INSIDE
: Whitehall NHD competitors recognized at state
REFLECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY
Volume 3, Issue 50 May 8, 2026
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Volume 3, Issue 25 MAY 1, 2026
Reflections of our community
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Hart businesses celebrate milestone anniversaries
Whitehall's "Robo Sharks" reach state meet
From their family to yours - Hansen Foods celebrates 60 years
said. "We got carried on the 2024, a number that Then inexploded 2009, Dave and coattails a little bit there." to 14 this pasthis fall.wife Leslie returned Those days are over for the "We've really been home totrying Hart to and purThe Oceana Echo Whitehall RoboSharks, who build the program, and that's chased the store from Community reached the April 16-18 state the leadership of the high his parents, Don and Correspondents meet in Saginaw, the first time school team," Jura said. "We Bev. Every two weeks they've been there since 2019. had a festival this fall for the now, there is something Congratulations to While the team didn't reach the elementary teams and a scrimspecial going on at the Hansen Foods on the world finals this time around, mage for the upper level teams. store, including Ribfest, celebration of their 60th they got something maybe We're mentoring a team from By Andy Roberts Baconfest, their Seafood anniversary last month! even sweeter - the Sustainabil- Shelby, and we've helped out White Lake Mirror Editor Sale Extravaganza and According to the ity Award from the state finals, some other teams at a scrimmuch more. The Whitehall High School Hansen Foods history which recognized the program mage we went to this spring for Both gone now, Don "RoboSharks" robotics team posted at their customer for its efforts building from the high school teams. We're trying and Bev’s legacy lives has kept getting better since service desk, as the only high school down to the youth to do good things for our comon, not only in the Hanthe last time it reached the remaining full-service ranks. The middle school team munity." sen family, but in the state meet in 2019, said coach grocery store in Hart, The sustainability award also won the same award at the Jen Jura and ironically, that entire community. Their Whitehall's "Robo Sharks" robotics team won the FIRST Robotics “Hansens” got its start in was a fine honor already, but district level. sustainability award at the state finals meet in Saginaw in April. improvement is why it took grocery store business 1966 when Don and Bev "The Team Sustainability in addition, Whitehall had • Courtesy Photo until this year for the team to has spanned multiple Hansen moved to Hart Award celebrates a team which self-satisfaction in its perforreturn. generations, from these em- events, devises a theme match, it would often still be from Gaylord, where he The Rohas developed sustainable mance this season. Jura explained that at qualiployees and suppliers BC Pizza owners andtweaks. Tara Eisenlohr ThisJerrod making was the manager of the practices focus on aDave 'triple boSharks racked up points in for the competitions. Hansen that Foods owner Hansen fying customers and comyear's theme, Rebuilt, comThis year, though, when A&P competitions, grocery store.teams Not form bottom line,' People, Prosperi- qualifiers this to year not because BC Pizza of Hart marks 15 years alliances in take a schoolyard-style in have Dave’s storeother biography wanting to a trans- Lyle Kemp ty, and(located Planet, to a positeams munity "carried" organizations. them, bined elements from the past first meeting in January, the draft based on team rankings, Many have benefited the current Knights of reads. “Don and Bev years of competitions.perseverance team did "more & jumping fer to manage a store in tive impact and achieve long- but because of their own ro- 15-plusof community, pizzain and past years Whitehall, ofbuilding onreads, hadin the courage risk it from their generosity The game teams played this and trying stuff," Jura said. the in Detroit area, Don Columbus term continuity," part, bot'stoperformance. ten a middle-of-the-pack Washington Street). all to better themselves. robots In a involved small town like Hart, are often That success gave stories the RoboSharks came back to his home- team "You get and 12 community-mindqualifying year, Jura said, a release about the award. in the state rankings, would edness, including local built Selling everything With hard work and a 'fuel which are resilience oncells,' determination, andtoa react strongtosense of more time the retown of Hart with the exNo doubt the growth of rounds, and after the first event collecting show enough of strength be had, the Hans- sense of humor, they charities, schools about size of a dodgeball, community. Few stories capture that spirit better than sults of "trying stuff," letting the press purpose buying tothey robotics teams in the White we were in fifth place, which and the picked by higher-ranked families received ens paid built their and and 'shooting' them into awhich hub. proudly BC Pizza of Hart, 15 years in studentscelebrated use the engineering a grocery store that was teams Lakethe arearequired was a major fac- business led to us being captainwho of the later in the draft. Since teams support during down payment on the soon outgrew it.” "This game at seemed parts of their brains to come business the endsimof April. for sale by then-owner tor in the award. Montague fourth alliance," Jura said, ex-difficult in alliances are all awarded 2,400-square-foot gro-schoolInteam, 1972, the Hansens years'2010, up with what and they Backtoin other November Hart solutions residentsto Jerrod now has a high plaining the times. process. "That's ple compared points based on performance, Dave served hot cery and moved their moved their store to the games, as far as the functioning were to seeing Tara Eisenlohr had a dream: openrather theirthan ownhoping pizza which Jura said the Whitehall not being picked by anyone that sometimes resulted inyoung the dogs and a peak Coke of forit," a Jura family (Dave, formerand Kroger building said. in their hometown. to getItitwas justaright theidea first roottime. restaurant simple group helped get going, else, that's just us having Whitehall team getting points minimum donation of Brenda, Diane and (now Community MenPart of reason forwork theand a"The and the ed inthe family, hard beliefprogramming in their community. both Whitehall and Montague performance because we built that other teams had a lot toGoeff do ) back to Hart, tal Health). And as the 25 cents at their 60th an- success year, oddlyit didn’t drive team But like this many dreams, comecould easy. try out all the have middle school teams. a great, functioning robot. In team's with earning. niversary celebration on enough, was that it spent less whereThe theygrowth openedatthe family grew, so did the different functions of thebank, robot After presenting their business plan to a local the youth lev- our second qualifier, in Mus"In 2019, we got picked time planning. In past years, Saturday, April 25, with Hart Food Center shortbusiness. So in 1985 they earlier in the season, then have the couple was turned down. They were even told someels, where the two schools co- kegon, we finished in second by the first alliance during Jura said, the team would plan all of the donations goly after. Literally using chose to build their own more time to make changes thing that could have ended their journey before it beop, has been exponential even place and were captain of the the state finals, which gotallusof their money on store at their present ing to the Crystal Valley and“Hart plandoesn’t when buildgan, need another pizza place.” within the last year. Jura said second alliance for the finals." and plan enough points to go to the thedown payment, they location on Polk Road. Care Fund (CVCF).ingHeits robot, so much somight that have been the end of the road, For many, that Each year FIRST Robotics, there were six robotics teams world finals (in Houston)," didn’t Jura even have enough “Everyone thought we said they raised when the time came for its firstit was just the beginning. $800 but for the Eisenlohrs, "Ipage per-2 at the elementary level in fall the organization administering continued on money to put cash in the were crazy. They would that day and presented sonally took that comment as a challenge. I wanted to drawer for opening day. say, ‘Who’s going to go the CVCF with a $1,000 prove that banker wrong." Tara explained. They started with that far for groceries? donation. With two young children, just 2 and 4 years old at the "We could not have time, they chose to push forward. Through persistence just four employees - Nobody can walk that Doug Drum, Gladys far," Dave’s biography done it without all of our and belief in their vision, they brought their dream to The annual White Lake Community councilcontinues. meeting. "Maybe one of these gooddays customers sticking life just a few months later, opening BC Pizza on ComHindman, Germaine Trash Bash took place Sunday, sending won't have to do has it...Maybe with usare all these years," fort Drive in Hart on April 20, 2011. Owens and volArlen we McAs history prov- things unteers all over the White Lake area to better andofpeople putting things Dave told the Echo this Closkey. Athelp 13, getting Dave en, plenty peopleare have Fifteen years later, that once-doubted idea has bepick up whatever garbagestarted they could supposed go." week. "Without our cus- come a cornerstone of the community. in thefind meatwhere de- they're gone “that far for to grocerthat hadn't been properly disposed of.Brenda, only Hillebrand added from unscien-there wouldn’t partment; ies,” and nowthat with thehertomers, BC Pizza of Hart has grown into more than just a For a few hours Sunday,11, most anywhere tific eye,rail it seemed as though less be trash was a Hansen Foods, and place to grab a slice—it’s a gathering spot, a supporter became a cashier trail running right in the area you could find atand least voluncollected this year than last, a good sign for I would like to thank all of local causes, an employer of numerous young people atone 9 years old, Diane behind it, plenty of peoteer collecting garbage in trash bagsinprovidthe cleanliness the area. helped the produce ple can of access the store of them for allowing us and a business deeply woven into the fabric of the town. ed by local businesses. "It's by really be here for 60 years." Over the years, the Eisenlohrs have consistently given department. Goeff, who foot well-run," or bicyclecouncil too. tomember "It's a great communitywas effort and6 good addedboth Tuesday. only at the Bryan time, Mahan In the 1990s, Goeff "They covback; supporting sports teams, band boosters, school teamwork," Whitehall Citywas Council They have maps notall of us at the book giveaways, fundraisers, churches and countless From “off thememhook." er (territory). and Dave carried on theout...It's ber Debi Hillebrand said during Tuesday's people aimlessly walkingowning around."Echo, thank you Han- charitable events. “Sometimes you family business, have to take a step into their own grocery stores sen Foods for the past 60 The Echo offers its congratulations to BC Pizza of Hart Roberts/Mirror Photos the water, and a rock will in Bear Lake and Sut- years, and may you en- as you celebrate your Andy 15th anniversary. We wish you rise to meet your foot,” tons Bay, respectively. joy another 60! many more years in the business!
By Sharon TeamHallack wins &sustainability Amanda Dodge
PERMIT NO 62
PRSRT STANDARD PRSRT STANDARD NON PROFIT NON PROFIT U.S. POSTAGEU.S. POSTAGE PAID PAID
BIG RAPIDS, MI 49307 BIG PERMIT NO 62RAPIDS, MI 49307
award in 1st finals appearance since 2019
Robo Sharks
RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL POSTALCUSTOMER CUSTOMER POSTAL ECRWSS ECRWSS
Pitching in to clean up the White Lake area