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Sept/Oct '16
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Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse
WOMAN2WOMAN WOMAN By Kandace Chapple & Kerry winkler
13th Anniversary
Volume 14, No. 1 September/October 2016
It’s our
issue
It’s our 13th Anniversary issue! It’s hard to believe! Looking back on the things that haven’t changed over the years, we noted the following: 1. This editorial is still always the last thing done. There have been a few valiant efforts over the years to get things done “ahead of time,” (the war cry of publishers everywhere) but the fact remains that a deadline is more effective than all good intentions combined. We may have a full two months to perfect an issue, but it still comes down to the last 24 hours before deadline. (This is also when we become pretty vocal about getting things done “ahead of time” for next issue.) 2. We still meet in the woods. There have been many fantasies about opening a downtown office over the last 13 years. But the final decision is always way laid when we analyze our time together: All of our meetings take place in the woods. On a hike, a ski or a bike. Every day. In any weather. What’s the point of an office if all the major brainstorming is done on dirt? 3. We still work anywhere and everywhere. Kandy wrote this in longhand in a salon chair with her hair a dark, goopy mess. She’d waited so long to write it “ahead of time” that she had to resort to a yellow legal pad and a dried-up pen, writing during her hair appointment, less than 24 hours before print. She wasted more time talking about why she made a hair appointment at deadline. She ended up giving her hairstylist, Ericka, a painful preview of the editorial. Ericka tried to look away but she couldn’t. 4. There’s still an increased intake of junk food at deadline. Milky Ways were good then and they’re good now. (Although, there have been deadline fads of Twix, Doves and Hersheys.) In 13 years, we cringe to think of the amount of chocolate consumed in the name of business, but stand proud (and heavier) in our entrepreneurial pursuit. 5. We still go to Chicago. This fall marks 10 years that we’ve taken bus-loads of women to Chicago. We’ve threatened trying different places but it’s always met with a resounding “No” from the ladies. Chicago has become a well-loved tradition. And who can blame them? We can be there and back in 3 days, rack up a half-dozen good stories, blow off some steam and return just in time to resume our regularly scheduled life. Also, it’s affordable (i.e. cheaper than therapy, jail time or divorce). 6. We still have our kitties. Our very first issue, in our very first editorial, we wrote about going to the Cherryland Humane Society to do a story and instead coming home with two kittens. Those kitties are gone now, but there are five others in their place (Kerry 3, Kandy 2). They still pee outside of the litter box and we still get mad about it. But we won’t give up our cats! 7. We still argue. While writing this, there was a dust-up over a last-minute ad that was done wrong. Repeatedly. As the hours ticked down to press deadline, the ad’s problems multiplied. Before it was over, four women were on the job and not a one of them happy… but then someone floated the idea of a drink. Which brings us to #8... 8. We still get it done. Join us as we celebrate our GTWoman Birthday at our Sept. 24 Girls Night Out. This will be a fun one at The Corner Loft in Traverse City with Oh Brother, Big Sister! as entertainment. There will be food, wine and probably a few arguments for your viewing pleasure, as always. Visit www.grandtraversewoman.com for more information and to join us. At press time, we had only 15 tickets left and our vendor booths were sold out!
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northern michigan’s magazine for women
Grand Traverse Woman P.O. Box 22 Interlochen, MI 49643 tel: 231.276.5105 www.grandtraversewoman.com https://www.facebook.com/grandtraversewoman/ Publishers Kandace Chapple Kerry Winkler Editor Kandace Chapple, kandace@grandtraversewoman.com Account Director Kerry Winkler, kerry@grandtraversewoman.com Account Executives Deb Dent, deb@grandtraversewoman.com Lisa Foley, lisa@grandtraversewoman.com Sherry Galbraith, sherry@grandtraversewoman.com Lori Maki, lori@grandtraversewoman.com Assistant Editor Lisa Maxbauer Price, lisam@grandtraversewoman.com COPY Editor Christine Kurtz DesignerS Bethany Gulde, bethany@grandtraversewoman.com cover photo Anne Bonney shares her story on rebooting her career and her health on Page 8. Photo by Sarah Brown, Sarah Brown Photography www.sarahbrown-photography.com Photographers Sarah Brown, Sarah Brown Photography www.sarahbrown-photography.com Scarlett Piedmonte, Photography by Scarlett www.photobyscarlett.com Beth Price, Beth Price Photography www.bethpricephotography.com Administrative Assistant Melissa Cartwright, The Beancounter Contributing Writers Anne Bonney Jackie Bradshaw Chris Convissor Rebecca Eldredge Andrea Geiger Jill Holden Donna Johnston Kristen Lowe Angie Morgan Lisa Niergarth Kristin Sonnemann-Grams Hannah Sweeney Liz Tondreau Jillian Tremonti Engelhardt Heather Wallace Advertising Kerry Winkler at 231.276.5105 or kerry@grandtraversewoman.com Visit www.grandtraversewoman.com for rates. Subscriptions To receive GTWoman at home, mail $20 (for 6 issues) to: Grand Traverse Woman, P.O. Box 22, Interlochen, MI 49643 Articles/Press Releases Letters, inquiries, press releases and GTWoman In Business submissions are welcome. See www.grandtraversewoman.com for guidelines. Mission Statement Grand Traverse Woman is a bimonthly magazine dedicated to the interests of women in the five-county region. Our mission is to provide women with a publication that is educational and inspirational. We strive to maintain a positive, well-balanced and genuine forum for women's issues. (We also like funny stuff.) © Copyright 2016 Grand Traverse Woman LLC All rights reserved.
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Grand Traverse Woman
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Sept/Oct '16
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Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse
WOMAN
Luncheon
BE A SPARK:
How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success ANGIE MORGAN
speaker
Angie Morgan works with some of the world’s best businesses including:
WEDNESDAY, OCT 12, 2016 • 11AM-1PM
NETWORKING VENDOR BOOTHS PLATED LUNCH Located at Hagerty Conference Center Lunch tickets: $25 or 2 for $45 Vendor booths: $185 (includes 2 lunch tix)
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Leadership can often seem like a mysterious concept, but, as Angie Morgan reveals, being a leader has nothing to do with positional authority and everything to do with small actions and behaviors you can take each day to influence and inspire. When women recognize how to lead and where their leadership can be applied, they SPARK! They become change agents for themselves, their families, their teams and the organizations they are a part of. Let GTWoman introduce you to an amazing woman who can decode these secrets of leadership. Angie served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps and is now the founder of Lead Star, a leadership consultancy that works with the world’s best businesses—clients that include Facebook, Google, Marathon Oil and Best Buy. Her ideas on female leadership are so respected, Angie currently serves as an advisor for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to help the military build a more inclusive environment. Angie is also the best-selling author of the business book Leading from the Front. And her second book, SPARK, launches in January 2017. You won’t wont to miss meeting this inspirational woman and local mom! Join us for a lunch that will ignite your inner strengths!
Grand Traverse
WOMAN
CREDIT UNION Locally connected. Personally invested.
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Sept/Oct '16
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Grand Traverse Woman
a year-round
™
National Writers Series
BooK Festival
announces its amazing 2016 Fall line-up!
September 17 ~ Milliken Auditorium
paola gianturco* Grandmother Power with Guest Host Tony Demin
event sponsor: wayne & terry lobdell
A collaboration with Dennos Museum
October 23
Jodi picoult
event sponsor:
grand traverse resort and spa
small great things
with Guest Host Neal Rubin
October 7
November 4
Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story with Guest Host John U. Bacon
Order to Kill - a Mitch Rapp Novel
david maraniss October 20
margaret atwood Hag-Seed with Guest Host Doug Stanton
Kyle mills
with Guest Host Doug Stanton
100t
auth h even or t!
October 22 ~ Lars Hockstad Auditorium
ann patchett
Commonwealth with Guest Host Benjamin Busch
December 5
daniel Bergner
Sing for Your Life with Guest Host Kate Botello
nws community reads selection
all events take place at city opera house at 7pm, unless otherwise noted * For tickets to paola gianturco event at milliken auditorium call 231-995-1573
thank you to our major sponsors & partners!
SuppORtiNg SpONSORS
HoRizoN BooKS ~ official Bookstore of the National Writers Series Printing donated by Copy Queenz
event sponsor: cherry capital airport
SuStAiNiNg SpONSORS
SeASON SpONSORS
SuppORtiNg gRANtORS
For tickets call 231-941-8082 or visit nationalwriters series.org www.grandtraversewoman.com
Sept/Oct '16
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Grand Traverse Woman
I pulled the third dress over my head and looked in the mirror with disgust. Another one too tight. In early 2013, I was in great shape. I had just lost 240 unwanted pounds; 230 of it was the emotionally abusive husband and the other 10 were from eating better and moving more. I was teaching group exercise classes four to six times a week, reclaiming my freedom, my pride, my femininity and my happiness. But it didn’t last forever. Emotional snacking
That fall, I was offered a great job in New York City. I settled into the typical urban diet of take-out, amazing restaurants and mealtime indulgences. I was an executive at a large gym chain, and the last thing I wanted to do was go to one of my gyms for my “stress relief.” Working out would feel like work. So I didn’t. What’s more: I was lonely. I was in a new town and healing from the failed marriage. I was also depressed because, while it had been what I’d worked for, I was unhappy with the new job. Add “emotional snacking” and snooze-bar marathons each morning to my lack of workouts, and that 10 pounds I dropped in 2013 came back… plus 5 more. In the fall of 2015, I left the corporate world, and New York, and moved to Traverse City to be near my family for some loving support while I started my own business. Do you realize how fattening “loving support” is? Both my mother and brother are fabulous cooks. I ate all of their delicious healing, and then some. I was excited, but stressed and scared about all the tasks required of a budding entrepreneur, and often found myself, head buried in the fridge, looking for relief. And I still wasn’t working out. “I’ll start tomorrow” or “I need to work on my business. I don’t have time,” I said. That landed me in front of the mirror, one day, getting ready for one of my first dates in my new town, and unable to find something to wear that didn’t feel like a sausage casing. Something had to change. I was winded going up stairs, my clothes were too tight, and my confidence was taking a beating. As a new business owner, I couldn’t afford to be lacking in confidence. I had a raging case of excuse-itis, and I was developing very unhealthy habits. I needed a goal.
Sticking to the plan
By Anne Bonney
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I had heard about the Grand Traverse Bodybuilding Show. I had friends who had competed in bodybuilding and figure competitions, and I had always said I’d never do a show. Saying “I’ll never…” is usually an indication that is exactly what I’ll be doing within three to five years. I knew I needed a new challenge that I hadn’t conquered. I needed to regain my discipline, and the figure competition seemed like the perfect solution. As I stepped on the scale for my first weigh-in, I gasped. 170??? I’m usually 150 and 145 is ideal. I had more work to do than I realized, and the show was in four months. Most people took six months to prepare. My trainer, Tim, said, “You can do it. You just have to be focused.” He believed, so I believed, and I got to work. Tim gave me a very specific meal plan. I ate the same thing every… single… day. Because I was on a tight timeline with 40 pounds to lose, there weren’t “cheat meals” built in. I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t cheat periodically, but generally, I stuck to the plan.
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Grand Traverse Woman
“I had a raging case of excuse-itis, and I was developing very unhealthy habits. I needed a goal.”
Contrary to what you might suspect, I ate a lot of food. I was consuming seven cups of green veggies a day. Seven CUPS! I also ate a whole bunch of lean protein, mostly chicken, eggs and tilapia. A little oatmeal, a little peanut butter and an apple. All this in five “feedings” per day. I was never hungry. A very surprising thing happened. Since my nutrition plan was so strict, it took all of the emotional energy out of eating. I knew exactly what I had to eat, so I never had to put any thought into it. I prepared my food ahead of time, so I could just grab it and go. It actually freed up a lot of energy for the difficult decisions I needed to make for my business. I became more productive and effective. I also learned I didn’t need to spend hours a day in the gym. I worked out with Tim three times a week. The first few workouts, I think I spent more time collapsed on the floor than I did actually working, but I got stronger both physically and mentally, and, while the workouts didn’t get easier, I became more successful. The other three days I did 30-45 minutes of moderate cardio. That’s it. I was gorging on broccoli and chicken every day, and working out six days a week… but I was only losing about two pounds a week. I wanted to lose more, faster, but Tim reminded me that the healthy and lasting way was slow and steady. My weight loss was consistent. The program was working. I just needed to be patient, trust the program, and stick with it. On show day, I weighed 130 pounds. I had six-pack abs; lean, defined legs and arms; and that awesome dent in my side butt. I donned my tiny sparkly bikini and strutted on stage to win the over-40, the novice and the overall figure competitions. I took my three trophies and went out for some fish tacos and a beer.
EXCITING HEALTH CARE DEGREES AT GVSU IN TRAVERSE CITY Grand Valley in Traverse City is Northern Michigan’s leader in health care education, offering degrees such as our master’s in public health (M.P.H.) and bachelor’s in allied health sciences. Explore all of our programs at gvsu.edu/traverse! Bachelor’s: Allied health sciences and liberal studies with concentration in human development (premed, preOT, prePA) Master’s: Physician assistant studies (M.P.A.S.), public health (M.P.H.), and social work (M.S.W.) Hybrid (some travel required) and Online: Nursing (R.N. to B.S.N., M.S.N., D.N.P.) and occupational therapy (M.S.O.T.)
LEARN MORE! gvsu.edu/traverse
(231) 995-1785
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Trying happy on for size
My dresses still didn't fit, but now it was because I was too small. As happy as I was to have achieved the body I’d wanted for years, I learned a very important lesson through all this. As I admired my muscle definition, I realized I was still a lonely, frightened, struggling entrepreneur. The “perfect body” didn’t change anything. Nothing important anyway. I realized how little the muscle definition mattered. So I focused on what did matter. I celebrated the fact that I was healthy. I accepted the reality that eating an occasional brownie made me happy. I created new habits that helped me live a healthier life, and am enjoying moderation. Now I’m at my ideal healthy weight and holding, four months after the show. My weight-loss journey helped me grow in a crucial way. Finally, I’m happy with “healthy,” rather than perfect.
Experience the Ultimate Driving Machine
with Nicole
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Anne Bonney is a John Maxwell certified speaker, life and weightloss coach. She enjoys international adventures, completing athletic challenges (slowly) and great food. She’s thrilled to be in Traverse City, closer to her family, including her nieces and nephew, whom she spoils whenever she can. You can learn more or contact Anne at www.AnneBonney.com and anne@annebonney.com.
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(231) 922-2002 foxbmwtc.com US S-31 South, Traverse City, MI
Sept/Oct '16
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Grand Traverse Woman
Dance soul
makes my
complete
My mouth dropped open.
My eyes bore across the dinner table—over the meal my pregnant, and therefore exhausted hands had just prepared—and directly into my future husband’s face. “W-what did you say?” I stuttered. “I just don’t think that I want to move back to a big city, with the baby and all,” Tim quickly replied, casually shoving a forkful of my infamous squash pancakes into his mouth. I thought hearing it again might change what it meant. It didn’t. That sentence meant my dream was not going to become a reality. Getting my MFA in Dance and becoming a college dance professor wasn’t going to happen. Pending motherhood hadn’t crushed my dream; moving to Northern Michigan hadn’t caused the dream to veer off course; and my pile of student loan debt hadn’t even done the trick. But one sentence, casually mumbled through a forkful of fritter, changed everything and made me compromise. I started dancing when I was 2 1/2 years old, and it was love right away. My mom tried to put me into other activities, but I would always end up dancing anyway, so we stuck with it. By 6, I started to understand what performance and competition were. By the time I was 13, I was dancing nearly 20 hours a week. When I went to college, I kind of floated along initially and wasn’t studying dance in a higher education capacity. When I transferred from Spring Arbor University in Jackson to Michigan State University in East Lansing, I immediately signed up for the dance minor and dove in headfirst. It was through the program at MSU and the relationships I developed with the head of the Dance Department, Sherrie Barr, and a few other mentors in the field, that I realized the potential of working in the higher education realm. Until that moment, I was coasting through life by the seat of my pants. Suddenly, having a vision for the future was something new. And I loved it!
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The focus I had on my goal of working in higher education was intense. I prided myself on my allegiance to this dream. I saw the future, complete with technique classes and exams and sweatpants as workwear and pre-show lectures and endless rants about Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham and Pina Bausch. I latched on for dear life, refusing to let go. I was on a mission… until the man I was in a relationship with and building a family with didn’t want to trade our slow pace and space for the big city hustle. My adorable, steadfast, responsible, loyal husband-to-be had no idea the choice he had just laid in front of me: my growing family vs. dance. Didn’t this man know that dance was the first love of my life, long before him? The constant that carried me through ups and downs. Dance was how I made sense of the world around me; the full-body, physical process of “journaling”; the emotional and intellectual process of making something out of nothing. Dance made my soul complete. Dance had given me so much in my life, and leaving it was the opposite of my instinct and the opposite of what I wanted. How could I simply walk away from a two-and-half-decadelong relationship? I immediately started crying at the dinner table. I couldn’t hold it in. It may have been a mix of pregnancy hormones, exhaustion and/ or stress, but mostly I felt immediate loss: true, deep-in-the-gut, heartbreaking loss. Tim’s dismissal of big city life meant, in my eyes, the immediate end of my relationship with dance. I’m not sure why, but I was convinced that dance didn’t exist in Northern Michigan in the capacity that I needed, so it was over. Seeing my tears, Tim didn’t know how to respond! We both explained how we felt. And afterwards, I had accepted the fact that my dance life was over because I saw the logic in Tim’s opinion. He gave me the reality check I needed. After a few days of moping around the
Windborne Photography
By Jillian Tremonti Engelhardt
house, I told myself to “Buck up, buttercup” and move on with life, without dance. I got the big-girl job, gave birth to our firstborn and became a mom. Then I met Jen six months later. Jen is a charismatic and easily lovable dance teacher from The Dance Center. That studio is a bit of a dance empire in Northern Michigan with two locations—Traverse City and Kalkaska. (Two locations are not common in the private studio world.) Jen introduced me to Korin, the owner, who eventually introduced me to the next phase of my professional life, and the next phase of my relationship with dance: managing a private studio, sharing the power of dance with people of all ages and learning what it is like to be a small business owner. What I thought was the end of my dance book was really just a plot twist, and now I’m to the juicy part of my story where the heroine is on her journey of self-actualization. I am not sharing my story to tout that it’s possible to “have it all”—the family, the career, the happiness, the dream. Our household is a crazy-making mess of a schedule with nannies and late nights and hour-long commutes and heated debates about budgets and why Keurig cups need to be on the grocery list. We’re a normal family. But I do think women need to have things in their lives that make them feel complete. Those activities and dreams are there for a reason, and we need to pay attention to them. Keeping faith that things will work out is part of our feminine mystique. Having the job is incredibly fulfilling—not only does dance still get to be a huge part of my life, but I get to share it with an amazing community of people. I was never cut out to be
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Grand Traverse Woman
Jillian Tremonti Engelhardt receives the Marjorie Perry Spirit Award from dance colleagues Tom Alexander and Brad Taylor. (Photo courtesy of Dance Makers, INC.)
a person in a traditional office job. I love people too much, I love dance too much, and I’m too whimsical to do the same thing every day. I’ve learned a lot since that dinner announcement years ago. I’ve learned the dreams I have for myself hardly ever look like what I initially imagined. They look a thousand times more brilliant because I’ve had to wade through sludge to arrive. Hailing from metro-Detroit, Jillian Tremonti Engelhardt is now a transplanted Northern Michigander. She graduated from Michigan State University with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and a minor in Dance. She is studio manager for The Dance Center in Traverse City and Kalkaska. She can be reached by email at tremontij@gmail.com, or on Instagram by the handle @jillianmariete. The Dance Center is located at 225 E 14th St. in Traverse City, or in the Kaliseum in Kalkaska. Find them on Facebook at facebook.com/thedancecentertc. 18091 GT_Woman_Gretchen.ai
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Grand Traverse Woman
My 150-pound weight-loss journey By Liz Tondreau
Liz now, at 166 lbs In 2009 I weighed 311 pounds. I wore a size 28W pants and size 5X shirt. I felt like a house. I was in pain every day. I ended up injured and needed to have both of my knees repaired from meniscus tears. My life was in its worst possible place. My marriage was failing. I tried for almost 20 years to “fix” my husband and the kids. But you cannot fix anyone else—only yourself. I eventually learned that lesson. For a long time I put my needs and desires away and let others rule my life. I was so unhappy, but I wore a smile and played the happy wife and mother even though inside I felt so lonely and wanted to die. No one seemed to understand. My family just didn’t “get” me. All I knew was that I was meant to be someone different than the person I had become. So I decided, after two decades, that I’d had enough. I needed to be strong enough to become the real me… and also be strong for my two children. I needed to show them that we could stand on our own two feet and not depend on the kindness of others to make it in this world. That you must love yourself first so you can really love and be there for others. I was watching the TV show “The Biggest Loser” and saw the transformations. I got a rush of courage and actually tried out for the show three times. I was never even called back. I was crushed. During that time, I was also let go from a job I’d had for 10 years. That was enough rejection. I decided if no one else was going to help or believe in me, I was going to have to do it myself. I got a part-time job at a gym working the front desk (so I could work out). My physical therapist was the owner. Working out was a good start. I lost about 30 pounds. Then I plateaued for months. I was frustrated. I saved up my money and bought 20 sessions with a personal trainer at the gym named Stacy Jago. That was the best money I ever spent. Stacy taught me functional training, which means you never sit down, and you move the way you move in everyday life. We would work out in the gym with battle ropes, weights, treadmills, kettle bells, TRX suspension trainers and anything else she could find. We would go outside when it was nice. That meant the beach sometimes or even the 12
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I started focusing on how I felt and moved
Liz then, at 311 lbs Sleeping Bear sand dunes. Just as long as I was moving. She was awesome at motivating and making a workout new and fun every single time. We never did the same workout twice, which kept me engaged and wanting to learn more. During this time Stacy was also doing health segments on TV 7&4. One reward for me was being on the show with her to inspire others to start their journey. I spent every day working on making myself healthy and strong one small change at a time. I was slowly changing, not only my body, but my mind as well. I found that was the hardest part—changing the mind. There were so many setbacks and plateaus along the way, which I knew would come, but they were still hard. To deal with them I started writing positive notes to myself on the bathroom mirror. Stacy introduced me to a nutritionist, Miranda Monroe, who helped me make better food choices. Overall, I had a great support team including my kids, my parents, brothers and sisters, and my trainer and nutritionist. I also learned to set realistic goals and make myself accountable. Those goals could make me feel worse about myself when I didn’t hit them, but then I would talk with Stacy and she would remind me: I didn’t put all the weight on at once so it would not come off all at once. As my health and confidence improved, I started doing events like the M22 Challenge, Running with The Bear, and the Warrior Dash. One of my biggest accomplishments was finishing a half marathon with my cousin, Tami Lewis. Tami was a walker, but asked me to come and do it with her and a few other friends. She
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Grand Traverse Woman
Liz, after losing 120 pounds (the amount her trainer weighs) knew I could run, but she wanted me to catch the fever. I did the race in two-and-a-half hours and that was exactly what I wanted. When I came into the stadium, I was so tired, but with all the people cheering I just booked it for the finish line. I was so freaking proud! I sent a text pic to the first person I could think of who would share my joy: my trainer, Stacy. Then to my mom and other family members. When Tami and her walking friends came in, I think we hugged and cried for like an hour! It was awesome!! My other top accomplishment was finishing my third M22 Challenge almost an hour faster than my first. I wasn’t even looking at the clock when I finished, but Stacy was right there giving me the awesome news. I freaked out. I was like, “Who does that???” My mom and dad were so proud of me! It felt great! I think my younger son cried. It took me about a year and half when I hit 150 down. I was so thrilled I think I sent a text to everyone I knew. But then I became frustrated because I couldn’t hit my goal. Stacy and I talked and she helped me realize that my goal was perhaps not where I would look and feel my best, so I stopped worrying about the number and just started focusing on how I felt and moved. I learned a lot about myself through this transformation. The stronger I got, the more I realized I needed to let my authentic self out: the person no one in my whole life knew.... I had lost so much weight. I needed to be me. I finally left my loveless marriage. I took a little time for myself; then I started dating my trainer and best friend, Stacy. We started by hanging out at first. Then one day it just flipped and I finally “got it”... the love thing. My whole world changed. Stacy taught me to love myself and I do. Together we worked not only to get me healthy, but also to give me a new direction in life. I was a baker for 32 years, which I loved, but I felt conflicted with my new, healthy lifestyle. So I studied and mentored with Stacy and became a Certified Personal Trainer. I now want to show others that they can change their lives like I have. I hear all the time: “Liz, I could never do what you did.” I answer: “When I started I couldn’t do it either.” You just have to start where you are. Your journey is just that: YOURS!!!
(231) 946-5191 | TCCENTRALUMC.ORG | 222 Cass, Downtown TC
YOUare welcome HERE. Sunday Mornings Chapel Worship at 8:15 am | Casual Worship at 9 am Sunday School at 10 am | Traditional Worship at 11 am 18091 GT_Woman_Christy.ai
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Liz Tondreau is a fitness trainer working one-on-one and with groups. She recently started a dance fitness class called WERQ. She can be reached at: Liz@Glenarborfitness.com.
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Sept/Oct '16 13
Grand Traverse Woman
Becoming a
spark! By Angie Morgan
The Marine Corps taught her to be a leader, and it changed her career. “Angie, this place is a freak show,” said my dad as he dropped me off on my first day at college. Perhaps he observed too many piercings, too much tie-dye, as he drove onto the University of Michigan’s campus. But, whatever the case, I couldn’t argue with him. This place looked different, felt different, and to me it was exciting! This was exactly what I was hoping to get out of college—something unlike anything I had experienced growing up in Kalkaska. It’s not that I disliked my hometown so much that I wanted to flee as soon as I got the chance; quite the contrary, I loved Northern Michigan. But I had a wild imagination growing up, and I knew there was a whole wide world out there that I wanted to explore. Attending a large university was an important first step. My next step was going to be choosing a degree that would open doors to adventure. That was a bit trickier. I settled on an English major, knowing it would captivate my mind and spirit, then started looking for something, anything, that would make for an exciting career. That’s one of the reasons why the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (or NROTC) sounded so enticing: more specifically, the Marine Corps program. When I started college, my dad had encouraged me to look into NROTC. Without his urging I never would have considered such a thing, and would therefore never have had the chance to meet several NROTC Marine
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all the while learning how to be part of a team. During Officer Candidate School (OCS), which I attended the summer before my senior year in college, I learned quickly that you can’t get through training on your own. One has to work with and through others to be successful, which, for many of us officer candidates, was very different than our life experiences to date. Prior to training, most of my success was due to my own hard work. But, when I graduated from OCS, I was exceptionally proud that I completed training alongside of (and because of) some of the best leaders I’d ever met. It’s not by any means a typical choice for a The day after I graduated from college I took the oath woman to become a Marine officer. When of office and accepted a comI enrolled in NROTC in 1993, there were mission as a Marine Corps approximately 180,000 Marines on active second lieutenant. And, once duty, and only 1,000 were women officers. in the Corps, you’re “in.” I was sent away immediately It’s not by any means a typical choice for to begin my service in the active duty force. a woman to become a Marine officer. When While in uniform I worked at the Pentagon, I enrolled in NROTC in 1993, there were was stationed in Hawaii, and traveled all over approximately 180,000 Marines on active duty, the world. I still marvel at everything I was and only 1,000 were women officers. able to do in my four short years on active You can imagine my parents’ surprise when duty. I told them my plans. (I think my dad thought When I left, I thought the lasting impresI’d be drawn to the Navy instead!) They were sion of service would likely be the sea stories a little shocked, very proud, and—above all I acquired. While I certainly have some great stories to tell, I can say now that—hand’s else—supportive. down—the greatest benefit of my time in Once I earned the NROTC scholarship and uniform was the leadership skills I developed. was accepted into the program, the real work While I noticed some other people out in began. The process of becoming a Marine is the world seemed stumped regarding how every bit as demanding as you’d imagine. You to be leaders, I felt thankful that I had been are tested physically, mentally and emotionally, Midshipmen who played a key role in helping me understand what military service meant. They would talk often about what they were going to do after college and it sounded thrilling. Some would be flying fighter jets, others leading infantry platoons, all excited for the experience of deploying overseas and being tested in the world’s most extreme and demanding environments. I was inspired by their visions and soon found myself sharing in their desire to do something meaningful after graduation.
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Grand Traverse Woman
taught by the best and knew how to draw those strengths out of others. For me, leadership was no longer a mystery. In fact, it was those exact leadership skills that allowed me to be successful in nearly every post-Corps endeavor: leading a career, starting a business, being a parent and serving as a Marine Corps spouse. I can’t even begin to express how much I depended on my leadership skills when my husband was deployed to Iraq for a year when our firstborn son was 2. During that time, I moved back to Michigan temporarily to be near my parents so we could lean on their support. This was one of the most difficult times of my life, but it inspired a positive turning point for me and my family—it was then we realized that no matter where we’d been, or what we’d done, nothing compares to living in Northern Michigan. Was it the people? Was it the environment? Was it the Midwestern sensibility that drew us in? Yes, all those things and more. (I know I don’t need to tell Northern Michiganders what makes Michigan so unique.) On the day my husband retired from the Marine Corps, we loaded up our car and drove from Virginia to Traverse City. Since we arrived, we’ve been overwhelmed by the signs that confirm this is the perfect place for us.
Here, I’ve been able to continue the business I started more than a decade ago, Lead
their families, their teams and the organizations they are a part of. This is the place and the work to which my childhood imaginings and yearning for adventure have brought me. I couldn’t be happier. Now that we’ve been here for three and a half years, my husband and I have a running joke in our family. One day our sons will say: “Let me get this straight: You met in Hawaii, lived in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Virginia Beach. What the heck are we doing in Northern Michigan?” There’s no doubt we’ll be ready with our reply: “Kids, go out and see the world. Experience life outside this amazing state. We know you’ll come back and then, only then, will you understand.”
Being a leader has nothing to do with positional authority and everything to do with small actions and behaviors one can take each day to influence and inspire. Star, a leadership consultancy that works with some of the world’s best businesses including clients such as Facebook, Google, Marathon Oil and Best Buy. I help teach people the secrets of true leadership. Being a leader has nothing to do with positional authority and everything to do with small actions and behaviors one can take each day to influence and inspire: behaviors like demonstrating consistency, building and promoting confidence and understanding and expressing one’s values. I’ve seen it time and time again: When women recognize how they lead and where their leadership can be applied, they SPARK! They become change agents for themselves,
Angie Morgan is the founder of Lead Star, a leadership consultancy and the best-selling author of the business book Leading from the Front. Her second book, SPARK, launches in January 2017. When not traveling, she can be found tucked away in a TC coffee shop. To learn more about Morgan and her work, visit LeadStar.us.
Be a SPARK: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success
Join us for our GTWoman Luncheon with speaker Angie Morgan! Wednesday, October 12, 2016 11am-1pm Leadership can often seem like a mysterious concept, but, as Angie Morgan reveals, being a leader has nothing to do with positional authority and everything to do with small actions and behaviors you can take each day to influence and inspire. When women recognize how to lead and where their leadership can be applied, they SPARK! They become change agents for themselves, their families, their teams and the organizations they are a part of.
Grand Traverse
WOMAN
Luncheon www.grandtraversewoman.com
Join GTWoman as we introduce you to an amazing woman who can decode these secrets of leadership. Angie served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps and is now the founder of Lead Star, a leadership consultancy that works with the world’s best businesses—clients that include Facebook, Google, Marathon Oil and Best Buy. Her ideas on female leadership are so respected, Angie currently serves as an advisor for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to help the military build a more inclusive environment. Angie is also the best-selling author of the business book Leading from the Front. And her second book, SPARK, launches in January 2017. You won’t wont to miss meeting this inspirational woman and local mom!
Join us for a lunch that will ignite your inner strengths! Visit www.grandtraversewoman.com for information and tickets.
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Grand Traverse Woman
Classroom Improvement Grants and Student Scholarships For 60 years, TBACU has helped support area schools and educators. Make the switch to a financial institution that values education. Lisa’s Story: .com/tbacreditunion Lisa Johnson, Science Teacher
231.946.7090 Federally insured by NCUA.
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LOCAL SPORTS
TEAM SCHEDULE
SCORES
HIGHLIGHTS 16
Sept/Oct '16
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We did it! You can, too! Learn how at a free seminar.
Candy Winn describes her mom, Veronica Ramos, as her best friend. They love doing things together, and these days that includes shopping, hiking, biking and other fun outdoor activities. Weight loss surgery dramatically changed both of their lives. “Veronica and Candy are doing fabulously because they are following all of the necessary steps to achieve and maintain good health. I am proud of them and excited about the great results they are getting.” – Michael A. Nizzi, DO
Veronica had her surgery first. As Candy watched her mother’s sleep apnea vanish and her life improve in every way, she decided it was right for her, too. “It’s the hardest thing you will ever do, but it’s the most life-changing and rewarding decision you will make,” she said. Before weight loss surgery, Candy rarely ventured outside. Now, she’s looking forward to her first 10K race with her mom this summer. It all began by attending a bariatric seminar. Are you ready for a change?
Bariatric Surgery Seminars Munson Medical Center’s nationally accredited program provides long-term support and thorough follow-up care. To learn more, join us for a free, informational seminar. Wednesday, Sept. 14, 6 - 8 pm | Wednesday, Oct. 12, 6 - 7:30 pm Munson Medical Center, Traverse City Also available via video conference at hospitals in Cadillac, Charlevoix, Gaylord, Grayling, and Manistee. To register for either date, call 800-533-5520, or go to munsonhealthcare.org/bariatrics.
Photo: Veronica Ramos with her daughter Candy Winn
Locals receive 10% OFF* spa treatments
Relax & Renew
With one of our fall-inspired treatments or packages. From manicures to massages, facials to hairstyling and so much more, Spa Grand Traverse has everything you need to relax and unwind. As a part of your spa experience, enjoy our indoor pools, hot tubs, sauna, and fitness classes. * Certain restrictions may apply.
231-534-6750 | grandtraverseresort.com | Owned & Operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians
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Sept/Oct '16 17
Grand Traverse Woman
On a
quest Local novelist tells the story of bringing her new book to life By Chris Convissor
The assignment was clear:
write a novel in the next four months. The problem was I considered myself a short-story writer. Quick and easy. I hadn’t focused on novel writing in a long time. Would I be able to do it? As I await the September release of my new book, The Urn Carrier, I’m thrilled I found a writing process that works for me. Several people propelled me along the way. My quest to begin giving my writing passions a concentrated amount of energy occurred when meeting another author working a summer job beside me. Beth Burnett is bright, vivacious, engaging and supportive. She had two novels under her belt, (now three) and encouraged me to go along to a publisher’s gathering in Palm Springs in 2013. There, we were introduced to Amanda Kyle Williams, the very successful author of the Keye Street crime novels, based around Atlanta. In her keynote speech she detailed her struggles with dyslexia, something I have also dealt with. She explained her process and revealed how, one day, she was driving down the road and received an inspiration about her writing voice. This anecdote inspired me. At that gathering, a group of five of us— readers and writers—formed a joyful, spontaneous bond. We called ourselves the Tally Hoes and decided to meet the following year over the July 4 holiday in California, where some of us would travel by car to a much larger gathering of writers, editors and publishers in Portland, Ore. On the drive, Linda Kay Silva, a wonderful writing teacher and prolific writer (she has more than 25 novels) exhorted me to join the newly formed Writer’s Academy. She hammered me on that 10-hour drive so much so, that I wrote a check upon arrival and joined. The new group met in person immediately, and
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then met online every Saturday for the next 11 months. This was a momentous decision: I was investing in myself. In mid-February we were given mentors. That’s where the novel assignment came in. These established and experienced writers were asked to help guide us through to a novel due in June—just four months away. Knowing this assignment was coming, I had recently updated research on a novel I’d started previously. In doing the research, I knew I had no fire for it. I went to bed on Tuesday, just four days before 50 pages of my novel were due to my two mentors. I was at a loss. I knew the old story wasn’t working for me. I knew I didn’t want to throw those 50 pages at the assignment and just give in. I looked up to the ceiling and said, “If you have something you want me to write, now’s a good time to spring it on me.” In the morning, the seed of an idea had begun: “A young woman on a quest…what if..?” By Saturday, I had 50 pages. Yay! I managed to meet that deadline. By Monday both mentors had said they loved it and were asking to read the entire book. Umm…I bought myself two week’s grace period and wrote another 50-plus pages. Fortunately, winter is the slow time for my job of doing household repair work, so I could dedicate more time than normal to writing. I’d wake with an idea. Jot a few notes down in the morning, go to work and then finally at night, I’d sit at the computer and pound out the scene on the keyboard. In the morning, the next scene would arrive. I’d muse about it while I worked. And at night, like a machine, I’d write it. Day in, night out. This works for me. Since I’m a handy person by trade, my
work ethic helps propel me forward: thinking outside the box, providing solutions when my mentors would challenge me to do better. Along the way I kept looking for ways to tweak and refine my writing process. There are many fine writing articles on the web. Chuck Palahniuk is direct and instructive; I found his style spoke to me. I drew up a storyboard for my novel, which helped because I’m a visual person. My mentors offered great advice. They kindly told me I was throwing in everything I’d learned plus the kitchen sink, and suggested I remove about five elements from the story. Keep it simple. They were right. Suggestions like deepening the protagonist’s character were easy: I’d drop in a scene along my storyboard. My team of horses for this novel began forming. Spurred on, I finished my novel by June 1, in time for the next annual convention in New Orleans. I knew seven potential publishers were going to be present, so I started sending emails to pitch my manuscript to them while at the conference. The Sunday before I left, Bedazzled Ink Publishing (www.bedazzledink.com) replied. They weren’t going to the convention, but they liked the one-sentence description of my novel entitled The Urn Carrier and asked, “Would you send the first 50 pages?” The next day they asked if they could read the whole book. Before I flew out Tuesday afternoon, they said, “We rarely do this, but would you like to walk around the convention with a big goofy smile because…we want your book!” I exploded. Then panicked. I’d written all these other people about my manuscript. I also had other doubts. Maybe I should get a New York agent instead? Maybe I should
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Photo by Beth Price
Grand Traverse Woman
hold off and go to a bigger publishing house? In came another angel. I happened to be doing some handiwork for Anne and Doug Stanton, founders of the National Writers Series, and I asked their advice. They said, “Chris, do you want to be read, or do you want a New York agent?” Good point. So Bedazzled Ink was the one that was meant to be. I liked their mission statement and how they were working with a large distribution firm, IPG. I signed with Bedazzled Ink on my mother’s birthday in late August and I announced the deal on my father’s birthday, late September. The Urn Carrier is the story of a 19-year-old woman who is tasked with spreading her great aunt’s ashes all over the United States and Canada before the rest of the family receives their inheritance. (The problem is: some of those relatives aren’t so nice!) I love this book because it taught me so much: my own personal grit and determination and desire to help this story be the best it can be. The hardest thing for me was the one-year-plus process from having my book accepted to its release this September. In the meantime, I’ve been working with Patrick Niemesto, a local music teacher and musician, at his studio, producing an audio book for some of my friends who are vision impaired. After that it will be time to hit the pavement on a book tour to celebrate this passion for writing that I have. But what can I say? Traveling is another passion. Chris Convissor may be reached at Runningsunpress@gmail.com. When not writing, reading or doing arithmetic, Convissor can be found outdoors exploring. She owns Neighbor on Call, building decks, painting, repairing toilets and other general services. She also has a business that helps people downsize their estates. Either business can be reached at 231.275.2377.
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THE GOOD STUFF...
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Chris convissor
meet
chris Sept. 22: Chris is hosting the official book launch party for The Urn Carrier from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Top of the Park in the Park Place Hotel, located in Traverse City. People can bring books they’ve bought from Horizon Books, Brilliant Books or from Amazon, and she will inscribe them. There will also be a cash bar. Space is limited. To attend, please RSVP to runningsunpress@gmail.com. Oct. 15: Chris will also be signing copies of her new book at Horizon Books in downtown Traverse City from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. 231-944-1944 PetsNaturallyTC.com 1420 S. Airport Rd., Traverse City
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Grand Traverse Woman
OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE HOBBIES Eva likes to beat nasty insurance premiums.
Members of Right Tree Adventure and Freedom Builders stand in front of an Interlochen home they helped repair in July.
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Powerful Women (of tomorrow):
Right Tree Adventure Camp was my first mentor
Girls are gaining confidence through service and adventure at a time they need it most: middle school By Kristen Lowe
It’s a hot summer day. Kids across Traverse City are soaking up
Naked Confidence gives you the missing ingredients necessary for successfully losing weight and keeping it off. It goes much deeper than diet and exercise. Join a free webinar if you want to test drive the material. For more information go to www.AnneBonney.com/NakedConfidence. “I am currently in Anne Bonney’s Naked Confidence program. I highly recommend it to anyone struggling with self-image and weight issues. Anne provides a funny and pragmatic approach to body-image and weight loss. Since talking to Anne, I have lost 6 pounds in three weeks and also feel much better about my body.” - Julie McManus
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the sun at the beach, hanging out on boats or playing Pokémon Go on their phones. A few miles away, 13-year-old Olivia Ferguson hammers a nail into a small home in Interlochen. It’s one of the finishing touches she’s making on Betsy Warren’s new roof. Without this work, the home likely would not have made it through next winter. Warren knew she was getting help replacing her roof this summer. But she never dreamed it would be from a team of middle school girls. “I was blown away!” she said. “I couldn’t believe it. It’s something I’ve never seen before.” This is Olivia’s third summer participating with Right Tree Adventures, a non-profit organization in Elk Rapids that uses outdoor recreation and adventure programming to speak positively into girls’ lives. This summer, the middle schoolers sailed, climbed trees, played life-sized foosball, backpacked a national forest in Kentucky and explored a Northern Michigan island... just to name a few things. “They challenge you a lot,” Olivia said. “Some of the stuff that we do here, I would’ve never done because it’s not ‘in my box.’ So I got out of the box!” This summer, Olivia and eight other girls at Right Tree Adventures are partnering with Freedom Builders. Together they’re making much-needed repairs on homes of people in need. They’re re-doing roofs, painting houses and building wheelchair ramps. The service aspect to Right Tree’s program is new this year. Board President Craig Mosher said it’s been well received.
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Grand Traverse Woman
“Girls don’t usually get to use nail guns and power tools and whatnot,” Mosher said. “They’re very much into it.” Mosher got the idea about adding service to the program from watching his own kids grow up: “A lot of those community service projects were raising money for your own uniforms or computers in your school, and not really the altruistic… you do things because it’s the right thing to do.” That’s why Right Tree Adventures added this new component—helping the community and empowering young girls in the process. Some could say Mosher’s organization is helping build the next generation of powerful women in the area, girls motivated by compassion. So far, the move definitely seems to be working. “I feel really happy I got to help this woman that I probably would have never known was in this situation,” Olivia said. “Now [her roof] won’t collapse on her one day in the winter... and I feel happy with myself that I got over my fear of heights and actually did stuff on a roof.” It’s an act of kindness, but the benefits are twofold. People in need get their homes repaired, and local teens gain confidence by doing things they never thought they could. “A lot of [the girls] have these fears and they don’t really know why,” Right Tree Program Director Charissa Hayden said. “Society tells them: ‘Oh, you’re a girl so you shouldn’t do these things.’ Then they do them and they realize that they actually enjoy it. It’s really fun to watch.” The activities are seemingly simple, but the effects are deep. Boat rides and service projects are accompanied by campfire chats about confidence, setting goals and dreaming big. Through it all, the girls are guided by the leadership of Mosher, Hayden and several devoted counselors. “They talk a lot about personal stuff and perseverance and strength,” Olivia said. “It’s made me realize more and become a better person.” In a world where women are constantly being told what they don’t have, Right Tree is fighting back. “You’re not tall enough... thin enough... rich enough... popular enough. Those are the kinds of things that they’re hearing,” Mosher said. “Our mission to them is: You are enough. You are enough right now and you are becoming something amazing.” Imagine if every middle school girl could hear those words. It’s a message that Mosher and the team want as many girls as possible to receive. The programs are open to any girl going into 7th, 8th or 9th grade who lives in the Elk Rapids school district. All programs are available on a donation basis. Kids pay if they can, but they don’t have to. “We just want girls to come, and [then] leave with more confidence and more faith in who they are and who they’re becoming,” Mosher said. Right Tree is funded partially through Right Tree Adventure Rental Shop in downtown Elk Rapids. The shop is stocked with everything from kayaks to paddleboards to adult pogo sticks, all available to rent on a donation basis. Donations go directly back to the program. Mosher said the shop funds about half of the camp. The other half comes through donations and grants. After a hard day’s work helping, Olivia said, “I feel really happy!” To learn more about how Right Tree Adventures is inspiring the next generation of strong women in the Elk Rapids area, head to www.righttree.org.
Tune In! Abby Reed Photography
All this year, Grand Traverse Woman and 7&4 News will be profiling the most powerful women and groups in Northern Michigan. Look for Kristen Lowe's reports on 7&4 News and her articles in every issue of Grand Traverse Woman. www.grandtraversewoman.com
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Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse
Girls Night Out WOMAN
THURSDAY, SEPT 29TH FROM 5-7PM
This Girls Night Out theme is to wear red lipstick... if you dare.
Wine, Food,Vendors
This is our kick off to the 2016-2017 Network Nite Season! The event will be held at The Corner Loft, recently voted as one of the “Top 3 Best Intimate Event Venues in Michigan” by Michigan Meetings + Events Magazine. The Corner Loft is located in downtown TC. We will have 20+ vendors with shopping (yay!), delicious food by Fab Fresh Foods, also wine by Black Star Farms, Bonobo Winery and more.
LIFE'S SHORT,
WEAR
lipstick
Tickets
$15 each or 2/$20
Grab your girlfriends & colleagues and purchase tickets today! Visit our website www.grandtraversewoman.com. Limited tickets, must pre-purchase.
Vendors
We are looking for vendors to provide a fun night of shopping for the gals! Register your business online at www. grandtraversewoman.com or email kerry@grandtraversewoman.com for more info!
Entertainment
Featuring Oh Brother Big Sister! They are an eclectic sensation. This brother and sister duo from Northern Michigan covers the music spectrum with entrancing harmonies and ingenious musical arrangements. With a comfortable, comedic essence that makes you feel like you’re with old friends in the comfort of your happy place. Oh Brother Big Sister is pure pleasure. BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Grand Traverse
Deerhaven Family Dentistry Dr. Niergarth D.D.S., Dr. Merrithew D.D.S. & Dr. L. Beers, D.D.S.
WOMAN
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Sept/Oct '16
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Grand Traverse Woman
Pool Party
PowerView™ Motorization
It moves your shades, so you don’t have to. PowerView™ Motorization from Hunter Douglas
Meet the Stars! Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center Christal Frost & Justin Koertgen
A remarkable system that automatically moves your shades throughout the day, according to your schedule and activities. Just program your personalized settings with your smart phone or tablet, and let PowerView do the rest.* You can even activate a pre-programmed setting with a touch of our brilliantly designed PowerView Pebble™ Scene Controller. How smart… intelligent shades that simplify your life. To see PowerView in motion, contact us today.
Jubilee House
Abby Byar & Mel Kiogima
TC Music Boosters
Get your tickets now for this exciting 2016 season:
Wendy Nienhouse & Philip Leete
Special Olympics MI Area 2
September 16
John Casteel & Jessica Mason Froehlich
October 21
Grand Traverse Dyslexia Association
Sweet September
Steam up, Team Up
November 18
Dr. Nathan Reed & Sharon Pascoe
December 16
Communities In Schools of NW MI
Country/Classic Rock Night
The Red Carpet Grand Finale!
6:30 pm | City Opera House
TICKETS
$150 REBATE SAVINGS** on select purchases of Hunter Douglas window fashions with PowerView Motorization July 2 - September 12, 2016. Ask for details.
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Nick Edson & Amy Burk
Box Office: 231.941.8082 www.SwingshiftAndTheStars.com
Thank you to our All Star Show Sponsors!
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Kalkaska Screw Products
*The PowerView App and additional equipment required for programmed operation. **Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases made 7/2/16–9/12/16 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. For certain rebate-eligible products, the purchase of multiple units of such product is required to receive a rebate. If you purchase fewer units than the required multiple you will not be entitled to a rebate; partial rebates will not be awarded. Offer excludes HDOrigins and Nantucket™ Window Shadings, a collection of Silhouette® Window Shadings. Rebate will be issued in the form of a prepaid reward card and mailed within 6 weeks of rebate claim receipt. Funds do not expire. Subject to applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 6 months after card issuance and each month thereafter. Additional limitations may apply. Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. ©2016 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the3019961
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Emilee Machelle Photography
Grand Traverse Woman
Yes, I’m a
Zipperhead September is Chiari Awareness Month
By Andrea Geiger
When my kids were young, I was always tired and had headaches every day. I figured it was because I was a new mom and I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I was also clumsy, running into things and I always had bruises. I dealt with a wide array of symptoms for years that I never thought were connected. In 2014, when it became too hard to manage in my day-to-day life, I began searching for answers. I was having more severe issues with my balance and worsening headaches. I was scared and didn’t know what was wrong with me. I finally broke down and told my husband. Next, I went to see my doctor. She sent me to a neurologist for further testing. The neurologist scheduled an MRI. In the meantime, he told me if he couldn’t find out what was wrong then he would just say I had fibromyalgia. He asked if I wanted some pain medication, which I declined. I didn’t feel this doctor truly cared. I cried after the appointment. My husband looked at me and said, “We are not giving up and will get a second and third opinion if needed.” The journey continued into March of 2015 when I finally had my first MRI. One month later I received the diagnosis of Chiari 1 Malformation. I had never heard of it, nor did I even know how to pronounce it. I learned that Chiari (which is actually pronounced: key-AR-ee) is a neurological disorder in which part of the brain, the cerebellum (or more specifically the cerebellar tonsils), descends out of the skull into the spinal area. This causes compression of parts of the brain and spinal cord, and disrupts the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This condition is present at birth, meaning I have had Chiari my whole life and its symptoms have only gotten worse with time. I was stunned. This explained most of the symptoms I had been struggling with for more than 30 years. The most prevalent complaint leading to the diagnosis of Chiari is a specific, chronic type of headache. The Chiari headache is described as an intense pressure in the back of the head and is brought on or aggravated by exercise, straining, coughing, sneezing, laughing or bending over. I also learned there is a huge array of symptoms associated with the condition. My symptoms vary daily but include nausea, balance issues, numbing and tingling in my head, arms, legs and hands, ringing in the ears, heart palpitations, joint pain, blurred vision, vomiting, fatigue and difficulty swallowing, to name a few. I found out that there is no cure for Chiari, but decompression surgery is a treatment option often done to help alleviate the pain and pressure. The goal is to create more space around the cerebellar tonsils and restore the normal flow of CSF. The procedure involves removing a piece of the skull in the back of the head near the bottom (craniectomy). Often, parts of the top one or two vertebrae are also removed (laminectomy). Depending on the individual case, some 24
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doctors will also open the covering of the brain, which is called the dura, and sew a patch in to make it larger (duraplasty). Hearing all of that really scared me. I was left with the choice of taking pain medication for who knows how long or undergoing this intense and frightening surgery. I wanted to make sure I chose the right thing for my body and for my family. Six MRI’s and many prayers later I decided to go through with the decompression surgery in September of 2015. I had bone-only decompression and the removal of the posterior arch of the first cervical vertebrae. I researched and met with a surgeon downstate who, I felt, was my best choice at the time. I went for it.
But slowly something changed. I began to see that my scar symbolized two things: I was a survivor and I was a fighter. Unfortunately, many of my symptoms remained even six months after surgery. Despite my deepest hopes, the doctor could not give me the answers or solutions I had been looking for. I felt upset, disbelief, despair but most of all defeated, knowing that I had undergone this intensive surgery and healing process, only to come out feeling the exact same. I thought Chiari had won. But slowly something changed. I began to see that my scar symbolized two things: I was a survivor and I was a fighter. The nickname for a Chiari patient who has had decompression surgery is “zipperhead.” So yes, I am a zipperhead and very proud of this three-inch long, half-inch wide scar that hides beneath my hair and only peeks out at the base of my neck. Once again in this long, tiring journey, I decided to stand strong and search for doctors who would help me, instead of simply mask the symptoms. I have an appointment set up with a Chiari specialist surgeon in September, to explore my options. I don’t know what the future holds but I know Chiari did not win, even as my symptoms continue to worsen. I am mentally and emotionally stronger
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Grand Traverse Woman LOCAL, LEGENDARY CHERRY GOODS now than ever before. I know where my discomfort is coming from. I know I am not lazy: my body is just tired. And I know my faith will keep my head up! Suffering from chronic pain does drag one down, but when I start getting down I stop myself and remember there is joy in life, like my family and friends. I used to look at my husband and think, Why did he choose me? I am broken. He has to take care of me and it is just not fair to him. Now in reality I know my husband wouldn’t have it any other way. He helps me get through every day with his patience, love and positivity. He truly believes in me. I am now 11 months post-op and dealing with daily symptoms. Even though I have tough days where I have to force myself to get out of bed with tears in my eyes, I continue to push myself to take care of my body and overcome this health obstacle. Those who know me will say I am a happy person in spite of the pain. I have a Chiari headache almost daily. I work full time, walk and bike daily to keep my body moving although it comes with a lot of pain. I will continue to fight and to spread awareness to help others who are living with Chiari. More people live with Chiari than we think. I hope that I can continue to inspire and encourage people never to give up and to find what they deserve. With all the pieces to the wellness puzzle, I still get to define myself… Chiari is not my definition. It is just a bully I can beat up every morning by getting out of bed. My new motto is: “Chiari Sassy and Strong.” Andrea Geiger has been married for 23 years and has three children. She loves to take walks, ride her bike, spend time with her family, walk their dogs and read books. She also loves to laugh and make others smile! You can contact Andrea at andifig@sbcglobal.net or via Facebook at her “Sassy & Strong” Chiari 1 Malformation Page. September is Chiari Awareness month.
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for There I was, sitting with my laptop. I typed the words “Krav Maga Traverse
Photos by Stephen Dillon
City” into a Google search, not sure if anyone in Traverse City had even heard of the self-defense system I was looking for. It had been a long year, well, actually a lot of long years. It was August of 2014, one of the most perfect months in Northern Michigan, and I was desperate to be anywhere but home. I had just finished months of grueling but productive counseling sessions dealing with issues contributing to my PTSD. The counseling was necessary after the previous years of domestic and sexual violence I had experienced. I was constantly looking over my shoulder. I would wake up a hundred times a night gasping for air and I flinched anytime anyone accidentally (or intentionally) snuck up on me. I glanced at the first result that my search returned: “ATA Blackbelt Academy Traverse City.” The website said that the academy offered classes in Krav Maga—a type of self defense originally developed for the Israeli Defense Forces that taught people how to deal with real-world situations. I emailed the instructor, and I promptly got a return email telling me that I should join them that Wednesday night. The first class was free.
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By Hannah Sweeney
I thought to myself, OK, I can do this. When Wednesday rolled around, I was nervous but I refused to let it show. I walked into the building wearing a heavy “mask,” scared to let myself look vulnerable. Immediately, Master Chris Pline greeted me. He was an older man, shorter than I, but he walked with the stature and confidence of a warrior. When he said hello, his smile made me feel at ease: “You must be Hannah, the one I emailed with.” As I looked around the room, my stomach grew tense when I realized I was the only woman there. Great, I thought. This was supposed to be an outlet, but I wonder how many minutes it’s going to be before I hear a sexual comment. I put on the gear Master Pline gave me and I joined the rest of the class. I kept a record in my head as I trained: 15 minutes in: No looks, no comments, everyone has been pleasant. 30 minutes in: I’m actually enjoying this. 45 minutes in: This is it, this has to be the catch. We were nearing the end of the class and discussing ground survival. Master Pline asked me if I was comfortable practicing, and gave me the option to sit out, but I decided that this fake scenario wouldn’t touch the fear of what I had actually been through. So I lay on the floor, and a guy who had at least a 100-pound advantage over me sat on my chest, and pretended to choke me. I hated people touching my neck. In my head, I reminded myself that he was not actually going to choke me. Then Master Pline taught me something amazing. He showed me how to break out of that choke and, with that, I threw a man twice my body weight onto his back, landing on top of him and gaining the upper hand. I felt empowered and I was hooked. No one in class had tried to make me feel inferior, and there were no sexual comments from the men, not even when they were mounted on top of me. It was quite the opposite; the men in class asked me my name, treated me with respect, gave me high fives and told me it was awesome that I had come to class. It was the safest place I had been outside my home in a very long time. I enrolled in the class that day, and kept going back. The class was a place where I finally felt like I could be myself. My whole life I had come across people who tried to shame me into being a more submissive woman. I’d been labeled “bossy” and “aggressive,” and told that I was too outspoken. Master Pline encouraged me to channel aggression in a healthy way. He actually encouraged me to be more aggressive in class and louder with my voice. As a woman, I have heard countless messages trying to silence me, but in Krav Maga the message is: “The louder, the better.” With each class I was making personal strides and gaining confidence in my ability to defend myself from violence. I was less timid when walking to my car at night after work. Being home alone after dark was causing me less anxiety than it had in the past. I was starting to feel like I was ready for change. I decided to move to Kansas City, Mo., in January of 2015. I was going to be interning at the International House of Prayer, and I was hoping to get more involved with the anti sex-trafficking community that had developed there over the past decade. Given my personal history with violence, I feel that sex trafficking is a human rights violation that I cannot stand by and watch happen. I cannot imagine the horror of living what I have lived—magnified to the highest degree, and living that nightmare every single day.
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We are a friendly, family oriented practice.
Though I was passionate to join in this work, I knew that I was not moving to a safe area. The parts of Kansas City where I would be interning and serving were some of the worst areas of the city, riddled with crime, drug use and prostitution. I had to know how to defend myself, and I had to overcome my fear. Krav Maga, Master Pline and my friends from Krav class helped me achieve that. During my internship, I had the honor of volunteering weekly in a women’s halfway house. There, I also was able to have some of the most impactful experiences of my life by reaching out to prostitutes in the worst parts of the city. Facing my own fear head-on had brought me new strength and peace. After completing my internship, I returned to my hometown of Traverse City but with a completely different perspective. I have had the opportunity to educate others about human trafficking in our own community through volunteerism. I’m involved in CAST (Citizens Against Sex Trafficking) TC. Coming home also meant being able to return to Krav Maga. My battle continues, fighting for peace for others but no longer for myself. If you’re wondering where to find me—I’ll be on the mat.
Hannah Sweeney lives in Traverse City with her husband, Connor. She enjoys making her corner of the world a better place and traveling to other corners for inspiration. You can contact her at hannahbsweeney@gmail.com. Learn more about CAST TC at www.tc-cast. org. Learn more about ATA Black Belt Academy at www.traverseata.com.
Accepting new patients of all ages.
for the whole
876 E. 8th Street, Traverse City, MI 49686 Tuesday-Friday, 9am-5pm
www.drtracydds.com | 231.947.6483
YOUR LAST DIET
WEIGHT LOSS SEMINAR ATA Martial Arts on Centre Street (next to the Centre Street Café) in Traverse City offers private self-defense seminars for women’s groups in addition to regular Krav Maga classes three days per week. For class times and more information, call 231.933.4744. Classes emphasize principles of personal survival including defense tactics to deflect, intercept and evade a sudden attack. Read on for some simple concepts that help increase your chances of avoiding a violent confrontation:
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• Most criminals don’t usually have an alternate plan, but rather an alternate victim. Remember that the fight you always win is the one you were never in. • Avoid situations and places (like a dark alley) that put you in a position of vulnerability. • Predators try to choose victims that look distracted or compliant. Use body language as a deterrent—look alert and use a strong, assertive demeanor—and always be aware of your surroundings and the people in it. • Use environmental barriers and your physical environment as a deterrent. For example, at home and in your car, prevent vulnerability and accessibility by always locking your doors and windows.
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Elk Rapids Skin and Laser Clinic 516 Bridge Street, Elk Rapids Reservations: 231-264-0700
Seating is limited for all seminars. Please call to reserve your seat.
The Vein Center Munson Professional Bldg. 1221 Sixth Street, Suite 312, Traverse City Reservations: 231-935-2844 Dr. Ann Kuenker
Elk Rapids
SKIN & LASER CLINIC Dr. Ann Kuenker
Petoskey Weight Loss Clinic Northview Centre (entrance to Bay Harbor) 3890 Charlevoix Road (US-31 North) Suite 180 Petoskey, MI Reservations: 231-935-2844
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DO YOU OR A LOVED ONE SUFFER FROM AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE? These conditions are all Auto-Immune related:
• Celiac Disease • Irritable Bowel • Hashimoto’s • Neuropathy • Menieres Disease/Chronic Vertigo • Chronic pain • Chronic Fatigue • Frequent indigestion • Fibromyalgia • Brain Fog • Bloated after eating • Frequent loose bowel movements
Many chronic condition sufferers have an auto-immune condition. This means their immune system is attacking the nervous system or the brain. That’s why they have chronic pain and fatigue, skin conditions, weight gain, etc. • Do you suspect you are autoimmune but lab tests are normal? • Have you been to multiple doctors with no answers or relief? • What do you do when the medications don’t work? • Do you know the latest research on the causes and triggers? • What does your brain and gut have to do with autoimmunity? • Why may your treatment be worsening the condition? • Why are standard lab tests insufficient to identify the cause? The common threads to all autoimmune diseases. Natural treatments can help or make you worse.
Call for a FREE CONSULTATION! 231.421.5213
3337 South Airport Rd W, Suite 2 Traverse City, MI 49684 Across from the Grand Traverse Mall www.tcchiropractor.com
Dr. Tony Aboudib is a chiropractic physician who helps his patients restore their health to their optimal level. He is the only local chiropractic physician who helps his patients both neurologically and metabolically. If you have been diagnosed with any of these life changing conditions and you are getting worse then give us a call.
It’s time for a change!
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DR. TONY ABOUDIB - Graduate of the American Functional Neurology Institute - Board Eligible for the Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Neurology Board
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Grand Traverse Woman
By Lisa Niergarth
We pull to the side of a dirt path that the locals call a road, and I see an 8-year-old boy working in the cornfields pulling weeds for the equivalent of $1 a day so his family can have a meal of salted tortillas. I see a family of six sharing a 10-foot by 10-foot hut made of bamboo-pole walls and a plastic tarp roof. At night the family sleeps on the dirt floor, near a fire used for warmth and for cooking what little food there is. I see a 60-year-old woman bending her rickety knees collecting logs to burn, placing this wood in the 70-pound sack on her back, and walking miles of hills to get this valuable commodity back to her home. I see young, barefoot children with smiling, dirt-smudged faces, begging me to buy the little trinkets they spent all day making for the bargain price of 1 Quetzal (about 11 cents) for three. I see an orphanage lined with cribs, each filled with a baby waiting and hoping for a life with parents. And streets scattered with youth who have aged out of the orphanages and are now trying to make their way alone in this world. These are the conditions of many in Guatemala.
The boy How did I end up there? Well, that’s where this story begins, with my family that was made through the blessing of adoption. My husband Steve and I have three children: our oldest two, Nick (27) and Natalie (24) were born in Chile, while our youngest, Jake (17), was born—drumroll—yep, you guessed it, in Guatemala. Although we traveled twice to Guatemala during the adoption process, it wasn’t until my husband returned there in 2006 with HELPS International, a medical and dental mission, when we became aware of the abject poverty in which many of the Guatemalan people live. Then four years ago, I took Jake for his first trip back since he was an infant. That’s when fate took over to give us an even greater tie to Guatemala.
The trip I’m actually a bit embarrassed to say that I may have intervened in fate a bit when I invited Jake and myself on a fact-finding trip planned by administrators from Bethany Christian Services who were traveling to Guatemala. They were going in an effort to develop partnerships with various service groups that were already established in the country. Thank goodness they tolerated my boldness and were gracious enough to include us in this
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most memorable adventure. We stayed at Manos de Jesus, a 14-year-old mission in Chichicastenango that provides for widows and orphans. This mission does so by building homes (12-foot by 12-foot structures with wood walls, cement floors and a bunk bed), feeding thousands of children each month, making and giving away shoes each week so children can attend school, installing wood-efficient stoves, water filters, and latrines, working with widows on selfsustaining microenterprises, and also by employing 75 Guatemalans. During our stay we met the director of the program, Ron. He was a sizeable, older gentleman with a very direct demeanor. Truth be told, he scared me at first. Ron happened to mention that the mission was considering the need of a dental clinic as the people there suffered greatly in pain from poor dental health.
LISA, HER HUSBAND STEVE, THEIR SON, JAKE, AND EMPLOYEE JOSEPHA, WHEN THEY FIRST OPENED THE CLINIC IN NOVEMBER 2013. Josepha was an interpreter for the family, translating both Spanish and the local language, Quiche.
The clinic I didn’t reveal my connection with a dentist (yep, my husband, Steve, founder of Deerhaven Family Dentistry, had been practicing for 27 years) because I was not too sure of Ron and his largerthan-life character. But, as the week progressed, I found him to be full of love for the people of Guatemala. He, as I, had a special place in his heart for children. So before we left I let him know that I would speak to my husband to see what we might be able to do to help. When Jake and I arrived back in Traverse City, I was totally convinced that Steve and I had to make a dental clinic in Guatemala happen. This seemingly random encounter with Ron in my mind was not random at all; it was meant to be. Call it fate, call it divine intervention, call it whatever you want. I just knew that we needed to do this. Thankfully, my husband was all in as well. Steve worked with Ron on purchasing the large dental equipment. And I worked on the logistics of setting up the clinic. Even with the language barrier (Steve and I do not speak Spanish) and the distance, we traveled back to Chichicastenango just 16 short months later, carrying six large duffels filled with supplies to open the one-room clinic. Now Steve and I go to Guatemala about twice a year. Steve provides the dental care, I provide pseudo-assisting and sterilization. I’m not a trained assistant, but my patient hubby ignores my rudimentary skills in favor of my driving effort! Whenever we are there, we are able to treat about 100 patients, relieving them of pain by treating infections, extracting badly decayed teeth and filling cavities the size of craters.
The author’s family with a view of Lake Atitlan in the background on their way to Chichicastenango, Guatemala, for a week in the clinic in June 2014.
Steve and Lisa Niergarth working on a young patient in Guatemala dental clinic.
The clinic has been blessed to have other volunteer dentists come periodically. Last year and again this summer, a team of dental students and instructors from the University of Detroit Mercy’s student dental association group came, and we are very excited to be working currently with the University of Michigan to offer an annual dental student rotation option. We are on our way to realizing the goal of consistently staffing the clinic. Our hope is for the space to be used at least once a month by volunteer dental teams. We’re getting there! We also recently guided a group of 17 people through the clinic: eight middle- and high-school students who raised funds, including our son Jake
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and two of his good friends. This was the first time for some of the students to be outside of the United States and a very eye-opening experience to see just how others in our world live, and survive. The students volunteered in the clinic, but also spent time with the people of Guatemala building homes, playing with the kids, helping at the feeding programs, carrying 60-pound bags of corn and grain for widows and just being immersed in the culture. It was one of the most remarkable things I’ve seen. They all came back with more appreciation for what they have and a lot of love and compassion for the people of Guatemala. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about? Caring for others, helping those in need, doing what you can to make the lives of those less fortunate just a little bit better. Guatemala is a beautiful country that has given Steve and me a gift that we can never repay, but with the clinic, we are trying!
Lisa Niergarth is a licensed pharmacist who completed her Master of Public Administration degree in August. She is also a court-appointed special advocate in Grand Traverse County for children in foster care, a Bethany Christian Services Michigan Board Member, a Glen Lake Community School Board Trustee, and most importantly, mother of three wonderful children. For more information on volunteering at the dental clinic in Guatemala, email Lisa at docgarth@centurytel.net.
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Sept/Oct '16 31
Ben' s influence By Heather Wallace
Grand Traverse Woman
How one man changed my definition of health Imagine
a man dressed in dirty, ragged clothing. He smells unclean and of alcohol and cigarette smoke. His toothless, wrinkled face and hardened hands match his clothes, testimony of a long and difficult life. This man is Ben, and he is a middle-aged Alaskan Native American Aleutian Indian—homeless, addicted to alcohol and dying from Stage 3 laryngeal cancer. He was my mentor and the reason I pursued my doctoral degree in public health with a focus on health behavior and gerontology (the scientific study of old age). I crossed paths with Ben in the summer following my second year of graduate school. I was working as a guide in the Alaskan bush. We met outside of the Alaskan Tribal Health Center. I had dropped my car keys and he found them and waited for me so he could return them. I met Ben for lunch every week following. We talked of the “old ways” and old people. He became my friend and teacher, a source of motivation and courage, and a mirror for my own intellectual and personal reflections. Ben shared his life story, beginning with government-mandated boarding school
1,000 miles from his home and family at the age of 12, and ending with chronic homelessness, addiction, diabetes and an array of other complex problems including late-stage cancer. Through our special meetings I slowly began to comprehend his unique medical history. Up until that point, my education focused on medical and clinical aspects of health, combined with traditional health care and pharmaceutical industry experience. I could understand Ben’s diagnosis and prognosis and wade through treatment options and medications. I knew the likely cause of his cancer and how each treatment approach and mechanism was meant to work. As a student of gerontology, I had also learned about biological age-related changes, age-associated diseases and age-appropriate treatments. But my formal education and experience, however, didn’t align with Ben’s needs or wants. It didn’t help him to become healthier or happier. I realized what mattered to Ben most was not found in his medical history; it was in the fabric of his life and had been cultivated over generations. He wanted to see, smell, taste, hear and feel
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Traverse City 231-929-3200 Charlevoix 231-237-0955
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“ My education enabled me to see Ben as a person — not a homeless addict or a patient.”
the experience of family and nature. To participate in the annual salmon harvest, for example, without the side effects of medication, radiation and or surgery that would greatly take away from his senses and only gain him minimal time at best. When I returned to school to complete my graduate work, I was seeking that missing piece of the puzzle: the knowledge, wisdom and skills to help rural, aging head-and-neck cancer patients live meaningful, purposeful lives in the context of their illness. I also wanted to contribute to bettering society’s understanding of the social determinants of health and to work to change social behaviors and norms in ways that improve health and prevent disease for all people. Obtaining a degree in public health has allowed me to accomplish those things and continues to enhance my life and career. Public health promotes wellness, justice and equity. My public health education enabled me to see Ben as a person, not a homeless addict or a patient. Watching Ben live and die well, within the context of significant illness, was the most profound lesson I have received. It is my great honor and privilege to be in a position to carry that wisdom forward in teaching and practicing public health. I have to say I’m happy I lost my car keys that day. It led me to Ben and helped me unlock the secrets of helping people in a deeper way.
“LET’S GO TO TUCKER’S” YOUR PLACE FOR ALL KINDS OF PARTIES
MEET, DINE, BOWL 116 WAUKAZOO ST. 231-386-1061
Heather Wallace, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of public health at Grand Valley State University; she teaches at Grand Valley's Traverse City Center. You can reach her at wallaceh@gvsu.edu.
WWW.TUCKERSNP.COM LIKE TUCKER’S OF NORTHPORT
231.262.0070
Top 3 Women’s Health Issues We Treat:
1. Neck Pain 2. Back Pain 3. Headaches Dr. Donaldson uses KST (Koren Specific Technique) – a low force adjustment to resolve your pain issues gently and quickly. No snap, crackle or pop – just gentle taps and pain-free adjustments.
Come in and live your life without the pain!
Holly Donaldson, D.C. www.traversecitychiropractic.com
Call Dr. Holly Donaldson today at 231-929-1335
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A very local neighborhood designer. Bethany Gulde • 231.645.1072 www.bethanydesigntc.com • bethany.gulde@gmail.com
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Grand Traverse Woman
Helping women beat By Jill Holden
Vertigo…Dizziness…Balance. Something can be done! The answer is: physical therapy. To many people’s surprise, PT is not just for injuries. It can also help with disruptive symptoms that affect balance. As a physical therapist, I love helping women every day get back to doing the things in their lives that they enjoy, whether it is playing with their children or grandchildren, participating in sports/recreation, working, shopping or even just taking a walk around their block. Having vertigo, dizziness or a balance problem can be very debilitating. Even if it is minimal, you can still feel “off,” so that you cannot concentrate as well as normal and your whole life is affected. “Dizziness” is a general term people use to describe feelings such as vertigo, lightheadedness, imbalance or motion sickness. Vertigo is when someone feels like the room is spinning or she herself is spinning. As there are many different causes of vertigo or dizziness it is important to see your physician first to determine if there is any medical problem that needs to be addressed before starting PT. When a patient brings in her prescription for PT, I do a thorough evaluation to determine the cause of her dizziness. It may be coming from the inner ear due to BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) or due to other reasons. If it is BPPV, part of the treatment is for me to move the patient’s head in specific directions to get the tiny, dislodged calcium crystals out of the inner ear canal, so the nerves stop telling the brain that it is spinning when it is not. There are three different canals in each of the inner ears, so one needs to see a therapist who specializes in BPPV who knows the different appropriate types of treatment. The Epley maneuver is the most common treatment, but it does not work for all types of BPPV. About 30 percent of the time other specific maneuvers are needed to fix the problem. Other causes of vertigo include viral infections or inflammation of the inner ear, which can result in conditions such as Meniere’s disease or labyrinthitis. Through physical therapy, I am able to help people feel better and improve their balance even after being diagnosed with these conditions. Sometimes there is not an inner ear issue, but rather a problem with the connections among the eyes, inner ear and brain. This is not a problem with an eyeglass prescription. People can feel “off” or dizzy because their eyes are not coordinating together with their brain to see the world as one picture. People usually are not consciously aware of it, but they may be seeing double, or everything they look at could be shaking without their knowing it. They may get tired when reading or get headaches. They may have more symptoms when being active or even just walking or riding in a car because their surroundings are moving, but their eyes/ brain are not steadying the picture as they should. In these cases, I do special exercises with the patient to improve the coordination between their eyes and brain. Afterward clients can do normal activities without symptoms, like working on a computer, playing sports, driving, walking in the dark and just living life.
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Grand Traverse Woman No matter what the cause of the vertigo or balance problem, PT can help improve your condition. Even if there is not a specific “cure” for your particular problem, I can do habituation exercises that can rid you of the vertigo or dizziness. Habituation exercises generally involve repeating special exercises and movements frequently until your eyes, inner ear and brain become accustomed to the movement and you do not get your vertigo or dizzy symptoms anymore. Using the wide variety of balance exercises on our SOS (Safety Overhead Support) system can be a fun therapy. My clinic in Copper Ridge has the only SOS system in Traverse City (with eight different stations), which eliminates any possibility of someone falling while working to improve her balance. The ladies I help have no fear of tumbling, so they are able to improve much faster and get back to the active lives that they enjoy.
Jill Holden has been a physical therapist for 23 years and is the co-owner of FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers of Traverse City and FAST Fitness. She can be contacted at 231.932.9014. Learn more at www.FYZICAL.com/TC.
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Grand Traverse Woman Welcome Welcome OurOur NewNew Physician! Physician! pleased to announce We We are are pleased to announce Adrienne B. Wagner, thatthat Adrienne B. Wagner, D.O.D.O. is joining our medical practice is joining our medical practice a specialist in family as aas specialist in family medicine. medicine. SheShe is ready to care for all is ready to care for all patients starting as young as 12 patients starting as young as 12 years old. old. years Adrienne B. Wagner, D.OD.O . Adrienne B. Wagner, .
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Sept/Oct '16
The return of the
‘Arty Party’ Local 87-year-old artist brings back leland favorite By Donna Johnston Donna (left) with her friend, Arty Party artist and organizer Nancy Deye.
While working as an art teacher for 32 years, I never had an art room. Over that time I traveled with buckets of supplies to 13 elementary buildings, a junior high and a high school, teaching various art media and projects to classroom teachers and students within those rooms. Always in the back of my mind, I wanted to own and operate a gallery. Putting up art exhibits in school hallways and gymnasiums over the years gave me lots of experience in display and an opportunity to create mini galleries for students, parents and teachers to enjoy. Yet I still wanted to have a gallery of my own. One Christmas my husband, Charles (Chuck), gave me a sixmonth lease on a renovated old dime store in the small Ohio community in which we lived. During that two-week school vacation, I contacted my art friends, redecorated the half of the building that was ours, talked two of my print-making friends into manning the shop while my husband and I were teaching, and we opened “Johnston’s Art Room” in January 1972. For several years, we operated this shop that carried local artists’ work. We also did custom framing and gained some positive recognition for promoting local craftsmen and artisans. After reaching retirement age, we “recycled” from education to a full-time commitment to our growing little business; yet there was a pull to come to Leelanau County to live. Finally, we agreed to move to our Lake Leelanau cottage and relocate our business to Leland. We found a unique shop in Fish Town where the “Americana Collection of Leland” was born. Over the next several years another gallery was opened in Traverse City, the “Americana Collection of Traverse City” on Front Street. Although we were having lots of fun, it was a lot of work for a retired couple. When one of our employees expressed an interest in buying our gallery in Leland, we decided to recycle once again. At the same time, another shop manager in Traverse City expressed interest in that location. In one year, we turned both galleries over to others. We were finally retired! I could now work on my own art. I soon took over one of my husband’s garages and created a studio in which I taught art and displayed my own work for a few years. Our cottage was always a great place to have company from Ohio. On one visit, good friends suggested that I should come to their home with a sampling of my work and have a house party for Christmas the next year.
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Sure enough, the next October Chuck and I packed the car and drove to Toledo, where we had our first “Arty Party” in our friend’s Ohio home. It resulted in a really fun time, which was repeated the following year. Over the next year, another idea germinated: Why not have an Arty Party in our home on Lake Leelanau during the beautiful fall color season? The following year, we invited a few arty friends to bring their wares and they turned our home into a gallery. We also offered a silent auction to benefit various charities in the Traverse City area. The Arty Party was held in our home for the next 10 years, until age and limitations became a factor. (Let me tell you, having more than 400 folks visit our home over three days each fall took on proportions that 80 year olds could no longer easily handle!) Our Arty Party seasons were thought to be over. After about three years and several “When are you going to have Arty Party?” inquiries, I thought: Why not get a more public venue where we don’t have so much wear and tear on us or our home? This would allow for many more of my arty friends to take part too. So, this year I’m proud to say that Arty Party 2016 will be held at the Old Art Building in Leland Oct. 21, 22 and 23. And, yes, I’ll have my special mulled punch for the Friday night reception, plus the sugar cookies and the spiced pretzels that were earlier favorites, along with other goodies. Most importantly, Arty Party 2016 will offer some delightful art from our lineup of great arty folks. I will have Nancy Deye, my friend and a great silversmith, showing her work but also helping me organize the show. We’ll also have Nancy Doughty’s basketry, Bill Behnke’s artisan knives, Amy Ferguson with her delightful illustrations, B.J. Harmon’s wood turnings, Esther Harmon’s knitting and quilting, Dave and Shirley Kaemming’s pottery and bird houses, Pam Peplinski’s jewelry, Ann Robinson’s watercolors, Wendy Rogers’ pottery, Rodger Skinner’s photography, John Fletcher’s hot glass creations, and author Jeffray Kessler will be signing his new book, “Colantha: A Beloved World Champion Cow.” Of course, my husband and I will have our fused glass, marbled pottery, paintings and silk scarves. We will also offer a silent auction to benefit Munson Hospice House with each artist donating one of their items for visitors to bid on. The show promises to offer something for everyone. Even though I never had my own art room as a teacher, I can now say I have my own galleries. I have the Arty Party space, which means so much to me. Plus, I run my own “End of the Road Studio” in the spring and summer. By now I have taken over three garages from my husband’s use! I have showrooms in two, with my working area in another. Not bad for being retired! It really keeps me a young 87 year old. But then, again, creativity does that.
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Donna Johnston is a retired art educator and gallery owner living the past 40 years on Lake Leelanau with her husband, Charles. They owned Americana Collection in Leland and in Traverse City. Both shops were passed on to others over 19 years ago. The Johnstons have the name “Arty Party” registered to them and have used that name with shows held in their home for approximately 12 years. Johnston’s End of the Road Studio is open during the spring and summer where she holds classes and works on her own projects but always welcomes a visit. She will answer your questions at 231.947.3081.
Mark your calendars! The revival of Arty Party will be held at the Old Art Building in Leland, Michigan, on Oct. 21, 22 and 23. Please mark your calendars to take a drive out to beautiful Leelanau County to enjoy the seasonal colors and browse beautiful artistic finds before the holidays!
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Sept/Oct '16 37
Grand Traverse Woman
GTWoman’s Nov/Dec
Holiday Issue is coming next!
Grand Traverse
WOMAN Nov/Dec 2016
Nov/Dec
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Grand Traverse Woman
Hope MS
for a new life after
diagnosis
By Jackie Bradshaw
Seven years ago I was the typical wife and mother. My days were filled with getting kids ready for school, fixing lunches, volunteering and attending PTO meetings. There were dance classes, piano lessons and cross-country meets. While the kids were in school, I would shop, do laundry, clean the house and enjoy walks in the neighborhood. Then things took a dramatic turn.
In denial
What is MS? Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune illness. It affects the brain and spinal cord. It damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects the nerves. This damage can slow down and/or block messages between the brain and the body. Some common symptoms are visual disturbances, fatigue, numbness, bladder/bowel issues and difficulty walking and maintaining balance. MS affects women more than men. It can strike people as young as 10 years old, up through middle age. This illness doesn’t affect any two people the same way, and many people with MS may “look healthy.” No one knows what causes MS and there is no cure!
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Sept/Oct '16
In June of 2009, I began to experience some numbing and tingling in my right hand and arm. I consulted my doctor, who sent me for an MRI. When the doctor called me with the results, little did I know how much life—for me and my family—was about to change. I was told there was a lesion on my spine. I was referred to a neurologist, who ordered an MRI of my brain. The results showed an older lesion in the suspicious location where Multiple Sclerosis (MS) lesions tend to hang out. The neurologist was 99.9 percent sure that I had MS. I was totally shocked. I considered myself to be a healthy woman. I had worked out since age 18, ate well, kept my weight in check, never smoked, drank or did drugs. This disease did not run in my family. There must be some sort of mistake. This could not be happening to me. I wasn’t buying the diagnosis. While the doctor wanted me to consider taking medication right away (he sent me home with a mountain of drug literature), I found it very hard to wrap my head around getting news like this. I remained in a state of denial for well over a year. The irony of my situation was that I had done many MS walks in the past to raise money not knowing anyone with MS, much less anything about the disease. As time passed, I noticed changes in my body that I knew just weren’t right. I felt really tired when I hadn’t done much, and my walking gait felt “off.” It was at this point that I began to think that maybe the MS diagnosis was for real. It was real and there was no cure.
No denying the decline During the seven years since my diagnosis, my health has continued to deteriorate. Every day I battle with fatigue and heaviness in both legs. (I
have to pick up my legs to get in the car or even to go up the stairs.) I have an inability to stand very long and have neuropathy in the palms of both hands. My right hand doesn’t work at times, compromising my ability to write, type or even feed myself. (I sometimes have to eat as a lefty.) What bothers me the most, emotionally and physically, is my walking and balance. Now I have to rely on a cane every day. I’ve even had to be wheeled into church or on outings. It’s like losing my independence. This illness not only affects me but my husband, our children and all those who know me. Now, all the everyday tasks that I did are my husband’s responsibility, in addition to his fulltime job, with the kids’ help. This is devastating for a person who has been very active all her life.
“While undergoing [an experimental treatment] sounds scary, living with this unpredictable illness is scarier.” Looking for alternatives I have been very proactive in attempts to recover my health, trying everything from prayer to various nutrition plans, supplements, juicing and even going through with a Fecal Microbiota Transplant (a new treatment that transfers the intestinal bacteria—thought to be the foundation of immunity—of a healthy person into the body of a sick person.) But nothing seems to slow the progression of my disease. You might be wondering why not just take conventional medicine? I did try taking a drug for six months, but I did not want simply to “manage my illness” and “mask symptoms” with meds. There isn’t an MS drug that will stop this debilitating disease; MS drugs are designed only to slow the progression and manage the illness if they work at all, and there can be significant side effects. Instead of relying on drugs I wanted to find alternatives to heal my body. Since making that decision, I have truly learned that my health is a gift—a gift that is easily taken for granted. I am a
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very diligent, determined woman of faith who is taking responsibility to restore her health.
An answer abroad During my research I discovered a treatment called Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT), which has been used for about 20 years for several autoimmune illnesses. This process uses the patient’s own blood stem cells, which are removed, regenerated and frozen. After chemotherapy is used to disable the patient’s immune system, those frozen stem cells are put back into the patient’s body in an attempt to “reboot” their immune system with a totally new one. This treatment has already worked for other people. One clinical study of 24 MS patients found that after three years 86 percent of the volunteers had no relapses and 91 percent showed no signs of MS development. That’s amazing! Even more amazing, many patients who have had this stem cell treatment have seen a reversal of symptoms, not just a slowing of them. That is a huge bonus, compared with traditional drugs! Doctors will say this treatment is not a cure, rather the illness is in a state of remission. But I feel strongly that this approach can offer me hope. I believe that the body is designed to heal itself if given the right tools and time. Inspired, I looked into HSCT in the United States, where this treatment is still considered
to be experimental. But I did not qualify to be a candidate, and the price was also prohibitive, costing between $120,000 and $200,000. I learned, however, there are many MS patients who leave the U.S. to seek HSCT in other countries such as Russia, Italy, Germany and Mexico because the probability of being treated is greater. I felt hopeful when I saw that the cost of this treatment in Mexico is $54,500. HSCT offers hope for other patients too. The treatment has been used for about 20 years for several autoimmune illnesses, like CIDP, Chron’s and Scleroderma to name a few.
On a mission Now I’m on a mission to raise $62,000 to cover airfare, food and incidentals so I can travel out of the country to have this, hopefully, life-changing treatment. I believe it is the best option, offering the greatest chance to restore my health. While undergoing chemotherapy sounds scary, living with this unpredictable illness is scarier. I am a wife and mom of three children. I want to be healthy, to enjoy doing activities with my family. I don’t want to miss out on anything else that MS has already robbed me of. So I’m focusing on my goals and hoping for a future of new health and possibilities!
How to help Jackie Jackie has been given an official stem-cell treatment date in Mexico: Nov. 7. She is currently raising the $62,000 needed to undergo the treatment. However, time is not on her side. If she waits, she runs the risk of getting worse, lessening her eligibility. If you’d like to support Jackie, please visit her www.youcaring.com page. (Search for Jackie Bradshaw or find her at https://www. youcaring.com/jackie-bradshaw-598435.) Or you can mail donations to Fifth Third Bank, 1028 E. Eighth St., Traverse City, MI 49686. Attention Matt Quinter. (Checks can be made payable to Jackie Bradshaw.) Jackie Bradshaw has been married to a wonderful man for 23 years and is the mother of three teenage children. It is her hope to get to Puebla, Mexico for a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant to improve her MS. To get in touch with Jackie you may email her at jackiebntc@gmail.com.
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Sept/Oct '16 41
Grand Traverse Woman
How we survived it al l One year after
my son’s biking accident By Kristin Sonnemann-Grams
Summer 2015 is the summer that everything changed, at least for a while, for our family. The events are never far from my conscious thoughts, and sometimes they replay in a constant loop. I try to not think about “what if…” but every now and then I go there. And since Ben’s accident was a year ago, it has been at the forefront of my thoughts more than usual. It’s rare for everyone in our family to agree on something, but downhill mountain biking is something we all love. My husband, David, and I first tried this activity 20 years ago. When we introduced it to our three kids several years ago, they loved it as much as we did. And after a few lessons, the boys were better and faster than we would ever be. Every summer we looked forward to traveling to Winter Park, Col., for a few days of downhill mountain biking at Trestle Bike Park. What could be better than to ride the chairlift up the mountain and then bike down the extensive trails? My heart soars when I am on those trails. It is pure joy! July 12, 2015, was our last day of riding the mountain before heading home from another great vacation. As we went down one of our favorite intermediate trails named “Shy Ann,” I was bringing up the rear. I remember seeing Ben quite a ways ahead going over a jump and thinking, “Wow—Ben is really high!” When I reached the same jump, I saw him on the ground. My heart sank, and I hoped it was nothing serious. Ben was moaning and in a lot of pain. He asked me to call someone, so I called the bike patrol. Upon first inspection, Ben looked fine. He had not hit his head, there was no blood anywhere, and nothing was broken, but something was wrong. I recalled my mom’s words when we left: “Just don’t get hurt, Ben, so you can play tennis in the fall.” Bike patrol arrived and called for a gurney right away, which was pulled by a 4x4. It was a bumpy ride down the service roads, and Ben was in obvious pain. Something was injured internally, but we didn’t know what. At the medical clinic at the base of the mountain, an ultrasound was inconclusive, and Ben’s
condition continued to worsen. He was very nauseous, and medication was not helping. He needed to be airlifted to Denver. During Ben’s 2-3 hours at the clinic, the others were quickly cleaning our condo and packing-we knew we would not be back. I watched as they loaded Ben into an ambulance to take him to the helipad, then heard the helicopter leaving as I was running back to the condo while tearfully telling my parents what was happening. Ben’s ride would be 20 minutes to Denver. We had a 90-minute drive ahead of us. Driving away from Winter Park, I think I was in shock. The car ride was pretty silent, and I kept thinking about what was happening in Denver. Had I signed all the correct papers in case he needed surgery? I hoped so. When we arrived at the hospital, Denver Health, they took us back to see Ben. He had not had surgery, and the doctor informed us that he had severely damaged his kidney. Ben was pretty out of it. They moved him up to ICU shortly after we arrived, and the doctor there told us that they would closely monitor him. He said we could go, and that they would call with any news. It was close to midnight at this point, so we left to go to a hotel, even though I didn’t think I would be able to sleep. We made it to the hotel, and as we were walking into our room, my phone rang. It was the hospital, telling us that Ben had taken a turn for the worse, and that we needed to come back right away. They were taking him into surgery to remove his left kidney, it was too damaged to save. Finally, the doctor appeared. He looked pretty grim. He told my husband that if there was a god that he prayed to, he should do that now. He explained, during the surgery, Ben’s heart had stopped, and he required 17 minutes of CPR:
17 minutes is a long time. We were told that the next 12 hours would be extremely important. We were able to see Ben, and I’ll never forget it: all the machines, the ventilator, and then my sweet boy, who looked like he was sleeping. From there, the waiting game began. Waiting for those first 12 hours to pass. Waiting for sleep. Waiting for more information. Waiting to text people to let them know what was happening. Next came the planning phase: where to stay, what to do with the kids. I kicked into automatic gear, rarely letting my guard down. If I kept things very matter-of-fact, I could handle them. Just do what needed to be done. My parents and sister arrived—after a 10-hour drive from Idaho. When they pulled away from the hotel to take our two kids back to Idaho with them, I remember how lonely I felt. It was now just David and I. How were we going to get through this? Adding to all the emotions was the fact that
Kristin, left, and her son, Ben.
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Sept/Oct '16
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nated for many hours, and it seemed he was living in a violent video game where there were monsters coming at him from every angle. All I could do at this time was sit with him and stroke his head. He was holding my hand tighter than ever, and his arms and legs were restrained because he was thrashing around and there was the danger he would hurt himself or others. (He did, in fact, kick a nurse during this time before his legs were restrained. She ended up in the ER with bruised ribs. Ben doesn’t remember any of this.). Awake and off the ventilator, Ben continued to improve. As he continued to recover, we had to face the reality that he would most likely not be playing his senior year of tennis. It was a conversation that I dreaded having with him. He took the news well, but his recovery was so amazingly quick, I began to dare to think that he might just be able to recover enough to play. Sure enough, exactly one month after the accident, he was at tennis try-outs, hitting lightly. It was unbelievable! Also, in the end, my results came back normal. I sometimes still can’t believe the whole experience happened. Just 15 days after the accident, we were heading home. Now, a year later, there are new worries about Ben, but except for our concern about him becoming dehydrated, they are the same worries that all parents of an 18 year old have. And for that, I am thankful. I marvel at how everything worked out, and I am thankful for so many things: the medical staffs, our amazing friends and my family. The worst moment of our lives turned out OK because of the dedication, kindness, strength and generosity of others.
Mary brisbois photography
I’d found a breast lump on the first day of our vacation. Now I was scared, both for me and for Ben. It was difficult to know what we should be doing. The only way we figured out what we needed was by doing things, and when they didn’t feel right, we would do something else. David and I tried to walk around town one night, but it was a family movie night in the town square, and the sight of happy children made me made me break down sobbing. I didn’t want to be away from Ben. Time at the hospital was agonizing too. Long days in the waiting room, with trips into Ben’s room to see him and talk to doctors. His surgeon ordered a CAT scan to check for brain injury. Thankfully, it showed none, but Ben had not yet woken up. Everything was a constant pull of emotions. Whenever one health issue seemed to be under control, another would pop up. It was endless. Why wasn’t Ben responding to commands? Why was he having trouble breathing? Why couldn’t the ventilator come out? The doctors never used the word coma with us, but Ben was essentially in a medically induced coma. While Ben was on the ventilator, he needed to be kept totally sedated. This lasted five days. I learned it was OK to ask for help, OK not to do it all ourselves. We told our best friend, “Please come” and he dropped everything and joined us in Denver. Other friends back home took care of our house and started a GoFundMe campaign so we could afford hotels since the Ronald McDonald House had a waiting list. As for my care, the social worker for the surgical floor arranged for me to be seen at the breast center at Denver Health, so I wouldn’t be worrying about my situation. It turned out that I had a cyst with some unidentified tissue around it. I had the cyst aspirated and a biopsy done two floors below where Ben was fighting. The moment was surreal, but I was on auto pilot. Just do what needs to be done. I had little concern for me-all my thoughts were of Ben. Another lesson learned was about the power of prayer. Through social media, friends of friends heard of Ben’s accident and began praying. Prayer must have played a role in what happened next. As I stood next to the hospital bed, gripping my son’s hand, Ben came out of sedation and mumbled, “God is a savior, God is my savior. This is my gift to you.” It seemed unreal. Ben was not particularly religious. He doesn’t remember saying it. But my doubts about the future were swept away. Coming out of the sedation was horrible, and Ben had what the doctors called “ICU delirium.” He halluci-
Kristin Sonnemann-Grams is a teacher and mom of three children, Ben, Bryan and Ellen. She loves being outside and staying active with friends and family, especially on her mountain bike or at the beach. She can be reached at g ocanoe@charter.net.
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Grand Traverse Woman
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Grand Traverse Woman
facing, not fleeing negative emotions By Rebecca Eldredge
Ah,
the dreaded “negative” emotions. Like childhood monsters lurking under the bed, they seem as ominous and foreboding as the darkness itself. We fear they will swallow us up and we will be consumed, unable to feel anything other than the fear, anger or sadness that grips us at that moment. Different cultures offer excellent examples of embracing emotions as a natural part of life. For example, in many Latino, AfricanAmerican, Haitian and Islamic traditions, openly expressing the emotions associated with grief is expected and even encouraged. However, when it comes to expressing negative emotions in Western, European-American society, we hear many well-intentioned admonitions to: “Get over it,” “Move on” or “Don’t be so sensitive.” These all imply it is better not to feel our emotions. As a result, negative emotions are seen as being weak or superfluous. And yet, when facing an overwhelming loss, hurt, injustice or fear, how helpful is it to be told, or to tell ourselves, how we “should” think or feel? We criticize ourselves for not feeling differently, and, instead of feeling better, we feel even worse. I tried following these directives for years. I’ve always felt emotions deeply, so my attempts to be less sensitive failed miserably. I didn’t see any benefit in welcoming unpleasant emotions; yet they had nowhere to go. Bottled up, they seemed to present themselves in other forms. When I was young, I hid hurt feelings behind my bedroom door. Later, I diverted stress into studies and experienced physical health problems such as fatigue, increased migraine headaches and intense abdominal pain. Fortunately, my travels and professional pursuits showed me there were other ways of dealing with emotions. While I was working in Detroit, responsible for the daily care of adolescent males at a boys’ home, I witnessed the power of embracing all of life’s emotions. I’d never heard so much yelling in anger, crying in sadness or exclaiming in joy from the same group of people, often within the same evening! Through their example, I began to experience my own emotions more fully,
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surprised that, despite shedding many of my own tears, I laughed more easily and felt lighter. Later, in graduate school, I trusted the wisdom of supervisors who told me that “leaning into emotions” was a worthwhile pursuit. Still, I was hesitant. It was unknown, unfamiliar and unpredictable. I felt apprehensive. Where will this go? What will I feel? When will it change? But I continued learning to attune to the inner physical sensations, imagery and information that emotions revealed to me. By leaning in, I noticed that when I allowed myself to be still and feel the physical manifestations of sadness, hurt or anger in my body, there was often a concurrent feeling of release. By engaging with the emotions in this way, I could also create a type of “dialogue” to better understand their purpose and guidance. Through experience, my faith in this approach grew. Then, in 2006, I experienced a quick succession of heartbreaking losses and major life transitions, including the unexpected death of my grandmother. Instead of avoiding my feelings, I explored them through strategies like journaling, tracking dreams, painting, remembering and, yes, crying. One dream surprised me with a visualization of the last relationship advice my grandmother had given me, “No more dead fish.” I laughed and cried as I painted the dream’s image and remembered her vibrant personality. I also talked to my grandfather. Multiple times, when I inquired how he was doing, he’d answer, “Happy-sad,” acknowledging the co-existing emotions of grief and joy. It’s a wise phrase with meaning I continue to cherish. These days, as a psychologist, I’m repeatedly honored to behold beautiful, transformative moments of courageous people attending to their most aversive emotions. It’s a paradox that through turning inwards and towards these dif-
ficult feelings, we can find the path to getting unstuck and create inner change that leads to healing. I often tell people that emotions are like children. When they want our attention, they begin by calling out. If attention is first delayed, the emotions may give a brief respite, hoping for attention in “just a minute.” However, as time passes, they return louder and more insistent, tugging at our leg, their demands intensifying. Similarly, our emotions call for us to heed them: “Watch me” … “I want to show you something” … “Pay attention!” We may be able to postpone the emotions temporarily. However, if we avoid and deny them repeatedly, they become more intense. Over time, we risk them converting into physical symptoms, overflowing at inopportune moments or withdrawing and numbing us from life’s fullness. Emotions are a package deal. When we shut out the negative emotions, we lose the vibrancy of our positive emotions too. Tuning in empowers us in ways that avoidance and denial just can’t. Our emotions are an essential internal communication system. They show us what we’re missing, what we need and how to take steps toward wholeness. If we
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listen, feelings guide us toward deeper insights and healing than our analysis alone can provide. My feelings advise me when I’m doing too little, and when I’m doing too much. They reveal when I need quiet, and when I need action. Through embracing my feelings, I’ve been able to release heartache, disappointment and worry. By accepting moments of sadness, fear and anger, I’ve experienced greater calm, peace and joy. I know firsthand that facing emotions is extremely difficult in the beginning. It often contradicts what we’ve spent a lifetime practicing. After all, emotions truly are like those monsters under the bed. Turning on a light and facing the monsters directly often brings them down to size…they are now shadows, dust bunnies or treasures that had been forgotten. And then, perhaps surprisingly, we also rediscover our internal strength, confidence, wisdom and compassion. A favorite quote by Robert Frost sits on my desk as a reminder of what I’ve learned. It says: “The best way out is always through.” Rebecca Eldredge is a licensed psychologist in Traverse City. She enjoys a variety of passions in addition to her work including genuine connections with friends and family, nature and travel. She can be reached at rebecca@rebeccaephd.com.
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October 15, 2016 | 8:30 am - 2 pm Grand Traverse Resort and Spa 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd. | Acme, MI 49610
Recovery Plus is an annual conference for women who have had or who are currently living with breast cancer. Participants will enjoy a continental breakfast, special “pampering” session, informative presentations, lunch, and a fashion show. Guest speakers include: David K. Heimburger, MD Recent Advancements in Breast Cancer Management
Mary Raymer, LMSW, ACSW, DPNAP Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Emotional Recovery and Breast Cancer The event is sponsored by the Zonta Club of Traverse City and Munson Medical Center’s Breast Cancer Navigator Program. Cost is $30. Register by Oct. 10 online at munsonhealthcare.org/RecoveryPlus2016event or call 800-533-5520.
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Grand Traverse
WOMAN i n b u s i n e ss NEW State Savings Bank of Frankfort has welcomed Mollie Hammersley to its mortgage lending team. A Leelanau County native, she brings nearly 20 years of mortgage experience to her new position. She previously served as a mortgage closer at State Savings Bank and holds licensure as a real estate salesperson and title insurance examiner. State Savings Bank was established in Frankfort in 1901. online@ssbankmi. com, www.ssbankmi.com, 231.360.0250 All Grand Traverse area residents are now able to locate service project opportunities thanks to a new online resource called JustServe. Justserve.org matches community, governmental and other non-profit organizations that have
service project needs with volunteers willing to help. JustServe is provided as a service by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following the Biblical admonition to “love thy neighbors as thyself.” Lorissa Nelson, local JustServe coordinator, said, “Northern Michigan has a pretty strong volunteerism culture... We want to encourage everyone to get involved in something that speaks to their heart.” Since its inception, JustServe has had some 160,000 registered volunteers and 22,000 posted projects. JustServe was first launched in San Jose, Calif., in 2011. Living Light Massage recently welcomed massage therapist, Katie Kozik, to their growing team serving clients seven days a week. A graduate of the Everest Institute, Kozik has been working in the massage and spa industry for the past seven
Grand Traverse Woman years. She specializes in relaxation, deep tissue/therapeutic, trigger point therapy and sports massage. 134 W. State St., Traverse City, 231.995.9697, www. livinglightmassage.com Diane Kuhn Huff has joined Cindy Anderson at the law firm of Stephen & Anderson, PLC, in Traverse City. Huff has 25 years of experience in estate planning and estate administration. Stephen & Anderson has provided quality legal services for more than 20 years in business, real estate and estate administration. The firm serves clients in Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Manistee, Kalkaska and Antrim counties. 812 S. Garfield Ave., Suite 3, Traverse City, 231.947.4050 Caroline Smith, a 5th generation local Realtor, has joined Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors in Traverse City. She recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame. Through her time spent working with top agents in both Chicago and Traverse City, she gained expertise on the waterfront/luxury homes market, negotiation strategies and working with first-time homebuyers. 231.649.3137, caroline.smith@cbgreatlakes.com
Two new agents have joined Century 21 Northland. Christi Edgington spent nearly two decades handling real estate deals as a closing agent/escrow officer at a Phoenix, Ariz., title company. That in-depth experience, she said, gives her an intimate knowledge of the entire real estate process—everything from the complexities of mortgage loans and title examinations to the closing itself. Leelanau County native and longtime Traverse City resident, Kirstie Swanson said joining Century 21 Northland, was a natural fit. “People in Northern Michigan make you feel welcomed, and I found that same atmosphere at this office,” she said. “I figured out early on that this agency is where I want to work... I know the area extremely well, and that makes it easy to anticipate changes in supply and demand.” 231.944.6459, cedgington@ c21northland.com; 231.632.5581, kswanson@c21northland.com TBA Credit Union rolled out a newly redesigned website in August to provide members a more convenient, mobilefriendly site that is easy to navigate. New features include: rates at a glance, quick access to TBACU’s routing number and phone number, interactive map to easily
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Grand Traverse Woman find the closest branch or ATM and howto videos. It’sMe247 Online banking is still located in the top right-hand corner of the website. 231.946.7090, www. tbacu.com Andrea Bogard, owner of Northern Art Photography, has opened a new studio in the Grand Traverse Commons. Northern Art Photography is offering in-studio and onsite portraiture from the new location as well as wedding and event photography and a luxury photo booth. Portraiture styles offered include personal branding, newborn, child, family, senior, lifestyle, engagement, boudoir, headshots, maternity and pets. 818 Red Dr., Suite 20, Traverse City, 888.263.2578, www.norther nartphotography.com , www.lifeoutsidethebooth.com
KUDOS Thanks to Cherryland Electric Cooperative members who participate in “Operation Round Up” and choose to round up their monthly electrical bill to the nearest dollar, Cherryland Cares has awarded $6,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters to arrange academic tutoring for some of the children in the program. Cherryland Cares is a five-member board, made up of co-op members who distribute grants to area nonprofit agencies from money derived through the “Operation RoundUp” program.
The Friendly Garden Club of Traverse City awarded Kitchen Choreography the Large Business Beautification Award from a list of more than 15 businesses. Susan Snyder, president of the Garden Club, presented the award to Mike and Angela Goodall owners of Kitchen Choreography. Angela Goodall said, “We are so delighted to be recognized by the Friendly Garden Club for this award. We have tried to create a peaceful sanctuary in town at our design center showroom that can be enjoyed by our customers and staff alike.” The public is welcome to tour the garden Monday– Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The showroom will also be open during those times. Kitchen Choreography is located at 420 S. Division St., Traverse City, and is a full-service kitchen design firm offering kitchen design and complete remodeling design services. 231.932.9700, www.kitchenchoregraphy.net Interlochen Center for the Arts recently received a $2 million gift from the Corson Family of Middlebury,
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Ind., and Naples, Fla., to create a new waterfront park on Green Lake at the core of Interlochen’s historic campus. The gift comes from the Estate of Dorthy S. Corson, Thomas H. Corson, Jim and Claire (Corson) Skinner, and the Corson Family Foundation, to honor the memory of the recently deceased Dorthy S. “Dot” Corson, Mr. Corson’s wife and Ms. Skinner’s mother. Another part of the gift will help Interlochen construct a muchneeded music building on campus. The gift is part of the $91 million that has been raised through CREATE AMAZING: The Campaign for Interlochen. The goal of the campaign is to raise $100 million. CREATEAMAZING.ORG, www.interlochen.org Habitat for Humanity of Michigan board of directors voted and unanimously elected Wendy Irvin, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, Grand Traverse Region, to the state board. Irvin was identified as an ideal candidate because of her extensive 25-year career in the nonprofit sector in management, advocacy, public affairs and communications. In addition, Habitat for Humanity, Grand Traverse Region, announces that Michelle Reichert
will be moving from volunteer and events coordinator to project manager. One of her main goals will be building partnerships with contractors, businesses and suppliers and seeking in-kind donations for building materials, hardware or related supplies that may be used to build current projects or donated to the ReStore to fund future projects. HFH-GTR recently dedicated their seventh house in the Depot Neighborhood, handing over the keys of a brand new home to partner family, Amy Broghamer and sons. Home dedication and celebrations recognize the hard work partner families put into becoming homeowners. Habitat partner families purchase their home through affordable monthly payments and contribute hundreds of hours of “sweat equity,” working alongside the Habitat team and volunteers. Habitat will build three more homes in the Depot Neighborhood before the project comes to a close. 231.941.4663, mreichert@habitatgtr. org, www.habitatgtr.org Carolyn Collins, associate sales broker at Century 21 Northland, was recently named Century 21 Northland’s Quality Service Producer. Collins sums up her professional approach as: “It’s all about the clients.” She employed this practical philosophy over her 15 years in real
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Grand Traverse Woman estate. The technology exists, Collins said, to communicate quickly and efficiently with buyers and sellers—and with other agents: “There’s no excuse to wait days or even hours to make sure things move along smoothly.” McLain Cycle & Fitness, with three locations in Traverse City and Cadillac, has been named one of America’s Best Bike Shops for 2016 by the National Bicycle Dealers Association. There are approximately 4,000 bike shops in the United States, and less than 300 were chosen to be named “America’s Best.” The shops were asked to fill out a detailed application describing what sets them apart from the average store. Mystery shoppers then evaluated the business in more detail by visiting the store, reviewing their website, and contacting the shop by phone to assess the performance from a consumer’s perspective. The recipients of the America’s Best Bike Shops title not only offer great shopping experiences, but are also rated on their support for their communities, as well as support for bicycle advocacy both locally and nationally. McLain Cycle & Fitness has won this award in 2013, 2014, 2015 and now 2016. McLain Cycle & Fitness is owned by Bob and Kris McLain. http://mclaincycle.com Quota International of Traverse City would like to announce the new Board Members for 2016-2017: President -
Lisa Kent, Vice President – Shannan MacGillivray, Treasurer – Merri Lee Stetson, and Secretary – Danielle Stetson. Business meetings are held the 1st Tuesday of the month in Traverse City. As a non-profit organization, Quota is dedicated to empowering women, supporting child development, and providing resources for hearing health and safety in our local communities. Contact for membership, events, fundraisers, and grant requests through FaceBook - Quota Traverse City and email quotatraversecity@gmail.com.
MISC. Kitchen Choreography will showcase two homes on the Sept. 17 Home & Cottage Tour hosted by My North to benefit Child and Family Services. In their 10th year of participating in the tour, Kitchen Choreography will open the doors to a remodeled home and a condominium makeover. The remodeled home on Old Mission Peninsula (#7) was an original home from 1988 and the update needed to capture the essence and lifestyle of the area while making the kitchen the center of the home’s activity. The other remodel (#10) was a dated condo that needed a complete makeover along with maximization and the utilization of the existing space. 420 S. Division St., Traverse City, 231.932.9700, www.kitchenchoregraphy.net; for
more information on the tour visit mynorth.com
EVENTS The National Writer Series (NWS) is celebrating its 100th author event with several authors including female literary legends Margaret Atwood, Jodi Picoult and Ann Patchett. The first event is Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Milliken Auditorium with author Paola Gianturco. The event will include a wine and cheese reception at 6pm and a conversation at 7pm. Her latest book is called Grandmother Power, a photo portrait of grandmothers around the world who are taking matters into their own hands. The season continues with Pulitzer Prize winner David Maraniss on Oct. 7, who wrote a book about Detroit in its prime in 1963; Margaret Atwood on Oct. 20, a literary legend, known for her feminism and searing commentary on the world; and New York Times bestseller Ann Patchett Oct. 22, author of seven novels, including Bel Canto and her newest, Commonwealth. Literary sensation Jodi Picoult will return to the National Writers Series stage on Oct. 23. Her first appearance in March 2012 was sold out. Picoult has written 23 novels, nine of which are #1 New York Times bestsellers and five of which have been adapted into major motion pictures.
Kyle Mills, who has filled the “thriller” shoes of the late Vince Flynn, breaking out with a #1 NYT bestseller last fall and promising to do the same this year with Order to Kill will take the stage on Nov. 4. And Dan Bergner, author and magazine journalist, comes on Dec. 5. His book, Sing for Your Life, which is the Community Reads choice, is a biography of Ryan Speedo Green, an African American with a big voice and an even bigger dream. http://nationalwritersseries.org Quota of Traverse City presents Trivia Night! A FUNdraising Event to support the Quota stuffed Moose Project for EMT. Saturday Oct. 22 at the American Legion Post 35 on 1231 Hastings, Traverse City. Trivia teams of 8 players with donation of $100 per table. Play begins at 7 p.m. with Top Team Prizes and Prize for Best Table Decorations and Costumes (Halloween is around the corner). Bring Your Own Snacks, Food, Beverages. Register at quotatraversecity@ gmail.com or 231.383.0471 or Facebook quotatraversecity. In conjunction with National Recovery Month, local non-profit Addiction Treatment Services will be hosting a free event open to the public. SPEAK UP! will start at 7 at the City Opera House on Thursday Sept. 22. Admission is free. Seats are first come, first serve. After the event, those the audience will be invited to take a short walk to the Open Space
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Grand Traverse Woman to take part in a brief candlelight vigil to honor those that have lost the battle with addiction and to encourage those still struggling. Spoken Word artist Kinetic Affect will share stories, poems and personal experiences surrounding their own journey of recovery and hope. This duo have been featured in events all around the country including “America’s Got Talent”. Their intense, often humorous approach to storytelling is powerful and sure to leave the audience inspired and energized. To open the evening local talent from Traverse Citybased Falling Down Stairs Productions will perform stand-up comedy. This event is open to the public. As part of its mission, Addiction Treatment is offering this event free of charge because they feel this celebration of life and hope should be accessible to everyone. “We want to offer a fun, inspiring and thoughtprovoking evening of entertainment to the whole community, but to the “recovery community” in particular” says Christopher Hindbaugh, CEO of Addiction Treatment Services. “We really wanted to create an event that could represent the best of humanity, especially this year when there seems to be a need for hope and civility.” Addiction Treatment Services is a 501C3, non profit organization based in Traverse City. They operate 9 properties that support individuals and families affected by substance abuse. www.addictiontreatmentservices.org
Grand Traverse Woman events GTW’s Annual Girls Night Out Thursday, Sept. 29, 5-7pm Our GTWoman Network Nite series kicks off our Annual GTWoman Girls Night Out on Thursday, Sept 29, 5–7pm The event will be held at The Corner Loft. We will have 20+ vendors with shopping (yay!), delicious food by Fab Fresh Foods and wine by Black Star Farms, Bonobo Winery and more. Entertainment will feature Oh Brother, Big Sister! They are an eclectic sensation—this brother and sister duo from Northern Michigan covers the music spectrum with entrancing harmonies and ingenious musical arrangements. With a comfortable, comedic essence that makes you feel like you’re with old friends in the comfort of your happy place. Oh Brother Big Sister is pure pleasure. It’s a great way to kick off the networking season! Grab your girlfriends and colleagues and purchase tickets today! Limited tickets, must pre-purchase. Tickets are 2/$20 or $15/each online. We also have booths available for vendors for $125—if you have a fun business that would love a girls night out too, email Kerry to reserve your table! Thank you to our Corporate Sponsor Credit Union One and Supporting Sponsors Precision Plumbing & Heating, GT Resort & Spa, Deerhaven Dentistry, Z93 and TV 7&4. Visit www.grandtraversewoman.com
GTWoman Luncheon - Wednesday, Oct. 12, 11am–1pm Be a SPARK: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success Speaker: Angie Morgan Leadership can often seem like a mysterious concept, but, as Angie Morgan reveals, being a leader has nothing to do with positional authority and everything to do with small actions and behaviors you can take each day to influence and inspire. When women recognize how to lead and where their leadership can be applied, they SPARK! They become change agents for themselves, their families, their teams and the organizations they are a part of. Let GTWoman introduce you to an amazing woman who can decode these secrets of leadership. Angie served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps and is now the founder of Lead Star, a leadership consultancy that works with the world’s best businesses—clients that include Facebook, Google, Marathon Oil and Best Buy. Her ideas on female leadership are so respected, Angie currently serves as an advisor for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to help the military build a more inclusive environment. Angie is also the best-selling author of the business book Leading from the Front. And her second book, SPARK, launches in January 2017. You won’t wont to miss meeting this inspirational woman and local mom! Join us for a lunch that will ignite your inner strengths! The luncheon is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City. We also have vendor booths available at the event for $185 (includes 2 lunch tix). Thank you to our series sponsors TBA Credit Union and GTOC and our supporting sponsors TV 7&4, Lite 96, Fox Grand Traverse, Northwood Animal Hospital, Sarah Brown Photography and SCORE. Lunch tickets are $25 each or 2/$45. Visit www.grandtraversewoman.com for tickets and to sign up to be a vendor.
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momma 1311
Grand Traverse Woman By Kandace chapple www.kandacechapple.com
Pokémon Goes and Goes I heard Colleen Wares on WTCM Newstalk 580 talking about Pokémon Go on the radio a week or so after it came out. She was looking for answers. I had answers. In the form of my 13-year-old son, named Kendall. I emailed her. I was going on the next day for GTWoman, but did she want an expert on another topic as well? No, not an adult. Instead, a real-life user and his beautiful mother. Yes! She was enthusiastic. It was the beginning of my first-ever Pokémon Go outing. We started the morning at WTCM at 7 a.m. Kendall put on the headphones and Colleen fired one question after another at him, which he handled easily with the flair of someone who doesn’t realize it’s live radio even though it is. But when she pointed out all the stories about users going crazy over the game, the trespassing, the accidents, the mob mentality, I held my breath. What would Kendall say? But I didn’t have to worry. He came back with a simple answer: “There’s nothing wrong with the game… the only thing wrong with it is the people using it.” There was silence in the studio. As they say, “out of the mouths of babes”! We all had to laugh when we went off the air. We left the station a halfhour later to head out on a Pokémon hunt. And before we even had a chance to move the car, Kendall let out a whoop. There was a Rattata in the car. “IN the car?” I asked. I was skeptical. From where I sat, I could see only “Reverse” and a tangle of hair ties. “There, Mom, on your lap! Hold out your hands!” Because I was parked safely (unlike some Pokémon hunters), I complied. Kendall changed his phone to camera mode and the game app will transpose the image on whatever is in your camera view. So he pointed the camera at me. I held out my hands. Yes, I had a Rattata (transposed!) on my hands now! He snapped a picture, “threw” a Poké Ball at it, “caught” it and we admired the picture and points acquired. Video games may be the bane of parents every-
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where, but this particular game can only be played outside of the house, where virtual Pokémon are found all over the world. It’s one of the first of its kind and is causing quite a stir: A game that isn’t played on the couch. Mothers everywhere aren’t sure if they should ban it or play it. How it works is that the players open the Pokémon Go app on their phones and off they go on a giant scavenger hunt. Players might find the creatures in the mall, in their yard or in my lap. Their phones vibrate when there is a Pokémon nearby or they can use a map that shows different Pokémon “stops” (for example, the sign in a park might be a “stop”—they can tap on it and earn game items.). Sure, they spend a lot of time looking down at their phones, but there are also long, glorious stretches of just walking, because walking 5k or 10k distances hatches Pokémon eggs—a game that rewards movement! (Let’s not talk about the kids tying their phone to their dogs’ collar or electric trains.) And so there we sat in the car, me celebrating the marvels of technology, when Kendall asked me the key question: “Will you go for a walk with me?” When was the last time my teenager asked me to go for a walk? It is far more likely that I would ask him to go for a walk and then lure him into going using his dog Cookie. Off we went, walking in downtown Traverse City on a Pokémon hunt. First, we headed down to the bay. It was 8 a.m. and I was along the beach on a beautiful July morning, the water perfectly still, with Kendall. The game was earning major mom points now. We headed to the pier, a spot loaded with Pokémon, according to my expert companion. I didn’t really care what the reason was. I wasn’t home doing dishes or laundry or litter boxes. I was out in the fresh air, walking the pier, admiring boats and listening to Kendall explain the difference between a Meowth and a Squirtle. We sat on the bench at the end of the pier. Kendall was having a blast. He caught about a million Pokémon in the five minutes we sat there, and I enjoyed the wind in my hair. I forgot for a moment that we were playing the game at all. It was a moment of mother-son harmony, where we were both quite pleased with ourselves. Me, with my hair. Him, with his Pokémon.
When it was time to move on, the day was still new and most of the world wasn’t even at work yet. Downtown TC would be ours for the taking, void of anything but imaginary creatures with odd names. We hit Front, then Cass, then Park. That’s when I saw them. There, on the corner, another mom and her son. “Pokémoning?” I asked, very in-the-know. “Yes,” she demurred, also very in-the-know. We exchanged looks of sheer pleasure. We left them and moved on; this time it was my turn to try the game. I figured out how to get a picture of a Pidgey sitting on Kendall’s shoulder. Forget all the angst of my 7th grade photography class and those B&W shots of my cat Farlie. That shot of Pidgey on Kendall’s shoulder was award-winning stuff, the best of my career. When we got home, Kendall immediately booked his Mom/Pokémon chauffeur for the next day. Again, it turned out to be a pretty summer day. The breeze was in my hair, and even if he was half ignoring me, he wasn’t half ignoring me any more than usual. Kendall’s younger brother, Nelson, was riding his bike next to us and begging to do something else. Again, the norm. It was a great time. And we got an ice cream while hunting (caught a Weedle near the counter). What a lovely day. We’ve even taken this show on the road. When we vacationed in Lake Placid in August, we waylaid a few Pikachus in the Adirondacks over the fire pit. Since that day on the radio, one thing has become clear: Despite the negative press, Pokémon Go is bonding mothers and children everywhere. For players too young to drive, their mothers hold the (car) keys to the (Pokémon) universe. Enjoy it, moms, for our glory days are here again.
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Grand Traverse Woman
trouble (in the) hood 1511
By Kerry winkler
Baxter
Bites
Like many stories of questionable judgment, this story started in the back parking lot of a Meijer store, with no witnesses and a pre-arranged spot to exchange the goods: a tiny, mewing kitten up for adoption. We’d looked at the Humane Society, but no luck so we took to Facebook and the newspaper. We settled on a tiger-striped one who was friendly, playful and sweet, according to the owner. We set up a meeting at Meijer and one look told us this was the one. But first sign of trouble – he was so tiny we weren’t sure it was a HE. After a minor debate and one text picture too graphic to share with the kids, it was determined it was indeed a male. (I’m still waiting for my vet to forgive me for texting her a kitten’s splayed bottom on her day off.) His tiny size and little purrs made him irresistible and with that, “Baxter” became one of the family. When we took him to Dr. Klabunde the very next day (after more apologizing about the pic), she delivered the news he was a bit young to be adopted and we were in for a unique expe-
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rience. Good news first? He’d imprint on one of us and be a forever companion. Bad news? We were to be his new littermates…meaning he was going to bite everyone and everything unless we got him under control ASAP. Not a problem, we thought, he was weighing in at a light 2.4 lbs even with big eyes and tons of fuzzy fur. We would tame Baxter’s biting with a little cuddling, all the while imprinting (on me hopefully). Over the next few weeks, Baxter was a dream. He toddled after us everywhere, purred lots and slept on a tiny water bottle to keep him warm at night. His little harmless jumps with his tiny harmless teeth were a running joke among us all. But then it happened. Baxter went up to 4 lbs overnight and little did we know that 1.6 lbs would make all the difference. Baxter gained in strength and dexterity. The cute little fuzzball that used to roll off our heels in attack had suddenly turned into a torpedo with the intent to maim and/or kill. We began to fear for our lives whenever we had to walk down the hallway. Which doorway would he launch from? (All three. He mastered ricocheting almost instantaneously.) Would he purr while doing it? (Yes. After all, he had imprinted on us.) Would we overreact with a squeal and run? (Loudly and ill-advisedly.) And worst of all, how would we break it to our neighbor, Mike, who liked to cuddle Baxter by putting him in his hoodie pocket? There was going to be a shredded hoodie pocket (and hand) at the next visit. We decided we’d better get serious about breaking the habit. First thing was the traditional spray bottle tactic. But a little water spritz? Baxter was thrilled. He repeatedly launched a full offense and took down the water bottle/ playmate with a full body tackle every time. Then he would move on to tenderizing our hands before returning to snuggles and purrs. Next, we decided to simply stop giving atten-
tion when he began to bite. We’d put him down and turn away. But instinct would kick in every time and we would RUN. This most decidedly backfired. Third, the strategy was to replace our hands with a cat toy to chew on. But how often do you happen to have a catnip mouse in your pocket when attacked while vacuuming? NEVER. Finally, it was time for a check-up so we thought we’d ask the vet for more advice, minus the graphic picture. We loaded up the kitten… and within three miles, Baxter had attacked the cage so repeatedly he’d ripped out his front tooth. Ripped it out! The vet said last time she saw that was from a 75-pound DOG. And, mind you, as soon as we opened the cat carrier, Baxter ambled out all purrs and lay languidly on the vet table, happy as can be. If it weren’t for the bloody socket, we’d have no proof he was a crazy cat. Baxter is now 5 months old…and dare we say there is a lessening of attacks? No, we dare not. He’s just getting savvier with fewer teeth marks and more purr. We still argue over who’s going to put him to bed if it means having to go down the darkened hallway to find him. We have three squirt bottles floating around, all with teeth marks, as well as cat toys hidden at advantageous points throughout the house. But, lucky for Baxter, it seems imprinting is a two-way street, so we are willing to put up with a lot of crazy!
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Grand Traverse Woman
Mary had a little dog
Its coat was red and tender,
Everywhere the dog went
Allergies were sure to follow...
Environmental allergies often take the form of skin irritation or inflammation – a condition called allergic dermatitis. As your pet tries to relieve this miserable itchiness, they begin to scratch. This scratching develops into an itch-scratch cycle, that will lead to hot spots or areas of infection. Although allergies cannot be cured, they can be managed with environmental changes and/or medications.
COMMON SIGNS OF ALLERGIC DERMATITIS: Excessive scratching Chewing Rubbing against surfaces Areas of hair loss
Open sores Scabbing Itchy, smelly ears
IF YOUR PET HAS BEEN SUFFERING WITH ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT NOW TO DISCUSS HOW TO MANAGE THESE TROUBLESOME ALLERGIES.
“ Enriching the lives of those who bring so much joy to ours” Jennifer Klabunde, DVM, CVCP Hannah Vanos, DVM, MPH
231.276.6361 7966 US HWY 31, Traverse City, MI 49637 northwoodpet.com
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Sept/Oct '16
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Grand Traverse Woman
Not Politics As Usual.
Just Real Experience You Can Trust. PROMISES MADE. PROMISES KEPT.
VOTE
INMAN
NOV 8TH
- Fought for area families by increasing funding for local K-12 schools, lessening the per-pupil funding gap. - Partnered with NMC to secure state funding, making their new $14.5 million campus expansion project a reality. - Addressing local nursing shortage with NMC and Munson Medical Center with the goal of creating a four-year Nursing degree; attracting quality, high-paying jobs to our area. - Delivered a long-term solution for our crumbling local, state roads and infrastructure.
RE-ELECT
OVER 30 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO OUR AREA & A TRUSTED MEMBER OF THE STATE HOUSE
- Currently Serving as State Representative, 104th District - Grand Traverse Co. Board of Commissioners, 22 years - Over 28 years of Banking Experience Retired VP, Huntington National Bank - Commission On Aging Board & Veterans Affairs Board - NMC Outstanding Alumni Award - NMU Distinguished Alumni Award
RE-ELECT
231.938.1418Paid|forLarryInman@charter.net | www.InmanForStateRep.com by Larry Inman, for State Representative | 8971 Crockett Road, Williamsburg, MI 49690 Paid for by Larry Inman for State Representative | 8971 Crockett Road, Williamsburg, MI 49690
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Grand Traverse Woman
Karastan National Carpet Sale Ardington
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