It is a cold Saturday morning, but the former Boys & Girls Club in Pontiac is warmed by excitement as busloads of inner-city children pull up to the door. The glow – and noise – increase as hundreds of youth rush through the doors for a day of skits, music and games in a safe place.
This is The Power Company Kids Club, a nonprofit formed 30 years ago to bring laughter, leadership and love to underserved children. And behind it all stand generous donors, like Leigh Elceser.
Doctor Leigh, actually, of Joslyn Chiropractic Center (joslynchiropractic.com), a women-owned, faith-based practice providing chiropractic care, massage therapy and nutritional counseling.
You can’t spend more than a few moments with Dr. Leigh before her wit and smile break through. You’ll also realize, as she moves with precision from X-rays to treatment to counseling, that she’s unflinchingly serious about your recovery.
“My commitment is to take care of people in every way. Our bodies innately want to be healthy without surgery or medication. That’s what we do.”
Healing bodies, however, is not enough.
“Yes, we want to heal pain through chiropractic care, but we also care about emotional and spiritual well-being,” she says. “That’s why we support nonprofits like The Power Company Kids Club. There are so many people who just need to be loved on.”
She is reminded of her own childhood in West Virginia. “I was the oldest of five kids from a single mom who stole food to survive. It was a tough background.”
Athletic scholarships helped pay for classes at Palmer University in Iowa. Afterward, she stayed on as a recruiter for the chiropractic college until she convinced them to admit her as a student – for free.
“I didn’t make it to chiropractic college until I was 31. I was like the den mother,” she grins. She was also class president, a harbinger of her later success.
Now, after twice being named Chiropractor of the Year, she reflects on her legacy.
“Chiropractic is more than straightening spines. It’s about helping you enjoy a greater quality of life through optimal nervous system function and healthy lifestyle choices, such as exercise, diet and supplementation."
Although still in her original building in Pontiac (just 15 minutes from Troy), her practice attracts middle-class and affluent families and executives from Troy, Rochester, Madison Heights and Clarkston who travel for her unique blend of personality and personalized service. And to be cared for by her longtime team: Angela Howe, Kelly Dunn and Staci Weyer.
“We like to develop lasting relationships. What makes us feel best is to walk alongside you in your journey of pain and recovery. We care about you as a person, not just your condition. That’s our mission of health.”
And, apparently, her mission of giving.
“Her generosity makes a real difference for our kids,” says Aaron Robinson, chief operating officer of Power Company. “She helps us stay consistent in making sure hundreds of children experience joy and love, not to mention meals every week.”
Hers was an unlikely journey from poverty in West Virginia to affluence in a thriving chiropractic practice. The common thread: Holistic care for her community.
“Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to meet goals, and mine were to take care of people. That’s where my heart is.”
You’ll find Dr. Leigh at joslynchiropractic.com or (248) 332-0111.
