Guest Post: A day in Motown without motors — for the green of it!

2012 Tour de Troit start.

University of Michigan School of Public Health faculty, alumni, and students were among the 5000 riders who participated in the 2012 Tour de Troit. They cycled through Detroit in September to help raise money for Southwest Detroit Greenlink, a nonprofit that develops bike lanes and other cycling facilities in Detroit.

The TdT, as it is known, “is a bike ride that explores some of the city’s historic areas, takes in many of its most breathtaking sights, and provides bicyclists a unique opportunity to legally ‘take over’ the streets of the Motor City,” according to organizers.

KT Tomey and Joe Eisenberg of U-M SPH Department of Epidemiology

“We had a blast cycling through Detroit in this year’s Tour de Troit,” reported KT Tomey, a U-M SPH research assistant professor of epidemiology, who contributed the photos and reflections for this guest post.

“The 30-mile event started at Roosevelt Park, near the old Michigan Central train station, wound through the streets of Detroit, onto Belle Isle and then back to Roosevelt Park. The weather was perfect, the mood was upbeat. Detroiters waved from their porches. After the ride, we enjoyed lunch and live music in Roosevelt Park. We will plan to do this again next year!”

An ELEGANT way to support those impacted by cancer!

Michelle

During my summer internship at the Cancer Support Community (CSC) of Greater Ann Arbor, I got involved in their latest initiative, The Brides Project. Based on a similar organization in Toronto, Canada, The Brides Project (TBP) is a non-profit run by volunteers dedicated to raising funds for the programs of the CSC through the resale of donated bridal gowns. Once-worn gowns donated by brides or unsold gowns donated by bridal shops are made available for purchase to brides-to-be at a considerable savings. All profits from the sale of the gowns go to the CSC to support programs and services for people touched by cancer.

The gowns are high quality and offered at costs of 50% below market prices. And the boutique is at 208 W. Liberty St. in downtown Ann Arbor, thanks to Mark Hodesh of Mark’s Carts and Downtown Home and Garden fame!

Lovely Front Door of The Brides Project Boutique!

I have been a volunteer at the Cancer Support Community for two years and it’s been wonderful every minute- but this project has gone above and beyond and shown me how creative you can be when you put your mind to it! My involvement with TBP started with many different planning committees – helping with anything I could along the way. I helped create the inventory system for the donated dresses and inevitably I ended up working at a bridal show…

Might be bad luck, but it was fun nonetheless! This upcoming weekend – I’m so lucky to be going with fellow HBHEr, Leah Gacoich, to an appointment at TBP boutique. She’s going to look so beautiful in all of the gowns! I will try to update the blog with some of her thoughts about the project after the appointment on Sunday.

Hope everyone is having a productive, fun Fall Study Break! Don’t forget to stop by my poster this Friday to learn more about The Brides Project and the Cancer Support Community!