Category Archives: Non-Profits

Elder abuse: be a part of the solution

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, Non-Profits, Senior Living, ,

By Regina Salmi, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan


When we address elder abuse, the focus is often on financial exploitation and avoiding financial scams. Elder abuse includes physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect as well as the financial component. Only 1 in 24 experiences of abuse are reported. It is important that we all know the signs of elder abuse to help protect the vulnerable adults in our lives. By being aware of the signs, we can all play a role in preventing abuse.


Acknowledging that abuse may be taking place is difficult for us to comprehend. For most people, when we notice something awry, we are more likely to try convincing ourselves that we are wrong than take action and report suspected abuse. According to Cassie Schrock, Kent County Elder Abuse Coalition Coordinator at Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, approximately “90% of abusers are either family members or trusted caregivers,” adding to the anxiety of reporting abuse. Yet, “elder abuse is one of the fastest growing crimes in Michigan” asserts Schrock, “90,000 seniors are victimized annually in Michigan.” It’s important we know the signs and report suspected abuse when we see it.

There are several signs of abuse and seeing just one doesn’t necessarily mean a person is being abused or neglected. We know that as we age, we’re susceptible to falls and may experience bruising from time to time. Our skin also thins as we age and so scrapes occur more easily. We can also experience emotional changes and depression as we age. Abuse is usually a collection of symptoms rather than just one thing.


Frequent and “unexplained injuries like bruises, scars, burns, welts, or broken bones” explains Schrock, should raise our suspicion.


There will also be emotional and behavioral changes in a person being physically abused such as rocking, sucking, or mumbling to themselves, seeming timid or fearful, withdrawing from typically enjoyed activities or changes in alertness. Weight loss, continuously poor hygiene, inadequate clothing and isolation by a caregiver can be associated with both abuse and neglect.


Schrock explains, “Some of these changes can be misunderstood as symptoms of dementia” which can cause one to be hesitant to report it as abuse.


If you suspect an older adult is being abused, report it. In Michigan, call Adult Protective Services at (855) 444-3911. This hotline is available 24-hours a day. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger do not hesitate to call 911 for help.


Cassie Schrock reminds us, “There is no liability if you make a report in good faith.”


For more information about reporting abuse, visit www.michigan.gov/mdhhs. To learn more about elder abuse and also stay up to date on the latest financial scams targeting seniors, visit www.protectkentseniors.org.

Cat of the week: Chococat

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals,

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

When Dr. Jen first laid eyes on Chococat back in mid-November of 2018, she immediately noticed that the kitty was in desperate need of medical care. A volunteer had come across him a few weeks prior and made work of catching and getting him in to safety, but it was clear that this middle-aged man (best guess is that he was born sometime in 2012) had survived an extremely troubling existence prior to the kindness we were finally able to show him. Not only was he profoundly underweight and intact, he was suffering from significant dental disease involving his three remaining teeth (he now has none left) that caused a fistula to form in between his oral and nasal cavity; the smell was horrendous and we can’t even fathom the discomfort he had been in.


He was also beyond filthy, had ingrown/abscessed thumbnails and a nasty bilateral ear infection; to top things off he tested a very strong positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). And, due to the lack of care and compassion he was shown on the streets, poor Chococat was terrified of human contact. In fact, he was so painfully shy that as Dr. Jen treated his laundry list of ailments and tried to interact with him (while he recovered at the clinic), she decided it was in his best interest to be fostered by his rescuer until he could settle in a bit more. Clearly indoor life was completely foreign to him.

So the rescuer took the poor guy home and set him up in his own room, where she spent as much time as possible trying to get him used to the fact that the hands that were feeding him were gentle and generous. After almost two months, it was time to introduce him to the other cats and volunteers at Big Sid’s, as the only way he was going to come out of his cocoon is if we forced him ever so tenderly to do so.


Currently, Chococat still prefers to keep to himself. He is oftentimes found in the shadows, hunkered down where no one can see him, BUT recently we have caught glimpses of him out napping on one of our toddler beds during broad daylight!

Dr. Jen asked her cat care team to offer up their observations of his progress thus far and what they feel would be ideal for him:

“Chococat is still terribly shy and fearful of humans. Honestly, I’m not sure he will ever be a cat that enjoys interaction with people. However, he is getting more and more comfortable in the shelter every day and I think he is enjoying being inside. He is slowly learning not to be afraid of the other cats, but he still doesn’t like it when they get too close. Chococat’s ideal home will give him plenty of space for as long as he needs and his owners need to be okay with the possibility of him never willingly interacting with them. I would love to see him with at least a couple other cats that can teach him not to be so fearful of humans.”

“Chococat — I hope so badly that the right person comes along and sees his potential and that all he needs is lots of patience, understanding, and his own space. I honestly think he’d eventually see that being inside, having endless bowls of wet food, and having his very own trusted human is not so bad after all. Seeing him going from room to room is unbelievable compared to hiding backwards in a teepee scared of his own shadow. He’s finding out that we aren’t so bad, and in time I just know he will be hanging out with his friends more. He’s a very handsome guy with the softest Angora-like fur.

“I noticed just tonight that if you approach him and speak very quietly without touching him he will allow you to put his food down without hissing or swatting. It’s progress. I would love to see him on a home with one or two other cats. No dogs! The perfect human would be one that looks past his current disposition and is willing to be there daily with him to build up his trust.”

So there you have it: Chococat’s sordid history as we know it and the baby steps he is making towards a better life for himself. With our help, we are praying we can assist him in making slow and steady strides over time, because if anyone deserves all the best life has to offer, it is this toothless, timid soul. And since he has no choppers, there is absolutely no risk of him transmitting FIV to another cat, so we can hook him up with a buddy or two hopefully, as we firmly believe there is power and strength in numbers.

More about Chococat:

  • Medium
  • Domestic Medium Hair — Black & White/Tuxedo
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • FIV-positive
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Very timid; prefers a home without dogs or children

Want to adopt Chocacat? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.



Cat of the week: Patrice

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , ,

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing


Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

 Pretty as a picture and as quiet as mouse is how Patrice came to us in mid-November of 2018, after having been rescued off of Putnam St. SW in downtown Grand Rapids. Born in late 2016, this stunning but shy tabby and white girl was one of many homeless cats that had been taking advantage of a feral cat feeding station; although she would enjoy meal time on a regular basis, her timid nature kept her tucked away from the humans that tried diligently to live-trap her to get her off of the streets.

 

Finally, persistence paid off and she was rescued, fixed and sheltered in her rescuer’s home. After a little over two weeks of R and R with a multitude of critters affectionately called ‘The Barnyard’, Patrice was ready to come to see Dr. Jen at the clinic. Initially she tested a very faint FIV+, which was fine as the plan was to eventually house her at our sanctuary. As luck would have it when she came back in a month later for her retest, she had cleared the virus from her system. Although still a bashful beauty, we felt it was time that Patrice head on down to our place for more socialization and schmoozing with our cats and crew.

 

It took this darling little lady quite a bit of time to settle comfortably in her new surroundings, but the patient, gentle hands of our doting volunteers won her over. As she comes out of her shell more and more, we get to see a sweet side of her that relishes attention; she won’t actively seek it out, but if you approach her while she is napping peacefully in her favorite teepee, she is all about head scratches and pets. In fact, once you start stroking her fur, she can’t get enough and practically begs you not to stop.

Patrice also likes to laze the day away in the comfort of a cozy cubby, where she can observe all of the activity and partake in the more mellow activities as she pleases. She really doesn’t seem to mind the other kitties, but it isn’t necessary she be placed into a home with another cat. We do know that small, rambunctious children would frighten her, so if a family with older, calmer kids falls in love with her, we feel that type of dynamic would better suit her needs. As long as her space is granted and respected and she isn’t forced to become a lap cat (that is going to take time and trust), she and her new family members will get along famously well; she simply needs time to feel safe, secure, accepted and adored for who she is.

More about Patrice:

  • Medium
  • Domestic Short Hair
  • Adult
  • Female
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Spayed
  • Not declawed
  • Prefers a home without children

Want to adopt Patrice? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.


Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Cat of the week: Juanita

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , ,
Meet gorgeous Juanita!

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing


Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW)


On Sept. 17, 2018, a super nice gal on the northwest side of Grand Rapids contacted Dr. Jen for help in placing a kitty she had rescued a week prior that turned up Feline Leukemia-positive. Although the rescuer was totally in love with the beautiful and bubbly teenager (born in February of 2018), she wasn’t comfortable adding a cat with this virus into her furry household; FELV+ can be transmitted through saliva (grooming, shared dishes) and blood (fighting), so unless a resident cat is fully vaccinated against the virus, it isn’t smart to intermingle the two.


Dr. Jen was more than thrilled to open our sanctuary doors to this little lass, and thankfully she did at that point in time as Juanita was terribly anemic; both antibiotics and steroids were started for a blood parasite that is common in stray cats who have either been flea infested or are immuno-compromised


Ten days later, Dr. Jen’s treatment was deemed a smashing success, and she was able to spay kitty, but another 10 days after that, Juanita came down with a highly transmissible respiratory infection (calicivirus) and was quarantined until her oral ulcers healed—poor girl could not catch a break! But no worries, as jovial Juanita is a sturdy, saucy kitty who is bound and determined to take what comes her way and kick it to the curb.


Ten days later, Dr. Jen’s treatment was deemed a smashing success, and she was able to spay kitty, but another 10 days after that, Juanita came down with a highly transmissible respiratory infection (calicivirus) and was quarantined until her oral ulcers healed—poor girl could not catch a break! But no worries, as jovial Juanita is a sturdy, saucy kitty who is bound and determined to take what comes her way and kick it to the curb.


Ten days later, Dr. Jen’s treatment was deemed a smashing success, and she was able to spay kitty, but another 10 days after that, Juanita came down with a highly transmissible respiratory infection (calicivirus) and was quarantined until her oral ulcers healed—poor girl could not catch a break! But no worries, as jovial Juanita is a sturdy, saucy kitty who is bound and determined to take what comes her way and kick it to the curb.

Since her arrival at Big Sid’s, it is safe to say that she has taken the place by storm, and that everyone (human and feline) is quite enamored by her:

“Juanita — what a little doll! She is such an outgoing little girl. She quickly made friends with just about everyone, and she and Eros have been seen chasing each other around the last few days, that is when she isn’t snuggled up napping with Gordo. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her pint-sized body. She loves to hang out up high on her favorite cat walk either looking down at everything going on when she isn’t directly involved in the activity.”

“If anyone is looking for a playful kitten-like cat, she would be perfect. She will require LOTS of feather toys as they are her absolute favorite.”


In all honesty, Juanita would be just about the perfect cat companion if it weren’t for the darned virus that could hold back her chances of being adopted. Cats with FELV can and often do live healthy, happy lives, and we have known dozens upon dozens over the years who have thrived, living well into late adulthood, so her viral status isn’t an immediate threat. Yes, certain living circumstances are required to house cats like Juanita, and education is key to understanding what the virus is all about and what to watch for as she ages, but she and all of our resident Sid’s Kids are some of the most loving, agreeable and affectionate cats around, and each of them deserves to end up in a home of their very own.


We know for a fact that Little Miss Sunshine here is going to add so much joy to her adopter’s life because she is simply so easy to fall hopelessly in love with and a hoot to engage, interact and play with!

More about Juanita:

  • Small
  • Domestic Short Hair, Black
  • Young
  • Female
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Spayed
  • FELV+
  • Not declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats, children

Want to adopt Juanita? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.


Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Cat of the week: Leonard Purrstein

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The kid is a hard worker

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

When Dr. Jen first laid eyes on the strikingly stunning Leonard, she was impressed with how composed and sure of himself he was considering we were the third facility he had been in since June of 2018. Initially, he was transferred from Calhoun County to Focus on Ferals where it was discovered that he was FIV+. Having a bigger heart than space for these viral-bound cats, Gina committed to keeping him in her program with the hopes that someday soon there would be an opening for him at our sanctuary; luckily for them both, we were able to open our doors to the debonair Leonard Purrnstein in early August.

This muscular, 14-lb. lug (born in early 2014) was hungry for affection and couldn’t wait to repay our attention in kind with head butts and cuddle sessions. We’ve discovered that his favorite thing in the whole, wide world is wet food, wet food and more wet food—even more than people! In fact, he has become our little garbage disposal, cleaning up every single plate and bowl that the others leave behind. When he isn’t hanging out in the food prep area in our free-roaming shelter begging for handouts, he can be found snoozing away high upon a cat tree as, after all, a food coma is secondary to a full tummy.

Leonard really doesn’t care for the other cats, and at times he gets a bit too big for his britches and causes commotion, but he is surrounded by 49 other cats, so who can blame him. However, he has also has shown us his mellow, softer side so we feel that placing him in a home with a laid-back cat would be acceptable to him. Since FIV+ is transmitted through bite wounds, it is no wonder that being in close quarters with so many of the feline kind gets him a bit rattled, but food is an easy way to diffuse any tense situation with him.

Hopefully, he won’t leave our place much heavier than he arrived, but we figure he deserves a little spoiling given all that it took to get him here to us! We feel he would thrive in a home with kids and lots of things to climb; he may be part monkey, as the higher up he can get the happier he is. Overall, we adore Leonard, are enthralled by his intense good looks, and are thoroughly enjoying having him as an official Sid’s Kid until we find him his fur-ever home.

More about Leonard Purrnstein:

  • Medium
  • Domestic Short-haired Tabby (Tiger-striped), White
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats, children

Want to adopt Leonard Purrnstein? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Cat of the week: Grey Catsby

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , ,

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

Meet Mr. Grey Catsby

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

We felt it best in this case to relay the story of who this fine fella is and how he came to be in his guardian angel’s own words, as Grey Catsby (born in August of 2013) came to us under different circumstances and under the assumption that he was feline leukemia-positive (he retested negative several times). Here is his story in Augusta’s words:

“Grey is a big boy, but he’s not overweight and doesn’t overeat, he is just big-boned at 16 pounds. He’d make a great companion as he is pretty chill, but he would prefer to be the only cat in the place. His brother must have harassed him quite a bit as he wouldn’t eat or have a treat for a long time until he’d made sure no other critter was around.

“He’s smart and trainable, a big fan of Greenies, catnip, chicken and Lickables, though he isn’t a huge fan of canned food. He has excellent litter box manners and likes cuddles with people he bonds with, which I think he would do fairly easy with anyone who is consistent, gives him lotsa crunchy treats for basic good behavior, and only uses a loud or stern voice when he is doing something wrong (that doesn’t happen very often). He will be quite shy at first as he has been through a lot, and I don’t believe he had ever had a treat or toy in his life before I got him; he is just starting to get what toys are and feel safe enough to play.

“Until he has bonded with you, he won’t like you messing with the top of his head; he is OK with petting. but toys that are catapulted over his head or sudden, unexpected movements can freak him out. Honestly, I’ve worked with a ton of cats and this dude is really sweet. In the morning, he will wait for me to get my coffee and when I sit down with it, he will come over, look me in the eye and gently tap my arm with his right paw to ask for some cuddles; it is as if he has missed me while I was sleeping (even though he slept with me on the bed all night).

“I believe that feeling safe and secure is something he hadn’t much of, and that is probably as much to do with his nature as a nurturer. He becomes much more worried when there is a man and a woman in the house, though two woman are fine; add a man to the mix and he gets a bit skittish. He witnessed a great deal of verbal and some physical abuse in his former home, so he will just need consistency and kindness to allow him to start shining again.

“I can say with certainty that he now has the basic, but perhaps fragile, trust in believing in humans, and is learning that they can do right by him. In spite of his upbringing, he is not a lot of work, he’s cuddly without being clingy, and he’s getting happier by the day.”

Once you know his background, you can understand his demeanor with us since his arrival, and you are instantly SO PROUD of how far he has come in such a short period of time: Grey Catsby had a hard time adjusting to the hustle and bustle of shelter life but is doing much better. He still spends most of his time observing the action from the top of the catwalk, but if you call him, he will come down for pets. He will make an excellent cat for a family once he warms up to his new home. He could live with or without other cats. He is the perfect gentleman, and also very handsome.   

Grey Catsby likes people but isn’t crazy about being the center of attention. Once he comes down from the catwalk, though, he enjoys being near you — although he’s a bit shy at first. Anyone looking for a cat that has his quiet mannerisms will be very lucky. He may need a little extra time adjusting to new surroundings but would do just fine in no time. 

When Grey was sick with calicivirus, he got extra one-on-one attention, and we think that helped him be more comfortable with us (strange as that may sound). He would be perfect for any home with older kids, another cat, or a small dog.

Well, there ya have it folks, Grey Catsby in a nutshell. We are thoroughly enjoying watching him become brave and more self-assured every single day that he is with us. Augusta did a fantastic job laying the groundwork and Grey is coming in to his own with purpose and grace.

More about Grey Catsby:

  • Extra-large
  • Domestic Short-hair, Gray & White
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Prefers a home without dogs

Want to adopt Grey Catsby? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

The words we use

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Non-Profits, Our Cities, ,

By Bob Smith, LMSW, CAADC,
Clinical Manager, Cherry Health

The way we speak often impacts the way we feel and changes the lenses in which we see the world. One area in which this has impacted those suffering from substance use disorders are common terms I hear of being either clean or dirty to describe one’s using status.

These terms are used widely to describe people suffering from addictions and present themselves in use through media, news organizations, agencies, providers, trainers and even those individuals suffering from addiction themselves. They have become so broadly used and interconnected in the treatment of addictions that at times it seems we have lost sight of the impact these statements have on how individuals, providers, and our country views addictions.

Addiction is a disease defined by the American Medical Association and the American Society on Addiction Medicine including changes in the way our body and brain function. Over time and left untreated, addiction is a progressive relapsing disease, severe, disabling and ultimately life-threatening. We do not label those suffering from heart disease, diabetes or cancer as clean or dirty, and instead we treat them with compassion and empathy.

We all need to take responsibility for shifting these perspectives to disrupt the cycle of placing individuals suffering from a disease into a category of being labeled externally and internally dirty. When individuals use substances, or are screened for substances in their body, the correct terms we should be using is testing positive or negative for substances. I would challenge all of us to actively confront these statements when we hear them.

We all can be part to making changes starting with educating our patients on how they speak about themselves, educating our co-workers, writing letters to our local and national news broadcasters and Congressmen when they use these terms, as well as advocating for continuing expansion of treatment services in our community.

Whether we are suffering from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, alcohol or opioid addiction, or any other chronic health concerns, we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

Cat of the week: Karlie

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , ,

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).


Courageous Karlie’s story is nothing short of amazing—and quite unique in the fact that she came back to us in October of 2018 after having been lost for over 3 years!


Our gorgeous girl (born in January of 2012) initially came to us in early 2015 and had only spent 2 months at Crash’s before a wonderful gal adopted her and another of our kitties. Sadly, only a few months after her arrival into her new home she somehow got outside, and no matter how hard her new mom looked for her for months on end, Karlie was simply nowhere to be found.


Many of our volunteers offered their support in staking out the neighborhood, but as time wore on, our hopes were dashed and the thought of her returning to a home she was just getting comfortable in seemed improbable. To top things off, her owners ended up moving within the year, so even if our buxom beauty had tried to return to the house she darted from, there would have been no familiar faces waiting for her there. It was a heartbreaking situation.

Fast forward to a chilly autumn day when Dr. Jen received a call from the Kent County Animal Shelter stating that a kitty with a microchip registered to us had been brought in; when she was told WHO it was, she could hardly believe it as so much time had passed! Dr. Jen was extremely surprised when she went to retrieve Karlie that she was still pleasantly plump, leading the good doctor to believe that someone had been caring for this kitty—and quite well at that.


Given Karlie’s shy nature, we suspect that she may have been leery of strangers, but a food bowl—now that was an entirely different story! Regardless of where she was for the past three years, she was found just a few short blocks away from her home, which in itself is quite astounding; wherever she hunkered down proved to be a safe hiding spot as signs posted in the neighborhood and door-to-door canvasing were unrewarded efforts. 

Once back in our care, Karlie turned out to be pretty darn healthy, although she needed a fractured tooth pulled and unfortunately turned up positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), meaning that somewhere along the line she was bitten by an infected cat harboring the virus. Since this sweet girl hasn’t a mean bone in her bodacious body, there is minimal risk of her transmitting it to another cat as she prefers to spend most of her time now posing for photo ops and lounging in laps; she is definitely making up for lost time!

It took Karlie a bit to acclimate and come out of her shell at our sanctuary (who can blame her for that?), but once she began to trust us, she became the biggest snuggle-bug! In fact, she adores her cat-checker so very much she begs to be carried around for hours while Amelie works—or tries to with a 13# cat in her arms. She has found comfort not only in the embrace of her caretakers but also in the company of her fellow felines, so we’d love to find her a fur-ever home with another kitty to cuddle up to.


Karlie is the epitome of a lazy, lovable lap cat but given her history, we need to be sure we place her in an environment that is not too hectic and will allow her to adjust at her own pace. If you have a heart that is open wide and arms that are longing to hold a creature that will treasure you for the rest of her days, Karlie is THE cat for you! And we have it on good authority that Karlie’s wandering days are over—she promises to stay put!

More about Karlie:

  • Extra large
  • Torbie, White
  • Adult
  • Female
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • FIV+
  • Spayed
  • Declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats

Want to adopt Karlie? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

12 ways to celebrate the holidays in assisted living communities

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Crime Prevention, Health, Holidays, How-To's, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Senior Living,
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


The holidays are always a time of year full of fun and a flurry of activities. Some people may be afraid that living in a senior community means missing out on some of the good times, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Assisted living communities have a lot of great ways to celebrate the holidays, from religious and spiritual services to festive activities and holiday outings.

We have put together a list of our favorite ways to celebrate the holidays, many of which are already happening in our Vista Springs communities.  We’re wishing all of our community members joy this holiday season!

Trips to local churches or chapel

Many churches and other places of worship have special holiday services that you may want to attend. Assisted living communities will often organize trips to visit places, or if there is a service you want to attend that doesn’t have a specially planned trip, speaking to your event organizer can help you plan a visit.

Visits from local dance and music groups

Local dance companies, choirs, and bands have winter or Christmas programs that they love to share. Many senior living communities like Vista Springs will invite these groups to come and perform, so make sure have get an event schedule so you don’t miss out on anything.

Pop-up vendors and shops

Pop-up shops and holiday vendors will often come visit communities and bring the best of holiday shopping right to you! Not only does this provide a great way to socialize with the rest of your community, but you can get great deals on gifts for your family and friends all from the comfort of your own front door. Usually these are one day events, so if you plan on attending make sure to keep room on your schedule.

Craft projects

Ever wanted to make a pinecone wreath? A special ornament? A tiny Christmas tree? Assisted living communities like Vista Springs have these and any number of other fun craft projects that you can take part in. Have a good time and feel like a kid again while getting a little messy with glue and ribbons. Crafts are a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

Community decorating

Most senior living communities will ask residents to help them put up decorations around the common spaces. Decorate trees with ornaments, hang garland, and put out table centerpieces to give the entire space that homey holiday feel. Some communities also have decorating contests to see who can make their doorway the most festive, so you can go all out and show your decorating skills to everyone.

Cookie decorating

Everyone likes cookies, and during the holidays that’s especially true. Assisted living communities can have cookie decorating activities so you can have fun and eat your work. If there aren’t cookies, see if there are any gingerbread house constructing or decorating activities planned in your community.

Trips to music performances

When local groups can’t come and perform at your community, you can get a chance to go and see them someplace else. Many assisted living communities, Vista Springs included, will plan trips to go see concerts and other live music performances wherever their normal venue is. Enjoy a nice trip out and listen to good music to help you keep in the holiday spirit.

Outings to local events

Similar to trips to listen to music, assisted living communities can have planned outings to event spaces that are holding holiday displays or special gatherings to celebrate the holidays. Parades, light displays, or house and garden tours are all examples of events that your community can have plans to see. One of our favorites is the Christmas light show at Fifth-Third Ballpark in Grand Rapids.

Visits to tree farms

Another fun place to visit over for the holidays are Christmas tree farms. While you might not be planning on taking a tree home with you, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy yourself and get some fresh air. Look at local crafts and handmade decorations, and relax with the smell of pine trees with other community members.

Community group performances

Many assisted living communities have their own choirs and other groups that put on holiday performances. Maybe you are even part of one! These ensembles have put a lot of work into their programs, so make sure to show up and support your community members as they entertain.

Movie viewings and game nights

Watch your favorite holiday movies or play fun board games with other community members. While you might have movie or game nights other times of the year, during the holidays there are often special treats like cocoa and snacks to help you get in the holiday mood and get the most out of community gatherings.

Dinner parties

Almost all communities will have a dinner party planned where you can invite family and friends to come and visit you at your home and celebrate together. Most of these parties happen early on in December, so if you have family members that you won’t be able to see later on in the year this is the perfect opportunity to enjoy some special time together.


The festivities of the holidays can be found anywhere, especially in your assisted living community. With all these activities, you can have holiday fun every day of the month.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Three Things You Didn’t Know About Assisted Living

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Non-Profits, Senior Living

Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

Like many adult children, you want your loved ones to live a healthy and happy life. When they need advanced care, you’re left with a tough decision. The idea of moving to an assisted living community is still uncharted territory for many, crawling with misconceptions. A significant portion of what we think we know is influenced by media depictions. How many times did we see Dorothy from the Golden Girls threaten her mother, Sophia with going back to the dreaded Shady Pines retirement home? Too many!

Believe it or not, those who enter an assisted living community are not subject to cruel or unusual punishment. In fact, most seniors have the opposite experience. Assisted living can be the solution you and your loved one have been dreaming about. So, If you are just starting your research or just want to know more, here are three things you didn’t know about assisted living.

It’s Just Like Home. When considering assisted living for a loved one, it’s easy to picture a shared, sterile, hospital-like room. If that’s what comes to your mind, you probably think that’s no place to live a happy, fulfilling life. We agree! That would be a horrible place to live. Luckily, you don’t have to.

It might surprise you to know many assisted living communities encourage seniors to personalize their living arrangements to feel like home. Some even welcome furry friends. They can be similar to apartments regarding privacy, and often include amenities like a personal bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen area.

Vista Springs consists of 11 uniquely themed senior communities in Michigan and Ohio. Check out a few of our location to get a feel for what you can expect here.

Independence. Being a part of an assisted living community has the ability to give seniors a newfound sense of freedom and independence. When seniors have limited mobility, which frequently comes with age, there can be a decrease in their overall well-being. A few vital services assisted living communities provide is access to transportation, housekeeping and laundry services, and meal preparation. Service like these are essential for older adults with cognitive or physical impairments.

Different Levels of Care. Searching for an assisted living community can be overwhelming. With so many care options available how can you be sure you’re making the right choice? It’s important to recognize not all senior communities provide the same level of care. It often depends on the community’s licensing. Many states have a tiered system of licensing whereby communities with a higher degree of licensing are able to provide more care. Being aware of what care options are offered can help you find the perfect place where your loved one can live life to the fullest without worrying about managing care. Compare some of our Vista Springs care services listed here.

A home is more than just the essential amenities. It’s feeling a connection to one’s community. Finding a good fit is important for solidifying that bond. The right assisted living community allows your loved ones to stay healthy while focusing on living their best life.

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Cat of the week: Viggo

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Meet Sir Viggo, a most debonair gentleman

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

Former volunteer and ‘Queen of the Stray Cats’, Rochelle M. live-trapped this striking stud-muffin who had been hanging around her Cutlerville home in mid-September, 2018. Her intention was to take #130 to CSNIP for neutering and then release him back outdoors as he kept company with members of her feral colony, but when he proved to her just how affectionate and friendly he was and was sporting some pretty nasty cat fight wounds, she contacted Dr. Jen for help.

 

It wasn’t a surprise that this stunning black and gray smoky fella (born around March of 2016) turned up positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) given the fact he was intact and a scrapper, but it was quite shocking as to the sheer number of fleas he had infesting his battered and bedraggled body; how he avoided becoming anemic was beyond comprehension, but thankfully his issues were only skin deep and healed up wonderfully well.

 

Our shelter and cat care managers have some pretty good insight as to what makes our silver fox Viggo tick: “This drop-dead gorgeous guy has come a long way since we took him in. He was a bit of a spitfire and would pick on any cat that walked past him but is doing much better now — and was even snuggling with Sia recently. He’s really started to show his cute personality by following volunteers around looking for the attention he deserves”

 

“Once in awhile he lets out a meow and I’ll pick him up and he just sits there in my arms looking up at me. He loves to nap A LOT! I think he is so fond of snoozing because he has relaxed so much since he has been with us, finally safe and able to sleep soundly.”

 

And of course we can’t overlook the obvious: he has the coolest markings and fur that you can’t help but run your fingers through, with those silver undertones that rival that of his namesake. He’d do best in a home with a companion, as we feel he would be utterly amazing with kids and probably a dog too; Viggo probably could cohabitate harmoniously with the right type of cat as well (non-confrontational, mellow and a snuggler so that no biting occurs that could transmit the virus), and most certainly would thrive in a home overflowing with humans.

 

So as you can clearly see, this debonair and dashing feline specimen really is the complete picture: affectionate, outgoing, people-oriented and overall just a gregarious guy looking for a place to call his very own. And after all that he went through to land with us, Viggo most definitely deserves it.

More about Viggo:

  • Large
  • Black, Gray/Blue/Silver, Smoke
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats, children

Want to adopt Viggo? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Santa Claus Girls keep tradition alive helped by Kentwood business

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Holidays, Kids Activities, Non-Profits, Volunteers


By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The Santa Claus Girls have a long history in Kent County, dating from 1909 in fact. These days they operate out of the Knoll Inc. building on 36th in Kentwood.

Over the years, some things have changed but one thing hasn’t — an army of volunteers work to keep up the tradition of buying, wrapping and delivering presents to more than 10,000 kids in Western Michigan. WKTV visited the Santa Claus Girls workshop recently and talked about that legacy with Maggie Moerdyke.

And what motivates that army?

“Why do they do what they do?” Maggie Moerdyke, a buyer for the Santa Claus Girls, said to WKTV in a recent interview. “It is important to them to make sure every child has that gift, no matter what their circumstance.”

While the kids each get a new toy and candy — what else would be expected? They also get hand-made, knitted winter hats and mittens. And those come from an army all by themselves.

The knitted hats and mittens come from “geriatric associations, from just from grandmas on the street,” she said. “Those all come from our community, very lovingly and very givingly.”

For more information visit santaclausgirls.org or visit their Facebook page.

Cat of the week: Stavros

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By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

It’s goes without saying that scruffy little Stavros had seen his fair share of tough times before he was picked up on south campus of Davenport College in mid-August 2018. His rescuer took him in and housed him, making sure he had his basic needs met (food, water, shelter) but he still had a long way to go in filling out his bony frame (he was starving when found); he also needed to be neutered and was in dire need of a spa day.

 

When he was taken in to a local vet a week prior to coming to us, it was discovered that he was FIV+, which made long-term housing even more challenging. So the dynamic duo of Lynnette and Sue asked for our assistance, and on October 8th Dr. Jen was able to bring this stinky, skunky (yet adorable), filthy, matted and formerly flea-ridden fellow into our program, but first he had to make a long overdue pit stop at the clinic. While there Dr. Jen not only (nicely) took away his manhood but combed an entire cat’s worth of hair off of him, treated a nasty ear infection and extracted some problematic teeth.

 

Once he was bathed and beautified, stunning Stavros (born around October of 2013) was ready to head on down to Sid’s to receive lots of hands on attention, something he had clearly been missing for quite some time.

 

Since Dr. Jen only got to spend a bit of time with him at the clinic upon intake, and then again for his follow-up a month later, she asked my cat care people for some insight on our ever evolving Stavros:

 

“He is becoming a really sweet boy. He was so scared for the first couple weeks he was with us, but now he purrs and happy drools. He still spends all of his time up on the cat walk, but he will let you know when he wants attention. He seems to get confidence from being around the other cats, so he should go to a home that has at least one other cat. He does get a little nervous at times, so it is probably best he live without obnoxious dogs or young kids.”

 

“Stavros—I love this cat!! He has a secret… he LOVES one-on-one attention as long as you have the brush or comb in hand; he drools, coos, and shakes when he’s being brushed which cracks me right up. He’s always got that concerned/ puzzled look on his face which I think some perceive as “not friendly”, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He’s a quieter, keep to himself kind of cat until you set him down either on your lap or next to you and start brushing his super fuzzy soft hair. Everything about him is just adorable to me. He’s not real crazy about a lot of the other cats near him, but has not once shown any aggression towards them. He’d do well in a quieter home with lots and lots of attention. No dogs, but possibly another non-dominant cat.”

 

We also have it on good authority that someone has a finger fetish—to the point where he will slobber and nibble on your fingertips, so you have to watch out as when he gets a bit over-enthusiastic he can’t help but give a love chomp! There exists a video of him enjoying grooming himself so exuberantly that the slurping sounds he elicited almost made the videographer gag a bit.

 

We figure that he spent so much time dirty and dread-locked that now he can finally keep him self shiny and clean he is going to make the most of it—and make sure everyone knows what he is doing! In the short time we have had him, Stavros has come such a long way, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for us.

More about Stavros:

  • Medium
  • Domestic Medium Hair & Domestic Short Hair Mix
  • Gray/Blue/Silver, White
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Prefers a home without dogs, children

Want to adopt Stavros? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Cat of the week: Otter

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , , ,

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By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

On October 13, 2018, Dr. Jen received this very heartfelt request: “I’ve been trying to avoid writing this email for a long time. I adopted Otter in 2009 and he’s been my best friend from Day 1. My partner and I have been living separately for the past 5 years due to his severe allergic reaction to my cat, but we’ve reached the point where we’d like to start our lives together. I have tried everything to place Otter into a home I trust but nearly everyone in my life has multiple pets and the inability to take on another. I am hoping that, even after all of this time, Otter still can have a place at Crash’s. He means the world to me and I can’t consider him going somewhere his life might be at risk. Please let me know if this is still an option. I’m heartbroken and just need to know he will be safe and loved.

 

“He’s lived the past 3 years with two rescue pit bulls, as part of the gang we affectionately call ‘Two Pitties & a Kitty’. He’s a little instigator who loved to get the pups to chase and play with him, especially taking on the laser pointer together. Otter has been through probably half a dozen moves with me and has handled change like a champ, always making himself instantly comfortable. His favorite pastimes are sleeping on the windowsill in the sun, chirping at the birds or any other wildlife he can see, and snuggling on your chest while purring in your face (his purr motor never shuts off). He loves catnip probably too much (we have had talks about it). Otter has been my one constant through so much change over the last near decade—he is part of my heart and soul.”

 

Every time we read this, we get choked up; to love someone so much and have to let them go is one of the most difficult decisions to have to make. We strive for our motto to be ‘once a Crash cat, always a Crash cat’, so there was no question about it—Otter was of course welcomed back into our furry fold. Since he is a senior citizen (born in August of 2008) and had been away from us for such a long time, Dr. Jen was a bit concerned that his world would be turned upside-down, but literally within minutes he was trucking around the place, finding himself a great vantage point on a perch and surveying his surroundings (this was of course after our grand reunion at the clinic where Dr. Jen got to personally greet him and get some long overdue lovin’ ).

 

He is such a sweet, gentle cat who more often than not can be seen being carried around in the arms of a volunteer, obviously enjoying every second of hands-on time with his new BFF’s. He is going to thrive in a home where he can be showered with attention, both human and canine-kind; you can even throw a cat or two in the mix and all will be right with Otter’s world once again.

 

He really is the perfect cat, and if you haven’t heard, 10 is the new 5, so age certainly isn’t a factor in considering Otter as your lifelong kitty companion; a full work-up at the clinic deemed him healthy after several teeth were extracted, with sensational lab work to boast about as well. As you can see from how his mom gushed about him and by how smitten our volunteers are with him already, this great guy here really is exactly the type of cat that will seamlessly transition into any happy household and add so much joy to it as well, so don’t let a cat as magnificent as Otter pass you by!

More about Otter:

  • Large
  • Domestic Short Hair
  • Tabby (brown/chocolate, tiger-striped, white)
  • Senior
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats, dogs, children

Want to adopt Otter? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

 

Service work can make a difference in your community and career

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Education, How-To's, Non-Profits, Volunteers, , , ,

By Katherine Jamieson, Michigan State University Extension

 

Are you looking for help to pay off student loans or save money for college? Do you need to add relevant work experience to your resume? Are you trying to enter or re-enter the workforce? Do you want to make a difference in your community? If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider becoming a member of AmeriCorps or Senior Corps. If you answered yes to any of those questions and would like to accomplish that feat within Michigan 4-H, consider joining 4-H STEAM Corps.

 

Michigan State University Extension will be expanding its 4-H programming impact through 4-H STEAM Corps, an AmeriCorps program that will place 30 full-time members in MSU Extension 4-H offices across the state to provide science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) enrichment programming via 4-H SPIN Clubs and 4-H Tech Wizards. Through this program, MSU Extension will expand 4-H SPIN clubs by potentially creating 600 new SPIN clubs in 30 counties across the state reaching over 3,200 youth. Members will serve from September 2018 through July 2019. The program is contingent upon funding by the Corporation for National and Community Service and Michigan Community Service Commission. Contact Rachel Puckett at pucket21@msu.edu for more information.

 

AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs are operated by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency established in 1993 whose mission is “to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.” The Corporation for National and Community Service employs 75,000 individuals across the United States in a variety of public service assignments aimed to meet critical needs in the community. At 21,000 locations nationwide, national service members are making a difference in their community through projects focused on disaster preparedness and relief, the opioid epidemic, youth mentoring, college access and readiness, conserving our environment and improving the economic opportunity of our veterans and limited income families.

 

In addition to making a positive impact on others and serving your country, there are many other benefits to becoming a national service member. Full-time members typically receive:

  • Modest living allowance or volunteer stipend
  • Limited health benefit option
  • Student loan deferment
  • Educational award to pay for college, technical school or repay student loans
  • Skills and training

Furthermore, the Corporation for National and Community Service found service work also spurred personal and professional growth. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service Office of Research and Evaluation 2013 study, volunteering is a positive pathway to employment. They found volunteers in general were “27 percent more likely to find a job after being out of work, and that number jumped to 51 percent for volunteers without a high school diploma” and 55 percent increase for those in rural America. The Corporation for National and Community Service 2017 State of the Evidence Annual Report also found:

  • 9 out of 10 alumni reported their experience increased their problem-solving abilities.
  • 8 out 10 alumni indicated their experienced benefitted their career path.
  • 79 percent are, or plan to become, actively involved in their community after service, compared to 47 percent prior to service.

According to the National Service 2018 Impact Report, locally Michigan has 1,710 service locations with 9,360 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members hard at work improving lives and communities, with the Corporation for National and Community Service contributing 63.1 million in program funding.

 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Dental Symptoms You Should Not Ignore

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Non-Profits, , , , , ,

By Nicole Kooiker, DDS, Dentist at Heart of the City Health Center

Q: One of my teeth hurts when I drink ice tea. Do I need to see a dentist?

 

A: As a dentist practicing in Grand Rapids, I can tell you that pain in your mouth is not a feeling to ignore. While it doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem, you should contact your dental office if you are experiencing any of the following five symptoms:

  1. Mouth pain could be caused by a cavity, gum disease, an abscess or impacted tooth. If not treated by a dentist, your tooth could die, causing an even bigger problem.
  2. Experiencing pain in your teeth when you drink hot or cold beverages could indicate tooth decay, fractured teeth, worn fillings, gum disease, worn tooth enamel, or an exposed tooth root due to gum recession. Treatment options depend on the source of the sensitivity as determined by your dentist.
  3. Bleeding or sore gums could simply be caused by brushing too hard or overzealous flossing; however, this could also be a sign of gum disease that only an oral health professional can address.
  4. Mouth sores could indicate an infection, virus, fungus, or simply an irritation from dentures or a sharp edge of a broken tooth or filling. Consult your dentist if you’ve had a mouth sore for longer than one week.
  5. Bad breath can indicate poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, gum disease, or a medication’s side effects. If you brush your teeth and tongue twice a day and floss daily, but still experience bad breath, consult your dentist to rule out an underlying medical condition.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues or have other concerns, please contact us today. We’re here to help!

 

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

Gifting family caregivers over the holidays

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Holidays, How-To's, Non-Profits, Senior Living, ,

 

By Regina Salmi, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan

 

Over 40 million people provide unpaid caregiving for a family member in the United States. The daily routine of caring for another often means caregivers are not taking care of themselves. The holidays can be a particularly stressful time for caregivers due to the break in daily routines, the additional planning necessary to join in celebrations, travel or to receive visitors. Some caregivers may choose to isolate rather than to burden themselves with making these plans.

 

The holidays are a wonderful time for other family members to express their gratitude and appreciation for their family member’s caregiving and help them enjoy the holiday season. Caregivers often put their needs second, third or last to other people in their lives. Offering the caregiver some relief would be a marvelous gift for the holidays.

 

Sarah Sobel, AAAWM Caregiver Services & Contract Administrator says, “Caregiving is stressful and the holidays can add to that stress. It is important for caregivers to do self-care.”

 

How can family help with this? Having a friend or family member stay with a loved one would offer the caregiver the freedom to get away for some rest and time for themselves. Stepping into the caregiver’s shoes for a weekend or a day can be eye-opening as to what the caregiver experiences regularly.

 

Julie Alicki, Certified Dementia Practitioner, points out, “This clues the rest of the family in on what the caregiver is going through — it keeps them in the loop.” If family members providing relief isn’t feasible, arranging for professional in-home care or respite services would be a great way to provide relief for a caregiver.

 

Relieving some of the daily tasks of a caregiver can also make a thoughtful gift. A membership to a grocery delivery service like Shipt or a meal delivery service like Hello Fresh would offer the caregiver one less task to manage. With winter coming on, arranging for a snow clearing service would provide some stress relief as well as additional safety for the caregiver.

 

Gifts they can use during some precious time off, like a spa day, tickets to a sporting event or the theatre, gift certificates to favorite restaurants, a round of golf, movie tickets or a weekend get-away make wonderful stocking stuffers for caregivers. If you’re a little more on the creative side, putting together a book of IOU coupons to be used throughout the year would not only help provide support, but would also assist the caregiver in being able to ask for much needed help more easily.

 

The greatest gift a caregiver can receive is time — time for themselves. Being given the ability to be worry-free and able to choose how they want to spend a few hours, a day, a weekend or even a week to themselves is a precious gift to a caregiver. It is also a tremendous acknowledgement on the behalf of family members of the gift the caregiver gives to another all year around.

 

Whatever we can do to though to demonstrate our gratitude and appreciation during this holiday season to the caregivers in our lives will reverberate throughout their year.

 

If you need help making in-home care or respite arrangements, contact Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at (888) 456-5664 or aaainfo@aaawm.org.

Cat of the week: Mr. Fluffytail

3-bottom, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , , ,

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By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

In early October of 2018, we received a special plea from a wonderful woman on the east side of the state regarding a very special kitty she had rescued and then sadly surrendered to her local humane society; immediately she regretted her decision and was applying to adopt him back when she discovered he was harboring the feline leukemia virus. Because she has a negative cat at home, she didn’t feel comfortable risking exposure (the virus is transmitted through bodily fluids like saliva), but she just couldn’t fathom the potential outcome of her super friendly, fluffy fella. So, she contacted us in the hopes that Dr. Jen could lend her a hand, and once the good doc agreed to help when we had a spot open, she made work of insuring his safety there until she could spring him and bring him on over.

 

Thankfully because of her valiant efforts and a very accommodating staff at the Michigan Humane Society, Big Sid’s was able to welcome this fabulous four-year-old (born in the fall of 2014) into our free-roaming facility.

 

From the instant we met, we were fast friends, as he won us over with his silly antics, voice bigger than he is and his affinity for people pleasing. He had to hang out with Dr. Jen at the clinic for a few days as she needed to treat an abscess that went undetected (he had received treatment for one at the HS), extract all of his incisors and address an inflammatory condition know as stomatitis which causes oral pain secondary to significant inflammation (this is quite common in FELV+ kitties). Dr. Jen had such fun while he was there, even though he spent most of his time hootin’ and hollerin’ at her and her coworkers so they would stop what they were doing, take him out of his cage and cuddle him—he is too darn adorable to resist.

 

Mr. Fluffytail, aptly named by his rescuer, needed only about a half of a second to acclimate to his new, cushy surroundings, as he was raring to go meet and greet everyone that he laid his eyes on. At the writing of his story about a month after his arrival, he is still very chatty, extremely playful and sports a kitten attitude with the appetite to rival a 20 pounder! He is constantly on the move and LOVES any and all attention sent his way, so he has to keep filling his belly as he burns calories faster than he can take them in.

 

He is by far one of THE HAPPIEST CATS we have ever had—and we have had our fair share of extremely enthusiastic residents over the past 16 years. He is constantly the center of attention and is always getting into things—he is just thriving in our busy shelter. He would do fabulously well with a house full of kids so we are going to make that our target goal: Fluffytail + rambunctious children = best idea ever!

 

The only thing squirrelly about him is his tail, which sometimes we swear is about the same diameter of his lithe and lanky body. If you aren’t immediately taken by his cute personality, his awesome amber eyes and striking, silky fur will draw you in and never let you go; he is so darn handsome. I know I speak for everyone at Big Sid’s when I say that we are so very blessed to have such an energetic and goofy guy as part of our furry crew; his lust for life and the pure unadulterated bliss he exudes from every single pore is absolutely contagious.

More about Mr. Fluffytail:

  • Medium
  • Tabby (brown/chocolate, tiger-striped, white)
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • FELV+
  • Good in a home with other cats, children

Want to adopt Mr. Fluffytail? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

 

Therapy cat’s adoption story beats odds, hits jackpot

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By Victoria Mullen, WKTV

victoria@wktv.org

 

Lynn Hopkins’s bond with her rescue cat, Jack B. Nimble, is rewarding on myriad levels. Besides the close companionship the two enjoy, Hopkins and Jack share their time with seniors in assisted living environments, as well as students who are in dire need of de-stressing before exams.

 

And then, there is the little matter of a certain, er, jackpot that recently paid off big-time, thanks to Petco Foundation and Hopkins’s unwavering faith in Jack. Each year, Petco invites people across the U.S. to share the story of how their adopted pet changed their lives during Petco’s annual Holiday Wishes campaign, giving the organization that they adopted from a chance to receive a grant award.

 

Hopkins knows a sure bet when she sees it. First, she spotted Jack at Crash’s Landing a few years ago and couldn’t resist adopting him. Second, she identified in Jack certain personality traits that catapulted him into the pet therapy field. Third, this past fall, she came across Petco Foundation’s application for the Holiday Wishes campaign and knew Jack had a winning story.

 

“Petco’s application said they would only guarantee full review of the ‘first 10,000’ entries so it was pretty long odds,” said Hopkins. “The application materials said the winners would be announced in November, so the first week of November, I checked the website and found out the winners were being announced on the 16th. I didn’t tell anybody when the announcement was scheduled in case we didn’t win anything.”

 

But when it came time for the live video feed on Petco’s website, you can bet Hopkins was glued to the screen.

 

Photo courtesy Lynn Hopkins

“Other than the first prize, they did not announce the winners in any particular order,” she said. “Out of more than 10,000 entries, there were 51 winners. They were like 3/4 of the way through before our prize was announced and I was losing hope, then the picture of me with Jack in his stroller popped up and then the grant amount—$25,000. I was totally thrilled—I had fantasies about winning a big grant but didn’t really expect it.”

 

Next, it was time to share the great news with Dr. Jen Denyes, veterinarian and founder of Crash’s Landing. The timing couldn’t have been better—the organization’s annual fundraiser, Whiskers and Wine Gala, took place Nov. 17th, and this was an exceptionally welcome announcement.

 

“When I learned of the award, I was rendered temporarily speechless, and that never happens to me,” said Denyes.

 

Depending on the grant’s restrictions and requirements, the funds could go toward renovating the organization’s kitchen, a long-overdue project. The kitchen is central to the organization; it’s a hub of activity, where food is prepped, dishes washed, sundries stored, and litter boxes cleaned.

 

Keeping Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary humming along good and strong—and the cats healthy, safe, and well-fed—requires a budget of $14,500 per month. And that just covers the basics, such as rent, utilities, medical expenses, food (wet and dry), litter, and cleaning supplies (including paper towels, cleansers, and detergent). The organization relies on donations; monthly cat sponsorships; grants; and its largest fundraiser, Whiskers & Wine, to remain open.

 

Once the Petco funds are disbursed to Crash’s Landing on Dec. 18th, Denyes will know better how the money will be spent.

 

You may remember Jack’s story published here on wktvjournal.org this past September (Jack, the therapy cat puts a spark in the spirit). As we accompanied Hopkins and Jack on their rounds, it was clear that the bond between feline and human was strong.

 

So, the short version of the backstory: Jack B. Nimble is a shelter rescue who grew up to be a therapy cat.

 

“Jack’s visits bring joy to seniors and hospice patients who have had to give up pets they can no longer care for,” Hopkins wrote on the Petco application.

 

“Patients who barely respond to the people around them will respond to Jack, drawing comfort from his snuggles and purrs. Faces light up when they see him, and agitated patients become calmer while petting him. Many of the nursing home residents look forward to Jack’s visits all week. And he has given me a new purpose and mission now that I’m retired. I never would have volunteered with the Hospice program or visited the nursing homes on my own, but I cherish the opportunities I have now to share Jack with people who take so much comfort from his presence.”

 

Hopkins and Jack also participate in end-of-semester student de-stress days at a local college. The college provides activities to give students some relief from the stress of upcoming final exams, including bringing in several therapy dogs for the students to interact with—and as of last year, one very special therapy cat for students to pet and hold.

 

Crash’s Landing welcomes donations in the form of sponsorships, food, and cash. Go here to learn how to donate.

 

To learn more about Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary, go here.

 

 

What is Skilled Nursing Care for Seniors?

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

It’s easy to gravitate towards the idea that more is better. But when it comes to your loved one’s care, having more people around doesn’t always translate into better quality of care. The impact of one skilled nurse over several personal aides can be the difference.

 

One of the many misconceptions about assisted living is that it only offers long-term custodial care. However, some assisted living communities are beginning to offer skilled nursing care services to their residents. Here’s what that means.

What is Skilled Nursing Care?

When starting the search for a viable care option you’ll come across different terminology used in the care industry, and it’s important to understand the differences. There is a spectrum of care options ranging from basic needs assistance to medically licensed help. Making the wrong choice could lead to unintended consequences for a loved one. The two main players in the care industry are custodial and skilled nursing care.

 

Custodial care consists of any non-medical care that can be reasonably and safely provided by non-licensed caregivers. It involves help with daily activities like bathing and dressing. However, custodial care can also include assistance with household duties such as cooking and laundry.

 

Skilled nursing care is a whole different level of care. Professionals providing skilled care are always licensed health professionals like nurses and physical therapists. In addition to routine medical care, like tracking and administering medication, they have the ability to provide advanced medical services like physical therapy, wound care, intravenous injections, catheter care, and more. Usually, when skilled nursing care is employed, it’s medically necessary or ordered by a doctor.

When is it Needed

Many families ask the question if skilled nursing care is right for their loved one. After all, it’s not only more expensive, but also it may not be covered by Medicaid. Unfortunately, the decision is not always black or white. It’s still best to talk to their primary health provider for a professional opinion. But, here are a few life situations where a loved one could benefit from skilled nursing:

  • Rehabilitation care due to fractures or joint replacements
  • Dementia care
  • General wound care
  • Acute medical conditions
  • Interim medical care following a hospital stay
  • Parkinson’s care
  • Terminal illness care
  • Stroke recovery
  • General rehabilitation due to weakness or physical decline
  • Diabetic rehabilitation

What Are the Benefits?

While assisted living communities are often perceived as senior housing designed for those who don’t need around the clock care, communities with on-site skilled nursing care can be a great option whether your loved one is looking for an independent lifestyle or requires near-constant assistance. Some of the benefits include:

  • Immediate medical attention. We become more prone to sickness with age. It’s not uncommon to experience a sudden change in health. A skilled care provider can be available for 24-hour care. You can rest easy knowing loved ones have rapid access to health care services.
  • Guidance on diet and nutrition. As we age, nutrition becomes even more important. Our bodies require different levels of vitamins and minerals to stay strong. Making sure our loved ones are getting the right kinds and quantities of food is essential for staying happy and healthy. Skilled providers can also give guidance on diet and nutrition for specifically for seniors.

There isn’t a one size fits all solution to long-term care. At times the best option can seem obvious, but often it can be confusing. Finding the most effective care solutions for a loved one starts with understanding their needs. There is a wide range of benefits seniors can experience from skilled care nursing, which can make this type of care the perfect fit for your loved one.

 

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Cat of the week: Aoili

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By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

What are the chances that this saucy, spicy kitty that is unable to hear would be discovered and ultimately rescued by an interpreter for the deaf? We couldn’t believe it either, but when former volunteer Kathy relayed the story of how this two-year-old (born around October of 2016) came to be, we were convinced more than ever that fate plays a huge part in our everyday lives.

 

This wispy little waif was literally starving out in Sandy Pines, taking up residence outside of a pizza joint and running after golf carts in hopes of scoring dinner; after spending far too many days chasing after humans for handouts that never came, and countless cold nights huddled in the rain in hopes of someone taking her in, she was literally begging for a second chance. So kindhearted Kathy took it upon herself to insure kitty had a safe place to go (Crash’s) and armed with cat food and a carrier, headed out to find, feed and cart this hungry kitty off to warmth and safety—and all before an early morning work meeting on Oct. 1, 2018.

 

Thankfully, adorable, outgoing Aoili had already been spayed before she was carelessly tossed out like the trash, but she was still quite defenseless given the fact she wouldn’t be able to hear danger presenting itself until it could have been far too late. She was filthy, flea-ridden and later developed an ear infection and nasty respiratory virus that caused oral ulceration and a high fever—as if the poor girl hadn’t been through enough already.

 

However, true to her spunky nature, she rebounded with ease and put much-needed weight back on her undernourished frame. Those first few days at Crash’s were spent filling her belly, sleeping and getting acclimated to her new surroundings, all the while letting her roomies and caretakers get to know what an independent and incredibly intriguing girl she is; suffice it to say she certainly made her presence known!

 

While she’s not one to physically pick a fight, she sure is one to let out a heck of a growl to let the other kitties know her personal space is important to her. It is safe to assume that because she’s deaf, she easily gets overwhelmed with all the other cats, and tends to be a bit hissy. She’s getting better about being picked up, gets excited when she smells treats or sees the food tray coming, and could spend all day on the window ledge watching the birds and squirrels. She really is an adorable, gorgeous girl with her baby blues and snow-white fur, but she would definitely need a home that understands she is special needs and will need some time adjusting to everything in her new environment that she can only see and smell.

 

Aioli can run very hot and cold: she can be incredibly sweet when it pleases her, but when she’s done with snuggles and loving she isn’t afraid to slap you. She also gets irritated if she is woken up suddenly as she can’t hear you coming, so it simply scares her. She prefers the other cats to keep their distance but is fine with them if they respect the spatial boundaries she has set up for herself. She would do best in a home without young kids since she does spook easily.

 

We would love to see her in a place where she could spend the afternoons dozing in the sun, then have her humans come home to spoil her with tasty little tidbits, a few pets here and there and some comfy couch time.

 

Aioli is going to be a bit more challenging to adopt out given her attitude, but it is her tenacity and take-charge demeanor that got her noticed in the first place, so we don’t fault her for being a bit demanding. Considering everything she has been through and how hard she fought to get to where she is today, everyone who meets her is instantly in awe of her survival instincts and enamored by her charm and beauty. We sure do love our saucy, sassy spitfire—and you will, too!

More about Aoili :

  • Medium
  • Domestic short hair
  • Adult
  • Female
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Special needs: deaf, spooks easily
  • Spayed
  • Not declawed
  • Prefers a home without children

Want to adopt Aoili? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

 

 

Employment Expertise: Honoring those who serve

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By West Michigan Works!

 

During the week of Nov. 12, West Michigan Works! service centers will honor those who served in the military by offering job search services and events with a focus on veterans.

 

“We serve veterans every day, but we want to set aside this special time to highlight their service and their specific career needs,” said Brittany Lenertz, West Michigan Works! talent solutions director. “From offering coffee and displaying the flags of the Armed Forces in our centers to providing access to veteran-friendly resources, we want to show our gratitude to the men and women who served our country.”

 

Workshops

 

The week’s schedule of free workshops will include information to address veterans’ job search needs. For example, the resume workshop will help veterans convey their military experience with civilian language that hiring managers can easily understand.

 

“So many of the skills learned during military service transfer to civilian life—it’s all in the language used when you talk or write about them,” said Karen Riggs, a talent development instructor with West Michigan Works!

 

Community Resources

 

Several of the service centers will hold resource fairs that will highlight community resources for veterans. This may include anything from entrepreneurship workshops through the Small Business Development Center to assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services.

 

Hiring Events

 

Veteran-friendly employers will be in the service centers as either an Employer of the Day or a part of a larger multi-employer hiring event. As always, veterans and their spouses receive early access to Michigan Works! hiring events.

 

Veterans can participate in any of these activities by visiting a West Michigan Works! service center Nov. 13-16 (the service centers will be closed on Monday, Nov. 12). Dates and locations of the Veterans Week hiring events as well as service center locations can be found on the West Michigan Works! website at westmiworks.org/vetweek.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

 

Cat of the week: Asha

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This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

In early September 2018, Caledonia resident Amanda T. came across this lovely young lady (born in early October of 2017) roaming around her property. She and her husband considered giving her a permanent home as she was exceptionally friendly and affectionate but weren’t quite sure what their resident cat would think. So they took Asha into their vet to get her checked out a few weeks later and discovered, much to their dismay, that she tested positive for Feline Leukemia. Since the virus is transmitted through the sharing of bodily fluids like saliva, they didn’t want to risk their kitty contracting it.

 

After contacting Dr. Jen and explaining the situation, the good doctor offered to take the darling girl they named Asha into our program at Big Sid’s, our sanctuary for kitties with FELV and FIV. Her name means ‘hope’, which we thought was very appropriate.

 

After spaying her (Amanda had gotten her set with deworming and vaccines prior to her arrival), Dr. Jen sent adorable little Asha on down to meet the rest of her roommates, and after a few days of rest and recovery, she dove right into the thick of things. She adores being smack dab in the middle of the action as she is young, vibrant and oh-so curious.

 

Asha finds bird watching a fantastic way to pass the time, and she is absolutely thrilled to let you rub her belly for hours on end. Initially, this little kitty was too busy to be held for very long, but over time she has discovered just how warm and tingly snuggling makes her feel. She gets along famously well with all of the other residents and is extremely playful, so a household with a few kids would really tickle her fancy!

 

Since Asha is so very fond of attention, she would be the perfect companion for someone who is home a lot and would be more than happy to offer up a lap for her to lounge on. She really is one of our sweetest girls—and considering she IS a calico that says a LOT! It’s a shame that she tested positive for the virus, though on her retest one month after her arrival she was only a faint positive, and since some cats with strong immune systems can clear the virus and not harbor the infection, Dr. Jen will be checking her again in mid-November. Fingers crossed!

 

Asha is truly an amazing cat and we are so thankful we were in a position to help out when it was most needed. There are vaccines that can be given to non-infected cats to help decrease the risk of transmission, so adoption is a very viable option in this case. It would be a shame to not let our cutie pie know the wonders or comfort of a cozy, loving home of her own. Don’t get me wrong, our place is AWESOME, but it is meant to be a stepping stone for bigger and better things. And what could be better than waking up to this fabulous feline face every single morning, or drifting off peacefully each night with her dainty paw touching your hand as you gently stroke her tummy fur, eliciting the purest purrs of contentment than you have ever heard? NOTHING is going to beat that.

More about Asha:

  • Medium
  • Calico
  • Adult
  • Female
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Spayed
  • Not declawed
  • FELV+
  • Good in a home with other cats, children

Want to adopt Asha? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

 

 

Cat of the week: Smudgee

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This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

Social butterfly Smudgee was initially a Belmont rescue back in February of 2018 (we think she was four years old, born in early 2014) who was taken in by Focus on Ferals (FOF). They did their typical top-notch stray work-up, discovered she was FIV+, and was told she had already been spayed due to a scar on her ventral abdomen. So imagine their surprise when April rolled around and their sweet little calico-tiger girl popped out a litter of kittens!

 

Unable to house a mom and brand-spanking newborns at their facility, FOF enlisted the help of a dual volunteer who took in the beautiful brood and provided a cozy, comfy foster home for Smudgee and her three offspring until the kittens could be weaned and placed into their adoption program. Mama then went back to FOF and awaited her turn to find a home, but as the months rolled on by and she was overlooked time and time again, FOF enlisted our help; on Aug. 6th, Big Sid’s welcomed this darling, playful little lady as our newest member of a very elite group of kitties.

 

From the get-go, Smudgee has been extremely outgoing, always seeming to be around no matter where you are or where your gaze falls. She adores attention from the volunteers and is exceptionally tolerant of her surrogate son, Just Jack, who tackles her on a regular basis in hopes of getting her to chase him around. She mingles and mixes well with the older crowd too, and honestly is so laid-back that we feel she would thrive in pretty much any type of family situation—kids, cats and perhaps even a gentle companion of the canine persuasion.

 

Soon after her arrival, she discovered the joys of what we call our ‘feeding frenzy’ and since then has been a very enthusiastic participant; in fact, we are watching her dainty waistline so that she doesn’t eat so much as to appear pregnant—again! Interestingly enough, before Smudgee came down to our sanctuary, Dr. Jen had to extract all of the teeth behind her canines as her mouth was on fire due to an inflammatory condition known as stomatitis, a condition that is fairly common in FIV+ kitties.

 

And until Smudgee had partaken in the tempting tray feeding—get this—she was consuming kibble like a boss (even though yummy canned food was offered pre- and post-op at the clinic). Also on a positive note, since she doesn’t have a mean bone in her ever-expanding lil’ body AND she has only a few teeth to claim as her own, the risk of transmission to another household cat is negligible. Plus, will ya look at that ADORABLE FACE?! How anyone can resist that is beyond us.

More about Smudgee:

  • Medium
  • Calico
  • Adult
  • Female
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Spayed
  • Not declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats, children

Want to adopt Smudgee? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

 

 

Tulip Time ‘Art In Bloom’ top 20 finalists announced

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, Non-Profits,

 

By West Michigan Tourist Association

 

Tulip Time and the Holland Area Arts Council have announced the 2019 Art In Bloom Festival Artwork Competition Top 20 finalists.

 

Each year a work of art is selected for the official Tulip Time Festival Artwork Competition. Area artists create and submit their images which are then judged by a local art expert. This year’s submissions were reviewed by Kristin Jass Armstrong, Executive Director of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. This year, a total of 75 submissions were received from 44 area artists. The artists and artwork listed below were selected as this year’s Top 20:

  • Cindy Bender: Orange Outburst
  • Betsy Buurma Morton: Folk Dance
  • Betsy Buurma Morton: Sun Kissed
  • Katie Church: Shades of Legacy
  • Lucy Collins: A Perfect Reflection
  • Beth De Jong: Balloon Bouquet
  • Jean Flower: Creation’s Song: Composition
  • Lorma Freestone and Thea Grigsby: Gellukig 90 Jaar
  • Michelle Fuller: Dancing Beneath De Zwaan
  • Karen Johnson: Celebrate
  • Marsha Marier: Holland Sunrise
  • Susan Day Martell: Garden Dance
  • Mary McCarthy: Shoe Cobbler Dance
  • Sri Soekarmoen McCarthy: Maxima Dances the Skotse Trije
  • Randall Nyhof: Impressionistic Dutch Tulips
  • Delaney Ann Prins: Orange is Best in Holland
  • Ken Rogers: Orange Tulip Dance
  • Kathleen Sligh: After the Rain
  • Andrew Snyder: Red and Yellow Dance into Orange
  • Carolyn Stich: Enduring Delft

The winner of the 2019 Tulip Time Festival Artwork Competition will be selected by representatives from both Tulip Time and the Holland Area Arts Council. The Top 20 artists and their works will be featured at First Bloom, a special unveiling reception held in February where the winner will be announced. The remaining 19 finalists’ original works will be placed on display at the Holland Area Arts Council from May 4 through May 12, inviting the public to participate in the Viewers’ Choice Awards by voting for their favorite image. Cash prizes will be awarded on May 11 to the top three works of art with the most public votes.

 

View the Top 20 works on Tulip Time’s website or on the Holland Area Arts Council website.

 

The Tulip Time Festival will be held May 4–12, 2019. A Festival Preview offering highlights of the 2019 program will be available in November. Full festival details will be available in the Spring Festival Guide published in March 2019.

Jane Fonda to speak on economic justice at Fountain Street Church this Friday

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Jane Fonda’s social and political activism dates from the 1960s. (Historic File Photo)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

As part of her efforts to promote race, gender and economic justice in Michigan and across the nation, activist/actress Jane Fonda will talk about her life as an activist in a free-to-the-public event at Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church on Friday, Oct. 26.

 

The event — billed as “An Evening with Jane Fonda to Support One Fair Wage” and hosted by Michigan One Fair Wage Protect and Defend Campaign — is scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

 

Fonda has long been a visible political activist, beginning during the Vietnam War and later in advocacy for women’s issues, workers rights, and other social issues.

 

Jane Fonda (Supplied)

“Fonda will share information on her life as an activist, the recent work that she has been doing in Michigan and across the country to promote race, gender and economic justice for low-income workers, and the importance of building multi-racial alliances to create a more just society for all,” as stated in an event flyer supplied to WKTV by Michigan One Fair Wage.

 

Fountain Street is located at 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids. While the event is free and open to the public, they ask for an RSVP at bit.ly/fscofw .

 

One of the Michigan issues Fonda has previously advocated for is the Michigan Minimum Wage Increase Initiative, which gained enough signatures to be on the Nov. 6 ballot and was adopted by the legislature in September — a move which would allow lawmakers to make changes to it with a simple majority instead of a higher threshold should the voters have approved it in November.

 

The legislature’s action was seen by some as giving lawmakers the ability to weaken the law’s requirements during a lame-duck session later this year, or in 2019.

 

One of the groups which advocated for the Michigan Minimum Wage Increase, and now advocates for it not being altered by the Michigan lawmakers, is the Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN).

 

“My statewide faith group … supports raising the minimum wage to $12/hour for all Michigan workers,” Randy Block, director of the MUUSJN, said in an email to WKTV. “It’s a moral issue: all workers deserve to earn enough to take care of their families.”

 

The MUUSJN is a statewide faith network that advocates for social justice policies, including raising the minimum wage and supporting a policy of earned paid sick time for all workers. It is part of an Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan (EJAM) coalition that supports both of these policy goals. According to supplied information, the network includes thousands of justice activists from 26 Unitarian Universalist congregations, including one in Grand Rapids.

 

For more information on the event call 517-588-9646. For more information on Michigan One Fair Wage visit MIOneFairWage.org .

 

For more information on Fountain Street Church, visit fountainstreet.org or visit the church’s Facebook page.

 

Cat of the week: Remington

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By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

August of 2018 sure brought us our (un)fair share of cats that needed our assistance, and our sanctuary head count grew quite a bit due to the number of cats with either Feline Leukemia or FIV that were helpless and homeless. A Grand Rapids resident stumbled across this bedraggled boy, took him in to be checked out only to discover he had FELV AND an owner — who refused to contact her or the microchip company. Sadly the rescuer wasn’t in a position to keep him, and he badly needed further medical attention, so she asked for our help in getting her 6-year-old rescue (born in the summer of 2012) off the streets and into someplace safe.

 

It would be nice to say that Dr. Jen’s first meeting with this guy was love at sight — but it wasn’t. This scruffy orange and white fella wanted NOTHING to do with Dr. Jen and expressed his disdain for the situation he was in by lashing out and lacerating her with his dagger-like nails; what a little pistol he proved to be! Dr. Jen chalked up his less-than-desirable attitude to the fact his teeth were rotting out of his head and considered the fact that he was underweight (probably had tremendous difficulty eating) and had been shaved prior to his arrival in hopes of removing some of the skin-tight mats that caused focal areas of inflammation  scabbing and scaling.

 

So Dr. Jen forgave the ‘hot mess’ his momentary lapse in judgment and let it be known that if he dropped the tough guy act once and for all, life would treat him better than he could possibly imagine.

 

Needless to say, it took Remington several days to simmer down in his new surroundings and realize that not everyone was out to get him, but he took to shelter life much better than we anticipated. He still tends to growl when overwhelmed or if you come near him wielding a brush, but besides his initial attack on the good doc, he is not one to raise a paw to another cat or human to express his uneasiness. He has shown us that the way to his heart is through his stomach via endless bowls of yummy canned food; you can do no wrong when you fill his belly!

 

Remington has calmed down significantly in the month after his arrival, and secretly we think has developed a fondness for his caretakers, as he has been caught sneaking down the hallway after lights out at night to watch his humans as they depart; he may feign disinterest, but deep down we have grown on him. Besides stuffing his cheeks, Remington is most happy when he can perch on a sunny windowsill and watch the birds at the feeder. And although he doesn’t chum around with other cats, he doesn’t go out of his way to pester them, as he believes in keeping to his own space and respecting that of the others.

 

He has slowly learned to trust his food sources and is finding us to provide good company, though we feel that the type of home life that would be suit him is one where he can get comfortable at his own pace. Patience will definitely be the key to a long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationship between him and his person, but the rewards to be reaped will be worth the wait. We can see the potential in our Remi and want him to be able to find a place in this world that will provide him a gentle place for his soul to claim peace and his body and mind to finally flourish.

More about Remington:

  • Medium
  • Domestic Medium Hair
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Prefers a home without children

Want to adopt Remington? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

 

 

Godwin Heights football joins HQ to help youth facing housing crisis

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HQ is a drop-in center for youth ages 14 to 24 who are experiencing housing crisis. (Supplied/HQ)

By Godwin Heights Football and HQ

 

As a special feature of Friday night’s football game at Godwin Heights High School, the Night to End Youth Homelessness, Godwin Heights will admit attendees to the game for a donation of vital items for youth facing housing crisis.

 

On Oct. 19, when Godwin Heights host Lee, the two teams will be facing off with more than football on their mind. They will also be supporting local youth who are struggling to find safe and stable housing.

 

Staff and students at Godwin Heights saw that there are youth in Wyoming, and across Kent County, that are struggling with safe and stable housing, including at their own school.  This is an opportunity for the team and the community to step up and make a difference.

 

You can gain entry to the game with a donation of any of the following items:  liquid body soap, natural/urban hair products, deodorant, boxes of cereal, men’s and women’s underwear, packages of socks, white undershirts, toothpaste/toothbrush, winter hats, gloves/mittens, scarves.

 

“At Godwin Heights Public Schools, we have a number of students and families currently experiencing homelessness. We are excited about the opportunity to partner with HQ to help raise awareness and bring additional resources to this community issue,” according to a spokesperson for the school.

 

Godwin Heights High School currently has over 650 students and strives to build a legacy by building strong relationships with parents, students, staff and community partners.

 

HQ is a drop-in center for youth ages 14 to 24 who are experiencing housing crisis — staying in a shelter, a car, a tent, with friends or in a home environment that no longer feels safe. For each of these youth, access to resources, safety, and support from caring adults is no longer a given. This is where HQ comes in.

 

HQ exists to help young people find a place to rest, build connections, and receive support through relationship and professional skill building. We are a transformative space where everyone is welcome and diversity is celebrated. Youth are the experts of their own lives, and are encouraged and supported, with no strings attached, as they realize and achieve their goals and dreams.

 

For more information on HQ, please visit www.hqgr.org. To learn more about Godwin Heights high school, visit https://www.godwinschools.org/ .

 

‘Many Hands’ makes light work

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By Regina Salmi, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan

 

Caregiving for a loved one with dementia is a difficult job. Depending on the progression of the disease, the simplest tasks can often seem impossible — taking a shower, picking up a few items from the grocery story, keeping a hair appointment. Asking for help from family and friends seems like too much and accepting offers of help can feel overwhelming, ‘Where would I start?,’ we think.

 

The Many Hands program helps caregivers access the support networks they may not realize they already have.

 

A majority of family caregivers, 60% according to the AARP, still work outside of the home.

 

Stephanie Hecksel, Outreach Specialist at Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan observes, “It is common to see caregivers helping out with household chores, errands, and transportation for a loved one while trying to balance time with their own personal responsibilities.”

 

As their loved one’s needs increase, the caregiver puts their personal responsibilities aside to dedicate themselves to the needs their loved one. This leads to increased stress and/or burnout, can take a toll on other relationships and even affect one’s employment. This is where Many Hands comes in. With the help of a Licensed Social Worker, participants in the Many Hands program receive help with organizing their friends, other family members, neighbors, church members, co-workers into a network of willing helpers and to restore some balance to their own lives.

 

Asking people for help is difficult, too difficult for many of us to pick up a phone and reach out to a friend, or accept the help extended by people in our community.

 

Hecksel acknowledges, “It can be difficult to ask for help for many reasons, including feelings of inadequacy as a caregiver or simply feeling overwhelmed by having to reach out for support and how to accept help it without feeling like a bother. Likewise, the people in our lives who would like to help are not sure how to go about it, what they can do or what needs to be done.

 

One of the most unique aspects of Many Hands is that you don’t have to be the one to ask for help.

 

Julie Alicki, LMSW and Certified Advance Dementia Practitioner, said, “Many Hands takes the pressure off of you by having a trained Social Worker handle the entire meeting. As a caregiver you attend, but we do the explaining.” Hecksel agrees, “Rather than the caregiver being expected to take on yet another responsibility of coordinating care, Many Hands will provide that assistance.”

 

All the caregiver needs to do is come up with a list of people in their current social circle who may be willing to help provide support with tasks such as laundry, yard work, meal preparation or spending time with a loved one to give the caregiver a rest and time for themselves.

 

How does it work? The caregiver makes a list of potential helpers. When the Social Worker receives this list, they will send invites and organize a Caregiver Support meeting.

 

At the meeting, the social worker will educate participants on dementia along with behaviors that may be present with the disease. They will also go over the effects of stress on the health of the caregiver, present the tasks identified by the primary caregiver and ask for support in these areas. Once a list of helpers is established, the Social Worker will prepare the Caregiver Calendar used to organize and communicate with helpers. “Many hands make light work” and this is the goal of the Many Hands program.

 

Many Hands is free and available to caregivers in Allegan, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo and Osceola counties. To learn more about this program, contact Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at (888) 456-5664 or email aaainfo@aaawm.org. More information about all the services available through AAAWM can be found at www.aaawm.org.

Employment Expertise: Employers need YOU. Seasonal hiring starts now.

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By West Michigan Works!

 

Do you want to earn some extra cash for the holidays? 

 

Are you a college student looking for a job over break? 

 

Would you like to get your foot in the door with a new employer?

 

Consider a seasonal job! Employers are hiring record numbers of seasonal workers to help during this year’s busy holiday season.

 

Why seasonal employment?

 

Perks and incentives

With the high demand for seasonal workers, employers know they need to offer competitive wages. Many retailers have increased their starting wage. Kohl’s at Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids is offering higher seasonal pay over last year. Target stores are offering $12/hr to all seasonal staff—a dollar an hour more than last year. Amazon’s recent hike in minimum wage to $15/hr includes part-time, temporary and seasonal workers.

 

In addition to increased pay, employers are getting creative with incentives to attract seasonal help. JCPenney is offering seasonal employees paid time-off for the first time. Target started the work.win.give program which will award one hourly team member per store a $500 Target gift card and $500 to donate to the local community organization of their choice. Kohl’s associates can take advantage of extra discounts during friends and family weekends to get their holiday shopping done.

 

It’s easy to apply and interview

  • All Kohl’s locations offer walk-in interviews to candidates during business hours but recommend coming on a weekday when it is less busy.
  • Every Target store will be hosting seasonal hiring events Friday, Oct. 12 through Sunday, Oct. 14 from 10am to 6pm.
  • JCPenney at Rivertown Mall in Grandville will host their annual National Hiring Day on Tuesday, Oct. 16 from 2 to 8pm.

Open the door to future employment

Seasonal work has the potential to turn into full-time regular employment for high-performing staff. Over the last three years 35% of people hired as seasonal UPS package handlers were given a permanent position after the holidays. “Seasonal hires will work through the end of the year,” explained a representative from Kohl’s, “with the potential to stay on pending performance and the store’s needs.”

 

Companies are hiring NOW for seasonal positions so don’t wait to apply. You can find out who is hiring locally and learn more about their opportunities here: westmiworks.org/seasonal.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local West Michigan Works! service center.

Cat of the week: Hamish

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By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

On Friday the 13th of July 2018, a kind-hearted, cat-trappin’ citizen contacted Dr. Jen about a pair of friendly brothers that she had on a waiting list for another local shelter. Back in June the duo was brought in to Focus on Ferals after having been taken from a large population of stray cats roaming around on the Northeast side of town; they were neutered, tested and started on vaccines in hopes of eventually going into their adoption program.

 

But one of the boys (born in early 2016) had evidently suffered a trauma so severe to his side that his body wall ruptured, leaving him with a huge herniation that continued to grow over time; in fact it had been present for so long (probably over two years) that the repair attempt by his initial vet was ineffective. So when Dr. Jen was asked to give a second opinion on the case, she offered to take the brothers in to our program and set out to fix that humongous hernia (in the words of his rescuer).

 

As it turns out, not only was Hamish’s intra-abdominal fat pooching out underneath the skin through the tear in his body wall, but his poor spleen had become adherent to the opening, so it had to be surgically removed in order to close the defect. However, we are thrilled to report that with layers of sutures, cage rest and many crossed fingers, Hamish’s hernia is a thing of the past.

 

Hamish was nicknamed ‘The Handful’ as he can be as bratty as he is cute. He is a door diver, likes to rile the other cats up by picking fights or causing them to go after him due to his over-exuberance—he is constantly in motion. We can imagine that it feels downright awesome to be able to move around without having an internal organ squish out your side, so we do give the guy a bit of a break on this.

 

He LOVES people, but when he has had enough, he will swipe or swat to let you know that your services are no longer needed. He could live with other cats as long as he can be the dominant one, but small kids we feel are out of the picture; we do however suspect a dog might be right up his alley.

 

For safety measures, his owner will need a two-door entry and exit system as he is constantly darting out into our lobby (we have a triple door system. We have had quite a bit of success with taming the wild beast running wild by squirting him with a short burst of water from our ‘naughty kitty’ bottle; slowly but surely he IS learning to play nice with the others.

 

Overall we feel he is somewhat of an overgrown kitten and is just now getting to live the life he had always wanted: crazy, carefree and with reckless abandon (versus abandonment).

 

And he is STINKIN’ CUTE!

More about Hamish:

  • Large
  • Domestic Short Hair — Tabby (Tiger-striped)
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats; older children

Want to adopt Hamish? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Cat of the week: Rockette

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By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

This summer (2018) has brought us an overabundance of kitties with injured legs, so when a Kentwood resident called the clinic asking for help with a cat whom she thought had a bone sticking out of its leg, Dr. Jen had them bring the kitty right down. As it turns out, this darling little girl (born in early 2017) had suffered a traumatic injury to her right rear leg, but the amputation had occurred some time ago, leaving behind a stump just above where her hock (ankle) should have been.

 

She did come with heavy fleas, a horrendous case of ear mites, a puncture wound on her neck that wasn’t healing well, and sadly in the early stages of pregnancy which Dr. Jen discovered during spay surgery. We can’t imagine what this poor cat went through, but thankfully her skin and bones healed, and even though she is a tripod without a foot, she is fearless in her fight and fabulous with her ferocity for fun!

 

From the get go NOTHING has slowed her down: she runs, leaps, bounds, twirls, kicks and literally jumps for joy, so giving her the name Rockette seemed to fit her perfectly. The observations of our shelter and cat care managers mirrored Dr. Jen’s impression of exuberant Rockette:

“Our girl so super sweet! She has made herself at home since the minute she arrived at the shelter. Her injury doesn’t hold her back at all; she climbs, runs, and jumps just fine. She can be very sassy with the other cats so she might enjoy being an only cat. She would do very well with kids though!”

“Despite her missing part of a leg, she is purr-petually on the move. She has a very sweet personality and craves attention. While she’s not one to be held for long, she will hop up on your lap and soak up whatever attention are willing to give. I love how she holds her own against the 4-legged cats, occasionally swatting, but yet playing nicely with them MOST of the time. Loves the laser show, and sprawling out on the toddler beds. Would do well in a home with another cat or two, but I think dogs may be a bit too much.”

We’re making it our mission to find our goofy girl a home that has children that can match her energy and enthusiasm for life, yet a kid or two who also wants a cuddly companion when playtime is over; we don’t think this will be a difficult task at all. Rockette is going to be kicking up her heels (er, heel) once we find her a family of her own, and we simply can’t wait!

More about Rockette:

  • Medium
  • Domestic Short Hair (Gray/Blue/Silver/White)
  • Adult
  • Female
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Spayed
  • Not declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats; children

Want to adopt Rockette? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

 

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

 

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

 

 

Jack, the therapy cat puts a spark in the spirit

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By Victoria Mullen, WKTV

 

“You just brighten up everybody’s eyes, because everybody loves you,” said Vista Springs Community member, Marilyn Scholten as she stroked the orange tabby cat’s fur. “He loves me. I can tell.”

 

Jack the Cat is on a mission. Every Thursday morning, the therapy cat strolls into Vista Springs Community to visit with the people living there. Well, more accurately, he sits in a stroller as his caretaker, Lynn Hopkins, wheels him from room to room. He has trained Hopkins well.

 

“I met Jack at Crash’s Landing in 2009,” said Hopkins. “He was transferred there from an animal shelter. He’d been surrendered there, we don’t know why. We don’t know his history.”

 

Jack has deformed front legs, but that doesn’t stop him, hence his proper name, Jack B. Nimble.

 

“They thought he might be kind of hard to adopt out, and so they were afraid that he would be euthanized,” Hopkins said. “They didn’t want to risk it, so they transferred him to Crash’s Landing (a local cat rescue and placement center).”

 

Hopkins remembers her first memory of Jack, running down the hall. Because of his front legs, he has a gimpy gait, but that doesn’t stop him. He still runs and plays with toys. But it was Jack’s engaging personality that made a huge impression on Hopkins.

 

“He’s just the happiest cat I’ve ever known,” she said. “He just loves everybody, he loves other cats. He was at Crash’s just a few weeks, and I took him home.”

 

Hopkins started taking Jack to volunteer picnics. She pushed him around in his stroller and people would pick him up or set him on a picnic table. And he would just sit there and let people pet him.

 

“And so a few years before I retired, I came across some information on Facebook about a therapy cat. I had never heard of a therapy cat,” said Hopkins. “I had heard of therapy dogs, but not therapy cats. I knew Jack would be perfect. One of the first things to do when I retired in January 2017 was to get him certified by Love on a Leash. He had to be checked out by a vet and undergo 10 hours of observation on how he behaved.”

 

Lynn Hopkins and her charge, Jack

Both Hopkins and Jack were evaluated by the Love on a Leash program because they work as a team. Certification typically includes consistent visit and behavior guidelines, animal health assurances and cleanliness standards. The animal must be able to tolerate a wide range of environments and people.

 

Jack now visits two retirement communities a week and an area hospice when someone requests a visit from a therapy cat.

 

After visiting Scholten, Jack and Lynn stopped off to see Donna Terpstra, who recently moved to Vista Springs and is still adjusting to her new living situation. She had a cat before her move.

 

“[Jack] makes me feel like a human being, and human beings need to have contact with pets, with animals,” Terpstra said. “I used to say that coming home to an empty house is not good. But when there’s a pet, there’s another heartbeat in the house, and you don’t feel so lonely.”

 

Susan Lamos, Life Engagement Director at Vista Springs, said that animals are important in nearly everybody’s life.

 

“I think the majority of people who moved here have had animals at one point in their life, had pets in their past, whether they lived on a farm or had a pet at home,” said Lamos. “When you come to a living setting such as Vista Springs, you give up a few things, which can take away some of your dignity.

 

“The therapy piece brings a wholeness to people. I think it’s like a breath of fresh air. A person can be sitting there in their chair just reflecting or watching television and when the animal comes in to the room, the eyes light up, the body lifts up and there’s a real connection with them. They’re fulfilled.”

 

Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood news you need to know

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WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Quote of the Day
In honor of ArtPrize: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”  — Pablo Picasso

 

ArtPrize venues you
might not think about 

ArtPrize 10 is here which means for the next two and half weeks much of the community will be focused on and discussing art. A few of the venues which you might automatically think about reached out to us with information about who will be at their venue. To get the details, click here.

 

Picking time in local orchards,
and who’s doing the work

 

The Grand Rapids based Migrant Legal Aid organization visited WKTV Journal: In Focus recently to discuss the continuing and confusing mess that is current federal immigration policies, including the separation of families and sometimes separate deportation of suspected illegal immigrants — many of them seeking work as part of America’s migrant labor force. For more information, click here.

 

 

Stories from the road
with Kentwood bicyclist

Kentwood resident and bicyclist-on-a-mission Ken Smith, last week, took a wrong road in Canada but ended up with an unexpected meal and a donation for his cause — his 3,500-plus coast-to-coast trip to raise funds for his grandson, Jakob,  and awareness of all persons with neurological damage. For more information, click here.

 

 

And today’s fun fact
(bicyclist history):

268.8 km/h
Fred Rompelberg from Maastricht, Netherlands, was the holder of the motor-paced speed world record cycling with 268.831 km/h (166.9 mph) from 1995 to 2018. He used a special bicycle behind a dragster of the Strasburg Drag Racing Team at the Bonneville Salt Flats. (Wikipedia)