September 20, 2021 People/Dining/Shopping/Events/Culture All defining Livonia
What a fun day seeing Y'll at the Corn Roast yesterday!!! Greenmead was the place to be. From the bodyguard being given a new title by Robb Drzewski, Kernel Bodyguard. To Lexie Jolly bragging that she was about to eat her fifth corn on the cob. To Dave McKillop savoring every bite of the corn.
This typewriter woke at the normal time of 4:00, read my collection of online newspapers, out of bed at 5:00, showered, dressed, started reading the new Vince Flynn book, left the house at 6:00, arrived at the Tuscan in time to check out the hard copy of the New York Times on the patio, and then inside at 6:30 for my sausage, cheese, Wolferman sandwich.

Let me digress as toward the end of the corn roast Nancy Stempien took me to task for the sausage biscuit saying that I needed to switch to yogurt. Husband Ken agreed, although not quite as enthusiastic.
Back to the corn roast. All was quiet as I arrived at 7:45. Set in the solitude of the moment and read some more Vince Flynn while waiting for the volunteers and organizations to start arriving at 8:30.

And start arriving they did.
Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church Youth Group. Clarenceville Basketball. Clarenceville Girls Softball. Franklin National Honor Society. 22 in all. When Rob Donovic arrived with the corn we were ready to start husking.
In the past, we had 7-9 student volunteers and it took most of the morning. Today, with double that number we were finished in two hours.

Oh, man. What to do with all these volunteers? Thanks to Robb Drzewski we organized a composting brigade and hauled the corn husks across Greenmead to the composting bin. So cool. And helped set up canopies, and moved picnic tables.
At 11:30 as the groups were all set the Lions Club announced that the corn was ready. This typewriter was ready as well. It had been four hours since the sausage biscuit and green tea.

I headed over to the Lions trailer and had the first ear of corn ready for consumption. It did not take long for word to spread and the organization volunteers and the first arrivals enjoyed the fresh-picked corn provided by AlphaUSA and purchased from Westborn Market.
And there was the Kona Ice truck pulling up sponsored by Jim Jolly. The typewriter was able to have, for the first time in my life, a rootbeer Kona Ice. So good. After 300 servings off into the distance went the Kona Ice Truck.

But let me tell you the Livonia PTSA had a bake sale and this typewriter, thanks to the bodyguard, was able to have some chocolate chip cookies. How great it is to have an active PTSA Council working to promote our schools and work in the community.And sell chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes.
Let's see. three ears of corn, one chocolate chip cookie, one Kona Ice, one Pepsi, and one water. Healthy day.

And in between my healthy snacks, I made the rounds to the organizations. One to thank them for participating and two, to meet those I had not met before.
In between the healthy food I had many chances to chat with friends like Circuit Judge Tim Kenny, former first lady Senie and Mayor Jack Engebretson.

Chatting up good folks was like renewing old friendships in a neighborhood setting. Just like over the back 40.
But saying hello to old friends was not all that this corn roast was about. It was meeting new friends, seeing some organizations you knew about, and being amazed at some organizations you were not familiar with.

It was a neighborhood gathering in a hometown that has so much to offer,
The Livonia Greenleaf Commission held a raffle with the winner receiving a new 64-gallon recycling cart. Jim Baringhaus offered "Congratulations to this year’s Corn Roast winners!"

Kimmy Odtohan and her family proudly posing with their new recycling cart.

Our Livonia Community Chorus provided musical interludes under the direction of Jeff Swan. Other musical groups on hand included our Livonia Symphony Orchestra and the Livonia Youth Symphony.

But if we expand it to the cultural organizations we find the Livonia Arts Commission, Visual Arts Association of Livonia and the Livonia Community Theatre.
So much to share. So many to thank like the Kernel Bodyguard, Robb Drzewski, Dan MacIver, Chuck Dardas and AlphaUSA, the Hardies Family Trust, Community Financial, Livonia Parks and Recreation, the readers of Musings, the Honorary Corn Roasters, and all the student volunteers. Thanks to all who came out just proving that we are a small town based on neighborhoods and no matter where we go we are downtown.
Wearing two hats today were Charlie and Jim Mahoney--the Livonia Community
Foundation and the Livonia Symphony
So many organizations have the support of AlphaUSA. Veronica and Julie epitomize the community outreach of a hometown supporter.
It was kinda cool having both the Livonia Republican Club and the Livonia Democratic Club on hand. Dillon Breen (R) and Kate Shishkovsky (D) worked together as Honorary Corn Roasters.
Our Livonia Parks and Recreation created a sandbox of corn kernels while the Michigan Treasure Hunters set up sand for kids to try and find a treasure.
Let's just make this whole issue
about the Corn Roast
Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan

“One person can make a difference and everyone should try,” said President John F. Kennedy. In Livonia, Bill Joyner is one of those people. The 4th Annual Good Old Fashioned Corn Roast is his brainchild and quickly becoming one of the best things our city does all year to welcome new families to Livonia.

Congrats Bill on a great event.
It was so great to have two of our community service clubs working together. The Rotary AM Club teamed up with the Livonia Jaycees at the soda/water tent, Synergy works every time.
A great event! 

The Livonia Corn Roast was successful for another year.

This was maybe the best one yet. Good to see the LPS family at the corn roast today!

Great event! I really enjoyed it today.

Barb Iovan
Great job with the corn roastl! We will add another group to it next year!

This is a great event! I had lots of fun talking with and meeting new people!

Meeting the people in Livonia who want to make things better.
Two pictures. 8:00 in the morning. 2:00 in the afternoon. Tranquility on one hand at historic Greenmead. Community and celebration as people enjoyed the vibrancy of Livonia.
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