There will be a special 60th anniversary celebration for the Grand Haven Musical Fountain on Aug. 27.
A staple in the Grand Haven community for 60 years, this week the popular Mr. Sid’s Video Series will focusing on the Grand Haven Fountain.
Terry Stevens, the fountain engineer, will join the group to talk about the history of the largest musical fountain “of its kind” in the world and the particulars about its operation. The presentation is at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
Stevens is on the Musical Foundation Board and an instructor in the engineering department at Grand Valley State University.
The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is a synchronized display of water and lights. The fountain is located on Dewey Hill on the north shore of the Grand River, not far from where Grand River connects to Lake Michigan.
The fountain was the brainchild of Dr. William “Bill” Creason, longtime resident, dentist, and former Grand Haven mayor. The fountain was modeled after a Przystawic musical fountain show which Creason saw in Germany while providing density for the U.S. Navy after World War II.
Local engineer William Morris Booth designed the fountain which was building by volunteers in 1962. Over the years, the fountain’s program system has been upgraded several times. In 2017, the software was updated to take advantage of new lighting and water effects.
Upcoming Sid Lenger Vide Series programs are: Sid Lenger’s video of Switzerland on Sept. 21, and Lorna and Daniel Dobson lead a discussion on two of Rev. Ed Dobson’s video lessons “My Garden,” identity after losing a loved one, and “Ask Forgiveness” on Oct. 19.
All programs start with a 15-minute hymn sing at 1:45 p.m.
This week for the Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon series, Vietnam veteran and USS Silversides curator Don Kitchen will be the guest speaker.
The USS Silversides is located in the Muskegon Channel at the Pere Marquette Park. (WKTV)
The USS Silversides was one of the most successful submarines in the Pacfic Theatre of World War II with 23 confirmed sinking. The submarine and its crew were aware a Presidential citation an earned 12 battle stars.
The submarine and adjunct Naval Museum is located at the Muskegon Channel at the Pere Marquette Park.
Kitchen has given several lectures about the USS Silverside and the war in the Pacific. His presentation will be at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
Up next for the series will be Terry Stevens, fountain engineer for the Grand Haven Musical Fountain. Stevens is scheduled to talk on Aug. 17. His presentation will be about the history o the largest musical fountain “of its kind” in the world and particulars about its operation.
As the Meijer ladies Charity Classic gets underway this week, the Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series will have LPGA Chaplain Cris Stevens as its guest this Wednesday.
Stevens has served as the chaplain for the Ladies Professional Golf Association since 1982 and will be sharing stories from her role in the LPGA and how she counsels, supports, and ministers to the world’s best professional golfers. She will present her program on Wednesday, June 15, at 2 p.m at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
Tom Sibley, one of the organizers of the Mr. Sid’s programs, noted this is the second time that Stevens has visited the group. Stevens stopped by last year just before the Meijer LPGA Classic.
The daughter of Sid Lenger (who the group is named after), Lavoone Ritzema, had met Stevens while she worked with the LPGA and invited her to speak. Stevens presentation was so popular that organizers decided to invite her back.
The program begins at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. There is a hymn sing at 1:45 p.m. The program is free.
Coming up for the Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series will be USS Silversides Museum Executive Director Peggy Maniates on July 20. and Grand Haven Musical Fountain Engineer and Board Member Terry Stevens on Aug. 17.
Marge Wilson remembers watching a woman make the sign of the cross just before putting a cup underneath a fountain to get water.
Clean water is an essential need in many third world countries. Polluted water isn’t just dirty, it’s deadly, according to the Koshland Science Museum. Some 1.8 million people die every year of diarrheal diseases like cholera because they drink dirty water. Tens of millions of others are seriously sickened by a host of water-related ailments, many of which are preventable if these people had access to clean drinking water.
It is why Wilson, the owner of Marge’s Donut Den, in 2012 decided to start the Samual Omogo Foundation, which is dedicated to building water wells in villages in Southeastern Nigeria. The foundation is named after Samuel Omogo, a Nigerian man who dedicated his life to improving the lives of people in Nigerian villages. He was well known for his philanthropic deeds of visiting the sick, bringing food, clothing and school supplies to those in need.
“I think Samuel is a man who did so much for his people that I am grateful that his children can see all those wells and say ‘Daddy made a difference in everybody’s life,’” Wilson said in an interview for the foundation.
The Samuel Omogo Foundation will be the focus of the next Mr. Sid’s Video Series Thursday, Aug. 11, at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
“Our Mr. Sid accomplished many things during his lifetime. Maybe what he was most proud of was he and Beulah’s many service trips to support John and Atts Devries and the work of Mission India,” said Tom Sibly, one of the organizers of the Mr. Sid’s Video program. Sid Lenger was a World War II veteran who loved to share his stories and video travelogues. He passed away in 2019 at the age of 100. Friends and family have continued the video series that have expanded to include special events.
Sibley said the Samuel Omogo Foundation seemed a natural extension to Mr. Sid’s passion of helping people.
Father Peter Omogo will be presenting at the Thursday program. Father Peter will talk about the creation of the Samuel Omogo Foundation, it’s work and his journey that has taken him from Nigeria to West Michigan. Coffee and cookies will be provided after the program.
The next event for the Sid’s Video Series will a Mr. Sid’s birthday program on Sept. 8.
Clean water is one the biggest essential needs in many third world countries. (SOF)
The Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series resumes this week at Marge’s Donut Den with a special program featuring the chaplain of the Ladies Professional Golf Association Cris Stevens.
Stevens will discuss her role in the LPGA and how she counsels, supports, and ministers to the world’s best professional golfers. She will present her program on Wednesday, June 16, at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. Stevens is in town this week for the Meijer LPGA Classic, which starts on Thursday and runs until Sunday at the Blythfield Country club.
“Not sure if Sid ever swung a golf club, but likely he would be interested in what the chaplain of the LPGA would have to say,” said Tom Sibley, one of the organizers of the Mr. Sid’s Wednesday After Video Series. The series is named after longtime Wyoming resident and World War II veteran Sid Lenger. Lenger hosted video and other programs every Wednesday at Marge’s Donut Den until he passed away 2019.
Lavoone Ritzema, Lenger’s daughter, met Stevens when she worked with the LPGA and said Stevens is looking forward to meeting the group as she has a special interest in veterans.
The Candied Yam owner Jessica Ann Tyson (left) said you have to be creative in letting people know your restaurant is still open. (Supplied)
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma joanne@wktv.org
When you walk into Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW, gone is the chatter of people with their coffee and donuts. Gone is the rush of church groups stopping in before or after service to pick up a dozen. Gone are the families out for a treat.
It is quiet, except for the phone ringing.
“It’s very much quieter,” said owner Marge Wilson. “We have a big rug out to show people where to stand and right in the middle we have a table to remind people to go on either side. Or people can sit out in their car and we’ll bring them the donuts. For that reason, the phone rings a lot more.”
The signs on the doors of Marge’s Donut Den make it clear that only takeout is available. (WKTV)
To encouraging social distancing, on March 16, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer banned events and gatherings of more that 50 people causing most of the West Michigan restaurants to eliminate dining in. Those who could or wanted, move to takeout, curbside or delivery options. Marge’s Donuts Den, which offered both takeout and dine-in, closed its doors to its dining area with only access to the donut counter available.
On March 23, Whitmer issued an executive stay-at home order, but encourage residents to support local restaurants by ordering takeout and/or have food delivered from area restaurants. Since then, numerous organizations, such as Eatgr, have worked to promote restaurants that are currently offering those options. Recently, the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce distributed a list of chamber restaurants that are open. (See the list below.)
The elimination for dine-in has meant a reduction of customers with Wilson stating she has reduced her hours. Now the popular donut shop closes at 4 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. But she is grateful to be able to provide jobs for her staff who need or want to work.
“It has reduced the staff because there are some who are too afraid to come and others have to stay home to stay with their kids,” she said. “But for those who want to work or need to work, they can.”
For many of the local business owners, helping their employees was a big decision in staying open.
“I could have just closed,” said Jessica Ann Tyson, owner of The Candied Yam, 2305 44th St. SE. Both Wilson and restaurant owner and State House Rep. Tommy Brann echoed the same in their comments. “But there are factors you have to consider. There are employees who if you can keep working means that it is at least one less person drawing on the system. The local vendors who we purchase quite a lot from, and the customers who don’t cook or don’t know how to cook.”
There is also the cost of shutting down and then reopening a kitchen which can cost $3,000 or more where as Tyson estimates it is costing her about $700 a week to stay open.
Tommy Brann, owner of Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille at 4157 Division, admits he often thinks about his employees. It is why he decided to stay open, offering takeout even though it only makes up about five percent of his business.
“I’m looking at chairs up and and an empty bar,” Brann said. “Much of our business is dine in. This is a place that people come with families to celebrate birthdays, weddings, showers, and sadly, funerals.
“This is a place where you are around people but sadly, right now we can’t do that and we understand why.”
For many of the restaurant owners we talked to, they understand the reasoning for the restrictions on gatherings. As a state representative for the Wyoming and Byron Center areas, Brann said he also has heard from a number of local business owners as well and there are some he fears may simply not reopen.
“You’ve got to be creative,” Tyson said. “We still feel obligated to offer specials so that seniors who are on a fixed income can still come as well as entice people to order.”
Tyson said her cost has gone up but she made an effort to keep her prices the same because she recognizes there are people who do rely on the restaurant for a good meal.
And she figures, if she is open she might as well share with those who are considered essential workers, doing a daily delivery to various individuals and organizations such as the Kent County Health Department’s Emergency Operations Center and a local milk operation.
“I am staying optimistic and getting my energy from other people and places,” Tyson said.
Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce member restaurants that are currently offering takeout and/or delivery:
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant 4515 28th St. SE Kentwood, MI 49512 (616) 730-8466
Noto’s Old World Italian Dining 6600 28th St SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546 (616) 493-6686
Dave & Buster’s 3660 28th Street SE Kentwood, MI 49512 (616) 224-8800
The Candied Yam 2305 44th Street S.E. Kentwood, MI 49508 (616) 551-3509
Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar 2720 44th St SW Wyoming, MI 49519 (616) 261-9464
Osta’s Lebanese Cuisine 2228 Wealthy St. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506 (616) 456-8999
Monelli’s Italian Grill & Sports Bar 5675 Byron Center Ave. SW Wyoming, MI 49519 (616) 530-9700
Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille 4157 S Division Ave Wyoming, MI 49548 (616) 534-5421
Hilton Garden Inn 2321 East Beltline Ave. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546 (616) 608-8800
Apple Spice 701 68th St. SW #410 Byron Center, MI 49315 (616) 805-3288
Applebee’s – Wyoming 1375 28th Street Wyoming, MI 49509 (616) 261-2588
Buddy’s Pizza 4061 28th St. SE Kentwood, MI 49512 (616) 554-9663
Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar 2035 28th St SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508 (616) 241-2999
YoChef’s Catering Co. 34 44th St. SE Kentwood, MI 49548 (616) 608-3003
McDonalds 1221 28th St. SW Wyoming, MI (616) 531-6190
Marge’s Donut Den 1751 28th St. SW Wyoming, MI (616) 532-7413
Cindy’s Donuts & Ice Cream 4020 28th St. SE Kentwood, MI (616) 259-8295
Beltline Bar 16 28th St. SE Grand Rapids, MI (616) 245-0494
Bagel Beanery 455 Michigan NE Grand Rapids, MI (616) 235-7500
Marge Wilson has been chosen to receive the Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award, given by the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids. The award is presented in recognition of Frederik Meijer’s philanthropic acts of selfless service to our community, which left a lasting impact on the lives of others.
“We are pleased and excited to honor Marge Wilson as the 2020 Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award winner for her contributions to our community. Her generous and gracious spirit embodies the true meaning of this award,” said Hank Meijer, Fred Meijer’s son and Executive Chairman of Meijer, Inc.
Marge is an entrepreneur, community advocate and mentor. She is well-known for her sensitive and compassionate nature. She established Marge’s Donuts in 1975 and as her business grew, she expanded the shop to accommodate private gatherings and space for local organizations and clubs to meet.
Marge Wilson at Marge’s Donut Den. (WKTV)
Marge attended Davenport College and subsequently went on to work at banks in California, Chicago and Grand Rapids for 20 years. She was the first woman chosen to be on the national board of the Retail Bakers Association and served for many years as the Michigan Regional Director. Throughout the years she has collected an impressive number of awards and recognitions for her community service and business expertise. These tokens of recognition span an entire wall in the back of the bakery along with a timeline for her involvement in the community she loves so dearly.
“I am honored to receive an award that bears the name of Fred Meijer. I firmly believe that you should do all you can for others when you can and while you can, not expecting anything in return. I receive many blessings for giving back and I am humbled by this recognition which is truly an honor to me,” said Marge.
Some of Marge’s notable achievements are the establishment of the Samuel Omogo Foundation, a project designed to foster the responsible development of clean water sources for villages in southeastern Nigeria. She received the Inaugural Marge Wilson Community Service Leadership Award from AMBUCS and Distinguished Service Award from the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce.
Previous Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award winners include Jackie Taylor, PhD, Shelley Irwin, Rick DeVos, Luis Tomatis, MD and John & Nancy Kennedy.
“By honoring such amazing people in a public way, we hope to inspire others to consider how they can extend themselves in the service of others and the community at-large,” said Neil Marchand, president of the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids.
The Rotary Club of Grand Rapids will honor Marge at the Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award Dinner on Tuesday, April 21, at 6 p.m. at the Cultural Center at St. Nicholas. The community is invited to attend. Tickets are on sale at grrotary.org or by calling 616-429-5640.
Wednesday, Nov. 13, Mr. Sid’s Wednesday After Video Series will host a special program honoring area veterans.
The program will be at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. Feature presenter will be Fred Johnson, PhD, who is an associate professor of history at Hope College and a frequent presenter at Calvin Academy of Lifelong Learning.
The program will have a special guest, World War II Veteran Virgil Westdale, who is a 101-years-old. Westdale was a farm boy who was a pilot, TSA office and WWII solider serving with the all Japanese/American 442nd Regimental Combat Team and 522nd Artillery Battalion helping push the German’s out of Italy, France, and freeing prisoners from the Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany. Westdale’s book “Blue Skies and Thunder” will be available for purchase ($20) during the event.
Upcoming Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series programs are “Feel Like You Belong” host and producer Alan Headbloom on Dec. 4. Headbloom has 30 years of experience in cross-cultural communication on six continents. He is interested in the stories of those who are immigrants and refugees and the challenges that they face. “Feel Like You Belong,” which airs on WKTV, features interviews of immigrants and expatriates faced with the challenge of adjusting to a new culture.
On Dec. 18, the Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series will host a Christmas Extravaganza. Mike Martin and guests will lead the group through Christmas Season music, songs, video and surprises.
Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series is in honor of Sid Lenger, a former Wyoming resident and World War II veteran who loved to share his stories and video travelogues at Marge’s Donut Den. Lenger passed away earlier this year at the age of 100.
Marge Wilson is always a welcoming figure at her shop, Marge’s Donut Shop. (Photo by Colleen Pierson).
By Colleen Pierson WKTV Contributor
The time is 2 a.m. and Marge Wilson, owner of Marge’s Donut Den on 28th Street in Wyoming, wakes up ready to make the donuts, cakes, cookies, and muffins. She turns 80 in December, but that doesn’t stop this sweet dynamo from giving her all to community and business.
“I will always support this community through loyalty, and hard work—I try to give back every way I can,” Marge said.
And give back she does: Take the 222 wells campaign she has supported to provide drinking water to residents of southeast Nigeria or the countless amounts of non-profits she has helped.
“She’s first of the first class, and has a heart bigger than life,” said Vince Portelli at a recent AMBUC community event.
Donuts and cookies and more are available at Marge’s Donut Den. (Photo by Colleen Pierson).
Marge’s Donut Den, open for 44 years, is a fixture in West Michigan. She arrives to her donut shop at 4 a.m., 365 days a year since she established her business in 1975. Everything is made fresh from dough and batter to fillings and icings. Customer favorites are apple fritters and long johns.
A selection of gluten free treats from Marge’s Donut Den. (Photo by Colleen Pierson)
“When we first started, we had about 14 different types of donuts,” she said. “Now we are at 60 different varieties. My favorite is anything with chocolate or cinnamon sugar.”
On a daily basis, hundred of customers enter through the doors where the slogan, “Be kind. Be good.” is placed. You definitely are treated like family here.
Amy Mead, an employee at Marge’s, said it well: “There is no place I would ever want to work than here. So much joy and fun to be had on a daily basis.”
When I asked Marge Wilson what her future plans are, she hesitated, then said with a great chuckle…
“It used to be people would ask me, ‘What’s next for you Marge?’ I would tell them, ‘Wait until I am 80 and ask.’ Now, I have to say, ask me when I’m 85.”
She has always believed that if you make a quality product, people will keep coming back. And that belief should continue for many years to come.
The author Colleen Pierson with Marge Wilson, owner of Marge’s Donut Shop. (Photo by Colleen Pierson).
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, who represents Wyoming and Kentwood, talks to a group at a “Coffee with Constituents” visit to Marge’s Donut Den in Wyoming April 23. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (Republican-Michigan’s 2nd Congressional District), who represents Wyoming and Kentwood, has spoken loud and often of the positive impact of Republican-led 2017 tax cuts for businesses large and small, and he did so again Tuesday at a “Coffee with Constituents” visit to Marge’s Donut Den in Wyoming.
At the April 23 event, donut shop owner Marge Wilson, herself, echoed the congressman as she spoke to WKTV about what the tax cuts have meant for her business and her now-enlarged employee payroll.
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga and Marge Wilson at Marge’s Donut Den. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“I was hoping (that the business tax cut) would help, but I got more value than I definitely expected,” Wilson said to WKTV. “The qualified business tax deduction … for my business, that was significant. I bought a new (commercial) mixer with the amount of taxes that I saved, and our mixer was needed.
“And then the tax bracket was reduced 3 percent, which was another help. … I was able to hire more people and give them a substantial raise in pay.”
Wilson said she hired four full-time employees.
The positive result of the tax cut “is significant,” Rep. Huizenga said to WKTV at the event. “I hear it all the time … it is real and it allows people, like Marge, and others, to hire additional people, to invest in their business.”
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga talks to a group at a “Coffee with Constituents” visit to Marge’s Donut Den in Wyoming April 23. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
According to information distributed by Rep. Huizenga’s office recently, since passage of the 2017 Republican tax cuts, economic growth hit nearly 3 percent, with just under 3.4 million new jobs and a 3.2 percent increase in hourly wages.
Rep. Huizenga’s visit to Wyoming was part of a series of “coffee hour” visits where not only the representative but members of his staff were present to assist 2nd District residents who have questions regarding federal policy or are having trouble with a federal agency. So far this year, according to his office, the congressman has held coffee hours in Hart, Baldwin, and Zeeland, and has participated in a town hall forum in Ludington.
The public meetings are “a touch point, having people who have very different perspectives and views, coming in and (my) spending a few minutes with them,” Rep. Huizenga said. “This is a good way for people to have that opportunity.”
Wilson said she appreciates the effort of elected officials such as Rep. Huizenga and local State Rep. Tommy Brann (R-House District 77).
“Both of those men excel at reaching out to people,” Wilson said. “They go where a lot of people go, so they are accessible. … Here they can have a coffee and a donut together, it’s a lot more relaxed. For those guys (Huizenga and Brann) to get out of their comfort zone and come to the people, I think that is huge.”
Tax cuts and donuts were only one (large) part of the discussion at Marge’s, and while many private constituent conversations remain so, Rep. Huizenga did talk to WKTV about how his work in Washington, D.C., has changed in the aftermath of the 2018 elections and the change of House of Representatives control to the Democrats.
“My priorities are the same it is just how do you work towards them,” he said. “It is different. I no longer have the ability as to what bill we are going to be taking up in a subcommittee. It is harder to directly influence (actions) but I still have the same goals and objectives,”
For more information about Rep. Huizenga’s office and how to contact his staff, visit huizenga.house.gov .
The City of Wyoming will be encouraging everyone to get into the holiday spirit by hosting its 8th annual Wyoming Gives Back event Thursday, Dec. 6, from 6-8 p.m.
“We look forward to a great night as we celebrate the Christmas season with this Christmas kick off here in the City of Wyoming,” said Mayor Jack Poll.
“It’s exciting for The Salvation Army Kroc Center to be part of great collaborative efforts like Wyoming Gives Back,” said Senior Krox Officer Captain Bill Brutto. “It’s one of the reasons we were also proud to help launch the Wyoming Winterfest event a couple of years ago. I think that, as a community, we understand that no one person or group can create positive change on their own — but that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Seeing local government, businesses, school districts, and other organizations all working together to fight for good says so much about the city of Wyoming.”
The annual event encourages residents to bring a new, unwrapped toy as a donation to the Salvation Army Tree. Every person who donates receives a raffle ticket for a chance to win prize packs that contain hundreds of dollars of gifts donated by Wyoming businesses.
“We have a city truck here where local people from our community can fill that truck up,” Wyoming City Council member Dan Burrill said. “It is a great time to support our community.”
The City of Wyoming partners with a number of local businesses who provide the prizes. Last year, more than 400 toys were collected for donation with nearly $5,000 in prizes raffled.
“I think it is important for businesses to say thank you to all the people who have supported us all year long,” said Marge Wilson, of Marge’s Donut Den, a longtime sponsor of the event.
With Lillian VanderVeen from Lenger Travel Center, Inc, stating that “It’s a nice start to the holiday season.”
More than 20 businesses are hosting tables this year. WKTV will be there again this year to record Christmas greetings for the community to air on channels 25 and 26 and on WKTV’s YouTube channel, WKTVVideos.
The Salvation Army will be providing cookies and hot chocolate to event attendees. Residents are encouraged to bring their children to meet and visit with the Wyoming Police Department, the Wyoming Fire Department and, of course, Santa Claus!
A lineup of local choirs and bands is scheduled to share the sounds of the season. The lineup includes the Salvation Army Band, Godwin Heights High School Choir, San Juan Diego Choir and the Wyoming Public Schools Jazz Band.
For those who have attended the Wednesday Sid Lenger film programs at Marge’s Donut Den, the story of a Japanese World War II plane headed straight toward the ship Lenger was standing on is probably a familiar one.
“I had the trigger pulled and Goldie just snapped in the box, and boom,” Lenger said. In his film “Sid in WWII on LST 651,” the 99-year-old still gives credit to Goldie for his quick action that saved the entire ship. “He’s the hero,” Lenger states in the film.
“We’ve heard so much about Goldie, but have never meet him,” said Tom Sibley, one of the people who helps Lenger organize his regular film series. Everyone finally got the chance to meet David “Goldie” Goldsboro when the two old friends, through the help of family, came together on Wednesday, July 11, for a screening of Lenger’s World War II film about his time on the LST 651.
“We had just comeback from Florida and he was telling us about the invitation to come to the screening,” said Goldsboro’s son Larry. “I could just tell he wanted to go. He had a tear in his eye when he was talking about it.”
Goldsboro now lives in Brownstown, Ill., almost a six-hour drive from Grand Rapids. It was a trip that the 91-year-old could not make on his own. So his son and wife offered to bring Goldsboro and his wife of 74 years, Geraldine, to Grand Rapids.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, 558,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II were alive in 2017. The Department estimates that the U.S. loses about 372 WW II veterans per day. Of the 139 who served on the LST 651, Lenger and Goldsboro are two of the remaining four who are still living. So it was a rare treat for those in attendance on Wednesday to meet the men with the event encouraging two other local World War II Navy veterans, Bert Ponstine and Donovan R. Joslin, to attend.
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An LST is a landing ship tank used during World War II to carry tanks, vehicles, cargo, and land troops directly onto the shore with no docks or piers. One of the few surviving ships, the LST 393, is located in Muskegon, and Lenger has been a longtime volunteer for the LST 393 Museum.
“We have kept in touch over the years through reunions,” Goldsboro said. Lenger added that about 15 years ago the reunions ended, but the two have remained in touch with others who have served on the LST 651, which at the end of the war was given to the Japanese according to Goldsboro.
It wasn’t hard to stay in touch since the two returned to their hometowns, Lenger to Wyoming where he graduated from Lee High School in 1937 and eventually would establish Lenger Travel, and Goldsboro to Brownstown, Ill, where he originally enlisted as a senior at the age of 17 with a friend.
“Actually, my friend and I went in together with plans to be buddies,” Goldsboro said. “When we got to the Great Lakes (a naval station in Illinois), we got separated. On the ship, we refueled a lot of other ships, one being a LCS 11 (a littoral combat ship). Sid gave me a picture of that.
James Smither of the GVSU Veterans History Project interviews David “Goldie” Goldsboro and Sid Lenger
“When I got back and was talking to my friend, he told me he was on the LCS 11 and I told him I had a picture of it. So at the time, he was on the LCS 11 and I didn’t know it and I was on the LST 651 and he didn’t know it.”
The LST 651 refueled and moved troops during the last major battle of World War II, the Battle of Okinawa. Lenger and Goldsboro were assigned to man one of the guns, Lenger was the gunman and Goldsboro was the loader.
“We worked as one, we had to,” Lenger said. “Goldie was a farmer so I just knew the (ammunition) would be there.”
The two would be in the Pacific near Japan when the United States dropped the atom bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but neither realized how quickly it would bring the war to an end with Imperial Japan surrendering on Aug. 15, 1945. In fact, the LST 651 would be docked near the USS Missouri and Goldsboro said he made his way over to the ship via the gang planks to watch the signing.
But the single event that still stands out for both men was that Japanese suicide plane heading toward the ship.
“Goldie said he could see the whites of his eyes,” Lenger said of the pilot.
“I could, too,” Goldsboro said. “How he missed us, well, the good Lord had something to do with it.”
Sid Lenger is one of only four men left who served in the South Pacific on LST 651 in WWII. One of the other remaining men is his friend David “Goldie” Goldsboro who was the “loader” on Lenger’s 20mm gun. Lenger was the pointer.
Goldsboro, who resides in Illinois, has accepted Lenger’s invitation to come to Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW, and join Lenger for the showing of his video “Sid in WWII on LST651.” While serving on the LST 651, Lenger had a video camera with him.
The LST 4, similar to the LST that Sid and Goldie served on.
Sid Lenger has great respect and admires Goldsboro, and has said “Goldie was the best ‘Loader’ in the Navy and was responsible for saving many lives.”
Come and join us at Marge’son July 11 at 2 p.m. as Goldie and Sid renew the special relationship they developed while serving together on LST 651 during WWII.
Schedule for Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series
July 11 “Sid’s Video in WWII on LST 651” with Sid and Goldie
August 15 The Presidents – Mike Martin Presents
Sept. 5 New Zealand / Hawaii – Sid & Beulah’s Travel Video
Wyoming: Delilah Dewylde’s Rockabilly sounds at Lamar Park on June 12
Delilah DeWylde (Photo by Tyler Steimle)
Delilah DeWylde and her band the Lost Boy brings a high-octane rockabilly sound to the next Wyoming Concerts on Tuesday, June 12, starting at 7 p.m., at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The performance is free.
Kentwood: Adams Family will kick off summer concert series June 14
The Adams Family (Facebook)
The Adams Family will be the first of a summertime full of music as the City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series offers free concerts and family entertainment on select Thursday nights from June to August. All concerts will begin at 7 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, located at 4900 Breton Road SE.
WKTV Voices: You love Marge’s donuts, and you will love her and her sisters stories
The WKTV Voices trailer is at Marge’s Donut Den the second Saturday of each month. In March of this year, Marge and her sister Marilyn sat down to record their oral history. Hear what these marvelously mischievous siblings had to say about the various pranks they pulled during their childhood.
Two neighborhood groups plan to hit the streets Saturday, April 14, for annual clean ups along Division Avenue and 28th Street.
At 7:45 a.m., community members are invited to meet at Godwin Heights High School, 50 35th St. SW, for the Division Avenue Annual Clean-Up hosted by the Division Avenue Business Association (DABA). Work will be along Division Avenue from 28th Street to 44th Street. The event is from 7:45 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Abundant Life Church is hosting the Team Up to Clean Up event for 28th Street. Volunteers are asked to meet at 10 a.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. Volunteers will be working along 28th Street from Burlingame Avenue to Byron Center Avenue. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. with lunch provided.
Of course with the National Weather Service having placed the Kent County under a winter storm watch, organizers of the event advise residents to double check that events are taking place before heading out.
For the Division Avenue clean up, visit the Facebook page by clicking here.
Wyoming-Kentwood Community Media’s VOICES: a community history projectpowered by WKTV has one time slot left, at 2 pm, for its Second Saturdays at Marge’s appearance at Marge’s Donut Den (1751 28th St SW, Wyoming, MI) Feb. 10. Second Saturdays at Marge’s offers a great opportunity for folks to grab a cup of joe, enjoy a donut and share their favorite stories and memories.
The project’s mission is “to collect, share and preserve the narratives of people in our community”—of our lives; of people from all walks of life. VOICES travels throughout the West Michigan area—with a focus on Wyoming and Kentwood—to gather the narratives that make us human—our experiences, sorrows, triumphs and tragedies. We believe that we all benefit from knowing each other’s background; the shared bond that helps us build community. It’s a free public service, offering a comfortable video recording studio with a relaxed atmosphere.
High-tech video and audio equipment records the conversations and memories of our neighbors, friends and family— any story from anyone—that make up the fabric of our lives and our community. Participants share their hardships and successes, of what shaped them and their families into the kind of people they are today.
Conversations usually take place between two people who know and care about each other. They can be friends, family or mere acquaintances. At the end of each 40-minute recording session, participants are provided with a link to their conversation on Facebook, to share or do with as they like.
Conversations can be “life reviews,” conducted with people at the end of their careers. Or they can focus on a specific period or a specific event in people’s lives, as with war veterans or survivors of an earthquake, flood or hurricane.
All VOICES conversations are audio- and video-recorded to provide participants with a link to their conversation and for possible airing on Channel 25 in Wyoming, Kentwood and Gaines Township (U-Verse Channel 99).
The project launched at ArtPrize Nine in September 2017, welcoming scores of visitors to tour our renovated 1958 Airstream® mobile studio and learn more about the oral history project.
In the film “America Now,” Sid Lenger talks about why George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln are featured on Mt. Rushmore.
“We were about ready to retire,” said Sid Lenger. “I was 69 at the time and we were showing films at Godwin Heights High School when this person came up and said ‘Would you like to go to India?’
“So we retired right into visiting India for the next 24 years.”
Lenger has never missed an opportunity to film. While serving on a landing ship, tank (LST) during World War II, he received permission to have a camera “and I brought a video camera as well,” he said.
The former owner of Lenger Travel has created hundreds of films. At age 99, he is not the globe-trotter he once was, but his travel films remain popular keeping Lenger busy with scheduling various series at Marge’s Donut Den. Starting on Jan. 2, WKTV will be featuring a selection of Lenger’s travel films, which will air at 2:30 p.m. on WKTV 25 and repeat at noon on Fridays.
“What makes his films so unique is that its not just the usual overview of well-known places such as Munich or Berlin, but Sid captures what life is really like,” said WKTV volunteer Tom Sibley, who has worked with Lenger on his series at Marge’s Donut Den. “When he took tour groups, he often would take smaller groups so that they could get up close to the whales or access to places larger groups could not visit.”
Lenger also built a lot of relationships with people because he kept coming back to those smaller communities, Sibley said. Such was the case when Lenger headed to the mountains of Northern Italy and film the history and art of the Anri wood carvers, recording a century-old tradition.
“The narration is clear,” Sibley said. “He doesn’t waste a lot of words and yet you can tell, he has done a lot of research.”
Sid Lenger with WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
“In ‘America Then’ (the first in the WKTV series), I take each of the presidents on Mt. Rushmore and explain why that president is there and what is going on during their lifetime,” Lenger said, adding the film also discusses the history of the U.S. flag. “A teacher came up to me and said that it is the best history lesson she had ever seen.”
In his partnership with Pastor John Devries, the founder of Mission India and the person who asked Lenger and his wife Beulah if they would be interested in visiting the country, Lenger filmed scenery and life in a country that was not always welcoming to Christians.
Filmmaking always has been a hobby for the World War II veteran. He created many of his travel films and showed them at Godwin Heights High School to help increase interest in some of the tours offered through his agency. Today, it still remains a hobby with Lenger maintaining a studio space in his home where he edits on a regular basis, according to his daughter Lavonne Ritzema. He also has an area for painting as well, she noted.
“I’ve got this Michigan film I’ve put together,” Lenger said. “I need to redo it. This summer, I am going to head over to Frankenmuth and get some footage of the Silent Night Chapel.”
As we all await for the Michigan film, take some time to check out some of Lenger’s earlier travel films on WKTV. Also, Lenger film series is every other Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. The Marge’s Donut Den series will restart on Jan. 10.
It seems logical that an artist like David Reinbold would be interested in participating in Wyoming’s Art Cruise. After all Reinbold has built a reputation out of creating stained glass sculpture replicas of peoples’ cars and Art Cruise is part of West Michigan’s biggest car event, Metro Cruise.
Art Cruise is an annual art event similar to Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize in that several Wyoming businesses feature the work of various local artists during August, the same month as Metro Cruise, which is Aug. 26 and 27. In a way, Art Cruise helps people get revved up for the big event, said Art Cruise Coordinator Donna Kuba, who runs Instant Cash Advance and is part of the West End Business Group that founded Art Cruise.
This year, more than 25 artists will display their work in 17 Wyoming businesses with a list of business locations available at 28thstreetmetrocruise.com.
“It’s really just a way to support the community,” said Jerry DeGood, who owns Auto Finance/J’s Motor Sales, at 2939 Division Ave. DeGood said his place has a nice open space for an artist and is excited about featuring the work of former General Motors employee David Townsend.
“I’ve always painted as a hobby,” Townsend said. After the 36th Street GM plant shutdown, Townsend said he decided to paint on a more regular basis. This is Townsend’s first year participating with his work showing at two locations, Auto Finance/J’s Motor Sales and The Chiropractic Doctors at 4415 Byron Center Ave. SW.
Outsider Artist Dirk W. Hughes said he loves the grassroots feel of the event. “It’s just people coming together with no alternative motive other than to support each other,” said Hughes, whose work will be at Edward Jones, 185 44th St. SW.
This also is why artist and Grand Rapids Public Schools fourth-grade teacher Holly Peterman decided to participate as well.
“I grew up in Grandville and I saw the flyer for Art Cruise where you could display for a whole month and thought, ‘I want to do that,’” said Peterman who’s prints and etchings will be at El Informador, 2000 28th St. SW and Maya Mexican Grill, 1020 28th St. SW.
“It’s an opportunity where people can see a lot of art,” Peterman said. “It’s a great opportunity for both the artist and the business owner. The business owner has people coming in to view the work and the artist is able to get the word out about what they do.”
And that is the main reason Reinbold has been participating in Art Cruise since almost its inception.
“I really got to know and meet a lot of different people last year,” Reinbold said. During the event, “I pretty much show what I can do. People can give me a picture of their car or motorcycle – I can even do an airplane – and I create 3-D sculpture out of glass.”
It’s also not about making money either, but about the experience as Hopkins High School student Madalyn Hatfield can attest. Three years ago, Art Cruise gave her the opportunity to get her “feet wet” in the art world and now she is looking to pursue a career in animation. She once again will be showing at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
For details about the artists and businesses participating in this year’s Art Cruise, visit 28thstreetmetrocruise.com.
Make sure to check out the “DreamWheels” show which will be broadcasting live Saturday, Aug. 27 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at Pal’s Diner, 6503 28th St. SE, and Rogers Plaza, 972 28th St. SW. The show will air Saturday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. on WKTV Channel 25.
Coffee with The Candidates Phase II is Wednesday evening, July 27th from 5-8 pm.
With the August 2 primary election just around the corner, we ask you this: Who are the candidates for Judge? Who is running in the local city commissioners’ race in the August primary? What about State Reps?
No clue?
Fear not. There’s still time to get informed, and here’s a great way to meet the people who are running for office. Don’t miss your chance to hear directly from the candidates and come face-to-face with our future, six days prior to the August 2 primary election. And be sure to bring family and friends with you.
Marge Wilson will provide her world-famous Marge’s Donut Den‘s cake, donuts, ice cream and other awesome and amazing goodies courtesy of her 41-year local business.
“It’s a great way to get informed,” said Marge Wilson, who got the idea for Coffee with the Candidates from the Chamber of Commerce. “Nobody speaks or makes a speech. Just come in and meet the people who are running for office. At the first meeting, I learned so much about the county clerk office. Before, I had no idea what the position involved. It was really interesting.”
Everybody is welcome to attend and all candidates are invited.
Take time on Wednesday mornings to travel with Sid Lenger at Marge’s Donut Den to places where Sid and his wife Beulah traveled to and documented on video.
Mr. Sid’s Travel Series begins May 25, the Wednesday before Memorial Day, with a 24 minute video that will take you with Sid on a Tour Of LST (Landing Ship Tank) 393 anchored at the Mart Dock in Muskegon. Sid has long been a volunteer tour guide on the ship. Sid served on a similar ship, LST 651, in the South Pacific during World War II.
The programs begin with Gospel and Patriotic Song from 9:30AM to 9:45AM with the video to follow.
The videos will be shown at Marge’s Donut Den every other Wednesday with coffee provided by Marge.
After the videos, Mr. Sid (Sid Lenger) will be available for questions. (Average length of videos 40 minutes.) The full schedule is as follows:
May 25 – Video Tour of LST 393 with Mr. Sid
June 8 – Austria
June 22 – Nepal
July 6 – Netherlands
July 20 – India
August 3 – Italy
August 17 – Mission India – Amazing Story of John Raj & 5 Days in India
August 31 – Canada
September 14 – New Zeeland
September 28 – Alaska
October 12 – The Challenge of India – Mission India
October 26 – Switzerland
November 9 – Mr. Sid Goes to War – Sid’s Documentary of his wartime experience
November 23 – The Presidents of Mt. Rushmore – America Then
Paczkis are loaded with yummy goodness weighing in between 350 and 700 calories each.
By: Mike DeWitt
If your coworkers, friends and family look a little fuller around the waist this morning, it’s not your eyes playing tricks on you. Today is Fat Tuesday, or Paczki Day, a time for people to indulge in sweets and fatty goodness before Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent.
A paczki (pronounced poonch-key) is a delectable polish treat with rich dough, sweet fillings, rolled in powdered sugar and covered in glaze.
However, don’t make the mistake of comparing a paczki to a jelly doughnut.
A jelly doughnut is a cheap knockoff to a paczki. Real Polish paczki are made with extremely rich dough because religious law forbade the consumption of lard, sugar and eggs during the Lenten fasting season. Everything rich in the pantry was used to create the glorious treat that is then filled with a fruit or cream filing. While the added sweet in the center makes your taste buds jump for joy, it’s all about the dough. It’s dense, not light and fluffy, so it doesn’t collapse when you bite in.
While paczki are a well-known treat on Fat Tuesday, it’s a Polish concoction and not the only fat-filled item on the menu around the world. In Ukraine, it’s a crepe-like pancake called nalysnyky, and doughnuts called spurgos and krofne are made in Lithuania and Serbia, respectively. The treats may be different, but the idea is the same, dump all your butter and eggs into a pastry and eat up! It’ll be forty days until you have the chance again.
Marge’s Donut Den offers 12 varieties of Paczkis with powdered or glazed topping.
Looking for a paczki? Look no further than Marge’s Donut Den on 28th Street. Stop on in and indulge in the little calorie bomb’s carbo-loaded goodness!
Originated in Poland, women would make these to use up the sweet ingredients before Lent.
Next Tuesday is FAT Tuesday or Paczki Day (pronounced Pawnch-kee) named so because it’s the last day to indulge in sweets before the season of Lent. These traditional Polish doughnuts (which date back to the Middle Ages!) have their own special dough recipe to be deep fried, injected with sweet fillings and then rolled in powdered sugar or basted with a glaze. It seems appropriate then for Marge’s Donut Den to take these seductive calorie bombs seriously and offer them to the public freshly made around-the-clock starting in the wee hours of the 17th, exactly at 12:01 a.m.
Paczkis are loaded with yummy goodness weighing in between 350 and 700 calories each.
“And the first customer that comes in gets a very special prize,” promises Marge Wilson, owner of Marge’s Donut Den on 28th Street in Wyoming.
“We’re not selling any Paczkis in advance,” she warns. “Only on the 17th at 12:01 a.m.”
She is quick to add though that they’ll be taking orders ahead of time by phone.
“We’ll have a special line for order pick ups so that you don’t have to wait,” she says.
But if you do have to wait, you’re likely to be entertained. Marge has a 24-hour Paczki party planned that starts and ends with live family entertainment. Starting at midnight, Tom Briggs, a favorite Donut Den DJ, will play music and take requests until 7 a.m. Then the duet Irv and Carol take over with signing, accordion and piano music. The Hark Up Band steps in at 7 p.m. for music and dancing until 10 p.m.
“We want families to come in the evening wearing their pajamas – with underwear please – to dance, party and eat Paczkis. It’s going to be a lot of fun for everyone!”
Marge’s Donut Den offers 12 varieties of Paczkis with powdered or glazed topping.
This is the first time Marge has been open 24-hours for Paczki Day. At 75, she admits she has the reinforcements of her three adult children and their families to help tip the scales on Fat Tuesday.
“I’m here for twenty hours anyway. I figured another four hours wouldn’t hurt.
“Besides, my daughter is coming in from Arizona for this and my other kids are taking a day off work to be here so what better way to catch up on visiting than here at work having fun?”
Fun for this family means making 12 varieties of fresh Paczkis for customers. Order by phone now or the day of Fat Tuesday and choose from fillings of: apple, apricot, peach, lemon, blueberry, cherry, chocolate, custard, raspberry, strawberry, white creme or prune jam – the traditional choice.
So if you want to indulge one last time before Lent, stop by Marge’s Donut Den and treat yourself to a few fresh Paczkis and a cup of coffee. Then if you feel guilty, stay and dance it off! Remember – pajamas (with underwear) are optional.
“I wake up and I start solving problems, that’s what I do,” said Marge Wilson the owner of Marge’s Donut Den of Wyoming, MI.
Marge arrives to her donut shop at 4 a.m., 365 days a year since she established her business in 1975. Marge had worked 20 years in banking before she decided to buy the old Dixie Cream Donuts that she once went to as a kid and had fond memories made with her family.
“You’re a product of your home environment,” said Marge as she explained how her parents were always giving and creating good examples with a family environment. Never knowing any different from those times in her childhood, Marge has continued many of those traits and has created not only a strong business, but a large community family.
On a daily basis hundreds customers, new ones and many familiar faces enter through the doors where the slogan “Be kind, be good” is placed. Walking into a warm comfort feeling and mouthwatering bakery smell building it feels more like home kitchen rather than a business. The donut den has a very friendly atmosphere and customers are always welcomed in and treated as if they are family of Marge’s.
“Quality comes first,” is one of many mentalities at the donut shop where on average 5,000 donuts are made daily throughout the week. The same building where the regular donut and coffee group meet daily at their own table and with a personally made table cloth with nicknames and slogans embroidered.
The only exception is on Packi Day when a whopping 18,000 donuts are prepared for Fat Tuesday, the last day before Lent. There’s nothing like a 20 hour work day and thousands of customers later.
For a small family owned local shop to create such a reputation and consistency in making that many donuts on a daily basis it proves itself on the type of business that Marge’s is, as well as the workers.
Apple fritters and long johns are the customer favorites and most sold donuts at Marge’s. There are options and favorites for everyone who visits Marge’s. A huge variety of delicious home-made donuts and other baked goods fill the display cases, which makes it very hard to decide and settle on just one treat.
“Look at me, name it and I like it,” said Marge with a big smile and laugh when asked what her favorite donut choice was.
While the phone continously rings and customers line up in front of the donut case Marge is always on alert to assist with business. Marge always seems to take the initative to answer the phone or just greet and socialize with cutomers, her friends. This shows how much of a friendly kind hearted and hard working woman she really is.
It is obvious that Marge’s is more than just a business, but a place that can be like a home where great friendships happen and memories are made. Having her donut den function like this is one of the main highlights for Marge. She loves being able to help others in any way possible and to give, as she does often.
“The people,” said Marge after a long deep thought about what is most rewarding of owning the donut shop. “To be able to help people celebrate their occasions and work with their budgets is what’s best.”
Marge doesn’t work for herself, but for her customers and to create magical moments. Since her kids and now grandchildren are all grown up, Marge loves the children that she is able to see and watch grow up over the years as they visit her donut shop.
Stop by Marge’s anytime and you will be sure to be satisfied with donuts, but more importantly with friends, family, and memories in the making.
From the moment you walk through the door at Marge’s Donut Den the love is felt. Smiling workers, happy customers and not to mention the delicious smell of fresh donuts makes you not want to leave.
Starting out at a young age Marge has always been one to help and care about other people. At 12 years she was volunteering to make bandages for soldiers and going to stores to help feed poor people. “You’re a bi-product of your parents, “said Marge “That’s all I’ve ever known.”
Marge continues to carry the values she learned from her parents every day. “A community is taking care of your neighbors,” said Marge. Monthly, she meets with west end business leaders to discuss ways to help the community. Along with that, Marge has a large jar at the counter to help raise money for wells in Nigeria and hands out a book to customers called “Anthony’s Prayers” that reminds people to be thankful.“I can’t take credit for anything,” said Marge “I think it falls into your lap.” The Nigeria project is something that proves to be something extraordinary. “I’ve had numerous jars for years and no one puts money in it” said Marge “But the wells just keep going and going.”
“God gives you things and expects you to turn it around and give it to someone else” said Marge “Because why would I ever put a well in Nigeria!”
The warm atmosphere that is in the Donut Den is there because of Marge and the lives she’s touched. “The customers that come into the shop are family,” said a worker.
“One person can set an example for others,” said Marge “but it takes a group of people to make things happen and it will all fall into place.” It all goes back to the saying above the door at the Den. “Be kind, be good”
That’s the way the people at Marge’s Donut Den live their lives everyday.
Coffee with The Candidates Phase II is Wednesday evening, July 27th from 5-8 pm.
By: Tom Sibley
