May 28, 1996: Memories of going to the Cabin in Baldwin

Every Memorial Day weekend was special to me, as that was when all of us Gonyos would go up to the cabin in the woods up in Baldwin, Michigan.     My Mom, Dad, and I would go up usually on Friday night and George, Marianne, Kim, Wendy, and Joy would come around lunch time on Saturday.    

We always had wonderful food up at the cabin.  Grandma bought donuts, Bugles, ice cream, hot fudge, baked beans, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.      The only time it was quiet was when the food was put on the table and we were busy eating.

On Saturdays, the girls would go shopping in downtown Baldwin.   Ben Franklins was our favorite store.  I loved buying things in the office supply area.     Of course, a trip to town was never complete without a stop at the famous Jone's Ice Cream.   As we got older, we would also go to downtown Newaygo through the stores.   

At the cabin, we had so much fun on the 'booney bike'.   It was a 3 wheeled bike that my Dad and Grandpa would give us rides on all over the area.   My dad loved riding that bike and we loved going on it to see the deer.

Kenny Baker and Peggy Katt would come to the cabin to visit and have dinner with us.  There was always good conversation.    When Kim, Wendy, Joy, and I were younger, we loved to jump on the full size bed on the porch.   Also, we watched Saturday Night Live or movies.  

The sounds at the cabin were special to me.  The sound of the leaves in the woods was so comforting.   I will always remember the creek in the floor in the kitchen and living room.   The front door also had a snap when it closed.   

One time we had a big thunderstorm that practically would scare you off your seat.    The kids would fight over who would sit on the yellow stool.

Playing cards was another favorite activity to do at the cabin.   We played "Kings in the Corner", "Fan Tan", "Memory", "War", "Solitaire", "Cribbage", and "Hearts".    When we came Friday nights, we saw Grandpa Gonyo playing solitaire.  His chair faced out the window, so he could see who was coming up the the 2-track driveway. The cabin was on a private drive back in the woods.      The cabin was on Pere Marquette Road, which has now been renamed.         

On Sundays, the girls would go to mass at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Baldwin.   It was crowded there during this weekend.  We always laughed at the priest wearing bright socks, jeans, and sandals to mass.  

In the afternoon, we often went swimming at 'L' lake which was behind the cabin. There was a path that took us to the lake.   

Grandma had this '8 Ball' that we used to ask questions to and it would give us an answer.    It was actually a toy of my dad's when he was a kid.  

We took many walks around the area.   There was a bridge that we crossed over and we walked down the 2-track in search of deer.  

May 27, 1996: Sleeping Bear Dunes with the Gonyos

Mom, Grandma, and I went to the Platte River Campground to see the Gonyos.    First, we ate at a country restaurant near Ludington.   It had a grocery store and bakery attached to it.   Then, we went to the Gwen Frostic store near Benzonia.  Gwen was an older lady who was famous for her artistic works.  Her store set on River Road near a river.    The store was in a converted log cabin. She sold stationary, books, wrapping paper, cuts, etc. with her drawings of nature.   She drew birds, trees, and flowers on the items she sold.   The store used to be bigger when the Klees, Lawvers, Gonyos, and I went there.  They closed off a section of the store. 

The Gonyos had just bought a beautiful 5th wheel that had a couch, microwave, TV, kitchen, Lazyboy, bathroom, and large bedroom.   Wendy, Joy, Mom, their dog, and I took a 2 mile walk to Lake Michigan.   Wendy and Todd were doing their internships at this park until August.   They lived in a house that used to be the living quarters of an old air force base.  The red house was in Empire, Michigan and overlooked Lake Michigan.

Then, we went on a scenic drive through Sleeping Bear Dunes.  

May 17, 1996: Dial Soap & Nabisco

We visited Dial Soap today.   Each of us got a 9 inch bar of soap off the line.   It hadn't been pressed with the 'Dial' name on it.    We also got samples of other soap.  

Our last stop of the trip was in Melrose Park at the Nabisco Company.  This was the biggest bakery in the world.  Their storage retrieval system was automatic.  It stored 20,000 pallets, 11 stories high.   Pallets were picked automatically with the use of a computerized picking machine.   Saw how Oreos were made.    They served us baked beans, hamburgers, chips, pop, potato salad, and brownies for lunch.  On our way out of the factory, we got a bag of Nabisco goodies.   Nabisco stands for: National Biscuit Company.   The employees that work there looked like they had one too many cookies.   

We got back to Kalamazoo around 8:30 p.m.  I stopped at Kelsey's apartment on the way home to visit.   I showed Kelsey all of the free stuff I got on this tour.  

May 16, 1996: Quaker Oats, Topco, and Calkins

Our stops today were at Calkins, Quaker Oats, and Topco.  Calkins makes private label products such as Gordon Foods and Spartans.  

Quaker Oats had an unclean plant, which was not what I expected.   There were several mouse traps throughout the plant.   Then, we went to Topco and had a nice lunch.  We learned that Mega, Meijer, and Food Club were just labels put on the same product.  The product was the same, but the label was different.   One job that looked interesting was the creation of the labels for 'Dominicks' brand on the computer.

We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott near Naperville, IL.    Our room was fantastic.    Went swimming with my friends.  Then, Ebony, Fontrise, Suk Kien, Sieuw Ping, and I went to the restaurant in the hotel for drinks.   Talked with Bob Brady, who was from the suburb, Springfield, just outside of Chicago.   He worked at Jewels Grocery Store in the summers.   He had been there for about 8 years.   Shamsheila said she got much of her education paid for as well as extra money from the government.  

May 15, 1996: Kimberly Clark

We went to the Kimberly Clark plant today.   We saw how sanitary napkins and tampons were made.    The presentation was 5 hours long.   We got samples of their new Cold Care line of Kleenex tissue.  It wouldn't be on the market until June.     We also got a deck of cards, duffel bag, cube of paper, Atlas, and toilet paper.

Our second stop was at Presto products.   They made private label items.  The factory wasn't too automated.  The bags of plastic garbage bags were hand packed, not automatically packed.   They made Spartan products, Gordon Food products, etc.   We went through their test labs and art department.

Then, we went to their boat house about 5 miles away.   We all got liquor from their bar and took a boat ride on their house boat.  

Taught Suk Kien and Sieuw Ping how to country line dance on the second floor of the boat.   I visited with Fontrise and Ebony.    Ebony started nicknaming me 'Grandma'. I don't remember why, but we all thought it was funny.   We had a long drive back to our hotel in Skokie.   One of the kids on our bus threw up in his duffel bag as he was drunk.  Thank goodness the bus had stopped to fix a light, so our professor threw away that kid's duffel bag.  The kid could barely walk.  In fact, he fell on the cement and skinned his knee.  I thought he was dumb to act like this.    He should be more professional on a trip like this.   

Deyoung and I sat next to each other on the bus and talked about the stupid things we had done in our lives.  

May 14, 1996: S.C. Johnson Wax & Miller Brewery

Today's first stop was at S.C. Johnson Wax in Racine, Wisconsin.   I'd say this was a top notch tour.  First, we were able to see a very technological manufacturing plant.  The automatic trolleys that brought loads of product were a great way to save money. I was impressed with how well the employees were treated and with their working conditions.    Their efforts with helping the environment and community impressed me.   The Frank Lloyd Wright designs in the corporate office were fantastic.   Although Mr. Wright's chairs were uncomfortable, they did provide better posture for those who needed it.   The dinner at the restaurant was delicious.  We had steak, fries, and cheesecake.  Frank Gambino, Shamsheila, Deyoung, and I sat together.  

Our second stop was at the Miller Brewery in Milwaukee.   We were supposed to have a private tour, but that got changed.   We did have a private discussion in the Miller Inn.   Each of us got 3 large glasses of beer.   I sat with Bart, Deyoung, Suk Kien, Sieuw Ping, Fontrise, and Shamsheila.  The samples were of Miller Light and Red Dog.  

The ride to Neenah, Wisconsin was about 2 1/2 hours.    We stayed at the Valley Inn.   It was gorgeous.   Went swimming with Deyoung and then we went in the exercise room.   Shamsheila came down to exercise, too.  

May 13, 1996: Chicago Board of Trade & Information Resources

Today, we started the 2nd half of our Food Industry Survey Tour.   We took the bus to Chicago and visited the Chicago Board of Trade.   Trading starts at 9:30 a.m. and closes at 1:15 a.m.   They bought and sold wheat, rice, corn, etc.   

Our 2nd stop was at the Information Resources Inc.    This company gathered information from retailers concerning what products were bought, by whom, buying behaviors, and sold it to the manufacturers, brokers, and retailers which helped in decision making.    Kimberly Clark was one of the companies that bought data from Information Resources.    I wore my red suit from Petite Sophisticates.  I felt like a city girl walking in my red suit and holding my portfolio.

Our last stop of the day was at Delray Farms.  It's an inner city grocery store that had a large produce, seafood, and meat section to service their Asian, Hispanic, and African American clientel. 

We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Skokie, Illinois.   I roomed with Fontrise Charles and Ebony Daniels.   

Went with Deyoung, Shamsheila Ibrahim, Sieuw Ping, and Suk Kien to a Chinese restaurant in a strip mall across the street.    Shamsheila and I looked around at the Barnes and Noble store.    Then, went swimming back at the hotel with Deyoung, who was from Malaysia.   

Watched 'Good Times' and 'What's Happening' with Ebony.  

May 12, 1996: Mother's Day

George Gonyo and Kim Gonyo came by and visited. George fixed our lawn mower and mowed much of our backyard. I finished up the rest.   Kim liked my Compaq computer.    Rode around Lake Michigan with George, Kim, and Grandma. We stopped at Kuziak's Caramel Corn and got some caramel corn.   Grandma visited with the owner.  The owner's son lived in Atlanta, Georgia.    That was the city I wanted to move to after college.   

Mother's Day dinner was at our house.    Kelsey, Devon, Grandma and Grandpa Thomas, and Grandma Gonyo came over.    Devon made Grandma and my Mom a picture with his hand and foot prints.  Devon was now about 8 weeks old.   
We had Swedish meatballs, strawberry parfait, asparagus, super mashed potatoes (Grandma G's recipe) and rolls.   Everything tasted good.  

Kelsey put Devon on my bed and he fell sound asleep.   Steve and Charlene didn't come as they were in Chicago.  Kelsey's gift to her mom was cleaning her house. It took 5 hours.    

For dessert, we had chocolate torte cake with caramel fudge.    It had won the million dollar prize for the Pillsbury bake-off.

May 8, 1996: Grandma Gonyo's house

Visited with Grandma Gonyo from 1-9 p.m.    We went through some of her things.   She let me take home some of the cars that my dad used to play with as a kid.    Grandma and I went for dinner at Bob Evans.    Then, took her to the new Elder Beerman store.    She liked their clothes.    We looked at suits for her for Kim's wedding.     Then, we took a drive around town at the homes for sale. 

Played cards at her house (Kings in the Corner and Fan Tan).  I always enjoyed visiting Grandma and tried to go any chance I could.

May 7, 1996: FMI

Went to one more workshop.   Afterwards, went to the wrap up meeting and each of us got a free t-shirt for helping out with the conference.    
Went around with Pauline to all of the exhibitors.   I got free greeting cards, 20 free magazines, free food, plates, cups, napkins, hotdogs, nylons, and a free Betty Crocker cookbook.    This was the best day to come to the convention, as this was when the exhibitors were trying to get rid of their products and you could stock up.

We left Chicago at 4 p.m. for Kalamazoo.    Then, I drove home to Muskegon.   On my way home, I was on I-96 going about 75 mph and a cop stopped me.   My stomach dropped.  I was honest with my answers. He asked where I had come from and I told him the Food Marketing Conference in Chicago.  He asked if I had received any tickets recently. I told him I got one for 5 over in 1992 and another ticket for having too many people in my front seat.  He started laughing.  He ended up giving me a warning.  

May 6, 1996: FMI Conference

The first workshop was at 8:30 a.m.  I worked with Gretchen List.   So many people came 1 hour late to the speaker.  I was racing around to give pamphlets to people.   After the 2nd workshop, I went around the food exhibits and got some free stuff.

At night, Deyoung, Shamsheila, Pauline, and I went shopping and ate at Food for Life in the Water Tower Place.  Then, we all went to Second City comedy club.   We had drinks and laughed for the next 2 hours.   It was the best comedy.  Second CIty had been around for 60 years.    Each ticket was only $5.50.

May 5, 1996: Food Marketing Institute Conference

Left at 5:30 a.m. from Muskegon to Kalamazoo to go with some other students to the Food Marketing Institute Conference at the McCormick Place in Chicago.    Each student worked as a student coordinator in a workshop or in publicity.   This place was 7 miles long.   Had some short rehearsals.  Found out that each of our tickets was $325 and we didn't have to pay.

The hotel was free to the students.   We stayed at the Ramada Congress on Michigan Avenue.
My roommate was Pauline from Malaysia.  We got along great. 
At night, Teak (aka Deyoung Yap), Shamsheila Ibrahim, Sieu Ping, Pauline, and I ate at the Hard Rock Cafe.  

McCormick Place seemed overwhelming at first, but I seemed to find my way around quite fast.

May 4, 1996: Grandpa & Grandma Thomas's 50th Anniversary Party

Today was Grandpa and Grandma Thomas's 50th Wedding Anniversary.  Before the church service, Charlene, Mom, Steve, Diann, LuAnn, and I set up the decorations for the dinner at Russ's banquet room on Holton Road in North Muskegon.   The immediate family sat at the head of the table.  

The church service was lovely.  Charlene and mom went with Grandpa and Grandma to present the gifts to the priest.  I'm glad they got to celebrate their 50th anniversary.   Grandma looked pretty in her pink dress and grandpa looked handsome in his suit.

Grandma Thomas was looking weaker.  She had early Alzheimers.   Grandpa was like an Energizer bunny that never stopped.     

Grandma Gonyo came to the service, as well as the dinner.   It was so good to see her.  I hope we can help find a safer place for her to live.    Her street (Manz) was starting to become run down and unsafe.

The dinner, cake, slide show, and stories were great.  I was so nervous when I stood up in front of the 50+ people to tell a story about Grandpa and Grandma.   June and Maxine served the cake.

May 3, 1996: Elias Brothers Commissary & Frito Lay

Started the day off at the Elias Brothers Commissary.  Their distribution center was owned by Marriott.  They used to make most of their own food.    The idea of the Big Boy picture came from a drawing of this little boy.  It started out in California.

Went to Troy, Michigan to the Kmart Corporate Headquarters.  They were building a beautiful shopping center nearby.    I never realized that the private label 'American Fair' was tested.  They took samples of all clothing and home fashions and tested for flammability, color, and durability. 

The final tour for this week was at the Frito Lay factory in Allen Park, Michigan.   First, corn was boiled, cleaned, mixed into a doughy substance, flattened, shaped, baked, and then seasoned.  They made such items as Munchos, Doritos, Fritos, and Tostitos.  We were given a bag full of their new  chips.  In Canada, they seasoned their chips with a ketchup flavor.  In Mexico, chips were flavored with a lemon seasoning.   

May 2, 1996: Valassis Inserts, Kroger, and Farmer Jack

Our first stop today was at the Valassis Inserts plant on Schoolcraft Rd in Livonia, Michigan.   This company made free standing inserts of coupons for the Sunday newspaper.  Their competitor was News America based out of New York.  They made 5.6 million copies per week.  They began working 3 months in advance on the new ad.  There's a lot of detail that went into these inserts like bargaining with the companies on which page to advertise, geographical region, and layout.   This was an interesting stop.

The second stop was at the Kroger Company headquarters.   We had a delicious lunch with some of the employees.  We were given bags of Kroger brand food in a nice travel bag.   My particular tour guide of the Ford Rd. store wasn't the greatest.  I realized that Kroger needsed to remodel the store.   Their deli was boring looking with no color to give the appeal to the customer.    Their floral department was pretty scarce and not as fresh looking as the flowers in the floral department at the D and W Food Store.    Also, they didn't offer the customer smaller amounts of deli salads. The one thing I liked was that each department's name was in big letters so one could find it easily.  

The final stop for today was at the Farmer Jack store.  This was impressive.  It had a cheerful look about it. The deli was offering meals-to-go for their Jewish, African American, low income, and on-the-run clientel.  We had a delicious dinner with ribs, salad, Italian salad, sandwiches, and apple caramel dessert.  I liked the way Farmer Jack and D and W operated.

We stayed again at the Holiday Inn in Livonia on Laurel Park Drive.   Went to the pool.   Visited with a fellow student, named Teak and Mr. Gambino.     I called Beverly Richardson, who was my little sister from Phi Chi Theta.  She lived about 1-2 miles from my hotel.   I also talked to Nina Ganesh.    She worked in a day care center on M-F from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. and then worked in the Greater Detroit Hospital in Hamtramak, MI from 12:30 to 3 p.m.  Her father owned part of that hospital.

May 1, 1996: Pharmacia & Upjohn and Kellogg Company Tours

The first stop today was at the Pharmacia and Upjohn company in Portage, MI.  It was founded in 1886  by W.E. Upjohn and had 12 employees.  Their core business was animal health, over-the-counter products, fine chemicals, and prescription products.   It was the 9th largest pharmaceutical company in the world.   Their revenue was $6.8 billion with 34,500 employees.  Their biggest sources of business was with food stores and drug stores (41% respectively).  Their competition was with internal analgesiacs, GI products, and dermatologicals, nutritionals, and hair growth care.   

Our second stop was with the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, Michigan.   What an impressive building!  It was tall, with glass, and filled with skylights.   We had a lovely lunch in one of their conference rooms.  We got to see some of their newest ad campaigns with Rice Krispies Cereal.   98% of households had cereal in their homes.   The first Rice Krispie Treat recipe was included on the box in 1941.   
The plastic bag was made, filled, and pressed.  Then, the bag was stuck in the bottom of the box and then sealed automatically. This plant was machine efficient.  We were the only group to be able to see the inside of this plant.    Our instructor, Frank Gambino, knew some of the executives at Kellogg, so he was able to get a special tour. 

The City of Battle Creek wasn't anything special.   It looked pretty run down.   The creation of the corn flake was actually an accident.

Today's final stop was at Vic's World Class Market in Novi, Michigan, which was off of Grand River Ave.  This was a neat Italian designed store.  It had a greenhouse, wines, and a seafood department.   The prices were a bit high.    It catered to the wealthier customer.  It took 7 months to construct and 4 days to set up the store merchandise.  
On Christmas Eve, 150 deli trays were made.  

When we got to our hotel, Fontrise and I went to the pool and did water aerobics.