Shelby Geisler and her Clarkston Varsity Dance teammates dazzle the crowd during half-time at the Wolves? game against Southfield-Lathrup last Friday. Photo by WAR

Lauren McKay smiles as she performs with the Clarkston Varsity Dance team. The Lady Wolves perform at half time during the Wolves game this Thursday against Rochester. The dance team competes at the Pistons Pom Classic at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday. Photo by Wendi Reardon

Clarkston High School cheerlerader Kayleigh Goodrich finishes flipping for her favorite high school team at the Sept. 6 game. Photo by Wendi Reardon

Oxford Township resident Thomas Knauf, 12, bagged this beautiful eight-point buck on Saturday, Sept. 21 during the 2013 Youth Hunt. Thomas took the deer with a 12-gauge shotgun at about 4:30 p.m. This is his first deer. He took it while hunting with his dad, Bruce Knauf, in the northeastern part of Oxford Township. Thomas is an eighth-grader at Faith Baptist Schools in Davison.

Makenna Theuer happily reaches for another egg at the Clarkston United Methodist Church Easter Egg Hunt, March 23. Photo by Wendi Reardon

Brendan and his dad Dan Gerard are proud of the gingerbread house they made at the Independence Elementary holiday party, Dec. 21. Photo by Phil Custodio

Jillian Parkhurst combined her love of country and her love of art to create a thought-provoking poster that’s earned her four awards, ranging from local to national.
The 10-year-old Oxford resident used her considerable talents to create a poster for the Junior American Citizens Art Contest, sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
Using the theme ‘Enhancing the Present,? Parkhurst, who’s a fourth-grader at Oakland Christian School in Auburn Hills, designed a poster to answer the all-important question, ‘How can we help make our nation a better place to live??
The poster features a young girl surrounded by thought bubbles containing noble ideas such as save endangered species, stop oil spills, take care of the Earth, eliminate litter, save water, save energy, recycle and ‘take care of our nation.?
‘If we didn’t do all these things, we’d never have the country we have today,? said Parkhurst, who’s a member of the Oxford American Legion’s Junior Auxiliary. ‘All our trees would be dying and everything would just be ruined around here.?
Not only did Parkhurst’s poster earn her first place in her school and in the state, it went on to win first place in DAR’s East Central Division, which encompasses Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
The icing on the cake was when Parkhurst’s poster took second place, for her grade level, in DAR’s national competition.
‘I had high hopes, but I never thought I’d get second in nationals,? she said. ‘It feels amazing that God gave me so many gifts and I can use my talent and art skills to please Him and help my country be a better place.?
Being creative is a big part of Parkhurst’s young life.
‘I love doing artistic things,? she said. ‘I love to draw and be crafty.?
Parkhurst is interested in someday becoming a baker because it combines her artistic skills with her love of baking, especially when it comes to decorating cakes.

Ashley Robinson, left and Emily Sefcheck, of Oxford, take a break from their lemonade stand to pose for their picture. The proceeds from their stand went towards cancer research in honor of Ellie Potvin, an eight-year-old from North Carolina who lost her life to Rhabdomyosar coma cancer earlier this year.
Great job girls! Photo by Andrew Moser

Andrea Tanner with her mom Audrey, and Grandma Beverly Sellers at the Feb. 11 Lighthouse fundraiser held at the Tanner’s home. Photo by Trevor Keiser

Kerri Floreno celebrates the new year with family and friends at the New Year’s Eve party at Fountains. Photo by Trevor Keiser

Oxford resident, Nathan Ryan, 11, managed to smile while juggling three bean bags. Kids of all sizes and ages learned the fine art of juggling at a workshop sponsored by the Oxford Public Library. The workshop was part of the Kids Summer Reading program.

FISH Pantry Coordinator Valarie Cass accepted a box from Oxford Meijers Store Manager Scott Neff with a big smile on July 23.
In the box were 100 envelopes, each containing a $10 gift card and a letter from Hank and Doug Meijer, sons of the owner, explaining the company was founded on helping the community and will continue, especially through today’s economy.
‘We will be handing out an envelope to families when they come through for their food order,? said Cass.
In the past, Meijers has sold gift cards to customers and matched the sales with their own money. In May, FISH received $1,100 from Meijers. Photo by Wendi Reardon

Haley Campbell plays in the fountain at the Clarkston Farmers? Market pre-sale with her mother and grandmother. Photo by Laura Colvin

Lake Orion Chief Jerry Narsh celebrated his 40th birthday on Monday. Well, okay, it was 50th. Here he is enjoying cake and gag gifts at the village offices.

Linda Ruggirello, Andersonville Elementary PTO, with Clarkston High School Mime, Julia Meyer, enjoy the school fair this past Friday. Photo by Phil Custodio.

Seventh-grader Alyssa Kupper visits with her six-month old cousin Addison Rose after cheering in the last home basketball game at Sashabaw Middle School. Photo by Wendi Reardon

President Barack Obama visited Lake Orion after last week’s inauguration. Well, not really, but those who visited downtown may have done a double-take when they saw this dummy (no political pun intended) outside Ed’s Broadway Gift and Costume Shop. Photo submitted.

Margaret Hunt and Leanne Hunt defy winter’s snowy wrath by enjoying some warm-weather fun at Fountains Golf and Banquet Center’s beach party this past weekend. Photo by
Trevor Keiser

Oxford High School student Amber Carmack (left) was all smiles Friday because her classmates made a $200 donation to the animal rescue her mother runs.
Students who wished to wear a Halloween costume to school were asked to contribute $1 toward Whiskers Cat Rescue and Canine.
‘We really appreciate Oxford High School for doing this stuff,? Amber said. ‘It’s a great rescue and this money will mean a lot. It could pay vet bills, buy food, even get toys for them, especially the puppies.?
The kitties ? of which they’re are currently 24 kittens and two adults ? live with Amber’s mom, Sally, in Grand Blanc.
The puppies are handled by Sally’s partner in Metamora.
All the animals are free to stay with the rescue until they find homes. No animal gets adopted without first being checked out by a veterinarian and spayed or neutered.
And if a person is suddenly no longer able to afford caring for their animal, the rescue is willing to take it back ‘no matter what,? according to Amber.
If you decide you want a furry friend in your life, check out a rescue first.
To learn more about Whiskers Cat Rescue and Canine call (248) 770-2291. ? Editor C.J. Carnacchio

Whitney Wilder takes a break at Clarkston Elementary’s circus-themed field day last week. Photo by Ingrid Sjostrand

Jaden Simmons celebrates his third birthday by watching his cousin, Clarkston basketball’s Julius Porter, help the Wolves win their game Friday. Photo by Wendi Reardon

Lake Orion resident Brayden Wolff, 1, sat patiently in mom Erin Wolff’s lap while getting a haircut from barber Doug Lackey Saturday morning at Paul’s Barber Shop in Oxford.

Members of the Oxford/Orion Kiwanis Club were around town Friday collecting donations and handing out bags of peanuts as part of ‘Kiwanis Peanut Day.? Locally, the club raised $1,772 which will be used for scholarships, monthly donations to Crossroads for Youth, contributions to Operation Guardian Angel and to meet the medical needs of children in the community. Pictured: Kiwanis Treasurer Sandi Gillett sold peanuts at the intersection of M-24 and Burdick.

Lifelong Oxford resident Ruth Ashley celebrated her 90th birthday Sunday with a party thrown by family and friends at Independence Village of Waterstone.
A 1934 graduate of Oxford High School who grew up on a 120-acre farm on Ray Rd., Ashley devoted her life to two passions ? her family and her music.
‘She stayed home and made sure her kids were well taken care of,? said daughter Philinda Young, of Florida. ‘She always had freshed baked cookies when we came home from school.?
Married to her high school sweetheart, Clifford ‘Pete? Ashley, since June 1937, the couple’s happy union has produced four children, 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. The couple lived at 78 Dennison Street for 47 years.
A talented woman, Ashley played the violin, piano, organ, baritone and trombone. In the 1960s through 1980s, she was involved with the Oxford Music Club putting on classic musicals for local audiences.
She played organ at Thomas United Methodist Church for many years and sang in the choir at Oxford United Methodist Church.
Ashley still plays the organ every Sunday during the church service at Independence Village.
When asked what’s the most important thing she’s learned in her 90 years on the planet, Ashley replied, ‘I have learned that music is a great release and helper in lots of situations. It’s just a part of you.?
Ashley wished to note, ‘It’s been a very, very happy life.?

In rememberance of the five-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington D.C., Oxford Elementary fifth graders, including (from left) Nick Russ, Brian Brougham, Kayla Bates, Jaclin Duronyo, and Michael Harris spent Monday, known as Patriot’s Day, listening to Sterling Heights firefighter Rich Feeney, back row left, and Marine reservist Cpl. Justin Powers, of Lake Orion, talk about their respective jobs and why they decided to get into their fields.

TWINKLE TOES’Students laughed histerically as Leonard Elementary gym teacher Mike Sudrovech pranced around in this fairy get-up last Monday. This show was a reward for 80 percent of the school’s students participating in the Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser. The students raised a total of $6,563.97 for the American Heart Association.

Richard Wood and Bonnie Burdette-Wood helped sell poppies last week at the intersection of Washington and Burdick streets to raise money for local veterans and their families. Poppy sales in Oxford this year raised a total $4,595. A member of Oxford American Legion Post 108, Richard is a Korean War veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1952-56 and in the reserves until 1960. Bonnie is a member of Oxford American Legion Auxiliary Unit 108 and will take over as the group’s chaplain in June. The couple, who live in Waterstone, have been involved in the Oxford veterans groups for the past three years. Photo by C.J. Carnacchio.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK ? Oxford Village DPW worker Thom McNeese is ready to clean up this town with the village’s brand new 2006 Elgin Whirlwind street sweeper. The vehicle cost $145,881. Next time you see Thom on the road, give him a thumbs up for all the hard work he’s done for the community since 1998. Photo by C.J Carnacchio.

Oxford Garden Club member Judy Hickson had loads of fun buying stuff at the group’s annual ‘Make It, Bake It, Grow It, Sew It? auction held Monday at club member Brenda Craig’s home. The auction raised $571. At the end of the year, the garden club chooses a local cause to support financially. In the past, the club has given money to the Polly Ann Trail, Oxford/Orion FISH, Seven Ponds Nature Center and Crossroads for Youth. The next meeting is set for June 12. For more information about joining or details about the next meeting contact Brenda Craig at (248) 628-3288. Photo by C.J. Carnacchio.