The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 7, July 14, 2023

Nowfeaturingfullcolorcomics!

Stony Lake Sparkler sets new participant record

Almost $25,000 raised for Crystal Valley Care Fund

More than 1,000 runners showed up to compete in the seventh Stony Lake Sparkler 5k and 1 Mile Fun Run on July 2, 2023. Since its start in 2015 with just over 500 participants, the race has grown dramatically. After over 900 runners participated in 2022 in a roaring comeback from a two-year hiatus during the Covid pandemic, organizers worked with area police, fire and public safety officials to determine that a 1,000-runner cap was prudent for the conditions of the out-andback run.

Some hopeful runners who had not preregistered had to be turned away on July 2 because of these precautions. The race directors are planning to revisit the layout and parking requirements for future races, but at this point the 1,000-participant limit remains in place for the health and safety of everyone. “Most races close registration before race day,” said Race Director Sally Malnor. “We would prefer not to have to turn people away that day.”

The run is popular not only for the scenic route along the wooded roads that surround Stony Lake. A festive family atmosphere, a terrific post-run party and a wide variety of awards attract runners of all ages from all over Michigan and beyond. The ultimate goal of the race, a large donation to the Crystal Valley Care Fund, is further motivation for sponsors, community donors and runners to chip in generously. This year’s race donation is $24,849.60, a total that will help hundreds of

Oceana County residents who are facing lifecrisis needs.

The overall winners of this year’s race were Keegan Masters of Petersburg, Mich., with a time of 16:15.9, and Stony Lake area resident and Hart High School track star Jessie Jazwinski, besting her victory from last year with a time of 18:25.0. Next year’s Stony Lake Sparkler 5K is planned for July 7, 2024.

A wonderful day at the Oceana County Fairgrounds for the Kaitlynn Scott Memorial Horse Show

• Contributed Photos

Share memories of Silver Lake Sand

Dunes

at The Ladder July 18

We invite all to come and share their stories, photos and other memorabilia with those in attendance.

Join

SOS is a monthly event held at The Ladder, where people gather and share memories and memorabilia from Oceana County. There is no cost for this evening event, though donations to The Ladder are welcome. Events are subject to change. To inquire about an event or with ideas for future topics of interest for SOS, call The Ladder at 231-259-0211. Visit theladdercommunitycenter.com to view all upcoming events.

A check for $24,849.60, above, was presented to the Crystal Valley Care Fund at the 2023 Sparkler Run at Stony Lake, from left, Jeff Larmore, Sally Malnor, Deb Mitteer, Judy Kokx, Ruth Fleming and Kathy Sullivan. Runners can be seen, below, along scenic Thomas Road near Stony Lake. • Contributed photos by Fergypix.com

The next Share Our

Stories (SOS) event at The Ladder Community Center in Shelby will feature stories and adventures of one of our area’s greatest and most interesting tourist attractions, the Silver Lake Sand Dunes.

in on Tuesday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. as special guest speakers Jan Lathers and Robin Morningstar share the history of the dunes from every season. Robin was a tour guide and dune buggy driver at the dunes, and Jan lived near the dunes for many years.

and add your memories of the Silver Lake Sand Dunes.

58th Annual Pentwater Juried Art & Craft Fair

Oceana Center Grange Agricultural Report for July 2023

By Phil Carter The Oceana Echo Agricultural Consultant

As the seasons change, so do agricultural crops. The asparagus season is over, and it was a good crop. Strawberries are finished for the year, and now cherries are ripe in the land of Oceana. Crop estimates put our crop locally at around 50 percent of a “normal” crop, with great variability within blocks and localities, with the lakeshore generally having a better crop than farther inland. The quality so far is pretty good, but the season is just starting, and weather, insects and diseases can be problematic before the season finishes.

Row crop (corn, beans and wheat) conditions vary greatly with a rating of good to very poor depending on many factors being mainly moisture and soil conditions. Fruit seems to be doing better, with apples sizing nicely. Peach thinning is winding down. The cherry size is a little smaller than normal.

Most people understand the impacts of dry weather and its effects on plants. We are short 4 to 6 inches of rainfall for this time of year. The wildfires and smokey atmospheric conditions caused by the Canadian wildfires have had a detrimental effect on the photosynthesis process, with less solar radiation fueling the plant’s food-making process. The overall results are somewhat unknown at this time.

Today’s farms are different from those of your parents and grandparents, with larger acreages spread out over several miles, townships, counties and even states. Being on public roads with large, slow-moving equipment is commonplace, which means drivers must be more aware of this and alert to it, so PLEASE slow down. Visibility for equipment operators is often limited, and vehicles are sometimes in a blind spot. Farmers don’t necessarily like moving equipment on roadways, but it is a necessary evil. By watching out for slow-moving equipment, accidents can be prevented, and everyone can go home to their families at the end of the day.

VISIT DOWNTOWN HART! MAIN STREET MARKET

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Team Percy Pet Center Wants to help

Do you have a dog that’s a little out of control? Are you tired of your dog jumping on people, barking at the mailman, or pulling on the leash?

If so, then you need to attend Team Percy Pet Center’s free dog training workshop! This workshop will cover everything from, basic puppy socialization and obedience to major behavior issues. The next workshop will take place July 23rd, 9 AM to 3 PM

Amanda Dodge/Echo

Oceana Community Foundation partners award $59,000 in its Spring Community Grant Round

Together with donor-advised fund holders, Oceana Community Foundation recently awarded $58,925 to 19 local nonprofits, schools, and government agencies. While awards were divided among projects supporting the arts, education/youth, community development, and environment management, the greatest area of need was access to health and human services, with a focus on family welfare and food accessibility. The foundation’s Board of Trustees and staff would like to thank each grant applicant, fundholder, and volunteer that made its Spring Community Grant Round a success!

“Each grant round, we learn more about the pressing needs facing Oceana County,” Oceana Community Foundation CEO Tammy Carey said. “Our focus is to both uplift Oceana County residents’ wellbeing and access to resources. Last year, mental health was the most requested area of support in our spring grantmaking round. While mental health is an ongoing issue for families, there is a growing need to support families’ basic needs – whether it be access to healthy foods, places free from domestic violence, or essential care items for young kids.” To see a complete list of grant awards, visit https:// oceanafoundation.org/grants/pastgrant-awards/.

One organization that received funding this round is Catholic Chari-

ties West Michigan. Catholic Charities West Michigan has taken a unique approach to ensuring essential baby and toddler supplies are accessible, even in our more rural parts of Oceana County, with their new Mobile Baby Pantry. Supplies available to parents are diapers, wipes, formula and clothes. Allowing for this point of contact with struggling parents will open the door to connecting them with other resources and agencies in the area that could help their family.

This spring, 22 organizations applied for a grant award, with the majority (64 percent) receiving full funding for their request. An additional quarter (23 percent) of applicants received partial funding.  The foundation’s Community Grant Program continues to thrive because of synergy between donors and local nonprofits, school districts and government agencies. A major area of support for the foundation’s grantmaking is provided by its donor-advised fund holders, who support grant requests aligned with their philanthropic interests. In spring 2023, seven fundholders and one anonymous donor contributed a total of $32,885 in grants! The foundation would like to celebrate these donor partners who co-invested in this spring’s grantmaking, including the Gail Paulus Family Fund, the Gary and Mary Ann Peterson “Grandpa and Grandma Pete” Memorial Fund, the Little Point Sable Arts Fund, the Henry

and Dorothy V. Fischer Family Fund, the Sparks/Ryan Memorial Fund, the William R. Lathers Foundation Fund and the Joe Foster Jr Golf Fund.

The foundation’s Grant Committee and Youth Advisory Council awarded an additional $26,040 from eight unrestricted, designated and field-of-interest funds. Established by donors and nourished through community support, these funds are charitable vehicles to help donors collectively make an impact in Oceana County forever. Field-of-interest and designated funds support broad interest areas, like education, the environment and specific geographic areas. The foundation’s Grant Committees recommend grants from these funds to address ever-changing needs and causes. The foundation’s largest field of interest fund is the Oceana Youth Fund, overseen and stewarded by the Youth Advisory Council. These high school volunteers work together to understand and address the needs and opportunities affecting local students.

The Community Investment Fund, the foundation’s main unrestricted fund, contributed $6,500 to the Spring Community Grant Round. The Community Investment Fund is a critical source of support for Oceana County as an endowed fund dedicated to addressing local unmet needs as they

arise. It is the Foundation’s most flexible tool to meet its mission, existing forever to uplift residents’ wellbeing. The foundation board currently has a goal to increase this endowment fund to $1 million to expand overall grantmaking capacity. People can support the Community Investment Fund directly or establish their own Community Impact fund, like the Julie and John Stivers Fund or the Robert and Rose Haase Fund.

The foundation’s Fall Community Grant Round opens Sept. 1, and all interested school districts, nonprofits, and government agencies are invited to submit their Letter of Intent by Sept. 16. The foundation recognizes that multiple organizational funding needs may arise, therefore, it allows for more than one submission in a calendar year. Proposals of up to $5,000 are accepted, and longer-term commitments may be considered for initiatives that show exceptional promise for community impact. To learn more about grantmaking, visit oceanafoundation.org/grants/. For more information about making a gift now or through an estate plan, creating a named fund at the Oceana Community Foundation, or learning more about community needs, call Tammy Carey. Grant application questions can be directed to Hannah Naples at 231-869-3377.

This page is brought to you by:

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Please join the OCH&GS at its Annual Meeting Sunday, July 16 at 4 p.m. at the Transportation Museum Conference Room in Mears.

Hemlocks in Early Oceana

By Caleb Jackson

The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

Last week, it was mentioned that lumber barons passed over the “valueless hemlocks” in favor of white pines during the lumbering boom of Western Michigan. The week before that, I stated that Charles W. Jay’s fictitious ghost story concerning the Hemlock Grove was “unique to Oceana.” However, these days, when the average Michigander takes a look about Oceana, their eyes are more commonly greeted by the likes of maple, black walnut or birch trees. Hemlocks do not stand out whatsoever. So, what was I on about then?

The truth is that the forests of Oceana today are quite different from what our early settlers encountered when our county was still in its infancy. We can find clues indicating how prevalent hemlocks were in most books covering the history of the local area. In Hartwick and Tuller’s “Oceana County Pioneers and Business Men of To-Day,” they mention a failed business start-up that was centered around extracting liquids from hemlock bark to aid in the tanning of leather. “They proposed to start factories,” it says in the book, “put in local managers, etc. It promised big money, and quite a number from Pentwater invested in the Hemlock Bark Extract business. After about 60 days, however, the bottom dropped out….”

For a better account of what the hemlocks of early Oceana were like, though, we turn again to Charles Jay’s “My New Home in Northern Michigan.” According to him, very few of the early settlers owned the lots they lived on. Instead, “all the land here was originally held by the mill

proprietors…” There were two types of wood. Hardwood and softwood. The hardwoods were mainly comprised of beech and maples, while the softwoods were white pine and hemlock. Jay also states that the land in this region, “for hundreds of miles,” was surveyed into 40-acre tracts.

It is no secret that the beautiful white pines, the state tree of Michigan, were very nearly milled to extinction in this area. In fact, it was the very threat of extinction that caused Raymond W. Overholzer to create what is now called The Shrine of the Pines in Baldwin. For 30 years in the first half of the 20th century, Overholzer collected scrap lumber and stumps of white pine left over from the milling companies and turned them into beautiful pieces of furniture, as a tribute to the white pines that used to dominate this area. As Charles Jay puts it in his book, which was published nearly 150 years ago, “The waste has been fearful. Between here and Chicago, a distance of 200 miles, but few pines are left in majestic supremacy, the lordlings of the forest. For 10 years, the ‘best’ have been annual

ly marked by the spoilers, hewn down, and cast into the sawmills. But,” he adds, “the huge hem

locks have been passed by as worthless for com

mercial purposes.”

Referring to the hemlocks as “huge” is some

thing that probably stands out to the modern reader. Later, in the same passage, Jay mentions that most of the hemlocks measured “from ten to fifteen feet in girth…” And yet, where are they now? If they were worthless, and passed over by the lumber barons, and even the attempts to de

velop extracts from their barks were abandoned, what happened to these massive trees? The answer can be found in my article appearing in last week’s paper. To borrow again from the words of

Charles W. Jay, “They [were] yearly cut down by the thousands, left to dry for a season, and then the remorseless fire [was] let loose for their destruction.” Jay really drives the point home with one last passage lamenting the loss of the hemlocks.

There is a hemlock “forty” joining our location on the south. Seven years ago it was traded off for an old horse, worth $20. It can be bought to-day for $300. If you had in near Trenton it would be worth over $100,000. Next fall men will be engaged in cutting it down for the sole purpose of giving its beautiful lumber to the flames. (Charles Jay, 1874, p. 35)

Charles Jay’s farm was located on Blackberry Ridge, near what is today Buchanan Road, in Shelby. If you drive out there now, one would probably be hard pressed to find a single hemlock that comes anywhere near 15 feet in girth, like was so common in the days of Charles W. Jay.

Send us your ‘News and Notes’

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

The Oceana Echo is now in its seventh week of printing! There’s been so much positive feedback; it has been truly refreshing and energizing! As a writer for the paper, my mind is spinning with many ideas for future news stories and features. Thank you for your support!

One of the goals of the Echo is to represent the entire county and become a truly community paper. To do that, we want to hear from everyone, whether it be our townships, non-profit groups, service clubs, families, churches or schools. Lots of times there isn’t necessarily enough news for a whole article, but we know there are interesting things happening every day in every part of our community, and we want to record them in print.

Some of you reading this column can remember the day when all newspapers featured what was called a “social column.” Here one could read about who came to dinner, who took a trip, what crop was being harvested or even some of the shenanigans of your neighbors. In the Oceana Herald of 1891, the column was called “Personal Mentions and Local Notes”, and in the Shelby Independent of 1880, the column was simply called “Local” - as that was the focus.

In reality, it was social media of a different sort. A picture and a post didn’t pop up on your phone the minute it happened. It came one week at a time

in something called “the newspaper.” There were no pictures accompanying these “notes,” so instead people had to actually use their imaginations and come up with their own “picture” of what was being shared.

Even though more and more people prefer using technology to connect and stay informed, we think printing a real newspaper once a week is worth it. It gives us all a break from our devices for a few minutes while we catch up and connect with the happenings in our community. We can read about national and state news elsewhere, but The Oceana Echo is where we want you to hear and feel the heartbeat of your community.

In an effort to involve all of you in this endeavor, we will be starting a new column featuring some “news and notes” from around our county. The Shelby Herald had this simple request back on May 23, 1888. That’s 135 years ago, and it could be just as applicable today: “Wanted!  A live correspondent in every town in the county to furnish us with the latest and most interesting news of his or her vicinity. Live, legitimate news is what we want, not idle gossip nor neighborhood scandal.”

What’s new in your township, neighborhood, church or 4-H club? Did your grandchild catch a big fish this past week? Have you met any interesting people? We will be reaching out to many people over the next few weeks. We hope you will be able to help us bring this idea to life.

In the meantime, if you have an interesting tidbit or know of one we should track down, please contact The Oceana Echo at theoceanaecho@gmail.com, and we will do our best to include it in a future column.

Shelby earns Green School award

By Dominic Dodge and Amanda Dodge

Shelby Middle School was recognized earlier this year by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) as part of its Green Schools program.

Brianne Lentz, the 6th grade science teacher at Shelby, said she has always wanted the school to have this distinction.

From her time at Western Michigan University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Sustainability, to becoming a teacher at Shelby, Lentz said she has wanted to share her environmental passion with her students. In order to realize her goal, which Shelby Middle School has not achieved since 2009, Lentz had to complete a set of requirements and fill out the necessary forms. Some of the green activities she worked on were marker and plastic recycling.

“I always wanted a green school,” Lentz said, adding that she hopes to keep it that way until she retires. She also said that a flag will be arriving at the school in the near future to recognize this achievement.

School Scoop

According to the Shelby Middle School Facebook page, “Awesome job, Ms. Lentz on helping SMS earn the distinction of Green School! We were one of only three schools in the WSESD to get this award.”

The other Oceana County school that earned an Evergreen School distinction is Pentwater Public Schools.

To earn the Green School Environmental Stewardship Designation, a school must complete 10 total activities, with at least two from each of the following four categories: reduce/ reuse/recycle, energy, environmental protection and miscellaneous. The Emerald distinction is for completing 15 total activities, and the Evergreen distinction is for completing 20 total activities.

For more information on this program, please visit greenschools-michigan.hub.arcgis.com/.

72nd Annual St. Joseph and St. Vincent’s Ox Roast and Homecoming

Dates: Sun. July 30

Th. Aug. 3

Daily: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Trinity Lutheran Church of New Era is hosting a Vacation Bible School called Operation Restoration: Mending God’s World.

During this exciting weeklong program, kids learn to be menders of the Earth as they explore the daily themes of Feed, Heal, Forgive, Pray and Rest.

TLC is located at 5631 W. Stony Lake Rd. in New Era

This VBS is open to ages K through Adult Bible Study Dinner Provided. Register by July 22nd.

To learn more or register, call: 231-861-4059, email: office@tlcnewera.org or visit: www.tlcnewera.org

The Oceana Echo Community Contributors

• Kevin VanDyke/Echo

Shelby Middle School 6th grade science teacher Brianne Lentz holds up the Green Schools award received from EGLE. • Contributed Photos

Ongoing

June - August - Pentwater Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at the Village Green

June-September - New Era Farmer’s Market, 4-7 p.m. July 25, August 8 & 22 & September 12.

July - August - Hart Historic District Concerts, Fridays at 7 p.m.

Friendship Ring Quilt Guild

The Friendship Ring Quilt Guild will be hosting a booth at the annual Mears Art Fair Saturday, July 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Their booth will have many quilted items as well as a raffle quilt. Funds raised help continue their mission of providing quilts to the surrounding communities.

The guild meets the third Thursday of each month. Their next meeting is July 20 at 7 p.m. at Quilted Memories in Montague, Mich. New members are always welcome.

theoceanaecho@gmail.com

July

July

July 14 - Heroes on the Dunes

July 15 - Mears Arts & Crafts Fair, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 15 - Blessing of the Duners at Silver Lake Sand Dunes, 12-1 p.m.

July 15 - Michigan Dunes Chapter, NSDAR, monthly meeting, noon

July 18 - TLC Men’s Club, 8 a.m.

July 18 - SOS, The Ladder, 6:30 p.m.

July 21- 22 - Oceana Center Grange to host “God’s Helping Hands”

Trusted

During

Weather

The frequency in severe weather has led to an increase in power outages. More than ever, you need to be prepared. Think about it, without power, you will have no lights, heating or cooling, or refrigeration. You can’t even charge your cell phone. But when you have a Generac home standby generator, you will have power when you need it the most.

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Living Legacies: A very special delivery

By Amanda Dodge The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

The old sayings that good things come in small packages and better late than never apply to the incredible journey of a small box that took over five decades to be delivered.

“It all started Aug. 6, 1970, when we were married,” Joan LundBorg said, sitting in her Pentwater home with a photo album in front of her. However, the photo album did not contain pictures from her wedding but of her husband’s time in Vietnam. “That was a Thursday, and he left for Vietnam on Sunday.”

“I won the lottery,” Pete LundBorg recalled. “They had a drawing, and I got drawn and I was drafted.”

When Pete found out he was drafted, Joan said that their friends encouraged them to get married before he left. The two were not even engaged yet, but they liked the idea. So Pete asked, and Joan said yes on Aug. 1, 1970, and five days later they were wed in Berkley, Mich.

“So the lottery I won was this allexpense-paid trip for camping and hiking and outdoor cooking out in the woods for a year.

“The really neat thing is that he came home. There was a knock on our door, and my mother answered it and started screaming,” Joan recalled.

“It was our first anniversary,” Pete explained. “It was kind of an interesting time. But this whole story is about something that happened at the end of my tour.”

Pete, who has kept a journal for years about his daily doings, proceeded to share how he met a fellow soldier 52 years after they served together in Vietnam.

“At the end of July 1971, I left Vietnam with a package of personal items that I was going to mail upon returning to the U.S.,” Pete said. “The package belonged to Sergeant John Nordgaard, and mail service had ended for 1/11 Infantry Company because it was leaving the country.

“We were located just south of the DMZ (demilitarized zone) between North and South Vietnam at the time. John and my timelines and memories do not align too well, so neither of us are sure how I ended up with the package.

“I was assigned the position of ‘postal clerk’ for our company upon my return from R&R in Hawaii, but I am not sure what month that was. John left our unit in April, so I am not sure we ever met.

“Mail service became more sporadic the closer we got to our evacuation date. I may have found the package in the postal room, or it had been given to me by our Sergeant Major when we were cleaning our headquarters building out…I know it was to be mailed to John when I returned to the States.

“By the time I left our company to return to the U.S., there were only four of us left. All of the others had been transferred out to other units in South Vietnam.”

Here, Pete paused to recall the rather harrowing way he had to make his exit from Vietnam.

“We were taken to an air strip to catch a plane ride to Saigon. When we got to the landing area, we were told the C-138 would not be stopping for us

to load up. We were to run and jump on board, as the plan was turning around to immediately leave,” Pete said. “I was carrying a duffle bag with some of my belongings in it and John’s package. As the plane landed, we began to take incoming mortar fire from Vietcong, but we made it out.

“In Saigon, my duffle bag had to go through a search. I lost my hunting knife, and John’s package must have been opened and the paper it was wrapped in discarded, I assume. I believe I had the duffle bag shipped to my parents’ home in Berkley, Mich.”

“Back in the States, I was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, for a couple of months, and when I finally got out of the Army and returned home, the duffle bag was waiting.

“This was when I probably discovered John’s package no longer had a ‘ship to’ address on it…or in it. The package moved around with my wife and I for nearly the next 50 years, as I tried to find where John lived.

“About five years ago, I finally gave up my frustrating searches and asked our son, Andy, who was very good with computers, if he could find John. He found who he thought might be a relative of John’s in Ohio but did not hear anything back from his email.

“This past February, he received an email from John’s daughter in Ohio, who happened to find Andy’s email from years before on her computer,” Pete recalled, astonished.

From that point on, Pete said that letters and phone calls ensued, and John asked the LundBorgs to simply mail him the package, but after all these years, they wanted to deliver it in person.

On May 22, a week before Memorial Day, Pete and Joan took the Lake Express High-Speed Ferry out of Muskegon to Milwaukee to finally deliver “the package” to John and his wife, Eleanor.

“The intriguing thing about the whole package — we call it ‘the box,’ is that Pete held on to it for all those years and he didn’t know what was in it…When I was about to leave Vietnam, when I gave the mail clerk the box, it wasn’t the same mail clerk. It wasn’t Pete…I know I was a little upset at the mail clerk that I didn’t get it back in the States.,” John recalled. “It’s (quite a story) that he kept the box and it followed him wherever he moved, and with his persistence and his son’s to get ahold of my daughter to get ahold of me. My daughter thought it was a scam, and didn’t do anything with it for four years. And then she decided to give me a call, when she was deleting her messages, and I said ‘yes, I am still looking for a box.’ I don’t know how he found (my daughter) Julie, as she is married now.

“I said just to mail it over to me, and he was insistent that he would like to deliver it. I am so glad he did, as he and his wife are some of the neatest people we have ever met. We have invited them to our cabin, and they are genuinely very nice people, and we were totally impressed.

Upon meeting the Nordgaards, the LundBorgs also found out that John was a medic in the Army and is very active in the VFW, and he and Pete began to share stories with each other about their time in Vietnam as John held the box on his lap. Finally, Joan interjected and asked him to please open the box, as they were all so very

Pete LundBorg of Pentwater, above left, hands John Nordgaard of Wisconsin a package 52 years after it was mailed. The two served in Vietnam and the box contained Nordgaard’s medals, some personal items, certificates and paperwork. His medal of valor can be seen at right. Pete, his wife Joan, John and his wife Eleanor stand together, below. • Contributed Photos

curious as to what was inside.

“Pete and I were discussing some of the things we went through in Vietnam. He was a grunt and I was a combat medic, and we experienced the same firefight-type things,” John explained. “So I’m holding the box across my knees, and Joan said, ‘will you open the darn box?’

“John was finally united with his Purple Heart medal and two Bronze Star medals, with one being for valor, and his original Army orders from 53 years ago,” Pete explained.

“It also contained photos of his wife,” Joan added. “Everybody was crying, and now we have some new friends that we plan to visit again with in August.”

“I think Pete and Joan were here for two and a half hours, and as soon as I opened that box, I know I had a smile on my face for the rest of the time. As I looked through the stuff I had in the box, I had the feeling of being at the free throw line - when you need to win the game - it’s that adrenaline high. Everything was ‘oh wow’ I remember

that.” John said. “As far as what is inside the box, its significance is to me; it did have my original medals that were given to me while I was over there. Along with the official notifications and orders, and a fancy certificate from the Army and the President, and a broken camera that I didn’t know I put in there.

“I am going to keep it in the box as is, and two of my children have not seen the box or heard the story…It’s one of those things you can’t make up. It is incredible. it really is. I thank Pete and his son for being so persistent to continue to search and finalize the whole deal.”

“In our conversation, over the history of the lost package, John explained that he had tried for years to get the Army to reissue his medals,” Pete said. “They would not because he didn’t have the orders that would prove he earned the honors. They were in the lost package, right under the original medals, all those years! Finally, he could prove it. It made the day pretty bright for us all.”

Taste of Summer

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803

It’s raspberry season, and it’s time to put some of those delicious berries in the freezer for the long months of winter. Here are two of my favorite go-tos: Enjoy!

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

By Lucie Winborne

• Because snow is composed of ice, it can be classified as a mineral.

Easy Raspberry Sauce

257

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

(from the “Tastes of Lizzy T” blog on Pinterest)

Ingredients:

STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20230710 FOR RELEASE JULY 10, 2023

12 ounces frozen unsweetened raspberries divided (about 2–2 ½ cups)

• When baking, you can slow the rising time of dough by placing it in a cool place to rise. You can even let it rise in the refrigerator! Basically, it’s done rising when it’s doubled in size, so use that as your guide.

• In 2018, the U.S. Navy equipped its submarines with Xbox360 controllers, as the control sticks for periscopes are not only expensive but challenging to master. But the change wasn’t just designed to save cash: Since many periscope operators have used Xbox controllers, the skill was easily transferred.

• Movie trailers were originally shown after the movie, hence their name.

NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20230710

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

FOR RELEASE JULY 10, 2023

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

By Lucie Winborne

2 teaspoons cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)

JoAnn Derson

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon salted butter

Instructions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together 1 ½ cups raspberries, sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved. Heat the mixture to boiling, stirring often.

In a small cup, combine the cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) and two tablespoons of water. Mix well.

Pour this into the boiling raspberry mixture. Stir and boil over medium-low heat for 4 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened a bit.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter and mix until the butter has completely melted.

Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes, then add the last of the raspberries and stir to mix.

Serve over pancakes or dessert!

Makes 2 ¼ cups sauce. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Raspberry Rhubarb Slab Pie

(from “Crumbs & Chaos” blog on Pinterest)

Ingredients

Crust:

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed pinch of salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vinegar

1-1/2 Tablespoons cold water

Filling:

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup corn starch (I use arrowroot powder as substitute)

5 cups fresh or frozen (about 2 12 oz. bags) unsweetened raspberries, thawed and drained

3 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained

Crumb Topping:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cold butter

Icing:

1-1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 375°.

Instructions

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan. Set aside.

CRUST: Using a food processor, pulse together flour, butter, salt and sugar until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a fork or your fingers.) Add the vinegar and water until the mixture is doughy. Press into prepared pan in an even layer.

FILLING: In a large bowl, stir together sugar and cornstarch. Add raspberries and rhubarb, mix well. Spread in an even layer over crust.

CRUMB TOPPING: Place all topping ingredients in a food processor. Pulse to make crumbs. Spread evenly over filling layer.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a light golden brown and filling is bubbly. Allow to cool.

ICING: Combine powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Drizzle over cooled pie. Cut into squares.

• Place individual fabric softener sheets into sneakers to keep them fresh between wearings. You can use this for other shoes, too. Just be aware that the softener sheet should stay inside the shoe; it could discolor certain fabrics on the outside.

• “I have long hair, and it always jams up the shower drain. I tried one of those hair catcher things, but the drain doesn’t recess enough. What I did was to cut a piece of stiff screen to fit the drain hole, and I secured it with a hair pin that dangles down. It catches everything. Nothing slips under it, and I can clean it off easily.” — I.R. in Massachusetts

• “It used to be that my kids would do something cute and I’d scramble to dig out the camera, only for the moment to be passed. Now I keep two cameras (digital photos and video camera) charged up and ready to go in a bowl on a high shelf. I grab it and turn it on — that’s it.” — T.F. in Idaho

• When baking savory bread, try substituting vegetable broth for the water in your recipe. It adds a deeper element of flavor to the bread. Just try to use low-sodium broth so you don’t add too much salt to your bread.

• “If you have a little one who is afraid of the bedroom because of ‘monsters,’ try getting your hands on some ‘Monster Away Spray.’ I used a can of air freshener that I decorated with paper to make a new label. Fooled the kids and eased their fears quickly.” — W.L. in Arkansas

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© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

• A lion’s roar can be as loud as 114 decibels, which is roughly 25 times louder than a gas-powered lawnmower, due to the shape of its vocal cords. The roar can also be heard up to 5 miles away.

• Because there is no true black color, all “black” pigments and dyes really only look black. They’re made up of a combination of other pigments in specific combinations to reflect the least amount of light possible.

• Starfish digest food outside their bodies.

• Before designer Louis Vuitton’s death, he and his son Georges developed a revolutionary new lock system to better protect their customers’ luggage. Several years later, after patenting the system, Georges publicly challenged illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini to break out of a Vuitton trunk. While Houdini declined, it served as a positive ad for the new feature.

• William Hung, famous for his rendition of “She Bangs” on “American Idol,” is a 73rd-generation descendant of Confucius.

• The Vatican had music that was forbidden to be copied and was only played twice per year. It remained secret for nearly 150 years until a 14-year-old Mozart heard it and transcribed it from memory.

• Though most think it’s Italian, pepperoni is an American invention.

***

Thought for the Day: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” — Anne

Lamott © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Shelby volleyball’s Navea Gauthier commits to Ohio State University

By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Reporter

SHELBY – Athletes in Oceana County rarely get the chance to play their sport at the highest level when they reach the collegiate ranks. It’s been obvious that wouldn’t be the case for Shelby’s Navea Gauthier since she stepped foot on the volleyball court as a freshman.

Gauthier has been reaching new heights year after year – something that comes easy when you’re 6-foot-2 and a nationally recognized playmaker. In her sophomore season as an outside/middle hitter for the Tigers last fall, Gauthier put up 936 kills, 498 digs, 133 aces and 58 blocks.

The Tigers subsequently waltzed their way into the MHSAA state quarterfinals, where they ultimately fell to Kalamazoo Christian. Since then, Gauthier has done nothing but compete at the highest level – including a run with the USA National Team Development Program in April.

There are no questions as to Gauthier’s ability; the only question left surrounding the powerhouse entering her junior year was where she’d play at the next level. That answer came on Tuesday when Gauthier announced via Twitter that she’d be suiting up as a Buckeye at Ohio State University (OSU).

“I am so excited to announce that I have verbally committed to the Ohio State University, where I will continue my academic and athletic career,” Gauthier’s tweet read. “I want to give a B1G thanks to my family, teammates, coaches, trainers and friends who have encouraged and supported me on this journey. I’m blessed to join the OSU family. Go Bucks!”

OSU was not the only school interested in Gauthier, as plenty of other schools were in the race. University of Michigan and Michigan State University were hometown options.

The Buckeyes had a very successful volleyball program in recent years, including two Sweet 16 visits over the last three years and an appearance in the Elite 8 in 2022.

Hart Football’s Helping Hand

Members of the Hart High School football team helped clean up the Silver Lake Sand Dunes on Wednesday, July 5 following the Independence Day fireworks. • Contributed Photos

Gauthier poses on a recent visit to the Ohio State University campus. The Shelby volleyball standout recently announced her commitment to the division one school.

• Contributed Photo