The 2016 winners of the Legacy Trust Award Collection will showcase their artwork at DeVos Place during ArtPrize 2016.
Installation has begun for Josh Andrus, Paula Clark, Debra Dieppe and Hope Network Neuro Rehabilitation, who received top honors in the seventh annual LTAC competition for adult artists with disabilities. Sponsored each year by Legacy Trust, LTAC is a mini-art competition that supports four adult artists with disabilities by providing a cash prize, along with venue and marketing support to display their art in ArtPrize.
This year, 101 artists from Ada to Zeeland and the Upper Peninsula submitted artwork to the LTAC competition. In addition to two days of public voting at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, LTAC held online voting, which drew votes from throughout Michigan, across the U.S. and from other countries. Prizes and sponsorships were awarded to the two top vote-getters as well as one winner chosen by a panel of celebrity judges and one winner selected to receive the Lillian Perry Walker award.
This year’s Legacy Trust Award Collection will feature:
Andrus’s piece, “Cattails and Irises,” is an impressionistic acrylic painting inspired by nature walks and the flora found in his backyard. Andrus often turns to nature to unleash his creative spirit, which is apparent in many of his works. Andrus won one of the public votes.
Clark’s “Autumn Hues” is an abstract piece that utilizes acrylic paints in a sculptural and expressionistic way to form a fall landscape. Inspired by the rich hues found in the fall season, Clark expressed her love of nature through the piece. Clark received the celebrity judge award.
Dieppe’s “She Was Made of Magic That Only I Could See” is a mixed-media piece that expresses the importance of love in finding self-peace. Dieppe drew on personal traumas that have shaped her life to develop the hidden, but significant, imagery found throughout the piece. Dieppe won the Lillian Perry Walker Award, which is chosen by the LTAC steering committee.
is a 3-D exhibition of 28 paper masks, each created by a unique artist, that expresses how brain injury affected each artist or how they triumphed over brain injury. The piece is part of a national project to spread the word on the prevalence of brain injury. Hope Network also won the public vote.
“We continue to be inspired by the creativity each artist in the LTAC competition brings,” said Mary Ann Sabo, board chair of LTAC Arts, the nonprofit that supports the Legacy Trust Awards Collection. “The four winners truly encompass the spirit of LTAC and are wonderful representatives for the larger disabled community.”
This year’s celebrity judges included Richard App, owner of Richard App Gallery, Rosalynn Bliss, Grand Rapids mayor, Meegan Holland, special projects manager for Gov. Rick Snyder, Chris Smit, executive director of DisArt and David Thinger, artist and LTAC 2015 winner.
Legacy Trust will work with each of the four artists to market their entries, secure media coverage prior to and during ArtPrize 2016 and support their entries into the world’s largest art competition. ArtPrize is slated for Sept. 21 through Oct. 19.
I would have loved to have seen a picture of our faces when the server at Gursha Ethiopian Restaurant presented our food. He brought it out in two bowls, poured it onto a large pizza-size dish with bread on it and walked away.
“Now what do we do?” Mike said.
We do what the Ethiopian do, grab some injera – an Ethiopian sourdough flatbread – and dig in…with our hands. Yep, that’s right, with Ethiopian cuisine, utensils are optional with most such restaurants not offering any unless asked.
Located in the area that seems like it should be Kentwood but is really Grand Rapids – in other words the Town and Country Shopping Center, 4301 Kalamazoo Ave. SE – Gursha Ethiopian Restaurant brings a unique dining experience and is housed in a mall that is full of interesting finds such as the Mediterranean Island, one of the best international grocery stores in the area.
We drove up, parked in front of the restaurant, which had a large blue-and-white sign, and walked in. While small, the entire place had a really cool feel reflecting the heritage and culture of Ethiopia. Our server quickly seated us and brought out two glasses and a pitcher of water on a silver serving trade.
After some explanation and a review of the menu, I selected a “tib” dish that featured beef chunks with sautéed onions and spices. The description reminded me of Mongolian Beef, which I like so I felt pretty confident this would be a winner. I was right, the dish was very favorable without being heavy on spice. I loved it and couldn’t get enough. The meal came with some side dishes which were not explained. One was a corn dish and the other was spinach, both being pretty good.
What surprised us both was how quickly we got filled up on our meal. I figured it was because using the bread as the utensil, it forced us to eat slow. Mike also felt it was because we had bread with each bite.
Prices were a little higher, it was $12.99 for my dish, but the chance to experience an entirely different way to enjoy food made it worth it.
As I stared at the plate of food prepared community style on a plate in front of Joanne and me. Utensils were nowhere to be found, but there was a basket of spongy bread on my left. I was perplexed and yet awfully intrigued.
When we pulled into Gursha Ethiopian Restaurant out of the Going Local hat, I had no idea what to expect. When it comes to food, I usually have a good idea of what will be placed in front of me. There’s usually a slight pocket of memory dug back in my brain that at least gives a slight hint of what I might be eating. Whether I saw it online, on TV or in person, an idea of food isn’t too far removed from my frontal lobe. However, Ethiopian stumped me. I’ve never eaten it nor have I seen it.
Going Local was about to be a true blind date, maybe I should’ve paid more attention to Joanne’s foretelling throwaway comment, “hope you enjoy eating with you hands!”
Gursha, located on Kalamazoo just north of 44th Street, is authentic Ethiopian. The Ethiopian colors of red, yellow and green invite you in and cover the chairs. There is seating available at a mesob – a hand-woven Ethiopian dining table – for those interested in a more authentic experience.
The menu is full with vegetarian, fish, lamb, chicken, and beef options. I’ll be honest, I had no idea what any of it truly meant. I ended up choosing a beef option called Sega Wat that was a beef stew in a spicy, dark berbere sauce. The owner said it had some kick. A beef stew with a little spice seemed like a relatively safe choice, so I went with it.
Our sides were brought out to us on a communal plate and my meal, along with Joanne’s, was poured out on plate. A basket of injera, a spongy sourdough-risen flatbread, turned out to be our utensils for the meal. After staring at each other for a good ten seconds, we both ripped off a piece of injera and dove on in to the plate in front of us.
The sega wat was juicy and tender with a powerful kick. That dark berbere sauce doesn’t play around! I made sure to dive into Joanne’s entree which was a more mild beef sautéed with onions. It was splendid but didn’t pack the punch I was craving, so I went back to my entree.
After some time had passed, I realized how full I was and took a gander down at my plate to notice it still half full! How on earth could my stomach be so stuffed already? A mixture of the injera and eating slowly instead of shoveling my face full with a fork must’ve been why.
If I ever need to worry about my portion control, an Ethiopian themed menu will do the trick.
Meet May! She is a 7 year old Pit Bull Terrier mix. May is a laid-back lady who would do best in a respectful household with older children because she is so polite and gentle.
May takes her time to get to know a new person, and once she has, May will have you playing tug-of-war within minutes! If you’re interested in May, please visit the Humane Society of West Michigan located at 3077 Wilson Dr NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534.
Who among us, having read The Diary of Anne Frank, has not shared in the image of the personal impact of the Holocaust? Or understood the Depression as seen through the eyes of the Joads in The Grapes of Wrath?
Books have shaped much of who and what we are. The impact on our world and our thoughts has been influenced throughout the ages by the printed word.
This subject is carefully explored and presented in the latest book by Nicholas A. Basbanes, also the author of A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion of Books.
This book will delight those who are intrigued by books — collectors, readers or researchers. Basbanes describes books that have shaped our history, those that have made history, the writers who have drawn from one another and their influence on our own perceptions. The author not only provides a glimpse into the books that have influenced many of our current authors but also challenges us to consider how these works have impacted others.
Highly recommended for all who love books, the history of books and publishing, and those who want to begin their journey towards greater understanding of the printed word.
Local First will host Anthony Flaccavento this fall as part of the organization’s fall celebrations. Flaccavento is an organic farmer, small business owner, author and activist who has worked for more than 30 years to strengthen the economy and food system in both rural and urban settings. He speaks about the importance of sustainable development.
His book Building a Healthy Economy from the Bottom Up: Harnessing Real-World Experience for Transformative Change (Culture Of The Land) connects a broad foundation of experience with a clear economic analysis and an array of public policy ideas that, taken together, help point the way towards more widely shared prosperity and a more resilient, vibrant economy. It is a call-to-action for innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, community activists, environmentalists and all citizens who want to create thriving, locally-based economies, and a more just, sustainable world.
The presentation will be at Holland’s Windmill Island Gardens, 1 Lincoln Ave., Holland, at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27. Then celebrate the season at Coppercraft for the Lakeshore Fork Fest at 6 p.m. More information about both events at localfirst.com/events.
Makes: 4 servings
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or apple cider vinegar
1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp (16-20 per pound), tails left on if desired
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
1. Place squash cut-side down in a microwave-safe dish; add 2 tablespoons water. Microwave, uncovered, on High until the flesh is tender, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, place squash halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 400 °F oven until the squash is tender, 40 to 50 minutes.)
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, coriander, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt and cayenne; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
3. Use a fork to scrape the squash from the shells into a medium bowl. Add cilantro, butter, pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Serve the shrimp over the spaghetti squash with a lemon wedge on the side.
Nutritional Information
Serving size: 2/3 cup shrimp & 3/4 cup squash
Per serving: 266 calories; 14 g fat(5 g sat); 2 g fiber; 10 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 11 mcg folate; 198 mg cholesterol; 3 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 627 IU vitamin A; 7 mg vitamin C; 112 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 450 mg sodium; 473 mg potassium
What’s the best home away from home? Bed & Breakfasts, of course. Such accommodations are designed for comfort, charm and uniqueness for the guests that walk through the front doors. Pamper yourself… and wake up to the smell of a freshly prepared breakfast. You’ll feel right at home with these West Michigan Bed & Breakfasts.
South
The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance wants you to know about the National House Inn B&B, which is the oldest operating inn in Michigan. Overlooking the beautiful Brooks Memorial Fountain in Marshall, the B&B infuses 19th-century flavor with the luxuries of modern conveniences in all 15 of its rooms. Time travel hasn’t been invented yet, so this is the next best way to experience a bygone era.
National House Inn
The Greater Lansing Area prides itself in offering B&Bs that blend a fine attention to detail with an element of surprise. The area’s B&Bs have waterfalls, Koi ponds, Tudor-style settings and more.
How does staying at a B&B overlooking Lake Michigan sound? Check out a list on The Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council’s website. The area’s B&Bs have received several awards, including Reader’s Choice Favorite Bed & Breakfast in Southwestern Michigan for eight years in a row.
Yelton Manor Bed & Breakfast in South Haven/Van Buren County offers a lovely place to lay your head after a long day of travel and fun. Yelton Manor was just named #2 in the Best Bed and Breakfast Destination in West Michigan by WWMT’s The Best of Michigan Viewers Poll. Enjoy the beautiful grounds, delicious food and desirable location.
The White Lake Area and Muskegon County are home to Amanda’s Bequest Bed & Breakfast — take a trip back in time at this 1873 Manse. This place is a must-visit for foodies with hits farm-to-table dining and on-site heritage culinary school where you can learn how to cook from scratch.
There’s never a bad time to visitApplesauce Inn Bed & Breakfastin Bellaire — it’s a four-season B&B. Enjoy hiking at Grass River Natural Area, biking in Downtown Bellaire, kayaking the Chain of Lakes region and golfing at nearby Shanty Creek.
Sparkling wine at the Chateau Chantal
Known for its wine, Chateau Chantal also has a Bed & Breakfast open all year round. Rated the most romantic B&B in the state, Chateau Chantal offers guests a private winery tour, complimentary glass of wine per night and a free wine tasting experience. Founder Bob Begin can usually be found pouring orange juice for guests each morning, tell stories and making sure everyone feels right at home.
Located in the middle of serene Northern Michigan, Horton Creek B&B is the perfect place to stay. Their seven-room, lodge-themed home is complete with a full breakfast in the morning and dessert each evening. Enjoy a peaceful walk on the trails that wind through 60 acres of secluded woods.
Citing poor sales, parent company Sears Holdings Corp. reported that it is closing two Kmart stores in Kent County — on 68th Street in Byron Township and N. Kent Mall NE in Plainfield Township. The beleaguered company said its liquidation sale begins Sept. 22. The closures are expected in mid-December — and plans are to remain open for customers until then.
Just this past May at its quarterly meeting, Sears Holdings said it planned to restore profitability to the company and fund its transformation into a member-focused company.
But financial analysts worry that the future of the Kmart brand will continue to decline despite its efforts to make a comeback, especially when compared with its main national competitors, Target and Walmart.
Sears opened its first retail store and catalog center in 1925 and was America’s largest retailer until 1989, when it was surpassed by Walmart. Once an American icon of business and merchandising, Sears has been struggling as a company for years.
In 2005 Sears declared bankruptcy and was bought by Kmart, merging the two companies into Sears Holdings Corporation (SHC.)
There are still some Kmart locations open in West Michigan in Battle Creek, Greenville, Hastings, Muskegon and Marshall.
Rhapsody in Blue, which launched composer George Gershwin’s career, inaugurates the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 2016/17 season, which welcomes to town Marcelo Lehninger as the new music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony. The Brazilian-born conductor will be on the podium later this season.
Associate conductor John Varineau will lead the opening concerts of the 2016-17 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical Series at 8 pm Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16th and 17th, in DeVos Performance Hall (303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503). Spectrum Health is the Concert Sponsor.
In its earliest days, jazz was the music of brothels and bars in the “red-light” districts of cities such as New Orleans. But in the Roaring 20s, bandleader Paul Whiteman commissioned songwriter George Gershwin to write a piece merging classical music with elements of the newly emerging sounds of jazz.
The sensational premiere of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in 1924 in New York City brought jazz from the streets and the speakeasies into the symphonic concert hall and elevated the song plugger from Tin Pan Alley into the ranks of serious composers.
That same year, George Antheil, the original “Bad Boy of Music,” caused a minor scandal when his propulsive A Jazz Symphony was premiered at Carnegie Hall. Hear for yourself what caused all the fuss in New York City in 1927.
Americana continues with Aaron Copland’s Suite from Appalachian Spring Suite, drawn from his music for the ballet that celebrates the simple life of pioneers in the 19th century as they build a house, witness a wedding and treasure the gift to be simple.
Rounding out the program is the Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloe by French composer Maurice Ravel, who later became a great admirer of jazz himself. Unlike Copland’s setting in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania, Ravel’s musical tale is set in a country side in ancient Greece where the shepherd, Daphnis, woos his beloved Chloe with the help of the mythological god, Pan.
Tickets start at $18 and are available at the GRS box office, weekdays 9am to 5pm at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)
Tickets are also available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10am to 6pm or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Full-time students of any age may purchase tickets for only $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Passport program. This is a MySymphony360-eligible concert.
When mentioning Barcelona, many are familiar with Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, with its soaring sandcastle-like facade, and interior reminiscent of an enchanted forest. It’s been a work in progress since 1882 and is scheduled to be completed in 2026, 100 years after Gaudi’s death.
And Parc Guell, Gaudi’s failed residential project, equally enchanting, with its colorful mosaic work, fanciful architecture and panoramic views of the city, is also a must-visit.
Of course, there’s the Barcelona beach scene, full of kilometers of bare bellies and breasts (yes, it is legal to go topless here). And, La Rambla, with its famous La Boqueria Market is a foodie paradise.
But the best of Barcelona, in my book, are the little neighborhoods that used to be villages in and of themselves before being sucked up into the city, like Born and Gracia, which have a flavor and character all their own. Where mainstream Barcelona has become a raging torrent of humanity, especially in July and August, these little burgs not only have personality, but also more affordable prices and many fewer tourist crowds. Apparently in the summer, each neighborhood has a kind of block party, a different one every week.
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These kind of experiences are a good reason to check sites like Air B&B for accommodations, if you prefer to get a feel for the real city, versus the tourist experience you get when staying at a hotel. For a much cheaper price tag you can get a centrally located room with a view. For 10 euro you can purchase a T10 card, with 10 metro rides, and go explore some of these neighborhood regions. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Make sure you take time to just wander. The streets are full of fanciful graffiti, street performers and those selling colorful souvenirs.
What else does Barcelona have to offer? The fancy landmark hotel W, whose half-moon shaped architecture is visible from anywhere along the shore, is worth a visit — I just checked in to see what the lobby was like while on a beach walk and ended up getting pulled into a birthday party for a guy in a group from Australia and the UK.
There are also plenty of museums to choose from: the elegant mansion cum art museum, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, up on a hill with waterfall fountains pouring down, and room after room of amazing art, including the religious, the surreal, the old and the new.
Picasso and Miro have their own museums in Barcelona, and if you’re looking for something a little more earthy, there’s even a museum of hemp.
You can stroll past the harbor full of impressive yachts, and tilt your head back to see Columbus keeping watch. Or take the gondola for a bird’s eye view. And of course, there’s the requisite castle, Montjuic, a 17th-century hilltop fortress and former prison, if you’re up for a climb and more great views
Go out at night, yes, late at night — things don’t really get started until 10 pm or later. Unlike in the US, restaurants don’t even open until 7 or 8, and most people aren’t thinking of dinner until around 9. Or 10. Or midnight. You’ll see families with toddlers in the middle of the night out strolling to the parks.
Music doesn’t get started until 10 pm or later, and many places stay active until 5 am. Too late for me, but I did catch the first set at a flamenco bar, a tiny basement-like place, which happened to be hidden in the red light district.
Someone I met in New Zealand, who lives in Bulgaria but is from the UK wrote to tell me of a tapas place not to miss, although he couldn’t tell me the location. Luckily, I stumbled upon it right before it opened, as apparently El Xampanyet is so popular, people sit outside the garage-like door just waiting for it to open in order to get a table. I not only enjoyed great tapas and house-made Cava, but also the company of my next-table neighbors from Sweden and a group on the other side from Austin, Texas and Alabama. Not to mention my adorable, attentive waiter. Meeting people and maintaining connections all over the world are things I love about travel.
A good friend of mine from California was brave enough to follow her dreams and take a translation course in Spain, then decided to stay and teach English. Jenni was a delight to spend time with — we hadn’t seen each other in three years, and she showed me around to some lesser known places in the region.
Sitges is a cool little beach town, a short train ride away from busy Barcelona. Not that Sitges isn’t busy, but it’s not the millions-of-bodies-packed-into-a-city busy that is Barcelona. We went on a rainy, heavy gray cloud-studded day, only to have the sun come out and brighten our world after lunch — the best of both worlds. Time to savor the local seafood cuisine while the skies unloaded their wet burden, and then time to soak up the sun and splash in the waves as well. You can even shop on the beach.
We also took a train and went wine tasting. Having both worked at wineries in Napa and being wine lovers, this was a special treat. From small boutique Recaredo, where we enjoyed a seated tasting to huge producer Freixenet, where we boarded a Disneyesque ride on our tour, we tasted some of Spain’s great sparkling cavas and rich reds.
And don’t forget to go chocolate tasting!
So wander and get lost, by train, bus, bicycle, subway or on foot, eat, drink and discover the best of beautiful Barcelona for yourself.
About Lynn Strough
Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.
“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”
All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales
The nationally renowned Niles Scream Park is ready to officially start autumn by scaring the “yell” out of you with six different haunted attractions. This year marks the 43rd consecutive year of their annual fright festival. The gates will squeak open on Friday, Sept. 16. Beginning in October, the Park will be open all weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) plus Monday, October 31st.
Celebrity guest, Eileen Dietz, will visit the Park on Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 1. Ms Dietz played the demon in the thriller classic The Exorcist. She will appear on the midway to sign autographs and be available for pictures. For full details on her visit, please go to the website.
The Niles Scream Park is not just scary, it is considered by many to be one of the top haunted attractions in the country. Certainly one of the largest, the Niles Scream Park offers 44 acres of blood-curdling fear!Unlike other haunted houses, Niles rebuilds each room of all three interior haunted houses each year to provide participants with completely new and unique shows. The professionally designed sets and ingenious scare-tactics led the Niles Scream Park to be recognized by Haunted Attraction Magazine as one of the “Top 31 Must-See Haunted Attractions” nationwide for the last three years running.
For those with the courage to tour all six attractions, here is the line-up for 2016:
Niles Haunted House — This season the main attraction features classic horror films from the 1930s. With over 100 possible routes, there is no telling just how final the final the act will be.
Krampus: A Christmas Curse — From German folklore comes Krampus, the evil horned helper of St. Nicholas. Naughty or nice, you may be on Krampus’ list this year as you tour this new attraction.
Cabin 13 — In 1962, the bodies of a group of friends staying in Cabin 13 were found scattered across the back woods. Every year courageous (or foolhardy) students attempt to stay a night in the same woods. Some never return to tell the tale of the Cabin 13 killer.
The Field of Screams — Considered one of the most popular attractions, even a GPS won’t help you find your way of out this outdoor maze.
The Dark Terror-tory Haunted Hayride — With a new route and new sets, this Fall ride through the woods will have puzzling mysteries, intense action and unimaginable creatures.
Zendor Presents: Murphy’s Law — A stage show where if something can go wrong, it will.
An improved midway will feature old favorites like “Fry Freddy” and the “X-terminator.” Back by popular demand, the “Scream Machine,” where you get to pick the next victim, and the popular buried alive simulator–the “Last Ride.” The midway also features several food concessions that provide enough variety to satisfy everyone’s cravings. The Gore Store will let you shop till you drop for the latest Halloween paraphernalia.
The Niles Scream Park is located on Mayflower Road, south of Niles-Buchanan Road just off Exit 5 of the US 31 Bypass. More information on prices, times and dates of operation can be obtained by visiting the Niles Scream Park website here or calling 269.687.FEAR.
Ten years after two high school students killed thirteen and critically injured 27 others, journalist Cullen creates a comprehensive look at the tragedy in Columbine. Cullen draws on hundreds of interviews, police reports and the killer’s journals and video tapes to piece together what occurred before, during and after the attack on April 20, 1999.
Right after the attack, and for years afterwards, many rumors and misinformation have been widely reported as fact. In an attempt to correct these, Cullen details the lives of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris — they are not loners, not a part of the Trench Coat Mafia, not targeting jocks or Christians. Cullen purports that Klebold and Harris were on the surface pretty normal high school kids. They had a group of friends, went to prom, held part-time jobs, played sports, applied to college. But underneath the surface, Harris was a
psychopath, demonstrating nine of the ten trademarks of one. Klebold was depressive and suicidal. Over the two years that they planned and practiced for the attack, their goal was to be bigger than Oklahoma City. And if they had been better bomb makers, they might have succeeded.
Cullen looks at errors made by law enforcement, public reaction, and the healing that took place for the survivors, the injured, the community and the world. He examines Harris’ and Klebold’s parents, who have never spoken publicly about the attack before this book was released, but who are largely blamed for what their children did.
In the vein of Capote’s “In Cold Blood,” “Columbine” is a chilling look inside the minds of those who kill, a reminder to be watchful of those around us in a world that is often not what it seems.
Join the Lakeshore community for an evening of flavors, brews, baked goods and more at Coppercraft Distillery! The chef from Coppercraft Distillery will go head-to-head with Butch’s Dry Dock in a live cook-off. Each restaurant will compete to create the most mouth-watering dish using items provided by a Visser Farms.
Presenting sponsor, Coppercraft Distillery, is working with the Township to finalize plans to build a kitchen making the Lakeshore Fork Fest a good opportunity to showcase their Chef and some of the food they’d like to offer in the near future. According to General Manager Paul Marantette, “Local First does great work and it is always fun joining their team to plan a successful event!” Look for Coppercraft at other community events throughout the year. So far in 2016 Coppercraft Distillery has participated in four large-scale events including being the official sponsor of Tulip Time for the third consecutive year.
Coppercraft Distillery started in Holland in 2012 by Kim and Walter Catton when they decided to take their passion for whiskey and bourbon to a new level by opening a distillery. Marantette says Coppercraft “focuses on a premium product using quality ingredients from the very start with our grain that comes from a farm just five miles from our location, to the locally sourced produce and citrus we incorporate into our cocktail program.” Coppercraft chooses to support local businesses such as Central Park Market and the Farmers Market to secure these needs, and let the freshest ingredients speak for themselves as featured on the weekly cocktail specials menu.
Coppercraft will host this year’s Lakeshore Fork Fest, which will feature samples from an array of local food vendors while you enjoy the live cook-off. The cook-off will feature a Chef from Butch’s Dry Dock and Chef Kelsey Winter-Troutwine of Coppercraft Distillery. The Grand Rapids native has spent the last six years working in some of the finest restaurants in downtown Chicago – most recently as a Sous Chef at mk The Resturant, a staple in the Chicago dining scene.
Feast on an array of flavors with Local First at the Lakeshore Fork Fest on Tuesday, September 27 from 6-8:30 PM at Coppercraft Distillery. For tickets, click here.
To learn more about Local First and upcoming events, visit the group’s website, www.localfirst.com.
Fall is just around the corner, and you know what that means: Time to celebrate the season with classes at the Downtown Market!
For the complete fall schedule, go here. To download a pdf of classes and events, go here. (There are classes for everyone — family, kids and adults.) Meanwhile, here are just a few highlights:
AUTUMN NIGHTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN Fri, October 14, 6p-8:30p • $65
The Mediterranean always offers bright flavors and healthy meals. You’ll master an olive tapenade, herb-fresh tabouli, chicken souvlaki, and a citrus semolina cake. Learn how to select authentic ingredients and how the right olive oil can add the finishing touches to your meal. Register here.
STEWS & BREWS Tue, October 18, 6p-8:30p • $65 (21+)
Pair some great beers while snacking on Beer Nuts and make a classic gumbo, a hearty meat and bean chili, sweet cornbread and chocolate stout brownies. Register here.
PUMPKIN PATCH COOKING
Fri, October 21, 6p-8:30p • $55
Celebrate pumpkins in the most delicious ways! You will enjoy some fresh-roasted pumpkin hummus while creating pumpkin sage soup, roasted herb chicken with pumpkin polenta and festive pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Register here.
BOOOOOOOZY HALLOWEEN COCKTAIL PARTY
Tue, October 25, 6p-8:30p • $55
In this class, you will learn how to make cocktails along with an appetizer and dessert to host the spookiest Halloween cocktail party. Learn how to make Pumpkin Cauldron Rhum Punch, Apple Cider and Bourbon Spritzers, mini pumpkin cream soup, and a fall tiramisu. Register here.
Ask any parent of a dinosaur lover who can identify an Apatosaurus at age 3 if learning occurs during play, and the answer is an obvious “yes.”
But with the added work on kindergartners comes less time for leisure, and one of the biggest differences in kindergartners’ school life is the decrease in free playtime.
According to the 2009 report “Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need Play in School,” from the Alliance for Childhood, kindergarten children now spend far more time being taught and tested on literacy and math skills than they do learning through play and exploration, exercising their bodies, and using their imaginations. At a school studied in Los Angeles, kindergarten students spent 88.6 minutes on literacy instruction, 46.9 minutes on math instruction, 21 minutes on testing and test prep and 19.1 minutes on choice time.
“Kids do learn through play,” said Wyoming’s West Elementary School teacher Julie Merrill. “You can listen to their conversations. I love listening to them outside, the games they come up with, the rules. We have to really be cognizant of that social piece.”
A student draws himself at kindergarten orientation
While students are learning to read, write and do math at higher levels than ever, social connections are just as important, educators said.
“I work really hard to make a community of caring and friendly 5-year-olds. That used to be what kindergarten was. That used to be the total purpose,” Merrill said.
Grandville’s West Elementary teacher Stacy Byl gives her kindergartners time to explore without telling them what to do during a 20-minute chunk of unstructured play. Byl thinks it’s time well spent.
“I think it’s hugely important for them to build social skills and to work out what life looks like without someone structuring your every minute,” she said, noting that her students also have a 40-minute recess.
Karen Young, a kindergarten teacher since 2000 at McFall Elementary in the Thornapple Kellogg School District, agreed.
“They need to play,” Young said. “They need to learn to get along with each other. How do you learn about the world if you don’t play? Activities like painting and coloring give the brain a chance to be creative.”
At Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, which houses grades kindergarten through second, teachers hosted a Day of Play last winter, during which students were allowed to have a free day of roaming the halls, sledding and playing in the snow outside without adult interference.
Godfrey-Lee Superintendent David Britten said he stresses the importance of play because kindergarten traditionally was designed for school readiness, not academic achievement.
“It was focused on developmentally appropriate play, the arts, physical activity, developing basic literacy through story time, and learning some of the rudimentary skills such as getting along with others, taking turns, picking things up, and using scissors, crayons, paste and paints,” Britten said.
Wyoming’s West Elementary teacher Julie Merrill familiarizes new students with her classroom rules
Much of that is now skipped, he said, without taking into account that children in kindergarten can be at very different levels developmentally. The difference in social development between a young 5 and an older 6-year-old in the same classroom is huge.
“Not all young brains are developed for retention of academic learning and so we start kindergartners right out comparing themselves to others and feeling like failures,” Britten said.
But play is a natural way for children to learn, and they do it in many ways, he said. They explore new ideas, gain empathy for playing with others, solve problems that come up during an activity without adult intervention, and learn about their role in a community by negotiating rules. Imagination and creativity are acted out.
“Many times, children will play around something they’ve learned or are learning thereby reinforcing what they learned. This tends to stay in their memory longer,” he said.
Kindergarten should focus on creating learning opportunities centered on what kids need to be successful in their futures, he added.
“Cramming content into them starting at 4 or 5 years old is nothing but a recipe for failure,” Britten said. “Many democratic-style schools allow free-play and multi-age learning, and those students tend to do just as well after high school as students from traditional schools.”
School News Network reporter Linda Odette contributed to this article.
Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!
If you enjoy watching films like Clueless, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Look Who’s Talking (among other Amy Heckerling films), you would have been in seventh heaven last Friday and Saturday.
Heckerling was in Grand Rapids September 8 and 9 to screen Clueless and share her thoughts and perspective on film-making — and making it in an annoyingly male-dominated industry — at the Visiting Film Artists Series (VFAS), presented by West Michigan Film Video Alliance (WMFVA) at Celebration!Cinema North. On Friday viewers watched Clueless, the 1996 film written and directed by Heckerling. Saturday featured a luncheon and intimate Q&A with Heckerling.
Not surprisingly, guests had many, many questions on how to break into the biz. Heckerling was gracious, engaging and no-nonsense with her answers.
In a nutshell, here’s what helps get you in:
Are you rich?
Do you know somebody in the biz?
Are you related to anybody in the biz?
It really is who you know. And sometimes you have to suck up an ‘attaboy sandwich,’ Heckerling’s term for biting your tongue and being gracious about a studio producer’s really stupid idea.
But the overarching theme in Heckerling’s presentation was that of perseverance and believing in yourself and your talent. Keep working. Hard. Follow your dreams. Things like that.
Tips for successful filmmaking and getting a big cheese to consider your idea:
Think about what’s in your heart that you want to say.
Be willing to plan what you want to do, but be flexible enough to change that plan.
Follow your dreams but you need to have smart dreams. Be smart and figure out the game.
Research people and try to maneuver your way in. Look for chinks in the barrier.
These days it’s easier to put together a reel but it’s hard to get someone to watch it; you still need to know someone in the industry.
It’s non-stop work. You must want it more, be pushier and work harder than the next guy.
Find out what studios are looking for and what’s in your heart you want to do.
Fight and stand up for your stuff; every now and then you get to do something you really want to do.
Sometimes you have to do something you don’t like on your way to getting where you want to be.
(And don’t forget that ‘attaboy sandwich.’)
Heckerling has been recognized for her talent and contribution to the industry with several awards: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay; Writer’s Guild of America Best Screenplay Written Directly for Screen; Women in Film Crystal Awards; and the American Film Institute Franklin J. Schaffner Award.
Brewery Vivant presents its 6th annual Wood-Aged Beer Festival (WABF) on Saturday, September 17th, 2016. Showcasing over 20 wood and wild beers, Brewery Vivant will take over its parking lot once again with tents, taps and two sessions. Beers range from light to dark, sweet to sour, and rest in wood from bourbon barrels, wine barrels, scotch barrels, cognac foeders and more.
This year’s annual autumn event not only celebrates the art of wood-aging beer but also serves to celebrate this past summer’s launch of the brewery’s Plein de Vie series.
“It’s been so exciting to bring some of these wood-aged beers out into the Michigan and Chicagoland markets,” said Kate Avery, Abbess of Beer and Director of Sales & Marketing. “This festival is like a capstone to our launch and also it serves as a testing ground for what is to come in the series. Get your first sips here. Maybe get your only sips here!”
Several Plein de Vie beers got their start at WABFs of yore: Angelina, Habanango and most recently, Paris.
Brewery Vivant’s farmhouse tradition lends itself to exploring the complexities wood-aging beer. Since its very first year of production, the brewery siphoned off a few gallons here and there from batches of beer to experiment with wood aging. As the brewery grew in volume, so did the barrel program. Now in its sixth year, three 40-barrel wooden foeders, 240+ barrels, and three stainless wild fermentation tanks, the creativity brewing for this festival is boundless.
“Thinking up flavor profiles and the guiding the recipe from beer to barrel is part of the fun,” says Master of Wood, Brian Kuszynski, “Of course, drinking these wood-aged beers is the other part of the fun.”
Of all the beer festivals in Michigan, WABF resonates with taste trippers, explorers and fans of community building. Recently voted “3rd Best Beer Festival” in West Michigan in a reader’s choice poll, Wood-Aged Beer Festival not only offers the unique beer tasting experience but also festival foods from the acclaimed Brewery Vivant kitchen.
The brewery will offer two identical sessions: Afternoon 12pm-3pm and Evening 5pm-8pm. Tickets are $35 and include 10 tasting tokens (good for food as well) and a collector’s tasting glass. Space is limited due to physical parking lot size and small-batch, rareness of beer. Get tickets at www.breweryvivant.com or WABF16.BrownPaperTickets.com.
Brewery Vivant is located in the East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids, in a renovated funeral chapel built in the early 1900s. Its staff of around 60 employees specialize in Belgian/French-inspired beers and fare in a unique setting.
Husband and wife partners Jason and Kris Spaulding opened the doors for business in December of 2010. Vivant beers are distributed throughout Michigan and the greater Chicago area. It’s the first commercial brewery in the nation to receive Silver LEED Certification from the USGBC. Additionally they are 100% renewable powered, a silver-level Bicycle Friendly Business, and are a certified B Corporation.
The Wyoming Public Safety Department continues its investigation into the report of an armed robbery at the New Life Thrift Store, located at 4339 S. Division Ave.
Wyoming Public Safety officers responded to the robbery report at around 5 p.m. Sept. 12. Witnesses stated that a black male, in his 20s, skinny build, wearing black a baseball cap, black hoodie, black jeans and black shoes threatened an employee with a knife and demanded money.
No one was hurt in the robbery. The suspect did leave with an undisclosed amount of cash. K-9 officers tracked the suspect to the unit block of Murray SW where witnesses stated that the suspect got into a new model white Chrysler 300.
Wyoming Public Safety personnel are asking the public’s assistance for information that may lead to the identification of the suspect and vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyoming Public Safety Department at 616-530-7300 or to contact Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
Saugatuck Center for the Arts Artist in Residence Sofia Ramirez Hernandez is one of the artist.
The Southeast Area Farmers’ Market hosts “Art at the Market” during market hours, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 900 Fuller Ave. SE. The date was chosen to coincide with ArtPrize as this event is not always accessible to artists from the Market’s neighborhoods or neighbors living nearby. Also, the neighborhood has many accomplished artists in its midst. Art at The Market will provide them an opportunity to showcase their talents, inspire their neighbors and share any messages that their art expresses. Market managers, Our Kitchen Table (OKT) has engaged artist and former director of Heartside Art Gallery, Sarah Scott, to organize the event.
WMCAT mobile printmaking! The Bandit Zine button-maker!
The market’s community partner in the event, The West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology, will set up its mobile printmaking station. Professor George Eberhard designed a pro-community image that can be printed on fabric. Market patrons can bring their own blank shirt or fabric to be printed-on or buy a blank shirt on-site. They can also make their own buttons, courtesy of The Bandit Zine, a local zine accepting works of all different mediums from across the world focusing on social-justice issues. Bandit Zine will also vend local body-positive zines and wears.
Featured artists include:
Derrick “Vito” Hollowell has had work on exhibit at Hopcat, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Richard App Gallery, his gallery, the L Loft and New York City’s MOMA. Vito will display original paintings and prints.
Sofia Ramirez-Hernandez, Saugatuck Center for the Arts 2016 Artist in Residence, will show framed drawings from her #SofiaDrawsEveryDay project that documents her will to fight her own tendencies and the good times, too.
Magnus Anyanwu, a Heartside Gallery artist, will display his Third-eye paintings. Anyanwu’s influences include Japanese anime, Sailor Jerry tattoos and his industrial design studies at Kendall Collage of Art and Design.
Chasity Khanyi Moore, doula and healing arts practitioner of Love and Light Healing, will vend her wrapped crystals and healing body salves and oils.
Rokhaya Ndao, Motherland Beauties, will showcase handmade jewelry and bags. Motherland Beauties offers African art and accessories, promotes African art and culture and funds women’s projects in Senegal, West Africa.
Claire Fisher, artist/musician, will show her vibrant, whimsical folk art that comments on icons of modern life and spirituality.
Eddie Killowatts, musician/artist, will show his pencil drawings and shadow boxes – and play a couple sets on guitar for the event. Killowatts currently plays bass for local Latin-rock band, Cabildo.
The Southeast Area Farmers’ Market welcomes patrons using Bridge cards (SNAP), WIC Project Fresh, Cash Value Benefits, Summer EBT, Double Up Food Bucks and debit card.
On September 15 at 7 pm,Tulipanes presents Latin Grammy Nominee, Mariachi Flor de Toloache, the first and only established female mariachi band founded in New York in 2008.
When: Thursday, Sept. 15 at 7 pm
Where: Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts, Hope College, 221 Columbia Ave., Holland, Mich.
Members hail from diverse cultural backgrounds such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Australia, Colombia, Germany, Italy and the United States. The result of this cultural bouquet is an edgy, versatile and fresh take on traditional Mexican music. They coalesce as would a band of sisters, with a grace and vibrant beauty that casts a spell over their audiences not unlike the legendary Toloache flower still being used in Mexico as a love potion.
While working to preserve centuries-old traditions of Mariachi, their mélange of the traditional and the modern pushes the boundaries of the genre and brings Mariachi music to new audiences. Sponsored by Hope College.
El 15 de Septiembre, 2016 en la noche, Tulipanes presenta el grupo nominado por un Grammy Latino, Mariachi Flor de Toloache, el primer y único conjunto Mariachi de mujeres exclusivamente fundado en Nueva York, EU, en 2008. Miembros vienen de culturas diversas como México, Puerto Rico, Republica Dominicana, Cuba, Australia, Colombia, Alemania, Italia, y los Estados Unidos. El resulto de este ramo cultural es una versión de música tradicional de México con un sonido nuevo y fresco. Se fusionan como una banda de hermanas con una belleza graciosa y vibrante que embruja sus audiencias como la legendaria Flor de Toloache que se usa hasta este día para ser una poción de amor. Mientras preservan las tradiciones Mariachi de cienes de años, sus mezclas de estilos tradicionales y modernos amplían los límites del género y lleva música Mariachi a nuevas audiencias.
“Okay, Okay. When he’s at Comic-Con, I’m bringing in the wrecking ball.”
Day 3 turned out to be just as exciting as the first two. I made sure to get to the convention early and headed to Ballroom 20 to see Inside the Big Bang Theory Writers’ Room. They had a great start and played a bunch of hilarious clips from Season 9!
Many of the writers came on stage – Bill Prady, Steve Molaro, and Dave Goetsch just to name a few – along with Melissa Rauch, the actress who plays Bernadette, was introduced as the guest speaker. She was very funny, especially when she first arrived on stage and debated whether or not to stand on the stool they provided for her. She eventually decided to use the stool because we wouldn’t have been able to see her without it.
The panel talked a lot about the show and how many of their own mistakes from personal life make it into the show. They mentioned that we would see more of Penny’s family and that Katie Segal would player her mother. On top of the upcoming season Easter eggs, Jack McBrayer walked onto the stage and was introduced as the actor set to play Penny’s brother.
Overall, it was a lot of fun sitting in on The Big Bang Theory panel and awesome to see Melissa Raunch!
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The Costumes
This year was loaded with a lot more costumes! Check out the slideshow below.
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75 Years of Captain America
Captain America celebrates his 75th Anniversary this year! To celebrate the momentous occasion, they made a huge statue of Cap to commemorate the anniversary. The statue is going to travel around the world and has already made its first stop in Caps’ hometown in Brooklyn, New York!
Ashley Eckstine even celebrated Captain America’s 75th Anniversary this year with a clothing line that you can find at Kohl’s.
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While on the floor with Captain America’s statue, I spent a little extra time wandering around and came across some pretty cool stuff.
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Camp out for the famous ‘Hall H’
This year I decided to camp out on Friday night to get in to Hall H on Saturday. It was a lot of fun! One of my friends even joined me in line and we met a lot of new people during the camp out. Around 9pm, the convention started passing out wristbands that would be used to enter Hall H the next morning. We ran into a bit of trouble as they were handing out wristbands because people started cutting in line to make sure they could get a wristband as well. Eventually, order was restored and we got our wristbands around midnight.
After handing out the wristbands, the camp out line was shifted over to another section for the reminder of the night. We heard that Benedict Cumberbatch was walking through the line!
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Don’t forget that Blindspot Season 2 starts on September 14th with Supergirl following a few weeks later on October 10th. “Your mission should you choose to accept it…” is to stay tuned to see what I saw in Hall H. As a spoiler I will mention Wonder Woman!
“Is she with you? No. I thought she was with you.”
The grasshopper from “The Robot Zoo” at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s (GRPM) popular traveling exhibit The Robot Zoo will be closing on Sunday, September 18. This exhibit allows visitors to explore the biomechanics of complex animal robots to discover how real animals work.
In The Robot Zoo larger-than-life animated robots are controllable by visitors to understand how the different animals’ body parts work. Muscles become pistons, intestines become filtering pipes and brains become computers. More than a dozen hands-on activities illustrate fascinating real-life characteristics, such as how a chameleon changes colors, a giant squid propels itself and a fly walks on the ceiling.
The robot animals include a chameleon, a rhinoceros, a giant squid with 18-foot tentacles, a platypus, a house fly with a 10-foot wingspread, a grasshopper, a bat and a giraffe whose head and neck alone stretch 9 feet tall.
Sensory activities include “Swat the Fly,” a test of the visitor’s reaction time (one-twelfth as fast as a house fly’s), and “Sticky Feet,” where visitors can experience what it’s like to be a fly on the wall. Triggering the “Tongue Gun” demonstrates how a real chameleon shoots out its long, sticky-tipped tongue to reel in a meal.
Animation in the robots imitates real-life behaviors. The robot chameleon rocks back and forth as it turns its head, looks around and fires its tongue at its insect prey. The front legs of the platypus swim in breaststroke style while the tail moves up and down. The tentacles of the giant squid grip a struggling fish, while the squid’s beak-like mouth opens to reveal a spinning food grinder.
The Robot Zoo is free of charge to GRPM members and is $11 for non-member adults, $10 for non-members seniors and $6 for non-member children.
Filmmakers have until Oct. 14 to submit entries to the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ fourth annual Saugatuck Shorts Film Competition.
This year marks the fourth year of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ (SCA) film competition, which is Nov. 5. Professional and student filmmakers will compete for $2,500 worth of cash prizes for their short films — five minutes or less — that feature some sort of Michigan flavor. Student submissions (age 18 and under) are free, and adults (age 19 and up) are $20 per entry. Video projects by schools, clubs, and religious organizations are encouraged to enter. Registration for Saugatuck Shorts is open now until Oct 14, and can be completed at sc4a.org.
“Over the past four years, the SCA’s Saugatuck Shorts competition has brought in filmmakers from across the state for a wonderful night of engaging entertainment on the big screen,” said SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong. “The competition is a great way for students and professionals alike to get their work in front of the community. We are very excited to bring this special competition back!”
Saugatuck Shorts is the only film competition in West Michigan that offers a cash prize for film submissions in a juried category and an audience favorite. Similar to ArtPrize, a panel of judges will choose the top tens shorts to be shown on screening night. Of those top ten, a winner from the student and from the adult category will be chosen. The Student Winner will be awarded $500 and the Adult Winner, $1,000. On screening night, after the audience has viewed all ten shorts, they will cast their votes for the “Audience Favorite” which will be awarded another $1,000.
This year’s competition also marks the second year that the SCA will partner with Wyoming- Kentwood Television (WKTV) to promote Saugatuck Shorts. In addition to the station coming to the event to broadcast it live on Nov. 5, WKTV will also feature the top ten juried films on the station.
WKTV is a community television station located at 5261 Clyde Park Avenue in Wyoming, Michigan. WKTV is one of the oldest community television stations in the country that is still in operation, celebrating 40 years in 2014. More information about WKTV can be found at www.wktv.org.
For more information and registration details for Saugatuck Shorts can be found at sc4a.org or by calling 269-857-2399. Saugatuck Center for the Arts is located at 400 Culver Street, Saugatuck.
Free books are now available at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) thanks to a partnership with the Kent District Library (KDL).
KDL’s program “Little Free Library – Take a Book, Leave a Book” was installed today, and offers travelers a chance to pick up a book for their trip at no charge, or leave books they have finished. Shelves are located on both airport concourses, and include adult, teen, and children’s books. Additionally, multi-language books will be available.
“This is a tremendous partnership for us with the Kent District Library, offering one more amenity for travelers at our airport,” said Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority Acting President & CEO Phil Johnson. “We are happy to support an educational opportunity in our airport, and our hope is that travelers utilize these books to pass the time when they are traveling.”
Each item will feature a “Little Free Library” sticker. Users are welcome to take a book to keep, or return it to the airport or their closest Kent District Library. Volunteers will oversee the airport shelves to ensure they are stocked, and monitor the content.
“We are excited to partner with the Gerald R Ford International Airport,” said Kent District Library Director of Innovation & User Experience Michelle Boisvenue-Fox. “The idea of adding value to the traveler’s experience while coming and going from Grand Rapids by offering a free exchange library using gently used donations and second-run library materials will help anyone beat boredom while waiting. I realize that I am a librarian but I can’t imagine getting on an airplane without reading material.”
The Airport is one of several locations for KDL’s Little Free Libraries. More information on the program is available here: http://www.kdl.org/little-free-libraries
The Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ Intriguing Conversation Series kicks off Thursday, Sept. 15 with a discussion about childhood hunger in Allegan County. The free program begins at 7 p.m.
Studies show there are more than 25,000 children in Allegan County and one in five are going hungry each day. Theresa Bray, executive director at the Allegan County Community Foundation, and Troy Vos from the non-profit Kids Food Basket, will unpack this number, talking about what we mean when we say that kids are hungry and how we know that children in Allegan County are struggling with hunger.
“I suspect most of us don’t know that our region struggles with childhood hunger,” said SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong. “But we hear fairly startling statistics about the numbers of children in Allegan County eligible for free or reduced school lunches, so we know there are issues very close to home. We hope this Intriguing Conversation provides facts about what’s happening and how people can impact the problem.”
Bray and Vos will discuss how programs like food banks, free school lunches, and nonprofits like Kids Food Basket impact hunger for our youngest citizens, and what else people can do to impact this serious issue.
For more information, visit sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399. The Saugatuck Center for the Arts is located at 400 Culver St., Saugatuck.
Brentwood Mall, on the corner of 44th Street and Breton Avenue, has been the home of many things, a fitness center, retail shops, and restaurants.
And as of May, it is also the home of the 616 Sports Bar & Grill, a place I joked with Mike that we should come back to when we visited Tokyo Grill and Sushi at the beginning of August.
The bar at 616 Sports Bar & Grill is located in the back.
Walking in, I felt like I was entering a “Cheers” episode with the only thing missing was the bar and someone shouting “Hey Joanne.” After a couple of minutes of waiting, our host/server came from the back and encouraged us to sit in that area which is where the bar is located. Actually it appears that the 616 Sports Bar is broken into two distinct spaces, a restaurant in the front and a bar area in the back which I thought was a nice concept. The dark tones gave the place that almost “where everybody knows your name” feel. I say “almost” because it could have had a little more Sparty green to offset that glaring gold (Editor’s Note – It’s MAIZE!!! Joanne: It’s corn to me) and blue, but I digress.
Ever the bargain hunter, I spotted the sign for the $4.99 lunch special which had several options: cheeseburger, turkey panini, gyros, fish sandwich, three chicken strips and two coney dogs all served with homemade chips and a pickle. Our server quickly told us that it was $5.99 the day we were there as the restaurant was substituting fries. The extra dollar was worth it as the handmade fries had the perfect crispness with me savoring every single one.
After a short debate — Me: Turkey panini or coney dogs? Waiter: Well that depends, do you want to go healthy or do want something really good to eat? —I went with the Coney dogs because there was two and I could save one for my lunch tomorrow. Our waiter heard that and brought one out with the fries and had the other one in a takeout container — bonus points!
A Coney dog and fries from 616 Sports Bar & Grill.
The Coney dog had all the ingredients of a Coney dog: chili, relish, mustard, onion, cheese on top of a beef hot dog wrapped up in a steam fresh bun. It was messy, which made it all that much better and the second was just as good the next day.
In the end, 616 Sports Bar reminded me of those old neighborhood bars where people hung out over a beer, burger and fries celebrating team victories or just together. Since the bar has only been open for a few months, I did ask our server why the Brentwood location. “Why not?” he said, pointing out that 616’s current location had been a Chinese restaurant for 25 years until the owners decided to retire. So cheers to 616 Sports Bar & Grill and here’s hoping it’s around at least as long as the former tenant.
Mike’s Portion
Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org
Going Local has taken Joanne and I through a gauntlet of cuisines and delicacies. We’ve had the opportunity to enjoy Chinese, Japanese, Mediterranean, Southern BBQ, Thai bubble tea, Mexican, and a hometown favorite pizza joint. However, one glaring omission has tested the true patience of my taste buds… Hot, greasy, fatty, and delightfully tasty American bar food.
Unfortunately for my heart and arteries, 616 Sports Bar & Grill was drawn out of the hat.
My arteries and my taste buds have been frenemies since as early as I can remember. It’s a true love-hate relationship. If the food tastes great and is also healthy, they’re best buds. If the food tastes great while also clogging the major highways for red blood cells throughout my body, it creates some understandable tension between the two. I’m happiest when the taste buds win.
On the walk in to 616 Sports Bar, their $4.99 lunch specials posted on the door immediately jumped out. Let me say that again – $4.99 FOR A MEAL! And we’re not talking about a salad or soup here. No, the lunch specials are actually legit items like a cheeseburger, 2 Coney dogs, beef burrito, turkey panini, BLT, 3 chicken tenders and a gyro. Oh, and they come with chips.
Sign me up everyday of the week and twice on Sunday please! (Note from Michael’s arteries – He didn’t actually mean that, right? RIGHT!?)
As we were seated at our high top next to the bar, my eyes couldn’t help but drift to the arcade games lining the walls. They looked awfully enticing, but I was a man on a mission. That lunch special was begging to be signed, sealed, delivered and devoured.
There was no debate once I was seated, it was the cheeseburger and nothing else. The bar was out of chips and offered fries for a dollar up charge. I’m going to get this out-of-the-way right now, order the fries. Oh my gosh you need to order the fries. They are absolutely incredible. I don’t care if the up charge is $20, you need to order the fries.
The burger came out stacked high with lettuce, onion, and tomato. This was not a skimpy burger either. It had quality size and girth to properly fill the stomach. Along with the incredible fries, it made for a lunch well worth the trip. The other positive? The higher concentration of Maize and Blue than Green and White.
Global Force Productions, a West Michigan-based international production company, specializing in CG animation, is bringing a new children’s educational program to WKTV. “Jake’s Safari,” was written by West Virginia actor/writer, George R. Snider, III. Global
“We fell in love with Mr. Snider’s story and its characters, so we attracted the production work to Grand Rapids,” said Randy Bassin, Force’s founder and executive producer of this show.
Together with talent from west Michigan and throughout the Midwest, along with the animation team at Global Force’s south India studios, under the direction of Terry Vanden Akker, TV audiences will experience a truly international safari for kids from pre-kindergarten through second grade. The show will air Mondays at 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. on WKTV channel 25.
Globe Force Productions Founder Randy Bassin with Chiku from the company’s animated children’s show “Jake’s Safari.”
“Jake’s Safari,” which was nominated for a 2016 Eclipse Award for animation, is a half hour children’s program produced with both live actors and CG animated characters. The show will attract an international audience of both girls and boys. It is the story of Jake, a photo-journalist with “Wild World Magazine,” who experiences new adventures with his wise Zulu guide, Jabali, and his two animated sidekicks — a precocious monkey named Chiku and an easy living tiger named Tahla. Throughout the episode, audiences will meet Maribel, the assignment editor for “Wild World Magazine,” and Jake’s animated email messenger Rasul (a cheetah). Along the way you’ll be introduced to a wide variety of CG animals from different countries.
On Safari with Jake and his friends, viewers will traverse the world meeting new cultures, exploring exotic locations, learning about wildlife, promoting healthy childhood development, good morals, and even sharing photography tips designed for children.
Founded in 1992, Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids (JTGR) is dedicated to presenting quality theatrical productions with Jewish themes that are universal in appeal.
In doing so, JTGR hopes to enrich the Jewish experience in West Michigan, and inform, educate and engage both the Jewish and non-Jewish community with stage productions that will entertain, engage and enrich people of all faiths.
BRILL
September 7, 8, 10, 14, 15, 17, 2016 @ 8 pm
September 11, 18, 2016 @ 3 pm
Written by David Wells
Directed by Jason Marlett
Brill is based on a building in New York that was a factory of popular music in the early ’60s. Carol King, Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach and even Elvis, had offices and studios in that building. This play, with musical elements, is a fictionalized story of a 16-year-old girl who shares a studio with an older songwriter from the Tin Pan Alley days.
IRENA’S VOW
January 12, 14, 19, 21, 2017 @ 8 pm
January 15, 22, 2017 @ 3 pm
Written by Dan Gordon
Directed by Jason Marlett
Irena’s Vow is the true story of a young Polish woman who is the housekeeper of a Nazi officer. She risks her life by hiding a couple of Jewish families in the basement of the Major’s house.
SENIORS OF THE SAHARA
May 18, 20, 25, 27, 2017 @ 8 pm
May 21, 28, 2017 @ 3 pm
Written by Barbara Pease Weber
Directed by TBA
Seniors of the Sahara is a raucous comedy about an arthritic genie encountering the residents of a New Jersey senior’s apartment complex. What could go wrong? It’s a sort of “Golden Girls” meets “I Dream of Jeannie.”
You don’t have to be Jewish to love Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids!
Though the productions may have Jewish themes, they are always universal in appeal. The goal is to enrich the Jewish experience in West Michigan, while informing, educating and engaging patrons. It’s live theatre to learn, love and laugh with.
PERFORMANCES are on Thursdays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm. Due to the smaller venue, BRILL will also include 8 pm. Wednesday evening performances.
Tickets generally go on sale 2 weeks prior to a production. Call the Box Office at 616.234.3946. If the BUY TICKETS NOW button is enabled on the sidebar you may purchase tickets online for the current show.
Season Subscribers should always book through the Box Office in order to redeem their passes.
Wyoming Public Safety today (Sept. 8) provided an update with additional details about yesterday’s shooting by a Wyoming Public Safety officer.
The suspect who was shot has been identified as Sadiq Bishara-Abaker Idris. Idris is 25 and a native of Sudan. He is believed to have been living in Grand Rapids. No additional details about Idris are available at this time, according to a release from the City of Wyoming Public Safety Department.
An autopsy was conducted this morning but is not yet complete pending results from a toxicology screen. The department confirmed that Idris died from a single gunshot wound but are not releasing additional details at this time due to the investigation being conducted by the Kent County Sheriff’s Department.
A portion of the incident was captured on dashcam, which is being reviewed by Kent County investigators and will not be released publicly at this time.
Kent County investigators continue to talk with witnesses and encourage anyone with information about the shooting to call the Kent County Sheriff’s Department at 616-632-6125 or to call Silent Observer at 616-744-2345 or toll-free at 866-774-2345.
As reported by the department in release last night, the incident began at a Wyoming gun store at approximately 5:24 p.m. when Idris, who had been looking at firearms, allegedly took a semi-automatic pistol, ran out the door and jumped on a bicycle. Wyoming Public Safety called in a canine unit, which tracked and found the abandoned bike.
Police searched the area and the canine unit continued to track Idris, but was unable to pick up the scent. At approximately 7:15 p.m., a witness called Wyoming Public Safety to report a man walking on 32nd Avenue SE near Eastern Avenue SE with what appeared to be a gun in his back pocket.
A Wyoming Public Safety officer was the first to make contact with Idris, who was on foot. The officer exited his patrol car and confronted Idris, who reached for his gun and pointed it at the officer. In defense of his own life, the officer fired his weapon, striking Idris.
Responding officers provided emergency medical aid to Idris, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the Wyoming Public Safety Department protocol, the officer remains on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. To protect the integrity of the investigation, additional details about the suspect, the weapon involved and other information will not be shared at this time.
“This was an experienced officer who is a trained and seasoned professional,” said Wyoming Public Safety Director James Carmody in statement released last night. “We are grateful that he and other members of the public were not harmed [last night.]”
“We are following our protocol for an officer-involved shooting and are cooperating fully with the Sheriff’s Department, which is overseeing this investigation.”
Van Singel Fine Arts Center, at 84th and Burlingame SW in Byron Center, has an impressive line-up of performances for its 2016-2017 season. For more information or buy tickets, go to the website at vsfac.com. Reserve your seats now: 616.878.6800.
Experience a fun evening of classic rock ‘n roll featuring legendary musicians who performed with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Jim Croce, Carly Simon, Cat Stevens and more.
Celebrate the Christmas season with this time-honored crowd-pleaser — a fun, family musical based on a favorite holiday tale made famous by the 1947 movie of the same name.
Get ready for some high-octane fun with an evening of country western songs that received unanimous raves on- and off-Broadway. With heartbreak and hilarity, the group performs on guitars, piano, bass and kitchen utensils.
It’s an unforgettable evening when Freddy Cole (piano/vocals), Elias Bailey (Bass), Quentin Baxter (Drums), and Randy Napoleon (Guitar) continues the legacy of Nat “King” Cole and niece, Natalie, with musical memories that will always be remembered. Now in his 55th year of performing, this great singer and pianist has developed a huge following of his own. The instantly recognizable Cole voice and his veteran quartet play the classics as well as new compositions and interpretations from a huge repertoire for one performance only.
May the farce be with you… From the producer that brought you Potted Potter comes the only Star Wars parody permitted by Lucasfilm Ltd. Come see Star Wars fanatic, Charles Ross, single-handedly condense the plots from the films into one hilarious show.
The Van Singel Fine Arts Foundation presents homegrown singer/songwriter, Mallory Skilling in a benefit concert Thursday, May 18 at 7:30 pm. Mallory attended Byron Center Public Schools as a young girl and is a graduate of Cornerstone University. She is currently living in Nashville where she is pursuing her musical career. malloryskilling.com.
To reserve your seats call the Van Singel Fine Arts Center box office at 616.878.6800 or download the ticket order form and fax it to 616.878.6820.
Or you can mail the form to: Van Singel Fine Arts Center, 8500 Burlingame SW, Byron Center, MI 49315
Season Subscriber Ticket Discounts:
Purchase 3 shows – receive a 5% discount
Purchase 4-5 shows – receive a 10% discount
Purchase 6 shows – receive a 15% discount
Group Ticket Discounts:
Purchase 10-19 seats – receive a 5% discount
Purchase 20-49 seats – receive a 10% discount
Purchase 50+ seats – receive a 15% discount
Welcome to another chapter in the ongoing series by our world traveler, Lynn Strough. This week, Lynn shares the secrets of traveling solo.
“Aren’t you lonely?!” people ask me over and over, when they find out I’m traveling solo. Most of the time the answer is a resounding “no.” I’m usually only alone when I want to be, and sometimes I want to be but can’t — hostels are busy, tourist destinations are packed and restaurants are crowded.
When I am alone, I’m not usually lonely — I’m too busy taking and editing photos, blogging, reading, writing, researching my next location, enjoying my current location or sleeping.
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It’s possible to feel alone in a crowd. But when you’re traveling solo, be prepared for lots of people to engage you in conversation, whether it’s asking for directions, admiring a view or sharing photo opportunities. People will often approach a solo traveler more often than a couple or a group, even if it’s just to ask if you’re really traveling alone. When you’re traveling with someone, you’re usually busy talking to them, which makes it less likely you’ll meet someone new.
If you want company and nobody approaches you, that’s easy to fix. There’s always the old, “Nice weather we’re having,” but you can get much more creative than that. When you see people shooting each others’ pictures, offer to take one of their whole group, so no one is left out. Or ask someone to take your picture with your phone or camera, as it’s nice to have something other than a selfie.
You can ask directions, or if somebody knows of a good restaurant in the area. Or, “Excuse me, but where did you get that (hat, map, tote bag, whatever).” Or ask the locals where to get your hair cut.
Speaking of asking the locals, I love to ask the locals where they eat out and what their favorite sights are in their city. Usually they have very different answers than the tourist office or other tourists. It’s the best way to find the more interesting, hidden and usually less expensive places. And you might make a new friend in the process.
Stay in places other than hotels. Hotels are expensive, and usually keep travelers pretty separated unless there’s a lively lounge where people hang out. But hotel dwellers tend to keep to themselves. A hostel or guesthouse, on the other hand, is a great way to meet fellow travelers and locals alike. Whether you’re in a dorm room with eight beds, or even if you have your own room, many guests make use of the shared kitchen to cook meals, not just to save money, but because it’s a fun way to meet people and learn about other countries and cultures, and not just the one you’re currently traveling in. Forget about the old stereotype of a hostel as a fleabag dive with teenage backpackers. Yes, there are those out there, but most hostels and guesthouses these days have pretty high standards, and people of all ages and all walks of life stay there. That’s where on-line reviews are great — you can read all about the good and the bad on sites like TripAdvisor.
Another way to meet people when traveling solo is to stay at B&Bs. Air B&B has gotten really popular around the world — and these are not the old traditional B&Bs. These days a lot of people are renting rooms out in their homes or apartments — this is a great way to learn about local culture. Sometimes they even invite you to dinner to share their local cuisine!
And speaking of staying in the homes of locals, don’t forget couch surfing! This is like Air B&B, only free. You set up a profile ahead of time and apply for people to host you, sometimes on their couch and sometimes with a room of your own. You can specify if you’d like to stay with male and/or female hosts, and what age range and read their reviews to know if they’re someone you think you might like to meet.
Couch surfing is not just about free accommodations, it’s about cultural exchange and it’s amazing. I couch surfed in Treviso near Venice and got to go with my host out on a classic boat to swim in the lagoon, attend her gospel choir rehearsal and meet a bunch of other couch surfers and hosts and in Paris, my host took me to watch her tango by the Eiffel Tower at night (see my posts about Couch Surfing). These are experiences you can’t buy, although it’s recommended that you bring your host a small gift or cook them a meal.
Even if you’re the shy type and don’t normally engage strangers in chat back home, travel solo and you’ll get over it. It’s a learning and growing experience. Head out to local pubs and coffee houses, or picnic in parks during the day and partake of free concerts at night. You’re sure to meet lots of friendly people.
Take public transportation! You meet a lot more people on buses or walking than you do in a private cab and save money at the same time. I met a woman on a bus on an island in Croatia on my way to go wine tasting, and she not only joined me, but we found a great beach and then met another couple on our way back and ended up all having dinner together. These chance encounters are what make travel fun.
Solo travel is easy in a lot of ways. Yes, you have to make all of the travel arrangements and plans by yourself, but that’s the beauty of it! You can go wherever you want, whenever you want, with no disagreement from anyone else. When you travel with others, your days are full of compromises on where to go, when to eat, where to eat, where to stay, how much to spend, whether you plan ahead or are more spontaneous. It can be exhausting just to make simple decisions that everyone can agree on. I’ve had enough travel experiences with ill-matched travel companions to know that as much as I like to travel with someone, if it’s not the right person, I’m much happier alone. No arguing about who sleeps on which side of the bed, you have the whole thing to yourself with no earplugs needed for snoring.
I’ve met people who say, “I would never travel alone. I like to share my experiences with someone.” Yes, I do too. But sharing experiences hasn’t been an issue, as there is a whole wide world out there full of lovely people to share your travel experiences with. Kind friends from back home contacted me on my birthday last March, concerned that I’d be spending it alone in Thailand. So I sent them a picture of my impromptu birthday party with a bunch of new friends from half a dozen different countries, who each sang happy birthday to me in their native language. It was one of the most fun and interesting birthdays I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
Sometimes seeing couples everywhere might make you a little wistful, but the truth is, you never know if they’re having the time of their lives traveling together, or are secretly wishing that they too, were off on their own adventure.
My around-the-world journey was mostly solo, although I’ve had a few friends meet up with me here and there which has been a real treat. It is fun to share such beautiful places with good friends.
And sometimes you meet new friends you end up seeing later in your travels, like a new friend in Australia meeting up with me in Thailand and Ireland, and a chance meeting in Dubrovnik that turned up as a lunch five months later in the UK.
It’s rare that I’m alone, and when I am, like housesitting in the South of France, the Highlands of Scotland and quaint Corsham and Hove in England, I relish my time by myself (although I did have lively canines for company).
If you get lonely for your friends and family back home, never fear — as long as you have wifi, which isn’t hard to find these days pretty much anywhere in the world, you can use Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Viber and WeChat to talk to anyone else who loads the same app, for free.
And speaking of friends and family, I’ve made so many new friends around the world that now feel like family, many of whom I would never have met had I not been traveling alone. I’ve found that a lot of people are willing to invite a single traveler to stay with them, but have admitted if I was traveling as part of a pair or group, the same offer wouldn’t have been there, often due to only having one spare couch or a single bed.
Recently I read an article that said solo travel is on the rise and finally travel companies are recognizing that and catering to solo travelers. It’s about time! Traditionally, tour companies have charged a premium for solo travelers, in some cases double for your accommodations, but that seems to be changing. And that’s another way to travel and not be alone — go on a cruise or on a pre-packaged tour and you’ll be adopted by others in no time. This isn’t my preferred method of travel as you usually pay a lot extra and your itinerary is fixed, where I like more flexibility and can travel solo for three times as long for the same amount of money. But if you only have a couple of weeks of vacation time and don’t want the hassle of making your own arrangements, this is a good alternative.
Or take a day tour like a city sightseeing bus, go swimming with dolphins or elephants, or participate in a cooking class. There’s nothing like jumping into a freezing ocean in wet suits or sharing a plate of pad Thai that you just made yourself, to bond with a bunch of strangers.
When you travel by yourself, oftentimes your senses are heightened since you don’t have a travel companion to distract you. You notice little things you might otherwise miss, like the soft feel of moss on a tree trunk, the sweet silkiness of the icing on your cake, the scent of the flowers you’re photographing or the sound of the doves on the window ledge above.
Do things you like to do and you’ll meet others who enjoy the same activities. Go to a bookstore, head out on a boat, go for a hike or hang out in a local pub for some live music.
It’s a very small world out there. When you open yourself up to meeting new people, the connections are fascinating.
Volunteering is another way to meet people when traveling alone and you can feel good about helping others at the same time. I met a young couple in my guest house kitchen in Thailand one morning. They were from Ohio and invited me to go with them to a home for HIV kids.
So don’t let the fact that you can’t find a friend or travel companion to share your journey keep you stuck at home. Strike out solo, and enjoy your own adventures!
About Lynn Strough
Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.
“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”
All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales
For the past few years I have been working as the assistant principal at Godwin Heights High School. We are a small school district of just over 2,000 students. We are one of the most diverse districts in Kent County, and we believe it is our diversity that makes us special.
Degrees:
I earned my bachelor of arts in education from Cornerstone University, majoring in social studies and minoring in health. I earned my master’s in educational leadership from Western Michigan University.
Other positions you have held in education (title, school, district, state):
I have had a variety of positions in educational settings, including in-school suspension supervisor and dean of students at Grandville Public Schools. My first job here at Godwin Heights was as a youth development coordinator at the middle school. I transferred to the high school as dean of students, then became assistant principal.
How about jobs outside education (even the unexpected is welcome!)?
I am 48. In my earlier years I had a variety of jobs. I spent a few years in the restaurant business as head chef at a restaurant. After a few years of working 70 hours a week I decided to go back to school and earn my degree in education.
Besides getting to know the staff and families, what are you most looking forward to as principal here?
I am looking forward to having the chance to come to school every day and work with all of my students. I believe it is my job as principal to pour into these children, and to give my staff the support they need to help the students develop the tools they will need to achieve their goals as they grow older.
Aaron Berlin
What kind of kid were you at the age of students at this new school (your personality, interests, hobbies, activities)?
Funny, I was just talking about my experiences as a middle-school student with another staff member last week. I was a terrible student back in middle school. I was extremely smart but really struggled to find success in the classroom. I struggled because I never learned to be a good student in the classroom, to take good notes, do my homework and simply stay organized. Most importantly, I never was willing to ask the people around me for help. I had family and teachers in my corner pushing me to do better and never really lived up to those expectations.
It was not until I was much older and went to school as an adult that I figured out how to be a good student.
Spouse/children:
My wife and I have been married for going on 21 years. Linda is a teacher and has spent the last 20 years teaching at Grandville Public Schools. We have a daughter named Sierra; she is almost 14 years old and entering her first year at Grandville. Both of the women in my life are much smarter than I am.
Hobbies/Interests:
My biggest interest outside of work is spending time with my family. We love watching movies and playing golf as a family. I have spent 20 years coaching high school football. My role as a principal has taken up my time and so I am no longer coaching. My goal, when all is said and done, is to find myself coaching some seventh- and eighth-grade football, spending my time working with the younger players.
What inspires you, both in your educational role and in your own life?
My goal is to grow as a husband, a father and a friend. The older I get the more I understand how challenging that goal can be. Everyday life gives us opportunities to learn through our own experiences. My hope it to get better at those three things on a daily basis.
What makes you laugh (we bet you’ll say kids – what else?)
I love hearing the honesty that comes from student conversations. If you are having a rough day and just take a movement and spend some time with a bunch of fifth grade students during lunch, they will say some of the funniest things you will ever hear. They are 100 percent authentic at that age and it is just awesome to hear all of them laughing at the same time. It almost becomes contagious.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Some people would be surprised that I love to golf. I try to get out as much as possible. Being out of the course is one way that I find to relax. I am not very good, but I love to play and have fun with friends and family.
Tell us about a non-professional book you recommend and why:
In my free time I love to read mysteries, thrillers and good old-fashioned spy novels. I just finished all the books in the Mitch Rapp series written by Vince Flynn. Sometimes it is good to simply get away and shut the mind down for a bit.
Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!
With its miles of hiking, cycling and skiing trails, Traverse City is already well-known among outdoor recreation enthusiasts.
But even some of Traverse City’s most enthusiastic fans don’t know that the area includes an iconic stretch of the nation’s newest (and longest) hiking pathway — the 4,600-mile North Country Trail (NCT), which runs through seven states and 12 national forests from New York to North Dakota.
“It’s some remarkably fine hiking” said outdoor writer Jim DuFresne, who has spent the last four years mapping more than 200 hiking and biking trails across Michigan. “I think people are just beginning to realize that it’s there.”
That’s not an overstatement. To date, fewer than a dozen people have hiked the North Country Trail from end to end, compared to the 1,800 a year who walk the more famous Appalachian Trail — even though the NCT has the advantage of being located within a day’s drive of 40 percent of the U.S. population and is closer to major cities and towns (Cincinnati, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit, Albany and Fargo, to name a few) for easier access to food and lodging.
With 1,150 miles of North Country Trail, Michigan has the longest stretch of trail in the entire system. It’s also the state that has been most welcoming to mountain bikers on its section of the NCT; although some segments are closed to cyclists for ecological and user-conflict reasons, many trail sections are bike-friendly.
Created by Congress in 1980, the NCT has grown slowly over the decades — built almost entirely by volunteers. One reason for the lack of end-to-end trail hikes may be that many people don’t realize it’s been completed; 3,100 miles are along off-road trails and another 1,500 miles are “road walk” paths along the sides of rural roads.
But the 100-mile stretch of the trail that passes through the Traverse City area contains some of the region’s best forest scenery: the Sand Lakes and Brown Bridge Quiet Areas, the Muncie Lakes Pathway and miles of steep bluffs above the Manistee River, including the High Rollways. There’s even a spur trail connecting the main pathway to Traverse City’s famed Vasa Trail. And visitors are gradually getting used to seeing the NCT’s characteristic “North Star” trailhead signs and sky-blue blazes on trees.
Most people who use the Traverse City portion of the trail are like their counterparts along the rest of its length; rather than travel the entire 4,600 miles in a single season, they pick out smaller segments for adventures of a few weeks, days or even hours. One result is the appearance of semi-official “trail towns” located near the pathway, where trail users can replenish their supplies and enjoy a few civilized comforts before returning to the woods.
Ten of the 16 trail towns on the NCT are in Michigan. One is the village of Fife Lake, a resort community at the southeast corner of Grand Traverse County, about 30 minutes from Traverse City. A former lumbering settlement, Fife Lake is a perfect example of what trail promoters like to call “Red Plaid Nation” — the network of North Woods residents who built the NCT and now spend their time maintaining trails and performing random acts of kindness for weary hikers.
The village even has its own section of the trail — the 21-mile Fife Lake Loop, which includes two state forest campgrounds and a newly-made pathway above the Manistee River. Like most of the NCT, it was built by Red Plaid Nation volunteers — in this case, the 150-member Grand Traverse Hiking Club, which has official responsibility for developing, maintaining, protecting and promoting their 100-mile section. (Administration is carried out by the National Park Service.)
To many people, ‘homelessness’ is just a word. Maybe we understand this state of being intellectually and academically, but it’s next to impossible to empathize — unless we’ve experienced similar circumstances or have a friend or family member who has lived on the streets. Putting a real face on this dilemma helps humanize the condition, and that’s what Tom Gunnels’s project, ‘Waiting On Division‘ is all about.
Tom Gunnels (by Tom Gunnels)
You may recognize the name — Gunnels played banjo with local folk band, The Crane Wives for five years (2010-2015) before moving on to work on the Great Lakes Natives music project. Currently, he’s a free-lance photographer and videographer.
Interested in humanitarian efforts since he was a kid, Gunnels originally considered joining the Peace Corps to help disadvantaged people in other countries. Then one day, he realized that there were people in dire straits right in our own backyard.
It doesn’t take much
Earlier this year, he began documenting his encounters with homeless folks by writing a nearly daily diary on Facebook, taking still photos and videotaping people’s stories. Some days he doesn’t unpack his equipment. It all depends on whether or not people feel like being filmed or photographed. Some days are better than others.
“Several of [the street people] are now my friends,” said Gunnels. “They’re people with feelings, just like you and me, it’s just that their circumstances have one way or another led them down this path.”
I shadowed Gunnels one day as he made his “rounds” visiting the street people of downtown Grand Rapids. Soft-spoken and unassuming, he walks with a heavy backpack containing camera and video equipment on his back, trudging through downtown everyday on a personal mission to help folks less fortunate than him by listening, offering a hug when needed and making sure his friends are OK.
Portrait of David by Tom Gunnels
“Sometimes, all someone needs is a listening ear or a hug or just a kind word,” he said. “Such simple things make a huge difference in someone’s life. It really doesn’t take much.”
He carried a book with him, Ending Homelessness: Why We Haven’t, How We Can, edited by Donald W. Burnes and David L. DiLeo, as well as a blank journal and a scan disk. He planned to give the journal to a friend who loves to write. The scan disk was for another friend whose camera needed more memory. He’s been in touch with Burnes, who wants Gunnels to be involved with a major project.
The day was hot and muggy and it was only 9 am. Less than an hour in, I was already dripping and wilting. How do people tolerate this day after day after day? I just can’t fathom it.
What is going on in our world? To say this is not okay would be a major understatement. ~Tom Gunnels
“This project is so much more about process than it is anything else,” Gunnels wrote in a Facebook post. “The process of walking downtown with all of the gear, being recognizable on the street as ‘that guy who is filming.’ I try to make a morning walk downtown every day that I can, just to say hi and maybe catch someone who has been wanting to film, but maybe just waiting for the right day.”
Puritan values still rule
Homelessness in Grand Rapids is a microcosm of what is happening across America, where the impact of 1600s Puritan values still thrives. Many people hold on to the notion that one only needs to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and into the pursuit of the American dream. Those who can’t “deserve” to be destitute, as they are thought to bring no added value to society.
Portrait of Dan by Tom Gunnels
Many homeless folks are disabled or suffer from addiction, some are war veterans, all face social disadvantages that go far beyond the lack of a safe and suitable home. They have reduced access to private and public services, as well as limited access to vital necessities such as healthcare and dental services. They are often seen as unsuitable for employment and their travel options are few.
Getting proper help when one is homeless can seem insurmountable. First, you have to know what services are available. That may take some time to figure out if you’re new in town or mentally ill, as many homeless folks are. Or perhaps you’ve been homeless for a few years and have given up on “the system,” but for whatever reason, today you’re going to give it another shot. Either way, you’ll need to fill out the correct forms. If you don’t have the proper I.D. — like a Social Security card or birth certificate — you can’t apply for basic social services.
If you don’t get it right that day, you’ll have to start all over again. The process is demeaning, time-consuming and frustrating.
On a more basic, day-to-day level, homeless folks are discriminated against at every turn. People cross the street to avoid them. Access to drinking water is limited, even on the hottest days, and some people suffer from dehydration as a result. Access to restrooms is another huge problem.
Then there is the matter of trespassing and loitering. Gunnels showed me a small patch of grass between a building and a fence. It was maybe eight square feet.
“See how small this space is,” he said. “A couple of my friends were just standing here the other day, not bothering anybody, when the owner of the property came out and threatened to call the cops.”
No SittingNo Public Restrooms. No Soliciting. Thank You.
Moving onto the sidewalk was not an option.
“They tell them that it’s still trespassing,” said Gunnels. “Now, if I were to stand here for a while, that’s OK, because I don’t look homeless.”
Everybody is waiting
‘Waiting On Division’ is not simply about a street in downtown Grand Rapids.
“It’s about division in every sense of the word,” said Gunnels. “What divides us as people, as humans.”
One observation became apparent to Gunnels early on: Everybody was waiting for something, whether waiting in line for food, to get in a shelter or waiting for a social services facility to open.
“There’s just a lot of waiting,” said Gunnels. He was convinced that one of the first people he met was just waiting for someone to be his friend.
I was with Gunnels when his friend, Michael offered up some photography equipment. Michael has some camera lenses in storage and wants to give them to Gunnels — for free. This, from a man who has little to nothing in the way of possessions.
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Gunnels said he sees countless such acts of giving and selflessness on the street. And he noted that many street people are surprised when Gunnels tells them he’ll be back and then returns. They’re so used to people blowing them off that a simple gesture of showing up moves them to tears.
Later on our walk, Gunnels introduced me to Amber and her friend, George. Amber looked rough around the edges. She was in pain and told Gunnels that she had pancreatitis — probably a result of her heavy drinking — and would be going to the hospital later in the day. Gunnels spent a good amount of time with her, listening and offering support. I found out later that Gunnels gave Amber a cell phone so that she could call him if she needed anything.
Such simple gestures as this go a long way.
“Amber writes poetry when she can, but it’s easy to lose things on the street,” said Gunnels. “It’s easy to lose a notebook or have it ruined by the rain, while you’re sleeping outside.”
All I can do is listen, film, be a messenger, and shed a few tears along the way.
On the ‘Waiting On Division’ Facebook page, Gunnels wrote, “It’s easy to lose things like pencils and paper, or even motivation to write. Motivation lost because somebody gave you a black eye and a swollen jaw, like Amber received just a few weeks ago. Motivation lost because of dehydration and difficulty staying in the shade on a 92-degree day, or out of the rain during a mid-summer thunderstorm.”
(To see Gunnels’s film of Amber reading her poem, ‘I’m a Bum,’ go here.)
Many of the people Gunnels meets are initially shy to be photographed, but once they get to know him, they open up.
“When I first met a man named Henry, he didn’t want my camera out,” Gunnels said. “After meeting him a few more times, he apologized because he said he thought he was rude towards me, and he then asked me to take his photo.
“This time, we were all hanging out and he asked if I would take my camera out again, so I did.”
Making a difference
“I guess I just hope that by explaining what I see and hear, I hope that others will hear and these stories make their way to somebody who can step up and actually help,” said Gunnels. “Respect is an important thing. If it is given, it will be received.”
One by one, Gunnels is making a difference. Since beginning the project earlier this year, Gunnels has helped get three people into rehab. A fourth was considering the option.
Portrait of Red by Tom Gunnels. When Gunnels and Red first met, Red was convinced he had only three months left to live. Gunnels helped get Red into rehab.
Social media plays a huge role in the project. People enjoy seeing themselves in photos and videos and proudly share these with their Facebook friends. The exposure gives them confidence. They feel they are valued.
Many of the folks downtown have a presence on Facebook — yet their own friends may have no idea that the person they see on Facebook has nowhere to live.
Being pushed out
Gunnels’s project comes at a time when friction between business owners and people on the street has steadily been increasing. Business owners in downtown GR see these folks as a nuisance and a deterrent to business. Signs in windows warn, “No Sitting” or “No Public Restrooms, No Soliciting, Thank You.”
The Saugatuck Center for the Arts and AWARE will host a co-fundraising event on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m. The fundraiser benefits AWARE’s scholarship fund and the SCA’s internship programs. The event, at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver Street, features cash bar and appetizers along with a screening of Tab Hunter: Confidential. Tickets are $25 and can be reserved at sc4a.org or 269-857-2399.
Guests can mingle under the SCA’s pavilion from 6 – 7 p.m., then adjourn to the theater and have an opportunity to meet AWARE scholarship winners and SCA interns.
The acclaimed documentary “Tab Hunter: Confidential” will then be screened. Called on of the “Top 10 Best LGBTQ-Themed Films of 2015” by Big Gay Picture Show, Tab Hunter: Confidential follows the movie star and his struggles to hide his sexuality during his years of stardom. This documentary, directed by award-winning filmmaker Jeffery Schwartz, tells Hunter’s turbulent and inspiring story.
SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong explained that the two non-profits worked together on the screening of Saugatuck Cures last summer and decided to continue the partnership. “We had positive feedback from guests about the co-fundraiser,” Armstrong said. “The event gives us an opportunity to raise funds for the important educational work both organizations are doing and to showcase key young professionals.”
AWARE President Jim Renberg added, “We’re excited to share a short film about two recent AWARE scholarship recipients at the event. The film was made by SCA intern Chelsie Bender. We love highlighting these students and sharing their stories with the community.”
There are also plenty of museums to choose from: the elegant mansion cum art museum, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, up on a hill with waterfall fountains pouring down, and room after room of amazing art, including the religious, the surreal, the old and the new.
Music doesn’t get started until 10 pm or later, and many places stay active until 5 am. Too late for me, but I did catch the first set at a flamenco bar, a tiny basement-like place, which happened to be hidden in the red light district.
Sitges is a cool little beach town, a short train ride away from busy Barcelona. Not that Sitges isn’t busy, but it’s not the millions-of-bodies-packed-into-a-city busy that is Barcelona. We went on a rainy, heavy gray cloud-studded day, only to have the sun come out and brighten our world after lunch — the best of both worlds. Time to savor the local seafood cuisine while the skies unloaded their wet burden, and then time to soak up the sun and splash in the waves as well. You can even shop on the beach.
About Lynn Strough
Of all the beer festivals in Michigan, WABF resonates with taste trippers, explorers and fans of community building. Recently voted “3rd Best Beer Festival” in West Michigan in a reader’s choice poll, Wood-Aged Beer Festival not only offers the unique beer tasting experience but also festival foods from the acclaimed Brewery Vivant kitchen.
About Lynn Strough
The acclaimed documentary “Tab Hunter: Confidential” will then be screened. Called on of the “Top 10 Best LGBTQ-Themed Films of 2015” by Big Gay Picture Show, Tab Hunter: Confidential follows the movie star and his struggles to hide his sexuality during his years of stardom. This documentary, directed by award-winning filmmaker Jeffery Schwartz, tells Hunter’s turbulent and inspiring story.