Eastside business owners David and John O’Leary are providing enough paint to cover the 6,000 square foot Reach Studio Art Center in REO Town as part of a renovation project.

Reach us a non-profit art center that’s been open since 2003. The exterior paint is peeling and in need of repair. 

“No major renovations have been done since that point,” says Reach Outreach Coordinator Jessica Swisher.

In 2008, 732 young people and 251 adults participated in Reach’s programs.

Through their company, O’Leary Paint, the O’Learys have donated enough paint to give the studio a much-needed makeover. From 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturday May 30, dozens of community volunteers will paint Reach, working in three-hour shifts to ensure the building is finished by the day’s end.

O’Leary got involved with the project after talking with a member of the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, who mentioned that Reach needed help with a renovation.

“It’s such a worthwhile cause,” David O’Leary says. “It’s an easy one to get behind. We’re lucky to have people like this in the community. If this isn’t a worthwhile project, I don’t know what is. It didn’t take a lot of selling.”  

The rain date for the project is Saturday, June 6. For more information, click here.

Source: Jessica Swisher, Reach Studio Art Center

Ivy Hughes is the managing editor of Capital Gains and can be reached here. 

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

A lovely, languid drive along Old Mission Peninsula; the hilly green finger of land that divides the east and west sides of Grand Traverse Bay;is the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon. From the base of the peninsula, follow Garfield Road north out of Traverse City, then head left on M-37, also known as Center Road.  Brake for the tasting rooms of the half-dozen Old Mission wineries to pick up a bottle of vino for dinner, then swing by Fox Valley Gardens Farm Market (231-883-8337) for in-season fruits and veggies as well as honey, fresh cut flowers and maps of the peninsula.  Cut across Wilson Road and cruise the coast, turning right on Nelson Road for a captivating detour: latticework branches intertwine overhead, shading a sun-speckled lane that skirts one of the peninsula’s many orchards. This hidden two-track will bring you back to M-37, and a left leads you to Peninsula Market (14111 Center Rd., 231-223-9500) for picnic provisions like sandwiches and cold almond cherry chicken salad.

Follow the signs to the eclectic Old Mission General Store (18250 Old Mission Rd., 231-223-4310), where shafts of sunlight illuminate a happy clutter of penny candy, coon caps, antiques, toys and more. Ask owner Jim Richards about the history of this store: the first outpost between Detroit and the Straits of Mackinac. Nab a few more goodies for your picnic, then head north to Lighthouse Park  at the very tip of the peninsula. Here’s the spot for a sweet sunset picnic: beach access, a lovely lighthouse and curling sand paths calling you to the water. Make your way to the old metal swing set nestled in the sand, take a seat and let the swing’s soft creaking fold into the sound of the evening waves.

MyNorth.com, the vacation site of the North, is refreshed daily by the staff of Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine. Deborah Wyatt Fellows is editor-in-chief.

Leave the lounge chairs at home and reinvent your beach day with three sun-soaked adventures. Survey the city from five stories high, fly across the water on wind power, master the waves from the deck of a massive ship. Whatever your pleasure, we guarantee you'll never look at Grand Traverse Bay the same way again.

A good way to start? Spend a wild weekend on the water with Broneah Kiteboarding's "Northern Exposure" kiteboarding camp. Brothers and co-owners Matt and Keegan Myers keep class sizes to a minimum, no more than six students per weekend - allowing for one-on-one training time. Kiteboarding is a fast-growing sport, popular in places like Hawaii and Western Europe; it involves a rider strapping his or her feet to a board and holding onto a bar connected to a large kite. By maneuvering the bar, the rider is dragged across the water on the board and can lift into the air to pull stunts - a seasoned kiter can jump as high as 30 feet in the air. Not sure if you're cut out for kiting? The Myers claim anyone at any age can learn; it's just a matter of determination and a willingness to respect nature's elements. By the end of the weekend you'll walk away with a new hobby, new friends and a deeper appreciation for two of Michigan's best natural resources--wind and water. (231-392-2212)

Looking for even bigger air? Get high with a sky-scraping ride courtesy of Traverse Bay Parasail. For 15 minutes, a very long 15 minutes  that brave souls can dangle from a parasail up to 500 feet in the air. Several hundred feet of line is fed out from a boat, allowing those in the parasail to experience a rare bird's-eye view that stretches from both bays all the way to the city's limits. If the thought of going it alone gives you the willies, consider sharing the experience with a friend for a tandem flight. Holding hands is optional. Reservations are recommended; no penalties if the weather does not cooperate. Expect to spend about a half hour on the total excursion, from dock to water to dock again. (231-929-7272)

Balance out all that airtime by planting your feet on the deck of the Tall Ship Manitou,a sturdy and stately replica of a 19th-century cargo schooner. Call ahead to reserve a two-hour midday, afternoon or evening cruise; prices include boxed meals on some excursions. The midday and afternoon cruises are perfect for families. Kids can look up at the giant billowing sails and pretend to be a pirate cruising the high seas. If your family is strictly a party of two, sign up for the more subdued evening cruise. Stand with your sweetie at the helm and let the breeze tangle your hair, give the crew a hand, or simply lean into the wind and consider the feeling of freedom that comes with cruising open water. (231-941-2000)

Finally, rest those sea legs at Boathouse Restaurant (14039 Peninsula Dr., 231-223-4030 ) for fantastic food and a decidedly delicious view of the bay. Grab a table on the patio out back in the evening and you're guaranteed a sweet sunset over West Bay. Your time on the water might be done for now, but with dishes like fried tempura asparagus and crab-topped whitefish on the menu, you'll be glad you returned to the dry land.

MyNorth.com, the vacation site of the North, is refreshed daily by the staff of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine. Deborah Wyatt Fellows is editor-in-chief.

Rick Berry and Dave Youngquist are co-owners of the 6,000-square-foot Michigan Toy Soldier Company in Royal Oak, a business that is the focal point, or gathering place, for the strong community of collectors of toy soldier military collectibles.

Youngquist said Michigan has one the largest group of collectors nationwide. Proof is the 20th Semiannual Detroit Toy Soldier and Figure Show, 12th Michigan Historical Miniature Show scheduled for next Saturday and Sunday in Madison Heights.

Berry and Younquist host the event that also houses the 4th Iron Brigade Militaria Show where military items are swapped and sold.

Its not surprising that Berry is the founder of the show, store owner and head of a successful collectible online business. Despite the tough economy, Berry said his holiday business was just as strong in 2008 as 2007.