Faith, Football & Farming:
Small Town U.S.A.
Small Town U.S.A. Beal City
When you type "Beal City, Michigan" into Google three things show up: football, the Catholic Church and Google maps. The map shows the rural town that is predominantly farmland. The town is centered around St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, the only church in town. Beal City is a satellite town to Mount Pleasant, Mich. with a population of only 345 people.
The community members are very religious and have a strong sense of support, especially for their football team. The town buzzes in the fall once the football season starts. Every Friday night the town come alive and supports the Varsity Football Team at their games. After the games the two bars in town are the busiest they will be all week. The town settles until Church on Sunday. The pews will be full of family and friends, everyone knows everyone, which makes the setting very friendly and relaxing. The lack of diversity, though religion and race is something that is unique in Beal City.
The Beal City High School girls cross country team runs past Fred and Mary Zeien's house. The team won the Division 4 state title, this is the first by a girls program in school history. October 30, 2013.
Beal City High School's Varsity Football Team huddles in the north end zone for prayer and reflection on their playoff win over Mio AuSable School 69-15. November 1, 2013.
The Beal City High School girls cross country team runs past Fred and Mary Zeien's house. The team won the Division 4 state title, this is the first by a girls program in school history. October 30, 2013.
This piece of work was started for the Michigan & Me workshop at Central Michigan University with Danny Wilcox Frazier. Faith, Football & Farming; Small Town U.S.A. forced me to take a step back into the small town that I grew up in and photograph the feeling that each member of this village gets to feel everyday. I have continued to document the small town lifestyle that is recongnized within other familes that grow in the same enviroment.