Dearborn Heights Goodfellows Association

06/05/2026

For more years than we can recall, Charlie was a part of our Goodfellows family. He loved helping in any way he could, and in his later years, that meant being the first one in the door to count money on newspaper sale day. Charlie will be missed, and we send our love and comfort to his family.

View Charles "Charlie" Shollenberger's obituary, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

06/03/2026

Words cannot express what this man means to our organization. Now-retired Fire Chief Dave Brogan has served as president, corner captain organizer, errand runner, and all-around volunteer for the Goodfellows for as long as we can remember. He is succeeded by the aptly-abled - and future Goodfellows president 😉 - Phil Hall. Chief Dave, on behalf of all of us at the Dearborn Heights Goodfellows Association, and the thousands of families we have served over the years, thank you for your service and your leadership. We will miss you immensely. 💚

City of Dearborn Heights to Honor Fire Chief Brogan at Retirement Celebration

The City of Dearborn Heights will host a retirement celebration honoring Fire Chief David Brogan on Monday, June 1, 2026, at the Dearborn Heights Fire Department Headquarters. The open house-style event will run from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and is open to residents, city employees, elected officials, representatives from neighboring communities, members of the Michigan Chiefs Association, and members of the media.

The event will feature remarks from city leadership and a reception lunch. Attendees are encouraged to stop by during the event to share in recognizing Chief Brogan's decades of dedicated service to the Dearborn Heights community.

Chief Brogan joined the Dearborn Heights Fire Department in February 1992 and has served in nearly every capacity the department offers, working his way up from Firefighter through the ranks of Pump Operator, Lieutenant, Captain, and Fire Marshal before becoming Chief. He was among the original nine paramedics when the department launched its advanced life support services, a milestone that expanded the level of care available to Dearborn Heights residents.

Throughout his career, Chief Brogan held elected positions within the Dearborn Heights Professional Firefighters Union Local 1355, giving him firsthand experience on both the labor and management sides of the fire service. His work spanned fire suppression and fire prevention, and in October 2013 he completed Eastern Michigan University's School of Staff and Command. He is also a member of the National Fire Protection Association and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

The fire service runs deep in Chief Brogan's family. His father served as a firefighter for the City of Detroit, retiring as Senior Chief after 38 years. Chief Brogan is married and has three children.

"Chief Brogan's commitment to this city and its residents has left a lasting mark on our Fire Department and on Dearborn Heights as a whole. It is only fitting that we honor his legacy by naming our new fire station after him, ensuring that his name stands as a symbol of service and dedication for generations to come," said Mayor Mo Baydoun. "This celebration is a reflection of the deep respect our community has for his service."

Event Details:
WHAT: Retirement Celebration for Fire Chief David Brogan
WHEN: Monday, June 1, 2026 | 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
WHERE: Dearborn Heights Fire Department Headquarters | 1999 N. Beech Daly, Dearborn Heights, MI

05/06/2026

Congratulations, Phil, and happy retirement, Dave! We 💚 our Dearborn Heights Firefighters!

Our longstanding tradition of honoring our city's first responders continued today as we paid tribute to Deputy Fire Chief Phil Hall (center, in white). Phil has been a longtime member of the Dearborn Heights Firefighters, and he's given countless hours of his time to better himself, the department, and the community through his professional and personal activities and contributions. He will become the department's 12th chief when Dave Brogan retires June 1.

12/31/2025

For many years, Ernie Rybka was our go-to guy when we needed assistance from the Dearborn Heights Police Auxiliary officers. He wore the badge with honor and was a valuable component of our operation. May he rest in peace. 🙏

Ernest C. Rybka, of Salem Township, formerly of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, passed away on the morning of Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at the age of 86. Ernie proudly served his country for many years, dedicating himself to military service in the United States Navy, Air Force, and Armed National Gua...

12/14/2025

The best firefighting team anywhere - bar none. Congratulations and much love to you all!

12/08/2025

Have the Monday blahs? Eat, drink, and be merry during Merry 342 Day at 342 Bar & Grill! Jimmy and the gang are celebrating the 342nd day of 2025 with a great deal on their delish slider and fries, an open mic/jam session, and other surprises from 11 a.m. until well into day 343! A portion of the day's proceeds benefits the Goodfellows. Try their scrumptious holiday specials and make it a merry Monday at 342, located on Pelham just south of Dartmouth.

12/07/2025

Ninety-seven years of making Christmas brighter for children in need certainly has spanned the generations, but five?! That's the number of generations Terrence and Gage Bevins brought to the table - umm, streets - during yesterday's newspaper sale. These two hearty souls represented the fifth generation of their family as members of Fairlane Eagles 3861 - one of our longtime volunteer groups. Nice work, gents!

12/06/2025

For the past 96 years, our fearless volunteers have braved the December cold to warm the hearts of our city's children. Today is no different. Our 97th Annual "No Child Without A Christmas" newspaper sale is underway, and every contribution - no matter how small or large - makes a difference in Dearborn Heights. Whatever it costs you today, the sight of a child's smiling face on Christmas morning is priceless. Please give what you can. And thank you.

12/05/2025

We loved seeing Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce President Kelli Vanden Bosch today at Kroger with Latanya and John. We appreciate her support of our efforts and our friends "across the border" in Dearborn. Merry Christmas!

12/05/2025

Our 97th "No Child Without A Christmas" campaign is underway at Kroger in The Heights Shopping Center on Ford Road. Members of The Rotary Club of Dearborn Heights are selling our newspapers today until 5 p.m. Please help this great organization help us to provide a merrier Christmas for less fortunate Dearborn Heights families.

Look for familiar - and cold! - faces like these today until 5 p.m. at Kroger in The Heights Shopping Center. Our club is kicking off our season of giving by selling Dearborn Heights Goodfellows Association newspapers at the store's entrance. Stop by, say hello, and give generously as we help the Goodfellows reach their "No Child Without A Christmas" goal in Dearborn Heights for their 97th year. 💚