A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
3
August 9, 2018
N
ORTHVILLE
- P
LYMOUTH
A group of Northville teens
wants to send a message to their
peers.
Members of Color My World, a
club at Northville High School,
hope to make an impact on the
more than 2,000 students at the
school with a community-focused
5K color run/fun walk on Sept. 15
in conjunction with National
Suicide Prevention Awareness
month.
Club members hope to raise
funds to create and launch a
series of peer-to-peer mental
health awareness activities that
will have a direct impact on their
fellow students. Their message is
that no one is alone and every life
matters.
Suicide is the second leading
cause of death among Michigan
teens ages 12-18, according to
national statistics. One out of six
Michigan teens seriously consid-
er suicide (in an average 12-
month period) and one out of 11
attempt suicide (in an average 12-
month period) according to The
Jason
Foundation/Detroit
Behavioral Institute).
Color My World was founded
by Annie Heitmeier, a 16-year-old
junior at Northville High School
to fill what she described as a
profound need at the school:
peers were sharing their feelings
of sadness and struggle. The club
was created to provide a safe,
welcoming environment where
students could work together to
not only lift each other up but cre-
ate more positivity in the school
and to foster understanding about
suicide prevention and depres-
sion awareness,”Heitmeier said.
“I wanted to do something
meaningful to try and helpmy fel-
low students,” explained
Heitmeier. “Being a teen in 2018
brings different stresses, fears
and struggles that can be really
hard to work through. This club
offers a space where teens can
share their feelings, know they
aren't alone and can work togeth-
er to make a positive impact on
the lives of others.”
Sarah Mathew, vice president
of ColorMyWorld, agrees.
“I joined Color My World
because the issues it focuses on
are really important to me and to
people I know,” explained
Mathew. “It's important to talk
about issues because awareness
is the way we can stop and solve
these problems. People say things
but don't always take action. I'm
really proud to stand up and take
action for this important and
meaningful cause.”
The Color My World Color
Run/Walk will begin with check-
in at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 15 at
Northville High School, 45700 Six
Mile Road, Northville. The
run/walk will start at approxi-
mately 11 a.m. and the event con-
tinues until approximately 1 p.m.
The run, complete with color
powder to reinforce the club
name, will route through the
adjacent Woodlands North subdi-
vision and end at the high school
track. The entry fee is $25 and
includes a race t-shirt, color pow-
der during the race, food, refresh-
ments and music. All proceeds
will go directly to support the
club activities. Registration is
online
at
um.com/color-my-world-color-run
Registrants are encouraged to
register byAug. 26, if possible.
“We've been really fortunate
that the community, our club
sponsor and our school adminis-
trationhave been so supportive of
our club and this event,” said
Heitmeier.
The high school band, Tink
and the Lost Boys, as well as a
local disc jockey, DJ Shon, are
donating their time and talent to
the event. The University of
Michigan Depression Center and
the local chapter of the National
Alliance on Mental Illness will
also have onsite resources avail-
able during the run.
The Color Run will also fea-
ture an onsite raffle. Highlights
include: AutographedKevin Love
Cleveland Cavaliers' hat and
other Cavaliers' memorabilia; a
sterling silver friendship
bracelet; gift certificates featur-
ing everything from professional
photography, movies, food and
bike gear, ice cream, coffee, gro-
ceries, a shoe hostess party, mas-
sage therapy andmore.
The process of planning the
color run and working as a team
has had a significant impact on
clubmembers and leaders.
“I've learned that sometimes,
people talk about great ideas, but
sometimes never really follow
through,” explained Jahnavi
Rajagopal, Color My World vice-
president.
“To actually come together…as
a club, a school, a community and
actuallymanage a huge event like
this…it's really amazing. Even if
we help just one person, it's worth
it becausewewant tomake a pos-
itive change in our community,
come together and celebrate life.
We're growing as a club and doing
things that are brightening peo-
ple's days and I think that's a real-
ly lovely thing.”
I wanted to do something
meaningful to try and help
my fellow students.
”
Students plan rally to support suicide prevention
Plymouth United Way school supply drive under way
The annual Plymouth Community
United Way school supply drive is
already under way. In 2017, the drive
collected enough supplies to fill more
than 100 backpacks with more than
9,000 school supplies including pencils,
markers, glue, notebooks and other
items. The bags are distributed to
Plymouth, Canton and western Wayne
students in need of the proper supplies
to help increase their ability to achieve
their educational potential, a spokesper-
son explained.
The drive will continue through Aug.
13, in an effort to get the backpacks
filled and distributed by the start of the
school year. Residents can drop off new
supplies at Central CityDance&Fitness
Center (6700 N. Canton Center Road,
Canton), Probility Physical Therapy in
Canton (1600 S. Canton Center Road.
Suite 330, Canton) and Probility
Physical Therapy in Plymouth (990W.
AnnArbor Trail, Ste. 103, Plymouth).
Items will also be collected at the
Plymouth Canton United Way office
(960W. Ann Arbor Trail, Suite 2) from 8
a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through
Thursday and from 8 a.m. until 2:45 p.m.
onFridays.
For more information, visit
-
mouthunitedway.org.
upgrades.” They sent out surveys, sched-
uled several public forums, mapped out
area “hot spots,” and announced the need
for tree trimming. During the forum, DTE
officials also told attendees they were tak-
ing steps to replace equipment in the
township substation. They visited
Township Hall and held up the same
maps and reiterated the same promises
made in the city.
“The work we committed to you previ-
ously is work that needs to be done and is
currently underway (sic). However, it has
become evident that it will not be suffi-
cient to truly solve the service interrup-
tions in the area,”Rivardwrote.
Rivard said that the initial $1 million
“significant investment” needed to
“upgrade the overhead system” was insuf-
ficient and outlined additional work in an
amount of more than $5 million necessary
to solve the continued service interrup-
tions. No solution is possible until the pro-
posed work is complete, according to DTE
officials.
In May 2018, Plymouth Township
Trustee Jack Dempsey urged the state
Public Service Commission to take action
regarding the numerous DTE outages and
outlined the deterioration of the DTE sys-
tem in the city and township. So far
Dempsey has had no reply from the com-
mission. The Public Service Commission
concentration on the legal aspects of the
DTE distribution system is significant in
that the focus is on the ability of the utility
company to provide reliable and safe serv-
ice in accord with electrical service safety
regulations, especially during large
storms.
In June 2018, in a similar letter
addressed to city officials, DTE Regional
Manager Barbara J. Rykwalder said the
company “recognized the frustration they
have caused residents and businesses,”
and the dependability for electric service
in the Plymouth community has been
“beneath their high standard…We want
you to know DTE Energy is taking action
to fix the problem.”
City Manager Paul Sincock was hesi-
tant to criticize the lack of progress and
said he was unsure if DTEwas a planning
tomail the letter to area residents. The let-
ter from Rivard was included in the city
Pulse newsletter thismonth..
“The letter from DTE says it all…they
have maintenance issues and they're
addressing them. We're confident they're
going to do what is best.” Sincock com-
mented.
Power
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