Sunfield Community Foundation Journal - 8/1/2026

What An Honor

In the various disciplines in the entertainment industry there are annual awards given out for excellence in a particular category.  For instance, the film industry has their Oscars; the music industry has their Grammies; the television industry has the Emmies; and Boadway theater productions have the Tony awards.

Around here, there are a couple of prestigious awards given out annually across the various performing arts theaters in the Mid-Michigan area.  One is called “The Barney”.  It is voted on by people involved in putting on the various theatrical productions.  The other is known as a “Thespie”.  It is awarded by the Lansing State Journal newspaper.

I am giving you this background to “set the stage” so to speak for a couple of Sunfield residents, Tracy and Michelle Smith.  Tracy and Michelle have been volunteers at the Riverwalk Theater, located on Michigan Avenue in Lansing, for over 8 years.  They handle props; set builds; and stage crew, among other things, for Riverwalk and have become pretty skilled at their craft.  As a result, they were recently awarded, not only a “Barney”, but also a “Thespie” in recognition for their excellence in a particular category Riverwalk’s recent production of “Seussical”.  But, that is not all.  This marked the second year in a row that they have been recognized with these awards!  Congratulations Tracy and Michelle!

Chicken BBQ Returns To The Farmer’s Picnic

Friday, August 14th.

Parting Comments

• Deep Thought of the Week: Friends are the chocolate chips in the cookie of life.”

• Notable Quote:  “Truth will ultimately prevail where pains is taken to bring it to light.”---George Washington

• That's Puny Department:  A panic-stricken man explained to his doctor, “You have to help me, I think I’m shrinking.”  “Now settle down,” the doctor calmly told him. “You'll just have to learn to be a little patient.”

• Did You Know Section:  Can you name even 50 shades from the millions of colors that exist? Let’s go beyond turquoise, indigo, teal, magenta, and the like. Here are eight colors you’ve definitely seen, but never had a name for:

Drake's-Neck

If you’ve spent some time watching ducks in the park, you’ll recognize this rich, bottle-green color. The name refers to a male mallard, also called a drake. The shade was first replicated as a dye in the early 18th century.

Drunk-Tank Pink

This particular shade of pink has been proved to reduce hostile, violent, and aggressive behavior, making it the perfect shade to paint holding cells. The official name of the color is Baker-Miller Pink, after the directors at the naval correctional facility where research concerning this color was done. Others might call the shade “Barbie pink” or “Pepto-Bismol pink.”

Eburnean

Instead of painting your walls ivory, off-white, eggshell, pearl, or beige, try eburnean. This yellowish-white has a Latin name that translates to “made of or relating to ivory.”

Falu

Falu is a shade of dye often used in deep-red paint. Think of the quintessential red barn door. Historically, the pigment was found inthe mines of Falun, Sweden, which is where it got its name.

Gamboge

This pigment covers a range of yellow from deep saffron to mustard yellow. The easiest reference is the robes of Buddhist monks. The natural dye is sourced from the gum resin of various Southeast Asian trees.

Gooseturd Green

Yes, this was a real color name coined during the Elizabethan era. Like Drake’s-Neck, this color is avian-inspired, but it’s a deeper reflection of a bird’s anatomy. The bright, light green color was specifically used in fashion as part of sensational marketing tactics to attract customers.

Puke

When something is described as puke-colored, the mind might run to green, yellow, or any combination of your recent meals. But in the 16th century, the high-quality wool used to make stockings was called “puke” (from the Middle Dutch word puuc, meaning “best grade of cloth”), so the deep-brown dye used for the hosiery was also called puke-colored.

Razzmatazz

Here’s a fun name for a bright, bold color reminiscent of a mix between raspberries and roses. It was invented in 1993 by Crayola, which first introduced it in the Big Box containing 96 crayons, and it was named by 5-year-old Laura Bartolomei-Hill in Crayola’s Name the New Colors Contest.

• NOTE:  If you know of anyone who would like to receive these “Sunfield Community Foundation Journals”, just send me an email at john.sandrafisher@gmail.com with their email address and we will take care of it.