Avalon International Bakery

422 W. WILLIS • DETROIT, MI 48201 313.832.0008

  HOURS OF OPERATION: MON – SAT 6 AM – 6 PM SUN 8 AM – 4 PM

I enjoy finding places that are out of the way and unassuming, but offer something I love…be it great food, unusual items, or inspiration and if it offers more than one of those things, all the better.

Living in Holliday Park offers the opportunity to find places in many locations, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Plymouth or Northville, because all are within a 20-30 minute drive. This short drive also makes it possible to enjoy my places often. They can be a destination in themselves or a stop on the way to another place. I love sharing these finds with my friends and learning that they have added them to their list of favorite places. These are just two of my favorites in Detroit…one old and one new.

I’ve often heard that you find things when you aren’t looking, and I think that’s true, because the first find, Avalon International Breads, was discovered about ten years ago when my oldest daughter and I got lost after attending a function at Wayne State University. It was near lunch time and we noticed the large number of people going in and decided we would check it out.

Upon entering, the aroma of the baked goods was intoxicating and the choices were many. After finding out that they served breakfast and lunch, besides selling baked goods, we ordered sandwiches. Mine I remember was mozzarella with tomato and basil on olive bread. It was amazing! After lunch, I purchased one of their bread’s and some sweet rolls for our breakfast the next day.

While making these selections, I noticed the sign that all the bake goods were made with organic flour. I have returned many times in the years since. Sometimes it has been the destination for my daughter and I when she visits from Seattle, and other times I have added it on to a trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts or attending a play at the Hillberry.

It’s still a very unassuming looking place. Not much if anything has changed since my first visit, except that they now deliver to 40 restaurants and markets located from Ann Arbor to Royal Oak and Grosse Point.

So they fill the bill as a place that offers great things to eat, but they also offer inspiration by the fact that they overcame the doubters of their being successful in opening a bakery offering artisan breads in what used to be called the Cass Corridor and became what was the beginning of a transformation of the area into what is now known as Midtown. Avalon is located at 422 W. Willis just off Cass in the Wayne State area and is open seven days a week.

* For the Third Year in-a-row Avalon International Bakery is partnering with Kids Kicking Cancer.  A portion of their in-store-sales will be donated to this worthy cause on Valentines Day February 14th.   See Avalon’s web site for details:  www.avalonbreads.net  . The Bakery’s slogan is Eat Well.  Do good!  They do what they suggest to others. 

Another of my favorite places is a new one that I found just about a month ago when I was staying at the Book Cadillac hotel for the weekend. It does offer good things to eat, but not in the same way. It’s called Lafayette Greens. This is a place of total inspiration for me and although not a destination in itself, it’s a place that if I am anywhere in that area, I will want to drive by and check it out.

My second favorite place is located on a triangular shaped lot at W. Lafayette and Shelby in downtown Detroit. It was part of the view from my hotel window, the first time I saw this place. It was fenced in and had 35 raised beds. I had to check it out because it looked so curious, and what I found was that it was an urban garden and a relaxing green space that is sponsored by Compuware. Last summer, Lafayette Greens grew, in one month’s time, more than 900,000 pounds of fresh produce specifically for the Gleaners Community Food Bank. That’s not bad for an unassuming three quarters of an acre piece of land in an urban environment.

If you get a chance, I hope you will check out both of these places and maybe you will add them to your list of favorite places to go.

When I purchased my membership at Holliday Park more than a decade ago, I felt wise beyond my years because I am frugal to a fault, and expect to squeeze every penny from money invested into two pennies of “worth”. Cooperative living is for me, the ultimate 21^st Century housing choice because you won’t find yourself under-water and indebted during the best and most productive years of your life.

Then too, the sociability offered in the cooperative community here, was a plus as well. I love people! The parties, trips, pool gatherings, golfing group activities, card players and even the volunteer committees I’d heard about sounded like a great way to “give back” and have enjoyment and interesting experiences too.

At first, I didn’t have time to meet many people. My work took most of my waking hours and energy. I did volunteer (well I was energetically recruited) for the Night Patrol, and got a randomly chosen partner who’d lived at the co-op for several years. This person was very colorful. He had a special hat with built in ear-warmers that he wore only on these Patrol Missions. He threw himself into the Patrol Process…checking for burned out security lights, anyone in need of an escort home in the wee small hours, and any unusual behavior.

He taught me to “keep my eyes open” for creatures from the nature park that almost surrounds us, and told of an encounter with an animal whose feet would easily have filled his size 13 shoes. He never did say what kind of animal it was, or what happened, but we did find ourselves laughing a lot, and since those early days, when we only saw each other on the designated 3 nights a year, we’ve become very good friends. We’ve added to that story until now people’s eyes pop open-wide in the telling of the latest version..(specially newbies to the patrol). You’d be surprised how awake people get when they think someone or something is “out-there” and it has big feet.

 A member I met on a co-op trip to China, has become my valued “go-to person” for life’s little emergencies. We lend each other extra chairs for entertaining at Lot Soirees and a shoulder when a conversation with a relative, friend, boss, or other….goes south. We bring each other the band aid when a project called for knowledge, not just courage; a mop when the washing machine collapses from the weight of too many pool time towels, and a safety pin……a big one………….when necessary. This person tells me if my new jeans make my……YOU KNOW……..and I can count on them, and they can count on me.

Yet another HP member is my consort when it comes to reverse merchandising…or becoming fully engaged in consumerism. Recently, (and this is just one example) a new sectional sofa was needed for her large living room. Numerous family members were about to gather for an important celebration and the current seating was leaning conspicuously to the right. Springs were no longer firmly gathered in what was left of the tired leather cushions, and a wobbly leg of this 15 year old relic had split up the middle.

Although the wind was howling, and the rain poured rather than sprinkled upon everything and everyone in sight, out we went to EVERY furniture store in a five mile radius, then a 10 mile radius, and by a 50 mile radius near Rochester and even past Bloomfield Hills, we, the intrepid shoppers, carried on. The furniture we saw was either too big, too small, too soft, too deep-seated, too high backed, OR the chaise end was left-armed and not the necessary right-armed style….or other. Eight hours later we came home..unsuccessful. A day later, at the Macy’s down the block…this person found perfection. If you can survive an experience like this one, aided only by respect for the quest, six cups of Cheeky Monkey coffee and two coney-dogs with all the fixin’s, then you are more than friends ….you are consummate-cohorts of the highest caliber.

Another person with whom I mingle socially, is a like minded history buff whom I met while gazing at the Pyramids on yet anther HP cruise. This person records the same National Geographic and History Channel Programs that I also love, researches, reads, and tries to learn “key” phrases before sojourning to a new foreign-tongued destination like West Germany (yet another trip with many memories to relate), same as me, and has an uncanny knack for taking amazing candid shots of incredibly beautiful people and places. Long after the suitcases are stored, the trip stays real due to his pictorial journal. Also, if you lose your passport, or get into any iffy Customs questioning, HE is THERE FOR YOU..in all the ways that matter.

Lastly, to keep this blog under 1000 words, two very special members who live within “shuffling distance “(the distance between my unit and theirs when I still have on my sweats and slippers) in the early hour morning dew or late night fogginess; are always up for a pick up game of Hearts, Euchre, or an avid discussion about Deepak Chopra’s views of the “power to fulfill your dreams”. We’ve found we can discuss almost everything, with more than respect for each others view points, with affection for their willingness to listen, share and perhaps gain insights…all with ego set aside in the spirit of personal growth.

Also, a quick mention of one last gracious socializing and valued peer who will come at a moments notice to help blow up…patch up…and primp the extra guest bed when the in-laws, kids, childhood friends, old roommates and others are suddenly arriving and outnumber the standard sleeping arrangements of my unit.

There you have it, dear readers, 6 degrees of unique and creative socialization with genuine, trustworthy, caring and giving loyal friends who make life richer on so many levels. Truly, I have my two pennies worth for each penny spent…………and so much more!!! Life is GOOD when companionship with others is this satisfying. I’m very blessed!

To truly live is to make your fondest dream a reality or so “they” say. I don’t dream big……….I’m a bottom line, facts and figures …money squeezer type of person who saves, recycles, reinvests and reinvents, in order to live well for less, and achieve a healthy savings account (even if it isn’t growing as I write this blog).

In fact I moved to Holliday Park Cooperative because the carrying charges were low, the unit styles were well designed, and an all-on-one-floor ranch style, fit my wish list of wants and needs perfectly. It did not hurt that they also offered social clubs, a huge heated pool, well maintained housing and manicured grounds, with room for a garden/patio area, and covered parking availability.

Little did I know that one of the many perks of cooperative living, would send me on a journey that I had only imagined in those moments when you get “tested” by life, and need to assume the position and meditate. It was during one of those times, that I happened to hear about a Cruise to the Mediterranean, that would include just about every beautiful, exquisite, ancient city and vista in that part of the world.

When I called the Travel Club people who planned the trips and heard of the discounts that members received due to the number of participants who frequent these activities; I absolutely had to pursue this adventure on the sea.

Everything was handled for us,it seemed, and the process of getting signed up, paying, traversing to the cruise ship and getting “launched and settled” was effortless. ALL I had to do really, was SHOW UP AND GO. Many neighbors joined me and we partnered in every adventure and day trip that we could fit into the already well planned and diverse schedule which the travel agency/ cruise line had planned for us.

I had done my homework as I always do before any traveling happens. I’d read about the Seven Wonders and which ones were still in existence like The Colossus of Rhodes which was a huge statue of the Titan Helio, erected to guard the harbor of the City of Rhodes after a terrible battle with the King of Cyprus, and how it  now lays in ruins. It had been 107 feet tall and had been built in 280 B.C. I wanted to see the 2^nd oldest city of the world, Ephesus, in Turkey, which is known to have been the last home of the Virgin Mary. I read about Pompeii and Cairo.  I wanted to stand in the sands in front of the Pyramids to see the blue green waters of the Amalfi Coast. More than anything,  I wanted toexperience moments in life that take your breath away.

All of that HAPPENED TO ME over a period of 14 unforgettable DAYS.

The cruise ship was an enormous floating community where high energy and relaxation mixed in odd ways. The cabins were pleasing with touches of elegance in the amenities and extra-comfy beds, great for exhausted sleep, and had just enough room to clean up before heading out to the next epic event. The food and entertainment were great too, but for me, the recap of the days activities, told in all their “splendor” by us…the tourista’s …of the overworked cameras….who had lived and breathed them, this was the “cherry on top” of this multi-flavored experience.

How do I tell you what it was like to sink your feet into the sands of our predecessors……….those who walked this earth in the B.C’s with pride, ethics and the inventiveness to create the first language, pictorial and written history, the beginnings of what was to become medicine, literature, culture, music and art?

Another fact that I must convey, right here, right now, is that five of those brave souls who accompanied me on this quest to embrace history, have become extra-ordinarily valued friends, to use that term but describe an embracing that happens when you summon the courage to step outside of your own comfort zone and advance upon the old world with fresh eyes.

When you’ve stood in the narrow streets of Mykanos ( only 6 or 8 feet wide) on your way to see the famous windmills, or found the true triangle shaped pyramid in Giza, built in 1640: with people who, like you, are deeply moved by these experiences, yet find reasons to laugh and join in your silly picture taking rituals, be very sick from eating (who knows what…that resembled…who knows what)…having had men on camels pursue you and throw souvenirs or whatever wares they were selling at you because they are bedazzled by your blond hair and blue eyes……. and buying the most beautiful flowers from an elderly lady in a doorway of her 100 years plus old home, this is what LIVING …in its finest moments was and is for me, for us all.

I would not have taken this journey at the going rates that are charged. I could not have taken that kind of bite out of my savings, without regret on some level because of my practical side. HOWEVER, living frugally and well at Holliday Park, and participating in their nearly 40 year history of traveling…..allowed me to do so, for a sum I could afford.

The results have been spectacular. My love of history has intensified greatly, I’ve read, viewed and absorbed everything I can on the travel channel, and taken more economical trips to Russia, Sweden, and even South America, and these events have taken parts of my life from black and white to colors best described as HIGH DEFINITION. My circle of true friends has grown and when traveling with family are bonds have deepened as well.

Every person has their own definition of a life well lived. For me, hard work, family, good friends and increasing my personal experiences by embracing travel to ancient cities around the world, defines me. If I had not made the wise choice to move to this cooperative I would not have done these things on this scale, and allowed myself these pleasures. Is your money working for YOU?? Think about coop life and start to make your own memories.

About one-third of Holliday Park members are what we call “snowbirds”. Those are the members who fly off to warmer climates when the weather here in Michigan begins to get cold, and they return after our weather warms up. You could say that they migrate.

The low carrying charges here at Holliday Park offer these members the ability to own or rent a place in warmer climates so they have somewhere to go for the cold months. Florida is the most popular, but Arizona is also a place where they retreat along with a few snowbirds that go to North Carolina.

So it was very interesting when an email from a southern state was received by the webmaster. The email was from a couple, who after reviewing our website, wanted to come to Michigan and see our cooperative. They asked if they needed to make an appointment or could they just come by and talk to someone about becoming a member? In a return email, it was suggested that they drop in on our Saturday Greeters group. This is a group of members that volunteer to meet with those interested in becoming members and talking with them about what living in Holliday Park is all about. They’re available on Saturdays (hence the name) from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm except on holiday weekends. The couple agreed to this arrangement.

On a Saturday three weeks later, the couple came to the clubhouse along with a few others interested in our cooperative. Their questions showed real interest in our community and they asked if they could see some units. I offered to show mine which is a Coventry and made arrangements for them to also see a Dover unit. Since we have no models, seeing a unit has to be arranged, as it is going into someone’s home. Therefore we limit showings to persons that are serious in becoming members.

They came by my unit the next day and again we had a very friendly and interesting visit. They had a few more questions which I answered and it was then that I learned that they were looking for the reverse of being a snow bird. They wanted to become members of Holliday Park so they would have a place to come in the summer when their southern state got too warm.

This is a real first in many ways. They are the first to respond to our website from that far away, and they are the first to want a unit at Holliday Park for just the summer months. They will be going in the opposite way of the usual migration, so to speak.

They left knowing that when they were called about an available unit, they would have three days to decide if they were going to take it, and they assured me that was sufficient time for them to fly back and make a decision.

A few months later, they were notified that a unit of their choice had become available and as planned flew here to Michigan to see it. It was a unit that faced the nature center which runs along two sides of our community and offers a view of a wooded valley, and small river. They were delighted as that was the location they were hoping for and accepted the unit.

Unfortunately, winter is approaching here in Michigan, so they will not be “neighbors” until next summer, but now what term can we come up with for members who come to Holliday Park to escape the heat somewhere else…maybe “sunbirds”!

 I’ve been a member of Holliday Park Towne Homes for almost four years, and love living here. There are so many benefits of residing in Holliday Park. The grounds are quite beautiful, and we’re surrounded by a nature preserve. It’s a great place in which to walk. There are activities offered at the Clubhouse (i.e. Monday morning Koffee Klutch, dominoes, euchre, pinochle, and movie night).

Opportunities abound for members to become active within the community. Members can choose how they wish to become involved. Since we are a cooperative, we depend on volunteers to perform many functions in order to keep our carrying charges low. There are several committees in which members may choose to fulfill their civic duty, with the added benefit of meeting fellow members.

People learn about Holliday Park by visiting our website, by word of mouth from friends who live here, and through Saturday Greeters (a special group of members open the Clubhouse from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturdays to provide information to those interested in learning more about our lovely community). Some people just know about Holliday Park and are aware of its renowned reputation.

I’ve joined several committees since moving to Holliday Park. One of them is the Membership Committee. This very important committee regularly meets monthly with meetings in between depending on need. The Membership Committee is responsible for reviewing all applications to determine eligibility for membership. It is important to know that all information is kept confidential. Applicants are allowed two unit choices. Membership determines whether the number of occupants for the unit choices is within the parameters of the guidelines. The employment history must be completed, along with the salary release form and the application fee.

An important part of the application is the completion of the income requirements. Holliday Park is not subsidized by any government agency. Units must be purchased outright – they cannot be mortgaged. Applicants must provide asset information.

Workers (those who are employed) must meet income requirements specified for Workers. They must provide a two year history of employment, sign the salary release form and include the application fee.

Non-Workers (those who are not employed) must meet income requirements and provide securities/assets information, a social security statement, pension payment, Form 1099 (interest and dividend income), documentation of tax-free income, and broker statements. Income and the securities/assets requirements vary depending on unit choices. A credit report is also necessary.

If the applicant does not qualify either because of finances, a low credit score or the number of occupants, the application fee is returned along with a letter of explanation. Applicants need only provide enough documentation to meet the minimum requirements for the chosen units; it is not necessary to disclose financial information over and above the minimum requirements.

The Membership Committee’s responsibilities go beyond reviewing and approving or rejecting applicants. The Committee must adhere to policies set forth in the Membership Policy. The Committee’s duties include approving members’ requests for transfer. The Committee must comply with corporate regulations. An essential key to a successful Cooperative is maintaining peaceful co-existence. The Committee may be called upon to assist in maintaining this status by conducting meetings with members who are having conflicts. The Committee enforces violations of policy. If the Committee has exhausted efforts to bring compliance to an occupancy complaint, the Committee forwards the information along with a recommendation to the Board of Directors.

I was a Worker when I applied for membership in Holliday Park. When my application and deposit check were received at the Holliday Park office, they were logged in and the application was placed in the Membership Committee’s locked mailbox. It was reviewed at the next Membership meeting. The number of occupants and my salary for the units I specified were checked to determine eligibility for those units. The Committee requested financial information as well as a credit report. The salary request form was sent to my employer. All the information was reviewed at the next meeting. I was sent a letter telling me I was approved, and my name was then placed on the lists for those units I had specified. I waited for a call when I was next on the list and a unit became available.

It was a happy day when I accepted my Galloway, and went through the move-in process!

When I was going through the process of getting a divorce, I searched the WEB for a place to live. I needed to decide if I wanted an apartment or some other alternate style of living. Apartment living just didn’t seem to appeal to me. I didn’t like the common entrances. I ran across a Co-op. In following through, I discovered Holliday Park Townehouses. Having been married for 28 years, with the children now on their own, I decided that I surely did not need a home anymore. We got married early in life and had two loving children. Many happy years were followed by a transition period during which things were not working out anymore. We went through a rather amiable divorce proceeding, with each of us splitting our assets and with each of us keeping our own 401K plan.

 Since moving into Holliday Park 3 years ago, I discovered that the cooperative was populated with a nice mix of singles, couples and traditional families with “growing up” kids, and like myself, there were also other one-parent families in here. I fell into the single divorced person category. I have access to my children whenever they choose to come for a visit, so I purchased a Coventry Unit – a 2 bedroom, bath and a half unit. The children enjoy visiting during the summer months because of the beautiful pool at Holliday Park.

 I now enjoy my sports, my television, and my privacy. My ex-wife has also found happiness in her privacy in doing what she prefers to do. We go out for dinner about every other month to talk about the children and their lives, and we reminisce sometimes about the years we were married. I know our divorce was different because we both agreed that we wanted separation.

 Holliday Park provided for me a nice, alternate life style of no maintenance, no grass cutting, nothing to worry about but to pay my monthly carrying charge which is currently $265 a month, plus my electric, water and telephone. The carrying charges take care of my gas heat and taxes.

 I go to the baseball games with my friends; listen to the hockey games and football games on TV, and go golfing. I make an effort to go on my daily walks around the Co-op. Holliday Park is a very safe place. Lately, my ex-wife is trying to decide if she can give up the house with all the memorabilia and move into Holliday Park. I personally believe it would be the best thing for her but she would have to make up her mind herself.

 Married life is not for everybody. In our case, we saw it as a time and a place in our lives to raise our children, but we both had our own interests other than the family. She is a very independent person, and I suppose, I also wanted to enjoy the things I wanted to do. My ex-wife has not gone on the Waiting List yet for a Coventry Unit, but I believe she will. She is getting tired of doing the maintenance and lawn cutting. Time will tell.

I encourage anyone who is getting a divorce to look into Holliday Park as an alternate housing life style. Age will creep up on all of us, and it is nice to know that our housing worries here are at a minimum.

Although I haven’t participated in too many of the Holliday Park activities yet, I will most likely do so after I retire. Right now, I feel that I have a full life. The only thing I currently do is volunteer on the very worthwhile Night Patrol Program. There are a lot of volunteers who help.

So being single, married, divorced, widowed, retired or in your senior years, Holliday Park does have a lot to offer for those desiring an alternate housing lifestyle.

Celebrating our Volunteers!

At this time of the year here at our cooperative, members take time out from their busy lives to CELEBRATE those within the community who have made the choice year after year to step-up and VOLUNTEER. This community was founded on the simple principle that becoming a member is not just the purchase of a share in a corporation in order to obtain a place to live. Being a member in a cooperative includes an obligation to be involved in this place and its activities for the greater good of all.

At Holliday Park members are motivated to be active in this self-governing community, in its service activities and social organizations. This philosophy of “being involved”keeps the cost of living here very low, and insures that the units and grounds are well maintained, while an elected seven member Board of Directors (volunteers) manage the finances with insight and frugality.

Committee work, whether it’s assisting with the processing of applications from prospective members, driving with the Night Patrol to keep a vigilant watch over the property, walking for the Grounds Committee to make sure that the beauty of the park-like outdoor areas are being maintained, welcoming new members, assisting in the selection of big ticket items such as refrigerators, stoves and vinyl siding, or chairing an event at which members gather to enjoy all the amenities that are available from the huge swimming pool to the manicured green picnic areas and tennis courts, is the essential element in cutting overhead, and making progress at the cooperative.

Whether time and skills are given in a high-profile way like serving on the Board or Chairing a committee; or more quietly, by:

1. answering the calls of perspective members at almost any hour
2. spending time every Saturday greeting applicants and giving them the gift of information about co-op life
3. copying, collating and stapling the many pages of the Status Quo official news letter, then walking door to door to deliver it
4. dragging copious amounts of fruit, muffins and coffee beans into the clubhouse early on Monday mornings so that others might enjoy a weekly gathering to build friendships and share thoughts and interests
5. planning economical trips for large groups to local sights of interest and history, or to far away exotic locales
6. getting the word out about Holliday Park by volunteering to collect admission fees and dispensing paid participant certificates and information sheets to members who sign up for planned events that involve the Westland Community…like the Yard Sale
7. Being a Lot Representative to keep records for everyone who parks in the open parking spaces and assigned covered parking , to ensure that no untagged vehicles park illegally on the property

Doing this work without pay saves the community many thousands of dollars. In fact Holliday Park is mortgage free now, thanks to frugality, wisdom, planning and extraordinary VOLUNTEERISM on the PART of the MEMBERS.

All of these acts of generosity of time, skills and caring, add up to a good life here. Therefore, a dinner is given in honor of these good people. Invitations are sent out by the Board of Directors, and those who Volunteer gather together to dine, to share experiences, to simply be together and enjoy the success of their endeavors, knowing that their sacrifices are appreciated.

In an effort, here on the blog, to celebrate each and everyone of our HP VOLUNTEERS , we offer this definition of these extraordinary people:

V is for the Very special people that you are
O is for the Overwhelming support & compassion you offer to your community
L is for the Little things you do that make such a difference in someone’s life
U is for the Unspoken words that sometimes mean just as much
N is for the Need you fill when others aren’t able
T is for the Time you give of yourselves on top of your own busy schedules
E is for the Emotional support you continually give to family, friends, neighbors and this community
E is also for the Endless energy you all seem to possess
R is for the Responsibility you have taken on & never once complained
S is for the Smiles you bring to everyone you reach out to, by just being you…

Valuable is the hard work you do
Outstanding is how you always come through
Loyal, sincere and full of good cheer
Untiring in your efforts throughout the year
Notable are the contributions you make
Trustworthy in every project you take
Eager to reach your every goal
Effective in the way you fulfill your role
Ready with a smile like a shining star
Special and appreciated —- that’s what you are

It is true that co-op housing is a great alternative to the uncertainty of rental spaces or paying an expensive mortgage. As a member of our cooperative, each of us has a democratic voice in controlling the cost and operation of the Co-op Community and a duty to assist in keeping costs down by doing some of the work ourselves. There are many perks to volunteering and among them are the fiscal reality that you have more bankable disposable income when you choose a well run cooperative as your home. Through volunteering you assure that this excellent life style will continue to thrive, and you get to truly know your neighbors as you work together to maintain the well being of your community.

To every HOLLIDAY PARK VOLUNTEER a grateful and sincere THANK YOU! You are wise because you intuitively know that”to be truly happy we each must seek and find a way to serve!”

Friends of mine, and me too, are always challenging ourselves to seek new experiences and enrich our lives. Two people in particular were constantly encouraging me to come and check out the Dyer Center on Marquette Street, between Newburgh Road and Wayne Road. It’s less that three miles from my home in Holliday Park Townhouses Cooperative.

One sunny morning, I logged off the computer, grabbed my car keys and headed down the road to the Dyer Center. I was greeted by neighbors and others who were friendly, out going and engaging. The place was buzzing with conversation, laughter and movement. It had a kind of strong energy that encouraged me to want to know more about what I could participate in….that would be “new”?

Fliers, pamphlets, and announcements for coming events were everywhere, but ONE IN PARTICULAR, was very intriguing. It had a small poem….and the words DREW ME IN:

 MYSTERY TRIP

Maybe in, maybe out,

maybe warm and maybe not.

Maybe wet or maybe dry,

give this mystery trip a try.

The sounds, the sights, what will there be?

Where will we go, what will we see?

Fun and adventure is what it’s about

You’ll love this trip, so try it out!

I love an adventure, and so I swallowed hard and signed up for the coming Mystery Trip. Above my own signature were the names of more than 40 other adventurers’ from the surrounding communities and many of my HP neighbors as well.

The Dyer Center offers a variety of Mystery trips, some are short day trips, others are three-day excursions. They also offer extended trips to many known destinations in the United States and in Europe for very reasonable prices.

After I signed up, I was given a packet of information, which was helpful but it in NO WAY HINTED at where we would be going. The anticipation was a large part of this exhilarating experience. The information was simply stated. The departure time was given, and the clothing items were described as …comfortable clothes, a sweater or trench coat, and good walking shoes.

When we gathered at the center on the “big day” we talked excitedly about how to concentrate on which highways we took,and some people had big foldable maps in their pockets to plot and chart all of our stops along the way, in an effort to “unravel the mystery” and pre-identify our final destination.

We played silly games along the way, begged the bus driver for clues when the terrain changed, sang songs and got to know each other. The further down the road we went, the more the excitement began to build. Once in awhile the bus driver would make strange turns, and back track just a bit, to confuse us and stimulate our imaginations about where we actually were going.

We arrived in Jackson, Michigan, at the Armory Arts Village which was once the old 19^th century bricks and mortar Prison. Back-in-the-day this was the location of a cold gray series of buildings where hope and the human spirit struggled to survive. Now those buildings have been reinvented into amazing spaces for artists to live, work, create and teach with passion and dedication.

Four floors of small cells were removed to create loft spaces with soaring ceilings, bare brick walls, cathedral ceilings and copious amounts of light. An old tower has become an apartment with a view to die for and the large gathering areas have become a galleria for the display of many art forms which is open to the public. Even huge old shipping crates have been reinvented as studio apartments and their charm is undeniable.

Classes are held in other spaces and in Phase 2 of the renovation , small cafes, a court yard and other art galleries have been built. We found beautiful metal-smithing work, pottery and glass creations, paintings and sculpture.

The most poignant part of this incredible trip was the knowledge that this house of incarcerated people was now a place of exquisite art, music, dance, and creative writing. It is a triumph of the human experience to make something stark into an incredible, boundless, stimulating learning environment.

That Mystery Trip was unique and it holds a special place in my memory because Armory Arts Village is a place for self-expression, creativity, and art education. It leaves you with the feeling that you have embraced a place in the world that is both magical and alive with hope.

Over the last few years I’ve taken other great Mystery Trips such as one to Mackinaw Island, across the Straits of Mackinaw to the beautiful Grand Hotel which has been open for 124 years. The carriage rides and incredibly beautiful sunrises and sunsets, are charming and a great change from life’s hectic moments. You can eat your dinner on the world’s largest front porch if you wish to, and ride horses or play golf, walk in the woods, bike or take a horse-drawn carriage trip around the island.

In taking Mystery Trips I continue to be rewarded by personal growth, deepening friendships, and a great feeling of “being truly engaged” in this world, which is something priceless that is easily overlooked in life, when it slips away while we text, tweet, and Google.

Living at Holliday Park is a blessing and it’s location is so close to the airport, shopping, fine dining, good schools and the fantastic Dyer Center, where for an annual $12 fee and a little bit more, you can treat yourself to a Mystery Trip!!

When you make the wise decision to purchase a membership in Holliday Park Cooperative, you get much more than a beautiful park-like environment in a great location. You receive a blessing of another kind along with a mortgage-free lifestyle.

The other members who live in the cooperative, all 694 families and singles, have unique qualities, diverse interests, every conceivable level of education and volunteer potential; and they bring to the community their own perspectives, life-experiences, talents, and personalities. After many years or even just a few, of living here its difficult not to take note of one who quietly stands out….for her anonymous but priceless contributions to the lives of all of us.

This person leads by example, thinks before speaking, listens with focused ears that really hear you, and her kindness touches your heart in a way that gives life to your own dreams and expectations. This exemplary member has given the very best of herself to whatever task she has been called upon to assist with, perform or teach.

This small in stature HP active participant, understands better than non-co-op dwellers and others, that in order to live well in these specific environs, it is necessary to volunteer your time, and in doing so, you keep costs low, and everyone lives well for less. In fact, she had not lived here long, when she was called upon to become a Night Patrol Member for three turns during the year. Of course, she allowed herself to be a “go-to person” for those nights when a member needs a substitute due to illness , scheduling conflicts, or the “stuff” or mayhem that happens to people.

She saw a need and stepped up to be the Board of Directors Recording Secretary, which is far more complex than just recording “who said what”. She realized that all motions and decision making that was done by the Board was critical to the well being of the corporation, and that it was necessary to record these events with due diligence and great accuracy. Therefore, monthly, year after year, she quietly recorded and transcribed the history of her cooperative, for future members to turn to for guidance and clarity. Those who have followed her, seek to perform with the kind of excellence that she achieved.

Being a “word-smith” she was asked to become Editor of the Board Newsletter, and while undertaking that enormous task, she encouraged, by action and example, a work ethic that inspired others to join her. Any Board Member or Committee Chairperson who could not get their words down on paper…had only to ask, and she would gently guide/ instruct them in simple…easy steps until the paragraphs were created and the information lay on the page for all to read. The numbers of us, who learned that “less is more” with words, and that truth is in the telling of the facts with focus and honesty, would fill the fingers of many hands, if counted.

When you do well people find out!! This busy woman had barely retired from her profession when she was called upon to be a Board Member. She was appointed and then elected and brought her knowledge and a capacity for calm, thoughtful contemplation, to the many challenges that a cooperative of this size faces. She was put in charge of running the crucial elections which are held each May, to elect incumbents or re-elect the sitting Board. She trained many volunteers in the fine art of ballot distribution, mail-in vote gathering, vote counting, and a million other detailed functions of this most important work. Here too, she brought “the light” of her own detail oriented, structured, and fair-minded thinking for others to witness. Her light inspired them to continue this work with great dignity, enthusiasm, and a sense of pride that comes with work well done.

The Holliday Park blog was a dream, when people thought the computer was for geeks. Out of a need to tell people about the cooperative, this woman supported the wish to enter cyberspace for good intent, wrote blogs when she was not sure what that noun/verb “BLOG” really was, and again her wise words and love for community…inspired us to “just do it” and keep it going. Today, thousands have found Holliday Park, and they apply online, read about us and come in, and return to read the blogs and learn what this lifestyle/corporation is all about.

Finally, dear reader, you need to know that this woman finds the time to interact with her children and grandchildren in the pursuit of a loving life, answers well over 40 e-mails nightly from a huge family of brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, etc., designs and hand writes thank you notes, encouragement and get-well cards for numbers too great to describe, and often delivers them on foot in rain and snow when needed; and makes the time to sit on the roof of a good friends home and count the stars.

When you tell her, that she brings the light to your life, and this act of generosity encourages you to dig deep and bring forward your own light, she grows quiet, and insists that you give her too much credit. To know her, and have her touch your life, is a gift….her presence liberates everyone she embraces.

For e.k.  ….the one who shines the light!

My son was born October 7, 1992, and it changed my life forever – for the good!! As my world changed and life settled down, I became more aware of the benefits and the blessings of living in Holliday Park. I have lived here for 33 years, the first 14 years were come and go as I pleased. As he grew, and became very active, I was fortunate to live near a small “playground” with a slide, swings, and a gazebo. However, he did fall off the slide and broke his foot. We survived, and he has thrived.

As a working mom I took my son everywhere I went, literally. Day care was very close to where I worked. Then came Christian school which  was also conveniently located on my way to work. When that school closed I had to make a hard choice. He began Plymouth Christian Academy and it was tough time-wise because of the distance to where the school was located. It all worked out when shortly thereafter I was able to take advantage of early retirement!!

The reason I could take advantage of early retirement was because I have lived in Holliday Park all these years. No mortgage or high property taxes, maintenance, repair, or upkeep to drain my finances. We are blessed! Holliday Park is like no other Cooperative. This non-profit corporation has been frugal, careful and watchful of the way money is spent here. Not everyone has agreed, but certainly 100 percent of the residents do agree with their monthly low “carrying charges”. How very fortunate we all are.

Now my son has graduated from high school, having spent his last four years at Churchill of Livonia. Another blessing, we are in the Livonia School District. I will not go into my opinion of the Public School System, but I will say that he had the time of his life, and praise God he got through it. College is coming up soon. I find myself in a good place to help him financially, pay-as-you-go, no debt or college loans, all because of the benefits of living in Holliday Park! I wonder if my son realizes how fortunate we are to live here? Some of his friends live in large, beautiful homes, however, he doesn’t see the responsibility and cost that is attached. Someday very soon he will know how blessed we are to have lived in this well run cooperative community.

As life goes on I believe that this cooperative continues to gets better and better. I am much older, definitely don’t want to deal with maintenance and repair, and I am more thankful than ever to be living here. When the country and the world seem to be in a meltdown financially, there is this little oasis , where finances are a priority and carefully considered for the very long term of your life. It’s a good feeling to think that if I lost the college fund and the retirement, I believe I’d still have a roof over my head. Amen!

It’s a little funny, I have considered helping my son acquire his own place. I know we both need our own space, and it doesn’t get much better than right here. Even with all the rules and regulations, which my son has grown up with, it only makes this mortgage-free cooperative a more pleasant place to live.

I’d probably get him a one-bedroom unit which would be a perfect choice to meet his needs. He’d have room for all of his favorite things, a great place to study and a galley kitchen, just the right size for making his favorite protein shakes or reheating pizza.

The membership cost of about $22,000 with monthly carrying charges of $223 ( heat included) fits his paycheck perfectly. He will be building equity too, not throwing his hard earned dollars away on rental fees.

I’m very grateful to have found Holliday Park Townhouses Cooperative, all those years ago. This community was and will continue to be the “right fit” or my son and myself, and I couldn’t be more satisfied!