For centuries, the tea house has been a key element of a Japanese garden.

It’s a tranquil place. Before you enter, you cleanse your face and hands to symbolically check your cares and worries at the door. 

It’s a harmonious place, where you meet with friends, receive special tea and cake, and enjoy your time together. 

It’s also a familiar place for our recent guests at Amway World Headquarters, who participated in the Georgetown University Leadership Program, supported by Amway Japan and The Japan Times.

They were excited to learn that a tea house is planned for the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, as part of The Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden. Construction for the project begins in 2013.

During a preview and personal tour of the future garden site, they shared their stories and suggestions for the first official tea ceremony with David Hooker, president and CEO at Frederik Meijer Gardens.

Already new friendships are starting to blossom.

Plant manager James Bowman leads reporters through the nutrition products plant

Journalists love to go behind the scenes. The “hard hat” tour is always popular because media can share news on what’s happening before buildings are completed, ribbons are cut and products are produced.  

That’s why we opened the doors today to our $24 million Nutrition Product Plant at our mile-long manufacturing complex in Ada, Michigan. Media toured the state-of-the-art production facility, interviewed our operations leaders and sampled the Nutrilite products that will be made there.  

This is the first time Amway has produced Nutrilite products in Michigan.  The plant will produce our best-selling  NUTRILITE protein powder, sold by distributors all over the world. Other products to be made at the facility  include POSITRIM meal replacement powder, ACTIVE 8 powder drink mix and INVISIFIBER fiber packs.  

Another first is an innovative work system designed by and for employees at the new plant, including a new work schedule and long-term career path.  Nutrilite employees in California worked closely with the Michigan team to transfer knowledge and processes.  

For this tour, instead of hard hats, media donned safety goggles, lab coats and hair nets to tour the three-story facility.  

We’re taking our No. 1 brand to even higher heights. Learn more on Mlive Media, WZZM and our global newsroom.

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One day last week a team of more than 200 volunteers descended on a city park and transformed an old play space into a new playground for kids to enjoy.

But what seemed to happen in a matter of hours was actually the result of months of planning by the City of Grand Rapids, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, the Creston Neighborhood Association, Amway and neighbors of Aberdeen Park.

The transformation of Aberdeen Park was the 9th KaBOOM! playground installation supported by Amway in Grand Rapids and the 13th Amway has sponsored in U.S. cities.

But the most important number in this story is 6,000 – that’s the number of children who live near Aberdeen Park who now have a new, safe place to play.

Amway is and has always been considered a “local” company here in West Michigan, even though today we have a global presence in more than 80 countries and territories around the world.

And now, we’re helping shine a spotlight on other local businesses through sponsorship of business content on  The Rapidian, a citizen journalism project designed to “increase the flow of local news and information in the Grand Rapids community and its neighborhoods.” 

Amway sponsored the development of ”The Marketplace“ section of The Rapidian and is the underwriter of the “Innovation Spotlight” stories about local businesses.  

In making the announcement this week, Amway Brand Manager David Madiol called the relationship between The Rapidian and Amway a “perfect match” because we’re both about celebrating innovation in our community. 

It’s just one of the many ways we’re involved in local activities here in our hometown and in the dozens of cities in which Amway operates around the world.

Rich DeVos, in recalling his and business partner Jay Van Andel’s decision to buy the old Pantlind Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids in the ’70s, said it was a ”total gamble.”

But it’s one that paid off in ways few could have imagined.

Amway’s purchase of the Pantlind Hotel was a catalyst for a period of rebirth and growth in our city that continues today.  

When the Pantlind reopened September 15, 1981 with the addition of a 29-story tower, the Amway Grand Plaza brought fine dining and award-winning accommodations back to downtown.  

The hotel also provided space for hundreds of guests to stay, which, along with the opening of DeVos Hall and the Grand Center the previous year put Grand Rapids on the map as a meetings and convention destination.

Three decades later the skyline has changed and downtown Grand Rapids is a vibrant destination for visitors and locals alike.

And the gamble paid off.

It’s time to start thinking about back to school shopping, but not every family can afford the essential items needed for their student to start school in the Fall. That’s why we’re stuffing the bus!

For the second year, we’re teaming up with Fifth Third Bank, the Student Advancement Foundation, Hand2Hand Ministries and our community to fill 3,000 backpacks with school supplies for middle school students in the greater Grand Rapids area.

We’re encouraging local residents to stop at any Fifth Third Bank financial center in the greater Grand Rapids area to donate new classroom essentials including: folders, pencils, pens, rulers, notebooks and erasers. Monetary donations are also being accepted. The collection period will conclude on August 20.

Whether you’re in our community or in another location around the world, there are many ways to help students prepare for back to school. What are some of the most creative ways you’ve seen an organization support schoolchildren?

Former First Lady Betty Ford has six.

So do Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell and gospel singer the Rev.  Marvin Sapp.

My Grand Rapids in Six Words, or MyGR6, which launched last night, is a community movement designed to let anyone and everyone share their pride in our community by sharing their sentiments about Grand Rapids using just six words.

Mayor Heartwell, Amway Chief Marketing Officer Candace Matthews and The Grand Rapids Press | mlive.com’s John Gonzalez made the announcement during the Grand Rapids Fourth of July celebration.

Inspired by the six word story and memoir movements, MyGR6 will create, in the words of Mayor Heartwell, a library of stories about our community. People who have lived, worked or played in Grand Rapids are invited to share their six at MyGR6.com. Submitted words will appear on the web site, in media, and be used in an exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum beginning in September.

And six authors of six words will receive six weeks of fame. A panel of community leaders will select the top six-word entries and those words will appear on billboards and in The Grand Rapids Press | mlive.com. The authors will also each receive the Ultimate Grand Rapids Prize Package, an exclusive collection of local arts, culture, entertainment, sports, restaurant, hotel and other prizes valued at more than $10,000. Entry details are available at MyGR6.com.

Amway developed the program and is sponsoring MyGR6 with The Grand Rapids Press | mlive.com, with support from the Grand Rapids Public Museum and Citadel Broadcasting.

To see the “sixes” developed by Mrs. Ford, Mayor Heartwell, Rev. Sapp and others, visit the web site.

And give thought to the six words you feel best reflect Grand Rapids!

This year’s festivities will include a parade and children activities in addition to the traditional celebration at Ah Nab Awen Park.

Inspired by Amway, the Michigan Lottery, AT&T and Spartan Stores also committed their support over several years, according to Ed Kettle, executive director of the annual event.

The announcement came at a Grand Rapids City Commission meeting during which Amway Grand Plaza President Joe Tomaselli announced the hotel will sponsor the winter 2011-2012 Rosa Parks Circle Ice Skating Rink.

“Rosa Parks Circle has become the Rockefeller Center of Grand Rapids, where residents come to spend time together and have fun,” he told the Commission.

We’re proud to support two of the many reasons people are going downtown.  Whether it’s families watching the fireworks on a balmy Fourth of July or kids lacing up their skates on a chilly January day.

Dozens of Amway employees volunteer each year in West Michigan classrooms for Junior Achievement (JA). 

Amway Insider’s Sri Soekarmoen McCarthy and Joel Van Kuiken are just two of our JA volunteers.

But today, insteading of visiting the classroom, they invited the classroom to visit Amway.

About 40 students from Grand Rapids Montessori visited Amway to talk with two employees offering different perspectives – Kevin Douglas, Amway’s manager of college talent acquisition and Samantha Bourque, a public relations intern who edits the Interns Expose Amway blog.

Kevin advised the 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to never forget that they may only have one opportunity to make a good impression. He also said it’s never too early to consider what they want to do for a living.  Kevin’s advice for finding that path?   Start with what you like to do and figure out how you can make that a career.

Sam talked with the students about her transition from high school to college and how she learned to manage her time and schedule. She offered practical advice on how students  can start to interact with future employers through associations and groups and opportunities like internships.

One student was already thinking along those lines.  He submitted a question asking how old you have to be to intern at Amway!

The Amway 50th anniversary exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum is closing December 31.  

So if you haven’t seen this look at Amway’s founding and growth over half a century, time is running out.

The museum will be open every day through the end of the year, except December 25.  Visit www.grmuseum.org for hours and other details.