MCM July 2022 Digital Edition

TSECOND CHANCES

RECLAIMED BY WHALEY

ucked into a space on the corner of Second Street and Buckham Alley is Reclaimed by Whaley, a resale shop that bene ts area foster kids. Mindy Williams, CEO/Director of Whaley Children’s Center, has spent many years working in the child welfare system, and saw a need to provide foster children with a way to develop skills that would help them nd employment. In 2018, she was visiting a friend in Arizona when she toured a resale shop that o ered jobs to foster kids. “I fell in love with it!” she exclaimed. “I thought, ‘we could do this at Whaley’.” She took the concept to the Board of Directors who were equally enthusiastic and approved it.

Providing both former and current foster youth the opportunity to gain retail skills, Reclaimed opened in the fall of 2019. “We were very lucky to have found that Downtown location,” Williams shares. Phil Shaltz, a big ambassador for Whaley

Children’s Center, helped nd the space for the store. “If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have gotten it,” she admits. Shaltz has been an advocate for the Center for the last six years and Williams says he took a lot of time to get to know the kids. “To say he is an advocate is an understatement.”

Shoppers at Reclaimed nd a variety of items, including upscale and well-known name brand clothing for men, women and the entire family. You will also nd other treasures including antiques, artwork, jewelry, furniture, one-of-a-kind collectables, home goods, big-ticket items and much more. Merchandise can be purchased in the store and online. “It is a high-end resale boutique and items change every week,” Williams explains. “People fall in love with it.” Reclaimed was also able to obtain a wholesale license, so the items for sale are a mix of reclaimed and new.

JOINING MINDY WILLIAMS (CENTER) FOR THE RIBBON-CUTTING WERE (L-R) WHALEY BOARD MEMBERS SUE MAC, ANNE KELLEY, TODD GILBERT, GORDY TAYLOR, KARIMA AMLANI AND NADEEM GEBRAEL.

“IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE IT GIVES TO THE KIDS ...THIS PROGRAM HELPS THEM TRANSFORM AND GAIN CONFIDENCE.”

Mindy Williams

Ashleigh Sanders, Director of Community Development at Whaley, is the director of the Reclaimed program and Kendall Smith is the store manager. “ ey are both trauma-informed and have the skills to help the kids,” Williams reports. “ ey are the cornerstone of that store.” Whaley Director of Programming Casey Schlinker was a key player in nding the right kids to work in the store. “We all worked so hard to make this dream come true,” says Williams. “It wouldn’t have happened without them.”

According to Williams, all proceeds of Reclaimed sales directly bene t the 42 foster kids living at Whaley Children’s Center. But the best thing about the store, to her, is the job experience it gives foster youth. “It’s all about the life experience it gives to the kids,” she shares. It is often di cult at rst for the kids to make eye contact with people because of the trauma they have experienced. “It’s really great to watch how this program helps them transform and gain con dence.”

Everything at Reclaimed by Whaley has been given a “second chance.” Even the old elevator door in the store was transformed into a display table. e goods on sale are given a second chance to be used and enjoyed by someone new. “Reclaimed is a second chance,” Williams says. “ e kids are given a second chance. Sometimes, a second chance is best.” ®

(L-R) CASEY SCHLINKER, MINDY WILLIAMS, ASHLEIGH SANDERS

HO W TO HELP

You can donate new, nearly new and gently loved items to Reclaimed by Whaley. Please take all donations to:

Whaley Children’s Center

1201 N. Grand Traverse St., Flint

RECLAIMED IS LOOKING FOR:

Clothing for Adults & Kids • Small, Good-condition Furniture Antiques • Collectibles • Home Decor • Jewelry Accessories • Vinyl Records • Small Electronics • Unique Finds

SHOP ONLINE AT RECLAIMEDBYWHALEY.COM

FROM THE PUBLISHER

DEAR READERS,

For more than a decade, Team MCM has enjoyed providing a publication to highlight the positive things about Greater Flint. is summer, we’ve been especially happy to share stories about the most recent and much-anticipated Downtown renovations, including this month’s feature on the fantastic and all-new Sloan Museum! When MCM visited, they were busily preparing to open their doors to the public on the 16th of this month, but graciously allowed us a “sneak peek.” Visitors are going to be truly wowed! Find the details starting on p.22.

We’re also excited and proud to shine a light on the 2022 UM-Flint Maize & Blue Grads – 14 exceptional young people who have worked hard and are headed toward bright futures. Congrats to all! I know that when you read the letters they submitted to be considered for this honor, you will be impressed by their eloquence. Read more starting on p.12.

MCM has shined a spotlight on many, many impressive artists and this month’s subject is not only creative and talented, Andy Hill’s Electro Art Works are also really fun! I might need a piece for my desk (see p.38.)

Another super-accomplished artist in this issue is boogie-woogie pianist, Mark Braun – the great “My Music” story of his career starts on p.48.

I am often pleasantly surprised by story suggestions I receive. I was recently speaking to a friend, Carolyn Stubbs, who asked if we might want to do a story about the Genesee Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution and their 125-year anniversary. e DAR is a huge group of women all over the world who are descendents of patriots who served during the American Revolution. ey are dedicated to promoting patriotism and preserving a historical legacy. When you read the story (p.8), I know you will feel the same sense of pride that I do in these women who respect and honor our democracy as we celebrate America’s Independence Day.

ere’s much, much more in this issue: outstanding people, food, style, fun, history, our great contributed columns AND ten pages of folks enjoying summer happenings.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

Vince Lorraine

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR

Sherron Barden

ASSISTANT EDITOR / WRITER

Peter Hinterman

STAFF WRITER

Cheryl Dennison

FREELANCE WRITERS

Mark Spezia

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Erin Caudell

Dr. Christopher Douglas

Vera Hogan

Joel P. Lagore

Alexandria Nolan

Leslie Toldo

Shannon White

ART & DESIGN

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Hailey Worrell

WEB DEVELOPER / GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Jonathan Boedecker

PHOTOGRAPHY

Katy Kildee

Jaden Moxlow

OPERATIONS

ACCOUNTING/CIRCULATION

Kim Davis

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Dan Garman

SALES

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Terese Allen

ISSN#1559-3436 is published monthly

respondence:

Take some time in July to enjoy life! I wish you all a safe and memorable July 4th – God Bless America! 5152 COMMERCE RD. FLINT, MI 48507 810.230.1783 - MYCITYMAG.COM

and

5152 Commerce Rd., Flint, MI 48507, 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. e 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 e ort will be made however, to return rejected manuscripts, etc., if they are accompanied by su cient rst-class postage, but the publisher will not be responsible for any loss of such material. Copyright© 2022. All rights reserved. | Printed in U.S.A.

COVER PHOTO BY HAILEY WORRELL

PRESIDENT & CEO

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint & Genesee County

SHERRON BARDEN

INFebruary, after a comprehensive search and screening over 30 candidates from around the country, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint and Genesee County Board of Directors selected Lisa Humphrey to ll the position of retiring longtime President and CEO, Reta Stanley.

Humphrey’s former role with BBBS was as Vice President of Programs since 2009. She possesses a wealth of knowledge of innovative programming in the eld of mentoring, along with invaluable insight and experience in promoting positive youth development.

Celebrating 78 years of serving Genesee County, the youth empowerment organization’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships. BBBS served 317 youth in 2021 and hopes to increase new mentoring matches by 25 percent in 2022.

MY CITY WANTED TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LISA HUMPHREY … READ ON!

What was your very first job? I wish I had a more exciting response to this question. When I was 16, I worked at Deb clothing store (near Target on Miller Road). I had to wait until I turned 17 to be hired at the 5-7-9 clothing store in Genesee Valley. at was where I shopped and could not wait to get the employee discount!

What are you most excited about in your life right now? I am most excited about the break from my routine! I was on the “program side” of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint and Genesee County for nearly 17 years. My new role brings a whole new perspective of the organization – a view through a di erent lens. I am so excited about the challenges being presented and the growth that it will allow, for both me and for Big Brothers Big Sisters. On a personal note, the last year brought many exciting changes. My husband and I became grandparents to a beautiful baby girl in August, both of our sons moved out of the house so we are almost empty-nesters, we got a new dog and our youngest daughter entered junior high. ( e latter is both exciting and scary.)

What’s something people would never guess about you? I tell people all the time that I am an introvert and the response is always, “No you’re not.” But really, I am perfectly comfortable walking into a room and becoming a wall ower. I nd value in listening over speaking; solitude is comforting and peaceful, and I enjoy personal conversations over small talk.

Who is your hero? My heroes are people who stand up for those who cannot. I think that is why I am so passionate about the mission of our organization. I love that we provide mentors who empower youth to realize their own potential. Every young person deserves to have the same opportunities and to have someone advocate for them until they begin advocating for themselves.

What are your hobbies? Fall is one of my favorite seasons because it means football Saturdays and Sundays! Watching games is one of my favorite pastimes – I love college

and the NFL equally. I’m a diehard Michigan Wolverines fan and started out as a Denver Broncos fan. I later became a New England Patriots fan because of the GOAT (Brady) and can’t help but cheer for the Detroit Lions. Baking is another hobby I enjoy. It is so rewarding to put simple ingredients together and bring joy to others. One thing I wish I had more time for is reading. I love a good book; but unfortunately if it is a really good book, I can’t put it down… which is why I do not have the time for it.

Would you rather cook or order in? I would typically prefer to cook, but these days it would appear that I prefer to order in. When I shared the news of being selected CEO to my children, my 11-year old responded, “How are we going to get food?!” is was because I usually went to the grocery store on Mondays. I laughed at the time and told her that was a silly worry. I’ve found that grocery shopping has been di cult to work into my new schedule, so I guess she was not so silly!

What is the biggest work-related thing you hope to accomplish in the next year? I hope to expand the Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Village. We have been in the one-to-one relationship business for over 78 years, but there are still those in our community who only know our name and not our work. I hope to expose the urgent need for mentorship to that group of individuals. We have on average 190 youth waiting for someone to ignite their power and promise! By joining the Village, a mentor may change the trajectory of more than one life. ®

TRemembering Our Patriots DAR Celebrates 125 Years

BY CHERYL DENNISON ® PHOTOS BY JADEN MOXLOW & PROVIDED BY GENESEE CHAPTER DAR

his year, the Genesee Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is celebrating its 125th anniversary. “ e Genesee Chapter was chartered in 1897 with 11 members,” states Regent, Carolyn Stubbs. “Our chapter has been operating continuously since then.”

Internationally, there are 180,000 DAR members among chapters in the U.S., England, Spain, France and Australia.

To become a DAR member, a woman has to prove lineage and bloodline descent to a male or female ancestor who served during the American Revolution

in the Continental Army or Militia, who provided support to the war e ort or was an o cial in the new government of the United States. “To join, you must provide documentation that you are actually a descendent,” Stubbs notes. With proven ancestral links to two American

patriots, she has been a member of DAR for 22 years. Information about ancestry can be con rmed through census records or land records, among other information.

“DAR is a genealogical organization,” Stubbs explains. “We have an extensive library in

THE DAR ARE ACTIVE IN MANY COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES INCLUDING WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA AND MARKING REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOT GRAVESITES. ABOVE, MEMBERS TEND A BUTTERFLY GARDEN AT WESTON ELEMENTARY IN BURTON WHERE THEY ALSO INSTALLED A FREE LITTLE LIBRARY (BELOW)

Washington, D.C.”

e DAR Library was founded in 1896 and is used to support and enhance the national society’s membership application process and to further its goals by acquiring and preserving historical materials related to genealogical research.

e library includes over 225,000 books documenting nearly 40,000 family histories and genealogies, as well as 10,000 research les and thousands of manuscript items. e DAR Library also contains special collections of African American, Native American and women’s history, genealogy and culture, many of which are unique or available in only a few libraries in the country.

What do Daughters of the

American Revolution

do?

Chapters active in communities across the country and around the world participate in restoring and maintaining historical sites; preserving genealogical records, artifacts and historical documents; locating,

restoring and marking Revolutionary War patriot gravesites and headstones; supporting schools through donations and volunteer e orts, providing scholarships and awards to outstanding students throughout the country, promoting education and citizenship through youth programs, and providing volunteer time to assist military veterans.

“One of our projects was to collect household cleaning supplies to give to homeless veterans who have recently found a home,” Stubbs reports. e local chapter also provides grants to teachers to support special projects and members also volunteer in local classrooms. “We also have a library at a local elementary school with books for children and adults to promote literacy,” she adds.

The DAR Genesee Chapter works on a variety of service projects to support the preservation of historical documents including family bibles and family histories, as well as gravestones.

“Being a member of DAR is an honor, an opportunity to remember our patriots who sacrificed so much to create the United States of America. It was the beginning of our democracy.”

Carolyn Stubbs

According to Stubbs, there are 13 soldiers of the American Revolutionary War buried in cemeteries throughout Genesee County and DAR members maintain their tombstones. “We are a very active chapter,” she shares.

In June, a memorial that DAR members had purchased in 1929 was relocated to the Grand Blanc Township office campus. An unveiling of the monument, which commemorates Saginaw St. as the military road running through the state, took place on June 20, 2022. “We worked with Grand Blanc Township to get the memorial moved

to a much better place!” Stubbs exclaims.

DAR Genesee Chapter also promotes conservation and protecting the environment. “We participate in river cleanups and recycling events,” says the regent. “Twelve of our members maintain local butter y gardens.”

Being a member of DAR is an honor, says Stubbs. “It’s an opportunity to volunteer in your local community and to remember our patriots who sacri ced so much to create the United States of America. It was the beginning of our democracy. We all need to be mindful of their e orts that enable us to live in a democracy.” ®

(L-R) STATE REGENT KELLY VAN WORMER, GENESEE CHAPTER REGENT CAROLYN STUBBS, STATE VICE-REGENT DAWN BRADY. THERE ARE 52 DAR CHAPTERS IN MICHIGAN.

Daughters of the American Revolution Genesee Chapter

e DAR was founded on October 11, 1890 – the anniversary of the day Christopher Columbus sighted land in the Americas. On June 3, 1897 the Genesee Chapter was organized with Harriet P. ompson as regent, serving Flint and surrounding communities.

Embracing their responsibility to ensure that the freedoms won by our ancestors are appreciated by Americans of today and tomorrow, the DAR Genesee Chapter has proudly volunteered and promoted patriotism, education and historic preservation in Central Michigan for 125 years.

e DAR extends a welcome to all eligible women over the age of 18. Monthly meetings take place at various locations in Genesee County from March to December.

SOURCE: GENESEE.MICH.DAR

MAIZE& BLUE 2022

UM-Flint Recognizes Exceptional Students

e Maize & Blue Award is the highest academic recognition given to undergraduate students during commencement season. Students who have earned at least 58 credit hours at UM-Flint with an overall GPA of 3.75 or better in all completed credits earned are eligible to be nominated for this honor. e award is presented to no more than 26 students per year who excel academically and exemplify intellectual maturity and depth, character, talent and service to the

Here, these exceptional students share their thoughts about UM-Flint and their experience there in the personal statements they submitted for consideration by the Scholarships, Awards and Special Events Committee. This spring, the University of Michigan-Flint announced the Winter 2022 Maize & Blue Distinguished Scholar Award recipients.

University and the community. Recipients are selected by a faculty committee, with both faculty and sta writing letters of recommendation for students who apply for the award.

Kaitlyn Bowie

Bachelor of Science, Psychology

Swartz Creek, MI

Katie Carver

Bachelor of Science, Computer Information Systems Burton, MI

During my time at UM-Flint, I found passions for research, critical thinking and problem-solving, all tools that I can use to further apply within my community to further my career. My undergraduate experience has taught me to be diligent, stay curious, listen more and be open to all possibilities and experiences. Even throughout the pandemic, I was able to achieve many of the goals I was looking for during this step in my collegiate career. If I would have gone to a larger university, I don’t believe I would have had the same connections, opportunities and work experience that I received at UM-Flint. I am proud to be a part of the U of M community that cares immensely about its students and the area that we are serving. As I look forward to continuing my education and begin applying to medical schools, I hope to nd a university that fosters the same principles as the school I have called my home for the last four years. GO BLUE!

The greatest amount of personal growth I have experienced since starting at UM-Flint would be my leadership capabilities. Because of my personality, I never thought of myself as a leader. I was never the loudest in a room or the one with the most exciting ideas. However, through my experiences at this university, I have learned to challenge my idea of what it looks like to be a leader. I learned anyone can lead regardless of their personality type. Moreover, our workplaces and communities ourish when there is a variety of leadership styles represented. rough volunteering in di erent capacities on campus, I learned where my strengths lie. One of these strengths is that I care deeply about inclusion and equity. As this passion grew, I knew I needed to step up as a leader, especially because I am pursuing a career in the technology industry – an industry that has a history of both passively and actively excluding all but the most privileged groups. I cultivated my desire to pursue equitable leadership by participating in the Inclusive Leadership Certi cate Program o ered by Student Involvement and Leadership. is program taught me how to practically implement an inclusive leadership style and that my voice is best used when making space for others who have been silenced.

Brooke Fogg

Bachelor of Science, Psychology

Mammoth Spring, AR

UM-Flint has fostered my personal and intellectual growth in various aspects of my life, not just educationally. I have been able to prioritize time for myself to heal past traumas, which has been extremely bene cial in aiding my personal growth. Intellectually, I have become better at researching and communicating. roughout my time at UM-Flint, when given the choice to research my own topic, I would research topics that would relate to my future career goals so that I could better understand the populations I may encounter. Overall, my passion for social work has grown through obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.

Had I not been given the opportunity to attend UM-Flint through the University Scholar Award, I do not think that I would have been able to continue my education. Now, I am prepared to pursue my Master’s Degree in Social Work and look forward to continuing my development toward success in this eld. I am forever thankful for UM-Flint, and the committee that opened the doors for me to pursue my dreams and believed in me by giving me the chance to be the Scholar. UM-Flint has given me the opportunity to think about my future beyond education, and to see myself as capable of great success. 

Genevieve Heydt

Bachelor of Science, Actuarial Mathematics

Bartlett, IL

UM-Flint has fostered my personal growth, but more importantly, it has changed my plans for the future. I am leaving this university with more con dence and preparation than I could have imagined when I walked in. I have been prepared for my career through fantastic advisors and details in structured courses, with the ability to study for the exams that facilitate my future. I also leave with a better idea of who I want to be, what I want to do with my free time, and how important it is to be involved and representative within your community. At every turn, UM-Flint has provided me with support for my next step, as well as faith and con dence when I lack it.

Most recently, I have been given the opportunity to join a student-led project for my capstone, where we are working between three departments to compete in NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge. As a woman, it is often too easy to be doubtful of my abilities and my own strengths, but every person around me here has always been there to reassure my con dence and abilities. I am so incredibly proud of every piece of me that I have put into Flint, and every piece of Flint that will remain in me.

Kaitlyn Militzer

Bachelor of Social Work

Gaines, MI

When applying for colleges, I was given the same advice over and over – that it did not really matter where I attended, as long as it was an “accredited institution.” Everyone who told me that could not have been more wrong. Where I ended up determining the degree I choose, it shaped the relationships in my life, who I am as a person, my personal beliefs and values. Everything that I have learned and so much of my future has been shaped by that one choice, one that I did not realize would be so impactful. e time I have spent at this university has been invaluable to me. I have grown in ways that I could not have previously imagined.

I have developed countless skills, and I have learned the importance of leaning into the most uncomfortable of situations and growing from them. e world in front of me now seems limitless, and I know that when I leave here, I will have an unbreakable foundation to support me and help me continue my own personal and professional growth.

Genevieve Rainey

Bachelor of Arts, History

Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology

Holly, MI

Originally, I had planned on graduating in the spring of 2021, but I saw an opportunity to expand my understanding of history and my prospects for graduate school in the UK by adding a second major, history. Scholarships from the history department have been essential for my continued educational pursuits at UM-Flint. Working with UM-Flint faculty, I successfully applied to the University of York and the University of Aberdeen, both graduate programs in archaeology. In November 2021, I received an o er to study historic buildings through the archaeology department of the University of York, and in February 2022, I received an o er to study archaeology at the University of Aberdeen. I accepted the o er from York and will be attending graduate school there in September 2022. I have no doubt that this would not be possible without the support of UM-Flint professors and the institution as a whole. I didn’t have any great expectations when I started at UM-Flint eight years ago and now, because of the University, I have found myself on my way toward an impossible dream. 

Nicole-Kristine Smith

Bachelor of Science, Biology

Grand

Blanc, MI

Jaycie

Bos

Bachelor of Science, Clinical Laboratory Studies

Grand Rapids, MI

Jude

Krajnyák Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology

Clio, MI

“ N ever apologize for asking. As your instructors, we’re here to do everything we can do to help you succeed.” is is what Dr. Tang said to me after I apologized for asking him for multiple letters of recommendation. I feel that this interaction is representative of the University of Michigan-Flint. Because of this university, I have been supported and inspired in everything I have done. e professors, students and aid that Flint has provided allowed me to discover and pursue new passions. Because of this, I was able to go out and follow my dreams of furthering my academics in public health. is semester, I was fortunate enough to be accepted into the graduate schools of Yale, Columbia and George Washington.

ank you, UM-Flint, for uncovering my public health and environmental passions, and providing me the launchpad for my future career. I graduated this May with a biology degree with minors in chemistry and psychology. e foundation that UM-Flint provided me gave me the con dence and ability to further my education. I have o cially committed to Yale School of Public Health to get my MPH in Environmental Health Sciences with a concentration in climate change.

My education at the University of Michigan-Flint has prepared me to become a competent clinical laboratory scientist as well as problem-solve situations and unexpected challenges in the workplace. rough all the twists and turns I faced throughout my college career, I learned to be persistent and persevere through challenges to accomplish my goals. Each class that I have taken throughout college has solidi ed my plans to work in the clinical laboratory. I am completing my nal classes before my internship begins at Detroit Medical Center in September. When I look back on my four years at the University of Michigan-Flint, I stepped onto campus as a timid freshman, and I am leaving as a well-rounded, independent woman, ready to face whatever challenges come my way in the future.

Both the instructional and extracurricular experiences I have been fortunate enough to be involved with at the University over the last three years have greatly expanded my abilities as a student, in addition to my capacity to educate others. Although I possessed many areas of interest prior to entering the University, my infatuation with anthropology and linguistics was solidi ed through the programs, educators and extracurricular experiences o ered at this institution.

In past semesters, I have explored topics such as historical and modern impacts upon Alaska Native subsistence practices, including physical and mental health issues and cultural outcomes. In uenced by my own experiences and education, as well as a desire to bring light to nationwide struggles with rural poverty,

I have also completed a literature review within UM-Flint’s Senior Seminar course, in which I discussed and analyzed the structural barriers to aging comfortably experienced by the rural American elderly.

After completing my undergraduate education, I aspire to attend a PhD graduate program to conduct further research in the eld of sociocultural anthropology, particularly in the areas of kinship, culture and class, and how these areas of social life intertwine with the American medical system. Prior to attending, however, I plan to spend at least a year working within my community, providing English teaching services for those learning the language either natively or as an additional language, and studying the connections language has to socioeconomic standing. 

Chrissandra Padilla Bachelor of Science, Early Childhood Education Holly, MI

It has long been my goal to dispel the myth that the outcomes of adverse early childhood experiences are absolute. It has been said that a smooth sea has never made a good sailor. I grew up in a household littered with trauma and statistically would be at risk for low educational attainment. Looking back at my experience, I am proud of the path I have taken to break the chain of poverty that has limited my family for generations. As a rst-generation high school graduate and the rst in my family to attend school on a postsecondary level, I feel a great deal of responsibility to meet my academic and career goals.

I eagerly look toward the future because I am not done learning or growing. My academic goals include a Master of Arts in Inclusive Education. As an educator and advocate for young children, I think that there is great value in broadening my knowledge on this topic. Over the last ten years, we have seen a societal shift in how we work with children, families and the community. is progress cannot be slowed. Promoting an inclusive environment in the early years of a child’s life will teach those children to respect others, regardless of di erences. I rmly believe in the power and privilege of a high-quality education. My degree from the University of Michigan-Flint will propel my career forward and a ord me new opportunities in my eld of study.

Jessica Carrasco Bachelor of Science, Nursing South Lyon, MI

Before attending the University of Michigan-Flint, Flint was just an area that I passed on the freeway to go up north. e only things I knew about the city were statements told to me by people who have never lived here. Re ecting on my time here at UM-Flint, my perceptions of this city and who I have become have changed. A university should help someone grow intellectually, but UM-Flint has constantly pushed me out of my comfort zone, guiding me through these past 18 months, and it has molded me into the best version of myself. Because of this School of Nursing, I see myself, my future and the world di erently.

Entering the eld of nursing during a time of high mortality rates due to COVID originally made me feel anxious. I felt that I may not be emotionally strong enough to endure being surrounded by sadness, and I was not sure of how I would react to seeing death and mourning families. My clinical opportunities have taught me to recognize my own emotions, and in doing so I have become more empathetic and improved my ability to care for myself and families who have lost their loved ones.

Garrett Prince Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance & Accounting Ortonville, MI

Genesee County and its surrounding areas have experienced an incredible struggle over the last three decades, culminating in an unmatched resilience that manifests strongly in the identity of the University, its community and local population. is resilience translates in an unexpected manner to many, as it does not encompass mistrust or apprehension to new ideas and e orts but widely embraces the people still willing to give the populace their e ort. I strongly believe that the conditions brought about by the challenges in this region are the paramount reasons why it is such a great place to foster future innovators, leaders, performers and entrepreneurs. I am privileged to have been able to be part of this community and system which has provided me with so much. 

Hillary Beeckman Bachelor of Science, Nursing Bay City, MI

Aaron Fogelsonger Bachelor of Business Administration, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management

Flushing,

MI

As a student who has attended many colleges and universities, I can honestly say that attending the University of Michigan-Flint has been one of the best decisions I have made. e faculty in the nursing program care deeply about the success of the students and will do anything to help them succeed and reach their goals. e accelerated nursing program has been extremely interesting and rewarding, it has been one of the most challenging degrees I have completed to date. I am thankful that I am graduating with an extensive knowledge base and wonderful clinical experiences to start my career.

In the future, my ultimate goal is to return to UM-Flint for the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program after working as a critical care nurse. Becoming a nurse anesthetist will allow me to utilize my science background from my previous chemistry degrees, my nursing degree, and the skills gained working in critical care. I have always been interested in eventually obtaining a doctorate degree in order to have the highest knowledge and experience to practice and educate others. My

Iam a nontraditional student. I started working while I was in high school and continued after graduation. I wanted to climb the corporate ladder into a project manager position but holding me back was that I did not have the required education. Like many in this same situation, I was already extremely busy working full-time, raising a family and taking care of my household, so I thought I had zero free time to go back to college. Dreaming of this goal coupled with some fatherly advice that I tell my daughter Natalee and son Cameron, I decided to change my world. You see, every day I tell them to change the world, not because I want them to make some Earth-altering change, but to remind them that no matter their situation, they have opportunities every day to change their path and make their world what they want it to be. So, with my own advice and to set a great example, I enrolled at Mott Community College and then transferred to UM-Flint, as I had always dreamed of going to this university and having that “Block M” on my diploma. Some people have asked, “How do you do it? How do you balance all your responsibilities and t in being a full-time student?” I tell them all the same thing, which is one of the biggest lessons I have learned during these last few years: Time is a great equalizer. Everything that has ever been done and everything that will ever be done is accomplished in the same 24 hours that you and I and everyone else on this Earth have. When something is a priority and it is important to you, you will nd the necessary time to get it done. You, me and everyone else on this planet are given 24 hours each and every day. It is up to us to make them count toward something important. ®

City Magazine is proud to highlight these outstanding scholars and we wish them all a bright and rewarding future.

THE NEW SLOAN MUSEUM

BY PETER HINTERMAN

It’sbright! It’s fun! It’s engaging!

It’s the new Sloan Museum and on July 16, its doors will be open for the world to behold its wonders. e project which began as an idea nearly seven years ago has come to completion … and the nal product is absolutely astounding. “When I started almost eight years ago,” recalls Sloan Executive Director Todd Slisher, “one of the rst things I was asked was ‘what are you going to do about Sloan?’ Well, after years of community input and fundraising,

we are ready and we are all very excited to bring this to Flint.”

e new Sloan Museum is a complete re-imagining of the former facility. “I think we have maybe two or three walls from the old layout still standing,” says Marketing Manager, Anne Mancour. “ e museum is entirely di erent and you would be hard-pressed to recognize any part of the old layout.”

In 1966, the Sloan Museum (named after longtime General Motors President, Alfred P. Sloan) was built as a local history and

automobile museum. Over the years, it has been used to educate local schoolchildren and host traveling exhibits. Nearly every resident remembers its dark hallways and narrow, main corridor; the new Sloan was designed to change that old atmosphere. e rst thing every visitor will notice is the brightness of the new building and the space – so much space! “We increased the space of the museum from 58,000 square feet to 107,000 square feet and built a spacious main walkway to make it easier

to move between galleries,” Mancour explains.

e main (and permanent) attraction will be the centrally located Discovery Hall (science gallery). e focus of this much-anticipated exhibit is hands-on learning and discovery. Its features include an amazing and fun water table that teaches children about water- ow and natural forces, a large and interactive Spaceship Earth Globe exhibit, 

TODD SLISHER SLOAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ANNE MANCOUR SLOAN MARKETING MANAGER

A PERMANENT ATTRACTION, THE WATER TABLE TEACHES CHILDREN (AND ADULTS) ABOUT THE FLOW OF WATER AND ALL IT CAN DO IN THE WORLD ... AND IT’S SUPER FUN, TOO!

TOP: THE HAGERMAN STREET MARKET (CHILDHOOD LEARNING GALLERY) IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER FEATURING A TREE HOUSE, MARKET, DENTIST’S OFFICE AND MORE. ABOVE LEFT: THE NEW SLOAN OFFERS MULTIPLE FULLY-EQUIPPED CLASSROOMS AND MEETING ROOMS. ABOVE RIGHT: THE BUICK-PRODUCED HELLCAT TANK WILL BE A PART OF THE HISTORY GALLERY.

and ten-more intriguing science attractions for kids and adults alike. Attached to Discovery Hall is a large and accommodating Maker’s Space where attendees will participate in STEM projects such as robotics, physics and more. Also centrally located is the temporary exhibit space designed to accommodate large traveling installations with the rst special exhibit scheduled for a July 2023 opening.

History bu s and educators will be happy to take their families and classes to the re-designed History Gallery. From the early native settlers to Jacob Smith’s trading post and into the future, guests will “follow the river” as it winds through the history of the city until it culminates in the Flint Water Crisis display. e Sloan Museum holds nearly 50,000 artifacts of Genesee County history which will

be rotated through the years, making sure that the History Gallery is always presenting something new.

After the History Gallery, visitors and car enthusiasts will be ready to enter the Durant Gallery displaying classic cars of all makes and models. (After a $500,000 contribution from General Motors, the auto gallery was named after GM Founder, Billy Durant.) e gallery will not only display cars from the past but will also look to the future. Upon opening, the gallery will display a new self-driving, fully-electric GM prototype vehicle.

Next, for those wondering if the museum’s childhood shopping experience will stay, Hagerman Street – the Childhood Learning Gallery – is more fun and exciting than ever. e interactive area features a three-story treehouse, grocery store, street (with rideable tricycles!), dentist’s o ce, interactive ambulance and more. is gallery comes equipped with its own meeting space ready to be rented for birthday parties, meetings and other celebrations.

Continued on pg. 81 

The project which began as an idea nearly seven years ago has come to completion … and the final product is absolutely astounding!

THE ANDIAMO FENTON EXPERIENCE

BY CHERYL DENNISON

Exciting things are happening at Andiamo Fenton!

e popular eatery has been serving authentic Italian cuisine to their loyal customers since they opened their doors in February 2019. General Manager Brian McCurdy says the owners of the family restaurant chain have been putting much time and e ort into coming up with some new and exciting enhancements – to make the Andiamo experience even better!

To address the growing popularity of carryout, a new menu was created. “We want to provide di erent options for our customers to have good food at home,” McCurdy explains. A separate division of the restaurant was created just for to-go orders, as well as special parking spaces for curbside pickup.

One of the new items on the carryout menu is a whole baked mu uletta, which feeds 8-13 people. e delectable sandwich is made with Italian hero-style cold cuts, olive and tomato salad, fontina and mozzarella cheeses and a red wine vinaigrette.”Mu uletta is an amazing bread!” the general manager exclaims. It can be sold by the slice or the whole sandwich, which is cut like a pizza. e carryout menu also features a variety of calzones, panini sandwiches and authentic Italian pizza pies. 

PHOTOS BY KAYCE McCLURE & PROVIDED BY ANDIAMO FENTON

A new wine menu is in the works and will be available sometime this month, McCurdy states, with a new dinner menu planned to debut by the end of summer. e new menu will feature several di erent dishes, all with an Italian twist. “We will keep a lot of the menu items we are known for,” McCurdy says. A few of the customer favorites that will remain on the menu include the very popular Lasagna alla Bolognese, let mignon, and Frutti di Mare Pasta (Italian for “fruits of the sea”) which is made with succulent pan-seared scallops, mussels, shrimp, calamari, garlic, white wine, tomato and hand-made pasta.

also has a catering eet. “We will be as involved as you like – drop-o or full-service.”

Well known for its made-from-scratch fare, Andiamo Fenton is and will always be a “celebration” restaurant. Many of the patrons gather there to celebrate birthdays, graduations, showers and other special occasions. It is also a place for corporate events of all kinds, group meetings and training sessions. “We have a wonderful sta here,” says McCurdy, adding that many employees have been there since the restaurant opened. e sta and new Executive Chef Daniel J. Scannell are committed to providing the best experience possible.

Well known for its made-from-scratch fare, Andiamo Fenton is and will always be a “celebration” restaurant.

e new wine list is being created by an Andiamo corporate sommelier who is choosing some exciting new wines from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. “We are trying to focus on wines that pair well with Italian food,” McCurdy adds.

Another thing that makes Andiamo Fenton stand out is their ability to create options for diners who have food allergies and special dietary needs such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose intolerance, to name a few. “Our sta is trained on food allergies,” McCurdy notes. “We really pride ourselves on being able to accommodate our customer’s various needs. We can make adjustments or substitutions without changing the dish. It is important to us to maintain the integrity of the original dish as much as possible.”

McCurdy is especially excited about some other ideas that are in the works, such as food delivery service to the people who live near one of the area’s many lakes. “Boaters can enjoy our amazing food while out on the water!” he exclaims. “We can deliver right to the dock!” Andiamo

Whether you choose Andiamo Fenton for carryout, catering, curbside pickup or dockside delivery, the management and sta are excited to meet all your needs – inside or outside of the restaurant. “We are known as a celebration restaurant, but we are reasonably priced,” McCurdy adds. “Even if you’re just coming out on a Tuesday night to eat dinner, it will always be a special experience.” ®

BY ERIN CAUDELL

StayCool!

If youarelikeme,Ilookforallthecoldsaladoptions forsummermeals.Anythingthatcanhelpmefeed thefamilywithoutturningonthestoveiscool withme! iseasyandsuper- avorfulveganversionof coldnoodlesaladcanalsobemadeformeat-eatersby addingsomegrilledorpan-cookedchicken,then tossinginalittleextrasauce.

Thai Noodle Salad

INGREDIENTS

Sesame Peanut Sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• 3 Tbsp sesame oil

• 4 Tbsp peanut butter

• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

• ½ cup water

• ¼ tsp ginger, grated

• 4 tsp garlic, minced

• 1 lime, juiced

Noodle Salad

• 1lb linguine

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 1 cup carrots, shredded

• 1 bunch cilantro

• ½ cup scallions, chopped

• ½ red onion, chopped

TO MAKE

1. Cook noodles in water with 1 tsp baking soda (this creates a bouncy, ramen-like consistency). Rinse well, drain and cool.

2. Mix all veggies together with the noodles.

3. In a small saucepan, warm the sauce ingredients, adding more water until the sauce is smooth.

4. Add sauce to the noodles and cool in the refrigerator until dinner time. Garnish with cilantro, chopped peanuts and a few chopped scallions.

Local Eats & Drinks

ANDIAMO

BRICK STREET OF GRAND BLANC

CIAO ITALIAN BISTRO & WINE BAR

CORK ON SAGINAW

All About Accessories!

BY SHANNON WHITE ® PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SHIFT

At SHIFT, we think the more accessories, the better! We believe embellished accessories o er customers a “sense of joy and escapism” – feelings we yearned for during the pandemic. Accessories can make the most basic out t come to life and add a personal touch to your look.

Gold tone jewelry is trending this season. You can add gold to your look with a classic item such as a chain necklace that would be beautiful with any neckline. Larger-than-life links are among the top 2022 jewelry trends, as seen on the runways everywhere. is summer, go with chains that make a bold statement worn solo or when layered with other over-the-top pieces. If your look is modern, try a pair of Pursuits Apex

Hook earrings. eir geometric shapes will give you the fun, trendy look you crave.

Summer is a good time to play with color when you accessorize. Beaded or colorful earrings, necklaces and bracelets are a fun, casual way to enhance your out t. “We’ve seen an uptick in investment pieces from handbags to footwear, particularly in brightly colored adventurous choices,” says Amy Sutkowi, Store Manager and Creative Director at SHIFT in Flint. A plain t-shirt is transformed when you add one of the beautiful beaded baubles by Erik & Mike or Ink + Alloy. If you like a whimsical look, beaded earrings in the shape of birds or even wine bottles are fun and unique. Gorgeous beaded clutches step up your style for a night out.

For jewelry with a personal air, wear your zodiac sign in a necklace that will surely be a conversation starter wherever you go! Whether you follow astrology or not, you’ll love Zodiac Star necklaces. Each one shows the constellation that corresponds to the zodiac sign. ey’re dipped in 14 karat gold and are so delicate and pretty … they make great gifts, too!

Looking for another fun way to accessorize?

Just look down! Sneakers that merge comfort and fashion are a great look to add to summer shorts and a tee or an easy-breezy cotton dress. Styles that feature sparkles, stars and animal prints really elevate your shoe game. And what about letting those toes breathe this summer?

We love a good sandal to embrace the warm weather. Colorful statement sandals and neutral espadrilles compliment any out t and can complete a look by matching your handbag or other accessories.

Designers got crafty for summer 2022, o ering accessories that are well-suited to both beaches and city parks.

Larger-than-life gold links are among the top 2022 jewelry trends, as seen on the runways everywhere.

Crochet, quilting, ra a and fringe details on bags or even shoes really de ne the essence of summer accessories.

So, when you get ready to walk out the door in the morning,

don’t forget to accessorize! Whether you’re a minimalist or like to layer on your pieces, accessories add fun and interest to your look and let your personal style shine through. ®

Shannon White is an architect, designer and fashionista – a small but mighty cheerleader of all things Flint! Holding both Bachelor of Science and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Michigan, she is the founder of the FUNchitecture design firm and co-founder of she-powered Downtown Flint retail business, SHIFT.

EACH CREATION IS

The Electro Art Works Radio Hour

BY PETER HINTERMAN ® PHOTOS

Robots! Ray Guns! Rockets and Rads! Get ready for the Electro Art Works Radio Hour featuring guest artist Andy Hill and his creations!

In the first episode, our hero begins his quest to eliminate evil across the galaxy. Can his army of robots defend Earth against the Martian Army? How can he hope to triumph over astronomical odds? And, how will he find time to walk his robo-dog companion, Brass Bruno? Find the answers to these and other questions in The Electro Art Works Radio Hour Episode One: “Attack of the Andybots!” Our story begins nearly 40 years ago …

PROVIDED BY ANDY HILL

D Y

O T S

From “Buck Rogers” to “Forbidden Planet” and beyond, Andy Hill has always had a fascination for the pulp science ction stories and movies of the 1950s and 60s. “I love all of it,” Hill states. “I’m attracted to the design and aesthetics of the era. None of it had to make sense and that made it fun. It was stu I wished I had when I was a kid.” For Hill, if the plot featured a ray gun, a spaceship and a bit of low-budget production cheesiness, he was up for it (especially if it featured a robot or two.) So, while working as a mild-mannered Comcast cable technician, Hill began to envision every throwaway part or extra component as a specialized part of a sophisticated, futuristic robot with a will all its own. Soon, he began to assemble these automatons in his free time to the delight of his co-workers. e Andybots were born.

“None of it had to make sense and that made it fun. It was stuff I wished I had when I was a kid.”

HILL CREATES A LARGE VARIETY OF ROBOTIC WONDERS. 1) BLUE HEAD 2 OF THE ROBOT HEAD SERIES. 2) RELEPHANT, THE RED SPACE ELEPHANT. 3) HILL’S FIRST ANDYBOT CONCEPT PIECE ENTITLED “THE LINE UP” IS HIS MOST FAVORITE. “I WISH I STILL HAD IT WITH ME,” HE SAYS. 4) HOPS - MADE AND DESIGNED AS AN HOMAGE TO A ROBOTIC BUNNY HILL SAW ON “THE MUPPET SHOW” A LONG TIME AGO. 5) THE ROBOROOSTER WAS A COMMISSION FOR A CUSTOMER IN AUSTRALIA. 6) MABLE X IS THE FUTURE OF HOME HEALTHCARE. SHE’LL BRING YOUR TEA, SORT YOUR PILLS, AND WON’T BE SASSY AT ALL ABOUT IT!

AT RIGHT: HILL WORKS ON A BRAND NEW BOT IN HIS HOME WORKSHOP.

BELOW: THE TRILITHIUM ARC RAY GUN IS THE PERFECT WEAPON FOR SPACE COWBOYS TO SETTLE ANY “COSMIC” DISAGREEMENTS. MARSHAL RUST IS ALWAYS THERE TO SAVE THE DAY, AND SAUCERBOT 40 IS ONE OF THE NEWEST MODELS TO FLY OUT OF THE ELECTRO ART WORKSHOP.

“I started to make simple robots from discarded parts that we would usually throw out,” he explains. “I used to keep them at my desk and a few of my co-workers o ered to purchase some of them. at’s how it all started.” For four decades, Hill has been building his Andybots and has sold almost every one to buyers across the United States and as far away as France, Brazil, England and Russia.

Every Andybot is unique with its very own name, backstory and artistic traveling box. “At rst I didn’t name them,” Hill adds. “ eir production and stories have evolved over time.” eir components vary depending upon what Hill nds, and often consist of discarded electronic parts, scraps of metal and appliances. “I enjoy taking things apart like old typewriters, VCRs or computers,” he explains. “Sometimes, I see something that resembles, in my mind, an important part and build around it. More rarely, I come up with a concept and look for parts to t. at is much more challenging.”

BY PETER HINTERMAN

GET ON YOUR BIKES AND RIDE! Summer is the time for cycling

It’s summer! e rains of spring have gone and the roads and trails in and around Genesee County are dry and ready for wheels. If you are an avid cyclist or are looking to get into a healthy hobby, now is the time to jump on and start pedaling.

For beginners, the cycling pastime can seem daunting. e bike can be expensive, cars and trucks are scary and seasoned enthusiasts are always moving so fast, decked

out with all kinds of accessories. Not to mention that every bike is specialized and equipped with all sorts of levers. It really does make a person think twice about jumping on; but, I’m here to tell you that no matter your level of commitment or expertise, cycling is physically and mentally rewarding. It’s one of the few things that we never forget how to do; as if we were made to do it.

So … let’s go!

CYCLING BENEFITS

In terms of well-rounded exercise, cycling is one of the best options o ering mental, social and physical benefits. Here are a few:

Cycling is low-impact. For those who struggle with joint and back pain or are dealing with recurring ailments such as plantar fasciitis, cycling removes the jarring impact that can cause or prolong injuries. It increases exibility and strength with a much lower risk of skeletal-muscular injury.

day and leisurely the next? Find your comfort level and then push it to increase tness, all in your own time.

Cycling is time-efficient. If capable, a cyclist can replace time riding in a vehicle with cycling to get both to and from a location (work?) while accomplishing their daily workout.

Cycling is fun. It always has been. ere is a reason why kids beg for a bike! It provides a means of movement and it’s a ton of fun to do with friends or solo.

Cycling targets the main/core muscles. Depending upon the type of cycling you choose, just about every muscle group in the body is engaged, including the triceps and biceps.

Cycling is less strenuous. e intensity of the workout is determined by the rider. Maybe you want to go hard one

GETTING STARTED

e only thing you truly need to get started is a bicycle. It is important to nd one that ts your height, weight, body style and type of terrain you wish to ride – street, trails, racing, etc. Genesee County is home to some standout bike shops with sta who can answer all of your questions and help you choose what’s best. Helpful Hint: After purchasing your bike, invest in a new seat as soon as possible; comfort is crucial.

Although not mandatory, most experienced cyclists recommend a few must-have accessories:

• Helmet (not legally required in Michigan, but still important)

Cyclists enjoy a bevy of health bene ts after following a daily or weekly routine such as increased cardiovascular tness, increased muscle strength and exibility, better joint movement, stress reduction, better mental health and self-con dence, and a more active social life. As long as you operate your bicycle in a safe manner; you can do no wrong with the hobby.

Now that you’re ready to go, it’s time to take your new bike out for a spin. If you value company or feel more comfortable biking with experts, there are bike groups (such as Social Cycling Flint or the Genesee Wanderers) in nearly every city or township in Genesee County and they are always ready to welcome new riders. Simply give them a call or make contact via social media.

• Bike Pump & Patch Kit

• Chain Lubricant (wet & dry)

• Bike Multi-tool (for simple repairs out on the road)

• First Aid Kit

• Additional Lights/Refl ectors

• Bike Lock

• Cycling Gloves & Riding Shorts (to reduce chafing & soreness)

• Saddle Bag

(to carry needed accessories and more) 

KNOW THE RULES

You now have the bike, the seat, the accessories and the will to start cycling for a healthier future. What’s next? Well, you are physically ready to ride; but you still have to study and understand e Michigan Rules of the Road for Cyclists. ey are:

1. The cyclist must ride as close as practical to the right-hand curb or edge of the road when riding under the speed limit. (There are five exceptions to this rule. Please, review MCL 257.660a)

2. Bikes can ride on sidewalks, but cyclists must yield right-of-way to pedestrians and give an audible signal before passing a pedestrian.

3. Cyclists must not ride more than two bicycles abreast.

4. A cyclist is required to signal intentions via the use of hand signals (see MCL 257.648).

5. If riding one halfhour after sunset, or one half-hour before sunrise, a cyclist must use lights. The law requires that a light system must include a white light which is visible from 500 feet to the front and a red reflector on the rear which is visible from 600 feet.

6. A bicycle may not be used to carry more people than it is designed and equipped to carry.

7. A bicycle must be equipped with a brake which enables the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement.

8. Cyclists may not carry any package that prevents them from keeping both hands on the handlebars.

9. A cyclist may not ride on a limited-access highway (see MCL 257.679a).

10. A bicycle may be parked on a sidewalk but only in a way that does not impede the lawful movement of pedestrians or other tra c or where prohibited by an o cial tra c control device (see MCL 257.660d).

WHERE TO RIDE

Genesee County and Greater Flint provide some great trails of all types – paved and otherwise. Some are very challenging and should only be attempted by experienced riders and others are of a more peaceful type. Here are a few of the area’s best (in no particular order):

Bicentennial Park (Grand Blanc)

is 2.7-mile, paved route winds through the park and nature- lled marsh lands before ending on Hill Rd.

Black Creek Trail (Davison)

e quick, 1.6-mile jaunt follows Black Creek from the Davison Township Municipal Center to Abernathy Park.

Genesee Valley and Flint River Trails

ese two trails combined o er over 15 miles of paved pathway (some road-riding is involved) that travels

straight through the heart of Flint from Flint Township Park to Bluebell Beach on Mott Lake.

George Atkin Jr. Recreational Trail (Clio)

Follow the historic Pine Run Creek and enjoy 7.5 miles of uninterrupted travel through woodlands, parks, commercial and residential areas.

Southern Links Trailway (Columbiaville)

One of the most popular in the state, it follows an old railway line that runs for ten miles from Columbiaville to Millington.

For those who prefer a little rougher terrain (mountain biking) the areas around Genesee County o er some of the best and most challenging trails available.

Holly-Holdridge Mountain Bike Trail

A part of the Holly Recreation Area, this trail o ers three loops of varying complexities, totaling a distance of 29.4-miles. e East Loop is the most advanced, featuring over 15 miles of technical obstacles and trials.

Pontiac Lake Trail

Located in Waterford Township, this trail features 11 miles of classic mountain bike obstacles including a 1,000-foot climb. Tackle this trail only if you have the heart for it.

Potawatomi Trail

In Pinckney, this trail stretches 24 miles and features a bevy of obstacles and every type of terrain imaginable. It’s a state mountain biking badge of honor for anyone with the guile to tackle it.

Lakeshore Park Trail

Located in Novi City Park, this ten-mile trail doesn’t need elevation to deliver the challenge. e trail features obstacles such as rock gardens, log piles and skinnies. It’s a good place to test your balance and your nerves.

Brighton Rec Area

is trail system consists of two separate tracks. At nine miles, the Murray Lake trail provides an easier ride than the blistering ve-mile track aptly-dubbed “Torn Shirt.” Each trail provides its own unique reward.

Wherever you go and however you do it, cycling is the gift that keeps on giving. Good luck, fellow cyclers. Now, get on your bikes and ride! ®

is for “B” Boogie

The Music of Mark • Braun

BY MARK SPEZIA ® PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MARK BRAUN AND GREAT LAKES PERFORMING ARTIST ASSOCIATES

Everyone in attendance was responding in their own way to the rollicking music lling Downtown

Flint’s Totem Books being performed by a gifted quartet fronted by area native and renowned boogie-woogie-style pianist, Mark Braun.

Among those standing, a tall, lanky man with long gray hair wearing his cap backward shu ed through some dance moves while grasping a bottled beverage. Another man, also with a beverage in hand, moved to the music while pointing to the band. Others on their feet recorded the sounds on cell phones while nodding with enthusiasm.

Most seated audience members joyfully moved their heads and feet to the beats as Braun, fellow pianist Luca Filastro, drummer Phil Siers and organist Carnez Wright ripped through one of their high-energy, blues and jazz-infused instrumentals.

e April 24 performance was part of an annual series of shows entitled “Blues & Piano Boogie Celebration” organized by Braun at quaint venues in Metro Detroit in addition to Totem Books. e event is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and culminated in a signature show at e Ark in Ann Arbor.

While Braun has spent more than four decades performing around the world, sharing stages and recording studios with Grammy-nominated blues and jazz greats

and releasing albums, intimate gigs like the one in his hometown are what really keeps the 65-year-old, National Boogie Woogie Piano Hall of Famer going.

“Nearly my whole life has been about music and I’ve discovered over the years that performing for people in small-scale settings, not arenas or stadiums, is where it’s at for me,” says Braun, also known in entertainment circles as “Mr. B.” “Being close to the audience softens that barrier between you and them. You can really feed o their energy which is exactly what happened at Totem Books. Everyone there gave us a fantastic reception.”

Another thing that enriches Braun’s musical soul is the purity and simplicity of performing outdoors for tips as crowds gather, something he does regularly throughout warmer months at the corner of Detroit and Catherine Streets across from Detroit Street Filling Station in Ann Arbor, his home base for the past 45 years.

is year’s outdoor gigs began April 30 as he performed seated at his 385-pound, hand-decorated Baldwin Acrosonic piano sitting on his custom-made Joybox Express piano bike.

e unique contraption has three tires and can seat three cyclists – one in the front, two in the rear – as they pedal the piano to its next show. e front rider can also power the bike solo, which Braun has frequently done. 

MY MUSIC

Braun, however, was without the bike on May 11 during his debut performance on a new piano gifted to him by National Public Radio station WEMU in Ypsilanti. He has made regular appearances on national NPR programs like “Mountain Stage,” “All ings Considered” and “Here & Now.”

“Playing outdoors, especially in a place like Ann Arbor which has always provided a great atmosphere for live music, is something I’ve always loved, but it also helped me make up for some touring dates lost during the pandemic,”

Braun says. “It’s another great way to connect closely with the audience and it’s been a hit at one of the best corner spots in town with large crowds coming out on some nights. I love doing the street musician thing.”

Veteran jazz string bass player, band leader, composer, arranger and teacher Paul Keller is among the many artists who have formed long-lasting creative bonds with Braun. Keller’s credentials include touring with three-time Grammy Winner, Diana Krall.

“Mark and I have enjoyed performing with each other all over Michigan in a variety of concert settings for more than 30 years,” Keller says. “We love sharing musical ideas and trying to make beautiful and amazing music out of nothing – starting with silence and lling a room with joy.

Mr. B is an especially gifted pianist and composer and his bread and butter has always been his unique and artistic take on piano blues and boogie-woogie.”

Braun was drawn to that style of music, which spread from the deep south during the 1920s and 1930s, soon

after discovering a love for playing piano in his early teens. at passion originated from his family winning an organ in a ra e (before trading it in for an upright piano and color television).

“Like many of my peers, I was listening to blues-based rock albums from bands like Led Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers; but then, I began discovering more of the original music those songs came from by blues artists like Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters,” Braun recalls. “I went nuts for that kind of music, got really deep into it.”

e teenage Braun was also in uenced by a Jimmy Yancey record his father gave him. e pioneering boogie-woogie pianist was a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s rst class.

After graduating from Flint Southwestern High School in 1975, Braun began attending the University of Michigan. He found Ann Arbor’s thriving music scene and venues like e Blind Pig a perfect place to grow his budding music career which by then was expanding into jazz, in uenced by the likes of legendary jazz artists like Duke Ellington and Horace Silver. Braun continues to play e Blind Pig, e Ark and Kerrytown Concert House to this day.

After three years, he left school to devote his full attention to music and was not shy about seeking the mentorship of famous, still-living musicians linked to the golden age of blues and jazz.

“I was fortunate to come of age in the music business just in time when a fair number of guys with ties to the rst generation of that music were still around,”

Braun says. “I traveled around the country, hoping to nd and learn all I could from them.”

For the most part, the legends obliged.

Among those saying “yes’’ were National Heritage Fellowship honoree Sunnyland Slim, Blues Hall of Famers Little Brother Montgomery and Roosevelt Sykes along with Blind John Davis and Boogie Woogie Red.

“ ey could see how sincere and eager I was to learn from them, which made a di erence,” Braun shares. “Obviously, we were completely di erent when it came to age, social background, talent-level and life experiences which made staying with them and soaking up all I could invaluable. I learned to do what I do today because of them.”

In 1984 at age 27, Braun released his rst album, “B’s Bounce” on Boo-Kay Records.

“Partners in Time,” one of the works he’s most proud of, was recorded four years later with jazz legends JC Heard (drummer) and Marcus Belgrave (trumpet player). Heard recorded or performed with countless blues and jazz giants, including Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Billie Holiday while Belgrave recorded with Charles, Tony Bennett and great Motown artists like e Temptations and Four Tops.

Braun has also collaborated in the studio with Grammy-winning blues singer John Hammond and Grammy-nominated bluesman Duke Robillard, as well as Grammy-nominated Jazz artist Monty Alexander.

“One of my most profoundly cool experiences was working with JC Heard – what a legendary Detroit drummer,”

Braun says. “I learned plenty from him and us playing together was special. Working with the likes of John Hammond and Duke Robillard were very rewarding, unforgettable experiences as well.”

In 1994, Braun released the acclaimed live set, “My Sunday Best” recorded at Kerrytown Concert House.

“ e changes in direction serve to literally amaze the listener, taking them through a range of moods and colors that are generally not experienced in such a setting … is is not just a case of a local boy making good, this is a statement of a world class musician playing for his hometown fans,” a review in Detroit Metro Times read.

Construction of Braun’s Joybox Express piano bike coincided with a charity he founded in 2009 to raise funds for Flint-area athletic and artistic youth programs by riding the bike to various locations and playing concerts along the way.

In 2017, Braun and his entourage pedaled it all the way from Flint to Mackinaw City to bene t YouthQuest – a high-quality, no-cost Genesee County after-school enrichment program. e journey culminated with Braun’s performance at Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel. at trip followed an even more ambitious one two years earlier, a 2,000-mile, 90-day journey following the entire length of the Mississippi River.

“I have always taken part in sports as well as being an artist, so starting a charity to help children involved in both in my hometown seemed like the natural thing to do,” Braun says. “I also felt it was a way for kids to see they can pursue athletic and artistic excellence at the same time. No reason to choose.”

Continued on pg. 85 

MARK BRAUN ENJOYS PLAYING FOR TIPS AT THE CORNER OF DETROIT AND CATHERINE STREETS IN ANN ARBOR.

Senior Living

A Range of Possibilities

BY PETER HINTERMAN

It’sinevitable: as we and our parents get older, new challenges and situations arise. Our physical and nancial health may falter, we may lose a partner, and we may need a little more help navigating our day-to-day lives. In the later years, a change in living arrangement or social situation may be in order. ere are a range of possibilities to consider when making any change, especially one that concerns your future welfare or that of your family members.

Of course, the goal as we get older is to stay in our homes and be independent as long as we possibly can; however, in time, many of us will begin to experience di culty with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) through

the natural aging process and no fault of our own. Inability to manage ADLs can indicate that help is needed. For example, having di culty with walking, eating, dressing, toileting, bathing and moving around in the home tends to forecast a need for assistance in the near future and a potential change in residence. Trouble with IADLs such as transportation, handling nances, shopping, cleaning, and managing medications can signal a need for an in-home caregiver or the permanent involvement of a family member to assist with daily life.

Besides experiencing di culty with daily living, more serious signs can show that a person or persons are not capable of getting along without constant attention from a healthcare professional or family member. 

Living

Signs an individual may need 24/7 support:

The individual:

1. Experiences frequent falls causing injury,

2. Neglects personal hygiene or lives in extremely dirty surroundings,

3. Is rapidly losing weight,

4. Is getting lost in familiar locations,

5. Is forgetting how to do simple tasks, missing bill payments, or forgetting (or mixing up) their medications.

If someone you love is having trouble with ADLs, IADLs, or exhibiting any of the signs above, a change in living arrangements may be needed for a better (and safer) future. Luckily, various options are available for seniors according to their level of health and financial stability.

Senior Housing Options

1

Aging in Place

For the vast majority of seniors, the goal is to age while remaining in the comfort of their own home. Even for people beginning to struggle with ADLs, the home is still a viable option with small, inexpensive modi cations. For a multi-level home, the bedroom may be moved to the main oor to help with mobility; bathroom modi cations can be easily made (safety bars installed, new shower area, etc.), ramps installed and more. For those who may need a little more help, personal care workers are available to be on-site for certain hours of the day. Before moving a family member out of the home that they have lived in for years, ask yourself if modi cations could be made to make daily life easier.

2

Independent Living & AgeRestricted Communities

For seniors who are relatively healthy but feel distant from social interaction, independent living and age-restricted communities can o er a much-needed boost to their self-esteem and quality of life. Retirement and age-restricted communities have advantages that a typical home and neighborhood may not.

• Housing is usually designed for seniors who may struggle with ADLs.

• ey relieve the stress of daily chores such as home maintenance and housekeeping.

• ey facilitate new friendships with persons of their same age and interests.

• Often communities will o er on-site activities such as ballroom dancing, a movie theater, golf course, etc.

3

Assisted Living

is option is for seniors who do need help with some ADLs and IADLs but can still handle most daily tasks; full-time supervision is not yet required. Residents of these facilities generally live in their own room/ apartments with private bathrooms and share common areas with other senior couples or singles. e majority of ADLs such as cooking and cleaning are handled by sta , allowing residents to socialize and enjoy their free time. For many, assisted living acts as a bridge from aging in place to nursing home care. Assisted living facilities (and nursing homes) are often specialized to cater to speci c needs. Memory Care Facilities are created for seniors who su er

from dementia or are showing early signs of the disease. ese facilities usually incorporate a larger sta with security features in place to keep residents from wandering away from the home. Some assisted living facilities are focused on temporary respite care for seniors recovering from surgery, serious illness or injury. Respite care provides 24-hour help, covering all of the person’s needs until such time as they are deemed healthy for release.

4

Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)

ese facilities combine independent living with assisted and nursing home care. A CCRC is for seniors who want to live in a single location for the rest of their lives without worry about their future care needs. When a senior moves in, they live independently, meeting new friends and partaking in daily activities. As the person ages and begins needing assistance with ADLs and more, they move to another part of the community where they receive the care they need. As their health deteriorates, they move again to a nursing facility on campus. CCRCs are commonly the most expensive senior housing option

with entry fees greater than $300,000 and monthly fees also charged. If you feel that a CCRC is the best t for you or family members, start the process early, as there are considerable wait lists depending upon location and amenities.

5

Nursing Home/Skilled Nursing Facility

is is the option for adults who need 24-hour care, they are dealing with debilitating physical and mental illness and are completely unable to care for themselves. In this facility, a licensed physician generally takes the lead and supervises each resident’s care with a nurse and/or health care professional constantly on-hand for assistance. Nursing homes can specialize in speci c types of care such as respite care and memory care and are constantly monitored by state agencies in order to ensure they are providing proper care. e cost of a nursing home can be highly dependent upon the level of services needed. Some provide the option of hospice care for those adults at the end of life. e goal of hospice care is to provide seniors with support and dignity in their nal days. 

5 Steps for Making the Best Choice

When problems begin to arise for ourselves or family members and a decision must be made, there are steps that should be taken to ensure a positive outcome for all involved.

1.Do your research. Don’t trust yourself or family members to just any facility or community; make sure the facility is reputable. Ask questions of both the supervisors and current residents. Getting the best care should be your top priority.

2.Set daily life expectations. What do you enjoy? What do your parents enjoy? Does the facility o er activities and amenities that meet the needs of its residents? Is the food up to standard? Are the sta ? Once you have a list of what you require of a care facility, start checking the boxes.

3.Talk to a doctor. Include your doctors in conversations about the mental and physical needs for

everyday life. Can the facility accommodate those needs? What does the doctor think? What have they heard about the facility?

4.Talk to a nancial planner. Here comes the scary question: what can you or your family members a ord? What are your options? Is subsidized housing available?

5.Visit potential communities and facilities. Like picking the best college, you have to visit each facility. Do the residents seem happy? Are furniture and appliances up to date? Is the facility clean? Is the community welcoming? Do your parents or other family members seem to respond to the environment?

Finding and choosing a housing option or care facility for yourself or a family member is an extremely important process and should never be undertaken hastily. We should all want the best for ourselves and those we love. We all deserve a happy and care-free future as we reach our later years. Good Luck! ®

The Mayors of Flint

PART 7: SCANDAL AND RECALL

BY PETER HINTERMAN

From 1912 to 1928, Flint became known as one of the centers of manufacturing and commerce in the nation. “Business” was the name of the game and new ventures popped up daily – some that still operate today. Immigrants and wandering workers ooded the city bringing with them new ideas, work ethics and politics. e mayors of the time period had much to oversee and overcome including legal, social and political challenges. e start of Prohibition in 1920 o ered its own temptations that at least one mayor couldn’t resist. It was a time of great noise and great challenge. Were the mayors up to the task?

is series has tracked each of the city’s mayor’s throughout history, providing a short account of their professions, lives and decisions during their terms (if known). Some were men/women of great deeds or of great controversy; some simply acted as placeholders in time. Each of them, however, chaired a city important to its country and its citizens on its path through triumph and heartbreak, and toward its revitalization.

For part 1 in this series, see the 2022 January issue of MCM!

Charles Stewart Mott

1912-14, 1918-19

After running as an independent and defeating Flint’s only socialist mayor, John A. C. Menton, C. S. Mott took the reins of the city in 1912 for the rst of two consecutive terms. In 1918, he was elected to a third term as mayor. C.S. Mott was born in 1875 in Newark, NJ, the son of John Mott, owner of the Mott Beverage Company. Mott attended and graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1897 and after learning the beverage trade overseas, took the job of superintendent for his uncle Frederick’s business, Weston-Mott Wheel Works (much to his father’s chagrin). Under Mott’s supervision, the company joined the automobile craze and transitioned from bicycle accessories to the manufacture of automobile wheels and axles. He moved the company to Flint in 1905 after an invitation from Billy Durant. Mott embraced and adopted his new home immediately upon arrival and never looked back. After selling Weston-Mott to General Motors, he became the largest individual stockholder of GM, served as its vice president from 1916-1937, and served on its board of directors for 60-years, right up until his death in 1973. Politically, Mott also served as the Michigan delegate to the Republican National Convention and was selected Republican Presidential Elector Candidate in 1964.

In 1926, Mott cemented his legacy in Flint and around the world when he established the C. S. Mott Foundation – a charitable organization with a purpose to support and enrich communities at home and abroad. rough the foundation and personal gifts, Mott helped establish the community school program with Frank Manley and the Mott Children’s Health Centers in Flint and Ann Arbor. In 1950, Mott donated $1 million worth of land to turn Flint Junior College into a four-year institution; the school honored his donation by changing its name to Mott Community College. ( ese are just a few of the many things Mott spearheaded and funded in his quest for a better Flint.)

As mayor, Mott built a modern sewer system, a separate stormwater system, and expanded the network of paved roads and sidewalks. During his time in o ce, Chevrolet began production in Flint, the What Cheer Coal mine went into operation, Baker College opened its doors, the YMCA was organized (with Mott as chairman) and the Flint Institute of Technology (later General Motors Institute) was founded. C. S. Mott was buried in Glenwood Cemetery.

John R. MacDonald 1914-15

MacDonald was born in Moretown, VT in 1857. After coming to Flint, he was very involved in the social groups and orders of the day including the Knights of the Loyal Guard, Freemasons, Shriners, and Knights of Pythias. Much of MacDonald’s life in Flint has fallen into obscurity; however, in his speech given to the Michigan State Dairymen’s Association during their convention in Flint, he provided an accurate snapshot of the city during his time. He said,“I am sure that you will pardon us for taking pride in the fact that Genesee County has more miles of improved roads than any other county in the state. e city of Flint, with a population of 13,000 in 1900 has grown to 50,000 inhabitants at the present time. We are in the midst of a great street construction, carrying with it as a matter of course pavements, sewers and water extensions. During the past year, we constructed upwards of 13 miles of pavement, 10 miles of concrete sidewalks, and 18 miles of sewers. We have ve automobile plants here in the city, the Buick, Chevrolet, Paterson, Monroe, and Dort. e Buick has more oor space than any other automobile plant on the face of the globe. We have 27 school buildings employing upwards of 200 teachers, besides two parochial schools, two business colleges, and the Michigan School for the Deaf. We have 27 churches and over 30 church societies; a fully equipped Young Women’s Christian Association, a new Young Men’s Christian Association building, which has just been completed, one of the nest in the country.” After taking a fall at his home in 1946, MacDonald passed away at Hurley Hospital. He was buried in Avondale Cemetery. 

William H. McKeighan

1915-16, 1922-23, 1927-28, 1931-33

Perhaps the biggest swindler to ever take the reigns of Flint, McKeighan was one of three political bosses of his day (along with Detroit’s Ed Barnard and Grand Rapids’ Frank D. McKay) with ties to Detroit’s Purple Gang and the corruption and lawlessness that came with it. Born in 1886 in Cleveland, OH he attended school in Saginaw, MI. He moved to Flint in 1908 and established a legitimate pharmacy, also spending some time as a motion picture operator, garage manager and auto salesman. Just before his political career began, he opened a pool hall and barbershop on the corner of Leith and Industrial that served as his base of operations for future “business.” In 1913, he was elected alderman of the city and routed that in uence into a 1915 mayoral run. McKeighan was elected to three terms by popular vote, and two via the city’s 1929 charter that stipulated a council-manager form of government for which he was directly responsible. In 1927, McKeighan faced a recall election, during which he had police round up and arrest recall supporters. He survived his recall, yet in the next year, was under investigation for an assortment of crimes including bribery and vote-tampering. His turbulent term resulted in a change to the city charter and installation of the council-manager form of government. Still, he was named manager in 1931 by the council which ended two years later when his council cronies were themselves arrested for fraud. rough it all, McKeighan continued to skate free and even served in 1940 as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 1945, he was charged with conspiracy to violate state liquor laws. With a judge-directed verdict of “not guilty”, McKeighan again dodged the law. He died in 1957, having never once been held accountable for his crimes.

Earl F. Johnson

1916-17

Earl F. Johnson was Genesee County-made. He was born in etford Township in 1868 and was educated in that area until his high school years when he attended Flint High School. He worked as a school teacher for three years until opening a general store at East etford which he operated for ten. While there, he served as township supervisor and treasurer. In 1898, he was elected Genesee County treasurer and followed that election with a move to Flint. In 1903, he was appointed division deputy revenue collector for the First District of Michigan – a post he held until 1914. He then became a business agent for the Union Trust and Savings Bank of Flint in 1915. He was an extremely well-known and respected man about town and when he ran for mayor in 1916, he won by the greatest majority ever given a candidate in Flint at that time. Like many before him, he was quite active socially and was a member of the Freemasons, Knights Templar, Nobles of the Moslem Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and Elks. In 1923, he served as a member of the State Senate and State Institute Commission. During his time as mayor, the Koegel meat company was founded. Johnson died in 1947.

George C. Kellar

1917-18, 1919-20

Kellar served two non-consecutive terms as Flint’s mayor and could have served three straight had C. S. Mott not run in 1918. Born in 1879 in Tyler County, WV he graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1905 and then spent a year teaching at Harvard University. After arriving in Flint in 1908, Kellar opened the George C. Kellar & Brother real estate rm with his brother, Francis M. Kellar. Kellar took an interest in local politics and in 1916 was elected alderman and president pro tempore of the Flint City Common Council. During his rst mayoral term, Kellar looked to the future and ways to expand the city. With adjustments from C. S. Mott during his own term, Kellar accepted a new city plan in his second term that focused upon – among other things – increasing the size of Flint’s main streets, revamping school playgrounds, adding additional riverfront parks, and the construction of a downtown civic center complete with walkable city hall, library, art gallery and more. e design was that of the National Mall in Washington, D. C. Most of the 1920 plan did not come to fruition with some small exceptions, the most notable being the construction of a new high school. e new Flint High School was built in 1923 (becoming Flint Central in later years). Another change of historical signi cance happened when Kellar had the original Flint arches removed to make way for city plan improvements. George C. Kellar died in 1954.

Edwin W. Atwood

1920-22

Born in Flint to lumber and banking magnate William A. Atwood in 1875, Edwin grew up and spent his life a resident of the city. His father was one of those in uential city types, his reputation owed to and mirrored by his son in business and social life. Edwin spent the majority of his time in charity work and investments. He was a charter member of the Flint Golf Club and acted as president of the Flint Council for the Boy Scouts of America. He donated to the building of Hurley Hospital and acted as secretary of the hospital board. He also relished the arts and followed in his family’s footsteps as a member of the Shakespeare Club. Edwin W. Atwood rst ran for mayor in that crazy election of 1911 pitting the Republican Atwood against Democrat William Wildanger and Socialist John A. C. Menton. Menton, in perhaps the biggest election upset in Flint history, won, causing Atwood to step away from political life for a time. In 1920, he made the decision to give it another try and emerged victorious. In 1912, Atwood met and befriended inventor Lloyd Copeman and provided most of the capital for Copeman’s Electric Stove Company and later, he invested in Copeman Laboratories Co. While in o ce, Atwood worked with Copeman to obtain patents on two separate refrigeration apparatus of which Atwood was the bene ciary. Additionally, while in o ce, Atwood oversaw the opening of the Durant Hotel, and the Flint Amusement Park, now lost to time. After o ce, Atwood made his most recognizable contribution to the City of Flint when he donated his family’s land on Atwood Island to the city for the construction of an athletic stadium. Atwood Stadium (named after Edwin’s father) is still the premier athletic venue in the City of Flint. In his later years, Edwin Atwood donated a mosaic and wainscoting to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. He died in 1958 and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery. 

David R. Cuthbertson

1923-24

David R. Cuthbertson had perhaps the shortest tenure of any Flint mayor, lasting less than a year. He was born in 1868 in Taymouth, MI and owned and operated a sawmill in Flint. In 1923, he ran against and ousted William McKeighan after his second term to the angst and dismay of McKeighan’s questionable supporters, particularly the Klu Klux Klan. e KKK were gaining political power in the city during the Roaring Twenties and were able to push their in uence by taking control of the Genesee County Convention and gaining o ce in Flint wards and county townships. ey took an exception to Cuthbertson’s victory over McKeighan from the start. Cuthbertson rode in on a wave of law & order and immediately set to his task. He came down hard on speakeasies and illegal liquor sales during prohibition but was unable to completely stop the ow into the city. e KKK used this “failure” to push the narrative that he was an inept leader and also took exception with Cuthbertson’s hiring of married women for governmental positions. e nal straw was when Cuthbertson named James P. Cole – a Catholic – as acting police chief. ey demanded a recall of the election. Before the election was to take place, the KKK blanketed the city with anti-Cuthbertson propaganda dropped from a plane and rallied to go door-to-door to get the votes. Cuthbertson lost the recall election. He ran in the replacement election but lost to the KKK backed Judson L. Transue. During his short time in o ce, Cuthbertson passed upgraded building codes and housing laws. He died in 1941 and was buried with his family in Taymouth Cemetery.

Judson L. Transue

1924-27

Backed by the Ku Klux Klan and running on a campaign of anti-immigrant rhetoric and conspiracies concerning Flint’s rich and successful citizens, Transue won the replacement election after the recall of Mayor Cuthbertson, despite the former mayor owning the support of city newspapers and businessmen. Transue was born in Williamson, NY in 1897 and worked in Flint, rst as a schoolteacher and then as a banker. Despite owing his mayorship to KKK-fueled bigotry, Transue did not concede to all their demands. He did re all the women hired by Cuthbertson but kept Catholic police chief, James P. Cole – a decision that greatly angered the KKK. Transue worked to disavow any association to the group to no avail. While mayor, Transue added regulations to the sale of meat in order to quell the amount of bad meat nding its way to city consumers. He also was a driving force behind the creation of the Grand Trunk Railroad’s Western Line that ran from Belsay through Swartz Creek. He even drove the nal spike to complete the tracking. Transportation continued to be rst and foremost in Transue’s administration after he approved and built an eight-man committee to lobby the state to obtain more state-constructed roads in the city as well as the rest of Genesee County. After his terms as mayor, Transue went into real estate and set up the rm of Dain & Transue. Judson L. Transue died in 1980 and was buried in Sunset Hills Cemetery. ®

This annual event spotlights the museum collection in a transformed environment and welcomes the beginning of summer. Attendees of this fundraiser can always count on an unexpected theme, fantastic food and extraordinary entertainment. The “Vintage Circus” offered talented performers, a signature cocktail, unique photo opportunities and as always, the evening ended with a jampacked dance party. Funds raised support FIA museum programming and outreach programs for Pre-K-12 students.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATY KILDEE

Davison Festival of Flags

DOWNTOWN DAVISON/LAKE CALLIS RECREATION COMPLEX

6.8-12.2022

Davison’s annual celebration is always a muchanticipated event in Genesee County. The celebration kicked off on Main Street with the Festival of Flags parade, carnival rides and music from Joshua Meyers. Great music continued during the week-long event with performances by Alive after Five, Joel Close, 3rd Degree Burns, Rachelle Rae & The Banned, The Professor & Friends, Dueling Pianos and a magic show by Jonathon LaChance. Other entertainment included a cornhole tournament, children’s beach battle and a Friday night fireworks display.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JADEN MOXLOW

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

125 th Anniversary

On June 9, the Genesee Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) celebrated its 125th anniversary. The Genesee Chapter was organized in 1897 with Harriet P. Thompson as regent and continues to promote patriotism, education and historic preservation in Central Michigan. To become a DAR member, a woman has to prove lineage and bloodline descent to a male or female ancestor who served or provided support in the American Revolution.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATY KILDEE

SPRING MEADOWS COUNTRY CLUB ® 6.9.22

Flint Art Fair

Presented by the Friends of Modern Art (FOMA), this is one of the city’s premier showcases of local artists and their works. Recently voted Michigan’s No. 1 favorite summer event, the fair presents a great variety of art from pottery to paintings for visitors to shop, browse and enjoy. For that one-of-a-kind piece that will complete your décor or collection, the Flint Art Fair is second-to-none in Genesee County. It is FOMA’s mission to promote interest and appreciation of contemporary art at the Flint Institute of Arts among the citizens of the region.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATY

KILDEE

Family Fun Day

As part of a citywide Juneteenth Celebration, Berston Field House welcomed Flintstones and their families for a day of fun and community. The block party featured live music, food, DJs, children’s crafts, bounce-houses and more. The crowd was entertained throughout the day by national touring acts including James Fortune, Big Daddy Kane, RL & Q, and Midnight Star. Net proceeds from the day benefited community arts programming.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATY KILDEE

BERSTON FIELD HOUSE ® 6.18.2022

FAMILY CAMPING OFFERS LIFETIME OF MEMORIES

BY VERA HOGAN

Asa child, and later as an adult, my fondest memories were created on family camping trips.

Our rst camping adventures took place at Kenlake State Park on Kentucky Lake near the town of Murray, KY. My dad bought a pop-up camper that he named Zigeuner, which is German for “gypsies” (what the Romani people were called back then). It took about six hours to get to the park from our home near Kankakee, IL. e campground wasn’t huge, but it was a decent size with campsites arranged in a U-shape around a grassy area in the front and the woods in the back.

Once camp was set up on the rst day, my sister and I took o to nd some new friends – something I learned all kids do the minute they can. While Dad built a re in the pit and Mom got dinner prepped, we scouted around and found some girls to hang out with for the duration of our stay. One was a year older than me, very tall and had some pretty hectic curly hair. She told us she was diabetic. I had never heard of diabetes before meeting her and learned a lot from her about the disease. She was from Royal Oak, MI. Of course, I didn’t know at the time that my future included living in Michigan. I wish I knew her last name so I could look her up today.

On our rst full day of camping and every day after that, we would hop in the car and head to the beach not too far away. We spent hours there, in and out of the water all day while Mom and Dad relaxed on the sand in lawn chairs.

Sometimes they came into the water and played around with us. It was all great fun, except for the sunburns. (Sun block was not a thing in those days.)

Back at camp and after dinner, we would talk around the re, play games, roast marshmallows and tell spooky stories. Some evenings, our parents would visit with adults they befriended at neighboring campsites. e park had a bandshell where unknown traveling musical groups would entertain on Saturday nights. It was at this bandshell that I rst enjoyed a performance by Creedence Clearwater Revival. No one had ever heard of them.

After a couple of years, my folks decided to try another campground in the Missouri Ozarks. My dad, who was a very hairy guy, was eaten alive by mosquitoes that often got stuck on his chest and back. We laughed and laughed. But it was when he accidentally swallowed a whole dragon y that he’d had enough. We packed up the next day and went back to Kentucky Lake.

A couple years after that, we went to Baraboo, WI near the Dells. After we were there for two days, the weather turned ugly and a tornado blew through the park. We sheltered safely but our swimsuits were ripped from the clothesline, never to be seen again. After a trip to Kmart for new swimwear, back to Kentucky we went.

Over the years, my husband and I enjoyed many camping trips with our own children. ey are adults now and I hope their memories of those days are as fond and last a lifetime – just as mine have. ®

Recently retired, Vera Hogan is a 20-year veteran of the newspaper business, having served both Fenton and Flint area publications. During those years, she was a reporter, associate editor, editor, web content editor and columnist. Her popular columns have earned her multiple state awards. She resides in the City of Fenton. Email verahogan@hotmail.com.

In ation was Avoidable

BY DR. CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS

Asof this article’s writing, in ation is 8.2%, imposing an unavoidable tax on all Americans. A tragedy of this is that this in ation could have easily been avoided.

Recent research from the San Francisco Federal Reserve District Bank found that the March 2021 American Rescue Plan (ARP), which sent most Americans $1,400 and state and local governments $250 billion amongst other bene ts, increased in ation by three percentage points. In other words, had the ARP not been signed into law, in ation would be 5.2% rather than 8.2%.

ere was little justi cation for the ARP. e unemployment rate had already fallen to 6%, more than 300,000 jobs were being created per month (except for December 2020) and the total production of goods and services in the economy was only 1% below where it was pre-pandemic. As economists have known since at least Milton Friedman, dumping newly-printed money into a largely recovered economy results in in ation.

People try to spend this new money, this spending outpaces the production of goods and services, and prices surge. e ARP was the largest stimulus package in U.S. history, costing over $2 trillion. It should not have surprised anyone that the ARP would be in ationary, though apparently it surprised both the Federal Reserve and the Secretary of the Treasury. Friedman’s knowledge had apparently been lost on them (and others) in what economist Tyler Cowen calls “ e Great Forgetting.”

e Russian-Ukrainian war caused the price of crude oil to increase by over $50/barrel and the price of gasoline to increase by over $1/gallon; this has probably added another percentage point to in ation. Had the U.S. pursued a diplomatic solution

and prevented this war, rather than ooding the region with weapons, in ation would have been one percentage point lower, and thousands of lives saved.

e December 2020 stimulus was modest by COVID standards, but still large in absolute dollars, costing over $900 billion and sending most Americans a $600 check. It is hard to justify this package as well, since GDP and job growth were both strong at the time. is package probably added another percentage point or so to the rate of in ation.

us, with more responsible domestic and foreign policies, the United States could be emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic with a rate of in ation on the order of 3% to 4%, rather than over 8%. Reducing in ation from the former back down to 2% is astronomically easier than from the latter.

I am convinced that previous generations will look back at policies enacted over the last two years as some of the most severe policy blunders of modern American history. anks to these blunders, the Federal Reserve will have to do something it has never done before, namely engineer a soft landing that brings down the rate of in ation without inducing a major recession. e signi cant energy price spike the economy is currently facing makes that prospect even more daunting. ®

Dr. Christopher Douglas came to the University of Michigan-Flint in 2006. He earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a B.S. in Economics from Michigan Technological University in 2001, and his Ph.D. in Economics from Michigan State University in 2007. As Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics, he teaches Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of Macroeconomics, International Economics, Public Finance, and Sports Economics.

Nothing Says “Summer Vacation” Like Bear Spray

BY LESLIE TOLDO

Iam going on my rst summer vacation in years. I don’t mean since the pandemic started – I haven’t slipped sunscreen and ip- ops into my carry-on in nearly a decade.

Blame it on being busy or life getting in the way, but for the last several years my summer adventures have happened in my backyard, aka staycations.

Don’t get me wrong, I have thoroughly enjoyed lounging around in my pajamas for one week every summer. In fact, that’s what summer vacation has always been about, only instead of napping in a lawn chair on my deck, summer vacations past were always spent lolling on the beach with my toes in the sand. is summer vacation will be a little di erent. My husband and I are headed to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. ere will be no lolling. We will be hiking di cult terrain, crossing rocky rivers, and maybe even white-water rafting. is will be a long road trip with no baggage limits, but my goal is still to pack light. I want to be well organized and only take the necessities, so I turned to the internet for packing advice. I found several lists touted as “the ultimate Yellowstone packing list.” ey were all about the same: sunscreen, mosquito repellent, bear spray.

“essentials” lists, which tells me it’s not a matter of if we will encounter a bear, but when. Doesn’t that just scream summer fun?

None of the lists I found included ip- ops, either. I will be trading mine in for hiking boots, along with smart wool socks and anti-chafe stick to help keep blisters at bay. at’s important because it is much harder to run from a bear when your feet are covered in blisters.

e Ultimate Yellowstone

Packers also highly recommend warm clothing because it can get chilly at night.

So where is the “summer” in this summer vacation?

Bear spray? “What are we thinking?” I wondered, “Why would we willingly drive 20-plus hours to hide from bears?” Bear spray topped most of the

Technically, it will be a vacation taken during the summer and there is really nothing carved in stone that says summer vacations have to be beachy, although Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello might disagree.

Also, summer vacations my family took when I was a child were always road trips. I won’t be ghting with my sister in the back seat, but I can annoy my husband with sing-alongs, frequent pit stops and games of “I Spy.”

I can also throw together a nice summer playlist for our long car ride and our hikes. I wonder if bears prefer reggae or calypso… ®

An Emmy-nominated anchor/meteorologist/reporter at FOX66 and NBC25, Leslie Toldo has worked in TV news for over 30 years, nearly 20 in Flint. She is a blogger, writer, wedding and funeral officiant. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, LA, she graduated from the University of Wyoming. An avid kayaker, boater and runner, Leslie lives in Linden with her husband, Ellie the cat and three dogs: Bear, Gus and Lucy.

VOLATILE MARKETS COULD BRING OPPORTUNITIES

BY JOEL P. LAGORE CFP® AIF® LINE

Gas prices are spiraling upward, in ation is higher than it’s been since the 1980s, and both the stock and bond markets are signi cantly in negative territory since the beginning of the year. Russia doesn’t seem to be lightening up on whatever quest they are on in Ukraine, and the Federal Reserve has been backed into a corner and is being forced to raise interest rates to slow our already slowing economy to curb in ation. It seems like a perfect storm and that the U.S. is staring down the barrel of an inevitable recession.

Warren Bu et, 91-year-old investment guru and leader of Berkshire Hathaway, says “Opportunities come infrequently. When it rains gold, put out the bucket, not the thimble.” What I believe he is speaking to is the practice of putting money to work when things seem to be at a good value. Not all of us have the educational experience and time to research corporate balance sheets and strategic management plans like Bu et and his team; but I want to share one way that common investors like you and me can make the market volatility work in our favor.

e strategy many investors use and many savers are already doing without realizing it is called Dollar Cost Averaging. Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) money into the market is the strategy of making systematic purchases over a speci c time period. In theory, during volatile times some of your purchases cost more, but some may also cost less. e bene ts of putting money to work over a speci c time period in equal increments are many – one being that it helps remove emotion from an investment strategy. If an investor decides to take $10,000 from their bank and instructs their nancial rm to put $1,000 to work on the rst of the month over the next ten months, it can help to smooth out returns when the market is volatile, therefore preventing an investor from being overly emotional during market downturns. Over the long term, this type of strategy could very well work to the investor’s favor, putting money to work systematically while the market is down, potentially allowing them to buy more shares of their investment at a lower cost than if they had put all the money to work at one time.

Many people implement Dollar Cost Averaging without realizing it. A systematic payroll deduction going into your 401k is, in essence, DCA. If you consistently put away $200 per paycheck, you have likely bought shares when the market was rising, but you very well could have been adding to that same position when the market was at a lower price point, allowing you to pick up more shares than before. DCA is in no way a failsafe for not losing money, and can also work against the investor. In a sustained bull market moving rapidly higher, a systematic purchase into a strategy could lead to you only buying shares at a higher value. So to be fair and balanced, this type of strategy is better utilized only when the market is in a period of lower prices often caused by a slowing economy or poor economic data. e hope of a DCA strategy is that systematic, equal purchases of market-related funds will smooth out returns in a volatile or downward moving market.

If you have money sitting in the bank earning very little interest, the 8.3% in ation rate (reported in June) is slowly eating away at your spending power. It may be a good time to talk to your nancial advisor about getting that money working in a more growth-oriented fashion. Dollar Cost Averaging into the markets over a period of time may be a strategy to consider.

We hope you all had a fantastic Independence Day celebration and didn’t have to burn much gasoline to get where you were going. God Bless America! And God Bless the readers of My City Magazine. ®

Joel P. LaGore, Certified Financial Planner and partner with OLV Investment Group, focuses on money management. Joining the Downtown Flint revitalization effort, his office is located in The Durant at 607 E. Second Ave., Suite 100. Joel and his wife Sonya are raising two daughters in Flushing, where he enjoys philanthropic pursuits in his local community, in Flint at large and in Genesee County.

MY DOWNTOWN

Another great addition to the museum is a more spacious lobby designed to be rented by the public for weddings, private parties and receptions. Why not get married under the stars at the Planetarium and then party the night away in the lobby of Sloan? e new Sloan makes it all possible. e lobby also holds a roomier gift shop and for the rst time ever, food service. e Co ee Beanery café will be on hand to provide food options for lunch and parties.

e new Sloan Museum has been brought to you by grants and donations from foundations, businesses, individuals and the State of Michigan, totaling $30 million. Major supporters include General Motors, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Hagerman Foundation.

“ e museum was designed with the purpose of keeping visitors engaged and inspired to learn,” says Anne Mancour. “We want to keep people excited about new things and new possibilities for the future.”

For space rental opportunities and more information, please visit sloanlongway.org.

Arts and Culture Millage funding helps support operating and program expenses and allows for FREE GENERAL ADMISSION for all Genesee County residents, excluding all future traveling exhibitions. ®

I Was There ...

BY CHERYL DENNISON

e monthof June marked the 50th anniversary of Watergate, a major political scandal that occurred in 1972 when Richard Nixon was president. I watched all of the news about the anniversary with interest – because during that time, I was working at the White House as a secretary for the speech writers. I was there, witnessing rst-hand without even realizing it that history was being made!

e scandal began after a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 1972. What followed was a cover-up by persons who worked for or with the White House, and by President Nixon himself. On August 9, 1974, likely facing impeachment for his role in the coverup, Nixon became the only U.S. president to resign the o ce.

At the time, I was the secretary for two of Nixon’s speech writers, Aram Bakshian and Ben Stein. I would often eld telephone calls made by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to the Director of the Speechwriting Sta , David Gergen. Woodward and Bernstein did extensive investigation and reporting on Watergate and were best known for uncovering the scandal. I was always told to say that Gergen was unavailable – and I really did not know why.

In my early twenties at the time, I was very naive and never really understood the seriousness of the situation. I was often given envelopes to deliver to the President’s sta , some of whom were involved in the scandal. Written on the envelopes was the message “For your eyes only.”

Perhaps one of the biggest mysteries of Watergate was the identity of “Deep roat”– the anonymous source who fed leaks to Woodward

“You must pursue this investigation of Watergate even if it leads to the president. I’m innocent. You’ve got to believe I’m innocent. If you don’t, take my job.”

—Richard M. Nixon

and Bernstein. One of my co-workers and I spent our lunch hours trying to gure out who it could possibly be. irty years later, the source’s identity was revealed to be the FBI Director, Mark Felts.

I enjoyed the movie “All the President’s Men,” a political dramathriller about Watergate. e movie was based on the book written by Woodward and Bernstein, which gained recent attention because of Watergate’s 50th anniversary.

“Gas Lit”, a recent mini-series, also gained my attention recently. Starring Julia Roberts, the series highlights the Watergate scandal through the life of Martha Mitchell, the wife of Nixon’s Attorney General, John Mitchell. She was said to have been the rst person to sound the alarm on Nixon’s involvement in the scandal.

e day Nixon resigned is one I will never forget. Just prior to the o cial announcement, David Gergen took the entire speechwriting sta out to lunch and told us that Nixon would be resigning, that we no longer had jobs. At that point, I truly knew history was being made – the rst U.S. president to resign.

As I was packing boxes and preparing to leave my o ce, Aram Bakshian informed me that Gerald Ford had asked him to remain on sta to help with a smooth transition. Bakshian asked me to stay, too ... but that’s another story altogether.

As I grew older, I began to understand the signi cance of the Watergate scandal. In the words of Leon Jaworski: “From Watergate we learned what generations before us have known; our Constitution works. And during the Watergate years it was interpreted again so as to rea rm that no one – absolutely no one – is above the law.” ®

As his hobby developed, Hill began to build other science ction staples. One of his most successful (only two left!) is his line of ray guns – each with a name and registered atomizing power. “Ray guns are a di erent animal and at rst I didn’t have any idea how to build one,” he states. “It’s something I always wanted to do.”

Disclaimer: All ray guns have been deactivated and power cells drained to avoid any unfortunate accidents. See website for details.

Electro Art Works also creates Saucerbots (constructed from computer hard drives and CDs), Rocketbots (mostly made from discarded hairspray canisters), robotic animals (including dogs, cats, rabbits, roosters and others) and Robot Heads. Hill will also, from time to time, use his skills to build non-science ction pieces such as water towers, “electro- sh” and others.

Hill cherishes each and every creation equally and takes pride in making sure they nd good homes. “I’m retired and this is all I do now,” he smiles, “and new ideas come to me every day. My favorite piece is always the next one.”

If you are interested in what pieces Hill o ers for purchase, visit the Electro Art Works Facebook and Instagram pages for his most up-to-date and available creations, or visit Art at the Market at the Flint Farmers’ Market where Hill displays his works. For online price and availability inquiries, please email andy7714@comcast.net. To view past Andybots and other creations and learn their stories, visit electroartworks.com.

That concludes this episode of the Electro Art Works Radio Hour featuring Andy Hill! Will Earth survive? Can our hero find the support he needs to triumph over the Martian invaders? Will you join the fight? Will our hero wear a cool helmet? Find out next time in Episode Two: “Rockets Away!” ®

Canada, Remembered

BY ALEXANDRIA NOLAN

Recently, my son turned four years old. As with most parents, I would guess, it was strange to sit back and consider where the time had gone. Sometimes, it feels like he was born only last week – and then I see the walking, talking, running, storytelling, joke-cracking silly little snuggler before me and I am forced to reckon with the passage of time.

So much has changed since he was born, and not just in him. Sure, he has grown; but we’ve also lost a pet, traveled far and wide and moved back to the United States from Canada in that time. So, it was on this latest birthday that I remembered where we were four years ago, and how life has changed since then.

Calgary Foothills Hospital is about as vintage-looking as a hospital can be while continuing to be operational. In fact, it would make a great backdrop for a TV series set in the 1960s or ‘70s. Out the windows though, the Canadian Rockies stand sentinel in the distance. It’s quite a sight to take in while holding a newborn in a hospital bed. Something actually majestic about the experience, that brand-newness coupled with the timelessness of the landscape.

It was those same mountains that became my son’s very rst adventure. We drove up for the day several times in those rst months, before passports had come in and we were all just getting to know each other as a family. We drove to Ban and Lake Louise. We drove to Moraine Lake with our one-week-old drowsing in a baby carrier, all of us sleepy, exhausted, newly-born as a family. Canada and Alberta, speci cally, were our whole world.

at rst summer passed in a blur. It was bright and warm and sunshine- lled one moment, and then suddenly it was October and already snowing. In Calgary, the green months are lush and vibrant but short – only ranging from June to the end of September before

winter steals back in wearing thick, heavy boots, clomping back into the trees and freezing the roads.

I remember the cold. Cold unlike any cold I’ve ever felt. A Michigan winter is like springtime compared to that cold. Cold so deep that it settles like frost in your blood and ice in your bones. And always, the mountains. e Rocky Mountains and the impressive peaks, snow-covered, pine-covered, goat-covered. Calgary city is lled with enormous jackrabbits just hopping along the shopping street, actually terrifying to behold due to their size. Small bunnies, too, swell in the parks around the city 20-30 strong in a glance. Packs of Canadian geese converge near the downtown like rival gangs, honking loudly and menacing passers-by. ey are generally unlikable and can be a nuisance if you need to pass a group of them, especially when pushing a baby buggy.

Calgary appears as a city that should not be, in the same way that Las Vegas shouldn’t exist – a city in the desert. Or Houston, a city in a swamp. But Calgary is a city in the mountains, surrounded by mountains, existing despite nature’s best wishes. It is cold, so uncompromisingly cold for much of the year, and yet it is so beautiful. Even for someone who prefers green pine forests and the Great Lakes, it is undoubtedly lovely, awe-inspiring, almost poetry.

So it is that Canada I am taken back to, four years after my son was born and two and a half since we moved back to the U.S. A place and a time that seems within grasp and yet is rmly relegated to the past. A week ago, four years ago, a lifetime ago, and yet it exists in my memory, just as it was. ®

Alexandria Nolan is a misplaced Michigander living in Houston, TX with her husband, three pets and toddler son. She is a published author and contributor to various online and print publications, including a lifestyle blog, AlexandriaNolan.com. When not writing, she is reading, traveling, or reading about traveling.

MY MUSIC

Braun has simultaneously pursued excellence in furniture building and music which has served him well ever since the pandemic began curtailing his touring schedule. It has still not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

“It became important to increase my income from furniture building when the gigs started drying up and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the response,” he says.

Braun also began a series of Facebook Live webcasts entitled “Live from the B Hive” from his living room eight days after Michigan’s rst coronavirus case was reported. Some viewers left tips via PayPal.

Paul Keller expects Braun’s musical growth to continue, even after decades on stage.

“Mr. B is always searching for the next great song to learn and actively working on his next awesome original composition,” he says. “Mark’s original music resonates with people because his songs have a bluesy earthiness that everyone can relate to. ey also contain interesting compositional ideas beyond the blues that keep listeners and performers engaged and excited.”

e remainder of 2022 will be busy for Braun, who married wife Wendy in the winter wonderland of Porcupine Mountains State Park in January. He will continue performing before having both of his knees replaced and intends to recover in time to play a series of long-postponed concerts in the western U.S. this fall. Next year, he hopes to nally perform in Europe again. ®

My Can’t Miss List

Flint City Bucks vs. Ann Arbor FC

Atwood Stadium

7.8.2022

Flint City AFC vs. Louisville FC

Atwood Stadium

7.9.2022

Flint Alley Fest

Buckham & Brush Alleys

7.9.2022

Terry Lee Goffee

Johnny Cash Tribute

Clio Area Amphitheater

7.12.2022

Kin Faux

The Machine Shop 7.21.2022

Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow

The Machine Shop 7.22.2022

Mid-East Festival

Our Lady of Lebanon Catholic Church 7.22-24.2022

SHOUT! – Beatles Tribute

Clio Area Amphitheater 7.26.2022

Monty Python’s “Spamalot!”

Fenton Village Playhouse Theatre 7.14-31.2022

Flint City Bucks vs. Midwest United

Atwood Stadium

7.16.2022

The Rockshow Tribute to the ‘80s

Clio Area Amphitheater

7.19.2022

Flint Jazz Festival Riverbank Park 7.29-31.2022

Persuasion – Motown Revue

Clio Area Amphitheater 8.2.2022

Creed Fisher

The Machine Shop 8.5.2022

See you there!

CHANGE the COURSE of the WORLD

BY PETER HINTERMAN

Areyou ready to jump? On July 20, at 7:39am and 13 seconds (EDT), it is planned for everyone in the entire world to jump simultaneously with the goal of changing Earth’s orbit slightly to abate climate change.

Now, obviously, humans jumping in unison will do nothing to a ect Earth’s orbit; but that’s not the point. e point is to spread awareness about climate change and to prove that we can work together to achieve a common outcome. World Jump Day was started in 2006 by German artist Torsten Lauschmann, and in that rst year he claimed to have over 600 million registered jumpers on his now-defunct website. e day has been celebrated every year since.

e goal is for everyone to jump at the scheduled time – but if you miss it, the day can be celebrated in numerous ways. One could jump rope or on a

trampoline, do jumping jacks, jump o a diving board and more. As long as you can get airborne in some way, it counts. Just have fun with it!

What will happen if everyone truly does jump and land in unison? Will we feel it? Will it make a di erence in any way? Will it prove that people of the world can actually work together as one to tackle a problem such as climate change, racism or war? Would it act as a rst step? ere is only one way to nd out.

So, at 7:39 am and 13 seconds on July 20, why not give a little hop while you get ready for work, make breakfast and begin your day. If you’re not a morning person, maybe set your alarm for 7:39am, get up, wait 13 seconds, jump (maybe give yourself more time to stretch rst) and lie back down. You never know what we can achieve if we try.

READY … SET … JUMP! ®