Alumni
Please take a moment to update us so that we can keep in contact with you!
Just recently we've been able to place a class picture of every graduating class in the hallway outside of the gymnasium. If you haven't visited lately, you've missed our newly renovated gymnasium. Come back and visit us soon and let us know how you are doing.
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS:
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December 21: the first day of winter, and the longest night of the year. On this night, friends long graduated from Calvary Baptist Academy come to Cook Elementary School to play one game of 21, in the fifth annual Winter Solstice Classic. The game started as a tradition following Sunday church services. "We all came back for Christmas break," said Dani O'Shaughnessey. "We said 'hey, why don't we go out and play some basketball.'" The game officially became the "classic" in 2002, to be played at night during the solstice. A white foam ball, representing winter, was mounted on a candlestick to serve as the traveling trophy. "We promised each other we would come back every year," said David McClain, 25 of Midland. The game is the only time some of the friends |
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see each other all year. "We've definitely become better friends after high school," said Chris Macklin, 25 of Midland and last year's winner. Before the game, players cleared the court with shovels, salt and even a snow blower brought by James Elias, 23 of Midland. O'Shaughnessey, 25 now living in Philadelphia, laid out the rules before the game. While the friends follow many standard rules for the game, it's every man for himself, trying to be the first to score 21 points, and there are a few special additions. One unique rule is a specially-marked four-pointer, a shot Nate Forbes, 24 of Oregon, proved his expertise at by making several Wednesday night. Macklin started out with the ball. The six players in coats, hats and gloves fought for position around the basket, trying to be the last person to touch the ball, as the last hands on earn the points. The low rims at Cook allow for easy dunks and promote the "aggressive" style of play. While the game is a free-for-all, shades of teamwork show anytime a player tops 15 points. When that player shoots his free throws, earned after making a basket, players call open tips. Then, whoever the ball bounces closest to is given free reign to tip the ball in. If a player's errant shot is tipped in, they lose 3 points. If their wild shot is dunked, it resets that shooter's score to zero. That plan became problematic when several players hit high scores. The confusion allowed Donny Varney, 24 of West Virgina, to steal a victory as players lost track of him. "It's just great to be with these guys," Varney said. "I'm happy to come out with a win." His victory was especially sweet as he is the only two-time winner, plus it may silence the ribbing he gets from friends for being married, which they say hurts his game. "I'm living proof that's not true," he said. "(The trophy) will have a prominent place in my office." "There's always next year," echoed players from the court as they congratulated Varney, adding an '05 to his signature on the trophy. Following the game, the friends go out for dinner and spell out their New Year's resolutions, which must be BAD: beneficial, attainable and definable. "People have good ideas, but if they don't have that criteria, we throw it out the window," O'Shaughnessey said. There was much debate about this year's challenge, and the friends hope to narrow down a final plan by the end of the month |
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My name is Dawn Potter Hultstrom and I am a graduate of Calvary Baptist Academy, Midland, MI (1985). I began my running on the junior high and high school track teams. I was nothing more than a ¼ miler and running more than a mile was tough. The YMCA that I belonged to in Richmond, VA was offering a 10k training team and I thought it would be fun to run it and join the team. I ran my first 10k at 34. I got injured, but I ran it anyway and got the running bug. The YMCA then offered a marathon training team and I thought that would be really cool to join to say I ran a marathon, but due to my injury I had to pass for that year, But I did run the Ntelos 8k. The next year I signed up for the 10k training team injury free and then I joined the marathon training team. I had a great time |
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(Richmond) at 36 with a time of 4 hours and 6 minutes. I had so much
fun and when I crossed the finish line I though this wasn't so bad
I think I'll run it again. A group of us "running mommies"
hooked up from the training team and continued to run after our first
marathon. We called ourselves "Running Women without Make-up"
or RW. We would run every day at 5:30AM before our families got up
for the day. I decided to run Richmond again to see if I could better
my time. My dream was to qualify for Boston, but that would mean knocking
20 minutes off my previous time. I wasn't sure I could do it, but
my husband kept encouraging me that it would be a "piece of cake",
of course he doesn't run. I signed up for the training team again
and began training last June. I trained 3 months with the team and
then we moved to Woodstock, GA and I was on my own with my training
log from the team. I sure got a rude awakening from all the hills
in GA. We flew to Richmond two days before the trace and I was injury
free and feeling good. I was a bit nervous, because I had no one to
run with during the race because all of my buddies ran the Marine
Corps marathon, but I knew I could do it, because I had run two 20
milers alone in GA. I ended up running with one of my buddies husbands
(this was his first marathon) we kept each other going and on pace.
He and I separated about mile 22 and I was on my own. This is when
you pick a runner and try to pass them. You have to play a lot of
mental games during this time to keep going. I had a pace band (a
band that tells you what your time should be at each mile for you
to finish at your desired time) to keep me on track. I never dreamed
I'd qualify for Boston on my second try, but when I crossed the finish
line in Richmond and looked at my watch and it said 3 hours 45 minutes
and 8 seconds, I knew I was going to Boston and was overwhelmed by
the emotion. I am excited about running the granddaddy of all marathons
and looking for a fun time. Unfortunately I am not going without a
few aches and pains, but I am running it no matter what. This is one
you have to run if you get in. I never ran more than a mile at a time
in the past and here I am running Boston. This proves anyone can run
a marathon if they are motivated.
Dawn's number for the Boston Marathon is 14,355. |
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Garrit Gramowski-1991 CBA Grad runs A-1 Affordable Painting and Powerwashing
A-1 Affordable Painting and Powerwashing owner Garrett
Gromaski puts a latex coat of paint on Snow Machines Inc.'s mural that
first was painted in 1974. "I think everybody who drives by here
will notice a difference," Gromaski said. "And I think it's
pretty cool I will have a hand in that." Garrett Gromaski said he
comes from a family of artists. His mother paints with oil, his grandfather
did watercolor, his brother draws with lead and Gromaski uses latex.
Calvary Baptist Academy. 6100 Perrine Rd. Midland, MI. 48640 989-832-3341 Copyright 2003. All Rights Reserved. Send all problems or questions to webmaster@cbamidland.org This page last updated on January 4, 2006
