Mel Trotter Ministries and ICCF announce the opening of two affordable housing units for men who are transitioning from the shelter at Mel Trotter Ministries into supportive housing. ICCF will serve as the owner and property manager while leasing the two homes to Mel Trotter Ministries who will walk alongside guests in their new living environment. Single men who have completed one of the various programs at MTM and have a steady income stream will be tenants at the homes.
“The West Michigan community faces a daunting challenge as there is simply not enough housing that is affordable to low-income, working individuals.” said Ryan VerWys, CEO of ICCF. “No single organization can solve the problem of homelessness alone and that’s one reason we’re thrilled to work in collaboration with Mel Trotter Ministries on this project.”
The two homes are located on the west side of Grand Rapids; combined they offer five rooms with rent ranging from $350 to $450 a month. Tenants of the home are responsible to pay their own utilities. A peer support person lives in the house and tenants will be provided with aftercare services through a Mel Trotter Ministries advocate staff, to help ensure they are continuing to work toward complete independent living with the tools they need to be successful.
“We are excited to partner even more deeply with ICCF by bringing each organization’s strengths together to help our guests obtain and maintain housing,” said Dennis Van Kampen, CEO of Mel Trotter Ministries. “Our goal is always to provide a dignified and empowering way to help individuals and families leave homelessness for good. This project is an example of the power of collaboration to make a greater impact. We look forward to opening more transitional homes in the future.”
Mel Trotter Ministries also currently leases two other transitional homes in Grand Rapids; a transitional youth house for young men (18-24) as well as a women’s transitional home.
Some homes are still in need of move-in kits and furniture. A complete list of needed items can be found here.
Area residents had fun with the Christmas greetings at the WKTV booth.
Council members Rob Postema, Marissa Postler, and Dan Burrill
Mayor Jack Poll makes a few announcements before the event starts.
Mayor Jack Poll and WOOD TV 8’s Eva Agurrie Cooper
The boys and girls choir from San Juan Diego Academy
Many area businesses were sponsors of the Wyoming Gives Back event
Area businesses had booths at the Wyoming Gives Back event showing services and products.
SuperMercado Mexico showcased some of the products they offer at their store.
Several area businesses were at the Thursday night event.
The big goal of the evening was to fill that truck with toys.
Wyoming residents gave back with the truck overflowing.
Officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety were at the event.
It got to the point were the toys would not fit in the truck as it was so full.
Some Christmas greeting fun at the WKTV booth.
Toys were everywhere at the Wyoming Gives Back.
A big part of the night were the raffle prizes donated by area businesses.
Residents who donated were able to get a raffle ticket for prizes.
The Rogers Plaza Mall was packed for the Wyoming Gives Back event on Dec. 6.
A raffle winner receives his prize while others visit the booths of local businesses.
The crowd waits for the next group to perform.
Mayor Jack Poll announces the next raffle prize winner.
The choir from Godwin Heights High School await to go on to perform.
The Wyoming Fire Department members were also on hand for the event.
The choir from Godwin Heights performs.
The jazz band from the Wyoming High School performs.
The jazz band from the Wyoming High School wows the Wyoming Gives Back crowd.
Area residents fill the truck at the Wyoming Gives Back.
One full truck at the Wyoming Gives Back.
A bike awaiting to board the truck at the Wyoming Gives Back.
Thursday, Dec. 6, residents came out in full force to help those in need at Wyoming Gives Back.
By the end of the night, the Wyoming Department of Public Works truck was overflowing with gifts from residents for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree. Residents were able to bring in a gift and for every gift donated, received a raffle ticket for prizes. The prizes were donated by area businesses.
Many local business had booths sharing information about services and products they provided. Performances featured the choir from the San Juan Diego Academy, the jazz band from the Wyoming High School, and the choir from Godwin Heights High School. The Salvation Army was handing out hot chocolate and cookies and several area businesses had candy and other items for those who attended.
Organizers said they were pleased with the success of the event. This was the eighth annual Wyoming Gives Back. Mayor Jack Poll noted the city decided several years ago to move its annual holiday event indoors and to focus on the spirit of the season. He said the event has been well received every year with residents and staff looking for to it.
Alpine Elementary School teacher Nicholas VanderHyde has adopted new techniques when teaching math to his fourth-grade students. The techniques are taught by Michigan Mathematics Educators, a program based at the Kent ISD
The Michigan Mathematics Educators (MichME) initiative is changing the way math is taught in West Michigan schools, one teacher and classroom at a time. After four years, the program has rewired the way math is taught by more than 250 educators and administrators.
Thanks to his MichME training, teacher Nicholas VanderHyde no longer drills his fourth- graders at Alpine Elementary School on addition and multiplication tables. Instead, he gathers his pupils in a circle and starts a discussion about the different methods they’re using to solve the day’s math problems.
During one recent afternoon, a story problem that required adding two large numbers (8,437 and 21,663) kicked off a discussion about the different methods they used to carry a column sum greater than 10 to the next column.
“Tell the person next to you what method you used,” VanderHyde urged the pupils as they sprawled on the carpeted classroom floor. One advocated the traditional approach carrying the extra number to the top of the next column. Another carried it at the bottom of the column, while a third crossed out the number at the top of the column and increases it by one. All got the same answer.
Godwin Heights High School teacher Tracy Krafft helps her students develop their problem-solving skills during her Honors Geometry class. She uses techniques taught by Michigan Mathematics Educators, a program based at Kent ISD
For a pupil who got a different sum, VanderHyde asked him and the other students to analyze and discuss why that method did not yield the same answer.
VanderHyde is among a growing number of math teachers who have changed their teaching methods after participating in the MichME, a program based at Kent ISD that challenges traditional teaching methods.
During his first 12 years as a teacher, VanderHyde said he taught math as a subject. “Now I teach to the student,” says VanderHyde, who began participating in the MichME program four years ago. Instead of focusing on the answers, VanderHyde says he now focuses on how his pupils get to the answers.
“It’s about the process, not the product,” said VanderHyde, who has recruited fellow teachers and administrators in the Kenowa Hills School District to embrace the MichME program.
Whether the MichME is going to raise test scores is an open question. But VanderHyde said fewer students are falling behind while more are acquiring critical thinking skills. “Former fifth-graders are telling me, ‘It’s making fractions so easy now.”
Godwin Heights High School teacher Tracy Krafft uses the same approach when she teaches her Honors Geometry class to 10th- and 11th-graders.
Krafft starts the class by spelling out their goals for the day. The students are seated around tables in which they collaborate in groups of four or two. During a recent class, they discussed the properties of congruence and equality by working through problems Krafft posted on an electronic white board.
In her 10th year of teaching, Krafft said the collaborative methods she learned through MichME have changed her students approach to mathematics. Instead of memorizing formulas, they are learning how to become mathematicians and problem solvers.
It may be more difficult for some students, but they learn more in the end. “I think it’s good for students to experience struggle,” said Krafft, who enrolled in MichME four years ago.
Rusty Anderson, a Kent ISD educational consultant who manages the MichME with two assistants, said his four-year-old program is offered to educators from kindergarten through high school. While the participants may be teaching at different grade levels, the focus on new teaching methods is universal.
“We try to think differently about teaching,” Anderson said. MichME challenges its participants to look at their beliefs and values as educators during five daylong sessions that are held throughout the school year in a setting away from classrooms.
Instead of being the “knowers of information” in the classroom, participants are coached on methods to become a “facilitator of learning,” said Marcus Deja, a former math teacher who now works as an MichME coach. “It’s my role as a facilitator to allow students to engage.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Godwin Heights High School teacher Tracy Kraft helps her students develop their problem-soling skills during her Honors Geometry class. She uses techniques taught by Michigan Mathematics Educators, a program based at Kent ISD.
On Tuesday, Dec, 4, the South Christian High School girls varsity dropped their season opener to visiting Hamilton, 62-42. But the story of the game wasn’t really who won or lost.
Although this isn’t how they wanted to kick off their season, there was something bigger on the minds of the Sailors players, family members, and fans alike. This was the last time any Sailor would suit up for a home game on the 68th Street campus.
WKTV was at the game to cable broadcast it, as well as will make it available on-demand.
Varsity girls head coach Kim Legge grew up a Sailor. Once putting on the same purple and white jersey as her players now do, Legge knows how special it is to be a Sailor.
“It’s a family,” Legge said to WKTV prior to Tuesday’s game. “This is our home court. This is our home.”
The boys had their last home game on Friday, Nov. 30, against Byron Center, when the Sailors defeated the Bulldogs, 65-44.
Keeping in the family theme, senior Salior Conner Kok isn’t the first person in his family to suit up for South Christian. With family members supporting him and the South Christian Legacy, Kok said he went into the game ready to give it his all one more time.
“Since I was about five years old I’ve been in this gym watching my brothers play,” said Kok. “So you want to honor that and get the win.”
The South Christian boys and girls will play their first games on their new home floor, at Kalamazoo Campus, 7979 Kalamazoo Avenue SE, on Friday, Dec. 21, when Unity Christian comes to visit. WKTV will be there as well, and will cable broadcast and offer the game on-demand.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are give the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26). For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.
For Denise VanDyken, her Sweet Adelines adventure started when members of her family, who loved to harmonize, decided to join a Sweet Adelines group so at to get some “real” barbershop arrangements.
“So we were going to join and get some arrangements and we didn’t plan on staying and that was nearly forty years ago,” VanDyken said. “I just fell in love with the organization and with the music.”
She is the music director for the Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines Chorus. Under her leadership, the local group has won three regional titles and been named first place midsize choir which has allowed the chapter to participate in the international competition four times in six years. Before VanDyken taking the helm, the group had only attended international a few times in its sixty-plus history.
“We became champions of Region 17, which is a five-state region, Michigan through to Ohio and into Pennsylvania,” said VanDyken talking about the group’s May 2018 win in Cleveland, Ohio. “We competed against about 20 other choruses and we won the championship and that entitles us to go to New Orleans next September.”
The Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines Chorus at the WKTV studio. The group is set to perform on Saturday, Dec. 15..
For now, the group is focused on its upcoming holiday concert, “Sounds of the Season,” set for Saturday, Dec. 15. The performance is with the men’s group, the Great Lakes Chorus, and will feature an array of holiday selections, some of which can be seen on a recent WKTV holiday special featuring the Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines Chorus, which is currently airing.
“We sing four-part harmony, a cappella, barbershop-style and we perform,” VanDyken said. “We are a show choir. We do choreography and staging and it is much more than just singing.”
In fact, guests may join the choir for its holiday show, giving them an opportunity to see what the choir is about and all that is involved.
“You don’t need professional experience to join,” VanDyken said. “You have to sing and have the ability to sing and there is a lot of performance to it. As I said, it is not just standing there and singing. You have to be able to memorize the music and sing without accompaniment, harmonize with other voices, blend with other voices and do choreography and dance at the same time.”
Established in 1945, Sweet Adelines International is the oldest and largest international women’s barbershop organization in the world. According to the organization’s website it has 23,000 members on five continents who belong to more than 500 choruses and 1,200 quartets. One of those choruses happens to be right in the Grand Rapids area, the Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines Chorus, which is made up of members from around West Michigan including the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. The Grand Rapids chapter was founded in 1951.
As to why people join, VanDyken said there is a number of reasons, the love of the sound of voices harmonizing, the music, barbershop-style, the camaraderie, and making friends with people from around the globe.
Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines Chorus rehearses its holiday music.
“I sat next to a woman from Sweden at a recent International competition,” VanDyken said. “We had a lovely conversation and felt that we had a relationship immediately because we shared this hobby, or cult as some might call it.”
With 40 years of participating, VanDyken said there are a lot of good memories and experiences with the joy of being part of the Sweet Adelines coming through the group’s performances.
“I think for me, it’s the fact that I could have done this for forty years and still be excited,” VanDyken said, “ still learning things and just as much in love with it as I was forty years ago.”
The Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines Chorus performs with the Great Lakes Chorus in the “Sounds of the Season” set for Saturday, Dec. 15, at 3 pm. at the Grandville High School Auditorium, 4700 Canal Ave. SW. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for students 8-18 and seniors 60 and older. For more information, visit gras.net.
North America holds about 5% of the world’s population and 25% of its incarcerated population. Its prison population has increased 800% in the past 40 years. And Michigan prisoners will typically serve 120% of their minimum sentence.
Those stats call for action. And a population of students in the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI) program are helping facilitate some important conversations related to these statistics from behind bars.
“Inner transformation is key to radical reconciliation, and ultimately restorative justice. We hope that as more people come to see the humanity and values of these forgotten men and women, the willingness to discard people will end.”
Jamie Sturdevant, a student at Calvin’s Handlon Prison campus, spoke this collective hope on behalf of the CPI students who organized and led the second annual West Michigan Restorative Justice Conference. The theme of the October 13 conference was “Hope, Healing, and Radical Reconciliation.”
Leading from inside the fences
Throughout the conference, CPI students introduced speakers, explained restorative justice, and sang original pieces via pre-recorded videos. The Handlon Tabernacle Choir began the conference in song and then proceeded to define restorative justice.
CPI student Shawn England described how restorative justice is focused on relationship-building, not punishment. “Reconciliation requires more than leaving places of power for periodic visits to communities of oppressed people,” he said. “It means building ongoing relationships with many persons from marginalized communities and engaging in those relationships for the duration of our lives.”
“The road to healing and reconciliation is never easy; it requires humility and courage,” CPI student Aaron Wadsworth added. “We are all called to walk this road, but we do not walk the road alone.”
Restorative justice speakers
The student organizers introduced conference speakers from various backgrounds and experiences with restorative justice. Calvin alumnus and former professor Nicholas Wolterstorff argued that restorative justice must focus on healing the breach between personal relationships rather than providing a consequence for a harm. “Aren’t persons more important than laws? Aren’t laws for the sake of persons?” Wolterstorff challenged.
Father David Kelly, the director of Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation, followed Wolterstorff by encouraging others to become more proximate to those affected by injustice. “We have to be willing to go in and touch the woundedness of one another,” Kelly said. “As a church, we ought to be living in the Holy Saturday moment—to embrace the hurt and pain of the crucifixion, and yet give witness to the resurrection.”
After offering statistics on the history of American incarceration, writer and speaker Dominique Gilliard spoke on America’s historic, concealed imprisonment system: convict leasing. “We are addicted to punitiveness and we have understood it as justice. As Christians, we cannot accept that definition of justice because it is morally bankrupt,” Gilliard said.
State representative and Calvin alumnus David LaGrand then provided an inside look at Michigan’s criminal justice landscape and specific legislative areas for reform. He argued that the church has a crucial role to play in this pursuit. “We need to focus on who is hurt and how we can heal who is hurt,” LaGrand said.
Jerline Riley then spoke about losing her son in February 1994 at the hands of a CPI student. She described the long reconciliation process between herself and the student, and how she now views him as a son. “I see him moving forward and doing great things with his life, because that’s what God raises us up for,” Riley said. “Seventy times seven—that’s how I feel about life. I hope I play a role in him coming home someday. I am a wounded healer, and I want God to use my story to plant seeds.”
Hope College professor and Calvin alumnus Charlotte Van-Oyen Witvliet concluded the conference by speaking on the dehumanization of the incarcerated and the power of forgiveness. “We cannot confuse an image bearer of God with the wrongdoing of which they are responsible,” Van-Oyen Witvliet said. “This person needs to undergo positive transformation; that transformation helps us pivot away from desiring that person’s destruction.”
Restorative Justice Club
The conference was made possible by Handlon’s Restorative Justice Club, which meets biweekly to learn about how to become part of the movement toward a more personable and just society. Professors Thomas R. Thompson and Matthew Walhout have been the club’s faculty mentors since the club’s inception in Fall 2017. “The club’s members and leadership are highly self-motivated and self-facilitating. We receive much more than we give, but we do provide some administrative legs on the outside of the facility,” Thompson said.
According to Thompson, the Restorative Justice Club members would like the conference venue to vary institutionally and ecumenically throughout the coming years to achieve greater awareness and participation in the restorative justice movement. In March 2017, the first West Michigan Restorative Justice Conference took place at Hope College.
Currently, efforts are being made to launch a chapter of the Restorative Justice Club on Calvin’s main campus, which would interact and coordinate with the CPI chapter’s interests and efforts.
The 3D imaging software, True 3D Viewer by EchoPixel Inc., is the latest high-tech tool used by the congenital heart team to understand the complex anatomy of a beating heart.
The physicians used scans of Luke’s heart to create the virtual image, which they consulted as they decided whether to do surgery, and how to prepare for the operation.
‘Tired pretty quick’
Luke, the son of Pam and Jason Carpenter, was born with several rare congenital heart defects, including dextrocardia, a condition in which the heart is situated on the right side of the chest, instead of the left. And he had transposition of the great arteries—which means the two major blood vessels that carry blood from the heart were switched.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
By the time he entered Thornapple Kellogg High School last fall, Luke had undergone four open-heart surgeries. Surgeons patched holes in his heart, replaced the mitral valve and rerouted major blood vessels.
The fixes helped him grow and thrive in school and activities. He couldn’t play contact sports because of the blood thinners he took, but he loved to watch football and basketball. And he played golf and joined the high school team.
One day, he would like to become an athletic trainer for sports teams.
In the fall of his freshman year, however, he noticed difficulty in keeping up the same level of activity.
“I’d get tired pretty quick,” he said. “I would feel like (my heart) was beating really fast.”
“He was fine (when he was) resting,” his mom said. “But when he was running around the yard or doing something even mildly active, his heart would be pounding really hard.”
The congenital heart team focused on the tube that had been placed in Luke’s heart to connect the right side of the heart to the lung arteries. A surgeon first created the conduit when he was 14 months old because he was born without a pulmonary artery. A surgeon replaced it when Luke turned 9.
Dr. Vettukattil examined the structure in a heart catheterization procedure. He hoped to use a balloon catheter to expand the tube and improve blood flow.
But he discovered the conduit lay between the heart and the breast bone, a tight spot that compressed the tube. The congenital heart team determined he needed open-heart surgery to replace the tube—and to place it in a different spot.
Getting a clear picture of Luke’s unique heart became crucial to planning the surgery.
“In a complex heart like this, when the heart is on the right side of the chest, it is important for the surgeon to orient themselves,” Dr. Vettukattil said.
A pioneer in 3D imaging techniques, Dr. Vettukattil used scans of Luke’s heart to create a 3D printed model, printed in a clear plastic resin.
That model also was used to create the image of the heart viewed on the Echo Pixel monitor. Wearing 3D glasses, the physicians examined the heart and its position within Luke’s chest.
“When you do the Echo Pixel model, you are visualizing the whole chest,” Dr. Vettukattil said. “You have a much better spatial understanding—the whole organ system of the patient is represented intact. And you are visualizing it in three dimensions.”
Marcus Haw, MD, pediatric heart surgeon and co-director of the congenital heart center, used the 3D images to plan the operation.
“As soon as I reviewed the printed model, I was able to show Luke and his parents the compressed conduit,” he said.
“More importantly, it showed that there was an extension of his heart cavity that would give room for a larger conduit—and that the coronary artery was not in the way of the potential route for the conduit.”
On April 16, 2018, he placed a new tube between the right side of the heart and lung arteries, this time routing it across the top of Luke’s heart. He also replaced the mitral valve with a larger one.
‘Means everything to us’
Two and a half weeks later, Luke arrived at the congenital heart center for his follow-up visit.
“You’re healing nicely,” said physician assistant Sarah Yarger, PA, as she examined the incision.
As he recovered from surgery, Luke said he was slowly regaining energy and appetite. He received approval to return to school the next week.
He hoped the new connector in his heart would make a difference. He looked forward to getting back on the golf course.
“I hope it will make me have more energy and able to do more things,” he said.
He had a chance to look at the colorful 3D model of his heart pre-surgery.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
“It’s crazy,” he said, turning the heart over in his hands.
He pointed out the tube that lay compressed under the sternum—the one that had just been replaced.
For the specialists at the congenital heart center, the use of 3D imagery—including the printed model and the virtual image seen with 3D glasses—helps further the diagnosis and treatment of complex congenital heart defects.
“The capability to see the structures of the heart in this way is opening up new possibilities for patients who’ve previously been told there is no more we can do or that surgery is too dangerous,” Dr. Haw said.
The physicians continue to work on ways to better see the interrelated parts of a beating heart so they can fine-tune each patient’s treatment.
“That means everything to us,” Dr. Vettukattil said. “If we can use the best technology for the best treatment for our patients, that means a lot.”
By Bill Hill, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
It is a strange life.
The Emperor penguins are born into darkness at the coldest end of the earth. To get to their mating territory 70 miles inland, they must waddle in short steps for a week through a hazard of upthrust ice scored by crevasses. As deep winter comes on, the females hatch one egg each, pass it to their partner and make the long march to the shore to feed and recover. The male Emperors stay behind cradling their precious eggs on the tops of their feet. They will huddle together through the long Antarctic winter going without food for as much as four months. The darkness and terrible cold ease as the sun climbs higher. Shortly after the eggs hatch the females return, ready to spell the exhausted males who now must totter to the sea. The parents take turns shuttling to the sea for food till their chicks are old enough to make the journey themselves, and the cycle begins again.
Despite its billing as the “Official companion to the major motion picture,” this book is a distillation of the movie in 160 pages of photos with the movie’s narration for text. There is a short end chapter on the making the film. The publisher, National Geographic, has produced a handsome and fascinating book, one that could be shared with the rising generation.
Sue Diehl had no idea when she stepped off her flight at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) that she would be walking into cheers, applause, gifts, and surprises as the Ford Airport’s three millionth passenger.
“This is crazy, thank you, thank you!” said Diehl. “I was thinking I was in a dream because I did take a little nap on the plane and I woke up and I see balloons and all of this.”
The Airport had a total of over 2.7 million passengers served through the end of October. November and December seat totals and flight information forecasted the three millionth passenger to arrive around 11 a.m. on December 5th, and Diehl was the lucky passenger having arrived to Grand Rapids on Delta flight 1367 from Atlanta at 11:11 a.m.
GFIA has now had six straight years of record growth, having grown from 2.2 million in 2013, to 2.8 million in 2017, and now serving its three millionth passenger in 2018.
“What a way to welcome in our three millionth passenger with all kinds of free stuff, travel vouchers, and just the thrill of being greeted by hundreds of our staff and tenants cheering and celebrating Sue Diehl as our three millionth passenger,” said GFIA Marketing & Communications Director Tara Hernandez. “Sue was emotional, happy, and appreciative, and I know she will remember this for years to come. For all of those that have traveled with us we celebrate this milestone with you, and we thank you for your patronage and support – not just this year but through the last 54-plus years of service to our community.”
As the three millionth passenger, Diehl received three $300 travel vouchers and three free days of parking from the Airport Authority, a gift basket of travel accessories from Hudson News & Gifts valued over $300, a Beer City Welcome Basket from Experience Grand Rapids, a Founders Brewing Company gift pack, three $30 Starbucks gift cards, and more.
When told what her prize package included, Diehl was emotional. “No way, no way,” she said through tears. “Nothing like this ever happens to me.”
Standing from left to right: Coach Heerema, Dana Feenstra, Kate Warners, Amber Leep, Lydia Jaarsma, Analyse Parks, Lydia Postma, Avery Hilton, Coach Koning. Kneeling from left to right: Megan Vos, Ashley Osterhaven, Rachelle Jeurink, Kelly Leep, Alyssa VanBeek, Emily VanBeek, Kendra Leep
Over the past twelve weeks, fourteen girls spent time and energy developing their skills under the tutelage of coaches Heerema and Koning. Their hard work paid off on Saturday, Nov. 3, when Zion’s varsity volleyball team claimed victory over Martin and won “Dede,” their district trophy.
All girls agreed with Kelly Leep’s statement, “It’s fun because we played together as a team.”
Alyssa VanBeek added, “Seeing the ball drop on the other side of the court and knowing that all our hard work had paid off and celebrating with my teammates and the fans were my favorite parts of districts.”
Zion students and staff are thrilled about the achievements of their varsity volleyball team and are very proud of the athletes’ hard work.
This article comes from the Zion Christian School’s student newspaper, The NOIZ.
When Ken Olson was a junior, he left Lee High School to enlist in the Army, where he spent two years stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. While enlisted, he earned a GED which, he was told, he could bring to his alma mater in exchange for a high school diploma.
Years after his discharge, he went to the then-principal at Lee and said he was told no — you can’t get your diploma until you take 12th-grade English.
The years slipped by Olson settled in Lowell where he worked for CSX. He met and married his wife, Sherry. He retired from the railroad after 44 years. But he never did get that diploma.
Ken Olson’s basketball picture, taken his junior year of high school. (School News Network)
‘We’ll Help You With Yours’
Last summer, however, Sparta Adult Education opened a location at the Alpha Family Center in Lowell. During one of their outreach efforts, Sherry was talking to Tom Bratt, a teacher at SAE. She asked if he might help her husband get that diploma. They figured that he might just have to take the English course, and he’d be all set.
Bratt loves detective work, making connections and putting pieces together, so he got to work figuring out how to make this happen.
“We tell diploma-seekers, ‘Each student has their own story and we’ll help you with yours,’” he said. Although this story was certainly unique.
“This was a completely new scenario for us,” said Heather Holland, director of education for SAE. Nevertheless, Bratt and Ken began piecing together the information they needed.
Many of Olson’s service records were gone, casualties of a July 12, 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in Minneapolis, which destroyed 16-18 million military personnel files.
Olson produced assorted discharge papers and records that he would have pitched, but that Sherry had kept stored away. They connected with the Department of Veterans Affairs and found a program that allowed service members who had enlisted during certain dates during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and who had earned a GED, to obtain diplomas. Ken missed the timeline by two weeks, but the VA said if Olson could secure permission from his former high school’s district superintendent, that would work.
Godfrey-Lee Superintendent Kevin Polston presents Ken Olson with his diploma for the class of 1952. (School News Network)
Finally, the Diploma
When Bratt contacted Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, he immediately found an ally in Leela, executive assistant to Superintendent Kevin Polston. Her father, who served in World War II, had earned his diploma in his 70s, and she remembers him bursting with pride when he finally received it. The district just needed to verify that Olson attended Lee. The high school had no records of Olson, so Polston suggested checking yearbooks. It took just a few minutes to find all the evidence needed, and Leela got the go-ahead to order the diploma, complete with the likely graduation date: the Lee High School class of 1952.
On Nov. 12, Olson was invited to the Godfrey-Lee Public School District’s Board of Education meeting. There, at age 85, he received that piece of paper he’d been hoping for.
“It was great getting that diploma,” he said, adding that he was especially pleased that it made him a graduate of the class of 1952. “They gave me pictures of all my classmates from that year, and I remember a lot of them. It was just great.”
“Now what I should do is go and get a college degree,” he joked.
The lights are up on houses all over the place, and this week the city’s of Wyoming and Kentwood officially begin sharing their Holiday spirits. (publicdomainpictures.net)
Most people think Black Friday after Thanksgiving is the official start of the Christmas Holiday season in Wyoming and Kentwood. We beg to differ. The season starts, this, the first full week of December with activities Thursday to Saturday, Dec. 6-8. And we have all you need to know.
Oh, and by the way, WKTV will be at each event. Stop by and say “Hello”.
Thursday: Wyoming Gives Back
Mayor Jack Poll near the truck during a previous Wyoming Gives Back event.
The 8th annual Wyoming Gives Back is set for Thursday, Dec. 6, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Rogers Plaza Mall. Residents are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the event and every person who does, will receive raffle tickets for prizes provided by local businesses. There will be holiday cookies, music and the biggest gift-giver, Santa, is planning to attend. For more information click here.
Friday: Kentwood tree lighting
Kentwood city officials accompanied by carolers previously conduct the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. (WKTV)
The City of Kentwood invites the community to begin the holidays with its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Light Parade, slated for Friday, Dec. 7. Centered around the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, the free event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. The evening will be filled with festive activities, including a parade, live holiday music and carriage rides, as well as caroling and a tree lighting ceremony. Hot chocolate and cookies will be offered, and Santa, of course, will be there to take pictures with families. For more information click here.
Saturday: Chamber Santa Parade
Area high school bands performing at a previous year’s Santa Parade. (WKTV)
Santa is coming to town. How do we know? Because the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, along with the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, is hosting the 12th annual Santa Parade Saturday, Dec. 8, along Division Avenue. The parade, which starts at 10 a.m. and lasts about 45 minutes, will feature more than 50 participants including five school bands. Participants will travel down South Division from 33rd Street to Murray Avenue. For more information click here.
Moving to her third country nets Juane Odendaal a national collegiate championship. Tune in as Alan invites this South African-born soccer defender to talk of sisterhood, cross-border etiquette, and what it takes to balance a passion for sport and people.
Many people use the internet to find health-related information for themselves, family or friends. Health-related websites are one of the most widely-searched sites in the world. In fact, according to Pew Internet & American Life Project, 80 percent of internet users, or about 93 million Americans say they have looked online for health-related information within the last year. This is an increase of 18 percent from 2001, in which only 62 percent of internet users who went online to research health related topics. Although there is quality information on the internet, it is important to sift through the fact and fiction when searching for health information.
What to look for:
Credible source:
Ensure the website is managed by recognized and responsible authorities. Many reliable sources include a branch of the federal government, a non-profit institution, university or health system.
An “About Us” page should be included with proper contact information for the organization or institution.
Check more than one source/website for the desired information
Quality information:
The authors or editors are qualified health care professionals and their credentials are clearly stated.
Information included should be reviewed by a subject-appropriate advisory board.
Sites that have a privacy policy indicating what information they collect.
Research-based:
Rely on medical research, not opinion. The site should describe the evidence, such as articles in medical journals, that the material is based on.
Beware of bias. Is the site supported by public funds or commercial advertising?
Timeliness:
Is the site updated often with current information? Check for dates, last updated, or copy right dates to ensure all the information is relevant today (less than three years old).
What to avoid:
Discussion of miracle cures or advertisements for health related products within the article are an indicator of bias information. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Sites asking you to pay for information or to create an account are often not trustworthy sources to collect information related to your health. Most reliable information is accessible to the general public for free.
Websites made up of only forums or discussion groups present people’s opinions and not scientific evidence. These sites may be a good place to document your personal journey but shouldn’t be used to find scientific research.
Consult with your health care professional:
Give the information you collected to your health care provider to review.
Talk to your health care professional about your specific health information concerns.
Make a list of all your health concerns to take to your appointment.
It is okay to be skeptical when looking for trustworthy health information online. Keep your information private and never provide your social security number, address, date of birth or credit card information before reading the privacy policy. Although online sites can offer quality information, they are not made to replace your doctor. Consult with your health care provider before making any medical changes. Michigan State University Extension is a reliable source for information and resources on health and nutrition.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
It’s goes without saying that scruffy little Stavros had seen his fair share of tough times before he was picked up on south campus of Davenport College in mid-August 2018. His rescuer took him in and housed him, making sure he had his basic needs met (food, water, shelter) but he still had a long way to go in filling out his bony frame (he was starving when found); he also needed to be neutered and was in dire need of a spa day.
When he was taken in to a local vet a week prior to coming to us, it was discovered that he was FIV+, which made long-term housing even more challenging. So the dynamic duo of Lynnette and Sue asked for our assistance, and on October 8th Dr. Jen was able to bring this stinky, skunky (yet adorable), filthy, matted and formerly flea-ridden fellow into our program, but first he had to make a long overdue pit stop at the clinic. While there Dr. Jen not only (nicely) took away his manhood but combed an entire cat’s worth of hair off of him, treated a nasty ear infection and extracted some problematic teeth.
Once he was bathed and beautified, stunning Stavros (born around October of 2013) was ready to head on down to Sid’s to receive lots of hands on attention, something he had clearly been missing for quite some time.
Since Dr. Jen only got to spend a bit of time with him at the clinic upon intake, and then again for his follow-up a month later, she asked my cat care people for some insight on our ever evolving Stavros:
“He is becoming a really sweet boy. He was so scared for the first couple weeks he was with us, but now he purrs and happy drools. He still spends all of his time up on the cat walk, but he will let you know when he wants attention. He seems to get confidence from being around the other cats, so he should go to a home that has at least one other cat. He does get a little nervous at times, so it is probably best he live without obnoxious dogs or young kids.”
“Stavros—I love this cat!! He has a secret… he LOVES one-on-one attention as long as you have the brush or comb in hand; he drools, coos, and shakes when he’s being brushed which cracks me right up. He’s always got that concerned/ puzzled look on his face which I think some perceive as “not friendly”, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He’s a quieter, keep to himself kind of cat until you set him down either on your lap or next to you and start brushing his super fuzzy soft hair. Everything about him is just adorable to me. He’s not real crazy about a lot of the other cats near him, but has not once shown any aggression towards them. He’d do well in a quieter home with lots and lots of attention. No dogs, but possibly another non-dominant cat.”
We also have it on good authority that someone has a finger fetish—to the point where he will slobber and nibble on your fingertips, so you have to watch out as when he gets a bit over-enthusiastic he can’t help but give a love chomp! There exists a video of him enjoying grooming himself so exuberantly that the slurping sounds he elicited almost made the videographer gag a bit.
We figure that he spent so much time dirty and dread-locked that now he can finally keep him self shiny and clean he is going to make the most of it—and make sure everyone knows what he is doing! In the short time we have had him, Stavros has come such a long way, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for us.
More about Stavros:
Medium
Domestic Medium Hair & Domestic Short Hair Mix
Gray/Blue/Silver, White
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Prefers a home without dogs, children
Want to adopt Stavros? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Blandford Nature Center welcomes West Michigan families to join us at our Annual Pioneer Holiday Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 8th, 2018, from 12-4pm located at 1715 Hillburn Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. The program is the perfect way to kick off the Grand Rapids holiday season with festive favorites and holiday traditions for guests of all ages to enjoy.
“Winter is a beautiful season! This event allows families to get out in nature and experience the beauty of Blandford while also learning about history and engaging in Pioneer traditions. We will also offer traditional holiday concessions available such as coffee, hot cocoa, and roasted marshmallows free of charge”, says Amber Kilpatrick, Community Programs Manager.
Several activities will be available to visitors such as cookie decorating, creating ornaments, candle dipping, making stick gnomes, cookie making, marshmallow roasting, snow snake games outdoors and more. Visitors are also encouraged to tour the historical buildings on site and explore life as an early pioneer in the one-room schoolhouse, log cabin and blacksmith shop.
Guests can also visit the wildlife ambassadors inside the Wildlife Education Center and farm animals over at the Blandford Farm (3143 Milo St NW). As usual, the trails will be open for exploration plus information will be available on how Blandford gift memberships make a great holiday gift.
The event is open to the public with admission fees of $5 for members and $8 for non-members. Children 2 years and younger will be admitted for free. For registration and more event details, go here.
"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not."
Andre Gide
Oh, boy. No. 3,000,000
is in for a big surprise
This woman is not the 3,000,000th passenger
If you’re the 3,000,000th passenger on Dec. 5th, you’ll be feted with a surprise. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport had a total of over 2.7 million passengers served through the end of October. November and December seat totals and flight information are forecasting the three millionth passenger to arrive around 11am on Dec. 5.
There will also be a reception to include surprises and giveaways for passengers flying that day. More here.
Proof that science really exists!
This launch could not happen without science
Tuesday, Dec. 4, WKTV will be featuring the launch of the SpaceX CRS-16 Cargo Craft to the International Space Station. SpaceX CRS-16 will be filled with supplies and payloads including critical materials to directly support the science and research that will occur during the current expeditions.
Coverage continues on Thursday, Dec. 6, for the rendezvous and capture of the SpaceX CRS-16 at the ISS at 4:30am, with the capture scheduled for approximately 6am Installation of the cargo craft begins at 7:30am. Go here for more info.
You say “tomayto”, I say “tomahto”
Gleaves Whitney will tackle a thorny topic
We all have our differences. But the 2016 election of Donald Trump, Kavanaugh hearings, and 2018 midterm elections have stirred up deep emotions about what kind of nation America is and should be. Conservative and progressive debates over the meaning of these events have opened old wounds and created new injuries in our body politic.
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, Gleaves Whitney, director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University, will address the divide in the country, and explain why failure to resolve our most difficult challenges is not an option. Go here for more info.
Fun Fact:
The footprints on the moon will
be there for 100 million years
The Moon has no atmosphere, which means there is no wind to erode the surface and no water to wash the footprints away. This means the footprints of the Apollo astronauts, along with spacecraft prints, rover-prints and discarded material, will be there for millions of years.
Groups of excited students from Godfrey Elementary recently visited Kent District Library’s newest branch, peeking at the collection and meeting librarian Kelaine Mish. A few hours later, the branch zoomed away.
The Bookmobile
After four years of visioning and planning, Kent District Library’s Bookmobile is up and running.
“This has been a dream come true,” said Mish, who has been a librarian at KDL for the past 18 years. “Just being able to come to the people, we can bring more tailored materials and offer focused story times. We’re so excited about being able to have that engagement, find out what people need, and bring that to them.”
The $350,000 mobile library has a biweekly schedule that alternates between schools, community centers, and underserved communities. There’s an exception to the biweekly nature of the schedule, however: for students and neighbors in the Godfrey-Lee School District, the Bookmobile will come every Tuesday, starting at the elementary school and then moving around the corner at the Early Childhood Center.
Godfrey Elementary student Serenity Reece boards the Bookmobile
This arrangement was made through the collaboration of KDL and Sydney Hanlon, Kent School Services Network’s community school coordinator at Godfrey Elementary. KDL was looking for schools to partner with, and Hanlon jumped at the chance.
“KDL has said this is our Bookmobile and we can use it how we want,” said Hanlon. “We can pair it with the Feeding America food truck (that visits Lee High School) or use it in the summer to help stave off learning loss.”
Hanlon said she is grateful for KDL’s willingness to tailor its inventory and use to the unique needs of the district, which has a population that’s roughly 75 percent Hispanic and 50 percent English-language learners.
Some of the rotating collection on the Bookmobile
You already belong here
Sara Proaño, community engagement manager for KDL, said the Bookmobile has been four years in the making and was made possible with financial support from several community partners. KDL had a red bookmobile bus in the mid-1980s called the “Bookie.” She’s excited to see a mobile library hit the road once again.
“When we started thinking about the underserved, we started thinking about this project,” said Proaño, “This is at the center of our efforts to increase reading for the third-grade reading law.”
KDL will partner with schools to support their needs and wishes, said Proaño, and will offer multilingual selections. Every student in Kent County will receive a library card, and there will be no fees associated with that card. Cards can be used in all branches, including the Bookmobile.
Godfrey Elementary student Serenity Reece browses books on the Bookmobile
“This is a place where nobody’s going to ask you where you are from or what you’re here for. You can come and go as you wish. Everybody’s welcome. You don’t have to do anything to belong here. You already belong here,” said Proaño.
Harry Coffill, library and media specialist for Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, said the district is excited about this new asset to the school and community.
“I think cooperating with KDL to get books in kids’ hands is so important,” he said. “We do what we can as a public school library, but to have a Bookmobile that’s going to visit the neighborhoods and provide a tailored reading collection is really important.”
The 2016 election of Donald Trump, Kavanaugh hearings, and 2018 midterm elections have stirred up deep emotions about what kind of nation America is and should be. Conservative and progressive debates over the meaning of these events have opened old wounds and created new injuries in our body politic.
Gleaves Whitney, director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University, will address the divide in the country, and explain why failure to resolve our most difficult challenges is not an option.
“Fortunately, America has usually had enough people of goodwill who want to work with others over the divide of their differences,” Whitney said. “A major aim of the Hauenstein Center is to tap this civic energy by enlightening, encouraging, and empowering Americans to seek common ground for the common good.”
Gleaves Whitney: Common Ground?
Wednesday, Dec. 5, 7 p.m.
Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium, Richard M. DeVos Center
401 Fulton St. W., Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Free and open to the public, but an RSVP is requested at gvsu.edu/hc
Whitney will lead a searching exploration of how we can do better — and be better — as a people.
Want to hike a mountain? Do a biking tour? Visualize your goals, then put a plan in writing of how you’ll achieve that dream. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Sue Thoms, Spectrum Health Beat
You resolve to exercise, with visions of a leaner, fitter, stronger you in the months ahead. You will climb that mountain, run that 5K, ski, swim, bike—or maybe just power-shop with ease.
If you schedule time to exercise and put it on the calendar, you are more likely to make it happen. An online calendar with pop-up reminders is an added plus. And if other people have access to that calendar, that can only increase accountability.
Use an activity tracker
It can be as simple as a pedometer or the most sophisticated Fitbit—anything that measures how much you do (or don’t do) can remind you to get moving.
Have fun
If you find activities that keep you engaged, you are more likely to come back for more. Try a group activity, like step aerobics or a boot camp class. But be conscious of the level of the class—and whether you are ready for it.
Get SMART
A SMART goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. For example, you might aim to progress from 20 minutes of walking to 20 minutes of running. When you set goals, it helps to begin with the end in mind and figure out the steps needed to get there.
Adopt a habit
How long it takes for a new pattern to become an automatic one varies from person to person. Researchers have floated numbers ranging from 21 to 66 days. The key is to hang in there long enough so exercise becomes the norm. Eventually, you won’t be able to imagine life without it.
Revise goals if necessary
You can make your fitness goals more difficult as you make progress. And you can loosen up a bit if you feel overwhelmed. Instead of giving up, revise and refocus. Failure is not a bad thing if we learn from it.
Don’t let soreness deter you
It’s OK to push yourself a little, and feel achy muscles the next day. Back off if you see serious effects—like persistent swelling, a limp or an inability to reach for an object. But if you haven’t done much exercise in a while, it’s normal to feel some soreness. Keep moving the next day—use those muscles.
Hydrate
It’s important to make sure you have plenty of water, especially in the winter when the air is dry. When you are hydrated, you will have a better workout. If your lips are chapped or you can write your name on the back of your hand, you need water.
Look at the big picture
Make your commitment to exercise part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Aim to sleep better and eat a healthy diet—both will help you get the most from that time you spend at the gym.
Seek help
There are plenty of experts who can help you set up a plan that works. Be sure they have training and credentials, such as certification from the American College of Sports Medicine or the National Strength and Conditioning Association. These folks can get you moving in the right direction.
By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch
Hearing that her father is dying, Ruby Torvald takes her little sister Opal and leaves New York City for the wilds of Little Missouri in Dakota Territory. When they arrive in this pioneer town, they are shocked to discover their father is very near death and owns Dove House — a sordid bar, complete with barmaids. Before he dies, Per Torvald makes Ruby swear she will “take care of the girls” — the soiled doves in residence. Ruby finds herself suddenly faced with life on the frontier in a barely-there town.
Over the course of four books, Snelling tells the story of Ruby Torvald and Little Missouri. The author focuses on each of four women: Ruby Torvald, Pearl Hossfuss, Opal Torvald, and Amethyst O’Shaunasy. These women find themselves in circumstances often beyond their control in a time when women were not considered strong in body or emotion.
Ruby finds herself taking on the reform of Dove House while her younger sister Opal confronts societal views of women in the West. Pearl goes from riches in Chicago to a one-room schoolhouse in Little Missouri, and Amethyst comes to find her lost nephew Joel in Medora. The four women learn something about themselves and about God in this Inspirational Fiction series.
The holidays are fast approaching, and there is a whirlwind of activities, to-do lists, and travel. With so much going on, it’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement. At the same time, cold and flu season is already upon us, and the stress of the holidays don’t do our immune systems any favors.
Before getting too caught up in all the the fun that comes this time of year, it’s important for seniors to get proactive with their health. Helping your system with a diet filled with immune boosting foods is a great way to start. Here are eight foods the get you through the holiday season.
Citrus. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are high in Vitamin C, and offer an all-natural boost to the immune system. Foods high in Vitamin C not only protect against the common cold and other seasonal illness, but can lessen the duration and intensity of sickness as well. There is no wrong time to eat some citrus
Ginger. When preventing the cold and flu, ginger and its anti-inflammatory properties have no match. When inflammation is down, the immune system is able to function more effectively. Ginger has many well-documented uses, and can help intestinal and heart health as well. A cup of ginger tea in the mornings during the holidays can go a long way in improving senior health.
Honey. If your cup of ginger tea is too spicy, then adding some raw honey might help it go down easier, and provide even more health benefits. Honey soothes sore throats and works as an antibacterial, killing germs while boosting the immune system.
Blueberries. Berries, particularly blueberries, are full of antioxidants, which fight colds and support immune health. In addition to these antioxidants, blueberries contain healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, which protect cognitive functions and can help improve overall brain health in aging seniors.
Salmon. Like blueberries, salmon has healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, and is another component in brain health. In addition, salmon and other wild fish contain zinc, an important nutrient in reducing the spread of the common cold. While most effective in children, zinc can also help adults build strong immune systems and fight disease.
Dark Chocolate. Who doesn’t like chocolate? Dark chocolates contain theobromine, an antioxidant which can help suppress coughs during cold and flu season, along with tasting delicious. One tip for seniors? Try making some desserts with dark chocolate this holiday season.
Broccoli. While veggies might not be the most exciting food, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts are an important addition to your diet. Broccoli and the others can boost enzymes that help fight cold and flu germs and strengthen the overall immune system. Eating a serving of veggies with dinner is a key way to help promote good immune health.
Eggs. Simple to make and easy to eat, eggs can be added into your diet in some way at almost every meal. Eggs also provide Vitamin D, a vitamin that, along with Vitamin C, boosts the immune system to fight off colds and the flu.
Garlic. Along with being a versatile flavor to add to many dishes, garlic provides immune boosting compounds. Garlic is an easy addition to work into more foods to add that extra benefit to health. In addition to immune health, garlic can also lower blood pressure, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Chicken. It’s not just the eggs that are good for you! Chicken and other poultry can battle cold symptoms as well as providing the immune boost to help stop you from getting sick in the first place. Simple chicken dishes, chicken soup, or even chicken stock can add useful vitamins and nutrients to a senior diet. And like other foods on this list, chicken provides other benefits as well. Chicken is high in iron, and provides more heart healthy help.
Boosting immune health is key to preventing illness. From the upcoming cold and flu season, to more serious sickness, a healthy immune system is the first way to protect yourself. Adding these foods and others like them to your daily diet will help you eat well, appreciate life, and enjoy this holiday season to the fullest.
His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Khalifa of Islam, planting a tree at Masroor mosque located in Virginia. Ahmad inaugurated several mosques during a recent visit to the United States.
For West Michigan resident Ayesha Mangla it was heartbreaking to know that she would not be among the thousands to welcome His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Khalifa of Islam and head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to the United States.
Mangla was in the process of selling her home when Ahmad came to the states in mid-October to start his three-week trip through North and South America. The tour focused on him visiting and inaugurating a hospital in Guatemala built through the community’s charity arm, Humanity First.
But Mangla had a second chance to see the spiritual leader, who was scheduled to return to the United States with his last stop being in Virginia in the beginning of November.
So, once she had competed the sale of her home, Mangla and her daughter, Ismat (who lives in New York City), packed up and drove almost straight through to Virginia just to be in Ahmad’s presence.
“It was just so important because he is our spiritual leader for the community,” Mangla said during a phone interview. “Because I missed that first welcome, I wanted to make sure that I made it to the last leg of his trip.”
His Holiness Mirza Masroor, the Khalifa of Islam and head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, recently visited the United States.
Founded in 1889 by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a revival movement within Islam and the fastest-growing sect of Muslims in the 21st century. A khalifa, or spiritual leader, oversees the international movement, assisted by regional amirs who help place imams in local mosques. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is one of the oldest and largest Muslim communities in the United States, dating back to 1920 when Mufti Muhammad Sadiq came as the first Ahmadi Muslim missionary to the United States.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad is the fifth Khalifa (or successor) of the Promised Messiah. He tours extensively, visiting his followers and bringing his message of peace despite the fact that many of the Ahmadi Muslims are persecuted in some Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. The 2018 tour is his fourth visit to the United States.
“We write letters to him, all of his followers do, and he takes the time to write back,” Mangla said. “At one time, I thought of all that he does and the thousands of letters he receives, that he does not have time to read my letters and so I simply stopped. When I saw him once, he asked me why I had stopped.”
Ahmad had a full schedule during his 2018 tour as well. Along with visiting the hospital in Guatemala, he inaugurated several new mosques of the community, met with local leaders and gave keynote speeches on Islam’s teachings of justice and peace as well as conducted marriage ceremonies and had private meetings with various followers.
Mangla knew before making the 12-hour trip to Virginia that she would not get the opportunity for a private meeting with Ahmad. “Those who have never met with him are usually the first to get that opportunity,” she said.
But not having a meeting did not deter her desire to see Ahmad and to celebrate his visit with other members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. In fact, it was a family affair as Mangla stayed with her daughter in Virginia and her son-in-law helped with organizing the visit to Virginia.
“It is just so exciting to be with him and to be with everybody else in his presence,” Mangla said. “The goodness and spirituality that he represents to us, well it is hard to put in words.”
Followers rolled out the red carpet and children and adults put on their best clothes for the special visit. In fact, the visit is so special that in a world where most people whip out their cameras and take zillion photos at such events, neither Mangla or her daughter Ismat ever thought of taking out a phone for a picture.
“When you are in his presence, you don’t think about getting a picture of yourself or trying to get a picture with him in the background,” Ismat Mangla said. “You want to just be there in the moment, to be in his presence.”
It was sad to see Ahmad leave, Mangla said, but it was delightful to see the warm and excited reception for his return to his home in London.
“It was like they hadn’t seen him in years, but it had only been a few weeks,” Mangla said. “It just shows the love that exudes from him and the love that exudes from the Ahmadi Muslims.”
Tuesday, Dec. 4, WKTV will be featuring the launch of the SpaceX CRS-16 Cargo Craft to the International Space Station.
SpaceX CRS-16 will be filled with supplies and payloads including critical materials to directly support the science and research that will occur during the current expeditions.
Coverage begins at 1 p.m., with the launch scheduled for 1:38 p.m. A post-launch news conference will take place after the launch,
Coverage continues on Thursday, Dec. 6, for the rendezvous and capture of the SpaceX CRS-16 at the ISS at 4:30 a.m., with the capture scheduled for approximately 6 a.m. Installation of the cargo craft begins at 7:30 a.m.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov. NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
Wednesday, Dec. 5, with a reception to also include surprises and giveaways for passengers flying that day.
The Airport had a total of over 2.7 million passengers served through the end of October. November and December seat totals and flight information are forecasting the three millionth passenger to arrive around 11 a.m. on Dec. 5.
“Our three millionth passenger has no idea they will be greeted upon arrival at our airport with balloons, gifts, and some really fantastic giveaways,” said GFIA Marketing & Communications Director Tara Hernandez. “To hit three million passengers is a first for our airport and we really want to go above and beyond to celebrate it with one lucky passenger, but also for all of those traveling through our airport that day.”
The three millionth passenger will be receiving three $300 travel vouchers and three free days of parking from the Airport Authority, a gift basket of travel accessories from Hudson News & Gifts valued over $300, a Beer City Welcome Basket from Experience Grand Rapids, and much more.
Airport staff will also be passing out cookies, candy, giveaways, and registering people to win three $300 flight vouchers from 9a.m. – 2p.m. that day.
Kent County will be holding three community forums to allow residents an opportunity to participate in the development of its strategic plan. The county is currently developing a strategic plan that will guide its leadership through the next five years, better reflecting the changing demographics, economics, and needs of the County.
Wyman Britt, Kent County Administrator/Controller. (WKTV)
“Community engagement is absolutely integral to the success of Kent County,” said Wayman Britt, Kent County Administrator/Controller. “It is important for us to hear the thoughts and ideas from our communities as we renew our strategic plan and effectively plan for the future.”
The meetings will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. as follows:
Thursday, December 6, at the Kent County Health Department (700 Fuller Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503)
Tuesday, December 11, at the Rockford Freshman Center (4500 Kroes St. NE, Rockford, MI 49341)
Thursday, December 13, at the East Kentwood Freshman Campus (6170 Valley Lane Dr., SE, Kentwood, MI 49508)
All three meetings will cover the same information. Due to space constraints, each event is limited to the first 100 individuals and pre-registration is required.
To register for one of the forums, residents should click on this link. If an individual would like to register by phone, please call Diane Kelly at (517) 484-4954.
“Solutions and ideas do not just come from government – they come from our residents who live, work, and play in Kent County,” said Britt. “These forums are another way we can hear directly from the public by allowing residents to provide open and honest feedback on the in our strategic plan, which in turn, will goals and action items that should be included improve our great County.”
It’s been several years since Boomers began reaching the age of retirement, and the reality of our society’s lack of preparedness to deal with the influx of retirees over the next decade has become impossible to ignore. This issue has come to be known as “The 2030 Problem,” and one of the main points of concern is the ability of our medical system to address the needs of so many seniors. So what are the current and impending problems with the availability of senior health care services?
Healthcare Professionals
We’re already facing a shortage of primary care physicians in the United States, and the issue is only going to get worse according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. By 2030, we could be facing a shortfall of as many as 43,000 primary care physicians across the country, and the problem is expected to be worse for people living outside large population areas and patients using government health care assistance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
On top of this, it’s not only primary care where shortages are projected, but also specialized healthcare professionals such as surgeons and geriatricians. Demand for specialty healthcare services is projected to require as many as 61,000 more physicians than will be practicing in 2030, an even steeper disparity than primary care.
Caretakers
Not only are healthcare professionals going to be in short supply, the number of both professional and unofficial caretakers may not be sufficient for the rising senior population. Many seniors rely on a network of family and friends to help with activities of daily living as they age, but research from the AARP reports that the ratio of potential caregivers to retirees will fall from 7:1 in 2010 to 4:1 in 2030. Soon-to-be retirees planning to rely on family for care may not have as much success as they hope, and will most likely need turn to assisted living or another formal care option as they find they need more assistance with activities of daily living.
Formal care faces its own challenges in this new population of retirees, however. The United States is projected to become majority minority by 2043, and the current generation of soon-to-be retirees is certainly more diverse than their predecessors. However, projections in senior health care professions speculate that formal caretakers are not on a course to become similarly diverse. Fortunately, studies on the implementation of cultural competency training in senior care settings have shown that culture barriers can be overcome.
Diseases and Conditions
There has been a dramatic shift in the leading causes of death in the last century. From the early 1900s to now, infection-caused diseases such as influenza and pneumonia have given way to noncommunicable, chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer as the leading causes of death in the United States. Elderly populations are at high risk for both of these conditions, as well as other conditions that fall into the ten leading causes, such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, simply due to the way the human body ages. And while rising life expectancies are a triumph for medicine, longer lifespans do present the need for a change in our approach to healthcare.
The issue is that many of these diseases and conditions don’t have cures, and in some cases, don’t even have effective research-based treatments. So, even if the barriers to senior health care access were to be removed, retiring adults are facing the issue of manageable, but not treatable, chronic illnesses.
Care Focuses
Related but not synonymous to the shift in prevalent diseases is the focus of healthcare in senior populations. According to the CDC, about half of all adults in the United States are managing one or more chronic health conditions, with one in four living with at least two. Known as comorbidity, the presence of two or more chronic diseases or conditions presents a unique challenge to healthcare providers, as they need to understand not only how to treat the diseases separately, but also how the diseases present, interact, and even worsen when experienced simultaneously.
This shift in focus to comorbidity requires a much more consistent and frequent approach to seeking and obtaining healthcare, as opposed to the reactionary model experienced by many US adults. While ongoing healthcare may be a better model, the associated costs of frequent physician visits may be prohibitive to seniors who may already be facing a crisis of affordability.
Affordability
According to a report by Fidelity, healthy, retirement-aged couples can expect to spend $245,000 on healthcare costs over the course of their retirement – and other sources suggest that this estimate may be conservative. Baby Boomers have an average of only $147,000 saved for retirement, leading to natural concern about the high cost of retirement living, and experts suggest that government assistance programs like Medicare will not be able to sustain the retiree boom.
The picture of senior health care in the coming decade looks bleak, but it’s important to remember that our society faced similar questions of economic strain when faced with caring for the Baby Boomers as children. While it’s important to keep the challenges of retirement in mind as we move towards 2030, it’s also important to not lose sight of the joy that the Golden Years can bring. By facing projected issues now, we can prepare for the needs of seniors for years down the line.
Join the Michigan Maritime Museum and the South Haven Memorial Library for a family event Saturday, Dec. 15th. From 10am to 11am the Library will be offering a holiday craft activity. From 12pm to 3pm at the historic Keeper’s House there will be children’s book readings about the Christmas Tree Ship on the top of each hour. Hot cocoa, Christmas tree cookies, sledding, and a little nautical holiday shopping will be provided.
Participate with your children and grandchildren in a free take-home craft activity inspired by the holiday season provided by the South Haven Memorial Library. After your craft project, head over to the Keeper’s House at 91 Michigan Avenue and snuggle up with hot chocolate and a cookie while listening to the heartfelt story of “Captain Santa.” The Rouse Simmons, the real Christmas Tree Ship, delivered Christmas trees to the poor in Chicago every year until its sinking in 1912. Hear the story of how the US Coast Guard continues this tradition even today in honor of the Rouse Simmons, over 100 years later. Spend the afternoon enjoying sledding on the famous South Haven sledding hill just outside.
While you cross a few things off your holiday gift lists, take the chance to peek inside this 19th century home that housed South Haven’s light keepers, Life Saving Service men, the US Coast Guard and is now the home for the Michigan Maritime Museum’s Marialyce Canonie Great Lakes Research Library.
The event is free to attend. Donations are appreciated. Enjoy Christmas at the Keeper’s House this holiday season!
For information on the family craft activity, contact the Library at 269-637-2403 ext. 2. Information about the Keeper’s House event can be found online at www.michiganmaritimemuseum.org or by calling 269-637-8078 ext. 3.
Don’t let long shopping lists and holiday parties distract you from your job search this month. Many people pause their search until the New Year, but December is a good month to look for a job. Here’s why:
Fewer people look
Many job seekers put their job search on hold during the busy holiday season. Use this time to get ahead of the competition by applying to jobs and connecting with recruiters. Overwhelmed with your to-do list this month? Balance your job search and holiday activities by blocking out time every day for job search activities.
Plenty of networking opportunities
The holidays are a great excuse to reconnect with people you’ve met through networking. Ask them to coffee or lunch to catch up. These meetings will strengthen your relationship and keep you top of mind as they move into the New Year.
Consider holiday parties as another networking opportunity. Meet someone new and let them know you’re job searching (even if it’s your grandma’s neighbor!). Make sure to leave your resume at home.
Extra time with recruiters
Recruiters are more likely to respond to your email because they aren’t as busy this month. Apply to relevant job postings and follow up with an email to the recruiter. Give them a chance to get to know you now, so they’ll remember you once 2019 hiring begins.
Did you get an Out of Office reply? Great! If they don’t respond to your email upon return, welcome them back to work and then ask your questions.
Keep up your momentum
It’s hard to restart a job search after a lengthy break. Do yourself a favor by continuing to job search this month.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
The Robin Connell Trio will be playing trio jazz at Grand Rapid’s One Trick Pony Thursday, Dec. 6, from 8-11 p.m., with Kentwood bassist Charles Johnson sitting in.
Connell will be on keyboard and vocals, with Ian LeVine on drums.
There is no cover. One Trick Pony is located at 136 E. Fulton. For more information on music at One Trick Pony visit one-track.biz . For more information on gigs with Robin Connell visit robinconnell.com . For more jazz in West Michigan, visit wmichjazz.org .
Jason Bunker likes the idea of living off the grid: hunting, relying on the land and harnessing wind energy.
“I would like not being on a game 24/7, not being inside, actually living how people used to and not having everything handed to you,” he said. “If something ever does happen – if there’s no power or something – you would know how to live and survive.”
Kalani Stowe agreed, envisioning perhaps bubbling brooks, chirping birds and a turning windmill. “I like listening to the sound of nature.”
But Samantha Gross said an unplugged lifestyle is just not for her. “I would never… I want an actual refrigerator. I like cold water.” Added Reagan Passino, “I want my phone, technology.”
Wyoming Junior High seventh-graders recently worked in groups and presented plans, just in case their parents decide a self-sufficient lifestyle is the way to go.
With a limited budget and resources, they devised windmills, water wheels and generators – methods to keep the lights on without hooking up to an external energy source.
Included in their presentations about the devices and how they work were concepts such as electrical force, hydroelectricity, energy transfer, potential energy and kinetic energy.
Nemi Pinos said using electricity isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. “You have to put a lot of effort into these things,” she said. “You have to organize, think through it, and find out what materials and resources you need to make a windmill work.”
On top of that, one must be careful to not impact animal habitats or neighbors, Nemi said.
A New Approach to Science
The students, in teachers Michelle McSorley, Amy Dunn and Kristi Vugteveen’s science classes, were completing a unit within the MiSTAR curriculum, which is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, a set of teaching guidelines for kindergarten through 12th-graders outlined in “A Framework for K-12 Science Education.”
NGSS tasks students to redesign, rebuild and tweak projects as many times as it takes, and to explore open-ended questions. Wyoming Junior High started using the MiSTAR curriculum as a pilot program last school year.
The approach challenges students to think deeply, McSorley said. It’s taught sans textbook, relying on Chromebooks, notebooks and experimentation through hands-on projects. Vocabulary is taught by embedding it in discussion, but not as a list of definitions to memorize.
Students are completing projects around thermal energy and the life cycle of building materials, too. They’ve made an electromagnet, and also visited a skateboard park to explore how to get a skater to go higher and faster.
“It’s a different way of thinking. The thing that frustrates most kids is that I don’t answer their questions,” McSorley said. That can be very annoying. They have to figure it out.”
They are learning a few other life skills too, she said, referring to the off-the-grid project with a laugh.
“They are learning why their parents tell them to turn off the lights.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
"Sing, sing a song,
Make it simple to last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear,
Just sing, sing a song..."
- "Sing" by Joe Raposo, written for "Sesame Street" in 1971
The airport is alive with music
Several Wyoming and Kentwood high school choirs will be performing at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport’s Holiday Music Festival, which is Dec. 3 – 7. Some of the groups scheduled are Potters House, Legacy Christian, South Christian, Wyoming High School, Lee High School, and East Kentwood High School. Performances are daily from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. andJe are free.
And the winner is…
Jennifer Lewis and Brian Jirous were declared the newest members of the Wyoming Board of Education this week. Both ran in the Nov. 6 election. Jirous was the only candidate who filed for one of the two open seats on the board. Lewis was one of two write-in candidates. It took a couple of weeks for the write-ins to be hand counted, according to school officials. The two will be sworn in at the Wyoming Board of Education meeting set for Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.
Santa is coming to town
While it is still a week yet until Kentwood hosts its annual tree lighting and parade, set for Dec. 7, and the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the Santa Parade, Dec. 8, you can get your celebrating started at Byron Center’s community festivities this Saturday, Dec. 1. The parade portion has been cancelled due to the weather but the chili dinner and holiday concert at Pathway Church, 8350 Byron Center Ave. SW, is still taking place.
Fun Fact:
Light It Up
Ever wonder how many lights you can fit on a Christmas tree? Well a group in Belgium did, managing to get 194,672 lights on a real tree on Dec. 10, 2010. Seven years later, Universal Studios Japan was not about to be out done, so they managed to place 570,546 lights on an artificial tree. You have to admit, that is a lot of lights. (Source)
Santa is coming to town. How do we know? Because the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, along with the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, is hosting the 12th annual Santa Parade Saturday, Dec. 8, along Division Avenue.
The parade, which starts at 10 a.m. and lasts about 45 minutes, will feature more than 50 participants including five school bands. Participants will travel down South Division from 33rd Street to Murray Avenue.
Chamber President and CEO Bob O’Callaghan said the Santa Parade provides an opportunity for many residents to attend a parade who may not get the opportunity to attend the big parade in downtown Grand Rapids. Another key element to the event is free photos with Santa, which takes place after the parade at Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille, 4157 S. Division Ave. Parade-goers and residents are encouraged to bring their children over to the restaurant along with cameras for free pictures with Santa.
Santa is scheduled to make his arrival at the annual Santa Parade hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
“It is part of the Community Service we offer at the Chamber,” O’Callaghan said.
In the parade will be police vehicles and fire trucks from both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. There also will be floats and vehicles from several of the parade sponsors such as The Rapids, Steelcase, Conumsers Energy, Diversified Protection, JX Peterbilt, Marge’s Donut Den, Supermercado Mexico, Two Men and A Truck, Liberty Tax Service, Godwin Plumbing, Celebration Cinema, and Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille. Also five local high school bands are set to perform as well.
This year the Chamber will be hosting a Float Judging Contest selecting the three best decorated floats with first place being a $1,500 office chair from Steelcase.
If you miss or can not make the parade, WKTV will be broadcasting the entire event on Comcast channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 at 12:30 p.m. and then again at 7 p.m. that day. It will re-air the program throughout the month. Check wktv.org for listings.
For most adults reaching retirement age, finances are looking pretty grim. By most studies, more than half of the Baby Boomer generation isn’t financially prepared for retirement, and as many as 30% have no retirement savings at all. Experts are worried about how new retirees will fare, or if retirement as we currently think of it will even still exist. So if savings can’t save the day, what can?
Why do you need it?
While many of the people who have been retired for a while have managed to maintain their nest egg while enjoying pre-retirement lifestyles and spending habits, younger retirees and adults approaching their full retirement age shouldn’t count on the same fortune. Americans nearing retirement have a median retirement savings of about $147,000, which is more than $500,000 shy of the amount that experts project is necessary for a comfortable, financially stable retirement.
Sources of retirement income are one way that current and future retirees are dealing with their finances. From estimated medical costs as high as $280,000 to cost of living to travel and entertainment, there’s so many aspects of retirement that require financial security. So what can you do?
What are your options?
Social Security
The in’s and out’s of Social Security can be difficult to navigate. If you’ve already claimed your benefits and have been receiving monthly payments for a year or more, the amount you can receive each month is more or less locked in aside from cost-of-living increases. If you haven’t claimed yet, or if you’ve been receiving benefits for less than a year, you have some choices to go over with your financial advisor.
First, the age at which you claim benefits has a huge effect on how much money you’ll receive each month. At the minimum age of eligibility, 62, your benefit could be reduced by as much as 25-30%, depending on your full retirement age (FRA). Then, at your FRA, you can receive your full benefit with no reductions. Or, for every year you wait to claim after your FRA and up to age 70, you can earn an 8% bonus to your benefit. Everyone’s situation is different, so one age is not necessarily always better than another, but many financial planning experts advise waiting and betting bonuses if your health and financial situation will allow.
Employer Pensions
Today, employer pensions are becoming rare, but they do still exist. Public service workers, such as the police force, firefighters, judges, and public teachers have always had pension plans, and other government positions also offer pensions. Because pensions are part of an employee’s compensation package, the amount of retirement income they provide varies based on industry, position, and even from person to person.
Retirement Accounts
While you can open your own retirement accounts, they are generally associated with employer-provided benefits. These benefits, such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s, deferred comp plans, SIMPLE or SEP IRAs, and more, may not be income like pensions are, but function in much the same way after retirement. You are required to withdraw a minimum amount per year after age 70½, though earlier withdrawals may help reduce your lifetime tax bill. Transfers can be done in a lump sum (though we don’t recommend it), quarterly, monthly, or on a different schedule as long as the minimum is met annually.
Savings Accounts
Your personal savings aren’t actually guaranteed income, but barring emergency expenses, you should treat money you withdraw about the same as you treat Social Security payments or retirement account withdrawals. Budget your spending and pay yourself a monthly paycheck from your savings account, and don’t go over that budget. The main difference is that you can withdraw more money if you need to, in case of an emergency medical expense for example, whereas other sources of retirement income generally pay out a regular amount that you have little to no control over.
Annuities
Annuities are somewhat unique in this list, as they can be obtained after you’ve already retired, and some, like fixed indexed annuities, have the option to be truly guaranteed retirement income, meaning that you will always receive income from them regardless of your financial situation, the markets, and other variable factors. There are different types of annuities that may be better or worse for your needs, which you should discuss with a financial advisor.
Part-time Work
And of course, one way to earn retirement income is simply by earning income from a job. There are many part-time work opportunities that allow retirees to supplement their savings while still maintaining a retirement lifestyle, and more retirees are becoming entrepreneurs for enjoyment and income. Continuing to work isn’t part of the traditional picture of retirement, but it’s quickly becoming more common.
While retirement savings across the board aren’t where they should be, a financially stable retirement is possible with enough planning. Take stock of your options for retirement income, and speak with a financial advisor to get the clearest picture of your finances.
Looking for a way to add depth of flavor to some food dishes? Why not make flavored vinegar using either herbs or berries from the garden? Michigan State University Extension says that flavored vinegars are easy and fairly safe to make, provided precautions and the directions are followed.
It’s important to know that only glass containers that are free of cracks and nicks can be used to make flavored vinegars. The containers can be sealed with cork stoppers or two-piece canning lids and will need to be washed, rinsed and sterilized.
Herbal Flavored Vinegars
For herbal vinegars, choose fresh picked herbs just before they begin to flower for the best flavor. Three or four sprigs of herbs are needed per pint of vinegar. When picking your herbs, do so in the morning, just after the dew has dried, but before the noon sun and use only the best leaves or stems. Discard crushed, discolored, dried out or nibbled on pieces because these will give the vinegar a bitter flavor, plus the quality will be poor. The damaged pieces may introduce mold spores into the vinegar and if damaged product is put in, less than desirable product will be the result.
After picking, gently and thoroughly wash the herbs and then blot them dry. Next, dip the herbs in a sanitizing bleach solution. The concentration of the chlorine bleach solution should be one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to six cups of water. Then rinse the herbs thoroughly under cold water and use clean paper towels to blot them dry. The step of rinsing in the chlorine bleach solution is needed to avoid introducing food borne pathogens into the product.
Dried herbs may also be used. Three tablespoons of dried herbs are needed per pint of vinegar.
Fruit Flavored Vinegars
Favorite fruits used in vinegars are raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, peaches, pears and the peel of lemons or oranges. Sometimes the fruits are paired with herbs and spices like mint or cinnamon. Other popular flavorings include peeled garlic, green onions, jalapeno or other peppers, mustard seed and peppercorns.
Preparation of the fruit and vegetables includes washing and peeling, if necessary. Small fruits and vegetables may be left whole, whereas larger fruits like peaches need to be cubed or sliced. Allow one to two cups of fruit per pint of vinegar or the peel of a whole orange or lemon per pint of vinegar.
Types of Vinegar
Not all vinegars are created equal. Distilled white vinegar is clear in color, but has a distinctively sharp flavor of its own. However, distilled white vinegar is the best choice for those delicate herb flavors. Apple cider vinegar is milder in flavor, but the amber color may not be desirable. The apple cider vinegar blends best with fruits.
Even though wine or champagne vinegars are more expensive, they tend to have a more delicate flavor that works well with delicate herbs and light flavored fruits. Red wine vinegar goes well with spices and stronger herbs like rosemary, but most other herb flavors will be masked by the red wine flavor.
Beware that wine vinegars contain some protein, which make them an excellent medium for bacterial growth to take place in. If wine vinegars are used, they need to be handled properly and stored carefully. For safety reasons, use only commercially produced vinegars.
Flavoring Vinegar
The process of flavoring the vinegar involves placing the prepared fruits, herbs and/or spices in the sterilized glass jars. Use three to four sprigs of fresh herbs or three tablespoons of dried herbs per pint jar. For fruits, use one to two cups of fruit or the peel of one orange or lemon per pint of vinegar to be flavored. Do not over pack the jars.
Sometimes it is necessary to slightly bruise the herbs or fruits to help release the flavors. When working with jalapeno or hot peppers, it is wise to wear gloves.
Heat the vinegar to just below the boiling point about 190 -195 degrees Fahrenheit and then pour over the flavoring, leaving a quarter-inch of head space. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth and then adjust the lid, corks or screw cap tightly. Allow to cool undisturbed.
Store the vinegar in a cool, dark place for three to four weeks, this will give the flavors the chance to develop. After the time has passed, strain the vinegar through damp cheesecloth or coffee filters until it is no longer cloudy. This may take more than one straining. Discard the fruit, herbs, vegetables and spices because they have served their purpose.
Prepare the jars for the final bottling process and pour the strained vinegar into clean sterilized jars and cap tightly. Label the vinegar and decorate the jar if it is a gift.
Flavored vinegars can add excitement to dishes by the blending of different flavors. Try this new gift of the garden.
