August 24, 2004
Northern Notes
Kindnesses during Cherry Festival abound
by Stephanie Beach
As any local resident can attest to, Cherry Festival week is a whirlwind of activity. The foot and road traffic increases with the influx of visitors here to enjoy every minute of the week and residents work hard to create a memorable festival for these visitors.
The Boys & Girls Club board, staff and children wrote to personally thank Bernie and Pam Stover and Harbour View Centre for the generous yearly donation of their parking lot to the club for the past four summers during Cherry Festival.
"Each year it gets better and better," the letter stated. "The time and energy that you use to help the club helps (the club maintain) continued programming through the summer for hundreds of kids. It not only helps that we raise money, but it helps the staff get to know each other, raising ... morale. ...
"This year you all went beyond the call of duty by allowing us to park our pirate ship fund-raiser float (to be raffled at 4 p.m. Aug. 29 during Waterfest weekend) and sell tickets as well. The club wishes you all well and hopes to continue the friendship that you have helped create."
Kim Gribi of Williamsburg wrote to thank the very generous and trusting souls at Asbury United Methodist Church for coming to her rescue on July 3.
Gribi was on her way to play violin at an outdoor wedding near Cedar. When she neared Tom's West Bay, she realized that she had left her music stand at home. Gribi called every in-town musician she knew to no avail, the Blue Angels were about to start their performance and traffic was at a standstill. Realizing that there was no way she could return home for the stand and get to the wedding site in time, Gribi spotted Asbury Church and ran in declaring a musical emergency.
"Without hesitation or even asking (my) name, a loaner' music stand was provided and the wedding was a success," Gribi wrote.
Cherry Knoll Elementary School would like to thank area residents for purchasing tickets for the PTO-sponsored raffle to help raise funds to send one of its sixth-grade students, Hannah DeBortoli, to Australia as a People to People Student Ambassador.
Hannah's 18-day exchange included meetings with government officials, interactions with other students her age, educational activities and a stay with a host family while attending school.
Meanwhile, Hannah would like to thank the PTO for their hard work, the students who saved pop cans, and the teachers who purchased her baked goods.
She also sends a special thank you to the following people and organizations for selling tickets: Zonta Club of Traverse City, the noon Kiwanis Club, the Twilight Rotary Club, the Business Division at Northwestern Michigan College, Marti and Laura at Just Imagine Creative Arts Healing Center, Doug and Sue Smith of Fish Window Cleaning, Sue Britton of A Cut Above, Michael Martin, the American Military League and Greg Williams with Edward Jones Investments.
Congratulations also go out the raffle winners: David Kipley, Inez Zaring and Robert Britton.
Marcia Nill, a member of the Pineneedlers Quilt Club, wrote to thank all the wonderful volunteers who gave of their time and talent at the May Quilt-A-Thon sponsored by the club.
Materials for the quilts were donated by area fabric shops and interested sewers, while quilts were pieced and finished by volunteer stitchers. The completed quilts were donated to local nursing homes, Head Start, the Leelanau Sheriff's Department First Response Team and the Goodwill Inn.
The Salvation Army of Traverse City recently received an $800 donation from the Denny Schavey Memorial Community Service Fund.
"We are extremely thankful and pleased to be selected by the review panel to receive these funds," said Major Thomas Riggs, commanding officer of the Traverse City Salvation Army Corps.
The funds will be used to help support Sal's Kitchen, a Traverse City-based meal program provided by the Salvation Army.
Items for this column may be sent to Northern Notes, Record-Eagle, P.O. Box 632, Traverse City, MI 49685-0632; e-mail to sbeach@record-eagle.com.
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