A new initiative designed to reduce barriers in the food industry for Hispanic business owners and those interested in the industry was well received by business leaders and members of the Hispanic community.
The group gathered at the Gordon Food Service Distribution Center on Monday, May 7, for the inaugural Transformando West Michigan initiative, “Feeding Minds, Mouths, and Pockets.” The goal of this program is to provide Hispanic business owners currently working or with the desire to work in the food industry with the necessary financial tools and food safety knowledge to become successful.
“This is a bridge that really needed to be built,” said Shawn Kohlhaas, owner of Culinary Cultivations, which provides food safety certification, event staffing and hospitality consulting in Michigan.
West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Guillermo Cisneros greets guests and participants.
Guillermo Cisneros, executive director for the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the driving force behind the new initiative, said he has spent the last year working on developing the program and was thrilled to see it launch.
The first phase of Transformando West Michigan is six sessions that will take place over the next three months. Through these sessions, which are lead by Principal Financial and Culinary Cultivations, participants will receive financial and food safety certification classes that will allow their business to have increased knowledge in areas like cashflow, wealth creation, bookkeeping/accounting, customer service, and food safety. Those who complete the program will receive food safety certification required by the health department of any restaurant operator. A graduation ceremony is planned for August.
Much of the materials and the final exam to obtain certification will be in Spanish, which will help to break down some of the barriers many in the Hispanic community have faced when trying to open or operate food-based businesses. Even the opening program was mostly in Spanish to connect with the participants.
As part of the program’s efforts to reduce barriers and provide accessible professional services, program participants will be eligible to receive free legal services from the Varnum law firm through its MiSpringboard program. In addition, the program will provide participants access to financial institutions, certified public accountants (CPAs), attorneys, insurance experts and other consultants. Such access will allow these business owners to increase their support network and access resources within the West Michigan community. The Hispanic Chamber will also provide program participants with mentors who will work one on one with them on specific areas of their businesses, thereby offering personalized answers and targeted assistance.
Cisneros said the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce received a multi-year grant from The Wege Foundation, which totaled $167,000. This allowed the Hispanic Chamber to secure the resources needed to create the program and hire a program manager.
The Chamber also was able to partner with a number of local businesses that include Culinary Cultivations, Principal Financial, Gordon Food Services, Varnum, Grand Valley State University and the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
The Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission is back again this year with an outstanding line-up of concerts for the 2018 Concerts in the Park series at Lamar Park. Concerts begin at 7 pm.
For more detailed information, check out the WCEC here, or on Facebook (search WyomingCEC).
Dates: June 5-Aug. 7, 2018
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 7 pm
Location: Lamar Park
Concert line-up (subject to change):
June 5 — The Porters (Children’s interactive music)
June 12 — Delilah DeWylde (Rockabilly)
June 19 — Adams Family (’50s and ’60s)
June 26 — Valentiger (Charismatic Pop Rock); Kari Lynch Band (Country); FIREWORKS after concert
July 10 — Cabildo (Alternative Latin Rock)
July 17 — Soul Syndicate (’60s, ’70s Soul and R&B)
July 24 — Blue Soul Express (Blues)
July 31 — Matt Gabriel (Folk and Blues)
Aug. 7 — Yellow Brick Road (Dueling Pianos featuring the music of Billy Joel and Elton John)
Jeff Wainwright was quick on his feet. In the Godwin Heights High School lunchroom, just after getting a hug from sophomore Krystal Jackson and a chat with senior Elizabeth Lemos about gardening, a fight broke out between two boys.
Within seconds of fists flying, Wainwright intervened, separated the boys and led them to the office to meet with administrators. Wainwright looked distressed. The boys are good students and athletes, he said, glad he was steps away to break things up.
For certain, Wainwright would rather be passing out tidbits of advice or catching up with students about spring sports and prom. But once in a while springing into action is necessary and — more often than that — settling verbal disputes is his on-duty job.
“What we do more than anything is put out the fires,” said Wainwright, who is the district’s safety supervisor, about the security team he heads.
Usually students don’t get to the point of a physical altercation, he said. The school’s 600 students, 500 of whom Wainwright estimated he knows by name, often come to him when things are boiling up. Usually, he can help de-escalate by serving as an intermediary while students work things out.
“Here at the high school, we like to build that strong relationship,” he said. “The better the relationship, the less likely we have to get physical.
“Our relationship is what saves us 90 percent of the time.”
Godwin Heights Safety Supervisor Jeff Wainwright works in front of a schedule of tornado, fire and lockdown drills planned for this school year
‘He’s Chill with Everybody’
But that Monday morning was eventful. Along with having to deal with the sudden scuffle, Wainwright was keeping in close contact with North Godwin Elementary Principal Mary Lang. A fourth-grader brought to school a round of .45-caliber ammunition, which he told school officials he had found in his yard. The child’s mother arrived to help address the situation and confirm his story.
From his desk in the second-story office of the high school, Wainwright, who has worked security in the district since 2006, constantly scans who’s in the buildings on the security monitors, which he can also bring up on his phone. That day, he was also busy doing paperwork, making sure potential volunteers passed background checks.
On top of everything else, he had a tornado drill planned at North Godwin Elementary that afternoon, one of the scheduled fire, tornado and lockdown drills this school year that he and his security team leads.
He also helps track things down, like senior Austen Veloz’s missing baseball glove. The senior stopped in the security office with his friend, senior Angel Torres, to ask for help finding it. Angel said Wainwright is easy to approach.
“He brings a good vibe,” Angel said. “He’s chill with everybody. He does his job right, but he tries to chill at the same time. He creates a bond with us.”
Added Austen: “He keeps things organized. He’s the sheriff around here.”
Godwin Heights Safety Supervisor Jeff Wainwright checks security camera monitors while talking with seniors Angel Torres, left, and Austen Veloz
The Face of Security
The district has extensive security at the high school, middle school, North Godwin and West Godwin elementary schools, the Learning Center, where students attend to complete their GEDs, and South Godwin, which houses preschool programs. Wainwright and six other security officers make up the safety team, making sure all exterior doors are locked at all times, checking them at least twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. About 275 security cameras are constantly monitoring the school buildings and grounds.
Wainwright is a Godwin Heights employee, while his team is employed through DK Security, a Grand Rapids-based firm. Wainwright trained through the National Association of School Resource Officers, of which he is a member. He has also had active shooter, FEMA, First Aid, CPR and AED training, as well as in several other areas.
DK Security officers hone their skills monthly through the company and Wainwright. Two officers have trained with local law enforcement, and all have criminal justice degrees. Wainwright also is a certified firearms instructor and trains the security staff here monthly at various shooting ranges.
Officers observe lunch and hallways during passing times, and check the bathrooms. On camera monitors, they watch for students gathering at times they shouldn’t be, look out for doors cracked open and anything else out of the norm.
“We want to be, first off, a deterrent for outsiders, a peace of mind for parents and community members and a caring staff member for our students,” Wainwright said.
And while he is filling the role of a school resource officer in nearly every regard, he is unarmed. He carries handcuffs and is in close contact with local law enforcement. After the Feb. 14 Parkland, Florida school shooting, the idea of arming staff members in schools made headlines nationwide, with a proposal to allow certain, specially trained teachers to voluntarily carry weapons drawing both criticism and support.
But at this point, Wainwright said he and his team plan to remain unarmed.
“Everybody on our security staff has been trained and has the ability to become armed if our district sees it necessary,” he said. But during previous conversations, Wainwright and administrators decided against it. He said there hasn’t been the level of threatened violence at the schools to justify being armed.
“It was going to send the wrong message, because our kids looked at me so much that it was like, ‘If he’s afraid, what is he afraid of?’”
Reassurance after Parkland
The Parkland school shooting had everyone on edge, Wainwright said, but they had proper security practices in place.
“The only thing we increased was our vigilance and our awareness. Now you have people approaching you to ask questions they should have asked eight or nine years ago. After an incident on a national scale, you get a million questions.”
Another part of Wainwright’s job is calming students and parents, sometimes when the rumor mill kicks into high gear.
Recently, two students at the Learning Center led to one leaving and saying he was “going to get his stick,” Wainwright recalled.
The district went on lockdown. Police searched the man’s belongings and determined there was no threat, but by the next day the story had morphed and people believed someone had threatened to shoot up the high school.
“This particular student had never been inside the high school,” he said. “A lot of our parents freaked out. … I had to explain that story about 15 times.”
Building Trust is Key
Wainwright said a big piece of keeping schools safe is getting to know students. They stop by his office or talk to him in the hallways, referring to him as “Jeff.”
“I’m more than a shirt and tie,” he said. “For most of our students, I convince them ‘I used to be you’ and they trust that. Once they start to trust that, our relationship can grow from there. But they have to trust you.”
He’s gotten to know many of them over the years. “Watching our students grow from first or second grade all the way through high school is the biggest reward I think I could ever have,” he said.
That kind of compassion isn’t always part of the narrative of communication between youth and those in uniform, but Wainwright said it’s what makes things go smoothly.
He and other staff members recently raised money for senior Jadah Jackson, a teenage mother who couldn’t afford a ticket for prom. He handed her an envelope with $50 inside when she visited his office.
“I wasn’t expecting it, to be honest, but he’s kind of like a second dad to me,” she said. “It feels good. I’m very grateful.”
Jadah said it’s nice to know Wainwright is in the building. “There are a lot of students who know they can say anything to him and it won’t get out, unless they are harming themselves. I feel like I can talk to him about anything. … He gives the best advice.”
Like Family or Friend
Wainwright said he knows what life is like for children living in harsh circumstances. He grew up on the south side of Chicago. “Most of the things I’ve seen here are nothing compared to growing up there.
“I thought it was normal, but it was really rough,” he said, referring to the area he grew up in. “I didn’t realize that wasn’t how life had to be until I got out of there, until I came to Grand Rapids.”
He wanted to make his mother proud and didn’t find success in Chicago. So Wainwright moved to Grand Rapids and started working in security, first at Grand Valley State University and then in Godwin Heights. He was contracted through DK Security until they created the district safety supervisor position for him.
Principal Chad Conklin said Wainwright’s presence diffuses stress.
“Obviously, the most important thing is his appearance around the building,” Conklin said. “It gives everybody a general calm to have someone as high character as Jeff, who’s always looking after things in the building to make sure it’s a safe and secure learning environment. It certainly keeps students and staff at ease.”
English teacher Jessica Molloy said Wainwright provides the assurance she needs concerning safety.
“From a student perspective, the thing Mr. Wainwright does best is makes himself more of a family member rather than a resource officer,” Molloy said. “He’s more of a dad or an uncle or a friend, or just someone they feel comfortable with. That gives him the opportunity to really get to know our kids at a different level and keeps him in the loop with what’s going on in their lives, so he can step in long before things become problems.”
After the Parkland incident, Molloy eased fears by assuring students that Wainwright was more than capable.
“A lot of our students were scared because there are a lot of unknowns, and when there are those unknowns, that’s where our fear comes from.
“The one thing I always told students was that if Mr. Wainwright says the school is safe, then the school is safe.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan
On May 16, 2018, over a thousand of Michigan’s senior advocates and allies will gather on the lawn of the Capitol in Lansing. This free event is an opportunity for older adults to meet with their legislators over lunch on the lawn to discuss a platform of issues that affect seniors in Michigan.
This year marks the 10th annual Older Michiganians Day and any and all seniors interested are encouraged to attend. If you’ve never been involved in advocacy before, Older Michiganians Day is a great way to begin. This year’s platform focuses on 4 areas to improve services for older adults in the state of Michigan: Preserving and Protecting MI Choice, Support AAASA In-home Services, Support the Direct Care Workforce, and Prevent Elder Abuse.
The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver Program helps Michigan’s older adults and adults living with a disability by providing the services necessary to live independently in their communities. Costing less than half of what a Medicaid-funded nursing facility costs, MI Choice saves taxpayers’ money. MI Choice currently serves approximately 15,000 people with about 3,200 currently on the waiting list for services. These services are administered through Area Agencies on Aging. Changes to how Medicaid services are delivered could have a detrimental effect on the services available to seniors. Senior advocates are requesting that the MI Choice program and the role Area Agencies fulfill in the oversight, administration and delivery of these services be preserved.
Advocates support the Silver Key Coalition’s request for a $3,000,000 budget increase to in-home services, forwarding the goal of making Michigan a “no wait state” for senior services. There are currently over 6,000 seniors waiting for in-home services, like homemaker services, home delivered meals, care management services, and personal care. Research shows that seniors who receive these services are five times less likely to have been in a nursing home than those who stayed on a wait list. Reducing the waitlist times by increasing funding for services will help more seniors remain in their homes as they age. Since 2014, waitlists for home delivered meals has been cut in half thanks to previous investment in services for seniors.
Courtesy oldermichiganiansday.com
Providing services for older and disabled adults in Michigan has become hampered by the instability of the Direct Care workforce. The median income of a Direct Care worker is $10,000. While wages in other service industries are increasing, direct care wages have remained stagnant, making it difficult for agencies to hire and keep enough workers to provide care. Advocates support policies that recruit, train and provide adequate wages and call for the inclusion of direct care workers in MI talent development initiatives, in order to build a sustainable support system for senior services throughout Michigan.
Approximately 125, 000 seniors are victims of elder abuse and fraud every year in Michigan. Advocates at Older Michiganians Day will be letting legislators know they support of adequate funding for elder abuse prevention programs and policies. It is important to protect Michigan’s seniors from physical, psychological, and financial abuse.
Older Michigangians Day is an opportunity for Michigan seniors to speak with a united voice about the issues that directly affect them. It is also an opportunity to meet new people and enjoy a beautiful day in our State’s capitol. If you’re interested in attending you can call Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan to register for a ticket to attend the event at (888) 456-5664. While the event is free, your ticket provides you with a complimentary lunch. You must register in advance to take advantage of the lunch. If you live in the Grand Rapids area, you can also ask about transportation to Older Michiganians Day. Courtesy of AARP, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is chartering a bus to Lansing. Seats are limited and will be available on a first come–first served basis.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today, in partnership with Urban Roots, they will offer a series of five urban gardening workshops! Each workshop will offer different gardening information ranging from what to plant, how to harvest and what to make in the kitchen.
The first workshop will kick off this series on May 19 with Real Life Gardening 101 to teach what to plant and the best tips for a successful garden. Participants will spend time in the GRPM’s urban garden located outside of the Museum on the bank of the Grand River, as well as be hands on in the Demo Lab of the Museum.
The five workshops will be held May 19, June 23, July 28, August 18 and September 8. They will begin at 11 a.m. and last approximately one and a half hours.
Workshops are open to 20 participants each month, and are $12 for general public and $4 for Museum members. Tickets include admission into the Museum for the full day and can be purchased at grpm.org.
May 19 – Real Life Gardening 101
If you’ve ever considered having a garden but didn’t know where to start, this is a great class for you. Join us as we learn about what having a garden can look like no matter where you live. Participants will learn about how Michigan’s growing season works, how to design a garden that works for them, what to plant when, what to expect throughout the season, and tips & methods for maximizing small spaces.
June 23 – Gardening is Supposed to be Fun! Right?!
It’s about to be the best weather of summer! If you have a garden and want to learn how you can keep it thriving (with less work), join this class! Cultivate more time for the beach, camping and fun, and learn about methods to make your garden lower maintenance. Participants will learn about the benefits of mulch, setting up a low cost mechanized irrigation system, trellising, teaming up and more!
July 28 – Kids in the Garden! A Family Friendly Workshop
It will be up for debate who likes this class more, your kid or you! Young and older learners alike will come together in the GRPM garden to explore, taste, touch, smell, see, experiment and enjoy being outside connecting to nature and each other.
August 18 – Pickling & Fermenting
This cooking class will be a delight for foodies and nutrition advocates alike! Join us as we learn about tried and true methods of food preservation and the health benefits of consuming naturally probiotic foods. This make-and-take cooking class will be fun, lighthearted, and delicious!
September 8 – Garden Salsa & Hot Sauce Making (and Tasting)
Join us as we partake in the best part of growing food, eating! In this class prepare garden fresh salsa, harvested entirely from the garden, and learn how to capture the heat of summer by making fresh red and green hot sauces that will last all winter.
Once known as the voice of West Michigan, Buck Matthews is on his farewell tour offering one last piece of advice: write down and share your stories.
Matthews will be at First & Main of Metro Health Village, 6812 Village Dr. SW, Wednesday, May 9, to talk about his latest book, “The Book in Each of Us.” The program is at 2 p.m. In the book, Matthews discuss the experience of writing and encourages others to do the same to share their stories.
Matthews started his career as a disc jockey at a radio station in Marine City, which he took while serving in the U.S. Air Force. In 1961, Matthews was hired as a weatherman for WOOD Radio and WOOD-TV. Ten years later, he launched “The Buck Matthews Show,” which aired weekday mornings on WOOD-TV. The show ran for nine years and featured an array of guests such as poet Maya Angelou, comedians Red Skelton and Phyllis Diller, and musicians Benny Goodman, Pat Boone, Dave Brubeck, and Pearl Bailey.
After retiring from Blue Lake Radio in 1995, Matthews decided to write a book which he did. “Uncommon Women — A Novel” was released on Amazon Kindle.
In 2015, Matthews released his third book, “Getting Here: Thoughts, Stories, Poems, Recollections,” focusing on life in local television and radio and Matthews reflecting on his life plan, which there was none.
Matthews continue to write about his observations on life through his blog, buckmatthews.com.
Straight No Chaser comes to DeVos Performance Hall Dec. 4.
If the phrase “male a cappella group” conjures up an image of students in blue blazers, ties, and khakis singing traditional college songs on ivied campuses… think again. Straight No Chaser (SNC) are neither strait-laced nor straight-faced, but neither are they vaudeville-style kitsch. They have emerged as a phenomenon with a massive fanbase, numerous national TV appearances and proven success with CD releases. Straight No Chaser is the real deal, the captivating sound of nine unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense… and with a sense of humor. On the road, Straight No Chaser has built a reputation as an unforgettable live act.
Straight No Chaser comes to SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, May 11, at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster.com for all prices and availability. A purchase limit of 12 tickets will apply to every order.
Fans on DeVos Performance Hall’s email list will have access to an exclusive presale on Thursday, May 10. To receive presale information, sign up to the email list here by May 8, 2018.
By Joseph Bixler, Michigan State University Extension
The broad topic of food insecurity has come to the public forefront over the last decade. Food insecurity can be identified by an individual’s access to limited quality, variety or desirability of diet. Generally speaking, it is the lack of access to affordable, healthy, nutrient-rich, fresh foods and it may help one understand the link between hunger and food security. You may have heard the term “food deserts”. Food deserts can be found anywhere that lacks consistent access to quality fresh food; be it in urban or rural settings. Access can be affected by many different variables. According to the USDA website regarding access, these variables include, but are not limited to access to transportation, family income and distance from stores or the number of stores in a given neighborhood.
The purpose of this article is to familiarize with the concept of food insecurity and the potential options communities may have to address the broader issue. Future articles will describe some efforts to address food insecurity in more detail. First, some of the potential initiatives currently being used in communities to combat food insecurity.
Mobile farm market trucks — Vehicles loaded with fresh fruits and vegetable from a local source and setup in areas where consistent access to fresh produce is not available due to transportation issues or other obstacles. In St. Clair County, the Community Foundation is sponsoring a mobile food truck project.
Food rescue programs divert food that would otherwise be thrown away to people who can make use of it. According to the USDA report on the Emergency Food Assistance System, “The food rescue organizations specialize in perishable food including gleanings from farmers’ fields and leftovers from food service operations.
Food Waste Programs — It is estimated that 40 percent of our uneaten food ends up in landfills as reported by the First Food organization. That proportion rises to 50 percent when fresh produce is included. Efforts to combat this waste has become important in some communities.
Food Giveaways — Organizations and institutions in communities have been relying on large scale food giveaways for many years. One such ministry in Cass City, Michigan called Revive Ministries offers a monthly giveaway.
Farm to Table Programs — Fresh produce and other items accessed by those who are food insecure. These programs take the form of community or school gardens where individual can work in and glean food to meet their needs.
Summer Feeding Programs — USDA program that feeds children at various community locations where children are during the non-school summer months.
Future articles will explore some of these programs and projects in more detail. In the meantime, please consider educating yourself about what is going on in your community to assist with the food insecurity problem and how you may get involved.
In Oscar-fashion, nominees and guests arrived in ballgowns, suits, and bowties as they were escorted to their tables for the 2018 Eclipse Awards which took place Thursday, May 3, in the Ballroom at Mckay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids.
The Eclipse Awards has aimed to celebrate achievements in the growing film industry across Michigan for the past seven years. Filmmakers submitted their work to a board of past Eclipse Award winners in order to narrow down to more than 100 nominees across 21 categories. Past winners then casted their votes, and winners were announced at last nights event.
Guests mixed and mingled at the 7th Annual Eclipse Awards.
Sara Hogan along with Eric Schrotenboer won for Promotional Segment in Television or Online. “[The Eclipse Awards] are a wonderful celebration of what’s happening in Michigan,” Hogan said.
“Small films with good stories, they do impact people,” said first-time filmmaker Bryce Cameron. His film Kid Brother won this year for Narrative Feature and Screenplay Feature Length. “This was the little movie that could. It had such humble beginnings, it’s hard to believe that we’re here.”
Peter Harold, winner for Acting in a Supporting Role, felt the moment was very surreal. “Anybody who is foolish enough to make film in Michigan doesn’t necessarily do it for the accolades,” Harold said. “For an event like this to be put on that’s so immaculately curated and so much care is clearly put into it means a lot. It’s very humbling and I am honored.”
Roy Wallace was the winner of Sound Editing for his film Frankie. He said his win also came as a surprise. “I’ve been doing this for a long time so just getting the validation from my peers has been great.”
Mark Adler received the 2018 Hyperion Award.
To continue with validation from the Michigan film industry, for the past four years, the Hyperion Award was presented to an individual within the Michigan film industry that has continually made strides to maintain high standards in their craft while inspiring others to do so as well.
The 2018 Hyperion Award was presented to Michigan Production Alliance founder and director, and author of “Production Algebra: A Handbook for Production Assistants” Mark Adler. Adler has been working in the industry since 2003. During this time, he has contributed to the growth and professional status of the state work force by improving performance standards as well as by providing an access path for working in the industry.
“I had no idea that I was in consideration for [the Hyperion Award] so it came to me as quite a surprise,” Adler said. “I’ve just been keeping on because it’s important and I guess people recognized that.”
With honoring both veterans of the awards along with newcomers, Bryce Cameron says its never to late to start in the industry. “You never know creatively when you’ll turn a corner and find something worth showing to the world and being proud of.”
Congratulations to all of the 2018 Eclipse Award winners!
Sound Design Roy Wallace — Frankie
Direction in a Narrative Short Scott Magie — Four-Ninety
Cinematography in a Narrative Feature Matthew Von Dayton — Thaw of the Dead
Acting in a Supporting Role Peter Herold — Kid Brother
Television and Online Programming Verify — Eric Schrotenboer, David Bailey, Emma Nicolas, producers
Wyoming’s celebration of spring, its annual carnival at Lamar Park, is wrapping up its final days. The carnival runs through Sunday, May 6. The carnival features entertainment for all ages, including games, prizes, and carnival fare favorites. A spectrum of rides will be available for carnival-goers, from crowd pleasers, such as a carousel and Ferris Wheel to the adrenaline-inducing Mega Drop and Wipe Out.
Buff up those wooden shoes and head toward Holland as the city gears up for the annual Tulip Time festival. There will be Dutch dancing, parades, a carnival, an artist market, performances of all kinds, five million tulips in bloom, and more Dutch dancing. The official activities kick off Saturday, May 5, and run through May 13.
‘Dust Off’, the precursor to the annual Metro Cruise, kicks off this Saturday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s become a favorite tradition, with car owners revving up for the summer car show, finally being able to show off what has been stored under those tarps.
30th anniversary edition of Lighthouse Map now available
Lighthouse lovers, get ready to plan your next lighthouse adventure! The West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) is excited to announce the release of the 2018 Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map & Circle Tour. This is a free poster-sized publication which details all of the lighthouses located on the shores of Lake Michigan, as well as the Circle Tour driving route to guide motorists around the lake.
Live Mermaid to return to Grand Rapids Public Museum
Admission to Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids is $12 for adults, $7 for children, $9 for Kent County resident adults, $4 for Kent County resident children, and $2 for all Museum members! Tickets include general admission to the Museum, and can be purchased online at grpm.org or by calling 616.929.1700.
Part Annie Oakley, part hippy farmer, with a bit of Little House on the Prairie stirred in, Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm is the kind of book that grabs you from the first sentence, if that super cover and awesome title haven’t already. This is a fierce memoir, the sort of story that is common enough to be shared by many, but triumphant enough to be Mardi Jo Link’s alone.
The parts you will love are the boys, Link’s sons who are each unique and full of individual adventure, yet clearly on this particular journey with their mother. You will also love Link’s genuine approach to telling this story, how she admits her own weaknesses and struggles, as well as her achievements. You will love that she refers to her ex-husband as Mr. Wonderful.
A group of engineering students from Grand Valley State University partnered with Beaumont Health to create a medical device that has the potential to improve the quality of life for people with neuromuscular diseases.
The cough assist device was created to help clear the airway of individuals with diseases such as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis. The device, about the size of a stack of textbooks, is patent pending and was recently licensed to be commercially manufactured in China, making it the first commercial licensing agreement for Grand Valley’s engineering program.
“We designed the device to be used for people of all ages who have pulmonary problems — from child to adult,” said Jake Stephens, one of four students who designed and built the device. “We aimed to make it simple and easy to use and are thrilled with how it turned out.”
Jordan Vanderham, a member of the student team, said several cough assist devices exist, but they are heavy, expensive and require electricity to operate. This new device is portable, lightweight and made out of plastic and vinyl. It includes a tube attached to a face mask and two valves to control air pressure and volume. It requires no electricity to operate.
Bassel Salman with the cough assist device
Through a collaboration agreement between Beaumont Health and Grand Valley’s School of Engineering, students majoring in product design and manufacturing engineering were tasked with designing and building a prototype of the device under the guidance of engineering professor John Farris.
The idea for the invention came from, a pediatrician who specializes in critical care at Beaumont Health in Royal Oak. He noticed a need for his patients to have a cough assist device that is more affordable and portable.
“I am hopeful this device will impact patient care by offering patients worldwide a better quality of life by decreasing the cost of more intensive therapy,” Salman said. “Compared with other cough products on the market, our device does the same at less cost.”
The Beaumont Commercialization Center negotiated a license with TechBank Medical, a Shanghai-based medical commercialization organization.
The cough assist device
“For developed markets, like the U.S., this technology will provide a truly portable device that is small, lightweight and does not require electrical power. For developing markets, like China and India, the design allows for those previously unable to afford a cough assist device to finally get relief from their disease, as the technology has a simple and low-cost design,” said Brad Yang, founder and CEO of TechBank Medical.
This is the first time Grand Valley has worked with Beaumont Health, but it’s not the first time students in the engineering program have given life to medical device ideas. The university has several similar collaboration agreements with area health care providers to identify needs and build medical devices. Engineering students have worked with Mercy Health and Spectrum Health, among others.
“These collaborations bring together clinical and engineering expertise,” said Linda Chamberlain, of Grand Valley’s Technology Commercialization Office. “We want the student engineers to have a valuable experience and the clinical teams we work with to have solutions. It’s a great way for us to work together to solve a problem.”
The students completed the project as part of a one-semester class; the group includes Sam Oostendorp, Austin Williams, Jake Stephens and Jordan Vanderham.
The Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of one new community development and the newly remodeled offices of The Chiropractic Doctor.
The Chiropractic Doctor
On April 23, celebrated the remodeled offices of The Chiropractic Doctor, located at 4415 Byron Center Ave. SW. The Chiropractic Doctor has been in business for 35 years, having received a number of awards including the Patient’s Choice Award and a Best of Grand Rapids Readers Poll in 2012. For about The Chiropractic Doctor, visit wyomingpanrelief.com.
The Haven. Photo by Fuller Creative Services
On April 26, the Chamber helped mark the opening of The Havens, at 4025 Pier Light Drive near the corner of Wilson Avenue and 52nd Street. The 192-unit apartment complex features one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment homes. For more information about The Haven, visit villagegreen.com/wyoming/the-haven or call 616-266-1026.
They are going to have fun, fun, fun at the Wyoming Moose Lodge #763 as the 28th Street Metro Cruise annual kicks off Saturday, May 5, with the traditional ‘Dust-off’.
The annual event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and has become a tradition and a kick-off to the summer car shows with car owners finally being able to show off what has been stored under those tarps.
Hosted by the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, the event usually has about 100 to 150 cars. A large part of that depends on the weather, according to Bob O’Callaghan, president/CEO of the Chamber. O’Callaghan added that the first 50 collector car owners to the Dust-Off will receive a free Dust-Off shirt, which has become a collector’s item.
The 14th annual 28th Street Metro Cruise is set for Aug. 24 and 25. There is a Blessing of the Cars on Aug. 23 as well. And while the actual event is still about four months away, there are several other pre-activities taking place.
Delilah DeWylde will be at Metro Cruise Aug. 24
Entries for the annual Pin Up Girl contest are also being accepted. The Pin Up Girl contest will take place July 7 at the American Legion Post 154, 2327 Byron Center Ave. SW. The final competition will take place during Metro Cruise on Aug. 25, rain or shine.Application deadline is June 10. All contestants must be 18 years old or older and must provide a head shot and full body shot with costume and makeup. To register, visit www.28thstreetmetrocruise.com/pinupgirls.
The popular Art Cruise hosted by the Wyoming Business Leaders will be returning as well. Details will be forthcoming.
Due to changing industry trends and consumer buying patterns, SMG-managed venues DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids will implement new box office hours beginning next week on Monday, May 7. The box offices at both venues will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday on non-event days under the new schedule. Additional evening and weekend hours will vary in accordance with the venues’ event schedules.
Fans will still be able to purchase tickets online via Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000 outside of the venues’ box office hours. Additionally, each venue has a free mobile app for Apple and Android devices with a full list of upcoming events and direct links to Ticketmaster purchase pages, the only verified source of tickets online for the venues.
“With the growing prevalence of digital and the around-the-clock service that it provides, we feel now is a good time for these new box office hours,” said SMG Regional General Manager Richard MacKeigan. “Fans can still buy tickets online 24/7, and we are happy to continue offering the in-person touch point during our daily box office hours.”
The newly established Michigan Small Farm Newsletter is a monthly newsletter aimed at providing small-scale farmers the opportunity to network and learn from other growers around the state. Each month, field reports from Michigan growers are submitted, compiled and distributed to subscribers around the state. These field reports are designed to provide context of what is happening on small farms around Michigan, better connecting growers and providing support through shared knowledge and insight. Participants are able to submit a field report as frequently as they would like (submissions are not mandatory) and have the option to be anonymous.
In addition to field reports, the newsletters contain links to Michigan State University Extension articles, upcoming events and other information relevant to small-scale farmers. The goal of the newsletter is to create a network of small-scale producers that can provide each other support through increased communication and transparency. As one subscriber put it after reading the first newsletter, “It was great to read the reports… I have already gotten some useful information and it has only just begun!”
All are invited to explore how local public works agencies make a difference in their communities during the third annual Family Open House, which will include complimentary food, family-friendly activities and giveaways, on Wednesday, May 16.
The Kentwood Department of Public Works is hosting the event in partnership with the Kent County Road Commission and the American Public Works Association in anticipation of National Public Works Week, which is slated for May 20-26.
From 4-7 p.m., families will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes at the Kentwood Public Works Facility, located at 5068 Breton Road SE, to interact with the employees and equipment that keep the community safe, clean and functioning smoothly.
Prior to the open house, Kentwood Mayor Steven Kepley provided a proclamation for National Public Works Week during the regular City Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 1.
“Services provided by public works departments touch many aspects of residents’ day-to-day lives,” said John Gorney, Kentwood director of public works. “In West Michigan, we maintain thousands of miles of pipes underground and streets above ground. We are responsible for keeping parks maintained, and we service municipal vehicles such as police cruisers and fire trucks.
“The open house will be a great, family-friendly way to learn more about what we do — and provide an up-close look at the equipment we use.”
The open house will feature giveaways, hands-on activities for kids and a fleet of vehicles to explore. Live maintenance and repair demonstrations will allow residents to learn about road improvements as well as the safe disposal of household waste.
Complimentary food and refreshments will be provided.
“This event provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase our ongoing efforts dedicated to improving our public infrastructure,” said Steve Warren, managing director of Kent County Road Commission. “Crew members are eager to address questions and explain different aspects of our work.”
Additionally, winners of the Work Zone Safety Poster competition will be honored at 5:30 p.m. Sponsored by Kent County Road Commission and the City of Kentwood, the poster contest invited third-grade students from across the county to design a “caution sign” focusing on safety tips for driving through a work zone. A gallery of more than 100 entries will be displayed.
“We look forward to this event every year as it’s a great opportunity to meet and engage with residents of all ages about the work we do in a fun, relaxed environment,” Gorney said.
Phantom the Mermaid returns to the Grand Rapids Public Museum May 5 and 6.
Back by popular demand, the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) will be bringing a live mermaid back to the Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaidsexhibit on May 5 and 6!
For this special weekend, visit Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids to explore the various mythical creatures of the world and meet Mermaid Phantom! Mermaid Phantom will be in the exhibit from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. both May 5 and 6. Visitors can talk to Phantom, ask her questions about mermaids and mythical creatures, touch her tail and take photos with her!
Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids features models and replicas of preserved specimens as well as cast fossils of prehistoric animals to investigate how they could have, through misidentification, speculation, fear or imagination, inspired the development of some legendary creatures.
Admission to Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids is $12 for adults, $7 for children, $9 for Kent County resident adults, $4 for Kent County resident children, and $2 for all Museum members! Tickets include general admission to the Museum, and can be purchased online at grpm.org or by calling 616.929.1700.
Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids offers many interactive stations throughout the exhibition. Visitors can build their own dragon on an engaging touch-screen and watch it come alive before their eyes in a virtual environment.
Visitors will touch casts of a narwhal tusk to discover how they lent credence to the centuries-old belief in the unicorn. Hands-on stations also include the lower jaw of Gigantopithecus (extinct group of apes) and a life-size reproduction of the talon of a Haast’s eagle.
This exhibit is located on the Museum’s third floor and runs through May 20, 2018.
Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org), in collaboration with the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney; Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau-Quebec; Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Atlanta; and The Field Museum, Chicago.
Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids is sponsored by The Steve & Amy Van Andel Foundation, David & Carol Van Andel Family Foundation, Meijer, Bird + Bird Studio, Harder & Warner, Hope Network Neuro Rehabilitation, Lighthouse Group, Media Place Partners, Adventure Credit Union, The Jant Group, Chris & Kim Branoff, Grand Rapids Griffins, The Knickerbocker – New Holland Brewing and Spectrum Health. Media sponsors are WoodTV8, Star 105.7 and WGVU Public Media.
This exhibit is brought to you by the citizens of Kent County and the voter approved millage.
Film composer John Williams starts every Star Wars movie with a bang. With one iconic opening chord, viewers are instantly swept into a cinematic universe that’s held together not by one director or writer, but by one composer.
Williams, whose prodigious output of film and musical scores has earned him 24 Grammy Awards, five Academy Awards, and 41 Oscar nominations over the course of his 5 decades-long career, has defined, through music, the heroes and villains of more movie franchises than even Luke, Leia, or Harry could summon with all of their powers.
The Grand Rapids Pops presents Star Wars and More: The Music of John Williams with some of Williams’ best known music, with a few surprising melodies thrown in for good measure, on May 11-13 in DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Shows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 11-12 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 13.
With musical selections from all 3 Star Wars trilogies, the concert features standout Star Wars pieces, alongside cherished songs from the Harry Potter film franchise, the Jurassic Park franchise, and several other films where Williams’ scores exquisitely craft the emotionality of characters and their world.
For the finale of this year’s Fox Motors Pops series, Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt will conduct the symphony in the formidable task of playing 14 selections from Williams’ scores.
“Star War” guests mingle with Grand Rapids Symphony patrons before the performance.
The concert sponsored by the Peter C. & Emajean Cook Foundation features five selections from the Star Wars franchise, including one suite from The Force Awakens and the hopeful “The Rebellion is Reborn,” from The Last Jedi, the most recent installment of the final trilogy.
The Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Chorus, directed by Sean Ivory, will be featured with music including the dramatic “Battle of Heroes,” from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and the joyful “Exultate Justi” from Empire of the Sun. Sure to be a concert highlight, “Exultate Justi,” sung in Latin, is an ardent celebration of a young protagonist’s indomitable dignity and courage, earning Williams another Grammy and Academy Award nomination, respectively.
Costumed characters from the Star Wars franchise will patrol the lobby of DeVos Hall, greeting guests and posing for pictures at each show. Characters from the Great Lakes Garrison of the 501st Legion, a worldwide Star Wars costuming organization, are expected to include Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Rey, assorted Storm Troopers, and more.
John Williams, whose long tenure with the Boston Pops stretched for 14 seasons before he became the Pops’ Laureate Conductor, personally hired Bob Bernhardt as a guest conductor of the Boston Pops. So it makes sense that Bernhardt, who is in his third season as the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Principal Pops Conductor, is conducting works written by the man of whom Bernhardt has said, “He’s my hero.”
Williams, it seems, knows something of heroes and villains. Whether fictional or otherwise, Williams’ compositions, particularly for franchise films like Star Wars, feature short musical themes that identify characters, motivations, situations, and locations. Those themes, repeated again and again, help define characters as threating or hopeful; as brave or defiant or tender.
A menacing shark, for instance, has a two-note theme repeated throughout the score, and a villain is born for Jaws. A French horn solo, brief and longing, as a young man gazes out at a binary sunset on a desert planet introduces Luke Skywalker to Star Wars viewers.
The Julliard-trained Williams won his third Academy Award for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. That original score, with its sweeping sonic landscape, helped define the entire Star Wars franchise and cinematic universe.
More mixing and mingling with the “Star Wars” Darth Sidious and Darth Vader.
Drawing from numerous classical music influences – from Wagner to Tchaikovsky to Holst – Williams’ capability to write evocatively and create characters out of musical thin air seems to know no bounds.
Maestro John Reineke of the New York Pops, prior to a performance of the musical score for The Force Awakens in Carnegie Hall, summed it up: “John has a way to capture the visual element of the film, and the feelings, the emotions … and transfer that into music. So when you take the music out of the film,” he explained to AM New York, “and play it on a concert stage with no visuals and just listen to it, it takes you right back to that film and what it’s about – you can picture it in your mind.”
The final Star Wars trilogy, with The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, will see its final film premier in December 2019. Williams, now 86, says that the as-of-now untitled Star Wars IX, will be his last Star Wars film.
“We know J.J. Abrams is preparing one now for next year that I will hopefully do for him, and I look forward to it,” Williams said while speaking to University of Southern California’s Classical music radio station, KUSC. “It will round out a series of nine and be quite enough for me.”
Tickets
Tickets start at $18 and are available at the GRS ticket office, weekdays 9 am-5 pm at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Tickets program. This is a MySymphony360 eligible concert.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is pleased to partner with the Roger B. Chaffee Scholarship Board and the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA) to bring one of the members of the latest class of NASA astronauts to Grand Rapids on May 9 and 10. Nicole Aunapu Mann, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S Marine Corps, was among eight candidates selected for future space missions in 2013. She completed Astronaut Candidate training in 2015 and is now qualified for assignment.
On Wednesday, May 9, Lt Col Mann will give a presentation titled “The Sky is Not the Limit” at 7:30 p.m. in the Meijer Theater at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The event is free and open to the public.
In the presentation, Mann will recount pre-astronaut experiences that put her on a path to the appointment, and then turn to the rigorous training required to fly into space. Mann has undergone intensive instruction about International Space Station systems, robotics, and space walking in the event she is assigned a mission to the orbiting laboratory. Mann is currently training to be part of an Orion mission to the moon in 2022, the first human flight back to the Earth’s satellite in a half century. She will also look ahead to proposed missions to Mars. For more information, please visit grpm.org.
Visitors will have a second opportunity to hear Lt. Col Mann at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 10. Mann will be the featured speaker at the annual banquet in honor of the 51st recipient of the prestigious Roger B. Chaffee Scholarship, this year honoring Patrick Clark Morgan of East Grand Rapids High School. In this talk, Mann will highlight her upcoming space travel in “Back to the Moon and Beyond.” Tickets to the banquet are $55 and can be reserved by calling 800-237-0930 by April 28, or e-mail: dave@mpi-invest.com.
Mann was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in United State Marine Corps in 1999. She began her active flying career in 2004 and was involved in a number of high profile test flights and missions. She accumulated more than 2,000 flight hours in 22 types of aircraft, 200 carrier arrestments and 47 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During her two-day visit to Grand Rapids, Mann will also be speaking to students at Innovative Central High School, the same building where Roger Chaffee attended high school in the early 1950s, Burton Elementary, and the Grand Rapids Public Museum School.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet — or few — from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Big Sid’s Sanctuary. 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).
Last year — 2017 — was quite the year of changes for us, as we had to combine both of our shelters under one roof, though keep the populations separate; one side of our building houses the Crash Cats and the other houses Big Sid’s, our rescue for FIV-and Feline Leukemia-positive kiddos.
Space limitations are greater now than they were when we were fortunate to have our Sid’s Kids running around a huge, two-story building; we had to decrease the number of residents we could have at any one time. Needless to say, our intake has drastically reduced, much to our dismay. However, always willing to lend a hand (er, paw) when we can, we have been able to open our doors to some newbies-in-need, just on a much smaller scale than we had grown accustomed to.
MacDonald came to us with his brother, Barleigh — both beautiful FELV+ brothers transferred from Focus on Ferals. They’d been the duo since they were about eight weeks old (born in March of 2016). Since it is extremely challenging to adopt our cats carrying this virus, FOF had no luck in getting these boys homes, so they asked for our help in placing them. They also wanted the pair to have more room to roam around in, and even though our floor plan is less spacious than the good, old days, it is still free-roaming and has multiple rooms with lots of vertical spaces, walkways, stairs, cubbies, nooks and crannies to explore and hang out on (and in)!
MacDonald is very social, always seeking out the volunteers and asking for pets. He’s not that fond of being held, but he’s a constant companion to the hard workers who care for him and his 50+ feline roommates. Extremely playful, he will chase ANY toy thrown for him … repeatedly … over and over again.
MacDonald will make someone a very fine feline companion!
More about MacDonald
NOTE: A $825 grant from Lil BUB’s Big Fund for the ASPCA will enable Crash’s Landing & Big Sid’s Sanctuary, to fund comprehensive exams for five Big Sid’s Sanctuary cats before going to their new home. Each exam would include a full blood panel, dental care, radiographs, urinalysis, antibiotics and pain medication, if needed. Big Sid’s caters exclusively to cats who test positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) or FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus). FIV and FeLV are viruses that can, if they flare up, suppress a cat’s immune system. The shelter takes cats with FIV or FeLV from all over Michigan.
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.
There are many resources and services in the Grand Rapids area that are available to citizens transitioning out of prison and back into society, but these are not always easily accessible or made known to such citizens. How can these returning citizens find what they need when they don’t know where to start? Where can they go for assistance, and how will they get there? Whom can they call to set up appointments beforehand?
According to Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI) program assistant Julie Bylsma, returning citizens discover these resources primarily by word-of-mouth, or from their parole officers.
“Some [parole officers] tell them a lot about Grand Rapids and are interested in seeing them succeed; others just give them a document with phone numbers,” Bylsma said. “But they need something that actually shows them information and helps them understand how to get there.”
After two years of working on a solution to this issue, CPI and the Henry Institute at Calvin College have created the Returning Citizens Resources online application: a user-friendly, interactive, spatial map of resources and services in the Grand Rapids area to empower returning citizens in their transition out of prison and into society.
Returning Citizens Resources app
The process of creating the app began with an idea from political science professor and Henry Institute director Kevin den Dulk following a church discussion group meeting he attended on restorative justice.
“A returning citizen joined us one evening and I asked about the greatest challenges he faced when he got out of prison. He noted the nitty-gritty problem of tracking down where to find services; information was fragmented among a variety of groups, and those groups often didn’t know what others were doing,” den Dulk said. “I realized that was a problem we could tackle through some intrepid data-sleuthing and geographical work.”
Thus, in fall 2015, the work began with den Dulk reaching out to geography professor Jason VanHorn to propose his idea.
“Kevin approached me and said he was interested in issues of justice. He told me he was working on an interplay between civil service and organizations that are friendly for re-entry services,” VanHorn explained. “He then asked me, ‘Could you map those?’ And that simple question led us to the next steps of truly exciting research.”
Photo courtesy Calvin College
VanHorn then approached Julie Bylsma, a senior biology student at the time, who was taking Intro to GIS (Geographic Information Systems), and who he knew was also interested in criminal justice. Bylsma had begun her work with the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI) in fall 2015 as well, and she agreed to begin collaborating with VanHorn and den Dulk on the project. She worked on the project through spring 2016 in Advanced GIS, and with Jon Gordon, who was a research fellow of the Henry Institute at the time, gathering most of the data. Bylsma also worked with VanHorn and den Dulk the following year in a research position through the Henry Institute up until the application went live in August 2017.
From the beginning, the goal was to make the app a one-stop resource for returning citizens to find everything they might need to smoothly reenter society. The categories of resources and services included in the app are: housing, employment, food & clothing, legal assistance, counseling services, welcoming churches (and organizations), transportation, and other services.
“We wanted it to be as easy and simple as possible for the users,” VanHorn said. “You don’t see technical jargon and geography vocabulary on there, which could easily be the case.”
Henry Institute & CPI
As the director of the Henry Institute at Calvin, den Dulk believes the institute is well positioned to oversee this kind of project. The institute provides resources for scholarship; encourages citizen involvement and education; structures opportunities to disseminate scholarly work; seeks avenues to communicate and promote information about Christianity and public life to the broader public; and motivates and trains future scholars and leaders.
“We have a sweet spot for projects that have research potential while also addressing real-world problems,” den Dulk said. “On this project, for example, we can serve a disadvantaged group through research, especially by using spatial analysis, or mapping, to identify ‘service deserts’ for returning citizens.”
One of the ways the Henry Institute takes on projects like these is through a program called the ‘Civitas Lab,’ which pairs students as paid assistants with faculty who have both technical knowledge and great passion.
“Bylsma and VanHorn are the dynamic pair who brought these pieces together, applied the necessary technical know-how, and got the map out to the public,” den Dulk said.
The Calvin students at Handlon Prison are already excited to use the new app.
“In talking with the Handlon students, a few of them have told me that their cellmates or friends in the prison who are getting out have been looking forward to using it. One person used it in his parole plan, as you have to have a re-entry plan,” Bylsma said.
The Calvin Prison Initiative offers inmates an opportunity to earn a bachelor of arts in ministry leadership degree. (Photo courtesy Calvin College)
“When we met with prisoners at Handlon and they saw the app for the first time, their reactions were very positive,” VanHorn added. “They indicated overwhelming appreciation for the work, and that it would be a very valuable resource not only for returning citizens, but also for their families who can aid them in the transition back into society. It was really encouraging.”
Hopes for the app
Bylsma, Den Dulk, and VanHorn each have high hopes for the app, as there has already been great feedback from the Handlon students. They hope the mission and goals of the app don’t stop in Grand Rapids, though.
“I’m hoping the project paves a way for replication across the country and places around the world, because I think it’s possible,” VanHorn said. “Our overarching hope is to enable independence and an ability to choose in these returning citizens.”
“Right now [the app] is limited to Kent County, but we are working to secure funding to grow into as many Michigan counties as we can, and perhaps inspire similar work in other states,” den Dulk added. “I am most excited by the prospect that the map becomes a go-to resource for the post-release life-planning of returning citizens and their families. I’m also excited that we can start using our data to understand why there is often a mismatch between the locations of services and returning citizens.”
Bylsma believes providing this resource for returning citizens is an important piece in pursuing criminal justice.
“If [returning citizens] want to be successful, we want to give them the tools to become successful. It’s up to them to use the resources, but why would we ever handicap re-entering citizens from using them? If the resources are out there, and people are willing to give that assistance, it shouldn’t be that hard for them to find those services,” Bylsma said. “We would love to see prisoners come out and be able to get the help they need within a matter of hours or days, and the continuing help as well when they have their immediate needs met so they continue to be successful.”
The future of reentry assistance
VanHorn is working with MDOC (Michigan Department of Corrections) and other organizations to see how they can get the word out about the app. The app is the first of its kind; a few organizations have collected information for re-entry, but this is the most comprehensive resource for returning citizens with pins displayed and direct links to contact information. There is great hope from the creators of the app that their efforts will be duplicated.
“The court gave them punishment, and they served their time, so now we have to trust that they want to succeed and need to allow them to do so—we can’t tie both of their hands as they’re already walking into a terribly difficult situation,” Bylsma concluded. “It’s much different than someone starting their life over; this is often relearning adulthood. If we really gave them the chance to prove themselves without handicapping them in the first place, I believe we’d be impressed.”
About CPI
Eric Boldiszar shakes hands with Calvin College provost Cheryl Brandsen during the 2017 Convocation ceremony for the Calvin Prison Initiative students. (Photo courtesy Calvin College)
A partnership between Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary, the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI) is a unique program that provides a Christian liberal arts education to inmates at Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan. This five-year program results in a bachelor of arts degree from Calvin College. The program equips inmates with the knowledge and skills required to be community leaders. The hope is that through this endeavor, not only will lives regain hope, but prison culture will be transformed, and justice there will become not merely retributive, but restorative.
Lighthouse lovers, get ready to plan your next lighthouse adventure! The West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) is excited to announce the release of the 2018 Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map & Circle Tour. This is a free poster-sized publication which details all of the lighthouses located on the shores of Lake Michigan, as well as the Circle Tour driving route to guide motorists around the lake.
To celebrate this year’s 30th anniversary edition of the Lighthouse Map, WMTA has partnered with the Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association to offer one lucky winner the chance to win a two-night stay at Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington. Interested parties are invited to enter to win this prize at the WMTA website: https://www.wmta.org/lake-michigan-lighthouse-map-circle-tour/win-a-stay-at-big-sable-point-lighthouse/
The full circle tour driving route around Lake Michigan is available online, and website visitors may also download a PDF of this year’s Lighthouse Map, or request that a free copy be mailed to them. https://www.wmta.org/lake-michigan-lighthouse-map-circle-tour/
Vacationers have been looping the lake for generations, but the official “Lake Michigan Circle Tour” route was not established until the 1980s when the Michigan Department of Transportation teamed up with West Michigan Tourist Association to create the route and its official guidebook. Along the way, travelers will find more than 100 lighthouses, countless islands, unique attractions, parks and natural areas, miles of glorious beaches, quaint harbor towns, and one “modern marvel” – the Mackinac Bridge.
While a loosely-organized “circle route” around Lake Superior was promoted by local tourist organizations as early as the 1960s, the first official (and signed) Great Lakes Circle Tour was the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. The only single-nation Circle Tour (Lake Michigan being the only Great Lake completely within the US), the Lake Michigan Circle Tour also has the most mileage of any Circle Tour in the state.
Working in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation, the West Michigan Tourist Association helped to make the first of the official Great Lakes Circle Tours a reality and the first publication was released in 1988 as a 52-page guide book. The guide book was transformed into a map in 2007, and the Circle Tour driving route can now be found online.
Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map & Circle Tour publications are also available in bulk quantities; please contact Travel@WMTA.org for more information. The Lighthouse Tour Map also is available at the WKTV station, 5261 Clyde Park SW.
This Friday, the annual Christy’s Cause Scholarship Baseball and Softball Games will be played between Wyoming and Grandville high schools, the seventh year honoring the person and the spirit of Christy Paganelli, who lost a courageous 18-month battle with melanoma.
The theme and cause of the games is “Play for Melanoma”, but the event recognizes all cancer awareness and prevention, and is committed to making sure everyone is aware that melanoma skin cancer can happen to anyone and how to prevent it.
Christy Paganelli, from her high school playing days. (Supplied)
All funds will be directed towards cancer research and the Christy Paganelli Scholarship Fund, which funds one or two scholarships each year at Aquinas College, where Christy played softball after playing and graduating from Wyoming’s Rogers High School.
The games are scheduled for May 4 at Wyoming High School’s baseball and softball fields, with junior varsity games beginning at 3:15 p.m. and varsity games beginning at 6 p.m.
In addition to the games, there will be information available about melanoma so everyone can be aware of the dangers of skin cancer and what the risk factors are.
WKTV Community Media coverage of the 7th Annual Eclipse Awards, honoring Michigan’s creators in film and television, will be broadcast live on WKTV cable channel 25 and on online at TheEclipseAward.com, on Thursday, May 3, starting at 7 p.m.
The annual Eclipse Awards are made possible by Sony, Key Code Media, Ferris State University, Compass College of Cinematic Arts and WKTV Digital Cinema.
The Eclipse Awards seek to elevate content creators throughout Michigan by honoring their works through regional, national and international voting on entered works in film, television and on-line production. The Eclipse Award is given for story telling and production excellence in the production community.
Winning film work may be shown both as part of the live award ceremony in clip form and in its entire form on WKTV cable television after the ceremony.
The Eclipse Awards, and other sports and community events, are cable broadcast either live, immediately after the event and/or in rebroadcast, on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99. See WKTVjournal.org for complete feature event schedules.
Many of WKTV’s feature coverage events are also available on-demand at wktvondemand.com.
Pakistani-born Simin Beg is a mom and wife, a physician, and a practicing Muslim. She offers her insights on straddling cultures, palliative medicine, and everyday faith.
It’s nearly that time again! Get your child involved in some fun and meaningful activities — consider a summer camp!
Make a movie this summer with the Film and Acting Summer Camps at the Compass College of Cinematic Arts in Grand Rapids! Learn from professionals how to act on camera and make films when the camp runs from June 18th to 22nd for ages 13 to 18. Film Camp students will write, shoot, and edit your own short film with guidance from seasoned filmmakers. In Acting Camp, you’ll learn on-camera acting techniques with a film actor as your coach and then star in a film produced by Film Camp. At the end of the week, walk the red carpet at the film’s premiere for family and friends on the big screen!
The Downtown Market in Grand Rapids has three-day and four-day summer camps for the young foodie in your life. Each camp has a distinct theme, ranging from Michigan’s fruits and vegetables to creating and utilizing a backyard farm. Sign up today for what Downtown Market cleverly calls their “Simmer Camps”!
Tiny dancers at the Grand Rapids Ballet dance camp (photo courtesy of GR Ballet)
The Grand Rapids Ballethas a variety of camps that are all centered around dance. Their Ballet School has programs for ballet, young dancers, boys ballet, and summer intensive training. They also have two Adaptive Dance programs: Explorer Dance (for children with Down syndrome) and Dancing with Parkinson’s (for adults with Parkinson’s disease). These Adaptive Dance classes allow students to experience the joy of dancing who may otherwise not have the opportunity to do so. Summer camps at the Grand Rapids Ballet are both fun and accessible for everyone!
The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre has summer camps that give students the chance to spend an entire week learning about theatre while having a blast making new friends. They’ve made some fantastic additions to their extremely popular summer camp program this year, so you’ll want to take a look at their new offerings for the season. Camps range from age 4 all the way through high school!
Summer fun happens at the Grand Rapids Public Museum! Join them and explore the wonders of science, history, culture, art, and fun! For nine weeks this summer, kids ages 4 to 14 can use the museum as a learning lab, experimenting and growing, all while having a great time in one of the area’s most history-rich and “cool” environments.
At The Critter Barn (photo courtesy of Critter Barn)
The Critter Barn in Zeeland offers a one-of-a-kind Critter Camp class for students who are eager to engage in animal care. Work through the entire farm with the barn’s staff and return to volunteer throughout the entire year. These camps are available for ages 8 to 15.
In 1920, Frankie Pratt graduates from high school and receives a scrapbook as a gift. Intent on becoming a writer, she attends Vassar College, and finds work in New York and Paris. Told through Frankie’s eyes, the life of a young woman trying to find her place in the world comes to life. The remarkable thing about this book, however, is the way the story is told.
The entire book is formatted as Frankie’s scrapbook. It is filled with ephemera such as post cards, letters, magazine ads and more. The story of her life is told through her scrapbook entries and the style of the 1920s is vivid. The reader wants to be able to touch the items in the scrapbook, to ask Frankie questions, and to see the story from the viewpoint of other characters. But this is Frankie’s story and we see her world only from her perspective through what she shares in her scrapbook.
This is a fun book and a quick read, but you will linger, looking at the beautiful and detailed layout of each page.
Explore the different ways that gardening activities can help you meet daily physical activity recommendations.
By Tyler Becker, Michigan State University Extension
It’s that time of year again. Gardening and landscaping season is upon us. Time to go into the shed and dust off your shovel and go down to your local hardware store to get prepped for growing season. You may be excited to start gardening, but at the same time, maybe you are reluctant because you remembered how sore your muscles were from your first day last year. If you are one of these people, you will not be surprised to hear that gardening activities count towards physical activity recommendations.
Heavy gardening activities can strengthen your body.
Gardening and landscaping provide numerous physical and mental benefits. One physical benefit of gardening and landscaping is that you burn calories. This could contribute to weight management by helping you use up some of the energy from the food you consume. The amount of calories used depends on the activity, intensity and duration.
You may already think of gardening as a physical activity, one that provides cardiovascular or aerobic exercise for your body, but did you know that some gardening activities can contribute to the muscle- and bone-strengthening guidelines?
Gardening can help strengthen your body
Heavy gardening, which requires you to use a lot of your muscles can help with overall strengthening. Think of bending down to pick up something heavy, digging holes or making a paver wall. Overall, the type of activity and intensity is key. The activity has to be more strenuous than simply bending down to pick up a dropped glove; think of picking up pavers or a bag of mulch. Strive for an intensity in which you are sweating and may not be able to keep a conversation going with someone. Some other activities that may count towards muscle- and bone-strengthening, including shoveling, raking and pushing a wheelbarrow.
Modify gardening and landscaping activities to exercise your whole body
One easy way to include additional musculature (exercise different muscles) during gardening is to switch hands periodically when doing tasks like raking or shoveling. Another method is to change the activity you do every 15 to 30 minutes. An example could be pulling weeds for 15 minutes and then switching to dumping bags of mulch around your trees or bushes. It is likely you already have a rhythm down, but simply going from one activity to another in this way, can incorporate more musculature and increase the number of calories burned. Plus, this approach can break up the monotony of performing the same activity over and over again.
Tips for reducing pain and soreness.
Do you avoid gardening because it makes you feel too sore? There are a number of ways to prevent or even alleviate pain while gardening and landscaping. First, always use proper form during activity regardless of what it is. Moving with proper form helps you avoid pain and injury. For example, if you are picking something up from the ground, keep your shoulder blades back and down, and bend and lift with your knees, not your back.
Always listen to your body. If you “overdid it” one day, you probably should take it slow the next day. Also, there are a number of garden tools available that can help alleviate any potential or existing pain. Your local hardware store may have gloves and garden utensils designed for those with arthritis-related issues. Using garden tools as simple as knee pads or foam pads can help lessen any potential knee pain. You should also take breaks here and there while gardening just as you would if at the gym. Try sitting down for five minutes and rehydrating with water. Lastly, be sure to stretch after gardening. This can help not only improve/maintain flexibility but improve muscle recovery too.
Remember, if you do not currently garden or landscape, start slow and ease into it; especially if you are focusing on using it to contribute to daily physical activity recommendations, including muscle- and bone-strengthening exercise.
Michigan State University Extension has a number of resources including the Master Gardener Program for those considering gardening, and those who have been gardening for a while.
Kentwood Public Works Department oversees the city’s recycling center.
City of Kentwood
The City of Kentwood is sponsoring a Community Clean-Up Day for residents wanting to spring clean their homes and yards.
The Community Clean-Up Day, scheduled for Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., will allow residents to bring general debris, gently used items for donation, household hazardous materials and electronic devices to be recycled.
The drop-off will be located near the Kentwood Recycling Center, 5068 Breton Ave. SE.
“This is a great opportunity for residents to dispose or recycle items they no longer want or use,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. “We are excited to partner with organizations like the Salvation Army, who will be accepting donations; Comprenew, who will be able to properly dispose of electronics; and Kent County, who will accept household hazardous waste.”
Examples of accepted electronics include mobile phones, computers and fax machines. Although CRT monitors (old-style vacuum tubes used as display screens in older computer monitor or TVs) will not be accepted at the drop-off site, they can be brought directly to a local Comprenew store. (Comprenew has a local store at 1454 28th St SE, Grand Rapids; call 616-243-5310 for more information.)
Yard waste, mattresses and tires are not accepted at Community Clean-Up Day.
Community Clean-Up Day is free and open to residents of Kentwood. Residents will be asked to show their photo ID for proof of residency.
In addition to Community Clean-up Day, the City of Kentwood will also provide a brush drop-off site from May 7 to June 2. Acceptable items include sticks, branches, logs and tree stumps. Kentwood residents can drop-off between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. The site will be closed on Sundays.
For more information, please visit www.kentwood.us or call 616-698-9610.
Kentwood Fire Department annual report highlights funding, manpower, emergency calls
Kentwood Fire Department Chief Brent J. Looman presented, and the City Commission accepted, the department’s 2017 annual report at the commission’s April 9 regular meeting, with highlights including funding, manpower and last year’s emergency calls.
School News Network: Wyoming Public Schools selects one of its own for top spot
“Dream big, work hard and make it happen”: That’s the mantra of Craig Hoekstra, a familiar face in the district, who this week was selected as the new superintendent.
Kentwood Public Works Department oversees the city’s recycling center.
The City of Kentwood is sponsoring a Community Clean-Up Day for residents wanting to spring clean their homes and yards. The Community Clean-Up Day, scheduled for Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., will allow residents to bring general debris, gently used items for donation, household hazardous materials and electronic devices to be recycled.
May is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Children can have mental health challenges just as adults can. As a matter of fact, over 2 million children in Michigan experience mental health challenges such as ADHD, anxiety and depression.
Employment in the Digital Age — free computer literacy workshops available
West Michigan Works! is now offering a free workshop to help individuals gain basic computer skills. Computer Literacy helps attendees become comfortable using a computer, accessing the internet and using email — all of which can help you find, apply and qualify for a new job.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announced Monday that its next featured exhibit will be Masayuki Koorida: Beyond Existence — an exhibit which will both build compliment the partially carved and polished boulders of the artist’s “Existance”, a focal point of the The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, and will expand on the artist’s emerging genius.
Masayuki Koorida’s “Existence”, in Japanese Garden setting. (Supplied/Dean Van Dis)
“As one of his first gallery presentations in the United States, (Koorida’s) repertoire will reach and inform a broad audience,” Joseph Antenucci Becherer, Meijer Gardens chief curator and vice president said in supplied material. “Our relationship with Koorida is very important to Meijer Gardens and dates to the commission of his acclaimed piece ‘Existence’ in our Japanese garden. His use of materials and form is both elegant and contemplative.”
The exhibit, opening May 25, showcases Koorida’s work with a wide range of materials and his broader repertoire, which includes highly geometric pieces in a variety of scale and materials, but maybe most interesting will be a series of large, never-before-seen drawings created specifically for this exhibition. This exhibition runs through Aug. 19.
In the last decade, according to material supplied by Meijer Gardens, Koorida has emerged as “one of the most elegant voices in contemporary sculpture.” While his work has been exhibited in China, Japan and Europe, he is still relatively unseen in the United States.
And the artist has expressed his appreciation for the opportunity the Meijer Gardens exhibit will afford.
Masayuki Koorida. (Supplied/courtesy of the artist)
“Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is the first sculpture park that has collected my work in the United States,” Koorida said in supplied material. “Since the first time that I visited for the (‘Existence’) project in 2013, I have been to Meijer Gardens several times. I always find something new to discover; including great sculptures, exhibitions, beautiful flowers and gardens.
“I feel that the park is loved by people very much. It has been a great honor to be part of the collection. I am very glad to hold this solo exhibition at Meijer Gardens in 2018, it is exciting to have people experience it.”
Koorida (b. 1960, in Kyoto, Japan) lives in and works from a studio in Shanghai, China. According to supplied information, the artist placed his studio in China so that he is in close contact with abundant stone quarries in south China, and also allows him an opportunity to have a large industrial space for carving and polishing. He operates a very hands-on studio with few assistants and is physically engaged with his work. He is most well known for his sculpture in stone that range in scale from table top to the monumental, from single forms to small groups of related images. Koorida travels widely in search of the right stones for the right projects; granite is preferred, but he also works in black and white marble.
To show how little he has been shown in the United State’s, the only YouTube videos of his shows are from Europe. Visit here for an video in Italian.
The exhibit will include special programing including:
A discussion titled “Between a Rock and a Hard Place: When is a Stone Just a Stone and When is it Art?”, by Dr. Craig Hanson, on Sunday, June 3, from 2-3 p.m. The talk will explore the questions of sculpture or structure? Artform or accident? Decorative art or garden decor? “For millennia, stone has been used for decidedly unartistic purposes as well as the material of choice for many sculptors. This lecture explores how stone takes on new meaning as an art form while highlighting ‘Existence’.”
There will also Japanese Garden Sculpture Walk, with Anna Wolff, Meijer Gardens curator of arts education, on both Sunday, July 15, at 2 p.m., and on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at 6 p.m. The free with admission walking tour of the sculpture in The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden will focus on what “makes this garden one of the most unique in the nation as we explore themes of tranquility, permanence and the relationship of humanity and the natural environment.”
The World Fusion Show will make its debut on WKTV Tuesday, May 1, at 7:30 pm. The show is hosted by multi-instrumentalist composer Derrik Jordan and is produced in Brattleboro, VT at community station BCTV. It features interviews, video clips and live in the studio playing with World Fusion composers and musicians. It has been growing rapidly since it debuted in July of 2017 and is now being shown in 16 states across the United States.
World Fusion is a term to describe a musical hybrid. Mainly, it is music created outside of the United States and it isn’t Pop, Jazz, or Country and isn’t created for commercial use by major record labels. What is often referred to as Folk Music, it is taken from a traditional ethnic or indigenous dance rhythm and instruments of a particular culture. World Fusion combines unrelated world music to create a new and unique style.
Jordan is an award-winning composer and singer-songwriter. He has a background in producing and composing World Fusion music for orchestra, chamber groups, TV and film. He loves bringing musicians and cultures together through his compositions. Along with multiple CDs he has available, he performs throughout the Northeast United States.
For more information about The World Fusion Show, visit derrikjordan.com.
Kentwood Fire Department Chief Brent J. Looman presented, and the City Commission accepted, the department’s 2017 annual report at the commission’s April 9 regular meeting, with highlights including funding, manpower and last year’s emergency calls.
“The Kentwood Fire Department continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of the community,” Looman said to WKTV. “We are committed to providing the best fire protection and emergency medical services possible.”
The report detailed that all but 17.5 percent of the Fire Department’s 2017 operating budget of $6 million goes to employee wages and benefits, with the remainder going to continuing education, supplies and uniforms. It also detailed that Fire Department management consists of a full-time fire chief, a deputy fire chief and an executive assistant, as well as a part-time office assistant.
The fire suppression division operates out of Kentwood’s three fire stations, providing emergency response 24/7. Personnel include three battalion chiefs, nine lieutenants/inspectors, nine engine operators and 18 full-time and 10 paid on-call fire fighters. There is also one fire marshal and one full-time fire inspector. Bryan Lynch was named Fire Fighter of the Year for 2017; he has been with the department since 2002.
The Fire Department continues to accept applications for paid on-call fire fighters, for more information visit kentwood.workbrightats.com.
The report tallied the number of 2017 major incidents, with rescue and emergency medical calls numbering 3,196 of the total 4,595 calls. Responses for fires totaled 115, with 316 “false alarm and false call” incidents and three “severe weather and natural disaster” calls.
The Kentwood Fire Department also provides emergency medical services under the direction of the Kent County Emergency Medical Services, a nonprofit group designated by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, but not part of the Kent County governance structure. The Kentwood Fire Department is licensed by the State of Michigan as a Basic Life Support Agency, and all full-time uniformed personnel are licensed EMTs.
In 2017, top EMS incidents responded to include 543 breathing problems, 372 fall victims, 310 chest pains and 242 traffic accidents. Conversely, there was only one each reported animal bite, industrial accident and drowning.
The Fire Department requests and responds to mutual aid calls from other regional fire departments, with a total of 134 mutual aid calls answered and 59 received. Kentwood responded to 35 mutual aid calls from The City of Wyoming, followed by 32 from Cutlerville and 22 from Grand Rapids. Cutlerville and Grand Rapids answered the most mutual aid calls for Kentwood, with 32 and 22, respectively.
The City Commission usually meets twice a month. In May, it is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, May 1, and Tuesday, May 15. Meetings usually start at 7 p.m. For more information on City Commission as well as other boards and committee meetings, including any special times and dates, or for agendas and minutes, visit kentwood.us.
Calvin College sophomore Pete Ford is on Festival’s student committee and is one of the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing’s five Hudson-Townsend Student Fellows (photo courtesy Calvin College)
Pete Ford graduated from high school in 2014. He took a couple of years off. And, in 2016, he again began exploring the possibility of going to college.
“That opportunity to wander around the campus during the Festival and to see the thought process and the desire to have conversations at Calvin, that’s really the reason I decided to come here,” said Ford, a second-year literature major.
Now, in just two years, Ford has gone from curious observer to helpful guide. Ford was on Festival’s student committee and is one of the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing’s five Hudson-Townsend Student Fellows. One of his responsibilities was getting to know the speakers’ work and helping write bios for the website and program.
Renowned speakers, attentive audience
Those bios highlight a diverse, impressive group of writers, including the likes of Edwidge Danticat, a celebrated Haitian-American author who just won the prestigious Neustadt International Prize for Literature; Pulitzer prize-winning poet Marie Howe; New York Times best-selling young adult writer Kwame Alexander, and Peabody Award-winning producer and host of the podcast Strangers, Lea Thau, to name a few.
Lisa Ann Cockrel, director of the Festival of Faith & Writing, is always excited to welcome new faces to Festival. And she says the three-day gathering can have a profound impact on speakers who hang around for a while.
“What I hear from them is a kind of happy shock that a place like this exists. They often comment on the attentiveness of the audiences, the types of nuanced questions people ask about their work, the respectful engagement with faith from lots of different perspectives,” said Cockrel.
Digging deeper
For a number of writers, the Festival provides readers who are uniquely engaged with the spiritual and moral implications of their work.
“When Joyce Carol Oates was here, she told Jennifer Holberg that she can pretty much predict how every book she writes will be reviewed before she writes it. And rarely if ever, do those critics think deeply about faith and religion in her work. But it’s there, even if folks aren’t paying attention to it. And it’s there in the work of many ‘secular’ writers,” said Cockrel.
“A lot of the writers who come here are grateful that there’s a place where we’re thinking about the religious elements in their work and also where that engagement doesn’t come with judgment. Instead, we read with open hearts and a spirit of inquiry. And I think this goes back to the best of the reformed tradition that doesn’t feel like it has to be afraid of the world—a tradition that encourages us to engage other people’s creative literary witness to being alive with curiosity and care because every square inch is God’s.”
And this type of engagement creates a unique dynamic and pushes the writers and readers into spaces oft not explored. In fact, Cockrel said that multiple speakers who have spent 24-plus hours at Festival, have told their audiences they rewrote their presentations after being on campus.
Something about Festival
“There’s something that happens at the Festival of Faith & Writing where we still surprise each other in that space,” said Cockrel. “It’s a place for people to make genuine connections with people around stories and poems that have enlarged their vision of what it means to be human and a person of faith.”
And Cockrel hopes that each and every person who comes to Festival leaves having experienced some moment of communion.
“I think that fundamentally there’s this irony at the center of reading—it’s something you do mostly alone, but yet it is this radical act of seeking communion, because you read to seek connection to something outside yourself, whether that’s another person’s story, or the natural world, or God. And I hope that you could map those kinds of possibilities for connection onto the Festival,” said Cockrel.
Students like Ford have experienced that connection at Festival, and for him, it provided a pivot point in his life, pointing him towards an English major.
“It’s not a conference,” said Ford, “it’s a party where literature is celebrated.”
“That’s what’s great about Festival,” said Cockrel. “You sometimes wander into a talk or reading or interview you aren’t sure you’re interested in … and love it.”
