Are you unemployed? Do you want to break into a new field? Whatever brings you to the job search process, where do you start? A successful job search starts with a strategy — a plan with defined tasks that will help you achieve your goal.
Your first step: Take time to look at what motivates and interests you. Begin by identifying your skills, interests and values. Here are some questions to get you started:
What were your favorite things about previous jobs?
Are there any moments that stand out or projects that you really enjoyed?
What were your favorite classes in school?
What work-related activities do you like doing?
The goal of this process is to dig into your motivations and passions. This exercise should act as a springboard for exploring careers that will be a good fit for you. Matching a job with your skills, interests and values will lead to higher job satisfaction. It will also save you time and help you organize the next steps of your job search process by narrowing down what fields to explore.
West Michigan Works! offers services, based on eligibility, to help you get started with your job search, including skills assessment, one-on-one career counseling, and assistance finding training to prepare for a new career. You can also check out these free, online career exploration tools:
O*Net Online provides information on careers you might be interested in — onetonline.org
Pure Michigan Talent Connect’s Michigan Career Explorer offers career research and exploration resources — mitalent.org/career-explorer
My Next Move can help you narrow down careers based on what you like to do and offers tools specifically for Veterans — mynextmove.org
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
“I want to adopt a child,” I told my husband over the phone while running errands. “I want to adopt a child with Down syndrome. Actually, there is this beautiful boy on the Reece’s Rainbow adoption site who I am in love with.”
I have replayed this conversation many times since adopting our sweet Armenian, Sam. Sam was born in Armenia, given up at birth, and lived in an orphanage for four years before we brought him home in 2016.
Before we started the adoption process I knew nothing about Down syndrome. My heart always gravitated towards the beautiful Down syndrome children with almond eyes, chubby fingers, and a gap between the big toe and the rest of the toes. I knew nothing more about Down syndrome than what meets the eye. I knew nothing about raising a child with special needs. And I knew nothing about what it meant to become a parent of a special needs child. And here’s a little secret I’ll share with you — after having Sam for almost two years, I am still learning what all this means.
My husband and I had great aspirations of bringing Sam home and changing the life of this little boy. But we never realized just how much we would change. We never realized how much we needed to change to raise this little boy. Sam has made great progress since April 2016, but our parenting had to change to help him be successful. We soon realized that we needed a team of people to help us. We couldn’t do it alone. This new parenting style required us to be vulnerable, humble, and intentional. We surrounded ourselves with some great therapists, enlisted family to provide us with much needed respite, and thanked our lucky stars for some amazing teachers and teaching staff who loved our kid even when he was hard to love. And lastly, we sought out an adoption counselor who helped change our mindset on what it means to be a parent, an adoptive parent, and a special needs parent to a boy who didn’t ask for any of this.
We are still learning, we don’t have all the answers. But the great thing is — we don’t have to. We are grateful for the other parents who share their stories and life lessons. We can only hope to one day pay it forward to the couple who is considering adopting a beautiful child with Down syndrome.
Kent County’s Board of Commissioners, Administrator’s Office and Cultural Insight Council are proud to host an event in memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th Anniversary of his assassination.
“Honoring the Dream” will bring the community together to demonstrate the unity and inclusion Kent County embraces. The event will be open to the public and held on Calder Plaza, April 4, starting at noon.
“For some of us, the terrible, tragic images of April 4, 1968 are forever etched into our minds,” said Wayman Britt, Kent County Administrator/Controller. “We — as a society — have grown over the past fifty years. Unfortunately, we still see racism, divisiveness, and prejudice today. The goal of this special event is to bring awareness of the life and work of Dr. King and to reflect on how we all can strive to eliminate hatred and bigotry.”
The event was the idea of the Cultural Insight Council (CIC), a self-directed workgroup of more than two dozen individuals from County departments.
“We wanted to gather as a community and spend a few minutes reflecting on the lessons of Dr. King’s life and death,” said Darius Quinn, Human Resources Manager and Chair of the CIC, which was formed in 2001. “The CIC is dedicated to providing an environment where diversity, equity and inclusion are valued. This event is a reflection of the standard the County staff strives to achieve every day.”
The Board of Commissioners have voiced support for the King legacy and will present a Proclamation during the event.
“Kent County is ethnically and racially diverse,” said Jim Saalfeld, Kent County Board Chair. “Therefore, our ability to serve the public in a culturally-competent manner is critical to what we are called to do. I am proud of the work of the CIC and how the employees of Kent County are willing to address this important aspect of public service.”
For crowd planning purposes, the county asks for RSVPs at cic@kentcountymi.gov .
The Grand Rapids Art Museum will be offering free admission to students.
Looking for something to do on spring break? Well, there are lots of camps and activities available through a variety of organizations. Here are just a few ideas.
Wyoming and Kentwood Parks and Recreation Departments
There is always something to do at a local park and with the weather warming, a chance to get some fresh air is always a nice option. Along with that, make sure to check out your local parks and recreation department for programs or activities taking place during the week. It is also a good time to check out the spring and summer leagues. For the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, click here.
Kentwood Parks and Recreation will be hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 31 at 10 a.m. at Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Also, Kentwood is currently taking applications for the Kentwood Farmers Market, which opens in June. For Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, click here.
The Salvation Army Kroc Center
Family art projects, bounce houses, swimming, and climbing are just a few of the family–friendly activity options available at The Salvation Army Kroc Center during Spring Break 2018, April 2–6.
The Salvation Army Kroc Center is located at 2500 S. Division Ave.
Open swim, climbing wall, and game room hours will be extended. Special guest presentations at 11 a.m. each morning include Blandford Nature Center, Binder Park Zoo, puppeteer Kevin Kammeraad, and interactive drumming with WaZoBia.
Day passes are only $7.50 for all ages, and Kroc Center members get unlimited free access to all activities. All children age 11 and under must be supervised by an adult while visiting the Kroc Center. New this year, the Kroc has added a “family room” where parents and kids looking for a break can have snacks, play games, and more.
Also new this year is an annual Family Pool & Play Pass, cost is $99, which provides day pass access to the Kroc Center for a family of up to five people during the most popular open swim times – Saturdays and Sundays, Spring Break, and Christmas Break.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum will host two drop-in art studio programs, April 3 and 7.
Grand Rapids Art Museum
The Grand Rapids Art Museum will offer free admission to kids 17 and under during Spring Break, April 3-7.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum is located at 101 Monroe Center NW.
Free admission includes entry to all of the Museum’s current exhibits, as well as related programming offered at the Museum on the day of the visit. The Museum will offer two drop-in art studio programs during the week, April 3 and 7 from 1-4 p.m., as well as a drop-in tour, April 7 from 1-2 p.m.
GRAM’s current exhibits are “Alexis Rockman: The Great Lakes Cycle,” exploring the past, present, and future of North America’s Great Lakes; “From Wilderness to Resource: A Story in Pictures,” a selection from GRAM’s permanent collection designed to complement the Rockman exhibit; and “Tony Mendoza: Cats and Dogs,” featuring the work of Ohio-based photographer and writer of Cuban descent Tony Mendoza.
At the Grand Rapids Public Museum, students can create a mermaid or unicorn puppet.
Grand Rapids Public Museum
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) will have its two traveling exhibits, planetarium shows, hands-on activities and more from Spring Break, which will run from March 30 – April 8.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is at 272 Pearl St. NW.
Museum hours will be extended until 8 p.m. from April 2 – 6. The Museum will be closed Sunday, April 1 for Easter.
Special hands-on activities include creating your own Chinese dragons, make-and-take your own mermaid or unicorn puppet, playing BIG games, build structures with Keva blocks and Magformers magnetic shapes, and special Museum artifacts on a touch-it table. Visitors can explore the mythical creatures from around the globe in the “Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids,” and become a water droplet in “Water’s Extreme Journey.”
Keva blocks and Magformers magnetic shapes
On Tuesday, April 3, there will be a special Science Tuesday activity in the Museum’s Watershed Lab using an augmented reality sandbox. Visitors will change the topography of a land map, creating different terrains from lakes to mountains to learn how a watershed works. This Lab will be free with general admission.
The GRPM will be offering additional Chaffee Planetarium show times for the most popular shows. Planetarium shows are $4 with general admission, $5 for planetarium-only tickets and free to Museum members.
For more information on Spring Break activities including planetarium shows and for tickets visit grpm.org.
Grand Rapids Ballet
The Grand Rapids Ballet will offer two programs for youth during the week of April 2-6, a Spring Break for Kids day series of one-hour program of entertainment and activities, and a series of longer Day Camps focused on dance and physical fitness activities.
The Grand Rapids Ballet is located at 341 Elllsworth Avenue SW, Grand Rapids.
Spring Break for Kids will run Monday-Friday, April 2-6, from 10:30 to11:30 a.m., at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre. Doors open every day at 10:30 a.m. for fun activities including a Gymco obstacle course and costume dress-up, followed by a 30-minute kid-friendly ballet, “Mother Goose’s Friends”. Tickets are $7 per day.
Spring Break Day Camp will run Monday-Thursday, April 2-5, at the Grand Rapids Ballet School. Each day of Day Camp includes social and physical activity for boys and girls ages 3-6 years. In the camps, campers will learn the fundamentals of etiquette, cooperation, goal-setting, musicality, flexibility, strength, and more. Campers can enroll in one day or all four days For cost, call 616-454-4771 (Ext. 17). The camps are also available for entire weeks during summer vacation.
For more information call 616-454-4771 (Ext.10) or visit GRBallet.com.
Kentwood’s public trails welcome not only public use but also public volunteers being watchful eyes and ears on the trail. (Supplied)
By Kentwood Police Department
The Kentwood Police Department is looking for volunteers to become part of the Trail Patrol Volunteer Program.
Trail Patrol Volunteers patrol parks and trails in the City of Kentwood by providing assistance to trail users and reporting problems — signs of vandalism, damage, and illegal/suspicious activity. Trail patrol involves observing and reporting issues on the trail including maintenance and ordinance violations.
Volunteers may choose to walk or ride a bike to patrol and set their own schedule. A minimum one-hour commitment per week is requested (weather permitting).
Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age, have a friendly demeanor, undergo application and screening process, pass a background check, and attend a one-hour Department training.
You can make a difference in your community’s parks and trails and have fun while doing it!
For more information, contact Vicki Highland at 616-656-6571 or e-mail highlandv@ci.kentwood.mi.us.
The energy in the gym is electric. Mascots lead the crowds in cheers as the teams take the field. Someone runs in front of the bleachers with a team flag with others in the stands holding up illuminated signs of team numbers. It only gets quiet as the match is about to start. The buzzer goes off and the place erupts with noise.
This is March Madness not for basketball, but for robotics, specifically FIRST Robotics. This Friday and Saturday, the madness comes to East Kentwood High School’s field house as the district for the fourth year hosts the First Robotics event.
“I have been superintendent for the district for five years, so I have really gotten the chance to see this event grow,” said Kentwood Superintendent William Zoerhoff, who added that watching the students work as a team to figure out a problem using their STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts, and math — skills is pretty amazing.
Color coordinated fans are ready to cheer on their team at GVSU’s FIRST Robotics competition.
Started in 1992, FIRST is an international high school robotics competition founded by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen — the man behind the Segway — and MIT professor emeritus Woodie Flowers. In fact, Kamen often has stated that FIRST is the invention he feels most proud of.
The program began with 28 teams in a New Hampshire high school gym, according to the FIRST website. In 2018, it is estimated that more than 400,000 students across the globe will come together and within six weeks, design, build, and program a functional robot which is able to fulfill the unique and complex challenges specific to that year’s game.
“But it is much more than just building a robot, “ said Grand Valley State University’s Dean of Engineering Paul D. Plotkowski. GVSU was one of the first organizations to host FIRST Robotic competitions with the university having its event last weekend. “It’s about teamwork. It’s about students coming together and solving a problem with each student having a specific task in accomplishing the goal.”
Teams are not only required to build a robot, but they have to come up with a business plan to help cover costs for parts and travel. In the cast of Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics, Zoerhoff said when funding for the school’s program was needed, the students pitched the team and event to Switch which signed on as a major community supporter.
In the end, it is not about winning either, according to Kentwood’s FIRST Robotics Competition organizer Wendy Ljungen, who is a chief consulting engineer for GE Aviation Systems. It is about getting students interested in the field of technology and in fact, there are a vast array of scholarships available to students who participate in FIRST.
“When GE got involved, it was looking at how to get more women involved in technology,” Ljungen said. “GE has been a strong force in creating a balance by encouraging girls and building a better pipeline.”
So nine years ago, a GE group, called Women in Technology, began to look around to see what programs there were to encourage students and specifically pull girls into the pipeline of technology and engineering. They found FIRST and had about three months —which included the two-week Christmas break — to pull together a team. They did and Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics team became the top seeded Rookie team that year.
Mentors work with the South Christian High School team
From there, GE branched out to help with establishing three middle school teams in Kentwood — one which went to the world competition last year — along with helping with the Wyoming High School’s team the Demons and this year, re-establishing the Ottawa Hills High School team. Those teams along with West Michigan Aviation’s Team Spitfire, Lee High School’s Rebel Robotics, and Potter’s House’s Tactical Hams are among the more than 40 teams that will be at this weekend’s event.
This year’s competition theme is based on a Mario game with the robots required to be able to pick up cubes that can be placed on a scale along with passing them out for stacking. Robots also need to be able to climb a structure with some able to load another team’s robot and climb.
The “game” floor has all the bells and whistles of the Mario game complete with a giant scoreboard showcasing who has the most points. There is a few minutes before a winner is announced as final scores are tallied.
Each team is required to attend two district competitions. Those teams that earn enough points or certain awards, then advance to the state competition which will be April 12-14 at Saginaw Valley State University.
“It has been quite a journey,” Ljungen said. “When we started there was about 200 teams. There are now more than 500 teams with the goal that ever listed high school in the state will have a team.”
The growth of FIRST is evident as to accommodate all the teams with Forest Hills Central High School added to the schedule this year as a new FIRST Robotics event site. That competition is next weekend.
Looking for something local to cap off your spring break week? Cedar Springs Brewing Company will host its third annual Starkbierfest — strong beer fest — on Saturday, April 7, with a heated tent with live music, limited beer releases, and a sausage party. And you know how well German beer goes with German sausages.
Never heard of Starkbierfest? According to the brewery, besides the famous Oktoberfest, Starkbierfest (“Strong Beer Festival”) is the second big German beer festival time during the year. Historically, monks brewed strong beer (Bockbier), which was higher in calories and a bit stronger to substitute for food during Lenten fasting. This “liquid bread” and annual brewing specialties have survived the times and re-emerged … at Cedar Springs Brewing.
Four beers are set to be released: Küsterer Maibock, a spring strong lager in collaboration with North Channel Brewing; Küsterer Pale Bock, a traditional Bavarian pale lager bock; Big Sid Rides a Buffalo, a Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrel aged barley wine; and Tim the Enchanter, a strong Belgian golden ale.
There are various party packages available, including the Starknaked Package (we will not delve further into the name) for $20 per person, and the four-person Sausage Party Package (again, no comment) for $60.
Live music will be provided from 2:30 p.m. until sometime after 8 p.m. or when the beer runs out, by Dave Salvinski (German/folk music), Fauxgrass (progressive bluegrass), and Delilah DeWilde (rockabilly).
The Starkbierfest will be held Saturday, April 7, from 3-9 p.m., at Cedar Springs Brewing Company, 95 N Main, Cedar Springs. For more information visit csbrew.com .
St. Cecilia fundraiser to feature Martha’s Vineyeard wine tasting
More of a fine wine palette? The “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” Martha’s Vineyard Wine Tasting Annual Fundraiser to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center will be held on Saturday, April 14.
Wine more your taste? Check out the wine tasting event at St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)
Grand Rapids fine wine purveyor Martha’s Vineyard will supply the wine and food at the music center’s annual fundraiser, to be held from 6-10 p.m., on two floors at St. Cecilia’s historic building. The night will feature more than 100 wine varietals at various price points, we are told. Some of the wines to be featured are specific to the event and will only be available through special order at the event. Discounts on all wine orders at the event will be offered.
The event will include hors d’oeuvres from Catering by Martha’s and Nantucket Baking Company, as well as musical entertainment and a silent auction with many unique wines, wine-tasting trips, vacations, entertainment packages and dining packages up for bid.
St. Cecilia Music Center is located at 24 Ransom NE, downtown Grand Rapids. The cost is $40 per person and advance tickets can be purchased at Martha’s Vineyard, 200 Union Ave NE, Grand Rapids, online at scmc-online.org or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224. Tickets are limited.
Boatyard Brewing plans ‘Friends’ brew as Alzheimers fundraiser
It is still a month away, but summer weekend schedules fill up quickly so you may want to mark your schedule for Kalamazoo’s Boatyard Brewing Company release party of its New Friends Brew on Friday, May 11, which will benefit a September “Walk to End Alzheimers” fundraiser.
“I am the captain of our walk team and every year in September there is a big walk,” Corie Shireman said to WKTV. “So all year long we do fundraising as a company to raise funds for our walk team. Last year we made our goal of $5,000. So, every year, it becomes more of a challenge for me to think of new ways to raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimers Association. So because of my love for craft beer I took it upon myself to ask a local brewery if they would consider naming a beer after us and the possibilities of any of the proceeds going to us.”
The result: New Friends Brew, the sales of which will benefit $1 for each draft beer purchased to the New Friends Walk team, and a party.
The beer release and tapping party will be Friday, May 11, 5-8 p.m., at the Boatyard Brewing Company, 432 E. Patterson St. The event will include live entertainment from Delilah DeWylde and Lee Harvey. For more information visit boatyardbrewing.com .
Grey Skies Distillery releases first straight bourbon whiskey
Grand Rapids’ Gray Skies Distillery released its first straight bourbon whiskey on March 22 and while its initial sales will be exclusively at their downtown Grand Rapids tasting room subsequent releases beginning fall of this year will be available through licensed retailers, bars, and restaurants around Michigan, according to the distillery.
Michigan Straight Bourbon Whiskey was aged in charred new, oak barrels for over two years and bottled at 90 proof, we are told. Following their Breakfast Rye and Single Malt Whiskey, Michigan Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the third American whiskey Gray Skies Distillery has released.
“Michigan Straight Bourbon Whiskey is simply named to highlight what it is – straight bourbon distilled and aged in Michigan,” Steve Vander Pol, co-owner of Gray Skies Distillery, said in supplied material. “The straight designation signifies the bourbon was aged at least two years and has no additional flavors added.”
Grey Skies Distillery is located at 700 Ottawa Ave NW, Grand Rapids. For more information visit grayskiesdistillery.com .
Since 2009, Grand Rapids Film Festival (GRFF) has championed collaborative film exhibition and education events in Grand Rapids. Using a community-oriented approach to celebrate film and its makers, the GRFFl aims to increase regional access to and production of quality films that provide meaningful, constructive and encouraging entertainment while harnessing the transformative power of film.
F&M Friday, April 13 @The Waldron
The festival kicks-off with a signature event dubbed “F&M” which stands for fashion and music for film. This event is hosted by The Waldron on Ionia Street. The program centers around six of the short films screening at the festival, which serve as inspiration for fashion studies students from Kendall College of Art and Design. A total of 13 looks are designed and displayed on live models during this unconventional fashion show. Music from the shorts films also serve as a focal point.
Film Screenings: Saturday, April 14 @Wealthy Theatre
120 films from all over the world were submitted, and 38 have been selected!
The international surprise this is year is the amount of films screening from the Islamic Republic of Iran! Five beautiful short pieces add the distinct cultural flair of this country to GRFF film blocks. Canada and France are additional cultures represented.
17 made-in-Michigan are exhibited, including seven from Grand Rapids.
“Almost Human” by Ayden Byrnes of East Lansing
“Chocolate and Cigarettes” by David Tappan of Detroit
“David” by Ben Lemmen of Holland
“Dreamer” by Jose Jimenez of Lyons
“FOUR-NINETY” by Scott Magie of Holt
“Peace During War” by Jennifer Machiorlatti of Paw Paw
“Secret” by Shana Gagnon of Rochester Hills
“Stigmatic: Our Opioid Crisis” by Garret Morgan of Essexville
Filmmaker Impact Stories Sunday, April 15 @The Waldron
Sunday, April 15 is the prime networking event for the regional filmmaking community. The Knickerbocker New Holland Brewing hosts GRFF’s Filmmaker Impact Stories from 5 to 8 PM. For this event, regional filmmakers share the story of how film transformed their lives.
Rhubarb is a springtime delicacy that is classified by botanists as a vegetable, but because it is so popular in desserts, it is often recognized as a fruit by many consumers. Rhubarb is traditionally made into sauce or pie, this led to it getting the nickname “pie plant.”
Hothouse, or forced, rhubarb is a pink to rosy-red color all the way to the leaf. It will have a milder, more delicate flavor than field or homegrown rhubarb. Use hothouse rhubarb only when fresh because it loses color rapidly when canned or frozen. Medium to thick stalks are best to use because they are the most tender.
Fresh field or homegrown rhubarb is available late April through June. It can be mostly green or have a rosy to dark red color and have medium to thick stalks. Homegrown rhubarb is more tender than hothouse, however, both provide a tasty source of calcium and potassium.
Remember to cut off and compost, or discard, all rhubarb leaves when you harvest rhubarb. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid which is harmful to eat.
Enjoy rhubarb in pies and muffins or as a sauce
When rhubarb is combined with strawberries, raspberries, apples and other fruits, the flavor only gets better. Rhubarb also makes a terrific sauce for chicken, venison, halibut and salmon. Adding diced rhubarb to muffins and biscuit recipes not only adds nutritional value but makes the muffins and biscuits sing with flavor without making the batter runny.
Rhubarb (courtesy Michigan State University Extension website)
Store rhubarb in the fridge
Stalks of rhubarb can be placed in a perforated plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator crisper for two to four weeks. If you add a wet paper towel to the bag of rhubarb, it will help to keep the rhubarb from drying out.
Preserve rhubarb by freezing
Freeze homegrown rhubarb early in the season when the color is best and the stalks are almost tender. Freezing rhubarb is easy. Just rinse stalks well, dry them with a paper towel and cut them into one or two-inch pieces to fit your freezer containers or freezer bags. If you have an amount you need for a favorite pie, crisp or bread recipe, you can measure that amount into the freezer bag and label it with the date and amount, then when you take it out of the freezer you won’t have to measure the rhubarb before adding it to your recipe. You can also make cooked rhubarb sauce; pack it into containers, leaving one-half inch headspace, label and freeze.
Michigan State University Extension’s MI Fresh, has a range of information and resources about Michigan’s bounty of fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamentals. Here you will find information on recommended varieties, storage, food safety and preserving techniques for many fruits and vegetables.
Imagine being a mother sent to a re-education camp — essentially a prison — where there is little food, no medicine and you are forced to do hard labor and knowing that your four-year-old son braving your war-torn country looking for you.
This is one of many stories that producer and filmmaker Diem Thuy collected for her documentary “Unforgotten,” the stories of the Vietnamese sent to live in the re-education camps after the Fall of Saigon in 1975. The documentary will be screened Monday, April 2, at the Richard M. DeVos Center’s Loosemore Auditorium located on the Grand Valley State University downtown campus. There is a reception at 6:30 p.m. with the screening at 7:30 p.m.
“In 1975 Saigon collapsed and the communist took over,” Thuy said. “They took a million of the South Korean officers to jail. Basically, they say to ‘the re-education camp’ and there was hard labor and illness. For there families, it became difficult in how to find them and support them.”
GVSU Professor James Smither, who has interviewed countless veterans and some Vietnamese refugees through the GVSU Veterans History Program that he heads up, said even as a teenager, the re-education camps sounded a little “fishy” to him.
“A lot of the debate that went on in the United States had to do with the nature of the enemy,” said GVSU Professor James Smither, who helped coordinate the screening of the film. “There was a tendency among some of the counter culture people to make the North Vietmanese out as basically Asian flower children or something like that….And the fact of the matter is the communists were not nice people.
“They were very determined to accomplish what they believe was their mission and part of their mission was basically to eradicate American and Western influence to an extent. So they rounded up basically anyone who was a military officer, government official, police official of a certain level and they put them in these places they called re-education camps.”
Even though her own father was in a re-education camp for eight years, Thuy said she never heard any stories of the re-education camps. One day, she receive a phone call that a person she wanted to interview about the camps had died. Realizing that many of the survivors were in their seventies to nineties, Thuy decided she had to make the documentary.
“Basically I want to give them a voice to tell them what happened in their lives,” she said.
Between a million to 2.5 million Vietnamese were placed in the re-education camps. American studies estimate that about 165,000 people died in the camps, although Thuy said it is probably much higher as 10,000 people still remain missing. The camps were operated in 1986 and two years later, North Vietnam agreed to release all prisoners in the camps. It is estimated that more than 500,000 Vietnamese prisoners and their families resettled in the United States.
Thuy said she interviewed between 200-300 people with every story being just heartbreaking.
“Some people would still say ‘Oh I tell you but I don’t want it in the documentary because I’m afraid that the communists are still looking for us,’” Thuy said. “They are still afraid. So that is horrible. They are in a [free] country, but they are still afraid.”
Smither said for many who came to the United States, the war continued after 1975 with Thuy’s film serving as a reminder to what was taking place after the Fall of Saigon.
“It is part of the larger history that helps you understand the full picture better and in some ways it serves as a reminder of the people who served in Vietnam that there really were people in Vietnam who valued the American presence and what the Americans were trying to do even though it didn’t work in the end,” Smither said. Smither believed so much in the importance of sharing this part of history, what happened after the Vietnam War, that he arranged to move his seminar history class to Loosemore Auditorium to host the screening of the film.
“I didn’t hear much about the re-education camps until this documentary came out because my family came over by boat,” said Grand Rapids Community College student Tina Tran. “So these other ways that people have come in, I have never heard about them.”
Thuy said she hopes the film helps to educate the next generation about what took place in these camps and why so many Vietnamese chose to come to the United States.
“Bascially for the young people, ‘Unforgotten’ reminds people how the Vietnamese history is written,” she said. “Especially for the Vietnamese-Americans, ‘Unforgotten’ reminds why you are here and how you came here.”
The screening is free and open to the public. To learn more about the film “Unfogetton,” go to unforgottenfilm.com.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus is Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt, who has been serving as Interim County Administrator/Controller starting in July 2017 before being named to the county’s top management position in January.
While Britt’s impressive resume includes positions at Steelcase, Inc. and Michigan National Bank before joining the county — and management oversight for the Health Department, the Community Development and Housing Department, and Veterans Services with the county — he also played basketball for the University of Michigan, and was part of the school’s National Championship runner-up in 1976.
Given this week’s Wolverine return visit to the Final Four, In Focus host Ken Norris just had to ask Britt about the lessons he learned on the basketball court and how that impacts his management style today.
Also on the episode, Christine Mwangi, founder and president of the Grand Rapids based Be A Rose non-profit, which advocates for and educates on women’s health issues. She was born in Kenya, immigrated to American when she was 11, gained a bachelors degree in the United States and a masters in the United Kingdom. Now, while she is now firmly rooted in West Michigan, Be A Rose’s name and inspiration returns, again, to Africa and to Mwangi’s paternal grandmother.
The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
The episode will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, March 27, and will again air on Thursday, March 29, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of March 19. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
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).
Meet one of the most introverted kitties we have had in recent years — Autumn. Sadly I have to repost her plea for adoption since her ‘happily ever after’ didn’t last.
On March 2, 2018, Dr. Jen received a call from a colleague at our local humane society stating that our pretty girl had been turned in to them by a friend of her initial adopter, stating that Autumn was no longer wanted.
It appears that the initial adopter gave this little lady to a friend (in violation of our adoption contract), and that person decided she didn’t want Autumn after all, despite promising the initial adopter that Autumn would be safe and sound.
Somehow in the shuffle, Autumn contracted FIV, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, transmitted via a bite wound from an infected cat (she was either let outdoors or was housed with a positive cat that bit her). Since she hasn’t a mean bone in her timid tabby body, there is no risk of her spreading it to the other cats that she shares company with, thankfully.
Born in the fall of 2009, Autumn and her still-nursing offspring were originally dumped off in Saranac, and a kindhearted soul swooped in to the rescue.
All were hungry, cold, and flea-ridden. Even though she had just been tossed out like garbage with her young kittens, Autumn was relaxed and ate, fed her babies, and slept. Whoever dumped them did not care that they were pretty much ensuring a slow death to this family. There are so many dangers — including bad weather, coyotes, cars, stupid people, and other wild animals.
Autumn’s kittens grew, were spayed/neutered and vaccinated, then finally adopted out to great homes. Another older brother, Baelfire, was also dumped in the meantime, and was able to charm his way into Crash’s. This left Autumn, who now was suffering from pneumonia that was a result of her poor life prior to finding us and stress from having to remain in our foster kitten room for so long. She beat her pneumonia, and was able to secure her spot at Crash’s also.
Autumn is settling in but is still head shy and uncertain. Potential adopters must be willing to take things slowly, on Autumn’s terms. This sweetie deserves a kind, loving home.
More about Autumn
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.
Austrian-born Michael Auer merges two careers into a new art form, and the Grand Rapids Ballet is ever the better for it. Join us for a look at the intersection of professional dance and technology.
Newly appointed 1st Ward Commissioner Sheldon DeKryger takes the oath of office presented by Wyoming City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg. DeKryger’s family looks on.
The members of the Wyoming City Council openly admitted they had a tough decision between two potential candidates for the city’s open council seat but by the end of last night’s special meeting, the council made the unanimous decision to appoint business owner Sheldon DeKryger.
DeKryger will fill the 1st Ward Commission seat vacated by Bill Ver Hulst due to his resignation earlier this month. The appointment is through November when the seat is up for election.
“Looking over the resumes we received here, I said to my wife, we can’t go wrong with either one of them,” said Mayor Pro Ten Sam Bolt during discussions on the candidates, which were DeKryger and business owner and 18-year Wyoming resident Jennifer Franson.
Regardless of who was selected, Council member Dan Burrill said during the meeting, he hoped that both would continue to stay involved in the community.
DeKryger and his family have lived in Wyoming since 1995. He has three children attending Tri Unity Christian School, where he has been a board member for the past five years and was the building site coordinator for a recent addition at the school located on Wilson Avenue. He has one son attending Western Michigan University. He is a member of Resurrection Life Church, where he serves as a deacon and has been involved in the Powerhouse Ministry, an inner city Sunday school program that would set up at different sites in Wyoming, Kentwood, and the Grand Rapids area providing Bible lessons for local children.
DeKryger has a degree in economics from Calvin College and he currently owns and manages a residential building company that is based in Wyoming. According to DeKryger he got into construction due to his father-in-law and has enjoyed the field. He has served on the city’s Construction Board of Appeals for the last nine years.
He will serve out the remainder of the term which expires this fall at which time he plans to run for the seat.
“This is something that I have been taking about and my wife and I have gone back and remember a conversation I had with a person from six years ago,” DeKryger said during the his interview at the special meeting. “…we were talking about the city council back then and I don’t even know what seat it was for, but it was ‘hey, have you ever thought about running for City Council’ and it planted a seed and it is something that I’ve always wanted to do.
“I knew there was going to be opportunities this year so at that point I filed my paperwork. I was going to run this fall in the November election and the reason that I am here today is things got speed up and if I am running in November there is no reason I shouldn’t be sitting at this table hoping you guys will listen to me and try to get this appointment.”
DeKryger currently is the only candidate who has filed for the 1st Ward seat for the upcoming election. That area covers most of the eastern edge of the city which is Clyde Park Avenue to Eastern Avenue north of 36th Street and from Burlingame Avenue to Eastern Avenue south of 36th Street.
Beside’s the 1st Ward seat, two council member-at-large seats, currently held by Kent Vanderwood and Sam Bolt, and the mayor’s seat, currently held by Jack Poll, are up for election. Vanderwood, Bolt and Poll said they all plan to run for re-election for their current positions.
Those interested in running for any of the council or mayor seats need to file with the Wyoming City’s clerk office by 4 p.m. April 24. The clerk’s office is located in the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. Candidate packets are available at the front desk.
“This Was My Land” (1990). Armand Merizon gave this painting to Dave and Muriel in exchange for a Lake Michigan painting he wanted back and destroyed. (Supplied)
“On An Overgrown Path” (1997). (Supplied. Collection of Sidney J. Jansma, Jr.)
Every person who knew the late West Michigan artist Armand Merizon has stories to tell — stories of a complex man’s triumphs and struggles, of a brilliant painter with a sometimes struggling career, but ultimately of an artistic life well lived.
And every person who has seen one of his paintings has his or her own story to tell: the story the acclaimed artist constantly worked to convey in just about every work he created.
Muriel Zandstra — friend, repeated interviewer, and artistic advocate of Merizon for five decades — has her own stories to tell, and she has told them, accompanied by the most complete visual review of the artist’s work, in a new book, “Armand Merizon: His Life and Art”.
Armand Merizon in studio (with image of musical influence Beethoven). (Supplied)
“The reason for producing the book, for all it involved, was more than just good friendship,” Zandstra said to WKTV. “It was an overwhelming belief in the man and his art. I think he’s not just a ‘good’ artist, but a ‘great’ artist and his legacy should live on. I strongly believe, as do all the art professionals who knew him, that Merizon is a significant 20th century American artist who needs to be elevated to his rightful position in the art world.”
The new book was not Zandstra’s first effort to shine a light on Merizon. She co-produced with Jennifer Dornbush a documentary about the artist, “ARMAND”, in 2005, when he was 85 and in ill-health with terrible arthritis in his hands and advanced macular degeneration in his eyes. He died in 2010.
“Since I had already done so much research on him for the documentary, I was the best equipped to take on the challenge of creating a book,” Zandstra said. “Though it was a natural, it was still an unexpected and unsought-after project for my retirement. I needed the help of many professionals to pull it off.”
What they pulled off — she credits the work of Jan Keessen and Randall VanderMey on the book’s dust jacket — was a 240-page, oversized hardcover “coffee table book” of such beauty, such comprehensiveness that it deserves a place of more prominence than a coffee table. It contains photographs of more than 200 of the artist’s works, beginning with an early work from 1932, “Fall Tree”, a stunningly mature pastoral work for a 12-year-old, to one of the last of his paintings, the abstract “In D Minor”, from 2009.
“After coproducing and broadcasting the documentary “ARMAND” in 2005, people wanted to see more of Merizon’s art and learn more about the genius behind them,” she said. “There was not any one gallery or museum where I could direct them to go since so many of his paintings are held in private homes. It seemed the only logical way to get his artwork out there was for someone to come up with a catalog art book. … It would be geared for the general public though also suitable for professionals and serious artists to study and learn from.”
For a short video review of Merizon’s work, and an on-air WKTV Journal interview with Zandstra, see the following video.
Author shares personal stories of artist
Zandstra tells many stories about her interactions with Merizon over the years, both in the book and sitting in the living room of the rural Reed City home she shares with her husband, Dave. Two stories tell of the depth of their relationship: one of a painting given and returned, and another of the artist and his model.
Merizon had a habit of giving paintings in exchange for others’ services rendered — just ask any of a number of local doctors who have Merizon paintings in their offices. In Zandstra’s case, it was a seascape given during the years she babysit for the family; a painting given and then returned and destroyed.
“That painting was a delightful, photographic kind of painting, I was thrilled with it,” she said. “But I could tell over the years that he was doing something deeper. … Even though everybody liked the painting, I was thinking there is something not quite right in this painting.
“One day I said, ‘Would you like to see your paintings that I have? You paint them and then they are gone and you need to see them again.’ He said, ‘Yes I would.’ … I brought them the next time and when he looked at that one he goes ‘Yuck! The horizon line is too close to the center. And the shoreline is washed out.’ He said the only redeeming thing are the clouds in the sky. He said you know, ‘Could I have it back?’ And I said, ‘Yep’. So I just gave it back to him.
“This Was My Land” (1990). Armand Merizon gave this painting to Dave and Muriel in exchange for a Lake Michigan painting he wanted back and destroyed. (Supplied)
“Then a couple months later, when I visited him, he said, ‘I would like to upgrade your collection. I want to give one that Dave would like, that he would relate too as well, he is a farmer, a teacher.’ And he gave me that one painting,” she said, pointing to a wall in her living room and to a ghostly, deeply moving painting titled “This Was My Land”.
Another story led to a painting of Muriel herself by Merizon, included on the book’s dust jacket’s front flap. It is called “Portrait of Muriel” from 1966; it is a delicate facial portrait of soft colors that looks unfinished by design.
“He was always trying new things, as I have said, always experimenting,” she said. “He was doing portraits a lot during he 1950s and ’60s, to make money. But he wanted to try something new. So, I was babysitting for him at the time and he said, ‘Would you mind coming over, I want to try a new technique. I want to just capture the eyes, nose and mouth, because everything else changes in a person — hair styles, your clothing — everything changes, but your facial features stay the same.’
“Portrait of Muriel” (Supplied)
“He did an ink sketch first, then he did this more soft painting. So he had these two done and he said ‘Which one do you like better?’ I looked at them both, and I like the more finished one, with the color in it. So I picked that one, and he said, ‘Well you can have it for $35 dollars’.”
Merizon, Zandstra points out, made a living off his art. And she had no problem paying for his works then, nor later in their relationship.
“What Merizon has given to me personally over the years is invaluable,” Zandstra said. “Besides gifting me several art pieces, he has taught me a real appreciation for the fine arts, a reverence for the natural world, and a deep ethical sense with which to live by. His integrity was impeccable.
“I can never give back to him what he has given to me. I collect his art because I feel it is timeless, thought provoking and a real inspiration to me. It brings joy and peace.”
Leafing through Zandstra’s book one gets the same sense: Timeless, thought provoking, inspirational.
“Armand Merizon: His Life and Art” can purchased the book off E-bay and Amazon, as well as in person at Merizon Studio, Baker Book House, Meijer Gardens, the Grand Rapid Art Museum, Mercury Head Gallery, Perceptions Gallery, Calvin College and Kendall College. For more information on Zandstra and the book visit merizonbook.strikingly.com .
Passion meets culture. Service is honor. The culture at Sunset empowers its staff to do the right thing and make a difference in the lives of their residents through exceptional customer service and a heart for their mission.
To hear what it’s like to work at Sunset, meet Carol.
I am so glad you asked! I believe our commitment and passion for our residents sets us apart. We go above and beyond every day to make sure they are loved, respected, safe, well taken of and comfortable.
We have 14 individuals who have outlived their resources. We will never turn them away from their home at Sunset. We fundraise over $300,000 a year to ensure they remain in their homes because as our CEO says “if we don’t care for them, who will?”
We have amazing employees who give so much of themselves to this company and our residents! We have tuition reimbursement for our students, excellent benefits for all full-time employees and an excellent work culture.
What’s new or changing in 2018 for Sunset?
We are very excited to expand our memory care units in Ottawa County and to bring our excellent customer service to this underserved population in our community. We are intentionally focused on employee appreciation and internal promotions during this transition. Our employees are incredible and we want to help them grow in their health care career with us.
During an interview, what questions do you want an applicant to ask?
During an interview, I love when applicants ask:
What makes Sunset special?
Can I grow with this company?
What benefits do you have?
What’s your favorite staff event each year?
The Employee Recognition Banquet. This event recognizes all of our staff who have dedicated their lives to our residents and love what they do. Every five years of service, staff get to attend and receive a catered dinner at the Sunnybrook Country Club, a gift, a bonus for their years of service, recognition from our Executive Team, as well as fellowship with other co-workers and their families.
When I’m not at work, you can find me ________________.
When I’m not at work, you can find me reading about retention strategies, recruiting, knitting and caring for my family.
Sunset is hiring! See all their open positions here.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
The location of the new Consumers Energy headquarters.
By Roger C. Morgenstern
Consumers Energy
Consumers Energy’s investment in West Michigan continues with plans for a new $20 million headquarters in the city of Grand Rapids to serve the fastest-growing region of its company.
The building will house up to 275 employees who support the design and delivery of energy service in the Grand Rapids area, the company’s largest electric service area in Michigan.
Those to 275 employees currently are based at the company’s West Kent Service Center, 4000 Clay Ave. SW, Wyoming. The employees include the customer contact center, engineering, business customer care, human resources and customer experience. About 250 workers will remain at the Clay Avenue facility, including operating, maintenance and construction field employees, work management center for all dispatching and scheduling activities and electric system control. The current bill payment center will remain as well. Consumers Energy plans no changes to its East Kent service center in Kentwood or its North Kent facility in Sparta.
The six-story, 40,000 square-foot-building, including an onsite parking structure, will be located in the Circuit West area on the city’s west side. Circuit West is a 13-block hub of innovative electricity generation, distribution and storage and energy efficient building construction. Circuit West is led by Consumers Energy and Rockford Construction, which will serve as the new building’s construction manager. The energy provider recently closed on the sale of the property at 501 Alabama St. NW. A groundbreaking for the new headquarters is anticipated later this year with the building complete by 2020.
“Our Circuit West investment already includes work underway for an innovative, more responsive and reliable electric distribution system, energy storage and rooftop solar installations,” said Garrick Rochow, senior vice president of operations for Consumers Energy.
“Constructing this building within Circuit West shows our continued commitment to a prosperous, growing Grand Rapids and West Michigan region.”
Shown here is the finished roadwork at Second Street and Broadway Avenue.
Rochow said locating the building in the city’s West Side, a vibrant area seeing significant redevelopment centered on sustainability and walkability, is a promise to Consumers Energy’s employees of today and tomorrow.
“We are very focused on retaining and attracting the workforce of the future, which means providing a work environment that is connected within a community where people can work, live, and play.”
Rockford Construction’s corporate headquarters is less than a block west of the planned Consumers Energy building. Rockford has been closely involved with the recent Circuit West building boom.
“Our vision is to provide a safe, innovative, sustainable neighborhood on the West Side that is a magnet for people and commerce,” said Mike VanGessel, Rockford Construction’s chief executive officer. “We are pleased to welcome Consumers Energy as a new neighbor within Circuit West.”
The announcement comes less than a year after Consumers Energy dedicated its John G. Russell Leadership Center, an $11 million facility on Grand Valley State University’s Robert C. Pew Campus, immediately south of the L. William Seidman Center near downtown Grand Rapids. In June 2016, the company began commercial operation of its 3-megawatt Solar Gardens generating facility in nearby Allendale adjacent to GVSU’s main campus.
The new Circuit West building will be constructed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Consumers Energy has constructed all of its recent buildings to LEED standards, including a number in West Michigan, like the Russell Leadership Center and new service centers in Norton Shores and Hamilton.
“The Grand Rapids area is our largest electric service region and is seeing continued growth,” Rochow said. “This new building within Circuit West is in response to that growth and our continued commitment to our purpose of world class performance delivering hometown service.”
Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
An aerial view of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport’s apron reconstruction project and areas of construction shown in red. Photo courtesy of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Passengers traveling through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) may notice a few more construction cones over the next several months, but not in the usual terminal building space.
Starting today, the Airport is beginning its apron reconstruction project, a $30 million project that will repair the terminal apron – the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, and refueled. The construction will be completed in seven phases over the course of two years to allow for adequate gate space for air carriers as the busy summer travel months approach.
“Our goal is to do this project with as minimal impact to the passengers and our airline partners as possible,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “We are due for an upgrade to our apron area and our staff has done a tremendous job of maintaining this pavement for years, but it is important to keep up on these repairs and excel in our operations.”
The project will remove existing aging concrete pavement, and replace it with 153,000 square yards of new concrete for future airport development and aircraft loadings. The amount of concrete being placed equates to a nearly 250-mile stretch of four-foot wide, four-inch thick sidewalk – enough to walk from GFIA to the Mackinac Bridge.
In addition to the apron repair, GFIA is installing all new LED lighting in the apron area to reduce energy usage, and upgrading the stormwater drainage system and underground utilities to accommodate for future airport development.
“We recently completed Phase One of our Gateway Transformation Project – giving an upgrade to the indoor part of our facility, now we move into the airside area upgrades,” said Gill. “Safety and security are our first priority and we are working closely with our all of our tenants, contractors, and staff to ensure a smooth transition.”
The construction is not expected to have an impact on passengers, but project updates are available on our website: www.grr.org/construction for curious onlookers that may notice the activity from the Airport Viewing Park, Indoor
The Easter Bunny is expected to arrive a day early this year, hiding colorful eggs on the lawn around Kentwood City Hall.
The City’s annual hunt will take place rain or shine on March 31 at 10 a.m. at the Kentwood City Hall lawn. Children and families are invited to attend this free event, which will offer candy and prizes to all.
“Easter egg hunts are a time-honored tradition with many families,” said Laura Barbrick of Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation Department. “At the City of Kentwood, we love to be a part of these traditions. We are crossing our fingers for great spring weather at this year’s hunt.”
Thousands of eggs will be hidden in the grass around Kentwood City Hall. Kids are invited to collect the eggs, which can be redeemed for candy. A few special eggs will contain a certificate that is redeemed for special prizes.
There will also be a special appearance by the Easter Bunny, who will be available to take photos with families. Those attending are asked to bring their own bags to collect their eggs.
The event is free and open to the public. Information is available www.kentwood.us.
Rockstar Teachers Series:There’s just something about certain teachers that draws students to them in droves and keeps them checking in years, even decades later. Here, we highlight some of these rockstars of the classroom, in a series proudly sponsored by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum.
Every Saturday, Godfrey Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Tom Wier spends about 90 minutes visiting two libraries and checking out about 40 books. He’s fulfilling requests his students made earlier in the week for books they can’t wait to read. He knows, come Monday, they will eagerly go “book shopping” for the coveted titles he brings to class.
Andrea Sanchez-Parada snaps her fingers during the Rain Dance
“I do everything I can to get the books in the kids’ hands,” said Wier, who has taught at Godfrey Elementary for 36 years. Many families in the low-income, Hispanic community are newcomers to the U.S. who appreciate Wier’s commitment to helping their children develop proficiency and a love for reading. “The students are so excited to get the books they really want to read,” he said.
Punctuating his point, fourth graders’ hands popped up, waving with excitement, to answer questions about the novel “Stone Fox,” by John Reynolds Gardiner, which Wier read in class. They yelled “No!” in unison when he reached the end of a chapter. Not one to end storytime without more discussion, Wier held up a map of the dog-sledding trail to help visualize the mushing journey.
Wier wants students to imagine and enjoy stories. He challenges them to predict what will happen next, adding to the suspense of the chapter to come.
Alexa Hernandez gets a chance to hoop
A Love for the Profession
Less tangible than books, Wier shares something else with his students that makes him so beloved at Godfrey Elementary. It’s the mutual respect that shines through in his steadfast work to engage students. “I try to put myself in their shoes,” he said, noting that he’s constantly working to improve his craft and asking, “What would I like to do if I was learning this?” His goal is for the students to feel cared for, and part of that is by making learning fun. It’s also his goal to reach every student, making sure all of them achieve what they need to in his class.
“What makes him a good teacher is he helps us with stuff and he gets us pumped up,” said fourth-grader Malik Burton.
Wier has spent all his teaching years (except one, when he moved up to fifth-grade) in his Godfrey Elementary fourth-grade classroom. The son of teachers grew up in Wyoming and attended Wyoming Park High School before pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Grand Valley State University and a master’s at Michigan State University.
Though he’s well into his fourth decade on the job, Wier said the idea of retiring makes him feel sad. “I love coming to school,” he said. “I try to bring my ‘A’ game every day. I love the challenge of it and it just doesn’t get old for me. I love what I do.”
Hands go up during discussion led by teacher Tom Winer about the book “Stone Fox,” including a map of the dog-sled map in the story
A ‘Privilege’ to Teach
Wier has a unique perspective on the profession because he knows what it’s like to miss it, he said. After his first three years teaching in the 1980s, the district was experiencing declining enrollment. He was laid off and took a job working with computers. When called back to his classroom three years later, it was an easy “yes.”
Estafani Martinez takes a shot during science basketball. “No dunking, Estafani,” Wier said
“I realize what a privilege it is. I don’t take one day for granted. To have a position like this, when people entrust you with their children, that’s a high calling and I never take it lightly.”
He loves the district, which has become much more diverse over the years, with students coming from many regions including Central America and South America. “I think that’s made us a lot better communicators as teachers, and broadened our scope as teachers,” he said.
Plus, he has flexibility to try new things to meet their needs. “One of the reasons I have passion for teaching is that I’ve had the freedom from the administration and the school board to explore, to take lessons where I want to take them. That is huge.”
Assistant Superintendent Carol Lautenbach said Wier is always thinking about what’s best for students.
“Tom leads from relationships, and he treats everyone with the utmost respect and kindness,” she said. “He is so good at seeing multiple points of view and being the calm presence that every school needs. He has seen every change, trend, initiative and focus that a school district can come up with over time, and he is one of the most enthusiastic learners in the district. If it’s good for students, Tom’s all in.”
Wier is most of his students’ first male teacher, and he said it’s important to serve as a role model for them. From day one, he sets procedures and establishes routines, “getting them to understand my pace and setting those expectations high.”
He embeds character-building programs into his instruction, and does a lot of goal-setting with students — and with himself. “I try to be as open and honest as I can with my students, vulnerable at times… I tell the kids, ‘I’m learning. You’re learning.’
“With his management the students know his classroom rules, and they know they will be held accountable for following them,” said fellow fourth-grade teacher John Hovingh, who sees consistency in everything Wier does. “I have been teaching next door to him for 18 years, and he has only taken a half-day off for personal reasons or sickness. He is literally never absent.”
Over the years, Wier has gotten to know many students and parents. Now he often has the children of former students in his class. “One of the joys for me is having former students come back (to visit) and that happens all year,” he said. “That’s rewarding when they say, ‘You made a difference in my life.’”
Fourth-grade teacher Elizabeth English’s daughter was a student of, “and of all of the teachers, Mr. Wier was her favorite. Whenever she comes to school with me, she always goes down his hallway to say hello to him.”
Teacher Tom Wier gets the class up and moving, a way to keep them excited about school
Rain Dancing and Basketball, all in One Afternoon
It’s always a good idea to move before hitting the books, and in Weir’s class that means it’s time to rain dance, during which he leads students in twisting like tornadoes, clapping like thunder, and drip-dropping like rain.
While a recent dance produced smiles and laughs, it was just one lively activity that morning. A test-prep game of science basketball involved trivia and hoops. After answering correctly about animal adaptations and ecosystems, students had the chance to shoot a ball at a mini Nerf hoop. Successful shooters received a new pencil.
Students say his approach is a great way to learn. “Mr. Weir is a fun teacher because he does fun games with us,” said Abigail Herrera-Hernandez, who had just finished playing science basketball. “I learned more about animals.”
Teachers agree. “Mr. Wier has a calming demeanor and makes learning science fun. He fist bumps his students first thing in the morning to establish personal connections with each of them, and then, throughout the day, makes each student realize how special he or she is,” English said.
But, as in everything Wier teaches, science basketball goes a bit deeper than just test prep. He tailors his questions for each student, knowing their strengths and what will lead them, ultimately, to a nothing-but-net answer. That’s the goal.
“It’s all about making them feel successful.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum just announced the 2018 Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire dates for its fifth annual event, as well as the registration for makers is now open. This year’s Grand Rapids Maker Faire will take place August 18 and 19.
Maker Faire celebrates community members who are making or creating things by inviting them to share with the public what they have made. Everyone is a maker, and unfinished products are also encouraged.
Individuals and groups can now sign up at GrandRapids.MakerFaire.com. This year’s Maker Faire will be held at the Grand Rapids Public Museum and nearby Grand Valley State University’s Kennedy Hall of Engineering.
Maker Faire is looking for participants who enjoy tinkering, hacking, building and designing new technology-based inventions. Any groups or individuals interested in participating in the Maker Faire should complete the application at GrandRapids.MakerFaire.com. The Call for Makers will close on July 27.
Spots are first come, first serve basis with openings inside both the GRPM and GVSU as well as outside on the GRPM’s lawn. Makers participation is free for those showcasing. Makers interested in selling products at their booth require a small commercial fee.
Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering that celebrates community members who are making things. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share what they have learned.
Featuring both established and emerging local “makers,” the Grand Rapids Maker Faire is a family-friendly celebration featuring tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, hobbyists, engineers, artists, students and commercial exhibitors.
The Faire will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 18 and 19. Tickets will go on sale in early summer.
The Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is being organized by a collaborative committee that includes members from: DTE Energy, GR Makers, The Geek Group, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University, Kent District Library, Kent Intermediate School District, Michigan Crossroads Council- Boy Scouts of America, WMCAT and the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Follow the development of the Grand Rapids Maker Faire on Twitter @makerfaireGR, as well as on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/makerfairegr/ .
Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is independently organized and operated under license fromMaker Media, Inc.
By Brenda Long, Michigan State University Extension
Mortgage foreclosure rates have significantly decreased during the past ten years, according to the ATTOM report in January 2018. The number of foreclosure filings in 2017 in Michigan decreased by 42.5 percent compared to 2016.
A common misconception for homeowners in foreclosure is that they have to move out of their house before the sheriff sale. When a county deputy or appointed county official posts a notice with the sale date near their door, many people think that is the last date they can stay. However, Michigan law says that those individuals have rights to occupy the house usually for six more months. Some homeowners abandon their property early, paying rent without making an informed decision.
Homeowners do have rights during foreclosure, which were discussed in my November 2015 article. After a property is sold at a sheriff’s sale, a foreclosure sale, there is a redemption period. For most properties it is a six month period. If the homeowner moves out and the property has been declared abandoned, the redemption period can be shortened to one month. For some large properties and those with a lot of equity, more than two-thirds of the loan has been paid, the redemption period may be longer.
During the redemption period, the homeowner(s) can continue to live in the property and are not required to make any mortgage payments. They can use this time to save funds and plan their next steps. The homeowner also has the right to sell the property to another person, but if the sale price is for less than the mortgage owed, the bank has to agree to the short sale.
If the homeowner can find funds to buy back the property then they can keep it. That is why this time is called a redemption period. At the sheriff’s sale, the purchaser paid a certain amount of money to purchase the property. Often the purchaser will be the homeowner’s mortgage company, although it could also be another third party. The amount necessary for the homeowner to buy back or redeem the property is the amount the purchaser paid plus some allowable costs and a daily interest rate based upon your mortgage loan interest rate. A homeowner can learn the sale price for the property by obtaining a copy of the sheriff’s deed from the Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located. They only have to pay the purchase price from the sheriff’s sale even if it is substantially less than the loan amount.
Before moving, if that is the choice, the homeowner should check with their county Register of Deeds office to be sure the property was actually sold.
Going through foreclosure is the right option for some Michigan homeowners. Knowing that they can continue living in their house with no mortgage payments for six months after the sheriff sale can keep a roof over their head and provide time to plan next steps. They should also know their rights during their redemption period.
Michigan State University Extension has released a toolkit, now in both English and Spanish, for homeowners who are experiencing or have previously experienced foreclosure. This toolkit will equip these individuals and families with tools to help them recover their financial stability in the case that a recovery of their home is not possible. The toolkit is available to download free at MIMoneyHealth.org.
For more information about foreclosure in Michigan, go to the housing link at www.mimoneyhealth.org or www.michigan.gov/mshda. Michigan State University Extension offices in several counties have certified foreclosure counselors you can talk to for free about your rights and assist you to think about your options in the foreclosure process.
FSU President David Eisler said Ferris is “extremely grateful to the Grand Rapids Community Foundation for its support of our Latino Business and Economic Development Center.”
By Craig Clark
Ferris State University has announced that the Grand Rapids Community Foundation awarded a three-year grant valued at $150,000 to the university’s Latino Business and Economic Development Center (LBEDC). The funds, awarded from the foundation’s Fund for Community Good, will be used for programming that helps address issues of workforce development, economic disparity, civic engagement, and overall leadership development in Grand Rapids’ Latino community.
“Ferris State University is extremely grateful to the Grand Rapids Community Foundation for its support of our Latino Business and Economic Development Center,” said Ferris President David Eisler. “This investment will help strengthen and support the work of (LBEDC Director) Carlos Sanchez with young professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs, creating opportunities for success both in the workplace and community.”
Carlos Sanchez
The Grand Rapids Community Foundation’s Fund for Community Good provides unrestricted funding to applicants who meet certain criteria.
“Grand Rapids Community Foundation is committed to working with community partners like Ferris State University to build an inclusive economy to grow a thriving community,” said Grand Rapids Community Foundation President Diana Sieger. “This program amplifies the ability for our region to thrive due to the focus on diversity. The bilingual, culturally-relevant and mentorship-based efforts of the LBEDC have proven to help young people gain workplace and community leadership skills and grow networks of support.”
With the increased funding, LBEDC leaders expect to add more programming and networking opportunities for its participants.
“The Grand Rapids Community Foundation grant will help fund programs that equip young Latino professionals with the skills, resources, and confidence needed to become leaders at work and in their own communities,” said Ferris Latino Business and Economic Development Center Director Carlos Sanchez. “Our Latino entrepreneurs will be more prepared to launch and expand successful businesses and empowered to take ownership of their future.” Sanchez is also a member of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation board of trustees.
This grant builds on the core priority of building partnerships and community development initiatives that Ferris State University and The Ferris Foundation outlined in its $80 million comprehensive campaign, Now & Always, which was publicly launched in November of 2017.
Under president David Eisler’s direction, Ferris State University has taken a leadership role in committing resources and encouraging economic growth in West Michigan by working to develop young Latinos into leaders. The university believes the entire West Michigan region benefits.
“The Latino community in the United States is rapidly growing and will continue to have a profound impact on society, culture, the workforce, our economy and our businesses,” adds Eisler. “By ensuring that we are developing strong leaders who understand themselves as professionals and the importance of civic engagement, Ferris is helping Michigan move forward.”
Since its inception in 2013, the LBEDC’s Latino Talent Initiative has graduated nearly 100 individuals and has seen 50 people participate in the 11-week Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative program since 2017.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) requested that the Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) evaluate and test groundwater from up to 46 properties along Belmont Avenue and Montana Trail to the west, and along House Street, House Court, Crestview and Roguewood Drives south of the North Kent Landfill for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These homes were not previously within a Wolverine World Wide test zone. DPW agreed to do this testing after staff became aware of the then-legal disposal of waste that likely contained or was treated with PFAS and PFOS in the 1980s. The samples were collected for testing in February 2018. Test results show 11 of the 41 homes tested had detectable levels of PFAS. Concentrations of PFAS in all eleven homes fell below the MDEQ and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt); the highest registered at 58.6 ppt. Thirty homes had no detectable PFAS. The results of testing did not suggest a specific source of contamination, as some of the homes that had detections were not adjacent to the North Kent Landfill, and some properties which were immediately adjacent to the landfill had no detectable PFAS.
“While the levels are lower than the health advisory for drinking water, we are still concerned for the eleven homes where PFAS was detected,” said Dar Baas, Director of the Department of Public Works. “It is difficult at this time to determine where the contamination is coming from, but we want to act in the best interest of our neighbors. We are taking immediate steps to purchase and install whole house filters in eleven houses where PFAS was detected in the water as a precautionary measure.”
DPW began discussions with the MDEQ in November 2017 regarding tannery waste disposed at the North Kent (Ten Mile) Landfill in the 1980s. Disposal of Wolverine Worldwide waste at the County landfill site was in compliance with State and Federal regulations at the time, and only after the material had been tested and deemed non- hazardous. DPW will continue to work with MDEQ, Plainfield Charter Township, Algoma Township, and our neighbors to determine if the detected PFAS is coming from materials disposed of in the North Kent Landfill or from another source, as well as what steps might need to be taken to remedy the issue.
The Wyoming City Council is scheduled to interview and select a resident of the city’s First Ward to fill a vacated seat on the council Monday, March 26. WKTV will be broadcasting the interviews and swearing in of the new council member on WKTV Channel 26.
The special meeting is set to start at 5 p.m. with the interview of Jennifer Franson. The interview session will be about 30 minutes followed by a 10-minute break and the second interview with Sheldon DeKryger will take place at 5:40 p.m.
After the second interview, there will be a short discussion session with the council scheduled to selected one of the two candidates to fill the seat. The candidate is scheduled to be sworn in that night, said City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg.
William VerHulst
In January, William VerHulst announced he would not be seeking re-election to his 1st Ward seat due to health concerns. His current term is up in the fall. About a month later, he sent in his resignation from the council. With the vacancy, the council is obligated to fill the seat, VandenBerg. said. The person selected at Monday night’s special meeting will serve in the seat until November when the term expires.
Whoever is elected in November will then take over the seat. Any candidate seeking the 1st Ward seat must live in Wyoming’s 1st Ward. That area covers most of the eastern edge of the city which is Clyde Park Avenue to Eastern Avenue north of 36th Street and from Burlingame Avenue to Eastern Avenue south of 36th Street.
VandenBerg said that currently only DeKryger has filed a petition seeking to be on the ballot for the vacated seat. She added that several packets have been taken out. For the August primary, Aug. 7, and the general election, Nov. 6, the city will have several council seats up for election. Beside’s VerHulst’s 1st Ward seat, two council-member at large seats, currently held by Kent Vanderwood and Sam Bolt, and the mayor’s seat, currently held by Jack Poll, are up for election. Vanderwood, Bolt and Poll said they all plan to run for re-election for their current positions.
Those interested in running for any of the council or mayor seats need to file with the Wyoming City’s clerk office by 4 p.m. April 24. The clerk’s office is located in the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. Candidate packets are available at the front desk.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners voted this morning to approve the addition of two full-time Public Health Epidemiologist positions in the Health Department; one to assist with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), vapor intrusion and other environmental issues, and the other to address the opioid epidemic.
In 2017, the Health Department became aware of an investigation by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) regarding contaminated groundwater in the Belmont area. Water in a number of homes in that area is contaminated with PFAS. “The staff at the Health Department have been on the front lines of informing and educating residents regarding test results, the known health consequences of PFAS, and ways to limit exposure,” said Jim Saalfeld, Chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners. “As more areas of contamination are discovered, it is clear we need to adjust staffing levels to meet the needs of our residents.”
The person hired for this Epidemiologist position will be expected to provide subject matter expertise, conduct health surveillance, coordinate specimen collection, exercise legal authorities when applicable under direction of the Health Officer, communicate with residents and health providers, and be the primary intermediary with other agencies. In addition to PFAS, this role is also necessary to assist in the investigation and response of other environmental public health threats such as vapor intrusion.
The second position will provide leadership and administration of the Kent County Opioid Task Force (KCOTF). This Task Force convened three years ago under the coordination of the Red Project. “In Kent County, the rate of overdose deaths has increased four-fold since 2000, with 70 opioid-related deaths and over 680 opioid overdose-related Emergency Department visits in 2016,” said Adam London, Administrative Health Officer for Kent County. “In 2017, Kent County reported 93 opioid-related deaths with an average age of 39 years old, and we still are awaiting toxicology reports on a number of suspicious deaths. The staff of the Health Department are in a unique position to provide leadership in efforts to address education, prevention and access to recovery services.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently called the opioid issue “the largest man-made epidemic in the history of the world.”
The cost of both full-time positions will be funded by General Funds previously appropriated to the 2017-18 Health Fund budget for Emerging Issues. The Board is continuing to work with State lawmakers to make additional funding for these issues a priority in the 2019 Michigan budget.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently advised the Kent County Health Department of contamination of fish from Freska and Versluis lakes, both of which are located in Plainfield Township. MDHHS caught and tested fish in the lakes last year for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and mercury. Staff set “Eat Safe Fish” guidelines for fish caught in these lakes to protect everyone, including children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with existing health problems such as cancer or diabetes.
Eat Safe Fish recommendations are provided as “MI Servings.” Think of the Michigan mitten shape: one MI Serving for adults is 6-8 ounces of fish (about the size of an adult’s hand). For children, one MI Serving is 2-4 ounces of fish (about the size of an adult’s palm).
FRESKA LAKE: Bluegill, sunfish, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass filets were collected from Freska Lake in 2017 and tested for PFAS and mercury. PFAS and mercury was found in all the fish species. MDHHS issued the following recommendations for eating fish from Freska Lake:
Versluis Lake
VERSLUIS LAKE: Northern Pike were tested from Versluis Lake in 2017; PFAS and mercury were detected.
MDHHS issued the following recommendations for eating fish from Versluis Lake:
An advisory has been added on the Kent County PFAS information pages at www.accesskent.com/PFAS.
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) is preparing for its busiest time of year with helpful travel reminders, and a bit of fun mixed in.
Due to additional passenger volume beginning this month and continuing through April, parking lot demands will be greater, and airport facilities are expected to be busy. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects longer security lines and urges passengers to arrive at the Airport at least two hours prior to departure time.
In order to expedite the security screening process, passengers should carefully consider the contents of their checked luggage and carry-on bags. The TSA recommends wearing shoes that are easy to remove, having identification and boarding passes ready to present at security checkpoints, removing all items from pockets, avoiding bedazzled and jeweled clothing, limiting heavy jewelry, and ending all cell phone conversations prior to screening. In addition, removing heavy food items such as cheese and fudge, along with granular and powdered items like sugar, from your carry-on bag, will also greatly speed up security screening.
“We are looking forward to another Spring Break season, which is our busiest time of the year. Because of that, it is important for those traveling – especially if you haven’t flown recently – to review TSA’s website,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “Our TSA staff does a wonderful job, and the more prepared travelers are, the smoother the screening experience will be for everyone.”
Passengers traveling through GFIA on select Spring Break travel dates will be treated to the annual Passenger Appreciation Days, compliments of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority Board. This bon-voyage celebration will take place from Thursday, March 29th through Saturday, March 31st each day from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. in the Airport’s Grand Hall Meet & Greet area. Passenger Appreciation Days events include free refreshments, food, giveaways, prize drawings, contests, and more!
“Our Spring Break travelers who return year after year know how much fun you can have prior to your vacation with our Passenger Appreciation Days,” said Gill. “This is one of the ways we are thanking our community for supporting our airport, and our passengers will have some fun before heading out on their trips.”
For passengers wanting to partake in the Passenger Appreciation Days festivities, the Airport encourages them to allow even more travel time. GFIA is coming off a 2017 year which saw a record 2.8 million passengers, and high volumes continue into 2018.
The TSA also encourages passengers to utilize the 3-1-1 rule with liquids, gels and aerosols. Put all liquids in containers with a 3.4 ounce maximum capacity, and place them in a clear, plastic one- quart zip-top bag.
Additional 3-1-1 Information:
• Deodorant: Stick deodorant is not limited to 3.4 ounces or less, but gel or spray deodorant is.
• Suntan & Sun Block Lotion: Lotions fall under the 3-1-1 procedures mentioned above. As well as the aerosol spray lotions. Sunblock sticks do not fall under this rule.
• Makeup: Any liquid makeup cosmetics such as eyeliner, nail polish, liquid foundation, etc. should be placed in the baggie. That goes for perfume as well. Powder makeup is fine.
• Beverages: Wine, liquor, beer, and all of your other favorite beverages are permitted in your checked baggage. You can also bring beverages packaged in 3.4 ounces or less bottles in yourcarry-on bags in the 3-1-1 baggie.
• Sporting Goods: Golf clubs, tennis rackets, baseball bats (including the mini slugger bats), cricket bats, lacrosse sticks, bows and arrows, hockey sticks, scuba knives, spear guns, etc. are all prohibited from being carried onto the plane. However, you can have them checked as luggage.
Questions about TSA procedures and upcoming travel can be addressed to the TSA Contact Center at 1-866-289-9673 or @AskTSA on Twitter.
The Gerald R. Ford International (GFIA) Airport continues an upward passenger trend, and February was another record-setting month.
February saw 251,680 total passengers – up 16.31-percent from February 2017. Combined with a January that saw 13-percent growth, this now puts GFIA up 14.76-percent for 2018. February 2018 also goes down as the busiest February in airport history.
“That’s a pretty great feat considering February is the shortest month of the year!” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “We are seeing our 2017 record-breaking year trends continue into 2018, and we are still early in the year. We are about to head into our busy spring break season and we foresee breaking more records in our first quarter and into the summer.”
In 2017, 2,811,622 passengers flew in and out of GFIA, an increase of 5.95-percent from 2016. The Airport had growth in 11 of 12 months in 2017, and with January and February 2018 has now had 55 months of growth over a 62-month period.
The progression over the last five years started in 2013 with a passenger total of 2,237,979. In 2014, that number jumped to 2,335,105. In 2015, GFIA broke its own record once again with a passenger total record of 2,550,193 – a 9.21% year-over-year increase, and in 2016 the Airport served 2,653,630 passengers. The Airport has recorded the strongest growth in its 54-year history, serving over 12.5 million passengers from 2013-2017. Since opening its doors at its current location on 44th street, GFIA has served over 73-million passengers.
“Our tremendous milestones are results of our local passengers continuing to utilize our facilities, and all of our airline partners and airport tenants who have invested in more routes, and larger aircraft,” said Gill. “We will continue to grow, continue to see our airline partners invest in Grand Rapids, and continue to see a healthy, stimulated competitive market as long as we all work together as we have for the last several years.”
March 2017 is still the record-setter as the single busiest month in Airport history with 256,880 total passengers traveling through GFIA, breaking an all-time monthly record from July 2016.
GFIA has invested in new facilities to accommodate the growing traffic by recently completing Phase One of the Gateway Transformation Project – an upgrade in space, retail, food and beverage, restrooms, finishes, amenities, and customer service offerings. The project’s main feature is the consolidated passenger security checkpoint which centralized and combined security screening to one main checkpoint in the Airport. Construction also included new terrazzo flooring, lighting fixtures, pre and post security business centers, a military welcome center, kids play areas, and much more.
Phase Two of the Gateway Transformation Project is slated to begin in Fall 2018 with construction taking place at the airline ticket counters, baggage claim area, and ‘front of house’ area.
“As we continue to grow in traffic it is imperative that our facilities keep up with our passenger demand,” said Gill. “Our passengers keep coming back because we listen to their wants and needs, and as they do we will continue to do our part to improve our amenities, technology, customer service and infrastructure. We are excited to see what the future holds, and we hope to add more growth in the years to come. Our 2020 Vision is to hit the three million passenger mark.”
I used to think I wasn’t a good enough person to volunteer. People who volunteer are happy, generous, full of energy and compassion among a myriad of other things. I always looked up to these people, and still do. I never saw myself as capable of joining such a group of wonderful individuals because I didn’t meet the criteria for what I thought I needed to be to volunteer, and more importantly, make an impact in my community. Then I learned about Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding, a nonprofit organization located in Rockford, Michigan, just 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids.
Equest Center is a therapeutic horse farm that provides riding lessons to children and adults with disabilities. Their mission is to “improve quality of life through equine-based therapy to physically, mentally and socially/emotionally challenged individuals.’’ Equest has a unique program that integrates academic, social and physical skills, using the horse as a catalyst. Kids and adults alike, from ages 2-102 have all benefited from the strength, confidence and skills that come from riding horses.
There are many factors that go into providing these incredible people with what has been lifesaving therapy for some of the riders. Funding, facilities, horses and staff all play a vital role in the operation of the Equest Center, but what stands out the most are the volunteers. I am fortunate enough to be a part of this incredible organization and know many of the volunteers who commit their time to bettering the lives of others.
I never had a great desire to volunteer, and my reason for doing so was selfish. I came to Equest to pad my resume so I looked better to potential employers, plain and simple. Little did I know how much it would impact my life. In order to understand why volunteering at Equest impacted me so much, let me share a little about myself.
Growing up I was smart and athletic, and seemingly happy. I carried a 4.0 in school, achieved every academic award you could think of, started every single basketball game of my high school career and seemed unbreakable from the outside looking in. Ironic, considering how broken I was. Yes, I was smart and yes, I was athletic. I was responsible, I was loyal, and I was a good friend, but I was fighting every single day not to succumb to the anxiety and depression that had a grip so tight on me that I struggled at every breath. Each morning my eyes opened from the restless night before felt like a curse rather than a blessing.
It was my senior year of high school when I had given everything I had to combat the war my own mind was waging against me. I was drowning. I had shame that blanketed my entire being, weighing me down at every step. I put on a facade every day just to keep people at bay, never hinting that anything was wrong.
I forgot to mention, I am stubborn. I shouldn’t be here today, but I refuse to lose.
I packed my bags and moved myself, my scars, my shame and what was left of my pride half way across the country. Some said I was running, but I didn’t care what I was doing as long as I was starting over. I arrived in West Michigan knowing very few people and had plans to work hard and go to school. I instantly began working hard that summer and the next few years as I worked towards completion of my undergrad career. It was my last semester when I realized I was in no way ready for the “real world”. Those forsaken thoughts of not being good enough and the fear of failure crept back into my mind. Over the past few years I have learned to shut them out, but sometimes they were just too loud. I could not go back down that path.
I met with an advisor who assured me my freak out about entering the real world was completely normal. She gave me some tools for success, some internships to look into and left me with the suggestion that I add some volunteer work to my resume. I walked out of the office fully intending on pursuing the tools she gave me as references and the internships she suggested, but thought I would save the volunteering for the happy, generous, full of energy and compassionate people. I was still pretty sure I wasn’t a good enough person to volunteer.
Little did I know.
I found about Equest through a friend and decided to give it a shot. Probably the best decision of my life. Equest is a place that is therapy disguised as fun, and the riders are some of the most fantastic people ever. They have every excuse to quit, yet they persevere in the relentless pursuit of personal and physical growth. It is one of the most inspiring things to witness, and such an honor to be a part of. I’ve crafted relationships with these riders, the beautiful horses, and the absolutely amazing staff and volunteers. Most people think about volunteering as something we give to an organization, but in this case, Equest gave me so much more than I could ever return the favor for. It changed my perspective and gave me a fresh outlook on life. It gave me encouragement, hope and joy. It is a fact that the Equest Center is therapeutic for the riders, but I am here to tell you that it is just as therapeutic for the volunteers.
There is a never-ending need for volunteers at the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding located in Rockford, and everyone is welcome to come help. No horse experience is necessary, they will teach you! Don’t make excuses, the experience of contributing to this paramount therapy and meeting the tenacious riders who benefit from it is something that you do not want to pass up on. Volunteers are vital to Equest, considering there are just two full time staff members and over 180 riders who come out weekly. There are over 85 volunteers needed to help at Equest each week. Just a few hours of your time will not only contribute to a great cause and enable riders to get the crucial therapy they need, but it just might change your life like it did mine. To learn how you can become a part of this incredible organization go to www.equestcenter.org. You won’t regret it!
DeRuiter’s team, which included two students, delivered a workshop at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and allowed the students to develop meaningful connections with influential researchers. (Photo courtesy Calvin College)
By Hannah Ebeling, Calvin College
“The underlying motivation of our work and research is always inquisitiveness and wonder at animal ecology,” said Stacy DeRuiter, professor of mathematics and statistics at Calvin College. “We can learn so much about creation by exploring.”
DeRuiter has for years studied marine animals, using bio-logging technology.
Recognizing a need
“Bio-logging studies, where data on animal movements are collected using small, animal-borne devices that either store or transmit sensor data, are growing rapidly in numbers and in scope,” said DeRuiter.
As the technology advances, there are more opportunities to track longer and more frequent data sets of animal behavior. Instead of tracking the animal once every few seconds, researchers are now receiving feedback multiple times a second. However, this means there is much more data to account for and sort through, explained DeRuiter.
“While these tags offer exciting opportunities to observe animal behavior in unprecedented detail, there is a desperate need for freely available, easy-to-use, flexible tools to facilitate proper analysis and interpretation of the resulting data,” DeRuiter said.
Developing accessible and efficient software
“We thought it would be worthwhile to spend a year making better software that would be more accessible, as well as creating documentation and a workshop to make it easier for people to use in general,” she said.
Throughout summer 2017, DeRuiter led a collaborative project developing software tools for analysis of data from animal-borne movement-sensors. Her team included two students, who developed tools and delivered a workshop at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, introducing researchers to the tools and providing hands-on practice.
Before DeRuiter made the proposal for the project she received more than 30 letters from other researchers, who would benefit from her work, in support of the idea.
“It was amazing having the support of the community that really wanted this to happen but either did not have the time or funding to make it possible,” she said.
Gaining meaningful experience and connections
This project allowed students to develop some meaningful connections with influential researchers, explained DeRuiter.
“That is part of the reason I wanted them to come to Scotland and the University of St. Andrews,” she said. “They had done such great work and software development, and I wanted them to see the workshop play out.”
“The thing I enjoyed most was participating in the international workshop at the end of the summer,” said David Sweeny, a student researcher. “It was amazing to see how many different kinds of research topics from around the world are using the software functions that we have developed and translated.”
Sweeny said he is interested in this research because it gives him an insight into the lives of magnificent marine creatures during the times and in places that he otherwise would not be able to observe were it not for tags.
“This research provides so many ways to learn how we can best protect these animals,” he said. “Given that I care a lot about protecting the environment, this work is really important to me.”
Opening the door to future research
“One of the most important things that the Reformed tradition tells us about being Christian is that we don’t do it alone; we do it in community. Science, for example, proceeds by the careful work of many, many hands,” said DeRuiter. “The goals of the project were to democratize this kind of research and level the playing field for those who don’t have the same mentorship, training, or funding to buy software.”
This software will help DeRuiter track whale and dolphin behavior as well as open the door for other researchers to non-intrusively explore other animal habits.
“The availability of this software will only enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of current and future work being done around the world,” said Sweeny. “It will allow for increased collaboration between scientists which will have many different kinds of benefits in the future.”
In this edition of the WKTV Journal, we take a peek inside Wyoming’s Craig’s Cruisers to look at some of its newest attractions.
As WKTV prepares for its live coverage of the FIRST Robotics competition at East Kentwood High School, WKTV’s Allison Biss gives us a look at the high school’s robotics team and the work that goes into building a robot for the big event.
Then host Donna Kidner-Smith sits down with Grand Valley State University professor Jim Smither, the coordinator for the GVSU Veterans History Project, to discuss an April 2 event that features the special screening of the documentary “Unforgotten.” The film focuses on what happened to many Vietnamese after the fall of Saigon and life in the re-education camps. The film’s director and co-producer Diem Thuy also joins Kidner-Smith to talk about the film.
We also take a look at what is next for the Gezon Park master plan and discover what happened to all those banners that announced the Metro Health – University of Michigan Health merger.
Don’t forget, the City of Kentwood’s annual Easter Egg Hunt is on March 31 at 10 a.m. at the Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SW.
He was the only boy in the local dance school, and in the Dominican Republic, that can leave you open to teasing. But Ednis Gomez fell in love with the self-expression of movement, practiced hard, and danced himself into a full-time career. After four years in Michigan’s only professional dance company, the American Midwest is starting to feel like home.
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).
This dashing and debonair buff beauty gave Dr. Jen quite the runaround for months as he dined and then darted, hiding out in a hole in the cement foundation of her front porch. For weeks on end, Dr. Jen and her son tried to no avail to coax him into their care, tempting him with treats, kibble and canned food, but the wary and worried tom cat (born in the spring of 2013) would have nothing to do with them.
Every time Dr. Jen caught sight of Pumbaa hanging out in the shrubbery, she told him that he would have ‘no worries for the rest of his days’ if he would only allow her to take him in, but it wasn’t until he became ill from a horribly abscessed ear (cat fight) that he begrudgingly allowed her to lay her hands on him. Armed with broth packets, she laid down on her porch and hand fed him bits of shrimp and fish until she was finally able to gently reach out, scruff him and place him into an open carrier. Surprisingly, he didn’t fight her on this until she zipped the top shut, then all hell broke loose as he, well, tried to break loose. A discussion ensued, with Dr. Jen explaining how things were going to be, and he agreed to settle down for the car ride to the clinic so she could tend to his wounds.
Once at the office, Dr. Jen and Pumbaa got down to business: she anesthetized him in order to surgically drain his wounded left ear, neuter him, remove an engorged tick from his back, run lab work (he was anemic), implant his microchip, vaccinate him and treat for external and internal parasites (he was loaded with intestinal worms). Given how long he had been out and about fending for himself, it was no shock when he tested positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) — it was a darn shame, but not unexpected as intact males are always getting themselves into trouble due to surging hormones.
Looking for a home that encourages lounging
Dr. Jen kept the former porch kitty in her half-bath at home since it was Memorial Day weekend and she didn’t want him to feel abandoned if he spent too much time alone in a strange place. However, the first two nights he spent quite a bit of time trying to get out the window that Dr. Jen had the foresight to reinforce with duct tape. He also scratched the paint on her door and windowsill. However, by day three, Pumbaa was ready to accept head rubs and didn’t protest too much when Dr. Jen cleaned his draining abscess. He spent the first few days of the following week at the clinic with her, then once she was certain he wasn’t going to flip out due to sensory overload, she packed her boy up and sent him down to our sanctuary.
At first Pumbaa was afraid of his own shadow, preferring to hunker down in an open-door cage, but after being on the receiving end of continuous cuddle sessions and tender handling, he soon became putty in the volunteers’ hands. In fact, the transformation from frightened and semi-feral to comfortable and laid-back was absolutely astonishing; not only does Pumbaa enjoy the spotlight now, but he simply adores being the center of attention as verified by his striking supermodel pose for his photo op here!
We could not be more proud of our emblazoned, bold boy who not only seeks out affection but brazenly demands it! Every single time we gaze upon his serene face we are thankful that he trusted Dr. Jen to care for him. Patience paid off as he is now living a life that suits him perfectly and we are sure it’s better than he ever could have imagined possible!
More about Pumbaa
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.
A new exhibit titled, “A view of my artistic journey from the past to the present,” by local artist Larry Blovits, opens at the Leep Art Gallery on April 4 at the Postma Center on the Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services campus in Grand Rapids.
Blovits’s artistic career has centered around his love for painting in oil and pastel portraits, landscapes, and teaching. Receiving numerous awards and honors in national shows ever since 1962, Blovits has achieved signature status in many prestigious national art organizations around the country.
“The primary goal of my artwork has always been to go beyond the important technical and fundamental aspects of painting in my quest to capture the essence of the scene, or the person;” says Blovits. “With homage to the Great Masters, I continue to emulate and carry on the tradition of ‘academic’ painting because that’s what drives me, and what I love to do. “
Blovits received his bachelor and master of fine arts degrees from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1961 and 1966 respectively. His artwork is represented in the collections of several local art galleries, museums and many private collections.
The Pine Rest Leep Art Gallery exhibit will be on display at the Postma Center located at 300 68th Street, SE, from April 4 until June 29. The Leep Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 616.222.4530 or go to www.pinerest.org/leep-art-gallery .
