In nearly two days, both two-legged and four-legged participants will occupy Riverside Park for the annual glow-in-the-dark 5K, Bark in the Dark. We sat down with Tammy Hagedorn recently to discuss the importance of this event and the awareness it brings to the welfare of animals within our community.
Described as 'half coffee house, half animal shelter, and all fun!', Happy Cat Café aims to shed some positive light on the animal adoption process. But with only one week left in their all-or-nothing fundraising campaign, owner Kati Palmukar is in need of further public assistance to get her idea off the ground.
As discussion continues on bringing more retail tenants to downtown Grand Rapids, entrepreneur Adam Kail has turned a blind eye to the conversation. Instead of partaking in the chatter, he and his team are taking a stance: Brother's Leather Supply Co. will be opening their first brick and mortar store at 15 S. Division this September.
Director of the Woodrick Diversity Learning Center at Grand Rapids Community College, Christina Arnold is the granddaughter of migrant workers from Mexico who became contributing members of the community after making this city their home. As she begins her final year with the college, she chats with Rapid Growth about the annual Diversity Lecture Series at GRCC and shares her perspective on inclusion and equity in West Michigan.
Back in November of 2013, Rapid Growth Media covered Erica Lang and Brooke Ruble during the adolescent stage of their company, Woosah Outfitters. Nearly two years later, we follow up with Erica (who is now the sole owner) on the progression of the enterprise, dig a little bit deeper into the mind of Miss Lang, and see what awakens her creative senses.
There's no better time than a Pure Michigan summer to take in the sights of the city. Whether you're an out-of-town visitor staying at a downtown hotel for just a night or a lifelong resident of West Michigan, Caroline Cook has a creative way for you to learn about Grand Rapids' historic bridges while raising your heart rate running across them. Jenna Morton catches up with the founder of Grand Rapids Running Tours in this week's RapidChat.
Recently, Shana Welch was one of five women honored at the 2015 GRAM Women Connect - an event that highlights female business and nonprofit leaders. Get her take on the value of mentorship, talent attraction in the healthcare field, and why West Michigan should be bragging a bit more in this week's RapidChat.
Behind every successful city are hundreds of dedicated people working to support it. One of those people is Cindy Brown, executive director of Hello West Michigan. We find out what she and her team are doing to attract, recruit, and retain talent to the region in this week's RapidChat.
Beyond Grand Rapids Public School's recent request for a $175 million bond for buildings, there is something much more paramount to its success that Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal is calling for from the city of Grand Rapids. "Come with me," she declares, encouraging all community members to come together with a united front. "You need to turn this community around. Come with me as one." On the heels of her State of the Schools address, we get the inside scoop from this transformative school leader.
Executive Director of the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition (GGRBC), Thomas Tilma, has been a long-time advocate for livable communities. In honor of Bike to Work Day, which promotes bicycling as an option for commuting to work, we sit down with him to discuss the importance of alternative transportation options and find out what our community is doing to help promote them.
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