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Sarnia and Brights Grove Tim Horton’s Restaurants Help Pathways Health Centre for Children

Sarnia, ON — Pathways Health Centre for Children has received a sizable donation from the Sarnia and Bright’s Grove Tim Horton’s franchises. The local restaurants donated $44,461.00 to the charity.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from this year’s campaign are being donated by the owners of the local restaurants to the charity, helping Pathways move toward its $260,000 fundraising goal.

Alison Morrison, Executive Director at Pathways Health Centre for Children, said, “Everyone needs a smile these days! This gift to Pathways made possible by strong community support of the local Tim Horton’s in their Smile Cookie Campaign couldn’t have come at a better time for our organization and the clients we serve. It is truly incredible, that during a global pandemic with such hardships experienced by citizens and businesses, that Sarnia responded so generously to the campaign, surpassing last year’s record!” 

The Smile Cookie campaign began in 1996 to help raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital in Ontario. The Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie Campaign raised a record breaking $10.56 million this year.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

“College Month” Reminds Students to Apply for 2021-22 Financial Aid

October is a busy month for designations and proclamations. Along with being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Farm to School Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Agritourism Month, and several others, October is also “College Month”.

The proclamation is meant to remind students to make the most of financial resources available to them to make attending college a reality. Throughout the month of October, Michigan colleges will waive the National Association for College Admission Counseling application fee for any student who has demonstrated financial need.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid opened on October 1 for students looking at attending college for the 2021-22 school year. The sooner the application is filled out, the better the chances of getting aid. The Blue Water College Access Network is offering a free webinar called “Scholarships and Paying for College” on October 21st. Registration is online at sccresa.org.

Michigan’s 2021 fiscal year budget includes $30 million in funding for the Michigan Reconnect program, which provides a tuition-free pathway for adults looking to earn a postsecondary certificate or associate degree. The grants are administered by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

October is Agritourism Month

It is Agritourism Month in Michigan. Trips to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch add to the economy and have social and cultural benefits, but this year, protecting farmers and other visitors is a top priority.

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Gary McDowell addressed promoting agritourism in the midst of a pandemic, saying, “Agritourism opportunities are available in every county in our state. Our operators are implementing key safety measures to assure the well-being of their customers. We also need visitors to help the agriculture community by following on-farm safety protocols, wearing masks, social distancing whenever possible, washing their hands often, and staying home if they are not feeling well.” 

Agritourism includes farmers markets, on-farm markets, wineries, roadside produce stands, on-farm weddings and events, corn mazes and others. October is the peak time for agritourism as it is harvest time and the time when Michiganders traditionally visit local farms.

In the Blue Water Area, Simpson Family Farm, MacCallum’s Orchard, and CornFun Corn Maze Adventure & Pumpkin Patch are listed on the state’s michiganfarmfun.com website.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

“100+ Women Who Care” Event Raises over $10,000 for Charity

The “100+ Women Who Care” fundraising event took place last week, making the best of the social distancing restrictions. The virtual event was a success and raised over $10,000 for several local charities. 

Over 100 women were divided into fourteen teams and used the GooseChase app to complete “missions” and have some fun. By the end, eleven non-profits benefited from being nominated by the participants. By the end of the night, one of the founders of the Women’s Initiative, Joann Ploeger, drew the names of the nonprofits who won the $1250 grants. The winning teams were then able to nominate recipients of $500 grants. 

The $1250 grant winners were Mid City Nutrition, Enter Stage Right at The Citadel Stage, Council on Aging serving St Clair County, River Bank Youth Theatre, Friends of the St. Clair River, and Goodwill Industries of St. Clair County. 

The $500 grant winners were Taking a Shot at Breast Cancer, St. Clair County Child Abuse/Neglect Council, Julie’s Kids., Bridge Builders Counseling & Mentoring, and Hunter Hospitality House. The remainder of the funds will go into the Community Foundation’s Women’s Initiative Fund. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Thumb Land Conservancy to Name and Dedicate Nature Preserves

The Thumb Land Conservancy is naming and dedicating an exciting new addition to outdoor recreation in the Blue Water Area. A stretch of natural areas from Burtchville to Marysville will be officially brought into the portfolio this weekend. The land is part of a major investment from multiple community donors to allow nature enthusiasts to experience a lakeshore coastal forest.

A public naming ceremony is being held in partnership with the Blue Water Indigenous Alliance. Names for each of the preserves, using languages that are native to First Nations people will be implemented.

The naming ceremony is at 1:00 on Saturday, October 3rd at 8759 Lakeshore Road, a ½ mile north of Jeddo Road. The area is called Ode Zibi. After the naming ceremony, the Bidwell Sanctuary will be dedicated. It is located at 3540 Metcalf Road. The group will then head to Dead End Woods Sanctuary in Fort Gratiot, located on Wilson Drive. The final leg of the dedication journey will be at Loznak Sanctuary in Marysville located on Wills Street, about 1/3 mile north of Busha Highway.

The public is invited and asked to RSVP. More information is at thumbland.org.

Reporting for WGRT -Jennie McClelland

Manufacturing Week Highlights High Skill, High Paying Jobs

It’s Manufacturing Week in Michigan. From September 28th to October 2nd this year, the impact of manufacturing on the state economy is recognized.

It is estimated that manufacturing produces $98.64 billion annually while providing 626,000 jobs from 11,368 manufacturing firms. The Blue Water Area is home to many manufacturing firms, including Tier I automotive suppliers, and advanced manufacturing that supports everything from the medical field to aeronautics. It also supports extensive energy generation and distribution, along with a strong mobility and logistics sector that is uniquely positioned on the I-69 NAFTA international corridor.

For local residents looking for careers in manufacturing, they can explore high-tech, high-skilled, and well-paying careers at going-pro.com. There is financial assistance for job training with the Futures for Frontliners program.

Michigan leads the nation in creating manufacturing jobs, which have increased 42.8% in the last eleven years.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland