Stewart McFerrin formerly drove the Cherriot Cherryland Center Route 2 for the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA). Knowing the riders like Harriet, who drove the drivers crazy, has its benefits. In fact, one driver went to her door one day to find her on the floor. After a brief stint in the hospital one of the drivers gave Harriet her own BATA jacket, which she wore daily. In fact it has been said that she cherished the jacket so much that she wore it to her grave. People feel very strongly about the bus and there is a community of people who ride daily.
To listen to the interview with former BATA driver Stewart McFerrin click on the play button below.
As an organization founded and run by those who know and understand what it’s like to suffer from the hurdles of mental illness, we offer a place for people to go, get out of the house, make friends, participate in activities, or just simply relax. It’s free, and the best part about it is that you don’t have to do anything but come and be yourself.
The Blue Heron was established by Mike and Carol Vanderberg about 20 years ago. I'm not sure where else you'd find a community hub like this in the Grand Traverse region. The Pod--a loose gang of locals--gathers here every Saturday for open "mike" night in memory of Mike who passed away in August, 2007. He was the founder of Dunegrass. You can hear an obit piece about Mike that aired on Interlochen Public Radio.
The bridge in Leland is not a remarkable sight. But the kids growing up there have apparently found a good use for it. This came out a few years ago when Keith Burham posted this picture of the bridge on his website The Leland Report, www.lelandreport.com, and his subscribers started chatting about it online. He told me the story while he was driving me around Leland the next day.
