New Recycling-Related Grant Opportunities Offered by the Foundation

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To promote recycling opportunities in Shiawassee County, representatives from city, county, and state governments, businesses, and nonprofits have met monthly this year to share ideas and coordinate efforts. The Cook Family Foundation has provided support for this strategic networking from its inception. Now, to expand the success generated from these monthly gatherings, the Foundation is proud to announce new recycling-related grant opportunities.

WHY NOW?

Recycling is not a new topic of discussion. What IS new is the update to Michigan’s old solid waste law, passed to create a different kind of system where landfills are not necessarily the ultimate destination for all of what might be considered “waste”.

This update, known as Part 115, requires counties to create a plan that aims to find more productive ways of managing discarded materials. The goals of this effort are to protect the environment/public health and ensure that materials (recyclables, organic materials, and solid waste) are sustainably managed to achieve benefits to the economy, communities, and the environment. 

So, with a tip of our hats to Mr. Rogers, the Shiawassee County workgroup’s efforts are running in tandem with a new County Materials Management Committee to develop plans focusing on waste as a starting point rather than a final destination. The Cook Family Foundation grants will help plans become actions and is open to funding projects in the planning phase, pilot phase, and the actual “boots-on-the ground” implementation phase. 

WHAT HAS THE COOK FAMILY FOUNDATION-SPONSORED ACTIVITIES ACCOMPLISHED SINCE JANUARY?

  • Gathered county-wide decision makers, some of whom had never met, to learn more about: materials management in general, the successful journeys of other counties in Michigan, and the mandates required by Part 115 as they pertain to each subsection of the County
  • Encouraged sub-group action to develop goals and realistic actions
    • Great Lakes Fusion and Resourceful Recycling received a state grant for exciting new compost programs in association with Memorial Healthcare, Owosso/Corunna Public Schools, and others
    • Student-led e-cycling event 
    • Waste site assessments are now provided at no cost to Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce and Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership member businesses
  • Sparked discussions to create educational initiatives for community outreach/student curriculum


In addition, Dr. Kari Krantz held many Community Engagement sessions throughout the county to learn what residents of our area think about recycling. It was apparent that participants were very supportive of recycling and wanted to know more about how they can participate. Read the full Community Engagement Report.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Summer Concerts Return to Downtown Owosso with a Twist

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It has been apparent that many community members have really missed the annual summer concerts at the Mitchell Amphitheater these past few summers. Historically, folks from the area could gather at the amphitheater on Thursday evenings, but without a community champion for this project, the concerts were silenced. 

In an effort to bring back concerts to the community, the Cook Family Foundation has partnered with multiple organizations to bring back this popular activity. The City of Owosso, the Lebowsky Center for Performing Arts, and the Owosso Masonic Lodge are bringing the concerts back and partnering with a different nonprofit host each night.

The nonprofit hosts will bring awareness to concert goers about what they do. Each organization will bring staff and volunteers to represent their nonprofit and will give a short presentation at intermission. The Cook Family Foundation believes that our nonprofits are a vitally important resource in the Shiawassee Community, and the hope is that sharing this information at the concerts will help others to learn that as well. 

Raise UP Shiawassee is hosting the first concert of the summer on July 10th, 2025. The concert begins at 7:00 pm, and Raise UP Shiawassee representatives will be there prior to the concert to share their information with attendees. They bring a coalition of nonprofit organizations together to fundraise, share ideas, troubleshoot, and host GivingTuesday every year. This group of nonprofits is hosting the July 10th concert together to share about what Raise UP Shiawassee does, and why the collaboration of all these nonprofits is important. Raise UP Shiawassee is more than just a once a year donation after Thanksgiving; they work year-round to provide advocacy for all partnering Shiawassee Nonprofits. 

More than ever, nonprofit organizations need community support. These concerts are a step in the journey to supporting the work they do. Bringing awareness to the impact of each nonprofit is vital, and if just one person’s perspective is shifted by these concerts, it will be a win. Future concerts will be hosted by: the SafeCenter, Voices for Children, the Shiawassee Family YMCA, the Arc of Mid-Michigan, and the Shiawassee Humane Society. Each of these organizations are nonprofit partners of the Cook Family Foundation – committed to their mission in Shiawassee County. 

Make sure you plan to attend these concerts and learn more about the work happening locally by our hard-working nonprofits!
Learn more about the concerts at the City of Owosso’s Facebook Events page: https://www.facebook.com/Owosso/events. 

 

 

Trail Dedication Ceremony Celebrates The Cook Family Foundation

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The Cook Family Foundation staff and others enjoyed being at the ribbon cutting for the James Miner River Trail on Tuesday, June 10th, 2025.

From left to right: Chuck Kerridge, Corunna Parks & Recreation Commission Chair; Carl Ludington, Owosso City Council member; Ron Baker, former Engineer for the City of Owosso; Phil Hathaway former Planner for the City of Owosso; Tom Cook, CFF Co-Director; Rachel Osmer, CFF Associate Director; Lorraine Baker, former OPS teacher; Bryan Marks, Great Lakes Fusion Owner; Aubrey Reeves, CFF Intern; Yvette Collard, CFF Director of Scholarships; Amy Fuller, Assistant City Manager for the City of Owosso; and Rob Teich, Jr., City of Owosso Mayor

The Foundation provided a grant that helped the James Miner River Trail Joint Powers Committee cross the finish line for completing the trail in conjunction with the City of Owosso Government and the City of Corunna. The work for this trail spans across generations, and many folks who contributed were able to attend the ribbon cutting.

We hope folks will take time to explore this span of the river trail, and sit on the beautiful new bench (unveiled at the ribbon cutting).

In addition to a trail map, the newest trail resting spot includes a quote from Tom Cook – emphasizing how important the river is to our community, our families, and our legacy.

“Behind my back less than ten strides away is a river I canoed with my grandfather, and then my father, and then my children. Five decades of paddling with not only family, but friends old and new, has tied me to this place. Something more, something that comes from time spent outdoors and knowledge gained from others, grounds me here.” (The quote is from a blog post Tom wrote about the Foundation’s efforts to protect some wild lands along the Shiawassee River).