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---- — -- To the Downtown Traverse City Association for kicking off its 19th summer season of Friday Night Live on Front Street last week. The popular street party brings musicians, food vendors and crowds downtown and will continue on Friday nights through Aug. 27.
-- To Pat Rode, 81, who is retiring as principal of Traverse City Christian Schools, where he started working in 2003 as a substitute teacher for a month. He became a full-time teacher, then principal of the 210-student Christian school, and finally superintendent. He says his proudest accomplishments at the school are the two all-school mission trips to the region devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2006 and 2008. The students witnessed the residents' resiliency.
-- To groups representing states and cities in the Great Lakes region for baking a $2 million study of how to slam the door on exotic species such as Asian carp by cutting links between the lakes and the Mississippi River watershed. The 18-month project will develop options for physically separating the two drainage basins, joined artificially a century ago with the creation of a Chicago-area waterway system that has helped destructive invaders such as zebra and quagga mussels spread as far west as California.
-- To area health care providers like Dr. Marvin Anderson, Chris O'Connell, and Jackie and Paul Kaschel who use farm animals to help patients and others heal from autism, traumatic brain injury and other ailments. Anderson also has a solo practice called "Abba's Place" near Cedar where he lives with his wife Jill. O'Connell offers therapeutic horseback riding at Charity Hill Ranch. The Kaschels use horse therapy in family, marriage, addiction and other counseling services at PEACE Ranch on Hoosier Valley Road.
-- To the six local celebrities chosen to kick up their heels in SwingShift dance competitions in September. They are: Denise Busley, Grand Traverse Pie Co. owner; local radio producer Heather Daniels; Dr. Pat Friedli, a family physician; Kristin Marinoff of Grand Traverse Woman Magazine; local TV reporter Brody O'Connell; and Kelvin Shaw, Cartridge World owner. They will be teamed up with local dance instructors and raise funds for six local charities.
-- To Traverse City's own stand-up comic Marti Johnson, who opened for Leanne Morgan Saturday at Corson Auditorium at Interlochan. Morgan was a finalist on Nick at Nite's Funniest Mom. Johnson, an account executive at ABC TV 29&8, is launching a standup career.
-- To Danielle Beaudoin and Sean Seekins, who share the head lifeguard responsibilities at Clinch Park Beach in Traverse City. The downtown-adjacent stretch of sand on West Grand Traverse Bay is a popular summer spot for tourists and locals, boaters and bathers.
