APRIL 2, 2002 - Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services Director Kathy Wilbur announced today 76 finalists have been selected for the 2002 Governor’s Quality Care Awards.  The awards program, which was launched by Governor John Engler in 1998, recognizes outstanding state-licensed child care homes and centers, before/after school programs, nursing homes, hospices, homes for the aged and adult foster care facilities.  Rules prohibit care professionals from nominating themselves or their own facility for the award.

“We received over 1,000 nominations, which is an indication of the exceptional level of quality care available for Michigan’s most vulnerable residents.  We rely on a team of health care and child care experts, who have the difficult job of evaluating the nominations and narrowing the list to just a few finalists,” said Wilbur.  “While we won’t be announcing the winners until June, each of these caregivers should be applauded for reaching the high level of professionalism and dedication it takes just to reach the finalist level.”

Wilbur and her staff are currently in the process of visiting the 76 finalists for an on-site review, which will help determine the winners of the 2002 Governor’s Quality Care Award.  The finalists will be invited to an awards dinner on Wednesday, June 19 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing where the winners will be announced.

The team, which reviewed the nominations, included representatives of the Office of Services to the Aging; Family and Children’s Services of Midland/Child Care Concepts; Michigan State University, Child and Family Care Resources; Michigan Assisted Living Association; Michigan Association of Homes & Services to the Aging; Health Care Association of Michigan; Telamon Corporation; BEAM, the Eden Alternative Project; and CIS’ Adult Foster Care, Child Care, and Health Facility Licensing Divisions.

Read more Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services press releases.

Adult Foster Care Facilities

• Cindy’s Place, Traverse City
• Country Corners, Fennville
• Country Estate for Ladies, Clarkston
• Emmons Adult Foster Care Home, Bark River
• Farmington Hospice Home #1, Farmington Hills
• Golden Beach Manor, Millersburg
• Morning Glory House, Parchment
• Northern Home, Marquette
• Nottingham Place, Midland
• Rosewood AFC of DeWitt, DeWitt
• Sacred Heart Adult Foster Care Home, Gregory
• Serenity Acres, Bellevue
• Toy House Retirement Home, Suttons Bay
• Waffles AFC Home, Central Lake

Before and After School Programs

• Utica Community Schools, Sterling Heights

Child Care Centers

• Appletree Christian Learning Center, Grandville
• Assumption Nursery School, St. Clair Shores
• Country Schoolhouse Day Care Center, Escanaba
• Creative Kids Learning Center, Brighton
• Eastside Community Preschool, Kalamazoo
• Forest Park Community Schools – Forest Park Daycare, Crystal Falls
• Generations Child Development Center, Grand Rapids
• Kids Kingdom Day Care Center, Rockford
• Leelanau Children’s Center, Leland
• Little Howeller’s, Howell
• Mancelona Public Schools – Mancelona Daycare, Mancelona
• Milford Montessori School, Milford
• Mister McGregor’s Garden Children’s Center, Marquette
• Play and Learn Children’s Place, Saline
• St. Christopher’s Day School, Marquette
• St. Paul Early Childhood Center, Ann Arbor
• The Learning Village, Kalamazoo
• Van Buren Public Schools – Preprimary Impaired Program, Belleville

Home for the Aged

• Bishop Hills Elder Care, Rockford
• Summit Park Assisted Living Center, Jackson

Hospice

• MidMichigan Visiting Nurse Association, Midland

Family/Home Child Day Care (1-6 Children)

• Lynnette Bottenfield, Byron Center
• Tara Bruce Daycare, Gladstone
• Clementine Cheeks – Ms. Clem’s Home Day Care, Detroit
• Beth Fryer – Teddy Bear Day Care and Preschool, Traverse City
• Hyesum Gosserand – Honey Bunny Day Care, Ypsilanti
• Diane Soper, Midland
• Tracy Willet Daycare, Grand Rapids

Group/Home Child Day Care (Up to 12 Children)

• Tammi Beeson – Kids’ Land Daycare, St. Louis
• Terence Bond - The Discovery Place, Pontiac
• Robin Hall - Robin's Nest, Walker

• Denise Kern – Charmwood Circle Child Care, Port Huron
• Angela Mann – Angie’s Daycare, Royal Oak
• Debi Metevia – Little Cherub’s Childcare, Bay City
• Lisa Michalsky – Lisa’s Laugh and Learn Daycare, Bay City
• Robyn Morgan – Robyn’s Roost, Boyne City
• Kelly Murley – Kelly’s Kids, West Bloomfield
• Sara Nisanov – Wee Ones Daycare, Grand Rapids
• Judy Ripke – Grandma Judy’s Day Care, Midland
• Dawn Schneider – Rainbow Place, St. Johns
• Rena Shah – Happy Days Nursery, West Bloomfield
• Nancy Tipton – Aunt Nancy’s Day Care, Eau Claire
• Kelly Vaughn – Kelly’s Home Away From Home, Canton

Nursing Homes

• Birchwood Nursing Center, Traverse City
• Bortz Health Care of Traverse City, Traverse City
• Cass County Medical Care Facility, Cassopolis
• Evangelical Home – Port Huron, Fort Gratiot
• Evangelical Home – Saline, Saline
• Grandvue Medical Care Facility, East Jordan
• Iron County Medical Care Facility, Crystal Falls
• Lapeer County Medical Care Facility, Lapeer
• Lenawee Medical Care Facility, Adrian
• Mackinac Straits Health Care, St. Ignace
• Maple Lawn Medical Care Facility, Coldwater
• Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility, Bellaire
• MidMichigan Stratford Village, Midland
• St. Mary’s Nursing Home, St. Clair Shores
• Tendercare Clare, Clare
• Tendercare Greenview, Alpena
• Tendercare Munising, Munising
• The Gilbert Residence