Today is Flag Day, a day that commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. From the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag of 1776 to the one that waves today, the flag has gone through 27 variations. While Flag Day is not a national holiday, it is observed nationally and has been since 1949 when Congress requested that Presidents issue a proclamation for its observance.
Did Betsy Ross really make that first official flag? We will probably never know for sure, but she was known for making ship’s flags, and her husband’s uncle (George Ross) was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, so he was known to George Washington. However, it wasn’t until a century later that Ross’s grandson publicly shared the story. Regardless, it is a day to fly the flag high if you have one!
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Speaking of flags, I want to thank the volunteers who lower and raise ours when we receive an order from the Office of the Governor of the State of Michigan. Thank you, Brit Eaton, David Merrell and Dave Tucker! Thanks go, as well, to the five guys who came Monday to assemble a myriad of furniture for our Children’s Garden: Bill Ryan, Bill Stott, Al Decker, Brit Eaton and Bob Shurly.
And if you haven’t taken a stroll in our Children’s Garden out back, please do! Thanks to Jordan Valdmanis and Old Mission Associates — and our volunteer gardeners, Amy Eaton, Camille Abbott, Gladys Maguire, Mary Ellen Byrne, Linda Seibel, David Merrell — the “secret garden” is looking great!
Summer Reading Club
School’s out and it is time for summer fun – and SUMMER READING CLUB! Adults, teens and kids can register at PCL. We have prizes for all! Note that our SRC is of the “old fashioned” variety – an escape from the digital world!
Here is the schedule for kids:
- Week 1: Camping FUN with stories in a tent, s’mores and camp songs, 7/11 at 11 a.m.
- Week 2: Bubbling over with Water FUN with stories, bubble play, free ice cream from our vintage ice cream cart, and crafts, 7/18 at 11 a.m.
- Week 3: FUN on the Move stories, outdoor yoga with JUST BEE YOGA, the TADL Bookmobile and crafts, 7/25 at 11 a.m.
- Week 4: FUN with Friends featuring Music FUN with Miriam Pico and a free hot dog lunch, 8/1 at 11 a.m.
All programs are held outdoors weather permitting. Teens join us 7/27 at 6 p.m. to make a drip art masterpiece and for pizza! Adults can craft a recycled card wreath 7/6 at 6:30 p.m.. Details, displays and prize info at PCL.
Concerts, History, Art Fair, Book Sale & More
Swaying to the Music. Our garden concert series kicks off with a Summer Solstice event sponsored by the Friends of PCL, June 21 from 5-7 with Irish music by Doc and Donna Probes. Free ice cream too!
Nicholas Veine, a music scholar from Manistee, joins us June 30 at 7 p.m. with a little bit of blues, jazz and country. July 14 at 7 p.m., Doc and Donna return with popular songs we all love.
August 9 at 7 p.m., Ruth and Max Bloomquist offer up “rootsy acoustic Americano folk!” Pack a picnic – you may bring a small serving of wine or beer for yourselves, but must carry off the containers! Rain venue is the community room, no picnic.
Our Shared Past. Join us June 20 at 2 p.m., for a local history talk featuring select students from the OMPS third grade class who will share their winning coloring artwork from the “Once Upon a Peninsula ” activity book. One room schoolhouse tales will be told by Old Mission’s own master storyteller, Tim Carroll.
The Night Library. Families are invited to stop by June 27 at 8 p.m. after hours for bedtime stories, s’mores, and a night craft. Come in your jammies! If the night is clear, take a look at the sky through our telescope!
Michigan Medicine. We are proud to continue our collaboration with University of Michigan Medicine. This series features physicians renowned the world over. On July 17 at 3 p.m., Dr. John D. Bisognano, M.D., Ph.D. talks about preventing heart disease as we age. August 21 at 3 p.m. brings Dr. Christopher D. Lao, M.D. on new treatments for melanoma and advanced skin cancers.
Looking ahead to October 2 at 3 p.m., we are joined by Dr. Martin G. Myers, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., who shares recent research on diabetes and progress toward a cure. Each hour-long program will be followed by a fireside chat with time to ask personal questions. You MUST register at victors.us/MMPeninsula. SPACE IS LIMITED SO REGISTER NOW!
Quilts for Kids. Join Kellie Chase to help transform fabrics into patchwork quilts for kids facing serious trauma. Meetings quarterly starting 7/11, 10 a.m. – noon. Quilts for Kids is a non-profit organization. RSVP.
Movie Matinee. Escape the heat with movies and snacks! 7/12, A Bug’s Life (G).
The Gift of Life. PCL partners with VERSITI for a blood drive 8/23. All blood collected stays in Michigan. You may register NOW here.
Our Friends are Your Friends! The Friends of PCL have hot summer plans! Join them at their general meeting 7/19 at 1:30 pm. Beach Bundles for summer reading are offered for sale in the PCL lobby 5/30-6/30, puzzles and games too!
Their Summer Solstice Concert is 6/21 from 5-7 – ice cream on them! The Annual Book Sale starts August 9 (members only) and opens to the public 8/10-8/16. Donate books on the first and third Mondays of the month at our Carriage House from 4-6 pm.
If you have just a bag or two, we can take them anytime! Last day to donate is July 17. Check the Friends’ page on our website for a list of items we cannot take!
The Friends also hold their ART SALE September 23 from 10-4. The cost for a booth is $50 and benefits PCL. You can email Becky Dykstra at [email protected] for information.
Do you know that Consumer Reports is available from the homepage of our website thanks to our Northland Library Cooperative? Be sure to check it out along with all the wonderful resources from the Michigan eLIbrary, also available from a link on our website!
Enjoy a great start to your summer and do make PCL a part of it! Your community library is at the heart of it all!
Hats Off – The Flag Goes By – by Henry Holcomb Bennett
Hats off! Along the street there comes
A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums
A flash of color beneath the sky
Hats off! The flag is passing by!
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A NOTE FROM JANE: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers like the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, and magazines like Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So of course, I started my own newspaper. Because the Gazette is mainly reader-supported, I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks my way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the Old Mission Peninsula. Check out the donation page here. Thank you so much for your support. -jb
