Bill Joyner's FridayMusings 12.11.20

December 11,2020 Your Source for Livonia Cultural Happenings

The typewriter and bodyguard helped Santa join in the holiday fun with my favorite abstract painting done by Susan Parker Stewart, two vases from mom and dad's wedding in 1947, a gift from the Farmville Furniture Store, and a sleigh for Christmas cards. A little bit of old, a little bit of modern and a lot of tradition.

A little bit of simple in a complicated Covid Christmas.

Livonia Civic Chorus Holiday Concert @ You Tube

LCC A Christmas Wish Virtual Concert December 2020

One of the biggest and most popular concerts of the holiday season is always the Livonia Civic Chorus. Not wanting to disappoint Livonia the Chorus arranged for a virtual performance of "A Christmas Wish." What makes this concert so unique is that they are posting it on YouTube for your easy access and viewing pleasure.

Imagine pushing away from the dinner table, taking your dessert, logging onto YouTube and enjoying 30 minutes of seasonal songs performed by the Livonia Civic Chorus.

A family gathering. Christmas music. How great is that.

You can watch it anytime you want. The performers will be available starting today and going through December 31st. Livonia Civic Chorus ready when you are.

Be sure that after you watch the concert you click the thumbs up button to let the chorus members know you appreciated them and the music.

Our Parks and Recreation announcesa new partnership with the North Pole. Santa himself has worked the children of Livonia into his busy schedule. From 5-8 on each Tuesday, Dec. 15, and Thursday, Dec. 17, “Zoom Calls with Santa” will be available to residents only.

Please visit the direct link to register one family per 10-minute time block, as multiple children can be on a single call. The video calls are expected to last 5-7 minutes each. You will emailed the Zoom links prior to the event times.

Santa visits our historic Rosedale Gardens

Kiwanis Early Risers ring bells at Joe's produce for the Salvation Army.

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Livonia Police drop off center for Toys for Tots

For the past couple of weeks, the Livonia Police Department has been a “Toys for Tots” drop box location, collecting new, unwrapped toys for children in need this holiday season. The Livonia community has shown a tremendous amount of support and generosity as numerous toys have been dropped off at LPD. We would like to say “Thank you” to all of those who have donated and contributed to this great cause! The Toys for Tots drop box will remain in the LPD Front Lobby until December 20th.

Musings readers say yes to the Covid Vaccine

Musings readers spoke out loud and clear in the survey on whether or not they will take the Covid-19 vaccine when it is made available.

Yes, I will take the vaccine 85.5%

No, I will not take the vaccine 4.3%

Unsure if I will take the vaccine 10.1%

Neglect or progress?

Save Hines Park asks our help

Save Hines Park shares this letter and asks for help in having a bridge opened, repaired or both:

Wayne County has closed this bridge, citing safety reasons. It is the steel bridge that crosses the Middle Rouge River just east of Nankin Mills. Wayne County has done a terrible job of maintaining our roads and bridges. Their standard modus operandi is to wait until something is decaying and then close it.

Remember the three Hines drive bridges they had closed for a long time to car traffic? The only reason they opened them is because of public pressure. They didn't even repair them. They simply put steel support beams under them; expected to last less than 10 years.

If Wayne County can just close something and no one says anything, they don't care. We need to stay on them. Please help! Email dpshelp@waynecounty.com and ask them when this bridge will be repaired or replaced and access restored to those areas.

Access is now closed to a beautiful section of multi-use trails that are well maintained by volunteers for everyone's enjoyment. Wayne County's whole current initiative is about access to the parks and this cuts off a large section of it. Hundreds of volunteer hours has gone into building and maintaining these trails.

Thinking Big--we will start 2021 with visions of the future and reasons why we love Livonia

Musings asked community leaders to share their vision for the future of Livonia in the decade of the 2020's. From a variety of fields they responded and said that yes they will be a part of the kick-off to the new year. One wish for the decade.

We have ten leaders on board. Their reactions were priceless so let me share two of the ten responses, including this one from Rev. Kellie Whitlock who wrote, "What a great idea!!! Such engagement! Thank you Bill for thinking of it! I am honored to be asked - WOW! Community leader huh? Yes! You can count on me! The sky is the limit with me and my visions!"

Conrad Schwartz in his unique inimitable style wrote, "Interesting. I have pondered this subject in the past. I will dig out my old corn cob pipe and revisit the matter. I will give you a hint; introspective versus extrospective."

The 50's brought us St. Mary Hospital. The 60's a recreation center in the YMCA. The 70's brought us Greenmead. The 80's the Civic Center Library. The 90's the Recreation Center.

Get the picture? What will the 2020's be known for?

Musings will run the responses every Wednesday and Friday starting January 6 and concluding February 10.

On February 12 Musings will take a look at the present while giving our readers the opportunity, in a special Valentine issue, to share why they love Livonia. The typewriter is starting to collect responses so have at it.

Share what you love about Livonia. Send them to Musings at rwilliamjoyner@gmail.com. On February 12 in our special Valentine edition we will dedicate the entire issue to why we LOVE LIVONIA.

Connecting to share their own story

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