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Walk for Warmth 2018 – Albion, MI

Albionites have invented quite a few different traditions and events.  One of them is Walk for Warmth, where volunteers get pledges to raise money for local residents struggling to pay the cost of heating their home.

On Saturday, February 24th, 2018, the home of Walk for Warmth celebrated the 33rd annual fundraising event for Community Action. Each year, Community Action of South Central Michigan raises money to help keep the heat on for families, the elderly, and people with disabilities in Barry, Branch, Calhoun, and St. Joseph counties.

Pictured below are the participants of Albion’s 2018 Walk for Warmth, outside of the First United Methodist Church on Michigan Avenue.

Walk for Warmth 2018 – Tenant Hall – Albion, MI

In Albion during February 1983, Pastor Tim Kurtz, then Community Action Coordinator, held a 24-hour walk to raise funds and awareness of the need for heating assistance. “Helping the Poor in 24” was his motto. Pastor Kurtz’s dedication to supporting the most vulnerable in a critical way has made a tremendous impact.

Over the years, the event has grown to provide household utility relief across the nation, ranging from Lexington, KY to Willimantic, CT.   The funds generated through this event provide assistance in the form of deliverable fuel, metered gas or electric.

2018 Walkers Begin Their Trek

In 2017, 19 families and 57 family members from the Albion, Marshall, and Homer region were helped from the funds raised during Walk for Warmth that year. 52% of the households assisted last year had children and 31% had seniors. The average assistance provided by Community Action was $275.84.

For more information and to support the cause, please visit Community Action’s website: https://www.caascm.org/menus/walk-for-warmth.html

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Men Who Cook

Men Who Cook is an annual event in Albion Michigan to benefit the Citizens to Beautify Albion.  It usually takes place on the third weekend of February.

It takes place Sunday,  February 18, 2018, 12:30 PM – 2 PM at First Baptist Church in Albion, see the map at right sidebar.

“Cook, Eat and make Albion Beautiful.”
The 32nd annual Men Who Cook event is hosted by Citizens to Beautify Albion (CBA) and raises money for planting flowers along Business Loop I-94 and Austin Ave. Tickets are $7 for Adults and $3 for children under 10, they are on sale now and can be found at the following locations, Parks Drug Store, Homestead Savings Bank, and CBA members.
Cash or checks accepted, checks should be made out to Citizens to Beautify Albion. Any donations are always appreciated.

We are currently looking for volunteers or men interested in cooking. Updates will be posted frequently to the event page.

Thank you for everyone who supports and helps Citizens to Beautify Albion, we look forward to seeing everyone enjoying food on Sunday, Feb. 18th, 2018!
See the official Facebook page for the 2018 event.

Citizens to Beautify Albion is a grassroots organization founded by Richard and Elverta Weatherford in 1985, dedicated to beautifying Albion by planting flowers along the entrances and business loop of Albion. This is accomplished by raising funds with the annual Men Who Cook fundraiser and having community volunteers plant and maintain the flowers during the summer season. The Weatherford Garden is also maintained along with permanent flower planters in the downtown business district.

Citizens to Beautify Albion is looking for volunteers to help plant flowers, and to keep the roadside gardens weeded and watered during the growing season.

Citizens to Beautify Albion is a non profit organization and appreciates your donations of money and time so that we can keep Albion beautiful.

Click one of the links below for more information:

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Giving Tuesday – 2017

#GivingTuesday

What is Giving Tuesday?

We know about

  • Black Friday
  • Small Business Saturday
  • Cyber Monday

Giving Tuesday was started in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation as a response to the commercialization and consumerism in the post-Thanksgiving season (Black Friday and Cyber Monday).

But what is Giving Tuesday in Albion?  The Giving Tuesday woven heart logo is remodeled here with Albion events and opportunities that were made possible by gifts large and small.

General Guide – Issue XXVII is the Giving Edition, which is sponsored by Albion Community Foundation and Marshall Community Foundation.

The topics here will be covered with more photos and posts in the coming month.  Starting at the left and moving clockwise are:

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General Guide XXVII Giving Edition

Look inside your Morning Star or Ad-Visor & Chronicle this weekend if you live in the city of Albion or Marshall for your very own copy of the General Guide.

This issue has information about holiday traditions of the season including Giving Tuesday.  We will post more information here soon including answers to the puzzle inside.  Check out the Google Calendars – Albion and Calhoun County – that go with the printed calendars and have links to official events.

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General Guide – December 2016

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This General Guide shows some landmarks of both Albion and Marshall that were made possible through donations large and small. As the month goes by we will post more information about these landmarks including their history. We will be posting all of the events that are listed in the print version onto the web calendar at GeneralGuide.net so you will be able to get more information and click through to see the official source to verify times and locations before you make a trip.

We will be gathering more historical information and especially Black History from both Albion and Marshall in preparation for the first General Guide of 2017 that will feature these topics.

In honor of Giving Tuesday, please consider making a donation to Albion Community Foundation who made this issue of General Guide possible. We will post more information about Giving Tuesday soon, but for now, visit their national website: GivingTuesday.org

Remember to look in your Morning Star this weekend to get your copy if you live in or near Albion. Look inside your AdVisor & Chronicle if you live IN the City of Marshall. You can also pick up a copy of the General Guide to Albion by visiting the Morning Star office at 125 E. Cass Street, or Art Craft Press at 118 W. Vine Street, behind the Post Office.

Click here to see a printable pdf of the General Guide – October 2016 which includes a calendar of concerts, lectures, home games and author talks. For Big Read events, visit AlbionBigRead.org.

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General Guide November 2016

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The General Guide XXI will be distributed to all students in the Marshall Public Schools, Albion College and in the Morning Star the weekend of October 29. This flier will also be distributed in the Advisor & Chronicle to every home in the city of Marshall. The General Guide shares special event news between both communities.

 

This issue has music events including band concerts, orchestra and choral by Albion College and Marshall students. Home games for both schools are listed, as well as the new indoor Farmers Markets in both Albion and Marshall.

 

The biggest event listed is “Giving Tuesday,” that follows Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Giving Tuesday, now in its fourth year nationally, grew as a response to commercialism and consumerism in the post Thanksgiving Season.

 

The Guide has photos of projects and events that were made possible through donations. Now with Giving Tuesday, it is easier than ever to a philanthropist. Instructions on how to participate locally with Giving Tuesday, and links to the official Giving Tuesday site, will be available along with other streaming news and the online calendar at www. GeneralGuide.net

The online version of the calendar has links to official news about the events listed.

This issue had a print run of 15,000 thanks to sponsor Albion Community Foundation. For a printable version of General Guide XXI please click on one of these images.

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Harrington – NAACP Backpack giveaway

Harrington School Open House 2016

and the NAACP Backpack giveaway

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For the past several years, the Albion branch NAACP has hosted a Back to School – Stay in School Backpack giveaway event for students attending Albion Public Schools.

This year was different as the former Albion Public Schools is now a part of Marshall Public Schools. Harrington School had been closed for almost three years and this year was able to reopen due to the annexation.

The Education committee of Albion NAACP coordinated their annual event with the open house for Harrington School, which happened in August 2016.

The event was a major success, with an estimated 300 backpacks given away. There were several other organizations at the event also, who provided free information and giveaways regarding health, volunteer opportunities, academic support, and resources for students and their families.

To help with the efforts of Albion’s NAACP – Visit the the Albion NAACP facebook page and see their contact information on that page.

img_4015_harrington_open_house_flagAt the Harrington School Open House, on the same day as the backpack giveaway, there was a special flag raising ceremony by the Albion American Legion. There was a very good turnout with hundred of people coming to see the newly refurbished Harrington School.

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Giving Tuesday – Albion 2016

#GivingTuesday

What is Giving Tuesday?

We know about

  • Black Friday
  • Small Business Saturday
  • Cyber Monday

Giving Tuesday was started in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation as a response to commercialization and consumerism in the post-Thanksgiving season (Black Friday and Cyber Monday).

But what is Giving Tuesday in Albion?  The Giving Tuesday woven heart logo is remodeled here with Albion events and resources that were made possible by gifts large and small.

General Guide – Issue XXI is the Giving Edition which is sponsored by Albion Community Foundation.

The topics here will be covered with more photos and posts in the coming month.  Starting at the left and moving clockwise are:

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Albion – Marshall Connector

The Albion Marshall Connector is a bus that offers curb to curb service between the Albion and Marshall communities.

Read about the Connector on the official City of Albion website.

Visit the Connector Facebook page.

The Connector operates on weekdays, and it is best to call to order a ride one day ahead of time.
(517) 654-3000  – The fee is $1 each way between Albion and Marshall.

Since the recent annexation of Albion Public Schools into the Marshall Public School system, and the older loss of Albion Community Hospital and more use of Marshall’s Oaklawn Hospital, Albion residents are increasingly needing to go to Marshall for some basic services.  Sometimes, transportation is an issue, and when this is the case, there are options for getting around from Albion to Marshall and back.

The service has been funded through a series of grants and donation but more donations are needed. Tax deductible donations made be made to the City of Albion or the City of Marshall with the note that the donation is for the Albion Marshall Connector.  We will post more information about donations later.

See more photos and unofficial information about the connector on this page:

http://www.marshallmich.net/transportation/

The following information was taken from an official pdf flier on the City of Marshall website.

See the pdf flier by clicking here.

What is the Albion – Marshall Connector?

The Connector is a curb to curb driving service which helps members of the Albion and Marshall communities travel back and forth to work, school, doctors visits, shopping, and more. Currently, the connector runs five days a week from 7:30am to 4:30pm. The bus will also run during special events with Marshall Public Schools such as parent teacher conferences or sporting events. Call anytime to check on the special event schedule or you can find more info on our Facebook page.

Unless a reservation is made 24 hours in advance, pick up will be on a first come first serve basis. Reservations can be made up to one week in advance with standing reservations also being an option.

One Way Fares

$2.00

—

Adults / Children 13+

$1.00

—

Disabled / Seniors 60+ / Children age 5 to 12

Free

—

Caretakers / Children under 5 with a paid rider

*Tokens are used as change. Drivers do not carry cash. Tokens can be purchased from the drivers.

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History Hill at Holland Park

The public was invited to the grand opening of the newly installed West Ward School History panels in Holland Park at on Saturday, Aug. 13th 2016.

As part of the Holland Park Transformation, a Michigan Humanities Council Heritage grant was awarded to the City of Albion and Albion College to display the West Ward School story. For this project, historians Robert Wall, Leslie Dick, and Dr. Wesley Arden Dick interviewed more than 20 former West Ward students. This history will be a permanent exhibit on History Hill in Holland Park. Park visitors will be able to access the Albion West Ward School website to discover more and to hear the voices of the West Ward students.

West Ward Elementary School was built in 1873. For 45 years, its students were primarily the children of white, European immigrants who worked in the nearby iron foundries. European immigration was cut off during World War I, and the Albion Malleable Iron Company sent a recruiter south to Pensacola, Florida. In November of 1916, almost 100 years ago, 64 African American men arrived at the Albion railroad depot, ready to go to work at “The Malleable.” Soon, their wives and children arrived, posing a question: where would their children attend school? At first, those children were educated at an Albion African American church. When Dalrymple Elementary School was completed in January of 1918, the white West Ward School children were transferred to the new school and West Ward became an all-Black elementary school.

Previously, the African American children had been educated in the segregated, Jim Crow South in all-Black schools. The only way the new arrivals would have Black teachers in Albion in 1918 was to make West Ward a segregated school. Although segregated public education was against Michigan law, West Ward remained an all-Black school until 1953. While African American parents and community leaders initially favored the segregated arrangement, racial attitudes concerning justice and achieving the American Dream changed over time. By 1953, key Black parents considered West Ward to be “separate, but unequal,” and they kept their children out of school that fall. This led to a showdown with the Albion Board of Education. Confronted by the boycott and threatened by an NAACP lawsuit, the Board ended classes at West Ward in October of 1953. The West Ward story thus changed from northern segregation to an Albion Civil Rights movement. After the school was closed, it was tor! n down, and the school grounds became a city park, which was later dedicated in honor of Robert Holland, Sr., one of the boycott leaders. West Ward is a reminder that Albion’s story is America’s story.

The historical display was made possible by a Heritage Grant from the Michigan Humanities Council.

To learn more about History Hill visit our new website: www.albionwestward.net

To help support the work of the Albion branch NAACP, please visit https://www.facebook.com/AlbionNaacp/

To donate, go to the Holland Park Transformation facebook page and send us a message to ask where to mail your check.