View as Webpage June 4, 2021 People/Dining/Shopping/Events/Culture All defining Livonia

Kacie McCullough Women's Closest to Pin

Eric Ladwig Men's Closest to Pin

Mark Whitfield Low Score Men's Team

Chip in for the Arts Bob Bennett Memorial aced the return to normal !!

This is what normal should feel like. Blue skies. 124 friends supporting the Arts. A chairwoman pulling together the biggest fundraiser for the Livonia Symphony Orchestra. Volunteers greeting golfers with smiles, handshakes, and yes, drum roll, hugs. The 29th Annual Chip in for the Arts, Bob Bennett Memorial Golf Classic, working with the beautifully prepared City of Livonia Whispering Willows Golf Course and the staff at the Tin Cup made for a perfect return to normal on a sunny Spring day. There was Chair Charlie Mahoney making sure it all went smoothly. And it did. Dawnne Smith and Laura Talmouch of the Chamber of Commerce handling the raffle tickets, Robin Whitfield sponsoring the lunches and working the registration table, Susan Parker Stewart roaming the course with her camera, the LSO brass quintet greeting golfers with music, the typewriter mixing it up with golfers while volunteering and trying to look busy. If there is an event in Livonia you know that AlphaUSA will be on hand helping out. Today was no different and there was Julie Allen pitching in wherever needed. And Gina Miller on loan from lead sponsor F&PA to score the putting contest. Gift bags were handed out to all. Raffle prizes collected by Symphony Board member Julie Antishan were on display making it enticing for golfers to ante up for tickets. It was a day with smiles, handshakes, and yes, drum roll, hugs.

The entire day felt like a huge sigh of relief after 15 months of pent-up energy waiting to break out. There was Sam Caramagno of GFL fame suggesting that if the course was only putting and pitching he would be okay but adding in driving and well that was a different story. Then there was attorney George Shea telling about his high-tech golf lesson at the Aznavarian's Fox Hills in Plymouth in preparation for the LSO outing. Didn't hear if the lesson helped or not. Loved to see Kacie McCullough winning the closest to the pin. A winner on her first event day on a golf course. First-ever. Really? The best round of the day? The team led by Mark Whitfield. Met with calls for an audit of the scorecards. Finding out that Melissa Velasquez, who works with Robin Whitfield at Edward Jones was engaged just this past weekend. So great to actually see people and hear their stories. Beats ZOOM any day.

Again, there was Chair Charlie Mahoney answering questions, jumping in to help, making sure it all went smoothly. Did I say it was a day with smiles, handshakes, and yes, drum roll, hugs? Meeting Rose waiting tables and who happened to be a cousin of Lead Sponsor for Chip in for the Arts Dan MacIver, putting an exclamation point on the helpful and happy staff at the Tin Cup. So great to meet people. And then seeing two candidates up for election this year working together, yes, together, at the Hole-in-one. Working together the way politics should be. Hats off to Rob Donovic and Carrie Budzinski, setting aside policy differences to help support the Livonia Symphony. And when the golfing was done and the smiling folks, even those with less than stellar days on the course, arrived at the Tin Cup sharing stories of their stellar day, prizes were mixed and mingled in with delicious pizza and some occasional adult beverage or iced tea. Ted Davis, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation recreating his drive on a 300 yd fairway.

The early bird raffle winner who was among the first to register for the outing was Terry Sansouci. No telling how he golfed but we do know that he won a silly, goofy prize for getting his registration in on a timely basis. The Bill Brown Ford Closest to the Pin Contest second-place went to Jenny Sproul. The second-place grand prize raffle drawing winner was Brandon McCullough. Didn't win anything for his golfing he just happened to have his name drawn from the raffle barrel and wins a $100 gift certificate to one of the Livonia golf courses pro-shops. Now his wife on the other hand won based on her skill. Eric Ladwig of UPS Store fame, golfing with the Livonia Rotary AM Club on the other hand won the Men's Closest to the pin. And his dad, Mike Ladwig, soon to be President of the AM Club was in the foursome to verify that he indeed was the closest. The Livonia Rotary Noon Club golfed but left bragging rights to the AM Club.

So yes, the Livonia Symphony Orchestra Chip in for the Arts Bob Bennett Memorial Classic, whew what a mouthful, was a wonderful success no matter how you look at it. Volunteerism, community support, corporate sponsorship. And before we go any further let's not leave out hometown leadership. In this case, Charlie Mahoney, designated as a Livonia First Citizen and inductee in the 1835 Livonia City Hall of Fame, a retiree from DTE, board member for the Livonia Symphony Orchestra. Without a doubt owning one of the best Rolodex, if you can remember what that is, anywhere. You have to have one to pull off this event and have it run this smoothly year after year. She knows people and it shows when they all come up to say hello. They not only know her they respect her. It's time to start with some real music in a real auditorium with a wonderful Livonia Symphony Orchestra. And when they do let's pack the hall and show our appreciation for an organization that helps make Livonia the cultural heartbeat of southeast Michigan. Did I say it was a day with smiles, handshakes, and yes, drum roll, hugs?

Congratulations to Dick and Ann McDowell They celebrated their 60th Anniversary and Memorial Day all at once with a family picnic in their backyard. Dick says that "Everyone came and we had a great time. We had appetizers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, and brats with apple pie and cheesecake for dessert." Ann and Dick have teamed up for 60 years with a happy family and his years as President of Schoolcraft College, Livonia Rotary, and induction to the Livonia Hall of Fame. Congratulations to the McDowell's on their 60th Wedding Anniversary.

Keeping up with the Council candidates As candidates have campaign announcements to make FridayMusings will include them as we keep up to date on the campaign. We will include all candidate information from all candidates as FridayMusings has not made any endorsements but will endorse in September. Ken Overwater for Livonia City Council. Eleanor and I Wear Orange today to help spread awareness about the problem of gun violence in our communities. Ready to work toward a solution together. Rob Donovic and Carrie Budzinski for Livonia City Council. Donovic and Budzinski both took time out this past Friday to volunteer at the Livonia Symphony Golf Outing, pairing up to judge the Hole in One Contest. The typewriter says that "this is the way politics should work, setting aside policy differences to work for the good of the community." Dan Centers for Livonia City Council. Dan Centers acknowledges and salutes "Happy Pride Month.

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