West Michigan families and their four-legged best friends are invited to attend Paws With A Cause’s fourth annual Retriever Fever! This free, dog-friendly gathering will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Riverside Park located at 2001 Monroe Ave NE in Grand Rapids.
What to expect
This event is centered around a friendly competition between Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever fans with retriever races, raffles, and merchandise sales contributing to deciding which dog breed is named “Top Dog” and raises the most money for PAWS.
Retriever Fever will also include food trucks, games and activities, local community vendors, Dog CPR/First Aid Demonstrations by Blue Pearl Pet Hospital, Pet Headshots by Tailwagger Dog Photography, and the opportunity to get your dog’s nails trimmed. Attendees will also be able to hear about the life-changing impact of a PAWS Assistance Dog from a Client Speaker and see PAWS Assistance Dogs in action through demonstrations.
Dogs enjoy the Retriever Fever Race on the day of the event (Courtesy, PAWS)
“We’re so excited to be hosting this event back to our community for a fourth year in a row,” said Kristy Blackmore, Special Events Manager at PAWS. “There are new additions this year including dog nail trims, CPR demonstrations, new community vendors, and new PAWS Dogs to meet.
“It’s going to be a fun day. We hope people bring their dogs join in on the excitement!”
Supporting the PAWS mission
Opportunities to support the PAWS non-profit in their mission to serve people with disabilities through assistance dogs are available through event sponsorships and donations.
A PAWS Assistance Dog rests at the feet of its owner (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“Thank you to our incredible event sponsors, Blue Pearl Pet Hospital, Dan Vos Construction, Outfront Media, and Chrispy Media. With their support, we’re able to host events like these and continue our mission.”
More information about Retriever Fever can be found here.
Camp Blodgett has been providing youth with educational, recreational and fun experiences for over 100 years. On Saturday, Sept. 14, they are offering adults the chance to join in the fun with their annual For the Kids Soiree!
What started as a traditional sit-down dinner fundraising event has morphed into an activity-driven adventure that gives donors a chance to experience camp life firsthand.
(Courtesy photo)
“Our donors say their favorite parts are the experience and the camp activities,” said Lucy Dyer Joswick, Camp Blodgett Executive Director. “We’re giving people what they’ve requested, which is the opportunity to really immerse themselves in what Camp Blodgett does for kids by actually doing it.”
The soiree provides that adult summer camp experience by the shores of Lake Michigan with popular camp activities such as archery, arts and crafts…and playing with robots.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with camp alumni who have been impacted by Camp Blodgett.
A giant swing is one of the camp’s fun recreational activities (Courtesy, Camp Blodgett)
Camp board member and founder of Experience Granted, Carlos Kulas-Dominguez, has been a driving force behind the Soiree’s reimagining.
Kulas-Dominguez says his focus has been on developing and growing community by amplifying the experience for attendees so they feel empowered to be ambassadors.
Camp Blodgett’s camper population is extremely diverse in representation, which is part of what drew Kulas-Dominguez to the organization.
As a retired teacher, Kulas-Dominguez has always had a passion for helping inner city youth.
“I am a product of inner city Detroit public schools, so I can relate to a lot of the youth at Camp Blodgett, and not ever having that camp experience,” said Kulas-Dominguez.
“The way the youth, and even the staff, are able to show up very authentically is something really unique and really special – specifically to West Michigan. That’s been really fun to watch and be a part of.”
Dress casually…and have fun!
The soiree will be held Saturday, Sept. 14 from 5:30 – 9 p.m. at Camp Blodgett in West Olive.
A traditional happy hour begins at 5:30 p.m. with the main event starting with an opening ceremony similar to that of summer camp at 6:30 p.m.
Archery (Courtesy, Camp Blodgett)
Attendees will be divided into groups and then go through three activity rotations.
Tie-dye and friendship bracelet crafts will be available, as well as archery. With the assistance of Camp Blodgett STEM teachers, 40 robot orbs will be available for event attendees to try their hand at programming an orb to simulate a day in the life of a camper.
If an activity doesn’t sound exciting, participants can buy a Fast Pass, skip a rotation, and try the giant swing or climb the rock wall.
“Attendees definitely want to dress casually,” said Joswick. “Come likeyou wouldplay at camp.”
A “first date”
Crafts (Courtesy, Camp Blodgett)
Donations are the driving force behind Camp Blodgett’s ability to operate.
The annual For the Kids Soiree is the most impactful event for sustaining camp supporters and recruiting new supporters.
“[The soiree] is where we meet all of our donors that sustain us through the year,” said Joswick. “This is really where a good 20% of our camperships come from.”
Joswick went on to say that the Soiree is often like a “first date” for many because supporters will bring friends to introduce to the organization.
“We are the one and only,” said Joswick. “We are blessed to be Michigan’s only public summer camp that focuses on serving kids who could not otherwise afford to go. A lot of people don’t know that we’re so unique.”
The upside-down model of Camp Blodgett
Since 1921, Camp Blodgett has worked to provide a fun, enriching summer camp experience accessible to all kids in Kent and Ottawa counties.
Founded by the Babies’ Welfare Guild, a group of women associated with D.A. Blodgett Home, the camp has since expanded to be a year-round youth development organization that provides recreational and educational experiences to children who could otherwise not afford them.
(Courtesy photo)
Camp Blodgett’s Summer Camp serves over 500 campers annually, of which 40 are STEM Academy campers. During the school year, the camp serves approximately 200 youth in free school year programs.
When there is a charge for programs, such as the summer camp program, a sliding scale based on family size and income is used.
“80% of our campers pay $40 or less when the cost far exceeds $750,” said Joswick. “[The soiree] raises that gap.”
This camp model was created purposefully so all youth, regardless of income, can have access to camp opportunities.
The magic in saying “Yes”
“Come with an open mind, open heart, and the willingness to connect and be out of your comfort zone,” said Kulas-Dominguez, adding that some planned soiree activities are definitely out of his comfort zone – but he will still participate.
“I think that, as adults, you forget that there’s a lot of magic that happens when we just show up and say yes.”
Find more information and registration details here.
Everyone needs to cool off on a hot day. (Supplied)
The City of Kentwood will host its Bark for the Park event Thursday, May 19 to raise funds for new amenities at the dog park in Kellogg Woods Park.
The dog-friendly event offers free admission and takes place 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Kellogg Woods Park, 275 Kellogg Woods Park Drive SE, with financial donations being accepted throughout the event. No registration is required.
Attendees and their canine companions can explore a variety of local pet vendors and community booths, from local pet stores to pet resorts. The event will also include a pet craft station, photo booth, and dog agility course. Attendees can join a yoga session with their pup and also participate in a doggy fashion show. Individuals will also receive a doggie bag filled with dog treats and other favors to take home.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase from the Let’z Taco Bout It food truck, which will serve tacos and elephant ears. The Kentwood Parks and Recreation tent will have dog-safe ice cream available for purchase.
You never know who you might meet at the Bark for the Park. (Supplied)
“Kellogg Woods Park is home to the only dog park in Kentwood and a popular spot for dog owners,” said Spencer McKellar, lead recreation program coordinator. “This event gives us a chance to showcase this amenity to the community and raise money to ensure it remains a premier place for pups in the Kentwood area.
“Bring your canine companion out for an evening of tacos and treats and explore all Kellogg Woods has to offer.”
Funds raised at this year’s event will contribute to the purchase of a tiered drinking fountain with spouts for people and pets for the dog park.
First there is an ear. It twitches. Then there is the outline of a face. Will it come out from its hiding place? But the whispers of the school children nearby causes it to vanish.
Finally, the children are gone and it is quiet. It makes its way slowly, out of the hollow log. It looks toward the pathway and sees two strangers watching it. Carefully, slowly, it moves, picking something up off the ground and slinking back into the log.
One of the favorite hiding places of the male bobcat is the logs. The brother and sister bobcats recently came to Blandford Nature Center. (Supplied)
The encounter is brief, but you can’t help but feel the excitement of having seen a Michigan bobcat.
The five-month-old male bobcat, along with his sister, is the newest addition to the Blandford Nature Center, 1715 Hillburn Ave. NW.
“We believe they were born sometime in the spring,” said Sidney Baxter, marketing specialist for Blandford Nature Center. “Sometime shortly after they were born, their mother was hit by a car and died.”
The cubs, not knowing what to do, stayed with the mother. Concerned residents in the Hart area where the accident happened, contacted the animal rescue center Kelly’s Westshore Animal Friends, who took the orphans in.
“Because they were so young and had not received any of the needed life survival skills from their mother, a wildlife rehabilitator decided that the cubs would not be able to return to the wild,” Baxter said, adding that Kelly’s Westshore Animal Friends began looking for a permanent home for the cubs.
Bob the Bobcat
Blandford Nature Center cares for a host of animals, about 40, that are native to Michigan. The animals in the Center’s care would not survive in the wild and through the center help to serve as wildlife ambassadors, giving residents and children the opportunity to view the animals up close and learn more about Michigan’s wildlife.
One of the most recognizable of the Blandford animals was Bob the bobcat, who had lived to the age of 15, dying in 2020.
“The average lifespan of a bobcat in the wild is about seven years, but it is often much shorter, usually four,” Baxter said. “Bob lived to 15, which is pretty rare for a bobcat.”
Actually, according to a report from John Hopkins University, most bobcats don’t live past 10 years and the oldest recorded bobcat in the wild was 16. The oldest living capitative bobcat lived to 32.
It is estimated that between 1,000 to 1,500 bobcats live in the Upper Peninsua, but they are not only up north. Bobcats may live on the outskirts of cities such as Detroit. Because bobcats live mostly solo, only pairing up for mating season and to care for their young, and they are nocturnal, most people have never seen a bobcat.
“This makes it important for people to be able to see them so they have a greater understanding about the creatures,” Baxter said.
With an empty enclosure built for two, Blandford connected with Hart’s wildlife center about the two orphan bobcats. After passing a habitat inspection by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency, the cubs were transported in November making Blandford Nature Center their new home.
The female bobcat demonstrates her love for climbing, something the former residence never did. (Supplied)
Balls of mischief who need a name
“It is interesting that Bob was declawed, so he never climbed the fence [around the habitat],” Baxter said, noting that Bob had been someone’s pet before coming to Blandford. The owner had had the animal declawed leaving Bob defenseless if put back in the wild. “Every once in a while, you’ll come out and these two are climbing the fence.”
For now the brother and sister pair are just getting used to their new home. Baxter said the male prefers the logs in the center of the enclosure while the female prefers to sit under the wooden structure.
“Both love to climb the rafters of the structure and sleep in the roof area,” she said with a laugh.
To help introduce the new ambassadors, Blandford is currently hosting a naming campaign and fundraiser. For a minimum $5 donation, participants can vote on four name choices: Lil and Phil, Leia and Luke, Artemis and Apollo, and Lilo and Stitch. Residents have until 6 p.m Dec. 14 to vote with the winning name being announced on Dec. 15.
No matter what name is chosen, many – including those children on the trailway path trying to capture a peek – are excited to have bobcats back at Blandford Nature Center.
“It’s been a little bit over a year since our bobcat, Bob, passed away and walking by his empty enclosure always made me miss having a bobcat wildlife ambassador,” said Blandford Wildlife Manager Lori Lomoro. “I am excited to have these two using that enclosure now, and I can’t wait to hear about the experiences students and guests will enjoy while visiting and learning about these two beautiful animals.”
As Baxter and I walk away from the enclosure back to the main building, we turn for a look back. Watching us, in full view, and then, he is gone.
Community members can visit the bobcats on the Wildlife Trail during Blandford’s open hours Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more about Blandford Nature Center or to vote on a name, visit www.blandfordnaturecenter.org.
The nonprofit Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) care provider, the Susan Mast ALS Foundation, invites West Michigan residents to sign up for their “PedALS” bike ride and walk on Sept.25-26. Participants can register and pledge online at https://pedalsforals.com.
PedALS enables Susan Mast to provide critical support services and wheelchairs to nearly 100 ALS families across West Michigan. In 2020, the foundation offered 3,058 respite hours, $11,000 in meals, and 500 hours delivering medical equipment.
Susan Mast ALS Foundation Executive Director Julie Snelling believes that participation in the PedALS event will allow the organization to further extend its reach in the community.
“Our mission is to walk alongside families with loved ones experiencing ALS,” Snelling said. “PedALS gives us the chance to pay tribute to individuals with ALS, honor those who have meant so much to us, and make new memories in a fun, family-friendly environment.”
Cyclists will enjoy participating in one of a variety of rides. Options include a 25- or 50-mile road ride, 25-mile gravel ride, a 10-20 mountain ride, or a 10-mile fun ride. Runners and walkers can sign up for a 5K or 1-mile walk.
The third annual event, sponsored by generous local businesses, will feature live music from the Freddy Jones Band. Attendees can choose to attend the entire event or show up only for the concert afterparty.
Tribute signs honoring loved ones with ALS are available for a $100 purchase.
Participants are encouraged to sign up as a PedALS Pledger on the PedALS website. Pledgers commit to bringing in a specific donation amount and recruit a team to raise the funds needed.
Dr. Phil VanderLugt, an optometrist and PedALS committee member, will host the first day of the event at his home. Known affectionately as “Mr. PedALS,” VanderLugt said he is excited to celebrate the event’s best year yet.
The Grand Rapids-based Susan Mast ALS Foundation is named after Susan Mast who was the executive director of Faith Hospice. Mast passed away in 2014 from ALS.
Grand Rapids author Christopher Cosmos is just one of the authors who will be at the KDL’s Literary Libations event on Sept. 16.
The Kent District Library has partnered with the Meijer Frederik Gardens & Sculpture to host the Literary Libations Gala on Sept. 16.
The event includes cocktails, dinner, and personal reflections for four best selling authors.
Rebecca Deng, author of the memoir “What They Meant for Evil: How a Lost Girl of Sudan Found Healing, Peace, and Purpose in the Midst of Suffering.”
Peter Heller, the best-selling author of “The River” whose most recent book is “The Guide.”
Catherine Coulter, an author best known for her romantic suspense thrillers and historical romances. Her next book “Vortex: An FBI Thriller” is expected in August.
Christopher Cosmos, a Grand Rapids author who graduated from the University of Michigan. His debut novel is “Once We Were Here,” a story about the Greek Resistance in World War II.
Literary Libations is from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E. Beltline NE. This year’s program’s fundraising goal is to support the KDL youth poetry programs.
SpartanNash hosts a campaign for Special Olympics. (Supplied)
By Adrienne Chance SpartanNash
The SpartanNash Foundation invites grocery store guests to join it in supporting more than 90,000 Special Olympics athletes and State Summer Games in eight states through a companywide fundraising effort taking place through May 16.
During the 12-day fundraiser, guests who visit any participating SpartanNash-owned retail store or fuel center in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin will have the opportunity to donate $1, $5, $10 or round up to the nearest dollar at any checkout lane, or online through Fast Lane. One hundred percent of donations will benefit local Special Olympics athletes and State Summer Games. SpartanNash underwrites the costs to run the scan campaign, contributes funding, encourages associates to volunteer with local Special Olympics affiliates, and helps employ Special Olympics athletes.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
“SpartanNash and the SpartanNash Foundation have proudly partnered with the Special Olympics for nearly four decades, but this year carries a whole new level of meaning,” said Adrienne Chance, vice president of communications for SpartanNash and executive director of the SpartanNash Foundation. “Despite setbacks associated with the pandemic, these athletes have persevered in their training. Their dedication and focus are inspiring, and it is our privilege to cheer them on and raise funds to offer more social inclusion opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.”
“While a lot has changed for our organization over the past year, the unwavering support of SpartanNash has not,” said Tim Hileman, Special Olympics Michigan president and CEO. “We’re thankful for the opportunity to partner once again on this annual fundraising campaign that not only helps raise crucial funds, but also shines the spotlight on our inspiring athletes.”
For a complete list of stores participating in the companywide scan campaign and the eight Special Olympics affiliates they will support, visit spartannash.com/foundation-scans.
Partnership with Special Olympics
SpartanNash has been the Presenting Sponsor of the Special Olympics Michigan Summer Games since 1985. The company has also supported Special Olympics Minnesota Summer Games since 2003.
In addition to nearly $9.4 million in financial support over the course of the 37-year partnership, SpartanNash associates and their families have also volunteered thousands of hours helping at the State Summer Games.
Golfers looking to hit the greens, the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf outing is set for June 11.
The event, which is co-sponsored by the Grandville-Jenison chamber of Commerce and the Hudsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, will feature dining stations on the course. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy sliced prime rib, beet and chicken kabobs, and Coney Island as they play. Each station also features side dishes, chips, and desserts.
The golf outing, which is $110 per golfer or $400 for a foursome, will include 18 holes of golf with card, driving range, and putting green games such as closet to the pin contest, longest drive contest, and longest putt contest. Tee times begin at 8 a.m. with the event taking place at Gleneagle Golf Clbu, 6150 14th Ave., Hudsonville.
The annual even helps to raise for high school student scholarships in the three chamber areas. Those scholarships are the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber Foundation for Scholarships, Hudsonvlle Are Business Scholarship, Grandville Community Leader Scholarship, and Ted TerHaar Memorial Community Leader Scholarship.
To maintain social distancing, each group will be assigned a tee time. For more information or to register, visit the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, www.southkent.org.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s (GRPM) annual Independence Day fundraiser, Front Row for the Fireworks, offers visitors an evening of entertainment, discovery and fun. The fundraiser will take place on Saturday, July 1 to coincide with the City of Grand Rapids celebration.
In addition to having front row seats in Grand Rapids underneath the fireworks, the night will include patriotic themed Mighty Wurlitzer Organ concerts in the Meijer Theater, exciting shows in the Chaffee Planetarium, rides on the 1928 Spillman Carousel, as well as a unique Museum-wide scavenger hunt for the family. Please note, the Museum will close at 5 p.m. on July 1 and re-open at 6:30 p.m.
The Museum Café will serve a meal deal for $5.00, featuring various summer menu items sure to please any palette. Ice cream and other treats will also be available for purchase. At dusk, visitors can head outside to the carousel walkway or the enclosed lawn seating area, or stay inside the Museum in air-conditioned comfort to have an amazing view of the fireworks as they burst over the Grand River.
Tickets are on sale now! Tickets are $10 for Museum members and $15 for non-members. For more information and to purchase tickets visit grpm.org, call 616.929.1700 or stop by the Museum’s front desk. Proceeds from this event support exhibits and programs of the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Support Local Foster Children
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is once again working with Lutheran Social Services, West Michigan Ronald McDonald House and D.A. Blodgett Homes to bring foster children, who might otherwise not be able to attend, downtown to the Museum to enjoy the festivities. Ticket purchasers may sponsor a child with a $15 ticket donation that includes a meal for the child. For details, please visit grpm.org or call 616.929.1700.
Front Row for the Fireworks is sponsored by Varnum, LLP and Macatawa Bank.
The 8th Annual Whiskers & Wine Gala celebrates Crash’sLanding and Big Sid’s Sanctuary, two no-kill cat shelters that rescue strays off the streets of Greater Grand Rapids and find loving homes for them. Rescue founder, Jennifer Petrovich DVM of Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic, has been helping at-risk strays for 14 years.
On Friday, Nov. 18 from 5:30-9:30 pm, the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year kicks off at Thousand Oaks Gold Club, 4100 Thousand Oaks Dr. NE in Grand Rapids. The event includes a full dinner with wine, raffle drawings for gift baskets, and a live auction.
Doors open at 5:30 pm with dinner starting at 7 pm. Cost is $50 per person. Buy tickets online here. For more info, call 616.826.8038 or visit the website here.
If you grew up in the ’60s or ’70s, you’ll be very familiar with the phrase, “Give Peace a Chance.” Even if you’re a tad younger, chances are you’ve heard the phrase or even the famous song written by John Lennon while he was still one of the Beatles. The words became an anthem for anti-Vietnam War protesters, but this year the phrase has been revived as the theme of the Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan‘s (DRCWM) second annual fundraiser celebrating International Conflict Resolution Day.
The “Give Peace a Chance” event is slated for Thursday, October 15 from 7-9 pm at the B.O.B.-EVE, 20 Monroe Ave. NW, Rapids, MI 49503. Tickets are $35. The Main Street Dueling Pianos will provide a flashback to freer times with ’60s music, and you’ll want to dress tomatch the theme for extra fun. Two local peacemakers–Judge William Kelly and Peter Letzmann–will be honored at the event for their outstanding service to the community.
If you’re not involved in a lawsuit or major conflict at the moment, you may not see the relevance to your life. However, perhaps it’s time to ponder another old saying, “Into each life a few (or many) raindrops fall,” which has nothing to do with the weather. Rather, the phrase is our cultural shorthand for a simple fact: No one escapes conflicts in life. The question we all ask ourselves at some point is, “How do I deal with it?”
Chris Gilman, the nonprofit’s Executive Director, says, “Conflict is unavoidable, but we can use it as an opportunity for growth.”
Every year about a thousand people experiencing conflict visit the DRCWM. They sit down with a trained mediator and talk about the problem(s) they face. They don’t just talk, they also listen. Then they create a solution that works for the parties involved, whether the conflicts involve marriage, divorce, employment, a neighbor, or just about anything else. The DRCWM reaches out to a seven-county area, providing low- or no-cost mediation services to people of modest means. Some cases are referred to the center by the court.
The process is cheaper than hiring an attorney, because you do the work yourself; but this is one DIY project where a trained coach is vital, and that takes money; the investment in creating peace is significant. So rummage around for your old fur vest, rose-tinted glasses, love beads, and maybe old army fatigues. Hang out at the B.O.B., practice your peace sign and “Give Peace a Chance.” It’s hip to feel groovy.
For more information, visit the DRCWM’s website or call 616.774.0121.
life. However, perhaps it’s time to ponder another old saying, “Into each life a few (or many) raindrops fall,” which has nothing to do with the weather. Rather, the phrase is our cultural shorthand for a simple fact: No one escapes conflicts in life. The question we all ask ourselves at some point is, “How do I deal with it?”
