Oakland County Scouts give back through Summer of Service

Oakland County Scouts give back through Summer of Service

Brandon Kathman

District Executive

[email protected]

947-886-5736

Oakland County scouts are wrapping up the National Summer of Service, having helped dozens of local charities over the past few months.

An initiative introduced by Scouting’s national office, the Summer of Service program aims to engage youth in service for the benefit of their communities. Several prospective Eagle Scouts have used the opportunity to satisfy the service requirement to earn Scouting’s highest honor.

Casey Houlihan, 17, hopes to finish his project to clear an access road to the community chapel in Orion’s Camp Agawam within the next few weekends. Interviews and footage of the project can easily be arranged if requested.

“Providing cheerful service to one’s community and family is one of the foundation blocks that the Boy Scouts of America teaches and lives by,” Commissioner Lonny Johnson, who serves north Oakland County, said. “We include service in our rank requirements; we include service in our quality unit requirements.”

Later in August, Jeffrey Ellingsworth, 16, of Troop 185 will begin construction on a playground at Grace Center of Hope in Pontiac.

“Scouts will learn valuable skills such as civic responsibility, community awareness and project management, while also learning about the current needs of our fellow citizens,” Christopher Hopkins, chief information officer of Michigan Crossroads Council, said.

According to Hopkins, the initiative builds on Scouting’s legacy of serving others and strives to positively impact local neighborhoods and communities in the coming months.

“Participants can serve in a variety of ways, whether it be cleaning up their communities, organizing a food drive, or honoring fallen heroes,” Hopkins said.

The Summer of Service initiative will conclude on October 31. The Pontiac-Manito District, which consists of approximately 1,000 scouts in Oakland County, has requested additional ideas for much-needed projects in the community. Service opportunities should be forwarded to the district executive at [email protected].

Second Round Of Financial Relief For Military Veterans

Second Round Of Financial Relief For Military Veterans

Oakland County Announces Second Round Of Financial Relief For Military Veterans Impacted By Pandemic

Waterford, Michigan – Oakland County Veterans Services announced today that a second round of funding has been allocated for the Veterans COVID-19 Emergency Financial Relief Program, providing financial assistance to county veterans, service members and eligible dependents impacted by the pandemic.

A total of $50,000 in funding is available through the grant provided by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. The first round of $182,000 was distributed to Oakland County veterans earlier this year. There is a cap of $2,500 per person, including food assistance, which has a $200 limit. The grants can be used for food, utilities, waste removal, property taxes and personal care expenses. The application period is now open. Persons can apply at oakgov.com/veterans.

To be eligible, a person must be an Oakland County resident and have received an honorable discharge from the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves, or women’s auxiliaries. Eligibility documentation is required as part of the application process.

“Early in the pandemic, we knew there was a strong need for financial assistance for our veterans who were impacted by COVID-19, whether they lost a job or were having a hard time paying bills,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “The need for help has not gone away and this new round of financial relief could not come soon enough. We expect there to be continuing interest from our veterans and now it’s time to serve them.”

Veterans, service members and their dependents who may not have access to the internet for completing an application online can do so by contacting the Oakland County Veterans Services Division in Pontiac, at 248-858-0785.

In addition to the relief program, Oakland County Veterans Services offers a broad range of services to the men and women who served the country, including assistance in securing service-connected disability compensation, health care and transportation services, employment and education resources, pension support, life insurance and burial benefits.

“Oakland County Veterans Services is dedicated to helping our veterans receive all of the benefits they earned through their service to our country,” said Division Manager Garth Wootten. “Our highly trained and accredited Veteran Benefits Counselors are ready to guide you and your family members through the application process and advocate on your behalf.”

A new marketing campaign highlighting the sacrifices made by Oakland County veterans and the support Oakland County is providing them was launched earlier this month through radio, billboard, direct mail, newspaper, and social media advertising across the region.

“Our message is simple: let us serve you,” Wootten said. “We know older veterans are in most need of the no-cost services offered through our office, but they are available to any honorably discharged veteran, no matter their age, health or work status. We encourage veterans to take advantage of them at any time after they leave the service.”

Orion Township Fire Department Begins Advanced Life Support Service 

Orion Township Fire Department Begins Advanced Life Support Service 

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF ORION 

OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISOR 

CHRIS BARNETT 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: John Pender 248-391-0304 ext. 2002 

[email protected] 

Orion Township Fire Department Begins Advanced Life Support Service 

Orion Township, MI (June 12, 2021) – Effective June 12, 2021 at 0800hrs, Orion Township Fire  Department will begin Advanced Life Support services. The transition from Basic Life Support  (BLS) to Advanced Life Support (ALS) is years in the making, and included the purchasing of  additional apparatus, specialized equipment, and medications, and the hiring and training of full-time  paramedics.  

“We are able to make this transition from BLS to ALS because of everyone’s hard work and dedication  at the OTFD” said Orion Township Fire Chief Rob Duke. “I also want to thank the Board of Trustee’s  for their unwavering support to the community and the support for the Fire Department, without which  this process would not be realized.” 

Advanced Life Support is a set of life-saving protocols and skills that extend beyond Basic Life Support.  It is used to provide urgent treatment to cardiac emergencies such as cardiac arrest, stroke, and other  conditions. Paramedics qualified to provided ALS are trained and authorized to administer medication,  perform injections, and conduct airway procedures prior to arrival at a hospital. 

Up until now, Orion Township Fire Department was Basic Life Support and partnered with other  municipal agencies and Star EMS for Advanced Life Support. While effective in the past, the reliance  on a third-party for this critical level of care was becoming unsustainable. Now, Orion Township  paramedics will be able to provide this critical care from the moment of first arrival, greatly reducing the  time between the onset of the medical event and the start of critical care, which will increase survival  rates of sudden cardiac arrests and other emergencies for Orion Township residents. 

“We have seen tremendous growth in the professionalism and capacity of our Fire Department” said Chris Barnett, Township Supervisor. “Over the past many years, we have grown from a paid on-call  department to a full-time department, now to an ALS department. I am incredibly proud of the OTFD  team, under the leadership of Chief Duke, Assistant Chief Pender and EMS Coordinator Cameron, who  have dedicated countless hours to making this happen, and further thank the Orion Township  community who has shown the Fire Department their support through the passage of a dedicated Fire  Millage, which has allowed this advancement to be possible.” 

For more information on the Fire Department’s efforts in becoming ALS, please reach out to Assistant  Chief John Pender at j[email protected], and stay tuned for more information on this year’s  Fire Department Open House, where the community is invited to explore the Fire Department apparatus  and meet with the men and women who serve the community. 

Orion Chamber Food Truck Festival on June 4

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The Orion Area Chamber of Commerce is holding their very first Food Truck Festival on June 4 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Orion Center.

There will be ten food trucks, a beer garden, live music, kids activities and (limited) Chamber member vendor/exhibiter spots. The event will be free and open to the public.

Participating food trucks include:

The Grilled Wrap

Hole Latte Dough

Motor City Street Treats

Motor City Sweet Treats

Mr. Pit Master BBQ

PizzaPazza

Sabor Latino

Sonny’s Hamburgers

Tacos Te Amo

Treat Dreams

For more information visit www.orionareachamber.com/food-truck-festival. — M.K.