Aisin Dragons Softball Team

If you’ve heard of Friday Night Lights, than you’ve heard of Aisin’s own Dragons Softball team. Nearly every Friday night, under the bright lights of Jaycee Field, the Aisin Dragons go up against the fiercest teams in the county. The Aisin Dragons are leading the “American League” division of the Westland Men’s Softball League with a 4-1 record. The roster is made up of AWA, ATC-A, and FTTA staff members. All games are played at Jaycee Park in Westland, 6200 N. Wildwood Ave., Westland, MI 48185, next to the Mike Madano Ice Arena.

League play-offs begin August 27 with the top four teams in each division competing for a chance to move on.

The league championship series (best 2 out of 3) is currently scheduled for September 10.

This fast paced game is exciting and eventful. Come on out, all are welcome!

Hope to see you there!

Livonia Warriors End 2010 Robotics Season on a Positive Note

Last November the Aisin-sponsored Livonia Warriors entered into its second season as a robotics team. Having taken a robot to the state competition its first year, the Warriors anticipated a dream of nothing but success.

The Warriors' robot, "Battle Rider," was built in the back of an English classroom with modest tools, and an unending spirit. At last, Battle Rider competed like a real champion, and took 5th out of 70 teams at the Ann Arbor District Competition, qualifying for the quarter finals. The Warriors received a Gracious Professionalism Award from the judges for exemplary team presence.

While the Warriors were walking on air in Ann Arbor, not so much in Troy. The Troy competition was tough, and the Warriors finished 28th out of 40 teams.

Just missing the cut off for state competition, the Warriors held out on the alternate list and shortly thereafter received the call to register for states. The Warriors took Battle Rider to the State Finals at Eastern Michigan University and placed 59th out of 136 teams from around Michigan. The Warriors displayed Aisin banners and proudly wore blue Aisin caps. A group of 15 students, a handful of dedicated parents, a few professional mentors, a tireless founder, and a supportive sponsor (Aisin) made it all possible. It is quite an accomplishment for a team to compete in the State Finals in the first two years of its existence.

March of Dimes - March for Babies

Formerly known as WalkAmerica, this campaign began in 1970 as the first charitable walking event in the United States. This event has continued for the past forty years, and in 2007 the name was formally changed to March for Babies. It’s an event that is held nationwide in more than 1,100 communities. More than 7 million people, including over 20,000 company, family, and national teams and sponsors, participate in the walk each year. Proceeds earned through this event help to fund research to prevent premature births, birth defects, and infant mortality. Each year, more than a half a million babies are born prematurely and more than 120,000 are born with serious birth defects in the United States.

This year, Aisin staff members were offered an opportunity to be apart of the Toyota Group Company tent at the March for Babies event. Many banks and other local companies sponsored booths, displays and walkers at the Hudson Mills Metropark on April 25, 2010. All together, about 2000 people showed up at this one location for the March for Babies campaign. It was no coincidence that it was the March of Dimes weekend all across the country.

There were plenty of activities to keep friends and family members of all ages entertained and informed. A 5k walk, different stations throughout the park that offered puzzles, games and crafts for kids, and multiple displays about the March of Dimes, featuring true stories about some of the families and babies they have helped.

The atmosphere at Hudson Mills Metropark was warm, welcoming, and very family-oriented. It was all about families coming together who share something - a passion for helping the families of babies with birth defects and babies that were born prematurely. Some families donned t-shirts with their children’s names, ages, birthdates and stories about their journey printed on them. One t-shirt told the story of a little girl that was born weighing 1-lb, and wasn’t given very much hope – and now she’s a very healthy two year-old. It’s good to bring children to events like this, and it’s good to see how companies, families and individuals can contribute to make society better for everyone.

For more information about the March of Dimes - March for Babies, or for information on you, too, can become a sponsor or participant, please follow the links below.

March for Babies – http://marchforbabies.com
How You Can Help – http://marchforbabies.com/howyouhelpbabies.aspx

Monroe International Friendship Association

In a recent Detroit Free Press article, Michigan was ranked number one in the U.S. for hosting high-school international exchange students. For seven years, Michigan has ranked among the top three states for hosting the most high school exchange students per school year.

As of 2009, Aisin is a proud sponsor of the Monroe International Friendship Association. MIFA is located in Monroe, Michigan, which has nearly 25,000 residents, and is ranked among Michigan’s top ten most influential cities.

MIFA organizes an exchange program between Monroe County and its sister city of Hofu, Japan. The Monroe International Friendship Association promotes friendship and the understanding of other countries and their customs through exchange programs. For a brief period of time, MIFA coordinated similar exchange programs with Tomsk, Siberia, however due to unsafe travelling conditions that program was cancelled, and student exchanges are now limited to Hofu.

High school students are selected to go to Japan for three weeks over summer vacation as exchange students to experience the culture and customs of Japan. The students are able to experience it as a person living there instead of just a tourist. MIFA also coordinates activities for Japanese students who come to Monroe for three weeks; experiencing everyday life as well as visiting historical places.

The application process can be somewhat lengthy, however not nearly as time-consuming as with other international exchange organizations. All interested high school students must complete the application, write an essay about why they want to experience Japan, and provide three reference letters. All students also participate in an interview with a panel of judges who then select which students will go on the trip.

The Monroe International Friendship Association was formed by several citizens, the City of Monroe and Delta USA Corporation. Presently, the association is ran by volunteers who help to coordinate all of the programs that MIFA offers.

For the last seventeen years, Mie Opolski has served as a member of MIFA and in 2003 became a Board Member. For any further information about the Monroe International Friendship Association, the services they provide, or how you can participate, please contact Mie Opolski at (734)770-4856.