Traverse City Record-Eagle

Community

January 23, 2012

Community Newsmakers: 01/23/2012

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Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District named longtime community volunteer James Rowlett the honoree of the Mary Merwin Voice for Children Award. Rowlett will be presented the award Jan. 24 at 12:15 p.m. at the Michigan Works! Conference Center, 1209 S. Garfield Ave., in Traverse City. The Mary Merwin Voice for Children Award was established in 2005 by the Grand Traverse Community Collaborative to honor Merwin for her steadfast support of pregnant women and young children in the Grand Traverse region. The award is given annually to a professional, volunteer and/or community member working in Grand Traverse County who has provided outstanding leadership and a focus on early childhood.

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The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, which hosted a "Surfboard Rescue Techniques" class last July in Frankfort, will present its class at the March 7-10 National Drowning Prevention Alliance's 11th annual Symposium in San Diego, Calif. In addition, the project's instructor, Bob Pratt, is a "Top 10 Finalist" for the NDPA's Lifesaver of the Year Award.

The Great Lakes Rescue Project believes the class can serve as a national model, bringing diverse groups of people together with the common goal of saving lives. It teaches participants how to recognize the danger of the surf environment, understand rip currents, survive rips, identify signs of drowning, and use a surfboard or other flotation device to rescue a person in distress or in a rip current.

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Art Rapids! has awarded nine grants totaling $3,600 for the 2011-12 fiscal year.

The grants support programs in area schools as well as community theater. Schools and programs that received grants are: Lakeland Elementary School, Mill Creek Elementary School, Elk Rapids Schools, Elk Rapids High School Band, Elk Rapids High School Zero Hour Jazz Lab, Elk Rapids High School Drama Program, Elk Rapids High School, Cherryland Middle School and the Elk Rapids Players.

Art Rapids!, established in 2006, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to enhance and promote the arts and art education in the Elk Rapids area. Since its inception, more than $37,500 has been given in the form of grants, scholarships, performances and artist awards.

For more information about scholarship and grant programs, visit www.artrapids.org or contact Barb Johnson, 409-0815 or barsenj@gmail.com.

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