Make plans to attend the American Polish Festival & Craft Show this upcoming weekend (July 11-13). This year, just as in years past, folks from all over the state will gather at Freedom Hill Park in Macomb County to celebrate Polish culture and heritage. Freedom Hill Park is in Sterling Heights, MI. The festival features foods from Poland the U.S. to energize you as you walk around, take in the crafts and perhaps dance a little to the live music.

There will be lots to do and this is a great event for families. You will be entertained by live bands, including Tony Blazonczyk's New Phaze, Duane Malinowski & the Polka Jamboree, Jeff Mleczko's DynaBrass, The K-Tones, and Darrell Weltin's New Brass Express.

There is no charge for admission to the festival, but please note that you will have to pay for parking.

Festival Hours:
Friday, July 11 6 pm-11:30 pm
Saturday, July 12 12 pm-11 pm
Sunday July 13 12 pm-10 pm

To see the complete schedule and lineup of musical acts, visit www.americanpolishfestival.com. You can also call 586-264-7990 with for information.

I hope that all of the Macomb County fathers had a Happy Father's Day yesterday and that you were all celebrated in grand style. June is the season of Dads and Grads since we celebrate fatherhood and commencement this month, but Father’s Day was not always celebrated in June.

Just like Mother's Day, Father's Day has an interesting history. What is acknowledged as the first Father's Day commemoration in modern times took place in Fairmont, West Virginia in July of 1908. At that time, an explosion had killed miners in this town, many of whom were fathers, and residents wanted to honor their memory. Just two months before this, Grafton, West Virginia had held the first Mother's Day celebration.

In Spokane, Washington, another early 20th century celebration of Father's Day was inspired by Mother's Day. The Spokane YMCA held the first June father's day event on June 19, 1910, after a resident there wanted to honor her father for raising six children alone.

Again, I hope all of Macomb County's fathers had a great day yesterday. Whether you are raising kids or acting as a father figure to children you are not yours, you deserve a round of applause.

It is a great pleasure to enjoy a good meal. And it is an even greater pleasure to enjoy a good meal, knowing that you are helping a good cause. You’ll have an opportunity to do this on Wednesday, June 11 from 4pm-8 pm when you dine at Mr. Pita.

On that evening Mr. Pita will give 20% of the proceeds to help the Mercy House. The Mercy House is a place where homeless women can come and change the course of their lives. Even if you have never been homeless, you still know what it felt like to be in a desperate situation, a situation that you were unable to alter without some help. So take some time to go by Mr. Pita and give a little to help the Mercy House. If you are fortunate enough to go out to eat and then return to a home to call your own, then you are fortunate indeed.

Mr. Pita is locate at 15 & Vandyke. The Mercy House is on Chene at Canfield on Detroit’s east side. If you want to learn more or even do more for the Mercy House, call Nancy at 586-489-5041 or send her an e-mail at balowski@wowway.com.

There is no point to having a classic car and keeping it in the garage. You need to take it out and let people see it in all of its glory. And Downtown Mount Clemens is the place to do just that this weekend.

On Saturday, June 7, 2008 from 9 am to 10 pm, the Bud Light Car Cruise Nights event will be the place to be and the place to see and show off your smokin’ ride. There will be vendors with food on hand, so you will not go hungry as you watch the parade of hot rods go by. The Car Show is from 9 am to 3pm, followed by the car cruise from 3 pm to 10 pm.

To participate, you can register tonight (June 6) from 5 pm to 9 pm in front of Community Central Bank on Main Street. Or, if you are an early riser, you can register on Saturday morning from 7 am to 9 pm.

All of this automotive fun is being brought to you by the Friends of Mount Clemens. Call 586-791-7292 to get all of the details.

In times past, members of a community (mostly women) would gather to make quilts, engaging in a social event while at the same time doing some very practical work. These days there are fewer quilting bees, but that doesn’t mean that people still aren’t making quilts.

In fact, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in not losing this craft. There has also been a new view: quilts as art. Instead of being solely used to keep people warm in their beds, quilts are now also being put on display in exhibitions all over the country.

This Friday, May 16, 2008 the Macomb County Quilt Guild will present Quilts from the Attic 2008. The event will take place at the Roseville Recreation Center on May 16 from 12 pm to 8 pm. And don’t worry if you miss it because there will be an encore on Saturday, May 17 from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission to the exhibit is $5. You can e-mail santok@wowway.com or call 586-294-0423 to get additional information.

Roseville Recreation Center
18185 Sycamore Street

Macomb County, come out to Bruce Post VFW 1146 this upcoming Thursday, April 24 for the first annual, “Chili Wars” chili cook-off. The fun starts at 5pm and goes until 9pm. For those who think that chili is one of those dishes that pretty much tastes the same everywhere you go, you will be in for quite a surprise. Chili recipes vary widely in ingredients and chili can have an endless variety of ingredients, textures, tastes. And of course there is that one criteria where chili cooks really battle: heat. Just how spicy is your chili? Will it set off alarms or is it on the sweet side?

If you aren’t a chili chef, you can still participate by tasting the chilis and cheering the contestants. There will be awards to the best chili in several categories, and a prize for the most entertaining chili team.

There is no entry fee for those who cook, but you must bring two gallons of your best chili. The admission for chili tasters is $8 and for that you get soft drinks, coffee, dessert and of course, Macomb County’s best chili.

Visit the Bruce Post VFW 1146 website to learn more.

Even with all of the problems our nation is facing, we cannot forget that there are others suffering around the world. The Haiti Outreach Mission is having an event called “ A Toast to Humanity” to do their part. Come out to the Positive Vibration Wine Bar in Lake Orion on April 19 at 7pm to do your part to help the people of Haiti. There will be a silent auction, wine tasting, wine specials, entertainment and a menu with a tropical theme.

Monies raised to go towards assisting with better medical treatment and education, as well as funds for an orphanage and bakery. Because the Haiti Outreach Mission is a 501(c) non-profit charitable organization, a ny money that you give may be tax-deductible.Organizers say that once you’ve been the Haiti and seen not only the need, but just how much of a difference even a small contribution can make, you will never be the same.

You may not be able to actually travel to Haiti, but you can still help by making a donation.

Positive Vibration
3631 S. Baldwin Road
(248) 393-4337

Mark your calendars—The American Cancer Society will have a fundraiser on May 3 and 4. This event will go from 10am on Saturday May 3 to 10 am on Sunday May 4.

Members of our community of have beaten cancer will be there to get things started. There will also be a ceremony to honor those who are fighting cancer and to remember those who fought cancer.

There will be entertainment and activities going on throughout the night, so be prepared to stay up and join in the fun!

If you, a friend or family member has experienced the devastating effects of cancer then you know just how important and event like this is. Money is needed to find cancer research so that new and more effective treatments can be found. And so that the ultimate goal—eradicating cancer completely, can become a reality.

The other reason why events like this matter so much is that they let cancer patients and cancer survivors know just how much support the have from the community at large. No one can measure the effects that such a boost in morale can have on recovery and continued good health.

If you would like to learn more, call Jennifer McFarlane at (248)663-3444 or visit their website, events.cancer.org/rflwarrenmi.

If you’ve seen The Biggest Loser on television or are aware of other weight loss challenges, you know that a little competition can go a long way towards motivating people to shed pounds.

That is why Sprint Hill Apartments in Shelby Township will spend the next 12 weeks sponsoring a Pro Weight Loss Challenge. Each Thursday from 6:30-7:30 pm, you can get together with other contenders for assistance and some encouragement, For just $29 you get a free metabolic test, free coaching and contestants will be weighed each week. That’s $29 total, not $29 per session. The three top “losers” will win prizes. But don’t do it for the prizes: do it to get healthy and to get in shape. Do it for the bragging rights.

No matter your reason, this is a great opportunity. Most work is easier when it is share and losing weight is no exception. You’ll have fun and you’ve got nothing to lose (except weight).

The Spring Hill Apartments are located at 45710 Spring Lane. Call Madeline (586-254-1956) or Sue (810-794-5879) to learn more.

If you own a business in Macomb County and are not yet a member of the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce—what are you waiting for?

Member organization that invest in the Chamber are really investing in each other and in the people they serve. A strong tie among local businesses creates a stronger community and this benefits everyone. By coming together local business owners are able to do so much more as group than each operation could do on its own.

In addition to being a part of an organization that is doing continuously works to improve conditions in the community where you operate your business, there are a whole host of benefits and discounts that come with Chamber membership.

Here are just a few of the many benefits of Chamber membership:

Advertising discounts with the Macomb Daily and MichiganMall.com

Banking discounts at LaSalle Bank

Office supply discount at Office Depot

Telephone service discount with Verizon Wireless

Visit the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce website or call 586.493.7600.

You can also visit the Chamber is person at 28 First Street, Suite B in Mount Clemens.