Mark Anthony, center, conducts a recent executive board meeting of the Bay County MSU Alumni Club at the Stein Haus.
Spartan Alumni "Go Green"
For Scholarship Program Feb. 25 at Bay Valley
Silent Auction Last Year Raised $8,000 for 19 Bay County Students at MSU
January 15, 2006
By: Dave Rogers
Spartan Spirit is busting out all over Bay County, and has been for the past few years since Mark Anthony and friends led a revival of the Michigan State University Alumni Club.
The club had been dormant for at least 20 years until November, 2000 when Anthony, a salesman for Henderson Glass, Ken Kusterer, retired Certified Public Accountant, and attorney Rich Milster rechartered the group.
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Since then the MSU Alumni Club has raised more than $20,000 for scholarships for Bay County students planning to attend MSU. Last year the main fundraiser, a silent auction, took in over $8,000 and a similar or higher goal is set for this year, according to Michelle Judd, club secretary and marketing manager for the Bay City Boat Lines and the Bay City Antiques Center.
This year the 4th annual silent auction and entertainment event is slated for Saturday, Feb. 25 at BayValley Resort Hotel. Tickets are $30 and include a cash bar at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and live entertainment.
The club last year gave a total of 19 scholarships, five for $1,000 each; four for $500; and 10 for $100. They hope to increase those numbers with a good turnout this year.
Two new Bay City residents and Bay County MSU Alumni Club members, John and Beverly Webb, are working with the MSU opera department to bring a light opera to the State Theatre here Apr. 22. The opera represents a university outreach initiative to be called "State at the State," according to the Webbs, both former members of the Spartan Marching Band and East Lansing residents for many years.
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"We just love Bay City, there's so many great things happening here," said John Webb, a retired engineer who now plays in the Bay Concert Band along with his wife, a retired psychotherapist.
The connection with MSU is logical since their granddaughter is a third generation member of the opera department faculty.
"The program ties into the school system and we are anticipating a possible five performances here," said Beverly Webb. "The university thinks Bay County is a great place and is piloting outreach programs here. They love the State Theatre," she said of the MSU opera department members who are working to put on the opera in April.
The local alumni club also has an annual cruise on the Princess Wenonah, provides Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to the needy and has tailgate get-togethers in East Lansing. The group sponsored a bus trip to the outdoor hockey extravaganza, the "Cold War" a few years ago.
There are approximately 1,200 MSU alumni living in Bay County and about 300 are members of the Bay County MSU Alumni Club.
Other officers are Chuck Hewitt, attorney with Smith & Brooker, treasurer. Board members include Greg and Mary Bryant, Amy Clark, Jim Gillespie, Kusterer, Milster, Philip Paulus, Jeff Rogers, Jill Shink and Beverly Webb. For more information about the Bay County MSU Alumni Club please see http://www.msu.edu/~msuaa001/