GLBM December 2015

greatlakesbaymag.com

December 2015 $3.95

GIVING IN THE GREAT LAKES BAY REGION

SNOWY OWLSVISITORS FROM THE ARCTIC

PREVIEW: 2016 CHARITY GALAS & EVENTS

COLLECTING MEMORIESFINDING ANTIQUES AND HEIRLOOMS OF HOLIDAYS PAST

®™The DOW Diamond Logo is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company © 2015

Michigan Operations: MiOps, YourCareer, OurCommunity

ENJOY THE RIDE.THEY’LL TAKE CARE OF THE REST. More Than Fun and Games

The Human Element At Work.

Designing sleds to make them go faster may seem like fun and games, but for Dow employees Jay Tudor and Mark Mirgon, it’s their job. Jay and Mark are part of a team of Dow engineers and scientists that partner with USA Luge to make their sleds faster and more competitive. Their impact extends from professional luge tracks around the world to classrooms right here in the Great Lakes Bay Region, where they have sparked curiosity in students by volunteering their time to a classroom project where children engineered sleds of their own. While we sit back and enjoy the ride, Jay and Mark are hard at work, turning “good” into “even better.”

MCFTA.ORG | 800.523.7649 | 989.631.8250

February 26

ArtColors

PARTY

Enjoy live entertain

ment

Great food, drinks an

d dancing

Silent and live

auctions

...and a d

azzling finale!

6-7 pm – VIP Early Access

7-11 pm – Premier Guest Ticket

In the Galleries of Midland Center for the Arts

ifeMidland Center fo

r the Arts

HEAR Art

SEE Art

BE a Part of the Art!

All proceeds benefit MCFTA progra

mming and exhibitions.

So put on your dancing shoes – from bedazzled tennis shoes

to sparkling stilettos – and join us for a night to remember!

1900 Columbus Ave., Bay City, MI | mclaren.org/bayregion

Caring for Our Community.McLaren Bay Region makes a difference in the community by providing excellent care.

Cancer Screenings: •Breast, Colorectal, Oral, Head and Neck, Prostate, SkinChildbirth EducationCommunity Education ClassesCommunity SupportDiabetes EducationEMS (Emergency Medical Services) Heart Health and Stroke ScreeningsHelen M. Nickless Volunteer Clinic

Inpatient Hospital CareMcLaren Bay Medical FoundationOutpatient Hospital CarePeripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) ScreeningsPhysician ReferralPrimary and Specialty Physician ServicesSpeakers BureauSports Physicals/Concussion ManagementSupport GroupsVolunteer Opportunities

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Letters must be signed and include the writer’s name and address. Please send to: Great Lakes Bay, 1311 Straits Dr, Bay City MI 48706, or email [email protected].

1311 Straits DrBay City MI 48706

Phone [email protected]

Subscription InquiriesCall 989-893-2083

Publisher: Marisa Horak [email protected]

Editor in Chief: Mimi [email protected]

Associate Editor: Stacey [email protected]

Editorial Intern: Patrice Jones

Art Director: Chad [email protected]

Design Intern: Jessica Clingenpeel

Arts & Entertainment Coordinator: Jen Wainwright O’[email protected]

Photographer: Doug [email protected]

Contributors: Kimberly Bone, Eric Gilbertson, Jeanne Henderson, Patrice Jones, Nancy Sajdak Manning, Breanna Miele, Melissa Russell, Stacey Tetloff, Mike Thompson, Jen Wainwright O’Deay, and Kathryn Will

Advertising Director:Tim [email protected]

Cover: Photographed at

Midland City Forest by Doug Julian

T R C c o m p a n y . c o m9 8 9 . 6 3 1 . 9 7 2 6 | M i d l a n d , M i c h i g a n

More Than Construction

As we design and build the places that bring the Great Lakes Bay Region

together for service, worship and fun, we appreciate you for making it

possible. Have a warm and wonderful holiday season. We look forward to

another year of bringing More Than Construction to our communities.

Thank You for the Gift of a

Great 2015

1

2

Going somewhere in the Great Lakes Bay Region? Don’t forget to grab a photo of you and Great Lakes Bay!

See where our readers are taking their trips with Great Lakes Bay!

TRAVEL

Wish you were here!Pack us in your suitcase. We want to see the world with you.Submit your photo online at www.greatlakesbaymag.com, or mail to 1311 Straits Dr, Bay City MI 48706

Jeanne and Jerry Henderson travel with Great Lakes Bay to Banff, Alberta, Canada.

Great Lakes Bay joins Claudia and Tony LaFramboise as they celebrate their 21st anniversary in Cape Ann, Gloucester, Massachusetts.

1.

2.

December 2015 | Great Lakes Bay 5

www.greatlakesbay.orgYour next business success is waiting by the Bay.

At the start of the 2015 school year, the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance formally launched a new website, www.stempipeline.com. The STEM Pipeline is a comprehensive STEM website for the Great Lakes Bay Region and

Prosperity Region 5 (Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, and Saginaw counties).

The 2014 STEM Impact Initiative Study indicated the need to build a STEM Talent Pipeline for the Great Lakes

Bay Region. The STEM Pipeline website is designed to coordinate and organize

various STEM efforts from throughout the Great Lakes

Bay Region. Content includes regional STEM programs and events, STEM job postings, STEM news, STEM blogs, and innovative initiatives led by our regional STEM networks.

Our hope is that parents, students, and teachers can utilize the STEM Pipeline on a

consistent basis to raise their awareness of learning

opportunities, after school

and summer programming, and available jobs in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

There is a talent war taking place across the United States, and there will be very clear winners and losers. The Great Lakes Bay Region is home to a robust STEM network of employers, educators, and students. The STEM Pipeline website is a necessary tool to coordinate our various STEM activities and employment opportunities, so we can win the talent war for the future economic vitality of the Great Lakes Bay Region.

“The STEM Pipeline website is going to be an instrumental tool for parents, teachers, students, and job seekers in the eight-county region,” says Carolyn Weirda, executive director of STEM at Saginaw Valley State University. “We have built a unique collaboration between industry and education leaders in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Now we have the ability to partner with and leverage national STEM expertise through

the STEM Ecosystem Initiative.” Organizations may post STEM events

and programs, and employers can post STEM jobs, free of charge, by contacting Emily Gillings at the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance at 989-695-6100, or by email at [email protected].

Matt FelanPresident & CEOGreat Lakes Bay Regional Alliance

Sponsored Message

Great Lakes Bay Region Launches STEM Pipeline Website

DECEMBER 2015VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 12

SPECIAL INSERTp. 29

23Fill your home with Old-World charm this holiday season

BY KATHRYN WILL

HAVE YOURSELF AVINTAGE LITTLE CHRISTMAS


classes they can. He also advises young people to “embrace education with passion. It is not enough to just go to class and get by with the minimum.”

He says STEM education and careers are well-suited to “people who want to solve problems and know how things work. Our education system provides for a top-notch opportunity that millions in the world only dream of.”

Carbary’s career experiences have given him a deep appreciation for other cultures. Having relocated first to Fremont, California, and then to Seoul, Korea, before eventually returning to Midland, he learned firsthand the importance of understanding other cultures. He continues to work with a global community, frequently holding early-morning teleconferences that include participants from Europe and Asia.

Learn about Dow Corning and Hemlock Semiconductor Group careers at dowcorning.com/careers.

Lawrence Carbary’s passion for the research process and for science, technology, engineering and mathematics – in addition to his respect for education and other cultures – has led to a remarkable career and lasting legacy.

Carbary’s role as a construction industry scientist involves the design, development and validation of new technologies for commercial façade performance. He most enjoys “the thrill of discovery,” followed closely by the personal reward of the validation and substantiation of that discovery.

A graduate of Bay City Western High School, Carbary earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University. He joined Dow Corning in 1982, immediately going to work on the development and application of silicone sealants for the construction industry. Currently, he is working to develop new high-performance technologies for commercial façade performance.

Carbary – who is a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Board of Directors – encourages students to take all of the math and science

Embrace education

with passion.“ ”

Dow Corning Employee SpotlightLawrence Carbary, Construction Industry Scientist

Dow Corning, HSC and HEMLOCK SEMICONDUCTOR are registered trademarks of Dow Corning Corporation. We help you invent the future is a trademark of Dow Corning Corporation. © 2015 Dow Corning Corporation. All rights reserved.

14311M-20 DC Larry Advertorial.indd 1 10/29/15 10:23 AM

Great Lakes Bay Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 12, December 2015 (ISSN 1550-8064) is published monthly by Great Lakes Bay Publishing, 1311 Straits Dr, Bay City MI 48706. Periodicals postage pending at Bay City MI. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Great Lakes Bay Publishing, P.O. Box 925, Bay City MI 48707. Copyright © 2015 Great Lakes Bay Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.

Life13 THE MAKING OF MYTHS AND LEGENDS The mARTinez Studio Art Club carves

statues of stories and imagination

16 NUMBERS

18 FLORA & FAUNA Snowy Owls

20 DECEMBER CALENDAR

A & E54 PEOPLE PICS Pictures of people partying, volunteering, and contributing to a good cause

55 SPONSORED EVENTS Local events sponsored by Great Lakes Bay magazine

55 EVENTS A comprehensive listing of regional events

Departments 5 TRAVEL

11 CONTRIBUTORS

11 EDITOR’S NOTE

60 THE BACK STORY

13

43THE 411ON THE 101

Taste43 THE 411 ON THE 101 Wining and dining at Tavern 101

47 DINING OUT GUIDE


classes they can. He also advises young people to “embrace education with passion. It is not enough to just go to class and get by with the minimum.”

He says STEM education and careers are well-suited to “people who want to solve problems and know how things work. Our education system provides for a top-notch opportunity that millions in the world only dream of.”

Carbary’s career experiences have given him a deep appreciation for other cultures. Having relocated first to Fremont, California, and then to Seoul, Korea, before eventually returning to Midland, he learned firsthand the importance of understanding other cultures. He continues to work with a global community, frequently holding early-morning teleconferences that include participants from Europe and Asia.

Learn about Dow Corning and Hemlock Semiconductor Group careers at dowcorning.com/careers.

Lawrence Carbary’s passion for the research process and for science, technology, engineering and mathematics – in addition to his respect for education and other cultures – has led to a remarkable career and lasting legacy.

Carbary’s role as a construction industry scientist involves the design, development and validation of new technologies for commercial façade performance. He most enjoys “the thrill of discovery,” followed closely by the personal reward of the validation and substantiation of that discovery.

A graduate of Bay City Western High School, Carbary earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University. He joined Dow Corning in 1982, immediately going to work on the development and application of silicone sealants for the construction industry. Currently, he is working to develop new high-performance technologies for commercial façade performance.

Carbary – who is a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Board of Directors – encourages students to take all of the math and science

Embrace education

with passion.“ ”

Dow Corning Employee SpotlightLawrence Carbary, Construction Industry Scientist

Dow Corning, HSC and HEMLOCK SEMICONDUCTOR are registered trademarks of Dow Corning Corporation. We help you invent the future is a trademark of Dow Corning Corporation. © 2015 Dow Corning Corporation. All rights reserved.

14311M-20 DC Larry Advertorial.indd 1 10/29/15 10:23 AM

Open up a world of possibilities for your company—with our

local experts.

Expand your company’s reach with FirstMerit International Banking To expand sales of her lighting manufacturing company to global markets, Ann worked

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help mitigate risks, improve profitability, and increase export sales opportunities.

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firstmerit.com

TO L E A R N MOR E, C ON T A C T :

Todd Gregory, Saginaw Community President,at 989-776-7465 or [email protected].

Dave Green, Bay City Community President,at 989-894-6715 or [email protected].

Loans subject to credit approval.

is an editorial intern for Great Lakes

Bay. She is in her fourth year at

Saginaw Valley State University,

pursuing a bachelor’s degree in

professional and technical writing.

PATRICE JONES

FROM THE EDITOR

This is our annual Giving issue, a particularly relevant theme in this season as we are confronted with the pressure to give, give, give—to shop for presents for an ever-expanding list of recipients and donate to charities making their year-end appeals. Certainly, we want to do the right thing—to be magnanimous and socially responsible—but most often we give

because doing so just feels so good. That part about “in giving, we all receive,” heck, it’s so true.

To move forward and prosper as a region we must all work together toward shared goals. Thank goodness we

have incredible role models, men and women who, decades ago, stimulated new ideas and promoted effective strategies for private philanthropy. You’ve heard their names—Dow, Gerstacker, Kantzler, Wickes, and other profoundly generous souls like them—and the names of their foundations and the funds established in their names within charitable trusts and our community foundations. You’ve enjoyed the amenities their ingenuity and commitment made possible.

In reading their stories (as profiled in “Historic Gifts That Keep on Giving,” page 31), do you know what both baffles and inspires me? The thought that one could give so selflessly and expect nothing in return. Our role models were “all in” on that concept of in giving, we all receive.

As it turns out, no matter how beautiful our landscape is (between woods and water, farmer’s field and city park), how strong the character of our people, and how innovative yesterday’s pioneers were and tomorrow’s will be, what makes this region home is that it’s the place where philanthropy thrives.

In giving, we all receive. Pass it on.

Mimi BellEditor in [email protected]

In Giving, We All Receive.

is a historian, freelance journalist, and

developmental editor whose writing

appears in several Michigan magazines.

NANCY SAJDAK MANNING

is project coordinator for the world’s

largest association in continuing education

and lifelong learning. She writes about

value-driven content creation, inbound

marketing, and visual social media.

KATHRYN WILL

CONTRIBUTORS


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LIFEWHO AND WHAT INSPIRES US

Profile 13 | Numbers 16 | Flora & Fauna 18 | Calendar 20

BY STACEY TETLOFF | PHOTOS BY THE mARTinez STUDIO ART CLUB

The mARTinez Studio Art Club carves statues of stories and imagination

The Making of Myths and Legends


Giants of ice erupt from the snow-covered Earth, towering over the crowd. An enormous snake-like sea creature made of sand winds its way around a beach, weaving between sunbathers. A small, wooden owl peers eerily with large, all-knowing eyes from a

perch in a shadowed corner. Are these scenes from folk tales and epic poems of long ago? Though each could be, instead larger-than-life snow, ice, wood, and sand sculptures like these are the creations of John Martinez and his partners at the mARTinez Studio Art Club in Bridgeport.

For Martinez, the idea to participate in events that would have him carving gigantic snow sculptures came during his time as a student teacher at the then-South Middle School in Saginaw. The teacher Martinez was working with was an organizer of the snow events in Frankenmuth at that time, and he encouraged Martinez to get involved.

“I would spend most of my winter trying to stay out of the cold, but I wanted a job. I agreed reluctantly,” recalls Martinez. “I fell in love with snow sculpting. It was the most brutal, hardcore outdoor activity I had

ever participated in, and it was the greatest challenge artistically that I had ever had.”

The first year Martinez spent working on a snow sculpture for the carving contest of Frankenmuth’s Snowfest, he worked with a new team. Together, they won the state competition. From there, Martinez continued to enter competitions, creating sculptures around the state and, eventually, throughout the country.

The idea to start the Art Club came about when Martinez decided to leave teaching. He was hanging out with a friend when they both pulled out their sketch pads to practice drawing. The duo started trying out new things: 3-D drawings on the garage floor, small sand sculptures, and more. “We started practicing on how to use art to make things happen,” Martinez says, “and more and more people heard about it. They started dropping by to get involved.”

As the informal group grew, plans for what would become the mARTinez Studio Art Club gained momentum. “We all started out carving snow; that’s the common thread,” Martinez explains. “I started competing in 1995, brought my sons into it in the early 2000s, and started competing all over in 1999.”

Martinez has focused the Art Club on family, building it with his wife, Melanie, and

family and friends Billy Budd, Kristi Englehart, Jonathon Martinez, Darren (Martinez) Murphy, Madison Martinez, Jay McCullough (Pirate Jay), Luke Blohm, Stephen Hargash, Brandon Markle, and Dave Berger.

The opportunities the Art Club has to make lasting impressions extend beyond the sculptures created for competitions and commissions. The Art Club offers its members’ collective expertise to work with students from elementary to high school classrooms, demonstrating techniques and explaining processes. The group also works with community, after-school, and therapy programs, traveling all over Michigan and around the United States.

“Family is my inspiration,” Martinez says. “My first thought is my family. Our whole group is family-centered, which makes the process of creating art—from pooling our imaginations and ideas to planning to doing—a fun, amazing experience. It’s what we look forward to.”

And fans of the group have a lot to look forward to, too, admiring both the giant-sized, mythical creations and small, legendary projects of the mARTinez Studio Art Club at events and venues around the community. •

LIFE / PROFILE

This mARTinez Studio Art Club creation won first place in Frankenmuth’s 2015 Snowfest World Class Double Block Competition

John Martinez, Jason McCollough, Jonathon Martinez, and Darren Murphy put their ice carving skills to work

14 Great Lakes Bay | December 2015

LIFE / NUMBERS

4,000According to the Michigan Christmas Tree

Association (MCTA), approximately 25 to 30 million real trees are sold in the United States annually

while 350 million remain growing; for every tree harvested, one to three seedlings are planted.

The MCTA also states that there are more than 4,000 U.S. Christmas tree recycling

programs. Kluck’s Nursery (1020 Van Wormer Rd, Thomas Township, 989-781-

1650) offers one of them.

11:49The Winter Solstice marks the beginning of daylight increasing. The solstice occurs specifically when the sun is overhead the Tropic of Capricorn. Locally, the Winter Solstice in 2015 occurs at 11:49 p.m. on

December 21.

Enjoy Earth-friendly traditions and hear solstice stories from 6 – 8 p.m. on December 19 at Chippewa Nature Center’s

Winter Solstice Celebration (400 S Badour Rd, Midland, 989-631-0830).

842,000,000In 2010, the United Nations Children’s Fund estimated that around the world there were approximately 2,106 million children who were younger than 18. Santa traveled 221 million miles that year and made 842 million stops, delivering presents to approximately 2.5 children in each home and traveling between houses in 2/10,000ths of a second!

See the magic man (before his travels) on Saturdays and Sundays at Santa’s Village North Pole U.S.A. (Saginaw County Fairgrounds, Chesaning, 989-845-2143).

3’Tis the season to make gingerbread houses! Swedish tradition says to put gingerbread in the palm of your hand and make a wish. If the gingerbread breaks into three pieces, your wish will come true.

Gingerbread house kits are widely available; you could make yours, too, with supplies from Tummy Ache Candy Store (1116 N Johnson St, Bay City, 989-891-7669).

1,200The tradition of a New Year’s Eve ball drop began in 1833 at England’s Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Made of iron and wood, the ball weighed 700 pounds with a 5-foot diameter.

Carry on tradition amongst thousands who gather at Midland’s Midnight on Main (www.midnightonmain.org) to count down the largest ball drop in Michigan—an 8-foot, 1,200-pound ball.

1The origins of “snow cream” (made from freshly fallen

snow) are unclear. Persians apparently ate snow mixed with fruit juices; Alexander the Great enjoyed snow

and honey.

Another version: Mix one bowl of snow, one cup evaporated milk, one cup sugar, and one

teaspoon vanilla from Organic World Spice Market (12245 S Beyer Rd, Birch Run Premium Outlet Mall, Birch Run, 989-349-5008). Enjoy!

Great Lakes Bay Region tidbits, trivia, and conversation starters BY JEN WAINWRIGHT O’DEAY


Rose saved $2,400 by consolidating8 high interest credit cards

Local not-for-profits will help distribute them to those in need throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Donate New hats, mittens, gloves, scarves and socks!

Now thru DecemberKnit, buy or even re-gift them–

then just drop them in specially marked containers at any Wildfire branch.

Distinctively Bet ter

share the warmth ...

WF_22x28_STW_Fin.indd 1 11/13/14 2:34 PM

Snowy OwlsJEANNE HENDERSON, INTERPRETIVE NATURALIST

400 S Badour Rd, Midland, 989-631-0830www.chippewanaturecenter.org

As people prepare for holiday visitors, those who love birds make time to search outside for visitors from the Arctic—snowy owls. Not your typical backyard birds attracted to feeders full of sunflower

seeds or suet cakes, snowy owls are more likely to be found in open landscapes resembling their coastal tundra habitats above the Arctic Circle. Usually, a few snowy owls appear every year, but birders hope this winter brings another irruption—a sudden increase of these migrants across the state if many chicks born last summer survived to make their first migration.

LIFE / FLORA & FAUNA

This adult male rests during the day in fields, showing off bright white plumage


Night hunters. Most snowy owls here hunt nocturnally, capturing mice, voles, or rabbits on land. Some fly out over the Great Lakes to hunt ducks or gulls floating in the constantly shifting open water areas.

Chick clutches. During the long summer breeding season, snowy owls become diurnal hunters because the sun never completely sets below the horizon at the top of the Earth. Lemmings comprise their main diet. When lemmings are abundant, clutches of five to 10 owl chicks hatch while only four to seven chicks are born in leaner years.

Tracking Chippewa. A third-year female was named “Chippewa” after she was trapped February 8, 2015, in the Upper Peninsula’s Chippewa County. Chippewa spent most of her time along the frozen entry channel of the St. Marys River west of Sault Ste. Marie. The last tracking transmission from Chippewa occurred on May 1. She is presumed to have flown north.

Project Snowstorm. Another adult female was trapped at MBS International Airport on February 11, 2015, by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The owl was relocated to farmlands near Schoolcraft in Southern Michigan and named “Prairie Ronde” after the township. After staying in that vicinity for two weeks, Prairie Ronde flew southeast to Indiana and Ohio. On March 5, her last transmission came from near Fayette, Ohio. For more information, check www.projectsnowstorm.org.

Snowy owls in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Check local bird sightings at www.saginawbaybirding.org.

When they are searching over plowed fields, these camouflaged birds look like a bump on the snow-covered ground. Easier to spot are the owls perched atop a telephone pole along the roadside. Birders may see owls sitting on beaches, on rocks along river banks, or on the ice-covered Saginaw Bay.

Snowy owl adult males appear almost completely white while adult females show dark bars across the breast and wings. Like other owls and hawks, the females are larger than the males. Juveniles are heavily marked with bars and spotting. All ages show their big yellow eyes, rounded head, and feather-covered legs. Long bristles, which nearly cover the black bill, help to warm the cold air before it enters an owl’s lungs.

Information previously known about these nomadic migrants is being updated with new data acquired from high-tech tracking devices. During the historic irruption of snowy owls in the winter months of 2013 and 2014, a multi-state study called Project Snowstorm was initiated by co-founder Scott Weidensaul, scientists, and 12 partner organizations, including Michigan’s Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. Several owls found at airports needed to be relocated. After safely catching an owl, scientists chose only healthy birds for tagging, attaching a solar-powered GPS transmitter. The transmitter sends data over cellular phone networks when the bird flies within range of cell towers. Transmitters weigh only 40 grams and attach with a lightweight backpack harness over the wings, not harming or hindering the bird’s normal flight activity.

Tracking studies reveal that some birds stay within a few square miles for months while others extensively wander over 150 miles in a few days. Between February and April, the snowy visitors head back north to their summer Arctic home. •

Snowy Owl Sightings around the Great Lakes

A snowy owl spreads its five-foot-long wings while silently flying

Good locations to search for snowy owls, such as this one found on Loomis Road south of Fish Point, are farm fields in the Thumb


LIFE / CALENDAR

DECEMBER 2015751

SUNDAY TUESDAY THURSDAYWEDNESDAY FRIDAY SATURDAYMONDAY

2015 Holiday Parlor Tour Tour historic Bay City homes (and the Pere Marquette Depot’s Christmas Market). Through 12/6.

Matinee Luncheon Show—A “Barry” Merry ChristmasEnjoy a holiday tribute and tasty meal at Bavarian Inn Restaurant.

The 1940s Radio Show: Christmas on the Home Front The nostalgia of World War II Christmas radio shows is at SVSU. Through 12/10.

Youth Holiday Choir Celebrate your holidays at MCFTA’s delightful program.

Dow Gardens Poinsettia Display Witness the dramatic display. Through 12/30.

Midnight on Main Bring in the New Year under the largest ball drop in Michigan—in Midland!

Dow Gardens Christmas Walk Stroll candlelit paths, listen to carols, and enjoy the poinsettia display. Through 12/12.

16 17 18 19 20

Christmas Sing Along with Irene Bronner & Bob Spletzer Sing a variety of carols at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. Through 12/23.

Dow Gardens Poinsettia Display Witness the dramatic display. Through 12/30.

Santa’s Village at the North Pole Don’t miss Santa at the Saginaw County Fairgrounds. Through 12/20.


For more information on these and other events, see A & E, page 53, or visit www.greatlakesbaymag.com

THE ILES GROUPPrivate Wealth Advisors

Our Focus Is on YouWhen it comes to client service, we set the bar high

The Iles Group understands that our relationship with you is about more

than just your investments. It is about you. As a team with more than

100 years of combined financial services experience, we base our simple,

powerful work ethic on collaboration with clients. Working with a select

clientele enables us to devote significant time and resources to you. The

result: individualized services and strategies designed to help you with

many aspects of your financial life.

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management makes available products and services offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) and other subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation (BofA Corp.).

The Private Banking and Investment Group is a division of MLPF&S that offers a broad array of personalized wealth management products and services. Both brokerage and investment advisory services (including financial planning) are offered by the Group’s Private Wealth Advisors through MLPF&S. The nature and degree of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and client rights and Merrill Lynch’s obligations will differ among these services. Investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal investment. The banking, credit and trust services sold by the Group’s Private Wealth Advisors are offered by licensed banks and trust companies, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC, and other affiliated banks.

Investment products:

MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, a registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Merrill Lynch and the Bull Symbol are trademarks of Bank of America Corporation.

CAP® mark is the property of The American College, which reserves the sole rights to its use, and is used by permission.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM in the U.S.

Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA®) is the owner of the certification mark CIMA®. Use of CIMA® signifies that the user has successfully completed IMCA’s initial and ongoing credentialing requirements for investment management consultants.

© 2015 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

AR6K8LDR 06/2015

Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value

4805 Towne Centre Road, Suite 200

Saginaw, MI 48604

Phone: 989.791.8493

Available for meetings at:

2600 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 500

Troy, MI 48084

Phone: 866.260.6235

http://pwa.ml.com/the_iles_group

Douglas C. Iles, CFP®, CIMA® Senior Consultant E-mail: [email protected]

Scott A. Schropp, CAP®, CIMA® Private Wealth Advisor E-mail: [email protected]

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FEATURE

Fill your home with Old-World charm this holiday seasonBY KATHRYN WILL | PHOTOS BY DOUG JULIAN

Have Yourself a

Vintage Little Christmas


FEATURE

B.

A.

D.

C.

Americana Company Antique MallAmerican nostalgia reigns supreme in this downtown Bay City staple, where you can find unique wintry items: Think vintage ice skates and one-of-a-kind ornaments and figurines. 912 N Water St, Bay City; 989-891-8721. Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Saturday, and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday.

Adomaitis AntiquesThis Old Town Saginaw shop specializes in estate sales and consignment, and it also carries an estimated 10,000 costumes, so you can expect to find everything from complete holiday decor collections to vintage Santa Claus suits. 412 Court St, Saginaw; 989-790-7469. Hours: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesday – Saturday. Bloomin’ Treasures Antique MallLook for unique pieces here, as the 20-plus vendors are always on the hunt for vintage Christmas items, such as tinsel trees, projecting color wheels, and Shiny-Brites ornaments in the original boxes. 11900 Gera Rd, Birch Run; 989-624-5510. Hours: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday – Sunday.

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rightly colored baubles and delightful holiday villages have

a way of taking us right back to Christmastimes long past.

Recapturing that feeling of gleefully opening presents by the delicately decorated tree on Christmas morning, or carefully setting up the Nativity set that has been handed down for generations, can sometimes be difficult without experiencing the nostalgia that comes from the items themselves.

If you’re looking to fill your home with sentiment and charm, try setting the holiday scene with antique and vintage items from one of the many boutiques right here in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

While definitions vary—some collectors say antiques have to be at least 100 years old, while others consider anything more than 40 years old to be an antique—the common consensus among antiques dealers in the Great Lakes Bay Region is any collectible object with meaningful age.

“The (antiques) business is changing,” says Howard Diefenbach of the Bay City-based Americana

Company Antique Mall. “You can’t go into it with the idea you are going to make money off it. You have to go into it for the memories and the joy of it.”

While local experts suggest taking a fun rather than serious approach to antiquing, they do suggest inspecting the item for quality and condition before purchasing. If you know what you’re looking for before you head to the shops, do some price research to avoid overpaying.

Still, if you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, be on the lookout for Shiny-Brites Christmas tree ornaments, which can sometimes be found in the original packaging; pre- and post-war Lionel model train sets; Putz Christmas villages and houses; North Pole gnomes with pinecone bodies and felt hats; cardboard, paper, or fabric Advent calendars; and aluminum trees, especially those with color wheels that project tinted light onto the tree.

You can, though, still build a valuable collection without rare items.

“Just buy something that really makes you happy,” says Barbara Heidinger, who, along with her husband, Gary, owns the Old Christmas Station in Frankenmuth. “Look for something in good condition that also brings joy to your heart.”

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HUNTING FOR HOLIDAYS OF YORE


DO YOUR RESEARCH. Compare prices online. Use eBay, www.artifact.com, and other websites to educate yourself on the going rates for specific items. Books on antiques, collectibles, and history may also be helpful.

NARROW YOUR SEARCH. If you’re looking for a lamp, for example, don’t get sidetracked by shelves filled with figurines or memorabilia. Create a game plan—and stick to it.

USE AVAILABLE RESOURCES. Talk with experts about what you’re looking for. They may have connections with dealers or be able to provide you with additional insight.

NEGOTIATING IS FINE. Some dealers may stay firm on their prices, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Be sure not to insult the dealer by asking for too much of a discount. A good tip is to ask what the dealer’s best price is.

LOOK FOR AUTHENTICITY. Examine items carefully (this is another reason why research is so important). Old items will have “honest damage.” Antiquing experts suggest that you examine the item before looking for a signature or makers’ marks. Trust your instincts. Know that sometimes you may be duped, especially when purchasing antiques online.

BE CAREFUL DURING REPAIRS/CLEANING. Again, always do thorough research before starting any repair or cleaning processes. You do not want to ruin your antiques. Sometimes repairs are necessary, so weigh the cost of the item against the cost of potential repairs before purchasing.

And remember, just because an item is old, doesn’t mean it’s valuable!

TIPS AND TRICKS WHEN YOU’RE ON THE HUNT

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BY BREANNA MIELE

Antique WarehouseEvery piece in this 20,000-square-foot warehouse, which features more than 70 dealers, is vetted for authenticity and quality by an in-house committee. Look for vintage cards or old Christmas ads. 1122 Tittabawassee Rd, Kochville Township; 989-755-4343. Hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Saturday, and 12 – 6 p.m., Sunday.

Court Street AntiquesThis whimsical shop has quirky and beautiful items that date back to the 1800s. Holiday time brings an array of pretty pastel ornaments, Santa figurines, and hand-crafted wreaths made with vintage pieces. 1214 Court St, Saginaw; 989-791-6898. Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Saturday. Old Christmas StationThis shop embodies German Christmas. Check out the rare and beautiful Dresdens, which are embossed, hand-painted cardboard ornaments made in the Dresden-Leipzig-Furth area of Germany from 1800 until WW11. 100 S Main St, Frankenmuth; 989-262-8196. Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., Monday – Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday. •

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FEATURE


Pictured on pg. 23

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PREVIEW:

2016 CHARITY GALAS & EVENTS p.38

RAISE A HAND TO HELP NONPROFITS SUCCEED p.36

GENEROSITY: THE FOUNDATION OF GIVING p.31

give a gift that is

Yes, I want to enhance the quality of life in my community by giving to my local community foundation! Enclosed is my check for $__________________ payable to my selected foundation

Charge $ ______________ to my credit card

Name VISA MasterCard Discover

Billing Address Account Number

City/State/Zip Expiration Date

Phone Signature

Email Optional: Indicate the fund you would like to support

Send your donation to your local community foundation: Bay Area Community FoundationPere Marquette Depot1000 Adams Street, Suite 200(989) 893-4438 • bayfoundation.orgMidland Area Community Foundation76 Ashman CircleMidland, MI 48640(989) 839-9661 • midlandfoundation.orgSaginaw Community Foundation1 Tuscola, Suite 100BSaginaw, MI 48607(989) 755-0545 • saginawfoundation.org

Putting each donation to work in your communityCommunity foundations support all aspects of community well-being, including arts and culture, economic development, education, environment, health and human services and neighborhood revitalization.

2015 | Giving 31

BY ERIC GILBERTSON | PHOTOS BY DOUG JULIAN

We express gratitude for the philanthropists who secured a better future for us by leaving something good behind

Midland Center for the Arts

HISTORIC GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING

FEATURE

ow far that little candle throws its beams. So shines a good deed in a weary world.” ~ William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

Imagine the Great Lakes Bay Region without art exhibits and musical performances, scholarships for promising youths, recreational opportunities and nature trails, many of its beautiful places, and helping hands for the needy. None of these things just somehow falls from the sky or springs forth from a bountiful earth. People make these things happen—people with vision and, most especially, generosity.

So many things that give this region its character and quality of life have been made possible by gifts, large and small. Some key gifts by historic figures resulted in the creation of grant-making foundations that have a tremendous impact on our communities. Too often, these foundations and the gifts they have made are taken for granted. Yet, without the people who created and stewarded these foundations over years and decades, this region and our lives in it would be very different.

“H

FEATURE

32 Giving | 2015

Carl (former chairman of The Dow Chemical Company), she created the foundation to honor her husband.

As of 2014, the foundation had awarded grants totaling more than $211 million to hundreds of causes, projects, and institutions. Overseen by a board originally led by Carl, longtime members have included family member Gail Lamphear and friends Ned Brandt and Alan Ott, its treasurer and financial mentor. The current president is Lisa Gerstacker and Bill Schuette is the vice president. The foundation has helped to beautify and enliven downtown Midland and to create and sustain arts, health care and recreational programs, senior housing projects and sports organizations for youths, academic and health care institutions, and nature preserves and churches. Its philanthropic fingerprints are found everywhere in the civic and cultural fabric of Midland and the region.

Some grants have directly supported individuals, with a primary focus on education and educators. It funds mini grants for teachers, encouraging them to experiment with creative ideas in their classrooms. And it has endowed fellowships for promising

Foundations invest resources created from donations or bequests and use the earnings to perpetuate the generosity of the original donors. There are some 80 private foundations in the Great Lakes Bay Region, most bearing the names of individuals whose initial philanthropy continues over time.

Who were some of these people to whom we owe so much? Their names may sound familiar, but behind each name is a story.

THE KANTZLER FOUNDATIONLeopold Kantzler was a successful businessman whose companies pioneered the post-WWII development of pre-constructed homes, Sterling Homes as they became known. Interestingly, Kantzler’s office was a building on Wenona Street in Bay City that is now home to Wanigan Eatery, and the name “Kantzler” is still etched over its front door.

Born in Austria, Kantzler and his family immigrated to the United States when he was a child and, by a stroke of our good fortune, settled in Bay City. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1910, and after a brief business adventure in Chicago, he returned to his hometown, grew his businesses, and served his community.

In his later years, and on the advice of his attorney, Robert Sarow, he created the Kantzler Foundation, funded with $2.5 million upon his death in 1974. As Sarow noted, Kantzler’s intent was to leave a substantial portion of his estate “for charitable, educational, scientific, or artistic programs to benefit the people of Bay City and

the Saginaw Valley Community.” From that initial bequest, over the past four decades, support has been provided for virtually every important community initiative in Bay City, including the development of both sides of the Saginaw Riverfront, the main library, the new Dow Bay Area Family Y, and restoration of the State Theatre and Pere Marquette Depot. An arboretum on the west side of the Saginaw River honors the Kantzler name and support.

Dominic Monastiere, immediate past president of the foundation, says, “I think all of the trustees would agree that the single best decision the foundation ever made was a grant in 1982 to establish the Bay Area Community Foundation. Philanthropy breeds philanthropy.”

Beyond those community projects, the Kantzler Foundation has also directly touched the lives of numerous individuals. For example, Kantzler Fellowships were created at Saginaw Valley State University to encourage Bay Area students to engage in community service. Ariel Sims, a Kantzler Fellow from Pinconning who is now a student at Harvard Law School, says “the Kantzler Fellowship was a great opportunity for me as an undergraduate to pursue community interest projects…and the most important thing I took away from the fellowship was the satisfaction of giving back to the community I grew up in.”

Brian Law, current president of the foundation, says, “Since its inception, grants from the Kantzler Foundation have been a primary source of funding for educational,

economic, social, recreational, and cultural development throughout the Greater Bay Area. We have all been touched in some positive way by the generosity of this one man and this one gift. From his example, we should all draw inspiration to create a better future by leaving something good behind.”

THE ROLLIN M. GERSTACKER FOUNDATIONFor many in Midland, it’s difficult to remember when there wasn’t a Gerstacker Foundation. Its support for the community and people has been so prolific and so important for the past half century that it’s assumed to have always been there. But, in fact, it was the creation of real people with foresight and commitment to their fellow citizens.

Rollin Gerstacker was a native of Cleveland and graduate of the Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University). His engineering career was with a construction firm specializing in ore-handling machinery for shipping firms. Some years after his death, in 1945, his wife, Eda, moved to Midland to be near her children. In 1957, with the help of her son,

Wanigan Eatery

2015 | Giving 33

educational leaders. This select group annually participates in a year-long leadership development program, highlighted by an opportunity to visit Europe and Asia to explore how schools there have improved student achievement.

One Gerstacker Fellow is Janet Greif, recently the principal of Midland High School and now the superintendent of Bay City Public Schools. She credits the fellowship with having “expanded my ability to lead because of the outstanding professional development involving ethics, communication, global awareness, organizational leadership, student achievement, and the resources available through networking.” After having visited schools in China through the

fellowship, she returned home “inspired to secure funding to provide my staff and students with the same life-changing experience.”

THE HARVEY RANDALL WICKES FOUNDATIONH. R. (“Ran”) Wickes (1899 – 1974) began as an apprentice in the business founded by his grandfather, and he eventually rose to the presidency of Wickes Brothers, Wickes Boiler Company, and U.S. Graphite Company. At its peak, its 16 divisions and subsidiaries employed some 16,000 people in the United States and abroad. In 1961, Wickes became the first Saginaw firm listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Active in civic affairs, Wickes chaired the Saginaw Chamber of Commerce, the Water Authority, and the Saginaw Manufacturer’s Association. He was a board director of the then Saginaw General Hospital, a member of the advisory board of St. Mary’s Hospital, and an organizer of the Saginaw locations of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Salvation Army.

But beyond all of these personal contributions of time and treasure, his most enduring contribution to his hometown was the decision in 1945 to establish, with an initial gift of $1 million, a foundation. And over the past 70 years, no organization has had a more important impact on the Saginaw community.

Its benefactions are usually provided in ways that are quiet and “behind the scenes.” And because of this, they have, in fact, so often gone unseen. But a list of organizations the Wickes Foundation has helped to create, improve, or preserve could go on almost endlessly. Without the support of this foundation, there may not be a Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum, a Children’s Zoo at Celebration Square, a Saginaw Township Soccer Complex, or a Saginaw Community Foundation. Wouldn’t the lives of Saginaw residents be so much poorer without a Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra and a host of other cultural and recreational opportunities? And how many lives have been touched by the First

Attorney Robert Sarow Janet Greif, superintendent, Bay City Public Schools

FEATURE

Ward Community Center, the Underground Railroad, or Hidden Harvest?

Pam Cole, director of the East Side Soup Kitchen, which serves hundreds of meals each day to adults and children who would otherwise go hungry, says, “The Harvey Randall Wickes Foundation has been a wonderful resource to assist us in making these meals possible.” In fact, the kitchen in the Hunger Solution Center, which houses the East Side Soup Kitchen and Hidden Harvest organizations, is named in honor of the Wickes Foundation.

And the good works of Wickes extends to higher education, too. Ran Wickes donated the first million dollars used to purchase land for what became the Saginaw Valley State University campus, as well as another million dollars to construct the stadium that now honors his name.

Since 1969, the foundation has been managed by a board of trustees initially led by Wickes’ close friends, Melvin Zahnow and James Finkbeiner. Finkbeiner was followed in the role of president in 2002 by Hugo “Ted” Braun, who was succeeded by another member of the board, Craig Horn, in 2015.

Braun says that the Wickes Foundation serves its mission of making Saginaw “a better place to live” through funding of other non-profit organizations, which provide community services and programs. These partnering nonprofits are what Braun calls the foundation’s “customers, to be treated with care and support.” And when making difficult decisions as to which among myriad causes the foundation should support, Braun looks to the foundation’s founder: “What would Ran do?” remains the guiding light for faithfully stewarding this gift that keeps on giving.

THE HERBERT H. AND GRACE A. DOW FOUNDATIONIn a lucky geophysical accident, a receding glacier left brine deposits beneath the soil of Midland. The potential of using brine in a commercial application he had invented was what brought Herbert Dow from Cleveland to Midland in 1890, and, well, the rest is history. The legacy from that felicitous gift of nature is not just the headquarters of a civic-minded Fortune 50 corporation, but also a remarkable repository of wealth

created through that company and then dedicated to so many worthy charities.

In 1936, Grace A. Dow created a foundation in memory of her husband, who had passed away in 1930. It was Grace’s vision and commitment that established the foundation and focused its resources on the needs and opportunities in the state of Michigan. And her vision continues to guide the work of the foundation these decades later. It is now the eighth largest charitable foundation in Michigan and, together with partners such as the Gerstacker Foundation and others, has made Midland a truly extraordinary place.

Grace Dow was an original trustee of the foundation, and for the succeeding 79 years it has been governed and guided by a board constituted largely by Dow progeny. In recent years, their grandchildren, including Alden Dow, Herbert Dow II, Herbert “Ted” Doan, and Margaret “Ranny” Riecker, led the foundation, and each established an admirable record of community leadership.

The current chair of the foundation, Macauley “Mike” Whiting, Jr., is a great-grandson of the founders. Like those who preceded him, he understands the responsibility that position carries: “We try to do what Grace

“WHEN I GIVE, I GIVE MYSELF.” ~ WALT WHITMAN

Pam Cole, director, East Side Soup Kitchen

34 Giving | 2015

and Herbert did with their own money before the foundation was created—supporting the arts, education, libraries, and churches, among other things. Our intent is to continue to honor what they did and cared about.”

Midland and the entire region have been blessed—not a word chosen lightly—by the resources and creative leadership of this foundation. Take away assets and institutions such as Dow Diamond, the Midland Center for the Arts, Dow Gardens, the Midland Area Community Foundation, The Grace A. Dow Library, and a host of others—all aided, initiated, or made possible by the foundation—and the entire region would be so much less and so much poorer.

Beyond these highly visible and “signature” projects, there are hundreds of other educational, religious, charitable, and health care institutions and organizations that have been nourished or enhanced by the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation.

The foundation has also provided educational opportunities for students in public schools and colleges, improved diagnosis and health care for the sick and frail, enabled cultural and recreational programs, and created beauty and wonder for those who seek it in their home community.

Just one example of this human impact can be seen in the West Midland Family Center. Executive Director Greg Dorrien says, “During my 28 years, I have seen the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation transform our community, by helping families

break the cycle of generational poverty by providing funding so their children could attend childcare and preschool programs, a college opportunity program, parent education programs, and other needed social services.”

The current generation of trustees continues to see their work as investing in people and communities. As foundation chair Whiting observes, “There is a spirit of generous volunteerism here. It’s wonderful to be able to help people who have creative ideas and a passion for making Midland and Michigan a better place.”

A LEGACY OF GENEROSITYThere may be a lot that is wrong with American culture these days. We hear about it all the time. Perhaps we are too vulgar and too violent; sometimes we do celebrate celebrity more than accomplishment or virtue; and, to be honest, we are often self-absorbed and self-indulgent. But there is also deep in the American psyche something that is quite unique and wonderful: a spirit of generosity.

There is more than $335 billion in private giving each year in this country. Nowhere else is there anything like, for example, the United Way, where people voluntarily pool contributions to lift up the lives of folks they don’t know. And there are bequests like these where people dedicate hard-earned life’s savings to create sustenance, opportunities, and experiences for others who they will never meet and from whom they will never hear thanks.

This is all so very American.Here in our Great Lakes

Bay Region, these foundations have profoundly shaped our communities and uplifted our lives and the lives of our neighbors. These benefactors and others whose names we may also recognize, names such as Andersen, Morley, Pardee, Krantz, Strosacker, Smith, Wickson, and others, created legacies of good works. And there

are thousands of charitable trusts in financial institutions and funds in community foundations created by other generous people that annually support good causes and good works.

The impact of their generosity will be as important in shaping the future of this region as in the past. And the legacy of these benefactors should inspire others to create legacies of their own. •

Macauley “Mike” Whiting, Jr., chair, The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation

2015 | Giving 35

36 Giving | 2015

sk and ye shall receive.”The biblical axiom is taken to a whole larger level

by Sister Marietta Fritz in her service as co-founding director of Saginaw’s 28-year-old Emmaus House outreach for women who face challenges in their lives.

Fritz, of course, places religious faith and a never-give-up outlook as the top prongs in her approach.

Next comes the ask and receive part.“One kind of knowledge is to know something,” she explains, “and

another kind of knowledge is to know somebody who does.”Lessons from successful programs such as Emmaus House are vital

because the National Center for Charitable Statistics reports that among 1.4 million nonprofits at any given time, 20 percent fail within the first five years.

In 1987, when Fritz saw the need for a shelter for women departing from prison, jail, or drug treatment centers, she did not know how to find a building, so she asked. The Catholic Diocese knew how to help, and soon the vacant Holy Rosary Convent on Saginaw’s outer East Side was made available.

BY MIKE THOMPSON | PHOTO BY DOUG JULIAN

BEATING THE ODDS Emmaus House gets support from helping hands

PROFILE

“ASister Marietta Fritz, center, works with residents of Emmaus House

At the time, Fritz didn’t know how to make building code repairs for what has become a group of 15 properties, so she asked and volunteers helped. She didn’t know how to compile non-profit “501(c)3” papers, but an attorney stepped forward.

Prayer remains vital, Fritz insists. She recalls co-founder Sister Shirley Orand, who, prior to passing away in 1993, successfully prayed for everything from building repair funds to a simple kitchen pancake turner.

Success stories for more than 1,000 women have ranged from finding a job to re-enrolling in school to celebrating drug-free birthdays. Emmaus

House provides major rewards, too. In 20 cases, the rewards included donated homes for “graduates” whose names were entered in to drawings.

“We sort of learned as we went,” Fritz says. “People said we couldn’t do it, but it is amazing how many volunteers have helped us.”

The key to finding volunteers and donors is to establish credibility, she says, noting that she was the Saginaw County Jail chaplain for three years before Emmaus House took root.

“If you raise your hand and say you want to help,” she says, “we will find a role for you.” •

Various purposes are filled by an array of non-profit programs in the Great Lakes Bay Region and across the United States. Among many examples are shelters for homeless and distressed women and their children. There are a number of these resources throughout the region. Nonprofits face many challenges, and support from volunteers is crucial.

Bay County· Bay Cornerstone Mission, 1000 3rd St, Bay City; 989-895-5099· Bay Area Women’s Center, 3411 East Midland Rd, Bay City; 989-686-2251, www.bawc-mi.org· Good Samaritan Rescue Mission, 713 South 9th St, Bay City;

989-893-5973, www.gsmbaycity.org

Isabella County· Listening Ear 24-hour crisis and referral line, PO Box 800, Mount

Pleasant; 989-772-2918, www.listeningear.com· Restoration House, rotating locations, 989-773-3904; www.

icrhouse.org

· Women’s Aid Service, PO Box 743, Mount Pleasant; 989-773-7960, www.womensaidservice.org

Midland County· Open Door, PO Box 1614, Midland; 989-835-2291, www.

midlandopendoor.org· Shelterhouse, 3115 Isabella Rd, Midland; 989-835-6771, www.

shelterhousemidland.org

Saginaw County· City Rescue Mission, 1021 Burt St, Saginaw; 989-752-6051,

www.rescuesaginaw.org· Emmaus House, 733 South 14th St, Saginaw; 989-755-7538,

www.emmaushouse-saginaw.com· Mustard Seed, 1325 Cherry St, Saginaw; 989-755-4741, www.

themustardseedshelter.org· Underground Railroad, PO Box 2451, Saginaw; 989-755-0413,

www.undergroundrailroadinc.org

NON-PROFIT OUTREACH FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

2015 | Giving 37

JANUARY 201630 Pulse3 Foundation, Shocks and Saves Charity Hockey Game, 989-754-7283 30 Disability Network of Mid-Michigan, Piano Palooza, 989-835-4041,

ext. 227

FEBRUARY 20166 McLaren Bay Medical Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Night

at the Saginaw Spirit: Talk Today, Hope for Tomorrow, 989-895-47259 The Legacy Center for Community Success, World’s Greatest

Mardi Gras Feast, 989-496-1425 11 Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum, 9th Annual Arts from the Heart,

989-399-6626 20 Northwood University, 41st Annual Stafford Memorial Dinner,

989-837-4758 20 Saginaw Valley State University Athletics, Breast Cancer Survivor

Event, 989-964-256525 CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, 23rd Annual Mardi Gras

Auction, 989-752-7226 TBD American Heart Association, 12th Annual Great Lakes Bay Region

Go Red for Women TBD 1st State Bank, WNEM TV-5, and Great Lakes Bay (Regional

Lifestyle Magazine): 11th Annual RUBY (Recognizing the Upward, Bright, and Young) Awards

MARCH 20164 Saginaw Art Museum, Cheeseburgers in Margaritaville, 989-754-2491 5 READ Association of Saginaw County, 11th Annual Books for

Breakfast, 989-755- 8402 12 Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan, Hockey for the Homeless, 989-752-6051 16 YWCA of the Great Lakes Bay Region, Women of Achievement

Awards, 989-894-9055

APRIL 20168 CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, 13th Annual Wines Around

the World, 989-752-7226 8 Child and Family Services, Strike Out Sexual Assault Bowl-A-Thon, 989-393-4229 16 Humane Society of Bay County, Inc., Canines, Cats, and Cocktails

Masquerade Gala, 989-893-0451 16 Covenant HealthCare Foundation, Covenant Kids Telethon, 989-583-7600 20 American Red Cross, Great Lakes Bay Chapter, Everyday Heroes

Celebration, 989-754-8181, ext. 7219, or 989-754-8181, ext. 7216 21 Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, 3rd Annual 100 Men Who

Cook, 989-755-647121 Shelterhouse, Chefs for Shelterhouse, 989-835-6771

22-23 American Cancer Society (and other cancer-related causes), Bringin’ Back the ’80s, 989-652-8008

24 Saginaw YMCA and Tri To Finish, Go the Extra Mile for Covenant Kids 5K Run/Walk, Half Marathon Run/Hand Cycle, 989-583-7600

27 Junior Achievement of Northeast Michigan, Inc., 19th Business Hall of Fame Dinner/Raffle, 989-752-9050

29 Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, Bishop’s Charity Ball, 989-797-6693 30 Great Lakes Bay Animal Society, Annual Fast & Furriest 5K Run/

Walk, www.glbas.org TBD Northwood University, NU Style Show, 989-837-4758 TBD Underground Railroad, Inc., Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, 989-399-0007, ext. 101

MAY 20166 Hospital Hospitality Houses of Saginaw, Hospital Hospitality

Houses Kentucky Derby Party, 989-583-0152 6 Associated Builders & Contractors Greater Michigan Chapter,

Dinner and Dance Benefiting Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, 989-832-8879

6 Midland Symphony Orchestra, Amori Vini (For the Love of Wine), 800-523-7649

11 Hidden Harvest, 20th Annual Celebrating Good Tastes & All That Jazz! 989-753-4749

12 Underground Railroad, Inc., 6th Annual Advocates for Change, 989-399-0007, ext. 101

20 Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan, Golf Challenge, 989-752-6051 TBD Catholic Community Foundation of Mid-Michigan, Big Raffle

Celebration, 989-797-6693 TBD American Heart Association, Great Lakes Bay Region Heart Walk,

855-229-4424

JUNE 20161-2 St. Mary’s of Michigan Foundation, Charity Golf Classic, 989-907-8300 4-5 Alden B. Dow Museum of Science & Art at Midland Center for the

Arts, Summer Art Fair, 800-523-7649 11-12 YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region, 43rd Annual Riverside Art

Festival, 989-894-9055 14 The Johnny Burke Children’s Foundation, Golf for Kids, 989-776-2111 15 READ Association of Saginaw County, 15th Annual D.E.A.R. at the

Zoo – Drop Everything and Read, 989-755-8402 16 Children’s Zoo at Celebration Square, Brew at the Zoo, 989-759-1408 21 Community Village (an arm of Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan),

Strawberry Festival, 989-792-5442 22 Junior Achievement of Northeast Michigan, Inc., Wolgast Golf

Outing, 989-752-9050 TBD Saginaw Art Museum, Arty Soil, 989-754-2491

CALENDAR

2016 Charity Events Preview

38 Giving | 2015

JULY 201620 The Reece Endeavor, Reece Endeavor GardenWalk, 989-835-9700 TBD CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, Children’s Advocacy

Centers, Golf Outing, 989-752-7226

AUGUST 2016TBD Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan, Ride, Walk, Run For Rescue,

989-752-6051, ext. 123 TBD Covenant HealthCare Foundation, Ladies on the Links, Crumpets

& Croquet, and Red Carpet Premiere, 989-583-7600 TBD Covenant HealthCare Foundation, Red Carpet Golf Classic, 989-583-7600 TBD McLaren Bay Medical Foundation, Robert C. Prophater, Sr, MD,

Golf for Life Classic, 989-895-4725TBD CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, 4th Annual Ducky Derby,

989-752-7226

SEPTEMBER 201610 Sponsored by Freeland Community Sports Association, 11th

Annual Freeland Arts in the Park, 989-695-9512 10 Pulse3 Foundation, Run for Your Heart Community Races, 989-754-7283 15 Ana Luis Salon & Day Spa, Unlocking Hope, 989-799-8900 19 Good Samaritan Rescue Mission, Anniversary Dinner, 989-893-5973 20 City Rescue Mission, Anniversary Dinner, 988-752-6051 23 St. Mary’s of Michigan Field Neurosciences Institute, Field of Hope,

989-497-3117 TBD HELP People, The Amazing Race for Rescue, 989-385-1720 TBD Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, Bishop’s Charity Golf Classic, 989-797-6684

OCTOBER 20167 Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Saints, Sinners & Song

Gala, 989-964-7125 7-8 The Johnny Burke Children’s Foundation, Crabby Clam & Lobster

Fest, 989-776-2111 15 Humane Society of Midland County, 6th Annual Ties & Tails Gala,

989-708-0660 27 CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, Brain Game Trivia Night,

989-752-7226TBD Alden B. Dow Museum of Science & Art at Midland Center for the

Arts, Vintage Evening, 800-523-7649 TBD Child and Family Services, Fashion With Compassion—

Embellishments That Empower, 989-393-4229 TBD Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, 7th Annual

Walk to Cure Diabetes, 989-529-1951 TBD Northwood University, Northwood University Auto Show Gala,

989-837-4758TBD Holy Cross Lutheran Church and School, Sauerkraut Dinner, 989-793-9723

NOVEMBER 201617 Delta College, A Chocolate Affair, 989-686-9224 19 St. Mary’s of Michigan Foundation, 21st Annual Cornette Ball, 989-

907-8300 19-20 Alden B. Dow Museum of Science & Art at Midland Center for the

Arts, Holiday Art Fair, 800-523-7649 TBD Junior Achievement of Northeast Michigan, Inc., Junior

Achievement Bowl-A-Thon, 989-752-9050 TBD YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region, Women’s Empowerment

Symposium, 989-894-9055

DECEMBER 20163 McLaren Bay Region Auxiliary, Charity Ball, 989-266-3150 4 McLaren Bay Medical Foundation, Holiday Memorial Tree Program,

989-895-4725 9 Studio 23, The Black and White Affair, 989-894-2323TBD Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan, Sharing Hope Radiothon, 989-752-6051 TBD Saginaw County Medical Society, Jingle Mingle, 989-790-3590 TBD MidMichigan Home Care, Stars in the Gardens, 800-862-5002 TBD MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, Love Light Trees, 989-839-3342 TBD Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, Holiday Housewalk, 989-755-6471 TBD Zonta Club of Midland, Holiday Homewalk TBD Junior Achievement of Northeast Michigan, Inc., Titan Challenge,

989-752-9050 TBD St. Mary’s of Michigan Foundation, Light up a Life, 989-907-8300 •

Want your nonprofit organization’s major annual fundraising event for 2017 included here in the 2016 year-end issue of Giving (in the Great Lakes Bay)? Email annual charity event information, including the planned 2017 date of the event, no later than August 1, 2016, to [email protected].

midmich.edu/building for more information

MT. PLEASANT, MI

56,000 SQ. FT. OFFICE SPACE

FOR SALE


Special Advertising: The Dow Chemical Company

he Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail is a non-profit organization made up of representatives from Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties. The organization is focused on the development of non-motorized pathways to link our communities.

The already-existing trails are a public amenity, so anyone can enjoy hiking, biking, rollerblading, running, or walking in a safe area without having to contend with traffic. Many bird-watchers enjoy the wildlife and beautiful scenery, and school children also

enjoy the option to take a safer route to school.

Heidi Bolger, chair of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail board, greatly appreciates the support professionals at The Dow Chemical Company have provided through extensive involvement and input on critical committees such as fundraising, marketing, and the annual race event. She strives to provide leadership to have the high performance board stay true to its original vision.

Bolger says, “Connecting the trails in our region is a long-term, collective effort that can

truly transform the way we travel, interact, recreate, and relax in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Having our trail officially be part of the governor’s Iron Belle Trail will further promote our region as a great place to live, work, and play, making the efforts of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail organization so meaningful for enhanced quality of life in our communities.”

Research began in 2009 to determine the best way to connect the trails that were already in place in each county. Results of these studies were presented at a regional summit at Delta College in March 2009.

T

&

GO TAKE A HIKE!

The connection of the trails will take place in three phases. Phase A is the Saginaw County to Bay County connection, which is now close to completion. The next phase will be the Bay County to Midland County connection, followed by phase C, which is the Midland County to Saginaw County connection.

Bolger says, “Our vision is a significant undertaking for a fully volunteer organization, so I am grateful every day to our board and supporters across the Great Lakes Bay Region for the high level of commitment that has catapulted our success in linking the trails in our region.”

The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance has encouraged participants of its leadership program, like Dow Chemical, to plan creative approaches to opportunities that exist in the Great Lakes Bay Region. The trail system is one of the opportunities widely identified as a potential project for this region.

Dow employees, as well as retirees, continue to provide significant engagement with the trail project at several levels, from serving on the board to volunteering for special events and making monetary donations.

Jeff Martin, Dow employee and member of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail board, adds, “The success of the ongoing trail project is a direct result of the outstanding leadership, dedication, and passion of those involved, including the many contributions received by regional businesses, foundations, and personal donors.”

Bolger says, “Having partners like Dow as key leaders on our GLB Regional Trail board has really helped us in so many ways, including guiding our fundraising, providing input to our development and promotion plan, and really every other facet of the trail.”

She continues, “Dow employees are extremely committed, having a tremendous

impact on our fundraising and our race event success.” Proceeds from the organization’s annual race provide funding for maintenance and sustainability of the trail system over the years to come.

Bolger explains the most rewarding part of chairing this huge project is working with such talented leaders and witnessing the vast progress since the 2009 start.

“The Dow Chemical Company continues to focus on working with our communities on a regional approach to achieve goals that make a meaningful difference in the quality of life for our employees, neighbors, and communities,” says Martin. “Not only is the connection of the trails a significant tangible symbol of that collaboration, but it also offers new economic and recreational benefits as well as opportunities to engage in wildlife viewing, to hike and fish, to improve the health and quality of life of residents in our region, and to promote the Great Lakes Bay as a ‘destination’ region for trail users.”

CARING FOR THE MICHIGAN COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. THAT’S OUR PROMISE.

5516-C

#CEVolunteers

2016STAFFORD DINNER

Aging to Pe�ection

An evening of savory cuisine and a chateau ambiance presented by the students of Northwood University’s Hospitality Management Program.

February 20, 2016Holiday Inn

810 Cinema Drive, Midland, MI 48640

Drink up the merriment as we toast in celebration of the 41st Stafford Dinner.

Reserve your tickets today! For additional information and pricing, visit www.northwood.edu/stafford or contact Karla Spaeth at 989.837.4264 or [email protected] from the dinner will go to the Stafford Memorial Dinner Scholarship Fund which directly benefits the students’ educational funding.

TASTERESTAURANTS, RECIPES & GREAT FOOD

Wining and dining at Tavern 101

The 411 on the 101BY KIMBERLY BONEPHOTOS BY DOUG JULIAN

CRISPY CHEESE STICKS

Tavern 101 43 | Dining Out Guide 47


Tavern 101 is the latest culinary addition to Bay City’s vibrant downtown restaurant scene. The casual dining restaurant and bar is the third in the area owned by Dave Dittenber, who also owns American Kitchen and Old City Hall.

Tavern 101 features an Italian/Mediterranean menu, specializing in flatbreads and sandwiches, as well as salads, pastas, and more. The restaurant has a “free-spirited, come as you are” atmosphere and offers guests friendly service and

innovative spins on some classic pub fare at reasonable prices.“One of our top sellers is our Charcuterie Flatbread,” says manager

Jessica Maida. “It’s our take on a meat lover’s pizza and is topped with marinara sauce, pepperoni, prosciutto, Italian sausage, and mozzarella cheese. It’s delicious and very unique. We also have a wonderful Caprese Salad, which is layered Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves drizzled with our vanilla-infused olive oil.”

Another twist on traditional pub fare is Tavern’s Crispy Cheese Stick: fresh mozzarella cheese and pepperoni folded into a wonton wrapper and deep fried, served with a marinara dipping sauce. Maida describes the extremely popular appetizer as “ridiculously delicious.”

Everything on Tavern 101’s menu is made fresh in-house, including the syrups and infusions for its hand-crafted cocktails. The bar menu includes a full wine list and 54 beers on tap, and be on the lookout for a specialty beer cellar in the coming months. Executive chef Dave Feinauer oversees the menus at all three restaurants and is always looking for new dishes and flavors to offer guests.

“We are currently evolving and expanding our menus,” says Maida. “We will be introducing a lot of exciting new specials, such as Tap Takeovers and Dining/Drinking for a Purpose charity events. We want to be very involved with and give back to the local community. Current specials include Sunday two-for-one flatbreads and acoustic music groups playing Mondays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.” Check Facebook for the latest 411 on the specials and events.

Tavern 101, 101 Center Ave, Bay City, 989-778-1431, www.Tavern 101restaurant.com. Hours: Sunday (12 – 9 p.m.), Monday – Thursday (11 a.m. – 10 p.m.), and Friday – Saturday (11 a.m. – 12 a.m.).•

TASTE / RESTAURANT PROFILE

TOP:Shrimp Alfredo

CENTER: Green & White

BOTTOM: Tavern Club


“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

goVOLUNTEERnow.org

800.735.6505 401 Saginaw St. | Bay City, MI www.fphorak.com

Working together to improve your bottom line.

...helping members realize their financial goals and dreams since 1951...

(800) 292-2897• Wilder Rd Bay City

• Cabaret Trail S Saginaw• Straits Dr Bay City

Wish Listscosting you a mint?

Simplify your holiday stress with a COPOCO VISA. Apply online at www.copoco.org

Please stop by one of our convenient locations and donate new, homemade, or gently used mittens, gloves, hats and scarves to help provide warmth for individuals and families in need within your community.

Member FDIC

DONATE TODAY!

Dining Out These listings have no relationship to advertising in Great Lakes Bay magazine.

AsianAsian Noodle: 200 Center Ave, Bay City, 989-316-2380. Filipino and Far East fare. Noodle soup, lumpia spring rolls, sautéed noodles, and pan-fried fish.

Basil Thai Bistro: 225 W Wackerly St, Midland, 989-486-9390. Curry, noodles, fried rice, stir-fry dishes, and fresh fruit tapioca drinks.

Blossoms Asian Bistro: 4124 Wilder Rd, Bay City, 989-778-1155. Asian fusion flavors, made-to-order dishes, and fresh ingredients. Malaysian fried noodles, sushi, coconut shrimp tacos, and hibachi meals.

Chan’s Garden: 215 Third St, Bay City, 989-892-8861. Variety of Asian and Chinese dishes. Weekly specials. Takeout available.

Chan’s Garden Restaurant: 1951 N Center Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-790-9188. Affordable Chinese fare. Favorites include orange chicken, Mongolian beef, rice noodles, and egg rolls. Takeout and delivery available.

Forbidden City Chinese Restaurant: 4024 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-792-0303. Authentic cuisine, including Forbidden City Chicken and moo shu pork. Family-sized dinners and takeout available.

Fuji Sushi: 1512 Joe Mann Blvd Midland, 989-839-6868. Noodles, rolls and sushi, sashimi, and hibachi entrées.

Fusion 1 Café: 813 Saginaw St, Bay City, 989-891-0551. Fresh, contemporary international cuisine. Thursday night is Sushi Extravaganza. Demonstrations and cooking classes offered.

Genji Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar: Two locations: 2929 S Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-495-6000, and 3870 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-497-9900. Chefs prepare meals directly in front of patrons for tables of up to eight. Large selection of wines and imported beers.

Ghengis Khan Mongolian BBQ: 5010 Bay City Rd, Midland, 989-496-

2288. Buffet-style dining and create-your-own stir-fry using many types of meats, vegetables, and sauces. Full bar.

Golden Buffet: 979 S Saginaw Rd (in Eastlawn Food Court), Midland, 989-633-9888. Lunch and dinner buffets with meat and seafood dishes, soups, and desserts.

Hello Sushi: 2575 Tittabawassee Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-790-0022. Sushi, sashimi, rolls, traditional bento box meals, noodle dishes, and Japanese specialties. Daily specials and carryout.

Hokkaido Japanese Steak & Sushi: 1818 Lawndale Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-791-1688. Open for lunch and dinner. Hibachi, sushi and sashimi, noodles and fried rice, and bento options from the wok. Mochi and tempura ice cream, cheesecake, and banana desserts.

Hunan Restaurant: 3109 Bay Plaza Dr, Saginaw Township, 989-792-0303. Favorites include general chicken, Mongolian beef, and crabmeat with corn soup. Takeout available.

Jade Garden: 3211 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-793-6997. Made-to-order Chinese dishes, appetizers, and soups, including the popular egg drop.

The Mandarin House Chinese Restaurant: 3000 Center Ave, Essexville, 989-893-9499. Full menu of chicken, beef, pork, vegetarian, and seafood cuisine, soups, appetizers, and hot buffet.

Midori Sushi and Martini Lounge: 105 E Broadway, Mt Pleasant, 989-775-7723. High-end martinis, sushi, and Asian-fusion fare.

Panda House Chinese Restaurant: 1010 N Niagara St, Saginaw, 989-755-5394. Fine dining. Takeout available. Specialty entrées include string bean chicken. Live piano music Friday and Saturday evenings.

Pasong’s Cafe: 114 N Michigan Ave, Saginaw, 989-791-5008. Fresh, made-to-order authentic cuisine

without MSG. Famous Chinese chicken salad and a variety of chicken, beef, shrimp, and vegetarian entrées.

Pi’s Asian Express: 5015 Eastman Ave, Midland, 989-832-8000 Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese appetizers and entrées. Carryout.

Pi’s Chinese Restaurant: 1815 S Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-832-5848. Affordable authentic fare like the favorite Hunan sesame chicken. Daily lunch and dinner buffet.

Sushi ‘N’: 7395 Gratiot Rd, Thomas Township, 989-401-7557. Sushi, sashimi, cooked and vegetarian selections, and rolls, including the Golden California.

IndianKabob N Curry House: 4070 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-497-4400. Homemade Indian cuisine includes vegetable curry, samosa, paneer, and spicy favorites.

Shahi Indian Cuisine: 4624 State St, Saginaw Township, 989-401-8310. Fresh, authentic Indian cuisine. Lamb, chicken, and goat dishes.

ItalianB&C Pizza: Three locations: 476 N Tuscola Rd, Bay City, 989-892-1519; 4787 Fashion Square Mall, Saginaw Township, 989-791-2777; and 608 State St, Bay City, 989-686-4600. Chicago-style pizzas cut into squares.

Brooklyn Boyz Pizzeria & Italian Eatery: 612 E Midland St, Bay City, 989-894-5560. New York-style pizzeria. Lunch and dinner.

Café Cremosi: 108 N Linn St, Bay City, 989-316-9018. Italian cuisine at reasonable prices. Featuring pasta with Cremosi sauce, a white wine, lemon-butter crème sauce, pizza, and fresh ingredients. Full bar, outside deck, and live music.

G’s Pizzeria: 1005 Saginaw St, Bay City, 989-891-9400, and 3823 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-401-4774.

Dine in, takeout, delivery, and catering. Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and popular chicken fajita pizza.

Grampa Tony’s: Two locations: 1108 Columbus Ave, Bay City, 989-893-4795, and 4330 E Wilder Rd, Bay City, 989-684-7314. Family dining. Homemade pizza, steak sandwiches, and baked pasta specialties. Late-night dining, takeout, and spirits.

Isabella’s at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort: 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd, Mt Pleasant, 989-775-5399. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including appetizers, soups, salads, entrées, and desserts. Create your own pasta masterpiece.

MaMa Mia’s Pizzeria: 16535 Gratiot Rd, Hemlock, 989-642-6420. Pizzas topped with special four-cheese blend and baked in a brick oven.

Nino’s Family Restaurant: 1705 Columbus Ave, Bay City, 989-893-0691. Authentic Italian fare, including custom pastas, pizzas, and tiramisu. Strolling musicians on the weekend. Takeout, delivery, catering, and full bar.

Nino’s Neighbor: 1623 Columbus Ave, Bay City, 989-460-2792. Open during warm weather months. Healthy Italian cuisine; gluten-free and vegan options. Grilled margherita pizza, antipasto salad, garlic knots, tomato bisque, and pesto-topped salmon. Outdoor seating available.

Pizza Dude: 4328 N Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-486-9670. Italian eatery. Old-style, brick oven pizza, calzones, and bread rings stuffed with pasta or meatballs.

Pizza Sam’s: 102 W Main St, Midland, 989-631-1934. Soups, sandwiches, gyros, Coney Island hot dogs, specialty pizzas, nachos, and desserts. Takeout available.

Spencer’s Route 46: 5530 Gratiot Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-793-4500. Escargot, portobella mushrooms, calamari, seafood ravioli, poached salmon, and pan-fried walleye. Extensive wine list. Live jazz music.

TASTE / DINING OUT


Villa D’Alessandro: 801 E Wackerly St, Midland, 989-631-3821. Fare prepared from family recipes. Extensive list of wines to pair with entrées. Authentic desserts. Outdoor dining in summer.

MediterraneanTaboon: 5212 Bay Rd, Kochville Township, 989-401-7745. Middle Eastern cuisine, including falafel, kebabs, and shawarma.

Yasmeen’s Mediterranean Foods: 3545 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-791-3082. Specialty store offers baklava, couscous, beans, spices, olives, olive oil, cheeses, and vegetarian foods. Tabouli, hummus, baba ghanoush, meat pies, and grape leaves available.

MexicanCarmona’s Cocina: 1406 N Henry St, Bay City, 989-684-7207. Authentic fare including deep-fried super tacos and wet burritos with homemade nacho chips with cheese.

Coco Loco Mexican Grill & Bar: Two locations: 3593 Center Ave, Essexville, 989-891-9917, and 4002 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-791-1111. Authentic lunch and dinner entrées and combinations. Fresh chips and salsa.

Cuatro Amigos: 310 E Midland St, Bay City, 989-686-8630. Original recipe combination dinners and lunch specials.

El Paso Grill: 4880 Gratiot Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-401-6599. Puffy tacos and shredded beef burrito with potatoes are favorites. Primarily takeout.

El Patron: 1900 S Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-633-9800. Authentic Mexican cuisine, including a buffet.

Entre Amigos: 2600 N Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-832-6348. Authentic choices include lunch specialties, combination dinners, fajitas, vegetarian combinations, steak, chicken, and desserts.

Fiesta Charra: 9143 Birch Run Rd, Birch Run, 989-244-6334. Huevos con chorizo, seafood “chimi,” burrito loco, tacos, and fried ice cream. Margaritas and beer.

Los Cabos: 7467 Gratiot Rd, Thomas Township, 989-781-2255. Mexican staples, along with a full

American and Mexican breakfast menu. Weekend breakfast buffet. Daily lunch buffet.

Los Cuatro Amigos: 4570 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-799-1700. Original recipe combination dinners and lunch specials.

Maria’s Mexican Restaurant: 6090 State St, Saginaw Township, 989-799-6300. Lunch and dinner. Quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, burritos, homemade tamales, chimichangas, and taco salad. Breakfast served.

Tex-Mex Grille: 4101 Wilder Rd (in the Bay City Mall Food Court), Bay City, 989-686-8396. Homemade “Tex-Mex” food, enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, burritos, rice, beans, and tamales. Catering available.

Breakfast & Lunch Mornin’ at Maggie’s Omelette Shoppe: 819 Saginaw St, Bay City, 989-892-3142. Breakfast and lunch creations, including frittatas, French toast, waffles, egg-white omelets, homemade soups, sandwiches, and vegetarian specials.

Rudy’s Red Lion Diner: 201 Center Ave, Bay City, 989-893-2266. Omelets, burgers, comfort food, and milkshakes.

Stacker Grill: 4312 N Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-631-8646. Breakfast and lunch fare, including pancakes, omelets, salads, and steak sandwiches.

Coffee HousesBancroft Coffee & Tea Café: 101 S Washington Ave, Saginaw, 989-776-0011. Coffee and tea house with a historical 1920s ambiance. Bancroft Blend coffee, espresso, steamers, and chai. Breakfast and lunch.

Brewtopia: 810 Saginaw St, Bay City, 989-893-0872. Fresh coffees, teas, lattes, cappuccinos, frappes, smoothies, muffins, cookies, and cinnamon rolls. Light lunch menu. Wi-Fi. Entertainment Thursday through Saturday.

Coffee Chaos: 6201 Jefferson Ave, Midland, 989-835-6401. Hot, chilled over ice, and frozen coffee drinks. Freshly baked, preservative-free muffins and cookies. Drive-up, Wi-Fi, and TVs.

Common Grind: 2903 Pierce Rd, Ste 110, Kochville Township.

Specialty coffee shop with organic espresso beans roasted fresh daily. Bagel sandwiches, fresh-squeezed juice, and smoothies.

Dawn of a New Day Coffeehouse & Café: 210 S Washington Ave, Saginaw, 989-284-3549. Fair trade organic coffee, specialty drinks, soups, and sandwiches. Music Friday nights. Wi-Fi.

Espresso Express Coffee House: 916 N Water St, Bay City, 989-893-8898. Seattle-style brewed espresso beverages at their finest. Hot and cool drinks.

Espresso Milano: 137 Ashman St, Midland, 989-832-3222. Coffees, smoothies, espresso, tea, muffins, cookies, scones, and peanut butter bars. Locals love the mudslide, a frozen coffee milkshake. Wi-Fi.

The Fix: 5 E Main St, Bay City, 989-439-1250. Specializing in craft coffee and vegan options. Doughnuts, pastries, and organic fair trade coffee and tea sourced independently out of Chicago.

Frankenmuth Kaffee Haus: 500 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-652-5252. Gourmet coffee, teas, espresso treats, pastries, sandwiches, and wraps. Flavor-of-the-month coffee.

Grounds for a Better World: 4951 Eastman Rd, Midland, 989-839-1024, and 2020 Dow Center (Dow employees only), 1116 S Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-633-3300. Espresso-based and gourmet-brewed coffees, teas, frappes, smoothies, chocolates, and homemade baked goods.

Harless & Hugh Coffee: 1003 Washington Ave, Bay City, 989-327-4007. Specialty coffees made to order, tea made using authentic tea-steeping methods, and mochas.

The Harvest Coffeehouse & Beanery: 626 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-652-2203. Fresh-roasted flavored blends and origin coffees, specialty drinks, cakes, pies, and cheesecake. Books, live music, local art, and Wi-Fi.

Journeys Coffee House: Two locations: 201 E Main St, Midland, 989-486-8585, and 1550 S Poseyville Rd (Messiah Lutheran Church), Midland, 989-835-7143. Coffee, smoothies, baked goods, and gelato.

Kaya Coffee House: 1029 S University Ave, Mt Pleasant, 989-772-9016. Fair trade, organic coffee, tea, and espresso drinks, and freshly

made sandwiches, salads, soups, and Thai-style red curry.

Morning Emporium Coffee House: 2125 N Center, Saginaw Township, 989-790-5888. More than 40 Torani flavors, espresso, cappuccino, latte, hot/cold chai tea, and smoothies. Bulk coffees for purchase.

The Mug@Wirt: 500 Center Ave (Alice & Jack Wirt Public Library), Bay City, 989-460-3596. Flavored coffees and teas, homemade treats, and lunch menu.

Red Eye Caffé: 205 N Hamilton St, Saginaw, 989-793-1411. Freshly brewed coffees, white chocolate mochas, cookies, and muffins. Live-music entertainment, local poetry, and artwork.

Casual DiningAmerican Kitchen Restaurant: 207 Center Ave, Bay City, 989-402-1366. Meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Burgers, brunch, and bloody mary bar.

Anschutz Café: 212 E Saginaw St, Breckenridge, 989-842-9924. Pancakes, prime rib, wet burritos, nachos, and grilled beef medallions (weekend special).

Atrium: 1100 Water St, Bay City, 989-891-1600. Extensive beer and wine list, provided by the adjacent Stein Haus, emphasizes European brews. Full menu includes German specialties like schnitzels and rouladen.

Bare Bones BarBQ & Pizza: 807 Columbus Ave, Bay City, 989-892-6830. Charcoal-grilled barbecue. Lunch, dinner, and family meals. Takeout, delivery, and catering available.

Bavarian Inn: 713 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 800-228-2742. The No. 1 choice of most visitors remains the all-you-can-eat chicken dinners. German specialties and other entrées available.

Bergers Family Restaurant: 6387 Westside Saginaw Rd, Bay City, 989-686-0224. Family owned since 1928. Serves specialty of fresh seafood, hot German potato salad, burgers, and fruit and cream pies.

Big Drew’s Family Grill: 265 W Saginaw St, Hemlock, 989-301-0255. Mexican meals, pizza, burgers, wings, steak sandwiches, Coney dogs, and breakfast served anytime.

TASTE / DINING OUT


Big John Steak & Onion: 3300 Holland Ave, Saginaw, 989-754-5012. Serving the original 100 percent rib-eye steak sandwich since 1972. Subs, salads, and Big John “Red Sauce.”

The Bringer Inn: 516 W Genesee Ave, Saginaw, 989-753-1462. Homemade breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Daily specials include barbecue chicken and freshly roasted turkey dinners. Create your own omelets.

Café American Restaurant/Coffee Bar: 1525 Washington St, Midland, 989-633-9665. (A second location inside the Midland Mall Food Court.) Gourmet salads, burgers, soups, and sandwiches.

Café Zinc: 111 W Main St, Midland (inside The H Hotel), 989-839-0500. French bistro offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. European-style breads and tartlets, tortes, and dessert specialties. Terrace dining in summer.

Camille’s on the River: 506 W Broadway St, Mt Pleasant, 989-773-0259. Comfort food classics with an upscale twist that use regional and seasonal flavors. Martini lounge.

Castaways: 3940 Boy Scout Rd, Bay City, 989-686-3558. Dock your boat on the Kawkawlin River and enjoy food and spirits inside or dockside. Lunch and dinner.

Court Street Grill: 100 S Michigan Ave, Saginaw, 989-401-4004. Serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Crêpes et Amis (Crêpes and Friends): 130 Townsend St, Midland, 989-486-3120. Urban café, locally roasted coffee, savory and sweet crêpes: Good Morning Paris (ham and brown sugar); Strawberry Cheesecrêpe.

daVinci’s Restaurant: 524 N Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-652-2629. Italian and American fare. Daily specials. Strombolis, pasta dishes, Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, salads, and sandwiches.

The Dogg Houze: 2903 Pierce Rd, Kochville Township, 989-401-7477. Coney dogs, subs, wraps, and stuffed pitas called Hanis. Specials include the Saginaw Coney with marinara and meat, and the Flintstone Coney with nacho meat, mustard, and onion.

Duece’s Char House: 432 Tuscola Rd, Bay City, 989-893-5881. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Salad bar with famous cheese spread and liver pâté.

Garden Restaurant in the Midland Resort and Convention Center: 1500 W Wackerly St, Midland, 989-698-0662. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. Sunday brunch.

Gimmicks Grill & Bar: 5021 Bay City Rd, Midland, 989-496-3940. Classic American cuisine. Full bar, extensive beer selection, wine, and martinis. Enjoy a game of bowling or miniature golf.

Heather’s: 205 3rd St, Bay City, 989-402-1116. Vegan, vegetarian, and meat-based dishes for breakfast and lunch.

Huron Fish Co: 505 Gratiot Ave, Saginaw, 989-792-2224. Fish and seafood takeout dinners, including famous whitefish.

Jack’s Deli & Stretch’s Curve: 618 S Henry, Bay City, 989-893-6931. Home of the health nut salad with raspberry yogurt dressing. Soups, sandwiches, and burgers.

J.J. Jamokes: 1354 Mertz Rd, Caro, 989-673-3333. House specials include prime rib, stuffed sole, and famous deep-fried pickles. Dine viewing gardens and a waterfall frequented by local wildlife.

Kathleen’s: 4519 N River Rd (at Apple Mountain), Freeland, 989-781-6789. Salads, sandwiches, and house favorites like Cajun chicken, penne, and fish and chips.

Krzysiak’s House Restaurant: 1605 Michigan Ave, Bay City, 989-894-5531. Authentic Polish food in a fun, ethnic atmosphere. Lunch and dinner buffets. Takeout menu.

La Crêpe du Jour: 925 S Main St (inside The River Place), Frankenmuth, 989-652-2925. Twenty-five varieties of fresh sweet and savory crepes.

Legends Diner: 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd, Mt Pleasant, 888-732-4537. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Burgers, dogs, sandwiches, malts, floats, and banana splits.

Levi’s Food and Spirits: 5800 Brockway, Saginaw Township, 989-793-6670. Grandma Rita’s chili, Reuben sandwiches, and fish dinners. Breakfast served all day.

Linwood Corner Restaurant: 44 N Huron Rd, Linwood, 989-697-5141. Daily specials include prime rib, cod, and chicken livers.

Little Bambinos: 120 W Saginaw St, Merrill, 989-643-5414. Home-

cooked American and Italian fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Lumber Barons: 804 E Midland St, Bay City, 989-891-0100. Pub plates, salads, pizza, and light plates. Dinner features fish and chips, filet mignon, New York strip, sirloin, and pretzel-crusted pork tenderloin. Children’s menu.

The Malt Shop: 228 W Broad St, Chesaning, 989-845-6696. Broasted chicken dinners, Coney dogs, burgers, malts, and ice cream.

The Maple Grille: 13105 Gratiot Rd, Hemlock, 989-233-2895. Farm-to-table restaurant serves produce, meats, and fish from local sources.

The Mean Rooster Diner: 1411 S Wenona St (in Meats & Mooore), Bay City, 989-893-5413. Homemade soups, sandwiches, pasta, gourmet pizzas, burgers, and hot dogs.

Memory Lane Café: 1122 Tittabawassee Rd (inside Antique Warehouse), Kochville Township, 989-755-4343. Sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts.

Mountain Town Station: 506 W Broadway St, Mt Pleasant, 866-381-5022. Steakhouse, brewery, and wine shop. Fine micro-brews and a selection of over 300 wines. Wi-Fi.

Mussel Beach: 3540 State Park Dr, Bay City, 989-686-0575. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including original stuffed burgers. Ice cream and desserts. Takeout available.

Nbakade Family Restaurant: 5665 E Pickard Rd (inside Soaring Eagle Waterpark & Hotel), 989-817-4806. Quiche, salads, sandwiches, burgers, mahi mahi, and New York strip.

Nikki’s: 104 W Johnson St, Zilwaukee, 989-754-3737. Specializes in barbecued pulled pork and deli sandwiches.

Old Town Drive-In: 807 S Granger (at Gratiot), Saginaw, 989-799-4162. Burgers, Coney dogs, fries, shakes, and root beer. Eat in your car or on ’50s-style diner stools. Takeout and catering.

Oscar & Joey’s Road House: 12027 Dixie Hwy, Birch Run, 989-624-9349. Prime rib, char-grilled rib-eyes, burgers, and pan-seared walleye New Orleans. Wild game available upon request. Lunch specials.

Perry’s Schuch Hotel & Restaurant: 301 N Hamilton St, Saginaw, 989-799-2539. Veal tortellini,

prime rib, and all-you-can-eat fish on Fridays.

The Pit at BARTS: 804 E Midland St, Bay City, 989-891-0100. Open pit Southern-style barbecue.

Quarry Grill at Bucks Run: 1559 S Chippewa Rd, Mt Pleasant, 989-779-9973. Champagne chicken, steak, gourmet burgers, and crowd favorite, venison chili. All-you-can-eat lake perch (Thursdays).

Riverside Family Restaurant: 8295 Midland Rd, Freeland, 989-695-5563. Homemade entrées, sandwiches, soups, desserts, and award-winning pies, including coconut cream.

Shirlene’s Cuisine: 1716 Wackerly St, Midland, 989-631-8750. Fifty-plus item soup and salad bar includes peas & peanuts, creamy cucumber salad, Waldorf salad, Mandarin salad, homemade chutney, and daily soups.

Showboat Restaurant: 242 W Broad St, Chesaning, 989-845-2830. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Soups, sandwiches, fresh lake perch, liver and onions, signature prime rib, and orange ginger chicken. Full bar.

Siniikaung Steak & Chop House: 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd, Mt Pleasant, 989-775-5106. Aged prime beef, chops, and seafood entrées.

Slo’ Bones BBQ Smokehaus: 175 E Jefferson St, Frankenmuth, 989-262-8681. Ribs, wings, and slider sandwiches. Southern flavors with local touches. Live bands on weekends.

State Street: 715 E Main St, Midland, 989-837-6174. Coffee bar and restaurant with sophisticated comfort food, craft beer, and wine. Free Wi-Fi.

Stock Pot Diner and Catering: 1007 Washington Ave, Bay City, 989-893-9332. Breakfast menu, Greek fare, and turkey jerky sandwich.

SugarHigh Café: 525 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-502-5009. Bubble teas, paninis, grilled cheese, Kern’s brats, hot dogs, ice cream, sorbet, and SugarHigh Bakery gourmet cupcakes.

Sullivan’s Black Forest Brew Haus & Grill: 281 Heinlein, Frankenmuth, 800-890-6877. Fish and chips, steaks, seafood, burgers, and deep-dish pizza. One dozen handcrafted beers. Live entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings.


Sure Shot BBQ: 1135 S Mission St, Mt Pleasant, 989-400-4488. Pulled-pork nachos and “gut buster” sandwich.

T. Dubs: 565 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-652-3809, Upscale pizzas use infused dough and hand-cut vegetables. Specialty sandwiches. Unusual combinations make up 11 variations of omelets.

Tony’s Restaurant: 1029 Gratiot Rd, Saginaw, 989-792-1113; 112 S Saginaw, St Charles, 989-865-6950; 2612 State St, Saginaw, 989-793-1801; 2525 E Genesee, Saginaw, 989-753-4321; 7340 Gratiot Rd, Shields, 989-781-2111; 2111 S Saginaw, Midland, 989-839-8560; 234 N Center Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-793-1631; 4880 Fashion Square Blvd, Saginaw Township, 989-249-8669. Steak sandwiches loaded with your favorite toppings and boat-sized banana splits.

Tony’s Take-Out: 2331 S Michigan, Saginaw, 989-793-6250. Chicken strip baskets, pizza, steak sandwiches, catfish, smelt, perch, and cod fish dinners, and soups to go.

Turkey Roost: 2273 S Huron Rd, Kawkawlin, 989-684-5200. Homemade “Thanksgiving every day” since 1955, complete with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Breakfast options, lunch and dinner turkey plates, hot turkey sandwiches, pie by the slice, and other desserts.

Uptown Grille: 3 E Main St, Bay City, 989-439-1557. Upscale bistro serving breakfast and lunch. Sweet potato pancakes, banana bread French toast, sandwiches, burgers, salads, and soups.

Wise Guys: 405 E Main St, Midland, 989-486-9588. Soups, sandwiches, burgers, fish tacos, and gluten-free fare.

Z-Chef’s Café: 730 S Main St (inside Zehnder’s Restaurant), Frankenmuth, 800-863-7999. Gourmet pastas, rotisserie chicken, meat-carving station, hand-tossed pizzas, and salads.

Zef’s Coney Island: 201 Third St, Bay City, 989-402-1220. Specializing in authentic Coney Island-style hot dogs. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

Zehnder’s: 730 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 800-863-7999. Worldwide attraction, 10-dining room German restaurant serves famous all-you-can-eat family-style chicken dinners, along with seafood, steaks, baked goods, and European desserts.

DeliArtigiano: 815 Saginaw St, Bay City, 989-391-4200. Locally owned artisan cheese shop. Small-batch, handmade, and imported cheeses. Gourmet jellies, dried fruits, and cured meats.

Amazing Deli: 134 E Main St, Midland, Midland, 989-837-7278. Sandwiches, subs, salads, and soups await you at a place true to its name. Carryout and delivery available.

The Bagel Café and Deli: 7395 Gratiot Rd, Thomas Township, 989-401-1108. Bagels, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, salads, and lunch classics.

Brown Bag Surpize: 124 Ashman St, Midland, 989-751-0235. Monday only, brown bag lunch delivery. Locally sourced, market-fresh ingredients and alternative takes on classic flavors: “Sour Monkey PB&J” sandwich, “Stop! Cherry Thyme” pork.

Cortland Cooler Café: 5395 Midland Rd (located at Bayne’s Apple Valley Farm), Freeland, 989-695-9139. Wraps, sandwiches, chili in a bread bowl, and signature cider slushes. August through January.

Crossroads Deli: 2205 Jefferson Ave (inside the Midland Community Center), Midland, 989-832-8580. Homemade gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads, smoothies, and desserts. Delivery, carry out, curb-side pick-up, and catering.

Fralia’s: 422 Hancock St, Saginaw, 989-799-0111. Soups, salads, sandwiches, and baked goods using all-natural ingredients. Specialties include gourmet flank steak sandwich, grilled goat cheese salad, and carrot cake. Local delivery.

Intermission Deli: 111 3rd St, Bay City, 989-893-5010. Sandwiches and subs. Freshly made, homemade soups available daily and may be served in a warm bread bowl.

Light House Bakery & Deli: 285 S Outer Dr, Saginaw, 989-754-7088. Lunch specials. One soup and sandwich offered daily. Cakes, pies, cookies, and doughnuts.

Pannini’s Deli: 3585 Bay Rd, 989-799-6038, Saginaw (located inside Discount Health Foods). Sandwiches, smoothies, and baked goods. Gluten-free foods and soy milk always available.

Souper Café: Two locations: 4093 N Euclid, Bay City, 989-671-1900; 5789 State St, Saginaw Township, 989-791-6600. Chicken noodle, broccoli cheddar, chili, and potato and bacon chowder soups. Salads and sandwiches.

Third Street Deli and Coffee House: 305 S Mable (M-13), Pinconning, 989-879-1236. Gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups, coffees, and hot and cold specialty beverages. Wine and beer available.

Wanigan Eatery: 1905 S Wenona St, Bay City, 989-892-8303. Housed in a historic Bay City building and decorated with lumbering artifacts and photos. Sandwiches, salads, homemade soups, and sweet treats.

Water Front Market: 925 N Water St, Bay City, 989-891-1330. Sandwiches made from fresh-baked artisan breads and with prime Dietz & Watson deli meats. Soups and Coney dogs. River view.

Desserts

Crème de la Crème Cupcakes: 201 ½ E Broadway St, Mt Pleasant, 989-444-2928. Flavors of the day change daily.

Cops and Doughnuts ClareCity Bakery: 421 McEwan St, Clare, 989-386-2241. Old police department-themed bakery. Cakeand glazed doughnuts, long johns, and specialties like the Bacon Squealer and Felony Fritter.

The Gourmet Cupcake Shoppe: 915 Washington Ave, Bay City, 989-402-1700; 1908 S Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-631-4103; 4370 Bay Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-401-4012. Cupcakes made with natural ingredients; more than 15 flavors daily.

Kaleidoscope Kandy: 801 Columbus Ave, Bay City, 989-992-5596. Candy store and bakery. Flutter-Nutter cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, and rock candy.

KenRee Lighthouse Chocolate Shoppe: 130 Townsend St, Midland, 989-631-4010. Hand-dipped gourmet chocolates include creams, barks, clusters, specialty candies, and luscious truffles.

Mary’s Creative Cakery: 7494 Gratiot Rd, Shields, 989-781-7747. Design the perfect cake for your occasion. Decorated cookies and a full line of cake and candy-making supplies.

Pâtisserie: 2715 Bay Rd, Saginaw, 989-921-2253. European-style

desserts, fresh-baked breakfast pastries, 18 specialty cakes, nine varieties of cheesecake, custom-baked celebration cakes, gourmet coffee, dips, and spreads.

Petit 4 Pastry: 1600 Woodside Ave, Essexville, 989-891-0735. Cookies, doughnuts, breads, tortes, tarts, and cheesecakes. Special order cakes and catering available.

SugarHigh Bakery: 925 S Main St, Ste G1, Frankenmuth, 989-652-2400. Forty flavors of gourmet cupcakes, Italian gelato, cookies, cake pops, and specialty cakes.

SugarRush Candy Shop: 925 S Main St, Ste G3, Frankenmuth, 989-652-2578. Forty flavors of Ashby’s Michigan-made ice cream, candied almonds, fudge, and candies.

St. Laurent Bros: 1101 N Water St, Bay City, 989-893-7522. One-hundred percent natural peanut butter, hand-dipped chocolates, candies, dried fruits, and chocolates.

Sweet Boutique: 816 Washington Ave, Bay City, 989-895-5000. Pastries, homemade chocolates and confections, and retail specialty candies.

Sweet Creations: www.sweetcreationsmi.com. Specialty and wedding cakes, gourmet cupcakes and cookies, custom cake pops, and cut-out sugar cookies.

Sweet Sandy B’s Bake Shop: 801 Columbus Ave, Bay City, 989-598-0603. Homemade cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and sweets.

Tummy Ache Candy Store: 1116 N Johnson St, Bay City, 989-891-7669. Homemade and nostalgic candy. Homemade “puppy chow,” popcorn balls, snow cones, and ice cream treats.

VanillaBean Bake Shop: 318 S Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-633-9540. Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, chocolates, cake pops, and other sweets.

Fine DiningBradley’s Bistro: 216 Federal Ave, Saginaw. Farm-to-table restaurant with seasonal and locally sourced foods. Lunch and dinner. Salads, house-made dressings, Bulgogi steak sandwich, and soba noodles with Swiss chard pesto. Vegetarian and gluten-free dishes available.

Fireside Grille: 8400 S Genuine Rd, Shepherd, 989-828-6315. Signature

TASTE / DINING OUT


Cass River Yacht Club: 6154 Dixie Hwy, Bridgeport, 989-777-6460. Locally famous “broaster” chicken, homemade soups, pizza, and daily specials. Catering and free hall rental.

Creekside Bar & Grille: 9387 Gratiot Rd, Thomas Township, 989-781-0050. Signature grilled pizza, Creek Crust (cheese bread sticks), burgers and sliders, special family recipe chicken burger, and more.

Coonan’s Irish Hub: 1004 N Johnson, Bay City, 989-402-1177. Guinness stew, Irish fries, Reuben sandwiches, burgers, specialty hot dogs, and full bar.

Diamond Jim’s: 101 E Main St, Midland, 989-486-3343. Soup, salad, and sandwich bar during lunch features four soups. Happy hour. Dinner menu.

Farmers Home Tavern: 215 W Saginaw St, Hemlock, 989-642-2546. Famous burgers, other menu items, cold beer, and beverages served in a friendly, family-owned tavern.

Flannigan’s Pub & Grill: 7734 Gratiot Rd, Shields, 989-781-2320. Irish dishes and American fare like Irish egg rolls, loaded burgers, and Irish nachos. TVs. Dine on the deck.

Frankenmuth Brewery Co: 425 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-262-8300. Microbrewery and restaurant offering appetizers, sandwiches, and dinner entrées with pretzel bread. Freshly brewed beers on tap.

Gabby’s Pub and Grill: 3002 S Graham Rd, Thomas Township, 989-781-0101. Haddock, Gabby burger, smothered chicken, and microbrews.

Gatsby’s Saloon & Eatery: 203 Center Ave, Bay City, 989-922-5556. Pizza, steak, salmon, pastas, and sandwiches served in a ’20s-themed atmosphere. Premium liquors, beers, and wines.

The Governor’s Quarters: 1304 S Wenona St, Bay City, 989-893-6111. Large selection of craft brews (bottled and on tap), hard ciders, and spirits. Burger baskets: “Judicial Indiscretion”(half-pound, homemade Coney sauce, onion, pickled jalapeños, cheddar cheese).

Harvey’s Grill and Bar: Two locations: 3055 Tittabawassee Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-401-4424, and 4000 E Wilder Rd, Bay City, 989-686-3304. Traditional food with a twist and the coldest drafts found in Michigan.

Hamilton Street Pub: 308 S Hamilton St, Saginaw, 989-790-8119. Food, drinks, and entertainment. Dine in or order takeout.

John’s Bar: 1476 S Tuscola Rd, Munger, 989-659-2951. Diner offers burgers, soups, and famous steak sandwiches.

Latitude 43 Grill & Bar: 1013 N Henry St, Bay City, 989-391-9868. Appetizers, salads, burgers, pasta, chicken, sandwiches, steaks, chops, seafood, and side dishes. High-definition TVs.

Mac’s Bar: 118 N Michigan Ave, Saginaw, 989-772-0864. A 1930s Art deco-style bar and restaurant. Innovative cuisine from local farms, including organic, vegan, and vegetarian options. Live jazz musicians.

Merl’s Tavern: 304 Shattuck Rd, Saginaw, 989-751-5140. Sports, trivia, music. Daily food specials: subs, soups, salads, French dip, Coney dogs, and brats.

Michigan on Main: Inside Bavarian Inn, 713 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-652-9941. Michigan-inspired menu and craft beers. Whitefish from Lake Superior and pork produced in Frankentrost. Menu changes to accommodate local, seasonal availability.

Midland Street Jacks Grill & Lounge: 605 E Midland St, Bay City, 989-892-5741. Snacks, appetizers, kids’ meals, desserts, Tex-Mex entrées, salads, subs, and burgers. Lunch specials. Full bar.

Mulligan’s Pub: 109 Center Ave, Bay City, 989-893-4555. Salads, daily soups, gourmet sandwiches, Mexican dishes, and steaks. Lunch and dinner specials. Premium liquors and beers. Takeout.

O’Kelly’s Sports Bar & Grille: 2000 S Mission St, Mt Pleasant, 989-775-3751. Pub food includes wings and burgers topped with onion rings. Drink specials. Large projector screens.

Oscar’s Restaurant and Entertainment: 140 E Main St, Midland, 989-837-8680. Deli and chicken sandwiches, burgers, entrée salads, daily soups, and desserts. Variety of beer, wine, and cocktails.

Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie: 576 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-652-6981. Rustic chic atmosphere and full bar. Charcuterie with artisanal cheeses as shared plates, pre-built or design-your-own, paninis, and farm-to-table dishes.

international dishes, pasta, chicken, fish, and steak.

Golden Glow Ballroom Restaurant: 2950 S Graham Rd, Thomas Township, 989-781-2120. Chicago-style individual pizza, seafood, chicken, pork, steak, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and pasta.

Heatherfields Chop House (Bay Valley Hotel and Resort): 2470 Old Bridge Rd, Bay City, 989-686-3500. Entrées include char-grilled steaks, blackened salmon, and chicken fettuccine. Sunday brunch.

Jake’s Old City Grill: 100 S Hamilton at Court, Saginaw, 989-797-8325. Steaks, chops, seafood, poultry, pasta, and vegetarian entrées. Comprehensive martini and wine bar.

Montague Inn: 1581 S Washington Ave, Saginaw, 989-752-3939. Housed in a historic mansion, entrées include salmon turban, pecan pork tenderloin, and Indian specialties. Open Thursday –Saturday for dinner.

Old City Hall: 814 Saginaw St, Bay City, 989-892-4140. Historic dining room offers appetizers like Thai lettuce wrap and elegant entrées. Extensive wine list. Imported and domestic beer.

Real Seafood Co.: 199 Uptown Dr, Bay City, 989-456-3463. Contemporary seafood restaurant; locally sourced ingredients. Lunch and dinner; sautéed Lake Superior whitefish, pasta, steak, sandwiches, and gluten-free options.

The Riverfront Grille: One Wenonah Park Place, Bay City (inside the DoubleTree Hotel), 989-891-6000. Breakfast, lunch, and specialty dinner entrées daily. Full bar and wine list.

Shari’s at the Willard-Hillton: 1506 W Beaver Rd, Auburn, 989-662-6621. Louis Mason’s 1800 hotel thrives today as a gourmet restaurant. Extensive wine list and specialty cocktails complement artfully presented food.

Table: 111 W Main St, Midland (inside H Hotel), 989-633-6099. Exquisitely prepared entrées like duck breast, scallops, and veal. Wines and dinner cocktails. European-style breads tartlets, tortes, and Napoleons.

Uptown Grill: 3 E Main St, Bay City. Upscale venue serving breakfast and lunch. Grilled banana bread French toast with caramel rum sauce, sweet potato pancakes, garden

quiche, salmon BLT, butternut squash bisque, and build-your-own-burgers. Enclosed outdoor patio seating.

Willow Tree Restaurant of Saginaw: 4787 Fashion Square Mall, Saginaw Township, 989-790-9400. Casual atmosphere. Fresh appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches and wraps, pastas, entrées, and desserts.

Saloon & Eatery2nd Street Sports Pub: 274 Meyers St, Freeland, 989-695-6501. Appetizers, soups, sandwiches, burritos, burgers, steak, and pasta for lunch and dinner. Outdoor patio seating.

Aurora Buffet: 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd, Mt Pleasant (inside Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort), 888-732-4537. Lunch and dinner buffet, soup and salad bar, carving station, and dessert bar. Every Tuesday is “BOGO Buffet”: buy one lunch or dinner buffet at regular price and get one free.

Bancroft Wine & Martini Bar: 101 S Washington Ave, Saginaw, 989-776-0011. A 1920s-style lounge. Wine, martinis, Prohibition-era cocktails, craft beers, small plates, salads, and cheese boards.

Bar Oxygen: 111 Main St (located inside H Hotel), Midland, 989-839-0500. Wine, beer, martini, and specialty cocktail menu, with 150+ liquors. Bar menu. Happy hour. Live music Friday nights.

Bier Garten: 8 State Park Dr, Bay City, 989-684-1331. Daily themed-specials. Quarter-off happy hour daily.

Big E’s Sports Grill: 810 Cinema Dr, Midland, 989-794-8585. Nachos served on a 22-inch pizza tray. Weekend breakfast menu and bloody mary bar.

The Boulevard Lounge: 316 S Saginaw Rd, Midland, 989-832-5387. Breakfast seven days a week. Complete lunch and dinner menus, including appetizers, available.

Brady’s Sports Bar & Diner: 512 E Midland St, Bay City, 989-894-2207. Full menu. Homemade chips, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, and salsa. Breakfast buffet Saturday and Sunday.

Brass Café and Saloon: 128 S Main St, Mt Pleasant, 989-772-0864. New American cuisine in a dining room housed in two turn-of-the-century shopfronts.


Rainmakers: 3325 Davenport (inside Ramada Inn), Saginaw, 989-793-7900. Small plate items, Rainmaker martini, nacho nights, happy hour events, and weekend entertainment.

The Rathskeller: 600 E Midland St, Bay City, 989-892-0621. Full menu, daily specials, and drinks. Catch the game on one of 24 TVs.

Rustic Inn Steak House & Saloon: 133 N Saginaw St, St Charles, 989-865-6466. Lodge-style atmosphere features more than 50 North American big game mounts. Entrées, sandwiches, and homemade soups.

Rusty Saw Smokehouse BBQ: 804 E Midland St, Bay City, 989-332-2948. Located inside Lumber Barons Brewery. Slow-smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, and burgers. Made-from-scratch side dishes include dirty rice, cornbread, and Carolina slaw.

The Savoy Grill: 127 S Franklin St, Saginaw, 989-755-5171. Upscale American diner fare including turkey pesto ciabatta, steak chicken pesto pasta, and Val’s hot beef sandwich. Breakfast available.

Sporty’s Wing Shack and Smokehouse: 4502 N Huron Rd, Pinconning, 989-879-6050, and 9620 Gratiot Rd, Saginaw, 989-401-6973. Wings (try the smokin’ cherry sauce favorite!) and burgers piled high. Draft beers.

The Stables Martini & Cigar Bar: 805 E John St, Bay City, 989-891-0100. Cozy seating areas for small groups. Live entertainment.

Walk-in humidor offers more than 80 varieties of cigars.

Stadium Sports Pub and Grill: 7255 S Three Mile Rd (located inside Bay City Country Club), Bay City, 989-684-1618. Open to the public. Big screen TVs.

Stein Haus: 1108 N Water St, Bay City, 989-891-2337. Imported beers and microbrews on draft. Choose bottles or glasses of wine from the extensive wine (and reserve) list.

Sullivan’s Food & Spirits: 5235 Gratiot Rd, Saginaw Township, 989-799-1940. Famous for its fish and chips. Full menu. Signature corned beef and cabbage served occasionally throughout the year.

Tavern 101 Restaurant: 101 Center Ave, Bay City, 989-778-1431. Italian- and Mediterranean-influenced cuisine. Signature flatbreads, pastas, wine, spirits, and selection of 50 beers on tap.

Tiffany’s Food & Spirits: 56 S Main St, Frankenmuth, 989-652-6881. Pizzas, seafood, pastas, and PastaPitzas. Keep your specialty drink glass as a souvenir. Patio dining in summer.

Timbers Bar & Grill: 6415 State St, Saginaw Township, 989-790-2345. Rustic cabin-type setting. Steaks, pastas, nachos, salads, soup in a bread bowl, and sandwiches. Weekly specials. Full bar.

VNO New Age Restaurant & Wine Warehouse and Bay City Grill & Bar: 510 Midland St, Bay City, 989-460-0117. Serves small plates, including smoked salmon dip, calamari, escargot, and more than 25

wine selections by the glass or bottle; retail space includes more than 200 wine selections and a wine tasting bar.

Washington Street Irish Pub and Grill: 112 Washington Ave, Bay City, 989-895-8221. Burgers, sandwiches, fish, steak, hand-dipped onion rings, pizza, and homemade lunch specials every day.

Water Lily Lounge: 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd, Mt Pleasant (inside Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort), 888-732-4537. Appetizers, sandwiches, and thin crust pizzas. Live entertainment Fridays and Saturdays. Food available until 11 p.m., Sunday – Thursday, and until 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday.

Whichcraft Taproom: 124 Ashman St, Midland, 989-832-3395. Dips, spreads, cheese plates,

paninis, Greek hot dogs, and Mediterranean platters.

Whine: 337 E Wackerly St, Midland, 989-835-5222. Wine bar with wines from across the world, craft beers, cocktails, and specialty liquors paired with small plates.

Winston’s Pub in the Midland Resort and Convention Center: 1500 W Wackerly St, Midland, 989-698-0663. Variety of foods and large selection of beer and cocktails. Weekday happy-hour specials. Live entertainment, games, and TVs.

Zorba’s Greek and American Cuisine: 617 S Harrison St, Saginaw, 989-792-1959. Saganaki (flaming cheese), gyros, dolmades, baklava, and chicken Avgolemeno (egg lemon) soup. Wings and burgers. Beer, liquor, and wine. •

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Tis the Season for Entertaining!

5 1 2 1 B a y C i t y R d , M i d l a n d , M I 4 8 6 4 2989.496.2158 G R E A T H A L L M I . C O M

Let us help you have a stress free holiday.Office Parties Holiday Parties Off-site Catering


A&E

People Pics 54 | Sponsored Events 55 | What To Do 55

WHAT TO DO, WHERE TO BE


SANTA HOUSE, MIDLAND

A&E / PEOPLE PICS

1. Alonzo Betts and George Harris2. Brianna Nixon, Maya Davis, and Brittani Liggins3. John and Angie Neal4. MaKenzie Smith and Leia Lopez-Gamboa

DETAILS: The Saginaw County section of the NAACP recognized community leaders, young professionals, and organizations for commitment to supporting social justice and giving back to the area. photos by Doug Julian

NAACP 45th Annual Freedom Fund BanquetSAGINAW TOWNSHIP

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A&E / PEOPLE PICS

1. Ray Garcia and Steve Velasquez2. Cheryl Ralynski, Kevin Neumeyer, and Mike Kahl3. Debbie Briguglio, Jane Hagen, and Ginger Drzewicki4. Jordan Waier, Dean Emerson, Deb Snyder, and Erin Nostrandt

DETAILS: Members of the Great Lakes Bay Region teed off in support of Boys & Girls Clubs programs. photos by Doug Julian

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The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Great Lakes Bay Region Fall Golf OutingFREELAND


THINGS TO DO / A&E

Sponsored Events Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra: 15th Annual Holiday HousewalkSelect homeowners in the Great Lakes Bay Region open their doors to showcase their beautiful holiday decor. Homes display live music, door prizes, and more. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 the day of the event at participating homes. Guests may also partake in Rudolph’s Raffle.

Proceeds benefit Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra.

When: Thursday, December 3, 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. Where: Participating homes in the Great Lakes Bay RegionFor information and tickets: For ticket information, locations, homeowners, and addresses, call 989-755-6471, or visit www.saginawbayorchestra.com

McLaren Bay Region Auxiliary: 58th Annual Charity BallThemed “Rhapsody in the Moonlight,” guests are treated to dinner, dancing, and a silent auction. Live music will be performed by Newsmaker. Open bar begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:15 p.m. Guests can participate in a silent auction of gift baskets.

Proceeds will be used to purchase new equipment for McLaren Bay Region’s Orthopedic Department.

When: Saturday, December 5, 6:30 p.m. Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Bay CityFor information and tickets: Tickets are available at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and McLaren Bay Region Gift Shop. For information, visit www.mclaren.org/baycharityball

Saginaw County Medical Society Alliance: 12th Annual Jingle MingleGuests enjoy a festive atmosphere, featuring holiday gifts available for purchase from vendors, a special alliance signature drink, prizes, and a luncheon (served at 11:45 a.m.), including a presentation. Tickets are $35. Reservations required.

Proceeds benefit a local charity.

When: Monday, December 7, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Where: Saginaw Country Club, Saginaw Township For reservations: Contact the Saginaw County Medical Society, 989-790-3590

Art and MuseumsSecond Saturday Speaker Series. Held the second Saturday of each month, 1 p.m. Free admission. Presentation by local historian. Light refreshments provided. Historical Museum of Bay County, Bay City; 989-893-5733, www.bchsmuseum.org

Exhibit: Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition. Through December 18. Free admission. Opening reception: December 3, 4:30 – 7 p.m. Featuring works from graduating bachelor of fine arts majors. University Art Gallery, Saginaw Valley State University, University Center; 989-964-4159, www.svsu.edu/artgallery

Exhibit: Mark Piotrowski, Matt Lewis, and Jason Graham. Through December 18. Free admission. Paintings by Piotrowski and Lewis; sculptures by Jason Graham. Studio 23/The Art Center, Bay City; 989-894-2323, www.studio23baycity.org

Exhibit: Motown in Black and White. Through December 31. Admission $1/50¢ children. Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. –

4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 1 – 4:30 p.m. Castle Museum of Saginaw County History, Saginaw; www.castlemuseum.org

AttractionsDaily Pretzel Rolling. Every day, 2:30 – 3:15 p.m. (not available on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day). Cost $4.99. Learn proper pretzel-rolling methods; eat your fresh-out-of-the-oven finished product. Two-hour advanced notice and prepayment required. Bavarian Inn Restaurant, Frankenmuth; 989-652-9941, www.bavarianinn.com

Uncorked Series. Every first and third Thursday, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Free event. New kind of “Happy Hour” in the Saints & Sinners Lounge. Complimentary snack, cash bar, and a variety of themes to think and drink creatively about. Midland Center for the Arts, Midland; 989-631-5930, www.mcfta.org

Music in the Café Second Thursdays. Every second Thursday, 7 – 9 p.m. $5. The café night brings fabulous

performance, casual spontaneity, and an evening of music. The White Crow Conservatory of Music, Saginaw Township; 989-790-2118, www.whitecrowconservatory.blogspot.com/

Mid-Michigan Young Onset Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting. Meets the third Tuesday of each month. Held inside the United Way office, 909 Washington Ave, Bay City

City Hall Tour. Second Friday of each month, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Admission $1. Bay County Historical Museum, Bay City; 989-893-5733, www.bchsmuseum.org

Midland County Historical Society: Hands-on History Days. Friday and Saturday of the third weekend each month, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Family-focused, interactive, and informational drop-in programs for the community to discover and preserve local heritage. Midland Center for the Arts, Midland; 989-631-5930, www.mcfta.org

Kids Fly Free! Second Saturday of each month, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Children, 8 – 17, fly free and learn

about aviation. Jack Barstow Airport, Midland; 989-835-3231, www.eaa1093.org

Authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony. Second Saturday of each month, 2 p.m. Admission $8. Authentic formal Japanese Tea Ceremony in the Saginaw-Tokushima Friendship Garden, hosted by persons in kimono. Reservations encouraged. Japanese Cultural Center & Tea House, Saginaw; 989-759-1648, www.japaneseculturalcenter.org

Humane Society of Bay County Feline Adoption Events. Last Saturday of each month. For more information, call 989-893-0451, or visit www.humanesocietybc.org

Tai Chi with Jim Bush. Every Saturday, 10 a.m. Fee $5. The White Crow Conservatory of Music, Saginaw Township; 989-790-2118, www.whitecrowconservatory.blogspot.com/

Second Sundays: Old Time Gospel Night with Silverwood Bottom Boys. Every second Sunday, 7 p.m. Fee $5. The White Crow Conservatory of Music, Saginaw Township; 989-790-2118,


THINGS TO DO / A&E

www.whitecrowconservatory.blogspot.com/

Ballroom Dance & Lesson. Thursdays through December 17, 7 – 10 p.m. Admission $10 per person. Singles and couples welcome for snacks, refreshments, dancing, and instruction by Angela Markle, professional dance instructor. Freeland Sports Zone, Freeland; 989-921-0262

Exhibit: Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition. Through December 18. Free admission. Opening reception: December 3, 4:30 – 7 p.m. Featuring works from graduating bachelor of fine arts majors. University Art Gallery, Saginaw Valley State University, University Center; 989-964-4159, www.svsu.edu/artgallery

Riverside Writers: Writing & Telling Your Story. Tuesdays through December 22, 3 – 4 p.m. Free. Facilitated writing and/or telling of stories by participants; relaxed group atmosphere. Riverside Apartments, Midland; 989-837-1885, www.becreative360.org

Visit Santa at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. Through December 24. Monday – Thursday, 10 – 11:30 a.m., 1 – 4 p.m., and 5:30 – 7 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Sunday, 12 – 5:30 p.m. Closes December 24 at 3 p.m. Free for ages 10 and under. Cameras welcomed; no photos offered. Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth; 989-652-9935, ext. 423, www.bronners.com

Alden B. Dow Home & Studio Architectural and Historical Tours. Through December 31. Friday tours, 2 p.m., and Saturday tours, 10 a.m. Admission $15/$12 seniors/$7 students. Tour this home, built in 1933 and referred to as “one of the most important structures in 20th-century American design.” Reservations required. Alden B. Dow Home & Studio, Midland; 989-839-2744, www.abdow.org

Wine and Chocolate Tasting Offered by Frankenmuth

FunShips and Wolcott Winery. Through December 31. Cost $5. Pair gourmet chocolate morsels with Michigan wines. Frankenmuth; 989-652-3400

Sundays in the City Holiday Movies. Sundays through December 20, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets $5. Check website for movie listings. State Theatre, Bay City; 989-892-2660, www.statetheatrebaycity.com

Breakfast with Santa at the Trombley-Centre House. Date and time TBA. Sit down to breakfast with Santa himself. Seating is limited, reservations are required, and no highchairs are available. Tickets must be purchased in advance in The Historical Museum of Bay County’s store; no sales at the door. Trombley-Centre House, Bay City; 989-893-5733, www.bchsmuseum.org

Dow Gardens Poinsettia Display. December 1 – 30, 9 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Admission $5/5 and under free. Walk through the gardens to the Dow Gardens Conservatory, filled with a dramatic poinsettia display. Dow Gardens, Midland; 989-631-2677, www.dowgardens.org

Matinee Dinner Show—A “Barry” Merry Christmas featuring Frank Sternett. December 1, 11 a.m. Admission $40, includes luncheon, show, tax, and gratuity. Holiday tribute with Christmas season spirit. Bavarian Inn Restaurant, Frankenmuth; 989-652-9941, www.bavarianinn.com

Santa’s Arrival & Courthouse Lighting. December 1, 7 p.m. Free. Magical evening. Courthouse lights up, heralding Santa’s arrival and opening of his house for visitors. Midland Courthouse, Midland; www.midlandfoundation.org

Santa House. December 1 – 27. Closed December 25. Free admission. Visit with Santa. Cameras welcome. Downtown Midland, www.midlandfoundation.org/santa-house

23rd Annual Hollyday Art Fair. December 2, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Free admission. Fresh holly sales, Michigan artists, and distinctive gifts of pottery, jewelry, folk art, fibers baskets, clothing, woodworking, holiday crafts, and silent auction. Soup and sandwich luncheon will be served in the Garden Room, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Andersen Enrichment Center & Lucille E. Andersen Memorial Rose Garden, Saginaw; 989-759-1362, www.saginaw-mi.com

Christkindlmarkt. December 4, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., December 5, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and December 6, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Special baked goods, Christmas decorations, gifts, and more. Downtown Frankenmuth; 989-295-9766, www.frankenmuthfarmersmarket.org

Immanuel Lutheran Church: A Living Nativity. December 4, 7 – 9 p.m., and December 5 – 6, 6 – 8 p.m. Freewill donation. Outdoor event, dress accordingly. Travel to the ancient town of Bethlehem, see the babe asleep in a manger, and more. Immanuel Lutheran Church, 8220 Holland Rd, Frankentrost; 989-754-0929, www.frankenmuth.org

2015 Holiday Parlor Tour. December 5 – 6, 4 – 8 p.m. Admission $20/$17 in advance. Tour parlors of historic homes along Center Avenue decorated for the holidays; shop the Christmas Market inside Pere Marquette Depot. Shuttle bus included in ticket price. Bay City; www.canabaycity.org

Santa’s Village at the North Pole. December 5 – 6, 12 – 13, 19 – 20. Admission $10/5 and under free. Indoor winter wonderland. Children’s rides, refreshments, arts and crafts, Christmas lights, inflatables, and gingerbread house competition. Saginaw County Fairgrounds, Chesaning; 989-845-2143, www.santa.saginawcountyfair.org

Sundays in the City. December 6, 13, 20. Holiday decorations, free horse-drawn carriage rides, strolling carolers, and holiday movies at the historic State Theatre. Downtown Bay City; 989-893-3573, www.downtownbaycity.com

Dow Gardens Christmas Walk. December 10 – 12, 5 – 7:30 p.m. Free admission. Stroll along candlelit pathways, listen to carols, and enjoy the poinsettia display in the conservatory. This is the garden’s gift to the community each year via The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation. Dow Gardens, Midland; 989-631-2677, www.dowgardens.org

Christmas Carnival. December 12, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Enjoy Mr. and Mrs. Claus, holiday games, live reindeer, and Santa’s special reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” Apple Mountain Resort, Freeland; 989-781-6789, www.applemountain.com

Second Hand Picasso Art and Collectible Sale. December 14 – 18, 2 p.m. Free admission. Original art for sale, slightly used and utterly awesome. Creative 360, Midland; 989-837-1885, www.becreative360.org

Cocktails & Canvas. December 18, 7 – 9 p.m. Bring cocktails, and enjoy a guided painting session; canvas, acrylics, brushes, and instruction provided. Creative 360, Midland; 989-837-1885, www.becreative360.org

Holidays Around the World! December 19, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission. Visit with international students, and learn how other cultures celebrate the holidays. Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum, Saginaw; 989-399-6626, www.michildrensmuseum.com

Christmas Sing Along with Irene Bronner & Bob Spletzer. December 22 – 23, 1:30 – 2p.m. Free admission. Sing a variety of Christmas carols. Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth; 989-652-9931, www.bronners.com

Silent Night Memorial Chapel Sing Along. December 24, 3 – 3:15 p.m. Free admission. Bob Spletzer and a guest guitarist lead everyone in singing “Silent Night” in the Silent Night Memorial Chapel. Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth; 989-652-9931, www.bronners.com


THINGS TO DO / A&E

Saginaw Spirit vs. Hamilton Bulldogs. December 30, 7:11 p.m. For a complete schedule of Saginaw Spirit hockey games and times, visit website. Dow Event Center, Saginaw; 989-497-7747, www.saginawspirit.com

New Year’s Eve Day Blast! December 31, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission fee. Count down every hour on the hour with silly games, special guests, and entertainment. Party hats and horns provided for all-day gallery play. Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum, Saginaw; 989-399-6626, www.michildrensmuseum.com

Midnight on Main. December 31, 6 p.m. Family-friendly festivities begin with a ball drop from 6 – 7 p.m. Note: At 8 p.m., Midnight on Main becomes a 21 and over event. East End of Midland; 989-837-3330, www.midnightonmain.org

Murder Mystery Dinner Show at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant. December 31, 6:30 p.m. Cost $50. An interactive evening spent helping to solve a murder. Bavarian Inn Restaurant, Frankenmuth; 989-652-9941, www.bavarianinn.com

Bringing Back the Ice. Dates and times to be announced. Sledding, ice skating, hockey, cookies, and hot cocoa at the warming house. Check the website for details. Hoyt Park, Saginaw; www.prideinsaginaw.org

CharitySaginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra: 15th Annual Holiday Housewalk. December 3, 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. Advanced tickets $17/$20 day of. Tour beautifully decorated homes with live music, door prizes, and more. Proceeds benefit Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. For locations, homeowners, and addresses, call 989-755-6471, or visit www.saginawbayorchestra.com

MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland: Love Light Trees. December 3, 7 p.m. Lighted evergreen trees signify donations

received throughout the year. Hospital entrance lobby at MidMichigan Medical Center, Midland; 989-839-3342, www.midmichigan.org

McLaren Bay Region Auxiliary: 58th Annual Charity Ball. December 5, 6:30 p.m. Music by Newsmaker, cocktails, dinner, dancing, and a silent auction. Proceeds benefit programs at McLaren Bay Region’s Orthopedic Department. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Bay City; tickets available at DoubleTree Hotel and McLaren Bay Region Gift Shop; www.mclaren.org/baycharityball

Zonta Club of Midland: 35th Annual Holiday Homewalk. December 5 – 6, 1 – 5 p.m. Tour local homes beautifully decorated for the holidays. Proceeds benefit the scholarship funds Zonta Club of Midland presents annually to women of all ages. For ticket information and home write-ups, visit www.zontaclubofmidland.org

McLaren Bay Medical Foundation: Holiday Memorial Tree Program. December 6, 1 p.m. Free event; donations appreciated. McLaren Bay Region cafeteria, Bay City; for information, call 989-895-4725, or visit www.mclaren.org/bmf

Saginaw County Medical Society Alliance: 12th Annual Jingle Mingle. December 7, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Cost $35, includes lunch. Vendors, prizes, and guest speaker. Registration requested. Proceeds benefit a local charity. Saginaw Country Club, Saginaw; 989-790-3590

Cobblestone Homes and MidMichigan Health: Homes for the Holiday. December 11. Guests may tour seasonally decorated Cobblestone Homes and enjoy holiday music, light refreshments, and a few surprises. Proceeds benefit MidMichigan Health oncology services. In and around Midland; 989-692-0140

Studio 23’s Black and White Fundraiser. December 11, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Tickets $50. Live entertainment, cash bar, and

silent and live (local) art auction. Proceeds benefit Studio 23’s mission of making art and art education accessible to all. Studio 23/The Art Center, Bay City; 989-894-2323, www.studio23baycity.org

Junior Achievement of Northeast Michigan, Inc.: J.A. Titan Challenge. December 11. Sponsored teams of students from regional high schools, paired with mentors/coaches, compete against each other as directors of virtual companies. Proceeds benefit Junior Achievement of Northeast Michigan, Inc. and area schools. Saginaw Valley State University, University Center; 989-752-9050, www.JAnortheastMI.org

St. Mary’s of Michigan Foundation: Light Up a Life. December 15, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Cost $20 – $125. Holiday program to celebrate loved ones. Santa visits, holiday music, and hors d’oeuvres. Proceeds benefit mission fund and St. Mary’s of Michigan’s hospice. St. Mary’s of Michigan’s Health Education Center lobby, Saginaw; 989-907-8300, www.stmarysofmichigan.org/foundation

Dashing Through the Snow 5K Trail Run/Walk. December 19, 6 p.m. Admission $15 – $30. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Lighthouse Outreach Center of Saginaw to assist in creating a warm, safe haven for those without. Imerman Memorial Park, Saginaw Township; 989-205-5838, www.tritofinish.com

Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan: Sharing Hope Radiothon. Date TBD. For information, call 989-752-6051

ExposScholastic Book Fair and Holiday Warehouse Book Sale. December 1, 12 – 7 p.m., December 2, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and December 3, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Deals to stock up on reading material for gifts and personal enjoyment. Birch Run Expo Center, Birch Run; 989-624-4665, www.birchrunexpos.com

Festivals30th Annual Boar’s Head Christmas Festival. December 4 and 6, 7:30 p.m., and December 7, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Nativity acted out through song. Saginaw; 989-755-1144, www.bethlehemsaginaw.org

Mount Pleasant Christmas Celebration. December 4, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m., and December 5, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Free admission. Pancake breakfast, streets lined with hundreds of luminaries, carolers, hayride light tours, a live nativity scene, complimentary refreshments, parade, and Old Saint Nick. Downtown Mt Pleasant; 989-779-5348, www.downtownmp.com

Music, Theater & FilmA Clear Blue Morning Concert. December 2, 7:30 p.m. Free. Featuring the Saginaw Valley State University concert choir. Saginaw Valley State University, University Center; 989-964-4159, www.svsu.edu/music

Brian Regan, Comedian. December 3, 7:30 p.m. Admission $39.50. Respected comedian performs live. The Dow Event Center, Saginaw; 989-759-1320, www.doweventcenter.com

It’s A Wonderful Life. December 4 – 5, 11 – 12, 8 p.m., and December 6, 13, 3 p.m. Admission. Emotionally touching, feel-good classic performed live. Pit & Balcony Theatre, Saginaw, 989-754-6587, www.pitandbalconytheatre.com

The Nutcracker. December 4 – 5, 7:30 p.m., and December 5 – 6, 3 p.m. Tickets $38 – $50/$20 – $33 students. Experience the Broadway feel and see the Grand Rapids Ballet perform the holiday classic like you’ve never seen, reimagined from the storyline to the set design. Midland Center for the Arts, Midland; 989-631-8250, www.mcfta.org

Men of Music Christmas Concert. December 6, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Free admission;


THINGS TO DO / A&E

freewill offering. Concert filled with sentimental favorites; great for all ages. First United Methodist Church, Midland; 989-631-8250, www.mcfta.org

Holidays in the City Movies Series. Showings at 3 p.m. Tickets $5. December 6, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946); December 13, Holiday Inn (1942); December 18 and 20, Sound of Music (1965). Temple Theatre, Saginaw; 989-754-7469, www.templetheatre.com

The 1940s Radio Show: Christmas on the Home Front. December 9 – 10, 7:30 p.m. Tickets $13/$10 seniors and students. Theatrical, nostalgic performance focuses on the Christmas radio shows during WWII. Saginaw Valley State University, University Center; 989-964-4261, www.svsu.edu/theatre

Holiday Show with Michael Bolton in Partnership with Michigan Jazz Trail Big Band. December 10, 6 p.m. Reserved seating $40 – $125. Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Michael Bolton brings his soulful voice, poignant lyrics, and timeless style. Temple Theatre, Saginaw; 989-754-7469, www.templetheatre.com

The Tenors—Under One Sky. December 10, 8 p.m. Tickets $38 – $200 VIP. With powerful voices and memorable melodies, The Tenors ensemble blends classical music and contemporary pop. Midland Center for the Arts, Midland; 989-631-8250, www.mcfta.org

An O. Henry Christmas. December 10 – 12, 7:30 p.m., and December 12, 13, 3 p.m. Tickets $20/$16 students. It’s Christmas Eve 1893, and a mysterious storyteller entertains a rag-tag mix of lost souls by spinning a few tales. Rekindle the spirit of the season with O. Henry’s touching short stories “The Last Leaf” and “The Gift of the Magi.” Midland Center for the Arts, Midland; 989-631-8250, www.mcfta.org

Families in Nature: “Nature Song Sing Along.” December 12, 1 p.m. Free. Up-tempo program

filled with fun and informative songs about plants and animals. Sing, dance along, or just tap your toes. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

“Home for the Holidays.” December 12, 3 p.m. Admission. The Saginaw Choral Society performs with Keven Cole and Sylvia McNair. Temple Theatre, Saginaw; 989-754-7469, www.templetheatre.com

Youth Holiday Choir. December 16, 7 p.m. Tickets $8. A delightful program to start your family holiday celebrations. Midland Center for the Arts, Midland; 989-631-8250, www.mcfta.org

“Jingle.” December 19, 7 p.m. Tickets $16/$11 students. Center Stage Choirs performs a heartwarming concert for listeners of all ages. Request: Bring an unwrapped toy for the Salvation Army’s toy drive. Midland Center for the Arts, Midland; 989-631-8250, www.mcfta.org

Elisabeth von Trapp & the Carolina Brass. December 19, 7:30 p.m. Admission $35 – $90. Granddaughter of the legendary Maria and Baron von Trapp, Elisabeth has sung professionally since childhood, enthralling audiences worldwide. Temple Theatre, Saginaw; 989-754-7469, www.templetheatre.com

NatureNight at the Cabin. December 2, 6 – 7:30 p.m. Free. All ages welcome; adult accompaniment required for those younger than 18. Lamp-lit evening at the Homestead Cabin learning how farmers in the 19th century prepared for lean months. Tour the new timber frame barn; make a take-home holiday ornament. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Story Hour: The Missing Mitten Mystery. December 3, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Free. Recommended for ages 3 – 5 with an accompanying adult. Spend an hour learning about nature, possibly including songs,

rhymes, and other age-appropriate activities. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Nature Art Show and Sale. December 5, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Psst! CNC members are invited December 4, 6 – 9 p.m., also, for first choice at the art work and an evening of festive music, snacks, and 8:30 p.m. silent auction.) Free. All ages welcome; adult accompaniment required for those younger than 18. Artists at the show offer photography, wood carvings, copper sculpture, books, baskets, and more! Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Ephraim Williams, Pioneer Fur Trader. December 6, 2 – 3 p.m. Free. 12 and over; adult accompaniment required for those younger than 18. Step back in time and join Kyle Bagnall in a costumed, first-person portrayal based on the life of this fascinating character from our past. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Wildlife Viewing Area at Night. December 9, 7 – 8 p.m. Free. All ages welcome; adult accompaniment required for those younger than 18. Under the illumination of red lights, watch for nocturnal animals: raccoons, opossum, skunks, or even flying squirrels. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Families in Nature: Nature Song Sing Along. December 12, 1 – 2 p.m. Free. All ages welcome; adult accompaniment required for those younger than 18. Outdoor program to explore the wonders of Michigan’s seasons. Come prepared to sing along, dance, or just tap your toes. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Creating a Bird Friendly Yard. December 13, 2 – 3 p.m. Free. All ages welcome; adult accompaniment required for those younger than 18. Learn how to attract birds to your yard, what kinds of feeders to use and where to place, and more. Meet in the Wildlife Viewing Area inside Visitors

Center. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Story Hour: When Winter Comes. December 17, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Free. Recommended for ages 3 – 5 with an accompanying adult. Spend an hour learning about nature, possibly including songs, rhymes, and other age-appropriate activities. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Winter Solstice Celebration. December 19, 6 – 8 p.m. Free. All ages welcome; adult accompaniment required for those younger than 18. Celebrate the longer days to come with earth-friendly traditions including making beeswax candles, an evergreen wreath, and a small Yule log. Chippewa Nature Center, Midland; 989-631-0830, www.chippewanaturecenter.org

NetworkingBay Area Chamber of Commerce: Eye Opener Breakfast. December 8. Held at Bay Valley Resort & Conference Center, Bay City; 989-893-4567, www.baycityarea.com

Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce: Percolator Breakfast. December 3, 7:30 a.m. Horizons Conference Center, Saginaw Township; 989-757-2112, www.saginawchamber.org

Midland Area Chamber of Commerce: WakeUp! Midland. December 4, 7:30 a.m. Held at Great Hall Banquet and Convention Center, Midland; to register, call 989-839-9522, or visit www.macc.org

Area Chamber of Commerce: Holiday Open House. December 10, 4 – 8 p.m. MidMichigan Innovation Center, 2007 Austin St, Midland, 989-839-2333 Bay Area Chamber of Commerce: Business After Hours. December 10, 5 – 7 p.m. Members only. Independent Bank, 623 Washington Ave, Bay City; 989-893-4567, www.baycityarea.com


THINGS TO DO / A&E

Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce: Business After Hours. December 10, 5 – 7 p.m. Free networking event. TBD; 989-757-2112, www.saginawchamber.org

LSCAA December Luncheon. December 18, 12 p.m.. Cost $20/$30 non-members. Registration required. Horizons Conference Center, Saginaw Township; 989-791-7051, www.saginawchamber.org

Great Lakes Bay Regional Hispanic Business Association. Meets second Monday of every month. Saginaw; 989-753-1999, www.mmhba.org

Mount Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce: Business Over Breakfast. TBD. Mt Pleasant; 989-772-2396, www.mt-pleasant.net

Mount Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce: Business After Hours. TBD, 5 – 7 p.m. Mt Pleasant; 989-772-2396, www.mt-pleasant.net

Want your event featured here in Great Lakes Bay? Email arts, entertainment, and community events to [email protected]. Send date, time, cost, and contact information for your event by the first day of the month, three months prior to the event date. •

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THE BACK STORY

In 1953, two women deliver holiday greeting cards to a female postal clerk at the downtown Bay City post office. Each woman’s greeting cards are sorted into two stacks. An enlarged photo shows that the card stacks of the woman approaching the service window are topped with printed labels reading, “All for Local Delivery” and “All for Out of Town Delivery.” No one pictured has been identified.

The female customers are dressed in stylish, near-ankle-length, belted, winter coats with then-popular spaciousness and glamour-adding plush collars. Fur-lined, wedge-heeled, ankle-high boots are visible on the woman nearest the service window. The woman next in line wears a festive holiday ornament in her hair and a holiday corsage on her coat lapel. No purses are visible.The U.S. Greeting Card Association website explains that the start of the greeting card industry in America is

generally credited to lithographer Louis Prang, a German immigrant. Prang published his first Christmas card for American customers in 1875. Since then, greeting card designs have been influenced by the nation’s changing social trends and concerns. At the time of this photo, American Christmas cards reflected “America’s postwar interest in abstract art, the beat generation, cars, and the new medium of television.” Humorous holiday cards were gaining popularity then.

The Greeting Card Association reports that Americans now purchase approximately 1.6 billion cards yearly, including boxed cards. Today’s holiday card sending is divided into two broad categories: cards celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday and secular cards celebrating the holiday season.

In 2014, the U.S. Postal Service projected 15.5 billion cards, letters, and packages would be delivered from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. Photo courtesy of Janice Sass, Bay County. •

Holiday Greetings!BY NANCY SAJDAK MANNING


Developing the Great Lakes Bay Region

SAGINAWMIDLANDBAY CITY

Building for Today. Investing in Tomorrow.

For more than four decades, Shaheen Development’s focus has been to enrich our communities by creating places for living, working, leisure and healthcare.

Our goals in developing these large-scale, community-focused projects are to:

Reenergize our region’s cities by bringing residents, families and businesses back downtown Promote investment, economic growth and cultural vitality across the Great Lakes Bay Region Create timeless and sustainable architecture in which we can all take pride

To reserve your space at one of these beautiful locations, visit ShaheenDevelopment.com

Three Great Cities. Three Great Revitalizations.

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GoGarber.comGoGarber.comG G b

The Great Lakes Bay Region Does Better with Garber.

“When it comes time for my family to get a new car, I call my friends at Garber. The decision is easy because it means doing business with people you can trust. As a board member of many non-profit organizations, I appreciate Garber’s work in our community and that is another aspect that makes them my choice. It matters where I buy my car. That’s why I buy from Garber.”

- Karl Ieuter - Ieuter Insurance Group

Documents

GLBM December 2015