The original Beltline Bar was founded by George Wilkinson in 1953. In the beginning, the restaurant served popcorn, beverages, and chili dogs, which were the house specialty at the time. Then, in 1964, Tony Rutkowski acquired the restaurant, and his son Jerry developed many of the secret recipes for today’s Mexican specialties. As a result, the Beltline Bar became the Beltline Bar Famous Mexican Café.
Continue reading Beltline Bar Celebrates 60 Years
2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the Danish Festival in Greenville, MI. The festival’s mission is to celebrate the homecoming of family and friends and Greenville’s Danish heritage. The Danish Festival has grown exponentially throughout the years and now draws over 80,000 people annually. The festival traces its roots back to 1964, when a contest was held to come up with an idea to promote the town of Greenville. The winning idea, from Dorothy Oliver, was that a day be set aside to honor Greenville’s Danish heritage. Thus, the Danish Festival was born, and the first festival was held on August 18, 1965.
Continue reading Danish Festival 50th Anniversary
In 2000, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport underwent a massive $50 million renovation of the passenger terminal. In 2009, another massive renovation of the terminal area took place as well as the building of the parking structure and covered walkway, among other smaller projects.
As part of their 50th birthday celebration, Gerald R. Ford International Airport hosted “A year of celebration” kick-off event on November 25, 2013 which featured free cupcakes, popcorn, games, prizes and giveaways for passengers and the public at the Grand Hall. They will be holding contests for giveaways all year long and so far have included:
In addition to the contests and giveaways, and as a way to thank their customers, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport recently launched the new “Thanks Again!!” rewards program. The rewards program is free. To participate in the program, simply register your credit or debit card. You’ll automatically earn points for your selected hotel or miles for your selected airline whenever you park, dine, or shop at GRR or one of the 100 participating airports. You can also earn points when making purchases at thousands of participating businesses nationwide, or when visiting participating attractions such as museums, sports venues, and more.
Most recently, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport was named one of the Top Five Best Airports in the World, by size in the Airport Service Quality Awards, from the Airports Council International- North America.
Join us in congratulating the Gerald R. Ford International Airport on their 50th anniversary and a successful 50 years!
Be sure to “Like” their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter (@FlyGRFord) to get updates on upcoming birthday celebrations throughout the year.
Chicken of the Sea gained it’s iconic brand name in the 1930’s; fisherman often called the white albacore tuna “Chicken of the Sea” because of it’s light color and mild flavor. The name quickly appeared on packaging and in marketing in newspapers.
In the 1950’s, branding became increasingly important as more and more packaged products were making their way into American households. Thus, the Chicken of the Sea Mermaid became the mascot for the company, giving an appealing look to the brand’s products. The blonde mermaid was inspired by Grace Lee Whitney, actress in the popular Star Trek series of that time. Chicken of the Sea even used their mascot to sponsor Disneyland’s Fantasyland pirate ship and restaurant in 1955. The following decade, Chicken of the Sea debuted their commercial jingle, “Ask Any Mermaid You Happen to See, What’s the Best Tuna? Chicken of the Sea!”
In 1990. Chicken of the Sea initiated “The Mermaid Cares: Dolphin Safe Policy”, which made them the first seafood company to require their seafood to be dolphin safe.
In the present day, the company strives to maintain sustainable practices. Chicken of the Sea co-founded the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. They also take pride in investing in charitable organizations and local communities, including their partnership with Feeding America.
This year marks “100 Years of Good” for Chicken of the Sea. The company is celebrating in many ways. Beginning in March is “The Great American Gratitude Tour,” during which the company will travel to various communities. When the tour stops in your area, you can try samples, win prizes, meet the mermaid, and more.
Another way Chicken of the Sea is celebrating 100 years is by creating the Great American Gratitude Awards. Anyone can go to the Chicken of the Sea website, and nominate an individual, cause, or organization that they believe deserves an award. The company will then select 10 of those individuals, causes, or organizations, and award them with $10,000.
For the more creative types, the Name the Mermaid Contest is another way Chicken of the Sea is celebrating. Enter the contest with the name you think would best fit the Chicken of the Sea mermaid, and the person who comes up with the winning name will with $10,000.
The website also shares a variety of “favorite centennial recipes” using various types of seafood, including Chicken of the Sea Tuna, of course!
Congratulations to Chicken of the Sea on their “100 Years of Good!” We look forward to taking part in your fun celebratory festivities.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Highlights
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival
Each summer, the Pro Football Hall of Fame holds the 10-day Enshrinement Festival to celebrate the love of football and announce the newest inductees. For more information on the Enshrinement Festival or the Pro Football Hall of Fame, please visit their website: http://www.profootballhof.com/default.aspx.
Events include:
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Delighting football fans and spectators alike, congratulations to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on their 50th anniversary.
History
Dr. Mark L. Morris aspired to improve the health of dogs and cats, and by using advances in human medicine, he became a pioneer of veterinary medicine in regards to diagnostics and nutrition. In 1928, he established the Raritan Hospital for Animals in Edison, New Jersey, the second companion animal hospital in the country.
Dr. Morris discovered during the Great Depression that dogs who were fed low amounts of protein, or low-quality protein, developed kidney failure. In response to this discovery, Dr. Morris formulated Raritan Ration B, a special mix of high-quality proteins that could be mixed into dog food at home. The result was that Raritan greatly increased the health of dogs.
The Morris Animal Foundation was started by Dr. Morris in 1939. He credits the inspiration to start the foundation to meeting Morris Frank, an ambassador for the Seeing Eye foundation, and his guide dog Buddy II. Frank’s guide dog was suffering from kidney failure, was treated by Dr. Morris and fed the Raritan Ration B, and Buddy II’s health improved dramatically. Frank then helped Dr. Morris obtain a canning machine, and they began canning the prescription formula. In 1948, they partnered with Hill Packing Co. (now Hill’s Science Diet) to make and distribute the special kidney diet. A portion of proceeds from the sales went to establish the non-profit Buddy Foundation, later renamed the Morris Animal Foundation, dedicated to researching the health needs and nutrition of animals. Today, the Morris Animal Foundation is a renowned leader in veterinary advances, and the largest non-profit foundation in the world for companion animal nutrition.
Celebration
In celebration of 65 years of improving animal health, the Morris Animal Foundation will be hosting the Gala of Hope — An Evening with Betty White, on October 19, 2013. This black tie event will be held in Marina Del Rey at the Ritz Carlton, and will highlight the work of the Morris Animal Foundation, along with the lifelong commitment of Betty White to improve the lives of animals. Festivities will include dinner, music, silent and live auctions, and fun. In addition to raising money through the silent and live auction events, the Morris Animal Foundation also allowed gala attendees to bid on eBay to attend the gala with Betty White as their guest! The bidding started at $1500, and the winning bid was $10,300. The winning bidder will receive 2 round-trip airfare tickets, a one-night hotels stay, and VIP tickets to the gala, where they and a guest will sit at the same table as Betty White. Regular tickets to the gala can be purchased by visiting the Morris Animal Foundation website.
Join us in congratulating the Morris Animal Foundation on their 65th anniversary!
History
Shelley Irwin was drawn to West Michigan as a result of a job opening, and a personal decision to make a career change in order to help make a difference in peoples lives. She originally came to the WGVU Morning Show’s radio broadcast as a producer and fill-in host back in December of 2001, and officially became the morning show’s host in July of 2003. Shelley says that what she loves most about hosting the morning show is “the opportunity to get the word out on what is happening locally, the feeling of connectivity to the community, and essentially having a front row seat to West Michigan.”
About
The WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin is a two hour conversational news magazine which focuses on local news and events, with a goal to inform, educate, and entertain. In addition to regular guests, both regional and national newsmakers traveling through West Michigan will often grace the show’s microphone. The morning show has many regular segments including:
Accolades
Since Shelley Irwin began hosting the WGVU Morning Show, one of her goals has been to constantly strive to do more and to do better. As a result of her hard work and dedication, she has earned a multitude of awards:
Celebration
In celebration of ten successful years of The WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin, there are frequent postings on the show’s Facebook page, including memories and photographs of key guests who have appeared on the show. What an adventurous, informational, and fun-packed decade!
Congratulations to The WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin on 10 successful years!
History
Harley-Davidson is a Milwaukee based, American motorcycle manufacturer, founded in 1903 by 22-year-old William S. Harley. In 1901, Harley designed the initial prototype, which was a bicycle frame with a motor. Over the next couple years, Harley and his friend Arthur Davidson worked on the motor-bicycle development. Ultimately, they found that the motorized pedal bicycle wasn’t practical for climbing the hilly terrain around Milwaukee. So, in 1903, they designed a new bike with a bigger engine, and on a loop-frame. The prototype was built in a 10ft x 15ft shed in the Davidson family backyard. The motorcycle was functional and competed in the Milwaukee motorcycle race held at the state fair on September 8, 1904, and placed fourth. In 1906, the Harley-Davidson first factory was built on Juneau Avenue, producing 50 motorcycles. Today, the original factory serves as the corporate headquarters, and Harley-Davidson is the most recognized motorcycle brand in the world.
Celebration
This year marks the 110th anniversary of Harley-Davidson, which is being recognized by a 3-day celebration on Labor Day Weekend, Thursday August 29-Saturday August 31, 2013. Two-day ($79 per person) or three-day ($99 per per) celebration tickets are available. The festivities take place at Milwaukee’s lakefront Summerfest Grounds, otherwise known as the Henry W. Maier Festival Park. Festivities include:
*Note – some bands require an additional ticket
H.O.G (Harley Owners Group) 30th Anniversary
In addition to this year being the 110th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson, it is also the 30th Anniversary of the Harley Owners Group or H.O.G. The H.O.G. celebration is the same time as the 110th Anniversary Celebration, but requires both an 110th Anniversary celebration ticket and a H.O.G. membership card for entrance. Activities include:
Congratulations to Harley-Davidson on 110 years and H.O.G. on 30 years!
