Lasting Memories at Coldwater Camp

Last year was Art Reach of Mid-Michigan’s first Coldwater Camp art in nature experience. The event was a three-day, two-night camp with the aim of engaging artists of all ages and making intergenerational-family memories.

Guests were given the option of staying overnight or attending as day guests. They signed up for three days of activities that were geared toward all ages to encourage whole families to get out into nature and make art together. Some of the activities offered at the event were tie dye, bingo, yoga on the beach, assorted make & take crafts, nature scavenger hunt, painting, sandcastle creation, trivia, and s’mores by the camp fire every night.

Art Reach Mid-Michigan’s initial target was to host at least 15 families across the three-day excursion. That target was exceeded. In the end, 20 families represented, with a total of 45 participants, including one family who joined spontaneously as a result of seeing the activities. Participants journeyed from Isabella, Clare, Gratiot, Kent, and Otsego counties to engage in art and nature.

One young participant had not previously participated in any Art Reach program. She saw the flyer at Pisanello's and her dad signed the two of them up to attend as day-campers. They had so much fun that they are planning to camp out this year. Another duo, a Grandmother and her granddaughter, stayed in a cabin together and delighted in the intergenerational experience.

Thanks to the Theunissen Family Fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation, the Art Reach instructors, and Coldwater Camp grounds, two dozen families were able to enjoy art and nature while making lasting memories and, for many, the start of an enduring family tradition.

Isolated Isabella Seniors Benefit with Walk Wise

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the Isabella community in various ways. Many PACE Central Michigan participants experienced greater isolation due to the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order.

Funds provided by the Isabella County Health Improvement Fund, Isabella Bank Director Memorial Fund, and Ronald H. and Donna M. Cooper Family Fund allowed isolated Isabella seniors with PACE Central Michigan to stay active during the pandemic with the use of Walk Wise. Walk Wise is a product that attaches to walkers, canes, wheelchairs, etc. to track movement and alerts PACE CM staff if a fall is detected. It also alerts PACE CM staff if there is unusual movement that might suggest illness.

Throughout the pandemic, the product enticed older adults to get their steps in each day and fostered friendly competition to combat loneliness while staying home. The majority of isolated seniors who utilized Walk Wise experienced reduced weakness, increase in mobility, and were able to maintain their level of activity. Overall the usage of Walk Wise has provided enriched care for Isabella County’s older adults.

Bunny Barn to offer Education and Therapy for All

This spring, when visitors and volunteers spend time at HopeWell Ranch they will be able to enjoy and learn more about rabbits in the new Bunny Barn. The modern rabbitry will house different breeds for the purpose of education, therapy, and enjoyment for all who visit HopeWell Ranch.

The Bunny Barn is a 12 x 16 feet enclosure with two windows and two doors. Before the Bunny Barn was built, the rabbits shared a space in a small shed filled with various farm tools, making it difficult for visitors to interact with the rabbits.

The Kellogg Youth Fund helped to support the construction of the new rabbitry.

The Bunny Barn will provide another positive educational and therapeutic experience for visitors to HopeWell Ranch.

Rabbits are a nice option for those who find the Ranch’s equine friends a bit intimidating. A smaller animal can be therapeutic for those who fear large animals, have anxieties about being on a ranch or who are physically unable to participate in other programs at HopeWell Ranch. The addition of a hands-on educational center with rabbits expands the opportunities available on site with the organization. HopeWell Ranch is the only organization in Isabella County to provide children and adults access to rabbits for educational and therapeutic benefits.

Swing for the Fences

This spring, community members can safely participate in baseball at the Earl Hartman Jr. Baseball Complex on Lincoln Road in Mt. Pleasant.

In 2019, Sacred Heart Academy created their ‘Swing for the Fences’ campaign to raise funding for necessary safety improvements at the baseball complex. The effort was initiated by parents and supporters in a quest to follow the lead set by Major League Baseball to increase the height of fencing around the baseball field for safety reasons. Higher backstops and higher foul line fencing will help eliminate the possibility of injury to any spectator from a foul ball or inadvertent bat.

Since the Earl Hartman Jr. Baseball Complex is not only used for Irish home games, but for summer Legion ball, Little League, and various state tournaments, investing in the fencing improvements will help increase the level of safety for all fans and players.

Funds provided by the Kellogg Youth Fund, Connor J. Puhlman Fund for Youth, and Hersee Family Fund allowed Sacred Heart Academy to invest in the fencing improvements.

New Exam Table Brings Color and Happiness to Pediatric Appointments

Whimsical pediatric exam table at Isabella Citizens for Health

For many children, going to the doctor’s office can be a scary and intimidating experience that leaves them afraid and uncomfortable. Being sick can be frightening enough, let alone going into an environment that is unfamiliar and uninviting. Isabella Citizens for Health wanted to make a visit to the doctor’s office a positive experience for local children.

Isabella Citizens for Health (ICH) serves the medically vulnerable, including racial and ethnic minorities, the very old, the very young, Medicare and Medicaid patients, and low-income individuals. To take away some of the stressors in their young patient visits, ICH recently purchased an “ocean commotion” themed pediatric exam table with funding from the Kellogg Youth Fund.

Children no longer have to expect a cold, colorless exam room. Now they are greeted by a busy underwater world that will distract them from any needles or cold stethoscopes. The pediatric exam table will be brightening children’s days for years to come.

New Globes Spark Curiosity and Learning at the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum

Pink and white plasma globes at the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum

The Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum is dedicated to sparking creativity, nourishing learning and inspiring curiosity through self-directed discovery in an engaging hands-on environment. Annually, the museum provides their 50,000 visitors the opportunity to explore and learn about fun and exciting topics. One standout exhibit is their Luminary Lab. The Luminary Lab features a variety of displays that allow children and adults to learn about light, but there was a need for a more interactive display.

Thanks to the Kellogg Youth Fund, the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum was able to fill this need with the installation of two plasma globes. Visitors are able to have a truly hands-on learning experience with this new display. Plasma globes are glass spheres filled with gasses and electrodes. These electrodes extend from the center to create a beam of light. Children and adults can control how the light and electricity in the globes move with their hands. The blue, green, coral, and aqua colors in the globes brilliantly light up the dark room at the touch of a hand.

Since installation, children have been amazed by the new globes. Both children and adults have been impressed with how interesting this new display is. The Discovery Museum is looking forward to introducing more children in our community to the properties of light during upcoming field trips scheduled to the museum. This display has been on the museum’s wish list for quite some time, so they are thankful that this project has finally come to fruition.

Enhancing Safety One Pair of Boots at a Time

A fire department is one of the most critical resources required to ensure public safety. From downed power lines and car accidents to fires and medical emergencies, the Deerfield Township Fire Department works tirelessly to provide life saving services to our community. Being a firefighter is no easy task, and it is even more difficult if you don’t have the proper equipment.

Thanks to the Rise Family Fund, the Deerfield Township Fire Department was able to provide new Wildland/EMS boots to their firefighters. The goal of this grant was to provide safe and comfortable boots for use during emergency situations, but the boots exceeded the department’s expectations. Not only are they safe and comfortable, they provide extra support during the winter months. The boots are equipped with an arctic grip which enhances traction in snow and icy conditions. This addition will allow firefighters to provide better service while also reducing the number of injuries sustained.

Each firefighter in the department received a new pair of boots which are expected to last ten years. The Deerfield Township Fire Department is thankful that they were able to purchase this important equipment to make the dangerous job of being a firefighter much safer!

New Wildland/EMS boots for Deerfield Township firefighters

New Wildland/EMS boots for Deerfield Township firefighters

Interactive Bike Ride Through Okaya, Japan

In September 2018, the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum opened their new One World exhibit. The One World Exhibit is an interactive bike ride that takes the rider through the streets of Okaya, Japan, the sister city of Mt. Pleasant. This experience allows people of all ages to peddle a custom bike in front of a monitor that displays real footage from Okaya. The staff at the museum collaborated with colleagues in Japan utilizing a “go-pro” camera to make this a fun experience for all riders.

The Kellogg Youth Fund helped provide the necessary funds to purchase and install this new exhibit. This recent addition has provided entertainment for visitors that come from all over to discover new things. Beginning in February of 2018, the Museum worked side by side with designer, Shane Smith from Wildwood Studios, to create this wonderful new attraction.

The staff receive near daily comments of praise for their newest exhibit and the overall experience of being at the museum. Those involved with the project are very pleased with how the exhibit turned out and the excitement it brings to visitors. The bike not only encourages fun, it helps stimulate gross motor skills and allows the user to experience another part of the world. This exhibit is the ultimate combination of fun and cultural education.

Student partaking in a virtual bike ride through Okaya, Japan at the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum’s newest exhibit

Outside of Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum’s newest exhibit

Habitat for Humanity ReStore Blitz

For years, Isabella County Habitat for Humanity has worked to eliminate sub-standard housing in our county by providing safe, decent, and affordable housing for low-income families. With the help of thousands of volunteers recruited and trained to build houses for those in need, Habitat for Humanity of Isabella County has constructed more than 35 homes.

Proceeds from sales at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, located on Pickard Street in Mt. Pleasant, allow the organization to advance its mission. The ReStore sells new and gently used items that have been donated by community members. Appliances, furniture, cabinets, windows, and building materials may be donated and purchased at the ReStore.

A large portion of the ReStore building was left unfinished resulting in minimal insulation in walls and ceilings. Without insulation, extreme temperatures in the summer and winter greatly affected the people working inside. Habitat for Humanity was in need of materials to properly finish its own building. A finished interior would encourage sales, which directly impacts the organization’s ability to serve more families in our community.

The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation recognized the importance of properly finishing the facility and awarded Habitat for Humanity a grant from the John R. and Constance M. Harkins Community Fund. The finished building enhances the experience for dedicated volunteers and staff, and results in better service to donors and shoppers.

Isabella County Habitat for Humanity works hard to provide a hand up for families in need. With the finished building, the ReStore may continue to help families in need of good, safe, and affordable housing.

Sacred Heart Academy Uses Technology for Interactive Teaching

Sacred Heart Academy (SHA) recognizes that engaging with the newest technology is important for their students. Sixth grade teachers at the school believe that one of the best ways to engage children in math and science is to use short-throw projectors. These projectors essentially turn any classroom whiteboard into a SMART board.

The Kellogg Youth Fund recently provided funding for Sacred Heart Academy to purchase two short-throw projectors for the sixth grade classrooms. The projectors connect to teacher computers and allow students to engage in problem solving in math and science using interactive websites.

For example, students are able to follow along in math lessons, actually seeing the work steps needed to solve an equation. According to sixth grade teacher Kathy Wyman, "I am able to project an entire math problem and the steps necessary to solve it. By being able to do so, the students are able to see how our work flows and fits together throughout the entire problem rather than seeing it in chunks or individual pieces. We see the complete puzzle."

The short-throw projectors are easier to see compared to flat screen television screens. The entire whiteboard turns into an interactive avenue for the students to learn. Thirty SHA students have benefited from the new technology this year, and future sixth graders will too.

Mt. Pleasant High School Improves Baseball Stadium

Mt. Pleasant Public Schools and the Oiler Athletic Boosters have combined efforts to improve the Carlo Barberi Varsity Baseball Field inside the Joe “Iron” Epple Athletic Complex. In the spring of 2016, stadium seating for 120 spectators was constructed, as well as safety railings, a new press box, and landscaping. The stadium is now a handicap accessible place for youth and adults to watch baseball.

The project was made possible, in part, by assistance from the Kellogg Youth Fund and the LaBelle Family Fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation.

The new stadium facility will allow the Mt. Pleasant community to serve as host for all Mt. Pleasant High School baseball tournaments and games, as well as for larger regional tournaments. Teams from the local community will have access to the stadium for both practice and play. And, the field is expected to be sought after by many companies that host large tournaments in the state of Michigan. This will, in turn, bring baseball teams and spectators from many parts of Michigan to the Mt. Pleasant area.

More than 500 youth and their families will directly benefit from use of the new stadium and field annually.

Art Wave through the Great Lakes Bay Region

ArtWave is a multi-year, cross-county promotional campaign, sponsored by the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance Arts & Entertainment Council, to raise awareness about arts and entertainment options throughout Bay, Isabella, Midland and Saginaw Counties.

To demonstrate the wealth and variety of art and entertainment assets in the Great Lakes Bay Region, ArtWave encourages regional collaboration as well as the pooling of resources. Each month, ArtWave spotlights events and activities in one of the counties in our Region, promoting awareness and encouraging everyone that great arts and entertainment–from museum exhibits to sporting events–can be found right here.

A grant in support of ArtWave was recently awarded to the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance from the Barbara A. Bissot Fund, a community impact fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation.

The mission of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance is to encourage, support and celebrate regional collaboration and initiatives to help improve economic vitality and quality of life in the Great Lakes Bay Region. The ArtWave campaign demonstrates that a quality place to live is a place with a thriving economy and flourishing art and entertainment opportunities.

From concerts in the park, to sidewalk art fairs, to festivals that celebrate our rich heritage and cultures, ArtWave celebrates art and entertainment opportunities right here in our region.

Students Build New Shed for Mt. Pleasant Soccer Club

The Mt. Pleasant Soccer Club strives to promote the growth of youth soccer in the Central Michigan area by providing young athletes with the opportunity to hone their skills and to help them be the best soccer players they can be, while maintaining a healthy approach to a competitive sport.

In the spring of 2016, the Mt. Pleasant Soccer Club was in need of a bigger enclosure to properly house their lawn maintenance equipment and extend the longevity of their mower. So, the organization teamed up with the Gratiot Isabella Technical Education Center (GI-TEC) to devise a solution. A much larger and aesthetically appealing building was constructed by students enrolled in the Building Trades Program and is now located next to the old shed. Students gained gain real-life building experience while supporting the Mt. Pleasant Soccer Club and ultimately the youth of our community who play the sport.

The Building Trades Program provides high school students from Isabella and Gratiot Counties a solid foundation in residential building. The construction skills and techniques taught include: framing, insulation, roofing, drywall framing and hanging, window and door installation, and finish/trim work.

In support of the Mt. Pleasant Soccer Club and the Building Trades Program, the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation awarded a grant from the John R. and Constance M. Harkins Community Fund to purchase the building materials needed for the new structure.

The soccer fields are used daily by 200 plus young athletes as well as by local community members such as college students from Central Michigan University and Mid-Michigan Community College.