Inspired by nature, people and the relationships that they share, Craig Merchant creates art in multiple mediums, expressionistic color and juxtaposition of scale.
Located in a shallow pond on the west bank of the Grand River, Merchant’s time-based ArtPrize entry, “Movement” comprises several “hands” fashioned of plastic gloves that are installed floating on the water. Inside each hand is a small mechanism that allows it to move and turn freely through space. Each hand is illuminated from within, providing another interesting element.
“The rhythmic motion of the hands can be heard as they move, creating a mesmerizing and hypnotic sound,” said Merchant. “It makes each viewer’s experience unique.”
Although the piece may take on a variety of interpretations, Merchant said that it was designed to represent a movement: A group of people working together to advance their shared political, social or artistic ideas. His artist statement includes a quote by Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
“I hope the viewer is inspired to translate the artwork into their own life and current events in our society,” Merchant said.
The 28-year-old artist grew up in a secluded wooded environment and learned early on that all creatures play an important role. These early encounters may be seen in his artwork through large-scale depictions of insects, frogs and fish.
“I continued to expand on this idea by representing the relationships that are shared between man and the environment,” Merchant’s artist statement continued. “I often use subjective colors and distortion of scale to present an ordinary object in a unique way. It is my goal to connect with the viewer and create a kind of internal disturbance so that they are no longer viewing the art, they are experiencing the art.”
This is Merchant’s fourth year participating in ArtPrize and every year has been rewarding in its own way, he said. “I have had the opportunity to meet some great people and have had many constructive conversations about art. ArtPrize provides a unique platform to display artwork that would not normally be presented to the public on such a large scale.”
A graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree, Merchant currently lives in Grand Rapids. He studied printmaking and drawing, however his recent works include paintings, sculptures and installations. Merchant primarily exhibits in galleries throughout the state of Michigan and also has work on display in California as well as the United States Embassy in Botswana, Africa.
Round 1 of the ArtPrize Seven popular vote is out and there are 20 finalists hoping their piece snags the top prize!
Andy Sacksteder took some time to talk to Wyoming Now Kentwood Now about his piece REACH and SPLASH and experience with ArtPrize.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, your name and where you’re from, and your piece you have here at ArtPrize.
My name is Andy Sacksteder and I’m from Port Clinton, Ohio. My piece is called REACH and SPLASH and it’s a tribute to youth and spontaneity.
REACH and SPLASH by Andy Sacksteder
How long did it take you to finish ‘Reach and Splash’?
For me to sculpt it into clay, it took about 8 months. After that I took it to a foundry to cast it into bronze. That process takes another 4 – 4 1/2 months.
What is the best part of seeing your work displayed here at ArtPrize Seven?
The best part is that so many people get to see and enjoy it. It’s also great hearing all the feedback from the people taking in the art here in Grand Rapids.
What is some of the feedback that you receive?
Being in the water really helps, it brings the piece to life. That brings a little more attention than maybe it would otherwise. So far, it’s still early, but all of the feedback has been positive!
Is this your first year at ArtPrize?
No, this is my third year at ArtPrize. Two years ago I was lucky enough to win a prize. Because of that, I had to skip last year. I was right here at the Ford Museum with my last two ArtPrize pieces as well.
Uplifting by Andy Sacksteder
What was your last piece of art here at ArtPrize?
The piece was called ‘Uplifting.’ It was a Native American man lifting up a Native American woman and they had water coming up through them and running over them.
So, will you be here the entire duration of ArtPrize?
I am. I’ll be here the whole time. It’s such a good time to connect with the people, and if the people connect with you, then they connect with your art a lot faster.
One last question, are you an artist by trade?
No, actually, I didn’t start sculpting until I was 52 and I just taught myself!
Karin Nelson’s 2015 ArtPrize Entry, ‘Red Awnings, McKay Tower’
Full-time artist, Karin Nelson, paints in acrylics. For the last couple of years, Nelson’s self-taught path has steered her to explore the interpretation of structures. It’s an addiction, she said.
Whether it’s stately city buildings or aged and weathered barns, Nelson is drawn to the masculine lines of manmade landmarks, which symbolize strength and protection. Her 2015 ArtPrize entry, ‘Red Awnings, McKay Tower,’ may be seen at the Women’s City Club, 254 East Fulton.
“This piece began with a wash of burnt umber, which I purposely allowed to show through in various areas, depicting the golden effects of sunlight,” Nelson said. “The contrasting edge where the shaded side of the building meets the sunlit side of the building is an oft-repeated theme in my paintings of both urban and rural structures.”
The acrylic-on-gallery-wrapped-canvas painting measures 40″H x 30″W.
Over 200 of Nelson’s paintings reside in public, corporate and private collections. She has received multiple awards, been accepted into many juried exhibitions, and has had multiple appearances on television, radio and press. She won Tulip Time’s 2014 Poster Contest. The owner of Lake Effect Gallery, Holland, Mich. described her winning piece, ‘Resilience,’ as “quite a departure from the posters of the past – very dramatic, no bright rainbow colors.”
Nelson lives in Wyoming, Mich. with her husband of 38 years. They have three grown children, a son-in-law and two granddaughters.
See more of her work here. Nelson welcomes visitors to her home gallery/studio by appointment. Call 616.723.6600.
“The best summers of my life were spent in the cottage Pop had built on Lake Muskegon in 1908.” Buster Keaton in his autobiography, “My Wonderful World of Slapstick”
How did actors survive hot summers a 100 years ago, when theaters without air conditioning shut down for the season? About 200 of those performers chose to head to Muskegon where an artist colony of vaudeville performers flourished in the 1900s. Buster Keaton and his performing parents joined their fellow artists in card-playing, fun in the sun and the bracing waters of Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan.
Those glory days are celebrated this weekend with the return of the International Buster Keaton Society to the city Buster Keaton claimed as his hometown. The group numbers between 400 to 500 members, some from as far away as the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada. Annual attendance for the convention is usually between 50-100. 88 people are registered for the convention this year!
Society member Ron Pesch, who lives in Muskegon, will conduct a private tour for convention-goers to explore the neighborhood where Keaton lived, and other areas in the Bluffton community where the big names of the vaudeville circuit partied and sunbathed during their off-season.
1924: American comedian Buster Keaton (1895-1966) sitting in the funnel of a ship in a scene from the film ‘The Navigator’.
If you’re inclined to ask, “Who’s that?” when you hear Buster Keaton’s name, you can probably be forgiven. His star shone most brightly after vaudeville waned in the 1920’s. As a major star of silent film, Keaton’s comic routines and deadpan expression landed him equal billing with comic geniuses such as Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd–and if you’re still saying, “Who?” you probably like video games more than movies.
But Pesch says Keaton’s influence is cited by a number of major stars including Johnny Depp, Jackie Chan, and even Drew Barrymore. Pesch added, “The first ten minutes of the Pixar classic ‘Wall-E’ are filled with references to Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.”
On Saturday night, October 3, 2015, at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30), two Buster Keaton films will be screened for fans, “The Railrodder” and “Battling Butler” at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts. Director Gerald Potterton will attend, who actually directed Keaton in his film “The Railrodder.” Potterton is best known for directing the cult classic, “Heavy Metal.” Dennis Scott will perform on the Barton Theater Organ, and Pesch notes, “Anyone who experiences a silent film in that theater with the organ accompaniment will be a Keaton fan forever.” Tickets are $8 per person or $21 for the whole family. For more information, visit www.frauenthal.org .
Born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), 25-year-old Ty Dykema uses an electric wheelchair to get around. His activities may be restricted, but that doesn’t stop him from creating bold, colorful portraits. Physically unable to use a paintbrush, Dykema uses a Wacom tablet and ArtRage Studios painting and drawing software to create his works of art.
“Art is my purpose in life, and I have been actively creating for as long as I can remember,” Dykema said.
Dykema’s ArtPrize entry, “We Can’t Walk; So What!?” comprises three portraits printed on high-quality photo paper from ProLab Express and custom-framed for ArtPrize by Merizon Studios. Each framed piece measures 16″W x 20″H.
Born and raised in Wyoming, Michigan, Dykema thought the most appropriate project to enter would be a series of stylized portrait paintings of some of his peers.
“Each subject of the paintings uses a wheelchair in everyday life because they have SMA,” Dykema said. “They are important members of their communities and are exceptional in their respective crafts.”
Adam Davis is a hip-hop DJ from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tess Hazenberg is an MSU graduate currently doing social work in North Carolina. And Shane Burcaw is the CEO of the non-profit organization, Laughing At My Nightmare based out of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
“The theme of this project is simple—pay respects to and shine some much-deserved light on my people while showing the world what we CAN do, not just what we’re limited to,” said Dykema.
It’s every little leaguer’s dream, that perfect game-ending situation that runs through a ballplayer’s mind: At the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, the bases are loaded with your team down a score. Three balls and two strikes, a full count and it’s do or die.
There’s nowhere to hide. It’s just you at the plate. A chance to be the hero.
For Pinery Park Little League (PPLL), the game is winding down and it’s time for the league to step up to the plate so that its contract with the City of Wyoming and Pinery Park isn’t terminated.
After 60 years of organizing youth baseball here in Wyoming, the PPLL is in jeopardy of losing its home.
The problems started back in 2011 when the PPLL lost its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status with the IRS due to a lack of transparent bookkeeping and financial information. Since the loss of 501(c)(3) status, the City of Wyoming has asked the PPLL to take the necessary steps to get the nonprofit title back with the IRS.
Four years later that still has not been accomplished. That’s just the tip of the iceberg for an organization that has proven to be run very inefficiently.
Electrical and maintenance bills haven’t been paid on time. Board meeting dates are flimsy with sometimes only a couple of days’ notice before a meeting. Board election positions are posted with the minimal amount of notice (two weeks) mandated by the league’s bylaws. Umpires are paid in cash out of the concession stand register with no paper trail to follow. And the League has been unable to present their financials at the request of the Wyoming City Council.
“This league is extremely, extremely unorganized,” exclaimed Mayor Jack Poll in a heat of passion and disappointment at the City Council Meeting on September 14. “And, if they can’t have the leadership to run this league on our fields with the requirements that we have, then it’s time to change direction.”
The Wyoming City Council had a very long discussion about what to do with the PPLL and whether or not the contract should be terminated. By the end of the meeting, they decided on a few next steps:
The PPLL must turn over all financials, bank statements and loose pieces of paper
The PPLL lawyer and the City lawyer will draw up a new contract that has some teeth
The new contract will designate the Community Resource Alliance as the fiduciary for the finances of the PPLL
The PPLL will form a separate committee to field complaints from league participants
The new contract must be submitted by September 30 so that it can be placed on the October 5 meeting’s agenda. If no agreement is reached, the contract will be terminated on October 5, and the Parks and Rec Department will charter youth baseball.
I am about to take a very special journey into the past thanks to the new WKTV Digital Cinema Guild that launches at the WKTV Community Media Center on September 29, 2015 and continues every second Tuesday thereafter at 7:00 pm at the station on 5261 Clyde Park Avenue SW in Wyoming. This will be a very personal journey despite the fact that I have worked as a Citizen Journalist Editor for the station, and have shared a number of articles on this website. But the Digital Cinema Guild is an all-new experience.
I’ve always known that WKTV offered everyone in the community access to a vast array of equipment. However, the key word there is “vast,” and it seemed way too complicated to me to get the hang of all that gear. Ironically, for someone in the media business, I actually dreaded to even try making my own film – and by the way, when I use the word “film” I’m really talking digital media in various storytelling formats from long form narratives or shorts, and/or documentaries.
But that was then.
Lyman Adelbert “Del” Havens, age 16, Eighth Grade Graduation, White Creek School, Cedar Springs, MI
A secret about my grandfather came to light a few years ago, several years after his death, and suddenly the WKTV Digital Media Guild was right here, as though the Universe was saying to me, “Do this!” I have the perfect opportunity to actually create a documentary film project exploring this secret and it’s impact on our family with my sister Lynette. We’re going to work/play on this together, but the cool thing is we are not on our own!
For just $20 apiece, we are going to be guided through the film making process under the direction of successful digital film experts and industry leaders using WKTV’s state-of-the-art digital cinema equipment with coaches standing by! Even better, there are three different programs that deal with various aspects of film making:
1) Pre-production & Script writing (developing the story and figuring out how to tell it)
2) Production (using the WKTV gear to shoot the project)
3) Post-production (editing!)
At the end, WKTV will broadcast our finished project to the area communities. WOW!
Helping us along the way are two of the area’s most experienced filmmakers:
Barbara Roos, founder of Grand Valley State University’s Film & Video Program, brings more than 40 years’ experience as a scriptwriter, film maker and professor of film. She joined academia from an award-winning career in public broadcasting, both television and radio.
Girbe Eefsting, film producer for advertising agencies, corporations, governmental agencies, NGOs and NPOs, including ten years with Grand Rapids Community Media Center. In 1996, Girbe founded the Grand Valley Summer Film Program. In 2010, he founded Film Farm, specializing in media production, education and preservation.
Barbara, Girbe and WKTV will also engage established local and national filmmakers to bring their expertise to the program. I can’t wait!
I’ll be sharing my experience with the Digital Cinema Guild as Lynette and I go through the film making experience. But why not join us? We need all the brainstorming buddies we can find as we start imagining how to tell this story…and I’ll let you in on the secret as we go along.
Crestwood Middle School psychologist Kathy Lennon was feeling surly. She was not about to listen to social worker Cathy DeHaan lead a session at the EKConference 2015.
Lennon sat at her desk and picked loudly at the cardboard on her coffee cup. “How are you doing?” DeHaan asked as she approached Lennon to see what the problem was.
“Fine!” Lennon said.
“It looks like maybe you’re stressed out,” DeHaan said.
“It looks like maybe you’re stressed out, and you’ve got a class to teach so you might as well teach it!” answered Lennon.
The professionals were reenacting how a student escalates into defensiveness, and how best to respond to their behavior in the workshop titled, “Mental Health Issues in School and Verbal De-Escalation.” It focused on how a student’s mental health impacts success in school, touching on depression, anxiety, marijuana use and related behaviors.
Teachers match gender and sexual orientation terms to their definitions during the workshops, “Understanding and Supporting LGBTQ Students” (Courtesy of SNN)
Playing to their Strengths
The EKConference allowed DeHaan to share her knowledge with other East Kentwood High School and Crestwood Middle School teachers. Educators chose from 74 workshops spread over five sessions.
Co-created last year by teachers and academic coaches Luke Wilcox and Tracey Kooy, the purpose of the conference is for staff members to tap into one another’s knowledge. Sharing expertise ultimately leads to better teaching, they said, and educators are carrying what they learn into the classroom.
“It’s great for the teachers because we are learning from each other and we are able to hear from different areas of specialty,” Lennon said. “There are so many different subjects to hear about.”
Throughout the day, educators covered topics on technology, art, history, writing, leadership, special education, reading, test preparation, speech, fundraising, math, science, teaching, English-language learners and new teaching approaches.
Counselor Jennifer Bailey shakes a pop bottle, symbolizing growing stress which leads to an explosion during a workshop on mental health (Courtest of SNN)
Workshops were as diverse as exploring ways to use GoFit heart sensors in physical education, and how teenagers use American music and pop culture to establish voice, identity, craft and civic responsibility.
The goal is to give teachers a place where they can easily collaborate, follow up and feel comfortable doing so, said Kooy, an English teacher who has been involved in a research project with the University of Toronto for three years based on professional development needs. Traditional professional development sessions are led by visitors on a one-time basis.
“When teachers can choose their learning, they are more invested,” Kooy said. It’s not everyone learning the same thing, because that marginalizes learning and it doesn’t allow us to seek out where we have a weakness. If we can visit sessions where we feel we can learn the most, it’s empowering.”
Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!
The Nutcracker is a holiday classic that comprises a massive effort behind the scenes. Grand Rapids Ballet (GRB) will hold auditions for The Nutcracker on Saturday, September 19 from 12pm-3pm. Dancers must be registered as a full-time student in Grand Rapids Ballet School (GRBS) to audition.
All students interested in auditioning for The Nutcracker need to sign up at the School Office prior to the audition date. The School Office is located at the Meijer-Royce Center for Dance at 341 Ellsworth Ave SW and is open Monday through Friday, 9am – 5pm.
The Nutcracker, re-imagined in 2014 by Polar Express author Chris Van Allsburg, is a magnificent production featuring choreography by Val Caniparoli and sumptuous set design by Eugene Lee. Sugar plum fairies, fighting mice, and toy soldiers make this enchanting story the perfect tradition for the entire family.
It is preferred that both parent and student be present to sign-up (a parent signature is required to complete the form). In addition, students need to provide an audition photograph meeting the following qualifications:
4 x 6 OR 5 x 7 portrait
Full body, wearing classroom attire (class leotard/shirt, tights, ballet shoes, and hair pulled back from the face)
“This is a wonderful opportunity for local dance students to take part in a beloved holiday classic by an internationally renowned, professional dance company,” said Patricia Barker, Artistic Director of Grand Rapids Ballet. “The creative team of Chris, Eugene, and Val have created such an enchanting story that truly is a product of Grand Rapids.”
“The Nutcracker” will take place at DeVos Performance Hall with show dates: December 11-13 and 18-20, 2015. For more information on Grand Rapids Ballet, visit www.grballet.com or connect with on Facebook.
Independent film making is like taking a trip into the wilderness where the goal is survival. The big wigs aren’t there with seemingly limitless pockets to be a buoy when problems occur, actors and actresses are getting paid very little, if anything at all, and creativity is a must. The ultimate goal is completion, and it takes dedication and flexibility.
Survival isn’t a choice, it’s the only option.
For Dustin Bacon and David Scott Lopez – and their 2011 short film Hunting Trip – a trip into the wilderness built a friendship, and a survival instinct, that continues to create independent films. On October 29, their newest work, an idea transcribed back in April of 2014, will be released for public consumption.
It started as a 24-page script designed to pay homage to the 1985 film Return of the Living Dead. It has since grown into a film almost an hour and a half in length.
Filming began in June of 2014 and wrapped up a few months later in September. Although, the ending did need a re-shoot that was filmed just this past month!
Courtesy of Michael Thayer/Thayer Photography
With the filming completed, the work was far from over. 400 hours of editing and special effects were necessary to get the film up to the standards Dustin and David set for themselves.
Dustin and David have separate roles that makes their partnership, their friendship, work cohesively. Dustin likes to focus on the work behind the camera. The editing, equipment, and directing are his forte. Don’t write Dustin off as an actor though, he will dabble in front of the camera if the movie needs it.
David is the main talent on screen. Not only does he take on a large acting role, but he also acts a teacher to the other actors on set. While David’s IMDB page is littered with small, independent films, he recently had a speaking part in the future blockbuster Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Many challenges meet an independent film: money pitfalls and technological limitations are two big ones, but Dustin has discovered the biggest hurdle of all… time.
“It’s so difficult to find time for everyone to come together and film,” Dustin explains, “Everyone has busy schedules. You end up using all your weekends to get everyone together. We had one scene where we filmed a party and then staged a fight scene outside of the garage. We ended up filming until 3 a.m. the next morning because we had to get it done! We didn’t have time to per-choreograph the fights either.”
Dustin and David made things easier on themselves by using equipment they already owned. No extra equipment was needed, so no sponsors had to be found. In all, the final cost for the movie ended up being what was spent on food for the cast, a whopping $600.
When Dustin takes a step back, he let’s the accomplishment sink in, “We made a feature film on a shoe-string budget. We took a concept we had and put it into reality.”
ArtPrize, the radically open international art competition decided by public vote and expert jury, today launched the ArtPrize Seven mobile app, developed in partnership with Atomic Object for both iOS and Android. Combined with a streamlined and newly updated website, the ArtPrize suite of technology-based audience engagement tools will deliver a seamless user experience, with the voting module as its centerpiece. The ArtPrize Seven mobile app is now available for download via the Apple and Google Play stores, allowing visitors to begin planning their experience for the 19-day event.
The intersection of art and technology is central to the way that ArtPrize was founded and continues to run to this day, powering the public vote and the artist-venue connections process, as well as influencing the way that artists make and share their work. Since the close of the 2014 event, ArtPrize has worked to refine both the mobile app and website, ushering in a sleeker, leaner design and surfacing the most sought-after content, features and functionality on both platforms.
“This year we really focused on presenting our app and website users with a more streamlined experience, not only in terms of aesthetics but in functionality,” noted Jonathan Hunsberger, ArtPrize Director of Technology. “Our hope is that these tools will become a focal point for visitors throughout the event, enhancing and informing their ArtPrize journey.”
The popular List feature returns to the ArtPrize mobile app and artprize.org, allowing everyone to browse the 1,550 artist entries competing in ArtPrize Seven and create unlimited lists of the artwork that they most want to see. Lists are easily shared via social media, text message and email, and ArtPrize-goers can browse and follow Lists that have been made available to the public. The mobile app easily generates detailed walking directions between venues, encouraging visitors to explore more of the event and form their own experiences off the beaten path.
Also returning to the mobile app are the ArtPrize event and blog integrations, keeping visitors in the know about what’s happening around the event. The continuation of the interactive map feature at artprize.org and within the mobile app gives greater context to the location of venues, events, restaurants and brewpubs that are in their vicinity. The mobile app will be continuously updated throughout the 19-day event, providing users with real-time useful information to plan their visit.
And of course the public will cast their votes, and ultimately decide the winners of $250,000 in prizes, via the mobile app, at artprize.org, and by text message (SMS). Voters will be able to register while downtown via the mobile app, skipping the lines at designated voting sites — and then cast their votes either from within the event boundaries or wherever their day may lead them.
ArtPrize Seven will take place from September 23 to October 11, 2015 when three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan will become an open playing field where everyone can join the conversation about art, and where the public decides the winners’ circle.
For kids and the kids at heart ages 6 to 96, Kent District Library is proud to introduce the new series Fun with Grandkids!. The series includes three programs:
DIY Spa — where participants make their own pampering products to take home
Zentangle Connect — a class on creating intricate, black and white, abstract art through the Zentangle method intended for children ages 8 and up
Nostalgic Gaming — where we provide the classic games like Jacks, marbles, checkers and more.
“We’ve created hands-on programming, aimed at an intergenerational audience and scheduled for the weekend hours so that out-of-town grandparents, as well as local grandparents, can participate in fun, library-centered activities with their grandkids,” said Lynda Austin, Youth Services Paraprofessional at KDL.
The program is open to children with a parent, grandparent or guardian. Pre-registration is required for DIY Spa and Zentangle Connect and can be completed by calling (616) 784-2007.
Schedule
DIY Spa
Saturday, October 3, 10:00 AM – Gaines Township Branch
Saturday, October 17, 2:00 PM – Comstock Park Branch
Thursday, October 22, 4:00 PM – Tyrone Township Branch
Saturday, November 7, 1:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Saturday, November 14, 1:00 PM – Englehardt (Lowell) Branch
Saturday, November 21, 10:30 AM – Nelson Township/Sand Lake Branch
Nostalgic Gaming
Saturday, September 19, 10:30 AM – Nelson Township/Sand Lake Branch
Saturday, October 3, 1:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Saturday, October 24, 1:00 PM – Englehardt (Lowell) Branch
Wednesday, November 18, 4:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Saturday, November 21, 1:00 PM – Walker Branch
Saturday, November 28, 10:00 AM – Cascade Township Branch
Zentangle Connect
Saturday, September 19, 1:00 PM – Englehardt ( Lowell) Branch
Saturday, September 26, 1:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Wednesday, October 7, 4:00 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch
Saturday, October 24, 1:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Monday, October 26, 6:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Saturday, November 14, 10:00 AM – Alto Branch
Saturday, November 28, 1:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Kent District Library is a public library system comprised of 18 branch libraries in 27 governmental units throughout Kent County, Michigan. It is supported by millage dollars and private donations. KDL serves 395,660 people in all areas of Kent County except the cities of Grand Rapids and Cedar Springs, the village of Sparta, and Solon and Sparta townships.
As ‘your mission,’ “Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It’s the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life’s joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.”
You came back to see what I accomplished on Sunday., and as I mentioned in my last article, I will dive into the shopping and vendors at Comic-Con.
But first, I did attend one last panel on Sunday called The Art Directors Guild Illustrators. There were five panelists who all work for the film industry and the Local 800 at the discussion. The panelists were Ed Natividad whose credits include Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Transformers: Age of Extinction, Amy Lynn Umezu – Kong: Skull Island, Patrick Rodriguez – The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2, Jeffery Errico – Terminator Genisys and Straight Outta Compton, and Tim Burgard – Jurassic World and Fantastic Four.
Seated left to right is Jeffery Errico, Amy Lynn Umezu, Patrick Rodriguez, and Ed Natividad
The panel was asked some fun questions by the crowd. One of the questions asked was “How is the art department changing?” There were several answers. Jeffery Errico mentioned the use of a Lightbox as the tool of choice in the art department. They used to use thumb nails, post-it, and scans to communicate with the rest of the crew.
Patrick Rodriguez mentioned that 2D and 3D applications were easier to use than the other choices, but most of the time he still prefers to draw.
The panelists were then asked to describe their favorite project. Jeffrey Errico’s favorite projects that he worked on were Burlesque and This is the End. Amy Lynn Umezu’s enjoyed working on Jurassic World and This is the End. Patrick Rodriguez’s liked working on the action movies Cowboys and Aliens and Iron Man 2. Last, but not least, Ed Natividad’s favorites were Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
My favorite quote from this panel was when Amy Lynn Umezu said, “Keep going for it; do what you love to do.”
Different Costumes at Comic-Con
The most important thing they mentioned was the benefits of being a part of the union because you will end up getting more work. It’s tough getting into the film industry, but well worth working for once you make it in.
After the panel, I went to check out the vendors and do some shopping. The vendors had some pretty cool items for sale, including costumes!
The 501st and Rebel Legion were both there. Those are two different Star Wars groups that you can join and do volunteer work while dressed in Star Wars costumes. They had some great looking headpieces. Many people were dressed up in crazy costumes and there were life size sculptors.
Comic-Con was just as amazing as everyone always says it is. Being Press was definitely awesome and I was able to get a few more perks such as guaranteed seating in the Her Universe Fashion Show. It is certainly Fanboy central out in San Diego and something that every geek should experience at least once in your lifetime.
Different headpieces at the venders
Signing off until next time, “Live long and prosper.”
Katie works in the film industry as a camera operator and has worked on films like ‘All You Can Dream’, ‘Set Up’ and a TV show called ‘American Fallen Soldier.’ She loves helping WKTV with the Citizen Journalism team and working as a tech at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Katie loves working in the film industry and loves watching movies just as much!
Set in a world of privilege, prohibition, decadence, wealth, colliding social worlds, and the incompatible contradictions, The Great Gatsby portrays an ill-fated quest for the American Dream.
Kicking off its 90th year, the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre (GRTC) opens this stage play Sept. 11, which runs through Sept. 27. Described as a cautionary tale, the production is recommended for teen and adult audiences. It closely follows the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald and includes original dialogue.
First published in 1925, Fitzgerald’s 50,000-word novel focuses on 10 individuals living in the non-existent town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. Mysterious, self-made millionaire, Jay Gatsby is consumed by his passion and obsession with a beautiful, high-society girl, Daisy Buchanan. Driven to recreate himself as something astounding, and believing that fiction can be transformed into truth, the young man becomes ensnared in a trap of deception that costs him the ultimate sacrifice, as he passionately pursues the enigmatic Daisy Buchanan in a story of danger, greed, and obsession.
Inspired by the wild parties he reveled in on Long Island’s north shore, Fitzgerald started planning the novel in 1923. Writing was slow going, and the author completed his first draft after he moved to the French Riviera in 1924.
Fitzgerald died thinking his book was a failure
Upon publication, The Great Gatsby received mixed reviews; it sold only 20,000 copies the first year. When Fitzgerald died in 1940, he believed himself a failure and his work forgotten. Then, the novel enjoyed a resurgence during World War II and became required reading in American high schools. Over the years, many stage and film adaptations were produced, including the 2013 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Fitzgerald based many of the novel’s events on his own early life experiences. He grew up in Minnesota, and like Nick, he attended an Ivy League school, Princeton (in Nick’s case, Yale).
As with Gatsby, Fitzgerald was seduced into a life of decadence as he sought to prove himself to the object of his obsession. As a second lieutenant stationed at Camp Sheridan in Montgomery, Alabama, Fitzgerald met and fell in love with a tempestuous teenaged beauty named Zelda Sayre. Zelda’s insatiable desire for fun, leisure, and wealth caused her to delay marrying Fitzgerald until he could prove to her that he was a success.
As he attained celebrity status, Fitzgerald tumbled into a wild, irresponsible lifestyle of parties and self-indulgence, all the while writing to earn money in a desperate struggle to please Zelda. Similarly, Gatsby amasses a great deal of wealth at a young age, and applies himself to procuring possessions and hosting lavish parties designed to win him Daisy’s love.
Gatsby embodies Fitzgerald’s struggle to confront his clashing feelings about the Jazz Age. As with Gatsby, Fitzgerald was propelled by his obsession for a woman who epitomized everything he wanted, even as she led him toward everything he loathed.
The case of The Great Gatsby
The GRCT production stars Brian Peerbolt as Jay Gatsby, Audrey Filson as Daisy Buchanan, Whitney Dykhouse as Myrtle Wilson, Sydney Doorbos as Jordan Baker, Matthew Swartz as Tom Buchanan, David Cobb as Nick Carraway, Patrick Hendren as George Wilson, Linnae Caurdy as Mrs. McKee/Michaelis, Liam Tichelaar as Mr. McKee/Cop, and Leo Zainea as Meyer Wolfsheim.
WHEN: September 11-27 WHERE: Grand Rapids Civic Theater, 30 N. Division Ave., Grand Rapids Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Call 616.222.6650 or purchase tickets ($16-$28) online
Link to commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIV1PjRWaYk&feature=youtu.be
The 2015/16 Season Ticket Pages are on sale now. Learn more here.
Born to South Korean immigrants, Christine Lee has always been aware of her “otherness” as a child growing up in white America. From “strange” lunches brought to school to the disappointing launch of Margaret Cho’s All-American Girl, Lee has been waiting for Asian-Americans’ glimpse of inclusion in America’s grand mosaic. It finally arrived when she watched–with her white boyfriend–ABC’s novel Fresh Off the Boat, a weekly sitcom featuring a Chinese-American family and their everyday culture clash in Orlando, Florida. Alan talks with Christine about diversity, inclusion, and the function of storytelling.
It’s time to honor our local law enforcement officers and firefighters!
Join Steve’s Antique Auto Repair and other local businesses on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, for their Second Annual Police & Fire Appreciation Day from 12-3 pm at 1803 Farragut SW, Wyoming, Mich. Area restaurants like Main Street Pub, Tommy Brann’s, and others are providing food and refreshments. Expect a most excellent cake from Marge’s Donut Den.
Lately, the media has focused on the acts of a few bad cops. That gives people a skewed perception and often incites violence against law enforcement officers. Steve’s Antique Auto Repair wants to help change that perception.
“The police are always here for us, and we never take the time to give a big thank-you to them,” says Harriet Sturim, PR Manager of Steve’s Antique Auto Repair.
Husband, Rick, and son, Steve own the business, which repairs cars 1972 and older—before the advent of computers and catalytic converters, back when you could put an ear toward the engine and figure out the problem.
“The police are very involved in our community,” says Sturim. “They come to business meetings and keep us informed about crime in the area or bad checks circulating. They patrol our businesses at night and leave a business card letting us know that all was well at 2:00 a.m. We need the police, and we support them.”
Expect to see some cool cruisers, crime scene vans, EMT rescue ambulances, and big fire trucks. The public is welcome to join in the festivities, but no unescorted kids are allowed. “Parents must keep an eye on their small children at all times,” says Sturim. “This is an active garage, with machinery, tools, and cars.”
Gwenn Dangerfield meets third-grade student Cardell Harmon at registration for the new school year
By: Erin Albanese – School News Network
Name: Gwenn Dangerfield
School: Wyoming Public Schools West Elementary School
What will be your first priorities as principal?
My priorities as the instructional leader of West Elementary are to support teaching and learning and a safe learning environment, and to improve learning outcomes for all students.
I also feel that it is important to support an environment of an inclusive school, whereas all students, staff, parents and the community feel as if they are a part of the West Elementary family.
What are you most looking forward to as principal here?
I am most looking forward to working with the staff students and community of Wyoming Public Schools as a whole to serve as the instructional leader for West Elementary.
What and where was your previous job?
With 26 years as an educator, I worked for Kalamazoo Public Schools for 23 years, serving as an elementary teacher for five years, an elementary assistant principal for five years and an elementary principal for 13 years. I also served as an elementary principal in the Calhoun Intermediate School district for three years.
What are your hobbies and interests?
During my spare time, I like working with my church choir, reading, traveling and enjoying family. Although I am not the best at it, I also enjoy dabbling at the game of golf! I also find the sport of “shopping” to be particularly invigorating as well.
What inspires you?
Psychologist Abraham Maslow (is quoted as saying a variation of) “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to treat everything like a nail.” I am inspired by equipping myself with various “tools” to support the concept of teaching and learning. I absolutely love working in education, and I continue to be inspired by contributing to the success of all students. I am also inspired by the natural goodness of people.
What makes you laugh?
I often find the innocence, as well as the natural sense of humor of children quite funny! Children will consistently make you smile if we take the time to talk with them and listen.
I also enjoy a good comedy every now and then.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I am extremely competitive. I love challenges, and don’t accept defeat very well. I played competitive softball for 25 years!
What college degrees did you earn?
Bachelors of Arts (Speech Pathology/Audiology) – Western Michigan University
Masters of Arts (Audiology) with a minor in Education with Special Education emphasis -Western Michigan University
Masters of Arts – (Educational Leadership) – Western Michigan University
Educational Specialist Degree (Ed.S) – Curriculum & Instruction – University of Michigan
What other positions you have held in education?
I have also had the wonderful opportunity to work as an part-time instructor for Western Michigan University in the department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology, teaching graduate level courses.
Spouse and children?
Husband, Johnny Dangerfield, and five children, three who are graduates from Grambling State University, one from the University of Kentucky and the youngest now entering her senior year at Western Michigan University.
Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!
The discovery of fire gave man the ability to harness heat and light. With fire, the human race can cook, heat their home, and light fireworks on the 4th of July! While fire is a powerful tool, it can also be a hazard if not handled with care. As Uncle Ben wisely told Spider-Man, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
With summer winding down, and fall just over the horizon, City of Kentwood Fire Marshal Tim Maday was kind enough to give us the low-down on staying safe with fire.
Did the use of firework on the 4th of July cause any fires, deaths or injuries this year?
The biggest issue with fireworks on July 4th actually deals with the noise pollution they cause. They’re loud and people don’t like hearing them. Three times as many fireworks were sold in Michigan this year, and as a result, injuries and deaths resulting from fireworks increased. With most of these accidents, alcohol is involved. Alcohol and fireworks do not mix well! On a positive note, there were no fires as a result of Independence Day fireworks!
When it comes to grilling, is it safe to use gas or charcoal? How many grill calls do you get a year?
Gas is safer, because you can turn off the heat source. There fortunately aren’t many fires as a result of grilling gone wrong. Maybe 1 or 2 a year.
Make sure to cover a grease fire
How about cooking fires? What’s that usually a result of?
Cooking fires usually happen when the stove or oven is left unattended. Never leave your stove or oven unattended! Grease fires are usually the cooking fires that get out of hand. If you ever have a grease fire in the kitchen, SMOTHER IT! Make sure it’s smothered with a top of equal size to the pan.
Do not put water on it. Water will enhance the fire and cause an explosion. Throwing baking soda or flour on a grease fire won’t squelch it either. If you don’t have a lid to cover a grease fire, turn off the stove, call 9-1-1, and get out of the house. No personal item is worth dying over.
With fall coming, and the weather dropping, people are going to start using their chimneys more often. How often should you clean your chimney?
You should clean your chimney once each season if you’re a heavy chimney user. If you’re going to get your chimney cleaned or inspected, make sure you call a licensed professional to do the job!
Wrapping paper, for the birthdays and holidays, can it be burnt in the chimney?
Yes it can. It’s very similar to newspaper. Just make sure you burn a reasonable amount at a time. Don’t just throw all of it in at one time!
Don’t let your Christmas tree dry out!
Are Christmas trees problematic to have in the house?
Christmas trees are a huge fire hazard. You need to make sure you keep it watered. If a Christmas tree gets dry, it’s much more likely to catch fire. When it comes to lights on the tree, the new LED lights are a very safe choice. They burn cooler and aren’t as hazardous as older lights.
Where’s the best location for a smoke alarm? How often should they be changed?
Every bedroom on every floor should have a smoke alarm. Even the hallways should have one. Smoke alarms only have a 10 year shelf life. So, switch them out after a decade. There are new smoke alarms that come with a built-in 10 year battery. When the battery is about to die, the alarm beeps and lets you know it’s time for a new one!
If a fire breaks out in the house, what steps should be taken?
First off, every family needs to have a plan. Where to meet, how to get out of the house, etc. Have the family meet up down the street or at a neighbor’s house. Some place where you’re away from the house and can get a quick headcount. Go through the different paths to get out of your house, whether it be doors or windows. Let your children know that if they’re stuck in the house, they need to find a window and stay by it! Windows are a firefighters quickest entry into the house and the safest place to be if you can’t get out. Don’t hide under the bed or in a closet.
Takes these fire safety tips and stay safe the rest of 2015!
Brewery Vivant celebrates the art and science of barrel-aging beer with its 5th Annual Wood-Aged Beer Festival (WABF) Saturday, September 19th in the parking lot behind the Brewery. Vivant will hold two tasting sessions: Afternoon (1-4p) and Evening (5-8p) to allow for more people to enjoy over 20 limited, rare, and exclusive beers in an intimate beer-centric environment.
The Vivant scratch-kitchen will have festival foods available should hunger arise. Tickets are $35 and include 10 tokens, a collector’s edition tasting glass, and access to some incredible beer. Limited tickets available online at www.breweryvivant.com or directly through wabf15.brownpapertickets.com.
Fittingly, this will be the “Wooden anniversary” (as per Victorian tradition) of WABF at Brewery Vivant as they celebrate their 5th festival and 5th year in business in the East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids. Opening the festival up for two identical sessions will give more beer drinkers a chance to enjoy all that the festival has to offer, particularly more beer tasting. “We’re hoping with more tokens in your glass from the start, less people on the grounds at once, and a map to guide you, this year’s festival will be the best one yet,” says Kate Avery, Abbess of Beer and Director of Sales & Marketing, “The brewers have been plotting for this unveiling since last November. It’s their big party with big flavors. We’re glad to share it with more enthusiasts by offering two sessions this year.”
Wood-aging beers harkens back to the earliest beer brewing traditions when vessels were all made of wood and brewers worked to blend flavors into drinkable liquid. Unique flavor profiles arise in the already flavor-forward craft beers when aged in wood. Brewery Vivant will be hauling out old favorites from the vault, as well as new never-before-tasted experiments. Love Shadow, the bourbon barrel-aged Imperial stout makes a triumphant return to tap handles, as well as a cellared Wizard Burial Ground (2014 vintage bourbon barrel-aged quadruple).
Get your tickets early as this event is the highlight of the Fall beer season and will sell out. The Pub will be open for business as usual on Saturday, 11am-midnight. The festival grounds are separate.
About Brewery Vivant
The brewery is located in the East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids, in a renovated funeral chapel built in the early 1900’s. Their staff of around 50 employees specialize in Belgian/French inspired beers and fare in a completely unique setting. Husband and wife partners Jason and Kris Spaulding opened the doors for business in December of 2010. They are the first commercial brewery in the nation to receive Silver LEED Certification from the USGBC. Additionally they are 100% renewable powered, a silver-level Bicycle Friendly Business, and are a certified B Corporation. Beer the Change®!
Jorge Gonzalez is a community connector. Born in Michigan to immigrant parents, he spent part of his youth in Mexico and part in the Grand Rapids Public Schools. With a background in banking and community development, he is the perfect choice to lead the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce into its next phase of growth. Join us as he talks about the power of education and the need for all citizens to be culturally competent in today’s marketplace.
10 years ago this month, Gina Marvin founded Focus On Ferals (FOF). 1 year ago this month, FOF moved into their new, and larger, Byron Center facility.
Two wonderful events to celebrate!
Starting out in 2005, Marvin provided Trap-Neuter-Return services (TNR consists of the humane trapping, sterilization, and return of feral cats to their familiar habitat) and cared for a handful of stray and sick cats in her garage. Since then, Marvin now has a crew of dedicated volunteers that help her organize and run the current multi-location program.
The TNR is done out of Lowell, the current adoption center is in Byron Center, there are foster families throughout West Michigan, and PetSmart in Grandville is currently featuring FOF cats!
Marvin routinely pulls cats from some of the “high-kill” shelters around West Michigan and places them into the program. These cats are listed as Shelter Pull Kitties on their adoption listing. When a Shelter Pull Kitty is adopted, Marvin is able to rescue another cat from one of those facilities. Cats in FOF’s program stay in residence for as long as it takes to get adopted –some just a few months, others for several years.
Running the program takes dedication, time, medicine, patience and of course, money. Come out on Sunday, August 23 and meet Marvin, her volunteers, see the facilities and meet all the kittens and cats that are waiting for their “forever families” to bring them to their “forever homes!”
Come, Celebrate 10 Years of Focus On Ferals No-Kill Cat Rescue and Adoption Center.
Sunday August 23, 2015 from 11:00am – 5:00pm
Focus on Ferals – 7962 Clyde Park SW Byron Center MI 49315 (76th/Clyde Park, south of Spartan Warehouse Facility)
Raffle Baskets, Tour our Facility, Volunteer Opportunities, Refreshments and $50 Adoption Fee on any cat/kitten! ***Please bring a gift for our shelter kitties***
*You may remember the article Trash Bag Tabby. FOF is the shelter that took him in. He was adopted less than one month later.
What was once a night club, pumping the bass and serving drinks to thirsty patrons, is now a car showcase full of muscle and metal. Classic muscle cars and exotic Ferraris and Porsches fill a room teeming with energy. While the nightclub is no more, it’s impossible not to feel the thrill of rising heart rate upon entering, no loud music necessary.
The cars in the showcase are all road-ready. Some needed tweaking here and there, but they’re eagerly awaiting a driver – after all – cars are meant to be driven. Where they currently sit, it’s impossible to tell if any of them have had any work done. They’re all in tip-top shape and manicured to a ‘T’. The horses have all been stabled and primed, and now are ready to be unleashed!
A nightclub has been turned into a jaw-dropping showcase
Welcome to Leadfoot Muscle Cars, a classic car dealership located in Holland, with a little something for every car lover.
“It’s always fun working on these muscle cars. These are what I grew up with in high school, and now they’re classics!” Explains manager Marty Boysen, his passion revving up and hitting second gear. Before Leadfoot, Marty owned his own dealership in the 90’s. Some of his former employees came with him to Leadfoot when the dealership opened a little over a year ago.
For Marty and the rest of the crew at Leadfoot, to say cars are an important part of their life might be the understatement of the century – like saying the Titanic hit an ice-cube. Cars are so integral to their existence that if you cut them open, an engine might purr in place of a heart!
A warehouse full of classic cars awaiting renovation
Leadfoot started a little differently than most dealerships, with an initial purchase of an 80-car collection. Some were ready for sale while others needed a full renovation, which Leadfoot was more than happy to furnish in their full detail and body shop. A warehouse a mile down the road houses more classic beauties awaiting their renovations, in addition to those in the showroom.
In total, Leadfoot owns an astonishing 250 cars.
As a young company, albeit one ripened with experience, Leadfoot is gearing up for Metro Cruise this upcoming weekend to entrench their name in the West Michigan community.
“We’re looking to get exposure and present our cars out at Metro Cruise. We’re bringing our five-car trailer. Expect to see some Mustangs and Chevelles,” mentions Marty. “We’ve sold our cars all over the country, but our home is in West Michigan. Metro Cruise will only help us connect to our community.”
Leadfoot Muscle Cars and their trailer will be next to WKTV’s DreamWheels! red carpet event at the old Klingman’s parking lot.
Growing up in South Korea, Guam, and the Bronx gave Emily S. Lee a close-up chance to reflect on race and identity. We were lucky to catch up with her while she was on speaking tour in the Midwest, and she shared with us her thoughts on immigration, sexism, racism, and motherhood. Her book, Living Alterities, is available from SUNY Press.
Before the number could reach 250, it had to start at 1.
When Ken Lingenfelter thinks back to when his collection truly started, it began with a car he no longer keeps around. “They’re beautiful cars, although, they don’t tend to work very well all the time,” describes Lingenfelter as he reminisces on his old Jaguar XKE, “They’re pretty special, as you know. Made those cars in the 60’s and a little bit into the 70’s.”
This is the beauty of Ken and the Lingenfelter Collection, if it doesn’t work, why keep it around? Cosmetics and aesthetics can only take you so far.
With 250 cars in the collection, 190 of which are housed in a jaw-dropping 40,000 square-foot garage in Brighton, Michigan, there’s enough variety to fill every appetite.
American muscle cars from the 60’s and 70’s fill 30 percent of the garage. Ken lived his teenage years with these cars, so they all have a special place in his heart. El Caminos, Cougar Eliminators, Mustangs, Shelby GTs, and Camaros are some of the muscle packed into a garage with more than enough horsepower to go around. A Pontiac Fiero – a car that seems out-of-place in one of the greatest car collections in the world – even makes an appearance! It helps that Ken owned one ‘back in the day’ and loved it.
The Duntov Mule – The first Corvette with a V-8 engine.
While the collection has a solid muscle foundation, the Lingenfelter name is synonymous with Corvettes. With 75 Corvettes, the Lingenfelter Collection could transition easily to a history museum.
The Duntov Mule, named after Chevrolet engineer Zora Arkus Duntov, may be the most historically significant car in the collection. It was the first Corvette to be outfitted with a V-8 engine, and the rest is history. Back in 1954, the Duntov Mule could reach speeds of 163 mph. A number that makes you cringe out of fear for the driver when taking a look at the vehicle. The Corvette hasn’t looked back!
LaFerrari – An invite only purchase
The third and final area of the garage is filled with exotic cars. These cars are rare, limited, powerful, and carry massive sex appeal.
LaFerrari – Italian for The Ferrari – is currently the biggest draw in the collection. It wasn’t as simple as showing up with a check ready. No, Ferrari had to personally invite you to buy the car! According to Ken, “Ferrari liked the charity work we do and that we share our cars with the public at events.”
In the exotic garage also sits a Lamborghini Reventon (one of 20 made in the world), a Bugatti Veyron and all the horse power that comes with it, and the Ferrari Enzo. The last of which happens to be Ken’s personal favorite in the entire collection, and one of only 399 in the world.
“That Enzo is special to me because I set a business goal for myself, and I reached it,” recalls Lingenfelter with passion oozing from his pores. “I worked hard to achieve a goal, and the Ferrari Enzo was the final goal at the end of that road. I’m a Corvette guy, but that Enzo is very special to me.”
The Ferrari Enzo, Ken’s favorite car in the collection
For Ken, the collection has always been something special. However, it wasn’t until the Lingenfelter Collection started participating in charity events that Ken realized he possessed something the rest of the world thought was special as well. It’s the people who keep on coming back that remind Ken of the gift he possesses, and Ken wants to share it with the world.
“I just have a pure passion for cars, especially Corvettes!”
Ken will be sending two cars from his collection to showcase during WKTV’s DreamWheels! red carpet television event at the 28th Street Metro Cruise. It all takes place outside in the old Klingman’s parking lot across from Rogers Plaza. The show goes live on Friday, August 21 from 8 to 10 p.m. and again with new cars on Saturday, August 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. Best of all – admission is free!
The WKTV Citizen Journalism Team gets to visit with Ken Lingenfelter and view his collection.
Let’s talk about a passionate, generous man. He’s an affable, teddy bear of a man cub who just happens to own one of the most rare and expensive automobile collections in the world.
Meet Brighton Michigan’s own Ken Lingenfelter. He’s a guy with huge heart and a very large car collection. The Lingenfelter Collection totals around 250 and includes a variety of Corvettes, muscle cars, and sleek exotic sports cars. Several vehicles in the collection are among the most rare automobiles in the world, including a 1.5 million Lamborghini, a Bugatti Veyron, Enzo Ferrari, and a Lamborghini Reventón. Not your Grandpa’s automobiles. But you know what means just as much to him as this fabulous grouping of expensive cars?—CHARITY.
Lingenfelter is even generous with his time. When our WKTV Citizen Journalism team showed up we were expecting about a half an hour at the most of a guided tour and interview. Three hours later our jaw dropping experience in the 40, 000 square foot facility with the best tour guide in existence was drawing to a close.
The collection isn’t open to the public, but: “The reason for this collection centers around charity. It’s our mission! We have hosted everything here from black tie affairs, to beer and pizza events to having the Boy Scouts host their Pine Derby event here. We have about 100 events a year,” Lingenfelter explained.
Some charities include the Ronald McDonald House, Breast Cancer research, Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, Juvenile Diabetes, Boy Scouts, youth organizations and many more.
If a charity has a sound cause Lingenfelter is there. Everything that he touches is guided by generosity. The human dynamo is always in perpetual motion raising money with private showings, tours and events while continually showcasing his infectious enthusiasm for his collection.
While the collection currently is not open to the public, it is available for corporate and charity events, silent and live auctions, and car-club specialty showings. For more information on the collection, or to learn about availability and scheduling an event, please call (248) 486-5342 Ext. 10. Or, go to his website at www.thelingenfeltercollection.com
Two of Ken’s cars and many more will be featured during WKTV’s live production of “DreamWheels!” It all takes place outside in the old Klingman’s parking lot across from Rogers Plaza. The show goes live on Friday, August 21 from 8 to 10 p.m. and again with new cars on Saturday, August 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. There will be a crosswalk between Rogers Plaza and the old Klingman’s for easy access. Best of all – admission is free!
Some might call it sheer luck while others would say it was divine timing. For local filmmaker Thom Bell, it was a day out of the blue that captured his curiosity and introduced him to the tale of the Michigan Relics. A story that Bell would devote two years of his time (and money) to telling in his documentary “Hoax or History: The Michigan Relics.” His efforts also earned him an Eclipse Award this year.
From right to left, Paleo Hebrew scholar David Allen Deal, Thom Bell, UK based DP, Gregg McNeill – shooting Michigan Relics project in California. Photo credit: Gregg McNeill
“Winning the Eclipse award was a wonderful surprise,” says Bell.
“There were a couple of projects among the finalists that I thought were deserving of recognition so getting the judges votes of support probably wasn’t easily done. I’m really glad that the piece got recognition here in West Michigan.”
If you’ve never heard of the Michigan Relics, get in line. Most folks haven’t. But now you’re about to.
Just a few of the thousands of artifacts in the collection. Photo credit: Bell/McNeill
It’s a lost and forgotten story that falls under the strange but true category in Pure Michigan history dating back to the late 1800s. It is a collection of thousands of stone, copper and slate artifacts encoded with ancient symbols representing an early Mediterranean culture. While multiple discoveries were made by individuals, two men, James Scotford and Daniel Soper were responsible for orchestrating most of the findings throughout 17 Michigan counties (in mid and southeast Michigan) from 1890 to the 1920s.
Very interesting…
Bell admits that he had heard rumors of the Michigan Relics but despite his efforts to learn more, he could never find enough substantial evidence to produce a valid documentary. But what he did glean from his preliminary research, stuck with him. And one day it finally paid off.
A piece from the Mertz-Deal collection. Photo credit: Bell/McNeill
While Bell was on the hunt for a film doc topic with an original Michigan spin, he found himself in the Michigan section at Schuler’s Books.
“I was just going to scan the collection, when sure enough there was this book – and this was the only time I’ve ever seen this book anywhere – it was called Mystic Symbol by Henrietta Mertz,” Bell recalls excitedly.
Mertz, who died in 1986, was a scholar who was also intrigued with the story of Michigan Relics, especially with one of the ancient symbols that was found repeatedly on the artifacts. Bell knew it was referred to as the Mystic Symbol.
Upon examining the book, Bell further discovered that it contained additional research by David Deal, a self-taught Hebrew scholar.
“Her original book along with the companion of Deal’s work made this publication the best historical reference on the topic. She referenced everything so that gave me a lot of research material.”
A man on a mission
From that point on, Bell saw the vision for his documentary.
Deal, Bell and McNeill collaborating on the film. Photo credit: Gregg McNeill
“The discipline I gave myself on this project was first, I wasn’t out to prove if the relics were real or not, that wasn’t my goal,” he explains, adding that he wanted to make a film that relied on the intelligence of the viewer.
“That’s why I don’t tell you explicitly whether the artifacts are real or a hoax, but all the information is presented to you to determine that for yourself.
“My goal was to tell this really interesting story of Michigan history. I knew that in order to convey the controversy and passion that surrounded this story, I needed to let myself hear and experience everybody’s point of view. And I did.”
For the film, Bell interviewed four experts who knew the story of the relics from their own deep perspective.
“When I was interviewing the archaeologists, they were absolutely clear this collection was a fraud. But when I went to spend time with another expert, it was exactly the opposite. He had a compelling point of view and insights as well.”
For his part, the late David Deal, the self-taught Paleo Hebrew scholar, was able to decipher the markings on the stones as ancient Hebrew or third century Coptic.
“He was the one who deciphered that all the artifacts shared what Henrietta Mertz called the Mystic Symbol,” Bell explains.
The famed ‘Mystic Symbol.’ Photo credit Bell/McNeill
Originally thought to spell ‘MHS’ which is a Christian connotation, Deal studied it and realized the deciphering was backwards.
“It spelled ‘Yahew’, a Hebrew word for ‘God,’ which gave the relics a whole different cultural perspective,” says Bell.
While each expert interviewed in the documentary offers compelling viewpoints about the artifacts, Bell himself gets to the bottom line conclusion about their authenticity. When David Deal passed away before the film was completed, his family asked Bell to take all of his artifacts on their behalf.
“I took the tablet that David worked with, and was also in Henrietta’s collection, over to the University of Southern California Long Beach Archeology department. I had them do a luminescence test on it,” he explains. “That’s where they determined the tablet was made in 1895 – quite obviously a hoax.”
And an elaborate hoax at that!
A sign of the times
Symbols and markings likes these have intrigued experts for 100 years. Photo credit: Bell/McNeill
Think about it – For over 25 years these artifacts were unearthed in mid and southeast Michigan. That means that for that entire time, someone was creating the pieces, going to extreme care to mark them with ancient symbols and taking the time to bury them – thousands of them – hundreds of miles apart!
Who would do such a thing? And why?
As Bell’s documentary reveals, it was the work of James Scotford and his sons along with the aid of Daniel Soper, a shady hustler of sorts with a desire to be rich and famous. But what the documentary doesn’t tell you is this:
“Scotford had joined the British merchant marines earlier in his career,” Bell explains.
“They had a routine route to the Mediterranean which would have required him to stop in Cairo. There, he learned the antiquity trade.
When you take that piece of information and look at the artifacts, he’s taken accurate phrases from the third century and peppered them on these stones. They’re accurate,” assures Bell, “they were just made in the late 1800s.”
For a brief time, Scotford piqued the interest of the Smithsonian Institute and had hoped to make money by selling the artifacts to them. It wasn’t long before experts there declared the findings a hoax. Obviously it did not deter Scotford and Soper from abandoning their scheme. They continued to make the fakes, strategically bury them, and then orchestrate to have unsuspecting town folk make the ‘discovery’ of ancient treasures.
While Scotford made money off it for a while, Bell says he did not get rich. Soper did not get rich either, but seemed to enjoy the attention the claims gave him.
Riches are in the eye of the beholder
Today the majority of the Michigan Relics collection is in Lansing at the Michigan Historical Museum. A portion of it is also at the Smithsonian and an Ohio State museum. Remaining pieces are still held in private collections.
And while this fantastic story holds no monetary value, it is rich with Michigan history and now has added appeal.
Bell’s company, Eye Wonder Media, continues to work on historical documentaries with fantastic flair.
“Winning the Eclipse award, I hope, will impact the overall story of this project by gaining a wider audience,” says Bell.
Bell admits that the piece has struggled to find a distribution outlet because of its regional appeal and because he relied on ‘old school documentary storytelling’ techniques. Bell says that historical documentary projects today have adopted a more sensational style of storytelling.
“My goal was to create a piece that required the viewer’s intellect to sift the facts – instead of spoon feeding suspense and answers to the audience,” he says.
“Intelligent story telling is what the piece attempts and I think the Eclipse award will help find the audience that wants to watch that kind of programming.”
While all the white kids’ moms sent bologna on Wonderbread to school, Amal Berry’s mom packed her “weird” stuff like hummus and kibbeh. Finally, the proud day came: she opened her lunch, saw the coveted white bread sandwich, and took a bite…it was terrible. It turns out her native Lebanese cuisine was not only better tasting, it was healthy too! Berry joins Alan to talk about growing up ethnic and how that informs her daily life…as a parent and the chief diversity officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Most people would agree that we live in a fast-paced world. Aided by advances in technology, many spend their days hurriedly going from task to task while continually monitoring their social media sites like Twitter and Facebook so as not to miss anything important that may be trending. We have calendars and reminders on our phones, as well as the old paper versions that hang from refrigerators and file cabinets.
This sense of “living in the moment” leaves some with the inability to see beyond the next day, the next week, or the next year. Choosing financial goals and estate planning should be of utmost importance for the future of your family or business.
However, if you are like me, planning for the future may be one of those things that you continually put off until tomorrow. One never knows what tomorrow holds and routine daily life can change in the blink of an eye.
Heidi Hilton knows this lesson well. In August 2000 she was walking with her 2 year-old daughter, Ember, near the intersection of Dutton Road and Hammond Avenue. In an instant that would change her life forever, Hilton and her daughter were hit from behind by a drunk driver. Ember was thrown into a ditch. Heidi was thrown into the road. The driver sped off, not even stopping to see the damage he had wrought.
Heidi Hilton’s life changed when she and her daughter were hit by a drunk driver
Hilton woke in the hospital with no memory of the accident. In fact, she had no memory of her husband, Zan, who was at her bedside. Although she sustained no broken bones, Hilton suffered from a severe closed head injury as well as broken vertebrae in her neck. Her daughter, she was told, also had a closed head injury, but would recover. She did not remember her daughter, or her 2 sons, Hunter (10) and Marshall (8).
“He took my life away for 5 years,” said Hilton, “That day changed my life forever.”
The day of the accident, students from Dutton Christian were running for track practice on Dutton Road and had witnessed the event as well as taken down the license plate number.
An 86-year old man was tracked down and found with a blood alcohol level of 1.9 at 3:30 in the afternoon. He was found guilty and sentenced to prison.
Hilton was not involved in his trial and turned her anger at him into determination to regain her life. “I was bound and determined not to let this affect me,” she states. Her energy was put into physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and helping her daughter through the same. She made it a priority to return to work as soon as possible. It was a long road, but it had its bright spots. “I got to discover my husband and fall in love with him all over again.”
With a 15-year history as an investment planner, Hilton had worked with many individuals and families in times of crisis and times of estate management. She knew the lesson that life could not be taken for granted.
Unfortunately, Hilton again suffered a head injury in an auto accident in 2008. She again faced long hours of therapy. Hilton now felt a new urgency to convince others that life is fragile and people need to look to the future including finances, business investment, and family relations.
She set a personal goal of attaining her Master’s degree in Management. After obtaining her degree from Davenport University in 2012, Hilton and her partner, Craig Coughlin, who had more than 20 years of financial expertise, brought their talents together in the Thornapple River Group.
Thornapple River Group, co-founded by Hilton, helps plan finances for the future
The vision statement of the Thornapple River Group includes providing facilitated services using an integrated team of experts to achieve goals and to preserve the quality of life they desire. For high net-worth individuals, this includes business succession, estate planning, debt management, as well as concierge services such as travel arrangements, household management, personal shopping, and security services.
“I live each day with intention,” shares Hilton, “Each day I work to help someone accomplish goals.”
Both she and Coughlin are very involved in volunteerism and philanthropy. It is an essential part of their business supporting groups such as Rotary International, Van Andel Institute, and the International Student Foundation. In 2014 they became a “family office,” serving as “family officers” for those needing assistance with financial, as well as family, business, and organizational goals. Hilton’s husband, Zan, also assists clients with property management and estate holdings through his business, Thornapple Consulting.
Hilton sees herself as coming full circle since the accident in 2000. She still lives with chronic pain and slight cognitive and memory issues, but she is proud of her accomplishments. Hilton’s life philosophy now is living with an “attitude of gratitude.” She is grateful for her husband’s patience and for the tight bond she shares with her daughter due to their shared experience.
“We are all dealt a hand,” she states, “It is up to you to make the cards work.”
She stresses that no one knows what the future holds, but we do have the ability to plan, to invest, and to organize so that when a sudden death, an unexpected diagnosis, or a life-altering accident happens we are prepared.
Have you been putting off making a will? Planning your estate? Setting financial goals? Perhaps now is the time to get moving because no one knows what tomorrow may hold.
As a teenager could you imagine impacting the world by living with a family on the other side of the ocean? Allowing a teenager to live with you would certainly be an interesting experience. Every year from January to August organizations around the world ask for families to volunteer to give a teenager a home for a year. As a volunteer for Youth for Understanding Intercultural Exchange (YFU) we run orientations during the summer for families that have volunteered to host. Families who have never hosted before are thinking this will be a experience to be part of. They can’t imagine the impact this teenager will have on so many people in such a short amount of time. The misconception with student exchange is only families with teenagers can host. The truth is a there is no typical family. As an organization (YFU) and all other organizations have to follow requirements set forth by the government. What are some of those requirements? Background checks need to be completed for all adults in the home, the student needs to have their own bed (but can share a room with a same sex sibling), the family needs to provide 3 meals a day and be there to support the student throughout the year. As an organization it is our job as staff and volunteers to train families and students at orientations and be a support throughout the year. Students can be placed in homes ranging from young couples to a retired Grandma. How has Student Exchange changed not only my family but this community? About 45 years ago my Aunt brought home an Exchange Student from Finland who was attending Godwin Heights and told my Grandparents that she needed a new Host Family. My Grandparents were interviewed and the student moved in for the rest of the school year. Fast forward to 25 years ago and my Dad reads and article in the Grand Rapids Press about Exchange Students needing a home for the next school year. For the next 10 years we added a new member to the family every other year who would attend Wyoming Park. Part way through each year the student became a true member of our family. You could no longer tell who the outsider was so much so that my husband does not know our family without our former students. Three years ago my husband and I were running orientations for families when we decided it was time to welcome a 6’4″ German boy into our home as our only child. It wasn’t long before I became that Mom rooting for her boy at the Basketball games (Go Godwin!) and the next year becoming the Soccer Mom for an amazing Italian boy. Ask yourself some questions. Do I have room for a student? Could I feed another person? Can I be a soccer parent (or any other sport/activity)? Three years ago my husband and I decided the answer was yes. Maybe you know what it is like to live in another country. We are always looking for volunteers who are willing to talk to students and families as well as help with orientations. We have the chance to change the world. If you are interested, just let me know. Just leave me an email under this website comment site.
Meet Fred Winter, a 100-year old World War II US Navy veteran. He plans on competing in this year’s Meijer State Games of Michigan Track & Field event. Not just one event, but five (javelin, shot put, 50-meter dash, 100-meter dash, discus) Track & Field events.
Fred grew up in Scranton, PA, a coal mining town where natives were destined for a life of black lung disease due to inhaling coal mine dust. “These gold miners would only live till about 50 because of the diseases they got,” Fred explained. “They knew it was just a matter of time for the Grim Reaper to call their name.” Determined to have a better quality of life, Fred enlisted in the US Navy as his only way out.
Fred served a total of 25 years while in the Navy, which included a term during World War 2 in the Battle of Okinawa. He started as a deck scrubber, and eventually worked his way up to a Chief Petty Officer. Fred recalled fresh water being so scarce in the Pacific that each crew member was handed a bucket of water to start the day. This was all they got to wash their clothes and bathe. All showers onboard operated with salt water from the ocean. Among his many years enlisted as a member of the Navy, Fred served upon the USS Mississippi, Enterprise Air Craft Carrier, and the Amphibious Command, which was the second line of defense behind the Marines.
When his time in the Navy was up, Fred studied pre-med at York College in York, Nebraska. It was at York College he met his eventual wife of 65 years, still going strong to this day. Following graduation from York, Fred had trouble getting accepted into medical school, so he turned his studies to Accounting. After receiving his master’s at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, Fred became a college professor in the subject. In a state that runs its economy off crops, however, the teaching salary in Nebraska was not cutting it. At the age of 65, Fred got a job offer as a high school accounting teacher in Holland, Michigan, that offered $3,000 more per year. Needless to say, Fred jumped at the opportunity. He has lived there ever since.
When Fred turned 70-years old, he decided he wanted to start competing in Track & Field through the Senior Olympics, something he hadn’t competed in since high school. “I wanted to compare myself, physically, mentally, morally, with people my own age,” Fred said about his desire to enter the sport, “and the one way to do that is to go into Track & Field.” At first, Fred struggled to qualify for most events, but through hard work, he slowly started earning bronze medals, then silver medals, all the way up to the point where gold medals became expectations.
You might think that Fred has a collection of all the gold medals he has won, but you would be wrong. During combat in the Navy, there was a time that Fred was 10 feet under the Pacific Ocean surface and was certain he was going to die. A fellow member of the Navy, however, rescued Fred and brought him back to the surface. Beyond grateful for having his own life saved, Fred decides to give his gold medals away to anyone he can find that has saved a life. According to Fred, “They deserve it more.”
To be successful in Track & Field, Fred relies heavily on maintaining a healthy living. Every day Fred does aerobics at six in the morning, gradually increases in push-ups (currently at 110 a day), and runs outside. If the weather is poor, Fred avoids excuses and simply runs alongside the walls of his house. When asked what the key to a long lifespan is, Fred answered, “Face God, face your fellow man, and face yourself.” Fred also encourages staying active no matter how young or old you are.
With the Meijer State Games of Michigan just a week away, Fred looks forward to competing and trying to win a few more medals to handout to those who have saved lives. At 100-years old, Fred Winter is nowhere close to slowing down. His wisdom, generosity, determination, and no-quit attitude is something we can all learn from.
To view our interview with Fred, you can find it on our YouTube page or by viewing his athlete spotlight on our website: http://stategamesofmichigan.com/fredwinter.
The year was 1982 and Little League’s District 9 needed an effective and convenient way to release its tournament schedule and results to the rest of the public. The internet didn’t exist, phone calls left much to be desired, and snail mail slowed the spread of information to a crawl.
Players giving shout outs to their parents
The solution ended up being more successful than anticipated, the District 9 Scoreboard Show, a television show three decades in the making.
Little League is a massive organization that manages youth baseball and softball throughout the country. In 1982, officials reached out to WKTV with an idea, create a show geared towards the Little League playoffs. The show would air the game schedule and results, interview players and teams, and keep the league updated during the hectic playoff schedule!
While the main purpose of the show was to disseminate information regarding the league, the Scoreboard Show allowed the Little League participants their shining moment, and shine they did.
Players enter the studio back in 1984
Teams, complete with full roster and coaching staff, are given the opportunity to introduce themselves to the community on WKTV. The players and coaches are interviewed and give insight into their team and season. Players talk about themselves and take time for shout outs to family and friends!
With the prevalence of the internet, and technology as a whole, the Scoreboard Show’s initial responsibility has lost its muster. League schedules and results can now be found online.
It’s quick and easy, just like everything in the internet age.
The Scoreboard Show has had to adapt with the changes in technology. While the scores and schedules are still reported, it’s the focus on the players, the kids, that keep the show alive.
“As a community media station, we’re here to serve the community,” explains WKTV General Manager Tom Norton, “The Scoreboard Show is a perfect example of what we’re here for. People now go to the internet for the scores, but the internet doesn’t build the community. The internet can’t showcase the players and their coaches. The Scoreboard Show can.”
When a show’s been on the air for over three decades, some evolution is necessary, but it’s important to keep the soul of the broadcast. That soul is what people come back for. The Scoreboard Show has kept its soul – every Little Leaguer in District 9 who has stepped onto the diamond.
Polyglot Luna Atamian has many passions. Armenia, Uruguay, and France – the lands of her heritage. Opera – the art form that gives her solace and energy, whether singing or listening. Immigrant entrepreneurship – the life force that fosters creativity and dynamic companies. And New York City – her adopted city-nation and symbol of what multicultural paradise can look like. Join us as we talk about the spirit she shares with FWD.us founders Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates. An inspiring look at what can happen when one embraces life across the oceans and into one’s dreams!
Marching bands, classic cars, local businesses and community service groups will all be participating in Kentwood’s 4th of July Parade. It begins at 9:30a.m. and the route starts on Eastern Ave between 52nd and 60th.
WKTV Community Television will be there with numerous volunteers and state of the art equipment to bring you live views of the parade. So if you can’t get there, watch it on Channel 25 at 12:30 and 7:30p.m. that day.
The parade coverage will be hosted by Linda Pacic, Kathey Batey and Sophia Maslowski. Show Producer Nate Diedrich is looking forward to coordinating the project which the station has covered for the last 20 years.
“Produced entirely by volunteers, WKTV’s coverage of the Kentwood 4th of July Parade is one of our favorite annual events. The parade provides a fantastic opportunity to create exclusive local content made by and for the people in our community,” he said.
Here are just a few of the participants that will be featured:
Kentwood Fire Dept., East Kentwood Marching Band, West Michigan Mustang Club, and Celebration Cinema.
Restaurants: Culver’s, Dave & Busters, McDonalds, The Salted Cupcake, and Java Cone.
There is nothing like the excitement of a parade to commemorate the 4th.
If you would like to be a volunteer for WKTV’s production team, give the station a call at 261-5700.
Would you think the man who helped eradicate leprosy and polio from the interior of Nigeria would live in your neighborhood? Dr. Dirk Vander Steen has been serving with Rotary International for 37 years, and the last 20 years with Kentwood since he moved back to the United States and the West Michigan area in 1990.
“It is an accomplishment that I really treasure,” Vander Steen said proudly. In Rotary and even before that, Vander Steen has stamped his passport with numerous locations and different experiences all around the world.
As a youngster he was already traveling around the world– but not for a good reason. He spent months in Grindelwald, Switzerland with three hundred other boys from his homeland of the Netherlands to be researched on the trauma effects of wars on children. The reason being he was suffering heavily from lack of essential foods and vitamins.
He then moved to Canada, quit school at the age of 13 and began working in a grocery chain store. At the age of 21 Vander Steen said God gave his life a purpose.
“I went to a young people’s convention where I heard a missionary speak and that touched my life then and there,” Vander Steen explained. “After that, I drove to Grand Rapids, met the Dean of Calvin College and he took me in, even if it was on probation from my two years of high school experience.” Here at Calvin, Vander Steen met his wife Jean who also wanted to be a missionary, and after a year they were married and on their way to Nigeria.
Dirk’s group of missionaries work as a team.
The Vander Steen’s stayed full time in Nigeria for 13 years, and even today make it a point to go once or twice a year to complete his ten years as a Trustee of the University of Mkar in the Benue State of Nigeria. They also help out and bring gifts they collected from Rotary. The Kentwood Rotary’s most recent gift was musical instruments to a Rotary club in Jos, Nigeria.
“It was part of Rotary’s peace project in Nigeria,” Vander Steen said. “To make music instead of war.”
Vander Steen has served many roles in Tivland, Nigeria- being a Rotary Club member, making prosthetic limbs for polio and leprosy patients, translating a steward manuscript, working with local churches, and his most rewarding role of being a teacher.
A gift from a Nigerian student to show appreciation is a treasure to Dirk.
“I see kids that I taught and have watched them grow to become heads of organizations and the university or even being my boss,” Vander Steen shared enthusiastically. “It is one of the most rewarding feelings to see them succeed.”
One woman in particular has stood out in his memory.
“In 1965, I had the first female students in my secondary school class,” Vander Steen explained.
In Nigeria, young ladies were not allowed to attend any secondary school due to social customs. Rhoda Ako, one of those first ten females in his class, became the Head of Nigeria’s Customs. Vander Steen said that he is most proud of her work to create unity in a country torn apart by tribalism, and by her kind heart.
“When Rhoda Ako heard that I was back in Nigeria about seven years ago, she came to say ‘thank you for believing in me and helping me when I wanted to drop out’,” Vander Steen remembered fondly. “I think that is the best reward a teacher can get.”
Vander Steen has put more than 50 years of his life into his mission work in Nigeria and in serving Rotary. He takes great pride in the role he played in eradicating and educating people from Nigeria in regards to leprosy.
“I have done so many different things.” Vander Steen recalls. “My life has been so enriched. God has blessed me and helped me be a blessing to many people on both sides of the globe.”
Awards, trophies and plaques are given in appreciation of Dirk’s efforts around the world.
The visuals tell this story well. The Kentwood Public Library was the site for the second Touch a Truck Event. It was a brilliantly sunny day to house the crowd of more than 500 people. Everywhere you looked, families were experiencing the fun of the day. Check out the video for a sense of all the hands-on excitement!
Inspired by nature, people and the relationships that they share, Craig Merchant creates art in multiple mediums, expressionistic color and juxtaposition of scale.
