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Story by David Wesley

Life Skills Village (LSV) helps people with brain injuries reintegrate into the broader community by providing a wide variety of therapeutic services: (psychotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, community reintegration day program, and others.) The LSV Sheltered Workshop exists to give people with brain injuries the opportunity to earn a paycheck while they perform a meaningful service for numerous non-profit groups. By giving people with a TBI the chance to do something purposeful, we show them that they can still make a positive impact on the community. With treatment centers already established in West Bloomfield and Farmington Hills, LSV recently opened a “sheltered workshop” on Nine Mile Road in Ferndale.

Dr. Bryan Weinstein, who owns Life Skills Village says that a little bit of fulfillment in life can lead to an expo- nentially greater amount of enjoyment in life. “Our hope is that by giving our patients purposeful work and helping them reintegrate into the community, they will be on the road to independence and view their rehab and doing something positive for the community as vital elements of that process.”

Ferndale Friends spoke with Drew Bufalini, Chief Marketing Officer at Life Skills Village.

FF: Why did Life Skills Village decide to open a location in Ferndale?

Drew Bufalini: After looking at numerous properties around Metro Detroit, we decided on Ferndale because of its central location; its downtown area provides our patients with many opportunities to practice the social and behavioral skills they learn at LSV; and, admittedly, the visibility of our business on Nine Mile was a big factor.

Ferndale Friends: What are some of the nonprofit organizations you work with?

Drew Bufalini: Arts & Scraps is one. We help recycle materials that are then made into various items and sold to benefit children’s literacy. For Volunteers of America, we wash and sort donated professional clothing that is then donated to VofA for their Veteran’s Program. For The Detroit Chessed Project, we have assembled dressers for them. Overall, Chessed’s mission is to help the Detroit

Jewish community in their time of need. LSV Sheltered Workshop employees have also assembled hygiene kits, which we then don- ated to the homeless population. The plan is to do this on a regular basis. We are actively seeking additional non-profits who could use our help.

FF: Have you gotten support from the Ferndale community, and who are your biggest supporters?

Drew Bufalini: Yes. The folks at the Ferndale DDA welcomed us into the Ferndale community and has kept us updated on all the exciting local events and have offered to connect us with other local organizations.

FF: What are the future plans of Life Skills Village?

Drew Bufalini: LSV will be opening a new treatment center in Oak Park in October. This will be our primary treatment facility. The LSV Sheltered Workshop will continue in Ferndale. We hope to dramatically increase the work we do for non-profits as well.

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For more information, visit LSV’s website at www.lifeskillsvillage.com. The Sheltered Workshop is located at 914 West Nine Mile Road. Phone: 248-788-4300.

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states united to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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Story by Ingrid Sjostrand | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

Communities come together for a variety of reasons; whether in excitement for celebration or in wake of a tragedy, the results are always awe-inspiring. Ferndale’s most recent rallying cause proves that four-legged members of the community are just as beloved as those standing on two.

Buster Keaton, a seven-year-old American boxer, is somewhat famous among the neighbors, runners and walkers who frequent Allen Street. “Everyone knows who Buster is. He is just a happy dog,” his owner Sandy Ungerman says of the bright-eyed, caramel-colored dog. “He has to greet everyone who walks by, he gets upset if people don’t stop and say ‘hi’ or acknowledge him.”

In June, Buster suddenly began dragging his back legs. Ungerman and her husband, Ed, took him to the vet and were given the heartbreaking news that he had developed a tumor that prevented communication between his brain and his legs.

“He has feeling in the legs — they aren’t paralyzed — but his brain isn’t telling them to work,” Ungerman says. This didn’t stop Buster from wanting to greet everyone, which caused some concern.

Screen Shot 2015-08-31 at 10.44.20 AM“By dragging his back legs, a lot of people thought we were abusing him,” Ungerman tells me. “Animal control came but the man across the street said, ‘That dog is taken better care of than most children,’ and thankfully they left.”

It quickly became apparent how beloved Buster is to the Ferndale community when neighbors and friends took to Facebook to find a solution. The membership group Ferndale Forum covers everything from items for sale and city events to positive discussions within the community. On June 27, member Suzanne Janik posted in the group asking for help making or buying a wheelchair for Buster. Within two hours of the post, group members shared their personal stories of Buster, gave suggestions and volunteered to donate a total of $350 for a wheelchair prosthetic.

Ungerman was brought to tears when she heard of the generosity of her community. A lifelong Ferndale resident, she works at Rust Belt Market for Ida Belle Handmade Soaps and is no stranger to giving back.

“There’s so many people in need — I crochet scarves for the homeless, make blankets for cancer patients — I work really hard to help other people,” Ungerman says. “I thought the money could go to people that really need it”

Ungerman attempted to make her own wheels for Buster out of an old children’s stroller but was unable to figure it out. “There’s no axle from wheel to wheel, each wheel is individual and that’s where I was having trouble,” she says. “I am mechanically inclined but I just couldn’t figure out in my mind how to put one together.”

Donation offers continued to pour in and the forum prolonged their efforts to find him a wheelchair. By July 12th, a wheelchair had been donated for free and a member of the Michigan Humane Society even helped with getting Buster fitted in his new wheels.

Ungerman and her husband are so grateful to see that their neighbors care for their dog as much as they do; she says they are already planning how to pay it forward to others who might be in the same situation.

“We want to try to see if we can get different sizes and help other dogs,” she says. “There’s a dog around the corner that is going to need one soon.”

As for Buster, he is once again moving with ease and loving all the extra attention his new ride has brought him. “I walked him around the block and literally stopped traffic because people were stopping to see him,” Ungerman quips.

If slightly happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states united to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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Story and photos by Kevin Alan Lamb

“The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.”

― Gordon B. Hinckley

Life is a beautiful phenomenon that helps us discover that helping hands can relieve the burden hung upon heavy hearts. We learn that our time is valuable, and with it comes the choice of just who and what we will be present for. A house is not a home; a home is built with love, positive energy, and a willingness to serve a collective best interest.

Since the 1920s the Willcock Family has made their home in Ferndale, and spent their time serving their community.

‘Volunteering gives you a sense of community. You meet people and have fun. It’s not work. It’s a pleasure. And as a bonus, you get to go to some of these events for free!” says Joann Willcock.

Joann first volunteered at her children’s schools, attending most every field trip and frequent to help in the first Open Classrooms. Over the years Joann and her husband Dick have served on a plethora of commissions and volunteered for community events and political campaigns including: Beautification Commission, Memorial Association, Arts and Cultural Commission, and the Ferndale Community Foundation.

“We’ve volunteered for the Woodward Dream Cruise since the first one, missing few years along the way. Also the Ferndale Pub Crawl, which we missed this year for the first time! We also participated in Clean the Ferndale Up! several times.”

You get what you give in this life. When you invest your love, time, and energy into helping others, you discover an abundance of goodness and quality through mean- ingful relationships.

“I have been in the Ferndale school district all my life, my husband and I rented a house on the East side of Ferndale starting in January, 1966 and had our first child there (Cindy). Then we bought our ‘starter’ home on the Southwest side in November, 1967. In fact, we signed closing papers on Dick’s birthday! When our family grew, Donna in 1968 and Bill in 1971, we thought about moving, but we liked our home and neighbors. So, we added on. Since we have been here, we’ve added a garage, three additions, new windows twice, remodeled the kitchen, added a bathroom, and Dick built a gazebo.”

Building breeds strong hearts and hands: Strong hearts and hands continue to build our better world by lifting others. When we help others we discover that we are really helping ourselves in ways beyond our imagination.

“I’m proud of how far we have come, from ‘Oh, you live in Ferndale?’ to ‘Oh! Wow! You live in Ferndale?’ I love Ferndale! I’m proud of my city. I love the Downtown Development and the city involvement, the residents; just all of it.”

Ferndale is a community ripe with righteousness. Within its streets, homes, and eccentric celebrations, the Will- cock’s benevolence resides, interwoven with their realization that the meaning of life – is each other. They are a family that has never spent their time waiting on the world to change itself.

“As teens, we hung out at one of the coffee shops downtown and at Como’s. A lot more retail at that time. My mother, who grew up on West Woodland, always said , ‘If you can’t get it in Ferndale, you don’t need it.’”

Some of their favorite Ferndale family events include Fido does Ferndale!, Ice Fest, Dream Cruise, and the Ferndale Memorial Day Parade.

“This year was the 97th parade, making it the oldest continuous parade in Michigan. Also, art fairs, music
in the park, Salon Sunday, Ferndale Pride, garage sales, block parties and my neighbors.”

In a community wealthy with good humans and culture, there is no reason to be bored. When you find yourself flipping through the channels, complacent with how your time is being spent, then get off the couch, go outside, and start building!

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states united to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you have to look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Story by Jeff Lilly | Photos courtesy of Ferndale Schools | Portrait of D’Anne McNeil by Jeff Lilly

Good habits learned early can lead to a lifetime of benefits. That’s the hope of every teacher and parent. In the Ferndale school district, one of the hoped-for benefits is a better, greener world

Five Ferndale schools were certified as “Green Schools” in a program managed by Oakland County. Signed into law in 2006 by former governor Granholm, the program gives interested schools a list of 20 environmental and energy-saving targets, fulfilling ten of which earns the school a “Green” designation, certificate, and flag. Fifteen targets fulfilled gets the school “Emerald” status. Twenty confers the coveted “Evergreen” designation. Currently, Coolidge Intermediate School, Ferndale Middle School, and Roosevelt Primary have achieved Green status, and Ferndale High School has made it to Emerald level.

John F. Kennedy Elementary School, however, has gone all the way and is currently the only Evergreen school in the district. Now in its seventh year of participation in the program, kindergarten teacher D’Anne McNeil and parent volunteer Susan Christin were the prime movers.

“I live in Royal Oak, and my kids had the ‘Oakroots’ movement in their school for Green School certification.” McNeil tells me, as I sit in a kindergartner-size chair in her classroom. The little whirlwinds have just left for the day, and the room still has all the evidence of their bustling activity. “I thought, wow, I want to do this for my school, too.” She hooked up with Christin, who’d had the same thought, and worked to turn Kennedy green.

It starts with educating the students on recycling. Students in Ferndale have a good head start, because many recycle already at home. In the classroom, McNeil says, “Anything paper, plastic or glass” goes into bins. In the main hallway, next to the office, is a large station where students can bring in electronics, batteries, and cords. A large container holds old prescription medication bottles, which are cleaned and sent to FernCare Clinic for re-use. The recycled electronics are purchased by a company that sends a bit of money back to the school, to be used to help run the program.

Another component of being a Green school is reducing waste. Kindergartners receive a “waste- free” lunch kit, including a water bottle, snack bag, and reusable napkin. Still, a lot of garbage is generated in the lunchroom, which is where parent volunteer Jennifer Krycian steps in, spending about a half-hour each day sifting recyclables from the lunchroom waste, doing things like rinsing yogurt cups and styrofoam trays. It’s a job that requires “rubber gloves and a strong stomach,” according to Krycian, but she believes in the program and the results.

“It sets a good example for the kids.” She says. It also has financial rewards for the school; a company that takes and recycles applesauce containers returned $190 to the school last year, for example. Other companies handle hard-to- recycle items like foil drink pouches. Krycian hopes that soon the styrofoam trays can be phased out in favor of biodegradable ones. She’d also like to get a few more volunteers to help start a comprehensive composting program. Still, the efforts are making a difference. The janitor, Krycian says, has noted that there’s a lot less garbage being produced in the lunchroom than before.

A third component of Green school certification is energy efficiency. McNeil talks about the solar cooker they acquired to make applesauce. The school has also installed programmable thermostats to cut heating and cooling bills.

Then there are the ecological initiatives. 6th grade teacher Greg Williamson raises salmon in his classroom for the DNR, releasing them into the wild. There are guidelines for adopting endangered animals.

The most visible initiative at Kennedy, however, is the gardens, supervised by Stacy Budzik and Jennifer Vermeersch-Bacon. McNeil shows me photos of the raised planters. “We grow kale, lettuce, beans, herbs.” She says. Some are sold to raise money, others are harvested and served at the school’s fall festival. Rain barrels have been installed on four corners of the school. There’s also a native plant garden, run by

Gretchen Abrams. The school’s latchkey program has students caring for the gardens, weeding, digging, planting, and refilling the bird feeders. Kennedy Elementary’s grounds are a certified wildlife habitat and a waystation for monarch butterfllies, as well.

Susan Christin, who gathers information and statistics and compiles and sends the needed reports and documentation to Oakland Schools for Green certification, acknowledges the positive effects of the program. “My kids and others now have a huge awareness of what’s recyclable. They also take the initiative to recycle on their own.” She says.

It’s a lot of work, and a lot of progress! D’Anne McNeil just smiles at my amazement, though. “The hard part was getting started. From there, we just added a little bit every year.”

Everyone doing a little bit can add up to a whole lot, including a greener, healthier world. Here’s to the teachers, parents, students, and

administrators of Ferndale schools, working hard to keep it green!

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction switch on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Story by Brandon Toy

On April 7th, my family and 20 or so other people protested drone warfare in front of the main gate of the Battle Creek Air National Guard base in Michigan. In 2013, the base was named a Reaper Drone Operating Station and should be operational any day, if not already. Weaponized drone operators are dropping bombs from my back yard.

We stood in the mud on the side of the four lane highway from Noon to 1pm. A few of us held signs with slogans like “Stop Drone Warfare,” while others offered conversation to each other or waved at honking cars. One father and fellow protester brought fresh-popped popcorn, which he passed out in little blue bowls to the few children present.

This wasn’t the type of protest that drew the me- dia or police in riot gear. The only law enforcement present was a lone sheriff’s deputy who was on hand to escort us across the highway from the muddy field we parked in to our assigned area. The only pictures taken were by a pink-haired woman who slowed down in the median to snap a few with her camera phone.

“Who said we weren’t going to get any press,” I said as she drove away.

I couldn’t help wondering what point or purpose our protest had. Obviously, we weren’t going to shut the drone program down or change the USG’s policies on drone warfare. I imagined soldiers and airmen trading snide comments at our expense, and commanders deriding us to their troops in formation. It all seemed a little futile and inconsequential. Halfway through the hour, soldiers and airmen started driving onto the base, probably returning from lunch.

Each drive-by was the same. The soldiers would slow down to turn onto the base, avoid eye contact with us and then disappear through the gate.

DroneWarfare2

I thought back to my time in the service and remembered the early days of the Iraq war when I used to watch Fox News and listen to right-wing talk radio. I had consumed media that had saturated me with the belief that the USA was the greatest country in the world and that it was our job to teach the people of the lost and misguided nations how to live. What would I have thought if I had seen an anti-war protest at the entrance to the base?

I didn’t know. I never had to pretend to ignore protesters, because the street sides were always bare when I drove to base. All I ever encountered were waving flags, yellow ribbons and well-wishers who thanked me for my service. It dawned on me that if we weren’t on this corner right now maybe these soldiers and airmen would have the same experience. Instead of smiling protesters and children playing, they would see only a dirty snow bank.

Perhaps, this was the purpose. We were asserting an idea into their world counter to those put forth by their bosses, colleagues and government. Perhaps we were planting a seed of doubt that would one day blossom into curiosity and eventually lead them to reject the precepts of war and embrace peace. Perhaps.

Maybe it’s more realistic to view our gathering from a more modest perspective. The hour our small band spent proclaiming our rejection of what we view as illegal and institutionalized murder is overwhelmingly offset by the entrepreneurs of war toward the side of injustice. Those who support drone warfare flood millions via the US media with a hundred pro-war messages a day for every minute we stood at that gate.

But there we were, humbly banded together, devoting a bit of our precious time to trying to solve a cypher whose key will surely only be revealed by either a true miracle, an epic amount of compounding serendipity or ages of enlightened human evolution.

And yet, my overriding emotions as I accepted the logic of the situation were peace and serenity. I hadn’t come with any delusions anyway. Like many of us, I know firsthand the enormity of the war machine and the mindless momentum of its consumption and destruction.

My thoughts returned back to the scene in front of me. I watched the children throw snowballs and hold signs with their mitten-covered hands. I remembered the stories of the children in the war zones; the ones that live each day of their lives with drones hovering above. I thought about the ones who were in the “wrong place at the wrong time” and were indiscriminately killed by the same drone operators that ignored us as they returned to their war.

The personal belief that drove me to turn my back on the war machine occurred to me again: there is no difference between my family and those killed by drone operators. There are no differences between my son and sixth-grader Mohammed Saleh Qayed Taeiman, who was killed by a drone strike in Yemen earlier this year — the latest of dozens of children murdered in US drone strikes in Yemen since 2002. Nor is there a difference between my community in Pontiac, Michigan and the communi- ties of the people that live with the terror of drones every day. Our children are their children, our voices are their voices and their tragedies are ours.

Or, as President Obama, the Commander in Chief of US drone warfare, succinctly stated: “There is no us and them, only us.”

Luckily, there are no drones that hover in the skies above me today. It’s this accident of geography that allows me to protest safely as my children play in the snow, while our brothers and sisters down- range from the drones can only pray that firebombs are not dropped on them from thousands of miles away by someone behind a computer screen sipping a latte. Since they can’t be here to remind the soldiers – and the rest of us far removed from the war zone – that they are also sentient beings with a right to life, we have to do it for them.

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Bio: Brandon Toy is father, husband and active member of the progressive community in the Greater Detroit area. He serves on the Board of Di- rectors of The Michigan Coalition of Human Rights (MCHR.org). In 2013, he publicly resigned his position at General Dynamics Land Systems where he had worked for five years as an engineering project manager on the Stryker Combat Vehicle Program. He is an army veteran who served in Baghdad. bmtoy79@gmail.com. Protests at the Battle Creek Air National Guard base will continue on the first Saturday of every month from Noon – 1PM. Everyone is welcome!

If slightly happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Story by Sherrad Glosson | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

IN A PERFECT WORLD THE SKY IS ALWAYS BLUE, the weather is always nice… and people are nice to each other, too. In a perfect world, people accept one another in all of our diverse shapes, sizes, colors, creeds, and gender identities.

Life hasn’t always been perfect for Rachel Crandall, but she’s taken the lemons and is making lemonade. A victim of transgender discrimination, she’s working hard so others don’t have to go through what she has.

“With unity comes power,” Rachel said. I sat down with her recently at Affirmations, where she’s been working for the last ten years, and heard her story.

Rachel was fired from her job at a hospital after she came out as transgender. Then, as now, under Michigan civil rights laws, transgender persons are not a protected class. They can be dismissed from jobs, denied apartments, and in many ways be legally treated as second-class citizens.

“I felt really angry,” Rachel said. And out of that anger she founded Transgender Michigan, a non-profit organization with roughly 1,000 members and two major chapters in Saginaw and Traverse City. She started it in 1997 with her now soon- to-be legally-married girlfriend. The intent was to bring together the whole state.

“A lot of people were lonely and there wasn’t a connection. I really wanted unity and everyone to be treated fairly” said Rachel.

Because of her diligent work to bring equality to everyone, she has received numerous awards over the years. Among others, she has received a special tribute from the Michigan legislature, a statewide award from the Human Rights Campaign, a statewide award from the Michigan Bar Association, and most recently in May 2015 she received the Ferndale Good Neighbor Award.

Rachel has been so adamant in her quest for equality that she started the International Transgender Day of Visibility in 2009. When I asked her the intent, she explained, “There had never been a day for transgender people. I wanted a day where all transgender people all over the world can come together and celebrate what they are.”

She even has a help line that started with Transgender Michigan, and now has a line in California to aid those who have never told anyone who they really are, and to help those who have to deal with the problems that arise. The help line has received calls from as far as Dubai and Saudi Arabia. “I’m one of the few transgender activists anywhere,” said Rachel, so the calls come in from everywhere.

When I asked about her short and long terms goals, this is what she said. “Our short term goal is to get more rights for transgender people in Michigan. As far as long term I want to open a transgender shelter, but it will require a whole lot of money. That’s why we need all the support we can get.”

With that support, maybe we can move a bit closer to that perfect world, where our differences are cause for celebration, not division.

For more information on how to donate, go to www.transgendermi.org

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Story by David Stone | Photo by Bernie Laframboise

CHAIR SITS in a cozy corner of the basement. It is here that Pastor Jim Pool of Renaissance Vineyard Church begins his day in prayer. Afterward, there is breakfast with his four kids, and the day shifts into high gear.

Pastor Pool originally thought little of spiritual teachers. He thought of them like the adults in the “Peanuts” cartoons… talking and talking, but not making any sense. It took a journey, and a mentor, before he was ready to assume the role himself.

A native of Metro Detroit, Jim grew up in Livonia and Westland. He jokingly refers to his childhood as “whitebread.” After graduating from Livonia Churchill, he went to West Point. Jim trained for the Army Airborne and it was this training that instilled in him his life-long love of parachuting. Pastor Pool still remembers his fifth jump, at night, as “one of the most beautiful experiences I have had in my whole life.” It was a time when he “touched something.”

It was during his time at West Point that he felt the callings of both Uncle Sam and Jesus. Deciding that he wanted to find some way of serving God, he enrolled in the Master’s Degree program at Trinity International University outside of Chicago. It was there that he met Megan, his future wife.

It was also there that he met Steve Nicholson, the pastor who was to become his mentor and close friend. It was the example and encouragement of this insightful teacher that convinced Jim to become a pastor. Jim always wanted to serve others, but this was the first time that he saw it was possible to serve others as a teacher and pastor. Now, he just wants to give people a bit of the blessing he received.

After graduation, the Pools lived briefly in Royal Oak before moving to Ferndale. Their church has been here for three and a half years. Jim describes his philosophy as “Doing my best to follow Jesus, to love God, and to love others.” He seeks to be a person of deep and radical love for others and for “Jesus the man, not the concept.” He sees the church as a place of blessing, a place where everyone is welcome. Pool sums up  this concept with the phrase: “Open Doors, Open Windows.”

I asked about his hobbies, and he rephrased the query as: “When do I feel most alive?” To this he replies, “I love helping people succeed…I could do that all day.” He also enjoys reading, hiking, bad action movies, and cheap Chinese food. When asked to tell something about himself that few people know, he provides two very thoughtful responses: He is a poet who writes from a deep sense of being loved. He also has a set of Star Wars action figures that he plans to pass on to his kids.

Pastor Pool’s greatest passion is building communities. Whether he’s meeting with church leaders, volunteers, the Chamber of Commerce, or attending a school event (his children are enrolled in the Ferndale Public Schools,) he seeks to strengthen all the communities in which he lives. Pastor Pool said it best, “Wherever I go, whatever I’m doing, I’m cultivating community in order to help people make a difference in their communities.”

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Renaissance Vineyard Church is located at 1841 Pinecrest Drive in Ferndale. Call 248- 545-4664 or visit their website at renvc.com

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states coupled to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction switch on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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by Jennifer Goeddeke

BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION TO MY recent ‘journey’ into Essential Massage, I first received a friendly invite in by the owner, Lisa Boyd. Boyd began her impressive career by working for a chiropractor in high school, and then opened Essential Massage after graduating from the Flint School of Therapeutic Massage in 2003. Along with offering eight types of massage, aromatherapy, and ear candling, Boyd and staff are now also certified to provide ‘Cupping Therapy.’ This is described on their website as “…an ancient healing art, used to in- crease blood flow and kick-start the body’s natural healing response.”

To help me write a story, Boyd wanted me to experience at least some of the services offered. She suggested the following ‘pampering’ regimen: acupuncture, guided meditation and then deep tissue massage. I must confess some trepidation about stage one, the acupuncture, despite all the good stories I have heard about the benefits! Fortunate- ly, all my fears were soon set to rest.

On entering the Essential Massage space, there is an immediate sense of comfort; with soft lighting, neutral colors, soothing aromatherapy smells and gentle music playing. Quite a change of pace from my typically hectic schedule! Amy O’Hara, the receptionist, quickly greeted me with a smile at the front desk. After a minimal amount of questions and paperwork, I was guided through the afternoon. It became apparent that the treatment plans are carefully tailored to each individual whenever possible.

Before very long, Sara Barcus greeted me; a highly qualified, experienced acupuncturist. Prior to the session, she explained some of the ‘magic’ Chinese-based, medical philosophy behind the needles, and how they
work alongside our endorphin system to promote natural energy flow. A course of acupuncture can help provide relief from dozens of conditions, including chronic pain. Barcus rapidly placed and removed the needles, as though it were second nature to her. Surprisingly, I could barely feel the tiny needles!

Next, I moved on to Jeannie Bayley, with a class in guided meditation. Here again, I was feeling rather like a novice. Bayley has an expansive knowledge of meditation techniques (as well as having certifications in hypnotherapy and massage therapy). We sat comfortably, and she took me through a meditation on gratitude. Perhaps, like many of us, I seldom take the time to find complete peace and quiet for 30-60 minutes during my day; this experience with Bayley certainly encouraged me to do so. She explained the basic goal of meditation is to achieve balance in our system, mind and emotions. During the session, I started to feel a lot more in tune with my own thought process.

Finally, I was in position to receive a deep tissue massage from Courtney Ruddock (a graduate of the Ann Arbor School of Massage Therapy). This final step is where I learned how tense I really am, without even realizing it! Ruddock quickly adjusted her technique to accommodate my tolerance level. After an hour of Ruddock ‘kneading the knots’, I decided this had been certainly the most effective massage of my lifetime! (My lower back and neck are especially thankful.) On leaving the spa, I felt thoroughly rejuvenated and de-stressed.

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Be sure to give yourself a treat soon by setting an appointment, or pick up a gift certificate! To learn more, visit Essential Massage online: www.emtherapy.com. Call for an appointment, or with any questions: 248.547.5428. Hours are: M-F, 9am-8pm; Sat & Sun, 10am-4pm. 22941 Woodward Ave., Ferndale

If something happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states connected to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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WHEN I WAS LITTLE OUR NEIGHBOR KATHERINE HAD A VEGETABLE GARDEN instead of a front lawn. the corn stalks were taller than she was. She pumped her own water and hitchhiked to the Eastern Market on weekends. When we picked her up, she’d bless our car. She’d fit right in here in Ferndale.

Ferndale front yards are varied and unique: Christmas lights, wind chimes, sculpture, political signs, all kinds of furniture. And flags – seasonal, rainbow, American. I love “lawn gardens” – officially called “natural landscaping.” A year and a half ago, work started to pass an ordinance to protect them. At the April 13, 2015 City Council meeting, the council approved “natural landscape ordinance changes.” Crystal A. Proxmire of Oakland County 115: “An ordinance passed changing regulations of lawns and encouraging ‘Planned Natural Landscaping’ – a planned, intentional and maintained landscaping of native plants, ornamental grasses and ground covers, rain gardens, shrubs and trees.”

Fellow Ferndalians spoke up. Resident Erin Molnar: “The regulations are necessary to ensure that “planned” remains the operative word, to protect those who are doing these types of yards from code enforcement and still enforce those who are just letting their lawns get out of control.”

OutFront2

It is definitely not a mandate to get rid of lawns. Laura Mikulski: “They are leaving it to the homeowner to decide.” Lucy (my dog) and I love watching neighbors Jessica and Jess develop their natural landscape lawn. It’s a lot of work! Digging up the lawn is, in itself, quite a chore. And there is the initial investment in whatever it is you want to grow.

I asked my husband, Tony (the family gardener) about possibilities. He mentioned “herb gardens, raised bed gardening, companion gardening, butterfly gardens” Don’t forget “Victory Gardens” which the government encouraged during World War II, so that citizens could have fresh fruits and vegetables during a time when it was very hard to get them from farms to neighborhoods. Over 20 million participated, and victorious vegetables grew in yards, vacant lots and even on rooftops.

Companion gardening: Certain plants help each other grow when they are partnered, and lessen or eliminate the need for chemical pesticides. There’s a website called “My Square Foot Garden” that shares a companion planting color chart to help you get your plants to co-exist. And there are flowers that repel, or lure insects away from vegetables – marigolds, geraniums and petunias. Raised bed gardens allow you to control soil texture and ingredients, they warm quickly and drain well. Vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits (particularly berries) do well in raised beds.

Butterfly gardens – important! No insecticide!! Butterflies are members of the insect species. Insecticides will kill them. Break out the nectar and host plants – and maybe even a butterfly house – to bring them back to us.

The consensus – “live and let live.” Those who enjoy their lawns want to keep them, but are fine with well-tended front gardens. The gardeners enjoy their unconventional yards. Colleen Parsons Novak said, “I am for anything that helps save water or creates or flowers.” “There are drought-resistant choices,” said Christine Szarek Knight. She waters on most occasions using her rain barrel.

Take a walk, enjoy the lawns and gardens, the birds and butterflies. From my perspective, the front yards of Ferndale are a wonderful place.

If slightly happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states united to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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By David Wesley

WALKING ACROSS THE SUNNY RAILWAY TRACKS along Hilton and stepping down a busy side street, Julia Music and her son welcome me to

their home. In the middle of her bright speckled kitchen, she eagerly reels out her enthusiasm and hearty energy to tell me about Pride and the mechanics she puts in motion for the event. I ask about her overall role in Pride.

“In 2011, when Motor City Pride moved to Detroit, Craig Covey, myself, and Monica Mills founded this event. Last year, Craig decided it was time to let someone else run the event and was gracious enough to offer the job to me. It’s something I absolutely love. I moved to Ferndale 14 years ago because I wanted to live in a city with a Pride event. I’m looking to expand it in footprint or in length, which means looking into larger corporate sponsors without losing our local entities. We want our local businesses to have the same opportunities as the big national businesses. MCCH has sponsored us from the beginning and they’re a wonderful ally to have on board. We have Between the Lines magazine, Metro

Times, Rosie O’ Grady’s, One Eyed Betty’s, Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce, and Suburban GMC, all top sponsors.”

Julia doesn’t miss a beat, unspooling her info as cable workers move in and out of the house and her dog gets more excited. Cordial and cheery, she chats about the helpers involved who deserve major credit for aligning Pride.

“Closets Are for Clothes, an a organization located here in Michigan, make amazing t-shirts and produce videos.

They’re producing a video for us to show our sponsors what the event is all about. They also offer outreach. They put up positive messages and talk to anyone who is depressed or is struggling to come out. They’ve been amazing to us.”

While I drink a glass of water, with her son still playing with toys beside us, she goes on with her reflections. “I’m working the whole time so I don’t tend to see the event as I’d like to, but for a moment last year I paused and saw people laughing and smiling and being themselves and that’s what I want again. No matter their gender or sexuality, I want people to enjoy Ferndale, enjoy being themselves and party on our streets. Affir-

mations really came on board a lot stronger this year and we were able to do an art opening, prom, and transgender day of empowerment with them. Those are three big events, and with Affirmations being right here in the footprint of the event, we can shine a spotlight on them. I’m hoping to grow with that partnership and they’re one of our receiving charities from the event.”

“Some people are surprised that I’m a full time school teacher. Pride is my second job. I’m also a single mom and run the Ferndale adoption network, plus I take on other volunteer projects.”

As for this year’s event, Music had this to say: “Despite the downpour, people turned up to the tune of over 10,000 visitors to Ferndale. Our bars and restaurants were packed all the way till two in the morning. Booths were busy and people were dancing in the streets.”

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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