WE ARE LOOKING FOR DONATIONS OF BOTTLED WATER.

WATER DONATIONS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE SPARTA FIRE DEPARTMENT OR CONTACT Amy Drent @ supermom101@netscape.com

WE ARE LOOKING FOR MONEY DONATIONS.

There will be a motorcade that will leave West gate Blowing lanes on Alpine Ave. about 8AM on Aug 21.

This motorcade will go north on Alpine Ave. to Sparta Ave then north on Sparta Ave. into the Village of Sparta and end at Balyeat Field.

Where the wall will be set up.

All money donations to made out to THE MOVING WALL - SPARTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Any donated money not used for our expenses for bring the wall to Sparta will be sent with the caretakers of the wall for it maintenance's and upkeep.

For more information on The Moving Wall go to www.spartachamber.com and click on the moving wall link.

Click Here for details

Open Horse Show - Seventh Annual “Stress Reliever” – Fun Horse Show to benefit Therapeutic Horsemanship of West Michigan (Equine activities for persons with disabilities).

August 23, 2008 – 9:00am – Rain or Shine – Detersmination Equestrian Center – 6479 Maple Island Road, Nunica, 49448

(for directions and information, see: www.detersminationfarm.com)

For more information or to sponsor a class for only $20, call 616.837.6112. (THWM)

Entry fee: $5 per class – Proceeds of the day go to THWM.

Show clothes not required.

Showmanship classes 14 & under and 15+

Special Needs Showmanship

Halter Stock & Pleasure

Equitation Classes

Stick Horse classes J

Fun Classes include Musical Cones, Egg & Spoon, Bareback, English, Senior Horse Pleasure, Backyard Jumping, Gaited Riding, Western Horsemanship, Paris, Ride-a-Buck and Champagne Ride (over 21 ID required)

If you have horses, come join the classes. If you love horses, come enjoy the shows. If you support Special Needs, come contribute to a worthy cause, enjoy the horses and have a great day. Detersmination Equestrian Center is a safe and beautiful facility with an 80X260 Lighted Indoor Arena.

Ribbons will be given to first 6 places in most classes. Negative Coggins must be shown at entry. Approved helmets and footwear must be worn.

Ponies may be shown in any class.

The West Michigan Justice and Peace Coalition is bringing the Arlington Midwest (AMW) exhibit to Grand Rapids on September 18 through 22, 2008.

Assembled by the Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition, the AMW exhibit, which is a three-part display, consists of over 4,000 homemade “tombstones”, one for each soldier killed in the wars against Iraq and Afghanistan that resembles the U.S. national cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The display also includes a section of 36 “planks” to represent the large number of civilians killed in those wars, and a separate “cemetery” for U.S. soldiers who have committed suicide since returning from the war. Website: Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition http://www.nwopc.org/arlington.html

The AMW exhibit will be placed on the southeast corner of Marywood, the property of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids at 2025 East Fulton Street.

The display will be open to the public on Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

On Sunday September 21, IGE will sponsor an interfaith prayer service in Dominican Chapel/Marywood at 2:00 p.m. for the U.N. International Day of Peace.

For more information: contact Mark M. Mattison"

All Outback Steakhouse Restaurants in Michigan invite you to join them for lunch on August 15th from 12:00-2:00pm. Lunch includes Blooming Onion, salad, choice of steak, chicken, ribs or salmon, desert and drink. All proceeds benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s research of Friedrich’s Ataxia. Cost is $20. To purchase tickets, call your local MDA office or stop in your local Outback Restaurant. Help us fight to find a cure.

The Danish Festival Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that a Hot Air Balloon Rally will once again be conducted in conjunction with our Festival! Twenty beautiful balloons will color the skies over the Festival. Launches will be held from Klackle Orchards on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm, and Saturday and Sunday mornings at 7am. In addition, a community demonstration will be held at Baldwin Elementary on Thursday evening, a Media Flight to promote the Event on Friday morning, as well as the Community Picnic at the Community Center on Sunday. The night sky will alight in a kaleidoscope of bright color as the balloons conduct “Greenville Glows” on Saturday evening (around 9pm) at the High School.

The community is invited to the demonstrations, launches, and glow to get an up close and personal look at these colorful, gentle giants.

Event Director, Tom Brown, a Greenville resident and hot air balloon pilot, says “we’re thrilled to bring a Rally again to the Danish Festival. The community only got a glimpse of ballooning’s excitement last year, due to weather. We’re bringing more balloons and hoping for more flights. We’re especially looking forward to the hot air balloon glow to be held behind the high school on Saturday night. Similar events are held throughout the state and never fail to be a huge crowd draw and pleaser.”

Balloonists will compete in a series of flying skills competitions. As balloons are at the mercy of the winds, pilots must skillfully use the winds’ speeds and directions to maneuver to targets on the ground. What goes up must come down. Balloons can land in any safe area--a field or even your driveway! They rarely know for sure ahead of time!

Rides are slated for sponsors, whose support is critical to bringing these operations together. “Although,” says Brown, “extra sets of hands are always welcome!” People interested in crewing, especially for out-of-town balloon teams, are encouraged to call Tom. Crew training will occur during the Thursday evening demonstration at Baldwin Elementary.

The Danish Festival is committed to celebrating the Greenville Area’s Danish heritage by producing a quality, family-focused event. This year’s festival is scheduled for August 14, 2007 through August 17, 2008.

For more information, please visit the website at www.danishfestival.org

When: Friday, August 15, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. & Saturday, August 16, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Where: Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, 3151 N. 120th Avenue, Holland, MI 49424

Details: Event features samplings of favorite dishes, a bake sale, crafts, and sale featuring used books, CD's VHS Tapes, Frames and coffee mugs.

Please contact me at balliet5@charter.net with any questions.

Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.
Ionia County Relay For Life 2008
* Subject to change

August 21st
Bank night- t-shirt pick up 5-7:00pm
Site set up 5-8:00pm
August 22nd
8:00am Set up
11:30 Team Captain Meeting
12:00pm National Anthem and Flag Presentation
12:05 All team banner lap (one lap only)
1:00 Silent Auction begins
3-4:00 Washers (location tba), Horse shoes (location tba)
3:00 Squirt gun laps
4:00 50/50 Raffle lap
6:30 Survivor Celebration Registration begins
7-8:00 Celebration: Survivor Reception
8:00 Survivor Victory lap (1st lap survivors, 2nd family, caregivers & friends)
8:15 Bubble laps begins after Survivor laps
8:30 Fight Back Ceremony
9:00 Trick or Treat time (treats for children only)
9:30/45 (dusk) Remember: (Luminaria) Ceremony
11:00 Pizza time
11:00 Poker laps
August 23rd
12-2:00 Lip Sync/Karaoke contest
1:00am Glow laps
2:00 PJ laps/contest
7:00 Rooster Crowing Contest
7:30 Breakfast is served
9:00 “Kiss A Pig” sponsored by Country Pride & Friends
9:30 Team form (laps, tent judging etc. turned in- no late entries accepted)
9:30 Last banking time
10:00 Silent Auction Closed (monies for these turned in ASAP)
10:45 Trash laps
11:20 Closing Celebration
11:50 Thank you for your participation. Let’s take our last lap together.

**Movies shown during the event on large screen under the grandstand.
** basketball –free throw contest (time tba)
**Bingo area & puzzle area available (for kids & adults)

Details HERE