National Volunteer Week 2010

Posted on April 3, 2010 by Colette

April 18-24 marks this year’s National Volunteer Week. It’s an opportunity that “celebrates ordinary people doing extraordinary things to improve communities” according to the Points of Light Institute. In our community it means recognizing those people, businesses, and agency advocates who work tirelessly to make it better in Midland County.

SPACE, Inc. has a community service core value that encourages employee involvement. The United Way of Midland County Volunteer Center provides several opportunities throughout the year for SPACE employees to make an impact and we take advantage of it! Day of Caring, Rake a Difference, Season of Caring, Sharing Tree, and many more events see SPACE employees and trucks helping out.

This year’s Volunteer Week will see a new event called “Spirit of the Community” that will bring together all the recognition events usually held during the week and add a couple of new ones. Several awards will be given, including Heart of the Community, Shining Star, and the Torch Bearer Award. Volunteens will also be recognized for their contributions and service. The evening event will take place on April 20th at the Great Hall.

We don’t know who the winners of all the awards will be, but that’s not why we volunteer anyway. SPACE employees give of their time and talents regardless of any recognition. It’s nice to know, though, that there’s a whole week devoted to demonstrating how volunteers are appreciated and valued.

Join Us For a Bloomin’ Good Time

Posted on March 27, 2010 by Colette

I bet you’re wondering what to do with yourself on Saturday, May 22d. As luck would have it, there’s a community event just waiting for your participation: Midland Blooms!

Yes, soon it will be time to dig out the trowels and put on your gardening gloves and join us for the annual planting of the petunias along Eastman Road. Several SPACE team members belong to civic groups and service clubs already assigned a block or two along the 2.5 miles of the route to be planted. Rotary Club, Leadership Midland, and the Zonta Club of Midland are just three of the many organizations who return year after year to beautify Midland. SPACE team members may either join with a member of one of these clubs or band together and develop a stand-alone SPACE team and register for a block.

Each year Eastman Road is reduced to two lanes to allow hundreds of volunteers to plant petunias. Starting at 7:30, block captains begin laying out flats of flowers for their block. The captains are responsible for rounding up volunteers, providing trash bags, rakes, and brooms for cleanup, and assuring that the flowers are planted to guarantee beautiful blooms throughout the summer. Volunteers show up at 8 and the entire 2.5 miles of both sides of Eastman Road are filled with color within 2 hours.

So, stop wondering how you’re going to fill that Saturday morning and get digging!

Volunteer Opportunities Are “Spring”-ing Up

Posted on March 20, 2010 by Colette

The weather’s warming up, the sun is shining, and you’re anxious to get outside and do something. Well, here are a couple of upcoming events that take care of the “do something” part.

The MS Walk is Saturday, May 1, starting at Central Middle School. The official Walk begins at 10 am with registration at 9. If you’re interested in being on the Spacewalkers’ team, a signup sheet will be available next week on the refrigerator in the kitchen. I will be happy to register you or you can log on to the link here and set up your own participant page to record pledges and payments.

The Walk is a gentle 3-mile hike that winds through tree-lined neighborhoods and culminates in a group brunch after the event. Load up the kids, tie on your tennies, and hit the road to raise money to fight MS! If you are unable to make the event, please support another team member by making a pledge. Last year the Midland event raised over $50,000 to provide research, medical supplies, and services to people with MS.

On May 19th you can find the SPACE team cleaning roadsides surrounding the Chippewa Nature Center. This has become our annual Spring and Fall Day of Caring event as we’ve worked at the Nature Center for the past 7 years or so. As usual, the Center will provide pizza and beverages following our labors. Last Fall we cleaned the entire Wetlands perimeter as well as Pine River Road from Patterson to Huber. So far this year we’ve already got 12 team members signed up so we should be done in record time. Way to go, Team!

Haworth’s Seating Trade-In Promotion

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Gary

Is your current seating telling you and your customers it has seen better days? If you have been thinking about upgrading your chair and have been waiting for a good time, now is the time. Haworth has just announced a seating trade-in promotion. Receive up to $50 for your old chair and SPACE Inc will take your old chair away to be recycled. The details are listed below. Click on the picture twice to make it readable.

Do You Remember Your Prom?

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Colette

Now’s the time to help others create their own memories. Next weekend, March 18-21, “Share the Memories” will set up shop at the Midland Community Center. The North Midland Family Center and the Midland Newcomers coordinate the event that redistributes gently-worn prom dresses to relieve the financial stress for young women who may not otherwise be able to attend their prom.

According to an article in the Midland Daily News, last year 100 girls selected from 500 gowns. This year the goal is to have over 800 dresses for the students so they can find that one perfect gown that makes the prom so special. The girls can browse the racks of dresses, select accessories to complete an ensemble, and win prizes of makeup and flowers.

You can help by checking your closets and donating your well-kept formals, shoes, jewelry, etc. The drop-off point is at the Midland Community Center, or you can bring the items into SPACE and Colette will deliver them for you. You can also volunteer to work the event as a greeter, shopping assistant, or attendant. SPACE team members who are also members of Zonta are well-aware of this event as Zonta provides volunteers again this year.

Bowling for “Bigs”

Posted on March 6, 2010 by Colette

A few weeks ago four intrepid SPACE team members joined together to form a dynamic bowling team to raise funds for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Flint. The 31st Annual Bowling Challenge at Galaxy Lanes in Grand Blanc was the venue. This year’s team was lead by Captain Diane and included Liz, John, and Stacy. They solicited sponsorships from other SPACE employees, so most of the SPACE team actually participated. This is the second year SPACE has “alleyed” a team.

According to Stacy, the fun part was bowling in the lane next to the Flint Generals, the local hockey team that’s a member of the International Hockey League. The Flint Generals’ mascot, General Rally, provided entertainment throughout the event. He was a big hit with the children, especially when he signed autographs for them.

This year’s event had over 600 teams and raised about $160,000 to support mentoring programs. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Flint provides mentors (Bigs) for 1000 kids each year. Currently, there are 300 “littles” waiting to be matched with a big brother or sister.

The SPACE team raised $385 and is planning on participating again next year. In fact, the plan for next year is to not only raise pledges and bowl, but to volunteer before and after the event. Congrats to our bowling foursome and the team members who supported them to make the Bowling Challenge a very successful fundraiser!

SPACE’s Haiti Connection Raises Awareness

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Colette

News of the devastation in Haiti wasn’t just headlines to one of our SPACE team members. Shelly was a member of Friends of Haiti Organization (FOHO), a non-profit that serves the people of Haiti by building churches, schools, wells, stores, orphanages, and more. She was secretary of that organization for 7 years.

FOHO has a list from which several projects are picked each year for work teams to take on. Shelly’s worked on building projects, in the hospitals and clinics, and at the orphanages. In the last 10 years, raising money to repair water wells in Haiti has been a major focus for Shelly. The wells break due to overuse, so Shelly’s husband created a nylon bushing to slip around the rods to prevent wear. One well will provide water to about 5,000 people. This pictures shows Haitian people using one of the wells.

Shelly traveled to Haiti several times during her tenure with FOHO. She first went in 1993 and her last trip was in 2004. Twice she took her son, Chas. She made several friends in Haiti and maintains contact with them to this day. She’s received updates throughout the weeks since the earthquake about friends and their family members lost in the quake. She learned that the FOHO building was completely demolished.

The Saginaw Chapter of AlTrusa has sponsored a Haitian child for several years, but no one from their organization has ever been to Haiti. After learning of Shelly’s commitment to Haiti, Altrusa contacted her to speak at one of their meetings. After her presentation and the Q & A session, the chapter gave a donation to FOHO and one member gave a personal check.

Shelly’s work in Haiti and her continued involvement with its people and their needs takes SPACE’s core value of community service to the international level. Now she’s sharing that value with other organizations who are, in turn, helping Haiti.

Zody Chair With Headrest

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Gary

Right from the start the “Zody” chair from Haworth has been a winner. It has won several awards since it’s introduction a couple of years ago. Although the Zody fits 95% of the population there were several requests for the addition of a headrest to the chair. Haworth, with it’s forward thinking and attention to customer’s requests, has developed a new headrest for the Zody. This chair is so comfortable, from what clients say, all it needed was a pillow and they would fall asleep. Obviously we don’t want workers falling asleep in our chairs, but that is a testament to how comfortable the Zody really is to people who own the chair now.

As I write this blog, I too, am sitting in a Zody chair. I must say it is a very comfortable chair and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a new ergonomic chair. If someone is going to be sitting at their desk for the majority of their work day, they owe it to theirselves to give the Zody a try. As a taller person, I appreciate the option of the headrest. SPACE Inc has the Zody chair with a headrest in stock if you would like to try one out for yourself.

zody-with-head-rest

SPACE Sponsors “Excellence In Community Service” Award

Posted on February 13, 2010 by Colette

The 71st Midland Area Chamber of Commerce annual meeting held this past week celebrated success in adversity and growth in recession. For five years SPACE, Inc. has supported Chamber iniatives and membership by sponsoring an award given to a person in the community who exemplifies giving back and fostering growth.

The award grew out of SPACE’s commitment to community involvement and the desire by the owners of SPACE to recognize that same commitment in others. SPACE has community service as a core value and encourages and supports every team member’s effort to live the value.

This year’s winner is Wayne Crosby, founder of Re/Max of Midland. Wayne’s impact on and in the community is evidenced every year by the Re/Max Balloon Festival he organizes as the kickoff event for the United Way campaign. He’s been a campaign chair and served as President of the United Way of Midland County Board of Directors in 1999. He’s also served on the Chamber board and has been a Rotarian for almost 20 years. Recently, when the local food pantries were running short, Wayne organized and led the drive to restock them. His efforts raised cash and goods valued at nearly $80,000.

Wayne joins past honorees Marty McGuire, Orrin Barrett, Cliff Miles, and Greg Dorrien. SPACE is proud to sponsor the award that recognizes community commitment. It takes our internal core value and expands it to include the greater community.

Congratulations to Wayne Crosby, the 2010 “Excellence in Community Service” Award winner!

Winter Driving Tips

Posted on February 9, 2010 by John

If you don’t have to travel in bad winter weather, don’t. If you need to travel here are some tips.

· Check your windshield wiper blades to make sure they work properly.

· Test the anti-freeze/coolant to provide the correct level of protection required in your driving area.

· Make sure your tires are properly inflated.

· Keep your gas tank at least half-full. The extra volume can help reduce moisture problems within your fuel system. It also adds helpful weight to your vehicle.

· In rear-wheel drive vehicles, extra weight in the trunk may be helpful. Use care– unsecured weight can shift while you are moving or if you have to stop suddenly. Bags of sand can provide weight and, if sprinkled on the ice, sand helps provide traction.

· Before you leave your driveway, scrape the ice and snow from every window and the exterior rear view mirrors. Don’t forget to remove snow from headlights and brake lights.

· Don’t use a cellular phone when driving on ice or snow. Even if you have a hands-free model, you need to concentrate on driving, not on a telephone conversation.

· Drive slowly and remember posted speed limits identify the maximum speed allowed in ideal weather conditions.

· Keep a light touch on the brakes. Tip toe to slow is a good motto for winter drivers.

· Keep both hands on the wheel and keep the wheel pointed where you want your car to go.

· Keep your vehicle stocked with simple emergency equipment in case you do get stalled or have an accident. Consider keeping these items in your vehicle:

· blanket or extra clothes
- candle with matches
- snacks
- beverages (never alcohol)
- flares
- C. B. radio, cellular phone or ham radio
- a small shovel
- flashlight
- windshield scraping device
- tow rope
- bag of sand or cat litter for traction
- long jumper cables

Space, Inc. Designing a workplace that works.

3142 Vantage Point Dr. Midland, MI 48642 Phone: 1-877-77-SPACE Email:khobohm@spaceinc.net

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