Volume 1, Issue 27 DECEMBER 1, 2023
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‘The library is so beautiful right now’ 28th annual Celebration of the Trees lights up SADL
By Sharon Hallack
The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
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If you hurry, there’s still time to take in the Shelby Area District Library’s (SADL) annual Celebration of Trees. The 28th annual event will conclude tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 2 at noon at the library. With over 60 creatively designed Christmas trees, wreaths, table centerpieces and a toy train with lights and sound, as well as outdoor accents, gift baskets and a “buy it now” table, there is no shortage of unique Christmas decor and gift items. “The library is so beautiful right now,” President of the Friends of SADL Cindy McKinnon said. “The community has really come through. We’ve run out of room.” The Friends of the SADL invite the community to stop in by tomorrow or visit the SADL Facebook page before noon to see everything that’s available and place bids before it’s too late! Over 40 holiday displays have been set up by a group of Friends of SADL “elves,” McKinnon said. The ladies collect holiday decorations and donations all year long, designing and repurpos-
Instructors Kirstie DeVries and Tim Hertzler, back left, stand with students from the Hart High School Student Leadership Class. • Stacia Erickson/Echo
Baked Goods Bingo to benefit area families By Stacia Erickson
ing many of the items into something totally new and different. Added to these displays are another 25 business, individual and group displays. “You’re not going to find these items in any store,” McKinnon said. Individuals may place silent auction bids in person or by calling the library at 231-861-4565 to place bids by phone. “We will bid for people (not in attendance) up until the last minute if they want us to,” McKinnon said. Proceeds from the holiday fundraiser assist with the purchase of new books and materials for programs like storytelling, princess and pirate parties, upgrades to the library and arts and crafts activities. According to McKinnon, the Celebration of Trees is the Friends of SADL’s largest fundraiser of the year, bringing in anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000 in recent years. “Funds raised help fill the gaps in the library’s budget,” she said.
The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
Two years ago, another opportunity for giving was added to the annual event. For each donation of $10 or more, an ornament with the donor’s name (or anonymous) is added to the library’s Christmas tree and the donor’s name goes into a drawing to win a basket filled with local merchandise certificates from businesses across the entire county and holiday goodies valued at more than $450. Winners of the silent auction will be announced, and the drawing for the “Friends Holiday Basket” will take place tomorrow at noon.
• Brendan Samuels/Echo and Contributed
The Hart High School Student Leadership Class is calling all area residents who love food and Bingo. They have a fun holiday treat in store! According to the teacher of record, Kirstie DeVries, and her class co-coordinator, Athletic Director Tim Hertzler, “the kids came up with this idea themselves!” That idea? A Holiday Baked Goods Bingo Night! It’s an idea that DeVries confessed to partially “stealing” from Drummond Island, where she has spent many a happy summer vacation and where she first encountered the baked goods bingo idea. This is Kirstie and Tim’s second year “co-teaching” the leadership class, and both feel it is part of their calling. Hertzler said that after Covid, he knew the class needed to have things done differently. Kids needed to almost relearn what it means to participate, interact, and think beyond themselves. He now sees other students observing what’s being done and wanting to become part of the whole process. That’s a win for everyone! DeVries grew up watching her mother, Kim Smith, a now-retired Hesperia teacher, regularly use project-based learning. She credits her love of such a teacher-inspired learning style to her mom. DeVries considers this class to be totally “project-based.” She particularly enjoys watching the students “love being part of the process!” DeVries herself finds that she also enjoys event planning, brainstorming, and the organizing part of the class. She added that the biggest struggle sometimes is the management of the enthusiastic participants. Both leaders, DeVries and Hertzler, see the class as an opportunity to pay it forward in the Oceana County community and beyond. Their vision includes the hope that the students of today will continue to grow in their love of community and service, and that love will have far-reaching benefits as those students become community members, parents and caring individuals who, in turn, will “pay it forward.” Other current class projects include “Go Bags” for local women’s shelters, goods and services for the Oceana Animal Shelter, adopting families for Christmas and the recent “coin drive” with cash collected competition from their peers (approximately $1,100) slated to fund future projects for the class. Holiday Baked Goods Bingo Night is happening next week, Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 5-7 p.m. This fun holiday event is generously hosted by the Oceana County Council on Aging, located at 4250 W. Tyler Rd. in Hart, and promises to be full of fun and good eating. This time, the game thought to have originally begun in the 16th century will mean everyone wins: today, the students, the community and all the collective future. Bingo players will not be charged admission but must purchase their Bingo cards with non-perishable food items (one per card). All items collected will be distributed to area Oceana County families and pets in need over the holiday season. Suggested items include breakfast and lunch foods (remember, no school means no breakfast or lunch for some kids in need) and items such as macaroni and cheese, soup, peanut butter and jelly, canned fruit, vegetables and meats, boxed dinners, etc. Dried Pedigree brand dog food and treats will also be accepted, as the Oceana County Animal Shelter will benefit from any donated pet items. Prizes for each game will include a variety of donated homemade baked goods. Additional baked goods will also be for sale during the event. Anyone interested in helping but is unable to play Bingo that particular evening can still donate non-perishable food and/or baked goods. They are asked to bring donations on Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the Hart High School office located at 300 W. Johnson St. in Hart. Please use the west parking lot entrance.
2 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO
Hart Lighted Christmas Parade
• Brendan Samuels/Echo
Advent Market
Hesperia’s Light Up the Park
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THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 1, 2023 3
Pentwater Artisan Learning Center members Juanita Pierman, Beth Russell and Jim Attridge, at left, build and paint snowmen as part of mentor Sue Hopp’s recent class. Jodee Melse and Jan Gooding put the final touches on their snowmen, above. Sue Bainton, Hopp and PALC Co-Founder Barb Davidson display their finished projects. • Contributed Photos
Humming ‘we can build a snowman ...’ at the PALC “In the meadow, we can build a snowman, and we’ll pretend that he is Parson Brown” is a favorite lyric from the holiday song “Winter Wonderland.” Did this popular tune inspire Sue Hopp to recently conduct a wooden snowman-making class at the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center for 15 PALC members to each build and decorate one of their own? “Not really. I recently saw at a friend’s house a wooden snowman that she bought, and I wondered if members could make them here,” Hopp explained. “So I took my friend’s snowman to Barry Freed in the Artisan Center’s woodworking area. He started doing mockups and helped me finalize the design. Once we got it just right, Barry cut out the 21 wood pieces needed to form a snowman. And then he made 15 snowman kits that the students could use to build their own snowman here at the center.” That’s certainly a lot easier than building a snowman out in the freezing cold. PALC member-students were also given a packet of nails, glue, paint,
brushes, fabric, buttons, charcoal and greens that they used, along with their own decorations, to personalize their snowman. “This is what Gene lived for,” added PALC co-founder Barb Davidson about her late husband’s motivation. “Gene wanted to start a place where everyone could get together and use their smarts to help mentor everyone.” The nonprofit Artisan Center has so far raised a bit more than half of the $250,000 it needs to repair, replace and add new equipment. For more information, call 231-869-5323. Tax-deductible contributions can be conveniently charged to a credit card by logging onto oceanafoundation.org/give/ our-funds. In the “Search Funds” box, enter “Equipping the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center for the Next 20 Years Fund.” Click on “Give Now,” and then scroll down to where the words “Equipping ...” are shown in a grey background. Click on those words, and the background shading will turn blue. Then, follow the prompts to charge a contribution.
Oceana Community Foundation introduces Cecelia Hopkins to its team The Oceana Community Foundation is thrilled to announce the addition of Cecelia Hopkins to its staff as its newest AmeriCorps member. Cecelia supports both the foundation and Oceana County College Access Network (OCAN!) as the joint outreach coordinator. “We are incredibly excited to have Cecelia join our team! She is an avid learner and is excited to explore community building on the other side of the state,” Community Foundation CEO Tammy Carey stated. “As she continues to establish relationships in Oceana County, we hope you stop by and welcome Cecelia to West Michigan!” In her foundation role, her work focuses on growing communications across all channels, advancing the foundation’s volunteer management, updating the foundation’s database and planning community outreach programs and events. Cecelia’s work for OCAN! centers on building student capacity for post-secondary education, including designing and implementing a high
school “college student ambassador” program alongside college and career advisors and counselors. She will work with students and parents at community events, and at student workshops to gather and provide student and parent voice in the planning and decision-making process. Cecelia is a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University, having earned her bachelor’s degree in political
science and creative writing. She is currently working on her Master of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. Cecelia has served as a community organizer in her hometown of Saginaw, having worked with the Ezekiel Project. The Ezekiel Project works to advance social change in Saginaw County through a localized, interfaith and interracial lens to connect individuals from a variety of backgrounds
together. She also serves as a grant committee member for the Saginaw Community Foundation, where she was also a member of their Youth Advisory Council during high school. CEDAM’s AmeriCorps program connects local and statewide agencies to meet neighbors’ critical needs. Members create community, build capacity and serve neighbors across Michigan. Past foundation
AmeriCorps members include Olivia Mussell, Heather Douglas, Tyler Kempf, Danielle Siegel and Hannah Juhl. For more information about making a gift, now or through an estate plan, creating a named fund at the foundation, or to learn more about foundation programs and how to connect your philanthropic goals Cecelia Hopkins to community impact, call Carey at 231-869- tion’s website at www. 3377 or visit the founda- oceanafoundation.org.
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4 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO This page is brought to you by:
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Oceana County Schools: Weare By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist This week we take a look at Weare Township as we continue to cover the history of schooling in Oceana County. Last week, we discussed the three-school district in Pentwater, one of which had no schools on record. It turns out that even though Pentwater is one of the oldest settlements in Oceana, it had the smallest number of schools out of all the townships. Weare comes in with a whopping seven school districts, a number that is pretty typical when compared with the other townships. Only one of those districts will have no schools on record. There is also one district that had no fewer than four schools. The schools we will be discussing today are Fricker, Smith’s Corner, Buck’s Corners, Cramer, Cargill, Bender, St. Joseph’s Weare, Lakeshore Public Academy and Weare-Crystal. We first begin with the Fricker School, also known as the Star Valley School House. This schoolhouse was first built in 1893, on the corner of Hogan Road and 66th Ave. Throughout the course of this school’s life, it remained a very modestly sized country school. The documents provided by Mort Wiegand show a few graduating classes from various years. The number of students in these classes varies from 15 to 25. The wooden structure still stands today, and it still has the “Star Valley School House’’ sign above the front door, despite now being a privately owned building. A 1905 article written about the Smith’s Corner School House says that it is “a structure that the school district can feel proud of without being immodest.” This brick veneered building was constructed in 1888 on the corner of Monroe Road and Oceana Drive. In the same 1905 news article, it is mentioned that there were 53 students in enrollment at that time, and it was also boasted that the building was “lighted by large windows and heated by a furnace.” Unfortunately, though, this school would burn down in 1942. The fire took place after classes were dismissed, so no students or teachers were harmed. The cause of the fire was thought to be a faulty flue. Following the fire, the Cramer school building, which we shall talk about soon enough, was moved to Monroe Road and served as the new Smith’s Corner School House.
According to the notes left by Wiegand, the Buck’s Corners school was well loved and remembered by many of the pupils who passed through its doors. This school was first established in 1868, and was later sold, renovated and moved onto a private residence, where it now serves as a part of someone’s home. A 1966 article had this to say: “The Buck’s Corners school, landmark seat of learning for several generations of children growing up in southern Riverton and northern Weare townships, has been sold for $803 to the highest bidder by the Pentwater Township Board of Education.” The previously mentioned Cramer School was a very modest establishment originally located on Jefferson Road. The earliest piece of information Wiegand gathered mentions that Miss Margaret Jacobs had accepted the position as teacher and dates from 1905. There are several notes written by Wiegand, taken from the memories of former students. Such memories involved heating soup on the old kerosene stove and gathering around it while the teacher read to them in stormy weather. It seems the school struggled to maintain students and funding as many students were choosing to go to Smith’s Corner instead. The Cramer School shut down in the 1938–1939 school year and was moved to Monroe Road in 1945, following the burning of Smith’s Corner. The Cargill school found its start in 1875 after townsfolk held a meeting to plan for a school. They selected a spot, cleared the land, and built a log cabin “on the hill ½ mile east of 88th Ave.” But the students wouldn’t be in a log cabin for too long, as a new school would be erected in 1888. “Without a doubt, the Cargill school house, district No. 6, Weare Township, is one of the best rural school buildings in the county. The building…is a white veneer structure on a foundation of dressed fieldstone. There are windows with green blinds on all four sides, and a tower rises above the roof.” This school would eventually be moved to the corner of West Jackson Road and North 104th Avenue, where it serves as a tool shed. All of the aforementioned schools were located within their own districts, but now we are coming to the seventh and final school district in Weare Township, which has seen a total of four different schools. Up first is the Bender School, which began in 1906 when one Helen Richmond sold
2 acres of land to the school district. This school was located on West Adams Road and North 104th Ave. We don’t have much other information on it. Probably the longest-running school in District No. 7 was St. Joseph’s, a Catholic school erected on Jackson Road by Father Emmerich in 1904. “The school consisted of three large classrooms, a large hall, and eight rooms in the convent area.” It was a two-story white brick building. Enrollment was declining by the 1940s, and by 1965, the building was condemned by the fire marshal. “For a couple of years, only four grades were taught by two Sisters and classes were held in the parish hall.” It closed its doors for good in 1968 and was demolished in 1983. It’s a shame such a beautiful school building couldn’t be saved like some of the others in the township. Up next is the Lakeshore Public Academy, located south of Monroe on North 72nd Avenue. This school had a very short 10-year run, opening up in 1996 and closing up after the school year ended in 2007. And finally, that brings us to the final school, Weare-Crystal. This school was located just east of St. Joseph’s and opened in 1963. “It replaces the Smith’s Corners, Cargill, Cleveland and Crystal schools,” an article written at the time of its opening says, “and has a heating plant of sufficient capacity to handle two additional rooms when and if these are needed and added.” It seems the additional rooms would not be needed. The school closed its doors not two years later, in 1980.
The Oceana Echo © is published weekly at P.O. Box 194, Mears, MI 49436 • All rights reserved.
theoceanaecho@gmail.com • December 1, 2023 • Volume 1 • Issue 27 Office hours: Mondays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.
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THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 1, 2023 5
Community Foundation partners award $9,520 in Teacher Mini Grants The Oceana Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) awarded over $9,500 to local teachers in partnership with other donor-advised funds at the Oceana Community Foundation. Together, they provided 39 different grants to educators across the county. Grant awards can be up to $250 for specific projects or programs supporting curriculum enhancements, expanding an already existing unit, student awards, special events, professional development, artists in residence and parent involvement programs. This special grant opportunity opens in August each year to help teachers plan for the upcoming school year. The Community Foundation’s Teacher Mini Grant program is an extension of its youth committee outreach, which utilizes philanthropy and leadership to address local youth needs. Each year, YAC facilitates the Mini Grant program and awards around $2,000 out of the Oceana Foundation’s Youth Fund. The Youth Fund was established in 1989 with the help of the Kellogg Foundation Challenge Grant Program to encourage student civic involvement and empowerment. “Each year, we are thrilled to facilitate Oceana County’s Teacher Mini Grant program. For our YAC members, it is an opportunity for them to shape and support their schools and uplift their fellow students through new, exciting programs,” YAC Advisor Maggie Payne shares. “For our staff and fund partners, it is a chance to say we see you and support you to our area’s educators.” The full list of the 39 classroom grants can be viewed at the foundation’s website at oceanafoundation.org/grants/teacher-mini-grants. Some of this year’s Mini Grants include: • Hart’s Spitler Elementary School ($212): audio materials for a listening center. • Hesperia’s Patricia St. Clair Elementary ($150): an educational music subscription • New Era Christian School ($250): a new projector for multi-sensory art lessons. • Oceana Christian Schools ($250): materials for a camping-themed math program. • Pentwater Public Schools ($500): a new 3D printer for its coding classroom. • Shelby Elementary School ($500): a new language-based, multisensory reading course • Walkerville Public Schools ($250): Math Stackers materials to visualize math problems.
194 N. Division Ave., Hesperia
Supporting area teachers and their great lesson plans has captured the eager support of foundation fund partners, who have helped grow this program substantially in recent years. Those partners include the Mrs. Mullen’s Closet Fund, Wilson Family Little Point Sable Fund, Wayne Elhart Be Nice Memorial Fund, Ralph’s Kids Fund, Little Point Sable - Arts for Oceana County Fund, Oceana Can! Operating Fund, Gary & Mary Ann Peterson “Grandpa and Grandma Pete” Memorial Fund and the Zack Snider Agricultural Memorial Fund. For more information about making a gift, now or through an estate plan, creating a named fund at the foundation, or to learn more about making a difference in our community, call Tammy Carey at 231-869-3377 or visit the foundation’s website at www.oceanafoundation.org.
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6 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO
Ongoing Hart VFW Post 1329 Burger/Chicken/Brat/Ribs Night, first and third Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., dine-in or carry out. The Ladder Community Center: Tuesdays: Pit Stops for Men 12 & Up, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays: Recovery Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Fridays: Open Jam Session, 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus Bingo, 6 p.m. St. Gregory Parish Center, 214 S. Peach Ave. in Hart Second, third and fourth Fridays Doors open at 4 p.m.
Annual concert at St. Joseph’s this coming Tuesday Enjoy the sounds of the season and help area charities this Christmas! The West Shore Community Choir and the Ludington United Methodist Church Bell Choir will be presenting their annual Advent and Christmas concert at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Weare, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. No tickets are required, but a freewill offering will be taken with all proceeds to be divided between Love INC and The Bread of Life Food Pantry. New this year, the concert will be professionally recorded and DVDs will be available for purchase for $15 each. Pre-paid orders using cash or check will be taken at the concert Dec. 5. Those wishing to use a credit card should place their order online at www.StJosephWeare.org . The DVDs will be available for pickup before Christmas. All DVD sale proceeds will also be divided between Love INC and the Bread of Life Food Pantry.
Polar Express Canned Food Drive at Spitler Spitler Elementary School will have its 11th Annual Polar Express Canned Food Drive, Monday, Nov. 27 through Friday, Dec. 15. All donations will be given to the Bread of Life Food Pantry. Students are encouraged to bring in non-perishable canned fruits and vegetables, boxed dinners, canned meals, meats and soups. In the past 10 years the school has collected over 10,800 food items for this worthy cause! Every student who participates will receive a ticket to see a special holiday movie, yet to be announced. “Helping families in need is a wonderful way to support our local community. For our Lil’ Pirates, giving back is a great lesson in life,” Spitler Title I Teacher and Literacy Coach Michelle Hansen said.
2023 November
Through Dec. 2 - Celebration of the Trees, SADL Through Dec. 15 - Spitler Polar Express Canned Food Drive Dec. 2, 9 & 16 - Pentwater Christmas in the Village Dec. 2 - Band Craft Fair, Pentwater School, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m Dec. 2 - Tiger Bazaar, Shelby High School, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m Dec. 2 - Santa at the Hesperia Community Library, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 2 - Sweet Stroll, downtown Pentwater, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 3 - “Why We Need Christmas,” December series, New Era Bible Church, Sunday mornings, 9:30 a.m. Dec. 3 - K of C Parish Party, St. Gregory’s, Hart, 1 p.m. Dec. 3 - Christmas Carol Sing, Hart Wesleyan Church, 6 p.m. Dec. 3 - Christmas by Candelight, Centenary UMC, Pentwater, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 - All Pro Dads, Pentwater Public School, 7:20 a.m. Dec. 5 - Walkerville Elementary Christmas Tree Silent Auction, 5:30-6 p.m.; Christmas Program and Art Show, 6 p.m. Dec. 5 - Tech Hour, 1:30-2:30 p.m., and Jewelry/Craft Night, 6-7 p.m., Hesperia Community Library Dec. 5 - Advent Concert featuring the WSCC Choir and the UMC Handbell Choir, St. Joseph’s, Weare 7 p.m. Dec. 6 - All Pro Dads, Thomas Read Elementary School, 7:15 a.m. Dec. 7, All Pro Dads, Spitler Elementary School,7:45 a.m. Dec. 7 - Versiti Blood Drive, West Michigan Research Station, 5185 N. Oceana Dr. in Hart, 2-6:30 p.m.
Entries due soon for Hart’s decorating contest
Dec. 7 - Family Fun Night, Hesperia Community Library, 6-7 p.m.
Homeowners and businesses are invited to enter the City of Hart’s annual Holiday Decorating Contest. Entries are due December 8. A self-guided tour and public voting will take place December 12-18. Winners in each of these three categories, Best Home, Best Business and People’s Choice, will receive a $50 gift card! Participants are asked to send a photo and their address to events@cityofhart.org or fill out the registration form on www.takemetohart.org. All registered participants will receive a yard sign and be listed on the self-guided tour.
Dec. 8 - All Pro Dads, Walkerville Public School, 8 a.m.
Centenary UMC to host two musical events this month Centenary United Methodist Church and friends are celebrating the Advent season with two special activities planned to prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth. Christmas by Candlelight: welcome the Advent Season during a beautiful candlelight service and a variety of music featuring local musicians. Dec. 3 at 7 p.m., Centenary United Methodist Church Sanctuary, 82 S. Hancock St. in Pentwater. Community Christmas Caroling: lift your spirits while singing your favorite Christmas carols with live musicians on the Village Green in downtown Pentwater. Dec. 17, at 4 p.m. Bring your friends and family to be a part of this community-wide event.
Many dates left to register for Oceana Toys for Tots Anyone in Oceana County interested in receiving a little help with gifts this holiday season are welcome to register with Toys for Tots. Those interested will need to register at one of three locations. Family Dollar in Walkerville will host a registration on Monday, Dec. 4 and Monday, Dec. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family Dollar in Hesperia will have registration on Tuesday Dec. 5 and Tuesday Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Dollar General in Rothbury will have registration on Wednesday, Dec. 6 and Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is quick and easy and can be done from the warmth of your car when you arrive at one of the three locations. After registering, dates and times will be given to come back and pick up gifts. Please list interests for each child so their requests can be filled. Distribution will be by appointment only at Pentwater VFW (8440 N. US-31). Donation checks to buy toys for ages 0-16 years of age can be made out to: Toys For Tots c/o Jim Carlson 4093 N. Oceana Dr. Hart, MI 49420
Dec. 8 - Storytime, Hesperia Community Library, 10-11 a.m. Dec. 8 - Allendale Jazz Orchestra, Pentwater Park Place, sponsored by the Pentwater Township Library. Visit Santa and enjoy the sounds of the season, 6 p.m. Dec. 9 - TLC Annual Cookie Walk, New Era, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Walkerville to host auction, program and art show Walkerville Schools invites the community to attend its annual elementary school program, art show and Christmas tree auction Tuesday, December 5. From 5:30-6 p.m. the community is invited to attend a silent auction and bid on pre-decorated trees decorated by each elementary classroom. Following the Silent Auction, the elementary school will present its annual Christmas program and K-12 art show starting at 6 p.m. in the gymnasium. All are welcome!
Versiti Blood Drive will take place Dec. 7 Give the gift of life this Christmas! Another Versiti Blood Drive opportunity will take place next week Thursday, Dec. 7 from 2-6:30 p.m. at the West Michigan Research Station, 5185 N. Oceana Dr. in Hart. Donating blood takes about an hour and has the potential to save up to three lives. Anyone age 16 (with parent consent) or older and in good health, who meets the eligibility requirements is able to donate. Donors should eat a good meal and be hydrated before donating. They are reminded to bring a photo ID that includes their birth date. To schedule an appointment please call Versiti’s local coordinator, Kathy Roskam at 231-8616353 or visit versiti.org. Walk-in donors are also welcome.
TLC ‘Cookie Walk’ planned for December 9 Trinity Lutheran Church’s Annual Cookie Walk will take place Saturday, Dec. 9 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. A wide assortment of cookies and treats will be available for eating or sharing during the holidays. For those wishing to hand-select their own cookies the cost will be $8 a pound. Those wishing to pre-order gift boxes, for $12 each, should do so by Thursday, Dec. 7. The form for preorders can be downloaded at tlcnewera.org/cookie-walk/ or at Trinity Lutheran Church’s Facebook page. Those interested can also call the church at 231-861-4059 in the mornings for more information or to place a preorder.
THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 1, 2023 7
Easy Christmas crafts to try this holiday season By Sharon Hallack
Now that Thanksgiving is over and the snow is starting to fall, it is beginning to feel more like Christmas. Here are a couple of Christmas crafts I plan to make with my grandchildren this season. Both call for items most people already have on hand or are easily found in Oceana County, with the possible exception of glycerin. With a little preparation and an extra dose of patience, you can enjoy creating something fun and making memories as well!
spoons of glycerin and 2 teaspoons of glitter for a small jar is suggested. You may want to experiment with your first snow globe to see what ratio of water to glycerin to glitter you prefer. Too much glitter will make it hard to see what’s in your snow globe, and too little glycerin will allow the glitter to just drop when the jar is shaken. Don’t fill your jar with too much water. The figurines used will displace some water, and you will want a small air pocket to allow for the shaking. Place the jar lid on the jar and secure it tightly. Glue the jar lid in place and embellish as desired with ribbon, etc.
Do-it-yourself Snow Globe
Gingerbread Playdough
The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
(adapted from sugarspiceandglitter.com)
(from bethannaverill.com)
Ingredients: Materials needed: 1 cup flour • Small plastic figurines (check resale or dollar 1/4 cup salt stores) 2 tablespoons cream of tartar • Distilled water 1 cup water • Glycerin (can be found at a pharmacy or online) 2 tablespoon oil (vegetable or whatever you have • A glass jar with a tight-fitting screw-on lid on hand) • Glue sticks 2 teaspoon cinnamon • A hot glue gun 2 teaspoon ginger • Glitter (any color) 1 teaspoon nutmeg • Embellishments for outside of the globe 1/2 teaspoon cloves (a little goes a LONG way) Splash of vanilla extract Assembly instructions/tips: Clean the jar and figurines before starting this Instructions: craft. Mix together all of your dry ingredients (flour, If using ornaments, remove the string. salt, cream of tartar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and If your figurine needs a “boost” to be seen when cloves) in your mixing bowl. the jar is closed, glue a bottle cap to the inside of the Add one cup of water to a separate microjar lid first before attaching the figurine to the lid. wave-safe bowl and microwave until it’s boiling. Securely glue the figurines to the inside of the Add oil and vanilla extract to your water and mix jar lid (or to the bottle cap, if using) and let dry comaround, then add the water slowly to your dry ingrepletely. dients bowl, mixing continually. Don’t worry about Add distilled water to the jar and stir in the glycany clumps in this step; you’ll be able to fix them in erin and glitter. The ratio of 3/4 cup of water, 3 tea-
the next step. When all the water has been added, remove it from the bowl onto the counter and knead until all of the ingredients are well mixed and it’s cool enough for small hands. When done playing, put all of the dough into an airtight container to keep it longer. Notes: Cream of tartar is used as a preservative, and it was recommended to use it, but the recipe will still work without it. If you choose not to use cream of tartar, it is not recommended to keep the dough longer than a few days. Although it smells amazing, it tastes awful! Don’t eat it! Always supervise children when playing with this dough.
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8 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO
Obituaries
Joan Margaret VanderVelde March 3, 1934 ~ November 23, 2023
Joan Margaret VanderVelde, 89, formerly of Shelby, passed away late Thursday evening, Nov. 23, 2023, at her In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors son Nick’s home in Hesperia. She was born March 3, 1934, in Shelby, Mich., to Roy and Irma (Bennett) Decker. Up until her retirement in 1996, Joan was employed at Howmet Corporation for 29 years. She loved cats, traveling and going to the beach. Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Peter Father, son, brother, husband, grandpa, great-grandpa, VanderVelde; son, Tom Beyer; daughter, Karen Perrin; friend, heavy equipment operator, mechanic, stock car grandson, Frank Beyer; sister, Jackie Conroy; and by her racer, builder of seawalls. special friend, Ken Larm. She is survived by her son, Nick Jack was not a wallflower. Not one of those men (Char) Beyer of Hesperia; daughter-in-law, Debbie Beyer who lives a life of quiet desperation. He was...advenof Shelby; son-in-law, Paul Perrin of Norton Shores; six grandchildren, many turous. great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandson. She is also survived by her A father at the age of 16, he worked and played brothers, Duane Decker of Kentucky and Robert (Shirley) Herin of Shelby; her hard most of his life. He and his first wife, Sharon, sister, Arta (John) Urick of Walkerville; and several nieces and nephews. filled the house with six sons, who eventually brought According to her wishes, cremation has taken place, and a graveside service home six daughters-in-law, eight grandchildren, and will take place in the Spring of 2024 at Norton Shores Cemetery. Suggested meeleven great-grandchildren. morials include The Oceana County Humane Society or The Ladder Community He started in construction with his father-in-law, Ira Center in Shelby. You can sign the online guest book at www.kroeze-wolffis.com. Studer, and worked at his dad Hubert’s business, Snider’s Arrangements are by Kroeze-Wolffis Funeral Home, Inc. of Fremont. Junk and Coal. He spent most of his life in the International Union of Operating Engineers, #324 in Michigan, and #302 in Alaska, either as a mechanic or a heavy equipment operator. He worked on the Consumers Power Pumped Storage Project in Ludington as the Assistant Master Mechanic. The highlight of his construction career was turning wrenches at Prudhoe Bay on the Alaska Pipeline project, working in winter conditions where signs around the work site reminded you that exposed flesh freezes in thirty seconds. Leta “Pete” May Mitteer, 92, of Hart passed away ThursHe was proud to show off the maps of Alaska he’d cut out of pieces of the pipeline day, Nov. 9, 2023, surrounded by her loved ones. She was with a cutting torch. He also built and raced stock cars at the Oceana County Fairgrounds, and born August 2, 1931, in Shelby, the daughter of Frank once, trying to make it to the checkered flag, he rolled his car 9 1/2 times in front and Gladys (Ward) Wyns. Leta married Frank Mitteer June 10, 1949, and of the grandstand. And long before Silver Lake Sand Dunes were overrun with tourists, you’d find him skating over the sand on the overinflated bald tires of they were married for 68 years. Leta and Frank moved a dune scooter he’d built out of a truck frame. Seat belts weren’t a thing in the to Shelby, where they resided until 1978. Leta was a 1960s, and if you rode on that big truck seat beside him, you held onto the dash- homemaker and then took a job at Dr. Gerig’s office in Shelby for many years. In 1978, the Mitteers moved board bar for dear life. He married Edie Fuller in 1998 in Las Vegas, Nev. Edie brought him two step- to Pawley’s Island, S.C., where Leta enjoyed golfing children, Alan and Cori, and five grandchildren. They built a home in Mears, and and friends. They returned to Oceana County in Hart in Edie stood by Jack through thick and thin, and was with him when he passed 1989. Other hobbies Leta had included playing cribbage, bridge, bowling, genealogy and reading. In her later years, peacefully. He was a lifetime member of the Wigton Benona Lodge 200 and was very Leta volunteered at the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society, where proud of the role he played in building the lodge’s hall in Hart. In 2012, he was she made it her mission to represent the area veterans in local history. Leta is survived by: her children, Rebecca Smith, Bruce (Lorraine) Mitteer, named Mason of the Year in his local lodge as well as District Mason of the Year. and Martin (Catherine) Mitteer; grandchildren Kathryn (Roger) Blair, Erik (KelHe served one year as BGP for the Grand Lodge of Michigan. For most of his life, Jack greeted people with a rambunctious smile and a cy) Smith, Nicole (Aaron) Stelly, Michelle (Scott) Brunke, and Rachel (John) bone-crushing handshake. He could be aggravating, irrational and downright Lawson; seven great-grandchildren, four step-great-grandchildren; and one out-of-control. Generous, a spendthrift, grudge-carrying and forgiving. He great-great-grandchild; sister, Sandra (Leo) Dean; and many nieces and nephews. fought demons and did his best. He was a good man, but a bad boy. Leta was preceded in death by: her husband, Frank Mitteer; parents, Frank He had his vices and his virtues, his strengths and his flaws, but there’s noand Gladys Wyns; siblings, Samuel Wyns, Phyllis Griffin, Frank (Barney) Wyns, body you’d rather have in your corner in a bar brawl. He spent the last few years fighting bladder cancer. When anyone asked him Gordon Wyns, Carol Inglis, Marilyn Cornett, Robert Wyns, and Steven Wyns; son-in-law, Donald Smith; and grandson, Jeremy Mitteer. how he was doing, he’d always say, “Well, I guess I’ll live till I die.” Funeral services were conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, at Harris And so he did. Jack Norman Snider was born April 16, 1941, in Mears, Mich., and died Nov. Funeral Home, 267 N. Michigan Ave., Shelby, Mich. 49455, with Pastor Paulette 17, 2023 at Trinity (Mercy) Hospital, Muskegon, Mich., holding Edie’s hand with Zoulek officiating. Visitation took place from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023 at Harris Funeral Home. Interment followed at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Shelby. that famous crushing grip. Please consider memorial contributions to: Oceana County Historical & GeHe is preceded in death by: his parents, Hubert and Lottie Snider; his brothnealogical Society, 114 Dryden St. in Hart, Mich. 49420 or The Ladder Commuers, Ted and Gene; and his first wife, Sharon Marie (Studer) Snider. He is survived by: his wife, Edie Snider; her children, Alan (Linda) Fuller of nity Center, 67 N. State St., Shelby, Mich. 49455. Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements. Hersey, Mich., Cori (Dave) Bennett of The Village of Lake Isabella, Mich.; his www.harrisfhome.com sons, Bruce (Lisa) Snider of Chandler, Ariz., Jerry Snider of Cedar Springs, Mich. Jon Snider (Nanette Bowen) of Makawao, Hawaii, Brian (Monica) Snider of Hart, Mich., Jack (Dawn) Snider of Walker, Mich., Benjamin (Kelly) Snider of Grand Rapids, Mich.; 16 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. There will be no service. His family will have a private memorial at a later date. Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements. Nancy J. Wiedman, 82, a resident at Lake Michigan Senior Living and formerwww.harrisfhome.com ly of Palm Springs, Calif. died Nov. 19, 2023. She was born April 10, 1941, in Hart, Mich. to Herbert and Lillian Wiedman. She attended and graduated from Walkerville Public School and Ferris State University. After graduating from college, Nancy resided in Grand Rapids and was a Debra Jean Presuhn, 65, of Hart, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, clothing buyer for Wurzburg’s Department Store. In 1968, she packed up her MG Nov. 15, 2023. Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in along with another friend and drove to California to seek employment. Nancy’s charge of arrangements. www.beaconfh.com career in California included serving as an account executive for Pacific Bell for 18 years and then working as a State Farm Insurance Agent in the Los Angeles area until her retirement. Nancy was an avid reader; she liked to fish and putter in her gardens, whether in California or Michigan. She also enjoyed visiting the casinos. She will be remembered as a kind and giving individual. We, at The Oceana Echo, offer our deepest condolences Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Lillian Wiedman, for your loss and are here to help you tell others about and her husband, Tony Blake. She is survived by her brother Robert (Bonnie) your loved one’s life and the plans you have made to honor, Wiedman, sister Linda S. (Douglas) VanGills, sister-in-law Gail Blake-Smith, and celebrate and remember them. nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the staff of Lake Michigan Senior Living and If you would like to place an obituary with us, Elara Caring Hospice for their care of Nancy. please tell your arrangement specialist Per Nancy’s wishes, there will not be a service. or email us at theoceanaecho@gmail.com. Arrangements were handled by Verdun Funeral Home.
Jack Norman Snider
April 16, 1941 ~ November 17, 2023
Leta ‘Pete’ May Mitteer
August 2, 1931 ~ November 9, 2023
Nancy J. Wiedman
April 10, 1941 ~ November 19, 2023
Death Notice ~ Debra Jean Presuhn
Obituary Information:
9 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO
Norris Neil Hallack
September 17, 1927 ~ November 19, 2023
Norris Neil Hallack, 96, of Shelby, passed away Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, at the Poppen Hospice Residence. He was born Sept. 17, 1927, to Neil L. and Jessie M. (Horton) Hallack. Norris grew up on his family’s fruit farm on Shelby Road. He was a veteran who served during WWII in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army. Norris married his beautiful, loving wife of 73 years, Margaret (Peggy) Near, on March 17, 1950. He was a lifelong member of Shelby United Methodist Church, where he and Margaret attended nursery school together. Norris enjoyed studying the Bible and remained strong in his faith throughout his life. In his earlier years, Norris worked as a Greyhound bus driver. He Lexi is a very nice dog who walks well on a leash and is very then worked at Hooker Chemical as a chemical operator, and he retired from friendly with people. Lexi is a one-year-old hound, and she is there. After retirement, he went back to work at Howmet and then as a courier getting spayed this week. She is relatively new to the shelter and for the Shelby State Bank. doesn’t seem to care about other dogs, but it would be best to Norris loved spending time with his family. He enjoyed golfing with his brother Barney Hallack and sister Zella Weaver. He enjoyed his annual trips to have a “meet and greet” with any other dogs that would be in the Florida with his daughter and family. One of his hobbies was doing Civil War household. Lexi seems to want to please people. reenactments. Lexi is available for adoption Norris was kind to everyone, and he never had a bad word to say about anyfrom the Oceana County Animal one. He will be remembered by his family and friends for his kindness, strength, Shelter. If interested, please call patience and understanding. the shelter at 231-861-5395. The Norris is survived by: his wife, Margaret A. (Near) Hallack; children, Jon and adoption fee for cats is $35, and Carrie (Flores) Hallack; Jerry and Georgia (Felt) Hallack; and Tammy Hallack; you receive certificates for $25 To simulate 5 y seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchil- towards spay/neuter and $10 toproducts throu dren. wards rabies if not already done. Norris was preceded in death by his parents, Neil and Jessie Hallack; his sis- The adoption fee for dogs is $95 SEET lab. We p and you will receive a $50 certifiter, Zella Weaver; and his brother, Bernard Hallack. through anythi A memorial service will be conducted at noon, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, at the cate good for spay/neuter, if needShelby United Methodist Church, 68 E. Third St., Shelby, MI 49455. The family ed. Every dog should have an ID will receive friends from 5-7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, and Tuesday, Dec. 5, tag. L.A.S.S.I. provides free dog to allof Oceana County resi- exposure, we put our 5 tags years environmental 2023, from 11 a.m. until time of services at the church. Interment To will simulate be at Mt. ID dents. To request tags, send a text Hope Cemetery in Shelby, following the services. A luncheon is to follow at the to 231-730-3906. Free tags are also products through extreme temperature fluctuations inside the Shelby United Methodist Church. available at the Oceana County The Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is handling arrangements. Animal Shelter. SEET lab. We push beyond any weather you see, so they can run www.harrisfhome.com
Tails of Hope
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By Lucie Winborne
• On Dec. 11, 2008, Bernie Madoff, WEEKLY SERVICE, the founder and chairman of Bernard FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, do,FROM FL 32803 was arrested and subsequently convictKING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive,ed Orlando, FLthe32803 of fraud for multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme that fleeced investors 800) 708-7311 EXT. 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803 around(800) the world for decades. CUSTOMER SERVICE: 708-7311 EXT. • On Dec. 12, 1968, American CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. actress Tallulah Bankhead died at the 257 age of 66 from double pneumonia. A 345_20231127 flamboyant personality with a huskily 257 seductive voice and a flair for exhibiSTRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20231127 tionism, her greatest success was as 2023 NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20231127 a stage actress (she was the inspiraFOR RELEASE NOV. tion27, for 2023 Blanche Dubois in “A Streetcar Named Desire”), though she also FOR RELEASE NOV. 27, 2023 By Lucie Winborneappeared in several prominent films and on TV and radio. By JoAnn Derson • On Dec. 13, 1642, Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer and merchant, reached the coast of South Island in New Zealand and named it Staten Landt. The first European in recorded history to land on the Australian island state of Tasmania, he claimed it for the Dutch crown, and it was named for him as well. • On Dec. 14, 1974, disaster film “The Towering Inferno,” starring professional rivals Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, was released. The film was shot in sequence so all the actors looked authentically haggard and dirty as it progressed. • On Dec. 15, 1840, Napoleon Bonaparte received a French state funeral in Paris more than two decades after his death on the island of St. Helena, when his remains were exhumed and transferred to the Hotel des Invalides on the initiative of the French prime minister and King Louis-Philippe. • On Dec. 16, 1907, in order to demonstrate America’s new presence as a world power, President Theodore Roosevelt embarked on a round-theworld cruise in a group of U.S. Navy battleships, making friendly courtesy visits to a number of international ports. • On Dec. 17, 1986, Special Agent Polifrone went undercover to lure out American mafia hitman Richard Kuklinski. Polifrone gave Kuklinski some fake cyanide to use for a murder. Kuklinski found out later that it was fake and decided not to go through with the hit but was arrested at a roadblock on his way home. © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
• On internet memes, they call them “life hacks,” simple tricks to save you perhaps time, money or simply frustration. Here’s mine: Place a bowl near your entryway. Place your keys in the bowl when you come home. They stay there until you leave. No more lost keys. Now more life hacks for your tip file. — JoAnn • Put a dryer fabric softener sheet on the back of a fan. It sticks and will distribute a fresh scent through your room. — T.I. via email • Put an apple in the potato bag to keep them from growing buds. Check often. — E.W. in Oregon • Sharpen your scissors by cutting through aluminum foil. All you have to do is fold a piece over on itself and use your dull scissors to cut strips. • Store popcorn in the refrigerator. You will have less unpopped kernels, because the cold temperature makes them heat more evenly. — W.A. in Massachusetts • Got chewing gum stuck in your hair? Rub with a spoonful of peanut butter. Massage into the gum-stuck hair. The oil in the peanut butter breaks down the gum, and you then can comb it out or wash out residue once you pick away the globs. How about on your clothes? Remove the garment and stick it in the freezer for several hours. The gum hardens, and you can literally peel it off in chunks. Use an old toothbrush to brush out any remaining crumbs of gum. Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
• When the D-Day forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, Adolf Hitler was asleep. None of his generals dared to send reinforcements without his permission, and no one even dared to wake him, since he’d issued strict orders not to be disturbed. • On its one-year anniversary, NASA’s Curiosity Rover sang the “Happy Birthday” song to itself on Mars. • Atomic bomb tests were a major tourist attraction in Las Vegas during the 1950s. • Microplastics aren’t an issue only in the world’s oceans and ice caps. Researchers have discovered the tiny particles in clouds over Japan’s Mount Fuji and Mount Oyama. • A study found that students who chewed gum earned better math test scores than those who didn’t. • Ever wonder why our friends across the pond wish each other a “Happy Christmas” as opposed to Americans’ “Merry Christmas”? In the 19th century, the word “merry” also meant intoxicated, so they wanted to separate it from public insobriety • When staying at hotels, guests are more likely to interact with female robots, especially if they have humanlike features, than male robots. • Next time you’re feeling stressed, try reaching for a hunk of chocolate: The sweet’s smell increases theta brain waves, which triggers relaxation. • In 1987, Marvel Comics celebrated the wedding of Spider-Man, aka Peter Parker, and his red-haired, green-eyed, longtime girlfriend Mary Jane Watson with a grand, live-action ceremony at New York’s Shea Stadium. Guests of the happy couple included actors costumed as the Fantastic Four, Captain America and even the Hulk. • Right-handed people tend to chew food on their right side, while lefthanded folks are prone to chewing on their left. *** Thought for the Day: “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.” — Vernon Sanders Law © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 1, 2023 11
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Broth 32 oz. Sel. Var.
Cream Soup 10.5-10.75 oz. Sel. Var.
35-100 ct., Sel. Var.
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24 oz., Sel. Var.
Applesauce
Doritos 9.25 oz. Tostitos 9-12 oz.
Pancake & Waffle
Mix
32 oz., Sel. Var.
2/$
5 Campbell’s 4/$
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10.75 oz.
3
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Best Choice Cranberry
12 oz., Sel. Var.
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Sauce 4/$
5
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8.5-12.5 oz., Sel. Var.
4/$
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14-14.5 oz. Sel. Var.
2/$
7
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Detergent 56-57.6 oz. Sel. Var.
14 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO
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Grueyere AOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 oz . 9 .99 ea .
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THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 1, 2023 15
SPORTS
HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY • WALKERVILLE
Fall athletes put up impressive Big cat battle numbers during 2023 season By: Brendan Samuels
The Oceana Echo Sports Editor Moving into the final part of this fall’s stat leaders, let’s take a look at what the girls on the volleyball court
were able to do this season. We only have stats that were provided from Hart and Shelby, but Pentwater, Walkerville and Hesperia had impressive athletes in their own right. Starting off with the
unquestioned leader of the pack, Shelby junior Navea Gauthier put together yet another amazing year. Gauthier led the Tigers to another district
Leaders
continued on page 16
Hesperia’s Andrew Sherburn defends an in-bounds pass attempt from Walkerville’s Connor Schafer. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor HESPERIA – Hesperia’s boys basketball team has udergone quite a bit of change since the last time they hit the hardwood. Former head coach Andrew Worcester vacated his role, the team moved on from seniors Maverick McKinnon, Matteo Materdomini, Gabe Gould, Maddox Moseley, Zach Glenn and Armando Escobedo. Despite the changes, new head coach Scott Warsaw got the best out of his team on Tuesday, Nov. 28 as the Panthers took care of business in a 52-39 win over Walkerville. Hesperia looked good on defense in that game, something that Warsaw was happy to see. Warsaw was quick to note that defense is a focal point for the Panthers this season as the team has started to build an identity on that side of the court. “(Our defense) was everything. We recognize that we’re not going to beat anyone with our offense, so we’ve been working hard on defense,” Warsaw said. “We talked about it before the game and tonight we came out and got after people.” Inconsistency, missed opportunities and turnovers plagued Hesperia’s
offense in the first quarter, leaving the door open for the Wildcats to take control. Though Walkerville battled some of the same struggles, they were able to exit the opening frame with a 10-9 lead. The Panthers cleaned up some of their mistakes in the second quarter and continued to pressure Walkerville’s offense. That led to even more turnovers for the Wildcats, something that became an all too familiar sight for Walkerville head coach Lee Oomen. “We’ve got to take care of the ball. We had probably 35 turnovers and that’s frustrating,” Oomen said. “(Hesperia) put a lot of pressure on us and we weren’t ready for it.” Hesperia Senior Nich-
olas Gauarnieri and junior Ethan O’Neil were active on the defensive side. Guarnieri was often seen utilizing his speed to jump in front of Wildcat passing lanes, leading to steals. O’Neil used his 6-foot-6 frame to block several shots and deny Walkerville easy looks around the rim. O’Neil was also effective on offense as he led all Hesperia scorers on the night with 15 points. The cherry on top of O’Neil’s impressive performance was achieving a double-double as he snagged 14 rebounds. A strong performance to lead his team is exactly
Panthers
continued on page 16
Jazwinski qualifies for National meet
Hesperia’s Ethan O’Neil rises to meet Walkerville’s Zeontae De La Paz near the rim for a block. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
Hart junior Jessie Jazwinski participated in the Foot Locker Cross Country Midwest Regional Qualifier on Saturday, Nov. 25 in Kenosha, Wis. Jazwinski placed fourth among 130 athletes aross 13 states. Her time (17:32.1), qualifed her for the National meet to be held in San Diego, Calif. on Saturday, Dec. 9. Jazwinski knocked five seconds off her finish in the 2022 qualifier, resulting in the same placement. Jessie’s younger brother, freshman Bobby Jazwinski also competed in the boys race in Wisconsin, placing 55th with a time of 16:13.7. Bobby did not qualify for the National meet. • Contributed
The Echo’s Sports Section is Sponsored by Family Owned 231-873-3774 and Operated: 231-873-3774 info@swihartseptic.com
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16 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO
Pirates sail to opening win over Holton By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor HART – Hart’s boys basketball team is in a much different place than they were a year ago. Four of the team’s five starters graduated and a few contributing members off the bench are gone as well. Senior Blake Weirich is the only returner in the starting lineup, making for an interesting distribution of scoring. That showed up in the Pirates’ 65-28 win over Holton on Wednesday, Nov. 29. Four different Pirates hit double figures in scoring, something that happened frequently last year, but mostly from the starting lineup. On Friday, it was a mix of starters and bench players that reached that mark with Weirich (12 points), Ty Schlukebir (12 points), Chase Gale (10 points) and Emiliano Escamilla (10 points) each passing double digits in scoring. “I feel like there’s more pressure in a way because (last year) we knew what we were going to get from Parker (Hovey), Wyatt (Dean), Caleb Bitely and we knew Diego (Escamilla) was going to be Diego and Kyan (Clark) was going to be Kyan. I can’t forget Tony Rayo either – with all of those seniors we knew what we were getting,” Hart head coach Nick Bronsema said. “That was a pressure on them because they had to do those things for us, whereas this year it’s spread out more and we just hope it’s someone different every night and we can spread the
Leaders
wealth. I don’t think we’re that same team we were last year in terms of being top heavy.” Hart’s offense was impressive, but it was their ability to get in the face of Holton on defense that really lifted their ability to score. With several key members of the Red Devils’ squad not playing, the offense flowed primarily through Holton guard Keon McMillian. McMillian’s range from beyond the arc was apparent early on, but Hart did a nice job limiting his shot attempts with smothering defense. That also led to plenty of steals and rebounds off
missed shots. Weirich and Schlukebir each notched five rebounds to lead the team. That defense that turned into quick offense on the other end had Hart pulling away early. The Pirates owned a 37-6 lead at halftime and showed no signs of slowing down. “It’s definitely a different group. (Assistant coaches) even brought it up tonight. We’re a deeper team than we were last year,” Bronsema said. “We had great seniors last year and they were a huge blessing, but we have a lot of guys that are hungry. Just because one kid was the 12th man to-
night, doesn’t mean they can’t be in the starting lineup, we’re that close. It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do trying to figure out a lineup for tonight. “We’re fortunate Holton was down two players. Carter Brandt is a fouryear senior and unfortunately hurt himself. That changed some things and early on our job was to limit (McMillan’s) shots.” Hart’s boys are back in action starting tonight (Friday, Dec. 1) as they participate in the Will Lynch Invitational tournament at Benzie Central High School.
(Left) Hart senior Blake Weirich pulls up for a jump shot. (Right) Hart’s Ty Schlukebir slices through Holton’s defense for an easy layup attempt during the Pirates 65-28 win over the Red Devils. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
continued from page 15
championship and padded her stats on the way to her 2,000th career kill. Gauthier led all reported stat leaders with 891 kills on the year and also chipped in 89 aces. Audrey Horton was on fire as a setter, getting the ball up to Gauthier often. Horton led all stat leaders in the assists category with 896. Last up for Shelby is libero Hannah Frees who slid into a new position this year. Frees led the tigers in digs, sacrificing her body 418 times on the year. Hart was the only other school to report their volleyball stat leaders. The Pirates had a lot of impressive contributors, but Kelsey Copenhaver and Abby Hicks really stood out as two that got involved in a multitude of ways. Copenhaver ended the season with 230 kills, 312 assists, 304 digs and 65 aces. She led her team in three of those four categories, and placed fourth on her squad in digs. Hicks was just as impressive, posting 138 kills, 34 assists, 373 digs and 51 aces. Freshmen Reese Smith and Alayna Schiller made major impacts in their first year at the varsity level. Smith’s athleticism helped her tally 172 kills and 372 digs on the year. Schiller slid into the starting lineup right away as the team’s defensive specialist. From her libero spot, Schiller put up 440 digs to lead the team. Though they didn’t send in totals for the year, Hesperia and Pentwater in particular had some impressive girls. Kayla Rumsey was an All-Conference selection for the Panthers and thrived at outside hitter in her senior season. The Falcons had several All-Conference selections, but the play of Samantha Schaefer and Charlie Swanger stood out. Athletes in Oceana County sure had a lot to be proud of over the course of the fall season and the stats are just one thing that reflects that. I look forward to seeing where things end up for teams over the winter months as we launch into boys and girls basketball, wrestling and competitive cheer!
Panthers what Warsaw and assistant coach Samuel Rose were hoping to see from their big man. O’Neil has the size to be special, but in years past his toughness – or lack thereof – has held him back. “Coach Rose has been toughening our team up,” Warsaw said. “Ethan was really good and I loved the energy level he brought. He had a tremendous block above the rim and we talked to him all summer long about being aggressive. He’s going to make mistakes and that’s ok but we just want him to go all out.” The Wildcats were able to get things going in the second half. After missing some time in the first quarter due to foul trouble, senior guard Collin Chase sparked the offense to the tune of 18 points individually. “Collin’s our backbone here to be honest. He’s a leader, but he got a second foul on a silly call in the first quarter and that hurt us,” Oomen said. “Without him, we struggled.” Unfortunately, the turnovers didn’t stop for the Wildcats, stalling out any chance they had to turn the game in their favor. A hot start early in the
season is exactly what Hesperia (1-0) is hoping for. The Panthers are still short handed as they are without junior Ian Fox and senior Bryce Billings – both of which figure to be back soon. Fox is set to return to the team Thursday, Dec. 14 when the Panthers take on North Muskegon. Billings on the other hand, could return to the team much sooner as he awaits medical clearance from a broken collarbone suffered during football season. Walkerville (0-1) will turn their attention to a much more heated contest as they prepare to host West Michigan D League rival Pentwater tonight (Friday, Dec. 1).
continued from page 15
Walkerville senior Collin Chase releases a shot from three-point range while Hesperia’s Andrew Sherburn defends. Chase (18 points) led all scoreres in the Wildcats’ 52-39 loss to the Panthers. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
Hesperia head coach Scott Warsaw motivates his team during a first half timeout in the Panthers’ 52-39 win over Walkerville. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR DECEMBER1,1,2023 2023171
Reflections of our community
White Lake Mirror YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE
Whitehall set to buy Big John’s property Building to be demolished next August; Big John’s continuing operation while eyeing next move By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor The city of Whitehall has hoped to one day acquire the property Big John’s Pizza has occupied for many years, and the parties came to a purchase agreement Nov. 14, clearing the way for the city to move forward with a revised plan for a Colby Street promenade. The agreement is not scheduled to close until Aug. 14 of next year, which will give Big John’s owners Neal and Amy Martell time to find new premises for their business. The Martells plan to continue to operate Big John’s through that date before moving to a new location yet to be determined. “With the Harwood Flats going in (next year), we’ve wanted to redevelop West Colby Street to connect the downtown with the waterfront,” Whitehall city manager Scott Huebler said. “With that going in, we thought, now’s the time. We sat down with Neal and Amy and asked what they needed. We made some amendments at their request. Not long after that, they came to us and said they were serious about selling the property.” A Muskegon Chronicle report last week said the purchase price was $375,000, which both Huebler and Amy Martell described as roughly
meeting in the middle from each side’s initial ask. The funds are coming from monies collected by the Tax Increment Finance Authority, which along with other bodies of its kind was created in 1984 with the purpose of promoting local development. The city plans to demolish the building, opening many possibilities to connect that portion of the street to Goodrich Park and the nearby waterfront. The Martells, who have owned Big John’s for the past seven-plus years, have long felt boxed in by the city. They felt the city was unwilling to work with them on their own expansion plans for Big John’s, which would have included a deck behind the building and additional parking. Those plans would have required the purchase of city-owned land, which never came to fruition. The Martells felt as though the city intended to “squeeze us out,” Amy said, and their frustrations dealing with that situation led to their desire to sell. Also a factor was the new Harwood Flats building, for which a ceremonial groundbreaking took place Oct. 31. That, and the promenade plans the city had in mind, created what the Martells felt would be inhospitable conditions for Big John’s operation. Those conditions largely were due to Big John’s
The Big John’s Pizza storefront as pictured this week. The city of Whitehall entered into a purchase agreement for the building in November with plans to demolish it, but the pizza business will continue to operate. • Madison Lajewski/Mirror
property not extending much beyond the current building. “It wouldn’t bring in enough business to account for what we were going to lose because of it,” Amy said, saying the proposed plans that included Big John’s would have further limited parking availability at the restaurant. For his part, Huebler said he understands the Martells’ frustrations. “I can’t necessarily disagree with where they stood,” Huebler said. “For the last 30 years, it’s been well-known that the city was looking to acquire that property. We did that with all the surrounding properties. They wanted to expand (Big John’s) to the west and purchase some city property, and the
TIFA board said they weren’t interested. They came to us with a price and we weren’t able to find one that was mutually agreeable.” The Big John’s sale will leave, apart from Harwood Flats, the Napa store that sits opposite Big John’s on Thompson Street as the only private property between downtown and the Goodrich Park waterfront. Huebler said the city has expressed interest in purchasing the Napa building as well, but Rick Zeller, one of the building’s owners, is content with his current situation. Because the sale will not be final-
Property sale continued on page 2
Quilting together some memories
Group of 17 women make jackets at Quilted Memories in Montague By Jerry Mattson White Lake Mirror Contributor MONTAGUE — During the morning of Nov. 10, at Quilted Memories in Montague, 17 women met to cut up some quilts. They were not doing this to destroy the quilts, but were preparing to repurpose them. These quilts were not selected at random. Most, if not all of them, had been carefully made by the same women who were cutting them to pieces, using paper patterns. By the end of the day, 17 new quilted jackets would be nearing completion. Andrew Lee, “The Combat Quilter”, led the group in making jackets using a Twig & Tale pattern, with the New Zealand company’s permission. This activity would follow the guiding words of the company’s owner. “I believe in reusing fabrics when possible and bringing new life to old things, in spending time (sometimes together, sometimes alone) to let the spirit run free,” Lee said. Lee is an accomplished quilter who has spent much time alone, creating quilts both large and small. Sewing
jackets is new to him, having previously only worked with three people making them. Today was his first time leading a large group creating new things from old quilts. (For more about Lee, visit his website: combatquilter.com.) Some people were kneeling on the floor cutting out pieces of their large quilts. Others were helping someone else make a decision on where to best place pattern pieces to emphasize the quilt’s pattern. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves in the informal atmosphere. “Hey, can I borrow your pocket pattern?” “Sure, help yourself.” Louisa Ragukis from Grandville was positioning pattern pieces and preparing to cut up a quilt she had made in 2011. She was also being helpful to a quilter near her who had not sewn a garment since home-ec class in high school, decades ago. While some were still cutting out pieces, Anna Pearo of Muskegon had her jacket partially assembled. Lee was giving her tips as she stood trying on her sleeveless garment. By the end of the six-hour class, 90% of each jacket
Several of the quilters at Quilted Memories in Montague display their fabrics before beginning the day’s work turning them into jackets Nov. 10.
• Suzette Mattson/Mirror
would be completed, with binding and finishing touches of buttons, snaps or ties to be added at home. A delicious lunch of wild rice soup and chili was provided along with dessert treats. The chili was made by Cindy Bellefeuil, a Muskegon quilter, who is Lee’s mother. . For Norma Shaarda, from James-
town near Grand Rapids, this was the second class she had attended here this year. She is the president of the 200-member West Michigan Quilters’ Guild and was enjoying the day. She thought it was special to have Lee lead-
Quilted jackets continued on page 2
2 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE WHITE LAKE MIRRORTHE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 1, 2023 18
Property sale ized until next summer, the city will go back to the drawing board with its plans for the Colby promenade. The original plan was to complete the project next summer, but Huebler said the city will now wait until next fall to begin construction of the promenade, meaning it will not be ready until spring of 2025. Both ends of the deal wanted Big John’s to postpone finalizing the sale until next summer; Big John’s wanted one more summer of business at its current location and the opportunity to tell summer visitors they would be moving, and the city wanted time to consider what the promenade will look like without the Big John’s building there. The city has several different ideas, Huebler said, that people have tossed out over the years for use of the Big John’s property under the hypothetical scenario of acquiring it. Now that it’s going to be a reality, the city will take time to assess its options.
continued from page 1
Moving Big John’s will be an intensive undertaking, one Martell is not eagerly anticipating. She said just the cost of relocating the cooking equipment will be around $70,000, close to three times what she and Neal were anticipating, and that’s if they’re able to find a building outfitted for a restaurant. The restaurant will also have to be closed for nearly a month, she said, to complete the relocation. “I’d have stuck to my guns on the higher price I put out originally (if I’d known the relocation cost),” Martell said. “We kind of met in the middle, but I should’ve waited (to get pricing quotes). That was my mistake.” Huebler said there’s a sense of relief on the city’s side to have acquired the property after the years of an uneasy relationship with Big John’s ownership. “You could say it was a sense of relief, or accomplishment, to check off one of the boxes in the furtherance of our plan,” Huebler said.
Quilted jackets ing the class so near Veteran’s Day. “With his military background, he really keeps us focused,” she said. Lee will be leading another quilted jacket class at Quilted Memories here on March 22, 2024. Call the store at 231-893-0096 for more information. Colleen Strait of Shelby was attending the class. She is a frequent visitor at Quilted Memories. “This is our favorite quilt place,” she said. Jill McFadden-Twiss, owner of the store, makes her place special for all customers. By the end of the class, 17 quilters were
continued from page 1
Colleen Strait sews her jacket during a Nov. 10 quilting session at Quilted Memories in Montague.
• Jerry Mattson/Mirror
able to model their most- will not be felt on a bed ly-finished jackets. They or couch this winter, but will all be done soon and will be worn instead. the warmth of their quilts
Whitehall makes emergency sewer line purchase to cover failed septic for 4 businesses on Colby St. By Madison Lajewski
that two addresses which cover four active businesses on Colby Street have failed septic systems. This has created WHITEHALL — Whitehall city a health issue, leading Huebler to demanager Scott Huebler reported clare this as an emergency purchase during Tuesday’s city council meeting for the city. It covers approximately 620 White Lake Mirror Writer
The
Bookworm
Bulletin
By Christina LeVey-Rowland Volunteer Contributor ‘Tis the season to be merry and bright, and what better place to do that than at the library? The Muskegon Area District Library’s Montague Branch is getting ready for the holidays with a fun assortment of programming, including a special visit from Santa! Throughout the month, visit the library to choose a wrapped book from underneath the tree LeVey-Rowland in our front window. These books are gifts to our patrons from our Friends of the Montague Library. There are books for adults, teens, and kids! December events at the library include: Storytime, Dec. 5, 11 a.m. Join us for our last storytime of 2023! Don’t worry, we will be back in January! Cards & Cookies, Dec. 7 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Santa visit highlights Montague library’s December schedule Drop in throughout the day to create holiday cards using materials from our Makerspace and eat some tasty treats! Peppermint Scrub, Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m. Adults and teens create their own small jar of peppermint body scrub. You can keep it for yourself or create it as a gift for a special person in your life. Registration required to participate. Meet Santa Claus, Dec. 14, 5:30 p.m. That’s right! Santa is coming to town, and he is taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with the families of Montague. Come and enjoy a story read by Ms. Christina as well as some fun holiday crafts. Cocoa in a Jar (For Teens), Dec. 20, 2 p.m. Hey teens, what’s better than a prepackaged cocoa mix? Creating your own from scratch! Join us to learn a new recipe and craft your own cocoa concoction. We hope to see you at our programs this month and from all of us at the Muskegon Area District Library, we hope you have a very happy and safe holiday season!
feet of sewer line, which is a $30,000 expense. Huebler is confident that the city can begin the process of repairing the sewer lines as soon as possible. The repair process will take between 4-6 weeks. Until they are fully functional,
the city and affected businesses are manually pumping everything out on a regular basis and dumping it at the Atlanta Landfill.
New bike repair station coming to White Lake Library By Virginia DeMumbrum
ping 30 percent. TWO PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS THIS WEEK Thanks to a generous gift from the There are still a few seats left in K. Wayne & Joyce Dulyea Fund of the each of the programs scheduled for Community Foundation for Muskegthis week. Monday night, Dec. 4, at on County, the White Lake library will 5:30 p.m., create your own handmade soon be installing an outdoor bike reChristmas cards. Instructions and mapair station. The station will include a terials are provided, and so are snacks! tire pump, a bike stand, and a variety It’s free, but please register at wlclib. of common bicycle tools. org/calendar. Tuesday night, Dec. 5, The library is located on the White at 5:30 p.m., Patsy Jud will present an Lake Pathway, and many peoinformation session on ple either ride their bikes to retirement planning. This the library or use the library program is also free. Comparking lot as a trailhead. plete information and the That’s why the tools and tire registration link are at wlpump are a great service for clib.org/calendar. Looking the library to provide, making forward to next week, the it easier for folks who need newly-formed Cookbook to adjust their brakes, fix a Club will be meeting on flat, or any other simple bike Monday, Dec. 11 at 5:30. repair. We’ve been keeping The recipes they will be a tire pump and set of allen DeMumbrum sampling and sharing will be wrenches at the desk for a few cookies and candy! No regyears now, but those are only istration is required for this event, but available while the library is open. The more information is available at wlclib. new repair station will be outdoors, org/calendar. available whenever someone needs it. HOLIDAY FUN FOR KIDS We are very grateful to the Dulyea We’re busy packing up the 200 GinFund for making this new service posgerbread kits and hope to begin distrisible! With winter weather now upon bution next week. If you didn’t get on us, we anticipate installing the new the reservation list before they sold equipment in the spring, just in time out, no worries! We have some other for the return of biking weather. fun things in store for the whole famFUN FACTS: Over 100 million bicyily. Watch for details soon about specles are manufactured each year, and cial events and drop-in fun during the there are currently more than a billion school holiday, including a Holiday in use around the world. Bicycles save Sing-Along program, a “Happy Noonover 238 million gallons of gas each Year” party, and a couple of drop-in or year. In the U.S. less than 1 percent of take-and-make activities for kids of all all trips are made by bicycle. In the U.K. the number is closer to 5 percent, ages. while in the Netherlands it’s a whopVolunteer Contributor
THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR DECEMBER1,1,2023 2023 19 3 THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER
Echoes of History: History J.W. Fordney summer home By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor Joseph Warren Fordney was born on a farm in Hartford City, Indiana, Nov. 5, 1853. He became interested in the lumber business when his family moved to Saginaw when he was around 16 years old. He worked various jobs in the lumber business learning the trade. He received the backing of a capitalist, eventually adding lumber mills and yards to his holdings. He was also credited with the development of the Michigan sugar beet industry. On April 28, 1873 he married Cathern Herren (1854-1934) in Saginaw. They had nine children: Bregetta (1876-1953); Josephine (1879-1957); Ernest (1883-1957); Agnes (1885-1957); Joseph (1890-1947); Chester (18921959); Grace (1896-1977); Mary (1895-
1981); and Theodota (1896-1994). Fordney was one of Michigan’s leading citizens and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the Michigan 8th District from March 1899 through March 1923. In 1907, then-U.S. Congressman Fordney built his five-bedroom summer home in the San Juan Association in Montague at a reported cost of $8,000. It was described as having beautiful, imported hardwood ceilings and beams and a huge brick fireplace in the living room with built in benches and a wrap around porch. In 2007 it went through some updating. In 2018, when the house was listed for sale, the asking price was $895,000. The house The summer home of J. W. Fordney, circa 1910. • Contributed received the White Lake Historical Soat the age of 78. His wife died there Mrs. H. M. Grimson of Chicago, one of ciety Award in 2007. Fordney died in Saginaw Jan 8, 1932 in 1934 at the age of 80. His summer several owners in the home’s history. home was then sold in 1936 to Dr. &
Montague pilot program collects, recycles batteries Using a grant from the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, the city of Montague has developed a pilot program to locally collect and recycle batteries. Local businesses Montague Foods, The Groove Record Shop, The Book Nook & Java Shop, Montague City Hall (in the library lobby), Gill-Roy’s Hard-
ware, White Lake Community Library, Rivers Ace Hardware, and Shoreline Elementary School are accepting dropoffs of all household batteries. Batteries are to be placed in the appropriate bucket, whether alkaline (AAs, AAAs and the like) or other (laptop, cell phone, rechargeable, etc.). Nearly all alkaline and many small-
er household batteries end up in local landfills, and battery production uses raw-earth materials like lithium, nickel, lead, and cobalt, which are non-renewable and expensive to mine. Those realities led to this pilot program, which has already collected and recycled over 550 pounds of batteries. Starting in December, the White
Lake Area Climate Action Council will also be setting up recycling stations in the library lobby at Montague City Hall to recycle energy-efficient light bulbs (LEDs and CFLs), used athletic sneakers, printer ink cartridges, and small electronics.
of a “man with a gun.” The reported address was in the 800 block of Lincoln St. but when the officers arrived at the 11:13 a.m. call site, they found there was no such address as the one provided. There was nothing else noted as being suspicious in the area and no further action was taken. At 2:10 p.m. the on-duty officer responded to a report of a sick raccoon. When the officer arrived in the 100 block of W O’Bell St. the raccoon was found in the yard and while it did not appear sick, it also did not seem afraid of the approaching humans. The officer was able to locate a live trap and coaxed the raccoon inside and relocated it into a wooded area. A traffic stop for illegal front lighting led to the driver being cited for DWLS 2nd offense. An officer on patrol stopped the vehicle in the 200 block of Thompson St. and when asked for his license, the driver said it “may be suspended”. The Ravenna resident identified himself verbally and his license was found to be revoked and the prior conviction was also noted. The officer issued the 43-year-old a citation for the offense and the vehicle and driver were released. The passenger drove them away. A resident of the 600 block of River St. reported they were being harassed by kids ringing the doorbell and running away. The officer responding to the 8:59 p.m. call located three suspects between 14 and 15 years old walking on Hanson St. They admitted to playing “ding-dong-ditch” and were transported to the home of one of the boys where they were all spending the night. The adult was informed of the situation and they were released. Nov. 25 An officer on patrol drove up on the scene of a crash at the intersection of Division and Spring streets. The 9:18 p.m. crash had just occurred and people were seen pushing one of the vehicles off the road to clear the
intersection. During the subsequent investigation, the officer learned that the disabled vehicle had been traveling north on Division Street when the second vehicle, driven by a 31-year-old Whitehall man, pulled out in front of the first while eastbound. The driver of the second vehicle said he did stop but only looked one way before proceeding. The driver of the first vehicle, a 20-year-old White River Township man, was not injured, but it was his vehicle that was disabled and had to be towed from the scene. The second vehicle was able to leave under its own power. A driver traveling west on White Lake Drive in the 3500 block struck a deer at 10:50 p.m. The 33-year-old Laketon Township man reported the deer had run in front of him, resulting in damage to the front of his truck. The driver was not injured and the vehicle could still be driven from the scene. Nov. 27 A 15-year-old refusing to go to school led to an 8:15 a.m. call to police. The parent told the responding officer his son wanted to ride his bike to school, but the father would not let him because of the snow and ice on the roadway and offered to drive him. The student refused to get in the car but when the officer offered to drive the student from the 900 block of Benston Rd, he went with no further issues. Nov. 28 Whitehall Police were dispatched to the 1200 block of Colby St. on a report of a possible fight there. The callers reported hearing shouting at 6:18 a.m. and believed there was a fight. When the officer arrived, there was no ongoing disturbance and when contacting the apartment resident, she told the officer she had been arguing with a relative over the phone but would be quieter in the future. No further action was taken. The SRO responded to the middle school when a 12-year-old student re-
fused to leave the building. The boy’s grandparents had arrived at 2:22 p.m. to pick him up after he had broken a computer printer and torn pictures from the wall in the office. The SRO attempted to speak to the student, who then spit in the officer’s face. When the SRO attempted to walk the student from the room, he refused to walk and was placed in a wheelchair to be removed. During that time the student spit on school staff as well. Due to his aggression, the student was transported to the grandparent’s home in the police car and there were no further issues. A 43-year-old Fruitland Township man faces multiple felony charges as part of an incident that began with an 11:45 p.m. traffic stop. An officer on patrol in the 700 block of Colby St. noted an eastbound vehicle speeding as it crossed Covell St. The officer turned about and stopped the vehicle as it pulled into a handicapped parking space at Taco Bell. During contact with the driver, the officer noted signs of intoxication including alcohol containers inside the vehicle. During sobriety tests, the officer noted more indications of intoxication and at one point the suspect picked up his wallet from the hood of the car and started to walk away from the officer. The officer then told the man he was under arrest, but the suspect said he was not under arrest. The suspect struggled against being handcuffed and three officers’ attempt to restrain him. Once restrained, he refused to get in the car and once in the car began to strike his head against a partition in the patrol car. The driver was taken to the jail, where he did cooperate with a blood test and a sample was collected for analysis at the MSP laboratory. The suspect was lodged for OWI 3rd Offense and Resisting Police and other traffic violations.
Police activity this week
Behind the
Badge Whitehall Police Report Nov. 22 A resident reported they were victimized by a scam alleging there was a warrant for their arrest. The victim said he received a call and was told to report to the jail in Ottawa County with cash for bond. While on the way to the jail, he received another call from the supposed deputy that he could post the bond by taking the cash to Walmart and by using barcodes, could send the money for the bond The victim did send $2,000 using the codes and realized it was a scam after the clerk asked the purpose of the transactions and the supposed deputy told him to lie to the clerk about the purpose. Due to the type of transaction, there was no way to recover the money that had been sent the day before. Nov. 24 Whitehall Police responded to the 700 block of Colby St. to assist a business owner who had received an online threat that the business would be vandalized. The on-duty officer met the owner at 1:48 a.m. and checked the outside and inside of the building and found nothing damaged or out of place. The officer did provide extra patrol at the building for the remainder of their shift. Whitehall Police, with assistance of Montague Police, responded to a call
420DECEMBER 1,1, 2023 WHITE LAKE MIRROR DECEMBER 2023THE THE OCEANA ECHO community
e Mirror
SPORTS WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER
NewNEWS faces dot girls hoops rosters NONPROFIT SOURCE Local squads get ready to move on after graduating top players By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor Montague isn’t entirely starting from scratch, but there will be a lot of new faces on this year’s Wildcats squad. One of the notable new faces is on the bench, where Jess DeBruin takes the reins of the program. DeBruin, who played at Mona Shores and Muskegon Community College, was head athletic trainer for the team last season, so she’s familiar with the Wildcats. That doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some adjustment, of course. “I was around the girls last year, so I had an idea of everything,” DeBruin said. “It took me a little bit for it to kind of hit me that now I’m the coach, but once that got going, everything has fallen into place. We’ve been doing some conditioning and getting the girls into the gym.” The ‘Cats also will be reloading on the roster. The team’s two best players last year, Emma Peterson and Haylee Schwarz, both graduated, and former all-state player Kendall Osborne transferred to Whitehall. Osborne’s departure is obviously a loss, but DeBruin said the Wildcats got used to playing without her last year when she missed much of the season with a knee injury, so that eased the transition. “In a way, that kind of helped,” DeBruin said. “They figured out that whether she was there or not, they could handle it. They’ve come together and worked hard. They’ve encouraged each other and gotten things going regardless of who it is.” Montague does bring back all-conference honorable mention performer Addison Pranger, whose shooting ability should help spark the Wildcat offense. There is some veteran presence on the team beyond Pranger as well, with Braylyn Bultema back to anchor the post defense. Kennedy Johnson and Britta Johnson are both seniors who bring plentiful experience from other sports to the court, and Emma Peterson’s younger sister Adaline projects to be the primary ballhandler. The Johnsons should be a factor on defense in particular, where their athleticism will stand out. The ‘Cats should also benefit later in the season when Ella King returns from a knee injury. DeBruin expects her back about midseason. New faces to watch include Ava Vandermeulen and Maizie Collins; DeBruin expects Vandermeulen to have an impact defensively. Even with the many challenges Montague faced last year, the Wildcats still had a strong season and were favored to win the district before Whitehall upset them in the finals. DeBruin said the team believes it let that one get away and has used it as motivation over the offseason.
Montague’s Addison Pranger handles the ball during a game against Hart last season. Pranger, an all-conference honorable mention player last season, will be a key piece for Montague again. • Andy Roberts/File Photo
“We just pretty much want to beat them,” DeBruin said with a chuckle. “It’s like any other time (we play Whitehall), but it gives us a lot of motivation, knowing where we were at and where we could’ve been. It gives them some fuel to get them going.” Whitehall is but two of the 22 games on the Montague schedule, though, and the Wildcats will get a taste of bigschool opposition with games against Grand Haven and Mona Shores, as well as perennial small-school power Kent City. The West Michigan Conference Lakes will again be competitive, with DeBruin eyeing defending champion Ludington and Fremont as the Wildcats’ most likely competition for the top spot. “We’ve got some good competitive games that will help us to prepare for postseason games,” DeBruin said.
Whitehall preview
roster. Megan LeaTrea suffered one in the offseason and will miss the season, though she’ll remain part of the team. Allie Van Antwerp missed last season with her own knee injury - her second - and her return will be a boon for Whitehall. Two other seniors, Taylor Ottinger and Lucy Zamojcin, provide the rest of the leadership team for this Whitehall squad. The past and present knee injuries - Milliron said the roster has sustained seven such injuries in total - serve as motivation for the team. “This is a good reminder for everyone to take advantage of every opportunity you get, because you just don’t know how many you will have,” Milliron said. Though not a senior, junior Lexi Daggett has as much experience playing on the Whitehall court as anyone on the roster, and she’ll be a key part of the Viking attack. The Fagans, junior captain Leanne and sophomore Janie, and juniors Evelyn Darke and Grace McDowell, bring plentiful experience from other sports to the Viking team, and freshman Clare Westerlund will get some time on the
court too. “The practice atmosphere so far this year has been fantastic, and the coaches have been pleasantly surprised how quickly the girls are coming together,” Milliron said. “This can be credited to the character of the kids along with team activities Coach (Emily) MacArthur organized in the off season to bring the girls together. “ Whitehall will very quickly get an idea of how much more improvement there is to make, as it opens the season against Division 1 Cadillac. The Vikings topped Cadillac last year en route to its special season. “We will be relying on this year’s group to be ready to go against a very quality game one opponent,” Milliron said. An early-season highlight will be the 101st all-time meeting between the Vikings and rival Montague. The game, which will take place on the 72nd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, will fittingly be a Veterans Appreciation game, with special warm-up shirts dedicated to local veterans. Ottinger and Lianne Fagan have taken up the task of putting that event together as part of their National Honor Society legacy projects.
Reeths-Puffer preview
Reeths-Puffer returns two veteran starters from last season’s team, plus a senior contributor, who no doubt are motivated by the end to last season. The Rockets, who had 1,000-point career scorers Sophia Hekkema and Ariel Walker on the team, won an O-K Green Conference title last year, only to be upset at the buzzer by Kenowa Hills in the district semifinals. Perhaps that’s part of why, according to coach Rodney Walker, senior guard Brooklynn Tornes has taken a more vocal leadership role as presea-
Whitehall’s senior-laden team went on a dream postseason ride last year, winning a district title for the first time this century. Now, the Vikings face a much larger challenge - trying to do it again without any of their 2022-23 continued on page 5 starters. Whitehall graduated its entire starting lineup, and seven seniors in all, after last season. “The biggest key will be to mesh this group of talented girls, who have not played much together, into a team that communicates and plays team offense and team defense for 32 minutes,” Whitehall coach Brian Milliron said. “We all look forward to that task.” The Vikings do get one important boost towards accomplishing that task with the arrival of Kendall Osborne. Now a senior, Osborne was all-state honorable mention as a sophomore at Montague before missing almost all of last season with a knee injury. She’s since transferred across the river, and she’ll enter the season as the most accomplished Viking. Whitehall’s Lexi Daggett defends an Oakridge opponent during a game last season. Knee injuries are an unfortunately Daggett is among Whitehall’s few experienced varsity players entering this campaign common refrain among the Whitehall after the Vikings won the district last year. • Andy Roberts/File Photo
Hoops previews
THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR DECEMBER1,1,2023 2023 21 5 THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER
Hoops previews son preparation continues with Hekkema and Ariel Walker now graduated. “I think Brooklynn Tornes will have a breakout year,” Walker said. “She’s already doing it, providing that leadership on the floor and being more vocal...I love what I see from her as far as the positive encouragement. Her and Irelynn (Niklasch) are using their voices to pick these ladies up and help them understand what the intensity is going to be like on the varsity level.” Tornes showed her toughness last season, often being among the team’s rebounding leaders despite giving up several inches to almost everyone else on the court. No doubt she will be looked to for that again this year, and likely more scoring as well. She and Niklasch, along with senior Megan Barmes, make up the core of the team, which will likely line up as a smaller group than last year, when Hekkema and Ariel Walker provided size at forward and guard respectively. “We’ll be as scrappy as possible, focusing on boxing out, outlet passes and fast-break points,” Walker said. “That’s kind of the goal for us this year, is to be sound defensively and make it tough for teams to score on us.”
continued from page 4
R-P will also likely look to be more deliberate in the half-court offense. With the luxury of experience last year, the Rockets were able to speed things up at any time, but will now be looking to work several varsity newcomers into the offense. In the meantime, they’ll hang their hat on defense. In addition to the three seniors, Chloe Brainard, Savannah Lockwood and Mallory Metzger will be key parts of the team, and Walker believes each will be especially strong on defense. “We have a variety of different girls who will give us some different looks defensively,” Walker said. “I think that will be one of our biggest strengths. We’ll be a sound half-court defensive team.” Walker is always a proponent of a positive team atmosphere, and that will be even more important this season as the Rockets develop as a team. “A key will be loving on each other and trying to create some team camaraderie to make sure we play as a collective group,” Walker said. “Not necessarily having a person who’s a star, so to speak, we want to collectively win
Reeths-Puffer’s Brooklynn Tornes drives past a Grand Haven defeender during a game last season. Tornes enters this season as a fourth-year varsity player for the Rockets.
• Andy Roberts/File Photo
games and assign and establish roles for certain people to help us compete again. We always want to be in a position to win games at the end.” The O-K Green looks like another tough league this year. Muskegon, armed with several highly-recruited players, is always a force, but Walker predicts that Wyoming and both Zeeland schools will see contributions from incoming varsity players, and Union, with coach April Kidd, can never be discounted. The Mona Shores ri-
valry game is always a highlight. R-P will play some intriguing non-conference games, including a matchup with Holt at an Aquinas holiday showcase. However, if Walker has it his way, the best version of the Rockets will be seen later in the season during conference play. “We’ll probably be better as we go,” Walker said. “It will take some time for us to mesh and glue things together before we take off, probably around midseason.”
Wrestling teams set to hit the mat
High expectations again for Whitehall, Reeths-Puffer squads By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor Whitehall’s position as a power program in the state is unassailable at this point, and the Vikings are in line for another special season in 2023-24. Whitehall earned the state runner-up position for the second time in three seasons last year, and returns most of its starting lineup from that team. There’s a lot of optimism surrounding coaches Justin and Collin Zeerip’s program. “We’ve preached the whole time to our guys to take it one match at a time,” Justin Zeerip said. “We want to wrestle on the last day of the state tournament and give our guys a great opportunity to compete. We have a lot of experience and it’s a lot of fun to be part of.” Three of the team’s best from last year won’t take the mat this year, creating a big challenge for the remaining Vikings. Shane Cook, who produced an undefeated state championship season at heavyweight last year, has graduated, as has all-state twin brother Jackson Cook. The team also suffered an unfortunate loss when all-stater Wyatt Jenkins sustained a serious spinal injury at a summer football camp. Jenkins, thankfully, is on track for a full recovery, but he will not be available to wrestle for this, his junior season. Zeerip said Jenkins will continue to be part of the team, though, as a de facto assistant coach. “It’ll be a different perspective for him, but I think sometimes when you teach someone something, it helps you become more of an expert because you have to break it down more,” Zeerip said of Jenkins. “It will help him continue to work on being a great leader like he is.” However, 12 wrestlers with starting experience will be on the mat for the Vikings, including a state runner-up. Junior Gavin Craner transferred to Whitehall from Belding after earning
second place in the state at 175 pounds last year, making him the highest returning placer on the Viking roster. Two wrestlers who earned all-state for Whitehall last year are also back: Junior Ryan Goodrich and senior Darnell Mack. Whitehall came very close to having many more state qualifiers last year, but lost several of them in what’s known as the ‘blood round’ at regionals - the round in which winners go to the state finals while their foes end their individual seasons. “Last year, our blood round at regionals was really tough,” Zeerip said. “I can’t even remember how many we lost. That really motivated the guys to put time in.” As an example of that extra time, Zeerip said returning wrestler Caden Varela attended a 14-day camp in the offseason. Nolan Taranko is another returner who should be prepared to take the next step to state and is considered a leader in the practice room. The Vikings also get a boost with the return of Trenton TenBrock, who is following in Jackson Cook’s footsteps as a football star returning to wrestling late in his high school career. The Vikings also bring back Blake English, whose stunning pin against a state qualifier ignited Whitehall to a semifinal triumph against Algonac last year, and regional qualifier Cody Manzo at the lower weights. Max Krukowski, Colton Weiler, Anthony Raider and Liam Waller are other returners who should help the team. Zeerip is also keeping an eye on freshman Jason Shaffer; “I’m excited for him,” he said. Whitehall will kick-start its season Dec. 6 in front of a home crowd against Benzie Central at 11:30 a.m. The unorthodox start time will enable students to attend during the school day, Zeerip said. Detroit Catholic Central and Lowell are among the power programs that have staged similar meets, and Zeerip hopes this one generates
Whitehall’s Ryan Goodrich tangles with a Dundee foe during last season’s state finals match. An all-state wrestler last year, Goodrich is slated to be among the Vikings’ top wrestlers in 2023-24. • Andy Roberts/File Photo
similar enthusiasm. “It’s fun for the guys to wrestle in front of their peers,” Zeerip said. “I think the kids are excited about it.” From there, Whitehall will embark on its usual schedule chock-full of challenging matchups. The Vikings always circle the GMAA on their calendar, and this year that meet will take place at Muskegon. Whitehall’s home Rick Champion Duals are also a consistent highlight. “We’re excited to go compete,” Zeerip said. “The guys have put a lot of time in in the offseason and we’re excited to just go out and wrestle.”
Montague preview
Montague enters this season as, yet again, a young team. Coach Kris Maddox half-joked that his team can’t ever seem to enter the season with a lot of experience up and down the roster. However, the Wildcats are again looking forward to the challenge of competing, especially in a loaded West Michigan Conference that includes recent powers Whitehall, Hart and Fre-
mont. “When we transferred conferences we became a wrestling conference, in my opinion,” Maddox said, referring to the 2022-23 WMC expansion. “When you’re batting every Wednesday against teams like Whitehall, Hart, Fremont, Orchard View, Shelby, every team is battling in the conference. We’re battling for that #3 or #4 spot in the conference.” Montague brings back two state qualifiers from last year in Chris Aebig and Jimmy Thommen. Aebig is aiming to become the Wildcats’ first-ever fourtime state qualifier. Maddox said Aebig and Thommen are training partners and do a lot to make each other better. The other member of the Wildcats’ core returning group is Joe Winkleman, who had a strong football season and enters this wrestling campaign 10 pounds lighter than a year ago. The senior trio anchors the Montague lineup. Much of the rest of the lineup will
Wrestling previews continued on page 6
22 DECEMBER1,1,2023 2023 THE THEWHITE OCEANA ECHO 6 DECEMBER LAKE MIRROR
Wrestling previews
continued from page 5
consist of less-experienced grapplers, but several upperclassmen have come out for the team this year after not previously wrestling, something Maddox is excited about. Fletcher Thommen and Isaac Falk, though, do bring starting experience to the lineup, and they’ll fill two of the middle weights. Brock Hunter projects as one of the lightweight wrestlers, and Maddox looks forward to having Aian Peters, who is playing basketball too, on the roster. “A lot’s up in the air right now as to who will be where and fit where,” Maddox said. “We didn’t get a big increase of freshmen this year, and we expected that. We have 32ish wrestlers on the team. There are a lot of kids who haven’t wrestled before, but we’re excited that they’ll have an opportunity to compete.” Of course, Montague isn’t just home to boys wrestling, as the Wildcats have built a robust girls program, helmed by Aaron Nold this year. Few teams return as much girls talent as Montague, including three-time state placers Emma Pendell and Savannah Winkleblack. Pendell, a 2022 state
champion, is aiming to get back atop the podium, and Winkleblack has the talent to reach those heights as well. Ava Pelton has qualified for state twice and also returns, and Abby Thommen, who transferred last season, is back at Montague this year. Reed Thommen (Abby’s sister), Zaniya Meza and Trisha Beckman are new faces to watch for the Montague girls, who have a busy schedule this year, including an early-season trip to East Jackson and the traditional Mat Cat Holiday Classic. “Most of the girls are spread out nicely,” Maddox said of the Wildcat girls’ weight classes. “It’ll be neat to have a big girls squad again, with a mix of new talent and medalist talent to build the girls team.” The Wildcat boys look forward to the early-season Hemlock meet and its own holiday Mat Cat event, as well as the Randy Jacobs Duals. “We have our individual stars, but we’ll see what transpires team-wise,” Maddox said. “We can be competitive as long as we get these new guys up to where they need to be.”
Reeths-Puffer’s Ian Cook takes down a Mona Shores opponent during last season’s GMAA meet. Cook, already a two-time all-state wrestler as a junior, will anchor the Rockets’ lineup. • Andy Roberts/File Photo
Montague’s Emma Pendell wriggles out of a hold during a district match against Orchard View last February. Pendell enters the season hoping to return to the top of the podium at the state finals. • Andy Roberts/File Photo
Reeths-Puffer preview
Defending O-K Green Conference champion Reeths-Puffer has plenty to be excited about as a new wrestling season dawns. Coach Jared Fleming brings back a great core of star wrestlers, led by junior Ian Cook, who’s already earned two all-state spots in his two years. Regional qualifiers Jake Rozycki and Nathan Stafford are also back, eyeing their own all-state spots. Stafford, a senior, won 40-plus matches last year, and Fleming said he’s put in the offseason work to succeed. A new freshman dynamo, Hunter Eek, will make an immediate impact as well. Fleming said Eek trains with Cook and Rozycki at a Grand Rapids club, and despite his age, his bona fides are clear. Senior Nathan Reeves will be another key piece of the puzzle, wrestling at the middle weights. “He’s just a tough kid and grinds out matches,” Fleming said. “He’s really strong.” Those five will be the mainstays of the lineup, but many others should be major contributors as well. Corey Judd and Andrew Corradin have shown improvement after an offseason of hard work, and junior Arin Maynard is back to take up the 106-pound spot after not
Ringing in 105 in style
Sports in Brief Hockey West Ottawa 4 Reeths-Puffer 2
Boys B-Ball Montague 50 WM Christian 43 Isaiah Atchison had 13 points and Owen Raeth had 11, eight of them in the 4th quarter, as Montague won its season opener Tuesday.
Tyler Cuti and Montague student Bucky Aney each scored a goal Wednesday night. Eighteen penalties were whistled in the game as R-P fell to 1-1.
Ready for games? So are we! Next week’s Mirror will kick off our winter series of sports game coverage. We’ll be on site for Montague boys basketball’s home opener against Newaygo, and Whitehall’s opening dual match against Benzie Central, taking place during the school day, is sure to be a highlight. Keep your eyes on our pages for the best local sports coverage this season!
wrestling last year and battling injuries the year before. Fleming also has one new face on his coaching staff, as Jace Learn is now an assistant. He has experience coaching the middle school team at Orchard View and now works at R-P. R-P has the talent and experience to repeat as O-K Green champion, but for the third straight year, Holland should provide stiff competition. The Dutch edged out the Rockets for the top spot two years ago and finished second last season. A Dec. 13 dual meet between the teams will go a long way towards shaping the league race. The Zeeland schools should also be factors. The Rockets always look forward to the GMAA tournament, and a Jan. 6 individual meet in Grand Haven will match them up with many area powers. The tough schedule should prepare Reeths-Puffer for a tough district in which state-ranked Rockford will be the likely favorite. “I like to give our guys tough matches throughout the year and take some lumps so we can get through some things and become tougher, so we can peak at the end of the year and take it to some of the bigger teams,” Fleming said.
By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer Eileen Cockerill celebrated her 105th birthday Tuesday at White Lake Assisted Living, surrounded by family and friends. Cockerill was born and raised in Oceana County. When she started a family, she became a resident of Montague, where she lived most of her life before joining White Lake Assisted Living. Her party was garnished with large balloons that read “105” and a birthday sash she wore proudly. Eileen Cockerill, a Montague native and White Lake Assisted Living resident, celebrated her 105th birthday Tuesday.
• Madison Lajewski/Mirror
The White Lake Mirror © is published weekly at P.O. Box 194, Mears, MI 49436 • All rights reserved.
whitelakemirror@gmail.com • December 1, 2023 • Volume 1 • Issue 3 Office hours: Mondays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.
THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 1, 2023 23
24 DECEMBER 1, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO
Thank you to all our customers!!
We are celebrating 80 years in Hesperia, and we will be celebrating all year long! Watch our ads, and follow us on facebook, for 80th Anniversary deals and events coming soon!! We sincerely appreciate your patronage, and hope to be here for many years to come.
1
$
Decked-Out
SAVINGS
49 lb.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Value Pack
5
$
1
99
$
lb.
99
lb. Center Cut Boneless Pork Chops
USDA Choice
Boneless Beef Top Sirloin Steak
Family Pack
3
$
99
Sunkist Navel Oranges
Red, Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers or Seedless Cucumbers
Baby Red or Gold Potatoes
2
5
4
3 lb. Bag
5/$
4 lb. Bag
Bolthouse Farms Mini Peeled Carrot Petites 12 oz. pkg.
$ 49
8 0 th Anniversary
2/$
1
$
T HeaO l Of
D The Week!
79 lb.
Fresh, Natural
Assorted Pork Chops Bone-In
Wish Bone Dressing 15 oz.
6
2/$
Aunt Millie’s Stadium Hamburger or Hot Dog 2/$ Buns
5
8 ct.
Pepsi Products
1.25 liter btls. (plus deposit)
Kemps Ice Cream 48 oz.
5
4/$
3
$
In the Deli & Bakery!
Creamette Pasta
5
4/$
12 - 16 oz. (excluding lasagna)
7
Lay’s Potato Chips 2/$ 7.5 - 8.75 oz.
Budweiser or Labatt 24 pk., 12 oz. cans (plus deposit)
19
$
99
Vegetables or Steamables
99 10 - 12 oz.
Selected Varieties
Powdered or Brown Sugar
199
$
2 lb.
Coca-Cola Products
12
3/$
6 pk., 16.9 oz. btls. (plus deposit)
Jam Cellars Butter $ Chardonnay 750 mL
1699
Chef Boyardee Canned 2/$ Pasta
3
14.5 - 15 oz.
7-Up Products
8 pk., 12 oz. btls. or 10 pk., 7.5 oz. cans (plus deposit)
12
3/$
NOW CARRY ING A FULL LINE O F LIQUOR AND SPIRIT S. STOP IN AND SEE
OUR SELECT
ION
BelGioioso Cheese Cups 5 oz.
9
$ 99 lb.
$
Jessie Lord Cream Pie
$
Turnovers
$
6.7 - 7.3 oz.
26 oz., 8-Inch
5
4/$
1% or Skim Milk gallon
7
2/$
Daisy Sour Cream or Cottage 2/$ Cheese 24 oz.
6
349
Stacy’s Pita Chips
4 ct.
899 449
AD EFFECTIVE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 4 THRU SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2023 SORRY, NO RAINCHECKS. PRICING GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES.