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A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
5
April 26, 2012
I
NKSTER
- W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Historic barn donated to city
Stand Against Racism is tomorrow
Derby fundraiser set
This present simply couldn't be
gift wrapped.
Members of the Westland City
Council didn't mind at all, however,
when the family of Elmer McGee
offered to donate a historic barn to
theWestlandHistoricVillagePark.
The 37 foot by 27 foot barn was
originally built sometime in the
1930s, McGee familymembers said.
The structure is about 30 feet high.
Now members of the council and
city administration have to figure
out a way to fundmoving the build-
ing to theWayne Road site where it
will be placed in the center of the
village where it will help showcase
the other buildings and historic
houses on the site.
According to Mayor William
Wild, the new barn will allow for
more activities at the park and it
should become a focal point of the
village. He said that the barn will
provide space for activities like
square dances, flea markets, ice
cream socials, live auctions, reen-
actments of historical value, pump-
kin sales, flower sales and other
activities.
The estimated cost to move the
barn is $22,500 and Westland offi-
cials are working with Wayne
County Commissioner Joan
Gebhardt to see if there is any pos-
sible funding from the Wayne
CountyParksmillage.
“This barn will be a terrific
addition to the Westland Historic
Village Park,” said Wild. “Thank
you to the family of Elmer McGee
whowill donate the barn.”
They will be taking a stand in
western Wayne County tomorrow
and organizers of the YMCA event
expect more than 2,000 people to
join them.
The YWCA of Western Wayne
County is sponsoring Stand Against
Racism tomorrow, April 27, which
includes several public events
designed to deliver the message
that racism can no longer be
ignored or tolerated.
A list of participating sites can be
found
at
www.StandAgainstRacism.org.
"The persistence and pervasive-
ness of racism divides our commu-
nity and keeps individuals from
achieving success in education, eco-
nomics, employment, and quality of
life," stated Kathy Walgren, interim
CEO of the YWCA of Western
Wayne County. "Our strength comes
from numbers - that's why we are
asking people to come out and join
any of the 12 organizations that have
partneredwithus!"
As part of the program, a Mosaic
mural installed in the lobby of the
YWCA headquarters in Inkster will
be dedicated. More than 2,000 local
children and adults contributed
personal drawings that make up the
artwork.
Individuals in Western Wayne
County will be taking a Stand
Against Racism simultaneously
with others throughout the country.
The Stand Against Racism move-
ment is a collaboration of more than
100 YWCA Associations nationwide
and their 2,000 community partners.
In 2011, more than a quarter million
people took a Stand Against
Racism, and that number is expect-
ed to increase this year.
Participants will commit them-
selves to a lifetime of promoting
peace, justice, freedom, and dignity
for all people in their community
and in the world. This unified effort
will help raise awareness that
racism hurts everyone, Walgren
said. Participants of the YWCA's
Stand Against Racism include
school-age children, elected offi-
cials, executives of large corpora-
tions, church leaders and many oth-
ers. Racism affects everyone,
Walgren added.
"If you believe in a society free of
racism and discrimination, join us,"
she said. "Together, we can elimi-
nate racism."
The YWCAs in America have a
rich history of advocating for racial
justice, Walgren said. "Throughout
our history, the YWCA has been in
the forefront of most major move-
ments in the United States as a pio-
neer in race relations, labor union
representation, and the empower-
ment of women. Today, we not only
intend to raise awareness of the
issues of racism, we intend to affect
real change in the lives of our fami-
ly, friends and co-workers through a
process that identifies and eradi-
cates the barriers that divide us and
that perpetuate racism and other
forms of oppression," she said. The
Stand Against Racism is an annual
event. More information is available
at www.StandAgainstRacism.org.
For local information, contact
the YWCA of Western Wayne
County, (313) 561-4110.
Huge flowered hats and elabo-
rate daytime costumes are
expected to fill the Wayne
Community Center May 5 when
the Wayne Rotary Club and
Wayne Parks and Recreation
Department present a Kentucky
DerbyCelebration.
The event will feature faux
wagering on pre-taped horse
races, tailgate food catered by
Chef Tony of the Ford Vo-Tech
Center and a cashbar.
Tickets, priced at $20 per per-
son, are now on sale at the Wayne
Community Center and can also
be purchased fromWayne Rotary
Club members. The doors will
open at 6 p.m. and food will be
served at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, call
(734) 721-7400.
Money matters
Joe Goode, seated, along with Al Blanchard, Curtis Scott and Gary
Kelly share a laugh at the recent Wayne Coin Club meeting. The
club meets at 7:30 p.m. the first and third Monday of the month, at
St John's Episcopal Church, 555 Wayne Road, Westland. Meetings
usually include an auction, a raffle and refreshments along with a
discussion about collecting US and foreign coins and currency. The
meetings are open to anyone with an interest in coin or currency
collecting.
Photo by David L. Malhalab M News Service / MNS Photo