24th annual ‘A Day in the Village’ celebrates a little place with a lot of spunk

Erin Clifton readies volunteers. Photo credit: Roberta Ludtke

by Roberta Ludtke, Diane Rockall and Patrice Johnson

The scent of hot dogs wafted across the Township Square to the thump of a live band’s bass guitar. The day was Friday, June 15, and the 24th annual “A Day in the Village” was underway. From Veterans’ Memorial Park to the Township Hall “a little place with a lot of spunk” rocked with an open mic and a pet parade (complete with a piglet, of course). A treasure hunt, the Great Lakes Cloggers, and an old-fashioned pie-eating contest were a few of the activities that the young and not-so young came to enjoy.

Upstairs in the Township Hall, the annual art show, sponsored by the Stockbridge Area Arts Council, featured the works of local artists. Award winners included: First Prize, “Warm Breeze” by Thomas Winebrenner; Second Prize, “Angel Metal Work” by Jeff Drushall; Third Prize, “Lidded Vessel” by Dan Reid; and the 2018 People’s Choice Award, “Friends” by Bev Glynn.

In keeping with tradition, the Stockbridge Area Chamber of Commerce announced its Volunteer of the Year, and this year’s award went to retired Stockbridge teacher, Cheryl Holloway. Holloway’s unwavering commitment to Outreach’s Tide Me Over program ranked high among her many kind and generous acts. For the past nine years, Holloway has quietly devoted several hours each week to ordering, hauling cases of groceries and packaging healthy weekend meals for needy elementary children in the community. 

Volunteer of the Year Cheryl Holloway quietly devotes several hours each week to hauling cases of groceries and packaging healthy weekend meals for needy elementary children in Tide Me Over, a program she and fellow teacher Jean Buurma founded nine years ago. Photo credit: Judy Williams

Friday night’s fireworks display, presented by Adiska Family Dental and the Chamber, prompted collective “ooohs” and “wows!”

Early Saturday morning, more than 200 runners (up from last year’s 148) gathered on the Township Square for Positively Chiropractic’s 5K race. Wearing T-shirts that read, “Run like the Winded,” participants walked, jogged and ran 3.1 miles along village streets and nature trails.

Winners of the Top 3 Women overall went to the J’s: 1) Jessica Rickli, 2) Julie Olsen, and 3) Jacquie Olsen. The Top 3 Men overall were 1) Andy Schlaff, 2) Jack Youngblood, and 3) Jonah Coffman. 

“Rick and I finished last,” Molly Howlett grinned as she recalled the event. “We were the sweepers.”

A block away in the United Methodist Church, the Stockbridge Crazy Quilters unfurled a magnificent display of quilts. These generous and creative women had met every week last year to design, stitch and sew donated materials into 118 quilts, which they donated to local Hospice services.

Back on the square, face-painted children leapt like swarms of grasshoppers in the bouncy house. Then they donned balloon hats and danced to PhatBoy and Bourree Dance & Performance Arts. The persuasive coaxed their parents into buying them handcrafted tie-dye T-shirts, hair clips, butterfly houses, photos and organic cheeses. A drawing for free kids bikes drew a crowd of hopeful young faces, and four were rewarded with bikes donated by an anonymous local family.

lL-R: Dan Reid, 3d prize winner, Bev Glynn – People’s Choice winner, Thomas Winebrenner – first prize winner

Throughout the day 26 volunteers rallied to help the Masons rollout a free Child ID program. In all, 116 children received packets.   

SRSLY Cinema closed out Saturday night with the movie “Space Jam” projected across the square.

In a fitting wrap-up to the Father’s Day weekend event, Crossroads Community Church, Southwest Church of the Nazarene, and the Gregory Community Church teamed up on Sunday to conduct a special community church service on the square. High School Principal Jeff Trapp delivered the message.

Runners prepare for the 5K run, sponsored by Positively Chiropractic.

Team Jessica. Dan Berlin and Daughter Jessica ready to start the race. Photo credit: Roberta Ludtke

Jeff Drushall – 2nd prize winner for Angel Metal Work – New baby Olive looks on.

Thomas Winebrenner is awarded First prize for his work entitled Warm Breeze. Photo credit: Diane Rockall

Lidded Vessel by Dan Reid third prize winter. Photo credit Diane Rockall

The 2018 People’s choice award goes to Friends by Bev Glynn. Photo credit: Diane Rockall

Jeff Drushall receives second place for his wire sculpture entitled Angel Metal Work, as wife and new baby Olive look on. Photo credit: Diane Rockall

Sue Trowbridge, minister of the Methodist Church, models this quilt she created using fabric from Australia. Photo credit: Roberta Ludtke

Debbie Wright, who made a pirate quilt for her nephew, created quilt kits during the summer to help other quilters. Photo credit: Roberta Ludtke

Gail Horn made this quilt for a family member’s wedding. Photo credit: Roberta Ludtke

In a fitting wrap-up to the event on Father’s Day Sunday, Crossroads Community Church, Southwest Church of the Nazarene, and the Gregory Community Church teamed up to conduct a special community church service on the square. Photo credit: Laura Hejnal

Art show displays.

Thank you James Clark-Swalla, DigitalCrumbs Photography for the following photos;