Trayvon “Cam” Johnson, seventh grader at Carman-Ainsworth Middle School, never thought about attending college before meeting Chris McLavish, the founder of the non-profit CMB Basketball and Johnson’s coach. McLavish hand-picked him three years ago, during a try-out to play point guard on his CMB Runnin’ Rebels Boys Elite Amateur Athletic Union Flint Travel Basketball Team, which is ranked top five in the state of Michigan.
In February, the nation honors the contributions of African Americans to U.S. history. The observance became a month-long celebration in 1976. This month was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. It is a time to reflect on the past, how far we have come and how far we still have to go. Here are some of the planned events happening in Flint to engage in and celebrate Black History Month.
IN late December, Cathedral of Faith, home to a YMCA Safe Places after school program, received the gift of lasting music. Chase the Music, a nonprofit from Lyons, Colorado, raised the funds to supply Flint youth with instruments and seed money for music instructors.
On January 15, millions around the country honored the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by volunteering and participating in special events. Here’s a sample of what was going on in Flint.
A fond tradition during the holiday season is to make a lasting memory with a family photo! And Mott Community College students, faculty and staff want to help make the holidays picture perfect for the community. MCC photography students will provide free, professional-quality photo portraits during the Sixth Annual HELP Portrait Event at the campus this Saturday from 12-4 pm in the Event Center, Mott’s Flint campus at 1401 E. Court St. Individuals, families, and friend groups are all welcome. The program is free and open to the public. Appointments are not necessary.
There are many ways that The Salvation Army helps in the prevention of homelessness, feeding the hungry and helping others who are struggling in our community during the holidays. And, there are many dedicated and hardworking volunteers who help fill a Genesee County child’s heart with delight through the season.
On October 24, an excited group of young entrepreneurs presented their business concepts to a panel of judges and a community audience, in hopes of becoming one of two winners of the first ever Fenton Shark Tank competition.
Berston Field House has enjoyed a recent surge in attention, coinciding with the rise of WBC star, Claressa Shields. Known as the place where the boxer got her start and returns to train for upcoming fights, Berston is returning the warm embrace of attention, by offering even more to the community it has served for over 90 years. The latest project is The Berston Success Center – what Executive Director, Bryant Nolden says, “will be a resource to counteract the high rate of illiteracy.”
A new alternative school in Flint is working to change those statistics, according to Winston Stoody, Director of GearUp Academy, which is a program run by the Flint nonprofit, GearUp2Lead. The program is a no-cost, nontraditional school that provides students with an opportunity to earn their high school diplomas through online classes and become employed by a local business partner, nonprofit or government agency. In the program’s first year, there were six students (including one graduate), and 14 the following year. That number is expected to grow to 28 diverse students this year from as far away as Montrose and Fenton, the director reports.
Tom Sumner, voted Flint’s Favorite Radio Talk Show Host in MCM’s 2017 City’s Choice Awards, has been producer and host of The Tom Sumner Program for ten years. What began on the Kettering University Campus as the show “Off the Kuf,” has been broadcasting live every weekday from 9am-noon from its studio through Flint Podcasting Company for the past year. The Tom Sumner Show can be heard on 92.1 FM and streaming live on their website at tomsumnerprogram.com.
Did you know the Flint Junior Golf Association (FJGA) is the oldest such organization in the nation? Since its inception in 1939, the FJGA has not only provided an opportunity for young golfers to learn, play and enjoy the game, but it also teaches them discipline, respect, integrity and character.
