SUMMER BLAST WAS BACK WITH A BANG

SUMMER BLAST WAS BACK WITH A BANG

Community Unlimited’s Summer BLAST program is back with a bang! After one week of “vacation” (if you can call getting ready to educate and entertain over two hundred kids of all ages a vacation) the formidable staff of CU is back in action.

Malinda Olmsted is the site director for the high school, where over thirty students are enrolled in credit-recovery activities. Visits to local colleges are also planned, to acquaint the future graduates with the college campus and activities that are available. The garden club is planting a butterfly garden in the courtyard of the high school, and joining the middle school in a vegetable garden.

At the middle school, Cher Troup, interim site director, is very excited about the upcoming summer and the activities that are planned for the kids. “We are just so excited to be back!” she said in an interview. “We have so many things planned, and the kids are great. Our teachers are the best; we have Ronda Fisk, Dawn Morris, Kyle Miller, Nick Martin, Kim Palmerton, Hannah Burdick, and Sherry Smurr. They have so much experience to share, and are looking forward to a great summer!” Approximately sixty-five middle schoolers have signed up as of the first week of the program. Activities include the gardening club, which has started a vegetable garden behind the middle school building. A part of the harvest will be donated to the Union City Food Bank. The rest will be canned and sold at the Farmer’s Market later this summer. Another popular group is the Inventors Club, where a few inventions are being re-invented and many others are coming up from Original Thoughts.

Site Director Emily Dibert is staying busy at the elementary school, with over one hundred kids participating in Summer BLAST. Keeping everyone in line are foster grandmas, as well as CU staff Marcia Stuart, Tim Minor, Lance Wilkinson, Kelly Smeltzer, Alisha Gaylord, Ali Baklund, Kandice Harrington, Emily White and Joe Good. Joining the party for this summer is intern Alona Gaylord, who is filming a documentary on the program. The free breakfast and lunch program has been extremely popular at all the schools; however, probably the most fun place to be an observer is the elementary. Some of the younger students can barely see over the counter to get their bagged lunch! Their excitement is evident; one young lady was overheard saying, “We get oranges? COOL!!!” After eating, they clean up and take to the afternoon activities, from the playground to doing arts or learning cooking, or so much more. On Wednesdays, the afternoon is filled with towels and swimsuits as the schools join together on buses to travel to Coldwater’s Heritage Pool. Friday has field trips to many interesting sites, such as Kalamazoo Valley Museum and upcoming trips in June to Coldwater’s Popcorn Theater, Little River Railroad Depot Tour, and Binder Park Zoo. Earlier trips have included Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and Full Blast in Battle Creek.

For more information on upcoming trips and activities, call Julie Dibert at 517-741-4656, or check the website at www.communityunlimited.org. Volunteers are welcome, and new ideas for activities are also appreciated!

SENIOR COURT CHOSEN!

Nearly fifty senior bingo players were treated to a surprise this month at the First Congregational Church, when it was announced that they would be voting for a Bingo King and Bingo Queen.

“Since this group is practically a family, we felt that there should be a family leader,” Terry Binion told the assembly. Sealed envelopes were distributed to players with Bingo Bucks, with eight random envelopes containing a $5 Bingo Buck. Recipients were Junior Edwards, Al Wilcox, Harold Connin, Howard Streeter, Ruth Booth, Ruth Edwards, Fern Jones, and Donna Lou Lepper, comprising the first annual Bingo Court.

Tickets were then handed out to each player to cast their vote for King and Queen. Results were tallied after the games, with the results to be announced at the next monthly bingo meeting on Saturday, September 19 at the Congregational Church. A fun-filled coronation ceremony is planned, so be sure to join the fun beginning at 1pm!

July Senior Bingo

Saturday, July 18th marked another successful Senior Bingo for Community Unlimited. The events (which have been occurring regularly for almost a year now) provide an enjoyable opportunity for the community's seniors to get together and socialize. However, due to the dedication and creativity of CU's Youth Board members, they've grown to be much more than that, with concepts such as "Bingo Bucks" (imitation money printed by the Youth Board and won through the game, then traded for prizes), themes (examples include Hawaiian luau, May Day/Cinco de Mayo, and Easter), and recognition of birthdays and anniversaries for any of the seniors during that month.

This weekend's event was no exception; the room at the hosting Congregational Church was decorated in accordance with the month's theme of Independence Day (there was also a cake assembled to resemble the flag). Aside from the elaborate additions, the activity on its own is a worthwhile event, with the vast personalities emerging and flourishing in the community (as well as playfully competitive) atmosphere. It was led by the regular caller, Youth Board secretary Terrance Binion, with several other Youth Board members helping out by pouring coffee, writing down the numbers, and handing out the Bingo Bucks to the winners.

Terry Binion said, "I love the look on people's faces when they get a bingo. Everyone has their own 'winning face.'" He also added that people have "their own disappointed face...when I tell them to clear their cards." With games running the gamut from straight bingo to “X Marks the Spot,” “T for Terrific,” “I for Independence,” and Cover-all, Terry gets to see plenty examples of both throughout the afternoon. And of course the happy faces when lunch break is announced, and the line forms for the ice cream floats and other delicious snacks!

Next month's bingo will take place Saturday, August 22 at the Congregational Church, from 1 to 4 PM. There is a combined theme of Birthday Party (celebrating the one-year anniversary of the bingo) and Getaway Vacation. Anyone bringing in a relic of one of their previous vacations (pictures, souvenirs, etc.) will automatically receive an extra Bingo Buck. Players may also earn extra Bingo Bucks by bringing in 2 non-perishable food items for the Congregational Church’s food drive (one Bingo Buck for each two items) that day.

Aloha from Youth Board Bingo!

Aloha from Youth Board Bingo!

First Congregational Church was the host for Community Unlimited Youth Board’s June Senior Bingo on Saturday, June 27. Twenty-nine players celebrated with a Hawaiian Luau, complete with music and grass skirts.

Ginger Palmerton returned to help Paula Blue lead the Youth Board kids in setting up the Bingo Bucks store, decorating the fellowship hall, and running the games. Terry Binion was assisted with calling numbers by his best friend and baby brother, Justyn Kalvin Richard Costigan. Devin Snyder and Matt Miller greeted players at the door with festive leis; and Carolyn Smeltzer helped in the kitchen with keeping the Kona coffee, a specialty Hawaiian blend, hot and ready for the players.

Judy Carpenter was the only June birthday, celebrating her twenty-first birthday again. Player Betty Baylis donated a slew of “M&M Candy – Man’s Survival Kit” packets for the edification of stress relief through chocolate. A small net bag of six different color M&M® Candies, accompanied by directions for each color (“at the first sign that your wife is mad, eat the red one”) were given to each player. Many laughs were shared as directions were read and candies eaten.

Lunch Luau included Hawaiian Punch (of course), Hawaiian Fruit and Meat Skewers, Hawaiian Fruit Salad, and cupcakes decorated with festive Hawaiian-colored coconut shreds. Hawaiian music filled the air and Paula entertained with her hula dance in a purple flowered muumuu. The teens, in their imitation grass skirts, to everyone’s disappointment declined to hula dance.

Next month’s bingo is scheduled for Saturday, July 18 at the Congregational Church from 1-4 PM. The party theme will be a traditional Independence Day. Be sure to join in for an “explosive” good time! Call Paula Blue at 517-765-2740 to confirm date and time, and be ready to “sparkle” with fun!

AFTER-SCHOOL FUN AT THE ELEMENTARY

The youngsters participating in the Community Unlimited After-School BLAST program were having lots of fun on Tuesday, May 5. CU Staff member Alison Baklund (a/k/a “Miss Ali”) spent the first part of the afternoon helping first and second graders improve their reading skills with the help of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” as they followed along with a CD and their books. Other academic enhancement activities included third and fourth graders working on homework, and playing “Upwords,” a game that takes Scrabble in a new direction—up! Players could change words by placing a different letter on top of a letter on the board. Vocabulary skills were in good supply as Kelly Smeltzer and Marcia Stuart supervised players and homework assistance.

Later in the afternoon, Tim Minor, Alisha Gaylord, Emily White and Kandice Harrington led the sixty children in dividing up into that week’s Kid Klub activities. All grades were able to choose between board games, Wii, kickball and sidewalk chalk drawing. Site Director Emily Dibert was pleased with the day’s turnout, and looks forward to keeping kids active both physically and mentally through the end of the school year.

SENIOR BINGO APRIL 2009!!!

The doors of the Wesleyan Church Fellowship Hall opened at 9 AM on Saturday, April 25, as over a dozen CUYB members and volunteers began the daunting task of setting up the April Senior Bingo Games.

While adult volunteers began cooking an early lunch for the kids working, the 27 “kid-hours” began. Setting up tables and chairs for fifty players, hauling in huge Rubbermaid totes of decorations and prizes were the first jobs. Sixteen tables later, the real work started. Decorating the tables, setting up the refreshment table and Bingo equipment, organizing the sign-in station, and unpacking and displaying literally hundreds of Bingo Bucks Store prizes gave everyone just enough time to sit down and enjoy chips and “Grandma Blue’s” sloppy joes before the first players began to arrive.

Then the fun really began. Making sure that everyone signed in and got their newsletter and Easter candy bag were Youth Board members Drew Dinsmoor and Allison Jackson. They also made sure that everyone got their pick from the big basket of crocheted Easter baskets, filled with candy and handmade Easter pins, made by members of the Community Unlimited Purls of Wisdom knitting and crocheting club Betty Baylis and Lyn McRae.

After an hour and a half of fast-paced Bingo fun, the snack break was announced and the thirty-nine players quickly lined up to get ice cream and a slice of Bunny Cake. During this time, Glee Majors won an extra Bingo Buck by getting the caller, Terry Binion, to say “the secret word” picked earlier (“shadow”). A rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” was enjoyed by Betty Baylis, Fred Garnsay, Carly Kever, Ginger Palmerton, Joanne Shook and Doreen Wart as they received their birthday cupcakes.

When the games finally ended and the large group of very happy and satisfied players slowly filed out, the work of cleanup began. Tables were taken down and returned to storage, chairs folded, floors swept, trash emptied, kitchen cleaned, decorations packed, and Bingo Bucks Store was packed up to be returned to the Community Center until next month’s festivities. The tentative date for May Bingo is May 23 at the Wesleyan Church in Union City; the multi-theme will be May Day, Mother’s Day, and Cinco de Mayo. Be sure to watch your local paper and for flyers for the confirmed date and place, or call Paula Blue at 517-765-2740 or Ginger Palmerton at 517-741-7972 to reserve a spot ahead of time. New players are always welcome!`

Community Unlimited is a nonprofit organization funded in part by Michigan Department of Education 21^st Century Learning Centers; Community Foundation Alliance of Calhoun County; Branch County United Way; United Way of Greater Battle Creek; and receives in-kind support from Union City Schools and the Village of Union City. Donations are tax-deductible.

Betty Baylis, Fred Garnsay, Carly Kever, Ginger Palmerton, Joanne Shook and Doreen Wart celebrated April birthdays.

VITA INFORMATION FROM COMMUNITY UNLIMITED

Attention, procrastinators. Putting off your taxes until the last minute? News flash: the last minute is here! But to help avoid ulcers and migraines, Community Unlimited is sponsoring VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) until April 15. If your income in 2008 was $42,000 or less, you may qualify for FREE – yes, that’s FREE—tax return preparation. To schedule an appointment, call Paula Blue at 517-741-3632. Trained volunteers are waiting to help you; all it takes is a quick phone call. With EIC and home heating credit forms available, no one should miss this opportunity to save money.

Remember, April 15 is nearer than you think! So call now and get your appointment, before time (and your ulcer medicine) runs out!