This past Christmas season our family did several stints ringing bell for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive. We wanted to be able to work for a worthy cause that would be of service to the community. I made the observation that it seemed like we saw more paper money donations verses coins when we had our volunteering shifts. Today I read an article in the Westland Observer that the Wayne Westland Corp meet and slightly exceeded it goal for this year. You can see the details from the paper article below. It will be exciting to share this news with the kids at dinner to help them see what we did played a part in this.
For the Wayne-Westland Corps, final counting took place Jan. 5 and the $130,000 goal was slightly surpassed.
"So we made it, which is wonderful. Definitely the community has stepped up to the plate," said Capt. Joanna Rose, Wayne-Westland corps commander. "It’s just great to see those who do have step up. You could just feel their heart when they came by the kettle."
Her husband and fellow corps commander Capt. Derek Rose was equally grateful for the $130,419.45 raised. There’s a mail appeal of $29,000 continuing through the end of January in Wayne-Westland.
"We are hopeful we’ll meet that goal as well," Derek Rose said. "I would definitely say we have a generous community. We were expecting not to make our goal."
Derek Rose thought the tough economy and automaker problems would have a greater impact, but with the donations from the Wayne-Westland community, help was given to more than 700 families through the toy store and Adopt-a-Family efforts.
The Roses are grateful to the local Goodfellows for $5,000 support, along with the Westland Jaycees, who did a Breakfast With Santa and provided toys. The Wayne and Westland Rotary clubs did bell ringing, as did the Wayne Lions. Ford Motor Co. volunteers helped to distribute toys and food, as well as setting up for distribution days.
Other helpers in Wayne-Westland were the American Legion Post 251 of Westland, Westland Civitans, North Brothers Ford of Westland with food and transportation help, the Westland Community Foundation with a toy drive, Westland’s Texas Roadhouse with a food/toy drive and Brownie’s Diner in Wayne with a toy drive.
Salvation Army leaders added that money raised at Christmas supports efforts to help the needy all year. People can continue to give to the Red Kettle Campaign of the Salvation Army through Jan. 31, online at www.salmich.org or by calling (877) SAL-MICH.
Our family will be at Kroger (Ford Road/Westland) tonight from 5-7 pm ringing bells and smiling in contributions for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive. Stop by and say hello! Make a donation in person on on our “virtual red kettle in the blog”
Technorati Tags: Salvation-Army, red-kettle, contributions, volunteering
Tonight our family with helping out the Salvation Army by being a part of the Angel Tree at the Westland Mall. Stop buy and say hello, better pick out a name and shop for a gift. Be a blessing to someone during the Advent Season.
Our Angel Tree shift is from 6-8 PM.
Technorati Tags: Angel-Tree, Salvation-Army, volunteerism, Advent-Conspiracy
Dear Friends:
There is no doubt we find ourselves in the middle of one of, if not the largest, economic crisis of our times. I know you are felling the squeeze of these hard times. Many of your neighbors here in Northville, Plymouth, Canton and Belleville are unable to make ends meet, and for the first time ever find themselves turning to us at The Salvation Army for help.
We, at The Salvation Army, are feeling the same economic squeeze and need your help.
In order to meet the demand of those turning to us for help this Thanksgiving, we need 200 turkeys by this Friday, November 21. Can you help us help others? If so, please bring a frozen turkey beteen 8:30 am and 8:00 pm this week to:
The Salvation Army
9451 S. Main Street
Plymouth, MI
734.453.5464
On behalf of your neigbhors in need, thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Major Jim Irvine
Corps Officer
Technorati Tags: holiday, benevolence, Salvation-Army
I read this article in Time Magazine last week at the chiropractor.
Took me a while to track down the link online.
Here it is from the Time Magazine website. here
this is taken from Observer article
The city’s Downtown Development Authority bought Play Planet. The DDA worked with a Michigan company, Holland’s Sinclair Recreation LLC, that represents Alabama-based manufacturer GameTime.
“To the best of our knowledge, it is the opinion of GameTime that this is one of the Top 10 largest play structures in the country, and it is quite likely the single largest, contiguously attached play structure in the country,” said Richard Sinclair, vice president of Sinclair Recreation LLC.
“It’s mammoth,” he said. “It will be a wonderful addition to the community.”
Those brave enough for the journey are being recruited by city parks and recreation leaders to help build the 25,000-square-foot Play Planet in Tattan Park, an area southwest of Ford and Carlson long defined by miniature city buildings collectively dubbed Tot Town.
“This is going to be the biggest playscape around,” Westland Parks and Recreation Director Robert Kosowski said. Scores of people will be needed to build Play Planet from Wednesday through Saturday, Oct. 22-25. They’ll need to come prepared to fasten and bolt the plastic and steel pieces of the $250,000 structure, although Kosowski said the tools will be provided.
Anyone who wants to help build the new structure is asked to sign up by calling the Bailey Recreation Center at (734) 722-7620. Already, building trades students from the William D. Ford Career Technical Center have offered to volunteer, Kosowski said.
Technorati Tags: Westland,parks,volunteer
Angela Hospice where Syndie works is doing a special memorial walk this coming Saturday. More details on the event please click here.
Technorati Tags: Angela-Hospice, special-event, walk
Here is an article from the Westland Observer giving a report on the first meeting that Syndie and I were a part of at Westland City Hall.
link to article here
Technorati Tags: Jim-Syndie, civic, Green-Team
I saw this on the city web site and I have asked to be a participant.
Westland Goes Green!
Want to do your part in bettering our environment?
The Green Team wants you!
Recently launched by Westland Mayor William R. Wild
Westland: Mission Green is an initiative which promoted environmental wellness practices throughout our City.
Join in the effort of residents, business owners, and elected officials who aim to improve Westland through cost-savings, environmentally-friendly measures.
Technorati Tags: green-team, Westland,
A local food pantry volunteer has been nominated to be in the Hall of Fame. If she wins the reward she will win a cash prize of $10,000. If she wins this cash prize she will donate it to the food pantry so that they can buy a truck load of food from the Metro-Detroit organization called Gleaners. Please log into the voteing web site and cast a ballot for hunger relief here in our back yard.
News Article from Westland Observer
Hall of Fame Vote Site please vote for Helen Ontko of Westland
voting will start at noon on Thursday, June 12, and run through 11:59 p.m. July 25
Gleaners Web Site
Technorati Tags: vote, hunger, volunteer, prize
January 8, 2009 | 
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