MCM | November 2024 Digital Edition by Lorraine-Publishing

Publisher’s Note

It seems like just yesterday the leaves began to change and – BOOM! e holidays are right around the corner! I hope you had the chance to enjoy all the fantastic fall events here in Greater Flint.

As we gear up for the holiday season, many local celebrations are on the horizon, and we’ve compiled a variety on our “Can’t Miss List” (see pg. 57). But before we jump ahead, let’s take a look at the great content in this issue.

Over the years, My City has proudly spotlighted many community leaders in our “7 Questions” feature and this month, I’m excited to include my good friend Ridgway White, President and CEO of the C.S. Mott Foundation. His resumé speaks for itself –he’s been instrumental in Flint’s continued growth and his family’s generosity touches so many lives here. I even learned a few fun facts about him! Check it out on pg. 4.

We’re always proud to highlight our City’s Choice Award Winners, and this issue showcases some notable 2024 winners. We pro le Fireside Co ee Shop & Roastery, explore the unique event venues at Flint Farmers’ Market and take a historic look at Vogt’s Flowers & Gi s, in business since 1919.

Art lovers, this one’s for you: e Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) is currently exhibiting Claude Monet’s e Sheltered Path. Genesee County residents can enjoy this masterpiece and much, much more at FIA – free of charge! It’s a perfect cultural activity as the weather cools. Find more on pg. 14.

One of our most popular article categories is Sports and this month, contributing writer Mark Spezia delivers a must-read on Goodrich High School Girls Basketball Coach Jason Gray, who’s on the verge of making Michigan history. We highlight his remarkable career starting on pg. 22 – don’t miss it!

Finally, we’re proud to present our annual special section, “My City Cares,” shining a light on local non-pro ts doing great work. As the season of giving approaches, we hope you’ll consider supporting these organizations, all of which need our help, especially in these challenging times.

As we prepare for anksgiving, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of daily life and forget to pause; but there’s always something to be thankful for. Let’s all take a moment to appreciate what we have and be mindful of those around us. ank you for being a part of our community and from all of us at My City, we wish you a Happy and Blessed anksgiving!

Fenton’s Open Book 105 W. Shiawassee Ave. Fenton, MI 48430

810.629.8000

Publisher & Editor In Chief

Vince Lorraine Vince@mycitymag.com

Managing Editor Sherron Barden

Sta Writer

Cheryl Dennison

Freelance Writer

Mark Spezia

Contributing Writers

Dr. Christopher Douglas

Vera Hogan

Alexandria Nolan

Nicholas R. Robinson, Esq.

Leslie Toldo

Shannon White

Graphic Designer

Hailey Carriger

Contributing Artist

Daria Akulova

Accounting/Circulation

Kim Davis

Account Executive

Terese Allen

COVER ART

Photo by Hayley Murray Photography

My City Magazine, Inc. 14165 Fenton Rd., Fenton, MI 48430 810.230.1783

ISSN#1559-3436 is published monthly by My City Magazine, Inc., 14165 Fenton Rd. Fenton, MI 48430. Canadian Mail Agreement #41971515. For back issues, inquire for availability. Editorial Correspondence: Address product information and inquiries to: Editorial Department, My City Magazine, 14165 Fenton Rd., Fenton, MI 48430, phone 810.230.1783. To authors, photographers and people featured in this publication: All materials, articles, reports and photographs in this publication are the property of My City Magazine and cannot be used without written permission. The opinions and conclusions recited herein are those of the respective authors and not of My City Magazine. My City Magazine is not responsible for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other materials. Every effort will be made however, to return rejected manuscripts, etc., if they are accompanied by sufficient firstclass postage, but the Publisher will not be responsible for any loss of such material. Where to Buy My City Magazine

Hurley Lobby Gift Shop Hurley Medical Center One Hurley Plaza Flint, MI 48503

810.262.9306

LOCATION Weird Coffee Great

Fireside Coffee Shop & Roastery

BY CHERYL DENNISON

TUCKED HOUSE OFF –cocoa chai. the Shop”, for weird location

TUCKED BEHIND A HOUSE OFF ELMS RD. in Swartz Creek are two brick buildings – the home of Fireside Coffee Shop & Roastery. The business produces high-quality, small-batch craft coffee and hand-crafted instant blends of mocha, cocoa and chai. As the busi-

ness won the 2024 City’s Choice Award for “Favorite Independent Coffee Shop”, My City sat down with co-owner Angela Root to talk about the history of the coffee shop known for its weird location … and great coffee! Roastery BY

Thebusiness was founded in 1988 by Root’s mother, Carol Davis, who started out making instant cocoa and mocha blends as gi s for friends and family. “At the suggestion of a friend, she then started selling the blends at cra shows and they sold out,” Root shares, adding that the cottage enterprise progressed to supplying local stores that wanted to sell her mother’s instant blends.

Fireside Co ee grew to include an online wholesale business that ships beans to stores all around the U.S., including 35 Meijer locations and many local stores and restaurants. It also became a family business now co-owned by Davis, Root and her husband, Rob. e two brick buildings were purchased in the early 1990s and the online business started in the late 1990s. e wholesale business was not open to the public at that time. “We realized we wanted to

create a space for our community,” Root explains. So, they made room for the co ee shop which opened in 2016 and has expanded twice. e trio also began roasting co ee beans onsite.”We put a lot of e ort into our roasting process,” Root reports. She and Rob attended extensive roasting training in Virginia and continue to expand their knowledge every day. “ e learning process never really stops,” she says with a smile. On roasting days, Root says neighbors love the aroma of co ee that wa s through the air.

Fireside Co ee Shop & Roastery purchases specialty-grade co ee beans from all over the world, working with farm-direct growers in Brazil and Costa Rica. Root spent time visiting the Brazilian farm. ey also import beans from Sumatra, Ethiopia, Honduras and other countries. “Everything we buy is ethically sourced,” Root reports. →

On the Fireside Roasting Team since 2021, Kirk completed his roasting training and certiﬁcation through the Specialty Co ee Association (SCA) in Chicago.

“WE PUT A LOT OF effort INTO OUR ROASTING PROCESS –THE learningNEVER REALLY STOPS.”

ROASTING

Angela Root

Co-Owner

Fireside Co ee wholesales a dozen di erent specialty co ee blends, including two holiday blends. ey include Flint Strong and Total Eclipse (dark roast), Happy Medium (medium), Sunday Morning, (light) and Fireside Zombie, one of the seasonal blends. e blends can be purchased in individual servings, as well.

Instant drink blends, which are very popular, include avors such as Chocolate Tru e Cocoa, Peppermint Cocoa, Spiced Chai Tea and Hazelnut Brownie Mocha, to name just a few.

Patrons of Fireside Co ee Shop nd a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere for enjoying a variety of co ees, espressos, cold brews, teas and cocoa, as well as Frappés and smoothies. Also on the café menu are some “good eats” –such as a French Onion Grilled Cheese sandwich, the Everything

Avocado Toast (Tri-County Pepper bread from Crust - a Baking Company, topped with cream cheese and “everything bagel” seasoning), Quiche Florentine, Goin’ Ham (Black Forest ham, Havarti and colby cheeses toasted on a fresh-baked butter croissant from Crust with Dijon or honey mustard), as well as several other delicious Crust baked goods. e owners of Fireside Co ee Shop were very happy to be recognized by My City readers as Greater Flint’s Favorite Independent Co ee Shop. “It is such an honor to be recognized by such a cool community,” Root says. “We have a lot of regular customers. We not only serve great co ee but also o er a warm, welcoming experience.”

Not bad for such a weird location!

Founded in 1980 by Carol Davis (right) Fireside Co ee is co-owned by Davis, her daughter Angela and son-in-law, Rob Root.

CAROUSEL OF HOPE MINIATURE THERAPY HORSES

Key Services

The stars of Carousel of Hope are Miniature Horses Kory and Selena, who travel via a “mini” van making therapy visits to skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care and independent senior living facilities as well as hospitals, schools and local community events. Kory and Selena also enjoy hosting individuals or very small groups at their Linden farm, The Raven’s Nest. These pre-arranged hourly visits oﬀer one-on-one interactions with the miniature horses. Participants can enjoy equine-guided experiences like learning the basics of handling and grooming the minis, or working through other ground-based activities such as painting with the minis or helping to build and lead them through an obstacle course.

How

can the community help?

Our biggest needs are volunteers and sponsors, with the hope of building long-term relationships with them. Our website has information and a brief questionnaire regarding volunteer opportunities for individuals as well as groups. There is also a link where monetary donations can easily be made. Monetary contributions can be helpful in all sorts of ways: feed, bedding, grooming supplies, veterinary care, hoof care, van fuel, liability insurance and providing a visit for a facility of your choice.

We are also looking for businesses or facilities that would welcome us to visit for training purposes. This enables us to get the minis into a variety of environments and settings to work on particular tasks like riding in elevators, and continuing to familiarize them with new sights, smells and sounds. The more we are able to experience as a team, the more successful we will be at making long-lasting impressions and connections with our therapy visits. Any opportunity to interact with the horses and get them out is an opportunity to train!

Are there plans to enhance your services?

We look forward to continuing to expand the number of visits we are able to provide and to working with more individuals and small groups at the farm.

Future Events

With the colder winter months drawing near, the number and length of visits we are able to make with the minis indoors become limited. It becomes impossible for us to bathe Kory and Selena in a cold barn for their visits indoors, and to make matters even more diﬃ-

Our Mission

Our mission is to share the transformative power of the equine-human bond and nurture human potential and capacity for compassion, resilience and hope by providing equine-assisted therapy and activities to people of all ages and abilities.

cult, they grow very thick winter coats, which means they get too warm inside quite quickly. We take pride in how our horses look and smell, so their cleanliness during outings is very important to us, but so is their indoor comfort level and how they feel overall. Additionally, we have to be more cautious when transporting the minis in wintery road conditions.

That being said, we still have a handful of visits and events upcoming for the end of 2024. Our monthly visits to Tanglewood will continue and we will once again be a part of the Christmas party for residents and their families. St. john the Evangelist Catholic School and Regency at Waterford will welcome us back for our second visit with them, and we will visit Serene Gardens of Rochester Hills for the ﬁrst time the week before Thanksgiving. In early December, Dr.Stilson will participate in the Young Women and the Workforce Career Connections event hosted by the Fenton-Linden Regional Chamber of Commerce for junior and senior high school girls. Kory and Selena will make a special appearance with her for this event. We also look forward to being present at events around the communities of Fenton and Linden during the holiday season, too.

Leadership

Nicole Stilson, DVM Founder and President Erin McEwan Training & Therapy Assistant

carouselofhopeminis.org

Sponsored By: