Hello, friends—Happy July! In this month's edition of our Corporate Sponsor Highlight, we ask Sherwood (Woody) Smith, of Avenue ISR, to share thoughts on community resilience and working for what you believe in. Be sure to read—inspiring! Stephanie Prall What’s your...
Rail Momentum in the Mitten
As the Groundwork team continues to work toward the next planning phase for the Northern Michigan passenger rail project, the broader momentum around rail in Michigan is looking bright. We find optimism in the $100 million for passenger rail in the state Senate’s...
Academy Grads Reflect on Impact
The 6th annual Advocate Academy is taking place Saturday, April 15th. The hands-on training is designed to help people become more effective advocates for their communities. Even though Advocate Academy is based in Traverse City, it's had an impact around Michigan,...
Cheryl Hutchinson Talks Personal Mission, Corporate Mission, and Groundwork
Hello, Friends —We are pleased to share some thoughts today about personal mission and community engagement from our board chair, Cheryl Hutchinson, who is also a member of our Corporate and Community Partnership Program.—Stephanie Prall What’s your...
Soot. Boring word. Deadly thing.
What if, in our nation, there was no fossil fuel soot? (Hang onto that thought.) “Soot.” So blunt and primitive, the word is just right for the dark, greasy and pernicious thing it represents. The word time-travels us back to the dawn of the industrial age and...
Accessible Housing Moving Forward
In case you missed it, in January, Traverse City Commissioners voted in favor of a purchase agreement with HomeStretch, a nonprofit housing developer based in lower Northwest Michigan, making it possible for HomeStretch to acquire a city-owned parking lot in the heart...