June 2015 – News Briefs

Kelsey, Emily and Kaylee Shankin holding Skylar Webb walked in the Memorial Day Parade to honor their great grandma “Rosie Ruth,” Webb who worked during WW II building B-24 Bombers at Willow Run Bomber Plant.

Crime Stoppers
Wayne Police Chief Al Maciag has reported that the case involving four robberies that occurred in Wayne early in May is still open. Three incidents occurred in the Westwick Square Cooperative near Annapolis and Venoy Road.  The other occurred at Attwood Park on Howe Road.   During evening hours, victims were approached by a large group of male subjects who demanded property.  In several of these incidents, the victims were approached from behind and knocked to the group.  No weapons were used or reported in these incidents that are believed to be related. If you have information, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP (1-800-773-2587).

Relay for Life Wayne/Westland
Relay for Life, June 6-7, moves to Westland this year.  It will be at the Westland Farmer’s Market Pavilion at Central City Park. Opening Ceremony will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The Luminaria Ceremony will be at dusk, and the Closing Ceremony is Sunday morning 6:30 a.m.  Relay for Life is an organized, overnight community fundraising walk.  Teams of people camp out around a track; members of each team take turns walking around the track.  There will be food, games and activities to provide entertainment and build camaraderie.  This is a family-friendly event the entire community can attend.

Summer Reading Program
“Escape the Ordinary” and participate in the Wayne Public Library’s annual summer reading program for kids.  Registration begins Tuesday, June 9, and continues until the program ends on July 31.  Keep track of reading time and earn points that can be used to purchase prizes.

Wayne Farmer’s Market
This season, Farmers Market has something for everyone! With over 25 vendors, you can find Michigan-made and Michigan-grown products, homemade soap, candles, garden art, and more! The market is held at Goudy Park where there is a full playground and access to the walking path along the Rouge River! Musicians of all kinds will perform during market hours 3-7 p.m. every Wednesday.
Growing Hope, which manages the Farmer’s Market, currently needs unwanted t-shirts for the Children’s Day activity they have planned for June 17. Parking is available in the lot behind the Courthouse off Second Street, in the Wayne Activity and Banquet lot at 35000 Sims Avenue, and across Sims behind the Michigan Avenue shops. For more information on the Farmer’s Market or if you’d like to perform at the market, please contact Olivia at 313.510.7061 or market@growinghope.net.

Partner Roundtable Meeting
The Wayne Main Street Organization Committee formally invites you to attend its second Partner Round Table meeting on Thursday, June 18, 2015, 6-8 p.m. at the Wayne Activity and Banquet Center. Please join the 30 representatives of service organizations and churches in Wayne, who met during the initial Partner Round Table in January. We will be sharing our activities and calendars from July through the end of this year.
One very exciting initiative is that Wayne has been selected as one of four cities to participate in the Oakwood Healthcare System’s “Healthy Communities Leadership Coalition.” This is a chance to hear about the new program and how the city of Wayne will be involved. You and your organizations are vital partners for the revitalization of Downtown Wayne. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP by May 29 at (734) 629-6822 or email executive director, Lindsey Wooten, at director@downtownwayne.org.
Household Hazardous/ Electronic Waste Collection
Sponsored by the Wayne County Department of Public Services, the next collection date is Saturday, June 20, 8 a.m-2 p.m. at Henry Ford College in Dearborn.
Acceptable items include household paints, stains and dyes, floor wax, floor care products, carpet cleaner, furniture polish, bathroom cleaners, stain removers, solvents, pharmaceutical waste (non-controlled substances only), nail polish, nail glue, fertilizer, lawn and garden chemicals, pesticides, antifreeze, motor oil, gasoline, propane tanks, automotive batteries and dry cell batteries, all types of fluorescent bulbs, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, mercury thermometers, thermostats and elemental mercury, computer CPUs, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mice (the electronic kind), cell phones, fax machines, copiers and televisions.   You must be a resident of Wayne County and show ID.
Items that will not be accepted include: Commercial waste, industrial waste, radioactive material, explosives, ammunition, 55 gallon drums, shock sensitive materials, household trash, refrigerators, microwaves or other appliances, tires, yard waste, roofing shingles, and concrete. For information on how to dispose of these items, please contact the Wayne County Resource Recovery Coordinator at 734-326-3936.
If you miss this opportunity, there will be another one August 15 at the Westland Mall.

Nankin Mills Historical Series
Wayne County Parks presents the 4th program in the Nankin Mills Historical Series.  The program “First Settlement Families of Nankin Township: The Swifts and Osbands” will be 1-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at Nankin Mills Interpretive Center in Westland.  Local settlers Marcus Swift and William Osband brought their families to the wilds of Michigan in 1825. They became prominent figures in the formation of Nankin Township, building the first schools, churches, anti-slavery societies and homes. Their lives are a fascinating story of perseverance in the face of many hardships, as well as an inspiration. Cost is $2 for Wayne County residents; $3 for non-Wayne County residents. Advanced registration and prepayment is required. For more information or to register by phone, call 734-261-1990.
Red October Run
Early bird registration of $22 runs through June 30 for the Oakwood Hospital, Wayne MI, Red October Run which will be held Saturday, October 3.  There will be silver anniversary finisher medals to celebrate 25 years. Events include a 10K run, 5K run, 5K walk and a FREE Junior October Kids’ Mile for kids 12 years and under on a closed 1-mile course.  All kids win ribbons and receive goodies.  Parents may accompany small children.  The kids’ mile is free, but registration is required for all participating children.  For more information and to sign up go to http://www.oakwood.org/redoctoberrun.

“Fruit of the Spirit” Vacation Bible School
First Congregational Church of Wayne will be hosting a morning Vacation Bible School June 22-25, 9-11:30 a.m. The children will learn about growing the fruit of the Spirit in their own lives. Children 4 years old up to those who have completed 5th grade are invited.  Volunteers will also be needed to help make this a wonderful adventure. Contact the church for more information.

FREE Pure Michigan Business Connect & Wayne Sign Ordinance
Join Wayne Main Street on Tuesday, June 23, from 6-8 p.m. at the Wayne Fire Station as they host Jacob Schroeder from Pure Michigan Business Connect.  There will also be a chance to educate yourself during a Q&A session with a city employee about Wayne’s sign ordinance. Light refreshments will be provided.

Free Parent Support Workshops
Starfish Family Services will be offering a free parent support workshop on Wednesday evening, June 24, at the Wayne Public Library.  The program is “Word Play, Rhyming and Other Pre-Reading Activities”.  To register, go to www.greatstarttoquality.org or contact Starfish Early Learning Communities at 313-937-2458.

Wayne Police Department Community Meeting
Wayne residents and businesses are invited to a monthly meeting hosted by the police department at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at the Wayne Activity and Banquet building on Sims.
Wayne Police Chief Al Maciag has stated that it is the department’s goal that these meetings provide the community with an opportunity to ask questions or discuss concerns they may have with the Wayne Police Department. The feedback received from these meetings is tremendously important in helping the department to improve upon the work they perform on behalf of the residents and businesses. These meetings will be held the last Thursday of each month.

“Through The Garden Gate”
The Wayne Garden Club will be hosting a Garden Walk on Saturday, June 27, featuring 7 homes plus Brenda’s Butterfly House.   Tickets will be sold at the Wayne Public Library and Barson’s Greenhouse in Westland.  You can also obtain tickets through a Wayne Garden Club member. Tickets are $8 ($10 day of walk at the First Congregational Church in Wayne).  You can enjoy the gardens between 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. A White Elephant Sale will be set up at one of the homes. Refreshments will be provided.  Contact Maureen at 734-728-1232 if you have any questions.

Magic with Jeff Wawrzaszek
Come to “Every Magician Has a Story – The Magic and Heroes Library Show” at the Wayne Public Library on Thursday, June 25, at 2 p.m. Find out why 793.8 is a very magical number and how a magic book discovered by Jeff Wawrzaszek in that section of the library launched a career! All ages are welcome. No registration is required.

Jazz at the Avenue
Drink, dine & gather on Avenue American Bistro’s newly finished outdoor patio while supporting Wayne Main Street’s efforts to revitalize Downtown Wayne at the 1st annual Jazz at the Avenue-An Evening with Wayne Main Street on Wednesday, July 15, from 6-8 p.m. Sample craft beers and Michigan wines while enjoying local fare to the sounds of an acclaimed jazz trio.  $50 ticket price is all inclusive and seating is limited! Tickets are available online at www.downtownwayne.org.

Geocaching at Nankin Mills
Geocaching uses global position systems (GPS) to locate hidden treasures, also known as geocaches.  Come learn about this modern day treasure hunt and participate in a search around Nankin Mills.  This program is for ages 8 to adult. Program fee is $6 per child, $2 per adult for Wayne County residents. Pre-registration is required and can be done through the Nankin Mills Interpretive Center park office or by calling 734-261-1990.

Annual Sidewalk Sales
Presented by the Wayne Chamber of Commerce, the annual sidewalk sales in Wayne are scheduled for July 17-19.

Summer Concerts in Goudy Park
Dead in Dog Years (Classic Rock),  will kick off the Wednesday night Summer Concert series at Goudy Park on July 29.  All concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m. Opening night will also feature the drawing for the Goodfellows Camaro Giveaway.  Other concerts scheduled include The Blackjack Band (August 5, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s), The BackBeats (August 12, Michigan’s #1 Beatles cover band), 50 Amp Fuse (August 19, Music from Your Generation), and TC and the Katz (August 26, Oldies & Classics).  Pack a picnic and some chairs and come enjoy summers evenings in Wayne.

Class of 1990 Wayne Zebra Pride
The Wayne Memorial High School Class of 1990 will be having their 25 year reunion July 31-Aug 2.  Events include a free tour of of the ol’ stomping grounds on Friday night.  Saturday night, August 1, will be a Night of Celebration at Laurel Manor in Livonia.  The evening will include dinner, a program and dancing. The final event is Sunday, August 2, when class members gather for a Family-Friendly Picnic.  Meat for grilling and sides are provided; bring your own beverages. If you have any questions, contact Kathryn Farrell.

Escape the Ordinary
Thursdays are fun at the Wayne Public Library in July.    Programs are for all ages and start at 2 p.m.  No registration is required.
July 2: Songs with Genot Picor–Heroes come in all sizes. Enjoy stories and songs about heroes.
July 9: DPW Big Trucks — Did you ever wonder what the inside of a fire engine looks like or one of the other trucks you see around the city? Come to this event and get a chance to get behind the wheel of one of the city’s “big trucks”.
July 16: “Science of Super” (Animal adaptations)– Why do animals do some of the things they do and look the way they do? Find out when Amanda Paige of the University of Michigan comes to visit!
July 23: Organization for Bat Conservation– Get up close and personal with some of the most common bats in our area. Find out why these flying mammals are so important to the environment.
July 30: Alex Thomas and Friends Puppet Show– Come meet Alex Thomas and Friends and enjoy a puppet show where the audience interacts with the puppets and become part of the show.