March 7, 2022 People/Dining/Shopping/Events/Culture All defining Livonia
Livonia Goodfellows help our hometown year after year to ensure that no child is left behind at Christmas.

Now the Livonia community is being called on for help by the Goodfellows.

Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan and Councilman Brandon reached out after the Monday night city council meeting and asked for help in getting the word out about the Livonia Goodfellows, specifically about their need for space in a new location. The current space is at the Dickinson Center. Jim Hobart, Vice President of the Goodfellows, contacted Musings with information that could be shared with our readers.

The space currently occupied by the Goodfellows at Dickinson is roughly 8,500 square feet, in two adjacent rooms. They are comfortable with that amount of space but could get by with less. Hobart says that "he is guessing about 7,000 sq. ft. would be a minimum." 

Almost half of the space is used for the storage of toys and empty banana boxes, used for packing, and other supplies, for the next season. Hobart explains that "the focus is Christmas, so we use the facility mostly from August to January, with minimal use in between."

There will be tables and shelves set up for the toys year-round. "When we are operating, we use all of that space for toy collecting and packing, as well as collecting food donations, food sorting, and packing."

In the past, they create a drive-through lane in the parking lot to make it easy for the recipients, so they need a site with ample parking and good traffic flow. Jim says that they "need 24/7 access since many of our activities are in the evening and on weekends. And we would have 50 people or more volunteering for each of these events. 

"We also need easy access to the parking area, rather than space buried inside a building. We accept non-perishable food only, so no refrigeration is needed."

If you have information about available space you can contact Jodee Hall, President of the Goodfellows, at [email protected], or Vice President Jim Hobart at [email protected]
Goodfellows partner with City to donate Car Seat to Fire Department
Pictured from left to right: Deputy Fire Chief John Unsworth, Goodfellows Vice President Jim Hobart, and Fire Chief David Heavener.

This week the Goodfellows donated to support the Livonia Fire Department's Car Seat program, which helps provide car seats to those in need.

But this was not the first time the Goodfellows donated funds for the Car Seat program. The picture below was taken a year ago as they donated a check to the Fire Department.

The picture below from left to right: Bob Jennison, Deputy Fire Chief John Unsworth, Jim Hobart, and Fire Chief David Heavener.
Now that we know our new voting districts, it's time for Campaign Season to heat up! Livonia's Democratic candidates need to gather enough signatures to get their names on the ballot. Same for Ballot Proposals.

Here's a great opportunity to help them out. Super Easy: Walk-in - Sign a bunch of petitions - Walkout.

Stay for some conversation with the candidates & petition gatherers if you have time. They will be at the Livonia Senior Center from 10 - 2 pm on Sat. March 19th.

Let's kick Activism into high gear.
Kyle Ackman collected pop bottles to buy 15 bikes for Goodfellows Christmas
Kyle Ackman and his dad, Scott, spent the entire Thanksgiving weekend holding an amazing bottle drive. They collected enough money to purchase 15 bikes to donate to the Goodfellows. As a result of their hard work, fifteen children received brand new bikes for Christmas! Thank you, Kyle and Scott! We are so grateful for your generosity!
Each Christmas season the Livonia Goodfellows are able to donate packages of toys and food collected by hometown businesses, ranging from the Public Schools to retail stores like the Town Peddler, to the UPS Store, to the Senate Coney Island, and to so many more.
Goodfellow fundraising
is a family affair
for the Jolly's
When the Goodfellows newspaper drive takes place in the Fall one City Councilman makes it a point to be at his appointed station outside Leda's Coney Island.

Jim Jolly brings family members each year as he shows his support for the Livonia Goodfellows.
Mail Address
19514 Livonia 48152
E-mail address
Cell address
734-674-5871
2022 UPCOMING ELECTIONS
Primary election Tuesday, Aug. 2
General election Tuesday, Nov. 8

Filing Dealines
By 4:00 p.m., April 19, 2022 Candidates for partisan and nonpartisan offices (other than judicial candidates) file nominating petitions (or fees if applicable) and Affidavit of Identity for the August primary. Withdrawal deadline elapses at 4:00 p.m. on April 22.


Who will represent Livonia after the 2022 elections?

Livonia Board of Education

Colleen Burton incumbent
Liz Jarvis incumbent
Mark Johnson incumbent

Clarenceville Board of Education

Cindy Immonen incumbent
Dennis Myers incumbent
Michael Liss incumbent

Schoolcraft College Board of Trustees

Brett Gierak incumbent
Carol Strom incumbent
William Erwin incumbent

Congress--12th District

Rashida Tliab (D) incumbent
Janice M. Winfrey (D)
Michelle Wooddell (D)

No Republican has announced

State Senate--5th District

Dayna Polehanki (D) incumbent

No Republican has announced

State Senate--6th District 

Mary Cavanaugh (D)
Vickie Barnett (D)
Betty Jean Alexander (D)

No Republican has announced

State Representative
16th District

Ismail Terry (D)
Stephanie Young (D)

No Republican has announced


State Representative
17th district

Laurie Pohutsky (D) incumbent

No Republican announced

State Representative
22 District: 

Matt Koleszar (D) incumbent

Cathryn Neracher (R)

County Commissioner
12th District

Glenn Anderson (D) incumbent

No Republican announced

County Commissioner
District 9

Terry Marecki (R) incumbent

No Democrat has announced
Last week State Representative Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth) accepted the Police Officers Association of Michigan’s Legislator of the Year award. He said that "The word, 'honored' to receive this award is the understatement of the century.
"Together, we worked hard to make sure that all children of fallen police officers and firefighters would be able to go to college tuition-free, and the recognition of that effort means more than words can describe. Thank you, POAM!"

Under the recently enacted legislative redistricting Koleszar will represent a part of Livonia as one of three State Representatives scheduled for Livonia.
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