The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce asks the business community to “brace” itself for a brand new approach to its current business awards and expo and announces B.R.A.C.E—short for Business Recognition Awards Ceremony & Expo. This annual event–to be held Thursday, April 26, 2012, 11 am – 2 pm, at the Henry, an Autograph Collection Hotel in Dearborn–combines effective networking, business appreciation and an expo showcasing over 35 business. Presenting sponsor is Ford Land.

“We are always looking for ways to update and invigorate our current events to add value to our members,” says Dearborn Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Mike Kirk. “The name was just the first step in creating a clearer message and branding to recognize innovative and forward-thinking business models.”

This year the Chamber will honor Henry Ford Medical Center—recent recipient of the 2011 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, one of the most prestigious national awards for performance excellence—with the Business of the Year Award. Named after the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was established in 1987 by Congress to promote quality awareness, to recognize quality and business achievements of U.S. organizations, and to publicize these organizations’ successful performance strategies.

The Leadership Award will be given to Genevieve Vang, proprietor of Bangkok 96 Restaurant. The Small Business Award will be bestowed on The Glass Academy.

Vang has owned the Thai food restaurant since 1996 and has just embarked on the creation and promotion of a frozen food line of her best culinary offerings. She supports several local charities including the Dearborn Animal Shelter.

The Glass Academy, opened and operated by award-winning artists Michelle Plucinsky and Chris Nordin, exemplify how strong work ethic and great leadership impact growth, profit and community dedication. Housed in a renovated auto manufacturing plant, the art space has become a destination for art enthusiasts throughout the region. In addition to commissioned works of art created for large organizations, the Academy also hosts successful shows featuring beautiful glass pumpkins and holiday ornaments.

The luncheon will also honor a forward-thinking unique business model that breaks traditional molds with its Innovator of the Year. Another new aspect will encourage nominations from the community and chamber membership via an online voting component. Past awardees have included The Henry Ford Makers Faire, Hype Athletics and Severstal North America.

The newly branded B.R.A.C.E. will connect and showcase organizations in the Dearborn community. The luncheon, including a new video component spotlighting each awardee, will also highlight businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries, from 5 years to 100 years. The expo will enable companies to promote their products and services to more than 300 business owners, community leaders and corporate professionals.

The cost to attend the event is $50 for Chamber members and $65 for non-members; $500 for table of 10 with signage. Space is limited. Register online at www.dearbornchamber.org.

The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce promotes the best interests of over 500 member organizations by enhancing leadership opportunities, connection with prospective customers, endorsement of products and services, increasing sales and saving money.

The Dearborn Community Arts Council (DCAC) invites the public to attend the Mayor’s Arts Awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8 inside the Michael A. Guido Theater in the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.

It is free.

The awards were created by the DCAC and the late mayor, Michael Guido, to honor those members of our community who create, perform, educate and the support the fine and performing arts in the greater Dearborn area.

The Master of Ceremonies for this year’s prestigious event will be Dearborn’s multi-talented Brian Townsend.

Among the groups slated to perform during the evening are the Prysm School of the Arts and the Dearborn High Thespians. There will also be a film montage created by the DHS Film and Video program.

The 24th Mayor’s Arts Awards honorees are as follows:

Frank Padzieski The Mayor’s Award

Isabelle Renaud Artist/Performer Award

Kurt Doelle Arts Educator Award

Leslie Greeneisen DCAC Bravo Award

Cynthia Frabutt Volunteer Award

University of Michigan- Dearborn Patron Award

Artists Society of Dearborn Organization Award

The public is also invited to a reception immediately following the ceremony in Studio A, next to the theater.

For more information, call the DCAC office at 313-943-3095.

The Dearborn Recreation Commission will meet for its regular monthly session at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 14.

The commission meets in Club Room 1 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave.

The February meeting date was published incorrectly in the 2012 City of Dearborn calendar.

When the Founding Fathers drafted the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, their definition of “We, the People” was essentially people just like themselves – free white men. Today, “We” are a much more inclusive group, yet many still believe that minorities and immigrants are somehow not worthy of being called Americans.

The Arab American National Museum is pleased to present the innovative, experiential exhibition Fighting for Democracy: Who is the ‘We” in “We, the People”? as a companion to its current exhibition Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country.

Fighting for Democracy opens with a public reception at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2; both exhibitions run through June 10, 2012 and are free with Museum admission.

Created by the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in Los Angeles, California and currently on a national 10-city tour, Fighting for Democracy highlights the stories of seven diverse individuals, their service to their country during World War II, and their civic engagement that helped to change our American democracy for the betterment of all. This exhibition asks visitors to think critically about freedom, history, and, ultimately, the ongoing struggle to live democratically in a diverse America.

“By presenting Patriots & Peacemakers and Fighting for Democracy simultaneously, we bring attention and pay tribute not only to Arab Americans but to all minorities who have served our nation,” says AANM Director Dr. Anan Ameri. “While some today demonize and attack minorities and immigrants, it’s vital that we, as a nation, at this point in our history, understand the role these groups have played and continue to play in serving and protecting our nation.”

Fighting for Democracy uses World War II as a case study to begin discussion about how women and minorities have expanded the meaning of “we” in “we, the people.” It looks at the experiences of seven real people and traces their stories throughout the pre-war, war, and post-war periods as examples of the millions of Americans whose lives were affected by the war. They provide ways of helping viewers to understand the conditions facing Americans before and during World War II.

Those profiled in the exhibition include Hector Garcia of Mercedes, TX; Carl Gorman of Chinle, AZ; Hazel Ying Lee of Portland, OR; Domingo Los Banos of Kalaheo, HI; George Saito of Los Angeles, CA; Frances Slanger of Boston, MD; and Roger “Bill” Terry of Los Angeles, CA.

“Fighting for Democracy aims to teach young people that they too can shape American democracy,” says Akemi Kikumura Yano, president and CEO of the JANM. “We are hopeful that this traveling exhibition will inspire people with stories of remarkable Americans like George Saito and Hector Garcia and others and take it upon themselves to change our country for the better of all.”

Fighting for Democracy is presented by the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, an educational program of the Japanese American National Museum funded through a Congressional appropriation, to advance the understanding of, and commitment to, American democratic ideals. The Los Angeles exhibition and traveling version was funded in part by the U.S. Army Center of Military History. The traveling exhibition 10-city tour has been made possible through the generous support of The Boeing Company.

Team Dearborn is getting ready for our second charity pub crawl! Here’s the basic info:

$15 registration fee for a wristband that gets you specials at our participating bars- MUST BE 21 TO PARTICIPATE.

Participating bars so far: Buffalo Wild Wings, Biergarten, Bailey’s, Post Bar, Double Olive.

We’re having an ugly Christmas sweater contest- come help us ugly up the Avenue! We’ll have prizes for the ugliest sweater, so make sure you bring your A-game. Some team members are going all out to secure that honor for themselves. 😀 Judging (by an independent panel of experts!) will take place at 11:30 pm at the Post.

Look for 50/50 drawings, raffle prizes and other surprises throughout the night!

We’re still getting the final details nailed down, and we’ll be announcing the each bar’s specials as we get closer to the event. They had some great deals for us at our first pub crawl, so it will be well worth your registration fee. Watch this space for more info! Details can also be found on our blog, http://www.teamdearborncares.blogspot.com/.

Registration venue will be announced once we finalize the list of venues and our route (likely to be at Buffalo Wild Wings from 7 – 9pm). You can buy your wristband the night of the crawl, or find a Team Dearborn member ahead of time to save your spot.

Specials so far:

Buffalo Wild Wings: $3 pints, $3 select appetizers

Biergarten: $2 shot specials, $3 vodka bombs, possibly some beer specials

Bailey’s: $5 top shelf Long Islands, $5 Patron, specials on their featured beers (not sure what December’s beers are yet)- $3 small domestic, $4 small import/specialty

All proceeds from registration and other activities will be donated to the American Cancer Society through the Relay for Life of Dearborn.

More information (times, price, specials at the different bars, etc) can be found at the group’s facebook event page  http://www.facebook.com/events/159355404163843/.

Santa is coming to the Dearborn Fire Safety House.

19750 Outer Drive, next to Station No. 2

Friday, Dec. 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and

Saturday, Dec. 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (EDDDA) Board of Directors and staff Melissa Kania and Mike Bewick invite you to their 3rd annual Holiday Open House on Wednesday December 14, 2011 from 4-8pm at the EDDDA office, 13750 Michigan Ave., two blocks west of Schaefer.

Join them and casually network with district merchants and residents, business partners, stakeholders and City of Dearborn officials.

It’s a great opportunity to connect with the EDDDA and learn what they do and what they can do to help support and promote their district businesses and the East Dearborn downtown area.

As always, guests will enjoy tasting “the world in a mile” with fabulous food from several of the diverse restaurants in the neighborhood. Beverages will also be served.

No reservations necessary, and all are welcome to attend.

Speaking of the holidays, the EDDDA also paid for holiday decorations of garland, lights and red bows that are merrily strung upon streetlight poles along Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Road.

For more on events and businesses in east Dearborn, visit the EDDDA website and sign up for their newsletter at www.EastDowntownDearborn.com. Also find them on Facebook –just search East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority.

Don’t miss this year’s Holiday Show and Sale at Dearborn’s Glass Academy on Saturday, 12/3 and Sunday, 12/4 from 10:00am-6:00pm.

The Glass Academy will have beautiful hand blown glass ornaments, icicles, snowmen, candy canes and much more to make your holiday shopping experience unique and fun. Enjoy live glassblowing demonstrations while you shop for that perfect one-of-a-kind gift made in Michigan. Admission is free.

The Glass Academy also is hosting a Holiday Show Preview Party on Thursday, 12/1/11 from 6:00-8:00pm. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on-line by clicking on the icon below or by calling the studio at 313-561-4527.

The public is invited to attend a free photography lecture-workshop series to be presented by award winning Dearborn photographer Teresa Lousias. The series is part of the Oakwood Arts for the Spirit program and will be held in the Rotunda Room of Oakwood Common, located at 16351 Rotunda in Dearborn.

The four-part lectures and workshop series will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and include:

Photography Travel Lecture, August 31

“The Art of Seeing” Workshop, September 7

“The Zen of Photography” Workshop, September 14

Framing and Exhibiting Your Photos Lecture, September 21

 Photography workshop participants will have an opportunity to showcase their photos at an Exhibition Day event to be held in the Rotunda Room at Oakwood Common on Sunday, October 23, 2011.

“This will be a fun and informative experience that will help to enhance your photography knowledge,” said Delfina Mauricio, Activity Director for Oakwood Common.

For more details and to make a reservation, please call 313-253-9597 or send an email to donna.brandt@oakwood.org.

About Oakwood Common

Oakwood Common offers one and two bedroom apartments located within a beautiful 29-acre retirement community that includes exquisite landscaping, nature trails and scenic views along the historic Rouge River Gateway in Dearborn. Oakwood Common apartments, available with flexible payment options, offer exceptional amenities for independent living and can be readily customized. Assisted living and a comprehensive rehabilitation and skilled nursing center are also available for those with additional needs. For more information and to arrange tours, call 800-642-4663 or visit www.oakwoodcommon.org

The Wayne County Department of Public Services is sponsoring a free Household Hazardous Waste Collection event 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 18 on the campus of Henry Ford community College, 5101 Evergreen Road.

It is open to Dearborn and all other Wayne County residents.

The event will allow residents to dispose of items such as household paints, stains, and dyes; floor care products such as wax and carpet cleaner; furniture polish; bathroom cleaners; stain removers; solvents; non-controlled pharmaceutical waste; nail polish; glue; fertilizer; lawn and garden chemicals; pesticides; antifreeze; motor oil; gasoline; propane tanks; automotive and dry cell batteries; fluorescent bulbs; fire extinguishers; smoke detectors; mercury thermometers and thermostats; and elemental mercury.

People are also encouraged to donate computer CPUs, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, and mice, as well as cell phones, fax machines, copiers, and televisions, for electronics recycling.

Among the items not accepted are: commercial and industrial waste, radioactive material, explosives, ammunition, 55 gallon drums, shock sensitive materials, household trash, refrigerators, microwaves and other appliances, ties, yard waste, roofing shingles, and concrete will not be accepted at this event.

For more information on the event or on how to rid of the items not accepted, contact the Wayne County Department of Public Service at 734-326-3936.