SPY’s Community Newsletter
(1/30/25)
Wild Game Dinner / Sportsman’s Night Is Coming Soon!
This year’s SPY’s annual Wild Game Dinner / Sportsman’s Night will be held on Saturday, February 8th at the American Legion Hall in Charlotte. If anyone needs further information about this extremely popular activity, please give our event chairman, Pete Weller a call at 517-743-1642. Here are some previews of this year’s festivities:
Some Of The Prizes Up For Grabs
Igloo Party Bar cooler with Stand
Igloo 100 qt. Marine Ultra Max Cold Cooler
Igloo Overland 52 qt Cooler
Igloo 2 Latitude 30 qt Cooler with a Hanna Davis Fine Meats "Grillers Meat Bundle"
Igloo 24 qt Oil Green Cooler with a Hanna Davis Fine Meats "Grillers Meat Bundle"
Caldwell AR500 Prairie Dog Auto Reset Target
Caldwell Ultimate Steel Target Stand only with 8" Caldwell Target and 1 Flash Bang
Viking Solution Adjustable Target Stand only with Caldwell Target
Caldwell Target Stand with 8" Ar500 steel target with 1 Flash bang 2 drawings
SME 3 Shout Auto Reset .22 Target Stand
SME 5 Shout Auto Reset .22 Target Stand
2 - Heritage Rough Rider Guns 2 separate drawings
Mossberg Patriot 450 Bushmaster Gun
Rossi 22LR Hardwood With Brass Gun
Rossi 22LR Brass
Winchester XPR 350 Legend
Henry 360 Golden Boy
Smith and Wesson Ladysmith
410 O/U Pointer
Federal 22LR 3200 rounds of shells
Mossberg 400 Legend
2 - Sports Afield Gun Safes 2 Separate Drawings
2 - Great Wolf Lodge $500 Gift Certificates
Hall-Of-Fame footballer Ronald Dayne Football (Signed)
Tom Izzo autographed MSU Basketball
Sybaris Suites $500 Gift Certificate
3 - Hydra 4L Titan MSS Hydration Bottle
Amazon Mystery Box
Saker Professional Handheld Welder with 260 welding rods
Bayou Classic 9 Gallon 3 Basket Deep Fryer
Vevor Earth Auger Weber 22" Dual Burner Portable Traveler Griddle
"Grizzly" Quilt crafted by Jackie Mulholland
Sunfield Cycle shop / nice Gift Bag
2025 Deer Processing Certificate
1 Beef Processing Certificate
Stihl Back-Pack Blower
Mossberg 500 Flex Bantam Set 20 Gauge
2 guns TBD
1 crossbow
Cooler of Meat
The Night’s Menu
Bubba J’s Smokehouse Pulled Pork
Salmon Dip
Mac & Cheese
Brisket
Squirrel
Walleye
Cheesy Potatoes
Corn
Alligator
Other Delicious Surprises TBD
SIDE NOTE
There will also be a new special drawing this year for attendees age 65 and older.
Notice #1
The next meeting of the Sunfield Area Sponsor of Programs for Youth (The SPY’s) will take place on Tuesday, February 11th. Starting at 6:30 PM, at the Best Tax Service building on M-43 just west of the blinker light. Guests are always welcome!
Contributions
· The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth would like to welcome Craig Cooper of Advanced Plumbing & Mechanical as our newest member of our Corporate Sponsor Program.
· Robert & Dianna Overholt made donations in memory of Verd Rumfield, Jr. and Kay Boldenmuller.
· John & Sandra Fisher made a contribution in memory of Kay Boldenmuller.
SPY’S Community Foundation
Scholarship Application Deadline Nears
March 15, 2025,, is the deadline for applications to be in for the SPY’s Community Foundation sponsored scholarships. Each year awards are made from the Scholarship Fund to deserving graduating High School seniors.
The criteria for application is as follows:
· Applicant must be a resident of the Sunfield Area; (i.e.: lives within the boundaries of the old Sunfield Elementary School attendance area).
· Applicant must apply in writing on the forms provided by March 15th. of the year of graduation.
· Applicant must provide a high school transcript.
· Completed teacher recommendation forms must accompany a submitted application in order to be considered.
· Applicant must also provide a non-school / non-family member “outside” reference using the form provided. This must be returned directly to the SPY’s by the March 15th deadline.
· Applicant must have demonstrated some sort of community involvement.
· Applicant should be able to document leadership ability or qualities, and be a well-rounded individual.
· Home-schooled applicants are eligible, but must submit SAT or ACT scores, and at least three (3) letters of recommendation from people outside their immediate family.
· This is a one-time award.
· If a scholarship winner, you must be able to show proof of college registration to receive money.
· Scholarship recipients must claim their award by the end of the calendar year in which it was awarded, or automatically forfeit, unless, the President or Treasurer of the Foundation, due to acceptable unusual circumstances, grants a written waiver.
· The decision of the Scholarship Selection Committee is final and not subject to appeal.
Sunfield SPY's Community Foundation Trades
Scholarship / Award Applicant Criteria
· Applicant must be a resident of the Sunfield Area (i.e.: lives within the boundaries of the old Sunfield Elementary School Attendance Area).
· Applicant must apply in writing on the form provided by March 15th of the year of graduation.
· Applicant must provide a high school transcript.
· Home-school applicants are also eligible, but must submit SAT or ACT scores.
· This is a one-time award.
· If a scholarship winner, you must be able to show proof of college registration to receive money.
· If applicant is entering an apprentice program, a cash “Tool Allowance” award will be made upon presentation of documentation of at least six-months employment in an apprentice program.
· The decision of the Scholarship Selection Committee is final and is not subject to appeal.
If you have any questions or require further information, please contact John Fisher at 517-648-0969 or email at john.sandrafisher@gmail.com. Applications for either Scholarship / Award Program are available on-line at the SPY’s website at www.sunfieldareaspys.com., or through the Lakewood Guidance Department website. If you know of a graduating Senior from the area, please encourage them to apply!
This year will mark the 39th year of the awarding of Scholarships. Thus far, well over $300,000 has been awarded to 210 graduating seniors.
Parting Comments
· Deep Thought of the Week: How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
· Notable Quote: “Like the lazy dentist said, “Brace yourself.”
· That’s Puny Department: Think about it---because after all, a paper plane that doesn’t fly is just stationery.
· Did You Know Section: Because vending machines are now automated, they can feel like a relatively modern invention. However, the basic contraption has actually been around for more than 2,000 years. Introduced around the first century CE by Greek engineer and mathematician Heron of Alexandria, the first vending machine didn’t deliver snacks — it dispensed holy water. Similar to modern machines, Heron’s device required inserting a coin into a slot. The coin fell onto a pan that was connected to a lever, which opened a valve on the other end where the holy water flowed out. The pan continued to move under the weight of the coin until, eventually, the coin slid off. The lever would then raise back to its initial state and close the valve, stopping the flow of water. The machine — described by Heron as a “sacrificial vessel” — was made to limit the amount of holy water people were using at ancient temples. (This was during the Hellenistic period, when Alexandria was a multicultural hub for various Roman, Greek, and Egyptian faiths.) Heron’s invention didn’t stick around with any regularity until centuries later, however. Throughout the 1600s and 1700s, coin-operated machines were used to sell tobacco in English taverns, and by the 1800s, they were selling everything from banned literary works to stamps. In 1888, a new chewing gum called Tutti-Frutti appeared in custom penny-operated vending machines on New York City subway platforms, introducing the United States to vending machines as we know them today.
· Interesting & True Department: Australia is known for its unique wildlife, not all of which is friendly. In 1932, the country received a harsh reminder of that when a drought caused some 20,000 emus to move inland in search of water during their breeding season, disrupting farmers’ crops in the process. The ostrich-like birds had already had their classification downgraded from “native species” to “vermin” despite being endemic to Australia and appearing on its coat of arms alongside the kangaroo, and this mass migration made them public enemy No. 1. The government sent in World War I veterans to assist the beleaguered farmers, and though they were outfitted with machine guns, they soon found themselves overwhelmed by their flightless foes. Emus are fairly imposing, to be fair — among all bird species, only ostriches and cassowaries are larger.
“The machine-gunners’ dreams of point-blank fire into serried masses of Emus were soon dissipated,” observed D.L. Serventy, an Australian ornithologist. “The Emu command had evidently ordered guerrilla tactics, and its unwieldy army soon split up into innumerable small units that made use of the military equipment uneconomic. A crestfallen field force therefore withdrew from the combat area after about a month.” In other words, the emus emerged victorious in what’s now known as the Great Emu War. The birds were simply too much trouble to get rid of, and though they suffered heavy casualties, they still thrive Down Under. And today, Limu Emu sells insurance on TV.
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. We are glad to provide this means as a public service to help keep the community informed.
2. 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.
3. NOTE: If you know of anyone who would like to receive these SPY’s Newsletters, just send me an email at john.sandrafisher@gmail.com with their email address and we will add them to the distribution list
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