Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children fundraiser
by Maralyn Fink
Maralyn@sjindy.com
I decided to check out the CASA fundraiser held at The Big Boy Restaurant Wednesday from 5-8 pm.
I was greeted by the Advocates inside the entrance. I spoke with the Director, Kelly, to find out about this program.
CASA was started here in 2013 with volunteers that went through 30 hours training and a personal background check. The volunteers are called Advocates. There are at this time 9 of them with a Board of Directors of eight. They meet every month and are an independent non-profit. Money raised go to all components of the group.
They are always looking for more Advocates to work with the kids.
Advocates visit the children every 7-10 days at their placement homes. If you would be interested in helping, please contact clintoncountycasa@gmail.com.
What is CASA?
Court Appointed Special Advocates are specially-trained volunteer citizens who stand beside children in the foster system involved in court proceedings due to abuse or neglect. Volunteers develop a trusting relationship with their assigned child and advocate for their best interests. As volunteer advocates become familiar with the case, they get to know the child, their foster parents, teachers, case workers and attorneys and judges. Advocates ensure no aspect of the child’s experience is overlooked or disregarded.
Often a CASA volunteer is the only consistent adult with whom the child has contact. They may also make recommendations about where the child should be placed and what services would help the child or family.
On Saturday April 30 at the City Park, they will their 3rd annual Superhero 5K Run, Walk, or Fly for all ages and abilities. Superhero’s costumes are encouraged.
The Casa Team would like to thank St Johns Big Boy for all their help as well as the community for their support.
Thank you, CASA Superheros, for interviewing with me and St Johns Big Boy for the pictures of you and your staff. The costumes were great.
Bobbie Jo Cressman, Lexis Jones, Dana Western(super woman), Brendon Kiel, Alore’ Niemi, Cassidy Milton(black cape) Ashley Vanzer and Cole Burkett
See the whole album https://picasaweb.google.com/110845930262453987007/160309?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Konan Art Exchange Exhibit – month of March
Step into Briggs Public Library in St. Johns during the month of March and you will be surrounded by art on the walls, bulletin boards, the ends of bookshelves and hanging on banners. This is the artwork of the 21st annual Student Art Exchange between St. Johns and its friendship city, Konan, in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
The St. Johns art is produced by students in the five public elementary schools and St. Joseph Catholic School under the direction of Ms. Ann DenHerder and Ms. Kelly Parsons; the art from Konan was done by both elementary and junior high students.
The Japanese pictures include many things familiar to us, such as fireworks, watermelons and lakes; but they also show cultural aspects, such as what their houses and temples look like.
Adding to the exhibit are many items from Japan exhibited in a glass case, as well as a beautiful Japanese kimono hung up for all to enjoy. A reception is held each year for the student artists and their families, during which a group of fourth-grade students sing traditional folk songs in Japanese, as taught by Ms. Shirley Ries, a St. Johns vocal music teacher.
At the end of March, the art from St. Johns will be sent to Konan for a similar display in their public library.
This international art experience is coordinated by the St. Johns – Konan Friendship Society under the auspices of Clinton County Arts Council, with support from St. Johns Public Schools, the City of St. Johns and the students of the National Art Honor Society in Ovid-Elsie High School, who put up and will take down the art. Clinton County Arts Council is grateful to have received competitive grant funding from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Jazz Trio Next Up at Wilson Center
The Wilson Collective, which up to now has sponsored mostly Indy-Rock concerts, is switching gears in sponsoring an evening of jazz in the beautiful/historic Wilson Center Auditorium. The upcoming jazz concert will take place on Friday, March 18, starting at 7:00 p.m.
The concert will feature “Organic Vibes”, a mid-Michigan based jazz trio whose musical history goes back to the early 2000’s. This special trio celebrates the classic “soul jazz” sound from the 1960’s and 70″s, performing music composed by jazz greats like Grant Green, Big John Patton and Larry Young, alongside their own more recent compositions.
The trio is comprised of Jim Cooper, vibraphone, Jim Alfredson, Hammond Organ with St. Johns High School graduate, Jeff Shoup on drums. “Jeff’s been doing some wonderful jazz gigs around the state for a while now,” says concert coordinator Bill Tennant. “It will be great having him back in St. Johns, his hometown, for this special concert. The unique combination of instruments featured in this trio will make this concert a must for jazz/music lovers.”
Jeff Shoup graduated from SJHS in 1992 playing percussion instruments in band, orchestra and jazz band. He started playing drums with various pop, jazz and blues bands since the late 90’s throughout the state including gigs in Detroit, Kalamazoo as well as Grand Rapids. He then entered MSU as a jazz-studies major, receiving a BM degree in 2012 and a MM degree in 2014. Jeff has performed with a number of jazz greats including Rodney Whitaker, Randy Napoleon, Betty Joplin, Ramona Collins, Bill Heidi, Diego Rivera, Smokin’ Joe Kubek and others.
Jim Cooper is a veteran composer, educator, and Musser performing artist with more than 40 years of experience. Cooper has appeared throughout the Midwest as both soloist and sideman, and has released two CD’s as a leader. Jim Alfredson has led the Michigan-based jazz trio organissimo since 2000, releasing a number of critically acclaimed CD’s, while touring the country and the world.
There will be a $7 admission charge at the door. The Wilson Center Auditorium is located at 101 W. Cass St. in downtown St. Johns, just south of the Court House. For more information about The Wilson Collective and/or upcoming concerts and events, please visit the Wilson Center Auditorium web site at www.wilsoncenterauditorium.org and/or the Wilson Center Auditorium Facebook page.
Watercolor Technique Classes at Gallery – begin Thursday March 31
Working with watercolors requires a measure of skill blended with a heap of patience. Those gifts may be acquired in the coming weeks when classes and workshops in water color techniques will be offered at Clinton County Arts Council Gallery.
Director Ashley Jackson announced this week that water color artist Sarah Tule will be conducting two special events, one at March end then in April, designed especially for beginning water color painters..
The first will be a two-hour class Thursday March 31 designed to introduce water color paints. The session will meet from 6-8 p.m. and is limited to 10 students. A registration fee of $35.00 includes all necessary supplies. CCAC members receive a $5.00 registration discount.
The second event will be the first of a series of one hour water color workshops during April. This session will run from 6-7 p.m. Thursday April 7 with emphasis on the drawing of trees. Registration for this workshop is $15.00. As previously explained, required materials are included and CCAC members are entitled to a $5.00 discount. Subsequent workshops will take place every two weeks and details will be announced in advance.
Registration for either activity can be made in person at the Gallery, by phone (989 224-2429) or by email
ccarts@voyager.net.
CCAC receives periodic grants from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. For additional information on this event or other Arts Council activities, calls may be made to the Gallery at 989.224.2429
Young Entrepreneurs Across America
by Maralyn Fink
Maralyn@sjindy.com
I met with Megan Collins so that she could tell me about the Young Entrepreneurs Program. The program started about 30 years ago and has grown since that time. Recruitment is handled by the organization Student Painters.
The company looks for college students, 18 years and older, and trains them to run a business. Megan is the Branch Manager of St Johns and Dewitt. Her goal is to hire local students to work in her branch and is looking for students in this district. She stated that she advertises and also goes door to door.
The business is Exterior house painting but they also do deck staining and power washing. This production starts in May. The participants are trained by Sherwin Williams, with 5-6 painters in a group. Training starts in April.
Contact Megan at 248-252-3701 for a scheduled free estimate. The work is done on weekdays if weather permits and weekends if needed.
Megan spoke with Mayor Beaman, and he is going to give the students painters a proclamation.
Megan will be at St Johns High School this Friday, March 11, in the cafeteria with information for the students.
Thanks, Megan, for the interview, and we had a great time at Big Boy.
Builders Club and Good Wins support Walk for Warmth
It was a lively gathering of St. Johns Kiwanis members along with students from Kiwanis sponsored middle school Builders Club and high school Good Wins Key Club that stepped off in support of the annual Walk for Warmth fund raiser.
Kiwanis members abetting the cause included Sharon Bassette, Gary Carpenter, Karen Crosby, Jay Eccleton, Katie Eccleton, Graham Filler, Jan Havlik, (groups coordinator) Steve Heath, Jeanette Huard, Larry Jerue, Jenell Leonard, Laura Mullaney, Sally Rice, Mark Smith and Terry Strickler. Photo by Laura Mullaney.
