The Youth Connection - After School Fair

We volunteered to help the 10^th Annual After School Fair held on beautiful Belle Isle in Detroit on August 20^th. Belle Isle is the largest island park in the United States comprised of 985 acres, and the tenth largest municipal park in the United States. Although many of the islands once beautiful structures have fallen into disrepair, and the park is under-utilized it is still a great place for events like this.

Organized by Youth Connection CEO Dr. Grenae’ Dudley, the 10^th Annual After-School Fair featured registration for hundreds of after-school programs, foster care agencies, Department of Health services, immunizations, health information, substance abuse prevention information and lots of activities for children young and old. Among the hundreds who came together with a common goal on Belle Isle there was also an attempt to break the world record for largest dodge ball game ever.

Click for photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/104461058718739695077/BelleIsle#

Detroit Tigers vs Minnesota Twins

Enjoyed a great Tigers victory over the Twins as part of “Be a Tiger For Kids” day. The Cornerstone’s 6th annual game at Comerica Park is a perfect venue for a corporate gathering, family outing or a get-together with friends. The event provides much-needed scholarship assistance to the children of Cornerstone Schools. More than 1400 Detroit children receive an excellent education at Cornerstone Charter Schools. 100% of the proceeds from every Be A Tiger For Kids donation help provide an excellent education for Cornerstone students.
Of course watching Justin Verlander secure his 18^th win at this time in the season was very exciting for all the Tigers fans!
Click below for photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/104461058718739695077/TigersVsTwins#

Ford Rouge Factory Tour

The original Dearborn Rouge Plant launched in 1917 was the most radical innovation the auto industry had very seen, eventually employing over 100,000 workers. Four generations later the Ford family embarked on a revitalization of the Rouge facility every bit as ambitious as the original construction of Henry Ford.

A tour of this modern facility is an excursion into Ford history and the current realm where environmental innovation and industrial production work together to put an entirely new face on manufacturing that would make Henry Ford quite proud. If you are in the Detroit area be sure to stop by Greenfield Village & the Henry Ford Museum, and be sure to take the Factory Tour as well.

Click for a few photos of the facility and visitors center:

https://picasaweb.google.com/104461058718739695077/FordRougeTour#

Ronald McDonald House



I tagged along with my daughter and a Small Group from Northridge Church to Ronald McDonalds House at Children's Hospital in Detroit. The Group prepares and serves a dinner once a month to the parents of children hospitalized with serious illnesses.

Families often travel far from home to get treatment for their seriously ill or injured children at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. Nothing seems scarier to children facing a serious medical crisis than not having their mom and dad close by for love and support.

Ronald McDonald House programs provide a “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close to their hospitalized child at little or no cost. The Houses are operated on the simple idea that there is nothing more important than supporting a family who is focused on healing their child.  Alleviating the worry of where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest.

https://picasaweb.google.com/ChuckBessey/RonaldMcDonald#

Why I Love Florida

Of course there is none of the northern winter weather with no snow to shovel, no hazardous driving conditions, no ice to scrape from the windshield, etc. But the first thing to strike me as I arrived in Michigan, where it is as hot as Florida, for a summer visit is the terrible condition of the roads. Not only the main streets, but the side streets are all like driving on a wash-board. Not just the pot-hole patching, but none of the concrete sections meet on a level surface. I'll probably need a suspension re-build when I get home? But hey, the golf courses are very nice with level and smooth putting surfaces!