Call Center Company in Grand Rapids, MI

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Posted 7:04 PM, Jun 05, 2025

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A local nonprofit organization in Grand Rapids is working to provide a memorable summer experience for children but needs community support to make it happen.

In the heart of Grand Rapids' Madison neighborhood is an organization that's working to build a Path Forward for kids.

"At Save a Life a Day is where your child can be themselves... our doors wide open," Save a Life a Day Outreach Founder William McFadden said. "My focus is not just trouble kids, because to me, children are not trouble kids."

Over the next few months, Save a Life a Day Outreach is hosting its annual summer camp. The organization is dedicated to breaking the cycle of youth violence.

"The reason why I made it is because I knew that God had a passion on my life or purpose for me," McFadden said.

As they've helped the community, they're now asking the community to help them. McFadden has several events planned, including taking the children to Michigan Adventure, fishing, and a weekend camp.

"They have high ropes, obstacle courses, swimming, teaching them how to tie tight squirrel knots, different things of that sort. And we'll be fishing, camping outside, looking at the stars. They also have some leadership programs that we will be doing," McFadden said.

He says funding for the program is currently low.

"We are working with the children that are in the low-income housing sector or low income, and it is kind of hard for parents to pay the $40," McFadden said.

McFadden is hoping people in the community will sponsor these kids so they can have a summer they won't forget.

"This will make a change in our community where we can make Grand Rapids back great again," McFadden said.

You can donate by stopping by 1316 Madison Street SE in Grand Rapids.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Chicagoland woke up to code red unhealthy air quality Thursday as wildfire smoke from Canada continues to plague the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. For a time early in the day, it had the second-worst air quality among the world’s major cities.

Air quality alerts covered all of Michigan and portions of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Nebraska. Detroit had the fourth-worst air among major cities worldwide as of Thursday morning. Other cities under the alerts included Flint and Grand Rapids in Michigan, Milwaukee and Green Bay in Wisconsin, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Officials in Michigan are recommending that residents avoid strenuous outdoor activities, keep windows closed (even overnight), run the air conditioner and/or use other smoke-rated filtration devices.

According to the air quality tracking site IQAir, Chicago’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 160 — down from a peak of 166 earlier in the morning — was worse than any major world city except Dakar, Senegal.

Detroit’s AQI of 142 — a value that was still increasing — ranked it in fourth place after Santiago, Chile, and tied with Jakarta, Indonesia. That reading places Detroit in code orange territory, with air unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Other cities not large enough to be included on the IQAir list had code red air quality as well Thursday morning, including:

A slow-moving frontal zone in the northern United States, and a series of low-pressure areas passing through Canada, are teaming up to help keep smoke somewhat trapped.

Although the smoke is slowly diminishing, surface smoke concentrations tend to increase at night as the atmosphere cools, winds calm and particulates are able to sink. Higher humidity can help the process along. Some dense fog was observed in parts of Illinois near the smoke, as well.

The same batch of thick smoke from Saskatchewan and Manitoba forests has been slowly drifting southeast since the weekend, first moving by the Dakotas, then into Minnesota on Monday. By Wednesday it focused on Wisconsin, and on Thursday it is sinking farther south and east.

Particulate concentration of this round is expected to diminish further into the end of the workweek, but moderate to locally worse air quality could remain, especially in the Great Lakes region and near the border with Canada. Even with lesser quantities of smoke aloft, enhanced sunrises and sunsets also remain possible in portions of the eastern U.S.

As wildfires in Canada rage despite some rainfall in recent days, additional thicker smoke may waft south of the international border as soon as Friday.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI —Buell Motorcycles is preparing to launch its new Super Cruiser motorcycle this fall from its headquarters just east of Grand Rapids in Cascade Township.

Today, the company is planning significant investments in its headquarters and manufacturing capacity as design and testing for the bike wraps up. Buell hopes the Super Cruiser will go head-to-head with industry heavyweights such as Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle.

Here are five takeaways about the company, its plans for growth, and anticipated demand for the Super Cruiser.

Buell Motorcycles is launching the $26,000 Super Cruiser this fall

The Super Cruiser blends the design of a classic American cruiser with the power of a European superbike.

RELATED: Iconic motorcycle brand axed by Harley-Davidson roars back to life in Michigan

Bill Melvin, Buell’s CEO, says the bike is “lighter, faster, and has better styling than anything else on the market right now,” noting it’s 200-300 pounds lighter than Harley-Davidson’s “heavy cruisers.” The Super Cruiser has a V-Twin engine with 175 horsepower and 101 pounds of torque. To date, the company has received roughly 6,000 pre-orders. The bike retails for $26,000.

The company plans significant expansion in Grand Rapids

Buell Motorcycles is investing in its Grand Rapids operations. The company plans to hire 162 employees over the next three years, more than tripling its current workforce of 50.

In addition, the company plans to invest $18.5 million to purchase its headquarters at 2700 Patterson Ave. SE and expand its manufacturing capacity there. By early next year, production is expected to reach 300 motorcycles per month. Buell expects that number to grow to 28,000 bikes annually by 2028.

Buell has a storied history in American motorcycle manufacturing

Founded in 1983 by former motorcycle racer and Harley-Davidson engineer Erik Buell, the company built its reputation on high-performance, racing-inspired street bikes. Harley-Davidson acquired Buell Motorcycles in 1998 but discontinued the brand during the Great Recession in 2009.

Later, Erik Buell launched a new company, Erik Buell Racing, but the business went into receivership in 2015. Melvin purchased Erik Buell Racing for $2 million in 2016 at Walworth County Circuit Court in Wisconsin. In 2020, Melvin secured the rights to the original Buell Motorcycles name from Harley-Davidson, which he described as “a hallelujah moment.”

RELATED: Motorcycle from Michigan to challenge industry giants like Harley-Davidson, Indian Motorcycle

The company emphasizes American manufacturing

When Melvin relaunched Erik Buell Racing in 2017, the company had a global supply chain, with parts coming from Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Today, approximately 60% of the Super Cruiser’s parts are made in America. That includes gas tanks and fenders from Michigan, suspension systems from Minnesota and radiators from Texas.

Sourcing parts from the U.S. increases production costs, but Melvin says that’s what his customers are looking for: “Our customers want an American product, and we’re giving them an American product.”

Buell aims to become the third-largest U.S. motorcycle manufacturer

Melvin has big goals for Buell’s position in the motorcycle market.

Currently, Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle, which is owned by Polaris, are the two largest U.S. motorcycle companies, he said. But Melvin said Buell has “a good opportunity to get to third place in the next couple years.”

His push to expand production and grow the company’s workforce got a boost from the Michigan Strategic Fund, which in May provided Buell with a $972,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant. The Right Place, a Grand Rapids-based economic development group, assisted with the grant as well.

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Almost 20 years have passed since Kyle Osipoff capped his East Grand Rapids high school career by celebrating a lacrosse state championship.

That 2007 victory over Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood sparked a run of three consecutive state titles for the Pioneers and formed lasting memories for the former prep All-American defender.

Now, Osipoff is helping the next generation of Pioneers create their own unforgettable moments as the fourth-year head coach at an EGR program set to compete in its 11th state championship game.

The second-ranked Pioneers (19-3) play No. 1 Detroit Country Day (20-3) in the Division 2 title game 7 p.m. Friday at the University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium in Ann Arbor.

“What I’ve been telling the guys this entire week is just enjoy it,” Osipoff said of his advice to his team. “Not a lot of people get to play for a championship at any level, so enjoy the practices; enjoy the time with family as you guys talk about it; enjoy the ups and the downs.

“Not everything’s going to go our way. Something might happen, but whatever it may be, just enjoy the fact that you are one of the final two teams to play in a championship game, which is pretty cool and something you’ll remember 25 years later.”

That’s not to imply the Pioneers are just happy to be heading to Ann Arbor.

EGR’s roster includes 14 seniors, including Osipoff’s son, Jacob Tietema-Osipoff, and the program would love nothing more than to send them out on top.

“This group is pretty unique,” the elder Osipoff said. “They’ve been playing lacrosse together since they were little in summer ball stuff with just East Grand Rapids kids, and lot of these boys have actually been on varsity with me since their freshman year, so I’ve been able to see it kind of come full circle with these guys. My son’s in this class, as well, so I’ve known all of these boys since they were 5 or 6 years old, and to see it end with an opportunity to win a championship is pretty cool.

“School’s out, all the other sports are done, so this is kind of the last hurrah before these guys end high school and go on to their college careers and whatnot, so it’s a pretty cool full-circle moment.”

A win on Friday would give EGR its seventh state championship, and the Pioneers are confident they achieve it, after defeating Country Day, 10-9, in the regular season.

The Yellowjackets previously eliminated EGR from the tournament in the 2021, 2022 and 2024 state semifinals, so earning that win way back on March 25 was big for the Pioneers.

“To get that monkey off our back is huge,” Osipoff said. “We have played them almost twice every single year and have lost to them both times every year.

“They’re well-coached; they’ve got a great staff over there, not to mention phenomenal players, so it’s good to get that win early in the season.

“… To see them again, I think that’s the right thing. Not only do I love East Grand Rapids lacrosse, but Michigan lacrosse has been a big part of my life in general, so we want to give the state the No. 1 game, and that’s us versus DCD.”

Country Day’s only other loss came to a Detroit Catholic Central squad that is playing for a Division 1 state on Friday, while EGR’s two in-state defeats were to Rockford and the other Division 1 state finalist, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice.

Detroit Catholic Central is the only team that has held EGR to single-digit goals this year, and the Pioneers are averaging 20 per game in their four playoff contests.

“In sports, it’s kind of like hitting your groove,” Osipoff said. “You make that extra pass with the assumption that somebody’s there, and guess what, they are now, and instead of hitting crossbar or missing the cage, you’re putting the ball in the back of the cage.

“… It’s just been kind of a progression effect. We watched them improve the first part of the season, the second part of the season, the third part of the season, and now they’re doing really well, and they’re on a roll. They’re finding the back of the net consistently.”

It also helps that EGR’s faceoff guy, junior Kaden Goossens, wrapped up the regular season winning over 80 percent of his draws against a grueling schedule.

“He’s done an exceptional job for us, and when you get into a tight spot, knowing that you have a really high chance of getting the ball back, it kind of relieves a lot of that anxiety

“Then, when you score goals, knowing that you’re going to get the ball back and have a chance to go on a run and score another goal is huge… I would say the No. 1 factor is just the ability for us to continue to maintain possession at the faceoff X.”

Defensively, EGR held its opponents to single-digit goals in 19 of its 22 games, despite all-state goalie Quinn Irwin missing a chunk of the season due to injury.

Irwin returned to the lineup for Tuesday’s 20-7 state semifinal win over Forest Hills Northern, and though senior backup Willson Eckley played well in his absence, getting a second team all-stater back between the pipes provides a big boost.

“Our backup goalie, Willson, actually did a phenomenal job for us in cage,” Osipoff said. “He’s a leader himself, but to get back Quinn, who’s been on varsity since his sophomore year and is a two-time captain, that doesn’t only elevate the defense, it just elevates the team in general.

“We’ve done fine without him, but we go from 7 or 8 to 9 or 10 on those steps with getting a guy like him back between the pipes.”

EGR has also endured key injuries at the attack position, with brothers Gavin Buck and Dylan Buck missing some games, including the win over Country Day.

Junior midfielder Sam Zyskowski, who was a second team all-state selection last year, also sustained a season-ending injury early in the year, putting players such as junior Dylan Buck, senior Owen Stropkai and junior Ethan Pfeiffle into new roles.

“Those three guys have filled his shoes and then some,” Osipoff said. “Each one of those guys is averaging multiple goals in the playoffs, and all three are in contention for all-state, so you’ve got a lot of talent filling those shoes.”

More high school lacrosse coverage

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Low-income housing developer Well House hosted a ribbon cutting Thursday for an eight-unit housing development on Grand Rapids’ Southeast Side.

The $2.5 million development is spread across three buildings east of S. Division Avenue at 32 Pleasant St. SE, 1138 Cass Ave. SE, and 512 Highland Ave. SE. The units are reserved for families and individuals who have struggled with homelessness.

“Nearly all of our tenants come out of homelessness, so this really is the first step to stability,” said Kurt Reppart, a former Grand Rapids City Commissioner who works in the housing sector and served as a consultant on the project.

He added, “I think they feel supported and they feel community. They get to live in a neighborhood and not in a big apartment complex. They can walk to the bus stop at the end of the block. They can get involved in community activities and get to know their neighbors.”

Construction kicked off in December, and the project is now largely wrapped up. The Cass Avenue building is expected to be complete in three weeks, Reppart said.

Potential tenants are being referred to the project by the Grand Rapids Coalition to End Homelessness’ coordinated entry system. The units are reserved for families and individuals earning up to 30% of Kent County’s Area Median Income.

For a two-person household, that’s an annual income of up to $24,180, according to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

The development comes as Grand Rapids is working to boost its housing supply. A 2022 Housing Needs Assessment by Bowen National Research estimates the city needs 14,106 units by 2027 to meet demand.

The need spans housing across all income levels. For those earning up to 30% AMI, the number of units needed to meet demand by 2027 is 1,380 rentals and 100 for-sale units, the study shows.

Orion Construction built the housing, with funds provided by a host of sources, including the city of Grand Rapids, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the state of Michigan, a host of philanthropic groups, and more.

“This project reflects what’s possible when a community comes together to prioritize affordable housing at all price points,” John Glover, executive director of Well House, said in a statement. “We are grateful for the collaboration and support from our partners, and proud to offer new, dignified homes to the people we serve.”

Well House was founded in 1977 by Marian Clements, with the goal of helping reduce homelessness by providing permanent, safe, low-cost housing. Counting the new development, Well House has 20 housing units.

“We’re honored to continue our partnership with Well House on a mission that aligns so strongly with our values—building not just structures, but better lives,” Brad Walsh, President of Orion Construction, said in a release. “Our team is proud to help bring this vision to life in a way that will positively impact the Grand Rapids community for generations.”

-This story and headline were corrected to reflect the accurate cost of the project, $2.5 million