The Rock

VOL 3 | ISSUE 4

PLYMOUTH’S NEWS & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Devoted volunteers provide voice for Miller Woods

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The Gift of Local Journalism

Please consider a donation to support The Rock.

Since we began publishing nearly two years ago, our goal has been to provide our readers with valuable information about the Plymouth community each and every month.

Your support will help that mission survive and grow. And while The Rock is sent free to every address in Plymouth, it is not free to produce.

LOCAL Matters!

That is the foundation of this magazine. If you find it of value, please consider supporting it.

Every little bit helps!

Please send donations to: Journeyman Publishing, 16435 Franklin, Northville, MI 48168 You can also make donations via PayPal to kurtkuban@gmail.com.

Thank you in advance.

VOL 3 | ISSUE 4 16435 Franklin, Northville, MI 48168 • 734-716-0783 • kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com

K U R T K U B A N – Editor/Publisher

Kurt is an award-winning journalist, having served as a reporter and editor for several local newspapers and magazines, including the Plymouth Observer.

He has been a journalist for over two decades. He founded Journeyman Publishing, which also publishes The ‘Ville, in 2017.

S CO T T B U I E – Advertising Director/Vice President of Sales

Scott has 20+ years creating advertising campaigns for clients in Metro Detroit.

After managing sales for radio stations for 17 years he purchased Street Marketing, where he works closely with a variety of businesses and events. Scott and his family have lived in the Plymouth/Northville area for over 23 years.

J E N N Y P E A R S A L L – Creative Director

Jenny has been in the design and print industry for over twenty years, holding various positions in graphic design, print buying, production and print management. She also owns Bovia Design Group, a company specializing in publications and corporate branding.

B R A D E M O N S – Writer

Over the course of his four decades with the Observer & Eccentric, Brad established himself as one of the preeminent prep sports reporters in the state, winning many journalism awards along the way. His greatest joy is interviewing local athletes and coaches, and reporting on their efforts.

L A R R Y O ’ CO N N O R – Writer

Larry is a metro Detroit area journalist whose work has appeared in The Detroit News, Jackson Citizen Patriot and the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers. When he’s not meticulously chronicling people or events, he’s avidly rooting for his favorite soccer teams -- Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic.

Publisher

T I M S M I T H – Writer

Here is the list of readers who supported local journalism this month: - Bea Gray

Tim brings a penchant for telling personal stories that run the gamut from news to sports. During more than 35 years in journalism, mostly with the Observer & Eccentric, he has earned numerous state and national awards.

The Wayne State grad is a published author and rec ice hockey player.

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Lonnie graduated from EMU with a degree in creative writing. He is a longtime newspaper reporter, including two stints with The Northville Record. He is now a freelance reporter, including in Dexter where he lives with his wife and two young children.

• Reach 21,000 addresses every month.

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To secure space in an upcoming issue of The Rock, contact Advertising Director Scott Buie at (313) 399-5231, or via email at scottbuie@therockmagazine.com or advertising@therockmagazine.com.

L O N N I E H U H M A N – Writer

M I C H E L E F E C H T – Writer

Michele is a longtime journalist whose first post-college reporter position was at The Northville Record before moving on to The Detroit News. She is an author, researcher, local history enthusiast, and community activist/ advocate.

W E N S DY V O N B U S K I R K – Writer

Wensdy graduated with a degree in journalism from Wayne State University.

Her first job was working as a reporter for The Northville Record. Now, as a freelance writer and editor, she works for a variety of magazines, including The Rock. -Photo by Kathleen Voss

B R YA N M I T C H E L L – Photographer

Bryan started working as a photographer more than 30 years ago, and was a staff photographer for the Plymouth Observer in the 90s. He has freelanced for The Detroit News, The Guardian, Reuters, and other publications. His photography has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the globe.

B I L L B R E S L E R – Photographer

Bill arrived in Plymouth in 1977 to work for the Community Crier. He also worked for the Plymouth Observer for many years. Bill, who taught photography at Madonna University, retired from what was left of the newspaper business in 2019 and now freelances. He’s happy to be back in the Plymouth community.

The Rock is a product of Journeyman Publishing, which assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information. Any form of reproduction of any content in this publication without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Comments are welcome at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com.

FOR SOME, CARING FOR THE EARTH IS YEAR-ROUND

Each year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day, something we’ve been doing since 1970. It’s great to have a day when people focus on the natural world. Many mark the day by getting out to do clean-ups and school children often learn lessons about being good stewards of the planet. This year was no different.

There are some people right here in our community, however, who treat every day as Earth Day. Being good environmental stewards of the planet is a year-round effort for them.

In this issue of The Rock, we have a feature story about just such a group, who have made it their mission to protect a 10-acre woodland called Miller Woods. Located near Powell and Ridge roads and owned by the Plymouth-Canton school district, the protected Miller Woods is home to trees that are hundreds of years old, diverse plant species and plenty of little critters.

The Friends of Miller Woods act as the caretakers for this “little slice of heaven” that also serves as a looking glass into what Plymouth Township once looked like before settlement. While the group is small, they make up for their limited numbers with plenty of passion for the resource. The group, led by longtime president Cheryl Bord, put up identifying signs on trees and plants for visitors, do clean-ups, and offer guided tours, plus so much more.

Please check out the story on Page 14 about their great work.

Another group, which has been fighting for Mother Nature is the Plymouth Pollinators. You may remember we featured them in a story in the July 2021 issue.

The group, which is led by Carly and Dave Cirilli, plants flowers at parks around town, which are beneficial to bees and other pollinating insects, which are so important to our world. The Cirilli’s recently contacted me to let me know interest in their group has increased to the point they’ve decided to file for non-profit status, so they “can continue increasing pollinator habitat in the community and raising awareness about pollinator decline.”

To learn how you can help them with this mission, check out their website at plymouthpollinators.org. They are looking forward to a very busy garden season this year, and I’m sure can use plenty of volunteers.

Also based in Plymouth is a group I’ve had a lot of interaction with -- the Friends of the Rouge. This non-profit, which dates back to 1986, has been leading efforts to clean up the Rouge River, which was once one of the most polluted rivers in the nation.

Their efforts to educate the public through programs like Rouge Rescue and the Rouge Education Project have been a huge factor in a cleaner Rouge, including several tributaries that flow through Plymouth.

Friends of the Rouge is based at PARC, where they helped design the new parking lot that captures stormwater and helps reduce flooding in the community, preserving Tonquish Creek in the process. So far, it has been a great success and an example how every project, no matter how big or small, makes a difference. As someone who has organized my share of Rouge Rescue events, I can tell you firsthand how far the Rouge has come in a generation.

To learn more about Friends of the Rouge, visit therouge.org.

All three of these groups are proof Earth Day doesn’t have to be a one day deal. All three, like most non-profits, also depend on volunteers. So check them out. We can all play a larger role in sticking up for our environment.

Kurt Kuban is Editor and Publisher of The Rock. He welcomes your comments at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com.

In this issue

6

T IGERS’ NEW NUTRITIONIST LANDS DREAM JOB

14

MILLER WOODS IS ‘A LITTLE SLICE OF HEAVEN'

22

MEET THE BACHELOR OF DEER STREET

Your Voice: Letters to the Editor

4

DECA is launching pad for high school students

8

Feds highlight PlymouthCanton’s ESA program

18

Retiring chiefs left mark on Plymouth Township Community Bulletin Board

20 26

Out & About: Community Calendar

28

O N T H E CO V E R : Cheryl Bord, president of the Friends of Miller Woods, stands near one of the trees that tower over the woodland sanctuary in Plymouth Township. Some wildflowers are just starting to emerge from the forest floor. Photo by Ken Voyles

YOU R VOICE CRISSEY WAS TRAILBLAZER

In order to honor the memory of Fred Crissey, a gathering will take place on Saturday May 14 at 11 a.m. The location has been changed to the Penn Theatre so weather will not be an issue. At the Penn Theater, there will be memory boxes where people may write down reflections they have about Fred that the family may take home.

Fred Crissey started his PCCS teaching career at Pioneer Middle School when the building opened in 1969. He continued to be a trailblazer by opening up Plymouth-Canton High School’s first baseball team in 1972.

The Chiefs, under his leadership in 1975, were Western Lakes champions, and were ranked number one in the state. From the first few graduating classes of Plymouth-Canton High School, many ball players went on to collegiate baseball and the minors. Now that’s good coaching!

Fred Crissey was inducted into the first Hall of Fame at Canton High School. He was first in so many ways. He cared so much for his players and students for so many years.Thank you, Fred Crissey.

Jodi Overholt Ring Plymouth-Canton Class of 1975

ADD MORE POLICE PRESENCE

I read with great interest, the article in The Rock regarding the 35th District Court's budget deficit.

I tend to agree that the lack of activity due to Covid outbreaks in the areas the court covers is likely the primary reason revenue is drastically down. Soon the weather will warm, and more people will visit our city and township. High schoolers will be free to roam, and the splendor of classic cars cruising down the streets will remind us all that Plymouth is certainly a destination city packed with charm, history and fun for all.

I would suggest that if case loads do not increase in the courthouse and revenue does not return, then a review of whether we have too many judges might be the first step. My guess is they constitute the greater part of the administrative budget. I realize this would be an unpopular but perhaps timely discussion.

My second comment concerns the suggestion that officers write more tickets to boost the budget.

I moved to Plymouth for many reasons, one being how safe and friendly a community we enjoy. But I do wonder why I only see

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policemen sitting in cars or driving them around.

Is there a reason they cannot walk a beat?

I ask this because I have witnessed numerous walkers, runners and other pedestrians have too close encounters with speeding cars, with no police to be found. I have observed hundreds of people in Kellogg Park for planned activities and to simply enjoy the park, but not much police presence in general, to keep simple things like people jumping in the fountain, cars speeding (yes, I mean doing lots more than 25) down the streets, and people still not stopping for pedestrians, in spite of our fantastic new pedestrian walkways.

And, as for speeding tickets, if you deputize me for one morning while I'm walking my dogs, I'll bring you every person late for work, every person who runs the traffic lights because it's early and nobody is looking, and then maybe we can solve this problem together.

Marlene M. Landry

WRITE MORE TICKETS

When it comes to the 35th District Court’s deficit, my vote is more ticket writing. There is a lot of speeding on many various streets—Joy between Beck and Ridge in particular. Noise from loud mufflers and muscle cars speeding and strutting along Main Street makes our outdoor dining and concert going very unpleasant.

I have always felt more ticket writing could deter the above and is a greatly missed opportunity for more revenue.

Rhonda Berels

TICKET QUOTA A BAD IDEA

I was deeply concerned to read in the March 2022 edition that it is even a passing thought to improve funding at 35th District Court by "having local law enforcement officers write more tickets." Kudos to Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise and Northville Township Supervisor Mark Abbo for rejecting this horrible idea as "against the interest of good policing" and "against the Constitution."

Those are key problems with this idea, but hardly the only ones. For example, local communities have been successfully sued by civil rights firms for enforcing unwritten ticket quotas. In short, the costs of this sort of thing are not easy to see up front, but they are there.

We need to recognize there is no free lunch.

Policing for profit is at best a misguided sugar rush, at worst a Pandora's box. Do we really want our police driven by considerations of profit maximization?

Properly funding our government is about setting taxes and budgets appropriately, period. We need to face our budget needs head on and without an explicit or implicit ticketing for revenue scheme.

Sarah Prescott

RENT SPACE

If the 35th District Court needs more revenue, why not rent space for lawyers’ offices, private detectives, and counseling services, etc.? If our local communities pay for judges’ staff, consolidate staff to reduce fixed costs, cleaning, heating, etc. Shut down and close courtrooms and move to shared judicial office and court space. Judges with less of a workload will work fewer hours, requiring less time in the office and courtroom.

Marilyn Trumper-Samra

PRESERVE LAND

Tim Smith’s article about the upcoming developments in Plymouth was well written and outlined the two options Plymouth has before it as to how it will utilize the Elks Club property. I must say that I don't like either option of apartments or industrial over nature, however. I would prefer a muchneeded and fitting industry to occupy that space, one that exemplifies the sustainable technology of the near future.

I would like to know if the people living around the space have been surveyed as to what they think? I live in the subdivision on the northeast corner of Haggerty and Ann Arbor Trail. I would be willing to be a part of a collective action by the surrounding community to preserve this land, if possible, even a portion of it.

Mike Frantsen

JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY

I’m reaching out to express my appreciation for the work you do and the columns you run in The Rock magazine. Each of the editorials you write exudes writing filled with journalistic integrity, thoughtfulness, and passion for the community, which I find hard to find at times given the last few years.

My husband and I moved to Plymouth Township 3.5 years ago and have fallen in love with the community. Thank you and the team for making the community magazine one more reason for us to love, appreciate, and respect the privilege of living in this community.

Louisa Laidlaw

Please submit your letters by emailing Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com. Letters must be no more than 150 words. We reserve the right to edit all letters.

“Terri was absolutely amazing to work with. She sold our condo and helped us purchase our new home. We were very nervous given how hot the market has been and we were very particular with what we wanted and where we wanted to be (near downtown Plymouth). That made it difficult of course, but Terri was able to work magic for us - literally the only term I can think of. She found us our new home and worked masterfully to sell our condo which went way above asking price. We could not have thought of a better person to work with. Truly a great experience.”

— Patrick & Kristen S., Plymouth

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© 2018 Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are service marks registered or pending registration owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

The

EDGE

By Brad Emons

Job is dream come true for Tigers’ new nutritionist

M

ajor League Baseball is a sport highly driven by analytics.

The same can said to be true for the health and wellbeing of its players.

And the Detroit Tigers hope to keep a competitive edge after hiring Plymouth native Maureen Stoecklein – a Canton firefighter and former Madonna University standout athlete with local ties -- as its new MLB Nutrition Coordinator following a threeyear stint in a similar role with the New York Mets.

For Stoecklein it’s a dream come true to work for the hometown team that she rooted for while growing up in the Hix/ Joy Road area.

Until June when she officially retires after 22 years with the Canton Fire Department, Stoecklein will continue to juggle two jobs – including her 24-hour shifts at the station -- as she transitions into her new role with the team.

Her task is simply to get the Tigers up to speed with the rest of the ballclubs in the Majors optimizing the players’ performance on the field as it pertains to their health and diet.

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“Baseball really needs to be performance based because they essentially eat 100 percent of their meals at the stadium, and it’s a long day, and so they really need performance-based food,” Stoecklein said. “In the past they did a lot of catering. When they’re on the road all their food is catered in. They don’t have chefs that obviously travel with them. And as healthy as you try and make catered food, it’s not home cooked food.

“So, they were getting catering on the road, plus they were getting catered food back home and a lady who was there doing some sandwiches, made soup

and cooked a few things there, and then they had pizza coming in since it was owned by Little Caesars…it was sort of a hodgepodge, so my goal has been to make home game stands home cooked food.”

One of her first moves was to hire a performance chef, Eric Madden, a graduate of Plymouth High School who is also continuing his education while studying dietetics (which Stoecklein has a degree from at Madonna).

“He’s really cool and really innovative, and so all the food that they get now is all performance based,” Stoecklein said. “We take a look at what they should be eating before a game. They eat two hours before a game. If it’s a day game they have breakfast as soon as they come in. If it’s a night game they get a lunch and also get a pre-game meal. And the other thing that is really important is that recovering because they put in 162 games, play game after game, after game, so that recovery piece is really important.

We make sure that recovery meal is really nutrient based, lots of protein, complex carbs. And I have also coordinated their food

leaving on the plane, because they also get food on the plane. I work with the airlines and the crew that is on there to make sure there’s a little bit of an overhaul with the food thing, too.”

POSITIVE FEEDBACK

Stoecklein, using her paid time off with the Canton Fire Service, spent most of the month of March with the team during spring training in Lakeland, Fla. to implement her strategy for the 2022 season.

And according to Stoecklein, the feedback has been positive from the start from both the players and team management.

“They’ve been really receptive,” Stoecklein said.

“I think there’s a little bit of a transition just like the fire service. When I first got into the fire service it was like really heavy meals, kind of a doughboys club with food. I think that’s changed because people are more aware and more inundated with nutrition information and health information with social media probably.

“I think baseball is the same way and the Tigers. They’ve made a strong push for healthier

We take a look at what they should be eating before a game. They eat two hours before a game. If it’s a day game they have breakfast as soon as they come in. If it’s a night game they get a lunch and also get a pre-game meal. And the other thing that is really important is that recovering because they put in 162 games, play game after game, after game, so that recovery piece is really important. We make sure that recovery meal is really nutrient based, lots of protein, complex carbs.”

Maureen Stoecklein, discussing the eating regimen for the Detroit Tigers food and so it’s been welcomed.

And the other thing, I think, that has been extremely important is I have (manager) A.J. Hinch’s backing. He introduced me during spring training, kind of gave me the floor, which was unbelievable to have the floor with the whole team…I think I had a group of 75 initially. I addressed all of them and laid the ground work of what we were trying to accomplish.”

Another component is to infuse and try to tailor the needs of its Latin American players, which makes up a third of the Tigers’ MLB roster.

“There’s certainly comfort in certain foods and there are superstitions with certain foods, so it’s really tricky to try and keep everyone happy, but still include some favorite foods and still buying into it that it’s performance-based,” she said.

“I have to be extremely creative.

In all honesty, we have to cater a little bit too, because there’s Venezuelan and food from the Dominican and there happens to be two great caterers in Detroit the players are familiar with and they frequent, so we lean on them a little bit, too.

“We kind of have to get a feel for the food because we rely on the players a lot to help us along the way with ideas and tell us what they want, so that we can change the food and be familiar with the food, and then maybe try and create our own.”

As the Tigers seek to improve their nutritional needs, Stoecklein will be working closely with the club to upgrade their on-site facilities.

“There are plans to do a little bit of a build-out with a kitchen at the stadium because we literally don’t have a kitchen.

We’re cooking on the fourth-floor transporting food down to the clubhouse,” she said.

ATHLETIC PROWESS At Farmington Hills Mercy High, Maureen “Mo” Paulin was a standout three-sport athlete who played volleyball, softball and basketball. She earned an athletic scholarship to play at Madonna where she earned NAIA All-American volleyball honors in 1994 and was a member of the softball team that reached the NAIA National tourney that same year.

After spending four years working as a registered dietician following her graduation from Madonna, Stoecklein decided she needed a more physical job and became a firefighter in Canton where her husband Chris currently serves as fire chief.

Stoecklein, however, never lost her zest for physical activity.

She’s completed one Ironman triathlon and run 13 marathons.

Two years in a row, Stoecklein won the Fight for Air Climb charity event for the American Lung Association as she donned 70 pounds of firefighter gear while climbing 71 flights of stairs to the top of the Detroit Renaissance Center – the city’s tallest skyscrapers where she improved her time by minute going from 13:47 to and 12:47.

During her career as a firefighter, Stoecklein’s interest in nutrition remained strong

and in 2013 she started working as consulting dietician at the Plymouth-based Barwis Method training facility for Olympic, pro and amateur athletes. She also began advising New York Mets former owner Jeff Wilpon and helping him with his personal nutritional goals.

And when the Mets were seeking a team performance dietician, Stoecklein went to work for the National League club from 2017-2020.

But commuting back and forth to New York, as well as going on the road with the Mets became a bit too much to handle for her schedule with the Canton Fire Department. And then COVID reared its ugly head in 2020 as the clubhouse was locked down.

Stoecklein stepped away, but the experience proved to be invaluable.

“It was October-November and I had no intention of going back to baseball and then the Tigers called me,” Stoecklein said.

“They found out I was local. A.J. Hinch is actually best friends with Brody Van Wagenen (the Mets former general manager in 2019-2020). They were college roommates and best buddies.”

HINCH COMES CALLING Upon Brody’s recommendation, Hinch reached out to her.

“He just called me and said, ‘Hey, do you have any intentions of coming back to baseball?

We’d love to have you with the Tigers.’ So, at the point I said, ‘O.K. how do you say no to that?’

I said, ‘absolutely,’ so here I am,” Stoecklein said.

Once Stoecklein retires from the fire department in June, she’ll have more flexibility with the team.

“They agreed I could go on road trips once I retire,” Stoecklein said. “My role here is a little bit different because I oversee the food service part of it, too. With the Mets I didn’t do as much with the food service.

It was more working with the performance team. Reading blood work, dehydration stuff. I think I’ll get to that point here with the Tigers, but the immediate need is to bring the food up to speed and I’ve been focusing on that.”

For early afternoon homes games, Stoecklein generally rises from her Livonia home at 3:30 a.m., gets in a run and then heads for Comerica Park sometimes not returning home until 7 p.m.

“It’s been kind of fun and some of them have caught on and think I’m crazy,” she said. “And as long as they know my health is a priority, too. I still do all the disciplines for the Ironman, but I don’t do the Ironman. With the Mets, it was a little more-tricky because I was traveling. Now it’s nice because home games are now home games for me. You’re talking about a long day. When we have a day game, we feed them three meals a day when they’re there.”

But Stoecklein wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s quite an amazing job, a really cool job,” she said “and you have more of a vested interest with your hometown team, too.”

The Rock

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Launching Pad for

Lofty Goals DECA helps high school students get glimpse of business future

By Tim Smith

M

onths, perhaps years before PlymouthCanton Educational Park students step into college classrooms, they are diving feet first into a sparkling pool of business acumen through DECA, an organization for marketing students that develops business and leadership skills.

Canton, Plymouth and Salem high school students recently competed – in person after two years of virtual competition due to COVID-19 restrictions – on behalf of their chapters at the DECA State Career Development Conference in Detroit. Out of 43 participants, 13 earned medals for being state finalists.

They got to apply knowledge gained all year during fourthhour advanced marketing classes, rub elbows with actual

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community business leaders and come out the other side with fresh and valuable perspectives.

Individual high school chapters are led by advanced marketing teachers Jaime Scappaticci (Canton), Tyra Johnson (Plymouth) and Cristina Scappaticci (Salem).

What the young men and women do with the DECA experience remains an open question. But it is safe to say many will pursue careers in finance, marketing, hospitality or management, all of which are paths global 501c3 non-profit DECA Inc. strives to shine the light of possibility on.

“DECA has helped me narrow down my career choices and learn more about what aspects of marketing I’m interested in,” said Canton student Emily Mundorf, who qualified for the Atlanta

competition (April 23-26) after earning a state championship in food marketing. (She was the lone Atlanta qualifier from P-CEP’s chapters.)

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

According to Salem overall state finalist Victoria Tabor, who manages the high school’s The Rock Shop store, being in DECA provides a type of launching pad toward going for lofty goals.

“This business experience gave me and my classmates the platform to display our skills in a competitive environment,” Tabor noted. “In terms of my potential future, DECA has provided me with exposure to various roles in the realm of business.”

One of her Salem and DECA classmates, Nick Mahy, also was an overall state finalist at the Detroit event.

“It was a great taste of what’s to come in the real world,” Mahy said.

Indeed. Mahy parlayed his experience in the automotive services marketing class to give nuts and bolts about potential presentations to buy used cars from different sellers.

“They gave me a dealership, online retailer and a previous owner and I had to give the pros and cons of each and then give the listeners different questions to ask before you buy a car,” explained Mahy about his roleplay presentation at states. “It taught me how to quickly come up with ways to present real-life business ideas.”

Tabor’s task was to play the role of a human resources manager, tackling typical duties such as safety concerns and employee schedules.

“This taught me how to come up with practical solutions efficiently and to effectively communicate my strategies in a professional setting,” she added.

Canton’s Mundorf had the scenario of being a grocery store marketing manager, with the job of coming up with a blueprint to showcase the business stand of an independent local entrepreneur which operated out of her store.

“I was able to create my plan and discuss expanding the program with my judge and work on a plan that showcased many local entrepreneurs,” Mundorf emphasized. “I learned a lot about the presentation in products and was able to medal in this event.”

Plymouth senior Dominick Amore collected state awards in the categories of entrepreneurship, role play and overall. He already brought a passion for business into the school’s DECA chapter. But competing at states turned out to be quite the eye opener.

“Prior to the actual role play, I was surrounded by so many people that I was going to be competing against and it showed

me how much competition there is in the field of business,” Amore said. “My role plays included deciding between two different kinds of people to include in an advertisement for a company and deciding whether or not to open a new location of a company based on a few factors.

“Both of these went well for me, but took some quick decision making to come up with good plans to present to my judges.”

For her role play, senior Cate Whelan, who is president of the Plymouth DECA, helped design a survey for an online merchandise company.

“My partner and I worked together to figure out the target market and get valuable feedback from our role play survey,” Whelan said. “I think Plymouth DECA is having so much success because of our tight-knit group.

We all cheer each other on and have become very close while working together, so we push each other to do better.”

INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE

The high school students – all enrolled in the advanced marketing program – entered the DECA competition with the task of demonstrating ways they can become future workforce leaders.

(DECA is utilized as the program’s leadership component.)

Several P-CEP students said a portion of credit for their DECA success should go to their teachers for promoting a collaborative learning experience as well as for the strength of community entrepreneurship in

Plymouth and Canton.

“Plymouth-Canton businesses are influencing students in the community to discover where they thrive and use that as their root of success in not only business, but also any field of occupation,” Salem DECA’s Tabor said. “As students transition into college and begin their careers, they will take not only what they have learned in the classroom but also from their local experiences as inspiration for their future.”

Tabor added that Salem advanced marketing teacher Cristina Scappaticci “has imparted her skillful knowledge of business and marketing and given us the freedom to apply them in the Rock Shop.”

Mahy concurred about the importance of Scappaticci’s efforts, for giving students support and essential resources. But he also underscored the drive and determination of the students themselves.

“We are a very diverse group that want to succeed,” Mahy stressed. “When you mix the resources of our teachers with the dedication of our students, it’s hard not to have success as a program.”

Plymouth DECA’s Amore also emphasized the importance of teaching, preparation and countless hours of practice in getting students the level of success they attained at states.

“I believe that Mrs. (Tyra) Johnson prepared our chapter for success by assigning us practice problems for our tests,” Amore explained, “and doing practice

role plays with everybody. The Plymouth DECA chapter put in the necessary work to get a step ahead of many other chapters in order to earn these awards.”

And for as much as the community helps nurture and engage DECA students, there is plenty of reciprocity.

Plymouth’s chapter raised about $1,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy CAREER PATHWAYS Association in a fundraiser. Those Local business leaders also efforts were recognized at the are seen as very important DECA state conference, with the influencers. awarding of a plaque.

“Many kids are getting jobs “We raised money to help kids with so many openings these with muscular dystrophy attend days and these businesses are summer camp and participate in letting kids work and giving activities with camp counselors them experience for the future,” that can meet their needs,” Mahy said. “The businesses are Whelan said. “I loved working showing kids what it is like to with others and seeing something work in the real world and help that I helped initiate turn out to be them find interests in certain such a success. I hope Plymouth fields.

DECA continues this fundraiser “The skills and experiences for years to come.” they gain from the businesses The Detroit event was the will help them decide what they first time since the start of the want to go into in the future pandemic in 2020 that DECA and give them insight on certain students competed in person. fields of work.”

January’s DECA state districts Canton DECA’s Mundorf said were done virtually. Months of a strong link with Community dedication and collaboration Financial Credit Union in enabled students to reach those Plymouth has proven to be coveted competitions. invaluable in helping students “They spend the first semester gear up for DECA competitions.

That connection prepped students learning more about their career pathway and practicing in areas such as interviews, role playing and running Canton High role plays, which are like case studies, to prepare for the district School’s monthly credit union. competition that takes place in “Our marketing program also January every year,” Johnson said. has an advisory committee of So while it took a long time local businesses that give input on our classes and skills we need for the PCEP chapters to get the full-on DECA experience, once to prepare for future careers,” they did it proved riveting and Mundorf noted. “We have guest rewarding. That experience will speakers from local businesses undoubtedly pave the way to take and also career exploration and job shadow opportunities offered their business dreams as far as they want to go. to us.”

The Rock | 9

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S

peed along Powell Road toward Ridge on a sunny spring day and you’re liable to miss it.

A small remnant of woodlands that was once the dominant part of southeast Michigan rises high over a 10-acre lot of Plymouth Township, nestled next to fine suburban homes and quiet neighborhood streets.

This colorful corner of nature is known as Miller Woods. It is a reminder of Michigan’s beauty, carpeted with wildflowers in the spring, trees that form a dense canopy in summer and a vibrant kaleidoscope of color in the fall. There are benches for contemplating and pathways for quiet walks (or jogs). The epitome of a small preserve, this retreat is for anyone and everyone who loves the outdoors or seeks a quiet reminder of nature’s blessings.

Though far older than the residents who live around it – some of the trees date back 300 years – this sanctuary in the heart of Plymouth is lovingly cared for by a group of “friends” – passionate neighbors who are ready to share its grandeur.

Clearly, even though the “urban” woods remain a 14 | The Rock

Heaven A Little Slice of

Devoted volunteers provide voice for woodland sanctuary

By Ken Voyles

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.”

—ROBERT FROST— remarkable sight, one many don’t even know exists, the real story is about the women and men who protect it for future generations.

People like Cheryl Bord, longtime president of the Friends of Miller Woods, who can be found putting up stakes identifying the flora and fauna for self-guided tours. There’s Kathy Huhta, vice president of the group, who loves to guide Girl Scouts and Brownies on tours, or

Joyce Holmes, another member who has spent 20 years taking people through the sublime trees.

Holmes has also functioned as "historian" for the group.

There’s Sarah Lara and Marcia Fowler, who share their photographs of the woods inperson, on social media, and even in magazines. There’s Karl Melow, the treasurer, who supports the group even though he no longer lives in the area.

Bosch Industries plays a part as well, with grants for larger projects like a new bridge. The Kiwanis Club paid for fencing to protect the land from human damage, while the Plymouth Rock Shoppe on North Territorial has made donations and offered materials discounts.

John Bowerman, at High Level Marketing, implemented the Friends’ first website at no cost.

And you can’t forget the local Boys Scouts for countless birdboxes and maintenance work, or U of M researchers who survey the woods and, of course, the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, owners of the land and keepers of its future security.

Lastly, there’s the original Plymouth farmers, Norman and Cornelia (Whipple) Miller, the long deceased givers of the land.

Today their descendants still live in Michigan. In fact, great-greatgrandson Ryan Miller went on a tour with the group last fall.

A COMMUNITY So, it truly is a community that ensures the woods’ survival.

“Our number one goal is to raise awareness. This is a

real treasure, unlike anything else,” says Bord, who has been president for 12 years. “It’s nature at its best, it’s educational.

It’s just beautiful.”

From Bord’s perspective, the Friends group, originally founded in the mid-1970s, plays other key roles.

“We are a voice for the woods,” she says. “We are its eyes on the ground. When you learn about the life of a tree, you realize trees are unlike anything else. They are so special.”

The history of Miller Woods is worthy of a few words. The Millers purchased around 1,000 acres in Plymouth Township about the time they got married in 1900.

They continued to farm the land until 1968. They never worked or cut down trees in a small portion of their property, leaving centuries old trees. Norman served as township clerk for 24 years, passing away in 1958.

In 1968 the family sold the land to a developer along with 40 acres to the school district. A deed restriction was already in place that 10 acres be preserved.

Though no school has been built,

the land remains in the district’s hands, also being formally designated a nature preserve by Plymouth Township in 1991.

There are a dozen tree species in Miller Woods, including Sumac, Blue-Beech,

Musclewood, Bur Oak, Northern Red Oak, White Oak, Bitternut Hickory, Black Walnut, Black Locust, Thornless Honey Locust, White Mulberry, White Ash, Black Cherry, Bigtooth Aspen, Trembling Aspen, Black Maple, Sugar Maple, Hard Maple, American Basswood and American Elm. The woods support more than 20 types of wildflower types, including Baneberry, Bloodroot, Harbinger-of-Spring, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Mayapple, Trillium, Virginia Waterleaf, Wild Geranium, Wild Ginger, Wild Leek (Ramp) and Zig-Zag Goldenrod.

The Friends organized after concerns that home building in the area was leading to destructive actions around the woods. Today there are around 15 active members, but many other residents donate to help the nonprofit, which relies on volunteers to offer tours, maintain and manage small improvements and work with school officials.

“I got involved when there was rumors that the schools

might sell the land,” says Bord, who lives just across the street from the property. “The group hadn’t been very active for years and we were able to rejuvenate it. But we can always use more help. We’re getting older now

and the next generation needs to step up.”

WINDOW INTO PAST At one time the property was assessed, says Bord, and valued at $3 million. To this day she fields calls from people interested in removing the fallen trees, which the group opposes since the woods are meant to remain natural. Others have sought access for various reasons, and DTE owns a small right-of-way in the heart of the land.

Like so much with the Miller Woods story even the group’s current success is thanks in part to yet another person. Roland J. Thomas Jr., a local Plymouth business man, helped the group craft a mission statement, develop long-range goals for care of the property and get organized, says Bord.

Far more impactful than any past or future monetary value, is what the woods mean to those who care so much about it.

For Ryan Miller it’s an important piece of his family history.

“It means the world to me,” says Miller, who lives in Stockbridge and is marrying this year. “Just knowing that I can still go visit a place where my ancestors walked through the woods, where they tapped maple syrup. When I walk through I wonder what it was like for them back then.”

Growing up, Miller had no idea about the preserve. He said the family never talked about it (there had been a family split of sorts over its sale).

“When I found out about it, I was floored,” says Miller, who first visited the woods with his mom and dad around 2008. “I looked at photos of it for so long in a scrapbook. Now sometimes I just get in my car and come down there.”

Besides the family tumult, Miller says the other mystery is why Norman and Cornelia set aside a portion of the land as a

preserve.

“It seems when they bought the land they were told that part was virgin woods, so he wanted to keep it that way,” says Miller.

“About the only thing they did was tap Maple syrup there.”

A PLACE OF DISCOVERY For Bord, a nurse practitioner at U of M who calls her role a “fun side gig,” it’s all about the trees.

“I love the wildflowers, they are so short-lived and beautiful.

But I’ve always had a deeper fascination with the trees,” she says. “I find them so incredible.

I’ve learned about how trees work and connect to one another and grow through a process called succession. The sugar maples are awesome. They are all The Rock | 15

distinct structures and manage very well without much help.”

For Kathy Huhta, the Friends’ vice president and involved for 15 years, it’s the shared experience.

“I really enjoy tours,” says the Plymouth banker and a neighbor of Bord’s. “It’s a little slice of heaven. I am amazed at the diversity of trees and wildflowers. It can be so peaceful to just sit down on a bench and look around.”

Huhta first got involved when she ventured into the woods on her own. She attended a tour or

two and was soon asked if she wanted to join the group and become a guide.

“The cool thing about tours is that crabby people don’t come on nature walks,” she laughed. “And every year I see something new.”

For others it’s about stewardship – part of the group’s mission statement – and telling the next generation about a treasure in our midst.

“People are curious about it,” says Huhta, who once studied forestry. “When they find out it’s a preserve most people are very

respectful.”

Going through photos brings back many memories for Fowler.

“There’s a beautiful Sugar Maple giant I took of a photo of that’s 300 years old. It’s largely gone now, because of recurrent wind and storm damage,” she says. “This was once a beautiful and majestic tree and I feel much nostalgia when I look at it.”

No matter what you think of Miller Woods it remains a special place of discovery throughout all four seasons. In the spring, native wildflowers bloom, while in the summer, hundreds of trees cool the air by providing a dense canopy overhead. Then in the fall as the woods evolve and change it comes alive with color and falling leaves that carpet earth’s floor.

Once winter sets in again, with the onset of snow, a quiet walk through the woods truly does make one pause, Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” crystalizing in one’s head.

MILLER WOODS GUIDED TOURS

Guided tours are offered in Miller Woods during spring and fall for community and educational groups. The Friends also enjoy having Boy Scout troops visit and can work with troop leaders on special badge requirements. Go to the Friends of Miller Woods website at millerwoods.com to arrange tours.

Tour guides have extensive knowledge of the flora and fauna in the woods, and enjoy sharing their passion with others. Many were educated by the late forest ecology professor, Dr. Burton Barnes, from the University of Michigan.

Wildflower tours are mainly held in April of each year but tours are offered throughout the summer and fall as well.

The entrance is on Powell Road, east of Ridge. Parking is on the side of the road. No strollers, bikes or dogs are allowed in the woods.

For more information, visit millerwoods.com.

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F

inding innovative and unexpected ways to help young people navigate their way past so-called “pandemic isolation” is sparking Plymouth-Canton Community Schools to break the mold to a certain degree.

P-CCS is deep into the first year of its Extension, Support and Advisory (ESA) program, funded by federal dollars and intended to shoehorn an extra 45-minute period into the middle of the school day on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students at Canton, Plymouth and Salem high schools.

With that extra time, students such as senior Laila Jackson and freshman Simrat Sidhu can take a deep breath, connect with teachers, figure out how to complete lagging homework assignments and even forge friendships with kids they might not otherwise have been able to meet.

So all they have to do is raise a hand or ask a question. They now won’t have to worry about being rushed or squeezed out of an important conversation – with teachers and other students.

“Having that time provided has really benefited me mentally,” said Jackson, during a recent roundtable discussion about the ESA program. “And I know a lot of my fellow classmates have said it’s really nice, especially during that stressful college app season.

“Rarely is it (an ESA session) ever a straight lecture, or we’re 18 | The Rock

sitting there the whole 45 minutes in tears trying to have a therapy session.”

According to Sidhu, ESA provides a time and place “to be mindful of themselves and take care of their mental and social health.”

The support for the ESA program is across the board.

“I think it (incorporating ESA) was probably one of the best decisions we made,” Canton High School Principal Sherida Lewis said. “We’ve been talking about social-emotional learning, we’ve been talking about relationship building. And this is an opportunity for us to put our feet on the ground and do the work versus talking about it, reading about it, trying to create space in our (other) classrooms to do it.

We are actually creating space (in the schedule) for this to occur.”

Social-emotional learning is a current trend in education, to help students offset problems linked to COVID-19 and subsequent protocols to stay safe including virtual learning and mask mandates. SEL is defined by the Committee for Children (cfchildren.org) as “the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success.”

NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT The district’s decision to parlay an undisclosed grant from the $13.2 billion federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER, part of the CARES Act) to help foster COVID-19 response

efforts has drawn national praise from Dr. Miguel Cardona, United States Director of Education.

He emphasized during a recent broadcast of The View on ABCTV about making mental health a “foundation” in schools rather than an add-on to educational offerings.

“One hundred and forty thousand children lost a parent or guardian the last year-and-ahalf,” Cardona said. “They are coming back into our classrooms.

We need to be prepared to support them and give them the social and emotional well-being and support that they need.

“I was in a school in Canton,

Michigan recently. They have a high school with three campuses, 6,000 students. Every student this year has a block in their schedule to get social and emotional support and be engaged. That’s what I mean by making it (mental health

I was in a school in Canton, Michigan recently. They have a high school with three campuses, 6,000 students. Every student this year has a block in their schedule to get social and emotional support and be engaged. That’s what I mean by making it (mental health education) a more pervasive part of the program.”

Dr. Miguel Cardona, U.S. Director of Education during his appearance on The View education) a more pervasive part of the program.”

Cardona added that the ESSER dollars also can buoy “educators who are also experiencing this pandemic. We can’t expect that only our kids are going to need support.”

The shout-out from Cardona on national TV continues to spur positive reaction. But the praise also comes with a type of challenge – to make sure those words aren’t squandered and that P-CCS follows through on the noteworthy endeavor.

“It’s great to be acknowledged on a national level like that,” said Hal Heard, director of high school education at PlymouthCanton Educational Park. “But I think we’re off to a good start, foundationally, with this block of time. We gave them a high ceiling without walls, and there’s an opportunity to build on it and make it even better for our students.”

That foundation might take time to grow better and sturdier, perhaps by a few bricks each year.

“We hope to make it a permanent part of our daily schedule,” Heard said. “It’s something you look at year to year. We’re going to take some time and reflect on this year and try to make some revisions to make it even stronger for upcoming years.”

Salem High School Principal Kim Villarosa also said Cardona’s positive assessment is a feather in P-CCS’s collective cap. But it’s just as important to keep close tabs on what is and is not succeeding during the first year of

the second and third hours. “We looked at what amount of time is going to be beneficial. Sometimes a period of time is too short and you can’t do what you need to accomplish, so we really felt 45 minutes (would work).”

A ‘COURAGEOUS’ STEP Those classroom minutes Thinking outside of the box count toward daily instruction so to incorporate a new wrinkle long as attendance is taken and into the high school schedule curriculum offered. is something Plymouth High A hall pass system enables School assistant principal Amy students to freely move between Willacker-Brown described as P-CEP destinations as needed. “courageous.” She is hopeful “You can’t just come in and the greater P-CCS community is waste 45 minutes,” Steckel said. ready to buy into that endeavor.

“It’s not a study hall.”

“Everything is really timeA key feature of ESA is that bound, we have nine months out teachers will have the same of the year to move everybody students throughout all four forward a grade level,” Willackeryears. When seniors graduate, Brown noted. “And everybody incoming freshmen join feels under a great deal of carryover students. With that pressure, all the time. There isn’t familiarity comes a stronger this blank space where we can teacher-student connection. just hang out, imagine and plan.

“I’ve developed a relationship “And so many people will shy with my advisory teacher so I away from taking on something know I can trust her if I ever like this, because the pressure is need help on anything, picking so intense and expectations are courses or really anything,” so high and it feels like such a Sidhu said. “I think having one big risk.” teacher, hopefully for all four Willacker-Brown then said years, it’s helped us to develop a educators “really set a courageous relationship.” goal for ourselves in committing THINKING CRITICALLY to this time. We committed to Jackson said cohesiveness doing something well, but not perfectly. Because that’s what we on campus continues to grow stronger thanks to ESA, want to model for our students.” especially during a year when Plymouth High School many students and staff members Principal Cheri Steckel said a have had to miss valuable time contract amendment to include due to COVID-19 protocols.

ESA beyond 2021-22 would be “A lot of kids being out with required to keep it going. the quarantine, when they come “We basically grabbed some back they know the next few minutes (from other classes),” said Steckel, about how ESA was weeks are Thursday advisory slotted into the schedule between (ESA), making up those test ESA and make improvements as needed before Year 2 in 2022-23.

“It’s not like we put this in place and it’s always going to look exactly the same every year,” Villarosa added.

days,” stressed Jackson, who carries a 3.5 GPA. “So it really has been something we have embraced as a campus.”

Willacker-Brown and Plymouth High School teacher Nicol Shamey discussed how having a period devoted to socialemotional learning – presented in a free-flowing type of discourse between students and educators – can be a game-changer in terms of how young people think through problems in their lives.

“We believe in order for students (to possess) really strong coping skills, they need to learn them in a non-crisis moment,” Willacker-Brown said. “So any kind of social-emotional stuff that’s happening in ESA is purely psycho-educational. It’s like learning about how your brain works, learning strategies that you can use.

“It’s not really like ‘Let’s have a group therapy session about our feelings.’”

“I’m a teacher and I’m also a psychologist and I have thought so much about the impact of the last couple years on all our mental health, really,” Shamey emphasized. “There’s no doubt for kids, as their brains are developing, this kind of event that we’ve experienced during the pandemic, it affects executive functioning – the ability to focus and sustain attention.

“And it isn’t just the kids. It really is for all of us. This (ESA) was an opportunity to provide a supportive environment for students to be able to reflect, to be able to have some time to focus on what is most important to them.”

The The Rock Rock | 25 19

IN THE BLOOD

P

lymouth Township’s public safety stewards absorbed the storm during their respective tenures so residents could live peacefully.

So, it’s no wonder that Police Chief Tom Tiderington and Fire Chief Dan Phillips exited with all the thunder of a mouse tiptoeing from a padded room.

Tiderington, who served as police chief for 20 years, stepped down on May 1.

Phillips, a 30-year department veteran and chief since 2015, retired on April 1. Pat Conely, a 31-year department veteran, has been named as the new fire chief.

The outgoing chiefs presided over their respective departments during turbulent times, beset by economic uncertainty and political instability.

20 | The Rock

Tiderington became embroiled in a conflict with elected officials, raising concerns with the U.S. Inspector General in 2013 about how the township was misspending drug forfeiture money. His intervention prompted an audit, which forced the board to repay $83,397 to the forfeiture fund or have the township drummed out of the Department of Justice program.

Tiderington’s whistleblowing didn’t endear him to township elected officials, who were voted out in 2016 after the controversy.

“They wanted to fire me,” the police chief said.

Such bold leadership qualities were indicative of both the police and fire chief, who gained the trust of highly tax-skeptical township residents. In 2018, township voters approved a 1.2-

mill ($1.20 per $1,000 of taxable value), 18-year public safety millage by a 56% margin.

Phillips and Tiderington lobbied hard for the proposal, which enabled the township to reopen Fire Station #2, buy new equipment and deal with neglected pension and health care legacy costs.

“Chief Phillips and Chief Tiderington played a key role in getting the word out to the public, going to Rotary Club meetings, going to civic associations to show how vital that additional funding was needed, so we could get ourselves out of a hole,” said Kurt Heise, township supervisor, who campaigned on rebuilding the fire department, including the resurrection of Wilcox Road station.

In both chiefs’ cases, public safety was in their blood.

Phillips’ great-grandfather Henry Trumbull was a firefighter while Tiderington’s police service lineage goes deeper. His grandfather Harry Tiderington started as a Detroit police officer in 1927 during Prohibition while his father Dale Tiderington followed in 1956, which included being on the frontline during the 1967 riot.

Tom and his older brother Bob joined as third-generation Detroit police officers in 1978, but mass layoffs in the early 1980s sent the pair on divergent paths. Bob landed with the Farmington Hills police where he retired as a detective. Bob Tiderington’s son, Scott, is a sergeant with the Plymouth Township police.

Tom sought a more exotic destination. He ended up in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., where he worked to snuff out the emerging Colombian cocaine trafficking pipeline. Bruce Porter's 1993 book "Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All" includes Tiderington's high-adrenaline encounters with a brazen drug courier.

The tome was adapted into the 2001 film, “Blow,” starring Johnny Depp as drug smuggler George Jung. Tiderington, whose narcotics officer character is depicted in the movie, served as

a consultant.

While Tiderington was instrumental in bringing the notorious coke dealer down, the acclaimed actor meticulously captured Jung’s character. “He looked more like George than George did,” he said.

Jung, who died last year of natural causes, was released in 2014 after serving nearly 20 years of a 70-year sentence for conspiracy.

Despite Tiderington’s role in his downfall, Jung bore no grudges

when the pair reconnected in a New Jersey prison for a History Channel documentary, the police chief said. They also did a few speaking engagements together after Jung’s release. His time in South Florida, which he likened to the iconic 1980s TV series “Miami Vice” with a torrent of flashy clothes, fast cars and sonic jets, does prompt reflection as the whack-a-mole battle against narcotics continues.

“We're certainly not winning the war on drugs,” said Tiderington, whose son, Michael, is a DEA agent. He and his wife of 36 years, Phyllis, have two other grown sons, Joe and Ryan. “(Michael is) doing almost the exact same things I used to do back in the '80s. Obviously, it's a different drug of choice, but cocaine is making a comeback and marijuana is legal now.

“I lost colleagues who were involved in marijuana deals where there was deadly force

used and they were shot and injured and some killed. So, it's like what did we accomplish?

Why were we doing this back in the '80s? Society has embraced marijuana and now it's legal. So, it was kind of a waste of time if you look back on it,” he said.

At times, Tiderington found township board politics just as perplexing. He reached the rank of captain with the Ft. Lauderdale Police Department before leaving to accept the Plymouth Township chief position. He replaced former police chief Larry Carey, who retired in July 2001.

During the drug forfeiture misappropriation ordeal, he remained firm.

“I continued to do my job and I knew I was right,” he said. “I did not lose focus on what my job was. If that was the hill I was going to die on, that was going to be the hill I was going to die on.

“I certainly was not going to cave in to the pressure to do anything other than what was honest and what was called for, regardless of whether it was going to cost me my job or not.”

Tiderington reflects on 20 years as police chief with great pride, noting the department worked out of a DPW garage when he started. The force partnered with the DEA. With drug forfeiture money, the department upgraded its vehicle fleet and equipment.

The dispatch handles emergency calls for the city and township.

The township's low crime rate, in part, is due to residents working in tandem with the police and reporting anything suspicious, he said.

“It's been an honor to serve this community,” Tiderington said.

retired in December 2014.

On Phillips’ watch, the department replaced three fire trucks while adding two ambulances. All 24 township firefighters are also trained paramedics.

The former part-time Rochester Hills firefighter jumped at then Fire Chief Larry Groth’s offer to join Plymouth Township in 1992.

“Back in the early 90s, you'd have about one thousand people applying for just one firefighter job,” Phillips said. “So, you just getting a job anywhere was worth the trip.”

Phillips climbed the ranks and witnessed the township grow. A few fires stand out for the 30-year veteran, including the blaze that

REBUILDING CONFIDENCE Phillips’ prime task as fire chief has been to rebuild the department after budget cuts led to layoffs in 2010 and 2012 and the shuttering of Station #2.

He replaced Mark Wendel, who

destroyed the 35th District Court building on July 2, 1997.

He similarly marvels at advances in firefighting

techniques and equipment during his three-decade career. Whereas firefighters could feel every degree of the searing temperatures 20 to 30 years ago, today's gear offers a near-complete buffer from the heat. Thermal imaging cameras are embedded in the breathing apparatus, enabling firefighters to navigate in smoky settings.

Plymouth Rotary Club bought the township department’s first thermal imaging camera in the late 1990s for around $25,000, the chief said. Similar devices can be purchased for $150 today.

Through township civil service commission and union rules, Phillips' successor had to be promoted from within. Conely was recommended by an outside consultant and selected from a pool of several high-ranking department candidates, who were tested for the position, Heise said.

Conely’s been on the job since April 1.

Phillips’ advice to Conely is straightforward.

"You have to be kind to people, you can be strict, but you have to be kind and fair," he said.

Phillips’ reason for retiring is simple: He wants to be with his family. He and wife, Dr. Diane Roeder, an audiologist, have three children: Cameron, 15, Trevor, 15, and Allison, 10.

“My dad died at a young age (67) and my great-grandfather died when he was 30,” said Phillips, 50, “and I wanted to enjoy my children growing up and just go find a new adventure in life.”

The Rock | 21

“When I moved last year unfortunately my wife never got to see the final product,” says Menard. “I’m very pleased with it.”

There is much to brag about in the showcase home that includes a wine cellar with brick from Plymouth’s Main Street, an elevator, extensive “man cave,” art gallery featuring an amazing steel catwalk or bridge running down the middle of its second story and an office for Menard facing Deer Street. Upstairs where Nick looks out the window are bedrooms and a hallway extending to the steel catwalk.

Meet the Bachelor of Deer Street Celebrated home builder brings animated fun to downtown Story and photos by Ken Voyles

W

alking the streets of downtown Plymouth, one can always find something interesting to look at – a new shop to discover, a unique restaurant to sample or one of the city’s beautiful homes to leave one impressed.

If you happen to walk along a quiet portion of Deer Street, not far from Kellogg Park, one home probably caught your eye – not by its Cape Cod style or the elegant façade, but because, oddly enough, there was a man peering out of a second story window standing behind a sign worth taking a moment to read.

No, it’s not a man exactly – he’s still there by the way – just a sculpture, or a someone’s idea of a really nice mannequin. As for the home, it happens to be that of Plymouth’s self-styled “most eligible bachelor” – or so read one of the signs in front of the man dressed crisply in his light

22 | The Rock

blue police uniform and cap.

Intrigued? Well, you should be. The owner of the home is a legendary resident of Plymouth and at 78 years of age still going strong. He built the house himself as a showcase for his longstanding business – he builds custom homes and has done so for more than four decades.

His homes aren’t just for living, they double as offices, a way to display the kinds of work he can fashion for a home buyer.

Walter Menard, who sadly lost his wife of 53 years in the summer of 2020, says that today he is definitely a bachelor. He’s just not sure if he’s really the most eligible one in Plymouth.

“It started as a playful thing with some of my friends,” he says about the man in the window and his bold sign. “Nick – that’s his name – isn’t really holding the sign, it’s in front him. And I’m going to be putting a new one up.”

For the record, last year Nick’s

sign read: “Dear Plymouth, I did not go on a cruise. I did not get married. Sincerely, your most eligible bachelor.”

This spring the sign has changed a couple times including a recent one that read: “Well, I guess there is a wedding after all.

Off to Napa – then Vegas. See you soon.” By now it probably says something else, so keep walking by.

‘MAN CAVE’ What prompted this public display of fun? It began not long after the death of his wife Mary when Menard moved into the Deer Street home in 2021. He had purchased the property around 2016. It was formerly owned by a local glassblower and he tore down much of the original structure, keeping the middle portion with its high-peaked ceiling so he could use that space for his work and to showcase his extensive art collection.

“The house has a lot of things in it I don’t even need but to show people this is what I can do,” says Menard. “There’s radiant floor heat, tons of smart technology and a heated garage in back.”

“Nick” was a sculpture moved when Menard closed his art gallery on Ann Arbor Trail in what had been the original Heide’s Florist (today it’s a photo studio). The life size sculpture was made in Phoenix and features very realistic – almost creepy – skin among other things.

“Last year some of my friends started this over a cruise,” says Menard. “They were going and asked me to come but because the way the cruise works I still had to pay for a companion since my wife had passed away.”

An idea for a lottery was born to see if a local woman might be interested in joining Menard. So, he started asking around and six or seven women agreed to be in the lottery. One was selected but

when it came time for the cruise, Menard got sick and spent time alone in his Florida home.

“When I got home to Plymouth I had three or four phone calls from people who said they had heard I went on a cruise and got married,” laughs Menard. “Now I wondered who started that rumor so I decided to set the record straight and put up the first sign that I was still the most eligible bachelor in Plymouth.”

Ironically as he spoke, Menard was preparing to leave on a trip to California to see his daughter Melissa get married. “So yeah now there’s a wedding of sorts,” he said. “It’s about time. She’s known him 25 years.”

MENARD BUILDERS Plymouth has been Menard’s home since 1970 when he and

his wife built their first home in what was known as Plymouth Meadows. They also have lived

and is now called C & M Custom Builder. Over the decades he has built at least 100 homes mostly in

along North Territorial before Menard moved to Deer Street.

Born in Rhode Island, Menard came to the Detroit area via Chicago, meeting and marrying Mary along the way. He and his wife got into the home building business – he was selling hospital gear before that – when they tried to build their first house.

“We couldn’t find a builder who would do it the way we wanted it done and we didn’t like anything about the process,” says Menard. “So, we got a builder’s license and people who liked our house started asking us if we could build one for them. That’s how Menard Builders was born.”

While Menard still loves the home building business – he specializes in high-end, $800,000 to $5 million properties that are not like “cookie-cutter” subdivision houses – he merged with local builder Jeff Crampon

metro Detroit.

Having spent much of his life in Plymouth Township, Menard is still well known in the city and has found himself involved in helping to save the Penn Theatre, as a member of the DDA and a longtime member of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m still kind of a workaholic,” he says, “but I love to travel and take cruises.”

Besides Nick, the Menard home is chalk full of paintings, drawings, sculptures, decorative arts, a special wall “bust” of Albert Einstein and his pride and joy that hangs next to the steel catwalk. A 27-foot-long silver “sculpture,” it depicts 11 workers having lunch on a steel beam dangling their feet in open air high above the ground.

“It’s from a famous photograph taken in the 1930s of steel

workers,” says Menard leaning over the bridge railing to look at the artwork. “It’s a great centerpiece.”

Walking along the catwalk Menard talks about what it’s like living just off Kellogg Park. There’s the park itself, the restaurants – his favorite is Nico & Vali’s just down the street – and long-time friends he’s known for many years, some who are now gone like Jim Jabara and others he still sees socially. He thinks about using his home for fundraisers with local charities in mind and showcasing Nick more often.

“I like to brag about my work not about myself,” smiles Menard mischievously, no doubt thinking about his next playful sign.

PLYMOUTH’S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR? NAME: Walter Menard AGE: 78 STATUS: Widower (lost

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OCCUPATION: Co-owner C&M Custom Builder (formerly Menard Builders), specializing in custom, high-end,$800,000 to $5 million homes

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HOBBIES: Collects art, travel, cruises The Rock | 23

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COMMUNIT Y BULLE TIN BOARD DAMARIS FINE ART SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS & EMERGING ARTISTS EXHIBIT

On behalf of the family of "Dee" Damaris Schulte, the Plymouth Community Arts Council recognizes a PlymouthCanton School District high school senior each year who has displayed outstanding abilities in visual arts and plans to continue his/her education in this field at the college or university level. There are two awards -- a $1,000 scholarship and a $500 scholarship.

Seniors from the following schools are eligible: Canton, Plymouth, Salem, Starkweather/ Feigel. The student artwork is judged on its originality, creativity, and use of material.

Artwork will be professionally juried. Student artists should contact Lisa Howard with any questions or to set up an appointment for portfolio drop off: (734) 416-4278 or lisa@ plymoutharts.com.

During the month of May, the PCAC (774 N. Sheldon Road) features an exhibit of the artwork submitted by students

SPRING CLEAN UP TIME

who apply for the scholarships.

For more information about the exhibit, including hours, visit the PCAC website at www. plymoutharts.com.

FARMERS MARKET OPENING DAY

FLAG IS “RIVETING”

The Free Little Art Gallery in Downtown Plymouth has proven to be a hit. Not only have patrons of all ages enjoyed scooping up miniature pieces from this pintsized museum, but non-profits have begun to stage exhibits to raise awareness of their work.

Since The Rock did a story on the debut of FLAG last fall,

The Plymouth Community Farmers Market kicks off a new season on Saturday, May 14 at The Gathering across from Kellogg Park. The market will run from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 22 (with the exception of June 9 and Sept.

10 during the Fall Festival).

The market features a variety of vendors offering foods, produce, plants and arts

and crafts, most of which is produced locally.

If you are interested in being a vendor, there are a variety of spaces available. Contact Mary Nyhus at mary@plymouthmich. org. For more information about the Plymouth Community Farmers Market, visit www. plymouthmich.org or call (734) 453-1540.

co-organizer Jan Myers says groups have reached out to ask for space. On April 23, an exhibit opened by Keep Plymouth Leafly, which promotes planting trees.

After that, FLAG will feature the Rosie the Riveter Association, honoring the working women of World War II. The exhibit kicks off with a “Rosie Ramble” on May 13 at 11 a.m., when group members

will gather in costume to open the FLAG featuring their art items, pins, and homemade soap.

The FLAG has also featured themes on Ukraine and ecofacts about the ocean.

“When the Rosie group approached us, we wondered if a new trend was developing as time had evolved. It is another thrilling validation of our support of the fine arts," Myers says.

"We are ‘legit’ and making a difference in the community."

FLAG takes donations from artists worldwide and invites visitors to “take a look, take a piece, leave a piece, or both.”

Find FLAG on Instagram @ freelittleartgallerydtp. In real life, visit or mail artwork to FLAG Gallery 865, 865 Penniman Ave., Plymouth, MI, 48170.

Household Hazardous Waste ‘Drop-Off Weeks’ for Plymouth Township residents will take place during the weeks of May 9 and May 16. The township is partnering again with ERG Environmental to offer residents two weeks of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) dropoff. Township residents can drop off up to 100 pounds of household hazardous waste.

There is a cost of $5 per vehicle, cash or credit; 75 cents per pound over 100 pounds. Only one visit per household please.

Acceptable items include latex and oil based paints and stains; propane tanks and fire extinguishers; fluorescent light tubes and compact fluorescent lights; gasoline, oil, antifreeze, pesticides, fertilizers, car and boat batteries; syringes/ sharps (must be in a puncture resistant container with lid) and over the counter medicines; household electronics, computer equipment, TVs, VCR/DVRs, phones, cable/satellite boxes, calculators, camcorders, cartridges, stereos/radios, video game consoles, cords and miscellaneous electronics.

ERG Environmental is located at 13040 Merriman in Livonia.

Use the south entrance. Dropoff hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. For more information, call (734) 414-1452.

To get items listed on the COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD, including events, fundraisers or accomplishments, please email Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com.

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OUT& ABOUT

YO U R G U I D E TO W H AT ’ S H A PPE N I N G

I N P LY M O U T H T H I S M O N T H

To get your items listed in OUT & ABOUT, email editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@therockmagazine.com.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY May 7 The Plymouth District Library will host this annual event from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. They’ll have tables set up on the Main Street porch for you to peruse the free comic books. Bring the whole family, and wear a costume if you want. For more information about the event, visit freecomicbookday.com.

SPRING CLEAN UP May 7 & 14 Any City of Plymouth resident or business may utilize spring clean up collection. It will take place on Saturday, May 7 for residences north of Ann Arbor Trail and on Saturday, May 14, for residences south of Ann Arbor Trail. All items must be at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day to ensure pickup.

The contractor will pick up your bulk items from the curb. To ensure your items are removed quickly and safely, please follow these guidelines: Each household is allowed 8 trash cans or the equivalent, plus two large items (i.e. washer, dryer, couch, desk, etc.); all small refuse must be placed in a container strong enough to hold its weight (i.e. plastic bags, cans, boxes) – which may not exceed 50 pounds; appliances containing freon (i.e. refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, water coolers, and dehumidifier) must have a valid certificate of freon removal to be picked up; refrigerators or freezers must have the doors removed from the hinges; all items placed at the curb for collection must be

arranged in a neat and safe manner.

For more information, visit the city’s website at www.plymouthmi. gov.

RELAY FOR LIFE OF CANTON/PLYMOUTH May 13 This annual fundraising event for the American Cancer Society begins at 6 p.m. at Heritage Park (1150 S. Canton Center Road, Canton).

The event features many cancer survivors and their families, who raise important funds to help fund cancer research and cancer patients.

To participate, contact Alexis Velazquez at alexis.velazquez@ cancer.org or call (800) 227-2345.

You can also visit www.relayforlife. org/cantonplymouthmi.

MICHIGAN WEEK LUNCHEON May 20 This 3rd annual event will take place 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Jack Wilcox Theatre at PARC (650 Church Street, Plymouth). The theme this year is “The Arts Mean Business.”

The keynote speakers are Ric DeVore, president of the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan who will discuss “Economic Recovery & Development”, and Trey Devey, president of the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Tickets are $25 per person.

For more information, call (734) 927-4090.

THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK May 21 Pop/Jazz/Blues vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Suede will perform with the Michigan

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Philharmonic at 7:30 p.m. at Schoolcraft College’s VisTaTech Center in Livonia. Suede and the Michigan Phil will perform a charming songbook of great American standards. Besides her versatile vocals, Suede connects with her audience and will lead the audience on a musical journey that is fun and pays homage to many of the great composers featured in the performance. For more information, including how to purchase tickets, visit www. michiganphil.org.

P-CEP BANDS ANNUAL GOLF OUTING May 22 This fundraiser for the Plymouth-Canton high school band programs will start at 9 a.m. at the Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center. Participants can play golf or footgolf. Proceeds will be used to fund P-CEP Band programs including concert ensembles, Marching Band, Jazz Band,

Percussion, Color Guard, and more.

The event also includes lunch and dinner, plus contests and more. For more information, visit www.pcmb.net/golf. To sponsor a hole, contact Kim Peterson at pcepbandevent@gmail.com.

MUSIC IN THE AIR May 27 Plymouth’s Music in the Air concert series kicks off with a blues performance by Motor City Josh. The concerts take place at 7 p.m. on Fridays in Kellogg Park.

For more information, visit the Plymouth DDA’s website at www. downtownplymouth.org.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE May 30 The Memorial Day Procession begins at 9 a.m. at Veteran's Park and proceeds through Plymouth neighborhoods. For route details and more information, visit www. plymouthmi.gov.

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TAKING HEART HEALTH SERIOUSLY BEFORE IT GETS SERIOUS THE 5-MINUTE GET HEART SMART QUIZ COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE The pandemic has our attention, as it should, but that’s no reason to forget about your heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Michigan, affecting those as young as 40. Heart risks may even be higher now because of factors such as added stress and delayed care. Assess your risk today by taking our quiz at HenryFord.com/HeartSmartQuiz