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By Rose Carver

Students of Auntie Fran’s Polynesian dance classes say they will continue to learn after their teacher’s retirement.

Frances Price, or Auntie Fran (as her students affectionately call her) has been teaching the art of Hula and Polynesian dance for over 46 years. After more than a half of a lifetime teaching several classes a day, six days a week, driving all over South East Michigan , this year marks her retirement.

With her whole life being about either her family or her dancing, Auntie Fran’s passion has kept her very busy. Hula is as much a part of her life as eating or sleeping. When she isn’t teaching, she crafts all of the traditional costumes from her workshop in her house, plans events, and choreographs her own dances, which she calls her “novelty” dances.

“You should see my house,” Price says with a chuckle.

Price exudes such devotion that when she describes the art she has spent her life honoring, you can easily feel it too. Her students move their feet from side to side while communicating with their hands the words Price says, telling a story through dance.

“The feet keep the beat with the ocean, and the hands tell the story,” Price said. “It’s about storytelling but it’s more than just mechanical movement… it’s about loving what you’re doing and giving that love away.”
Price gives that love to her students, and says she sees them all as special individuals with a strength to offer. She discourages competition and keeps a focus on learning and growing. Price has had students of all ages, bringing to them the gift of recognition that you can take time for yourself and learn something new no matter what age you are.

“If you are feeling any anxiety, you put the music on and it calms you.” Janice Ahmadie, a student of Price’s for 19-years said. “[Price] teaches in a way that you remember… she knows how to teach each person because she knows us all so well.”

Price has been drawn to Polynesian dance her whole life, but she began practicing when she was 32 after she found a Hawaiian Dance class just a few blocks from her house, through the Ferndale Adult Community Education program. She was mourning the death of her son at the time, and Hula became a therapeutic way to work though her emotional pain. The dance made her feel joy again, and she began teaching the class after 10 years of practice.

Auntie Fran has devoted students who help her with every need she could possibly have. They don’t do this because she expects it, they do this because it is a true practice in the “Aloha Spirit,” as the students
describe it. The “Aloha Spirit,” represents love, sharing, compassion and openness, but the tenants of their practice also include Huikala (forgiveness); Kupono (honesty and integrity; and Lokahi (balance, unity and harmony).

This attitude of togetherness radiates a special and almost holy union for a lot of the students, as is the over-arching essence. But Price is also very serious about the details of her craft. “She’s a stickler for teaching exactly the way her teachers taught her at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii,” student Diane Gietzen-Jett said about Price’s discipline in regard to authenticity to the culture.

“I want to have it [the traditional dance] as close as to how my teachers taught it to me, because they’re the experts,” Price says. She added that one of her career’s crowning achievements was when her dancers received a standing ovation from an audience of Hawaiians.

While Polynesian dance remains a permanent love of hers, 79-year-old Price has found a new way to fill her heart. She has fallen in love, and her students couldn’t be happier for her. After the death of her husband a few years back, she’s been very eager to find another soul to spend her days of retirement with.

“I feel really sad, and I will miss spending time with her, but I feel really happy for her because I know that she has been waiting to meet someone and she deserves to be happy,” Anastasia Akana, a student of two years said. “I will definitely miss dancing with her, but it feels like the right time.”

Perhaps it shows the effectiveness of Price’s teaching, because her love of Hula was transferred into her students; Jett, Akana, and Ahmadie all said they will continue learning from the art of Hula from Price’s granddaughter Pamela, who will be taking over the classes, as well as Price’s professional group, “The Polynesian Fantasy Dancers,” who perform for parties, weddings, and other social gatherings that would be enhanced by the blessing of Hula! Find out more on the web site:
polynesiandancers.us

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Story by Malissa Martin
Photos by Bernie Laframboise

THERE ARE SOME CHANGES BEING MADE AT THE CITY OF FERNDALE’S PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. One of the most recent is the installment of new Director Lareina Wheeler, who replaced Jillian Manchik on March 13, 2017. Wheeler previously worked for the City of Detroit for 15 years as an environmental specialist, where she worked on big projects such as the Link Detroit Greenway/Dequindre cut extension, Detroit Riverfront redevelopment and Inner Circle Greenway project. She’s also owned One Life Fitness for over 12 years.

The next changes coming are upgrades to the parks, while they get ready for summer activities. Wheeler said their Master Plan was recently approved, and upgrades should happen throughout the next two years. “There are a lot of wish-list items we are definitely going to try to tackle and make happen. For this year, we’re starting with Martin Road Park, some improvements in that park.” The list includes: walking pads, splash pads, adult exercising equipment, sitting gardens, new play equipment, pavilion upgrades, ball field upgrades, and more. “The main things would be the splash pad, city garden, walking path, and adult exercise equipment.”

Creating opportunities for family and friends to spend time together at one of the 14 community parks in Ferndale is the goal of the Department. Wheeler said the department is open to suggestions from the public on their vision. “They can definitely be included in the planning process because we’re focusing on forward-thinking. We want our parks to be modern, we want them to be innovated, and we want them to meet the needs of the community.”

Ferndale’s parks provide a unique outdoor space for residents and visitors to enjoy. Summer youth programs and adult leagues are now taking registrations. Many summer events will take place at the park. The parks are maintained by the City’s Department of Public Works. Programs and rentals are managed by the Recreation Department.

MARTIN ROAD PARK
Located at 1615 E. Lewiston Avenue, Martin Road Park is classified as a community park and is the largest park in the city with almost 32 acres to enjoy. A few of the park’s amenities are shared with Webb Elementary School. Martin Road Park amenities include basketball hoops, concession stands, grills, picnic tables, in-line skating rink, park benches, pavilions and pavilion tables, play structures, sledding path, football field (on school property), full soccer field (Dream Field), two small soccer fields, two softball fields (on school property), walking trails, restrooms, drinking fountains, large open space area, and off-street parking lots.

DETROIT CURLING CLUB/ FERNDALE ACTIVITY CENTER
The Detroit Curling Club, founded in 1885, partnered with The City of Ferndale in the early 2000s to share the club’s building at Martin Road Park. The agreement allows each party use of the building for six months per year. The amenities for the Detroit Curling Club/ Ferndale Activity Center include four sheets of curling ice (winter months), a large open indoor area (summer months), meeting room, office, kitchen, and bathrooms.

HARDING PAR
Harding Park is classified as a community park, located at the corner of Mapledale St. and Paxton St. The large, 17 acres wooded park includes two basketball courts, in-line skating rink (lighted), softball field, full soccer field, two small soccer fields, baseball field, play structure, picnic tables, park benches, restrooms, drinking fountains, storage building, and an off-street parking lot.

GEARY PARK
This neighborhood park is the third largest in the city, with over nine acres and is located at 1198 Earl Boulevard. Amenities for Geary Park include in-line skating rink (lighted), baseball field, softball field, play structures, picnic tables, grills, pavilion, restrooms, benches, drinking fountain, storage building, and an off-street parking lot.

WILSON PARK
Set next to University High School, Wilson Park is the only dog park in the city. It’s located on University St. and Hilton Road, and has an acreage of 7.34. Amenities for Wilson Park include in-line skating rink (lighted), small softball field (on school property), basketball court, play structure, picnic tables, grills, picnic benches, dog park, restrooms, drinking fountains, and an off-street parking lot.

GARBUTT PARK
Garbutt Park, with almost seven acres, is located at 200 Gardendale Street. The park received its latest update in 2015 when it upgraded the playground area. It’s the only Ferndale park to have earth play mounds; earthen formations such as hills to divide areas naturally. Amenities for Garbutt Park includes softball field, soccer field, play structures, walking trail, earth play mounds, picnic tables, grills, park benches, drinking fountain, and restrooms.

LENNON MEMORIAL PARK (MAPLEDALE PARK)
Named after Ferndale’s former mayor, Bernie Lennon, Lennon Memorial Park is also known as Mapledale Park because of its location on the said street’s name. The park has more than four acres, and is located on Garfield St. and Chester St. Amenities for the park include two small soccer fields, basketball court, play structures, picnic tables, grills, open space areas, park benches, and drinking fountains.

WANDA PARK
Wanda Park is located at 998 Wanda Street, with three acres. The park’s amenities include basketball hoops, softball field, play structure, picnic tables, grills, park benches, and a drinking fountain.

KULICK COMMUNITY CENTER
The Kulick Community Center is the city’s primary recreational indoor and outdoor facility. It’s also home to the offices of the Department of Recreation and Senior Services. Amenities for the Kulick Community Center include meeting rooms, various activity rooms, gymnasium, fitness studio, dance studio, kitchen, dining room, restrooms, play structures, basketball hoop, picnic tables, park benches, off-street parking, and site of a Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) public transportation hub.

OPPENHEIM PARK
Surrounded by a beautiful wooded area, Oppenheim Park is located at 650 St. Louis St. and has 2.35 acres. The neighborhood park has the following amenities: Open space areas, play structure, drinking fountain, picnic tables, grills, and park benches.

FAIR PARK
Fair Park is located at the corner of Fair St. and Jewell St., and is considered one of five mini parks with 1.27 acres. Amenities for Fair Park include park benches, paved walking trail, and a play structure.

VESTER PARK
The second mini park, with just less than one acre, is Vester Park, which
is located at the corner of Vester and Farrow St. Vester Park amenities includes a play structure, picnic tables, grill, park bench, and a
drinking fountain.

OAKRIDGE PARK
Oakridge Park is located on Oakridge Street (near Woodward Ave.) and is about a half-acre in size. The mini-park is a completely open space with no additional amenities.

MARIE PARK
Marie Park is another mini park, located at 1300 Marie St. Amenities include play structures, park benches, soccer field, and a drinking fountain.

SCHIFFER PARK
The final mini park, and smallest of the city’s parks is Schiffer Park with about a tenth of an acre. The park is located at W. 9 Mile Rd. and Planavon St. and is an urban plaza with tables, benches, and a drinking fountain. Schiffer Park was dedicated in honor of former Mayor Henry Schiffer in 1982.

Sources:
Ferndale Historical Society
http://www.ferndalehistoricalsociety.org/history_chronology.html
Draft of the Ferndale Parks & Recreation Plan 2016

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By Jill Lorie Hurst

What does it take to follow your dream?” This is the question asked every week by Gary Bredow, Jenny Feterovich and the team of Start Up, a TV show that’s required-viewing in our house.

“Start Up” travels the country, talking to small business owners about how they made their dream a reality. Gary introduces the project, steps back to let them tell their story, then poses the practical questions. Where did you get financing? Are you operating in the black yet? Their goal? That we the audience will understand the challenges but see the possibilities.

I first met Bredow, the creator and host of the popular national PBS show, when he unlocked the door of his Corktown studio so that I could come inside for a meeting. Learning that he and his family live in Ferndale (wife Rebecca owns Fern & Dale’s salon on Woodward), I asked if he’d talk to me for Ferndale Friends. A year later, here we are.

A lot happens in a year. Start Up will air its fifth season this Fall, available in over 96% of the U.S. They have filmed over 150 small business stories from coast-to-coast. The show is featured on PBS, World Channel, Create Network and, as of June 1st, Amazon Prime.

Start Up is an ongoing learning experience for Bredow. “It’s like college, but way more valuable,” lessons that helped when he and Rebecca opened Fern and Dale’s. Bredow is excited to see his wife back in the salon business, which she left to raise their two kids, now nine and six. They struggled through financially tough times. The struggle was “humbling and motivating.” When a big-money offer to work for someone else came along, Rebecca told him to hold out, don’t take the money so you can end up making somebody else’s dream come true. Finally, things clicked with PBS and Start Up. Now, both pursue their projects and love their life in Ferndale.

Bredow, who grew up in Carleton Michigan, talks about Ferndale. “I love this community. The festivals, the forums. The balance of good restaurants and nightlife with family. People here are engaged with each other.” He laughs. “Ferndalians are up in each other’s business. In a good way. There’s nowhere else I would live.”

Bredow was a production assistant in the film industry until directing the critically-acclaimed documentary about techno music, “High Tech Soul.” Bredow likes the process of creating television content. Film, he says,
especially documentary, is an extremely long process and tends to have a shorter shelf life. You have to really love the content.

Start Up was, in his own words, GB’s first successful start up, but there’s more in the works. He and Feterovich pitched the show to PBS, brought American Express on as a major sponsor and Start Up quickly acquired a national presence. Now writing a bi-monthly column for Entrepreneur Magazine, Bredow has acquired a unique insight into the world of entrepreneurship, and has a book called “Start Up Stories” scheduled for release in early 2018. He and Feterovich also started Arcadius Productions, a production company repped by William Morris Endeavor.  They have a pilot greenlit on a major cable network, and are in pre-production on a show set at Pontiac’s M1 Concourse. There’s no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

The Start Up team gets thousands of submissions. Bredow gives partner Feterovich all the credit for doing the heavy lifting with casting and production. There are practical considerations like geography, a background check. And one rule from the beginning. No trust fund or inheritance “start ups.” It’s “cool, but not interesting.” One day is spent taping a segment, getting to know the people, having dinner, meeting their families. Bredow doesn’t prep questions before taping. “I know nothing about the business when I walk in. I just go with my natural curiosity. Engaged conversation, but with the cameras rolling.”

The production team learned a lot from just traveling together from location to location. There are highs and lows; such as the time all their equipment was stolen in Atlanta. They had to go out and rent cameras and lights. And then there was Cleveland, when they were told distribution had fallen through. They were devastated, and almost didn’t go forward with their shoot. Luckily they did, because the segment caught the attention of start-up expert and Shark Tank panelist Daymond John, which changed everything for former Detroit Lion Al “Bubba” Baker and his “de-boned” ribs. A reminder that, no matter how tough things get, you gotta keep going. You don’t know what will happen.

Bredow: “Maybe your story is the next source of inspiration that’ll change someone’s life.”

Watch Start Up on PBS, World Channel, Create Network and Amazon Prime.

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Story by David Wesley
Photos by Bernie Laframboise

Rossana Rea is local fitness trainer with a vibrant, philanthropic story to tell. he is the owner and head-trainer of his Ferndale-based gym body morph, and his achievements are numerous — not just for himself, but also for the people in the cities he’s lived in. we met at Java Hutt last week to discuss his origins, his mission in life, and the impact his work has had on the people he’s helped.

We sit across from each other at a side-wall table in the early afternoon. Rossano is a presence in himself: Tall, muscular, handsome, and his polite bass voice responds to my query, “I opened Body Morph in 2003. Originally, it was to be my next move from working in other gyms and training people out of my apartment in Royal Oak. I needed my own location; a spot that was big enough to house all the necessary equipment and get the job done, but not so large that it would lose the privacy aspect. I found a good piece of property, purchased it, and began to buy equipment and make changes to the existing structure. It started as personal training only, and grew into other things like boot camp classes. There wasn’t a Snap or LA Fitness or any other gyms for that matter at that time. Those who wanted a great workout, came to me. And we had, and still have, a great time. I believe weightlifting should be a part of everyone’s lives, no matter what age.”

Between sipping coffee and speaking over the gathering crowd of the afternoon rush, I ask him how it has affected him during his tenure as owner and trainer. “It changed my life. My boot camp is centered around weights, machines, outdoor conditioning exercises and a bunch of balance work for core. Too many gyms are trying to redesign the wheel. I know what works and I stand by my product. I’ve trained a range of folks from the Pontiac Fire Department to former Big 3 executives, to In-Sync’s Lance Bass when I lived in California. Military and police, athletes, to house moms and dads. My greatest pleasure is seeing the confidence spike from a client who has lost 120lbs, wouldn’t leave the house a year prior, and now is feeling great about herself. This is what makes training fun for me. Everyone is unique and has a reason to train.”

Before meeting Rossano, I had heard about his charity work with him dressed as Batman visiting various children in local hospitals. I asked him about this side: “My body was used as the mold to create the ‘batsuit’ Ben Affleck wore in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. After moving back to Detroit from Los Angeles, I created my own batsuit and began visiting hospitals such as Beaumont, Mott Children’s of Ann Arbor and charity events. I don’t like the way social media and society is making it easier for students to bully one another. So, aside from trying to put smiles on the faces of kids who are in the hospitals and feeling down, my other goal is to try and deliver a message that bullying is wrong. People can be cruel. Kids are mean to each other, and social media doesn’t help. Everyone likes Batman, and if Batman says that you should be kind to others, people will listen. Check us out on Facebook and Instagram at Batman Visits to let me know if you’d want Batman to show up at your event.”

He goes further to explain how this expanded into another aspect of Body Morph — starting a program specifically designed for children. “This notion got me to join forces with one of my staff members, Kristina Novichenko, and develop an after-school workout program for 9th-12th graders that not only conditions them physically but also teaches discipline and respect. Konfidence with Kristina meets Wednesdays and Fridays from 4:00-5:00 P.M. at the gym. We’re thinking about adding a couple more days, since the students are liking it so much and seeing such great results. A confident and physically fit student is a student who, we believe, will be more respectful to their fellow students. We encourage parents to bring their teen to try out one of our classes. The first one is always complimentary.”

I wind down the interview by asking him what the future holds for him and Body Morph. I’m satisfied with everything about Rossano: He’s a wonderful human being who’s given so much, and continues to give with his growing career. “Body Morph is always growing. I have a phenomenal staff of certified personal trainers who, along with myself, run my boot camp classes. We keep the classes fairly small and are truly like a family. Perhaps there may be a larger location in the near future or an addition built onto the current building. We’re excited to be neighbors with Livernois Tap, and foresee a lot of success for everyone. It’s been great being a part of the Ferndale community for such a long time and helping people awaken new potentials. Being able to show them that anything is possible is what Body Morph is all about. To “morph” is to change. Through solid workouts, education on proper nutrition, and good motivation, we can change your body safely and in a fairly quick amount of time. Large, impersonal gyms are fine for what they are. I sell accountability and privacy. We cater to those who want just a little more for their investment. It’s an honor being a part of this community, and we look forward to serving the Metro Detroit area for years to come.”

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By David Stone
Photos by David Mcnair

YOU SAY YOU KNOW ALL THE BARS IN FERNDALE? READY FOR A SIMPLE TEST? WHICH BAR:
·    Was voted one of the best in the country?
·    Employs a bartender who has won both a national and a local bartending competition?

I’m talking about The Oakland : Art Novelty Company and master bartender Chas Williams.

So, let’s meet our mixologist. Chas grew up in Bloomfield Hills, graduating from Lahser High School in 2006. He often stopped by the bar after classes at WSU and was eventually offered a job. Since that time, he has competed regionally and in Las Vegas and recently won a national competition sponsored by Glenfiddich Scotch. It was a very unusual competition about getting inside the mind of the bartender. He also won a local competition sponsored by Detroit City Distillery. He was then asked to create a custom a gin for them, which they sell out of their tasting room.”

The Oakland is designed to resemble a “pre-Prohibition” bar. By this, Chas explains, “Bartending was more of a trade, you would apprentice under a bartender, like we do here. It was a much more respected profession. And when that job was turned into an illegal drug-dealer, all the good bartenders either quit or left the country. Then, when Prohibition was over, they were having fun living abroad, none of them came back. The ones who had quit had been too old. So there was no continuation of this job of bartender as apprentice and professional.”

Chas goes on to point out that when Prohibition was repealed, bartenders continued to use low-quality spirits. This continued till “about 20 or 30 years ago,” when the craft of bartending was revived according to Chas. And he likes to say that a large part of the craft is hospitality. This is also reflected in the decor, which their website describes as “early 20th century speakeasy elegance and contemporary design elements.”
The Oakland just recently started offering food. They still concentrate on cocktails, but they now offer a selection of high-quality appetizers or, as Chas calls them, “bar bites.” But he repeats that the main focus of The Oakland continues to be “hospitality, and making good drinks.”

I asked Chas what he liked about working in Ferndale. He began with an interesting bit of history, mentioning that The Oakland was “the first dedicated craft cocktail bar to open in the greater Detroit-area.” Then he told me how “Ferndale is more welcoming to different ideas…Ferndale covers a lot more than people expect. It’s a great place if you have an idea that you know someone will like, but you don’t know who. Because someone will like it here.” And if you are someone who likes expertly-crafted cocktails in elegant, pre-Prohibition surroundings, you need to check out The Oakland : Art Novelty Company.
The Oakland : Art Novelty Company 201 W. 9 Mile, Ferndale, MI 48220
(248) 291-5297 Theoaklandferndale.com

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By Rebecca Hammond

BACKYARD HABITAT NEWS: There’s a robin population explosion this year. In our neighborhood, we’re noticing something: possibly because of greater numbers and more competition for food, they’ve slightly domesticated themselves, following various neighbors around as we garden. They wait for us to move from a spot we just dug, then rifling that spot for worms. It’s happened so often, and they stay so close to us, there’s no doubt of what they’re doing.

A few days before Mother’s Day, we performed duckling rescue, having spotted a mama mallard crossing Oakridge with her brood. Unfortunately, she picked a spot with a storm grate, and three of the maybe 12 ducklings fell through. Phil and a young man who’d stopped removed the grate and found that while ducklings don’t like falling down storm sewers, they also don’t like being rescued. And they really don’t like being carried across a front lawn to bushes where Mom and siblings had hidden. They’re like chasing pinballs. Mama duck charged us aggressively, then faked some wing injuries, maybe just to show off. Neighbors Tina and Dick happened to wander by and, since no one was home nearby, went to get a piece of plywood to temporarily cover the drain. Maybe Ferndale needs an Adopt-a-Drain program, for the brief period when mallards nest.

During my nightly sky gazing I see, just before full dark, large birds fly over as if shadowing Woodward to its west. Shaped like chunky gulls and with silent wingflaps but harsh croaks, these have been a nightly mystery. Again, I turned to Duluth ornithologist Laura Erickson, whose best guess is black crowned night herons. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology states that these are the world’s most common herons, and that “They’re most active at night or at dusk, when you may see their ghostly forms flapping out from daytime roosts to forage in wetlands.” My own guess is that they leave the zoo for places in Detroit, and that if I were watching just before dawn I’d see them return.

FERNDALE MONARCH PROJECT: I saw my first monarch out front on May 16, two weeks earlier than last year. People on our Facebook page report-ed seeing them around the same time, even one in Telly’s Greenhouse. We gave away ten more common milkweeds at the perennial exchange at Blumz, making the project’s total 468, and we weren’t the only ones who brought milkweed to share this year. Someone also brought three pots of goldenrod, maybe the second-most important plant for monarchs, it being a late bloomer that gets Generation Four back to Mexico. If you thought that goldenrod caused allergies, join the club. Ragweed is the real culprit, but goldenrod’s showiness gets it all the blame. State Representative Robert Wittenberg and his legislative director Barbara Winter have taken an interest in Michigan following Ohio’s and Illinois’ lead, both states having initiated programs to plant milkweed along highways.

Perennial exchanges, like the recent one by the Ferndale Beautification Commission, are good places to gather plants, and maybe get rid of more grass. Most of the plants are hardier than grass, and more far ornamental. You don’t have to water daylilies or milkweed or coneflower much, and they don’t need a toxic bath to look beautiful, either. Do you need help starting an organic, native garden? Former Ferndale resident Danielle Etienne is starting Wild Bergamot Gardening for homes and businesses. wildbergamotgarden@gmail.com, 248-299-9295.

ALL HANDS ON DECK EVENTS: Are you a Great Lakes advocate, enthusiast, or activist? Do the Lakes soothe and renew you? Current multiple threats can make you seethe. Check out events on the morning of July 3 region-wide.

Organizer and Charlevoix resident Kimberly Simon told me this: “The overall idea for ALL HANDS ON DECK is to unite all water efforts throughout the Great Lakes Region whether that be organizations, Tribal water walkers, petition creators, protestors on various issues, scientists working on solving water issues for one hour on one day all together as a visual demonstration of how large and diverse the water protectors efforts are in the region. We hope to grow more every year since this issue is not going away, it is only on the horizon as the most difficult issue we will face in this country and as a planet – clean, affordable, accessible fresh water. We must get people talking about water, get them to the water to connect with it, educate them and inspire them about it, and introduce them to the many ways they may get involved with the cause.”

The project has grown since FF’s last issue. In two-and-a-half months, events have been planned in five states and Ontario, in over 50 communities. “In the UP, there will be sacred drumming and water blessings. In Detroit and Petoskey a speaker, some [events] will also have a clean up – it is one hour to come together about water in the way that will best educate your community . . . and keep them involved for another year. An advocacy petition will be at the event to sign in support of water policy creation based on unbiased science. Members of congress . . . are being asked to sign a pledge to create water policy using unbiased science.”

The website is allhandsondeckgreatlakes.org. There you can find the list of participating communities with links to specific events, which are all at 10 am on July 3rd. You can also buy shirts and flags. Got a blue marble? Bring it to share, along with a water story. Kimberly Simon:   “This isn’t an environmentalist issue, this is everyone’s issue . . . water is life.”

Becky Hammond is a former Green Cruiser of the Year, and the Michigan Sierra Club’s 2012 Alex Sagedy Cyber Punk Award winner. Anyone knowing her is surprised at the cyber-punk part.

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By Jeff Milo, Circulation Specialist

SUMMER READING KICKS OFF JUNE 24 AT GARBUTT PARK! The Ferndale Area District Library registered its highest amount of young participants for its annual Summer Reading series last year, and we’re looking to break the record again on June 24 at Garbutt Park with the “Flight of Fancy” Kickoff Party.

Summer Reading programming throughout the upcoming months at your public library can assure that young minds are raring to go when September comes around. Keeping the reading wheels turning for all grades promises beneficial momentum for academic achievement in the next school year.

The Ferndale Library’s Youth Services Librarians embraced this year’s national theme of “Build A Better World” and coordinated two full month’s worth of fun events, activities, games, crafts, and more, for kids of all ages. Registration is required, and sign-up begins on June 24th at 2:00 P.M., during the “Flight of Fancy” Kickoff Party, where kids can build their own kites, practice flying and jump in various bounce houses and obstacle courses.

Young readers will “build” their reading skills with a take-home activity pamphlet, logging their reading time. They can explore an interactive map illustration in this pamphlet, where they’ll be able to check off other activities like visiting a local museum, or attending exciting library programs like the “Brick Builders Club!” Accumulated time spent reading brings them the chance to win prizes from FADL’s Summer Reading sponsors or other treats like ice cream, a free book, or a fidget widget!

Summer Reading culminates with a Pool Party at the Oak Park Pool on Saturday, August 5. Kids can sign-up at the library at any point during the summer, but mark your calendars for June 24!

Ferndale Library Hires New Director: Our Library Board of Directors has selected Jenny Marr as our new Director. She began her employment here in Ferndale on June 5th, concluding her previous positions as Director of the Morrill Public Library in Hiawatha, Kansas. Ms. Marr is an East Lansing native who earned her MLIS degree from Wayne State University.She began her library career at Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, in Midland, Michigan

“I am thrilled and humbled to be given this opportunity,” said Marr. “Ferndale is a diverse and vibrant community and the library is deeply rooted in it. I look forward to working with the amazing staff and Library Board to develop library services that are innovative and responsive to local challenges. I think it’s easy to see how much Ferndale residents care about their community and I’m grateful to be invited to join it.”

Book Clubs: Consider joining one of our many book clubs! We have specialized book clubs for kids in different grade levels, as well as themed clubs for adults, like Science Fiction and the Race & Culture Book Club. Visit our website for more information: http://ferndalepubliclibrary.org

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By Jeannie Davis

WE SENIORS RECENTLY HOSTED A CATERED LUNCHEON honoring our members who were 80-years-old and over. It was a lovely affair, with cloth tablecloths, porcelain dinnerware, and real silverware. The room was decorated beautifully and everyone was happy. Our mayor, Dave Coulter, graciously spoke and brought gifts for each attendee. He had done his homework, and spoke about the things happening in the world in 1937, when our honorees were born. He spoke about how these happenings had brought hardships to people, and how in many instances, their characters had been forged by living in those times.

This got me to thinking about what myself and others in our ‘70s and ‘80s had indeed seen firsthand, and not through the condensed, sanitized nightly news. I am positive that while the Mayor was speaking, almost everyone in that room had fastened on a memory, and for a moment was reliving an incident, or fact of life from those previous times. Perhaps it was their mother saving bacon grease for frying, or tin cans for the war effort. Maybe, it was walking down their street, and seeing little banners with stars hanging in their neighbor’s windows.

Maybe they were reliving that glorious day when it was official and the war was over! I know, I was remembering my twin teenage aunts excitedly dressing to go downtown to join in the celebration. Grandma had given her permission and bless-ing. As a 5-year-old, I could only watch wide-eyed as they primped, combed, fluffed their hair, and drew eyebrow pencil lines down the backs of their legs to simulate nylon stockings. Grandma let me stay up, and we shared a glass of coca cola (I suspect that hers had more than coke), and we sat on either side of her old cabinet radio and listened to the reports of joyous merrymaking going on throughout Detroit. The air fairly crackled with excitement!

As I listened to the mayor, I reflected on the amount of memories and stories which were in that room. Each person had their own library of stories and pictures tucked away waiting to be drawn out from time to time, and each time invoking a fresh emotion. Much like my chuckle, remembering my aunts preparing to go out and participate in history. The number of stories our seniors hold must be staggering. They seldom speak of them, because, the occasion rarely calls for a trip down memory lane, and yet they are there, waiting to be told, waiting to allow the teller to relive that moment in time, hoping to impress the listener that they too had had interesting lives.

I know these are truly unusual times, with extraordinary things happening daily, and yet, look back: A world war, an atom bomb dropped not once, but twice, a president assassinated, and another impeached. This was pretty heady stuff.

I guess my message here is to you younger folks. Ask seniors about the wars they lived through, ask about President Kennedy, ask what daily life was like in the ‘40s and ‘50s. From the somber and serious, to the totally frivolous. From war to hula hoops. (By the way, for a while, I demonstrated hula hoops in the front window of Kresges at Eastland Mall!) You will be enchanted, and your senior will, for a time, feel relevant. I know, I have encouraged these stories from time to time during one-on-one conversations with some of my people. Believe me, it was eye-opening.

I remember Greg Pawlica and myself, listening avidly as our friend Elsie recounted her experience on a bus during the 1943 race riots. She was terrified as an angry mob stopped the bus she was on, and rocked it back and forth. Wow! Elsie is dead now, but her story is still go-ing. I have told several people, as I am sure Greg has. This could be how we keep those times and those people alive.

Listen, and retell.

Jeannie Davis 248-541-5888

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By Rudy Serra

Q: I LIVE IN FERNDALE. I HAVE A NEIGHBOR who has a driveway and multiple cars. He
never uses his driveway, and parks all his cars on the street so I can’t park in front of my own house. Is there anything I can do?

ANSWER: THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO to prevent a person from legally parking on a public street. You cannot force a person to park in their driveway just because they have one. The key is-sue is whether they are parking legally.

The Ferndale Code of Ordinances talks about parking on residential streets in Title 10. Check it out online. Ferndale ordinances forbid anyone from parking a vehicle on any public street for more than 24 hours.

In addition, the ordinance says you cannot move a car from one spot on the street to another spot on the same street in order to avoid the 24-hour ban. Enforcement of this regulation would probably reduce or eliminate your problem.

The best way to resolve a problem like this, of course, is with a courteous conversation. If your neighborhood has a block club, or neighborhood watch, they might be helpful. It might be helpful for a community group to distribute copies of the parking ordinance door-to-door. You may want to share a copy of the ordinances, or this article in Ferndale Friends, with all your neighbors. I have neighbors who run a day care, there is a church nearby, and others have multiple cars, but there has never been a parking issue on wonderful Wordsworth that I know about.

The Ferndale Police prioritize resources. Parking enforcement in a residential area is not likely to get much attention unless you make your concerns known to the Public Works Director, who is responsible (see the parking ordinances) for parking regulations. If you do not get a reply from the Pub-lic Works Director, you might want to contact the City Manager and/or Mayor and City Council. The Public Works Director is the place to start.

The Ferndale Code says that the city should send written notice to the owner of any vehicle found to be in violation. The owner is given a chance to comply. If they fail, the car can be impounded and the registered owner can be fined. Some streets limit parking to certain hours or days. Many cities require cars to be off the street in the event of snow, and other forms of regulation may be avail-able to help you.

Please promote peaceful parking.

JUDGE RUDY REPORTS is a regular feature in Ferndale Friends. This ¨ask the lawyer¨ format column welcomes questions from readers. If you have a legal question or concern, send your question by email to rudy.serra@sbcglobal.net. Advice about specific cases cannot be provided but general legal questions and topics are welcome.

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AMANDA OSORIO: Class of 2000

WHEN AMANDA OSORIO WAS ATTENDING FERNDALE SCHOOLS, she had no idea what an impact her time spent in the District would have on her later life. As a self-described academic, Amanda excelled in all of her classes and took advantage of every opportunity Ferndale offered to further her academic career. When she graduated in 2000, she left high school with 40 college credits from AP courses, having earned a Gates Millennium Scholarship and acceptance to Smith College. All of these things are outstanding accomplishments, but it was her involvement outside of the classroom that truly shaped the person she has become today.

During her time at Ferndale High School, Amanda truly found her voice in choir under the guidance of longtime chorale teacher Ms. Brown. “Mrs. Brown heard the potential in my voice and arranged for me to have private voice lessons. It was good for the choir to have stronger singers, but it was such a gift to me as it helped fulfill a desire I held but was afraid to articulate. Guess she was right, as I ended up singing at the Metropolitan Opera House!” Longtime Ferndale patron of the arts Lori Christensen coached talented FHS vocalists for years, but Amanda was perhaps her greatest success story. Amanda went on to not only be a singer for the Metropolitan Opera, but she also won a Grammy during her residency at the MET for her work in the live broadcast of The Tempest.

Amanda’s academic excellence led her parents to enroll her at Cranbrook-Kingswood after middle school. While this was an incredible experience, Amanda never felt at home at Cranbrook and constantly felt like something was missing. “I was miserable there. I came back to Ferndale and with the care that came with being in my home community, the freedom to explore who I was and wanted to be, and of course an amazing vocal music and theatre program, I blossomed.”

Now living halfway around the world in South Africa, Amanda is the mother of two and owner of her own arts company, Africa Arts. She says Ferndale will always be home, and Ferndale Schools will hold a special place in her heart: “It is a rare district that spans the socio-economic diversity of Ferndale and yet still manages to cater to the needs of a great majority of its students.” Ferndale gave Amanda the opportunity to explore not only her academic potential but her artistic calling as well. As one of the longstanding staples in the district, every year Ferndale High School puts on a large scale musical production. During her time at FHS Amanda even had the opportunity to be the student director for the musical Carousel.

Looking back now, Amanda attributes much of her positive experiences and success to Ferndale as a community as well as Ferndale Schools and the incredible teachers the district has employed over the years. “Being able to direct a musical, take university classes, meet students from other districts at CASA, experience diverse friendships, find teachers who were advocates, and not be judged for the process of growing up—these are the incredible gifts that Ferndale gave to me. That kind of support is priceless; it allowed me to take risks and it helped me become the successful person I am today.”

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