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SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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3
November 10, 2011
W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
- I
NKSTER
Starfish Family services
awarded $150,000 grant
Wayne seniors celebrate Thanksgiving
Inkster-based Starfish Family
Services, a nonprofit organization
dedicated to creating brighter
futures for the children of at-risk
families, has received a $150,000
grant from the Ethel and James
FlinnFoundation.
According to Starfish Chief
Executive Officer Ann Kalass, the
grant was awarded to Starfish in
support of the agency's focused
approach to ensuring the most
vulnerable children in the com-
munity start kindergarten ready to
succeed. Specifically, the grant
will enable the organization to
implement Parent Child
Interaction Therapy, an evidence-
based practice, for children ages
3-6 years old who have been diag-
nosed with severe emotional dis-
turbances and exhibit behavior
problems at home, school/daycare
or inpublic settings.
Funding will support the use of
the therapy as an intervention in
Starfish's Lifespan Clinical
Services, a private clinic that pro-
vides counseling and guidance to
help individuals lead a more bal-
anced, emotionally healthy life.
Starfish will train more than 15
Master's level therapists in the
therapy procedure and will begin
the programin 2012.
"Among Wayne County commu-
nity mental health providers,
there is currently no consistent,
evidence-based treatment model
focused on young children (ages 3-
6) with severe behavior problems
and/or a history of abuse or neg-
lect," said Kalass. "We are
extremely grateful for this grant,
as it will provide Starfish with an
invaluable tool to improve the
quality of parent-child interac-
tions among local families in
need."
The Detroit-based Ethel and
James Flinn Foundation is com-
mitted to improving the quality of
life for children, adolescents and
adults with mental illness by
improving the quality, scope and
delivery of mental health services
inMichigan, according toStarfish.
For more information, visit
www. s t a r f i s h o n l i n e . o r g
<http://www.starfishonline.org>.
The Wayne Golden Hour Club
and the Wayne Senior Services will
be hosting the annual Thanksgiving
Day Party beginning with a punch
reception at 11:30 a.m. and lunch at
noonNov. 17.
The menu will feature a turkey
dinner and there will be various
raffles, and an entertainer who will
performcomedy andmagic.
The lunch will take place at the
Wayne Activity andBanquet Center,
located at 35000 Sims at Wayne
Road.
Tickets are $10 and can be pur-
chased at the Senior Services
Office, located in the Community
Center.
For further information, call the
Wayne Senior Services office, (734)
721-7460
In addition, the Wayne
Sometimes Travelers group which
is open to anyone 30 years and
older has trips scheduled. Travel is
by a luxurious motorcoach,
equippedwith a bathroom.
Tonight is Wayne Holiday Night Out
The Wayne Chamber of
Commerce is sponsoring Holiday
Night Out in the city from 6-8
tonight.
The event is designed for cou-
ples to holiday shop together at
the Wayne Community Center at
4635 Howe Road in Wayne.
Vendors include Essential Body
Wear, J&S Photography, Jewel
Kade Stylist, Lindt Chocolates,
Longaberger, Premier Designs,
Rodan & Fields Dermatology,
Scentsy, Shaklee, Strength &
Spirit, Tupperware, Just Jewelry,
Partylite, Costco, Beijo Bags,
KikaparprikaWomen'sWear and a
Tarot card reader.
Best burger named
Malarkey's Big Whiskey
Burgerwas named as thewinner
of the Westland “best burger in
town” poll receiving 31percent of
the vote.
The poll took place on the city
website from Sept. 22 - Oct. 21.
Other winners include JR's Bar
& Grill which placed second
with 23 percent of the votes cast
for their Jr. Jalapeno House
Burger andCulver's, which came
in third with 17 percent of the
vote for their Culver'sDeluxe.
“The City of Westland is
proud to be the home of somany
great restaurants and bars,”
noted Westland Mayor William
Wild. “The goal of this contest is
to spotlight some of Westland's
tastiest offerings andmost every-
one loves a great burger!
“Congratulations are in order
to all the contestants, who all
have terrific food, and hopefully
this poll brought patrons to their
business to not only taste their
burger listed on the poll ques-
tion but who will continue to
support themin the future.”