Traverse City, Life on the 45th Parallel

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Located on the 45th Parallel, Traverse City Michigan is an exciting and beautiful place to visit, or call home. Below are some highlights as to why Traverse City is such a wonderful place.

 

Beaches

Traverse City and its surrounding areas have miles of beautiful beaches,are you going back to the same beach every visit ? Switch it up next time and explore some of your other beach day options such as Northport, Empire, Suttons Bay and Glen Arbor. Click Here  for a list of local beaches.

 


Hiking, and biking

The Best Way to take in the sights and smells of the season is to get out and explore nature’s true beauty. Traverse City offers many biking and hiking trails for the outdoor adventure seeker.  Click Here for a list of trails.

 


Sleeping Bear Dunes

Part of the national park system since 1972, Sleeping Bear is one of Americas most beautiful landscapes. Spanning 64 miles with beautiful freshwater beaches, wilderness islands and hiking trails.

There are many different areas of the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Click Here to find which spot is right for you.

 


Boating

Nestled between sheltered hills, Grand Traverse Bay combines the advantages of deep water and protection from storms. With nearby marinas, shopping, and dining options,  it is no wonder why Boating Magazine named Traverse City one of its “Ten Best Places to Live and Boat”

With an abundance of marinas and boat rental companies in the Traverse City area, one cannot resist heading out on the water. If driving a boat does not appeal to you, try one of the themed boating tours offered, sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

 


Fishing

The main event is the annual pacific salmon run, where thousands of massive chinook and coho salmon make their way upriver each. Click Here for some fishy information about the various types of salmon.

The best time to fish in the Traverse City area is in the Fall. As the water cools the fish become more active and eat more to fatten up for the cold Michigan winter.

Rent a boat and hit the lakes yourself or try your luck with a professional on a chartered fishing trip. Click Here for fishing charter information.


Golf

Photo of: The Bear Golf Course

Featuring 17 Championship golf courses, Traverse City’s courses were sculpted by massive glaciers that spread across the land over 8,000 years ago. Course Architects such as: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Jerry Matthews, Tom Weiskopf and Gary Player have all helped create beautiful courses in the area.

Like most things in Traverse City, Golf is most enjoyed in the fall. As the leaves begin to change, vibrant colors take over the land providing a one of a kind golfing experience.  Click Here for course options and the 2015 Golf Guide.


Distilleries, Wineries & Micro Brews

Known as Michigan’s Wine Country, Traverse City is located directly on the 45th parallel and produces world class wine. With the same latitude as some of the most famous wine regions of France and Italy, it is not by chance that Traverse City’s conditions are perfect for wine making. Click Here for winery location information.

Named “one of America’s three newest Emerging Beer Towns” by Draft Magazine, Traverse City is home to 17 microbreweries, brewpubs and craft brew taprooms. The Old Mission and Leelanau peninsula’s (great place to grow fruit) are now being utilized to grow hops as well, making the beer all the more exciting. Check out Traverse City Beer Week in November to get a full week of beer themed events.  Click Here for a list of microbreweries and brewpubs.

Producing spirits such as brandies, hand crafted vodkas and whiskeys, Traverse City has a breadth of local distilleries. Whether you go to a tasting room or not, be sure to ask for local spirits when ordering a cocktail at your favorite place to dine. Click Here for a list of local distilleries.


Casinos

Featuring multiple casinos owned and operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Leelanau Sands located in Peshawebstown (just north of Suttons Bay) and the Turtle Creek casino, located in Williamsburg. Both Casinos offer blackjack, stud poker, craps, roulette and over 200 slots.  Click Here for location information.

Photo of: Leelanau Sands Casino

Restaurants

Photo of: Trattoria Stella

Locally sourced fruits, vegtables, meats, cheeses and wines make for unforgettable meals. One of the country’s “Top Five Foodie Towns” said Bon Appetit Magazine. With too many restaurants to even begin naming, Traverse City is a food lovers dream. Come and experience the flavors of the land mixed with the talents of the areas best chefs. Click Here for restaurant information.

 

 

 

 

Sources: http://www.traversecity.com http://www.michigan.org/

A Humble Design for the Homeless

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Bedroom

 

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The Facts:

 

Photo by kastlerconstruction.com
Photo by kastlerconstruction.com
  • There are a total of 66, 051 homeless persons in Michigan.
  • Of this number, there are 24, 713 sheltered homeless individuals on any one night.
  • The average income of a homeless family in Michigan is around $730 a month.
  • In Michigan, adults and children in families account for 52% of the total homeless.
  • There are at least 3,000 youth and children who are alone and homeless.

 

 

These numbers are a huge wake up call, but luckily there are people and organizations that work to drastically reduce these numbers. A Detroit-based nonprofit organization, Humble Design, assists families in need who are transitioning out of homeless and domestic abuse shelters by providing furnishings and design services to their new place of residence. This is a crucial service that Humble Design provides. Essentially families that are transitioning from homeless shelters into homes struggle to afford to pay for furniture, appliances, beds etc…

 

Photo by pinimg.com

Humble Design started in 2009 and has serviced over 494 families to date. The members of the organization interview the previously homeless individuals and inquire what furniture they are in need of. Almost all of the families they help have no beds or furniture. Two days after the interview, they go back to the home and decorate the house.

 

 

Photo by blogspot.com

 

 

Along with providing this great service, Humble Design is making another contribution for the community; The 1st Annual Gigs for Digs. This benefit concert will be held at The Fillmore in Detroit and will feature live musical performances from Frankie Ballard and the Motor City Horns. Frankie Ballard is a Michigan native and has had two #1 hits on the country billboard charts, so needless to say there is a ton of excitement surrounding the event.

 

 Last week, we visited Humble Design to make a donation with the help of the Selective Insurance Groups Matching Grant Program.  We took a tour of their facilities to get a good look at how they operate and were blown away with the quick turn-over of donated items such as: furniture, beds, small appliances, kitchenware and children’s toys.  All of this being said, Humble design needs your help! Buying a ticket to the Gigs for Digs Benefit Concert will directly benefit the organization and in turn will be used to help the transitioning homeless community.People can feel good donating to a great cause while also being able to enjoy a fun concert.  If you would like to make a donation of furniture, beds etc…contact Humble Design at (248) 243-7144 to schedule a pick up. 

Follow Allied Insurance Managers, Inc. and Selective Insurance Company’s lead by donating today!

 

 

   

 

 

Sources: Goodwill Impact and Homelessness Facts.

 http://www.goodwillnmi.org/homeless-housing/goodwill-inn-homeless-shelter/homeless-facts/

Allied Insurance Managers Donates To Charlotte’s Wings, Improving Hospital Stays For Children

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About Charlotte’s Wings

Founded in March of 2008, Charlotte’s Wings is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to supporting ailing children and their families in hospitals and hospice care in Michigan; through the donation of new books. Charlotte’s Wings goal is to bring a smile, create a dream, or simply provide an escape from an unfortunate reality to sick children going through a tough time.

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Charlotte’s Wings Video

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Inspiration

On December 8, 2007, a five-month old girl Charlotte was lost to a rare, incurable brain disease. Family, friends and community members were devastated by her un-timely passing. Charlotte’s family pushed through the pain of their loss and began to help others in similar situations. To honor Charlotte’s memory, the family began donating hundreds of children’s books to local hospitals in an effort to aid children and their families.

Whether a child is facing a minor surgery or terminal illness, a book can provide encouragement and comfort to a child during a frightening time. Charlotte’s Wings has donated nearly 44,000 books to hospitals and hospices in Michigan since their beginning in 2008.

Allied Insurance Managers and The Selective Insurance Group Foundation have teamed together to provide donations to Charlotte’s Wings. Getting involved in the community is easier than it may seem and proves to be extremely rewarding. Every dollar counts; with 99 percent of all donations going toward new books for the children, you can rest assured your money is being spent wisely. Please get involved in your local community to help impact the lives of those less fortunate.

 .Meeting With Charlotte's Wings Director: Jennifer Buck.  Pictured: Corbin Nieswand, Jennifer Buck, Jayson Bass and Brandon Schweiger

Meeting in Rochester with Charlotte’s Wings Director: Jennifer Buck

Pictured: Corbin Nieswand, Jennifer Buck, Jayson Bass and Brandon Schweiger

 

 

 

 


 Testimonial

“During Christmas 2009, Charlotte’s Wings donated: No Matter What, by Debi Gliori, to provide to the children and families in our program. This was such a simple book that sends out such a beautiful message, a message of unconditional love. Coming from someone who has read this story to many of our hospice children and their siblings I have seen the impact it has and the actions of love that follow. It really allows children to understand that no matter what, you are special.”“I just wanted to let you know how much these books mean to our hospice children. We have the honor of seeing the faces of our children light up to these beautiful stories. Working for this program I have seen the impact these books leave for our children and I have to say, not only is it a gift to us for your generous donations but it touches so many lives of so many children and families in our program.”

 Katarina Juncai, LKMSW, St. John Walk With Me

Join Charlotte’s Wings on Facebook 

For More Information Please Visit Charlottes-Wings.com

 Click “Donate” or “Become A Sponsor” to see how you can help. Charlotte’s Wings will host its 9th annual benefit in 2016 and is always looking for sponsors. In 2015 the Charlotte’s Wings 8th Annual Benefit Raised Nearly $100,000!

Umbrella Business Insurance: Protection against Devastating Lawsuits

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The United States is an extremely litigious nation where everyone can sue anybody for just about anything. Businesses are primary targets, with lawsuits (ranging from evident company errors to frivolous claims) reaching hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Either way, if a legal settlement or verdict exceeds your Michigan business’s liability coverage, your solvency would be at risk. For these reasons, it’s a wise move to get an umbrella business insurance policy which would provide added protection against disastrous losses arising from lawsuits. Continue reading…

Why Home Insurance is Essential to Condominium Owners in Michigan

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Condo associations in Michigan typically have insurance policies, but these tend to not cover everything in the complex. Such policies would most likely just include common areas of the building, including the common rooms, hallways, pools, and the exterior. Depending on what is written on the condo association’s master policy, condo owners would need a separate home insurance policy that would cover individual and personal needs. Home insurance for a condo unit would cover both personal property and personal liability for added protection. Continue reading…