Dearborn Homecoming Helps Nonprofits, Community
Many Dearborn nonprofit groups participate in Homecoming to raise money for the Dearborn community and beyond, including the Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive and the vegetables that support their renowned Free Corn on the Cob booth.
Dearborn’s annual Homecoming festival takes place August 5-7 at Ford Field Park, and even though it is in its 32nd year, many people may be surprised to learn that the event has always been a major fundraiser for Dearborn nonprofit groups.
So when you are buying pierogis, Italian sausages, hot dogs, dippin dots, lemonade, waffle fries or other treats, you are also supporting nonprofit causes that strengthen our community.
More than 30 nonprofit groups participate in Homecoming, with more than 20 involved directly in fundraising.
In fact, all the food and beverage booths outside of the carnival area are exclusively organized and staffed by nonprofit groups, and the money raised in the booths goes to the organizations.
Combined, these groups raise about $70,000 each year for causes that benefit the Dearborn community and beyond.
Among those are: supporting veterans in need, rescuing abandoned animals, providing scholarships, assisting people who are visually impaired, supporting youth sports programs, supplementing funds for high school activities, helping children injured by burns or giving a boost to unemployed families.
This year, the City has teamed up with the Dearborn Community Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of cultural arts and recreation, in an effort to emphasize Homecoming’s charitable aspects.
The Dearborn-based nonprofit groups involved in Homecoming are as follows:
American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), Dearborn Area Board of Realtors, Dearborn Chamber of Commerce, Dearborn Chapter Order of DeMolay, and the Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns.
Also, Dearborn Community Arts Council, Dearborn Education Foundation, the Dearborn Exchange Club, Dearborn Federation of Teachers and the Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive.
The Dearborn High Athletic Booster Club, Dearborn Lions Club, Dearborn Outer Drive Kiwanis Club, Dearborn Youth Football Association, Divine Child Men’s Club, Edsel Ford High School Booster Club and the Fordson Varsity Alumni Club.
Father O’Kelley Knights of Columbus, Fort Dearborn American Legion Post 364, Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter, Italian American Fraternal Club of Dearborn, the Lebanese American Heritage Club and the Michigan-Dearborn Alumni Legacy Foundation.
The Polish League of American Veterans Post 75, Stout Middle School PFSO, The Going Green Foundation, VFW Post 2107 Men’s Auxiliary and the Henry Ford Community College’s radio station WHFR.
Religious institutions also take part: Fairlane Alliance Church, Guardian Lutheran School, St. Clement Orthodox Church, The American Moslem Society and Warrendale Community Church.
More details of some of the groups’ community activities:
The Fort Dearborn American Legion Post 364
This organization uses the money it collects at Homecoming to give back to veterans. Commander Robert Korenchuk said the Post helps veterans in need, providing care and support for them and their families.
They do things around the community like set up Sesame Street toys and take them to military units for when the troops have their children visiting, and support Legion Baseball.
School groups
There are several school groups, such as the Fordson Varsity Alumni Club, that give back to their alma maters or support education and school involvement.
The Fordson Varsity Alumni Club is a non-profit organization made up of Fordson High School (FHS) varsity athletes.
Dearborn City Councilman Robert A. Abraham, a leader in the group, said that its two main goals are supporting FHS student athletes by providing scholarships to Henry Ford Community College and supporting FHS athletic programs.
The money the organization collects at Homecoming goes toward reaching their goal of increasing their $50,000 endowed scholarship fund to one of $100,000 by the end of 2012.
It also helps provide team equipment, accessories, and other amenities not provided by school funding, such as the football scoreboard or a pitching machine for the baseball team.
Edsel Ford’s Booster Club does similar things for Edsel Ford’s sports teams, providing the teams with “anything they need and also to maintain other aspects of the school,” according to Vice President Jerry Stubbe.
The organization has used funds in the past to buy special equipment for math classes and plant flowers and trees outside of the school, which the district cannot provide.
The Divine Child Men’s Club sponsors both sporting and non-sporting events all around the Divine Child (DC) school community, said DC event chairman James Eddy.
The organization supplies uniforms, services, and extra people to help out at school events when necessary.
Youth groups
The Dearborn Chapter Order of DeMolay is a Masonic run youth organization. Similar to Boy Scouts, it teaches young men not “how to tie knots,” according to advisor Elbert Taylor, but leadership and organizational skills. Members run their own organizations with the help of adult supervisors, and earn merits for taking part in activities that prepare them to run businesses.
Green initiatives
A new organization excited to take part in Homecoming for the first time this year is The Going Green Foundation.
CEO Maureen McIlrath said the goal of the foundation is to raise awareness and support sustainability for Dearborn. Among its projects: a 2.5 acre sustainable organic farm in Crowley Park, which will help provide awareness on healthy food choices and bring the community together.
It is also taking part in an agri-science program at Fordson High School, which will create an outdoor classroom and give students with information on jobs in the field.
Burn Drive
Burn Drive Chairman Steve Worden said that the money raised at Homecoming helps the organization care for local families in need, whether they have recently become unemployed and cannot pay their heat bill, are dealing with chronic illnesses, or lost all of their clothes in a house fire.
It also goes to supporting the organization’s endowment funds at Oakwood Hospital and the Penrickton Center for the Blind.
Exchange Club
The Dearborn Exchange Club provides assistance to groups all over town.
Treasurer Gary Wolas said there were “over a hundred things” he could list that the organization takes part in.
Among those: recognizing Dearborn’s outstanding police officers; providing two Dearborn students with a $2,500 scholarship every year; supporting the Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council; contributing to Child’s Hope; and assisting the Dearborn Animal Shelter, Scouts, the Dearborn Symphony, and baseball and Little League programs.
Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter
Even Dearborn’s furry friends benefit from Homecoming funds, as the Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter use money it collect at events to help provide housing and medical care for animals, said Andrea Kuentz, the Friends’ former community outreach director.
For more information on Homecoming, visit www.cityofdearborn.org
July 29th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
That’s a nice way of putting it, that the City Of Dearborn has teamed up with these organizations, when in fact they had no say in it, Big Boy O’Reilly pushed his way in, and kind of exhorted a fee from each one of the non-profit groups. Shame on you, Don O’Reilly, you must think your some kind of bad ass, when in fact you are nothing more than a bully, if you keep this tactic up, you will help fold-up Homecoming, and it will be on your watch — grow up Big Boy, and put yourself in the dunk tank, to raise funds for the City to pay you boy Somers’ lawsuits, you will make a tidy profit for the City, to see you splash your fanny in some water.
July 30th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Mis-informed The Order of DeMolay is a Youth Orrganization the builds Leadership, Patriotism and imporovs the abilites to speak before groups of people
July 31st, 2011 at 12:59 am
Nice piece. Glad to see the Public Infotainment Defartment has earned their keep for another year. Too bad. This middle school essay contest runner-up is 20 years too late. Surprised you guys didn’t pull up pics of the Bi-Centennial celebration with the Dearborn Symphony from ’76 to go with this propaganda. C’mon what do you take us for? Oh, wait….I’m putting down my blankets for the Journey-wannabe imitator band tonight. Sheesh.
August 2nd, 2011 at 1:35 am
This takes place in my neighborhood, so I feel entitled to comment. While a royal pain, folks seem to really like it, year after year. The nice folks I talk to manning the businesses seem to really want to do something to help Dearborn and their groups. My taste in entertainment is a little more orchestra than Journey, but, again, folks seem to really like this stuff. The summer fair is a tradition all over the world, and this one is pretty much like all the other ones I’ve been too. I would also point out that a huge segment of the crowd is sober, and that can’t be a bad thing. So cut the Mayor a little slack, again it could be a whole lot worse.
August 4th, 2011 at 12:57 am
Inspected the site tonight. There are quite a few walking areas that are not level, and the pavement at the bottom of the stairs next to the warming house is rubble – dangerous for anyone with a little trouble walking. The lack of investment in the park is obvious. Uncut weeds (right by Cherry Hill), unseeded grassy areas, mud, poor landscaping.
Let the party begin . . .
August 4th, 2011 at 2:27 am
What amount is “donated” by Dearborn taxpayers to pay for Homecoming to stage this wonderful noon-profit event.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:00 am
This should grace the cover of the Detroit News, I am so inspired by stories like these. I have made attempts to reach out to help our Detroit Community but have not heard any reply. I am from Harrison Township and firmly believe that when helping others we are showing unity and heart in the circumstance that is needed.
August 8th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
We went Sunday afternoon. The Polish Food-Wonderful, Cannolli the best. “Hotel California” the best cover band i’ve ever heard. I seen the “Eagles”, have their CD’s & it was great. The fireworks just super.
The only sad part was the MOVE of the Polish Tent & the lack of Polka Music. This I do not understand as it always was full of happy, dancing people. Thank You Dearborn for a great time.
August 8th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
What I gather in regards to Dearborn Pools closing is not so much its cost as the fact Health Inspectors could not give it a clean rating. Rules before entering pools must be obeyed in order to have clean pools.
August 8th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
Sylvia you must be nuts, there was hardly anybody there, compared to previous years. If O’Reilly keeps dipping into everybody’s tent he will have less and less vendors in the future. You had to watch where u were walking because of the dirty conditions, as the City didn’t have a crew cleaning up the surrounding areas, however, the fireworks were good, but the City better watch out, charging $10 to park, and if the fireworks sponsors bail out, the people will be the losers.
August 8th, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Tdogg u normally have something good to say, however, u are nuts as far as giving O’Reilly some slack, the grounds at Homecoming were in terrible shape, when compared to the way his dad and Guido used to give the grounds some extra care. I personally believe it was because they both had class for themselves and for their City, however, Mr. Haney, a/k/as O’Reilly could care less about the way the park looked, he always looks at the bottom line, and that is a cryin shame, the people and our guests who come to Homecoming, deserve better.
August 11th, 2011 at 2:47 am
Who paid for the fireworks and entertainment this year? I hope it wasn’t me since I emphatically support our pools, parks, museums and libraries, not a once-a-year event I haven’t been to in over 20 years.