Brandon Corder will never forget about Flint. “Flint was a great place for me to grow up,” he says. “I want to give back to the place that has given me so much. I get wrapped up in it sometimes, maybe a little too much.” Since his graduation from Flint Southwestern Academy, Corder has been on a mission that has taken him to New York, to Los Angeles, and to Las Vegas where he currently resides. “I make sure to head back to Flint every couple of weeks,” he adds. At the age of 12, Corder chose his mission: to become a media mogul – and through his Beats X Beers brand, he is getting close to reaching that goal. “I always looked up to the music industry moguls and it is something I always knew I wanted to be,” he says.
Since 2014, neighborhoods in the City of Flint have relied on the help and support of the Neighborhood Engagement Hub (NEH) and this year, it will only get better. “People haven’t really known what we were or the services we offer,” says Executive Director, Tom Wyatt. “We are restructuring and have established a new mission and core values.” The NEH is also improving efficiency with the creation of six new departments and is expanding its program offerings. The headquarters has also undergone a remodel to make it safer and more appealing to neighborhood groups and individuals for use as a meeting and learning space. “We did almost all the work ourselves to save on cost,” Wyatt says laughing. “It took a bit longer than expected, but we are almost done.”
On April 22, we will celebrate Earth Day – an annual event created in 1970 to raise awareness of the need to protect our planet’s natural resources for future generations. In Genesee County, there is an agency that works very hard to protect this area’s natural resources.
DeAndra Larkin currently serves as Chief of Staff to the Office of the President at Mott Community College, working collaboratively with the College’s Executive Cabinet to achieve the College’s Strategic Plan goals and develop and manage strategic partnerships. Prior to this role, she held positions as a nonprofit executive and in fund development.
Producer. Novelist. Writer. Executive Director. These are just a few of the titles held by Joseph Schipani who is well known in Greater Flint. He is most known for his passion for helping improve Flint and surrounding communities. “I enjoy doing things to make Flint better and putting smiles on people’s faces,” he shares.
It’s a well-known fact: business ownership is definitely not for the faint of heart! With statistics showing that nearly one in five U.S. start-ups fail within the first year, many owners feel fortunate to make it through 12 months of operation.
On February 4, the Genesee District Library hosted its 22nd Annual Black History Month Brunch at Genesys Conference & Banquet Center. The special celebration recognized the 2023 Black History Month Honorees – community notables including three inspiring individuals and one organization selected by the Black History Month Brunch Advisory Committee.
Regular viewers of WNEM TV5’s evening newscasts are familiar with this lovely lady they invite into their homes Monday through Friday at 5, 6 and 11pm. We thought you’d like to know a little bit more about her!
When Rob Coheen accompanied his friend, Charlie Sheridan, as a guest to a meeting of the Retired Men’s Fellowship of Greater Flint (RMFGF), he was intrigued. After his next couple of visits, he was hooked. “For me, it was the fellowship aspect of the group,” he says, “then afterward, meeting for lunch at the Masonic Temple or the White Horse. Lunch is always a highpoint of my day; there is something about breaking bread with folks.” Five years after his first meeting, Coheen is an active member of the group, taking the role of monthly program chair this January and working as a kind of group historian looking into its past while at the same time, contemplating its future.
She’s a basketball superstar, a member of six halls-of-fame, a Senior Olympic Gold Medalist, recent Art Hurand Art of Achievement Award recipient, a champion of Flint youth and MCM’s 2022 Cityzen of the Year – Linnell Jones-McKenney. “Awww… it’s such an honor to be recognized for everything I have been blessed to accomplish,” she says, humbly. “I’m very grateful for the chance to work toward what I would like to see happen in this city. Thank you very much.”
Frankenmuth, the little Bavarian city to our north, lost two of its most influential and beloved citizens this fall. On October 16, Irene Bronner of Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland passed away at the age of 95, leaving behind a loving family, a supportive community and a world famous shop offering holiday wonders for all. Then, just three days later on October 19, prominent Frankenmuth businesswoman, Judy Zehnder Keller passed away. She was 77.
On a wintry November 17, the Salvation Army held its Red Kettle Time 2 Ring Kickoff at Gaines Jewelry for the second consecutive year. As a rare honor, Proprietor David Gaines and his daughter Selina were chosen to co-chair the event. “The Salvation Army approached me and asked if both my daughter and I would like to co-chair the kickoff,” says Gaines. “It’s a great honor to help celebrate the beginning of this season’s bell-ringing efforts.”
