fundraiser

Wyatt Walker Friendship Fund Helps Enrich the Lives of Local Youth

The Wyatt Walker Friendship Fund is enriching the lives of young people throughout the area. Recent donations to both Port Huron Northern High School and Discovery City at Port Huron Museums’ Carnegie Center are continuing the legacy of the late Wyatt Walker.

Gayle Walker said that she and her husband, Mark, truly believe that programs involving young people are the best investment of their time and money. The Wyatt Walker Friendship Fund was started in 1999 to honor the memory of the Walkers’ son, Wyatt. Walker said that the projects they fund are things that Wyatt would have loved.

Through the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, the Fund awarded grants to enrichment programs at Port Huron Northern High School this year. There was money left over and they decided to gift it to the Museums to help pay for Wednesday Mornings with Miss Michelle at Discovery City.

Mrs. Walker said that the fund looks for things that “build kindness, doing for others, and reaching out and helping”. 

https://www.phmuseum.org/discovery-city-childrens-exhibit/

https://www.stclairfoundation.org/wyatt-walker-friendship-fund-grants/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Sheriff’s Office Raises Money for YMCA during “No-Shave November”

No-shave November has come and gone, but the money raised from the event will last for a long time. The Office of the St. Clair County Sheriff challenged its staff to give their razors the month off and raise money for charity.

The hairier than usual employees of the Sheriff’s Office dedicated their fundraising to men’s health awareness. The YMCA of the Blue Water Area was this year’s beneficiary of the fundraiser.

Sheriff Mat King presented a total of $2495 to Josh Chapman, President and CEO of the YMCA of the Blue Water Area.

The YMCA was chosen because of its commitment to men’s health and its wide range of programming, including fitness classes, lifestyle classes, and programs for those living with chronic diseases, like cancer.

No-Shave November started as a national movement to draw attention to cancer prevention. Cancer patients often lose their hair during treatment, and the obvious signs of ungroomed facial hair are meant to spark conversations about cancer screenings and prevention like exercise and lifestyle changes.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Tires and Treads Community Project to Host Old Fashioned Country Christmas

When your heart is in the right place, good things tend to lead to more good things. That couldn’t be truer for the Tires and Treads Community Project. Volunteers are hosting an Old Fashioned Country Christmas on November 28th at 6:00 p.m. at the Ruby Community Church on Abbotsford Road.

The Old Fashioned Country Christmas gives guests an opportunity to create Christmas tree ornaments to remember loved ones who have passed on. The practice has become a tradition, with people traveling long distances to memorialize their loved ones, according to Tires and Treads founder, Fran Morris.

Donations at the Old Fashioned Country Christmas will be accepted to help Tires and Treads with their ambitious projects, like stocking complete closets of new clothing, winter wear, and classroom supplies at Port Huron elementary schools. They are working with their 7th elementary school, Michigamme, this year. They also provide emergency “outfitting” for kids who need new clothes and shoes on a moment’s notice.

Along with the school project, Tires and Treads is making wishes come true for local kids who are in cancer treatment. The project gets its funding from a multitude of fun events. A link to their Facebook page, which has much more information can be found below.

https://www.facebook.com/TiresandTreadsCommunityProject/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Calendar for Sale to Benefit Art on the River

The Citizens for a Vibrant Community group has released the 2022 Blue Water Area Calendar. Proceeds from sales of the calendar go toward the Art on the River event, which is a free art and music festival held during the second weekend of June each year, in Downtown Port Huron.

This year’s calendar features scenes from the Blue Water Area. Twenty-five photographers submitted photos and thirteen were chosen for the calendar.

Citizens for a Vibrant Community President Trina Avedisian said that the calendar is sold all over the country and Canada and is considered a collector’s item by some.

This is the 7th year in which the calendar has been offered.

The calendars can be purchased at Wolverine Market Port Huron and Marysville, Uniquely Me Boutique, Border Keep Games, and Thumb Coast CBD. There is also a link at CVCPH.org for purchasing the calendar. The cost is a $6 donation.

Art on the River features local artists, crafters, and bands. The family-friendly event also has workshops, food, and a variety of entertainment.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

McLaren Festival of Trees to Raise Funds for New Breast Cancer Detection Equipment

McLaren Hospital in Port Huron is getting ready for the upcoming holiday season and observing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month by announcing their plans for this year’s Festival of Trees.

This year’s Festival will be raising money for breast imaging services in the Demashkieh Women’s Wellness Place. The hospital is hoping to purchase the Hologic Upright Breast Biopsy Guidance system, which features 3D stereotactic biopsy capabilities.

The updated technology gives patients a better experience with enhanced imaging capabilities. The machine provides less x-ray exposure and less time under compression, which is welcome news for women who have undergone compression biopsies.

The Festival of Trees offers many levels of sponsorship and community members will be able to check out the ornately decorated trees in the South, North, and Karmanos lobbies of McLaren Port Huron Hospital. The annual fundraiser will be held on the main floor of the hospital in all of the public areas from Thanksgiving through the New Year.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Unveiled Saturday

The Tuskegee Airmen Memorial located at the International Flag Plaza near the Blue Water Bridge will be unveiled this weekend in a dedication ceremony. The ceremony on Saturday, August 28th at 10:30 AM is open to the public and does not require registration.

The Tuskegee Airmen of WWII were initially trained at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama, and the 332nd Fighter Group also received Combat Crew Training at Selfridge and Oscoda Army Airfields. This special group of African American airmen fought for their beliefs in a segregated army, and their dedication and example paved the way for the integration of the military.

The group Diving With a Purpose discovered wreckage in Lake Huron and the St. Clair River of accidents involving Tuskegee Airmen. Five airmen perished in accidents in the Port Huron Area, and the new memorial commemorates the men and celebrates their military careers.

Exhibits will be on display throughout the weekend at the Port Huron Museum Carnegie Center, and the memorial will serve as a lasting reminder of these brave airmen.

Learn more about the Memorial Dedication events <HERE>.