MARK AND GLADYS SPIRIT AWARD
What can you do with a brush-hog, a field of corn stubble, a five-foot high flatbed trailer, 1320 feet of extension cords, a twenty-foot lowboy trailer, one stake-rack farm truck, a pull-behind surface compactor and a set of long-handled branch loppers? Give up? Why, you can start a Folk Festival, that's what! Add a few friendly and fearless neighbors, gallons of tractor gas and perspiration, stir with small sharp splinters, and, VOILA!Once we figured out who had the things we needed to get this thing off the ground, so to speak, we asked and they donated their valuables, expertise, common sense and ingenuity. Also their time, in chunks of days and weeks. Some opened their homes and kitchens to our Artists. Funny thing is, they probably figured it would alldie down in a few years, prove to be too large an undertaking. That we'd coil up all the extension cords and go home. WRONG!
With the unselfish devotion of thirteen "Haves" (15, including Mark and Gladys), "the Have-nots" (organizers and folk music and dance aficionados) were able to create something big, that has caused much joy in little Remus, Michigan. Let this list of good neighbors serve as inspiration for many more years of Wheatland, WMO in perpetuity. These folks, in the face of much adversity, ridicule and doubt, symbolize the Pantheon of Volunteers upon which Wheatland stands. There can be no other name for an award to recognize some of our original volunteers than "THE MARK AND GLADYS SPIRIT AWARD."
Let these be the first so honored:
- The late June and Arn Rhode, who, based upon friendships developed at George's Tavern, allowed the fledgling Organization the use of their home and acreage for Festival Numero Uno.
- Lyle Moore, whose generosity in 1974 allowed the Rhode property to be "landscaped," and provided the five-foot tall stage. Lyle's equipment was shipped from Barryton!
- The late Uncle Ted Baumann, whose devotion the "the Pines," which he helped plant, insured that nobody would get skewered by a sharp stick as they strolled therein. Uncle Ted removed vast piles of short, sharp branches and neatly stacked them at the base of every tree for Mark and his helpers to collect and burn in monstrous bonfires.
- The late Joe Fate and Life-Partner Ruth, whose devotion to Wheatland was born simply out of a notion to be good neighbors and make something great where there was only ground. Their farm buildings were full ofWheatland's equipment and tools. Note: Joe and Ruth also received the "Good Neighbor" award in 2000!
- Lester Howard, whose generosity gave us the use of the lowboy trailer which for years carried heaps of snow fence and picnic tables.
- Frank Blanzy, now of Tennessee, "the Singing Electrician" who said, "Get me a quarter mile of extension cordsand I'll get power out to that crotch in those pine trees." Frank remained steadfastly at his post for about a dozen years.
- Ann and Ray Simon, whose devotion to a healthy neighborhood caused them to let us use their stake-rack farm truck to pull Lester's lowboy for all those years. In the ensuing years Ann opened her home to our Artist guests.
- Char and Bill Doerr, whose generosity includes housing and feeding our guests. Their reputation has grown exponentially over the years as more and more folk musicians from around the planet have been availed of their hospitality.
- The late Arnold Lenhert, who saw an opportunity to collect fodder and bedding for his herd, while simultaneously grooming the farm.
2003 Spirit Award Photos (click on photo to see a larger picture)
2005 MARK AND GLADYS SPIRIT AWARD
Several friends and neighbors who helped tend or cultivate the first few Wheatland 'crops' were honored with the "Mark and Gladys Wernette Spirit Awards" at the 23rd Annual Festival. The second set of honorees, like the first, share the same sense of community spirit, generosity and neighborliness as our inspirations...the Mark Wernette family, for whom the award is aptly named. Members of the Mark Wernette family, Tom Wernette, Elaine Wernette-Fessenden and Jane Wernette-Smiley, were on hand to help honor the awardees.
When asked about his criteria for a "Spirit Award", Bruce Bauman, who presented the awards replied "unselfishdevotion to the furtherance of the Wheatland Music Organization cause in the accomplishment of something we were unable to do ourselves." The folks who received this year's tribute certainly fit the description:
REACT-local volunteer organization, who through 17 yers of service and assistance, laid the foundation for today's safety, traffice and communications systems at the festival.
The late "Deputy Joel" Vincent, who worked with REACT and the Mecosta County Sheriff's Posse, provided security on money runs to the bank; defused many potential conflicts with his kind and thoughtful approach during emergencies.
In memory of Robert "Bob" Welling, a musician himself, he was always ready with his tow truck, "The Blue Mule"' to tow a camper from the mud or repair a performer's vehicle so they could get on to the next gig.
Remus Lumber, the Nile Young family, who donated many materials over the years, including much of the first stage with its 'rainbow' of multi-colored shingles.
Jim and Terry (Shepard) Addington, who opened their home to a veritable "all-star line-up" of WMO performers and loaned a multitude of equipment from their business over the years.
To commemorate and in loving memory of David "Reno" Renn, a Kids's Hill pioneer who masterminded and helped build the playhouse and tire dragon which has been used by thousands of children each year.
What a privilege it's been to know and work with these friends of Wheatland!
2007 MARK AND GLADYS SPIRIT AWARD
THE MARK AND GLADYS SPIRIT AWARDS are given to those who, like Mark and Gladys Wernette, showed "unselfish devotion to the furtherance of the WMO cause in the accomplishment of something we were unable to do ourselves." These are the third set of honorees - folks who share the same sense of community spirit, generoity and nighborliness as our inspirations...the Mark Wernette family, for whom the award is aptly named.
Because Mark and Gladys Wernette showed "unselfish devotion to the furtherance of the WMO cause in the accomplishment of something we were unable to do ourselves," for the third time Spirit Awards were given to four honorees. These folks were selected by a committee for having shared the same sense of community spirit, generosity and neighborlinessas our inspirations...the Mark Wernette family, for whom the award is aptly named.
Carol Rames, now of Richfield, Ohio, first began attending Wheatland as a teenager in 1979 working in with the Saginaw Valley Food Co-op. During 1the 1980's and '90's, she and her family worked hard for social and environmental justice addressing water quality issues and organic growing. Now Carol plays music and recently started a nonprofit organization called Ramblin' River to create consciousness, support local organic growers, promote recycling and reuse, and build a stronger local folk music community. Carol received a Spirit Award for initiating Recycling at Wheatland. In 1987 she submitted an impassioned white paper to Wheatland outlining many ways the festival could improve its handling of recyclables from glass and cardboard to food booth waste that could be composted. Carol received her award and then recognized the hard work of Recycling volunteer Jimbo Pollack by passing her award on to him.
In 1988, Phil Mikus of Mt Pleasant, was working with Gratiot County Waste Management, and was approached to draw up a recycling system plan for the festival, the equipment needed, a budget, approvals and other details to succeed using Carol's initial white paper as the foundation. Over the last twenty years, that plan and the recycling efforts have significantly grown and expanded. Phil is also a leader at the successful Broadway Theater in Mt Pleasant and continues to work as a Recycling Manager near Lansing.
Robert Ebner, of Mt Pleasant, and Dirctor of University Events, Central Michigan University, and his entire crew, was honored for the decades of service sharing lighting expertise on Main Stage and other stages at the festival. Bob also continues to promote traditional arts through concerts and other activities at the university and in Mt Pleasant.
Mona Bunting, of Sears, and in loving memory of her late husband Marvin "Bud" Bunting, received and award for building up the hospitality area and making performers feel at home over the years, working in the office, and working on the land and alongside sons Mike and Marv and others in their big group of family and friends.
Spirit Awards were presented by Bruce Bauman. Mark and Gladys' offspring, Tom, Betty, Elaine and MaryAnn expressed their gratitude on behalf of the entire extended family.
