SJHS Dance Team heads to New York
by Maralyn Fink
The St. Johns High School Dance Team will be going to New York in March for a clinic with Broadway dancers.
On Saturday I went to the school to see the SJHS Dance Team hold a clinic for junior dancers, pre-school thru 6th grade students to learn some moves taught by the team. This clinic was a fundraiser to help make the New York trip possible.
There were 90 participants last Saturday. What a beautiful sight this was with the little ones showing their stuff.
Junior dancers are invited back to St. Johns High School to perform during half-time of the home basketball game on February 24. This would be a good time to catch the team too.
Melt Your Heart is February 18
This year’s “Art to Melt Your Heart” is the second annual February kids class and exhibition. This family friendly class will be hosted at Studio Retreat and Gallery in downtown St. Johns. Mary Ablao will teach this fun and interactive collaging class at her studio from 1:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m. on February 18th.
Art to Melt Your Heart is for ages 4 and up. For kids aged 4-5 years, parents may need to be a little more hands on helping them with their art. This is a program for the entire family, and we’re encouraging full-family participation. The cost is $25 per child.
All art created that day will be kept and later displayed at the Clinton County Art Council Gallery From February 21st-March 1st with formal reception will be held on February 23rd. Art can be collected through March 1st-4th.
For more information please contact the Clinton County Arts Council at 989-224-2429.
You are cordially invited – Saturday, March 4
Put on your favorite prince or princess outfit and join us for an enchanting afternoon tea party on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at the St. Johns High School Cafeteria. Of course royal knights are also welcomed.
Check in at the front entrance of the high school and begin your walk to the palace by winding your way through the Royal Gardens. Be sure to bring your camera. Have your photo taken along the way with the princes and princesses. Character photos end at 4:50.
The following princesses and princes will be there to greet you including the new Princess Moana.
· Cinderella and Prince
· Princess Jasmine and Aladdin
· Belle and Prince Adam
· Princess Tiana (The Princess and The Frog)
· Princess Pocahontas
· Tinkerbell Princess
· Princess Rapunzel from Tangled
· Princess Ariel from The Little Mermaid
· Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty
· Snow White
· Princess Mulan
· Anna and Elsa (Frozen)
· Merida (Brave)
Once you enter the castle through the magic gate, you will be treated to some lively songs and dances by your favorite princes and princesses. The show will begin one hour after doors open. A light snack, lemonade, and iced tea will be served. You will also be able to decorate your very own crown with beautiful gems to take home.
Reservations are required for this fundraiser supporting the SJHS Dance Team. Children must be accompanied by a paying adult. Please park and enter through the doors at the front of the SJHS Auditorium on the north side of the building. You will be entering via the circle drive in front of high school.
Session 1 is sold out, but the gates open for Session 2 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person. For information or reservations email sjhsdanceteam@gmail.com. No tickets will be sold at the door!
2nd Annual Spring Prevention Issues Forum – April 11
The 2nd Annual Spring Prevention Issues Forum will be held Tuesday, April 11, 2017 8:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at AgroLiquid Conference Center, 3055 M-21, St. Johns, Michigan. The day is being co-sponsored by Clinton Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, Sparrow Clinton Hospital, Clinton County Drug Free Communities Grant and Clinton County Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.
Who Should Attend?
Anyone interested in substance use prevention issues such as parents, grandparents, law enforcement, health and human service providers, educators, and more.
Attendees will be provided with an overview of three substance use prevention issues relevant in Clinton County:
– E-cigarettes have become the new tobacco products of choice for America¡¦s youth. Learn about these products: why they appeal to youth and adults, what is known about their health impacts, and what is happening across Michigan to control their use.
– Human Trafficking in Clinton County? Could it really be a problem in our county? How to spot it. What to do about it. How it intersects with substance use.
– Methamphetamine and Heroin – The real stories and how these drugs are impacting our community – a synopsis of the issues with accounts from a law enforcement officer combating the issue.
This Prevention Forum is free and lunch is included. Registration by April 3rd is required. Register online at: http://www.eatonresa.org/prodevelopment. Click on Register Here.
Businesses unite around MDA Shamrocks Program
More than 400 retailers throughout Greater Michigan are uniting to help the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) free kids and adults from the harm of muscular dystrophy, ALS and related life-threatening diseases that severely weaken muscle strength and mobility by participating in the MDA Shamrocks program beginning February 12th and running through mid April.
· Participating retailers invite customers to join them in the nation’s largest St. Patrick’s Day fundraising program, by adding an iconic paper Shamrock (pinup) to their purchase at check-out for just a $1, $5 or a larger contribution – all benefiting MDA.
Local retailers and restaurants in the Greater Michigan area participating in the nationwide program include:
· Applebee’s Restaurants (select locations)
· Orchard Markets
· The Kroger Company
· Tuffy’s
“For many of us the Shamrock is a symbol of luck, but for families fighting muscle-debilitating diseases, MDA Shamrocks represent so much more – strength, independence and life,” said Area Director, Amanda Wentzloff. “With help from our generous partners and the Greater Michigan community, we will be able to bring urgently needed answers and support to kids and adults affected by neuromuscular diseases today, as we work together to make tomorrow free from the diseases themselves.”
As the 2017 MDA Shamrocks program celebrates its 35th anniversary, it unites tens of thousands of retail locations throughout the country to benefit the organization’s shared mission to fund groundbreaking research across diseases and provide individuals with life-enhancing programs and support services, including state-of-the-art multidisciplinary care the MDA Care Center at Helen DeVos and Mercy Health St. Mary’s in Grand Rapids, as well as, MSU in East Lansing, and U of M in Ann Arbor.
Funds raised also make MDA Summer Camp possible for more than 70 area kids where they can experience the best week of the year at no cost to their families at Sherman Lake YMCA Camp in Augusta, MI.
To learn more about the 2017 MDA Shamrocks program and how to get involved, contact Area Director, Amanda Wentzloff at (517) 706-0348 or awentzloff@mdausa.org or visit mda.org/shamrocks.