Gov. Whitmer Announces Winners for 2019 Governor’s Service Awards
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Community Service Commission today announced the 43 winners of the 2019 Governor’s Service Awards. The winners are individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations that were selected for their commitment to volunteerism, service or philanthropy.
This year, two Troy citizens are being honored. Danielle Boyer and Amogh Gowda were named as Youth Volunteer of the Year.
Boyer, at the age of 18, has dedicated her volunteer efforts to educate students in Oakland County on disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, most notably the students of International Academy East in Troy. Her amazing efforts led to creating Benzene Buddies – a weekly after-school program with programming lessons and robotics field trips, as well as many other programs to engage her community. She also started a weekly newsletter and wrote at-home coding lesson plans for parents to allow them to be a part of the learning process. One of her most rewarding and notable accomplishments, however, has been Every Kid Gets A Robot – where she invented an educational robot that is affordable for children.
Gowda is dedicated to saving lives through organ donations. After hearing the experience of a teacher waiting for a kidney transplant, the teenager saw the impact that an organ donor could make. Amogh, 17, developed an innovative way to support education on the issue. He founded “Gift8Lives.org” – a campaign for various organ donation-related outreach activities within his community. He interviewed experts in the field and learned the best ways to strengthen his campaign. He also started the Gift8lives Club at Troy High School to educate his peers about the issue.
Upcoming Friday Frolic Cancelled
Friday Frolic for Aug. 9 is canceled because there are other events offered by local churches that will have an impact on attendance. Mark your calendars for the next Friday Frolic on Sept. 13.
For more information about the Troy adaptive recreation program, visit the city website.
Tell Us What You Think on the Parks and Rec Master Plan Survey
Parks and Recreation is conducting a survey until Sept. 6 to get input from both Troy residents and non-residents. Click here to fill out this short survey and let your voice be heard.
Summer Concert Series a Great Way to Enjoy the Season
Dust off your dancing shoes and head to Boulan Park on Crooks Road between Big Beaver and Wattles Roads for some fabulous music on select Thursdays this summer. Stay after work, grab a bite to eat, and listen to music from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and relax with friends as a variety of music fills the air. Food will be available from food trucks and Harold’s Italian Ice starting at 5:30 pm and there are plenty of picnic tables.
The Aug. 8 concert features Brushes with Broadway with Tom Butwin & Musical Guests.
Tom Butwin is a four-time Detroit Music Award nominee and recently starred as “Jesus” in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical, “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Since 2003, He released many albums and EPs, the most recent being 2018’s The Superstar EP and 2016’s collection of classic musical theater songs, A Different Stage. Butwin is an Athens High graduate.
