MCM November 2022 Digital Edition

FROM THE PUBLISHER

DEAR READERS,

At the time of this writing, we’re enjoying a lovely “Second Summer” – a blessing for those of us not quite ready for the white stu˜ . Of course this is Michigan so by the time you read this, we could have snow on the ground, just in time for ° anksgiving.

November starts the holiday season and it is also Adoption Awareness Month. We have the story of a young, local couple who created a happy family that includes two adopted boys – so inspiring. Read about the DeLorenzo family on p.8.

Gracing our cover is Gwen Pennyman-Hemphill, a talented singer and actor who started entertaining Flint audiences back in the ‘70s. She has quite an interesting musical pedigree; her story starts on p.22. ° e photos of Gwen were taken at the New McCree ° eatre, which is highlighted in our “My Arts” feature. ° ey have settled into their home on Clio Road and recently announced upcoming productions; if you’re an aspiring actor, they’re looking for you! Check it out starting on p.18.

Aspiring to greatness in the sport of golf – and succeeding big time – is Grand Blanc High School senior, Kate Brody. Last month, she added a second Division 1 state title to a long list of achievements and will continue her golf career at the University of Wisconsin. Her story starts on p.40.

A story that began many years ago is highlighted in a “My History” piece (p.50). Podunk House & Pioneer Museum is located less than a mile from my home in Fenton Township and I must admit that for years, I didn’t know it was there! ° e house was built in 1836 by the area’s ÿ rst settler and his family has worked to preserve it … well, you can read the rest!

A round-up of the ÿ nal fall “Haps” starts on p.58. It’s time for holiday events to commence and My City will be there!

Also in this issue is an annual section highlighting many of Greater Flint’s charitable organizations. ° e “Season of Giving” has begun and local citizens are in need. Perhaps you’re unfamiliar with the missions of these various groups and how they help so many. Take a look at My City Cares (p.80-102) and if you are able, consider supporting their e˜ orts.

I thank you for reading and wish you a blessed ° anksgiving!

PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR

Sherron Barden

ASSISTANT EDITOR / WRITER

Peter Hinterman

STAFF WRITER

Cheryl Dennison

FREELANCE WRITER

Mark Spezia

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Erin Caudell

Dr. Christopher Douglas

Vera Hogan

Marc Janca, AIF

Alexandria Nolan

Leslie Toldo

Shannon White

ART & DESIGN

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Hailey Worrell

PHOTOGRAPHY

Katy Kildee

OPERATIONS

ACCOUNTING/CIRCULATION

Kim Davis

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Dan Garman

SALES

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Terese Allen

14165 FENTON RD. FENTON, MI 48430 810.230.1783 ˝ MYCITYMAG.COM

ISSN#1559-3436 is published monthly by My City Magazine, Inc., 14165 Fenton Rd. Fenton, MI 48430. Canadian Mail Agreement #41971515. For back issues, inquire for availability. Editorial Correspondence: Address product information and inquiries to: Editorial Department, My City Magazine, 14165 Fenton Rd. Fenton, MI 48430, phone 810.230.1783. To authors, photographers, and people featured in this publication: All materials, articles, reports and photographs in this publication are the property of My City Magazine and cannot be used without written permission. ˜ 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 ÿ 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.

COBER PHOTO BY KATY KILDEE

The Best Thing in the World

The DeLorenzo Family

BY PETER HINTERMAN PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CODY DELORENZO

Cody and Shannon DeLorenzo have no idea how it all started.

“We both knew what we wanted to do and, honestly, I don’t think either one of us remembers when we took the ÿ rst step,” says Cody. “We both knew we wanted to be foster parents.” After they married in 2018, they got ready to begin the process. “Shannon was

Lamar

working as a foster care licensing manager, so we kind of knew what to expect. We started getting our house set up immediately,” recalls DeLorenzo. ° ey reached out to a friend in Clio who put them in touch with a local organization as the ÿ rst step in achieving their foster care license. “We were interviewed, had to provide income statements, and undergo a home visit that included measuring our rooms and

“Lamar came to us when he was ÿ ve years old,” states DeLorenzo. “It was just after Christmas, so we celebrated it with him in January. He loved it – he loves getting presents, that’s for sure!” ° ings went smoothly but after a time, Lamar began to be triggered more frequently as he struggled with his past and his emotions. “° ere is always a ‘honeymoon period’ when things are great but after a while, reality sets in,” says DeLorenzo. “You never know what is going to happen

everything,” he adds. “° e process can take three to six months.”

During that time, the couple had to complete pre-licensure training in which they learned about traumas and triggers and how to adjust to a bevy of kids’ personalities and challenges. Each potential foster household gets to set parameters as to what child they would want to live in their home. “At ÿ rst, we told the agency that we were open for anyone,” DeLorenzo remembers, “but since we were a young couple, it was recommended that we narrow the ÿ eld a little, especially when it came to physical disabilities. ° e agency wanted us to be successful and we listened to them. We limited it to age 17 or younger and with no extreme physical impairment.” It is not uncommon for foster placement to happen immediately after the parents receive their license and for the DeLorenzo family, things moved quickly. Today, Cody and Shannon are the parents of two adopted boys: Lamar (age 9) and Jayden (age 15).

until you are knee-deep in it. We were ready for it and learned through training how to deal with what can happen.” Lamar began to lash out, especially at school. It got to the point where DeLorenzo had to move his work to a room in the school so Lamar could have a chance to visit him when he needed to settle down. “He was just a sad kid but all of a sudden, a switch ˛ ipped and, with the help of his teacher Mrs. Holland, he started to excel. Now he loves school and this year, he begged us

to send him to summer school to be with his friends.” Lamar quickly became one of the family and the DeLorenzos decided to pursue adoption. It took four frustrating years after Lamar ÿ rst came into their home to ÿ nalize the process. “Each kid has a di˜ erent set of variables,” says DeLorenzo. “We never really doubted ourselves or the process, but we did worry about how we would handle it if Lamar were to leave us down the road. We felt that he was a part of our family.”

Jayden

“We didn’t really have a plan for adopting or fostering another child after Lamar,” explains DeLorenzo. “We wanted to make sure he got all the focus he needed; but then, I met Jayden.” DeLorenzo was working

“Don’t be scared. If you are thinking of adopting or fostering, do it. It’s the best thing in the world.”

Cody DeLorenzo

at Whaley Children’s Center when he bonded with then-12-year-old Jayden. At the time, they both had long hair and when Jayden asked DeLorenzo to help him put his into a bun, they became friends. “It’s funny because I was 24 at the time and so, I was only 12 years older than Jayden. We are friends, but I am also his father and I have to play that card from time to time,” he laughs. Still, when Shannon and Cody got together and talked about maybe fostering and adopting Jayden, they had to consider what that would mean for Lamar. “We deÿ nitely prayed and thought about it but when we brought Jayden home, they got along great. Lamar really looks up to Jayden,” adds DeLorenzo. In order to adopt Jayden, Cody had to leave his job at Whaley Children’s Center and after 18 months, Jayden was o˝ cially part of the family.

The Family

Today, Lamar and Jayden are thriving. “Before he lived with us, I’m not sure Jayden had ever passed a class in school and now he is on the honor roll,” states DeLorenzo proudly. “Shannon and I never thought we wouldn’t have biological kids but today, we are content with the family we have. When we started, our goal was not to adopt but to provide a safe home for the kids for as long as they needed it.” As it turns out, what the two kids needed was a family and the DeLorenzos couldn’t be happier. As a show of appreciation and to help other kids in foster care, they hope to raise $100,000 for Whaley Children’s Center through a 100-mile foot race challenge to take place in 2023. “I want to help kids in foster care and to show Jayden and Lamar that we can do the hard stu˜ to make something great happen.”

Jayden and Lamar are a success story that not many kids in foster care get to experience. Many will end up living a life of abuse, homelessness, mental health problems and sickness. One piece of advice DeLorenzo would like to give to a couple looking to become foster parents or to adopt is to not be afraid to adopt an older child. “° e average age of adoption is below six years of age,” he informs. “Every year a child ages, the less chance they have of being adopted. For those who age out of foster care, only 4% go onto graduate college and only 18% even graduate high school. ° ey truly do not need much beyond love and support. Our goal was, and still is, to keep it simple, be healthy and be as happy as possible. Don’t be scared. If you are thinking of adopting or fostering, do it. It’s the best thing in the world.”

To Change a Child’s Life

The thought of becoming a foster parent or adopting a child can be intimidating. There is no real way to know what may come your way but by taking the first step, you truly could become the hero you have always dreamed of being and, more importantly, you could change a young person’s life for the better. So, where do you start?

“The first thing to do is contact the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services and inquire about foster parent training,” explains Mindy Williams, President & CEO of Whaley Children’s Center. “They can walk you through what you need to do and get you in touch with other organizations to start the licensing process for your home.” The next step is to attend an orientation and complete the license application. Potential foster parents must then complete 20-25 hours of training. “Every foster child has experienced their own level of trauma,” adds Williams.

“The first trauma is the removal from their family and that reoccurs each time they are moved from one family to another. It’s common for kids to have been in 1012 different places before they arrive at Whaley. Always remember that what they have experienced is never their fault. The behavior of some children is not going to be perfect. You have to learn to go with the flow and with learned coping skills, adjust to them and work with them.”

The next step toward licensure is to pass an on-site home evaluation. The agency you selected will meet with your family several times in your home for interviews. Once your license is activated, you may receive your first child placement in a matter of days.

Adoption can be the next step if desired, and comes with its own set of hurdles. “There will be a lot of red tape and hoops to jump through,” adds Williams, “and the rights of the biological parents

“To see kids open up to the idea that they can be liked and loved is one of the best things you will ever see.” Mindy Williams

must be surrendered or terminated, which can take a lot of time. Don’t give up!”

If you stick with the process, something great will happen for your family and for the child placed in your home. In the U.S., an estimated 437,000 children are in foster care with 69,000 living in group homes, and at any point in time, approximately 1.5 million children are waiting to be adopted. That’s 1.5 million kids without families, without support, without love and without hope. Fostering or adopting takes a lot of commitment but the result, as stated by Cody Delorenzo, can be the best thing in the world. “You are giving a child a second chance at hope,” says Williams. “To see kids open up to the idea that they can be liked and loved is one of the best things you will ever see. You never know – the first time a child will experience Christmas may be with you, in your home. They will remember what you have done for them and the traditions you hand down. You are changing a child’s life forever.”

To start your journey toward being a foster parent to a child in need, call 855-MICHKIDS, or visit michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-childserv/foster-care.

Living UNITED

UWGC Celebrates 100 Years of Giving

BY CHERYL DENNISON

A nonprofit health and human service organization, the United Way of Genesee County is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

According to CEO Jamie Gaskin, volunteers govern the United Way organization, their annual campaign, and how donations are shared with community partners. In conjunction with other organizations throughout the community, they work to develop effective solutions to community issues, reaching people from all walks of life and all income groups. “We use teaspoon philanthropy,” Gaskin explains. “We have 1,000 various local employees who take dollars from their paychecks to help others and support 200 different programs.”

Gaskin, who has been the CEO of the organization for nine years, says there are a number of families in Genesee County who can’t meet their basic needs. “And it’s not just in the city of Flint,” he reports. “It affects the entire county.” Statistics show that families from all over – Clio, Davison – are struggling, and in Fenton 40 percent of the families are struggling to meet basic needs. “First, it was the pandemic and now people can’t keep up with the rate of inflation.”

United Way works with core community partners that include the United Auto Workers and General Motors. “People who make a wage want to help others,” he notes. “It’s about people helping other people. Thousands of people giving a tiny bit can collectively help others.”

The UWGC has been celebrating United Way’s 100 years of service. They partnered with the Flint Institute of Music

UWGC CEO JAMIE GASKIN AND UAW LABOR LIAISON, TERESA MCGINNIS.

United Way’s core community partners include the United Auto Workers and GM.

(FIM) and The Capitol Theatre for an October performance by the Isley Brothers. “It was a way for our community to celebrate with music,” Gaskin says. Net proceeds benefited both United Way and FIM community programming. In addition, residents of Genesee and Shiawassee Counties can enjoy United Way Free Weekends at both the Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium.

Leading UWGC is a volunteer board of directors committed to ensuring that the organization’s financial and personnel resources are invested in ways that make the greatest positive impact on the lives of people in Genesee and Shiawassee Counties. The Board is composed of 20 local community leaders from diverse backgrounds who meet quarterly, with various engagement activities held in between.

IN 1949, THE RED FEATHER ORGANIZATION WAS STARTED TO “ACT AS AN UMBRELLA OVER THE COMMUNITY CHEST AND THE UNITED HEALTH AND WELFARE FUND IN GENESEE COUNTY.

“Our goal is to help 100,000 people every year, ” Gaskin states. “We reach out, hand out, and help make people’s lives better.”

History of United Way of Genesee County

UWGC first came into existence in 1922 as the Flint Community Chest. Throughout its beginning years, money was disbursed through the Flint Community Fund, the United Health and Welfare Fund and the Community Chest.

In 1949, the Red Feather Organization was started to “act as an umbrella over the Community Chest and the United Health and Welfare Fund in Genesee County.” At the time, the organization included 48 agencies.

From 1952 through 1960, 11 community funds in Genesee County joined the Red Feather family and in 1964, Lapeer

UNITED WAY USES A “THERMOMETER” SIGN TO ENCOURAGE DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

“Thousands of people giving a tiny bit can collectively help others.”

Jamie Gaskin, CEO

County, with six community chests, joined the organization.

A new name for the Red Feather transformed the organization into the United Fund of Genesee and Lapeer Counties in 1970. At that time, United Way was still a closed system that raised and distributed funds for a set group of agencies.

CREATING IMPACT

$1,161,755 invested in Basic Needs programs 75% of program participants earned job-relevant certificates and/or credentials. 231 foster children received a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

78% of program participants increased their disposable income.

18,985 calls were made to UWGC’s 211 resource and referral line.

6,931 individuals transitioned from emergency shelter to more permanent housing.

As community needs grew, it became increasingly apparent that the United Way could not be the sole support for a select few agencies; no longer could United Way raise money on the “give once for all” philosophy. The shift was reflected in the new name that the organization adopted in 1975, when it became the United Way of Genesee and Lapeer Counties.

Today, United Way of Genesee County works in partnership with funders, human service agencies, educational institutions, health care providers and other groups to provide vital services for children and families. The independent community agency is governed by its own local volunteer Board of Trustees. “We judge our success not by the dollars raised, but by the number of people we have helped”, Gaskin concludes.

BY PETER HINTERMAN PHOTOGRPAHY BY KATY KILDEE

Since1976, Charles Winfrey has been passionate about the McCree ˜ eatre. “I got addicted to the creativity and the artform,” he admits. “You have to experience it to truly appreciate it.” Founded in 1970, the “old” McCree ˜ eatre was born from the Genesee County Model Cities Program and named after Flint’s ÿ rst African American Mayor, Floyd McCree. ˜ e original concept ran in Flint until 1989. In 2004, the “New” McCree ˜ eatre opened with the same commitment to excellence and with the new mission “to tell the African American Story in the African American Voice.”

“˜ ere are so many stories to tell about our history that many people haven’t heard,” adds Winfrey, “and we have so much talent in Flint.” ˜ e theatre has excelled at showing musicals, dramas, comedies, concerts and more. “Our musicals always pack the house,” says

Home at Last The New McCree Theatre

actress and Marketing Director, Pat Scott-Hill. Since its rebirth, there was just one constant, nagging problem – the theatre never really had a home. Instead, shows were opened in a multitude of places such as New Standard Academy, Northwestern High, local churches and others. “We were at the mercy of the space we were in,” explains Winfrey. “It made it very hard to plan a season and when the pandemic started, we were homeless.”

Backed by the Genesee County Arts Education and Cultural Enrichment Millage, the theatre still had a chance to continue, but it needed a stage. Even then, Winfrey had his doubts. “Of course, I thought about possibly shutting it down,” he says, “but we were still supported by the millage. It kept us going.” ˜ e theatre was able to raise and retain funding and when a church located on Clio Road went on the market,

Winfrey jumped at the chance. ˜ e New McCree ˜ eatre, located at 4601 Clio Rd., opened to the public in September 2021.

˜ e home of the New McCree ˜ eatre o° ers everything Winfrey and company dreamed of and perhaps more. ˜ e building provides space for dedicated dressing rooms, a green room for guests and performers, a dance room, warehouse for set design and construction, concessions, a box o˛ ce and full theatre – complete with plush seating. It presented an opportunity to do more and Winfrey, cast and crew took advantage. ˜ ey opened this season with their ÿ rst-ever fundraiser “˜ e Summer Soiree” in August and it was a hit. “It was very successful for us,” adds Winfrey. ˜ ey invited prominent African American actors, writers and directors such as Javon Johnson and Woodie King Jr., to speak to aspiring Flint

2022-23 Season

Professional Artist Series: Phil Young and Friends 11.26.22

“Livin’ Fat” – a comedy 12.1-17.22

Black History Film Series: “13th” 1.14.23

Professional Artist Series: Sharon Love Jones 1.21.23

“The Soul of Etta James” – a Musical 2.16-3.4.23

Black History Film Series: “4 Little Girls” 3.18.23

“The Motown Story” – a Musical 5.4-20.23

Black History Film Series: “The Newburgh Sting” 6.17.23

“Theatre is for everybody. Come and see what we do.”

Charles Winfrey

actors as part of a new goal of becoming a springboard for young talent. ˜ e new Black History Film Series showcases national documentaries highlighting current and historical social commentary on the Black and minority experience. ˜ e ÿ rst show of the new season “˜ e Legend of Bass Reeves” was written by Winfrey and highlights the exploits of Bass Reeves, the ÿ rst Black U.S. deputy marshall west of the Mississippi. ˜ e show was a surprise hit and more importantly, raised awareness of an important African American ÿ gure in history. “After the ÿ rst showing, the word got out and the audience started to grow,” says Winfrey. “After each show, people wanted to know more and started asking questions. We even had a few historians in the audience who jumped in with their answers.”

Next up for the theatre is the comedy “Livin’ Fat” which will take the stage in December. In the past, the theatre’s season would begin in September and run through March; however, with the addition of a brand-new air-conditioning unit, the shows can go year-round, according to Winfrey.

Gwen Pennyman-Hemphill Flint’s First Lady of Jazz

BY PETER HINTERMAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATY KILDEE

The club was hoppin’ – the Casablanca in Flint on Industrial Ave. was “the place” to find and experience new singing talent in the ‘70s, especially on open mic night. A singer had just left the stage to raucous applause and waiting in the wings backstage, a teenage girl was about to give her first performance. This would be her third attempt; each previous time she had turned back at the last minute, unsure she could do it. The room was packed. What would they think? Would she be good enough?

She was introduced and taking that first step onto the stage, she knew there was no turning back this time. There she stood, looking out into a sea of faces staring back at her. When the music started, she shut her eyes. She had to – it was the only way. Her song choice that night was “Dr. Feelgood” by Aretha Franklin, and she belted it out with as much soul as she could muster. Her voice was powerful and she hit all the right notes. She opened her eyes to thunderous applause and a stage covered in money! That teenager grew up to live her life on stage, singing all over the state of Michigan both solo and with recording artists such as The Williams Brothers, The Canton Spirituals,

Willie Clayton, The Delfonics and others. Her career led to collaborations with Carvin Winans and a backup stint with Michael McDonald. The singer is Gwen Pennyman-Hemphill and she is Flint’s First Lady of Jazz.

“I was so scared that first night,” Pennyman-Hemphill remembers. “I had flutters in my stomach, just rolling. The only way I could do it was to shut my eyes. When I was done, I was so shocked at what I just did that I forgot to pick up the money the crowd had thrown onto the stage,” she laughed. “Some friends gathered it all up for me.” Pennyman-Hemphill still has a flutter in her stomach every now and then but after a lifetime of performing, singing on stage has gotten to be old hat. “I used to be so shy. I never knew what to say on stage,” she smiles. “Now, I like to tell a story or two before the song to get the audience into it. I feel like singing and performing is something I was born to do.”

For Pennyman-Hemphill growing up, music was unavoidable – it was quite literally in her blood. Her mother, Lucille Briggs, sang with the gospel group The Mighty Bank Sisters with other family members (as she got older, Gwen would be asked to stand in for an aunt here and there) and her cousin,

“I’m asked to sing wherever I go. I always promise just one song, but it always turns into three or four.”

Richard Wayne Penniman, is none other than the late, great Little Richard. Song lived in her family but it also lived in her heart as a child. “I remember when I first fell in love with music,” she says. “I’m not sure how old I was when I heard ‘Gotta Find Me an Angel’ by Aretha Franklin. It was so beautiful. I asked my mother what it was and from then on, all I wanted to do was listen to that song.” It’s the song that got it all started but one she has never performed.

“Maybe someday,” she says with a sigh.

Pennyman-Hemphill never had any “formal” vocal training but growing up with her family, she got everything she needed. “We had big, family dinner rehearsals at the house for The Mighty Bank Sisters,” she remembers. “The whole family was involved.” While attending Beecher High School, she was always in a new musical group, singing different songs with different partners such as Ronnie Moss, who now tours with The Spinners. “One of the teachers there, Mr. Moss, put together the Beecher

Black Arts Festival every year and I would always perform with my classmates,” she explains. “Someday, I would like to get the festival started again.” After graduating in 1974, Pennyman-Hemphill took a job with General Motors working at Fisher Body. That was where she met songwriter, manager and future husband, Lenny Hemphill. “He was working there for about six months before I started,” she says. “He was a songwriter and we bonded around the music. When Lenny finally told me how he felt about me, I told him I wasn’t sure I was ready. He told me that he could wait for me – that’s love.” The two have been together ever since.

As for inspiration, Pennyman-Hemphill names Aretha Franklin as one of her greatest influences, as well as Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Billie Holiday, Etta James and many others. On stage, she sings selections from R&B, theater, gospel and of course, jazz. “There was a time when I only sang gospel songs,” she laughs, “but soon enough,

DREAM MACHINE CURRENTLY OFFERS SIX SMALL-BATCH SPIRITS: BTL RCKT VODKA, TWO WRIGHT’S RUM (SILVER), FLYING BAT RUM (BLACK), SWIFTWALKER GIN (CITRUSY), HOT ROD GIN (PEPPERY) AND AGAVE SPIRIT (AKA TEQUILA WHEN MADE IN MEXICO).

spirits. “It’s state-of-the-art technology,” Ginny adds. For their barrel-aging program, there are twenty 30-gallon oak barrels onsite, and each can produce up to 150 bottles of brandy, rum, whiskey, bourbon and other spirits to be released in the coming months and years.

A lot of thought and care was put into creating the Dream Machine Distillery logo and branding. “We spent a lot of time researching and educating ourselves,” Ginny says, adding that they went with a professional company to design the branding and logos. “We wanted the distillery to have its own brand, one that really resonated with us,” Matt noted.

How did Dream Machine get its name? According to Ginny, everything starts with an idea, what they call a moonshot. “Dream” is the artistic expression of the distillery and “Machine” is the scientific aspect of the name, she explains. The Dream Machine logo features a hot air balloon (the original “flying machine”), representing the simplest machine making the simplest spirits. They also have a logo featuring an airplane which will identify their aged spirits, and the Distillery’s Swiftwalker Gin was

“‘Dream’” is the artistic expression of the distillery and ‘Machine’ is the scientific aspect of the name.”

Ginny Sherrow

named after the first bicycle, the Swift Walker. With the names, one objective was to make people feel something and have the potential to tell a greater story. “Dream Machine is where scientific rigor and artistic expression converge,” Matt explains. “It’s where stories and spirits are only as good as the people we share them with. We engineer small-batch spirits for spirited people.”

Making craft beverages at FWB is a full-time endeavor; Matt oversees a five-member production staff. “We have an outstanding team!” Ginny exclaims, “our Dream Team.” Joe Sirl, who handles sales and marketing, took the reins opening the Cocktail Bar, including creating

recipes and training the service team. One of the cocktails on the menu is called Blood, Sweat & Tears: Hot Rod Gin and FWB’s zesty house-made Bloody Mary mix served over rocks and garnished with a charcuterie skewer (available Saturdays and Sundays only). Flying Solo is Btl Rckt Vodka, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, house-made rosemary syrup, Solo Blackberry Merlot and a splash of tonic. Only the freshest juices and produce are used, and many cocktail ingredients are grown onsite in their indoor and outdoor gardens or locally sourced. The creative libations were tested and approved by the team and regular FWB guests.

According to Matt, the first barrel-aged spirit to be released will be either brandy or rum. All barrel-aged products will feature an airplane label, representing advancement and complexity, he reports. The offerings will soon include a white (un-aged) whiskey, as well. Their first rye whiskey went into a barrel on April 7 of this year. Federal regulations require whiskies (bourbon) to be aged in an oak barrel for not less than two years.

“We engineer small-batch spirits for spirited people.”

Matt Sherrow

The idea for FWB came about for the Sherrows back in 2007 when the couple decided they wanted to open a business closer to their home. “It started as a crazy dream!” Ginny exclaims. And their mission was to be part of their customers’, team members’ and community’s story. Originally a small winery located on Leroy St. in the City of Fenton, it has grown to include a microbrewery and now, a distillery. The award-winning business is located in Fenton Township on North Long Lake Rd. The property includes a public taproom, a dog-friendly outdoor seating area and a separate, full-service wedding and banquet venue. “We host over 100 weddings a year!” Ginny exclaims.

Both Ginny and Matt are very excited about the continued evolution of FWB and have enjoyed the distillery project, alluding to more “moonshots” for them in the future. “Customers tell us stories about how they first met here and later got married,” Ginny states. “That’s why we go to work every day – we want to be a part of your story.”

Local Eats & Drinks

HOTEL TAVERN & GRILL

FENTON WINERY & BREWERY

Time to SHINE! SHINE!

BY SHANNON WHITE

t’s that time of year again ... twinkling lights, holiday music, a feeling of goodwill in the air. There’s so much excitement that comes along with the holiday season – and maybe that includes the arrival of holiday party invitations. While you’re out shopping for others, save some time to pick up something great to wear to that party! SHIFT in Downtown Flint has all your holiday fashion needs covered.

One of our favorite looks for a holiday party is the red dress – the color alone guarantees heads will turn your way! For a simple look, try the Duffield Lane Radcliffe Dress. You can dress it up, but it also would be appropriate for a more casual work party. The long sleeves will keep you from getting chilly, while the ruffle details are on-trend. If demure isn’t your preferred look,

Net 153 Wrap Dress

you might like the fun and flirty Bella Dress by The Clothing Company. The short, ruffled skirt and belted waist make this red dress a holiday winner. But nothing says “holiday dress” more perfectly than the Gretchen Scott Duke of York Dress. This simple sheath silhouette is livened up by a tartan plaid and ruffled collar. If red’s not your favorite, you’re in luck – it comes in green, too!

Typically shy away from bold colors? Don’t worry. The LBD is still a classic, no matter the season! If you choose to wear black, keep it not-so-basic with a fun style like the Lily Dress by Harper Wren.

The halter neckline will show off your shoulders and the asymmetric al hem is perfect for dancing.

The Net 153 Wrap Dress is one that could pull double-duty, going from workday to holiday party.

Just add some shimmering new accessories, like the Black Gold Luxe mixed metallic earrings from Ink + Alloy and the Golden Stella Ball Bracelet set.

So, you’ve got your party dress and your accessories but, Baby – it’s cold outside! Holiday season in Michigan calls for a cozy yet glamorous coat for making a fashionable arrival. A staff favorite at SHIFT is the Patty Kim Sapphire Chevron Faux Fur Coat. Warm and stylish, it’s the perfect topper. Or, try the Black Mink Faux Fur KneeLength Swing Coat by Fabulous Furs. It will go with everything you own!

This holiday season, don’t forget to spoil yourself, too! Stop in at SHIFT and we can help you enjoy the festivities while looking fabulous!

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.

Fabulous Furs Swing Coat

PASSION AND POISE KATE BRODY

Golf Champion

BY MARK SPEZIA

As the crisp coolness of a mid-October afternoon settled over Bedford Valley Golf Club in Battle Creek, Kate Brody stood on a green dotted with colorful fallen leaves lining up what she hoped would be the final shot of an unforgettable high school career.

Dressed in layers, including a team hoodie and stocking cap to combat a chilly, autumn breeze, the Grand Blanc senior was a two-foot putt away from capturing a second Division 1 State Championship.

Brody had begun the day one shot off the lead following the first of two rounds before pulling in front. However, East Kentwood’s Elise Fennell, who carded

KATE WILL CONTINUE HER GOLF CAREER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.

the second round’s top score (70) was closing fast, hoping to at least force a playoff.

Times like these are when Brody’s greatest golf attributes take over.

From an early age, she has been unflappable, focused and composed on the golf course, no matter the situation. Against a backdrop of towering orange and green trees, Brody stepped forward and drained the putt to put the finishing touch on a 145 total for 36 holes and a onestroke victory.

As cheering erupted from her supporters, Brody joined Powers Catholic’s Katie Strawser (Division 3 in 2003 and 2004) as the only Genesee County girls golfers with more than one state title.

“I feel like I accomplished everything I could have hoped for in my high school career. I had an amazing coach and an amazing team every year.”

“That weekend (October 14-15) at the state tournament was everything I had ever hoped for and the feeling after I won was indescribable,” says Brody, also a state titlist in 2020. “I felt so much joy, happiness and a feeling of accomplishment. It meant so much to have so many people there supporting me and sharing the moment.”

Sharing not only the moment with Brody, but also that “championship feeling’’ was her mother Jennifer, a threetime Upper Peninsula State Champion (1990-92) while playing for L’Anse High School, who later became an All-Big Ten performer at Michigan State, Michigan Open winner and LPGA Tour player.

These days, Jennifer manages Brody’s Pro Shop at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club with husband Doug, a Linden native who also serves as Warwick’s head golf pro. Jennifer provides lessons, as well.

“We were certainly confident Kate could win because of how she had played all season; but with golf, so much can happen on any given day,” Jennifer said. “Kate played well all weekend, but it came down to the wire. She held her composure and made shots.”

Along with steely nerves, unmatched consistency was crucial for Brody as she opened with a 73 and followed with

a 72. The two first-round leaders followed 72s with 77s, and all other players finishing in the top five had at least a threestroke difference between their rounds.

“Because of the weather and conditions, I knew that shooting pars was going to win it,” Brody says. “It was cold, windy and somewhat wet, so the course wasn’t playing super-easy. Staying calm, steady and consistent was the key because I was a little nervous on the last two holes. Playing the course three times before in non-high school events really helped, too.”

She started strongly and was three-under-par at one point in round one before a bogey and double-bogey stalled her momentum, but she remained in a good position.

After the opening round, Grand Blanc Coach Glen Bauer and Brody discussed strategy as they traveled to the course for round two.

GLEN BAUER, GRAND BLANC GIRLS VARSITY GOLF COACH

to Embrace the Holiday Season Ways 15

BY PETER HINTERMAN

Well, here we are again ... leaves have fallen, the air is crisp, apples are ready for picking and the holiday season is nearly upon us. It’s this time of year when we start reaching out to family, searching for the perfect Christmas gifts and planning the most scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner the world has yet to taste. Many of us are chomping at the bit to start enjoying the holidays (as best we can). With all of the negativity and angst

flying around, a good holiday season can be a blessing. Let’s all make an effort to really jump into the festivities this year with love and good will. You never know, maybe you will start a new family tradition or experience that lost child-like wonder again.

If you’re feeling a bit “hum-buggy” this year, why not experience a few of these ideas with the family to help jumpstart the spirit.

1

Make a Leaf Album

I know it’s a bit old school, but making a colorful leaf album can be a fun family treasure hunt. Grab the kiddies, throw on a hoodie and get looking. How many different leaves can you find? How many different colors? Set a realistic goal to find certain leaves in certain colors and see what you can do in an afternoon. Have some cider when you’re done; there’s no reason not to!

Build a Scarecrow

2

Build him, name him and display him prominently. Grab one of dad’s old flannels (everybody has one sitting in the back of the closet) and grab a pair of Suzie’s discarded jeans and start packing them with straw, leaves, etc. What does your family’s scarecrow look like? Is it scary or fun? Let the kids decide. Hmmm … what is the best name for a scarecrow?

It’s Chili Time!

3

Fall is the very best time for making chili. Set the slow-cooker in the morning and when early evening rolls around, it’ll be ready to enjoy. Pull on a warm sweatshirt and sit out on the porch or in the backyard with your bowl of spicy goodness and watch the beauty of the falling leaves. Be content in the moment.

4

Knit a Scarf or a Sweater

Knitting is a hobby for everyone: man, woman or child. If you don’t know how, take a local class or teach yourself via the internet. If you could, what would you make? What color or pattern would it be? You could knit your own Christmas stockings to hang over the fireplace, make a small but warm (and cute) hat, or go full-on sweater. Once you have imagined your final product, go make it happen!

Make Your Own Candied or Caramel Apples

One caveat: You have to pick your own apples! This is a family adventure that could easily become a yearly tradition. Head out to your local orchard (Greater Flint has some beautiful ones), pick a basket of apples, and then head home to start the process. It’s remarkably simple and immediately rewarding. Remember to set aside enough apples to bake a scrumptious apple pie.

5

Podunk House & Pioneer Museum

“Preserve

HYesterday, Honor Today, Plan Tomorrow”

BY CHERYL DENNISON

ewett Judson, a longtime teacher at Lake Fenton High School, along with his sister Phyllis Judson Heusted, has worked hard to preserve the Judson family’s history. He is the treasurer for the Pioneer Memorial Association of Fenton & Mundy Townships and Heusted is the secretary/editor. ° e group’s goal is to preserve the history of both townships. And it all started in 1836 when Podunk House was built by Judson’s great-great grandfather, George Judson. After purchasing acreage in Mundy Township,

he was the ÿ rst to settle in that area and then founded a village called Podunk, which was located east of Torrey Rd. between Ray and Baldwin Rds. “He diverted water from Lake Fenton (then called Long Lake) and built a gristmill,” Judson informs. It was believed to have been named Podunk after Chippewa Indians in the area heard the mill wheel hitting the water and making a “po-dunk … po-dunk” sound. Also, the word podunk was historically used to describe a place that was in “the middle of nowhere.”

PODUNK HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1836 BY THE AREA’S FIRST SETTLER, GEORGE JUDSON. THE HOUSE IS COMPLETELY FURNISHED WITH ITEMS DONATED BY AREA FAMILIES.

According to Judson, Podunk House was the second oldest dwelling in Genesee County. In the 1850s, Podunk residents tried to have the railroad come through their village, but it was routed through Fenton instead. “I think Colonel Fenton had something to do with where the train was going through,” Judson notes. “In 1875, Podunk became a ghost town when the water supply was cut o˜ ,” Heusted adds.

° e house was then relocated to property at the corner of Torrey and Ray Rds. and was the home of John and Frances Judson for many years. Mr. and Mrs. William Watson then purchased the property from the Judson heirs and lived in it for many years. After the Watson family built a new home, Podunk House was deeded to Clarence Miller, Russell Judson and Harvey Swanebeck.

Dakota to get the bu˜ alo meat and bring it back for the dinners,” Judson remembers.

Hewett Judson became involved in the Association in 1970 and Heusted has been part of the e˜ orts since 1967. “I have always been interested in history,” she says.

In 1967, George H. Judson (Hewett’s father) established the Pioneer Memorial Association of Fenton & Mundy Townships (a non-proÿ t organization) to preserve Podunk House and save it from demolition. In 1968, the house was moved to its current site at 2436 N. Long Lake Rd. in Fenton Township after a great deal of fundraising that included hosting bu˜ alo dinners held at the Mundy Township Hall. “My dad (George) traveled to South

In 1970, the Pioneer Association hosted the ÿ rst Pioneer Day Picnic & Festival, their largest fundraiser, which always takes place in September on the ÿ rst Saturday after Labor Day. On Pioneer Day, visitors enjoy tours of the house – which is also a museum – as well as a bake sale, children’s games and musical entertainment. Local Boy Scout troops perform the ˝ ag-raising and lowering. ° e event typically attracts 150-200 attendees. “We saw a lot more new people this year,” Heusted reports, “they never even realized it was here.”

LEAH DUMAS LOOKS AT A SCRAPBOOK IN THE PIONEER MUSEUM.

“We want to preserve the history of the area for future generations.” Hewett Judson

According to Heusted, a new building was constructed in 1975 next to the Podunk House where additional artifacts are stored, such as items from the old passenger boat “City of Flint” including the steering wheel, a life buoy and a foghorn. Families in the area have donated farm tools, photos from one-room school houses and other antiquities. ˜ e Association recently started a collection from Lake Fenton Schools that includes yearbooks, a megaphone, school pictures and books. ˜ ere is also a collection of Native American artifacts donated by Ed Whalen who was descended from Indians and very proud of his heritage. ˜ e Podunk House, itself, is completely furnished with donated items and still has the original wood plank ° oor. In the parlor, you will see an antique pump organ and harp guitar.

Also located on the property is an old cemetery and in 1977, the Long Branch Cemetery Monument was installed that displays the names of 14 people believed to be buried there, according to Judson.

Heusted says fundraising e˛ orts have allowed for other improvements to the historic site: a large pavilion for square dancers and picnic tables, a stage for musical entertainers, installation of a working windmill, a storage building, new sidewalks, o˝ cial ° ag retirement area and a cupola that was once part of the original one-room Mundy School House.

˜ e Pioneer Association is funded by membership fees, donations and fundraising projects. ˜ e Fenton Township

(TOP, L-R) GEORGE HULET JUDSON AND HEWITT RUSSELL JUDSON ARE FOURTH-GENERATION DESCENDANTS OF PODUNK FOUNDER, GEORGE JUDSON.

ABOVE: MARY JANE PINKSTON - PRESIDENT OF THE PIONEER MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION OF FENTON & MUNDY TOWNSHIPS AND HER HUSBAND, BILL PINKSTON.

Board of Trustees provides lawn care and maintenance of the buildings, which will soon have running water, electricity and sewer paid for by Fenton Township. “Fenton Township Supervisor Vince Lorraine and Operations Manager Tom Broecker have been very helpful about taking care of the grounds.” ˜ e Association also received a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, and VG’s Grocery donates a stipend to purchase food for the annual Pioneer Day event.

˜ e Podunk House & Museum has survived many decades with the help of volunteers, the Fenton Township Board, three Eagle Scout projects, funding from proceeds of Pioneer Day, grant monies and Association memberships, Heusted notes. It has remained true to its mission of preserving the history of Fenton and Mundy Townships including the lake, the farm, the school, the local church and the people who settled there.

“We want to preserve the history of the area for future generations,” says Judson.

(L-R) RUSSELL AND BILL PINKSTON ARE FOURTHGENERATION DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE JUDSON.

The Mayors of Flint PART 11: SETBACKS AND SURViVAL

BY PETER HINTERMAN

Since the 1960s, Flint’s circumstances have slowly deteriorated. ˜ e population trickled out of the city, taking their tax money with them; General Motors began to pull up shop closing o° ces and factories, and small business faltered. With little money or population left, city leadership began to cut back while desperately searching for ways to reverse the situation. ˜ e budget quickly became a problem that would grow in signiÿ cance each passing year. By the late 80s, Flint had taken a number of shots, was out of breath and standing on tired legs. No reprieve was on the way. In fact, one more punch was coming. ˜ e city mostly responded by scaling down and contraction yielded mixed results. ˜ e mayors from 1987 to today ran into their own battles, scandals and adversity – each of them tasked with searching out and uncovering a miracle.

˜ is series has tracked Flint’s Mayors throughout history, providing short accounts of their professions, lives and decisions they made while in o° ce (if known). Some mayors 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 a path through triumph and heartbreak, and toward its revitalization.

For Part 1 in this series, see the January 2022 issue of My City.

Matthew Collier

(1987-91)

Born in Flint in 1957, Matthew Collier was Flint’s youngest elected “strong” mayor. Upon high school graduation, Collier attended the U.S. Military Academy West Point where he earned a degree in general engineering. He continued his military career, achieving Airborne Ranger status with the Army and rose to the rank of captain. In Fort Lewis, WA, Collier became the youngest program manager in the Army. After six years, he came back to Flint and almost immediately threw his hat into the ring to become mayor. His opponent was incumbent James Sharp whose reputation was (unfairly) soiled by the AutoWorld debacle. Running on a platform of bringing jobs back to Flint and reducing crime, Collier beat Sharp by over 3,000 votes. He wasted no time making changes. On his first day in office, Collier fired the City of Flint executive staff, dealt with an oil spill on the Flint River, attended a press conference with Michigan Governor James Blanchard, received a death threat and learned of a recall effort initiated against him. Collier’s biggest goals were erasing a $4 million dollar deficit while maintaining a balanced budget and keeping jobs in the city. He partnered with General Motors to reopen a closed automobile plant as the “Great Lakes Technology Center” bringing approximately 7,000 jobs back to Flint. (The center closed in 2009.) In 1988, he and Genesee County officials negotiated a new water contract with the City of Detroit. (The contract would be in effect until the beginning of the Flint Water Crisis.) In 1989, Collier and his administration dealt with the fallout created when Michael Moore released his documentary “Roger & Me” about the effects of the GM cutbacks on the city. Collier stated that the film “crippled the city’s self-image and demoralized Flint as a whole” and that “the film made it increasingly difficult to champion the city’s successes.” After losing the election to Woodrow Stanley in 1991, Collier continued his education at Harvard University, earning a Masters in Public Administration in 1993. Since that time, he has worked in a number of private and public positions such as vice president of engineering at Sensors, Inc. (1995), president and part-owner of SAFER Systems (1997), and vice president of Los Angeles-based Symark Software (2009). In 2015, Collier was appointed by President Obama as Senior Advisor to the Secretary at the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Currently, he acts as the founder and CEO of VetAccel Inc., chief strategy officer for OutcomeMD and as senior advisor with Fieldstone Equity Partners. In 2020, Collier was named a member of the Joe Biden Presidential Transition Agency Review Team.

Woodrow Stanley (1991-2001)

Woodrow Stanley was born in 1950 in Schlater, MS. In 1959, his family moved to Flint and Stanley attended Flint Schools, graduating from Flint Northern High. He then took a job with General Motors and paid his way through school at Mott Community College and then UM-Flint, where he earned a degree in political science. In 1983, he was elected to the Flint City Council where he served for four consecutive terms. In 1991, he ran and won the seat of mayor. In office, Stanley started the Mayor’s Youth Cabinet, a summer employment program, instituted Job Corps in the city and attempted to provide property tax relief to constituents. He would go on to win subsequent mayoral races against Don Williamson and Scott Kincaid. After the 1999 election, Flint’s problems grew too big to overcome. While in office, jobs continued to flow out of the city and Flint’s deficit continued to balloon, capping out at nearly $30 million. Stanley and the Flint Council were constantly at odds with finding ways to fix the problem. In an attempt to keep Buick City in operation, Stanley banned foreign cars at the city office, but to no avail. The final stroke came in 1999 when GM closed Buick City. Stanley attempted to privatize garbage pickup, sell city trees, and even bring in a Continental Basketball Association (CBA) franchise, all failed or were blocked by the council. Next, the City Council began to take a closer look at the budget and hired an auditor to examine the 2000 spending plan and found a “phantom” $10 million in revenue. When the council attempted to amend the plan, Stanley sued and was eventually forced to adopt the budget without the $10 million in question. With citizens fed up with abandoned houses, unrepaired roads and unkept public spaces, a recall effort began. Stanley lost the recall election by nearly 3,500 votes. After the election, Stanley exclaimed “they will never break Woodrow Stanley!” Proving true to his word just two years after his recall, Stanley was elected to the Genesee County Board of Commissioners and became chairman in his second term. In 2008, he was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives. While there, Stanley served on the Banking and Financial Services, Redistricting and Elections, and Regional Affairs Committees, as well as serving as the vice chairperson of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus. During his professional life, he also served as president of the Michigan Municipal League, chair of the National League of Cities Advisory Council, vice chair of the Michigan Democratic Party and president of the Michigan Association of Mayors. Woodrow Stanley died in February 2022.

Don Williamson

(2003-09)

Controversial from the get-go, Don Williamson’s tenure as mayor was a whirlwind of activity. He was born in Flint in 1934, one of eight children living on Kearsley Dr. He left school after eighth grade and later entered the world of business. In 1962, Williamson was convicted of several business scams including passing bad checks, was incarcerated for three years and then paroled. After serving time, he started a variety of successful businesses including Rugged Bed Line, Colonel’s International, and Brainerd International Raceway. After his marriage to Patsy Lou in 1972, they started the very successful Patsy Lou Automotive Group. In 1999, he ran for mayor against incumbent Woodrow Stanley and lost by a landslide. Immediately after Stanley’s recall, Williamson threw his hat in the ring against Floyd Clack. His campaign was rather unorthodox with Williamson using his own money to clean the streets and neighborhoods while overseeing the project wearing a workman’s hardhat. He promised to do the job without taking a salary and voters were swayed – he was elected by a large margin. As soon as taking office, Williamson began feuding with the City Council and local media. He banned all reading materials unrelated to city business from City Hall and had a Flint Journal carrier arrested for refusing to divulge the identity of city employee subscribers. He described the City Council as “about as valuable as puke on a brand-new carpet.” In his first four years in office, Williamson worked within a balanced budget. During the 2007 election against Dayne Walling, Williamson found himself in hot water. He was accused of bribing citizens for votes when he handed out nearly $20,000 at the car dealership Patsy Lou owned as part of a “Customer Appreciation Day.” Each person who received money was given his campaign literature. During the election, he also claimed the city had an $8 million dollar surplus; but after his election win, auditors found a $4 million deficit. In order to balance the budget, Williamson fired 60 employees and proposed an additional loss of 174 employees, 21 jail security guards, 59 police officers, nine firefighters, and closure of the city jail. By 2018, the deficit grew to $9 million at which time a recall petition was submitted with the election scheduled for 2009. Williamson resigned just weeks before the recall election due to ill health. After leaving office, he erected a bronze statue of himself in Davison Township inscribed with the motto, “Success is the best revenge.” Don Williamson died in 2019 and the Williamson Foundation was founded in honor of Don and Patsy Lou.

Dayne Walling (2009-15)

Born in Flint in 1974, Walling graduated from Flint Central High School in 1992 and went on to attend Michigan State University where he earned a degree in social relations. Next, he attended the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, receiving a degree in modern history. He then received a master’s degree in urban affairs from Goldsmiths, University of London. Upon his return to the U.S., Walling worked in the mayor’s office in Washington, D.C. as manager of research and communication. While there, he founded and served as president of the Flint Club, a 501c3 non-profit acting as a network of people who care about the City of Flint. Walling then served as Rep. Dale Kildee’s field coordinator. In 2007, he returned to Flint and ran for mayor, narrowly losing to incumbent Don Williamson. After Williamson’s resignation in 2009, Walling ran against and defeated Brenda Clack. As mayor, Walling chaired the Economic Development Corp., Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Downtown Development Authority and Genesee Chamber of Commerce Energy Committee. In 2010, he was named chair of the Karegnondi Water Authority Board. In 2011, he lost all mayoral powers on the day of his reelection when Flint was declared in a state of “local government financial emergency” with the office of mayor taken over by a state-appointed financial manager. In 2013, Walling made good on one of the promises made during his first term when the city adopted its first new master plan since 1960. Over 5,000 residents took part in its creation. Dubbed the “Imagine Flint Master Plan” it has won numerous awards and still serves as a guide for new developments. In 2014, Walling was given authority over the Planning and Development, and Public Works Departments, restoring some mayoral powers. In 2014, the city made the switch from Detroit water to the Flint River with Walling famously taking a drink on television and personally testifying to its safety. This,in conjunction with the ensuing water crisis, would cause him to lose the next election. After his mayoral tenure, Walling would own and manage 21st Century Performance – a company that works with and aids non-profit entities. He also became an instructor at UM-Flint, Saginaw Valley State and Central Michigan Universities, and acts as principal and senior policy advisor for 21p/m/c Policy & Management Consulting. In 2018, Walling ran for State House of Representatives, losing to John Cherry in the primary.

Dr. Karen Weaver (2015-19)

Flint’s first female mayor, Karen Weaver came from a family of firsts. She was one of three children born to Marion CoatesWilliams (Flint’s first African American school teacher) and Dr. T. Wendell Williams MD, the first African American to serve on the Flint Board of Education. She attended school in Flint, graduating from Flint Northern High in 1977. From there, she attended UM-Flint and then transferred to Tougaloo College in Mississippi where she earned a degree in psychology. Weaver went on to earn her master’s degree from Long Island University in New York and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Michigan State University. Upon her return to Flint, Weaver worked as director of behavioral services at Mott Children’s Health Center and the chief operating officer of Ennis Center for Children. She also served on a number of committees including the Hurley Medical Center Board of Managers, the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, and Priority Children. After defeating incumbent mayor Dayne Walling in the 2015 election, Weaver immediately declared a city-wide emergency to deal with the growing water crisis. She pushed for and gained similar declarations from Gov. Rick Snyder and President Barack Obama. In 2016, she testified to the U.S. Democratic Steering Committee as to the seriousness of the crisis. As mayor, Weaver served as the president of the Downtown Development Authority, a member of the State of Michigan Economic Development Corporation, 2nd VP of the African American Mayors Association, as advisory member of the United States Conference of Mayors, and board member of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. Gov. Snyder appointed her a member of the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee. Weaver appointed Flint’s first chief public health advisor and continued to meet with the White House in efforts to acquire funding for renewed water infrastructure for the city. Her efforts secured $389 million for recovery, $2.9 million to recreate the Economic Development Department and $30 million for new affordable housing initiatives. In 2017, Weaver survived a recall attempt and remained in office to serve out her term. After her time in office, she started the Karen Williams Weaver Foundation to help communities build and renew infrastructure to support health and safeguard the right to safe and affordable water.

Sheldon Neeley (2019-present)

Born in 1969 in Flint, Sheldon Neeley attended Flint Schools and graduated from Flint Northern High in 1986. He then continued his education at Delta Community College where he earned an associate’s degree. He studied communications at Saginaw Valley State before joining the professional workforce. Neeley worked as an engineer for WJRT-12 in Flint and served as the local union president for the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians - Communication Workers of America. In 2002, he jumped into public service when he joined the Flint Civil Service Commission and in 2005, was elected to the City Council and reelected in 2009 and 2013. In 2014, Neeley went a step further and was elected by a landslide to represent Flint’s 34th District in the House of Representatives, and won subsequent elections by the same margin. In Lansing, he focused on public safety, education, restorative justice and Flint’s economy. Neeley championed the Flint Promise scholarship fund, awarding free college or reduced tuition to Flint graduates, and the Flint Development Center Literacy Lab. Throughout his political career, he hosted numerous Expungement Fairs to inform individuals of their rights in the process. In 2019, he ran against and defeated incumbent Karen Weaver with a campaign based upon better transparency and fiscal responsibility. In addition to his public and professional achievements, Neeley worked for ten years as a counselor in Flint Community Schools and acts as the voluntary CEO of the Flint Inner City Junior Golf League.

THE SPECTACULAR PARTY

FIM Whiting Auditorium

10.1.2022

Photos by Katy Kildee

Immediately following the Flint Symphony Orchestra’s BCO-Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald Concert, FIM wrapped up a month-long celebration of a new, expanded FIM to raise funds for the new KidsTix program, which allows Flint-area youth the chance to experience the power of live performing arts with free admission to shows at FIM’s Capitol Theatre, Whiting Auditorium, Elgood Theatre and MacArthur Recital Hall. Guests enjoyed food and drinks, dancing to celebrity playlists, prize drawings, a silent auction and raffle.

Find more photos of this event at mycitmag.com

Davison Pumpkin Festival Downtown Davison

10.8.2022

Photos by Katy Kildee

The community celebrated sweater weather at this annual event in Downtown Davison. Main Street was filled with families gathered to enjoy food trucks, shopping, crafts, pony rides, roller skating, bouncehouses, a petting zoo and more. See ya next fall, ya’ll!

Find more photos of this event at mycitmag.com

Art on Tap: B r, Bourbon, Q

Flint Institute of Arts

10.14.2022

Photography by Michael Gleason

The early fall tradition continues! Attendees gathered to toast the season, sampling an exclusive selection of craft beers and unique bourbons. The event also included a barbecue buffet and donut bar, music by the Reichlin Small Group, a vintage camper photo booth, flame-working demonstration, giant games, raffles and more. Proceeds support museum programming and outreach programs for PreK-12 students.

Find more photos of this event at mycitmag.com

Pink Night Palooza Davison Country Club

This party for a purpose featured food, drinks, raffles, a bra-artistry fashion show, prizes and more! For the past 14 years, Hurley Medical Center and Financial Plus Credit Union have raised money to help breast cancer patients pay bills, keep food on the table and much more. Starting this year, donors were able to choose where their donations go – Hurley’s Breast Cancer Navigation Fund or the General Cancer Services Fund. Sharing the love!

BY VERA HOGAN

SThis Girl is for ALL Seasons

ome old friends who relocated from Michigan to Florida a few years ago recently posted on Facebook that they know when fall has arrived in the Sunshine State – not because the leaves change colors, but because the license plates do. I have only been to Florida once and even though it is beautiful, I would never want to live there. Can you say hurricane? Yes, we have an occasional tornado, but it is not the same.

When my parents were alive, they wintered in Florida on Sanibel Island. We’ve all seen what Hurricane Ian recently did there. They later moved their permanent home to Arizona, and I can understand why my dad wanted to live there. As a boy growing up in Germany, he devoured everything he could that was written about cowboys and the American West. He was able to spend the last years of his life living his dream. Having said that, my dad would tell me there were no mosquitoes in Arizona, so screens on windows are not necessary. In the next sentence, he said he had to check his slippers every morning to make sure a scorpion hadn’t crawled into one of them. (I’ll take the mosquito bites, thank you very much.)

No, I am a Midwestern girl at heart and would never give up the joy I get from the changing seasons. I even like the winters, sans driving on icy roads. There’s nothing quite like watching a nice snowfall outside while cozying up to a roaring fire inside with a good book or movie.

Springtime brings the joy of turning off the heat and throwing open the windows, planting flowers and a vegetable garden. Seeing the tulips and lilacs bloom is my official sign that spring has arrived.

Michigan summers are wonderful with so many things to do, especially activities on the many lakes and beaches. Our local downtowns have many fine restaurants with outdoor seating, concerts in the park, car shows, art shows, farmers’ markets and more during the summer months. There is no big city in America that has a Fourth of July parade like those we enjoy in our small towns.

How can anyone not like fall, with the cooler temperatures and changing leaves. I confess: I’m not a huge football fan, but I do love high school sports. My house is located not far from Fenton High School. I can sit on my front porch and hear the announcer calling the action on the football field, and the crowd cheering when a touchdown is scored.

The holiday season is by far my favorite time of year in Michigan. From Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas –I love everything we do here to celebrate.

There is something very wrong, in my humble opinion, with a street corner Santa Claus wearing sunglasses, shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, and twinkling Christmas lights strung on a palm tree or cactus. Nope, not for this girl.

Recently retired, Vera Hogan is a 20year 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.

A COMING HOUSING MARKET CORRECTION

BY DR. CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS

Asof writing this column, the 30-year fixed home mortgage interest rate is about 7.5%. If the Federal Reserve increases interest rates at its next meeting, this rate will likely go higher. Already nearly three times higher than what it was in early 2021, it is higher than at any time since the late 1990s.

This sharp increase has the potential to significantly impact the housing market. Since the start of the pandemic, home prices increased by an average of 41% as people took advantage of lower interest rates and sought more space in the era of social distancing and work-from-home, which increased the demand for homes. Additionally, home-building has never fully recovered from the housing market crash during the last decade. This increase in demand and reduction in supply led to the sharp increase in home prices. Over the last two years, the housing market has been characterized by bidding wars, buyers making offers significantly above the asking price, and waiving contingencies such as the home inspection. Rising mortgage rates threaten to reverse this.

As of writing this column, the median price of a home is $428,700. At a 3%, 30-year fixed mortgage rate (which was the 30-year fixed mortgage rate last year) this price represents a $1,800 monthly payment, assuming a 20% down payment. A 7.5% mortgage rate increases this monthly payment to $2,700. Few prospective buyers have an extra $900 to make this higher monthly payment. To put this in perspective, $900 is roughly the monthly payment of a $50,000 new car at current car loan interest rates. Most people don’t have the equivalent of an extra car payment in their budget to make the higher mortgage payment

resulting from the higher mortgage rate at current home prices. Thus, home prices are likely to fall.

The decrease in home prices could be dramatic. For a monthly payment to return to $1,800 the $428,700 home needs to fall to $290,000 – a 32% decrease. This means that even if someone was able to purchase a home at a 3% interest rate last year, a housing market correction threatens to wipe out a large chunk of the equity they built up since then. If someone purchased a house by winning a bidding war and paying an amount above the asking price, they could find themselves underwater on the mortgage, meaning they owe more on the home than what it is worth. A buyer who bought a home with an adjustable-rate mortgage might see the rate significantly adjusted upward, adding hundreds of dollars to the monthly payment.

Last decade, home prices fell by an average of 20%, which led to a wave of defaults, foreclosures, bank solvency problems and a severe recession. There is no guarantee that this will happen again, especially if inflation can quickly fall and the Federal Reserve can hold off on a further rate hike. However, irresponsible fiscal and monetary policy during the pandemic has put us in a position in which another financial crisis becomes a possibility.

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.

How Old is Too Old?

BY LESLIE TOLDO

AsItype this, my husband and I are making big plans for the week ahead. Our dog, Bear, is turning 14. That’s 98 in human years.

Bear is chubby and hard of hearing. He has allergies and bad back legs and will wander out of the yard and all the way down the street if you turn your back for half a minute. I wouldn’t have him any other way.

The great canine truth is, there is no dog like an old dog.

Old dogs have lived a little. They don’t need the thrill of tearing your shoes apart; they’ve been there, done that. An old dog is happy to rest by your side and act interested in your boring stories and life problems.

Bear 14years of love

If it sounds like I am trying to sell you on an old dog, that’s because I am.

November is “Adopt a Senior Dog Month.” Dogs are typically considered senior when they reach seven years. In the shelter world, potential adopters often consider dogs as young as four or five too old.

Too old for what?

Imagine if the shoe was on the other paw. What if dogs could reject us based on age? I was 40 when we first brought Bear home; I guess I would have never even gotten him into the car.

The fact is that would-be adopters worry they won’t have as many years with a senior dog. They don’t want to get attached only to lose their beloved companion in just a few short years, or even less time. But do we really ever know how long we have with anyone?

When he was less than three months old, our Bear suffered the first of what have been many seizures. That first one was the most terrifying. I looked at that chubby little chocolate Labrador and wondered if this health issue meant we would not have him in our lives much longer. Here we are, 14 years later.

The great canine truth is, there is no dog like an old dog.

We have had some scares over the last year but somehow, this old guy always manages to rally and come back stronger. Sometimes I still look at him and wonder if we won’t have him in our lives much longer. The thought still breaks my heart as much as it did when he had those first seizures all those years ago.

You see, 14 years is not long enough with a dog. Forever would never be long enough with a faithful, true, loving companion. We never get that choice … with anyone we love.

Whether you adopt a dog that is eight weeks or eight years old, you can bet they will leave your life one day, and it will always be one day too soon. But, imagine what you might miss, no matter how short your time together.

If you truly want to rescue a dog, do it selflessly. Don’t let their age affect your decision. No matter how old any of us is, we all have that one basic need: to be loved.

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.

THE FED: Friend or Foe?

GBY MARC JANCA, AIF®

iven our current economy, most news that involves the Fed has been negative, which raises the question: who’s side is the Fed on? We are currently in an economic condition that we haven’t experienced in quite a long time, so it is natural to question some things that we always assumed as true. High in˝ ation, low GDP and low unemployment all lead us down a very complex and unknown path that most of us haven’t seen in our adult lifetimes, so it is completely normal to feel uncomfortable.

First, we need to understand what the Fed is and how they ÿ t in our complex ÿ nancial system. ˜ e Fed is the independent central bank in the United States and their role is to create stability, ˝ exibility and safety in the ÿ nancial system. ˜ ey can achieve these through two main variables: raising or lowering the Fed Fund Rate, or by Quantitative Easing (QE) or Quantitative Tightening (QT). Raising and lowering rates is pretty simple; they adjust how expensive it is to borrow money.

˜ e lower the rate, the more people borrow and the higher it is, the less people borrow. Quantitative Easing/Tightening is a little more complicated to explain, but involves the Fed balance sheet and adding or taking away money supply in the economy through bond purchases or bond selling.

“Don’t ÿ ght the Fed” is a well-known investment mantra that refers to aligning portfolios with current Fed monetary policies. When the Fed is raising rates and QT, it usually means they are attempting to slow down the economy, so we should consider slowing down our investment risk, as well. ˜ e opposite may be true when the Fed is reducing rates and QE – the idea is that when it comes to monetary policy, you shouldn’t take a stance that is the opposite of what the Fed is doing. But the question becomes: does that

mantra still apply in our current economy? After the ÿ nancial crisis of 2008, it was almost a decade of steady growth, low interest rates and a solid bull market, which made it easy to align with the Fed’s policies.

We are in a slowing economy, two consecutive quarters of negative GDP and in˝ ation is still higher than it has been at any point in the last 30 years; so when it comes to aligning our investments, it may be a tough pill to swallow.

˜ e great unknown is how long the Fed will hold their current policies and how it will a° ect us and the rest of the world over the next few years. ˜ e Bank of England recently announced they are stopping their QT and no longer raising rates, but does that mean the Fed will follow or hold their stance?

What we do know is that the markets have shown this year that no one really has any idea what the Fed plan is, as volatility has been the main underlying current we have all been facing.

In conclusion, no one can deÿ nitively say whether all of these policies will lead to a soft or hard landing for the U.S. economy; but what we do know is that the Fed’s choices will deÿ nitely impact the global economy for the coming years. Most investors question whether they should be in cash or try to time the market; but as long as you have a plan, you need to stick with it even when times are tough and you feel yourself questioning that plan.

Marc has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Windsor. He got his start in the financial industry in 2005 and started his career at the Royal Bank of Canada as an investment advisor. Upon moving to the U.S., he spent ten years at Chase Bank where he learned a lot about what the industry has to offer. Today, he is a financial advisor who can offer investment and insurance products and services with confidence. Marc and his his wife, Ana, have two young daughters – Sasha and Dylan.

˜ e new location also allowed for expanded after-school programming and community support. “We work with the local schools and o° er vocal music, dance and drama classes. We are currently working with a youth chorus,” adds Winfrey. “Our workshops are free and open to anyone." In addition, the theatre o° ers Saturday day camps and, usually starting the ÿ rst week of July, a ÿ ve-week summer camp. “I would love to see our new dance room ÿ lled with students,” says Pat Scott-Hill. As an added bonus, the building is open to hosting meetings for community groups. “We want the theatre to be a community hub,” explains Winfrey. “As long as your group is doing good in the community, you are welcome to use our space to meet. Just make sure to call and get on our calendar.”

In order for the New McCree ˜ eatre to really hit its stride, Winfrey and cast would love to see more participation from aspiring actors, writers and musicians from all walks of life. Another goal for the new season is to have greater diversity amongst the audience, cast and volunteers. “Diversity makes us civil and uniÿ es us,” says Scott-Hill. “We have a number of shows that need a diverse cast and we welcome anyone of any race and background to audition.” ˜ e New McCree ˜ eatre is in contact with other troupes such as Flint Community Players, Clio Cast & Crew and Fenton Village Players, and invites their professionals to see what McCree has to o° er. Winfrey would like to emphasize that open auditions are for ANYONE – amateurs and professionals alike. “We want to develop local talent as a way to move them through the profession,” says McCree. “For me, it was a way to fulÿ ll my dream of being on stage,” adds Scott-Hill. “It keeps me young.” In addition to performers, the McCree ˜ eatre is looking for volunteer set designers, carpenters, light and/or sound technicians, dancers, writers and stage engineers.

˜ e New McCree ˜ eatre provides another outlet for Flint’s vibrant performing arts scene and in their new home, their o° erings can reach a new level. If you have ever wanted to be a part of show business, the theatre is ready and willing to be your start. “Try it,” says Winfrey with a smile. “˜ eatre is for everybody. Come and see what we do.”

Cold

BY CHERYL DENNISON

“In November, the trees are standing all sticks and bones. Without their leaves, how lovely they are, spreading their arms like dancers. They know it is time to be still.”

Cynthia Rylant

November has never been my favorite month. The trees have lost the fiery colors of October, we wake to frost-covered ground, frozen fog and a bleak November wind. The days grow shorter and shorter … The promise of snow is in the air.

However, as the joy of sun-filled beach days and fragrant flowers fades into a memory, I have discovered some things I like about November. This month brings the opportunity to slow down and be still, to sit by the fire with

a good book and a cup of peppermint tea. It’s also time to make some of my favorite comfort foods – a bubbling-hot pot of soup or chili cooking on the stove, or the aroma of a pot roast in the oven with onions, carrots and potatoes; a rich apple crisp made with the bountiful supply of apples from my favorite orchard. I also enjoy the harvest vegetables that autumn brings – butternut or acorn squash baked with butter and brown sugar, and the pumpkin pie that will soon adorn our Thanksgiving table.

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It is an occasion for reflecting on the goodness of life: friends, family, food. And I really do have much to be grateful for. I am healthy and have a family I dearly love, and my longtime friends (as well as a few new ones) help make my life rich and full of laughter.

I am especially grateful for my grandkids and the joy they have brought to my life. I love it when my grandson Brennan, who is attending Michigan Technical University, calls me on a Sunday afternoon just to say “hi” and fill me in on the details of his college life.

I enjoy receiving a text from Mack, who is now a Marine and receiving flight training in Pensacola, FL. My grandson Noah turned 16 in October and is a

newly-licensed driver (here we go, again). I also know that in just a blink of an eye, he will be moving on in life, following in his brothers’ footsteps and making his own path.

Elijah, the youngest, brings so much joy to my heart. During a recent visit, he asked me to play football with him. I told him I wasn’t very good at football. He told me, “That’s okay, Grandma. Just do your best.” So, we played football. What I am especially grateful for is that my entire family will be joining me at my Thanksgiving table this year, enjoying a feast that takes hours to prepare and is devoured in 20 minutes!

I recently returned from a visit to my home state of Maryland, where I was able to spend time with my siblings and have breakfast with some of my high school classmates – three hours of laughing and reminiscing about our school days and some of the crazy things we did. I spent one of the last sunny and warm days playing golf in the mountains, knowing that it would soon be time to put the clubs away for the year.

I will cherish the memories that were created, knowing that just thinking about them will carry me through the cold November days. Yes, I will be still –and I’m very grateful.

SOLO

BY ALEXANDRIA PAZIENZA-NOLAN

Whenmy divorce became final in December 2021, I thought I had considered almost every scenario I’d encounter as a single mom – all the weird little “alone” things that I used to share with my partner that I would be solely responsible for, now that we aren’t together.

But, even after all the soccer practices I had to get Arthur to, doctor’s appointments I had to work my schedule around and parent nights I attended alone; nothing could have prepared me for the ultimate stress of a solo-parent and preschooler European vacation.

When I began planning the vacation, I knew immediately that we would need to travel to a familiar place where we had friends to connect with. For me, it was a no-brainer. My son had never met his godmother in Spain (due to the pandemic) and, well, who better to visit for our trip than a second mother figure

who loved us enough to put up with whatever craziness a stressed mom and small boy could throw her way?

When we arrived in Barcelona, I was jet-lagged, Arthur was cranky, irritable, oscillating between sleeping, drowsing and having a tantrum. I was in a similar situation, but also carrying a 36-pound child, all our bags and wheeling a suitcase. Of course, when we arrived at the hotel, our room was not ready, so we waited in the lobby for five hours like prisoners in a holding cell, travel-worn and miserable because I simply could not bring myself to walk around the city carrying a child when I was that exhausted.

After we checked into our room, we slept – I allowed myself the indulgence of a bed I didn’t have to make myself and no alarm to worry about. Hours later, Arthur’s godmother showed up at our hotel in the Eixample, birthday gifts in hand and two open arms for holding my son and me. We were feeling a little more rested, a little more like ourselves.

I wish I could write that after our rough first day, everything went swimmingly; but, alas, it most definitely did not. I spent many evenings carrying a sleeping boy through the metro, crying because I did not remember the right train to take and he was so heavy I thought there was no way I could walk with him all the way back to the hotel. I spent a lot of time drinking wine at tables in the Passeig de Gracia or the

Gothic Quarter, trying to convince Arthur that pan con tomate was pizza, and looking at happy couples sharing a bottle of something bubbly or something smooth and deep, blood red. They were talking and smiling at one another, enjoying their conversation and their vacation and all I could wonder was “what in the world has happened to my life?”

There were a lot of early nights because “one of us” preferred playing Hot Wheels to going out and exploring Barcelona. It’s a wonder my arms didn’t fall off from all the kid-hauling, and there was one singular restaurant in Barcelona that had macaroni and cheese – so, I had to Uber Eats an order to the hotel for Arthur every night or face a hunger strike.

But, there were also days on the beach and in the water with my closest friend, my son’s godmother, talking and sunbathing and paddling around while we took turns playing with a sweet little boy. There were drives up in the mountains and walks through different areas of the city and watching a child’s eyes light up as he took in the strange newness of a foreign place.

It was stressful – some days I was almost broken by it – expensive and difficult. But it was also beautiful, wonderful and completely worth it. Travel is the gift I most wanted to give Arthur before he was even born and this summer, I realized that it’s something I’m strong enough to give him all by myself.

Alexandria Nolan is a misplaced Michigander currently living in the wilds of the Houston urban jungle with the world’s most charming preschooler. She is a published novelist and contributor to various online and print publications, including a lifestyle blog, AlexandriaNolan.com. When not writing, she can be found teaching, reading or traveling, or reading about traveling.

Well, Pardon My Gobble!

BY PETER HINTERMAN

Each Thanksgiving holiday since (well, we’ll get to that), the President of the United States has officially pardoned one lucky turkey, allowing the bird to live out its remaining life on a turkey farm. It should come as no surprise that this wasn’t always the case. The majority of our past presidents enjoyed carving up the roasted creature and serving it to White House guests as a main course. It wasn’t until 1863, the first national celebration of the holiday, when the first bird received its stay of execution. Then-President Lincoln received a bird as a gift.

His son, Tad, adopted the bird and began calling him “Jack” and when Lincoln went to claim the turkey for dinner, Tad argued on behalf of his feathered pet. Lincoln gave in and wrote a reprieve for Jack on a card he gave to his son. Jack survived, becoming the first

turkey protected by the White House; however, the act of pardoning was not yet official.

After Lincoln, each president enjoyed their Thanksgiving turkey with cranberry sauce and potatoes until a century later in 1963, when President Kennedy refused to partake. The media joked that the President had “pardoned” the bird, with the term “pardon” only being uttered next during the Reagan administration (Reagan was only joking; he ate the bird.) Finally, in 1989, George H. W. Bush started today’s annual tradition of giving an official pardon to the Thanksgiving Day turkey. When presented with that year’s bird he remarked, “Not this guy. He’s been granted a Presidential pardon as of right now, allowing him to live out his days on a farm not far from here.” Since that day, each succeeding president has officially pardoned one lucky turkey from becoming the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table.

Whatever you serve on your Thanksgiving table (tofurkey, turducken, salad, hamburger, etc.), give a thought to whom in your life you may “pardon’’ this year. Maybe someone has given you a hard time in the past, made an unfortunate mistake or needs a little help. Whatever the case, they may be thankful for another chance.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving from MCM!

My Can’t Miss List

“Decision Height”

Flint Community Players 11.3-13.2022

Tap.ol.o.gy

The Whiting 11.6.2022

Pop, Funk, Motown & All That Jazz

The Capitol Theatre 11.11.2022

KTK Presents: “Mary Poppins”

Fenton Village Playhouse Theatre 11.11-20.2022

FSO Presents: Diemecke, Korngold & Brahms

The Whiting 11.12.2022

Tyler Rich

The Machine Shop 11.12.2022

Flint Firebirds vs. Peterborough Petes

Dort Financial Center 11.12.2022

Jackyl

The Machine Shop 11.18.2022

“The Who’s Tommy”

The Capitol Theatre 11.18-19.2022

“Gidion’s Knot”

Flint Community Players 11.18-20.2022

“The Rock Show” Tribute to Journey

The Machine Shop 11.19.2022

Flint Firebirds vs. Saginaw Spirit

Dort Financial Center 11.23.2022

Flint Firebirds vs. Sarnia Sting

Dort Financial Center 11.26.2022

“Livin’ Fat”

The “New” McCree Theatre 12.1-17.2022

Flint Santa Run

Downtown Flint 12.3.2022

Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame Banquet

Genesys Athletic Conference/Banquet Center 12.3.2022

“Nutcracker”

The Whiting 12.3-4.2022

See you there!

Inevery issue of My City Magazine, we highlight at least one Greater Flint organization whose members are dedicated to helping their fellow citizens. Team My City is proud to be part of such a caring community and to have an opportunity to bring our readers these inspiring “outreach” stories.

We created My City Cares to shine a brighter light on these local charitable organizations and businesses to help MCM readers better understand them –who they are and what they do. ˜ rough these informative proÿ les, this section communicates their missions, the services they o˛ er, and ways we can help them make a di˛ erence.

Of course, the work of these organizations continues with the support of the community. Our goal with My City Cares is to generate support from you, our generous readership, through monetary gifts or volunteering. To that end, we hope you will ÿ nd something here that moves you to help – whether it’s kids, the elderly, veterans, animals or your fellow citizens who are facing health and life challenges.

Many Greater Flint citizens are in need … and you can help. ˜ ank you for taking some time with My City Cares , and for reaching out in any way you can.

Onthese pages, you will find information including mission statements, leadership, key services and ways you can help support their good work in the community.

Featured Organizations

82 Community Foundation of Greater Flint 84 Ennis Center for Children

86 Flint Children’s Museum 88 The Humane Society of Genesee County 90 Old Newsboys of Flint

Sloan Longway 94 U CAN-CER VIVE 96 Valley Area Agency on Aging 98 Voices for Children

100 Whaley Children’s Center

102 YMCA of Greater Flint

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

OF GREATER FLINT

About the CFGF

Since 1988, more than 34,000 donors, both individuals and organizations, have enabled the Community Foundation to award more than $164 million in grants in Flint and Genesee County. Our work is possible through the careful stewardship of more than 750 charitable funds and estate gifts.

Isaiah M. Oliver serves as the organization’s president and CEO, the ÿ fth chief executive in the organization’s history and the ÿ rst leader born and raised in Flint. Under Isaiah’s leadership, the Community Foundation has expanded its mission to focus on community engagement and racial equity, while continuing to provide an expansive range of philanthropic services. Arts, culture, education, health, human services, urgent relief and many other areas beneÿ t from the generosity of CFGF donors.

Key Services

The Flint Promise Scholarship Program

More than a promise, ° e Flint Promise Scholarship Program o˛ ers Flint graduates a guided pathway to post-secondary education. A path ÿ lled with light, hope and the promise of support when the day-to-day struggles of studying, basic needs and health issues become barriers to success.

° rough ° e Flint Promise, donors have the unparalleled opportunity to ensure a new generation can experience the beneÿ ts of higher education. Scholarship dollars give both current and future generations of Flint youth the chance to take full advantage of what a college diploma can do, and graduate with little or no student debt.

° e Flint Promise partners with Mott Community College, Kettering University and the University of Michigan-Flint to ensure students have access to the degree, certiÿ cate, or other credential they wish to pursue. Success coaches guide the academic pathway through mentoring and access to community resources. Life issues like childcare, transportation, access to food and housing are common barriers to a successful outcome. ° rough ° e Promise program, students and coaches work through these concerns. Books are expensive, and

° e Promise covers those expenses. ° ese unique wrap-around services support students on a path toward a well-paying career and promising future.

Flint Promise Endowment Fund

° e establishment of the Flint Promise Endowment helps to secure the future of

° e Flint Promise Scholarship Program. You can give these students the promise of the American Dream – that their devotion to studies will lead to a better life for them and their families.

How Can the Community Help?

• Honor a family member or a significant person in your life by establishing a charitable fund.

• Make a gift to the Flint Promise Fund to help build the endowment.

• Designate a portion of your estate to the Flint Promise Fund.

• Make a gift – of any size – to make a di erence.

• To discuss giving options, contact Kenneth Vaughn, Development O cer at 810.767.8270.

“This scholarship was essential to my academic success.”

Darius Collins

2022 Flint Promise Graduate

OUR MISSION

Connecting generosity to the needs of our community is at the heart of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint’s (CFGF) mission. As a 501(c)3 tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people of Genesee County, the Community Foundation enables people with philanthropic interests to support the causes they care about – now, or through their estate plan.

LEADERSHIP

Mark Piper

Chair, Board of Trustees

Isaiah M. Oliver

President and CEO

Brett Hunkins

Chief Financial O cer

Sue Peters

Vice President of Community Impact

Karima Amlani

Vice President of Development

CONTACT

• 500 S. Saginaw St., Suite 200 Flint, MI 48502

• 810.767.8270

WEBSITE

cfgf.org

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook.com/giveflint/ EIN: 38-2190667

ENNIS CENTER FOR CHILDREN

OUR MISSION

Key Services

Ennis Center for Children provides foster care licensing, placement and adoption services, treatment foster care, outpatient counseling and mental health services (all ages, including adults); ˜ erapeutic Arts Groups, Youth Assistance Program (YAP – support services for at-risk youth); Juvenile Justice Program (support services for youth involved with the juvenile justice system); Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program (YAVFC – support for youth transitioning into adulthood) and other support services for children and families in crisis.

With the support of the community, we preserve families when possible and create new families when necessary.

FUTURE EVENTS

• April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

• May is National Foster Care Awareness Month.

• 6/16/2023 – 30th Annual “Scramble for Kids” Golf Fundraiser @ Coyote Preserve Golf Club, Fenton

CONTACT

• 129 E. Third St., Flint 48502

• 810.233.4031

In addition, Families and Children Together (FACT – designed by Ennis Center for Children) integrates the coordination of foster care and family work. ˜ is includes medical, dental, education and judicial needs as well as trauma-based prevention. By using all available community resources, the ÿ nal goal of FACT is the preservation and reuniÿ cation of families.

How Can the Community Help?

Among our biggest priorities and most fundamental needs are foster parents, especially those willing to provide a home for children of all ages. We gladly accept new clothing in all sizes (including socks, underwear, pajamas and shoes), diapers, Pull-ups, Goodnites and baby wipes, new/ unopened toys for all ages, and personal hygiene items for all skin and hair types. We are also experiencing a great need for convertible/5point restraint car seats, cribs and toddler beds. Monetary donations are appreciated and will assist with unexpected expenses such as uniforms, tutoring, after school activities and more.

Ennis Center for Children is currently looking for golfers to join our 30th Annual “Scramble for Kids.” We are also seeking door prizes, gift cards/ certiÿ cates, silent auction items and sponsors for this fundraiser. Proceeds beneÿ t Ennis Center’s programs for abused and neglected children, and families in crisis throughout southeast Michigan.

• Fall 2023 – 45th Anniversary Celebration Gala (Date TBD)

• November is National Adoption Awareness Month.

• Fundraising event at Topgolf, Auburn Hills (Date TBD)

Please visit enniscenter.org and/or Facebook. com/EnnisCenter for event updates!

LEADERSHIP

Robert E. Ennis, LMSW President & Founder

Gale Frase Overstreet, BBA

VP Administrative Services

Mark Umphrey Controller

Kristina Orban Controller

Angelia Dore, MA

VP Child Welfare, North Region

SPONSORED BY:

• beafosterpatent@enniscenter.org

WEBSITE

Enniscenter.org

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook.com/EnnisCenter

Twitter @EnnisCenter Instragram @enniscenter

Melanie Williams, MA

VP Child Welfare, South Region

Jeri Fisher, MA VP Clinical Development

Sheery Houston VP Development

Bridgitt McCaughey, MSW VP Quality & Accreditation

FLINT CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

Key Services

We o˜ er playful and educational experiences for walk-in visitors, members, ÿ eld trips, birthday parties and community groups. All are welcome to explore, be curious and play in a safe and fun environment. With over 40 hands-on exhibits that develop a child’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional strength, children and families create happy, lasting memories together.

How Can the Community Help?

Volunteer

• Interact with visiting families for daily hands-on activities, on busy weekends, or during special events!

• Volunteer in Sproutside, the children’s garden full of yummy veggies and fruits to plant, harvest and eat.

• Do you have other interests? Let us know – you make the Children’s Museum possible!

Bring

Hands-on Fun to Children

• Donate household items like corks, cardboard tubes, foam and other materials for kids to use in creating musical instruments, cardboard monsters, whimsical birdhouses, or anything else they imagine!

• Donate funds to provide admission or membership for families who deserve hands-on play, but can’t a ord it.

• Sponsor a month of activities on behalf of your business or organization!

OUR MISSION

Play is fundamental to children’s educational, physical, emotional and social development and well-being, and all children deserve access to enriching play experiences. We provide unique, stimulating and safe opportunities for playful learning, and advocate for the importance of hands-on exploratory play for the children of Flint and beyond.

Leadership

Kimberly Roddy

Executive Director

Katherine Livengood

Exhibits&Maintenance Manager

Andrea Miller

MuseumEducator

Jacky Metcalfe

Visitor Services Manager

Dennis Purdy

Fund Development Director

Erika Simpson

Director of Marketing

Future Events

You can ÿ nd fun activities like making slime, Storytime with Pete the Cat, holiday parties and other playful events on our website calendar at ˛ intchildrensmuseum.org/events/

Contact

• 1602 University Ave. Flint, MI 48504

• 810.767.5437

• discovery@flintchildrensmuseum.org Website

• Flintchildrensmuseum.org

Social Media

• facebook.com/flintchildrensmuseum/

THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF GENESEE COUNTY

About the Organization

˜ e Humane Society of Genesee County traces its beginning to 1926 and the e° orts of Jonathon E. Burroughs, a respected member of the Flint community. He and his colleagues shared a concern for animals which translated into constructing a shelter without walls, where volunteers cared for homeless animals.

Today, HSGC carries forth Burroughs’ vision through expanded work in caring for homeless animals, facilitating adoptions, humanely controlling population and investigating complaints of animal cruelty. ˜ is work is accomplished through outstanding collaborations and partnership with individuals and organizations throughout Genesee County.

Key Services

• Pet Adoption

• Animal Cruelty Investigation

• Kibble Cupboard-Pet Food Pantry

• Humane Education (Tours, Furry Tales Reading Program, Tots & Tales, etc.)

• Think Pawsitive (Workplace Wellness Program)

• Volunteer and Community Service Opportunities

• Birthday Parties

• Golf Outings and other Special Events

How Can the Community Help?

Financial

Cash Donations - ˜ ese funds stay within our shelter and beneÿ t homeless animals in Genesee County. ˜ ey can be made in person, online, by mail or phone. Automated monthly donations simplify the giving process and minimize HSGC’s administrative costs.

OUR MISSION

Cage Sponsorship - Individuals and businesses can help feed and shelter a companion animal for $1 a day ($365 annual cost).

Community Marketing Partnerships & Event Sponsorships - ˜ is is a great way for the community to support one of Genesee County’s oldest and most trusted organizations.

Non-Monetary

Wish List - Donations of new or used items make a signiÿ cant impact on our ability to care for shelter animals. Find our Wish List at geneseehumane. org, as well as a link to our Amazon Wish List.

Shop for a Cause - Many retailers o° er the opportunity to support organizations like HSGC.

Amazon Smile - Amazon shoppers can sign up for Amazon Smile to support HSGC with a portion of every purchase you make. Search for Humane Society of Genesee County.

Kroger - If you have a Kroger Plus Card, you can help HSGC.

VG’s - We are a part of the “Direct Your Dollars” program and when we reach 150,000 points VG’s will donate $1,000 to HSGC. We are almost there! You can mail your fully-1intact grocery receipts directly to our o˝ ce.

To provide shelter and adoption of companion animals, reduce overpopulation, extend humane education, prevent cruelty and provide those services that promote the goals and policies of The Humane Society of Genesee County.

FUTURE EVENTS

Holiday of Hope

Saturday December 3, 2022 10am - 3pm @ Humane Society of Genesee County

LEADERSHIP

David Schmieder Executive Director

Kristin Cole Shelter Manager

CONTACT

• G3325 Dort Hwy. Burton, MI 48529

• 810.744.0511

WEBSITE

Geneseehumane.org

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Facebook.com/ humanesocietyofgeneseecounty/

• Twitter@hsgc1926

• Instagram@hsgc1926

SPONSORED BY:

OLD NEWSBOYS OF FLINT

OUR

Key Services

As a Christmas Children’s Charity, we have provided over 835,000 Christmas Boxes to Genesee County children since 1924. Our Christmas Package Program, which begins on October 31 and runs through December 16, 2022 provides a sweat suit or outÿ t, two pairs of socks and underwear, dental hygiene products, a hat, a pair of gloves and an age-appropriate gift. Our Coat & Shoe Program, which serves Genesee County children ages kindergarten through 8th grade, provides much-needed coats and shoes for those eligible. We personally screen each child and this is an every-other-year program for the students. When a family su° ers a turbulent life event such as a house ÿ re and has contacted us for help, our Emergency Box Program provides assistance with limited clothing.

How Can the Community Help?

We are always looking for donations of ra˛ e items for fundraising, as well as NEW socks, underwear, coloring books, crayons, coats and hygiene products.

MISSION

“Let No Child Be Forgotten” at Christmastime.

FUTURE EVENTS

• 12.7.2022 - Blue Christmas @ Luigi’s with the Blue Hawaiians

• 12.9.2022 - Annual Paper Sale

• 12.10.2022 - Clio Fire Hall Pancake

Breakfast & Pictures with Santa

• 12.10.2022 - Old Newsboys Night @ the Flint Firebirds

LEADERSHIP

Tony Tucker

Executive Director

Heather McMullen

Finance Director

Lisa Kirk

Programs and

Volunteer Director

Janette Decker

Warehouse Manager

CONTACT

• 6255 Taylor Dr. Flint, MI 48507

• 810.744.1840

WEBSITE onbflint.org

SPONSORED BY:

FLINT INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

(DBA SLOAN MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY, LONGWAY PLANETARIUM)

About the Organization

˜ e Sloan Museum of Discovery opened in July 2022 as a totally re-imagined interactive science and history museum with four primary learning galleries (Discovery Hall science gallery, Hagerman Street Early Childhood Learning gallery, ˜ e History Gallery and ˜ e Durant Vehicle Gallery). Starting in July 2023, a ÿ fth gallery will open for special traveling exhibits.

˜ e Longway Planetarium is Michigan’s largest and most technologically-advanced planetarium, featuring live and full-dome astronomy and educational programming.

Key Services

Together, the education sta˛ at Sloan Museum and Longway Planetarium o˛ er hands-on STEM programming at schools, libraries and within the classrooms of the museum and planetarium; the education team also provides programming for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and public hands-on workshops.

How Can the Community Help?

Volunteers are needed for guest services, ˝ oor sta˛ , education, collections and exhibits. Contact Sabrina Mann, Volunteer Coordinator, SMann@ SloanLongway.org.

November is Membership Month – purchase memberships at discounted rates through 11/30. To learn about Member beneÿ ts, go to SloanLongway.org/Membership.

˜ e Sloan Museum of Discovery Capital Campaign ends 12/30/2022. To contribute to the Campaign, support educational programming in science and history and learn how to leave your name as a lasting legacy on the oneof-a-kind donor wall, contact Debbe Campbell, Director of Development, 810.237. 7391.

OUR MISSION

We engage communities on a learning journey in history and science.

FUTURE EVENTS

• 11/16/2022 6pm – Discovery Society Social

• 12/7/22 After Hours @ The Sloan – a 21+ monthly event on Wednesdays 5:30- 8pm

• 12/6/2022 Holiday Walk – FREE

• 11/25-12/31/22 Cosmic Christmas Light Show @ Longway Planetarium

• 11/11/22, 12/9/22 6pm – Cultural Astronomy Live-format astronomy talk @ Longway Planetarium

• Hands-on Workshops (ongoing) –

Sloan Museum of Discovery & Longway Planetarium

LEADERSHIP

Todd K. Slisher

Chief Executive O cer

Cathy Gentry

Chief Operations O cer

Laurie Bone

Chief Program O cer

CONTACT

• Debbe Campbell, Director of Development

• 810.237.7391

• 1221 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503

WEBSITE

SloanLongway.org

SOCIAL MEDIA

facebook.com/sloanmuseum

CHARITABLE TAX ID #822978635

U CAN-CER VIVE FOUNDATION

OUR MISSION

About the Organization

Founded by siblings Ryan and Kelley LaFontaine, it is the ongoing mission of the U CAN-CER VIVE Foundation to provide vital funding and support for local cancer research grants. Upon becoming an o˜ cial nonproÿ t foundation in February 2016, U CAN-CER VIVE has raised over $3,000,000 to fund over 15 research grants here in the State of Michigan. ˛ is passion for the ÿ ght against cancer stems from the heart and soul of LaFontaine’s commitment to giving back after experiencing the a˝ iction of cancer ÿ rsthand.

How Can the Community Help?

To achieve its mission, U CAN-CER VIVE is continually looking for caring individuals willing to donate to the cause and help fund future research grants in the State of Michigan. ˛ rough these donations, U CAN-CER VIVE has made tremendous strides through its support of key cancer-focused research initiatives, watching ÿ rsthand how these amazing doctors and researchers have been able to grow their research scope and results, ultimately garnering national and international attention and additional funding. Each dollar raised goes directly toward the U CAN-CER VIVE mission.

To provide vital funds for cancer research to create a cancer-free world.

FUTURE EVENTS

• JUNE – Evening For The Cure

• JULY – Drive For The Cure

• AUGUST – Run For The Cure

• SEPTEMBER – Golf Fore The Cure

LEADERSHIP

Ryan LaFontaine Co-founder Kelley LaFontaine Co-founder

SPONSORED BY:

CONTACT

• 248.714.1164

WEBSITE

Ucancervive.com

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook.com/ucancervivefoundation

Instagram: @ucancervive

VALLEY AREA AGENCY ON AGING

LEADERSHIP

Yaushica Aubert President & CEO

KEY SERVICES

OUR MISSION

VAAA provides action, advocacy and answers about care for the elderly and disabled adults of Genesee, Lapeer and Shiawassee Counties by enhancing lives, empowering choice, sustaining independence and supporting caregivers and families.

VAAA provides intake information and assistance, referral and long-term care options, counseling, care management, personal care, homemaking, medication management, home delivery meals, volunteer programs, telephonic wellness checks, assistance to caregivers, exercise and wellness programs, nutrition therapy, community education, Medicare and Medicaid Assistance Program and many more services designed to ensure seniors can age in the residential setting of their choosing.

HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY HELP?

Donations are always appreciated and go toward providing services to seniors in Genesee, Lapeer and Shiawassee Counties. Volunteers are always needed. For more information, call 810.239.7671.

valleyareaaging.org

facebook.com/valley-area-agency-on-aging Twitter @vaaaflint Instagram @valleyareaagencyonaging

VOICES FOR CHILDREN

Key Services

A singular service provider, Voices for Children is the only Accredited Children’s Advocacy Center serving the Genesee and Shiawassee County area. Voices for Children works with thousands of child survivors of abuse, neglect and human tra˜ cking every year.

HOPE

Voices for Children provides victim and family advocacy, case management and forensic interviews. Forensic Interviews are an evidence-based practice in which trained and traumainformed professionals have an open-ended conversation with a child or teen that allows the youth to share what has happened to them. From physical abuse to sexual abuse, neglect, even human tra˜ cking and witness to violence including domestic and intimate partner violence, forensic interviews allow children to tell their truth, one time, instead of having to repeatedly relive their trauma.

HELP

Voices for Children helps support children ages 0-17 and their non-o° ending caregivers as they navigate the justice system, and connects them with needed resources. ˛ is can include basic needs, educational resources, transportation, employment and other forms of support. Additionally, Voices for Children facilitates the Genesee County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, a national model that helps children in foster care by connecting them with highly trained volunteers.

HEALING

Counseling and ˛ erapy services at Voices for Children are provided free of charge to clients. ˛ erapists specialize in supporting children who have survived the unthinkable and can work with children from toddlers to teens. Support groups are also available for child/teen survivors and non-o° ending family members.

A VOICE

Voices for Children proactively educates our community and youth about how to stay safe and report suspected child maltreatment. Free community training includes Safe Sleep, Infant Safety, Human Tra˜ cking Prevention, Internet Safety, Talking to Children About Racism, Trauma Informed/Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Advocacy for LGBTQIA+ Youth. Voices for Children also o° ers body-safety training for children in preschool through 2nd grade. All training is provided free of charge.

How Can the Community Help?

• Financial contributions, especially to the endowment campaign (voicesforcac.org/ endowment)

• Volunteering (find out more and apply online at voicesforcac.org/volunteer)

OUR MISSION

Voices for Children Advocacy Center is dedicated to serving the child victims and families of child abuse in Genesee and Shiawassee Counties and enhancing the lives of all children through treatment, education, and by increasing community awareness.

LEADERSHIP

Chief Ronald Wiles

Board President

Cheryl Sclater

Board Vice President

Kevin Lenkart

Board Vice President

Tamara Brickey

Board Secretary

CONTACT

• Wish List = Gift Cards from Meijer, Target, Walmart, Aldi and Kroger; New Car Seats, New Boys Clothing Sizes 3-6, Tissues, Toilet Paper and Paper Towels, Snacks/beverages

• Attend a free training (sign up at voicesforcac.org/training )

• Help spread the word about Voices for Children as a Community Ambassador!

FUTURE EVENTS

• Voices for Children hosts two annual events, as well as Child Abuse Prevention Month (April).

• 28th Annual Children’s Champion Awards – March 23, 2023 at Riverfront (UM-Flint). To sponsor, call 810.238.3333 ext. 206 or email sarah@voicesforac.org. Tickets go on sale in January 2023. Award nominations open in November.

• Superhero 5k and 1k Fun Run date is September 16, 2023.

• The community is invited to support child abuse prevention in April with pinwheels, wearing blue and donating to local children’s agencies. For more info, visit voicesforcac.org or call 810.238.3333 ext. 209.

Je rey Collier

Board Treasurer

Claudnyse D. Holloman

President & CEO

Ellen Lynch

Vice President

Sarah Zyburt

Vice President

SPONSORED BY:

• 515 East St. Flint, MI 48503

• 810.238.3333

WEBSITE voicesforcac.org

WHALEY CHILDREN’S CENTER

Key Services

Whaley Children’s Center provides a home to foster children from all over the state of Michigan. We currently o˜ er General Residential care to 36 kids and Independent Living care to six children. General Residential care is o˜ ered at our main campus and two group homes. By the time they arrive at the Center, kids have been in 10-12 di˜ erent placements, which creates an additional level of trauma. At Whaley, we strive to create a home-like environment for our residents. Every sta˜ member at the agency is trained in ° erapeutic Crisis Deescalation and is required to be an active part of the youths’ lives. ° ere is 24-hour supervision and a 3:1 ratio for all youth in our care. We have a very diverse therapeutic program; our residents attend therapy with an assigned master-level therapist one to three times per week. Each youth is also part of group therapy that focuses on the needs of the population at that time, including such subjects as safety, future planning, emotional regulation, grief and loss, executive functioning enhancement and much more.

Our Independent Living Program provides a broad curriculum to address all the necessary life skills the youth will need once they begin to transition out of the foster care program and assists during their transition into adulthood. ° e program covers college prep, jobseeking, ÿ nancial planning, home and food management, personal care, health and safety, etc. ° e topics covered give them real life examples and scenarios they are likely to encounter on their own. It is our belief that given the right tools, our youth will be conÿ dent heading o˜ for their independent futures without fear of having to rely on someone or a system. ° e program is a commitment to helping them learn and discover necessary skills to better prepare them for the future.

How Can the Community Help?

• Mentor a child.

• Choose Whaley as your charity of choice through the “Kroger Plus” program.

• Sponsor a giving tree at your workplace.

• Sign up for the “Amazon Smile” program.

• Host an event.

• Join the Rite Aid “KidCents” program.

• Sponsor an event.

• Volunteer your time and talents.

• Join our Village Program (monthly gift of $5-$100).

OUR MISSION

Whaley Children’s Center empowers youth and families to overcome trauma.

CONTACT

• 1201 N. Grand Traverse St. Flint, MI 48503

• 810.234.3603

WEBSITE

Whaleychildren.org

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook.com/WhaleyChildren/

LEADERSHIP

Mindy Williams

President & CEO

Amy Anderson

Director of Human Resources & Agency Operations

Randi Beard

Director of Residential

Children Services

Brandi Brent

Director of Residential

Nickela Green

Director of Residential

FUTURE EVENTS

• 2.2.2023 – Topgolf Outing, Auburn Hills, MI

• 5.20.2023 – Tux and Tennies @ Randy Wise Motorcars, Grand Blanc, MI

Jennifer Koester

Director of Independent Living

Olivia Nagel

Director of Development

Ashleigh Sanders

Director of Community Development

Michelle Shamel

Director of Clinical & Medical Services

Katrina Taylor

Director of Finance

YMCA OF GREATER FLINT

About YMCA of Greater Flint

Our vision is to make programs available to everyone in our community. Programs at the Y improve the wellness of the whole person – body, mind and spirit, in a welcoming environment. ˜ e YMCA of Greater Flint serves people and families of all ages, income levels and physical conditions.

Key Services

Financial Aid is Available!

We want to eliminate barriers that prevent people from coming to the Y. To that end, we raise over $450,000 to provide ÿ nancial assistance for programs and services. Applications are available at every branch.

YMCA

Camp Copneconic

˜ e Y is committed to empowering kids to lead healthy, active lifestyles. From gaining conÿ dence to building positive relationships with peers, Camp Copneconic o˛ ers youth a chance to connect with the natural world around them. Programs include day camp, overnight camp, outdoor education and retreats.

Fitness Branches

Fitness and well-being activities at the Y go well beyond just working out. In addition to ÿ tness facilities, we provide a variety of programs led by caring sta˛ designed to nurture a healthy spirit, mind and body.

Safety Around Water

˜ is program focuses on drowning prevention, ensures that every kid can learn essential skills to help them stay safe, develop conÿdence and have fun in and around water.

How Can the Community Help?

Volunteer

We need a lot of help to make the Santa Run a success. Email Special Events Director Sophie Bawden at sophiebawden@ ˝ intymca.org to sign up!

Donate

˜ e Adopt-A-Camper Campaign raises important funds to send kids to a week at Camp Copneconic regardless of their ability to pay. Donated funds are matched, so a donation of just $125 sends a kid to overnight camp for the whole week! Visit ˝ intymca.com/donate/.

OUR MISSION

The mission of the YMCA of Greater Flint is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

FUTURE EVENTS

• 12/3/2022 – Annual Santa Run Walk & Run Sponsored by Al Serra Autoplaza, Downtown Flint

• 2/18/2023 – Annual Fundraising Auction, Theme: “Dancing through the Decades” @ YMCA Camp Copneconic

LEADERSHIP

Shelly Hilton Chief Executive O cer

Melany Gavulic Board of Directors President

SPONSORED BY:

CONTACT

• 411 E. Third St. Flint, MI 48503

• 810.232.9622

WEBSITE

flintymca.org

SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/FlintYMCA instagram.com/ymca_of_flint/ twitter.com/YMCA_of_Flint