About our instructors
Our CPR and AED Instructor: Cory Guy
Cory Guy is a lifelong Monroe resident. He is married and a father to two children, ages 5 and 9.
He is a 2007 graduate of Monroe High School and holds Associate of Science Degrees from University of Toledo and Mercy College Ohio. Cory completed his paramedic training through Huron Valley Ambulance and is licensed in the State of Michigan as a Paramedic.
He currently works full-time as a Firefighter /Paramedic for Frenchtown Fire Department. He is both a firefighter instructor for Monroe County and a CPR instructor through the American Heart Association (AHA), licensed in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Cory is a member and co-founder of the Monroe Community Heartsavers, a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization seeking to provide AEDs throughout Monroe County along with CPR and first-aid training.
Our Crochet Instructor: Chris Carley
I’m just a girl born and raised in Michigan.
I grew up homesteading in Central Michigan, which allowed me to learn time honored skills.
Some of those skills include:
• Cooking and baking from scratch (using what you have on hand)
• Sewing (if I wanted new clothes, I had to make them)
• Crocheting
• Plant lore, which lead me to Herbalism
• Gardening
• Foraging
Now I’m looking forward to sharing some of those skills with you.
Our Paint & Sip Instructor: Rhonda Merritt
Coming from an artistic family, its been a natural etension of a lifelong love of the arts, that I have been studying and practicing art my whole life. I’m an Ohio State Graduate where art was a minor and Social History a major.
I was the Co-Director of a mental health recovery center where I taught a therapeutic art group called Coffee and Canvas. I have participated in Art Shows at the Mr. Vernon Schnirmeier Gallery and displayed my work for 4 years in the Art of Recovery annual shows. I was commissioned to paint a portrait for the City of Richmond Heights of the Father of Black History.
I presently have a face painting business, where I can bring smiles as I paint on the “Living Canvases”.
I love sharing my gift with others, young and old and as a member of the Christian Disciples family I am looking forward to opening up a space where others can learn as they paint and craft with art materials.
Our Barn Quilt Painting Instructor: Bonnie Stewart
Bonnie Stewart
Barn Quilt Artist & Instructor
Bonnie Stewart is a longtime Monroe County resident with a deep passion for art and craftsmanship. For many years, she worked with acrylics and oils on canvas, but everything changed when she discovered Barn Quilt painting in 2021. After taking her first class, she was instantly hooked.
Since then, Bonnie has created over 200 barn quilts in a wide range of sizes and styles. What began as gifts and custom pieces for family and friends quickly grew into something more—eventually inspiring her to open her Etsy shop, “Monroe Wood-n-Glass,” where she sells her hand-painted barn quilts and occasionally showcases her stained-glass work as well.
Bonnie finds Barn Quilt painting to be both challenging and incredibly rewarding, and she loves showing others how enjoyable and creative this craft can be. Her goal as an instructor is to help students discover that designing and painting barn quilts isn’t just a class—it’s a hobby they can take home and continue to enjoy for years to come.