Student awarded
GRAND BLANC — East Middle School eighth grader Emily Ruddle’s “Peace Poster” has won a lot of accolades. The poster, entered into the yearly Lions Club Peace Poster Contest, won first place in the East building, first place in the district and took second place in the state competition. She missed out on winning the state and moving on to the national competition by only one vote.
Emily has won $650 in prize money for her poster. Every fall, Grand Blanc Schools participate in the poster contest, which is designed to provide inspiration and hope for a more peaceful world. Several other posters continue to adorn the walls of the lecture hall at East, although Emily’s poster will adorn her bedroom wall at home. — P.H.

Fire safety
AREAWIDE — Fire prevention inspectors at the Grand Blanc Township Fire Prevention Bureau have many tips for residents to make homes safer.
Many fires in the home are electrical in origin, according to the bureau. Buying electrical equipment that has been tested and approved, not altering any electrical devices yourself, avoiding overloading the home’s wiring system, replacing frayed or damaged cords, not routing cords through doorways or under rugs or carpet and unplugging small appliances when not in use are all simple steps to avoid fires.
Dryer fires also are a leading source of home fires. Cleaning the lint trap, checking the seal between the lint trap and vent, keeping the area around the dryer clutter free and avoiding leaving the dryer operating when asleep or out of the home are among ways to cut down on fire hazards.
Any residents who have questions about fire prevention can call the bureau at 810-424-2630, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. — P.H.

Volunteers honored
GENESEE COUNTY — The 19th annual Master Gardener Recognition Banquet was March 8 and more than 300 Michigan State University Extension volunteers were honored for donating more than 15,600 hours of their time to various educational projects throughout Genesee County.
Special guests at the event included Sen. Deb Cherry (D-Burton), Representatives Lee Gonzales (D-Flint) and Ted Hammon (D-Burton), and Genesee County Commissioners Miles Gadola and Ted Henry.
Multiple volunteers earned their first Master Gardener certification, while several others received Advanced Master Gardner certification. The big winners of the night were Linda Blanco and Dave Groat, who both received the “2006 Outstanding Master Gardener of the Year” awards. Additionally, Phil Downs and Bill Holl were recipients of the “2006 Master Gardener Award for Distinguished Service and Continued Contributions to Horticulture Education in Genesee County.”
The Master Gardener program is a program dedicated to horticulture education and leadership training. For information, call 810-244-8530. — A.S.

Family history
BURTON — The Flint Genealogical Society hosts its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. April 3 at the Burton Senior Activity Center, 3410 S. Grand Traverse.
Speaker Leroy Cole presents a process for saving photographs on DVD. Anyone who needs assistance with genealogical problems/questions, the society has a “question table” available before the meeting.
The FGS is open to anyone in Genesee County interested in genealogical issues and family histories. For more information, contact Lorene Wilson at 810-694-9196. — J.N.

Church fundraiser
GRAND BLANC TWP. — Faith Lutheran Church, 12534 Holly Rd., is hosting a “Mega Garage Sale” from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today and Friday and from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
Proceeds from the sale will be used to send the church’s youth group to the National Youth Gathering in Orlando and for the youth lounge restoration at the church.
Admission to the event is free. — P.H.

GBFD history
GRAND BLANC — Pat Rockafellow of the Grand Blanc Fire Commission is presenting a program on the Grand Blanc Fire Department’s history and present capabilities Monday at the Grand Blanc Heritage Museum.
Doors open at 7 p.m. The presentation begins at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. — P.H.

Town hall meeting
FLINT — Sen. Deb Cherry (D-Burton) and Sen. John Gleason (D-Flushing) will host a town hall meeting from 6:30-8:30 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at the IBEW Local Union 948 Hall, 1251 W. Hill Rd.
Cherry, Gleason and former senator Bob Emerson will discuss the state budget and Michigan’s future. — P.H.

Art of felting
GRAND BLANC — The Grand Blanc Arts Council is presenting “The Art of Felting” with Connie Spooner and Janette Borke at 7 p.m. March 28 at the Grand Blanc Heritage Museum.
The program will showcase the processes of wet felting and needle felting using wool fleece. For details, call the GBAC at 810-695-8933. — P.H.

Meeting changes
GRAND BLANC TWP. — The township board has rescheduled several meetings in April and May. The March 28 workshop meeting, April 10 committee of the whole (COW) meeting and April 12 board meeting have been cancelled. The workshop will be at 10 a.m. April 4, the COW will be at 5:30 p.m. April 17 and the board meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. April 19.
The May 8 COW meeting has also been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. May 9. For information, visit www.twp.grand-blanc.mi.us. — P.H.

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