Women’s City Club (WCC) President Wendy Sturm and Union High School (UHS) Principal Aaron Roussey recently announced the beginning of the 2025 WCC Impact Award contest at a UHS junior class assembly.
Established in 2018 by the WCC, and developed in conjunction with UHS, this annual award will recognize two deserving high school juniors. Each winner will receive a $750 cash award to be used in any way the student sees fit, without stipulations.
“The Impact Award was established to support our mission and to provide students with a means to pursue their dreams,” said Wendy Sturm, WCC President.
Submission details
Entries submission began in December 2024, and remain open until Feb. 14, 2025. To apply, students present a piece of work that identifies and describes a personal role model – someone who has inspired them to achieve their own excellence.
UHS Principal Aaron Roussey (left) talks to students about the WCC Impact Award (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Students apply by filling out a short form with a personal statement and their chosen form of expression-writing, drawing, poetry, painting, photography, a musical composition or a song.
While speaking to UHS students at the class assembly, Sturm said, “The whole idea of this is to help you with that thinking process and hopefully inspire you to become an impactful person for someone else.”
The 2025 winning entries will be chosen and announced by a committee of UHS administrators, teachers and counselors no later than Feb. 28.
Award winners will be honored with a luncheon presentation at Mayflower Congregational Church in April. During the luncheon, the winners will have an opportunity to talk with WCC members and will be presented with a scholarship certificate and award money.
Avenues of personal insight
With UHS students attending from all over the world, Impact Award entries are varied and provide insight into the students’ lives.
“They are very personal,” UHS Assistant Principal Dana Bachelder said of the entries at the 2024 award luncheon. “Many times when we read [the entries], we’re learning a little bit about where they came from, what is important to them, things that they’ve been through.”
WCC President Wendy Sturm answered questions about the Impact Award submission process and requirements (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Terrell Daniels won the 2023 Impact Award with an essay featuring his father and his impact on Daniels throughout the years. Daniels said he was happy and surprised when told he was an Award winner.
“I had never won an award, especially for an essay,” said Daniels. “Winning it made me feel accomplished.”
Daniels went on to say that winning the Impact Award also accomplished a personal goal.
“I always wanted to better myself and challenge myself. By participating in the competition and winning, it made me gain more confidence in myself and my capabilities, and motivated me to keep pursuing my goals.”
Daniels chose to put his winnings toward his savings to help him reach those goals.
WCC 2024 Impact Award winners Dilanny Perez (left) and Nebyat Gebrehiwot (Courtesy, WCC)
In 2024, UHS students Dilanny Perez and Nebyat Gebrehiwot received the Impact Award.
Perez’s entry was a written essay about William D. Swenson, a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2013. Perez said she learned about bravery, loyalty and courage, and was inspired to strive for those things in her own life.
Gebrehiwot’s winning entry depicting the cultural dress of Eritrean women was inspired by her mother. The painting was Nebyat’s tribute to the women of her native African country who strive for gender equality and work to empower other women.
The UHS junior class presentation included pictures of previous award winners and their submissions (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
UHS Principal Aaron Roussey said 2024 saw the most program entries to date, and anticipates an equal amount – or more – this year.
“It is a fantastic opportunity,” Roussey told students at the assembly.
Make your own impact
Sturm said she enjoys receiving updates on previous award winners and seeing them mature and grow.
“Every year we receive updates on past award winners and learn how these students continue to develop and grow in confidence and leadership to become role models for others,” said Sturm.
Several UHS juniors were interested in learning more and picked up Impact Award information pamphlets provided by the WCC (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Daniels, currently pursuing an astrophysics degree at Michigan State University, urges all students with even a slight interest in the Impact Award competition to submit an entry.
“In life, it’s easy to tell yourself that you aren’t good enough for something or that there’s no way you could win/accomplish something, but you can!” said Daniels. “There were winners before you who probably thought the same thing, but look what happened to them.
“It starts with you. Make your impact and share it to the world.”
For a list of past Impact Award winners, click here.
The Impact Award is funded by generous donations from WCC members and the community.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about violence and rape that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.
Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and ambassador for Women at Risk, International (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
WAR Ambassador and human trafficking survivor Liz Midkiff has spent half a decade educating youth and adults on the hard truths – and misconceptions – of human trafficking.
“A lot of people want to fight trafficking, but they don’t know how because information is so vague,” says Midkiff.
Midkiff’s own journey began at 15-years-old when she went on a mission trip to Thailand. Part of that trip involved visiting the red light district and understanding what human trafficking truly meant. Midkiff left Thailand believing God had called her to fight against trafficking.
However, three years later, Midkiff found herself a victim of sex trafficking – and it looked nothing like what she had seen in Thailand.
“People are just given vague information. They have no idea – what does it actually look like in America?”
Kidnapping vs. Grooming
In America, 3% of trafficking victims are kidnapped, but 90-95% are groomed by someone the victim knows. WAR S.T.A.N.D. classes, formulated by Midkiff and WAR founder Rebecca McDonald, focus on both aspects.
Liz Midkiff with her two sons. Due to the physical damage inflicted during her time of captivity, she believed she would never be able to have children. (Courtesy, Midkiff)
“In the classes…we talk about what is safe. What does safe feel like, what does safe look like?
“We talk about stranger danger, but we also talk about danger with people we know. What happens when family and friends are not safe? You’ve got to give the kids options, but you also have to give them what is safe and what’s not safe.”
According to the Children’s Advocacy Project, grooming is defined as “when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them.”
Grooming is a deliberate process and can take place over minutes, weeks or years, and can happen in person and online. Many groomers also build relationships with family and friends of their target so they appear trustworthy or authoritative.
Midkiff says this is confusing to adults and is often asked to explain what grooming looks like.
“A lot of people have a lot of basic knowledge of what trafficking is, but they don’t know what it looks like or what to even do if they see it,” said Midkiff. “That’s where I feel I can help.”
Taking a S.T.A.N.D.
“I created the S.T.A.N.D. classes because that was something that was really important to me as a mom [and] because I can teach them real-life experience.”
(Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
Midkiff’s S.T.A.N.D. classes begin at 5-years-old because kids understand the concepts of safety and right vs. wrong. However, Midkiff has noticed that many parents avoid talking to their children about trafficking because they believe it will scare them.
“I think adults are more scared than the kids are,” said Midkiff.
Knowledge and preparation help combat that fear.
Prevention: Discretion
Social media discretion – such as abstaining from posting naked pictures of children, or where they go to school – is a preventative measure that can be taken immediately after birth.
Another discretionary action that Midkiff personally implements is having children wear full clothing when in public.
Prevention: Knowledge
Liz Midkiff with her oldest son (Courtesy, Midkiff)
While at a playground with her 5-year-old son, a man sat down and began talking to Midkiff. She had noticed him around the playground and assumed he worked there. He did not.
At one point, the man lifted his shirt, without Midkiff’s consent, to show off his tattoos. Midkiff’s son noticed and ran over, inserting himself between the two adults and refusing to leave, stating it was not safe for his mother.
“He’s five,” said Midkiff. “He was not scared. He was empowered, and he knew exactly what to do. He knew the signs, and he knew what that looked like…because of the class he took one time.”
Midkiff believes educating children when they are young is an excellent form of prevention. Numerous women have approached Midkiff saying, I’ve lived with being molested as a child for 60 years because I didn’t know that didn’t happen to everybody else. I didn’t know what to do.
“If we can get the kids when they’re kids, they don’t have to wait till they’re 60 to have the realization there was something they could have done,” said Midkiff.
Prevention: Recognition
Not only will children be able to help themselves, they will be able to recognize signs of grooming and/or trafficking of others around them.
“If [my son is] doing this stuff at five, when he’s [older] he’s going to know if his 15-year-old friend has a bad boyfriend or a trafficker,” said Midkiff. “And he’s going to know what to do.
Knowing the difference is important, because those situations can look very similar. Midkiff cites sextortion as an example.
Fraud and coercion
While sending naked pictures of yourself to someone you are in a relationship with is not smart, it is not illegal. However, if that relationship ends and the other person sells those pictures to friends, or uses those pictures against you – threatening to show them to others unless you do certain things – it creates a completely different situation.
“Now he’s manipulating you, he’s coercing you,” said Midkiff, adding that it’s confusing to many people because the entire situation began as a consensual relationship. “When I do my class, I talk about force fraud and coercion; that is what makes something trafficking.”
Kids grooming kids
Rebecca McDonald (left), thanks Midkiff’s five-year-old son for raising $300 to provide one month in a safehouse for a trafficking survivor (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
Midkiff’s five-year-old son was recently groomed at a mall by another boy.
The 12-year-old boy approached Midkiff’s son and repeatedly asked if he wanted to come outside to the playground. Despite moving to other areas of the store, the boy persisted, even inserting himself between Midkiff and her son.
“He was trying to separate me from my son,” said Midkiff. “He was grooming him: ‘I like your car, do you like to play on the playground?’ It was innocent kid talk, but did it make sense? No, it didn’t. He didn’t have his mother [with him], and young boys don’t follow other women to the underwear department.”
As Midkiff left with her son, she noticed two older men waiting for that 12-year-old boy at the front doors.
If Midkiff had not been paying attention, she may not have noticed the boy’s grooming tactics. And her young son might have gone with him.
“That’s how it happens,” said Midkiff. “It’s not just snatching them from the store. You can lure him anywhere with a toy. Those are things to look for. And those are the kind of situations I teach.”
Prevention: Be observant, ask questions
Many victims want to ask for help but are afraid of putting someone else in danger (Courtesy photo)
Midkiff says simply being observant can prevent trafficking.
Despite going to a doctor several times while being trafficked, not one nurse or doctor questioned her about obvious evidence of violence.
One friend commented on bruises on Midkiff’s arms. Midkiff sarcastically said that she fell down the stairs – while desperately hoping the girl would ask more questions, offer a place to stay or a phone number to call if Midkiff needed anything.
“She knew there was something else there, and she chose not to ask more questions because she thought I was being standoffish. Why was I being standoffish? Because I didn’t want to put her in danger.”
Many people, however, don’t even know what to look for.
“People say, look for someone who looks malnourished. Well, 70% of the people you see might look malnourished. Maybe their parents don’t feed them, or they have an eating disorder, or they’re struggling artists.”
Midkiff has developed a three-strike rule.
Simply being observant could save someone’s life (Courtesy photo)
“If three things look out of place then I will make the call to the human trafficking hotline number,” said Midkiff, citing an instance when she saw a woman enter an urgent care with a girl who bore a barcode tattoo on the back of her neck.
That tattoo was an automatic red flag for Midkiff. And since 60% of traffickers are women, there was no guarantee the woman was the girl’s mother.
That was enough for Midkiff; she called WAR.
“There were 20 people in that urgent care. Do you think anybody else thought of that? I doubt it. Because nobody even knew that’s what to look for. To me, it was literally sitting right in front of me.”
Traffickers move victims around often to confuse them and prevent them from being able to tell anyone where they are. If someone doesn’t know where they are going or where they are coming from, it is a red flag.
“Even my five-year-old knows where he lives. But some of these girls, they’re being transported every six days, and possibly to different states.”
Comply vs. Consent
To freeze is a normal response to trauma and does not mean the victim did something wrong (Courtesy photo)
Midkiff also teaches the difference between comply and consent.
Teaching a child to say no is important. However, our bodies have at least three different responses to trauma: fight, flight and freeze.
If a child does not say no when faced with a traumatic situation, it is not because they did something wrong, it is because their body shut down – which is a normal reaction, said WAR founder Rebecca McDonald.
“To freeze is a normal, actually healthy, response to trauma. You’re trying to be quiet and not bring attention to yourself.”
That does not, McDonald continued, mean you were consenting.
“We’re taught to comply. Not consent, but to comply,” said McDonald. “Trafficking survivors have complied a lot. It just means that they did what it took to stay alive and survive.”
Set aside fear
Midkiff urges parents to set aside uncertainty regarding conversation about trafficking – before it’s too late.
“Trafficking is happening.”
*Read Liz Midkiff’s full survivor story in WKTV’s Voices of Freedom series.
Resources
Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) is knowledgable and has access to resources such as Homeland Security and the FBI. WAR also provides wraparound services which provide survivors with additional needed help and life skills.
– If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential and multilingual support, information and local resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses of human trafficking.
No matter the cost: Liz Midkiff risked everything to find freedom – and her voice
Human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l Ambassador Liz Midkiff is determined to keep others from experiencing the horrors she endured (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about violence and rape that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.
Liz Midkiff was trafficked for two years before she found a way out. Held captive physically and emotionally, Midkiff finally had enough.
“I finally got out of it by running into the woods,” said Midkiff. “I think I just lost my mind. At one point I’m like, they can kill us all. I’m going to call my dad.”
Midkiff called her father at 4 a.m. and asked him to come get her – immediately. “He didn’t ask any questions. He got me and took me home. They lived four hours away.”
Midkiff was willing to risk everything to regain her freedom (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Midkiff and her father didn’t talk during the car ride home. In fact, he did not know what he had rescued his daughter from until years later. He simply knew his daughter called, she was frantic, and he needed to go get her.
Though Midkiff received threatening phone calls after she escaped, her traffickers did not want to cross state lines, so she was not in physical danger.
Midkiff stayed with her parents as she began the healing process, describing her parents’ home as her safe house.
“Even if you get somebody out of [trafficking], you’ve got to get them to a place that’s safe or they’re never going to heal,” said Midkiff, adding that many victims do not have a safe place to go to. “I feel really blessed that I had parents that were able to help me.”
Finding hope and purpose
Midkiff’s healing process was long and difficult, mentally and physically.
“I had to have multiple surgeries because people did some ungodly things,” said Midkiff.
Midkiff’s attempts to facilitate healing were not easy – but she did not give up (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
The mental and emotional side of healing was difficult for many reasons.
“It wasn’t easy because I didn’t even know I was trafficked until years later,” Midkiff admitted, adding that she was continually told she simply had “bad boyfriends” and that her experiences happen to everyone. “I didn’t know there was an actual name for it.”
It wasn’t until she heard trafficking talked about on television that Midkiff realized: This is what happened to me.
Armed with that knowledge, Midkiff attempted to facilitate healing by talking with various therapists, but did not find it helpful.
“Most therapists have no idea what trafficking is,” said Midkiff. “They have no idea how to speak to a survivor.”
Midkiff found herself struggling with deep-seated anger as she sought meaning in what happened to her. “I just wanted to have meaning to what happened. I wanted to make sense of it, and I wanted purpose in my life.”
Eventually, Midkiff found a Christian counselor who asked where her journey first began. Midkiff explained about her mission trip to Thailand and the call she felt from God to fight trafficking. The counselor then asked Midkiff: “Do you think it’s a possibility that Satan heard that goal too, and he wanted to try to bring you down because you have something so powerful to say?”
Midkiff felt like a switch had been flipped.
“When I felt like I had a call on my life, I feel like that was from God. Three years later, I just happened to be trafficked myself.
Midkiff refused to let guilt and anger rule her life (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
“I feel that Satan tried to bring me down with the one thing I was supposed to fight. That there is something that I have to say that is so powerful, he just wanted to destroy it.”
For years, Midkiff did keep silent. “I didn’t want to talk about it. If I can’t even protect myself, how can I help other people?”
As Midkiff struggled with survivor’s guilt over escaping the trafficking business while others remained victims, Midkiff’s husband echoed the suggestion that Midkiff might have something to say.
“Maybe you have something that needs to be said, and so you need to use that to fight it,” Midkiff’s husband told her. “Instead of in anger, fight it by helping other people.”
Midkiff began seeing other survivors lead programs and meetings and was intrigued.
“Hearing from other survivors, how powerful their story is and how they can help others with what they went through, I thought, I have that. There are so many things that could be said about what happened to me.”
A lifelong journey of healing
Aspects of her physical trauma remain with Midkiff even now – and she refuses to be silenced about those experiences.
“To this day, I don’t sleep in a bed,” said Midkiff. “And if I do, I don’t sleep.
“I’ve been out of this for 15 years now, but to this day, I will wake up so tense I won’t be able to move, or I’ll have nightmares the whole night. I either sleep in a chair, or I sleep on the floor.”
Midkiff’s husband Roger (right) patiently won her trust and love (Courtesy, Midkiff)
When she married her husband, Roger slept on a couch and Midkiff slept on the floor.
“Eventually he just slept on the floor with me. He’s a big guy, so it shows his love, to be able to come down to my level.”
The fact that Midkiff was able to trust someone enough to marry was a monumental hurdle in its own right – and it took time.
“We would just hang out, [and] he became my best friend. He was different from every guy I’ve ever met.”
But even friendship didn’t come easily for Midkiff.
“I didn’t have friends. It’s still hard for me to make friends. I didn’t trust anybody. It was just me and my dog. I was very much a loner, and my husband very much pursued me, but in a friendship sort of way.”
When Midkiff’s dog died, Roger was there to support her.
“My dog had been through all of that with me. When he died, it was like my life was falling apart. But then Roger would just be there, just hang out with me as a normal person. He was never forceful, he was never weird.
“And I realized this is how people are supposed to be. I think that helped me be able to laugh again and be able to have fun.”
When Roger said he wanted to date Midkiff, she revealed everything in her past, fully expecting him to walk away.
It took time for Midkiff to trust that not all relationships are transactional (Courtesy, Midkiff)
“He didn’t leave,” said Midkiff. “He hugged me and said, ‘None of this was ever your fault.’ That was a turning point.”
But obstacles remained.
Because Midkiff’s experiences with men were entirely transactional, certain aspects of her relationship with Roger were difficult. When Roger took her hand or bought her flowers, Midkiff was instantly transported back to her past and became angry, asking what he wanted from her.
“During dating – and even marriage – there was a lot of ironing out of those things,” said Midkiff.
A large part of her healing came from turning back to her Christian faith.
“When [the trafficking] was actually happening, I would say I turned away from it, especially when the church rejected me,” said Midkiff. “That was my final straw. I had a nice little showdown with God in the car, actually. I still believed in Him, but didn’t want anything to do with Him.”
However, Midkiff could see God at work through specific instances where she was shielded from harm by people who said God sent them to protect her.
As Midkiff tried to make sense of why she went through being trafficked, she found purpose in her faith – and found her voice.
Taking a S.T.A.N.D
Midkiff says every step she takes toward speaking out has solidified her belief that God has called her to fight human trafficking.
Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l Ambassador (right) with Rebecca McDonald, Founder and Executive Director of WAR, Int’l (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
“Things are happening,” said Midkiff. “The S.T.A.N.D class, different situations I’ve had talking to people, and seeing people freed from shame they felt. People only I would have been able to talk to.
“If you talk to another survivor, it means something different because they understand. I think it’s helped me a lot with my anger and guilt.”
Midkiff began speaking at public events – and happened to share her story at a Women At Risk, International CFR event where founder Rebecca McDonald was in attendance. The next day, McDonald invited Midkiff to speak at more WAR events.
Midkiff has worked with the nonprofit for the past five years, finding she fits well into the role of speaker. And Midkiff’s voice is having a powerful effect.
“Working with WAR, I can speak for survivors, and I can help them.”
Knowledge and preparation are vital
For the past five years, Midkiff has been sharing her story to help others recognize and prevent human trafficking. However, she only shared her story at WAR events. In April 2023, Midkiff took a leap of faith and shared her story on Facebook for the first time.
Midkiff uses her personal knowledge and everything she has learned to protect others (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
But she wants to do more.
Knowledge and recognition of what human trafficking truly consists of is vital in preventing trafficking. However, even if Midkiff had been prepared, she knew her trafficker for six months, and he seemed trustworthy. How could she have known she was entering a dangerous situation?
What would have made a difference, Midkiff said, was having knowledge of how to get out of that situation. “It’s not just how to prevent it but, if this happens to you or your friends, what can you do?”
Knowledge of what trafficking actually looks like is also important.
Midkiff observed that people have a basic knowledge of what trafficking is, but don’t know what it looks like or what to do if they see it. And most people don’t know what grooming means in the trafficking world.
“That’s where I feel I can help,” said Midkiff. “And WAR is such a big help to people because every trafficking case is different and we have the resources, we have the knowledge to back it up. We have Homeland Security, we have the FBI, we have all these things that maybe the everyday person doesn’t have.”
An ambassador for truth
Midkiff works to educate both children and adults about trafficking (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
As an ambassador for WAR, Midkiff’s ministry is funded through the generosity of supporters. Her passion for protecting children from trafficking keeps her continually seeking ministry opportunities.
“I created the S.T.A.N.D. classes because that was something that was really important to me as a mom.”
S.T.A.N.D. classes are available for children as young as 5-years-old and contain age appropriate material regarding safe relationships, stranger danger, private parts and personal privacy. Teen classes may include content about drugs, money, phones and social media.
However, Midkiff has noticed many parents avoid talking to their children about trafficking because they believe it will scare them.
Midkiff has already begun teaching her oldest son (left) about appropriate interactions and relationships (Courtesy, Midkiff)
“I think adults are more scared than the kids are,” said Midkiff, adding that even if they do talk to their kids, there are things parents would not know about.
“What I do is so new, and such a hard topic, that people are a little apprehensive about having me come out. So [I’m] just trying to be bold, stepping out and fighting for kids now because the media is certainly fighting to get your kids right now. Trafficking is happening.”
While Midkiff may never fully make sense of what happened to her, “I’ve come to the peace of: it happened. For whatever reason it happened, I have something to say that needs to be said. And that drives me to seek out these opportunities.”
*Continue reading Liz Midkiff’s survivor story and misconceptions about human trafficking in part four of her Voices of Freedom series, coming to WKTV Journal on Jan. 27, 2025.
Take a S.T.A.N.D.
Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l ambassador will lead the S.T.A.N.D. classes (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
WAR, Int’l is hosting two S.T.A.N.D. classes on Jan. 25 at the WAR Chest Boutique in Wyoming.
Created and designed by Liz Midkiff and Rebecca McDonald, these classes are teach safety awareness, trafficking signs, age appropriate communications/actions, and more.
– The KidsS.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. for children ages 5-10 years old.
– The Teen S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 12:30 – 2 p.m. for youth ages 11-17 years old.
More details and registration information can be found here.
Resources
*In an emergency, call 911.
– If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential and multilingual support, information and local resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses of human trafficking.
Following the screening will be conversation with trafficking survivor Leslie King, Founder and President of Sacred Beginnings, and Marie Brown, House Supervisor at the WCS Manasseh Project residential home, on the realities of human trafficking.
A huge disconnect
“Wedgwood started ourManasseh Project early in the 2010s and has continued to make sure that our community is bringing awareness around the issue of sex trafficking,” said Kori Thompson, WCS Advancement and Development Community Officer.
Thompson went on to say that the Manasseh Project was founded due to severe misconceptions regarding human trafficking.
(Courtesy, WCS)
“What we saw was this huge disconnect of people in our community not understanding that this was happening here – especially to young children – and yet having a residential home of victims of human trafficking,” said Thompson. “Over 10 years later, we are still finding that misconception.
“This is very real. This is real in our community, these are things that young people face. How can we, as a community, protect our children, protect these women, who are really victims in these scenarios.”
The “Film & Freedom: A Documentary & Discussion on Human Trafficking” event is a way to provide the community with resources and educate individuals on trafficking warning signs.
The screening of Nameless, an educational documentary, will reveal harsh realities surrounding human trafficking and how it begins.
“It’s really a survivor’s perspective,” said Thompson. “How they would be brought into that lifestyle, what happens, and some of the statistics around sex trafficking.”
A wealth of experience
Speakers Leslie King and Marie Brown will be bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the screening and discussion.
A survivor of human trafficking, King founded the nonprofit organization Sacred Beginnings in 2005 to provide residential housing to victims of human trafficking and resources for support and recovery to those exiting the trafficking lifestyle.
(Courtesy photo)
“[King] does an incredible job through her program,” said Thompson. “She has been an amazing activist in the community for a very long time.”
The partnership between Sacred Beginnings and WCS has given King the ability to offer a therapeutic element by providing a WCS therapist who works closely with King’s recovery program.
The Manasseh Project provides community and professional education, collaboration advocacy and treatment to individuals who have experienced sexual and commercial exploitation. Brown has served as house supervisor at the Manasseh Project residential home for over 20 years and oversees all residential home programming.
Perception and knowledge
Millions are victims of trafficking, and many of those victims are children (Courtesy, WCS)
“Film & Freedom” will be held at Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids.
The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with the documentary screening beginning at 6 p.m. Interviews and discussion will begin at 7:15 p.m. with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions beginning at 8:15 p.m.
Free ticket and event registration can be found here.
Thompson said she hopes “Film & Freedom” attendees walk away with two things: a change in perspective and an awareness of the importance of educating oneself about human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
“I hope it changes their perspective of what would bring someone into this situation and how we, as a society, can best help them,” said Thompson. “I think we hold a lot of assumptions and preconceived ideas and, quite frankly, judgment. Judging someone in this situation is not going to be the best way to help them.
“By changing your perspective on what this looks like, you can hopefully change the narrative and offer healing to victims. Because that’s what they are – victims and survivors.”
In regard to education, Thompson believes that “when you know better, you can educate others.”
“Ultimately, when we can educate our community on these vital signs of what is happening in our community, they can call it out,” said Thompson. “Then we are all advocates working together for the goal of stopping human sex trafficking.”
A unique twist
Building face-to-face connections can help individuals know where to go if they need help (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
The “Film & Freedom” event is unique in that WCS will be bringing in several community organizations in addition to Sacred Beginnings.
Safe Haven Ministries and Silent Observer will be featured at the event. Local boutique, Crowned Free, will also be in attendance with items available for purchase. A percentage of the Crowned Free profit is given back to support victims of human trafficking.
“All of these [organizations/resources] are a way to not only educate our community, but also show our community that these are the resources we have available,” said Thompson. “If something happens, these are the people on the front lines doing the work.
“We want to make sure we’re having that face-to-face connection with these other amazing organizations as well because it truly takes everyone to do this type of work.”
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about violence and rape that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.
After agreeing to go on a date with a man she had known for six months, Liz Midkiff was knocked unconscious and woke in a hotel room to find she was being gang-raped by ten men.
A two-year cycle of sexual, physical and mental abuse as a sex trafficking victim had begun.
Nowhere to turn
The day after the incident in the hotel room, Midkiff debated whether to call the police. The man who trafficked her was a police academy trainee, and she doubted they would believe her.
Midkiff needed protection – but no longer knew who to trust (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
In the end, Midkiff did call the police.
An officer came to her house but told Midkiff they could not find the man who trafficked her. Midkiff offered to tell him where he lived, worked, even what car he drove.
The officer insisted they could not find him – then offered to take her out on a date.
Midkiff was in an impossible situation, unable to seek refuge from people who were supposed to protect her.
“So I ended up going in the other direction,” said Midkiff. “If you can’t trust the people that you’re supposed to trust, then you start looking for other outlets.
“That led me down a road of trusting the wrong people. People that basically protect you against other people. You just have to do stuff for them to protect you.”
Isolated – in more ways than one
One trafficker held Midkiff captive at knifepoint for hours as a way to mentally break her down.
“He held me down in a car in a Kroger parking lot with my arms behind my back for hours,” said Midkiff, adding that he held a knife to her throat the entire time. “For hours he was screaming at me…until I finally said the things he wanted me to say.”
Trafficking victims are often held captive by threats of violence (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
During those hours in that car, Midkiff wondered why no one intervened on her behalf. After all, they were in a public place.
“This wasn’t happening in someone’s dirty basement,” said Midkiff. “A lot of these things happened in public places.”
A misconception of human trafficking victims is that they are weak and too scared to ask for help. Midkiff said victims can ask for help – but they won’t.
“I felt like anybody I talked to was potentially being put in danger,” said Midkiff. “They had already hurt me, so why wouldn’t I think that they would hurt someone else? They started threatening my family. Not only that they would kill them, but how they would kill them. They would threaten my friends, who [the traffickers] had met.”
This was all possible, Midkiff said, because her co-worker had groomed her. He spent six months finding out who Midkiff’s family and friends were, as well as what made her vulnerable and scared.
Attempting to protect her family and friends, Midkiff cut off contact with them – effectively isolating herself.
A chain of abuse
Midkiff found herself at the mercy of a chain of traffickers as her body was sold repeatedly.
When she looks back, wondering how she continually ended up with people who abused her, Midkiff realized she was introduced to them by people she trusted.
“People I thought I could trust were like, ‘Hey you should work here. They’ll help you, they’ll protect you,’” said Midkiff, adding that her new employer would then begin trafficking her. “They all knew each other. It was all part of the game.”
That “game” viewed Midkiff as nothing more than property. Because of this, many trafficking victims are forced to get branded in the form of a tattoo.
Trafficking victims are viewed as nothing more than property to their traffickers, and many are physically branded for life (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“A lot of tattoos are actually bar codes, and they scan you in like a piece of meat,” said Midkiff. “Or they will say ‘property of‘ and have the name of the pimp – so when you’re done being raped, they make sure you get taken back to the right person. You’re their property.”
Midkiff said she was fortunate to never receive a tattoo, but those survivors who do are forced to see it every day when they look in the mirror.
Turned away – and turned back in
When Midkiff found herself in a particularly dangerous situation, an employer offered to let Midkiff stay at his house.
“He then locked me in a room for days while guys paid to come have sex with me in this room,” Midkiff said.
It was during this time that Midkiff decided to run. One Sunday morning, she jumped from a window and ran until she found a car. Midkiff immediately drove to a church, confident she would find help.
Each time Midkiff sought help, the result was the same (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“I’m running to the doors of this church, like in a movie,” said Midkiff. “And these two men in suits – they shut the door in my face.”
Midkiff was frantic as she begged to be let inside while looking over her shoulder to see if she had been followed by her trafficker. Yet the men refused to let her inside, saying she was not dressed for church.
Desperate, Midkiff approached a man who appeared wealthy, thinking his money and connections would influence people to help her. After hearing her story, the man asked for the names of Midkiff’s traffickers. When she told him, he informed her that he knew them.
“He brought me right back to them,” said Midkiff. “And he said, ‘No, this is what you’re worth.’”
Each time Midkiff sought help, the result was the same.
“I couldn’t go to the police, couldn’t go to the church, couldn’t trust friends,” said Midkiff. “So then you feel helpless and hopeless.”
The “Discount Girl”
Not only did Midkiff feel helpless and without hope, she was physically broken.
Midkiff has lifelong physical complications from the abuse she endured (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“I actually became the Discount Girl because they [physically] broke me,” said Midkiff, explaining that clients were often violent. “I was sold for $9.95 instead of the normal cost. I wasn’t making them as much money.”
One man hung Midkiff on a doorknob by her shoulder blade; her shoulder height will always be uneven as a result.
A visit to the chiropractor revealed a permanently damaged back.
“I saw the pictures of my back, and my back is literally broken,” said Midkiff. “It’s crooked. To this day, I can see that. And that memory of the time that happened will still be there.”
Despite numerous surgeries to repair damage done to her body, Midkiff said she is still unable to sit down comfortably.
“This is why I speak. I like to switch how people think about things. People just think, Yep, somebody got punched in the face. No, it’s things that live with them for the rest of their life.”
No matter the consequences…
But Midkiff refused to live under the control of traffickers for the rest of her life – she wanted freedom.
A day arrived when something inside Midkiff snapped – she’d had enough. And she once again decided to run…no matter the consequences.
*Continue reading Liz Midkiff’s survivor story in part three of her Voices of Freedom series, coming to WKTV Journal on Jan. 20, 2025.
Take a S.T.A.N.D.
Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l ambassador will lead the S.T.A.N.D. classes (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
WAR, Int’l is hosting two S.T.A.N.D. classes on Jan. 25 at the WAR Chest Boutique in Wyoming.
Created and designed by Liz Midkiff and Rebecca McDonald, these classes are teach safety awareness, trafficking signs, age appropriate communications/actions, and more.
– The KidsS.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. for children ages 5-10 years old.
– The Teen S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 12:30 – 2 p.m. for youth ages 11-17 years old.
More details and registration information can be found here.
Resources
*In an emergency, call 911.
– If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential and multilingual support, information and local resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses of human trafficking.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about violence and rape that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.
A two-month trip to Thailand at age 15 left Liz Midkiff passionate about fighting human trafficking.
At age 18, Midkiff herself was trafficked for two years.
Fifteen years later, human trafficking survivor and Women At Risk, International ambassador Liz Midkiff is giving voice to her story in the hopes that educating others through her own experiences will prevent other children from being subjected to the same horrors.
From perception to reality
During Midkiff’s mission trip to Thailand, she taught English at local universities and learned about Thailand culture. Part of that culture involved the red-light district.
Midkiff believed human trafficking only happened in other countries, not in the United States (Courtesy photo)
“Part of the trip also was to go to the red-light district and learn about what that looked like, and talk to the girls about the safe houses that we had worked with there,” said Midkiff. “We were walking on the streets and I was like, why are there other girls my age standing here in their underwear?”
Women and children were lined up along the street, waiting for people to buy them as their trafficker stood nearby, armed with a gun. Midkiff was flabbergasted, never having seen anything like it in the United States.
“I didn’t understand it because I was 15, and this never happens in America,” said Midkiff. “That’s what I thought: This is what sex trafficking is, and this type of thing only happens in other countries.”
Midkiff’s attention was drawn to a girl who looked about her own age, and asked the translator if she could talk to the girl. “For whatever reason, I just feel like I really need to talk to that girl.”
However, to take the girl off the street meant paying her trafficker so he didn’t lose money. Midkiff was undeterred. She pulled out her Thai money and paid the fee – the equivalent of $2.
But the experience was not what Midkiff expected.
“It’s just a bracelet”
“We got her dinner, but she wouldn’t eat it,” said Midkiff. “She’s just sitting there, swinging her legs, and she’s looking at my bracelet.”
Midkiff had no idea that a simple bracelet could mean so much to a trafficking victim (Courtesy photo)
The bracelet was nothing special, made out of cheap yarn that Midkiff braided together. Yet the girl continued to stare at it. The translator explained that the girl thought the bracelet was beautiful.
Midkiff was confused. “It’s cheap,” Midkiff argued. “It doesn’t have any value; it was $2.”
How much do you think we just paid to take her to dinner? the translator replied.
That simple question hit Midkiff like a lightning bolt, the reality of the situation hitting her full-on. “We took her to dinner, whereas most people would take her and do awful things,” said Midkiff.
“I gave her my bracelet. I ripped it off my hand, handed it to her, and this girl’s face lit up. She went from depressed and sad – she started glowing. From this bracelet.”
Midkiff tried talking the girl into going to a safe house, but the girl refused.
“Whatever the trafficker had over her was stronger than what we could try to convince her of,” said Midkiff. “That made me so upset. How could someone have so much power over someone that they wouldn’t come with us? We have a safe place for her, why wouldn’t she want to come with us?”
Heartbroken, Midkiff eventually returned the girl to her trafficker. “But she came back smiling because I had given her this bracelet.”
Identity is the only thing traffickers cannot fight against (Courtesy photo)
The trafficker argued with the translator, extremely angry. The translator told Midkiff and the mission group they needed to leave and not come back.
“It’s just a bracelet,” protested Midkiff.
“No, it wasn’t just a bracelet,” said the translator. “You gave her an identity, and that is the only thing stronger than what he has over her. You gave her hope, you gave her a way out, you gave her something that made her feel loved and valued, and he can’t beat that.”
At that moment, Midkiff said it felt as if God verbally spoke to her, saying she would be back to fight sex trafficking.
“I looked at that girl, and she looked at me, and it was almost like the movies, where you feel nothing even has to be said,” said Midkiff. “I looked at that trafficker and said, ‘You can’t have her. She’s not yours.’”
From dreams to nightmares
Midkiff and her mission group left, but Midkiff says that will always remain the starting point of her journey.
Her dream of returning to Thailand to fight trafficking, however, was cut short as Midkiff herself became a victim of sex trafficking at age 18.
Midkiff’s dream to fight human trafficking turned into her own personal nightmare (Courtesy photo)
An unexpected adversary
Midkiff had moved from Michigan to another state, four hours from her family and friends. While training at a professional ballet company, she also worked for a well-known corporation.
Midkiff became friends with an established manager at the corporation. She knew him for six months before this manager asked her out on a date.
“A lot of times people have this image of what traffickers look like,” said Midkiff. “They’re thinking it looks like the guy in Thailand who had the big gun.
“You’d never guess it would be a manager at a well-known corporate place that everybody knows.”
Having worked with this man every day for six months, Midkiff believed she knew him well enough to trust him on a date.
“We don’t go on a date,” said Midkiff. “He takes me to a hotel. He hit me over the head, and I woke up to 10 men gang-raping me at this hotel. In America.”
What followed was two years of violent sexual and physical abuse.
*Continue reading Liz Midkiff’s survivor story in part two of her Voices of Freedom series, coming to WKTV Journal on Jan. 13, 2025.
Take a S.T.A.N.D.
Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l ambassador will lead the S.T.A.N.D. classes (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
WAR, Int’l is hosting two S.T.A.N.D. classes on Jan. 25 at the WAR Chest Boutique in Wyoming.
Created and designed by Liz Midkiff and Rebecca McDonald, these classes are teach safety awareness, trafficking signs, age appropriate communications/actions, and more.
– The KidsS.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. for children ages 5-10 years old.
– The Teen S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 12:30 – 2 p.m. for youth ages 11-17 years old.
More details and registration information can be found here.
Resources
*In an emergency, call 911.
– If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential and multilingual support, information and local resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses of human trafficking.
Wyoming police officers were the recipients of heartfelt appreciation and gratitude from community members on Thursday, Dec. 12.
While snow, wind and ice descended upon West Michigan – closing numerous schools and forcing many residents to work from home – Wyoming police officers donned uniforms and reported for duty.
As officers filed into the police station at 7 a.m. for a routine training session, they were met by 15 community members who took turns verbally expressing gratitude for the officers’ service to the community.
WPD officers listen as presentation participants share their personal ties to the law enforcement community (Courtesy, iCI Nation)
Coordinated by iCI Nation founder Jennifer Franson and sponsored by W2W Healthy You, the Christmas Connect presentation featured a hot breakfast prepared by Wyoming Police Chief Kim Koster, Captain Eric Wiler, and Captain Tim Pols, as well as over several dozen donuts from Marge’s Donut Den.
“In the spirit of the season, we get to lead with peace and goodwill,” said Franson in supplied material.
Voicing gratitude
In a show of love and support, local community members – including residents, pastors, media professionals, nonprofit leaders, and more – honored the gathered police officers by each voicing an individual thank you, sharing personal ties to the law enforcement community, and praying over the officers before leaving.
(Courtesy, iCI Nation)
“All of these people came here, in this weather, because they understand and appreciate everything you do,” Franson told the WPD officers during the presentation. “We know that you all are going out and dealing with things every day that we don’t want to have to deal with.”
(Courtesy, iCI Nation)
Franson went on to say that it is important for local law enforcement officers to know that the community recognizes and supports their work as they put their lives on the line each day to keep our community safe.
“We want you to know that we’ve got your back,” one community member told WPD officers during the presentation.
Strengthening our cities
iCI Nation has been building successful partnerships between community and law enforcement since 2016. The local nonprofit is dedicated to providing a healthy environment that brings citizens, police officers and organizational resources together to create a stronger and healthier city.
“ICI reignites police hearts and passion for the mission of protecting and serving,” says Wyoming Police Chief Kim Koster. (iCI Nation website)
Javon Sanders (front) of the GRPD talks with WPD officers (Courtesy, iCI Nation)
Tracy, W2W Healthy You Lead Education Instructor, explains to officers how their work positively impacts youth (Courtesy, iCI Nation)
(Courtesy, iCI Nation)
(Courtesy, iCI Nation)
(Courtesy, iCI Nation)
(Courtesy, iCI Nation)
(Courtesy, iCI Nation)
(Courtesy, iCI Nation)
Those connections are forged through monthly iCI Nation events for the community and police, including prayer gatherings for the faith community, presentations, and lunch and learns. The organization also builds collaborations through various local organizations and events.
Craig G. Founder of the PeaceWalker Project says, “The difference that iCI has made in this community is nothing short of extraordinary.” (iCI Nation website)
Learn more about iCI Nation and how you can help honor local law enforcement here.
WKTV Community Media, one of the nation’s oldest continuously operated community television stations, today announced the launch of “Create, Inspire, Connect,” the first major fundraising campaign in its 50-year history.
The initiative aims to strengthen WKTV’s unique role as the only organization providing comprehensive media services that connect and strengthen Wyoming, Kentwood and greater Grand Rapids communities.
“Asking community to invest in our unique services”
“For half a century, WKTV has filled critical gaps in our local media landscape, from providing Spanish-language news coverage to helping nonprofits amplify their impact through professional media production,” said Tom Norton, WKTV Executive Director and GM. “As traditional funding sources shift due to cord-cutting, we’re asking our community to invest in these essential services that no other organization provides.”
Marge’s Donut Den.
Marge’s Donut Den and Wyoming Community Foundation early supporters
The campaign has already gained early momentum, with a $1,925 grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation supporting WKTV’s Veterans Voices project and a $1,000 contribution from local business leader Marge’s Donut Den. These initial investments demonstrate how community support directly strengthens vital programs that preserve local stories and connect neighbors.
Wyoming Community Foundation.
WKTV’s community-driven media services include:
The WKTV Journal, the area’s only dedicated source for hyper-local news coverage
Professional media services that help local nonprofits multiply their community impact
Veterans Voices, preserving irreplaceable local veterans’ stories in partnership with GVSU
Soundbites en Español, the region’s only Spanish-language local news coverage
Youth media education programs that empower the next generation of community storytellers
Free access to media production tools and training that give community members a voice
“When community members support WKTV, they’re not just sustaining a media organization – they’re investing in a platform that amplifies every aspect of community life,” Norton said. “Today’s challenge is to strengthen our unique role in building community through media while embracing new platforms and technologies that expand our impact.”
“Create, Inspire, Connect” campaign supports:
Continued free access to media production facilities that enable community-driven content
Expansion of community partnerships that amplify nonprofit and civic impact
Enhanced hyper-local news coverage that keeps our community informed and connected
Youth media education programs that build tomorrow’s community leaders
Technology upgrades that expand the reach of community voices
Community members can multiply their impact on local media by visiting www.wktv.org or contacting Josh Weston at josh@wktv.org.
About WKTV Community Media
Founded in 1974, WKTV serves the communities of Wyoming and Kentwood from its 10,000-square-foot facility on Clyde Park Ave., which features two studios, multiple edit bays, public spaces, and classrooms for media instruction. As the region’s only comprehensive community media center, WKTV operates with six full-time staff members and over 400 active volunteers, providing unique platforms for diverse local voices and fostering civic engagement through innovative, community-driven media.
iCI Nation founder Jennifer Franson (second from left) has spent the last decade building bridges between community and law enforcement (Courtesy, iCI Nation)
First responders connect with community members at Resurrection Fellowship Church (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
iCI Nation has been building successful partnerships between community and law enforcement since 2016. The local nonprofit is dedicated to providing a healthy environment that brings citizens, police officers and organizational resources together to create a stronger and healthier city.
Leading that mission is iCI Nation Founder and Executive Director Jennifer Franson.
“We’re building relationships and trust between cops and community to strengthen the city,” said Franson. “That’s our mission. We’re building the connections and we’re building the bridges over the shared value of how we protect and serve together.
“It’s really just a reframing of value,” Franson continued. “Our shared value of how we protect and serve together.”
iCI Nation board member BJ (Barbara) VanStee agreed. “We support the community, we support the officers, and we try to bring them together and show our appreciation for all that they do for the community.”
A way to do more
Though Franson does not have a personal family connection to law enforcement, she has always been aware of the officers who put their lives on the line each day to keep our community safe.
Kentwood police officers connect with youth in the Kentwood Young Life group (Courtesy, iCI Nation)
For years, Franson prayed for law enforcement officers whenever she heard sirens, believing that was all she could do for them.
A women’s church group discussion regarding community connections prompted Franson to suggest hosting a “thank you” event for law enforcement. Franson emailed police chiefs at several local departments, requesting participation. Thirteen officers from five different departments attended.
However, as Franson met the officers at the event venue, an unexpected complication arose as she explained what was about to happen.
A Kentwood officer talks with a Kentwood Young Life youth (Courtesy, iCI Nation)
“You’re going to go in to lights, music, and a standing ovation from the women,” Franson told the officers. “We’re going to tell you why we appreciate you, have kids do a song and dance, pray over you and have cookies and coffee.”
The officers asked what they needed to do.
Franson explained the process again.
Again, the officers asked what they needed to do.
Franson finally asked, “What aren’t you getting? Don’t you get invited by the community just to say thank you?”
The answer was a resounding no; law enforcement officers were only invited by communities to talk about neighborhood or policy issues.
Franson was stunned – and determined to launch a community-wide change.
Generating change – without an agenda
The church event became an annual occurrence, increasing from those original 13 officers to an average of 65 officers each year.
“Our biggest year we had 95 officers there from over 20 different departments,” said Franson. “Our normal average got up to about 65.”
During a Faith & Blue event, Grand Rapids SWAT and local youth connected during a basketball game hosted by Rev. Darryl S. Gaddy Sr. of Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church (Courtesy, Pastor Gaddy)
The reason it grew, Franson continued, was due to trust.
“It built trust with the police community once they realized we didn’t have any agenda,” said Franson.
Though the women prayed over the police officers, the main event activity was presenting each department with a banner saying, Thank you to our protectors.
“All the women signed it and wrote personal notes on it,” said Franson. “And that was it. There was never any other agenda other than to thank them, and that really made an impact.”
Local youth keep the GR SWAT team on their toes during the game at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church (Courtesy, Pastor Gaddy)
The women began taking prayerful ownership of the police, and the officers began trusting the women.
“It was like a community becoming a family,” Franson said. “Somehow these ‘crazy church women’ made a difference.”
Franson became known as “Police Jen” by the community, often looked to for information about local law enforcement happenings.
For almost a decade, iCI Nation has provided a healthy environment for the community to build trust with law enforcement as they unite in their efforts to protect and serve local cities.
iCI Nation founder Jennifer Franson (left) prepares to spread good news on camera (Courtesy, iCI Nation)
iCI Nation hosts monthly events for the community and police, including prayer gatherings for the faith community, presentations, and lunch and learns. The organization also builds collaborations through various local organizations and events such as the national Faith & Blue campaign.
Franson then spreads the good news of these collaborations through a weekly email, social media and videos.
Building understanding through appreciation
Franson and VanStee both believe that showing appreciation for law enforcement is vital to officers understanding that the community knows and appreciates what they do.
First responders were treated to a Thanksgiving luncheon hosted by Pastor Gary Hankins at Resurrection Fellowship Church (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“We pray for them quite frequently,” says VanStee. “I am thankful for all that the officers do in the community to keep us safe.”
Building credibility with the law officers is also essential.
“We build credibility that the officers sent to our event will feel safe,” says Franson. “I want to honor them for agreeing to be the venue for this [collaboration].”
Learn more about iCI Nation and how you can help honor local law enforcement here.
Josh Weston WKTV Fundraising and Outreach Specialist josh@wktv.org
WKTV is proud to announce receiving a grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation to help continue its mission of sharing stories of local veterans in West Michigan.
The grant will be used specifically for a WKTV program called Veterans Voices, an initiative designed to support GVSU’s Veterans History Project and to expand the reach of its impact.
“The Wyoming Community Foundation has recognized what a valuable asset WKTV’s Veterans Voices project is,” said Tom Norton, WKTV Executive Director/GM. “For that we are very proud and grateful that they have chosen to start this important project off with this seed grant. Our goal is now to ask the surrounding community to step in and support veterans’ stories.”
A local veteran shares a story with the GVSU Veterans History Project at WKTV.
A local veteran shares a story with the GVSU Veterans History Project at WKTV.
A local veteran shares a story with the GVSU Veterans History Project at WKTV.
Key activities of Veterans Voices:
Editing archives of over 200 interviews into engaging, shareable content for social media
Continuing to provide state-of-the-art studio and equipment for veteran interviews
Enhancing outreach efforts to involve more veterans, particularly those from recent conflicts
GVSU and the Library of Congress
For more than 12 years, WKTV has been a proud partner of Grand Valley State University and the Veterans History Project. This collaboration has resulted in the production of more than 200 in-depth oral history interviews, preserving and sharing the stories of U.S. veterans from World War II to present-day conflicts.
GVSU, in turn, works in partnership with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project as one of a small number of archiving partners across the country, posting their interview videos and other materials on a website that is part of the Special Collections of the GVSU Library.
“Truly special” veterans interviews
Every Veterans History Project interview captures something truly special. Sometimes it’s a harrowing story of survival and triumph over insurmountable odds; more often, it’s a relatable and self-deprecating anecdote of personal growth.
Expanding the audience
The problem is, while these interviews are available through GVSU and the Library of Congress, very few people see them. It’s unrealistic to expect the general public to browse historical archives, much less to watch the interviews themselves, most of which run between 90 to 120 minutes in length.
$5,000 goal
WKTV is seeking $5,000 in funding to support this project over the next two years. This investment enables the station to draw from its archive of over 200 veterans oral histories to produce and publish 50 short-form highlight reels annually, and significantly expand the impact of this vital service.
As a community media center celebrating 50 years of service to Wyoming, Kentwood, and the surrounding region, WKTV has a reputation for providing a platform to the voices and stories that make up our community.
Impact goes far beyond historical preservation…
The impact of Veterans Voices extends far beyond historical preservation. Many veterans report profound gratitude for the opportunity to share their stories, and their narratives serve as invaluable educational resources, enriching our society’s collective understanding of history and the human impact of military service.
WKTV is excited about the potential of this partnership and the positive impact it can have on veterans, their families, students, researchers and the wider community.
If you are interested in helping WKTV achieve its goal with supporting Veterans Voices, please email Josh Weston, WKTV Fundraising and Outreach Specialist at josh@wktv.org
Wyoming city officials reached a significant milestone as they broke ground at the future Godwin Mercado five-acre parcel of land on 36th Street.
“We are excited about this because it’s been in the works for so long, we weren’t sure it was going to come to pass,” says Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood. “This is a great day.”
Formerly a General Motors stamping plant, the 75-acre parcel of Site 36 was sold to commercial real estate investment company Franklin and Partners (FP) with an agreement that FP would help Wyoming develop a community marketplace on the north side.
After years of community, vendor and market research, Godwin Mercado is now under construction.
The Godwin Mercado groundbreaking took place Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“This has been something that residents have been asking for for years,” says Nicole Hofert, Director of Community and Economic Development for Wyoming. “To be standing here today and seeing the dirt moving and knowing that in eight months we’re delivering a promise to the community, I’m so excited right now.
“I’m very proud of the City of Wyoming team, all our partners and the ability to bring this to fruition after all this time.”
A community asset
City Manager John Shay says Godwin Mercado is part of the City’s [re]Imagined Wyoming.
“Our goal is to prioritize investments in the community that contribute to placemaking and strengthen Wyoming’s sense of identity,” says Shay, adding that this marketplace answers residents’ call for a community space to gather and hold private events.
An outdoor rendering of Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
The 6,000-square-foot market space will provide year-round usage opportunities to support local vendors, seasonal farm and artisan markets, food trucks, community events and private events.
Market days will provide fresh and healthy food options with access to all food assistance currencies. This will fill key gaps in the area’s food system and help support the well-being of residents living in the Godwin Heights neighborhood and greater Grand Rapids area.
A rendering of the indoor event space at Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
The Mercado space will also accommodate food education demonstrations, health and wellness programs, and more.
The marketplace will be easily accessible due to its walkable neighborhood location, the City’s reconfigured trail network, and its proximity to the highway and Silver Line bus route.
Celebrating culture
The name Godwin Mercado comes from extensive community input that included residents, community members and business leaders.
“We landed on a name that really connects us to this unique neighborhood and celebrates the community here in Wyoming,” said Krashawn Martin, Wyoming Director of Parks and Recreation.
Godwin Mercado is a celebration of the neighborhood’s rich heritage and thriving modern culture (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Godwin Mercado not only serves as a gathering space and point of pride for the greater Wyoming community, it honors the rich heritage and thriving modern culture of the neighborhood where it sits.
The story of Godwin Heights is one of perseverance, ingenuity and grit. Beginning in a one-room schoolhouse in 1867, Godwin Heights has become a thriving destination shaped by its melody of cultures.
Mayor Vanderwood hopes Godwin Mercado will create strong community bonds.
“We’re such a diverse community, and we feel it’s time we start giving recognition to that diversity,” says Mayor Vanderwood. “By naming it as part of this proud neighborhood of Godwin, and giving it the Hispanic market name of Mercado, we think it will draw from all across the city.”
True community development
Krawshawn Martin (left) visits with guests before the groundbreaking ceremony (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“This project is really an example of true community development,” says Don Shoemaker of Franklin Partners. “We purchased this site from the City knowing that it was going to take a real community effort to get to this point.
“We’re really glad to be part of the team, and the City of Wyoming should be very proud of what they have accomplished here today because it really was a great community effort.”
“This placemaking project with the market is going to help improve the quality of life of tens of thousands – if not hundreds of thousands – of people all across the region,” says Thelen.
“The partnership that brought this all together is powerful, and it allows for big things to happen. Our team is pleased to be a partner on this project throughout.”
It’s all about the people
State Rep. John Fitzgerald (left) greets Deputy City Manager Patrick Waterman (Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
Martin says the reaction from the community has been the driving force behind Godwin Mercado.
“The genuine excitement that Wyoming has about this project, it’s carried us through it,” says Martin. “People are just thrilled to see something happening after there being nothing here for so long.
“Feeling their excitement feeds our excitement and gets us where we need to go to make it happen. That’s what it’s all about – it’s about the people.”
Godwin Mercado
Godwin Mercado is funded in part by a $1.5 million contribution from real estate development firm Franklin Partners, assistance from The Right Place in securing a $450,000 RAP 2.0 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a $50,000 grant from Consumers Energy, and city funds from sale proceeds of Site 36.
Randy and Gayle Vaartjes are retiring after three decades helping customers disguise themselves year-round through The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Gayle and Randy Vaartjes have served their community for 30 years (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
A popular Wyoming icon will close its doors at the end of the year, concluding a 30-year adventure while ushering in a new chapter.
Randy and Gayle Vaartjes have spent over three decades assisting customers from all over the United States and Canada disguise themselves year-round through their family-owned costume retail store, The Kostume Room.
The Kostume Room provided costumes, professional makeup, wigs, and accessories for almost every event, including: Halloween, school and church plays, museums and the film industry.
But, to Gayle and Randy, costumes were more than just a business. It was fun.
“I enjoyed every single customer that came through our door,” said Gayle, adding that it was fun to help customers pick out their costumes. “It’s fun to help them create what they’re looking for.”
Many times, after seeing all The Kostume Room had to offer, customers would change their mind about what costume they wanted and walk out the door with a completely different ensemble.
When asked why people enjoy dressing up so much, Gayle said, “I think, personally, because they can be someone else, and they can act differently.”
“Disguise Yourself”
Randy and Gayle called their store “an adventure of a lifetime” that opened its doors in 1993 with a mission to help customers disguise themselves all year long.
Fun and daring wigs can spice up an ensemble (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The adventure began when Gayle and her sister decided to sell Halloween costumes they had made for their kids. When that endeavor met with success, the sisters continued making children’s costumes and selling them on consignment at a local thrift store.
“Back then there really wasn’t much [for costumes],” said Gayle. “Not only that, we didn’t even know where to get costumes – and we weren’t going to pay retail for them. So we put them in the thrift store.”
A hat for every occasion! (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
As the costumes continued to sell, the women became aware of a Halloween show for costume creators to buy goods. That discovery elevated their business to new heights. After the first year, the sisters found retail space in Rogers Plaza.
“We kept growing each year. After the sixth or seventh year, it was time to find a home,” Gayle said, gesturing around their current location.
The next year, they offered adult costumes as well. Gayle received special requests for costumes and made a few for the store as well – “but really not as much as I would have liked to.”
Gayle’s wish had been to spend time sewing costumes in the back room of the store. However, she was needed at the front of the store and much of the sewing fell to her mother and sister.
During retirement, however, Gayle will put her sewing skills to good use.
“My plans are to use my skills and make historical costumes, or whatever people would like me to do,” said Gayle, adding that she plans to sell them on eBay or Etsy.
The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Kostume Room (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
A unique business
Though the couple planned to sell the business within the next few years, their timeline was accelerated when they received an unexpected offer for the building. They decided to accept.
“Now we’re looking for a buyer to buy the business side of it, move it out and relocate it someplace else,” said Randy, adding that their wish is for the business name to continue on.
But that is not as easy as it sounds.
The Kostume Room has thousands of costumes and accessories (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The business, said Gayle, is extremely unique. Many people do not understand how much work is put in behind the scenes.
Special touches to service – such as re-curling Santa wigs after washing – combined with maintaining thousands of accessories and the 41 racks of costumes, is not for the faint of heart.
A desire to give back
Well, this seems like a hairy situation… (Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
Randy and Gayle gave back to various local organizations throughout the years, including Kids Food Basket, American Cancer Society, Paws with a Cause and Whooriders.
The Kostume Room also offers assistance to cancer survivors through the Wig Bank.
“I’m a cancer survivor,” said Gayle. “And I decided that I was going to give back. I donate really nice wigs to women going through chemo or any hair loss.”
Gayle originally helped provide wigs through the American Cancer Society (ACS), but when the program ended, Gayle took up the mission. Instead of returning the wigs ACS donated to the store, Gayle continued the program through The Kostume Room.
When asked what inspires the couple to give back, Gayle shrugged. “Just wanting to help,” she said simply.
The next chapter
Luscious locks…for your face! (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
What’s next for the retiring couple?
“We’re going to travel,” said Gayle with a smile. The couple has always wanted to visit the Netherlands – and now they will. “That’s our big trip. The rest will be small trips; there are so many places we haven’t been to in the United states.”
The Vaartjes’ upcoming adventure, however, will be bittersweet.
“I didn’t realize how much we meant to the community, I really didn’t,” said Gayle. “I was just doing my job.
“Throughout the years I’ve made good friends with people, and I don’t like seeing them sad because then it makes me sad.”
A message from Randy and Gayle Vaartjes
“Thank you for being our customers,” said Randy, adding that he has enjoyed seeing the generations change over time. “We see kids that are growing up coming in with their kids. And they’re telling us that they were kids when their parents brought them in here.”
“It was our pleasure, more than they know,” Gayle said. “Our customers are Number One. If we didn’t have them, we would have been gone a long time ago. That’s what makes this happen. We’re just the directors.”
But wait – there’s more!
Here comes Santa Claus… (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Though The Kostume Room doors will close for the final time at the end of the year, they are not closed yet!
“I just want to make sure everyone knows that we were not closed yet,” said Randy. “There is still a lot of inventory to choose from!”
The Kostume Room hours are Monday-Friday from 12-7 p.m., and Saturday from 12-5 p.m. They are now closed on Sundays.
Local author Tanisha Franklin lives a life of faith – and is sharing her journey of faith and other life lessons through her book, God Changed My Story (GCMS).
“This is the story of my life, and I hope this will help someone learn that what they are going through is only for a season,” Franklin states in the introduction to God Changed My Story.
A call of change
Author Tanisha Franklin has set out on a journey of faith (Courtesy, Tanisha Franklin)
Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Franklin worked full-time jobs outside her home until 2020. In 2019, Franklin felt God calling her to quit her job and write her memoir. Though Franklin thought about writing a book for 20 years, she admitted she never had the courage to put pen to paper.
Franklin was nervous about not bringing in a steady income while juggling a mortgage and family expenses.
“It was difficult because I’ve never not worked,” said Franklin. “It wasn’t that I didn’t trust that my husband would take care of me, but I’ve always had my own income.”
Though she continued to feel God nudging her down a new path, Franklin stalled.
“I just kept beating around the bush,” said Franklin. “Then finally [God] gave me the specific date and said, ‘If you don’t quit your job by January 31, 2020, all these doors I have opened for you, I’m going to close, because you’re not trusting me.
“I decided to quit in 2020 to pursue writing my book.”
Little did she know her world was about to come crashing down.
A journey of heartbreak
On Oct. 28, 2020, Franklin’s 17-year-old son attempted to take his own life.
“I was just devastated,” said Franklin. “I didn’t know what to do, didn’t know where to turn.”
But Franklin was determined to get her son help. However, doctors prescribed anxiety medication without finding the true source of her son’s depression, and her son refused therapy.
During this time, Franklin found out her son had tried to end his life multiple times before.
Franklin was determined to help her son despite multiple medical roadblocks and shocking revelations (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“He tried at 12, he tried multiple times at 15, and at this point he was 17 and tried multiple times,” said Franklin.
What followed was a heartbreaking journey of doctors and therapists, medication failures, a misdiagnosis, insurance concerns, additional suicide attempts – and the revelation that her son suffered abuse from his father at age 12.
Franklin was shocked. Though her relationship with her son’s father was abusive, she never thought he would abuse their son.
Desperate to find help, Franklin emailed yet another therapist. Before she could walk away from her computer, her phone rang. It was the therapist.
“I know it couldn’t be anybody but God,” said Franklin. “My son still sees him.”
Hitting rock bottom
Emotionally drained and fighting anxiety, Franklin began drinking wine after her children went to bed.
Franklin was unemployed and had pulled her 401K to pay their mortgage. Her husband was employed, but they were on a set budget. It felt, Franklin said, like everything was crashing down.
A medical emergency brought on by a mixture of wine, marijuana and her type 1 diabetes landed Franklin in the hospital and suffering from blackouts. Scared, Franklin began to pray.
“I heard God say, ‘You either have to be hot or cold. You have to be with me or the devil. You can’t be lukewarm.’”
Franklin realized she had not been trusting God to take care of her family or following the path God revealed to her. That needed to change, she said – and got to work.
Finding her path
In God Changed My Story, Franklin talks about her life as a child, as a single mother, a married woman and a mother. Franklin said many people feel like there is no “out” from their struggles, but she believes God is using her as a living testimony to say that isn’t true.
“Within the last year, I experienced God like no other,” said Franklin.
The book Franklin sat down to write became two…then three.
“I never had plans of writing the second book, and now there’s a third book,” said Franklin with a laugh.
“We can only go forward”
Franklin’s second book, God Changed My Story: After Healing, A New Beginning, talks about new beginnings after healing from past trauma.
“At the age of five, I was molested by a close family member,” Franklin revealed. “I held that secret for almost 30 years.”
Her parents divorced, her father disappearing from Franklin’s life shortly after. Believing her father chose to leave instead of protecting her, anger kept Franklin from seeking a relationship with him.
As an adult in search of healing from her past, Franklin finally communicated with her father. It was then Franklin learned her father was dying – and he wanted to make amends.
That conversation opened the door to a close relationship with her father before he passed two years later.
“When we’re stuck in our past, we can’t move forward or understand what God is trying to do. All these things that hurt me…it makes me stronger knowing that I can help somebody else.”
Franklin says God gives us one life – and we must live it. “We can’t go backward in time, we can only go forward.”
Opening doors for women
Franklin’s third book, God Changed My Story: I’m Not Superwoman, I’m A Good Woman, will be published by the new year – and is a devotional book for women.
“I’m talking about women [and] bringing God into the equation,” said Franklin. “God has plans for you. God loves you; even if you don’t feel love, God loves you.”
Franklin went on to say that outlandish expectations and harsh judgment are a daily reality for women.
“I want women to know they’re not superwomen…we’re human,” said Franklin. “And we have to realize that every woman comes from a different area in their lives.
“We’re so quick to judge when we don’t really know what a person’s been through. [Other people] don’t truly know you. God truly knows you.”
Natural beauty…and a podcast
Franklin also owns TJW Natural Beauty, a source of natural beauty products for women and men.
Recently, the author and entrepreneur felt called to begin the God Changed My Story podcast, featuring Franklin and three other women who talk about their life journeys.
Tanisha Franklin (second from left) began the GCMS podcast because “there is always more behind the story” (Courtesy, Tanisha Franklin)
“We can go through the same thing, but we all go through it differently, we all react to things differently,” said Franklin. “There’s always more behind the story.”
Franklin is living her dream of having a career that allows her to make her own schedule and have time for her family.
“I didn’t know that it was going to keep me this busy, but it has been wonderful,” said Franklin. “It’s a good busy, especially when you know that you’re doing God’s will.”
Franklin no longer struggles with trusting God’s plan for her life.
“I trust God like no other. I trust what God has told me, he will do. But it’s going to be in his timing. I’m not going to say it’s always easy because it’s not, [but] eventually there’s going to be light at the end.”
“If God did it for me, he’ll do it for you.”
(Courtesy, Tanisha Franklin)
“I want to give back,” said Franklin. “I want to make a difference in my generation.”
Franklin’s desire to help others stems from her belief that God uses our stories to care for each other. She often reminds herself and others to walk by faith, not by sight.
“It’s not what it looks like right now, it’s what it will look like if we trust and walk in faith with God. You just have to be open and allow God to use you. Do that, because it makes you so much happier.
Gadberry works to ensure veterans are recognized for their service (Courtesy, Hospice of Michigan)
Wyoming resident Ryan Gadberry served four years (2013-2017) in the U.S. Marines. While no longer on active-duty, the local veteran continues serving by bringing comfort and recognition to hospice veterans during their end-of-life journey.
Already serving as Property Manager for Hospice of Michigan, Gadberry stepped in to help when he heard Hospice of Michigan needed veteran volunteers.
For the past eight months, Gadberry has used his military experiences to make a meaningful impact.
“I am more than happy to give back,” said Gadberry. “It’s very heartwarming; it makes you feel like you’re doing something really important.”
Camaraderie and compassion
Hospice of Michigan strives to deliver the holistic, loving care veterans deserve. Veteran volunteers make a difference in the lives of others by sitting and visiting with fellow veteran patients.
Gadberry said there is a specific connection between veterans due to shared military training and history.
Wyoming veterans gather at an annual local breakfast (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
“You can meet a total stranger and, once you find out they are a fellow service person, there is an immediate connection,” said Gadberry. “You’re no longer a stranger.”
That connection has been frequently proven, but one instance made a lasting impact on Hospice of Michigan Volunteer Program Manager, Lauren Becker-Barkman.
A lifelong Marine within hours of the end of his life journey was restless, repeatedly reaching and calling out.
“There was no peace in this man’s world at this time,” said Becker-Barkman. “He’s uncomfortable, he’s restless.”
Veterans can make a difference in each other’s lives (Courtesy photo)
The hospice team asked a veteran volunteer to sit with the veteran in hopes of making a difference in his end-of-life journey.
“By the time [the volunteer] left,” said Becker-Barkman, “he was comfortable, he was at peace. He wasn’t calling out, he wasn’t reaching out.”
The veteran passed within a few hours – and what was said during that time together remains unknown.
“We don’t know what was said or what passed between these two veterans, but whatever it was allowed this man to find peace and to be able to go on peacefully,” said Becker-Barkman. “That’s the kind of connection you can’t make up. The impact is immeasurable.”
Gadberry personally cultivates that special connection with hospice veterans through empathy and understanding.
A desire to serve
Gadberry is thankful for his time in the Marines (Courtesy, Hospice of Michigan)
A first-generation serviceman in his family, Gadberry always knew he wanted to be a Marine.
“Even when I was a kid, that was the plan. Finish high school, join the Marines. That’s what I did.”
Gadberry served as an intelligence analyst, working with several overseas ops – and has no regrets.
“I love that I did it; it definitely turned me into the man I am today.”
And that man gets a visible bounce in his step when meeting fellow veterans.
An unexpected impact
“He gets a little pep in his step knowing that he’s going to meet a veteran,” said Becker-Barkman, adding that Gadberry is also asked to read poems or talk about the impact of veteran connections often. “He’s incredibly humble about being a veteran himself…so to know that he’s also getting some recognition and that he’s continuing to make an impact, it’s really cool.”
A local woman raises her voice in song at a vet pinning ceremony (Courtesy, Hospice of Michigan)
Gadberry said that volunteering has impacted him in ways he didn’t expect – especially the pinning ceremonies.
“What surprised me was the impact it has on the families,” said Gadberry. “It’s overwhelming to see. It’s important to make that veteran feel remembered and seen, but they’re on their end-of-life journey, they’re going to be gone soon. But that ceremony, and those memories, are going to be passed on and kept with the family members for many years to come.”
Though many veterans are recognized for their service through their communities, American Legion or VFW, there are just as many who never see recognition of any kind. Gadberry said giving that recognition to veterans during the last steps of their end-of-life journey is memorable for all involved.
“Every ceremony, every event is completely different,” said Gadberry. “Every time I do it, I take away something different and I learn a little bit more.”
Becker-Barkman said her time with Hospice of Michigan has also been life-changing.
“I’ve learned so much about end-of-life care and what that entails for us as human beings,” said Becker-Barkman. “I get to be surrounded by so many brilliant, loving, giving people that it’s changed my entire outlook on everything.
“It’s magical to be surrounded by people who are so willing to show up for people they don’t know at what can be the hardest time in their life; it’s rejuvenating.”
The value of serving in new ways
Hospice of Michigan is continually in need of compassionate veteran volunteers to provide that much needed support and camaraderie to hospice veterans. Regardless of how they served, the bond between veterans opens a door of trust and communication through mutual understanding.
“Veterans share a unique bond,” said Kathy Lietaert, Hospice of Michigan Statewide Volunteer Program Manager, in supplied material. “Through our veterans hospice program, every act of service by volunteer veterans brings comfort, connection and compassion to hospice veterans who need it most at the end of life.”
Volunteers can make a life-changing impact with a minimal time commitment (Courtesy photo)
Becker-Barkman said they are always looking for more volunteer support, in Grand Rapids and throughout the state – and their volunteering schedule is flexible.
“You could [visit] one patient a month, visit once a week, or whatever fits your schedule,” said Becker-Barkman. “We don’t have any rigid guidelines. We want volunteers to be able to fit this into their lives in a way that’s meaningful and not overwhelming for them.”
Volunteer orientations are hosted on an as-needed basis so prospective volunteers can learn in their own time. Training or previous volunteer experience is not needed. All veterans willing to donate their time and companionship to hospice care patients are welcome.
Gadberry believes that veterans will step in to help once they are aware of the need.
“I was more than happy to help out,” said Gadberry. “I think that will be the case for other veterans out there. If they hear that another veteran needs some form of help, they will always step up.”
Learn more!
Prospective volunteers can contact Lauren Becker-Barkman at 616-250-9110 or lbecker-barkman@hom.org.
Learn more about Hospice of Michigan and submit an online volunteer application here.
Volunteers of two local commissions will plant four redbud trees at the Wyoming Veteran’s Memorial Garden for WWII and Korean War veterans (Courtesy, The City of Wyoming Historical Commission)
Only one evergreen tree (not pictured) currently remains to the east of the monument. With funding from the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance, The Tree Amigos and Historical Commission plan to spruce up the memorial originally erected in 1945 at the intersection of Lee Street and Porter Street. Plantings adjacent to the monument will be updated in the spring.
(Courtesy, The City of Wyoming Historical Commission)
“The Wyoming Historical Commission is grateful to The Tree Amigos for beautifying the Wyoming Honor Roll Memorial dedicated to our veterans from Wyoming who served during WWII and the Korean Wars,” says Vicki Briggs, board member of The Historical Commission.
“This memorial was dedicated on May 30, 1945. The original plantings had been removed due to their age and now will be renewed.”
Tree dedication ceremony
A brief ceremony dedicating the trees and remembering the veterans named on the monument will take place at 12 p.m. on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11.
Representatives from the City of Wyoming and the Historical Commission will say a few words, along with American Legion Post 154 Post Commander Keith Wakefield. The Tree Amigos will also make an announcement about future projects.
“That’s so exciting, and I appreciate what Tree Amigos is doing to beautify the neighborhood,” says Kalene McElveen, owner of Tasteful Vegan Ice Cream Shop, a business adjacent to the planting site.
Local history
Boyce Slootmaker lied about his age to join the Navy at age 16 (Courtesy, Slootmaker family)
Among those named on the memorial are family members of The Tree Amigos chairperson, Estelle Slootmaker: Boyce Slootmaker (WWII), Howard Joyce (Korean War), and Clayton Burkholder (WWII).
Lieutenant Commander Roger B. Chaffee was added to the memorial in 1967. Born and raised in Wyoming, Chaffee died on Jan. 27, 1967 in the Apollo spacecraft flash fire during a launch pad test at Kennedy Space Center, FL.
Davenport University and LAUP have entered into an all-encompassing partnership to support education for Latinos at all stages of life (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Located in Holland, LAUP was formed in 1964 with the mission to empower Latinos to participate in creating a better community for all through advocacy, celebration and education. Davenport’s newly created Casa Latina online degrees program complements that mission.
LAUP empowers Latinos to participate in creating a better community (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
A powerful catalyst for change
The partnership, which includes scholarships and other benefits, covers LAUP’s youth programs called ¡Adelante! and ¡Más Adelante!, and the LAUP workforce development program Educate, Elevate!.
“Everyone at Davenport University is excited about partnering with LAUP,” said Casa Latina Executive Director Carlos Sanchez.
This partnership fosters equitable access and opportunities for youth and adults (Courtesy, Davenport University)
“Casa Latina supports LAUP’s mission by offering dual language undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as a bilingual student support system for high school graduates and adult learners alike. We look forward to working together for the benefit of the West Michigan community.”
Graduates of the LAUP programs who meet Davenport’s requirements will receive up to $9,200 toward tuition for Casa Latina undergraduate programs, and up to $7,000 toward tuition for general Davenport undergraduate programs. There is a special early admission category for graduates of the ¡Adelante! program at the completion of 8th grade.
“This partnership, driven by LAUP’s transformative efforts, is a powerful catalyst for change,” said Maria Morales, Director of Workforce Development & Strategic Impact. “It fosters equitable access and opportunities for youth and adults, empowers skilled immigrants to upskill and integrate into the workforce, and unlocks career pathways—harnessing the untapped potential within our community.”
Learn more!
Click here for a full description of the Davenport University/LAUP partnership: English, Spanish.
Bestselling fantasy author Erin A. Craig talked with readers about the inspiration behind her new release and her personal writing journey (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
West Michigan author Erin A. Craig has been making headlines with her macabre fairy tales – and her new release, The Thirteenth Child, is no different.
Released on Sept. 24, The Thirteenth Child was celebrated at Schuler Books in Grand Rapids, with its New York Times bestselling author in attendance.
The dark and Grimm
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Craig’s fourth foray into the fantasy realm is inspired by the Grimm brothers’ classic tale, Godfather Death – but with a twist.
“I like to take fairy tales and think of all the ways you can make it even darker than the Grimm brothers did,” said Craig. “[The Thirteenth Child] is no different. This is a retelling of Godfather Death, which is one of their classic top ten fairy tales.”
Though Craig typically enjoys more obscure tales, she confesses The Thirteenth Child is her favorite work to date.
“Usually I like the darker fairy tales that Disney hasn’t really touched on,” said Craig. “They were always the ones I was drawn to as a kid. There’s something fun about being scared.”
While Craig might fantasize about shadows and crave chills, the author exudes light – in more ways than one.
Clad from head to toe in sequins and sparkles for the book launch, the 6’1” author wields a quick wit, sparkling humor and easy smile that are in direct contrast to the dark tales she weaves.
Erin A. Craig (left) answers questions from readers (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
180 rejections and a trademark twist
Before becoming a bestselling author, Craig lived out her love of dark fantasy on theatre stages.
After obtaining a B.F.A. in Theatre Production and Design from the University of Michigan, Craig worked as a stage manager for tragic operas. A ten-year tenure as Director of Production at Opera Memphis in Tennessee led Craig to her husband and, subsequently, the birth of their daughter. The family of three moved back to Michigan in 2020.
“After I had my daughter, I realized the opera stage manager lifestyle doesn’t compete with newborns.” Craig added with a laugh, “She didn’t really like the sopranos. Did not like them.”
Author Erin A. Craig (Courtesy, Cynthia Whipkey)
Staying home with the newest family member, however, left Craig feeling a bit lost.
“My whole identity is what I’m doing,” says Craig. “If I’m not a stage manager, who am I? I wanted to show her that Mom can do all these things…and set a good example.”
Craig unearthed a novel she wrote in college and queried agents, hoping to receive a book deal.
“In my head, this [novel] is the best concept ever!” Craig paused. “I racked up about 180 rejections in six months. I realized this is not the book that’s going to do it.”
Craig decided to retell Annabel Lee, a favorite work of Edgar Allan Poe, with her trademark twist.
After a pitch contest tweet ended with 80 agents asking Craig for the manuscript, she pitched it to ten – and received five offers before the week’s end.
Small Favors, a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, came next. House of Roots and Ruin, a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses and Bluebeard, followed.
A twist on the familiar
Craig’s new novel features two embossed cover styles, one for Hazel and one for Merrick (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Craig’s inclination for retelling fairy tales is due to her time as an opera stage manager.
“There are many wonderful modern operas being created right now, but we go back to those classics for 200-300 years,” said Craig. “We want to hear that story told again in a different way and set in a different location. The wonder of taking something familiar and twisting it is always fun.”
The Thirteenth Child explores a unique view on death.
Hazel, the thirteenth child of a couple struggling to make ends meet, is given to Merrick, the god of death. Godfather Merrick gives Hazel the gift of healing and the ability to see the exact cure needed to treat the sick. However, Merrick’s gift comes with a price, and Hazel is also tasked with permanently ending the suffering of those Death claims.
Then Hazel faces a predicament that requires her to choose between her heart and the will of her godfather, sparking a philosophical twist.
Humanity, meet Death
Every person’s lifeline is connected to a candle in The Thirteenth Child (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
That philosophical aspect was what caused Merrick to claim the title of Craig’s favorite character.
“It was really interesting to take death as a character because we have so many cultural representations of him,” said Craig. “The one thing that really drew me to this story wasn’t that [the parents] gave Hazel away to Death, it was that Death came to her. That Death wanted this child.”
Craig pondered what that meant for Death, and what that said about him as a person.
“It was such an eye-opening look into his backstory and his character. He wants this child, he wants someone to care for…he wants a human companion. He wants a legacy of sorts. It was a really fun exploration, and a different look at death.”
Creative and quirky rituals
When asked if she is ever not thinking of a storyline, Craig laughed and said she tries, but gets antsy. “I need something to get characters and banter out, or my head gets very cluttered.”
Erin A. Craig signs books for readers (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Craig keeps a strict writing routine, beginning at 5 a.m. every morning to hand draft her books.
“I really like when the house is dark and quiet. I’ve got this huge window, and when it’s dark outside, all I can concentrate on is the words. And my coffee – I have to have that.”
After taking her daughter to school, Craig types what she has written into the computer, using that process as a first edit. Afternoons are reserved for research.
Since Craig heavily outlines her novels, writer’s block is nonexistent. However, on days when she doesn’t feel like writing, Craig goes for a walk to stimulate creativity.
Craig chooses a particular song for each book she writes, listening to it at the beginning of each writing session to get her into the right headspace. A musical playlist is also assigned to each novel, and is retired after the book is finished.
Fun Facts about Erin A. Craig
Erin A. Craig…
doodled words instead of pictures as a child
carried a Thesaurus throughout childhood and experimented with new words in sentences
owns a mint condition pink 1953 Royal Quiet De Luxe typewriter that receives more tune-ups than her car does
knew her husband was “the One” when he revealed he owned an Underwood typewriter
collects typewriters: “We had 67 when we hit our peak. We pared it down to 23.”
loves the horror novel, The Woman in Black by Susan Hills
regrets listening to the audiobook, Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, at night
has watched The Others with Nicole Kidman 50 times – with the exception of one scene where she closes her eyes every time
has a secret love of cheesy romance stories
prefers sci-fi over paranormal
hates fairies and substituted fairies in her upcoming adult debut novel (a retelling of Tam Lin) for vampires instead
will not choose between scary stories and horror movies: “Both. That’s a mean question!”
What’s next?
(Courtesy, Erin A. Craig)
Craig’s adult debut novel, A Land So Wide, will be released in 2025 by Pantheon Books. She is currently working on another adult novel inspired by Elton John’s final concert at Dodger Stadium that she dubs “the Elton John cult book.”
Craig is also drafting the third (yet unnamed) book in the Sisters of the Salt series.
Lee Middle School has rekindled their partnership with Affinity Mentoring in a recent ribbon cutting ceremony at their newly renovated mentoring space (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
South Kent Chamber of Commerce presents Affinity Mentoring with a certificate at the ribbon cutting ceremony (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“I see you, I hear you. You are valued, and I know things you have to say right now are things that need to be heard by all of us.”
This is the value Affinity Mentoring provides youth in our local schools, says Lauren Enos, Affinity Mentoring Program and DEI Director.
Lee Middle School in Wyoming has rekindled their partnership with nonprofit Affinity Mentoring after a two-year hold due to necessary school roof renovations.
Focusing on schools facing disadvantages, Affinity supports students in K-8th grade by matching them with a caring adult role model and striving to create a safe space for local youth to utilize their voice.
Small commitment = big impact
Affinity mentors journey alongside students for one hour each week.
“All of our mentors have said it’s the smallest commitment they’ve ever made for the biggest impact on their life,” says Enos. “We have a 90% retention rate. Mentors come back year after year to work with the same student because they become friends. It’s a true relationship.”
Affinity Mentoring Executive Director Rocio Moreno (left) talks about their partnership with the Godfrey-Lee School District (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Holly Kroeze, mentor and Mars Hill Bible Church staff member, is entering her seventh year mentoring Lee Middle School student, Eternity. During that time, Eternity was adopted by her foster mother – and Kroeze has built a relationship with Eternity’s entire family.
“I have found that developing a relationship with [her] mom has been helpful because she gives me insight into things that are going on in Eternity’s life,” says Kroeze.
Kroeze went on to say that she has enjoyed partnering with other adults in Eternity’s life to give more extensive care and support.
“It’s fun to see kids like Eternity get care from multiple adults,” says Kroeze, adding that kids need support from five adults in order to thrive. “I’m grateful I get to be one of those people for her because she has grown a lot. It’s been so fun to watch her journey.”
Lee MS Principal Adrianne Rose speaks at the Affinity Mentoring ribbon cutting ceremony (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“We’re really excited to be back in Lee Middle School,” says Enos. “We’re now able to follow the kiddos from early childhood into middle school.”
Lee MS Principal Adrianne Rose echoes Enos’ enthusiasm.
“We wanted to rekindle that partnership because this is an incredibly important piece to the whole child in our academics,” says Rose. “Our 6th graders, they’re excited to see their mentors. They ask about them, they want them to be here, and that to me tells me the mentors are doing what they’re here to do.”
A safe and inclusive space
While Affinity’s mentoring program has seen positive results such as increased school attendance and class engagement from students and a decrease in truancy, bullying and behavioral concerns – there are also personal benefits.
“We really hone in on our mentor centers to be a safe, inclusive space for our mentees to be able to share their difficulties,” says Rocio Moreno, Executive Director at Affinity Mentoring. “Some of it might be home-related or life-related, and we can tailor our program to that.
“Behavioral concerns tend to decrease because they’re able to engage in those hard topic conversations with their mentor as to why they might have made a particular choice throughout that time.”
Staff and mentors are excited for this opportunity to support Lee Middle School youth (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
An overall improvement in self-esteem comes from knowing that one-on-one support is available.
“[Students] feel more confident,” says Enos. “They’re willing to take risks and make mistakes because there’s someone there to say, ‘I was in that same place, and I made those mistakes too,’ normalizing all the everyday things they go through.”
That support can often go both ways.
Since beginning her journey as a mentor, Kroeze and her husband became foster parents.
“Eternity was the first person to give me the best advice about what to do and what things she liked,” says Kroeze.
“Our relationship has been mutually beneficial because I’ve learned a lot from her. Learned how to be a good parent, and learned how to relate to foster kids. For Eternity, she’s [gained] some stability and accountability in her life.”
100+ students are waiting…
Affinity Mentoring is always in need of new community volunteers who are willing to donate an hour of their time once a week.
“One hour a week eating your lunch, hanging out and making slime will go by so fast,” said Moreno with a smile. “But the need for volunteers is high as we currently have over 100 students on our waitlist that desire a mentor.”
Kroeze recommends joining the mentoring program with a spouse or partner.
“My husband and I do it together, and we’ve done it together since Day One,” says Kroeze. “It’s fun to put faces to names when you talk about what your day was like with your mentee.
“Mentoring together makes things a little bit crazier – but a lot of fun.”
Eventually, Moreno would love to expand Affinity’s mentoring program to Lee High School as well. “Because this is a middle school-high school, it would be an easy transition to continue for the students we currently work with.”
For more information about Affinity Mentoring services, click here.
LOVED youth program founder Steve Carigon and VP of Advancement Brooke Jevicks talk with Managing Editor Deborah Reed on WKTV Journal Soundbites about how they WOW kids with love at Wedgwood Christian Services.
“The majority of the kids that come into our care have been chronically neglected and abused,” says Brooke Jevicks, VP of Advancement at WCS, adding that many youth go through 7-12 failed placements before being referred to WCS for help.
(Courtesy, WCS)
When youth are critically neglected and abused, it reinforces doubt and the question: Am I worthy of being loved?
“It’s critically important for a human to know that they are valued and worthy, and that they are loved,” says Jevicks. “You want to work on yourself differently when you know and believe that. You work harder for yourself, you fight for yourself, you advocate for yourself.”
Love – with intention
Youth pastor Steve Carigon founded LOVED when the previous WCS youth ministry faltered under pandemic gathering restrictions.
Based on bible verse John 3:16, LOVED was born shortly after – with intention.
“It’s something that the kids need,” says Carigon. “These kids have not been loved properly, and we’re going to do everything we can to show them that they are loved by God, and by us, any way we can.”
LOVED is held at 4 p.m. every other Thursday and is open to all WCS home residents. However, attendance is not mandatory.
Even the bubbles are intentional
LOVED begins at the front door with a bubble machine and a red carpet.
“We want them to feel like stars and that they are awesome,” says Carigon.
Wedgwood supporters play a game similar to a game LOVED youth play while being cheered on (Courtesy, WCS)
Jevicks agrees. “Staff are cheering for every kid. They are seriously in the business of making sure those kids know, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are worthy of being loved.”
Upon entering the building, youth choose a flavored sucker and receive a raffle ticket. They are then ushered into the music-filled chapel where kids can sit or play games before the program begins.
A countdown on the screen gets things rolling. After the welcome and a reminder that they are loved, an interactive on-screen game begins that typically involves a lot of…yelling and candy-throwing.
For the next game (anything from flipping bottles to using sticky gel hands to retrieve items off a table), youth approach the stage when their name is drawn, are introduced, and then cheered on by everyone in the room.
Raffle tickets, crab legs and a…unicorn?
Next onstage is the…raffle unicorn.
“We have a unicorn costume, and kids always want to be the unicorn,” says Carigon with a laugh.
Wedgwood guests cheer when names are called as is done for youth who attend LOVED (Courtesy, WCS)
Raffle numbers are read, and winners choose what they want for lunch the next day.
“They love it,” says Carigon. “The kids are starting to understand that I literally will get them anything they want for lunch. Last week I went to Red Lobster and got crab legs.”
A 10-minute talk on God’s love wraps up the program.
“They’re getting it.”
“I see a bunch of kids receiving and expressing love in normal conversations,” says Carigon, noting that a large portion of that happens outside of actual LOVED events.
One of Carigon’s favorite things is hearing youth shout, “You’re loved!” across campus.
“It means they’re getting it,” says Carigon.
(Courtesy, WCS)
Carigon also enjoys seeing WCS youth wear LOVED wristbands, shirts and hats around campus.
“They wear the shirts, and it’s like a proclamation saying, ‘I’m loved. I’m wearing the shirt, I’m loved.’”
That declaration is about more than shirts – it is about relationships.
“It’s me, the leaders, the other chaplains building relationships with kids,” says Carigon. “We’re well-known around campus because we work at doing rounds and seeing kids in between classes, at lunch and after school. We try to intersect their lives as much as possible.”
Loved people…love people
“The same question all humans ask is, am I loved?” says Carigon. “I’m also a human, so I feel that too. Our own brain is really good at telling us that we’re not good enough.
(Courtesy photo)
“Even though you may not think you’re enough, you are exactly enough.”
Carigon firmly believes that consistently hearing we are loved and valued changes the way we interact with ourselves and with other people.
“When you feel love yourself, you start loving other people,” says Carigon. “[And] we’re supposed to love other people. My hope is when these kids feel loved, it changes their outcome.”
Jevicks says that is the heart of LOVED. “They’ve put so much thought and intention into it, [and] there is a meaningful message for youth so they know that they are loved by their Heavenly Father. Exactly who they are right now, today, He loves them deeply.”
That extravagant love is why Carigon loves his job.
“When you love people – especially kids that haven’t been loved well – how can you have a bad day?”
Refusing to abandon our youth
“What sets WCS aside is that deep love for these kids – and not abandoning them,” says Jevicks. “LOVED is not a mandatory program to receive good care and to be loved. We’re going to love you anyway. That’s the gift of Wedgwood.”
A LOVED event guest writes a blessing for a youth in WCS residential care (Courtesy, WCS)
WCS staff continue demonstrating support and love even when youth push them away.
“We anticipate that, we understand it, we’re not surprised by it,” says Jevicks. “It’s a trauma response; it’s protection. It’s all they know.”
When youth push, WCS staff plant their feet, respecting boundaries while continually acknowledging and caring for them. Over time, youth often take steps to close that gap.
“Those are powerful moments,” says Jevicks. “It illustrates the power of love. True, sincere, Christ-like love. Go ahead and push me away, because I understand why you’re pushing me away. You do what you need to do, and I’m going to keep being right here for you.
“That’s what Wedgwood does for these kids, and they get even more of that at LOVED.”
For more information on LOVED and other WCS programs, click here.
The Bridge of Arbor Circle is a safe, no cost shelter program for youth, ages 10-17, who are facing homelessness or considering running away (Courtesy, Arbor Circle)
Join Arbor Circle on Sept. 25 from 4-6 p.m. to learn more about The Bridge of Arbor Circle and services for youth experiencing homelessness during the End of Summer Celebration.
During the event, guests will have the opportunity to tour The Bridge youth shelter and learn more from staff about the different programs available for youth. In addition to a sneak peek of some exciting construction projects underway at The Bridge, this year’s open house will feature snacks from New City Neighbors’ New City Café as well as a mural created on site during the event.
The Bridge End of Summer Celebration will offer sneak peeks of construction projects, snacks and a mural created on site (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Offering youth stable and accessible shelter
The Bridge of Arbor Circle is a safe shelter program for youth, ages 10-17, who are facing homelessness, housing instability, or considering running away. The Bridge offers youth a stable and accessible place to stay. Located in Grand Rapids, The Bridge is open 24/7/365.
“We are excited to open this space to the public for the evening and spread awareness of the important services provided at The Bridge,” shared Monique Carter, Director of Youth Development Services at Arbor Circle. “This space is incredibly special and we want folks to know what support is available to youth in our community.”
Free event registration
For more information and to register for this year’s free event, click here.
Sponsors for this year’s event include Veneklasen Construction.
Treasured Brown Girl aims to restore confidence, hope and belonging in brown girls with Alopecia by normalizing their condition and unlocking their confidence (Courtesy photo)
September commemorates Alopecia Awareness Month, and a Grand Rapids organization is looking to shed light on the hair-loss disease and bring awareness to those living with it in their day-to-day lives.
Treasured Brown Girl (TBG) was founded by Tyra Thomas after she witnessed a loved one dealing with Alopecia firsthand. TBG aims to restore confidence, hope and belonging in brown girls with Alopecia by normalizing their condition and unlocking their confidence.
Providing confidence and strength
TBG Alopecia wig box with custom contents (Courtesy, TBG)
TBG specializes in “wig boxes” for young girls living with Alopecia. Each box comes with a custom, age-appropriate, natural headband wig, and confidence-boosting supplies that include a mirror, nail polish, pens, and accessories for the wig. Also included in the boxes is a charming story about the impact of Alopecia on a little girl, and a guided journal for girls to process their emotions and examine their strengths.
Boxes can be curated to fit the needs of each individual.
“Treasured Brown Girl came to be because someone I love has Alopecia,” said Thomas. “Alopecia has several stages, and she tried different oils, different shampoo, but nothing was working and the condition kept getting worse.”
TBG journal (Courtesy, TBG)
Thomas, who previously owned a hair salon, found that many of the wigs they were looking into buying weren’t the right texture, or were not age appropriate. Even though vendors Thomas was familiar with through her salon could provide wigs, they did not supply them for children often.
“No one is looking at the whole emotional impact this hair loss has, or what support systems are out there,” Thomas said. “With the emotional toll that Alopecia takes, it’s important that the product feels like your natural hair.”
Giveaway registration details
To honor Alopecia Awareness Month, TBG is giving away a wig box and a makeover for a girl between the ages of 8-16 with Alopecia. The giveaway is supported by Opportunity Empowered.
Registration for the giveaway is online from Sept. 8-18, and the winner will be chosen Sept. 19.
Alana Springsteen will be coming to West Michigan with Tyler Hubbard’s STRONG World Tour in October (Courtesy photo, Alana Springsteen with Two Step Inn)
Released in August 2023, Springsteen’s first studio album is being described as groundbreaking and a “pathway to those seeking connection, solace, and understanding” by American Songwriter. Lead songwriter on all 18 tracks and co-producing nearly every track, Springsteen has put her heart and soul into TWENTY SOMETHING – and is connecting with millions of listeners because of it.
Authenticity on tour
Springsteen loves connecting with fans at live shows (Courtesy, Lily Mason)
The rising star is hitting the road with singer-songwriter Tyler Hubbard on his STRONG World Tour and will perform at GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids on Oct. 31.
Springsteen performed with Hubbard on the West Coast in 2023, prompting Hubbard’s invitation to join him on the STRONG tour.
“From the second I hit that stage, the energy I felt from his fans and his community was another level, and it felt like we just connected,” says Springsteen. “I loved those shows so much.”
Springsteen’s arrival in West Michigan follows 10+ years chasing a dream, performing and collaborating with Country superstars and GRAMMY Award-winning writers, over 200 million streams globally, and the accumulation of numerous accolades.
But the twenty-something singer is more concerned with finding her most authentic self than she is with awards.
A dream comes true
Growing up surrounded by cornfields and strawberry fields in a rural Virginia Beach community called Pungo, Springsteen began singing in church as soon as she could talk.
“Music is something I fell in love with really early in life. When I was seven years old, I picked up the guitar for the first time and fell in love with it.”
Springsteen wrote her first song at age nine, and calls it the turning point.
Springsteen processes the world through words and music (Courtesy, Alana Springsteen)
“I realized that I could say things in music and writing that I couldn’t say to even my closest friends and family,” says Springsteen. “Writing has always been my therapy. It’s how I process what’s going on inside me, and also in the world around me.”
Springsteen had her heart set on becoming a country music artist and told her parents she wanted to go to Nashville. At age 10, her parents took Springsteen to Nashville where she had her first experience co-writing a song.
“I got to see that there was this entire community that existed that loved the same things I love, or was passionate about the same things I was,” says Springsteen. “It felt like we spoke the same language, and I felt right at home.”
Springsteen’s first publishing deal came at age 14, officially making her a paid songwriter. Shortly after, Springsteen and her family moved to Nashville.
Cycles of life in song
Springsteen began writing and co-writing full-time. Prior to TWENTY SOMETHING, the singer released EPs relating to recent relationship breakups – but had more intricate plans for her debut album.
A self-professed romantic, Springsteen admits to feeling things deeply – and learning hard lessons through those breakups. Springsteen turned to writing and music to process her emotions.
Alana Springsteen in Dallas (Courtesy, Anna Clary)
“When I wrote ‘twenty something’ – the title track – it felt like exactly where I was in life. I was like, this is it.”
Springsteen’s album consists of personal experiences depicting the cycle of mistakes, figuring things out and getting things right.
“I wanted to release the songs in that order and take fans along that journey with me,” says Springsteen.
What people don’t know…
Springsteen shares her story through music with the hope it will encourage others (Courtesy, Lily Nelson)
What most people don’t know, Springsteen says, is that she is an introvert – and revealing her emotions is not easy.
“[The album] is some of the most personal songs I’ve ever written, and I was terrified to release a lot of it because it’s like putting yourself on display,” says Springsteen, likening the album release to that of sharing her deepest, darkest feelings with the world.
“What drove me was knowing that if I was scared to say these things, then there were probably so many other people out there going through the same things and needing to hear it.”
Springsteen lives by a code of authenticity.
“In your twenties, you’re pulled in different directions trying to find where you fit,” says Springsteen. “If I’ve learned anything through this process, it’s that the only thing we’re chasing is the most honest, authentic version of ourselves all the time.”
Springsteen’s song “Amen” is a promise to always stay true to herself and live on her own terms.
Alana Springsteen on stage in Toronto (Courtesy, Tyler Glasenapp)
“A lot of those lyrics are really hard for me to say,” Springsteen says. “But it was so healing just putting it on paper, releasing it, and being able to have these conversations with friends and family that I never would have been able to without this song.
“If I can help them take one thing from this album, it’s to chase the most honest, authentic version of yourself.”
Springsteen says she is a regular 23-year-old girl making mistakes, living life and working her way through it. Feeling seen and understood through the music community has felt like coming home – and she is grateful.
“That’s what makes music special. It’s so healing, and it can connect people in ways that nothing else can.
“There’s nothing better than getting through [life] together, sharing stories and being there for each other. That’s why I love live shows. I’m really excited to feel that energy again on the tour.”
Find out more about Alana Springsteen and her music here.
STRONG World Tour dates and ticket information can be found here.
Michigan mixed media artist Michelle Sider has created art her whole life, finding solace in the world of imagination. Now she is utilizing her art to tell stories of resilience and survival at ArtPrize 2024.
“I made a decision with my artwork that I’m going to be more autobiographical, doing a deeper dive into my heritage, particularly stories of resilience and pride from my family,” said Sider. “There are stories of survival I feel compelled to start telling.”
Sider was a finalist in the 2023 ArtPrize competition. This will be the artist’s third year participating in ArtPrize (Courtesy, Michelle Sider)
The annual, international ArtPrize competition featuring over 950 artists from 42 U.S. states and 53 countries will be held Sept. 13-28. Free and open to the public, art will be displayed in over 165 public venues throughout Grand Rapids.
Based in Huntington Woods and a 2023 ArtPrize finalist, this will be Sider’s third year participating in the art competition.
“This year’s pairing is called From Darkness to Light,” said Sider. “There are two pieces: Anna, sparked from conversations last year at ArtPrize; and Balancing Act, my own experience this past year.”
From Darkness to Light consists of glass mosaics representing a journey from fear and turmoil (darkness) to faith and hope (light).
“It’s a really important pairing,” said Sider. “Everybody has times when they go through darkness looking for the light, confused and trying to make their way through very difficult, dark times.
“I feel like there are a lot of people who can resonate with my piece, my own personal story of my fears, of my darkness.”
The initial spark
Inspiration for Anna came to Sider last year when several visitors asked about her ArtPrize entry featuring 10 portraits of Yemenite Jews.
“I’m very sensitized to stories of immigrants because my grandparents and relatives had to flee for their lives from thepogroms in Europe,” said Sider. “As a kid, I had nightmares because my great-aunt told the story of having to hide under a pile of dead bodies. Everyone that was left there died.”
Sider began sketching images of what she imagined her relatives experienced.
A difficult childhood
Anna portrays Sider’s maternal great-grandmother, who fled Odessa (now Ukraine) in 1910.
“Anna” is a glass mosaic by Michelle Sider based on her great-grandmother’s journey from Russia to the United States (Courtesy, Michelle Sider)
Anna ran away from home at age 12 to live with her brother in Odessa. Before she arrived, pogroms erupted, wiping out much of the Jewish population. Anna’s brother wrote poetry and pamphlets against the murderous Cossacks, landing him in jail – where he continued writing on toilet paper in his cell.
“My great-grandmother, at the age of 12, would sneak out his writings in her bloomers when she went to visit him,” said Sider.
Anna married a resistance fighter against the Cossacks at age 17. Their wedding present was a midnight passage on a rowboat across the Black Sea to avoid arrest. Sider’s grandparents eventually made their way to the Detroit area.
Sider’s glass mosaic is inspired by a photograph taken when Anna was 16 years old. Though nothing was left of Anna’s brother’s writings, Sider placed writings from her brother’s friend and Russian revolutionary, Leon Trotsky, beneath the clouds and translucent blue of her grandmother’s skirt.
The book Anna holds also carries significance.
“It was very difficult for females to get an education at that time, particularly if you were Jewish females,” said Sider. “The fact that she’s holding a book, representing how important her education was to her, is important to include.”
Gold threads through the mosaic, representing the rips and tears of the original photograph through the years. Sider borrowed the idea from the Japanese craft Kintsugi, where broken and cracked clay vessels are repaired with gold, ultimately strengthening the piece.
A personal balancing act
“Balancing Act” is Sider’s most autobiographical mosaic (Courtesy, Michelle Sider)
Sider’s second entry, Balancing Act, is her most autobiographical piece, portraying Sider’s reaction to recent anti-Semitism. With one child facing danger in Israel, and another facing anti-Semitism at college in the U.S., Sider felt broken by fear.
“I felt completely cracked open,” said Sider. “I was terrified, shaking; I was a mess.”
Balancing Act depicts a shadowy figure against a stormy sky with turbulent water beneath as it traverses a gold tightrope representing a lifeline.
Sider said the piece is purposely ambiguous.
“The idea [was] to capture those feelings of being terrified and trying to navigate my way through the storms to the other side.”
For Sider, diving into her great-grandmother’s story of resilience helped her through her own personal struggles – and she hopes it will help others.
A beam of sunlight…
Art brought Sider comfort even as an infant (Courtesy, Michelle Sider)
Sider has always found solace in art.
“My mom tells the story of how, when I was an infant, there was a sunbeam shining through the window, and I started playing with it,” said Sider. “Literally my whole life I’ve been drawn to creating, making and getting my hands dirty.
“It’s my happy place. My world of imagination was always a great source of solace, comfort, energy and interest for me.”
At first, Sider’s art consisted mainly of painting and drawing. The first time she saw a mosaic, however, she fell in love.
Fascinated with glass and light, Sider incorporates both into her mosaics.
“To me, light represents spirituality and hope, and I play with that metaphor in my work a lot,” said Sider. “What I love about glass is that it’s metaphorically and physically representing light.
(Courtesy, ArtPrize)
“My pieces change color throughout the day. I put them at certain angles and use different types of glass. They all catch light, absorb light or reflect light in different ways.”
That change in color can be seen in the atrium of Uccello’s in downtown Grand Rapids where From Darkness to Light is displayed under the glass ceiling.
ArtPrize visitors can vote for pieces by scanning the QR code associated with each entry, ormanually entering the five-digit code on the ArtPrize mobile web app.
Information about ArtPrize artists, venues, events and more can be found here.
Paws With A Cause (PAWS) celebrated a milestone moment by recently breaking ground for their $9.5 million facility renovation project.
For over 45 years, PAWS has enhanced the independence and quality of life for those with disabilities through the use of custom-trained Assistance Dogs. Since its inception, PAWS has placed over 3,000 Assistance Dogs with people with disabilities.
PAWS is determined to serve even more people within the community (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Determined to do more
Four years ago the PAWS team brainstormed one simple goal: to serve even more people with disabilities.
“By 2030, our goal is to place over 100 assistance dogs with clients annually, and for 90% of our PAWS dogs to go into some kind of working career,” said Sarah Osterman, PAWS Board of Directors Chair and volunteer foster puppy raiser at the groundbreaking ceremony.
There is a growing demand for Assistance Dogs and the lifetime support that PAWS offers. Each year over 400 qualified individuals apply for a PAWS Assistance Dog. Current buildings and facilities limit the ability to address this unmet need.
“PAWS has outgrown our capacity to be able to breed, raise and train more PAWS dogs in these current facilities,” said Osterman. “Renovating our building to address these needs for improvement will allow us to expand our transformational and inspirational work.”
PAWS Assistance Dogs were in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Embracing the journey
The first step toward attaining these renovation goals was to embark on PAWS’s first community-wide capital campaign, Embrace the Journey, in April 2024.
“The goal for the Embrace the Journey campaign is to raise $9.5 million in charitable gifts, allowing us to improve five critical areas in our existing facilities and to address the growing demand for assistance and facility dogs,” said PAWS CEO, Michele Suchovsky.
“Many community members rallied around our vision for the future. I am thrilled to share that today we have raised over $8.6 million of that $9.5 million.”
To date, more than 700 donors have supported the campaign.
PAWS National Headquarters is nestled amid commercial firms and farmland in Wayland, MI. Though the current PAWS facilities have served them well since 1994, few improvements have been made over the years.
PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
The upcoming renovations will include:
Improved kennels
Exemplary veterinary facilities
National breeding center
New foster puppy spaces
Updated training facilities
“With these renovations we’ll be able to place more Assistance Dogs with clients, and place more working dogs in community-focused careers through our purposeful placements department,” said Suchovsky.
But more importantly, the results of these renovations will be felt by current and future PAWS clients.
Life-changing moments
“Each PAWS Assistance Dog opens a world of possibilities, something I can personally attest to as a client,” said Molly Koroleski, PAWS Board Member and client.
After contracting meningitis at the age of three, Koroleski woke from a coma to realize she had lost her hearing. She moved through life unable to hear smoke alarms, emergency sirens or a knock on the door. Though she had family to tell her when those things occurred, it was troubling to be unaware of them when alone.
“Then I discovered PAWS, and my life changed,” Koroleski said. “Through the PAWS custom matching process, I received Mater, an Assistance Dog that was custom-trained to help with exactly what I needed.”
When Koroleski learned she was pregnant with her son, she called the PAWS team.
PAWS staff, volunteers and dogs were available at the ceremony for attendees to meet (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“Mater had already been my Hearing Dog for two and a half years at that point, and he wasn’t originally trained to the sound of a baby’s cries,” said Koroleski.
Within a few weeks of making the call, the PAWS team had trained Mater to alert Koroleski to her baby crying.
“I felt much more prepared to care for my son with Mater by my side,” said Koroleski. “These renovations will allow PAWS to match and custom-train more Assistance Dogs like Mater for clients like me.”
“These children deserve an Assistance Dog that will help them,” said Suchovsky. “We know how important a PAWS Assistance Dog is for a person with a disability.”
It’s time to give back…
For years, local residents have rallied behind PAWS to help those in need.
Deann and Kevin Hurn, Hudsonville residents and volunteer foster puppy raisers, have been volunteering at PAWS for over 13 years, currently fostering their ninth puppy. Recently, Kevin became a PAWS board member.
The help of a PAWS dog can be life-changing (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
When asked why she became involved with PAWS, Deann said, “To give back, to help somebody else. We just feel very blessed with everything God has given us – healthy children, healthy grandchildren – and it’s great to give back.”
Deann is currently hosting a Visiting House Dog in the PAWS program that she brings to Pine Rest Mental Health Hospital every week to visit with the inpatients.
“I come home every week and tell my husband that I was in tears because of what she did for someone, how she loved on them and what it meant to them,” said Deann. “It’s so cool to see.”
Deann heard about PAWS when she met a woman with an Assistance Dog. The woman encouraged Deann to attend the next PAWS meeting.
“I came home and told Kevin, ‘I’m going to this information meeting, but it’s just information.’” Deann paused. “A week later we had our first dog,” she said with a laugh.
One step closer…
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
As PAWS renovations begin, excitement is high.
“We are excited that this project will allow us to serve more clients, and our clients are excited too,” said Suchovsky. “We are one step closer to our goals and to creating thriving communities for us all.”
The Sept. 11 Community Day of Remembrance and Scout Salute has been held annually from sunrise to sunset since Sept. 11, 2002 on the plaza at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum (GRFPM).
9/11 Memorial & Museum North and South Pools are etched with the names of those lost during the terrorist attacks (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Honorary co-chairs of this year’s commemoration include: Col. James F. Grady II, Director, Michigan State Police; Kevin J. Sehlmeyer, Michigan State Fire Marshall; U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, Adjunct General and Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
“The Michigan State Police is honored to join this observance reflecting on our first responders, military members and those who tragically lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001,” said Col. James F. Grady II, Director of the MSP. “We shall never forget the sacrifices made.”
Those who cannot make it to the activities scheduled around the state of Michigan can participate by sharing photos of themselves saluting, or by viewing the activities at the Scouting America Michigan Cross Roads Council Facebook page. Various activities from all locations will be live streamed on the Facebook page.
For the 23rd year, the community is invited to join the Michigan Crossroads Council, Boy Scouts of America as they lead the West Michigan community in a day-long “Scout Salute” at the GRFPM to pay respect to all those who died during the terrorist attacks.
At sunrise and sunset color guards from the Grand Rapids Police and Fire Departments will lower and raise the flag outside of the museum to commemorate the opening (7:19 a.m.) and closing (7:59 p.m.) of day’s events.
At 5:30 p.m. the Salvation Army Band will perform.
At 6 p.m. there will be a program featuring speakers including Donald Shepard, CEO of Scouting American Michigan Crossroads Council; Carly Swanson, on behalf of Governor Whitmer; Tom Stephenson, himself an Eagle Scout, will share remarks on behalf of Senator Gary Peters; Kevin J. Sehlmeyer, Michigan State Fire Marshall; and Salvation Army Major Tim Meyer.
The final salute will take place at 7:59 p.m. with Echo Taps closing the event at sundown.
Schedule of events
The schedule of events for the Community Day of Remembrance and Scout Salute on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2023, at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum include:
(All Sept. 11 events will be held outside. Those wishing to visit the museum must purchase tickets in advance at www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov)
Community and Scouts continuously salute from sunrise to sunset.
7:15 a.m. Honor Guard Lowers Flag (GR Police)
7:18 a.m. Scout Salute Begins
7:50 a.m. Share Events of the Day/Close Program (Retired Firefighter Ken Chudy)
8:46 a.m. Ring Bell for South Tower (GR Fire)
9:03 a.m. Ring Bell for North Tower (GR Fire)
9:37 a.m. Ring Bell for Pentagon (GR Fire)
10:03 a.m. Ring Bell for United Airline Flight 9 (GR Fire)
5:30 p.m. Salvation Army Band Performs
6:10 p.m. Program Begins
6:45 p.m. Closing Benediction (Salvation Army Major Timothy Meyer)
The event begins at 11 a.m. with a ceremony beginning at 12 p.m. Registration is FREE!
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a rare motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for an individual to speak. Treatment includes intense speech therapy and sometimes other therapies to help individuals reach their highest communication ability. However, there is no cure.
Raising awareness is one of the most tangible ways communities at large can help children with apraxia thrive. Increased collective awareness means that children will be diagnosed faster, resulting in better, earlier intervention.
Celebrating apraxia stars
The Walk for Apraxia is the largest community event that celebrates the hard work of our apraxia stars, children diagnosed with CAS. The day includes family-friendly activities, a ceremony and a short, inclusive group walk to raise awareness.
Neil Kilby, father of an Apraxia Star, says, “Apraxia Stars need a team behind them. That team includes both parents, family members, SLP’s and organizations like Apraxia Kids.”
(Courtesy, Apraxia Kids)
Participating in the Walk for Apraxia helps show Apraxia Stars that there is a team of supporters surrounding them in their community. Invite friends and family to this community event to meet local Apraxia Stars and show support for all of their hard work!
Funds raised through the 2024 Walk for Apraxia benefit Apraxia Kids, the leading nonprofit that works to strengthen the support systems in the lives of children with CAS. Apraxia Kids educates both families and speech-language professionals so that children with CAS can reach their highest communication potential through accurate diagnosis and appropriate, timely treatment.
Event registration
For more information on how to join the Walk for Apraxia, click here.
Marilyn Emery and Carol Jennings have been friends for over 75 years – and have written about their journey (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
deborah@wktv.org
“The Power of Friendship” contains lessons Emery and Jennings have learned through the years (Courtesy photo)
The friendship of Wyoming women, Marilyn Emery and Carol Jennings, began in the late 1940s as they walked to kindergarten each day. That bond has only strengthened over the past seven decades, culminating in a book written by both Emery and Jennings.
The two lifelong friends recently celebrated the story of their friendship with a presentation and book signing at The Bookman in Grand Haven.
“It is our hope that many readers will receive our positive message of love, hope, and the importance of lasting friendship,” Emery and Jennings state in their book.
It is not a passive message. The women hope their story inspires others to actively seek out the kind of friendship they share.
“We want this for other people too, so they can experience what we experienced,” said Emery.
The start of forever
The two friends laugh in a photo booth (Courtesy Emery and Jennings)
Both Emery and Jennings grew up in West Michigan, eventually ending up on the same block of Delwood Avenue in Wyoming. They walked to and from school together, and would often play at each other’s houses after school.
“I liked her house,” Jennings said with a laugh. “Marilyn had a big family.”
But Emery preferred playing at Jennings’ house.
“I loved to go to Carol’s because she was an only child and there was peace at her house,” said Emery.
Part of the Godfrey-Lee school district, Emery and Jennings formed the Draco Horizon Club in 8th grade. Ten of those 12 members remained forever friends.
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“We were known as the group who had fun,” said Emery. “That camaraderie stayed with us throughout our whole life.”
The Draco girls were adventurous, renting a cottage overlooking Lake Michigan each summer, joyriding in Carol’s boyfriend’s car past curfew – and more.
Their adventures earned Emery and Jennings the nicknames Thelma and Lou in honor of the show Thelma and Louise.
“I loved that show,” said Jennings. “It was a friendship and a bond these two ladies had. They reminded me what Draco meant to me. The Draco’s are always there; we still get together every month in the summertime, and we talk about life.”
On the same beat
Emery said similarities in their lives (school, marriages, etc.) played a role in the women becoming such good friends. Jennings believes the Draco group was also a contributing factor, as was writing The Power of Friendship.
Together, they share a deeper connection resembling that of family.
“You can talk to other friends, but who are you going to call when you’re in need, or if you want to celebrate something together?” said Emery. “She’d call me, and I would do the same. Like you would a sister.”
Marilyn Emery (left) talks about the ways her friendship with Jennings has lasted through the years (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Emery and Jennings cared for each other when their parents died. When Emery’s first husband passed away in his early 50’s, Emery was left with three children to raise on her own.
“I was alone for 10 years,” said Emery. “Carol was there for me during that time.”
It comes as no surprise then, that when asked to describe Jennings in one word, Emery said: caring.
“You can’t really explain it, but you’re on the same beat with each other,” said Emery. “We figure we’re sisters. Not blood sisters, but we are sisters because we know each other so well…We just get each other.”
That deeper connection allows the women to pick up where they left off, no matter how long they might be apart.
Tragedy – and a promise
It was shortly after Emery remarried that she received a phone call that Jennings had an ischemic stroke. Emery rushed to Jennings’ side.
“All the way there, the word promise kept going through my mind, and it just wouldn’t stop,” said Emery.
Carol Jennings (right) shares about the challenges and recovery of her stroke (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Jennings’ right side was paralyzed and she struggled to walk. She could only speak one or two words in isolation due to aphasia.
But when Emery walked into her hospital room, Jennings grabbed her hand.
“A tear came down the left side,” said Emery. “And I kept thinking: promise. She didn’t look quite the same as what she did, but it didn’t matter because she was still alive.
“I said, ‘Carol, the word promise keeps coming to me, so I think we should write our life story.’ She grabbed my hand.”
Park benches, hats – and ice cream
Jennings attended therapy at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, but Emery also worked with Jennings on her speech and comprehension.
Marilyn and Carol graduating from Aquinas College a bit later in life (Courtesy photo)
“When you have aphasia, you just don’t know what the word is,” said Jennings. “I knew what I wanted to say, but it didn’t always come out.”
“She’d be telling you something and then stop,” said Emery. “I would try to make her tell me more. She made so much progress.”
Emery and Jennings would meet on park benches at various parks. Jennings would say one or two words and Emery would write them down, then expand on them.
“She really has a knack for writing and putting the right words to what I want to say,” said Jennings.
“One of the first things I said to her was: God,” said Emery. “She said: center. So that has guided us throughout this whole book. That God brought her through the stroke, and He is the center of our lives.”
The Promised Piece, an inspirational journey of two lifelong friends, was published in 2017.
But wait – there’s more!
Shortly after The Promised Piece was released, Diane Jones, retired owner of the Carnevale Jones Group consulting firm, read it and approached Emery and Jennings.
Diane Jones (center) was the catalyst for “The Power of Friendship” (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Jones said she enjoyed the book – but knew there was more to tell.
“In meeting with the ladies, they had such a great story to tell and I thought, there’s so much missing,” said Jones. “So I asked them if they would consider doing a longer version of the book.”
Shortly after, The Power of Friendship began taking shape.
Emery and Jennings met often to discuss the book. Their meetings always included park benches, hats…and ice cream.
“I could tell when she was ready to have ice cream,” said Emery, noting that Jennings would become restless. “Then I could get more out of her while we were eating because she was happy she was having ice cream.”
Jennings added, “[The book] gave me a new purpose. I think I needed that to get better.”
Loving through friendship
When talking about her friend, Jennings describes Emery as spiritual, and has watched Emery put her faith into practice throughout their friendship.
Emery explained, “I like to say it’s a God thing. God wants us to love Him, and He also wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves.”
And they choose love through friendship.
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“It’s not just about Carol and me, it’s about everybody,” said Emery, adding that she loves to hear when a reader has passed on The Power of Friendship to someone else. “We want everybody to find old friends, new friends and to keep friends. That’s our story.”
To find out more about The Power of Friendship, click here.
#WOODYWALKS in Murg, Switzerland (Courtesy, Ellis)
One man, 2 feet, 2+ years, 2,000+ miles – and a cause.
Woody Ellis begins his trek across the United States with the Mackinac Bridge Walk on Sept. 2 in an effort to combat stigma surrounding mental illness.
With a family history of dementia and schizophrenia, losing family and close friends to suicide and struggling against depression himself, Ellis often feels overwhelmed by the prevalence of mental illness.
“I’m seeing a lot of these types of things,” said Ellis. “The older you get, the more stuff you see, and more stuff happens to your loved ones. It’s starting to be a lot.”
And when Ellis feels overwhelmed, he travels.
“It takes my mind off things,” said Ellis. “I just need a reset.”
Though that “reset” is an act of mental self-preservation, Ellis battles guilt when he travels and leaves loved ones behind. That feeling of selfishness prompted Ellis to found #WOODYWALKS.
“How can I explore but also help some of the causes that are affecting so many people I know?” said Ellis. “I figured a way to do both things was to do something extreme that would draw attention and raise money for some really good organizations related to these causes.”
#WOODYWALKS was born.
Ellis is expecting the #WOODYWALKS journey to take anywhere from 2 to 3 years. Though he plans to hike an average of 10-15 miles per day, they may not be consecutive miles.
“A big part of it for me is enjoying the experiences I have along the way,” said Ellis. “So I’m going to be open to saying ‘yes’ to things along the way because part of it is interacting with strangers and spreading joy, smiles, laughter, hugs and all that kind of stuff.
“I also may stray away from the trail at times, and then pick back up where I leave off.”
#WOODYWALKS in Guatape, Columbia (Courtesy, Ellis)
Daring to be different
Forty-three-year-old Ellis has never been one to follow the beaten path.
“I’ve always been a unique individual. I really fly by the seat of my pants,” said Ellis, adding that he was not made for the 9 to 5 way of life.
“As soon as they started telling me that’s the only way to do it, I started exploring other ways. That was my initial inspiration to be different.”
In 2016, Ellis took a 60-hour train ride from Chicago to Vancouver, where he lived on a floating wharf on an uninhabited island. He has been solo traveling around the world ever since.
The upcoming #WOODYWALKS adventure will, in large part, also be traveled solo.
“It’s never been a problem to be by myself…that’s the type of person I am,” said Ellis.
#WOODYWALKS in Toubkal (Courtesy, Ellis)
Where’s Woody?
Ellis decided to begin his cross-country adventure with the annual Bridge Walk.
“I looked at the date and it fit my timing,” said Ellis. “Because I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life, I felt like that was a really good way to send me off.”
Ellis will then travel west through the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin. From there, he will head south, then west again to take advantage of better weather.
#WOODYWALKS in Zambujeira, Portugal (Courtesy, Ellis)
Walking trailers and…a hammock?
“For the most part I’m going to be hammock camping and exchanging services, or cooking dinner, for strangers if they can provide a couple of trees for me to hang my hammock.”
Not only will Ellis be toting a hammock, he will also be hauling a variety of hiking supplies.
Those supplies include a sleeping bag, camping pillow, Jetboil cooking system, one pot, utensils, a headlamp, an extra blanket, clothes, a water filter, a water pouch, hiking boots and camera equipment.
Ellis realized carrying that much weight on his back would not allow him to travel far and began searching for solutions.
Specializing in walking trailers, HipStar designed a hands-free trailer with a belt that fastens around the traveler’s waist.
“It takes all the weight off your back and puts it on your lower half,” said Ellis. “This trailer is definitely a game changer.”
#WOODYWALKS in Hawaii (Courtesy, Ellis)
Smile for the camera!
Throughout his journey, Ellis plans to capture the experience with his iPhone camera and share pictures and short videos.
“I’ll be doing diary videos where I’m talking about my experiences,” said Ellis.
He plans to include footage of setting up camp, making dinner (“I always have to get creative with meals”), getting water from a river with a water filter, interactions with people, campfire interviews related to mental health…and, of course, walking.
“Pretty much a little bit of everything so people can vicariously come along,” said Ellis.
#WOODYWALKS footage will be posted to Ellis’ social media channels and in the #WOODYWALKS newsletter. Social media and newsletter links can be found on the #WOODYWALKS website home page.
#WOODYWALKS in Dubruvnik (Courtesy, Ellis)
Join Woody’s adventure!
#WOODYWALKS is a community endeavor, with several options for people to support mental health charities and interact with Ellis on his journey.
“There are multiple ways on my website to support,” said Ellis. “I have charities picked out and have pages for each charity. They can donate directly to the charity.”
There is also an option to donate directly to the #WOODYWALKS project to help alleviate trip expenses.
“I’m not going to be working any of my current jobs; this is going to be my full-time job. I’m going to be editing movies and content, which is work on its own.”
People can support the charity of their choice by signing up to walk with Ellis. “If people join me, whether it be for a week or a month at a time, I will focus entirely on the charity of their choice during the time they’re with me.”
#WOODYWALKS in the village of Mousehole in Cornwall, England (Courtesy, Ellis)
“If people are aware that I’m coming ahead of time, they can tell me where they are along my route and I can stop for a night or two,” said Ellis.
Brand sponsorships are available for businesses, and #WOODYWALKS t-shirts are available for purchase as well, with proceeds supporting the #WOODYWALKS mission.
Ellis will be wearing #WOODYWALKS t-shirts throughout the journey to ignite curiosity and interest.
“I want [people] to ask me what I’m doing and strike up conversations.”
Where will Woody walk next?
Though Ellis has no concrete plans after completing #WOODYWALKS, he will continue to travel – and give back.
“I would like to do other projects similar to this where it involves giving back, and also related to things that I’m passionate about,” said Ellis. “It’ll definitely involve traveling and doing something good for communities.”
World traveler Woody Ellis talks about his upcoming 2,000+ mile hike across the United States with WKTV Managing Editor Deborah Reed
Local pastor and founder of the nonprofit Esther’s Hope Ministries (EHM), Joan Cornelison, is changing the lives of young women in Africa – one girl at a time.
Every day, young women are dropping through the poverty cracks in Africa. EHM’s mission is to change the destinies of these young women, ages 13-18, through academic scholarships and mentoring services.
A life of quiet service
EHM was named in honor of Cornelison’s mother, Esther Jonathan Wandeka.
“My mother was a very compassionate woman. After she died, we discovered she had secretly been educating people’s children,” said Cornelison.
Students pump water (Courtesy, EHM)
As people stepped forward to reveal how Esther walked alongside them, Cornelison began to think about her own life.
“When I looked at what a difference my mother made in people’s lives, it kept calling to me,” said Cornelison. “I wasn’t satisfied with climbing the corporate ladder. I wanted to make a difference.”
In 2016, Cornelison chose to step out of her comfort zone and established Esther’s Hope, investing the modest inheritance she received from her mother into the lives of disadvantaged young women.
Women in Africa often come from homes of polygamous parents with 30+ children. This makes it extremely difficult for families to survive, much less gain an education.
“I decided, in honor of my mother, I am going to educate 10 girls,” said Cornelison. “I’m going to go to the nearest school in the village where she was born, and I’m going to look for girls who truly need financial support. I cannot save the world, but I can make a difference in 10 lives.”
Over time, EHM has been able to increase that number to 100 annual sponsorships.
One simple act of kindness
Born in a rural village in Kenya, Esther’s prospects for a successful future were dim. One of eleven children, Esther grew up in a traditional male-dominated culture.
However, the trajectory of her life changed through one simple act of kindness.
Githeri students having lunch (Courtesy, EHM)
An American missionary came to Kenya, noticed Esther’s family was struggling, and provided funds to educate Esther and her sister.
“Because of that missionary, she was able to establish herself and become a leader in the nation,” said Cornelison.
Esther became part of the first airlift after Kenya gained independence in 1963. She completed her studies in the U.S. and traveled back to Kenya to serve her home country.
Because of Esther’s influence, EHM is now changing an entire culture.
Breaking the cycle of poverty
EHM gives underprivileged young women in Africa the opportunity to break out of the cycle of poverty and achieve successful futures.
“My prayer is that every girl we take through this program will be a leader in their own right, will be able to impact their own community, maybe change perspectives,” said Cornelison.
Girls hold up letters written as part of the scholarship application process (Courtesy, EHM)
Cornelison intentionally seeks out young women from rural areas of Kenya where tradition continues to dictate their lack of worth.
“I meet girls who cannot look you in the eye because, in traditional cultures, the girls don’t really matter,” said Cornelison, adding that many men only acknowledge sons as their children.
In those male-leaning communities, women are expected to live quietly – and they do.
“When I interview them, I have to keep lifting their chin so they look at me,” said Cornelison. “I remind them that they’re beautifully and wonderfully made by God Himself.”
Ole Tipis Girls listening intently during class (Courtesy, EHM)
Cornelison studies the girls in their first year of high school to see who struggles financially. The second year, Cornelison and her team visit communities in Kenya, interviewing girls for prospective scholarships.
EHM does not provide 100% support, choosing instead to come alongside the girls as partners.
“They just need a hand up. I think we do a disservice when we treat people like total destitutes who have nothing to contribute,” said Cornelison.
“They have potential. Not a single child has been unable to meet their 50%. They do their part.”
An emotional investment
Cornelison is not shy about her emotional investment in the EHM young women.
“These girls fill me with such joy,” said Cornelison. “For me, every girl is that one girl. I cannot save everybody. But I can make a difference in one life.”
Joan Cornelison (center) and Girls OTGHS in 2019 (Courtesy, EHM)
With that care comes mutual respect.
“By the fourth year, they are all calling me ‘mummy,’” said Cornelison. “Because they look to me as a mom, they listen.”
Cornelison utilizes that relationship to help the women recognize their worth and potential.
“We remind them who they are. It’s not what society says you are, it’s what your Maker says you are,” said Cornelison.
By the fourth year of high school, the girls feel a sense of accomplishment. That sense of worth is important as they strive to find the financial resources needed to complete their schooling.
Esther’s Hope students plant trees (Courtesy, EHM)
“The Kenyan employment system is terrible,” said Cornelison. “Sometimes you have to bribe to get a job, and sometimes you have to sell yourself to get a job.”
Because many Kenyans are affluent, the culture of sugar daddies has crept in. Men will pay for several girls’ education, but they are kept women.
Cornelison reminds the girls that they do not need to settle for that life. Instead, EHM girls often sell secondhand clothing or vegetables, or clean homes to fund their education.
Cornelison worked as a janitor to make ends meet when founding EHM.
“I use my example to say, don’t be too proud. Any work that you do as a Christian woman is noble.”
And the girls are thriving
Cornelison has seen the transformation of shy girls who cannot lift their heads to confident women with careers.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” said Cornelison. “Every child has potential.”
Students of Home Science lighting Jikos during practical exam (Courtesy, EHM)
That transformation benefits the girls’ families as well.
“In Kenya we help our parents; it’s tradition. If you get a good job, everybody’s going to eat. Families are changing because these girls are finally reaching their full potential.”
It also produces cultural change.
But it will take time
Though some tribal practices are inhumane, the traditions are deeply rooted. Opposition from outside the tribe is not welcome.
Esther’s Hope mission trip in January 2019 (Courtesy, EHM)
“But if one of their own becomes successful, they understand the culture and perhaps can communicate a little better,” said Cornelison.
“Change takes a long time. But because this first girl’s mind has been transformed, the children she raises will be raised differently. Their minds will be transformed, and that will continue until they get to a place where positive change truly exists.”
Planting those seeds
Cornelison looks at the EHM girls and knows this is only the beginning.
Esther’s Hope: Kolanya Girls’ SS Class of 2018 (Courtesy, EHM)
“Judge not by what you sow. If you touch one girl’s life, she will touch another, and so on,” said Cornelison.
“I believe change will happen, but I can only take charge of what I feel my calling is. I’m doing my part, instilling in these young women that we are seeds planted in the world to make a difference.”
For more information about EHM and how you can help the young women of Kenya, click here.
About Joan Cornelison
Joan Cornelison grew up in Kenya, East Africa with her parents and four siblings. She is an ordained minister, conference speaker, and currently serves as the Vice President of Spiritual Care and Church Partnerships at Baruch Senior Ministries.
Chef O uses his talents in the kitchen to educate others on healthy meal options (Courtesy, Meals on Wheels)
Chef Oliver Hale, a Grand Rapids resident affectionately known as Chef O, has recently been awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his 4,028 hours of volunteer community service.
They celebrate those who have committed countless hours to the betterment of society and acknowledge volunteers who go above and beyond, giving their time to address critical needs and making significant impact through their efforts.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor given by the program, recognizing individuals who have dedicated over 4,000 hours of volunteer service.
During his lifetime, the beloved chef has worked with several organizations to serve those around him, including:
“When I first learned about this award, I knew that this was something that Chef O deserved,” said Lisa Wideman, CEO and President of Meals on Wheels Western Michigan. “Nominating him for this was an incredibly obvious thing that I needed to do.”
A life of service
Hale began working with Meals on Wheels in 1993 because he loved the idea of helping people through food.
Chef O has inspired countless people with his positive energy and giving heart (Courtesy, Meals on Wheels)
“I wanted to help people, and I was looking for an organization that I fit into,” said Hale. “Meals on Wheels was providing healthy and fresh food done right. I liked the nutritional value they put into it.”
“He really lights up the kitchen when he comes in and volunteers,” said Wideman. “He brings such an incredible, positive energy with him wherever he goes.
“I know the trials and tribulations he’s been through, and he never talks about himself. It’s always about giving to others. He is true-hearted.”
A beacon of resilience
An award-winning chef with a career that spans over 50 years, Hale is also a two-time kidney transplant recipient.
Because of his own experiences, Chef O is an active advocate for organ donation (Courtesy, Meals on Wheels)
“Chef O is not only a culinary expert, but also a beacon of resilience,” said Wideman. “His determination and tenacity have truly inspired me over the years.”
The receipt of that first kidney on Jan. 28, 1985 is what sparked Hale’s mission to give back. And he hit the ground running.
Hale went back to college and began volunteer work in Toledo. When he moved to West Michigan, he continued to pay it forward by helping those who could not help themselves.
In 1999, Hale was invited to host his own TV show, “Chef O’s Place,” on WKTV Community Media.
“We did 315 shows over 11 years,” Hale said of his time at WKTV. “They were like family to me. We came together once a week…and we had fun taping it. The show was all volunteer, and that’s what I loved about it.”
But that’s not all…
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Chef O retired in 2010, but continues to dedicate his time to cooking competitions – through which he has won several awards, judging, speaking engagements, recipe writing and healthy cooking demonstrations across the country.
“I love challenges,” said Hale, adding that he recently checked two items off his bucket list: cooking a nine-course dinner for 10 people, and accepting an invitation to be a guest chef at a five-star restaurant in England.
Since 1987, Hale has participated in the World Transplant Games, traveling to nine countries and winning 35 medals – 19 of them gold medals in track & field, tennis, fencing and pickleball. Hale recently added two more silver medals to his collection at the 2024 National Transplant Games in Alabama.
A profound impact
The Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony was held at Meals on Wheels Western Michigan in Grandville.
Several members of the community were present at the award ceremony to celebrate Chef O and his accomplishments (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Wideman began the celebration by reading a message from President Joe Biden:
“You are helping discover and deliver solutions to the challenges we face. We are living in a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures, light to see our way forward, and love for one another. Through your service, you’re providing all three.”
Carly Swanson, Community Engagement Specialist for the Office of Governor, presented a letter from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Edye Evans Hyde (left), popular West Michigan jazz singer, greets Chef O (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
In that letter, Whitmer commended Chef O on his commitment to serving his community:
“Your remarkable achievements and contributions have had a profound impact on the community of Grand Rapids and beyond. Your commitment to service…is nothing short of extraordinary.
“Michigan is great because of individuals like you who embody the spirit of hard work, diversity and perseverance.”
Family values
Hale credits his parents for his many accomplishments – especially his mother.
“My mom and dad were the backbone of my values of what I do and what I learned how to do – especially when it comes to cooking.
“She’s the one who had me in her kitchen at five years old…She planted a seed in me, and I didn’t turn back.”
Chef O enjoyed his time filming “Chef O’s Place” at WKTV Community Media (Courtesy, Meals on Wheels)
But Hale’s mother imparted more than just cooking advice – she also had words of wisdom about life.
“When I got ready to leave home to travel…she looked at me and said, ‘Oliver, who you are is God’s gift to you. What you do from this point on is your gift back to God.’ That has stayed with me for all these years when I go to do things.”
Hale was notified that his mother had passed away 24 hours before he received the phone call informing him of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Though moved by news of the award, Hale said it took two months for it to truly penetrate the grief surrounding him.
“I am moved beyond belief,” said Hale. “This has been an unbelievable journey that I’ve had for the last several months.”
Simply…living
Terri Lynn Land, former Michigan Secretary of State, chats with Chef O (Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
Hale encourages community members to consider being an organ donor.
“I’m standing here because of that day on January 29, 1985. If you are not an organ donor, if you don’t have a heart on your driver’s license, please consider it.”
When asked what he considers to be his biggest accomplishment, Hale’s answer is simple: “Living.”
And he has no plans to stop.
Carol Glanville, State Representative – 84th District, with Chef O (Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
“God has blessed me with two transplants, and I’m very happy that I can continue showing the world what organ donation can provide,” said Hale.
“I’m not stopping here. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing because God gave me an opportunity. I believe in everything I do.”
Wideman says Hale has inspired countless people to volunteer within the community, and she urges everyone to get involved somewhere: “It can fulfill your heart just by giving back.”
Youth homelessness is rising, and AYA Youth Collective is rising to the challenge by providing support for at-risk youth in the Grand Rapids area.
The local non-profit organization has been building their resources to help youth ages 14-24. Working with youth and community partners to break cycles of homelessness, AYA centers their mission around the voices of local youth.
(Courtesy, AYA)
AYA stands for As You Are, and is a commitment that every youth will find resources and authentic relationships. The organization believes that building relationships, identifying valuable resources, and finding safety come from being accepted and celebrated as you are.
Rising to the challenge
In 2012, AYA founders Jonathan and Lauren VanKeulen met two young men experiencing homelessness and asked how they could help. The answer?
Housing.
At the time, there were only two apartments (four beds) devoted to ages 18-24 in the Grand Rapids area.
“We have over 200 youth sleeping outside every month in Grand Rapids, or in emergency shelters,” said Andy Allen, Vice President of Advancement at AYA Youth Collective.
(Courtesy, AYA)
The VanKeulens quit their jobs and bought a duplex from the Kent County Land Bank – now the State Land Bank Authority – for $10,000. The VanKeulens lived on one side of the duplex while the young men lived on the other.
The couple asked the men how they could help them achieve stability. The answer was immediate: a mentor, affordable rent, and housing that is not time-limited.
With that feedback, the VanKeulen’s formed 3:11 Youth Housing available to ages 18-24.
The housing program rent is set at $300 a month. Twelve mentors live with the youth in those homes. Weekly house dinners and one-on-one talks to create life goals and assist with financial literacy, therapy, etc. are required.
“93% of our youth exit our housing program into stability because of that diligent relationship-focused, agency-compelling work that says, You’re the author of your story – where do you want to go next? Let’s figure out how to get there.”
In 2014, Mars Hill Church created Grand Rapids HQ, a drop-in center where youth can get away from the noise of life.
AYA drop-in center (Courtesy, AYA)
AYA drop-in center (Courtesy, AYA)
AYA drop-in center(Courtesy, AYA)
AYA drop-in center (Courtesy, AYA)
AYA drop-in center (Courtesy, AYA)
AYA drop-in center (Courtesy, AYA)
“Every place they went to would be designed for adults or little children,” said Allen. “It’s vitally important to create this space where youth can go.”
3:11 and HQ merged in January 2020. Since then, the organization has grown to 12 homes and 35+ community partners that help with financial literacy, counseling, therapy, drivers training, medical, psychological and mental health care, access to education and employment services – and more.
The drop-in center welcomes ages 14-24, and offers free services such as food, laundry, showers, hygiene products and clothes. AYA recently expanded drop-in center hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays for ages 14-18.
Equal parts head and heart
The drop-in center and mentor housing is a unique model for helping at-risk youth.
“In terms of long-term, low-barrier housing for youth ages 18-24, there’s not really another place in Grand Rapids like it,” Allen said.
Though Allen would like to have more beds available for youth, he also knows the importance of sustainable growth.
“The people who work here are industry experts and understand what it takes to get a young person from instability to stability,” said Allen. “AYA is a special place that does good work that is equal parts head and heart. That’s really important.”
(Courtesy, AYA)
Finding paths to stability
AYA is on track to see 700 youth this year. Approximately 2000 youth in Grand Rapids are experiencing a level of instability.
Aging out of foster care, being born into poverty, inflation and being kicked out due to identifying as LGBTQ+ are only some of the reasons there are so many at-risk youth.
“80% of our youth are people of color, 40% identify as LGBTQ+. We talk about that openly, and that belonging is vital, and also that systemic injustice and discrimination are still present.”
AYA strives to ensure that youth immediately know they belong when they walk into the drop-in center.
“That’s the work – to figure out how we can support every single young person that walks in the door and make sure they get resources, accountability, grace, and circles of support in their lives,” said Allen.
Ultimately, the youth need to choose those resources and relationships. AYA is there to remind them that they are the author of their story – and what they want is possible.
And Grand Rapids needs them, Allen says.
“Grand Rapids needs their voice, their intellect, their contributions. Reminding them of that is vitally important.”
Patience and consistency
(Courtesy, AYA)
Allen said AYA is slow, diligent work. Relationships and trust are formed by asking about the needs of each individual – and listening to the answer.
“We want to be relationship-focused, but also innovative, thoughtful and equitable in how we support people. It’s going to be different for every young person,” said Allen.
“Not every day is going to be a good day, and not every day is going to be a win, but consistency and accountability are vital to this work. Most of our youth have been abandoned in some way. To know the people at AYA aren’t going to evict them or abandon them is a really good first step.”
“It’s really hard…and it’s beautiful…and it’s a lot”
While AYA cannot eliminate youth homelessness, Allen said, “We can end youth homelessness for an individual that walks through our door, slowly but surely. And that’s going to make a big impact on the city, and more importantly, on those individuals and their families’ lives.
“We need Grand Rapids to know that we exist. We need Grand Rapids to know that youth homelessness is an issue.”
Gain a better understanding of AYA’s mission and book a tour of the facilities by clicking here.
For more ways to get involved in helping AYA’s mission, click here.
WKTV Managing Editor Deborah Reed talks with AYA Youth Collective CEO Lauren VanKeulen about the rising number of youth at risk of homelessness – and how AYA provides support through relationships and resources.
Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) will lead a teen class on the true nature and dangers of human trafficking (Supplied)
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
deborah@wktv.org
Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) has spent decades providing healing and safe spaces for trafficked women. They also work tirelessly to educate communities about the true nature and dangers of human trafficking.
On July 13, the WAR Chest Boutique in Wyoming will host a teen S.T.A.N.D. class for ages 11-17. The class aims to give the next generation tools they need to stand with confidence against the challenges of the world today.
The teen S.T.A.N.D. session will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and is led by Liz Midkiff, WAR, Int’l Ambassador and human trafficking survivor. During the class, attendees will make a handmade bracelet they can take home with them.
Session cost is $10 and includes the class, resources and bracelet. Due to limited space, registration will close at 12 p.m. on Friday, July 12. Parents are welcome to come and observe the class.
(Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
Created and designed by Midkiff and Rebecca McDonald, founder and President of WAR, Int’l, the S.T.A.N.D. acronym teaches youth safety awareness (S), trafficking signs (T), age appropriateness (A), that it is okay to say no (N), and determination (D).
As a human trafficking survivor, Midkiff has spent the last several years under the guidance of McDonald and WAR, Int’l staff, healing and finding her voice. Both have been found in telling her personal story and educating youth and adults about human trafficking.
Liz’s story
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“The number two trafficker is a fake friend, male or female,” said McDonald.
In Midkiff’s case, she was trafficked by the manager at her place of employment.
“He groomed her,” said McDonald. “He got closer and closer to her, and she trusted him because he was her boss. Then he had her move to Tennessee, away from her family. He started trafficking her, and threatened her family.”
Fortunately, Midkiff was able to escape and call her parents. Her father drove through the night to reach Midkiff and bring her home.
Now, Midkiff wants to speak.
“My passion is to help them find their voice.”
“We have many survivors who want to speak,” said McDonald. “They reach a point in their healing where they want to give voice.”
Having watched Midkiff teach her own young son about safe relationships, as well as share her story with older youth, McDonald is confident in the survivor’s ability to teach and bring awareness to this important topic.
“I’ve seen her grow in her ability to share her story,” said McDonald. “She makes it very kid friendly. We’re giving her an opportunity to do that, and to find her voice.”
(Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)
Midkiff recently left a career in banking to take on speaking engagements full-time.
“Our mission is circles of protection, and we’re another concentric circle around her, helping her leave a career in banking and go into this full-time,” said MacDonald. “It’s our delight to help, see her spread her wings and flourish.”
Child and teen S.T.A.N.D. classes
Midkiff teaches two S.T.A.N.D. classes, one for children ages 5-10, and a teen session for ages 11-17. The messages in both classes are tailored to the kids who attend, offer a question and answer period and a craft.
The child class contains age appropriate material regarding safe relationships, stranger danger, private parts and personal privacy.
The teen class material can feature content around drugs, money, phones and social media.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Midkiff also touches on mixed messages regarding stranger danger and complying with a perpetrator versus consenting.
The number one trafficker, said McDonald, is family.
“Kidnapping is 3% of trafficking,” said McDonald. “Stranger danger is a dangerous message by itself because 95% of the time it’s going to be somebody you know.”
Teaching a child to say no is important. However, our bodies have three different responses to trauma: fight, flight and freeze.
If a child does not say no when faced with a traumatic situation, it is not because they did something wrong, it is because their body shut down.
“To freeze is a normal, actually healthy, response to trauma. You’re trying to be quiet and not bring attention to yourself.”
That does not, McDonald continued, mean you were consenting.
“[The class is] a wonderful opportunity to hear from a survivor,” said McDonald. “It’s very practical, and it’s very age appropriate.”
Your story has power
“When it’s your story, no one can argue with you. That’s the power of a survivor,” said McDonald, adding that she urges Midkiff to speak from the heart when telling her story. “What she brings to the table is personal experience, and experience as a mother.”
Midkiff’s story gives hope, something McDonald believes is desperately needed.
“We need to know that there are happy things to get us through brokenness,” said MacDonald. “It’s very addictive when you see women who have been to hell and back put their life back together, rise up, and do something very productive, redemptive and full circle.”
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
How you can help survivors of human trafficking
Every $300 WAR Int’l sells in product provides a woman a month in a safe house overseas. If a consumer spends $10, they support a woman for a day in the safe house.
Every size contribution creates an impact, whether via donation or shopping.
Class attendees are invited to peruse the boutique before or after the S.T.A.N.D. event to see all the products made by, or sold in support of, at-risk and rescued individuals from around the world.
For additional questions, email info@warchestboutique.com, or call 616-530-1234 and speak to Joy.
A viewing of Our Trip, a documentary produced by Vietnam veteran Tom Sibley, will be hosted by Marge’s Donut Den in Wyoming on Wednesday, July 10 at 2 p.m.
Our Trip follows 12 Vietnam veterans back to Vietnam in 1995. Using WKTV Community Media facilities, Sibley produced the 40-minute video under Mr. Sid’s Video Series with footage and photographs taken by the returning veterans and Grand Rapids Press staff that accompanied them. Recorded interviews with participants after the trip were also included.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
The Our Trip experience
After a brief history of the United States involvement in Vietnam, the video combines the veterans’ wartime experiences via the various stages of the trip. Sibley said the trip was special and inspiring, but all veterans were “amazed by the warm welcome and friendliness of the people we met.”
The trip included a search for the helicopter crash site that killed pilot Floyd Olsen, a friend of one of the trip veterans. The crash site was located near the village of Hong Ha. Friends and relatives of Olsen later built a medical clinic at the village.
A visit to an orphanage found the veterans interacting with the children and then painting the orphanage. A year later, one of the veterans and his wife completed an adoption of two girls he met while at the orphanage.
Meaning, healing, and peace
“The video…says a lot about the Vietnam experience and what it means to be a veteran,” said James Smither, GVSU Veterans History Project Director, at a previous screening of Our Trip.
A discussion moderated by Smither will follow the Our Trip viewing.
Todd Wolf, Voice Impressionist and Owner of TA Wolf Entertainment N Productions, impersonates beloved actors and movie characters on WKTV Journal Soundbites.
Local Wyoming voice impressionist Todd Wolf is garnering international notice for his actor and character impersonations.
Most known for his impression of actor John Wayne, the owner of TA Wolf Entertainment N Productions has been imitating his favorite television characters since he was nine years old.
Grounded and bored
TA Wolf’s deep voice at a young age helped with his voice impressions (Courtesy, TA Wolf)
On the same weekend that John Wayne passed away, Wolf was grounded and looking for ways to pass the time in his room.
“I had ADHD and was real hyper. I didn’t listen, so I was in trouble a lot,” said Wolf. “I had a recorder and began recording my voice.”
Singer Elvis Presley had also died within the last couple of years, and radio DJ Wolfman Jack was popular, so Wolf impersonated their voices to entertain himself.
Wolf’s portfolio contains 14 regular character impressions, including Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Sylvester Stallone, Sean Connery, Yogi Bear, Rodney Dangerfield, Wolfman Jack, Harry Caray and more.
“These are the people that I’ve [impersonated] all my life,” said Wolf. “They were big on TV, so I watched a lot of TV as a child and took on the likeness of these characters.”
Getting started
Though Wolf enjoyed imitating his favorite actors and TV characters, his talent was not taken seriously until age 24 when he tied for third place in a comedy contest.
Wolf says it can be difficult switching between character voices during skits (Courtesy, TA Wolf)
Wolf then traveled to California and performed at the Laugh Factory. Owner Jamie Masada heard Wolf’s act.
“[Masada] said: You’re really talented,” said Wolf, adding that Masada also had a special request.
“He wanted me to do Rodney Dangerfield, John Wayne, Sylvester Stallone and Wolfman Jack hanging out at a bar,” said Wolf. “He said, put that scene together.”
Taking Masada’s advice, Wolf developed a skit involving those characters for his first LaughFest comedy performance.
“I had to stand there and come up with jokes or get thrown off stage,” said Wolf with a laugh. “I thought, I’d better do some voices.”
What followed were 10 years of LaughFest comedy routines that led to other voice impression performances.
Getting noticed
Various media outlets began to take notice and requested interviews.
“It ballooned into more and I just kept thinking, you know what, I can do this,” said Wolf.
A recommendation describing TA Wolf’s talent for voice impersonation (Courtesy, TA Wolf)
That “more” included an invitation from John Wayne’s family requesting Wolf’s assistance with a John Wayne film documentary.
At the grand re-opening and 70th anniversary of Brunson Theater in Texas, Wolf was asked to read a telegram in John Wayne’s voice.
Wolf with John Wayne sculpture (Courtesy, TA Wolf)
Wolf also participated in Duke’s Grand Tour and NBC Studios’ John Wayne program research. While at NBC Studios, Wolf was instructed to “bark” at one of the nation’s most popular talk show hosts.
“At the end of the day, they sent me over to Jay Leno and sat me in the front row, and I had to bark at Jay,” said Wolf. “They call me the world’s most vicious dog.”
TA Wolf services include voiceovers of famous actors and legends, comedy shows, acting, commercials, corporate events, parties and personalized audio clips.
Though voice impressions are not his full-time work, Wolf hopes someday it will be.
“It would be nice to be on a full-time schedule if I could get enough accounts,” said Wolf. “I’ve been working on God’s speed, so when He lets me…that’s when I do things.”
Giving back, creating memories
Wolf doesn’t shy away from dressing the part, often donning a cowboy hat, boots and bandana when doing in-person impressions of John Wayne.
Wolf enjoys making people happy and creating memories with his impersonations (Courtesy, TA Wolf)
At local retirement homes, Wolf puts on a performance for the residents dressed as John Wayne, and shows a John Wayne video compilation.
Wolf provides a blank billboard and marker so residents can write down their favorite movies and/or a positive comment to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation (JWFC). Wolf then takes a picture of that billboard and sends it to John Wayne’s sons, Ethan and Patrick.
“That’s what I’m trying to implement,” said Wolf. “To put on a little show for some of these retirement homes around town. Have me come in and dress up for a day, and give them something to remember. That’s what I’m hoping, that it will be something special.”
TA Wolf (left) with Ethan Wayne at the 2024 John Wayne Grit Series race in Crystal Cove, CA (Courtesy, TA Wolf)
A compilation of races throughout the year at iconic John Wayne movie locations and western landscapes, the Grit Series helps support the JWCF. Wolf recently took part in the Grit Series race in Crystal Cove, CA – and met Ethan Wayne.
“I got to fly out to California to run a race to help people suffering [from cancer], and try to take care of myself at the same time,” said Wolf. “I dressed up like John Wayne, [Ethan] took a picture with me, and we talked and made a video for my friend that suffered from cancer. Hats off, he’s a wonderful person.”
“Don’t be shy.”
Whether for entertainment at a corporate or private event, or to preserve cherished memories through the voice of a favorite character, Wolf says to pick a character – and don’t be shy.
“Give me a call. I love working with people,” said Wolf. “Send me the lines, I’ll put it together and send you the audio. You can decide what character you like, and I‘ll bring that voice to you.”
Only a click away!
(Courtesy, TA Wolf)
For those interested in TA Wolf Entertainment N Productions services, contact Todd Wolf via email at tawolfproductions@gmail.com, or by phone at 616-644-7133.
Donations for travel and costume items are also accepted through the contact button on the TA Wolf website.
