Archive - Nov 2011

By DEB WUETHRICH

The Promenade Committee will present the 2011 Christmas Candlelight Tour on Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3. Tour times for both evenings are 5:30-8 p.m.

A few years ago, the Promenade Committee decided to revive an earlier tradition of opening up some homes for a holiday tour. Tickets are $5 for three homes and the Tecumseh Area Historical Museum.

“I think we’ve been doing it for six or seven years now,” said Pat VanCamp, a member of the committee. “In contrast to the May home tours, we don’t focus as much on the histories of the homes for the Candlelight Tours, but it’s geared more toward helping people to get in a festive mood with decorated homes.”

A home owned by Tom and Pat Housekeeper at 704 W. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh is considered a 1930s Mid-Century Classic Home.

Promenade committee member Glenna Stroud said the home is brick with a beautiful newly updated kitchen, large living and dining rooms and gracious foyer. There is also a study and a charming garden room. Home tour participants will view the first story of this home.

A Victorian Home at 309 W. Pottawatamie is owned by Nicole and Jeff Case.

“This is a beautiful Victorian home with a lot of intricate old fretwork,” said Stroud. “It’s a flowing, spacious house.” Two staircases assist in the flow, so visitors can view the entire upstairs with its spacious bedrooms and natural woodwork and then return by way of the open stairway.

A home at 209 E. Shawnee Street, owned by George and Holly Labarge, is also a turn-of-the-century Victorian with Eastlake trimmings.

“There’s natural woodwork and an open front stairway,” said Stroud. “This home also has an addition that was done in keeping with the construction of the house. It has a beautiful carriage house.” Features also include a diamond-shaped window, natural woodwork, and a built-in china cabinet.

The Adopt-A-Family program through the Tecumseh Service Club is well underway. People who would like to adopt a family can call the Service Club anytime now, and there are also other ways to help.

The Daily Grind and Pamida are each hosting a Christmas tree decorated with gift tags for the Service Club adopted families. Those who take one should remove a gift tag from the tree and return the item listed on the tag to the store.

Also, the Club is looking for the donation of toilet paper and laundry detergent to supplement the food boxes given to each adopted family. These items can be dropped off at the Companion Animal Clinic (114 S. Pearl St.) or Paws 4 Grooming (503 E. Russell Road, Suite 100) before Thursday, Dec. 15.

Also, a book can be donated to the Tecumseh District Library’s Gift of Reading Program.

To adopt a family, call 423.3434, or 423.7662. To request assistance (interview/verifying process will be conducted), call 423.5307.

By MARY KAY McCORMICK

Tecumseh graduate Sarah Nowak was in her first major theater production during fifth grade. Playing the part of a mouse in “Cinderella” at the Croswell, Nowak was officially bitten by the theater bug. After that memorable experience, she immersed herself as much as possible in the theater from acting in local plays and musicals, to working at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts, to seeing as many Broadway productions as she could.

Now a senior at Siena Heights University, Nowak is finishing up her degree in theater. The program requires students to complete a senior project. Nowak’s project is to coordinate, direct and perform in a fundraiser benefiting the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS charity.

“I Believe,” the benefit concert produced and directed by Nowak has two performances on Thursday, Dec. 1 and Friday, Dec. 2 at the PAC Lab Theatre on the campus of Siena Heights University beginning at 8 p.m. Nowak especially wanted the show to begin on Dec. 1 because that date is World AIDS Day.

The two-hour show features six students interpreting 12 songs from musical theater, as well as a group performance. In addition to voluntary donations at the door, there will also be a raffle featuring donations from area merchants and Broadway memorabilia donated by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

A great reality for theater lovers like Nowak is how many people who work in theater have or know someone who has HIV/AIDS. For years, Nowak wanted to do a benefit that incorporated her love of theater to raise money for this important charity, but was unsuccessful in finding support and the perfect venue. Her senior project and the enthusiastic response from Siena Heights University finally allowed her dream to come true.

“Broadway’s been a big part of my life,” Nowak said of her focus for the benefit.

To the Editor,

I can think of several occasions this year alone that it would have been nice to have the ears and voice of Harvey Schmidt in the Michigan House of Representatives.

Nancy Jenkins seems to spend most of her time reciting the dogma of the Republican Party, and to this point, has not shown she’s capable of an original thought.

She has also made her voice heard only for self-promotion and fighting a recall vote.

If the citizens of our area get another chance, I hope we can send Harvey to Lansing.

Phil Otter
Tecumseh

By MICKEY ALVARADO

A former high school state championship wrestler has taken over Tecumseh High School’s varsity wrestling program as the Indians’ assistant, Tony Greathouse, has switched roles with head coach Casey Randolph.

Greathouse said he expects the move will be a smooth transition as he and Randolph worked well together last season as the Indians advanced all the way to the state meet in Battle Creek.

In comparing the two’s coaching styles, Greathouse said Randolph told him they were like fire and ice and the combination worked well in motivating and inspiring the athletes. In addition to picking up valuable coaching knowledge from Randolph, Greathouse has been taught from some of the state’s best. He was a three year state placer at Mason High School where he earned a state title at 103-pounds as a junior. Greathouse watched Mason build a powerhouse program that has won three state titles in the last decade.

After graduating in 2002, Greathouse attended Michigan State University and was a four-year letter winner as a three-year starter for the Spartans’ wrestling team.

“I’ve picked up stuff from everywhere,” said Greathouse. “I’ve learned from a lot of good people.”

During college, Greathouse created a website devoted to Michigan Wrestling called Michigan Grappler and it has grown quite large. Now he’ll pass on his online duties to someone else who has the dedication and time to keep up with its popularity.

This will be Greathouse’s first head coaching position. He was an assistant wrestling coach for two years at Mason and was also an assistant at a high school in Atlanta Georgia. Greathouse said it was like going from one extreme to the next as the school was the only one out of 16 Atlanta schools that offered a wrestling program.

A 12th place finish was recorded by Tecumseh High School’s varsity swim and dive team at the Division 3 state championship meet held at the Oakland University Natatorium on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18-19.

The Indians scored 66 points to finish 12th while Cranbrook-Kingswood won the state title with a score of 328.5. East Grand Rapids was second (265.5) while Plainwell (182) and Bloomfield Hills Lahser tied for third (182).

Tecumseh’s 200-yard medley relay team of Nicole Greene, Rachel Waite, Marlene Kelley and Danielle Sloan tied for fifth place with a time of 1:53.45.

The Indians’ 200-yard freestyle relay team of Greene, Kelley, Jamie Brimm and Sloan placed 13th with a time of 1:43.22.

Tecumseh’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of Greene, Nicole Collins, Waite and Sloan placed 17th with a time of 3:51.08.

Waite placed fifth in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:145.74 and was fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:07.90. Sloan placed 15th in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.33 while Sarah Kelly was 20th in diving (218.50).

Greene also placed 18th in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:03.05.