(Community Matters 182) Impact Day: Pick A Project And Make A Local Difference

Folks may want to help their community, but may not know where to start or how to make it fit into a busy week. Kara Beer from the Battle Creek Area Chamber talks about Community Impact Day on May 13, a three-hour burst of hands-on service designed to create visible change across Battle Creek and Calhoun County.

Hear, too, about the Chamber’s  Business Excellence Awards  Eye Opener breakfast on April 14 featuring Summit Pointe and how to use local crisis care resources.

Episode Resources
Battle Creek Chamber of Commerce Website

ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTERS
Former WBCK Morning Show host Richard Piet (2014-2017) returns to host Community Matters, an interview program focused on community leaders and newsmakers in and around Battle Creek. Community Matters is heard Saturdays at 8:00 AM on WBCK-FM (95.3) and anytime at battlecreekpodcast.com.

Community Matters is sponsored by Lakeview Ford Lincoln and produced by Livemic Communications.

Transcript

Where To Listen And Subscribe

Richard Piet 0:02

Thanks for being with us on Community Matters Saturdays 95.3 FM anytime, Battle Creek Podcast.com, and you can go to your favorite podcast directory, type in the search box. Community Matters Calhoun County will come up there too. You can subscribe, you'll get a little notice when these episodes come available. Here's a date to keep in mind May 13th. Doesn't seem like that's all that close, but it'll be here soon. And there is preparation for something on May 13th called Community Impact Day. That's going on right now. And Kara Beer is here from the Battle Creek Chamber to tell us what it is all about. Hello, Cara.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

Hi, thanks for having me. Yes, Community Impact Day. This is our second annual day that we are doing. We have partnered with other chambers of commerce from across the state to have a greater impact. And so this year we think there are about 10 other chambers and 10 other communities that are doing this specific type of projects to have this long-lasting community impact. So it originally started out of the West Coast chamber, which is in the Holland, Zealand area. And they reached out to other chambers because they had local businesses that had satellite sites in other places in Michigan. And they wanted to make sure that their businesses and their employees had an opportunity to volunteer in their neck of the woods. You know, May 13th is a great day. It's a fun day for not only businesses and nonprofits to come together to create a stronger community impact right here locally. And so we are looking for about a thousand volunteers, which is just a little bit more than what we had last year and a minimum of 40 projects. It is from 1 to 4 PM. And we are well on our way of collecting projects, but we need more. And so we need nonprofits and service organizations that need a little bit of extra help. Municipalities, things like that are all great organizations to work with on Community Impact Day, from pulling mustard seed along the road and is always a project that we get from the city. But things like picking up trash along the highway, or it might be putting together playground equipment or cleaning up a playground at one of our local shelters or different things like that so that we are able to help make an impact in the spring. Again, it is our second annual on May 13th, and we're looking for all types of projects. We have done landscape projects. We have done putting together materials to create a supervised visitation room at one of our local nonprofits. We have done things from painting. We had a large group of volunteers in the downtown that they weeded the downtown planners and got them prepared for planting.

Richard Piet 3:09

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Those are always great things. Going out to Lila Arboretum and picking up and getting the plant sale ready for Lila to just sorting donations at Charitable Union, all kinds of different things. And it's this great impact because everybody's out in their blue t-shirts to say Community Impact Day. We have some amazing sponsors this year that are helping us do that again. So if you are a volunteer or looking for a volunteer project, May 13th is a great opportunity. Tell us what t-shirt size you are and all of those details. But also you can sign up for those projects. So that is important to know.

Richard Piet 3:55

Yeah. So just uh here soon, or maybe you're listening to this after April 6th, the portal will be open. We'll put a link in the show notes at battlecreekpodcast.com to the chamber at least, so you can find that uh portal. And you said 40 or more projects. How do you figure out what the projects are? You ask folks to submit that too, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:16

Correct. So we are asking nonprofits and service organizations and municipalities to come up with some of those projects that they need volunteer help for. And there is a form that they can fill out and it gets submitted. They tell us how many volunteers they need for each project, what types of volunteering that you're gonna do, who you need to contact, the address, what to be prepared for.

Richard Piet 4:39

All right. So uh a matchmaking of sorts between volunteers and those nonprofits, municipality service clubs that need projects done, and you're gonna match them up.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Yeah. So April 6th, you can register to volunteer, and then what will happen is that you can self-select what volunteer projects you'd like.

Richard Piet 4:59

Okay, so uh you'll have the list, volunteers will decide which one they want to work on. That's pretty cool. So uh if you want to be a part of this 1,000 plus volunteer force that'll be out, you get to choose which project you want to work on. So that'll be nice. So you're collecting the project information, and then on the sixth, the volunteers can register. By then you expect you'll know the projects, will you?

Big Wins From Last Year

SPEAKER_00 5:24

Yes. So we are gonna be um working with the volunteers to sign up and register. Projects will be coming in all the way up to that date, but we're able to match them with a project as soon as it comes in. So anything that's registered at the beginning, they're gonna get all of those volunteers signing up right then. We've done a lot of really great projects in the last, and this is our second annual. Last year we had so many volunteers out. It was a beautiful day. It was so hot, but we had 50 volunteers from the Kellogg Foundation that were out at Fremont Gardens and they cleaned up the garden area, but then also put together raised beds and did a vegetable garden for folks in that area. We had WK Kellogg employees that were out doing trash cleanup and doing a number of different projects throughout the day from that one to four. And then the other thing is at four o'clock, we bring everybody together to do a wrap-up. And it's a fun celebration from four to six. And it's everybody's in their t-shirts and they get to talk about all of their projects that they've done and the fun things that they've learned. Um, they may go to an organization that they've never been to before. One of the projects that we have this year that's new because what ends up happening is anytime somebody talks about volunteering, they think about the food bank. Um, that's a typical number one location that we get a lot of people thinking that's the only place I can volunteer. Well, the food bank actually came together and they are working with other businesses and industries out in the fort area, and we are doing a major fort cleanup with the food bank. And so that's one of our projects that we have this year. So that's exciting. That's something different. Um, and it was a great way to be able to utilize as many possible volunteers as they could at the food bank in different ways.

Richard Piet 7:17

Yeah, that's nice. And uh obviously you're cooking with gas, as my grandmother would say, uh, and uh coming up with new ideas for uh things you can focus on. There's an example of one of them. And that food bank boy, you know, they have plenty of work to do, but they want to look around and see how they can help around them, isn't that nice?

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Yeah, they want to really beautify that community and that area. And I think that this is a great opportunity to do it. And it was a great partnership, and they were really excited when they came up with that. And it's a creative way to get people involved.

Business Excellence Awards And Nominations

Richard Piet 7:49

All right. So if you'd like to be a part of Community Impact Day on May 13th, just uh look at the chamber website for uh the information on the project submissions. If you're a nonprofit, some municipality service organization, you can submit a project that you need done. And of course, if you want to be a volunteer, the portal will open on April the 6th, and uh you can submit your info that way. And then on the 13th from one to four, it's not even an all-day deal. You don't have to pack your whole day, just a few hours, and then a celebration afterwards. So be part of that community impact day on May 13th. Boy, there's uh another thing, Cara, going on at the chamber, and it has to do with putting the spotlight on business, right?

SPEAKER_00 8:34

Absolutely. So our annual business excellence awards are coming up here on April 29th. So April 29th is our large celebration that we do at KCC's Benda Theater. Right now, we are accepting nominations for businesses. So we have things like an emerging business award, a small business of the year, mid-sized business of the year, large business of the year, veteran-owned businesses to minority-owned businesses, you name it, across the gamut. There is a large number of uh awards that we're giving out that day. It's also where our leadership Battle Creek Cohort 26 will be graduating. And so lots of excitement, celebration, accolades given during this event. It starts at five o'clock in the evening at KCC. It's$10 to attend, but it's a great way to be able to showcase and show community matters. It's just another way of being able to show that it does and give the accolades to those businesses that really need to be lifted. Um, we also do the big award and our video of our love, Battle Creek, and Calhoun County award winners in that night. So again, it's just a celebration of our community and the businesses and the individuals that it represents. And so that's April 29th at Business Excellence Awards. More information can be found on our website at battlecreek.org.

Richard Piet 9:58

All right. And uh you've taken nominations as you say. Here it is uh early April already. Did that window close or are there still nominations coming in?

SPEAKER_00 10:08

There are still nominations still coming in. And so the deadline is fast approaching. So if you haven't gotten your nomination in, get it in is ASAP. I will tell you that we have had a large influx of folks' nominations thus far. So it's gonna be great. Those are actually judged on. I have five peers from across the United States that actually judge those for us. And so it is not done by somebody here locally. I um take all of those packages and then I send it out to our five judges and they review it and judge each one of them. So okay.

Eye Opener Breakfast With Summit Pointe

Richard Piet 10:43

So they uh are impartial. They don't have a dog in the race, as they say. And yeah, that's a great way to do that. Okay, business excellence awards coming from the chamber, April 29th. And again, if you want to go to that, it's at KCC at five on the 29th. You got a couple of other events we ought to mention while we're at it, uh, like the eye opener. Yeah, what's coming up?

SPEAKER_00 11:06

Yeah, so our annual eye opener breakfast program, which is always the second Tuesday of the month. So April 14th, we will be having from first call to crisis care summit point, we'll be in talking about all of the wonderful programming that they have and essentially the step-by-step guide of how to utilize summit point in our community in the best, most effective way. And so that is happening at 7:30 in the morning on April 14th. You may RSVP to office at battlecreek.org if you are interested in attending and learning more. It's$10 to attend. There's a theme there with the number.

Richard Piet 11:49

I see that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

Um, but it's a great program. You get a breakfast, you get great information, and you get great community networking. Um, you know, our eye openers are a great opportunity to connect with other business leaders, um, showcase what you do by our community showcase, but also just being in the room when things are talked about is really important.

Richard Piet 12:14

All right. 7 30 on the 14th, second Tuesday of every month. Where do you hold that?

SPEAKER_00 12:19

That is at Cool Family Community Center.

Women In Business Luncheon Details

Richard Piet 12:21

Okay. So email office at battlecreek.org if you want to be part of that.$10. Eye opener, presentation is Summit Point. You got another uh a luncheon event on the 17th, too.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

Correct. So about probably seven years now, I started a program um here in Battle Creek called Women in Business. And these luncheons happen every other month where we have a luncheon. And then on the off months, we do what's called a power hour. Our upcoming Women in Business luncheon, which will be on April 17th, it's a Friday, starts at 11:30 and it goes until 1 p.m. We always have a featured woman that we feature. And this month for April 17th will be our new city manager, Amanda Zimmerlin. And if you are interested in going to that, you are welcome to do so. There is a$20 fee to attend, and you can do so by RSVPing to office at battlecreek.org or find us on Facebook with our events because that is an easy way of being able to click in and get your registration done.

The Chamber’s New Michigan Avenue Office

Richard Piet 13:24

All right, that's April 17. The Women in Business Luncheon features Amanda Zimmerlin, Battle Creek City Manager, as the speaker. And so, yeah, good idea. Follow on Facebook, and then you'll see these uh events as they pop up and you'll be able to respond accordingly. You're all settled in in your new digs, are you?

SPEAKER_00 13:43

We are. We love our new office. In case you didn't know, we moved the first week of June of last year. We moved on to Michigan Avenue at 51 West Michigan. We are sandwiched between Comerica Bank and KCCU, right there on Michigan Ave across the street from Race's Shoes. It is a great location. We're really loving it. It's open. We'd love to see anybody who wants to stop in and just check in with us. We've got a great rack of business information. Um, if you are interested in learning more about some of our member businesses, but it's great for our community space. And so we are very fortunate to be in this location. Our board of directors were really excited to have the opportunity that we were given to move into this space. And so after 20 years of being at the River Walk, we decided to make the 375-foot walk to our new location on Michigan Avenue.

Richard Piet 14:39

Did you count the steps?

SPEAKER_00 14:41

Um, we did. And I can't remember the number offhand anymore, but it was we're just across the parking lot. And so we are right there, you can see our sign. We are the building that has all of the beautiful pictures from Patman dronography on our windows for window decals. So if you look and you see a whole bunch of really cool pictures of Battle Creek, just know that's the chamber office. And there's a big sign under uh above that as well.

Richard Piet 15:07

I was about to say it's very noticeable as you're going by that it's you. So that's great. And uh when you were moving, you knew those steps because you counted every one when you're carrying your desk.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

And we were really lucky we were able to use one of our chamber members. Mulder's movers were amazing to work with here for us as a chamber member, and they helped move and set up our new office.

Richard Piet 15:28

So yeah, I was kidding. When I said you're really moving your desk, you had help. That's good.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

We did. We're uh all female staff, and we were like, Yep, we're not moving desks. We we did we did move a lot of things across the parking lot. I'm not gonna lie, but the desks, we we definitely had some great movers.

Richard Piet 15:46

Yeah, I would agree with you. Uh, some of the best uh money you can spend is having somebody carry that heavy stuff. I can't.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Sure was. Yeah. And assembling cubicles was not my forte.

Richard Piet 15:57

Oh boy, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:58

Um, so they did great for us.

Final Reminders And Links

Richard Piet 16:01

Well, congratulations on the new space. It is very visible when you're going down Michigan. You can see it. Stop on by and visit the Battle Creek Chamber and uh think about that Community Impact Day, May 13th. Yes. Projects and volunteers. Uh, you can respond at the uh chamber website. Link is in the show notes. If you can't write it down, how can you forget battlecreek.org, right? But uh if you're at battlecreekpodcast.com, you can click through from there too. Either way. All right, Caribbean, thanks for the update.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

Thank you so much, and thanks for um being a part of our community.