Hundreds of kids tour area manufacturers

Dozens of students from across northern Michigan toured area manufacturers throughout October as part of the Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium’s celebration of Manufacturing Day, Michigan Works! said in a news release.

In total, 535 kids from 23 schools toured 19 different employers, the agency said, including the following students from Northeast Michigan:

∫ 42 Alpena and four Hillman students from Alpena Public Schools’ Career Technical Education courses toured Ossineke Industries on Oc. 4.

∫ 24 Atlanta and nine Hillman students toured HB Carbide in Lewiston on Oct. 7.

∫ 75 students from Onaway, Cheboygan, Inland Lakes, and Rogers City toured Carmeuse Lime and Stone on Oct. 8.

∫ 28 students from Atlanta and Hillman schools toured Air Way Automation and Monarch Millwork on Oct. 15.

∫ 13 students from Rogers City toured Tube Fab/Roman Engineering on Oct. 22.

∫ 12 students from Onaway toured Cadillac Products on Oct. 23.

∫ 21 students from Rogers City toured Moran Iron Works and Industrial Arts Institute on Oct. 29.

Students build skills at

Leadership Day

Northern Michigan Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates students learned leadership and team-building at the JMG Leadership Day at Camp Hiawatha in Torch Lake, according to a news release from the Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium.

Participants including 10 Presque Isle Academy students and four students from Vanderbilt.

The event included a high ropes course and similar activities.

Alpena

celebrates

Apprenticeship Week

Alpena Mayor Matt Waligora’s declaration that Monday through Nov. 17 is Apprenticeship Week in Alpena is one of only 35 such proclamations in the country, the Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium said in a news erlease.

The five-year-old Apprenticeship Week program “gives businesses, communities, and educators the opportunity to showcase their apprenticeship programs and apprentices while providing valuable information to career seekers,” Michigan Works! said.

Call 989-306-7288 or visit apprenticeship.gov/NAW for more information.

State

encourages

residents to

compare natural gas rates

Michiganders should compare natural gas providers and rates on the state’s CompareMIGas website, the Michigan Public Service Commission said in a news release.

The site, gaschoice.apps.lara.state.mi.us, launched in 2015, features the rates currently offered by all alternative gas suppliers actively marketing or enrolling customers in Michigan, as well as the basic terms and conditions of offers. The website also features the current MPSC-regulated gas cost recovery rates charged by the four natural gas utilities that offer natural gas choice in their service territories: DTE Gas Company, Consumers Energy Company, SEMCO Energy Gas Company and Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation.

About 76% of Michigan households heat with natural gas.

Paczkowski named Citizen of the Year by Hillman

Chamber

Jack Paczkowski Sr. was named Citizen of the Year at the Hillman Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting last month, the Chamber said in a news release.

Nominated by Margie Haaxma of Banner Realty, Paczkowski, a 35-year resident of Hillman, was chosen for his contributions to the community, including serving as president of the Chamber for five years, working with veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He has received the Hire a Vets Medallion from the U.S. Department of Labor. He’s also worked with Hillman’s VJ Days, Blessing of the Bikes, the buck pole, and rides with Santa.

“He is a very benevolent person,” Haaxma said in a statement. “He is a great planner and developer and Hillman and Northeast Michigan has benefited greatly from his talents. He is a humble man and I respect him.”

Meanwhile, Top O’ Michigan Insurance was named Business of the Year at the annual meeting, according to the news release.

The insurance company has been in Hillman for 45 years and has participated in several community activities such as VJ days, Hillman Lion’s Back Pack project, and the Hillman Sports Booster.

Grand Rapids philanthropist gives

$1M to hospice

Lawrence Bos Sr.. a Grand Rapids financial adviser and philanthropist, has given $1 million to Hospice of Michigan, Hospice said in a news release.

The gift establishes the Dolores Bos Family Caregiver Support Fund in memory of Bos’s wife, who died last year. The fund “helps the not-for-profit provide essential resources that can help family caregivers navigate this sacred stage of life,” Hospice said in the news release.