Griffins hand out coats for Guiding Light Mission

By: Brittney Schering

Griffins defense players, Greg Amadio and Logan Pyett, will switch to offense to hand out coats to those in need at Guiding Light Mission. Joining their team will be five members of the Griffins’ front office staff. The distribution will take place on Thursday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. in the chapel.

The coats were part of a drive that was conducted from Sept. 27 to Oct. 15 by Fox V.O.I.C.E. Hundreds of items were donated through the coat drive. Guiding Light Mission spend two days sorting and organizing the items from blankets, coats, hats, and gloves for men, women, and children.

The pick-up opportunity is open to men in the S.T.A.R.T. program and their families as well as men in the emergency shelter. The rest of the items will be handed out to other agencies for distribution.

Donations were accepted at the Grand Rapids Griffins front office located at the Van Andel Arena, as well as at all 18 Fox Motors dealership locations, including the following in Grand Rapids: Delta Imports, Fox Acura, Fox Ford Mazda, Fox Honda, Fox Hyundai Kia, Fox Nissan, Fox Pontiac GMC, Fox Saab, and Fox Yamaha.

The goal at Guiding Light Mission is to serve its clients. The drive conducted by Fox V.O.I.C.E. means that men in the shelter and their families will not be cold this winter. For more information on the Fox V.O.I.C.E. or Guiding Light Mission, please head over to www.dpfox.com/thefoxvoice or www.lifeonthestreet.org.

Griffins and Fox Motors team up for coat drive

By: Brittney Schering

Grand Rapids Griffins and Fox Motors are collecting new and gently used coats and blankets, as well as new hats, gloves, and scarves, from now until Oct. 15 for Guiding Light Mission.

For every new coat donated during this time, donors will receive a voucher to purchase up to four Griffins tickets at $10 apiece for the Friday, Oct. 22 game versus Milwaukee.

Donations will be accepted during business hours at the Griffins' office at Van Andel Arena and all 18 Fox Motors dealership locations, including Delta Imports, Fox Acura, Fox Ford Mazda, Fox Honda, Fox Hyundai Kia, Fox Nissan, Fox Pontiac Buick GMC, Fox Saab, and Fox Yamaha in the Grand Rapids area.

The Fox V.O.I.C.E. (Volunteer Organization Involving the Community and Employees) is a community involvement committee comprised of the following DP Fox Ventures affiliates: Grand Rapids Griffins, Fox Insurance, and Fox Motors.

For more information on how you can help keep West Michigan warm this winter, including addresses to drop-off locations, please check out www.dpfox.com/thefoxvoice.

Talent hidden within Heartside

By: Brittney Schering

Heartside artists' paintings will be displayed at Guiding Light Mission from Sept. 22 to Oct. 10. Guiding Light is a venue that offers a substance abuse recovery program for men, as well as emergency shelter services.

The Heartside community of Grand Rapids is poor by definition, yet rich in talent. Unknown to the naked eye, the community has an abundance of gifted people creating art of all kinds.

Debra Dieppa is one Heartside artist who expresses her adversities through painting. Describing herself as being born without roots, in the eye of a storm, she uses Heartside as a way to move forward, in a positive direction, with her life.

Debra, along with 19 other Heartside artists will have the chance to show of their talents at Guiding Light Mission in the ArtPrize competition. They are to collaborate on seven different large-scale canvases that are titled, "Kaleidoscopes."

The name "Kaleidoscopes" comes from their outlook on life. The artists patronize Heartside Ministries, for they have come from broken streets and backgrounds but the light of a community alive with understanding, acceptance, and unity helps them see thigns from a different perspective.

For more information about Guiding Light Mission, please go to www.lifeonthestreet.org.