Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/804156
2155010 5(6,'(17,$/&200(5&,$/2)),&( '(6,*1$66,67$1&( Call Carol Cohan Cell (248) 763-0614 OFFICE (248) 912-6655 www.furniture-redefined.com 2169970 The Paint Store 248-745-3100 Full Line Paint Store 1001 Orchard Lake Rd. Pontiac, MI 48341 www.thepaintstoremi.com Decorator Assistance Come and check us out! Conveniently located at the corner of Orchard Lake and Old Telegraph Rd. 18 March 30 • 2017 jn jews d in the inclusive environment for people who already are out. This is a way into the Jewish community for LGBTQ Jews who may be hesitant to get involved. I think NEXTGen Detroit Pride has the poten- tial to do a lot of good. Let's say there is a senior at U-M who is gay and debating between coming back home or going to Chicago. Knowing that NEXTGen Detroit Pride exists might play a part in the decision. And maybe the growth of NEXTGen Pride could be a deciding fac- tor for a young person thinking about moving back to Michigan. ON THE FAMILY BUSINESS I went to Central Michigan University and double majored in broadcasting and political science. I was planning to go into broadcast journalism, but after finishing my degree and two intern- ships at FOX 2 Detroit and WWJ 950, I decided it wasn't for me. The industry changed in ways I don't agree with, particularly the cost-cutting concept of multimedia journalism where reporters are expected to shoot all their own foot- age, edit and report. I knew I had a great family business waiting for me after college if I wanted. My parents, Andy and Sandy, never pres- sured me to go into the business. It was something I really never thought I was going to go into, but it's nice because there's a lot of overlap from my studies and internships to what I actually do at Dubin Cleaners & Laundry — the mar- keting, PR and philanthropic activities. My great-grandfather, who was a tai- lor by trade, opened the original Dubin Cleaners in the Rosedale Park neighbor- hood of Detroit in 1946. His son, my grandfather, joined him in the business, and eventually so did my father. My dad says he started out as a kid picking pins up from the floor for 25 cents an hour. The dry-cleaning industry has changed a lot since then. It's moved toward a model of quantity, a lower price point and quickly moving the clothes in and out. Throughout the years, Dubin Cleaners & Laundry has maintained a commitment to quality and now, more than ever, it really makes us stand out. All of our production people have at least 30 years experience in the industry. My parents sold the store in Detroit in 1991, but retained the pick-up and deliv- ery service and built upon it. In 2006, we opened across the street from where we are now. When we grew out of that space in 2010, we moved to our current location on Orchard Lake Road, south of 14 Mile, doubling our square footage and adding some new services such as on-site flatwork (bed sheets, table lin- ens, etc.). Some really exciting news is that Dubin Cleaners & Laundry is expanding to a second location in West Bloomfield (15 Mile, east of Farmington Road.) We will be offering new services such as on-site shirt laundry, wash and fold, and more— all with the Dubin quality our customers know and love. As director of sales and marketing, my main focus is growing the business and maintaining and strengthening our community relations. I believe business- es have an obligation to give back to the community they are serving. ON GIVING BACK Philanthropy is a big part of both my personal and business philosophy. Giving back is something that is very important to us at Dubin Cleaners & Laundry. We host a clothing drive called the Winter Warmth Campaign with the National Council of Jewish Women and Project Healthy Community as the ben- eficiaries. Last year during the high holidays, Temple Israel put out boxes and collect- ed thousands of pieces of clothing for our Winter Warmth Campaign. What separates this clothing drive from many other drives is that we clean every piece of clothing before we give them out. So not only are people staying warm in the cold months, but they're given clean clothes. It's something we are proud to do. We also work with the Michigan Animal Rescue League. We're dog peo- ple; we have two dogs. We've held pet adoptions in the past where the dogs and cats are actually adoptable here at the store. It's a fun and rewarding thing to do. I personally believe life is more than making money. It's about making a difference in the community. ON HIS JEWISH JOURNEY My first experience of really being involved in the community was with my mom volunteering at Fleischman Residence when I was 10. She would take our dog, Jake, to visit the residents, and I would go with her. Then I started a weekly bowling activity where I set up chairs in the front atrium. The residents would roll the ball down a ramp and hit the pins, and I was a nimble little kid, so I would run around returning the balls and setting up the pins. I also called BINGO. But my "full-time" volunteer job was "Word Games with Sammy." Every Sunday, for four or five years, I'd set up in the activities room, and we would try out a bunch of different word games to stimulate the residents' minds. I had a lot of regulars, and people really looked forward to it. People came to "Word Games with Sammy" that never went to any other program or activity. I vol- unteered at Fleischman until I went to college. BBYO was another growing experi- ence for me. With 11 of my friends, we established Fisher AZA when we were in eighth grade. It was awesome witness- ing Fisher grow and flourish throughout the years and currently see it doing so well. In college, I got involved with Hillel at the urging of my now fellow NEXTGen Detroit Board member Abi Leipshutz, who was then the Hillel president. I became the freshman representative, and the following two years I was presi- dent. Taking on a leadership role and being able to help grow Hillel was a very cool thing, and it really inspired me to continue leadership opportunities when I graduated. When I finished college, I knew of NEXTGen Detroit, and knew I wanted to continue my Jewish journey back home. The first NEXTGen Detroit event I attended was a bar night. Shortly after, Abi asked me to be on the Latke Vodka committee. I really enjoyed the firsthand experience of contributing to the event, and after I wanted more of a leadership role. I applied to the NEXTGen Detroit Board, was accepted and became the chair of the Good Shabbos Detroit pro- gram for a year. The rest is history in the making. • continued from page 16