“Every good painter paints what he is,” Jackson Pollock said.
“Treat a work of art like a prince. Let it speak to you first,” said Arthur Schopenhauer.
And Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Art is the path of the creator to his work.”
Everybody has something to say about art. The good news is, you don’t have to be famous to have an opinion—and WKTV VOICES will have its mobile recording studio down at ArtPrize 10 all three weekends to invite and encourage artists and voters to share their own thoughts about art: Artists, what inspires you to create a work of art?
Voters, what compelled you to vote for a particular work of art?
Sofia Hernandez Ramirez
With hundreds of artists and hundreds of thousands of attendees expected at ArtPrize this year, we expect there will be a lot to say—and for us to collect and record.
Last year, VOICES debuted at ArtPrize Nine, introducing our 1958 Airstream trailer and collecting the stories of winning ArtPrize artists Daniel Oropreza and Sofia Hernandez Ramirez.
This year, VOICES will again collect stories from artists. Look for our Airstream on the corner of Lyon and Monroe NW. Look for the Voters Feedback Booth right next to the trailer where voters are encouraged to share what they voted on and why.
A free public service of WKTV, VOICES travels throughout the West Michigan region to encourage neighbors, friends and family to tell their stories—the narratives that make us human—of our lives, experiences, sorrows, triumphs and tragedies. We all benefit from knowing each other’s background; the shared bond that helps us build community.
VOICES’s comfortable, mobile video recording studio offers a relaxed atmosphere, and utilizes high-tech video and audio equipment to capture the narratives for posterity. Interviews usually take place between two people who know and care about each other. These can be friends, family, or mere acquaintances. Any topic may be explored, whether a specific event in a person’s life, a childhood memory, a family tragedy—no subject is off limits.
Oral history—the collection and study of individual histories, experiences of disasters, important events or everyday life—is a tradition as old as civilization itself. Using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews, oral history strives to obtain information from different perspectives, most of which cannot be found in written sources. Some academics consider oral history akin to journalism as both are committed to uncovering truths and compiling narratives about people, places, and events.
VOICES participants find the experience valuable and gratifying. Read and listen to people’s stories online on our Facebook page here and visit our website here for more information and important links.
All VOICES conversations are audio- and video-recorded to provide participants with a link to each conversation and for possible airing on Channel 25 in Wyoming, Kentwood and Gaines Township (U-Verse Channel 99).
The second Saturday of each month, VOICES parks its Airstream trailer at Marge’s Donut Den at 1751 28th St SW, Wyoming, MI for ‘Second Saturdays at Marge’s’. And, beginning Oct. 17, VOICES will be parked at Kentwood Public Library, 4950 Breton Rd. SE, the third Wednesday of each month.
“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”
~ Leonardo da Vinci
By Kristen Krueger-Corrado, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
I am new to the world of historical fiction, having assumed that it would be similar to a very dry history course full of esoteric facts and dates. I selected Abundance to read because I was interested in seeing the recent film about Marie Antoinette and thought this might be a good primer. Imagine my surprise when I read the entire book (over 500 pages) in one day, dragging myself away from the engrossing story only to eat dinner or to tell my husband to stop talking to me while I was reading. For days afterwards, I delighted him with interesting facts I had picked up until he begged me to stop.
Marie Antoinette gets a bad rap in history textbooks — the frivolous young queen who cares little about her subjects, an attitude that ultimately leads to her demise. But in Abundance, the queen is portrayed in a much more flattering light. The story begins with her marriage to the Dauphin, Louis August, at the age of 14 and chronicles their 22-year marriage, the births of their four children, the fall of their monarchy and their beheadings.
Marie Antoinette was a devout Catholic, dedicated to her family and friends, determined to keep her marriage together and lived to serve the people of France. The book is told in the first person, and it is very evident that while Marie Antoinette had good intentions, she could not even begin to understand the plight of her people. And although I knew how the story would end, I was rooting for her to succeed. Abundance is a good read, but not one to lose your head over.
You can find 2018 ArtPrize artist Meochia Thompson giving hugs at church events, retirement homes, or around the community. Now you can find her downtown embracing strangers during ArtPrize for her entry HUG, a campaign that stands for “help uplift goodness”
Standing 10 feet tall, Thompson is building a hug stage, a safe place located at Grand Rapids City Hall where strangers can gather to embrace each other. An entry that is based on volunteer hugger groups of five or more can rent out the stage to give hugs.
Meochia Thompson with some friends in an earlier Hugs campaign.
“I just love hugging people.” Thompson said. “I know how it feels to be alone…So I decided to create a hug campaign. I prayed about it and I’m like ‘okay God what do I do with this.’”
Thompson’s campaign started four years ago in her hometown of Chicago. Money from her first campaign went to caregivers, people who bear the stress of taking care of other peoples loved ones.
“I was able to raise $5,000 and I just started giving it out to caregiving organizations” Thompson said. “They’re not around people all of the time. They’re dying for a hug, they’re dying to be around the regular public.”
Talking about hugging strangers, Thompson said there’s nothing weird about it. Showing compassion and love to people you don’t know is what Thompson said this whole campaign is about.
A mock-up of the Hugs stage which is located at Grand Rapids City Hall.
“Every time that you hug somebody, it doesn’t matter what they did in their past. It doesn’t matter who they are now or how much money they have. When you hug somebody it’s not about any of that. It’s just about at that moment showing love for mankind.” Thompson said about hugging.
Although winning ArtPrize would be a great accomplishment for a first time ArtPrize artist, Thompson has something bigger in mind.
“My goal is to make Grand Rapids hug city; the place to be for a good hug”.
If you would like to learn more about Thompson’s entry or would like to get involved yourself, visit her website mylifechats.com/hug.
Many people in West Michigan look forward to the harvest season every year. The freshest produce is available straight from the farms, and activities like corn mazes, hayrides, and harvest festivals make every weekend a treat. Find your favorite way of celebrating the harvest right here in West Michigan.
Harvest-centric events & festivals
The harvest fun starts after Labor Day at Post Family Farm in Hudsonville. Post Family Farm is serving up pumpkin donuts daily. Activities, including hayrides, the nature trail, and tube tunnels, run through Nov. 3rd.
Be a part of the Farm-to-Table Dinner & Tour at Castle Farms in Charlevoix. On Wednesday, Oct. 10th, enjoy a delightful farm-to-table dinner and live music along with a twilight tour at Castle Farms. Catered by Grey Gables Restaurant & Catering, a local favorite, the three-course meal plus welcome tasting will showcase meats and vegetables sourced from local farms.
The St. Joseph area is hosting three harvest-time events in September, starting with their ongoing farmers market every Saturday through Oct. 13th. The festivities continue on Saturday, Sept. 22nd, for Fall Fest. Bring the family for a weekend filled with fun events for all ages. Live music, local tastes, and Lake Michigan take center stage at the new Roots & Brews on Saturday, Sept. 22nd.
A variety of harvest-centric events are coming to Muskegon this fall. In addition to their farmers market, visit Pioneer County Park from Sept. 28th to 30th for the 4th Annual Halloween Harvest Weekend. Decorate pumpkins, hop on the hayride, and celebrate both Halloween and the harvest.
Hosted by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, the 42nd Annual Harvest Fest is Sept. 28th to 30th. This year will include returning events such as the Classic Car Show and the Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, Sept. 29th, and will also feature children’s activities, a movie in the park, and Scarecrow Building!
Boyne City’s Harvest Festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 29th. The farm market booths will sell a variety of apples and other harvest items, including pumpkins, squash, apple butter, jam, honey, and cider. When you’re hungry, stop for a bite to eat in one of the many downtown restaurants.
With so many fun, family-friendly fall festivals, Shanty Creek Resorts is the perfect place to stay while celebrating the harvest in northern Michigan. Mark your calendar for the Bellaire Harvest Festival & Scarecrow Extravaganza on Saturday, Sept. 29th, and the 40th Annual Charlevoix Apple Festival from Oct. 12th to 14th. Throughout the fall season, visitors can experience fall color from a new perspective, from a chairlift ride to the top of the mountain or a four-hour fall color tour of one of Shanty Creek Resorts’ four championship golf courses.
Cheboygan’s Fall Fest is Oct. 5th to 7th. A community celebration of Cheboygan’s waterways, trails, and harvesting heritage is presented annually during the first weekend in October. Nearly 50 events are on tap for this year’s festival, with coordination among over 25 groups and organizations.
Visit Battle Creek with the whole family for fun harvest activities. The Pumpkin Festival is Saturday, Oct. 13th, and includes games, pony rides, pumpkin arts and crafts, food, and more. You can also stop by for hayrides every Saturday and Sunday from Sept. 29th to Oct. 28th to enjoy one of fall’s favorite traditions.
Prepare yourself for fall flavors and fright-filled nights with Haven Harvest in South Haven from Oct. 19th to 21st. Taste the flavors of fall as hayrides roll, pumpkins fly, headless horsemen ride, and haunted houses awaken. Experience a true South Haven harvest with apple orchards, bonfires, pumpkin carving, and delicious good-as-grandma’s pies.
The Michigan Maritime Museum is being transformed into a maze of terrifying thrills and chills that are not for the faint of heart on Oct. 19th and 20th. This annual event, now in its fourth year, occurs during South Haven’s annual Haven Harvest Festival weekend.
Virtue Cider in Fennville is hosting their 3rd Annual Apple Fest on Saturday, Oct. 20th. If you can’t make it for the event, or you would like an in-depth look at Virtue Cider’s operations, they host Harvest-Time Tours every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, where you can learn how they make cider using all Michigan-grown apples.
The Arts & Eats tour through Allegan and Barry Counties may not be until Oct. 20th and 21st, but you can still celebrate the harvest with them in September. Visit some of the tour’s stops this month for a harvest-centric meal, including one serving fresh carrots, green and yellow beans, red skin potatoes, and onions.
Farm fun & produce to bring home
Begin your journey to local farms and farmers markets with the help of Michigan Agritourism. This statewide resource helps keep family farms sustainable, support local economic growth, and provide rich and unique experiences for visitors to make lasting memories.
Corn mazes are a fan-favorite fall activity, and the corn maze at Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery in Grand Rapids is now open. This year’s theme is Gummy Bears.
It’s time to decorate your porch and bring home fall flavors with the help of Lewis Farms & Petting Zoo in New Era. Take a ride on the apple express wagon to the orchards where you can pick apples yourself, or visit the pumpkin patch and pick out the perfect pumpkin to take home and carve. You can even purchase straw bales, corn stalks, and more to spruce up your front porch. Finish up your visit with a cup of apple cider and an apple cinnamon or pumpkin doughnut.
Twin Oaks Inn is located in downtown Saugatuck, hosting guests in a harvest wonderland. Many guests who stay in the fall visit Crane Orchards and Fenn Valley Vineyards in Fennville, located only 15 minutes away from the inn.
Since September is the beginning of the harvest months, there’s bound to be those looking for fall activities in Mecosta County. Some of the area’s local farmers markets provide plenty of harvest treats. This is where you can find farm-fresh produce which changes as the seasons do.
In addition to the farmers market, Holland has a new restaurant that takes advantage of the early fall harvest. Stop by for one of their unique recipes, or bring the harvest home and see what you can create with these fresh ingredients.
Matthew Stone didn’t need to look any further than the faces of his two children for motivation to lose weight and live healthier.
“You want to see these little people grow up and you start thinking about, ‘What’s going to happen to me?’” Stone said. “I realized that I cannot expect someone else to take care of me, I need to start taking care of myself.”
With the support of his wife, Kristin, and his two children—Henry, 6, and Evelyn, 3—Stone started making big changes.
In July 2016, at the age of 33 and pushing 400 pounds, Stone had gastric sleeve surgery to start his weight-loss journey.
He has since lost more than 150 pounds, weighing in at 232 pounds. He eats well and exercises six days a week, including lifting weights, running and cycling.
“I always say that it’s not that I didn’t have a good life before, but now I am living a better life,” Stone said.
Last year, when he laced up his running shoes for the Spectrum Health Danish Dash in Greenville, Michigan, it had been his first time competing in an official organized run. By the time he competes in the race again this year, on Aug. 18, he’ll have some other 5K races under his belt.
Making changes
Stone said he had always been a big but active kid. Growing up in Midland, he remembers shoveling his dirt driveway in the winter so he could play basketball.
He also played high school sports. As a sophomore, he was a 6-foot-1, 300-pound athlete.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
But the weight kept creeping up.
“It doesn’t seem like much each year, but then you look back and you’re up 50 pounds,” he said.
Over time it became more difficult to ignore the signs that something needed to change.
He married in 2007 and it soon became a growing challenge to keep up with his two young children. He couldn’t buy life insurance to protect his family—his weight made it cost-prohibitive. He had to take medication for high blood pressure.
He then experienced a liver issue, which turned out to be the start of fatty liver disease. His weight, meanwhile, restricted what he could accomplish in the weight room.
“At age 33 I was OK, but it was only a matter of time before I would end up on a bunch of meds,” Stone said. “My body was showing signs it couldn’t keep up.”
He tried to diet but success proved elusive. He’d get discouraged when he didn’t see results.
“I realized that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet,” Stone said. “I can do a lot more damage with my mouth than I can out-do with my body.”
Feeling like he was “chasing his tail,” he signed up for a consultation with a bariatric surgeon.
“I really felt like the surgery was the first step, because when you’re pushing 400 pounds, I knew I was limited, but I didn’t fully understand how limited I was by the weight,” Stone said.
He started off easy, first by walking and then going to the gym and jogging on the treadmill.
“From there, it has taken off,” Stone said.
His current routine is six days of exercise, including four to five days of 60 to 90 minutes of weight lifting at Fresh Start Fitness in Greenville. He also gets in one or two runs per week—each about 3 to 5 miles—and about 30 minutes of cycling on the Flat River Trail or the stair stepper at the gym.
He follows a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet. He recently eliminated all sugars, getting all his carbs from vegetables.
Transformation
Stone’s body has indeed changed. He went from a size 56 pants and XXXL shirts to a size 38 and large. He actually enjoys shopping now.
At the beginning, he would catch his reflection in a mirror and not recognize himself.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
But has he really changed? It’s one question he reflects on frequently. He looks to his wife to help him process it.
“I know that divorce rates are high for people who have big weight loss after surgery,” Stone said. “I ask my wife, ‘Have I changed? Let me know if you think I’m changing.’”
As an optimistic, outgoing person, Stone feels more comfortable in his skin now.
“I feel like my body matches my personality now, that it matches who I really am,” Stone said.
He works as a football coach at Greenville High School and as an associate pastor at Greenville First Church of God.
He said his faith and the strong support system from his family and community have helped him in this journey.
“I see this as part of being a better steward of who I am and what I have,” Stone said.
He also hopes he’s providing a good example for his children and his football players.
“For too many years, I just didn’t want to deal with it and make the commitment,” he said. “It’s good for everyone around me and good for me to see this is how we live better. Not that I didn’t live good before, but this is better.”
Americans have said it so long, it approaches cliché: “The U.S. is the land of opportunity.” However, this still rings true for thousands of newcomers every year, including Guatemalan-born Natanael Krische. Listen to the story of 18-year-old ‘Nate’ who entered illegally and worked hard to became a citizen, small business owner, and pillar in his West Michigan community.
On Friday, Sept. 28th, the Box Factory for the Arts (1101 Broad Street, Saint Joseph, MI 49085) will celebrate the opening of its Series 6 Art Exhibition. The public is invited to a free opening reception which will be held from 5-7:30pm and include an Artist Talk led by Eli Zilke at 5:45. All the details of the evening can be found on Box Factory’s Facebook Page. The exhibition will run from Sept. 28 through Nov. 10th.
The exhibition presents the works of a number of artists: Eli Zilke Collaborative with “Collaborative Nature,” Box Palette Group with “Bloomin’ at the Box” and Jennifer Tomshack with “Spirit of Place.”
ELI ZILKE COLLABORATIVE – COLLABORATIVE NATURE
Williams Gallery
The Eli Zilke Collaborative presents “Collaborative Nature” in the Robert Williams Gallery. Eli runs the studios at Water Street Glassworks, 140 Water Street in Benton Harbor, Michigan. He has designed this show with a number of very talented glass artists from the immediate area and beyond. The show speaks to the collaborative nature of how glass is made. Lynne Clayton, Executive Director of Water Street Glassworks, is among the artists who will exhibit work in the show.
In addition to the pieces which will be shown, there will also be an interactive piece in which visitors can have a hand in creating. The show will conclude with a demonstration event on Friday, Nov. 2nd hosted at Water Street Glassworks where this piece will be completed and then brought back to the Box Factory to be displayed for the final week of the exhibition.
For more information about Eli Zilke and Water Street Glassworks or the artists who are showing works in “Collaborative Nature,” please contact Eli at eli@waterstreetglassworks.org.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Dr. Jen wrote this biography in a bit of reverse order, because she felt that the astute observations of the cat care team paints a pretty accurate picture of darling Dove, a 4-year-old (born in the spring of 2014) who came to us quite suddenly in mid-July, 2018.
“Dove has been a complete surprise, as we all expected her to be a complete challenge after how she first acted at the clinic with Dr. Jen; she settled in almost immediately and is loving (free-roaming) shelter life. She has a soft coo that she elicits when she purrs, so Dove is the purr-fect name for her. She will swat occasionally when she gets overwhelmed, so I think it’s best that she is adopted into a home without small kids. She gets along great with the other cats so a feline roomie would be to her liking.”
“Dove has finally become more social and is tolerant when we pet her, although she does set the tone of the interaction. As a matter of fact, recently when I was petting her, even though I THINK she realized she liked it, she still slapped me. To me she acts like she may have lost some trust in humans. If I remember right, didn‘t her previous owner pass away, and then she was taken in by someone else who also had to leave her? If so, I guess it’s no wonder she’s not fully able to trust right now, but deep down I know there is a good girl in there looking for a new person to give her a home of her very own again. It would be nice to see her placed in a quiet one that will take the time (and be patient) to help her build up her confidence again, and knock down the wall she’s put up. I am a softie for dilute calicos and she is no exception, even though she may be a bit of a diva.”
It’s totally true: Dove HATED the mere sight of Dr. Jen that first day after our cat care director came to kitty’s aid and retrieved her, even though she literally walked right into the travel carrier. Although Dr. Jen took it very slow and easy with her, losing one owner, then being shuffled off to another only to lose that one within two months, had to have turned Dove’s delicate world completely upside-down. Dr. Jen was concerned that all of the TLC in the world wasn’t going to right what Dove perceived as wrongs, but once out of that clinical setting and into a laid-back space that allowed her room to adjust and acclimate, she showed us her sweet side — and hasn’t stopped since, even though she spices it up a bit.
Dr. Jen would love to see Dove in a home with a mature couple who have homebody tendencies as Dove would love nothing more than a lap to claim and a human who would stroke her fur and tell her how beautiful she is, eliciting that soft coo we have all come to know and love.
More about Dove:
Extra Large
Dilute Calico & Domestic Short Hair Mix
Adult
Female
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats; no children
Want to adopt Dove? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
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.
ArtPrize 10 is here which means for the next two and half weeks much of the community will be focused on and discussing art.
WKTV will be joining the conversation with WKTV VOICES. Introduced at ArtPrize Nine last year, VOICES is housed in a 1958 Airstream trailer and collects stories. Last year, it focused on collecting the stories of artists. This year, the trailer will again return to the corner of Lyon and Monroe, across from the Amway Grand Plaza, collecting stories of artists but also hosting a Voters Feedback Booth, where voters are encouraged to share what they voted on and why.
And what should participants expect to see at this year’s ArtPrize? Well, a few of the venues reached out to us with information about who will be at their venue.
“1934,” by Amiri Farris
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
5500 44th St. SE
Visitors and passengers coming through the airport will be see 14 exhibits on display at the
Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Art at the airport is on display upstairs along the mezzanine, in the indoors observation deck area, and in the east end of the terminal building near the valet ticket counter and exit to rental cars.
“We are thrilled to once again serve as a gathering place for ArtPrize –as a venue, a sponsor, and as a way to welcome artists and visitors into our great city,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “The Ford Airport strives to be reflective of the people and events in West Michigan, and we have a chance to brighten up our space with local and national artwork that showcases many different types of art. We hope people take advantage of the art on display here and visit us during the competition whether as a traveler or just a general visitor.”
Among the feature pieces is “1934,” by Amiri Farris, a portrait of a young President Gerald R. Ford and teammate Willis Ward. This large size painting depicts how President Ford overcame mounting adversity and racial discrimination to hep a friend. Artist Tom Howing, who is battling cancer, worked with his autistic son, Matthew, to put his views of the world into a 3-D format display titled “Matthew’s View.” Also artist Elizabeth Paul Healey fled her home in North Carolina this past weekend as Hurricane Florence approached and is here with her piece “Fear Less.”
Petra Kuppers, Salamander by The Olimpias. (Courtesy of the artist)
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
1000 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park will host 16 contemporary sculptors in an innovative exhibition jointly organized by DisArt, a Grand Rapids based arts and cultural organization promoting the full participation of disabled people in and through the arts. The exhibition is titled “Process and Presence: Contemporary Disability Sculpture”.
Through examples of three-dimensional practice including sculpture, performance, installation and video art, this exhibition emphasizes the relationship between disability and the fundamental human experiences of change and embodiment. The exhibition offers audiences a survey of contemporary disability sculpture through artists whose work represents local, national and global perspectives on the experiences of living with disability.
“Process and Presence: Contemporary Disability Sculpture” will be free of charge during ArtPrize (Sept. 19 – Oct. 7). The exhibition areas will be open to the public during Meijer Gardens’ regular business hours. All other areas of Meijer Gardens observe regular hours and standard admission fees.
Arizona-based artist duo Lauren Strohacker and Kendra Sollars shed light on the displacement, reintroduction, and loss of wildlife in urban areas, and have collaborated with Blandford Nature Center to create their time-based entry, Animal Land.
Grand Rapids Art Museum
101 Monroe Center St. NW
The Grand Rapids Art Museum’s ArtPrize 10 exhibition will showcase a broad range of contemporary art by local, regional, national and international artists—competing in every ArtPrize category: 2D, 3D, Time-based and Installation. The total number of artists/artist pairs is 10. The exhibition includes outdoor installations and large-scale nighttime projections on the building’s exterior, and also contains sculpture, painting and interactive performance works.
“Visitors to ArtPrize 10 at GRAM will find the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s most ambitious presentation yet—dazzling installations adapted to interior and exterior public spaces, technology-based interactive experiences, monumental sculpture and more,” commented GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen.
Several themes can be found within the artwork on view—Venezuelan artist, Saskia Jordá, uses her work as a call to action to end violence and hunger. Michigan-based artist John Gutsokey addresses loss, grief, and the aftermath of hate crimes, as well as gun violence, homophobia, violence against people of color and the transgender community, and LGBTQ rights. Arizona-based artist duo Lauren Strohacker and Kendra Sollars shed light on the displacement, reintroduction, and loss of wildlife in urban areas, and have collaborated with Blandford Nature Center to create their time-based entry, Animal Land.
“Geode” by Carlson Garcia
Grand Rapids Public Museum
272 Pearl St. NW
The Grand Rapids Public Museum will once again host an outdoor exhibition in which the work of 17 artists will visually lend itself to the setting of the Museum grounds. Each year the GRPM curates a rewarding experience with approachable art that is intriguing, distinctive and engages the viewer’s capacity for awe and curiosity. Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids along the busy river walkway, the GRPM is able to offer a not-to-be-missed immersive, 24-hour experience.
During ArtPrize Ten the GRPM will be open with regular Museum hours and half off general admission fees. The GRPM will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays of ArtPrize. For more information about artists, exhibitions, special programming and tickets visit grpm.org.
By Amy L. Cochran, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
In this historical novel The Terror, Dan Simmons weaves known facts, extrapolation, and Inuit beliefs into his own vividly harsh version of the fate of the lost Franklin Expedition. The book is part thrilling arctic survival fiction, part horror, part nautical adventure, and completely impossible to put down.
Back in 1845, Sir John Franklin led an expedition in search of the Northwest Passage and disappeared completely along with two ships and 128 men. Simmons uses the last known whereabouts of the ships Erebus and Terror to alternate between the present in 1847, as the men try to make it through their second icebound winter, and flashbacks that show how badly informed route decisions and cheap supplies have left the expedition stranded and low on food.
You’d think that being stuck in two wooden ships in pack ice 1200 miles from any chance of rescue would be enough to handle, but Simmons just keeps increasing the tension. After expedition leader Sir John Franklin dies, Captain Francis Crozier of the Terror must somehow get his men home in spite of encroaching scurvy, -82 degree daily temperatures, rotten canned food, and the constant fatal attacks of a terrible beast that seems to be a 14-foot polar bear impervious to bullets. Just about the time the beast appears, Lady Silence, a mysterious Inuit girl with no tongue, comes aboard. She alone can find fresh meat; unfortunately, none of the surviving men have any luck hunting during even the slightly warmer summers. A last-ditch attempt to build morale by staging a winter carnival goes horribly awry, and on top of the deadly natural conditions and animal attacks, human nature shows its ugly side and turns sailor against sailor.
Simmons does an amazing job of providing in gritty detail the nasty, smelly uncomfortable conditions on board ship and the symptoms of advanced scurvy, as well as the harsh realities of surviving for any length of time in the Arctic. In conditions almost beyond comprehension, the men fiercely struggle to stay hopeful and escape their doomed situation. And after reading this excellent historical novel, I have to say that, despite our nasty Michigan winters, we’ve got it pretty good. Compared, at least, to the plight of the men of the ships Erebus and Terror.
By Alisha Walker, Bilingual Dental Referral Coordinator Team Lead at Cherry Street Health Center
Diabetes can affect every part of the body, including your mouth. If you or someone you care for has diabetes, you need to spend extra time and attention to maintain great oral health. Tooth and periodontal (gum) diseases are more common and serious for people with diabetes. Periodontal disease is a broad term used to describe various stages of disease that affect the gums and bone surrounding of the teeth. Periodontal disease can also make it harder for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar, however by taking better care of your oral health both periodontal disease and diabetes can improve.
Are you at higher risk for periodontal disease if you have diabetes?
Yes, when diabetes is not under control your mouth and your body’s germ-fighting powers are weakened.
What other oral health problems can develop if you have diabetes?
Diabetes also makes you prone to other mouth problems such as oral infections like thrush, dry mouth which can cause soreness, ulcers, infections and cavities and poor wound healing.
What are the early warning signs of periodontal disease?
Red or swollen gums
Bleeding gums
Painful or tender gums
Loose or shifting teeth
Constant bad breath or taste
Pus between teeth and when gums are pressed
Gums pulling away from teeth
Should you tell your dentist and dental hygienist that you have diabetes?
Yes, people with diabetes have special needs. Keep your dentist and dental hygienist informed of any changes in your condition and any medication(s) you might be taking.
How can I keep my gums and teeth healthy to prevent and/or fight off periodontal disease?
Keep blood sugar as close to normal as possible. That means taking medications that were prescribed as directed. It also means keeping the amount of consumed carbs in check.
Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
Floss your teeth at least once every day.
See your dentist at least twice a year, or as often as your dentist recommends.
Remember, good dental care can result in a healthy mouth and a smile that will last a lifetime.
By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University
For the past 15 years, West Michigan audiences have enjoyed a series of six free events every fall at Grand Valley that celebrate the positive impact of the arts. President Thomas J. Haas said these events are offered as gifts to the local community that has supported the evolution of the university.
“Each year, these six diverse and free events provide us with the opportunity to thank the West Michigan community for its continued support of the performing arts at Grand Valley, and the university as a whole,” said Haas. “The arts lift us up, make us think and provide an endless variety of entertainment and enrichment, and we hope others will join us in celebrating the richness of the worlds of poetry, dance, art, music and more this fall.”
Here are the upcoming Fall Arts Celebration events for October. For more event details, go here.
What is Art in the 21st Century?
Lecture presented by William Deresiewicz
Oct. 1, at 7:30 pm
Location: L.V. Eberhard Center, 2nd floor, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
In today’s world, creativity is a necessity for successful collaborations in business and to develop and expand vibrant cultures. As business and the arts draw closer together, how are they changing each other? Expanding on his viral essay for The Atlantic, “The Death of the Artist—and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur,” award-winning essayist, critic and best-selling author William Deresiewicz will answer that question by addressing the understanding and practice of creative work and the creative life. Deresiewicz is the author of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Harper’s, The Nation, The New Republic, The American Scholar and The London Review of Books.
Ada Limon (photo supplied)
An Evening of Poetry and Conversation with Ada Limón and Carl Phillips
Oct. 18, at 7:30 pm
Location: L.V. Eberhard Center, 2nd floor, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Two unique poetic voices will share their work with the West Michigan community during an evening of poetry and conversation. Ada Limón is the author of five books of poetry, including her new book, The Carrying (2018). Her volume Bright Dead Things was named one of the top 10 poetry books of the year by The New York Times. Limón currently serves on the faculty of Queens University of Charlotte’s low-residency Master of Fine Arts program.
Carl Phillips (photo supplied)
Carl Phillips is the author of 14 books of poetry, including his most recent works, Wild Is the Wind (2018) and Reconnaissance (2015). The latter won the PEN USA Award and the Lambda Literary Award. A four-time finalist for the National Book Award, Phillips’ honors include the Los Angeles Times’ Book Prize for Poetry, the Kingsley Tufts Award and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, Library of Congress and Academy of American Poets. He is currently a professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis.
Meet Nate: Nate had no work experience and a disability that made getting a job difficult. Through the Youth Employment Services program, Nate got an apprenticeship with a local electrical company after graduating from high school, attended community college and is on his way to a career in electrical engineering.
If you are out of school, having a hard time finding or keeping a job and wondering how to start a career, the West Michigan Works! Youth Employment Services program can help you, just like it did Nate.
How can Youth Employment Services help me?
The program offers free services to young adults, ages 16-24, who are experiencing challenges to finding employment. Participants can get on the path to a successful, long-term career through individualized employment and training activities.
Obtain your GED or high school diploma.
Use assessments and career exploration to develop a career pathway.
Participate in work experience to build your resume.
Get help removing barriers to employment/training like assistance with transportation, professional clothing, credit recovery and more!
Scholarships may be available for additional job training.
Do I qualify?
If you are a young adult, age 16-24, who is experiencing circumstances that make finding and keeping employment challenging, you may qualify. Eligibility is based on income in addition to many other factors.
How do I get started?
Certain documentation, like specific forms of ID and proof of income, will be required to enroll. Contact your local program provider to learn more and find out if you are eligible:
Bethany Christian Services
1530 Madison Ave NE Grand Rapids, MI 49507 616-254-7739
"If you can't tolerate critics, don't do anything new or interesting."
~Jeff Bezos
Food, glorious food!
Blue Spoon will again be at Kentwood’s End of Summer Food Truck Festival. (WKTV)
And there will be food trucks galore! The free-to-attend event will run from 11am to 10pm, on Saturday, Sept. 15 in the parking lot of the Kent District Library — Kentwood (Richard. L. Root) Branch. Throughout the day, there will be live music, a beer tent and a variety of local eats.
Ferrand Park got quite the facelift, and Wyoming residents are thrilled. The park features a number of new amenities such as a shelter, pathways into the park, architectural features that help to identify the park, and a new, expanded playground area.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport has launched a new app that features real-time flight departure and arrival information, updates on parking availability at the airport, and security wait times. Additionally, amenities such as food and beverage locations, kids play areas, nursing rooms, and the military welcome center are featured on the app.
The Grand Valley Writers Series has a long history of enlisting distinguished and emerging writers to visit the campuses of Grand Valley State University to read from their work for the community, visit classes to interact with students and discuss their career paths.
This year’s Writers Series will feature eight acclaimed authors, two of which are Grand Valley writing faculty members, during multiple events between September 17, 2018 and April 9, 2019.
Author Marian Crotty will kick off this year’s Writers Series on September 17 when she discusses her craft of fiction writing. Crotty is the author of the short story collection What Counts as Love, which won the John Simmons Award for Short Fiction.
Author Lindsey Drager visits Oct. 4.
She has received fellowships from the Yaddo Corporation, The Camargo Foundation and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creating Writing, and also received a Fulbright research grant to the United Arab Emirates. She currently serves as an assistant professor of writing at Loyola University Maryland and as an assistant editor for The Common.
Her fiction work has appeared in Kenyon Review, Southern Review and Alaska Quarterly Review, and her personal essays have appeared in various journals, including Guernica, Gettysburg Review and New England Review.
Below is the full schedule of this year’s Writers Series events. For more information, visit the Writers Series website, or contact Todd Kaneko, Writers Series coordinator and assistant professor of writing at kanekot@gvsu.edu.
Fiction Craft Talk and Reading with Marian Crotty Sept. 17, 2018
Fiction craft talk: 1:30-2:45 p.m., Kirkhof Center, room 2270, Allendale Campus
Reading and book signing: 6-7:30 p.m., Mary Idema Pew Library Multi-Purpose Room, Allendale Campus
Fiction Reading and Q&A Session with Distinguished Visiting Alumna Lindsey Drager Oct. 4, 2018
Reading and book signing: 2:30-3:30 p.m., Mary Idema Pew Library Multi-Purpose Room
Q&A session: 4-5:15 p.m., Kirkhof Center, room 0072
Nonfiction Craft Talk and Reading with Michele Morano
November 15, 2018
Craft talk: 4-5 p.m., Kirkhof Center, room 2270
Reading and book signing: 6-7:30 p.m., Kirkhof Center, room 0072
Grand Valley Faculty Reading with Chris Haven and Gale Marie Thompson
February 5, 2019
Reading: 6-7:30 p.m., Mary Idema Pew Library Multi-Purpose Room
Author Arunava Sinha wraps up the series on April 9.
Poetry Craft Talk and Reading with Kaveh Akbar and Paige Lewis
March 14, 2019
Craft talk: 6-7 p.m., DeVos Center, room 203E, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Reading and book signing: 7:30-8:30 p.m., DeVos Center University Club, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Translation Craft Talk and Reading with Arunava Sinha
April 9, 2019
Craft talk: 4-5 p.m., Kirkhof Center, room 2270
Reading and book signing: 6-7:30 p.m., Mary Idema Pew Library Multi-Purpose Room
After retiring from the United States Army in 2015 following 17 years of service, Kimberly Walker began searching for her purpose as an artist, which she eventually found in the form of sharing stories of sexual assault in the military through art.
During this year’s 10th anniversary of ArtPrize, Walker’s piece, “Locked and Loaded,” will be the sole entry located at the Eberhard Center on Grand Valley State University’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus.
The piece will consist of 46 military-issue duffle bags representing 46 cases of sexual assault in the military. Walker, an Ohio-based artist, said through her research, she discovered that none of the cases were disclosed to the general public.
Walker will discuss her ArtPrize entry, as well as her journey from soldier to artist, during a special presentation on Thursday, Sept. 20. “Finding Your Purpose With Art” will take place at 6 p.m. in room 716 in the Eberhard Center. A reception will precede remarks at 5:30 p.m. outside the Veterans Upward Bound office.
Following Walker’s remarks, Tim Marroquin, director of Veterans Upward Bound, and Krystal Diel, Victim Advocate in Grand Valley’s Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity, will discuss resources on campus available to veterans, current students, victims and survivors of sexual assault, and advocate community members.
“Locked and Loaded” was chosen by members of Grand Valley’s Art Gallery staff during an ArtPrize Pitch Night in May. These events provide artists in five different cities an opportunity to present to judges an idea for a piece of artwork that would be on display at a high-profile venue in Grand Rapids during the competition. The selected artists each received a $5,000 grant to bring their ideas to life.
By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
I was feeling rather sluggish and thought a good mystery would get my blood moving, so I decided to try something by an author I hadn’t previously read. I turned to bestselling authors to help with my selection.
Short Straw by Stuart Woods seemed to fit my criteria; Woods is a bestselling author and the synopsis promised an intriguing, fast-paced mystery, and I looked forward to diving into my first Stuart Woods novel. Unfortunately, this will also be my last Stuart Woods novel. While there were a couple of interesting twists in the plot, overall I found it to be very dull and predictable. The characters were flat and lifeless, and I found myself not caring what happened to any of them. In fact, I felt like they got what they deserved for the most part.
Apparently, a familiar character from an earlier book, Ed Eagle, resurfaces in Short Straw only to be taken to the cleaners by his soon-to-be-ex-wife. A pair of incompetent men, hired by Eagle, follow Barbara all over Mexico to prevent her from getting her hands on all of Ed’s money. If this is typical of his work, I certainly don’t plan to read any further.
On the other hand, I found Capital Crimes by Jonathan and Faye Kellerman to be just what the book jacket promised: “…a gripping pair of original crime thrillers…” This was my first experience with Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, also bestselling authors, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this time I wasn’t disappointed.
Although I didn’t initially realize that Capital Crimes was actually two novellas combined under one cover, both stories stood well on their own, and I will definitely read more of their work. The characters were far more colorful than those in Short Straw, and the pace moved much quicker. I felt more involved with the stories and interested in the outcomes.
The only criticism I have is that the language in Capital Crimes was a little rough. While the usage of rough language was well within the boundaries of keeping in the voice of the character, I sometimes find it distracts from the story when the dialogue is spotted with conversational swearing. I didn’t find it distracting enough, however, to put this book down and recommend it for a taste of both Jonathan and Faye Kellerman.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Calvin College #1 overall among Midwest regional colleges in its 2019 Best Colleges Guidebook. This marks the third consecutive year Calvin has topped its category.
Released online today, the report helps prospective students and their families evaluate colleges and universities based on 16 widely accepted indicators of excellence, such as first-year retention rates, graduation rates, and the strength of faculty. The report also takes into account qualitative assessments by administrators at peer institutions.
“Calvin’s mission to equip students to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world remains our constant source of motivation,” said Michael K. Le Roy, Calvin College president. “It is encouraging when independent sources like U.S. News & World Report recognize the exemplary work of our faculty, staff, and students.”
In addition to sharing the top overall ranking among its peers with Taylor University in 2019, Calvin also garnered U.S. News’ #1 ranking among Midwest regional colleges on its “Best Undergraduate Teaching” list, and appeared in the top five of its lists of “Most Innovative Schools” and “Schools with the Most International Students.”
Calvin was also listed as a “Best Value School” by U.S. News & World Report, and the college’s engineering program received special recognition as one of the best undergraduate engineering program in the country. The college tied for 71st among schools whose terminal engineering degree is a bachelors or masters.
About Calvin College Founded in 1876, Calvin College is a top-ranked, liberal arts college that equips its more than 3,700 students from 45 U.S. states, 65 countries and five Canadian provinces to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world. Calvin is proud to offer 100+ majors and programs, including graduate-level offerings in accounting, education, and speech pathology and audiology. Calvin students engage in intensive internships, community-based service learning, and significant research that results in publishing and presenting alongside world-class faculty.
And the college’s 400-acre campus, located in the vibrant city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, serves as a launching pad for students who, in any given year, participate in 40 faculty-led off-campus programs on six different continents. Discover more at www.calvin.edu.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is celebrating its 85th year as a digital news and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. USNews.com focuses on education, health, money, travel, cars, and civic, providing consumer advice, rankings, and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and advice. U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
A couple of weeks ago, I received a text message and several phone calls from a friend frantically trying to reach me, “I got a strange notice on my computer saying I had to call or they would disable me!”
When I contacted her later, I was relieved to hear she refused to give them her credit card number and they hung up on her. Too often, people who receive these pop-up notices on their computers, tablets or phones fall prey to these scare tactics, losing hundreds of dollars and sometimes their identity as a result. Tossing your computer out the window or smashing your phone with a hammer are not the answer. You can take steps to avoid falling victim to malware.
What is malware? When most people call for help, they say “A virus got into my computer!”. The mess that malware creates can certainly make us feel sick, but it is not a computer virus in the traditional sense. Malware, also referred to as Adware or Spyware, is a type of software that is usually embedded in something else. Whether it is a ‘free’ app you downloaded to your tablet, a ‘free’ software you downloaded to your computer, or a ‘free’ game you play through your internet browser, most likely you clicked ‘OK’ and, buried in the fine print you agreed to having the malware files downloaded to your device. When it comes to apps and software, nothing is free.
When these files get downloaded to our devices, strange things begin to occur. Like my friend, a message window might randomly open up saying we have a virus or claim that our computer has been hacked and requires immediate attention. We open our internet browser and without touching a key, it will begin bringing us to websites we don’t want to go to or the screen suddenly fills with 100s of popup windows advertising everything under the sun. We could even find our inbox filling up with messages to buy things that normally require a prescription or even our phone begins to ring with telemarketers.
What can we do to protect our devices from these types of software?
First, don’t download anything unless it comes through an official app store like Google Play or Apple and even then, use caution if it says are there advertisements in the app.
When advertisements pop up in your browser, be careful where you click. Many of these are designed to fool you by including a ‘No Thanks’ button or even a fake X button usually on the opposite side of the window. Close the pop up using the X in the upper corner.
If you make a mistake and download some malware to your computer, stay calm and know that any threatening messages you receive are not real. Microsoft, Apple or Google will not send a warning message to your screen demanding you call them ‘or else…’. If you’re getting these messages, it’s most definitely fake.
Do not call the 800 numbers that appear on your screen, give out any personal information, or allow anyone remote access to your computer.
You can often get free assistance by going to the manufacturer of the device. For a Microsoft device you can get virtual assistance at support.microsoft.com, an Apple device support.apple.com or a Google/Android device go to support.google.com.
Sometimes we need more than help articles; there are services you can pay for help. Best Buy’s Geek Squad offers support in-home, in-store, 24/7 online and phone support at (800) 433-5778. HelloTech also offers in-home tech support, online support at hellotech.com and help over the phone (888) 485-9455. These companies are reputable, established companies unlike the 800 numbers offered in the popup windows. You may have local tech support companies in your community.
Stay in charge of your devices! While your son, daughter or grandchild may seem tech savvy and well meaning, unless they are a certified technology support specialist, they should not be trying to fix your computer, tablet or phone. People of every age fall victim to malware and internet scams and our well-intentioned relatives might make matters worse.
When we run into problems like these, our inclination may be to give up on technology all together, especially if we’re new to it. Technology is engrained in every part of our society though and can actually go a long way in helping us remain independent as we age. Today we can order our groceries and have them delivered to our home, call for a ride, see our doctor through a video call, pay all of our bills and connect with friends and family using a smartphone, tablet or computer.
It’s worth sticking with it and to learn more. Local libraries offer technology classes for adults, as well as many community and senior centers. If you’re a member of a group who would like a class on learning about how technology like tablets and smart phones can enhance your life, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan will bring a class to your organization. You can contact us at (616) 456-5664 or aaainfo@aaawm.org for more information.
BySuzanne Pish, Michigan State University Extension
There has been a lot of controversy about whether or not young children should begin to play football. As a mother, it is hard to watch your child be under a pile of other players, wondering if they are going to get up and listening to coaches yelling at them. However, there are some great lessons learned from playing football that go far beyond the hitting and yelling. These young children are learning life skills that they can use the rest of their lives.
The social aspect of sports might be what entices children to play in the first place. Youth sports participation lets children spend time with friends in a safe environment while practicing social skills that are likely to last a lifetime. Aside from bonding with peers, kids learn to solve conflicts effectively, reach common goals and learn to be more assertive, all while getting much needed physical activity. A child’s communication skills are improved while playing a sport, giving a child needed life skills.
2. Competitive skills
Although there is such a thing as being too competitive, it’s important for a child to understand the positive aspects of competition. Adults are surrounded by competition, from getting a job to moving up in the work force. When children learn the basics of competition early, they have a better chance of succeeding. Sports participation helps children cope with competition in a friendly environment. Working to achieve a goal or being part of a team can help kids gain healthy competitive skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.
3. Sportsmanship
Sportsmanlike behavior is a lesson that children obtain from playing sports. Children learn to positively handle both the winning and losing aspect of playing a sport. Good sportsmanship is a trait that carries over from childhood to adulthood. Athletes who focus on mastering personal improvement have a good chance later on becoming good citizens and hard workers. A child who learns to be a good sport can translate that skill to better cooperating with others and making decisions based on their own morals rather than being ego-oriented individuals who behave badly, according to Education World, an online resource for educators .
4. Leadership abilities
Obtaining leadership qualities that range from being a good character to respecting others and being task oriented can be accomplished in both team and individual sports. A solid support system, such as a strong parental involvement and effective coaching can help mold a child into being a leader now, and later in life.
The coaching staff for my son’s team told them in the huddle that giving 100 percent on the field will help them to give 100 percent in whatever else they do in life. Do these boys understand that concept at this young age? Maybe not, but having the discipline to play as a team day after day and to give all they can to their team will certainly pay off for them in the long run as adults.
Finny, the finback whale skeleton, greats visitors as the enter the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced new Saturday Curiosity Labs will be starting Saturday, Sept. 22. Curiosity Labs give visitors the opportunity to get hands-on with science during their visit.
Curiosity Labs will feature fun, hands-on activities themed around science for all ages. Highlights visitors can expect include: learning how a watershed works through the Museum’s water table and utilizing an Augmented Reality (AR) sandbox in which by moving and building the sand, visitors can create erupting volcanoes, rivers, oceans, mountains. Additional hands on activities will change week to week.
Saturday Curiosity Labs will be free with general admission take place every Saturday at the GRPM from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in an open house style format.
Labs begin Saturday, September 22 and will run through Saturday, May 18, 2019. For more information on Curiosity Labs and to see upcoming exhibits and programs at the Museum, visit grpm.org.
The GRPM’s Watershed Lab was funded by Great Lakes Fishery Trust and Wege Foundation. Saturday Curiosity Labs are funded by the Brookby Foundation.
For many driving on Byron Center Avenue pass Ferrand Park, their reaction might be very similar to that of the wife of Wyoming’s Council Member Kent Vanderwood.
“So my wife and I have lived in Wyoming for 13 years and my wife and I were driving by [Ferrand Park] recently and she said there’s a park in there,” Vanderwood said during an August Wyoming Council meeting.
Ferrand Park is one of the oldest city park areas in Wyoming having been donated by the Ferrand family and dedicated in 1971. However a deed restriction did not allow the city to remove any of the trees, with the city leaving the park in a natural state with a small playground area.
The ribbon cutting ceremony at the Ferrand Park rededication.
“So you see the beautiful trees?” said City Services Director Rebecca Rynbrandt. “We can not remove a tree unless it is in imminent risk to the public. So for years, we have to wait for them to die a little bit of their natural death allowing us to have space in the middle, which opened up for play.”
Now some 40 years later, the city was able to invest more than $400,000 into the pocket park with money from the Parks and Recreation Fund and the Revolving Capital Improvement Fund. On Aug. 25, the city hosted a rededication.
“We are very excited to be rededicating Ferrand Park, one of our 21 parks in the city of Wyoming,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “We are excited for the major changes that have occurred in this park and we are most thankful for our citizens for once again supporting efforts in our parks that make them some of the most beautiful parks in all of West Michigan.”
The park features a number of new amenities such as a shelter, pathways into the park, architectural features that help to identify the park, and a new, expanded playground area.
The new, expanded playground at Ferrand Park.
“I personally love the dragonfly teeter-totter ,” Rynbrandt said. “We try to make something special and unique for each park.
“We also implemented the log and step rocks. We want this to be a marriage of the environment with the landscaping and then with the traditional land features. We added and expanded the playground that is available. There is climbing walls that they never had before. They have never had swing sets at this park, so we have provided an adaptive swing as well as a regular swing.”
Another important aspect is the accessible pathways into the park, Rynbrandt said.
“We have an accessible ramp into the park,” she said. “We have a sidewalk area and we have a crush aggregate, so we also have different textures.”
There are other details as well such as a table area near the park with a handicap accessible spot facing the playground area, making it easier for all to enjoy the playground space.
All of these changes are making residents take notice of the neighborhood park.
The butterfly teeter-totter at Ferrand Park.
“We have already seen an increase in dog-walkers, exercise walkers for health and wellness because now they know the park exists,” she said. “We put the architecture detail along the road of Byron Center so people are saying ‘hey what is there?’
“Before, the playground sat very low in the hollow in the area. So now people know there is a park and they are walking in, they have a safe route to access the playground and the shelter.
Now with Ferrand Park done, the City of Wyoming will turn its attention to its oldest park, Ideal Park, with work scheduled to start on that park soon and a grand reopening celebration set for 2019.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
When a Belding resident (and a rescuer herself) contacted us in early July 2018 about this injured little lady, Dr. Jen knew she had to make quick work of getting this kitty into our care; Kathy and the kitty’s caretaker noted this dainty girl’s wounded neck, called around for help and received no assistance locally. Upon arrival at the vet clinic, the cutie-pie (born in early 2016) proved to Dr. Jen that the quite nasty neck wound wasn’t about to dampen her spirit—she purred and trilled the entire exam! However Dr. Jen had to sedate kitty to take a closer look at what the heck was going on (a proliferative lesion known as an eosinophilic granuloma), debride the wound site of the exuberant tissue that was delaying skin healing, and treat it topically as well as systemically with antibiotics.
At that time Dr. Jen had noted a small upper lip ulcer, which can be common for this type of inflammatory condition, but it wasn’t until a few weeks later when Chanel No.2 developed another one (they are commonly called rodent ulcers) that Dr. Jen chose to treat the condition with injectable steroids. This seemed to do the trick in expediting skin repair, as did another gentle debriding at that time.
We also had to come up with creative ways to keep her neck covered so she wouldn’t excessively lick the tender skin as it slowly healed, but that proved to be quite the challenge. After trying (and failing spectacularly) with a sweater and stockinette, our cat care manager brought in a doll bib from home—and it foiled Chanel’s efforts to over-groom. Plus, she look absolutely adorable in it, though it was only needed for a few days.
The leaps and bounds of improvement Chanel made over the next few weeks were absolutely remarkable!
From the get-go, charming lil’ Chanel was a heart-stealer. Not one to ever grumble or hiss at another cat (or human, for that matter, as her lesion was tended to), this perfect little purr-machine lives for belly rubs, and absolutely craves attention. She acts as if she has always been around other kitties and received tons of attention from whomever had her at one point, so it would be to our extreme liking if we could place her in a home that would continue to treat her like a princess, as she really thrives on the pampering she has been receiving. We all have no doubt that once her bio hits the internet, we are going to be receiving inquires and applications almost immediately for our lovely, kittenish girl.
We are known for thinking outside of the box when necessary—and we certainly have a crew of creative folks working with our fur-kids! We will do whatever it takes to get our feline companions up to par so that we can ultimately send them off into loving, long-lasting homes of their own!
More about Chanel No.2:
Medium
Domestic Short Hair; Black & White/Tuxedo
Adult
Female
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Chanel No.2? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
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.
Where do I belong? This is the question asked by immigrants and expatriates for as long as human beings have migrated. Alan interviews Brazilian-born Marcos Bragança, an expat with a widely dispersed family. His American-born son Thomas talks about the ebb and flow of language and culture growing up in the United States.
"The person who says something is impossible should not interrupt the person who is doing it."
~Chinese Proverb
Good things come in threes
Three well-deserving organizations recently received grants from the GM Foundation: the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance, West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC), and Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank. Read all about it here.
The dude abides (er, rides)
Kentwood resident and bicyclist-on-a-mission Ken Smith, after a brief stop at home for his anniversary and time with family, quietly headed off from downtown Grand Rapids this week as part of a 3,500-plus west coast-to-east coast trip to raise funds for his grandson, Jakob, and awareness of all persons with neurological damage. More here.
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Beam me up, Scotty
Well, maybe healthcare technology isn’t quite that advanced, but still…
Not only are physicians and other healthcare professionals becoming more accessible, but personal health information, billing, and care instructions have also become easier to find thanks to electronic health records and healthcare portals. Before electronic health records, or EHRs, patients had to request physical copies from their healthcare providers’ offices, an inconvenient process that meant that most people only received their records when they were absolutely required. Read all about it here.
Fun Fact:
A sneeze travels about
100 miles per hour.
We're not sure who clocked it or why. Maybe some things are best left unknown.
A view of a Kounotori from the International Space Station.
Kelly Taylor
WKTV Staff
On Friday, Sept. 14, WKTV will be featuring the Rendezvous and Capture of the JAXA “Kounotori” HTV-7 Cargo Craft at the International Space Station. Coverage will begin at 6 a.m., with the capture scheduled at 7:40 a.m. Stay tuned for the installation of the cargo craft at 11 a.m.
The Kounotori is an unmanned cargo transporter. It is designed to deliver up to six tons of supplies including food, clothes, and experiment devices to the ISS in orbit at an altitude of about 400 kilometers and return with spent equipment, used clothing, and other waste material.
The Kounotori with waste material is incinerated when it makes a re-entry into the atmosphere. This transport operation involves a rendezvous with and docking to the ISS, in a situation requiring a highly reliable transfer vehicle.
A Kounotori cargo craft
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch
When Betty Mahmoody’s story first came to light, the United States was confronted with a problem of epic proportions: international parental abduction. Countless parents around the county were finally heard. Author Livingstone wrote Rescue My Child to help inform an entire generation of the cruelty these parents face every day.
Livingston focused on Corporate Training Unlimited (CTU), an organization composed of ex-Delta Force commandos, who would intervene in international cases. This book tells of four such cases. The stories detail the rescues of five children and one mother from various countries and situations. Laurie Swint Ghidaoui and her daughter Leila were rescued from Tunisia. Lauren Mahone was recovered in Jordan. Brittney Chowdhury was located in Bangladesh while Jeremy Hefner and his sister Amy were rescued in Ecuador.
Rescue My Child endeavored to alert the world about international parental abduction at a time when such a crime was hardly imaginable. CTU risked much to be able to help these families: prison, injury and even death. Had these men and women been discovered while on foreign soil and in possession of a child of a citizen, the United States could not have helped them. It is a reminder that some children do come home and also a reminder that some are still missing.
Advancements in medical technology have defined the practice of healthcare since a concept of healthcare has existed, from bandages to penicillin to MRIs. Today, we think of technology as digital, and it has permeated practically every aspect of our lives. It’s natural, therefore, that some of the biggest news in healthcare is related to technology and access. The tech that we use every day–our phones, the internet, computers–is transforming how people think about and receive healthcare, making it more convenient and accessible overall.
Telemedicine
One of the most talked-about trends in healthcare access today is telemedicine, which is the use of devices connected to the internet to provide clinical services. Originally, the goal of telemedicine was to make healthcare more accessible in rural regions of the United States, but after numerous studies showed these efforts to be hugely beneficial to both patients and healthcare professionals, healthcare technology companies began to develop more and more applications for telemedicine.
Telemedicine has vastly improved patient care capabilities for inpatient healthcare facilities such as small hospitals and for increasing access to specialists, who may not always be on-premises when they’re needed. A recent study from the CHEST Journal reported a reduction in patient transfers in intensive care units (ICUs) that had telemedicine systems in place, buying valuable time and providing specialized care that would have otherwise required a transfer.
The more highly discussed and visual aspect of telemedicine is the rise of applications and services that allow primary care physicians, psychologists, pediatricians, and more to examine patients without either person ever setting foot in an office. Doctor shortages around the country have made wait times for appointments longer, forcing sick people in highly-populated and rural areas alike to either pay high bills for urgent care or forgo a doctor visit altogether. Telemedicine has excelled at providing care for minor but time-sensitive health issues such as ear infections and stomach problems, meaning more convenience at a lower cost.
Healthcare portals
Not only are physicians and other healthcare professionals becoming more accessible, but personal health information, billing, and care instructions have also become easier to find thanks to electronic health records and healthcare portals. Before electronic health records, or EHRs, patients had to request physical copies from their healthcare providers’ offices, an inconvenient process that meant that most people only received their records when they were absolutely required.
Today, practices from primary care physicians to hospitals are making EHRs easily accessible through online patient portals. Visibility into personal healthcare records empowers people to be more active in their healthcare. In addition, some patient portals have other functions, such as a form of telemedicine where patients can ask their care providers questions on a secure platform, or billing statements that people can reference whenever they need to. This increased visibility into the process of healthcare offers people both convenience and insight, giving them the knowledge to make informed decisions about their health.
Personal and remote monitoring
About 45% of adults in the United States are living with at least one chronic disease; for seniors alone, that number rises to almost 80%. Managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and dementia is a constant part of everyday life, and for many people, chronic conditions mean more frequent visits to doctors and specialists. Healthcare appointments can be stressful for anyone, but for people with limited mobility or debilitating pain, they can be close to impossible.
Today, connected devices such as blood pressure and glucose monitoring devices make it easy to track health conditions and determine when intervention is necessary. Devices for home use are usually designed to be easy-to-use and offer clear insights in order to be as useful as possible to patients and caregivers. Some, such as heart rate monitors built into smartwatches and fitness trackers, are even wearable.
The ability to connect to the internet also means that remote monitoring is possible. Remote monitoring allows healthcare professionals to track a patient’s biometrics, rather than the patient tracking their condition themselves. While this may seem somewhat invasive, it is a real boon for people with serious conditions, or those who live alone or in an isolated area. Early detection of problems can help patients get the attention they need, sometimes even before they realize they need it.
Technology has always been integral to healthcare, but now, convenient healthcare technology is accessible to everybody. Services such as telemedicine and remote monitoring are still relatively new, and studies are still being done on the long-term benefits and drawbacks, but improvements to healthcare accessibility are ensuring better health for people all over the country.
As a former smoker, Hasart qualified. He remembers the day 50 years ago he caught his older brother smoking.
“He made me start so I wouldn’t tell Dad,” Hasart said.
A few days after his appointment with Dr. Litt, Hasart went to Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Hospital in Fremont for his CT scan. Within 24 hours, Dr. Litt’s office called. They had found a suspicious nodule.
It was an early catch, which is a big advantage in fighting lung cancer.
“The idea with the screening is that we can diagnose it when it’s more treatable,” said Marc McClelland, MD, a Spectrum Health pulmonologist.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Lung cancer tends to have poor outcomes because it usually gets diagnosed at an advanced stage, Dr. McClelland said. The disease typically does not have any symptoms until it has advanced beyond stage one or two.
Since its creation in 2015, the lung cancer screening program has identified 33 cases of lung cancer and nine cases of other kinds of cancer, including kidney and liver. Nineteen of the lung cancer cases were found in the earliest and most treatable stage, stage one.
The program is currently following 728 patients with annual CT scans.
Harvey’s journey
A few days after receiving the bad news, Hasart met with the Lung Mass and Cancer Care Multispecialty Team. The group of cancer specialists includes a diagnostic radiologist, medical oncologist, pathologist, pulmonologist, radiation oncologist, thoracic surgeon, nurse and social worker, all coalescing to offer coordinated care for patients like Hasart.
The next step, a PET scan, revealed the nodule and a lymph node looked suspicious and needed biopsy.
Hasart’s case grew more complicated yet. Within days of his PET scan, he experienced chest pain on the golf course. He ended up needing a heart stent and he had to regularly take a blood thinner.
The multispecialty team thought it best to admit Hasart to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital for the biopsy, which allowed them to switch blood thinners and monitor his heart closely, Dr. McClelland said.
The results of the biopsy held more bad news: small cell lung cancer.
Small cell lung cancer makes up only 10 to 15 percent of all lung cancers. It is known for growing rapidly and spreading quickly, although it typically responds well to chemotherapy and radiation.
Dr. McClelland said the fact that Hasart’s cancer was small cell rather than the more common non-small cell cancer surprised him and the other specialists on Hasart’s team. It didn’t appear to be small cell originally, he said.
“That’s the beauty of the lung (multispecialty team),” Dr. McClelland said. “As long as I have been doing this, no case is the same as any other case. There’s no textbook in the world that could include the extensive variety and depth of what we see, so that’s why the team is so valuable.”
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
The team meets together on a regular basis to discuss each case, allowing for effective communication and more streamlined care. This ultimately means patients get answers faster, sometimes with same-day biopsies and results, Dr. McClelland said.
The week after Thanksgiving, Hasart started four rounds of chemotherapy at Spectrum Health Cancer Center. The day after Christmas, he started radiation. Both steps were successful fighting the cancer in his lungs.
When a scan then revealed a small lesion on his brain, the multispecialty team opted for him to receive radiation treatment to his brain, Hasart said. It’s common for small cell lung cancer to spread to the brain. In early May, a post-radiation brain scan showed the lesion was gone and there was no more evidence of cancer.
Serendipity
Hasart’s girlfriend, Deb Bisel, has been at his side throughout this journey. The two met online when Hasart lived in Wisconsin and Bisel in Newaygo, Michigan. They dated long distance a few years before Hasart retired and moved to Newaygo in November 2016.
Bisel lost her husband of 26 years, Ned, to lung cancer in 2011. By the time they found his cancer, it was too late to do much.
In a serendipitous twist, Bisel works for Spectrum Health as the manager of cancer program compliance. In this role, she helped develop the lung mass and cancer multi-specialty team. Bisel also helped plan a symposium for primary care physicians to learn more about cancer screening, including lung cancer. Dr. Litt attended that symposium.
“We are so thankful (Dr. Litt) ordered the CT scan, and we think it saved his life,” Bisel said. “This validates how important this stuff is.”
Those eligible for the screening program are active smokers with a history of 30 or more pack years and former smokers who have quit within the past 15 years. (Pack years is calculated by multiplying packs per day by years smoked.)
Patients with lower risk who do not meet those guidelines may speak with their doctors about whether they would benefit from screening outside of the program, Dr. McClelland said.
Patients like Hasart, who have quit smoking, can sometimes be forgotten, Dr. Litt said.
“This reinforces my faith in primary and preventive care,” Dr. Litt said. “You want to intervene before things go out of control, before things go in the wrong direction.”
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Dr. Litt grew humble when she heard Hasart credited her with saving his life.
“I was doing my job as any good primary care physician should be doing,” she said. “I’m grateful and thankful he thinks highly of me, but mostly I am grateful he is doing well.”
Hasart is now focused on enjoying his retirement. He works part-time driving cars to the east side of Michigan for auto dealers. Most of the time, however, you will find him on the golf course or in the kitchen baking or cooking.
His last day of chemotherapy treatment was Valentine’s Day. He couldn’t wait to get home to make lobster dinner for Bisel.
That day, Bisel’s assistant, Diane Ivy, came down from her office in the cancer center with a celebratory gift for Hasart—a mix of cookies, a chocolate rose, a teddy bear and other goodies.
“I just wanted to come and see you for the last day,” she said.
The teddy bear, she said, was for “whenever you need a hug and Deb is not there.”
As Hasart readied to leave, a nurse wished him well and asked how he felt.
"You get to a certain age, where you know you can’t go over the wall, but I’ll never get to the age where I can’t go through it." - Actor Burt Reynolds, 1936-2018
Lending a Hand
Local nurses were on a hike at Dead River Falls, in the U.P.’s Marquette, but their day hike became a case of being in the right place at the right time. (Supplied)
When a group of local emergency nurses on vacation in Marquette, Mich., learned of an injured hiker they did what anyone with their training and background would do: they went to help. “I fully believe God placed nine ED nurses on that trail for a reason,” said Rylee Kuiphoff, one of the nurses in the group.
Are You Ready for the Challenge?
FIRST Power Up, the theme for the 2017 FIRST challenge, was based on a Mario game.
Hundreds of young technology enthusiasts will gather at Grand Valley State University September 8 to celebrate the beginning of the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge season. The event is set for 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Eberhard Center and Keller Engineering Lab building on the Pew Grand Rapids campus. Competitions will take place in the winter.
The Rebels Who Are Turning it Around
Wyoming Lee faces NorthPointe Christian this Friday. The Wyoming Lee team has struggled in years past but last year, Coach Tom DeGennaro credited much of that success to the students: “It’s just the kids buying into the system, working out in the weight room and committing themselves to being here every day. It has nothing to do with coaching. All of the success goes to the kids.”
Killer Light Show
Well you have about a month and a half until “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the film about epic rock band Queen and its frontman Freddie Mercury, hits the theaters. Until then, the Grand Rapids Public Museum has got your Queen-fix as it will be opening “The Queen Light Show: From Mercury with Love” Sept. 15. The show will feature laser lights dancing to 10 of Queen’s greatest hits. And yes, that does include “Bohemian Rhapsody.” For more, visit grpm.org/Planetarium.
Fun Fact:
33.9 Million Miles
Or 54.6 million kilometers. That is the closest Mars and Earth come to each other. Still the distance has not discouraged a love affair with the red planet, which Grand Valley State University explores in its new exhibit "Mars: Astronomy and Culture." The exhibit is set to open Sept. 13 and will feature 140 photographs, drawings, movie posters, book covers and more spotlighting Mars.
By Brenda Long, Michigan State University Extension
The majority of U. S. households, 63 percent, have equity in their own homes. For many, it’s the largest piece of their asset portfolio, according to U.S. Census data and University of Illinois Extension. Regular maintenance and repair should be in your plans so that you can retain the value of your home. It requires time and money, whether you do the work yourself or hire someone else.
Home maintenance should be done monthly, seasonally or annually, so the expenses should not be a complete surprise. Prepare by setting aside money each month toward a home maintenance fund so that it will be there when you need it. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureaumonthly payment worksheet says a common rule of thumb is to plan to invest one percent of your home value in home maintenance each year. For example, if your home’s market value is $100,000, then 1 percent is $1,000. This amount may vary depending on your home and needed repairs.
It’s a good idea to walk around inside and out monthly to visually inspect for potential issues. Look up as well as down. Use a checklist such as this one from the University of Georgia Extension.
Water Drainage/Damage: Rain (and snow in cold climates) can cause serious water damage to insulation and drywall. Be sure gutters and downspouts are working. Look for stains and mold growth, damp carpeting, loose tiles, and cupping wood floors.
Heating/Cooling Issues: Yearly cleaning plus regularly change the filters (monthly is recommended by experts) for both long life and efficiency of these systems. If you have a fireplace, annual flue cleaning is essential to prevent the considerably higher expense relining the flue.
Roof Damage: Heavy snow, heavy rain and high winds can influence roof quality. Look for signs of damage on the roof and in the attic for water leaks. Asphalt shingles generally last about 20 years, and aluminum or steel shingles last about 50 years. Avoid walking on the roof and do not store heavy items in your attic.
Windows: Although aluminum windows are less costly, wooden windows last about ten years longer. Check regularly for peeling paint, cracks and chips in the glazing.
Several government assistance programs are available to better afford repairing and improving your home. Home improvements such as the cost of insulation, energy-efficient exterior windows, and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems qualify for IRS residential energy tax credits. Installation costs do not qualify. Visit the Energy Star website, energystar.gov/taxcredits for details.
Plan ahead to fit home maintenance tasks into your schedule and expenses in your budget. Find tips in Jinnifer Ortquist’s article on Planning Home Improvements and Costs. Doing small repairs promptly can save you from large, costly repairs later. For example, small leaks in a roof can lead to significant damage in internal walls over time. Also learn about assistance programs and energy tax credits to stretch your dollars. For more information about homeownership in Michigan, go to the Housing link at www.mimoneyhealth.org.
By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch
Artemis Fowl has done many things in his short life. He has mastered criminal enterprise. He has taken on Russian mobsters to save his father’s life. He has even saved the entire faerie world from a master criminal pixie. What a teenager! In this adventure, Artemis has met his match in a girl named Minerva, who kidnaps a demon, one of ten families of faerie, from an opera house in Italy.
Author Eoin Colfer is a former educator who had amazing success with the first Artemis Fowl novel and has continued to toss the boy genius into exciting adventures. Colfer’s stories have been compared with C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia as well as J.K. Rowlings’ Harry Potter series. Children around the world love the way Artemis uses technology, education and logic to expose the faerie world, endanger it, and then ultimately save it.
Artemis has always been a lonely, unique boy. Minerva is his ultimate competitor.
The Artemis Fowl series contain enough world travel, fantasy and mystery to intrigue any child. Who knows, it may even give the grandchildren some ideas! Start with the original Artemis Fowl and end the series with The Lost Colony. Your grandchildren will love them!
Local nurses were on a hike at Dead River Falls, in the U.P.’s Marquette, but their day hike became a case of being in the right place at the right time. (Supplied)
A group of emergency department nurses from the Grand Rapids area ran into a scary situation recently when a planned vacation to Marquette, Mich., turned into an emergency medical incident.
The day, Aug. 25, started off as any other: 10 nurses packed up the supplies they would need for the day and drove to Dead River Falls, in Marquette, for a hike. After getting their start, bystanders who were witness to an emergency situation a half-mile up the trail flagged the nurses down. Because of their emergency medical training, the nurses determined they were could possible help.
A young man who was visiting the falls with friends that day ended up with serious injuries because of a fall off one of the cliffs while peering over the water.
Rylee Kuiphoff and Nicole Schoenborn, two City of Grand Rapids residents who were part of the group of nurses, sat down with WKTV to talk about their story.
Kuiphoff recalled the incident as a challenge. With little to no resources that a standard emergency department nurse would usually have, making the best out of the situation is all they could do.
“Initially, it was hard for us because when you see the patient there’s a list of things at work that we go through …,” Kuiphoff said. “But when you’re in the wilderness you don’t have any of that.”
Schoenborn said the most important thing, to her, was keeping the young man calm. Holding him still, she made sure he was awake, stayed still, and was talking.
After the young man was stabilized, it was time for the group to assist local emergency medical providers in getting the boy out of the trail area. With the use of a backboard to transport the young man, the team brought him back to the mouth of the trail, a process that was not easily accomplished. Walking up hills, trudging through water, and navigating rocky terrain, the hike back up took about an hour.
“It was a lot of communication …,” Schoenborn said. “We couldn’t see where we were stepping so the fact that everyone was really great at communicating to get this boy and ourselves out safely was amazing.”
Once back back home, the nurses said they were thankful that they were there to help. But Kuiphoff and Schoenborn wanted to make it clear that they did what anyone else with their type of training would have done.
“We were just doing what we were trained to do” Kuiphoff said.
Although it was a tough situation, Kuiphoff doesn’t believe it was a just coincidence that they were on the trail at the right time.
“I fully believe God placed 9 ED nurses on that trail for a reason,” she said.
Fall Arts Celebration opens this year when Grand Valley State University’s Art Gallery showcases the historical fascination surrounding the planet Mars during the Mars: Astronomy and Culture exhibit. This exciting exhibit brings together photographs, drawings, movie posters, book covers, and video projections to show the impact of the “Red Planet” on popular culture, even before the 20th century.
Also, the internationally acclaimed Tesla Quartet partners with Grand Valley music faculty to perform a reflection of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s love of Italy through the composer’s famous String Sextet in D Minor, Op. 70 Souvenir de Florence.
Art–The Mars: Astronomy and Culture Exhibit reception is Thursday, Sept. 13, 5-7pm at the Art Gallery, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus. Exhibit dates: Aug. 24-Oct. 31.
Music–An Italian Journey: Tesla Quartet performs Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence on Monday, Sept. 17 at 7:30p at the Cook-DeWitt Center on the Allendale Campus.
Lauren Whitaker spent long stretches of her childhood in the hospital.
Minor colds turned into pneumonia. Even when she wasn’t hospitalized, “my parents basically ran a hospital at home,” she said. They treated her daily with lung exercises, breathing treatments and a special mechanical vest that helps move fluid through her respiratory system.
“I was kept away from kids, play dates, birthday parties,” Whitaker, 17, said. “And no preschool. They didn’t want me to be exposed to viruses. I was prone to getting sick often and for a long time. And it happened so much doctors were worried my lungs would become damaged.”
Whitaker was born with tracheomalacia, a condition in which the cartilage that keeps open the trachea, better known as the windpipe, is soft and frequently collapses.
The condition restricts airflow, which allows fluid to frequently build up in Whitaker’s respiratory system. And when Whitaker coughs, the trachea can close, which prevents the fluid from clearing out.
For every 100 children with asthma, about two or three have Whitaker’s condition, said John Schuen, MD, division chief of pediatric pulmonology and sleep medicine at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
There are no good surgical options, Whitaker was told. There are no long-term cures.
But after years of suffering—hospitalizations every four to six weeks, missing kindergarten, missing out on playdates with other children—Whitaker and her family found a remedy in an unlikely place.
The music room.
Whitaker learned to play the flute in fifth grade. She fell in love with it a couple years later. It has not only contained—and mostly solved—her medical issues, it has given her a life path.
“She’s really turned a disability into an ability, and it seems to be a tremendous ability,” Dr. Schuen said. “Now she’s on the cusp of launching a brilliant, brilliant career.”
‘Like beavers building a dam’
Dr. Schuen first met Whitaker at age 4. Her family had been struggling with her recurrent pneumonia.
“She was in and out of hospital, in and out of our office, in and out of her primary doctor’s office when we first met,” Dr. Schuen recalled. “This has been something that’s been ongoing ever since she was born.”
In a healthy person, Dr. Schuen said, the airways produce thin watery secretions, which are constantly moved and which provide defense against germs and trap inhaled particles such as dust and dirt. The secretions eventually move to the throat and mouth, where they’re coughed out or swallowed, thereby protecting the lungs.
“The airways are like tiny streams or streamlets that join up to bigger rivers, until they dump into Lake Michigan,” the doctor said. “That would be what’s normal.”
But with tracheomalacia, “it’s kind of like beavers building a dam in the middle of the river,” he said. “The water doesn’t move normally. It pools behind the beaver’s dam and it just stands there. It’s great for beavers trying to make a home, but not good for homeowners.”
The buildup of fluids in the respiratory system makes infections and bronchitis much more likely, he said.
Dr. Schuen had a suggestion: In addition to daily chest exercises and use of the vest, he recommended Whitaker learn a wind instrument. It could strengthen her lung function.
If the lung muscles were stronger and produced more air and pushed that air through Whitaker’s system more forcefully, she could more easily blow through that dam, reopening the river of air.
Whitaker and her parents took his advice.
In fourth grade, her school had a presentation about joining fifth-grade band. Whitaker jumped at the chance.
“Dr. Schuen said it would be a good thing for me to play an instrument,” she said. “He said the quality and quantity of life would be better with an instrument. But honestly, I just wanted to do it. Obviously there were health benefits, but I was like, ‘Oh, an instrument, that sounds cool!’”
She originally chose the clarinet, but couldn’t produce a sound. But she was one of only two children who could produce a sound on the flute, so she said, “Let’s do this one.”
By seventh grade she began taking it seriously, practicing more and more each day. And sure enough, her health slowly improved.
“I started getting less sick with colds,” she said. “It wouldn’t hit me nearly as hard. … When I get sick now, it’s just a minor cold, not 15 days in the hospital.”
Aiming for a career
Whitaker has turned her condition into a strength.
Before her senior year of high school, she enrolled at Interlochen Center for the Arts, a boarding school with an acclaimed music program.
“I went to their summer camp for one week and liked it so much I wanted to stay the whole year,” Whitaker said.
The flute program has only 14 students, half of them international. Only two are from Michigan. Most of the curriculum is arts-based. She takes two academic classes and the rest of her curriculum is courses like music theory, band, chamber music and orchestra.
She plays the flute as many as eight hours per day. She won two concerto competitions in 2017. And she was recently accepted into the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.
She hopes to make a career as a flutist.
“We keep our fingers crossed,” said her mother, Laurie Whitaker. “It’s a very, very competitive field. But it’s really been neat. She got to play at DeVos (Performance Hall). She got to do a solo. It was quite an honor.
“It’s been a wonderful journey,” Laurie added. “Her health has been so great, partially because she’s playing a ton. When she gets sick, she picks up the flute and she feels like she can breathe better. And now she sails through colds and viruses like her peers. … I’m just so proud of her.”
Dr. Schuen called Whitaker’s story inspirational. The idea that a disability can be turned into an ability with the right mindset and commitment, he said, could resonate with a lot of patients.
“She’s turned a negative into a positive,” he said. “She could wind up going to Juilliard, Boston Conservatory, she could play with national or international fields.
“There are many people who have problems like Lauren. But she and her parents were, (1) proactive, and (2), very positive and innovative. When we made suggestions, they ran with it. … Lauren’s an incredible young woman. I’m really happy and excited for all of them.”
VOICES’s comfortable, mobile video recording studio offers a relaxed atmosphere, and utilizes high-tech video and audio equipment to capture the narratives for posterity. Interviews usually take place between two people who know and care about each other. These can be friends, family, or mere acquaintances. Any topic may be explored, whether a specific event in a person’s life, a childhood memory, a family tragedy—no subject is off limits.
All VOICES conversations are audio- and video-recorded to provide participants with a link to each conversation and for possible airing on Channel 25 in Wyoming, Kentwood and Gaines Township (U-Verse Channel 99).
