What Traverse City YPs are Thankful For

When you ask someone living in the Traverse City area what they're thankful for, you're likely to hear the following:

"My wonderful family."
"Being lucky enough to live in such a gorgeous and thriving place"
"To have a job that I enjoy"

While those are all valid and extremely important things to be thankful for (and believe me, none of us take them for granted -- I'm thankful for all of the above every single day), they're, to put it bluntly, expected. So, we reached out to some of our Young Professionals to offer some more personal and creative "things they're thankful for."

So, enjoy the following answers from your local Young Professionals while you spend time enjoying the things you're thankful for. 

"I’m thankful for when I’m transitioning my business for bigger and better things, that other businesses, non-profits, and friends I’ve met through work have offered to step up and help me pack and move KidzArt to our new location over their Christmas breaks. Taking time that normally goes to their family to help their community family. I’m so blessed to work with amazing organizations that believe in what I do and support me unconditionally."
-Kate Daggett, KidzArt

"I'm thankful that each day I get to make an impact on someone's life.  From helping people determine their dream job to giving people the encouragement to finish that last math requirement, I leave work everyday knowing I've made a difference."
-Shannon Owen, Northwestern Michigan College

"I am thankful to have a boss who not only taught me how to use my brakes when driving in snow(after I drifted us into the division of Grandview Parkway and Union...more than once), but also one who has taught me at least six ways to tie my scarves, let me know that I will probably freeze if I did not purchase outerwear that goes down to my knees, that Gobblers are the best turkey sandwich ever and who surprises me with gifts like obnoxious colored nail polish and Hello Kitty Make-up holders."
-Meaghan Jameson, Events North

'I’m thankful for the red-brick paved streets in the old town section of TC.  I just think it’s good character - If it were up to me, all the streets downtown would be brick."
-Warren Call, Huntington

"I am most thankful for three things (in no particular order):

1.       Mary’s Kitchen Port

2.       Frozen yogurt

3.       Meeting Allison Beers when I moved to Traverse City!"

-Kelly Schramski, Traverse City State Bank

"I'm thankful for Shorts microbrews. Where else can you find such unique, tasty concoctions with memorable hand-drawn labels and silly names to enjoy with loved ones during the holiday season?"

-Andrew Kohlmann, Signs Now

Well, there you have it! I hope that your Thanksgiving is wonderful and that you have some great things in your life to be thankful for (whether it be your job or your favorite microbrew)!

Traverse City, the City that never...well, sometimes, sleeps.

You probably read the title of this blog and immediately assumed that I was going to write about the various night-life hot spots in the Traverse City area. While I do enjoy a night out at 7 Monks every once in a while, that is not the purpose of this week's post.

This week's blog title (and content) is inspired by an event called the "Sleep Out."

If you've never heard of the Sleep Out, I'll give you a quick description- basically, community leaders (For instance, Doug Luciani) raise awareness about the need of home heating assistance by sleeping outdoors for a night. This year's "Sleep Out" is occurring on October 30th.

Events such as this are another reason Traverse City makes me consistently proud to call it my home. The Traverse City community is, to put it in the simplest terms, giving.

Every morning when I open the Ticker, there are at least three different events happening benefiting local charities. There is always a mention of a non-profit organization surpassing its fundraising goals or helping out a local cause.

Traverse City loves to support all of the non-profit organization in the area....and there are a lot of them.  It is so impressive to me that so many of these organizations are growing and continuing to prosper because of the helping hands and giving hearts of Traverse City's residents.

For instance, have you heard of Swingshift and the Stars? Chances are you have. In case you haven't, you can find out more about it right here.

Not only does Swingshift and the Stars raise funds and awareness for local non-profit organizations- it showcases six different non-profits every year, giving multiple groups a chance to tell their story and raise their funding. Not only that, but the event is sold out every.single.month. Why is that? Because the people of Traverse City care. Traverse City enjoys attending events that help the community.

How can you not be proud to live amongst people who are passionate about helping others and giving to the less fortunate? It's things like this that create such a strong sense of community in Traverse City.

So next time you have a free night, open your Record Eagle or Business News and see what fundraising events are happening around town. Don't be surprised when you notice that there are probably multiple opportunities every night. That's just how Traverse City does things.