On Track to End Hunger

On Saturday, August 24th, Forgotten Harvest will be hosting their first ever On Track to End Hunger fundraiser at the M1 Concourse and The Suburban Collection is proud to serve as a Gold Sponsor for the event. Presented by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, On Track to End Hunger will raise money to support the individuals of metropolitan Detroit who live daily with scarce food resources. 

Forgotten Harvest has been a long-time champion in providing food to those who need it most, while simultaneously reducing waste. By partnering with local Detroit grocery stores, markets, restaurants and caterers, Forgotten Harvest is able to retrieve unused or perishable food that would normally be thrown out and deliver it to emergency food providers. The organization recently expanded, debuting Forgotten Harvest Farms to supplement their donations with freshly grown crops.

The On Track event will feature entertainment and a silent auction and select attendees will have the unique opportunity to experience the M1 Concourse like never before including a thrill ride around the track. 

To learn more about On Track to End Hunger and Forgotten Harvest, please visit ForgottenHarvest.org.

Originally posted on DavidTFischer.net.

The Suburban Collection and The Garden Party

Education and access to opportunities for Michigan’s youth have always been two of The Suburban Collection’s core values. On Sunday, June 9th, at The Garden Party Foundation’s Southeast Michigan Garden Party, we were able to support both as a Magnum Sponsor.  

Founded by Sydney L. Ross and his wife, Elizabeth, the foundation provides professional trade scholarships to underprivileged young adults. The Southeast Michigan Garden Party has a working partnership with Oakland Community College, which funds opportunities for students to enroll in trade programs, including advanced manufacturing, automotive tech, and the culinary arts.

Like us, The Garden Party Foundation believes that education gives young men and women the skills needed to create a fulfilling and meaningful life.

After 11 years in operation, The Garden Party continues to attract approximately 700 guests. They offer signature dishes from 30 local restaurants and serve over 100 different wines. Guests are encouraged to mingle, relax, and display their classic cars.

The Garden Party Foundation will be holding their Northern Michigan party on September 7, 2019. For more information, be sure to visit TheGardenPartyMichigan.org.

Originally posted on DavidTFischer.com on June 17, 2019.

The 7th Annual Honoring Our Heroes Gala | David T. Fischer

The 7th Annual Honoring Our Heroes Gala | David T. Fischer

As of 2015, 7.5% of Michigan adults were military veterans. That number equates to almost 750,000 of our neighbors, friends, and family members. Many of our state’s Post 9-11 veterans face difficulties finding jobs or making ends meet due to service-related illnesses or injuries. These heroes who fought for freedom, liberty, and to maintain our American way of life face foreclosure, repossession, hunger, and even homelessness.

As advocates for meeting the basic needs of the citizens of Michigan, The Suburban Collection is proud to be a sponsor of the 7th Annual Honoring Our Heroes Gala, April 27th at the MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit. The event will support two incredibly important organizations: The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund of Michigan.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation works to build custom-designed and mortgage-free homes for veterans with catastrophic and life-altering injuries. Their organization sets itself apart from others as it continuously commits to providing houses that former service members can afford and maintain.

The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund of Michigan (FWSF) also works to ease the financial burden that many wounded soldiers come home to. Responding to inquiries within 36 hours, the FWSF secures funds to cover a veteran’s bills within one week. Their board members are volunteers who run the organization from their homes.
Our veterans deserve support and praise for their bravery but, more importantly, they deserve to have their basic needs met upon returning to the home they fought for. For more information on the Honoring Our Heroes Gala, visit MotorCityCasino.com.

This post was originally published on DavidTFischer.com on April 23, 2019. 

Waterford School District Teacher Of The Year

Originally published on David T. Fischer’s website.

With a job as demanding as teaching, seeing a teacher give their all day in and day out really emphasizes just how much they are dedicated to their job. When it comes to teaching, a truly passionate and committed teacher puts in the time and effort necessary in order to do the best for their students.

Nichole Rinehart is one of these passionate and committed teachers! She is a teacher at Grayson Elementary School where she works with over 50 fourth and fifth graders. If it isn’t evident by her relationships with her colleagues that Nichole is a respected and cherished part of her teaching community, it should be clear once people see just how beloved she is by her students.

Nichole loves what she does because there is not a day that goes by where she doesn’t feel rewarded by her students. She says, “I get rewarded when someone understands something that they’ve struggled with. I get rewarded when they’re having fun learning. I get rewarded when they make me laugh.”

After reading through all the comments that people wrote about Nichole after they nominated her, we knew that we found our Waterford School District Teacher Of The Year in Nichole Rinehart. On April 13th, Nichole was presented with her award in front of her colleagues and students, as well as her husband, Jeff, her parents, and her three sons. Suburban Ford of Waterford Sales Manager John Duley was there to represent The Suburban Collection in giving Nichole her prize. As you can see in the pictures below, Nichole was ecstatic as she was recognized for all of the time, energy, and dedication that she puts into her students and her job.

Immediately after the ceremony, Nichole and her family were taken to Suburban Ford of Waterford, where Nichole picked out her new car: a 2017 Ford Mustang! She is so happy with the new addition to her home.

We are so honored for the opportunity to recognize these teachers for all that they do for the development of our children. We t want to extend our congratulations to Nichole once again for being an outstanding teacher!

Novi School District Teacher Of The Year

When you think back to high school, you most likely remember that one teacher who made school worth it – the one who pushed you to do better, the one who opened up your mind, the one who introduced you to a hobby you are still passionate about today.

Today’s educators do so much for their students, but many times those efforts go unnoticed. But at The Suburban Collection, we believe these teachers deserve to be recognized. For the past 15 years, we have been honoring stand-out teachers from the surrounding areas with a Teacher of the Year Celebration. It is our way to give something back to the men and women who have done so much for the success of our future generations!

These amazing teachers are awarded with a free two- or three-year lease on a select vehicle from one of our dealerships! They are so deserving of this prize for all of the hard work they put in before, during, and after every school day.

On Monday, March 27th, we had the opportunity to name Jodie Sikaitis, High School Special Education Teacher from Novi High School, the Novi School District Teacher of the Year! When we presented her with her prize, Sikaitis was absolutely speechless. There is something so rewarding in witnessing someone’s face light up after seeing their students and colleagues come together to watch them being recognized for their efforts.

Jodie Sikaitis has been with this high school for over 19 years now and has not only won the hearts of her students over every year, but is a model employee as far as her colleagues are concerned. You can learn more about Jodie and about the event online.

Thankfully, we were able to capture some great images from this event! Below, you will see Retail Operations Manager, John Timmington from Suburban Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Farmington Hills and a happy Jodie Sikaitis holding her prize.

Her proud students also couldn’t wait to get a picture with her after she was officially awarded with her new car (not pictured).