News & Notes - 8/9/23 St. Clair Shores Sentinel

St. Clair Shores Sentinel | Published August 10, 2023

30th Annual Greekfest starts Aug. 17
Come join in the festivities as the Assumption Cultural Center hosts the 30th Annual Greekfest Aug. 17 to Aug. 20.

According to a press release, the event draws around 10,000 people from all around the metro Detroit area. The grand opening ceremony starts at 5 p.m. Aug. 17, where community leaders will be recognized.

The fest is open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 17, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Aug. 18, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Aug. 19, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 20. General admission is $3, and children younger than 12 are admitted free. Free parking, shuttle service and valet service are available.

This year there will be a plethora of Greek food, entertainment from the Assumption Dancers as well as Polish, Irish and Ukrainian dancers, and an indoor Marketplace. There will also be exhibits displaying costumes and artifacts from Greece, Ukraine, Ireland and Poland.

A grand raffle will be held on Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. According to the press release, the prizes are: $10,000 (first prize), a Meira T gold diamond necklace donated by Ahee Jewelers (second prize), $500 (third prize) and $200 (fourth, fifth and sixth prizes). Tickets are $10 each and are available for purchase online at assumptionfestival.com or at the Assumption Cultural Center’s office at 21800 Marter Road in St. Clair Shores.

Joan DeRonne, church administrator, said Greekfest is almost like a giant class reunion and people look forward to seeing each other there.

“It becomes a place for everyone to gather,” DeRonne said.

 

New architectural services approved for fire department
At the City Council meeting on July 31, the St. Clair Shores City Council approved a contract with Partners in Architecture for architectural services for the Fire Department in a 5-0 vote.

Councilman Dave Rubello and Councilman Peter Accica were excused from the meeting.

According to the July 31 meeting agenda, the council previously approved architectural services with A3C Collaborative Architecture at the meeting on Oct. 3, 2022.

This agenda item was originally discussed by Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Chris Vitale and Rubello, who are both subcommittee members.

The original contract with A3C was for $668,550, and entering into the new contract with Partners in Architecture will cost $465,000. The current investment with A3C, according to the meeting agenda, “is $79,193.76 with approximately $40,000 in outstanding invoices.”

 

Changes made to South Lake Schools start times, end times
South Lake Schools will see their start and end times change this year, according to Superintendent Ted Von Hiltmayer.

Last year, school end times were changed in the middle of the year due to a lack of bus drivers, Von Hiltmayer said.

“So we had to expand the amount of time in between building start and end times so that we had a longer period of time to pick up and drop off students because we had fewer bus drivers,” Von Hiltmayer said.

This system was inconvenient for families because there was an hour and a half between the start of school at the middle school and the start of school at the elementary buildings.

“If you happen to have a child at both, and you were dropping your child off and not using busing, you’re dropping one off, and an hour and a half later, you’re dropping one off or more,” Von Hiltmayer said.

During the changes in the middle of the school year, they kept the order the schools started the same. This next school year, Von Hiltmayer said, they made changes to the order of the schools.

“It’s a bigger change but it’s not happening in the middle of the year and it’s something that, really, our families wanted,” Von Hiltmayer said.

The start and end times will be:

• South Lake High School: 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

• South Lake Middle School: 8:05 a.m. to 3:05 p.m.

• Elmwood Elementary School: 8:25 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.

• Avalon Elementary School: 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

 

Friends of the Library hosts Accessory Sale
Find accessories and style at the Friends of the Library Accessory Sale from noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, at the Friend’s Gift Shop and Bookstore at the St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 E. 11 Mile Road.

Mary Lou Britton, president of Friends of the Library, said accessories for the sale are donated and that they are currently accepting donations. The donation tubs are inside the Friend’s Gift Shop and Bookstore at the library.

Only cash or checks are accepted at the sale, Britton said.