Community Fund to discuss Wilson Center – May 10
The Annual Meeting of The St Johns Area Community Fund will be held at The Wilson Center on May 10 with the business meeting beginning at 6:30 pm and the program beginning about 7:00.
The topic of the program is to get a discussion started on the future of the Wilson Center. Dave Ivan has offered to show how other communities have repurposed their old schools, and they expect to hear from Bill Tennant with an Auditorium update and other school personnel with their ideas.
Annual Spring Clean Community Event – Saturday, April 30
Clinton County residents are encouraged to take part in our spring collection event – please make an appointment up to one week prior to the event https://www.clinton-county.org/FormCenter/Waste-Management-7/Clean-Community-Event-Collection-Event-R-47 or by calling the office (989) 224-5186.
An appointment is required to attend.
Acceptable items include household hazardous waste, unwanted medications, farm and landscaping chemicals, motor oil and antifreeze, electronics, bulky waste, scrap metal, appliances, clothing, tires, yard waste, reusable household items, books and building materials. Most items are accepted free of charge but nominal fees do apply (cash or check only).
Fees are waived for volunteers! Volunteers can register online https://www.clinton-county.org/FormCenter/Waste-Management-7/Clean-Community-Event-Volunteer-Signup-46 or by calling the office (989) 224-5186.
Drive for Your Community
Come test drive a vehicle (even a Mustang!) from Pauli Ford and your St. Johns Area Community Fund will receive $20 from Ford Motor Company. Join us Saturday, April 16th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Southpoint Mall. Half of all our proceeds will go to the St. Johns Soccer Club to support their new fields. We have an opportunity to pump $6000 into our community!
Participants must be 18 or older and have a valid driver’s license to take a test drive. There is a limit of one test drive per household and all test drives will last approximately seven to 10 minutes.
Masons hold Pancake Breakfast fundraiser – April 9
St Johns-Ovid Masonic Lodge 105 will hold a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser at Applebee’s in St Johns on April 9 from 8 – 10 a.m.
The event is being held to help support their Bikes for Books Program. The cost is $8.00 Pancake-Scrambled eggs.bacon, sausage.(drink extra)
Contact Bro Nick 517-290-2320 for more details.
Briggs Library News
Children’s Garden T-Shirt Contest – This summer the Briggs Library will be starting a children’s garden! We are asking for help in designing the t-shirt that will be used during our garden programs. Children in grades 1-5 can submit a garden-themed picture or design that will be used on our shirts. The pictures should fit on a regular-size piece of paper (8 ½ x 11), and be submitted to the Circulation Desk by Friday, April 15. The chosen design will be announced at our Garden Groundbreaking on Friday, April 22.
Children’s Garden Groundbreaking – The public is invited on Friday, April 22nd at 4:30 -5:00 p.m. to the Ground Breaking of the new Children’s Garden behind the library. The garden t-shirt design winner will be announced at that time. Join us on this new adventure and learn more about volunteering and registering for garden programs.
Great Michigan Read – The Library is hosting a community-wide book discussion on this year’s Great Michigan Read, “Station Eleven,” by Emily St. John Mandel. Set in the time after a devastating flu pandemic ends civilization as we know it, this is a spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic troupe of actors and musicians roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity. Any interested individuals or book clubs are invited to join us on Thursday, April 21 at 6:30p.m. for discussion and refreshments. This is also the Bookaholics book club selection for April. Copies are now available at the circulation desk.
Simple Storytime – Children ages 2-4 (with a participating grownup) are invited to celebrate Spring during our next Simple Storytime! We will meet from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m., Wednesdays, May 11-June 1, to hear stories, sing songs, and make some Springtime crafts! Registration is required and opens Wednesday, April 20.
Chapter Chatter Thank You – A very big thank you to Kroger’s, St. Johns Waste Water Facility and St. Joseph School for allowing us behind their closed doors. Latanya from Kroger’s showed us where the semi-trucks unloaded and boxes were crushed in the back, where the meat was processed and cold items were stored, we peeked out at customers from behind the dairy cases and also saw the big bin of sprinkles and warm ovens in the bakery as well as many other interesting areas.
Jordan took us from the laboratory where testing takes place to the end of the process of how waste water is channeled from one area to another. We saw a lot of big noisy machinery doing very important jobs. The flame for burning off methane gas was a favorite. Mrs. Ann Parker operates the cafeteria at St. Joseph School and had a very fun scavenger hunt for us. She showed us very big ovens, sinks, refrigerators, freezers and a really big mixer. We learned how important it was to keep everything very, very clean and how the school has to follow very strict laws concerning the food and how it is bought and prepared. Thank you all for taking the time to show us many interesting “behind the scenes” things.
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Contact Information:
Library Director: Sara Morrison
Phone: 989-224-4702 * Fax: 989-224-1205
E-mail: smorrison@briggspubliclibrary.org
Street address: 108 E Railroad * Saint Johns, MI 48879
Upcoming Youth Program Sign Ups
Have fun, stay active and wear NFL Gear this fall by participating in the City of St. Johns Recreation Department NFL Flag Football League. We are a proud member of NFL Flag: powered by USA Football. The league will consist of 7 weeks of practice and 5 week of games. Practices will be held during the week with games played on Saturdays. NFL Flag provides the opportunity for kids and families to become involved in football through participation early in life. It also helps develop the first phase of player development by teaching football skills at an age in a safe and not threatening environment, while focusing games on speed and agility not size and strength. Registration is open to both boys and girls.
Cost for the league is $35 for City of St. Johns residents and $40 for non-City of St. Johns residents. Fee includes NFL replica jersey, flag belt, mouthpiece, one year USA Football Membership, and field prep. Practices will start the week of August 22nd, two times a week, with games on Saturday starting September 10 and ending October 8, 2016.
Sign up will take place Tuesday, April 26 at the St. Johns Train Depot (across from Briggs Public Library) from 5:30 – 7:00, this date is preferred because players need to be fitted for jersey size. Registration forms will be accepted by mail or in person to the City of St. Johns Recreation Department until July 22.
For additional information contact Bill at the Recreation Department 224-8944 x 227 bschafer@ci,saint-johns.mi.us or Zane Ballard at ballardz@sjredwings.org. This flag football league is a proud member of NFL Flag Football, but none of the National Football League (NFL), its member clubs, NFL Ventures, L.P. or any of their respective affiliates or subsidiaries will have any liability or responsibility for any claim arising in connection with participation therein. All NFL-related logos and marks are trademarks of the NFL.
Starting Monday, May 2, 2016, children in grades K-3rd grade can continue to hone their basketball skills by participating in this spring’s Basketball Skills Camp. Classes are located at Gateway North Gymnasium on Mondays from 6:15-7:15 for grades K-1 and 7:15-8:15pm for grades 2-3. Basketball University Sports and Events LLC will provide instruction on skill development to help your child with ball handling, shooting, and passing, along with speed and coordination development. If you would like to know more about Basketball University please visit www.bballuniversity.com. Registration for the program is $28.00 when pre-registering for 4 weeks or $10 per week drop-in for City of St. Johns residents and $32.00 when pre-registering and $12 per week for drop-in for non-City of St. Johns residents. Drops-ins are allowed only if space permits, to ensure your spot pre-register. The deadline for registrations is April 28, 2016.
Registrations forms are available at the City Offices and website at http://cityofstjohnsmi.com/Departments/ParksandRecreation.aspx. Call the City of St. Johns Recreation Department at 224-8944 ext. 228 or email rfaivor@ci.saint-johns.mi.us for additional information. Check us out on Facebook at St Johns Recreation.
Soup kitchen to make stops in area
His Cup Runneth Over, a mobile soup kitchen, will be making a stop at
– First Congregational Church, 100 Maple Ave, St. Johns 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Tuesday, April 12 and at
– Beacon of Hope at First Baptist Church, 512 S. US 27, St. Johns, from 5:30 p.m to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 12,
– Suntree Apartments, 1100 Sunview Dr., St. Johns from 11 am to 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 14. Soup, bread, fruit and dessert will be served to all who come free of charge.
All are welcome.
For more information call 989-533-9535 or 989-544-5764
The Mobile Soup Kitchen Open House kicked off their season on April 3
Mark Your Calendar
Superheroes for Children Return to Clinton County
April 30, 2016 Superheroes return to the St. Johns City Park for CASA-The Voice for Clinton County’s Children 3rd Annual Superhero 5K Run, Walk, or Fly
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Annual Spring Wetlands Conservation Banquet – April 15, 2016
The Clinton County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited (DU) will host it’s 35th Annual Wetlands Conservation
banquet on Friday April 15, 2016. The event will once again be held at Smith Hall on the 4-H Fairgrounds in St Johns.
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Euchre Tournament Fundraiser – April 15
Euchre Tournament Fundraiser for Nathan’s Methodist Relay for Life Team at Lowe United Methodist Church, 5485 W. Lowe Rd. April 15th 6:30-10:00 pm
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Spring Clean-Up scheduled – May 7
Please do not place items out at the curb earlier then Saturday, April 30, 2016.