With all of the tainted-water stories coming out of Flint, Michigan these days, it’s easy to forget that life goes on, and that people in Flint are still working to enhance and grow the community. One such effort is the GreenLight Flint Business Plan Competition, which takes place on January 27 (next week)! I served as a judge in this event last year, and was struck by the community spirit and the broad cross-section of Flint citizens who turned out. The camaraderie was great, and the FOOD at the event (provided by a local small business) was OUTSTANDING. With the many recent distractions, the organizers are running behind on their fund-raising goal. This event is organized by Reinvest Flint, and supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Spartan (MSU) Innovations, but a bit more support is needed to produce a quality event for the community. If you know an individual or organization that would like to support this event, send an e-mail to jcaya@reinvestflint.org. In the short run, Flint needs clean water. In the long run, the city needs a vibrant and growing business community.
For more info on the event, see greenlightflint.com. If you can swing it, attend the event! You’ll enjoy it.