Plans for Shorewood Kiwanis Harper cruise underway

SERVICE CIRCUIT

Shorewood Kiwanis Cruise logo design first place winner Nina Emery.

Pictured front row are: Rosanne Minne cruise chairwoman; student artists Joyce Drayer second place winner, Nina Emery first place winner, and Monica (Moe) Warren third place winner; Kiwanis member Sharon Gwizdowski; Deanna Sheehan, MCC professor of Media and Communications Arts. Back row: Mark Jewett, MCC associate dean, Engineering and Advanced Technology; Kiwanis members Joe Cornaire, Bob Pazlawski, Robert and Adura Calhoun; Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel; and Amy O’Brien-Kravitz sales manager, Roy O’Brien Ford Inc. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MACOMB COMMUNITY COLLEGE

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Aug. 27 might seem a long way off, but planning for the Shorewood Kiwanis Club’s Harper Charity Cruise for that day has been in the works for months.

It starts with an art contest where Macomb Community College Design 3 winter semester students vie for the opportunity of designing the logo for the cruise T-shirts and other materials, and compete for cash prizes.

The Shorewood Kiwanis Club of Michigan and major cruise sponsor Roy O’Brien Ford Inc. sponsor the contest. This year’s winners announced last month are Nina Emery first place and $1,000, Joyce Drayer second place and $650, and Monica (Moe) Warren third place and $350.

Cruise chairwoman Rosanne Minne admires the low-rider design.

“Ours is a free cruise raising money for children’s charity projects,” she said. “What’s new is we are emailing past sponsors notices about sponsorship and the cruise. If they get their sponsorship form and money in by May 1, they will get one free T-shirt. We will have some on May 1, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Roy O’Brien Ford. The cruise runs from 8 and-a-half Mile to 12 Mile Road, along Harper Avenue. It’s a rain or shine event.

“The beneficiaries are any Shorewood Kiwanis project like Christmas in August when elementary school children get to shop for school clothes in August and we pay for them,” Minne said. “We have a new project — Keep Kids Reading. We treat children to one free book they get to pick out from Scholastic Books.”

Confirmed charity partners for this year’s cruise are Kids on the Go and Motor City Mitten Mission.

“The charity partners sell T-shirts the day of cruise. They get a portion of the money from the sales, and all of the jug money they collect,” Minne said.

The Scholastic Reading program was recently presented to Greenwood Elementary School in St. Clair Shores by the Kiwanis club. The club hosted a Christmas party at the Lakeshore Presbyterian Church for more than 100 children who are experiencing homelessness. The children received a hot meal, presents and winter outerwear, and a book. Kiwanis members participated in the city’s Goodfellows project, delivering baskets on Christmas Eve.

The club participated in a Kids Coalition Against Hunger food packaging event at Lakeshore High School. The event was spearheaded by Hannah Cabal, student lieutenant governor for Kiwanis Key Clubs which are high school service clubs modeled after Kiwanis clubs. Ten thousand meals were packaged, some delivered to hurricane victims in North Carolina and Florida.

Fraser students help Fraser VFW

Fraser High School Charity Week 2025, organized annually by the student council, was all for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Wood-Reid Post 6691 in Fraser. As of March 5, they raised $5,500 and presented it to the vets.

“Fraser High School students elected to run a fundraiser for VFW Post 6691. The post is eternally grateful for this generous offer,” post public information officer Mike Sand said. Students said they chose their local post because many have a personal connection to someone who has served in the military or know someone who does. They feel that veterans are often overlooked and wanted to show their appreciation.

Romeo Rotary Club seeks food-packaging volunteers on March 22

The Romeo Rotary Club, Kids Coalition Against Hunger, and the Four County Community Foundation host a meal-packaging event 9-11 a.m. March 22 at Grace Lutheran Church, 7525 32 Mile Road, Bruce Township.

“We are looking for volunteers to help us pack 10,000 meal packets,” Sharon Smith, Romeo Rotary Club president, said. “Each packet contains enough to provide a balanced, nutritious meal to six adults or 12 children. The meal packets will go to those impacted by weather in Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia, to help meet food needs locally in the Romeo and Metro-Detroit area, and to fight hunger in third-world countries.”

Volunteers can sign up at kidscoalitionagainsthunger.org; click on “Upcoming Events” and select the March 22 date.

“It’s a fun time, only takes a couple of hours, and is a great way to make new friends while also doing something very impactful,” Smith said.

For more information, contact Smith at 978-771-8694.

Lions organization offers classes on diabetes

An eight-week class on Zoom begins at 6 p.m. March 25 on how to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes. It is sponsored by Lions District 11-A2 of Macomb and Oakland Counties. It is for people who are pre-diabetic, those who have Type 2 diabetes, and those who want to learn more about how diabetes can impact their lives or the lives of loved ones. For more information, contact Roger Blackwell at 810-923-2954.

Marine Corps League chili cook-off benefits veterans

The Macomb County Marine Corps League’s St. Patty’s Day Chili Cook-Off fundraiser is Monday, March 17 at American Legion Post 351 at 46146 Cass Ave., Utica. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event runs until 8 p.m. The cost is $10 for a variety of chili dishes, cornbread, pop, water and dessert. Contact Nate Joliff at natejoliff@comcast.net or 248-464-3258 for additional details. Proceeds go to veterans causes.

Send news of service clubs and veterans organizations to Linda May at lindamay@ameritech.net or call landline 586-791-8116.