News

Greenway’s Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) recently wrapped up their final music classes out of the Calumet Library. Jenae Goligoski, an ECFE teacher and mom of two, came up with the idea of having a music class to offer to our community’s young children. “Kids can learn so much from music and it’s such an important piece of development.” With Jenae’s initiative and total support from ECFE, they made music class possible this summer. And boy, was it a hit! An “instrumental” part in making this happen was a grant from the Greenway Area Community Fund. This $500 grant filled bins,

Even though we are not yet through the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to tell some of the stories of what area organizations have been through in the last year.  Northern Community Radio (KAXE/KBXE) was one of the organizations that requested a Community Response grant administered through the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation last year because their operations had to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions.  They needed special equipment in order to work remotely.  Through the Community Response grant and other grants, KAXE/KBXE received needed laptops and other equipment to work remotely and continue to serve their listeners. Sarah Bignall, KAXE/KBXE Director

The Greenway Area Community Fund (GACF) Advisory Committee recently awarded a $2,000 grant to the City of Marble to be used for bleacher repairs at the Knight-Anderson Baseball Field. According to Daidre Breen, Marble representative on the Advisory Committee, “There are significant safety issues with the current bleachers and they are in dire need of some improvements.  The fields are used by many different groups during the spring and summer baseball seasons, and the project will be completed in phases to try to work around those groups that are already scheduled to use the field.” Casey Venema, Lawrence Township representative

Since 2017, Cathy Sayward has been the smiling face that greets people at the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation.  Cathy is retiring from the Foundation at the end of August.  “Cathy Sayward has been a rock here at the Community Foundation, especially at the height of the pandemic.  We will miss her steadfast commitment to our work and our community, and we wish her well in retirement! At the same time, we are delighted that Rhonda Cash has joined the team.  She and Cathy share many of the same qualities in terms of loyalty, work ethic, and optimism.”   Rhonda

Did you know that August is National Make-A-Will Month? A will is a legal declaration of a person’s wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property after death, but making a will is never the first thing on anyone’s to-do list.  In May of 2021, a Gallup poll showed that only 46% of Americans have a will (https://gallup.com/poll/351500/how-many-americans-have-will).  Most people say that they just have never gotten around to it, they don’t really want to think about death or they don’t think they have enough money to worry about making a will.  However, when there is no will, things