Encore July 2015

Creating a New Church

July 2015

Trekking the Appalachian Trail

Meet Larry LaBond

Tuesdays are for the Toolmen

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

Vintage Trailers & the folks who love ’em

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July

CONTENTS 2015

FEATURES Camping, Old Style

24

On the Trail

30

Vintage trailers are becoming trendy, but it takes a special breed to love them

Retirees Mel and Jeanne Church are having an Appalachian adventure

Building Church 2.0

Denominations come together to create Common Ground Church

34

DEPARTMENTS 8 Contributors

Up Front 10 First Things — Cool and fun happenings in SW Michigan

12

Making the Cut — Southwest Michigan lays claim to historic innovation

14 Enterprise

Like Father, Like Daughter — Refinishing furniture is in Kate Henley’s blood

16 18

Good Works

Tuesday Toolmen — If it’s Tuesday, these volunteers are improving homes for seniors in need Therapeutic Mission — Daughter inspires organization that provides therapy for Jamaica’s poor

20 Savor

Culinary Kalamazoo — Foods to try at Tienda Guatemalteca La Costeñita

46 Back Story

Meet Larry LaBond — The man behind the Amateur Disc Golf World Championships in Kalamazoo

ARTS

39 Crybaby Concerts

Fontana presents musical performances with kids

in mind

41 Events of Note 43 Poetry On the cover: Renee Newman and Derek Theil, in the doorway of “Felix,” the 1964 Airstream trailer they lovingly restored.

Photo by Brian Powers

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Creating a New Church

Trekking the Appalachian Trail

Tuesdays are for the Toolmen

Meet Larry LaBond

July 2015

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

Vintage Trailers

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& the folks who love ’em

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olga bonfiglio, andrew domino, tiffany fitzgerald, lisa mackinder, j. gabriel ware

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Advertising Sales krieg lee celeste statler

Distribution kama mitchell

Office Coordinator hope smith

Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2015, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to:

www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Telephone: (269) 383-4433 Fax: (269) 383-9767 Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com

The staff at Encore welcomes written comment from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, you may visit www.encorekalamazoo. com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail.

Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request.

Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date.

Final date for print-ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date.

6 | Encore JULY 2015

that’s where

I started living again Mark Ellis Borgess Bone & Joint Institute patient

Mark Ellis could barely sleep. As a man who once biked 17 miles round trip to work daily, the pain in his left hip was keeping him from the active lifestyle he loved. That’s why he chose Borgess Bone & Joint Institute – named the world’s first Center for Advanced Recovery in joint replacement by the Stryker Corporation, as a result of superior outcomes. After an Anterior Hip Replacement, Mark was pain free and back on his feet faster than he ever imagined.

Watch his incredible story and share your own at ThatsWhere.com

ThatsWhere.com A member of Ascension Health® w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 7

CONTRIBUTORS

ENCORE

Olga Bonfiglio When Olga learned about Mel and Jeanne Church’s upcoming hike on the Appalachian Trail, she found the story irresistible. “Communing with nature is one thing, but walking over 2,000 miles of it in six months was another — especially for people in my age group. Yet, Jeanne and Mel had decided to do it,” she says. “Their story of how and why is both intriguing and inspiring.” Olga is a frequent contributor to Encore and has previously written for the Huffington Post, U.S. Catholic, Planning (the trade journal for urban planners), America, and the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Andrew Domino

In researching the story Creating Church 2.0, Andrew attended several services at Common Ground and says he liked how it felt less like a traditional church and more like a place to talk with friends. He was also surprised by how quiet the Western Michigan University campus is on a Sunday morning. In addition to Creating Church 2.0, Andrew contributed stories on Fontana Chamber Arts' Crybaby Concerts and the Tuesday Toolmen for this issue. You can find more of his work at www.dominowriting.com.

Tiffany Fitzgerald When Tiffany was researching vintage trailers for our cover feature, she also discovered “glamping,” or luxury camping. “I knew I found my future hobby, when I make any money, that is,” the Colorado native says. “I have a close friend who makes adorable house accessories out of repurposed kitchen materials, so I’m halfway there!” Tiffany, who also wrote this month’s Savor feature on the ethnic grocery Tienda Guatemalteca La Costeñita, is a freelance writer and mother of two.

Lisa Mackinder

As a child, Lisa spent many hours in her father’s workshop, watching him do woodworking and asking countless questions. When the opportunity to write about Benno’s Woodworking came up, Lisa was especially intrigued by a daughter learning her father’s woodworking trade. “Kate Henley not only embraces the huge learning curve in a typically male-dominated industry, but also simultaneously builds another company with Natalie Powell — an equally creative, enterprising business partner,” Lisa says. A freelance writer from Portage, Lisa’s work has previously appeared in various Chicken Soup for the Soul books, Animal Wellness, Dog World, Michigan Meetings & Events, MiBiz, and other publications.

J. Gabriel Ware

An editorial intern at Encore, J. Gabriel explored historic curb cuts and the nonprofit Jamaica Rehab Partners for this month’s issue. While working on his story Therapeutic Mission, J. Gabriel got a glimpse of the lives of poor patients in Jamaica and a special bond between father and daughter. “This is the most significant story I have written so far. I attempted to tell many stories in this one piece because I felt that each one of them needed to be told,” he says. J. Gabriel will be a senior at Western Michigan University this fall.

8 | Encore JULY 2015

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up front encore

First Things Something Delicious

Eating in style Enjoy an elegant summer dinner at the W.K. Kellogg Manor

House, overlooking Gull Lake.

The Manor House, which was built for cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg and is located at 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive, offers monthly dinner events. July’s four-course dinner on the terrace features a surf and turf menu, including grilled top sirloin served with red onion marmalade, blue cheese and beef au jus, herb-roasted tomatoes, and white chocolate tiramisu, among other menu items. Dinner is preceded by a guided stroll through the manor and the surrounding gardens.

Tickets for the dinner cost $45 and include wine pairings.

Reservations are required — call 671-2400 to reserve a spot or for more information.

Something Festive

Discover the Taste of Portage Community, history, local restaurants, brewpubs and the traditions and citizens that make Portage unique are the focus of Taste of Portage, an annual celebration of that community.

This year Taste of Portage takes place from noon-10 p.m. July 18 at the Overlander Band Shell, at 7999 S. Westnedge Ave. The event will feature performances by The Spazmatics-Chicago, an ’80s new-wave cover band; Al’s Basement Band, a local rock band; and other local musicians. Vendors such as Ming Dynasty, Gorilla Gourmet, Coldstone Creamery and Bert’s Bakery will be on hand to sell food and treats.

Other activities include a Kidz Zone, Meet the Fall Portage Student Athlete, a Bike-in for Free event and a People’s Choice Award to select the best taste of Portage.

For more information, including a schedule of activities, visit TasteofPortage.com.

10 | Encore JULY 2015

encore up front

Something Good Imbibe to conserve

Protecting endangered species is a rewarding philanthropy in its own right, but combining it with some of the best wine in Michigan, hors d’oeuvres and live music really sweetens the deal.

That’s what Binder Park Zoo is offering during its Corks for Conservation wine-tasting event from 6-10 p.m. July 25.

Proceeds support Binder Park’s conservation efforts and go to 33 zoo associations and aquarium species survival plans.

Tickets for the event cost $40 per single, $75 per couple, $25 per designated driver and $20 for VIP tent admission and can be purchased online at BinderParkZoo.org/corks.

Something Vintage Old-time radio show

The Michigan Antique Radio Club celebrates its 30th Vintage Electronics Extravaganza July 10 and 11 at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center. The event is the radio club’s largest show and one of the largest shows of its type in the U.S., says the club.

Explore a veritable sea of vintage radios, record players, parts, tubes, televisions and accessories. You can also bring in your own vintage equipment for on-site appraisals. The show features a main auction, seminars and a bargain auction.

Event hours are 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. July 10 and 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. July 11. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for children under 12. Visit TheVEE.org for more information.

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w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 11

up front encore

Creating Curb Cuts

Southwest Michigan lays claim to historic innovation J. Gabriel Ware

Brian Powers

by

Quick,

what is the gradual slope on sidewalks that allows individuals in wheelchairs or on bicycles and skateboards to smoothly transition from the street to the walkway called?

If you guessed “the sidewalk slide,” you’re wrong. While “the sidewalk slide” does sound like a cool breakdance move from the 1980s, the correct answer is “curb cut.”

“They’re called curb cuts because the curb is actually cut out of the sidewalk,” says

12 | Encore JULY 2015

Kristen Potts, resource development director of Disability Network Southwest Michigan.

And although Berkeley, California, is usually recognized as the first city to have installed curb cuts (which it did in the 1970s), a recent investigation by Potts shows Battle Creek and Kalamazoo actually beat Berkeley by about 30 years.

“It started last year,” Potts says of her research. “The Disability Network Southwest Michigan was having a celebration of the

Curb cuts allow those using wheelchairs, walkers and other assistive devices to more smoothly transition from the curb to the street. Opposite page: The first curb cuts in Kalamazoo had hand rails.

24th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act when one of our guests gave us an article claiming Kalamazoo was the first city to have curb cuts.”

After browsing the Web and corresponding with Battle Creek city administration and with Kalamazoo Historic Preservation Coordinator

Sharon Ferraro, Potts discovered that curb cuts were first installed in Battle Creek. After World War I, Battle Creek’s former Percy Jones Army Hospital was a government medical facility for amputee treatment and rehabilitation. The escalating number of patients with physical disabilities residing in the city prompted Battle Creek officials to place curb cuts throughout its downtown district in 1945.

“The idea was that they wanted these temporary residents to feel comfortable and to be able to move around more easily and enter businesses downtown,” Potts says.

She also found that later the same year Kalamazoo native Jack Fisher, a lawyer and war veteran who spent time at Percy Jones, petitioned Kalamazoo’s city manager to make Kalamazoo’s sidewalks more accessible too.

Not long after Battle Creek installed curb cuts, Kalamazoo did too — adding metal handrails for emphasis.

Curb cuts eventually caught on elsewhere during the 1960-70 era of social and political activism. That’s when a group of University of California, Berkeley students with disabilities rallied for city officials to make that town’s sidewalks more wheelchair-accessible.

ADA 25th Anniversary Celebration What: Ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. July 24 Where: Disability Network Southwest Michigan, 517 E. Crosstown Parkway What: Lunch, awards and keynote speech by Sharon Ellis, Michigan’s ADA compliance director How much: Free More information: dnswm.org

“I think Berkeley gets the credit because the times were different,” Potts says. “They had more momentum. Battle Creek and Kalamazoo did it for the sole purpose of bettering their communities, whereas Berkeley capitalized on it and pushed it.”

The Berkeley protest coincided with The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which required all federal government institutions to make accommodations for those with disabilities.

President George H.W. Bush followed up with the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, which applied the Rehabilitation Act to state and local institutions, prompting more and more curb cuts to be installed on sidewalks.

Disability Network Southwest Michigan this month is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and is putting a spotlight on Southwest Michigan as home of the first curb cuts.

“It’s important for residents of Southwest Michigan to know our community was the first to say, ‘Hey, businesses, restaurants and movie theaters should be accessible for everyone,’” Potts says. “We were the first to think about inclusion. That’s a big thing to say about this community.”

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Enterprise ENCORE

Like Father, Like Daughter

Refinishing furniture is in Kate Henley’s blood by

Lisa Mackinder

When Kate Henley was a child, her father,

on pursuing law, until attending a natural resource summer program in Northern Michigan during his junior year. While there, he connected with trees, wood and woodworkers and had an epiphany while gazing at the Northern Lights. Seeking woodworking apprenticeships, Trenkle found one of the top programs at Western Michigan University and came to Kalamazoo.

Now old school and new school meet as Henley and Trenkle work together. Henley hopes to see more architectural preservation and restoration projects for the business — such as the one Benno’s Woodworking recently finished at the First Presbyterian Church in Battle Creek. Benno’s restored all the interior millwork in the church’s sanctuary. Despite wanting to implement certain ideas, Henley recognizes her dad’s JunFu Han

Benno Trenkle, arrived at school to pick her up covered in dust. In typical kid fashion, she felt embarrassed.

“Now I’m picking up my kids covered in dust,” Henley says, laughing.

Although her dad never placed expectations on Henley or her brother to take over the family’s 30-year-old business — Benno’s Woodworking, specializing in wood floors, cabinetry, restoration, refinishing and custom furniture — she ultimately realized that’s exactly what she wanted to do. And not only is she doing that, but she has also started an “upcycled” furniture business with a friend.

After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2000, Henley spent a year studying law at DePaul University College

of Law in Chicago and several years working as associate producer for “The Jerry Springer Show,” as a professional actress and as a marketer. She returned to Kalamazoo from Chicago a little more than a year ago and began working in her dad’s shop. Although she’s officially the shop manager, Henley identifies her role as “sidekick.”

“I’m a lot like an apprentice,” she says. “I’ve done sanding and stripping since I was a kid.

Now I’m learning how to use the equipment — like the saws.”

With polyurethane-tinted fingers and a discolored, cracked phone that hint at her new profession, she acknowledges her big learning curve. But Henley points out that her dad faced the same situation 30 years ago. Then a student in economics at the University of Michigan, Trenkle planned

14 | Encore JULY 2015

Opposite page: Kate Henley and her father, Benno Trenkle, of Benno’s Woodworking stand in front of woodwork they restored in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church in Battle Creek. This page: Some of the refinished wares Henley and partner Natalie Powell offer through their business,1809 Vintage Market.

strengths and identifies him as the reason Benno’s has excelled.

“My dad has strong interpersonal skills,” Henley says.

“He’s great at managing relationships. I hope to develop and improve my conflict-resolution skills as well as the ability to negotiate and lead our team based on his model.”

In addition to shadowing her dad at Benno’s as he does woodworking and refinishing for his customers, Henley is launching a business called 1809 Vintage Market with friend Natalie Powell. It features boutiquestyle furniture that was once destined for the dumpster.

Upcycling — unlike recycling, which breaks things down — adds value and offers new life to an old item.

“It’s green, sustainable, and you feel good about it,” says Henley. “It’s taking something out of the waste stream.”

The two women describe the path to this partnership as serendipitous. Powell arrived back in Kalamazoo around the same time as Henley, after managing and marketing Steele Point Estate in the Caribbean. The pair, who had been friends since middle school, resurrected their friendship, and then Powell called Henley one day with her idea of opening a boutique of upcycled furniture. Henley

paused — not because of apprehension, but shock, she says — because her dad had been collecting furniture for over 30 years.

“It couldn’t have been a more perfect fit,” Powell says.

Powell and Henley hope to secure a location for their store by fall in downtown Kalamazoo or the Edison neighborhood.

This summer 1809 Vintage Market’s smaller items — such as wall art and wine and olive racks created from wooden palettes — are available from 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

Saturdays at the South Haven Farm Market, located at the Huron Street Pavilion. Around the corner, their furniture is for sale from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. daily at the Eagle Street Market, in South Haven’s Foundry Hall.

“I imagine our South Haven pop-up locations will help to give us a clear definition of the market,” Powell says. “We have an idea of what people want and what we can sell but hope these pop-ups confirm what we think. It will be a great learning experience and will help us build a client base, in turn creating word-of-mouth marketing and hopefully driving people to our website and to our store.”

Entrepreneurial spirit runs in Powell’s family, as it does in Henley’s. Powell’s mother, a dentist, owns a dental practice. Powell’s stepfather, Brian Steele, co-owns Boatyard Brewing in downtown Kalamazoo, which showcases some of 1809’s pieces.

Powell and Henley both say they look forward to having the 1809 Vintage Market located in Kalamazoo’s Edison neighborhood or downtown.

“Our family businesses are here,” Henley says. “And we are committed to pioneering in the comeback of the Edison neighborhood and have an appreciation for the support from the community that businesses receive in downtown Kalamazoo.”

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good works ENCORE

Tuesday Toolmen

Kalamazoo volunteers improve homes for seniors in need Andrew Domino

Brian Powers

by

I

f it’s Tuesday, then there ‘s a good chance the Toolmen are out.

The Tuesday Toolmen are an all-volunteer group of local retirees who are putting their skills to work on construction projects for senior citizens in need throughout Kalamazoo County.

Working with Senior Services, a nonprofit organization that offers food assistance, health care and other programs for senior citizens and the disabled, the Toolmen set out once a week to assist clients who’ve contacted Senior Services for help. The goal is to allow the elderly to stay in their own homes, and for some people that means they need a wheelchair ramp, or a “grab bar” to move around the bathroom. Senior Services figures out what the project is and orders the supplies, and the Toolmen do the work.

“People that are home-bound appreciate it the most,” says Scott Aldrich, one of the Toolmen. “It’s great to look them in the eye and know you’re able to help.”

Clair Branch, a hobbyist carpenter from Portage, founded the Tuesday Toolmen 20 years ago, after having a career in sales at the former Upjohn pharmaceutical company.

“I helped a friend (build) Habitat for Humanity houses,” he says. “I saw a pile of paper about an inch think — they were requests for help.”

16 | Encore JULY 2015

Tuesday Toolmen volunteers Bill Truscott and Scott Aldrich work on a wheelchair ramp at the home of a local senior citizen. Opposite page: A team of Tuesday Toolmen put the finishing touches on a ramp.

Branch and three other volunteers did what they could to answer the calls for help. “We were there supposedly temporarily, but word got out and it spread,” he says.

At the time, the group could only undertake one project a week.

Now there are 20 members of the organization, and most Tuesdays they split into three or four groups and head in different directions.

Many projects can be completed in one day, although the Toolmen occasionally return on a Wednesday to wrap up.

By far, the Toolmen’s biggest projects are building wheelchair ramps. The Toolmen also do simpler tasks, such as changing light bulbs or replacing smoke alarm batteries. They’ll install window air conditioners and deadbolts. Contractors are called in for any project that requires meeting state construction codes.

“People often ask, ‘Is it going to be safer when (you’re) done?” says Dave Nadrasik of Kalamazoo, the fifth member to join the Tuesday Toolmen. “A lot of ladies like to come in and watch — they like to see what we’re doing.”

funding comes from donations and federal grants for community development.

As a result, Aldrich says, the group has put together enough ramps that it essentially has an instruction manual and members know the exact size of wood they’ll need to cut and the dimensions of the final product.

Branch says when they finished the longest ramp they had ever built — 96 feet — the woman who used it burst into tears

when her caretaker rolled her down it for the first time. “She said, ‘This is the first time I’ve been out of the house in six months,’” he says.

The group is always open to new volunteers. Penny says a few women have joined over the years, but the current group is all men.

“We never run out of people that need help,” Branch says. “I’m looking forward to the day they don’t need us.”

Courtsey

Many of the Toolmen’s projects involve making a home safer, whether it’s fixing leaky faucets or holes in the floor of a house’s front porch.

“We have gone in to replace a toilet and found the only thing holding up the bowl from falling through the floor was the plumbing,” Nadrasik says.

Nadrasik started working with the group in 2000. His wife suggested he join up with the Toolmen after he retired as a maintenance supervisor at Coca-Cola. He’s one of the few Toolmen who worked in maintenance and construction professionally. But Nadrasik says the work they do requires more dedication than craftsmanship.

“You pay attention to what the other guy can do, and pretty soon you’re just as good as the guy who’s been doing it for 20 years,” he says.

The Toolmen have developed a checklist of essentials to look for in every house, like working electricity and basic plumbing.

Brian Penny, manager of Senior Services’ Emergency Home Repair Program, says the Toolmen have been inundated with requests to build new wheelchair ramps. Homeowners ask Senior Services for aid, and, before sending the Toolmen out, Penny researches what the house is likely to need. Everything from lumber to screwdrivers is provided; the

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good works ENCORE

Therapeutic Mission

Daughter inspires organization to help Jamaica’s poor J. Gabriel ware

Courtsey

by

designed to provide sustainable, rehabilitative therapies for poor people in Jamaica. Doherty, who is vice president for the Midwest region of medical consulting firm Med-Vision, travels from Kalamazoo to Jamaica once a year, meeting and helping people like Humphrey.

While he’s proud of making a difference, Doherty is more proud of his daughter Brooke, who inspired him to make that difference.

In 2010, Brooke, then a freshman at Grand Valley State University, went on a spring break mission trip to Jamaica to help with construction and farming projects at Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf’s Knockpatrick campus, which is a boarding school for deaf children in Mandeville. She discovered firsthand the great need for medical resources in Jamaica.

She returned home for the summer and positioned herself for a summer job as a lifeguard, but first she needed surgery to correct a heart defect. Something went amiss during the operation and she didn’t receive enough oxygen, leaving the 18-year-old in a coma and with significant brain damage.

Brooke spent the next several months in recovery, spending six hours a day for two months in occupational therapy, relearning how to walk, talk and eat. But even during her struggles, the lack of resources in Jamaica still bothered her.

“She said, ‘Dad, I want to do something for the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf, so let’s go collect bottles and cans door-to-door,’” Doherty recalls.

Doherty and his church’s youth group collected about $2,000 worth of bottles and cans in one year to be donated to the Caribbean

I

n 2012, Scott Doherty made his first trip to Jamaica, taking his family and church’s youth group on a mission trip. There they visited Manchester Infirmary — a care facility for those with disabilities in Mandeville, where Doherty met a bedridden, ailing man named Humphrey.

“He had a stroke and been in his bed for eight years, just waiting to die,” Doherty says. “He told me, ‘All I have is my faith, and I’m waiting for my savior to come and meet me.’”

Before he left Humphrey’s bedside, Doherty slipped a green wristband onto the man’s hand. Engraved on it were the name of Doherty’s daughter Brooke and two Bible verses: Psalms 73:26 and Philippians 4:13. Doherty departed back to Kalamazoo knowing he would return.

Back in the U.S., Doherty became a cofounder and organizing director at Jamaica Rehab Partners — a nonprofit organization

18 | Encore JULY 2015

Top left: A team of students and professionals provide physical therapy for clients in Jamaica. Above, Humphrey before his recovery. Opposite page: Brooke Doherty holds a small child in Jamaica.

Christian Center for the Deaf. When Doherty visited the center’s website to research the soon-to-be beneficiary of Brooke’s initiative, he found out the center had a worship team composed of deaf Jamaican students who synchronized sign language with music.

The group was touring in West Michigan, and Doherty wanted to bring the ministry to his church, but the group’s schedule was booked. He shut down his laptop and headed to his car to take Brooke to rehab. Then his phone rang. The man on the other end of the line introduced himself as Marc White from the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf.

“He said, ‘We’ve been praying for your daughter,” Doherty says. “We’re in your area. I wonder if we can come and see her.’”

Doherty says he choked up and could barely verbalize a response through his tears.

“I was absolutely overwhelmed. When you experience God’s presence, it’s such a powerful wave.”

Soon after, Doherty visited Jamaica for the first time and saw for himself the dramatic discrepancy in medical resources between Jamaica and the U.S. “Brooke was able to make great progress because we have better resources here in the United States,” Doherty says. “People in Jamaica suffering from disabilities are basically throwaways because they don’t know what to do with them. They just don’t have the resources.”

Motivated to make a difference, Doherty helped establish Jamaica Rehab Partners with faculty members from Calvin College, Grand Valley State University, and Western Michigan University and

Developing

Faith Leaders Business Leaders Family Leaders

KALAMAZOO CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS

physical therapists Leah and Joe Walters. The organization provides field experience opportunities for students in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and audiology therapy, and nursing programs at those colleges. Students team up with professionals in these fields and travel to Jamaica to provide therapy and other health services to patients at various medical facilities.

“Our objective is to enhance their quality of life and promote independence,” Doherty says.

Last year, Doherty made his third trip to Jamaica, where an old friend was waiting. “When I saw Humphrey, he was still wearing the wristband,” Doherty says.

The highlight of the trip came when Jamaica Rehab Partners staff wheeled Humphrey outside of the infirmary, and, with their assistance, Humphrey walked for the first time in nearly 10 years.

“It was unreal — very emotional,” Doherty says.

Jamaica Rehab Partners continues to expand, and Doherty hopes to establish a clinic in Jamaica. Brooke is thriving as well. Now a senior at WMU majoring in interdisciplinary health services, she’s preparing to pursue a master’s degree in rehab counseling and serves on Jamaica Rehab Partners’ board of directors. She was recently awarded a Mary Free Bed Minority and Disability Scholarship for the second time.

“We are inspired by her determination to recover — her passion and desire to improve the lives of other people, especially those who don’t have the same resources as she,” says Doherty.

To learn more about Jamaica Rehab Partners, visit the organization’s Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Jamaica-Rehab-Partners.

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Culinary Kalamazoo

Five food finds at Tienda Guatemalteca La Costeñita Tiffany Fitzgerald

Brian Powers

Brian Powers

by

The greater Kalamazoo area has a number of small grocery stores, each with a unique offering of foods and finds. This series takes a look at those stores and the unique foods savvy shoppers can discover at them.

Carlos Cardona and Sandra Lopez lived in Grand Rapids for 17

years before deciding to open a grocery store in Kalamazoo in 2008 — Tienda Guatemalteca La Costeñita, at 2111 S. Burdick St. During the store’s first year, the husband-and-wife team commuted 45 minutes to run the store, originally located on Portage Street.

“Our friends in Kalamazoo really pushed us (to open a store here),” Cardona says. “They kept telling us to open a store here because

20 | Encore JULY 2015

Among the unique foods found at Tienda Guatemalteca La Costenita are spice mixes specific to South American and Caribbean cooking and piloncillo, a cone of pure, unrefined cane sugar.

there was only one Mexican store in the Kalamazoo area, and with no competition, if the prices in the store are high, there’s really no other choice.”

Cardona and Lopez, who are originally from Guatemala, stock foods in their store from many countries in South America, Central America and the Caribbean to accommodate different regional tastes.

“People from different countries like different things. People from Cuba like green bananas, for example, Mexicans love hard corn tortillas

for making tostadas, and Central Americans love Malher food seasonings,” Cardona says.

“We try to have what everyone wants.”

If you go to Tienda Guatemalteca La Costeñita, here are five to-try items, according to Cardona:

Piloncillo Piloncillo is pure, unrefined cane sugar pressed into a conical shape — the name means “little pylon” — and tastes like a rich brown sugar with molasses tones.

“It’s used to sweeten different types of cakes and breads made by Mexicans,

“I don’t personally eat them, no,” Cardona says, wrinkling his nose. “But some people come in here, rip the bag open and start walking around the store eating them. They love them!”

According to online recipe blogs and food encyclopedias, dried prawn are often found in outdoor markets in Mexico and, aside

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from being served as snacks, are used to spice different types of foods with seafood undertones.

Pacaya A Guatemalan treat that Cardona recommends is jarred Goya pacayas, which are the flowers of a palm tree pickled in brine.

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Pacaya, flowers of a palm tree pickled in brine, is considered a Guatemalan treat

According to the Goya jar label, eating these treats straight from the jar is the norm, but they can also be dipped in egg batter, deepfried and served with tomato salsa.

“They taste a little like pickles, and they’re what I like to eat when I don’t want to eat meat but I want to feel full,” Cardona says.

Incaparina Another Guatemalan food Cardona suggests is incaparina, a hot cereal that is a mixture of corn and cottonseed flour fortified with protein and vitamins. Cardona remembers the cereal from his childhood.

He says that schools served the mix as a beverage to children at meal times and that it tastes a bit like a milkshake.

Dried spice mixes Cardona and Lopez make their own spice mixes from wholesale spices and sell them in small portions for cooking. Their spice selections range from chile-lime mixes to cinnamon.

La Costeñita is open 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday.

22 | Encore JULY 2015

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To own them is to love them

Classic

Campers 24 | Encore JULY 2015

story by

TIffany Fitzgerald

photography by

brian powers

This 1978 Serro Scott Boler attracts attention, and not just because of the flamingoes.

N

ext time you see a shined-up vintage camper parked at a campsite, gas station or roadside diner and you get the urge to steal a closer look, go ahead and ask the owner — chances are, that person is expecting it.

“Almost any vintage trailer owner is going to throw open the door and say, ‘Go ahead and take a look,’” says Renee Newman, a local owner of a 1964 Airstream. “We always tell people to go in, open the cupboards, look around. Just don’t take our beer out of the fridge.”

Newman, who works at Discover Kalamazoo as the vice president of marketing and communication, says that since she and her husband, Derek Theil, a craftsman at Sign Center, purchased their Airstream

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eight years ago, they’ve opened their door to plenty of curious onlookers who remember the Airstream their grandparents owned, who recognize the iconic “silver twinkie” look or who are curious to see just how big it is on the inside.

“We’ve met the nicest people having this trailer,” Newman says. “Anywhere we go, people come up to us, and we’ve noticed that we make a beeline for other people’s campers now too.”

Newman and Theil are a part of a growing population buying vintage campers (usually older than 20 years, though the definition of “vintage” is fluid) and fixing them up or buying new campers that harken back to an older time, such as Airstream, Serro Scotty or teardrop campers — trailer campers that are compact, sleek and built simply.

The growing popularity of these campers led to a 26 percent increase in sales for Airstream in 2014 alone, according to the company’s annual report, as well as a consistent rise in sales over the last four years. A company

26 | Encore JULY 2015

board member announced in April that Volkswagen will make an electric-powered concept of its iconic Westfalia Camper (whether it will go into production is not certain), and this year Shasta, a travel trailer company, released a reissue of its 1961 Airflyte, a favorite among vintage trailer buffs.

Pinterest, eBay and Craigslist are full of vintage campers as well as parts and accessories for those restoring old campers and ideas for decorating a retro camper. There’s even a growing subculture of people who do what is called “glamping,” which combines the rustic nature of camping with the glamour of chic interior and exterior decorating.

“Vintage trailers are just huge right now, and it seems like a lot of the appeal is people in my age group reverting back,” says local vintage Serro Scotty camper owner Nancy Kroes, who works in Western’s University Computing Center. “It’s either because your

Top, left and right: Interior views of Newman and Theil’s 1964 Airstream Trailer; middle, a special decal adorns the front of “Felix.”

Bottom: Nancy Kroes’ 1958 Serro Scotty Sportsman Junior was painted and decorated with the vintage red and black Woolrich plaid theme.

parents had an old travel trailer when you were a kid, or your kids are gone and it’s you or you and your spouse or you and your dogs — and it’s just more personal. You show up at a campground with a vintage trailer and no one asks to tour the shiny new big beast parked nearby, because they all want to tour your little vintage trailer.”

She’s also seen the market change since she bought her Serro Scotty 11 years ago. “You could pick up a Serro Scotty for $200, and now you can’t find one for less than $2,000, and I see them going for over $10,000,” she says. “The whole vintage trailer thing is definitely growing.”

‘ Fell in love’ Newman and Theil say they didn’t set out to become part of a trend.

The couple, avid mountain biking and kayaking weekend warriors who had been camping for years, were looking for an alternative to a tent. w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 27

“I really wanted a place to rinse off after biking,” Theil says. “Yes, I’m that guy who needs a bathroom and shower.”

“And I just knew I wanted an Airstream,” Newman adds. “I wasn’t trying to be a snob. I just liked the way they look.”

The couple knew they couldn’t afford a new Airstream so they started researching the idea of buying an older Airstream and revamping it. Finding the right Airstream took longer than they thought it would — close to a year.

“We’d see listings that would say the camper was ready to roll and then show up to find out it really wasn’t,” says Newman, recalling one occasion when she and Theil went to look at an Airstream that turned out to have a charcoal grill in the center of the interior and was in terrible shape.

“We gave up for a while after that,” she says. “It wasn’t until a trip up to Traverse City when I saw a gorgeous Airstream on the side of the road that I got a second wind and thought, ‘The hunt is still on.’”

After reading advice in an online forum that they should search in unexpected places and not give up, Newman spotted a camper on the Detroit-area Craigslist that had been posted only five minutes earlier. Newman called the poster and told him she was interested but could not come see it until the weekend. The poster agreed to hold it for her.

“We went down, looked at it and fell in love,” she says. “We put a deposit down right away.”

Kroes didn’t set out to be part of the trend either. In fact, her story starts much like Newman and Theil’s Airstream affair. In 2003, Kroes decided she wanted to get back into camping, but she didn’t feel comfortable in a tent anymore. Knowing she wanted a trailer and couldn’t afford a brand new one, she started hitting the listings to find a vintage trailer she could fix up. Her search, unlike Newman and Theil’s, yielded immediate results.

“I found a trailer online and it was a 10-hour drive just one way — more than halfway through Pennsylvania,” she says. “I went to look at it, liked it and brought it home. I really didn’t know what I was doing, and, looking back, it was really kind of stupid.”

Turns out, getting the campers wasn’t the hardest part for Kroes and Newman and Theil, as they found out when they got their vintage trailers home.

At left: Nancy Kroes stands in the doorway of her 1978 Serro Scotty Boler, the interior of which is decorated in vintage chartreuse and pink. At right: Matty sits in the special Serro Scotty trailer for Kroes’ dogs.

28 | Encore JULY 2015

Dollar signs “When Renee first said she wanted an Airstream, all I could see was dollar signs,” Theil admits.

When they first brought the camper home and he started working on it, he learned that just to remove the trailer’s pink shag carpeting would require taking out half of the Airstream’s kitchen.

“I was driving home from work, and when I saw our Airstream lying in pieces on our lawn, I didn’t stop. I just drove right past,” says Newman, who was worried the couple had bitten off more than they could chew. Both Theil and Newman now joke that their Airstream had to be gutted twice — once to replace water-rotted pieces and another time to put in linoleum. Even though they say the journey might never have started if they had known what they were getting into, they don’t regret anything.

“Working side by side, sometimes with gas masks, to get everything done, we’ve had some really good times. And we couldn’t trade the fun we’ve had making it usable,” Newman says.

For Kroes, the rebuilding of her first Serro Scotty trailer, a 1958, was a total overhaul, from the frame up. After buying some Woolrich plaid for friends, Kroes was inspired to paint the trailer’s sides in the iconic Woolrich red and black plaid, so she contacted the woolen garment company to get permission.

“Three weeks later I got an email from the marketing director, who gave me some ideas and suggested that I do it as a wrap, which you can think of as heavy-duty contact paper,” Kroes says. “They sent me all of their official images, and my niece is a graphic designer so she helped me fit the image for printing.”

After the trailer was finished, complete with vintage black and red Woolrich accessories, including a duvet cover, pillows and curtains, Kroes drove it to Woolrich, Pa., to show it off to the company’s staff.

“They loved it,” she says. “That’s the trailer that gets all the attention — even if I stop at McDonald’s, people come up to see. His name is Ted.” Naming vintage trailers isn’t something only Kroes does.

“Ours is named Felix, after the original owner of the camper,” says Newman, who explains that lots of people choose names for their redone vintage campers. It’s just a part of the culture.

Camper culture “There is definitely a certain culture for campers,” Newman says.

“You sit around campfires with a million different people from different places and backgrounds and bond over the same thing.”

Newman and Theil say they use their camper almost every weekend in nice weather and park it in a special spot, so they can bike, hike and kayak. They also occasionally attend camper rallies and shows and are part of a national group called the Tin Can Tourists. The group started in Tampa, Fla., in 1919 as a “way to unite all autocampers,” according to the club’s website. Today the group has more than 2,000 duespaying members (any camper/RV owner can become a member; the group is not exclusive to vintage models), the site says, and it hosts rallies, events and an online space for classifieds.

Kroes took the camper culture a step further by creating a group specifically for Serro Scotty owners called the National Serro Scotty Organization (NSSO). She started it in 2005 as a means to network with other Scotty owners.

“It’s a great organization, and I could see myself doing this for a while,” Kroes says. “I have events planned into 2017.”

Kroes has rebuilt and owns three Scottys: Ted, the Woolrich trailer, which is a 1958 Serro Scotty Sportsman Junior; a 1969 Serro Scotty 13-foot Guacho; and a 1978 Serro Scotty Boler, which is the trailer she currently uses. She says she thinks the popularity of vintage “tin can” camping probably won’t wane anytime soon.

“You fix them up, you set them up with an awning and a couple vintage camp chairs, and it’s really fun and cute,” she says. “It’s just a different thing to do, and everybody loves it.”

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 29

Appalachian Adventurers

hike e il m 9 18 , 2 e k a t Couple under story by

Olga Bonfiglio

photography by

Junfu han

Some people take to the rocking chair in retirement, while others seek out new adventures. Mel and Jeanne Church of Kalamazoo are doing the latter as they hike the 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail.

They began their journey April 17 at Springer Mountain, Georgia, at the trail’s southern starting point, and will hike toward the trail’s northern end, at Mount Katahdin, Maine, before the trail closes in October. By the end they will have passed through 14 states.

30 | Encore JULY 2015

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 31

This isn’t their first Appalachian Trail outing. Mel, who is 61, hiked the entire trail twice with his son, Matthew, and wanted to do it again. Jeanne, 68, has hiked 200 miles of the trail, but she wanted to do all of it this time. Mel admits his devotion to adventure began 15 years ago after experiencing the loss of his 74-year-old father and both of Jeanne’s parents over the course of a few years.

“I needed to do stuff while I still could,” he says.

After leading a life indoors as a surgical nurse for 30 years, Mel heard the outdoors calling his name. Being out in the woods seemed like fun, and he had read a lot about hiking, so he took it up. “You eat, walk and sleep,” Mel says of hiking. “That simplifies life.”

He finds hiking “utterly fascinating” because the landscape changes every day and he meets interesting people along the way. In addition, he has become a member of the hiker counterculture and, as such, has grown his “trail beard.”

While Mel would have gone on this trip alone, Jeanne didn’t want to be home without him for six months. Besides being his hiking companion, Jeanne will also be Mel’s “ride bride” for a “hitch” into a “trail town.”

Motorists tend to pick up couples more readily than a single man.

Jeanne is also documenting their trip, posting stories on her blog. “I like to write and tell stories,” Jeanne says. “I want to let family and friends know what we’re doing and where we are. The blog is also an opportunity to give other seniors the courage to go on outdoor adventures.”

She is an experienced blogger, having written a blog about Mel’s 2013 solo bicycle trip from Portland, Ore, to Yorktown, Va., in which he rode 4,200 miles in three months.

“I decided to do the bike trip because some friends of mine had done it, and it encouraged me to do it myself,” Mel says.

“I thought he was kidding,” says Jeanne, who experienced the trip via Mel’s cell phone and emails.

Being away from Mel for three months during that ride made Jeanne want to go with him on this six-month hiking trip.

The couple began preparing for the hike a year ago, collecting information from such websites as Whiteblaze, which gives advice on equipment, preparation, food, health and safety, shelters and lodging facilities for hikers. The Churches increased their daily 32 | Encore juLY 2015

Kalamazoo residents Mel and Jeanne Church, pictured above and on the previous page preparing for their journey, are in the middle of a 2,189-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail.

walking routine gradually while breaking in their hiking shoes.

They plan to hike 10 to 15 miles a day, depending on the terrain, and have had their clothes treated with Permethrin Insect Shield to protect themselves from ticks and Lyme disease. In addition, they have brought with them Body Glide (an anti-chafing treatment) and Nexcare waterproof tape for the inevitable blisters, they are having extra pairs of shoes mailed to them at strategic points on the trail, and they are carrying hiking poles, which come in handy for balance, especially in rocky areas.

They’ve also become adept at packing light.

In 1989, when Mel and Jeanne made one of their first backpacking trips on the trail, Mel carried 45 pounds and Jeanne carried about 30. For this trip he’ll trim his load to 25 pounds, and she’ll carry only 20 pounds. Mel and Jeanne’s packs include a set of clothes to sleep in, lightweight warm clothes (including a winter hat and mittens), rainwear, tent, sleeping bags, sleep mats, food and water.

“One of the biggest mistakes people make on the trail is bringing too much stuff to carry,” Mel says. “Too many are unaware of what to expect or how to prepare for the long journey. Some people even quit after the first day.”

All along the trail, especially near its starting point, one can find a lot of items left behind by hikers who were carrying too much weight, he says.

“It’s a learning process,” says Mel, who read as much about equipment as he did about the trail. “Besides, I need to carry a lighter pack. I’m not as strong as I used to be.”

The Churches will mostly sleep outdoors, venturing into a trail town to sleep in a hostel or a motel only occasionally. Trail towns provide an opportunity for the hikers to take a rest on a “zero day” (a complete day off) or a “nero day” (nearly a zero day off) as well as the chance to get a shower and a hot meal, do laundry and buy groceries.

Cell phones work intermittently along the trail, but cell coverage and Internet access are available in trail towns. While food and other supplies can be had at the towns’ gas stations and grocery stores, some hikers use “mail drops” — having food and supplies sent to local post offices along the trail.

Because hikers burn so many calories and because carbohydrates provide the fat calories needed for hiking energy, hikers often seek junk food. Mel has been known to eat large pizzas and still lose 40 pounds on his hiking and biking trips.

There are risks to such a long hiking trip, and the couple say their real fear is not the snakes, bears or ticks they may encounter or the “shelter mice” that might crawl across their faces, but the possibility of twisting an ankle or getting hurt. They admit the mental challenge to keep going regardless of the weather, aches and pains, and homesickness for friends and family will be difficult as well.

“I do enjoy a challenge and being successful at doing difficult things, but I know the mental part is the hardest part,” Jeanne says. “Six months of hiking in the woods is a long time, but you have to keep in mind that it will always get better.”

One bright spot is that the trail is well marked by “white blazes,” 3- by 6-inch vertical rectangles painted on trees. “It’s hard to get lost,” says Mel, who still brings a compass.

About the Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also known as the AT or the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, is 2,189.2 miles long and passes through 14 states: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

The trail is preserved and managed by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

According to the conservancy’s website, the idea for the Appalachian Trail caught fire after a man named Benton McKaye, in a journal article in October 1921, proposed a series of work, study and farming camps along the ridges of the Appalachian Mountains, with a trail connecting them.

The camps, he suggested, would be a refuge from work life in industrialized cities. Hiking was incidental to McKaye’s proposal but became the focus of those who took up the cause. The

Appalachian Trail, running from Georgia to Central Maine, was completed on Aug. 14, 1937.

The trail was later threatened by impinging development, but it obtained protection when President Lyndon Johnson signed the National Trails System Act (NTSA) on Oct. 2,1968. This law created within the national park and forest systems a new class of public lands called national scenic trails. The AT and the Pacific Crest Trail were the first two trails designated under this law.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, according to its mission statement, strives to ensure that the trail’s “vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow, and for centuries to come.” w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 33

34 | Encore JULY 2015

2.0

CREATING

CHURCH

A lot of rehearsing, planning goes into establishing a new church story by

Andrew domino

photography by

Brian Powers

I

t seems antithetical to the latest surveys about religion and church membership.

At a time when membership in churches across the country is decreasing, and more and more Americans are choosing “none” as their religious affiliation, five local churches have come together to start a new church. Their goal is to stem the exodus.

The new Common Ground Church is also groundbreaking: It is a collaboration of church members from two Protestant denominations based in West Michigan — the Reformed Church in America (RCA) and the Christian Reformed Church (CRC), which split from the RCA in the 1850s over disagreements about the way church services were held.

But the impetus to create Common Ground wasn’t to heal old wounds or boost these denominations’ memberships, says Common Ground’s pastor, Chet Carlson.

“More than 50 percent of people in Kalamazoo are not related to a church,” he says. “It’s the most effective way to get people connected to God.”

‘It’s about connecting’ Starting up a church isn’t that simple, especially when your goal is, as Carlson describes it, to bring in “those who have not yet come to know God.” The church leaders began planning Common Ground’s creation in 2013 and thought long and hard about everything

Discussion groups with the themes of Belong, Believe and Become are an integral part of Common Ground Church’s services.

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 35

from how comfortable newcomers might feel to how many songs to sing during a service to what to do with preschoolers. And then they began rehearsing — the church’s first official service is set for Sept. 13, but during the spring and summer they’ve been holding services once a month at Western Michigan University’s Fetzer Center.

Common Ground could be called “Church 2.0.” Carlson doesn’t wear a robe, and there’s no heavy cross in sight. Churchgoers are encouraged to read along in the Bible, and PowerPoint presentations illustrate the ideas in Carlson’s sermons. It looks like a business meeting, complete with people checking their phones, except they’re looking up Bible verses, not texting.

Many of the songs sung during the service come from the catalog of popular Christian rock bands such as All Sons And Daughters and Newsboys. The songs — two or three in a row — come after the sermon to support the Bible reading Carlson has given.

“The pastor is first so people’s minds are fresh,” says guitarist Tim DeCamp, who’s in charge of selecting the music and is a member of the band that performs during each service. “In a traditional service you have the songs first, and people kind of tune out (during the sermon).”

Common Ground's service is only about 20 minutes long, including the sermon, music and passing of offering envelopes. When it ends, church members break off to three meeting rooms, where they sit in small circles for group discussions.

There’s the Belong group, for people new to the church to introduce themselves; the Believe group, which talks about the day’s sermon and “growing in faith,” according to Carlson, and the Become group, where churchgoers are invited to talk about their purpose in life and how they can help Common Ground Church grow through volunteering.

“It’s a new model of Sunday morning service,” Carlson says. “In traditional worship services, people go in, sit down, and leave when it’s done. (Here) it’s about connecting with people who maybe haven’t ever thought about church.”

36 | Encore JULY 2015

Clockwise from top: Pastor Chet Carlson gives a sermon during a recent rehearsal service of Common Ground Church; vocalist Courtney Bosch and guitarist Tim DeCamp sing during the service; attendees explore their faith in the Believe discussion group.

RCA, CRC collaboration On the Sundays when Carlson isn’t preaching at Common Ground, he’s visiting other churches to invite people to Common Ground.

“He invited us to check it out,” says Kara Barr of Kalamazoo at a rehearsal service. Barr regularly attends Voyage Church in Kalamazoo, which is part of the RCA. “I like the way (Carlson) spoke, and the music.”

Both the Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America are Protestant denominations with their roots in the Netherlands, and both have a strong base in West Michigan today. The CRC founded and governs Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, while the RCA has a similar relationship with Hope College and Western Theological Seminary in Holland. Both denominations have fewer than 1,000 congregations nationwide. Research by the RCA found a steady decrease in membership in its West Michigan churches, from 80,000 in 2000 to about 66,000 in 2013. Research by the CRC in the early 2000s found fewer than 1,000 new people were joining the CRC a year.

“The thought was, ‘Let’s get back together,’” Carlson says.

“Collaborating (brings) more resources,” which include everything from copies of the Bible to microphones for the Sunday service.

Voyage Church is one of the five churches that sponsored Common Ground, along with Southern Heights Church (part

of the CRC), Westwood Christian Reformed Church, The Bridge (part of the RCA), all in Kalamazoo, and First Reformed Church of Portage. The sponsoring churches contributed funding to start Common Ground, and volunteers joined the team planning the new church and attend services. No one is expected to leave their churches permanently, but, like Barr, they are encouraged to try out the new church’s songs, sermons and discussion groups.

Carlson says Common Ground (which will be officially affiliated with the RCA) is not only a way for the CRC and RCA to collaborate, but an opportunity to make church accessible to newcomers. Common Ground’s organizers want to “make worship comfortable” so visitors who have never stepped through the door of a church won’t be intimidated by decades of religious tradition or by a tight-knit community of families who have known one another for years.

“In a new church, everyone is a new person,” Carlson says.

“Our crowd is people who have not yet come to know God.”

Belong, Believe, Become Not only is Common Ground’s approach different from those of traditional churches, but its physical space is too — at least for now.

After several months of searching, Common Ground organizers rented rooms in the Fetzer Center for rehearsal services, but they’re still looking for a permanent home for the church. Funds from the sponsoring churches paid for Bibles, offering envelopes and marketing flyers advertising the topic of the week’s sermon. WMU provides the projector for the PowerPoint presentation during the service, and The Bridge loans the church the soundboard for the band.

Carlson says the rehearsal services have gone smoothly, except for a few adjustments to the timing of parts of the service. About 60 people have been attending the rehearsal services, and Carlson hopes word will spread once Common Ground formally begins.

“We have had success just by starting the church,” he says.

“We’ll leave the growth in God’s hands.”

Carlson is helping spread the word about the new church by spending a lot of his time between Sundays encouraging CRC and RCA church leaders to promote Common Ground Church and visiting networking meetings and Kalamazoo area organizations to introduce the new church.

The discussion groups Belong, Believe and Become are the real heart of the church, Carlson says.

During a recent rehearsal service, the sermon was on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, in which a young man who has squandered his inheritance “in wild living” is welcomed home by his father while his brother, who never left, feels ignored and angry. During the Belong group discussion, participants introduced themselves and talked about their own feelings

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of anger and happiness. The Believe group decided which brother they related to, while the Become group discussion started with the proposal “Describe your view of God.” “It’s a safe place to get answers, if that’s what you’re looking for,” says Marcia Visker of Kalamazoo, who is a member of the launch team for Common Ground, along with her husband, Don. “We can offer opportunities to have (visitors’) needs met.”

Those who have created Common Ground say it wasn’t just the chance to open the church doors to a new audience or the opportunity to try something different that inspired them to join the new church.

Visker says the decision to help start Common Ground simply felt like the right thing to do.

“God was speaking to my husband’s and my hearts,” Visker says.

“It’s building relationships; you’ll find no greater joy than sharing your faith.”

To learn more about Common Ground Church, visit cgchurchmi.com or facebook.com/commongroundchurchmi.

Top: Pastor Chet Carlson leads a discussion group. Above: Infant Hannah Meyer plays as other children watch a program in the church’s “Little Ones” room.

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penningsandsons.com | 269.372.1930 38 | Encore JULY 2015

ENCORE Arts

Music for Moppets

Crybaby Concerts bring eclectic sounds to young audiences Andrew Domino

Courtsey

by

Above and at left: Performances for Crybaby Concerts vary in venue and music genre.

Opposite page: Dancing is encouraged at the concerts.

W

hen most people think of classical concerts, they envision audiences dressed in their Sunday best, listening intently and quietly as musicians perform.

At Kalamazoo’s Crybaby Concerts, though, members of the audience might cry, dance or talk, and that’s OK. It’s expected even.

“The performers know what they’re getting into,” says David Baldwin, executive and artistic director of Fontana Chamber Arts, which hosts the monthly concerts at venues throughout the area.

The free 45-minute concerts are held at 11 a.m. on one Saturday each month and are targeted specifically at young children. Baldwin says the young audience members range from 2 months to 6 years old — and their parents attend too, of course. Children are welcome

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to listen, sleep or dance during the concerts, and snacks are provided afterward.

Crybaby Concerts started in 2012 at the Epic Center and now move throughout the Kalamazoo area. Recent concerts have been held at the Kalamazoo Public Library and Bronson Methodist Hospital.

Baldwin says about 200 people attend every performance.

“It gives kids exposure to live music at an early age, and parents get to hear it too,” he says.

Although Fontana Chamber Arts is known for presenting classical music, Crybaby Concerts have also featured bluegrass, jazz and folk music and a capella singers.

The Ann Arbor-based duo Gemini has performed at Crybaby Concerts several times, most recently in April. Gemini’s Lazlo Slomovits says he and his brother Sandor have been playing for children and families for 35 years.

“Kids are lively and energetic,” Slomovits says. “It makes the whole thing a lot of fun. There’s hand motions, movement — they’re hardly ever just sitting there.”

The Slomovits brothers play guitars and pipes and sing songs with topics that run the gamut from pizza to a Hungarian folk tale. During one of their songs a toy figurine dances on a board.

“You combine audience participation and something kids can relate to,” he says.

Carolyn Koebel, a member of the Grand Rapids band An Dro and a Crybaby Concert performer, says the concerts appeal to the “wiggly” nature of kids and help children make the connection between music and musicians.

“We invite kids to come up and touch the instruments, to try and make a sound,” Koebel says. “Most music they’re hearing is in context of a television screen. We want to make the association that a person is making those sounds: ‘If that person can do it, maybe I can too.’”

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Attend a Crybaby Concert When: 11 a.m., July 18 Where: Gilmore Center for Health Education, Bronson Hospital, 7 Healthcare Plaza Cost: Free

Baldwin says Crybaby Concerts performers include both regional artists and groups that might be playing at Western Michigan University on the same weekend. Those artists who don’t usually perform for children adjust to their audience, he says. Recently a group of musicians performed at a sit-down dinner for adults on a Friday night and played a Crybaby Concert across from the Bronson maternity ward the next morning.

Performers, especially those who are used to playing for children, say they try to strike a balance between what’s enjoyable for adults to listen to and what will keep kids’ attention. That effort is helpful, given the active nature of children. And even though the children at Crybaby Concerts are young, performers say few wander on stage when they aren’t invited.

“We rely on parents to keep an eye on their kids, but they (the kids) usually just want to get a better look,” Slomovits says.

For more information, including a schedule of upcoming concerts, visit fontanachamberarts.org/events/crybaby-concerts.

PERFORMING ARTS THEATER Plays See How They Run! — A British farce

by Philip King, 8 p.m. Fri. & Sat., through Aug. 1, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., 381-3328.

The Ballad of Jessica James — Youth production about a British girl who travels west in search of adventure, 5:30 p.m. Wed.–Fri.; 3:30 p.m. Sat. & Sun., July 8–12, Kindleberger Park, Parchment, 330-3210.

Musicals Ghost the Musical — A dead man uses a medium to save his girlfriend, 8 p.m. Tues.–Fri.; 5 & 8:30 p.m. Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun., through July 12, Barn Theatre, 13351 West M-96, Augusta, 731-4121.

Oklahoma! — A love story set in Indian territory after the turn of the 20th century, 7 p.m. Wed.–Fri.; 5 p.m.

Sat. & Sun., July 8–12, Kindleberger Park, Parchment, 330-3210.

American Idiot — Three friends search for meaning in a post 9/11 world, 8 p.m. Tues.–Fri.; 5 & 8:30 p.m. Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun., July 14–26, Barn Theatre, 13351 West M-96, Augusta, 731-4121.

Mary Poppins — A “practically perfect” nanny teaches a family to value each other, 7:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun., July 17–25, Comstock Community Auditorium, 2107 N. 26th St., 348-7469.

The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical — A trailer park Scrooge gets a bout of amnesia at Christmas, 7:30 p.m. Thurs.; 8 p.m.

Fri. & Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun., July 17–Aug. 9, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, 343-2727.

Rock of Ages — This jukebox musical follows the lives of those at a classic rock club in the 1980s, 8 p.m.

Tues.–Fri.; 5 & 8:30 p.m. Sat.; 5 p.m.

Sun., July 28–Aug. 9, Barn Theatre, Augusta, 731-4121.

MUSIC Bands & Solo Artists Jamaican Queens — A trap-pop group from Detroit, 9 p.m. July 9, Bell’s Eccentric Café, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382-2332.

Kris Hitchcock & Small Town Son — Singer-songwriter performs his rockcoated country music, 8 p.m. July 10, Bell’s Eccentric Café, 382-2332.

Erykah Badu — Grammy Awardwinning singer and songwriter presents soul, hip-hop and jazz, 8:30 p.m. July 10, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 387-2300.

Sleepy Man Banjo Boys — Fontana Chamber Arts presents a trio of musical brothers delivering highoctane, youthful bluegrass, 7:30 p.m.

July 11, Kalamazoo Nature Center Barn, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 3827774.

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic — Funk music with elements of jazz, rock and pop, 8:30 p.m. July 11, Bell’s Eccentric Café, 382-2332.

Crescendo Academy of Music 25th Anniversary Celebration — A concert by the Red Sea Pedestrians, 4-8 p.m.

July 13, Bell’s Eccentric Café, 3822332.

Bonnie “Prince” Billy — The songsmith performs with a highly individualistic approach to music-making, 9 p.m.

July 16, Bell’s Eccentric Café, 3822332.

Marshall Crenshaw — Acclaimed songwriter, singer and guitarist, 9 p.m. July 30, Bell’s Eccentric Café, 382-2332.

Chamber, Jazz & Other Music Gun Lake Live Summer Series — Live music, food, cocktails and dancing; Tony Fields, Doug Decker & Jeff Star, July 1; Brena, July 8; Main Street Dueling Pianos, July 15; Don Middlebrook, July 22; Thornapple Jazz Orchestra, July 29; 6-10 p.m.

Lakefront Pavilion, Bay Pointe Inn, 11456 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, 888486-5253.

U.S. Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus Concert — The Army’s premier touring musical group, 7 p.m. July 7, Overlander Bandshell, Portage, 3882830.

Celery Flats Music Festival — Featuring eight Kalamazoo area bluegrass and Americana acts, noon–4:30 p.m. July 12, Celery Flats Historical Area, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage, 342-5059.

Aeolus Quartet — Fontana Chamber Arts presents the current Graduate Resident String Quartet at New York’s Juilliard School, performing classical and contemporary works, 7:30 p.m. July 14, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 382-7774.

Midsummer Night’s Interlude Ruby Jubilee — Stulberg International String Competition’s Summer Gala, with double bassist Nicholas Schwartz, 6 p.m. July 16, Gull Lake Country Club, Richland, 343-2776.

Crybaby Concerts — Fontana presents music in an open and flexible environment for children 5 and under, 11–11:45 a.m. July 18, Bronson Gilmore Center for Health Education, 7 Healthcare Plaza, 3827774.

Concerts in the Park — Community Arts Awards with Nicholas Schwartz, double bass, 4 p.m. July 19, Bronson Park, 342-5059.

Jazz in the Gardens — Enjoy the Manor House grounds while listening to the Cereal City Band, 4–6 p.m. July 19, W.K. Kellogg Manor House, 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, 671-2160.

Neave Trio — Fontana presents young chamber music ensemble, 7:30 p.m. July 21, Wellspring Theatre, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, 382-7774.

Catalyst Quartet — Fontana presents a string quartet known for “rhythmic energy, polyphonic clarity and tight ensemble-playing,” 7:30 p.m. July 23, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 382-7774.

ARTbreak — A weekly program about art, artists and exhibitions: Black Arts Festival Preview, with Yolonda Lavender, July 7; The Art of Michael Waskowsky, with Greg Waskowsky, July 14; Book Arts in Kalamazoo, with artist/Kalamazoo Book Arts Center Director Jeff Abshear, July 21; Harold Landes: Kalamazoo Painter, with Steve Curl, July 28; all sessions begin at noon, KIA Auditorium.

Get the Picture: Mathias Alten’s “Husking Corn at Dusk” — A discussion of the KIA’s newest painting, noon, July 16.

Other Venues South Haven Art Fair — Works of art by local and regional artists, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. July 4 & 5, Stanley Johnston Park, 269-637-1041.

Chinese Artists & Calligraphers — July 8–Aug. 30, Community Art Wall & Solo Gallery, Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane, 329-4544.

Paul Sizer: Super Heroes & Graphic Novel Art — July 8–Aug. 30, Lower Level, Portage District Library, 3294544.

Art Hop — Local artists and musicians at various venues in Kalamazoo, 5–8 p.m. July 10.

Occidental Gypsy — Fontana presents a band performing a mix of original vocal and instrumental pieces, 7:30 p.m. July 25, Williams Theatre, Gilmore Theatre Complex, WMU, 382-7774.

July Art Hop at the West Michigan Glass Art Center — Watch live glassblowing and lampworking, 5–9 p.m. July 10, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 100, 552-9802.

Concerts in the Park — Toppermost performs an "authentic" Beatles concert, 4 p.m. July 26, Bronson Park, 342-5059.

Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff — 200 artists display fine artwork, including sculptures, paintings and photography, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun., July 11 & 12, St. Joseph, 269-983-0271.

VISUAL ARTS Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775 West Michigan Area Show — Juried exhibition from a 14-county region, through Aug. 9.

Rediscovering Nina Belle Ward — Portraiture, still life and harbor scenes, through Aug. 23.

Adaptation: Transforming Books into Art — Contemporary artists’ transformations of books into sculptures, through Sept. 6.

Gallery Talk — Discussions about art and related topics: Celebrity Sightings, a search for famous faces in the KIA collection, July 2; Face It! a look at KIA’s portrait collection, July 9; You Can Make Art Out of That? creation of innovative objects from nontraditional materials, July 30; all sessions begin at 6:30 p.m.

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS Kalamazoo Public Library First Saturday @ KPL — Familyfriendly stories and activities, 2–3:30 p.m. July 11, Central Library, 315 S. Rose St., 342-9837.

Movies Under the Stars — Enjoy a family-friendly movie outdoors, sponsored by Kalamazoo Public Library, 9–10:30 p.m. July 16, Oshtemo Township Park, 7275 W. Main St., 553-7980.

Urban Book Discussion — Discuss great reads of urban fiction, 6–7 p.m. July 21, Barnabee Gallery, Alma Powell Branch, 1000 W. Paterson Ave., 553-7960.

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Portage District Library 300 Library Lane, 329-4544 Supersize Your Imagination: Comic Book Workshop with Paul Sizer — Unleash your creative thinking through action-packed drawing exercises, 6:30 p.m. July 8; registration required.

PDL Writers Group — Focusing on fiction and creative nonfiction writing, 6 p.m. July 9 & 23.

Homebrew 102: Create Kombucha — Brew your own kombucha, a fermented tea with health benefits, 1 p.m. July 11; registration required.

Top Shelf Reads — Themed read: horror genre, 7 p.m. July 13.

MUSEUM Gilmore Car Museum 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089 Deutsche Marques: A German Auto Event — Featuring BMW, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen cars, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. July 11.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen British Car Faire — British-made vehicles, featuring Triumph TRs and the Morgan, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. July 12.

Mopars at the Red Barns — West Michigan’s largest all-Chrysler products car show and swap meet, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. July 25.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum 230 N. Rose St., 373-7990 Evidence Found: Explorations in Archaeology — Learn the science and methodology of archaeology in this new visual and hands-on exhibit, through Aug. 31.

Treasures of the Great Lakes — Learn how navigators on the Great Lakes used the night sky and lighthouses to navigate, 2 p.m. Sat.; 3 p.m. Tues. & Thurs., through Sept. 12.

Lamps of Atlantis — Explore how ancient artifacts and astronomical evidence help archaeologists discover a buried city, 3 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri.–Sun., through Sept. 18.

Tinkertoy®: Build Your Imagination — Giant replicas of the classic construction set with fun, educational activities, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Mon.–Thurs. & Sat.; 9 a.m.–9 p.m.

Fri.; 1–5 p.m. Sun., through Sept. 20.

Other Venues The Way We Worked — Smithsonian traveling exhibit with children’s activities, movies, geocaching and tours, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. through July

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19, Plainwell Paper Mill, 211 N. Main St., 685-6821.

DaVinci: The Exhibition — Handson journey through da Vinci’s life, research, innovations and art, through Oct. 4, Air Zoo, 6151 Portage Road, 866-524-7966.

NATURE Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510 Birds and Coffee Walk — A walk to view birds of the season, 9 a.m. July 8.

Wild Wednesday: Bald Eagle Exploration — Bald eagles and what makes them famous, 7 p.m. July 8.

Wild Wednesday: Investigating Insects — How insects help around our homes and gardens, 7 p.m. July 22.

Hummingbird Banding Demonstration — Hummingbird banding and research, 6:30 p.m. July 28.

Other Venues Pasture Dairy Center Open House — Sample award-winning cheese and learn about cheese making and sustainable dairy practices, 4–8 p.m.

July 14, W.K. Kellogg Pasture Dairy Center, 10461 N. 40th St., Hickory Corners, 671-2402.

Wild Foods Hike — Learn to identify edible plants and to prepare them for a meal, 9 a.m. July 18, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 701 W. Cloverdale Road, Hastings, 269-721-4190.

Hike to a Concert — Experience nature and a concert by Blake Whyte, 2 p.m.

July 25, Eliason Nature Reserve, 9501 Shaver Road, Portage, 388-2830.

FESTIVALS BlackRock Medieval Fest — Live entertainment, jousting, vendors and food, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat. & Sun., through Aug. 2, Olde World Village, 13215 M-96, Augusta, 580-1290.

Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival 2015 — Hot-air balloon launches, night balloon illumes and fireworks, July 1–5, W.K. Kellogg Airport, 15551 S. Airport Road, Battle Creek, 962-0592.

Kindleberger Summer Festival — Family musical production, youth play, car show, arts and crafts, parade and 5K race, July 8–13; see schedule at kindleberger.org/festival.php.

Kalamazoo Blues Festival — Featuring 22 local, regional and national blues acts, 4 p.m.–12:30 a.m. July 9–11, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 381-6514.

Taste of Portage — Celebrate the history, restaurants, brewpubs and traditions of Portage, noon–10 p.m.

July 18, Overlander Bandshell, 7999 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage, 3882830.

Black Arts Festival: Ignite the Community — African American art and culture within Southwest Michigan, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. July 18 and 19, LaCrone Park, 535 W. Paterson St., 349-1035.

10th Annual BTR Bike Race — A 1.1mile circuit around WMU’s Business Technology and Research Park, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. July 11, WMU’s Parkview Campus, 387-2072.

Kalamazoo County 4-H Open Horse Show — Over 65 classes for nearly every riding discipline, 8:30 a.m. July 11; 9 a.m. July 12, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 383-8830.

Taste of Kalamazoo — Cuisine from over 30 restaurants, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. July 23, 11 a.m.–11:30 p.m. July 24 & 25, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 978-2167.

Olde Tyme Tractor & Steamer Show — Antique cars and tractors, blacksmithing, flea market and crafts, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. July 17, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. July 18 & 19, Scotts Mill County Park, 8451 S. 35th St., 746-4628.

MISCELLANEOUS Mixer on the Mall — After-work party featuring up-and-coming musicians, 5–7:30 p.m. July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, North Kalamazoo Mall, 388-3083.

Super Summer Flea & Antique Market — New, used and handcrafted items, antiques and collectibles, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. July 18, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 383-8761.

Light Up the Lake Fireworks — Fireworks synchronized to music over Lake Michigan, 10 p.m. July 3, South Haven, 269-637-5252.

Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Animal Show — Reptiles, amphibians and exotic pets, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. July 18, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 779-9851.

Galesburg Speedway — Freedom 100, with fireworks, July 4; Christmas in July, with bike giveaway, July 11; Fan Appreciation Night, July 18; Sportsman 50 Lapper, July 25; 6:45– 11 p.m. Galesburg Speedway, 573 S. 38th St., 665-7100.

Downtown Kalamazoo Brewery Walking Tour — Learn about Kalamazoo’s craft beers, noon4:30 p.m. July 4 & 18, starting at Shakespeare’s Pub; July 11, starting at Central City Tap House; July 25, starting at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 350-4598.

2015 Gazelle Sports Historic Walks — Walking tours focusing on area history and architecture: Stuart Historic District, 6:30 p.m. July 9, starting at West Main Street and Woodward Avenue; Health Care in Kalamazoo, 8 a.m. July 17, starting at Gazelle Sports; Village of Schoolcraft, 6:30 p.m. July 23, starting at Burch Park, West Clay Street, Schoolcraft; Vine Historic District, 8 a.m. July 31, starting at Vine Street and South Westnedge Avenue; 342-5996.

Michigan Antique Radio Club’s Extravaganza ‘15 — Antique radios and vintage electronics, 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m. July 10, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. July 11, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St., 734-316-2803.

Lunchtime Live! — Live music, food trucks and pop-up vendors, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. July 10, 17 & 24, Bronson Park, 337-8191.

Drake Farmstead Open House — Horse and cart rides, farm animals, music, bake sale and tours of the historic home, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., July 18, Drake Farmstead, 927 N. Drake Road, oshtemohistoricalsociety.org Sensory Showtimes: “Minions” — A welcoming movie environment for guests with special needs, including autism, 10:30 a.m. July 18, Celebration Cinema, Portage, 3247469.

2015 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships — 700 disc golf players compete for 17 titles, July 18–25, various area courses, 2177356 .

Corks for Conservation — A wine tasting with music, silent auction and live animal presentations, 6–10 p.m. July 25, Binder Park Zoo, Battle Creek, 269-979-1351.

Kalamazoo Restaurant Week — Downtown restaurants offer a fixed-price menu, July 26–Aug. 1, 978-2167.

USTA Boys’ 18 & 16 National Championships — Over 400 juniors compete for the national tennis championship title, 8 a.m. July 31– Aug. 9, Stowe Stadium, Kalamazoo College, 337-7343.

ENCORE Poetry

Weekend at Corey’s Cabin Fireworks leap from our hands like shooting stars on acid and we ‘ooo’ and ‘aaaw’ between sips of PBR. Country music plays from Geoff’s Ford Focus and the bonfire blazes, cuts silhouettes out of us.

Our ambient voices crisscross, quilt the June night with laughter.

This night is ours—it belongs to our body heat, our beating pulses, our smoking souls.

We are winged here, at this cabin in the middle of Michigan, tucked away where the wild things play.

We are like red-winged blackbirds and we reign here.

Justin’s e-cig taints our drunken tongues with its raspberry lemonade fumes but the flavor is soon lost to Svedka and burnt s’mores and we dance; our souls are on fire with starlight.

Liz and Lucia call to the witches of the north to join us.

We run, night-fevered, through the woods but they don’t come.

Our eyes are as bright as full moons and we sing and twirl, kicking up the darkness until dawn.

— Danielle M.G. Favorite Favorite has her B.A. in creative writing from Western Michigan University, where she interned at the graduate literary magazine Third Coast. Her work has appeared in journals such as Echolocation and Short & Twisted, and her first book of poetry, Meraki, can be found on Amazon.

We End Like Dinner with paper napkins wadded on our plates.

Are these your friends or mine dropping cigarette butts into beer bottles we’ll have to return to the supermarket in our separate cars, soon to be parked in separate driveways? I won’t ask you to repeat what you said as I carried dishes into the kitchen. We end the way Lake Michigan ends in a beach where pink tampon applicators wash up.

Other people ignore the trash, say how pretty, the way we used to.

We end all our fighting abruptly, drift into outer space—you are a satellite and I am space junk. Scientists say nobody so far has been hurt by such debris crashing to earth. We end like a movie, not anybody’s favorite movie but something that distracted folks for a few hours, including the trailers.

We end, you and I, like somebody else’s dream of us. When the dreamer awakens we drift off to different parts of somebody else’s mind, no more heartbroken than stage actors at the strike party.

— Bonnie Jo Campbell Campbell is the author of the forthcoming story collection Mothers, Tell Your Daughters (W.W. Norton, October 2015) and the bestselling novel Once Upon a River. She was a National Book Award finalist and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist for her collection of stories American Salvage as well as a Guggenheim Fellow. She lives in Kalamazoo.

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BACK STORY (continued from page 46)

World Championships July 18-25. LaBond is the director of this massive tournament, which will involve nine courses, from Vicksburg to Wayland. It’s the second time he’s directing the tournament here.

How did you get where you are today?

I started playing disc golf in 1991. I had a summer job at a park south of Ypsilanti that had a disc golf course. I moved over here to go to Western and found the nearest course was in Grand Rapids, but that was a little far to drive. There were also no courses or leagues here, and if I wanted that kind of thing, I had to start it.

So I worked with Kalamazoo County to build a course at Cold Brook Park. They gave me the go-ahead, but I had to fund-raise to pay for it and actually build the course, which meant clearing out fairways and stuff like that. It took me a few years, but over time it eventually got done. The park ranger out there helped quite a bit, and when we were short on the money needed, the county paid for the rest of it. It opened in 1995.

How would you describe the area’s disc golf environment now?

It has grown a lot. This is the 21st year for our league at Cold Brook Park, and our league membership is 206 for this summer. There are probably a half a dozen other leagues in the area too, including an all-women’s league.

There are also more courses. When I first got here, there was a course on K-College’s campus, which was like “this garbage can to that light pole.” The other one was Mountain Home Cemetery. Once the Cold Brook course was in and people could play on baskets, they much preferred the baskets to the headstones.

What other courses are there?

More get added all the time. Cold Brook was first; the course in Oshtemo (Township) Park was second. There’s a course at Robert Morris Park in Comstock (Township), and Fort Custer (National Recreation Area) has a course. For the World Championships we are also using courses in Three Rivers, Vicksburg and some near Wayland and putting in a temporary course at Timber Ridge Ski Area.

You ran the Disc Golf Worlds in 2008 in Kalamazoo. What made you want to do that again?

I thought we had good opportunities here — Bell’s Brewery was a major sponsor in 2008 and was interested in sponsoring again.

It seemed like something we could pull off again and highlight the area. Since 2008, we have more courses as a result of having that tournament, and our courses became so much nicer. The summer after the 2008 Worlds, there were many new players in our area. So we figured, why not?

Do you have help?

Rusty Gorter and Kevin Dowd are the main helpers. But we have some really dedicated people who have been volunteering time to work on the courses. It’s amazing what some people have done. I am always impressed by volunteer support we get.

What keeps you up at night?

Following up on a lot of things — getting people to make sure they get done what they said they would and constantly trying to get deals finalized.

What do people say when you tell them what you do?

For people who know nothing about the sport, it’s a mix. They think it’s goofy and ridiculous and look down on it. Disc golf does have a negative connotation — that it’s a hippie sport and that all players do is drink and smoke pot. But the sport has really been elevated — it’s been growing by 10 percent a year for the past 10 years.

I’ve always said that disc golf can be played with a group of people, one other person or by yourself. Unlike, say baseball, you don’t need 17 other people to play.

What do you do when you aren’t doing things related to disc golf?

I have some rental properties I maintain, and I install doors and do construction. I also have two daughters and a very understanding wife.

Do you get out to play disc golf yourself?

I don’t get to play as much anymore — I spend a lot of time running Worlds, three leagues a week and other tournaments during the year.

I don’t get to break away like I used to.

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w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 45

BACK STORY encore

Larry LaBond President, Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Basket K’Aces

W

hen Larry LaBond wants something, he makes it happen.

In 1991, LaBond arrived in Kalamazoo as a Western Michigan University student hankering to play disc golf, but he found folks here were playing disc golf only on ad hoc “courses” such as Mountain Home Cemetery.

So LaBond built his own course, at Cold Brook County Park in Climax Township, and started a disc golf organization called the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Basket K’Aces, which now offers league play at three courses.

More evidence of his hard work on behalf of local disc golf can be seen this month when 700-plus amateur disc golfers from across the globe descend on Kalamazoo for the Professional Disc Golf Association’s Amateur Disc Golf

Brian Powers

(continued on page 45)

46 | Encore july 2015

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