SPY’s Community Newsletter
(1/22/24)
The SPY’s 2023 Year-In-Review
The following is a synopsis of what the Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth organization accomplished in 2023.
In January:
● We held our Annual Meeting of the Membership and conducted our election of officers.
In February:
● We held the 27th annual Wild Game Dinner / Sportsman’s Night. Under the leadership of Pete Weller, the many wonderful donors, and his fantastic crew of helpers, it was a very successful and profitable event.
We made our annual $250 donation to Lakewood’s “Project Graduation”. We have been a sponsor of this event since its inception about forty years ago.
In March:
● The SPY’s 38th annual Euchre Tournament, or as it is sometimes called, “The Showdown On Main Street”, was headed up by Beth & Casey Shettler. We had great participation with 21 couples participating. Grand Overall Winner was Tammy Wakely, Men’s 1st place-Lori Wortley aka “Larry”, Women’s 1st place-Shana Cappon, Men’s last place-Gabe Bowen, and Women’s last place-Robbie Mutchler.
● We conducted a 9-Pin No Tap Bowling Tournament that was chaired by Jeff Gibbs. We had 40 bowlers cranking away for kegler glory.
● We donated $6,500 for the Sunfield Summer Sports Ball Programs. There were over 85 kids signed up this year.
In April:
● The first of three Texas Hold ‘Em events of the year that we work took place. Thank you to Jeff Gibbs for chairing this event and for the volunteers that make it happen.
The first Adopt-A-Highway Trash Pick-up of the season took place. The SPY's sponsor a trash pick-up event along M-43 from Round Lake Road on the west side of town to Shaytown Road on the east side of town, three times a year in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation program. Thank you to Derek Desgranges for chairing this initiative, his “secretary” Christina Grosshans and all the volunteers!
In May:
● We donated $500 to the Sunfield Library Summer Reading Program.
● We donated $250 toward helping sponsor the “Pickle Bowl” tournament.
In June:
● Derek Desgranges and Steve Grosshans co-chaired the 33rd. annual Centennial Acres / SPY Shootout golf tournament that helps raise funding for our numerous youth and community programs. We filled the Centennial Acres course! There was also a fine group of volunteers that made this event possible.
● We held our 2nd Texas Hold ‘Em of the year.
In July:
The SPY’s hosted an activity day for the kids in conjunction with the Sunfield District Library’s “Summer Reading Program”. Thank you John Fisher and his crew for putting together the games and competition for the kids and running the program.
John Fisher also headed up the initiative to totally renovated the “Sunfield Welcomes You” sign East of town along M-43. This project was completed in July.
In August:
● We donated a total of $1,000 to help support the annual Farmer's Picnic Open Class Craft Competition and other areas as needed.
● Craig Cappon once again served as the Commissioner of the 52nd annual “SPY’s Charities Softball Tournament” held during Farmer’s Picnic weekend. There were a total of 5 Men’s Teams and 4 Co-Ed Teams, as well as the ever-popular Home-Run Derby. (NOTE: This is now the longest continuously running softball tournament in Central Michigan!)
● Rosie Best continued at the helm of running the SPY's annual “Celebration Calendar” project this year. The Calendar has been part of the community for over 60 years.
● The Dime Pitch Booth that we run each year at the Farmer’s Picnic is a major source of summer activities funding. Thank you to Zeke & Samantha Cappon for chairing this event. and a special thank you to Oren & Rosie Best for storing glassware and stuffed animals and washing glassware. A Big Thank You goes out to all the people who helped with set up, tear down and/or working at the farmer’s picnic. And an extra special thank you to the numerous people who donated glassware and stuffed animals!
● The Scholarship Fund continued to grow in 2023, through the generous contributions from many individuals; special projects; and especially through memorial gifts. The Scholarship Fund continues to be administered by the SPY’s Community Foundation. The 2023 winners were Zachary Underwood, Emily Root & Averie Steward. We also presented one military honorarium to Tyler Storm, who went into the Navy. A total of $12,500 was awarded. Thank you to our chairperson John Fisher for his leadership of the Scholarship Review Committee.
In addition, the SPY’s annually present the Richard Lenon Community Service Award. This award is given to the graduating Senior that has demonstrated the greatest degree of community service. That is the only criteria for the award. Along with the engraved plaque, Averie Steward received a check for $500.
It is important to note that no other organization has given more Scholarship and Award money to Lakewood students, or has been giving longer than the SPY’s. This is indeed something to be proud of.
In September:
● Our third and final Texas Hold ‘Em of the year was held.
In October:
● We presented Rob Piercefield with a check for $8,000 for his highly successful community meals program that he began over fifteen years ago and currently impacts five communities. Rob was chosen as the winner of the fall donations from the Lakewood “Power of Women Giving” group, but needed our assistance since he is not an established 501(c) 3 entity. We were happy to help such a good cause!
In November:
● We again participated in the Lakewood Community Council's Christmas Basket program which helps nearly 200 families in the Lakewood area, including a number locally, with food and gifts. This year we contributed $500, as well as provided a crew in December to handle all the deliveries in the Sunfield, Woodbury, and Mulliken areas.
In December:
· After the local newspaper, “The Sunfield Sentinel” ceased publication in 2017, we stepped in and created the “SPY’s Community Newsletter” in order to facilitate continued community communications. The readership of our Community Newsletter currently has a primary distribution of over 200 people, with well over that number in secondary distribution. In 2023 we put out 65 issues alone. Thanks to editor / publisher John Fisher for keeping this vital community link going.
● We sponsored two weight classes for the LHS Wrestling Team for a total of $100.
Throughout the year, the following youth sport reimbursements were paid:
1 football
5 soccer
1 swimming
2023 saw the successful continuation of our "Corporate Sponsor" program. This is a specially designed program that allows us to form a more effective partnership with community and youth concerned businesses that provide benefits for all. The 2023 corporate sponsors were:
A&D Haskin
APEC
Klotz Family Farms LLC
Klotz Family Farms Snow Removal
C & H Klotz Family Farms LLC
Mapes Furniture Company
Mark Woodman Plumbing & Heating
Marko's
Musgrove Grain
Ashton King Insurance Agency
Bee Line Concrete Pumping
Best Tax Service
Brace Financial Services
Brodbeck Seed Sales
Buddy's On The Beach
Campbell & Sons
Centennial Acres
Davis Construction
Downing Well Drilling
Hanna – Davis Fine Meats
Haskin Farms
Haskin Snow Plowing
Hazel Bros Drainage
HSV
High Caliber Karting of Okemos
Portland Federal Credit Union
Precision Grade Excavating
Sabersmith, Inc
Quality Hardwoods
RecLending
Roundhead Cornhole
Shattuck Great Outdoors
Simtob Management & Investment
We are so grateful for the continued support of these businesses.
Our “Platinum Sponsor” program is designed to be like the Corporate Sponsor program, but is set-up for private individuals that wish to contribute annually to help our efforts. The 2023 Platinum Sponsors were:
Anonymous
Eric Brummette
Mark Davis
John & Sandra Fisher
Jack Griffin
Mark & Mary Hanna
Roy & Judy Harris
Mulliken Masonic Lodge
Ron & Marlene McDiarmid
Jim & Diny Peabody
Wayne Simmons
David Taylor
Bill & Patti Weller
Pete & Becky Weller
Kendall & Karry Wilcox
Mark & Shari Woodman
We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all these fine community minded individuals.
COMMENT
The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth (S.P.Y.'s) continue to be an active, vital community organization. Our primary purpose is community betterment through helping kids, but as you can see, our efforts go far beyond that.
To all of you S.P.Y.'s---to your helpmates---our Corporate Sponsors---our Platinum Sponsors---and to everyone that supported us in 2023, and in years past--- We thank you for your help, support, contributions of any kind, hard work, dedication, and acceptance. The community, and this area in general, are a better place because of all of us working together!
We are proud to continue to be, along with our corporate and platinum sponsors and supporters, a viable part of the endeavor to make the Sunfield area a better place to live.
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