Fireworks are a go for the 4th!
The annual St. Johns Rotary Club sponsored fireworks show will go on as planned on Monday, July 4 at dusk at the St. Johns City Park.
According to Fire Chief Mazzolini, the commercial fireworks go high enough into the air so that they aren’t as much of a concern as personal fireworks, and the fire department will be standing by at the park to put out any hot spots.
Personal fireworks are a concern because they do not go as high into the air and could cause a fire that will spread quickly in the current extremely dry conditions. Chief Mazzolini advises against using any personal fireworks at this time.
Oh Mi Organics opens downtown store
Oh Mi Organics Grand Opening last Saturday featured chocolate samples and prizes.
Since its beginnings in Brent and Megen Hurst’s in 2014, the business has grown steadily. Now they have their own storefront at 115 E. Walker in St. Johns.
The store features two rooms, the second of which is a glassed-in studio where visitors can watch the candy being made.
The chocolates also are available at eight Michigan merchants, including four in St. Johns – Phillips Orchard Gatehouse Market, Andy T’s Farm Market, Specialized Processing and The Country Store. Oh Mi chocolates are also available at Bellingar Packing in Owosso, The Local Grocer in Flint, Foods for Living in East Lansing and Old Town General Store in Lansing’s Old Town.
For more information go to ohmiorganics.com.
Blue Water Ramblers sing America’s songs at Concert in the Park
As their name implies, the Blue Water Ramblers love sharing the folk music of America and the Great Lakes State with audiences everywhere. Area residents can enjoy singing along with the quintet July 6 at the weekly Concert in the Park music series at the William E. Tennant Performance Shell, located at the St. Johns City Park. There is no admission for the concert that begins at 7 p.m.
The Blue Water Ramblers’ repertoire comes from the group’s Michigan life experiences and the history of the Great Lakes region. It includes lake shanties, lumberman ballads, union rallying cries, farmers’ paeans, Michigan humor, ’60s civil rights and protest music, love songs, gospel music and children’s ditties.
It’s the variety of up-lifting, familiar tunes that delights their audiences, says Ramblers’ member, Banjo-Jim Foerch, who has been playing banjo and singing since the 1960s. “I think my hero, Woody Guthrie, would approve. We’re singing the people’s songs about the people’s lives and they can join right in and sing along.”
Along with Foerch, other Blue Water Ramblers include R.H. “Bear” Berends, vocalist and rhythm guitar; Tom DeVries, vocalist and mandolin; Dan Lynn, bass fiddle and vocalist; and Marten “the Deacon” VanEyk, fiddle and vocalist. Each one of the Ramblers bring their own unique musical skills and talents to the group, gleaned from years of playing and singing America’s songs at venues across the country.
Concert in the Park is sponsored by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St. Johns with support from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. Concerts are held each Wednesday evening; rain or shine. The St. Johns Lions and Lioness Club staff a concession stand that offers light refreshments.
For detailed information on the Concert in the Park series visit the CCAC web site, http://www.clintoncountyarts.org/ and check out the St. Johns City Park Performance Shell page on Facebook.
St. Johns Concert in the Park 2016 Schedule
St. Johns City Park Performance Shell
Wednesday evenings, 7 p.m.
July 6: Great Evening of Folk, Blue Water Ramblers
July 13: Real Motown, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
July 20: Orchestra Pops, Mid-Michigan Festival Orchestra
July 27: Canadian Roots/Ragtime, My Sweet Patootie
Aug. 3: Eagles Tribute Band, Motown Eagles
Aug. 10: The Music of Ireland, Monday’s Supper
Aug. 17: Beatles Tribute Band, Toppermost
Aug. 24: All Brass, Capital City Brass Band
Aug. 31: Elvis Impersonator, Matt King
Family Fun at the Farm
Calf pens, a Book Barn, face painting, a petting zoo, informational displays and the opportunity to visit a working dairy farm drew about 2,500 people to the 5th annual Family Fun at the Farm last Saturday at K & K Dairy near Westphalia.
“Farming is all we have ever wanted to do. We are determined to be careful stewards of the land while producing wholesome milk, as well as passing a wonderful opportunity to our children,” said Gregg Keilen and Matt Trierweiler.
Matt and Kristi Keilen are fourth generation farmers and have partnered with Gregg and Kristin Trierweiler. Together they farm 1900 acres of corn for silage and grain, soybeans, alfalfa, wheat and sorghum, mostly to feed the 450 cows they milk every day.
Gregg, Kristin, Matt and Kristi feel it is important to educate the public about dairy farming. They are family oriented and both have young children. It is important to show what they do and that they are striving for wholesome dairy products for the public.
Guests had an opportunity to see quite a few amazing things: cows being milked in the parlor, calves to pet; ride a pedal tractor; play in the corn; see pigs and chickens; and, of course, have some free ice cream and hot dogs.
The event is a partnership between the Ionia and Clinton County Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education Committees, along with community support.
Charlie’s Gang 4-H Club supports CC 4-H endowment fund
A fund-raising bake sale by the Charlie’s Gang 4-H Club resulted in a mathematics lesson that will benefit all Clinton County 4-H’ers far into the future via the “Make the Match for Clinton County 4-H” endowment fund campaign.
It all began when Charlie’s Gang netted $510 from a bake sale that was held at TSC on Grand River in Watertown Township. That sum was matched by the Clinton County 4-H Council resulting in $1,020 – which will in turn be matched by the Michigan 4-H Foundation for a total gift of $2,040 to the campaign. “This is an amazing gift, and we are so thankful that Charlie’s Gang decided to donate all the proceeds from the bake sale,” Clinton County 4-H Council President Marilyn Cotton says about the gift.
Charlie’s Gang 4-H leaders Carrie Hengesbach and Charlie Silm along with Charlie’s Gang member Kyle Gall present a “big check” to Clinton County 4-H Council President Marilyn Cotton.
The idea for making the donation originated at a recent meeting when Charlie’s Gang co-leaders, Charlie Silm and Carrie Hengesbach, talked to members about the endowment fund and the “Make the Match for Clinton County 4-H” program.
“We discussed it and they voted to give the entire $510,” Hengesbach says, citing positive comments made by club members like Kyle Gall, an eighth-grade student at St. Johns Middle School. “Kyle said, ‘Let’s do it so that 4-H goes on forever.’ We’re proud of all our club members, and of 4-H’ers everywhere.”
The support by Charlie’s Gang and the matching donations brings the Council closer to its goal, Cotton says. “The Council’s first goal was to have $25,000 raised by this year’s Clinton County 4-H Fair at the end of July, and this gift and the matches by our Council and the Michigan 4-H Foundation brings our total to over $22,000.”
The ultimate goal of the Council’s county-wide “Make the Match for Clinton County 4-H” is $50,000 – the maximum amount that the Michigan 4-H Foundation will match 1:1 to build the endowment. When doubled by the match, the endowment will provide annual support for current 4-H program delivery, and future 4-H program enhancements across Clinton County.
The campaign is made possible by grants from the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation and gifts made by individual leadership donors to the Michigan 4-H Foundation.
For detailed information visit the Michigan 4-H Foundation website http://www.mi4hfdtn.org/
Burning ban in effect for St. Johns area
The St. Johns Fire Department has issued a burning ban because of extremely dry conditions. This ban is for the department’s entire coverage area including the City of St. Johns, Bingham Township and the east half of Bengal Township.
The local ban applies to recreational fires and brush burning but not to cooking in typical consumer grills. No new burn permits will be issued until the ban is lifted.
Any Annual or 3-day permits already issued are rescinded until further notice.
If you have any questions please call the department at 989-224-2151.