2005 Children's Champion Award Recipients

Organization or program that provides children under five with a Healthy Start:
American Postal Workers Union - Flint Michigan Area Local

For over ten years, the postmaster and the united postal workers have partnered with Toys for Tots by making available thousands of undeliverable books. Toys for Tots, throughout the entire year, then makes the children’s books available to the preschools and elementary schools throughout the county to help promote literacy. In addition to the books, the postal workers by their own accord also make available undeliverable toys and volunteer their time and energy.

The community benefits, the schools benefit and most of all the children who receive the books benefit from this effort.

Organization or program that provides children with opportunities to develop Employment, Career and Life-long Learning Skills: Life-Long Learning – T.R. Harris CDC Resource Center

The T.R. Harris CDC Resource Center was founded in 1999 to provide assistance for the basic essentials (food, clothing, housing, utility shut off assistance, vision and medical needs) of life. Guided by the visionary and servant leadership of Ms. Griffith-Wilson and other faithful volunteers, this program provides these needed services with compassion and respect that allows the citizens to maintain their dignity and sense of value. The T.R. Harris CDC Resource is an advocate voice and agent of change for positive human, social and environmental conditions for the citizens of this community.

With an eye on opportunity to serve and improve the community, in August - October 2004, the organization had a successful contractual partnership with the Genesee County Land Bank-Clean & Green Program and Michigan State University Cooperative Extension for a summer youth employment program. Initially, the program employed 39 neighborhood youth ages 14-18 who were paid a small stipend to "manage" 42 vacant lots. Fifteen youths successfully completed the program with acquired knowledge and skill to: safely use equipment to landscape "pedicure" lawns, cut and remove trees, how to work cooperatively as a team, how to negotiate and have a positive community

interactive experience. These youths through this summer employment experience developed an awareness of community development, a better understanding and appreciation of the service the provided to their community and developed community pride.

Organization or program that provides children with Safe Places to learn and play:
Flint Institute of Music

The Flint Institute of Music traces its beginnings to 1917 with present day services evolving from 1971. The Flint Institute of Music provides accessible and affordable music experiences to children of all ages. Very few communities offer such a wide rage of programs that develop excellence in music, appreciation, proficiency and performance.

The quality of life for children and their families as well as the community at large, is enhanced and enriched by attendance and participation in diversity of instruction, creative arts expression and a world class Flint Symphony Orchestra.

Organization or program that provides children with opportunities to give back to the community through Volunteerism:
Flint's Youth Violence Prevention Center

Flint's Youth Violence Prevention Center (YVPC) has existed for 5 years as a project of the Prevention Research Center. The YVPC has provided volunteer opportunities for youth to participate in KidSpeak, a public hearing forum giving young people a voice on youth issues. This year’s participants attended city council, and county commission meetings to prepare them for both the local & state events. Several meetings were held to help prepare for the writing and delivery of their testimonies. The youth participating in this year’s event also testified before members of the Michigan Public Health Training Institute in Lansing. During the training phase for KidSpeak, parents and retired individuals volunteered to chaperone, pick up food, help with transportation, and research.

The YVPC also provides other opportunities for youth to learn about careers in Public Health with the Ruth Mott Health Explorers each summer. Local youth, also for the first time last year, attended and played an active role on the U of M campus during the Public Health Students of African Decent (PHSAD) annual Minority Health Conference.

It's without saying the youth of the community benefit from the activities the YVPC, but parents and the community at large too.

Outstanding Business/Corporation:
IMA Children's Recreation Fund

The IMA of Flint is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to provide recreational, social and educational programs to kids in Genesee County. Its mission is to ensure enduring support for recreation, social and education programs in Genesee County. They are committed to providing high quality programs in a safe and non-threatening environment and to ensure that no child is excluded from participating in a program because of financial barriers.

The IMA of Flint was established in 1901 by the efforts of J. Dallas Dort who believed that the character of a city’s development depended entirely on the way in which the city and its industries took responsibility for the health and welfare of its workers.

Over the years, the IMA of Flint has continued to grow and generate dynamic programs for the community. The IMA Children’s Recreation Fund was created in 1998 as the IMA Foundation to fund recreation programs for kids, mainly through a variety of fund raising events aimed at community involvement and participation. In 2002, the Foundation’s name was changed to the IMA Children’s Recreation Fund to better reflect its focus on children and their needs.

Any child in Genesee County, ages 3 to 18 benefit from this program. The IMA Children’s Recreation Fund programs teach discipline and responsibility, teamwork and inter-gender relationships. The programs help youngsters establish priority-setting skills and teach time management. Over 5,000 children participate yearly.

Outstanding Youth:
Heather Cardneau

Heather has been committed to helping children for the past five years. Heather has done many school, church and community service projects. Heather and three other students organized different events to raise money for the waiting room at the University of Michigan's Children’s Hospital for children who are receiving chemotherapy treatment. Heather and the other students raised over a $1,000 to buy toys and games for the hospital. Heather also has helped in three blood drives at the school, has been helping at the Flint's North End Soup Kitchen since she was 10 and has organized and delivered food to people who belong to her church who are house bound. With the Goodrich High School Student Council, she helped raise money for Muscular Dystrophy. At River Bend Nursing Home, Heather has volunteered to help with their bingo nights and bowling days. Over the summer, Heather went to Washington D.C. with her youth group and worked in a homeless shelter. There, they cleaned the building and took some of the men staying at the shelter on a picnic. Heather is currently involved in the Greater Flint Area Youth Leadership program.

Many people have benefited from the services Heather has provided. But Heather also believes she has benefited from volunteering. She learned to overcome the typical stereotypes of the homeless and about what kids like herself have to go through while taking chemotherapy.

Caring Adult:
Greg Gaines

Mr. Gaines has been working with young people for the past twenty years. Over 1,500 young men have received his support and encouragement.

Greg Gaines currently runs the Mr. Rogers Just Say No program, a program that recruits and motivates young men, focusing them on hard work and discipline. His program is a model for a small business, whether run by adults or young people. The young men involved in the program run a vegetable stand at the Farmer’s Market. The participants when working at the Farmer’s Market arrive at the market early and are professional from the time the market opens until there are no more vegetables left to sell. They are great when dealing with customers, their product is attractively displayed, and they are polite and friendly to market patrons. These kinds of things don't just happen. They take leadership, patience and discipline.

The community benefits, because the young men from Mr. Rogers are learning to become productive citizens. The young men who enter the program benefit from a program which turns young heads towards the benefits of education, hard work, and responsibility, especially in such an unlikely arena as inner city gardening. The young men may not realize it completely at this stage of their lives, but those who stay with the program are truly its beneficiaries. The booth that Mr. Rogers sets up each Saturday adds to the festivity and uniqueness of the market and also provides good produce.

James T. Dover Senior Award
Joe Byrd

Joe Byrd has been a boxing influence for children for more then 30 years and is a shining beacon in the community. Joe is known throughout Flint as a boxing coach and trainer, whose son is a world champion boxer. Joe himself was the US Olympics boxing coach in 1992 but most importantly he has been helping the youth in our community to stay off the streets by giving them pride and self-confidence through boxing. He has provided a safe haven that the young can go to, to become better people. The person who nominated Joe was one of those young men 30 years ago.

The community, mostly the youth that become productive citizens by his teaching of self respect, self confidence and a can do attitude, benefit from his contribution. He is more than a coach to some kids, he is a father figure, sometimes the only male role model in their lives.