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It was a large, happy and generally red, white and blue-clad crowd that turned out on the Fourth of July for the annual Wyandotte Independence Day Parade. Police, fire, veterans, the Wyandotte Roosevelt marching band, the Shriners and more took turns marching down Biddle to the delight of the throng gathered in Wyandotte’s downtown. See more parade photos on page 22.

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Page 2 > July 25 - August 23, 2019 > WYANDOTTE WARRIOR

Still cruisin’

Although it is now sponsor-less and is no longer an official, sanctioned event, Downriver classic car enthusiasts still know the last weekend in June as the date for the Downriver Cruise. So on Friday, June 28 and especially on Saturday, June 29 fans lined Fort Street and parking lots became impromptu classic car meet and classics, cruisers and hot rods made the trip up and down Downriver’s man drag to the delight of hundreds of viewers.

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WYANDOTTE WARRIOR < July 25 - August 23, 2019 < Page 3

Mitch Ryder slated to perform fundraiser concert in Wyandotte Paula Neuman Wyandotte Warrior

Michigan rock legend Mitch Ryder – with members of his All Star band and surprise guest artists – will perform a fundraiser concert on Aug. 22 at the Downriver Council for the Arts in Wyandotte.

Doors will open at 7 p.m. and the music will start at 8. Tickets, on sale now at the DCA, 81 Chestnut St., are $50 for general admission or $100 for the concert plus a “meet and Ryder greet” with Ryder and the other performers after the show. The venue offers standing room and limited seating, and the event is for adults 21 and older.

Throughout his career, Ryder has been generous about performing free of charge to raise money for people in need.

This time it’s personal.

“They needed my help at the time,

and I need their help at this time,” Ryder said. “Any life is worth saving.

It works around.”

The event will raise money for his son, Thomas Emmanuel, 38, who grew up in Michigan and now lives in New York.

“He has a very aggressive form of glioma, a brain cancer,” Ryder said.

“We’re trying to raise money to buy him a few more years of life. They have some new stuff they want to test out.”

The concert won’t be your “typical rock ‘n’ roll show,” he said. “I’m selecting some unusual material for this show. They’re billing it as an intimate night. I’m not sure what that means, (but) I will be a little more forthcoming with details of my personal life.”

Ryder, who lives in Georgia now but comes back to Michigan often to perform, is a friend of Scott Galeski, a former Wyandotte police officer and a board member at the DCA. They got to know each other when Galeski worked for Ryder as a bodyguard, and Ryder has had roles in some of the

indie films Galeski makes with Ring of Fire Entertainment.

Ryder with his band, The Detroit Wheels, was still a teenager when he rose to fame in 1965 with “Jenny Take a Ride.” The hits, including “Little Latin Lupe Lu” and “Devil with a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly” in 1966 and “Sock It To Me Baby” in 1967, stormed the charts.

Ryder was born William Levise Jr. in Hamtramck in 1945, and began performing at a young age as Billy Lee. He gathered some friends to form a band, Billy Lee & the Rivieras.

In 1964, the band was signed to a contract by producer Bob Crewe, who moved them to New York, where they became Mitch Ryder and Detroit Wheels. “Jenny Take a Ride,” featuring Ryder’s famously ferocious intense vocal style, rocketed the band to stardom.

The contract with Crewe gave the producer complete control, and he wanted Ryder to have a solo career.

At one point, Crewe had Ryder performing with a nine-piece band with slick production.

Putting a harness on Ryder’s raw energy and creativity and taking away his original bandmates didn’t work out as well as Crewe hoped. And because of the contract, Ryder gleaned little of the financial rewards from his earlier hits. In 1968, Ryder took Crewe to court to recover some of the royalties the rock star felt he was owed. He lost the case, and Crewe sold Ryder’s contract to another label.

With a new manager and a reformed band called Detroit, Ryder kept performing, but never regained his earlier level of rock stardom.

He wrote an autobiography in 2011, and bared his soul about his earlier rock ‘n’ lifestyle and how the music industry exploited him up when he was young.

Today, his voice is still strong, and he has continued to grow as an artist, touring all over the world. He has a large following in Europe, and he still enjoys performing live, Ryder said.

In 2005, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

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Page 4 > July 25 - August 23, 2019 > WYANDOTTE WARRIOR

Thank you, sir

Wyandotte Customer Service Center dedicated to Andrew Swiecki Paula Neuman Wyandotte Warrior

Andrew Swiecki, who will be 80 years old in August, has served the residents of Wyandotte in many capacities for the breadth of his adult life. On July 1, he was honored when the city’s Customer Service Center was dedicated to him.

Mayor Joseph Peterson said the honor is way to make sure Swiecki is remembered as long as the building stands.

“He’s one of the best men I’ve ever met in my life,” the mayor said. “He’s been a pillar of the community for many years.”

Swiecki was born in the apartment above his father’s Wyandotte business, Andy’s Café.

“Back in the day, we didn’t go to the hospital,” he said.

When his father died, Swiecki took over the café, which was on Biddle Avenue where a Rite Aid drug store stands today. He ran the business for 26 years.

“I sold it in ’81,” he said. “I was city treasurer then and I had three children. I sold the business so I could spend more time with my family.”

Swiecki was a member of City Council from 1967-79, and city treasurer from 1979-2013. But his service to the community extends far beyond that.

A 1957 graduate of Mt. Carmel High School and a 1963 graduate of the University of Detroit, Swiecki has been a leading member of the community’s Lions Club, Goodfellows and Knights of Columbus, to name a few of his endeavors.

During the dedication ceremony, Swiecki also was presented with the Goodfellows of the Year Award by

Former Wyandotte City Councilman and City Treasurer Andrew Swiecki (right) with Wyandotte Mayor Joe Peterson.

the group’s president, Larry Stec, who talked about how the honoree revitalized the Goodfellows and ensured its service to the children of the community.

Swiecki’s wife Patricia and other family members were on hand, beaming with pride.

The honoree, with customary humility, talked about the merits of the many city employees he worked with over the years.

“I want to thank all the citizens of Wyandotte,” Swiecki added. “If my dad was here, he’d be proud.”

The mayor told Swiecki: “You’re part of the history of this city.”

The dedication and the ceremony were “very nice,” Swiecki said afterward. And it easily could have been a posthumous honor for the man who

has served the community so well.

On Jan. 25, Swiecki had a bad fall and broke his neck.

“I was in the hospital for two months,” he said. “I couldn’t move. My wife Pat had to feed me. Now the only thing affected is my left arm. I’m still going to physical therapy for that. They say the arm should come back to most of its ability. Right now, my biggest ambition is to drive again. My wife has to drive me everywhere. You lose your independence. Breaking my neck was probably the worst thing that’s ever happened to me in my life. My wife is an angel!”

He stood hale and hearty, his wife by his side, to receive his July 1 honor.

Swiecki said he truly enjoyed his many years in office.

“The best thing was helping people, the contact with the public,” Swiecki said. “You feel like you’re contributing more to society, and you’re making sure things are going right for people. When I solved problems for them, it made me feel good. It’s just my nature, I guess. I like to keep active and help people.”

As treasurer of the Goodfellows some years ago, he was saddened when the group didn’t have enough money to help all the children in need. So, at Swiecki’s urging, he and his fellow group members got the Police and Fire Departments involved and found ways to have a number of fundraisers.

“It turned out to be a wonderful project,” Swiecki said. “It created interest in the Goodfellows and created revenue. Our motto is: No child without a Christmas.”

As a young man, he played golf, fished and took some daredevil risks.

“I did some skydiving back in the day,” Swiecki said. “I did a couple of free falls. It was exciting. But I quit when I got married. My wife kind of suggested that I maybe shouldn’t do that.”

He still goes fishing now and then, and enjoys “puttering around the yard,” he said. “It keeps me out of trouble.”

When he looks back, he’s proud of his life.

“I have three children, seven grandchildren, a beautiful wife and lots of friends,” Swiecki said. “I did a lot of things for the city — not all that I wanted to do, but I feel kind of accomplished. I always think I could have done more. You always can improve on your life.”

He’s still finding ways to improve the lives of others through his active memberships in service groups, including Goodfellows.

“I’ve got a lot more life ahead of me,” Swiecki said.

I WANT TO THANK ALL THE CITIZENS OF WYANDOTTE. IF MY DAD WAS HERE, HE’D BE PROUD.

~ Andrew Swiecki

WYANDOTTE WARRIOR < July 25 - August 23, 2019 < Page 5

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Page 6 > July 25 - August 23, 2019 > WYANDOTTE WARRIOR

CULINARY CAPERS Evelyn Cairns Wyandotte Warrior

Kathy Levillier of Hickory Island returns to Culinary Capers with another unique salad (her Copy Cat Cucumber Blueberry Salad, published in August, 2017, is a favorite of many readers). Kathy, a member of the Grosse Ile Herb Society who is known for putting her special spin on recipes, said she was inspired to create the following salad by a recipe in the Wall Street Journal.

She recently took the salad to a meeting of the Herb Society and to a neighborhood potluck gathering. (The herbs were from her own her garden, of course.) Not surprisingly, she was asked for the recipe.

When I made the salad, my only change was substituting black olives, my favorite, for the traditional Kalamata, a bit less Greek, but nevertheless delectable.

INSPIRED CHICKPEA, FETA GREEK SALAD 15-ounce can chickpeas 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drain and rinse chickpeas and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chickpeas in a medium-sized bowl, add the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Stir, then spread evenly on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove from oven to cool.

Meanwhile, in the same bowl, combine and stir gently: 2 cups diced tomato, or grape tomatoes, quartered 1½ cups peeled and diced cucumber ¼ cup diced red onion ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon oregano ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste Freshly ground pepper to taste 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine or cider vinegar To serve, line a platter with lettuce leaves and place combined vegetables, herbs and spices in the center. Surround with:

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Canned beet slices Kalamata or other olives Finally, top the salad with 1 cup of the roasted chickpeas (extra chickpeas can be served on the side) and sprinkle with: 1 cup crumbled feta cheese YASOO! SHARES FAVORITE Amira Surur of Brownstown Township (Amira’s a hairdresser at Salon Sigrid, on Grosse Ile) shares a family-favorite recipe for a simple and simply luscious blueberry dessert.

I’ve baked her pudding cake twice already and will be making it often during the U.S. fresh blueberry season, which is now through midSeptember. I served the dessert with vanilla ice cream as Amira does ... yummy! It’s my favorite kind of recipe: quick, easy and delicious!

AMIRA’S BLUEBERRY PUDDING CAKE n Preheat oven to 350 degrees. n Brush a 7- by 11-inch baking pan with cooking oil. Add 4 cups washed and patted-dry fresh blueberries to the pan and sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup chocolate chips (dark chocolate chips optional). n In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together until smooth 1/3 cup cooking oil, ¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 egg and ½ cup milk. Set aside. n In another medium-sized bowl, sift together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1 pinch salt. n Add the contents of the dry bowl to the bowl with the liquid ingredients and stir with a spatula until thoroughly mixed. Scoop tablespoonsful of the batter onto the blueberries, spread evenly (this may not be easy) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cut into squares and invert so the blueberries are on top.

CAN YOU HELP? Larry McDermott of Grosse Ile would like a recipe for a strawberry rhubarb pie. Can you help? If have a good one to share, email it to Evycairns@aol.com. Kathy’s Cucumber Blueberry Salad recipe is also available if you’d like copy.

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Page 8 > July 25 - August 23, 2019 > WYANDOTTE WARRIOR

Get your groove on Downriver celebrates Woodstock’ to open July 27 Paula Neuman Wyandotte Warrior

Fifty years after the concert that became the iconic symbol of the 1960s’ counterculture comes a celebration honoring the “3 days of peace and music” that was Woodstock.

The celebration, Downriver Celebrates Woodstock, will begin July 27 with a reception at the Downriver Council for the Arts, 81 Chestnut St., Wyandotte, offering an assortment of free multimedia art exhibits and musical performances.

In 1969, half a million hippies gathered at a dairy farm in Bethel, N.Y., to see 32 musical acts, including Santana, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, the Who, Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix. Traffic jams, rain, mud, and inadequate food and facilities didn’t deter the concert goers, and Woodstock today is remembered as a triumph of “peace and music,” just as the festival was originally billed.

The art exhibits at the DCA will depict some of the Woodstock performers and the site of the famous festival. Some of the artwork will be by local artists and some will be exclusively on loan from the collection of Wavy Gravy, entertainer, activist and emcee at Woodstock in 1969.

Models wearing Woodstockinspired fashions by designer Cheryl Zemke of Riverview will “be grooving with attendees,” said Jan Dunbar of Wyandotte, president of the DCA and curator of the event.

“I have a great team planning all of these things and the concert,” she said.

“It’s turning out be a pretty big deal.”

Refreshments will be available and photo ops will abound, Dunbar said.

Poster artist Dennis Loren, who has created thousands of album covers

Dennis Loren

The Ayonics

and rock posters for recording artists from Brian Wilson to Frank Zappa, also will be on hand to greet eventgoers at the DCA. Gary Koral and his “Lost in Sound Detroit”” T-shirts and merchandise will be there, too.

The exhibit reception is set from 5 to 7 p.m. in the main gallery. The exhibit will continue to be shown at the DCA through Aug. 16.

At 7:30 in the upstairs concert hall after the art exhibit reception, the

music will begin and continue until 11:30 p.m. Performers slated are: n Joe Kidd and Sheila Burke, awardwinning folksingers. n The Ayonics, a fictitious British punk fusion band created for the mockumentary film, “The Ayonics.” n Dave “Stoney” Mazur and the Westsiders, a blues band. Mazur was founder and lead singer with acid rock band “The Jagged Edge” in 1966, and opened at the Grande Ballroom in

Detoit for many rock legends of the day, including the Doors, Pink Floyd and The Animals. n Kougaran. This band - “a new generation rock band with an old soul” - has been getting great press, and is touted as “the next national act from Detroit.” National Rock Review called Kougaran “one of the few local rock bands to watch grow,” and named them “Detroit’s young hellions of rock.” Kougaran is getting air play in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. “Kougaran is the premier rock band in the Detroit area,” Dunbar said.

“The 50th anniversary of the iconic music festival is a very special occasion!” she added. “Festivities are planned all over the world.

Downriver Celebrates Woodstock is the only major event planned in our area. We’ve got lots of fun events and surprises planned.”

The DCA event is free of charge, open to the public and billed as “family-friendly.”

Founded in 1978, the DCA is a nonprofit arts and cultural organization that serves 21 communities. The DCA’s mission is “to enrich the quality of life in the Downriver communities by advocating and promoting the arts and providing opportunities for involvement and participation in arts and cultural activities.”

WYANDOTTE WARRIOR < July 25 - August 23, 2019 < Page 9

‘Woodstock - Directors Cut’ to be screened Aug. 3 as DCA fundraiser Jan Dunbar has visited the 1969 Woodstock music festival site several times, and she’s planning another trip in August for the 50th anniversary celebration.

“It is truly a magical place with a welcoming vibe,” said Dunbar, who lives in Wyandotte. “It feels like home. The grounds are now home to a wonderful museum, indoor music hall and concert pavilion, aptly named Bethel Woods.”

Dunbar chose the 40th anniversary edition of the documentary “Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music — Director’s Cut” to be screened from 5 to 10 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Downriver Council for the Arts, 81 Chestnut St., Wyandotte, as a fundraiser for the organization. The price of admission is $5 in advance (contact president@downriverarts.org) or $7 at the door.

“I’m the current president of the Board of Directors, a resident artist and a gallery committee member at the DCA,” Dunbar said. “Last year, I curated an exhibit fashioned after the 1967 San Francisco Summer of Love. It was a given to have a celebration for this year’s 50th anniversary of Woodstock.”

The remastered documentary Dunbar has chosen to screen — 224 minutes long — includes 18 never-beforeseen Woodstock performances from artists such as Santana, The Who, Jefferson Airplane and Joe Cocker. And five of the artists included - Paul Butterfield, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Grateful Dead, Johnny Winter and Mountain played at Woodstock but had never appeared in any prior film version, according to Blue-Ray.com.

Children 12 and younger will be admitted to the screening free of charge, but be advised that the movie is rated R.

Several intermissions are planned throughout the evening for raffles and more.

Pop-up vendors with Woodstock-inspired wares for sale will be there, as will concession-style food for purchase in the kitchen behind the DCA’s main gallery.

All proceeds will benefit the organization.

One raffle prize will be a stuffed white rabbit with a card autographed by Jefferson Airplane member Grace Slick, who wrote and sang the band’s most famous song, “White Rabbit,” performed at the original Woodstock in upstate New York.

Another prize will be an autographed copy of Sally Mann Romano’s critically acclaimed book, “The Band’s With Me.” (Romano is Slick’s best friend.) Another prize: An autographed copy of Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen’s book, “Been So Long: My Life and Music.”

Those who attend the DCA screening are encouraged to bring for donation small, new-with-tags, white stuffed animals to be given to local hospitals and police departments to comfort sick or distressed children.

Screening the movie is just a part of Dunbar’s homage to Woodstock. Last year, her husband and sons honored her with a commemorative paver at Bethel Woods, a place that continues to inspire her.

“I love the music scene and the counterculture movement of the late 1960s,” she said. “Young people gathered in earnest to peacefully revolt against the social status quo of their era. They searched for inner self, unity, happiness and justice for all people. The iconic Woodstock festival exemplified their celebration of life love and music.” < Jan Dunbar

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What’s better for your property value?

Peter Rose Wyandotte Warrior

About eight months ago, I asked for thoughts on the imagining of two extremes to effectively illustrate the point I was making (that I make all the time).

Considering the way our regional economy works (region meaning our Downriver area) on a daily and ongoing basis, what would things look like and feel like with two opposing hypotheticals being compared.

These concepts are the very core of my visions. It would be fun to do a study of money trails as you point in that trail and try to follow it. It’s too hard, of course, because it’s not like a dollar bill getting marked. Charge and debit cards, checks, and lapsing time all factor in, but theoretically, I think the idea is fun to consider. Money bounces around, in a crazyquilt way that can stun.

It’s not just the “Where’s

George” game; it’s behind the scenes with a purchase made that pays the wages of the people serving the needs of local shoppers.

A suit purchased at my store generates revenue that pays wages for several employees - local residents.

They, then, spend some of those wages on spending money for a new snow blower, or a bite to eat, on paying their utility bills - all of which employ other local people, who are paid and then spend. The astounding complexity of this web is astounding if you let it all in. The magnificent beauty of capitalism is almost like magic.

Indeed, it all just seems to happen, automatically, and without any conscious thought, right?

You flick the switch up, the lights go on. Who thinks about that, really? Likewise, who really thinks about how the economy works? As long as things are good, humming along and happy, there is little reason to think about things that feel “above our pay grade.”

I’m sure you know that this is exactly why I write.

We can sense relative prosperity in pockets of our region. Some areas seem hopping; some areas are hurting. We tend to see these things as something beyond our control, or as evidence of good or bad city planning.

As a rule, we don’t look at hurting areas and think to ourselves that we can help, and that we will help.

You don’t disagree, do you?

So my comparisons go to the issue of what seems more likely to make for a more bouncy economy around here if given two polar opposite scenarios that you help create: One features all of the money you spend on an ongoing basis being spend elsewhere. Gassing up happens outside of Downriver. Same for the hiring of a contractor to fix that hole in your wall - he’s from Novi, now. And so on - everything. All food, all clothing, all services including attorneys, money managers, everything.

Think about how rapidly our region would collapse.

Stores closed, blight everywhere.In this absurd extreme, the calamity would be instant. Please take a moment and let this roll around in your head, imagining how those bouncing dollars you spend would stop cold.

In this scenario, consider what would happen to the value of your home within minutes. You divert your spending along with everyone else, and your own home value plummets. Is it hard to connect these actions and results?

The other scenario is one in which the exact opposite thing happens. In this case, you (and every single resident in the Downriver area) decides to do a little experiment, wherein every dollar you spend on everything gets spent within our borders. 100 percent. Do you, in this latter scenario, disconnect the impact to your own well-being? Does this region become more desirable to home purchasers that are thinking about where to buy?

Both pictures are too extreme, but they illustrate

quite well. Which do you prefer, and then, which do you do? If you say some of both, as most of us do, then you personally could do a lot more for your own sake.

Not for me or any single business. This is a far bigger picture than specific operations within our borders.

It is the entire economy.That’s a big idea, bigger that I can get my arms around.

But still, I can “see” these scenarios. Can you?

When you really KNOW that 3½ times more of your spent money remains in your local economy if you buy from locally owned businesses compared to national chains, you then know that your spending choices matter a great deal to your own well-being as well.

Having connected these dots, when you think about the complete elimination (100%) of your dollars from your local economy when you buy on-line, have you done yourself any favors?

I know you get it. So what will you do?

WYANDOTTE WARRIOR < July 25 - August 23, 2019 < Page 11

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Diet trends come and go almost weekly. When it comes to choosing a diet most people try whatever diet their friend is trying. That friend read about it from someone on the internet and decided to give it a try.

The problem with this method is what works for one person may not work for another.

Every individual is different and that dictates that a person’s diet should be individualized as well.

First when you are trying a new diet, it is important to pick a goal.

Why are you changing up your diet?

If you need to lose weight or are trying to heal some health issues, if things are done correctly you can meet whatever your goal you set.

Choosing a diet that is right for you should be done with the help of a professional.

I know that is not a popular answer, but it is the safest and most efficient method to achieve your goals. There are so many factors involved in

maintaining a healthy diet. Often when people follow the latest diet trend, they don’t even know how to follow it correctly. People will pick and choose what parts of the diet they can do and what they can’t. There is probably a reason why you have to add or remove certain things from your diet. If you pick and choose you could be adding to the problem and possibly creating health issues.

A simple commitment of making healthier decisions on a daily basis may allow you to meet your goals.

It is easier to start small and allows you to make permanent change. It could be that eating fast food 1day a week instead of 3 days could create a change. A simple change for any individual to make is to swap out 1 pop for a water everyday. Then swap another and another until you are drinking more water than pop and you will see a positive change.

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SHRED IT! The Riverview Land Preserve will host a Community Shred Day that is open to Wyandotte residents on Saturday, Sept. 14 from noon-4 p.m.

This is a free drive-through event and it is a perfect opportunity to shred confidential material like receipts, bank statements, medical records and tax documents.

This is for residential waste only and participants are limited to three boxes of material. Rubberbands, paper clips, staples and folders need not be removed.

The entrance to the land preserve is located at 20863 Grange Road in Riverview.

BALLROOM DANCE LESSONS Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m. and 8-9 p.m. Each month is a different type of dance lesson. All skill levels welcome. Don’t have a partner? No worries, many people attend without a partner and find great support in learning to dance. Classes are held at the Downriver Council for the Arts, 81 Chestnut, Wyandotte.

Call 734-720-0671 or visit www.downriverarts.org COME FIND YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND The Wyandotte Animal Adoption Center has dogs, cats , puppies and kittens looking for new forever homes. The center is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 5:30- p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Even if you are not in the market for a new pet, the center is always in need of volunteers.

The work done by volunteers on behalf of the animals at the shelter is invaluable. Through shelter cleaning, dog walking, dog and cat socialization, fundraising, facilitating adoptions and various other activities, they make a profound difference in the lives of the animals while they’re in our care awaiting their forever homes.

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Art Fair fills our streets with excitement, passion Patti Izzo Special to Wyandotte Warrior

Wyandotte’s Street Art Fair brings together many people, all seeking an aspect of art to be immersed in and the good energies that surround them.

Artists from as far as Florida and the East Coast come to share their art and passion for what they create. Whether it be fine art, fine crafts, noble metal, children’s art or just fun items, there is something to excite everyone.

As a fine artist and a member of the Art Fair Committee with a studio at River’s Edge Gallery, I am able to meet new patrons from far and wide.

People from near and far fill our streets with enthusiasm, making memories, reuniting with friends and, of course, indulging in their favorite food and once-a-year special treats.

Our restaurants are filled with people enjoying great food as well as visiting our specialty clothing stores like Willow Tree and Chelsea.

Then, of course, there is the music each evening on the river, which tops off the day with dancing to bands with favorite playlists.

The art fair is a great Wyandotte tradition, bringing art to all people, fostering new appreciation of art and helping them find personal treasures. It is also a time to make memories with family, reacquaint yourself with old friends, and be free to enjoy four days of creative fun and discovery.

We are so fortunate to hold the art fair each year. And we have plans to make it even better next year!

Here’s to the Wyandotte Street Art Fair and all the excitement it brings to the visitors and our city!

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Photos by Larry Caruso

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“OUR MISSION IS GROUNDED IN THE IDEA OF PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE.” ~ Robert La Palme DCFCU president and chief executive officer

Breaking ground for the new location of Downriver Community Federal Credit Union are Paul Colone, project manager, GJ Perelli Co.; Robert La Palme, DCFCU president and chief executive officer; Bonnie Swatski, DCFCU executive vice president; Southgate Mayor Joseph Kuspa; and Gary Perelli, president, GJ Perelli Co. The ground-breaking occurred June 5.

Local credit union breaks ground on large new branch Tom Tigani Special to Wyandotte Warrior

A longtime local financial institution is opening its biggest location yet in the heart of the Downriver area.

Downriver Community Federal Credit Union, which began in Ecorse in 1942 as Great Lakes Steelworkers Federal Credit Union, will build its newest location at 15261 Trenton Road, just south of Eureka Road in Southgate. Credit union officials announced plans for the new building earlier this year in conjunction with its 77th anniversary.

“Downriver Community Federal Credit Union has a long history of serving our community, and we are excited to show our continuing commitment to the Downriver region through this new initiative,” said Robert La Palme, DCFCU president and chief executive officer.

The new building marks a homecoming of sorts for La Palme, who grew up in Southgate and began working in the Downriver banking industry in the mail room at the former Security Bank & Trust, which underwent several mergers and now is owned by PNC Bank.

While he’s pleased to be returning to his old home town, La Palme said the mission of the credit union is a lot bigger than his personal journey.

“Our mission is grounded in the idea of people helping people,” he said. “The reason we picked Southgate is that it’s very central to that mission. Our members come from an area that extends from Ecorse and Lincoln Park to the north, west to near Romulus, east to the Detroit River and south all the way to the Monroe County line.

“Geographically speaking, we wanted to be right in the middle. So we bought that location and began the process of building a branch. It will help us fulfill our mission to reach people from all walks of life and help them achieve their financial goals.”

The credit union took on its current name in 1982, opened an office in Woodhaven in 2003, merged with Detroit Marathon Employees Federal Credit Union in 2004, merged with Wyandotte Community Federal Credit Union in 2008 and now counts $165 million in assets and 15,000 members.

There are currently offices in Ecorse, Lincoln Park, Wyandotte and Woodhaven.

“As our membership continues to grow, having a centrally located office will allow us to serve our members more effectively, with greater access to the financial services we provide,” La Palme said.

The new two-story building will contain almost 12,000 square feet of office space. In addition to retail and operations areas, the design plans include a

large community-use space that credit union officials believe will allow them to share and further develop their vision for a better Downriver community.

That vision includes the workshops that DCFCU has offered for the last 12 years on the third Wednesday of every month to members and nonmembers. The workshops deal with topics like sales, marketing, personal development and social media.

“We cover everything that has something to do with growing a business. You could be an owner, a multi-level marketer or any other employee who has a role of growing the business they’re in, La Palme said. “Our groups are not typically what most financial institutions are angling to catch. They may remember us, or they may not, but we want to do what they can to help them grow.”

The community room will be a key part of the new building; it will be used to host workshops, which are free to members and just $5 for nonmembers — and they include breakfast.

“The workshops enable people to get to know us better and sometimes lead to them opening accounts and taking out loans,” La Palme said.

In addition to hosting the workshops and an annual conference, DCFCU officials plan to make the community room available to local groups for business.

Groundbreaking was held in the spring, and if all goes as planned, the new building should be completed by mid-December and open by early February.

“We believe our new location will really be something all of our members and their communities will be able to enjoy,” La Palme said.

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Wyandotte’s Dr. David Wolf wins humanitarian award

Dr. David Wolf has lived his life with a higher purpose in mind.

When he was in fourth grade, the Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital OB-GYN had a calling to become a physician and never doubted that it would be his destiny.

“I was looking out at the playground – wishing I was out there playing basketball – when I had a vision that I was supposed to be a physician, and I never stopped dreaming about it,” Dr. Wolf said. “If you believe in something higher than yourself, you could say that it was a calling from God.” As a leader in the healthcare community, Dr. Wolf frequently volunteers his time to nonprofit organizations and helps shape the minds of young doctors as associate director of the hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program.

A commitment to his profession – coupled with his spirit of empathy and compassion – recently earned him the 2019 Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award from the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians & Gynecologists. The award honors practicing physicians, selected by their specialty societies, who are exemplars in compassion and sensitivity in patient care.

Dr. Wolf remembers the phone call informing him of the honor came at a time he wasn’t feeling particularly well. “I almost started crying when they told me,” he said. “The thing so powerful about this award is that it hits the areas I’ve been trying all my life to emphasize. This award means more to me than any other I’ve received.”

Being the first recipient of the award also strikes a special chord with him.

“They have never given this award before; I was the first one to receive it,” he said. “Just to think that out of all the osteopathic obstetricians and gynecologists in America, and for some reason they felt I should have this award. I’m very proud of it, and I’ll always treasure it.”

PATIENT-CENTERED FOCUS BENEFITS COMMUNITY Dr. Wolf is a graduate of Des Moines UniversityCollege of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency at Riverside Osteopathic Hospital in 1979 and became Board Certified in 1983. He was in private practice from July 1979 to June 2010.

In addition to serving as associate director of the OB-GYN Residency Program, he gives of his time as a physician volunteer at the Downriver Community Clinic, a free medical clinic run by the hospital that provides a range of services such as primary care, nutrition and weight loss, and women’s care for

uninsured and underinsured working people.

He also serves as chair of The Center for Women’s and Children’s Health, which he founded when he saw the need to aid women and children with limited access to medical care due to financial limitations.

In addition, he is a past President of the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists and an emeritus member of the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

ACCIDENT TAKES CAREER IN NEW DIRECTION Despite his impressive career, he has faced many challenges in life and takes them on resolutely – a quality admired by his peers and patients alike.

In 2001, Dr. Wolf had a successful OB-GYN practice in Trenton when his life took an unexpected turn. A go-kart racing accident left him paralyzed from the waist down – and in doubt about the future of his medical career.

“I almost died that day,” he recalled. “I was fighting for my life, not knowing if I would ever be a physician again – or even live.”

With an uncanny ability to find good in every situation, Dr. Wolf credits his accident with taking his career in a new direction.

“It was about that time when Riverside was closing, and at that point Wyandotte was not a teaching hospital,” he said. “If it weren’t for my accident and having more time to spend with the residents, I don’t think we would’ve been able to pull that off.”

He also points to the accident as the conduit to humanizing his approach to medicine. “I better understand now how someone feels when faced with a hardship,” he said. “I can empathize better because I know what it means to be knocked down. If you ask my patients, I think they would say I’m more understanding and compassionate than I was before.”

Photo courtesy of Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital

Dr. David Wolf is associate director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital.

COMPASSIONATE NATURE IS A MUST IN MEDICINE The art of compassion is one that’s becoming lost in medicine, according to Dr. Wolf.

“Doctors don’t know patients like they used to, and that is so critical in a patient’s recovery,” he said.

“We have a big problem in medicine today with burnout, and I think the reason is so much emphasis being placed on the technical side. We forget about the interpersonal relationships, and that’s really what keeps you going.”

Dr. Wolf penned a book titled “The Gift is You” after his accident, and the story is one of faith, hope and resilience. “I’ve given many talks in this community and around the Midwest about how religion can help you through any experience,” he said.

While he has undoubtedly inspired countless patients and fellow physicians, he draws inspiration from them as well.

“A lot of things inspire me,” he said. “It’s a wonderful experience to talk to somebody with a problem and help them through it. Not only medical problems, but psychological – maybe they’re going through a divorce or their child is having problems.”

Holding a master’s degree in social work gives him a unique insight in helping patients through good and bad times.

Dr. Wolf has delivered more than 11,000 babies, SEE HUMANITARIAN, Page 20

Read and Save at WYANDOTTEWARRIOR.COM

WYANDOTTE WARRIOR < July 25 - August 23, 2019 < Page 19

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Continued from page 19 and said he finds each one special. “When I think about the experiences I’ve had in those delivery rooms – a wife and husband in the process of having a child and I get to be there to see the joy and tears when you’re part of bringing life into the world,” he said.

“But there are also the sad moments you have to deal with when someone loses a child or there is a problem with the birth. Those times have stuck with me a great deal, too.”

ONE LIFE AFFECTS MANY OTHERS No matter where he goes, Dr. Wolf comes across someone whose life he has affected.

“I recently had major surgery and the doctor came in with something special to tell me,” he said. “He said ‘the scrub tech is a former patient

of yours. You saved her life about a week before your gokart accident.’”

That kind of human connection is what inspires his physician volunteer work.

“Before the accident, I would go to Haiti once a year with a resident and it was the greatest thing to look into a woman’s eyes as they said thank you – knowing that otherwise they wouldn’t have had any care,” he said.

After the accident, he no longer was able to make the yearly Haiti trip, but while attending a banquet for the Downriver Community Clinic, he turned to his wife and said: “I just found my new Haiti.”

He soon left his private practice and began volunteering at the clinic, along with his team of nurses. “We can be there on a Saturday morning, not getting paid, but helping individuals who are working but don’t

Photo by Larry Caruso

have any insurance,” he said.

“The only thing we get out of it is something money can’t buy.”

Founding The Center for Women’s and Children’s Health came of his dream to help women and babies not receiving proper care.

Through the center, the Yes Ma’am Program was formed, which provides free services such as mammograms, MRIs,

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He recalls a 32-year-old woman from Mexico who came into the clinic in need of birth control pills and the team found a lump in her breast.

“Because of Yes Ma’am, we could offer her a free mammogram and found she had breast cancer,” Dr. Wolf said. “If not for Yes Ma’am, she would be dead today.”

Y AT A ST

HOME C A

His humanitarian efforts also extend to the tiniest patients. “We see so many babies dying of SIDS, and I want to prevent this tragedy,” he said.

Suffocation is the main cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and thanks to Dr. Wolf’s efforts, every baby born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital and Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit receives a safe sleep sack – a wearable blanket that keeps a baby on its back and prevents it from rolling over. Every family also goes home with information about SIDS. His spirit of caring for others in every circumstance played a large part in Dr. Wolf earning his latest accolade from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, and largely defines his life.

“When you give of yourself to somebody else, they give back to you,” he said.

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Animal lovers rescue dogs from storm-ravaged areas Southgate and Wyandotte are part of the network helping save lives Dave Gorgon Wyandotte Warrior

When Hurricane Harvey ravaged parts of our nation’s south in August 2017, it caused an estimated $125 billion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center. That’s more than any other natural disaster in U.S. history other than Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005.

Hurricane Harvey affected 13 million people from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.

More than 200,000 homes were damaged. Flooding forced about 39,000 people out of their homes and into shelters. A million motor vehicles were destroyed. At least 88 people died.

And countless pets were left ownerless and homeless. Many died or were euthanized.

“A lot of areas were begging the rest of the country to help them so they could help these animals that were displaced by the flooding,” said Alyssa Stafford, manager of the Downriver Central Animal Control, which oversees stray dogs and cats in Wyandotte, Southgate and Allen Park.

Stafford, a Riverview resident, reached out to Jenny Moore, a former Michigan resident who moved to Texas, to ask how the Downriver group could help. A partnership was formed.

Downriver Central works in conjunction with the non-profit rescue organization Pound Pals Downriver, which was founded by Kim Skidmore of Riverview. The shelter works in partnership with the City of Wyandotte and the Wyandotte Police Department.

Like Skidmore, Stafford and her husband Tom Abraham are also Pound Pals board members and are among 90 volunteers at the Wyandotte Animal Shelter.

Downriver Central and Pound Pals soon became part of a network of rescue groups and shelters that began accepting animals that were picked up in Texas by Bottle Babies Rescue, which is based in Allen Park. Bottle Babies volunteers start with about 40 dogs and deliver them to various states, ending their journey in Wyandotte.

Photo by Dave Gorgon

Tom Abraham (holding Chihuahua Mix Church - from Texas), son Devin, wife Alyssa Stafford (holding Chihuahua Mix Bruno - from Texas) and daughter Dahlia. At right is Kim Skidmore, the founder of Pound Pals. All three of the adults are board members with Pound Pals and volunteers with the animal shelter. The kids also volunteer at the shelter and Alyssa is shelter manager.

Stafford said the Downriver volunteers agreed to assist with smallerbreed dogs, such as Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos and WireHaired Terriers families. While larger stray dogs were often plentiful at the Wyandotte shelter at 1170 Grove – and were generally the hardest to get adopted—the Downriver group often had kennel space for pets 20 pounds or less, which are often the most popular among people looking to adopt a dog.

“Most of the dogs we get (from the Downriver area) are larger breed dogs,” said Stafford, who lives in Riverview.

“We had smaller cages free, so we figured that would be the easiest way for us to help.”

The Wyandotte Animal Shelter has eight large kennels and four designed for smaller breeds. Cats are plentiful.

The connection between a shelter and a rescue organization is not unique.

Skidmore said Pound Pals was founded in 2006 at a time when there was a need for a non-profit agency to provide funding to help sick and injured animals at shelters.

“There was no funding for medical care,” she said. “Animals were being euthanized.”

Before Pound Pals’ efforts, about 80

percent of animals at the shelter were euthanized. Now, it’s down to less than 10 percent.

At the time Pound Pals was founded, there was a handful of volunteers.

The group has blossomed to about 90 volunteers who provide transportation to animal clinics, cleaning, grooming, dog walking, pet adoptions and much more. Medical attention is significant.

Fundraising activities keep the operations going.

A spay/neuter policy was implemented to reduce the animal population.

Abraham said the animal adoption center places at least 600 animals in homes every year. On a regular basis, stray dogs and cats are taken to the intake facility at 14300 Reaume Parkway in Southgate. Once the animals are assessed and receive medical care, they move to Wyandotte for adoption.

The Texas-Downriver connection remains strong today as dogs are plentiful. Abraham, who is vice president of Pound Pals, said the transportation from the Houston area and delivery of four to 10 dogs at a time continues monthly.

“We keep in contact with them

so that we know when the shuttles are coming and which dogs need rescuing,” Abraham said. “What we learned since Harvey is that that area is always overwhelmed with smallbreed dogs that get euthanized if they didn’t get transported to other areas for adoption. We learned they are always overwhelmed so we do what we can to help out.”

Abraham said animals from Texas arrive with necessary vaccinations, spay or neutering and heartwormtested. The Downriver volunteers verify they have all the necessary paperwork and make them available for adoption.

Animal adoption hours in Wyandotte are 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Monday, Tuesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday. Adoption fees are $65 per cat and $95 per dog.

Photos of available dogs and cats are posted on the Wyandotte Animal Shelter Facebook page.

Stafford said those who stop by the shelter looking for a smaller dog also look at larger breeds during the visit, which increases the chances for adoption of larger dogs.

To get involved with Pound Pals, visit the shelter and fill out a volunteer form.

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Happy birthday, America

Parade-goers lined the sidewalks of downtown Wyandotte on July 4 as the city celebrated the birth of the United States with its annual Independence Day Parade. Clowns and roaring motorcycles and music marked the 90-minute event that marched down Biddle through the heart of the city’s business district. Wyandotte’s first responders, the Shriners and a large contingent of veteran’s groups highlighted the parade.

Photos by Larry Caruso

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