Sunfield Area SPY's Report---6/4/09

Thank You United Way Contributors!

We recently received word from the Capital Area United Way, (Lansing area), about the people who have designated the Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth (SPY's) as the recipient of their 2008-09 United Way contributions.

Since the SPY's are a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation not officially affiliated with the United Way, (i.e.: not on their established list of funds recipients), this meant that each of the following fine community and kids minded people took the time and made the extra effort to have their United Way donations specifically sent to the SPY's. This has provided area youth with a tremendous boost in opportunities both athletically and scholastically.

We are indeed grateful for their consideration and caring. We salute:

Denise Binns (Auto Owners Insurance)
Katherine Ieremias (East Lansing Public Schools)
Joel McDowell (Lansing Board of Water and Light)
Sue Sayer (Accident Fund Insurance Company)
Cheryl Roll (Auto-Owners Insurance)
Mark Stambaugh (General Motors)
Carmella Savage (General Motors)
Joseph VanHouten (General Motors)
Kevin Merryfield (General Motors)
Rhonda Wolverton (Auto Owners Insurance)
Greg Grosshans (General Motors)
Craig Mulholland (Meijers)

We would also like to take this opportunity to salute some other fine community-minded individuals who do a similar regular designation through other means or agencies:

Steve Klotz (Alticor)
Bill Weller (UAW)
LuAnn Nash (Spartan Motors)
Darrius Hart (UPS)
Lorraine Selleck (UPS)
Bonnie Whitford (UPS)
Jan Thelen (UPS)
Joanne Wilson (UPS)
Anonymous (UPS)

The SPY's would like to publicly acknowledge each and every one of you, and express our heartfelt thanks. Obviously, United Way designations are way down again this year, due to the overall economic climate. For those that continued with their United Way designations to the SPY’s, rest assured that every nickel of your United Way contribution that comes to us will go directly to the various area youth programs that we sponsor and support.

NOTE: It has come to our attention that in the past, during a United Way campaign at some work locations, people thought they had signed up to have their contributions designated to the S.P.Y.'s, but didn't receive an acknowledgment. Please be advised that if your name doesn't appear on the above list and you thought you had designated the S.P.Y.'s to receive your contribution, there is a problem. If you feel that has been the case for you, please let us know and we will try and get things corrected. Contact John Fisher (566-8278).

Thanks again for helping us help kids!

Corporate Sponsors Coming On Board

A BIG Sunfield area SPY salute goes out to the following fantastic businesses or individuals who have recently came on board as “Corporate or Platinum Sponsors” for 2009:

Mapes Furniture Company (original member of the Corporate Sponsor program)
Mark Woodman Plumbing & Heating (11th year in program)
HSV Redi-Mix (11th. year in program)
Centennial Acres Golf Course (11th. year in program)
American Collegiate Marketing (10th year in program)
Davis Construction Company (8th. year in program)
Best Tax Service (7th. year in program)
Hazel Brothers Drainage (7th. year in program)
Union Bank (7th. year in program)
Mason Ornamental Iron (6th. year in program)
Sunfield IGA (3rd. year in program)
A.P.E.C. (1st. year in program)
Wm. Morris & Son, Inc. General Contractors (1st. year in program)
John & Sandra Fisher (4th. year in program)
Bill & Patti Weller (2nd. Year in program)

We thank all these wonderful people for stepping forward to make a difference and helping us help kids! Each of these Corporate Sponsors, along with a couple of others, will be “dukeing it out” for the coveted possession of the “Challenge Cup” at the “Centennial Acres / SPY Shootout” golf tournament.

* IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Centennial Acres / SPY Shootout Golf Tournament is coming up on Sunday, June 14th. Historically, this has been our top money making project, and thus is critical for providing funding for many of the youth project and programs we provide. We need LOTS of help to put the tournament on! We need registration people; game-hole people; putting contest people; scorers people; and gofer people. Anyone out there in “Dirt Sheet” land that would like to lend a hand this Sunday. Please contact either Bill Weller (566-8895); or John Fisher (566-8278). We need you!

Dirt Sheet News

* Trivia Question-Of-The-Week: Wrigley’s chewing gum was the very first to have this. What was it? (Answer later in this column)

* The next meeting of the Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth (SPY's) will be held on Tuesday,
June 16th; at the Sunfield Library; starting at 7 PM. Guests are always welcome!

* Thought #1: Gravity: Not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

* Honest Roy’s Quote-Of-The-Week: “No sense being pessimistic, it probably wouldn't work anyway.”

* Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week: What Red Sox catcher's erect posture earned him the clubhouse nickname "Frankenstein"?
 (Answer later in this column)

* Attention All SPY’s or anyone else wishing to lend a hand---The next Texas Hold ‘Em
tournament at Tripper’s that we will be working will be held Thursday, June 18th. through
Sunday, June 21st. Please make a note of these dates. We will be looking for helpers to
take a shift or two,

* The “Sports Trivia Question Just For ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week: Who was the
only player in NHL history to score a goal in all five possible game situations in the same game: even-
strength, power-play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty-net? Was it Wayne Gretzkey---Gordie Howe---
Mario Lemieux---Bobby Orr---Jimmy Z---or Chris Osgood? (Answer later in this column)

* “Understanding Red-Neck Verbiage” by Dr. Jill VanAntwerp, (Professor of English at
Grand Valley State College). Today’s word is “Morbid”. It means---A higher offer than what I bid.

* Swede’s Groaner Corner: Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly; but when they lit a fire in the craft, it
sank, proving once and for all that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

* Thought #2: Rap is to music what Etch-a-Sketch is to art.

* Louie “Trouble-Shooter” Trowbridge’s Solution-Of-The-Week: Getting grease off. Grease is not as sticky as tree sap and road tar, but it can be difficult to wash away. A simple solution is to use baby wipes. Baby wipes also can be used to clean grime off a car's vinyl or cloth upholstery. Cloth upholstery should be allowed to air-dry after a baby wipe is used, but vinyl can be wiped dry with a paper towel. Baby wipes should not be used to clean leather car interiors -- use saddle soap instead.

* Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: In June 1974, Marsh's supermarket in Troy, Ohio installed the first bar code scanning equipment. The first product to be scanned using a UPC bar code was a 10 pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum. This pack of gum is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.

* Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: Carlton Fisk.

* The “Sports Trivia Question Just For ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week Answer: On December 31, 1988, in a game against the New Jersey Devils, Mario Lemieux became the only player in NHL history to score a goal in all five possible game situations in the same game. He scored 8 points in that game.

* To find out more about the SPY’s organization, download forms or applications, or catch-up on past issues of the “Dirt Sheet”, go to the SPY’s website at www.sunfieldspys.org.

* MDXXXIII