amazed at the support we are getting,” Duffett said.

“The encouraging feedback helps at 4 a.m. when I can’t sleep and am running the 3D printer, listening to the news.”

To get involved in any part of the mask making process, visit the COVID Mask Crafters group on Facebook, Cheryl Zemke’s website CherylZemke. com, or via her email at czcreations@hotmail.com.

Information about getting involved with Operation Face Shield – Downriver is available on their Facebook page.

Budmen Industries also has all of the specifications for making a 3D printed face shield available on their website, Budmen.com.

Like Us On Facebook : SOUTHGATE STAR

Downriver residents lend a hand in a time of crisis

Page 22 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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World renowned sailor, shares knowledge at GIYC On Sunday March 8, charitable Grosse Ile Community Sailing Foundation sponsored a sailboat racing seminar held at Grosse Ile Yacht Club.

The world renowned sailor David Dellenbaugh of America’s Cup fame and Lightning and Thistle World champion flew in from the east coast to conduct the informative seminars.

There were 72 attendees from all around southeast Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario, and one sailor from Tennessee. Thirteen of the attendees were junior sailors from Grosse Ile and North Cape Yacht Clubs. All those who attended were very appreciative of the GICSF’s efforts to put on the full day of sail racing seminars by this fascinating speaker.

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The Grosse Ile Community Sailing Foundation was formed to promote sailing as a recreational activity in the local community through adult and junior learnto-sail programs, education about sailing through clinics and seminars, and fostering competition by supporting and hosting regattas.

Over the past eight years the foundation has partnered with the Grosse Ile Yacht Club to provide thousands of dollars of assistance to their junior sailing program providing sailboats, sails, safety boats, and instructor certification. Their other activities include hosting the David Dellenbaugh seminars.

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SOUTHGATE STAR • April 27, 2020 • Page 23

Page 24 • April 27, 2020 • SOUTHGATE STAR

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