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We believe all youth need a safe place where they can have fun, hang out, and be supported.
We believe we can help.
At the Armory Youth Project, our mission drives our actions every day. We are a dedicated non-profit organization serving Manistee County and community youth in grades 6-12.
The Armory Youth Project is a standalone 501(c)(3) entity. The Armory was purchased with donated funds raised through Faith Covenant Church and donors from Manistee County. Today, we are a separate organization with no single church affiliation, but we endeavor to partner with all in the county.
The Armory successfully opened its doors in 2017 offering after-school and summer programming, mentoring/tutoring, art classes, and substance-free parties. We continue to add and enhance programs based on feedback from our youth, parents, and community partners.
The Armory Youth Project is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our community. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy applies to all aspects of our operations, including admissions, employment, and access to our programs and services.
Our mission is clear: To provide a safe environment where young people can build community and be encouraged in their educational, emotional, physical, and Christian spiritual development.
Board of Directors
Michelle May
President
Michelle moved to Manistee in January 2020 and she has been actively involved with the Armory Youth Project since its inception in 2012. She has been a member of the AYP Communications Committee from 2019-present and served as committee chair since 2020. She joined the Armory Youth Project Board of Directors in February 2023 and became president in January 2024. As president, she serves as chair of the Executive and Nominating Committees. She is also a member of the Manistee County Young Life Committee and attends The Tabernacle Church. Michelle is a results-oriented, communications executive with a track record of success in communications strategy development and execution. She has 35+ years’ experience in partnering with C-suite executives to lead culture change, business transformation, and integration while protecting the company’s reputation, culture and brand. After retiring from GE in 2017 as the Chief Communications Officer for GE Power, Michelle and her husband, Doug, started a business consulting practice which they continue today. Michelle has a bachelor of science in business from Indiana University and a master’s degree in business administration from Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. Michelle and Doug have two children.
Mike Hudak
Vice President
Mike joined the AYP board in October 2023 and was named vice president in January 2024. He is a member of the AYP Board Executive Committee also serves as the chair of the Facilities Committee. After leaving Manistee in 1988 to join a large consumer products company in Wisconsin, Mike moved back to the area in August 2020 with his spouse Michelle (Thomas), who was born and raised in Manistee. The Hudak’s are members of Divine Mercy Parish where they married in 1989. Mike gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in operations, management and strategic planning after nearly 40-years in various manufacturing environments. He has a bachelors of science in chemical engineering from Michigan State University and a masters of business administration from the University of Chicago – Graduate School of Business (Booth Business School). He is a past-president of the Manistee Jaycees, a current volunteer driver for the Disabled Veterans of America and has held numerous volunteer positions over the decades, primarily related to youth activities.
Pat Lynett
Treasurer
Pat has been a part time resident of Manistee since 1997, choosing the area for its boating opportunities. She attends Faith Covenant Church with her husband, Jim Hanson, while also a member of the Divine Mercy Catholic Community. She joined the original Capital Campaign Committee for the future AYP in 2012. Since then, Pat has continued involvement with the BOD and the Fund Development Committee and rejoined the BOD in October 2023. She was named to the Executive Committee in January 2024. Pat’s career involved both Social Work (BSW and MSW from the University of Wisconsin, 1973) and Business (MBA from the University of West Florida, 1985), working for two Fortune 500 companies in the US and Japan in operations leadership positions. Pat was also an executive at Vista Maria, a treatment center for court-involved teen girls in SE Michigan that provides social work services for the Manistee dialysis clinic. Pat brings a wealth of expertise to the board including marketing, growth, strategic planning, and impact measurement along with trauma informed care and mental health treatment.
Kathi Houston
Board Member
Kathi has lived in Northern Michigan since 1977 and served with the early community group in 2016 who helped describe and define the vision and operation of the AYP. She brings board experience from having served with the boards of the Girl Scouts of Crooked Tree (Now Michigan Shore to Shore), the Women’s History Project of NW Michigan, Benzie Area Women’s History Project and The Arts and Culture Alliance of Manistee County. As the “events coordinator” at her church, Frankfort United Methodist, she works with a variety of people and programs that utilize the facility and activities. Kathi has faith in an individual's ability to develop and grow. Before moving to Michigan, she taught fourth graders and middle schoolers in Montgomery County, Maryland for six years. After starting her work as a teacher for students with diverse learning styles at Brethren High School in 1979, it led her to become the work study coordinator and transition coordinator for the Manistee ISD until 2005 when she retired. For the next ten years, she worked with youth at CASMAN Academy, then spent the following several years working with volunteers who acted as mentors to youth who had been adjudicated in Juvenile Court of Benzie or Manistee Counties. She holds a bachelor of education from Bethany College (WVA) and a master’s degree in Special Education from Trinity College (Washington, D.C.). Kathi worked with her husband Dave Reid, owning and operating Crystalaire Camp and Camp Lookout in Frankfort from 1977 until 2023. They both believe that youth learn and grow in this type of safe setting that can offer challenges as they develop interests, abilities, talents and knowledge about themselves.
Robin McGarrah-Martell
Board Member
Robin joined the AYP board in April 2024. She moved to Manistee County in 2016, and she and her husband have one school-age son and two adult daughters. Robin has a long history of involvement with youth ministry, serving as a youth leader at the Big Rapids Resurrection Life Campus for 14 years. She currently attends Bridges Church of Manistee, where she served as the leadership board chair and the staff/pastor relations lead, and serves on the Praise & Worship Team. Robin has worked in human services for over 18 years. Her experience ranges from crisis case management to prevention services. Currently, Robin supports Michigan's Trauma-Informed case practice model as a quality assurance analyst with the Department of Health & Human Services. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a minor in Communications and a master's degree in criminal justice administration from Ferris State University.
Shannon Gruno
Board Member
Shannon Gruno joined the Armory Youth Project Board of Directors in June 2024 and is a member of AYP Communications Committee. Shannon moved Manistee in 2021 and is a case manager with Centra Wellness Network, a two-county community mental health agency. In this role, she coordinates services for clients and families in the community to help ensure the best client outcomes. Shannon’s personal business, Forest Trail Wellness, gives her an opportunity to extend wellness services to the community including chair yoga, nature therapy hikes, and mindfulness techniques. She also collaborates with local businesses for corporate wellness, youth day camps, and creative wellness for children. Shannon brings to the AYP Board 25 years of social work experience in working with children, adults and families. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Masters of Arts in Spirituality, Culture, and Health from Western Michigan University, as well as certifications in integrative mental health and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).