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Arc of Bay County Summer Bulletin
Summer Bulletin – The Arc of Bay County
Come Along and Achieve With Us…
As we kick off “FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS”, a series of Life Enrichment activities designed to reduce social isolation and loneliness for people in our community. These adventures are being funded in part by your donations, business discounts, and a generous grant from the Bay Area Community Foundation’s Healthy Youth & Seniors Fund and the Community Initiative Fund.
Our goal is to offer these programs at no cost to people of any age who have a developmental or intellectual disability, while encouraging others from the community to participate for very low or no cost. Schedule and details will be available soon, rides will be coordinated with Bay Metro Transit for those in need.
If you have a talent, or a little time, we’re also going to need a few VOLUNTEERS and hosts. Give us a call and let us know what your interest is, and when you want to assist.
Friends & Neighbors Activities
BOOK CLUB
Book Club – (no reading required) our host will read Little House on the Prairie while we enjoy a sack lunch (provided). There will be incentives for those who attend all sessions and finish the book.
MOVIES & CONVERSATIONS
Movies & conversations at the Mall – we’ll watch a weekday movie of our host’s choosing and then discuss it in the party room. Popcorn & a small drink included.
LIFE HACKS
What happened to Heloise? Subject matter experts will cover a variety of topics from food preparation to 1st aid and safety, etiquette and homemaking, laundry and decorating—bring your appetite and your questions!
GARDEN WALKS
Walking around—meet Jan at the entrance to the River Walk on JFK Drive on Thursdays for a 30-60 minute walk along the river gardens.
$ MATH WITH KAREN
Money Math with Karen—meets monthly at ? A credit union?
CATS & DOGS
In partnership with the Humane Society we’ll explore what it takes to have a pet and care for it.
BOWLING
A short “pickup” league at Monitor Lanes with Annette.
ARTS & CRAFTS
Meaningful projects with Marty or Linda, tied to the holidays and seasons.
THE BIRTHDAY CLUB
A monthly gathering of people who like parties & cake!
One Hit Wonders
Join us as a tourist in your own town, as we enjoy:
- July 29, 2026 – Loons Baseball — RSVP to Laura at (989) 893-1346
- Date To Be Determined – A ride down the river on the Princess Wenonah
- Date To Be Determined – Visit to the Antique Toy & Fire House Museum to see the world’s only “Super Pumper”
- Date To Be Determined – Miniature Golf
The Role of the Arc & Its Advocates
Arc chapters across America were created 75 years ago as a grassroots advocacy network for families and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The goal then was to promote community inclusion and ensure that every person had the opportunity for a good life. Much progress has been made, but even in 2026 people are still struggling.
Over the years, improvements included the formation of the nationwide community mental health system which promised that people with IDD would be supported in their communities, not institutions. Nearly every person served by the Arc of Bay County has, or is eligible for that support which in our communities is provided by Bay-Arenac Behavioral Health (BABH).
This crucial support system includes the social work functions of advocacy, counseling, case management, resource coordination, and community development. Many other components exist in this sophisticated system which is paid for mostly by Medicaid, but case management is what most people seek as a starting point for organizing the help necessary for their success.
Case Management
Case Management involves assessing client needs, developing care plans, and coordinating services such as healthcare, housing, education, and financial support.
The burden of securing or maintaining supports from the system has fallen on the families or persons “entitled” to the help based on their mental illness, developmental or intellectual disabilities.
The Arc, as a grassroots advocacy organization running on donations, is continuing to receive a high volume of people asking for assistance maintaining, or getting back into, BABH services, or for tasks that in the past would have been done by BABH staff including the case managers.
The struggle is real. Families come and call every day asking for help with their situation and staff and volunteers at the Arc are doing the best they can, but please help us by encouraging your case manager from BABH or one of their contracted service providers to assist you in the case management functions that system was designed to provide.
This will help the Arc continue grassroots advocacy so that people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in our communities have the best lives possible.
Meet The Arc of Bay County Board of Directors
2026 Officers
- President: Jeffrey Henning
- Secretary: Christine Boos
- Treasurer: Vacant
Members at Large
- Don Edwards
- Joe Gobeski
- Joseph Papesh
- Kathy Talaga
The Arc of Bay County Staff
- Annette Jeske, Executive Director
- Laura Roth, Administrative Assistant
- Karen Cramer, Rep Payee
- Salena Shockneese, Payee Assistant
- Dee Burzynski, Payee Assistant
- Diane Franz, Volunteer
- Linda Cassar, Fundraising & Event Planning
- Joani Hogan, Social Worker
- Jan Lampman, Consultant & Education Advocate
In Memory
Condolences to Lois Davis and her family on the death of Richard Davis, the founding director of the Arc of Bay County and a lifelong advocate for people with disabilities.
The Arc appreciates the memorial donations and sentiments that were shared with us, especially the devotion provided by Ann Remington, and the nice card from Alma Watton. We’ll be following up with them for more history soon!
For now, see the group picture with a complimentary display by the Yard Sign Guy!
Strawberry Festival Success
The weather didn’t dampen the spirit of this year’s event, as volunteers dished up hundreds of shortcakes and our 4-H friends ran them to cars in the drive-up and to those under the tent.
In the end, the winner of the 50/50 raffle donated back the proceeds, the silent auction was a success, and everyone made it through the rain!
We are grateful for the opportunity to continue this longstanding Arc tradition made easier in recent years by the generosity of our neighbor Dale Johnson and Buddy’s Columbus Cone.
We also owe a debt of gratitude to the 4-H club who simply show up and help, also to Terri Miller from Backyard BBQ, Tracy from Wicked Emporium, Lona from Smith Food Pantry, Jeff Henning’s Nightlife Entertainment, and all of the board, staff, and friends who make this possible—especially those who stood in the rain for three hours. Maybe we should invest in some umbrellas?
Thanks to all of the 2026 sponsors!
…and now it’s on to summer. We hope everyone is able to relax and enjoy the season.
Legislative Advocacy Update
Direct Support Professionals (DSP) provide the care and companionship that make home and community-based living possible for people with disabilities. Remind State lawmakers that they have not honored their promise of funding living wages for the workers!
The government decided to move the Special Education services out of the Department of Education; this is a terrible idea. Call Congress and let your representative know: 1-220-224-3121.
Medicaid in Michigan is at Risk
Medicaid is the payor of last resort. Taxpayer money that pays for health care for children, people who are poor, or disabled, also nursing home care, home and community-based supports for people with disabilities and/or older adults who meet nursing home level of care.
Medicaid also pays for the lion’s share of services delivered by community mental health. The struggle is real. In Bay County it is estimated that 1 in 5 people rely on Medicaid.
SNAP / Bridge Card Re-determinations
Work requirements and re-determinations for Bridge Cards, also known as SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), continue to be problematic for many people with disabilities as a new round of complicated redetermination paperwork arrives soon in mailboxes.
If you want to learn more about any of these issues, or others that affect people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, give us a call at (989) 893-1346.
Thank you for supporting The Arc of Bay County as we work together to build a thriving community for all. For more information, reach out at (989) 893-1346.
