Jimi Alpers

About Jimi

Jimi Alpers is a native of northern Michigan, and enjoys participating in all of the beauty that it offers. Since he spends the majority of his time outdoors, he pursued education in natural science and has an encompassing knowledge of local plants and animals. He enjoys hunting, fishing, swimming, hiking, canoeing, camping, rock hunting, and fungi foraging. Born and raised in Interlochen, Michigan, he has a dedication to ensure that our natural resources are preserved and celebrated.

Alpers’ association with Interlochen Center for the Arts started before his birth. In the early years of the Arts Camp, Alpers’ great-grandfather delivered meat to Joe Maddy and high school campers once a week for use in the cafeteria. His grandfather worked on the grounds crew for a year while the State Hospital in Traverse City was working through payroll issues. Alpers’ father worked in the maintenance department from 1989-2021, primarily as a plumber. His mother worked 14 summers in the housekeeping department.

Alpers was fortunate enough to be an Interlochen day camper for nine summers for the full eight-week sessions; he and his brother lived close enough to campus to ride their bikes to their classes. Alpers played trumpet in at least one Camp band each year, routinely achieving first chair placement.

Alpers began his work career at Interlochen Center for the Arts at the age of 14. For two summers, he worked as a housekeeper with his brother and two cousins under the management of his mother. At 16 years of age, he joined the maintenance department on the grounds crew, where he spent four summers. Alpers spent eight years working for Stanley Steemer in Traverse City, where he was a manager for six of those years. His full-time career at Interlochen Center for the Arts started in April of 2015, when he once again worked on grounds and labor crews.

In March of 2022, Alpers joined the Sustainability Department as the Grounds Foreman. Alpers is a skilled communicator who excels at building strong relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. He understands the importance of clear and effective communication when it comes to achieving sustainability goals, and is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Alpers has a passion for people: he believes that helping out your neighbor is a privilege. From an early age he was involved with weekly visits to the nursing homes around the area to visit relatives and newly made friends. Alpers always enjoyed bringing joy to the residents by playing his trumpet. He was awarded Teen Volunteer of the Year for the Goodwill Shelter three years in a row. In addition, Alpers was awarded the Teen Volunteer of the Year for the state of Michigan from the VFW in 2003. He accepted that award, and made a presentation, in front of a large audience of VFW members in Dearborn.

During his middle and high school years, Alpers’ family opened their home to a number of children in foster care. Routinely, he would share his room with kids who were in their care, striking up conversation until one or the other would fall asleep. In high school, Alpers was heavily involved in playing his trumpet at every opportunity possible. During his senior year, he was the drum major of the marching band, and received the John Phillip Sousa award for his contributions and leadership.

Alpers has made two trips to Africa since 2017 with an organization called Hearth to Hearth Ministries. There, he made an impact with children of many ages, most of whom were orphaned and reside at the Hope Center in Homa Bay, Kenya. The group also visited another orphanage they support in Masaka Uganda in 2017. Alpers and colleagues took four trumpets with them, which were donated for the purpose of giving the kids an opportunity to play. They taught a few fundamentals and left multiple books of music and lessons. He is looking forward to going again in September of 2023.