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A brilliant Monarch butterfly sculpture has been added to Southfield City Centre Trail, made possible by Eaton, the international power management company located in Southfield. “Eaton encourages all of its employees to be active stewards for our environment,” says Laurie Conn, facility manager for the Vehicle Group. “We support the Butterfly Sculpture and Garden because we support our community. We live here. We work here. We’re glad to be part of the community.”

Eaton first contributed easement so the Trail could extend past its building. Then it contributed additional easement for the butterfly sculpture, which was installed this spring, and the creation of an adjoining pollinator garden, home to butterflies, bees and other pollinators. The City will add an educational panel and amenities such as benches and wayfinding signs. “The Monarch butterfly is in decline,” says Terry Croad, director of planning for the City of Southfield. “It is on the international endangered-species list.” A sculpture of the Monarch was chosen to make a bold statement and complement the vivid color at Red Pole Park. “We want to bring awareness to the plight of pollinators and bring a smile to visitors,” he says.

Conn says the extension of the Trail and the new sculpture increases wellness opportunities for Eaton employees. “We have a lot of walkers. This is a great space for our employees to be physically active and reduce stress, which contributes to both physical and mental well-being. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so this is a great time to take advantage of this new space,” she adds. The sculpture and garden, which is now being designed by a landscape architect, complements efforts of  the “Green Guardians,” an employee group supported by Eaton that promotes environmental sustainability.

For the second year in a row, Southfield City Centre Trail was the location of the Anti-Defamation League’s annual “Walk Against Hate” and fundraiser and the results were inspiring: More than 200 people participated and more than $26,000 dollars were raised in support of the organization. “Antisemitism and all forms of hatred have been on the rise for the last several years,” Carolyn Normandin, regional director of ADL Michigan, said after the September 18 event. “On the day of the walk, we saw the combining of communities, from different walks of life, different religions, different races and ethnicities all saying, ‘Michigan is no place for hate.’ We are standing in solidarity and as long as we do that, we can stand up to hatred and bigotry.”

Arthur Horwitz, long-time area resident, civil rights champion and journalist, was chosen as the inaugural Path to Truth honoree and leader of the walk. He was joined by Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren, representatives from City of Southfield and Lawrence Technological University and student leaders from several area high schools, along with participants from Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties.

In addition to the annual walk, ADL works year-round to train teachers and students in ways to disrupt and redirect any kind of hateful dialogue. “Between January 1 and September 1, we trained more than 1,000 teachers,” Normandin said. “More than 30 schools – elementary, middle and high schools – are participating in ADL’s No Place for Hate, a curriculum that is student-led with guidance from a faculty advisor.” For more information, visit adl.org.