Creativity Fills The Air At Art In Action Story by Megan Wirts Photos by Faune Benson Schuitema and Megan Wirts Art was in action all over the place in Fremont on Saturday, June 10th. The Newaygo County Council for the Arts - Artsplace held their annual Art in Action on Saturday from 10am-1pm. For the past 5 years they have been holding this free art event at the Fremont Market Place Pavilion and it gets better every year. I have had the pleasure of volunteering my skills as a face painter since it’s inauguration. I always look forward to it and love seeing the look on a child’s face when they take that first glance in the mirror to see their face transformed into a butterfly, tiger, or whatever their little heart’s desire. It causes instantaneous smiles and the happiest of giggles. It’s pure joy! Art in Action isn’t just about the face painting, they offer so many fun activities! People are free to move about the pavilion from station to station creating masterpieces that they can take home or work on community art projects. This year there were stations to make bubble wands, wooden sculptures, or you could try your hand at watercolor painting. The beautiful community mural project was a hit with artists of all ages. There was also an opportunity to decorate shoes for the Kindness-Newaygo County Project, a collaborative project between NCCA-Artsplace, NC-RESA and Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial. Every station was bustling with activity and creativity. If you needed a break from the art making, you could even take in a show! Dee Jay the Clown and Mat Emerick entertained the masses throughout the day. From my spot at the face painting table I could hear uproarious laughter and cheering from happy people watching the antics of Mat Emerick. He wowed them with his charming and delightful show, that is part storytelling, part mime, part circus act and 100% entertaining! Dee Jay the Clown also captivated the crowd with his amazing balloon animal creating abilities! They both put on fantastic shows!
Once you worked up an appetite from all the fun you could stop by the Two Hot Tamales table and purchase some delicious food! NCCA-Artsplace always gets Two Hot Tamales to bring their tamale making talents to the event and I look forward to devouring a tamale or two (or four) every year. They make some of the finest food in the county! So much creativity filled the air in the Fremont Market Place Pavilion on Saturday. Many happy families left with handmade treasures and wonderful memories. I would say that this year’s Art in Action was a great success! To learn more about NCCA-Artsplace and the fantastic classes that they offer go to www.ncca-artsplace.org The Suggestion Box- Area Happenings
By N3 Entertainment Team Summer weekend II, right? I mean, we at N3 World Headquarters and Plant Hydration Center know summer doesn’t ‘officially’ begin for another week and a half or so. We all also know that despite what the little notation on the calendar says Michiganders are perhaps not knee deep but at the very least ankle deep into the season as we speak. There are things to do, places to go and people to see, all the while taking time to embrace the outdoors. It’s busy out there folks. And the action has certainly not let up. Camp Newaygo is dedicating the Peggy Stone Center with a ribbon cutting Friday afternoon and an ice cream social Sunday from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Contact Camp Newaygo at 652-1184 for details on either of these events. It’s Kids Day in Newaygo! Saturday from 12-3pm area children (and their accompanying adults) have the opportunity... Trout and Sunfish and a Snake, Oh My! 2017 Russell H. Gilbert Memorial Kids Free Fishing Day in White Cloud Huge Success Story and photos by Charles Chandler Once again in a perfect setting on a perfect Michigan day Mom Annette, daughters Diane, Donna, Deb, and other Gilbert kin along with a slew of volunteers hit it out of the park. For the last 34 years these descendants and relatives of former White Cloud Mayor Russell H. have gathered on the first Saturday in June on Lake White Cloud (Mill Pond) to host the Russell H. Gilbert Memorial Kids Free Fishing Day for local area kids ages 3- 16. This year between 200 and 250 folks attended the event and early Saturday morning many anxious fishermen, some incredibly small and cute, with parents in tow queued up at the big tent to register for the day’s competition. There were 200 tagged fish to be caught with associated values ranging from $1:00 to $100.00, along with other great prizes for the three biggest rainbow trout and the biggest fish in five other categories and the Gilbert Memorial Always Room for Improvement Trophy. There were other prizes including a four burner outdoor gas grill and... Kids Day Coming To Brooks Park Saturday Sui Generis giving away bedroom set For the 17th year Newaygo County Kids Day will be giving area youngsters the opportunity to interact with local police, fire and emergency personnel in a fun atmosphere. It’s a time for kids to become acquainted with the people charged with protecting them. The uniforms that can be trusted to help when help is needed and the men and women who fill them. This Saturday from Noon to 3pm Brooks Park in downtown Newaygo will be a hive of fun filled activities according to one of the organizers Dr. Ross Nelson of Newaygo Family Dental Care. “There will be exhibitor activities, a dunk tank, RC (radio control) car track races, a HUGE slide and free food for kids under the age of 18,” said Nelson.”There will also be a child’s safety belt check station and, of course chance to meet local law enforcement and emergency personnel up close.” Newaygo County’s business community is a generous one and many have contributed to this event, none more than the substantial donation delivered by the area’s innovative home furniture Mecca known as Sui Generis. They are gifting an entire bedroom set for the event’s major giveaway. “Giving back to our local community especially the kids in the area, is especially important to us since we grew up in Croton ourselves!” said Theresa Cooper Sui Generis co-owner along with husband Jake.”There is simply nothing more gratifying as a business owner than being able to finally give back to the community that has supported our dream with open arms!” Kids Day has become a Newaygo tradition marking the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. It’s one of the initiatives aimed at keeping our children safe and a boatload of good times on an early summer Saturday “This is my fourth year helping organize Newaygo County Kids Day,” added Dr. Nelson. “I love this event because the kids have a tremendous amount of fun meeting all the local authority and interacting with all the different exhibitors. It’s just a fun-filled day for everyone.” Sign up for Cirque Amongus at the Dogwood Center Cirque Amongus will provide “Circus Day” at the Dogwood Center on Friday, June 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The one-day Circus Camp will introduce children, ages 6-12 years old, to a range of circus skills. There will definitely be an abundance of fun as participants laugh and giggle while they ride unicycles and tiny bikes, walk a tightrope or with stilts, jump rope, do magic tricks, stay atop a rolling barrel, swing on a trapeze, or learn to juggle. In the morning, students will learn each of the 10 different circus acts. After lunch, they chose their favorite and spend the afternoon perfecting it and putting together an act with other participants, assisted by Cirque Amongus instructors and volunteers. At the end of the day, when their families come back, the whole troupe puts on a show with their newly found skills. The daylong program by Cirque Amongus, a Livonia company that brings all the equipment and instructors for “Circus Day”, will promote teamwork, self-esteem and fun throughout the day. The program is funded in part by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council and Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The cost for the day is $30 per child. Children must be ages 6-12 years old to participate and the program will be limited to 50 participants. It will be a full day of activities between 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and followed immediately with a performance for the families at pick-up time. Children will need to bring a sack lunch. Light snacks will be provided mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Advance registration is required. Register at www.dogwoodcenter.com, through the Dogwood Box Office, or downtown Fremont at NCCA-Artsplace. The Dogwood Center Box Office is open Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Suggestion Box
By N3 Informational Team Are you kidding me? Free Fishing Day Relay for Life, Run Forrest Run, high school baseball and softball tournament action? And the Hess Lake Yard Sales as we speak. And just when you think things can’t possibly get any better?..... |
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