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June 27, 2019 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 5

CANTON - INKSTER

Message in a bottle discovered after 45 years

Julie Brown Mission Peninsula in northern Amon and discuss the finding of back with stamps, going all over
Staff Writer Lower Michigan. Some 45 years her message on a local radio sta- the world.”
later, construction worker Eric tion in the area. “I still have a lot Her grandparents “always
A bit of her past has Canton Amon found it and contacted her. of family in Traverse City and on made sure we had something fun
Township resident Tina Allera “He was working on a job the (Old Mission) Peninsula,” she to do. We both have great memo-
looking forward to the future. when he found the bottle,” Allera said. ries of the cottage” she said of
When she was 11, Allera explained. As a girl she had melt- “It really is going to be fun. My her brother, David and herself.
sealed a message in a bottle ed crayons to use to seal the bot- mom is really excited.” Amons' cat broke the bottle
which she then dropped into tle and protect her message from Allera's close friend Lisa which contained the 1974 mes-
Lake Michigan from the Old the Lake Michigan environs. It LiGreci of Plymouth will be trav- sage, but Allera is philosophical
stayed sealed for nearly 45 years eling to Traverse City, too, to talk about it.
as Amon found it in the side of a about what transpired with her “That's all right,” she said, “It
hill being excavated for the con- friend's long-lost message. The will still be fun.”
struction of a new home. two met when their children Allera worked over the years
“We were hoping a pirate or were at Allen Elementary in the in area schools, married hus-
mermaid would find it. I was 11, I Plymouth Canton schools. band, Chuck, and is mom to Dan
had high hopes,” said Allera with Allera, 56, grew up in and Emily, both grown.
a chuckle. Westland and is a 1981 Westland The grandparents' cottage and awesome,” she said from her
Amon sent Allera a Facebook John Glenn High School gradu- the lighthouse on Old Mission family's Grand Marais up north
message more than four years ate. Of the bottle message, which Peninsula are good memories, home. “It was kind of a bummer
ago about his find. While her out- in part reads, “please write and she said. last year. Everybody was there
dated phone kept that message, tell me were and when you found She said that today, her mes- for me. Tons of support.”
she never saw it. this,” she said, “I actually had for- sage would be a great deal differ- “My message would be, 'Get a
“The next thing you know I got gotten about it.” ent. A year and a half ago, she mammogram'” Allera said.
a new phone and this message Allera, who was then Tina received a breast cancer diagno- “He (Amon) said they were all
popped up. Good thing I got a Green, said she does remember sis. A lumpectomy surgery was so excited when they found the
new phone,” Allera said. fantasizing about her message as used along with radiation and bottled message. I bet they were
She will be traveling to a child. chemotherapy. disappointed it wasn't a secret
Tina Allera Traverse City soon to meet with “I could just picture it coming “I'm feeling great and doing fortune,” LiGreci said.
Inkster man guides Navy careers

U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer grams, retirements and reten- their command, community and
Michael Clanton spends his days tions. career, Clanton is most proud of
helping other sailors choose Clanton credits success in the his mentee being selected for the
their career paths in his job as a Navy to many of the lessons rank of chief petty officer.
career counselor serving at learned growing up in Inkster. “I'm very unselfish, it's never
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, “This is where my work ethic been about me and I get more
Texas. originated from and I learned to pleasure and excitement seeing
A 2001 Romulus High School have tough skin and defy the people excel and succeed,”
graduate and native of Inkster, odds,” Clanton said. Clanton said.
Clanton is also 2018 Post The flight training program is Clanton is the first of his fami-
University graduate with a bach- approximately 18 months, due to ly to serve in the military but is
elor's of science and business the increased complexity of cur- now starting a family tradition. U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Michael Clanton, an Inkster native, is
administration degree. rent aircraft. Training Air Wing As a member of one of the U.S. serving as a career counselor serving at Naval Air Station Corpus
A Navy career counselor is a FOUR produces approximately Navy's most relied-upon assets, Christi, Texas.
human resources director 600 newly qualified aviators each Clanton and other sailors know “Being in the Navy means money and I did it to serve for a
responsible for sailors' careers year. they are part of a legacy that will service and sacrifice and person- higher purpose and cause,”
that includes changing jobs, Though there are many ways last beyond their lifetimes pro- ally, it's honorable, because it's Clanton said. “I knew I was going
applying for naval officer pro- for sailors to earn distinction in viding the Navy the nation needs. something you don't do for to join since the age of 7.”