The Mecosta County Senior Center Board of Directors was able to use Match Day funds to help make several improvements to the Senior Center. New additions to the center include roll down panels, ceiling mesh to keep the birds from nesting in the rafters, and a couple of ceiling fans for the pavilion. These fans will help allow the pavilion to be used longer through the year for outside activities.  

Claudia Lenon and friend accept the Mecosta County Commission on Aging Match Day 2010 check from board member Kim VonKronenberger!

Honor Our Veterans

As 1940’s music played in the background, a highly successful event in tribute to World War II era veterans was held on November 6, 2010 at the Wheatland Township Hall.

More than 80 persons attended the Honor Our Veterans event. The day included a ceremony, spaghetti dinner, storytelling, and numerous displays of memorabilia. The items on display, both donated and loaned, reflected the lives of those that served in faraway places and the families left behind during the World War II years.

Included on display were two 48 state American flags, helmets, several military uniforms, newspaper articles of WWII beginning and ending, magazine articles, books, souvenirs of Japan, photos of several veterans, personal memoirs of the War, purple hearts, many other badges & medals, ration tokens and books, rifles, and bayonets. There were also items on display from WWI and the Civil War.

There were many items that tugged on the heart strings such as the wedding clothes of Orrin Havens and Rosemary Simon Havens (shown above left). Many of the letters written home by service men and women serving in far off places were on display. One memorable letter was written by Harry Howard to his parents, Nellie and Faber Howard. In the letter he wrote that he was serving in France carrying some lumber when another soldier said, Hey, your brother is here! He dropped his load of lumber to run and greet his brother Bill Howard. Linda Howard noted that five Howard brothers were serving in the Armed Forces during World War II.

The ceremony began with bugling by Dar Howard and an opening blessing by Barryton American Legion Chaplin Wayne Hull. Linda Howard, President of Remus Area Historical Society gave a welcome. Gary Cox, who planned and coordinated the event, (along with Mary Simon, Char Lenon, Ken Todd and Erna Simon) presented pins of gratitude in special recognition to the World War II veterans.

Fifteen WWII veterans were awarded: Hank Young, Justin Wernette, Gale Esch, Wayne May, John Miller, Loren Wernette, H. Stuart Dague, Edd Martston, Max Snyder, Luke Crowley, Vivian Dowling Fulk, John Serowizk, Jim Miller, and, Dick Sherbarth, as well as Korean veteran Don Cushman. The microphone was passed to each veteran to tell his or her stories. Some, like Vivian Dowling Fulk stood proudly in her WAC uniform as she told about working on planes. (See Justin Wernette below left in his original uniform and a young Fulk below right.)  The Honor Our Veterans event would not have been a success without the fund from Match Day 2010!

The Little Kevin Hockey Hope Fund used Match Day funds to help pay part of the local Junior Hockey Association and High School Hockey programs’ ice rental bills. The Fund was also able to cover the cost of 10 young people’s participation in the Learn to Skate Program.

Kevin Courtney accepts his fund check from Gary Trimarco!

The Friends of the Big Rapids Community Library have been providing books for babies at the hospital since 1994 through the “Catch ‘em in the Cradle” book program. In 1997 we established the Friend’s Endowment Fund that would help cover the cost of the books. To date, the Friends of the Library have delivered over 11,000 books for babies born at Mecosta County Medical Center. The Friends of the Library used Match Day 2010 Funds from the Mecosta County Community Foundation to help purchase books for the program.

MCCF board member, Yo Bellingar, presentes Match Day 2010 check to Mary Ryan and Wendy Nystrom of the Friends of the Big Rapids Community Library.

Kacy Gillis reads to son Phillip, born May 9 at 12:07 p.m. at Mecosta County Medical Center. Phillip’s new book was given by The Friends of the Big Rapids Community Library, which provides grant funds to purchase books for distribution to new families to promote the beautiful and useful practice of reading to children from an early age.