Some careers are chosen for opportunity. Others for success. But some paths are shaped by a calling — one that places purpose above paycheck and service above self. In this episode of Total Michigan, we travel to Ionia to explore what happens when people say yes to a call greater than themselves.

Cliff DuVernois sits down with Terry Yoder, President of SMAT Aviation, a school dedicated to preparing missionary pilots and mechanics to serve in the most remote places on earth. Together, they talk about calling, preparation, and the unseen support that makes mission work possible when roads disappear and help is days away.

This is a story about obedience, discipline, and faith in action — and how a small community in Michigan is helping carry good news around the globe.

Links:

SMAT Aviation Website: https://smat.edu

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Most weeks on Total Michigan, Cliff DuVernois sits down with dreamers and doers who are making our state brighter.

This week, the spotlight turns inward.

In this deeply personal year-in-review episode, Cliff reflects on 2025—a year defined by creative growth, unexpected limitations, and the heavy, sacred work of caregiving. As his mother’s dementia progressed, the life he had carefully built was slowly reshaped by responsibility, sacrifice, and hard decisions no one prepares you for.

What emerged from that pressure wasn’t the end of Total Michigan, but a clearer purpose, stronger storytelling, and a deeper understanding of what it means to slow down, let go, and trust God with what you cannot control.

This is a story about love, loss, resilience, and learning when to stop being the caregiver—and start being the son.

In this episode of Total Michigan, we sit down with Pete Sanford, the owner of Steele Street Brewing in Ionia, to explore how an unexpected career change, a run-down building, and a simple desire to create a welcoming space turned into one of the community’s most beloved gathering places. Pete shares the heart, grit, and vision behind building a true hometown pub—where tables get pushed together, conversations flow effortlessly, and belonging is poured one pint at a time.

• How Pete transformed a neglected building into a community hub
• The challenges and surprises of starting and running a small-town brewery
• Why Steele Street Brewing has become Ionia’s unofficial living room

Links:

Steele Street Brewing

300 S Steele Street

Ionia, MI, 48846

Website: https://www.steelestreetbrewing.com/

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Find us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/totalmichigan

Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@totalmichigan