Sunfield Area SPY's Report---1/8/09

SPY's Annual Meeting Is This Saturday

Attention all SPY's, this is the final reminder that the Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth Annual Meeting of the Membership will take place this Saturday, January 10th. It will be held at the Centennial Acres Club House, with the social hour starting at 5:30 PM, and dinner served at 6:30 PM. This is a very important meeting of the membership in that annual reports will be delivered and the election of officers will be held. In addition, it will provide an opportunity to offer recognition to members of the organization, as well as the community at large, for their outstanding efforts. There will be some other minor orders of business to transact, and opportunities to get to know some of the other members better.
Based on the number of response cards that have come back in, we are expecting a fine turnout of members and guests. Anyone needing any last minute information, please call any of the following numbers and your questions will be answered: 566-8278; 566-8895; or 566-8218.
Special Notice

Attention All SPY's Wild Game Dinner Enthusiasts!!!! This year's dinner will be held at the Willowwood Golf Course, (which is located just off of Charlotte Road on Sandborn Road, north of Mulliken. This year's Wild Game Dinner will take place on Saturday, February 7th. starting at 6 PM.
Buddy Collins is once again heading up a fine crew that is putting on this very popular event. Tickets for the usually sold out in advance dinner are now available. If you are interested in partaking in this wonderful and exciting evening, stop in and see Mark Huyck at Marko's Marathon on the corner in Sunfield, or call David Taylor (566-7181) or Buddy Collins (566-8753). Don't dawdle; these tickets won't last long at all.

By the way, we are always looking for chefs willing to share a special dish. Everyone so inclined is encouraged to bring one to the dinner. We also need all kinds of general helpers the night of the event---like prize ticket sellers---prize runners---gofers---etc.! This is one of our top fund-raisers and is an important event for the kids! If you would like to pitch in and lend a hand, please contact Buddy Collins at 566-8753.
News Briefs

• The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth would like to acknowledge some recent contributions to the Scholarship Fund and Youth Activities Trust Fund. We salute the following fine folks:

* Contributions in memory of Betty Spitzley came in from:
Hans Huyck Ilah M. Hough Mike & Patty Spitzley
LeRoy Jackson & Elaine Merryfield Oren & Rosie Best
Bill & Carol Brown Buddy & Jari Collins

* DJ's Outback Tournament made a donation in memory of Gerry Weller.

* Rebecca Calabro gave in memory of Florence Huyck.

* Oren & Rosie Best made additional contributions in memory of Mary Pearl; Madeline Martin; Beverly Binns; Gerry Weller; and Ina Holton.

* LeRoy Jackson & Elaine Merryfield made donations in memory of Ina Holton; Orvin Bartlett; and Margery Lippincott.

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

• "Honest Roy's" Quote-Of-The-Week: "I don't know what your problem is…but I bet it's hard to pronounce."

• Andy Woodman's Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week: The term 'hat-trick' originated in what sport? (Answer later in this column).

• Be sure to check the great coupon values every month on your SPY's Community Celebration Calendar.

• Hey SPY's, 2009 dues are due! They are still just $20. See our treasurer Bill Weller before he sees you! You can get up-to-date on your dues at the Annual Meeting.

• Notice #1: Attention all SPY's! There will NOT be a regular membership meeting held in January due to the Annual Meeting of the Membership meeting on January 10th.

• Peeb's Riddler Corner: What has four legs and one arm? (Answer later in this column).

• Fact-Of-The-Week: Did you know that you aren't allowed to catch mice in Cleveland , Ohio unless you have a hunting license?

• The "Sports Trivia Question Just For 'Smarty-Pants' Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week: In baseball, what does the term "Mendoza Line" refer to? (Answer later in this column)

• Interesting Trivia---If you grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons, or just television on a regular basis then you probably know who Snap, Crackle and Pop are. For those of you who don't, they are the three elves that have been used to market Kellogg's Rice Krispies to kids and adults for decades. What you might not know is that before the 1950's, Snap, Crackle and Pop had a fourth brother named Pow. The marketing department felt that Snap, Crackle and Pop was catchy enough, so Pow got the axe. Also, did you know that in 1963 the Rolling Stones recorded a short song for a Rice Krispies television commercial?

• Calendar Of Upcoming SPY Events:

* Annual Meeting of the Membership, Saturday, January 10th.
* The SPY's next Texas Hold 'Em working event will be February 2nd; 3rd; & 4th. at Tripper's in Frandor.
* The SPY's annual Wild Game Dinner is coming up on Saturday, February 7th.. We need all kinds of general helpers the night of the event---like prize ticket sellers---prize runners---gofers ---etc.! This is one of our top fund-raisers and is an important event for the kids! If you would like to pitch in and lend a hand, please contact Buddy Collins at 566-8753.
* The SPY's annual Euchre Tournament is coming up on Saturday, February 14th.
Please make a note of the above dates and make plans on attending. Further details to follow on each event.

• Virtual Letterbox Competition Update—Have you checked out our "Fight The Winter Blues" competition? What's at stake is the coveted SPY's "Treasure Hunt" championship that is currently held by Bill & Patti Weller. If you recall, the last activity that was involved with this overall competition introduced participants to the great sport of "letterboxing". What we have in store for you this time is a variation of that---with a twist. This year's competition will feature "Virtual Letterboxing". All you need for this contest is access to a computer. Here are the basics:
• This competition is open to anybody.
• There is no cost what-so-ever to participate.
• The competition will run until May 1, 2009.
• You can start anytime.
• You work at your own pace.
• The winner of the competition will be the person who can log in the most "Virtual Letterbox" finds during that period.
• If you would like to get in on the fun and have any questions, or need help, or further information please call John Fisher at 566-8278.
• As this column went to press there were a total of 20,917 Virtual Letterboxes registered and cover an extremely wide variety of interesting subjects.

• Andy Woodman's Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: The term was first used in the sport of Cricket. Hockey picked up the term from there.

• The "Sports Trivia Question Just For 'Smarty-Pants' Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week Answer: The Mendoza Line is an informal term used in baseball for when a position player's batting average falls below the boundary between extremely poor and merely below-average offensive production, or the offensive threshold below which players' presence in the Major Leagues cannot be justified despite their defensive abilities. It is often used to characterize a batting average of below .200. The term is named for former shortstop Mario Mendoza, who hit .198 in the 1979 season. George Brett is believed to have coined the phrase when asked about his batting average. When shown his average in a newspaper, Brett was said to have made a remark along of the lines of, "I knew I was off to a bad start when I saw my average listed below the Mendoza line." However, Brett—who would go on to hit .390 in 1980—was only behind Mario Mendoza in batting average for one day in the 1979.
One explanation for the expression relates to the historical presentation of numerous batting averages in the Sunday newspapers. Not all batting averages were presented. The theory holds that Mario Mendoza was at the bottom of those that were presented, and all individuals with lower batting averages did not appear. They were "below the Mendoza line."

• Peeb's Riddler-Corner Answer: A happy pit bull.

• 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

• MDXII