In May, Faith Hospice, Holland Home’s hospice division, opened the doors to the Van Andel Hope & Healing Pavilion, which is located in the lower lever of Trillium Woods, in Byron Center.
The Van Andel Hope & Healing Pavilion opened in May. (Courtesy, Faith Hospice)
The project was completed due to the support of the Van Andel family with leadership of Amy Van Andel, a former Faith Hospice nurse.
The project allows all Faith Hospice staff and volunteers to work together under one roof and meets the growing needs for bereavement services for the families Faith Hospice serves across West Michigan.
Key features of the new facility include:
Grief Support Center
This new center will provide private and individual grief counseling as well as comfortable group and family counseling and gatherings. The center will allow space for comforting those struggling with the trauma of loss as well as space for community seminars and education.
Hospice Training & Education Lab
This training facility will create a Hospice Patient Care space to train staff and volunteers through role playing and skills testing, allowing for an enhanced care experience for patients and their loved ones.
Consolidated Office Space & Staff Renewal Area
Bringing all Faith Hospice staff under one roof will allow for better collaboration when caring for patients, whether they are inpatient at Trillium Woods or living in the community. The space includes an area for staff and volunteer respite and renewal.
“The Van Andel family are great friends of the organization, starting with Jay and Betty,” said Holland Home President and Chief Executive Officer Troy Vugteveen. “The Van Andel Hope and Healing Pavilion will continue to honor their parents and carry on the tradition to provide shelter to the hearts of those grieving. We are so grateful for Steve and Amy Van Andel and the blessing they continue to be.”
Built in 2006, Trillium Woods, 8214 Pfeiffer Farms Drive S.W, offers 20 private rooms and a peaceful, family-centered atmosphere with 24/7 medical care. The organization had only utilized the upper floor of the two-level walkout building for its inpatient care with the intent of using the lower level for additional education and administrative use.
The Inspiration
The inspiration for the center came from Faith Hospice Bereavement Manager Janet Jaymin and NFL official and West Michigan resident Carl Paganelli. After Janet walked with Carl on his grief journey following the death of his wife, Cathy, in 2016. Carl’s and Janet’s mission was to create a peaceful, private environment for those grieving as they seek grief counseling. Amy Van Andel, Nancy Erhardt and the late Dan Pfeiffer joined as campaign co-chairs and successfully completed a $2 million fundraising campaign to create this much-needed grief support and bereavement center.
A counseling room in the new Van Andel Hope & Healing (Courtesy, Faith Hospice)
“Walking alongside loved ones after they’ve experienced loss is such an important part of the hospice experience,” said Amy Van Andel. “We hope that having a facility dedicated to those who are grieving that offers resources to guide them on their journey will help families begin to heal and feel hope for the future.”
The Van Andel name is a continuation of the family’s involvement with Holland Home, which dates back to 1998 when the Van Andel Pavilion was constructed at Holland Home’s former Fulton Manor location. Funds for that facility were donated in honor of the late Betty Van Andel. Transferring the name from the former Fulton location was a natural fit for the family, allowing them to continue to honor their parents’ legacy.
Twenty-three software, video, and light-based works of art will be on view this summer at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) in Message from Our Planet: Digital Art from the Thoma Foundation. On view June 17 – Sept. 9, the exhibition proposes that digital technology offers distinct ways for artists to communicate with future generations.
“Message from Our Planet celebrates digital technologies as an incredible tool for today’s artists,” said GRAM Associate Curator Jennifer Wcisel. “The works in the exhibition encompass familiar technologies like digital video and photography to the unexpected visualization of data, assemblages of electronic components, and collages of found-video footage. We look forward to highlighting the myriad possibilities of digital art at GRAM and hope our guests leave with a new, broader understanding of the art form.”
Spanning the mid-1980s to today, the works in Message from Our Planet utilize a range of vintage and cutting-edge materials to create a polyphonic time-capsule, preserving their ideas, beliefs, and desires. The regional, national, and international artists featured in the exhibition include Ólafur Elíasson, Jenny Holzer, LoVid, Hong Hao, Matthew Angelo Harrison, Christian Marclay, and James Nares.
Message from Our Planet includes artwork that uses digital technologies as a tool for the creation of more traditional art objects—like a photograph, print, or sculpture—as well as art that is created, stored, and distributed by digital technology and employs their features as its medium.
The artists in Message from Our Planet engage with nontraditional mediums like video games, computer code, scanners, 3-D printers, online data, and even discarded electronic parts to create engaging works of digital art that capture the concerns and ambitions of our current era. The earliest work in the exhibition was created by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kac in 1986 with a now defunct Minitel terminal, a device used to access the most popular online service prior to the World Wide Web.
Detroit-based artist Matthew Angelo Harrison uses custom software and a handmade 3D printer to explore history, ancestry, and the relationship between African and African American culture. Harrison’s work, Braided Woman, is a 3D-printed sculpture of an imagined artifact. To create this work, Harrison scanned images of historic African masks from books and online sources, then digitally blended their shapes to generate a unique, composite object.
Featured Artists: Brian Bress Lia Chaia Ólafur Elíasson Nicholas Galanin Sabrina Gschwandtner Hong Hao Matthew Angelo Harrison Claudia Hart Jenny Holzer Eduardo Kac LoVid Christian Marclay Lee Lee Nam James Nares Paul Pfeiffer Tabita Rezaire Michal Rovner Jason Salavon Elias Sime Skawennati Penelope Umbrico Robert Wilson
Member Event:
Member Exhibition Opening: Message from Our Planet Friday, June 16 | 7 – 9 pm Museum Members and their guests are invited to celebrate the opening of Message from Our Planet at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Join us for an advance look at the exhibition, accompanied by hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.
Message from Our Planet: Digital Art from the Thoma Collection is curated and supported by the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation. Support for this exhibition has been generously provided by Wege Foundation, with additional funding provided by GRAM Exhibition Society.
About the Grand Rapids Art Museum
Connecting people through art, creativity, and design. Established in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the art museum is internationally known for its distinguished design and LEED® Gold certified status. Founded in 1910 as the Grand Rapids Art Association, GRAM has grown to include more than 6,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th-century painting and sculpture and more than 3,000 works on paper. Embracing the city’s legacy as a leading center of design and manufacturing, GRAM has a growing collection in the area of design and modern craft.
For museum hours and admission fees, call 616.831.1000 or visit artmuseumgr.org.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
UMH-West staff, Wayland City officials and Kasco Construction Services representatives at the site of the new Wayland Center. (Courtesy, UMH-West)UMH-West staff and city officials signed the beam before it was placed. (Courtesy, UMH-West)
University of Michigan Health-West has had two landmark events happen in the last past couple of weeks — the nonprofit health system hosted a beam-topping celebration for is new Wayland Health Center and received about $3.1 million in gifts for its cardiovascular care and advanced open-heart surgery program.
On June 5, University of Michigan Health-West staff, Wayland city leaders and Kasco Construction Services representatives participated in a final beam-topping celebration for the new UM Health-West Wayland Health Center, located at 1113 West Superior St., Wayland.
The center, which is scheduled to open in May of 2024, will be more than 75 percent larger than the current office, encompassing 17,300 square feet. The new building also includes future expansion capabilities of 5,230 square feet.
The second building to be designed and constructed in UMH-West’s new image, closely following the Allendale Health Center, the Wayland center will have 39 exam/procedure rooms, which is 20 more than the current facility and 115 parking spaces, which is 42 more than the current facility. The expansion will allow UM Health-West to add primary care and specialty providers to meet the needs of the region’s growing population.
Gift to Cardiovascular Care
At the end of May, UMH-West officials announced a group of community leaders has invested in the health of West Michigan with gifts totaling $3.1 million, opening a new era of cardiovascular care and advanced open-heart surgery.
Peter Hahn, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health (Supplied)
The gifts collectively are among the largest the nonprofit health system has ever received. Contributions have come from a group of West Michigan leaders, including UM Health-West Foundation emeritus board member Stephen Klotz and family, and a transformational gift from the Steve and Amy Van Andel Foundation.
“This is a landmark moment in the lives of heart patients for generations to come,” said Dr. Peter Hahn, UMH-West president and CEO. “A new era of cardiovascular care begins today, thanks to a group of people who have invested in making West Michigan a vibrant and thriving community.”
UM Health-West launched the state’s newest open-heart surgery program in 2022 at its hospital in Wyoming through the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan. That joint operating agreement forms a regionwide clinical team with Trinity Health in Grand Rapids and Muskegon, while also drawing on more than 125 years of cardiovascular leadership at UM’s Frankel Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor.
“West Michigan patients now have even greater local access to leading heart experts, researchers and surgeons – and that’s just the beginning. We know that there are more exciting advancements ahead,” said Steve Van Andel, who also serves as chairman of the UM Health-West board of directors. “Amy and I are so proud to support UM Health-West’s mission to provide innovative treatment options and excellent care right here in our hometown.”
Hahn noted the launch of the open-heart surgery program opens the door to even more advanced cardiovascular care and paves the way for future breakthroughs.
“We are building a region-leading cardiovascular program, a destination for people seeking the best options in their fight against heart disease,” Hahn said. “This gift brings that better future within reach.”
“Before open-heart surgery began at UM Health-West, Grand Rapids was the state’s largest market limited to a single option for open-heart surgery,” said UM Health-West Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ronald Grifka.
“Thanks to the support of the Van Andels and other forward-thinking donors, the people of Grand Rapids now have choice,” Grifka said. “That’s important, because not only is heart disease the No. 1 cause of death, it’s also a leading driver of healthcare cost. With choice and increased local access to world-class care, we help keep care local and expenses down. That’s good for everyone.”
The gifts were announced at the UM Health-West Foundation’s annual fundraising gala, Vitality, which this year emphasized support for the system’s growing cardiovascular programs.
La Furia Del Ritmo opens up the GRAM on the Green with WYCE concert series on July 20.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) has announced the 2023 lineup for its 14th annual free summer concert series, GRAM on the Green with WYCE 88.1 FM. Taking place on Thursday evenings from July 20 through Aug. 10, the series brings four evenings of performances by local and regional musical acts to downtown Grand Rapids.
Guests of all ages are invited to relax on the Museum’s outdoor terrace and enjoy free live music, food trucks, a cash bar, and hands-on artmaking activities. Admission to the Museum is also free during GRAM on the Green as part of Meijer Free Thursday Nights.
“The Grand Rapids Art Museum is thrilled to bring another season of free summer concerts to downtown Grand Rapids in partnership with WYCE 88.1 FM,” said GRAM Director of Communications Elizabeth Payne. “GRAM on the Green is part of our ongoing commitment to present accessible and engaging art experiences for our community, and we look forward to another year of celebrating art and music downtown.”
2023 Lineup:
July 20: La Furia Del Ritmo (latin/world)
July 27: Sarena Rae (soul/blues/jazz)
August 3: The Bootstrap Boys (country/americana/folk)
August 10: Pretoria (rock/indie/alternative)
“WYCE is excited for another year of GRAM on the Green,” said WYCE Music Director and series curator Chris Cranick. “This year’s lineup features a mix of Michigan artists making waves in the community. Whether it’s Latin groove, soul, forward-thinking country or modern indie rock, we’re elated to present the diverse lineup of talent this year. Each act is sure to get everyone on their feet dancing. We look forward to connecting with the community at the shows this summer.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to rain, the Concerts in the Park with Reverend Jesse Ray has been rescheduled for Aug. 15.
Jesse Ray Cahue, a.k.a. Reverend Jesse Ray, performs Tuesday, June 13, at Lamar Park. (Courtesy, Reverend Jesse Ray)
“Prepare to rock ’n’ roll’ said Jesse Ray Cahue of Wyoming’s first Concerts in the Park for the 2023 summer season.
Set for Tuesday, June 13, Cahue will take the stage as Reverend Jesse Ray at the free event at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW.
“It’s all about having a good time,” said Cahue, who makes his debut at the Concerts in the Park on Tuesday. “I grab that electric guitar, tap out on my foot drums and perform a lot of danceable music. It features blues, swing, and rockabiliy. It’s about having fun and bringing the rock ’n’ roll.”
Cahue picked up a guitar at the age of 12 when his “Gumpy” bought his first six-string. Cahue then began playing open mic nights with his mama at his side to gain him entry into the bars. In 2013, Cahue formed Jesse Ray and The Carolina Catfish, which received a nomination for Best Roots/Americana Album at the 23rd Jammie Awards, presented by Grand Rapids radio station WYCE.
Expanding and growing
Looking for new and creative musical opportunities, Cahue developed Reverend Jesse Ray as a one-band blues and rock act. He is equipped with guitar, amplified harmonica, foot drums, and a voice that takes the audience back to the golden age of recorded music.
“Reverend Jesse first appeared as the opener for Rachael Brook at a Grand Rapids Art Museum outdoor concert,” Jesse said. “My band, Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish, was supposed to be my creative outlet but it has morphed into its own thing which is great.
“Through the Reverend Jesse act, I am able to do more things, such as original songs as well as pieces that may not quite have fit with the band, and pursue more performing opportunities.”
Some might be familiar with the Reverend Jesse Ray as he is a regular performer at the Tip Top Bar, located in downtown Grand Rapids.
Cahue said he looks forward to checking out the City of Wyoming and rocking out with attendees at Lamar Park.
Heading to the show
Concerts in the Park starts at 6 p.m. with a pre-show and activities for all ages. Food trucks also will be on site. Participants are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs.
All of the Concerts in the Park are recorded by WKTV Community Media and aired on Comcast 24 and streamed at wktv.org. Air times are 5 p.m. Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturdays.
2023 Concerts of the Park schedule
June 20: Michael Hulett is a musician and vocalist who performs a variety of music such as jazz, R&B, pop, rock, and a sprinkling of country music.
June 27: Cabildo is a West Michigan-based alternative Latin rock collective that brings a unique blend of cambia, ska, folk, and other genres of music from Latin America.
July 11: Sarena Rae is a Grand Rapids based vocalist covering a variety of musical genres.
July 18: Klay N’ The Mud is a West Michigan-based cover band.
July 25: La Furia Del Ritmo will perform Latin music.
Aug. 1: The Soul Syndicate offers up classic soul, R&B and funk.
Aug. 8: Patty Pershayla & The Mayhaps features a former small-town pageant queen who has turned into a rock ’n’ roll powerhouse.
Brian Long is a local business forecaster. Credit: GVSU
May’s survey of purchasing managers shows the West Michigan economy continuing to slow at a measured pace as key indices continued a month-to-month yo-yo pattern signaling uncertainty – and reason for optimism.
The Current Business Trends Report, authored by Brian Long, director of supply management research for the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University, included upticks in areas like sales, output, employment and purchases in May after flat or lower results in April.
“Since we instituted this survey many years ago we’ve seen our numbers bounce around, and this month our bounce was to the upside,” Long said. “Our index of new orders came in much stronger than expected. But of course, one month does not make a trend. So when we add up June at the end of the month, the numbers we get may be a little bit less robust.”
Office furniture makers continue to report soft market conditions – though no major layoff announcements have been made. Meanwhile, automotive parts suppliers remain steady with backlogs and upside potential thanks to “reshoring” – or bringing manufacturing of certain parts that had been made overseas back to U.S.-based suppliers.
“This is where I think West Michigan is well positioned to pick up some additional business.” Long said. “The problem is, of course, reshoring in the industrial market takes time to identify and qualify new sources so it won’t happen overnight.”
Here’s a look at the key index results from May’s survey of West Michigan manufacturers:
New orders index (business improvement): +19 versus +0 in April
Sounds of Summer will expand its offerings, providing music in July at Cutler Park and in August at Byron Center’s Bicentennial Park. (Courtesy, Patty Williams)
With increased attendance, this summer the Sounds of Summer will be expanding and returning to where it all started.
The free community concert series, sponsored by Byron Township and presented by P. Williams Productions and LW Studios, will expand into August from its traditional July schedule. All the July performances will be at Cutler Park, in Cutlerville, with the August performances at Byron Center’s Bicentennial Park, which is where the series started in 2008.
Patty Williams, from P. Williams Production, said the expansion is a result of the event being hit with the public. The 2022 series drew more than 2,000 visitors to listen to a wide variety of bands.
“They know how to put on a very entertaining show,” Williams added, speaking of the bands performing and the production team behind them.
What music will I hear at Sounds of Summer?
Every Thursday at 7 p.m., listeners can gather in Cutler Park, 6701 Cutler Park Dr. SW, in July and Bicentennial Park in August to enjoy a night of music, games, and refreshments. Aiming to be inclusive for all crowds, the series features trivia games, CD giveaways, and catering by local vendors in addition to the bands.
The 2023 Series opens on July 6 at Cutler Park with a wide array of musical talent. This year’s Cutler Park lineup includes:
The Soul Syndicate will perform July 27 at Cutler Park. (Supplied by the band)
July 6: Azz Izz Band – With decades of experience, this group takes on blues, country, soul, and rock hits.
July 13: That Beatles Thing – A local cover band transports you back in time to hear the hits of John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
July 20: Ryan Curtis Band – This Michigan-born, Idaho-based artist covers anything from folk to bluegrass to rock to blues through personal stories and life lessons.
July 27: The Soul Syndicate – This party band tributes iconic funk, soul, and R&B artists with electric, high-energy performances.
The August series at Byron Center’s Bicentennial Park, 8085 Byron Center Ave. SW, includes:
Aug. 3: Great Scott! – This Grand Rapids-based party band has something for everyone, playing hits from the fifties through today.
Aug. 10: Carson Peters and Iron Mountain – Traveling all the way from East Tennessee, this award-winning bluegrass group has played at the Grand Ole Opry and around the world.
Aug. 17: The Soul Syndicate – A familiar group in Grand Rapids, the band performs funk, soul and R&B.
What Else is a Part of Sounds of Summer?
Sounds of Summer aims to provide a rewarding recreational experience in addition to the concerts, Williams said.
Cutler Park features a playground to keep the younger crowd entertained, as well as a walking path for exercise or dancing along to the music. The only things listeners need to bring are blankets, lawn chairs, and a listening ear. Hungry? Pick up a hot dog from the cart operated by Juicy Wieners. If Juicy Wieners aren’t your style, pork sandwiches also will be provided at this year’s event.
More information
P. Williams Productions tapes each concert, which are rebroadcasted on WKTV throughout the summer. This year’s series incorporates a new and expanded sound system.
Insurance companies play a crucial role in our society, providing individuals and businesses with financial protection against unexpected losses. To do this, insurance companies collect premiums from policyholders. But what happens to your premium once it is paid to the insurance company?
Insurance companies don’t just store your premiums in a giant safe until they’re needed to pay claims. Instead, they put these funds to work by investing them. This practice is vital to insurance companies for several reasons.
Let’s break it down. When you pay a premium for an insurance policy, the insurance company pools your premium together with those paid by other policyholders. The pooling of premiums is the first step that allows the insurance company to spread out the risk of potential claims among many policyholders.
Now, these pooled premiums form a large amount of money known as a reserve. This reserve is there to ensure that the insurance company has enough money to pay out if a policyholder files a claim. But while this money is sitting in the reserve, the insurance company doesn’t just let it idle. They invest this money to generate income and to increase the value of the reserve.
Investment income helps to keep the insurance premiums lower than they would be otherwise. Without the income from investments, insurance companies would need to charge much higher premiums to maintain their financial stability and be able to pay claims.
So, how does an insurance company invest your premiums? They typically follow a conservative investment strategy because it’s essential to maintain the ability to pay claims even in unfavorable market conditions.
The investments of insurance companies are usually in the form of bonds, especially government and high-quality corporate bonds. Bonds are chosen because they are relatively safe compared to other types of investments and provide a steady income in the form of interest. Some part of their investments might also be in real estate, mortgages, and stocks, but these usually represent a smaller portion of the investment portfolio because they come with higher risk.
The specific rules and regulations about how insurance companies can invest their funds vary from state to state and are overseen by the state’s department of insurance in which the company is domiciled. These regulations are in place to ensure that insurance companies are not taking excessive risks with the premiums they have collected.
Insurance premiums are not just used to pay claims. Instead, they are carefully invested to earn income, helping the insurance company to remain financially stable and to keep premiums affordable. This prudent financial management is essential to ensure that the insurance company can honor its commitment to policyholders even in the face of large or unexpected claims.
Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463 or click this link: Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management.
Members of Trinity Health Michigan and Universal Health Services along with community leaders helped to break ground on the new Southridge Behavioral Hospital. (courtesy, Trinity Health Grand Rapids)
On Monday, Trinity Health Michigan and University Health Services (Ny’SE: UHS) broke ground for a new behavioral health hospital that will be located just south of the City of Wyoming in Byron Center.
Southridge Behavioral Hospital, which a joint venture partnership between NYSE: UHS and Trinity Health, will be located right near the Trinity Health Medical Center at 2145 64th St. SW in Byron Center.
“Southridge Behavioral Hospital, which will open in 2025, will help address the growing need for high quality mental and behavioral health care services for people struggling with depression, anxiety, substance use and other issues, and who need hospitalization and intensive individualized care,” said Dr. Matt Biersack, president of Trinity Health Grand Rapids. “Southridge represents a sustainable, long-term solution and it will be a key piece of the behavioral health care continuum in West Michigan.”
Kelly Smith, chief strategy officer for Trinity Health Michigan, said the new behavioral hospital will accommodate up to 96 beds, serving adult and geriatric patients. The facility is estimated to employ approximately 170 full-time and part-time staff including physicians, nurses, therapists, mental health technicians, administration, dietary and housekeeping personnel. Programming will be tailored to individual patient needs, with core psychiatric services and counseling supplemented with art therapy, music therapy and outdoor activities.
“Right here, where we gather today, you will see a new beautiful state-of-the-art facility,” said Sheila Adams, vice president of corporate development for Universal Health Services. “It will feature design elements that will create an optimal therapeutic environment with serene decor and furnished with warm and inviting finishes. We will create a space that enhances safety and promotes healing resembling a hospitality environment rather than an institutional type setting.”
The Southridge Behavioral Hospital is designed to tie into the growing network of behavioral health services in the area, including UHS-operated Forest View Hospital and Trinity Health Michigan’s new partnership with Network 180 to open a Behavioral Health Crisis Center for the rapid availability of assessment services on a walk-in basis.
For more about Southridge Behavioral Hospital, including what the hospital’s interior will look like, visit www.southridgebh.com.
Michigan grows more than 755 of the nation’s tart cherries with an annual crop valued at $280 million. (Pxhere.com)
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) recently announced that the U.S. International Trade Commission will begin tracking foreign imports of certified organic and conventionally produced tart cherry juice and tart cherry juice concentrate, and all other varieties of cherry juice, in order to more accurately measure the impact of trade on Michigan’s tart cherry industry.
In March, Stabenow and Peters urged the Commission to track this information in the wake of unfair and rising import competition of tart cherry juice harming Michigan producers. Michigan grows more than 75% of the nation’s tart cherries with an annual crop valued at $280 million, supporting hundreds of processing and retail jobs and a vibrant tourism industry in Northwest Michigan.
“Michigan’s world-famous tart cherries are a central piece of our ag economy,” Stabenow said. “But this industry cannot continue to flourish in the face of unfair and unaccountable competition from foreign producers. Today’s announcement is a welcome step toward ensuring an even playing field for our Michigan growers.”
In 2020, Stabenow and Peters similarly urged the U.S. International Trade Commission to collect statistical information on dried cherry imports after Turkish exporters continued to dump low-quality dried cherries into U.S. markets, creating a trade imbalance that hurt Michigan growers. The Senators’ request was approved and went into effect in July 2020.
“For years, Michigan cherry growers have been harmed by unfair trade practices that threaten their livelihoods and hurt workers. They deserve a level playing field. After pushing for this needed change, I’m pleased the ITC will now collect all available information on these imports so that our growers have a fair shot at competing on the world stage,” Peters said.
“The new categories for tracking imported cherry juice/concentrate are very important for the U.S. tart cherry industry,” said Julie gordon, president and managing director of the Cherry Marketing Institute. The new reporting will provide us specific information that was not previously available and will help us develop strategies for dealing with the influx of imports. We are grateful that the 484(f) Committee granted our request for the new codes and for the continued support from Senator Stabenow and Senator Peters.”
At a recent Michigan State University-hosted food trade show and networking conference, two Grand Rapids-based vendors were recognized for their food and beverage industry achievements.
The annual Make It In Michigan Conference and Trade Show, which takes places in April in Lansing, presented Fat Baby Hot Sauce, LLC, co-owned by Nate Mehren and Terry Wolter, with the Value-Added Agricultural Product Award and its Young Innovator Award was presented to Grand Rapids’ Last Mile Cafe, co-founded by Arick Davis and Sarah Laman.
Value-Added Agricultural Product Award
Image 1: Dr. Tim Boring presents the “Value-Added Agricultural Product Award” to Nate Mehren and Terry Wolter, Co-Founders of Fat Baby Hot Sauce, based in Ada, MI. (source: Kendra Wills)
“Fat Baby Hot Sauce is a great example of what happens when entrepreneurship and Michigan diverse agriculture options combine,” said Dr. Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and who presented Fat Baby its award. “Expanding opportunities for value-added products like Fat Baby Hot Sauce to get on store shelves helps make Michigan food and ag companies become a household name both here and around the nation.”
The Agricultural Product Award is presented to a product produced in Michigan using ingredients grown and sourced in the state. Launching in January 2022, Fat Baby Hot Sauce is made with peppers grown on Mehren’s family farm. For those who may be shy about anything too hot, Mehren and Wolter offer their hot sauce in various heat levels.
Those wishing to learn more about Fat Baby’s products and services may visit their website.
Young Innovator Award
Recently established “young” businesses with an owner or founder under the age of 45 are eligible for the Young Innovator Award.
Natalie Chmiko presents the “Young Innovator Award” to Sarah Laman, Co-Founder and Chief Impact & Sustainability Officer for Last Mile Cafe based in Grand Rapids, MI. (source: Kendra Wills)
Davis and Laman founded Last Mile Cafe in December 2022. Their black-owned and woman-owned business seeks to redefine how coffee can be inclusive of marginalized communities.
Located in Grand Rapids’ 49507 zip code, a historically underserved business district, Last Mile is unique with its charitable giving model. The cafe donates 10% of the revenue from every purchase to one of four philanthropic causes, with the customer selecting to which of the four they wish to donate. The charitable causes include advocacy for environmental justice, criminal justice reform, at-risk youth, and clean drinking water. In 2023, Last Mile hopes to obtain its B Corporation certification, which recognizes for-profit companies that give back to society and the environment.
“Arick and Sarah’s team at Last Mile Café exemplify the innovative spirit that defines us all as Michiganders by seeing challenges as opportunities and turning their passion into positive impact,” said Natalie Chmiko, senior vice president of small business solutions for Michigan Economic development Corporation and who awarded Last Mile its award. Chmiko underscored how important Last Mile’s mission is by adding, “We’re proud to celebrate Last Mile Café’s commitment to sustainability and accessibility, while demonstrating what it means to be the change they want to see in their own community. We look forward to supporting their future success and impact in the Grand Rapids community and throughout the entire region over the years to come.”
What is The Making It In Michigan Conference and Trade Show?
The 14th Annual Making It in Michigan event was hosted by the Michigan State University Product Center and Michigan State University Extension in partnership with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
Featuring booths from 165 food and beverage vendors across the state, the show offered a chance for businesses to expand their customer base and pick up tricks of the trade. In addition, retailers from prominent Michigan industries such as Meijer, Kroger, Busch’s Market, and Westborn Market were on hand to connect with distributors amid the shared goal of expanding Michigan’s food supply chain.
MSU Product Center Innovation Counselor Kendra Wills said the Making It In Michigan event is unique because it is believed to be the only event of its type with exclusively Michigan-made products. The conference and trade show features several distinct events designed to cater to a variety of producers and developers.
If a vendor is new to the world of trade shows, Making It In Michigan assists with setting up booths, staffing logistics, how to best offer samples, etc. For those vendors with ideas still in the development phase, the event’s conference portion provides guidance from various industry professionals. These include co-packers/co-manufacturers, entrepreneurs, distributors, and banking and finance industry members.
Looking to cool off from a very hot, hot, hot weekend? Well the splash pads for the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood. are open.
City of Wyoming
The City of Wyoming has four splash pads located at:
Gezon Park, 5651 Gezon Court
Jackson Park, 3235 Robin SW
Lamar Park, 2561 Porter
Oriole Park, 1380 42nd St.SW
Wyoming’s splash pads, which are free, run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday through Labor Day.
City of Kentwood
The City of Kentwood has two splash pads which are located at:
Pinewood Park, 1999 Wolfboro Dr. SE
Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St. SE
Kentwood’s splash pads, which are also free, are open from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. everyday through Labor Day.
Other communities
Millennium Park’s beach and splash pad is open until the fourth Sunday in August. Both are open at 10 a.m. daily with the beach closing at 7 p.m. for early and late summer and 8 p.m. mid-summer and the splash pad closing at 6 p.m. early and late summer and 7 p.m. mid-summer. The is a fee, $4 adults, $3 seniors 63 and older, $2 children ages 3-15, and free children 2 & under. For more, click here.
The City of Grand Rapids has splash pads which are free, and pools, which has a fe, of youth $1 for GR residents and $3 for non-residents; and adults $3 for GR residents and $5 for non-residents. Punchcards and season passes are available. For more on Grand Rapids pools and splash pads, click here.
Caledonia opened its Community Green Park Splash Pad and Spray Park on Friday, June 2. The Caledonia Community Green Space is located 9309 Dobber Wenger Memorial Drive.
Left, Cyndi Tied, GRPM collections manager with Dr. David Pilgrim, founder and director of the Jim Crow Museum. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) has partnered with the Jim Crow Museum (JCM) at Ferris State University to host the premiere of the JCM’s traveling exhibit, Overcoming Hateful Things: Stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery, beginning June 3.
“We recognized that not everyone was going to come to the metropolis of Big Rapids, so we began creating traveling exhibits,” said Dr. David Pilgrim, founder and director of the Jim Crow Museum. “This is a taste of the stories we are trying to tell.”
Pilgrim hopes GRPM visitors will acquire an intelligent understanding of what the Jim Crow period was. He also hopes the exhibit will stimulate conversations. “This is one of the most successful ways that I have found to lead people to have meaningful, insightful discussions about race,” Pilgrim said.
When Pilgrim arrived at FSU in 1990, he brought approximately 3,200 Jim Crow pieces from his own private collection and donated them to the university with the understanding that they would be preserved and displayed. FSU agreed and now hosts the permanent JCM exhibit that has grown to more than 20,000 pieces.
Pilgrim went on to say that while many people believe the JCM is simply a large collection of racially insensitive objects, it is his intent to place those objects in their proper historical context in order to show people how they were created, why they were created, and what the consequences were of that creation.
“It is an opportunity to show people how you can use contemptible objects as teaching tools and how you can use them to facilitate intelligent discussions about race, race relations, and racism,” said Pilgrim. “We believe in the triumph of dialogue.”
What GRPM visitors can expect
Visitors to the JCM exhibit at GRPM will experience a variety of objects, pictures, and informational articles in both tangible and digital form.
A five-minute Roots of Racism film orients visitors to the content they will see at the Overcoming Hateful Things exhibit, and interactive tablets are available with video and audio content about the Jim Crow period.
An interactive Map of Terror allows visitors to see where Jim Crow violence occurred throughout the United States, while another multimedia piece displays portraits of African Americans living their daily lives.
An interactive station allows visitors to listen to Coon Song, a genre of music that presents a derogatory stereotype of African Americans, while reading along with the lyrics via sheet music. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
“We see all these negative caricatures and imagery and stereotypes, (but) African Americans didn’t see themselves that way,” said Franklin Hughes, multimedia specialist of the JCM. “We want to show the pushback of regular, everyday people.”
Another interactive station allows visitors to listen to Coon Song, a genre of music that presents a derogatory stereotype of African Americans, while reading along with the lyrics via sheet music.
“It gives people an opportunity to see the songs in their full context,” Hughes said. “People still have those thoughts and ideas because it’s ingrained and embedded into our culture.”
Pilgrim believes that part of education is about history. “A mature nation will look at its past and be objective,” said the JCM director. “The purpose of the past is not to feel good or bad, it’s to have a better, deeper, more nuanced understanding of the past with the hope that we are better in the present and the future.”
Moving Forward
Left, Franklin Hughes talks with David Pilgrim, the founder and director of the Jim Crow Museum. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
The JCM is currently in the early stages of a campaign to move into a two-story standalone facility that will allow them to contextualize the museum’s pieces.
“Each one of those 20,000 pieces,” said Pilgrim, “is currently being made, sometimes as reproductions, but sometimes the image has morphed into a modern manifestation. I believe that one of the most powerful parts of the new museum we are going to build will be a section of objects made in the last five to ten years.”
Pilgrim urges people to take a critical look at things currently produced in popular and in material culture and to remain vigilant.
“We are all on a racial journey in this country, whether we know it or not,” said Pilgrim. “(The museum) allows us to tell the story of how to make the world better as individuals, as communities, as states, and as a nation.”
To learn more about GRPM’s Overcoming Hateful Things: Stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery, visit Grand Rapids Public Museum.
To learn more about the JCM Expansion and/or to donate toward the expansion, visit JCM Expansion
D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
To help educate potential new drivers on the dangers of driving impaired, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety will be purchasing a distracted and impaired driver simulator thanks to a $25,000 grant from GM Motors Corporate Giving.
GM Grand Rapids Operations Plant Director Troy Comiskey (center) announces the 2023 GM Corporate Giving grant recipients from the Grand Rapids area. (WTKV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The grant, which was given to the Wyoming Greater Resource Alliance for the public safety department’s use, was one of three grants awarded by the GM Grand Rapids Operations, which is located in Wyoming. The grants totaled $75,000 with the two other organizations also receiving $25,000 each was The Right Place and West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC).
“GM has made a concerted effort to bump up its local giving to the communities,” said Troy Comiskey, plant director for the Grand Rapids Operations. “They take corporate giving very seriously. They have upped it the last two years in a row with definitely a jump this year from the $10,000 mark to the $25,000 mark.”
Through the GM Community Grant program, the company has donated around $3 million to a 157 charities over the last year in U.S. communities that surround GM manufacturing sites. Since its inception, GM’s Corporate Giving has investing has helped communities across the U.S. in a variety of initiatives focused on STEM, vehicle and road safety and community impact.
Comiskey noted that the giving has gone beyond just monetary but with many of the Grand Rapids Operations employees giving time to a variety of events such as Teach for the Watershed, the Mayor’s Grand River Clean-Up, and FIRST Robotics programs. He noted this is on top of employees working sometimes 40-plus hours a week and taking care of their own families that “they still find time for a couple of hours per week or month to help local communities.”
From left, Lt. Eric Wiler from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, UAW Local 167 Chairman Chris Newman, The Right Place Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Brad Comment, WMEAC Director of Engagement Marshall A. Kilgore, and GM Grand Rapids Operations Plant Director Troy Comiskey (WKTV/Joanne N. Bailey-Boorsma)
Educating the Future about the Environment
One of the beneficiaries of that volunteer support has ben WMEAC which among its programs host the Teach for the Watershed. which is an interactive watershed education program based on Michigan Science Curriculum Standards, and the Mayor’s Grand River Cleanup, the state’s largest riverbank cleanup.
“We are so thankful to GM for this,” said Marshall A. Kilgore, WMEAC’s director of engagement. “This grant started back a few years ago at $200 with them kind enough to extend their philanthropy from $200 to $25,000.”
Kilgore said WMEAC has seen growth in its programs and through the grant will be able to reach more students about how to better take care of their environment.
“So we plan to use this money for the water that connects all of us here in West Michigan and also teach our youth how to be better stewards of their land, water and soil,” he said.
Making the Roads Safer
Lt. Eric Wiler said his department is working to purchase the distracted and impaired driver simulator which they are hoping to debut at this year’s National Night Out as well as other events, such as Metro Cruise. Plans are also in the works to bring the simulator to local school districts to educate potential new drivers about driving with cellphones or while intoxicated.
According to the Michigan State Police, 16,543 crashes in 2021 involving distracted driving. Fatal distracted driving crashes increased by 14% from 2020 to 2021. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, 3,522 people died because of districted driving in 2021.
To help combat the issue, the Michigan legislature passed a ban on using phones while driving in May.
Building a Workforce Pipeline
Brad Comment, senior vice president of strategic initiatives for The Right Place, said the organization plans to use its grant funding toward growing Michigan’s manufacturing, technology and life science sectors, which Comiskey had commented is “very near and dear to our heart here at GM because we have such a technical workforce.”
Through its programs, Comment said The Right Place will continue to work to bring students into manufacturing facilities and introduce them to careers in manufacturing and technology.
GM was started in 1908 by William C. Durant as a holding company for the Buick Car Company. Within two years, Durant brought some of the biggest names in the automotive industry, including Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Pontiac and the predecessors of GMC Truck. For more than 75 years, the GM Grand Rapids Operations, which is at 5100 Burlingame SW, has been producing high prevision, high volume automotive components for GM products as well as non-GM products.
Pet lovers and their four-legged friends are invited to party with a purpose at BISSELL Pet Foundation’s largest annual fundraising event to reduce the number of pets in shelters and rescues nationwide through its lifesaving programs. BISSELL Blocktail Party® takes place on Tuesday, June 6, from 6-9 p.m. at the East Grand Rapids High School Track.
This year’s party, featuring a Western theme, promises to be a rip-roaring good time, featuring the return of live grilling with Celebrity Chef Paul Wahlberg of Wahlburgers. Partygoers should come hungry to enjoy tasty dishes from Terra, Mudpenny, Donkey Taqueria and other local restaurants. In addition, Tito’s Handmade Vodka will serve a new barkworthy cocktail for those 21 years or older.
Other party favorites: Adoptable dogs from area shelters; the highly anticipated silent auction with one-of-a-kind items including trips, art, pet-themed packages, and much more; spectacular beats by DJ AB; caricatures of furry friends by popular ArtPrize winner Chris LaPorte; toast-worthy wine pull; specially created Blocktail IPA (I Prefer Adoption) beer; and everyone’s favorite doggie bag stuffed with goodies for humans and pets.
“We are so excited for this year’s BISSELL Blocktail Party and hope the community will turn out on June 6 to celebrate and save pets’ lives,” said Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Blocktail is BISSELL Pet Foundation’s primary fundraising event, providing critical support to give homeless pets a second chance. The generosity of every sponsor and guest means we can reach more pets in more communities.”
100% of proceeds from BISSELL Blocktail Party will benefit pets in need through BISSELL Pet Foundation’s pet adoption, transport, spay/neuter, vaccination, microchipping, and crisis and disaster response programs.
Tickets to BISSELL Blocktail Party are available online for $100 per person and $50 for students with a valid student ID. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the event for $125 each, which includes food and one drink ticket. Sponsors at $1,500 and above will receive access to Blocktail and an invitation to the BISSELL Sponsor Party on June 5, featuring a private performance by “Like A Cowboy” and “How Country Feels” hit song maker Randy Houser. Visit www.bissellblocktailparty.com for more details and to purchase tickets or sponsor.
Julie Dekam, a medical assistant supporting the Care Resources nursing team, obtains a blood sugar reading from participant Dora in the clinic. (Courtesy, Care Resources)
Nancy Baker and Barbara Scothorn share a single mission as nurses: keeping seniors out of hospitals and nursing homes.
That mission is at the heart of their employer’s approach to health care. Both work for Care Resources, an innovative community-based program for people 55 years and older that promotes healthy and independent living for residents of Kent County and portions of Allegan, Barry, Ionia and Ottawa counties.
“We always know the nurse’s primary role is education,” explained Baker, who serves as clinic and day center manager for Care Resources. “Often a provider can be talking to a participant, but it’s really the nurse who can help them understand how to manage their diabetes or COPD.”
Scothorn agreed, adding: “Nurses are there to work with a participant and help them meet their goal, which is staying in their home and out of the hospital. It’s a partnership. We work with participants and their families to provide wrap-around services that supplement what they are able to do. Families play a huge role, and we take them into consideration in our planning.”
Scothorn serves as manager of home care and intake enrollment for Care Resources, which is a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE®. Funded by Medicare and Medicaid, PACE services require no out-of-pocket payments for those who meet income requirements.
Care Resources offers a day center, clinic and pharmacy in its 36,000-square-foot facility in Grand Rapids that deliver a wide range of health care services as well as opportunities that promote socialization, build community and offer respite to caregivers. The nonprofit also provides home health services, including family and caregiver support, home care services and rehab and durable medical equipment, such as walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen and diabetic testing supplies.
All of this support, Baker and Scothorn know, is critical in keeping participants safe at home. They listed a host of reasons why people 55 years and older often wind up needing acute medical care:
Worsening medical conditions that go unnoticed when loved ones aren’t around.
Poorly managed medication, including skipped or doubled doses.
Unobserved changes to breathing, blood pressure or weight that signal larger health issues.
Poor nutrition and dehydration, which can cause a cascade of other health issues.
Social isolation, which can lead to rapid or steady decline in physical and mental health.
“My nurses in the clinic are great on triage and assessment,” Baker said. “They complement the work of Barb’s nurses and home health aides, who play a vital role in seeing what patients go through every day and addressing issues before they become problems.”
Baker and Scothorn highlight simple things loved ones can do to ensure older adults can be safe at home, including:
Ongoing education to help better manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes, or disease progression for illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and heart failure.
Medication assistance, such as setting up pills in a med box or med wheel so it’s easier to keep track of daily doses.
Home safety checks, such as removing throw rugs to prevent falls and installing grab bars instead of towel racks.
Meal preparation, such as stocking their freezers with meals they like and to improve their nutrition.
Transportation support to ensure they can get to their medical and other appointments.
Social support and a safe place to go during the day, such as the Care Resources day center, for stimulation and engagement – and to give caregivers a needed break.
“These are great steps to help older adults stay healthy and remain in their homes,” Scothorn said. “Nurses can provide an additional layer of support. We are often the first to notice changes and issues – we’re trained to watch and take action to help community members age safely in place.”
Caledonia Community Schools claimed its first place for the third consecutive year at the 58th Annual MAPT School Bus Roadeo competition held at Caledonia High School on Saturday, May 20. The competition brought together top-performing schools in the region, with Caledonia Transportation emerging as the champions against fierce competition.
The School Bus Roadeo is an annual event that highlights the driving abilities of school bus drivers while promoting safe driving practices. Participants undergo rigorous assessments, including a written test and a driving skills test that involves navigating through a course of cones, simulating student loading and unloading, and handling emergency scenarios.
Out of the 14 drivers representing Caledonia Transportation, eight drivers finished in the top 20, and four drivers secured places within the top 5. Betty Nelson, one of Caledonia’s drivers, secured a second place, demonstrating the talent and commitment of the Caledonia School Bus Drivers team.
Mary K. Hoodhood (far left) with volunteers assembling dinners at the Kids’ Food Basket. (Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)
By K.D. Norris WKTV Contributor
When you first glance at the book cover of Kids’ Food Basket founder Mary K. Hoodhood’s new memoir, you can read the title in at least two different ways.
You can see it as asking the question “What Can I Do,” as in resignation to the inability to tackle difficult social problems such as hunger among our youth.
But you can also see it as a call to action, personal action: “What I can do” to be part of the solution to such issues. The book was co-written with Lisa McNeilly, PhD.
The life story, so far, of “Mary K” as most people know her, is a testament to “doing what you can do” in one’s personal journey, even overcoming huge physical obstacles, to serve the community.
In Mary K’s life, serving the community, including founding Kids’ Food Basket (KFB), has been a driving force in moving her forward.
“My upbringing and Catholic education helped me understand the importance of community and giving back,” Mary K. said to WKTV. “I was working at God’s Kitchen when I found out about kids not receiving an evening meal at home at the three GRPS (Grand Rapids Pubic Schools) schools KFB started with.
“I knew that this was an injustice, and it wasn’t the kids fault. I also knew that I could raise the money and get the volunteers to help.”
And raise the money, and get the volunteers/community/government support needed to run Kids’ Food Bank is exactly what she has done — this year, KFB sends 10,000 sack suppers to 60 schools across four counties every weekday.
Inspiring others to “Do what they can do,” that just came along naturally.
(WKTV/Katie Bogema)
Finding a calling after tragedy
In the introduction to “What I Can Do,” Mary K. dedicates the book to her husband, Jeff, with the words “My life is possible because of your love and devotion.”
And discussion in the book of her support network is an essential part of understanding her drive to serve the community as she overcame an automobile accident in her 20s that left her paralyzed from the chest down.
Instead of focusing on what she could no longer do, she states, she started repeating her mantra: “I will focus on what I can do.”
Successful before her accident, Mary K. Roach was born and raised in Grand Rapids and earned a degree in education from Michigan State University in 1973. One of her first jobs was working with the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Michigan, working with high school and community college counselors as well as the Michigan legislature.
But then came May 1980 and a car accident that left her in a wheelchair, but not idle. She got married, helped raise a stepdaughter, took in her teenage nieces and nephew, and began volunteering for the Meals on Wheels program at God’s Kitchen, a local food pantry.
Mary K. Hoodhood with one of the dinner bags distributed by Kids’ Food Basket. (Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)
There she saw the need to feed not only seniors and adults, but also school-age youth triggered by a 2002 phone call from a local school principal to say that students were regularly going into the cafeteria after school in search of food to take home.
With $3,000 and a handful of volunteers, she committed to seeking a solution to childhood hunger in our community and Kids’ Food Basket was founded.
“Many volunteers from God’s Kitchen followed me to KFB,” Mary K. said, and the group began feeding 125 meals a day. “What I didn’t anticipate is how much KFB has grown to increase access to good food for kids.”
The first big growth in 2008 and 2009
“There was a recession and we expanded our services outside GRPS to where there was need. I knew our numbers would increase and we would grow,” she said.
With the growth and recognition of Kids’ Food Basket, Mary K. has gained local, regional and national recognition, including being named one of The Grand Rapids Business Journal 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan in 2018.
(Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)
But KFB is and will always be closest to her heart. She is past Chair and current member of the Kids’ Food Basket Board of Directors, and volunteers many hours every week, focusing on fund development and public relations, but also sometimes just working the line putting together “dinner” bags.
That growth has led Kids’ Food Basket to becoming one of the largest non-profits in West Michigan, with staff and leadership carrying it into the future.
“Mary K.’s motto to ‘Do what I can do’ is one of many driving forces behind everything that we have built at Kids’ Food Basket,” Bridget Clark Whitney, President and Founding CEO of Kids’ Food Basket, said to WKTV.
“Food insecurity is a very real concern, and breaking down the barriers to good food access can feel overwhelming. At KFB, we create a space where people can make a real impact, one step at a time. Packing a single Sack Supper is easy, and together across three locations, it adds up to 10,000 healthy evening meals each school day.”
(Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)
What can you do?
Community volunteering and financial support has been a key factor in the growth and success of Kids’ Food Basket. Many people, it seems, believe in the title of Mary K.’s book — doing “What I Can Do.”
By KatelynKikstra Kent County Department of Public Works
While batteries of any type should never go in your recycling cart or any recycling drop-off station, but what you should do with them instead oftentimes is not clear. Batteries can really trip folks up because the type of battery ultimately determines what we need to do with them. Read below to match what kind of battery/batteries you have to figure out your next actions.
Alkaline batteries
Alkaline batteries are typically the cell batteries (EX: AA, AAA, etc.) that are commonly used in a lot of household items, like toys, flash lights, radios, etc. Alkaline batteries are cell batteries that ARE NOT rechargeable.
Alkaline batteries should be taped on the ends and then placed into the trash. (Pxhere.com)
Alkaline batteries used to contain mercury, qualifying them as hazardous waste, so they would have been accepted through a household hazardous waste program for a really long time. However, around the mid- to late-90s, manufacturers changed how they made alkaline batteries (to no longer contain mercury) so these types of batteries no longer qualify as hazardous waste and cannot go to a hazardous waste program. Once taped on the ends/terminals, these batteries are OK to go in the trash because they are no longer hazardous.
Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of places that recycle them as the process is tedious and expensive. We do not know of any alkaline battery recyclers in Kent County. Instead, we encourage folks to use up their supply of alkaline batteries and make the transition to a rechargeable/reusable type of battery if possible.
These batteries should do contain hazardous materials and should be taken to a SafeChem location. (Pxhere.com)
All other batteries
“All other batteries” is a broad category but it includes (from left to right): button batteries, laptop/cellphone/electronics batteries, drill/weed trimmer/leaf blower batteries, lithium ion/cadmium batteries, auto/marine/ATV batteries, and RECHARGEABLE cell batteries (EX: AA, AAA, etc).
All of these batteries should never go in your trash, recycling bin or into any of our single-stream/mixed recycling drop-off stations as they contain hazardous materials and could easily start a fire at the recycling center, landfill or a garbage truck.
Paul Vander Laan grew up on a flashlight farm—his dad had a day job and worked the farm at night.
Dave Kamps Showing his 11-year-old granddaughter Libby Kleyn how to drive his team of Percherons. (Janet Vormittag)
“Mom wouldn’t let him get a tractor with headlights. She didn’t want him working all night,” said Vander Laan who lives in Walker.
When Vander Laan was 8-years-old, he recalls the last horse leaving the farm. Nostalgia of those long-gone days has turned into a hobby for him. Vander Laan owns two Percherons, a breed of draft horse that originated in France, and he is a member of the West Michigan Draft Horse Club, which has about 40 members.
One of the club’s activities is plow days where members bring their teams to a local farm and put them to work. Plow days are open to the public and signs are placed by nearby streets pointing the way for anyone interested in seeing draft horses pulling plows.
On May 13, the club met at a Christmas tree farm in Ottawa County and worked a field that will be planted with seedlings. A light drizzle didn’t stop club members from attending. By 9 a.m. several pickup trucks hauling horse trailers were already parked side by side, teams were unloading, hitched up and bring starting to plow. Both walk-behind and riding plows were used.
Owning Draft horses is An Expensive Hobby
Vander Laan estimated he spends $2,500 per horse annually and that doesn’t include a truck and trailer for hauling the animals. To offset the pricy pastime, he built a horse-drawn funeral coach. Last year, he was hired 21 times to be part of funeral processions, transporting the casket from church to cemetery. He handled the team and the minister or one family member can ride by his side.
Business card with a photo of Paul Vander Laan and his Percherons pulling a funeral coach. (Janet Vormittag)
Club member Dave Kamps compared the expense of owning a draft horse to not smoking. “If you don’t buy cigarettes, you can afford the feed for one of these guys,” Kamps said, adding that a pack of smokes is about $7 and that’s what it costs to feed one horse for one day—but it’s cheaper in the summer when the horses are pastured.
Kamps spent part of the plow day teaching his young grandchildren how to handle his Percheron team, Jasper and Sweet Pea. His daughter, Betsy Kleyn, said her kids enjoy helping with the horses.
“He’s always doing horse stuff and they always want to help him,” she said.
Besides spring plow days, the club offers wagon rides at special events and compete in draft horse shows including one at Michigan State University.
This year the Michigan Great Lakes International Draft Horse Show and Pull (www.mgli.org) is Oct. 12-15 and will be held at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. Included are competitions in halter, hitching, plowing, pulling and riding. The four-day event features 330 vendors, and 1,200 horses from 30 states and three Canadian provinces. More than 35,000 people attend the show.
Family Tradition
Martin Daling, one of the original members in the West Michigan Draft Horse Club, said he won the plowing competition last year at MSU. The year before he took second place. He explained that the dirt is judged, not the horses. Criteria include the depth and the straightness of the furrows.
Carrie Dalling plowing with her dad’s team of blond Belgians. (Janet Vormittag)
Daling owns a centennial farm in Tallmadge Township near Leonard Street and 8th Avenue and is the third generation to farm the land. Daling and his Belgian draft horse team work the fields and in the fall they harvest the hay, oats and corn that provide feed for the horses.
Daling’s daughter, Carrie Daling, said she’s been attending plow days with her dad for at least 30 years.
“Everyone is always here,” said Carrie Daling. “People I’ve known since I was a kid.”
When the plowing is complete, club members have a potluck.
Carrie Daling said she occasionally drives her dad’s team of blonde Belgians, Roy and Roger.
“Dad’s teams listens very well,” she said explaining that one horse always walks in the furrow. “You point him in the direction and he knows where to go.”
Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animalsin 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.
In the fall of 2020, the Wyoming Tree Commission (The Tree Amigos), with volunteer helped planted trees in the Godfrey-Lee area. (Courtesy, Wyoming Tree Commission)
Whether it be the shade from a hot summer day to the colorful leaves dropping that add nature’s beauty in the fall, trees can provide a natural respite for a community as well as improve air and water quality.
However, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, underserved communities tend to have fewer trees than other city neighborhoods and local organizations working to add tree canopy to those areas can face unique challenges.
To help make a difference in one such area are three organizations, the City of Wyoming Tree Commission – The Tree Amigos, the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, and ReLeaf Michigan. Tuesday, May 23, the groups will come together to plant 20 trees at the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, 961 Joosten St. SW, to plant 20 trees. Volunteers also are being sought to help with the project.
Building Shade Equity
“We are working in Godfrey Lee for two reasons,” said Estelle Slootmaker, who is a member and founder of Tree Commission (The Tree Amigos), which noted the group has planted trees in the Godfrey-Lee district in the past. “The area’s canopy has been disastrously decreased by storms and development.
“The neighborhood, like many U.S. neighborhoods experiencing income challenges, lacks shade equity. Shaded neighborhoods promote mental health, reduce crime, have cleaner air with less asthma and other breathing conditions, and higher property values.”
The other reason the commission has selected the Godfrey-Lee area was because of the advocacy of volunteers Susan VanBronkhorst and Rosemary Davis, who have advocated for planting in the neighborhood, and because of Godfrey-Lee science teacher Deb Truszkowski, who has been working to get The Tree Amigos active with the district.
Truszkowski said it was a National Geographic article that raised her awareness for the lack of tree canopies in underserved areas. She teaches a world disasters course at the high school which focuses on climate change.
“We are currently looking into areas that lack tree canopies and how that affects a community,” Truszkowski said, adding the classes have been discussing how redlining, where lenders refused loans to people living in a certain area, impacted a neighborhood and its environment, such as parks, green space and trees.
Students from two of Truszkowski’s classes will participate in the planting along with talking to volunteers and learning from ReLeaf Michigan.
Volunteer Opportunities
ReLeaf Michigan, a 35-year-old non-profit organization, partners with communities statewide to replenish community tree canopies through volunteer tree planting events. In 2022, the DTE Foundation granted $350,000 to ReLeaf for tree plantings in communities throughout the state.
Slootmaker said ReLeaf is providing the 20 trees and the organization’s forester helped select the planting sites. On planting day, ReLeaf representatives will be there to provide instruction and supervise the plantings.
“They will be providing information on the proper way to plant and for the trees,” Slootmacher said, adding it is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to learn more about planting and green spaces.
Those interested in volunteering — no planting experience is necessary — should wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing and bring a shovel, hard rake, and work gloves if they have them. The group will meet at Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center located, 961 Joosten St. SW, at 8:45 a.m. to sign in, enjoy refreshments, and watch a planting demonstration with ReLeaf Michigan’s tree experts.The event occurs rain or shine.
From left, RJ Billmeijer, from CopperRock Construction; Senator Mark Huizenga; RoMan Manufacturing President Nelson Sanchez; RoMan Manufacturing CEO Bob Roth; RoMan Manufacturing founder Robert Hoffman; RoMan Manufacturing Vice President Kurt Hofman; Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood, and Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Keith Morgan. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
While for some the COVID pandemic caused a stall in operations, for RoMan Manufacturing it was a time when the company discovered new opportunities in the semiconductor and data center industries that have now led to the Wyoming-manufacture adding a new 27,000-square-foot facility to its location.
On May 18, city officials and business leaders joined company officials and employees for a groundbreaking ceremony for the company’s future facility, which along with being a manufacturing facility also will house the company’s new training and development program, RoMan University, and its Department of Labor approved apprenticeship program. The new facility, which is expected to open in October, is predicted to create at least 50 new jobs in the next 18 to 20 months.
“The new facility will allow us to expand our overall capacity to serve our existing core business, which is what we grew up on, the markets of resistance welding, furnace and glass, and create space to serve these new markets,” said RoMan Manufacturing President Nelson Sanchez.
Along with that, the addition of RoMan University and the apprenticeship will help the company develop a talent pipeline, Sanchez said.
RoMan CEO Both Roth said the facility also enables RoMan to continue its focus on helping its customers to achieve their goals.
“It was always that vantage point I think that has been one of our north stars and has driven business forward is that we think about customers first and in doing that, we can help them succeed and when we help our customers succeed, it helps us succeed,” Roth said.
Growing and Evolving
Started in 1982 with an 8,000-square-foot building, RoMan — which is a combination of the founders’ names Dietrich Roth and Robert Hofman — the company in the past 40-plus years has grown to cover seven acres with two sites that has a combined square footage of 160,000. The main campus is located at 861 47th St. SW, which is where the new building will be located.
The group of RoMan Manufacturing and local officials help break grown on RoMan’s new facility. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
According to Executive Vice President Kurt Hofman, RoMan Manufacturing started as a niche business focused on low voltage, high current water cooler transformers.
“You can Google that today and you are not going to see a whole lot of people pop up on that Google search and I can tell you who is going to be on the top of that Google search, it is going to be us,” Hofman said.
Over time, RoMan Manufacturing expanded outside of welding and the automotive industry and moved into other industries, which led to the company building systems. This led RoMan being to be able to expand into the semiconductor and data center businesses.
“On behalf of the entire city council, I want to congratulate RoMan Manufacturing on its new production facility and say thank you for choosing the City of Wyoming and for providing additional job opportunities for our residents and the West Michigan community,” said Mayor Kent Vanderwood at the groundbreaking ceremony.
A memory wall in LaFontsee Galleries shares its story. (WKTV/McKenna Peariso)
For the first time in nearly four decades, new leadership is taking hold at LaFontsee Galleries.
This month, founders Linda and Scott LaFontsee announced that Jason and Kate Meyer have bought the business. Artist Kate Meyer will take the lead on running the gallery, with Linda LaFontsee assisting her with the transition over the next six months.
“We found the right people,” said Linda LaFontsee. “We started thinking about it several years ago and I finally got to the point where I could entertain the idea of letting go of my baby.”
The LaFontsees have overseen growth of the art-hub enterprise for more than 36 years. From humble beginnings in 1987 as a small framing business to the award-winning 24,000 square foot gallery now located at 833 Lake Dr. SE.
In that time, LaFontsee Galleries has received many state and national recognitions. In 2022, the American Art Awards named it one of the top 20 galleries in America. The gallery also received the ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Award for Arts and Culture in 2004.
“Initially when the gallery started, there was not really much of an art scene in Grand Rapids,” said new owner Kate Meyer. “It really just started with a small framing shop and Linda and Scott showing a couple of pieces on the walls where they had a little bit of space from local artists and it grew from there.”
Growing its Grand Rapids
The tiny framing operation run out of Scott LaFontsee’s basement was fittingly named Underground Studio. As the area’s art scene began to take shape, the business moved downtown into the North Monroe Business District and rebranded to LaFontsee Galleries in 1994. Then in 2012, the founders reopened the gallery in its current home on Lake Drive.
LaFontsee Galleries started a a framing operation. During the May 24 open house, visitors will be a behind-the-scenes look at the business’s iconic framing department. (WKTV/McKenna Peariso)
“We have grown with the city for sure,” LaFontsee said. “It’s wonderful to be able to not only show their work but create a community with the artists as well.”
It’s estimated more than 60,000 works of art are stored at LaFontsee Galleries, with only a quarter currently decorating the walls. LaFontsee says the depth of the work the space holds for each of the artists is rather unusual, thanks to the building’s generous square footage.
The gallery’s entire collection including the current portfolio of more than 70 artists will be retained under the new leadership. Fifteen team members will also remain on staff.
An artist herself, Meyer has had her work displayed across Grand Rapids and has been featured at ArtPrize several times. She admires the gallery for its balance of a warm, welcoming environment with a professional caliber of fine art.
“It’s more than just a gallery,” said Meyer, “it really is a community space that has so many different facets to it.”
Just the Right Match
LaFontsee Galleries has a long history of involvement in local nonprofits and community events. Its list of collaborators include Frey Foundation, Gilda’s Club, Artists Creating Together and more.
LaFontsee Galleries has been an art-hub in Grand Rapids for 36 years. (WKTV/McKenna Peariso)
Connecting through non-profits is what originally brought the LaFontsees and Meyers together; Jason and Linda met while working with the Blandford Nature Center. Along with his advisory role with the gallery, Jason Meyer currently serves as executive director for the White Oak Initiative, a coalition addressing the decline of America’s white oak population.
Kate Meyer also has over a decade of experience in fundraising, event planning and leadership in environmental nonprofits and conservation. Her most recent role was associate director of development for the state’s chapter of the world’s largest conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy. She also previously served as the Kent County Parks Foundation’s executive director.
“They really hand-picked us and I think they see a lot of themselves in us and vice versa,” Meyer said.
Celebrating a New Era
Terms of the gallery’s transaction were not disclosed. The LaFontsees were advised by Calder Capital LLC on the deal. The Meyers used financial consultant DWH LLC as their advisors.
The gallery will host an open house on May 24 from 4 to 5 p.m. where the public can meet and greet with owners old and new. Attendees will also have the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at the business’s iconic framing department and learn more about the process of preserving art.
The Senior Expo will take place on May 24 at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. (Courtesy, Frederik Meijer Gardens)
In many ways, a walk around the building and grounds of the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is the perfect place for a bit of physical and mental health “me time” for local senior community members.
And what better time to visit than the return of the free-to-the-public West Michigan Senior Expo at Meijer Gardens on Wednesday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration to the expo also offers free admission to the Meijer Gardens indoor and outdoor art and gardens.
The range of senior — and senior caregiver — advocacy and service groups attending the Senior Expo is expected to include more than 50 Grand Rapids and West Michigan organizations that specialize assisted living, Alzheimer’s information, home care, Veterans benefits, mobility solutions, Medicare and much more.
More than 50 local and regional organizations will be present at the West Michigan Senior Expo at Meijer Gardens. (courtesy, Meijer Gardens)
For one local health-care organization, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, attending the expo and serving the senior community is a calling as much as a business opportunity.
“We view the seniors who turn to us for care as our friends, our grandparents, and our neighbors because that’s who they are,” Matt Hiskes, spokesperson for Pine Rest. “We value and offer a full continuum of services for seniors because they are an essential part of the community that makes West Michigan great.”
Hiskes also stressed that mental health is as important as physical health for seniors.
“Individuals often face some of the most challenging aspects of life during their senior years: housing changes, loss of family members and friends, individual medical concerns, loss of mobility, and changing family dynamics,” Hiskes said. “These issues can be incredibly impactful on a person’s mental well-being, yet many individuals never seek the help they need.
“It’s important for seniors to know that help is available, that there is no shame in seeking mental health care, and that people can live better, longer lives when they focus on caring for their mental health.”
Health care screenings and a stroll through art, nature
The “rain or shine” expo will be held in-doors and will offer a variety of free health screenings — not to mention hourly prize drawings, giveaways and complimentary refreshments.
Among the groups and businesses expected to attend are BP Realty, Baldwin House, Battle Creek VA Media Center, Boichot Insurance Agency, Care Resources PACE (GR), Center for Vein Restoration, Eden Home Care, Estate Planning Legal Services, Grand Brook Memory Care, Health Alliance Plan, Hearing Life, Life EMS Ambulance, Lincoln Square Senior Living Holiday by Atria (GR), McDonald Hearing Services, National Benefit Plans, Neptune Society, Sentinel Pointe Retirement Community, St. Ann’s Home, United Healthcare, and Victory Financial Insurance Agency.
After the event, attendees can enjoy the recently opened indoor exhibit of “Cristina Iglesias: Under and In Between”. Running through September, the exhibition surveys 20 years of work from one of Spain’s most renowned artists. The exhibit includes the artist’s “Pozo XI”, recently installed in the Tassell–Wisner–Bottrall English Perennial Garden as part of Meijer Garden’s permanent sculpture collection.
And if you haven’t been on the grounds lately, a somber but powerful stop should be Jerusalem-born artist Ariel Schlesinger’s “Ways to Say Goodbye” located in the Holocaust Memorial Garden.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is located at 1000 East Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids. For more information visit meijergardens.org
The Kevin Brewster Quartet recently stopped by the station for a performance and interview, which is part of WKTV’s news Jazz Works program. To check out the swinging tunes and the interview, visit the WKTV.org for the scheduled air times.
Joseph Olexa, circa 1941 (Courtesy, GVSU Veterans History Project)
Grand Valley State University Professor James Smither will be the first to admit that you never know where a veterans’ interview will lead you.
Such was the case when Smither, who heads up the GVSU Veterans History Project, interviewed World War II veteran David Zylstra, who mentioned that he had a manuscript of a memoir composed in the 1970s by his second wife’s late brother-in-law from her first marriage. Zylstra have been given the manuscript because he was the family member interested in history.
Dr. James R. Smither will talk about his book Wednesday, May 17, at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
When Smither looked through the large pile of papers stacked on Zylstra’s dining room table, “I realized right away that it should be archived and could probably be edited for publication.”
Smither got in touch with Olexa’s two sons still living in the Grand Rapids area, and they agreed to donate the manuscript and letters Olexa had written home during the war to GVSU and the Veterans History Project.
Smither took a sabbatical to edit the memoir and get it ready for publication.
The Challenge of Fact-Checking
“The real challenge to this was the fact-checking,” said Smither. “(Olexa) wrote the memoir largely from memory. I had to follow the story and check it against both published histories of the campaigns he was in, as well as military records for the unit he served in.”
Grand Valley State University Professor James Smither, head of the GVSU Veterans History Project (Courtesy, GVSU Veterans History Project)
Matching dates and places where the unit traveled and particular events Olexa mentioned in the memoir took hours of research.
“In some cases, his memory was faulty,” Smither said. “He was remembering the incidents pretty well but didn’t always have them in the right times and places. So I had to sort that out.”
Another challenge was the pseudonyms Olexa used for a lot of his characters. Ordinary combat soldiers didn’t always know each soldier’s name, often only knowing them by their nicknames.
“In (Olexa’s) case, he was going further than that. He was giving them nicknames especially if he didn’t like them,” said Smither with a laugh.
One of the most memorable nicknames was given to one of Olexa’s company commanders who he referred to as “Captain Jitters.” Smither had to find the real name of “Captain Jitters,” and the point Jitters was removed and sent to a psychiatric hospital as mentioned in the memoir.
A Vivid Account of Enlisted Life
Smither said he was impressed by Olexa’s writing style and ease of storytelling. “(The memoir) gives you a much more detailed and vivid account of what it was like to be a combat soldier than you get from most memoirs written by enlisted men,” Smither said. “Usually, it’s the officers that write the better memoirs because they are better educated and have a better idea of what was going on.”
Part of the charm of Olexa’s account of WWII was that he enlisted before the war had even begun.
“Olexa enlisted before the war started and got into the fighting as early as anybody did, and the Americans did in the European theater,” Smither said.
In 1942, Olexa was part of the invasion of North Africa—a portion of the war where there are not many firsthand accounts at all, and none from Olexa’s regiment of several thousand men.
Some Interesting Accounts
Smither said there are many incidents of Olexa’s unit that didn’t make it into history books because they were a “sideshow” for quite a while as a battalion off on their own, conducting small patrols in the southern end of the front in Tunisia.
Soldiers of L Company in Aachen, Germany. (Courtesy, GVSU History Project)
During the invasion of Sicily in 1943, Olexa was part of a small group of men who were trained to swim onto shore and flash signals to guide the landing craft in. “I had never seen anything about that,” said Smither. “I couldn’t find anything in the records indicating an army personnel ever did this. When I was burrowing around in the unit records, sure enough, I found a report on the activities of the unit he was in, and there he is, listed on the unit roster.”
The more Smither researched, the more he found that “a lot of the crazier stories turned out to be true.”
One such story involved chasing the girlfriends of soldiers out of the woods near the base in England where Olexa spent the last five months of the European war training replacement combat soldiers. The women would camp in the woods near the base and sneak in at night, or the men would sneak into the woods to spend time with them. Olexa had to organize a group of military police and make a sweep through the woods, chasing the women out.
Looking to Add a Website for the Book
University of North Texas Press wanted Smither to focus on the combat and front-line experiences of Olexa’s tenure in the war, forcing him to leave out some of the more eccentric stories.
“The original manuscript was simply too long to go into a print edition,” said Smither. Sections where Olexa is training or in the rear, various encounters with French soldiers in North Africa, and civilians he encountered away from the front were all areas Smither had to cut back.
However, the Press is allowing Smither to set up a website where he will post deleted material and any other supplemental items that he deems relevant. The plan is to include those sections of the text with indications of where they fit into the larger story in terms of pages of the book. Smither also plans to post some of the letters and interviews that he has done with veterans in some of the same places or with similar experiences as Olexa.
Once published, this supplemental website will be accessible from the Grand Valley History Department website via a link on GVSU’s Veterans History Project, which also gives access to other veteran interviews as well.
After the book is in print for three years, the Press plans to publish an ebook version that will have Olexa’s entire memoir so readers can find the whole story in one place.
Giving back to our veterans
Smither has worked at GVSU as a historian since 1990 and has specifically worked with veterans for more than 20 years.
“I always had an interest in military history, and I was able to develop a course in it,” said Smither, whose time outside of the classroom has been spent largely on conducting veteran interviews for the Veterans History Project (VHP).
Even though he does not have a personal military background, Smither said, “As a historian, sometimes you study things that are very far from your own experiences to try to understand them. And military history is compelling because it puts people into very difficult and unusual circumstances, and they have to figure out what to do and how to handle it. I think there is something about that that captures people’s imaginations.”
Veterans History Project: More than Telling Stories
“It’s a way to give back to the people who serve,” Smither said. “Just by listening to them and taking them seriously, you are showing a certain respect for them.”
Smither believes his job is to help veterans tell their whole story, publishing the complete interviews on the VHP website instead of only releasing bits and pieces.
“It provides great raw material for future generations of historians, but it also does something for the veterans themselves,” Smither continued.
For many involved in conflict from Vietnam onward, Smither has found there is often a question of “Why were we there in the first place, and was it worth doing?” Recording their stories helps many veterans find clarity.
“What you see when you talk to (veterans) is (that) a lot of the experience for them is just with them and the people in their unit, and just trying to get by. They were not really as worried about the bigger picture of things,” Smither said. “Recording the stories helps validate the experience…and it helps them figure out what happened. Sometimes I interview a veteran and that’s the first time they actually tried to put their story together. Some of it starts to make sense a little bit better when they start to do that.”
Retired life
Olexa worked in a factory for a short time after retiring from the military but deemed it too noisy. The former infantryman was not squeamish about blood and became a meat cutter, with his last 10 years before retiring in 1981 serving as the meat manager at a Grand Rapids D&W supermarket.
“He was very much just a member of the community after that (military career),” said Smither.
Olexa married Agnes Van Der Weide July 23, 1945, and lived in West Michigan until Agnes’s death in 1993. Olexa passed away December 3, 2000.
D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author
For Joan Mattson and her four siblings, it’s all about the subtle differences conveyed in such significant ways to define her mother’s journey with Emmanuel Hospice at her side.
Especially during this month, featuring Mother’s Day as a gentle touchstone.
“One of the Emmanuel Hospice aides, Tanya, always kisses the top of mom’s head before she leaves,” says Mattson, drawing a breath. “I mean, just that kindness. It means so much.”
Mattson’s mother, Bea Blasingame, is 87 and has been under Emmanuel’s care since late last year. Initially, it was difficult for Bea to accept and adjust, given her life-long sense of independence. She was also missing friends in rural Truman, Arkansas, where she and her late husband, Robert, spent most of their 67 years together.
These days, Bea resides in Mattson’s Grand Rapids area home following a series of seizures and discovery of a related tumor that have affected her speech, mobility and other aspects of her daily life.
With Mother’s Day coming up, Mattson relates that it’s bittersweet to wax nostalgic on how things used to be.
“My mom was a morning person,” Mattson recalls. “She might be up as early as four, and I can remember her going into the cold kitchen and standing on a rug by the register where the heat came up, saying her prayers and reading the Bible.
“And if you know how noise carries through those vents, well, her voice would come to me in my bedroom, and that’s just a very special memory.”
Mattson’s sister, Barb Raymond, says Emmanuel Hospice has been helping the family harvest and express those remembrances as they work to make their mother’s final months as comfortable as possible. In return, Bea personally thanks her Emmanuel Hospice care team – by name, when she can – during evening prayer.
One time, she couldn’t quite recall specifically one Emmanuel team member, but knew she was a spiritual caregiver. “The shepherd,” she managed to whisper. In another instance, she couldn’t conjure the name of a therapist who comes with her guitar and harp to sing hymns and more with her. “Bless the ‘music-maker,’” she offered.
Bea Blasingame makes a hand mold with the help of Emmanuel Hospice staff. (courtesy, Emmanuel Hospice)
Indeed, music and prayer have always loomed large in Bea’s life. She led songs at her church, sang solos and played the accordion. Her favorite Bible verse is from Psalms: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Losing her husband – whom she married at 17 (she fibbed her age up to 18 on the legal document) – was tough four years ago. COVID made the grieving worse.
When Bea fell ill last winter, her son and four daughters helped her battle back, but eventually, it was decided hospice care would be best. The whole family shares their mother’s gratefulness for Emmanuel Hospice. In addition to providing medical care, the nonprofit has prioritized making space for opportunities to create lasting memories and have joyful experiences as they cherish time together.
“We don’t know where we’d be without Emmanuel,” Mattson says. “I think honestly that God has had a hand in all of this, in having Emmanuel beside us.”
Raymond adds: “We’re just floored with the quality of people at Emmanuel. What they provide is just beyond what any one of us expected.”
“Ice Age: Michgian’s Frozen Secrets” features how Michigan landscapes looked thousands of years ago. (Courtesy, Grand Rapids Public Museum)
By Adam Brown WKTV Contributor
Have you ever wished to go back in time to the dawn of the Ice Age? Or look at the impacts of snow on a global scale? Now you can, with the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s new exhibits Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets and Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact.
What Are the New Exhibits?
Set to run May 20 through Sept. 3, the new exhibits put a unique Michigan spin on global events. In addition, they continue the GRPM’s mission of educating the public through immersive and enriching displays. Of the GRPM’s new additions, Public Museum’s Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Dustin Tyler noted, “Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets and Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact are two incredibly unique and exciting exhibits that we are thrilled to bring to our community. We believe both exhibits will provide visitors with unforgettable educational experiences and inspire curiosity about Michigan’s history and the impact of snow on our environment.”
Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets
Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets localizes the historical period, focusing on modern-day West Michigan when prehistoric animals dominated the Earth. The exhibit depicts how the landscape looked thousands of years ago, with a chance to interact with some of the area’s native creatures. In addition, patrons can enjoy tactile experiences where they can handle actual fossilized bones and teeth from the era. The available bones come from a selection of a recently discovered mastodon in the Grand Rapids area.
Visitors will be able touch mastodon bones that were found in Grand Rapids. (Courtesy, Grand Rapids Public Museum)
In August 2022, mastodon bones were uncovered during a construction dig at the Grand Rapids property of Michael and Courtney Clapp. Wanting to keep the artifacts local and accessible to the public, the Clapps donated their namesake Clapp Family Mastodon to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The recovered bones form the basis of the Ice Age exhibit. In this fully immersive experience, visitors are encouraged to touch and observe the bones and teeth, connecting them to the life of early humans in the area.
Though designed to supplement material learned in the classroom, Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets is geared toward all ages, per GRPM Marketing Manager Sara Olsen. People naturally question what their home state might have looked like in the prehistoric era. This exhibit is designed to answer those burning questions by allowing museumgoers to physically interact with what came before.
Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact
Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact takes the opposite route, looking at snow globally and how it impacts worldwide climate systems. No matter where we live, snow impacts us all. In this exhibit, patrons can examine all the ways this natural weather phenomenon affects the globe.
“Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact” will look at how snow impacts worldwide climate systems. (Courtesy, Grand Rapids Public Museum)
While new to the GRPM, Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact was initially developed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland, Oregon. Like the GRPM, the OMSI is devoted to fostering learning and curiosity in its visitors through interactive experiments, exhibits, and demonstrations for a younger, school-age demographic.
In Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact, guests answer one fundamental question. What is snow? An immersive digital snowstorm enables visitors to interact with snow crystals, examining how each is truly unique. While all ages may enjoy the exhibit, the tactile games make the experience especially rewarding for the younger crowd by allowing them to take an interactive role in the process, per Olson. Guests can also listen to oral histories about snow from elders and culture leaders of the Inupiaq tribes to supplement the interactive game. These elements seek to educate the public about the importance of snow in the worldwide climate system and how each tiny crystal has a global impact.
Despite differing scopes and content, the GRPM designed Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets and Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact to work in tandem with one another. Both offer glimpses into climate and weather patterns over time and allow patrons to interact with those patterns while building an understanding of the world around them.
Guests who purchase general admission tickets to the GRPM between May 20 and Sept. 3 can participate in the new exhibits, with free admission for those 17 and under. In addition, members can receive early access to the exhibits through an exclusive members only preview. Those interested may find information on museum hours and ticket prices at the GRPM’s official website.
You might be able to climb into this truck during the Wyoming Department of Public Works’ open house on Monday, May 15. (WKTV/Tessa Schulz)
Have you ever looked outside on a snowy day, sipping a hot chocolate while flurries blow through the frosty air? On wintry days plow trucks keep us safe by providing salt for the streets and scraping snow from the roads.
The Public Works team is here for many seasons, whether it is the icy winter, leafy fall, or road construction.
The Wyoming Department of Public Works is hosting an open house this Monday, May 15, from 5-8 p.m. at the Public Works Facility located at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW to educate the community on who they are and what they do.
The Kentwood Department of Public Works will be hosting its public works open house Thursday, May 18, 4-7 p.m. at the Kentwood Department of Public Works facility, 5068 Breton Ave. SE. The event is a joint venture with th eKent County
Both events are an early celebration of Public Works Week, May 21-27, which celebrates how public works connects a community through service and infrastructure.
Public Work professionals include engineers, public service, traffic, and fleet service workers. The Kentwood and Wyoming teams provide construction, maintenance, and repairs for streets, sidewalks, waterlines, sewer systems, traffic signs, city vehicles, and equipment.
During the events, community members will meet the public works team, check out demonstrations and climb into a public works vehicle.
Wyoming Public Works Day
“It’s a fun way to show off what we do for the city,” said Jay VanDyke, Wyoming Public Works assistant director. “It’s a great way for the community to come and meet the team who largely works behind the scenes. It’s a hands-on learning opportunity. It has something for every age. Many people never really grow tired of being fascinated by some of this larger equipment.”
The Wyoming open house will feature equipment, including a hydro excavator, dump truck, salt truck, boom truck, and street sweeper. In addition, guests may play games (hammer toss or Plinko) to win prizes or explore booths and displays, including the sewer jet flusher.
The Wyoming open house will serve hot dogs, chips, popsicles, and refreshments. In previous years, several hundred residents attended the city’s open houses.
“We hope that people walk away with a better understanding of the various responsibilities we have at the Public Works Department and the services we provide,” VanDyke said. “Some of these services include providing everyone clean, safe drinking water and a reliable, efficient sewer system. The nice thing about a reliable, efficient sewer system is if you never have to think about it, it’s working great!”
Kentwood Public Works Day
The Kentwood event will have hands-on activities, maintenance and repair demonstrations, and giveaways. All guests may take home free red maple and river birch tree seedlings. In addition, the event will have complimentary food and refreshments.
The Kentwood Department of Public Works will host an open house with the Kent County Road Commission on Thursday, May 18. (Supplied)
Semifinalists and finalists of the Work Zone Safety Poster competition will be recognized at 5:30 p.m. Sponsored by Kent County Road Commission and public works agencies throughout Kent County, the poster contest invited third-graders from across the county to design a caution sign focused on safety tips for driving through a work zone. A gallery of entries will be displayed during the event.
“The Kentwood Department of Public Works supports many aspects of our residents’ daily lives, from plowing roads to maintaining trails to repairing public safety vehicles,” Public Works Director Chad Griffin said. “We’re looking forward to connecting with the community to share more about what we do and display some of the equipment we use to get the job done.”
The Kent County Road Commission will also have team members and equipment on-site to share more about the department’s role in the community.
“Our team works collaboratively with public works departments throughout the county to serve residents by keeping roads safe,” said Steve Warren, managing director of the Kent County Road Commission. “We are excited to connect with community members and share more about our dedication to maintaining public infrastructure.”
The Kentwood Department of Public Works has five divisions that work together to maintain the City’s infrastructure, which includes more than 150 miles of pipes underground and more than 155 miles of streets above ground, as well as parks and grounds, buildings and vehicles. The five divisions are building maintenance, fleet services, grounds maintenance, streets maintenance and utilities (water and wastewater) services. To learn more about Kentwood DPW, visit kentwood.us/DPW.
The Rapid is going green with EPA-certified renewable natural gas from the City of Grand Rapids’ biodigester. (Supplied)
The Rapid is moving to become more green with renewable natural gas (RNG) while expanding its routes to aid in employment opportunities.
In April, The Rapid announced it has begun receiving EPA-certified renewable natural gas from the City of Grand Rapids’ biodigester, which is a major milestone in a multi-year effort to create a partnership that upholds a shared commitment to sustainability.
“The partnership speaks to innovative ways that local governments can work with regional partners and support their sustainability goals while also reinforcing the City’s commitment to building a safe and healthy community,” said James Hurt, Grand Rapids’ managing director of Public Services.
The Rapid has been working to transition its bus fleet away from diesel fuel to lower-emission potions since 2017, and the new partnership will create a renewable fuel source captures methane from the decomposition process, converting it into usable vehicle fuel and redirecting the waste away from local landfills.
“We’re fueling a cleaner fleet and significantly reducing our carbon footprint,” said Deb Prato, CEO of The Rapid. “This innovative partnership represents the creativity and collaboration that is necessary to develop strategies across multiple sectors to create better outcomes for the climate and the community.”
RNG fuel is considered carbon-negative, producing the lowest carbon intensity of any on-road vehicle fuel. The Rapid will be able to utilize this fuel immediately in the fleet without the need for massive infrastructure changes or investments.
The Rapid’s fleet currently consists of 133 buses, 102 of which will have the capacity to run fully on RNG. Diesel buses will continue to be retired and replaced by RNG vehicles, in a continued effort to reach zero emissions by 2023.
Starting this week, The Rapid announced its Route 8 Prairie/Rivertown will now have two weekday trips serving Michigan Turkey Producers.
“Our diverse workforce represents a large community of people in West Michigan with a wide range of transportation needs,” said MaryAnne McCaffrey, Vice President of Human Resources at Michigan Turkey Producers. “A stop at our location will ensure a safe and reliable commute for our employees.”
Route 8 will have two weekday trips, the first trip departing from Rapid Central Station at 6:45 a.m. and the second trip departing from Michigan Turkey at 4:58 p.m. The 6:45 a.m. trip will follow its regular route to Rivertown, continuing to Michigan Turkey Producers on Chicago Drive. The 4:58 p.m. trip will take a left on Burlingame and travel directly to Michigan Turkey Producers, before returning to Godfrey and then to Rapid Central Station. All previous stops along Route 8 will continue to be served.
“We are dedicated to improving the lives of our community across the six cities by offering reliable transportation options that improve access to employment opportunities and effectively remove barriers,” said Deb Prato, CEO of The Rapid.
On May 9, at approximately 7:30 a.m., police and fire personnel from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety and Grandville Police responded to the area of 28th Street near Clydon Avenue on a report of a head-on collision involving two vehicles.
When officers arrived they located two patients, an unresponsive 7-year-old female and a 31-year-old male both with serious injuries. The uninjured driver remained at the scene to speak with police. the injuries driver and child were both transported to an area hospital in critical condition.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s Accident Investigation and Forensic Services Units are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
Kent County Sheriff’s Department
At 2:30 a.m. this morning, a homeowner called 911 stating three suspects were checking car doors in the neighborhood along South Park Drive SW. Deputies arrived in the area and located the vehicle described by the homeowner and attempted to stop it. The vehicle fled from deputies but ran over spike strips just down the road. A pursuit continued up Kalamazoo Avenue nail the driver lost control and came to a stop along Kalamazoo Avenue near 52nd Street.
One occupant ran away and a second was arrested in the vehicle. The vehicle itself was stolen form Plainfield Township on May 3. Inside the deputies located two pistols along with cash and other items stolen from vehicles. An 18-year-old Grand Rapids man was arrested on charges related to the case. The other suspect remains outstanding.
This follow a similar incident Monday morning in Byron Township. At 6 a.m., KCSO dispatch received multiple calls of suspects breaking int o cars in the area of Marshwood Court SW. Two vehicles fled from deputies, which were later found at 68th Street and Clyde Park Avenue. As deputies closed in they located four suspects running form the cars, who were all apprehended (ages 15, 16, and two 17-year-old males from Grand Rapids). Three stolen vehicles in total were recovered.
According to a statement released by the Kent County Sheriff’s Department “We continue to see the brazen action of these suspects continue. Please keep your firearms, keys, and cash out of your vehicles. All areas of Kent County are being targeted.”
Fig and Friends founder Julie Beukema with Ray (courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
Julie Beukema monitors Michigan Urgent Cats on Facebook, where cats in desperate circumstances are posted with the hope someone can assist. Last November, she spotted a listing regarding a tiny kitten with infected eyes and knew she had to help. A volunteer drove the six-week-old kitten from the Detroit area to Grand Rapids.
Beukema is the founder of Fig and Friends Pet Rescue, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit that relies on foster homes, volunteers and donations. The rescue takes in owner surrendered pets as well as cats and dogs from crowded shelters. The nonprofit works closely with the Calhoun County Animal Center and shelters in Southeast Michigan.
When the black and white kitten was delivered to Beukema, he was immediately rushed to a veterinarian. The diagnosis wasn’t good—both eyes were ruptured and tissue was becoming necrotic. Surgery to remove the eyes was recommended.
Other than his eyes, the one-pound kitten was healthy and purred up a storm.
“We felt we had to give him a chance,” Beukema said.
The total vet bill for Ray including surgery followup, neuter, vaccines, and microchip was close to $2,000. A Facebook fundraiser was created.
Ray, the Entertainer
Beukema named the longhaired kitten Ray Charles after the blind singer. Being blind didn’t hinder the entertainer and it hasn’t hampered his namesake.
“He’s the most social and curious kitten I’ve ever seen,” Beukema said.
At first glance, Ray’s missing eyes are not noticeable as the fur on his face is black. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
At first glance, Ray’s missing eyes aren’t noticeable. The fur on most of his face is black and his longhair gives him a shaggy look as if his eyes are merely hidden.
Ray is now seven-months-old and is the official greeter at the Happy Cat Café, 447 S. Division Ave. Beukema recently partnered with the café, where cats from Figs and Friends are featured in the café’s adoption room.
Happy Cat Café has collaborated with numerous rescues since they opened and have adopted out close to 700 cats.
The Socialite
Ray is not available for adoption. He had been adopted, but allergies forced his return. Beukema then decided to adopt him herself. Because the blind kitten was so social, she thought to try him at the café. It turned out to be a good fit.
Ray is thriving at the café. He interacts with people, plays with toys and was the first cat to figure out how to run on an exercise wheel — picture a carpeted, four-foot tall hamster wheel.
Ray navigates through sound, scents and his whiskers. He chases and bats around toys like any sighted cat and leaves guests in the cat room amazed at his abilities.
“He’s doing phenomenal. He’s an advocate for special needs cats,” Beukema said. She added if she ever notices Ray isn’t enjoying himself at the café, she’ll bring him home.
Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animalsin 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.
Circle Theatre presents the “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” through May 20. (Courtesy, Circle Theatre)
How do you spell S-U-C-C-E-S-S? One only has to be in the audience for Circle’s musical comedy to find out. The season opener is successful with tremendous audience appeal, superior talent, innovative staging and musical delights.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee follows six nerdy and eclectic tweens who are definitely quirky, interesting and share their life stories with effortless humor and emotion. It’s a small cast with big voices.
“What is the language of origins?” “Can you use that in a sentence?” “What’s the definition please?” These phrases take us back to some of the spelling bees of our school days. But what is the most memorable are the life stories of every cast member. The stories emotionally connect us throughout.
Kudos to co-directors Chris and Jenna Grooms for directing what seem to be young characters, but has a cast of all ages portraying that specific age group. They all try to spell their way through words like “capybara,” qaymaqam” “Cystitis” and other words I have never heard of.
Who will win the spelling championship of a lifetime? Audience members are on the edge of their seats just waiting to find out. There is no intermission which just adds to the suspense of the plot.
The show was a winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book. Well-deserved as the jokes, storylines, and content are relatable, emotional, funny and as clever as the characters themselves.
Zachary Avery, in the role of Leaf, doesn’t know how to spell, but when he goes into a trance, the results are correct and humorous. (Courtesy, Circle Theatre)
Another interesting aspect of the show is four audience members are called upon to compete in the bee. This provides an audience immersion delight and tests the casts’ improvisational techniques.
Each cast member has their own unique way of competing to win the spelling bee. Braden Bacon, portraying the role of Barfee, spells the word out on the ground with his foot. He gets the visual and then speaks it. Zachary Avery, in the role of Leaf, doesn’t know how to spell, but when he goes into a trance, the results are correct and humorous.
Usually there are stand out performers in musicals. This cast are all stand outs. Impeccable comedic timing, excellent voice and diction skills, in depth characterizations and gifted singers make this show one of the best I have seen in a long time.
Choreographer Mary Lohman and Music Director Scott Patrick Bell should also be commended on their creative efforts and in-depth talents.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs at Circle Theatre through May 20. Tickets and information available at circletheatre.org. The show runs May 4-6, 10-14 and 17-20, with May 14 being a matinee showing. Tickets are available for $26 – $30 at circletheatre.org. This season, Circle Theatre will present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “Blithe Spirit,” “Pippin,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Definitely a winning season and one that we have just come to expect from Circle Theater.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
Along with the passage of the Wyoming Public Safety millage, districts in and around the cities of Wyoming and Kenwood also had positive outcomes on individual ballot proposals.
Kelloggsville Public Schools – non-residential operating millage
Kelloggsville Public Schools, which is in both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, was seeking a renewal of its non-residential (non-homestead) operating millage, would generates about $3.7 million or 13% of the district’s annual operating budget. The request was renewed for two more years with 544 to 340 in favor.
Kelloggsville Public Schools’ non-residential millage request was approved by voters for another two years.(WKTV)
“On behalf of the Board of Education, Kelloggsville Administration, and all of our staff members, we sincerely thank you for supporting this millage,” said Kelloggsville Assistant Superintendent Eric Alcorn to a letter to the community. “Your support demonstrates a commitment to our schools and the education of our students. We are fortunate to have such dedicated staff and community members who value education and understand the importance of investing in our schools.”
The money will be used for the day-to-day operations of the Kelloggsville schools such as staffing costs, instructional programs, instructional materials, transport and maintenance.
Grandville Public Schools – non-residential operating millage
Grandville Public Schools, which includes the Wyoming panhandle, also was seeking a renewal of its non-residential (non-homestead) operating millages. The proposal was for the 18-mills on non-homestead property plus one additional mlll, for a total of 19 mills, for four years.
GPS has had a “Headlee Rollback” for the past seven years, with its millage now 16.8 mills. The additional mill will offset up to one mill of Headlee Rollback and make up the different over the four years to keep the district as close to 18 mills as possible.
The proposal passed 3,422 to 2,112.
Caledonia Community Schools – supplement bond proposal
Caledonia Community Schools’ supplemental bond proposal for $61 million pasted by a small margin, 2,790 to 2,715. The funding will be used to complete the 2020 vision that voters approved a bond issue on in that same year. Due to construction costs, the district needed to seek the supplemental bond issue.
The funding will be used for construction of a new Dutton Elementary, football stadium renovations, repairing roofs, upgrading parking lots, and providing parking and youth athletic fields at Calplex.
“We want to thank the voters in our community for supporting this bond proposal,” said Dr. Dedrick Martin, superintendent of Caledonia Community Schools. “Our continued investment in our schools will help Caledonia stay competitive and enable our students to receive real-world, hands-on experiences in upgraded facilities so they can better compete in the global marketplace.”
The Caledonia School Bond, which is located south of the City of Kentwood, will not raise tax rates for residents. It is a fiscally responsible investment in which all funds will be available on CCS’ website to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and transparently. All bond funds will be subject to regular independent audits to promote accountability and the best fiscal practices.
Left, Mayor Kent Vanderwood and Chief Kim Koster, chat in front of the city’s retired aerial fire truck. Through the millage that was passed Tuesday, the city will be able to purchase a new one. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Wyoming Public Safety Chief Kim Koster admits there is a lot of work ahead for her department — postings, recruiting, and the purchase of a new fire truck — and it’s thanks to the city’s residents who by 64% approved a public safety proposal on Tuesday.
“I’m extremely grateful to our community for their support,” Koster said during a press conference at the city’s Division Avenue Fire Station. “They really looked forward and could see how an increase in personnel would have an impact on community safety.
She added that this is especially true for the fireside as increased personnel will help decrease response times and allow the city to fully staff its Division Avenue fire station, which has never been open on a regular basis.
Voters showed their support
In a vote of 4,987 to 2,803, Wyoming voters approved a 1.5 mill increase that would be dedicated to the public safety department. The millage would raise about $4 million annually allowing the city to maintain 17 public safety positions and add 10 more.
“I believe the key this time around is that we kept the message very simple,” said Mayor Kent Vanderwood, who recited his slogan throughout the campaign. “Ask the residents for only what is needed and for no longer than needed.”
Vanderwood said the city asked for the right amount making it clear it would be dedicated to the public safety department for staffing and the purchase of needed equipment. He also felt putting a time frame of five years on the millage gives residents the control over whether they see the need or not to continue with the millage. Vanderwood added that the five years gives the city time to explore other options for funding.
“I am grateful to the business community who came forward and supported this,” Vanderwood said. In fact many, such as the 36th Street Palermo Pizza, handed informational flyers.
As the vote rolled in on Tuesday, Vanderwood said the tallies came in two groups. The first was the absentee voters, which were around 4,800. Absentee ballots showed 68% in support of the millage.
A total of 7,700 of the city’s approximate 58,000 registered voters cast a vote in Tuesday’s election. This is about 15% of the city’s registered voters, which is on par for the entire county and usually the percentage for a May election.
Remodeling and Recruiting
The press conference was in front of the 1994 aerial fire truck that has been out of commission for about a year and half, Koster said. Through the new bond proposal, the city will purchase a new aerial truck, which she noted is needed as the city has more multi-floor buildings along with allowing firefighters to safely reach the roof of a home during a fire. Since the trucks are made to specifications, it will take about a year for the new truck to arrive.
Through the millage and for the first time in the city’s history, the city’s Division Avenue Fire Station will be fully staffed. This summer it will be renovated and updated. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Koster said postings for six fire positions went out the day after the election and that they will begin recruiting for the four police officer positions. Because it does take time to find the right candidates, Koster said they hope to have some of the positions filled by fall.
Through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, the Division Avenue Fire Station will be remodeled which will include five bunk rooms for staff along with other updates. The station was primarily operated by volunteer/paid-on call and does not currently have sleeping quarters. This remodeling is scheduled to take place this summer, Koster said.
“I can only echo what the mayor and Chief Koster have said in that we are grateful to the community and we will follow through on the commitments we have made,” said Interim City Manager John McCarter.
