Tucked away on Bridge Street in the quaint little town of Linden is a tiny retail store that is an extension of Snuggle Sacks, a nonprofit organization founded in August 2015 by three children: Addisyn, Jaxson and Sheridan Goss. According to their mother, Stacy Daul, the goal of Snuggle Sacks has been to increase awareness of homelessness in the surrounding communities and provide survival kits for those in need.
When Lindsay Huppertz’s daughter, Kyleigh, was born a month premature in 2019, she was sent to Hurley Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to get a little extra help with her start in life. During the few days she spent watching over her newborn at the unit, Huppertz thought about finding a way to show her appreciation for what Hurley’s doctors and nurses do for all the infants who need their support and care after their arrival. “I was thinking about what I could do and I noticed that the babies there were covered in blankets, especially those kept under the lights in incubators,” she says. “I decided that giving blankets would be a good way to help and give back.”
Whenever and wherever you meet Michael D. Melet, you can be sure of two things: 1) He’s got something special in the works, and 2) In his coat pocket or his bag is a small sketchbook and a pencil – his steady traveling companions. “I take a pad of paper with me and I draw every day,” he states. “I draw what I see at the moment. It keeps me busy.” The pictures he dubs “waiting fors” happen spontaneously whenever he sees something that piques his interest, usually during the quiet periods when he is waiting for something else such as picking up a grandchild, waiting for a meeting to begin, or a show to start. His sketchbook contains images such as a man at a piano, the back of heads in an audience, a piece of scenery, etc. The drawings are simple but it was one of these “waiting fors” that led him to his second career as an artist and his first exhibition at Buckham Gallery in 2011.
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.”
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, with twinkling lights and decorated Christmas trees. But most importantly – Santa Claus has come to town!
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.
Acoustic guitar in hands, Rabbi Zoe McCoon greeted her new congregation with a stirring rendition of a traditional Jewish hymn and seemingly endless smiles.
Happiness is … cookies! Who doesn’t like to indulge in a few “to die for” Christmas cookies during the holidays? One way to enjoy a variety of the tasty treats is to host or attend a Christmas Cookie Exchange with your family members or co-workers. Sometimes called a Cookie Swap, each guest brings a different type of homemade cookie, which they swap with the other guests. It’s always nice to share your recipe, as well. Here are some of my favorite cookie recipes friends have shared with me.
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.”
The Flint community lost a longtime champion of the less fortunate as Sister Judy Blake has passed away at the age of 78.
On the campus of Mott Community College exists a smaller school, a different school – set up to function differently with the sole purpose of helping students who learn differently. Known as “slipaway” students, they may need extra help with their studies, or encouragement, or help with emotional or economic needs, or perhaps a challenge better than those provided at a traditional high school.
Michigan is one of the absolute best states for enjoying a memorable holiday season. It’s not too cold, it’s (usually) not too snowy and the people are downright neighborly. Scrooges here are few and far between. So, we at MCM say, “take advantage of it!” Embrace the beauty, fun and majesty of the holidays in the best way possible – with family, friends and a festive atmosphere. After decorating your home for the much-awaited December celebrations, why not collect those around you and head out to one of the happenings in Greater Flint or (if anything catches your fancy) a little further away. Get out-and-about and recapture that old Christmas spirit once again.
