For This Birmingham Mom, Giving Back to Schools Is Way of Life

Rosemary Scheidt has been active in Birmingham Public Schools for more than 20 years and also volunteers at the Furniture Bank of Southeastern Michigan.

Editor's Note: This article originally posted on Oct. 18, 2011. It is an example of the ways people give back in Birmingham. If you know about others, tell us about them in the comments. After growing up as a student in Birmingham Public Schools (BPS), Birmingham resident Rosemary Ricelli Scheidt continues to give back to the school district and the community in every way possible.  The 54-year-old has held many volunteer roles within BPS over the years including PTA/PTSA president at Quarton Elementary School, Derby Middle School, for the district at large and now is the corresponding secretary for the Seaholm High School PTSA. Additionally she is the past president for CECAC (Community Education through Communication And Collaboration), …

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Canton's Olympic Star Allison Schmitt Receives Hero's Welcome At Homecoming Rally

Swimmer savors quick visit to hometown before returning to college,

Ask Canton’s Golden Girl what it’s like to have Olympic gold medalist attached to her name and Allison Schmitt flashes the smile that never seems to leave her face. In London, Schmitt had kept her five medals – three gold, one silver, and one bronze - under her bed for safekeeping. But now, less than 24 hours after returning home from the Summer Games where she had become a household name, the events of the previous three weeks still hadn’t sunk in. Ask her when it will, when her Olympic glory will all become real, and the smile returns. “I don’t know when it’s going to sink in,” Schmitt said Tuesday night before becoming the guest of honor at a homecoming rally at Heritage Park. “It definitely hadn’t sunk in when I stood up (on the medal …

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Know an Amazing Young Person? Nominate Them For BYA Awards

The Birmingham Youth Assistance will seeking nominations for their second annual Youth in Service Appreciation Awards until March 9.

Birmingham Youth Assistance (BYA) and the Birmingham Optimists Club are currently looking for nominations for the second annual Youth in Service Appreciation Awards, to be held April 18 at The Community House. The Youth in Service Appreciation Awards typically honors 40-50 teens in the Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills and Franklin area. Local middle school and high school students can be nominated by their principals, teachers, school counselors, community school organizers and youth clergy. To be considered, teens must either live within the Birmingham Public School district or attend a local school within the district. Both private and public school teens are eligible for nomination. "The nominees are a collection of great kids …

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Feds Grant $2 Million for Woodward Rail Extension Study into Oakland County

A study that would examine a Woodward rail extension into Oakland County has received a federal grant of $2 million.

It's been baby steps toward light rail in the area but this step is much larger — to the tune of $2 million for a study to examine extending a Woodward rail system into Oakland County. The grant was received from the Federal Transit Authority by a partnership of five Woodward Avenue communities and Southest Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG). The Detroit News reported that the study would examine extending Detroit's Woodward rail system, planned from downtown to the state fair grounds, up to Maple Road in Birmingham. "This is the first significant financial investment for light rail in Oakland County," Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter, a longtime proponent to extend the proposed light rail line past Detroit, told the News. "We're the only…

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Whiz Kid: Animal Lover Helps Financially Pinched Families Keep Pets

Birmingham Pet Pantry founder Sophia Rotger promotes food donations for second year.

Each week, Patch spotlights young people in the Birmingham community who are successful, talented and just plain awesome. Today we introduce the latest Whiz Kid: To help, contact birminghampetpantry@gmail.com or visit Premier Pet Supply, 31215 Southfield. It accepts credit card donations at (248) 647-4310. Do you know a local young person who deserves applause for volunteer work this summer or for challenging how we think about the environment? Maybe academic, artistic or athletic achievements are worth sharing. Everyone deserves attention, and we want to tell these stories.

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Rotary Partners with Stik.com to Raise 'Pennies for Polio' at No Cost to Supporters

In return for reviews and recommendations by Rotary supporters, Stik.com has pledged to donate up to $1 million for the Rotary's End Polio Now fund.

In a new twist on fundraising, local Rotary clubs are asking supporters to open their desktops rather than their wallets. Through a partnership with the networking website Stik.com, Rotary clubs around the world, including the Rotary Club of Birmingham, have started the Pennies for Polio campaign. Set to run through Dec. 31, the campaign was created to raise funds and awareness for End Polio Now, the Rotary's ongoing effort to eradicate polio worldwide. But rather than asking supporters to contribute dollars from their own pockets, the Rotary is asking supporters instead to sign on to Stik.com. In return for recommendations and reviews through the site, Stik.com has pledged to donate up to $1 million to End Polio Now through 2011.  “The …

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Novi Chef Edges Brother in Oakland Iron Chef Contest

Bordine's of Rochester Hills hosts competition to benefit Gleaners Food Bank.

Two talented sibling chefs raced against the clock and each other in a local Iron Chef fundraiser Thursday to benefit Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan. A good mix of Food Network enthusiasts and philanthropic residents attended the Baker Tilly Iron Chef Competition Thursday at Bordine’s in Rochester Hills. In recent years Bordine’s has hosted the same event for Gleaners in Livingston County. Natalie Fotias, marketing manager for Gleaners, said accounting firm Baker Tilly came forward and said it would like to sponsor the same event in Oakland County. Bordine’s made its facility available and the inaugural Iron Chef fundraiser in Oakland County was set. “We’re pleased with the amount of tickets we pre-sold,” Fotias said…

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On the Storefront

Business Briefs: Restyle Child to Raise Funds for FAR Conservatory

Here's a weekly update of what's going in Birmingham's business community.

Here's a snapshot of activity in Birmingham's business community this week: Beginning Oct. 1, Restyle Child, the children's consignment shop in Birmingham's Rail District, will launch a three-month fundraising campaign for the FAR Conservatory of Therapeutic and Performing Arts, a nonprofit organization that provides creative arts therapy and other services for children and adults with physical, mental or emotional disabilities. Diane Crawford, owner of Restyle Child, said she was inspired to raise funds for FAR after her 8-year-old son, Billy — who has Asperger's syndrome and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) — attended FAR's summer camp. From Oct. 1-Dec. 31, Restyle will sell hand-cut flower barrettes and brooches made by …

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