Sunfield Area SPY's Report---7/30/09

The “Summer Celebration” Is This Saturday !

This Saturday, August 1st., the SPY’s will be hosting their fifth annual “Summer Celebration”. This is a combined 5-K run---Car Show---Barbeque Cook-Off. Here are some details:

+ The 5-K run / walk registration will take place at the park from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM. The 5-K will begin at 10 AM. The runners will be following a course that will take them all through town. They will start and finish at the park. A map of the route is on display at the Sunfield IGA. We encourage you to come on out and line the streets to cheer the runners on.

+ This year at the Barbecue Challenge we are featuring TWO separate classes of competition. One will be the “Pro Class” for the folks with the big exotic cookers and the other will be the “Backyard Class” for the occasional home grillers. There will be awards for each of the classes.

+ Again this year, there will be a dessert competition. Awards will be given to the best-judged desserts. For more information about the barbecue or dessert competition, contact Phil Smith at 566-8461.

+ Those interested in taking their antique, classic or muscle car on a road trip to Alaska and back should plan to register at Van Buren Park between 2:30 -3:15 p.m. to depart for Alaska at 3:30 p.m. The $5 registration fee includes a dash plaque, raffle tickets, and allows cruisers to participate in the poker run. Cars will return to the park for a parade style entrance. Along with Best of Show and Participants Choice winners, several other special plaques will be awarded. Questions on the car show should be directed to Bob Bumgardner at (517) 526-3682.

+ The popular outdoor movie is back again this year. So bring a lawn chair and stay for the free show.

+ HELP WANTED: We are in the need for some helpers to do some of the various little chores associated with this Saturday’s Summer Celebration---All easy, short term things---like shouting out times to the runners at various points on the course---help with set-up---help in the food booth---help counting vote tickets---etc. If you would like to lend a hand for a short period of time it would be very appreciated! Please call John Fisher at 566-8278 to volunteer. Thank you.

News Headlines

* A BIG Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth salute goes out to some fine folks for their recent contributions to the Scholarship Funds and / or Youth Activities Trust Fund. We thank: \

+ The Kenyon Family gave in memory of Bea Claflin

+ The Arnold Family donated in memory of Bea Claflin

+ We had an Anonymous contribution to the Danny Rumfield Memorial Fund

+ Martha Swift gave in memory of Bea Claflin

+ Ilene Collier donated in memory of Bea Claflin

+ John & Sandra Fisher made contributions in honor of Tim Rumfield and Billy Hiatt, who were celebrating
milestone birthdays.

+ George & Betty Cole contributed in memory of Bea Claflin

+ Larry & Cynthia Cole gave in memory of Bea Claflin

Thank you all for using this means to help us help kids!

* Attention All SPY Members---We are seeking someone to take over heading up our Texas Hold ‘Em event coordination activity. This is primarily a scheduling and paperwork filing activity work-wise, but it is for the #1 income-generating program that we do! This is important to our organization and community. Much support will come with taking on this leadership position. If you are interested, or would like to get more information, please contact either Darin Weller (517-819-4657) or John Fisher (566-8278).

* Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The Week: What NBA star topped Mr. Blackwell’s 1996 list of “Worst-Dressed Women”? (Answer later in this column)

* Notice: Attention all hoopsters! “Barnyard Classic” 3 on 3 basketball tournament applications are out and
available at various area stores. This popular, growing event will once again be held in conjunction with the
Farmer’s Picnic on Saturday, August 15th. Pick up your application and sign your team up today! If you
want an application but can’t find one in a local store, just contact event director Darin “King Of The
Dribblers” Weller (517-819-4657), and he will fix you right up.

* Thought #1: The best way to get back on your feet is to miss a car payment.

* Honest Roy’s Quote-Of-The-Week: “A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing.”

* Swede’s Groaner Corner: If you receive an email from the Department of Health telling you not 
to eat canned pork because of swine flu – ignore it. 

 It’s just spam.

* Random Reflections: I was once again saddened when I read the notice about Jon Boyer closing down his gas and convenience store portions of his business down on the corner in Mulliken. He will still be doing his “back-room” mechanical work and wrecker service. But still, another sign of our economic times.

* The “Sports Trivia Question Just For ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week: What two Major League Baseball Hall-Of-Famer’s were know as “Big Poison” and “Little Poison”? (Answer later in this column)

* The next time you’re in the Firstbank in either Sunfield or Woodland and see Tracy Anthony, congratulate her on her new promotion and ask her about the “Coordination Demonstration” she put on over at the main office in Ionia. I hear it was a real “trip”

* Louie “Trouble-Shooter” Trowbridge’s Solution-Of-The-Week: Get too little gas if you pump fast. The technicians who inspect the pumps accuracy test each pump with two draws. One is a full-fist clench that most drivers use and the second at about half speed. They found that the faster draws can have a tendency to inaccurately dispense less fuel than what the pump registered as dispensed as compared to the slower draw. Unfortunately for the consumer, speed made no appreciable difference in getting too much gas.

* The Dottie League Duffers Quote-Of-The-Week: (This week’s entry comes from Pat “Fire Bird” Mc Caffrey) “I’m not saying my golf game went bad, but if I grew tomatoes, they’d come up sliced. 


* Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: Dennis Rodman
* The “Sports Trivia Question Just For ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week Answer: Paul “Big Poison” Waner, starred in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ outfield in the 1920s and 1930s. He led the National League in batting on three occasions and accumulated over 3,000 hits in his career from 1926 to 1945. He collected 200 or more hits on eight occasions, was voted the NL’s Most Valuable Player in 1927, and compiled a lifetime batting average of .333. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952. He is tied with Chipper Jones with the Major League record for consecutive games with an extra-base hit, with 14.
Paul’s younger brother Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner was one of the smallest players of the time. “Little Poison” broke into the majors with his brother’s team, Pittsburgh Pirates in 1927 and quickly built the reputation of a slap hitter with an astute sense of plate discipline. In his rookie campaign, he batted .355 with 223 hits while only striking out 23 times (the highest strikeout total of his career).
Lloyd Waner played for the Pirates until the beginning of the 1941 season. In the preceding years he batted .300 or higher ten times, finished in the top ten in MVP voting twice and was an All-Star once. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967.
“Little Poison” (2,459 hits) and his older brother, “Big Poison” (3,152 hits), hold the career record for hits by brothers (5,611), outpacing the three Alou brothers, and the three DiMaggio brothers.

* 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.

Highlights From Our Last Meeting

* The meeting was called to order by our President Darin Weller. Regular business reports were received and approved. (6)

* Correspondence reviewed consisted of thank-you’s from Carl Kutch for support of the Lakewood Youth golf programs; Sam & Judy Heindel; and scholarship award winner Aaron Clark.

* Briefings were given concerning---Wolverine Engineering becoming the newest Corporate Sponsor---a donation from Mapes Furniture for the Summer Celebration raffle grand prize---the “Support Our Local Merchants” initiative---the Website updates.

* Darin Weller gave a Barnyard Classic 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament status report.

* Jake Bosworth gave a Softball Tournament status report. Umpires are needed!

* The membership voted to pay the costs involved in the girls that participated in a recent Centennial Acres youth golf program. This totaled $185.

* The membership also approved once again providing the porta-johns and ice for the Farmer’s Picnic.

* An update was given on the Summer Celebration. Special event tee shirts will be available this year.

* It was announced that we need to find someone to take over heading up our Texas Hold ‘Em events. (See notice elsewhere in this column)

* MDXXXXI