Bridgett Lambdin knew her young Spirit Club was having its intended effect when a visitor to Suttons Bay stopped into the Candy World store behind the 45th Parallel Cafe, asking for directions to the pharmacy.

BRIDGETT LAMBDIN (left) and Chris DeJong display
the "Go Norsemen" signs that the Spirit Club has created
to promote school spirit and support school programs.

Lambdin's explanation got the visitor close. For good measure, she said the store had a "Go Norsemen" sign in its window.

"She said, 'Oh honey, that's not going to work. Those signs are everywhere,’” recalled Lambdin.

The signs — and stickers and red-and-white pom poms — are being sold by members of the non-profit organization for two reasons: to promote school spirit, as the group's name implies, and to raise funds for school programs.

"They've been a huge success," said Lambdin, who with her husband, Tim, own the 45th Parallel Cafe and Candy World. "This is definitely a needed organization."

The "Go Norsemen" signs have popped up across the county, with stickers attached to car windows that provide a traveling school spirit show across the state. The Spirit Club is selling the signs for $7 and the stickers for $5. Just a few signs remain from an order of 300.

"I have some in my garage," said Chris DeJong, who with Lambdin formed the non-profit club and registered it with the state. "We have about 30 left … our goal is to keep the costs down, so we can get them all over."

Mission accomplished.

Lambdin and DeJong may be looking ahead in their efforts, as both have children too young to participate in most organized school events, including sports. Colt Lambdin is in the second grade, while his younger sister, Sage, is 3. "She will be a Norsemen," assured Lambdin.

Alexander DeJong attends third grade and Nicholas DeJong is starting first grade.

The Spirit Club is operated independent of other Suttons Bay booster clubs, and is not directed specifically toward athletics, band or other school functions. Money raised from "Go Norsemen" sales can be used to help put on school plays or pay for other extra curricular activities that might be compromised by budget cuts — or just to show how much the Suttons Bay community loves its schools.

Spirit Club members decorated the lockers of students with roles in the Music Man  performances last year.

But right now, with four Suttons Bay teams still in the hunt for state titles, the most obvious work of the Spirit Club has been showing athletes that the community is behind them.

"People want to exhibit school spirit, and don't know how," said Kristi Brown, a member of the organization who wishes more residents would join. "It's starting to pay off. The signs are popping up everywhere."

"Go Norsemen" signs — at least, the few remaining — and other school spirit artifacts are available for sale at the Candy World shop.