Local spotlight
Solve Helping the High School Officiating Crisis By Bill Mullaly
Any fan of a local high school sports team has probably heard about a shortage of sports officials to referee or umpire the contests the schools have scheduled to play. The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) has been putting on a recruiting push to get more individuals involved in the avocation of officiating high school. The average age of the officials right now working the majority of the MHSAA sporting events is in the 50’s. One local MHSAA official has taken it upon himself to try to do something to help the
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situation. Tim Frosch of Hillsdale, 58, has spent the last three years trying to recruit and train high school athletes from Jonesville High School to become officials. Frosch has met with some success, and, while it was slow at first, things have picked up this past year. Back in 2016-17, his first school year of trying to find new and younger officials as part of the MHSAA Legacy Program, Frosch had one girl take up his offer. She was Jonesville junior Sarah Dawson who became a basketball referee. “I am very proud of her as she was the first to get involved and she turned out to be a very good official,” said
Frosch about Dawson, who ended up doing middle school games and eventually some junior varsity boys’ games. The second year, he had three new girls get involved with officiating. Two took on the sport of basketball and the other was a volleyball official. Dawson, along with Samantha Dunn and Katie Brown, all were refereeing games during the 2017-18 school year. Hanna Purdy was Frosch’s volleyball ref. “Those three basketball girls did really well,” said Frosch. “They worked a lot of middle school games and even did some games
Top 5 Mistakes When Naming Beneficiaries of Insurance Policies
By Timothy Dixon Everything Men Magazine
Naming beneficiaries of an insurance policy seems likes an easy thing to do. If a person is married, the spouse is the beneficiary. The children are often named the contingent beneficiaries. If a person is not married but has children, the children are often named as first beneficiaries. Usually, these are the people whom life insurance is intended to benefit; however, without knowing or considering the consequences of the beneficiary designation, the policy holder’s intended goals may be thwarted. Below are the top five mistakes people make when naming a beneficiary of their insurance policy: 1. Failing To Update The Beneficiary Designation: The beneficiary named when a policy is obtained may not be the appropriate beneficiary at a later date. It is important to update the beneficiary designation on a regular basis to reflect changes in life circumstances not only for the policy holder but also for the named beneficiaries. Beneficiary designations should be reviewed every two to three years and upon important life events like births, deaths, divorces, and significant changes in asset makeup.
Timothy E. Dixon Licensed Michigan Attorney Law Office of Timothy E. Dixon 27 N. Broad St. Hillsdale, MI 49242 Ph: (517) 437-4070 Fx: (517) 437-4062
2. Not Naming A Contingent Beneficiary: Many policyholders only name one person as the beneficiary of the insurance policy assuming he or she will outlive the beneficiary. However, if the policy holder does not outlive the beneficiary and did not update the beneficiary designation, the policy proceeds will be subject to probate at the policy holder’s death. An unintended consequence of the probate may be that the ultimate beneficiary of the policy, i.e. the beneficiary of the probate estate, is a minor child or person receiving needs based government benefits. It is important to name contingent beneficiaries and update the beneficiaries often. 3. Naming A Minor As A Beneficiary: Parents, especially single parents, obtain life insurance to provide for their children in case they die
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before the children are grown and finished with school. In Michigan, naming a minor as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy will likely subject the life insurance proceeds to a court ordered conservatorship if the proceeds are $5,000 or more. Not only will life insurance proceeds be wasted in court and attorney fees, but upon attaining 18 years the child is entitled to receive the full balance of the policy proceeds. At that age, even the most responsible individuals will be overwhelmed with inheriting a large amount of cash, and many don’t end up using the proceeds as the deceased parent intended. The solution is to leave the proceeds in a trust for the benefit of the minor child. 4. Naming A Beneficiary Who Receives Needs Based Government Benefits: Naming a person with special needs who receives needs based government benefits as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy may cause the beneficiary to lose his government benefits. If the policy holder wants to provide for the special needs person, creating a special needs trust and naming the special needs trust as the beneficiary can protect the assets for the beneficiary. The proceeds in the trust are used to supplement the government benefits instead of eliminating them. 5. Assuming A Trust Controls The Insurance Policy Beneficiary Designation: Many people create living trusts and assume that their estate plan, including the distribution of insurance proceeds, is taken care of. This is wrong. The life insurance policy beneficiary designation controls where the money is distributed, not the trust. To ensure that the life insurance proceeds become part of the trust and are distributed in accordance with the provisions of the trust, the trust needs to be named the beneficiary of the life insurance policy. Life insurance beneficiary designation is very important and failure to name beneficiaries properly can have unintended consequences.
must-fish spots:
The Au Sable River is one of the premier fly-fishing destinations in the state and the nation. The only thing better than the catch may be the scenery. The river is also home to North America’s toughest canoe race – a grueling, 120-mile, overnight, non-stop, in-state marathon from Grayling to Oscoda (July 30-31). Saginaw Bay has become one of the nation’s top walleye fisheries. The region offers plenty of charter fishing opportunities, campgrounds and other recreational facilities around the bay. On Houghton Lake, they like their fish cold. Head up to Tip Up Town USA (January) to experience ice fishing amidst one of the largest winter festivals in the state.
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lAURA LOVEBERRY -
I love you forever.
By Laura Loveberry Everything Men Magazine Inspirational Speaker, Author Caricature Artistr
As I visit with my aging momma, she hobbles down the boardwalk to take her daily stroll. She pushes her walker along the way. Mom and I delight when we come up to peek into the free-public-library box, shaped like a mini-house and filled with donated books. Nailed on top of the walkway railing, it looks like a large-scale bird house, only it has a glass door front. Peering inside, we see a variety of used books for both young and old readers. This is a fun discovery added to our pathway walk. Later on, Mom and I stop in at the traditional public library for their $1 book sale. We decide to pick up a few books to donate to that cute little mini-library box on the boardwalk. I grab up one of my favorite stories I read to both my kids when they were toddlers. My voice trembles with emotion every time I near the end of the book I LOVE YOU FOREVER by Robert Munsch. The story is about an evolving relationship between a boy and his mother and their bedtime rocking routine. Just for nostalgia’s sake, I read this bedtime story to my 82-year-old mom before I donated the book to the free library box. The beginning of the book describes the rocking bedtime routine of a mom and her son as an infant, toddler, teenager, and then young man. As I am reading about the part where the mother is getting older and the roles reverse, my voice starts to quiver, and I struggle to read through it. I always lose it when the son now carries the aging mom to bed and sings her the repeated lines, “I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as you’re living my baby you’ll be.” This final time these lines are read, the author inserts “mommy” in place of “baby.” I have yet to read the book through without shedding a tear. Today, while reading to my elderly momma, is no exception.
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Fast forward to the end of the visit with my momma. We have a close and bonded mother-daughter relationship, so goodbyes are not easy. My long drive home requires me to leave in the wee hours of the morning when it is still dark. We said our goodbyes last night, so I plan to slip out and not disturb mom this early in the morning. As I tiptoe past her bedroom door, I am reminded of the I LOVE YOU FOREVER story. Spontaneously I slowly open the bedroom door, sneak over to her bedside, and give her the gentlest of hugs. My frail mom opens her eyes and smiles as I whisper in her ear, “I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as you’re living my momma you’ll be.” We hug goodbye. We both know our roles are reversing. It goes unspoken as our love for each other fills the goodbye embrace. I leave blinking my eyes attempting to hold back tears. I do love my mom forever. The reason I am sharing this with you EVERYTHING MEN readers is to encourage you to pick up this small paperback book. There is a reason over 30 million copies have been sold. I suggest you read it to your children, give it to your momma, buy one for your grandma. The unique little book evokes readers to reflect on the big circle of life. I encourage you to take time to express love with cuddles and to say “I love you” to your family members. The biblical definition of love is to provide and protect. “Love never fails,” is what I Corinthians 13:4-8 in the NIV Bible makes clear. Before you know it, your roles will begin to reverse. So, from my momma heart to your son heart, I implore YOU to love your momma well . . . especially when the roles are reversing.
Other facts: • The official 100-year birthday of Michigan state parks is May 12, 2019. • There are 103 state parks managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks & Recreation Division and supported collaboratively by other DNR program areas on efforts to improve habitat, create quality educational programming, fight invasive species and more. • The state parks are visited by an average of 28 million people each year. • The DNR is planning a yearlong celebration with opportunities to share your memories, enjoy special events and explore state park destinations through podcasts, historical accounts, videos, geocaching and much more. The public is invited to help commemorate our 100-year legacy of Michigan state parks.
Holland State Park - present day
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1500 Fahrenheit
A new grill category takes inspiration from steakhouse restaurant kitchens. For years, restaurants have known the secret to a perfectly cooked steak is searing it hot and fast under a top-down-fired, infrared burner. This type of appliance, known as a Salamander, is common in commercial kitchens but new to residential backyards. Traditional gas grills require about 10 minutes to preheat, and charcoal grills need about 20 minutes for the briquettes to reach an ideal cooking temperature. Infrared grills, however, can reach top temperatures within three to five minutes. The high temperatures of infrared grills cut the cooking time of proteins by about half when compared to their cooking time on traditional gas or charcoal grill grates. The result is a medium-rare steak in about five minutes or a fully cooked chicken breast in about 10 minutes. Another benefit: Because the burner is above the food, meat drippings do not flare up, but rather, drippings are caught in a drip tray, or can season potatoes or vegetables simultaneously cooking on a tray below the meat. The ovens work great for steaks but can also be used as a convenient pizza oven. It is an ideal solution for anyone who would like a pizza oven as part of their outdoor kitchen but don want the hassle or heat-up times of a traditional, wood-fired, masonry oven. Pro Tip: Even with a thermometer to measure food temperatures and a home library stocked with cookbooks, learning how to create culinary masterpieces
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on an infrared grill takes practice. Because infrared surfaces heat to between two and three times the temperature of traditional grills, foods can burn much more quickly than you may expect. While it may take five minutes to sear a 2-inch-thick tenderloin, for example, grilled asparagus requires only a minute or two. Watch food carefully the first time you try cooking it on an infrared grill.
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HERE COMES THE
Sun
Let’s face it, Michigan is a challenging state for outdoor entertaining. That doesn’t make an outdoor kitchen any less appealing, it simply means we have to enjoy the area more when Mother Nature allows. Creating a stylish space can greatly increase the appeal and value of your home and provide an oasis for friends and family to rleax. Here are a few simple ideas to help you create an amazing outdoor space that will be the envy of the neighborhood.
1. Enclose a gazebo or pergola with outdoor curtains. This will frame the outdoor room and offer shade on sunny days. 40 40
2. Create an arch or trellis leading to the outdoor room. You can add climbing plants to bring a touch of nature into the area.