Making of
Lost in the Woods
GRAND BLANC — Those who enjoyed the movie Lost in the Woods, based on the award-winning book, should go to McFarlen Library at 11 a.m. on June 21 to meet the filmmakers and learn how they wrote and directed the film.
Writers and directors Laura and Robert Sams will be on hand to talk about the steps they took to generate the idea for the movie and how they developed that idea and turned it into the final film. The movie was produced by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick, who also wrote the book, as well as its predecessor, Stranger in the Woods.
The event is for all ages and attendees will learn about film writing and movie making. For more details, call McFarlen Library at 810-694-5310. — K.S.

Vance takes job as Lapeer elementary principal
GRAND BLANC — Heather Vance, a differentiated instructional mentor for Grand Blanc Community Schools, will take over as principal of Mayfield Elementary in Lapeer on July 1. Vance will replace retiring principal, Jim Whitlock, who spent 30 years in the Lapeer Community School district.
Vance has worked in the Grand Blanc Community School district for five years — three as a fifth-grade teacher at McGrath Elementary and two as a differentiated instructional mentor. Vance received her Masters in K-12 administration from Michigan State University and has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, majoring in language arts. — K.S.

Winning Grand Blanc kid honored
GRAND BLANC — Kevin Smith, 14, was honored at the 2007 Summer Stroll for Epilepsy at the Detroit Zoo on June 9. Every year, the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan honors children from across the state for the accomplishments they’ve made in spite of their epilepsy.
Smith, along with 14 other “Winning Kids,” helped Grand Marshall Carlita Kilpatrick lead the stroll through the Detroit Zoo on Saturday. Smith’s mother, Michelle, says her son exemplifies a “winning kid.”
“He can be a normal teenager and still have epilepsy,” said Michelle, who says Kevin likes to ride his bike, play on the computer, cook, golf and hang out with friends. Kevin recently got a job at Warwick Hills golf course as a caddy and he just completed his eighth-grade year at Grand Blanc West Middle School. Michelle said that Kevin takes medication for his epilepsy and that it typically works to keep his condition under control.
All 15 “Winning Kids” will be honored at the Flame of Hope ceremony held in the fall by the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan. For more information, call 800-377-6226 or visit www.epilepsymichigan.org. — K.S.

Genesee County Reverse 911
FLINT — Genesee County has devised a way to alert large numbers of people at a relatively fast pace in the event of an emergency. The Genesee County Reverse 911 is a system, currently in place for all listed phone numbers, which can call about 100 phone lines a minute to deliver a pre-recorded emergency-related message.
Genesee County is now requesting that anyone with unlisted phone numbers, which includes cell phones and voice-over internet users, register their phone number as well. Messages will be brief and will occur when important information needs to be passed along immediately to members of a particular neighborhood or geographic area.
The Genesee County 911 Communications Center asks that those who do not have a phone number listed with the Center fill out an application and submit it to Genesee County 911 Communications Center, Attention: Reverse 911, 4481 Corunna Rd., Flint, MI 48532 or e-mail it to
reverse911@geneseecounty911. org.
Applications are available at abc12.com or www.co.genesee. mi.us/emergency/lepc.htm. — K.S.

No burning permits
GRAND BLANC TWP. — The fire department is no longer issuing burning permits for Grand Blanc Township residents. The department resumes issuing burning permits on Oct. 15 this year through April 30, 2008.
The fire department does not issue burning permits to City of Grand Blanc residents at any time of the year. — J.N.

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