Author: Amanda Loveland

Have you ever thought of the U.S. Airforce to be more than just a branch of the military that flies planes or reminds you of your favorite movie? The Airforce is also an institution that provides education, makes connections, and builds relationships.

Master Sergeant John Riggs, Enlisted Accessions Recruiter has been in the U.S. Airforce since 2008. In 2020, Riggs came to Jackson to begin recruiting for the Airforce. His job is to visit schools throughout southern Michigan to attend class talks, career fairs, and events in order to find eligible recruits that may be interested in joining the Airforce. Riggs is the main recruiter in Jackson County and is constantly reminded of the good the Airforce has done for his life.

Riggs is originally from Atlantic City and determined at a young age that he wanted to be part of the U.S. Military. He even shared that his mom recently sent him a picture of one of his second-grade school projects where he answered the classic prompt “What do you want to be when you grow up?” with “Army man.” 15 days after his high school graduation, he joined the Airforce.

When going through the process of gaining a recruit, Riggs explained that it all starts with a simple phone call. From there, the recruit starts with MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station). All before basic training, a recruit has to pass a series of pre-screenings, as well as armed service, aptitude, battery, and physical tests. This may sound daunting, but it all takes an average of three months before they can move on to basic training.

The Airforce has given Riggs opportunities he had never had before. Education, health benefits, real-world experience, relationships, and lifelong friendships are all something the Airforce made possible for him. As he recruits, he sees himself in the young airmen who are new to the Airforce but is able to give back and provide opportunities to young people who are in the same place that Riggs once was. Riggs has been in the Airforce for 14 years, and now being a recruiter himself, he often reflects on his recruiter when he began his process. He enjoys being a part of the reason former recruits return to their community and come back disciplined, educated, and better overall.

Working for an employer that has several veterans within its own walls, Ron O’Rourke is extremely proud that Monster Motors is sponsoring Jackson County’s recruiting office. Giving back in this way is something that goes beyond a business-to-business relationship. Riggs exchanged an Airforce coin to show respect and thanks for their budding partnership. In the Airforce, the exchange of a coin typically signifies appreciation for a job well done.

Participating in community events has been a large component of recruiting. You may have seen Riggs flying on Aviation Day at the Jackson County Airport, or even volunteering at a local event. If you’re a school looking to have Riggs speak, hosting a career fair or an assembly, he is excited to hear from you.

If you or someone you know may be interested in joining the Airforce, Master Sergeant Riggs is most accessible by phone. Give him a call at 517-945-4218 to set up an appointment to discuss next steps, or simply to see if the military is right for you.

Jackson County is known for a number of unique things: beautiful parks, a bustling startup community, delicious coneys, and an event calendar that is filled to the brim. One of Experience Jackson’s greatest pleasures is being able to build community partnerships to keep that calendar of events as packed as can be. You may have noticed the Experience Jackson logo at the finish line of a race, on the back of a volunteer’s t-shirt, or overheard their name on the mic at an event. You may wonder how those appearances come to be, or how Experience Jackson can partner with your business.

Experience Jackson’s mission is to strengthen the positive perception of Jackson County as a must-visit destination to increase revenues and stimulate economic development and growth for the community.

Bright Walls, in addition to Jackson’s more notable events, is a prime example of what a partnership with Experience Jackson can look like. The financial contribution Experience Jackson has made allows for an artist to paint the back of the shared Experience Jackson/Chamber of Commerce building. Luckily for the Chamber, the entire team and our community get to enjoy the mural on the back of our shared building for decades to come.

With that also comes social media promotion on each end, logoed materials throughout the festival, and other features. Though Bright Walls is showing Experience Jackson a bit of love, Experience Jackson also likes to highlight the organizations and events they sponsor, since it is a partnership after all. Experience Jackson highlighted the Bright Walls Finale in a recent blog, on their social media, and in their monthly newsletter. Sharing who Experience Jackson proudly partners with is one of the many benefits that come with allowing Experience Jackson to get involved in your event.

Experience Jackson is also getting involved face-to-face with the festival, with a booth in front of the office and their very own “Chalk Alley,” where children can come to the office the Friday of Bright Walls and create their own masterpieces along the side of the Chamber/Experience Jackson building.

Bright Walls is an excellent example of an event that draws people to Jackson and stimulates economic development. Investing in something that adds another layer of what makes our county great contributes to their mission of attracting people to the area, creating a livelier place to both live and visit.

When a sponsorship opportunity presents itself, the entire Experience Jackson team gets to review it; they decide as a team whether or not they should move forward with a partnership, and in what way. Each partnership is unique and individual and decided on a case-by-case basis. Some sponsorships look like a financial donation, but are not limited to gift baskets, presence at the event via vendor booth, or even an appearance by JACK the Elephant.

If you or your business are hosting an event and are excited about the opportunity to partner with Experience Jackson, you can send a request here. Or, if you or your business are hosting an event and want to publish it to Experience Jackson’s Community Calendar, click here.

When struggling with something, people cope in a multitude of ways. Some may go for a walk, others exercise, or even dive into a TV show or book to distract themselves from the world. For Shanice Galloway, it’s getting in the kitchen, turning on some R&B, and starting to cook. Cooking has always been a passion for Shanice, but it has taken on a whole new meaning for her in the past several years.

Meech & Muff Heavenly Foods was originally named after Meech, Shanice’s brother, who was murdered in 2017. Born and raised on the southside of Jackson, Shanice does the work she does to implement change and be an example to those around her. She had begun cooking to cope with the loss of her brother. The business had just taken off, she had purchased a food truck in 2020 with the hopes of being able to serve events on the go. Her momentum sadly took a halt in 2021, just a few short years after losing her brother, Shanice’s fiancé, Muff, was also murdered in 2021. It was a loss that shook the community, especially for Shanice whose life had changed forever. Suddenly losing someone who was loved and admired by everyone she met and having to deal with obstacles no one should have to overcome. From there, Meech & Muff Heavenly Foods came to be, as Shanice continued to cook to cope with the loss of both her brother and her fiancé.

She has used her talents to feed the homeless to get the community back together again. Shanice points out that her community needs to find a solution for the peace and safety of those she loves. Comfort food takes on a whole new meaning when it brings healing and positivity to a community that has been struggling for years, which is something Shanice has witnessed her entire life.

Shanice is best known for the variety of egg rolls she creates, and other delectable creations like southwest chicken and ribs. She provides comfort foods to those in the area and even delivers them herself. Right now, she cooks out of her home daily, specifically what is special ordered by text. In the future, she hopes for her business to grow in a whole new way, where she will be equipped to cater larger events. So far, she has done four events and hopes to continue by doing office parties, birthday parties, or even weddings.

As for now, she hopes to revisit the food truck after she took a step back after the passing of her fiancé. Now, stronger than ever, she hopes to cook food that will not only feed her community but continue to help her to heal. As she is just getting her business of the ground, she and the team at Monster Motors are proud to be working together to make her Chamber Membership possible in order to build connections and grow her customer base.

Soon, she will have a website that will streamline her business practices. For now, she is sharing her menu on her Facebook page and his taking orders by phone, 517-769-4354. She is also available by email for larger events, Shanice.galloway.88@gmail.com.

On September 2, 2023, Spring Arbor will officially be turning 150 years old. Spring Arbor will be hosting a variety of events throughout the entire school year to celebrate its sesquicentennial. Some new, some old, but all rooted in SAU’s tradition.

Despite being open for a century and a half, many of the traditions and values have held strong. SAU will be kicking off its school year with the Party in the Plaza on August 27. At this event, there will be a live concert, fireworks, food, activities for the whole family, prizes, giveaways, and even an unveiling of their new mascot. SAU will still be the Cougars we know, just with a new, updated look. This event is open to all ages and is completely free, so join the fun and celebrate what is only the beginning of their sesquicentennial year.

In honor of their sesquicentennial, SAU will be hosting additional events all year, some being exclusive to this year. Other traditions will be bigger and better than ever before, like homecoming festivities beginning October 1 and the Hanging of the Greens on December 2, which will include a live concert, wagon rides, cocoa, cookies, and fireworks.

SAU sets itself apart from other universities based on the foundations it was built on back in 1873, which are providing access to learning and welcoming everyone into their community. They also provide high-quality, Christ-centered education. Being a liberal arts school allows each student to learn outside of their major. No matter what path a student chooses at SAU, it will be something worthwhile in many ways outside of just education.

One of SAU’s unique traditions that the freshman will be participating in at the Parting at the Plaza, once they move in, is the group blessing where each student holds a piece of ribbon while gathered in a circle to signify the start of their journey together at SAU. At that point, the family leaves, and education begins. This event mirrors the night after the seniors’ baccalaureate and night before commencement, where each student participates in the Cutting of the Ivy. Each of these events bookends the students’ time at SAU.

If there’s any institution that can rock a name like sesquicentennial, it’s Spring Arbor University. SAU is proud to be a part of the community of Jackson and invite everyone to celebrate their 150^th year with them. Join SAU in their sesquicentennial celebrations by going to SAU150.org.

The Jackson Crossing Mall has been a staple of our community for decades. It’s where you may have bought your new shoes for the school year, your mom’s favorite Christmas gifts, or even made the quick Target run. There are huge developments coming and big dreams behind closed revolving doors.

Jane Flores, General Manager of the Jackson Crossing, oversees the three sections of the mall. The first of those sections is the Jackson Plaza, which includes the restaurants and shops along Boardman Road like Texas Roadhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Best Buy. The next is the Jackson Crossing Mall, which of course has your Target, Kohl’s, and TJ Maxx. Then, finally, the third of the triad is Jackson West located along Wisner Street, which includes places like the Michael’s, Office Max, and Xfinity.

Jane is new to the Jackson Crossing as of this year and absolutely loves it. She is all about what the mall gives to visitors, not just to maintain what’s already there, but to attract, improve, and repair the mall Jackson has known and loved for years. After spending the last 20 years in San Antonio, she’s excited to implement what she’s learned in her previous position and bring some of that excitement to the Jackson Crossing. So far, in the short time that Jane has been at the Crossing, she has made a more family-friendly area over by Jackson Popcorn Depot, to suit visitors of all ages. She has also resurrected some horses that were found in storage and used back when the mall had a carousel back around the time it was built in 1960.

Beginning in July, the Crossing will have food trucks for employees of the mall and shoppers to enjoy, and that’s only the beginning of some of the exciting things coming to the mall. Though she can’t reveal everything that’s in store, she hopes to bring in massage chairs for shoppers to kick their feet up after a long afternoon of walking the mall. Subtle aesthetic changes are coming, but as always, the mall will revolve around the same thing: fun for the whole family. With the expansion of what the mall has to offer, Jane is looking to hire a part-time social media manager to really showcase what’s going on. This position will offer flexible hours and plenty of creative freedom.

The Crossing has experienced some sleepiness in recent years. That can be attributed to the fact that we’re all used to online shopping since the pandemic, or because you may think you already know what’s there. However, slowly but surely, Jane has noticed an increase in foot traffic in recent months. She shared that there’s even a group of seniors who walk the mall in the mornings together. The mall is a great place to explore and see what’s new. Next time you run in for an errand or to return some clothes, take the time to walk the mall. You may come across a jewelry repairer who can fix that broken chain that’s been in your drawer for months or an acupuncturist who can fix that back pain that doesn’t seem to be going away.

Those at the Crossing are excited to see entrepreneurs and local businesses expand into the mall. There are a few vacancies waiting to be filled by local businesses. Jackson Crossing is a great place for a local business to thrive. There isn’t anything Jane and her team wouldn’t love to see open in the mall. The sky is the limit! It’s time to re-acquaint yourself with what the Crossing is and can be.

Though Jane has a lot of new and exciting ideas for the future of the Crossing, she hopes to bring back tradition at the same time. The Crossing was once known as a place to spend the day to hang out with friends, socialize, walk around, and even grab some food. Jane hopes to see the Crossing become that sort of destination again in the future. She said proudly “If they did it then, I can do it now.”

If your business is looking to open a brick-and-mortar, or you or someone you know may be interested in becoming Jackson Crossing’s Social Media Manager, contact Jane at Jane@ShopJacksonCrossing.com. to take the first step.

Would you believe there’s a massive plant in Jackson that makes products you use every day, but never thought about? The sticky stuff on your bandages, your tape, your windows, even the stuff that keeps your toilet paper together; it’s all made at H.B. Fuller.

A few Chamber team members had the opportunity to get the full behind-the-scenes at H.B. Fuller, led by Dan Dixon, Senior Project Engineering Manager. Dan works on the major capital projects, mainly at the facility in Michigan Center. The Michigan Center facility is H.B. Fuller’s largest. At this facility, they produce adhesives and sealants that you can find in some places that may surprise you.

H.B. Fuller produces everyday products like glue, superglue, PIB (polyisobutylene), caulk, roofing primers, and more. Some brands you may recognize, like Gorilla Glue and Red Devil, contain material made right in the Michigan Center facility. Odds are, if you look in your toolbox, garage, or even your junk drawer, you’re bound to find one of these things. However, you won’t see an H.B. Fuller label during your next trip to the hardware store. They create the material that makes these products sticky or sealed. A name brand you see on the shelf takes that material and sells it under their brand.

At the Michigan Center plant, they have around 300 employees, each working in three shifts. H.B. Fuller is a global facility that’s divided into three different business units or divisions:

When you’re buying caulk for your latest home improvement project, you’re not thinking of the process of how it got to the shelf of your local hardware store. It’s surprisingly fascinating to watch it happen.

Caulk starts out as a butyl rubber base, which is masticated (blended to break down) in process equipment. Out of this comes what Dan called a “master batch.” This then is made into pellets and put into another mixer where powder is added. Oil is added to help break the rubber down and is mixed until it softens. Powders are used as extenders to make the batch bigger, then a solvent is added. It’s at this point that the material won’t harden until it is exposed to air. That material is then put in a quart, pint, or tube, ready to be added to your toolbox.

Beyond the machinery and materials of it all, H.B. Fuller does more than just create. Dan explained that H.B. Fuller is always working on making eco-friendly improvements. They’re currently looking into lower VOC (volatile organic compounds) for primers and caulks. Some solvents can be bad for the atmosphere, and H.B. Fuller is looking for more ways to replace things that are harmful while increasing safety and sustainability.

H.B. fuller also participates in Earth Day cleanups, recognizes a Volunteer of the Year, and organizes food and blood drives. “It’s a pretty giving organization,” Dan stated as he explained the many ways H.B. Fuller is involved in the community. Their generosity is seen continuously through volunteer work and community involvement.

Next time you’re looking through a window, wrapping a gift, or fixing a broken toy, you can thank H.B. Fuller for turning your sticky situation into a problem solved. You can learn more about H.B. Fuller by going to their website to see community involvement, what they do, and job openings.