All the local places to go and things to do.
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The Waterfront Film Festival is officially going on the road. It was decided that the nationally recognized, fifteenth annual nonprofit event will take place in South Haven, Michigan, June 13-16, 2013. South Haven is just fifteen minutes south of Saugatuck, along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Taking the festival to a different town every year or two will benefit more people in West Michigan, and will keep the nonprofit organization functioning. WFF was at a point of either terminating or coming up with a solution. Opening it up to encompass more West Michigan communities and making it a regional event has already proven to be the way to go.
The proactive South Haven proposal put forth by the city includes a pledge of $50,000 in sponsorship and fundraising efforts, PR professionals with strong ties to the Chicago market, committed local business organizations and volunteer groups, shuttle service, office space, and many in-kind donations, including some lodging for guests. There is also a movie theater in town and a 540-seat luxury auditorium theater, which will help cut down on the rising costs of creating the makeshift theaters the festival dealt with in the past.
Grand Haven and Saint Joseph both submitted enthusiastic and strong proposals, with Saint Joseph making a fundraising pledge of $75,000 each year to host WFF in 2015-16. Organizers will begin working with these cities to plan future events. All three cities understood that WFF could no longer continue in Saugatuck without a resolution to the current issues the volunteer event has faced there.
WFF appreciates Saugatuck, and is continuing talks with city leaders about resolving the current financial and logistical issues so that WFF could potentially return there in the future.
See you in South Haven, June 13-16, 2013!
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Tomorrow, Brooke Ingersoll, PhD, BCBA-D, Michigan State University, will speak about autism in Michigan at the next (and last) Grand Rounds luncheon. This event is free and open to the public. Healthcare professionals and parents of children with autism are encouraged to attend. The luncheon will also introduce a new program for autistic children that will help them develop functional communication and other core skills.
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GRunveiled is a wedding show unveiling independent, hip, and contemporary wedding vendors from around West Michigan. Expect to find products and services that go beyond the conventional wedding show in quality, creativity, and spark. Join other brides and wedding planners for the fourth annual show at St. Cecilia Music Center on Friday, January 25, from 5 to 8 p.m. Click here for a list of vendors.
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Grand Rapids Coffee Roasters' Saturday Experience began as a way to give friends and family members a chance to sample different coffee and blends and give feedback to improve roasting and blending skills. The store is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to the public for these coffee roasting demonstrations. Some customers have worked on their own personal blends while others are turning into self-described "coffee snobs." Although Grand Rapids Coffee Roasters is a roastery, not a coffee shop, they are making the coffee sampling experience comfortable as well as memorable. To do so, the store has tables, chairs, and even a "mug club" so that customers may enjoy your coffee in an eclectic coffee mug.
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Nestlings Diaper Bank recently received a $1,000 grant from the Allendale Greatest Needs Fund of the Allendale Community Foundation to diaper low income babies in Allendale.
