Goodwill's new award pays tribute to Stanton

It's appropriate that a new award be created to honor Mary Stanton. Starting new projects seems to be her forte.

What separates Stanton, who resides on Stony Point in Suttons Bay Township, is her ability to turn a plan into success.

MARY STANTON stands next to a framed poster that details the Mary Stanton Excellence in Giving Award that was created in her honor.

"Quantifying Mary Stanton's leadership is akin to explaining the Pied Piper's following," explained Ruth Blick of Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan. "The trail of support gets longer and longer, and rarely, if ever, falls away. Every activity or endeavor undertaken with Mary promises to be enjoyable, light and uplifting."

One of her success stories — perhaps the one she is best known for — is the annual Goodwill Inn fundraiser event, nicknamed simply "The Party." Stanton and her niece, Heidi Hallett-Treece, are perennial co-hosts.

Stanton came up with the concept in 2004, holding the first Party at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station in Bingham Township. A press release announcing establishment of the “Mary Stanton Excellence in Giving Award" estimated the initial event's profit at $1,000.

That was a little on the high side, Stanton recalls.

"Our first year, it was closer to $100. We love to have a party, so we decided to have a big party for Goodwill. But we didn't want to charge $150 to come to our party. That's not what Goodwill does; we reach out to people," Stanton said.

The price was set at $30 per ticket, and has not changed. But Stanton and Hallett-Treece have steadily added fundraisers such as raffles and games to the evening. The Party netted $29,000 in 2005 and $36,000 in 2006, all to fund homeless services.

An "airport" theme last year was highly successful. It was appropriately held in a hanger at Cherryland Capitol Airport.

The next Party is scheduled at the Waterfront Conference Center in Traverse City with a wedding reception theme. It's set for Oct. 6, with ticket prices, of course, sticking at $30.
Stanton, who as Mary Hallet grew up in Omena, has been a diligent volunteer since she and her husband, Steve, moved to Suttons Bay from Farmington Hills in 1998. Steve Stanton took an early retirement from IBM, and now runs his own computer consulting and repair company.

Mary Stanton is also founder and ongoing chair of the Holiday Needs program, which aims to provide a Christmas for needy families who otherwise would go without. Last year the program helped 773 people.

And she is founder, promoter and advocate for the "Back-to-School Backpacks" program for disadvantaged kids.

Stanton has also been a member of Goodwill Industries’ Board of Directors for the past five years.

How many hours has Stanton contributed? "I wish I knew," he said. "It's really hard to say. I work on it all the time."

As Stanton's programs have taken off, so has the success of Goodwill Industries. The Goodwill Inn on Keystone Road in Traverse City offering shelter for the disadvantaged has been open for about three months, and a retail and main office opened on South Airport Drive about two years go.

Stanton has enjoyed helping to revitalize Goodwill Industries. "Goodwill is becoming much more reachable. When we moved up here and we would be talking about Goodwill, people would say, 'Who?'"

The Stantons' two children are graduates of Suttons Bay High School. Emily has earned a degree from the University of Michigan, while Casey is a senior at Michigan State University.

The Mary Stanton Award will annually honor a "special individual who personifies the spirit of Goodwill and its mission."