April 3, 2020         Your News source for All Livonia. All the time. All ways positive. 
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There is hope. As we sit at home, work in the yard, practicing face-to-face
on the computer it is also time to think to the future. Close our eyes and cogitate
on the possibility for a Livonia New Year.
After working in the yard yesterday this typewriter starts Friday off with a refreshed attitude ready to take on the world and start off a new year with resolutions to make it the best year ever.

In my world the New Year will start August 16th with the Detroit Red Wings Alumni playing our Livonia All-starts headed up by Councilman Brandon McCullough and sponsored by AlphaUSA, in partnership with Art Cole and Cole, Newton & Duran CPA's, and Dan MacIver and Financial & Porfolio Advisors, Eric Ladwig and the UPS Store, and FridayMusings.

The Eddie Edgar Ice Arena will be filled with over 1,200 Livonia neighbors being greeted at the front door by members of the Livonia Rotary AM Club. "Hello, welcome to Livonia's New Years Party." Well, words similar to that. Then Mayor Maureen Brosnan is out at center ice dropping the ceremonial puck to kick the hockey game off. How great as the announcer, yours truly, R. William Joyner, introduces the All Stars and the Red Wings. 

Livonia takes on a celebratory atmosphere and a whole lot of pent up desire to cheer. To cheer everythiing. Even when McCullough isboarded behind the net.

School starts up and teachers are out greeting the return of students citywide. Smiles all around. Especially on the faces of parents who take a deep sigh of relief. They loved having the students at home but now is the time to get back into a routine and starting up school is a great way to implement that routine. And I guess learning.

The Tour d-Livonia bike ride through Livonia. If it is not held in the spring or early summer let's see if we can get it rolling in September or October. Make it a healthy Livonia event. 

September 13 will give new meaning to the Good Old Fashioned Neighborhood Corn Roast with 30-40 organizations set up to greet 2-3,000 Livonia neighbors. In one corner is playing the Livonia Youth Symphony. And look in another corner is the Livonia Youth Choir. And look the Livonia Civic Chorus. Barefoot Productions and Livonia Community Theatre are doing some interpretive readings. Not a full play, but maybe. There is the Motor City Youth Theatre. And all the service clubs and art organizations and non-profits spread out around the park.

Children are playing on the play equipment. Members of the City Council are competing to eat an ear of corn the fastest.

But a change is taking place. On Saturday, at the suggestion of Brian Wolverton, on September 12th teams of ambassadors will spread out across the city visiting 500 families with a personal invitation to the Corn Roast Year 4. New families being invited by teams of two, a high school student and a service club member. A personal welcome to Livonia. So cool.

In September we will have the Bob Bennett Memorial Golf Outing. Maybe a Chorus concert, the Schoolcraft College Culinary Extravaganza, maybe a Symphony concert. Can we put a play or two on during the month.

This will be a test for Livonia. To see how we come out of this imposed stay-at-home. It is a great challenge but it is not beyond the possible. Our capacity in Livonia is filled with a do-it attitude. I have a tremendous sense of pride in Livonia. I am ready to join you in making our hometown welcoming and reinvigorating.

September is the Welcome back Livonia month. And we are just getting started on ways to celebrate our hometown. I'm ready. Let's do it.
My hero's: four students found time to prank folks on April Fools and then got fooled themselves.

 The typewriter loves April Fools going back to the innocent pranks as a teenager.

Placing black paper on the bedroom windows of mom and dad, switching the salt into the sugar bowl, putting out the newspaper from one year previously. Dad thought he recogized some of the stories but read the entire paper before commenting.

15 years ago I said that I was marrying a kindergarten sweetheart and she was moving here from Decatur Georgia.

I had two people offer to throw a welcome party for Louise, I received cards and congratulatory emails. 


This year I announced my run for city council, the partnership at Greenmead with a local company. I had so many write and offer up support for a council run and lots of curiosity for ways to help Greenmead. My annual April fools edition. Keep smiling.

This year there was some foolery playing around at the MacIver house.


The MacIver's, Dan and Veronica,  house is full of teens. There are no visitors they actually live there. Ashlyn (18), Marissa (13), Kelsey (14), Trevor (15). They decided to stay up until 3 am on April Fools Eve planning April fools.

 A few people had plates of brownies, with the brown E's for brown-ies,  dropped off, one house got a 
❤️attack, and the grandmother  got lots of Trump in her windows!

The kids had so much fun planning these! Then as soon as they woke up and realized I had a donuts box on the counter, filed with oranges instead, they were fooled!
When you are making a success of something, it's not work. It's a way of life. You enjoy yourself because you are making your contribution to the world. 
Partnerships available for you to make contributions to help the medical cause in Livonia
Livonia always rises to the occasion. Here is the one donation you can count on.
The city of Livonia along with the Livonia Chamber of Commerce are engaged in an effort to collect donations of medical protective equipment in great demand at our local hospitals. Individuals and Businesses  who don't have extra masks, gowns or sanitizer, but want to contribute toward the cause can do so through the Covid-19 Community Health Response Fund established by The Livonia Community Foundation.

Those interested in making monetary donations for the Covid-19 Community Health Response Fund can write a check to the Livonia Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has supported Livonia's charitable, cultural, arts, historical, educational and recreational efforts in Livonia for 25 years. The donation will be tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Checks should be mailed to the Livonia Community Foundation, 33300 Five Mile Road, Suite 102, Livonia, MI 48154. Please put Covid-19 Response Fund on the Memo Line.

A credit card or debit card can be used to make a contribution via the Livonia Community Foundation website:  http://www.livoniafoundation.org/community-response.html.

What our hometown Hospital needs and how you can contact St. Mary Mercy folks to help out:

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, which includes member hospital St. Mary Mercy Livonia, announced plans to accept much-needed hospital supplies from area businesses and the community to support St. Joe's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
The following unused and unopened items are being accepted:

PAPRs, Regular masks, Face shields, N95 masks, Gowns, Hot glue sticks, Surgical caps/protective caps, Eyeglass shields/goggles, Nasal testing swabs, M4 viral media, Lysol or Clorox wipes, Hand sanitizer, Transparency sheets, Elastic banding for masks. 

In addition, commercially prepared and packaged food items will be accepted.

At this time, health guidelines do not allow the use of hand-crafted Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gowns, surgical masks and shields as they do not offer the same protection for nurses and other health care workers.

Those interested in making a donation should contact Kim Niethammer at  Kim.Niethammer@stjoeshealth.org to ask questions and to coordinate supply drop offs at any one of the following Donation Center locations:

 St. Mary Mercy Livonia - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday thru Friday: Drop off behind Emergency Department, located at 36475 Five Mile Rd., Livonia.  Please use the West Entrance off of 5 Mile Rd. and follow the signs to the donation center, or 
·       
To make a monetary donation to support the COVID-19 hospital response effort and the staff who are facing financial hardships with their families due to this crisis, please visit  St. Joe's Giving, ( https://www.stjoeshealth.org/about-us/ways-to-give/) and click on our "Make Your Gift" button to select your hospital.

Musings follows Our Arts
Livonia Civic Chorus Sings for you
Just like many of you, the 72 volunteer members of the Livonia Civic Chorus are Staying Home to Stay Safe, but they  are continuing to SING! They  are currently preparing for their next Concert and singing every day!!
It'saGrandNightforSinging
It'saGrandNightforSinging

The Livonia Civic Chorus' vision is to enrich the musical experiences for their members and the cultural life of our  community. 

To achieve this vision during the COVID-19 crisis, they want to provide you music for your enjoyment  and get our community singing-along!

How about YOU? Let's all Sing a Song!


Musings follows the 2020 elections
Vote
None have been certified by Board of Canvassers


Donald J. Trump (I) (R)

Democratic Candidate has yet to be determined
 

United States Senate
Gary Peters (D-I)

Bob Carr (R)

John James (R)

United States House of Representatives
Haley Stevens (D-I)
Endorsed by:
Michigan Education Association

Kerry Bentivolio (R)


Whitney Williams (R)
Endorsed by:

Eric Esshaki (R)

Michigan House of Representatives
Laurie Pohutsky (D-I)
Endorsed by:
Sierra Club
SEIU
 Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan
Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters & Millwrights
Congresswoman Haley Stevens


Martha Ptashnik (R)
Endorsed by:
City Council President Kathleen McIntyre

Wayne County Commissioner
Terry Marecki (R-I)

Schoolcraft College Trustee
Brian Broderick (I)
Joan Gebhardt (I)
Terry Gilligan (I)

Livonia Board of Education
Dan Centers
Karen Bradford
Tammy Bonifield
Crystal Frank

Clarenceville Board of Education
Matt Boettcher
Brenda Uren
Shari Krazel
Jeffrey Bunker
Musings follows Livonia Happenings
April in Livonia
April is cancelled. Go directly to May
Every night M-F @ 7:00 check him out 

April 5 @ 2:00 -- 3:00
& April 20 @ 6:30 -- 7:30

Representative Laurie Pohutsky
Virtual Coffee Hours
Join her online: https://www.facebook.com/RepPohutsky
Join her over the phone: (605) 475-4818
Access Code: 748496#

May in Livonia
We can only hope that there is a May on the calendar

May 1 @ 6:00
Paul Seewald's
The Luck of Livonia Dinner Dance
Livonia Junior Athletic League celebrates 60 years
St. Mary's Cultural Center
May 2 @ 9:00 -- 2:00
One can only hope--but let's look forward

May 5 @ 6:30
Livonia Garden Club
Civic Park Senior Center
Plant Legends and Stories
May 16 @ 9:00 - 10:00
Livonia Garden Club Plant Sharing Event
Greenmead Historical Park     Rain or Shine
Everyone is encouraged to come and take plants whether or not they have plants to share
One can only hope but let's look forward
May 17 @ 12 noon
St. Baldrick's Shaving for Kids with Cancer
1 Under Craft Beer and Eats
One can only hope but let's look forward

June in Livonia
June 6 @ 9:00 -- 4:00
St. Colette's 4th Annual Custom 
& Classic Car Show
Free to Spectators with plenty of
Food ,beverages , D. J. ,  50 / 50
drawings and Prize Raffles.. 

June 7 @ 3:00
Livonia Civic Chorus Spring Concert
Churchill High School Performing Arts Center
July in Livonia
July 25 @ 9:00 -- 2:00
Touch-a-Truck sponsored by Rotary AM Club
 
August in Livonia
August 16 @ 3:00

September in Livonia
Bob Bennett Memorial Golf Outing
Date to be determined

September 13 @ 12:00

October in Livonia
October 1 @ 7:00
Hall of Fame 2013
Presenting Sponsor:
Dan MacIver
Financial & Portfolio Advisors
Proud sponsor of the Detroit Red Wings v Livonia All-stars coming to town Aug 16, 3:00.
Another partnership ready to help our emergency responders
Does your business have items that can be used to support Livonia's Emergency Responders and health care workers?

The City of Livonia, the  Livonia Chamber of Commerce  and eSimplify Solutions are coordinating a collection of personal protection equipment. Businesses can drop off items at the Kirksey Recreation Center Monday through Friday from 8 - 10 a.m. Help us help our heroes!



Dan MacIver wants to knock your socks off with this
well kept Best Kept Secrets of Livonia



Our Livonia Warriors and Tyros continue their work on robotics. 



I have been working on an IT competition (National Cyber League).
JC Sidaway- Warriors

I've been running the robotics twitter as usual and keeping up with FIRST announcements. I have also been working on my online programming class because online classes don't have pandemic breaks.
Erin Robinson - Warriors

Several robotics students have also been working a lot during the quarantine because they work at restaurants or grocery stores. We would like to thank them for stepping up and helping during this crisis and we hope they stay healthy and safe.

Robotics Continues Virtually!!

From January to April robotics students can spend up to 15+ hours a week with each other. Since we are not able to meet in person our Team Leader and Head Coach Ms. Carlini, with the help of our technical guru Pete Treman, decided to start using our Google Suite set up Google Hangouts to get the team together virtually. 

On Monday, March 30th over 65 students and mentors from the Warriors and Tyros got together to listen to updates, say Hi to one another and find out how we will stay in touch each week via Google Hangouts. Each squad will meet once a week to discuss things they can do at home to get ready if and when robotics starts again and just stay connected with one another.

May is our recruitment month and we are moving forward with that. We will connect with current members about their interest for next year and we will reach out to 8th graders to see if they will be joining the high school team.