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FridayMusings since 2003
Monday, February 26, 2024
Helping define Livonia's Quality of Life
Yesterday is over. Change is the essence of life.
20 years publishing FridayMusings without bias but not without opinion
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Livonia Community Theatre in a hometown theatre with a perfect setting wraps up a perfect set of Love Stories | |
Joe Johnston, who by the way has repaired musical instruments at Cameron Music for over 20 years) posted this wrap-up and thanks right after Little Love Stories wrapped up a two-week run. Worth sharing as the sentiments are universal:
And that's a wrap on 'Little Love Stories,' Livonia Community Theatre's ten-minute play festival celebrating love in all its forms. All congratulations should first be directed to Terie G Spencer and Kelly Boczek Petrie for producing a transcendent show for all involved, audience and artists alike. They're the hardest-working women in showbiz and this show was one of a kind.
Everyone lucky enough to see it took something unique from it, and that's about the best result possible from our particular wing of the performing arts. Sad to see this one end. It was pure play, beginning to end, from selecting the scripts through the discovery and process of standing the scripts up through stitching it all together with the tech, and all the way through the final curtain Saturday night.
And then we all hung around and cleansed the space in prep for the next one.
The new chairs (editor note: thanks to the Hardies Family Trust) were stowed; the stage was struck.
The next one will be grand, a musical about working for a living and arriving on time. Production, audition, volunteer, and ticket info at https://www.livoniatheatre.org/working-musical
Thanks for coming to see Little Love Stories! Thanks to my cast (editor note: Joe directed Unheard) and all the casts and all the directors! And thanks to the crew and the volunteers!
We made a great thing, didn't we?
(Editor note: it was a great thing as you put it and certainly with the new home, it embodied the best of hometown community theatre. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire production, setting and smiles.)
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What a great team Livonia has in Lansing, Wayne County and Congress. Working for all our residents.
Lunch with Rashida Tlaib at Mama Mia's
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Livonia is fortunate to have legislative leaders at all levels from Wayne County to Lansing to Washington. From my perspective, they are quick to respond to questions, visible at community events and understand our needs as a hometown.
What makes this group of legislative leaders so special is that they represent us and are willing to listen when you have opposing views. This is underscored by their accessibility and availability.
In the past week alone Matt Koleszar was at an LPS school honoring one of our elementary school teachers, Mary Cavanagh shared a community conversation at the Fire Department headquarters with Chief Robert Jennison, and Laurie Pohutsky is hosting a Voting Rights Forum at the Carl Sanberg Library. Terry Marecki was at the Youth Summit at Schoolcraft College and Glenn Anderson hosted a coffee hour at the Senate Coney Island. Last week Stephanie Young joined in with delivering Super Bowl Picnic lunches at McNamara Towers.
Add that to Carrie Budzinski and her monthly gathering, this week at the Bennett Library, discussing cyber security. Brandon McCullough at this monthly pizza gathering at the Senior Center, with guests Jim Jolly and Susan Nash, answering questions about what is happening in Livonia.
This typewriter enjoyed lunch at my original go-to restaurant Mama Mia with our Congresswoman Rashida Taliab. I was invited to join Veronica Cruz from Livonia Kids and Families, Katie Foran and Chuck Dardas from AlphaUSA, and Venessa Zverotic, Wellness Coordinator Clarenceville Schools.
How could I go wrong? Chicken Parmesan. Good discussion. Good company. Talked about so many topics, anecdotal stories about delivering food at McNamara Tower, Tour de Livonia, and reactions to some members of Congress. Little about politics, more with five people following threads of topics sometimes direct, some off-topic, but always insightful and fun.
Loved the anecdote about Rashida's son Adam going into a bookstore, no one recognizing them, and asking about a certain book. Adam co-authored a children’s picture book titled “Mama in Congress: Rashida Tlaib’s Journey to Washington”. This inspiring book tells the story of Rashida Tlaib, one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, and her family, about breaking barriers. It’s wonderful to see young voices contributing to literature and sharing important stories!
Back to the anecdote. They go into the store to see if the book is on the shelves. It was. We all laughed when she said it was fun to see it and the clerk did not know who he was talking to.
I share all of this as we are so fortunate to have so many hands-on legislative leaders who make a point to be engaged, to hear stories, and to offer to help when called on.
Livonia has a team working for us. How good is that.
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Livonia’s Birthday Celebration Spree is a beloved tradition with a fascinating history that dates back to the 1970s. Let’s step into the time machine and explore the origins of this hometown celebration!
A Compilation by Fernon Feenstra
SPREE Historian Contributors:
Herman Kluver, Mike Reiser, John Nagy, Joan Duggan, Lee Morrow,
Sue Wisler and Jason Claypoole
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April 1970 Edward H. McNamara had just been elected as the Mayor of Livonia. It was also the twentieth year of the incorporation of Livonia as a city from its township days. In one of Mayor McNamara’s staff meetings, he is reported to have stated that he wanted to have Livonians share his vision of Livonia as a city. Livonia’s 36 square miles had been influenced by and identified by the various subdivisions and of course by the various subdivision officials.
Mayor McNamara stated that to bring the city to maturity, we needed to think like a city and socialize like aunified city. Asking for staffers’ suggestions, a city-wide party was organized to be held at the city ice arena with entertainment and chicken dinners. Much of the planning was influenced by the Livonia Jaycee carnivals with their fireworks and the Livonia Show Train at the race track with its fireworks. However, these were fundraisers or commercial exhibits. The mayor wanted a volunteer group to organize a family affair. He appointed some of his staff as volunteers. No one was paid and volunteer energy would be what made it successful.
Year 1970 Bob Osborne was the mayor’s appointed mover of the group. Paul Kugler, chair of the Water and Sewer Board and Stan Telman of the Chamber of Commerce were co-chairs. Mike Reiser of the Water and Sewer Board; John Nagy, Planning Director; Dan Andrews and Dan Gilmartin of the Industrial Development Office; Herman Kluver of Burton Hollow; Tom Mitchell, beer distributor; Hugh Gedrich, restaurateur; Joan Duggan, Moms’ for McNamara; Sue Wisler, Moms’ for McNamara; H. Dow Tunis, Ford Motor Company; Ken Kunkle, Plante and Moran were the first committee. The committee had many, many volunteers
So on that Sunday, August 2, 1970 the city invited the subdivision to come to a free party. Hugh Gedrich planned for 5,000 chicken dinners, 15,000 came. Food ran out to a disappointed crowd. Livonians came together, volunteers planned and put on a party, city services were provided, but the food ran out!
Year 1971
All the planning done in 1970 was in place, the site, the entertainment, the free party was in place. Hugh Gedrich and the Mayor were adamant that the food could not, would not, run out. Chicken dinners were planned for 12,000 only 5,000 came. The planners believe the disappointed stayed home. The financial losses were many.
State papers for Incorporation were filed March 23, 1971 for the Livonia Anniversary Committee, Inc. by Stanley Telman with Trustees Kenneth Kunkle, Carl Demek and Daniel Gilmartin. The purpose for which the corporation is formed is as follows:
“To conduct business pursuant to and in connection with celebrating anniversaries of the incorporation of the City of Livonia, Michigan; further, by way of example, but not limitation: to conduct picnics, dinner-dances, sports events, parades, carnivals and to sell tickets for all of the foregoing; to promote pageants; to hire bands and orchestras; to rent any premises necessary for the staging or holding any civic function connected or related to any of the foregoing; to purchase necessary supplies, merchandise, food, and beverages; to sell and dispense souvenirs, food, soft drinks, and beer.”
Year 1972-The Livonia city-wide party was not held to enable the committee to assess the wrongs and keep the efforts for a citywide, free party, staffed by volunteers, with assistance from city resources that would be a success.
THE PARTY STARTS
Livonia’s party in 1973 was coined Spree 23 by Industrial Development coordinator Daniel Gilmartin as a befitting name for Livonia’s is 23rd birthday. Kiddie rides were added, civic groups were involved as food vendors, entertainment was added to the existing groups and massive feeding was gone. Spree 23 was an entertainment success, a monetary success, and having the core of energetic workers, a tribute to the city coming together.
THE PARTY HITS PAUSE
Years 2020 & 2021 Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic it was not possible to host a event of our size safely.
THE PARTY RETURNS
Year 2022 The Spree 70 ( Technically 72 ) was a great success after two years off! The Livonia Anniversary Committee was thrilled to bring the community back together to celebrate Livonia’s birthday and enjoy the Spree festivities.
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Mail Address
19514 Bainbridge 48152
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Cell address
734-674-5871
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The typewriter is not available for phone calls or emails Saturday and Sunday. Mental health and rehabilitation time. Out and about enjoying life.
What motivates FridayMusings:
We can't only define Livonia as taking small steps toward maintaining the way things were. That will give us mediocre outcomes. Our goal needs to be innovative and transformative.
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