Lunch & Learn

About Our Speakers:

Mike Ball
Executive Director, Lost Voices

Mike Ball is an author, an Erma Bombeck award-winning humor columnist, a singer-songwriter, and a former world champion water skier. He’s also the founder and Executive Director of Lost Voices. Mike was named a 2023 CNN Hero for his nearly two decades of work with these kids.

Gretchen Pleuss 
Associate Director, Lost Voices

Gretchen Pleuss first started combining her passions for music and community outreach at 12 years old, when she played gigs at the local bakery to raise money for charities whose missions she supported. As a professional singer-songwriter, she has worked with nonprofit organizations like Music on a Mission and The Music Settlement to write songs with military veterans and facilitate songwriting courses for teens. At Hands Across the Water, she supervised visitations between parents and their children in foster care and became interested in helping heal generational trauma.

About Our Speakers:

Jennifer Frush
Executive Director, New Hope Center for Grief Support

Jennifer came to New Hope after the loss of her dad in 2013. Compelled by New Hope’s mission to bring hope, healing and new beginnings to those impacted by the death of a loved one, she wanted to honor her dad and continue her healing by walking with those in grief. To do this, Jennifer began volunteering with New Hope in 2013.

In 2020, Jennifer accepted the role of Executive Director, not knowing a global pandemic would soon hit our nation, and her programs and services would be called upon to lean in and support after so much loss. 

As a grief support expert, Jennifer has consulted with many schools and organizations. She has participated in multiple media interviews for local radio/TV shows and publications. Jennifer participates in several community councils and groups. She also leads facilitator training using an evidence-based peer support model and empowers those impacted by loss to find ways to transform the pain of loss into healing and helping others.

Brandi Kloostra 
Founder, Telephone of the Wind 

Five years ago, Brandi Kloostra decided to create The Telephone of the Wind Directory website and put the first Telephone of the Wind up in Plymouth, MI, in honor of her father. Her inspiration came from The Wind Phone in Japan. She knew her family and many others would benefit if she replicated this healing experience locally. Since then, she's helped hundreds of people create wind phones in their community, and it has become a powerful source of healing and joy for those who discover it.

Brandi's life mission is to spread happiness and uplift others. She is passionate about lifting others in their time of need and was recently compelled to lead the PORCH organization, which is focused on Providing Others Renewed Confidence and Hope. The PORCH initiative aims to combat "an epidemic of loneliness" among seniors through weekly phone calls, home visits, and community programs. She has also made a significant impact in the Canton community through her Be Great Be You initiative and The Inspiration Forest at the local school. Her work has brought joy and inspiration to many.

About Our Speaker:

Debbie Mikula, Executive Director

Michigan Library Association

Since June 2019, Debbie has served as the Michigan Library Association’s Executive Director. She places a high priority on any organization or project that creates a sense of place, showcases a community’s authentic heritage, and contributes to the economic prosperity of a region. Libraries are no exception.

She is a passionate advocate of arts and culture in the state and on a national basis – having led the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, ArtServe Michigan, Michigan Association of Community Arts Agencies, and the League of Historic American Theatres. 

Click here to register

Did you know that our local community has an amazing group of people who gather at community libraries to work with residents interested in honing their English language skills?

For nearly 40 years, the Plymouth Canton Community Literacy Council has been training patient volunteers with a love of people and sense of humor to work with our ESL residents to help them feel more confident with their reading, writing and conversational skills.

If you are looking for an amazing volunteer opportunity or if you would like to learn more about the classes offered through the Literacy Council, we hope you will register for this informal discussion.

Details:

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 - 11:30-12:30 pm

Plymouth District Library

(223 S. Main Street, Plymouth, MI)

This is a FREE event, however, we ask that you register.

This event is part of the Local Impact Alliance's "Lunch & Learn" program.

Bring your lunch and feed your mind.

About Our Speakers:

Andrea Hug became the Executive Director of the Community Literacy Council in 2017. She received her B.A. from Albion College in Economics and Communications and her M.A. from EMU in Education. She taught at Livonia Public Schools and substitute taught at P-CCS. She served on the board of P-CCS Parent Council for four years. 

When Andrea is not helping English language learners with their conversational English language goals, she enjoys volunteering at the Humane Society of Huron Valley.

A parents', grandparents', teachers' and counselors' introduction to local program for at-risk youth

When a child is acting out, showing signs of at-risk behavior, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, where can a parent turn? For Wayne Country residents, they can turn to the Youth Assistance and Diversion Program - a service of Growth Works.

This unique program provides an opportunity for a child to improve decision-making, take responsibility for their actions, and gain tools to navigate life.

The Growth Works team works with youth ages 11-17.5 to support young people and their families. The goal is to be a positive adult figure and meet each kid where they're at. The team members feel this is an opportunity to plant seeds for future growth.

Whether you're a parent, teacher, counselor or concerned citizen, we invite you to join us the EVENING of February 13 to learn more about how we can help our young people be the best version of themselves.

About Our Speakers ...