Traverse City Record-Eagle

Stephanie Beach: Northern Notes

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  • Beach

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  • Five generations of the Griner family gathered for the 98th birthday of Burton Griner at the Griner Reunion Picnic on July 23. Seated are great-great-grandparents Adeline and Burton Griner, of Traverse City. Standing, left to right, are their daughter Patricia Swanson, of Copemish; their granddaughter Lisa Sauer, of Benzonia; their great-grandson Brandon Sauer; and their great-great-grandson Xander Sauer, also of Benzonia. All are lifelong area residents. Special to the Record-Eagle

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October 2, 2011

Northern Notes: Drive raises $3K for research

By Stephanie Beach, sbeach@record-eagle.com ----

Fundraiser organizer Ray Pleva wrote to thank everyone who supported a recent event at St. Francis School to benefit Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease research.

Pleva sends heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the chefs and staff at St. Francis School and Roger Sladek; sponsors Bill Marsh Auto, Pepsi Cola, Jay's Chips, the National Cherry Festival, Sara Lee Bakery, Aunt Millie's Bakeries, Ray Pleva's Products, Cerise Nutraceuticals, Smith & Johnson PC, TC Public Garage, Alpine Electric, Signplicity Sign System, Cherry Capital Foods, Tri-Gas, Leelanau Fruit, Knights of Columbus, Sue Rehmann and Boy Scout Troop 31, Mancino's Pizza & Grinders, Vernon LaLone, CPA, Fitzmaurice-Garvin Insurance, Mike Hill, Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District, Leelanau Pines Campground, Great Lakes Striping & Sealing, Huntington Bank, all the volunteers and the researchers from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant.

The event raised $3,000 for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research, which will be conducted at CMU.

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Hundreds of people received nonperishable food items from the Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry in Traverse City in 2010 and the pantry continues to help people, thanks to many generous donations and numerous volunteer hours.

Donations came from the community through the Hagerty Turkey Trot, the Trinity School Turkey Trot, Cherry Growers, Oryana Natural Food Market, U.S. Postal Workers' food drive, Trinity members and Boy Scout Troop #30. In addition, a generous foundation grant came from the regional Food Coalition, the Record-Eagle and North Coast keep the pantry in the news and Trinity member volunteers continue to handle the physical labor.

Many thanks go out to all who make the pantry a success.

Food donations are always welcome at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1003 S. Maple St., where food is distributed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays.

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Organizers of the Inland Seas Summer Festival would like express their appreciation for the success of the summer festival. The 5K Road Race/Walk, with almost 100 participants, and a raffle, with more than 600 tickets sold, added excitement to the day.

Thanks go out to Inland Seas Education Association volunteers and board members, partner organizations, musicians, vendors; event sponsors including the Bonek Agency, Dennis, Gartland & Niergarth, Fox 32 News, Northwestern Bank, Suttons Bay Art Festival, and Team Elmer's; and race sponsors DTE Energy and Grand Traverse Radiologists.

"The ISEA Summer Festival was truly a 'Celebration of the Great Lakes,'" organizers wrote.

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In July, the Antrim County Democrats sponsored their second two-day food drive of the year.

Forty volunteers collected food and cash donations at Glen's in Bellaire and Mancelona, and at the Village Market in Elk Rapids. With generous support from local shoppers and visitors, the Dems broke a previous record, raising $3,500 for area pantries.

Food collected in Elk Rapids went to the Elk Rapids Pantry; food donations in Bellaire went to the Bellaire Pantry; and the Mancelona Pantry and Mancelona Community Lighthouse Pantry divided the groceries and personal needs products collected in Mancelona. Monetary donations were divided among the larger pantries including the two Mancelona pantries, the Bellaire pantry and Good Samaritan in Ellsworth.

The Antrim Democrats have raised $5,910 to date in 2011 to help their neighbors in need. They will sponsor a third food drive in November.

Stephanie Beach can be reached at sbeach@record-eagle.com.

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