Volume 1, Issue 22 OCTOBER 27, 2023
Community Foundation celebrates compelling stories By Amanda Dodge The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
Alan Cruz
Sara Kraner and Lauryn Moore
The first was Alan Cruz, who is working on his certificate in Electrical Electronics through West Shore Community College. “I have been part of Oceana County since I was 10 years old, when I came from my home country in Mexico. I graduated from Walkerville Public Schools in 2009 and have been working in the food industry ever since,” Cruz shared. “One day I was thinking, ‘Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?’” He added that it did not take him long to answer that question, and so he decided to do something about it. Cruz was then approached by a success coach at his previous employer who told him about the Futures for Frontliners program that came about from the Covid pandemic. So, with the support of his wife, Cruz enrolled in college. However, the program did not cover the entire cost of his classes, and that is when he was first introduced to the foundation and successfully applied for the Complete Your Degree program. Cruz also said that he plans to become a master electrician and own his own business one day. Not only has the OCF helped Cruz pay for his classes, but individual donors, like Dan and Laura Muirhead, have also provided him with tools he will need in his new career field. Laura even came up on stage and presented a number of tools to Cruz. Penny Burillo also came up to announce
that Cruz has earned his U.S. citizenship. “It’s really nice to live in a community that supports these kind of programs, and I’m glad that my family is growing (up) around here. I feel proud to be part of this community.” The next Complete Your Degree student to speak was Lauryn Moore, a 2016 graduate of Hart High School. She was introduced by her co-worker and mentor, Sara Kraner. The two met at the Oceana County Council on Aging’s Our Friends House two years ago, and Kraner said she noticed how hardworking Moore was as a Certified Nurse Assistant. Kraner said she asked Moore if she ever thought about being a nurse. Moore responded that she had and wanted to become a nurse anesthetist, specifically. “I happened to be down at The Pizza Factory in Shelby…and I saw this magazine,” Kraner said, holding up the OCF’s Enduring magazine. “So I picked it up and…I was flipping through it and on the back is the Complete Your Degree program.” That was just the pathway Moore needed to continue her education. “I’m going back to school because I love to
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With some very impressive numbers on the screen behind her, Oceana Community Foundation CEO Tammy Carey encouraged a sold-out crowd to go deeper. “We all know that just looking at the total gifts and grants, don’t really tell us the story. It’s the programs. It’s the people in the projects that tell the real story of philanthropy and how much you’ve made a difference here in Oceana,” she said as part of the foundation’s highlights at the OCF Celebration Picnic & Program Monday, October 16 at the West Michigan Research Station in Hart. Several of the people that the OCF has assisted were invited to speak at the event, often moving the audience to tears of joy. The evening began with the current board chair, Randy Wagner, welcoming everyone and acknowledging all current and past board members in attendance. Wagner stated that the current board consists of Frank Arvia, Kris Callen, Kellie Fox, John Grant, Joe Klimovitz, Joan LundBorg, Lois Lydens, Jean Russell, Beth Snider and Julie Stivers. He then went on to recognize three board members, Grant, LundBorg and Russell, who were retiring due to reaching their term limit of nine years. “One of the things we do to honor retiring board members is we (honor) them with $1,000 to be used to donate to a fund within the foundation or to a self-directed fund that they might personally have,” Wagner explained. Grant gave his $1,000 to the Administrative Fund, LundBorg gave hers to the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center and Russell chose the Complete Your Degree program. Each also shared their fond recollections of their time on the board. Wagner noted that LundBorg has agreed to stay on as secretary in a voluntary position. Dinner was then served courtesy of Fretty’s Catering. Carey’s highlights directly followed and were capped off with her welcoming two of the students in the Complete Your Degree program.
learn,” Moore said. “I understand the importance of continuing education. I love what I do, and I absolutely love helping others, so one of my main goals is to one day be able to pour as much energy and caring…that I can, back into this community that has poured that into me. I want to be the best me I can be, not only for my family, but for this amazing community.” The next to speak were board trustee Snider, who introduced Skilled Trades Careers Scholarship Recipient Amelia Tuinstra, who turned down several fullride scholarships to become a piano technician. The evening was rounded out with presentations by Tracy Blamer, who shared how the OCF has helped to transform the Ferry Township Community Center into a place for children to learn and play, and Dolores Peters of the Department of Health and Human Services Migrant Child Task Force Outreach who told how the OCF has provided many items to area migrant families that often have to travel here without the essentials. She noted that the children she works with particularly enjoy the soccer balls that the OCF donates. The final three awards presented at the conclusion of the celebration were first for Pete LundBorg, who received the 2023 Great Good Award for the countless hours he has spent beautifying Oceana County parks. Second, since there was no celebration last year due to the pandemic, another 2023 Greater Good Award was given to Mark Mullen for Mrs. Mullen’s Closet, a passion project of his late wife’s that has now expanded to eight schools across two counties, providing winter clothes to area children in need. Third, and the final award of the night, was a brand new award from the OCF. The Community Builder Award was presented posthumously to Dale Lathers for all of the many things he has done for Oceana County. His wife, Jan, and son, Jeff, accepted the award on his behalf.
Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer recently visited Thomas Read Elementary in Shelby, above, at left, and was joined by Shelby-Benona Fire Chief Jack White and Thomas Read Principal Kara Vanderweele. • Contributed
State Fire Marshal visits Thomas Read
Members of the Hart High School Media Class took to the streets of downtown Hart to paint businesses in support of Pirate Athletics. The varsity football team is hosting its first playoff game in school history this evening at 7 p.m. against Kent City. Pictured above are Macy Riley (ninth grade), Cali Eisenlohr (ninth grade), Carson Jensen (eleventh grade) and Olivia DeBrot (eleventh grade). • Sharon Hallack/Echo
State of Michigan Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer visited Thomas Read Elementary School in Shelby Wednesday, Oct. 18, as part of fire prevention activities during the month of October. The fire marshal has been going around the state for the last few years, reading to second and third grade classes. The Shelby-Benona Fire Department was able to connect with him and have him
visit these classes at Thomas Read. Fire Marshal Sehlmeyer read two books to the students and shared a fire safety message with them. It was a great follow-up to the visit that the Shelby-Benona Fire Department made the previous week. The fire marshal also left calendars for every second and third grade class in all of the schools in Oceana County.