JOHN GLEASON, a past member of the Michigan State Senate and House of Representatives, spoke in place of gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer during the Burns Grange “Meet Your Candidates” night on Tuesday, July 18. The Burns Grange, located on Cole Road in Bancroft, has been holding the popular event every two years, for at least the past 50 years, during countywide election years. Many of the candidates who spoke during the event are running for offices in Shiawassee County, and the statewide candidates who spoke included 85th District Rep. Ben Frederick and his opponent, Eric Sabin; 24th District State Senate candidates Kelly Rossman-McKinney and Brett Roberts; and Matthew Clayson, a Democratic candidate for the MSU Board of Trustees.
Many community members attended the Burns Grange event, as did several current Shiawassee County elected officials who are not running for election this year. The Honorable Matthew Stewart was the event’s emcee, and he went out of his way to praise the efforts of Burns Grange President Sharon Popler, Secretary Peggy Johnston and member Henry Popler for organizing the event, which provides county residents an opportunity to meet a large number of their political candidates in a positive setting, all in one evening.
A few of the community services Burns Grange provides on a regular basis include their famous chicken dinners that are held on the first Saturday of October and November, and jamborees, which include musical entertainment and a light meal, on the third Friday of every month. Burns Grange, which was founded in 1873, has also donated more than 15,000 dictionaries to 3rd-grade students across Shiawassee County.
(Independent Photo/Graham Sturgeon)
