Page 6 - eagle122420

PAGE 6 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN December 24, 2020

PLYMOUTH
PLYMOUTH

Plans for 2021 Plymouth Ice Festival in limbo

Hearts, flowers and ice may said the event would need the originally planned decades ago
be in order during Valentines ” help of financial sponsors to be as a way to attract local visitors
Day in Plymouth next year. The ice festival was originally planned viable this year and that social and shoppers to the downtown
While the pandemic has distancing and masks would Plymouth area during the post-
apparently forced the cancella- decades ago as a way to attract local probably still be required. holiday weeks when businesses
tion of the Plymouth Ice Festival visitors and shoppers to the downtown Typically, the Plymouth Ice need customers and people are
during January next year, organ- Plymouth area during the post-holiday weeks. Festival draws more than 50,000 looking for some entertainment.
izer James Gietzen is looking at people into town to view the The reduced size of sculptures
the possibility of a smaller, large ice sculptures, the ice carv- shouldn't be a problem for the
February event. ing championships, the ski artists who carve the ice, either,
Gietzen, owner of JAG February, he would need to ask have been supportive of a move, demonstrations and the dueling he said, as most of them have
Entertainment, the producer of the city for a special event permit but cautious. chain saw competition. Much of also been adversely affected by
the Ice Festival and other festi- by the end of January, but every- He said the festival this year, that might not happen with the the pandemic and would wel-
vals in the area, said that plan- thing remains tenuous, due to the whether in January or moved to smaller event, which Geitzen come the work.
ning a smaller version of the current health threat posed by February, would include about said would be promoted more as Geitzen said a decision on the
event might be necessary if the the virus. 50 or so smaller ice sculptures a local, community festival, event this year would be made as
pandemic forces the cancellation He said he has spoken with spread throughout the city, rather than the regional attrac- soon as possible, taking all fac-
of the event next month. He said several individuals usually rather than the larger works usu- tion as in the past. tors, including the health of the
if the event were to be moved to involved with the festival, who ally installed in Kellogg Park. He He said the ice festival was anticipated crowds, into account.
Double trouble

Fire victims’ GoFundMe money is missing

When an electrical fire destroyed the been an extremely difficult situation. The
home of the Micol family just before family is staying with family members
Thanksgiving Day, they were grateful to and hoping to either see some of the
have saved their lives. funds donated or have
Damien Micol, his ” those gifts returned to
wife, Allison, and two those who attempted to
sons, Noah, 6, and help them.
Ryder, 5, were awak- “It really, really
ened in the early morn- It really, hurts,” Micol, who is
ing by the fire which left really without a job now, said.
their mobile home in His parents have now
Plymouth uninhabitable hurts, established a new
and destroyed all their GoFundMe account to
possessions and even try and help the family.
legal documents. The A response to the
devastation prompted a Micol's complaints was
neighbor to start a recently issued to the
Now open GoFundMe account for the family which media by GoFundMe officials.”We take all
raised more than $6,000 to help them. The
complaints seriously and I can confirm
Dr. Joneigh S. Khaldun, above, chief medical executive and chief deputy director Micols received about $1,000 of those that our Trust & Safety team is investigat-
for health for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, donations and the rest apparently ing. They've reached out to the organizer
announced last week that amended epidemic orders would allow indoor activi- remains in the possession of the person for more information to ensure funds got
ties where visitors can remain masked, as this has been shown to slow the virus. who created the account. to the right place,” the service said in a
This includes in-person learning at high schools and indoor entertainment ven- The couple attempted to file a police written communication. “In the mean-
ues. Casinos, bowling centers and movie theatres will be allowed to reopen with report with Plymouth Township police time, if donors who contributed to this
capacity capped at 100; food and drink concessions closed and social distanc- but were told it is a civil matter. The fami- GoFundMe fundraiser would like to
ing requirements in place. The new order became effective Monday, Dec. 21. ly has also contacted GoFundMe in an request a refund in the meantime, we will
attempt to find some help in what has process it for them.”