First Issue of the Babblezine focuses on the Shepherd Sesquicentennial

Keep your eyes peeled around the Village of Shepherd for hard copies of a new electronic newsletter called the Babblezine. Publisher Jon Morgan describes this new publication as a "general interest magazine with one eye on Central Michigan."

This week the Babblezine will include information about both the Shepherd Sesquicentennial and the Shepherd Area Historical Society's new website. Future issues will cover other topics such as technology, television, movies, and religion with local coverage whenever possible.
The Babblezine can be picked up a several locations (still to be decided) around town or downloaded from http://www.babble-club.net. Jon's goal is to produce a newsletter that is collaborative. Anybody can write for it and because its electronic the turn around on an issue is very short.

The website includes information about a new "Babble Club" that Jon is starting. "You can join for free and discuss the things that you are already interested in," Jon said. "I'm hoping that the discussions will inspire the articles that go into the Babblezine for the public to read."

For more information, contact Jon Morgan at webmaster@babble-club.net.

Register by August 1 for the Old Fashioned Pie Baking Contest

A pie baking will take place in the Shepherd Village Park on Friday, August 17 at 4 p.m. Slices of the pies will be sold to the public during the community pig roast at 5 p.m. Proceeds will go towards the Sesquicentennial celebration.

There will be two categories: cream or fruit. All pies must be made from scratch--sorry, no graham cracker crusts. Fruit pies must be room temperature, no warm pies will be judged. 1st and 2nd place prizes awarded in each category. All entries will be judged on overall appearance, crust (flavor, texture), filling (flavor and consistency) and orginality.

Pies are to be brought covered and backed in 8-10 inch non-returnable pans. NO glass containers will be accepted.

Participants must be at least 18 years old.

Register by August 1st. Mail you name, address, phone number, and a description of the pie being entered to:

Shepherd Sesquicentennial Pie Contest
P.O. Box 23
Shepherd, MI 48883

Shepherd Sesquicentennial Committee

Minutes for June 13, 2007

The meeting began at 7:05pm in room 212 at Shepherd High School. Members present were

S. Davidson, M. Davidson, ML Randolph-Walter, T. Hohlbein, J. Morgan, P. Sandel, J. Gluch, R. Bragg, J. Bush, L. Coughlin, N. Oren, E. Wilberding, & J. Wilberding. .

Old Business:

Banners - 59 banners have been sold so far. Material for 25 more has been ordered.

Donation Barrels – Steve has looked into barrels that would be able to be moved with a two wheel cart. Also looking into a chain to be wrapped around it for security.

Opening Ceremonies – Community band to play on Thursday at the opening ceremonies.

King & Queen contest – Tickets are being sold. Contestants are high school students.

Black Ties – J. WIlberding made a motion to order 60 and sell them at $10.00 ea. S. Davidson seconded. Motion carried.

Time Capsule – Time capsule has been ordered. Deadline for items to be placed in the capsule will be the 1^st meeting in August.

Pie Contest – Mona Lou & Gail have flyers ready to go. Mona Lou passed them around for everyone’s approval. This flyer will be posted around town as well as on the website.

Community grant – Patti wrote the Robert Bates community foundation grant. $675.00 was requested to help pay for the street dance & flyers

House Tour – Lou, Jon, & Patti used the 1987 self tour guide and made adjustments. They did a preliminary walk over Memorial Weekend. A pamphlet will be avail for the Sesquicentennial weekend.

Pow Wow – Joe Sowmick has been contacted. We need to get information to him regarding the location we would like to use and the length of the event.

New Business:

Wooden nickels – The cost for 2500 wooden nickels would be $279.95. A discussion followed whether or not it is feasible to use these as a fundraiser or just give them away. P. Sandel made a motion to use the nickels as giveaways. This motion was seconded by R. Bragg. Motion passed.

Teen Dance – A suggestion was made to host a teen dance. After much discussion it was the consensus of the group the street dance was enough.

Portable restrooms – S. Davidson checked into pricing of the johns. The company the Maple Syrup Festival Committee uses, Walt’s, appeared to be the least expensive. The charge for the weekend will be $750 w/ emptying & cleaning done on a daily basis for three days. ML Walter made a motion to contract Walt’s for the Sesquicentennial weekend. M. Davidson seconded. Motion passed.

S. Davidson made a motion to adjourn at 7:45PM. ML Walters seconded that motion. Motion carried.

Next meeting to be held on June 27 at 7:00PM in room 212 in the High School.

Respectfully Submitted,

Patti Sandel

Shepherd Area Historical Society Website

Check out the Shepherd Area Historical Society's new home on the internet at http://www.historicshepherd.com. The website features information about the group, photos, a downloadable registration form for membership, and a calendar of events.



To visit the site go to historicshepherd.com and click on the "Shepherd Area Historical Society" at the very top right of the screen.

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Shepherd Area Historical Society Ice Cream Social

Stop by the Powerhouse museum next to the Village Park on Monday, July 9 at 6 p.m. for an ice cream social put on by the Shepherd Historical Society. The Central Michigan Community Band will perform in the park pavilion starting at 7 p.m. The powerhouse will also be open for viewing. Stay tuned for more information.

Family Banners can still be ordered

If you have noticed the Sesquicentennial banners on display in downtown Shepherd, the Sesquicentennial Committee would like Shepherd residents to know they may still order the official Shepherd Sesquicentennial Family banners as part of the upcoming celebration in August. The banners will display the Sesquicentennial logo, the family's name and the year the family first lived in Shepherd. Each banner will cost $100.

The banners are being hung along Shepherd's main street and are then yours to take home after the Sesquicentennial is over.
For more information, contact Gina Gross at the Village Office at (989) 828-5278.

What should go into the Time Capsule?

A time capsule is going to be buried in front of the Village park as a part of Shepherd's Sesquicentennial celebration. It will stay buried for 150 years. Nobody can really say what the world will look like in a century in a half, and its anybody's guess what Shepherd will be like. When you consider that in a 150 years we've gone from the horse and buggy to the car and the airplane, it boggles the mind what the future will hold for this quiet little village.

But, the immediate question at hand concerns the contents of that time capsule. What items would be the most meaningful to our descendants when they open the capsule? One Shepherd resident recalls putting a jackknife into the time capsule that was buried in honor of the village's centennial.

Post your comments here, or send suggestions to webmaster@historicshepherd.com. Ideas for the time capsule will be reviewed by the Sesquicentennial Planning Committee during their first meeting in August.

Sesquicentennial King & Queen Contest

The Shepherd High School Student Council is sponsoring a King and Queen Contest for the upcoming Sesquicentennial in August. It is open to all current sophomores, juniors and seniors enrolled at Shepherd High School who wish to participate. Participants will sell tickets to get elected on the court and to raise money for the Sesquicentennial. The top male and female sellers of the tickets will be named King and Queen. The next four top sellers, both male and female, will be on the court.

You may purchase tickets from your favorite contestant for $1.00 per ticket or six tickets for $5. The top sellers will also win prizes.
Tickets will be sold until August 1st. The Student Council will then name the King and Queen along with the Court. The King, Queen, and Court will also ride on a float in our Parade on August 19, 2007.

Upcoming Cemetery Tour

Are you interested in Shepherd history? Would you like to get involved with a Shepherd Sesquicentennial project? Do you like to act? Do you enjoy walking through cemeteries thinking about the courage and challenges of earlier residents?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are needed on the planning committee for the Shepherd Sesquicentennial Cemetery Tour. This committee is meeting Wednesday, June 6, in Room 218 at Shepherd High School. The group will then tour the cemetery. Another meeting is scheduled for June 20th, 7 p.m., in Room 218 at the High School. Come and bring a friend. If you have questions, call Larry Noyes at (989) 828-5319.

The Bowties are Back

The Sesquicentennial Planning Committee recently approved the printing and sale of commemorative bowties similar to the ones that were sold during Shepherd's centennial. The bowties will be $10 each. See a Committee member or call (989) 289-4435 for more information.

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Where were you when the lights went out in Shepherd?

Last night parts of Shepherd lost power after a car collided with a pole. I was at home just getting ready to serve dinner and helping my daughter use a program on our computer in the living room when the power went out. At first, I thought that someone had unplugged the computer but then I realized that everything had gone out.

Power outages are interesting because it really makes a person think about all of the ways that we depend on electricity for our lives. There are the necessities like power for the fridge and cooking, but I've also developed the awful habit of watching TV while we're eating, or walking away from the computer without shutting it down first. The power outage last night made me think about how I could do a better job of 1. conserving energy; and 2. staying independent of electronic devices.

So, where were you when the power went out?

Register for the Sesquicentennial Parade

Anyone who is interested in participating in the Sesquicentennial Parade on August 19 can download and fill out a form off of the Sesquicentennial Parade information page. Or, contact Tom Hohlbein at (989) 828-5293.

Committee Meeting Minutes | May 23, 2007

Shepherd Sesquicentennial Committee

Minutes for May 23, 2007

The meeting began at 7:10 Pm in the Media Center of Shepherd High School. Members present were S. Davidson, M. Davidson, T. Holbein, J. Morgan, M. Koutz, N. Oren, D. Oyster, J. Bush and R Bragg.

Treasurer’s report accepted as written.

Old Business:

Banners are in and will be installed within 2 days. The brackets are being made by the Shepherd DPW. J. Bush thinks that having the banners on display will help sell more.

The exact number of calendars sold until now is unavailable, but the businesses have been requesting more.

Donation Barrels: S. Davidson has some calls in checking on prices, but if they are too much or can’t be here in time he will check into some plastic ones that can be painted to resemble rustic wood ones.

50/50 drawing: We are waiting on the final go ahead with this making sure that we have all the appropriate info. We will refer to Patti Sandel for any further info in June.

Parade: More flyers are being sent to Grim’s for advertising and to recruit more individuals that are interested. We are still looking for the oldest Citizens to be honored in the parade. At this time Emma Lyons and Bob Bates appear to be our honorees, but this is still on the table until closer to the event. We also need to look into a buggy or carriage for them. J. Bush thinks maybe it should be left up to them what they would like to ride in. T. Holbein mentioned other things he’d like to see in the parade: anyone in old dress, old cars and any marching bands.

Community Band: J. Bush confirmed that it would be Thursday evening before the slide show. There was some question as to having a stage downtown. As mentioned originally the need isn’t there and there won’t be one. The group figures that a picnic table or pick up truck would do for opening ceremonies.

Ice Cream Social: There’s some confusion about who will be sponsoring this event. Originally it was thought that the Chamber of Commerce would be, but now we are unsure. D. Oyster said that during the Chamber meeting that they were going to address this with A.J’s Ice Cream shop and see if she would sponsor it.

Train Depot: The depot will be open Friday evening, all day Saturday and until the parade on Sunday. The specific hours will be brought to the next meeting by R. Bragg.

King and Queen contest: T. Holbein has spoken to student council and they are going to participate. There will be no official raffle tied to this because of the licensing issues. The young adults will sell tickets for $1 each. The money will be raised for the Sesquicentennial. It was $80 something for 23,000 tickets to be printed. The tickets have the information on the about our event with a stub at one end. Mrs. Brock is overseeing the event. S. Davidson mentioned getting a signed agreement to keep it business-like so that the profits are confirmed for the committee. Motion was made by S. Davidson and Seconded by D. Oyster to accept the King and Queen contest as part of the events contingent on a signed agreement. Motion passed.

Historic Ties: N. Oren has ordered 24 ties from Country Stitch’n. The cost is $108.08. The printing will be an additional cost. They are shiny black polyester similar to the ones from 50 years ago.

Time Capsule: N. Oren brought all the information for the time capsule. A motion was made to have Newell order the large capsule ($111.25) with the sealing kit ($11.59) so that it will be available for the event. Motion passed.

Website: J. Morgan has made some changes to the website making it more of a community resource. He hopes that this will encourage people to visit our information for the Sesquicentennial. He also gave the committee a guided tour of the entire site including the blog that is available.

Square Dancing: J. Bush will verify with the Superintendent that the elementary gym is available for the Square Dancers. They requested not to be outside if possible.

Advertising: S. Davidson will need to meet with the Morning Sun to put the info in. He also has been in contact with a lady that stocks all the rest stops and restaurants with brochures. She has agreed to get our brochures out for us, but he’ll make contact with her again and confirm this. D. Oyster will get more info about the radio stations including his.

Donations over $1000: G. Gross and S. Davidson thought maybe a banner would be nice for donations $1000 and over. The banner would have the Name on it and would be given as a gesture of gratitude after the celebration. Firstbank questioned why they weren’t recognized on the brochure for their donation. It was mentioned this was an oversight since when the brochure went to print the details weren’t finalized. Also, they were setting up the event themselves. More discussion is need on the guidelines/values for events being done by groups. It was suggested to make sure there’s recognition at the events, such as “This slide show was made possible by Firstbank”

Slide Show: The location of the slide show is still up in the air. There has been some discussion about using the side of the Hardware and closing down Second Street. Steve mentioned this has not been run by him and will contact Claire Benz for more information.

Next meeting dates are: June 13 & 27.

Motion made by J. Bush to adjourn and seconded by D. Oyster. So moved.

Registration form for Arts & Crafts vendors is now online

Vendor registration forms for the Arts & Craft show can be downloaded from the Shepherd Sesquicentennial website here. Contact Delores Brock at (989) 828-5352 or Gina Gross at (989) 828-5278 if you have any questions.

The Banners Have Arrived

Its only June and there are already indications that Shepherd's Sesquicentennial is getting closer. Sesquicentennial banners have been hung around town. Each splendid banner gives a family name and the year that they first lived in Shepherd.

I've always been able to spot the family that's been here the shortest amount of time, but am still comparing banners to find the family with the longest history in Shepherd. Any guesses?

Shepherd-Related discussion groups

Do you moderate or belong to a discussion group on the internet that might be of interest to the community? If so, email a web address and description of the group to webmaster@historicshepherd.com.

If the group is relevant to the Village of Shepherd or central Michigan we will list it under our web directory.

Family Task Force Website

There has been a lot of news about plans for a Family Center in Mt. Pleasant. This website offers a little more information and explanation, as well as a list of task force members. Take a look and then post a comment here about what you think of the idea of building a Family Center in Mt. Pleasant.

Sign up for the Summer Reading Program at the Library

Back when I was younger my parents would always sign me up for the local summer reading program at the Cromaine District Library in Hartland. I enjoyed reading so much that I eventually began to sign up by myself and participated in the programs for several years. Now, I read just for my own personal enjoyment but I'm grateful for the extra incentives offered by the reading program.

So, I'm not going to hesitate to sign up my kids for the summer reading program at the Chippewa River District Library. My daughter starts the second grade next year but she's already reading like crazy, and my son will be in school soon enough. They would both benefit from the reading program, plus it will be something fun for them to do inside when its hot and muggy outside.

Sign up for the mystery themed reading program starts on June 11 at the library.