Tag Archives: giving back

Holiday cheer and the spirit of giving was evident at recent Wrap Up Wyoming event

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Going Local, Holidays, Kids Activities, Local Faces, Our Cities, West Michigan, , , , , ,
  • Live reindeer from GG Reindeer Farm came to visit (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Brianna Pena Wojtanek, Wyoming Communications Specialist, was excited to see the reindeer (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • All ages joined in at the craft tables! (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Wyoming PD officers created a festive sleigh (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Members of the Fire Department helped collect the clothing donations(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Wyoming PD Wrap Up Wyoming (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Council Member-At-Large Tommy Brann (left) and Mayor Kent Vanderwood showed their support of the holiday event (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Jingle Jams, led by Parks and Recreation Director Krashawn Martin (left) and Wyoming Senior Center Chad Boprie, were a favorite! (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Santa and Mrs. Claus, reindeer, live music and cookie decorating were only a few highlights of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department’s new holiday event, Wrap Up Wyoming (WUW), that took place Friday, Dec. 1.

Not only did the holiday festivities help bring residents and neighbors together for an evening of fun at the Wyoming Senior Center, WUW also kickstarted a donation drive that will run throughout the month of December.

Wrapping Wyoming in warmth

Warm winter clothing was a greater need in the Wyoming area this year (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

After talking with school partners and other community members, it became apparent there was a great need for warm winter clothing.

“What a lot of the schools need more than anything are coats, hats and boots for their students,” said Krashawn Martin, Wyoming Parks and Recreation Director. “Things that go well beyond the holidays [and] into the colder months.”

Attendees donated new warm clothing such as hats, gloves, scarves, coats and boots. The collected items will be distributed to Wyoming area schools.

“The reason we do this is so that residents can give back to the City, and to residents in need,” said Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood. “Part of my heart and my passion is to help those who need help.

“Sometimes it’s hard for people to know how they should give gifts at Christmas to those in need. By donating in this way, it makes it a little easier for them. I really enjoy the giving part of it.”

The Wyoming Jazz Band played several festive tunes (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Also in attendance was Tommy Brann, Wyoming City Council Member-At-Large, who likened the festivities to a Hallmark movie.

“This reminds you of a Hallmark movie where it brings the community together, and everybody is in a good mood,” said Brann.

Santa and Mrs. Claus were available for pictures and a merry chat (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Brann went on to say that he wishes the donation drive could continue all year. “People need help year-round, but this is a great thing, and I’m glad Wyoming is doing this.”

Martin agreed that there is a great need for help and support – and the City will step forward to meet that need.

“Anything we can do here at the City of Wyoming and as a community to meet that need for our families, we are looking and willing to do,” said Martin.


Music, Santa, and Cookies – Oh My!

Those with a sweet tooth could decorate their own cookie (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Special performances by the Wyoming Jazz Band and storytime with KDL Branch Librarian Adrianna Triche provided festive experiences for all age groups.

Seeing children’s faces light up with smiles was Martin’s favorite part of the event.

“Anything that is going to bring a smile to a child’s face,” said Martin. “When they come in, their faces are going to light up when they see the Christmas tree, when they see Santa…There are some fun surprises tonight.”

WPD Officers Tyler Zbikowski and Jack Tromp show off their cookie decorating skills (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Live reindeer from GG Reindeer Farm were in attendance, and allowed pictures and petting. Santa and Mrs. Claus were available for pictures and merry conversation, and WKTV Community Media recorded holiday greetings for city officials and residents.

Members of Wyoming Public Safety also participated in the festivities. Members of the fire department organized and collected clothing donations, and several police officers joined in at the craft tables and cookie decorating stations.

A Jingle Jam Sing-A-Long led by Martin and Wyoming Senior Center Director Chad Boprie rounded out the evening.

A new holiday tradition

KDL Branch Librarian Adrianna Triche read a holiday story to the crowd
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“This event is a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season and spend quality time with friends and family,” said Martin. “It’s the perfect opportunity to talk to your little ones about the importance of lending a hand and giving back to your community.”

Boprie said that, since having his own children, he sees the importance of events like WUW that provide ways for people to connect with one another.

“Ever since having kids, my view on things like this has totally shifted,” said Boprie. “Even more, I see the importance of events like this to bring the community together, to create family traditions that you can pass on and share with your kids.”

It takes a village

Clothing donations will be distributed among local schools (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“[For] events like this, it takes a team, it takes a village,” said Martin. “The Parks and Recreation team does a lot to prepare months in advance, but we can’t do events like this without the community support we receive.

“We are grateful for our City leaders and for our sponsors – LMCU and Challenge Island – to help make things like this possible.”

If you were unable to attend but would still like to donate, WUW donation bins are available at Wyoming City Hall through the month of December.

To learn more about the City of Wyoming Parks & Recreation Department, click here.

Wyoming’s Two Guys is ‘Big City Dining’ with a personal touch

Beer, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Food, Local Business, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Owners Tom and Amy Payne. Amy works in her garden every morning to pick vegetables for their kitchen. (John D. Gonzalez)

TwoGuys Brewing thinks of itself as “Big City Dining,” but without the hassles of driving and parking downtown.

Even when they put together a business plan in 2006 – 12 years before they opened – the owners always planned to offer quality, locally sourced dining for the community of Wyoming.

“Upscale is not even the word,” said former homebrewer-turned-head chef, Tom Payne.

It was always meant to offer a “downtown restaurant feel and quality of food for our neighbors here in Wyoming.”

Tom and wife/co-owner Amy are doing exactly what they set out to do, and they’re doing it in a remodeled 7-Eleven store at 2356 Porter St. NW. It’s a no-frills location, just great food and beer.

Quality that doesn’t break the bank

The quality of dining is what you might find in downtown Grand Rapids or other metropolitan cities, they said, but not at the same cost. Plus, they have free, on-site parking in Wyoming.

Burgers at Two Guys start at $11. (John D. Gonzalez)

“Pricing downtown is just exorbitant, and I understand, their rents are also much higher than ours in some cases,” Amy said.

“But we’re Gen-exers,” she added. “We don’t park six blocks away from where we’re eating.”

“I worked 16 hours today; I don’t want to walk,” said Tom with a laugh.

A burger downtown, for example, might cost as much as $18.

At TwoGuys, where burgers are ground fresh every day, it will cost $11, unless you customize it with a lot of add-ons, like one online customer who built a half-pound burger with multiple toppings that came in at $19.

One of Tom’s priciest creations, a Poutine Burger, which was a special in July, cost $14. It was Prime rib, ground fresh from English cut roast shoulders.

It might cost a little extra, “but we touched every part of that burger, from the condiments on it, to the grinding of the beef,” Tom said.

“And it had hand-cut fries on it,” Amy said.

Foodies and others are taking note

Since opening in 2018, TwoGuys has established itself as “a great place for delicious eclectic food and great Michigan beers. Family-friendly with a great neighborhood feel!,” which it says right on their Facebook page.

That’s where most of their 13,000-plus followers keep up to date on food specials, new beer releases and community causes.

Two Guys Brewing is located in a remodeled 7-Eleven store at 2356 Porter St. NW. (John D. Gonzalez)

Just take a look at their food photos online, and you will immediately have a craving for one of Tom’s creative creations.

Along with a team of dedicated employees, they’re hard work is paying off and putting Wyoming on the map. Foodies everywhere are taking notice.

With a national tourism conference in town last week, Experience GR had some nice things to say about them in a blog post offering a “Locals’ Guide to Breweries with Great Food,” saying TwoGuys is a “must visit” for craft beer and food enthusiasts “due to its decadent food, dessert and craft beer selections.”

It added:

“TwoGuys makes most of its items in house, to the extent of house-smoking beef, corned beef and turkey, hand-dredging chicken and hand-cutting potatoes for fries. The menu emphasizes shareables, from tacos, fried pork rinds and wine-braised mushrooms to cheese curds, charcuterie boards and chorizo fundido, a sausage-and-beer cheese combo.

You can also count on a tantalizing special or two, always made with the freshest local ingredients.”

The silver lining of COVID

The praise is heart-felt by the couple, who work countless hours, but always put their staff and customers first.

“There are some weeks we don’t take home a paycheck,” Amy said. “And we’re OK with that.”

They were humbled during Covid when locals flocked to their restaurant to pick up pre-packaged, family meals that Tom said was “real honest food that you didn’t have to do the hard part.”

To borrow a couple of overused words at the height of the pandemic, they learned to “pivot” and make the best out of an “unprecedented” period in our country’s history.

In a weird way, it was Covid that put TwoGuys on the map outside of Wyoming.

“We have regulars now who would not have come in here except for that,” Tom said on an episode of our radio show “Behind the Mitten with Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez.” “So although COVID has been a pain in the ass, it’s been a blessing.”

Feeling the love of its community

They were humbled again this summer when a smoker caught fire and caused damage to the exterior of their building, which led to a GoFundMe Page. On Facebook they posted:

Damage from the smoker fire that took place earlier this summer. (John D. Gonzalez)

“We could use your help if you’re so inclined.

“We DO have insurance. Anything donated above the deductible and immediate costs to repair, replace, and clean up will be donated to a local charitable organization supporting women, pregnancy, and infants. It has always been our mission to support our local community and we will do that through this as well!”

They asked for $2,500, which the community nearly doubled in less than a month.

It wasn’t an easy ask for a couple that, like the community itself, prides itself in hard work and pulling themselves up by the bootstraps.

They were overwhelmed.

The extra money will go to charities they support and align “with our values.” But they’ll do it quietly without making a big deal about it.

“When you do something good, sometimes you just have to shut up and let people notice,” Amy said.

“There are a lot of good restaurant owners in this community, but you’re never going to miss the fact they are doing good. That takes a little bit away from (the fact) you’re doing good if you’re using it as a marketing plan.”

More than a family affair

Married in 1990, the couple met in 1988 at Village Inn Pancake House on 28th Street (now New Beginnings). He was 18. She was 16.

Seeing their restaurant full is one thing that keeps Two Guys Brewing owner Tom Payne going. (John D. Gonzalez)

Today they are the parents of three adult daughters (Meghan, Zoe and Abigail). They live only a few blocks away from TwoGuys.

As local business owners, the couple just wants to make an honest living, support the community, and make great food and beer.

Amy works in her garden every morning to pick vegetables for their kitchen. When he needs a little “alone time,” Tom creates beautiful tie dye shirts across the street in the production facility to sell in their merchandise shop.

What keeps them going every day?

“Seeing this place full every night,” Tom said.

“Coffee and Ibuprofen.” Amy said.

‘Just be good’

In all seriousness, they hope popular beers, seltzers, sangrias, along with hand-cut fries, New Orleans-inspired food, burgers, tacos and other specialties will keep people coming back. It’s been a dream of the couple “forever.”

“But it’s never been a selfish dream,” said Tom, referring to the jobs they’ve created for their family and employees.

“We’ve got 20-some families of those that work here whose lives are better because we’re here,” he said.

That fits with their core values, which is to make a difference and “just be good.”

“Be better than you were yesterday,” Amy said.

“Change the world one pint at a time,” Tom said.

“We’ve really worked hard to try to make this corner of Wyoming better,” Amy said. “We’re hoping that ripples into other corners of Wyoming.”

Learn more about TwoGuys Brewing at https://twoguys-brewing.com/.

To make a charity contribution: https://gofund.me/69d17608 

Listen to the TwoGuys Brewing interview on “Behind the Mitten with Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez.”

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.