A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
7
June 15, 2017
B
ELLEVILLE
- C
ANTON
Getting ‘REAL’
Van Buren Township begins new youth employment program
Fraternity wins award
for efforts in Canton
Visitors to Van Buren Charter
Township later this month will
find 35 fresh new faces hoping to
help them with whatever they
may need.
Township Supervisor Kevin
McNamara and his team have
created a new Summer Youth
Job Initiative, The REAL
(Revealing
Exceptionally
Amazing Leaders) and the stu-
dentswill beginwork June 27.
The framework of the pro-
gram was complete not long
after McNamara took office in
November, although funding
wasn't found until Marchwhen a
$47,497 grant was awarded to
the township program from the
DetroitMental HealthAuthority.
When the program was
announced, more than 75 young
people applied for the available
positions. They attended a
meeting at township hall during
which officials explained the
details of the program. Students
were also taken on a guided tour
of township hall and the various
departments and given pointers
on interview techniques. The
students then took part in speed
interviews with department
managers.
Based on the combined
scores from the personal inter-
views and the students' applica-
tions, second interviews win-
nowed the candidates down to
the 35 students hired.
Staff members from the
Building, Planning and
Economic Development, Parks
and Recreation, Downtown
Development Authority, Senior
Services, Cable/IT, Public
Services and Human Resources
departments in the township
have all been involved in the
development of the program.
The 35 new township employ-
ees have now obtained and com-
pleted all the necessary paper-
work and have attended a com-
plete orientation meeting with
human resources staff. The stu-
dents will work at township hall
for sixweeks.
Students will engage in a
weekly rotation of meaningful
tasks designed to develop trans-
ferable employment skills;
including community outreach,
historical registration, digital
museum archival, and adminis-
trative/office task exposure to
each department within the
township, a township spokes-
man said. Additionally, the stu-
dent employees will take part in
morning coffee break sessions
with managers to review accom-
plishments and evaluate tasks at
hand for the current workday.
Other planned workshops
include weekly Lunch and
Learn sessions to provide stu-
dents with a deeper understand-
ing of the departments within
the township and how collabora-
tive efforts achieve positive
results.
Throughout the program, stu-
dents are required to attend a
minimumof two township board
of trustees, commission or com-
mittee meetings and have the
opportunity to participate in the
Young Professionals Day in
Detroit Aug. 4.
The students will also partici-
pate in a car wash and barbeque
for the September Days Senior
Center Aug. 9 and attend a final
wrap-upmeetingAug. 10.
The Delta Sigma Phi, Gamma Tau
Chapter, of Eastern Michigan University
was the recent recipient of a 2017
Community Service Award presented by
mParks, formerly known as Michigan
Recreation and Park Association, in recog-
nition of their ongoing commitment and
contributions as Canton Leisure Services
volunteers.
Members of Delta Sigma Phi Gamma
Tau Chapter first began volunteering in the
Canton community in 2014 and have since
provided close to 700 hours of service. The
group continues to play an important role in
many of Canton Leisure Services special
events by providing assistance within sever-
al key areas including: setting up and tear-
ing down program venues, leading games
and activities with participants, as well as
dressing in costumes for Canton's annual
Trick-or-Treat Parade, noted Recreation
Specialist JenniferGirard.
“This mParks Community Service Award
is further proof that Canton's dedicated vol-
unteers are trulymaking a differencewithin
our community” said Girard. “Their volun-
teer commitment has helped save staff
hours and wages and many events would
not have been as successful without their
hardwork and smiling faces.”
This volunteer partnership is mutually
beneficial as Delta Sigma Phi Gamma Tau
requires their members to complete 15
hours of community service per semester,
according to CantonFacility Specialist Evan
Sweet.
“In both the 2015 and 2016 academic
years, Delta Sigma Phi completed and was
recognized by theUniversityAdministration
for the most accumulative hours of commu-
nity service of any Greek organization at
Eastern Michigan University by working
with Canton Leisure Services,” said Sweet.
“The relationship between Canton Leisure
Services and the Eastern Michigan
University chapter of Delta Sigma Phi is
unique as many communities don't have the
opportunity to partner with college fraterni-
ties. This group helps break the stereotype
associatedwithmany college fraternities.”
Presented each spring, mParks
Community Service Awards recognize indi-
viduals and groups who show outstanding
support to public recreation and park pro-
grams in their community. For additional
information about mParks and the 2017
Community Service Awards, visit
.
Glenn Arnold, Carter Smeader, Colin McCormack, chapter president Aaron Dill, Canton
Facility Specialist Evan Sweet and mParks President Clay Summers are all smiles at
the recent award presentation to Delta Sigma Phi Gamma Tau fraternity.
