Earth Day

On Saturday April 24th there are several events that surround the celebration of Earth Day, see below for the details.

United Way of Northwest Michigan needs volunteers to help with the cleanup of an illegal dump site located in our community. The event will be held from 10am until 1pm, the location is still tentative (unfortunately we have lots to choose from). Interested volunteers are asked to dress appropriately, adult sized work gloves will be provided. In the spirit of Earth Day, Bay Area Recycling for Charities will be present to take any material that can be recycled. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. If you are interested in helping with this event please contact Amanda Hilt at 231-947-3200x206 or Amanda@unitedwaynwmi.org.

Little Artshram is holding their annual Earth Day Parade which will begin at 1pm, leaving from Central Grade school. This year’s theme is Pedal Power. The parade will wind through downtown Traverse City and end at the Hannah Park (next to the Heritage Center). There will also be a community picnic and puppet theatre to enjoy afterwards. If you would like to be involved in the parade please contact Penny at info@littleartshram.org, workshops are being held on April 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th from Noon until 5pm at the Little Arthsram studio located in building #36 on the State Hospital grounds.

The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy is hosting a dune restoration bucket brigade at the Arcadia Dunes from 9am until 1pm. This project will involve some heavy lifting. For those interested in less physical work they will need volunteers to plant trees, do trail maintenance and clean up a historic dump site. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to come and enjoy the day. Bring your water bottle… light snacks and additional water will be provided. If interested please contact Lee Maynard by phone or email at 231-929-7911 or lee@gtrlc.org.

TART Trails will be holding trail cleanup work bees at two locations on the Leelanau Trail, the Boardman Lake Trail and the 3 Mile Trail from Parsons Road south from 9am until 12pm. Interested volunteers of all ages are welcomed to come with gloves, trash bags, brooms and loppers. Anyone available to help can contact Missy Luyk for more details at missy@traversetrails.org

The Goodwill Run for Shelter needs volunteers to help with route direction for the runners and basic cheering for all of the participants. Volunteers aged 8 and older are welcomed to help with this event. The race begins at 9am and starts at Willow Hill Elementary school. If you are interested please call Karl from Greenlight Marketing at 231-995-0619.

Imagine...

I received this in an email from a co-worker this morning and I think it is worth sharing...

If you could fit the entire population of the world into a village consisting of 100 people, maintaining the proportions of all the people living on Earth, that village would consist of:

57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 Americans (North, Central and South)
8 Africans

There would be:

52 women and 48 men
30 Caucasians and 70 non-Caucasians
30 Christians and 70 non-Christians
89 heterosexuals and 11 homosexuals

6 people would possess 59% of the wealth and they would all come from the USA.

80 would live in poverty
70 would be illiterate
50 would suffer from hunger and malnutrition
1 would be dying
1 would be being born
1 would own a computer
1 (yes, only one) would have a university degree

If we looked at the world in this way, the need for acceptance and understanding would be obvious. But, consider again the following:

If you woke up this morning in good health, you have more luck than one million people, who won't live through the week.
If you have never experienced the horror of war, the solitude of prison, the pain of torture, were not close to death from starvation, then you are better off than 500 million people.
If you can go to your place of worship without fear that someone will assault or kill you, then you are luckier than 3 billion (that's right) people.
If you have a full fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over you head and a place to sleep, you are wealthier than 75% of the world's population.
If you currently have money in the bank, in your wallet and a few coins in your purse, you are one of 8 of the privileged few amongst the 100 people in the world.
If your parents are still alive and still married, you're a rare individual.

Work like you don't need the money.
Love like nobody has ever hurt you.
Dance like nobody is watching.
Sing like nobody is listening.
Live as if this was paradise on Earth.

Free Community Meal

When: Sunday, March 28 & Sunday, April 25
Time: 5:30pm
Where: Bellaire Senior Center

Join your neighbors for a great, free meal and a fun night out!
Food donated by local restaurants and a SUNDAE BAR for dessert

This is a free meal for one and all, and the general idea behind it is we'd like to provide a good hot meal and a fun night out to those in Antrim County that could use it. We've been putting on the meal for about 6 months now. Restaurants in the area have provided most of the food, and we're averaging around 50 guests.

A Day Without Shoes!

On April 8, United Way of Northwest Michigan is going barefoot for One Day Without Shoes. It might be cold, it'll probably be uncomfortable, and our feet will certainly get dirty, but by doing so, we’ll help raise awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can bring to a person’s life.

We hope that you will join us for our barefoot walk through downtown Traverse City on April 8. We will be meeting at the United Way of Northwest Michigan offices at noon. We’ll leave from the United Way and walk down Union Street to Front street then walk down Front Street to Cass and back to the United Way offices on Union.
In addition to our barefoot walk we will also be hosting a shoe drive April 5 through the 9. Bring new or gently used shoes to the United Way offices at 521 S Union Street. Donations will be accepted Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

One Day Without Shoes is an annual event that was started by TOMS Shoes in which students, friends, parents, strangers, and co-workers host or join barefoot events. Some go barefoot for an hour, some for the whole day, but all become a part of a greater movement toward change.

This April 8, please lead by example by going barefoot, and help mobilize our community to be a part of One Day Without Shoes.

Free Pistons Tickets!!

For those who’ve given – of their time, their wisdom, or their compassion – the Pistons want to give back to you. As part of the Pistons’ season-long commitment to giving back to the communities across Michigan and beyond where their loyal fans live and work, the Pistons are rewarding volunteers and mentors through the “Helping Hand” program. All who have participated in volunteer activities since Jan. 1, 2009 – or those who agree to volunteer in their community before April 12 – will be rewarded with a free ticket to any one of three Pistons home games.

“Being good neighbors is part of the fabric of the Pistons family,” said Alan Ostfield, president and CEO of The Palace. “We took that core principle from our late owner, Mr. Davidson, one of the greatest philanthropists our region has ever known, and try to live it every day and every season.”

“From our recent Pistons Care telethon that raised well over $400,000 to feed Michigan families in need to our ongoing efforts to outfit Michigan schools with books and computers, we never forget that it’s important to give back to the areas that make what we do possible. Recognizing those volunteers who share that belief with a free ticket to a Pistons game is a small way to acknowledge their efforts.”

The Pistons.com/helpinghand Web page lists volunteer opportunities in Metro Detroit and statewide. After completing a day of service, participants can log onto the Web page or redeem their free ticket for April 2, April 7 or April 12 games at The Palace for service days from Jan. 1, 2009-April 12, 2010. In addition, volunteers can purchase additional 200-level tickets for $5 or upgrade to a 100-level seat for $25. Visit Pistons.com/helpinghand, call (248) 377-0100 or visit The Palace box office to take advantage of these special ticket offers.

Fans can also submit volunteer stories for a chance to be honored or honor someone they know during the April 12 Pistons vs. Toronto Raptors season finale and Fan Appreciation Night at The Palace. The online submission form also can be found on Pistons.com/helpinghand.

The gift of tickets to volunteers continues the Pistons community night program that for the 2009-10 season has included fund-raising for the Karmanos Cancer Institute for Breast Health Awareness in October, honoring America’s military service personnel on Veteran’s Night in November, benefiting St. Vincent de Paul during December Pistons games, providing shoes for Detroit-area children as part of the Samaritan’s Feet charity in January, celebrating Black History Month with various outreach efforts in February, and hosting the Pistons Care Telethon to benefit the Food Bank Council of Michigan in March.

Be Counted!

In March of 2010, census forms will be delivered to every residence in the United States and Puerto Rico. When you receive yours, just answer the 10 short questions and then mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope provided. If you don't mail the form back, you may receive a visit from a census taker, who will ask you the questions from the form.

The majority of the country will receive English-only materials. Households in areas with high concentrations of Spanish-speaking residents may receive a bilingual (English/Spanish) form.

Any personal data you provide is protected under federal law. If you have questions about the census or need help completing the form visit the United Way on Monday, Wednesday or Friday between March 19 and April 16. A census worker will be at United Way (521 S Union St) on these days between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.


Did You Know?

-In 2008,$16 billion in federal assistance was allocated using data from the Census.
-For every 100 missed people in the count, a community could lose $1.2 million over a 10-year period.

Vote For Your Favorite Snowman

Help pick the winner! Vote for your favorite Live United Snowman each snowman picture has a number on it, simply email me the number of the snowman you think is the most creative. Voting ends Thursday 3/11 at midnight. Winners announced on Friday 3/12. Email votes to michelleg@Unitedwaynwmi.org. Please vote only one time.