Don’t miss our WKTV Journal Chili & Cheers fundraiser from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille, 4157 Division Ave. S, Wyoming.
If you enjoy reading the WKTV Journal, help us keep local journalism alive by attending our Chili & Cheers fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille, 4157 Division Ave. S, Wyoming.
Enjoy delicious chili and local microbrews while supporting local journalism, the WKTV Journal, from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 21. Tickets are $20 apiece and will be available Aug. 8. They include unlimited chili from the different vendors plus one beverage ticket. To purchase tickets click HERE.
Our Chili & Cheers fundraiser is a chili cook-off between competing restaurants and individuals – with the best in microbrews from the area as well.
Project 90 to perform from 1-3 p.m.
“Project 90 is West Michigan’s 90’s Rock band – playing all of your favorite hits from the 90’s. Not just your average 90’s cover band, but a tribute to the 90’s. This all-star lineup band brings together combined decades of experience and a dynamic sound and light show to give audiences an unforgettable live event.” Click here for more info on Project 90.
Support the WKTV Journal while having fun
The Chili & Cheers benefit helps support the WKTV Journal, a non-profit community digital newspaper in Wyoming and Kentwood that averages nearly 11,000 views per month. As many people know, countless metro regions are now in a “news desert” where local newspapers with trained journalists have closed their doors or severely cut back. This leaves many people less informed about where they live and what actually affects their daily lives.
From local sports and city events to human-interest stories and diverse cultures
The Journal began publishing daily in 2014 just as the Advance Newspapers were closing their doors. We cover everything from local high school sports in Kentwood and Wyoming to mental health issues, entertainment, human-interest stories and education to police reports, cultural events, the successes and struggles of our communities, and much, much more. We believe this is all vitally important information for one reason: It’s about where we live and who we are.
Have fun and donate to a good cause
Please join us, and support the WKTV Journal at this crucial time. Plus, we’re not just asking for a cash donation, we’re making it fun! Chili & Cheers is a great opportunity to enjoy amazing chili and craft brews, meet neighbors and watch the community come together.
Be a part of the solution to local journalism surviving in an age when trained journalists are simply not there to report on a community and cover local events. Your support makes a real impact in the day-to-day operation and will help keep the lights on at the WKTV Journal. For more info, check out our Chili and Cheers Facebook page.
Four simple steps can save lives – find out how to BE NICE.
Christy Buck and Jessica Jones of Mental Health Foundation’s be nice. program reveal how to make mental health part of our every day conversation (Courtesy, WKTV)
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about depression and suicide that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.
Christy Buck is changing the narrative on mental illness with her be nice. program (Courtesy, WKTV)
Christy Buck, Executive Director and Founder of be nice., is determined to make mental health a part of our everyday conversation.
Buck’s passion for transforming and saving lives through mental health education has led her through 36+ years of experience in the mental health field and the development of mental health and suicide prevention programs.
“I would challenge people to become more knowledgeable to have the confidence to talk about mental illnesses/mental health disorders,” said Buck to WKTV Journal.
Due to a 20% increase in mental health disorders, people are talking more about mental health than ever before. But Buck says we are still missing a vital piece of the solution.
Greater understanding breeds prevention
“What’s not being talked about is recognizing when somebody is struggling with an illness,” said Buck. “That, to me, is one of the biggest things that we owe the community and the nation right now: a better understanding of recognizing the onset of a mental health disorder.”
Buck continued to say that talking about mental illness/mental health disorders is going to raise a greater understanding of one of the most common illnesses in the world – anxiety disorder.
Normalizing conversations about mental illness combats stigma (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
And when we make it okay to talk about mental illness, we combat stigma.
“One way we can combat stigma is by listening to conversations, [and] correcting people when they might not be knowledgeable about mental illnesses,” said Buck.
Since 2006, Buck and her staff have educated over 300,000 people in West Michigan about mental health awareness, bullying, and suicide prevention. And though Buck says she has seen a large shift over the last few years, there is still more work to do.
“When somebody is struggling with a mental health disorder, it’s very scary for those individuals,” said Buck. “Oftentimes there is self-stigma too…viewing yourself as unworthy, viewing yourself as defeated, that there is no hope.”
Dare to swim upstream
Conquering stigma requires knowledge and willingness to open conversations “upstream.”
The four-step be nice. action plan (notice, invite, challenge, empower) addresses all of these issues.
Be willing to “swim upstream” and have those open conversations (Courtesy, WKTV)
“It’s a simple tool,” said Buck. “Oftentimes we complicate mental health.”
The first step to unraveling that obstacle is to notice when something is different than the norm.
“It’s huge to have ownership of what I am seeing and what I am noticing,” said Buck. “Now I have this knowledge, and having a knowledge base is going to build my confidence to take action.
“Confidence is that tool to invite myself into a conversation.”
That conversation should begin with what is good and right about the person you are talking to. It allows that person to know you care and are concerned. Then acknowledge the differences you have noticed.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Then give hope.
“[Hope] comes through language like: you can feel better, you can get better,” said Buck. “Because it’s the truth. It is huge to be able to give that person some hope.”
Also using the word(s) love and I care about you can instill hope in someone.
Protective/Preventative Measures
Ensuring access to services and usage of those services are two main protective factors for those struggling and/or at risk. Another protective factor is friends and family – having people you can talk to.
Eating right, getting sleep and exercising are three things that release chemicals in your brain that help a person feel better. Spiritual wellness can also help, whether in the form of church or meditation that focuses on positive thinking.
“These are all pieces of empowerment,” said Buck. “When somebody is struggling with a mental health disorder or mental illness, they can’t find those protective factors.”
Buck went on to say that inviting someone struggling into a conversation by asking how you can help guides that person toward self-awareness.
Anyone can be N.I.C.E.
“No one is too young to follow the [action] plan, no one is too old to follow the plan,” said Buck. “This can be for kindergarteners through senior citizens. I love it because it is so multi-generational.”
The be nice. program and action plan educates students, staff, and community members about mental illnesses and encourages them to exchange stereotypes for understanding, compassion and acceptance.
And it has been proven to save lives.
“Be nice. is to go out and treat people with respect and dignity,” said Buck. “It is having that greater understanding that how we treat each other has an affect on someone’s mental health. On how somebody is thinking, how they’re acting, and how they’re feeling.”
Then, Buck continued, it turns into an action plan to change, improve, and save lives.
Notice the right and good of every individual you come into contact with, and invite yourself to share that good with them. Many times, the person may not have ever heard the good about themselves.
(Courtesy, be nice.)
By sharing that with them, you are “bringing about that greater understanding of how worthy they are,” said Buck.
Challenge other people to spread that kindness. Treat people with respect and dignity.
“Ultimately, it feels good,” said Buck. “That’s empowerment.”
Julie Gregory, mother of suicide victim Jessica Gregory, is an advocate for the be nice. program.
“As I have gotten to know some of the wonderful volunteers and people who are involved in this program, I have realized what a difference it could have made in Jessica’s life,” Gregory said on her blog, Picking Up the Pieces. “It could have affected the outcome of my daughter’s life.”
Gregory went on to say that, over the last several years, she has learned that how you treat people impacts the way they think, act, and feel.
“Be the change this world needs today,” said Gregory. “Treat people with love and respect, give them support when they are down, get involved, be positive role models and be nice.”
“We are here.”
Help others by educating yourself (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Knowledge surrounding physical illnesses has increased exponentially over the decades. Buck now challenges us to become more educated about mental illness.
Be nice. offers training on how to recognize mental illness signs and help those struggling. Training registrations can be found on their website.
“We are here,” said Jessica Jones, Communications Director for the Mental Health Foundation. “[We’re] ready to help people have those conversations.”
Resources
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential support, information and local resources.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about depression and suicide that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.
Eradicate stigma through knowledge (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Ignorance results in stigma.
Stigma prevents those who need help from seeking it.
Knowledge and self-awareness stop both ignorance and stigma in their tracks.
“I’ve learned that when people say things about suicide,” Julie Gregory, mother of suicide victim Jessica Gregory, told WKTV Journal, “they’re not saying it to be mean or callous. They’re saying it because they’re ignorant to the facts.”
Christy Buck, Executive Director of the be nice. program, provides an action plan consisting of four simple steps that equip individuals with knowledge to recognize, understand, accept, and take action regarding mental health.
N: notice changes in someone’s thoughts, actions or feelings.
I: invite yourself to speak up if those changes last two weeks or longer.
C: challenge yourself to ask the tough questions, get help, and fight the stigma surrounding mental illness and treatment.
E: empower yourself and others with the knowledge that you can have an effect on how a person thinks, acts and feels.
Self-awareness and grace
For those struggling with mental illness, self-awareness and giving themselves grace are two key components of healing.
“The more self-aware you become, you also know what your limits are,” said Dr. Valencia Agnew of Adolescent and Family Behavioral Services.
Jessica Jones of the Mental Health Foundation discusses mental health with local clinicians (from left to right) Dr. Matthew Clark, Dr. Valencia Agnew, Dr. Jim Bettenhorn, and Dr. Brendan Kelly (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Being aware of your thinking gives you more control, said Dr. Brendan Kelly of The Well Being Counseling and Fitness Center. “Control over things you didn’t have [before], like a sense of empowerment over yourself.”
Preparation: It’s like clockwork…I know it’s coming…
In a place of recovery for mental illness, local resident Monica Ruiz said paying close attention to what her body tells her, and how it affects her engagement in activities that keep her regulated and healthy, is key in recognizing when her mental illness is triggered.
Opting out of her regular walks, skipping support group, and not making dinner are all signs that Monica’s mental health is faltering. She then digs into her coping resource toolbox to help manage those negative symptoms.
Signs of mental illness
Signs that someone is struggling with their mental health varies from person to person, but there are several indicators that appear with regularity.
Symptoms of mental illness come in many forms (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Changes in normal patterns lasting two weeks or more is a key symptom of mental illness. Some (but not all) signs are included below:
Changes in eating
Changes in sleeping
Isolating themselves
Not wanting to go to school or places they used to enjoy
Increase in crying/appearing sad
Changes in schoolwork
Violence toward themselves or others
Increase in crude or harmful language
Increase in anger/temper tantrums
Nothing to look forward to, such as events or the future
If you notice these signs in yourself or others, seek help.
If encountering resistance from a parent/adult, Agnew advises those struggling to say: “Even if it is a phase, what harm will it do for me to go and have someone help me? Who couldn’t benefit from support during a [difficult] phase?”
Adapting and Modifying
Simplify activities during difficult times (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
When experiencing a low point, modifying daily routines can be helpful.
“One of my first lines of defense is to modify my daily activities,” said Monica. “Pausing, being still, and taking that time.”
For a few days, dinner might consist of protein shakes or frozen dinners. Groceries might be ordered and delivered via an online app versus spending hours in a store.
However, Monica added, simplifying activities should only be a short-term solution.
Rachael Braginton, Program Coordinator for be nice., said she has experienced struggles with her own mental health. She can tell her mental health has been negatively triggered when she becomes more irritable, her energy levels dip, and she regularly feels overwhelmed.
Slow down and breathe (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Rachael has learned to give herself grace during those times.
“It’s okay to take the evening,” said Rachael. “It’s okay to just sit. It’s okay if you’re just surviving…for a few days.”
Rachael makes a conscious effort to slow down and tell herself it is okay if everything she planned doesn’t get done. But, after taking a moment to relax, Rachael makes a revised plan: What two things am I going to do, so I feel accomplished?
And again…grace.
“You’ve got to continue to give yourself grace in that process,” said Rachael.
First steps: Reaching out
Seek help and reach out to someone you trust (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
When your mental health is triggered, reaching out to a person you trust is crucial.
“My biggest encouragement would be, find that one person who you are the most comfortable with, that you can say, ‘I’m struggling, and I don’t know what the next step is. Can you help me?’” said Rachael.
Monica agreed that finding a person you trust and who can help you navigate those first steps of the healing process is impactful.
And support is often needed more than advice.
Support vs. Advice
Though it is human nature to want to help a struggling loved one find relief or a solution, a listening ear is often most important.
“Do not fix, control or hand out advice,” said Monica, adding that she personally does not want advice most of the time. “I’m not looking to be fixed.”
Listening, empathizing and letting someone know you support them often helps the most.
“Don’t tell them you know exactly how they feel, because we don’t,” said Dr. Matthew Clark of The Clark Institute. “A lot of times people just want someone to listen, to reflect back to them what they are saying.”
Dr. Matthew Clark (left) and Dr. Valencia Agnew discuss ways to provide support to those struggling (Courtesy, WKTV)
Minimizing or invalidating an individual’s struggle is also damaging.
“Invalidation can be very harmful, and it can immediately fracture that trust and feeling of safety,” said Monica.
Rachael added that causing someone to feel shame about their struggle is also harmful.
Find a team of supportive people (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“Most people struggling logically know what they are doing is not helpful, or logically know [that] I should be able to do X, Y, and Z. [But] I can’t,” said Rachael. “There is a logical piece to all of us, and we know it’s not right. So quick fixes – those little things – just aren’t helpful.”
Eliminate “Just” statements such as Just breathe, or Just calm down.
“If I could ‘just’ think really hard and change my chemicals, I would,” said Rachael. “But I can’t.”
Madelyn Musser, a local resident with personal mental illness experience, said to stay calm if approached by someone looking for support. Simply ask, What do you need from me? Would you like advice? Or do you just want me to listen?
“That is something so powerful, just those two little options,” said Madelyn, adding that it is important to surround yourself with supportive people. “Build a team.”
Hold space, leave space
“Leave space for silence,” said Rachael. “Allow the other person to fill it. Let them say what they need to say.”
If there is any indication someone is struggling, it is vital to ask how that person is doing and hold space for that conversation. It is also just as important to hold space for the answers you receive.
Asking someone if they are okay shows you care about them (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“Don’t be afraid to have that conversation with someone,” said Agnew. “Nine times out of ten, they’re going to tell you [if they are thinking of suicide].
“You are not going to make someone suicidal by asking. You are not going to plant a seed.”
Clark said that simply checking in with someone is a way to show support.
“Sometimes we feel like no one really cares about what [we are] going through,” said Clark. “Sometimes we think that if they don’t ask, they don’t care.”
#ThereIsAlwaysHope
“I do believe that all suffering is temporary,” said Monica. “I do believe that, as humans, we are capable of healing ourselves, and we know what we need.
“Life experiences can get in the way of that and make us feel hopeless, that we will never get better and there is no help. But I do believe that is not true.”
All suffering is temporary – there is always hope (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“When we sit here and say there is hope, it’s because we’ve seen it, we’ve lived it,” said Rachael.
When hope is not easy to see, Rachael urges those struggling to take it one step at a time.
“It’s not always easy, but there really is hope out there,” said Rachael.
Monica said that even in the lowest times, there will be moments of reprieve. “So please hold on. There is help. It gets better.”
Recognize your worth
“I remember the first time someone told me that I was worthy just because I existed,” said Monica. “It brought me to tears immediately.”
She continued, “It’s something I say to others. I do believe everyone really does belong here.”
Changing things up
Rewriting the narrative surrounding mental health and mental illness is long overdue. Action is how to make it happen.
Rewrite the narrative on mental illness by taking action today (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“You change the narrative by doing something,” said Agnew. “Go talk to someone. It changes the narrative just by taking that step.”
Buck’s be nice.book visualizes the four-step suicide prevention process as a pyramid (pg. 143).
Knowledge of mental illness signs and risk factors – and how to approach them – creates the base. Confidence generated by that knowledge is the middle. At the top of the pyramid is action: the steps taken to address the concern.
Dr. Valencia Agnew shares how we can change the narrative (Courtesy, WKTV)
“Knowledge breeds confidence,” said Buck in her book (pg. 144). “Confidence breeds action.”
Increasing personal knowledge, having a support system and building resiliency are all steps to rewriting your story, or the story of a loved one.
“Any of those things can change the narrative,” said Agnew. “Literally change the narrative.
“It’s not always easy to do, but it is possible to do, and it is well worth the investment. You get to go from existing, to living.”
Eradicate Stigma
To learn more about be nice. and the four simple steps to recognizing depression and preventing suicide, visit the Mental Health Foundation.
Help stomp out stigma surrounding mental illness by joining the free annual be nice.Stomp Out Stigma 5K Walk event in May each year.
*Find more Mental Health: Rewriting the Narrativeresources by clicking here.
Resources
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential support, information and local resources.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about depression and suicide that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.
Madelyn Musser was 15 years old when she attempted suicide. Rachael Braginton attempted to end her life as a freshman in college.
It was several years before Monica Ruiz realized her depressive episodes and struggles with suicide were a result of complex trauma from her childhood and the resulting PTSD.
These three local women sat down with WKTV Journal to share their mental health journeys in the hopes of eradicating stigma surrounding mental illness.
Moderated by Jessica Jones of Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, lived experience participants (left to right) Madelyn Musser, Monica Ruiz and Rachael Braginton discussed the stigma and challenges of mental disorders (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Managing their mental health journey is a daily endeavor for millions of people worldwide. It is one undertaken and shared by these three local women. Joined by local clinicians and the Mental Health Foundation, they strive to rewrite the narrative surrounding their struggles.
Stigma: Victims of our own conditioning
You are going through: hormone changes, emotions, being ‘that age.’
But you have: a loving family, material possessions, a roof over your head.
All of the above are a fraction of what Madelyn and Monica heard from doctors and family members over the years as they struggled to understand a persistent sense of hopelessness.
Harmful beliefs and narratives make it difficult for those suffering to receive help (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“I don’t think my family are bad people,” said Monica. “I think they’re just a product of the culture in which we live, and these harmful beliefs or narratives that have been passed on from generation to generation.”
“I had to break out,” said Madelyn. “I did have a suicide attempt when I was 15, and I think that kind of set in everybody’s mind that she does need help.”
Rachael Braginton now works as Program Coordinator for Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan (Courtesy, WKTV)
Rachael believes stigma resided inside her, ultimately stopping her from seeking help. Even with a caring and supportive family, good grades in school, great friends and good health, one question kept circling her mind: “Why would I be feeling this way?”
“I remember wishing I could be [physically] sick to make it make sense to myself,” said Rachael.
Because she couldn’t make sense of her feelings, Rachael feared judgment from others. Afraid people would think she was lazy, or couldn’t handle a certain stage in life, she repeatedly implied that she was doing well.
“It spiraled into a hole of lies,” said Rachael. “There’s support there, but I’ve been lying to my support. So now what do I do?”
Feeling she had cut herself off from all avenues of help, Rachael attempted to take her own life.
Perpetuating Silence
Monica Ruiz was met with disbelief and indifference from people she thought would help her (Courtesy, WKTV)
While Rachael struggled with crippling silence, Monica chose to be vocal about her inner battles – and was met with painful responses.
“I don’t believe you.”
“This can’t happen…You can’t not show up.”
The comments above, made by Monica’s graduate professor and co-worker, hurt Monica deeply.
“When those things happen, it really fractures trust, and really damages the relationship to the point where I feel this person is no longer safe to be honest [with],” said Monica.
“And that perpetuates the living in silence a lot of us experience.”
Therapist and owner of The Well Being Counseling and Fitness Center, Dr. Brendan Kelly, also believes that fear of judgment is a root cause preventing people from seeking help.
You are not alone – most everyone has experienced anxiety or depression at some point (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“People are afraid of being judged,” said Kelly, adding that people are even afraid of what their therapist might think of them.
Dr. Matthew Clark of The Clark Institute agrees: “They see it as a weakness, or something they don’t want to admit to somebody because they might feel ashamed.
“Almost everybody at one time or another has struggled with anxiety or depression, and there’s help out there. And if you get help for yourself, then you can help other people, too.”
Treatment – Understanding the journey of healing
Treatment is a journey that takes work and is an imperfect process.
“Not everybody understands that everybody is different in their treatment,” said Madelyn, admitting that it took years to realize medication did not work for her.
Instead of medication, Madelyn Musser relies on various coping skills to manage her mental health (Courtesy, WKTV)
Clark agreed, saying there is not one set therapy or treatment.
Regarding medication, Clark said, “You can try until you find a medication that works for you. And [you] may not need it forever. It might just be a short period of time to get you through this period.”
Length of time until treatment begins working also varies.
“It can take a while,” said Kelly. “We are the world’s most complex organism known to mankind. We’re all different.”
Finding a therapist you feel comfortable with can also be a challenge. Many clinics have bios and pictures of available therapists to help that process.
Affordability of treatment
“One of the worst things is that, a lot of times, financial stress is a part of why a person is struggling,” said Kelly. “I really wish insurance would just remove the deductible for mental health.”
Financial resources are available for those seeking treatment (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Checking with your insurance provider is a good place to start. Those enrolled in Medicaid do not have a copay for mental health services. There also are foundations who provide financial help to those who need it.
Agnew’s staff includes Masters-level interns that clients can see at a much lower rate.
“It was really important to me that our services be available for people who can’t afford it,” said Agnew.
Closing the gap, filling your toolbox
While medication can help close the gap between a low point and the stability sought, having a toolbox of coping skills is also important.
“I like to say I have a toolbox with resources,” said Monica.
Movement (e.g., walking) and mindful practices such as meditation and yoga are tools Monica engages in on a regular basis. However, community is an important resource for her as well.
“At my lowest, I tend to isolate, and I don’t really want to be around anybody,” said Monica. “But I know the people [in] my circle that I trust, and that I can call in those moments, that I feel safe around.
“Getting that contact – that social contact – has been really helpful for my mental health.”
Being around other people who have experienced similar struggles can be very helpful (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Support groups are a great way to find that human connection.
“I can’t explain how helpful it is to be in a group who all struggle with complex trauma and mental health issues, and I know they all understand,” said Monica.
Though Rachael put off participating in group therapy at first, she quickly found solace in the rapport she found there.
“We all get it,” said Rachael. “There are people who can relate, and that can be uplifting.”
A life-changing impact
Christy Buck, Founder of be nice. and Executive Director of Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, has made it her life’s mission to provide that support system – and she does it by way of educating people about mental illness.
Removing stigma so people understand what is happening in their lives, helping people identify signs of mental illnesses, knowing where to go, and how to help themselves or others are all part of Buck’s suicide prevention program.
Julie Gregory, mother of suicide victim Jessica Gregory, encourages individuals and organizations to embrace the be nice. program.
“Get onboard with the be nice. program and encourage people to listen and train these kids on how to watch for [warning signs],” said Gregory.
(Courtesy, MHF)
To learn more about be nice. and the four simple steps to recognizing depression and preventing suicide, visit Mental Health Foundation.
Help stomp out stigma surrounding mental illness by joining the free annual be nice.Stomp Out Stigma 5K Walk event in May each year.
Resources
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential support, information and local resources.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about depression and suicide that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.
Jessica Gregory (Courtesy, Julie Gregory)
At approximately 3 a.m. on March 10, 2015, 28-year-old Jessica Diane Gregory silently ended the internal pain she fought to free herself from most of her life.
Jessica’s mother, Wyoming resident Julie Gregory, prefers to focus on Jessica and her struggles versus the act of suicide when talking about her daughter’s death.
“I lost my daughter to depression, bullying and bipolar disorder,” said Gregory when talking with WKTV Journal.
Mental illness does not discriminate
Jessica had a family who loved her, was in the top 20 in her high school class of 2004, participated in sideline cheer and the competitive cheer team, ran track and had amazing friends.
Despite all of these things, Jessica was hounded by a darkness that led to physically harming herself and a suicide attempt in high school. Jessica’s internal struggle eventually spiraled into a loss of all hope.
Excerpts from Jessica’s journal and various other writings reveal the internal pain she battled daily:
Several pages of Jessica’s journal contained detailed plans of how she could end her life.
“I’m not ashamed or scared to talk about suicide or how my daughter ended her pain,” said Gregory. “We need to end the stigma surrounding suicide and mental illness. Redefine the way people talk about suicide and the way we think about suicide, and look at it as an effect of an illness.
“Why is it that the brain is the only organ in your body that will get judged for being ill?”
Gregory went on to say that those who die by suicide have lost a battle with a disease.
“They couldn’t hold on any longer,” said Gregory. “I feel it’s our job to help them hold on. Mental illness is treatable.”
‘I’m sorry, Mom. I love you.’
The last time Gregory saw her daughter alive was like a hundred others. There was nothing to indicate Jessica planned to end her life that night.
After having dinner with her family, Jessica and Gregory finished a jigsaw puzzle and began another.
Gregory had no idea Jessica purchased a handgun nine hours earlier.
Jessica’s journal and last letter to her mother (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
At approximately 10:30 p.m., Jessica helped her mother put the puzzle table away and went home to her apartment.
After writing one last letter to her mother in pink marker – her favorite color – Jessica silently ended the pain she battled daily.
Before you ask…educate yourself
Gregory said one of the hardest questions people ask her is: “How did she do it?” Gregory’s palms turned toward the ceiling, shrugging in disbelief and saying, “Does it matter?”
An entry from Jessica’s journal (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
What matters to Gregory is that her daughter is gone forever.
Another question Greogry repeatedly faces is, “Why didn’t you get her help?”
“We did get her help,” Gregory said vehemently. “She did go to the doctor, she was on meds, she went to therapy. She had a psychiatrist, she had a counselor, she had all these people. She had a team of people.
“You can put a mask on and show people what you want them to see,” Gregory continued. “It’s not always easy to see.”
“Even when parents, and people in general, have noticed a lot of signs, it is also possible to miss signs,” said Agnew.
Jessica with her cat, Desi (Courtesy, Julie Gregory)
When Gregory went back and looked at specific dates in Jessica’s journal, she was stunned at how well Jessica hid her true emotions.
After one particular journal entry that conveyed Jessica’s wish to die, Gregory looked back at Facebook pictures, realizing it was the same day the family attended a birthday party. All pictures from that day portrayed Jessica as happy.
Gregory thought to herself, “She was happy. That was the mask she wore. And she was thinking all day about how she could die?”
Selfishness vs. Mentally Ill
Entry from Jessica’s journal (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Gregory shares her daughter’s struggle because she wants others to understand that the thought process of a mentally ill person is not normal.
“I am simply showing people how the mind of my mentally ill daughter was thinking,” said Gregory. “She wasn’t looking to hurt anyone. She was ending her pain and what she thought was a life that couldn’t get better.”
Suicide is not selfish, Greogry continued. “Suicide is a desperate way to end pain, physical or mental. It is a hopelessness that things will never get better. It is a feeling that family or friends will be better off without them.
Entry from Jessica’s journal (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“Those who are suffering don’t want to end their lives, they want to end their pain.”
Gregory also hopes to end usage of the term “committed suicide.”
“In 1964, it was a law that it was illegal to commit suicide – but they didn’t know anything about it,” said Gregory. “Now that we know more, we can talk more about it and we don’t have to use those ‘committed’ words.”
“We say ‘died by suicide,’” Gregory continued. “Instead of focusing on the act, we focus on the person and what was going on.”
Picking up the Pieces
Gregory and her family faced a lot of “firsts” as they learned to maneuver life without Jessica. Gregory credits their faith in God and having each other to lean on as the key to their survival.
Julie Gregory is dedicated to helping others navigate the pain she endures daily (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The grieving mother’s main focus after losing Jessica was making sure her son, younger than Jes by 14 years, was okay. That everyone around her was okay.
And that included other people who found themselves enduring the loss of a loved one.
“I had hundreds of people send me messages,” said Gregory, adding that she welcomes those messages. “People can come to me.”
Gregory is a vocal advocate for the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan’s be nice. program. She encourages schools and organizations to take part in the program, take action, and save lives.
However, for Gregory, personal comfort and healing comes in the form of helping those enduring the aftermath of loss. She does this through the i understand love heals program.
“For me, helping people pick themselves up after – it just hit home.”
Grieving and healing
“I didn’t have time to grieve, and I still won’t take that time to feel sorry [for myself], because I need to be 100% to help all these other people,” said Gregory.
While Gregory admits that is not the healthiest approach, she has no plans to stop being that voice for Jessica and a source of hope for those grieving.
Jessica’s last words are tattooed on Gregory’s forearm (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“Just to know that I’ve helped others is healing to me, and so I don’t know any other way to grieve,” Gregory said. “I grieve sitting at that big table and having new people come to the group that literally just lost their family member two weeks ago.
“And I feel their pain, and I will grieve for that family and those lost, and for Jessica.”
A voice for Jessica
Gregory proclaims herself to be an open book, refusing to hide that her daughter ended her own life.
Instead, two years after Jessica’s death, Gregory chose to open both her own life and Jessica’s to scrutiny and possible ridicule in the hopes that even one person would see – and choose – hope.
Jessica with family and friends (Courtesy, Julie Gregory)
Picking Up the Pieces is a blog that unveils Jessica’s journey, her internal pain, bullying she experienced at her job, and the aftermath Gregory endures daily since finding Jessica in her apartment nine years ago.
Gregory does not hold back, laying bare the pain and darkness – and emphasizing the glimmer of hope she knows is always present, even if not always noticed.
Though Gregory has been pushed out of her comfort zone countless times over the last several years, she embraces each challenge so she can share Jessica’s story and be that voice for her daughter.
“If I reach just one person, letting them know they aren’t alone, it is worth sharing,” said Gregory. “Or, maybe someone reading these pages who doesn’t have a mental illness will be enlightened by what is in someone’s mind that does.”
#ThereIsAlwaysHope
Jessica applied for a new job before she took her life. A job at a hospital where she could help others and could carry out her personal life mission. Multiple interviews and a job shadow followed.
A Picking Up the Pieces blog entry (Courtesy, Julie Gregory)
The darkness Jessica fought against, however, overwhelmed her before she heard their decision.
“The day after Jessica’s suicide, there was a message left on her cell phone voicemail,” said Gregory. “It was a message from the hospital she had applied at.
“She received that call one day late…”
Julie and Jessica both have a tattoo symbolizing a mother and daughter and their love for each other (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The timing of that voicemail is something Gregory encourages all who struggle to contemplate.
“There is always hope,” said Gregory. “No matter how bad today can be, things will get better. You can’t leave today, because tomorrow everything could change.
“Life is all hills and valleys, and for every valley that you’re in, those hills are going to be amazing.”
Monica Ruiz, in a personal place of mental health recovery for the past few years, echoes that message.
“I do believe that all suffering is temporary,” said Ruiz, adding that there will be moments of relief even in the lowest times. “So please hold on. There is help. It gets better.”
A radical resolve
Gregory’s resolve to eradicate stigma and live with hope is evident in each word of Picking Up the Pieces.
“I am determined to be more than just a survivor,” said Gregory on her blog. “I am determined to find the silver lining, I am determined to see my glass as half full, I am determined to keep talking about mental illness and the side effects that ‘Pain’ can cause some people.
“I am determined to help change the definition of suicide.”
Eradicating stigma
“The stigma needs to be lifted about mental struggles,” said Gregory. “We need to talk about it, out in the open, and not treat it like a dirty secret – those days are past. We need to continue this conversation.”
Help stomp out stigma surrounding mental illness by joining the free annual be nice.Stomp Out Stigma 5K Walk event in May each year.
The be nice. program and action plan (notice, invite, challenge, empower) educates students, staff, and community members about mental illnesses and encourages them to exchange stereotypes for understanding, compassion and acceptance.
Resources
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential support, information and local resources.
New care seat safety legislation developed by State Representatives John Fitzgerald (District 83) and Carrie Rheingans (District 47) works to increase child safety and educate caregivers.
On Sept. 27, bills titled HB 4511 and HB 4512 passed through the Michigan House of Representatives.
In a recent interview with WKTV Journal, Rep. Fitzgerald said these companion bills are “intended to work together to make sure that we not only have the law, but also the enforcement mechanism by which we can hold drivers, and parents, and guardians, and caregivers accountable to make sure children are traveling safely here in the state of Michigan.”
Constructed by Rep. Rheingans, HB 4511 builds a framework ensuring children are in properly fitting car seats. Enforcement guidelines and educational components are introduced by Fitzgerald in HB 4512.
Education vs. Punishment
Rep. John Fitzgerald is focused on saving children’s lives and educating caregivers. (Courtesy, Supplied)
“There is a lot that goes into safe travel, and now what we see is that there will be an educational component to this bill,” said Fitzgerald.
Previous Michigan law did not match federal law or manufacturer standards, creating confusion among parents and caregivers. This new legislation will provide one consistent message, eliminating that uncertainty.
A common area of confusion revolves around the age of a child versus height and weight. The most important factor in an accident is height and weight, not age.
“That’s where physics comes into play,” said Fitzgerald. “We want to make sure children are in the right position, meaning forward-facing or rear-facing, and that they are using the correct belts.”
Primary vs. Secondary enforcement mechanisms
An enforcement structure has been put into place with this new legislation. The legislation only allows police officers to check a child safety seat in a vehicle already pulled over for primary traffic violations such as speeding or broken taillights.
Fitzgerald tells Deborah Reed, WKTV Managing Editor, and our viewers that “The goal is to save lives, not punish caregivers.”(WKTV)
If a child is not in a proper car seat or position upon inspection, the caregiver can then be assigned a civil infraction fee. However, that fee can now be waived if the caregiver acquires the right seat and education provided by a car seat safety professional.
“We are not trying to punish someone for having the wrong information or the wrong seat,” said Fitzgerald. “We want to help you. We want to help guide you along this journey as your child ages.
“The most important part of that is getting educated on why the right seat was needed, and how that is going to help your child travel safely now.”
Strong bipartisan support
Rep. John Fitzgerald has seen strong bipartisan support for these bills. (WKTV)
Many voices were taken into consideration during the process of the new legislation. Firefighters, police officers, professionals versed in medicine, and community members were all consulted while developing bills 4511 and 4512.
“When you craft this legislation, you are taking into consideration expert testimony, expert input on the bill, and also those of your community,” said Fitzgerald.
“We saw strong bipartisan support on both of these bills in the House of Representatives,” Fitzgerald continued. “That was a great first test of the bills and whether or not we thought that this was something that could be deployed throughout the state and made law.”
As the bills move into the Senate, Fitzgerald is confident they will continue to see bipartisan support.
A theme of safety
Driver, public and traffic safety are of high importance to the legislature in Lansing.
Fitzgerald noted that recent legislation “has really pushed Michigan forward to consider good traffic safety laws that, I think, are responding to the twenty-first century nature of technology and driver safety.”
Michigan legislature is looking to increase traffic safety in all areas (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Among that legislation is the new Michigan hands-free law that took effect on June 30, 2023.
“This isn’t really new,” said Fitzgerald, stating that other states have had a hands-free law in effect for some time. “But it is something to cut down on distracted driver accidents.”
Michigan legislators are also looking to use traffic enforcement cameras throughout the state for the first time.
The House recently passed a law allowing for use of traffic enforcement cameras in work safety zones.
That law, however, includes specific qualifiers. Barriers between traffic and workers and a speed of 10 miles per hour over the posted limit are required in order to cite a violation.
Fitzgerald is currently developing another bill allowing for that same enforcement in school zones.
Contact your representative
Rep. Fitzgerald has standing drop-in hours at City Hall in Wyoming for those wishing to speak with him in person. Those hours are 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
Brian Hartl, epidemiology supervisor for Kent County Health Department, talks about its mobile unit and why it is part of the effort to reach under vaccinated populations. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Kent County Health Department’s mobile COVID-19 vaccination unit’s community outreach effort last week happened to be at a south Grand Rapids neighborhood, but it could have been — and could yet be — to any under-served, under-vaccinated neighborhood including ones in Wyoming and Kentwood.
Kent County Health Department nursing staff and mobile vaccine unit visited the Great Giant Supermarket in south Grand Rapids last week. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The health department, which initially led the effort to establish mass vaccination sites, is transforming part of its efforts to team with local community groups and offer vaccination availability to persons not yet served — as they did July 8 when its nursing staff and mobile vaccine unit visited the Great Giant Supermarket, at 1226 Madison Ave. SE, for the first of four Thursdays in July, each from 1-3 p.m.
“We are finding more and more, with people who are kind of on the fence about vaccination … We have heard that it needs to be convenient for them,” Brian Hartl, epidemiology supervisor for the health department, said to WKTV. “So we have the mobile unit out, at a couple different locations each week.”
And why the selection of the south Grand Rapids location? The answer if two-fold: low vaccination rates and hesitancy to get vaccinated by the black community, and the partnership with a trusted community group.
A Kent County Health Department nurse gives a COVID-19 vaccination shot. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“This area has a low vacation rate, we know that from our data,” Hartl said. “And we really want to partner with community organizations that are in these neighborhoods and are trusted by the residents.”
In the case of the south Grand Rapids area, that “trusted” community organization is Seeds of Promise — a group who’s expressed goals include “building local resident leadership and trust, deep listening to community voices, and meeting the needs and wants that are expressed by the neighborhood.”
Ron Jimmerson, executive director of Seeds of Promise, said teaming with the health deportment meets all three of those goals.
Ron Jimmerson, executive director of Seeds of Promise. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“If we are going to service the people, we have to be able to bring the services to the people,” Jimmerson said to WKTV. “Many of our residents, over 50 percent of them, don’t have WiFi. They don’t have iPhones. So it was very difficult fo them to get signed up, and get transportation, and go to somewhere outside their community. So the residents wanted us to bring the service, the vaccinations, to the community.”
At last week’s event, Jimmerson praised the owners of the Great Giant Supermarket for allowing the mobile vaccination clinic to set up for several weeks. But the effort was not focused just on the people that would be shopping at the store, as its location is also in a neighborhood with a homeless population.
“The other concern that the residents had was that we have a large homeless population in this location, in this area,” Jimmerson said. “We want to be able to serve them, and work with other organizations to bring this service to them.”
The Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be available at all the mobile vaccine clinics, according to the health department. Appointments are not required and there is no charge for the vaccine. More information on vaccine locations can be at vaccinatewestmi.com/clinics.
Tommy Brann — small business owner and operator, and current State Representative — talks to WKTV about he and his restaurant family came together at the start of the pandemic shutdown. (WKTV)
Tommy Brann — the small business owner and operator, not the current State Representative and State Senate candidate — remembers his first day of work at Brann’s Steakhouse and Grill like it was yesterday.
But it was 50 years ago, and on Monday, July 5, Brann’s Steakhouse will celebrate 50 years of “serving sizzling steaks” to the West Michigan community with a special appreciation reception for its employees and customers from 5-7 p.m.
And, of course, Tommy will be there all day, wearing his customary blue apron, bussing tables, and talking up the staff and customers.
Tommy Brann in an undated historic photo. (Supplied) See more photos from over the years in slideshow below.
“July 5th, 1971,” Brann said about his first day, when he was just 19 years old, during a recent interview with WKTV. “We served 97 dinners and I remember one customer came in that day … a friend of my dad’s … and he bought the whole restaurant a drink. It was a hard working day for us.”
During the interview, he also stressed that he was a restaurant businessman before he was elected to serve the community in Lansing as a State Representative, and that no matter what happens in the next year or so, he will stay being a restaurant businessman.
(Rep. Brann is running for the open State Senate seat from District 28, with the Republican primary set for Aug. 3; and if he is not elected to the Senate, he will be term-limited out as a State Representative in 2022.)
“I really believe small business in the backbone of our country, of our state,” Brann said. “I really believe small businesses are job creators. … That is what I bring to Lansing.”
Brann also talked about how his restaurant survived the pandemic shutdown and business slowdown — due both to the “family” he has at his steakhouse and to his aversion to debt. (See video clip above for a story on the Brann’s “family.”)
And the restaurant survived. And so on Monday, July 5, it will be all about celebrating Tommy the restauranteur and the 50 years of Brann’s Steakhouse and Grill, located on Division Avenue in Wyoming.
Family, and work family, reflect on Tommy
“I am incredibly proud of my brother, Tommy Brann, for his dedication and commitment to being a business owner and restaurateur these 50 years,” Johnny Brann, Sr., owner of Grand Rapids-based, Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille, said in supplied material. “Tommy has made his restaurant a community icon and is known for his service and dedication not just to the business, but more importantly to his employees and customers.”
For most of those 50 years, Tommy opened and closed his restaurant, working from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., 6 days a week, doing what is needed — from cooking to dishwashing to to bussing tables, and other less glamorous jobs.
Tommy has also spent 50 years being more than simply a boss to the employees at the steakhouse.
Tommy Brann, with his restaurant family from June 2021. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“I have been an employee of Brann’s steakhouse for over 40 years,” senior executive waitress Jennie Lehnertz said in supplied material. “It truly is a family business. I work here, my daughter works here and now my grandson works here. It is my second home.”
The family atmosphere is echoed by Jermaine Jennings, executive waiter for about 30 years — “Tommy is not just a boss. He works alongside his employees and instills in us a sense of purpose. He’s always willing to help those in need and considers all of us who work for him and his customers his family.”
Five decades of restaurant ownership has brought ups and downs, especially throughout the past year in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. What has kept Tommy going has been his strong work ethic, his tenacity, and his belief that he can make a difference in the lives of others.
“I care about serving my community and helping others in need,” Tommy Brann said in supplied material. “My wife, Sue, and I are committed to making our employees and customers our family. We have used our restaurant as a way to provide food to the homeless and provide jobs for those who need one, including those with developmental disabilities. There’s no greater joy to me than seeing the smile on the face of someone we’ve helped.”
After hosting a community forum and conducting third round interviews today, June 24, at a Kent County Board of Commissioners meeting, Kent County announced today that the board has selected Al Vanderberg, currently Ottawa County Administrator but with a history of working for Kent County, as its choice for the next county Administrator/Controller.
According to the announcement, Board of Commissioners chair Mandy Bolter “will enter immediate contract negotiations with Vanderberg with the aim of presenting a final contract for board approval” at the commission meeting on July 22.
Al Vanderberg (Ottawa County)
“This has been an exciting, thorough and transparent process that culminated with the selection of a strong, visionary and highly competent individual,” Bolter said in supplied material. “Thanks to our dedicated search subcommittee, our board of commissioners and the high level of community engagement in the process, I’m confident that Al will be the kind of leader who reflects the community’s priorities and can leverage Kent County’s assets for sustained growth and innovative service to our residents.”
Pending contract approval, Vanderberg is expected to take over the local job later this summer. He has been the administrator in Ottawa County since 2003 managing 1,200 employees who serve a population of about 300,000 residents. Immediately prior to joining Ottawa County, he was the Deputy County Administrator/Controller in Kent County from 1999-2003.
Vanderberg will take over Kent County’s top administrative position from Wayman P. Britt, who notified the board of his intention to retire last October. Britt has been with the county administration for more than 17 years and has served in the top spot since January 2018.
According to supplied material, the process to select Vanderberg was “a multi-faceted market outreach campaign targeting highly diverse recruitment sites across the country.”
A county-hired recruiting firm identified over 140 prospects and contacted more than 100 potential candidates and sources. From this group, the firm identified 13 external and one internal candidate to present for search subcommittee consideration on May 14. The subcommittee selected five candidates for first round interviews at public meetings on June 9 and 10, and three were advanced as finalists.
In all, the subcommittee met 10 times over the course of eight months, with all meetings noticed and open to the public.
Vanderberg’s resume
At his current position, Vanderberg is responsible for oversight of administrative and other departments within Ottawa County and serves on boards, committees and workgroups for numerous Ottawa County and community agencies and organizations, according to supplied material. Those duties included chair of the County Brownfield Redevelopment Board, president of the County Economic Development Corporation Board, and membership on the Grand Valley Metro Council Board, Lakeshore Advantage Board and Housing Next Board.
He began his career in Lenawee County in 1986, and subsequently served in city management in Greenville and South Haven.
Additionally, Vanderberg was appointed in 2018 by the Michigan Civil Rights Department to serve on the Michigan Council for Local Government and Education on Equity and Inclusion. In 2017, he was appointed to the Michigan Child Lead Exposure Elimination Commission by Governor Snyder and reappointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2019. He is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association and the National Association of County Administrators.
He was president of the board of the Michigan Association of County Administrative Officials in 2011 and of the Michigan Local Government Management Association in 2010 and retains membership in both organizations.
Anybody who knows Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, who has been inside the walls of the middle/high school complex and its other schools, knows that the last four years have been extraordinarily good years under the leadership of outgoing Superintendent Kevin Polston.
But life, and the ‘legendary’ educational and facility advancement of the district, will continue its movement forward as Polston leaves later this month to take over leadership of the Kentwood Public Schools system.
Dirk Weeldreyer (Supplied)
And the first step in that continuing path is the June 11 announcement that the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Board of Education has appointed Dirk Weeldreyer to become interim superintendent effective July 1.
While Board of Education President Eric Mockerman had nothing but praise for the departing superintendent, he and the board see the district continuing to move forward, both in the interim and longterm.
“We have been blessed to have Kevin with us for the last four years and with his leadership we have gotten through some very tough times. Kevin has helped to build a very strong team and prepare us for a bright future,” Mockerman said to WKTV. “I am excited to have Dirk come on board with us and help us through this process. His experience and knowledge of our district as well as his other interim experiences will help to make this transition easier.”
Weeldreyer is expected to serve for six months to allow time for the district to complete a search process and appoint a full-time superintendent.
“We will take this time to establish a profile for who we want for our next leader and go through the process of searching for the right candidate,” Mockerman said.
Weeldreyer comes to Godfrey-Lee with nearly 20 years of educational leadership experience including nine years as the superintendent of Fennville Public Schools where he retired in 2017, according to supplied material. His more recent school district service includes serving as interim superintendent at both Caledonia Community Schools and Muskegon Public Schools.
He currently serves as the Executive Director of the School Equity Caucus, a statewide organization of approximately 200 school districts that seeks adequate and equitable school funding in Michigan.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to serve the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools during this time of transition,” Weeldreyer said in supplied material. “The district has a well-deserved reputation for providing an outstanding educational experience for its students, and the many similarities between my previous district, Fennville, and Godfrey-Lee make me feel right at home.
“I look forward to building relationships with the staff, students, families, and community as we continue to provide an excellent education for our children.”
While there will still be plenty of work to do for a superintendent, in the short and long term, at Godfrey-Lee, the district has in the past four years accomplished much. It has cemented its reputation as a making its “minority majority” student population a strong and proud reputation, transitioned is sports image and district outlook moniker to become “The Legends”, and survived a partial collapse of the middle/high school building by, in part, getting passed a local bond measure to not only repair the damage but to fund massive facility and infrastructure improvements.
All of which were led by Superintendent Polston.
“I have been fortunate to serve the Godfrey-Lee community over the past four years,” Polston said to WKTV. “It is a truly special place because of the amazing people that call this district home. It will always have a special place in my heart and I will take the Legend spirit with me long into the future.”
Things are starting to get back to normal at West Michigan’s veteran-care facility, including last week’s small ceremony to raise a 30- by 50-foot flag just off Monroe Avenue NE across from Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park, as it has been raised annually for more than 20 years.
West Michigan’s veteran-care facility, last week, held a small ceremony to raise a 30- by 50-foot flag just off Monroe Avenue NE across from Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
But with the near completion of several buildings that will make up the new veteran-care facility, there will also be a new normal for Michigan veterans in need of services.
Starting with the subtle but meaningful change of the title from the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans to the “Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids” — notice the plural of “home” — evidence abounds of not only the decentralization of the state’s veterans care system but also a functional modernization of the local facility, set to be fully opened by Christmas of this year.
A new of the old fountain and a new building at the Michigan Veterans Homes at Grand Rapids. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The new facility, located at 3000 Monroe She. NE, was described as being about 90 percent complete in late April when WKTV was invited in to accompany the first resident to tour the new main building.
The building has a huge common area and then separate wings providing individual pods of “homes” with private bathrooms for individual clients, small kitchens with food service staffs and dining areas for each pod, and a central wellness center for client medical and rehabilitation care as well as other needs.
And Tracy Nelson, administrator of local Homes for Veterans, also refers to the facility’s occupants as “members” — another bit of evidence of the change in service delivery model.
“When I started here about four years ago, we had well over 300 members,” Nelson said to WKTV. “The type of service we delivered for that many people was a bit different, because it is not a small home model.”
Now “we are about where we need to be, about 128 men and women, but we are accepting admissions, now and as we move into the new facility. We currently have some folks who are going to be transferring to Chesterfield Township, which is the home that is three months ahead of us.”
Prior to a complete review and redesign of the state’s veterans care program began in 2016 there was a single, large old facility in Grand Rapids. Now there will be three Homes for Veterans led by the Michigan Veterans’ Facility Authority: one Chesterfield Township, one Marquette and the new one in Grand Rapids located adjacent to the existing facility.
“We plan for a soft opening which means we will bring in our first eight members, so we can get certified, in August,” Nelson said. “After that (certification from the state and the federal Veterans Administration) we will be moving everyone else over. By Christmas, we will be complete.”
And while many of the changes will allow for delivery of care, some are simply to make the members feel more comfortable during their stays, long- or short-term — to make it “a home instead of an institution.”
Tracy Nelson, administrator of local Homes for Veterans facility, and
“member” Lee Walton, tour the still-unfinished building. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“Over at the existing campus, at one time, there would be four men — or four women — who shared one room and one bathroom. And then there was a central shower — they would have to come out of their room, go down the hall to a central shower, and then come back,” Nelson said as she described the differences coming in new facility. “That was a traditional setting. This is state of the art. This is a home.”
The first member to get a look at his soon-to-be home was Lee Walton, an Air Force veteran who worked many years in the Fremont area in the construction field, and someone who was known to pay close attention to the construction of the new buildings.
“Its going to be wonderful, I’m excited,” Walton said to WKTV. “We’ll have our own room, our own bathroom — that’s a big plus. And having our own kitchen and dining area. They have really done a nice job here.”
A care and rehab facility as well as a home
While a huge part of the facility upgrades at the Michigan Veterans Homes at Grand Rapids will be in the member amenities offered, Nelson is equally proud of the upgraded medical and rehabilitation facilities, including each pod having a central wellness center and an unique outdoor facility that will aid persons regaining real world independent mobility.
A memorial and a new building at West Michigan’s veteran-care facility. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“The wellness center is really a home of our therapists — physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists — but in there they put all sorts of activities geared to get people to their maximum level of being independent,” Nelson said. “There is also an area back there for a physician. We are lucky enough to have a full-time physician, and a full-time nurse practitioner. And there are outside services that will come in — so dental, vision, other things. This (facility) has a distinct, separate place for those types of services to be rendered.”
And another element of the new facility will be an open-air, center-court area that looks a little like a big-person’s playground but has a very serious rehabilitation function.
“Most (mobility rehabilitation) facilities are not set up for all the different textures for walking, for them to get used to those different textures,” Nelson said. “When you go outside, there is cobblestone, there is pavement, there is gravel — it takes totally different skills to walk on those different surfaces. … It is designed for maximum success for our members who want to come to us for therapy and then go home.”
(During the WKTV visit, the feature was still under construction but some elements of it were visible.)
Moving forward during a time of pandemic
Facility upgrades, and some elements of change in member care, were in process before the COVID-19 crisis hit early last year, and the project was only sightly delayed from a construction standpoint.
The new facility was constructed on southern edge of the existing 90-acre property, at Monroe Avenue and Three Mile Road, with a price tag initially reported to be about $49 million.
And, the tightly controlled pandemic operational model adopted by facility leadership and workforce also gained praise from Nelson.
“The pandemic has really shifted the culture change rapidly,” Nelson said. “With this environment, you are doing multiple jobs based on the situation — as people became sick, we all pitched in and did what needed to be done to make sure our members needs were met.
“We had one office person who worked 20 hours of overtime one week and weekend, just to make sure our guys got outside for some fresh air and to walk. … We just wanted to maintain the best quality of life for our members that we could.”
If The Accidentals plan works the way they envision, Katie, Sav and Michael will be playing music off their just-dropped release, “TIME OUT (Session 1)”, live and in front of an audience in Kentwood and elsewhere this fall — that is, after all, where they felt most at home before the pandemic hit the fan(s) and the bands.
It is not that their 2020 was a complete loss, as they made clear during a late April interview with WKTV‚ where they debuted a live cut of “Might As Well Be Gold”, a song co-written with Maia Sharp.
The Accidentals in private concert. (Special for WKTV)
“Might As Well Be Gold” is included on the “TIME OUT (Session 1), which was released May 7, a collection of songs which includes the single “Wildfire”, co-written by Kim Richey — who has worked with the likes ofTrisha Yearwood, Radney Foster, Brooks & Dunn — and which is getting The Accidentals a fair amount of national notice and airplay.
The appropriately named “TIME OUT” EP was, in fact, written during quarantine over Zooms with Richey and other legendary songwriters including Tom Paxton, Dar Williams and Mary Gauthier and more. And they found their pandemic hibernation led them to a new, maybe more introspective, way of writing music.
“We found things that work for us and found things that didn’t work for us,” said Savannah “Sav” Buist, who along with Katie Larson and Michael Dause, make up The Accidentals. “But I think it was just nice to have the time … We tired so consistently that when we come home Katie and I just tend to spit out songs within a week and then not really look back. It was nice to look back … This year I learned to take my time, to come back to a song.”
The Accidentals (Supplied/Courtesy Aryn Madigan)
The Traverse City based power pop trio with a soft, classical heart talked with WKTV about coming home from Nashville when things went south due to the pandemic, about writing music via Zoom, and how a “ping pong” of musical ideas bouncing back and forth helped keep them stay sane and productive during the long, quiet months.
The also talked about the anticipation of getting back on the road after years of playing something like 200 shows a year at festivals such as the Rocky Mountain Folk Fest, Summerfest, SXSW, and Electric Forest, and well as sharing the same stage with the likes of Brandi Carlile, Joan Baez, Andrew Bird, and The Decemberists.
For more information on The Accidentals and their new release, visit theaccidentalsmusic.com.
Throughout 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued affecting the daily lives of the people of Grand Rapids, including commuters and other riders of The Rapid transit system. And as the community has moved forward and adapted, its public transit system has moved forward with cleaning procedures and safety protocols for its buses and the citizens who ride them daily.
WKTV took a ride on The Rapid’s SilverLine and spoke with Bill Kirk, Business Affairs Specialist of The Rapid, on the sanitization of the buses daily using antiseptic agents as well as how it encourages passengers to wear masks and practice social distancing.
And what they have learned about cleaning and sanitization will likely become standard operating procedure even in a post-pandemic future.
“We take pride in how clean our buses are, but after experiencing the situation, we want to maintain those policies even after the pandemic goes away,” Kirk said. “We just want to make sure we’re providing as safe and as healthy a ride as possible for our riders.”
The Rapid public transportation system provides services to the greater Grand Rapids area, including Wyoming, and Kentwood. Formed in 2000, The Rapid operates on fixed routes throughout Grand Rapids and works with people with disabilities for their services. They also provide the SilverLine, a transit started in 2014 that runs along Division Avenue south and loops around the Rapid Central Station in Grand Rapids.
Visual artist George Segal was a sculptor, yes. But the current multi-medium exhibit at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, “George Segal: Body Language”, is clear evidence he was as interested in the human condition as he was in human representation.
The exhibit had a COVID-19 delayed opening this summer, and will continue on display at Meijer Gardens through January 2021.
After having lived with the exhibit for several months, WKTV caught up with Jochen Wierich, Meijer Gardens’ Curator of Sculpture & Sculpture Exhibitions, to talk about the reasons one visit with Segal’s works is probably not enough to understand and fully appreciate the artist and his art.
While Segal (1924-2000) was often, and in Wierich’s opinion unfittingly, lumped into the Pop Art era of the late 1950s and ‘60s — along with artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein — Segal was much more an observer of human nature, an explorer of human emotion.
That exploration of human nature and emotion is singularly clear in “Woman in Arm Chair”, already on permanent display at Meijer Gardens. But particularly telling to Wierich is “Street Crossing”, a 1992 work with several ambiguous figures moving through a fictional crossroads, seemingly blind to one another and to their surroundings, and on display as part of the current exhibition.
“Street Crossing is a very different piece because it shows Segal working with a large group of people, the scene he observed in New York, crossing the street and seeing people intersecting but not really interacting,” Wierich said. “It is a wonderful example of how he observed life, how he looked at people in everyday life.
“You might say, in today’s world of COVID-19, it already shows a bit of awareness of how people share space and how they navigate their physical distance. Or not.”
In WKTV’s video interview with Wierich, the art expert and educator also touched on how the current exhibit explores Segal’s works in many mediums, not just in sculpture, as well as why he did not always fit in neatly with his Pop Art peers.
“George Segal: Body Language” spans the career of Segal and focuses on his “creative vision in representing body language across a variety of materials,” as stated in supplied material. This is the first exhibition of Segal’s work at Meijer Gardens since 2004 and is the first time that a selection of the gift of 32 prints, one sculpture and three wall reliefs from the Segal Foundation and Rena Segal will be on display.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is located at 1000 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids. For more information visit meijergardens.org.
WKTV college interns Rachel Weber and Matt Main contributed to this story.
In recognition of both a desire to honor Wyoming High School’s 2020 graduating seniors, and the importance of allowing the school staff and Wyoming community the opportunity to join the celebration, Wyoming Public Schools held a WHS Senior 11 Night Celebration Parade Monday, June 15.
In addition, Wyoming High School is scheduled to host its Class of 2020 commencement ceremony on July 28 at Grand Rapids First.
Prior to the parade, WKTV caught up with WPS Superintendent Craig Hoekstra and asked about how the parade came to be, and the desire of he and the entire school community to make sure the seniors time of graduation was not “defined” by COVID-19 shutdown.
The City of Kentwood and its Public Works Department has an annual tradition during National Public Works Week of inviting the pubic into its buildings to see all the impressive equipment and big trucks that serve the community.
But, in this time of social distancing, and in lieu of a traditional open house for National Public Works Week, city vehicles and crews gave the community a parade of big trucks — and smiles — in late May.
WKTV was there to record it.
The Kentwood community appreciated the big truck parade, and said so. (Supplied/Kentwood DPW)
WKTV Journal’s latest newscast includes a feature on a young artist combining fanciful clay figures with high-tech photography — currently on exhibit at Grand Rapids Community College’s Collins Art Gallery through Friday, Oct. 25.
Wyoming resident Jon Lopez has a day job in a bagel shop, but later, in his basement sculpture studio, he transports himself to another world — a world of clay-full characters including thoughtful monkeys, mice on a mission and an octopus named Charlie that he is almost on talking terms with.
WKTV talked with Jon about his medium, taking his creatures on the road, why he photographs and then recycles his clay creations.
For a print story on the artist and his art, visit here .
The GRCC Collins Art Gallery is located on the 4th Floor of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, formerly Main Building, 143 Bostwick Ave NE. Grand Rapids. Gallery hour at Monday to Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information visit GRCC.edu/visualarts .
People have all kinds of hobbies from refurnishing furniture to quilting. For resident Pat McGovern, it is growing trees.
McGovern, who lives on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, is a private nurseryman and Aspen tree breeder. He currently has about 1,000 saplings growing at his home.
“I planted about 1,800,” McGovern told WKTV’s Donna Kidner Smith during a recent WKTV Journal interview. “Of those, about 1,000 survived of which I might keep about 150 trees.”
McGovern participates in a short rotation woody crops program. This is when a woody tree species has been bred and selected to have extremely high rates of growth, allowing the trees to be harvested after a short growing period.
Hybrid poplar or willow are the two species most commonly adapted for short rotation management. Poplars are planted using cuttings or “sticks” that are about eight inches long. The trees are cut back to ground level which helps to stimulate growth. The trees typically remain productive for three harvest cycles before replanting, which is about 15- 20 years.
Pat McGovern, co-founder of the Open Forest Group (Photo by WKTV)
McGovern, who is the co-founder of the Open Forest Group, primarily uses Aspens, a populus tree that is found in Michigan. Aspens are known for their quaking leaves and brilliant colors. While white and soft, Aspen wood is fairly strong and has low flammability. It is used for a number of items such as timber to heat homes, to make paper and matches, and to make veneer.
McGovern said over the years he found one rare Aspen tree that has a curvy, wavy figured grain and has incorporated into the breeding of the trees on his property. McGovern grows the saplings in his backyard, planting in April and then harvesting them in November, around Thanksgiving.
During harvesting, he determines which trees to keep and which to discard based on a number of factors. From there he cuts each sampling up into eight inch pieces — a root with a stem — which are stored in the refrigerator. In April, the pieces, which are soaked in water for about 24 hours, are then taken to a planting site to grow.
Short rotation woody crops such as the one McGovern does, have shown promise as an economically viable strategy for producing a sustainable supply of fuel for power stations. Fast growing species can be planed at relatively low costs and harvest in less time than traditional species.
Before the current school year started in August, Godfrey-Lee Pubic Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston publicly expressed concern that this summer’s partial collapse of a portion of the Lee Middle and High School building could drive parents to transfer their students out of the district.
Such a loss of student head count would add a reduction in state per-student funding to the losses in class space and district financial flexibility.
But, the district reported Wednesday, Oct. 2, that Godfrey-Lee Public Schools counted 1,824 students today during Michigan’s Fall Count Day, according to supplied information. The number is slightly above the 1,820 students the district based the 2019-20 budget on and would result “in a modest amount of additional funds for the district.”
The number represents a similar number from the spring count, and a loss of 21 students from last fall’s count.
Fall counts occur on the first Wednesday in October and represent 90 percent of state funding. Spring counts occur on the second Wednesday in February and represent 1 percent of state funding. According to state school funding records, Godfrey-Lee gained $10,807 per student in 2017-18. But the amount can change year-to-year and per student funding for 2019-20 is not yet finalized.
“The district is grateful for the support of our community during the past four months and the trust they have in the district,” Polston said. “We are honored to serve our community to provide an excellent educational experience for our students based on deep, meaningful relationships and rigorous learning.
“Our student count will allow the district to grow the vision into the future as we partner with a dedicated staff and loyal community partners to design innovative practices that prepare students for success well into the future.”
Seven classrooms and the psychologist’s office were destroyed during a roof collapse at the school building, located at 1335 Lee St. SW, on June 5. No one was injured. It was determined that corrosion of bar joists that supported the roof structure caused it to disengage from the exterior wall.
On June 23, the remaining structure of the affected area collapsed from the weight of the debris. With localized repairs, the remaining portion of the building was ready for opening day as planned on Aug. 19.
WKTV Journal host Donna Kidner-Smith, left, and author Elizabeth Meyette. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
There are no shortage of Grand Rapids area authors with the dream of writing the next Great American Novel and it being a New York Time bestseller, or at the very least taking a shot at Amazon-like or self publishing. But where to start?
WKTV Journal invited into our studio a local author who started writing as a new career after an old-career retirement.
After teaching English and Journalism, Elizabeth Meyette retired and began a full-time writing career. An Amazon best-selling author, she has published six novels, her latest being 2018’s “The Last Crossing”. She has also published poetry and writes a blog called Meyette’s Musings.
As part of WKTV Journal’s June Newscast, she talks WKTV Journal host Donna Kidner-Smith about what is possible by joining local writing groups and other local writers’ resources, including a writers’ conference coming locally later this summer put on by the Grand Rapids Regional Writer’s Group.
(Shameless plug and full disclosure: I am a member of group.)
As far as the upcoming writer’s conference is concerned, “Finish and publish your book this year!” will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, at Byron Township Community Center, 2120 76th St. SW, Byron Center.
The event is designed to help authors both finish and publish their novels, short stories, poetry, and/or whatever.
In a recent interview with Kentwood City Police Department Deputy Chief Richard Roberts, and local resident Pam Schichtel, WKTV Journal found out more about the department’s volunteer program as part of our November WKTV Journal newscast.
As a way to give back to the community they love so much, Kentwood residents volunteer thousands of hours annually to the program in order to keep the city safe. Schichtel tells us why she volunteers.
Deputy Chief Roberts and the rest of his department are grateful for the assistance given to them by these citizens and hope to see more involvement in the program in order to better serve the community with excellence. He tells us what the volunteers do and how people can join the team.
WKTV Journal airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos. For more information regarding the police volunteer program please click here.
Kentwood resident and bicyclist-on-a-mission Ken Smith, after a brief stop at home for his anniversary and time with family, quietly headed off from downtown Grand Rapids this week as part of a 3,500-plus west coast-to-east coast trip to raise funds for his grandson, Jakob, and awareness of all persons with neurological damage.
Smith, 70, whose father was a fireman and son is a fireman, is riding from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean — Seaside, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts — in hopes of raising $30,000 to provide for possible care of and therapy for Jakob.
Along the way firemen and fire departments have been offering support, including a welcome home last week at the City of Kentwood Fire Department Station 1 and a send-off Wednesday, Sept. 5, from the Grand Rapids Fire Department’s central station.
As Smith took off, he prayed with his wife, hugged a granddaughter. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
As Smith took off, he prayed with his wife, Jan, hugged a granddaughter and was buoyed by the time he was able to spend and support he was able to gain while at home.
“First of all, the arrival at Kentwood Fire Department took me totally boy surprise,” Smith told WKTV as he prepared to ride out of town. “Friends came over to the house, to meet me. They all said ‘Well, you lost a little weight.’ I lost about 10 pounds.
“Relatives called, just to say, ‘Boy, that’s great, I could never have done it. The fact that you did is really making a statement for Jakob.’ The family is excited that I am continuing, that I can continue.”
Smith estimated he had about 1,000 miles remaining on his trip, which will now take him across Michigan, across Ontario, and into New York State and Massachusetts. He estimates about 20 days for this leg of the journey.
Jakob’s parents — Ken’s son Jason and daughter-in-law Sue, live in Ontario and Jason is a firefighter in London, Ontario, Canada.
Jakob, Ken explains, was supposed to die at age 2 but is now 16 years old. He can walk but cannot speak, and requires 24/7 care. The goal of the cross-country trip is, partially, to raise funds to support Jakob’s needs including speech therapy.
WKTV will follow Ken Smith as he posts to his Facebook account and will provide continuing coverage.
On Thursday, Sept. 6, Smith wrote from the road, as he crossed Michigan:
“I left St. Johns at 8 am and decided to take the rail trail to Owosso to get off hwy 21. It was a good ride on gravel. The trail from Owosso to Flint was not a good trail. Much of it was mud, a walking trail along the river very narrow but it did get me to some county roads. This slowed me down tremendously. My goal was to get past Flint and get as far as I could to hopefully get to the ferry to Canada by tomorrow night. Will see. Total miles travelled today 81 for a total distance of 2563 + 81 for 2644 miles. … I’m looking forward to the ride across Ontario to Buffalo next week.”
Wyoming: Candidate forum set for Thursday, June 20, at WKTV
The Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosts its Wyoming candidate forum Wednesday, June 20, at the WKTV station, 5261 Clyde Park Ave. SW. For more on the story, click here.
Kentwood: Summer concert series continues with May Erlewine on June 21
May Erlewine (Facebook/John Hanson)
The City of Kentwood Summer Concert series continues this week with “Michigan’s Songbird”, May Erlewine, on Thursday, June 21. The concert will begin at 7 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, located at 4900 Breton Road SE. For more on the story, click here.
WKTV Journal
In the latest WKTV Journal newscast, we sit down with Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams to talk about the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Commission and Jeremy Witt from the West Michigan Tourist Association to discuss fun, educational trips residents can take this summer. Also there is Fourth of July information along with upcoming road construction projects.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus is the now retired Wyoming Director of Police and Fire Services Chief, as well as a candidate for a local state house seat.
“This Was My Land” (1990). Armand Merizon gave this painting to Dave and Muriel in exchange for a Lake Michigan painting he wanted back and destroyed. (Supplied)
“On An Overgrown Path” (1997). (Supplied. Collection of Sidney J. Jansma, Jr.)
Every person who knew the late West Michigan artist Armand Merizon has stories to tell — stories of a complex man’s triumphs and struggles, of a brilliant painter with a sometimes struggling career, but ultimately of an artistic life well lived.
And every person who has seen one of his paintings has his or her own story to tell: the story the acclaimed artist constantly worked to convey in just about every work he created.
Muriel Zandstra — friend, repeated interviewer, and artistic advocate of Merizon for five decades — has her own stories to tell, and she has told them, accompanied by the most complete visual review of the artist’s work, in a new book, “Armand Merizon: His Life and Art”.
Armand Merizon in studio (with image of musical influence Beethoven). (Supplied)
“The reason for producing the book, for all it involved, was more than just good friendship,” Zandstra said to WKTV. “It was an overwhelming belief in the man and his art. I think he’s not just a ‘good’ artist, but a ‘great’ artist and his legacy should live on. I strongly believe, as do all the art professionals who knew him, that Merizon is a significant 20th century American artist who needs to be elevated to his rightful position in the art world.”
The new book was not Zandstra’s first effort to shine a light on Merizon. She co-produced with Jennifer Dornbush a documentary about the artist, “ARMAND”, in 2005, when he was 85 and in ill-health with terrible arthritis in his hands and advanced macular degeneration in his eyes. He died in 2010.
“Since I had already done so much research on him for the documentary, I was the best equipped to take on the challenge of creating a book,” Zandstra said. “Though it was a natural, it was still an unexpected and unsought-after project for my retirement. I needed the help of many professionals to pull it off.”
What they pulled off — she credits the work of Jan Keessen and Randall VanderMey on the book’s dust jacket — was a 240-page, oversized hardcover “coffee table book” of such beauty, such comprehensiveness that it deserves a place of more prominence than a coffee table. It contains photographs of more than 200 of the artist’s works, beginning with an early work from 1932, “Fall Tree”, a stunningly mature pastoral work for a 12-year-old, to one of the last of his paintings, the abstract “In D Minor”, from 2009.
“After coproducing and broadcasting the documentary “ARMAND” in 2005, people wanted to see more of Merizon’s art and learn more about the genius behind them,” she said. “There was not any one gallery or museum where I could direct them to go since so many of his paintings are held in private homes. It seemed the only logical way to get his artwork out there was for someone to come up with a catalog art book. … It would be geared for the general public though also suitable for professionals and serious artists to study and learn from.”
For a short video review of Merizon’s work, and an on-air WKTV Journal interview with Zandstra, see the following video.
Author shares personal stories of artist
Zandstra tells many stories about her interactions with Merizon over the years, both in the book and sitting in the living room of the rural Reed City home she shares with her husband, Dave. Two stories tell of the depth of their relationship: one of a painting given and returned, and another of the artist and his model.
Merizon had a habit of giving paintings in exchange for others’ services rendered — just ask any of a number of local doctors who have Merizon paintings in their offices. In Zandstra’s case, it was a seascape given during the years she babysit for the family; a painting given and then returned and destroyed.
“That painting was a delightful, photographic kind of painting, I was thrilled with it,” she said. “But I could tell over the years that he was doing something deeper. … Even though everybody liked the painting, I was thinking there is something not quite right in this painting.
“One day I said, ‘Would you like to see your paintings that I have? You paint them and then they are gone and you need to see them again.’ He said, ‘Yes I would.’ … I brought them the next time and when he looked at that one he goes ‘Yuck! The horizon line is too close to the center. And the shoreline is washed out.’ He said the only redeeming thing are the clouds in the sky. He said you know, ‘Could I have it back?’ And I said, ‘Yep’. So I just gave it back to him.
“This Was My Land” (1990). Armand Merizon gave this painting to Dave and Muriel in exchange for a Lake Michigan painting he wanted back and destroyed. (Supplied)
“Then a couple months later, when I visited him, he said, ‘I would like to upgrade your collection. I want to give one that Dave would like, that he would relate too as well, he is a farmer, a teacher.’ And he gave me that one painting,” she said, pointing to a wall in her living room and to a ghostly, deeply moving painting titled “This Was My Land”.
Another story led to a painting of Muriel herself by Merizon, included on the book’s dust jacket’s front flap. It is called “Portrait of Muriel” from 1966; it is a delicate facial portrait of soft colors that looks unfinished by design.
“He was always trying new things, as I have said, always experimenting,” she said. “He was doing portraits a lot during he 1950s and ’60s, to make money. But he wanted to try something new. So, I was babysitting for him at the time and he said, ‘Would you mind coming over, I want to try a new technique. I want to just capture the eyes, nose and mouth, because everything else changes in a person — hair styles, your clothing — everything changes, but your facial features stay the same.’
“Portrait of Muriel” (Supplied)
“He did an ink sketch first, then he did this more soft painting. So he had these two done and he said ‘Which one do you like better?’ I looked at them both, and I like the more finished one, with the color in it. So I picked that one, and he said, ‘Well you can have it for $35 dollars’.”
Merizon, Zandstra points out, made a living off his art. And she had no problem paying for his works then, nor later in their relationship.
“What Merizon has given to me personally over the years is invaluable,” Zandstra said. “Besides gifting me several art pieces, he has taught me a real appreciation for the fine arts, a reverence for the natural world, and a deep ethical sense with which to live by. His integrity was impeccable.
“I can never give back to him what he has given to me. I collect his art because I feel it is timeless, thought provoking and a real inspiration to me. It brings joy and peace.”
Leafing through Zandstra’s book one gets the same sense: Timeless, thought provoking, inspirational.
“Armand Merizon: His Life and Art” can purchased the book off E-bay and Amazon, as well as in person at Merizon Studio, Baker Book House, Meijer Gardens, the Grand Rapid Art Museum, Mercury Head Gallery, Perceptions Gallery, Calvin College and Kendall College. For more information on Zandstra and the book visit merizonbook.strikingly.com .
It was a desire to get her daughter more involved in the community, and for the opportunity for herself to give back, that had Becky Richard signing up to volunteer at Festival of the Arts’ face painting booth.
That was 13 years ago and Richard has gone on to co-chair face painting, serve as the 2016 Festival co-chair with Tim Jacobson, and is now the chair of volunteer recruitment for the organization.
Festival of the Arts Volunteer Recruitment Chair Becky Richards talks to Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
“I brought [my daughter] down and we talked to one of the the chairs of face painting and signed up to volunteer,” Richard said. “I’m so glad I did because its really like being a part of a big family.”
It takes a small village to put on the annual Festival of the Arts which marks its 49th year in 2018. The dates for the event which always happens the first weekend in June are June 1, 2, and 3 in downtown Grand Rapids.
“It takes over 500 slots just to fill our kids activities for the weekend,” Richard said, adding that kids activities includes face painting, kids paint-in, Mad Hatter, and Chalk the Walk. There also are many other volunteer opportunities beyond just kids activities such as stages, the Festival store, Festival Regional Arts, headquarters, production, and clean-up. Those operating the individual food booths are responsible for their own volunteers so the Festival organization does not handle volunteers for specific food booths, however; there is a food booth committee that does work with the various booths.
People are able to volunteer for what fits in their schedule, whether it be a couple of hours or all weekend. Volunteers have the opportunity just to help out or do what Richard did, and expand their role by co-chairing an activity. It really all depends on what the person wants to do, she said, adding it is just about getting involved and just having some fun.
Richard also noted that volunteering can look good on college applications and resumes since it teaches life skills such as cashiering, merchandising, organizing, and working with the public.
All ages are welcomed. Students under 18, should have parents’ permission. Groups are welcomed from service organizations to companies that encourage employees to do community outreach.
“The great thing about Festival is you don’t need any experience at all,” Richard said. “If you’ve never volunteered for a Festival before; if you’re not artsy; if you’ve never painted a face — it doesn’t matter. Just come down and have some fun. Really there is something for everyone.”
For more about Festival of the Arts or how to volunteer, visit festivalgr.org.
New Godfrey-Lee Public School superintendent Kevin Polston visits WKTV Journal’s In Focus set. (WKTV)
WKTV Staff
news@wktv.org
On the latest episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus”, WKTV’s public affairs show, program host Ken Norris talks with new Godfrey-Lee Public School superintendent Kevin Polston about the opportunities — not challenges — his district offers.
Also on the program, with all the road construction going on, just about everywhere, WKTV hosts a deputy managing director of the Kent County Road Commission as he discusses the public’s role in work zone safety.
The new episode will air twice a week on WKTV channels starting this week and running through Oct. 5. Along with all episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus, the new interviews are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
In the interview, Superintendent Polston talks, among several topics, about how demographics of his district — which includes a high Hispanic population — is an obstacle to be overcome for some of his students but also could develop in a bilingual asset for future students and graduates.
A bilingual student population “is not one that has been traditionally valued because were get measured on the rate of English acquisition” by Spanish speaking students, Polston said. “Over 50 percent of our students qualify for English language services. … I think bilingual is a tremendous asset, especially with the largest growing demographic in our country right now is our Hispanic population.”
Prior to taking the position in July, Polston served as Lakeshore Middle School’s principal, but he has worked in the classroom as well as in administration. He received his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, and his master’s in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University.
“WKTV Journal: In Focus” will started airing on Tuesday, Sept. 26, and will air on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 6:30 p.m., on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
For a video of the In Focus interview with Jerry Byrne, deputy managing director of the Kent County Road Commission, see below.
WKTV Journal’s biweekly video newscast premiers its newest episode today with segments on the annual clean up effort for Buck Creek lead by Sherm’s Trout Unlimited and the Friends of Buck Creek and the Kentwood 50th Anniversary celebration “Celebrate Kentwood” along with a special segment on a car housed at the Grand Rapids Public Museum that has a unique connection to the Mackinac Bridge.
WKTV Journal’s newscast premiers biweekly on Monday at 8 a.m., and then is broadcast at various times and dates on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T Channel 99 Community channel. This week, it will run on WKTV 25 Tuesday, Aug. 8, at the following times: 11:58 a.m., 4:55 p.m. and 5:52 p.m., and on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 1:06 a.m. This week it will run on WKTV Channel 26 on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 6:58 p.m. and 9:52 p.m.
