When government can't, people do

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Janet Leslie

When I was a kid, my parents had a plaque on a wall in our home with an image of the American flag, and these words of John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” I always appreciated the beauty of the words, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the average citizen prefers to receive from society rather than to give. It seems that many people believe that if they work and pay taxes, the government should supply them with everything they want in their community. And if the government cannot provide, they are content to complain and point fingers. Right here in Holly there are some extraordinary individuals who, rather than complaining about what government cannot do, have simply stepped up and offered their services.

A couple of years ago, when former Village of Holly DDA Director Suzanne Perreault was new on the job, she stated as one of her long-term goals the desire to commission a market research survey, which she estimated to cost around $15,000. She took quite a bit of heat for suggesting something that was beyond the scope of the DDA budget, but she managed to reassure everyone that the project was a part of a “wish list” for the community, and not something she was attempting to push through immediately. Nevertheless, she continued to believe in the value of such a survey and made note of the positive results obtained by other communities who had commissioned surveys of their own.

This fall, as the Holly Area Economic Development Task Force formed and began to establish goals, it became clear that the data that could be collected with such a survey would be vital to our mission. I contacted Oakland University and was put in touch with two students who had the relevant education to conduct such a survey and who were interested in the job. However, once I informed them that the task force could not pay them for their services, they both disappeared.

Then up popped Ryan Bladzik, owner of Great Lakes Creative Marketing & Communications, volunteering to conduct the survey and other data-gathering activities at cost. Instead of having to pay $15,000 for a market research survey, the community is getting the same quality product for $4,000 or less. Why?  Because Mr. Bladzik cares about this community, wants to contribute, and is committed to establishing his business here in Holly.

Many Holly area residents lament that we do not have a community center or recreation center.  Generally their biggest concern is that kids in Holly do not have enough opportunities for safe entertainment after school. But these same residents, like most of us, are unable to support a tax increase to fund a community center or the establishment of community youth programs.  

But this does not mean that there are not safe recreational activities available for kids after school. The First Baptist Church of Holly provides recreational opportunities for teens every Friday night through their Fuel 4 Teens program. To be honest, my preconception of who would attend such a program was a half dozen unhappy kids whose overprotective parents insist that they go there. But in fact, according to Pastor Ed Pedley, about 100 kids attend the Fuel 4 Teens program every Friday night. You can’t convince me 100 teens are forced to be there; they show up because they want to be there.

Not content to offer kids something to do once a week, Pastor Ed recently challenged his congregation to collect $30,000 to send 100 kids to summer camp. Would you believe within five days Pastor Ed had collected half the money? What an amazing example of leadership and what an amazing show of commitment to the community!

If you read The Holly Express regularly, you know that the Village of Holly is facing major budget challenges, due mostly to declining tax revenues. You would also know that, among many budget cuts, the village cancelled the Fourth of July fireworks. Now, of all the services the village provides, the fireworks display is the one that consistently exceeds expectations. The event draws crowds from within and without the community, the crowds behave responsibly under the watchful eye of the village police, and the show is as good as those presented by communities five times our size.

Rather than berate the Village Council for a lack of commitment, rather than threaten to sue for breach of contract, what did village resident and fireworks contractor Fred Hopper do?  He stepped up to the plate and volunteered to collect the funds himself. He went to the Citizens Bank and opened an account for the purpose of depositing donations. Amy Mayhew volunteered to set up a PayPal link for donations right here on The Holly Express. The Holly Area Chamber of Commerce offered to match contributions up to $1,000. And thus, the effort to save the fireworks is off to a blazing start.

When government fails to meet our expectations because of a lack of knowledge, a lack of sensitivity, a lack of effort, or a lack of commitment, we all have a right and a responsibility to voice our objections. When government cannot provide all that we desire because of practical or financial limitations, another tactic is required. We can all take inspiration from our friends and neighbors who, like Ryan, Ed, and Fred, are willing to pick up where government leaves off. How fortunate we are to live in Holly, where so many people are so willing to ask what they can do for our community.