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SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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4
September 22, 2011
Inkster sets Town Meeting
Health meeting is planned
Community Living Services clients named peer mentors
W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
- I
NKSTER
The City of Inkster is looking for some
good ideas.
The community is especially interested in
what youth from 12-24 believe might help
prevent under age drinking in the area and
is ready to reward the best idea presented
during a city wide Town Hall meeting
planned for 6-8:30 p.m. Sept. 29.
The meeting is sponsored by Inkster Task
Force and will take place at the Inkster
Recreational Complex, 2025 Middlebelt
Road.
The topic will included a youth focused
panel discussion of under age drinking and
substance abuse with experienced panelists.
Therewill be representatives of lawenforce-
ment, medical professionals a prevention
specialist, educators and youth represented.
The Inkster Youth Coalition will have a
photovoice presentation and there will be a
community question and answer session.
An updated community resource guide
including sources for help with all types of
domestic and social problems will be avail-
able and therewill be refreshments served.
The meeting is free and open to the pub-
lic and the best idea for preventing under
age drinkingwill be awarded a free gift card,
organizers said.
Formore information about the task force
or meeting, call Velma J. Overman at (734)
709-7806.
The National Kidney Foundation of
Michigan will host the 10th monthly coali-
tion meeting from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Sept. 27
at theCOPSbuilding in Inkster.
The coalition is a group attempting to
help eliminate diabetes-related health dis-
parities in African American adults. Those
who attend the meeting will have a say in
transforming the Inkster community into a
place that supports and promotes healthy
lifestyle choices, a spokesperson said.
One citizen and coalition member said,
"You must come to these meetings because
you learn so much about what health dis-
parities are andwhat theymean to Inkster."
The coalition continues to make great
strides toward improving and developing
safe, healthy, educated neighborhoods
through community action and resources,
the spokesperson from the national Kidney
Foundation added. "This past April, the
City of Inkster's Mayor and City Council col-
lectively endorsed the establishment of the
coalition.
For more information, call (734) 222-
9800.
Andre Robinson of Detroit and
Ray Schuholz of Westland share a
unique distinction.
The pair are the first two individu-
als to be certified by the
Developmental Disability Council of
Michigan as Peer Mentors for people
with disabilities in the State of
Michigan,
Executive Director of the
Developmental Disability Council
Vendella Collins said, “Andre and
Ray put a lot of time and effort into
making Peer Mentoring a reality for
people with developmental disabili-
ties. Without their perseverance, this
process would have taken so much
longer. I hope people will take
advantage of the knowledge and
experience these two men have to
offer.”
Being a Certified Peer Mentor
enables Robinson and Schuholz to
speak at conferences, share their suc-
cess stories, teach Peer Mentoring
classes and be available to their
peers for counseling.
They will continue to promote
self-advocacy, empowerment and
personal responsibility for success,
Collins said.
“I'm proud to be the first person
to be certified. I've been working
with this project for years and now
I'll be able to help someone get
through the system which can be so
confusing and live their life the way
they choose” saidRobinson.
Schuholz said, “This is so impor-
tant to me because people have
helpedme inmy life so it's my turn to
help themand others.”
Both men put in hours of training
and attended many workshops for
more than a year to become certified.
Robinson and Schuholz receive
support and services from
Community Living Services, Inc. in
Wayne. CLS is a nonprofit organiza-
tion providing supports and services
tomore than 3,000 people with devel-
opmental disabilities in Wayne
County. CLS is funded through the
Detroit-Wayne County Community
Mental HealthAgency.
The Buffalo Soldiers will ride again at
high noon Oct. 1 along the trail at Nankin
Mills Park inWestland.
The inaugural equestrian ride along
Hines Drive will be sponsored by Wayne
County Parks and the Buffalo Soldiers
Heritage Center. Riders will begin at
Nankin Mills Park in Westland and travel
along 6 traffic-free miles of Hines Drive
starting atNankinMills.
The best dress horse will be awarded a
prize during the closing ceremonies at the
Nankin Mills Shelter. There is minimum
donation of $20 per horse.
For registration information, call (313)
838-2727 or visit www.buffalosoldierscali-
cotroops.com.
Those who are not riders can bring a
picnic lunch and enjoy the 2 p.m. festivi-
ties at the park. The Wayne County
MountedUnit will also be onhand.
Nankin Mills Park is located on Hines
Drive, east of AnnArbor Trail inWestland.
For information on the Buffalo
Soldiers Hines Horse Trot, call (734) 261-
1990.
Westland welcomes Buffalo Soldiers