Editorial: Cheers: 06/29/2009

June 29, 2009 06:45 am

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-- To Northwestern Michigan College President Tim Nelson for asking the college's board of trustees to freeze his salary at the current $164,035 until July of next year. The request came as part of a performance review in which Nelson got a 3.6 rating on a four-point scale. Nelson was hired in 2001 at a salary of $102,000 a year.

-- To Michigan's state park system on its 90th anniversary. Special kudos go to Interlochen State Park, created in 1917, two years before the park system was officially created. Today, the state has almost 100 parks and recreation areas, making it one of the largest in the nation. The system helped northern Michigan survive the demise of the lumber era and transform itself into a popular tourism area.

-- To Hagerty Insurance Agency of Traverse City for being one of five finalists for the Corporate Community Leader Governor's Service Award. The "Hagerty Cares" program helps the company's 400 employees volunteer in more than 300 area nonprofit organizations. Hagerty also has provided employees with two paid days a year for community service since 2000.

-- To organizers of the recent Northern Michigan Agriculture Job Fair, which attracted more than 100 people looking for a job. Twelve people were hired on the spot and more jobs are available, particularly during the summer cherry harvest. The fair was organized by the Michigan Works program.

-- To YouthBuild, a federal program that helps students 16 to 24 earn their high school diploma or GED and provides them "green" skills training in the construction field. About 70 Traverse City Area Public Schools students who work Traverse City Youth Corps will build a Habitat for Humanity house in the area. A Manistee Habitat house and a Beaver Island senior living facility also will be constructed.

-- To area blood collection organizations and blood donors. Several blood drives are planned during the summer school break. High school students make up a large percentage of blood collection donors. Area blood groups include Michigan Community Blood Center Northwest, American Red Cross and the Great Lakes Region Red Cross.

-- To Wings of Wonder for finding a new home for Golda, an immature bald eagle rescued by the Department of Natural Resources and turned over to the local raptor shelter, which is operated by Rebecca Lessard. The bird could not be released to the wild because of injuries to a wing. Golda's new home is the Iowa Nation of Oklahoma, one of three facilities nationally licensed to display eagles.