GATHER Veterans-Warriors-Heroes Nov/Dec 2022 Magazine

Michigan

November/December 2022

Toys for Tots

Lieutenant

anyone can be santa

Veteran to Firefighter

celebrating

Growing Up with the Angels

Haase

100 Years of Wonder

Greg

Is Coming To Town Photo Credit - Lauren Alyssa Photography - Traverse City, MI

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TABLE OF CONTENTS October/December 2022

14 18 28

08

Editor’s Note

10

Santa Greg Is Coming To Town

14

Lieutenant Matt Adamek

18

Matt Haase

22

Andrew Jackson Blackbird

24

Michigan’s Crazy Climate

26

Honor Flight

28

Toys for Tots celebrating 75 years

30

Gingerbread Cut Out Cookies

32

Clyde Packer

Editor’s Note: During the next few months, we are honoring the traditions, achievements, and beliefs that are treasured elements of our families and heritage.

When I think of the upcoming holidays, three words come to mind: Veterans. Gratitude. Gift.

GRATITUDE: On November 24, we will gather with friends and family for Thanksgiving to give thanks for our blessings. Sharing a meal, memories, stimulating conversation, and superb camaraderie with others are priceless gifts.

VETERANS: According to Merriam-Webster, GIFT: The true “gifts” “November 11 of the season aren’t is set aside to physical; they Gratitude commemorate are the parts of the end of makes sense of our past, our souls and hostilities brings peace for today, ourselves that we in 1918 and share for the good and creates a vision for 1945 to honor of humanity. the veterans tomorrow. of the armed To our VETERANS —Melody Beattie, Author forces.” For us at and their families, Gather Veterans, please accept our the holiday of GRATITUDE for your GIFT remembrance is of service to our country and an additional reason to the gift of FREEDOM bestowed celebrate the success of Vets in upon us because of your service. their civilian lives as educators, first responders, and so much more.

May the GIFT of GRATITUDE be Trivia: it was first termed Veterans something you will carry in your heart Day in 1954. this holiday season and forever.

Veterans, we think of each of you, your history, your sacrifices, your endurance, strength, and your love for our country.

8–

A heartfelt THANK YOU from all of us at GATHER Veterans, Warriors, Heroes.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority displays “Old Glory” on six holidays each year: Memorial Day, Flag Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Patriots Day, and Veterans Day. Courtesy MDOT

–9

Featured Coast Guard Veteran

Greg

Is Coming To Town

By Amanda Renkiewicz Feature Photo By Lauren Alyssa Photography

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He’s making a list and checking it twice: but it’s not the list of good little girls and boys, it’s the list of all his appearances for the year! Meet Santa Greg Caskie Sr., a representative of Claus himself. This Coast Guard Veteran has taken on the role of Santa since 2015 and has a similarity so striking that no matter the season, children approach him with wishes.

“It’s the best job I’ve ever had!” he said enthusiastically.

May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve. Unknown

Greg was born in Florida in December, and with a birthday so close to the holidays, Christmas became the biggest celebration of the year. Throughout his childhood, he would go to Disney World wearing a red jacket and Santa hat, a sign of his future. His other great love is scouting, something that went beyond adolescence. He’s been an Eagle Scout for 57 years and a District Commissioner for the Standing Trails District. After high school in 1974,

– 11

Greg followed in his father’s steps and joined the Coast Guard. He graduated from boot camp at the age of 19, then moved all over the country. “I was one of those crazy guys they throw out of helicopters,” Greg explained jovially, with his official title being an Aviation Survival Technician. He was a crewman on four different helicopters and had a rescue swimmer role. He started out in New Hampshire, then Chicago, then Kodiak in Alaska, then Brooklyn, then Sitka in Alaska, then Cape Cod, then St. Augustine, then Traverse City, then Corpus Christi, then Sacramento, and then retired.

With a record like that, it’s no wonder Santa Greg can travel the whole world in one night!

It was a fateful day in 2015 when a friend of Greg’s called asking him to play the part of Santa for a fundraiser for orphans. The friend offered a casual take with Greg wearing a Hawaiian shirt, but Greg was appalled.

“If I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it!” he responded. He promptly ordered a real Santa outfit. When it arrived, he kept parts and upgraded others: the belt was quickly replaced, and the beard thrown out (“I have a beard myself,” he announced proudly).

He bought a pair of matching boots, kept the twinkle in his eye, and Santa Greg was born. The following year, he dressed as Santa for his office party, then started adding gigs including a children’s Christmas bash. It was such a success that he said to himself, “I may as well just do this!”

“It’s been downhill since,” Greg reported while laughing. Being a Santa representative is a year-round job, so he’s on his game 365 days of the year. “My poor wife!” he exclaimed.

He cannot go anywhere without recognition as the jolly old elf. “One day I went to Bronner’s after a Scottish festival, so I was dressed in a kilt, but even as a Scottish Santa the kids swarmed me,” he remembered. While being approached at the biggest Christmas wonderland store in the

12 –

He errs who thinks Santa enters through the chimney.

Santa enters through the heart.

Charles W. Howard, 1937

world makes sense, Greg was even approached at a Culvers while having dinner with family. His indignant grandson told the newcomer, “He’s not Santa, he’s my Grandpy!” and Greg’s wife quickly stepped in to save the funny situation.

Greg has taken his role as Father Christmas seriously, even attending the Charles W. Howard Santa School in Midland. The school is in its 85th year, with a mission to uphold

the traditions and preserve the history of Santa Claus while providing students with the necessary resources to improve and further define their individual presentations of Santa and Mrs. Claus, allowing them to enter the hearts and spread the Christmas spirit to everyone they meet. Greg met many of his Santa brothers there, and they often gather for laughs. “If you really want to have fun, meet us for lunch!” he said.

Standard responses aren’t part of Greg’s act as Santa. He’s thought through questions so he has clever answers primed and ready.

He can justify the query of how Santa visits everyone in one night by saying that he travels north to south, and the Earth turns underneath so in 24 hours, he’s back where he started from. “Not everyone celebrates Christmas, and not everyone celebrates it on the same day,” he added, making it even more plausible. For the child asking for a puppy, kitten, pony, or once even a pig, Greg replied that the sleigh is full and it’s awfully cold up there on the drive, so it’s too dangerous for live animals. When a child asks for a cell phone, Greg pulls out a response he learned from his Santa brothers. “Ya know, last year I gave out several phones and when Mrs. Claus got the phone bill in January, I got in so much trouble! You’ll have to talk to mom and dad about that one!” he told them.

When Greg walks around town, his wife follows him a few steps behind. “She’ll never walk beside me,” he revealed. “She walks behind me to see the reactions of people. That look of joy on people of all ages is our favorite part of me representing Santa Claus.”

The greatest thing is not to believe in Santa Claus; it is to be Santa Claus.”

Pat Boone

“I’ll do this as long as my health allows me to!” Greg said at the idea of retirement. “Santa represents a special image that I work to maintain. It’s the most fun, and it’s a constant part of my life.” When his interview was conducted in mid-September, Greg mentioned he was setting up his Christmas tree.

At the question of “Already?”, Greg responded immediately with the knowledge of a true Santa Claus, “Of course it’s getting set up! Christmas is only 103 days away!”

You’ll find Santa Greg at local holiday events through the: • Coast Guard Air Station • American Legion for their cookie sale and yard sale • Moomers Christmas in July • Senior Centers in Traverse City, Fife Lake, and Kingsley • Teddy Bear Daycare locations • Delamar Hotel Breakfast with Santa • Masonic Lodge in West Bay • Black Star Inn • Traverse City Country Club And much more!

Featured Veteran Supporter: Do you know a Featured Veteran Supporter who you would like to nominate to be featured in an upcoming issue? Or would you be willing to share your story? Email pam@gatherveterans.com

– 13

Featured First Responder

Lieutenant

Veteran to Firefighter

By Amanda Renkiewicz

I think that was Saddam Hussein!

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Lieutenant Matt Adamek was on the side of the highway an hour outside Baghdad in 2003, watching with his platoon as cars were racing to leave the city. “They were coming at us on all sides, the cars stuffed full of possessions, and some even carrying caskets on top,” he recalls. “We were directing traffic, and suddenly a Jaguar was flying towards us. I raised my rifle about to fire and asked for permission.

I told the first sergeant they weren’t going to stop, but he told me to hold my fire. They kept coming, but I was denied again. Right before I was about to pull the trigger, the driver slowed down and sped across a type of median. Everything was in slow motion, and I could see in detail through my sights that there were three men in business attire.

The man in the back was wearing a black suit, and I swear to God it was Saddam Hussein. I told my sergeant what I’d seen.”

“They all look like Saddam Hussein,” he responded.

“I think I could have ended the war right there!” Matt laughs at the memory.

Matt comes from a long line of military members, and their stories paved the way for his service. His grandfathers were both in WWII, and one helped to liberate Dachau. “I’ve always been the kid that would go in the backyard and play army,” he says. “I grew up in Gaylord, was a triple sport athlete, and planned to join up after high school. 9/11 had already happened and was another reason to go. I went to boot camp in the summer of 2002, and when I got out, I was deployed within a month. I had just seven months of being a Marine under my belt before I was sent to a war zone.”

“Going to Iraq changes you,” Matt reflects. “The scariest thing was when the Iraqi military really started falling apart and fleeing. They would mingle back with the civilian population, so you wouldn’t know who to trust or talk to. They would all be

happy to see you, asking for food or water, but you’d return to the same village later and be attacked. We would watch fullgrown adults beating children for food and water, and there was nothing we could do about it. That haunts you forever. You can’t stop it or intervene. You deal with that, and you grow up fast. We just tried to do the right thing for all the people, to help all we could.”

Matt was often traveling between Iraq and Kuwait. “In Iraq, there was no freedom, but you’d go to Kuwait, where it was a border country and so wealthy. To be so close to Iraq but have such a different lifestyle was mind-

blowing. It was Western culture vs. not, developed vs. not. It was a challenge to bridge the gap. I also felt that the way we were doing things in Iraq and Afghanistan was never going to work. We were trying to force our theories and thoughts and our constitutional ways on them, so of course, there was resistance.

It has to develop and grow naturally. The war taught me the views of other people. It got me to investigate other religions and beliefs, finding common threads and links. I started realizing that these people aren’t that different from us.

Though they had less, they still had wants, needs, and dreams.”

Returning home and trying to integrate into college life was impossible after all Matt had seen in the Middle East. “You don’t want to remember those things, but don’t want to forget them either. Not a moment goes by without thinking about it. It really affected me, and it was hard to be in college, with eighteen- and nineteen-yearolds who didn’t have a clue, but they sure had an opinion. I felt discriminated against as a

– 15

Veteran, and it caused me to struggle in college, work, and relationships. I first started having issues with PTSD right when I came back from Iraq,” Matt says. “For me, the VA was not helpful. You get swallowed up and spit back out. I went to get treatment, but it felt like they just wanted to hear your stories but not help. They pushed pills. I had paperwork that needed to be fixed, and it took years of being bounced from agency to agency to get it looked at. I felt abandoned. When I tried to get help for PTSD and life after my service, I felt the VA didn’t want to touch me with a 10-foot pole.”

“Eventually, I gave up on them and began talking to other Vets, the people who could understand my situation,” Matt shares. “It was a much better solution for me. It’s a lifelong effort to fight PTSD, and you’ve just got to accept it’s always going to be part of you. What worked for me was talking to others and focusing on calming myself with physical fitness and outdoor time. Everyone has a different solution.”

A new career helped Matt find a way to give back and serve. He entered the fire service in 2005 and found the rush and thrills that so many adrenaline junkies crave. “With the fire service, I

find it interesting that you’re prepared for the things you see there. You still see bad things, but you can handle it better,” he says. Matt’s now full-time with Grand Traverse Metro and is also an advanced EMT. Matt’s advice for those considering the military is to ensure you’re ready.

“Do something that gives you options when you get out. Ask yourself if this is lifelong or just a few years,” he recommends. “Make sure you have a path after the military because college isn’t necessarily the best option for everyone. It helps to find something to use to your advantage. Before and after you’re involved with the military, learn your rights, learn what you’re allowed to say, figure out your opportunities and benefits, and be prepared. Preparation is key.”

After speaking with so many Veterans, Matt knows that though their experiences are all unique, their stories are the same. “In my generation, the issue with our war is different,” he says. “You feel bad talking to other Vets when their experiences were so challenging. But it’s also inspirational: these guys really did well with their lives after their service. If they could deal with the ghosts of their wars, I know I can do it, too.”

Featured First Responder: Do you know a First Responder who you would like to nominate to be featured in an upcoming issue? Or would you be willing to share your story?

Email pam@gatherveterans.com

16 –

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Veteran Supporter

Growing Up with the Angels

Haase

By Amanda Renkiewicz

Matt Adamek is the 2023 Air Show Director (for the National Cherry Festival).

18 –

Some people should a suggestion of have been born something that “Once you have tasted with wings. they could have flight, you will forever walk the Matt Haase, the done better earth with your eyes turned newly appointed as they seek skyward, for there you have Director for the perfection on been, and there you will Cherry Festival their flights. “I’ll Air Show, is one fix my safeties always long to return.” of them. “He’s and I’m glad to be - Leonardo Da Vinci only happy when here,” is the term his feet aren’t on the that they finish with. ground,” his parents That term “glad to be said with humor. Matt was here” is something Matt is only too ready to confirm their taking as an approach to his life. belief but pointed out that this He works to fix his safeties, and trait was inherited from his dad, he’s glad to be here. a former Coast Guard Executive Officer, and a key part of the same Despite the one-on-one with the Air Show for years.

Angels, Matt knew his path went a different direction than theirs Tom Haase was serving in the (though still airborne). “I was Coast Guard in 1992 when the most interested in the civilian renowned Blue Angels requested side of the air show,” Matt said. an enhanced Air Show. “They “Most kids idolized Michael wanted more added to it and to Jordan, but I idolized Michael not be the only act, and since I Goulian, an aerobatic national was already the guy at the air champion aviator. I was always station, I was asked about it. trying to be him. He’s now a big The next thing I knew, I was the mentor and friend of mine. When director of the new Air Show!” His I was seventeen, I was dual son Matt was soon a tagalong, enrolled with Central High School meeting the pilots, sitting in the and NMC, so I was flying aircrafts cockpits, and befriending the during my lunch break.” famous flyers.

Matt’s wings were grounded “It took me a while to realize other when flying became a scarce people didn’t get to do that,” Matt opportunity during the 2008 reflected about his incredible recession. He traded speed for interactions with the planes scenery, forming the Rainbow and pilots. “I was just a kid!”

Ryders hot air balloon group, The experiences set the stage “I did it for six years and really for Matt to go into aviation and enjoyed it. It’s fun, and a unique see the Blue Angels behind the facet of aviation,” he laughed. scenes. “It was a great chance to “Now it’s just a hobby.” work with these people, and you realize how high functioning and “Even air balloons get pretty high performing they really are. exciting,” Tom said when asked The Blue Angels are on the road about Matt’s experience. “It’s still 270 days a year with this intense aviation, it’s just different! I’ve career, but they’re regular people been with Matt a couple of times and friends of mine.” in his balloon, but mostly I was the crew, acting as the chase A lifelong lesson for Matt came guy to help with the takeoff and directly from the precision flying landing. ‘Anything that flies,’ my team and its members during wife says about Matt, anything their debriefing sessions after that gets him in the air is what flying. The Blue Angels call he’s looking for.” themselves out, evaluating their own performance. The voluntary Matt is currently a corporate self-criticism is known as “taking aviation pilot and dreams of being a safety”, which means they offer a cargo pilot, transporting heavy

– 19

wares in a massive jetliner. His adventures with the Angels have continued in a new way, as Matt begins his volunteer role as the Director for the 2023 Air Show.

While the Air Show will take place in July next year, preparation started long ago. The first form, a DOD DD2535 that requests support for aerial events, was due over two years in advance.

In November, a pre-season visit occurs, where the events coordinator and main points of contact begin going over logistics.

December brings the International Council of Air Shows conference in Las Vegas, which Matt will be attending for a week. “This is when the Thunderbirds, Blue Angels, and jet teams announce their schedules, so you can book all your acts,” said Matt. “The preparation prior is the busiest time for us. We work for months before to go over every detail and piece of the puzzle to make the Air Show a success.”

The 2023 show is excited to welcome the US Air Force Thunderbirds. “We have to appreciate the difference between the Air Force and the Navy,” Matt said, “they’re similar but have different policies and procedures.”

The pilots’ attention and focus must be on their flights, because when they fly, they’re the ones controlling everything. Matt and his team’s work and preparation on the details is imperative to their success. “They need to know everything they need to do their job is right there,” Matt confirmed. “A tiny detail can make the difference between life and death. This is an industry that’s unforgiving of mistakes.”

Kat Paye, the Executive Director of the National Cherry Festival, was a childhood friend of Matt’s. Both Matt and Kat are self-proclaimed “festival kids’’, whose families have been involved in volunteering with the festival for years. They’ve made countless friends from the core group of volunteers and are giving back to the event

20 –

and community by serving in greater roles. “We’re blessed and pleased to have Matt Haase as the Director for the 2023 Air Show,” she said enthusiastically.

“We have a huge committee that comes together to put on this event, with over twenty key players plus municipalities, including the local fire departments and police stations. There are so many working parts to make this Air Show work, and we’re so excited to see what Matt’s going to do and what he’s going to bring to this position. He has a love of not only aviation but the sky itself and has quite a trajectory of everything that is in the air.”

is so complex you have to be so involved in the entirety of it, and it can’t be just anybody as the director,” explained Matt.

“We have a 100-page manual of everything you need to put on the show, and we work with the Jet Team liaison, an Air Force Red Horse Squadron out of Ohio, and dozens more. Our volunteers are the people we trust who can adapt and react to situations that arise.

Everyone deserves credit for this.

There’s a constant process of forms, waivers, temporary flight restrictions, and more on our checklist to hit the target dates to get everyone settled. It’s an incredible amount of work but “I have all the faith in the world very rewarding,” Matt added. “I for Matt’s ability to do this,” Kat view this as a way to give back continued. “It’s going to be a to the community, and I also change of style, it’s going to be think about the way the show fun, different, and cool. It’ll be a impacts others. As a Blue Angel challenge for everyone and will or Thunderbird, you may give a energize them, too. We’re looking simple handshake or wave to a forward to that, because the work child, but that moment stays with ethic and energy Matt provides them forever and can influence is something we all know and their future in a positive way. The appreciate. I have a sense of joy tiniest of interactions can make and pride seeing him lead the the biggest difference. You don’t meetings. All of us have know who will be impacted, come up from the ranks, so you assume everyone from passing out drinks as kids to has the potential to be. running events for Interested in We hope to change the festival itself, people’s lives. The volunteering with the and I can’t wait sky’s the limit.”

Cherry Festival? to see how he Find out more at flourishes in the www.cherryfestival.org position.”

Tom, as a veteran of the Air Show leaders, knows how every single person contributes to the success of the event. “It’s a gigantic team effort where no one or two people could possibly make it happen,” he said. “It speaks well of our community that we have people who are willing to volunteer for this and that there are many people who put in tons of hours yearround.”

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– 21

History

Museum in Harbor Springs, MI

Jackson Blackbird

Supporter of Odawa and Chippewa Culture and the Native American Veteran Researched and Written by Karen Rieser (Photos from Wikimedia Commons) Andrew J. Blackbird, born between 1814 and 1821 (dates vary) in L’Croche, Michigan, today known as Harbor Springs, came into this world as a robust, dark-haired, Odawa son of Chief Makade-lines. At the time of his birth, Native American culture was beginning its swift decline as the power of white men and their government gained momentum.

Andrew, and the others born at this time, were caught in the bubble that floated between cultures, time, and change. For the duration of his life, Andrew struggled to keep his balance within this bubble.

He accomplished this task by being a strong Odawa Chief and a supporter of the United States government, which he came to understand was here to stay. Living in this manner was often a very difficult and painful experience.

Andrew enjoyed his first years as all native children did, being cared for by his extended family and

22 –

educated by the tribe in the ways of the Odawa culture and the skills needed for survival. As Chief Makade-lines lived in the same environment his son was growing up in, he realized that Andrew would need more than his native training to preserve the Odawa culture. As a result, he taught Andrew that a Euro-American education was the path to success and balanced life.

As a young adult, Andrew sought to acquire an education, although to do so, he had to travel along a crooked path. Modification of Andrew’s Odawa culture began when his surname was mistranslated from French to English. Once Andrew Black-Hawk, he was Andrew Blackbird.

In a mission school, he learned the skills of a blacksmith and spent five years working as an assistant blacksmith at Peter Dougherty’s mission house on Old Mission Peninsula.

Still, yearning to begin formal education, Andrew, with the help of a missionary, attended Twinsburg Institute in Ohio for four years, preparing to earn a degree in medicine.

Unfortunately, he left before completing his studies as his father’s health was failing, and the tribe was in a state of chaos. Upon his arrival home, he found the tribe intoxicated and philosophically lost.

Andrew remained with the tribe for the next five years, working as a laborer, teacher, interpreter, and translator. He again was provided an opportunity for schooling and attended the Ypsilanti State Normal School, now known as Eastern Michigan University.

After two years of study and falling into severe poverty (he ate only bread and water for weeks), Andrew could no longer afford to continue and headed home again. Throughout the remainder of his life, Andrew worked desperately to keep a balance in the dancing bubble of history that surrounded him.

Once back home, Andrew married a white woman with whom he had four children. A year after his arrival, he was appointed U.S. Interpreter by the Hon. D. C. Leach. As such, Andrew could ensure that his fellow Odawa tribe members and other Native Americans understood the workings of the U.S. government and the treaties they signed.

He remained loyal to the United States during the Indian Wars and supported the Native Americans that fought with the government against what he referred to as “bad white men who were then living in the Indian country, who tried to mislead my people as to the question of the war and cause them to be disloyal.”

(The History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan, Andrew Blackbird) Many Native

Americans helped put down the Rebellion, some sacrificing their lives. Others were left to deal with the emotional aspects of fighting in a war against people of their own culture.

After the Rebellion, Blackbird was appointed auxiliary prosecutor of Indian soldier claims. As such, he helped Native American Veterans receive their pensions or land claims promised by a government that often ignored this population.

At this time, U.S. veterans had two options for payment.

Veterans could choose either a cash payment through a pension or receive a parcel of land set aside by the U.S. by requesting a Bounty Land Warrant. Bounty Land Warrants served as an incentive to join the military and later as a reward for having served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, or the early Indian Wars. A great deal of land in the State of Michigan was acquired by white and native veterans in this manner.

Securing pensions and land claims for the Native American veteran population, their widows, and orphans was one of the many ways Andrew supported the Odawa people and worked to keep the culture alive. He was an intelligent, modest, and proactive man who had a significant impact on Native American history, yet today, sadly, few know his name or story.

To learn more about Andrew Blackbird, read his published works: History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan; a grammar of their language, and personal and family history of the author: Andrew J. Blackbird, Blackbird’s Song: Andrew J. Blackbird and the Odawa People, or The Indian Problem, From the Indian’s Standpoint: Andrew J. Blackbird.

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Great Outdoors

By Pete Lathrop

Together this year, we enjoyed one of the most unique eco climates in the world.

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By combining all four seasons, Michigan is one of the coldest regions in the United States, with an average daily high temperature of 52 degrees. But most Michigan residents would argue that they only have two seasons: freezing and hot. That assumption was proven this Spring of 2022 when Traverse City saw a record high of 92 degrees on May 10th and, within 10 minutes, dropped to 57 degrees after a northerly lake breeze pushed through, dramatically cooling the area. I remember a summer vacation in Grand Maris in the Upper Peninsula when a south wind pushed temperatures into the mid-eighties. Languishing under a blazing, hot sun while hiking along the shore of Lake Superior prompted me to jump in. About 1.65 seconds later, I was scrambling onto the shore, looking for anything to wrap around me. The water was somewhere in the lower to mid-50s. I have to admit that it’s easy to complain, but science brings me back to reality. July is the hottest month for Michigan, with an average high temperature of 81.2°, which ranks it as cooler than most states. In Ph Michigan, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Michigan are June, August, and July.

The gigantic thermostat surrounding the “mitten state” is about 5,472 cubic miles of fresh water. That’s about 6 quadrillion U.S. gallons.

Now, if you remember when your eighth-grade science teacher taught about water evaporation, you’d quickly recall the study of various cloud formations that develop. When the conditions are right, clouds can be more

24 –

Michigan’s latitudinal position in the US is in line with Portland, Oregon, about 2400 miles due west, and Bangor, Maine, just over 1100 miles to the east.

Michiganders celebrate the 45th parallel, specifically in the Traverse City region, where the virtual line circumventing the globe passes across the tip of the Old Mission Peninsula in Grand Traverse County. Numerous shops and restaurants incorporate the number 45 in their logos and signage. The parallel (or near it) is a beautiful place to be during the summer. Providing that the

P

than just a drab ceiling; they can sometimes produce a state-sized bread proofer. The Great Lake state’s summers are sought-after by scores of people from across the country, and on average, there are 170 sunny days in Michigan, while the US average is 205 sunny days a year.

n Russell Joh y sb to o h

the 45th parallel, and Northern Michigan is one of them.

Life-long residents of Michigan can sometimes fall into ecoapathy when it comes to our Great Lake State. Surrounded by vast freshwater oceans, world-class beaches, sand dunes, and millions of acres of pristine forest, I’m sure visitors who stand in awe of the unique beauty that Michigan offers often wonder why anyone who lives here could complain.

clouds don’t interfere, sunlight can shine for nearly 16 hours of the day. This is about half of that time during the winter. The residents along this latitude line, whether in Mongolia or Oregon, receive the same amount of sun daily. Adding to the reality of this consistency is that there are so many places to experience

References www.worlddata.info/america/usa/climatemichigan.php Wikipedia weather.gov/gaylord trippy.com www.bestplaces.net/climate/state/michigan https://northernnailpolish.com/blog/45thparallel

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Behind the Lens

Honor my

Flight Office

By Photojournalist, John Russell

On Tuesday, June 7, 2022, the 13th Mid-Michigan Honor Flight flew 77 veterans to Washington, D.C., to honor the men and women who have sacrificed to keep us free.

Including 12 WWII Veterans, we also honored Korean and Vietnamera Veterans.

The day was excellent.

Each Veteran had a Guardian to be with them during the entire trip.

After a very early breakfast, the police escorted everyone to Gerald Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, where a chartered flight awaited our arrival.

We arrived in Washington D.C. and loaded onto four chartered buses to visit Arlington National Cemetery, WWII, Vietnam, and Korean memorials. We visited the Air Force Memorial before flying home.

26 –

“These flights are the most honorable events I’ve ever been involved with as a photographer.”

Photos by John Russell

– 27

Community Heroes

Toys for Tots celebrating

By Amanda Renkiewicz Photos Courtesy of toysfortots.org In 1947, Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendrick’s wife Diane asked him to deliver several handcrafted dolls to a charity supporting needy children. When Bill later reported to his wife that he couldn’t find such an organization, she instructed him to start one! After distributing 5,000 toys just that year, the program Toys for Tots was born. Bill Hendrick’s civilian job was The Director of Public Relations at Warner Brothers Studios, he was friends with many celebrities he asked to help support the newly created program. As a personal friend and a favor to Bill, Walt Disney designed the first Toys for Tots poster, which included a miniature three-car train that was subsequently adopted as the Toys for Tots logo.

28 –

Now celebrating its 75th anniversary, the non-profit has given over 627 million toys to 281 million children. On average, the Marine Toys for Tots program distributes 18 million toys to 7 million children annually, delivering hope in a season of selflessness.

For over seven decades, the program has evolved and grown exponentially.

They provide year- round support to families experiencing challenges and exceptional circumstances.

The significant milestone that the 75th-anniversary presents provide opportunities to highlight the Marine Corps Reserve and the Toys for Tots Program on a National level, with opportunities to share their rich history, heritage, and tremendous community support.

• Promote and thank community leaders, Corporate Sponsors, organizations, and volunteers • And most importantly, support children and families in needThe Toys for Tots program recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary efforts of the Reserve Marines and countless volunteers who have selflessly supported over 281 million children in need.

Toys for Tots says, “We ask you, our faithful supporters, to be in our ranks as communities across the Nation come together in support of a common cause of helping children in need through the Marine Toys for Tots Program.

We are 75 years strong!”

This year’s events aim to energize the public and increase support to: • Highlight the extraordinary Reserve Marines, past and present • Showcase the impact that the Toys for Tots Program offers communities Nationwide

Get involved and make a difference this yuletide season by connecting with your local Marine Toys for Tots Campaign to donate, volunteer and help give the joy of Christmas to lessfortunate children.

– 29

In the Kitchen

By Kirsten Kubert (Mother of an Active-Duty Military Son) comfortablydomestic.com

30 –

Instructions

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cut Out Cookies are made from perfectly spiced shortbread dough that holds shape in the oven! You won’t find an easier, more flawless recipe!

● ● ● ● ● ●

1 ½ C. unsalted butter (3 sticks) 1 C. granulated sugar 1/4 C. light molasses 2 tsp. vanilla extract 3 ½ C. all-purpose flour ½ tsp. baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

several half-sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper; set them aside.

Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and combine it on medium-low speed, until it looks creamy, and has lightened a bit in color.

Stir in the vanilla extract and molasses until blended.

In a medium bowl, measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom. Whisk the dry ingredients to combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 2-3 batches, stirring well in between until the dough starts to come together in a soft mass.

Lay a large piece of plastic wrap onto a clean, flat surface. Dump the dough onto the plastic wrap.

Form the dough into a ball, and then press it into a rectangle about ½-inch thick. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap, and pop it into the fridge for 20 minutes.

Unwrap the chilled dough, and roll it out evenly on a lightly floured surface until it’s about ¼-inch thick.

Cut desired shapes and place them 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Piece the scraps back together and roll them out again to

● ● ● ● ● ●

¼ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground ginger 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 1/8 tsp. cardamom

cut more shapes. Repeat until all of the dough is used.

7. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned. Larger cookies will take more time to bake than smaller cookies, so watch during baking and adjust the time as necessary. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

8. Once cooled, cookies may be dusted with powdered sugar or decorated with favorite icing.

NOTE Recipe makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookie cutters used.

Dial 988 then Press 1 chat online, or text 838255.

– 31

Featured Veteran

100 Years of Wonder

By Amanda Renkiewicz

The term “an honest mistake” took new meaning during WWII, when Squadron Leader and Bombardier Clyde Packer Junior had trouble dropping his bombs on the enemy target below. His team was waiting on him as he tried to release the bombs, and they fell over the wrong spot.

32 –

The bombs exploded on neutral territory: a building with British flags painted on the roof.

America’s allies.

Clyde landed in terror, expecting to be court martialed.

Instead, he was given a Bronze Star.

The investigation revealed to Clyde’s infinite relief (and luck) that the Germans had painted those British flags to hide their own presence--and a massive number of stockpiled weapons.

The phenomenal story he shared was his favorite memory of his service.

“It was wonderful,” Clyde, now 100 years old, says dreamily as he looks back on his time in the military.

He joined the Air Force at the tender age of 19 on January 12, 1942, just weeks after the massacre at Pearl Harbor. He had always wanted to serve as a pilot, but after failing the eye test, decided to become a Bombardier for B24 planes (humorously referred to as a “flying boxcar”), a muchneeded role.

When asked what countries he had served in, Clyde quipped wryly, “Just about all of them!”

He especially loved his time in the Philippines, where he would help target enemy boats in the Pacific Ocean. Air Force members operated on a point system, earning 1 point for every 5-hour mission completed. To be released back home, an individual would need

100 points. Clyde ended a six-year service with 130 points. “We did a lot of good,” he says. “My only regret was the friends I lost during the war.”

Clyde had worked his way up in the Air Force and came out as a Captain.

He then took part in the Reserves, moving up to a Lieutenant Colonel after nine years. “What rank were you when you retired?” I asked. “I never retired!” he responded with some indignation.

His son Steven, a helping hand during our interview, laughed and said, “Dad, maybe you’re a four-star General now!”

Born in Rapid City, Michigan, Clyde returned to his home state, participating in the Reserves in Saginaw before moving to Traverse City. Steven remembered asking his dad why he had married his mother, a woman nine years younger, and Clyde cheekily answered, “She was the only one left!”, earning a sock in the arm from the woman in question. They went on to have six children, and after his wife’s death, Clyde married his best friend’s widow, Phyllis.

They’ve been married for fourteen years and between them have six children each. Clyde has nineteen grandchildren and twenty-four great grandchildren. Among them, two great grandchildren are in the National Guard, and a grandson is in the Air Force (and apparently looks wildly like Clyde himself).

– 33

“I couldn’t ask for a better father,” Steven says proudly. “My dad raised us to be hard workers and be respectful. He wasn’t a Christian during the war, but after we were born, they started attending a Methodist Episcopal church with us. Eventually my parents were saved in that church, and that changed everything.”

Clyde attended all the Veteran reunions he could, with many of the men and women under his command getting together annually and making pins to save as a reminder of each time. He has outlived all his squadron. With Steven as his Guardian, Clyde also went on an Honor Flight eight years ago, seeing the WWII and Air Force Memorials for the first time. When asked how the Memorials made him feel, Clyde captured a thousand feelings in his signature word: “Wonderful.”

A toast to centenarian Veteran Clyde Packer: a Wonder, indeed!

34 –

Zaneta Adams, Director Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency

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Because veterans give selflessly, we work to connect them to the benefits they’ve earned.

The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency helps identify and break down barriers. We offer helping hands and links to helpful services. And with our full-spectrum approach, veterans and their families lean on us to: • • • • •

Improve health Advance education Find jobs Get help with home purchases Receive VA disability compensation

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