Archive - Jun 3, 2010

The Glen H. Daykin American Legion Post 155 in Britton honored the late Dick Vallie as they marched in the annual Memorial Day Parade. In addition, ceremonies were held in Britton and at Ridgeway Cemetery.

Robert Ross, 71, of Tecumseh, passed away May 26, 2010.  He was born
June 22, 1938, in Detroit, Mich., the son of George and Juanita Ross.

Bob was a veteran of the United States Army. He was retired from Ford
Motor Company, Livonia Transmission. Bob was a very generous and caring
man. We will miss you.
Bob is survived by five sons,  Robert (Terri) of Palmyra, David (Susan)
of Tecumseh, Gregory (Heidi) of Tecumseh, Larry (Angi) of Superior Twp.,
and Mark (Amy) of Adrian; 15 grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by parents, and brother, George.

Funeral services were held Sunday, May 30, 2010, at J. Gilbert Purse
Funeral Home, Tecumseh, with Pastor Chris Cadwallader officiating.
Interment followed at Palmyra Cemetery. Casual attire, please.

Following the committal service a picnic in honor of Bob took place at  
Tecumseh Park - "The Pit".

Tecumseh and area veterans were honored on Memorial Day at Brookside Cemetery following a parade through downtown Tecumseh. SSG Roy Busse (pictured) was the keynote speaker. A special tribute and flag folding ceremony were given to honor Vietnam veterans Ronald E. Gerten and Bernardo R. Alvarez, who were killed in action.

The Lenawee Great Start Collaborative received a $37,000 grant June 2 from the Early Childhood Investment Corporation in Lansing to fund local early childhood projects. The grant will be used to support four early childhood initiatives, according to Margaret Gross, Director.

“Collaborative members and workgroups have been diligently planning projects that will address the needs of our youngest children and their families. This funding will allow these projects to move forward,” said Gross.

In total, 32 Great Start Collaboratives statewide received the grants, totaling $1 million. Funded projects include implementing “medical home” efforts in Wayne and Shiawassee counties, coordinating home visiting services in Kent and Wayne counties and improving the quality of child care training and mental health supports in Jackson and Muskegon.
This funding is in addition to the $8.2 million that 55 Great Start Collaboratives received last fall to support their local early childhood system building efforts. The funding is provided through the Kellogg Foundation, which supports the implementation of innovative, collaborative programs.

The grants will further strengthen local efforts to build early childhood systems and supports to ensure children arrive at the doors of the K-12 school system ready willing and able to learn, according to Alissa Parks, director of Great Start Collaborative development and assistance for ECIC.

“With the Michigan budget and economy in crisis, it is even more critical to ensure that Michigan has an efficient and accessible early childhood system,” Parks said. “These grants will help local Great Start Collaboratives and Parent Coalitions continue to strengthen local coordination, efficiency and address gaps.”

By DEB WUETHRICH

 For Tecumseh residents Wes and Theresa Powers, spearheading the Friends of Tecumseh Schools Orchestra (TSO) annual yard sale has been a labor of love — and a way to promote the “green” way of living, since there’s nothing that says “recycling” and “reuse” like a yard sale.

“We’ve been junkers from way back,” Wes said. He and Theresa, who is President of the Elizabeth Wilson Foundation that started and supports the TSO program, can even say their habits of attending yard and garage sales changed their lives. Several years ago, they were just following a sale on N. Union Street and ended up owning the house.

“There wasn’t a sign on it at the time,” said Theresa, “but it was for sale, and we ended up falling in love with it and bought it instead of building one, which was in our plans.” Wes said they even furnished the house largely through their garage, yard and rummage sale habits.

The story didn’t end there, however. Theresa soon made friends with a neighbor, Elizabeth Wilson, whom she considered more like a grandmother, and through the years, learned of Elizabeth’s dream for a strings program in the school.

“She played the violin and never understood why there was no orchestra program in the district,” said Theresa. The Elizabeth Wilson Foundation was then formed, and the TSO program started in 2003.

“So for us, it all started when we went to a garage sale,” said Theresa.
“Actually, we both have gotten more out of the orchestra program than we have put in,” said Wes.

By MICKEY ALVARADO

A smoldering afternoon greeted Tecumseh and Dexter’s varsity boys lacrosse teams at Indian Stadium on Thursday, May 27, and by the end of the regional playoff contest both teams were drained.

The Indians sweated it out during the final minutes of the game with Dexter breaking an 8-8 tie with just 51 seconds remaining. The Dreadnaughts maintained control to close out the game and end the Indians’ season.

“It was a tough loss, obviously,” said Tecumseh coach Mitch Felkey. “We thought we could beat them...This year we didn’t expect what we got out of them, they really stepped it up. They wanted it more than we did.”

Tecumseh defeated Dexter 6-3 the first time the two met earlier in the year and expected to pull off another victory to continue their season, however, Dexter had other plans.

“I think the difference between the early season and now is we’re learning how to win,” said first season Dexter coach Brian Callanan. “Some of these kids have never won before.”

The Indians came out swinging and took an early 2-1 lead but by the end of the first quarter the Dreadnaughts were up 4-2. Dexter took eight shots on goal to Tecumseh’s three.

Within three and a half minutes of the second quarter, Dexter increased its lead to 5-2 but Tecumseh regrouped and forged a comeback. Zach Brancheau tagged a ball to the back of Dexter’s net with 7:36 left in the half and just a couple of minutes later, Anthony Ialacci, hit the net again to pull the Indians to one point of the Dreadnaughts. With just nine seconds remaining in the first half, Tecumseh coach Mitch Felkey called a timeout and laid out a game plan that tied the contest.