The Valentine Dance, formerly called Daddy/Daughter Dance, will be held at the Wyoming Senior Center from 6 – 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10.
This event is for all children and the special adult in their life: a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle, etc.
A DJ will be pumping out the jams for a fun evening of dancing. Attendees can also enjoy crafts and a free professional photo to capture this special memory.
Pizza will be provided by Jet’s Pizza of Wyoming, and attendees can also enjoy a dessert bar.
Cost per ticket is $10 for residents and $15 for non-residents. Register by Feb. 8 by calling 616-530-3164 or online.
Live reindeer from GG Reindeer Farm came to visit (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Brianna Pena Wojtanek, Wyoming Communications Specialist, was excited to see the reindeer (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
All ages joined in at the craft tables! (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Wyoming PD officers created a festive sleigh (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Members of the Fire Department helped collect the clothing donations(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Wyoming PD Wrap Up Wyoming (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Council Member-At-Large Tommy Brann (left) and Mayor Kent Vanderwood showed their support of the holiday event (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Jingle Jams, led by Parks and Recreation Director Krashawn Martin (left) and Wyoming Senior Center Chad Boprie, were a favorite! (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
deborah@wktv.org
Santa and Mrs. Claus, reindeer, live music and cookie decorating were only a few highlights of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department’s new holiday event, Wrap Up Wyoming (WUW), that took place Friday, Dec. 1.
Not only did the holiday festivities help bring residents and neighbors together for an evening of fun at the Wyoming Senior Center, WUW also kickstarted a donation drive that will run throughout the month of December.
Wrapping Wyoming in warmth
Warm winter clothing was a greater need in the Wyoming area this year (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
After talking with school partners and other community members, it became apparent there was a great need for warm winter clothing.
“What a lot of the schools need more than anything are coats, hats and boots for their students,” said Krashawn Martin, Wyoming Parks and Recreation Director. “Things that go well beyond the holidays [and] into the colder months.”
Attendees donated new warm clothing such as hats, gloves, scarves, coats and boots. The collected items will be distributed to Wyoming area schools.
“The reason we do this is so that residents can give back to the City, and to residents in need,” said Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood. “Part of my heart and my passion is to help those who need help.
“Sometimes it’s hard for people to know how they should give gifts at Christmas to those in need. By donating in this way, it makes it a little easier for them. I really enjoy the giving part of it.”
The Wyoming Jazz Band played several festive tunes (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Also in attendance was Tommy Brann, Wyoming City Council Member-At-Large, who likened the festivities to a Hallmark movie.
“This reminds you of a Hallmark movie where it brings the community together, and everybody is in a good mood,” said Brann.
Santa and Mrs. Claus were available for pictures and a merry chat (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Brann went on to say that he wishes the donation drive could continue all year. “People need help year-round, but this is a great thing, and I’m glad Wyoming is doing this.”
Martin agreed that there is a great need for help and support – and the City will step forward to meet that need.
“Anything we can do here at the City of Wyoming and as a community to meet that need for our families, we are looking and willing to do,” said Martin.
Music, Santa, and Cookies – Oh My!
Those with a sweet tooth could decorate their own cookie (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Special performances by the Wyoming Jazz Band and storytime with KDL Branch Librarian Adrianna Triche provided festive experiences for all age groups.
Seeing children’s faces light up with smiles was Martin’s favorite part of the event.
“Anything that is going to bring a smile to a child’s face,” said Martin. “When they come in, their faces are going to light up when they see the Christmas tree, when they see Santa…There are some fun surprises tonight.”
WPD Officers Tyler Zbikowski and Jack Tromp show off their cookie decorating skills (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Live reindeer from GG Reindeer Farm were in attendance, and allowed pictures and petting. Santa and Mrs. Claus were available for pictures and merry conversation, and WKTV Community Media recorded holiday greetings for city officials and residents.
Members of Wyoming Public Safety also participated in the festivities. Members of the fire department organized and collected clothing donations, and several police officers joined in at the craft tables and cookie decorating stations.
A Jingle Jam Sing-A-Long led by Martin and Wyoming Senior Center Director Chad Boprie rounded out the evening.
A new holiday tradition
KDL Branch Librarian Adrianna Triche read a holiday story to the crowd (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“This event is a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season and spend quality time with friends and family,” said Martin. “It’s the perfect opportunity to talk to your little ones about the importance of lending a hand and giving back to your community.”
Boprie said that, since having his own children, he sees the importance of events like WUW that provide ways for people to connect with one another.
“Ever since having kids, my view on things like this has totally shifted,” said Boprie. “Even more, I see the importance of events like this to bring the community together, to create family traditions that you can pass on and share with your kids.”
It takes a village
Clothing donations will be distributed among local schools (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“[For] events like this, it takes a team, it takes a village,” said Martin. “The Parks and Recreation team does a lot to prepare months in advance, but we can’t do events like this without the community support we receive.
“We are grateful for our City leaders and for our sponsors – LMCU and Challenge Island – to help make things like this possible.”
If you were unable to attend but would still like to donate, WUW donation bins are available at Wyoming City Hall through the month of December.
To learn more about the City of Wyoming Parks & Recreation Department, click here.
WUW will be the kickoff event to a donation drive that runs throughout the month of December. Attendees are asked to donate new, warm clothing such as hats, gloves, scarves, coats and boots. The collected items will be donated to Wyoming area schools.
Meeting a need through change
“This is a reimagining of Wyoming Gives Back, [with] some of the same elements that were there previously,” said Martin, adding that the most noticeable variation is the giving element.
Previously, donations consisted of toys that were then given to the Salvation Army. Martin said the City is still accepting toy donations internally, with drop-off sites located at all City buildings.
After talking with school partners and other community members, however, a greater need was revealed.
“What a lot of the schools need more than anything are coats, hats and boots for their students,” said Martin. “Things that go well beyond the holidays into the colder months.”
What to expect at WUW
(Courtesy, Wyoming Parks & Rec)
The WUW event will feature musical acts from Godwin Heights High School Percussionists and Wyoming Public Schools Jazz Band, cookie decorating, a hot cocoa station, and several crafts.
Several holiday displays will highlight different holiday traditions reflected in the Wyoming community.
Wyoming Public Safety will be in attendance with their vehicles for a Touch-A-Truck opportunity, and attendees can look forward to a visit from Santa, Mrs. Claus – and live reindeer from GG Reindeer Farm.
“We are going to utilize the whole space,” said Martin of WSC. “Most of the crafts and musical performances will take place inside, but we’ll have a staging area set up outside with the reindeer. It will be a good opportunity for kids and families.”
A community effort
The Parks & Rec Department is working with several local organizations to ensure WUW is a success – and to also provide a unique opportunity for a certain group of community members.
Empower U, a Kent ISD program for individuals with special needs who have aged out of the K-12 system, provides specialized instruction, employment opportunities and independent living skills.
“They have been coming and doing some volunteer work at the senior center, providing them with job training,” said Martin. “After the event, they are going to come and go through all of the warm items and sort things for us so they are ready for us to take out to the schools.”
Let the festivities begin!
Lend a hand, give back, and ring in the holiday season at WUW (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
WUW is open to everyone to attend, so come join in the spirit of giving and fun festivities.
If you are unable to attend but would still like to donate, WUW donation bins are available at City Hall now through the month of December.
“This event is a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season and spend quality time with friends and family,” said Martin. “It’s the perfect opportunity to talk to your little ones about the importance of lending a hand and giving back to your community.
“We hope to create a fresh, even newer holiday tradition for everyone in Wyoming.”
For more information about Wrap Up Wyoming, please contact the City of Wyoming Parks & Recreation team at 616-530-3164, parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or www.wyomingmi.gov.
The fifth annual Veterans Breakfast will be held at the Wyoming Senior Center (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
Community members are invited to honor all veterans at the event (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
The City of Wyoming Parks & Recreation Department is honored to host the fifth annual Veterans Breakfast set for 9 – 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 9 at the Wyoming Senior Center (2380 DeHoop Ave SW).
Sergeant Katelynn Y. Morrison will be the keynote speaker for the event.
Morrison enlisted into the United States Army Reserve in 2012, transferred to Active Duty Army in 2017 and completed Initial Entry Training at Fort Leonard, MO. She first served as an Army Internment/Resettlement Specialist, at Camp Humphreys, South Korea then served as a Team Leader and as the NCOIC for the Control Center at Fort Leavenworth, KS. Most recently, Morrison joined the US Army Recruiting Command in 2022 and was assigned to the Great Lakes Recruiting Battalion, Wyoming Station.
“The City of Wyoming is committed and proud to recognize those who have served and continue to serve our country in the armed forces and protect our freedoms,” said Krashawn Martin, director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Wyoming. “Our Veterans Breakfast and Memorial Day ceremonies are tributes to that service and protection.”
All veterans will be honored for their service at the Veterans Breakfast (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
Pre-registration by Nov. 2 is required for the event. Register by calling 616-530-3164 or stopping by the Parks & Recreation office in Wyoming City Hall (1155 28th Street SW). Registration is free for veterans; all others are $5.
“This was prompted by the recognition that our senior community in Wyoming is one that deserves to have attention provided to it, and services delivered right to their doorstep,” said Fitzgerald. “We really looked at what this community needs, and it is more direct services from the state. This is an opportunity for us to begin a tradition of providing these resources directly to the community.”
The Resource Fair included several community organizations that provided information, resources, goodies, and even lunch for attendees. The goal was to not only reach members of the Wyoming Senior Center where the event was held, but also the general community with resources specific to older adults in Wyoming.
“It’s very easy for older adults to slip through the cracks,” said Chad Boprie, WSC Director. “As people hit retirement age, they start to have these needs and they don’t know where to find help. By doing an event like this, [seniors] can get a lot of the resources in one place and be able to tap into those,” said Boprie.
A need for resources and compassion
The Senior Resource Fair is expected to become an annual fall event (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Resident Janet Thompson attended the Resource Fair for that exact reason.
Housing, transportation, and service providers such as plumbers and electricians were among Thompson’s top priorities.
“We want to stay in our homes as long as we can,” said Thompson. “We figured we would hire what we need done, but we don’t know where to go to hire it done.”
Where to get help – and help from providers experienced with the senior community – is not always clear, Thompson continued.
“I thought maybe the [vendors] who come here are used to dealing with seniors…and might be more patient and have more knowledge,” said Thompson.
Providing knowledge and expertise
Senior Real Estate Specialist Patti Grover Gabrielse (left) works to provide seniors with customized and fair expertise (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Senior Real Estate Specialist, Patti Grover Gabrielse, participated as a vendor at the Resource Fair to help provide that experience and knowledge.
“What we do is we focus on the senior adult community,” said Gabrielse. “Of course we want to stay in our homes as long as we can, but when the time comes that we have to sell, I make sure to protect that asset and get the most amount of money for them.”
Gabrielse went on to say that there are real estate agents out there who take advantage of people who don’t know the market.
“It’s a real area of elder abuse,” Gabrielse said. “That money, whether [seniors] are going to go to assisted living or if they are going to go to family and live, every dime matters to them.”
Health and wellness education
Tina Ezell (left) of Urban League of West Michigan chats with a senior resident (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Tia Ezell with Urban League of West Michigan participated in the Resource Fair to provide information on COVID-19 and tobacco reform.
“Today we are here with information about COVID-19,” said Ezell. “We have some resources, masks, sanitizer, and literature on the vaccine and that explains things you can do to help prevent the spread of COVID.”
The Grand Rapids Urban League is also looking to end the sale of all flavored tobacco in the state of Michigan, including menthol flavored tobacco.
“[We are] doing our best to engage and educate the community that we serve about the harms of tobacco smoke, and why there is a need for tobacco reform in the state of Michigan,” Ezell said.
Grand Rapids Urban League also provides resources in regard to health and wellness education, housing resources, employment opportunities, and the Cure Violence program.
“The communities we serve are under-resourced, marginalized, and we are aware that we need to do what we can to inform them and provide whatever resources are available,” said Ezell.
A community that cares
The Wyoming Senior Center offers resources for both physical and mental health (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Senior Center works to provide the senior community with care and resources for more than just physical recreation.
“We want to be a hub for recreational services,” said Boprie. “Within that recreation there are so many goals related to not only physical fitness and physical health, but also mental health.”
Boprie went on to say that the WSC staff often sees loneliness and depression in older adults and believes that being active and involved in social programs helps reduce that issue.
“We also offer Meals on Wheels here two days a week, so there is also the nutritional component that we can provide for people as well,” Boprie said.
“We are very fortunate to have a senior center like this in Wyoming,” said Fitzgerald, “where we can have a gathering place to have all these wonderful organizations and people who serve our senior community get right to the source, to the people who need their services most.”
Dedicated to a life of service
A member of Rep. Fitzgerald’s staff sets out complimentary lunches, provided by Meals on Wheels, for attendees (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Serving his first term representing the 83rd House District, Fitzgerald is dedicated to building policy that will solve everyday, real issues that impact West Michigan residents. His commitment to community service stems from his mother and grandmothers who devoted their lives to giving beyond themselves.
“My personal connection with the senior community began when I was a child,” said Fitzgerald. “Starting at the age of three, I delivered Meals on Wheels with my mom. I would go in there and begin to chat with those who we were delivering meals to, and hear how their day was going.
“In my teenage years, I played cards with a number of my church members who were older,” Fitzgerald continued. “Even today, I look to support our senior community in a number of non-profit ways as well.”
Mrs. Claus (pictured above) and Santa will be returning to this year’s Wyoming Gives Back. (WKTV)
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma joanne@wktv.org
The City of Wyoming will once again kick off its holiday season with its Wyoming Gives Back event set for Dec. 2 at a new location, the Wyoming Senior Center.
“After last year’s virtual event, we had the opportunity to reset the way we host Wyoming Gives Back,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “Hosting the event at the Wyoming Senior Center gives us the opportunity to use a beautiful city facility and highlight its many programs and offerings for community members.”
Due to COVID, the city opted for a virtual program in 2020 that was filmed and produced at the WKTV Community Center. Through last year’s efforts, the city was able to collect more than 800 toys and raffled off nearly $3,500 in prizes from local businesses.
“We are thrilled to come together as a community and City to celebrate the holidays and spread joy to local families,” Poll said. “This event is a community favorite for so many residents and families — and a favorite of mine as well. We look forward to community members joining us in person for this holiday event.
The collection vehicle for the annual Wyoming Gives Back. (WKTV)
Residents will bring toys to the Wyoming Senior Center between 6 – 8 p.m. The toys are donated to the Salvation Army Angel Tree. For each toy donated, a resident receives a raffle ticket for a chance to win gifts donated by Wyoming businesses.
Giving back is the reason that Frank Vitale, owner of Frankie V’s, said he sponsors the annual holiday event.
“We have been here for 20 years, so when the City of Wyoming calls, I do what I can to help,” said Vitale, who added he has lived in Wyoming for about 36 years.
During the two-hour event, there will be music from the Salvation Army Band, Wyoming High School Jazz Band, and Lee High School’s Concert Voices. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will be there checking in with area children on their Christmas wishes. Also members of the Wyoming Police and Fire departments will be there as well. WKTV will be there once again recording the popular holiday greetings.
The City of Wyoming has been hosting the annual Wyoming Gives Back event for 11 years, partnering with local businesses and the community to celebrate the holiday season by helping those in need. For more information about Wyoming Gives Back, visit www.wyomingmi.gov/givesback or call 616-530-7272.
City of Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt announced that the Wyoming Senior Center will remain closed until June 1. All scheduled events at the Senior Center through June 1 are canceled and may be rescheduled for a later date.
“This is a preventative measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in populations at high risk of getting very sick,” Rynbrandt wrote in an email letter to the community. “High-risk populations include older adults and people with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease.”
Rynbrandt said staff will continue to evaluate the current state of COVID-19 as more information is available and update the community members as needed. All those who are directly impacted by the cancelations that go through June 1 will be contacted.
The City of Wyoming recently announced that as a preventive measure, it has closed the Wyoming Senior Center and cancelled all events at the Senior Center until April 6.
As of now, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19, commonly referred to as coronavirus, in the City of Wyoming, according to a state from city officials. The closing of the Wyoming Senior Center is a proactive measure to help proved the spread of COVID-19 in populations at high risk of getting very sick. This includes older adults and people with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lug disease.
City officials will evaluate the current state of COVID-19 as more information is available.
Remember, before attending any event, make sure to call or check the appropriate website before heading out. To check on City of Wyoming activities, visit www.wyomingmi.gov.
Young ladies are encouraged to bring their favorite adult date, dad, grandpa, uncle or another male figure, to the Daddy Daughter Dance.
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation is currently taking registrations for its annual Daddy Daughter Dance, which will be Saturday, Feb. 9.
The popular dance, which is for girls ages 3-15, fills up quickly, so residents are encouraged to register early. This year’s event will include a photo booth, DJ, games and refreshments.
The event will be from 6-8 p.m. at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW. Cost is $8 for residents and $12 for non-residents. (Fee is per person.)
Pre-registration is required. To register, click here.
For Kentwood resident Mike Bacon, what he loves most about woodcarving is that he can do it.
“That is probably the most important thing,” Bacon said. “I really enjoy the people who are in the carving group. Half the experience is the solarization, and sharing all kinds of techniques and the information that has to go along with it.”
Saturday, Sept. 29, area residents will have the opportunity to explore the world of wood carving during a Wood Carving Expo sponsored by the WSC Wood Carving Club. The event will be from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Wyoming Senior Center Community Room, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW.
The main purpose of the event is to raise awareness about the club and wood carving so there will be carving and wood burning demonstrations during the event. Many of the club members will be on hand to answer questions along with offering items up for sale.
“If you are interested in woodcarving, I would suggest joining a group because the people in the group will help you learn,” Bacon said.
The WSC Wood Carving Club started in the late seventies with a group of people who enjoyed wood carving, according to Club President Karen Brown.
“Woodcarving is one of the oldest forms of art,” Brown said. “It ranks up there with cave painting.”
Today, the love and interest in the art form continues to bring people together. The group explores all types of wood carving from bark carving to caricature carving and pyrography, the art of wood burning.
“We are all encouraging especially with younger folks because we want our skills and knowledge to be carried on by other people who are younger so we don’t lose the skills that we have learned,” Brown said, adding with a laugh, “and we’ll have someone to pass on our tools to.”
The group meeds the last Tuesdays of the month from fall to spring at the WKTV station, 5261 Clyde Park SW. Programs have included demonstrations and classes on various wood carving techniques. Whittlin’ Time, the TV program based on the monthly meetings, airs on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 at 6:30 p.m. Monday, 4 p.m. Tuesday, and 11 a.m. Friday.
For more about the WSC Wood Carving Club contact Brown at 616-706-9685 or kahb69@chartermi.net.
The City of Wyoming will host a seminar for rental property owners and housing professionals.
Free and open to the public, the City of Wyoming invites residents to learn more about housing-related topics. The seminar will take place in the Wyoming Senior Center Community Room, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW on Monday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Designed for Wyoming landlords, rental agents, property management personnel, real estate agents and residents, the three-hour training seminar will provide practical, up-to-date information to assist housing professionals in their daily compliance with fair housing laws, and provide information on local agencies and resources who address various housing-related needs.
Topics and speakers include:
“Don’t break the law – what you need to know as a landlord relative to Section 8” will be presented by the City of Wyoming Public Housing Commission
“Fair housing practices update – what are your responsibilities & how are you affected?” will be presented by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan
“City of Wyoming rental inspections program update – what are the proposed ordinances relative to multi-family dwellings & rental inspections for manufactured housing?” will be presented by the City of Wyoming Building Inspections Department
The Rental Property Owners Association and Wyoming Building Inspections Department will be available after the sessions to answer any questions. To register, please call 616-530-3164 by May 14.
A continental breakfast will be served. Seminar completion certificates will be provided upon completion. The educational seminar is sponsored by the Wyoming Community Development Department and the Rental Property Owners Association.
Santa is coming to Wyoming for a special event: the annual Great Candy Cane Hunt set for Saturday, Dec. 9.
There is still time for people to register for the hunt, which is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Registration is $4 for resident hildren 3-14 years old ($6 for non-residents). Additional family members who are over the age of 14 may attend and enjoy lunch for $2.
The annual event features a candy cane hunt, lead by St. Nick himself, outside the Wyoming Public Safety Department, 2300 DeHoop Ave. Activities including lunch will be moved inside to the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW.
Pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, call 616-530-3164.
The almost week of warm, spring-like weather had about everyone trying to take advantage of the outdoors whether it be hitting a few balls at the golf course or just walking around the neighborhood.
So with spring on the mind, it is only fitting that the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department announce the second annual Community Health & Wellness Expo is set for Saturday, March 4 at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW. The event, which is from 1 – 3 p.m., is designed to provide inspiration on how to get active and eat smart.
“We had a good showing from our first event,” said Val Mester, recreation planner of Wyoming Parks and Recreation. “We saw that those businesses who participated were able to network not only with the public but also with each other as well.”
While at the Wyoming Senior Center, the expo programs are not just for seniors but include things for children, adults, and families, Mester said. A variety of local businesses, clubs and organizations will host tables and hand out samples and other great goodies. The first 50 adults through the door will receive a special gift.
Just like last year, there will be demonstrations of several programs including line dancing, yoga, and kickboxing. Healthy snacks will be handed out and those who attend will receive tickets for a raffle.
“It is all designed to encourage people in the community to try new things,” Mester said, adding that the expo will also encourage residents to continue to get outside and exercise.
For more information about the Community Health & Wellness Expo or for other upcoming Parks and Recreation Department activities, contact the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 530-3164 or visit www.wyomingmi.gov.
February has rolled in and with it the opportunity for dads to celebrate the little princesses in their lives as both the Wyoming and Kentwood Parks and Recreation Departments host Daddy-Daughter dances.
The Wyoming Daddy-Daughter Dance is set for Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop SW. It is set to start at 6 p.m. and run until 8 p.m. The cost to participate is $8 per person for a Wyoming resident and $12 per person for non-residents. The event is open to girls 3 – 15 years of age and their adult date.
To participate you must register by Thursday, Feb. 2. To register, click here or call the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164.
Kentwood’s Daddy Daughter Dance is the following week, Friday, Feb. 10, at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton SE. The event is from 6 – 8 p.m.
Since the Kentwood event is so close to Valentine’s Day this year, the Daddy-Daughter Dance theme is a sweetheart dance. Cost is $20 per couple and $5 for each additional person. Pre-registration is required for this dance as well. To register, call the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department at 616-656-5270.
Chad Boprie, the new director of the Wyoming Senior Center, has been at the facility for two weeks now but his history with the center actually goes back more than 10 years.
Boprie, a graduate of Grand Valley State University’s Therapeutic Recreation program who most recently worked a supervisor of therapeutic recreation services for Hope Network, did a student placement at the Wyoming Senior Center in 2006.
“So I am familiar with the programming, with the City of Wyoming,” he said Monday. “I really enjoyed my time there.”
But he is still in the early phases of his learning mode this time around, after starting Oct. 31.
“It has been good,” he said. “I have been learning the processes the program. Getting to know the members and the participants. As I go along, I will look for things we can make better, but right now I am just learning.”
Part of the City of Wyoming’s Parks and Recreation Department, Boprie will oversee recreation programming for older adults as well as facility operations center.
“The Center is an invaluable community asset that greatly impacts our residents,” Boprie said in supplied material. “I look forward to contributing to its continued success.”
The WSC is an 18,000-square-foot facility that serves more than 200 daily, and offers participants fitness, creative arts, technology, and social activities.
For more information, please contact the city’s Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164 or parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or visit wyomingmi.gov/ParksRec/parks-recreation
Are you 60 or older? Need a ride to a medical appointment or other local destination?
The Rapid’s Go!Bus TicketProgram offers a door-to-door transportation service for seniors age 65+ and persons with disabilities who cannot ride a fixed-route bus.
GO!Bus is a shared ride, advanced reservation, ADA paratransit service. GO!Bus riders share trips traveling in the same direction at the same time. Trips are scheduled without regard to the purpose of the trip. The Rapid also provides GO!Bus service to non-disabled seniors (NDS) aged 65 and older.
Non-disabled senior citizens must present proof of age (i.e., copy of driver’s license, birth certificate, etc.) with their completed application. To use the service due to disability, you must complete an ADA application AND ‘Professional Verification of Functional Disability’ form.
Once you’re approved, the GO!Bus provides service in the same area and at the same days and times as The Rapid fixed-route buses. Go!Bus is also available to companions of qualified riders, personal care attendants (PCAs) and service animals. To ensure there is a seat available for companions, be sure to notify GO!Bus that you will have someone accompanying you when you make your reservation. Read the Go!Bus rider’s guide here.
Reduced-price tickets for the Inter-urban Transit Partnership (ITP) Go!Bus service are available to Kent County residents who are approved Go!Bus riders, thanks to funding by the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan. If you are 60 or older, live in Kent County and are an approved Go!Bus rider, you may apply to purchase the discounted tickets at the Wyoming Senior Center. Please call the Wyoming Senior Center at 616.530.3190 or email mywsc@wyomingmi.gov. More info about Go!Bus here.
It is probably fitting that the month of July is Parks and Recreation Month. It is the only full month of summer when the weather is nice enough to be outside and do something. And for many individuals, the best place and way to do that something is at a local park.
So in honor of July being Parks and Recreation Month, I decided —in a two-part series — to check out what is happening in both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood when it comes to parks and recreation.
This piece focuses on Wyoming. To check out the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department story, click here.
Besides the 28 West project finally moving forward this summer, the City of Wyoming had another big reason to celebrate the summer of 2016: Ideal Park reopened.
The park was one of the casualties of the tornado of 2014 with the city spending the past two years cleaning up the debris and replacing the trees.
“I know a lot about insurance and what it covers,” said Director of Community Serices Rebecca Rynbrandt with a little laugh. For example, insurance would help with the removal of the trees but not all of the debris and deadfall that was left. Also, the city had to fill in where the trees once stood.
“With 100-year-old trees they had pretty large bulbs which left large holes that had to be backfilled,” Rynbrandt said.
The cost for the tree removal was more than $500,000 and with like any budget, when something happens, you may have to shuffle a few things around, Rynbrandt said. So the city did a little rearranging of its almost $5 million parks and recreation budget, of which about $3 million comes from a 1.5 millage approved by Wyoming voters in the mid-1990s. The rest of the budget comes from grants at about $1.5 million and service and rental fees.
New trees to replace the ones taken down by the 2014 tornado at Ideal Park.
There is a lot left to do at Ideal Park — such as replacing the playground equipment, improve signage, adding a basketball court, establish a trailhead, and foliage and vegetation — which the city is hoping a $300,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund will help cover some of the costs.
But Ideal Park is open and it’s a nice way to mark the month of July, which happens to be Parks and Recreation Month.
The current American Parks and Recreation system actually dates back to the early 1900s, when a growing concern for leisure activities gave birth to the recreation movement which had four components: the adult education movement; the development of national, state, and municipal parks, the establishment of voluntary organizations and the playground movement. Around 1935, many states were passing laws allowing local municipalities to operate parks and recreation departments and by the early 1940s, organized recreation services were firmly established in American life.
Today, Parks and Recreation Departments, like those in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, offer a host of programs for all ages along with overseeing the care and maintenance of its parks.
The city of Wyoming has 21 parks totaling about 700 acres and a vast majority of the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget goes for the care and maintenance of those parks such as resurfacing projects, new fencing and tree replacement. It may not be as noticeable as new playground equipment other amenities, but such general maintenance is important in keeping the parks safe and vital for the community.
“If you are on the Wyoming Public Schools tennis team, you are going to notice the tennis courts have been resurfaced,” Rynbrandt said. “Someone who uses the baseball field 8 at Pinery Park is going to notice the new backstop and if you are a passionate dog owner, you are going to notice the new canine castle at the dog park.
Along with the resurfacing and redevelopment projects at Pinery, Lamar, Lemery, and Jackson, the 30-year-old exercise equipment at Pinery Park was replaced this year.
One of the bridges at Ideal Park.
But the parks are only one component of what the Parks and Recreation Department handles. The Department oversees the Wyoming Senior Center, which received security upgrades along with a new front entrance. The Department also provides support for special events such as the Concerts in the Park series run by the Wyoming Community Enrichment Program as well as community programs, such as the Pumpkin Patch and T.E.A.M. 21 Fun Run, and athletic programs such as the football program formerly run by the South Kent Recreation Association (SKRA).
And another of its biggest projects for the summer is the renovation of the Wyoming Library facility, which the city owns the building and Kent District Library owns the collection. The $800,000 project includes resurfacing the parking lot, new carpet and furniture and converting the former Book Warm Cafe into a new multipurpose area for meetings and other activities.
There is more on the horizon, Rynbrandt said. The city’s five-year parks plan shows more than $26 million in capital need, which includes major maintenance and replacing of assets such as playgrounds, fencing and trail work. Among those capital improvements is funding the master plans for Ferrand, Oriole Phase II, Jackson and Gezon.
