The biggest, most life-changing phone call Jenna Schroeder has ever received did not exactly come at an opportune time.
While working with the Alzheimer’s Association in 2019, current FIA Access Coordinator Jennifer Giddings-Essenmacher noticed something missing in Greater Flint. “There were simply no social engagement programs in this area for people with any form of dementia,” she says. “The closest programs were centered in Detroit and Grand Rapids.” She lobbied area institutions with ideas to initiate such a program to no avail. So, when she joined the FIA staff in 2022, she made building such a program a top priority. Last October, her efforts came to fruition when the FIA launched the first of many Art Spark! gallery tours.
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.
Goodrich High School student Natalie Steward wasn’t sure what she wanted to do after graduation. “I didn’t have any plans as to what I wanted to do in life,” she says. “I had a few friends enrolled in the JROTC program at Genesee Career Institute and after I heard what it was about, I decided to join. The program has given me a path and a plan to put effort into getting into college and a career in the Army.”
After 30 years away from Genesee County, Katie Kool-Wray, a former Flushing resident and Powers Catholic grad, felt the need to make an impact on the community. “I had to find a way to give back to the Genesee County community and to find my people,” she explains. “When I lived in Cincinnati, I was a member of a large network of women like myself, who wanted to make a difference.” After a discussion with a friend from Traverse City, Kool-Wray found a way to make it all happen. Her friend was a member of her local chapter of Impact100 and Kool-Wray immediately began to think about what the organization could do for Genesee County. Impact100 is a national organization of women who come together determined to make a difference in their local communities. Kool-Wray established the Genesee County chapter in June.
Did you know that every night, right here in Genesee County, more than 200 individuals are living in emergency shelters? According to Shelly Hoffman, Development Director at Shelter of Flint, Inc., countless others live on the streets, sleeping on a friend’s couch, in a car or an abandoned building.
It’s tough out there in today’s business climate – you’ve got to be committed, you have to know your stuff and most of all, you must be resilient. In this challenging economy, each and every day is a battle; only those who have the heart can triumph. That is why reaching significant business milestones is a reason to celebrate!
Founded by Dr. Jawad Shah in 2008, Insight Institute of Neurosurgery and Neurosciences provides clinical services to patients in Genesee County. What began in the former GM HQ (Great Lakes Technology Center) in Flint with one neurosurgeon and a staff of four has grown to over 1,200 employees and expanded to campus locations in Chicago, Dearborn and Warren, MI. In the fall of 2024, Insight will expand once again – this time, adding a new building and services to the Flint facility.
Everyone deserves a good night’s rest and there is an organization in Flushing whose mission is to make sure that children who’ve been sleeping on the floor have a bed of their own in which to sleep.
Dr. Dallas Gatlin, Executive Director of Carriage Town Ministries (CTM), is retiring from his position after over 14 years. During his tenure at the faith-based shelter for homeless men, women and children in Flint, Dr. Gatlin has truly been a voice for the homeless. My City is proud to recognize him as our 2023 Cityzen of the Year. “I will turn 70 this year and it is time for me to move on. I feel at peace with God about it,” the director shares. “I will continue to be a supporter of CTM and I will support the new executive director in any way I can.”
For 80-years, members of the Flint Male Chorus have gathered together on stages throughout Genesee County to sing for anyone and everyone who comes to listen. They sing for the holidays such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day. They sing barbershop and sea shanties, old classic songs and today’s hits. Made up of Flint area men of all ages and walks of life, it is a group bonded by voice. “The very best part of it is the camaraderie,” says current Director Matt Packer. “We love to sing and sing together. It’s a brotherhood.”
Ballet is an art form – it can tell a story through movement of the body; it can be magical and exciting. When MCM chatted with Tara Gragg, Artistic Director of the Flint Youth Ballet (FYB), the dance students were busily preparing for their parts in the upcoming performance of “The Nutcracker”, a Flint Institute of Music (FIM) production that has been a family holiday tradition at The FIM Whiting for many years.
