Sunfield Area Spy's Report - 2008, The Year in Review

The following is a simple compilation of what the SPY organization has managed to accomplish in the year 2008. We did not do this alone. We are but one thread in the cloth that makes up the diverse tapestry of the community at large. It takes the right, prevailing attitude, along with many willing hands to truly build and sustain a community. We are proud to continue to be; along with our corporate and platinum sponsors and supporters; a viable part of the endeavor to make the Sunfield area a better place to live.

• Loren & Lisa Mazurek and Nate Kovalchik joined the Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth in 2008.

• The legendary "Myrtle The Traveling Fertile Turtle" that shows up every year at the Annual Meeting struck again. Chalk up #8. It will be interesting to see what happens this year!.

• Buddy "The 101 Ways To Prepare Road Kill Master Chef" Collins once again headed up our Wild Game Dinner. We had a fantastic twelfth year hosting this event. It was once again a success. In fact we had a record 139 people attend this year. We also gave away more prizes than ever before. This immensely popular activity, founded by Mark Huyck, has evolved into one of our largest fund raisers.

• We continued our financial support for the area kids participating in the youth wrestling program.

• Craig "The Pooh-Bah Of Pasteboards" Cappon once again did a fine job heading up our the twenty-sixth annual SPY's Euchre Tournament, or "The Showdown On Main Street", as it has become to be known. This year the winners were Patrick "Bowers Are My Business" Reynolds, (men's champion), and Angela "Call Me Angie And You Die" Coan, (women's champion). The worst players in the tournament, Rosie Best and Jake Bosworth, each won a scholarship to Euchre School.

• We donated $550 to the Sunfield Elementary Parents Group to help underwrite their School "Winter Carnival".

• We once again provided both the team and individual funding for the Sunfield area youth playing in the Pee Wee Boys Basketball program. This totaled only $130 this year.

• We covered the $420 costs involved with the local girls that participated in the Girls Pee Wee Basketball program.

• We continued providing $500 in funding for the Sunfield Elementary teacher's individual classroom needs.

• We donated a lighted display sign to the Boy Scouts.

• We donated a total of $500 to help support the annual Farmer's Picnic fireworks show and other picnic activities. We also covered the costs in providing the porta-johns for the Picnic.

• The 1,510th "Sunfield Area SPY Report" column was published in the Sunfield Sentinel this year. The "Dirt Sheet", the region’s #1 source for accurate news reporting, is now in its 34th year of publication.

• We donated $500 to Lakewood's Project Graduation. We have been a sponsor of this fine program since its inception 23 years ago.

• We again underwrote the costs of the Sunfield Elementary School's "March Is Reading Month", which provides books for kids. This totaled $450 this year.

• We also underwrote the $150 needed to cover the costs associated with the Sunfield Fifth Grade's participation in the state-wide stock market competition.

• Scott "Don't Be A Litter Bug" McWhorter completed his thirteenth year of chairing our Adopt-A-Highway project. He coordinated the three roadside trash pick-ups this spring and summer along the 2-mile stretch of M-43 from Shaytown Road to Round Lake Road. His dedication to this effort is truly commendable!

• This year's funding allocation for support of the summer sports programs totaled $4,100. The funding covered all of the expenses for the over 150 Sunfield area kids playing on the 14 to 16 different baseball and softball teams.

• Rosie Best continued her role of running the SPY's annual Celebration Calendar project this year. The Community Celebration Calendar celebrated its 39th. year of being a part of the community.

• We had 17 wonderful people sign up to have their United Way and other payroll deduction program contributions designated to come to the SPY's in 2008. People don't realize how big a difference doing this makes in our ability to meet the many needs of youth in the community. We appreciate everyone that takes the time to make their designations go to work here in our community.

• This past summer---the SPY’s Summer Celebration---roared into its fourth great year. This event was the brainchild of Phil Smith, who had long wanted to do a barbecue cook off. He teamed up with Bob Bumgardner, who had long wanted to do a car show, and the rest, as they say, is history. Then along came Chris Wegener, and a 5-K run / walk was added to the festivities. The Summer Celebration has turned out to be a fantastic event. At the end of the day, we again had a drive-in movie that quite a number of people stuck around for. The SPY’s Summer Celebration has proven to be a great annual community extravaganza. Troy Conners of Ionia was the overall barbecue cook off champion. Ben Smith won the prestigious Participant’s Choice Award in the car show. Ken Ralston took home the People’s Choice award. In the 5-K run, Billy Quint was the overall men’s champion and Angie Morman was again the overall women’s champion.

• $615 was allocated in 2008 to assist kids participating in the two local youth summer golf programs.

• We again donated $500 to the Sunfield Senior Citizens Nutritional Program in 2008.

• Oren Best continued to serve as our school liaison and John Fisher served as our liaison to the Sunfield Summer Athletic Association (SSAA), as well as the Farmer’s Picnic board this year.

• We contributed $500 to the Boy Scouts Camp Scholarship Fund.

• The Dime Pitch Booth that we run at the Farmer's Picnic each year is a major source of summer activities funding for us. For a number of year’s now, Barry & Pat Vezino have done a tremendous service through their excellent chairing of this activity. A transition took place in the Dime Pitch Booth this rear. Barry & Pat have retired and Jamie Peabody has taken over. With Jamie’s leadership I’m sure the success of this activity will continue.

• This past summer Oren Best headed up a crew that undertook some major remodeling work up at the Sunfield Elementary School playground. The work took a considerable amount of man-hours put in by a fine crew. The material expenses alone totaled over $1,350.

• Our twenty-ninth and final annual Bike-A-Thon was coordinated by Wendel "The Pedal Pusher" Peabody. He headed up a fine crew of helpers. In 2009, we are turning over the Bike-A-Thon event to the Sunfield Elementary Parents Group to help them in their fund raising efforts.

• Levi Byington was the Bike-A-Thon fastest lap champion.
• Zeke Cappon was the top money raiser. This is his tenth year in a row as the "Big Dollar Man".
• Britten Livermore cranked out 27 miles and was the top mile rider.

• 2008 SPY Community Foundation Scholarship and Recognition Award winners were seniors Britnee Barta; Alex Bosworth; Adam Dow; Danielle Graham; Alex Haskin; Joshua Jackson; Krystin Root; and Jessica Whitinger. A total of $10,500 was awarded this year. A special salute goes out to the eight members of this year’s "Scholarship Review Committee" that put in a lot of time and effort in the grueling selection process.

• This year the recipient of the SPY's "Richard Lenon Community Service Award", that goes to the graduating high school senior from the Sunfield area that has demonstrated the greatest involvement in the community, was Alex Haskin. He received a recognition plaque and a $1,000 U.S. savings bond for his efforts.

• We also continue to be the chartering organization for the Cub Scouts.

• With the help of Joann Van Orman and Cassel Ice Company, we again covered the costs for supplying free on-site ice for use by local groups during the August Farmer's Picnic activity. Craig Mulholland handles the logistics for us on this.

• We continued our support of local kids involved in the various soccer programs offered. This year's soccer costs totaled $820

• Thanks to the General Motors Foundation program, "GM Volunteer PLU$", and GM employees, Marv Hengesbach, David Thompson II, Greg Thelen, and Jeff Hewitt, we received a grant for $1,000. By individual request, $250 went to the Sunfield Volunteer Fire Department. The remainder of the grant money went to help fund our various local kid's programs.

• Bill Weller again led a fine crew in putting on the twentieth annual Centennial Acres / SPY Shootout golf tournament that helps raise funding for our youth programs. Thanks to Bill's eye for continuous improvement, the tournament is getting better and smoother running each year. This year's division winners were: the Phil Savage team (overall champions); the Mike Noeker team; the Sandy Fisher team; the Dick Tichvon team; and the Harry Elkins team. The "Corporate Challenge Cup" was won by the Tico Duckett Distributing team. Our tournament putting contest champion was Mingo Salas.

• Our eighteenth annual "Barnyard Classic"3 on 3 basketball tournament division winners were: The Elliot Team; Maple Valley Seniors; 2 Jacks & A Bean Stalk; and The Bulldogs. Darin "I’ve Been A Dribbler All My Life" Weller once again did a fine job as the leader of the Classic.

• Jake "Foul Ball" Bosworth continued as the commissioner of the "SPY’s Charities Softball Tournament", that is held during Farmer’s Picnic week. This marked the 37th. year the tournament has been held. The Chuck’s Total team was this year’s champion. Bobby Tingley was voted the tournament MVP.

• We appropriated $3,195 to cover expenses associated with the kids participating in the Lakewood Pee Wee football program.

• We were participants in a joint project this year between the SPY’s; the Village of Sunfield; and various contractors and suppliers that resulted in the construction of the new "Lenon Courts". "Lenon Courts" are four new super-heavy-duty outdoor basketball courts that were erected at VanBuren Park. We covered the majority of the expenses involved with the project that totaled $2,697. "Lenon Courts" are named in honor of long-time community supporter Richard Lenon.

• In July, 2007, we began working at Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments that are held Tripper’s Sports Bar in the Frandor shopping center in Lansing. By law, we are only allowed to get four licenses from the State each year for such activities. We worked our quota of four events throughout the year. These tournaments are not only easy work, but have been a tremendous wind-fall for us in light of current economic conditions. It takes considerable pressure off of trying to generate the funds we need entirely through local sources. Cris Glazier has taken over as our project chairman, and has been doing a fine job.

• We donated $100 to the "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" project.

• Due to pressing needs arising in the community owing to the state of the economy, two new grass-roots initiatives have emerged in our area to offer assistance. One is "Sunfield Cares", the other is the "Community Meal" program. "Sunfield Cares" provides free milk, and "The Community Meal" offers a free supper every Monday both here in Sunfield as well as in Mulliken. The SPY’s have underwritten the expenses for getting "Sunfield Cares" up and going, as well as providing additional necessary organizational assistance. The "Community Meal" program is brand new and the form of our support is yet to be totally determined.

• The latest version of the Sunfield Area SPY’s "Treasure Hunt" is currently underway. It started in November. Participants will be competing in this unique and interesting competition until the first of May.

• We donated three portable outdoor basketball rigs to the Sunny Crest Youth Ranch and two others to the Amish School.

• The 32nd. annual fun-filled 50's/60's, (and now 70's too), Dance was another smashing success. It was again held at the American Legion Hall in Charlotte. The crowd came from all over. The between sets acts were again the epitome of both entertainment and unparalleled artistic achievement. Juaise Peabody served as the chairperson of the committee that puts the dance together. They do a super job.

• Again in 2008, the SPY's were called upon at various times to handle "special needs projects" within the community that were brought to our attention. We feel privileged that we are in a position where we are able to make a difference in this particular way. It seems that these types of needs are increasing every year. Funds allocated for these "quiet" needs totaled approximately $1,500. We are aided in much of this work through donations from people who wish to remain anonymous. This is yet another example of a community working together.

• The Scholarship Fund continued to grow in 2008, through the generous contributions from many individuals; special projects; and especially memorial gifts. We are indeed gratified by the community's support of the Scholarship Fund. Thus far, $126,500 has been awarded to graduating seniors. The Scholarship Fund continues to be administered by the SPY’s Community Foundation.

• 2008 saw the successful continuation of our "Corporate Sponsor" program. This is a specially designed program that allows us to form a more effective partnership with community and youth concerned businesses and individuals that provide benefits for all.

This year's "Corporate Sponsor" participants were:

Centennial Acres Golf Course
Mapes Furniture Company
Mark Woodman Plumbing and Heating
H.S.V. Redi-Mix
Marko's Marathon
Rosier Funeral Home
American Collegiate Marketing
Tico Duckett Distributing
Mason Ornamental Iron
Mike Davis Construction
Firstbank
Best Tax Service
Charlotte Wal-Mart
Union Bank
Hazel Brothers Drainage
Sunfield IGA
Automated Process Equipment Corporation
Maccumber Welding

As tough as things are in this state economically, we are indeed heartened and grateful for their continued significant support.

In addition, in 2008, we launched our "Platinum Sponsor" program that is designed to be like the Corporate Sponsor program, but is set-up for private individuals that wish to contribute at least $500 annually to help our efforts. The inaugural class, so-to-speak, of the Platinum Sponsors are:

Richard Lenon
LeRoy Jackson & Elaine Merryfield
John & Sandra Fisher
Bill & Patti Weller

• We again participated in the Lakewood Community Council's Christmas Basket program which helps nearly 200 families in the Lakewood area, including a number locally, with food and gifts. This year we contributed $500, as well as provided a crew to handle all of the deliveries in the Sunfield area.

• Art Meade won the twenty-ninth annual Bill "Moose" Fisher Memorial All World International Poker Championship. This tournament benefits the Scholarship Fund.

• The "Youth Activities Trust Fund", which was started in 1996 with designated gifts, and is set-up to function like the "Scholarship Fund", in that it is intended to serve as a perpetual source of funding for some of our youth programs, continued to grow.

COMMENT

As you can see, the Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth (S.P.Y.'s) are an active, vital organization. Our prime purpose is community betterment through helping kids.

I have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. It comes from a note I received in the mail last year that, to me, captured what the SPY’s are all about---I quote---"Thanks for everything you do to enhance the lives of youth in Sunfield, and thus, everyone in the community. The ultimate value of bringing up a youth in the company of caring adults and in the pursuit of healthy and wholesome activity cannot be measured except as the priceless memory of a happy childhood."

Always remember, there are three main ingredients to our success.

First, there is the drive and dedication of our members.

Second, is the ever-present support and assistance of the S.P.Y.'s spouses and significant others.

Third, and perhaps most important, is the acceptance and backing from you folks out there for our projects, programs, and other activities.

To all of you S.P.Y.'s - to your helpmates - our Corporate Sponsors - our Platinum Sponsors - and to everyone that supported us in 2008 and years past - THANK YOU!!

Thank you for your help, support, contributions of any kind, hard work, dedication, and acceptance. The school, community, and this area in general is a better place because of all of us working and pulling together. We are indeed blessed.

MDXIII

Previous Reviews: 2007  2006  2005