It’s a beautiful thing when birds choose your yard. Blue jays, mourning doves, cardinals—no matter the species, their presence signals that they find your space welcoming. It’s a place where they feel safe enough to thrive. The same can be said for people: to truly flourish, we need a cozy, supportive community. Fortunately, there’s a place in Grand Blanc that fosters that sense of belonging—for both birds and people. It’s a charming little shop called JJ Cardinal’s Wild Bird & Nature Store.
The Flint Lensmen Camera Club arrived on time for their photo shoot at the Detroit Model Railroad Club in Holly. The photography enthusiasts laughed, talked and sipped coffee while they unpacked their gear. Tripods were pulled from loosely-filled duffel bags and moved into position, lighting apparatus were attached, and lenses were chosen for the best photos of the new model railroad setup. Once ready, the camera club members quickly began clicking away. Moving over and under, left and right, high and low, for the best light and vantage point of the miniature railroad cars as they sat in diorama or moved around the track. They worked tirelessly, always with an eye for the beauty inherent in all things. They worked for the joy of the shot and with hope that the end result would be more than a photo – they worked to create art.
Since adolescence, much of Ron Staley’s life has been about making old things new again, bringing them back to life and restoring them to their former glory.
A random flier on a bulletin board was all Greater Flint Pilots Association (GFPA) President Eric Johnson needed to see. “After earning my pilot’s license in Owosso, I was looking for a little bit more freedom to fly,” he recalls. “I remembered a flier for the GFPA I had on a bulletin board. They were just what I was looking for.” Before the GFPA, Johnson was renting planes at the Owosso flight school where he earned his license, but they were always in use by students and instructors. He could only fly an hour here or there and longer trips were out of the question. At GFPA, trips of a week or more aren’t uncommon and it’s not unusual to check out a plane, fly to Mackinac Island for lunch and head home for dinner. “That’s called the $200 dollar hamburger trip,” Johnson laughs.
It’s summer! The rains of spring have gone and the roads and trails in and around Genesee County are dry and ready for wheels. If you are an avid cyclist or are looking to get into a healthy hobby, now is the time to jump on and start pedaling.
In early 1961, a Swiss immigrant known in Flint as “Mr. Ski” was making an impact. Henry Walder, a military veteran and former GM worker, was busy spreading the good word and his love of skiing in and around Greater Flint from his makeshift rope tow at the sledding hills on Swartz Creek Golf Course to the slopes of Mt. Holly. To further his mission, Walder founded Schussmeisters’ (meaning “downhill racer”) Ski Club, a social organization still blazing downhill trails throughout Michigan and the world.
It is sheer joy to watch a graceful figure skater spin, jump and glide across the ice. And, there is a figure skating club in Flint Township where people can learn the sport and showcase their talent. The Iceland Competitive Edge Figure Skating Club (ICEFSC) was established in 2012. According to Cristy Bosley, Vice President, the predecessor club, Flint 4 Seasons Figure Skating Club dates back to 1987-2010. Sanctioned under the USFSA (United States Figure Skating Association), the governing body for the sport, the club operates out of Iceland Arenas in Flint Township.
The Vehicle City is known for its fascination with the automobile for good reason. And, it turns out there are a lot of real-deal hot rod junkies in the Fenton area!
The crowd surrounded the basket, taking practice puts and warming up for the Disc 4 Arts charity tournament to benefit the Flint Institute of Arts. Competitors were diverse, of all skill levels and ages, and excited to play the temporary urban course created on the grounds of the Cultural Center and Central High School. After taking a number of practice throws, golfers headed to their designated starting holes and with two blasts of an airhorn, the Disc 4 Arts tournament began.
Josh Henley holds the waters of Genesee County close to his heart. “As a kid, I grew up on a small stream in the area and I remember heading out day after day to catch brookies (brook trout),” he says. “That stream doesn’t hold them anymore. More and more things are changing and our cold-water fisheries are slowly disappearing.” Henley is the newly-elected president of the Central Michigan Charles A. Fellows (CAF) chapter of Michigan Trout Unlimited, covering the area from Port Huron through Genesee County to parts of Shiawassee County. “Our coverage map is a little weird, I’ll admit, but we have some great fisheries and watersheds within,” he says.
Flint Area Good News Riders #222 is a Chapter of the national organization, the Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA). The mission of a CMA Chapter is to support the National CMA effort of “sharing and showing the love of Jesus Christ to motorcyclists,” according to Jim Flickinger, President of the Flint Chapter. Organized in 1935, the CMA is headquartered in Hatfield, AR. There are Chapters in 38 countries and 1,030 Chapters in the U.S. “The organization is nonprofit and non-denominational,” he explains. “Our goal is to save one soul at a time.”
As a criminal defense attorney, Nick Robinson is used to long days. Maintaining a successful legal practice and representing clients is as stressful as it is rewarding. Being mentally and often physically exhausted at the end of a workday is commonplace; so, it may come as a surprise to most that after the kids have gone to bed, he isn’t quite ready to hang up his coat. “I put my kids to bed, give my wife Kara a kiss on the cheek and head out to the garage,” explains Robinson. “I turn on a podcast and start the pottery wheel. I can usually churn out about ten mugs a night.”
