Along with singing “Auld Lang Syne” at the start of the New Year, making resolutions is a tradition for millions of Americans. While choosing a resolution can be easy, sticking to it can be impossible. A 2014 YMCA survey found that less than a quarter of respondents kept their resolutions. Many (71 percent) tried but stated that they fell short of their goals. Forty percent confessed that they gave up within the first few months, even weeks, of the New Year! This year, the YMCA of the Blue Water Area is encouraging community members to give their New Year’s resolutions a boost by creating smaller, more manageable goals that can lead to a success of a larger one. “’Losing weight’ is too broad,” explains Jenny McElwain, Healthy Living Specialist. “Reframe that big resolution into smaller, more manageable ones. Resolve to incorporate fruits and vegetables into at least two meals a day. If you’re eating out three times a week, make a goal to only eat out two times a week.” The YMCA of the Blue Water Area also explains that reframing your goals in a positive way can help you stick to them. For example, you may want to limit your screen time in 2019, but that can be more manageable if you replace it with something positive like volunteering or setting special time aside for family. “

It was with great hesitation and consideration that Fort Gratiot Township Supervisor Jorja Baldwin stated that the township is seeking nominees for the position of Treasurer.  Due to the death of the elected Treasurer, Judi Reynolds, the Fort Gratiot Board of Trustees has the responsibility to appoint a person to fill the remaining term of office, which ends at 12:00 PM on November 20, 2020.  As required by law, the Board must make an appointment and the appointee must take the Oath of Office on or before January 20, 2019.  Baldwin stated, in respect for the family, the township has held off posting the position, but they now, must follow the legal steps to fill the position. Those interested in being considered for the appointment should submit a cover letter and resume addressed to Robert C. Crawford, Fort Gratiot Township Clerk and submitted at the Fort Gratiot Municipal Center 3720 Keewahdin Road, Fort Gratiot or by email to rcrawford@fortgratiottwp.org by 4:30 PM on Thursday, December 27, 2018. Letters of recommendation and any other documentation may also be submitted with the cover letter and resume. As required by law, any interviews will be conducted during an open meeting of the Board of Trustees.  The Treasurer’s office is responsible for the collection of taxes, utility bills, permit fees, and any other fees or payments owed to the Township, preparation of tax bills, property liens, bankruptcy filings and implementing Board of Review and Tax Tribunal changes. The Treasurer is also responsible for depositing, investing, and transferring funds to cover payments, reconciling and balancing bank statements, distributing the collected funds from tax bills to all individual entities, assisting in generating yearly budgets, twice monthly providing a complete financial report on all Township funds to the Board of Trustees and filing revenue sharing reports and ensuring compliance with all Michigan Department of Treasury laws and policies. The office must be staffed the entire time the municipal office is open, and on the last day to pay taxes without penalty, the Treasurer’s Office is open extended hours. Additionally, the Treasurer is a voting member of the Board of Trustees, which is made up of the Supervisor, Treasurer, Clerk and four Trustees. The Board meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM. The annual salary for 2019 is set at $48,699.00, paid in bi-weekly installments.  The position is considered full time and includes healthcare, life insurance and 401 defined contribution retirement benefits.  A nominee must be a Fort Gratiot Township elector. An elector is defined as someone 18 years of age, who is a U. S. citizen and has lived at least 30 days in the Township. Property ownership is not required.  Candidates with municipal, financial, public or private accounting experience are encouraged to apply.  Log on to the Township’s website for more information on the position.

Many consumers are in a sprint to the finish in terms of getting their holiday gifts and greetings in the mail. This week is expected to be the busiest week of the holiday mailing and shipping season for the Postal Service. The agency expects to process and deliver nearly 3 billion pieces of mail, which includes packages, this week alone. In the two weeks leading up to Christmas, Dec. 10-23, the Postal Service expects to deliver nearly 200 million packages each week.  Overall, the Postal Service anticipates delivering nearly 15 billion total pieces of mail and more than 900 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day — for a total of nearly 16 billion joyful mail and package deliveries this holiday season.  The Postal Service already delivers packages on Sundays in most major cities and, to handle the surge in holiday volume, the agency is expanding its Sunday delivery operations in select high package volume locations. USPS expects to deliver more than 8 million packages each Sunday in December. Mail carriers will also deliver Priority Mail Express packages on Christmas Day in selectlocations.

The Postal Service recommends using the following mailing and shipping deadlines*:

• Dec. 20    – First-Class Mail (including greeting cards)
• Dec. 20    – First-class Packages (up to 15.99 ounces)
• Dec. 20   –  Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
• Dec. 20    – Priority Mail
• Dec. 20    – Alaska to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
• Dec. 22    – Alaska to mainland Priority Mail Express
• Dec. 22    – Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail Express
• Dec. 22    – Priority Mail Express

A custom, handcrafted kayak is being offered up as the piece in a fundraiser for The Friends of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse.  According to David Brooks, president of the group, the boat is fashioned from wood, and was made by Allen Deming of  Mackinaw Watercraft LLC in Grand Ledge.  The group commissioned the kayak and funds raised will go toward restoration at the park.”  The friends group volunteers and raises money for the Fort Gratiot Light Station County Park, located at 2800 Omar St., Port Huron.  One of Deming’s canoe, which was received into competition at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, featured wood inlays of lighthouses along Lake Michigan, and it was from that piece that the group decided to commission a kayak.  The single-person kayak has a retail value of $5,150. It weighs 28 pounds and is 14 feet long.  Tickets are $20  and 500 will be sold. The drawing will be July 14 during Bluewater SandFest. To purchase tickets or for more information, cal (810) 385-4951 or go to https://www.facebook.com/St-Clair-County-Parks-and-Recreation-Commission-114026198441/.  The  ayak will be on display in the upstairs Chase Gallery at Studio 1219 located at 1219 Military Street in Port Huron from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 22 and noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 23.

Former Michigan professional hockey player Scott Matzka died on Sunday, December 16 at the age of 40.   Matzka, a Port Huron native was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2015.  Since that time, he had been an advocate for awareness and research for the disease.  His family’s experience was documented in the film “My Turn, The Film”, following his wife and children as Matzka walked through the realities of dealing daily with ALS.  The film held a premiere at Sperry’s Moviehouse this past June.   My Turn 4 ALS a non-profit foundation was founded by Matzka and holds fundraisers to raise not only funds, but awareness of the disease.  For more information about MyTurn 4 ALS, visit scottmatzka.com