Kenneth Lee, Public Affairs Manager

 2-3-2026. Daniel Granquist, program director, introduced today’s speaker Scott Helmkamp, CEO LaPorte County Family YMCA.  Scott has been in this role for about two years. Today he informed us of the YMCA’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, including the Clubs Vision and Mission statements as well as its five guiding principles: Valuing Servant Leadership, Inclusion and Equity, Transparency, Teamwork, and Stewardship. The YMCA’s Strategic plan has three major goals – Promoting Healthy Outcomes, Developing a Magnetic Culture and Positioning the YMCA for Growth. Scott is excited about a new project, “Take the YMCA” on the road, a mobile YMCA.  This is a truck that will be filled with things like basketball hoops and other sporting equipment as well as S.T.E.M. materials, allowing activities to be held at dedicated events in our community. Scott made club members aware that the YMCA offers reciprocity nationally, where a Michigan City member can use facilities in other cities.  The YMCA also offers the “Silver Sneakers” program, where insurance companies cover the membership cost of qualified individuals.  

Thank you, Scott, for the service you give to our community!                        Visit http://lpymca.org for more information 

12-16-2025 Program Chairman, Daniel Granquist, introduced today’s speaker, Sandi Keller, President of Homeward Bound Villages. Sandi gave an update on progress at the Karwick Road Site for “Creating a Community Through Affordable Housing.” Three units are now occupied.  Ages of the tenants range from 24 to 74.  Tenants sign a 1-year lease with a maximum of two people per unit.  A total of twelve, one-or two-bedroom, 500 sq. ft. units, and a community room, will be constructed. Sandi explained that the concept for the development was centered around the residents’ making decisions regarding operation of the property and the community room.  Thank you Sandi for your commitment to helping our community. https://www.homewardboundvillages.org

11-18-2025 Daniel Granquist introduced today’s speaker Jessica O’Brian, from the Salvation Army. Jessica started her presentation by thanking the club for all their support over the years. She informed club members that as of 9/1/25, the Salvation Army in LaPorte, became part of the MC Salvation Army. Jessica talked about the Thanksgiving Holiday coming up. If you know of someone who has nobody to talk to or celebrate Thanksgiving with, encourage them to come to the Salvation Army for tasty food and good conversations. Many people this year that are homebound will have food delivered to them. 

The Holiday Season is when the Salvation Army generates about 30% of its donations for the year. Kicking off the season of giving is the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle event. 

Jessica identified three things that are important to the Salvation Army this time of the year: 

1) Financial Donations. These allow the Salvation Army to go out and buy items at various vendors at wholesale cost rather than purchasing goods at retail. 

2) Donate your time. Donations at Kettles are especially important this year. Volunteering to ring bells at the kettles eliminates having to pay people to ring bells for donations. 

3) Toys—Make donation of toys through the Toys for Tot program. 

Jessica concluded her presentation citing that the Salvation Army was recently voted the sixth best Charity by Forbes Magazine for efficiently using the dollars donated to the charity.

To help, visit https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/in/michigan-city/franklin-st-corps/

October 14, 2025. Today’s speaker, Jack Arnett, informed the club that the NITDC was formed to combine the efforts of nine Indiana Counties for Promotion of Tourism through advertisement in businesses and plazas along the toll road. Their motto is the “Better Together Approach”. Jack stated that over 45 million travelers cross the toll road each year with 8 million stopping at plazas, resulting in a local impact of $44 million. Tourism brings in over $200 million annually to our area with $400 thousand in one week at the XIinsurance Great Lakes Grand Prix boat race in Michigan City. The commission is not a government agency. It is funded by a 5% hotel tax and some gaming money. LaPorte County now manages all toll road concessions.

Please visit www.michigancitylaporte.com for more information. 

September 7, 2025.  Program Speaker: Phil Freeze introduced today’s speaker—Ben Bachmann, MCHS Athletic Director.  Ben spoke about having grown up in Michigan City and his participation in every sport that was offered in the school system.  This led him to the career he now enjoys. Being part of a team and realizing the impact that coaches had on his life, prepared him for nearly every situation he encountered, in his 13 years of athletic administration.  Ben is all about promoting the concept of providing student athletes’ a path to opportunity and success. They are shown options which can be life changing.  He said that only two states in this country do not fund athletics from their regular budgets. Indiana is one of them. This means that athletics must be funded with ticket sales and donations. He encouraged all members present to attend MCAS events in their area.  Ben stated that plans are in place to make improvements at the high school that will allow more student groups to practice and participate on turf rather than sod. For more information see: www.gomcwolves.com.

The Michigan City Exchange Club presented Ben Bachmann and Sara Krachinski. Asst. Athletic Director for MCAS with a donation in the amount of $2,000.00

Sept 23, 2025. Program Speaker Daniel Granquist introduced today's speaker, Sara Krachinski, MCAS Assistant Director of Athletics for Michigan City Area Schools. Sara spoke about her many fund­ raising activities for the Athletic Program in the High, Junior High, and Elementary Schools. Funds are received through Grants, Donations, Ticket Sales and Concession Stand Sales. Projects now in the works include: 

Transfer of the Ames Field Scoreboard to the High School within two years, after Ames receives a Jumbotron.

Construction of a Soccer Field at the High School with turf rather than natural grass to allow for multiple uses.

Purchase of Athletic Uniforms for all eight Elementary Schools with funds donated by the Michigan City Exchange Club.

Sara let the club know that the school has a new website for Athletics---gomcwolves.com 

September 9th, 2025. James E. Musial, Executive Director, Citizens Concerned for Homeless was introduced by Speaker Chairman Daniel Granquist as today’s guest speaker. Jim let the group know that Citizens Concerned for the Homeless has been around for 35 years serving Michigan City and LaPorte. He talked about four important programs that are available in the community. 

1)  Sand Castle: A homeless shelter that provides residence for up to 45 days.

2)  Grace Learning Center: A program that provides computer lab accessibility as well as basic and intermediate computer classes. The center also has mental health classes available.

3)  Food Rescue Initiative: Originating in 2019, this project distributes food at Marquette Mall in Michigan City as part of its Mobile Pantry Initiative.

4)  Keys to Hope Program. Keys to Hope offers people a place to take a shower, shampoo, obtain clothing, as well as providing a place where, during the day, someone can just relax.  Jim also told the club members that since 2019 over four million pounds of food has been given away from the Food Bank of Northern Indiana.  He talked about the Karwick Village town homes that are being built by Homeward Bound to provide affordable housing to needy recipients. 

Check out the web site: https://cch-mc.orgfor more details on available help or ways that you can contribute.

9-2-2025. Todays Speaker is Janet Bloch, Executive Director, Lubeznik Center for the Arts. Janet came to Michigan City, from Chicago, where she was an artist and owned an art gallery. She was not planning to start another career but soon realized that she could be instrumental in helping the community.  Joining the Center as Education Director, she moved up to where she is today, making many positive changes along the way. Currently the Lubeznik Center offers several educational programs. One is an early childhood program, consisting of three tours during the year, with Spanish and sign language interpreters. Another is a mural painting program that has 10 fascinating paintings throughout the area, with more in progress. Art exhibits at the Center are from both national and local artists. Field trips, from local schools, have over 1,500 students annually.  Attending students, have a “hands on” experience creating their very own art. The Center also offers Virtual Field trips for students that cannot visit in person. Janet identified other programs that are offered such as Free Family Days, First Fridays, and Teen Arts Council. One of the newer programs is Color in Transit featuring a mural on the side of a truck which is displayed at various sites.

The Lubeznik Center is open six days a week and admission is free.

www.lubeznikcenter.org 

August 26,2025. Todays speaker is Steven A. Bernth, Executive Director Youth Service Bureau of Laporte County. He was accompanied by Gretchen Kubic. School Buddies Program Director.  The Youth Services Bureau was organized in 1972 to help prevent juvenile delinquency, help prevent child abuse and to connect youth with caring adults. One program, Teen Court, allows cases that could result in an arrest, to be decided by a local attorney acting as the Judge. The Prosecutor, Defense Attorney, and Jury roles are all filled by student peers of the accused. The sentences handed out by the Court could require an Apology,  Restitution, and Community Service. Michigan City cases in Teen Court center around two things—in school vaping and truancy. It should be noted that successful completion of the teen court sentencing results in no juvenile court or arrest records. It should also be noted that the Teen Court oversees only non-violent cases. Steven also talked about the Kids on the Block Puppet Presentation that is presented to second grade students. This program educates kids on Physical and Sexual Abuse as well Neglect. He reminded club members that the Youth Service Bureau has a Safe Place Program in Laporte County. These “safe” locations are found at Police and Fire Stations as well as local libraries. They provide children with a place to go should the child feel they cannot go home. Steven introduced Gretchen Kubic. Gretchen explained that her program provides mentoring for elementary school students. Adults commit at least 1 hour a week to be friends with a child, one on one, taking an interest in how they are doing in school and at home. The goal is to help build confidence in the “Little Buddy”, so the child can reach full potential. Volunteer mentors are welcome!

http://youthservicebureau.com.