-- To John Spencer, physician, conservationist and environmentalist, who received the 2009 Distinguished Service Award from the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce for his "profound" impact on the area for more than 50 years. His long list of service includes: director of the health department for Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Benzie counties; president of Munson Hospital's medical staff; Great Lakes Advisory Committee member; and member of the Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation Commission. He is a past president of the Chamber of Commerce and helped form its Natural Resources Committee. He has administered the Oleson Foundation, where he's credited with quadrupling the assets of the local philanthropic organization.
-- To Rotary Charities of Traverse City for donating $690,000 to 22 community groups. The largest grants went to: Acme Township, $75,000 to help cover the cost of property along Grand Traverse Bay and to develop shoreline for public use; $50,000 to Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan; and $40,000 to the Old Town Playhouse to hire a development director.
-- To the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians for making $949,482 in grants to nearly 50 local governments, schools and agencies in Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix and Leelanau counties. The band is required to use 2 percent of its slot machine revenues for the grant program in lieu of state sales taxes. Grants of $75,000 each went to the Father Fred Foundation for its "utility shut-off" aid program and the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau to support the state's "Pure Michigan" campaign.
-- To Blair Elementary School for being the first school in the state to launch a pilot Risk Watch curriculum that links teachers and parents with community safety experts to help instruct students in fire and burn prevention, motor vehicle safety and other safety issues. The program is funded by a State Farm Insurance grant.
-- To the Traverse City Police Department for hosting a 10-week Citizen's Law Enforcement Academy, March 2-April 27, to teach local residents more about firearms, patrol operations and various divisions of a police department.
-- To urban gardening author Eric Toensmeier, who spoke to 200 area gardening enthusiasts about the power of gardens to build healthy communities, people and ecosystems at the Traverse Area District Library. Cheers also to TADL for hosting the event that attracted 200 people.
-- To Traverse City Christian School a sixth- through 12th-grade private school for launching what the school calls a J Term, in which students selected two classes from a list of courses heavy on participation and mixed sixth-graders with seniors. Class selections include robotics, pottery, filmmaking, guitar, forensics and cooking.
