Are Your Prescriptions Killing You?: How to Prevent Dangerous Interactions, Avoid Deadly Side Effects, and be Healthier with Fewer Drugs
Hopefully not! But there’s trouble in Pillville, and the author has penned an incredibly useful and lively book addressing the problem. Armon Neel, PharmD., has been a “consulting pharmacist” for over 30 years, helping institutions, caregivers and patients with medication reviews. Many meds that might be ok for a younger person can cause havoc in those over 60. Why? Well, no matter how “healthy” we are, our internal organs experience a natural “decline in physiological reserve” over time.
So by 60, we have a lot less capability in our liver, kidneys, digestive system, than we had in our twenties. This natural diminution in enzymes etc., effects our bodies ability to take in, use and eliminate medications. Some meds don’t mix well; some may be causing more problems than they are supposedly fixing; and worst case, many deaths are caused by medications each year.
A realist who has lived through decades of medical history, Neel goes into some of the statistical tricks that are used to “sell” new (and expensive) drugs and explains terms like “medication cascade”, “exponential effect of polypharmacy”, NNT (number needed to treat). A writer for AARP,Reader’s Digest and Prevention, Neel sorts out complex material and presents it in a commonsense way.
Filled with anecdotes from the author’s long experience, I found it absorbing enough to read cover to cover. His message is not that we should forgo medication (he’s a pharmacist after all), but that we need to be be careful. Neel’s book is also a timely read, as our country faces a health care crisis, and we are all looking for answers to create better care at less expense.
Most people think about weatherizing their home when the weather gets cold. But what about when it gets hot? Weatherization can keep hot air out, trap cool air in and lower your energy costs in the summer months, too!
Here are five tips to keep your home cooler and your bills lower this summer:
Dehumidify. Humidity makes your home feel hotter. Use exhaust fans when showering and cooking to decrease the humidity in your home.
Avoid the oven. Using indoor appliances, like the oven, will make it even hotter in your home. On very hot days, use an outdoor grill to cook hot meals.
Let cool air in. If the nighttime brings cooler air, open the windows overnight. Close them in the morning to trap the cool air inside. Close the blinds to keep the sun out during the day.
Turn fans off when you’re gone. Fans cool people by moving heat away from our bodies. However, fans do not cool rooms. Don’t waste electricity — turn the fan off when you leave the room.
Get a professional energy audit. An energy audit is an assessment of your home’s energy use and loss. Weatherization specialists look for drafts, check the home’s insulation and evaluate appliance efficiency. Once the home has been assessed, a specific plan can be developed to decrease energy loss.
ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) provides professional energy audits and weatherization services for low-income households through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The average home saves around 30% on their energy costs after receiving weatherization services from ACSET CAA.
WAP services are provided at no cost to eligible households. To find out if you qualify contact ACSET CAA at 616.336.2228.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org
What better way to support the community than through listening to local artists, enjoying delicious food and drink and having the opportunity to win prizes.
On Sunday, April 9 from 4-10 p.m., Access of West Michigan is hosting the annual Feedback Concert, held at Founders Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids.
The evening will feature three great local artists who also call Grand Rapids home. The Legal Immigrants, Conrad Shock and The Noise and the Honeytones will light up the stage with their unique sound and high energy.
Founders Brewing Co. offers a venue full of atmosphere and fun.
Access of West Michigan will be there with a 50/50 raffle for prizes to win. A silent auction, featuring cool merchandise from some great area organizations, will also raise support for Access of West Michigan.
Access of West Michigan is a nonprofit organization serving Grand Rapids in developing holistic solutions to poverty by cultivating equitable systems through education and collaboration. Since 1981, Access has been committed to serving those in need and promoting opportunities for access to good food.
Tickets for Feedback 2017 are $5, with all proceeds going to Access.
Come join Access and the community in celebrating and supporting holistic solutions to poverty!
The CVS Health Foundation has awarded Catherine’s Health Center $35,000 to support chronic disease management and prevention for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and asthma, improved care coordination and increased access to care programs.
As the need for access to affordable care and improved health outcomes continue to weigh on the U.S. health care system, the CVS Health Foundation is providing grants, ranging from $20,000 to $35,000 this year.
In all, 33 free and charitable clinics nationwide are receiving more than $1 million in grants from the CVS Health Foundation as part of a multi-year grant program with the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC). Over the past four years, the Foundation has donated nearly $5 million to NAFC to increase access to quality care and support the management of chronic disease.
For more information on how the Free and Charitable Clinics will be utilizing their grants to improve community health, please go here.
About Catherine’s Health Center
Established in 1996, Catherine’s Health Center is a 501(c)(3) safety net medical clinic serving more than 6,000 patients annually. Using a small core of paid staff and many dedicated volunteers, Catherine’s mission is to provide free or low-cost medical services to low-income, uninsured, underinsured and newly insured residents of Kent County. Support for the mission is provided by generous friends who share our belief that access to health care should be provided for all people, businesses, foundations, religious groups and others. Catherine’s Health Center does not discriminate; services are available to the broader community. Learn more at www.catherineshc.org.
About the CVS Health Foundation
The CVS Health Foundation is a private charitable organization created by CVS Health that works to build healthier communities, enabling people of all ages to lead healthy, productive lives. The Foundation provides strategic investments to nonprofit partners throughout the U.S. who help increase community-based access to health care for underserved populations, create innovative approaches to chronic disease management and provide tobacco cessation and youth prevention programming. To learn more about the CVS Health Foundation and its giving, go here.
You may have a long list of accomplishments and years of experience, but a formatting or spelling error can send your resume straight to the wastebasket or delete folder. Your résumé shows an employer the kind of work you’re capable of producing.
Don’t let a careless mistake make a bad impression. Watch out for these common, yet avoidable, résumé blunders:
Spelling and grammatical errors. Spelling and grammatical errors tell employers one of two things: “This person can’t write.” or “This person just doesn’t care.” Spell Check isn’t foolproof, so ask someone to review your résumé before you send it off.
Incorrect or missing contact information. You’ve got a strong résumé, but you’ll never get contacted for an interview if your email address is missing a letter or you’ve switched digits in your phone number. Triple-check your contact information for accuracy.
Using “fancy” fonts. These fonts not only make your résumé harder to read, but studies show that the reader will absorb less information. Stick to one standard font like Arial.
Crowding too much information on one page. A crowded page can also make your résumé hard to read. It’s okay to go beyond one page if you need to, but make sure the information is relevant to the job.
An unprofessional email address. “Catluver63@hotmail.com” might seem clever and fun, but it doesn’t convey a professional image. Use a simple email address that includes your name.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
When a Belmont resident stumbled across this bedraggled old girl at the Madison Square Sportsman Club, she did the ONE thing that saved the kitty’s life: she took her home and brought her inside.
Weighing in at only 4.7 pounds, this senior citizen whose age can only be estimated at older than 8 (a birthdate of June of 2007 has been given) was in such dire straits, it was painful to look at her. The rescuer took her in to a vet for a quick once-over and testing, then called us to ask if we could help; we welcomed this beyond skinny, scrawny kitty into our program on June 23, 2016.
Upon kitty’s arrival, Dr. Jen had her work cut out for her: Flora was emaciated with significant muscle wasting, her gums were pale due to a non-regenerative anemia, had broken canines and dental disease, was ravenously hungry but literally everything she ate ran out of the other end, had a puncture wound on chin that abscessed and caused a significant odor AND was bugged by fleas as well! Needless to say, frail little Flora and Dr. Jen spent a few days at the clinic righting all of the wrongs that we could; by the time she headed down to Crash’s her stools were solidifying, she was up to 5.7 pounds and she was totally loving her new life.
For the next four weeks Dr. Jen had Flora on a course of oral antibiotics that would target a blood parasite if that was the cause of her low red blood cell count, but although she continued to gain weight (she was up to 6.9 pounds a month after her arrival), her anemia didn’t improve, meaning it simply is one of chronic illness.
In time, as she grows stronger and healthier, this may change, but given all of the problems this abandoned girl was plagued with for so long, it may take quite awhile. We will continue to monitor her closely for symptoms of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) as that chronic condition certainly could be the root of the majority of her presenting issues.
It took several weeks of R and R at our facility before Flora had energy to do more than sleep, so now that she is getting three squares a day (ok, in her case it is unlimited snacks and meals) she is making her rounds about the place and is quite happy to see you when you arrive. She learned her name very quickly and will saunter on over to you if you ask her to (if she isn’t contentedly napping), relishing the gentle fur-strokes and face rubs given to her in return.
Overall, Flora is a fabulous, mellow, laid-back, even-tempered gal who would adore a home that would provide for her all of the ‘cushy’ things in life she was missing for so long. If you have a warm lap, designated snuggle spots and a bed or two she could claim as her own, then Flora feels she is the right cat for you! Her needs are simple and her gratitude is endless; she will be a loving, loyal companion who will repay your kindness with never-ending devotion.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Before counselor Dow sees a new client, he reads through the case carefully. Six years back, four young men went on a week-long crime spree that ended in the murder of an 84-year-old woman in her home. One of the gang shot Miss McClain in the head, and Dow’s client took the gun and shot her again, stating, “That’s how you smoke a bitch.”
Dow’s clients are all on death row in Texas. Many are not sympathetic types. Discussing his new case with his father-in-law, Peter asks him, “So, why do you want to save this man?”, and Dow answers that he doesn’t know yet.
There are a lot of surprises in this book, starting — but not ending — with Dow. Although he’s a professor, a death penalty lawyer and the founder of the Texas Innocence Network, he tells us that, “It’s important to understand that people who defend murderers aren’t necessarily opposed to killing.”
An avid shooter, known as “Grudge” at the range, due to his habit of pinning photos on his targets, Dow’s wife convinced him to give most of his guns to a friend after their son was born.
“But I kept the shotgun. I’ve got a family to take care of. If anyone ever climbs our stairs at night and doesn’t turn and run when he hears the whoosh of the pump chambering a shell, I’ll know that if the dog doesn’t kill him I’m going to have to.”
OK, so he’s not a pacifist. We have to piece together his reasons for his strong commitment to his clients as the book goes along, but he isn’t shy about revealing the legal and political machinations that go into a death case, and his opinions on them.
“Anybody who tells you the criminal justice system is an even playing field has no idea what she’s talking about. Rich people can make it close to even. Poor people—which is to say, everyone on death row—don’t have a chance.”
It’s not all about death row though, and what sounds like a depressing treatise, Things I’ve Learned… reads more like a medical, legal and psychological thriller, shot through with dark humor and hope.
The book intertwines three lives and deaths as part of a whole, pulsing web of life, where each twitch ripples out to affect the immediate family, friends and finally the whole ecosystem of society. There are no “minor” characters in these true stories. The themes of mortality are deep as the wise friend, beloved dog, even the remorseful client, confront our oldest mystery.
It is, as the title promises, a book about life, and a strangely beautiful one.
“I’m an angel person,” said Sharon Esterley when asked about the pin she wore. It featured the image of an angel centered in a heart. “I really believe in angels and I have lots of them in my life looking after me. Some are from my church, some from Catherine’s [Health Center], and there are lots more.”
For the past three years or so, Esterley has relied on Catherine’s for her primary medical care.
“Dr. Jack first and now Dr. Jon, they’re great!” she enthused, adding that she’s had good experiences with everyone she’s met at the Center.
Esterley’s life story starts and stays in the Grand Rapids area. Raised in Kentwood, she worked for 32 years as a nurses’ aid. When her parents needed help, she left that job to become their caregiver, an arrangement that lasted for nine years until they both passed away. It was during that time she lacked any health care coverage and, through the urging of a friend, began to get her health care through Catherine’s.
In addition to her medical care, she got medication through Catherine’s Medication Assistance Program, attended diabetes management classes, participated in the Community Walking Program and more. While arthritis and a pre-diabetic condition were focal points of her care, she was essentially healthy and able to return to paid employment. Around age 59 and thinking it was time to try something different after years of paid and family caregiving, Esterley took work as a custodian with Goodwill Industries.
Sharon Esterley
Things seemed to be going well when, in 2014, a spontaneous, non-work-related fall at her work setting left her with unbearable pain in her left leg. Esterley’s care at Catherine’s included physical therapy after the injury. When it did not bring relief, she was referred to Mary Free Bed. Using a walker, not sleeping at night, generally feeling miserable and unable to do the tasks required for work, her pain and distress just didn’t subside.
Looking for a new option, she was seen by Dr. Jon Reitzenstein not long after he arrived at Catherine’s. Trained in acupuncture, the doctor believed some relief was possible through the administration of auriculotherapy — simply put, treatments involving key points in the outer ear that, when stimulated, provide relief from pain. Esterley was willing, and, just as Dr. Reitzenstein expected, it worked!
After only two treatments she noticed a substantial reduction in her pain. Now, after seven treatments, Esterley says the pain is mostly gone, her walker has been replaced with a cane and she is sleeping again. She uses no medication to manage her pain and the acupuncture treatments are being reduced in frequency.
“I haven’t taken a sleeping pill in six weeks,” she said, “and I’m sleeping!”
“People at Catherine’s have really helped,” Esterley continued. “Since I had no insurance, I worked with one of the navigators” (trained volunteers who provide objective information on insurance options and help people access information and applications). “They helped me and now I’ll have Medicaid coverage.”
When Esterley is even more fully recovered she looks forward to volunteering, perhaps in a caregiver or support role.
“I have so many angels in my life, I hope I’m an angel for others too,” she beamed.
Located at 1211 Lafayette Ave. NW in Grand Rapids, Mich., Catherine’s Health Center offers primary medical care to people who meet certain income guidelines. Go here for more information.
Stabenow announces legislation to toughen up ‘Buy American Act’ and create more jobs at home
By Miranda Margowsky
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced the Make It In America Act, which closes loopholes in the Buy American Act so the federal government is spending American tax dollars to buy products made in America. This Act also holds federal agencies accountable for how they spend taxpayer dollars.
Passed in 1933, the Buy American Act gives priority to American companies when the federal government purchases goods. However, the current law has numerous exemptions.
“It’s common sense that American tax dollars be used to purchase products made in America, not overseas,” said Senator Stabenow. “My Make It In America Act will create more opportunities for American jobs by strengthening our current Buy American law and holding federal agencies accountable. The products needed by our federal agencies, including critical defense systems, are being designed and made by talented Michigan workers and workers across the country. American jobs and American businesses need to be our highest priority.”
U.S. Senator Gary Peters is a co-sponsor of the legislation.
“Spending American tax dollars on products made by American workers not only helps create jobs, it’s a critical component of protecting our national security, especially when it comes to equipment for our service members,” said Senator Peters.
Senators Peters, Risch reintroduce legislation to help small businesses access patent protections
By Allison Green
U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Jim Risch (R-ID) announced that they have reintroduced the Small Business Innovation Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to help small businesses protect their intellectual property by improving education on obtaining and protecting patents. The bill will require the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to work together to leverage existing outreach programs in order to better educate more small businesses on domestic and international patents. Peters, Risch and then-Senator David Vitter (R-LA) introduced this legislation in the 114th Congress, where it passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
“Small businesses are the engines of economic growth in our communities. It is critical that small businesses are equipped with the tools and knowledge to protect their intellectual property so they can focus on what they do best — creating jobs and serving customers,” said Senator Peters. “I’m pleased to reintroduce this bipartisan bill, which will boost collaboration between the SBA and USPTO in developing best practices to support small businesses as they look to sell their product in the national and international marketplace.”
America’s intellectual property-intensive industries employ nearly 19 million workers at all education and skill levels and represent forty percent of the country’s economic growth. The value of U.S. intellectual property is estimated at over $5 trillion, and sixty percent of U.S. exports come from intellectual property-intensive industries.
Peters, colleagues introduce bipartisan legislation to support Great Lakes debris cleanup
By Allison Green
U.S Senator Gary Peters (MI), Ranking Member of the Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee and a member of the Great Lakes Task Force, joined his colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to help address the growing problem of marine debris affecting the Great Lakes and America’s coastlines. The Save our Seas (SOS) Act w
ould reauthorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, which removes thousands of tons of debris, such as plastic microbeads, ghost nets, abandoned vessels and other waste, from the Great Lakes and coastal waters every year. Marine debris harms the Great Lakes ecosystem, creates health hazards and threatens the region’s multi-billion dollar tourism, fishing and boating industries.
“Marine debris litters both our ocean coastlines and important inland waterways like the Great Lakes, which is a source of drinking water for 40 million people and a critical economic driver,” said Senator Peters, Ranking Member of the Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee. “Whether it’s research into the effects of plastic microbeads or cleaning up abandoned vessels and ghost nets, NOAA’s Marine Debris Program helps preserve and protect the unique Great Lakes ecosystem. This bipartisan legislation will help strengthen research and international coordination to ensure that we can safeguard our coastlines and the industries that depend on them.”
Every year approximately 11,000 tons of plastic debris enters the Great Lakes, primarily through Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. Also contributing to the Great Lakes debris problem are building materials, batteries, appliances, fishing gear and abandoned vessels.
Peters, Gardner introduce bipartisan legislation to expand telehealth services
By WKTV Contributor
U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced the Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act, legislation that would expand access to health care in both rural and urban areas by paving the way for Medicare to cover additional telehealth services. Currently, Medicare covers limited telehealth services, setting a poor industry standard, discouraging innovation, and restricting access to specialized services.
“Michigan seniors and families in rural and underserved communities are using telehealth technology to receive specialized and quality health care that otherwise would not be readily available,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan, commonsense legislation has the potential to help expand access to care for Michigan seniors, lower health care costs and reduce costly emergency room visits, hospitalizations and readmissions.”
The Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to allow eligible hospitals to test telehealth services through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMI). Additionally, it directs CMI to have an independent evaluation conducted to assess the telehealth models for cost, effectiveness, and improvement in quality of care without increasing the cost of delivery. If the telehealth model meets this criteria, then the model will be covered through the greater Medicare program.
Peters & colleagues announce creation of new bipartisan chemistry caucus
By WKTV Contributor
U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE) and Steve Daines (R-MT) announced that they will serve as co-chairs of the newly formed Senate Chemistry Caucus. In addition to the new chairs, Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), John Neely Kennedy (R-LA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) will join the Caucus.
The Senate Chemistry Caucus will provide a bipartisan forum to discuss issues dealing with the science of chemistry and America’s chemical business sector, which play a critical role in our economy and the creation of innovative products vital to everyday life. The group will work with their colleagues in the Senate to underscore the importance of employing sound science to create effective public policy and to promote initiatives that encourage the development of chemical manufacturing and a new generation of chemists in the U.S. through world-class education and research programs.
“Chemistry plays a vital role in creating the jobs of the 21st century, including nearly 30,000 jobs in Michigan,” said Senator Peters. “We can’t predict what the next big thing will be, but every day the field of chemistry is making groundbreaking discoveries that can grow our economy and improve our daily lives. I’m proud to help launch the bipartisan Senate Chemistry Caucus to encourage scientific research, spur new innovation and promote safety in the chemical industry.”
Peters statement on Supreme Court Nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch
By WKTV Contributor
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following statement announcing his opposition to Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court:
“The U.S. Supreme Court is a pillar of our nation’s democracy, and I take very seriously the Senate’s responsibility to advise and consent on nominees to serve in this revered institution. The U.S. Supreme Court is often the last line of defense for everyday Americans, and Judge Gorsuch’s previous rulings indicate he believes that corporations have greater rights than individuals.
U.S. Senator Gary Peters
“Whether it is ruling against children who want an equal opportunity to get a quality education or women who want access to health care, Judge Gorsuch often fails to take into account the human face behind each case. He has also failed to acknowledge how deeply the Citizens United decision has corrupted our government by opening the floodgates for special interest money to pour into our elections.
“Serving on the U.S. Supreme Court requires more than education and experience, and I am extremely concerned that Judge Gorsuch’s judicial approach is out of step with mainstream American values. After careful consideration of Judge Gorsuch’s comments and his record, I cannot support his nomination to serve on our nation’s highest court.”
Senator Stabenow announces she will oppose Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to Supreme Court
By WKTV Contributor
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced that she will vote “no” on Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States. She released the following statement laying out the reasons for her opposition:
Sen. Debbie Stabenow
“The Senate has a Constitutional duty to provide advice and consent on Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination through a fair and thorough confirmation process. It is essential that the next Supreme Court Justice not only be qualified in the law but also balanced and impartial in his views.
“After reviewing Judge Gorsuch’s rulings, it is clear that he has a long record of siding with special interests and institutions instead of hard-working Americans. And, therefore, in my judgment, he does not meet this standard of balance and impartiality.
“After carefully reviewing his record and listening to his testimony last week in the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have concluded that supporting the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court is not in the best interests of the people of Michigan whom I am proud to represent.”
Each year, ACSET Community Action holds it Walk for Warmth to raise funds for emergency heating assistance for low-income families in Kent County. And each year, students at Sibley Elementary participate in activities to support the walk and help their neighbors in need.
For more than 10 years, second graders engaged in the social studies unit Learning About Communities, have worked together to make positive changes in their community. The students, known as the “Sibley Warmth Force,” write letters to local businesses to ask for donations for the annual Walk for Warmth.
“Our studies focus on citizenship and building community,” explained Bernice Wisnieski, a second grade teacher at Sibley. “This service project is an awesome way to bring the lesson to life.”
This year the second grade students wanted a way to get the entire school involved. They worked with the principal and scheduled the first Sibley Walk-a-thon for Warmth. Along with the Walk for Warmth on February 11th, all students at Sibley Elementary took turns walking on March 14, holding signs with the names of businesses that helped support the cause. Many of the older students remembered this project from past years and were excited to participate again.
In addition to the walk-a-thon, the students made and sold fleece blankets and brought in pennies for a total of almost $2,000 in donations. ACSET Community Action is grateful to the students for their hard work and warm hearts; to the businesses for their generous donations; and to the Sibley teachers for creating a community that cares for those less fortunate.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org
If I were sitting across the table and complaining to Rachel Remen about something going on in my life, I’m certain she would give me a pearl of wisdom wrapped in a story. Not only am I wiser for Kitchen Table Wisdom, I am more human.
This book contains approximately 80 short stories from Remen’s counseling practice, primarily with cancer patients. Many passages left me with tears in my eyes. And although the stories were about her patients’ and coworkers’ “aha!” moments, it was I who was illuminated. I cried over my negative attitudes.
In order to be a successful female doctor in the early 1960s, Remen covered over her own tenderness with clinical expertise. Through turns of circumstances interspersed in the book, she recaptures much of the softness her Jewish grandfather had instilled in her. Her transparency about her own journey is refreshing, which in turn suggests to the reader that they, too, may have something to discover about their own life.
I was particularly moved by a story of a male patient in the final stages of cancer. What he loved more than anything about seeing his oncologist, he told Remen, were the conversations they would have at the end of his appointments. This doctor was the only person in his life who he felt completely understood what he was going through.
Eventually his doctor said there was nothing more he could do, though additional chemotherapy might prolong his life. He did not want more chemotherapy, so the doctor released him from his care. He was devastated; yet he resumed treatments just to have those short conversations! Remen is also the counselor of the man’s oncologist. This doctor came to Remen because he felt his life did not matter. He believed if he died no one would miss him.
In three pages, I have been given a beautiful story. Inside the story I see clearly the value of listening to others with an open heart. And although Remen could not tell the oncologist of the great impact he was making on one man’s life, she told me that, even if I cannot see it, my life is significant to someone.
Kitchen Table Wisdom is a must-read for everyone who desires to expand their capacities for loving, understanding and accepting others.
Thank you, Dr. Remen, for many hours of counseling.
This summer, have your child explore his or her creative side. The Holland Area Arts Counciloffers Fine Arts Camps for all ages, grades 3 through 12.
The classic 8th Street Fine Arts Camp for grades 3-6 will explore the artwork of Yayoi Kusama, the Polka Dot Queen, and draw inspiration from her vibrant colors, polka dots and infinity rooms. Another quilting camp for grades 5-8 will explore the quilts of modern master Nancy Crow, and each student will again bring home pieced and tied quilt!
The newest addition to the Fine Arts Camps this summer is The Joy of Painting, a teen workshop intensive that will give students grades 9-12 a taste of art school. They’ll learn how to prepare a canvas or board, plan a painting, learn new techniques, gain an understanding of brushes, tools and mediums and finish the week with a peer critiques and a mini exhibition of their work.
The Arts Council offers a Clay Camp every year and have grown the program this summer with five camps, including all-new clay, colors and processes and an awesome new teacher. Grades 3-6 can join Mary Wolter, the Arts Council’s ceramics instructor, to make whistles, games, clay self-portraits, wind chimes — and also learn to use the wheel. The Arts Council is also offering a clay workshop for grades K-2 so the little ones get a chance to play in the mud.
Eat with Your Eyes Cooking Camps are back, too. This summer, grades 3-6 can choose between two culinary camps learning to cook a full day’s worth of food or exploring cuisine from Mexico, Italy and Asia. Kids learn to cook from scratch in these camps and leave with a folder of recipes and the skills to try them at home.
Students will meet at the Holland Area Arts Council each day at 150 East 8th Street in Downtown Holland. Call 616.396.3278 or go here for more information and to register.
Register early! Space is limited and camps fill up fast.
Summertime is the perfect time for hands-on cooking and greenhouse activities! Downtown Market offers three exciting themes for kids ages 7-11 — but be sure to register now as classes fill up quickly.
Tired of hearing, “don’t play with your food,” when you’re at the dinner table? In this week of Simmer Camp, you will experience culinary creativity through edible potions, sneaky vegetable appearances, and baking surprises. You’ll even build food sculptures and channel our inner Harry Potter with kitchen magic.
Gather ‘round and turn the greenhouse and teaching
kitchen into a backyard farm. Learn new ways to grow
things in small spaces and how to use herbs and veggies from your yard or the farmers market. You won’t have to leave the city to get dirty and you’re sure to go home with some new ideas for creating habitats for the smallest helpers in every garden.
It’s a wonderful time to live in the Mitten State. Fruits and veggies are in their prime so we’ll gather around the table to celebrate Michigan’s bounty. Explore some recipes that are specific to Michigan towns and learn how farmers make the season last longer by preserving the flavors of summer to be enjoyed all year round!
Politics in the United States today is an exceptionally divisive topic, and has generated significant anger among many political circles — an emotional response that influential philosopher Martha Nussbaum will argue isn’t the best way to generate change.
Nussbaum, a world-renowned philosopher, author and law professor, will discuss anger and its place in politics and personal lives, while addressing its effectiveness as a change agent. Martha Nussbaum: Anger and Revolutionary Justice will be hosted by Grand Valley State University’s Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies on Tuesday, April 4 at 7 pm at the L.V. Eberhard Center, Grand Valley State University’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested at hauensteincenter.org/rsvp.
Nussbaum, recently named the 2017 Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities by the National Endowment for the Humanities, will discuss the concept that anger is not an effective response to perceived injustice, noting that three of recent history’s great freedom movements were directed by leaders who aspired to non-anger, including Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela.
She will discuss her book Anger and Forgiveness: Resentment, Generosity, Justiceand explore why there will always be a need for leaders who can recognize the humanity of people who think differently when the stakes are high.
Nussbaum’s Jefferson Lecturer distinction is the highest honor the federal government bestows for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities. She is also the University of Chicago’s Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics. In 2016, she was awarded the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy. Other awards include The Centennial Medal of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, and the American Philosophical Association’s Philip Quinn Prize.
She is one of only two women to give the John Locke Lectures at Oxford, the most eminent lecture series in the field of philosophy.
Nussbaum has taught at Harvard, Brown University and Oxford, and has published 24 books and more than 500 academic papers.
Employers offer short phone interviews now more than ever before. These interviews help hiring managers decide which candidates to invite to a longer, in-person interview.
More than half of what a person says is communicated through body language and non-verbal cues. During a phone interview, the hiring manager can only hear your words. So, extra prep is required.
Here are some ways to help make sure you’re offered a second interview:
Pick the right place Find a quiet room for your interview. Arrange for a babysitter. Put your dog where you can’t hear the bark.
Put your questions on a table and have a pen ready to take notes. Use these notes to help personalize your thank you note, or to write down questions to ask at the end of the interview.
Don’t forget to charge your cell phone the night before. And make sure the room gets good service. Keep your phone connected to your phone charger, if needed.
Your introduction is important Answer their call professionally and identify yourself: “Hi, this is _________.”
Smile Even though the interviewer can’t see you, a smile will change the tone of your voice. It adds energy to your words and helps you sound friendly.
Keep answers short and direct Answer questions in three sentences or less. Short answers don’t allow the employer to get distracted on the phone and hear what you’re saying.
Don’t forget to thank them after the interview is over, and send a note in the mail.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
Each week, WKTV features an adoptable furry friend (or few) from various shelters in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we focus on Humane Society of West Michigan, located at 3077 Wilson Dr. NW in Grand Rapids.
Humane Society of West Michigan’s mission is to rescue hurt, abused and abandoned animals and find them a new forever home. The 501(c)3 non-profit organization helps over 8,000 animals annually and is 100% donor-funded by caring individuals and businesses in the community. Additional programs help reduce pet overpopulation, provide assistance to low-income pet owners, behaviorally assess animals and reunite lost pets with their owners.
Papaya — Female Domestic Short Hair
Papaya
I’m a sweet 6-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I readily approach people and love to be pet behind my ears and under my chin. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Papaya:
Size: Medium
Spayed
Not declawed
Animal ID: 34458070
Nadia — Female American Pit Bull Terrier
Nadia
I’m a 3-year-old, happy girl who loves to play with people and toys! I was transferred to HSWM from another shelter in Michigan making much of my history a mystery. I’m very social and playful and would do well in a home where I can have regular activity and where my family would do some training with me. If I sound like the right fit for your relaxed home please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Nadia:
American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
Adult
Female
Large
Spayed/Neutered
Current on vaccinations
Pet ID: 34812070
Oreo — Female Domestic Short Hair
Oreo
I’m a beautiful 12-year-old cat looking for my forever home. I would need a family who would give me the time and space necessary to adjust to new environment. I am social and friendly once I have warmed up to my place and people!
More about Oreo:
Domestic Short Hair Mix
Senior
Female
Small
Spayed/Neutered
Current on vaccinations
Primary Color(s): Tabby – Gray, Blue or Silver
Pet ID: 31772426
Caliope — Female Domestic Short Hair
Caliope
I’m a beautiful 7-year-old cat looking for my forever home. I love to explore nooks and crannies to find the perfect napping spot! I also love pets and affection from my people friends. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan. My adoption fee is waived due to generous grant funding.
More about Caliope:
Domestic Short Hair Mix
Senior
Female
Small
Spayed/Neutered
Current on vaccinations
Primary Color(s): Tabby – Brown or Chocolate
Animal ID: 34347071
To adopt one or more of these cuties, call 616.453.8900 or email adoptions@hswestmi.org.
Adoption fee includes:
A physical done by the staff veterinarian
A test for heartworm disease (if six months or older)
A first series of vaccines including DHLPP (distemper combo), Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccine, and rabies (if older than 14 weeks of age)
Spay/Neuter Surgery
Treatment for internal parasites
One dose of flea preventative
One dose of heartworm preventative
The organization automatically microchips all adoptable animals using 24PetWatch microchips, which include FREE registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424. This pet is also provided with 30 days of FREE ShelterCare Pet Health Insurance with a valid email address. For more information visit www.shetlercare.com or call 1-866-375-7387 (PETS).
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tues-Fri 12-7, Sat & Sun 11-4.
Newsflash: the Old Book Curmudgeon LOVED The Highest Tide. Ok, I wasn’t so sure at first. I can be a little hasty about books, and the plot involves one 13-year-old boy’s summer on Skookumchuck Bay. I wasn’t sure if I would be interested in a 13-year-old boy no matter HOW many excellent reviews the book has gotten.
However, it didn’t take long before I began to like the boy and the book very much. Jim Lynch writes with a subtle touch, the characters slowly revealing themselves. Things that might seem obvious at first, are revealed in much more depth later on, with just a few words, a couple of sentences.
Initially, I was entranced by the descriptions of the sea life on the tidal flats of Puget Sound. I loved going along with Miles as he turned over rocks (replacing them exactly the way they were) on his rounds across the flats. It was like listening to a marine biologist, only a young, humorous one.
Our protagonist, is a small-for-his-age, “almost 14”-year-old. He is the only child of parents who seem seriously mismatched, and his best friend so far in life, Florence, is a very old and disabled lady who used to have a modest business as a psychic. He has a crush on his neighbor, who is spiraling into mental illness and is also an entrepeneur with a budding sea life business. No wonder he has trouble sleeping nights.
Miles O’Malley has a rich inner life, a passion for the sea and for Rachel Carson, and he is gifted with the capacity to think and act in ways that are out of the ordinary, in the sense that he thinks of others, even other life forms, more than he thinks of himself. So you might call Miles an “old soul”, except that he’s also an unintentionally very funny old soul.
Miles is an insomniac, which he blames on Rachel Carson:
“There is no drop of water in the ocean, not even in the deepest parts of the abyss, that does not know and respond to the mysterious forces that create the tide.” (Rachel Carson)
“How do you read that sentence, yawn and turn out the lights?” Miles asks us, and then goes on to explain that he also makes his best discoveries on moonlit nights when he can’t sleep and prowls the flats of Skookumchuck Bay at low tide. One night his ears pick up a faint, but very different sound from across the vast, dark mudflats and gravelly shore: “It was an exhale, a release of sorts, and I instantly wondered if a whale was stranded again.” He approaches cautiously and finds the unbelievable: an Architeuthis, a giant squid. It will later be confirmed by Dr. Kramer, his mentor, at a huge media event, and thus begins a summer of notoriety for Miles.
Other discoveries follow: about sea creatures, about himself, Florence (his elderly friend), Phelps (his unlikely paid associate, whose obsessive interests are more typical: girls and rock ‘n roll), his parents, his love interest. As in most “young adult” novels, the protagonist faces changes and grows to meet them.
Some of the experiences are pretty rough and Miles often turns to the sea for help:
“…it was hard for me to feel fear or sadness at dawn on that bay… the water was so clear I could see coon-stripe shrimp in the eelgrass near the tavern and the bottomless bed of white clam shells pooled across the sunken tip of Penrose Point.
“Those shells, as unique and timeless as bones, helped me realize that we all die young, that in the life of the earth, we are houseflies, here for one flash of light.”
You certainly don’t have to be 14 to relate to this book. The themes resonate well with people (like the Old Book Curmudgeon) who are at the opposite end of their own timeline.
What might happen if we really paid attention to life? What might we discover about the world and ourselves if we just looked a little closer and a little longer? We’re swept along by the tides of time whether we will or nil; so much of life seemingly out of our control. Maybe at a certain point the changes don’t look so good as we are drawn inexorably out to sea. And yet, the way Lynch frames things, it doesn’t sound so bad.
Miles draws strength from Rachel Carson’s philosophy. He especially admires that she was not “intimidated by time”. When she looked at the ocean she summed up that:
“In its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life and receives in the end, after, it may be, many transmutations, the dead husks of the same life. For all at last return to the sea—to Oceanus, the ocean river, like the ever-flowing stream of time, the beginning and the end.” Rachel Carson
This book would be a gold mine for book clubs. Lots of material for thoughtful discussion here.
Don’t let the liberal use of the “F” word throw you off or you might be too hasty and miss a great little work that illuminates the best in us.
Family-owned Italian grocer, G.B. Russo & Son, has announced a rebrand to commemorate the company’s history dating back to 1905.
For 112 years the Russo family has been committed to the Grand Rapids community by offering one of the largest selection of wine and gourmet food; craft beer and liquor, kitchenware, homemade Italian entrees and more. G.B. Russo & Son will now be known as Russo’s International Market. Russo’s will host a variety of giveaways, in-store events, and promotions spanning over a three-month period. A community celebration will be held in May.
“My grandfather left Montelepre, Sicily at the age of 17 and by 20 years of age had opened his first store in East Grand Rapids,” said Phil Russo, President of Russo’s International Market.
“He made it his mission to serve the community and fed many through the Great Depression regardless of background or race. He was an entrepreneur and risk-taker and in spite of natural disasters, the Great Depression and race riots, the store continued to prosper and expand to make us what we are today.”
In 2008, the business doubled the size of the store to 18,000 square feet and expanded parking at the 29th Street location. Today, the store has a 45-foot deli case with over 300 meats and cheeses from around the world, olives, fresh baked breads, oils, private label pastas and sauces, homemade Villa Russo frozen entrees, a vast selection of craft beers and liquor, thousands of wines, kitchenware and more.
Russo’s International Market is currently run by the 3rd and 4th generation of the family and in the past few years the business has expanded to include:
Catering for events, business meetings and more
Wine delivery
Custom corporate gifts
In-store educational beverage tasting events and more
A large selection of Michigan and Grand Rapids products
Additional private-labeled items
Expanded homemade products such as sandwiches, dips, sauces, breads and more
“In honor of our anniversary we will share history on Grand Rapids in the 1900s while celebrating the present and future endeavors,” said Kelley Russo of Russo’s International Market.
“It is our goal to constantly reinvent ourselves as my great-grandfather would’ve encouraged us to do.”
Historic Items of Note:
In 1908, Giovanni Russo moved the store to Division near Franklin. This area was once known as Little Italy. At that location, he owned apartments, Roma Dance Hall, Grand Rapid’s first pizzeria, a pasta-making factory, and warehouse.
In 1914, a near kidnapping of his 18-month-old daughter by the Black Hands Gang was thwarted by the Russo nanny. The gang went on to threaten and harass the family until the Grand Rapids City Police were able to build a case, with Giovanni’s help. The Grand Rapids Press wrote an article dated Nov. 5, 2914, that stated: “It was through Russo’s activities and his disregard for the Black Hand warning that enabled police to capture the gang.”
Russo established Roma Hall above the store on Division during the Great Depression and prohibition era. Throughout the Hall’s history, Giovanni rented it to anyone, regardless of ethnicity or status, for dances, weddings, dinners and jam sessions featuring the likes of Ray Charles and Jimmy Reed.
Known musicians such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Mary Wells performed for Roma Hall audiences in the 1950s and 60s.
Due to Giovanni’s acceptance of all races and economic backgrounds, his was the only business on the block not burned down during the race riots of the 1960s.
Health professionals gather in “families” in preparation to experience a “month” in poverty. Photo by Ellie Walburg
By Ellie Walburg, Access of West Michigan
Reading a news article about someone living in poverty is one thing.
Actually experiencing it is another.
Metro Health Hospital Servicesrecently hosted a poverty simulation workshop with Access of West Michigan. The goal of the poverty education program is to create awareness of the realities of poverty and bring inspiration for change in an experiential way.
Participants in the ‘Living on the Edge’ poverty simulation at Metro Health were assigned profiles detailing their name, age, family, income level and other related details. Each “family” then completed four weeks, made up of 15-minute increments, in providing groceries, paying bills, attending doctor’s appointments and other requirements as outlined on their profiles.
Afterwards, participants engaged in small group discussions to debrief and learn from one another’s insights.
Linda Bos is a registered nurse with Metro Health and attended the workshop. She, along with Heather Rayman, were given the roles of a 75- and 72-year-old couple struggling to make ends meet. Bos, playing the role of Anthony Xanthos, and Rayman playing his wife, Zelda, spent each “week” trying to keep up on their mortgage payments, provide $50 for food and make it to expensive doctor appointments.
At one point during the four weeks, they couldn’t buy groceries. Towards the end of the month, they were evicted from their home as they couldn’t provide proof of their mortgage payment.
Mobility was also a major issue for them.
‘We were struck that we were always concerned about traveling places,” Bos said. “We were never together — it split us up. We never did things together.”
Conversations about how they were doing or if they wanted to plan a vacation never arose during their time of balancing their meager budget and keep all their bills afloat “We sure didn’t talk about anything fun,” Bos added.
To accompany the small social assistance check they received for the month, Bos sought out other options.
“I also tried to get a job, but there was age discrimination,” she said. “There were forms to fill out that were difficult.”
Access of West Michigan Staffers share their own story of poverty during group discussions. Photo by Ellie Walburg
Not having an opportunity for additional income made balancing finances even more troublesome.
“There was no way out for us,” Bos said. “Neither one of us could get a job.”
Rayman was reminded, “Don’t forget we have to eat at some point in our life,” as she recalled the struggle of purchasing weekly groceries.
For both Bos and Rayman, living life as an elderly couple with little money was an eye-opening experience.
“Everything was tension-producing rather than pleasurable,” Bos noted.
That tension is something Bos knows first-hand. While currently employed and doing well, she has felt that same stress.
“There was a time when I didn’t have money to buy diapers, when we didn’t have money to pay the mortgage,” she said
Bos and Rayman agreed that this simulation could change the way they work with their patients and others they encounter.
“I think for me, I’ll be much more cognizant of transportation needs,” Bos said. “I’ll think, ‘What can I do to relieve some of those transportation issues.’”
Bos’s work as a nurse involves serving moms and newborns.
“I try to be very intentional with younger moms,” she said. “I’ll ask, ‘Do you need anything else for your child?’ ‘Do you have diapers?’ ‘Do you have formula?’”
She said she anticipates building upon that intention with those she sees.
“I think so often we don’t want to offend people,” she added. “But it’s really just about asking, ‘I want to help, what is it that you need?’” That intention, she said, can come through her following up with her clients through phone calls or other additional conversations.
Staffers Candice and Cindy are ready at their “health clinic” table to help participants. Photo by Ellie Walburg
Rayman added, “I feel like this makes me much more aware of things like transportation, medication, samples, getting them to a care manager or something like that — things I didn’t really think of before.”
As the simulation event drew to a close, attendees were reminded that while they stopped playing a role in a fictitious family, there are so many in the community who must continue with that difficult reality everyday. And now that the participants had experienced the frustration and stress of living in poverty, they, and all, are left with the question Bos wondered, “What might you do differently?”
Every year, millions of Americans are victims of scams or fraud. It is estimated that approximately 11% of the population experiences loss of money or personal property annually. While it can happen to a person at any age, older adults are often the most frequent targets for fraud. Older adults often have access to funds, have excellent credit and own their homes, making them attractive targets for criminals. In fact, older adults lose an estimated 2.9 billion dollars a year to fraud.
These are the current scams particularly targeting older adults:
Grandchild Scam: A caller will sound distressed and claim to be a grandchild in trouble or in danger and beg to have money wired to them immediately. The best thing to do is to hang up and call family members to insure everyone is safe and sound.
IRS Scam: A person could receive a call, an email or an official-looking letter, demanding immediate payment. They are told information will be forwarded to local law enforcement officials for arrest if they fail to pay. This is not the way the IRS collects debts. If you don’t owe taxes, hang up immediately or delete the email without opening it. If you do owe on your taxes, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 for assistance to pay them.
Gift Cards: Many people are being tricked into buying hundreds of dollars in gift cards or pre-paid money cards and sending them to a person in order to receive a prize, pay off a debt, purchase goods or services, or to help a grandchild pay off student loans. There isn’t any legitimate business conducted this way, so refuse any request to pay with gift cards or pre-paid credit cards.
While it seems there are scams everywhere we turn, there are a few ‘rules of thumb’ we can use to protect ourselves from being fooled:
If it sounds too good to be true — it is. Criminals feed on our desires by offering us goods or opportunities we wouldn’t, in reality, be able to attain: vacations, money, miracle cures, property, etc. You can be sure there is always a hidden cost and we end up losing much more than we would have ever gained.
Never send money to someone you do not know. Any business or government agency you owe money to will send you the request through the mail. If a paperless billing notice arrives in your email and you didn’t initiate it, call the company directly to confirm it is from them.
Do not give personal or financial information to someone who calls, emails or shows up at your door. Avoid giving out your bank account, credit card or Social Security number unless you are positive you know who is requesting the information. Businesses you have accounts with will ask you to verify some information to make sure it’s you, like the last four digits of your social security number, but they are confirming your information — not receiving it for the first time.
If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply, open any attachment or click on any link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information by email and you’re often opening a door to identity theft. You also risk downloading viruses or software that collects your personal information and/or disables your computer’s security.
It’s important that we protect ourselves and share tips and information with family and friends who might also fall prey to these schemes. If you’re ever unsure about whether you might be the victim of a scam there are several resources available to you.
The Kent County Elder Abuse Coalition updates current scams frequently on their website: http://www.protectkentseniors.org. You can call them at 855.444.3911.
The Michigan Attorney General also has a consumer alert web page here. If you believe you may be a victim of a scam, you can call them at 877.765.8388.
If you enjoy tinkering, designing, building and hacking new technology-based inventions, then Maker Faire is for you. This year’s Maker Faire will be held at the Grand Rapids Public Museum(GRPM) and nearby Grand Valley State University’s Kennedy Hall of Engineering on August 19 and 20.
Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share what they have learned.
Featuring both established and emerging local “makers”, this family-friendly celebration features tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, hobbyists, engineers, artists, students and commercial exhibitors. Visitors will see installations from local West Michigan inventors, innovators and tinkerers, as well as makers traveling greater distances to showcase.
The Faire will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 19 and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, August 20. Tickets will go on sale in early summer for Museum members and the general public.
Any groups or individuals interested in participating in the Maker Faire should complete the application at GrandRapids.MakerFaire.com. Spots are first come, first serve basis with openings inside both the GRPM and GVSU as well as outside on the GRPM’s lawn. This year’s Maker Faire expects to see more than 7,000 visitors throughout the two-day event.
Peters, Stabenow, announce $4.6 million to expand Head Start programs for West Michigan children
By WKTV Contributor
U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow recently announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $1.95 million to the Grand Rapids Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative to support their Early Head Start Child Care Partnership program, and $2.7 million to the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District to support Early Head Start and Head Start programs for children.
“Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide vital educational and support services to families and children that put them on the path to success,” said Senator Peters. “I’m pleased to help announce this funding that will help expand access to critical medical, nutritional and educational support services for children in West Michigan so they can lead healthy and happy lives.”
“Today’s announcement is good news and will help children in West Michigan get the long-term support they need,” said Senator Stabenow. “Good nutrition, medical care and early childhood education can make all the difference in helping our children succeed.”
Head Start and Early Head Start prepare children and their families for school by offering a variety of services including early learning experiences, family support services and health services. Early Head Start Child Care Partnership programs offer developmental screenings and referrals to medical, dental, nutrition, vision and mental health services, and provide necessities including diapers and formula. Partnership sites receive additional resources to support training and professional development for staff, and improve facilities and upgrade supplies and equipment.
Peters joins colleagues in opposition of proposed EPA cuts
Cuts would eliminate funding to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and impact EPA’s ability to help Flint
By Allison Green
U.S. Senator Gary Peters joined a group of 37 Senators in opposing President Trump’s proposal to inflict a more than 30-percent cut to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget that would have a direct effect on Michigan and the Great Lakes. Included in the budget proposal is a complete elimination of funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which addresses the most serious risks to the Great Lakes ecosystem and supports long-term cleanup goals. The proposed cuts would also significantly hinder the agency’s ability to provide vital technical expertise to the City of Flint as they work to recover from the water crisis and safely transition water sources.
Sen. Peters & colleagues reintroduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to make college more affordable & accessible
By WKTV Contributor
U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Boozman (R-AR) and Al Franken (D-MN), and U.S. Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO) and Tom Reed (R-NY) have announced they are reintroducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help make college more affordable and accessible by expanding opportunities for high school students to earn college credit. The Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act (MEAA) would improve access to higher education by providing grants to eligible institutions of higher learning to create dual and concurrent enrollment and early/middle college programs that allow high school students to earn college credits before their high school graduation.
“Some form of higher education or technical certification is increasingly essential to joining today’s workforce, and the rising cost of tuition should not be a barrier that keeps students from getting the skills and education they need to succeed,” said Senator Peters.
“I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that helps students save money while getting a head start on their college education. The Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act will help ensure students are well-prepared for their chosen careers and employers have trained workers to fill the jobs of the future.”
Senator Stabenow releases video urging people in Michigan to stand up for the Great Lakes
Stabenow asks Michigan residents to share their stories about the Great Lakes and join her to save critical funding
By Miranda Margowsky
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has released a video message urging people in Michigan to join her and stand up to protect critical funding for the Great Lakes. The bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which Senator Stabenow helped launched in 2010, provides vital resources to protect and restore the Great Lakes. The program faces elimination in President Trump’s budget proposal.
To submit your Great Lakes story, visit Sen. Stabenow’s website here.
Senator Stabenow announces bipartisan legislation to support U.S. manufacturers, create more American jobs
By WKTV Contributor
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced legislation amending our tax laws to support American manufacturers and to create jobs here at home. The bill makes it clear that both companies using contract manufacturers and the contract manufacturers themselves are eligible to claim tax deductions that reward domestic manufacturing activities in the United States. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) also introduced the legislation.
“We don’t have an economy or a middle class unless we make things and grow things,” said Senator Stabenow. “This bill makes a commonsense change to our tax policies that will encourage manufacturers to create more jobs here at home.”
Section 199 is one of the largest tax incentives that benefits domestic manufacturing. It provides companies with a 9% deduction on their income from domestic manufacturing activities, giving those activities a lower effective tax rate and making U.S. manufacturing a more attractive investment.
Under current tax law, it is unclear whether a company using a contract manufacturer or the contract manufacturer itself is eligible to claim the deduction. Senator Stabenow’s legislation would clarify tax law to allow both entities to claim the Section 199 tax incentive for domestic manufacturing.
Huizenga examines impact of financial regulation on small business job creation
On March 22, Capital Markets Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) held a hearing to examine how the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has implemented the JOBS Act and what its impact has been on capital formation and job creation. During the hearing Huizenga called for the SEC to stop pursing political objectives outside its core mission and focus on creating a regulatory environment that supports innovation and job creation.
Key Takeaways from the Hearing:
The bipartisan JOBS Act is working, but Congress and the SEC must do more to help small businesses, entrepreneurs and emerging growth companies access capital.
The SEC has a responsibility to facilitate, not frustrate, capital formation and must work with Congress to eliminate unnecessary and overly burdensome regulations that are restricting access to capital.
The Financial CHOICE Act, the Republican plan to replace the Dodd-Frank Act, included numerous provisions to expand access to capital for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
GRandJazzFest presented by DTE Energy Foundation returns to Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., this Aug. 19 and 20, for the sixth annual festival. The popular family-friendly festival is West Michigan’s only free, weekend-long jazz festival.
At the 2017 festival in August, 11 diverse jazz artists and bands will perform, including a student jazz band and two major headline acts. Free face painting by Fancy Faces will be available for kids and, if lines aren’t too long, for “kids at heart.”
The two-day festival will again be free thanks to Presenting Sponsor DTE Energy Foundation, the City of Grand Rapids and other sponsoring organizations, individuals and volunteers.
“There’s something special about jazz that brings people together like no other art form. It’s because jazz is so diverse – it has so many styles, from Big Band to Latin to Contemporary, and I’m just naming a few,” GRandJazzFest Founder Audrey Sundstrom said. “GRandJazzFest is what community is all about.”
GRandJazzFest typically draws thousands to the heart of downtown Grand Rapids for the two-day, outdoor event always held the third weekend in August.
Holding the festival in the center city is by design, 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 2017 festival lineup will be announced on April 26 at the House of Entertainment and Music (H.O.M.E.) at The B.O.B.
Sometimes life can bring unexpected challenges. The loss of a job, unexpected medical bills or a house fire can make a financially stable family face homelessness. Unfortunately, unexpected emergencies can happen at any time. There are many organizations in Kent County that provide assistance in these situations. But how do you know whom to contact? What if you need help with food and paying utilities and rent all at the same time?
There is one resource that connects residents to more than 2,900 services in Kent County. The Heart of West Michigan United Way’s 2-1-1 database is the first place families should go in their time of need. Information can be easily accessed by calling 2-1-1 anywhere in Kent County, emailing HWReferral@incontactemail.com or online at: http://www.referweb.net/hwmi/. They even have their own app available for androids and iPhones — just search Kent 2-1-1 to download.
Whatever your situation, you are not alone. In Kent County, it is estimated that 39% of households are struggling to afford basic needs. Last year our local 2-1-1 answered 65,000 calls for help. Most calls are for assistance with:
Food
Healthcare
Housing
Utilities
Transportation
The database also offers resources specifically for Veterans and information on employment services, education and arts & recreation.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org
“All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.” (Cecil Alexander)
Great books are like musical pieces, with chords and leitmotifs that resonate in our hearts and help us to cope with a painful world. As such, new ones are not necessarily better than older ones, and personal favorites may bring the comfort and wisdom of time-tested friends. I re-visit a few of the Herriot books every so often, and feel the better for it. James Alfred Wight (1916-1995) — pen name, James Herriot — grew up in Scotland and graduated from Glasgow Veterinary College, going to work at a small rural practice when he was 23. A self-confessed “city boy”, he soon fell in love with the wild, spacious countryside of the Yorkshire Dales and its inhabitants.
The semi-fictionalized tales of his eccentric partner, Siegfried, with his devil-may-care brother, Tristan, and a larger cast of town characters, have been the bedrock of an enduring legacy. Memoirs of a time and place that don’t exist anymore; Britain between the great wars and on into the forties and fifties, when a great transition was taking place from tiny farms powered by draft animals to a more industrial form of agriculture.
To dip into these reminisces is to visit a quieter time, but not an easier one, for vets or their patients. A time before the “miracle” drugs were yet to appear, leading the author to remark, “Those old black magic days with their exotic, largely useless medicines reeking of witchcraft. They have gone for good and though as a veterinary surgeon I rejoice, as a writer I mourn their passing.”
Wight wanted to preserve that unique time, and when he started writing his memoirs in his fifties, he imagined a small book of humorous anecdotes, but the books soon grew into a whole world with all its joys and sorrows. Not just about animals, but more about how all the components of work, relationships, love and duty fit together to form healthy communities.
And like many compassionate people, the author himself did not always have an easy time of it. He endured a chronic physical ailment and could suffer bouts of depression (possibly from Brucellosis), which one might never guess from his books, except that there is much more depth and understanding of the human condition than a quick glance might reveal.
Loved for over 30 years, they are true modern classics.
The 6th Annual Eclipse Awards are on their way to a record number of entries, and there are just three days left to enter: Deadline is 5 pm Monday, March 27.
Michigan is hopping with serious content creators and WKTV’s Digital Cinema Program, the WMFVA, Ferris State University, Compass College of Cinematic Arts and the West Michigan Film Office are all sponsors of Michigan’s only competition for film, television, online and the crafts that support them.
Sixty judges from a vast array of disciplines in Grand Rapids, Los Angeles and New York will see your work, whether or not you’re screening in any of these cities.
Viewing and voting begins March 30. The announcement of nominations is April 17 at 7 pm. Go hereto enter.
Nationally recognized artist Ted Meyer believes in the power of art to heal both physical and emotional scars.
Through a collaboration between The Bonnie Wesorick Center for Health Care Transformation at Grand Valley State University and Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD), Meyer will visit West Michigan to discuss his journey and share stories of the patients he has chronicled on canvas.
He will present a lecture at Grand Valley in conjunction with an exhibit of his artwork at KCAD. Details of these events, which are free and open to the public, are below.
• “Art and Healing,” a collaborative exhibition between KCAD students and Meyer will run March 21 – April 8 at KCAD’s Helen Miller Kendall Gallery, 17 Fountain St. NW. More information at www.kcad.edu/events/healing-through-art/.
• “Scarred for Life: Healing Through Art,” the Distinguished Wesorick Lectureship, sponsored by the Wesorick Center, is Tuesday, March 28, from 1-2 p.m. at the DeVos Center, Loosemore Auditorium, on the GVSU Pew Grand Rapids Campus. RSVP online at www.gvsu.edu/wesorick/.
• Meyer will give an informal presentation on March 28 from 5-6 p.m. at the Mary Idema Pew Library on GVSU’s Allendale Campus. This event is sponsored by several Grand Valley departments and colleges.
Meyer will discuss his project, “Scarred for Life: Monoprints of Human Scars,” which highlights the courage of people who have been in medical crises or accidents through artwork. Evelyn Clingerman, executive director of the Wesorick Center, said research shows that engaging with art has positive health and spiritual benefits.
“In the Wesorick Center we role-model and teach others how to create places where people can thrive, not simply survive, and how to apply a health care paradigm that is more than fixing a scar or a body part,” Clingerman said. The Wesorick Center is an endowed center promoting interprofessional collaboration through the Kirkhof College of Nursing.
Sarah Joseph, KCAD director of exhibitions, said she is proud to collaborate with the Wesorick Center and Grand Valley for Meyer’s exhibition.
“Ted’s work is a powerful reminder of how integral art is to the human experience,” Joseph said. “We look forward to seeing the community enlivened and inspired by Ted’s work and mission.”
Meyer is the current artist-in-residence at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. His artwork has been displayed internationally at museums, hospitals and galleries. Learn more about Meyer at www.tedmeyer.com.
In June of 2013, Dr. Jen received a very nice email request from an employee at a Michigan shelter in regards to transferring over a Feline Leukemia positive boy who was stuck in a cage—with limited adoption opportunities. Since their shelter did not have a program for cats with FELV (most do not) and he was not able to roam much due to lack of space, he was primarily confined to one spot. The shelter was able to house him temporarily with a positive kitten, so Hero (who was born in late 2013) had a buddy to snuggle and cuddle with.
Since we focus on cats older than six months of age, Dr. Jen gladly accepted this striking, stunning tabby fella into our program at Big Sid’s. So on July 7th we welcomed this long and lanky, MARVELOUS manx into our free-roaming, two level facility after a work-up was performed at the clinic—and Dr. Jen got to bond and fall hopelessly in love with him. I mean those ear tips and tufts alone are enough to knock your socks off, but when you couple that with those piercing green eyes… it’s all over!
Hero is probably one of THE HAPPIEST CATS we currently have at our sanctuary! He could not wait to be released from our intake suite (we had to speed up the process a wee bit to accommodate his eagerness) so he could meet the rest of the residents and hang out with all of the volunteers. Instant-presto nice guy Hero impressed everyone with how cordial and outgoing he was from the moment he padded paw into our place. Our cat care director went so far as to say that he was one of the nicest cats we have EVER had at Sid’s—and that is saying A LOT. She says he thrives on chatting with you and following you around; no matter what you are doing or where you are, jubilant, overjoyed Hero is there with a smile plastered on his face (he sports a very winning grin).
It is a crying shame that our handsome Hero contracted the virus because it does limit his chances realistically of being adopted. He is too social and has formed such a strong kinship with the other cats that he absolutely has to have another kitty to play with, and he needs a bustling household that can energize and entertain him. It can be a tall order to fill when asking someone to take a chance on a Feline Leukemia positive kitty, but Hero has SO MUCH TO OFFER—virus be damned! He is most definitely worth looking into what it requires to take on a positive kitty, so if you are interested in finding out more about Hero and FELV, please contact Dr. Jen directly.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
You submitted your resume, got an interview and left the interview feeling great. Now, it’s time to relax. Job searching is tough work! Before you celebrate, there’s one last step to your job search: A thank-you note.
One out of three employers think less of a candidate who doesn’t send a thank-you note. One in 10 wouldn’t hire someone if they don’t send a thank-you note, according to Career Builder.
Here are some tips to help you write a great thank-you note:
Keep it short, professional and sincere.
Send the note within 24 hours of your interview. Hiring managers are busy. If they receive your note a day or two after your interview, it shows them you are organized. And, it helps them remember you as they make hiring decisions.
A hand-written note is best. The average hiring manager receives 100+ emails a day. Make your thank-you note stand out by sending it through the postal service instead of their clogged inbox.
Choose a thank-you note that is simple and professional. Avoid cartoons, silly sayings and bright colors.
Use the three sentence rule:
Thank them for the interview. “Thank you for taking the time to interview me yesterday.”
Add something personal from your interview. Reference a specific conversation or a question they asked. Or, talk about something you liked from the interview. “I really enjoyed hearing more about your company culture.”
Repeat your interest in the job. Remind them you’ll be a great addition to their organization. “I look forward to working with you in the future. My background will help [name of organization] continue to grow.”
Don’t forget to add “Dear [their name]” and the beginning, and “Sincerely, [your name]” at the end.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
On May 2, voters in the Kent ISD region will be asked to approve a 0.9 mill tax for local school districts, generating $211 per student to maintain programs, improve services and meet other needs. School News Network is offering information on what the millage means for each of the 20 districts in the Kent ISD. Today we focus on Wyoming Public Schools. SNN spoke with Superintendent Thomas Reeder
How much revenue would your district gain from the millage in the first year?
It depends on student enrollment changes, but in excess of $900,000.
What would you spend that increased revenue on, and how would this help your students?
“Our focus will be to maintain or improve upon our current staffing related to classroom instruction,” Reeder said, noting that the amount of revenue that would go toward staffing would depend on state funding and whether the district faces a budget crunch. Gov. Snyder has proposed a 1.3 percent increase in the state per-student aid budget for schools.
Other goals are increasing the number of extended-day and summer programs for all students, “from our most at-risk to our most gifted,” with more classes and learning opportunities. Ideas are for computer, band and theater programming.
A Parkview Elementary student picks out a book at his reading level. The district hopes to give every student more learning opportunities with the enhancement millage. (Photo courtesy of School News Network)
The district is also looking at improving technology support and resources at all levels, as well as increasing safety and security at all sites with improved surveillance equipment, Reeder said. Purchasing a bus each year to keep the fleet current is another goal.
The district also would like to add more staff members to work with students experiencing mental-health challenges.
If the millage were to fail, what changes or cuts would you have to make next school year?
“We will continue to make reductions as necessary, attempting to stay as far away from the classroom as possible, but will be unable to add any programming or other resources to the current model,” Reeder said. “The impact depends very much on what decisions are made at the state level related to funding.”
The district faces a projected $910,000 deficit in next year’s budget, depending on enrollment, and has a fund balance of about 10 percent. The recommended fund balance for Michigan schools is 15 to 20 percent, according to the Michigan School Business Officials.
What objections have you heard, if any, from your community, and what is your response?
Reeder said he has not yet heard any objections. He plans to host two community meetings in April to discuss the enhancement millage and a Wyoming Public Schools November bond request that would not raise property taxes.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Grand Rapids children’s author and illustrator Kenneth Kraegel makes a visit to Schuler Books & Music, 2660 28th St. SE, this Saturday, March 25.
Kraegel will present his newest book “Green Pants!” in a special story-time set for 11 a.m. In celebration of anyone who marches to their own drummer, Jameson wears his individualism as his own personal style which happens to be his green pants. When he wears them, he feels like he can do anything. Now he is forced to make a big choice: to where black pants and be in his cousin’s wedding or to keep his signature green pants and not be part of the wedding. What will Jameson decide to do?
Kraegel is the author and illustrator of several picture books including “The Song of Delphine” and “King Arthur’s Very Great Grandson,” which was a New York Times Notable Book and a Wall Street Journal Best book of the Year.
For more information about the story-time or other programs at Schuler Books & Music, visit schulerbooks.com.
By Julie Tabberer, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main
Still Alice is the story of Alice and her journey through early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. I initially heard about this book from a friend who works at a local retirement community and told me that Still Alice was a bit hit with their reading club.
Alice, 50 years old, is a professor in Harvard’s psychology department and a woman who defines herself by her ability to think intelligently. As we enter her life, Alice is forming a vague suspicion that something might be wrong. The story follows her through diagnosis and into the full-blown takeover of her mind by the disease.
The novel parallels Alice’s journey: after her diagnosis, there is no path for her other than dementia. As you read, you hope that somehow the plot will be derailed — the diagnosis is wrong, a treatment is found, Alice somehow defies nature.
This book connects strongly with the reader on an emotional level, but also offers an opportunity to learn. The author, Lisa Genova, has a PhD in neuroscience and bases the story on her research. Still Alice seeks to tell the truth about Alzheimer’s disease as much as it seeks to tell Alice’s story. The book succeeds on both levels, offering the reader insights into the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on individuals, family and friends.
Still Alice is a great read, and not just for those who are dealing with Alzheimer’s disease in their lives. With a discussion guide at the end of the book and numerous themes to discuss, it is also well-suited to a reading club.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is partnering with local author and scientist, Christopher Kemp to bring his book Floating Gold: A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris to the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Curiosity Shop.
Kemp will be in the main foyer of the Museum in front of the Curiosity Shop on Tuesday, March 21, from 4 – 7 p.m. Floating Gold: A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris will be available for visitors to purchase and have signed by Kemp.
Christopher Kemp lives in Grand Rapids and works as a scientist. He has a personal connection to the Whales: Giants of the Deep exhibit, as the author of the book Floating Gold: A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris. His book explores the entertaining and lively history of ambergris, a rare secretion produced only by sperm whales, and it’s fascinating use in perfume. Kemp’s book also contains images from the very same specimen of ambergris that is included in the exhibit.
Kemp’s journey begins with an encounter on a New Zealand beach with a giant lump of faux ambergris—determined after much excitement to nothing more exotic than lard—that inspires a comprehensive quest to seek out ambergris and its story. He takes us from the wild, rocky New Zealand coastline to Stewart Island, a remote, windswept island in the southern seas, to Boston and Cape Cod, and back again. Along the way, he tracks down the secretive collectors and traders who populate the clandestine modern-day ambergris trade.
Floating Gold is a history that covers not only these precious gray lumps and those who covet them, but presents a highly informative account of the natural history of whales, squid, ocean ecology, and even a history of the perfume industry. Kemp’s obsessive curiosity is infectious, and eager readers will feel as though they have stumbled upon a precious bounty of this intriguing substance.
Tickets are currently on sale for the Whales: Giants of the Deep exhibition, which runs through April 15. Members will be $2 per ticket, and non-member adults are $13, non-member children are $8. Admission to Whales: Giants of the Deep includes general admission to the Museum. Further discounts to Kent County residents. Tickets can be purchased by visiting grpm.org/Whales or calling 616-929-1700.
Tickets will only be available for sale at the door on the day of the event until tickets run out.
Sip on samples of fine wines and microbrews, enjoy tastes of Grand Rapids’s best restaurant, and bid on exciting packages including adventures, trips, wine, sports memorabilia and much more! Most importantly, money raised will benefit the Humane Society of West Michigan in our mission to promote the humane treatment and responsible care of animals in our community through education, example, responsible placement and protection.
The event takes place at 6 p.m. in the Steelcase Ballroom at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
Tickets are now on sale for the award-winning guitarist, Duffy King, who will be performing at Tulip Time Festival this year.
Festival entertainment is returning to downtown Holland for three great nights at the Knickerbocker Theatre, 86 E 8th St, Holland, Mich. On Thursday, May 11th, Duffy King will take the stage. Energetic, kinetic grooves, driving rhythms, blistering leads, and finesse are words that have been used to describe Duffy’s style of guitar playing.
Hailing from Detroit and its vast musical heritage, Duffy has toured throughout the world and has done countless studio sessions, including nationally televised ad campaigns and major label releases that have been nominated for awards including Grammy Awards, Billboard Magazine awards, and World Music Awards. The combination of these accomplishments, and performing with an array of world class musicians, has earned him a reputation as a top caliber guitarist. Well-versed in all styles of playing, Duffy is best known for his potent Jazz/Rock and R&B/Funk chops.
Duffy’s talent doesn’t stop with playing guitar. His song writing skills have won awards in Billboard Magazine’s Songwriter’s Contest, and received acclaim for his solo release, Livin’ for the Big Time, which charted in the top 10 on many radio stations throughout the mid-west region.
Also a strong vocalist, Duffy has had 20 Detroit Music Award nominations, (winning 6), including nods for Outstanding R&B Instrumentalist, R&B Vocalist, R&B Artist, R&B Recording, Jazz Recording. His Solo Guitar Christmas was nominated for a Detroit Music Awards Outstanding Jazz recording. His newest release, Acoustically Speaking, has met with rave reviews and is currently charting in the top 10 on a number of jazz stations.
The Tulip Time performance will feature several cuts from this release.
Other Knick Series performances include funny man Andy Beningo for a night of clean comedy on Friday, May 12th, and the return of Chicago’s legendary improv group, The Second City. Tickets for these shows, and all other festival events, can be purchased online at www.tuliptime.com, via phone at 616.396.4221 or visit the Tulip Time box office at 74 W. 8th Street in Holland.
The Tulip Time Festival Guide is now available offering complete details for the 2017 program. Festival Guides can be viewed online or you can request a copy at www.tuliptime.com/join. Connect with Tulip Time and download the free app.
By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main
ur sanctuary! He could not wait to be released from our intake suite (we had to speed up the process a wee bit to accommodate his eagerness) so he could meet the rest of the residents and hang out with all of the volunteers. Instant-presto nice guy Hero impressed everyone with how cordial and outgoing he was from the moment he padded paw into our place. Our cat care director went so far as to say that he was one of the nicest cats we have EVER had at Sid’s—and that is saying A LOT. She says he thrives on chatting with you and following you around; no matter what you are doing or where you are, jubilant, overjoyed Hero is there with a smile plastered on his face (he sports a very winning grin).
