Volunteer honored
GENESEE COUNTY — Hank Heidel, of Swartz Creek, was honored as the Canteen Volunteer of the Year by the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services for the Eastern Michigan Division.
Heidel logged the most volunteer hours of anyone in the Eastern Division, and was credited for helping more than 10,000 people during his career on the Emergency Disaster Services Canteen. The Canteen is designed for on-site meal preparation to prepare food and beverages for emergency personnel. In the past year, the Canteen has been called to the Boulder Creek Apartments fire, a Mt. Morris strip mall fire and other area emergencies.
For information about volunteering, call 810-232-2196. — P.H.

Blood drive
GRAND BLANC TWP. — The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at Genesys Regional Medical Center on the corner of Holly and Baldwin roads March 22.
Blood drive sessions are 9 a.m.-2:45 p.m. and 7 p.m.-1 a.m.
The American Red Cross Blood Donor Center of Genesee and Lapeer counties, 1401 S. Grand Traverse in Flint, also takes blood donation appointments. Hours are noon-5:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, and 9 a.m.-2:45 p.m. on Fridays.
For more information or to make an appointment at the donor center, call 810-232-1401 or 800-GIVELIFE. On the Web: www.geneseelapeer-redcross.org. — J.N.

Psychic fair
GRAND BLANC TWP. — The Flint School of Therapeutic Massage will be hosting a Psychic Fair from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. March 18 hosted by astrologer Maria Shaw. The event will feature readings, vendors, free lectures and aura photography.
Mark Potter’s lecture on The Secret (which has been featured on Oprah), will teach people about the law of attraction and give techniques to help with intuition and visualization. “I’ll be talking about how to reduce or eliminate the negative thoughts that we have in our lives,” Potter said. “Once we eliminate those [thoughts] we have cleared our canvas and are ready to co-create with positive intent.”
Admission to the fair is $10 and readings are $10. No appointments are needed. There will be a giveaway of three copies of The Secret during Potter’s lecture. The school is located at 5402 Hill Rd. — K.H.

Public hearing
ATLAS TWP. — The Atlas Township Board of Trustees has scheduled a Truth in Taxation public hearing for 6:30 p.m., March 19 in the township community room, 7386 S. Gale Rd.
The hearing is an opportunity for the public to ask questions about the township’s 2007 fiscal year budget and various funding allocations. The board will then review and could approve the budget during its regular meeting following the hearing. The township’s fiscal year begins April 1.
The public can review the budget or request copies at the township office. — J.N.

New exhibit
FLINT — Artifacts from institutional racism during the Jim Crow era will be on display at Mott Community College through March 17.
The exhibit, entitled Hateful Things: Artifacts from the Jim Crow Museum, is a traveling exhibition on loan from Ferris State University. The exhibit will be open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call Heather Sisto at 810-232-3058. — P.H.

Writing conference
FLINT — University of Michigan-Flint is offering a conference for those seeking to improve critical and creative writing skills. The conference will feature several academic and creative works from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday) in the Michigan Rooms and KIVA of the University Center.
Jeff Van Zande, an English teacher at Delta College, will present “Developing intimacy with your sentences” today. Laura Kasischke, an assistant professor of English at UM-Ann Arbor, will present “What doesn’t kill you: On the writing of a novel, and the habit of art” tomorrow. — P.H.
Farewell to Chief
GRAND BLANC — The City of Grand Blanc invites residents to visit City Hall, 203 E. Grand Blanc Rd., to wish retiring Police Chief Mark Heidel farewell during a retirement party from 3-6 p.m. March 21.
Heidel will retire March 23 after 33 years with the police department, 23 years as chief. Mayor Matheny, council members, police officers and other city officials will all be attending to meet with the public and say goodbye to Heidel. The retirement party includes light refreshments.
Heidel wanted to have a public retirement party to give residents the opportunity to meet the police officers and city officials who serve them, in addition to being able to personally say farewell himself. — J.N.

Scientific minds
GENESEE COUNTY — There’s still time for students in grades 4-12 to sign up for the 51st annual Flint Area Science & Engineering Fair at Kettering University March 16-18.
Downloadable science fair handbooks, application forms, project ideas and contact information are available on the Web at www.flintsciencefair.org.
The Flint Area Science Fair is a non-profit organization promoting science for students in fourth through twelfth grades in Genesee, Lapeer, Shiawassee and Tuscola counties.
Students in the high school division can receive prizes, scholarships and awards from professional societies, universities and businesses. Four high school students receive an all-expense paid trip to the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair in Albuquerque, NM. — J.N.

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