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.
Saint John’s Resort Offers Memorial Day Retreat to Open New Golf Facilities
Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth Township is offering guests exclusive access to the new The Cardinal 18-hole championship course, The Little Cardinal seven-hole short course, and the family friendly, two-acre Cardinal Putting Course from May 26-31.
Guests also can enjoy accommodations, dining, early check-in at 2 p.m., and a late checkout at 1 p.m. Guests can reserve their spot here.
The Cardinal, the region’s first new high-end public 18-hole golf course in more than 20 years, stands as the flagship addition to Saint John’s Resort. Accompanying this premier course are two additional attractions: The Little Cardinal, a seven-hole par-3 short course designed for family enjoyment, and the two-acre Cardinal Putting Course. These three new additions, part of the resort’s $50 million-dollar transformation, cater to golfers of all ages and abilities, offering an array of experiences amidst picturesque landscapes and providing endless entertainment for families and beginning golfers alike.
Rocket Mortgage Launches ‘Dreammate’ Campaign for NFL Draft
Rocket Mortgage in Detroit, the official mortgage partner of the 2024 NFL Draft, today announced the launch of its “Dreammate” campaign — a multi-media campaign celebrating the NFL Draft.
Through the “Dreammate” movement, Rocket Mortgage aims to inspire those chasing their dreams. The campaign acknowledges the valuable role of mentors, confidants, and motivators in bringing aspirations to life. Whether it is the pursuit of homeownership, launching a business or pursuing a career in the NFL, personal support systems play a crucial role in the journey toward success.
Each time the hashtag #RocketDreammate is used on TikTok or Instagram now through the end of the 2024 NFL Draft on April 27, Rocket Mortgage will make a $10 contribution to Habitat for Humanity up to $250,000, which will help bring to life the dream of homeownership for some deserving Americans across the country.
To inspire those who dream of homeownership, Rocket Mortgage has partnered with celebrity “Dreammate” teams — athletes and influential sports personalities — with unique stories of realizing their dreams, including:
- Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whose brother Taulia has been a positive force in the realization of his accomplishments and is himself now entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
- Sports broadcasters Joy Taylor and Taylor Rooks, who recently joined forces to release “Two Personal” — a thought-provoking podcast. They are each a “Dreammate” to one another as they pursue their dreams together.
- Aidan Hutchinson — a defensive end for the Detroit Lions who was drafted in 2022 and voted to his first Pro Bowl Games in 2023 — along with his sisters and their mother who have encouraged and helped Aidan achieve success throughout his career both on and off the football field.
With the 2024 NFL Draft taking place in Rocket Mortgage’s hometown, the company also is featuring an interactive house as a part of the NFL Draft Experience where visitors will be able to interact with picturesque art installations, see exclusive sports memorabilia in a trophy room, and partake in Instagrammable activations that give attendees a place to snap photos with their “Dreammate.”
Use the hashtag #RocketDreammate today to join Rocket Mortgage and Habitat for Humanity as they help more families achieve homeownership and build a world where everyone has a place to call home.
The Detroit Historical Museum Celebrates City of Champions April 20
The Detroit Historical Museum is hosting City of Champions Day Saturday, commemorating the 1935-36 sports seasons, during which the Detroit Tigers won the World Series, Joe Louis was the heavyweight boxing champion of the world, the Detroit Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup, and the Detroit Lions won their first NFL Championship.
Admission is free for the day and doors open at 10 a.m.
Champions Day schedule of activities include:
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — The Detroit History Podcast featuring The Sheik and Detroit professional wrestling in the 1960s. View video and images of The Sheik while listening to his story at this podcast launch party. The podcast team consists of: Tim Kiska, Eric Kiska, Bob Koski, Kelley Kiska, Bill Kubota, and Tony Mottley.
12:30-1 p.m. — Detroit City of Champions Podcast with 25-year Detroit radio veteran Jamie Flanagan and author/historian Charles Avison. Detroit City of Champions podcast looks at the stories behind the 33 championships that took place in Detroit during the ‘35-’36 season.
1-1:45 p.m. — Jeremy Dimick, Detroit Historical Society’s Director of Collections and Curatorial, will share the amazing sports story of the 1935–36 season, along with artifacts.
2-2:30 p.m. — Three Detroit icons (Greg Kelser, Huel Perkins, and Mickey Redmond) cast their hands in cement to be added to Legends Plaza for permanent display.
Detroit Opera to Conclude 2023-24 Season with ‘The Cunning Little Vixen’
Human and animal worlds collide when Detroit Opera presents Leoš Janáček’s 1924 comedy “The Cunning Little Vixen,” a modern fable about a clever fox who tries to outwit her captors.
Music Director Roberto Kalb conducts, and Gary L. Wasserman Artistic Director Yuval Sharon directs the production that was first performed by the Cleveland Orchestra. The cinematic production features playful projections that transform singers into forest creatures, with hand-crafted animations that evoke the fable’s comic-strip origins. Singers’ heads pop out of cutouts in the sets.
“We are inviting the audience into a deeper reflection of how we interact with nature, think about nature, these forces — animals, trees, the seasons, our relation to the ever-shifting natural world,” says Sharon.
“The Cunning Little Vixen” will be performed May 12, 17, and 19 at the Detroit Opera House. For showtimes and tickets, visit here.
Exponential Health in Grand Rapids Partners with Cardio Diagnostics in Chicago
Exponential Health, a concierge medical practice in Grand Rapids led by Dr. William Baer, is set to offer Chicago-based Cardio Diagnostics Holdings Inc.’s clinical epigenetic-genetic cardiovascular tests to its patients.
Cardio Diagnostics’ cutting-edge tests, Epi+Gen CHD and PrecisionCHD, are designed to assess the risk of coronary heart disease events and aid in diagnosing coronary heart disease, respectively, using a blend of genomics, epigenomics, and artificial intelligence. These tests coupled to Cardio Diagnostics’ Actionable Clinical Intelligence platform can provide critical insights into a patient’s cardiovascular health at the molecular level, enabling earlier intervention and tailored treatment strategies with higher precision.
For more information, visit here.
Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dairy Industry Partner to Address Food and Nutrition Insecurity
A grant opportunity is now available for Michigan food pantries seeking to expand their infrastructure in an effort to address food and nutrition insecurity.
United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM), in collaboration with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Cross Complete of Michigan and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation are accepting grant program applications for the third consecutive year to increase the capacity of local food pantries to provide nutrient-rich fresh food options that require refrigeration. Since the program’s inception, 147 organizations in 47 counties have received support.
Food pantries are invited to apply to receive a refrigeration unit to improve access to healthy food options like milk, cheese, fruit, vegetables, and yogurt. The refrigeration unit is valued up to $7,000, and grantees also will receive $250 in dairy match funding to purchase additional eligible dairy foods for their community members.
Grant applications are due June 21. Applications must be submitted using the online application.
Visit the Food Pantry Grant Program webpage for eligibility information and complete grant information and requirements.
Ele’s Place – Ann Arbor Derby Day Soirée to Raise Funds for Children, Teens
Ele’s Place – Ann Arbor will be hosting its seventh annual Derby Day Soirée on Saturday May 4, at Revel Run in Chelsea.
The event, which will include live coverage of the 150th Kentucky Derby, a live and silent auction, Southern-inspired cuisine and a dance party, is the largest fundraiser of the year for Ele’s Place – Ann Arbor.
Founded in Lansing in 1991, Ele’s Place has provided free peer grief support groups and in-school programming to more than 32,000 Michigan children, teens, young adults, and families.
“Children and teens experience many of the same feelings that adults do when someone close to them dies, but they process grief in different ways,” says Bree Arvai, Ele’s Place – Ann Arbor director. “At Ele’s Place, children, teens and their families have a safe space to connect with their peers, express their feelings and develop healthy coping skills after the death of a parent, sibling or someone close to them.”
To learn more about Ele’s Place, please visit elesplace.org.
Former Lions Kicker Eddie Murray Visits Vince & Joe’s
As part of its ongoing commitment to the Hope Network and autism awareness, former Detroit Lions kicker and Hope Network Director of Donor and Community Relations Eddie Murray has made a visit to the Vince & Joe’s location in Clinton Township and will make a stop from 1-4 p.m. on April 21 in Shelby Township.
Murray will meet with customers, sign autographs, and promote autism awareness and Hope Network’s services.
On April 21 and 28 from 1-4 p.m., both locations will be conducting Emma’s Hope Sauce tastings. Since 2018 a portion of all sales from Emma’s Hope sauces along with donations taken
during the month of April have been donated to Hope Network. Also during April, Vince & Joe’s Executive Chef Angelo Loria will share recipes using Emma’s Hope sauces, including marinara, meat, Alfredo, and pesto.
For more information on Vince & Joe’s and the Emma’s Hope sauces visit vinceandjoes.com.
LEAD Prep Academy, Washtenaw Community College Agree to Educate Student-athletes
Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Ann Arbor and LEAD Prep Academy in Brighton have signed a multi-year agreement for WCC to become the preferred educational partner of LEAD Prep Academy.
LEAD Prep Academy will open in May at a state-of-the-art sports complex in Brighton, 15 minutes north of the WCC campus.
The LEAD Prep Academy is a first-of-its-kind program in the state of Michigan, structured to combine the benefits of post-graduate and junior college athletics. Student-athletes at LEAD Prep Academy will enroll as WCC students, earning college credits, on track to graduate with their associate degree in 20 months, with the ultimate goal of transferring to a four-year college or university with NCAA athletic programs.
LEAD Prep Academy student-athletes will compete in a full national schedule against other junior college and post-graduate athletic programs. However, student-athletes at LEAD Prep Academy will not burn any season(s) of competition or NCAA eligibility, during their post-graduate year immediately following high school graduation. Following their post-graduate season, student-athletes may continue with (or transfer into) LEAD Prep Academy during their traditional freshman and sophomore year of college athletic eligibility. LEAD Prep Academy will start with one sport in fall 2024: football.
The first LEAD Prep student-athletes will begin enrolling in the summer semester, which begins May 6. WCC will provide courses and academic services in-person and virtually.
For additional information on LEAD Prep Academy, visit LEADPrepAcademy.com.
Michigan International Prep School Recognized as Purple Star School
The online Michigan International Prep School (MIPS) based in Davison has earned the designation as a Purple Star School, marking a milestone in its dedication to serving military families and their children. MIPS is one of only two schools in the state holding this status.
The Purple Star School program signifies MIPS’s commitment to addressing the educational and social-emotional needs of military-connected children. By embracing this initiative, MIPS pledges to create a nurturing and inclusive environment that ensures the success of students whose families serve in the military.
Being recognized as a Purple Star School emphasizes MIPS’s mission of service, connection, and inclusivity. Through this program, MIPS aims to provide a supportive community where military families feel valued and understood.
For more information about Michigan International Prep School and its commitment to military families, visit here.
Somerset Collection Has Fun, Fashion, Food at the 50 Yard Line for the NFL Draft
The North Grand Court of the Somerset Collection in Troy has been transformed into a football field, becoming an epicenter of food, fashion, fun, and football for the NFL Draft.
Now through April 27, guests can get-in-the-game at Somerset Collection with activities all day long at the 50 yard line, where they also will receive a map of retailers participating in the festivities with football themed products.
As part of the celebration, Somerset Collection is offering 50 guests the chance to win a $50 gift card. To enter, participants must unleash their creativity and color their favorite fan character. Once completed, they can share their masterpiece on social media, tagging Somerset Collection for a shot at winning this prize.
Grace Centers of Hope to Host Women Helping Women Luncheon April 27
Grace Centers of Hope (GCH) in Pontiac is presenting its 26th Annual Women Helping Women Luncheon and Fashion Show, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on April 27, at the Royal Park Hotel (600 E. University Dr.) in Rochester.
The nonprofit’s signature event includes a silent auction, luncheon, and a fashion show featuring both professional models and graduates of the organization’s programs. All proceeds benefit GCH’s Women’s Program, which supports women who are overcoming homelessness, addiction, and abuse.
Auction and raffle prizes include a variety of dining, entertainment and lifestyle experiences, four United Shore Professional Baseball League front row club tickets and one bat kid experience; a couples’ Boca Raton weekend spa retreat; a seven-night getaway in northern Michigan; a Christian Louboutin designer gift basket; and designer handbags from Coach, Lilly Pulitzer, and Michael Kors.
Raffle prizes include a $2,000 Visa shopping spree, a $700 value Rochester weekend retreat including a couples spa day package, and a $500 Target gift card.
The centerpiece of Women Helping Women is its high-energy fashion show hosted by Cheryl Hall Lindsay of RGA Model Management.
For more information about Women Helping Women or to purchase tickets, visit gracecentersofhope.org. For information regarding sponsorship opportunities, contact Special Events Coordinator Christine Johnson at 248-334-2187 ext. 1131 or by email at cjohnson@gracecentersofhope.org.
Minority WALD-TV Shareholders Rally in Response to FCC Delay
Minority shareholder of WALD-TV in Mount Clemens Horace Sheffield, alongside 14 percent shareholders, have expressed “profound disappointment” with the decision led FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to delay the station’s license transfer.
The Sheffield family, which has held a minority stake in WADL for more than three decades, views this delay as a continuation of the FCC’s historic shortcomings in promoting diversity and accountability.
“In response, a rally and march are being organized across Michigan, uniting not just the local community, but also Muslim and Arab brothers and sisters in a collective show of protest against the FCC’s decision to delay the process,” says Bishop Charles Ellis, representing the faith-based community.
The planned demonstrations reflect a wider call for the FCC to advance its commitment to a diverse and inclusive media landscape. The stakeholders of WADL are calling for a fair and timely resolution to their application, emphasizing the importance of diversity in media ownership and the critical voice it represents in our democracy.
Lawrence Tech Research Day Friday to Display University’s Growing Research Effort
More than 130 poster and oral presentations by Southfield’s Lawrence Technological University students and faculty will be showcased in the university’s 11th annual Research Day Friday.
The event begins with a continental breakfast at 8 a.m. At 9:15, University of Michigan Professor Emeritus Galip Ulsoy will present the Research Day Keynote, “Research Changes the World.” He’ll review basic concepts of research, science, and engineering, the role of the university in the generation and transmission of new knowledge, and highlight how research, science, and engineering changed the world in the 20th Century.
Following Ulsoy’s presentation, Philip Plowright, department chair and professor in the Department of Design in LTU’s College of Architecture and Design, will present the Research Day Presidential Colloquium. “Where You Stand Matters: Space as an Interdisciplinary Paradigm” will cover his research in cognitive processes in design, especially as applied to design methods, teaching, and learning.
Both Ulsoy’s and Plowright’s presentations will take place in the Marburger Auditorium of LTU’s Science Building (Building 7).
Following the morning events, Research Day moves to LTU’s Buell Building (Building 5). In Buell’s atrium and classrooms, more than 130 research projects will be showcased, both on posters and in oral presentations. The research comes from LTU students and faculty, as well as selected high school students. There will be two poster sessions, from noon-2 p.m. and from 3-5 p.m.
And at 2 p.m., the university will host an organizational meeting toward an LTU chapter of the National Academy of Inventors in the Buell Building’s Room M336.
All Research Day events are free and open to the public, but registration is requested. To register, visit here.
Michigan State University to Debut School’s First Indy Autonomous Challenge Race Car
Honoring a tradition since 1994, the Michigan State University College of Engineering (428 S. Shaw Lane) in East Lansing will host Design Day, featuring engineering and computer science student projects. Also, MSU’s first Indy Autonomous Challenge race car will be on display for public viewing.
Nearly 1,000 Spartan engineers representing 10 degree programs, 14 courses, and 207 teams, including 625 graduating seniors, will present their end-of-semester projects. Additionally, team PoliMOVE-MSU’s Indy Autonomous Challenge car, used to compete in high-speed autonomous races against other university-lead teams, will be on display.
Design Day takes place from 8 a.m.-noon on Friday. The Indy Autonomous Challenge car will be available to view from noon-6 p.m. April 18 and from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on April 19.
Grace Centers of Hope Unveils 58th Rebuilt Home in Pontiac
Three women who have rebounded from troubled pasts of addiction, homelessness, and abuse with the help of nonprofit Grace Centers of Hope (GCH) will continue their journey forward in a new Pontiac home this month.
The trio, graduates of the one-year Life Skills recovery program at GCH, are set to move into a historic home that was bought and rebuilt by the faith-based nonprofit organization. It’s the 58th house GCH has restored in its growing Little Grace Village community in Pontiac.
“These women have come so far in their recovery and it’s wonderful to see them going into their new home,” says Kent W. Clark, CEO of Grace Centers of Hope and pastor at Grace Gospel Fellowship Church. “We are so proud of them, and we’re also excited that another abandoned house in Pontiac has been reborn and put to good use as we continue to grow our community in the city.”
GCH purchased the 27 Fairgrove house for $10 at an Oakland County treasurer’s auction. It has an official historic designation and dates to the early 1900s. Restoring the heavily damaged dwelling was one of GCH’s most challenging projects.
ACCESS’ Annual Dinner to Focus on Building Substance Abuse Treatment Center
ACCESS, the country’s most comprehensive Arab American community nonprofit, will host its 52nd Annual Dinner on Thursday at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center.
The goal of the event is to raise funds establish the $25 million ACCESS Recovery Center. This state-of-the-art substance use disorder treatment facility will offer a unique, family-centered, holistic approach to treatment and recovery for southeast Michigan.
“Substance use disorders are claiming lives and devastating families across Southeastern Michigan and the country,” says Maha Freij, President and CEO of ACCESS. “It will take everyone working together to make this ambitious dream a reality. When we join forces as a community, we can make a tangible difference in the lives of countless individuals, offering them a pathway to healing – and real hope for recovery.”
The center will house a full range of services, including a crisis stabilization unit, inpatient detoxification, medication-assisted treatment, intensive clinical counseling, short-term residential care, and wraparound outpatient treatment to support individuals as they rebuild their lives.
The Annual Dinner will honor the 2024 Arab American of the Year, Michel S. Moushabeck. A Palestinian American, Moushabeck is a writer, editor, translator, publisher, and musician who has devoted his life to uplifting and sharing Arab and Arab American voices. The founder of Interlink Publishing, a 37-year-old independent publishing house, and the recipient of many awards, his work is a reminder that art and culture have the power to break down barriers.
The evening will also feature poet Khaled Mattawa, who will perform as part of the dinner program. The recipient of many awards and high-profile grants, including a MacArthur Fellowship, Mattawa’s poetry frequently explores the intersection of culture, narrative, and memory.
Sandra Ali will be the evening’s emcee.
For more information, including sponsorship opportunities and tickets, visit here.
