Miller Canfield is celebrating 25 years in Ann Arbor, Michigan by volunteering time and donating to 25 local nonprofit organizations. The office officially kicked off its anniversary celebration in July '09 by sponsoring the Gladys Knight concert on opening night of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Dubbed “25 for 25,” the celebration will continue through July 2010.
"Our 25th anniversary in Ann Arbor is a milestone bigger than a single-day celebration,” said Joseph Fazio, managing director and head of the Ann Arbor office. “Rather than throwing a party, we decided to celebrate by making a positive impact in our community. We have always supported local charitable and nonprofit organizations—by volunteering, serving on boards, and making financial contributions.”
"The question was how to celebrate when clients are worried about their businesses, the state is in a financial difficulty, and the shelves at the local food bank are low? We decided to 'pay it forward,'" said Thomas C. O'Brien, senior counsel in the Ann Arbor office, in an article on AnnArbor.com.
"Miller Canfield’s Ann Arbor office, which has almost 80 lawyers and staff, began its 25th Anniversary Celebration with these organizations:
• Ann Arbor Art Center - purchased three Bike Hoops in honor of the Center’s 100th Anniversary
• Humane Society of Huron Valley - Walk-n-Wag sponsors and walkers
• Avalon Housing – volunteers planted flowers and vegetable gardens for Parkhurst and Stimson Apartment residents with the Washtenaw County Bar Association, as part of "Project Grow”
• Bryant Community Center – delivered 50 backpacks and a cash donation to benefit the school’s back-to-school backpack drive for low-income students
• Creekshead Nature Preserve of the Legacy Land Conservancy - volunteers improved visitor trails and beautified pathways
• ElderQuest (Continuing Education at Eastern Michigan University) - volunteers worked a ticket booth at the Ypsilanti Heritage Festival Rubber Duckie Race
• Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley - volunteers contributed to the renovation and landscaping of two Habitat homes in Ypsilanti
• Recycle Ann Arbor - volunteers completely re-organized an entire area of the ReUse Center retail facility
• American Cancer Society - walkers raised $870 in the "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk
• Arts Alliance - lawyers provided information for the arts and cultural community on intellectual property, taxes, incorporating, labor and employment, and additional topics as requested for individual artists, as well as entrepreneurs, and organizations involved in the arts and cultural community
• Neighborhood Senior Services - volunteers raked and bagged leaves at several homes in Ann Arbor
• Ann Arbor Community Center Emergency Assistance Clothes Closet - lawyers and staff donated new or used mittens, hats, and scarves in child and adult sizes, all of which had adorned the office holiday tree
• Spaulding for Children - lawyers and staff took 20+ children and their chaperones to the Jan 10 Michigan vs. Northwestern basketball game
Upcoming projects include:
• Food Gatherers
• Perry Nursery
• Safe House Center
• Toys for Tots
• U.S. troops care packages
Miller Canfield opened its Ann Arbor office in July 1984 when it merged with DeVine, DeVine, Kantor and Serr.