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Royal Oak to Host VE Day Ceremony Honoring WWII Legacy and Launching “The 250 Club”

A meaningful evening of remembrance, gratitude, and community gathering is coming to Metro Detroit as Royal Oak prepares to host a special VE Day Commemoration Ceremony on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Memorial Park.

The event will mark the 81st anniversary of Victory in Europe Day—the historic moment when World War II came to an end in Europe—and will honor Michigan’s remarkable role in securing Allied victory. It will also look forward, connecting that legacy to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

Held at the Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial, the ceremony begins at 6:30 PM and is free and open to the public. Community members, families, veterans, and local leaders are all invited to attend and take part in this shared moment of reflection.

At the heart of the evening is a tribute to both the warfront and the home front—the men and women who served overseas and the countless individuals in Michigan who contributed through industry, innovation, and sacrifice. Michigan’s identity as the “Arsenal of Democracy” will be front and center, reminding attendees of the state’s vital role in producing the tools that helped win the war.

One of the evening’s highlights will be the unveiling and dedication of a sculpted B-24 Liberator bomber panel. This new addition completes the existing Rosie the Riveter statue at the memorial, creating a powerful visual connection between those who built the aircraft and those who flew them into history. During the war, B-24 bombers were produced at Ford’s Willow Run plant in nearby Ypsilanti at an astonishing pace—one plane per hour—demonstrating the scale and determination of the home front effort.

Representatives from the American Rosie the Riveter Association will be present, adding a personal and living connection to the legacy being honored. Their presence reinforces the importance of preserving these stories for future generations.

Another key moment in the ceremony will be the raising of new military service flags representing all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. This tribute will recognize those who served not only in World War II but across generations, linking past sacrifice with ongoing service.

The event will also serve as the official launch of “The 250 Club,” a new statewide initiative aimed at completing the remaining phases of the Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial. The campaign invites individuals, families, businesses, and community groups to contribute $250—or multiples of that amount—as a way to participate directly in preserving this important piece of history.

Leaders of the memorial emphasize that this effort is about more than fundraising. It is about giving people across Michigan an opportunity to take part in honoring the generation that secured freedom and to help ensure their stories remain visible and accessible.

As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the timing of this initiative carries added significance. It provides a moment to reflect not only on the past but on the values that continue to shape the country—courage, sacrifice, unity, and service.

Located in Memorial Park along Woodward Avenue, the Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial stands as the state’s official tribute to those who served during World War II. It honors both the soldiers on the front lines and the workers on the home front, preserving their contributions in a way that educates and inspires visitors.

The VE Day ceremony offers a rare opportunity for the community to gather in one place—to remember, to honor, and to look ahead. In a time when history can feel distant, events like this bring it close again, reminding us that the freedoms enjoyed today were secured through extraordinary effort and sacrifice.

As May 8 approaches, the invitation is simple: come, stand together, and take part in a legacy that continues to shape Michigan and the nation.

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Ambidextrous artist helps Detroit nonprofit

A Detroit nonprofit is getting a boost from a local artist who is pitching in with both hands.

Colin Darke, of Grosse Pointe Farms, works for Rocket Loans by day. In his spare time, he is an artist who has been using his unusual skills to help raise funds for Arts & Scraps in Detroit.

“Colin started with us as a volunteer and he has moved from there to trying to help support us financially,” explained Arts & Scraps Executive Director Ang Adamiak. “He uses his skill at being able to draw with both hands to gain a social media following, and he is using that power to raise money for Arts & Scraps.”

Darke is ambidextrous, which means he can use both hands as if they were his dominant hand. Having always been an art enthusiast, he started posting his talent of drawing and painting with both hands simultaneously on social media.

“I’ve been able to draw and write with both hands since forever,” Darke said. “A few years ago, my mom and wife were in the kitchen and my son could also use both hands, and I mentioned I could draw and write with both hands when they were talking about it. I didn’t realize how rare that was. So, I started putting up videos on TikTok and Instagram of drawing and writing simultaneously. A few of the videos went viral.”

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Source: Ambidextrous artist helps Detroit nonprofit

Walsh College Blog – 12 Social Media Tips

–  BY BRENDA MELLER

Here are 12 tips on social media use for public relations professionals, or for anyone in the field of marketing.

  1. Be “professionally social” at all times. This means you cannot have one social media account where you are professional and another where you let your guard down completely. You are always a representative for your company, regardless if you identify your employer on your social media profile or not.
  2. When in doubt, don’t post it. If there is a chance your post may reflect negatively upon your or your organization, don’t post it. If you’re not sure, it probably isn’t appropriate to post.
     
  3. Trust your employees on social media. I’m a big believer in empowering your employees with social media training and guidelines, rather than restricting their activities. If you have someone who is in clear violation of your employee policy, act quickly.
  4. Be on LinkedIn and be active. If you have a LinkedIn account and aren’t visiting it at least once a week, you aren’t fully utilizing its features. Look at LinkedIn as a professional activity and spend 15 minutes a day on the site.
  5. Invite people to connect. As a marketer and as a student, I regularly look up people I come into contact with and invite them to connect on LinkedIn using a personalized invitation. Here is a blog with instructions on how to personalize invitation: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/want-more-accepted-invitations-do-brenda-meller-zawacki-. As a student, I regularly send invites to classmates and high level professionals who are covered in our readings, videos, and textbooks. I mention where I read about them and sometimes they accept the invitation.
  6. Follow people on Twitter. Similar to LinkedIn, I look up people on Twitter who are covered in our classes. I tweet what I’m reading about and mention them. Sometimes they “favorite” or reply back.
     
  7. Pay it forward. I try to spend more time on social media talking about other people and organizations than I do about me or my organization. This pays off in the form of “social media karma.” When I ask for a favor, people I have promoted are more likely to want to help.
  8. Start somewhere and spend time each day. If you’re not yet active on social media, you should make the time to do so. Start with LinkedIn. Then, consider Twitter. Facebook and Instagram would be 3rd and 4th order of importance, in my opinion, for marketers and PR professionals.
  9. Remember that people are always forming opinions of you based on your social media activity. If you don’t like their opinions, change your social media behavior. This might mean unfriending / disconnecting / unfollowing, or it might mean shifting your posts from personal rants to professionally focused topics. Related to this — Ladies: don’t show too much skin / cleavage in your LinkedIn photos. The goal of your LinkedIn photo is to illustrate who you are as a working professional. If you’re wearing a sleeveless top, a revealing shirt, or otherwise distracting attire, it is taking away from your professionalism.
  10. Blog. I blog when inspiration strikes. I use blogging as a way to share my expertise, my thoughts, and and to expand my personal brand. If you google the phrase “have you hugged your employees today” you will see that my LinkedIn blog with this title is #1 in search results. I still have a long way to go to becoming a super blogger, but I like to test out different blog topics on different networks. I have found blogs to be a great way to expand your personal and professional brand. In addition, if you’re in charge of public relations for an organization like me, continually be on the lookout for company leaders and faculty who could be bloggers.
  11.  And remember that anything posted on the internet can be shared on the internet. Forever. And ever. And ever.

    Click Here to the Walsh BlogWalsh College’s nationally recognized degree programs blend academic theory and practical application to prepare students for successful careers in business and technology.   Founded in 1922, Walsh is one of the region’s largest business schools and Michigan’s third largest graduate business school.

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