08/23/2007

Most precious 'flowers' are family and friends

By Stephanie Beach
Local columnist
sbeach@
record-eagle.com

Read past Northern Notes

There's a saying that goes something like "Friends are flowers in the garden of life.” But if you asked Kristi Flory, she might say that should be expanded to include family, especially her sister, Judy Dunn.

Judy wrote to share her sister's story and to seek help for Kristi and her business, Sweet Meadow Farm Garden Nursery in Lake Ann.

Kristi opened the seasonal nursery in 2001 and has run it with the help of her roommate and dear friend, LynAnne Mathews. In 2002, she was diagnosed with leukemia, but was able to continue running the nursery alone, because LynAnne is a home health aide.

"Last summer, she began chemotherapy,” Judy wrote. "I came from California to help her and many of her friends rallied around her. Though she was quite ill and hospitalized, she emerged in remission and finished out the season, exhausted, but on the road to wellness.”

This May, Kristi open for her sixth season and, although battling allergies and respiratory problems (allergy tests revealed that she is highly allergic, especially to grass and molds), has managed to keep the nursery open. According to Judy, she runs it mostly alone during the day because she can't afford to hire employees and relies on friends to help out as needed.

On Aug. 5, Kristi was again admitted to Munson Medical Center with a high fever and respiratory problems and underwent a battery of test and scans to determine if the cancer had recurred or to track down the origin of her illness.

"Friends have again rallied around her, taking over the watering and running the business,” Judy wrote. "I have just returned to California because of my own work/family obligations (and) I am heartbroken I can't be there right now.”

Kristi was released from the hospital on Aug. 16 and is doing better, but Judy says the doctors want to start another round of chemotherapy, and, because her white blood count is already low, Kristi is at high risk for infection.

"It has been emotionally draining and frightening for us all,” Judy wrote.

She went on to say that it's clear Kristi should close the nursery earlier than expected, but has to "ride out the season” until most of her inventory is sold in order to help pay outstanding bills to her creditors, not to mention the out-of-pocket expenses she'll have from this most recent hospital stay.

Sweet Meadow Farm Garden Nursery is located at 7177 N. Reynolds Road, Route 667 across from Barber Road. It is open Monday through Saturday. For details or nursery hours, call 275-6452.

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While attending a late spring Pellston High School drama performance, Abbi Wachtel of Vanderbilt was reminded that there are caring, selfless individuals willing to step up and help out.

Pellston presented the Neil Simon play "Rumors” and Abbi became curious as she watched the performance because there was a woman on stage who was obviously not a high school student.

"During the final bows, the drama teacher, Mrs. Robinson, explained (the actor's) presence and suddenly my faith in the word 'community' was renewed,” Abbi wrote.

The drama teacher explained that one of the student actors had decided not to participate in that night's performance and Mrs. Robinson turned to her best friend, Susan Brown, for help. Susan learned the part in five days and delivered a pretty good performance, Abbi wrote, adding that she obviously did it out of friendship and so the Pellston students wouldn't see their hard work turn to dust.

"For someone in the community to help out our school like that, I felt a renewal of faith. There is so much negativity in our world and watching the pride of those kids on stage, knowing that it could have been ruined without Ms. Brown's help made my heart swell,” Abbi wrote. "So thank you to Ms. Brown for going above and beyond, and a thumbs up to the Pellston drama class for working so hard and doing so well in a tough situation. I hope our community can look to this example and use these role models to remind us about dedication, perseverance and achievement.”

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John "Chip” Lorenger and Sue Metzger, chairpersons of the Horton Bay Parade Committee, wrote that as a "town” of an estimated 27 residents, it would be impossible for Horton Bay to sponsor a Fourth of July Parade and a "Great Escape” fun run without help from those who live in and around the community.

"Words of thanks and appreciation are due to everyone who made these events happen,” Chip and Sue wrote. "Also a huge thank you to all of those who entered the parade and fun run. Without you, these events wouldn't exist.”

The duo added that plans are already being made for 2008's Great Escape Fun Run and parade and the theme will be "What's New(?) in Politics?”

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Dr. Mark Noss, a Traverse City optometrist, recently completed a mission trip to the island of Grenada.

He joined three other optometrists and five third-year optometry students from the Michigan College of Optometry to provide eye care to more than 1,250 island residents. The trip was sponsored by Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity, the Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity and the Rotary Club of Grenada-East.

Anyone who wishes to donate old eyeglasses for future mission trips may drop them off at Dr. Noss' office, 328 Munson Ave.

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.