Needles were flying early in March at the Thistledown Shoppe of Suttons Bay and when the yarn was gone, Thistledown knitters had completed 36 handcrafted wool watchcaps to present to Leelanau County Road Commission Superintendent Herb Cradduck.
The caps were made for Leelanau County snowplow drivers in appreciation of their "Can Do" attitude that was repeatedly demonstrated over the past tough winter as they maintained more than 700 miles of Leelanau County roadways.
A special effort was made to match the plow colors of orange and black and Brown Sheep Yarn Co. of Nebraska helped supply the yarn.
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The Lucky Leprechaun Ball at Kilkenny's netted more than $3,000 for the Father Fred Foundation.
The foundation is a nondenominational charity that helps families in crisis. It accepts no federal or state funding, but receives tremendous community support from a wide variety of food drives, individual donations and special events like the Lucky Leprechaun.
The key to the success of this year's event was the donation and auction of musical performances by great local talent. Event organizers would like to give a big Irish "thank you" to Tom Kaufmann, Michael Beauchamp. John Filmore Bentley, Miriam Pico, Maggie Mallory, the Wild Sullys and the New Third Coast. Also auctioned were celebrity couch potatoes including Norm Wheeler, Dave Denison, Rich Brauer and Mike Sullivan. Auction bidding was spirited and led by Greg and Mark Bancroft from Wayne Bancroft Auction Services.
"The Lucky Leprechaun Ball will increase the number of adults and children we can help," said Foundation Executive Director Martie Manty. "I can't say 'thank you' enough to Mike Sullivan, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Song of the Lakes who all volunteer their time to make St. Patrick's Day weekend so special for us."
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The staff at the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan would like to thank the staff at RJG Inc. for their generosity toward area senior citizens.
Employees of the Traverse City-based international company raise money and collect food items internally through their Goodwill Committee. The food items go to area food pantries. The money is used to purchase gifts at the holidays for individuals identified by several local nonprofit agencies as well as through a wish tree at a local nursing facility. RJG has worked with the Area Agency on Aging for three years and the individuals who have had their "wish" list filled have been extremely grateful.
"The seniors would typically spend Christmas alone and not have any gifts," the Area Agency on Aging staff wrote. "The RJG staff enjoy shopping for the recipients, but do not always get to deliver the presents in person and miss the priceless expressions when the presents are delivered. AAANM would like to publicly thank the RJG employees for ... meeting some very basic needs of individuals in our community, as well as spreading Christmas joy."
Stephanie Beach can be reached at sbeach@record-eagle.com.
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