by Kimberly Viers | Aug 12, 2019 | Culture
SPCA of Southwest Michigan serves animals in need while establishing its roots in the community as a shelter that is unlike the rest, promoting positive change as a result. While not everyone experiences a childhood calling to serve a greater purpose, Katie Timber,...
by Kimberly Viers | Aug 5, 2019 | Culture
The Autism Awareness Support Center of Southwest Michigan is working to educate on and advocate for families and individuals whose lives are affected by autism. As a seasoned mother of two, Katrina Wood was no stranger to bringing up little ones when her third child...
by Kimberly Viers | Jul 31, 2019 | Culture
The story of Kalamazoo bookshop, this is a bookstore and Bookbug, begins with the Kalamazoo Promise—along with a leap of faith and a steadfast drive for making reading accessible, joyous, and human for every person in Southwest Michigan. 2008 was not the year to start...
by Kimberly Viers | Jul 29, 2019 | Business, Culture, Leadership
Honor Credit Union, Arbor Financial Credit Union, and Huntington National Bank reveal insights on personal leadership and financial management for small businesses at the Chamber’s July Lunch & Learn event. July 24, 2019 | Southwest Michigan small business...
by Kimberly Viers | Jul 22, 2019 | Culture
Kalamazoo Restaurant Week 2019 is cooking up to be the best-ever! Nearly a decade ago, Kalamazoo hosted its first-ever Restaurant Week in the dead of winter. The motivation behind the event was simple: Draw people out of their homes and make the frozen streets of...
by Kimberly Viers | Jul 16, 2019 | Culture
Monarch butterflies, though native to Southwest Michigan, are declining in number. The Michigan Nature Association is doing its best to change that! Each year when the snow in Southwest Michigan finally recedes, a wave of tiny orange butterflies migrates a few...
by Kimberly Viers | Jul 15, 2019 | Culture
When it comes to Kalamazoo, history is all around you! Walking tours from Gazelle Sports are helping the community see it. Picture this: It’s Friday morning on the Kalamazoo Mall. A group gathers outside Gazelle Sports, congregating around Lynn Houghton as she adjusts...
by Kimberly Viers | Jul 10, 2019 | Business, Culture
Confections with Convictions is serving up much more than mouthwatering chocolates; it’s also changing the lives of young people across the community. The first time the phrase “confections with convictions” slipped out of juvenile counselor Dale Anderson’s...
by Kimberly Viers | Jul 2, 2019 | Culture
With several brand new events this summer, Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership is making the city “the place to be!” Imagine: Coachella-scale masses of people flood the sidewalks of Kalamazoo’s downtown each afternoon. People talk and laugh; they make purchases...
by Kimberly Viers | Jun 24, 2019 | Uncategorized
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 24, 2019 Contact: Ron Kitchens chief executive officer and senior partner Southwest Michigan First 261 East Kalamazoo Avenue, Suite 200 Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269.553.9588 rkitchens@southwestmichiganfirst.com Kalamazoo, MI – Bee Joyful Shop...
by Kimberly Viers | Jun 20, 2019 | Business
Local leaders imagine the future of Southwest Michigan. In 1929, the Swiss-born architect and urban planner known as Le Corbusier published a book titled “The City of Tomorrow.” It details the importance of supporting a city across each of its many sectors—from...
by Kimberly Viers | Jun 20, 2019 | Business
Local entrepreneurs can make it big through the 2019 Makers’ Mart competition. When it comes to the Michigan economy, the impact of small business is anything but small. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the 870,301 small businesses located...
