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Local News

Marcia Haynes Advocates Of The Year Awards To Honor Local Individuals And Organizations Who Advocate For Alheimer’s And Dementia

If you know someone or have a loved one dealing with Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, you are aware of the challenge and strain that it can put on a family or individual. 

Marcia Haynes is one of the individuals whose life was dramatically changed after her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Marcia was his caretaker and advocate until his passing. Her passion for supporting Dementia and Alzheimer’s research, and caring for families impacted by the conditions led to her establishing the Dementia & Alzheimer’s Association of St. Clair County.

On Wednesday, May 24th, beginning at 11:30am, the Inaugural Dementia & Alzheimer’s Association Luncheon will take place at the Port Huron Golf Club, located at 4101 Fairway Drive, Fort Gratiot.

The event will feature lunch followed by an awards ceremony to honor Marcia’s work as well as other individuals and organizations who advocate for those living with Dementia and Alzheimer’s. 

Tickets are $50 per person, if you have any questions, call (810) 990-9558.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Veterans Be On The Lookout For The Pact Act Luncheon In Port Huron

The St. Clair County Veterans PACT ACT event is happening on Wednesday, May 10th, at the Port Huron Elks Lodge #343. The free event aims to encourage veterans to apply for new health care benefits with expedited enrollment and to initiate claims.

The Veteran’s Administration is conducting a nationwide outreach campaign to ensure that every veteran and survivor receives the health care and benefits they have earned. The event will provide information about these new benefits and assist veterans with the application process.

Doors open at 10:00 am and close at 2:00 pm, a free box-type lunch will be provided, including a Ham, Turkey, or Vegetable Wrap, bag of potato chips, chocolate chip cookie, and a bottle of water. The event will take place at the Port Huron Elks Lodge 343 located at 3292 Beach Road, Port Huron.

For more information, visit: sccvet.us.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

$2,080 Checks For Michigan Families Claiming State Earned Income Tax Credit

Nearly 700,000 families in Michigan that receive the state earned income tax credit may be eligible for a direct payment later this year. 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill that would significantly increase the Michigan earned income credit from 6 percent to 30 percent of the federal income tax credit. 

However, the bill cannot take effect until next year. Republicans withheld votes because Democrats had included in the bill a provision to send money to a controversial business development fund.

State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City), who sponsored the new bill, said that it would provide a one-time direct payment to all families that had previously claimed the lower credit. The payment could be as much as $2,080 to a family of four.

If the bill passes the state House, it will go to Gov. Whitmer for her signature. This new measure aims to ensure that low-income families get the assistance they need.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

The Blue Water Area YMCA Food Programs Help Feed Those In Need

While most of us take having enough food for granted, one in seven children in Michigan face hunger. The numbers are even higher in St. Clair County, where 28% of children do not get enough to eat, according to the No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices.

Thankfully, there are individuals in the community fighting to reduce these alarming statistics, including Cheryl Flanagan. For over a year, Cheryl has volunteered at the Blue Water YMCA to feed local children.

As a Y member for 35 years, Cheryl was eager to get involved in something meaningful after enduring the COVID pandemic’s restrictions. She soon began working with the Y’s food program, preparing meals for over 500 children per week at several locations, including Cleveland Elementary School, Port Huron Housing, and eligible kids in daycare at the Y.

The Blue Water Area YMCA is on the front lines of providing healthy meals to our children that may be experiencing food insecurity.

If you would like to donate to the Blue Water Area YMCA to help support programs like these, visit: bluewaterymca.com/give.

Lake Huron Retreat Center Memorial Day Community Breakfast

The Lake Huron Retreat Center will host its annual Memorial Day community breakfast on Monday, May 29th, offering a variety of delicious breakfast options for attendees.

From 8:00 – 11:00 am, guests can indulge in a made-to-order omelette station, fresh Belgian waffles, sausage, fruit, yogurt bar, and much more. 

The cost is $15 per person, $10 for children between 6-10 years of age, while children aged 5 and under eat free. Attendees can pay via cash, check, credit, or debit card.

The event will be held at the Lake Huron Retreat Center located at 8794 Lakeshore Road in Burtchville, between Jeddo and Fisher Roads. All proceeds generated from the breakfast will go towards the ministry of Lake Huron Retreat Center.

Attendees are encouraged to reserve their spots early to guarantee their place at the popular breakfast event.

For more information, call: (810) 327-6272.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

MDHHS Honors Missing And Murdered Indigenous Persons Day

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day is today, providing an opportunity to remember countless lives lost while bringing awareness to the issue of violence against Indigenous communities.

The Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board has issued a resolution to recognize Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day and encourages Michiganders to attend gatherings and marches hosted by federally recognized tribes throughout the state.

“Missing and murdered women and Indigenous people are long-standing issues connected to this country’s history of assimilation policies,” said Chief Judge Melissa Pope of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi and member of the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board.

Cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people, especially women and girls, are often under-reported, under-investigated, and remain unsolved throughout the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, murder is the third-leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native Women on tribal lands.

For more information, visit: StrongHeartsHelpline.org

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell