SPY's Newsletter 8/23/2025

              SPY’s Community Newsletter

#375

(8/23/25)

Farmer’s Picnic Report #1

This Farmer’s Picnic Report is the first of a series of Newsletter reports that will follow in the next couple of days.  So, stay tuned.

The Sunfield Farmers Picnic kicked off on Friday, August 15th, with a half chicken dinner cooked by High’s Rotary Grill and sponsored by the Sunfield United Brethren Church.

The 2024 Princess Cecelia Salazar (pictured left) crowned the 2025 Princess Aurora McDiarmid, daughter of Samantha Gonsalves & Neil McDiarmid.  Reid Bowen was crowned the 2025 Prince, son of Adrian Bowen & Hannah Louthan.  Their Royal Court includes Logan Woodman, Calla Shepard, Tucker Ridenour, Dixie Gibbs, Malakai Vasquez and Sage Ridenour. Each child was all smiles to receive a big bag of surprises and a T-shirt commemorating the event. 

The Sunfield Sponsors of Programs for Youth (SPY’s) Dime Pitch booth; Daughters of the Union Veterans Pluck-a-Duck Pond and Doughnut Walk; Spin-To-Win game sponsored by Gizzy Downing; and Mason Rail Time Adventures provided games and rides for children of all ages as well as BINGO for the adults provided by the Portland Area Service Group. 

Ming the Magician entertained children of all ages under the Big Tent.  Marbles The Clown created balloon animals for the children.  Twenty-four crafters and/or independent vendors gave the attendees plenty to peruse and seven food vendors including Joe’s Gizzard Wagon, Lakewood Youth Wrestling, the Sunfield United Methodist Mint, Mitten Made Lemonade, Holland House Coffee Company, Sugar Babies Cotton Candy and Dodie’s Concession Elephant Ears and Lemonade took care of everyone’s enjoyment needs. 

The beloved Ox Roast sandwiches sold out quickly and just before a heavy rainstorm went through. The Sunfield Farmers Picnic 2025 Merchants Raffle third place prize of a six-foot bench donated by Polly Products in Mulliken was won by Melanie Daler, second place prize of an overnight stay for two at one of Bill Rogers accommodations in Lake Odessa, MI was won by Brittni Brummette and Mapes Furniture donated an electric love seat/recliner/rocker that was won by Jill Simons.  There were additional prize packages that were awarded throughout the concert of the Papa Clutch band who sang and entertained the audience for nearly two and a half hours.  The evening closed out with the playing of the National Anthem and 7.5 minutes of non-stop kick-butt pyro by Pyrotecnico. 

There were many volunteers, in addition to the members of the Farmer’s Picnic Board that helped make this event a memorable one. But, additional committed individuals would help make lighter work for this successful community event. Please contact the Board at sunfieldfarmerspicnic@gmail.com to offer any future assistance, ideas or to find out more about next year’s event scheduled for August 14-16, 2026.  Visit the Sunfield Farmers Picnic Inc Facebook page to see ALL the photos.

In Other News

Contributions

·      Melanie Dow, family and friends made a donation to the SPY’s Youth Activities Trust Fund in memory of Ardyth Dow.

·      Russ Worden made a donation to the SPY’s.

·      A number of donations for the SPY’s Dime Pitch Booth activity recently came in.  We send our sincere thanks out to the following fine folks for helping us help kids:

Mary Hanna

Peg Heinze

Don Kenyon; Brenda Bowers & Jeff

Darcy Edwards

Addie Mikolajezyk

Celeste Atherton

Parting Comments

·      Deep Thought of the Week:  When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.  Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.

·      Notable Quote: “In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape

ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.”----- Eleanor Roosevelt

·      That’s Puny Department:  Tired of constantly being broke and stuck in an unhappy marriage, a young husband decided to solve both problems by taking out a large insurance policy on his wife with himself as the beneficiary, and then arranging to have her killed.  A 'friend of a friend' put him in touch with a nefarious dark-side underworld figure who went by the name of 'Artie.'

Artie then explained to the husband that his going price for snuffing out a spouse was $5,000.  The husband said he was willing to pay that amount, but that he wouldn't have any cash on hand until he could collect his wife's insurance money.  Artie insisted on being paid at least something up front, so the man opened his wallet, displaying the single dollar bill that rested inside.  Artie sighed, rolled his eyes, and reluctantly agreed to accept the dollar as down payment for the dirty deed. 

A few days later; Artie followed the man's wife to the local Super Wal-Mart store. There, he surprised her in the produce department and proceeded to strangle her with his gloved hands and as the poor unsuspecting woman drew her last breath and slumped to the floor.  The manager of the produce department stumbled unexpectedly onto the murder scene. Unwilling to leave any living witnesses behind, ol' Artie had no choice but to strangle the produce manager as well.  However, unknown to Artie, the entire proceedings were captured by the hidden security cameras and observed by the store's security guard, who immediately called the police. Artie was caught and arrested before he could even leave the store.  Under intense questioning at the police station, Artie revealed the whole sordid plan, including his unusual financial arrangements with the hapless husband who was also quickly arrested.  The next day in the newspaper, the headline declared…'ARTIE CHOKES 2 for $1.00 @ WAL-MART!'  

·      Did You Know Section:  Thomas Adams was a 19th-century American scientistand inventor who is regarded as a founder of the chewing gum industry. He eventually joined with well-known chewing gum maker William Wrigley, Jr.

Adams conceived the idea while working as a secretary to former Mexican leader Antonio López de Santa Anna. Santa Anna chewed a natural gum called chicle. Adams first tried to formulate the gum into a rubber suitable for tires. When that didn't work he made the chicle into a chewing gum called Chiclets, which is still produced today.

Final Notices

1.            If there is any organization or business out there that has something they would like to advertise or promote, please feel free to submit it to this Newsletter and we will help publicize it.  There is no charge. 

2.             We are glad to provide this means as a public service to help keep the community informed.

3.            If you are looking for further information about the SPY’s events---Corporate or Platinum Sponsorship information---scholarship forms---youth sports reimbursement forms---past SPY newsletters---etc.---just go to the SPY website at www.sunfieldareaspys.com