Zeeland West held off South Christian 34-21 to improve to 4-1 in the OK Gold, 7-1 overall, while the Sailors fell to 1-4 in the Gold, 4-4 overall.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis was 25-for-37 for 219 yards with one interception and one touchdown. He led on the ground with 62 yards on 17 carries with one touchdown. Tyler Brinks had six catches for 99 yards, followed by Owen Burgess, 13 for 81 yards and Chuck DeHaan, four catches for 35 yards and one touchdown.
South Christian faces Catholic Central at East Grand Rapids High School for the last regular season game on Friday.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis at last year’s Division 4 state finals. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
Gerald R. Ford International Airport, in partnership with HMSHost, is set to open a Bell’s Brewery location on Concourse B this winter.
“Since opening in 1985, Bell’s Brewery has been a beloved staple in our community,” said Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority President and CEO Tory Richardson. “With an average of 10,000 passengers coming through our terminal daily—some of whom are first-time visitors to West Michigan—we are excited to showcase the vibrant local flavors of our region and hope all our travelers can enjoy the diverse options available to them.”
Restaurateur HMSHost, part of leading global travel experience player Avolta, operates more than 1,000 dining venues across North America, including partnerships with local businesses and brands to elevate travel venues and introduce regional culinary expertise to a global audience. The Bell’s Brewery location will feature classic favorites such as Oberon Ale and Two Hearted IPA, along with seasonal offerings and a menu of small bites and snacks.
“We are proud to partner with Ford International Airport and Bell’s Brewery to expand the concessions program and to bring a taste of place to the concourse through a dining venue inspired by a beloved, locally born brand,” said HMSHost Vice President of Business Development Bryan Loden. “Bell’s Tap and Table will make a traveler’s journey through the airport all the more exciting by offering great beer, delicious food and excellent hospitality.”
“Bell’s is proud of our Michigan-based roots and we’ve loved being able to bring exceptional craft beer to our communities for nearly four decades. Through this partnership, Michiganders on the west side of the state can now experience Bell’s at new occasions,” said Bell’s Executive Vice President Carrie Yunker.
Ford International Airport to open a Bell’s Brewery this winter. (Rendering Courtesy, Ford International Airport)
Ford International Airport and HMSHost continue to offer a variety of restaurants, shops and amenities, including Founders, Firehouse Subs, INK by Hudson, Starbucks and more. For more information about the amenities offered at the Ford International Airport, visit FlyFord.org/amenities.
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
The City of Kentwood is inviting community members to enjoy spooky, seasonal fun and treats at its annual Trunk or Treat event on Saturday, Oct. 26.
The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE. Kids and their loved ones can explore and collect candy from more than 25 City and community vehicles.
Kentwood Trunk or Treat. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
“The City of Kentwood’s Trunk or Treat event is a great opportunity for community members, City staff and local organizations to celebrate together in a safe and fun environment,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “We hope children and their loved ones create lasting memories while kickstarting their Halloween fun.”
Every vehicle will feature seasonally decorated trunks for community members to view and enjoy. Attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite trunk during and after the event using the online form at kentwood.us/TrunkOrTreat. The winner will be announced on social media.
Kentwood Trunk or Treat. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Halloween costumes are encouraged
Attendees are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes and bring a bag for collecting their goodies.
Olly’s Mini Donuts food truck will be on site serving a variety of donuts and fall drinks for purchase.
Local businesses and community groups wishing to participate in Trunk or Treat can register for free online until Friday, Oct. 18 by 4 p.m. Pre-registration is not required for community members to attend the event.
For more information about Kentwood’s Trunk or Treat or to sign up to volunteer, visit kentwood.us/TrunkOrTreat.
Kentwood Trunk or Treat. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Hudsonville Unity Christian beat South Christian 50-21 Friday to remain atop the OK Gold at 4-0, 7-0 overall. The Sailors fell to 1-3 in the Gold, 4-3 overall.
South Christian hosts Zeeland West next Friday at Hudsonville High School.
From Left: Kentwood Deputy Chief of Police Stephanie Morningstar and Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley at the Midwest Michigan Snowplow Roadeo and Equipment Show 2024. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
More than 600 people attended the 2024 American Public Works Association Midwest Michigan Snowplow Roadeo and Equipment Show on Oct. 9 in Kentwood.
Hosted by the Kentwood Public Works Department, it featured a timed obstacle course where drivers from across Michigan competed to test their skills and an equipment show with local vendors displaying their products and services.
“The event was fantastic and a huge success,” said Chad Griffin, Kentwood Director of Public Works. “We had one of our best ever turnouts for the event, between attendance of vendors and participants/guests.”
The Roadeo provides an opportunity for public agencies to prepare for winter snow removal operations by training drivers, networking and viewing a variety of useful products and services.
Midwest Michigan Snowplow Roadeo and Equipment Show 2024. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
“This is an opportunity for staff to brush up on their snowplow driving skills while competing with their peers, preparing for the winter season ahead,” Griffin explained. “Team drivers represent their respective municipalities (Road Commissions and Public Works Departments) driving a course layout of challenging obstacles which have to be navigated with fully-equipped snowplow trucks carefully.
“Additionally, vendors attend the event to show off new and innovative snow removal equipment, road repair products and many other items/materials which improve the operations of our road crews.”
Kentwood Director of Public Works Chad Griffin. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Kentwood team takes first place
“Out of 39 teams represented, taking first place is a show of dedication our staff has for the snowplow training and the skills they possess to serve the Kentwood Community with excellence,” Griffin said. “The Kentwood DPW team consisted of Alex Hiestand and James Norton. We are very proud of our crews.”
James Norton wins Top Driver
“”James has been with Kentwood DPW for seven years, working as a Streets Maintenance Technician II,” said Griffin, who has a staff of 39 full-time workers responsible for everything from utilities, grounds, streets, buildings and fleet maintenance.
“Winter snow maintenance is an all-hands-on-deck operational effort. We cover nearly 21 square miles of Kentwood, which includes over 380 lane miles of roads. We also remove snow and ice from our city facilities and parks parking lots.”
The City of Wyoming and the City of Walker came in second and third, respectively. The City of Cadillac and Kent County Road Commission South earned the fourth and fifth spot.
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
This high school level robotics competition will showcase 18 Michigan teams battling in complex two-minute matches against highly skilled competitors in last season’s game, Crescendo.
Highlighting women in tech
GRGRC is a FIRST Robotics off-season event (Courtesy, GRGRC 2022)
The GRGRC is a FIRST Robotics off-season event. Michigan boasts the most FIRST Robotics teams in action, and the competition will be energized.
During this unique event female team members will be the primary drivers, operators and pit crew members of their team’s robot.
“I’ve really looked forward to the Girls Tournament every year since I’ve known about it,” said Emma Bustraan, #4967 That ONE Team – Our Next Engineers. “It’s kind of a neat experience, because there’s something special about being responsible for how you end up placing.
Female team members operate their team’s robots (Courtesy, GRGRC 2023)
“It’s a cool feeling to have the joystick in your hands and knowing that, if you break the robot, you have to fix it.”
The GRGRC will begin with a Ladies in Tech panel at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12.
This panel is a great opportunity to connect and learn from female STEM leaders in our community.
The robotics competition begins with opening ceremonies at 8:45 a.m., concluding with the awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m.
Family-friendly and FREE
Mark your calendars for this family-friendly event and to learn more about STEM and FIRST Robotics. All events are FREE, open to the public and will be held at Wyoming High School, 1350 Prairie Parkway SW.
GRGRC is hosted by Demons Robotics #858 from Wyoming High School, Red Storm Robotics #3875 from East Kentwood High School, Red Storm Rookies #9566 from East Kentwood Freshman Campus, and community team That ONE Team #4967.
Stay up-to-date on competition details on the GRGRC Facebook page.
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
The City of Kentwood is inviting community members to enjoy glow-themed fun at its Glow in the Park event on Saturday, Oct. 5.
This year’s event takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Pinewood Park, 1999 Wolfboro Drive SE. It features a variety of glow-themed activities, including light-up playground games, crafts, a dance party, food and more. Attendees are encouraged to wear clothes and accessories that glow in the dark and are brightly colored.
Kentwood Glow in the Park. (Photo Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
“We’re excited to see neighbors and friends light up the park with their attire and smiles,” said Shelby Henshaw, recreation program coordinator. “We’ve planned a wide variety of glow-themed activities and crafts for all ages to enjoy.”
Glow in the Park begins at 7 p.m. with games and crafts. Community members are invited to walk along a park path that will be lit up with colorful lights and glow sticks. Olly’s Mini Donuts will be on-site offering delicious donuts and drinks for purchase. The evening will conclude with an after-party featuring music, dancing and snacks at the park shelter.
General admission for the event is $5 and includes glow materials. Event sponsors are Metronet, Sinclair Recreation and Vista Charter Academy.
It’s important older adults – and those who care for them – take action each fall to help prevent severe complications that can come from contracting viral illnesses. (Courtesy, Adobe Stock)
While fall brings with it sweaters, corn mazes and all things pumpkin spice, it also marks a peak in respiratory virus illnesses.
As the new season begins, Care Resources Clinical Quality Manager Bethany Graham says now is a serious time to focus on illness prevention, particularly for older adults.
“Every year in the fall, we start seeing an increase in influenza and COVID in the U.S.,” says Graham, who oversees infection control for Care Resources, a community-based program that serves people 55 years and older. “Flu and COVID are viral illnesses that impact everyone differently depending on age and different risk factors.
“For our more frail, medically complex elderly population, these viruses can be really detrimental, so it’s important older adults – and those who care for them – work diligently to avoid illness each year.”
Medical professionals strongly recommend updated flu and COVID vaccines each fall to provide protection through the winter season when those viruses are more widespread in the community.
While the vaccines don’t fully prevent people from contracting the flu or COVID, Graham says they do significantly decrease the severity of symptoms and the risk of hospitalization – or worse – for vulnerable populations.
“Where grandkids and other family members may be sick for just few days and then recover, for unprotected older adults, getting the flu or COVID could result in hospitalization and severe complications like pneumonia or death,” Graham says. “Staying up to date on recommended vaccines can help prevent those complications. That is why older adults in particular should get vaccinated each fall.”
To help those who are hesitant to get vaccinated, Graham and her team work to educate the community about common myths.
“To be clear: You cannot get the flu or COVID from vaccines. That’s simply not how it works. It is not possible,” she says. “We also want people to understand that some side effects are completely normal and temporary – things such as soreness or pain at the injection site, fatigue, even a low-grade fever – it’s just your body reacting to the vaccine, which is a good thing. Side effects should only last two or three days at most.”
What else can caregivers of older adults be doing to help prepare for flu season? Graham says keeping open lines of communication about how everyone is feeling is key.
“First and foremost, get into the habit of talking about any symptoms they’re having,” she says. “If they are not feeling well, make sure they’re not going near loved ones – and the other way around.
“Get comfortable having discussions about illnesses and symptoms before visits to avoid contact with family members who are sick.”
As the holiday season nears, Graham urges everyone to take personal responsibility of not spreading any illness.
“If you are not feeling well, be honest about your symptoms and don’t visit grandma and grandpa,” she says. “It’s not worth the risk.”
If contact cannot be avoided, particularly for caregivers of older adults, Graham recommends wearing a mask.
“I like to remind people masks are not a COVID-specific tool,” she says. “If you’re not feeling well but need to be around a loved one, wearing a mask will decrease the risk of giving any illness to them and vice versa.”
Handwashing also is very important – especially after coughing or sneezing and before eating. Graham recommends “really ramping up hand washing even more than you might normally do” in fall and winter.
Actual hand washing with hand soap and water is best, but hand sanitizer is better than nothing – and sometimes easier in certain caregiver situations.
“If your loved one has dementia, offering hand-washing reminders can be really helpful,” she adds. “And just modeling it yourself, making it the norm.”
Additionally, Graham says to keep up with regular cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces, such as door handles, bed rails and cane walkers.
Care Resources offers a variety of medical care and home health services, including vaccine clinics for participants, to help older adults stay healthy and independent. To learn more, visit CareResources.org or call 616-913-2006.
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its Sensory Room, located at the beginning of Concourse A. This new area is designed to offer support to travelers with sensory sensitivities.
The Sensory Room is intended to provide a therapeutic setting that helps individuals feel comfortable in their surroundings. The space is designed to minimize overstimulation and provide a calm and inclusive environment for individuals of all ages with cognitive and/or development disabilities.
(Courtesy, Ford International Airport)
“We are pleased to continue our commitment to enhancing the airport experience for all travelers,” said Tory Richardson, president and CEO of the Ford International Airport Authority. “This room includes sensory aids that stimulate reactions, encourage communication, and reduce agitation and anxiety sometimes caused by air travel.”
Developed in partnership with Disability Advocates of Kent County, the Sensory Room is intended to provide a calm and controlled setting that offers a sense of familiarity for travelers. The space is divided into four different zones, including:
Transition Zone: Provides a comfortable adjustment from one sensory experience to another.
Active Zone: Engages multiple senses through various activities.
Respite Zone: Offers sensory separation and recalibration in a public setting.
Airplane Simulation Zone: Prepares individuals for new sensory situations to decrease anxiety.
Sensory Room. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)
“We would like to thank Delta Air Lines and Aero BridgeWorks Inc. for their support of this project and for their donation to the Airplane Simulation Zone, which will help travelers practice the process of boarding a plane, walking on a jet bridge and finding their seat,” Richardson said.
Additional features in the Sensory Room include an activity wall, campfire sitting area, soft surface play area and more.
The Sensory Room is now open to travelers and can be accessed through a call button next to the entrance door.
Woodland Mall will host an event in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month on Saturday, Sept. 28 in partnership with West Michigan’s Spanish-language radio station, La Poderosa.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the celebration will feature a Mexican dance performance, a variety of Hispanic-owned vendors, a coloring station and prizes in the mall’s Von Maur wing. La Poderosa will be programming live from the event, playing today’s Hispanic music hits and doing giveaways. In addition, On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina will be offering chips and salsa samples.
La Poderosa will be programming live from the event. (Photo Courtesy, Woodland Mall)
Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of Hispanic and Latinx history, culture and contributions to the United States. It’s celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year since 1988.
“We look forward to bringing the community together to celebrate Hispanic and Latinx heritage and culture here in West Michigan,” said Marketing Manager Kennedy Vancalbergh. “This all-ages event will feature traditional dance performances, crafts for children, prizes and delicious food. We are delighted to again partner with La Poderosa to honor Hispanic Heritage Month.”
A special performance by Mexico Mix Ballet Folklórico, a local Ballet Folklórico dance group, will kick off the celebration at 11 a.m. The group consists of 10 adults and 10 children who will perform traditional Mexican dances for the audience.
Other activities include a booth where children can color maracas and a passport bingo game inviting guests to “travel” to all the vendors, matching countries on their bingo card to each booth. Once the bingo sheet is complete, guests will receive a prize and can also enter into a gift card giveaway.
Additional event information, including a full list of Hispanic-Owned vendors, can be found at ShopWoodlandMall.com. Vendor space is available. Businesses interested in registering may complete an application by contacting Cynthia Canos at cynthia@canosbroadcasting.com or 616-451-0551, ext. 100.
The City of Kentwood invites local organizations and community members of all abilities to its third Adaptive Recreation Expo on Thursday, Oct. 3.
The free event takes place 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. It is open to all community members, and no ticket or pre-registration is required. The event features a variety of local organizations with programs and resources for individuals of all abilities and provides opportunities for community members and vendors alike. A free pizza dinner also is provided to those in attendance.
“We are looking forward to hosting our third Adaptive Recreation Expo,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “This event has helped raise awareness of what equipment, resources and recreation options are available to people with disabilities and their families. When organizations come together like this, the community wins.”
During the event, individuals who have disabilities and their loved ones can learn more about a variety of local programs and resources, including recreation opportunities and adaptive equipment demonstrations. Students and community members interested in adaptive recreation can connect with local agencies and learn about volunteer, internship and employment opportunities.
Vendor applications are still being accepted. Vendors will have an opportunity to connect directly with potential new clients and volunteers as well as other organizations. If your organization is interested in becoming a vendor, contact Ann Przybysz at przybysza@kentwood.us or 616-656-5284.
The event’s gold sponsor is Secure Financial Group, silver sponsor is Hanger Clinic and bronze sponsors are Beyond26, Clock Mobility, Coloplast, Disability Advocates of Kent County, Life Beyond Barriers Rehabilitation Group, Novo Chiropractic Sports & Wellness Center, Ready for Life and West Michigan Bike and Fitness.
Brennan Carroll, from left, (Kentwood recreation program coordinator ), Jocelyn Dettloff (The Vibe guest speaker) and Ann Przybysz (Kentwood recreation program coordinator) at The Vibe Fundraiser 2024. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
While sledding down a sand dune in Sub-Saharan Africa back in 1997, Jocelyn Dettloff hit a mound of dirt which instantly changed her life.
“I don’t remember flying through the air, but I definitely remember as soon as I hit I could hear people calling my name,” Dettloff recalled. “I looked fine; you couldn’t tell that I was injured in any way. So when I woke up and I couldn’t feel anything, I knew that was a bad sign. I broke my back at thoracic 5 which is about bra line, mid-chest. I have what’s called a complete spinal cord injury. I have no feeling or movement from the point of injury down.
“This trip that I was on, they have you take out this evacuation insurance where they’ll fly you home from anywhere in the world and cover you up to a certain amount. So I actually had a nurse and a paramedic fly down from London to fly back with me to Kalamazoo.
Dettloff said she did quite a bit of traveling after college.
The Vibe guest speaker Jocelyn Dettloff. (Courtesy, Jocelyn Dettloff)
“I went on a trip to Europe, I spent a year backpacking through Australia and New Zealand, and I decided that Sub-Saharan Africa was going to be my next destination. I signed up for a company in England that did overland trips and we started in Kenya, and we were supposed to end up in South Africa. It was a very rustic trip. You just brought your sleeping bag, clothes and a roll mat and the truck had all the equipment that you would need.”
After the accident, she waited 3-1/2 hours for an airplane to get her because they were “literally in the middle of nowhere.”
“One of the drivers had to drive back to the campground, radio for a plane, and I was flown to the capital city of Windhoek (Namibia) and spent three weeks in the hospital there. They did surgery and stabilized my spine, and then I flew home to Kalamazoo and then went to Mary Free Bed for my rehab. And then just stayed in Grand Rapids.”
How long did it take to sink in that this was your new life?
“I say not long because when I got to the hospital my doctor was looking down at me and flicking sand off of me, and even before I knew his name, the very first thing he said to me is, ‘I want you to know you’ll probably never walk again.’ So there was just a little voice inside me that said, okay. But I’m good at compartmentalizing things, too, but it’s just focusing on the next thing to move on.”
Dettloff, now a Major Gift Director with the Mary Free Bed Foundation, was the guest speaker at the City of Kentwood’s Adaptive Recreation Programs fundraiser last Thursday called The Vibe, held in the courtyard of the Kent District Library — Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch.
About 10 years ago, Dettloff wrote a memoir entitled, “It Rained in the Desert: One Woman’s Story of Spirit and Resilience,” and recently recorded it through audible.com. You can find it HERE.
A passion for wheelchair tennis
She discovered wheelchair tennis and began playing competitively on a USTA local travel league. Her love for being active led her to trying a variety of other sports, including participating in Kentwood Parks and Recreation’s water ski program.
“Water skiing is one of the first adaptive activities that I did,” Dettloff explained. “They did that in partnership with Mary Free Bed. They do a few things in partnership with Free Bed, and then they have their own programming. But they partner together on downhill skiing clinics, water skiing, archery and golf.
“I still think that I should be able to do everything that I used to be able to do in a semi-similar way,” continued Dettloff, who talked about the effect and value wheelchair sports has had in her life.
Adaptive Recreation Water Skiing was one of the many information stations at The Vibe Fundraiser 2024. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Whatever happens in life, you can move on
“I mean, just to show that whatever happens in your life you can move on, you can,” Dettloff said. “I always say, I hit a mound of dirt and it changed my life. Many people have their version of a mound, whether it’s an illness, a different kind of accident, losing a job, divorce. I mean, the list could go on.
“But there is moving on from any kind of tragedy.”
Amongst the hors d’oeuvres and live music provided by Main Street Dueling Pianos, a silent auction was held and many adaptive equipment displays and videos could be seen at the 6th Annual Vibe.
All money raised at this year’s event will help purchase new equipment for Kentwood’s adaptive recreation program, which includes active sports such as archery, kayaking, bowling, water skiing, rock climbing, downhill skiing and pickleball as well as social opportunities such as leisure club and dances.
Adaptive Recreation Bowling was one of the many information stations at The Vibe Fundraiser 2024. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Parks and Rec newcomer Brennan Carroll, a recreation program coordinator, talked about why he enjoys working in the Adaptive Recreation Programs.
“I gravitate to it because it’s a population of people that I love working with,” Carroll said. “It’s just very cool to see how many people love and keep coming back to the same stuff that we’ve got going on, that I could be a part of that.”
Ann Przybysz, recreation program coordinator, spoke about who the Adaptive Rec Program serves.
“We do serve all sorts of disabilities and abilities, we have all sorts of diagnoses, people with physical disabilities, intellectual and developmental disabilities, so there’s really no cut off for who can participate in our programs,” Przybysz said. “We accept everyone and try to help everyone be successful in whatever that looks like for them.”
What do you enjoy most about the program?
“I love being able to connect families of people with disabilities to other families because, really, no one knows what their lives are like except for people in similar circumstances,” Przybysz explained. “I love seeing those connections and that socialization piece, not just with our participants, for their families as well, and really feeling connected, and involved and not alone.
“It can be really hard to know where to start for a lot of families, and so being able to connect them to just one resource here, and share more resources, that’s what I love about it.”
Kentwood’s adaptive recreation program is open to individuals of all abilities in Kentwood and beyond. Learn more and sign up for the various offerings HERE.
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Sept. 27: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
Led by a big effort from its defense, the East Kentwood football team defeated host West Ottawa to remain undefeated in the OK Red and set up a showdown with Hudsonville Friday at Falcon Stadium.
With the defense coming up with several big stops and the offense stepping up with big plays when needed, the Falcons came away with a 21-7 win at West Ottawa. The win improved East Kentwood’s record to 3-1 overall, 2-0 in the OK Red. The win also sets up a showdown with Hudsonville, also 2-0 in the conference, this Friday at 7 p.m. at Falcon Stadium.
“This was already going to be a big game for us,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “We already had it circled on the schedule. Now it is even a bigger game for the fact that they beat Rockford.”
Sets up showdown of OK Red unbeatens Friday
Hudsonville remained unbeaten in the conference last Friday when they handed previously undefeated Rockford a 28-21 defeat at Hudsonville setting up the showdown between the conference unbeatens this week.
East Kentwood kept its conference record perfect with a strong all-around effort at West Ottawa.
“It was a really great team win for us,” Spencer said. “Our defense made the stops when we needed them too. We had a lot of big fourth-down stops when we had to make them. For us, the way we play, we do not want to give up the big play on defense. We will let a team dink and dunk, but we do not want to give up the big play.”
East Kentwood took the initial lead in the game in the first quarter. The Falcons struck through the air for their first score when quarterback Kayd Coffman connected with Ahman Edmunds on a 35-yard touchdown pass. Jayden Garcia kicked the first of three extra points during the game giving the Falcons a 7-0 lead.
East Kentwood doubled the lead in the second quarter. The Falcons again struck through the air for their score, with the second touchdown coming on a 35-yard passing play from Coffman to Caiden Holt. Garcia tacked on the extra point putting the Falcons up 14-0.
East Kentwood wide receiver Caiden Holt caught a pair of passes for 65 yards and a touchdown. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
West Ottawa scored its lone touchdown of the game later in the second quarter on a three-yard pass play cutting the Falcon lead to 14-7.
East Kentwood scored the final points of the game during the third quarter. The Falcons final touchdown came on a one-yard touchdown run by Jesse Phillips.
From there, the Falcons turned the game over to the defense.
“Our defense made some big plays down the stretch,” Spencer said. “The defense made a big stop on a fourth and goal that if they (West Ottawa) made it would’ve made it a one-score game. Donavan Jones also had a big interception and we had some more fourth-down stops.”
Terrence Kabanda and Donavan Jones 7 tackles apiece
The Falcon defense was led by Terrence Kabanda who totaled seven tackles and a tackle for loss. Along with his interception, Jones also racked up seven tackles and two assisted tackles. Silas Mitchell added five tackles and an assist, followed by Tyler Meeuwsen, five tackles and one for a loss, Major Barnes, four tackles and two assists, and James Jones had a pair of tackles for loss.
On offense, the Falcons received a big game from Coffman who completed 10-of-16 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Caiden Holt caught a pair of passes for 65 yards and a touchdown while Ahman Edmonds caught two passes for 58 yards and a score and Chris Ware hauled in six passes for 64 yards. Elijah Jones led the Falcons in rushing with 99 yards on 11 carries.
Elijah Jones led the Falcons with 99 yards rushing on 11 carries. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
“We had a balanced effort on offense,” Spencer said. “Kayd threw two touchdowns and Elijah Jones ran for 99 yards so we were able to have a good, balanced attack.”
The Falcons will count on another balanced effort in Friday’s contest with Hudsonville.
“We know they are well coached and play smash-mouth football,” Spencer said. “We have to be really locked in and be prepared to do a great job. We had a great effort against West Ottawa and got the win but we have to keep building.”
In a world filled with a fair amount of negative, painful stories, this one should put a smile on your face.
Take a look at the body cam footage of this great interaction between Kentwood Police Officers Mendez and Joseff with Dominic Russell stranded on his power wheelchair on Sept. 17 near the corner of 44th St. and Breton in Kentwood.
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
After a conversation about how to get Russell home, whether via an ambulance, police car or other method of transportation, the officers ended up pushing him home a good distance. Russell’s wheelchair battery had died so he ultimately called 911 and within 10 minutes was greeted by Mendez and Joseff.
Kentwood Police Captain Tim Wierenga said the officers took turns pushing the heavy, motorized wheelchair until they reached Russell’s residence.
“(I’m) happy to pass along these positive stories; this one sure has gotten a lot of attention,” Wierenga said.
Facebook “thank you” from Dominic Russell
(Image Courtesy, Kentwood Police Department Facebook)
The Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department will unveil improvements made at East Paris Nature Park during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Community members are invited to join the 2 p.m. celebration at the park, 5995 East Paris Ave. SE. The enhancements include trail improvements, signage and new amenities such as pet stations, bike repair stations, benches and more. These upgrades create a welcoming and enjoyable environment for community members of all ages and interests, inviting them to travel the trail, relax on a bench, learn about the wildlife that calls the park home and much more.
(Courtesy, Kentwood Parks and Recreation)
This project was funded in part by a grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and through the voter-approved City of Kentwood Parks, Trails & Recreation millage.
“We’re excited to officially unveil and celebrate the improvements at East Paris Nature Park,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation director. “Through the parks millage, we are committed to enhancing the experience for all park visitors. We look forward to community members enjoying these wonderful amenities for years to come.”
Mayor Stephen Kepley will provide remarks during the ribbon-cutting. He will be joined at the event by other City of Kentwood officials.
More details on the East Paris Nature Park improvements are available on the City of Kentwood’s website.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport has been certified through the Airports Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program. The program is recognized internationally, with airports across the globe participating.
ACA includes a framework that helps airports identify, manage and ultimately reduce carbon emissions. The program comprises seven levels of certification, each of which represents a unique phase in carbon emission identification and reduction.
The Ford International Airport was certified at “Level 2,” which recognizes ongoing reductions in carbon emissions and sets goals for future carbon management. To date, the Ford International Airport continues to transition light fixtures to LEDs throughout the terminal and on the airfield. In addition, the terminal lighting system integrates efficiency measures such as light sensors in all the restrooms, private offices and passenger space in Concourses A and B. The Ford International Airport’s newly expanded Concourse A includes energy efficiency design as well. The design of Concourse A focused on leveraging building performance to enhance energy efficiency; there is a 70% energy reduction goal from 170 kBTU/sf/year down to 51 kBTU/sf/year.
“The Ford International Airport is committed to environmental and sustainable leadership,” said Tory Richardson, president and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “This is just the beginning of ongoing efforts as we continue our journey to reduce our environmental footprint in the West Michigan community.”
As a part of the ACA program, the Ford International Airport has developed and is implementing a carbon management plan to continue reducing emissions from sources under its control. The Ford International Airport has published its carbon reduction policy commitment with a goal of 20% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions per passenger (measured in kilograms per passenger) by 2035 compared to 2021 levels.
“We are thrilled to receive this certification as it underscores our commitment to sustainable aviation and responsible carbon management,” said Michelle Baker, environmental manager for the Ford International Airport Authority. “Our team has worked incredibly hard over the past three years to reduce emissions.”
Recognition of the Ford International Airport’s certification took place during the Airports Council International – North America’s (ACI-NA) 2024 Annual Conference in Grand Rapids in September 2024. It is one of only 57 commercial airports in North America to successfully become certified through this program.
“Congratulations to the Ford International Airport,” said Kevin M. Burke, president and CEO of ACI-NA. “This achievement will contribute to our industry’s shared vision of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts with airports to further reduce our collective carbon footprint.”
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like during basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Sept. 20: Wyoming vs. South Christian (at East Kentwood)
Friday, Sept. 27: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
At approximately 7:47 p.m. on Sept. 14, officers from the Kentwood Police Department responded to Main Event, a business establishment located at 3121 28th St. SE, with reports of an active fight involving 15-20 people.
Officers arrived on scene and were able to separate several people, adults and juveniles, that were engaging in assaultive behavior. Upon investigation, it appears that all people involved had been attending a birthday party and were known by each other.
One person sustained a minor injury as a result of the altercation. It does not appear that any weapons were involved. No arrests have been made at this time, and the case continues to be investigated by Kentwood Police detectives. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kentwood Police Department Detective Bureau at 616-656-6604. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or SilentObserver.org.
Along with teaching the X’s and O’s of football, new East Kentwood football coach Tyrone Spencer is also teaching the mental part of the game to his squad. The Falcons took another step in that mental course last Friday when defeating Caledonia 41-35 in the OK Red season opener.
The visiting Falcons stormed out of the gate fast and then had to fend off a furious Caledonia rally to come away with the win and improve to 2-1 for the season.
The fast start for the Falcons was a reversal of the Week 2 game against Byron Center where Kentwood fell behind by a large margin in the first half.
“I thought the guys played well,” Spencer said. “I think a real big thing was that the guys fought through adversity. We jumped out to a 34-0 lead and then Caledonia scored on a pick six. They came back and cut it to 34-28, but then our guys ended up making the plays at the end of the game that they needed to make.”
East Kentwood made plenty of plays in the opening half as it raced out to a 34-0 lead. Falcon running back Elijah Jones started the scoring as he reeled off a 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The lead grew to 13-0 when Falcon quarterback Drew Burton connected with Caiden Holt on a 21-yard touchdown pass with Jayden Garcia tacking on the extra point kick. The lead expanded to 20-0 later in the first quarter when Kayd Coffman, who shares the quarterback duties with Burton, scored on a one-yard touchdown run with Garcia converting the extra point.
East Kentwood’s Elijah Jones led the way with 201 yards rushing on 22 carries and three touchdowns against Caledonia. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
“We use both Drew and Kayd,” Spencer said. “They have both been great leaders for us. Kayd did some really nice things out there and Drew also did a nice job and threw a touchdown pass.”
The Falcons added two more touchdowns in the second quarter to grow the lead to 34-0. Coffman tossed a two-yard touchdown pass to Holt, while Jones scored his second touchdown of the game on a three-yard run. Garcia added both extra points.
Caledonia’s comeback
Caledonia began to mount a comeback late in the second quarter when Leighton Fink intercepted a Falcon pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown.
The Fighting Scots continued the comeback in the second half with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. Caledonia quarterback Brody Betser connected with Parker Little on a 29-yard scoring strike to make the score 34-14 after the extra point by Brody Siler. Betser then connected with Reed Vogeler on a touchdown pass cutting the Kentwood lead to 34-21.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Fighting Scots trimmed the deficit to six points as Betser ran for a touchdown from six-yards out and Siler tacked on the point after.
Kentwood, however, stemmed the tide later in the quarter when Jones ran in for his third touchdown of the game from a yard out. Garcia tacked on the point after putting the Falcons up 41-28.
Caledonia added one final touchdown on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Betser to Lincoln Senti with Siler tacking on the point after making the final score 41-35.
East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman completed 8-of-13 passes for 142 yards with one TD pass and one rushing. Andrew Burton threw one TD with 21 yards passing. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
“I thought this game was a great lesson for the guys,” Spencer said. “They have to learn how to win and this was a great lesson. I also talked to them about how important it is to get an early lead. To have early success and build on that momentum and we were able to do that with Elijah’s early 60-yard touchdown run. I also thought our coaches did a great job with the game plan.”
The Falcons showed good balance on offense for the game. Coffman completed 8-of-13 passes for 142 yards, while Burton added 21 yards passing. Jones led the way in the ground game with 22 carries for 201 yards with three touchdowns.
Holt led the way in the receiving department with six catches for 143 yards.
East Kentwood receiver Caiden Holt. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
Kabanda led EK with seven tackles
Terrence Kabanda led the Falcons with seven tackles, while Tyler Meeuwsen added five tackles and one tackle for loss. Steph Jones had an interception for EK.
“This was a huge game for us,” Spencer said. “Caledonia is a good team; it was our first conference and it was a road game. It felt really good to get this win. We have West Ottawa and Hudsonville coming up and we want to keep improving and getting more confidence.”
The Falcons travel to West Ottawa this Friday and then return home on Sept. 27 to host Hudsonville.
The City of Kentwood is debuting its Fall Festival to celebrate the change in seasons with food trucks, a beer tent, live music, a farmers market and activities for community members of all ages to enjoy.
The free-to-attend festival will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, on the lawn of Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE.
“We look forward to celebrating the start of the fall season as a community with a variety of outdoor activities,” Kentwood Parks and Recreation Director Val Romeo said. “We have something for everyone to enjoy, whether you want to lean into your competitive side in the volleyball competition or scarecrow building contest or opt for a relaxing activity like visiting the farmers market or artist vendor booths.”
The farmers market will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the food trucks, beer tent, artist vendors will be available 11 a.m.to 8 p.m. The beer tent features craft beers and seltzers from Railtown Brewing Company as well as other local seasonal and domestic beers.
Food Trucks: from barbeque to kettle corn, and much more
There will be an array of food trucks offering cuisines like barbeque, tacos and burgers as well as sweet treats like kettle corn, cheesecake, ice cream, donuts and more.
Local artist vendors and farmers market
Local artist vendors will feature goods like jewelry, posters, woodwork, books, home décor and more. Farmers market vendors will sell everything from fruits and vegetables to coffee and baked goods and much more.
Live music starts at 11 a.m.
Live music will start at 11 a.m. with Hot Leslie, followed by DJ Snax, Astro Jackson and RocknSoul. Attendees will hear everything from rock and pop to blues and hip-hop.
The Fall Festival also will feature a scarecrow building competition for all ages. Each team of two to four people will have an hour to create a scarecrow. The straw, stuffing, and stake will be provided, but each team will need to bring all additional materials such as clothing and accessories to dazzle the judges at 4:30 p.m. Teams can pre-register online and are required to pay a $10 entry fee.
Free children’s activities: face painting, bobbing for donuts and more
Free activities for children of all ages also will be offered, yard games and face painting throughout the event. At 1:30 p.m. there will be bobbing for donuts and at 2:30 p.m. there will be pumpkin rolling.
The event’s diamond sponsors are Macatawa Bank and Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics.
Volunteers are needed for helping at the Kids Fun Zone. Sign up to support this new community event and find additional event details and volunteer requirements at kentwood.us/FallFest.
For retired nurse Amy Lyons, being a volunteer for Emmanuel Hospice continues her lifelong pursuit of caring for others.
As a patient/family support volunteer, she’s at the bedside of a hospice patient providing comfort and peaceful companionship through the end of their life. Sometimes she talks with patients or reads to them, other times she’s more of a calming presence while she holds their hand or crochets a lap blanket.
“I was always taught the Holy Spirit will tell you what you need to do,” she says. “I can’t necessarily provide physical care as a volunteer, and as a former nurse, it’s hard not to help, but you find other ways to support. I’ll play music, hold their hand – whatever makes them comfortable.”
As she leaves a session with a patient, which normally lasts an hour to 90 minutes, she likes to ask if there’s anything she can bring them next time – something that brings them joy.
“One lady said sunflowers,” Lyons recalls. “Well, it was too early for real sunflowers, so I brought artificial ones. I explained this to her, and she said, ‘why yes, it is too early’ and then proceeded to tell me all about growth of sunflowers.
“I believe every patient always has something to teach you. If nothing else, it’s how to die with grace – all of them have been at peace in the end and that makes me happy.”
Lyons has been with several patients in their final moments in what’s known as “sitting vigil” – being at the bedside during someone’s last days or hours as they’re actively dying.
“I find it so rewarding,” she says. “People often ask how can you do that? And I can’t tell them enough what an honor it is to go and be selected to be with a person until their final breath.”
While most vigils last a few hours, the first patient she sat vigil with lasted nine days. She chose to be there with him for three to four hours a night, and when he passed, “It was a relief for both of us.”
“I thought, ‘he’s comfortable now,’ ” she remembers. “That is all I ever want to see, that you’re comfortable with where you’re heading. I tell patients, ‘no matter what you think or what you’ve done or haven’t done, it’s OK. You don’t have to be afraid.’ And for some, it seems that’s all they needed to hear – that it’s all going to be OK.”
Lyons also is a spiritual director trained by the Dominican Center in Grand Rapids, so she brings a spiritual side to her hospice volunteer work.
Lyons and her husband, who also is a spiritual director, have curated a library full of spiritual texts to better understand other belief systems and to offer readings that will resonate best with each individual patient.
“Figuring out what faith care they would like, and how to honor that is important to me,” she says.
One of her favorite tools for helping patients feel more comfortable and to open up about their life story is a book that contains a series of questions a father would typically answer for his own kids.
“I’ll look in the book and ask something like, ‘What’s your fondest memory of your grandkids?’ or ‘What do you remember about your grandma?’ and that usually gets people talking,” she says. “I’ll share about my life, too. I explain that being a nurse is very physical work, but I can sit and I can talk to them and hold their hand. I can’t care for them the way I used to, but now I can care for their spirits.
“I would never hesitate to volunteer again. If I knew how rewarding it would be, I would have become a hospice volunteer sooner in my life.”
Emmanuel Hospice is always looking for volunteers in the greater Grand Rapids area to provide companionship and support to patients. The nonprofit matches the unique skills and interests of prospective volunteers with the right opportunity, ensuring each volunteer receives a tailored area of assignment. More information can be found at EmmanuelHospice.org/volunteer.
The Kentwood Police Department responded to a personal injury accident at approximately 8:50 a.m. Sept. 12 in the 5100 block of Eastern Ave.
During the initial investigation it was determined that one pedestrian was struck while crossing Eastern Ave., along with a second vehicle immediately after. The pedestrian was treated and transported to a local hospital for serious injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
Drivers and passengers of both vehicles involved were checked and treated for injuries, one of which was also transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. All the people involved have been cooperating with the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kentwood Police Department at 616-698-6580. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or SilentObserver.org.
Leticia Perez (Co-President of the Board for the 55th Annual Fiesta Mexicana, held this weekend at Calder Plaza in Grand Rapids) was our guest on WKTV Soundbites Wednesday.
Be sure to check out the 55th Annual Fiesta Mexicana this weekend at the Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids, featuring everything from awesome music and food, karaoke, kids activities, arts and crafts, a Lowrider Show, and believe it or not, a cash prize soccer tournament.
“Typically, we expect between 25,000 and 30,000 people,” said Leticia Perez, Co-President of the Board for the 55th Annual Fiesta Mexicana, held Sept. 13-15 at Calder Plaza, 250 Monroe Ave. in Grand Rapids.
(Photo Courtesy, Fiesta Mexicana Board)
“This is our big event; planning definitely takes a whole year,” Perez added. “Our Board consists of nine very dedicated people. We do have a lot of volunteers and committee members that help, too.”
Many, many bands will grace the festival, including Los Morros del Norte headlining from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Check out the below poster for the entire weekend of bands and special events.
“On Friday we kick things off at noon … and with kids activities throughout the day in the ‘Kids Zone,’ and music from local bands,” Perez said. “We’re expecting a big attendance for the kickoff night.”
(Photo Courtesy, Fiesta Mexicana)
On Saturday the music, dancing, food and Kids Zone continues, along with karaoke from 4 to 5 p.m. and a cash-prize soccer tournament.
“We’re going to have the front of the Calder Plaza right on Ottawa Ave. shut down from Noon to 4 for the soccer tournament,” Perez said. “The kids putting it on are very talented.”
There also will be El Grito De Independencia (The Cry for Independence) from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, commemorating the actual day of Sept. 16 with the raising of the flag.
(Image Courtesy, Fiesta Mexicana)
According to the Mexican Heritage Association’s website, it’s the oldest ethnic festival celebrated in Grand Rapids. “Founded in 1969, a group of Mexican women shared a vision of celebrating their cultural heritage with the wider community. Thanks to her and the countless others who have planted the seeds over the past 52 years, we can now look beyond the struggle to validate the richness of our culture in the mainstream mindset.
“This vision eventually evolved into the modern-day Fiesta Mexicana.”
Perez added, “As an organization, we do other cultural events like Cinco De Mayo, bringing our culture to the community.”
Lowrider Show from Noon to 8 Sunday
Wrapping things up on Sunday, there’ll be more bands, another Kids Zone and a Lowrider Show from noon to 8 p.m.
(Photo Courtesy, Fiesta Mexicana)
“Last year was our first time having the Lowrider Show back; it used to be a staple,” Perez said. “It will be all along Ottawa Ave. with a category for Classic Cars, Fifties Cars, New Lowriders and Muscle cars. It’s going to be a very nice selection.”
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like during basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
As a bonus, we’ll occasionally have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and have them join us in studio for a live interview.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Sept. 20: Wyoming vs. South Christian (at East Kentwood)
Friday, Sept. 27: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
