Archive - Nov 2008

By DEB WUETHRICH

It’s early in the season, but the list of families in need is growing at the Tecumseh Service Club. Members recognize that times are tight for everybody, but they are still trying to match this year’s adopted families with those who can help.

“It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, and we already know of at least 150 families who could be adopted,” said Colleen Sunderland, one of the coordinators of the program. She said as the economy has worsened, more and more people need help, and unfortunately, that same economy could mean fewer people being able to step forward to help. Experience has indicated that families will continue to come in throughout the month. “We’re still trying to make sure that everybody gets help, but there may be cases where we’ll be trying to spread things out,” Colleen said. For instance, if a large group adopts a family, rather than going all out for one family, the Club would rather see them adopt another family.

“We’ve already heard from many of the churches who are willing to help, and we are dependent on them and on the businesses and other organizations who help us,” she said. However, the Service Club still welcomes groups and individual families who yet may be able to offer some assistance or adopt a family by calling 423-3434.

Last year the Service Club provided food and gift baskets for 181 families (408 children), and 148 of those families were adopted in varying degrees, supplying toys, clothing and/or food. Members further shopped for clothes for 29 families, including 74 children.
Families with small children are adopted quickly as people tend to request those with young children. However, there are many families who have older children and teens who also need help.

By DEB WUETHRICH

The Tecumseh School District could lose approximately $160,000 for the 2008-2009 school year according to the latest projections surrounding per student foundation allowance figures. Bill Wright, Director of Business and Finance, informed school board members Monday night that according to the Michigan School Business Officials, districts could expect foundation allowance prorations by $50 to $75 per student. Schools are awaiting official results to be shared at the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference to be held on January 9, 2009.

“We’re hearing how the amount continues to go downward in respect to the overall Michigan economy,” said Wright. He said that the district is beginning to prepare its first 2008-2009 budget revision and once the 2009 Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference takes place, foundation allowance prorations would be included in the revision, which should come before the board by the January 22 meeting.

 Also at the meeting, Jason Mensing, THS varsity football coach, and Kristalyn Musselman, THS varsity girls softball coach, presented a plan to form a Student Athlete Advisory Council. Student leaders would be identified from various sports teams and selected to form the council representing all grade levels. Mensing and Musselman would serve as advisors with Athletic Director Grif Mills overseeing the group. The membership would spread across the different sports and promote school spirit as well as providing a means to address concerns regarding regulations or other matters.

By CRISTINA TRAPANI-SCOTT

WLEN listeners may be familiar with a relatively new Christmas song “A Peaceful World.” Well, there is a name behind the lyrics, CJ MacDonald, known to friends as CJ Mac, who wrote the poem, which was turned into a song by singer/songwriter Dale Williams. Mac signed a contract last Friday turning over 100 percent of his royalties for the play of the song to the Lenawee Community Foundation in Tecumseh.

Mac, who lives in Whittaker near Ypsilanti, said he was inspired to write the poem after hearing a Plymouth Community Chorus concert. “I woke up the next morning with the poem in my head,” he said. He then gave it to a musician friend of his, John Unger, who passed it on to Dale Williams. Williams tweaked the poem in order to put it to music, but the song remains largely true to Mac’s original poem. Unger, along with Jim Lanier, make up the duo called the Beach Bums who recorded the version that is played on WLEN. “Ninety-nine percent of the fact that there is even a song goes to Dale [Williams] and John Unger,” said Mac.

Mac is no stranger to the music industry. He said he’s been writing songs since he was in the second grade and credits his second grade teacher with encouraging him to keep writing. He grew up in Dearborn Heights and worked as an entertainer and continues to work to this day as a disc jockey.

After turning in a better than average performance during the Division III state swim and dive preliminaries on Friday, Nov. 21, Tecumseh High School's nine participants turned things up a notch the following day in the finals and finished as one of the top ten teams in the state.

The Indians tied Holland Christian High School for 10th place overall in the Division 3 event, scoring 70 points to make it into the elite category. Marion High School won the event with 355 points while East Grand Rapids was second with 246 and Cranbrook Kingswood third with 227.

Tecumseh coach Sarah Eubanks talked with her girls on Friday evening and told the swimmers if they could keep up their momentum it was possible to make it to the top 10 podium. In the preliminaries the Indians finished 12th, only a couple of points behind Hamilton High School. On Saturday at the Oakland University facilities, Tecumseh's swimmers rose to the occasion and turned in faster times in two relays to make the grade. With a great run in the 400-yard freestyle relay in the finals, Tecumseh beat Hamilton by a point and a half (70-68.5) to tie Holland for 10th place.

“You always want to get to the top 10 in the state because that's a great achievement,” said Eubanks. “One of the things I'm most proud of is both the free relays came back in the finals and swam faster than they did in the prelims.”

The Indians earned all-state honors in the 200-yard freestyle relay, placing eighth with the team of Leah Corby, Chelsea Shartle, Danielle Sloan and Kirsten Clark turning in a time of 1:42.77. The day before the team's preliminary time was 1:43.21.

When a member of the Tecumseh Country Club inquired with assistant golf pro, Chris Pomy, on what they could do with some old clubs they had lying around in their basement, he began checking around to see where they might be used for a good cause. What Pomy found was an organization called Give2TheTroops which sends care packages to the military.

“I knew that I could wrangle up a bunch of clubs and golf balls,” said Pomy, “So, that's what I set out to do. The response was overwhelming.”

Pomy loaded up a U-Haul trailer on Friday morning, Nov. 21, with more than 300 clubs to deliver to Give2TheTroops in North Carolina. The equipment drive brought in 20 full sets of clubs with 120 drivers and more than 8,500 golf balls. Bill Berkley of Raisin Township supplied a majority of the balls, donating more than 8,000.

“A big thank you goes out to the people and business which helped make this trip possible,” said Pomy.

Donating for the cause were Perky Pantry, Tecumseh American Legion LC Credit Union, Eggleston Jewelers, Frye Printing, Tecumseh VFW, Jerry and Linda Roslin and Berkley.
“When we started Give2TheTroops, the goal was to do whatever it took to lift the troop's spirits,” said Andi Grant, the president and founder of the organization. “If that meant sending over an Xbox system or a wrestling mat or golf equipment, then that's what we did.”

“Our organization is known for the ‘special requests care packages’ we send,” she added. “Whether those requests are medical books for the combat support hospitals, items for our canine troops, soccer equipment for local children, religious materials or other humanitarian aid items, we will deliver.”