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].
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, 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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Tammy Girling May 27, 2021 Phone: (248) 391-0304 ext. 5000 [email protected]
ORION TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION HOSTING MASTER PLAN OPEN HOUSE TO SECURE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INPUT
Orion Township, MI – Orion Township’s Planning Commission is hosting an open house for the public to secure additional input from citizens for an update of the community’s Master Plan, which was last completed in 2017. The open house is taking place on Wednesday, June 16, from 4-6:30 p.m., at the Orion Center, 1335 Joslyn Rd.
The open house is but one of several opportunities for residents to provide input on the Orion Township Master Plan. This spring, an online survey was conducted, and a second open house will take place in the fall.
“Our Master Plan acts as a guide for future development decisions in our Township,” said Orion Township Supervisor Chris Barnett. “The Planning Commission and Board of Trustees refer to it when evaluating proposals from developers and others. Our goal is to address the ever-growing needs of our residents while maintaining the charm of our community as much as possible.”
The open house will feature various stations, each highlighting a section of the Master Plan, including community demographics, land use, transportation (motorized and non-motorized), housing, and natural features. Each station will be staffed by a member of the Planning Commission, who will facilitate discussions with community members. The meeting also will feature an exercise where community members will priority rank potential projects being considered by Orion Township’s leadership.
“We hope to see a large number of people at the open house,” said Planning Commission Chairman Scott Reynolds. “One of the best ways for us to secure the ideas and thoughts from our fellow residents is through events like this. We’ll closely review all of the feedback we receive, as we complete the update of the Master Plan during the next several months.”
Community members also will be able to provide feedback on the information shared in the open house stations online, via a link found at the Orion Township website, OrionTownship.org/MasterPlan. This link will be active from June 16 through June 21.
The regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting on June 16 will take place a half hour after the close of the open house, starting at 7 p.m., featuring in person public attendance.
