Dec 2015 / Jan 2016

Story by Ingrid Sjostrand | Photos by Ed Abeska & Joyce Hill

Experiencing a runner’s high as you cross the finish line of a 5k, feeling the adrenaline rush when you score a goal, or the overwhelming joy and camaraderie from a team win are just a few of the many beneficial experiences of sports and fitness.

The gains are more than just physical; they are proven to increase mental health, making it incredibly important that these activities are available to everyone.

This is the mission of GUTSTM, located at 1008 Orchard St in Ferndale, started by brothers Todd and Paul Turner. GUTS stands for “Ground Up Training,” following the idea that the simplest forms of exercise are often the most effective and workouts should be tailored to the client.

“Regardless a person’s age, ability or activity level, or whether a person has special needs or not, our goal is to build you up physically and mentally and we start ‘from the ground up’ to make that happen,” Paul tells me. “We can all build on what we have.”

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 4.09.40 PMWhat makes GUTS stand out from all other gyms around is their focus on the special needs community, an initiative they call “Team GUTS.” Using research from Dr. Dale Ulrich, head of the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, showing how early involvement in fitness can improve the health and functioning in pediatric disabilities, the Turner brothers have worked to create an environment and program tailored to special needs clients.

Fitness has always been important to the Turners. The lack of athletic options for special needs individuals hit close to home when Todd started looking for options for his youngest daughter Amarissa, who has a dual diagnosis of autism and Down syndrome.

“After searching for programs, it was evident to Todd that individuals in the special needs community had little or no options when it came to physical fitness and athletics.” Paul says.

GUTS was established in August of 2015, has a 501(c)3 charity status and currently has about 20 clients. While they are working to build a clientele of special needs individuals they also offer personal training and classes to anyone. Their facility has a studio room for group classes, including yoga, Zumba and karate, there is a weight room, and the large turf area can handle baseball, soccer, football and other sports training.

“If you are interested, come try it, if your son or daughter, or your loved one that’s 25 or 26 has special needs we want them to check us out,” Paul says. Neither brother wants anything to be a deterrent to bringing a loved one to try Team GUTS, especially a financial situation.

“For families that can’t afford it, there’s an appli- cation for sponsor- ship. The goal is to not say no to any- body,”Paul encourages. Using money from charitable contributions and payment from other clients allows the Turners to offer these sponsorships.

“The neurotypical kids that come in here pay and so that’s how we are keeping everything afloat,” Paul says. “If this group can help this other group you have all kinds of clients that are crossing paths and it’s a healthy thing.”

Deciding to call Ferndale home has been beneficial to GUTS mission too. Having recently joined the Chamber of Commerce, Paul says everyone from the building inspectors to residents have been more than welcoming. “Ferndale is happening, the community has been very great, they’ve really embraced it,” he says.
Mindy Domke, a Ferndale resident of eight years, took her seven-year old son, who has autism spectrum disorder, to Team GUTS.

“It’s a great facility; Paul took my kids for a personal tour the first time we were there. He’s done a fantastic job creating a safe and encouraging space for kids to be active,” Mindy says. “My oldest son loves sports but can get frustrated with normal organized classes for kids his age. We went to TEAM GUTS karate class and my son loved it. It’s amazing to have a business in my city like this.”

GUTS currently has eight trainers and coaches, as well as Todd. They are all qualified and enthusiastic about helping others and teaching sports and fitness.

“These year round fitness classes are for this audience, and we would love for people to come and check it out for free,” Paul urges. “No obligations, meet us, meet the instructors, and see if your loved one engages. The goal is to get something for everyone.”

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Learn more at www.grounduptraining.com/teamguts/

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states coupled to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

Story by Jeff Lilly | Portrait of Kerri, Paul, and Miranda by Jeff Lilly | Other photos courtesy of BNektar

Drive along Wanda Street, on Ferndale’s East side, to Jarvis Street. There, among the aging industrial buildings, a beehive of activity has taken root. BNektar has been brewing exquisite alcoholic potables since 2006; mead (an alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey,) wines, and recently, small batches of beer. A spacious and comfortable tap room is open five nights a week, serving the company’s products and offering bottles for sale.

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.54.34 PMBNektar’s beginnings were humble enough: Ferndalian friends experimenting, brewing mead in their basement. Brad and Kerri Dahlhofer and Paul Zimmerman, however, had no idea what they were uncorking at first.

“I was home-brewing with Brad in his basement.” Paul (now director of product development) recalls. “But (selling it) was Kerri’s idea.”

“I don’t think they thought I was serious, at first.” Kerri laughs.

Out of a job at the time, Kerri decided to take the leap. After heavily researching liquor laws and licensing, the search was on for a place to call home.

“We were originally looking to open in Royal Oak,” Kerri says. But a newspaper article mistakenly stated that they were looking in Ferndale. “So the City contacted us and said…’Hey, we’ve heard of you.’”

The City of Ferndale helped them to find a space and assisted with the intricacies of the paperwork, and the facility opened its doors in August of 2008.

Originally housed in one 1100-square-foot building, BNektar now boasts 16,000 square feet of floor space at the main building, plus the beautiful and spacious tap room, plus a second facility under development down the street that, once it comes online, will triple BNektar’s capacity.

So how does a meadery that begins in a basement get their products noticed in what’s become an extremely
competetive microbrew environment?

“We’re in 23 states now, as well as several countries in Europe.” Says Miranda Johnson, BNektar’s marketing director (her business card titles her “Ambassador of Buzz”). “We look at markets that actually want us. We work with our distributors.

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.56.09 PMPlus, we offer something that’s unique.” But the biggest weapon seems to be word-of-mouth, and the enthusiasm of the people running the many web sites dedicated to the appreciation and review of potent potables. “We get e-mails from everywhere. The cool thing is…people going to visit their aunt in the Carolinas, and they’re like, ‘They have Zombie Killer (BNektar’s flagship cider) and I live in Iowa. Where do I get this?’ and they call me. It allows us to engage with future customers.”

“There’s also a lot of trading.” Kerri chimes in. “People get unique brews from different areas, and then they trade with people in other areas who have stuff that we can’t get… word spreads.” BNektar had reviews of their products coming in from Belgium, for example, before any of their products were offered for sale there.

BNektar began with six different flavors of mead. Now, at any time, there are at least 20 flavors available in the tap room, and they’re always adding new ones. Paul gets a question about their flavor experiments.

“I don’t usually want to make a mead with just one thing… I want some more depth to it,” He explains. Part of the inspiration comes from a love of cooking in general and knowing what flavors go together.

Necromangocon, for example, is a mead brewed with mango and black pepper, which is “a classic combination.” The naming seems to be half the fun; you can also try “Kill all the Golfers” (a black tea and lemon-juice mead) or “The Dude’s Rug” (a hard cider with chai spices) among many other choices.

Sometimes the experiments backfire, or run into unforeseen straits. Paul recounts the story of a certain mead that ran into trouble when the supply of citrus used to flavor it first fluctuated wildly in quality, then dried up altogether. Though he loved the results, “I have no desire to make (that one) again!”

With BNektar’s expansion, will this whole industrial area east of the train tracks soon become a sort of Alcohol Alley? The three busy Bs laugh a bit, then smile in a way that tells me that the thought has already occurred to them…so let’s raise our glasses high, to the future!

BNektar’s Taproom is located at 1511 Jarvis Street in Ferndale. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own food. Tipping is not allowed; BNektar pays its workers a living wage. The Taproom is open Thursday through Monday.

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Check their web site for operating hours and for more information: www.bnektar.com

If slightly happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states united to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

Story by David Wesley | Photos by Ed Abeska

LAWRENCE STREET GALLERY was established in 1987 by a small group of artists to showcase and sell their work in a gallery setting. Soon the membership expanded their goals to include other Michigan artists’ works by opening up the gallery space for solo, two- person, and group exhibitions; holding juried competitions in several different media such as photography, printmaking, ceramics and drawing/ figure exhibitions, and inviting other admired artists to participate in invitational exhibitions.

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.45.23 PMExhibits change monthly. Members are also encouraged to have their own solo shows. A lively, creative group that loves to display other area artist’s work along with their own leads to exhibit- ions that contain interesting and various media. On display at the gallery are unique artistic pieces in a wide range of media including acrylic, oil, and watercolor paintings, drawings, fibers, prints, ceramics, black and white, color, and experimental photography, metal, clay, bronze, and wood sculpture, jewelry and painted furniture.

One of the key goals of the gallery is showcasing the vast field of talented artists in local region. Another is to provide visitors with an assortment of fresh, one-of-a-kind original works at buyer-friendly prices. Their optimal membership is 28 artists, and a member artist is always available to serve and advise you as you explore the gallery.

Laura Whitesides Host has been with the Gallery from the beginning and she gave Ferndale Friends a behind- the-scenes take on the the gallery’s history.

Ferndale Friends: What inspired you and the others to start Lawrence Street Gallery?

Laura Whitesides Host: I met Carolyn Fontana, who owned a gallery in downtown Pontiac, at a party at my friend’s home back in 1986. She had bought the old Salvation Army building on Lawrence Street, and it had been the location of the Schweyer Galdo Gallery before she had purchased it. It was a beautiful gallery with large windows and soaring ceilings.and expansive wall space to exhibit a lot of artwork.

She didn’t have a lot of experience in running a gallery, but she had plenty of enthusiasm. She was thinking about changing it to an artist cooperative gallery so she would not have to do all the work. My closets were full of paintings with nowhere to go, so I attended a meeting she held to show area artists the gallery space. I took a friend along and after seeing it, we decided to take a chance. I think there were about 12 artists who ended up in the original group.

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.45.31 PMWe decided to incorporate the next year and called it Lawrence Street Gallery. Most of us really enjoyed the whole business of presenting our art and selling our work. We had all entered juried art exhibits, but really never had a chance to have our work presented in a gallery setting month after month.

We started having special themed exhibits and art fashion shows as well as teaching creative writing in the gallery setting to reach more artists. Part of our mission has always been to help area artists exhibit their work and have the public come and see the amazing work being created in this area. We gradually became a larger group and the building was sold, so we moved to Saginaw Street (Pontiac’s main street downtown) and decided to keep the name of the gallery. We were one of the first galleries in (downtown Pontiac) in the late 80’s and atone point there were 13 galleries that had openings on the First Friday of every month.

Alas, we were one of the last to leave the area and relocated to Ferndale on Woodward Avenue in 2003, keeping the Lawrence Street Gallery name. We were able to have enough room to have 30 members exhibit and have room for a featured exhibit in the front of the gallery.

FF: How have you seen Lawrence Street Gallery impact the Detroit art scene over the years?

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.45.36 PMLWH: We have exhibited many area artists’ work and many have gone on to exhibit nationally. There aren’t many art co-ops around and we are proud to still be going strong after all these years. Somehow we have found the ideal business model for an art gallery to continue.

FF: What would you and the others like to see for Lawrence Street’s future?

LWH: I would like to see continued excitement from artists to participate in the gallery’s business. I can’t believe it’s been almost 30 years since those first days. I have enjoyed the planning of event and exhibits, helping other artists learn the business of being an artist, and meeting so many creative people. It’s a lot of work, but made easier doing it with a group. All our members have gone through a jury process as well as the solo guest artists. I know I have benefited immensely by being a member of LSG. Remember my friend that came with me that first night in 1986? She’s still a member. We’re the last two original members still working at the gallery!

The Lawrence Street Gallery is located at 22620 Woodward Avenue, Suite A in Ferndale. For information on their upcoming exhibits or for information on entering your work there, visit www.lawrencestreetgallery.com or call 248-544-0394

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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By Ingrid Sjostrand | Portrait of Ron Marshall & Illustration by Arthur Wright

Ferndale has lost a true friend. When I asked those who knew Ronald (Ron) Marshall Jr. about his personality, the same characteristics were repeated again and again; intelligence, motivation for the success of others, infectious humor and a sometimes infuriating honesty.

“Ron was brilliant and humble about his intelligence. He was hilarious, and enjoyed laughing at what other people said even more. He was empathetic, yet pushed people to find their own success. Every day with him was a crazy, special adventure,” Heather Coleman-Voss says of Marshall, one of her best friends.

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.41.08 PMMarshall passed away on Sunday, November 15th at St. John’s Providence hospital in Southfield after suffering a stroke the previous Thursday.

Larry Miller, a friend and business partner of 3 years, builds on Ron’s character.

“Ron’s enthusiasm is, and was, extremely infectious – even those days… when he was exasperating,” Miller reminisces. “His love of people and the world… will forever impact me and how I interact with (them.)”
Jorge Sanchez calls Marshall his best friend of 27 years, having attended high school and lived together for
some time after.

“He taught me what a great friend was,” Sanchez says. “All I can tell you is that whether I needed to be told I was right, wrong, overreacting, whatever, he was there to tell me, walk me through it and help me. He was the Angel and Devil on my shoulder, always there with me.”

Marshall’s personality made him an exceptional entrepreneur. He studied journalism at the University of Michigan Dearborn and went on to build his own company, Ron Marshall Consulting and Management (ROMACOMA), for over 18 years.

Miller saw the power of Marshall’s mind while working with him.

“His brain worked at a million miles a minute. He was able to… articulate (ideas) and focus his massive energy. He would give you great ideas and some awesome motivation,” Miller says.

Coleman-Voss met Marshall through a mutual friend, which is a common theme when speaking of Ron, who connected hundreds of people. She began working with him at Ferndale Michigan Works! in 2010 when she suggested him for their role of Assistant Training Facilitator.

“Back then, we’d teach workshops to approximately 800 people each month; the impact he had on our career-seeking clients was incredible,” Coleman-Voss says. “He made them laugh, showed them how very
important they were, and he was invested in their success… and they were very successful!”

Coleman-Voss tells of one day at Ferndale Michigan Works! when they were giving a presentation on social media and the internet was down.

“I said, ‘So, how do we present social media with no social media access?’ He looked at me, whipped off his glasses and said in a hilarious voice, ‘We IMPROVISE!’ Which is exactly what we did, and the event went over very well,” she says. “There is always a positive to be found, always a reason to laugh.”

A memorial Facebook page was created in Marshall’s memory, which has over 250 members. Friends have also created a Go Fund Me page to raise money for the family during their grieving time. At press time, 126 friends and loved ones had donated over $5000.

Coleman-Voss sums it up. “Ron taught me to love your friends with everything in you, because your friends are also your family. We all miss our best friend.”

Marshall is survived by his wife Tamara and sister Heaven, whom he raised after the passing of their mother. His funeral was held at James Cole Funeral Home on Saturday, November 21.

If something happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

Story by Jeff Lily | Illustration by Gary Bedard

Imagine that your occupation involves being in dangerous situations, with strangers in strange homes, late at night, and for the purpose of providing sexual gratification. Sound like a really gritty crime drama?

Welcome to the “glamorous” world of escort work. This was reality for one Ferndale resident, who came forward to tell her story. Her name, and many details, have been changed to protect her identity; the pertinent facts, however, are all true.

This is Alice’s story.

She tells it to me while sitting on the sofa in the small, neat front room of her friend’s house. She’s younger than you’d think, and looks it despite all she’s experienced. She’s petite, willowy, almost fragile-looking. That last is an illusion, though, which disappears when you look into her eyes. They’re dark, sharp, and intelligent; they measure and weigh you, objectively calculating, cautious. There’s strength there, too, the kind that comes from facing down tough situations and coming out alive.

“I got out of jail. Two felonies and a misdemeanor, all drug- related.” She says. Not ashamed, and not flippant, either. Just the facts. “I had about $2500 in debt that needed to be paid. I was working three jobs, and still not making it.” They were waitressing jobs, she explains when I ask, because after jail there’s not many places that will hire you. One night, a friend of hers who worked as a stripper suggested stripping “as a joke.” Alice declined, but when she heard about escorting, it sounded appealing.

“All you do is go on dates, and they pay you,” is how she says it was described. It turned out to be more complicated than that.

Looking at Alice now, it’s difficult to believe that someone like her — smart, good-looking, charming — would need to go to these extremes. But anyone can have a bad start in life.

“I have the perfect background for it.” Alice explains. She was adopted, bounced around in a series of foster homes, and suffered abuse. “No one becomes a stripper because you were loved too much as a child. No one escorts because their daddy told them they were the best. Everyone in the business is broken, one way or another.”

So it was that she found herself in a hotel room one night, photographed in lingerie, and advertised. The money was more than she’d ever made before. But after a couple of months she’d had enough, and quit.
But she still needed money, so she went into stripping. The hours were long, the work exhausting. She still has side effects from wearing her costume shoes, which made her feet swell and bones
curve. There were other dangers as well.

“We (the dancers) all drank pretty heavily.” Alice admits. She didn’t get into drugs, but some of the women she worked with did MDMA, cocaine, Xanax, and others. At the very least, “You’d go home drunk and wake up the next day hung over. Every day.”

The work also affected her personal life. “My boyfriend couldn’t tell his friends what I did for a living.” Alice recalls. “He couldn’t tell his parents. That put (a lot of) strain on our relationship.”

Finally, she reached her limit. “I watched this documentary about girls in the porn industry. I never did porn, but they were saying the same things, the exact same things, that I said to justify stripping. Things like, ‘It makes me feel beautiful. I get paid to party. I’m having the time of my life.’ Hearing them say that scared the life out of me. I couldn’t do it any more.”

Despite everything, she won’t condemn the whole adult entertainment industry, or try to tell anyone how to run their life.

“It’s not the industry that’s bad. What they do to the girls is,” she says. Because so much of the business is illegal, it operates undercover and can’t be regulated. “I’ve talked to a couple of girls since I got out, and they asked if I could help them get started.” So she told them the truths that the pimps and the club owners won’t. Bottom line: You’ll lose too much of yourself for a paycheck. It just isn’t worth it. The girls she talked to decided not to take the leap.

Alice is putting her life together. She has steady work now, still too close to the industry for comfort, but no longer in it. She finished her high school education, all AP classes, with honors, and is looking forward to starting college.

She’s also determined to take the hard lessons she’s learned and educate other young women who are considering working as strippers, escorts, or in adult films. Her eyes light up as she talks about her project, joining with a large group of former adult entertainment workers to collectively develop a blog.

“All you do is go on dates, and they pay you,”

“It’s called ‘Married to the Money’ because so many girls have trouble leaving, because of the money.” Alice explains. The blog will tell the stories of adult industry workers, with the goal of educating others about the realities of working in the business. What anyone does with the information, and if they choose to believe it, will be their choice.

Creating the blog is painful work. It dredges up a lot of memories, and of course the stories hit close to home. But that the point. “I want something honest. Almost too honest. If I can make even one person stop and say, ‘Wait a second. Maybe this isn’t as good, as healthy, as I think it is…” She pauses. One of her jobs while stripping was to recruit other women into the business. “I wasn’t very good at it. It hurt me to tell them, ‘Oh, you’ll just be waitressing.’ Because I guarantee, if we recruit you, within a month you’ll be on the pole…”

I see then that the blog will have a lot of uses. I understand that it’s not just helpful information, or a public service. It’s also therapy.

As of press time, the blog isn’t quite ready. Ferndale Friends will publish the address when it goes online.
Meanwhile, Alice is busy with her studies, dreaming and planning.

“The best feeling in the world is leaving that stage for the last time, knowing you’re never going back.”

At that, she finally cracks a smile. The stage is behind her now. Her life is just ahead.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

Story by Jason Shubnell | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

The LGBT community, with its growing acceptance in U.S. society, has made big strides over recent years. Both celebrities and the federal government have played a part in this progressive wave. However, remedies for the unique challenges the trans community faces in the healthcare system have lagged behind. Sex reassignment procedures and hormone therapy are just a few of the services the trans community needs; unfortunately not every doctor and physician can (or will) provide these. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 banned sex discrimination in most healthcare facilities and programs, so it’s not always a matter of lingering bigotry but also a lack of familiarity and training.

“Finding safe and affordable healthcare providers who are respectful and knowledgeable regarding transgender healthcare can be a huge challenge pretty much everywhere,” said Daniel Herrle, who runs FtM Detroit, a transmasculine activism and support collective. “Ferndale has a lot of resources available that fit this description. However, transgender folks aren’t always aware of what is available to them.”

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.28.42 PMEnter RAD Remedy, a virtually-operated nonprofit collective with team members and data entry volunteers located across the country.

RAD, which stands for Referral Aggregator Database, was launched in 2014 to help bring a solution to one central problem: connecting transgender people with healthcare providers that can meet their needs.
“I kept consulting referral lists from community organizations only to find them inaccurate or out of date,” said RAD Remedy Executive Director Riley Johnson. He was looking to connect with others in the trans healthcare space. “In one memorable example, the provider in question was a friend of mine who had passed away two or three years prior.”

Johnson eventually found the Trans*H4ck, a transgender hackathon, speaker series and code school based out of Chicago.

“We began as a team of strangers: two social workers, two developers, and me,” Johnson continued. “Twenty- seven hours of work later, we won top honors at the event. We felt it was important to seek as many perspectives as possible, so we later decided to attend trans conferences and do a needs assessment so we could develop the tool to be most accessible.”

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.28.31 PMAlong the way, Herrle joined the team. He is a Ferndale resident and the organization’s design director.
“I had been looking for ways to start up something similar, and through my searching, I found that RAD was just getting started,” said Herrle. “They had a booth set up at the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference in 2014. I attended the conference, found them there and immediately got involved.”

Herrle, who along with Johnson and many other RAD team members is transgender, hopes more providers in the area will connect with the organization: “This can become an even more valuable resource if local residents review these providers and suggest more. Participation of residents sharpens and refines what is available through RAD.”

The RAD Remedy database has over 3,000 providers nationwide, with new providers added each day. Johnson said the organization would ideally have reviews available for all providers so people “can know what they’re walking into before they access care. However, we don’t measure success by vast amounts of providers in the system…We prefer to empower users, work to improve capacity for organizations, and work with providers to improve their services, forms, and systems.”

On the medical and insurance side of things, Johnson says, “It can be challenging when necessary surgeries and treatments are deemed ‘cosmetic’ or ‘experimental.’ Such procedures have been practiced for decades and are necessary and responsible treatment for diagnosed conditions, but all too often blanket exclusions prohibit insurance coverage, making access to such treatment impossible for most folks. Trans health is something untaught in most U.S. medical schools, so it should be no surprise that many doctors have no clue as to how to proceed. We at RAD Remedy want to take the guesswork out of things by providing clear and low-stakes consulting so providers can improve forms, systems, and practices with the clients they serve.”
RAD has a volunteer team and board comprised of people across the country in areas such as Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, New York City, Portland, Minneapolis, and Columbus, Ohio. According to its website, there were 37 providers within the Detroit area at time of writing.

RAD has been working with Affirmations, and seeks to expand the partnership.

“Affirmations currently hosts a network of LGBTQ- affirming healthcare providers that are located throughout southeastern Michigan and are accessible on our Health and Wellness Network.” Explains Kelsey Hug, Affirmations’ Community Resource Manager. RAD Remedy hosts a similar network at a national level. We haven’t completely sorted out the details of what that partnership will look like, but we’re excited to find ways to best serve transgender community members across Southeast Michigan in the best way possible in partnership with other LGBTQ+ serving organizations.”

RAD has not been without its struggles. “For many on our team, paying work must be prioritized, so if we are able to secure organizational funding, we may be able to have team members work more actively on RAD and thus get more aspects completed,” Johnson said. A crowdfunding campaign can be accessed at www.rockethub.com/projects/61520

“We also face an obstacle in that the communities we serve often have trauma around getting care, so it can take time to earn their trust, both for us and for the providers who work with us to improve their services,” Johnson continued. “We strive to be both a community project (where many people contribute) and a community resource (where many people benefit), so we feel it is important to build our networks and prove our worth over time.”

The organization is always looking for more help. RAD is hoping to boost its tech team, along with adding a development person, although Johnson said they can always find ways to make use of all sorts of people and all sorts of skills they may have.

Speaking on the makeup of the RAD organization, Herrle stated: “While our team is mixed, it was important for us to maintain a level of, ‘by the community, for the community.’”

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Check out RAD Remedy online at www.radremedy.org

If some happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

Story by Jeff Lilly | Photos courtesy of Designhaus Architecture

The old Save-a-Lot store, at 430 West 9 Mile Road, sits silent and vacant, an eyesore. The parking lot yawns, a dull desert of asphalt. Wasted space on a busy street.

But soon, work will begin to demolish the old store and convert it and its parking lot into something much more useful and beautiful.

Uh-oh. The subject of redevelopment on 9 Mile can be a tricky one, especially when development plans grow too large or complex. The recent failure of the 3-60 Project is a case in point. Too large for the space, too much disruption of business during construction, and an end product that just wouldn’t have fit the character (and needs) of Ferndale. So, when Ferndale Friends got word of plans for this new development, we looked into it.

Screen Shot 2015-12-11 at 3.14.37 PMAt the Rochester office of Designhaus Architacture, Peter Stuhlreyer, AIA, Chief Architect and CEO, lays out the plans. The illustrations reveal a striking, L-shaped, four- story structure with a varied facade. It will run the length of the current lot, hiding the building’s parking behind and underneath; parking sufficient for the residents and businesses in the building, plus a tiny bit extra.

“We’re trying to build a high quality housing project… for anyone.” Peter says, over a constant background whir of power tools. Designhaus, too, is in the process of being upgraded. “Ninety units, about half single- bedroom, about half two-bedroom, with a few larger units on the corner. Businesses on the ground floor. Elevators, stairs, workout facilities, a common room, gathering spaces. There’ll be a small public patio on the roof.”

How do you fit a new building into an existing street?

“You don’t want to pander to history, to create some kind of phony pastiche of old buildings.” Peter explains. “On the other hand, you’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, either. There’s a strong tie to context. You don’t want to introduce something foreign, but you also don’t want to try and appease everyone, to make them comfortable just to get approved.” The world, he says, is full of buildings designed with the latter philosophy in mind, and it shows in the general sameness and dullness that abounds in shopping centers and housing developments. He smiles, and adds an important caveat. “You also don’t want to shock them.”

On the nuts-and-bolts side, there is a lot of modeling, 3D rendering, and street viewing. The new structure is designed to do more for 9 Mile than just provide more living and business space, though.

“9 Mile starts to fizzle out as far as its pedestrian energy at that point. This (building) says, we’re still part of that energy.” Peter says that research showsthe effects of “holes” in the urban landscape, namely features like surface parking lots.

Studies show that once pedestrians hit an area with an open lot, they tend to cross the street and walk back the other way. 430 West 9 Mile will fill in that hole.

“We have open storefronts and businesses. There’ll be public art (to be placed by the DDA.) On the east side of the building, there’ll be a small musical performance area, facing into the vest-pocket park that will go there. It will really energize the area.” Peter talks about other ideas, such as shuttle buses that will run to the planned rail line on Woodward to reduce traffic.

Designhaus has been around for close to 20 years, focusing on mixed-use projects and things that Peter calls “difficult sites.”

“People are moving back to the cities,” He says. “The properties (that are there) are troubled… problems with space, zoning, environmental issues… it’s much harder than developers going out, buying five acres, and putting up a building.” They’ve worked on projects as diverse as student housing, microbreweries, and converting old offices and schools into living space. “We have a reputation for getting things done in (challenging) situations,” Peter smiles again, “and coming out the other side without the public coming to our office with torches.”

Peter says there wasn’t any difficulty with the process in Ferndale, though. Designhaus worked very closely with the City of Ferndale and gave them exactly what they asked for; something suited to the scale and feeling of the neighborhood, yet moving it upward and outward, too.

Construction is slated to start in April of 2016.
www.designhaus.com

If something happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.