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Hazel Park Pub Crawl Planned for Aug 26

(Crystal A. Proxmire, 8/24/2011)

The spirit of Ferndale is moving eastward as organizers come together for the first Annual Hazel Park Pub Crawl. The event, scheduled for August 26, 2011, will take participants on a drinking tour of the city. The Hazel Park Pub Crawl will raise money for the Hazel Park Promise Zone, an initiative that hopes to provide every eligible Hazel Park student with money to go to college.

“There are only ten Promise Zone areas throughout the State,” said Hazel Park City Manager Ed Klobucher. “It’s a program founded by a State of Michigan statute to give certain communities a boost in education. Locally there are Promise Zones in Detroit, Pontiac and Hazel Park. It’s a great opportunity to take care of our young people and to attract families to the city.”

Hazel Park Councilperson Jan Parisi is excited to be raising money for Promise Zone. “I’ve got three generations in the Hazel Park Schools in my family and I know how important a good education is,” she said. “If you want to eradicate poverty you need to educate the kids. The Promise Zone could mean the rebirth of our community, and the Pub Crawl is part of that rebirth because it gives businesses a chance to benefit and build our economy, and to invest in the city’s future by investing in the children.

The Pub Crawl will attract new customers into several of the bars in Hazel Park, including Eddies, House of Shamrocks and Max Dugan’s.  Signup is between 6:30pm and 7pm at Hazel Park City Hall.

For a $10 fee, Pub Crawlers will be able to tour the city along with a large group of friends and neighbors, with transportation available between stops. “I’ve planned a lot of pub crawls,” said Hazel Park Pub Crawl Treasurer Bob Babut. “And there are always interesting people to meet, and a camaraderie that you can’t get at any other event. People like to drink and get to know new people when it’s a big, safe event.”

Babut is the owner of Modern Tax and Accounting. And though he lives in Hazel Park, he is well-known throughout Ferndale for his volunteerism on behalf of many groups and events such as The FernCare Free Health Clinic, Ferndale Pride, The Ferndale Pub Crawl, and the Ferndale Blues Festival. He and other regular Ferndale event organizers have joined forces with the Hazel Park crowd to make the first Pub Crawl a success.

Oakland County Commissioner Craig Covey and Michigan AIDS Coalition organizer Monica Mills have stepped in to lend their event planning expertise. Hazel Park Mayor Jack Lloyd, City Manager Klobucher, Councilperson Jan Parisi, Library Board Secretary Linda Zeiss, LGBT Pride in the Park President Jeffrey Oliver, Rich Robbins and others are representing Hazel Park in the planning effort.

More volunteers are needed, as well as potential designated drivers. They are also looking into transportation solutions. To volunteer or to keep up with event information, add The Hazel Park Pub Crawl on Facebook, and check out their website at http://hazelparkpubcrawl.webs.com.