by orionontv | Dec 14, 2023 | Regional News
Three Oakland County Residents Win Sweepstakes for Supporting Small Businesses
More than 300 “Local Gems” Highlighted through Contest
Post Date:12/14/2023 11:49 AM
- Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter announced the winners of the county’s “Local Gems” Sweepstakes: residents hailing from Farmington, Royal Oak, and White Lake. The small businesses they love are in Farmington, Madison Heights, and Holly.
- The cash prizes, sponsored by Genisys Credit Union, ranged from $1,000 to $250.
- The sweepstakes are part of the Department of Economic Development’s annual Small Business Saturday Campaign to help build visibility, foot traffic, and sales for businesses in Oakland County during the holiday shopping season.
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter congratulates “Local Gems” Sweepstakes winners Rasheda Williams of Royal Oak (left) and Katy Baracco of Farmington (right) Wednesday at the Farmington Brewing Co.
Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter announced Wednesday the winners of the county’s “Local Gems” Sweepstakes, a contest designed for residents to promote their favorite small businesses.
The contest, which ran through the month of November, required residents to take selfies in front of their favorite small businesses. More than 300 businesses were submitted. Sponsored by Genisys Credit Union, the resident winners, who were chosen randomly, are:
- Farmington resident Katy Baracco won $1,000 for her selfie outside Farmington Brewing Co. in Farmington, which hosted the sweepstakes winners’ reception. Baracco is a 54-year-old substitute teacher in Farmington Public Schools and a volunteer at CARES of Farmington Hills which supports families in need.
- Rasheda Williams, of Royal Oak, earned the $500 prize for her photo submission at Mia’s Bakery and Coffee Shop in Madison Heights. The 44-year-old is the founder and chief empowering officer at Empowered Flower Girl.
- Danielle Zacharski, a 34-year-old registered nurse from White Lake was selected for the $250 prize for her picture at Monarch Home Design in Holly.
“The ‘Local Gems’ entries tell the story of how vital small businesses are to our communities,” Coulter said. “They contribute to the unique and vibrant nature of our downtowns and are a true engine of our economy in Oakland County.”
What the winners are saying about why they shop small during the holidays:
“We (my husband and I) shop local year-round because we love to support the community we live and work in,” said Baracco, who has been a patron at Farmington Brewing Co. since it opened because she enjoys its atmosphere and community events. “Small businesses keep our community special.”
“As a social entrepreneur myself, I know how much it means to the local economy to have a thriving business sector,” said Williams, who loves the ambiance, artwork, and diverse menu items at Mia’s Bakery and Coffee Shop. “Small businesses are the heart of the community plus you can always find unique gifts for yourself and others.”
“You can’t find certain things online as you could in the store, especially when it comes to antiques like at Monarch in Holly,” said Zacharski, adding that Monarch has unique vendors and a variety of vintage items. “Supporting local small businesses is what gives small towns their charm.”
The sweepstakes, which ran Nov. 1-25, were part of the Oakland County Department of Economic Development’s annual Small Business Saturday Campaign to help build visibility, foot traffic, and sales for small businesses in Oakland County during the holiday shopping season.
“Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 ‘Local Gems’ Sweepstake,” said Jackie Buchanan, president and CEO of Genisys Credit Union. “Your dedication to support small businesses ensures a thriving future for our local economies and communities.”
There were 579 submissions in the Local Gems sweepstakes which cited 317 small businesses as “local gems.” The top five businesses receiving the most submissions were:
by orionontv | Dec 11, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Sunday December 10th at 12:00 PM
Here are my thoughts on each team during this stretch of the season.
Boys
North Farmington: The Raiders had no issue with Farmington winning 68-25. Tyler Spratt and Landon Williams had big games. North Farmington has a really tough schedule ahead of them but they are off to a strong start.
Ferndale: The Eagles had a bounce back win against a really good River Rouge program. Trenton Ruth has really shown out for Coach Juan Rickman. Ferndale has started to turn things around a little bit which is a good sign going forward.
West Bloomfield: The Lakers had a bounce back after losses to Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit and East Lansing they earned a 74-45 win over Southfield Arts and Tech. Coach Arnette Jordan despite the two losses has this program playing really well but they still have a long way to go and a tough December still looming. They are in a great spot right now.
Adams: The Highlanders have been rolling despite the concerns in the interior. Adams relies a ton of William Gee and Peter Kardasis. The danger is clearly there for Coach Isisah Novak’s team, what if both or one of the guards struggle, which could spell trouble for the Highlanders going forward.
Clarkston: The Wolves balance showed especially Peyton Fitzsimmons and John Kaul combining for 33 of 52 points in their 52-40 win over Lake Orion. Clarkston did have a tough 56-55 buzzer beating loss to Detroit Old Redford Academy. The Wolves are going to need that balance to be successful and Coach Tim Waslik knows it.
Oak Park: The Knights earned a big win over Macomb Dakota winning 61-54. Oak Park has been up and down. Coach Durrand Sheppard will have this program heading in the right direction, there have been signs which has shown.
Groves: The Falcons are going through a ton of injuries right now which is why they are struggling a little bit. They fell to Troy but bounced back against Oxford. The key for Coach Marc West and his team is to stay healthy and get ready for league play this week.
Troy: The Colts big three of Mason Parker, Chase Kupier, and Jon Whiteside have been very good as of late. They were instrumental in their 67-53 win over Groves. Troy bounced back after their shocking loss to Berkley. The Colts are in a good spot right now.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers have been up and down, it is unknown if they won over Detroit Edison. There are times that Harper Woods has been very inconsistent which is concerning for Coach TaJuan Porter. It will be very interesting to see what happens for the Pioneers going forward.
Troy Athens: The Red Hawks have been playing really good basketball despite their 59-58 loss to Redford Thurston. Troy Athens has been playing really well as of late which is a great sign going forward for Coach Dave Scott.
Seaholm: The Maples are in a rough patch, they had it tough with East Lansing along with losses to Royal Oak and Walled Lake Western. Seaholm needs to find a way to get out of this funk and soon if they want to make some noise this season.
Lake Orion: It was a rough week for the Dragons falling to two really good teams in Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Clarkston. Lake Orion will be fine despite the two losses. They have to be better sound defensively and not turn the ball over, if they do that then success will happen for this group.
Farmington: The Falcons had a really tough matchup with North Farmington falling 68-25. Greg Greys will be relied upon for Coach Byron Johnson to turn things around. It will be very interesting to see how things go for Farmington. It’s been up and down for them.
Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks played better in their 52-42 loss to Royal Oak which is progress for Coach Brian Canfield. Bloomfield Hills needs to keep improving and the results will come despite the tough schedule that lies ahead.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors earned a hard fought 51-48 win over Detroit Fredrick Douglass but fell 74-45 to West Bloomfield. Southfield Arts and Tech is a young team. Coach Terrance Porter’s team will have a ton of ups and downs. They have a really tough schedule in December.
Stoney Creek: It’s time to panic on the Cougars, they are struggling. They did not look good against Windsor Holy Names and New Baltimore Anchor Bay. Stoney Creek needs to find a way to overcome this problem if not then it could be a similar story to last season.
Avondale: It was going to be tough for the Yellow Jackets going up against Birmingham Brother Rice falling 71-47 on Saturday afternoon but there is a reason why Coach Jaret Thomas is playing this tough non conference. Avondale will be fine, no panic with Thomas’s program.
Oxford: The Wildcats have been very competitive despite the 1-3 start. Oxford still needs someone besides Jake Champagne to step up which they are trying. I wouldn’t press the panic button on Coach Joe Fedorinchik’s team not at all, they are fine.
Rochester: The Falcons are off to a really rough start after falling 61-39 to Adams. Rochester needs to find that balance but it’s clear they are struggling. Having six days off should help Coach Nick Evola’s team regroup. The Falcons need their interior to step up and take the pressure off of Luke Lionas and Max Mohl in a huge way.
Berkley: The Bears have been rolling since their opening night loss to Novi which included a win over Troy. Berkley is rolling right now and have gotten contributions from everywhere. Can they keep it up is the question mark going forward.
Pontiac: The Phoenix suffered their first loss to Jackson 62-51 snapping a two game winning streak. Coach Andrew Myers team is still very young. Pontiac will be fine, no panic with them.
Royal Oak: The Ravens made a statement with two big wins over Seaholm and Bloomfield Hills. Coach Aaron Smith has this team believing. They could be a darkhorse in the Blue with how they have been playing lately.
Ferndale University: The Eagles have bounced back after two really tough losses with two wins over Southfield Christian and Madison Heights Bishop Foley. Ferndale University’s defense has been the difference in their two wins allowing 44.5 points per game. The Eagles have turned things around which is a good sign.
Girls
West Bloomfield: The Lakers haven’t played a game yet but that changes this week. It’s hard to judge Coach Daryelle McCallaster’s team as of yet. West Bloomfield is coming off a tough loss to Rockford last season and returns four proven players in Summer Davis, Indya Davis, Destiny Washington, and Kendall Hendrix. Sheridan Beal looks to be the fifth starter. The Lakers should be a force to watch this season.
Rochester: The Falcons had a good start to the season with a 35-17 win over Adams. Alice Max had 18 points in the game. Rochester needs their guards to step up and take some pressure off Max going forward and Coach Bill Thurston knows that. The Falcons have a really tough December still looming.
Stoney Creek: The Cougars showed some concerns despite winning 36-33 over Bloomfield Hills. Sarah LaPrarie had 13 points while Calista Ivezaj had nine points and Taylor Fulkerson had seven points. I’m not pressing the panic button yet on Coach Columbus Williams program but the concerns are there.
Lake Orion: The Dragons really struggled in summer league with numbers but they looked like a completely different team from the summer in their 68-23 win over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Lake Orion had balanced scoring all night. Sure it’s one game but the Dragons look like they haven’t lost a beat despite having a young team which is a great sign for Coach Bob Brydges.
Clarkston: The Wolves have been up and down lately. They have played Saginaw Heritage, Haslett, and Chelsea but the Hawks are down this season and they won by six (39-33) but they hung tough with Chelsea only to allow 71 points in a 71-45 loss however they had a 45-43 win over Haslett. Elianna Robak had six points against Saginaw Heritage but had 21 points against Chelsea. Brooklyn Covert had nine points against Chelsea. I have a lot more concerns about Coach Aaron Goodnough’s team and they have a rough December coming up.
Oxford: The Wildcats had a bounce back after falling 40-30 to Macomb Dakota earlier in the week by winning over a future district opponent in Davison 42-34. Alison Hufstedler had 18 points and Peyton Richter had eight points. Oxford has relied on their experience early in the season. They have a really tough non conference in December. It will be very interesting to see where the Wildcats are when the schedule gets tougher.
Royal Oak: The Ravens got off to a good start with an impressive 45-34 win over Mount Clemens. Lucy Freytag had 20 points for Royal Oak. The Ravens have a really tough non conference in December. Coach Brian Sopota has this team riding with a ton of confidence right now.
Bloomfield Hills: It is clear that the Blackhawks miss Ruby Smith. Smith was hurt in a practice and Coach Kristen Massey’s team is clearly different in their 36-33 loss to Stoney Creek. Brianna Young and Ashley Forner are very talented players but they need Smith if they want to make any noise in the White this season.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers are off to a strong start after an impressive 49-39 win over St. Clair Shores Lakeview. The Huskies are a solid team and Harper Woods has shown the balance even with a new coach, they still have proven experience.
Seaholm: The Maples had a bounce back after falling to Saline in their first game with a 59-8 blowout win over Farmington. Jada Josifovski and Addy Flynn had 14 points each, Mary Gumbas had 12 points, and Emma Weber had 11. Flynn has been playing really well for Seaholm and Coach Chris Manchester. The Maples have a really tough non conference in December. It will be very interesting to see how Seaholm does this season.
Groves: The Falcons are off to a 1-1 week with a 70-34 loss to Birmingham Detroit Country Day but a win over Avondale 54-50 was huge for their confidence. Groves will be fine as they head into the new week for Coach Alison Hidey.
North Farmington: The Raiders have won two straight under new coach Michael Allin with dominating performances. Asiyah Jihad has really been dominant in their two games, she had 27 points against Warren Woods Tower along with 14 points including 11 in the second half against Troy Athens. Anayah Billups had 13 points and 11 points against Troy Athens. North Farmington might be better than people think. The Raiders have a soft December schedule with Adams being their toughest test. We’ll know a lot about them in January.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors looked solid in their 76-35 win over Warren Michigan Colligate. Christian Banks had 28 points in the game for Coach Shaquita Coltrane. Southfield Arts and Tech had a good win to start the year but they have a tough non conference coming up. It will be very interesting to see what happens with the Warriors.
Troy: The Colts are a team that is taking a ton of life lessons. They took a tough loss to Romeo falling 53-31 but bounced back in a big way behind Diamond Prince’s 31 points to beat Sterling Heights Stevenson 58-22 however fell 47-23 to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood. It will be trial by fire for Coach Laura Guzman’s team.
Berkley: The Bears had a split to the early season winning 45-34 over Utica Eisenhower but fell 51-30 to Plymouth. Coach Clay Shaver has the program heading in the right direction but they still have a long way to go to be where they want to be come March. They have a huge test awaiting them come three days before Christmas but they have an opportunity to build on the momentum they gained despite the loss to the Wildcats.
Adams: The Highlanders knew it was going to be tough against Rochester falling 35-17. They had a 33-20 win over Waterford Kettering earlier in the week. Adams is much better this season then last season despite having a really tough non conference, the Highlanders could surprise some people which would please Coach Joe Malburg.
Troy Athens: The Red Hawks could be in for a long season after falling 57-29 to North Farmington. Troy Athens has a ton of questions with the guards and also scoring is a big concern for Coach Stacie Klump. It will be very interesting to see how Klump handles the guard situation but this is not a good start to the year for the Red Hawks.
Farmington: I’m shocked that the Falcons have scored 16 points in the last two games and has allowed 69 points per game in their two losses to Livonia Stevenson and Seaholm. That’s not a good way to start the season. Coach Natalie Nowak needs to fix a ton of things and the rest of December is brutal. It could be a long December for Farmington.
Avondale: The Yellow Jackets had a really tough loss to Groves 54-50. No one should press the panic button on Coach Roy Christmon’s team yet. Avondale has proven they can play with teams from the White. This will only help them come March, they are fine.
Ferndale: The Eagles are off to a surprising start with blowout wins over Ann Arbor Skyline and River Rouge. Ferndale has put 50 points in the last two weeks which is a great sign. Coach Keith Paris has this team rolling right now.
Ferndale University: The Eagles have not played a game yet so it’s unknown to judge and analyze Coach Brianna Rowe’s team yet.
Oak Park: It is unknown if the Knights played River Rouge. It will be very interesting to see how Oak Park does going forward.
Pontiac: The Phoenix had a really interesting week. They got Coach Corray Lett’s first win as coach by knocking off Hazel Park 41-22 but lost a tough one to Southfield Parkway Christian 44-31. It is clear Pontiac is much better than they were last season. The Phoenix will be fine.
