Circle of Art - Go, don't be a Square

I can't take credit for that headline. But, it's a winner. You MUST Must stop by Saline Picture Frame on Saline-AA Rd to preview the simply amazing works of art (380 at last count) on display and up for auction. The folks there (Sara, Mary and Peter Bowe and crew) have worked their buns off to organize the fourth annual silent auction and party (this Sun., May 18 - noon to 5pm). btw, I was on the Plymouth Salem HS swim team with their sister, Jane Bowe (artist and teacher living in Petoskey -- who will be there on Sunday ("Our Rocks Don't Sink" was our motto. Good times. good times. 1979).

Go to their website (salinepictureframe.com) to check out the paintings, jewelry, sculpture, photographs. They have harnessed the talent of local artists (where did they all come from?? The creativity is staggering) who have donated small-sized works of art. I popped in the other day and felt like a kid in a candy shop. Color, texture, landscapes, drawings, cool stuff. All the proceeds go to Food Gatherers. So, I mean it -- stop in to Saline Pic Frame or, if you're really a good time Charlie, go to the auction Sunday afternoon. The closer to 5pm, the more feverish because people will be hovering over the art they want to win. It's tons of fun. Great people doing great things in our community. See you there. (I'll be the one hovering by Linda Kortesoja Klenczar's work or loitering near Stephen Kerr's cool little 3-D work). Be There. Don't be Square.

Celebrating National Nursing Home Week

This week is National Nursing Home Week and I had the pleasure of celebrating the kick off this morning at the Evangelical Home in Saline. The theme was "Spirit of America: A Tribute to Our Service Men and Women." Staff and residents organized a week of activities that kicked off with a balloon lift-off. Sue Hurst, administrator at the nursing home, delivered opening remarks to a room full of residents, staff and visitors, including daycare children.

Hurst led the crown in the Pledge of Allegiance before handing the mic over to Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell, who shared her appreciation for everything the staff at the Evangelical Home does to make residents feel comfortable.

One of the more touching moments was when Betty Flanders, a resident at the facility, recited the poem "Flanders Field," by Lt. John McCrae. Richard Champine, a resident of Mill Pond Manor, read "America's Response," by R.W. Lillard.

To wrap up the morning's events, those gathered sang "God Bless America," while staff let loose nearly 200 balloons filled with messages of hope and prayers for soldiers.

The rest of the week sounds like fun, too. Tomorrow, Saline American Legion and the Honor Guard will visit with residents. On Wednesday, there's a sports theme and residents will play baseball in the atrium. Thursday is traveling day, with staff putting flags on a huge map of the United States, marking everywhere they've traveled. Friday will wrap up the week with songs and an ice cream social.

If you have a minute, stop by or write a note of appreciation to the nursing home's staff in recognition of their hard work. Also, please check out our video of Monday's kick off at www.salinereporter.com.

Check out the farmers' market

The Saline Farmers' Market opened last Saturday and saw a big turnout that first weekend. Today I was in Saline early to open The Saline Reporter to the pest control guy, who was spraying for ants, and decided to head over to the market and check it out. There were lots of friendly faces and a variety of agricultural offerings, as well as crafts and a Master Gardener dispensing advice.

A staple of the market, Cheryl and Perry Plouff's dog Bandit was crossing at Michigan Avenue and Ann Arbor Street, pulling a number of the market's offferings behind him in a cart. As I entered the market, I was greeted by Valerie Mann and her husband, who were just leaving. First, I met Adam Ulbin, owner of Stone Hearth Breads, a bakery in Brooklyn. He sells his baked goods every Saturday at farmers' markets in Saline, Chelsea, Adrian and Jackson. It was his second year there and we spoke on video. Unfortunately, there was a problem with my camera and his segment didn't turn out. (If you're reading this Adam, I apologize. Maybe we can shoot it again another time.)

I also met Jeffrey Brown, a beekeeper in Garden City who owns J. Brown Honey Farm. He was there selling honey and various bees wax products. It is Jeffrey's second year at the market. Patty Henes of H & H Harvest represented the Saline contingent at the market. She has been a regular since its inception eight years ago. Both were interviewed as part of my video, which can be viewed on our Web site.

Don't miss the Saline Farmers' Market. It's a community gem, features lots of local produce and goods, and is a great meeting spot to catch up with your neighbors on a beautiful Saturday morning.

Darling Rocker

If you're a fan of '70s and '80s rock, you're going to love this kid. Ian Darling, 13, a seventh-grade student at Milan Middle School, rocked out just before the parade May 3 during Discover Milan Day. He was incredible, playing AC/DC and other hits from my teen years. Check out his video at this link or view "Rockin' Out" at www.milannews.com.

Ted Montei, who organizes acts for Open Mic Night at Milan Coffeehouse, helped set up Ian's performance, as well as others, including Gloria DeNoyer on the recorder. Open Mic Night is held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Stop in and catch some local talent.

Discover Milan Day in Pictures

Milan saw a great turnout for Discover Milan Day May 3. The parade of Little League and T-ball players was adorable. There was plenty to do, from children's activities organized by the Milan Girl Scouts on the grounds of the American Legion Post to sidewalk sales, an arts and crafts show at the Milan Senior and Community Activity Center to the Rubber Ducky Race in the Saline River. We posted three videos from the day's events and published some photos. Below are more. Enjoy!

Helping those in need rewarding

I dreaded getting up at 6:30 on a Saturday morning, but I knew it would be worth it, not only for our readers but for personal reasons. As a young reporter in Dexter, I always enjoyed covering Christmas in April and I was looking forward to seeing how Christmas in Action generated that same community spirit in Saline and Milan. So, off I went for Milan to get to the Milan Area Fire Department by 8 a.m., where volunteers were being served breakfast before heading out to their job sites.

There I met Bob Grostick and Pam Palmieri, who talked to me about the various work to be done that day. Bob was leading a crew of seven to 10 volunteers at a home on North Street. They planned to prune trees, clean up trash on the property and help out in other ways. Bob estimated that if the 84-year-old homeowner had to pay for it herself, it would have cost her $2,500.

The first home I visited was on Anderson Street in Milan, where organizers would only identify the homeowner as “Carlos." He was getting a new bathroom, stove, washer, dryer and bed thanks to Christmas in Action. “It’s what he wanted to make his life better,” said Palmieri, organizer of the effort in Milan.

The homeowner, who friends said has been deaf since childhood and cannot speak, touched my heart as he helped volunteers haul away trash and do whatever he could to help those who were there to help him. Ross Gordon, the house captain for the job, said Carlos had many needs. Among them, he didn’t have a stove and was using only a microwave and George Forman grill to cook his food, which, Ross said, he got weekly from Compassion, a food bank run by Vineyard church in Milan. Palmieri said he didn’t have a bed and was sleeping on a couch.

I was touched by his story and felt compelled to share it with readers, who , I hoped would be inspired to help Christmas in Action after reading his story. The story is posted online and will be in the May 1 edition of The Saline Reporter and The Milan News-Leader. About 20 people were at his home Saturday, and Ross estimated that labor and materials would have cost Carlos $11,500 if it weren’t for the help from Christmas in Action. Carlos’ friend, Arbutus Bickerstaff, said he wouldn’t have been able to afford to hire someone to do the work since losing his job last fall. She said his father and brother have been helping him stay afloat financially for the last several months.

Bickerstaff said it best: "I think it reaches out to people in need of help," she said of Christmas in Action. "It lifts their spirits. It makes them realize there are still good, kind people out there who care about you.”

Indeed. I've seen the program flourish in other communities and put smiles on the faces of many people who were in need of a helping hand. In Dexter, every year, at least 200 volunteers would help spruce up a dozen homes or more. I was always touched by each homeowner's story and so grateful they were willing to share it so readers could understand their plight and importance of the help the program provided. This, in turn, often brought in more donations, from readers and local businesses, helping the program grow every year.

I was also touched that day by Ann and Don Esterbrook, who raised their family in Saline and spent much of their lives giving back to the community. On Saturday, it was their turn to receive help as 15 volunteers from Christmas in Action were at their home as part of the program that has promoted neighbors helping neighbors for the last 16 years in Saline and two years in Milan.

“It’s harder to receive than it is to give,” Ann Esterbrook told me as volunteers washed windows and spruced up her yard on State Road in Pittsfield Township. “It’s not very easy to think somebody has to do for you.”

Esterbrook, who had worked 30 years in food service, retiring from Saline schools in 1999, has health problems, as does her husband, Don. They have spent their retirement giving back to their church, St. Paul United Church of Christ in Saline, as well as St. Joseph Mercy Saline Hospital, and deserved the help, just as the others did.

And the homeowners who were referred to the program weren't the only ones who benefited today. The volunteers feel a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in helping others. “It’s just nice to help people who have been givers their whole lives,” said Christmas in Action volunteer Jack Winchester, who was serving as house captain at the Esterbrook home. Winchester, who has been a volunteer with the group since its inception, said he enjoys giving back to the community. “You can’t get any other feeling like this anywhere else,” he said.

If you haven't been part of this amazing organization as a volunteer, I urge you to support it financially or next year as a volunteer. For more information about the Saline group, visit the Web site www.christmasinactionsaline.com.

Top 10 things that make Saline great

Saline is a special community to live in and that opinion is coming straight from the people who should know –– local residents, business leaders and public officials.

While the editors at CNN/Money Magazine had the good sense to recognize Saline as among the top 100 places to live in the country, it’s the people who call Saline home who personally know why the city earned the distinction.

Based on nominations from local residents, the staff at The Saline Reporter compiled a top 10 list and created a video featuring representatives from each of the top 10. From the schools and library to the hospital, retirement homes and parks to the area’s rich agricultural roots, we hope you agree with our thoughts. If you have different ideas or your own top 10 list, we invite you to post your comments on this blog.

Also, pick up a copy of the April 24 Saline Reporter. It includes a 24-page special supplement highlighting the 59 things that make Saline great.

The list below is in no particular order.

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Saline Recreation Center –– encouraging a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to physical activity, Saline-area residents enjoy the Saline Recreation Center. The recreation center, which recently completed a $1.5 million renovation, offers basketball, volleyball, racquetball and wallyball courts. An indoor 1/16-mile track, an outdoor fitness trail and 25-yard lap pool make it a busy place for local residents striving to stay fit and healthy, while also enjoying the fun and games recreational opportunities bring. The facility also has an aerobics studio, a free-weight room, cardiovascular equipment, and a Nautilus weight room, as well as four softball fields and a disc golf course.

Saline District Library –– the heart of the community. In 2006, Saline voters passed a 0.55-mill levy to help fund a $5.8 million expansion of the Saline District Library. The new-and-improved library opens May 27 after 10 months of operating offsite at Liberty School while the facility was expanded from 16,450 square feet to 33,000 square feet. Local residents are eagerly awaiting the opening of the new facility, which will provide a collection of more than 90,000 books, magazines, movies, CDs, audio books and more. The library is truly a gathering place in the community for people of all ages as it offers something for everyone, from computers with Internet access, special activities for teens and children, and resources for all to enjoy.

Saline School District –– educating Saline’s future citizens. The district is touted as among the tops in the state and receives remarkable support from the community as illustrated by the success of Community Project 2000, a $124.5 million bond passed by district voters eight years ago. The bond funded the construction of a new elementary school and a 500,000-square-foot high school. The district has a rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence.

Two Twelve Arts Center –– providing a creative outlet for all ages. The community has embraced the Two Twelve Arts Center, a nonprofit organization offering art classes, exhibits and encouraging creativity in local residents. It has everything, from knitting and pottery to drawing, basketry and painting, as well as numerous courses and camps for children. The center enriches lives as a gathering place for area artists and those interested in learning a new skill or hobby.

Evangelical Homes of Michigan –– providing a safe place to call home for Saline’s older residents. Residents appreciate the proximity of the Evangelical Homes of Michigan, which encompasses the Evangelical Home, Brecon Village, and Mill Pond Manor. The range of resident programs provide a safe, secure, and stimulating environment for Saline’s older community members.

Saline Area Chamber of Commerce –– tirelessly promoting businesses and organizing events to promote Saline. The busy chamber of commerce represents local merchants, and the many successful businesses and strong industries that make Saline a well-rounded municipality. Its administrators and board members work hard to celebrate local businesses and the community through its business enterprise awards and Saline Salutes programs, while educating its membership on issues affecting the business community through breakfast talks and luncheons.

Rich agricultural roots and active farm community make Saline a diverse community to live in. Farmers help sustain the community and feed the nation. The active 4-H clubs pay homage to Saline’s rich agricultural roots and inspire a second generation of farmers. And with the Washtenaw County Farm Council Grounds just minutes away from downtown, residents can enjoy livestock auctions, antique shows, carnivals and competitions year around.

St. Joseph Mercy Saline Hospital –– ranked tops in the nation. Saline hospital, which two years running has received recognition as being one of the top 100 hospitals in the nation, has served the community for more than 50 years. Built in 1959, the 74-bed facility boasts an award-winning 24-hour emergency department, a newly expanded and renovated nuclear medicine suite and a clinical laboratory. Plans are in the works to develop an imaging center.

Lots of festivals –– providing entertainment and activities, while promoting Saline’s downtown. From the Saline Celtic Festival to Summerfest, from Harvest of the Arts to the Saline Fair, the community holds dear the events that draw its residents together. That includes a parade, whether it’s the Memorial Day parade, the Homecoming parade, the fair parade or holiday parade. These annual events provide opportunities for local folks to congregate and to celebrate their hometown pride.

Saline parks system –– encouraging passive and active recreation. Salinians cherish their park system, which is extensive and varied. Within Saline there are 11 public parks that cover 190.54 acres. Fish or just stroll along the Saline River at Curtiss Park. Walk the dog at Millpond Park’s dog park. Catch a Little League ballgame or have a picnic at Brecon Park. Take a walk in the woods at Wilderness Park. There is a park, it seems, that fits the interests of everyone in Saline.