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Ferndale/Pleasant Ridge City Guide 2023

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By Michelle Mirowski

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT FERNDALE RADIO IS OLD ENOUGH TO BE IN KINDERGARTEN. IT FEELS LIKE THE PIVOTAL MEETINGS TO KEEP OUR DREAM ALIVE, WAY BACK IN 2015 AND 2016, WERE JUST YESTERDAY.

But before we even knew that we’d call our station Ferndale Radio, it was Ferndale Friends and Stephanie Loveless who helped shepherd us through the tough times. Those initial meetings inside the Ferndale Friends headquarters were the first time we realized that this actually had a chance to become reality. Members of the community showed up to provide support and learn how they could help. We learned that there was an interest in our idea and that it really would provide value to the community.

Just like that, we were on our way to obtaining a broadcast license from the Federal Communications Commission and sending our signal to the world (or at least Ferndale) on 100.7 FM.

Bit by bit, we’ve built Ferndale Radio up. In its infancy, the station ran on an old, cracked smartphone as we worked to get our studio space ready for a real operation. Since then, we’ve graduated from a fold-up table and a portable mixer to real, quality equipment, almost entirely through in-kind donations and community support.

TODAY, IT FEELS LIKE A REAL STUDIO, WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES YOU’D EXPECT, and with a dedicated, rotating cast of DJs who provide the heartbeat and soul of the station. And we’re no longer limited to just four square miles. Thanks again to community support (see the theme here?), our Dream-to-Stream campaign was a success, and listeners can tune in anywhere in the world at FerndaleRadio.com/stream and feel like they’re right there with us at 9 Mile and Woodward.

None of this was possible without the assistance of Stephanie and a small army of volunteers who kept the dream of local community radio alive when no one else thought it would be possible. Loveless was an outspoken low power FM advocate for decades, well before we found ourselves in the right place at the right time to make a station work right here in Ferndale.

WE HAVE A LIST OF COUNTLESS OTHERS TO THANK, but just to name a few: Chris and Tiffany Best, who helped our little radio station find the best home we could possibly imagine inside The Rust Belt Market; Rifino Valentine, whose Valentine Distilling has sponsored our studio space for four years now; the dozens of volunteers who have dedicated time to filling on-air shifts, participating in fund- raisers, finding new music and making our station better; and to you, the community, for your support of this project that has grown from an idea more than a decade ago into a steady platform for music and hyper-local content that you can’t hear anywhere else on the dial.

PLEASE KEEP LISTENING, AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, whether it’s on social media (@FerndaleRadio on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) via email (FerndaleRadio@Gmail.com) or just by poking your head inside the studio at the Rust Belt. This is your radio station. Thank you for making it a reality.

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By Jill Hurst

Farewell to Ferndale’s Beloved Bubble & Bark

MY EIGHT YEARS AT BUBBLE AND BARK WERE A SOAP WRITER’S DREAM: CORE FAMILIES, COMPLICATED HEROES, MISUNDERSTOOD VILLAINS, SEXY ESCAPE ARTISTS AND “ROOT FOR” SUPER-COUPLES.

With characters named Miracle Curry, Lola Lapierre and Porkchop Skillman, and life, death and everything in between, who wouldn’t want to watch?

In 2006, our “root for” super-couple, Kelly McKinstry and Julie Andrews, had a “long-term story objective.” To build a place they’d be comfortable bringing their own dogs. They did some location-scouting before settling on the space at 686 Livernois.

Kelly: “From the minute we walked into the building, I knew. It always felt like home.” This was a good thing, because they lived at Bubble for the first three-and-a-half years!

At the beginning, it was just “the girls” as J. and K. are known around town, along with groomer Robin Serrano. As they built the business from the ground up, welcoming dogs (early cast included Coogi, Peanut Butter and Sunshine, Ernie, Cooper S, Daphne, Opal, Bruiser) and parents into the Bubble family, they realized that they needed to expand the “supporting cast,” and started to hire staff. We all arrived with different “character motivation” but we had one thing in common: The dogs.

A FEW FLASHBACKS FROM STAFF:

Matt Webb: “Bubble & Bark was a really special place for me. Kelly and Julie hired me at a time of life when so many others wouldn’t and that allowed me to build the life I wanted. There were so many dogs I loved being able to spend my days with and I still think about and miss to this day,” including Dexter S, Samson K, Bailey C, Cooper S., Rodney Dean, whose back story included a long stint at an animal hospital.

“I drove in horrible snow conditions to Bubble & Bark for a job interview and they hired me on Christmas Day 2008. The best part of the job was that at Bubble & Bark the dogs were actually happy to see me. One of my favorite moments was when I realized that one of the ‘non- human friendly’ boarding dogs finally accepted my love after about a week of me laying on the floor and talking to the dog. Working for BBark also heightened my love for little dogs, as I was a big-dog kinda’ guy.”

Then, from the last two workers cast;

Maggie Kozma: “Julie and Kelly welcomed me into a family when they hired me. Working there felt like being part of a team of ‘star seeds’.”

Seth Kalis: “My favorite memory would be the time Kuma’s mom told me how Kuma doesn’t typically like men he doesn’t know but he loved me. That really made me feel I was helping make a little bit of difference in Kuma and his mom’s life…I learned what it’s like to have a job I’m truly proud of.”

Me? I have so many favorite memories: The Christmas tree, the smell of Oats-for-Coats shampoo, the sound effects of the Friday dance party…but my favorite thing about Bubble and Bark was a recurring storyline that involved dogs who needed a place to be in times of trouble or transition.

Megan Roby: “Julie and Kelly were always willing to be a resource to those in need.” Sometimes they were dogs we’d known for years, sometimes they made their entrance after a house fire or days of living in their parents’ car because of sudden homelessness. Sometimes the owner could pay at the end of their story arc. Sometimes they couldn’t. No matter. “Where else would they go?” said Julie.

The first time I experienced this, I knew the Bubble & Bark show was a show worth watching. The joy and tears and laughter it brought to its family of dogs and the audience of staff and parents was something we were all lucky to be a part of.

When you let yourself love with all your heart, there’s a chance your heart will break at some
point. That is what happened when Bubble got their “cancellation notice” in 2022. We had to figure out how to write our final episode. I’ll never forget the faces of the parents as the girls delivered the news.

CALLS WERE MADE, CLEANING HAPPENED. The daycare staff handed out tiny index cards with the dogs’ friends written on them, so that best friends could stay in touch. People came in to get some final bench chat time with Julie. The dogs played, blissfully unaware.

On Friday, September 30, 2022 the dogs had their last dance party and Bubble & Bark pulled the shades and locked the door for the last time. Most of the daycare cast had Covid the last week, so Julie and Kelly ended as they started, working together from open-to-close.

Looking back, Julie talked about meeting and falling in love with the dogs, following them through their lives and watching them get old. The parents? “They trusted us with their dogs. That was huge. An honor.”

Kelly recounts the end of the move out. It was 4:00 A.M. “There was such an amazing moon, the building was glowing. I looked at it and thought, ‘Goodnight Bubble’.”

In the Fall of 2006, Julie Andrews and Kelly McKinstry opened Bubble & Bark. They created more than just a terrific dog show. They created a gathering place, a sanctuary. On behalf of the Bubble & Bark community (two- and four– legged) thanks, girls.

 

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By Mary Meldrum

FernCare Free Clinic | Ferndale Community Foundation | Ferndale Housing Commission

DAN MARTIN HAS NOT SLOWED DOWN SINCE HIS TENURE AS MAYOR OF FERNDALE. MARTIN IS CURRENTLY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FERNCARE FREE CLINIC, AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER AND PRESIDENT OF THE FERNDALE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS THE FERNDALE HOUSING COMMISSION.

FernCare Free Clinic

“EIGHTY PERCENT OF OUR PATIENTS HAVE JOBS but don’t have health care insurance. We conduct approximately 1,500 patient visits a year,” explains Dan.

While Martin is not a medical doctor, there are a number of very talented doctors who work at the free clinic. He’s been with FernCare for three years. FernCare was founded 15 years ago on the basis that everyone should have access to healthcare. FernCare has two guidelines.

• Age requirement between 19 and 65.
• Must not have health insurance. No fees are ever charged to any patient.

FernCare is not affiliated with any hospital. The volunteer doctors have jobs at Beaumont and Ascension Hospitals. FernCare works closely with Ascension as a teaching facility with that hospital. Many on the staff are on the path to becoming certified healthcare workers.

FernCare is a primary care office very much like any other primary care facility. They have a pharmacy, a lab, and provide case management for diabetics and other chronic diseases. FernCare also has provides durable medical equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs along with medical supplies which has been received as donations. FernCare staff help people find insurance and are a resource hub for folks to find other social services for food, housing, and other medical specialty services. FernCare also hosts mammogram services once a month through a partnership with Ascension and their mobile mammography truck, and they also offer tele-health services.

FernCare is Martin’s main job, and he is responsible for the overall operations, fundraising, recruitment, and general oversight of the non-profit and the clinic. He reports to a volunteer board of directors.

Dan insists that the true heart of FernCare is the volunteers; the doctors, nurses, and phlebotomists, about 70 in all. There are four part-time employees, but the majority of the work is completed through volunteerism.

Ferndale Community Foundation

THE FERNDALE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION provides micro-grants to local non-profits within the community. Organizations can submit requests for money for community health, education projects, etc.

The Foundation helped remodel the lower level of Affirmations for behavioral health practices, supports projects like our community concert band, funds speakers and trips for Ferndale-area seniors and pays for public art murals downtown. Additionally, the Foundation helps fund other non-profits like Michigan Stage. Also, they are the fiduciaries for Ferndale Pride and also support a lot of LGBT non-profits in the area. The Foundation gave over $20,000 worth of grants in 2022.

The Board members are all volunteers. The Foundation is not associated with the City government.

Ferndale Housing Commission

THE FERNDALE HOUSING BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS are appointed by the governing council, but that is the only link to the City of Ferndale. They manage 120 apartments and two apartment buildings in the city. They own 43 homes in the city, and manage 850 vouchers in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. A paid staff runs the daily operations.

Dan has lived in Ferndale for 17 years, and served eight years on City Council including four months as the mayor of Ferndale. He is originally from Bay City, and graduated from MSU in 1994. Martin has a background with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Among many other things about Ferndale, Dan really loves listening to our high school marching band.

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By Sara Teller

WHERE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF FERNDALE, LIKE POLICE, FIRE, AND COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ARE ESTEEMED FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN PROVIDING PUBLIC SAFETY AND EXPANDING THE COMMUNITY, THE PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SPECIFICALLY, BRINGS VALUE BY INCREASING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ITS RESIDENTS.

“We measure our success in community engagement and satisfaction with our programs, parks, services, and outreach efforts,” explained Recreation Manager, Emanuel Johnson.

Currently operating out of Incubizo, which is only a few blocks from City Hall, P&R not only provides ongoing community programming, but assists in providing safety shelters and services during severe weather events, mass power outages, evacuations, and other emergencies, and has made efforts to improve outdoor public spaces with paved pathways, adaptable features, and accessible amenities. The Department also offers a Ride SMART/Ferndale Community Transportation program, providing transportation to Ferndale residents throughout the city and within a five-mile radius. The program is open to all residents.

Johnson said, “We provide the community with healthy outlets for all ages and abilities, life-changing experiences, safe spaces, and connections to nature and to each other. In functioning as a dynamic department, we consider ourselves the heart of our community.” The Department’s focus has always been on inclusivity, and staff members strive to ensure all visitors can access and utilize park features. The past few months have brought about many changes – some good, some not so good. For starters, unfortunately, the pandemic reduced available staff to maintain the Kulick Community Center, and it has been permanently closed. The City has slated it to be reverted back to school ownership.

Johnson said of this new development, “Facility problems that already existed were exacerbated and ultimately rendered the facility inoperable.”

In November of last year, former Parks Deputy Director Lisa Bryant also left to take a position with the federal government. Since her departure, P&R has welcomed two full-time staff members – Robert Burch, from the City of Pontiac, now serving as Deputy Director, and Program Specialist Matthew King, who leads youth and adult sports programming.

STILL TO COME IN 2023, JOHNSON SAID, “WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF POSITIONS that we are looking to fill in the next few months. Specifically, we’ll be looking to hire two part-time recreation aides, a new seasonal camp director, and several seasonal camp counselors for our thriving summer camp program. Our team members share a passion for serving the community and work hard to bring programs, improvements, and joy to every resident and participant. We work to provide a space where our staff can bring their whole self to work to help make magical moments for the community.”

2023 will also mark the first year in which the splash pad at Martin Road Park will open for a full summer season. The pad will be available to the public every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 10:00 A.M to 8:00 .PM.

“We’re hoping to kick-start [the season with] our concessions stand and offer the community some delicious food options at Martin Road during park hours,” Johnson said. “We’re also looking forward to our upcoming special events that include the return of our Gravity Art Fair & Skate Contest on June 10, our Movies in the Park series, and our annual Ferndale Fall Festival on October 7.”

IN ADDITION TO THESE FESTIVITIES, P&R IS WORKING HARD TO SOLIDIFY THE REMAINDER of 2023’s sports leagues and is continuing to ramp up amenities and programming opportunities.

“Residents should look for- ward to the Wilson Park Improvement Project, which begins construction in late-spring or early-summer and will see amenities add- ed to the park that include a new walking path, a new shade structure, a new basketball court, parking lot improvements, and a new accessible water fountain, among others,” Johnson said.

The Wilson project is backed by more than $300,000 in grant funding that Department staff worked hard to secure over the past four years. Grant-funders include the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Oakland County, the Community Foundation’s Ralph C. Wilson Legacy Grant, and America in Bloom.

“We’ve also secured grant funding to help sup- port several future projects at other parks, so keep an eye out for upcoming announcements,” he added. “We are continuing to utilize our community partners to offer some of our programs (shout out to Ferndale Public Schools) as we continue to plan for a new home for our Parks & Recreation operations.”

FERNDALE’S P&R DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS and donations to continue bringing free family events like EGGstravaganza and Movies in the Park to Ferndale residents. The staff welcomes residents to apply for a position on the Parks & Recreation Commission (P&RC), a volunteer board made up of Ferndalians who advise, provide input, and suggest direction for Parks & Recreation programs and projects. Anyone looking to volunteer for one or more events can also add their name to the volunteer contact list available online.

“For donations, please feel free to add any dollar amount during checkout when registering for any of our programming online,” Johnson said. He added, “We’re continuously working to seek and secure funding to improve our parks, public spaces, programs, services, and offerings. We work hard to secure sponsorships and grants for our programs and projects to help minimize their impact on resident tax dollars. If any business is interested in sponsoring a program or park feature, contact Director LaReina Wheeler at lwheeler@ferndalemi.gov.”

The Parks & Recreation Department can also be reached Monday through Saturday at 248-544-6767 or via email at recreation@ferndalemi.gov.

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