By Sidnie Jackson

Ferndale is a city full of givers and community people. One of the people who have made a huge contribution to our city is Michele Sibula, one of this year’s winners of the annual “Good Neighbor Award” from Ferndale Citizens for a Fair Ferndale.

Sibula is a lifelong Ferndalian; she has lived here for 54 years, along with raising her three children in Ferndale: Arik, Shea, and Lauran. After having three children go through the Ferndale Public School System, she began her volunteer work by volunteering in and out of her children’s classroom. She was an active member of the PTO, involved in fundraisers and her childrens’ volleyball, softball, and baseball games. She was also extremely invested in being a marching band parent.

Sibula quickly became a proud mother of three college graduates and, for the most part, her volunteerism as a parent came to a close. Then, tragedy struck her family. One of the most important people in Sibula’s life, her beloved cousin, passed away from breast cancer at age 41 leaving behind two children. Ironically, Sibula became inspired by the situation and, with her spirited personality, decided she could do something to help in the fight against cancer. Jackie Koivu, one of her friends and an active member of the community, asked Sibula to help with Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society’s ongoing national fundraising project.

Sibula served as the local Vice Chair of Relay for Life for one year, and later took charge of the local project after Koivu move to Florida. Now, nine years later she is still in charge of Relay for Life here in Ferndale.

When Sibula discovered she won the Good Neighbor award this year, she was surprised. “I believe God put us here on this Earth to help other people.” Sibula serves our community not for individual recognition, but out of the goodness of her heart, and to see a change in the community and the lives of others. She is very passionate about her service to the world.

Sibula is quite busy during the spring time before the annual Relay for Life event. She is constantly on the computer and phone, answering and asking questions regarding the event.

During the spring prior to Relay, she organizes many events to raise money and awareness. For example, Comedy for a Cure, Drag Queen Bingo, and many dining nights, as well as many other events that help raise money. Sibula also takes time to get sponsorships from businesses,organize team meetings, and brainstorm ideas of how to make Relay for Life As successful as it can be.

When asked why she does all of the work for this event, she stated “I want to live in a world where no mother or father has to leave their child; no child has to grow up without their parents. I want to live in a world where you don’t have to hear the words, ‘you have cancer,’ because almost everybody whether through family or friends have known someone who has been diagnosed with cancer and it makes you feel helpless.”

There are things we as a community can do to help the fight against cancer and Relay for Life is a major way that we can achieve the goal of ending cancer. Already our little Ferndale has raised over $400,000 dollars over the past nine years.

Sibula believes in what the American Cancer Society stands for, and how they help by providing money and programs for cancer patients and their families. Relay for Life is important to Sibula because it calls attention to the importance of the mission statement: Celebrate those who’ve won the battle against cancer, remember those we have lost, and fight back through research and early detection.

Sibula said that in order to prevent cancer we can do some very simple things. We can pledge not to smoke, and to eat more vegetables because those two things can help prevent cancer. In addition, go to annual doctor visits for early detection. Fighting back against cancer is not all about the money, but about prevention.

Not only does Sibula understand that cancer touches a lot of people, but she has personally been affected: her cousin and her mom is now an eight-year colon cancer survivor. Sibula humbly stated, “through volunteering I have gotten way more out of it than I have ever given.”

If some happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states united to erectile disfunction. 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 dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction 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 medication passes into breast milk.

By Ingrid Sjostrand

Ferndale is a community built on inclusion and acceptance, with so many organizations and events made to bring people together. Rabbi Herschel Finman recognized this, and saw Ferndale as the perfect place to build and foster representation for a rapidly growing Jewish population in the area.

“I have always looked for opportunities to help and serve people in communities, especially where there were no services offered,” Rabbi Finman says. “About a year ago my wife and I saw that Ferndale was becoming a place where Jewish people were moving, but there was nothing servicing them so we decided to start getting involved.”

He and his wife, Chana, created the group Jewish Ferndale in December 2014. Through word of mouth, hosting classes and conducting events, like the Menorah lighting at the Kulik center in December 2015, Jewish Ferndale has gained a strong following. So strong that they have found themselves in need of a permanent space. “We have always had to scramble to find spaces. The library has been very gracious in offering us space,” Rabbi Finman says. “We’ve had to rent out various establishments around the city for parties the library wouldn’t be the proper medium for, so it was determined last July that we should really start looking for our own place.”

It didn’t take long for them to find 1725 Pinecrest Dr. sitting at the corner of 9 Mile. Built in 1950, this former dentist’s office needed minimal work to create a gathering spot and residence for Rabbi Finman and his wife. While they currently reside in Oak Park, it was essential that Jewish Ferndale be a warm, comfortable home retreat for visitors.“We have people that come to our house all the time so this will be an extension of our home that people can come to and relax at,” Rabbi Finman says. “That will be a focus for drawing people in –to experience various mediums in a relaxed area.” The four-bedroom, two-bath space is currently being renovated to include a Jewish library with resources and books, a large commons area with a cozy, hearth fireplace, a garden and a detached garage to become an art studio. The Finman’s will reside on the second story.

“Maybe a Saturday night coffeehouse, which sounds very grandiose, but really it’s just someone itting next to the fireplace with a guitar, people sitting on couches schmoozing and drinking tea,” Rabbi Finman pictures one of many future nights within the home.

Rabbi Finman is not lacking in involvement in Metro Detroit’s Jewish community; he has been an active member for the last 30 years. Not only does he host Michigan’s only Jewish radio program, The Jewish Hour; he sends a weekly email entitled eParsha to a mailing list that has grown to include over 14,000 people in the last 16 years and produces short youtube videos, YouParsha, discussing the Jewish happenings of the week.

In all his ventures Rabbi Finman has always recognized a lack of resources or listened to the needs of the community and created a solution. He says that the success of Jewish Ferndale will follow that same path.
“We have to get people just to come in and see what they can have and what people will want and if it’s within our scope, and parameter and resources than we’re willing and open to it having those things.”
He hopes that complete renovations to Jewish Ferndale’s new home will be done by Labor Day, but has already begun conducting classes within the space.

“It will be another place for people to go, they have their home, their business and this will be the third place,” Rabbi Finman says. “The main thing is that we hope it will be warm and inviting.”

If some 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 impotency and other states united to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity 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 health 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 medication passes into breast milk.

Story by Cheri Clair
Photos by Bernie Laframboise

We have a prescription drug epidemic among our youth.

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World discloses, “Every day in the U.S., 2,500 youth (12 to 17) abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time. In 2005, 4.4 million teenagers (aged 12 to 17) in the U.S. admitted to taking prescription painkillers, and 2.3 million took a prescription stimulant such as Ritalin. 2.2 million abused over-the-counter drugs such as cough syrup. The average age for first-time users is now 13 to 14.” How are kids getting drugs? The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports: “When asked how prescription opioids were obtained for non-medical use, more than half of 12th graders surveyed said they were given the drugs or bought them from a friend or relative.” Prescription drug abuse causes the largest percentage of deaths from drug overdoses. Of the 22,400 drug overdose deaths in the US in 2005, opioid painkillers were the most commonly found drug, accounting for 38.2 per cent of these deaths.

If you notice any of these signs, it may be time to talk to someone, starting with your teen. Approach them in a non-confrontational, non-threatening manner. The object of the conversation is to get them to talk to you, not for them to shut down. I met with Terence Brown, Executive Administrator, Shawn Coppins, Attorney at Law, and Amy Hostinsky, Master Social Worker at Brown’s Ferndale office. This is the team who keep things running smoothly at OnSite Substance Abuse Testing & New Frontier Counseling Services. We had an in-
depth discussion about youth drug culture, drugs in general, and their enormous effect on society. The infrastructure of the epidemic is vast. Its proliferation reaches from the streets to the government. It has many tiers including everything from distribution in schools to the big pharmaceutical companies. When I asked Terence Brown what his role as program administrator for both companies entails, he told me, “I deal daily with clients (court defendants and the general public,) employers, high school and college administrators and public and private sector human resources management. Myself and my business partner, Executive Director Jacob Fakhoury, create programs we hope people gravitate to and use for the betterment of their lives.”

Attorney Shawn Coppins spoke on some of his work with OnSite and New Frontier. “My most successful cases are those where I help people with addiction issues (street drugs or prescription medications) that are facing felony charges avoid incarceration. More importantly, because of my relationship with drug counseling agencies, I can often help them get into a drug treatment program (beyond what may be required by the courts.) In helping them get clean I really feel like I got a chance to save those people, not just help them with their legal problems.”

Clients of OnSite Substance Abuse Testing & New Frontier Counseling Services come from many different walks of life, and struggle with addictions to many different substances. Vicodin (also known as Norco), and Xanax are the leading drugs affecting most clients. Adder all is catching up. This is not cough syrup we’re talking here, this is not MDMA, this is not cocaine. These are serious medications which must be prescribed by a doctor for a specific patient for a specific condition or illness. Yet these drugs make it to our neighborhoods to be sold to kids who are looking for a thrill but ultimately find an empty hole.

Kids who use drugs eventually become adults who abuse drugs. Just ask Amy Hostinsky. “At New Frontier Counseling Services, my role as master social worker includes working personally with clients on a daily basis. I provide various types of therapy and education classes for those who are on probation. Most of the clients I see on probation have charges related to alcohol (such as operating while impaired) or other drugs such as marijuana possession. I am seeing an increase in clients who are on probation after being arrested for possession of analogues (pills). Many times the clients began with a prescription but then became addicted and tried to obtain the medication from the streets. Our services include substance abuse prevention, marijuana education, outpatient substance abuse treatment, and domestic violence. I really enjoy working with people and helping them get through the probation process while maintaining sobriety.”

The staff at OnSite Substance Abuse Testing & New Frontier Counseling Services are passionate, knowledgeable, and eager to help. If you think your teen does have a substance abuse issue, don’t be afraid to seek help. Onsitesubstanceabusetesting.com (248) 399-8032 22720 Woodward Ave., Suite 105, Ferndale

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 united to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential 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 heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction 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.