To thank all of the hardworking volunteers who are the heart of the Genesee County Habitat for Humanity, the annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic is set for Saturday, April 30 at Memorial Park, 1026 Church Street in Flint. The picnic is sponsored by the William S. Ballenger Trust and is Habitat’s kick off of the 2016 building season. Those attending will be served some tantalizing BBQ from Barlow’s Gourmet Sauces & Authentic BBQ. There will also be a live performance of Mystic Dub with their funky fusion style or reggae, funk, and jazz. To make the day even more fun, there will be a workshop: Grow your Dinner – What it Takes to Eat Sustainable.

Owned and operated by the Ruth Mott Foundation, Applewood is now bringing Ruth Mott’s dream a reality by inviting the public for free tours of the beautiful estate. The home of Charles Stewart Mott, Applewood Estate, is celebrating its 100^th anniversary on June 23, and now the public will be able to experience a valuable part of Flint’s history.

It’s time to celebrate the wonder of trees! To celebrate Arbor Day – which falls on Friday, April 29, the Arbor Day Festival is set for Saturday, April 30 at For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum, 2142 Genesee Road in Burton, from 12-3pm. Visitors can learn about trees and the important role they play in our ecosystem. The cost is free, and there are activities planned for families and kids of all ages and abilities. For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum has 383 acres of carefully preserved Michigan flora and fauna and one of the state’s finest collections of rare trees.

Having started at 8am on April 10, voting is still going on until 11:59 pm on April 17 for you to vote for the school you believe is most-deserving to win $1,000 for having the best Blueberry Moment.

Applications are now being accepted for the John S. Beagle Scholarship. Established by the Genesee County Bar Foundation, the scholarship is intended to help students from Genesee County with financial support while in their second or third level of law school. It is through the generosity of the late John S. Beagle and his family that the scholarship has been established.

The Flint Institute of Music is one of the many spices that give Flint its flavor. And to most people, the FIM and the Cultural Center represent an accessible environment in which to grow, learn, and be entertained.

Today, Friday, April 1, 2016 a press conference was held to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect. The community initiative, Paint Our Town Blue, takes place at the Genesee County Circuit Court at 900 Saginaw Street in Flint. At this press conference, community leaders such as the Honorable Duncan Beagle and Genesee County Sheriff, Robert Pickell, spoke out about these issues that are affecting the community.

Hurley Children’s Hospital and NASH FM 95.1 present a benefit concert on April 7 at Dort Federal Event Center in Flint. The concert will feature Granger Smith and Tegan Marie, and the benefit is to help kids and families affected by the Flint Water Crisis. All proceeds go directly to Hurley Children’s Hospital.

University students throughout Flint are working together on one common goal: Recycling as many plastic containers as possible.

Businesses in Genesee County may get a boost thanks to an initiative launched by the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce in coordination with FlintNOW and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. According to a press release issued by The Flint & Genesee of Commerce, the Moving Flint Forward initiative was launched “to address the immediate and long-term businesses development needs arising out of or magnified by the Flint water emergency.”

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