Joy is everywhere – The Voice

JOY IN OUR TOWN: A pleasant place to live and play, joy reigns everywhere. Never a dull day, week, month or year, our town is active, busy, happy and full of activities. Anchor Bay Schools sports games and concerts, town and community meetings, church events, club and organization events, the Sunday morning Farmers Market, festivals and just walking the streets greeting one another. All a joy in our town. A pleasant place, really!

JUNE 27 “AN EVENING OF MOTOWN MUSIC”: Tomorrow evening from 6 to 8 p.m., residents and friends of the village of East Harbor will be filled with joy, embracing their bodies and clapping their hands. The venue is located on Callens Road in Chesterfield and has seating in the parking lot. There will be music, dancing, food and drinks. A car show, arts and crafts exhibit, caricatures and more will add to the fun. Call Betsy at 586-716-7143 for details.

JUNE 29: YELLOW BRUSH LIGHTHOUSE PAINTING CLASS: On a Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Ira Township Office Building, 7085 Meldrum (just off Dixie Highway/M-29). Jane Weiss will be the painter who will guide guests in painting a fall lighthouse scene. The fee is $35 per person. To participate, call Anna at 586-339-3969.

JULY 3 BLOOD DONATION OPPORTUNITY: The blood drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at VFW Post 7573, 35011 23 Mile. To schedule an appointment, please visit: RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code: POST7573, or call: 1-800-733-2767. Make a difference in someone else’s life by donating blood.

RING THE BELL OF FREEDOM ON THE 4TH OF JULY: VFW Post 7573, 35011 23 Mile, invites Our Town and friends to join them in the front yard at noon. There is a long rope attached to the bell that everyone will hold to ring the bell for our country’s birthday and freedom. Food and drinks will be available inside the building afterward. Note: The bell once hung on an old school building in Our Town and Post 7573 saved it to preserve forever. Happy Birthday, USA!

JULY 6: USED BOOK GIVEAWAY: The MacDonald Public Library at Main and Bedford will host the Saturday event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations for the event are welcome and appreciated. Monetary donations will be used for special events or items for new programs.

IC FESTIVAL JULY 12-13: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, located at Church Road and Dixie Highway/M-29 in Anchorville, is hosting its annual festival this Friday and Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Music, games, food, drinks and lots of fun await guests. For information, call the office at 586-725-3051. Come to Anchorville and have fun at IC!

VBS JULY 23-25: Register by calling St. John’s Lutheran Church (586-725-6801) or First Congregational Church (586-725-0909) by Friday, July 19. These churches have offered Vacation Bible School together for over 45 years. Each day begins at 9 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 51161 Maria (corner of Green). Called “Camp Firelight,” a summer camp called “An Adventure with God” is designed for children ages 3 to 6. Bible stories to listen to, songs to sing, games to play and snacks to eat are the day’s experience for the children. The churches share backyards and have a friendship that dates back to the 1860s. Mrs. C., the author, will be there to sing with you as always and will be happy to see you again.

TIME FOR VBS JULY 29-AUGUST 2: Register soon by calling or texting Sandy at 810-335-1442. Children ages 3-7 are invited. At Chesterfield, 22920 23 Mile, behind All-State Insurance, east of Interstate 94, the church is hosting a Vacation Bible School called “WildLIVE, Showcasing Christ’s Character” from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Fun for all with puppet shows, crafts, games, bounce house, outdoor activities, singing and snacks. Don’t miss it!

AUGUST 8-10 ANTIQUE FLEA MARKET: The New Baltimore Lions Club Relay For Life team will be hosting a yard sale on the grounds of Our Town City Hall on Green. Donations of saleable items and from people who would like to donate to the event/sale are requested. There are two locations to donate items to the yard sale. Clothing will not be accepted. Please bring items to the porch of 51145 Clay St. or 53540 Grace St. in Our Town. Sale hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer. The event is part of the annual Antique Yard Sale Trail that starts at the tip of our state’s “thumb.” Folks will find sales on both sides of the roads, on Highway M-25 to Port Huron and then continuing on Highway M-29 to Our Town. For more information, please call Flo at 586-725-4690.

VISIT THE GRAND PACIFIC MUSEUM: Open Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m., located at 51065 Washington, in Our Town. The New Baltimore Historical Society maintains the museum’s exhibits and shows guests the decor and historical photos. Docents are available to share historical information with visitors. Stop by soon!

Consider donating beverage containers: Bring clean, empty cans and bottles to the Champion Health Club in the Premier Mall in Chesterfield between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturdays, where a member of the New Baltimore Lions Club will receive them and load them into a pickup truck. The Leader Dogs for the Blind facility in Rochester will be the collection site to support the organization’s work. Proceeds will also provide a summer camp experience for blind children.

STORE NEEDS AT ST. MARY’S FACILITY: The pantry is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:30am to 1:30pm and is located on the Main, Maria, Front and Base blocks in Our Town. The following items are currently needed (donations welcome): Sloppy Joe Mix, granola bars, soap, saltine crackers, egg noodles, juice and for babies, diapers sizes 4, 5 and 6 and wipes. Thank you for your kindness to this program.

BRICKS WILL BE LAID SOON: In Walter and Mary Burke Park, below the second tallest flagpole in America, there are etched bricks that honor and celebrate people and serve as a memorial to loved ones. New pavers/bricks will be laid soon by Flagpole Project Manager Ron Earle and his team. Order forms are available at the MacDonald Public Library on Main Street, New Baltimore City Hall on Green Street, and on the New Baltimore Lions Club website. Proceeds of $125 each will allow the flag and pole to be preserved so they will remain there forever. With your choice of words, there is room on the brick for three lines of 14 characters. It is a joyful experience to be there and read and remember the many names already buried in the ground, so feel encouraged to add your own story and request a form.

INTERESTING READ: “Laughter is actually good medicine. Laughter is said to aid digestion because it has a relaxing effect. This fact was appreciated by kings throughout history: they employed court jesters and fools to make puns and jokes at mealtimes. The same principle is used in the great halls in Las Vegas, where the world’s best comedians help you digest your dinner. The problem is, by the time you get the bill, it’s ulcer time again.” From “The Joy of Trivia” by Bernie Smith.

To report updates about your service organization, call Bette Carrothers at 586-725-8051 or email her at [email protected].

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