communities for many years. Sharon
Pokerwinski was a member of the
parish council for 13 years and is a
EucharisticMinister.
When their children were younger,
the couple was involved with the St.
Anthony Cub Scouts where Sharon
served as a Scout Leader; Boy Scouts;
Girl Scouts, when Sharon was an
Assistant Troop Leader; St. Anthony
School; Belleville High School swim-
ming teams and the track and cross
country teams.
The couple was involved with begin-
ning the original Strawberry Festival at
St. Anthony's Church in 1977. They are
still deeply involved with what has
become the Belleville National
Strawberry Festival and have served as
respective chairpersons of the St.
Anthony Strawberry Festival since 2003
and have been involved in the
Belleville National Strawberry Festival
since 2001. Sharon Pokerwinski has
served as the official secretary of the
event since 2003 and is currently the
Parks Administrator.
Both Richard and Sharon have been
involved in the Sumpter Township
Parks and Recreation Commission
where Sharon served as secretary for
14 years. She recently resigned from
that position but is still very involved in
helping the commission and volunteer-
ing her help.
Richard has been a member of the
Environmental Commission represent-
ing Sumpter Township and has served
as a township trustee. He is currently a
member of the Sumpter Township
Planning Commission. He has served
on the board of directors of Parkside
Credit Union for 20 years, having
served as director andpast secretary.
When not volunteering to help their
church and their community, the couple
finds time to enjoy hobbies.
Richard restores old vehicles after
stripping them down to the very basics
and rebuilding them. He has been
working on cars for more than 50 years
and still has the very first car he ever
owned, 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Aire hard-
tophe received as a graduation gift.
His involvement with the Autorama
Car Show at Cobo Hall each year and
various car clubs, including Sparkplugs
Car Club of South Lyon and America's
Most Wanted Car Club of Canton
Township, have been featured in news-
paper stories.
He first entered into the 53rdAnnual
Detroit Autorama Car Show through
the Michigan Hot Rod Association with
his 1940 Ford panel street rod and won
first place. In other years of the
Autorama, he has taken 2nd place with
his 1939 Ford panel truck, which he
sold at the Autorama that year, and 3rd
place with the 1955 Chevy Bel-Aire
hardtop. Richard and Sharon were
both actively involved in a car show
during the Canton Liberty Fest through
the America's Most Wanted Car Club.
Funds generated from that event were
donated to various charities.
The couple is also actively involved
in hosting a car show for the Wayne
County Fair Association during the
Wayne County Fair. They have helped
organize and manage the show each
August for the past 6 years.
Both Richard and Sharon said they
were exceptionally surprised when
they were chosen to be the Sumpter
Country Fest Honorary Citizens for
2017,
“We want to thank the Sumpter
Township Parks and Recreation
Commission for this honor. We have
really enjoyed our involvement in the
festival each year and the friendships
we have made with so many people all
these years,” SharonPokerwinski said.
Page 12
Citizens
from page 11
Honored Citizens Richard and Sharon Pokerwinski have been taking grandson
Preston, now 5, to car shows for several years to view his grandpa's winning
entries. The couple is actively involved in the America's Most Wanted Car Club
and helps organize and manage the Wayne County Fair Car Show in August.
