Category Archives: 3-bottom

Civic Theatre teaches us all that there is more to freckles than you thought

April 25, 20163-bottom, EntertainmentJoanne

Hailey Clack, as Emily, professes how much she likes her classmate Danny. (Photo courtesy of Studio3twenty) — Hailey Clack, as Emily, professes how much she likes her classmate Danny in “Freckleface Strawberry.” (Photo courtesy of Studio3twenty)

Before the review, a full disclosure: I had never heard of “Freckleface Strawberry” until a notice from Grand Rapids Civic Theatre reminding me it was the upcoming children’s theater production. While the book came out when my daughters were 7 and 9, and certainly would have been in their reading level, they gravitated to such titles as “Pinkalicious” and “Fancy Nancy,” both of which had come out a year or two before “Freckleface Strawberry.”

My guess why actress Julianne Moore’s book never made it into our reading repertoire would be that we hadn’t had to deal with freckles, much less red hair. So in our household, when you say “Freckleface Strawberry,” you are bound to get the response my husband said as I was on my way out the door to see Civic’s production: “Oh, Strawberry Shortcake.”

It was actually an interview with Civic’s Associate Director Allyson Paris, who was directing the show, that piqued my interested. The comment that caught my attention was that the musical was smart and funny. “It’s upbeat, modern and really refreshing.”

The Freckle Mafia lead by actor Steve Place. (Photo courtesy of Studio3twenty.)

I tend to seek out shows I have not seen before and with that kind of positive preview, I convinced my now 15-year-old daughter to go with the promise it would only be an hour (and it was to about the exact minute) and that we would have frozen yogurt afterwards to reflect on the production.

We both agreed that the caliber of a Grand Rapids Civic Theatre production is about bar none. If you want to see a good show at a decent price (tickets for “Freckleface Strawberry are $10 – $16), go see a Grand Rapids Civic Theatre production. If you’ve got an hour between now and May 1, go see “Freckleface Strawberry the Musical.” Kids are optional as this show about a 7-year-old learning to accept who she is has a message for everyone – young, old and in between. And the cast will literally dance its way into your heart thanks to the amazing choreography of William Shutte.

Speaking of the cast, it is full of characters each having their own moment which helps to story to unfold. Those moments started with Hailey Clack, as Emily, with her “love” song “I Like Danny;” the duet between Elizabeth Foster, as ballet girl, and Abbie Westers, as Freckleface Strawberry, in “Lonely Girl” (coincidentally both girls played Jane Banks in Civic Theatre’s 2015 production of “Mary Poppins;” and Gabriel Buskard’s, as Jake, nearly perfect pitch in the gospel-like “When You Got Friends.”

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Freckle Mafia lead by familiar Civic Theatre face Steve Place. Place and his crew, featuring Ashlyn Fitch, Sarah Hughes, and Ellie Brower, have almost perfect comedic timing giving everyone something to giggle about.

And finally there is Lindsay Tallman who demonstrates her range playing the new age, free spirited teacher, performing “Creative Mind” to the low key, wisdom-filled mother who delivers the most potent message of all when she sings “childhood is but a moment” in “Once Upon a Time.”

Still this is a production for children and being such is packed with insightful songs that are designed to get its message across – we are all different and that’s the best part.

“Freckleface Strawberry the Musical” runs through May 1 at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. For tickets, visit grct.org.

Got Drugs? Kentwood, Wyoming offer safe way to dispose of old, unused meds

April 25, 20163-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of WyomingDave Oostindie, drug-take back, drugs, Kentwood, prescription, WyomingJoanne

Both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming will be hosting drug take back programs on April 30.

April 30 is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming are participating with drug take back programs on that day.

The Kentwood Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will be accepting medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. For specific questions on the Kentwood program, call 656-6571.

The City of Wyoming has once again teamed up with Metro Health Hospital with its program also from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday, April 30, in the main lobby of Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. A pharmacist will be available to answer questions. Also at the Metro Health site, those with mercury thermometers can exchange those items for a new digital thermometer.

Drug take back programs like the ones in Kentwood and Wyoming are designed to help with the environment in that it increases awareness about placing medications in the trash or flushing them down the toilet, a practice that is now strongly discouraged as it can create safety and health hazards.

“The main thing for us is to keep it out of our water system,” said Wyoming’s Environmental Services Supervisor Dave Oostindie. “If it gets in, it ends up going into the Grand River which feeds into Lake Michigan which is where we pull our water supply from and eventually return back to the residents.”

Also, medications that are forgotten in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that 44 people a day die from drug overdoses. That number has tripled since 2000. A majority of abused prescription drugs, such as opioid pain relievers found in homes, are obtained from family and friends with Oostindie noting often the meds are stolen right out of people’s medical cabinets.

Residents from both cities are encouraged to bring in unused and expired prescription and over-the-counter medications to their city’s respective drop-off site. Both sites are free and anonymous with no questions asked.

Kentwood officials noted that every year they have a number of people bring items that are not accepted such as needles and medical equipment. You can can check with specific organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, but many groups pointed to the Kent County Health Department as a good place to start for information on disposal of medical equipment and supplies. Recyclekent.org offers a number of resources on recycling for a variety of materials including hazardous material and medical equipment and supplies.

Needles: The recyclekent.org website recently added a program called Safe Sharps, where residents can sign up at the Kent County Health Department. For more information, visit recyclekent.org/material/sharps/. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) also has a list places to take needles. Click here for the list.

Medical equipment: Recyclekent.org has a list of places that either recycle or dispose of the equipment or you can donate medical equipment to them. For a complete list, click here. One place that does take medical equipment is Spring Lake’s International Aid. For more about that organization, visit internationalaid.org.

Eye glasses: The Grand Rapids Lions Club has several locations where you can drop off old eyeglasses. For a complete list, click here.

There is also the West Michigan Take Back Meds program. a joint effort between local pharmacies, law enforcement, wastewater treatment facilities and government agencies to provide safe, convenient medicine disposal.

Medications collected in West Michigan are brought to Kent Countys Waste to Energy Facility, where the items are incinerated. Metro Health and the City of Wyoming partner twice a year to provide this service. Last fall’s Wyoming event brought in 169 pounds of medication and 18 thermometers.

The City of Wyoming also offers a prescription drug drop-off service 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at its Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW.

WKTV airs Saugatuck Short Film Festival in support of this year’s call for entries

April 25, 20163-bottom, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, WKTV ProjectsAngela Peavey, Saugatuck, Saugatuck Center for the Arts, Saugatuck Short Film Festival, SCA, WKTVJoanne

Last year's Saugatuck xxxxxxxx — Last year’s Saugatuck Short Film Festival will be aired on WKTV this week.

The Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver St., Saugatuck, is calling all filmmakers to submit their short films to the fourth annual Saugatuck Shorts Film Competition.

This year marks the fourth year of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ (SCA) film competition, where 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 (high school students and younger) are free, and adults (college 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, 9, and can be completed at sc4a.org.

“Over the past three 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 ten 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, WKTV will also feature the top ten juried films on their station.

WKTV will be airing last year’s 3rd Annual Saugatuck Shorts Film Festival Tuesday, April 26, at 9 p.m. and again Saturday, April 30 at 10 p.m. on Comcast, channel 25.

WKTV is a community television station located at 5261 Clyde Park Ave. SW. 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 here.

Black April event at WKTV

April 22, 20163-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Upcoming EventsAdrian Dang, Black April, Vietnam, WKTVJoanne

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By: Adrian Dang

On April 30, WKTV will host an evening to commemorate, through the lenses of music, the fateful Black Friday April event in Vietnam 41 years ago.

The event starts promptly at 7 p.m. Admission is free and please be on time.

Late start, early closure of carnival puts a dent in city’s profits

April 21, 20163-bottom, City of Wyoming, Hard Newscarnival, City of Wyoming, Rebecca Rynbrandt, shootings, weatherJoanne

Due to a late start followed by an early closure of its carnival, City of Wyoming officials expect its revenues to be “significantly” less than last year, coming in under $10,000, way below the $30,000 goal.

Wintry weather caused a delay in the opening of the spring carnival, moving the opening from Friday, April 8, to Monday, April 11. Despite the delay, city officials said if the weather cooperated, they felt they could make their goals.

The weather did turn warmer, but the city closed the carnival at various times on Thursday and Friday due to shooting incidents near the event. City officials officially announced the shutdown of the annual event at the former Studio 28 parking lot on the morning of April 16, about two days before the scheduled conclusion. City officials made the decision to close the carnival because of the shooting incidents. The first was on Thursday, April 14, when a 19-year-old man showed up at Metro Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. While witnesses to the shooting were uncooperative, Wyoming police officers believed the this shooting took place in the parking lot next to 1350 28th St. SW.

On Friday, April 15, officers heard a gunshot in a parking lot south of the carnival. The officers witnessed a vehicle leaving and made a traffic stop, discovering two guns and arresting three people on weapon charges. Both events are still under investigation.

“We are still working on the final numbers,” said Wyoming’s Community Services Director Rebecca Rynbrandt about the carnival, adding that the city is working with the carnival vendor on expenses he had to incur do to the early closure.

“We are expecting our portion to be significantly less than what we had hoped,” Rynbrandt said. She said that the estimated amount is less than $10,000. Last year, the city earned about $26,000. The money from the carnival is split between the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance (GWRCA). The Parks and Recreation Department uses the money to help with park needs. The GWRCA funds youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Parks and Recreation Department.

Rynbrandt said officials will be reviewing park needs and funding along with meeting with GWRCA to assess funding and programs.

As for the future of the carnival, Rynbrandt said the city is still reviewing all of its options.

“One thing people should be aware is that carnivals themselves are not bad and provide wonderful services in the city of Wyoming,” Rynbrandt said, emphasizing that none of the incidents took place at the carnival. Rynbrandt added that city officials want to wrap up this year’s event and then take a step back to look at everything such as location and time of year.

“Our number one priority is public safety,” Rynbrandt said. “As sponsor of the event we hold ourselves to a much higher accountability in that regards.”

Captain Kim Koster, from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety echoed the city’s commitment to safety of its residents and visitors. With safety at the forefront, Koster said the department is working with other organizers on upcoming city events.

“Our Department of Public Safety has and will continue to worked with the Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce and the participating businesses to determine and provide the appropriate level of police presence for the Metro Cruise, and we are always happy to work with other community organizations to plan for similar events.,” Koster said. “Similarly, public safety has worked with the Community Clean-Up Day [which takes place this Saturday] committee to determine the appropriate level of police presence for the day’s activities.”

Rynbrandt noted that the city does accept donations for its park and recreation programs. Anyone interested in donating, should contact the City of Wyoming’s Park and Recreation Department.

In Cambodia: The Magical Tale of Mr. Yen

April 21, 20163-bottom, Education, Local Faces, TravelAngkor Wat, Cambodia, Mr. Yen, Siem Reap, tuk tukJoanne

By Lynn Strough
Travelynn Tales

This is the third installment chronicling the adventures of Lynn Strough, a local artist and writer who’s been traveling the world since November 2014. Lynn’s travels have (so far) taken her to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, England, France, Italy… and I’m sure we’re forgetting a few destinations. To learn more about her journey, go here.

He grew up in a village in Cambodia, and was working in the rice fields with his parents, making very little money and getting nowhere, so he decided to try his luck by moving to the city of Siem Reap to look for a job, which he found as a tuk tuk driver at the guesthouse where I was staying.

“I have a confession to make,” Mr. Yen told me, as we ate lunch on my day trip to Angkor Wat. “The reason I was late this morning to pick you up was because I was sleeping. I have a second job.”

He explained that his first job in Siem Reap is at a 5-star hotel, working in night security. But it doesn’t pay enough to live on ($60 a month), so he went looking for a second job, and after much searching and rejection (I know what that’s like!), he was tested driving a tuk tuk at the Okay Guesthouse, had to drive the owner and his family around, and then he was hired! I told him he’s persistent, and he was happy he learned a new word in English today.

What else I found out alarmed me. A friend who told me about this guesthouse, had also told me that the drivers, if hired through the hotel, only get about $2 of the $18 that the hotel charges to go to Angkor Wat for the day. So I asked him if this is true. He said he gets paid $60 a month at each job, and I said “So about $15 a week for each job?” He said yes, and I asked how many days a week he works. I was shocked when he said seven–no days off!! That’s about $2 a day, per job, and he works really long hours. Today it was 5 am to almost 6 pm, just at the guesthouse job. Then he goes to his other job at either 8 or 10 pm and works all night. That gives him about two to four hours a day to eat and sleep. No sleeping on the job allowed of course; there are security cameras.

At the other hotel, rooms go for $200-400 a night (mine was $23 at my guesthouse). He’s providing security at $2 a day for people who can afford a $400 a night hotel room. I asked him how much it costs to buy a tuk tuk and he said new, about $900, so he can’t afford his own, although he’s trying to save for one. For work, he uses the guesthouse tuk tuk. So a few nights’ cost to stay at that other hotel could buy someone like him a brand new tuk tuk!

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I first met Mr. Yen at the airport, where he greeted me with a sign with my name on it and a huge grin, to give me a ride to my guesthouse. He picked up my backpack, even though he’s smaller than I am, and had me follow him past the rows of cars to a tuk tuk, a sort of carriage attached to a motorcycle, where he helped me aboard and proceeded to skillfully navigate the crazy Siem Reap traffic.

I couldn’t figure it out – the road appeared to be one-way, with a cement divider between us and the traffic going the other direction. However, sometimes, suddenly, traffic would appear coming head-on on our side of the divide, usually something big, like a bus.

We made it safely, and when he offered to be my driver to Angkor Wat the next day, I remembered what my friend said, to hire the drivers outside the hotel, rather than book through the hotel, so the driver gets to keep all of the money. But when I asked Mr. Yen if I can do this, he said that he’s paid a salary by Okay Guesthouse, and would get in trouble doing it outside. So I hired him through the guesthouse.

He was an excellent driver, told me lots about the temples, and made sure I got to places either before or after the biggest crowds. When I treated him to lunch, he was delighted, and we shared stories of our families – his parents are still in the village working in the rice fields, and he tries to send them money when he can. That’s when I asked about his pay, and he confessed to being a little tired, and why. I’d noticed other tuk tuk drivers had hammocks that they’d hung in their vehicles to take a nap in while their customers climbed the ruins, and thought I might buy him a hammock.

Later, talking to my friend Beth in Michigan via FaceTime, I told her about Mr. Yen, and without thinking, I said, “If I had a job and the money right now, I’d buy him a tuk tuk. Then he could have his own business, quit the other jobs, work reasonable hours and keep all of the income.”

Without hesitation, Beth said, “Can I buy him a tuk tuk?” I was stunned. Was she serious? “Absolutely!” she told me. “If you can figure out how to do it, I will pay for it.”

And so began the quest to buy Mr. Yen his own tuk tuk.

It was a little trickier than I thought. First, I wondered if it was a good idea to interfere in someone’s life like that – would he use the money for what it was intended? Beth taught me a lesson in giving here – she said it’s a gift with no strings attached. If he decided to give the money to his family or spend the money some other way, that’s his choice. And I wondered if his sudden windfall would somehow make him a target for jealousy or other related problems.

But a woman I met while eating dinner that night, when I told her the story, said, “This is an opportunity to change someone’s life for the better. How can you not do it?!” I thought she was right, so I set off to figure out how to make this happen in the three days I had left in Siem Reap, as there was a fast approaching end in sight to my time here.

I didn’t want to tell Mr. Yen anything about it until I was sure we could pull it off. First, I did some research on line about tuk tuks and found out that yes, a new one costs about $900, but that didn’t include the motorcycle, which brought it up to more like $2000. When I told this to Beth, she said, “Then that’s what I shall give him.” But how to transfer the money? I have a small limit on my credit card, and my bank only allows a limited amount of funds removed each day. Is there a Western Union? Beth asked.

When I next saw Mr. Yen, I asked him a few questions. First, if he has a motorcycle. When he said no, and I asked how he gets to his jobs, he said he walks, or borrows a scooter from a friend. When I asked him what it costs to buy a motorcycle, he told me about $1100, which fit in with my research. So I told him that even though I don’t have a job or much money right now, I have a friend in America who wants to help him buy a tuk tuk so he can start his own business. The look on his face was priceless! He couldn’t believe it!

“Oh, thank you, thank you!!” he said, hugging me, then getting down on his knees. I was a little embarrassed, that was totally unnecessary. “You have changed my life!!” he went on. Then suddenly, he stopped. “But your friend, she doesn’t know me, has never met me…” and I explained that I told her about his situation, and that she trusts me, and wants to help him. His exuberance reappeared instantly.

“But we need to figure out how to get the money from America to here,” I told him, and asked about Western Union. He didn’t know about that, but said he has a savings account, where he’s managed to save $300 towards buying a tuk tuk, and she could maybe transfer the money to his account. So he took me to his bank, where the manager printed out a form with all of the account information on it, and told me to take it back to the states with me to my bank. When I explained I wasn’t going back just yet, and it was my friend sending the money, he said I could take a picture of the form with my phone and email it to Beth back in Michigan. Sometimes technology amazes me. “It might take two to five days to go through,” the bank clerk told us.

The next two days, Mr. Yen was gone. His grandfather had fallen ill, and he needed to help his parents get him to the hospital. On my last day in Siem Reap, I asked the guesthouse if I could hire him for a couple of hours to run some errands – go to my ATM to get money to pay my guesthouse bill (they only take cash), check out the local temple, and so on. When Mr. Yen appeared, I explained my errands, and also said, if he’d like, we could go to his bank to see if the money went through yet, and then go tuk tuk shopping!

He was thrilled! And even more so when we discovered that the money did indeed arrive, and he saw the amount. I hadn’t told him that Beth was sending $2000, instead of $900, so that he could buy a motorcycle as well as a tuk tuk, and still have the $300 he’d saved to go towards license, registration, and a helmet of his own.

I said now he can quit his jobs, have his own business, and have time to sleep! He said, “And I can go back to school!” I asked what he wanted to go to school for, and he said to speak better English.

Then we headed out to look at tuk tuks. At first, I wondered where he was taking me, as instead of driving to the highway filled with big stores and showrooms, he took me down a rutted dirt alleyway lined with shacks. Until I saw one particularly big shack, and I understood…

He has since emailed both Beth and I to thank us for our kindness, and later, to say that he has ordered his tuk tuk (they can take 20 days to make) and will quit at least one of his jobs when it is finished. I hope to see his tuk tuk, but even if those photos never arrive, it feels good to have helped someone along my journey, and I wish him much success in life. He is only 22, and now has the opportunity for a brighter future, where he can work hard, but also get some sleep, help his family, and perhaps one day have a family of his own. Thank you Beth, for making all of this possible!!

*Note: Mr. Yen is the name I was given at the guest house, and the name on their tuk tuk. His actual name is a little different, and longer, but for the sake of privacy I have left it as Mr. Yen. If or when those pictures come in, I will add them to this post!

**Mr. Yen did get his tuk tuk, and as promised, sent us pictures. It is blue like the sky.

About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50-something year old woman 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

Reprinted with permission

Tuesday Evening Music Club brings talent to Frederik Meijer Gardens

April 21, 20163-bottom, Entertainment, Local EntertainmentComplicated Animals, Delilah DeWylde, Frederik Meijer Gardens, Ralston BowlesJoanne

Complicated Animals performs at the Frederik Meijer Gardens. — Complicated Animals performs at the Frederik Meijer Gardens July 19.

Along with its annual Summer Concert Series, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park also hosts the Tuesday Evening Music Club during the summer and announced the line-up to that series earlier this week.

The Tuesday Evening Music Club brings talented local and regional musicians to the Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater stage Tuesday evenings—free to Meijer Gardens members and included in admission for other guests—throughout July and August. The 1,900-seat Amphitheater Garden is one of the most unique and intimate venues in Michigan.

Show times are listed.

Tracing The Roots, July 5 at 7 p.m.
Various artists perform a musical montage that traces the evolution of hip-hop, jazz and blues from their African roots.

G-RAPS, July 12 at 7 p.m.
La Famiglia front man Mike G performs with and hosts this gathering of the most talented hip-hop artists in the city, backed by his band and R&B vocalists.

Camille and Complicated Animals, July 19 at 7 p.m.
Camille: A multi-instrumentalist and songstress that brings a modern flare to classic crooning.
Complicated Animals:: A fusion of indie-pop and Brazilian Bossa Nova, or “Indie-Nova.”

Zion Lion and The Mark Lavengood Bluegrass Bonanza, July 26 at 7 p.m.
Zion Lion: A mixture of reggae, calypso, soca, and zoukous.
The Mark Lavengood Bluegrass Bonanza: High-energy, toe-tappin’, traditional bluegrass.

Dave Hardin and Brother Adams, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m.
Dave Hardin: Veteran singer-songwriter of the West Michigan scene, specializing in vintage country ballads.
Brother Adams: A mixture of folk, alt-country, and psychedelic rock.

Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe and Delilah DeWylde & The Lost Boys, August 9 at 7 p.m.
Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe: A gypsy swing folk band.
Delilah DeWylde & The Lost Boys: Rockabilly and 1950s style rock and roll.

Deep Greens & Blues and Nicholas James & The Band Wagon, August 16 at 7 p.m.
Deep Greens & Blues: A mixture of modern and alt-country, 70’s folk, and southern blues.
Nicholas James & The Band Wagon: Country-folk, with a hint of zydeco, and story-driven lyrics.

Cultivating Peace, August 23 at 7 p.m.
Cultivating Peace: An evening of sacred world music traditions, featuring various artists.

Ralston & Friends, August 30 at 7 p.m.
Ralston & Friends: Local music icon Ralston Bowles shares the stage with friends and collaborators from the community and beyond.

To become a member or renew a membership, visit MeijerGardens.org/Membership

Code Red Robotics moving on to World Finals

April 20, 20163-bottom, Area Education, Education, Non-Profits, Tech Trends, Upcoming EventsCode Red Robotics, FIRST in Michigan, World TournamentJoanne

By: Mike DeWitt

After a strong showing at the FIRST in Michigan State Championship, Kentwood’s own Code Red Robotics has earned a bid to the World Finals in St. Louis from April 27-30.

The State Championship at the DeltaPlex saw Code Red Robotics finish 11th in the qualifying rounds before eventually bowing out in the quarterfinals.

WKTV News will be sure to keep up on their journey!

It doesn’t have to be a hassle: Recycling Technology

April 20, 20163-bottom, Non-Profits, Recycling, Tech TrendsBest Buy, Comprenew, Deidre Doezema-Burkholder, Earth Day, Kent County Recycling Facility, Recycling TechnologyJoanne

By: Deidre Doezma-Burkholder

Earth Day is a day we are supposed to take time to take care of this planet we call home. We live here, and just like no one likes a messy house, a messy earth isn’t something fun to be in. I always try to do my part… I recycle, a lot. My recycling bin is nearly always filled to the brim by the time collection day comes. I donate clothes that are still in good condition but no longer fit my current styles. I even recycle my egg cartons to a neighbor that has several laying hens!

However, even I can get lazy with recycling, especially when it comes to technology. Technology feels like a little more effort needs to be put forth. Most of our technology goods can be recycled… but where? How? Ugh, I’ll just deal with it later.

Well my friends, later is now! This year is the year that we clean up our technology that we have cast aside. Let’s start with Comprenew.

Comprenew is a company headquartered in Grand Rapids that has over 20 recycle drop-off locations throughout Michigan, including four refurbished electronic retail stores. The revenue generated goes directly back into the community by funding Comprenew’s educational and workforce development programs.

On Earth Day, Friday, April 22, Comprenew will be in downtown Grand Rapids along Monroe Center in front of Rosa Parks Circle collecting CRT’s, for certified recycling. Residents can drop off unwanted CRTs, for a small fee, from 8am to 2pm.

Best Buy has a large recycling program with a goal of recycling 2 billion pounds of electronics – from batteries, cameras, appliances, and even your phone – by 2020.

Looking to upgrade your phone? Best Buy and certain cellular providers offer trade-in value for you phone.

Have an iPhone that is past its prime? Check out what Apple is doing with old phones they are getting back. Liam was recently introduced to the world and this is a pretty cool recovery robot. Speaking of Apple, through April 24 Apple is donating 100% of the proceeds from participating apps and in-app purchases to help support WWF.

Lastly, if you really want to see the tech behind recycling, make sure to schedule a trip to our own Recycling Facility. Kent County allows scheduled tours of their three facilities to help educate kids on what happens after the recycling truck stops by.

With all this great, new technology coming at us faster each and every year, it’s important to recycle the old once we’ve moved on to the new. Recycle today for a longer tomorrow.

Deidre owns and operates Organisum: Technology Services, a business serving the West Michigan area. In her free time she likes to hike & bike local trails with friends and family when she isn’t pinning, instagram’ing or Netflix’ing.

A tutorial on how to get your hands on those Frederik Meijer Garden concert tickets

April 19, 20163-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming EventsFrederik Meijer Gardens, Jackson Browne, Summer Concert Series, Tears for FearsJoanne

The Greater Grand Rapids area was all a buzz last week. Not only did Garth Brooks tickets go on sale – with 60,000 tickets sold for six-concerts in one day – but the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park released its 2016 summer concert series line-up as well.

And it is quite the line-up with a mixture of returning favorites, Grace Potter, Gavin DeGraw, and The Beach Boys, and some who have never performed at the Gardens’ outdoor amphitheater such as opener Tears for Fears and Motown’s darling Diana Ross.

“We brought back some such as Jackson Browne because his show sold out so quickly last year and so now those who didn’t get to see him might have the chance to do so,” said Andrea Wolschleger, whose last task as public relations manager for the Frederik Meijer Gardens was promoting the summer concert series. “It really is a nice mix of returning favorites and new faces.”

While tickets are a hot item, with the Gardens at about 95 percent sold for the 2015 summer series, Wolschleger said there is a misnomer that all the concerts sellout right away during the members-only preview sale.

“Actually during the member sale, we might have five or six of the concerts sellout,” Wolschleger said. There are around 30 concerts in the series starting with Tears for Fears on June 6 and ending with Gavin DeGraw and Andy Grammar on Sept. 7.

Of course, If you are really hoping to snag those tickets for Diana Ross, the best chance is to be a member of the Gardens since the member-only sale starts at 9 a.m. April 30.

“I would recommend becoming a member before April 30,” Wolschleger said. “You are going to want to be able to get online right away at 9 a.m. If you try to get your membership done that same day you might have problems getting online for the members’ sale.”

Becoming a Gardens member – which starts at $50 for an individual ($30 for a student) – now or even a few days before means any problems can be resolved before the sale starts, Wolschleger said. Members also save $2 a ticket. There is an $8 per order handling fee through StarTickets. For the general public, there is a $3.50 handling fee per order plus a $5.25 convenience fee per ticket. There are no fees for tickets purchased through the Meijer Gardens Admission desk during normal business hours.

Members have until midnight May 13 to order tickets. Starting at 9 a.m. May 14, tickets are released to the general public. For a complete list of performers, dates and times, click here.

The amphitheater seats 1,900 and is general admission. Blankets and low-rise chairs that are 32 inches maximum from ground to highest position of the chair are allowed. A limited number of standard-height chairs will be available to rent for $5 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Concertgoers may bring their own food, bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages. For complete guidelines, click here.

Haiku for you

April 18, 20163-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Volunteers, WKTV ProjectsDylan Rettler, Haiku Poem, Haiku Poetry Day, Katelyn Kohane, Kathryn Gray, Mike DeWitt, National Poetry MonthJoanne

With April being National Poetry Month, and yesterday being Haiku Poetry Day, a few citizen reporters tried their hand at the art of the traditional Japanese poetry and its 17 syllables.

by Dylan Rettler

I ask for insight
Ashen sky of you and I
On this phoenixed flight

by Kathryn Gray

Stories to be told
Warm fingers on the keyboard
Awake hearts and minds

by Katelyn Kohane

No worries or cares
Relaxing beside the water
Watching waves roll by

And WKTV News editors Mike DeWitt and Victoria Mullen even gave it a shot!

by Mike DeWitt

Recruiting Writers
Take it one step at a time
To write from the heart

by Victoria Mullen

hello poetry

I wish to celebrate you

with a fine Haiku

5th Annual GRJazzFest announces line-up April 27

April 18, 20163-bottom, Beer, Entertainment, Food, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Non-Profits, Upcoming EventsBeer, DTE energy foundation, entertainment, family-friendly, Festival, food, free, GRandJazzFest, Music, rosa parks circleJoanne

By GRandJazzFest

Summer’s still quite a way off, but it’s never too early to get excited about good jazz!

GRandJazzFest presented by DTE Energy Foundation returns to Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., this Aug. 20 and 21, for the fifth annual festival. The popular family-friendly festival, which attracted more than 10,000 people last year, is West Michigan’s only free, weekend-long jazz festival. The two-day festival will again be free because of Presenting Sponsor DTE Energy Foundation, the City of Grand Rapids and other sponsoring organizations and individuals.

Edye-Evans-Hyde — Edye Evans Hyde performed last year

“Grand Rapids and West Michigan have embraced GRandJazzFest,” founder Audrey Sundstrom said. “We’re proud to say GRandJazzFest is one of the most diverse, community-oriented festivals for people who live here, who travel here, and who want to enjoy two days of great live music in a vibrant downtown setting. THIS is what community is all about.”

Each year, GRandJazzFest has been held at Rosa Parks Circle in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids to enable festival-goers to take in all that downtown has to offer: restaurants, clubs, museums, microbreweries and shops. The festival typically occurs during Restaurant Week in Grand Rapids. The festival’s location provides easy access to those who ride the bus, walk or bike, and is also close to parking.

The 2016 festival lineup will be announced on April 27 at the House of Entertainment and Music (H.O.M.E.) at The B.O.B. That night at H.O.M.E., the band Evidence led by saxophonist Michael Doyle takes the stage. Evidence performed at the 2014 GRandJazzFest.

Like last year’s reveal, festival organizers will coordinate with leaders at International Jazz Day to include GRandJazzFest’s reveal announcement as a sanctioned International Jazz Day event.

At the 2016 festival in August, 11 diverse jazz artists and bands will perform, including a student jazz band and two major headline acts.

Walt-Gutowski1 — Walt Gutowski performed last year

Free face painting by Fancy Faces will be available for kids and, if lines aren’t too long, for “kids at heart.”

GR and Jazz (the non-profit, all-volunteer-run producer of GRandJazzFest) is pleased to announce a special collaboration with the Grand Rapids Art Museum: Under an agreement with GRAM, the festival’s VIP area will be located on the GRAM front terrace where refreshments and snacks will be provided. The VIP area is for sponsors of GRandJazzFest. Additionally, GRAM will have an outdoor bar area set up at the base of its front steps adjoining Rosa Parks Circle for attendees who would like to purchase and consume refreshments and enjoy the festival.

Grand Rapids city commissioners approved GRandJazzFest as one of 24 events that it will co-sponsor in 2016, a distinction only given to events that have proven to be successful and enrich the community. GRandJazzFest 2015 received distinction as a Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Signature Event along with two other festivals, ArtPrize and LaughFest.

In addition to DTE Energy Foundation, the City of Grand Rapids, and GRAM, sponsors for the 2016 event to date include GR and Jazz, IntentPR, Gilmore Collection, Comcast, Hilger Hammond, Amway Hotel Corporation, Experience Grand Rapids, ICON Sign, Meijer, Moxie Men Incorporated, Hungerford Nichols, WGVU, Steelcase and Clark Hill. Sponsorship opportunities are here.

Grupo-Aye — Grupo Aye performed last year

“We are so grateful to all of our sponsors for their support – we could not do it without them,” Sundstrom said. “We’re seeking additional sponsors to help us bring a full weekend of FREE, family-friendly live jazz performances to West Michigan!”

Get a taste of past GRandJazzFests by viewing the “recap” videos here.

More information on the 5^th annual GRandJazzFest presented by DTE Energy Foundation can be found here and at the festival’s Facebook and Twitter sites.

The Corner Record Shop successfully celebrates Record Store Day

April 18, 20163-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local BusinessCorner Record Shop, Karthryn Gray, Kathy Gray, Record Store DayJoanne

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The Corner Record Shop (3562 Chicago Drive SW) in Grandville celebrated National Record Story Day on Saturday, April 16, 2016. This local business, who has been in Grandville for more than 17 years, was thrilled with the beautiful sunny weather for the event.

Doors opened at 11 a.m. to a line of loyal customers who love to search through vinyl, CD’s, tapes, and 45’s looking for long-ago favorites or something new to tempt their earbuds!

This is the 9th year the Corner Record Shop has celebrated Record Store Day. As expected, the day was a huge success. Per John behind the register, “It’s like Christmas in April!”

Throughout the day there were live music performances by Brief Candles, Fiona Dickinson, Overly Polite Tornadoes, Great Black Night, and Vida Eterna.

Corner Record Shop has something for everyone who loves music. Don’t worry if you don’t have a turntable anymore… Wayback Audio is ready to meet your needs!

Kathy is a long-time employee with Spectrum Health. She has been married for 28 years to her wonderful husband, Duke. Together they have 2 children, Emily and Daniel. In her free time she enjoys volunteering with the Casting Bread Mobile Food Pantry at Kentwood Christian Church, making sandwiches at Kids Food Basket, and leading Ladies Bible Study on Thursday nights. Writing has been her passion since elementary school and she loves to write about how others enjoy what they are passionate about!

Why “Giỗ Tổ Hùng Vương” and an abbreviated Overview of Vietnam History

April 15, 20163-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Our Cities, Upcoming EventsAdrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh, Vietnam, Vietnam forefathersJoanne

By: Adrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh

The Hung Vuong Era, which spanned 28 generations, is officially recognized and accredited as the founding forefathers of Vietnam. Prehistoric Vietnam dates back much further. The Association of Senior Vietnamese-Americans in the Grand Rapids Metro Area is organizing a commemorative event to honor the founding forefathers of Vietnam. This year, the formal event will take place on April 16th, 2016 at the Little Saigon Plaza on 28th Street, beginning at 2:00 PM.

It is the most appropriate time to recite on the ancient history of Vietnam so we could have some basic understanding of another culture in our diverse community, and also to potentially share with our friends who have Vietnamese heritage the sentiments of one of their important days.

Prehistoric information, according to historians and archeologists, shows evidence of human dwelling and activities as early as the Paleolithic Age. Evidence of Homo Erectus presence dating back to 500,000 BC were found in caves around the Lạng Sơn and Nghệ An provinces of Northern Vietnam in 1965. There have also been human fossils from the middle and late Pleistocene Age discovered in other unfrequented caves in Vietnam. Fossilized homo-sapiens teeth help calculate the timeframe of the findings through archeological excavations.

Legend has it that the Vietnamese “breed” of people derived from an ancient couple – Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ – much like Adam and Eve of the Western world. The man was a descendant of the dragon, and the woman was a fairy. The legendary couple gave birth to a large sac of 100 eggs. The eggs hatched and gave life to 100 children. Fifty of the children went to live toward the ocean and explored the coastal areas while the other fifty offspring went toward the mountains to explore land. The developments and multiplications gave rise to the people of Vietnam, and later, their nation.

Vietnam has been recognized as a nation for about 4,900 years. This small country started in the Ɖộng Ɖình Hồ region among numerous other non-Chinese groups who inhabited in the southern part of China known as the Bach Viet group, where “Bach” means 100.

The first kings of Vietnam belonged to the Hùng Vương Era which lasted twenty-eight generations. This period is called the Hồng Bàng Period in history. During these generations, the kings and the people mostly kept adding richness to the Vietnamese culture in different facets. They also added population and expanded their homeland border southward. There were no specific recordings of the dynasty’s specific achievements or accomplishments, yet there were plenty legends told to explain of how certain customs and habits came about throughout the millenniums. But without the Hùng Vương Era, the country of Vietnam would not have started and become of what it is today.

The Vietnamese throughout the world commemorate the Hùng Vương’s day annually. This date falls on the 10th day of the 3rd month on the eastern lunar calendar. Since the lunar calendar does not coincide with the Julian-solar calendar, this historic celebration date changes from year to year. This year, per the solar calendar, the celebration occurs on April 16th.

After the Hùng Vương Era, the history has been recorded more accurately and completely. The country of Vietnam was monarchically ruled by several dynasties with the kingdom passed down from one king to another within the family names. The 6 main dynasties proceeded in order as: Ɖinh, Lê, Lý, Trần, Lê, Nguyễn. The Đinh dynasty started with Ɖinh Bộ Lĩnh who later became Ɖinh Tiên Hoàng, the founding monarch of the Ɖinh dynasty in 968 AD. He named the country Ɖại Cồ Việt and set up the capital in Hoa Lư. The name lasted through the Lê Dynasty until the second king of the Lý Dynasty, Lý Thánh Tông, changed it to Ɖại Việt in 1054. The first king under the Lý family name was Lý Thái Tổ, who then moved the capital of the country to Thăng Long from Hoa Lư, but he never changed the name of the nation. Thăng Long is now known as Hanoi, the current capital of Vietnam.

This little country in Southeast Asia underwent several name changes until king Gia Long (Nguyễn Phúc Ánh) of the Nguyễn Dynasty changed it to Việt Nam, and it stands to this date. It was also during the Nguyen Dynasty that the capital was moved to Huế for the entire duration under the ruling of the Nguyễns.

Vietnam is a relatively small country lining the southeastern coast of the South China Sea. Vietnam occupies approximately 331,211.6 square kilometers and has a population of 91,700,000 according to the 2015 official estimation. Although small in size, Vietnam has been targeted for invasion by other countries. Vietnam was under Chinese control for four different periods of time totaling about 1,000 years. The French made Vietnam one of its colonies for approximately 100 years starting in the mid 1800’s. The Japanese also dominated Vietnam in the 1940s. There were several other attempts to invade and seize Vietnam by other countries throughout history.

Why is it that this little country is always pestered by others?

Geographically, Vietnam’s whereabouts offers an advantage in military operations and trading. It is also rich in natural resources ranging from mines of precious metals to fertile land which yields bountiful harvests to rich sea resources off the reef that runs the length of the entire country. The Vietnamese people mostly are pleasant, amiable looking, intelligent, ambitious, and hard-working. Many nations wanted Vietnam to be a part of their own countries; perhaps, there exists some nations who still harbor these obsolete and morally wrong ideas.

Courtest of Vivi for Hung Vuong Commemoration

We touched slightly on a couple of the country name changes that Vietnam underwent. Actually, there were many more names that defined this country at one time or another. Some were significant, some were not, and sometimes certain names re-appeared at later times.

The main names Vietnam wore throughout history were: Xích Quỷ, Văn Lang, Âu Lạc, Nam Việt, Giao Chỉ, Lĩnh Nam, Giao Chỉ, Giao Châu, Vạn Xuân, Giao Châu/An Nam, An Nam, Trấn Nam, An Nam, Tĩnh Hải Quân, Ɖai Cồ Việt, Ɖại Việt, Ɖại Ngu, Giao Chỉ, Ɖại Việt, Việt Nam, Ɖại Nam, Việt Nam.

During the French domination, the French government strategically divided Vietnam into three parts with three different names that fell under different rules for easier control and management. The North was named Tonkin which was totally placed under French rules. The central part of Vietnam was named Annam which was – on the surface – left in the hands of the Vietnamese people and the Vietnamese king. In reality, it was under French supervision. The South was called Cochinchina, and it was French-cultured with the most freedom. The southern Vietnamese were most influenced by the French. Consequently, many of them were well-versed in the French language.

The French were driven out of Vietnam by the Việt Minh in the early 1950s resulting in the Geneva Conference that divided the country into two parts: Communist North Vietnam and the Republic of South Vietnam. The capital of North Vietnam became Hanoi and the capital of South Vietnam became Saigon. The civil war then began between the south and the north of Vietnam until 1975. It ended on April 30th of Year 1975.

Vietnam history in its entirety is in no way possible to present in the confinement of these pages and the limited knowledge of one person. The intention of this article was to present an abbreviated overview of the history of Vietnam through April 1975. And the author hopes that it helps ignite interest on the event that The Association of Senior Vietnamese-Americans in the Grand Rapids Metro Area is going to hold on Saturday April 16th, 2016. If you are curious and or have time, please do not hesitate to attend at 2:00 PM at the Little Saigon Plaza on 28th Street, just East of Division Street.

God bless America and God bless us all.

Local resident climbs a mountain in search of Noah’s Ark

April 15, 20163-bottom, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming EventsArk Search, Finding Noah, Kevin DeVries, Mt. Ararat, Noah's Ark, TurkeyJoanne

Kevin DeVries, the lead mountaineer for the "Finding Noah" exhibition, will be at the KDL Wyoming branch April 21. — Kevin DeVries, the lead mountaineer for the “Finding Noah” exhibition, will be at the KDL Wyoming branch April 21.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

In 2013, something rare happened in Turkey: after decades of bloody conflict, there was a cease fire between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Turkish Government/Army.

For a professional film crew, directed by Brent Braum, it was iconic in it meant the group of Ark Explorers Inc., with lead mountaineer and Byron Center resident Kevin DeVries, would be able to make its last attempt to discover if Noah’s Ark made its final resting place on Turkey’s Mt. Ararat’s nearly 17,000-foot Eastern Plateau. Released last year, the independent film, “Finding Noah,” became something of a phenomenon with more than 500,000 views on its trailer, more than 65,000 likes on its Facebook page and more than 30,000 theater tickets sold on its limited release. The film also garnered several awards from the Montreal World Film Festival, Napa Valley Film Festival, Twin Cities Filmfest and the Sun & San: The Mississippi Film & Music Festival.

It also helped launch a speaking career for DeVries who is scheduled to be at the Kent District Library’s Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW, Thursday, April 21, for a private, free screening of the film at 5:45 p.m. along with a Q&A with DeVries to follow.

“We were there to prove scientifically that the ark was there,” said DeVries, who formed a connection with KDL while working on his four-part book series “Explorers of the Lost Ark.” The book series recounts the five summers (2009-2013) Ark Search LLC, explored Mt. Ararat in search of Noah’s Ark.

DeVries was a travel agent when he reached out to the group offering his services and expertise in mountain climbing. He had climbed five of the seven continental summits, skied to the North Pole, kayaked all five of the Great Lakes and is a 2013 Boston Marathon Qualifier and Finisher, so DeVries knew what was needed to survive the rugged conditions of Mt. Ararat. A devout Christian, DeVries admitted he had an interest in the story of the ark especially since similar tales appear in cultures around the world.

“It’s kind of one of those holy grails from the Bible,” DeVries said of searching for Noah’s Ark. “If you can prove it one way or another, it would have tremendous ramifications.”

Proving the ark’s existence and location, which according to the Bible “…came to rest on the mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8:4), could rewrite textbooks in such fields as zoology, geology, and anthropology, to name a few. A flood of that proportions certainly would have had an impact on land formations, DeVries said.

But in the end, as the film points out, it is not so much the destination, but, as DeVries noted sounds a little clichè, the journey.

“It is really about the brotherhood,” DeVries said. “I made friendships with these people that will last a lifetime.”

The adventure certainly impacted DeVries life who is an inspirational speaker travelling the United States to talk about the film and his personal experience in several faith-based programs and events. He continues to climb with his goal of completing The Explorers Grand Slam – Climb the Seven Summits and Ski to the North and South Pole. For the record, he needs to climb Mt. Everest and Mt. Vinson – the tallest peaks in Asia and Antarctic respectfully – along with skiing to the South Pole.

At the April 21 event, DeVries said the film, which is now out on DVD, will be shown with the audience having an opportunity to ask questions afterwards. The film, DeVries said, does an excellent job in telling the story of the search, not only for Noah’s Ark, but in finding yourself. Or, as a quote from DeVrie’s own website puts it “Sometimes we have to travel the ends of the earth to reach the end of ourselves and find a new beginning in God that never ends.”

For more about the showing, visit the KDL website. For more about DeVries, visit his Grace Explorations website.

It’s Tax Day! Do you know what your deductions are?

April 15, 20163-bottom, Educationapril 15, april 18, deadline extended, emancipation day, internal revenue service, irs, taxes, U.S. capital, Victoria MullenJoanne

By Victoria Mullen

Well, thanks to good ol’ Honest Abe, we have a couple of extra days to file tax returns this year.

As 99.9% of us already know, Tax Day is usually April 15, but because the date coincides with Emancipation Day—the Washington D.C. holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. capital—this year, we’ve been granted a reprieve, until April 18. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), D.C. holidays are considered federal holidays for tax-filing purposes.

Emancipation Day usually is celebrated April 16, the date in 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, which freed about 3,100 slaves living in the District.

OK, so, goody, we have a couple more days to do what we all loathe doing. I know of absolutely no one who likes to pay taxes. Perhaps that’s because there are way too many rich people and corporations who don’t pay their fair share.

I’ve always thought that the IRS could take at least some of the sting away if each person were allowed to designate where we wanted our tax dollars to go. You know, like a checklist included with the 1040 form—we’d each check off where our individual dollars would go: Defense, Medicaid, Congress’s salaries (ha!), etc. At least that way, we’d feel more invested in the process and would be truly represented. It just seems fairer to me.

Perhaps one saving grace is that we can (in some cases) take deductions. All well and good, but that list needs some serious revising to give everybody a chance to lower their taxes.

Herewith are my suggestions.

Old meds. I don’t know about you, but there are times when I no longer have to take medication for whatever it was that ailed me because it ails me no more. So, there are numerous pill bottles in my medication drawer that are way past their expiration date. Seems such a waste. Sure, many communities offer “give back a pill day” (you know, return unused meds to a community center for disposal), but that doesn’t help reduce our taxes. Why can’t we claim a deduction for this?
Bad luck. This one is a no-brainer. There’s enough bad luck to go around the world for ages and ages. Or miles and miles. Whatever. A deduction for bad luck would serve to lift up the citizenry of every economic stratus. To make it bona fide, the IRS could require proof of that broken mirror, black cat, cast on your leg, or whatever. Photos should suffice. Of course, there will always be people who will take advantage of a good thing and purposely jinx their lives by living with five black cats, but I’m sure they’ll be in the minority.
Expired mayonnaise. Sure, you meant to use it. You had the best of intentions when you purchased it. You wanted to save money. It was a gallant effort, but you fell for that two-for-three jumbo con and purchased way more mayonnaise than you could ever hope to use in your lifetime. Did you save money? No. So there the jars sit, on your shelf, neglected, sad and lonely. I’d wager that they’re even dusty. Surely there should be a deduction for that.
Fur, lint, fuzz, dust bunnies and the like. You know the routine: No matter how often you brush Fluffy or Fido that fur piles up. Same with lint: You can clean the dryer’s lint trap til you’re blue in the face, but there will always be more. Fuzz, too. The stuff breeds. If you don’t live with cats, you can’t possibly understand how upsetting this is. You’ll vacuum. You’ll put the vacuum away. And the minute you close the closet door and turn around—poof!—there it is, a clump of fur, right in the middle of the floor where you just vacuumed not two minutes before. Where was it hiding when you were vacuuming? Why did it wait until you were all done before making its appearance? The nasty little thing did it on purpose. This happens to millions of people daily, we suffer for it and we ought to be able to claim a deduction for it.
Clothes hangers (on the floor). Seriously. Turn your back for a minute, and these things will multiply like rabbits. And they make you clumsy—even the plastic ones get tangled up. We ought to deduct something for each hanger that falls to the floor of its own volition. Because for each hanger that falls on the floor, there is a corresponding likelihood of throwing out your back trying to pick it up. A deduction could help pay for those back massages. Maybe we could add this to the Obamacare plan.
Tasteful body art. It’s important to qualify this puppy because we all know the world is ugly enough as it is, and there is some seriously awful body art out there. A deduction for fabulous body art would be a great incentive for people to beautify themselves and, by extension, their surroundings. Maybe we could have the National Endowment for the Arts offer grants to fund the education of aspiring tattoo curators.

Have an idea for a tax deduction? Email me here at WKTV.

In full bloom: Kent Garden Club beautifies Grand Rapids with cherry trees

April 14, 20163-bottom, Our Cities, Upcoming Eventscherry trees, gardening, Kent Garden Club, Planting, Public MuseumJoanne

Members of the Kent Garden Club will help to plant nine Kwanzan Cherry Trees this Saturday. (Photos provided by Cynthia Larson Burden of Photos by Bur'den. — Members of the Kent Garden Club will help to plant nine Kwanzan Cherry Trees this Saturday. (Photos provided by Cynthia Larson Burden of Photos by Bur’den.)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Think of the last time you took a stroll along the west bank of the Grand River near the Grand Rapids Public Museum – a very picturesque scene of the water and beautifully landscaped grounds. Hard to imagine it could be even more picture perfect, right? How about the addition of some flowering trees like Kwanzan Cherry Trees?

If you eyes just got wider and a smile slipped on your face at that thought then you are right in tune to the reaction of the members of the Kent Garden Club which will be planting those cherry trees this Saturday, April 16, along the west bank of the Grand River.

“The fact that it is Global Youth Service Day on Friday and then you have Earth Day on April 22 and Arbor Day April 29, it just seemed like the perfect project to do during the month of April,” said Adele Krhovsky, who is the Kent Garden Club president.

More than 100 years old, the Kent Garden Club, as part of its mission to encourage active interest in civic beautification, has for about 75 years helped oversee the planting and maintaining of the landscape at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The committee, Gardening on the Grand, is currently chaired by Kent Garden Club member Barb Hoogeboom.

“Once a month we come out and plant, prune and weed,” Krhovsky said, adding that the group has planted 500 daffodil bulbs. Some of the members have focused on specific areas such as Kent Garden Club member Mary Block who takes care of all the urns at the Public Museum.

Kent Garden Club members get ready to plant and prune at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Photos by Cynthia Larson Burden of Photos by Bur'den.) — Kent Garden Club members get ready to plant and prune at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Photos provided by Cynthia Larson Burden of Photos by Bur’den.)

It was during one of the monthly Public Museum gatherings last year that the idea for the Kwanzan Cherry Trees was planted with the members and from there bloomed into a plan of action. The Kent Garden Club proposed the idea of adding the trees to the Public Museum, but due to the river restoration project, had to put the plan on hold until this March, Krhovsky said.

When it was determined that where the trees would be placed would not be impacted by the Grand River project, the membership moved into action, raising more than $2,500 for the trees and to have a tree specialist available on planting day. Scotts Miracle-Gro is providing fertilizer and mulch with a representative also scheduled to be there on Saturday as well.

More than 40 volunteers are expected on Saturday to help with the planting. There will be nine trees planted. The Kwanzan Cherry Tree, also called the Japanese Flowering Cherry, is a popular selection because of its huge carnation-like pink cluster of flowers in the spring and for its green leaves, tinted with red, that turn a brilliant orange in the fall. It is planted in Washington D.C. along with the Yoshiko Cherry for the area’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The Kwanzan Cherry Tree is ornamental and does not bear fruit.

The trees being planted on Saturday are six to eight feet in height and will grow to 30 to 40 feet in maturity. The trees will blossom in full approximately one year after being planted, but some blossoming may occur this season. The tree’s lifespan is about 15 to 25 years.

The Public Museum is one of five gardens that the Kent Garden Club cultivates and maintains. The club coordinates volunteers to help with the gardening and those interested in participating or learning more about the Kent Garden Club should visit the group’s website at kentgardenclub.org or check out the group’s Facebook page.

The Kent Garden Club is part of The National Garden Clubs, Inc., which on May 2, the City of Grand Rapids will be home to The National Gardens Clubs’ 87th Annual Garden Club Convention, “Blooming on the Grand.” The convention will highlight what the Kent Garden Club has done for the city including the Museum’s grounds. For more on the convention, click here.

In Cambodia: Exploring Angkor Wat

April 14, 20163-bottom, Education, Local Faces, Traveladventure, Angkor Wat, Cambodia, Lynn Strough, Travelynn Tales, world travelerJoanne

By Lynn Strough
Travelynn Tales

This is the second installment chronicling the adventures of Lynn Strough, a local artist and writer who’s been traveling the world since November 2014. Lynn’s travels have (so far) taken her to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, England, France, Italy… and I’m sure we’re forgetting a few destinations. To learn more about her journey, go here.

Angkor Wat. If it brings up visions of a long-ago faraway place, something you might have seen in a dream, this is an accurate picture. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cambodia, built in the 12th century, and the complex covers miles of ground. It is the largest religious monument in the world. A wat is a temple, and the famous Angkor that you see in a lot of the photos is but one of many temples here, the best preserved of them all. Originally, Angkor Wat was a place of Hindu worship, however that changed to Buddhism long ago.

The nearby town is Siem Reap, and to get to Angkor Wat, you hire a tuk tuk driver, who shuttles you from temple to temple and waits in between. If you want to see something really special, you go at sunrise, which means meeting your driver at 5am, but it’s totally worth it.

I rode through the dark, cool morning in my tuk tuk, accompanied by others on the road doing the same thing, and arrived at the entrance gate to purchase my ticket (you can buy a one or three day pass). It turns out that just because you’re willing to get up at 4 am, doesn’t mean you’re the only one. I could show you just my photos with nobody in them, but I think it best to give you the full picture.

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About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50-something-year-old woman 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.

All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

‘Kids Simmer Camp’ stirs up kids’ imaginations and cooking skills

April 14, 20163-bottom, Education, Entertainment, Food, How-To's, Kids Activities, Upcoming Eventsclasses, culinary, Downtown Market, experience, food, ingredients, kids simmer camp, making mealsJoanne

By Downtown Market

Kids Simmer Camp, for ages 6-11, is a great way to get your kids excited about preparing meals. Fun and educational, these three-day camps explore adventurous weekly themes. From discoveries in the Greenhouse to hands-on cooking in the Teaching Kitchen, “Simmer” Camp cultivates growth and bakes up excitement. Each activity and recipe will pair with the inspiring weekly theme and stimulate inventive imagination and creativity.

Everything needed for class is provided: ingredients, the aprons, and the fun! If you shop prior to class and need to put any perishable food purchases in the cooler, please let the sous chef know on your way into class.

If your child has an allergy, simply indicate during the registration process if there are any dietary restrictions that our chef should be aware of. We will make the appropriate accommodations to ensure an excellent culinary experience.

Please include ages on registration so our chef can prepare ahead for all ages.

These classes fill quickly.

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Week 1: Baking 101-Oven Science
June 28, 29, and 30, 10a-2p • $125

From savory to sweet, to sneaking in a few secret ingredients, kids will learn the science behind baking, and how to incorporate greenhouse fresh ingredients into their baked goods.

This week’s kids’ creations include:

Buttermilk biscuits, homemade baked chicken tenders, nutty chocolate chip quinoa cupcakes, mini seasonal fruit tarts, savory supper pie, black bean brownies, pizza with vegetable pizza sauce, and monkey bread.
REGISTER HERE

Week 2: Roadtrip USA
July 12, 13, and 14, 10a-2p • $125

From the Southwest, to Creole country, to New England, and back, kids will take a culinary road trip throughout the US!

This week’s kids’ creations include:

Mexican enchiladas, southwestern slaw, Tex-Mex style chocolate pudding, hopping John rice and beans, pimento cheese spread, lemon parfaits, New England crab cakes, rhubarb tea, and hasty pudding.

Kids will also learn about water resources, plant adaptation, rice farming, food preservation, and other important agricultural facts from around the country.
REGISTER HERE

Week 3: SOLD OUT!

Week 4: Movie Meal Mayhem
July 26, 27, and 28, 10a-2p • $125

Ever wondered how to make a real Ratatouille or what would happen if Minecraft food was served at your dinner table? What would happen if food took over Grand Rapids like it does in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs? Join us as we explore the food, farming, and environment related to these popular movies.

This week’s kids’ creations include:

Sausage meatballs, giant pancakes, peach sauce, fresh fruit juice, pixelated fruits and veggies with homemade sauces and dips, vegetable ratatouille, French chocolate mousse, and homemade bread sticks.
REGISTER HERE

Week 5: Modern City Homesteading
July 19, 20, and 21, 10a-2p • $125

Kids will learn the ten basic concepts of urban homesteading and align them with practical skills, such as growing potted plants, making sauces from scratch, designing your own reusable snack sack, and using dry ice to create a fun dessert. Kids will also learn about rain barrels and worm bins (vermiculture) and how they add value to any urban yard.

This week’s kids’ creations include:

Cucumber salad, black bean quesadillas, banana pudding vegetable pancakes with homemade ketchup, carrot slaw, ice cream, deviled eggs, seasonal veggie soup and homemade soft pretzels with honey mustard dip.
REGISTER HERE

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Questions? Email classes@downtownmarketgr.com or call 616.805.5308 ext 217.

Code Red: A Robotics Takeover by Area Students

April 13, 20163-bottom, City of Kentwood, Kids Activities, Non-Profits, Upcoming EventsCode Red Robotics, FIRST Robotics, Ken Orzechowski, Mike DeWittJoanne

By Mike DeWitt

Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

The outside fortifications of the castle have taken serious damage as the opposing forces lick their chops readying for a takeover. Three valiant knights, bonded by an alliance, are all the castle has left. They band together and strike back, strategically battering the opposing stronghold with a flawlessly executed counterattack that places victory within reach.

Now all that’s left is to bring down the tower, and time is running out.

It’s a battle scene playing out straight from a movie. However, these knights aren’t people, they’re robots, and they’re built and operated by high school students on a quest for a state championship at the DeltaPlex from April 14-16..

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in Michigan is an organization and robotics competition that gives students an opportunity to build their own robots and compete against other teams. It’s a way for students to discover how rewarding a career in engineering or technology can be.

Code Red Robotics, a local program based in Kentwood, recently qualified for the Michigan FIRST Robotics State Championship that will be held this weekend at the DeltaPlex Arena. Code Red enters the competition with the highest district score in West Michigan, highest scoring regular season match in the country, and as a winner of the Chairman’s Award, the top award in FIRST.

The competition theme for this year is “FIRST Stronghold” and creates alliances of three robots on a quest to breach their opponents’ fortifications, weaken the opponents’ tower with foam boulders, and ultimately capture the tower. Students were given six weeks to create a robot from scratch that could best handle all the obstacles. In all, the outermost line of fortification had more than 18,000 possible field configurations.

“Robotics is a great opportunity for the kids to learn teamwork. It truly is a team sport,” said Code Red director Ken Orzechowski.

Code Red Robotics started in 2008 and hasn’t looked back. Since the team started competing in 2009, Code Red has qualified for the state championship every year but one and has qualified for the world championship twice.

While most robotics teams are affiliated with a school, Code Red Robotics runs separately and relies on students from surrounding area schools to bolster the team. It’s the most challenging obstacle for the program.

“We have to constantly reach out to kids to join,” said Orzechowski. “It’s difficult, but having a team represented by 10 different schools only adds to our team dynamic. Plus, once they get in, they don’t leave. It’s too much fun!”

The schools represented at Code Red include Byron Center, Caledonia, Calvin Christian, Forest Hills Central, Grandville, Kenowa Hills, NorthPointe Christian, South Christian, Well Spring Academy, and home schools. On top of bringing kids in from other schools to learn robotics and be a part of a team, Code Red has been active in starting up robotics programs across the area.

In order to get a new program off of the ground, Code Red meets with school and community leaders, recruits mentors to help the students, and aids in finding sponsors and developing business plans. Their efforts have succeeded in getting six programs off the ground and rebooting another: the Forest Hills Comets, East Kentwood Red Storm, the Altobots, West Mi Aviation Spitfires, Harper Creek Robo Beavers, and the Petoskey Paladins. Code Red was also instrumental in finding mentors and sponsors to revive the Wyoming Demons after they folded in 2012. The Demons also qualified for the state championship this year.

“Starting some of these programs has cut into our own pool of kids, but that’s okay. It’s all about spreading the positives that come with FIRST,” said Orzechowski.

Orzechowski touched on those positives that spread well beyond the technical skills learned.

“It forces kids to articulate what they know and share ideas. We have a lot of smart kids; at one point we had five valedictorians, but they don’t always know how to share their ideas. If you can’t articulate your idea, it’s as bad as not knowing it. The teamwork that is required for FIRST helps build those skills.”

Code Red Robotics will compete in the state championship at the DeltaPlex, April 14-16. For further information on the competition, visit FIRST in Michigan. For more information on Code Red Robotics, visit their website.

Grand Rapids Plastics announces it will cease operations on Friday

April 13, 20163-bottom, City of Wyoming, Hard NewsJoanne

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Despite an effort to expand sales to cover a major blow in the lost of contracts earlier this year, Grand Rapids Plastics has announced it would be closing its doors at the end of this week.

“Grand Rapids Plastics has made the difficult decision to end operations on Friday,” said Mary Ann Sabo who is with Sabo PR and is serving as spokesperson for the company. “While our management team worked to expand sales efforts, we were unable to compensate for contracts that ended earlier this year.”

It was about two months ago, Grand Rapids Plastics, which made auto replacement parts, had sent a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice to the Michigan Workforce Development Agency stating the company will begin permanently laying off a number of its employees. The reason for the layoffs, according to the letter, was that Fiat Chrysler (FCA), had ended contacts with Grand Rapids Plastics. Grand Rapids Plastics reached out to FCA seeking clarification and was told all orders would cease immediately. WKTV reached out as well to FCA, but there was no response from the company.

Accord to the notice, FCA was the main customer for Grand Rapids Plastics, which has an official address of 4220 Roger B. Chaffee in Wyoming. The layoff was to affect 85 employees.

Officials confirmed in February that 125 employees would remain with the company focusing on diversifying the company’s portfolio, according to a statement made at the time by Grand Rapids Plastics Chief Operating Officer Fred Cini.

Sabo said there are currently fewer than two dozen employees at Grand Rapids Plastics.

“We are especially appreciative of the employees who helped us complete final orders for our customers.,” she said.

Grand Rapids Plastics was started in 1976 by Arthur J. Bott, Sr., who received a 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, one of 10 Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards, for his work in the community. In 2001, Bott sold Grand Rapids Plastics, which had an estimated worth of $300 million with 300 employees at the time. When the company went into bankruptcy, he bought it back in 2003 and re-launched it. The Bott family still owns the company.

In 2015, the company was fined $558,000 for safety violations related to the death of a worker by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. MIOSHA issued 32 serious citations, nine willful-serious citations, and 14 other-than-serious citations as a rule of the investigations.

Metro Health earns special recognition

April 13, 20163-bottom, City of Wyoming, Non-ProfitsBlue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Distinction Award, Metro Health, Mike DeWittJoanne

Mike DeWitt

Mike.Dewitt@wktv.org

Metro Health Hospital is home to some of the best maternity care and hip and knee replacements in the country. Recently, Metro Health received Blue Distinction Center status, a national designation program from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), for their exceptional treatment.

“The Blue Distinction Center designation lets our members know where they can go in Michigan to receive high-quality care that meets robust clinical standards,” said David Share, MD, MPH, and senior vice president at Blue Cross.

As a first time winner, Metro earned the award based on a number of measurements from BCBSM. BCBSM hands out the awards based on a combination of publicly available data and information it compiles from its subscribers’ medical claims. The examined data includes clinical measures, patient outcomes, and the cost of care. Patient satisfaction scores and patients’ willingness to recommend the hospital are also taken into account.

“Awards such as these from BCBSM are meaningful to the hospital for multiple reasons,” said PR Director Ellen Bristol in and email with WKTV News. “They confirm our teams are providing quality care to patients and they boost morale and a sense of pride among employees and physicians.”

Both award distinctions from BCBSM carried different criteria. The Spartan Stores Family Childbirth Center at Metro Health excelled in areas of early elective delivery and for maintaining programs that promote successful breastfeeding as well as requirements for cost efficiency.

Knee and hip replacements are the fastest growing medical treatments in the country, the BCBSM distinction recognizes Metro as a leader in safe and high-quality specialty hip and knee care.

“The recognition helps patients be confident in the organization and the people who are caring for them,” said Bristol. “Plus, they confirm to physicians that the hospital can provide their patients with the high quality care they want for their patients”

With an annual patient count of over 250,000 across West Michigan, a little recognition is just a reminder of the great work they do every day.

The Full Story on Graduation Rates – Godfrey-Lee

April 12, 20163-bottom, Area Education, EducationDavid Britten, Dropout Rates, East Lee, Godfrey-Lee Graduation Rates, Graduation Rates, School News NetworkJoanne

By: David Britten, Superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools

The State of Michigan has released the graduation rates for the cohort Class of 2014-15 and overall they continue to climb.

Reports by local media tend to show a district’s combined graduation rate, lumping together all of the high schools within a district, including those designed to provide an alternative pathway to a high school diploma or GED for students who for many reasons were not successful at their home school.

The chart below depicts the 4, 5 and 6 year graduation rates for those students in our district who graduated in 2015. As you can clearly see, the rates continue to improve overall but don’t tell the full story for each high school.

14-15 graduation dropout trend all rate years/all students

Lee High School, which has experienced significant growth as well as a substantial cultural change since the dawn of the 21st century, continues a strong 4-year on-time graduation trend as the chart below depicts. Considering that the community battles with the highest child poverty rate in the county and our extraordinary staff works to help many limited-English-proficient students meet success, we should be proud of what our students, parents and staff accomplish each year!

GodfreyLee — 14-15 graduation dropout trend Lee High School

The trend for Lee High School’s graduation rate continues to be higher than the statewide graduation rate as the following two charts indicate:

GodfreyLeeDropoutTrend — 14-15 graduation dropout trend statewide

East Lee Campus is a non-traditional high school that provides many young men and women with what often is their last chance to successfully complete high school or prepare for the GED test. This school is an “open enrollment” campus that allows students who have dropped out or find they are struggling due to a number of life’s circumstances to return to the classroom. Many are already behind in their education and it isn’t unusual for students to take an additional year or two to complete their graduation requirements. We believe the opportunity we provide these students is invaluable and contributes positively to the community and Greater Grand Rapids area at large. The federal and state government and many of our citizens, however, don’t always see it that way and prefer to label our district as sub-standard or failing. Little do they know.

The chart below illustrates the 4-year graduation rate at East Lee but as I pointed out, it’s unfair to brand the school as anything but exemplary given that most students arrive there behind in their respective educations. Because it’s not unusual for a student to need a 5th year to get on track and successfully complete the Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements for graduation, the next subsequent slide shows the positive 5-year trend for graduates through 2015.

14-15 graduation dropout trend 2015 graduation cohort

As you can see from the chart below, the trend has accelerated significantly since 2010 but actually, it has been improving since the graduation rate was sort of drifting along hit bottom in 2009-10, as the next chart shows. At that point, we made some changes and much of this improvement is attributable to effective leadership and the hard work of staff and students to rebrand the school and develop a more rigorous academic and job skills focus. Since those changes, the improvement has been very positive.

This chart is a similar trend chart as the one above but for the four years preceding. If you follow this one to the one above it, you will get an idea of the dramatic turnaround at East Lee Campus these past seven years.

We’re proud of our high schools (as we are of all our schools) and the success they are achieving! We’re very excited for the future of our students who have been demonstrating time and again they have what it takes to overcome many obstacles they face and reach their educational goals and life dreams.

If you wish to examine this data in more detail or look at other data for our district, state or any school in the state, you can go to http://www.mischooldata.org.

Pine Rest’s Leep Gallery’s newest exhibit features the work of a local photographer

April 12, 20163-bottom, City of Kentwood, Entertainment, Local Entertainmentcollage, Kathryn Armstrong Psalm, Leep Gallery, Pine RestJoanne

One of the collages by Kathryn Armstrong now on display at the Leep Gallery at Pine Rest — One of the collages by Kathryn Armstrong now on display at the Leep Gallery at the Postman Center on the Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, 300 68th St. SE.

A new photography exhibit, “From the Rising of the Sun” by local artist Kathryn Armstrong opens at the Leep Art Gallery April 7, 2016. The exhibit is at the Postma Center on the Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services main campus in Grand Rapids.

The photography exhibit is in the form of 20 collages with 400 photographs, and is based on Psalm 113:3, “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.” It reflects Armstong’s lifetime of experiencing the wonder and glory of God’s creative genius around the world. The murals share the heartbeat of one family traveling through one year and one lifetime in a modest lake home here in Grand Rapids.

“I hope it also transcends that perspective to speak for the universal experiences of humans, not only in our American life and culture, but everywhere, through vistas of the intimate and exotic both at home and throughout our magnificent planet,” Armstrong said. “My prayer is that every person who views these collages will feel their spirits lifted and their hearts drawn toward the eternal creator of our universe, who loves us with an everlasting love.”

Armstrong has taught high school, has home schooled her own seven children, and sold photos to the Lighthouse Christian Bookstore in Marquette, Mich. Last fall she had one of her collages on display at Acton Institute, has photographed numerous weddings and has been an avid photographer since receiving a Brownie box camera for her tenth birthday. She has carried a camera with her ever since.

Armstrong’s exhibit will be on display at Pine Rest Postma Center located at 300 68th St. SE, through July 1. The Leep Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 616-222-4530.

Got an urge to purge? Wyoming hosts its first-ever community clean-up day

April 12, 20163-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of WyomingJoanne

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

With the warmer spring weather and the chance to finally get outside, it seems like everyone starts taking a look at the “stuff” they have accumulated over the winter and that little urge to purge takes over.

And Wyoming City officials say purge away and bring all of your discarded stuff to Wyoming’s fist citywide Community Clean-Up Day set for Saturday, April 23. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Godfrey Lee Athletic Complex, 1824 Godfrey Ave. SW, Wyoming residents will be able to drop off trash, household hazardous waste and donations for the Salvation Army.

“In the past, there have been dumpsters placed in certain neighborhoods, but we have never had a citywide clean-up event,” said Nancy Stoddard, who works in the city’s treasurer’s office and is on the organizing committee for the Clean-Up Day event. The event was put together by the Looks Good Committee, one of three strategic planning committees made up of city employees. The other two committees are Feels Good and Sense of Place, both of which are helping with the April 23 event.

“We are excited to do something together,” Stoddard said. “We enjoy working with each other and this is a nice opportunity to be able to volunteer for the community, working to make it a nicer place to live and work.”

More than 30 volunteers will be on hand during the day at the drop-off site to help residents. Residents of Wyoming will need to bring proof of residency such as a picture ID or a tax or water bill with the person’s name and address on it. Only Wyoming residents will be allowed to drop off trash or general household items such as old furniture, appliances, building material scraps, etc. Kent County will be on hand for the collection of household hazardous waste, such as antifreeze, bleach and pesticides, and recycling, such as cardboard, metal cans and plastic shopping bags. For what is accepted in hazardous waste and recycling, visit the Recycle Kent website.

“Kent County officials said they would have one dumpster just dedicated to cardboard because at these type of events, they said they get a lot of cardboard,” Stoddard said.

The Salvation Army will be on site to collect gently-used items (for a list of accepted items, visit the Salvation Army website) and Plummer’s Disposal will be there for mattresses and box springs, which will be $12 each to drop off, and tires, which will be $10. The only item that will not be accepted is electronics, such as old computers and televisions. Stoddard said the organization that planned to help with that had to drop out due to another commitment.

Traffic will enter off of Joosten Street near the Godfrey Lee Early Education Center, curving through the site with various drop points before exiting on to Godfrey Avenue.

Being the first one, Stoddard said they are not sure what attendance will be like. She said she has handed out more than 300 handbills at the treasurer’s office and people have seemed interested.

“We have talked to the city of Kentwood, which has held a community clean-up day in the past and officials there said to expect about 300 vehicles,” Stoddard said. Kentwood’s annual Pride Day Community Clean-Up is May 7 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Kentwood Recycling Center, 5068 Breton SE.

In addition to the activities taking place at the Godfrey Lee Athletic Complex, the Wyoming Public Service Center Yard Waste Drop-Off site, 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW, will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 223. There are no limits to the size of branches or shrubs, however; residents must unload the yard waste themselves. All containers must be removed from the facility and proof of residency is required.

Also on April 30, the city has partnered with Metro Health for a Drug Take Back program from 10 a.m .to 2 p.m. at Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW.

For more information, visit the City of Wyoming’s website.

Sonia Manzano: “Sesame Street” Pioneer

April 12, 20163-bottom, WKTV ProjectsAlan Headbloom, Feel Like You Belong, Sesame Street, Sonia ManzanoJoanne

By: Alan Headbloom – Feel Like You Belong

Growing up Puerto Rican in the South Bronx of the 1950s and 60s was tough. Poverty, alcoholism, domestic violence, and being the “invisible minority” were daily occurrences. Yet, Sonia Manzano found her refuge in the performing arts, and the young dancer was poised to accept the job of a lifetime when the Children’s Television Workshop cast her as Maria on the now-acclaimed Sesame Street children’s program. After four decades of performing on PBS, author Manzano reflects on the importance of children of color seeing themselves represented in the media–both on the stage and behind the camera.

Alan Headbloom hosts Feel Like You Belong, a show filmed at WKTV that is focused on sharing the life stories of immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States.

Local Jaycees changes name to South Kent, expand area

April 12, 20163-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Non-ProfitsBreakfast with Santa, Forest of Fear, Kentwood Jaycees, Ronald McDonald House, South Kent JayceesJoanne

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Even though its charter said South Kent, the name Kentwood Jaycees just seemed to fit better when the group original formed in 1966. It certainly described the area that this particular chapter of the United States Junior Chamber covered.

But with recent changes, including absorbing the former Wyoming Jaycees chapter, the name did not seem to fit anymore. So in 2015, the former Kentwood Jaycees chapter rebranded itself as the South Kent Jaycees.

The South Kent Jaycees recently participated in a wish list drive for the Grand Rapids' Ronald McDonald House. — The South Kent Jaycees recently participated in a wish list drive for the Grand Rapids’ Ronald McDonald House.

“It really broadens our horizon not only for the membership but for the communities we are able to help,” said Jen Groom, secretary of the South Kent Jaycees. “By staying Kentwood, we could only help Kentwood.”

A requirement of being part of the Jaycees organization is that you live within the state and are from the area the local chapter represents. Looking at its membership, South Kent Jaycees leaders discovered that many lived or worked outside of the Kentwood area. The name changed also allowed the organization to expand its reach into adjoining communities which include Grandville, Jenison, Byron Center, and Caledonia along with Kentwood and Wyoming.

With that South Kent Jaycees leadership was able to find a larger base of service and leadership opportunities. Most recently, the South Kent Jaycees worked with the Ronald McDonald House with a holiday wish list drive. South Kent Jaycees also have teamed up with the Grand Rapids Jaycees in an effort to bring the Kids Kicking Cancer program to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Kids Kicking Cancer, which just expanded to help all children who are in pain, focuses on martial arts therapy.

“It is a really great outlet for the kids while they are in the hospital,” Groom said.

And should anyone fret over the Forest of Fear disappearing, Groom and the other board members confirmed plans are in the works for this year’s haunted attraction and that the popular Breakfast for Santa event also will continue.

The South Kent Jaycees plan to host the Breakfast with Santa event again this year.

Gone is the Kentwood Jaycees Club House, which before being the club house was a Pizza Hut located at 1640 44th St. SE. According to the group’s website, it was sold so the organization could focus more local trainings, community benefit programs and local partnerships.

“I joined the Jaycees to give back to my community, but what I get from it so much more than that,” said Marybeth Schafer, who is the secretary of the Grand Rapids Jaycees and is part of the Grand Rapids and South Kent Jaycees collaboration efforts. “It helps me grow personally and professional and I have made some really close friends.

“You also not only meet people in your area, but across the state and the nation.”

The Jaycees organization was established on January 21, 1920 to provide opportunities, at that time, for young men to develop personal and leadership skills through service to others. The organization included women in 1984 after the U.S. Supreme court ruled that Minnesota could prevent sex discrimination in private organizations. 1985 marked the end of the US Jaycee Women organization. Today, there are numerous Jaycees chapters around the globe. There are about 33 chapters in Michigan with five being in the West Michigan area, Allegan, Greater Muskegon, Lakeview (covering the Montcalm area), Grand Rapids and South Kent.

This year, according to Julia Klein, who is a District 2 Michigan Chairman of the Board and treasurer for the South Kent Jaycees, the Michigan Jaycees chapters will host the National Jaycee Conference which is set for Sept. 22 – 25 in Detroit.

But you do not have to wait until September, or head to Detroit, to learn more or join the Jaycees, said Scott Avery, South Kent Jaycees vice president. The organization has monthly membership meetings where potential members can learn more about events and meet other members. Meetings are rotated through the South Kent Jaycees coverage area. On April 20 at 6:30 p.m., the group will meet at Bigby’s in Wyoming. May 23 at 6:30 p.m., they will be at the Byron Family Restaurant, 2527 84th St. SW, Byron Center. On June 18, they will be meeting at 10 a.m. at EB Coffee and Pub, 8980 Rodgers Court SE, Caledonia.

More information can be found at the South Kent Jaycees’ website or the group’s Facebook page.

Local spoken word poets featured at upcoming KDL Kentwood advance

April 12, 20163-bottom, City of Kentwood, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming EventsFable the Poet, KDL, poetry contest, The DiatribeJoanne

Local spoken word group The Diatribe will be at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch April 21.

Marcel Price, better known as Fable the Poet, understands how powerful words can be. When strung together, they can be hurtful, he acknowledges, but they can also be liberating.

“Recently, I was working with students [at a local high school] and we were talking about domestic violence and this boy in the class offered to share up one of his poems,” said Fable the Poet, who is one of the founding members of the local spoken work poet group The Diatribe. The Diatribe will be at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch April 21. “I was like, ‘OK, everybody, let’s clap him up, he is going to share with us.”

As the young man stood there telling his story, and tears, about knowing and facing domestic violence, the room became quiet.

“Afterwards, students came up and gave him a hug and that in the end is what it is about,” Fable the Poet said. “It is teaching that there are a lot of issues but that many are facing the same issues and through those issues there is a feeling of unity.”

For the past several years, The Diatribe, which includes Fable the Poet, Kelsey May, Rachel Gleason, Shawn Moore and G Foster II, have been working with area high schools and students, showing them how spoken word poetry can be used as a catalyst to talk about the issues going on in a person’s life.

“We focus on trust,” Fable the Poet said about getting students to standup and openly share their poetry with a group of their peers. “We tell them that we are going to be vulnerable with them and that they need to be vulnerable with us. We make sure they understand that everything we do is transparent.”

The spoken word poetry movement has certainly taken a foothold within the United States punctuated by Sarah Kay’s “If I Should Have A Daughter” at a 2011 TEDx. The spoken word art form can include hip-hop, jazz poetry, poetry slams, traditional poetry readings, some comedy routines and prose monologues.

Because of its popularity, the Kent District Library added a spoken word component to its annual teen poetry contest. Students in grades 6 -12 can enter up to three poems by April 30. Judges will select 10 winners with all entrants eligible for the spoken word competition on May 17 at the KDL Kentwood Branch, 4950 Breton Rd. SE. Ten winners will be selected from the spoken word competition with all winners receiving a $50 gift card from Schuler Books & Music. For complete details, click here.

As part of the spoken word contest, The Diabrite has partnered up with KDL, hosting workshops in about 12 to 14 area schools which included Kentwood’s Pinewood Elementary School and Kelloggsville Discovery Alternative High School. The partnership culminates with the KDL Reads: Spring into Poetry with The Diatribe Thursday, April 21 from 7 – 8 p.m. at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch, 4950 Breton SE.

“This is the first time we have partnered with KDL,” Fable the Poet said, adding that the collaboration has been amazing with hopes of expanding the project to more schools next year.

For more about the KDL’s 2016 Find Your Voice Teen Poetry Contest and Spoken Word Competition, visit KDL’s website. The April 21 event with The Diatribe is free and open to the public.

Schools Learn New Ways to Teach Reading

April 11, 20163-bottom, Area Education, EducationErin Albanese, Kent Intermediate School District, reading, Reading Now Network, School News Network, writingJoanne

High-Performers Provide Good Models

School News Network - Reading — Practicing letters on a clear board is just one fun way to learn phonics

By: Erin Albanese — School News Network

Collaboration is the way forward, say leaders of West Michigan’s Reading Now Network. Teachers teaching other teachers, more staff with reading expertise, and learning from those whose students are excelling, are all actions the region’s schools are taking to change reading achievement numbers.

Dorothy VanderJagt, RNN field study member and director of Teaching & Learning at Kent ISD, said teachers presented best practices at the Fall Institute, share tips on the RNN Twitter feed and “are visiting other schools to dig deeper into those common traits of the high performers.”

Educators from the Field Study Team are working directly with schools that need to make big gains, with administrators who set a goal to meet or exceed their peers in two years.

The work of Reading Now Network, a collaborative effort to increase reading proficiency involving 100 districts in 13 counties, is well under way. It is paying off in districts like Kelloggsville, where additional staff and new techniques are helping students read in fun, new ways.

Kyle Mayer, an RNN field study member and Ottawa Area ISD assistant superintendent, said the project’s findings have prompted many schools to take action.
“Every day I come to work and I hear about something else happening because of Reading Now Network,” Mayer said.

The network was launched in the spring of 2014, examining best instructional practices at five West Michigan elementary schools with high reading success rates in order to implement them region-wide.

Schools studied ranged from urban to rural, with varying levels of poverty. They are: Brown Elementary in Byron Center, North Godwin, Lakeshore Elementary in Holland, Coit Creative Arts Academy in Grand Rapids, and Sunfield Elementary in Lakeview Community Schools.

Curriculum leaders visited the schools (all of which scored high on third-grade reading MEAP tests), over the course of an eight-month study to identify why they were high performers.

Students “arm spell,” a multi-sensory approach that helps them remembers sounds

One District’s Response

Tammy Savage, Kelloggsville Public Schools director of instruction, added two new reading instructional specialists this year, partly in response to information she learned at a spring RNN symposium.

Specialists Suzanne Schmier and Janna Schneider joined Sue Lathrop this fall to work full-time in the district’s three elementary schools. For the past few years, Lathrop was spread among all three schools, assisted by paraprofessionals.

The goal is to create a consistent, structured, very focused reading intervention program for students, Savage said. Teachers are using data to identify students’ needs.

Learning how to implement best practices is taking shape in different ways, said Mayer, the field study member. A sold-out event at Kent ISD in November brought together 200 area principals to learn from leaders of the schools originally studied for their reading practices.

“Principals can go back and start making immediate changes based on what they learned,” Mayer said.

Three schools where educators are not satisfied with reading results have been named “lab” schools. Field study members are working with them on instructional practices to help them improve their results, Mayer said. The schools represent three counties and have varying demographics, including differing income levels and locations.

A Peek Into a Classroom

In Kelloggsville, reading sessions are a multi-sensory experience. Students see, touch, hear, and even smell and taste the words — when letters double as licorice sticks.

During a recent class with Shmier, West Kelloggsville Elementary students acted out what they were reading. A sentence about a girl who hurt her lip had them pouting. Another about flying kites had them pretending to send them soaring.

“That’s fun!” said second-grader Alyssa VanVolkinburg. “It’s fun to make the motions.”
Students wrote letters on plastic tablets, velvet and laminate; they spelled out words with their fingers and while touching different spots on their arms. They talked vividly about what they read.

The coaches, all longtime Kelloggsville teachers, were also recently trained in Orton-Gillingham methodologies, which promote multi-sensory learning.

Tools Are Available

In-depth videos with interviews from administrators, teachers and students taken at the school, are available on the Reading Now Network web site.

One thing made clear from the field study was that high-performing schools are “data-driven,” meaning they constantly used test scores and other data to improve instruction – often on a daily basis. Teachers are being trained to easily access data through an Edify software system, which Kent ISD first developed.

Enadina Mencho-Vail acts out flying a kite after reading about it

Kent ISD received a state grant to develop an early literacy alert and intervention system. The intent is to equip teachers participating in RNN with lots of resources to help students reading below grade level. These resources will be offered free of charge to the schools and service agencies within the Reading Now Network.

CONNECT

SNN Article on Reading Now Network Symposium

Reading Now Network Resources

Reading Now Network Website

Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!

Actress Julianne Moore’s storybook character comes to life on Civic’s stage

April 11, 20163-bottom, Entertainment, Kids ActivitiesFreckleface Strawberry, Grand Rapids Civic, Grand Rapids Civic Theater, Julianne MooreJoanne

Byron Center's Abbie Westers plays Freckleface Strawberry in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre's upcoming production "Freckleface Strawberry the Musical," running April 22 - May 1. — Byron Center’s Abbie Westers plays Freckleface Strawberry in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s upcoming production “Freckleface Strawberry the Musical,” running April 22 – May 1.

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

When Allyson Paris got hired as the new Grand Rapids Civc Theatre associate director, she learned right away about the spring children’s production Freckleface Strawberry the Musical and immediately went out and purchased all the books in the series.

“I was familiar with the first one but quickly went out and got my hands on all the ones I could find,” said Paris who directs the upcoming show which runs April 22 – May 1.

Freckleface Strawberry the Musical is based on the New York Times best-selling children’s book written by actress Julianne Moore. Moore – whose nickname when a child was Freckleface Strawberry – has stated that the story is based on her childhood memories and those stories have resonated well with both young and old as the original book has now grown into a book series with two apps and the musical. Paris did not know about the apps.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve been schooled,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll have to tell the cast about them. More research.”

Freckleface Strawberry (played by Byron Center’s Abbie Westers who was in Civc’s production of Mary Poppins and Junie B. Jones) is just like every other girl, except she has bright red hair and, according to her, something far worse, freckles. She will do anything to get rid of her freckles until her schoolmates help her learn a valuable lesson: everyone is different and that’s what makes everyone special.

“I feel the message of valuing what makes us different and celebrating ourselves is great for kids,” Paris said, quickly adding “and adults.”

Paris said Freckleface is part of the new generation of musicals. “It’s a smart, funny, musical,” she said. “It is upbeat, modern and really refreshing.

“It also has a broad range. Should you bring your five-year-old, absolutely. Should you bring your 15-year-old, of course.”

And despite it being about a 6-year-old girl, who by the way is kind of tomboyish, Paris can attest that the story is relatable to both boys and girls as her main reading partner with all those books she purchased was her six-year-old son “and he loves the Freckleface books.”

Freckleface Strawberry is a children’s musical appropriate for children ages four and older. The production is an hour long, which Paris noted is great for a first-time theater experience. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. It is recommended to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled performance. Tickets are $10 – $16. For more information, visit grct.org or call the theater’s box office at 616-222-6650.

Janice Limbaugh: An Appreciation

April 11, 20163-bottom, Local FacesAppreciation, citizen journalism, Colleen Pierson, Janice Limbaugh, Tom Norton, WKTVJoanne

By: Colleen Pierson

Janice Limbaugh has been an avid student of life. She was a beacon of humor, creativity, intelligence, and compassion to all who knew her. Death succumbed her last week after fighting a lengthy, courageous battle with cancer. She served as a model of a life well lived.

Janice made a name for herself here at WKTV Community Television as one of the individuals who started the Citizen Journalism program. I, along with the rest of the staff, had the opportunity to be alongside her in that journey. When you walked into her cubicle, we would all light up to see her face breaking grin and the way she celebrated life with uncommon vigor and joy. In a word, she was a SUPERSTAR.

She could write about anything, but what interested her most were stories that surrounded the history of the Wyoming/ Kentwood area, and people stories. On some days, we would just hang out at Marge’s Donut Den, and anyone that walked through those doors was fair game for a well-told story. She had a crisp mind and an uncanny focus when she sat down to write.

“Startup programs are never easy,” remarked Tom Norton, General Manager at WKTV. “Janice attacked all the challenges we gave her day in and day out in building a successful Citizen Journalism program here at the station. Always with a smile on her face. Always being the consummate professional.”

Gratitude always encompassed Janice. She always felt positively grateful for her family, friends, the winning performance of the Detroit Red Wings, and the ability to find a scenic camp site.

She also told me numerous times how thankful she was to the WKTV Board of Directors and Tom Norton who helped her extensively with medical bills and financial help throughout her cancer fight.

“Not many places of employment would do that for an employee these days,” Janice would relate.

She graduated from Redford Union High School in 1977, and from there went on to Grand Valley State University. Janice later transferred to Ferris State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and journalism in 1981.

Her Catholic faith played an important role throughout her entire life and helped her through the death of her beloved daughter Hannah and husband Dan Limbaugh. Her sons Dave and Nick have been a constant source of love.

In 2013, Janice met John Gore, and he later became her fiancé. She loved spending time outdoors which led to the purchase of a camper. The enjoyment continued as they traveled all over Michigan, enjoying the state’s natural beauty along the way. During Janice’s final days, John became her primary and devoted caregiver.

Because she was such a great friend and family person, her death leaves everyone who was part of her life in such profound grief.

The staff at WKTV may feel utterly bereft and sad for a while– losing the affable, huggable writer who was never at a loss for words. So, be kind to them. She was loved by all, and will not soon be forgotten.

I spoke to her two days before she died. The last thing she said was, “I do not want to suffer.”

I will always hold onto that.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Koss National Triple Negative Breast Cancer Research Foundation at curetnbc.org.

Movies in the Park start June 3

April 10, 20163-bottom, Beer, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Upcoming Eventsah-nab-awen park, august, free, friday, giant screen, grand river, july, june, movies in the park, outdoorJoanne

Mark your calendar for Movies in the Park this summer. Pre-movie entertainment typically begins at 6 pm and movies begin at dusk. A list of movies will be out later this month. Meanwhile, the dates are as follows:

June 3
June 17
July 8
July 22
August 5
August 19

Movies in the Park is the premier outdoor film series in Grand Rapids. DGRI and partners present films–free of charge–on a giant screen in Ah-Nab-Awen Park on the banks of the Grand River every other Friday from June thru August. Guests are invited to treat the evening like a picnic and bring your own blanket, chairs, beer, wine and snacks for a special night under the stars. Pre-movie entertainment begins at 6 pm. Films start at dusk.

Movies in the Park stems from a 2013 community idea to expand the portfolio of free, outdoor urban recreation activities in Downtown Grand Rapids. The film series has quickly become a signature event in Downtown. The 2015 series of six movie nights attracted more than 31,000 people and stimulated an estimated $664,000 in total consumer spending. Overall, the series leveraged approximately $441 in economic return to downtown and participating businesses for every public dollar invested to produce the events.

Go here for more info.

In Cambodia: The Art of Making Silk

April 10, 20163-bottom, Education, Recreation, TravelCambodia, Lynn Strough, Siem Reap, silk, TravelJoanne

By Lynn Strough
Travelynn Tales

Editor’s note: We are excited to share with you the adventures of Lynn Strough, a local artist and writer who’s been traveling the world since November 2014. Lynn’s travels have (so far) taken her to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, England, France, Italy… and I’m sure we’re forgetting a few destinations. To learn more about her journey, go here.

In this first installment, Lynn is in Cambodia and shares the art of creating silk.

Just outside Siem Reap in Cambodia is a silk farm, where for free, you can go on a tour and see the whole process. They will even give you a free ride on their shuttle bus. Yes, they have a gift shop at the end, a very lovely one, but there is absolutely no pressure to buy anything, although you might be tempted to! And it’s nice to tip your tour guide. I was amazed at what it takes to go from a worm to a single piece of fabric. I think you will be too!

[huge_it_slider id=”33″]

About Lynn Strough

All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

Aldo Leopold Festival 2016 – Celebrating the North Huron Birding Trail

April 10, 20163-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Recreation, Upcoming EventsAldo Leopold, Dianna Higgs Stampfler, Les Cheneaux, Promote MichiganJoanne

By: LesCheneaux.org

Les Cheneaux welcomes you to celebrate the legacy of Aldo Leopold— one of America’s most influential naturalists— by visiting a place he spent summers in his youth. Les Cheneaux is now home to a historical marker honoring Leopold’s time in Les Cheneaux. See the woods and water that surely formed Leopold’s early impressions of the natural world.

The 2nd Annual Aldo Leopold Festival is scheduled for May 13-15 in the Les Cheneaux Islands, centered around the communities of Cedarville and Hessel.

Who Was Aldo Leopold & Why Do We Care?

Aldo Leopold and his family spent several months a year in Les Cheneaux at their cottage on Marquette Island. There, young Leopold spent his days in the woods and on the water, where he developed an appreciation for the environment and wildlife on the island while mapping trails and listing the flora and fauna he found.

Beginning in the early 1890s, the Leopold family made annual treks from their Burlington, Iowa home to their cottage, first by steam ferry from Chicago to Mackinac Island, and later by rail. As a young adult, Leopold continued to visit the Les Cheneaux area until about 1919, according to family photographs of Leopold in the area.

If one believes that our love of the land begins in childhood, it can be said that those summers spent roaming the islands, by foot or by canoe, were instrumental in helping to shape Leopold’s own land ethic. His brother, Frederick, wrote of their summers on Marquette describing Aldo’s explorations: “Aldo knew most of the island intimately. He produced several handmade maps artistically decorated and illustrated with typical trees, animals, and birds in appropriate places. All of the trails were shown including some newer trails which he himself created.”

While in the Les Cheneaux Islands, Leopold met the headmaster of the Lawrenceville School, a preparatory school that eventually took him to Yale, the only school in the country at that time that offered a forestry degree. Graduating from the Yale Forest School in 1909, he eagerly pursued a career with the newly established U.S. Forest Service in Arizona and New Mexico.

By the age of 24, he had been promoted to the post of Supervisor for the Carson National Forest in New Mexico. In 1922, he was instrumental in developing the proposal to manage the Gila National Forest as a wilderness area, which became the first such official designation in 1924.

Following a transfer to Madison, Wisconsin in 1924, Leopold continued his investigations into ecology and the philosophy of conservation, and in 1933 published the first textbook in the field of wildlife management. Later that year he accepted a new chair in game management – a first for the University of Wisconsin and the nation. In 1935, he and his family initiated their own ecological restoration experiment on a worn-out farm along the Wisconsin River outside of Baraboo, Wisconsin.

Planting thousands of pine trees, restoring prairies, and documenting the ensuing changes in the flora and fauna further informed and inspired Leopold. When Aldo Leopold wrote about considering the natural world “as a community to which we belong,” the world was a different place than it is now. The simple idea of leaving a few trees behind to seed the next generation of forest was a wild idea in a time when it was thought the American landscape offered unlimited resources that were ripe for the taking. Leopold’s influence on modern land ethics, land and wildlife conservation, and on American love of the land, is still felt today.

Aldo Leopold Festival – Program at a Glance

All weekend: Follow the Birdie – Berry Hunt
Location: Hessel School (Scavenger hunt maps and programs available here)

Friday, May 13:

9:30 am – Wings of Wonder raptor program
Location: DeTour Elementary School, DeTour – Open to public

1:30 pm- Wings of Wonder raptor program
Location: Les Cheneaux Community School, Cedarville – Open to public

6-9 pm – The Historic Waters of Aldo Leopold Kayak Outing
Location: Woods & Water Ecotours, 20 S. Pickford Ave., Hessel

7 pm – “Native Orchids of the Eastern U.P. and Tip of the Mitt” by Dr. Steve Baker
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

8 pm – “Beautiful Birds of the Eastern U.P.” – by Paul Rossi
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

Saturday, May 14:

7 am – Bird Walk at Gerstacker Preserve with Dave Ewert of The Nature Conservancy
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

7am – Birding for Warblers at Search Bay with Elliot Nelson
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

9am – Wildflower Walk with Pat Wilson
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

10 am – Aldo Leopold Festival “ALF” Triathlon
Location: Begins at Hessel Beach

10-4 pm – “Green Bird” Bird Houses Family Workshop
Location: Pickle Point, 138 Pickford Ave., Hessel

12 pm – Birding Trail Opening Celebration
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

1 pm – Wildflower Walk with Pat Wilson
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

1:30 pm – Birding Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands with Elliot Nelson
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

3 pm – “Cold Love” Documentary Film Screening
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

7 pm – “Migration of land birds in the Great Lakes region: Natural history and conservation”
by Dave Ewert
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

8:30 pm – “The Storyteller’s Night Sky” by Mary Stewart Adams
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

Sunday, May 15:

7 am – Bird Walk at Gerstacker Preserve with Dave Ewert of The Nature Conservancy
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

7 am – Birding for Warblers at Woollam Preserve with Elliot Nelson
Location: Hessel School, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hessel

9 am – Drummond Island Alvar Tour
Location: Drummond Island (Participants should arrive in DeTour at 8:20 am to catch the 8:40 ferry to Drummond Island)

10 am – The Historic Waters of Aldo Leopold Kayak Outing
Location: Woods & Water Ecotours, 20 S. Pickford Ave., Hessel

1-3 pm – Lions Club Community Picnic
Location: Snows Heritage Park, 267 Blindline Rd., Cedarville

This article was republished with permission from Dianna at Promote Michigan. We do our best to help with the promotion of the great State of Michigan!

Kent District Library Hosts International “Disability Rights” Dignitaries

April 9, 20163-bottom, Our Cities, Upcoming Eventsinternational disability rights dignitaries, Kent District Library, Kent District Library Wyoming, Wyoming BranchJoanne

By: Andrea Mantakounis

The Wyoming Branch of Kent District Library will host a tour of international leaders to discover how the library offers an inclusive environment and accessible spaces for disabled community members.

The group of eight visitors represent disability rights organizations in seven countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. They will tour KDL’s Wyoming Branch on Monday, April 11 from 1-3 p.m. The visit is part of an international professional development project that stems from a partnership between Colleagues International (CI) – a non-profit organization based in Kalamazoo, Michigan – and the U.S. Department of State.

In 2015, Kent District Library was awarded the Community Champions Award by Disability Advocates of Kent County for assessing all 18 KDL branches and the service center headquarters for accessibility. Kent District Library operates the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped for residents in Kent, Ionia, and Montcalm Counties

“We are so humbled to see this recognition for our accomplishments in serving the disabled community. We have learned so much from our partners at Disability Advocates of Kent County and their assistance has helped us become the best library we can be for all members of our community,” says Lance Werner, KDL’s Executive Director.

The Department of State has outlined the following specific objectives for the project:

·         Examine federal, state, and local laws and programs intended to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);
·         Explore government and private sector funding of services and programs for persons with disabilities;
·         Discuss how various organizations, associations, and NGOs influence policy and raise awareness of disability issues through advocacy, media and grassroots organizing; and
·         Provide professional networking opportunities that facilitate long‑term dialogue among the visitors and their American counterparts.

The Department of State specifically requested these guests have a tour and meeting with Kent District Library. This event will include KDL staff and community members, including those with disabilities, highlighting how the library has created an inclusive environment and accessible spaces for the community.

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Aldo Leopold Festival 2016 – Celebrating the North Huron Birding Trail

Kent District Library Hosts International “Disability Rights” Dignitaries