12/21/2006

Northern Notes

Anonymous Christmas angel brightens holidays

By Stephanie Beach
Local columnist

"Don't look for cherubs playing harps golden winged and crowned — But consider the unlikely stranger ... there are angels all around.”

— D. Morgan

Legend has it that a poor child in Mexico who had nothing to give the Christ child at Christmas Eve services gathered some weeds into a lovely bouquet; the only gift he had to offer. When he brought his gift to the manger, the simple weed was transformed into a brilliant red bloom. From that night on, the bright red, star-shaped flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or "Flowers of the Holy Night,” for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

This holiday season an anonymous Christmas angel sent 21 gorgeous poinsettia plants to the oncology unit at Munson Medical Center. The plants are decorating the unit and as cancer patients are discharged, the staff gives them one of the poinsettias to take home. Each plant has a tag that reads "Hope you are feeling better soon, Santa.”

Nurse Manager Carol Baker wrote to send a huge "thank you” to this donor and to say that the response from the patients has been overwhelming.

She also wrote that each year the oncology nurses adopt a family who is going through cancer treatment and for the past two years the Great Wolf Lodge has donated an overnight stay at the lodge for the family.

"So a big thank you to them also!” Carol wrote.

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The Fox FM, 94.3, and Meijer have teamed up as angels to help St. Vincent DePaul after a recent break-in. Thieves entered by breaking the glass in the front door and took money set aside to help local families in need.

Meijer Store Director John Spaulding stopped in to talk with Mark Elliott from the Fox about the theft and what Meijer was doing to help. This prompted some of the station's good-hearted listeners to call in and do the same. Anyone who would like information on how to help St. Vincent DePaul, may call the Fox studio line, toll-free, (800) 709-5369.

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Jean Philo, of Suttons Bay, will never forget the big snowstorm on Dec. 1 nor the special angel at Tom's West Bay Market who went out of her way to help.

When Jean left Suttons Bay to take care of important first-of-the-month errands, the weather was clear. However, then the snow started and Jean decided to cut her trip short. She stopped at Tom's West Bay Market for some groceries and by the time she came out the storm had worsened and Jean was really worried.

"Clearing snow from the car, I had one thing on my mind — to make it home,” Jean wrote. "I did, but I overlooked picking up my groceries. I opened my trunk to find it empty. With vain hope, I called Tom's to ask for help. And they found a gracious lady, Assistant Manager Shannon Wilcox, who volunteered to bring my groceries on her way home to Northport at 6:30 p.m. I protested about the time and how awful the storm was, but she said that wouldn't bother her. She knew Suttons Bay and knew where I lived.

"Now that's Traverse City for you and why I love living here,” Jean wrote.

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M. Egan McGlynn, community resource coordinator for the Department of Human Services/Grand Traverse and Leelanau, wrote to thank holiday angels Art Morse, Kay in the office and the staff of movers at Morse Moving and Storage who provided a truck free of charge to help Egan pick up the Toys for Tots donations for Leelanau.

"Tim Brick (of) Brick Wheels donated 11 bikes and along with the toys ... provided by Jack and Sharon Sir (Toys for Tots coordinators), it is a challenge every year to move those items to the Christmas Holiday Store we sponsor for low-income families in Leelanau. ...without the generosity of the Morse Company we would be in dire straits. ... A hundred thanks for their generosity and willingness. Happy Holidays.”

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Tom Custance, advisor for the Central High School Key Club, wrote on behalf of the Key Club and the Monday Noon Kiwanis Club to thank the 100 volunteer angels who made the Kids Against Hunger program such a huge success.

Volunteers from Cherry Knoll K-Kids, Interlochen Pathfinders Builders Club, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Builders Club, St. Francis High School Key Club, Traverse City West Senior High School Key Club, Traverse Bay Kiwanis Club and the Kiwanis Golden K Club showed up at Central High School's cafeteria to package 10,000 meals. Some of these meals will stay in Traverse City, but the majority will be shipped to Darfur.

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The 182nd Transportation Company Family Readiness Group wrote to thank all the businesses that helped make the group's Christmas party a big hit, including Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut, Outback Steak House, Galax-Sea Golf, Victory Lanes, Desert Sun Tanning, Burger King, Kmart, Timber Lanes, Cutz Salon, Dominos, Nothing But Sports, Grondins, Let's Go Blue, Scheldes, Red Mesa Grille, Mancino's, Menards, Ruby Tuesday, BoTangles, Garfield Auto and Glen's Market.

"Your continuous support for your local reserve soldiers has always been the motivation we need. Thank you!” the Family Readiness Group wrote.

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The Kingsley Middle School Student Council selected the Father Fred Foundation as the recipient for its pre-Thanksgiving canned food drive this year.

Two spirit days were held when students could pay $1 to wear a hat and sunglasses. These events raised a total of $150. A week-long competition also was held between the fifth- through eighth-grade classes to see which class could collect the most canned goods. An amazing 4,700 items were collected, with Mrs. Bach's eighth-grade students taking first place, wrote Kim Cairy, Kingsley Middle School student council advisor.

"I just want to recognize and thank all of the fifth- through eighth-grade students for doing good for others in the greater community this holiday season,” Cairy wrote.

Items for this column may be sent to Northern Notes, Record-Eagle, P.O. Box 632, Traverse City, MI 49685-0632; e-mail sbeach@record-eagle.com.