Your Big Plans for 2012

Last year was a great year for Traverse City-area businesses and other organizations, and from the looks of it, 2012 is shaping up to be even better. Last month, The Ticker asked readers to write in and share their big plans for the New Year. Here's a few of our favorite responses:

The Inland Seas Education Association will offer 50 full scholarships to Michigan school classes to sail on the Schoolship in 2012. Additionally, funds are available to offset bus expenses for schools. A grant from the Herbert and Grace Dow Foundation makes this possible. The Schoolship provides students with a hands-on Great Lakes science experience aboard the tall ships Inland Seas and Manitou.
-Tom Kelly
Inland Seas

I’m starting 2012 with an ambitious international project: a daily web series following the Run Across Palestine project to support Palestinian fair-trade olive farmers.
-Aaron Dennis
Stone Hut Studios

Northern Michigan Veterinary Hospital's goal for 2012 is to improve the quality of older pets' lives by educating pet owners about pain. In addition to our Class IV laser therapy, which has been very effective for pain management, we will also offer veterinary orthopedic manipulations as well as pain assessment packages.
-Kara Peck
Northern Michigan Veterinary Hospital

My big news is the launch of baseofthebays.com, an e-commerce site that features three items made in the USA and northern Michigan. After selling Mr. Messenger, Inc. in 2008, I am now creating unique products and a job for myself and, hopefully, others!
-Kevin Gagnon
Base of the Bays Printed Concepts

It isn't my news, but Grand Traverse Band Tribal Chairman's Derek J. Bailey will face off with Gary McDowell in a primary race that I predict will be one of most hotly contested in the United States and will draw national attention this political season – especially with Michigan's newly aligned District 1.
-Walt Unke

Team Elmer’s is installing warm mix asphalt technologies at their hot mix asphalt plant in TC. These technologies allow pavement material to be produced at lower temperatures, cutting fuel consumption, lowering emissions even more than current compliant standards, increasing product workability, and aiding compaction in cold weather cases.
-Tonya Wildfong
Team Elmer's

The Change – a branding agency focused on working with entities that make the world better, fairer or truer – looks to continue designing for On The Ground, Run Across Palestine, Just Good Chocolate, Stone Hut Studios, and more good-for-the-world ventures! 
-Chelsea Dennis
The Change

In 2012 I join the ranks of those that have failed retirement! After 39 years in radio – the last 10 at Interlochen Public Radio – I retired June 30, 2011. But on Saturday, January 7 at 9 p.m. I and Pops Potpourri will return to the airwaves on WTCM AM 580!
-Dick Wallace

The Traverse Health Clinic is very excited for its new collaborative outreach, which will provide 20 patients in need with a reason to smile: In late January, a group of local volunteer dentists, labs and technicians will assemble and provide dentures to 20 lucky Traverse Health Clinic patients.
-Sherri Fenton
Traverse Health Clinic

In 2012, Mental Wellness Counseling will offer parent coaching, a focused and brief approach to help parents quickly grow their parenting skills. A professional counselor will guide parents through the process of change in the areas of positive/negative consequences, boundaries, and reducing inappropriate behavior.
-Joseph Sanok
Mental Wellness Counseling

Our big plans are to get our new product, Just Good Chocolate Nibblers, into our first (of hopefully many) Whole Foods locations in Ann Arbor; to come out with a second product (hot cocoa); and secure funding for a physical location which will lay the groundwork for a wind- and solar-powered bean-to-bar chocolate factory in Leelanau County, the second of it's kind in the entire United States.
-Drew Warner
Just Good Chocolate