Winter 2013-14

Autumn
2013

Life in Tecumseh
and Surrounding
Areas
Life in Tecumseh
and Surrounding
Areas

homefront
I try to avoid looking forward or

backward and try to keep

looking upward.
~Charlotte Bronte

Commodity Code #8014-0734

Sherrie Beaubien

David Corder
Tecumseh

Amy Fulk

517.403.9710

Adrian & Manitou Beach

Jim Hammond

517.403.5211

517.442.9043

517.403.1129

Bob Fox

Peggy Creech

Kim Goldmann

Joan Haligus

734.787.1820

517.605.1522

517.206.3983

Sales Manager Tecumseh

Sales Manager
Adrian & Manitou Beach

517.605.5206

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

All is calm and

the futures

Bright
Thank you for

keeping us on top as the #1 home

seller in Lenawee County. Winter is
a great time to put your house

Betsy Beil
Tecumseh

517.403.4061

Don Diedo

Debbie Greene

Lorey Hon

734.546.4379

517.403.4398

517.403.3962

Manitou Beach

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

on the market. We have

qualified buyers waiting
to give you the new
start youre seeking
in 2014!!

Heather Brockway

Adrian & Manitou Beach

517.403.4757

Karon Dinius

April Gunder

Steve Kampmueller

517.673.8149

517.403.3119

517.902.6934

Adrian & Manitou Beach

Tecumseh

Adrian & Manitou Beach

 100% Money Back Guarantee


Buy Before You Sell Program

Apartment Dwellers
Trade-In

Greg Brown

Kristine Francoeur

Donna Haas

517.673.8902

517.605.6761

517.673.0186

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Manitou Beach

Jim Lindau

Manitou Beach

517.605.2005


Home Warranty

One Stop-Shopping

Howard Hanna
Homefinder

Steve Choate

Cara French

Jan Hammond

517.403-1402

517.403.7627

517.403.0122

Adrian

Adrian

Tecumseh

Gloria Leonard


Homes of
Distinction
Services

Adrian & Manitou Beach

517.605.0303

howardhanna.com
Tecumseh | 517.424.4444 | 145 E. Chicago Blvd.
Adrian | 517.263.4100 | 1514 W. Maumee
Manitou Beach | 517.547.5500 | 803 Manitou Rd.
2

David Poucher

517.403.2608

Tecumseh

Adrian

Shirley Smith

Adrian & Manitou Beach

517.605.7050

Paula Mamayek

Carl & Pam Poling

Barb Schrader

517.403.5427

517.403.5719
517.403.5720

517.673.6287

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Alice Mackey

Kay Prong

Glenna Stroud

517.265.3071

517.403.3390

517.403.0455

Adrian

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Kelly Newman

Patti Powers

Todd Wolf

517.260.6640

517.902.3344

517.605.4864

Lillian Nolloth

Sarah Ramus

Connie Zilka

517.944.5060

517.260.6663

517.250.2222

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Adrian

Tecumseh

Adrian

Tecumseh's Hayden-Ford Mill photo by Mickey Alvarado

Janice Lore

734.320.7512

Winter



5 ............CHRONICLING THE PAST

8 ............NO PLACE LIKE HOME TOURS
11 ...........COME IN FROM THE COLD
14 ..........SEASONAL SOUNDS
16 ..........YOU ARE INVITED
19 ..........MASSAGE
22 ..........ON THE ROAD AGAIN
25 ..........CAREER MAKEOVER
28 ..........STORIES FROM STONE
30..........EMPTY BOWLS
32 ..........INN'S & OUTS OF CLINTON
36..........HILLSIDE TREE FARM
39 ..........HAPPENINGS
42 ..........POPPERS

On the
cover
Stained glass window
at the Tecumseh
Historical Museum.
Photo by Hollie Smith

Karen Pender

Joyce Smith

Kathy Zmijewski

517.403.2467

517.403.0744

517.403.4930

Adrian

Adrian

Adrian

homefront
517.423.2174 800.832.6443
homefront@tecumsehherald.com
www.homefronttecumseh.com
P.O. Box 218, 110 E. Logan,
Tecumseh, MI 49286

PUBLISHED SEASONALLY BY HERALD PUBLISHING COMPANY

Mailed free of charge to homes and businesses in the Tecumseh School District
and beyond. Distributed at shops and festivals all over S.E. Michigan and at
State of Michigan Welcome Centers.
Publisher: Jim Lincoln Creative Director: Suzanne Hayes
Production Artists: Hollie Smith, Sara Brandys, Joseph Romero and Koda Woodward
Contributors: Mickey Alvarado, Lynn Boughton, Deane Erts, Rebecca Peach,
Mary Kay McPartlin, Kerry Hamilton-Smith, Cristina Trapani-Scott, Deb Wuethrich
Advertising Sales Staff: Adrienne Ayers, Sue Kotts Garcia, Suzanne Hayes, and Carla Reed
3

thank
you
advertisers
Abbott Accounting ...............................41
ABC Grow & Learn Children's Center ..40
Adams Chiropractic .............................22
Adrian College Bridal Expo .................18
Adrian Locksmith Cyclery ....................40
Adrian Symphony Orchestra ...............23
Adrian Water Conditioning ...................41
Anderson Funeral Home .....................29
Art + Counseling ................................20
August Company .................................11
Baileys Water Care LLC .......................22
Baker's Propane .................................38
Basil Boys ...........................................37
Beatty & Associates ............................40
Big Boy ..............................................39
Blush Boutique ..................................16
Book Abbey, The ................................26
Boutique de Joie ................................41
British Tea Garden .............................42
Brown & Sons Roofing .........................13
Burdick & Associates ..........................10
Calder Dairy Farm ..............................14
Cambrian Assisted Living.....................37
Carpet on Wheels ...............................13
Cherry Creek Winery............................38
Christmas Store, The ..........................36
CISTA The March Mingle ......................40
Citizens Gas Fuel Company .................37
Classic Cabinets ...................................6
Clinton Home Tour...............................40
Clinton Inn, The ...................................33
Comfort 1 ..........................................35
Companion Animal Clinic .....................29
Copper Nail, The ................................33
D Printer, Inc. ......................................25
Desjarlais, Lawrence MD,PC ...............12
Dip Stix and Stuff ...............................32
Dog House, The ..................................13
DS Auctions ........................................41
Evans Street Station .............................4
Eye Care Center ..................................14
F&S Landscape Inc ............................41
Family & Integrative Medicine .............22
Faust Real Estate .................................8
First Federal Bank ..............................35

Foundation Realty ..............................43

Giovanni Abalatti .................................28
Golden Acres .....................................42
Govenor Croswell's Tea Room ................7
Great Ideas & Interiors ........................33
Hacker Jewelers ..................................30
Hayes Insurance .................................13
Hidden Lake Gardens .........................35
Hitching Post Antique Mall...................23
House of DeVaughn Bridal ..................19
Howard Hanna ......................................2
idk creative dcor ...............................32
International Diamond ........................26
J & L Motorsports ................................8
J Trees Winery .....................................12
J-Bar Hobbies ....................................31
Jessee Salon Group and Tangles ........19
Kemner-Iott Insurance ........................20
Killarney Realty ..................................41
La Fiesta ............................................24
Lancaster Agency ...............................32
Lenawee Community Chorus ................35
Lenawee Conservation District ...........31
Lenawee Fuels ....................................30
Local Parcel Service ..........................40
LoMonaco Chiropractic .......................40
Manchester Chamber of Commerce .....37
Manchester School District ................37
Maple City Glass ..................................38
Martins Home Center .........................23
Meckley's Flavor Fruit Farm ................29
Michigan Wares ..................................11
Naugle Plumbing and Heating ..............7
O'Hara Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram ..........9
Pentamere Winery ..............................42
Persnickety .........................................21
Perspectives LLC .................................41
Pheasant Brook Apartments ..............38
Promedica ..........................................44
Promenade Tecumseh ........................41
RadioShack ........................................40
Red Mill Pet Supplies ..........................29
Rich's Rod & Custom ...........................41
Rock My Wedding ................................16
Rock Paper Scissors ..........................25

Weve placed this paper clip in one

of our advertisements in this
magazine. Simply tell us which ad
you found it in. Well draw from all
correct entries on January 3, 2014
and give $100 to the lucky winner.
To enter, send your answer, address &
phone number to The Tecumseh Herald,
P.O. Box 218, Tecumseh, MI 49286,
or submit online at homefronttecumseh.com

Find the
Paperclip

Schmidt & Sons Pharmacy.....................5

Seilers Water Systems .........................31
Siena Heights University .....................34
Sky Walker Flying ...............................24
Susie's Swipe the Grime .....................40
Tecumseh Camera ..............................26
Tecumseh Center for the Arts ..............27
Tecumseh Dance Workshop .................28
Tecumseh DDA ....................................17
Tecumseh District Library ................ 4,16
Tecumseh Family Dental .....................35
Tecumseh Insurance ..........................39
Tecumseh Parks and Recreation ........16
Tecumseh Place ....................................4
Tecumseh Plywood .............................36
Tecumseh Pops Orchestra ...................14
Tecumseh Veterinary Hospital ............41
TLC Community Credit Union ................15
Tobacco Zone .....................................24
Unified Massage ..................................21
Von Schreckenberg Chiropractic ........40
Weeden, Josephine Orthodontist ........38
What A Find! Consign for the Home .......5
Wild Iris, The ......................................17
Youthful Logic ....................................30
Zumba .......................................... 24,39

PAPERCLIP
CONTEST
Bernita Cramer of
Tecumseh found the
paper clip on page 8 in
the Great Ideas ad in
the 2013 Fall issue
of Homefront.

HISTORY

Chronicling PAST
the

STORY BY DEANE ERTS

PHOTOS BY HOLLIE SMITH
CHRIS BROWN

ERIC BURDICK

DECEMBER 6
Tecumseh Area
Historical Society
Hosts Activities:
Ornaments for kids
Poinsettia Sale

n todays fast-paced, Internet world, most online (i.e. younger)

inhabitants of this community dont have time to research the trunk of
papers and trinkets that grandmother entrusted to their care when she
passed away. OK, fair enough, but even though most people dont have
the time, someone else does. There are those who have made it their
study and their career. Enter the conservators.
The men and women are professional, college-trained people who have
chosen the path of preserving and researching that trunk of junk left by
grandmothers. They are humbly titled historic preservationists, and, fortunately,
Tecumseh has many who strive to preserve both the public and widely-known
history and the privately and little-known history of this town that was founded
when Michigan was the frontier.
The Tecumseh Area Historical Museum, 302 E. Chicago Blvd., is under the
direction, of Chris Brown, with the blessing of the Tecumseh Area Historical
Society (TAHS), which oversees the governance of the local treasure. Brown is
an Eastern Michigan University master of historical preservation student and is
not a novice in this pursuit. He took an early interest in history and earned his
first historical preservation degree at Ohio University. He also helped curate the
Rutherford B. Hayes Museum in Fremont, Ohio, and the Athens County Historical
Society Museum in Ohio for two years.
It is Browns personal goal to preserve local history one trunk-full, one
letter, one artifact at a time. Tecumseh is lucky to have such a curator of its
relics, and lucky to have a historical society, now headed by Eric Burdick, with
financial supervision of the societys treasury by his wife, Heather Burdick. The
combination of a trained director and a dedicated historical society make a team
that places preservation of local history at the top of its list.
On a recent visit to the museum, Brown explained the museum houses
between three to five thousand items chronicling Tecumsehs past.

SEEK
take a
peek
What
aFind!
Consign for the home
10-6 Mon - Sat | 517.423.2959
100 E. Logan | Downtown Tecumseh
www.whatafindconsign.com

Chronicling continued...

You name it, we got it, he said. One of the primary objectives on the agenda of
things to do is to inventory and catalogue every item. We are not even sure what all we
have yet.
He pointed to the west wall of the museum where a large bookcase stuffed with
old photo albums stands. For example, we need to sift through those. People have
entrusted us with family albums with pictures that even they cant identify. Some have
written information, some
dont. What we are especially
looking for is material
that tells the story of the
community, its manufacturing
history, its notable people
and objects of interest.
Brown and TAHS also
hope to expand the months
that the museum is open.
Currently visitors may view
the exhibits from April
through December. From
January through March the
museum is closed. We put
the closed time to good
use, he said. During that
time we will be cleaning
the building and the items
and doing inventory. The
building is not off limits
during that time, however.
Anyone wishing to see the
progress being made on
exhibits may schedule an
appointment by calling
423.2374. Regular hours
are Saturdays 10:30 a.m.
to 3:30 p.m. Admission at
anytime is free.
TAHS President Burdick,
who has a masters degree
in historic preservation from Eastern Michigan University,
emphasized the importance of the work done during the winter
Its our goal
shutdown. Every single item on both levels (main floor and
to make this a
basement) needs to be reviewed and inventoried. Its our goal to
make this a professional-grade archive.
professionalIt is interesting to note that neither preservationist is a
grade archive. native
of Tecumseh. Brown is from Ohio, while the Burdicks are
Michiganders, formerly of Jackson, but all three have taken a
keen interest in Tecumsehs history. The rest of the board is
equally devoted to the museum itself and to its mission. Besides
Burdick as president, the board includes: First Vice President
Chuck Harpst, Second Vice President Ryan Schumaker, Secretary Jay Russell, Historian
Dian Rentschler, and Assistant Treasurer Cynthia Given.
The TAHS meets monthly on the second Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the museum.
The public is invited and encouraged to participate. The museum building itself is
a charming artifact that anyone passing through town cannot help but notice. The
stone church, which serves as the museum, was the first St. Elizabeth Catholic Church,
constructed by parishioners in 1913. The building was eventually outgrown, and a new
St. Elizabeth was erected at 506 N. Union St., directly across the street from Brookside
Cemetery.
In his Notes from the President column in the quarterly TAHS newsletter sent to
all members Burdick summarized part of his philosophy on preservation. One of the
most difficult aspects of working with history is the concept of interpretation. This
means making an object tell its story to a museum guest. The difficulty lies in telling the
good AND the bad the pretty and the ugly, he wrote.

Another local museum worthy of frequent

visits is the Lenawee County Historical
Museum, 110 E. Church St., Adrian. This
facility collects objects for exhibit from
across the entire county. One of its biggest
attractions is a display of brightly lit and
extravagantly decorated Christmas trees that
adorn the museum for the holidays.
The trees are sponsored, decorated, and
donated by organizations We have 12 clubs
and granges represented this year, said

Lenawee County Historical Society President

Bruce Neil. They will all be displayed on
the first floor. The display will be up from
November 19 through December or even a
little longer.
The Lenawee County Historical Museum
invites the public to follow its motto and Step
into Lenawees history. The facility is open
from 10 a. m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday
and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission
is free.

HOMES

NO PLACE LIKE

HOME
Tours
By Rebecca Peach

he magic of the Christmas holiday season is accented

by twinkling lights, bright decorations, festive music and
the gathering of family and friends. One way to enjoy the
magic of the seasons decorations and festivities is at the
annual home tours in Tecumseh and Clinton held during the
first weekend in December.
Home tours at Christmas in Tecumseh and Clinton are always a delight. With each
homeowners unique dcor and style there is never a duplicate to what the eyes can
feast upon. When entering each home one discovers warm hospitality and festivities
along with interesting architecture of the historical homes. The holiday dcor may
inspire with fresh and festive ideas to decorate any home for the holidays.
8

A long standing holiday tradition, the

Tecumseh Candlelight Home Tours will be held on
two evenings, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6 and 7, from
5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tecumsehs Promenade Committee
has been hosting home tours for more than 35 years.
Committee President Pat VanCamp said, Candlelight tours
allow all to share the spirit of the holidays and the beauty
of Tecumsehs historical homes and holiday dcor. Van
Camp also stated the Committee appreciates the warm
hospitality of the home owners and thanks them for sharing
and opening their homes.
This season the Tecumseh
Candlelight Home Tour offers
With each
two historical homes that have
homeowners
not been on tour previously as
unique dcor
well as the Tecumseh Historical
Museum. The homes are just
and style there
blocks apart, making it an easy
is never a
walk between the two if the
weather is nice. The Tecumseh
duplicate to
Historical Museum, 302 E.
what the eyes
Chicago Blvd., will be open and
part of the tour. Be sure to
can feast upon.
stop by and get a glimpse of
Tecumsehs past and find out
whats new at the Museum.
Homes on tour include
a home owned by Mario and
Holly Dipippo, who not long ago relocated to Tecumseh and
purchased a historical home. The couple has been working
for months on restoration and remodeling of the 1880s
brick two-story home. The house is located just west of
Evans Street at 115 W. Shawnee St.
The other historical home is also from the 1880s,
located on Chicago Blvd., and is owned by Ed and Jill Huber.
This very large two-story federal style home is located at
310 W. Chicago Blvd, just east of Union St., and next door
to the Church of Christ. Local artists and performers will
provide entertainment and music at the Tecumseh homes.
Light refreshments and door prizes drawings are included.
Tickets for the tour are $5, with advance tickets
available at the Tecumseh Chamber of Commerce, Schmidt
& Sons Pharmacy in Tecumseh and The Daily Grind.
During tour hours tickets will be available at the Tecumseh
Historical Museum on E. Chicago Blvd. and at the tour
homes.
Tecumseh Christmas Parade will be held on Friday, Dec.
6 at 7 p.m, Tecumseh Candlelight Home Tours continue
during the parade lasting until 8 p.m. as well as on
Saturday, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Four years ago the Clinton Historical Society
began Christmas Home Tours in the village.
The Clinton Historical Christmas Home Tour is just one
evening, Saturday, Dec. 7 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Norleen
Hicks Clinton Tour chair said, We are delighted to have
Christmas-time home tours. It offers a chance to share the
best of Clinton and the holiday season. We are delighted
its grown and allowed all to experience the holidays in
Clinton. Hicks also said that the Historical Society is
delighted the Clinton tours have grown and the event has
expanded to became a whole evening of holiday events for
all to enjoy.
The residences on tour this year include four homes
from circa 1868 to the early 1920s, two local churches,

the Floral Fantasy building at corner of Michigan

Ave. and Tecumseh St. and the Community
Center. All homes and buildings are located in
the village limits.
Tour homes are a variety of styles this year,
including a 1920s bungalow, the home of Tim
and Stacey Waters at 215 Brown St.; an 1860
Greek Revival at 402 N. Jackson St, owned by
Michael and Keri Houghton; the home of Charley
and Deb Mifsud, a circa 1868 Victorian located
at 642 N. Jackson St.; and the Molly Armstrong
home on Franklin Street, believed to be a Sears
Kit home built in the early 1900s.
Christmas Historical Home Tour tickets
are $6, and available in advance in downtown
Clinton at Schmidt and Sons Pharmacy, Floral
Fantasy, CJs Salon, the Clinton Inn and at the
Clinton Community Center on Tecumseh Street
during tour hours.
Clintons home tours have inspired other
activities which include a Christmas parade at
7 p.m., Music under the Stars, a living nativity
scene, Kids Extravaganza, and more, all held
on the evening of Dec. 7. The public is invited
to stop by the Clinton Community Center to view
a wooden scale replica of the old Clinton Union
School House that was torn down in the 1970s.
The replica was built years ago and has been
recently restored for viewing.
Home tours at Christmas truly are an
enjoyable and festive event designed to share
the magic of the season. In addition to the
fabulous dcor and homes along the tours,
find warm hospitality and friendships old and
new. Enjoy the holiday home tours in Tecumseh
and Clinton, and discover all the magic of the
season!

U P C O M I N G

Events
TECUMSEH

FRI & SAT

HOME TOUR

5:30-8PM

PARADE

FRI DECEMBER 6 7PM

CLINTON
SAT

HOME TOUR

6-9PM

PARADE & MORE

SAT

7PM

MANCHESTER
SAT

HOME TOUR

NOON - 8PM
9

Your
begins here
TECUMSEH | 115 E. Chicago
517.423.5244 | M - F 8-5

ADRIAN | 332 Logan St.

517.263.4970 | M - F 8-5
burdickkitchens.com

10

T C H

A T

P E

T S

NATURE

Festival of Lights
The Evening of Lights
2,000 candle-lit
luminaries
Holiday Festival
Entertainment, Crafts,
Santa, Decorations,
Refreshments

Story by Mary Kay McPartlin

Photos by Greg Perez

Michigan Produced Products

116 S. Evans
Tecumseh
423.3735

-5

-5 :30
:30 at 8
ri 8 rs S
n-F hou
Mo liday
o
dH
nde

Over
30
Vendors

www.michiganwares.com

Exte

When the air is cold and the snow blows its only
natural to dream about warming hands and heart in
the tropics or desert heat. Those dreams can come
true for minutes or hours in the Conservatory at Hidden Lake
Gardens in Tipton. Were all decorated for Christmas, said
Conservatory Manager Diane Faust. Its always nice to come in
where its warm.
A visit to the Conservatory is time spent in three different
weather zones arid, tropical and temperate in the same
building. The Arid Dome, Tropical Dome and Temperate House all
offer different treats for the senses.
The Arid Dome features textures and forms found among
plant life in desert regions around the world. Faust said the dome
is kept cool throughout the winter to encourage blooming of the
plants, although the arid dome is certainly warmer than the winter
air of Michigan. We have a lot of aloe plants that will be blooming
in early spring, Faust said of one highlight in the Arid Dome.
For even more warmth, visit the Tropical Dome. Its around
68 degrees in the winter time, moist with lots of leafy plants,
said Faust.
Visitors wandering through the Tropical Dome take in the
beautiful date palm. This plant is close to 50-years-old, according
to Faust. Large banana trees are currently blooming and will

continue flowering through the winter. The cocoa tree blooms for quite a
while, Faust said. Repeat visits to the Tropical Dome can track the pods,
which appear after the cocoa tree flowers. The pods grow all winter to a
softball size.
Although winter is not the most colorful time in the conservatory, there
are pops of color in the Temperate House, which features many plants
common to this area of the country. Poinsettias and a hydrangea Christmas
tree are holiday highlights. We have quite a large selection of crown of
thorns, said Faust. We also have Christmas cactus blooming.
On Friday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 8, Hidden Lake Gardens hosts
its annual Holiday Festival and Festival of Lights. Over 2,000 candle-lit

In with Grey Fox Floral

11

luminaries decorate the grounds for three evenings. On Saturday, Dec. 7, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
the Holiday Festival gets into full swing with music, crafts, Santa, and refreshments. We really look
forward to our holiday festival, said Faust.
After the holidays, color pops in the conservatory as the amaryllis blooms in the Temperate
Dome. We have a spectacular amaryllis collection, Faust said. We have all kinds of varieties.
Begonias are another bright draw in the Temperate Dome. We feature a lot of begonias,
said Faust. A lot of them bloom around Valentines Day.
The second weekend in March, the annual bulb show brings a breathtaking burst of color in
the Temperate House. The warmth of the building causes a variety of bulb flowers to bloom early.

12

Hidden Lake Gardens continued...

The colors from tulips, daffodils and hyacinth

light up the late winter, waking up honey bees
and bringing a sense of cheer to an often
challenging time of the year.
Sometimes there are little things to look
for in the Conservatory that might surprise
visitors. Some are found all throughout the
winter while others come and visit in the
spring and summer. We have at least four or
five frogs in the tropical dome, Faust said.

We have at least four or

dome, Faust said. We
have all kinds of critters.
They come in and out
of our vents.

We have all kinds of critters. They come in and

out of our vents.
Hummingbirds flit through the
Conservatory in the summer, while chipmunks
can be found scampering through the building
through December before they begin their
winter nap.
Those who havent visited the Conservatory
at Hidden Lake Gardens may notice a few
changes as they enter the building. Weve
improved our lobby, said Faust.
The garden cart on display in the lobby has
historical significance for Hidden Lake Gardens.
It was one of the original carts when Harry
Fee was working on the grounds, according
to Faust.
With all the different plants and the warmth
and light, the Conservatory beckons those
in need of a break from the winter blahs.
Were just a pleasant place to come out to
in the winter, Faust said. We encourage
more people to come out to visit us. Its just a
beautiful place to be in the winter time.
Winter hours, seven days a week from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m., begin in November and last
through March 31. Hidden Lake Gardens is
closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and
New Years Day, and close at noon on Christmas
Eve and New Years Eve.
For more information, call 517.431.2060
or visit hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu.

13

MUSIC

sounds

SEASONAL

By DEB WUETHRICH

for music, Dodson said. This isnt just

great music; its great music in a particularly
spectacular space.
The ASO is partnering with the Adrian
College Chamber Choir to perform Messiah,
featuring, in Dodsons opinion, the finest
singers on campus. ASO has also invited
organ soloist Michael Gartz to perform an
The French poet/novelist Victor Hugo
organ concerto for the concert.
said, Music expresses that which cannot
You can hear a lot of Messiahs in your
be said and on which it is impossible to be
lifetime, but youll never be in a setting
silent.
like this one, and I expect this one to feel
There is definitely something special
fresh and new. I think youll hear things you
about music, and never more so than
havent heard before, Dodson said.
at a holiday concert. Various musical
Lloyd Bastian is a member of the
organizations around Lenawee County will
Lenawee Community Chorus, which will
be offering several styles of music during
hold a Christmas concert on December 21,
this joyful time of year.
and the organization has existed for 45
The Adrian Symphony Orchestra
years. Our members always look forward
plans a unique event this year, Handel
to the holiday concert, Lloyd said. Well be
in Holy Rosary Chapel on the Adrian
singing a variety of Christmas music and the
Dominican campus December
men wear tuxes and the
13, 14, and 15 (see below
women wear black and
for concert details). ASO
white dresses.
Music acts like
Music Director and Conductor
Bastian said the
John Thomas Dodson said
a magic key, to chorus wouldnt be
the concert promises to be
able to exist without
which the most
a magical event. Its a rare
the support of the
tightly closed
opportunity to experience the
community, and theres
grandeur of the Gothic and
something that makes
heart opens
the Baroque eras at the same
it special: We accept
time, in this case, through
everybody who likes to
architecture and sound.
sing, he said. People
Many have heard Handels
dont have to audition.
Messiah, but Dodson said
Its for anybody whos
this presentation with fewer singers in an
interested.
intimate setting would be a different kind of
The Tecumseh Schools Orchestra will
experience. Holy Rosary Chapel is unlike
also be offering concerts featuring middle
any place I know. Its a recently-renovated
school and high school students and will
sacred space with long, reverberating
showcase music with a holiday theme. I
acoustics and yet its relatively modest
think the kids look forward to any concert,
dimensions make it a very intimate setting
but especially the holiday concerts, said
Theresa Powers, who heads the Elizabeth
Ruthruff Wilson Foundation that helps
support the TSO. They like showing their

14

WINTER
concerts
DECEMBER 8

Tecumseh Pops Orchestra and

Community Chorus
ChristmasAnd All That Jazz
concert, Tecumseh Center for the
Arts, 400 N. Maumee St. Orchestra
conductor: Dr. James Ball; Choral
Director: Mary Hofmeister. Special
performance by THS Chamber
Orchestra. Tickets $7 students
and seniors; $10 adults. Call TCA,
423.6617, visit thetca.org.

DECEMBER 10

parents what theyve learned, especially

the fifth graders. By the time they get
to the Christmas concert, parents are
often blown away by how much theyve
learned in that short time.
Dr. Marty Marks will be directing
the TCA Big Band and VocalAires
concert at the Tecumseh Center for
the Arts on Sunday, Dec. 15. TCA staff
member Karen Bunch plays baritone
sax, as well as alto sax, for the group
and said the annual holiday concert
has a special atmosphere for both
performers and the audience. The
holidays do bring people together and
part of the reason our group exists,
other than our love to play, is to bring
the music of an era back to people,
music that was popular in the 30s,
40s and 50s, Bunch said. There was
a certain feel to that era, especially
around World War II, that was so
monumental in our history. Also the
holidays are just a time to get together
and share the love as they say.
The concert is also an opportunity
for patrons to participate in a nonperishable food drive, with all proceeds
benefiting the Tecumseh Service Club,
which serves families in the local
community.
Whatever style of music audiences
may prefer, the holiday concerts offer a
time to get out with friends and fellow
community members to celebrate a
special time of year. And as Maria von
Trapp once said, Music acts like a
magic key, to which the most tightly
closed heart opens.

Tecumseh Middle Schools

Tecumseh Schools Orchestra
(TMS/TSO 5/6/7/8) Holiday Concert,
7 p.m., Tecumseh High School, 760
Brown Street. Directed by Amy Marr.

DECEMBER 12-14

Nutcracker Ballet
Tecumseh Center for the Arts, 400
N. Maumee St., Thurs./Fri. 7:30 p.m.,
Sat. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets $12
students/seniors; $14 adults. Call
423.6617, visit thetca.org.

DECEMBER 13-15

Adrian Symphony Orchestra

presents Handel in Holy Rosary.
Friday, Dec. 13, 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec.
14, 8 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15, 3 p.m.
Holy Rosary Chapel, Adrian Dominican
campus. Conductor John Thomas
Dodson. Also featuring Adrian College
Chamber Choir Michael Gartz,
Organ Concerto in G Minor; Op. 4,
No. 1; Handel: Messiah (Christmas
portion). Info: 110 S. Madison
St., Adrian, adriansymphony.org,
264.3121.

DECEMBER 15

TCA Big Band and VocalAires

Holiday Concert, 4 p.m., Tecumseh
Center for the Arts, 400 N. Maumee
St. Directed by Dr. Marty Marks. Ticket
$5. Info: 423.6617, or thetca.org. Also
canned and non-perishable food drive
to benefit Tecumseh Service Club.

DECEMBER 21

Lenawee Community Chorus

Christmas Concert, 3 p.m., First
Methodist Church, 1245 W. Maple,
Adrian. Tickets $15 adults, $10
seniors, students free. Featuring:
Carillon Womens Chorale, Chiaroscuro
Mens Ensemble. Karen Nevins,
Artistic Director and Conductor.

15

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16

you are

INVITED
isa Mattison adores the
written word and truly believes
in the art of the handwritten
note. From a gracious
verse on a wedding
invitation to a heartfelt message in
a birthday card, intimate phrases
are very much a part of this local
entrepreneurs life. Her passion for
personal communication as well as
lifes celebrations are what brought
Lisa to where she is today coowner with her mom, Ann Mattison,
of a unique store in downtown
Tecumseh named Rock Paper
Scissors.
Lisas family was one who always
wrote thank you notes and sent
paper invitations to their parties.
She grew up following etiquette in

her everyday life the use of the written word to invite,

congratulate, cheer on, sympathize, and celebrate. When
planning her wedding a few years ago, Lisa fell in love
with the details surrounding wedding planning and other
celebrations. It was then that she decided to open her
shop in Tecumseh.
Lisas main goals are to promote the use of paper in
communicating while offering distinctive gifts that really
help us celebrate every occasion. She has accomplished
her mission and so much more with her retail location
which is stocked with delightful home dcor items, party
and paper goods and personalized stationery - all
displayed in a fun, funky atmosphere. The inventory is
constantly being updated and offers a little something
for everyones style.
Need help with custom invitations for an event? Stop
by the shop and be taken on a visionary journey. Let
Lisa or Ann share some creative ideas that complement
personal tastes. Lisa represents over 40 of the best
designers in the country, including many local artists.

cards that range

from welcoming
a newborn baby
all the way to
congratulating a
recent retiree

Dont love one of these

collections? She will happily
create a unique, custom
design especially for you.
Looking for just the
right greeting card? You

will find cards at Rock Paper

Scissors that range from
welcoming a newborn baby
all the way to congratulating
a recent retiree. Of course,
tis the season to check
out her selection of holiday
cards, both ready-made and
customized just for your family.
Having a party and would
like help with entertainment

ideas? Lisa and Ann will assist you

in creating the right mood and
the perfect colors for your special
celebration. They pride themselves
on working with any budget.
Whether you are planning a big
budget wedding or a small, intimate
party, make it a one-of-kind event
in your life with the guidance of
these two professionals.
Since opening her Downtown
Tecumseh store two years ago,
Lisa has branched out to another
location on South Main in Ann
Arbor. This shop is also filled with
fabulous treasures for your home
as well as creative collections of
paper products and stationery.
And she has a new pop-up
shop on Woodward Avenue
in Detroit, open through
Christmas Eve!
Soon everyone will be
experiencing the handwritten word
and rekindling a passion for paper
again. The U.S. Post Office will love
you!
www.rockpaperscissorsshop.com

17

18

HEALTH

massage
By Kerry
Hamilton
Smith

RELAX
RESTORE
HEAL

teamed towels infused with organic essential oils

invigorate and even out the oils on the face. A mask
of Egyptian white clay will detoxify and smooth.
Himalayan pink salt manipulated on the feet cleanses
and restores organs and the nervous system through
reflexology. Myofascial massage lengthens muscle fibers
using pressure and heat while neuromuscular work focuses
on trigger points using friction and pressure until the brain
finally allows them to release. Myokinesthetics frees up and
unblocks nerve pathways and relieves pain. Massage therapy
has become a way to relax, heal, and prevent illness. More and
more Western scientific studies are proving its effectiveness,
something that Eastern societies have known and practiced for
thousands of years.

If youre looking to relax, pamper

yourself, rejuvenate your senses, or get back to center, Youthful
Logic at 132 Chicago Blvd., Ste. 2, Tecumseh may be just
what you need. Owner Lora Armstrong, a registered-nurseturned-therapist, says her business will constantly evolve to
incorporate and combine more therapies and techniques, but
right now reflexology of the hands and feet, facials complete
with aromatherapy, and myofascial and neuromuscular

massage are on the menu.

One of the features of Japanese reflexology is that clients need only
expose their hands and feet to experience the merits of the treatment.
Reflexologists work from maps of predefined pressure points that are located
on the hands and feet. These pressure points connect directly through the
nervous system and affect organs and glands. Reflexology may be as effective
for promoting good health and for preventing illness as it may be for relieving
symptoms of stress, injury, and illness. Youthful Logic Reflexologist Gayle Dodd,
a massage therapist who received training and certification through the Ann
Arbor Institute of Massage Therapy, radiates passion about her trade. I have
benefitted from reflexology. Ive seen it work. Dodd said. Affected by candida,
an overgrowth of organisms that cause gastrointestinal and respiratory issues,
her levels returned to normal after several sessions. Dodd also wants to
become an aesthetician and learn how to do Brazilian waxes and Reiki.
Aside from hoping to help people relieve stress and heal, Armstrong wants
to create a unique market niche. She has recently reached out to Evans Street
Station and the Boulevard Market to combine services that would include
dinner, a couples massage complete with chocolates, wine and cheese from
Boulevard Market and then an overnight stay at the bed and breakfast. We

will tailor it to meet the needs of the couple. Well

lock the doors and play romantic songs of their
choice, Armstrong said. The studio is all about
customizing to individuals needs. Another
option is bridal or private parties. The studio
can accommodate up to six people for either a
massage or facial, again offering refreshments
along with gifts and games, as an example.
If youre interested in learning more about
Youthful Logic visit www.youthfullogic.com, or call
517-423-8385.

Julie LoMonaco, doctor of

chiropractic, is also a big advocate of
massage. Chiropractic is a healthcare profession
that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal
system and the nervous system, and the effects
of these disorders on general health. The most
common procedure performed by Dr. LoMonaco
is the chiropractic adjustment. The purpose of
this manipulation is to restore joint mobility by
manually applying a controlled force into joints
that have become restricted in their movement
as a result of a tissue injury. Adjustment of the
affected joint and tissues restores mobility and
alleviates pain and muscle tightness and allows
tissues to heal. We work with muscle, nerve and
bone. You cant expect to adjust just one

19

Massage continued...

Katie Mattison

We Know Insurance. You Know Us. Lets Talk.

1390 W. Maumee Street, Adrian | 517-265-7000 | 800-642-5875 | kemneriottagency.com

Personal & Business Insurance | Health Insurance | Life Insurance | Bonds | Financial Services

20

without affecting the other, LoMonaco said. I can tell when muscles are too tight.
Sometimes you need to address them.
When thats the case, LoMonaco calls on one of two certified massage therapists
located in the office. I tell the patient they would benefit from a massage. I see a big
difference after people have been worked on.
One of the massage therapists is Charlotte Rozich, a graduate of the Ann Arbor
Institute of Massage Therapy. (Dr. LoMonaco) will tell me the area I need to work on.
Sometimes I can feel other areas that need work.
Using both myofascial and neuromuscular massage techniques, Rozich uses different
pressure based on the patient and the muscle tightness. This is not a fluff and buff. Youre
going to feel it the next day, but its a good hurt. LoMonaco said. You can come in for a
fluff, but we concentrate on making the adjustment in the muscle so that it reacts better
with the chiropractic adjustment. I see a big difference after people have the work done.
The bones stay in place after a massage.
One of the biggest fears people have about massage is the thought of disrobing in
front of other people. Its a stigma that keeps many people away. The therapist does find
it easier to manipulate muscles if no clothing covers them. But have no fearpatients are
left alone to disrobe leaving on undergarments and then generally lay face down on the
table covering themselves with a sheet and blanket before the therapist returns. I reassure
them that the only thing thats uncovered is what Im working on. said Rozich. When you
are in a profession like this, it doesnt matter. Youre concentrating on helping them. If
you are tired of Western medicine and are looking for help or prevention, this is the perfect
way of taking care of that, Rozich said. It is a way to keep in front of staying healthy.
While some insurance covers chiropractic care, the massage component is separate.
LoMonaco Healthcare Family Chiropractic is located at 10 Cairns St., Tecumseh. You can call
them at 517.423.2079.

Nia Avelina's Natural Health in Manchester uses a mix of modalities

to help her clients. She earned her Doctor of Naturopathy at the Naturopathic Institute of
Therapies and Education in Mt. Pleasant after five years of cross training, which included
body work (myofascial and neuromuscular) energy work (Reiki) and feeling touch therapies.
This is a natural health path and its an area thats growing quickly. You dont need drugs
and meds to heal, she said.
Avelina incorporates several areas of massage into her overall course of therapy.
A massage that promotes lymphatic drainage is advantageous for everyone, but people
with cancer may see big benefits. The lymph system, she explained, doesnt have its own
pumping system, so a massage to move the fluid around can be helpful, especially to those
whose lymph nodes have been removed.
Another modality she promotes for both cancer and non-cancer clients is foot

reflexology, which is gaining popularity. A

lot more people are using it. All you need is
hands or feet which means you do not have
to disrobe. Its non-threatening, Avelina said.
Its a great transition into massage. Its
fascinating. I still get surprised sometimes.
When I touch the feet, I will feel crunchiness
or crispiness and can hear it. Most people
will feel some sort of tenderness. Some
people wont feel anything, but most will feel
something, she said.
Avelina also uses cranial-sacral massage
when she feels it will help her clients. I check
a lot of different areas. Once I hear their
story, I will also perform a urinalysis, Avelina
said. From this test, she can determine things
about the heart, kidneys and adrenal glands
and use the best modality or combination
accordingly. Each visit is different.
Avelinas undergraduate degree is in
exercise science and sports medicine. She
maintains strong ties with physical therapists
and physicians. We do a lot of referrals, she
said. We work together as
a team.
While Avelinas
therapies are not covered
by health insurance, she
is hopeful some day that
will change, but in the
meantime she happily
reports a good success
rate. My clients get better
so I dont see them as often
as other professionals,
said Avelina, and because
of that, Theyre going to
save money.
Besides her healing touch, Avelina also
offers pampering massages. She offers
her services in Ann Arbor, Chelsea, and
Manchester. To reach her, call 734.883.7513.

of it. You have to know the depth of intensity

and get to know the person. It takes a lot of
experience to do it right.
Koster is also certified in myofascial
massage and studied with John Barnes who
he considers the guru of that modality, which
Koster described as Right on the border of
energy work.
Pointing to the ceiling in a dimly lit, warm
and comfortable room, above the massage
table is a pair of wooden bars that run the
length of the table. Those bars enable Koster to
steady and balance himself while he performs
the ancient art of ashiatsu, which translates to
foot pressure in Japanese. When Im done,
people say, Ive never had anything like that
before. They cant even remember their name!
Theres something about it thats different with
the feet. Theres a different energy to it. You
have to experience it for yourself, Koster said.
Some people have a hang up about feet or
think Im going to hurt them. Its completely
unfounded. Its almost like Im doing a dance.
When Im done, Im energized and
they feel amazing. Instead of happy
hour, try this!
Kosters newest therapy is
Myokinesthetics, which was developed
by a chiropractor. After a very
thorough postural assessment, he
will narrow down what he determines
is the probable cause of pain to the
nearest nerve pathway and then
does soft tissue work to free-up the
nerve. The process takes about 15
to 20 minutes and clients dont have
to remove their clothes. Ive been
getting good results, said Koster. The beauty
of this is it gives me a real big purpose. I know I
can help people.
Aside from the modalities that Daniel offers,
Unified Massage also has three other certified
therapists who offer everything from a heated
stone, cranial-sacral and prenatal massage to
Reiki and bamboo fusion, which Koster explains
is a massage incorporating the use of heated
bamboo tools.
Koster is convinced these types of
therapy are the wave of the future in terms of
healthcare and preventative medicine. A lot of
people have been to everyone else and they
come to us as a last resort. They dont have a
lot of hope sometimes. Its very satisfying to
say, Yeah, I think I can help you, and they leave
with a smile on their face. Thats rewarding.
To contact Unified Massage, call
517.423.2256.

It is a way
to keep
in front of
staying
healthy

Perhaps the most diverse

of all the massage therapy businesses in the
area is Unified Massage at 216 E. Chicago
Blvd. in Tecumseh.
Owner Daniel Koster began his training in
Swedish massage at Irenes Myomassology
Institute in Southfield, Michigan 15 years
ago and has been expanding the modalities
in which hes certified ever since. When I
first started, I was applying some pressure
to stimulate lymphatic drainage. People were
saying, That feels good, but you arent going
deep enough. So I studied and became
certified in neuromuscular massage. Koster
said. Its an in-depth training and you need
a lot of experience; you need to know what
youre doing to bring the posture back.
Theres a whole art to it besides the science

21

TRAVEL

BROOKLYN BRIDGE, NY

on the

ROAD
By Cristina Trapani-Scott

22

again

Ken and Ollie Koons retirement has been one adventure after another,
literally. Thats because the two own and operate Ollies Group, a bus tour
company that takes groups on trips all over the United States. On April 17, 2014, the
couple will celebrate 19 years of organizing cross-country tours.
Every year I say I am going to stop, said Ollie, but what would we do?
Ollie started the business after working one season for H&R Block in Tecumseh, prior
to that shed worked for the American Red Cross. Ollie said it was a tradition at H&R Block
for the owner to take his employees on a trip each year. That years destination was the
casino in Mt. Pleasant. Ollie was allowed to take some guests. She was urged by those
guests to plan another casino trip, so she did and then she continued to plan more trips.
Back then, Ken was working full-time for General Motors and the tours were Ollies
project. At the time it was costing a lot because I was making so many long distance
phone calls, and we paid for the long distance calls then, she said.
Ken urged her to put flyers out instead of making all those calls. He loaned her $5,000
to get the tour company off the ground and Ollies Group was born. It took me about five
years to pay him back, but I did pay him back, said Ollie.
In 1999, Ken retired from General Motors and joined Ollie full-time on her tours. I tell
everybody hes my legs, and I have all the brains, she said.
Journeys that began primarily as casino trips have now blossomed to include
destination trips that tour all kinds of national landmarks. The group coordinates with
Getaway Tours, a bus company in Milan, and has traveled to such destinations as
Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota
and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Other tours for the group include Cape Cod, Vermont,
New Hampshire, Marthas Vineyard, Washington, D.C., as well as Colorado. For 2014, Ollie
is working on a first-time destination trip to Maine.
Most recently, the couple took three buses to New York City for two days. This was
their second trip in a year to New York City. The couple planned a July trip there as well.
Ollie didnt think the first trip would be well attended, but when I put the flyer out it just
mushroomed, she said.

YELLOWSTONE

KEN AND OLLIE KOONS

In addition, she and Ken recently

returned from the Ollies Group annual
holiday shopping trip to Chicago. The
highlight of the trip is always a stop at
Gurnee Mills, the largest outlet complex
in Illinois. Sometimes the trips come with
unexpected surprises. We did a boat
ride in Chicago, said Ken. Tall ships
happened to be in the river when we
did that boat ride. That made it more
interesting.
Ollies Group will host its 19th
anniversary trip, April 24-26 of 2014.
Ollie hosts the trip every year around
the companys
anniversary date.
The anniversary
trips are always
special and typically
there is a theme.
In the past, they
have done Hawaiian
and Hollywood
themes and many
of the clients dress up for the theme.
Ollie and Ken spend the year gathering
door prizes to give away at their
special anniversary dinner. They elect
kings, queens, princes and princesses.
Everyone really gets into it, said Ollie.
Along with all the fun, Ollie and Ken
make sure they do what they can to give
back to the community and they get their
clients involved. On the trips, they collect
gently used luggage from their clients
that they donate to the Catherine Cobb
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Program in Adrian. Their clients also
save the unused soaps, shampoos and
lotions from their hotel stays to donate to
local pantries as well. Ollies Group even

does fundraising tours for area schools.

In all, Ollie coordinates as many as 45
overnight trips a year. That doesnt include
the day trips to casinos and other nearby
destinations such as cider mills. Among
the most popular of trips that Ollies Group
organizes are the mystery trips. Nobody
knows where we are going, she said, adding
that the only thing the clients do know is that
they will end up at a casino.
Past mystery trips have
included boat rides, train trips
and dinner theater.
Whatever the trip may be,
though, Ollie does what she can
to make it affordable for her
clients. The trips have become
so popular that they often take
three buses with upwards of 50 people
in each bus. They have built a loyal clientele
of travelers. According to Ken, the couple has
catered to nearly 4,000 clients throughout
the years. Ollie said its the people that keep
her going. I just love the people, she said.
The people who have gone on our trips have
become like family to us.
She and Ken also enjoy traveling together.
They even get their daughters, Shirley Adams
and Shelley Freiberger, involved from time-totime. I love going on the trips, said Ollie.
We would never ever go to these places if we
didnt do this.
To learn more about Ollies Group, call
423-2177.
23

A TRADITION SINCE 1960

24

CAREER
Story and Photo by
Deb Wuethrich

celebrate

t was riots and racial

unrest following the Rodney
King incident in southern
California that prompted
Tecumseh residents Ann and
David Lacasse to make their
first major life change as a
couple with a move to Michigan.
Ann was pregnant with our
oldest daughter, and wed
been thinking about leaving
the Pasadena area when that
happened in 1992, said David.
I grew up in Eaton Rapids, so
I started looking for work in the
region.
What he found was a job
as a claims adjuster for Farm
Bureau Insurance, a business
he could operate out of the
Raisin Township home the
family purchased in 1993. For
a time, David handled liability
and workers compensation
claims for the company as
a field adjuster. In 1994, an
opportunity arose for him to
become a Farm Bureau agent
with an office in Tecumseh, which
he kept open until 2007.
But life has a way of taking
a turn when you least expect
it. While rearing Victoria, now
21, and Jack, now 14, their
youngest, Elizabeth, was born
prematurely. It was in 2001,
and she was sent to the NICU
at St. Josephs Hospital, said
David. At that time, we realized
the fragility of life and how you
spend it. Elizabeth is fine
today, but when we were going
through that, it just really hit
both of us that life is very short.
It made us stop and evaluate
what we were doing, said Ann.
She knew David was finding

everything

career

makeover
TECUMSEH COUPLE REINVENT THEMSELVES

something lacking in the work he did, and they were talking one night.
She asked him a question: If you could do anything you wanted to do,
what would it be? He said he would go to law school, but added, I
cant because of you and the kids. It would be a burden, Ann said.
While I had enjoyed my work, as a claims adjuster I did a lot of things
with attorneys and got to the point that I really enjoyed that, said
David. There are attorneys in my family, so its something Id always
wanted to do that I thought had passed me by.
David asked Ann the same question and she said shed always
wanted to become a special education teacher, but thought it was an
impossible dream. Almost immediately, they began to research what it
would take to fulfill their dreams. My heart sank at first when I found
out that Ann wanted to go back to school, too, said David. I was
afraid if only one of us went back then, the other one might never do
it. But he and Ann had seen so many friends in their late 30s and 40s
who werent happy with what they were doing but not doing anything
about it. Unless you do something, youre actually just making
excuses, David added.
After their discussion, Ann was determined and said, Lets
figure it out.
In 2002, they both headed back to school David commuting
to Michigan State Universitys Law School in East Lansing, and Ann
beginning to take courses at Eastern Michigan University. There were
financial sacrifices, said Ann. We didnt take family vacations, and we
had to do without some extracurricular things for the kids. But in the
end it was well worth it.
For a time, the family living room in the home they had purchased
on Ottawa Street, next door to the Tecumseh District Library, was
converted into a study room, with tables and desks furnishing the
space. Looking back, the couple believes modeling good study habits
transferred to their kids, something Victoria has actually said helps her
at MSU now.
David said there were times he had to come home from work early
to pass youngsters in Anns Day Care off to their parents so she
could go to school or be home for his kids. He recalls car swaps
at the Park and Ride lot in Chelsea. The Lacasses also developed a

way to stay connected, since they

were otherwise seeing very little of
each other during this time. They
kept porch dates. We scheduled
everything, including fitting in at least
one evening each week to either sit
on the porch or get a sitter and have
a meal out, because it was going to
be very easy for us to be completely
separate places at completely
different times, said Ann. We didnt
want our family or marriage to suffer,
so we were very intentional about
that. Thats when we would spend
time together and just talk about
everything, said David. They both
believe the porch dates helped them
survive the five years they were both
in school.
When he was still in school, David
was looking for a chance to intern
locally in the summer when he was
introduced to Adrian attorney Philip
Schaedler at a dinner. Id already
worked at the Michigan Court of
Appeals in Lansing, so in the summer
of 2006 I wanted to see what it
was like in a law office, he said. He
worked in Schaedlers office a couple
days a week that summer, then after
graduation, magna cum laude at that,
he accepted a job with a Detroit law
firm. While the money was good, the
drive meant far too much time away
from home and my family, he said.
David reconnected with Schaedler

put a
little color
in your holiday

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Since 1993

6197 N. M52 - Tecumseh

517.423.6554
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25

Career Makeover continued...

Authorized
Dealer

26

in 2009 and started working with him,

then the two formed their own firm,
Schaedler and Lacasse PC, in Adrian in
2010. They specialize in municipal law and
David is now loving his work again. He also
serves as the Raisin Township attorney, a
gig he credits finding because of Ann, who
once served as the township clerk.
After Ann graduated from Eastern
Michigan University with honors, she
continued on for a Masters degree in
school administration at Siena Heights
in 2010. Following graduation she
was immediately hired for a position at
Tecumseh Middle School, but was laid off
after a year due to budget constraints.
Shed interviewed for a job at Monroe
Intermediate School District, but at about
the same time a special education job
came open at Clinton Community Schools.
She accepted the position and loves her
work. I just have a heart for these kids,
especially those with emotional impairment
that dont see themselves as valuable. I
thought I could make a difference, and
now I get to do that, she said.
Looking back, they wonder if they
were a little crazy to have taken on such
a challenge, but said everything worked
out, with scheduling and the porch dates
being crucial to their success. While it was
hectic and difficult and an imposition on
our familys structure, we also got to set
a good example for our kids, said David.
Yeah, it worked out pretty darn good,
said Ann.
Do they have any words of wisdom
for others wishing they could change or
reinvent themselves? Do it! said Ann.
David adds that the first step is to figure
out what your passion is. What is it that
you see yourself doing so you will enjoy
getting up and going to work every day?
he said. Then go out and figure out
what it will take to get there and if youre
willing to do it. Then just shoot for it. He
said they didnt wake up everyday hating
what they did before, but figured out
there could be more fulfilling career paths
for them. Im not saying there arent
difficult days in what I do now, but I really
enjoy what I do now, David added. You
should also figure out if youre investing
in an education toward something that
has some payback, said Ann. Also good
nutrition and exercise helped us through,
along with having a support system in
place.
In the end, she said, both she and David
knew they wanted to make a difference in
the world. Weve always been the kind of
people who like to give back, she said.
But now we can do it through our work
as well."

T E C U M S E H

our

stage

C E N T E R

F O R

T H E

A R T S

brings the
world to
you

Tecumseh Center for the Arts Shirley Todd Herrick Theater

Nutcracker Ballet
Experience the excitement of the magical tale of the Nutcracker
as told through the beauty of dance. The holiday classic tale
comes to life with elaborate costumes and scores of talented
dancers. Tickets $14 adult $12 Senior/youth

Saturday

DiNO Light
Lightwire Theater
Truly unique, eye-popping and visually dazzling!
Electroluminescent creatures light up the darkness in a
heart-rending tale the whole family will love. As seen on
TVs Americas Got Talent. $20 adult/$18 senior/$10
youth

Sunday,

The Irish Rovers

Farewell Tour

TCA Cabin
Fever Film
Fest

With wit, a wind, and a smile, The Irish Rovers return to

Tecumseh on their Farewell US Tour. Don't wait order now! $35
adult/$32 senior/youth

Sunday,

TCA Big Band &

VocalAires
Holiday
Concert
Celebrate the season and enjoy your
favorite carols and songs of the
swing era, This 22-piece orchestra
and vocalists will delight you with
their fantastic sound. Please
consider bringing food items to be
donated to the Tecumseh Service
Club For local families in need.
Tickets $5.

thetca.org

Tecumseh

Saturday, January 18
Join us for a night of great indie
movies and more!
Tickets
order by
or
buy online

400 N. Maumee

Thursday,

Junk to Funk
An evening of fun, food, fashion, art and wine! 3rd Annual
Eco-fashion show featuring recycled materials transformed into
wearable art. A truly amazing fashion show. AND Fashion Wars
returns to the stage!
Watch area salons
battle as they race
to beat the clock
and prepare their
model for the fashion
runway. Ticket $20.

RENT THE TCA

and add some pizzazz to your special event!

27

MEMORIAM

STORIES

Walking through Brookside Cemetery in Tecumseh, visitors

might notice in the older section a tall, aged monument bearing
the inscription, dedicated to the memory of the children of
Joseph and C. Brown. Just who were Joseph and Cornelia Brown?
What happened to their children so long ago?
Mention Evans and Brown in Lenawee County and people
might refer you to the intersection of streets in the northeast
section in the city of Tecumseh. Many know that Evans Street is
named after Tecumsehs founder, Musgrove Evans. What fewer
know is that Brown was Evans brother in-law, and together they
led the first pioneers into the area that became Lenawee County.
They were true pioneers of the new Michigan Territory.
In 1823, Evans and Austin Wing traveled west from Monroe
to what is present-day Tecumseh. They decided the area was
perfect for a settlement. Evans returned to his home in New York
to recruit his wifes brother, Joseph Brown. The partnership Wing,
Evans and Brown was formed for the venture. Evans couldnt
have chosen a better man to help lead a small party of recruited
families into the Michigan Territory in 1824.
Brown was born in 1793 in Pennsylvania, later moving with his
parents to New York. After his youth in New York, he first became
involved with the military serving as Lieutenant Colonel in the
New York infantry. He later married Cornelia and started a family
before entering into partnership with Evans and Wing to establish
Tecumseh.
Brown was an educated and industrious man. He ran the
first stage-mail route between Detroit and Chicago, the first grist
mill in Lenawee, tilled the first area farm, was a hotel owner
in Tecumseh, and an attorney-at-law in Toledo. Appointed by
President Andrew Jackson as brigadier-general of 3rd Brigade
and later as Register of the Land Office at Ionia, Brown served as
Chief Justice of Lenawee County, as Brigadier General of Michigan
State Guards, and Examiner of Cadets at West Point. Later he was
named a regent of Michigan University.
Brown had an impressive list of
accomplishments.
Brown led the territorial militia in
the Black Hawk War in the early 1830s
and again during the Toledo War of
1835. Clara Waldren noted in her
book Tecumseh the Early Years that
Browns moderation and good sense
help prevent possible bloodshed in
the Toledo War.
Brown died in December 1880 and
is buried in Brookside Cemetery. By his
side is his wife, Cornelia, who died in
1857, while nearby rest their children,
his sister, Abi Evans, and her two young sons.
The Brown monument in Brookside Cemetery speaks
volumes as to the fact that life as pioneers was not an easy one.
It is dedicated to the Browns many children who died young, three
of them by drowning. Two children drowned Christmas Day 1843
while ice-skating on Red Mill Pond. Two other sons died violently.
Stage robbers shot one son, and John died from wounds incurred
during a Civil War battle. Another son, General Egbert Brown, was
crippled in the same battle. HIs daughter survived and Brown
spent his later years with her in Toledo.
Evans and Brown, truly more than just street names.

JOSEPH
BROWN,
A TRUE
TECUMSEH
PIONEER

28

STONE
Story by Rebecca Peach
Photos by Hollie Smith

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY

OF THE CHILDREN OF
JOS. W. & C. BROWN
~ Drowned ~

Dec. 25, 1843

Aged 12 Yrs

MASON K. BROWN
~ Drowned ~

Dec. 25 1843
E. 10 yrs.

29

CHARITY

By Mary Kay
McPartlin

11am to 2pm

vans Street Station invites the community to participate in Empty Bowls,

a special event designed to fight hunger in Lenawee County. This simple
lunch of soup can make a difference in the lives of those who struggle
every day to get enough to eat. Our whole team really looks forward to this
event, said Beth Kennedy of Evans Street Station. We would do this event every year if we
could because the need to feed the community is so great.
All over Michigan, more people are coming to
food banks searching for help in battling hunger.
The pain of an empty stomach is recognized by
Empty Bowls, an outreach fundraiser that raises
money for soup kitchens. Locally, Adrian College
instructor Pi Benio is the coordinator for the
event. Its usually in the beginning of the year,
Benio said. The event is a massive undertaking.
Four years ago we had four events and we made
$12,400.
The international grassroots battle against
hunger was started by The Image Render Group.
The goal is to have local artists and those active in
the community create ceramic bowls.
Benio works with Adrian College students as
well as community classes, Community Clay and Art
Rocks Kids. In addition to the Evans Street Station
location, Benio is hoping for a second location at
Sauce in Adrian.
Benio and her students advertise and set up the
event, as well as price, clean and bag the bowls
for the event. Creating the bowls is very labor
intensive. According to Benio, it is a nine-step
process from throwing the clay to the final firing.
These creations are used to beat hunger with
the power of a simple meal, soup and bread.
Participants in Empty Bowls keep their
soup bowls as a reminder of all the worlds
bowls that remain empty on a daily basis.
The thing is to encourage use of this art object,
30

said Benio. Were hoping to have 500 or

600 bowls for the event.
The bowls are absolutely incredible,
Kennedy said. They are just beautiful
handcrafted bowls.
The Empty Bowls project sponsored by
Evans Street Station gives 100 percent of
funds raised to Lenawee County Salvation
Army Soup Kitchen. Diners select a bowl
made by a local artist and Evans Street
Station fills it with a choice of soup
accompanied by crackers and a beverage.
Sandwiches and salads are also available
to add to the soup. Its set up similar to
a soup kitchen, said Kennedy. Patrons
select a bowl and then take it to the
kitchen area to fill it with soup.
The special lunch can be enjoyed at
the restaurant or picked up for take-out.
The choices in bowls are $10, $20 or
$30.This is a really great cause, said
Benio. The Salvation Army is really good
about getting the money to the people.
They offer services for the whole county.
Questions about the Evans Street
Station event can be directed to Kennedy
at 424-5555. Benio is happy to answer
questions about Empty Bowls and can be
reached at 517.264.3901 or pbenio@
adrian.edu.

31

CUSTOM GIFT BASKETS

All Occ 

 
 






Own

Dip Stix and Stuff

517.423.3151 | dipstixandstuff.com | 116 S. Evans | Tecumseh | In with Grey Fox Floral

Mon-Fri 8:30-5
Extended Holiday Hours:
Sat 8:30-5

HOSPITALITY

Excerpt from
the past...
It is related that one bright morning the stage left
Clinton for the west loaded with passengers. The road
was exceptionally muddy so that the heavy vehicles
succeeded in reaching a point only about a mile from
the village. The passengers walked back to the inn and
early next morning returned to the partly submerged
stagecoach. During the second day it reached a point
three miles from the village and again the passengers walked back to
Clinton to spend the night. The next day the stagecoach must have reached
another tavern for the passengers did not return.
At the inn, supper was served up to midnight and breakfast was served
as early as three in the morning. Rooms were filled to capacity every night.
Travelers sometimes sleeping on the floor in the office and under wagons
in the yard. Even the long ballroom upstairs was filled with beds when the
inn was crowded. If a register had been kept in the prosperous days of
the inn, on it would have been written names of some of the best known
leaders of the period. President James Polk, Daniel Webster, and James
Fenimore Cooper are reported to have visited the inn.

FORMER STAGE
HOUSE NOW
AT GREENFIELD
VILLAGE

The

ANCASTER
GENCY, INC.
Business | Home | Auto

INNS
OUTS
of Clinton
and

By Mary Kay McPartlin

Photos by Karl Racenis

n the northwest
corner of U.S.
12 and TecumsehClinton road stands the
majestic Clinton Inn, the only
remaining example of Clintons
hospitality to travelers going
west or east between Detroit
and Chicago. This beautiful
building still provides delicious
meals and comfortable rooms
in a historical setting, thanks
to owners Mark and Laurie
Pedersen.
The Clinton Inn offers two
dining rooms, a bar, 10 guest
rooms and four apartments. The
hotel originally had 33 rooms
for lodgers on the second
and third floors. We definitely
have the historic appeal, said
32

Laurie. People see the building and they are

intrigued by it.
The first settlers of this village arrived
in Detroit from New York via the Erie Canal
and then continued to travel west. They
settled about 50 miles outside of Detroit
and named the village Clinton after the New
York governor, Dewitt Clinton. It was only
a short time before this new settlement
became a hotbed of activity and considered
the greatest trading point west of Detroit,
as early as 1836, according to the Clinton
Historical Society website.
The village was the perfect spot for the
stagecoaches to stop on their way to Chicago
from Detroit. Clinton bustled with industry
and trade at first. Soon lodgings were a big
part of the downtown, providing food and
shelter for weary stagecoach travelers moving
between the cities of Detroit and Chicago.
The first of the inns for the village was
the Stage House, believed built in 1830 by
Calvin Parkhurst at the location of todays
Clinton post office. The inn had many names
over the years and several owners, the last
being the Smith family who were great friends
with Henry Ford.
Ford so admired the majestic inn with its
beautiful pillars and walnut woodwork that
he bought the inn and moved it to Greenfield
Village in 1927. The public was first able to
tour this fine example of Michigan hostelry on
Oct. 21, 1929 and it is still open today as the
Eagle Tavern.
In the 1850's Alonzo Clark built the
Nimmock Hotel on the southeast corner of
US-12 and Tecumseh Road. In the 1880s it
was renamed the Clinton House and then in
1884 it became the Lancaster Hotel.
On Thanksgiving day in 1901, the very
same Alonzo Clark completed the present

day Clinton Inn and opened for business. Still

standing proud 113 years later, the Clinton
Inn anchors the downtown. Stepping into the
building today definitely is an immersion into
history.
The Pedersons work very hard to keep the
building as authentic to the turn of the 20th
century as possible, always looking for antique
items that fit the buildings heritage. When the
carpet in the front lobby needed replacement,
the original ceramic tile floor was discovered as
the old carpet was removed. The idea to recarpet was forgotten and the original floor put
on display.
The woodwork in the Clinton Inn is all original,
and the two majestic stairways are in perfect
condition. According to Laurie, the back stairs
were for the maids to bring down the chamber
pots, as the building did not have running water
until the 1920s.
Something else the Clinton Inn was missing
when it opened was air conditioning. The
architecture factored in transoms above the
room doors as a way to keep air circulating
during warm weather. The 12-foot ceilings in the
rooms were another way to keep visitors cool.
The original call box is still mounted behind
the front counter, and the inn still has four of
the original fireplaces. Where the bar is located
today was the drummers room. Laurie explained
this room was designed for salesmen to display
their wares. The only part of the Clinton Inn that
is not original is the second dining room to the
west of the bar area.
Today, the business has regular customers
who come for the delicious food or to rent a
room. Homemade soups and breads are very
popular with customers, according to Laurie.
For more information on the food specials or
renting a room, call 517.456.4151 or visit the
website at www.theclintoninn.com.
33

PROMOTION

Opportunity

SIENA HEIGHTS UNIVERSITY

r Graduate College r

"We are a graduate college on the

move. We adapt and innovate to
keep up with the times."
Dr. Linda Sandel Pettit, Dean

Experience
in the field is
important, but
nothing puts your
application on a
human resources
reviewer's radar
faster than a
master's degree.
Siena Heights University's (SHU) Graduate
College has a sterling reputation of producing
graduates who go on to obtain prominent positions
in numerous career fields. SHU's programs in Clinical
Mental Health Counseling, Education and Leadership
offer convenient and affordable options for busy
adults even if you work full-time.
SHU offers graduate courses on its main
campus in nearby Adrian, as well as at Lansing
Community College and in Southfield. Leadership
students now also have the option of earning their
master's degree completely online.
34

SHU Graduate College Dean Linda

Sandel Pettit, Ed.D., said SHU's program
is distinctive for several reasons.
The main thing that separates
us from other programs is the appeal
of Siena Heights University itself,
said Pettit, who is also the Director of
SHUs Clinical Mental Health Counseling
program. We are known as a university
rooted in the Catholic Dominican
tradition. This means we place a
premium on educating students in
their preferred field and on developing
insight beyond textbook learning. We
aim to inspire students to be competent,
purposeful and ethical. We hope our
masters students will apply heartfelt
wisdom in their careers, seasoned with
compassion and tempered with a strong
sense of social justice.
Pettit, a graduate of the SHU
Graduate College herself, said SHU's
programs are rigorous but flexible
starting with the faculty.
"One of the most important factors
contributing to the success of our
students is our superb faculty," she said.
"In addition to their academic credentials
(most have doctorates), they also come

to class with 20 to 30 years of experience in the field. I cannot emphasize enough how much
this contributes to their ability to prepare our students to face the challenges they will see in
the real world of their careers."
The Leadership program offers health care and organizational concentrations. The
Education program includes degrees in early childhood, elementary and secondary reading,
special education, leadership for principals, and higher education leadership. SHU also
offers a Specialist of Arts degree in educational leadership.
We are a graduate college on the move, Pettit said. We adapt and innovate to keep up
with the times.

For more information about the Siena Heights University

Graduate College please visit sienaheights.edu/graduate, call
517-264-7662 or email GraduateCollege@sienaheights.edu.

35

TRADITION

othing captures the

spirit of the season
like walking into a
home with a freshly
cut Christmas tree. The scent
of pine indoors freshens the air
and triggers a certain nostalgia
of times before plastic trees and
hectic holiday schedules.
There are many good tree
farms in the area where one may
stroll through the inventory
and select the perfect tree, but
Hillside Christmas Tree Farm,
4714 US 12, Tipton on the
eastern slope of the Irish Hills,
has things that set it apart from
the others.
Owner Richard Stefani
purchased the 80-acre farm in
1983 with the sole intent of
raising Christmas trees. The
Redford Township native fell
in love with the property at the
time and moved his family there,
setting to work immediately
to plant the first crop. He
and his son Tony did most of
the farming, while his late wife
Nancy and their daughters
Sara and Christi helped out
with sales when late November
rolled around. At first we did
wholesaling, also, Stefani said,
but we quit doing that back
in the 90s. Now were strictly
retail. We do more than sell trees
though. We have a lot of other
attractions, too. And those
attractions are what set this
tree farm apart from the rest

36

HILLSIDE
Christmas
TREE

attractions and a wide selection of

conifer species to choose from.
The Stefanis offer the usual
(and most popular) selection Scotch pine, but also offer three
other types of spruces: Colorado
blue, Serbian, and Black Hill. Fir
varieties on the property include
Douglas
and balsam
firs, plus the
more exotic
concolor and
Canaan firs.
Tree
shoppers
neednt
worry about
bringing their own axes or saws.
Sharpened bow saws are provided
for free as is shaking of the
purchased tree, a process that
dislodges leaves or nests that
may have accumulated over the
summer. The Stefanis will also bail
(mesh wrap that compacts the tree
for easier hauling) and/or wrap the
tree to protect it for its ride home.

FARM
STORY BY DEANE ERTS
PHOTO BY HOLLIE SMITH

Tony and I keep all the weeds

cut around the trees so that people
dont have to trudge through them
while they look for their trees,
Stefani said. It makes it a lot easier
for people to walk around and
look.
Guests have the option of
taking a wagon
ride out to the
tree stand from
the parking
lot or driving
their own
vehicle, weather
permitting. The
farm offers precut trees, also
As for other things to do
besides tree cutting at Hillside,
there is a craft store featuring a
selection of holiday decorations, an
opportunity to perform Christmas
carol karaoke, hot chocolate, hot
cider, chili dogs, and a haystack for
the kids to play in. The adults may
choose to browse the craft store for
decorations.

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Noon - 8pm

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37

Tree Farm continued...

At Hillside the holidays are not

the only busy times. The sales during
the final six weeks of the year are the
culmination of a full year of activity to
produce the trees that customers will
be decorating.
The farm work begins in April,
said Stefani. Thats when we plant
the new crop, usually about 1,200
trees. In May we spray them to take
care of pests and in early June we
begin to prune them. They dont get
to the Christmas-tree shape growing
naturally. They have to be shaped. In
early fall, September and October, the
Stefanis begin preparing for the spring
planting. Its a lot of work, but Im
proud of the trees we grow, he said.
The Stefanis harvest annually,
but the individual trees take years
to mature. A Scotch pine requires
six years to reach prime Christmas
tree height, while a spruce usually
needs eight years to reach commercial
viability.
Stefani tells his customers that
once they get their trees home and
decorated it is very important to keep
them watered, especially for the first
few days. Its surprising how much
water they will absorb. I recommend
checking the water in the tree stand
twice a day. You will probably need
to add more, he said. After a couple
of days they dont need as much, but
keep checking anyway and dont let
the stand get
dry.
Hillside
Its a lot of
Christmas
work, but
Tree Farm will
Im proud of be growing
premium trees
the trees we for years to
come, but
grow,
patriarch
Richard will be
turning more of
the duties over
to his son. The trees we planted this
year wont be ready to harvest until Im
72, he said. Tony will be taking over
the operation more and more, but Ill
still be around. The most important
thing we do is to make the experience
of getting a Christmas tree fun for
the customer, and we have fun along
the way, too. Thats what makes it all
worthwhile.
For more information on
directions, pricing, and tree
descriptions, visit the farm website,
www.hillsidechristmastreefarm.com or
call 517.456.7233.
38

hap
pen
ings

Please call ahead

before attending
events for any
schedule changes

IN AND AROUND TOWN

Ongoing
Festival of Trees Month of December.
Beautifully decorated trees throughout the
Lenawee Historical Museum, 110 East Church
St., Adrian, 517.265.6071
Holiday Lights December 1-31. Dusk-10pm.
Adrian. See the sparkle of thousands of colored
lights as they reflect off the snow and light up
the drive through Heritage Park!
Christmas Light Display Month of December.
Home decorated for Christmas with Holy Family
and creche, train, lights, lights, lights and more!
Donation box next to creche, goods go to
Tecumseh Service Club. 9300 Walnut Dr, Tipton.
Winter Constellations, Stars, Planets &
their Folklore! Free Family Fun - Planetarium
Shows. Robinson Planetarium & Observatory,
Peelle Hall, Adrian College. 517.265.5161

December
DECEMBER 6 Annual Lighted Christmas
Parade 7pm. Santa Claus arrives! Free hot
chocolate, caroling & extended shopping.
Downtown Tecumseh. www.tecumsehchamber.org
DECEMBER 6 Tecumseh Area Historical
Museum Activities 5:30-8pm. Ornaments for
the kids, Poinsettia sale for all. Contact Chris
Brown, 517.423.2374, and leave a message.
DECEMBER 6-7 Annual Candlelight
Promenade 5:30-8pm. Spend a charming
holiday evening enjoying Historic Tecumseh
homes, all dressed up for the holidays.
517.423.3740
DECEMBER 6-7 Annual WinterFest
Celebration Friday 6:30pm lighted parade. Sat
10am-3pm activities and crafts downtown Adrian.
517.264.4804

DECEMBER 7 Charity Track & Toy Drive

9am-3pm. Donate a non-perishable food item or a
new, unwrapped toy, and take a lap around the track
in your own vehicle! Michigan International Speedway
517.592.6666 or MIS-donations@mispeedway.com
DECEMBER 7 Cherry Creek Christmas Open
House 11am-5:30pm. Cherry Creek Vineyard &
Winery, Brooklyn. www.cherrycreekwine.com or
517.592.4663.
DECEMBER 7 Annual Holiday Bazaar 9-3pm.
Baked goods, handmade holiday ornaments and
dcor, hats, scarves, toys, fresh evergreen wreaths,
Guild's signature scrubbies and decorative firestarters and more! the Dexter Museum, 3443
Inverness St. 734.426.2519
DECEMBER 7 Clinton Christmas Parade and
Winterfest Parade 7pm. Historic Home Tour 6- 8.
Solid Rock Church Children's Extravaganza 5-6pm.
School band and choir performances. Community
Christmas Carol Sing Along
DECEMBER 7 Clinton Christmas Home Tour
6-9pm. Tour starts at The Smith Kimball Community
Center. Three Historical Clinton Homes, Solid Rock
Church. Wood carving demos. Tickets at Schmidt
Pharmacy, CJs Salon, Floral Fantasy and the Clinton
Inn.
DECEMBER 7 Manchester Christmas Home
Tour Noon - 8pm. 5 unique homes and music.
734.476.4565 or manchestermi.org
DECEMBER 8 Christmas....and All That Jazz!
4 pm. The ever talented Tecumseh Pops Orchestra
and Community Chorus celebrate the holiday season
with song and music. Tecumseh Center for the Arts
517.423.6617 or www.thetca.org
DECEMBER 8 Lights of Love 6pm. Adrian,
Blissfield, Clinton, Hudson, Morenci, Onsted &
Tecumseh. www.hospiceoflenawee.org for more
information

DECEMBER 6-7 Collage Workshop

Explore your inner landscape. Art + Counseling
517.662.0122 or www.artpluscounseling.com

DECEMBER 12-14 Nutcracker Ballet Thurs & Fri

7:30pm. Sat 2pm & 7:30pm. Scores of dancers in
elaborate costumes dance to the timeless music of
Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet. Tecumseh Center for
the Arts 517.423.6617 or www.thetca.org

DECEMBER 6-7-8 White Christmas

Heartwarming musical features a dazzling Irving
Berlin including White Christmas. Croswelll
Opera House 517.264.SHOW or www.croswell.
org

DECEMBER 13-15 Handel in Holy Rosary

Fri 8pm. Sat 8pm. Sun 3pm. Holy Rosary Chapel,
Adrian Dominican Campus. Adrian College. Adrian
Symphony Orchestra www.adriansymphony.org or
517.264.3121
39

DECEMBER 13-15 White Christmas

Heartwarming musical features a dazzling
Irving Berlin score full of standards including
White Christmas. Croswelll Opera House
517.264.SHOW or www.croswell.org
DECEMBER 14-15 Build a Gift Basket
Weekend Cherry Creek Vineyard & Winery,
Brooklyn. www.cherrycreekwine.com or
517.592.4663.
DECEMBER 15 TCA Big Band &
VocalAires Holiday Concert 4pm.
Celebrate the holiday season with carols and
swing era music, with songs from the 1940s
to the 1960s. Tecumseh Center for the Arts
www.tca.org or 517.423.6617
DECEMBER 15 Hospice of Lenawee
Candlelight Remembrance 6pm. St.
Mary's Catholic Church in Adrian, MI. www.
hospiceoflenawee.org for more information

Susies

DECEMBER 18 Book Bingo 1pm. Play

bingo to win books and other prizes.
Tecumseh District Library. 517.423.2238 or
www.tecumsehlibrary.org

Cleaning Service

DECEMBER 18 Holiday Sing-A-Long

2pm. Celebrate the songs of the season
with the Friends of Tecumseh District Library.
Tecumseh District Library. 517.423.2238 or
www.tecumsehlibrary.org
DECEMBER 21 Lenawee Community
Chorus Christmas Concert 3pm. Featuring
the Carillon Womens Chorale and the
Chiaroscuro Mens Ensamble. First United
Methodist Church, Adrian. 517.423.7800








Mon - Sat 9:







5

DECEMBER 21-22 White Christmas

Heartwarming musical features a dazzling
Irving Berlin score full of standards including
White Christmas. Croswelll Opera House
517.264.SHOW or www.croswell.org
DECEMBER 24 Annual Christmas Eve
Service 7pm. Pastor Roger at Tecumseh
Assembly of God (corner of Rogers and
M-50. 517-423-5607 or www.tecumsehag.
org

the

halls

Dealer

DECEMBER 31 Dueling Pianos by 176

Keys 8pm. Request-driven, mega interactive
fun. Onstage Seating available, snacks, party
packs and champagne. Cash bars. Croswelll
Opera House 517.264.SHOW or www.
croswell.org

January

JANUARY 3 Benefit Concert Series

7- 9pm. Black Smith Shop, Manchester.
734.476.4565 or manchestermi.org
JANUARY 11 Adrian College Bridal
Expo Noon 4pm. Adrian College hosts
over 40 vendors in every area from florist to
photographer. Grand Prize drawing. Adrian
Tobias Center. adrian.edu/bridalexpo
JANUARY 11 Baby, Its Cold Outside
2pm. Come enjoy a hot chocolate bar with
some crafts; $20 ages 5 11 plus an
adult. Pre-register Tecumseh Parks and
Recreation 517.423.5602
JANUARY 14 Design and Dine at
Cambrian Assisted Living 10am -12pm.
Ladies age 60 and over, please join us for
a fun morning of crafting and conversation
followed by a delicious complimentary
brunch. Free. Reservations 517.423.5300
JANUARY 14 The Treasures of Taiwan
7:30 pm. Kiwanis Adventure Cinema. A world
of contrasts and mix of cultural influences
that you won't likely see anywhere else in
the world. Tecumseh Center for the Arts
517.423.6617 or www.thetca.org
JANUARY 14 The History of Vintage
Costume Jewelry - Appraise, Repair and
Care 7pm. Find a treasure in your jewelry
box with costume jewelry appraiser Beverly
Hoisington.
JANUARY 15 Book Bingo 1pm. Play bingo
to win books and other prizes. Tecumseh
District Library. 517.423.2238 or www.
tecumsehlibrary.org
40

JANUARY16- FEBRUARY 20 Mind

Fullness A new way of being for the New
Year. Art + Counseling 517.662.0122 or
www.artpluscounseling.com
JANUARY 18 TCA Cabin Fever Film
Fest World premier of Indie Films from
Michigan and beyond. Tecumseh Center for
the Arts 517.423.6617 or www.thetca.org
JANUARY 18 Keep the Faith Bond
Jovi Tribute 8 pm. A depth of material
from every Bon Jovi era, including all of the
hits. Croswelll Opera House 517.264.SHOW
or www.croswell.org
JANUARY 18-19 6th Annual Ice
Sculpture Festival Ice Carvers transform
blocks of ice into works of art! Dueling
Carvers, Chocolate Fun, Merchant Sales,
Lost Arts Demos, Bell Choir Performances,
Ice Skating at Adams Park & Much More!
Downtown Tecumseh 517.424.6003 or
www.downtowntecumseh.com
JANUARY 21 Sidewalk Singer: DVD
Signing 6:45pm. Inspirational film special
viewing, a man plagued with tragedy fights
to rise up from the ashes and restore his
life. Pastor Alan Maki of First Baptist Church
of Tecumseh will autograph your DVDs.
Tecumseh District Library. 517.423.2238
or www.tecumsehlibrary.org.org
JANUARY 25 WLEN Annual Bridal Show
1- 4pm. Siena Heights Unversity's
Dominican Hall. Many local vendors will be
on hand, from caterers to cakes, bridal
fashions to DJ's, flowers to beauty supplies,
photographers to rental halls.
JANUARY 25 Discontented Hearts
7:30pm.Tecumseh Dance Theatre
Company presents portions of the original
200 year old Ballet Giselle along
with new modern choreography. www.
tecumsehdanceworkshop.com Tecumseh
Center for the Arts.
JANUARY 26 Cooking Class with
Chef Alan 5pm. Four dishes, recipes
and knowledge! $55 pp covers four
courses + wine/beer. Evans Street Station,
Tecumseh. www.evanstreetstation.com or
517.424.5555
JANUARY 28 The Story of the Fourth
Ohio Veteran Volunteer Cavalry
7pm. Explore the 4th Ohio Veteran
Volunteer Cavalry with local author Nancy
Pape-Findley. Tecumseh District Library.
517.423.2238 or www.tecumsehlibrary.
org.org
JANUARY 29 Empty Bowls: a grassroots
movement to help end hunger. 11am - 2pm.
Choose a beautiful bowl handmade by a
local artist, well fill the bowl with soup, with
crackers and beverage. Dine-In or Take-Out
JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 9 Disneys
Little Mermaid Jr. The beautiful mermaid
Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live
in the world above. Croswelll Opera House
517.264.SHOW or www.croswell.org

February
FEBRUARY 1 The Ugly Duckling 3pm.
Adrian HS Performance Theater. Bring the
kids in from the cold and warm up with this
musical tale. Adrian Symphony Orchestra
www.adriansymphony.org or 517.264.3121
FEBRUARY 1 Daddy Daughter Dance
2pm or 6pm. Our annual dance now has
two time choices! Call for details! Tecumseh
Parks and Recreation 517.423.5602
FIRST WEEKEND IN FEBRUARY 62nd
Annual Devils Lake Tip Up Festival
Fishing Contest, Poker Run, Snowmobile
Races, Auction & More! Entertainment at
Local Area Restaurants! 517.547.9726
FEBRUARY 10 Instagram Photography
7pm. With local photographers Lad
Stayer and Vicki Schmucker. Tecumseh
District Library. 517.423.2238 or www.
tecumsehlibrary.org.org

FEBRUARY 11 Ghost Towns of the Wild

West 7:30 pm. Kiwanis Adventure Cinema. Visit
real ghosts towns and those reborn, via narrow
gauge railroad and jeep trail, climb high into the
Rockies and the San Juan Mountains. Tecumseh
Center for the Arts 517.423.6617 or www.thetca.
org
FEBRUARY 15 DiNO Light Lightwire
Theater Company 7:30pm. Electroluminescent
creatures light up the darkness in a heart-rending
original tale. Tecumseh Center for the Arts, www.
thetca.org or 517.423.6617
FEBRUARY 19 Book Bingo 1pm. Play bingo
to win books and other prizes. Tecumseh District
Library. 517.423.2238 or www.tecumsehlibrary.
org
FEBRUARY 21-23 Comedy of Errors
Theatre. A bit of Shakespeare with the TYT!
Tecumseh Center for the Arts 517.423.6617 or
www.thetca.org
FEBRUARY 22 A Night at the Oscars 7pm.
Dawson Auditorium, Adrian College. Music from
Oscar-winning films. Adrian Symphony Orchestra
www.adriansymphony.org or 517.264.3121
FEBRUARY 25 Quilting Blues: My Journey
Through African-American Quilt History
7pm. Explore African-American quilting with
author and historian Karen Simpson. Tecumseh
District Library. 517.423.2238 or www.
tecumsehlibrary.org

March
MARCH 2 The Irish Rovers 7pm. With wit, a
wink, and a smile The Irish Rovers return to the
US in 2014 for their Farewell Tour. Tecumseh
Center for the Arts 517.423.6617 or www.thetca.
org
MARCH 11 Mexico, the Bad, the Great, &
the Ugly 7:30 pm. Kiwanis Adventure Cinema.
The land of adventure, of mystery, and of the
unexpected. Tecumseh Center for the Arts
517.423.6617 or www.thetca.org
MARCH 14-22 On Stage Cabaret Stephanie
Jass and Dave Rains, a night of cabaret! The top
female winner ever on Jeopardy, Stephanie will
also fill you in on some Jeopardy secrets. Croswelll
Opera House 517.264.SHOW or www.croswell.org
MARCH 15 the March Mingle 6-10pm.
Flashback to the 80's for a fun-filled evening
featuring all-you-can-eat tastings from area
restaurants and more! AJ Smith Recreation Center.
$45 All proceeds benefit - Communities In Schools
of the Tecumseh Area. www.CIStecumseh.org or
517-423-7574
MARCH 19 Book Bingo 1pm. Play bingo to win
books and other prizes. Tecumseh District Library.
517.423.2238 or www.tecumsehlibrary.org
MARCH 25 Bingo and Brunch 10am. Play
Bingo with members of the community and then
enjoy a free scrumptious brunch at Cambrian
Assisted Living in Tecumseh. Tecumseh District
Library. 517.423.2238 or www.tecumsehlibrary.
org

Spring
Homefront
March 22
Advertising Deadline February 24
Call Suzanne Hayes 517.423.2174 or
email homefront@tecumsehherald.com
Send us your events happening March 22 June 21. in 25 words or less. Include contact
information and we will include them free of
charge, space permitting. Send to hollie@
tecumsehherald.com or mail to P.O. Box 218,
Tecumseh MI 49286.
41

HOLIDAYS

SNAP

POPPER'S

More please

Crackers add snap, crackle and pop to Christmas

By Mary Kay McPartlin

Golden
ACRES

42

Traditional British celebrations

of Christmas always have a certain pop
to them, thanks to the Christmas cracker.
This simple little wrapped delight may
be filled with one of many
different treats and opens
with a cracking sound.
Christmas crackers
were invented by
Tom Smith around
1850. He made
special candies in
London and came
up with the idea of
this unique holiday
treat while sitting by
the fire and listening
to the sparks and
crackling coming from the
flames.
The sounds coming from the
fire seemed like a perfect complement
to the excitement of a Christmas meal,
and could be captured in a small favor.
Two people would pull the ends of a
beautifully wrapped tube that contained
candy, party hats or small presents, and
as the paper pulled apart the gift would
give off a sharp crack.
Smiths sons carried on the cracker

tradition in England after the death

of their father. Specialty crackers with
unique gifts have been developed
by to celebrate different groups and
interests.
Cracker gifts can be silly,
funny or romantic. What
stays the same is the
delightful pop that is
special to the cracker
and the hat or gift that
comes inside each one.
The Christmas
cracker is part of
English literature,
immortalized in classic
tales of Charles Dickens
as well as modern British
stories like the Harry Potter
series. Enjoy any Christmas
movie with a setting in England, and
the cracker is likely to pop onscreen.
Locally, Christmas celebrations
can enjoy this fun Anglophile tradition
with crackers purchased at British Tea
Pantry on the Boulevard in downtown
Tecumseh. Owner Rochelle Bird offers
a variety of styles and prices. The more
expensive the cracker the better the
gifts found inside.

HOME

43

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