Volunteer Spotlight

Merle Baum has been giving back to the community since 2012 when he was introduced to the Wayne Ripple effect by Pat Rice. He served as a member of the Board of Directors. Helping to acquire Main Street status for the City of Wayne, he worked on the team and attended the presentation to the State of Michigan at the Mainstreet application meeting.
Since his time with Mainstreet, he has helped plan, construct, and display the annual Scarecrow Show in our downtown area. He has helped develop the Wayne business guide and delivered copies to our merchants. Merle has participated in the Wayne Clean-Up day for several years. He volunteers for Small Business Saturday, counts chips for casino night, and attends most fundraisers when able.

He currently serves on the Wayne Planning Commission, was included in the review committee for elected officials, and serves as a poll worker during elections. 
In addition to the time he devotes to our City, he has been a Band Marshall for the America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade held in Detroit for the last 26 years. Thru these contacts he volunteers at Detroit’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Detroit Grand Prix and River Days.
He and his wife, Denise have been residents of Wayne for 16 years. They have three adult children and three granddaughters.