Sunfield Area SPY's Report---7/9/09

Late Breaking News !

* Attention all Sunfield area residents! Please be advised that there has been a rash of home invasions in the area. The Lindy & Beth Hynes residence, among others, have been hit in broad daylight. It would appear that these are not kids doing the break-ins based on the mode of operation. Be on the look-out!

* The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth (SPY’s) are pleased to announce the newest member of our “Corporate Sponsor” ranks. It is Wolverine Engineers & Surveyors, Inc. out of Mason. Wolverine’s President is Don Heck, who has recently been spending time in the Sunfield area helping out with some water issues. Welcome aboard Wolverine! Thank you for helping us help kids!

* The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth (S.P.Y.’s), along with the help of Erv and Gary Lubitz; “Honest Roy” Harris, of Mason Ornamental Iron; and an Anonymous Benefactor; have began an initiative to hopefully stimulate greater support for our local businesses. It’s the “Support Our Local Merchants”. Please look elsewhere in this paper for the full details of the program.

* Need Some Help Here Folks---Recently, the Beth & Casey Shettler family’s 5-year-old spayed basset hound came up missing. They live North of town on Tupperlake between Brown and Keefer. They have looked all over---checked with neighbors---no luck. She has a left eye injury that pretty much sets her apart from any others. So, please be on the lookout. The family really wants her back. If you have any information about the dog, please contact Beth Shettler at 517-353-4385 (after 4pm), or 616-706-2865 (cell). Thank you.

Adopt-A-Highway Trash Pick-Up #2 Is Coming Up !

Saturday, July 18th., will be the SPY's second Adopt-A-Highway trash pick-up of 2009. The SPY's
pick-up trash along M-43 from Round Lake Road on the west side of town to Shaytown Road on the east side of town three times a year in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation program. Anyone interested in lending a hand on Saturday, just show up at the Sunfield IGA Supermarket parking lot at 9 AM. With eight people it takes just a half an hour. With more it's even faster. Children ages 12 - 15 require adult supervision and are welcome to participate as well. For more information call project chairman Scott McWhorter at 566-7377.

SPY’s “Summer Celebration” On The Horizon

Man, you have got to check this one out! On Saturday, August 1st., the Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth will be holding the fifth annual “SPY’s Summer Celebration”. This is a combined event featuring a Classic Car Show; a Barbeque Challenge; and a 5-K run /walk event. All the events are again being held at Van Buren Park in Sunfield.

The 5-K is being put together by Chris Wegener and co-sponsored by the Sunfield IGA. For further information, give Chris a call at 517-862-9373.

The Classic Car Show is headed up by Bob “Busted Knuckle” Bumgardner. For further information on this part of the event, give Bob a call at 517-526-3682.

For information on the Barbeque Challenge, call Phil “The BBQ King” Smith, at 566-8461.

There are cash prizes and trophies up for grabs in each activity. This promises to once again be a great event, with lots of great food and fantastic cars. Make plans to be there.

In Other News

* A 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:

+ Buddy & Jari Collins donated in memory of Leo Mazurek

+ Flo Sayer gave in memory of Edna Teachout.

+ Contributions in memory of Bea Claflin came in from:

Buddy Collins & Ilah M. Hough
Rodney & DeAnna Clark
Mark & Victoria Erickson
Scott & Connie Warren
Carl & Michelle Poole
Larry & Donna Segerlind & Family
Lloyd & Deanna Knapp & Family
Gerald & Joan Deer & Family
Richard & Terralene Deer & Family
Sue Deer Hall & Family
Flo Sayer

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

* 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: Every day is a gift – but good luck exchanging it if it’s not what you wanted

* A BIG Sunfield Area SPY salute goes out to Jerry Maurer for his donation of some glassware to our Dime Pitch Booth activity. Thank you Jerry!

* Honest Roy’s Quote-Of-The-Week: "Only the government would believe that you can cut a foot off the top of a blanket, sew it to the bottom, and have a longer blanket."

* Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The Week: What did minor league baseball’s Palm Springs Suns invite their fans to wear to a July 8, 1996 game in hopes of boosting attendance? (Answer later in this column)

* The next meeting of the Sunfield Area SPY's will be held this coming Tuesday, July 21st., at the Sunfield Library, starting at 7 PM. We have a number of events and projects coming up, so please make every effort to attend this important meeting. Pass the word and be there! As always, guests are more than welcome!

* Swede’s Groaner Corner: Tired of constantly being broke & stuck in an unhappy marriage, a young husband decided to solve both problems by taking out a large insurance policy on his wife with himself as the beneficiary, and then arranging to have her killed.

 A 'friend of a friend' put him in touch with a nefarious dark-side underworld figure who went by the name of 'Artie.'

Artie then explained to the husband that his going price for snuffing out a spouse was $5,000.

 The husband said he was willing to pay that amount, but that he wouldn't have any cash on hand until he could collect his wife's insurance money. Artie insisted on being paid at least something up front, so the man opened his wallet, displaying the single dollar bill that rested inside. Artie sighed, rolled his eyes, & reluctantly agreed to accept the dollar as down payment for the dirty deed. 

 A few days later; Artie followed the man's wife to the local Super Wal-Mart store. There, he surprised her in the produce department & proceeded to strangle her with his gloved hands & as the poor unsuspecting woman drew her last breath & slumped to the floor. The manager of the produce department stumbled unexpectedly onto the murder scene. Unwilling to leave any living witnesses behind, ol' Artie had no choice but to strangle the produce manager as well. 

However, unknown to Artie, the entire proceedings were captured by the hidden security cameras & observed by the store's security guard, who immediately called the police. Artie was caught & arrested before he could even leave the store. 

Under intense questioning at the police station, Artie revealed the whole sordid plan, including his unusual financial arrangements with the hapless husband who was also quickly arrested. 

The next day in the newspaper, the headline declared ...









'ARTIE CHOKES 2 for $1.00 @ WAL-MART!'

* The “Sports Trivia Question Just For ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week: What major league baseball team owner got a $58 million bailout for his troubled Tampa shipyard? (Answer later in this column)

* Thought #2: The best Social Program is a job!

* Louie “Trouble-Shooter” Trowbridge’s Solution-Of-The-Week: Here is how to decipher the letters and numbers on a tire. Example: P-205-75-R-15: P indicates the tire is for a passenger vehicle. (LT is for light truck, S is special trailer service, and T is for temporary). 205 is the section width of the tire in millimeters, and 75 is the aspect ration (height/width). The R means radial tire, while 15 is the wheel diameter in inches. You might also see the letters M and S (M/S, M+S, MS) telling you the tire’s is designed for all season (snow) use.

* The Dottie League Duffers Quote-Of-The-Week: (This week’s entry comes from Rod “Big Bird” Lake) “
Actually, the only time I ever took out a one-iron was to kill a snake. And I took a 7 to do that.
”

* Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: Nothing.
* The “Sports Trivia Question Just For ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week Answer: The one and only George Steinbrenner!

* 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.

* Final Thought: So-called Economists failed to predict the worst economic crisis since the 1930’s. Now they can’t agree on how to solve it. Many people are starting to wonder what good are Economists anyway?!?!?!

* MDXXXVIII