the michigan banner may 16, 2013 edition

Leading in Diversity “Empowering Communities and Changing Lives”

Volume10•Number10 TheMichiganBanner May 16, 2013 FirstGreatLakesBayRegionalNewspaper

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An informative summit on the national epidemic of bullying will be presented Friday, June 7, 2013, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Auburn Hills Campus. The legal duties and responsibilities of your school will be presented under “Matt’s Safe School Law”, and the presenters will share a scientifically proven program that schools can use to meet the state mandated requirements for bullying. The presenters will include Kevin Epling, Matt’s father, lawyers, judges, educators, and others, who will speak about what can and must be done to stop bullying.

The event is sponsored by Thomas M. Cooley Law School and Oakland University, and will also feature the authors of the Weekly Bully Beat Down, Honorable M. T. Thompson, Jr., Professor Monica R. Nuckolls and Dr. Gwendolyn M. McMillon.

The admission is free, and the registration deadline is Thursday, May 30, 2013. Participants will receive materials, and a lunch will be served.

workingTogethertostopschoolViolence:astatewidesummitonBullying

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TheMichiganBanner May 16, 2013 FirstGreatLakesBayRegionalNewspaper

Op-EdcommunityBenefitsagreementwouldFosterPositiveoutcomesforeveryoneinvolvedBy State Representative Stacy Erwin Oakes

Saginaw - Recent dialogue concerning the Bancroft and Eddy Place redevelopment projects have caused disagreements between state and local of-ficials, labor groups, resi-dents and the developer, Lakewood, Ohio-based Lakeshore Management, LLC.

I support developers who want to help us make wise investments in our community. I’m a developer myself, I know the process well, and I appreciate Lakeshore Management’s efforts to help revitalize downtown Saginaw. Once com-pleted, the projects will be a wonderful asset to our local communities.

We certainly should not discourage local de-velopment, nor should we conduct business in an undiplomatic fashion. However, we need to ensure we’re fostering positive outcomes for the people of our local communities in the process. Outcomes that will help address larger issues we all recognize.

We can accomplish this by examining the benefits of implementing community benefits agreements (CBA) for local development proj-ects.

Whenever the people of a community take ownership and have a vested interest we tend to see better results. By hiring locally residents have the opportunity to earn a living, receive job train-ing, and take greater pride in their community. In turn, those dollars are at small businesses in the community, creating new jobs, fostering eco-nomic growth, increasing local tax revenue and reducing crime. By implementing a CBA we can also create opportunities for entrepreneurs who might otherwise be excluded, fostering positive outcomes for everyone involved.

There is a direct correlation between the qual-ity of life of our residents and the issues facing our community. If we want to make the Saginaw region a vibrant area where people will want to

raise their families and businesses will want to locate, we must look for ways to provide new opportunities for residents to contribute in their own unique way. This will help raise the standard of living for everyone and reverse the migration trend.

For many decades now, demographic pat-terns have been characterized by the movement of jobs, resources, and opportunities out of ur-ban centers and into the suburbs. For residents who choose to stay or were not able to relocate, a range of barriers, including poor transportation and discriminatory hiring practices, has limited access to jobs and opportunity. As a result, urban neighborhoods have been left with unsustainably high levels of unemployment, scarce resources, and increasing poverty and crime rates.

In response, depressed urban communities throughout the country have implemented rede-velopment plans that include community benefits agreements and local participation goals that serve to help increase employment, create new opportunities for residents, and help stimulate the local economy.

By giving qualified residents the opportunity to work on community development projects and fostering increased community participation we can begin to address the systemic issues our com-munity is facing.

It is also important that we enact compre-hensive plans that consider the manner in which our development projects will compliment one-another. For instance, the Bancroft and Eddy Place redevelopment projects are ideally situated to provide housing young professionals and fu-ture students at the Central Michigan University (CMU) College of Medicine, which opens in 2013.

CMU Healthcare, formerly the Synergy Medical Education Alliance, is an ideal partner-ing development; however, we need a system in place to ensure our development projects are con-ducted with broad consideration and input from the community. We also need to look at partner-ing with firms that specialize in this process. This

will ensure we’re implementing cohesive rede-velopment plans that serve the long-term interest of our local communities.

For example, I strongly encourage examining the models used by U3 Ventures, a multi-disci-plinary firm that focuses on leveraging economic capacity, integrating institutions with their sur-rounding neighborhoods, and creating opportu-nities for vibrancy around urban universities and major anchors within urban centers.

Specifically, U3 has worked with the Kresge and Hudson-Webber Foundations to create a strategy for midtown Detroit that leverages the major anchor institutions – Wayne State Univer-sity (WSU), Detroit Medical Center and Henry Ford Health System – to revitalize their shared district that contained a great deal of potential but lacked vitality.

Specifically, over a three year period the firm worked with the anchor institutions and partner-ing foundations to create and implement institu-tional programs, advance a midtown community development organization, facilitate a physical development plan for the Woodward-Cass Cor-ridor, and put in place strategic initiatives that serve to advance the redevelopment of Midtown.

Moreover, the firm has also successfully de-veloped and implemented a strategy for the De-troit Innovation Network. This umbrella initiative links the region’s science and technology drivers with the resources and place-making strategies necessary to build an identifiable nexus of 21st Century industrial growth and investment.

Funded through the New Economy Initiative, a philanthropic initiative to position southeast Michigan in today’s global and information-based economy, the network concentrated physi-cal investments in the TechTown District, home to WSU’s incubation and acceleration efforts and numerous other institutional research and devel-opment entities within Midtown.

Through comprehensive and collaborative re-development efforts and local hiring practices we can begin to revitalize the Saginaw region and address these larger issues we all acknowledge.

TheMichiganBanneriscelebrating10yearsofpositivenewswiththeGreatLakesBayRegionandbeyond.ifyouhaveaspecialoccasionyouwouldliketomakesureeveryoneknowsabout,just visit www.themichiganbanner.com , advertising section, www.saginawchamber.org/coupons,[email protected] , or call 989.753.3475 for additionalinformation of how you can celebratewith us with phenomenal savings in theMichiganBanner,theNationalBanner,andtheLatinoBanner.The coupon cannotbeexchangedforcash.

Former State Representative Ken Horn has officially announced his candidacy for Michigan’s 32nd State Senate District.

“For months now I have been traveling around Saginaw and Genesee Counties listening to the concerns of hardworking residents, and everywhere I go, I hear a constant message-people are tired of politics as usual. They expect leadership and results from our government,” said Ken Horn who is currently the Director of Community Development at MITECH+, a mid-Michigan based non-profit company.

For nearly 15 years, Ken Horn owned and operated Horn’s Restaurant in Frankenmuth. After selling the successful business, Ken served as a substitute teacher in Bridgeport and Frankenmuth schools. Before his election to the

Michigan House of Representatives in 2006, Ken served as a Saginaw County Commissioner and as Vice President of Donor Services at the Saginaw Community Foundation, where he managed over 300 funds and nearly $1.2 million in annual community grant programs. Ken currently lives in Frankenmuth with his wife, Veronica, and together they have two children, Kevin and Andrea.

“I believe my experience as a former small business owner, job developer, and local elected official, makes me well-suited to serve the public and produce results the people deserve. I’ve fought against reckless spending in Lansing and in Washington, and worked to reform burdensome taxes and regulations. We’ve worked hard to turn Michigan around, but there is so much more to do. Lansing still needs to do a better job of listening, prioritizing, and focusing on what’s most important to Michigan families,” Horn added.

The 32nd Senate District encompasses all of Saginaw County as well as the western edge of Genesee County including the communities of Argentine Township, Clayton Township, Fenton Township, City of Flushing, Flushing Township, Gaines Township, City of Linden, City of Montrose, and Montrose Township.

The Horn for Senate campaign plans to announce major community endorsements in the near future.

In This Issue Business & Wealth .....................................................................................Page 10 The Latino Banner .....................................................................................LB 1 - LB 4 Health.........................................................................................................Page 19 Praise Connections ....................................................................................Page 28

May 16, 2013 TheMichiganBanner FirstGreatLakesBayRegionalNewspaper

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CommentaryBuenaVistaandcityofsaginawParentsDiminishedtheirNeighborhoodschoolsBy Willie J. Richardson

The Buena Vista (BV) Schools District is figuratively on fire and parents want to act as volunteer firefighters after the inferno. The Saginaw Public Schools are smoldering and parents – just like those in BV – are blaming

their school superintendent and members of their school board. But what they need to do is condemn the person in their mirror who was long indifferent as well as the misguided parents in their neighborhoods who kindled the torridity by enrolling their children in out-of-district schools.

The basic fault for closed neighborhood schools in both BV and the City of Saginaw is related to parents’ ill-conceived decisions to enroll their children in other school districts that care less about their children other than the thousands of dollars that follow each child’s enrollment. And a message these parents send to their children is that being African-American or Hispanic is inferior and that in order to receive a good and proper education African-American and Hispanic students need to be attended to by Caucasians, which is historically mindless.

It was “white flight” from both BV and the City of Saginaw that left few white students

in these districts. Hence, Caucasians who fled these municipalities wanted to reside away from minorities and send their children to schools where there were far less minority students. They now must be livid about the African-American and Hispanic intrusion and feel put upon. Minority parents should consider that they are imposing on white communities where they enroll their children in their neighborhood schools.

If minority parents possessed racial pride they would consider returning their children to their own neighborhood schools as they work and demand to see that their students receive a quality education, which can be achieved.

No one faults African-American and Hispanic parents for desiring the best educational opportunities for their children, but why is it that they believe their children can’t receive such in the very neighborhoods they live in. I think the reason is because these parents have been too indifferent and lazy and therefore, became dependent on predominantly white school districts to address their educational concerns and desires.

There are surely white parents and residents in those outside school districts and communities who resent the enrollment of African-American and Hispanic students from BV and the City of Saginaw in their school districts, but tolerate them because of the welcomed funding these

students bring with them. And it’s funding that African-American and Hispanic parents take away from their own neighborhood schools that cause financial hardship and closings.

As a result, what has happened is that African-American and Hispanic parents who continue to send their children to schools in BV and the City of Saginaw have gotten frustrated and angry about their neighborhood schools closing. They then criticize their school superintendent and members of the board of education. To the contrary, these parents and residents need to be frustrated and upset with the irrational parents in their community who are responsible for educational funding leaving their neighborhood schools and being distributed to predominantly white school districts, which is money that helps to aid and enhance these outside school districts and communities. Hence, these African-American and Hispanic parents cut off their noses to spite their faces as they destroy their own neighborhood schools and diminish their communities.

Willie J. Richardson is an author who resides in Buena Vista Township. He is a retired educator who has won favorable citations in education as well as numerous community service awards. Richardson has researched, studied, and reported on racism, which is thematic in most books he writes at www.wjamesrichardson.com.

sMGawardseventParkNamingRightstoFirstMeritBankSMG announces that it has awarded naming

rights to the Event Park now under construction to FirstMerit Bank. The FirstMerit Event Park is scheduled to open mid-August of this year.

The 5,500-seat FirstMerit Event Park will provide both pavilion and lawn seating for a variety of events meant to enrich the Great Lakes Bay Region. Already scheduled are such events

as the second annual Wonderfest on August 24, 2013, and Fall In for Arts and Sol on September 28. FirstMerit has naming rights for the next five years.

“FirstMerit is proud to be associated with this great new venue,” said Todd Gregory, Saginaw Community President and Regional President, Core Business Banking for FirstMerit. “The

FirstMerit name is new to Michigan following the acquisition of Citizens Bank and this is a wonderful way to show that FirstMerit is as committed to our communities as Citizens was. We look forward to seeing our neighbors and business partners at the many exciting events to be held at FirstMerit Event Park in the years to come.”

Volume1•Number12 TheLatinoBanner May 16, 2013 Vamosadelante

1400w.Geneseesaginaw,Michigan(989)753-3475TheLatinoBanner–[email protected]

Washington - The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), a nonprofit and nonpartisan leadership development and educational services organization for emerging Hispanic leaders, applauds U.S. Secretary of Educa-

tion Arne Duncan for the appointment of CHCI alumna Alejandra Ceja as the new executive direc-tor of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. Ceja, a former CHCI Public Policy Fellow, will lead the administration’s efforts to address disparities in education that im-pact the Latino community and provide policy so-lutions to President Obama and Secretary Duncan.

“Alejandra is a trusted advisor and leader in

the Hispanic community,” Duncan said. “As direc-tor of this important initiative, Alejandra will con-tinue her exceptional work of pursuing academic excellence and opportunities for Hispanics across the country.”

“CHCI commends Secretary Duncan for ap-pointing Alejandra Ceja to White House Initia-tive,” said Esther Aguilera, CHCI president and CEO. “Her appointment is a testament to CHCI’s success in developing Latinos for leadership posi-tions and illustrates how CHCI’s educational pro-grams are making an impact throughout the coun-try.”

“I look forward to advancing the mission and goals of the Initiative and to helping Hispanics achieve their potential academically, profession-ally, civically and globally,” Ceja said. “I want to thank CHCI for supporting my professional devel-

opment throughout the years and look forward to working together on advancing the Latino college completion agenda for our country.

Ceja came to Washington, D.C. in 1996 to ac-cept CHCI’s prestigious Public Policy Fellowship where she worked on Capitol Hill with Congress-woman Lucille Roybal-Allard and at the National Council of La Raza. Her Washington career in-cludes positions at the White House Office of Man-agement and Budget where she helped develop the federal budget for the Department of Labor and the Corporation for National and Community Service and as senior budget and appropriations advisor at the House Education and Labor Committee. Prior to her current appointment, she served as chief of staff for Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter.

Source: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

alejandracejaappointedDirectorofwhitehouseinitiativeoneducationalexcellenceforhispanics

Alejandra Ceja

LatinoevangelicalsGatheratRecordBreakingBoardconventionLaunchimagoDeiinitiative

CA -The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Confer-ence, the Hispanic Evangeli-cal Association, held its annual board convention in Miami, Florida recently, to a record-breaking gathering of America’s leading Hispanic evangelical leaders. National representa-

tives of the 52 largest denominations, 22 chapter directors, University Presidents, scholars, mega-church pastors, and parachurch CEOs all gath-ered for the purpose of outlining the priorities for the 40,118 church member organization.

Dr. Carlos Campo, President, Regent Uni-versity, said, “The NHCLC Board convention was a remarkable time of collaborative learning with some of America’s most influential Hispan-ic leaders. In addition, we were able to solidify our ongoing commitment to founding principles and values that reflect the Lamb’s Agenda.”

The NHCLC Board convention affirmed the NHCLC’s 7 Directives through presentations and dialogue–dissecting and responding to many

critical issues relative to the 21st century Hispan-ic Evangelical community, including the Barna Group/ABS/NHCLC study on “Hispanic Amer-ica: Faith, Values & Priorities” and a significant NEXT GEN initiative and panel discussion.

Campo continued, “We stand at the cross-roads of change in America, and Christian higher Education must play a key role in recruiting, re-taining and graduating the most diverse group of next generation Christian leaders our nation has ever known. With an intentional focus on Christ as the source of all truth, and a commitment to challenge our culture’s slide into moral relativ-ism, we can forge a standard of excellence that will inspire tomorrow’s students.”

Additionally, the Imago Dei Initiative was launched at the annual convention in response to the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Con-ference’s foundation, which was established to uphold the principles of righteousness (vertical) and justice (horizontal), of the Imago Dei and Missio Dei concepts.

The NHCLC Board of Directors serve the nation’s largest Christian Hispanic organization

by unifying, serving and representing millions in the Hispanic Born Again Community via its 40,118 member churches and reconciling the vertical and horizontal of the Christian message through its 7 Directives of Life, Family, Compas-sionate Evangelism, Stewardship, Justice, Edu-cation and Youth.

The two-day convention included an inspir-ing keynote speech by James Robison, Founder and President of LIFE Outreach International, Co-Host with Betty Robison of LIFE Today. James Robison, said, “Being at the NHCLC An-nual Convention has been one of the great hon-ors and blessings of my life. At different times in human history and in our nation’s history, God hands the mantle of opportunity to a spe-cific group to inspire an awakening; a return to the rock-solid, unshakable, undeniable, proven principles that our nation’s foundation was estab-lished upon; and the rebuilding of the walls es-sential to ensure the preservation of the freedom that was purchased at a great price. It is a matter of the release of “spiritual gravity”—the weight

SEE P LB 3, Latino Evangelicals Gather

James Robison


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COMUNIDAD

1st Place Cinco De Mayo Saginaw Parade Winner Great Lakes Bay Region Hispanic Leadership Institute

Saginaw System of Care Youth M.O.V.E. at Cinco De Mayo Saginaw ParadeHappy Birthday Mr. Jeronimo Gonzalez!

Pastor Gabriel Martinez of Connextion Church in Saginaw at Fortress Church in San Antonio Texas

Pastor Gabriel Martinez

May 16, 2013 TheLatinoBanner LB3 Vamosadelante


FROM Front Pageof God—leaving His imprint on every person and every area on this planet. I believe the NHCLC has accepted that divine assignment and can help inspire the absolutely essential next great spiri-tual awakening—perhaps more than any other single identifi-able group.”

Sergio De La Mora, Founder and President of Cornerstone Church, San Diego, Calif., Rev. Eleazar Rodriguez, Superin-tendent of the Texas Louisiana Hispanic District of the As-semblies of God, Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman, Liberty Counsel, and Jeremiah Torres, Pastor of Pentecostal Christian Church, Hartford, Conn., also delivered moving speeches to the prestigious NHCLC Board of Directors during the annual convention.

The 2013 NHCLC Annual Board Convention also fea-tured a time of celebration and reflection and honored several of its board members for their work: Dr. Albert Reyes received the 2013 NHCLC Compassionate Evangelism Award, Pas-tor Magda Hermida received the 2013 NHCLC Life Award, Carlos Duran received the 2013 NHCLC Healthy Families Award, and Dr. Gus Reyes received the 2013 NHCLC Educa-tion Award. Dr. Alberto Delgado was honored with The Ri-cardo Tanon Award, Hispanic Pastor of The Year Award, at the convention’s closing ceremony at Alpha and Omega Church where he serves as the Senior Pastor.

SOURCE National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

somoshispanosHello! I’m Cynthia, Reyes,

the host for Somos Hispanos. Somos Hispanos is Q-TV’s monthly news magazine about the Hispanic people: how they live, the issues they face day to day, and the positive work they do to make a difference in the community. Segments highlight

people, culture, and events that help promote positive images of the Hispanic community.

You can find our schedule at http://www3.delta.edu/broadcasting/somoshispanos/schedule/ , and if you have questions or comments you can e-mail us at [email protected].

Washington - The Latino Coalition, a leading advocate for Latino-owned, small and medium-sized businesses, in conjunction with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a record breaking America’s Small Business Summit.

With a commitment to building a stronger American economy, The Latino Coali-tion brought together government leaders, national and international business figures and hundreds of corporate delegates from the United States and abroad to discuss im-portant issues to small business including procurement opportunities, newly available financing, risk management, legal reform, healthcare, immigration and international trade.

“The 2013 Small Business Summit was an incredible achievement for small business,” said Hector Barreto, TLC’s Chairman and Former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (2001-2006). “Small businesses are leading the way and this summit is now the largest event of its kind in the country. We drew over 3,000 small business owners from across the nation and covered everything from accessing corporate and government contracts to healthcare and its impact on the eco-nomic growth of small business.”

Healthcare and its effect on small business and the Latino community were de-bated during the 2013 Small Business Summit. During the conference, an impreMe-dia/Latino Decisions national poll was released in conjunction with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Center. The poll’s key findings indicated that less than a quarter of Latinos feel well informed about the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The poll also showed that only 13% of Latinos believe that public officials took the needs of the Latino community into account during the ACA debate and bill passage. However, despite having limited awareness about the legislation, 75% of those polled indicated that the ACA could be good for the Latino community in the long run.

The Latino Coalition will host its West Coast Small Business Summit in San Francisco, CA on October 9.

Source: The Latino Coalition

TheLatinocoalition2013smallBusinesssummitReachesNewheights

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May 16, 2013 TheMichiganBanner Page9 FirstGreatLakesBayRegionalNewspaper


Bethel A.M.E. Church Announces the “Restoring The Village Summer Youth Program”

Bethel A.M.E. Church, located at 535 Cathay Street, in Saginaw, is pleased to announce its “Restoring The Village Summer Youth Program.” The Program is designed to provide safe summer recreation for Saginaw’s children and young adults, character training and exposure to positive role models. The character training will focus on gangs, gun violence, drugs, alcohol and related issues. The ten week program will operate at the church on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. beginning June 13, 2013, and ending on August 24, 2013.

TUESDAYS - On Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 18 - August 8 there will be free swimming lessons for up to 120 children and young adults at the Saginaw YMCA. Transportation from the church will be provided for those who need it. Applications are available at the church and must be returned by May 31, 2013.

THURSDAYS - Will include various recreational activities and a basketball camp for elementary and middle school students. The camp will be supervised by Mr. Marshall Thomas, Retired Saginaw High Athletic Director and Basketball Coach, Mr. Greg Mathis, Arthur Hill High School Boys Basketball Coach, Ms. Sophia Jordan, Saginaw High Girls Basketball Coach and several other local coaches. Applications are available at the church and must be returned by May 31, 2013.

SATURDAYS - Will include a 3-on-3 basketball competition (similar to Gus Macker) called “Heavenly Hoops”. Children and young adults from the entire Saginaw Community are invited to participate. There is no entry fee or cost but each participant will be required to complete one of the church’s weekly drug education and crime prevention classes in order to compete each week. Applications for Heavenly Hoops are available at the church.

Tae Kwon Do classes by Master Marlow from the Saginaw YMCA will be offered from 11 a.m. to noon in the church’s gym. Ages 3 and up are welcome.

A free lunch will be provided on both Thursday and Saturday.

For additional information concerning the program, contact Ms. Cheri Smith, Bethel A.M.E. Church at 989.755.7011 ext 221, Hon. M.T. Thompson, Jr. or Ms. Ivory Thompson at 989.790.8033, or [email protected].

The flock of turkey fans poses for a picture after their hard work.

Recently a group of wild turkey enthusiasts got together to get their hands dirty for turkeys.

“This event was exactly what we hoped for,” said Al Stewart, DNR upland game bird specialist. “Folks have been asking for hands-on activities to help turkeys, and this work bee did that and more – it also created some great relationships.”

Over 50 people showed up at the Rose Lake DNR office in East Lansing on a Saturday morning, including DNR employees, local National Wild Turkey Federation members, MSU students and people who just wanted to lend a hand.

This group transplanted over 1,000 bare-root crabapple seedlings into large landscaping pots. The transplanted crabapples will then spend the next one to two years in an outdoor fenced-in facility, and will then be transplanted onto public land in northern Michigan as an excellent winter food source for turkeys and other wildlife species.

“We have over 200,000 turkeys in Michigan, so turkeys mean a lot to many people,” said Stewart. “Getting together to do some habitat work, tell turkey hunting stories, and have lunch is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.”

To find additional information about spring turkey hunting season, go to www.michigan.gov/turkey.

FlocksofTurkeyFansGetDirtyForthecause



Intersection of Business & Wealth

Human beings may be destined to do everything the hard way. Consider teaching kids about money. Parents can do this quite simply, following a few guidelines. Yet few make any real effort, and we ask schoolteachers to fill the gap.

Parents are hands-down the most influential force in any child’s life, and studies show that this extends to money management. Yet the money talk still doesn’t happen in about half of all households.

Meanwhile, we have a global movement to bring financial education into the classroom. This effort has been clumsy at times though sorely needed. Too many kids go to college or get their first job without a basic understanding of budgets, debt, and saving. We ask the schools to address this need before the kids turn into bankrupt adults whose financial assistance boomerangs back on society.

If only more parents took control, the lessons learned at school would resonate with what they hear at home and sink into a greater extent.

Jonathan Clements is one of the few parents I know that has made a big effort at raising finan-cially literate children. A former personal finance columnist at the Wall Street Journal, Clements

is now the director of financial education at Citi Personal Wealth Management. He started family money lessons at age 5 with his children, who are now twentysomethings with, he tells me, enviable money management skills.

Clements believes there are four simple guide-lines to raising money-smart kids:

• Make them feel like the money theyspend is theirs One way to do this is pay an al-lowance, explain what the money is for and never give in when they ask for more. “The first rule of parenting,” Clements jokes, “is to never negotiate with terrorists.” With young children, play the soda game. When you eat out offer $1 if they drink wa-ter instead of a soft drink. It’s shocking how often they take the $1. Pay allowance to a bank account so that they must make a withdrawal before they can spend.

• Tellfamilystoriesthatillustratemoneyvalues Clements’ own grandfather inherited and squandered a small fortune. He says he grew up hearing the story over and over from his parents; it ingrained in him and his siblings the lesson that money spent is not easily replaced. Share stories about your humble roots or how you struggled when starting your career. That way your kids will understand they must work to earn their lifestyle. “We all had cockroaches in our apartment at one point,” Clements says. “Don’t be afraid to dress up your story a little bit for emphasis.”

• Leadbyexample Even if you are not a financial whiz (and who is?), you can set a good example by paying your bills on time and staying out of debt troubles. “If your kids know you’re up to your eyeballs in credit-card debt, they aren’t go-ing to pay much attention to any wise words you might have about managing money,” Clements says. “Your kids are more likely to do as you do, not as you say.”

• Manageexpectations In their teens, Cle-ments’ kids clearly heard what Dad would and would not pay for as the kids reached adulthood—how much he would pay toward college, what kind of support they could expect after college and how much he would pay towards a wedding. This gave them a realistic sense of what was coming and “no bruised feelings” later.

And there you have it. The hardest part may be consistency with your message and, for some, staying out of money trouble themselves. That’s all the more reason to commit to a plan like this, which will benefit you too.

Dan Kadlec is a journalist who has written about personal finance for TIME and other out-lets for 25 years. He is the author of three books, a leading voice in the global financial literacy movement, and strategic adviser to the National Financial Educators Council. Kadlec’s latest is A New Purpose: Redefining Money, Family, Work,Retirement, and Success.

4easystepstoRaisingMoney-smartKidsBy Dan Kadlec

If you’ve got a child who uses a tablet, it is suggested that you make sure that you’ve got an Internet filter installed. Here are the options for android and iPad:

For Android: The Net Nanny mobile app allows you to select Internet filters to put in place (for profanity, inappropriate content, and more) and enter keywords like alcohol, mature, drugs, to block.

And if you have multiple kids using your device, you can create profiles for each to customize the settings based on their ages,

while managing which apps kids are blocked from on your Fire.

For iPad: For $4.99 as a one-time download fee, Mobicip gives you a whole range of options like age-based filtering and safe browsing. The customization features makes it flexible enough for kids of all ages who are using the tablet and like Net Nanny, you can designate categories that are off-limits.

Source: Cool Mom Tech.com

internetFiltersforTabletsBy John C. Maxwell

Make a commitment to grow daily.Value the process more than events.Don’t wait for inspiration.Be willing to sacrifice pleasure for opportunity.Dream big.Plan your priorities.Give up to go up.”

“sevenstepstosuccess



The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC) Great Lakes Bay Region is pleased to offer a financial tools workshop at Delta College. ‘Know Your Numbers’ is a state

wide program, sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, designed to help the non-financial business owner/manager understand financial statements to achieve Fiscal Fitness, and improve the ability to access the capital businesses need for growth.

The five key topics include:• Identifying problems using your balance sheet and

income statement•Providingwaystoincreaseyourcompany’scashflow•Usingbreakevenanalysistoimprovedecision-making•Planningtheworkingcapitaltosupportyourgrowth•Howtokeepyourlenderonyourside“Recently I attended a seminar called ‘Know Your Numbers’

that was held by our local SBTDC. In a word...Wow! I have been to numerous seminars that tell you what you should do to improve your business but very rarely have I attended one that actually gave you the tools and told you how to go about it. This seminar is a must for all small business owners.” Kathie Fuce-Hobohm, SPACE, Inc.

The ‘Know Your Numbers’ workshop will be held at Delta College, H wing, 1961 Delta Road, University Center on June 18, with networking and continental breakfast from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and workshop 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for $25 per participant (Fifth Third customers may attend at no-cost). Pre-registration is required online at www.misbtdc.org/training (search topic Finance and Accounting or call (989) 686-9597 for more information.

FiveKeystounderstandingFinancialstatementstoMaximizecashFlowandincreaseaccesstocapital

applicationDeadline:ongoing

TechnologyPage: The Public Libraries of Saginaw is seeking an indi-vidual to provide patrons with basic computer assistance and to provide routine printer and PC maintenance under supervision.

Dutiesandresponsibilities: Assisting patrons with computer basics in-cluding such processes as setting margins, double spacing, pagination, etc.; instructing patrons on basic use of online databases; assisting patrons with Internet searches; providing routine maintenance for printers and other hardware including cleaning computers and printers, stocking print-ers, copy machines, and microfilm reader/printers with paper, replacing cartridges and ribbons, assisting patrons with printer problems; and other duties as assigned.

Requiredknowledge,skillsandabilities: Computer knowledge in-cluding skill in Windows XP and Vista operating systems, Microsoft Of-fice 2007 applications including Outlook Email, and extensive Internet experience. Mechanical and mathematical aptitude required. Familiarity with inkjet, laser and bubble jet printers. The ability to work well with other staff and patrons and good verbal communication skills are essen-tial. Mustbeavailabletoworkdays,eveningsandweekends.

Minimumeducationandexperience: Computer experience required. Minimum high school graduate or current high school student.

hourlyrate: $7.40 per hour or the current minimum wage. There are no benefits for this position. Send cover letter, resume and signed applica-tion to:Businessoffice,PublicLibrariesofsaginaw,505Janesst.,saginaw,Michigan,48607 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

employmentopportunities

Recently, a major news service’s Twitter account was hacked, and several fake tweets not only sent ripples through the media, they impacted stocks globally. While there’s a key lesson here about the importance of social media, this event underscores just how vital it is to keep social media accounts safe.

SEE P 12, Avoid Being Hacked

avoidBeinghackedonsocialMediaBy Mario ArmstrongDigital Lifestyle ExpertMario Armstrong Media



wearecelebrating! TheMichiganBanneriscelebrating10yearsofpositivenewswiththeGreatLakesBayRegionandbeyond.ifyouhaveaspecialoccasionyou

wouldliketomakesureeveryoneknowsabout,justvisitwww.themichiganbanner.com,advertisingsection,www.saginawchamber.org/coupons,email

[email protected],orcall989.753.3475foradditionalinformationofhowyoucancelebratewithuswithphenomenalsavingsintheMichigan

Banner,theNationalBanner,andtheLatinoBanner.Thecouponcannotbeexchangedforcash.

FROM P 11, Avoid being HackedSocial media is often the lifeblood of a small

business or brand, sometimes as the only direct line to customers or clients available. So if your social media accounts were to get hacked, it isn’t just your business that’s in danger, it’s your reputation and your online relationships as well.

Here is my best advice to make sure YOUR social media accounts stay in the right hands:

1.PickagoodpasswordmanagerWithin a small business, different people

may handle different accounts and know different passwords. This may mean that while the part-time IT guy created the password to your mail server, and you know the password to Twitter, the summer intern may have been the one who set up the Facebook page. Do you know that all of those passwords are secure as well? It isn’t just about picking a strong password that contains numbers and funky characters; because we know how hard it is for everyone to remember those.

What your organization needs is strong password management software. I like Passpack because it helps a whole team easily and efficiently manage and share a variety of passwords. You can tag logins to sort them by team or project, protect all of your accounts with one extra-strong master password, and one-click login to sites. Plus, Passpack supports smartphones and tablets so you’re covered on mobile as well!

2. Two-step authentication on socialaccounts

Even if your passwords are strong, there still could be a weak link in the system: someone logs in using a compromised computer, a disgruntled ex-employee takes revenge, or a hacker gains access by resetting your password. How do you protect against attacks like those? Using two-step authentication. Typically passwords rely solely on something you know, as in a password or PIN you’ve memorized. Better security involves either something you are, like a fingerprint or retinal scan, and something you have, like a pass card. While computers today are pretty advanced, your webcam isn’t exactly equipped to scan your retina and your laptop is unlikely to have a fingerprint

scanner. But what about a thing you have? Today, most of us have smartphones and tablets that can serve as excellent security devices in a two-step authentication scheme.

In two-step, instead of just knowing a password, you also need to have your phone ready to receive a text message or similar electronic communication. When you log-in with your password, you then will also have to enter a second code delivered securely to the device in your pocket. This means that unless a hacker both knows your password and has access to your phone; they’ll be locked out your account. Google, Apple, Facebook, and others already support two-step authentication, and others like Twitter are working to add it soon. I know that it can be a hassle to get used to using your phone and entering two passwords, but two-step authentication will have a huge impact on your social media security.

3.secureyourcommunicationwithVPNVPN (Virtual Private Network) is a term most

of us associate with ultra-secure communication and large companies—it involves a lot of extra security beyond what is usually called for because it encrypts all of your Internet communication through a secure tunnel. VPN solutions also used to be very expensive and difficult to implement. But many times, a good VPN is exactly what’s required. If you have employees who work from coffee shops,

airports, hotels, or other places where you can’t control the security of a wireless, then you’re putting your social media accounts at risk. You need to ensure that your employees are using secure networks whenever possible, and a VPN solution is the perfect way to do that.

One inexpensive service I like is Private WiFi which offers a free trial and starts at under $10/month. For your money, you get great security when browsing the web no matter where you are. Plus, their mobile apps will secure your communications when logging into your social media accounts while on-the-go as well.

Mario Armstrong, Digital Lifestyle Expert, is an Emmy Award winning, tech commentator for the TODAY show, CNN, HLN and Fuse. An entrepreneur by nature, Mario made his passion his career by quitting his day job and founding Mario Armstrong Media. Follow Mario at @MarioArmstrong.

Source: An AT&T Sponsored Blog

DidyouKnowTheMichiganBanneradvertisersareon-Line@www.themichiganbanner.com24/7!

believe. do.At AT&T we believe in communities. That’s why we do what we do. Like striving to connect people with good jobs, donating our time and talent, supporting the underserved, and promoting innovative educational programs.

Because we believe the power of you creates limitless possibilities for us all.

That’s why we proudly support the Michigan Banner.

© 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.





Business DirectoryUnique Cuts & Massage1502 Court StreetSaginaw, MI 48602989-327-2338

Unique Cuts II3125 E. Holland Saginaw, MI 48601989-327-2338

Business SolutionsThe Growth CoachCal Talley, Owner293 Provincial Ct. #78989-401-6229C.Talley@The GrowthCoach.comwww.The GrowthCoach.com

Carrollton Public SchoolsCraig C. DouglasSuperintendentP.O. Box 517 Carrollton, MI 48724(989) 754-1475Fax (989) 754-1470Direct Dial (989) [email protected]

Cleaning ServicesExtreme Carpet & UpholsteryWilliam & Denise Murphy - OwnersCommercial & ResidentialJanitorial Services989-753-3335

Best Choice Floor Maintenance & Carpet Cleaning989-316-8327 [email protected]

Community Centers and ServicesFirst Ward Community Services1410 N. 12th StreetSaginaw, Michigan989-753-0411

ConstructionKingdom BuildersJim Shafley, President2210 Annesley StreetSaginaw, MI 48601989. 948.8094www.kingdombuildersmi.org

ConsultantsEnviCare Consulting, Inc.Billy J. Strawter, Sr., President2809 Blairmont DriveMidland, MI 48622989.839.9177www.envicareinc.com

DentistsJack W. Nash, DDSCosmetic andRestorative Dentistry1320 S. Washington Ave.Saginaw, Michigan 48601989-752-1200

FashionWhere Did U Get That Hat? Specialize in Custom Designs“Sunday’s Best” Yvonne Ellison/MillinerPhone 989-529-4193E-mail: [email protected]

FinancialCity of Saginaw Block Grant & Rehab Program 1315 S. Washington Avenue, Room Saginaw, MI 48601 989-759-1530

Saginaw Economic Development Corporation Shontaye Bibbs 1315 S. Washington Avenue, Room 207 Saginaw, MI 48601 989-759-1395 [email protected]

Florists Erika’s Flowers214 Federal Ave.Saginaw, MI 48607989-755-9330www.erikasflowerssaginaw.com

Food & Dining Spencer’s Route 46Spence DambroProprietor5530 Gratiot989-793-3400Saginaw, MI 48638www.spencersfinefood.com

Funeral Homes Deisler Funeral Home2233 Hemmeter Rd.Saginaw, MI 48603989.799.1151

Graphics/DigitalTBF Graphics Digital803 S. Washington Ave.Saginaw, Michigan989-752-5540TBFGRAPHICS.COMTBFDIGITAL.COM

Heating and CoolingHORIZONAzola Williams989-755-8650 Business989-233-3295 Cell

Photography E.B. Studio212 Washington Ave.Saginaw, MI 48607989-397-4144

Quality Photo124 N. Michigan Saginaw, MI 48602989-790-8130

PublicationsDavid HallCrimiel Publications LLCPOB 20061Saginaw, Michigan 48602

REalTORS®Keller WilliamsGregg Matekel4177 Fashion Square Blvd. Suite 3Saginaw, MI 48603 989-792-8200 x188 Office989-529-3244 CellFax: 989-401-5172

RestaurantsBrother Arthur’s Fish & More2522 E. Genesee Saginaw, MI 989-752-0200

Rite Spot 1205 Lapeer Saginaw, MI 48601 989-754-6001

Savoy Bar & Grill127 S. Franklin StreetSaginaw, MI 48607989.754.9660

RetailersGREEKS “R” US 2203 E. Genesee Saginaw, MI 48601 989-755-4925 [email protected]

Shoe RepairMorgans Shoe Repair 308 Federal Ave. Saginaw, MI 48607 989-754-6155

TailorsExecutive Tailoring Christopher E. EddingtonMaster Tailor418 Court StreetSaginaw, MI [email protected] hour service

Tax ServicesRobert McDuffy Tax & Accounting Service/ERO e-file2127 LedyardSaginaw, MI 48601Business - 989-443-0115 Fax [email protected]

TransportationMcFadden Charter Service, LLCHoward McFadden1200 E. Moore Rd.Saginaw, Michigan989-777-7038 / 989-751-1461Howard [email protected]

authorsW. James Richardson 1356 Woodside Street Saginaw, MI 988-753-0233 www.wjamesrichardson.com

auto2 Fresh DetailKenny Jackson 300 N. Niagara StreetSaginaw, MI 48602989-239-7012

Labadie Olds 711 S. EuclidBay City, MI 48706Terry ReedSales Professional989-667-2000 Ext. 341Direct 989-460-0341Fax 989-667-0103E-mail [email protected] www.labadieauto.com

McDonald Pontiac-GMC, Inc. 5155 State Street Saginaw, MI 48603 Leon V. Washington Sales & Leasing Professional989-790-5155 [email protected]

Saginaw Valley Ford Lincoln Gil Johnson, President4201 Bay RoadSaginaw, MI 48603989.792.17001.800.479.8651

BakeriesLighthouse Bakery 285 S. Outer Drive Saginaw, MI 989-754-7088 Fax – 989-754-7099

Banquet FacilitiesRowan - West Facility1400 W. Genesee Saginaw, Michigan989-753-3475

BeautyIllusions Beauty SalonValerie King Owner/Operator1400 W. Genesee StreetSaginaw, Michigan989-755-2666/989-755-3883

LocAccentsTonita LawsonSisterlocks Consultant6327 Laurentian Ct.Flint, MI 48532810-240-9665www.Sisterlocks.com

Reflection of U Too2103 Sheridan Ave.Saginaw, Michigan 989-753-4600

Sports Barbershop1400 W. GeneseeSaginaw, Michigan989-992-2600



EducationTimetoGetseriousonstudentLoanDebtBy Representative Karen Bass

California - If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a thousand times from my Republican colleagues: we have to stop passing debt onto the backs of future generations. There’s plenty of room to debate how best to achieve that goal but not enough attention is being

given to the crushing debt being placed on the backs of future generations from student loans.

Last month marked the one year anniversary of student loan debt crossing the $1 trillion mark -- making it second only to mortgage debt. Amer-icans now owe more in student loan debt then credit card or automobile debt with the past 10 years showing a staggering 511 percent increase.

Many have tried to down play these facts or flat out deny there is a student loan debt crisis. They argue borrowers should take personal re-sponsibility for what they owe and not look for a bail out from the government.

Borrowers should bear responsibility for their loan obligations but it’s just wrong to say there isn’t a crisis or to somehow suggest that because these Americans chose to get a good education they should be saddled with a lifetime of debt.

Ask any student loan borrower struggling to land their first job or who is underpaid in their current job and they will tell you the hardships they face making their student loan payments each month -- living proof that the crisis is real.

If their pleas aren’t enough then perhaps a recent report from The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will help to quiet the skeptics. The report pointed out many young borrowers are

refraining from making purchases that could benefit the broader economy such as homes or automobiles because paying down student loans will likely claim huge amounts of their income.

Given that the majority of the debt is owed by borrowers over the age of 30, delaying these big purchases to pay back increasing student loan costs can have long term impacts that undermine our economic growth.

Still not convinced? Perhaps the Department of Education’s claim that over 13 percent of bor-rowers will default on their student loans within three years of entering repayment might change your mind.

If I still haven’t gotten your attention then let’s talk about the Consumer Financial Protec-tion Bureau finding that there are now more than $8.1 billion in defaulted private student loans and even more in delinquency. A survey from the bu-reau found that thousands of students didn’t un-derstand the full cost of their loans or the risks they assumed when they took out those loans to pay for college.

Still don’t believe? How about a recent Tran-sUnion credit report study which noted that more than half of student loans are in deferred status with deferred loans representing almost 45 per-cent of all student loan balances.

If I haven’t won you over yet then perhaps financial expert Suze Orman could convince you with a statement she recently made while speak-ing to a group of young staffers on Capitol Hill when she described student loan debt as the sin-gle most important financial issue facing Ameri-cans today.

All the data can’t be wrong right? So what

should be done? To start Congress should imme-diately pass a short term legislative fix to stop interest rates from doubling on July 1, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. A short term fix, as has been proposed by Democratic Congressman Joe Courtney of Connecticut would give Congress enough time to craft a comprehensive solution to the problem and adequately address why college costs have continued to skyrocket in recent years.

I have proposed the Student Loan Fairness Act of 2013 as an initial step toward a comprehensive fix to the student loan debt crisis. This bill attacks the problem in a number of ways including al-lowing borrowers to have their loans forgiven up to $45,000 after making 10 years of payments at 10 percent of their discretionary income. Interest rates would permanently be capped at 3.4percent and eligible borrowers would be able to convert their private loan debt into federal direct loans.

The unemployed would no longer see the in-terest on their loans continue to rise while they looked for work.

Our best and brightest need to be able to un-leash the full economic potential of their educa-tions by investing in their country, not paying down excessive student loan debt. If we mean what we say about not passing debt onto the backs of the next generation then we have to get serious about student loan debt.

Representative Karen Bass was re-elected to her second term representing the newly drawn 37th Congressional District of California in No-vember 2012.

Source: www.bass.house.gov

BLoGwiThThecoMMuNiTyyouThPosiTiVeLy@www.thenationalbanner.wordpress.com.



Lauren Grotkowski-SeniorThe Mount Pleasant Industrial Boarding School opened its doors to its first 17 students on January 3rd, 1893. By June of that same year, several additional facilities were built to accommodate the increasing student enrollment, including girls’ and boys’ dorms, a dining hall, a hospital, and several farm buildings. Native American children from all of Michigan, and as far away as Minnesota and New York attended the Mount Pleasant Boarding School. The school maintained an average enrollment of about 300 students per year for students ranging from kindergarten to the 8th grade.

The goal of this boarding school was like traditional boarding schools in the U.S. at the time. Its main goal was to teach Native American children how to fit into American society by introducing them to things such as the English language and Christianity. The American Indian community had mixed reactions to the idea of sending their children to the Mount Pleasant Industrial Boarding School. Some parents were outraged at the thought of their children being stripped of their culture, only to live like the “white men.” Others viewed the school as an opportunity to save their children from a life of poverty on the reservation. Some parents willingly sent their children to the Mount Pleasant school, while others were forced to attend by the government. The school maintained an extremely strict atmosphere, and implemented severe punishment if rules were broken. For example, speaking in their Native Indian language would result in a mouth washed out with soap. The children were forced to change their birth–given name to a Christian name and were made to wear matching uniforms. They slept 30-40 children in a large room, where they had little privacy. Some children endured this harsh lifestyle; others ran away, and as many as 116 children were laid to rest in the cemetery on the boarding school’s grounds.

The Mount Pleasant Industrial Boarding School ended its classes in June of 1934. The school then became a mental patient hospital, changing its name to The Mount Pleasant Branch of the Michigan Home and Training School. The building closed its doors in 2008 due to a lack of funding from the State of Michigan and has been abandoned ever since. In April of 2011, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal Council voted to take ownership of the boarding school and nearby cemetery.

For more information: http://www.sagchip.org/ziibiwing/planyourvisit/boardingschool/ index2.htmhttp://content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/marr.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/indiancountry/history/boarding.html

Colleen Green is the Director of the Native American Program & Student Transition Enrichment Program

MountPleasantindustrialBoardingschool



MeandMommy celebratingTeaTime

Beatrice Clay 1929-2008Sheila Falls 1957 -2009Madelyne Johnson 1939-2010Beulah McNeely 1924-2012Gone yet not forgotten, although we are apart, your spirit lives within me, forever in my heart. Remembering you on Mother’s Day and all year through.

From Barbara Hairston and Family

inlovingmemoryof

Grandparents and grandchildren,Together they createA chain of loveLinking the pastWith the future.The chain may lengthen,But it will never part.

GrandparentsandGrandchildren

weareThankful…

We are thankful for another year with our family matriarch, 94 years young,

Mrs. Alma Dolly.We salute you mother, grandmother,

sister, auntie, and friend

MothersarespecialallyearLongThere is no love like a mother’s love,no stronger bond on earthLike the precious bond that comes from God,to a mother when she gives birth.

A mother’s love is forever strong,never changing for all timeAnd when her children need her most,a mother’s love will shine.

God bless these special mothers,God bless them every oneFor all the tears and heartache,

and for the special work they’ve done.When her days on earth are over,a mother’s love lives onThrough many generations,with God’s blessings on each one.

Be thankful for our mothers,for they love with a higher loveFrom the power God has given, and the strength from up above.

Author Unknown

Mommy, You Are My Sunshine ( favorite song) Mommy, Olivia, and Alexandria Reynolds

“Having been adopted, I really have a strong sense- a necessity almost- for stability, a foundation where my family is concerned. Success would be meaningless without anyone to share it with.”

“I have a lot of respect for my birth mother… I know she must have had a lot of love for me to want to give what she felt was a better chance.”

Faith HillCountry music singer



“Liftingasweclimb”The Dr. Marie Wright Tolliver Cultural and Civic Club recently presented the 2013 people of achievement awards to several individuals whose unselfish contributions to the Saginaw community continues to uplift the lives of the residents and the future of the Great Lakes Bay Region. The gala affair was held at the Four Points Sheraton in Saginaw. Congratulations to the 2013 Awardees & Scholarship Recipients.

Dr. Marie Wright Tolliver



Health‘Better Choices, Better Medicine, Better Healing’FamilyTriptoseeDr.KeefaBy James Falls

Detroit- Re-cently, I traveled 100-plus miles with, my father, John Falls, and a friend, Gary, to visit Dr. Keefa Lorraine Witherspoon in De-troit, Michigan. As we traveled along the highway in my

1991 Chevy Caprice, I thought about the unique-ness of Dr. Witherspoon, who is a Naturopathic physician with a practice that is very different than a traditional doctor.

In summary, a Naturopathic Doctor’s (ND) practice consists of holistic and natural remedies to prevent and treat diseases and illnesses without prescribing medication. Dr. Witherspoon doesn’t prescribe medication nor advocate surgery, but instead her practice is based on seeking the root cause of an issue and treating it. The “nature cure” as it is sometimes called can consist of spe-cial diets, herbs, vitamins, etc. for healing.

The journey for Dr. Keefa began in 1977, when she was diagnosed with cancer and was desperate for answers. Feeling hopeless, Dr. Keefa attempted to commit suicide by overdos-ing on anti-depressants. Not only was she suc-cessful in her personal journey, but her mission became to show others that living healthy is a way of life.

During the Transformational Tuesday class, she shared the keys to govern the mind, body and spirit properly, while referencing the biblical scriptures of 1 John 1:5 and 4:8, where the text states that God is love and God is light. Therefore,

love and light must correlate with each other. “We as Naturopathic Doctors don’t treat dis-

ease (with medication),” Keefa said. “They don’t have to be treated because primarily they’re pre-ventable and the body knows how to heal itself given the proper environment.

What’s mind blowing to me about this corre-lation is how it reflects the state of the body when it comes to health.

“In presence of a brilliant light, all lesser lights must submit,” Dr. Keefa said. “Hence, why we can’t see the stars during the daytime.”

Dr. Keefa was quick to respond after a few students questioned the significance of that quote.

She explained that all emotions vibrate on certain frequencies in the body; shame and guilt having the lowest frequency. Along with emo-tional manifestations in the body can become physical.

Cancer, obesity, diabetes and other illnesses also vibrate on these low frequencies. If the vi-brations stay on a higher level, then disease can’t reside in the body.

“Once you decide to live your life on such a high vibration, disease has no other choice but to vanish,” Dr. Keefa said.

Since 1977, Dr. Keefa has had a major turn-around in her life. She has created a buzz on Woodward Avenue in the city of Detroit.

She is the founder of The Water Station (gro-cery store), The SanKofa House (main office and gift shop) and The SanKofa Life Center (life and fitness classes). These three buildings were es-tablished to meet the needs of the public in the demand for higher consciousness.

Dr. Keefa is also an author, below is an excerpt from her book, Standing In the Majesty of Grace:

There I was: saved, sanctified and full of cancer. I couldn’t understand how such a thing could happen to me. I was in church six or seven days a week, doing all the “right” things. How could this happen to me?

I remember begging for my life to change. If somehow I could win favor with God, maybe all my problems would disappear.

As I begged for God’s mercy, I realized how un-deserving I felt. The shame and guilt were overwhelming. It seemed God was “punishing me” for some reason that was completely foreign to me.

At one point, I believed my world was coming to an end. The agony and torture from the echoing thought of living with, then dying from, cancer became unbearable. That afternoon, I decided to end my miserable life bytaking a bottle of anti-depressants and half a bottle of sleeping pills. My three-year-old son and my father found me and rushed me to Providence Hospital.

As the doctors struggled to bring me back, I re-member a soft voice within saying: “When you become more loving and accepting of yourself, breaking free ofself-destructive thoughts and tendencies be-comes a natural step.” That day the part of me that wanted to give up, the part of me that wanted to die – did, and a new me was born.

For more information, you can check out Dr. Keefa’s website at www.drkeefa.com.

L-R John Falls and Dr. Keefa L. Witherspoon

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

Are you or someone you know having child behavior problems?

The CAN Council, through Project LAUNCH funding, offers FREE parenting classes. The program is called Incredible Years and is an evidence based curricula targeting parents with 3 to 6 year old children. The parent training program is designed to work jointly to promote emotional and social competence and to prevent, reduce, and treat behavioral and emotional problems in young children. There have been 40 parents and caregivers who participated in 3 series of 20 sessions each.

Is IY helpful?

National studies have shown promising results:

Increased positive and nurturing parenting

Decreased harsh coercive negative parenting

Reduction in children’s home and school behavior problems

Increased positive behaviors at home and school

Increased parent-child bonding

For more information about Incredible Years, please contact Vera, CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region CAPE Director and Incredible Years Group Leader, at [email protected] or 989-752-7226.

Project LAUNCH stands for Linking Actions for Unmet Needs for Children’s Health. The Michigan Department of Community Health was awarded a grant from the federal government and they chose Saginaw as the area to provide services. If you want to learn more about Project LAUNCH contact Pamela at (989) 202-1485 extension 102 or [email protected].

S A G I N A W

I N C R E D I B L E Y E A R S Incredible Years We began our third Incredible Years class series in October 2012. On the first day of classes we do paperwork and introductions. During the first class, my co-group leader and I began introductions by saying what our jobs are and what our background is. Then it was the parents’ turns to share. This group went way above and beyond the typical name and brief background (number of children, gender and ages) that most parents give when they first meet each other. These parents voluntarily opened up and shared difficulties they were having with each child including the troubles and barriers their families were facing. Several of the parents cried when they shared. Each parent spent a good ten minutes or more telling their story and what had led them to be in the class. They chose not to hold back! We believe this story shows just how vital the Project Launch-funded Incredible Years is to the community. The parents in our current session had these feelings and concerns bottled up just waiting for someone to listen to them. Just waiting for someone who had support to offer them. When adults who have never met are willing to open up to strengthen their families, you know the services being provided are exactly what they were hoping for! ~ Danelle Elliott Incredible Years Group Leader CAN Council Great Lakes Bay

“We believe this story shows just

how vital the Incredible Years

and Project Launch are to

our community.”





Wilbert J. Smith and Alois B. Smith

Owner/Operators

Contact us today to learn more about our Quality Care Guarantee!

320 S. Washington Avenue Suite 202 • Saginaw, MI 48607

989-752-5501 • 989-752-5503 FAX

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.mbsmichigan.comforcare.com

C O M F O R C A R E H O M E C A R E ®

Independence. Dignity. Quality of Life.

A D e d i c a t e d N o n - M e d i c a l H o m e C a r e A g e n c y

The ComForcare MissionTo improve the quality of life and

level of independence for every client and family receiving our services.

We focus on four initiatives that are critical to the well-being of seniors: • Fall Prevention

• Medication Adherence

• Chronic Disease Management

• Transition of Care

With health care costs increasing and more expenses being passed on to the consumer, MMR has created a program to help cover co-payments for ambulance transportation.

MMR Plus is an optional membership program for $49 annually.

• Ambulancetransportsmustbemedicallynecessary.• No limits to the number of times you may use the

membership during the program year.• Membershipcoversbothspousesanddependentchildren

living at home.• Don’t have a billable health insurance? Membership

means you’ll only be charged the Medicare allowable rate – a fraction of the regular charges.

Check your insurance coverage and benefit structure to see if MMR Plus is right for you. You may also contact MMR’s Verifications Specialists for further details at 989.907.2120, or 800.232.5216.

Let’sstartMoving!Regular physical activity and physical fitness are important to one’s

health, sense of well-being, and maintenance of a healthy body weight. When one is physically fit, he/she can better meet the demands of work and leisure comfortably.

Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving. Be sure to check with your physician and start at a comfortable level. Once you get the hang of it, add a little more activity each time you exercise. Then try exercising more often. Below are some of the most frequent questions you may have so you can start moving.

What kinds of activity should I do?To get the health benefits of physical activity, do a combination of

aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.• aerobic (“air-OH-bik”) activities make you breathe harder and

cause your heart to beat faster. Walking fast is an example of aerobic activity.• Muscle-strengthening activities make your muscles stronger.

Muscle-strengthening activities include lifting weights and using exercise bands.

What are the benefits of physical activity?Physical activity increases your chances of living longer. Exercise can

also help:• Controlyourbloodpressure,bloodsugar,andweight• Loweryour“bad”cholesterolandraiseyour“good”cholesterol• Preventheartdisease,colorectalandbreastcancer,andtype2diabetes

SEE P 22, Let’s Start Moving



howtostaysafeinthesunIt’s natural to want to

get out in the sun once the weather warms up. It should also be second nature to take steps to protect your skin from the sun when you go outside. That’s why the Fri-

day before Memorial Day is designated Don’t Fry Day - a day to raise awareness of sun safety and encourage everyone to take steps to protect their skin.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays – from the sun and other sources like tanning beds – are the primary cause of skin cancer according to the American Cancer Society. Too much exposure can also cause sun-burn, eye damage and premature wrinkles. But shielding your skin with clothing, broad-spec-trum sunscreen of sun protection factor (SPF) 30 or higher, and shade can help lower your risk.

Takethesestepstostaysun-safe:• Coverup:Whenyouareoutinthesun,

wear clothing and a wide-brimmed hat to protect

as much skin as possible. Protect your eyes with sunglasses that block at least 99% of UV light.

• Use a broad spectrum sunscreen withSPF of at least 30: Be sure to reapply at least ev-ery 2 hours, as well as after swimming or sweat-ing.

• Seek shade:Limityourdirect exposureto the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV rays are strongest.

• According to theAmericanCancer So-ciety, both tanning beds and sunlamps can cause serious long-term skin damage and contribute to skin cancer.

choosingandusingsunscreenWhen choosing sunscreen, be sure to read

the label before you buy. Sunscreens with broad spectrum protection (against UVA and UVB rays) and with SPF 30 or higher are recommended. The SPF number is the level of protection the sun-screen provides against UVB rays.

Higher SPF numbers do mean more protec-tion, but the higher you go, the smaller the differ-

ence becomes. SPF 15 sunscreens filter out about 93% of UVB rays, while SPF 30 sunscreens filter out about 97%, SPF 50 sunscreens about 98% and SPF 100 about 99%. No sunscreen protects

Remember to check the expiration date on the sunscreen container to be sure it is still effective.

MoretoolstoprotectyourskinThe American Cancer Society has lots of in-

formation on how to protect your skin at cancer.org/sunsafety, as well as a description of all skin cancer prevention activities.

Many interactive tools are available to help you take care of your skin. The Environmental Protection Agency’s UV index helps you plan your time outside so you can avoid the most in-tense sunlight. Remember, you don’t need to avoid the sun altogether. Just be sure to take the steps that can protect your skin – on Don’t Fry Day and every day.

Source: www.cancer.org

FROM P21, Let’s Start MovingAnd that’s not all. Being more active can:• Befun• Helpyoulookyourbest• Improveyoursleep• Make your bones, muscles, and joints

stronger• Lower your chances of becoming

depressed• Reducefallsandpainfromarthritis• HelpyoufeelbetteraboutyourselfHow much aerobic activity do I need each

week? • Ifyouchoosemoderate activities, do at

least 2hoursand30minutes a week. Moderate activities include things like walking fast, dancing, and raking leaves.

• Ifyouchoosevigorous activities, do at least 1hourand15minutes a week. Vigorous activities include things like jogging, jumping rope, swimming laps, or riding a bike on hills.

Do moderate or vigorous aerobic activity for at least 10 minutes at a time. You can also combine moderate and vigorous activities.

How do I know if my activity level is moderate or vigorous?

Your body is working at a moderate level

when you can talk but not sing. Your body is working at a vigorous level when you can’t say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.

How much muscle-strengthening activity do I need each week?

Do muscle-strengthening activities at least 2days a week. Muscle-strengthening activities include push-ups, sit-ups, and lifting weights.

Be sure to strengthen all major muscle groups including the legs, hips, back, chest, stomach, shoulders, and arms. If you can, do several sets of each exercise.

Is physical activity for everyone?Yes! People of all ages and body type benefit

from physical activity. Even if you feel out-of-shape or haven’t been active in a long time, you can find activities that will work for you with the help of your trainer and physician.

What if I’m overweight?If you are overweight or obese, getting active

can help you lower your risk of:• Type2diabetes• Highbloodpressure• Heartdisease• Stroke• Sometypesofcancer

What if I have a health condition?If you have a health condition, talk to a

doctor about what types of activity are best for you. Physical activity can help you manage your type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. .

I’m just getting started.Start out slowly and add new physical

activities little by little. After a few weeks or months, do them longer and more often if you aren’t sure where to start.

Choose an activity that you enjoy.Team up with a friend or join a class. Ask

your family and friends to be active with you. Play games like tennis or basketball, or take a class in dance or martial arts.

You can:• Go for a brisk walk around the

neighborhood• Rideabicycletoworkorjustforfun• PlayoutdoorgameswithyourchildrenCheck out the Presidential Champions

program at www.presidentschallenge.org, to obtain

personalized activity logs, training tips, and more. See just how high you can raise your activity level!

Source: http://www.healthierus.gov/



caNPresident/ceo electedForsecondTerm

President/CEO of CAN Coun-cil Great Lakes Bay Region, Su-zanne Greenberg, will serve a second two-year term as a Board of Trustee member for National CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). In her second term, Greenberg will additionally serve as the Chair of the Standards Com-mittee.

Greenberg, originally nominated to the position in 2011 by the Honorable Faye M. Harrison and CAN board member Tammy Bernier, will serve as a Member-Elect-ed Trustee. As such, she’ll represent the network of 946 CASA programs across the U.S. that are recruiting, train-ing and supporting volunteers to advocate for the best in-terests of abused and neglected children.

Locally, Greenberg oversees the CASA of Saginaw County program, one of the 4 programs of the CAN Council. Two Hundred specially-trained CASA volun-teers have advocated for nearly 900 children since the program’s inception ten years ago.

For more information concerning the efforts of CASA of Saginaw County, contact Suzanne Greenberg at (989) 752-7226.

Suzanne Greenberg

Midland – Jennifer Page has joined the staff of the Disabil-ity Network of Mid-Michigan (DNMM) as the agency’s Business and Community Relations Specialist. “At Disability Network, we seek to build accessible and inclusive communities,” said David Emmel, Executive Director of DNMM. “A significant part of this effort is working with businesses through the Great Lakes Busi-ness Leadership Network, and individuals throughout the region. Jennifer brings a wealth of experience to our agency that will prove invaluable as we continue developing diversity strategies with area businesses.”

Jennifer previously worked for Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan as both a member-ship specialist and an outreach facilitator. She was responsible for the management of a four-county area, including membership, fund development opportunities and program growth. Jennifer also worked at the North Midland Family Center as a program director, an events coordinator, and a resource director.

Jennifer is President-Elect of the Midland Exchange Club and she serves as an adult steering committee member of Midland County Youth Leadership. Most recently, Jen-nifer volunteered for the Midland Historical Society on the new Civil War exhibit.

Jennifer lives in Hope with her two sons, Owen and Ethan. She is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and, in her free time, she enjoys studying history, travelling, and enjoying Michigan’s great outdoors with her children.

DNMM provides an array of business services aimed at making businesses more ac-cessible and inviting to customers; including disability awareness trainings, ADA consul-tations, accessibility reviews, and assistive technology seminars. For more information, contact Disability Network of Mid-Michigan at 1-800-782-4160 or at www.dnmm.org.

JenniferPageJoinsDisabilityNetworkofMid-Michiganstaff

Jennifer Page

Contact Wardene Talley

989-754-2288

Children with Severe Emotional Disturbance need a lot of support. From families, teachers, social service and healthcare providers … and often more. We maximize those resources — to make sure those children get all the support they need.

ResourcesMaximize





A.Philip Randolph InstitutePOB 1107Saginaw, MI 48606American Red Cross1232 N. MichiganSaginaw, MI 48602989-754-8181Antique Toy & Firehouse Museum3456 Patterson Rd. Bay City, MI 487061-888-888-1270 Boys & Girls Club of Bay County300 Lafayette Ave.Bay City, MI 48706989-892-6723CAN Council Saginaw County1311 N. Michigan AvenueSaginaw, MI 48602(989) 752-7226 / fax (989) 752-2777www.cancouncil.orgCastle Museum of Saginaw County History500 Federal Ave.Saginaw, MI 48607 Circle of Love 1809 Durand Ave.Saginaw, MI 48602989-754-2377

Emmaus House of Saginaw733 S. 15th StreetSaginaw, MI 48601989-755-7538THE EZEKIEL [email protected]. Box 3470Saginaw, MI. 48605-3470Phone: 989.755.1620 Fax: 989.755.4038First Ward Community Center1410 N. 12th StreetSaginaw, MI 48601989-753-0411Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan5470 Davis Rd.Saginaw, MI 48604989-799-9565Good Neighbors Mission1318 Cherry StreetSaginaw, MI 48601989-399-9918Health Delivery, Inc. 501 Lapeer Ave.Saginaw, MI 48607989.759.6400

Houghton-Jones Task Force1708 Johnson StreetSaginaw, MI989-752-1660Michigan Banner Outreach 1400 W. GeneseeSaginaw, MI 48602989-714-2240Nathan Weidner Children’s Advocacy Ctr.715 N. EuclidBay City, MI989-671-1345Operation Reach 119 S. Jefferson Avenue Saginaw, MI 989-754-4444Public Libraries of SaginawButman-Fish, Claytor, Hoyt, Wickes & Zauel Libraries505 Janes AvenueSaginaw, MI 48607989-755-0904www.saginawlibrary.org

Restoration Community Outreach1205 Norman Saginaw, MI 48601(989) 753-1886 / fax (989) 753-2880Email: [email protected] Saginaw County Community Action Agency, Inc. (CAC)2824 Perkins StreetSaginaw, MI 48601989.753.7741The Salvation Army2030 N. CarolinaSaginaw, MI 48602989-793-8371The Saginaw Community Foundation1 Tuscola, Suite 100 Saginaw, MI 48607989-755-0545Women of ColorsPOB 5525Saginaw, MI 48603989-399-9275 or 989-737-9286

NON PROFIT DIRECTORY

oPhThaLMoLoGisT and oPToMeTRisT volunteers needed to help provide eye care treatment to those in need in the community. Make a difference in the lives of those with life-limiting ill-nesses. Volunteers needed to provide iN-hoMe or NuRs-iNGhoMeVisiTs to allow family members to run er-rands and get a break from care giving.PhysiciaN volunteers needed to provide free medical care to individuals without any type of health insurance at various medical clinics throughout Saginaw County.ViGiLvolunteers are needed at a local agency to be caring and calming presence for a dying patent when words and deeds are less important than just being there. Training pro-vided. PeTTheRaPyDoGs needed at a local agency to bring a smile to lonely patients. To volunteer your services or to donate goods, please call Hen-rietta Watson at the United Way of Saginaw County 755-0505, Ext. 216, [email protected]. Or check out the web-based volunteer program at www.GOvolunteerNOW.org.

currentVolunteeropportunitiesinsaginawcounty The Castle Museum is pleased to present “Through the Eyes of

Lucy Burrows Morley: an exhibition of photography,” on display May 28 through Sept. 15, 2013. The selection of more than 50 imag-es from the early 1900s, organized by guest curator Chris Thomson, show Morley’s eye for composition and her ability to capture the moment. Even though Morley was an amateur her images rivaled

those of professional photographers during the early 20th century. “She had a remarkable sense of composition,” said Thomson. “With a Brownie

camera she captured daily life as she saw it happening in the early 1900s.” The exhibit reflects Morley’s particular strengths, featuring photographs of her

subjects from behind which allowed viewers to see the world as it appeared through their eyes. She also took pictures of family, landscapes across the United States and Europe and even expressed her artistic side with some interesting compositions.

”Her work was really amazing for the time,” Thomson said. “I am excited to see her images exhibited. I think she deserves a place in photographic history.”

This exhibit was made possible with generous contributions from the Morley Foundation and the Mark T. Morley Memorial Fund.

The Castle Museum, 500 Federal Avenue, is open Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (989) 752-2861 or go to www.castlemuseum.org.

The Historical Society of Saginaw County is committed to serving the community by telling the continuing story of the people of the Saginaw region through exploration, preservation, and presentation of their historical and cultural heritage.

exhibithighlightsearlyPhotographsFromMorleyFamily



Praise Connections and LifeMessiahMissionaryBaptistchurchcelebratesanniversary

Messiah Missionary Baptist Church, located at 2615 Williamson Road, in Saginaw, is joyfully celebrating the 16th Pastor and Wife Anniversary for Rev. Otis and Bonn Washington, on June 2, 2013, at 4 p.m. Pastor Washington is the Moderator of the Saginaw Valley District Association. The guest is Rev. Robert Corley, Jr., and the congregation of the Prince of Peace Baptist Church. The community is invited to join in the celebration.

Rev. Otis and 1st Lady Bonn Washington

On Sunday, May 19, the members of Zion Missionary Baptist Church, located at 721 Johnson Street, in Saginaw, will celebrate 12 years of leadership from Pastor, Rev. Rodrick A. Smith at 10 a.m. It is with great pleasure, admiration and sincerity that we honor our pastor for 12 years of dedicated service

Guest Minister will be Rev. Lee Johnson of Greater Christ Missionary Baptist Church, Southfield, MI.

ZionMissionaryBaptistchurchcelebrates

Pastor Rodrick A. and 1st Lady Irma Smith, and daughter, Angela

TheMaster’sPotterBy Bobby Conner

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Jeremiah 18:1-2

This passage has become a living verse in my life. More than

40 years ago, I was a young pastor living in East Texas. A few miles from my church nestled in the rolling hills was a small, unique village where many hippies and artists from around the world lived. Somehow they had found their way to this tiny Texan hamlet. Among them were famous knife makers, artists working with brush and canvas, sculptors, and other gifted artisans.

One spring day, I was working in my study, preparing to tape some radio messages for our lo-cal radio station. While I was busy setting up my brand new tape recorder, pondering what I would share with my listeners, I felt a strange stirring

within my spirit. The Lord was moving my heart to drive to this small town of wonderful eccen-trics. At first I objected, explaining that I was too busy, but then irealizedthatoneshouldneverbetoobusytoobeytheLord!

Little did I know that I was on a divine mis-sion and was about to learn a very important message concerning the wonderful works of God. Arriving in town, I went to a small café I knew of where I would find many of these artists, and indeed, many were gathered there. On sever-al occasions I had preached in open-air meetings in the area, so they knew me. Many of them liked me and the Gospel message I preached. Not re-ally sure of my assignment from the Lord, I was simply open to do whatever He instructed.

On this day, the local potter was in the café and he asked me if I wanted to stop by his pot-ter’s house. I gladly agreed! As I walked along-side the potter to his studio, these verses from the Word of God began to stir within my spirit: “The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.’ Then I

went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was working at the wheel. And the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he made it over, reworking it into another vessel as it seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me: ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?’ says the Lord. ‘Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel’” (Jeremiah 18:1-6).

Arriving at the potter’s house, I was truly amazed at the beauty of his pottery. I admired the deftly crafted plates and cups, the exquisite vases and flowerpots – hand-crafted yet perfect. The potter then asked me if I wanted to see how his creations were made. I told him, “Yes, ab-solutely!” The potter picked up a lump of clay, moistened it, and began to roll the clay into a tight ball, which he then placed onto his wooden potter’s wheel. He sat down in front of the wheel on a wobbly little stool and started the wheel spinning. His hands were strong yet delicate as he caressed the clay, molding it gently between

SEE P 29 - The Master

FROM P 28, The Masterhis fingers. Before long, an exquisite goblet began rising from the middle of the wheel. I was amazed to witness how that unformed lump of clay was being transformed into a beautiful work of art!

Suddenly, however, the potter stopped the spinning stone, his seasoned fingers de-tecting a tiny piece of non-pliable aggregate beneath the clay’s smooth surface. He deftly removed a piece of grit from the clay that was marring its perfection. Once again, he slowly began spinning his wheel, which al-lowed him to smooth out the scar from the imperfection he had just removed. Suddenly the stone stopped again. The potter removed yet another hard object from the goblet’s

side, one that was imperceptible to my untrained eye. Once again, the potter left a mark in the vessel’s smooth clay. I watched the patient expression on the potter’s face. Each time his hands discovered an unworkable piece within the clay; he would calmly and carefully remove it, scar the clay, but then re-pair the vessel. Once again, for the last time, the particles of grain within the cup resisted the potter’s hands and would not respond to his wishes. Quickly the potter squashed the goblet form back into a pile of clay. Now, instead of the beautiful goblet, the artisan formed the material into a crude, simple, finger bowl.

Consider this Scripture from Romans 9:21: “When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?”

Sometimes the creation that a potter sets out to create doesn’t cooperate as he would like it to and this inability of the clay to be pliant and workable forces the potter to settle for crafting a lesser vessel. This same principle holds true for you and me. How often have we resisted the Master Potter’s hands as He works to make us into a beautiful and useful instrument of His will?

“...We are the clay, and You are the potter. We are all formed by Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

God has unimaginably wonderful plans for each and every one of His creations, but for Him to accomplish those plans, He needs our pliability. When we fight the Lord’s hands on our life, we force Him to change His plans for our future. howmuchbettertoallowhimtoworksothatwemaybecomeallthatwecaninthePotter’smightyhands?

Ponder these truths revealed in Romans 9:20-23: “But who are you, a mere man, to criticize and contradict and answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him that formed it, ‘Why have you made me thus?’ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ig-noble and dishonorable use? What if God, although fully intending to show [the awfulness of] His wrath and to make known His power and authority, has tolerated with much patience the vessels (objects) of [His] anger which are ripe for destruction? And [what if] He thus purposes to make known and show the wealth of His glory in [dealing with] the vessels (objects) of His mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory...”

In 1907, Adelaide A. Pollard was disappointed and saddened that she was yet unable to raise the funds to serve in Africa as a missionary. Ms. Pol-



Pastor Otis and 1st Lady Sondra Dickens

NewBeginningsLifechangingMinistriescelebrates10yearanniversary

The members of New Begin-nings Life Changing Ministries recently celebrated the 10 year an-niversary of Pastor Otis and Son-dra Dickens of New Beginnings Life Changing Ministries, located at 2312 S. Washington Ave., in Saginaw.

Over 10 years ago, Pastor Otis Dickens was given a vision by God of the needs of the people on

the south side of Saginaw. The pastor and his beautiful wife, Sondra, then co-founded New Beginnings Life Changing Ministries in an of-fice building with 2 members. Thirty days later God blessed New Beginnings Life Ministries with a building over 10,000 sq. ft. on the south side of Saginaw.

The ministry has continued to grow in leaps and bounds while witnessing miracles of healing, financial empowerment, and the res-toration of many aspects in the lives of the members, and the com-munity surrounding the church.

The members of New Beginnings Life Changing Ministries give God the glory in this significant milestone as they move forward to-ward the completion of the vision given to Pastor Otis Dickens.

lard attended a small prayer meeting where a dear old saint prayed these words, “Lord,evenifidon’tunderstand,haveyourownway!” Going home that night, Adelaide penned the words of this great hymn, “Have Thine Own Way!”

Meditate on the lyrics of this most beautiful hymn (with music by G. S. Stebbins):

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.Mold me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!Search me and try me, Master, today!Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now, As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!Wounded and weary, help me, I pray! Power, all power, surely is Thine!Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!Hold o’er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall seeChrist only, always, living in me.

SEE P 30, The Master


TheMichiganBanner May 16, 2013

FirstGreatLakesBayRegionalNewspaper

Mr.countercultureYouth DevelopmentBy Corey Pritchett

Greetings community, I greet you with

aspirations of grace and peace being multiplied to you all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Today, I will be revisiting the topic of youthdevelopment. Let’s recapture some of the

information from the very first article I wrote on this topic. “Youth development is also a process in which family and community must actively participate.”

There are many who want to “save our youth” in this community, with great hearts and pure motives. However, I believe we need to implement foundational structure for our youth to be saved. What am I saying? Well, marching, having huge events that target non-violence, prayer vigils, etc., is not what I would perceive

as foundational structural approaches. Now, I am obviously not knocking the previously mentioned because I have been a part of all of those types of activities and I believe they have a place. I believe that relationship building is the key for foundational structure in saving our youth. Think about it, the youth who are committing the crimes, selling drugs, being involved in gang activity, etc., are more than likely, a product of a lack of firm positive intimate relationships with a mother, father, or a figure which represents those roles.

Parents we must lead by example! How can you build a relationship and give your child instructions and directions for life when you’re getting high every day, and of course, they know it? How can you build, when you’re a husband whose never home but getting you “a little something something” on the side? Or are you a parent who goes to the club “every” weekend? Even if we were taught these things growing up ourselves, we still have the ability to do something different and break generational curses.

How many of you are taking your children

to church every Sunday? And even if you are taking them, are you living the life before their eyes and reinforcing what they are being taught at church? Are you teaching them prayer and the Word yourself?

All of these questions are things to just ponder on so we can focus on building these relationships, my people. This is not a rebuke, I haven’t always been where I am and still have much to learn, however, I am “walking what I am talking.”

There is an event coming up on June the 15, called “A Day with Dad.” You can get the information in an ad within this particular edition of the Banner. This is a great opportunity for relationship building. My Pastor, Kareem Bowen, and I are working on a program that is for family and not just youth. That will be something great to be a part of that will exemplify relationship building. Look into other opportunities and events that are current or upcoming. The main focus right now is “start at home.” Until next time beloved…

FROM P. 29, The MasterIn what ways have you felt the tender hands of God shaping and mold-

ing you? How many times have you resisted His attempts? What can you do to remain pliable, moist and soft, yielded to the Master’s hands?

Ephesians 2:10 states that:“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,

which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”This Greek word translated “workmanship” is poiema, or the “work of

God as creator.” We are God’s masterpiece, His work of art! We are des-tined for beauty and purpose – if we will submit and yield our will to the will of our Father: “Not my will, but Thine be done!”

Amen!Source: Bobby Conner, Eagles View Ministries, Email: manager@

bobbyconner.org, Website: bobbyconner.org Bobby Conner, This “Gentle Giant” is uniquely anointed with refresh-

ing humor and razor-sharp prophetic accuracy which has been documented around the world. Bobby’s dynamic capacity to release outstanding demon-strations of the miraculous – healings, signs and wonders – reveals the very heart of the Father toward us! Surviving a dramatic abortion attempt by his mother, being rescued again by the hand of God from drug dealing and suicide, the story of Bobby Conner is a display of a man who now walks in his God-ordained destiny to set others free! Highly esteemed as an inter-nationally acclaimed conference speaker, Bobby has ministered effectively to over 45 foreign countries as well as here in the States for many years.

congratulationsCongratulations Keniedra Hunt on receiving your BA in Criminal Justice and DeKendrick Reed graduating from daycare. Be blessed mom and son doing it together! Proud of you both.Your Granny and Russell Family

congratulationstoclassof2013!Tarrin Daniel and Amari West Cane Ridge High School, Antioch, TNLove Holly Bell, Grandmother

congratulationsCongratulations to Kendra, a graduate of University of Michigan- Ann Arbor, with a BA in Sport Management/Economics.I am so proud of you!From Kenny Roberson, Dad



Christian Education – 9:30 a.m.Sunday Morning Worship – 11:30 a.m.Wednesday Bible Study – 6 p.m. Men’s Meeting held every second Saturday of the month

christDiscipleBaptistchurch3317LapeerStreet,Saginaw,Michigan•989-754-2444

PastorLarryD.camel and1stLadyshirleycamel

sunday9:30 a.m. – Sunday School11:00 – Worship Service

NewBirthMissionaryBaptistchurch1418S.WarrenAvenue•Saginaw,MI48601•989-755-6604

Pastor Dempsey Allen

Jacob’sLadderMinistries1926 Fairfield StreetSaginaw, MI 48602

989.799.6601www.jacobsladdersaginaw.org

sundayMorningworship-11:15a.m.

sunday8:30 a.m. Early Morning Worship 8:00 a.m. Radio Ministry - 98.9 FM 9:30 a.m. Sunday School, Enrichment 10:30 a.m. Morning Worship www.mtoimbc.org

Mt.oliveinstitutionalMissionaryBaptistchurch1114N.6th•Saginaw,MI48601•(989)-752-8064

Dr. Marvin T. and Omie Smith

saginawValleycommunitychurch3660hermansauDr.•saginaw,Mi48603•989-753-4769Sunday10 a.m. ~ Morning Worship6 p.m. ~ Celebrate Recovery6:30 p. m. ~ Young Adult’s Life Group Bible Study/WorshipMonday 7 p. m ~ Women’s Life Group Tuesday (2nd & 4th) – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. ~ Heaven’s Manna Food Distribution 7 a.m. ~ Men’s Life Group 6:30 p.m ~ Prayer Night 10 a.m. & 7 p.m ~ Healing Rooms

Wednesday 6:30 p.m ~ Equipping Classes, all agesThursday 1 p. m & 6:30 p .m ~ Healing Rooms Saturday 6 p.m. ~ Youth Worship

Pastor P. David Saunders

Bethela.M.e.church 535 Cathay Street

Saginaw, MI(989) 755-7011 ext. 221

BreadofLifeharvestchurch3726FortuneBoulevard•Saginaw,MI48603 989.790.7933

sunday10 a.m. wednesday7 p.m. http://breadoflifetm.org/ apostleRodneyJ.and

ProphetessRonniMcTaggart

Pastorotisand1stLadysondraDickens

sunday11:00 – Worship Service

NewBeginningsLifechangingMinistries2312S.WashingtonAve.•Saginaw,MI48601•989.755.3650

secondBaptistchurchPastor Seth Doyle 1770 W. Youngs Ditch Rd.Bay City, MI (989) 893-3937

BethelaMechurchPastor P. David Saunders535 Cathay St.Saginaw, MI 48601(989) 755-7011

BethlehemBaptistchurchPastor Ernest W. Bothuel3309 Bundy StreetSaginaw, MI 48601989-752-5866

BreadofLifeharvestcenterSenior Pastor Rodney J. McTaggart 3726 Fortune Blvd. Saginaw, MI 48603(989) 790-7933

christDisciplesBaptistPastor Eddie Benson3317 Lapeer StreetSaginaw, MI 48601(989) 754-2444

christFellowshipMBcPastor Robert Davis818 N. Washington Ave. Saginaw, MI 48601(989) 754-4435

worldoutreachcampusof GreatercolemanTempleMinistriesSupt. H.J. Coleman Jr.2405 Bay Rd. Saginaw, MI 48602(989) 752-7957

corinthianBaptistchurchPastor Roy L. Manning104 S. 10th St.Saginaw, MI 48601(989) 754-1820

Baycity

saginaw

FaithharvestchurchBishop Ronald E. ChippFaith Harvest Church 1734 N. MasonSaginaw, MI 48602(989) 799-4200Website: www.faithharvestministry.orgE-mail: [email protected]

GreaterFreewillMissionary BaptistchurchPastor James E. Speed615 Irving Park Ave.Saginaw, Michigan 48601(989) 753-1713(989) 755-3133Email: [email protected]

GreaterwilliamsTempleBishop H.J. Williams608 Remington Saginaw, MI 48601(989) 755-5291

Jacob’sLadderPastor Dempsey Allen1926 Fairfield StreetSaginaw, MI 48602989-799-6601

LifeinchristMinistriesPastor Dennis Cotton, Sr.2915 S. Washington Ave.Saginaw, MI [email protected]

MessiahMissionaryBaptistchurch2615 Williamson RoadSaginaw, MI 48601Pastor Otis Washington Phone: 989-777-2636Fax: 989-777-2640Email: [email protected]: www.Messiahsag.org

Mt.oliveBaptistchurchPastor Marvin T. Smith1114 N. 6th StreetSaginaw, MI 48601(989) 752-8064

NewBeginningchristianchurchReverend Dr. Willie F. Casey1016 Sherman Road Saginaw, MI 48604 989-754-2963

NewBeginningsLifechanging MinistriesPastor Otis Dickens2312 S. Washington Ave.Saginaw, MI 48601(989) 755-3650NewBirthMissionaryBaptistPastor Larry D. Camel1418 S. WarrenSaginaw, MI 48601(989) 755-6604 NewcovenantchristiancenterPastor Ron Frierson 523 Hayden Saginaw, MI 752-8485 NewFaithTemplecoGicElder Charles H. Coleman 2118 Burt Street Saginaw, MI 48601 (989) 752-3880NewhopeMissionaryBaptistchurchPastor Floyd A. Logan1721 Tuscola StreetSaginaw, MI 48601(989) 753-7600Email: [email protected] Rufus Bradley1401 Janes St. Saginaw, MI 48601(989) 753-1151NewMt.calvaryBaptistPastor Robert Donald3610 Russell StreetSaginaw, MI 48601(989) 754-0801Ninthstreetcommunitychurch Pastor William L. Scott, Jr. Assistant Pastor Rex Jones 1118 N. 9th Street Saginaw, MI 48601 989-752-7366PrinceofPeaceBaptistchurch825 North 24th StreetSaginaw, MI 48601989.754.2841Pastor Robert B. Corley, Jr.ResurrectionLifeMinistrieschurchPastor Carolyn L. Wilkins 2320 Sheridan Avenue Saginaw, MI 48601989.754.9466

st.PaulBaptistPastor Vincent D. McMillon120 N. 15th St. Saginaw, MI 48601(989) 752-5023

saginawValleycommunityPastor Richard Sayad3660 HermansauSaginaw, MI 48603(989) 752-4769

st.JohnMissionaryBaptistchurchPastor James E. Hodge1309 North 6th StreetSaginaw, MI 48601(989) 753-2188(989)714-7678

st.LukescMePastor Charles Braddock1121 Tuscola Saginaw, MI 48607(989) 755-0351

TransformingLifeMinistriesPastor William Brown3024 South Washington AvenueSaginaw, MI 48601-4353(989) 754-9573

TruevineBaptistchurchPastor Paul E. Broaddus 2930 Janes StreetSaginaw, MI 48601989-752-0751

VictoriousBelievers MinistrieschurchRev. Christopher V. Pryor624 S. Outer Dr. Saginaw, MI (989) 755-7692

wolverineBaptiststateconvention615 S. Jefferson Ave.Saginaw, MI 48607

ZionMissionaryBaptistchurchPastor Rodrick Smith721 JohnsonSaginaw, MI 48607(989) 754-9621





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For Lauren Little, it’s all about making connections. The rhetoric and professional writing major spends her summers volunteering and works during the school year giving tours as a Club Red ambassador and an Orientation Leader. “A student’s mom came up to me years after she took a campus tour, and she wanted to say hi,” Lauren said. “That’s the kind of connection I want to make.”

Lauren hopes to go on to pursue a master’s degree in Chicago and eventually to run her own public relations firm. Waking every day at 5:30 a.m., Lauren organizes her life around running, but ask her, and she’ll tell you that learning is the top priority. “Education is my all, and SVSU is truly home for me; it makes it that much easier for me to love what I do every day. I simply love everything it has to offer — the campus life and all the opportunities for growth.”

i ama runner and go-getter

Prospective or transfer students can check out SVSU by taking a campus tour and meeting with an admissions representative. Call (989) 964-4200 or email [email protected].

Visit us online at svsu.edu


the michigan banner may 16, 2013 edition

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