Grandmont Rosedale resident and Grand River WorkPlace member Ian Watts’ new position as GRDC’s Economic Development Manager is a great fit. Ian knows first-hand the benefits of running a small business out of a neighborhood co-working space as well as the importance of having a variety of tools, resources readily accessible that allow small businesses…
Frank Raben is one of the longest serving members of GRDC’s board of directors, which is kind of surprising considering that his early plans included working on his uncle’s ranch in Nebraska. Frank worked at the ranch for just one month putting in the spring crops before his future began to take its unexpected turn.…
It all started out as a bunch of friends getting together to make music. It was pretty relaxed, always fun, and a great way to try out lyrics, new sounds, new arrangements. In 2005, the band La Dispute played for audiences all over West Michigan where the 5 members were from, and began to develop…
Tess Tchou moved to Grandmont Rosedale in 1978 “without a clue about what kind of neighborhood we were moving into.” Tess and her husband Ray had been living in an apartment in Royal Oak, but the apartment didn’t allow babies, and Tess was pregnant with the first of two sons. Several years and two sons…
Sean VandenBrink and Dexter the cat, a Glastonbury Collective resident. In 2011, Sean VandenBrink was looking for a place to create a community of artists – a place where artists would have the space and equipment to pursue their artistic goals without the anxiety of meeting a high rent. GRDC had recently acquired a…
Joél Reyes-Klann, GRDC’s intern from the University of Michigan, is no stranger to community engagement. Since last June, Joél has spent much of his time assisting GRDC’s Community Engagement Manager Kitty Yarbrough with Vacant Property Task Force meetings, and soon he will also help out with this year’s Northwest Detroit Farmers’ Market season. Joél, a…
Yoga didn’t do much for Kerrie Trahan back in 2005 when she tried her first yoga class. She sort of stumbled upon the class as she was checking out what was offered at the Boll Family YMCA downtown. Her dad had signed the whole family up at the Y because, as Kerrie remembers, “he thought…
Since 1971 the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency has operated the Water Residential Assistance Program (WRAP) which helps low and moderate-income Wayne County residents with water bills and assists them to access other essential services such as home repairs, furniture, food, and shelter. Looking to be convenient to the communities it serves, WRAP opened an…
As many people know, a well-organized, knowledgeable Administrative Assistant is vital to a well-run organization. Lucky for GRDC, we have Jocelyn Moss. A Detroiter for the last 20 years, Jocelyn comes to GRDC with experience as the Administrative Assistant for a day care and several churches. As Jocelyn says, she “helps organizations stay organized, so…
Richard Berlin, a founding member of GRDC, is stepping down after decades of service to the Grandmont Rosedale communities. Richard began his community activism in Grandmont Rosedale when he moved in to Grandmont in 1975. Richard’s first involvement in the neighborhood was as a block captain. Over the years Richard served on the Grandmont Community…