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Editorial Page 6-A

Calendar Page 4-C

Death Notices Page 14-A

Sports Page 1-B

INDEX

VOL. 142, NO. 16 THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 201275¢

THE

DEXTERLEADER

Youth theater to stage

‘Swan Lake’

Page 8-A

INSIDEGirl Scouts hold cookie

drive for soldiers

Page 16-A

INSIDE

By Ben BairdHeritage Media

Support from the community has softened the blowafter more than 300 animals died in a barn fire April 11at the Welshans’ centennial farm at Scio Church andParker roads in Lima Township.

Robin Welshans, who owns the farm with her husband,Douglas, said so far the outpouring of support has beenamazing following the tragedy.

Chelsea Area Fire Authority Chief James Payeur saidthere was extensive damage from the fire and the barnwas a complete loss.

All the animals kept in the barn died. There wereabout 200 show rabbits, about 50 egg-laying hens, about50 baby chicks, 17 baby ducks, a steer and a horse namedTina.

“It has been very hard,” Robin Welshans said.“They’re our pets you know?”

Five cows and a calf survived the fire because theywere outside in a pasture when the fire occurred. Thefire quickly swept through a consumed the barn anddamaged other buildings on the property. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

The entire family worked to care for t he animals,

Blaze kills more than 300 animals

Photo courtesy of Molly Walters

More than 300 animals died in a barn fire at about 11 a.m. March 11 at Scio Churchand Parker roads.

 In aftermath, support rallied  for Lima Township 4-H family

PLEASE SEE FIRE /11-A

 AthleticdirectorresignsBy Erica McClainHeritage Media

Brett Steele, athletic direc-tor for Dexter CommunitySchools, quit Friday, citingthat his skill set simplydidn’t fit the position.

District SuperintendentMary Marshall said Steelegave his notice but will usevacation days to serve outhis remaining two weeks.

“He’s a good man, and Ihope he finds a suitable posi-tion,” Marshall said.

Marshall said Steele’sresignation letter statedhe didn’t see himself as “agood fit” and that he didn’t“share the same vision andphilosophy as the higheradministration does.”

Marshall indicatedthat vision referred to thedistrict’s decision to have acombined athletic and thecommunity services depart-ment.

“We’re going to regroupon Monday and brainstorma couple thoughts as to howwe could use some of ourpeople (to fill the void),”

By Christy Vander HaagenSpecial Writer

resolution also states the new four-acre Mill Creek Park and WarriorCreek Park are adjacent to each other

Resources Trust Fund Grant. Thenew four-acre park will include boatlaunches for non-motorized boats, a

Cancer survivors to

raise funds with

‘Feet and Friends’By Amy BellHeritage Media

A cancer survivor andavid marathon runner isusing her experience tohelp others.

Karen Lewis, 53, of Brighton is the co-founderof the American CancerSociety’s Feet and FriendsFighting Colon Canceralong with her friend andfellow cancer survivor,Susan Snyder of AnnArbor.

The group is holding a5k walk/run and 8k runset to take place April 21 atHudson Mills Metropark.The 5k run/walk beginsat 8:45 a.m. and the 8krun starts at 9:30 a.m. All

ages and skill levels arewelcome.

“Planning and lookingforward to an upcomingevent - such as a crosscountry skiing, a mara-thon, a hiking vacation,or an overseas adventure- has provided me withthe strength and focus toovercome the dark days of the disease,” Lewis said. “Irealize that I only have thisone life to live and cannotspend it regretting what Ishould have done. I live mylife being proud for what Ihave done and what I amgoing to do next.”

Proceeds from the racewill help fund efforts toincrease awareness of the disease, preventionand finding a cure for the

second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.

Due to improvements inprevention, early detectionand treatment, more thana million people in the U.S.are survivors.

At age 23, Lewis wasdiagnosed with ulcer-ative colitis, a type of Inflammatory BowelDisease that caused severe

Karen Lewis, 53, of Brighton is the co-founder of theAmerican Cancer Society’s Feet and Friends FightingColon Cancer.

Council approves park name change

PLEASE SEE RUN /3-A

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people (to fill the void),”Marshall said. “We just needto sit down and chart it outby the end of next week ...We should know by thenabout any position thatwould need to be posted.”

Steele served as athlet-ics and community ser-vices director for about sixmonths after the districtterminated former athlet-ics director Scott Lucas inFebruary 2011.

Dexter Village Council votedunanimously April 9 toapprove changing WarriorCreek’s name to Mill CreekPark.

Warrior Creek Park is a 2.15-acrepark located behind the fire stationand adjacent to Mill Creek. The park’sproximity to Mill Creek, according toinformation provided by the Council,is one of the reasons cited in the reso-lution to change the park’s name. The

Creek Park are adjacent to each otherand are a destination best describedas one unit.

Warrior Creek Park was given itsname as a result of a district-widepark-naming contest held in theearly 1980s. According to TrusteePaul Cousins, the students of WylieElementary School, then named theWylie Warriors, won the contest andthe honor of naming the park.

The Mill Creek Park project beganin 2011 as a result of the village’sreceipt of a Michigan Natural

launches for non-motorized boats, anetwork of trails and fishing docks.

In other news:The Council voted unanimously on

a resolution to use funding from theTree Replacement Restricted Accountto restore and replace approximately35 public trees lost in the March15 tornado that ripped throughDexter. According to informationprovided by the village, the cost toreplace the trees is, depending on the

PLEASE SEE PARK /3-A

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5025 Ann Arbor Road, Jackson, MI