Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Kirk Gibson Golf Classic to Tee Off Aug. 21 at Wyndgate Country Club
The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s will be hosting its seventh annual Kirk Gibson Golf Classic Aug. 21 at the Wyndgate Country Club in Rochester Hills.
The event will benefit the foundation that was formed by Gibson after his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease in 2015.
Gibson spent most of his career with the Detroit Tigers, but also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He currently is a color commentator for the Detroit Tigers, special assistant to the Tigers, and spends his time supporting his mission and vision of spreading awareness for Parkinson’s by helping people manage their Parkinson’s.
Gibson wore jersey 23, which was the inspiration for Team23 within the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s. Team23 is the grassroots fundraising and volunteer team for the foundation.
Over the last six years the Kirk Gibson Golf Classic has raised more than $1.3 million to fund programs to benefit those living with Parkinson’s Disease and their families. Gibson will be golfing along with the support of celebrities and current and former athletes including Alan Trammell, Goose Gossage, Larry “The Cable Guy,” Tom Izzo, and others.
New addition this year is a pre-golf outing event, “Strike Out Parkinson’s,” that also will benefit the foundation. This Team23 bowling event will be played from 6-9 p.m. on Aug. 20 at Bowlero Lanes located at 4209 Coolidge Hwy. in Royal Oak. The highlight of the evening will be a 1984 World Series Q&A Panel hosted by Kirk Gibson, along with former teammate Alan Trammell, with an appearance by rival San Diego Padres pitcher Goose Gossage. Gibson homered off of Gossage in Game 5 of the 1984 World Series.
The Kirk Gibson Golf Classic has limited spots remaining, and individuals still can attend the Strike Out Parkinson’s event on Aug. 20. Tickets for Strike Out for Parkinson’s are $250 and sponsorships start at $2,500. Tickets to the event, donations, and sponsorships can be found and purchased at KirkGibsonFoundation.org.
LUDWIG+ Unveils New Brand Identity Campaign for Walker Healthforce
Detroit-based LUDWIG+, has unveiled the rebrand it designed for newly formed Walker Healthforce. The new brand identity transforms WalkerHealthcareIT and WalkerHealthcare into a single unified brand.
“Walker Healthforce is more than just a new name,” says Barbara Yolles Ludwig, CEO of LUDWIG+. “It’s a declaration and a promise. Think ‘Avengers.’ Walker Healthforce is a driving-force in delivering best-in-breed consultants and clinicians, and custom solutions for healthcare payers and providers.”
According to Walker Healthforce Founder and CEO Tifiany Walker, the rebrand is a defining moment for the company as it positions itself to delivering customizable recruitment solutions with unrivaled timeliness and efficiency for health care payer and provider organizations.
“It is with tremendous pride and excitement that we unveil our new name and campaign,” says Walker. “LUDWIG+ masterfully captured a brand identity and platform that more appropriately reflects the caliber of our team and the quality we deliver to our clients. This is a clarifying moment that properly defines what we have built and where we are headed. We are a force for good.”
City of Southfield joins DTE Energy’s MIGreenPower Program
DTE Energy and the city of Southfield announced Monday Southfield’s enrollment in MIGreenPower, DTE’s voluntary renewable energy program.
Southfield is the first municipality in Oakland Country to enroll in MIGreenPower, which enables any DTE Electric customer to attribute an even greater percentage of their electricity use to Michigan-made wind and solar projects beyond the 15 percent DTE already provides.
The enrollment, which includes all eligible city of Southfield buildings, is equivalent to taking more than 1,500 gasoline-powered cars off the road for a year. Other southeast Michigan municipalities enrolled in the program include Scio Township, the city of Almont, and the Village of Deckerville.
“The city of Southfield discovered DTE’s MIGreenPower program while reviewing options for adding a large solar installation in our community,” says Southfield Mayor Ken Siver. “After further researching the program, the city determined that enrolling in MIGreenPower will provide Southfield with all the benefits of renewable energy without the added responsibility of installing and maintaining our own solar arrays.”
Petit Bateau Detroit Development to Recognize Site of Former Bethel Church Aug. 19
Developer Julio Bateau of Petit Bateau, in collaboration with Bethel A.M.E. Church, will host a memorial and recognition ceremony on the site of the third Bethel Church location at the corner of Frederick and St. Antoine Streets in the Midtown Cultural Center Art District from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Aug. 19.
Parishioners and the general public will make an historic procession from the current church location to the site on which Petit Bateau is being built.
Initial excavation of Petit Bateau Detroit’s seven-parcel site revealed surviving sections of brick walls and basement flooring from the former church building. The more than 2,000-member congregation purchased that property for $40,000 and erected a spacious new edifice with an adjacent parsonage, dedicating the $250,000 structure on June 7, 1925.
At a time when strict racial segregation and mandated economic inequalities were standard fare, the people of Bethel successfully built what is now a 182-year-old African American religious institution.
“This ceremony recognizes the significant history of the neighborhood and celebrates the lives and contributions of those who came before us,” says Bateau.
The procession led by Pastor David R. Jarrett Sr., will begin at 10 a.m. in the parking lot of Bethel A.M.E. Church on 5050 St. Antoine St. in Detroit. Vocalist Thornetta Davis will open the ceremony with a selection followed by Detroit’s official historian, Jamon Jordan, who will share the history of the neighborhood and church. Presentations on development site plans by the project partners and remarks by public and church officials will precede light refreshments and performances by Bethel’s liturgical dance ensemble. The public is invited to attend and participate in this historic moment.
“There are few if any of those long-ago members who recognized the need for a house of worship in which to grow our community, but their memory lies in the beautiful structure that Julio and his remediation team uncovered under the rubble,” Jarrett says. “We are excited to honor and celebrate those visionaries and are grateful to Nailah that we can take this walk back in time.”
Petit Bateau Detroit will contain two 38-unit mixed-use buildings and 28 residential townhouses in four buildings bounded by Frederick, Beaubien, and St. Antoine streets. The project includes 20 percent affordable housing, commercial units, and a parking lot at a cost of nearly $42 million.
Michigan Science Center’s After Dark Returns Aug. 11 with ‘Science of Summer’ Theme
The Michigan Science Center’s After Dark event returns Aug. 11 with a “Science of Summer” theme.
The evening features adults-only access to the museum, plus music, food, drinks, science demonstrations, and a Laser The Weekend light show. Special experiences also include tie-dying with Detroit Dye House and Brightly Twisted and live animals with the Reptarium.
The Tom Everett Experience will provide music for the evening, paired with drinks from the Lacy’s Mobile Libations bar cart and sub-zero ice cream.
Tickets ($35 for members, $48 for non-members) include access to the museum, activities, the laser show, and one complimentary drink.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Advancing Macomb to Host Summer Soirée Aug. 23
Advancing Macomb, a 501(c)(3) that convenes resources to solve community challenges and enrich the lives of Macomb County residents, will host its annual Summer Soiree event at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 23, at Switalski Law (46 Macomb Place) in downtown Mount Clemens at the corner of Macomb Place and Walnut Street.
Sponsors include Advancing Macomb, collabPEO, First State Bank, and Consumers Energy.
For more information, visit here.
U-M Partners with Zingerman’s to Expand Access to Naloxone
In an effort to expand the use of lifesaving opioid overdose reversal medication, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and its neighboring Zingerman’s Community of Businesses are launching a restaurant-based pilot program in Michigan to train employees in the use and administration of naloxone.
In partnership with U-M’s Opioid Research Institute and Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network (OPEN), Zingerman’s will launch a train-the-trainer model at its Ann Arbor locations this month.
The model, part of OPEN’s statewide naloxone distribution system, allows certified naloxone administrators to train community-based organizations such as law enforcement and emergency departments on best practices for providing the lifesaving drug to anyone experiencing an opioid overdose. The partnership is the first time OPEN will provide training to a restaurant.
“Ensuring our communities have access to lifesaving measures in times of crises is paramount when discussing effective strategies to address the opioid epidemic,” says Gina Dahlem, clinical associate professor of nursing at U-M.
“By partnering with Zingerman’s and other community-based organizations, we can equip and train community laypeople to respond to opioid overdoses even before first responders arrive. The sooner we are able to restore a person’s breathing, the better likelihood of survival with less complications.”
A critical component of the statewide training and distribution program is community engagement and partnership, specifically targeting areas with high-risk populations. OPEN also works with local law enforcement and public safety officials to train first responders on the use and administration of naloxone.
Zingerman’s, a recovery-friendly employer, has been a staple in the Ann Arbor community since its opening in 1982 and currently has 11 food-based businesses across Washtenaw County.
Participation in the training program is voluntary and employees or other associates seeking training must be certified in First Aid/CPR/AED in order to join. The Zingerman’s partnership will be a test for implementing the train-the-trainer model at other businesses and lead the way for other companies to join.
“As an organization, Zingerman’s believes each person is a creative, unique individual who can do great things in life and that business is a way to do good in the world,” says Patrick McIntyre, a member of Zingerman’s Safety Committee. “In the midst of a national and local overdose epidemic having naloxone available can make the difference between somebody having that opportunity to do great things and not.”
