The Rock - August 2023

Chris Soutar

Scott Daugherty

Chris has lived in the Plymouth / Canton community since 1994. Some his local favorites are: Campari’s on the Park, Basement Burger, Mexican Fiesta II, Pizza Vino, Spoons Place, Central City Dance Center.

Chris has lived in the Plymouth / Canton community since 1994. Some of his local favorites are: Campari’s on the Park, Basement Burger, Mexican Fiesta II, Pizza Vino, Spoons Place, Central City Dance Center.

csoutrar@billbrownford.com

Office:(734) 524-2715

Mobile: (734) 765-8980

Scott has lived in the Plymouth / Canton Community since 2002. Some his local favorites are: Crow’s Nest (Canton), Golf at Pheasant Run Golf Course (Canton), Spoons Place, Palermo Pizza, DCFC Soccer.

Scott has lived in the Plymouth / Canton Community since 2002. Some of his local favorites are: Crow’s Nest (Canton), Golf at Pheasant Run Golf Course (Canton), Spoons Place, Palermo Pizza, DCFC Soccer.

sdaugherty@billbrownford.com

Office:(734) 524-2773

Mobile: (555) 555-1212

Local Matters!

Please consider a donation to support The Rock. Since we began publishing more than two years ago, our goal has been to provide our readers with valuable information about the Plymouth community each and every month. Your support will help that mission survive and grow. While The Rock is sent free to every address in Plymouth, it is not free to produce.

Local journalism is the foundation of this magazine. If you find it of value, please consider supporting it. Every little bit helps!

Please send donations to: Journeyman Publishing, 16435 Franklin, Northville, MI 48168 You can also make donations via PayPal to kurtkuban@gmail.com.

Thank you in advance.

Publisher

Here is the list of readers who supported local journalism this month:

- Marilyn K. Alimpich

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KURT KUBAN

AUGUST 2023

VOL 4 | ISSUE 8

– Editor & Publisher

Kurt is an award-winning journalist, having served as a reporter and editor for several local newspapers and magazines, including the Plymouth Observer He has been a journalist for over two decades. He founded Journeyman Publishing, which also publishes The ‘Ville, in 2017.

SCOTT BUIE – Advertising Director/Vice President of Sales

Scott has 20+ years creating advertising campaigns for clients in Metro Detroit. After managing sales for radio stations for 17 years he purchased Street Marketing, where he works closely with a variety of businesses and events. Scott and his family have lived in the Plymouth/Northville area for over 23 years.

JENNY PEARSALL – Creative Director

Jenny has been in the design and print industry for over twenty years, holding various positions in graphic design, print buying, production and print management. She also owns Bovia Design Group, a company specializing in publications and corporate branding.

BRAD KADRICH – Writer

Brad is an award-winning journalist who spent more than 20 years covering the Plymouth community for the Plymouth Observer. He also spent 15 years serving his country in the U.S. Air Force.

BRAD EMONS – Writer

Over the course of his four decades with the Observer & Eccentric, Brad established himself as one of the preeminent prep sports reporters in the state, winning many journalism awards along the way. His greatest joy is interviewing local athletes and coaches, and reporting on their efforts.

LARRY O’CONNOR – Writer

Larry is a metro Detroit area journalist whose work has appeared in The Detroit News, Jackson Citizen Patriot and the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers. When he’s not meticulously chronicling people or events, he’s avidly rooting for his favorite soccer teams -- Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic.

TIM SMITH – Writer

Tim brings a penchant for telling personal stories that run the gamut from news to sports. During more than 35 years in journalism, mostly with the Observer & Eccentric, he has earned numerous state and national awards. The Wayne State grad is a published author and rec ice hockey player.

MICHELE FECHT – Writer

Michele is a longtime journalist whose first post-college reporter position was at The Northville Record before moving on to The Detroit News. She is an author, researcher, local history enthusiast, and community activist/ advocate.

WENSDY VON BUSKIRK – Writer

Wensdy graduated with a degree in journalism from Wayne State University. Her first job was working as a reporter for The Northville Record. Now, as a freelance writer and editor, she works for a variety of magazines, including The Rock. -Photo by Kathleen Voss

KEN VOYLES – Writer/Photographer

Ken is an award-winning writer, photographer and designer whose career has spanned nearly five decades in and around metro Detroit. He started his journalism career in Plymouth, working for the Community Crier. He is the author of two books on Detroit history, loves to travel and has finished his first novel.

BILL BRESLER – Photographer

Bill arrived in Plymouth in 1977 to work for the Community Crier. He also worked for the Plymouth Observer for many years. Bill, who taught photography at Madonna University, retired from what was left of the newspaper business in 2019 and now freelances. He’s happy to be back in the Plymouth community.

Looking Back At Three Years Gone By

You may remember me writing last month about my road trip across America. Well, between the time I finished writing that column and when the issue ultimately hit your mailboxes, just about everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.

We had some missed deadlines, but there were plenty of other issues, including our printer running out of paper and having a hard time getting any more. When it rains, it sometimes pours. I guess that’s what I get for taking a vacation.

So, for those of you who wrote to me letting me know you didn’t get the July issue until the first week of August, that’s why. One thing I’ve learned, after a quarter century in this business, is that you can’t dwell on it too much, because you have to move on to the next issue.

And that’s a good segue to this issue you are holding now. It is our 36th issue, meaning we’ve been publishing The Rock for three years now. It doesn’t seem possible from my perspective. I still vividly remember planning out our first issue in September of 2020, in the midst of a pandemic. What were we thinking? It seems like yesterday.

Well, here we are three years later. Through the ups and downs, our mission has not wavered. We are still dedicated to providing local journalism to the Plymouth community. Local matters! If we had an official motto, that would be it.

We love writing about the stories that matter to our residents and business people. In this issue, for example, we have a preview of the upcoming football season for Canton, Plymouth and Salem high schools. I can’t believe football season is already here (where did summer go?). Canton and Salem both have new coaches, so it will be a year of transition for our PCEP teams. Check out the story, starting on Page 14 Good luck to all three teams. In fact, good luck to all of our fall athletes as they start up a new school year.

In this issue we also have a number of feature stories, which are some of my favorite, because they show the real diversity we have as a community. There are so many Plymouth residents doing cool things, whether operating a farm, running a sports merchandise company or writing books and hosting podcasts. It’s all in this issue. We also have two pages of letters to the editor this month, which I think is one of the most important aspects of The Rock. I’ve always wanted this magazine to provide a voice for our readers when it comes to issues in town. And, if you read the letters, you’ll realize there are certainly some topics that have people talking right now. We’ll do our best to continue providing coverage of those issues.

I hope you look forward to getting The Rock each month. We have a good team of journalists and designers, with a ton of experience, who put it together on a relative shoestring of a budget. We do it because we love local journalism, and we love Plymouth.

So, here’s to three years down and hopefully many more to come. And here’s to Plymouth. It really is such a cool community to be part of.

YOUR VOICE: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Project should be welcomed

Within viewing and smelling distance of the great Salem trash mountain, any retailer/ service/office development should be welcomed for the tax and job base they represent.

For Plymouth Township’s newest residents -- those arriving in the past 50 years -- to object to a Meijer store is ridiculous. This is a family-owned Michigan company chaired by a former Plymouth Township resident and a welcome corporate citizen wherever they have stores.

Northville Downs has been a relatively problemfree economic engine for Northville. It's the originator of the Northville Chamber of Commerce, having brought many folks to town and other local businesses over the years.

Maybe, in 1970, we should have adopted the "pull up the ladders" attitude of these "newbies" -- the McMansion opponents and the gas station owner who has hired a lawyer because he doesn't want competition.

W. Edward Wendover

A future headache

A race track at Five Mile and Ridge? No, no and no! Beyond the mentioned troublesome issues in the July issue of The Rock there is nothing misleading about these facts…

Hazel Park Track, Mount Pleasant Meadows Track, Pinnacle Track (Romulus), and Detroit Race Course (Livonia) have all closed. Only Northville Downs is operating -- the last racing venue in the state. Why is it closing/moving? Plymouth does not need

this future headache.

How about a park?

Are people store crazy? We already have too many Meijer stores. We live in an area now where buildings, businesses and cement already gross out the air we breathe and the green we need. How about putting in a gigantic park with trees, trails and flowers? PLEASE don't let more big business take over.

Denise J. Barry Projects are needed

I live in Oak Haven MHC and would absolutely love to have a Meijer near my mobile home park. And the Northville Downs Racetrack behind our park. We have many young seniors here and some disabled people who would be better advantaged to have shopping and entertainment nearby. I personally love shopping at Meijer and currently have to drive 5-10 miles to either Wixom or Canton. The heaviest traffic is north of Six Mile on Beck and south of Ann Arbor Road. Even with that short distance, it takes 1-2 hours to shop.

We need jobs for seniors and young people, which this area has a lot of. We need closer shopping and many of us would enjoy watching the races on Saturday nights. Traffic and noise levels again would be no different than a Friday night football game.

As for other noise, M-14 is the noisiest. A building like Meijer or a grandstand standing silently will not contribute to that. As for crime, we have a heavy police presence along Ridge, Five Mile and Beck due to the truck traffic to the landfill monitoring of

overweight loads. So, you could say, they are always nearby thankfully.

Nancy

Meijer yes, track no

Northville and Plymouth townships need a grocery store like Meijer. They offer an excellent selection and fair pricing. It will bring a nice tax base for the township not to mention the extra jobs.

As for a race track on Five Mile, the generation for horse racing is coming to an end. Millennials just haven’t picked that up as a sport or function they attend. All you have to do is go to Northville and watch the amount of cars going to activities at Northville Downs. I think the land could be used in a more beneficial way for the township and community.

Opposed to track

I attended one of the town hall meetings on the race track proposal. It was standing room only. I stayed for one hour. During that time about 15 people presented their case opposing the race track. The issues are well documented on the flyer being circulated throughout the community. They range from officials disregarding master plan goals, to gambling, to concerns for public safety. Personally, I am opposed to the race track for the same reasons.

Disservice to past board, students

I read with great interest “So long to the Chiefs” in the July issue. When my family moved to Plymouth in the summer of 1961, I was a pretty upset teen. The very first person I met was the football coach,

Mike Hoben. He and the entire staff welcomed my brother and myself as we had never been welcomed anywhere before. I was so impressed that after my family moved to Decatur Georgia in 1963, I remained in Michigan, finished college and returned to our communities after my military service with my wife to live and raise our family.

In 1982, I began my 17-year service to our communities on the PCCS Board of Education. As I began my service to our community, the Board had one of the most knowledgeable and distinguished members to have ever serve on the Board – Dr. E. J. McClendon.

Dr. McClendon was a Choctaw Tribal representative, serving with the United States Navy, 1942-1946, and was aboard the first ship to arrive at Nagasaki after the war, entering Ground Zero to liberate American POWs. He also was Tcgh. Professor Alumni Wewoka and Seminole (life, distinguished service award, 50 Year Service award) and a member of the Society of Native American Indians.

Being a proud and successful Native American, Dr. McClendon followed his tribal culture by valuing his faith, family and culture.

He used those values to give back to the community. When the school district was going through the process of selecting a logo and mascot name for Plymouth-Canton High School in the early 1970’s, he volunteered to serve on

that committee. He made sure that the proper and very detailed research was done, that the local Native Americans were consulted and that an outreach to Michigan Native American tribes was done. He was extremely proud of the final result and made sure we all worked very hard to make the students, staff and community respect the proud heritage of our Native Americans.

By voting to change the logo and the mascot name of Canton High School, the Board has demeaned all the efforts of the previous students, staff, Boards of Education and community members who have always shown the respect and dignity that our Native American citizens deserve. The Board of Education has shown great contempt for our community’s effort to continue to show that we too value faith, family and culture…all of our cultures. Did the Board ever do any real historical research on Canton High’s logo and mascot name? They seem to make their decisions based on feelings, not facts and data.

What happened to technology corridor?

I lived in Northville Township for 22 years before I moved to Plymouth Township. At that time the racetrack never seemed to be a problem. Of course, I did not live close to it. In those days the barns were on the southwest corner of the Seven Mile and Center Street (Sheldon Road) intersection. The worst thing that could happen was that you were held up

in traffic while the horses crossed over to the track. However, where I live in Plymouth Township would be much closer to the track. The additional traffic might be a problem. Then again, I hate to see the demise of the horse racing industry.

I definitely do not want a Meijer retail store in that area. There is one at Eight Mile and Haggerty and another at Ford Road and Canton Center Road. If there is going to be a retail establishment, how about a Costco?

But we are talking about racetracks and retail stores. What happened to the idea that the corridor was supposed to be all technology? It was going to put us on the map with all the technological companies that were going to be brought in.

Name suggestions

I have a couple of suggestions for Canton High’s new mascot: Canton High School

Fighting Karens

Canton Snowflakes

Canton Football Team

Harry Stansell

Leave well enough alone

Here's a suggestion for the new name for Canton High’s mascot: Canton Chiefs. Leave well enough alone!

Rick Sikora

Don’t erase Native American legacy

In my 70 years, calling someone “Chief” has always been in the context of honorific, meaning they are the leader (or in the case of Canton sports teams: “leaders”). Obviously, it’s the same in

business and even politics, where the leader of an enterprise or the leader of our country is referred to as “Chief Executive.”

So, how the PlymouthCanton Board of Education misinterpreted the use of “Chief" as being psychologically harmful in any way, is truly beyond me. This action by Plymouth-Canton's Board of Education is a mistake. Those logos/nicknames serve (on almost a singular basis) as daily reminders to all Americans, especially young Native Americans, of the proud and strong Native American legacy. Their culture already suffered literal genocide. Erasing Native American words from our collective consciousness, is literary genocide.

Against voice of the people

Almost 57% of the people that responded to the district’s survey opposed changing of the Chiefs name. That in itself should have been the deciding factor on what to do, but it was business as usual when the school board decided they were judge and jury and went against the voice of the people. I spoke with my mother-in-law, who is half Cherokee. She said she has no problem with the name the way it is. There is nothing derogatory about it and it should be left alone. This is just more of the "Cancel Culture" crap being shoved down our throats.

It's just like the school board that voted to fire 64 hard working, dedicated, maintenance employees back in 2009, even though the parents, staff, and

teachers said no to that fiasco, too. The board hired a company that was pretty much useless. The schools weren't cleaned properly, safety issues were not handled properly, outer doors were left open at night, workers didn't show up and the ones that did, did a lousy job of it. I know firsthand as I worked in the maintenance department for five and a half years and saw how they were utterly useless. I was glad to see that one board member had the brains to leave well enough alone.

Greg Bashara

Mascot has negative impact

I want to express my gratitude to the PlymouthCanton Board of Education for the difficult and controversial decision to respond to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) complaint by retiring the Canton High Chiefs logo and mascot. I also want to thank Billy Wright for bringing to our attention the background information available from the MDCR regarding the complaint about the continued use of misappropriated American Indian imagery.

The MDCR determined that research had confirmed that the use of that imagery negatively impacted American Indian student learning. The MDCR had extensively considered the subjective positions of both supporters and opponents and the inability of the courts to identify objective harm from the use of this imagery. A body of unrebutted research has concluded that the self-

esteem of Native students is negatively impacted by this continued usage. This objective evidence confirms that the continued use of American Indian imagery constitutes a violation of the Civil Right Act of 1964.

The historical use of the Chiefs nickname was cited in several letters to the editor in the last few months. History is a valuable tool in understanding the present. The last American Indian chief to reside in the Plymouth-Canton area was Chief Tonquish. In 1819 he and his son were shot in the back by a group of local white settlers bent on vengeance. His band left the “Tonquish Plain” soon after. If I were to guess, this story is still being told by the surviving Potawatomi elders. Was this history considered when the Canton High School mascot was first adopted? We should remember “our” history as we endeavor to find a conciliatory mascot for our high school.

George Harmon ‘Woke’ mission

About 6,200 responses to the district survey. Of those with a definite opinion, the ratio was to 2:1 opposed changing the name, but the Board and Superintendent are on another “woke” mission and as the cultural elite of our District they must know what’s best. I’m sure they have many more bright ideas to “improve” our schools. They need to be broomed, and soon.

Tracy Basing

How about ‘Progressives’?

When it comes to a new name for Canton High

School’s mascot, how about the Progressives? That should satisfy the group that wants to change the name.

Kris Weger

Proud heritage

I’m usually part of the silent majority, but this controversy compels me to toss in my two cents. My husband’s mother was born and raised on a Mohawk Indian reservation in Canada. She used to tell us of a lot of words used to demoralize members of the tribe back in her day, but “chiefs” was never one of them. She was proud of her heritage, and taught the same to her children. My husband believes changing the name and logo is ridiculous.

As for my opinion, it’s simple. Until GM’s Mary Barra and all other heads of major corporations vote to change their CEO title because it may hurt someone’s feelings, I’ll remain against it. Would a male doctor be humiliated to be called a “medicine man”?

It seems obvious that the decision to remove the Chiefs name and logo was already made before asking for opinions on the matter. There’s democracy for you. Go Chiefs!

Nancy Aquilina

At what cost?

I have signed a petition to stop Northville Downs from becoming the “Plymouth Downs”. It is absurd that our community leaders appear to be in favor of this. Yes, it will help our tax base, but at what cost to our way of life in Plymouth?

Cathy

It started out simple enough.

Two brothers, ages 11 and 13, wanted to make some extra money. So on opening day of the Detroit Tigers 1982 season they tried selling peanuts to fans outside of Tiger Stadium.

For the next season they added Tigers souvenirs, along with hats and helmets from every major league baseball team, and then 1984 happened. Even as the Tigers created a memorable, 104win season with a World Series championship, a new Corktown business was being born, known first as the Designated Hatter and later as the Detroit Athletic Co. Loved by diehard Detroit sports fans, what was started by two Redford Township boys, Steve and Dave Thomas, who just loved baseball and had an

entrepreneurial spirit, is now known worldwide as the Vintage Detroit Collection.

Four years ago, while looking for more space, and after a name change to the Vintage Detroit Collection, the business launched a new chapter in Plymouth Township, moving to 44692 Helm Street at the end of 2020.

But even now through more than four decades serving fans, the same excitement a young man once had being around the ballpark still rings in Steve Thomas’ voice.

“For me, it was a thrill to be outside the ballpark. I was 11 years old and also intimidated and scared,” says Thomas, the sole owner of the company today. “We would each do our own thing, selling peanuts, and meet up after

Longtime sports gear business now in Plymouth began at Tiger Stadium

the game. At first it was only before-the-game business for us. When we started to sell souvenirs, we stayed after the game, and it became more demanding. But we found that we sold more after the game. That’s when it started to be more like a business.”

When asked whether he ever thought he would still be selling sports merchandise 40 years later, Thomas says, “Not a chance.”

DEEP CORKTOWN ROOTS

Steve and Dave were no strangers to Corktown and the Stadium at the corner of Trumbull and Michigan Avenue.

Steve beautifully tells the story of his family’s deep roots in the Detroit neighborhood in his May 22, 2019 blog on the company’s website: www.vintagedetroit.com.

“My grandparents migrated to Detroit from Martins Ferry, Ohio in 1942 – during the early stages of World War II. At the same time a 14-year-old Gordie Howe was strengthening his hockey skills on frozen ponds in Saskatoon, my grandfather opened a small market at the corner of Dalzelle and Wabash in the shadow of the old train station in Detroit. When Al Kaline became a young batting champion in 1955, my family was running a business only a short walk from what was then known as Briggs Stadium.”

The Redford Union High School graduate fondly recalls those early hectic days when everyone in the family gave him and his older brother a helping hand with their burgeoning enterprise.

“We had two years to get ready for what happened in 1984. I don’t know if we could have timed it any better. The team …had one of the most magical seasons of all time. By that time our parents had to help us, our older sisters had to help us, and it became a family enterprise,” said Thomas. “There was such a demand for what we were doing. We had no way to anticipate that season. To think that team would win the World Series…there was a tremendous amount of luck in the timing of our business.”

The 52-year-old Northville resident who now runs the business as the sole owner, added that brother Dave moved on to work on another business. “We were partners in multiple businesses and there’s one he gravitated to and the one I gravitated to, so Dave left to work on the other business.”

fact, Vintage Detroit Collection sells only merchandise for all four Detroit major sports teams to fans both here and around the globe.

That’s right, you won’t find a Yankee cap or a Bruins jersey anywhere in the inventory. (Although Thomas noted that they have just started to sell merchandise for Michigan State University and University of Michigan athletics.)

Thomas recalls interacting with Detroit sports fans “all the time on the floor” when the business had a brick-and-mortar storefront in Corktown. “I felt that was one of our secrets to our success. We listened to what they said. Our store would have products that no one else had. It was really because we had such a close bond with our customers.”

jerseys they didn’t come with names and numbers on them. And people started asking for it and we said ‘we don’t do that.’ Then we said, ‘why don’t we do it?’ So we learned how to do it,” explained Thomas. “It requires custom stitching. It’s become kind of our signature and a big part of what we do. We have gotten so good at it that a lot of our competitors send us their jerseys to customize as well.”

And as for the notion that Detroit sports fans are found across the globe, one only needs to look at Vintage Detroit Collection’s shipping records.

Thomas. One of the most wellknown is sports journalist Bill Dow, who was a customer in the retail store and active in the Tiger Stadium Fan Club, where Thomas met him.

Being a pioneer in digital marketing certainly helped the 10-person company pivot to an all e-commerce business during the pandemic, a model that sustains them today (although customers can walk in to the Helm Street location).

A TRUE FAN

When talking to Steve Thomas, it’s clear that he’s a true Detroit sports fan at heart doing what he loves. And like many fans in Metro Detroit, he has sports memories and favorites he likes to reminisce about.

“There are two things that stand out to me. The 1984 Tigers season was just magical from beginning to end. It was almost like living a dream. I remembered right around July and August, I was almost praying that the season would end because I didn’t want it to go downhill,” he said with a chuckle. “That is at the top of

SECRETS TO SUCCESS

In addition to the 1984 Tigers, Thomas has seen many Detroit sports hallmarks over the years including the return of the Stanley Cup to Detroit in 1997. And no matter whether the Detroit teams are winning or losing, he’s always kept the business focused on the fans. In

He enthusiastically adds, “It was really interesting in my opinion because we had such a large cross-section of people coming into the store. You would wait on a regular fan, then you would wait on a federal judge who was there to buy a Tigers cap. We have had U.S. senators and actors in the store – often on game days.”

That customer-focused approach has yielded results, especially when it comes to their very popular custom jersey business.

“When we first started selling

“We ship to Australia and surprisingly, there is a large contingent of Red Wings fans in Australia. We have shipped to Japan,” says Thomas. “We have shipped to multiple countries in Asia and just about every country in Europe.”

In addition to creating the customer jersey niche, Vintage Detroit Collection also was an early adopter when it came to the online aspect of business. They started selling online in 1998 and host more than 2,500 blog entries on the website, which are full of stories about Detroit sports history, players, coaches and thoughts on the current teams.

“As soon as blogs became prominent it didn’t take us long to pick up on it. We hire local writers to write the blogs,” says

Continued from page 7

my list. The second is the 1997 Detroit Red Wings season when they finally broke the (losing) streak and won the Cup. What made it more enjoyable was it happened in the summer, in June. I remembered how the city and suburbs reacted – they went crazy.”

When asked his opinion on whether the Motor City is a

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great sports town, he answered without missing a beat.

“There’s no question that Detroit is a great sports town,” he said without hesitation. “There are a lot of cities that have two or three major league teams, but we have all four and very few cities would have the sports history that we have in Detroit. I would say that Detroit is in a very elite category. I have always taken a lot of pride in that

the person who is recognized as the best player of all time for baseball (Ty Cobb) and hockey (Gordie Howe) are from Detroit.”

While the fortunes of the Detroit major sports teams shift from season to season, it is all about listening, and responding, to the customers of the 41-year-old business, according to its owner.

“The customers are our eyes and ears and that will never change.”

VINTAGE DETROIT COLLECTION

OWNER: Steve Thomas

ADDRESS: 44692 Helm St., Plymouth

PHONE: (313) 961-3550

HOURS: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Monday-Friday (closed weekends)

WEBSITE: vintagedetroit.com

We can talk through your financial goals and find the option that works best for you.

“No more Sciatica down my leg.”

—Brian, Plymouth

“I have full range of motion in my neck now!” —Hal, Plymouth

“I’m back to tossing again!”

—L. Walker

“My arm strength is back—no more pinched nerve in my neck.”

“I’m able to play with my grandchildren!”

“I’m back to doing everything I want now.” —Nancy, Plymouth

“I move better now at 60 than I did at 50!” —Lynn

Schedule an appointment today!

With area’s changing demographics cricket’s popularity growing

Andrew Koilpillai started playing cricket with his dad in the yard of their home in his native India.

Five decades later, he’s still at it.

Koilpillai, who lives in Northville, is part of a burgeoning number of players taking up the game in Michigan, helping the Michigan Cricket Association grow from just four teams at its inception to more than 90 teams now.

Why all the love for a sport comparatively few Americans know much about?

“That’s like asking (Americans) why they like baseball,” he said, smiling. “It’s in the blood. I like being part of the team. It’s a relaxing day, you don’t have much of anything else going on.”

It’s a passion developing more quickly in the U.S. than ever, according to Koilpillai, who points out that continuing immigration to the United States is helping drive his favorite sport’s popularity.

Cricket, played with a bat and ball by competing teams of

11 players each, is the national summer sport in England and is popular in English colonies.

Koilpillai points out it’s a cultural sport, popular in places such as Australia, India (his native country), Pakistan, the West Indies and the British Isles.

Tayefur Rahman, who has been associated with the sport for more than 30 years as a player, coach and administrator, said the migration of people from countries where the sport is popular allows players to form bonds and friendships with other players.

“You can build relationships with people from everywhere,” said Rahman, chairman of the Michigan Cricket Association, the sport’s largest representative in the state. “(Immigrants) are here playing, so when I play I can meet people from other countries. Cricket is a cultural thing.”

Cricket is played with a flat bat (Koilpillai likened it to a large ping-pong paddle) and ball. It’s a high scoring game (one game Koilpillai

described ended up in a 191-133 final score) that takes anywhere from three to six hours or more to play.

The field is oval with a rectangular area in the middle, known as the pitch, that is 22 yards by 10 feet wide. Koilpillai said the oval is some 70 yards across.

“It takes skill, it’s fun, you have to be in shape,” he said. “It’s like baseball, there’s a lot of hand-eye coordination that goes into it.”

MAKING A PITCH

Rahman said the Michigan Cricket Association started in the early 2000s with just four teams. But its popularity has grown to the point where the association now has some 92 teams featuring some 1,600 players, including teams in four youth leagues.

The problem hasn’t been finding players; it’s been finding places for them to play. It’s not as hard as it used to be. Mich-CA had only four or five fields when it started in 2001.

Now, Mich-CA has nine fields – including fields in Grand Rapids and Toledo, Ohio – on which it plays its Saturday and Sunday games.

“This is the hard part…getting a cricket field,” Rahman said. “We find some land and put a pitch on it so people can play.”

Mich-CA plays on fields at Heritage Park in Canton, at Bloomer Park in Rochester Hills, and on fields in Pontiac, Hamtramck and Detroit (on Belle Isle).

But thus far, Canton is the only municipality that has dedicated fields for the sport.

Navpreet Singh, who lives in Canton, said there are lots of people in the Plymouth-Canton community who are playing the game and he’d like to see the communities with more dedicated cricket fields, besides the one in Heritage Park, which he said isn’t the best because of a hard clay base.

“Yes, we really need some more local fields with the growing interest in the game,” said Singh, who began

playing the game when he was 4 years old in his native India.

Northville Township officials approved the creation of a cricket field in Millenium Park on 6 Mile at their July 20 meeting.

Township supervisor Mark Abbo said the field will be installed by this winter and will overlay a soccer field, so the biggest

provide pickle ball courts in the near future as well.

Debra Bilbrey-Honsowetz, who served a year as interim parks and recreation director for Northville before the hiring of Derek Smith last month, noted the recent formation of a Northville cricket club and a changing demographic that

we would rent it, we’d want them to maintain it, cut the grass, or if they want us to maintain it, we could lease it from them.”

GROWING POPULARITY

Maybe that goal will be reachable if the sport’s popularity continues to grow in the U.S. It’s already popular overseas;

Players like Rahman have been committed for a long time. Associated with cricket since childhood in his native Bangladesh, he’s been playing more than 30 years.

challenge will be managing time between the two sports.

“Anything to get our people active, and this is one more opportunity that we’ll be able to offer our residents,” Abbo said, noting they are also looking to

makes a new cricket pitch a viable idea.

“It’s a growing sport and there aren’t many fields,” Bilbrey-Honsowetz said. “The community demographics are changing and supporting that kind of activity…seems like a good fit for the community.”

Koilpillai pointed out that nearly all communities, for instance, have baseball fields available. He’s hoping Mich-CA can find the same acceptance for cricket fields.

“We want to work with municipalities to give us some fields,” he said. “There are baseball fields all over. We just need some dedicated grounds.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be in the city,” he added. “It can be anywhere (in the metro area). It could be a partnership;

Rahman likened it to the popularity of soccer’s World Cup.

That popularity may be creeping into the U.S., which will co-host the 2024 Cricket World Cup (along with the West Indies).

“People didn’t understand (cricket) in the past,” Rahman said. “Now people know and understand the excitement in the game, and they like it.”

Cricket players prove the primary point of the baseball movie, “Field of Dreams” nearly every weekend: If you build it, they will come. Players from metro Detroit, for instance, often make the two-hour drive to Grand Rapids to play a 3- or 6-hour game.

It makes for a pretty long day.

“It’s a full day,” Koilpillai said, laughing, “Everyone’s enthusiastic, and they’re committed.”

He moved to the United States in 2010 and, three years later, began organizing cricket leagues. He became secretary of Mich-CA in 2020 and is now the group’s chairman.

“It’s kind of my life,” Rahman said. “I like the teamwork, it has excitement everywhere. It’s teamwork, patience…the way you play, everything is there in cricket.”

For more information about the Michigan Cricket Association, visit www.cricclubs. com/MichCA. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Pigskin Primer

Aug 25 - 7:00 PM

New coaches, schemes have PCEP teams primed for turnaround seasons

Aug 31 - 7:00 PM

The Kensington Lakes Activities Association held its annual high school football media day on Aug. 4 and reporters learned there are significant changes in the wind when it comes to the three teams from Plymouth Canton Educational Park.

Two of the schools – Canton and Salem – have new head coaches in Casey Bess and Landon Garrett, respectively, while Greg Souldourian returns for another season at Plymouth.

All three teams hope to have turnaround seasons as they combined for a 6-21 overall record

in 2022, including 4-17 mark in the KLAA’s West Division. Here’s a quick preseason outlook on the three varsity teams.

CANTON (3-6, 2-5 KLAA WEST)

Not only is the school in the process of changing its school nickname from the Chiefs, the program is undergoing a huge makeover as Casey Bess takes over the reins of the program from Andy Lafata, who stepped down after going 29-20 in five seasons.

Lafata continued to employ Canton’s patented Wing-T offense, which became a trademark of

the run heavy Tim Baechler era (1998-2017) where the Chiefs went 173-52 overall with one state runner-up finish.

The 36-year-old Bess, meanwhile, is going to open things up after serving as Battle Creek Central’s offensive coordinator the past six seasons using a spread offensive attack.

“The transition has actually been pretty smooth, credit to the kids,” Bess said. “We’re blessed with a great senior class and they’ve just hit the ground running, so it made the transition very smooth.”

The team’s top returning two players include defensive back/ wide receiver Caleb Williams and running back/linebacker Devon Pettus.

Williams, who is expected to get plenty of touches this fall, plans to make his college commitment this fall after receiving Division I offers from Tennessee, Nebraska,

Pitt, Temple, Central Michigan, Toledo, Army and Air Force.

“It’s really a complete 180, on both sides of the ball,” Williams said. “But especially the offense. It’s completely different. I’m out in space more and I’m actually playing the receiver role instead of running back. I’ll be catching passes instead of running the ball, something I think will get me out in space more and make me better. At first, it’s going to be different, but the coaches have done a good job of breaking things down so it wasn’t too hard for us to pick up.”

Pettus, meanwhile, has interest from Grand Valley State, a D2 national power. He believes the transition phase from the Wing-T to the spread has been a plus.

Nathan Levine at wide receiver. Junior Alex Guadagni will play in the backfield as well.

Defensively, the secondary appears to be a strength led by Williams, along with seniors Sy Henney, Michael Edelman and Levine.

“We’ve got some players and definitely the talent is there,” Bess said. “The big thing for them is that everything is new in that transition, but they’ve worked very hard this summer and it’s catching on. I think Canton is going to be an exciting football team this year. But you don’t really know until you put the pads on and how physical you’re going to be. And I don’t care what offense or defense you

Plymouth Varsity Football Schedule

“My role really hasn’t changed this year,” he said. “It’s more of a leadership role and that type of look for me this year. The outlook for the team is looking pretty good so far. We should make some noise in the conference this year. It’s been a pretty good experience. He (Bess) makes things easy for you and it will open things up for us. It’s definitely exciting getting me out in open space and showing my talent.”

Junior Devvin Calhoun was penciled in as the starting quarterback during the preseason with seniors Dylan Calhoun and

run, you’ve got to control the line of scrimmage and obviously tackle the football, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Offensive line should be a strength with the return of seniors Adham Hashem, Nicholas Parker and Anthony Wasaya.

“We’re returning quite a few guys,” Bess said. “That’s a group that really has done very well this summer. Early in the summer we went to Muskegon for our offensive line camp, one of the best offensive line camps in the state. That was an eye opener for those guys and that was in the

beginning of the summer. They’ve made huge improvements and are off to a great start.”

Not only is there a new nickname in the works, it’s a brand-new era of Canton football with the season opener Friday, Aug. 25 at home against Temperance Bedford.

“I think it’s been going smooth for us,” Williams said. “The transition has been easy, they’ve broken everything down for us step by step. We’ve gotten a lot of reps over the summer, so we’ve done a good job of taking the knowledge and actually using it on the field. We’ve gotten in enough reps to make things smooth along the way.”

PLYMOUTH (2-7, 2-5 KLAA WEST)

Under fourth-year coach Greg Souldourian, the Wildcats hope to post their first winning season since 2019. Plymouth opens its season Friday, Aug. 25 at Traverse City Central.

The offense will be led by senior quarterback Sam Plencer and tackle Idrys Cotton, a Northwestern University commit.

“We’re adding a few new things in and have some misdirection, but for the most part we’re sticking to our bread and butter,” said Plencer, who returns as the starter at QB.

Other returnees on offense include senior running back Jaxson McCaig, senior wing back

Salem Varsity Football Schedule

Continued from page 15

Luc Damiani and junior tight end/H-back Cam Short.

“We have some talented young men in our program and they have worked hard this offseason to put themselves in a spot to complete with teams in our league,” Souldourian said. “We need to continue coming together as a team and ‘finish’ in all aspects of the of the game. We need to leave nothing to chance.”

A year ago, Plymouth averaged only 14.7 points per game while giving up an average of 25.8. Those need to be reversed in order to have a winning season.

“We need to build off last year and not make the same mistakes we did a year ago to become a better and more cohesive team,” Souldourian said. “At the end of the day we need to just take care of our business and finish every rep like it is our last. We look forward to what is ahead and can’t wait for the season to kick off.”

Other key returnees include junior linebacker/offensive guard Joe Portman and senior left guard/defensive end Jorgito Shqau. McCaig will also play in the defensive secondary.

“Comparing ourselves to the last three years we’ve had, this is the tightest, most close-knit group of Plymouth football I’ve ever seen across all levels,” Plencer said. “The mentality and the morale going into two-adays, going into workouts every morning, going into seven-onsevens, has been the best it’s ever been. And not only are we having fun, but we’re getting stuff done and we’re getting better every single day.”

Cotton, who had offers from 24 Division I programs, made his commitment to the Big Ten Wildcats in June and plans on sticking with his decision despite head coach Pat Fitzgerald being fired after 17 seasons following revelations of hazing within the program.

“The head coach is gone, but still, Northwestern, the school,

and the people there are still amazing,” said Cotton, who stands stands 6-feet-4½ and weighs 290 pounds. “It’s a great place, great area. It’s just too much to give up. Honestly, it was just the opportunity. The family – I’m the first one to go to college – and just getting the opportunity to go to a school like Northwestern, I really can’t let that get away.”

Cotton, who also made AllState in track and field and plays basketball, has high expectations not only for the team, but himself.

“I want to be All-State in every sport I play,” he said. “Football training has been going really good, getting stronger, faster and learning the plays.”

he put a couple of guys’ names in for head coach and knew that I didn’t want to do it over the years with my businesses,” Garrett said.

“I’m very busy. But probably 40 seconds into it I told him I wanted to. And I knew under me it would be a new face, but it would be the same program. It was be the same verbiage, the same terminology, the same sound and the same voice, the same person. So, for me it was really all about them and keeping them together and building the same culture that’s been here.”

Victories have been hard to come by in recent years for the Rocks, who are 5-41 overall since 2019 and they have not earned a

SALEM (1-8, 0-7 KLAA WEST)

The Rocks underwent a coaching change during the off season as defensive coordinator Landon Garrett, a former Canton assistant, takes over for Brendan Murphy, who stepped down after taking over a branch manager position in April with Skyworks LLC in Ohio.

Garrett, a restaurateur who has 20 years of experience coaching, decided to step in and fill the void. He will be the Rocks’ fourth head coach in five years.

“He (Murphy) came to me and told me that he was leaving -- talked about it – he said that

postseason playoff berth -- with the exception of the truncated 2020 COVID-19 season -- in five years.

But things are looking up for all three levels -- varsity, JV and freshmen – for Salem football. The first goal for Murphy was to build up the numbers. When he arrived in 2022, there were only a total of 36 players signed up for football, sophomores to seniors.

“So, we went out, hit the schools, got a freshman team, which they hadn’t had in four years, and ended up 68 kids in the program,” Garrett said.

“This is the first time in five or six years that we’ve got all

three – freshman, JV and varsity – and we’re at 112 kids in the program. And that’s only with one varsity win.”

Changing the culture of Salem football is the big step.

“Our big thing is holding them accountable and teaching them the little things, teaching them not only to be football players, but be young men,” Garrett said. “That’s why I’m here today. My high school coaches (at Belleville) kept me accountable. I wasn’t the greatest player, wasn’t all of those things, but they made me the person I am today. I love this game and that’s why I’m here for them. All of the coaches who are here stayed because I took the job.”

Salem, which opens its season Aug. 24 at home against Utica Ford, will rely on two of its senior leaders, quarterback Brayden Alexander and wide receiver/

linebacker Gavin Morrison.

Among the other key returnees include seniors Trent Graham (offensive/defensive line), Noah Evans (offensive/defensive line), Brady Priester (running back/ DB), Avarius Hayes (WR/RB/DB), Owen Anderson (TE/DE), Darius Williams (OT/MLB) and Andrew Sharp (WR/CB).

Garrett, meanwhile, was able to keep most of last year’s coaching staff intact.

“All the coaches that are here now were coaches last year, so not much has changed besides the head coach obviously not being there, but everything else is the same,” Alexander said. “It’s a little different as far as who the coaches’ personalities are – and the intensity – but other than that nothing else has changed.”

Despite using a spread attack last season, Salem scored only

119 total points (13.2 per game average) with almost half of those points coming in a seasonending 50-28 victory over Wayne Memorial.

“I think if we just work together as a team and put in our best every play, we’ll be pretty good,” Alexander said. “I’d say we’re more balanced (running and passing), and just chip away every game.”

Meanwhile, the defense hopes to be improved with the return of Morrison as a starter at linebacker. The Rocks gave up 40 points per game and that number will have to go down considerably in order to compete in the KLAA West.

Morrison, who hopes to continue to play at the college level, said teamwork is the key.

“Off of every good play, we need to build off that and keep the intensity the entire game,” the senior said. “We’ve been doing

everything we can to improve, whether it’s outside of football… hanging out and building that team

bond, that team chemistry. Also, on the field, doing everything we can to help each other out if we don’t know something.”

Excellence as a Way of Life

Plymouth businessman’s books and podcast shine a light on success

Brian Bartes loves to learn about other people’s success stories. And yet his own lifelong quest plumbing the depths of personal growth is a fascinating journey, constructive for those grappling with ideas like excellence and achievement.

The Plymouth man is the brains behind a highly popular local podcast, four books and the pursuit of his own professional coaching career spanning nearly four decades. His podcast brings in guests from all walks of life to talk about success and excellence, whether in business, sports, education, the arts or one’s personal life.

The podcast -- “LifeExcellence with Brian Bartes” -- is also a culmination of everything he has done up to now, though don’t misunderstand, his journey of discovery is a lifelong passion as he seeks to navigate success in every aspect of one’s life. It is so

deeply ingrained in him that he’ll never stop learning, especially from others.

A highly successful CFO for a major Detroit company, Bartes’ quest is truly at the core of who he is.

“It’s very important to focus on every aspect of our lives,” says the 57-year-old. “I’m a learner and striving for excellence for myself and others is the ideal. It’s not about me and my achievements. I’m trying to add value in people’s lives.”

Ultimately Bartes believes how people choose to live their lives isn’t just about what they’ve done.

“We have a short time on Earth and the question I ask people is what difference do you want to make. It can be global or our own little part of the world. What difference did we make to those closest to us?”

It’s a rhetorical question but Bartes’ journey, one filled with “big leaps” and “falling into the

possibilities,” is about making every day count and, frankly, as he says, “playing big.”

A NUMBERS GUY

Born and raised in Saginaw, Bartes met the love of his life in high school. He and Heidi married in 1989 and have four adult children. That same year, at only 23, he became the CFO of a $100 million firm, Wolverine Packing Co. of Detroit.

“That was an amazing year,” he says. “We got married and I went to work for a great company.”

How Bartes got there requires a bit of further reflection. Growing up he fell in love with math and numbers. He also first started his competitive lifestyle as a table tennis player. Today he loves squash, scuba diving, running and travel.

Despite a passion for finances, from an early age Bartes was also intrigued by writing. At age seven he won a city-wide book

contest. Years later he would craft the first of his four books for Legacy Publishing.

But it was finance that drove his career from the get go. After graduating from Alma College and later getting an MBA from Wayne State, Bartes went to

work in Southfield. It was then that he fell into his opportunity at Wolverine, an event that changed the course of his life.

“I was planning on a public accounting career,” he says. “I knew the course I took would be many years long, but I fell into this job at the right time and it changed my life. It was a big leap because I hadn’t seen it coming and it wasn’t what I thought I would be doing.”

Nine years later Bartes and his wife were looking for a new home. They were living in Canton but had their eye on Plymouth. Being a precise thinker Bartes came up with a “firm” list of 23 things he wanted in a new home. The search wasn’t going well until the last house, which met 21 of his qualifications and was beyond the family’s means.

“It was a big leap for us,” he says. “But I’m also a possibilities thinker who thinks about what can be done not what can’t be achieved.”

Bartes and his wife are still in that home and love the Plymouth community. They attend North Ridge Church and recently Bartes put his faith on the line as he conceived and tried to pull off a leadership conference at St. John’s. His ambitious plans – also a part of his life excellence journey –didn’t come to pass but like so many of his big leaps led to some real soul searching and a renewed commitment to his passion for hearing other people’s stories.

BOOKS FROM THE HEART

Tragedy in multiple forms over an 18-month period in the early 2000s led Bartes to first put his ideas on paper. That book, “Peace of Mind For You and Your Loved Ones” was inspired by what his family experienced.

“I felt like God was speaking to me a message about making the most of each day, in all areas of our life,” he says. “It’s all

about what’s important in life versus the trivial and it’s a guide to estate planning and preparing for what a lot of people don’t want to think about, death.”

While that first book was more focused on planning –even as Bartes realized much of life centers on coincidence and “falling into things” – his next book in 2012 was a game changer.

“I really didn’t know much about personal development or growth,” he says. “I certainly thought I knew about success so I took off on a personal development journey reading the classics and looked for techniques and tools to become more intentional about how I was living my life in every area.”

His most successful book, “Life Lessons: A Guide to

may just be about “making each day your masterpiece.”

Since then he has written “Coach Yourself For Success,” which is focused on his interest in coaching people as well as a beautiful little book called “LifeExcellence Treasury of Quotes.” He’s also working through new ideas for a book including a behind the scenes look at his podcast.

The podcast came out of his life excellence books and a digital newsletter he started a few years ago that included interviews with successful people. While he hasn’t marketed strongly the nearly 50 episodes over two years are popular online and have caught the attention of many successful people from this country and even the world.

listeners an understanding how to apply them to themselves.

Guests have included chess grandmaster, a child prodigy, the first person to visit every country on the plant, a member of the Rockettes, a woman golf pro and celebrities like Jeff Foxworthy, Kathy Ireland and Nora Roberts.

“It really runs the gamut with people you’ve heard of and others who aren’t so well known,” he says. “Everyone has a story and we find out how to focus on every area of our lives.”

In the end Bartes wants to help people avoid squandering the opportunities presented by life.

Creating & Living Your Best Life,” was actually written for his children as a way to share key lessons on any plan. The 14 lessons are about things like having big dreams, surrounding yourself with success, making a difference in people’s lives and learning to be happy with what you have.

“These are timeless lessons and built around stories,” says Bartes, whose favorites chapter

“I kind of fell into that as well,” he say. “I was writing, coaching and speaking and I knew I wanted to do the podcast when I got connected with a producer out of nowhere. Things happen when they’re supposed to and sometimes in really surprising ways.”

The subject of each podcast is someone who has achieved excellence in their chosen profession to try and discover the tools, techniques and strategies that helped them and give

“We’re given an opportunity through our life and we make choices for ourselves and beyond ourselves,” he says, “It’s why we’re here – to make a difference. That’s far more meaningful than just achievement. We have tremendous potential so why not go for it and see what impact we can make on our own life and others.”

Always reluctant to talk about himself, Bartes finds joy in sharing. What seems clear is that it might not always be a wonderful life but it certainly can be excellent.

For more information about Brian Bartes, his books or his podcast, visit brianbartes.com.

It all started about 10 years ago with five chickens, a new neighbor and a $100 fine.

First, the chickens. Clarke Keranen and Jacki Baublit, who first met as classmates at Saline High School, were living in Ypsilanti and wanted to have eggs for breakfast. So, they bought five chickens and kept them behind their garage. Voila, eggs for breakfast.

Then their next-door neighbor sold their home, and a new owner came in with the plan to renovate and flip the house. But there was a problem, says Keranen, because the new owner “thought our chickens would be a detriment to the resale value.”

That resulted in a $100 fine from Ypsilanti Township, which also required the couple to sell their chickens.

And that, in an eggshell, was how Fowl Creek Farm became a reality in 2013. Starting with just five chickens and a modest vegetable garden tended by Baublit, 37, and Keranen, 36, the 2-acre Plymouth farm is located at 8963 Joy Road.

Today, their main flock of pasture birds consists of six Dewlap Toulouse geese, 40 chickens, 10 Muscovy ducks and five turkeys. The “fertilization” provided by the birds has also made Fowl Creek Farm a perfect place to grow and sell a variety of fresh cut flowers.

FROM CAMPUS TO FARM

The couple, who say they have been “dating for 20 years,” readily admit that neither of them grew up on a farm. They attended Eastern Michigan University together, with Baublit

earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in graphic design, and Keranen earning a bachelor’s degree in business, participating in the EMU entrepreneurship program.

Despite having little to no farming experience, their first taste of raising chickens in Ypsilanti obviously sparked something. So, when the couple had the opportunity to buy the current site and home built in 1930 from a large property parcel that went on the market, thanks to a family friend who helped facilitate the sale of the property, they forged ahead. The farm’s name takes its cue from Fleming Creek, which runs through the property and readily attracts the birds.

Now a decade later, the couple proudly call themselves farmers. “We have our 2-acre slice of

heaven in the middle of all this farmland,” says Keranen. “We were very lucky.”

Baublit attributes her love of birds and farming to her grandfather, who raised pheasants to release them. “I have a lot of memories of that.”

Starting with five chickens, it “kind of snowballed” says Keranen. “The next thing you know, we have turkey, geese and ducks.” Starting with raising – and processing -- 200 meat birds in a season, the two farmers focused on selling the processed birds to local restaurants. That went well until the Covid pandemic hit, and both the restaurants and the farm had to pivot.

They shifted from the bird meat business and started growing and selling cut flowers and organic vegetables. They also

sell farm fresh eggs, beautifully colored thanks to egg color genetics, which are a big hit with customers. The farm’s pasture birds – meaning they eat fresh grass, bugs, and other natural food – make for delicious eggs, says Keranen.

“We get a lot of compliments from people about the quality of our eggs. The yolks are nutrient dense, and people keep coming back for the eggs.”

Besides using breeding and genetics to create uniquely colored eggs, Baublit and

are meant for personal use as food. One turkey goes to each of their families, and one goes to the friend who helped them buy the property, which leaves two for their freezer.

BLOSSOMING BUSINESS

Now in their third year of raising flowers and selling fresh, mixed flower bouquets, they are regulars at the farmers market. “Being at those farmer’s markets last year and talking with people, I think we will be two to three times busier than last year,” says Keranen. “We are already getting a lot of calls, texts and emails.”

Some of the flower varieties grown at Fowl Creek Farm include daffodil, tulip, ranunculus, anemone, dahlia, zinnia, feverfew, dianthus, lisianthus, snapdragon, bupleurum, yarrow, marigold, celosia, and sunflower. Bouquets are sold at local farmer’s markets and delivered for events like weddings. Those flower fields also make for beautiful photos, with the couple taking full advantage of them as a business opportunity by charging photographers $50 an hour to come on site and take photos.

snapdragons they grow.

Then there is Mother Nature. “The wind is very bad out here,” says Keranen, whose favorite flowers are dahlias. “Our tall flowers need extra support.”

And there are the turkeys. “They are a lot of work,” says Baublit. They also have a reputation for chasing after farm visitors and running down the road, according to Keranen. “I would have to go after them and make a gobbling sound to get them to come back. When turkeys gang up on you, it can be unsettling.”

seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they leave the markets in Plymouth and Canton with a fresh flower bouquet. Her partner also finds joy in “the most beautiful, watercolored sunsets” that grace their land.

It’s clear farmers Jacki and Clarke have found their calling, as well as an opportunity to use their skills in other ways.

Keranen have also found a niche in breeding Muscovy ducks that come in rare colors, along with exhibition quality Dewlap Toulouse geese. The dewlap is a large piece of skin hanging below the bird’s beak. The geese come from bloodlines found at the Ohio National Poultry Show, which has been in existence for 50-plus years.

Fondly referring to the goslings produced from breeding their six geese as “lawn ornaments,” Keranen says the birds are more like pets and are sold for $125 per gosling. “We list those goslings on Facebook and people come from all over to get them.”

The five turkeys in their flock

Although being outside enjoying fresh air and sunshine sounds appealing, running Fowl Creek Farm is not always easy.

A typical day starts early: letting out their two dogs, feeding the birds, collecting eggs, checking emails and walking around the farmyard to see what needs to be done. Then “we make

Baublit, who designed the Fowl Creek Farm logo, does freelance graphic design work and has found a niche creating rustic farm logos. Keranen, who focuses a lot on the business side of the farm, also works as an independent contractor taking on painting, flooring, plumbing and other jobs from local realtors.

For both of them, a feeling of satisfaction comes from their approach to regenerative farming which focuses on conservation and sustainable agriculture, as well as providing for themselves.

“Success is growing all the stuff that we do and none of it goes on the compost pile,” says Keranen.

Baublit adds, “It is a good feeling when you cook a delicious meal, and it is there because of all the hard work you put in.”

First, there are the long hours. “We don’t get much time off during the year. Weekends are booked in the summer,” says Baublit, who loves the

a plan for the day and work until the sun goes down,” Baublit says.

There are simple pleasures, too. Like hatching baby birds, which Baublit really enjoys, and

Fowl Creek Farm is located at 8963 Joy Road. For more information, visit www. fowlcreekfarm.com.

Restaurateurs who provide outdoor dining in the City of Plymouth are almost certainly going to be paying more per-square-foot next year than they are now.

The question remains: How much more?

City commissioners voting on a resolution on the subject at the city’s Aug. 7 meeting in Caster Park voted down a motion that would have raised the city’s rate 50 cents -- from the current $1.50 to $2 per square foot.

In addition, Mayor Nick Moroz proposed expanding the required space between buildings and the dining areas be expanded from the current 4 feet to 6 feet.

The motion was proposed by Moroz who, it turned out, was the only “yes” vote in a 6-1 decision. The consensus among the “nay” votes was that the fee needed to be a little higher.

In arguing for the hike to $2, Moroz pointed out the rate hasn’t increased in the last decade.

“Our operating costs as a city and the value of our public property have undoubtedly increased over the past 10

years, (but) the rate per square foot for patio dining has not,” Moroz said in making his case for the increase to $2. “This is a slight increase…reflective of the increase in operating costs and the incorporation of parking spaces as available public property for outdoor dining. This should encourage the utilization of public property for outdoor dining based on feedback that I’ve received.”

The discussion started at the July 17 city commission meeting, when the suggestion was made that the outdoor dining fee be increased to $15 per square foot, a 900% increase.

Since that meeting, the city administration prepared statistics showing what various increases in the cost would mean to each of the eight downtown restaurants using public space for their dining patios.

For instance, an increase to $2 for Compari’s, Fiamma Grille and the Sardine Room – with the largest space at 1,788 square feet – would mean an $894 hike for an entire season (which runs April through November).

there’s storage for the other six months. We have to incorporate all of those costs into the usage we get on the patio.”

The other issue is the setback space of the dining areas from buildings. Moroz’s amendment would shift that requirement from 4 to 6 feet.

That reflects the walkability of the downtown area, the ability for patrons and pedestrians to navigate the areas where there is outdoor dining.

That walkability was just as important to some commissioners as the fee issue.

For the Penn Grill – at 429 feet the city’s smallest outdoor dining area – the increase with a $2 fee would be $214.50.

City Manager Paul Sincock said at the Aug. 7 meeting that restaurant owners are looking for a consistent policy to remain in place for several years.

Ryan Yaquinto, the owner of Compari’s, Fiamma Grille and the Sardine Room, said he and fellow restaurant owners have a “couple of concerns” with the potential fee structure.

He also pointed out there’s more to figuring the cost to restaurants of the per-square-foot fee.

“We have been part of the Plymouth community for over 23 years…we’ve always found a way to…have a healthy relationship (with the city),” Yaquinto said. “Is $1.50 the appropriate amount after 13 years? That’s for you to decide, but I do think the whole picture needs to be painted. It’s not just to break it out to $8 for 90 days. We are required to carry insurance, we have set up fees, we have breakdown fees, every spring we have to hire and train staff. There’s beautification, and

“My biggest concern is the walkability downtown, especially Main Street opposite Kellogg Park,” Commissioner Jennifer Kehoe said. “I would like to have seen more space for pedestrians. This is the direction I think we’re going.

“One thing we wanted all along is to give the restaurants more outdoor dining space,” she added. “That is why we took this upon us. We’ve never wanted to take away any outdoor dining space. This process had to happen.”

Commissioner Linda Filipczak thanked restaurant owners who made their concerns known to the

city. She said tabling the issue at the July meeting “gave us a chance to go out in the community.”

“It gave us the visual in our minds so that we could come to some conclusions,” she said. “It’s imperative for us to develop a framework and a policy so we can all move together in a forward fashion.

“All of us want our end goal, which is a vibrant, vital downtown Plymouth,” she added. “For me it’s critical we support our businesses and their economic development. We’re trying to take all things into consideration for everyone within the community.”

The question is also one of the location of the walking space, whether it need be from the building to the patios or from the patios to the street.

Yaquinto and his group would rather see it on the outside.

"It is our restaurant group’s strong opinion…that the clearance (should) remain on the outside of

the patios, allowing us to remain against the building," he said. "This will allow for less pedestrian congestion from service traffic while also utilizing additional sidewalk space outside of the clearance. We’ve operated patios in this manner for 23 years."

Commissioner Alanna Maguire said she initially thought the $2/6-foot proposal was in the “best interests of the city.” However, she pointed out, the original $15 proposal made in July – which most observers

agree was never a serious proposal – sparked an outcry around the city, and particularly on social media – that Maguire pointed out “all the toxicity” created by those discussions.

“Our public policy debates have lost any nuance, our media too often has a tone of us-versusthem, and everyone retreats to their respective corners to lob bombs at each other,” Maguire said. “It is my hope that we will all remember that civility, empathy and honesty are virtues

worth embracing, and that a healthy knowledge of civics is good for us all.”

No other votes were taken on the issue at the Aug. 7 meeting, though a consensus did seem to be building for a raise to $2.50 per square foot and the 6-foot setback spacing.

At press time, no date had been set for the next discussion of the issue. Any change in policy would take place for the 2024 dining season.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

City leaders are trying to determine the right fee to charge restaurants that take advantage of outdoor dining, as well as how much space is needed for walking space. We’d love to hear your opinions on this issue. Email Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@ therockmagazine.com.

Outpatient

surgery now available in Plymouth

Offers better access, the latest procedures and a welcoming environment

“With the addition of outpatient surgery at the Henry Ford Medical Center in Plymouth, we’re making healthcare as convenient as possible for our community,” says Theresa Broniak, director of ambulatory surgical services at Henry Ford Health.

Surgical services

We offer outpatient procedures in six specialty areas, including:

• Orthopaedics

• Sports Medicine

• Urology

• Ear, Nose and Throat

• Neurosurgery

• Plastic Surgery

the risk of side effects commonly associated with treatment for prostate cancer.

In addition, given that the Plymouth and surrounding areas feature a strong focus on school athletics, our sports medicine procedures will improve access for local student athletes, helping them get back in the game.

Additional features and amenities

“We designed every aspect to create a more personal outpatient surgery experience and make things easy for you—so you can focus on your procedure and healing,” Broniak says. This includes:

• Private rooms: Before and after your procedure, to help ensure optimal recovery and privacy.

waiting room for family members.

• Same-day medication refills from our onsite pharmacy: These are delivered to you before you leave the outpatient surgery area. In addition, our team makes sure you understand the time regimen for any pain medications before you go home.

• Convenient parking: Henry Ford Medical Center – Plymouth features ample parking, making it easier to get in, get out and return home.

• Recovery call: The day after your surgery, a nurse will call to check in and make sure you’re doing well.

Coordinated care

Given that our outpatient surgery area is located within the Plymouth medical center, you can also get all your care in one place—and from a coordinated team.

“The surgeons performing the procedures are the same ones that you’ll see when you come to one of the clinics in our medical center,” Broniak says. “And our entire Plymouth team is a tightknit community of people who work together every day to provide a seamless experience for you.”

The new construction includes two large, state-of-the-art operating rooms, brand-new equipment and the most advanced technology available.

“We’re focused on providing better access to the latest surgical procedures and a one-onone experience with less waiting time,” Broniak says.

This includes the only high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system in the area for the treatment of prostate cancer. HIFU offers a radiation-free procedure that uses high frequency ultrasound waves to heat up and burn the diseased area of the prostate, while sparing other parts of the gland. This can reduce

• Waiting area: We offer a large, comfortable

“We want all of our patients to have the best recovery possible,” Broniak says. “And we understand that the actual procedure is only part of it.”

In addition, if you need to visit another location within Henry Ford Health for additional care—or if you are referred to Plymouth from one of our other locations—all your medical records will be available through Henry Ford MyChart, making it easy to connect all your care.

Henry Ford Medical Center – Plymouth is located at the corner of Ann Arbor Road and N. Haggerty. To make an appointment, call (734) 928-1600, or visit henryford.com/ plymouth.

From Utilitarian to Inspired

Epiphany Kitchens designs are from the heart

For 17 years, Epiphany Kitchens has excelled by pumping new life into a home’s most underappreciated space.

"(The kitchen's) the heart of the home," said Jay Towar, the remodeling specialist's effusive founder and president.

The businessman's astute observation proved true during the pandemic as homebound folks increasingly dined inside. The prolonged sequestration caused many homeowners to yearn for

serves primarily Plymouth, Northville and Novi where homes list anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million and beyond.

Regardless of property values, the home remodeler's mission remains the same: Transform utilitarian kitchens into tony design spaces where culinary delights are inspired.

“That’s our sweet spot,” Towar said.

Amid chatter about cabinetry and faucets, Epiphany’s climb to one of

righted a refacing business before selling the entire operation to a major home improvement chain.

Those business forays paved Towar’s seamless pivot into kitchen remodeling.

Towar graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in labor relations. He aspired to be a union organizer, but with mass automotive worker layoffs in the mid-1970s, the budding marketing maven found himself in pharmaceutical sales.

After three years toiling in the medical industrial complex, Towar grew disillusioned.

Integrity and instinct guided Towar's future endeavors, which led him to downtown Northville where a “for lease” sign caught his eye while he was enjoying an ice cream sitting on a bench on Center Street.

joined as chief financial officer. The office staff complemented Epiphany's job site team, which has blossomed into seven crews featuring installers, floor specialists, carpenters, electricians, drywallers, plumbers and painters.

Tony Bronzovich emerged as the firm's design and project management guru. The Oakland University graduate joined Epiphany in 2006 and has since become a partner. Bronzovich possesses an uncanny knack for transforming customers’ rough kitchen overhaul ideas into dynamic but functional designs, Towar said.

“He’s amazing,” Towar said.

Epiphany’s founder pounced after learning about Bronzovich’s creative flair through another kitchen outfitter.

I don't think you're going to want to let me go."

The prospective employee proved prophetic.

After a half-year, Epiphany's founder offered Bronzovich a 10% stake in the company to remain. Bronzovich's ownership share has since grown to 15%.

Bronzovich will likely take over when the founder retires, which is not in the immediate future. "I am having too much fun," Towar said.

To expand its reach beyond kitchens, Epiphany is taking on full-build projects. A designer was hired to help with the burgeoning workload.

their kitchens to be more than just a placeholder for a fridge, table, and sink.

In such instances, Epiphany's exquisite craftsmanship and a century of combined expertise became currents pulsating through a home improvement automatic defibrillator. Ornate Amishbuilt cabinets and being a Galley Workstations specialist only fortified the firm's sterling reputation.

Epiphany Kitchens

the area’s premier homeremodeling outfits also deserves a spot on the front burner. Shrewd moves and uncompromising values have punctuated Towar’s trek.

Towar’s commercial savvy has been accrued through four decades of entrepreneurial ventures.

The self-described small business specialist ran a heating and cooling franchise, sold aluminum siding and windows, and

“I thought to myself, ‘You know that building is so perfect,’” Towar said. “I just called my wife (Sherry) and said, ‘I just had an epiphany: We should go into the highend kitchen remodeling business, or, maybe notso-much high end but just do it right.’”

The 107 N. Center Street spot was the ideal launching pad as Epiphany's sparkling showroom lured numerous walk-in clients. Now the client base is largely from referrals from satisfied customers, Towar said. His wife of 40 years

Towar offered to "overpay" the ballyhooed designer for a six-month trial to get his fledgling enterprise off the ground.

"I said, 'I think you are pretty talented, but in six months, I am going to know everything you know and probably let you go," said Towar, recalling the conversation. "He said, 'Yeah, OK, I'll do that, but

As business booms, the company’s founder has grown more philosophical.

"Now, I tend not to work from the pocketbook but more from the heart," said Towar, who's contemplating an expansion into Hilton Head, S.C. "So, now strangely enough or appropriately enough, we are more successful than ever before."

At Henry Ford Medical Center – Plymouth, you can get all of your care in one place.

Whether you live in Plymouth or nearby, we’re proud to bring primary and specialty care closer to you— including pharmacy, on-site imaging (3D mammography, MRI, CT and X-ray) and lab services. Our facility was built just for you. And it’s just minutes down the road. See a full list of services at henryford.com/plymouth

We believe all your healthcare solutions should live where you do.