Encore Magazine June 2024

From the Editor

At Encore we like to tell stories of people and organizations that are making a positive impact on our community and sometimes beyond, and this issue has some great examples.

Our cover story looks at innovations in cancer treatment on a local level. Our writer, Robert M. Weir, wrote about cancer treatment innovations back in 1997 and was excited to revisit the topic to see what has changed in nearly three decades. What he found is that not only have two state-of-the-art cancer centers opened in greater Kalamazoo in recent years, but there have been innovations in the medical treatment of cancers and in addressing the personal needs of patients.

We also have an update on Gay Walker, whom we wrote about in 1997 for her work providing art therapy to cancer patients. A three-time cancer survivor herself, she is still helping others express their feelings about their cancer journeys through art, curating exhibitions of their works as well as her own.

We meet another woman, Gail Walter, who is doing what she can to help make the world safer for birds of all types. In addition to monitoring and caring for Kalamazoo's peregrine falcons, she also advises people on how to cut down bird-window collisions at their homes and offices.

In addition, we meet the tattoo artists at Heirloom Arts, who use their skills to help those with unwanted markings or scars from domestic abuse or other causes turn those bad reminders into something beautiful.

With summer arriving this month and a new issue of Encore in hand, there's a lot to feel good about, so enjoy.

Left to right: Morgan Rogalke-Scime, Charles S. Ofstein, Tyler J. Stewart, Olivia A. Kurajian, William B. Millard

Marie Lee

For this issue Marie wrote about Gail Walter, who has been on Encore's radar for many years for her work protecting Kalamazoo's beloved peregrine falcons that nest each spring on the Fifth Third building downtown. Her efforts looking after birds goes beyond the falcons, however. "As more glass-centric new buildings get constructed in our area, bird collisions are going to increase," says Marie, "and Gail is devoted to working with architects and building designers to keep the birds safe, which can benefit more than just birds. As Gail says, 'If the ecosystem is good for birds, it's good for people too.'" Marie is the editor of Encore

Zinta, who wrote about Heirloom Arts tattoo shop for this issue, notes that she doesn't have any tattoos, but her daughter does. "The moment she turned 18 and no longer needed my permission, she was off to a tattoo studio to have a popular Latvian symbol of the sun tattooed just above one ankle," Zinta says. "A couple years ago she worked incredibly hard to train for and then complete the Ironman triathlon and, to commemorate, had the Ironman logo tattooed on one of her calves. By then, I had accepted that tattoos carry special meaning for those who wear them. When I learned about Heirloom Arts in Kalamazoo, a tattoo studio that particularly serves the LGBTQ+ community and women survivors of abuse, that meaning went up to an even higher level. These are decorations on the body that make a statement of strength, courage and pride. For those women covering scars of abuse, the tattoos mark the crossing of a finish line for a grueling endurance test. I say, wear them with pride."

Robert Weir’s mother died of abdominal cancer at the age of 50 in 1966, a time when massive, invasive surgery seemed the only viable treatment option. In 1993, a benign meningioma tumor was surgically removed from the left frontal lobe of Robert’s cranium, so he notes that it was with great personal interest that he approached this issue's article about oncology treatments in Southwest Michigan. "I have great appreciation and gratitude for the advancements that have been made and the people responsible for them," he says.

Zinta Aistars

Robert M. Weir

Publisher encore publications, inc

Editor

marie lee

Art Director alexis stubelt

Photographer brian k powers

Contributing Writers

zinta aistars, marie lee, karen schnurstein, robert m weir, jarret whitenack

Copy Editor/Poetry Editor

margaret deritter

Advertising Sales

janis clark, sha'nna stafford, krieg lee

Distribution ron kilian robert zedeck

Office Coordinator

kelly burcroff

Proofreader hope smith

Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2024, 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

Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com

The staff at Encore welcomes written comments from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit 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.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and published here do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications

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First Things

Something Busy JumpstART Weekend kicks off summer

If you like to pack a lot into a weekend, then Downtown Kalamazoo’s JumpstART Weekend was made for you. The June 7–9 festivities include art fairs, a Pride event, a parade and an outdoor concert.

Lots of art

The second-longest-running art fair in the country, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Fair in Bronson Park, will feature more than 100 artists. This juried fair will run from 3–8 p.m. June 7 and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 8. A block away, Art on the Mall will feature more than 60 artists, plus demonstrations and live music, from noon–8 p.m. June 7 and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 8. For more information, visit Kalamazooarts.org.

Kalamazoo Pride

This two-day celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place will include drag performances, music, exhibitors, food and dancing. This annual event, set for 6–11:30 p.m. June 7 and 2–11:30 p.m. June 8, attracts an estimated 8,000 people. Tickets cost $8 for one day or $15 for both days. For more information or to buy tickets, visit outfrontkzoo.org/pride2024.

Do-Dah Parade

This year’s theme of Board-Amazoo for the parody parade will bring out board-game-related entries. The parade, which is celebrating its 40th year, starts at Portage Street at 11 a.m. and follows a route west down Lovell Street, north up Rose Street, east on Michigan Avenue and south on Portage Street back to Lovell.

Concert in the Park

JumpstART Weekend will close on June 9 with a performance by the Kalamazoo Concert Band at 4 p.m. in Bronson Park.

Something Nostalgic Flock of Seagulls lands in Paw Paw

The band Flock of Seagulls, best remembered for its lead singer’s gravity-defying hairstyle and its synthesizer-heavy '80s pop, will perform June 29 at Warner Vineyards, 706 S. Kalamazoo St., in Paw Paw.

The New Wave electronic rock group had hits with the songs “I Ran (So Far Away),” “Space Age Love Song” and “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You).” While the band has seen members come and go, lead singer Mike Score still heads the band, minus his towering hair.

Strangelove, a Depeche Mode tribute band, will also perform. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets cost $30-$35. For more information or to purchase tickets,visit warnerwines.com

Something Fun

Three Rivers to hold Water Festival

For three days, from June 13–15, Three Rivers will celebrate its watery heritage with a festival in its downtown area. Among the activities planned are a parade, a car show, carnival rides and games, food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, live music and fireworks. For more information, visit the festival’s FaceBook page at facebook.com/ ThreeRiversWaterFestival.

Something Celebratory

Local events mark Juneteenth

Several local events this month will commemorate the Juneteenth holiday, which celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth, generally celebrated on June 19, became a federal holiday in 2021 and marks the liberation of the country’s last slaves, in Texas in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Among the local events celebrating Juneteenth will be:

Rootead’s Juneteenth Celebration, 3–9 p.m. June 15 at Bronson Park. This family-friendly celebration of Black culture will include music, local artisans, businesses, community organizations and vendors. There will be performances by Kandace Lavender, DJ Boogie and Rootead’s Youth Drum and Dance Ensemble. For more information, visit Rootead.org.

Juneteenth Community Day, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. This event will include a recording of quilt artist Faith Ringgold talking about her book, Tar Beach. Other books by Black artists will be available to read. There will also be a large community paper quilt where families can add personal squares to tell their stories. For more information, visit kiarts.org.

Juneteenth 5K Walk and Run, June 17 at Mayors' Riverfront Park, 251 Mills St. Families and individuals will have an opportunity to walk, run or jog to celebrate Juneteenth in this event hosted by Run This Town-Kalamazoo (RTTKzoo). Packet pickup starts at 5 p.m., and the event begins at 6:10 p.m. The cost is $25. For more information or to register, visit tinyurl.com/juneteenth5kzoo.

Something Ecological

Participate in a 'bioblitz'

Two "bioblitz" events this month will give people a chance to exercise their citizen-scientist skills and aid conservation.

A bioblitz is an intense period of biological surveying to record all living species within a designated area utilizing community volunteers. The term was coined by a National Park Service naturalist for an event held in 1996 in Washington, D.C.

The Kellogg Biological Station Bird Sanctuary, at 12685 East C Ave. in Augusta, will hold a bioblitz event from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. June 15. KBS naturalists and local scientists will lead groups around the sanctuary to explore and document the diversity of life, or biodiversity, in the preserve. The morning session begins at 9, and the afternoon session at 12:30. For more information or to register to participate, visit events.anr.msu.edu.

From 10 a.m.–noon June 29, the Portage District Library and Portage Parks and Recreation will hold a bioblitz around West Lake Nature Preserve, located at 9001 S. Westnedge Ave. Using the iNaturalist app, participants will take a family-friendly hike around the preserve to find and identify as many species as possible. For more information, visit portagemi.gov.

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Five Faves Get 'pickling' on these outdoor courts

BY JARRET WHITENACK

Pickleball, a relatively new sport, has really taken off, growing 224 percent over the last three years and becoming the fastest-growing sport in the United States, according to Pickleheads.com. With this growth comes the need for more spaces to play, and many cities and athletic clubs are putting in courts to keep up with the demand. Unlike my hometown of Salem, Oregon, which has only two public courts, greater Kalamazoo has dozens. If you want to pick up a paddle and try out the sport, here are five great outdoor places to start:

6th Street Park

6321 S. 6th St., Texas Township

Texas Township's 6th Street Park is a park on the rise. The township has started a multi-phase development of this park and the first phase, completed in 2021, added eight pickleball courts. These courts are open to the public during park hours, which are dawn to dusk. The courts are fenced, with wind- and debris-blocking fabric to help make playing there even nicer. The courts are positioned in a continuous line, with fences between the courts. If the courts are not very busy, you can have an empty court between your group and the next group playing.

For more information on the park, visit texastownship.org.

Neighborhood Parks

Multiple

locations

If you are looking for a smaller number of courts that might be nearby, there are quite a few neighborhood parks that have pickleball courts open to the public. Most of these parks have only on-street parking and may lack amenities, such as restrooms. Here are three that have dedicated pickleball courts:

• Crane Park, 2099 S. Park St., Kalamazoo, two courts, open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Frays Park, 1006 Piccadilly Road, Kalamazoo, two courts, open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Lexington Green Park, 4750 Pittsford Road, Portage, two courts, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

There are other neighborhoods with courts, but these range from repurposed tennis courts to open spaces. To find more courts and additional information, visit pickleballoutreach.com.

Kindleberger Park

122 N. Riverview Drive, Parchment

One of the closest places to downtown Kalamazoo to play pickleball, Kindleberger Park, has four courts. Kindleberger isn’t the largest space available to play, but it does have consistent drop-in play on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 or 9 a.m., depending on the weather. If you are looking for a higher level of play (USA Pickleball ranking of 4.0 or higher), there is drop-in play on Tuesday and Thursday around 8 or 9 a.m. The courts are fenced in, and there is ample room between the court lines and fencing to allow for movement during play. There are restrooms just up the hill from the courts.

The courts are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit parchment.org.

Ramona Park

8600 S. Sprinkle Road, Portage

If you're looking for the most courts in one spot, Portage’s Ramona Park is for you. Ramona has 12 courts that are available to the public during park hours, which are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Each court is fenced, so missed balls don't roll too far. The park hosts drop-in pickleball for all levels from 8:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Saturday and from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday. The restrooms are not very far from the courts, and the park also offers a picnic area and a beach to rest and relax after a hot day on the courts.

For more information about the park, visit portagemi.gov. There is also a Facebook page (facebook.com/ramonaparkpickleball) dedicated to pickleball at Ramona Park that can help players find others to play with.

Lakeview Park 9345 Portage Road, Portage

As the name suggests, Lakeview Park sits on the shore of a lake, Portage’s Austin Lake, and it's a beautiful place to play pickleball and spend a day. Its four pickleball courts are in the center of the park, on the top of a little hill, with a wonderful view of the area. The courts are fenced in, with dividers between them to make sure you don’t have to chase balls very far if you happen to miss a shot. The park also has restrooms near the courts.

The park is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit portagemi.gov.

About the Author Jarret Whitenack, an intern with Encore, has been playing pickleball since his mother got the whole family into it during the pandemic. He hails from the Pacific Northwest, where pickleball started, but his own hometown, which is about the size of Kalamazoo, has only two outdoor public courts. Jarret is amazed and overjoyed to find that Kalamazoo has so many options to play pickleball.

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The Personal Touch in Treating Cancer

From technology to support and communication, advances are improving cancer treatment

Brian K. Powers

BY ROBERT M. WEIR

Cancer is a sometimes-fatal disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and can destroy healthy surrounding body tissue, which is why being diagnosed with cancer — The Big C — is a heart-wrenching, mind-jarring, life-altering experience.

"It’s an understatement to say that patients are scared when diagnosed with cancer," says Dr. Mazen Mislmani, oncologist and division chief of radiation oncology for the West Michigan Cancer Center. “The most prominent fear is the unknown. ‘Am I going to die? When? Are we talking three months or five years? What kind of treatments are awaiting me? What are the side effects?’ A thousand questions run through a patient’s head, and that’s overwhelming.”

But in addition to fear is the sense of losing control over one's life, notes Mislmani. “Loss of control is an underrated factor," he says. "If you’re undergoing treatments, you can’t plan on being there for your granddaughter’s graduation next year. All of a sudden, your life revolves around this diagnosis and treatments, and that takes away your control over what your day-to-day life looks like. It affects your short-term, your intermediate and your long-term plans.”

But there is good news that can help allay those fears. There have been considerable innovations, not only in the technologies and treatments for the disease, but also in supportive services, communication, and treatment practices, based on patient preferences and quality of life.

These innovations start at the beginning, often before there is even a cancer diagnosis. Genetic testing can now be used as a cancer preventative and guide for treatment.

“We can test for many, many genes relatively cheaply,” says Rebecca Jones, a nurse practitioner at Ascension Borgess. “We can identify people (who might be prone to cancer) and let them know they need certain screenings so that if they do develop cancer, it’s caught at an earlier stage. That’s a big change.”

Other types of improved technology have also helped to catch cancer earlier. For example, in comparison to the standard 2D mammograms used to screen for breast cancer, 3D mammograms, introduced in 2011, have been found to be more successful in finding cancers earlier and in reducing the number of women who have to be called back in for additional screening., according to the National Institutes for Health.

Early detection is key, says Mislmani. “If you’re old enough to get a mammogram or get a PSA blood draw or a colonoscopy, do it. The earlier you diagnose cancer, the higher the likelihood that you can cure the cancer.”

Better treatments

Once a cancer diagnosis is received, treatment options have traditionally fallen into three primary categories: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, any or all of which a patient might experience, depending on the type of cancer and its stage of growth.

Each of these treatment options has benefited from innovations over the years.

Take surgery, for instance. "Years ago surgery was extensive and very aggressive. Now we view surgery as just another arm in a patient’s treatment options,” says Dr. Gitonga Munene, division chief of surgical oncology at the West Michigan Cancer Center.

For centuries, surgery involved a major incision of the skin and hands-on intrusion to reach a body's internal organs. Thanks to the development of laparoscopy, arthroscopy and robotics, today's surgeries often involve smaller incisions, greatly reduced pain and shorter healing times.

Robot-assisted surgery increases surgical precision and aids surgical visualization. Robots such as those used at Bronson Methodist and Ascension Borgess hospitals have multiple arms that a surgeon manipulates through a control console located next to the patient in the operating room. “These have made it possible to do more complicated operations with minimal invasion,” Munene says.

Dr. Anna Hoekstra, division chief of gynecological oncology at the West Michigan Cancer Center, notes that another innovation is surgical anesthesia that can enable a patient "to have a local anesthetic, a nerve block that targets the nerves around where the incision is going to be and numbs that nerve for up to three days, which is the time when the pain is most severe."

In these cases, says Hoekstra, the patient can wake up from the procedure more quickly and go home the same day, taking just Motrin and Tylenol for pain relief. "That decreases the narcotic requirements, especially in a day and age when we’re trying to decrease opioid prescriptions and opioid dependence," she says. "This is a huge, huge move in the right direction.”

Radiation therapy, the second primary treatment modality for cancer, also has evolved. In 1898, physicist and chemist Madame Marie Curie discovered radium, a soft, shiny, radioactive metal that is used in radiation therapy. Back then, people saw it as a novelty, infusing it into water, bread, toiletries, soap and shoe polish, but we've since learned that radiation can be damaging to healthy tissue.

To minimize that damage, today's radiation treatments use complicated software and mathematical precision to design a beam of radiation to be directed into a patient's body that exactly matches the shape of a tumor from all angles. “This allows us to design a radiation plan for each individual patient, using beam angles, shapes and intensity that maximize the dose that strikes the tumor and minimizes the impact on the surrounding healthy tissue,” explains Mislmani.

Chemotherapy, the third primary treatment, uses powerful chemicals to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. It can be used on patients with any stage of cancer, from minute tumors to metastasized tumors — tumors that have spread from their point of origin to another part of the body. Chemotherapy is commonly administered through an intravenous needle in a process called infusion, but the chemicals can also enter the body as a pill, capsule,

Frank Young, left, and Dr. Natasha Dhawan discuss treatment in one of the Bronson Cancer Center's infusion rooms overlooking downtown Kalamazoo.

oral liquid, or topical cream. Chemotherapy treatments may be prescribed for a few hours or extended over multiple days or weeks.

It's well-known that chemotherapy can cause severe side effects such as nausea, skin sensitivity and hair loss. And despite the new drugs that cause fewer side effects or that can mitigate them, the dread of these debilitating side effects often exacerbates a cancer patient's fear and some choose to forego this form of treatment.

That's one of the reasons why many cancer professionals are excited about a newly developed option, immunotherapy, a treatment that activates a patient’s immune system to recognize, attack and destroy cancerous cells.

“Pharmaceutical companies have identified chemical receptors on the outside of cells that are unique to cancer cells, and they have developed drugs that look for these receptors. This means that we’re not killing all the normal cells along with the cancer cells, but we’re targeting specific parts of the cells," explains Nisha Hull, pharmacist and pharmacy manager at Ascension Borgess Cancer Center. "These treatments are not as toxic, and patients have fewer side effects and an improved quality of life."

The idea of “some people with cancer not needing chemotherapy is truly inspiring and captivating for both patients and oncologists,” says Dr. Natasha Dhawan, medical oncology physician at the Bronson Cancer Center.

And cancer treatments continue to evolve, thanks to clinical trials. Clinical trials are used to determine if experimental treatments, not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will be beneficial to the general population of patients. “Clinical trials have been essential in making advancements over the last 25 years and (are essential) to continue advancements over the next 25 years,” says Dhawan.

She explains that generally clinical trials are for patients who are still relatively strong but for whom current treatments aren’t working or who might have a cancer with a specific mutation. "It’s always worth asking if the option of a clinical trial is applicable," Dhawan

says. "There might be a trial treatment that’s targeted toward that mutation.”

Treating the person

While these technological and pharmacological innovations are impressive, great strides are also being made in providing support services for patients and their families and more personalized treatments.

Dr. Muhammad Hameed, a medical oncologist at Ascension Borgess, says he’s seen “many changes” in his 13 years of practice. “The care has become more holistic,” he says. "Now we are treating the person, not just treating the disease.”

Hameed notes that not all cancers are the same and that even within a certain type of cancer, such as lung cancer, there are variables. “This awareness wasn’t present 25 years ago," he says. "Today we do more testing on the tumor, like molecular testing, to identify the best treatment for a patient, based not just on the cancer characteristics but also (the patient's) other health care problems, the patient’s stage in life, and so forth. We have many more options available that we did not have before, and we keep getting more on a very frequent basis.”

Attention to the more personal aspects of treatment also has practitioners taking a closer look at patients' support systems and how those can be boosted to benefit

Top: Dr. Mazen Mislmani of the West Michigan Cancer Center talks with a patient about to undergo radiation treatment. Bottom: The infusion rooms at Ascension Borgess Cancer Center give patients a pastoral view during their care.

Courtesy WMCC

“The care has become more holistic. Now we are treating the person, not just treating the disease.”

– Dr. Muhammad Hameed

treatment. To that end, cancer treatment today integrates the patient’s caregiving team, family members and other loved ones.

“There’s much better recognition that cancer is definitely a disease that is better managed with personal support," says Samantha Kreitner, medical director at Ascension Borgess. "There is a high level of recognition that the spiritual and psychological portions of treatment are just as important, if not more important, than the physical aspects."

This recognition can be seen in the design and setting of the newest of Kalamazoo’s three cancer centers, Ascension Borgess's facility on Drake Road, located across from the Asylum Lake Preserve and set in a meadow next to woods. It opened in September 2021. Patients who receive chemotherapy there via infusion can do so in private rooms or semi-private bays with large windows through which they can see the surrounding environs, colorful plants and native vegetation, grazing deer, and birds at feeders.

“We have made the treatment space a comfortable, holistic healing space,” says Kreitner.

treatment who can help them manage how cancer affects their dayto-day lives.

Social workers are now a major part of oncological support services. Patients and their families are encouraged to meet as often as necessary with these professionals, who provide individual counseling, case management advice, transportation and housing options, and an avenue to emotional support groups.

Other support professionals can include dietitians and nutritionists who suggest optimal eating habits, financial consultants who help mitigate the financial impact of cancer care in terms of out-of-pocket costs as well as loss of income, on-site massage therapists who help both patients and caregivers relax, and palliative care professionals who provide relief from the strain and stress of the illness.

The three cancer centers in Kalamazoo County also integrate "warm-and-fuzzy" features such as inspirational painted rocks, pet therapy, art crafted by cancer patients and caregivers, and a feelgood “victory bell” that patients ring when they have completed their treatment.

Megan Bridgeman, the clinical manager at Ascension Borgess, says this atmosphere of encouragement “is not just for patients who benefit from these services. It’s for the staff too. Seeing patients day in and day out can be draining.

“People have always cared,” she adds. “We’re just better at recognizing the mental struggles, and we have better ideas about how to offer assistance.”

And while each of the three cancer centers has oncology providers in-house, the centers work together to offer complementary services without creating redundancies in the community. Any patient might receive treatments at more than one facility, and records and treatment plans are shared via electronic communication systems,

In addition to the medical professionals treating them, many cancer patients may find other professionals incorporated into their (continued on page 17)

Q:

A:

May I use only a general assignment document to fund my trust and avoid probate?

One of the most important aspects of estate planning is trust funding. Sometimes people fail to transfer some or all of their assets into their trust. A general assignment of assets transfers ownership of a wide variety of assets, excluding tax-deferred retirement accounts, into your trust. e Michigan Trust Code remains silent regarding the transfer of assets using a general assignment. Further, brokerages, investment advisors and banks are not likely to rely on these instruments. Regardless, most practitioners still consider a general assignment an important tool to safeguard assets and avoid probate, as a primary tool for non-titled assets, and at least a “backup” for titled assets. It is highly recommended that individuals contact their nancial institutions they work with to transfer legal title of assets into the name of their trust.

Please send your questions to Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A.

Gay Walker helps others in the art of healing

BY ROBERT M. WEIR

In 1995, at age 51, artist and art therapist Gay Walker was working as both a volunteer and a paid professional providing therapy for youths and adults with cancer at a number of organizations in Southwest Michigan. She was vibrant, energetic.

While she worked, she often wondered if those who are not artists turn to art to express their feelings when faced with a major illness. Motivated to answer that question, she applied for and was given a $1,000 grant and put out a call to cancer patients to contribute artworks and writing.

The response was resounding. Within two days, she received 125 pieces of art and 40 pieces of writing, including poetry, by people who had a strong desire to tell their stories.

From these entries, Walker created The Art of Healing: An Exhibit by People Touched by Cancer and a book of related writings. Intended to be displayed on one wall of the West Michigan Cancer Center for two weeks, the exhibit generated an energy that extended far beyond that humble expectation. First, the submissions were so extensive that the exhibit covered the walls of an entire floor of the center, where it resided for six months. Then administrators in hospitals and cancer centers in other parts of the Midwest wanted to display it, so it traveled to various locations for two years.

“This was not art for beauty’s sake,” Walker says. “This was art for telling the truth, telling it like it is. It was real. It showed a poignant inside view of cancer.”

When the American Cancer Society learned of the exhibit, they recommended it — and Walker — to the U.S. Department of Defense. The department invited Walker to bring nine of the exhibit's works to Washington, D.C., for the interior of its Mobile Breast Care Center, which traveled the world to provide mammogram screening for women in underserved populations.

The Art of Healing's success also prompted Bronson Methodist Hospital to commission Walker to create another collaborative exhibit a year later. Her initial response was, “I think we got all the art there is about cancer.” Not so. The Art of Healing II drew another 125 pieces of new art and traveled for two years to various cancer centers and hospitals in the Midwest.

Then, in 1998, Walker was diagnosed with breast cancer. She recalls the moment. “I don’t think I thought about it for more than a split second. ‘Remove the breast,’ I told him.”

To express her emotions, Walker created her own personal The Art of Healing collection, consisting of 36 pieces of art in various forms

and a booklet of poetry called Perdiddle with one headlight).

“I had this urge to put it down, get it out, release it, not hold it inside,” she says of the collection, which traveled to cancer centers for several years and resided at the Bronson Cancer Center during much of 2022. Earlier this year it was displayed at Glen Oaks Community College, in Centreville, while Walker served as artist-in-residence there.

Walker underwent 10 surgeries, including a mastectomy and reconstructive procedures. She chose not to undergo chemotherapy or radiation but did take tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer. And she survived.

Then, in 2000, she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She had surgery to remove her uterus. And again, she survived.

But cancer was an ever-present companion. John, her husband of 50 years, died in 2017 from aggressive nasal lymphoma that quicky metastasized through most of his body. Six months after John’s death, their son, Kristian, then 47, was treated for testicular cancer. He has been cancer-free for five years.

But still, cancer came knocking again — this time in 2021, in Gay's kidney. “No, no, no,” she says she cried. “This can’t be. I’ve paid my dues.” She had surgery to remove that organ. And she survived.

Walker, who turned 80 in February, represents resilience. “Here I am, 25 years after the first one,” she says, referring to her bouts with cancer. “I won.”

The Art of Healing exhibits — both her personal one and the group efforts — are also survivors.

In the early 2000s, Bronson Healthcare commissioned Walker to curate Images of Healing: Personal Expression, an exhibit to explore the trauma of any illness. “We had sexual abuse, schizophrenia and

Above: In addition to curating art exhibits, art therapist Gay Walker created a workbook for cancer patients to use to express themselves through art. Below: A painting Walker created for her own art exhibit.

Brian K. Powers

all kinds of scary things,” Walker says of the 175 submissions. And, like the other The Art of Healing exhibits, this exhibit traveled for two years to hospitals and medical facilities throughout western Michigan, including Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Lansing, South Haven and Battle Creek.

Walker is currently working on another collaborative exhibit, The Art . The purpose of the new exhibit, will encourage creative expression among people who say they can’t draw.

Walker will link cancer patients who feel hobbled by an “inner critic” with trained artists. A patient will describe their emotions to the artists, who will transform the emotions into a visual image. Poets will then create poems to describe each work, a form of writing called

For those who want a more private form of creative expression, The Art of Healing Workbook, a 46-page book with instructions and ample white space for cancer patients to draw, write and relate their stories in imaginative ways.

Walker developed her Expressive Arts Program at the Bronson Cancer Center based on the workbook. The funding for the Expressive Arts Program and the cost of printing The Art Workbook came from a Freedom of Spirit Award recommended by Molly Vass-Lehman and Rob Lehman and given by the Fetzer Institute to the Bronson Cancer Center in Walker’s honor.

The Expressive Arts Program includes holistic modalities such as sound immersion, guided imagery, mindfulness meditation, breathing techniques from yoga, and yoga nidra (the process of slowing down and chilling out).

“These are not new modalities, but they’re new to the Expressive Arts Program, and they give patients options within their healing treatment,” Walker says.

While it might be said that life has been cruel for having brought cancer into Walker's body three times, she is a woman who has risen far above her circumstances and now has great appreciation for support groups. Of the one she joined in 1998, she says, “There were 10 of us who were diagnosed within a month of each other. We did the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and all kinds of things together.”

She pauses. “I’m the only one alive. I’ve been to all their funerals. But I also know how important that support was.”

Today Walker is part of an intimate support group for widows. Through her various endeavors of art therapy, she is an instrument of support for countless people in numerous states who have received inspiration to process the impact of cancer through creative expression.

Cancer Innovations (continued from page 15)

A Double Update

In honor of Encore's 50th anniversary, we are revisiting stories from past issues and providing updates. In 1997 Encore writer Robert M. Weir wrote an article on advances in oncology treatment that featured Kalamazoo artist and art therapist Gay Walker, who was then curating The Art of Healing exhibits showcasing cancer patients' art and writing. In this issue, we see how innovations have changed cancer treatment since 1997 and catch up with Walker, a three-time cancer survivor who is still creating her own art and curating The Art of Healing exhibits. To read the original story, visit encorekalamazoo.com/ images-of-hope/.

virtually eliminating the need to transport physical medical records from one place to the next.

But despite innovations, cancer is a still a serious and scary subject, and the doctors and other professionals interviewed say they approach each case with concern and dignity for all affected parties.

Gary Stafford, the chaplain at Ascension Borgess and a deacon in the Catholic Church, says new patients are initially concerned about what is happening to them physically, but when the will to live becomes a struggle, spiritual concerns often jump to the forefront, he says.

“We ask, ‘What are you feeling right now?’ We listen to their stories and their relationships with loved ones and with God," says Stafford. "We ask about their aspirations and regrets. If they say they want to say goodbye, we meet with the family. Patients want to feel understood. They say, ‘I know I’m being treated as a person. I’m being heard. I’m being cared for. I’m being loved. Thank you. And now it’s time for me to go.’”

And when the end of life does come — as it will for all of us whether we have cancer or not — changing attitudes about hospice care are facilitating that part of the life journey. Dhawan, who is a palliative medicine physician as well as a hematologist-oncologist, says she brings the subject of hospice care into conversations with patients and their families early.

“If we’re getting to the point when we really need to start considering it, my patient isn’t surprised,” she says. "That’s because we’ve normalized talking about all types of treatment, including hospice, so that’s more of an innovation in communicating.”

Inspirational Ink Tattoo shop helps turn unwanted scars, markings into art

BY ZINTA AISTARS

The tattoo artists at Heirloom Arts may not be able to take away the emotional and psychological scars left behind by domestic abuse, but they can turn physical scars into distinctive marks of beauty and transform hate symbols and gang signs into signs of survivorship and new beginnings.

“People come to us with scars or tattoos that their abusers made them get, and we work for either a reduced fee or sometimes for free, depending on the situation, to get those covered up. That’s often a big part of the healing process: to not have to look at the thing that the abuser gave you," says Mae Risk, a tattoo artist and owner of the tattoo shop, located at 1919 Stearns Ave., near Kleinstuck Preserve.

"It’s an important process for reclaiming your body and some of that healing. Many find us through word of mouth. Some also come through organizations such as the YWCA.”

The shop also stands out as a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community — it employs five tattoo artists, all of them female or identifying as nonbinary and each having their own tattooing rooms. The artists cover scars and unwanted markings with new tattoos, changing lives in the process.

Above: The tattoo artists at Heirloom Arts go by their first names and are, from left, K8, Katie, Stephany, Mae and Lacey. Right: The studio's owner, Mae Risk, applies color to a client's tattoo.

“I learned about Heirloom from a friend,” says Ayla McLain, a tattoo recipient. “I wanted to find a shop I could trust with deeply personal tattoos but was afraid to go just anywhere because of how personal these pieces were. I’ve had a lot of work done at Heirloom.

"My favorite pieces are my half sleeve, which is a cover-up of several tattoos my abusive ex-husband forced me to get. It was a long road coming, and it isn’t finished yet, but it meant a lot — being able to close a chapter of my life.

“Another favorite is one that is above a scar I received from an IED explosion. It’s a bit from a poem that says, ‘I fell apart many times, so, what does that say about me, besides I live through wars?’ and it has an image of my staff, my keffiyeh, and medical supplies placed over a gravestone with a Palestinian flag. I’m Palestinian, and I worked as a medic out of Al Shifa for several years, and it was a deeply personal tattoo.

"This was the first tattoo I got at Heirloom. It brought me to tears and was one of the biggest reasons I kept coming back. It really helped me come to terms with the body I have now: one that isn’t as strong as my 20-year-old self, but one that overcame torture and violence and survived wars and abuse.”

Heirloom Arts was co-founded by Tempest Anderson and Eddie DeGraw in 2018. Risk took over full ownership in 2022.

Risk hadn’t always intended to become a tattoo shop owner or artist. She earned a bachelor’s degree in costume design in 2017 and a master’s degree in public history in 2019 from Western Michigan University. After spending some time working in theater and museums, she realized it was not the path for her. When she received her first tattoo, she discovered another passion.

“My first tattoo was during my undergrad years,” she says. “It is a quote from the French Revolution that I really liked — ‘Women, wake

Brian K. Powers

up!’— written by a feminist revolutionary named Olympe de Gouges in 1791. She was responding to a declaration of rights for the French that had not included the rights of women.”

While de Gouges earned many enemies for her feminist stance, Risk has instead encircled herself with women who are very much awake and have taken a stand of their own. The five tattoo artists — Katie, Stephany, Lacey, Mae, and K8 — each have their own style and their own portfolio of work referred to as “flash.”

“Flash is a slang term for pre-drawn art,” Risk explains. “It comes from old-school tattoo shops, when the members of the military would buy tattoos from sheets of other artists’ work. They were some of the first to get tattoos.”

Risk has lost count of how many tattoos she herself has gotten since her first one. “I know I spiraled from there,” she says, laughing. “I have, I don’t know, maybe 70 now? Maybe 80?”

To hone her artistic skills, Risk completed an apprenticeship and is now focused on neo-traditional and color work, creating tattoos in every color imaginable.

“Every state has different regulations for tattoo shops,” she says. “Michigan rules are pretty lax — pay for a license, and you’re set. Most people go through apprenticeships. They ask if a tattoo artist they like might take them on. Apprenticeships can last many years."

Heirloom Arts was recognized in 2023 by the Kalamazoo Start-Up Center for its commitment to excellence and to the community. In addition to offering tattoo services, Heirloom Arts hosts events and painting workshops, holds fundraisers to help with AIDS research and to support survivors of domestic violence, and presents educational seminars for young people on how to be safe when getting tattoos.

“We go to Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College once a year — we are working on making it once

To Contact the Shop

Services at Heirloom Arts are by appointment only, and available hours are up to each artist. Contact the shop through email at heirloomartskzoo@gmail.com or on Heirloom Art’s website, heirloomartsllc.com.

a semester — and talk to some folks there,” Risk says. “If you are 18 or 19 and haven’t had a tattoo before, you may not know what to look out for when picking a shop. Make sure your artist is wearing gloves. Make sure your artist signs a waiver. Things like that.

"It really is an issue in the industry, unfortunately, where abuse and harassment can be a thing. Telling people who don’t know about that, that it’s OK to walk out of a situation, is powerful information that we feel good about passing on.”

Risk encourages tattoo recipients to speak up if they are not comfortable with the service they are receiving or the work of the tattoo artist. “There is tattoo abuse out there, but fortunately not so much in our Kalamazoo community,” she says. “We just want people to know that they have rights — and that Heirloom Arts is a safe space for everyone.”

Customer McLain adds, “I love Heirloom — for the patience they’ve had with me and for the work they’ve done in making that a reality. Sure, some of the art they’ve done for me has just been good fun, but a lot has had deep meaning and been deeply healing, and their ability to handle both fun and cute art and deep, meaningful art has been amazing. There’s no other shop I would trust with pieces this important.”

Photos of tattoos done by Heirloom's artists, including some that cover unwanted markings or scars.

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When the skies are clear of April showers, look up in wonder. But for all those rainy days, shop the Air Zoo store for endlessly interesting books, puzzles, and jewelry.

Kazoo Books

2413 Parkview Ave.

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We offer a wide selection of new and used titles. Antique and rare sections. Enjoy one of our 'blind dates' with a purchase. Watch for events on our website. Check out inside photos and parking directions on our Google site.

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Whether you are a seasoned runner, dog walker or just looking for properly fit quality athletic shoes, we offer top brands in running footwear, apparel, accessories, nutrition & court shoes for tennis and pickleball. Next to V&A Bootery in Portage, we'll help you walk, run & live!

TheArts

TimetoSay Goodbye

June 1

Academy Street Winds

This ensemble of woodwind, brass and percussion musicians will give a musical sendoff to Tom Evans, who is retiring after nearly 30 years as director of bands and music professor at Kalamazoo College. Evans, a trombonist, is also the conductor of the Kalamazoo Concert Band.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Dalton Theatre, in the college's Light Fine Arts Building, and is free. For more information, visit music.kzoo.edu/events.

TheGuidingStar:Pilgrimage SongsfromMedievalIberia

June 1

Early Music Michigan

Allison Monroe will be a guest performer in this concert by Early Music Michigan, which performs music written and performed before the 19th century.

Monroe is the co-founder of the Cleveland-based early music ensemble Trobár, a lecturer at Mount Holyoke College, in Massachusetts, and director of the Five College Consortium's Early Music Program.

This concert, to be presented at St. Augustine Cathedral, 542 W. Michigan Ave., will feature works collected from pilgrims visiting the shrine of the Virgin of Montserrat and chants composed for the choir of nuns at the monastery of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas.

The performance begins at 7 p.m. and is free. For more information, visit earlymusicmichigan.org.

StringsAttached

June 2

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Guitar, harp and other plucked stringed instruments are in the spotlight in this performance by KSO chamber musicians.

Among the selections to be played are works by Luigi Boccherini, Niccolò Paganini, Camille Saint-Saëns and Maurice Ravel.

The concert starts at 3 p.m. at Dalton Center Recital Hall, on the Western Michigan University campus. Tickets are $5–$35 and available online at kalamazoosymphony.com.

SummertimeLive Throughout the month

Various venues

From Vicksburg to Oshtemo, from downtown Kalamazoo to Richland, the Arts Council of Greater Council has a very full slate of free outdoor concerts this month. The scheduled performances are:

• Blue Water Ramblers, 6 p.m. June 2, Flesher Field, 3664 S. Ninth St., Oshtemo Township.

• Trapped on Mars, 5 p.m. June 5, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners.

• The Kzoo Kittens, 5:30 p.m. June 5, Bates Alley, located between Edwards and Portage streets, downtown Kalamazoo.

• Nathan Walton & The Remedy Trio, 6 p.m. June 7, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St.

• Kalamazoo Concert Band, 4 p.m. June 9, Bronson Park, downtown Kalamazoo

• Bob Wallis Trio, 5 p.m. June 12, Gilmore Car Museum.

• Old Hank's Son and Tony Fields & Doug Decker, 5:15 p.m. June 12, 126 N. Kalamazoo Ave., Vicksburg.

• Sophia McIntosh & The Sages, 5:30 p.m. June 12, Bates Alley.

• The Spazmatics, 7 p.m. June 13, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road, Portage.

• Macy Crew, 11:30 p.m. June 14, Bronson Park.

• BenJammin, 3 p.m. June 19, Richland Area Community Center, 9400 East CD Ave., Richland.

• The Hi-Views, 5 p.m. June 19, Gilmore Car Museum.

• J.P. Energy and Greg Cordes, 5:15 p.m. June 19, Vicksburg.

• DC and The DC Quintet and DJ Boogie & Rootead, 5:30 p.m. June 19, Bates Alley.

• Abbigale Rose, 11:30 a.m. June 21, Bronson Park.

• Grace Theisen, 6 p.m. June 23, Texas Drive Park, 6603 Texas Drive, Texas Township.

• Crescendo Fiddlers, 3 p.m. June 26, Richland Area Community Center.

• Formal Invitation, 5 p.m. June 26, Gilmore Car Museum.

• The Mickeys and Wallis/Morale/Beeber/Orr, 5:15 p.m. June 26, Vicksburg.

• Zion Lion, 5:15 p.m. June 26, Bates Alley.

• The Iconix, 11:30 a.m. June 28, Bronson Park.

• Three of a Kind, 4:30 p.m., and Dana Scott, 6:45 p.m. June 28, Celery Flats Pavilion, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage.

• Kanola Band, 4 p.m. June 30, Bronson Park.

For more information, visit kalamazooarts.org.

TheArts

Author Talks Throughout the month Various venues

Topics from soda pop to racism to psychological thrillers will be featured in author talks this month offered by area libraries. The following in-person talks are planned:

• Joe Grimm, the author of The Faygo Book! about Faygo soft drinks, will speak at 6 p.m. June 12 at Comstock Township Library, 6130 King Highway. Registration is required. To register, go to comstocklibrary.org.

• R.S. Deeren, the author of Enough to Lose, a collection of short stories about rural Michigan, will speak at 6 p.m. June 20 at Vicksburg District Library, 215 S. Michigan Ave.

• Erin Bartels, the author of seven novels, including her latest, The Lady with the Dark Hair, will speak at 4 p.m. June 27 at Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane.

In addition, these online talks are scheduled through the Kalamazoo Public Library:

• Matt Shindell, author of For the Love of Mars: A Human History of the Red Planet, 2 p.m. June 3.

• Freida McFadden, author of the psychological thrillers The Housemaid Series, 8 p.m. June 13.

• Tiffany Jewell, author of Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School, 2 p.m. June 20.

Registration is required for the online talks. To register, go to kpl.gov.

is published in partnership and funding provided by

From left, top row: Joe Grimm & Freida McFadden; middle row: Erin Bartels & Matt Shindell; bottom row: R.S. Deeren & Tiffany Jewell

TheArts

PenDragonsCalligraphy Guild:Synchronicity

June 7–Aug. 16

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

Works in various media featuring letterforms will be highlighted in this group exhibition by the artists/scribes of Pen Dragons Calligraphy Guild.

The exhibit will combine lettering with a variety of handmade structures, from broadsides to decorative art books and other books.

A reception for the artists will be held at 5 p.m. July 12 at the KBAC, at 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A. The KBAC is open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday. For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.

BeyondCornfields

June 21–Sept. 11

Carnegie Center for the Arts

Artists’ responses to Beyond Cornfields, a new book of poetry by Texas Township resident Elaine Seaman, will be featured in this exhibition.

Curator Maryellen Haines asked artists to respond to poems from the book, which will be released in July. Works by 19 artists will be featured, including quilts by Seaman.

The Carnegie Center is located at 107 N. Main St., in Three Rivers. A reception for Seaman and the other artists is scheduled for 6–8 p.m. June 21.

The center is open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Thursday, and admission is free.

Art Fairs

Throughout the month

Various venues

VISUAL ARTS

Summer arrives this month, so that means there are many opportunities to enjoy seeing and shopping for art at local events.

On June 7 and 8, you can head to downtown Kalamazoo for the annual Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Fair, in Bronson Park, and Art on the Mall, on the Kalamazoo Mall. More than 100 artists in a variety of mediums will exhibit in the Arts Fair, which will run 3–8 p.m. June 7 and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 8. Art on the Mall will feature works by about 60 artists, plus art demonstrations and live entertainment. It runs from noon–8 p.m. June 7 and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 8.

Later in the month, local makers and artists will be the focus of the Summer Jerico Faire at Jerico, a three-building complex at 1415 Fulford St. The event runs from 2–8 p.m. June 22. For more information, visit hellojerico.com.

Ongoing Exhibitions

AbstractWorksfromtheUniversityArtCollection , through June 21, Albertine Monroe-Brown Gallery, Richmond Center for Visual Arts, Western Michigan University

WestMichiganAreaShow , through Aug. 18, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

ClearlyIndigenous:NativeVisionsReimaginedinGlass , through Aug. 25, KIA

TheAnniversaryGift:PromisedGiftsfromtheCollectionofJoy &TimothyLight , through Sept. 1, KIA

TheWitandHumor ofErmaBombeck

June 7–29

The New Vic Theatre

Anna Kuhn will share the hilarious insights of humorist and author Erma Bombeck in this one-woman show at the New Vic, located at 134 E. Vine St.

Show times are 8 p.m. June 7–8, 14–15, 21–22 and 28–29. Tickets are $32.80 and available online at thenewvictheatre.org.

The25thAnnual PutnamCounty SpellingBee

June 12–23

Farmers Alley Theatre

Which of six midpubescents will come out as the champion speller is the focus of this musical comedy.

Farmers Alley Theatre will present the production at Kalamazoo College's Balch Playhouse, 129 Thompson St., at 7 p.m. June 12–15 and 20–22 and 2 p.m. June 16 and 23. Tickets are $25–$52 and available by calling the Famers Alley box office at 343-2727 or online at farmersalleytheatre.com.

Ain’tMisbehavin’

June 14-23

Face Off Theatre

The timeless music of Thomas “Fats” Waller will take audiences on a journey through the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and '30s in this production at the Jolliffe Theatre, in the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall.

The local production is directed by Ryan Singleton and is being staged in partnership with Uplift Kalamazoo, a local organization dedicated to empowering the Black community.

Show time is 7:30 p.m., and tickets are on a "pay-what-you-wish" basis and available online at faceofftheatre.com.

TheChalkBoy

June 14

Dormouse Theatre

This dark comedy explores the tiny town of Clear Creek and the mysterious disappearance of a young boy through the eyes of four local girls.

The local production is directed by Adrienne Waller, and the cast includes Anna Karpinski, Ashley Saddler, Alex Quayle and Aya Miller.

The show begins at 7 p.m. at Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., and tickets are $15 and available at dormousetheatre.com.

Barn Theatre Shows

Throughout the month

The Barn Theatre, 13351 M-96 in Augusta, launches its 78th season with a line up of three shows this month:

• ThePlaythatGoesWrong , June 4–9

• The Woman in Black , June 11–16

• Fiddler on the Roof , June 18–30.

For ticket prices and program details visit barntheatreschool.org or call 731–4121.

Lori Hannemann, Michael Brundage, CFP® & Michelle Eldridge, CFA,CPWA® Wealth Management Partners

ButtermilkJamboree

June 14–16

Circle

Pines Center

This three-day festival features musical performances, workshops, art, vendors and the chance to enjoy the wooded environs at Circle Pines Center, at 8650 Mullen Road, northwest of Delton.

More than 30 musical artists will grace the festival's five stages during the weekend, including Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers, Funktion, May Erlewine, Dixon's Violin, and Megan Dooley.

Many attendees camp on the site, but day passes are also available, with discounts for children and for Circle Pines members. The festival, first held in 2011, includes a children's area with performers and crafts.

For information on pass prices and to reserve weekend passes and RV passes, visit circlepinescenter.org/music-festival.

Improv Comedy

Throughout the month

Crawlspace Comedy Theatre

There will be plenty of chances to share in the hilarity of improv comedy this month at Crawlspace Comedy Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave. The scheduled performers are as follows, with shows at 7:30 p.m. and ticket prices, unless otherwise noted, at $2–$10:

• Slaptail Nation: Slap Your Tail Comedy, June 1, $25.

• Blunder Bus, June 7.

• Baby Steps & Daddy’s Boys, June 8.

• Riddled with English, June 14.

• Joyce II Men, June 15.

• Crawlspace Eviction, June 21 and 22, $2–$15.

• Pants, June 28, $2–$15.

• Canned Champagne, June 29.

For more information, visit crawlspacecomedy.com.

PERFORMING ARTS

THEATER

Plays

The Wit and Humor of Erma Bombeck— A onewoman comedy featuring New Vic veteran Anna Kuhn, 8 p.m. June 7–8, 14–15, 21–22 & 28–29, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., thenewvictheatre.org.

The Chalk Boy — A dark comedy in which four teenage girls reenact the disappearance of their classmate, 7–9:30 p.m. June 14, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

Musicals

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Farmers Alley Theatre presents this musical comedy about six competing youth who candidly share stories from their home lives, 7 p.m. June 12–15 & 20–22, 2 p.m. June 16 & 23, 343-2727, farmersalleytheatre.com.

Ain’t Misbehavin’ — Face Off Theatre Company presents this musical revue about the Harlem Renaissance, June 14–23, Jolliffe Theatre, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, faceofftheatre.com.

MUSIC

Bands & Solo Artists

Chappell Roan — American singer/songwriter, 8 p.m. June 1, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.

Blue Water Ramblers — Old favorites and originals in the American Roots tradition, 6–7:30 p.m. June 2, Flesher Field, 3664 S. Ninth St., oshtemo.org/ events.

Wednesday Night Cruise-Ins — Free outdoor concerts from 5–8 p.m.: Trapped on Mars, June 5; Bob Wallis Trio, June 12; The Hi-Views, June 19; Formal Invitation, June 26; Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, gilmorecarmuseum.org.

Beats on Bates — Free outdoor performance series, 5:30–8:30 p.m.: The Kzoo Kittens, June 5; Sophia McIntosh & The Sages, June 12; DC & The DC Quintet and DJ Boogie & Rootead, June 19; Zion Lion, June 26; Bates Alley, between Edwards Street and Portage St., kalamazooarts.org.

Nathan Walton & The Remedy Trio — Rock band, 6 p.m. June 7, with seating starting at 5:30 p.m., outside the State Theatre, kazoostate.com. Bell’s Eccentric Café Concerts — Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Andy Frasco & The UN, Dogs in a Pile, 6 p.m. June 7; Horsegirl w/Cindy, 8 p.m. June 18; The Yussef Dayes Experience, 8 p.m. June 26; Kurt Vile & The Violators w/Emily Robb, 8 p.m. June 27; Lucius Fox w/Bike Tuff & Fedaykin, 8 p.m. June 29; 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382–2332, bellsbeer.com.

Burg Days of Summer — Live music from 5:15–8 p.m. Wednesdays in downtown Vicksburg, with food trucks & bounce house: Old Hank's Son (singer/songwriter Tom Askey) and Tony Fields & Doug Decker, June 12; J.P. Energy and Greg Cordes, June 19; The Mickeys and Wallis/Morale/Beeber/Orr, June 26; see the FaceBook event page.

The Spazmatics — 1980s music, 7 p.m. June 13, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road; bring a blanket or chair; portagemi.gov/calendar.

Lunchtime Live! — Free concerts from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. in Bronson Park, downtown Kalamazoo: Macy Krew, June 14; Abbigale Rose, June 21; The Iconix, June 28; kzooparks.org.

Band of Horses — American rock band, 8 p.m. June 15, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Keb’ Mo’ — American roots music, 7:30 p.m. June 18, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

BenJammin — Educational music, 3 p.m. June 19, Richland Area Community Center, 9400 E. CD Ave. Richland, kalamazooarts.org.

Mike Compton & Joe Newberry — Bluegrass & blues, 7–9:30 p.m. June 19, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit w/Courtney Marie Andrews — Performing songs from their recent album, Weathervanes, 8 p.m. June 22, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Grace Theisen — Americana music, 6–7:30 p.m. June 23, Texas Drive Park, 6603 Texas Drive, texastownship.org.

Crescendo Fiddlers — Folk music, 3 p.m. June 26, Richland Area Community Center, Richland, kalamazooarts.org.

Friday at the Flats — Food trucks, live music & vendors, 4:30–8:30 p.m. June 28: Three of a Kind, 4:30 p.m.; Dana Scott, 6:45 p.m.; Celery Flats Pavilion, 7335 Garden Lane, portagemi.gov/ calendar.

Antonio Sanchez, “Birdman Live” — Live performance of the movie soundtrack with showing of the film, 8 p.m. June 28, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Hail Your Highness, Dude Man Sir, The Party Members, The Quirk & Camp Dad — Blend of hard rock & shoegaze music, 7:30 p.m. June 29, Dormouse Theatre, dormousetheatre.com.

Ben Folds — Alternative indie music, 8 p.m. June 29, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Kanola Band — Paying tribute to the music of New Orleans, 4 p.m. June 30, Bronson Park, kalamazooarts.org.

Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More

The Guiding Star: Pilgrimage Songs from Medieval Iberia — Musical selections from the Middle Ages played on historical instruments, 7 p.m.

June 1, St. Augustine Cathedral, 542 W. Michigan Ave., earlymusicmichigan.org.

Time to Say Goodbye — Academy Street Winds' farewell concert for Tom Evans, 7:30 p.m. June 1, Dalton Theatre, Light Fine Arts Building, Kalamazoo College, music.kzoo.edu/events.

Strings Attached — Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra chamber musicians perform on plucked stringed instruments, 3 p.m. June 2, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 349-7759, kalamazoosymphony.com.

International Percussion Concert — Drumming and rhythm with a variety of percussion instruments, 7:30 p.m. June 5, Light Fine Arts Portico, Kalamazoo College; rain location, inside Dalton Theatre, Kalamazoo College; music.kzoo. edu/events.

Kalamazoo Concert Band — Performing two outdoor concerts: 4 p.m. June 9, Bronson Park, and 3 p.m. June 15, Skidmore Park, 112 Spring St., Three Rivers, kalamazooconcertband.org.

COMEDY

Crawlspace Improv Comedy Shows — Slaptail Nation: Slap Your Tail Comedy, June 1; Blunder Bus, June 7; Baby Steps & Daddy’s Boys, June 8; Riddled with English, June 14; Joyce II Men, June 15; Crawlspace Eviction, June 21–22; Pants, June 28; Canned Champagne, June 29; all shows begin 7:30

p.m., Crawlspace Comedy Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.

FILMS

Kzoo Parks Summer Cinema — Free outdoor movies, with face painting and snacks: The Super Mario Bros. Movie, June 28, Spring Valley Park, 2600 Mt. Olivet Rd.,activities at 6 p.m., movie at 7 p.m., kzooparks.org.

Top Gun — Begins after sunset, June 28, Celery Flats Historical Area, 7335 Garden Lane; bring a blanket or chair, portagemi.gov/calendar.

VISUAL ARTS

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org Exhibitions

West Michigan Area Show — 61 works by area visual artists, plus prize-winning works from previous Area Shows, to celebrate KIA's 100th anniversary, through Aug. 18.

Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined inGlass— 120 glass works created by contemporary Native American & Indigenous Pacific-Rim artists, through Aug. 25.

The Anniversary Gift: Promised Gifts from the Collection of Joy & Timothy Light — Chinese & Japanese artworks on paper, through Sept. 1.

Events

Arts Fair — A juried event featuring more than 100 artists in a variety of media, 3–8 p.m. June 7, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 8, Bronson Park, downtown Kalamazoo.

ARTbreak — Program about art, artists & exhibitions: Simon Pokagon’s Birch Bark Stories, talk by Blaire Moreau, June 11; West Michigan Area Show Artist Highlight, June 18; The Anniversary Show: Exploring Works from the Joy & Timothy Light Collection, June 25; sessions begin at noon in the KIA Auditorium & online; register online.

BlueLandscapes— Michigan photographer Emily J. Gomez shares her work in new cyanotype, 6–7 p.m. June 13, KIA Auditorium and online; registration required.

Juneteenth Community Day — Celebration featuring an African-American artist guide, paper quilt, silent family book club, & screening of the movie Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. June 15.

Book Discussion — Joy Harjo’s Poet Warrior, 2–3 p.m. June 19.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts

Western Michigan University, 387-2436, wmich.edu/art

Abstract Works from the University Art Collection — Through June 21, Albertine MonroeBrown Gallery.

Other Venues

Pen Dragons Calligraphy Guild: Synchronicity — Various media, surface content and letterforms by guild artists, June 7–Aug. 16, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A; artists’ reception 5–8 p.m. July 12; 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.

Art on the Mall — Works by about 60 artists, plus demonstrations & live entertainment, noon–8 p.m. June 7 & 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 8, Kalamazoo Mall, kalamazooarts.org/art-on-the-mall.

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS

Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org

CTL Writers — Group discussion of writing, 10 a.m. Fridays, beginning June 7.

Joe Grimm — Presentation by the author of The Faygo Book!, 6–7:30 p.m. June 12, with Faygo soft drink samples served; registration required.

Adult Book Club — 1:30 p.m. June 13.

State Rep. Matt Hall Listening Hour — Converse with the representative’s staff, noon–1 p.m. June 19.

Adult Book Club — Discussion of Malinda Lo’s Last Night at the Telegraph Club, 6 p.m. June 27; registration required.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov

Matt Shindell — Online talk by the author of For the Love of Mars, 2–3 p.m. June 3; registration required.

Friends of KPL Bag of Books Sale — Gently used books for sale by the bagful, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. June 8, lower level of KPL Central Library, kpl.gov/ category/friends-of-kpl.

KPL Mobile Library — 3:30–5 p.m. June 3, New Village Park/Heather Gardens, 2400 Albans Way; 5:30–6:30 p.m. June 5, Eastside Neighborhood Association, 1301 E. Main St.; 11 a.m.–noon June 10, Ecumenical Senior Center, 702 N. Burdick St.; 3–4 p.m. June 17, Douglass Apartments, 1211 Douglas Ave.; 3–4 p.m. June 25, Maple Grove Village, 735 Summit Ave.

Rose Street Poetry Club — Adult program to share in reading, writing & learning about poetry, 9–10 a.m. June 11, Central Library.

Freida McFadden — Online talk by the author of the psychological thrillers in The Housemaid Series, 8–9 p.m. June 13; registration required.

Tiffany Jewell — Online talk by the author of Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School, 2–3 p.m. June 20; registration required.

Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org

Summer Reading Kickoff – Register for summer reading program & enjoy a hot air balloon display in Kindleberger Park (weather permitting), 9 a.m. June 1.

Hot Air Affair – Tom Brown of Gentle Journey Balloons & Ron Centers of Michigan Balloon Corp. share stories of hot air ballooning, 6:30 p.m. June 6.

Parchment Book Group – Discussion of Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures, 6 p.m. June 10.

Mystery Book Club – Discussion of Cara Black’s Murder at the Porte de Versailles, with a virtual author visit, 6:30 p.m. June 18.

Silent Book Club Evening Session – Bring your own book & read in companionable silence, 5:15–6:30 p.m. June 24 & 1:15–2:30 p.m. June 26.

Portage District Library

300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info

Friends of the Library Book Sale — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. June 1.

Kalamazoo County Historical Society — Speakers & discussion about local history, 7 p.m. June 3.

Idlewild:TheBlackEdenofMichigan — Purdue Professor Ronald Stephens discusses the history of Michigan’s African American resort community, 2 p.m. June 8; registration required.

Dr.NathanThomas&theUndergroundRailroad — A Schoolcraft Historical Society presentation on the doctor and abolitionist and his contributions to the Underground Railroad, 6 p.m. June 12; registration required.

The Unimaginable Journey of Peter Ertel — Screening of award-winning documentary about a

German soldier and POW during World War II who immigrated to America and worked for a company owned by Jewish people who knew his history, followed by Q&A with director Joe Cahn, 2–5 p.m. June 13; registration required.

Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group — Help with Macintosh programs & accessories, 9 a.m.–noon June 15.

Selkie Trio — Celtic music, 2–3 p.m. June 15, outside of the library; bring blanket or chairs.

Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society — Open to those interested in genealogy, 7 p.m. June 17.

Antique Lit — A historical fiction group discussion of Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites, 1 p.m. June 22.

Adult Golfing Tips & Tricks — Golfer & physical therapist Scott Miller presents tips on improving your game, 6 p.m. June 26; registration required.

Grown-Up Slime Time — Adults-only slime program, 7–8:30 p.m. June 26; registration required.

Erin Bartels — Talk by the Michigan author of seven novels, including her latest, The Lady with the Dark Hair, 4–6 p.m. June 27; registration required.

Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org

Nature Photography Challenge — Submit a photograph of nature to possibly appear in an upcoming exhibition; open to all ages, with submissions taken June 1–July 30.

Bridge Club — Noon Tuesdays.

Richland Area Writer’s Group — Open to new members, 10 a.m.–noon June 8, in person & online.

Adventure Begins at Your Library — Summer reading kickoff with outdoor community games, music & ice cream, 3–4 p.m. June 18.

Food Waste Collection Program — 4–6 p.m. June 19 & 26, visit the library website for instructions on packaging & handling.

Richland Genealogy Group — Open to new members, 10 a.m. June 20, in person & online.

Sustainable Kitchen Series — Tips & tricks for preparing meals with seasonal plants & vegetables, 6–7:30 p.m. June 20, Richland Area Community Center, 9400 East CD Ave.; registration required.

Mending Magic with Desiree — Easy repair techniques for clothing, 6–7 p.m. June 25; registration required.

Forage Walk — Learn about local plant life & foraging techniques, 2–3 p.m. June 29, Kellogg Forest, 7060 N. 42nd St., Augusta; registration required.

Van Buren District Library — Antwerp Sunshine Branch 24283 Front St., Mattawan, 668-2534, vbdl.org

Summer Reading Program — For all ages, with prizes, begins June 8.

Bicycle Rodeo — 11 a.m. June 8.

The Amazing Magic of Joe Bennett — 10:30 a.m. June 19.

The Bike Blender — Pedal your way to a slushie, 10:30 a.m. June 26.

Vicksburg District Library 215 S. Michigan Ave., 649-1648, vicksburglibrary.org

Bridge Club — 9:30 a.m.–noon Tuesdays.

Book Club for Adults — 9:30–10:30 a.m. June 6.

Book Sale — 10 a.m.–5 p.m. June 7 & 8, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. June 10.

Mugs & Hugs — 10–10:45 a.m. June 19.

R.S. Deeren — Talk by the author of Enough to Lose, 6–7:30 p.m. June 20.

Plant Your Own Container — 11 a.m.–noon June 21.

Reading Rocks Concert — Historical, hip-hop musical event with comedy, dance & audience participation, 7–8 p.m. June 26.

MUSEUMS

Air Zoo 6151 Portage Road, Portage, 382-6555, airzoo.org

Fly-In with Visiting Plane & Rides — Historic B-25 bomber Rosie’s Reply visits; ticketed rides at 11 a.m. & noon June 29; tickets can be purchased in advance on the Air Zoo’s website.

Gilmore Car Museum 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org

Classic Car Show — The Classic Car Club of America Museum’s annual show & driving tour, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. June 1–2.

Vintage Motorcycle Weekend — Motorcycles, parts & memorabilia, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. June 8–9.

Air-Cooled Gathering — Rare air-cooled cars, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. June 15.

Volvos & Saabs — Hosted by the Great Lakes Volvo Club, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. June 15.

Track Day Fundraiser — Bring your car & run it on a track with others, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. June 20, Gingerman Raceway, South Haven; registration required.

Muscle Car Meet-Up — High-performance cars, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. June 22.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum 230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org

Skin:LivingArmor,EvolvingIdentity — Explores the shape-shifting, color-changing & adaptable nature of skin, with technological innovations it inspires, through June 2.

What It Means to Be a Hometown Writer — Exhibit on award-winning author Bonnie Jo Campbell’s history as well as personal items from her writing world, through June 30.

Kalamazoo State Hospital: 165 Years of Psychiatric Care — Examines the history of the patients, employees & buildings of Michigan’s longest-operating mental hospital, through January.

The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. Play! — An exhibit celebrating STEM & inspiring problemsolving skills, based on the children’s book series, June 15–Sept 1.

NATURE

Kalamazoo Nature Center 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org

Kalamazoo River Guardians — Take samples of & identify macroinvertebrates in the Kalamazoo River Watershed, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. June 1, beginning at Merrill Park, 5845 Comstock Ave.; registration required.

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Public Observing Session — Great Globular Clusters, June 8; Super Summer Nebulae, June 29; both from 9:30 p.m.–midnight.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu

Guided Bird Hike — Looking for nesting birds & late spring migrants, 9–10 a.m. June 1.

Birds & Coffee Chat Online — Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones discuss the benefits of incorporating native plants into your landscape, 10 a.m. June 12. 2nd Annual Bioblitz — Event to document as many species as possible in a specific area utilizing the iNaturalist app, 9–11:30 a.m. & 12:30–3 p.m. June 15; registration required.

Father’s Day — Dads get in free, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 16.

Other Venues

Weekly Kal-Haven Trail Birding Walk — Walk to a bird marsh, 9–11 a.m. Tuesdays, June 4–October; meet at 10th Street caboose trailhead, kalamazooaudubon.org.

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society General Meeting — Stories, photos & experiences of the April 8 solar eclipse, 7–9:15 p.m. June 7, Kalamazoo Math & Science Center, 600 W. Vine St., or online through Zoom.

Scalin’ Up for Summer — See & touch a variety of reptiles & explore the world of fishing & conservation, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. June 8, Celery Flats, 7335 Garden Lane, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Birding Workshop — Presentation by the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo, 10 a.m. June 12, Schrier Park, 850 W. Osterhout Ave., portagemi.gov/calendar; registration required.

Nature Hike: Bioblitz — Become a citizen scientist, hike & record biodiversity data on the iNaturalist app, 10 a.m.–noon June 29, West Lake Preserve, 9001 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov.

MISCELLANEOUS

Kalamazoo Farmers Market — 7 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays, June 1–Oct. 26; Mini Markets, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays, June 4–Oct. 3, Night Market, 5–10 p.m. June 20, July 18, Aug. 15 & Sept. 19; 1204 Bank St., pfcmarkets.com.

Portage Farmers Market — 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sundays, June 2–October, at Portage City Hall, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/643/markets.

Kalamazoo Food Truck Rallies — 5–7:30 p.m. June 4, Save A Lot, 806 Shoppers Lane, Parchment; 5–7:30 p.m. June 11, Linden Grove Middle School, 4241 Arboretum Pkwy.; 5–7:30 p.m. June 18, Fannie Pell Park, 211 N. Main St., Plainwell; 5–7:30 p.m. June 25, Midtown Fresh Market, 1693 S. Westnedge Ave.; foodtruckrallykz.com.

Dog Days of Summer at Bell’s — Dog-friendly days at Bell’s Beer Garden, supporting the Animal Rescue Project, with puppy kissing booth, 11 a.m. June 5, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382–2332, bellsbeer. com; dogs must use special entrance.

Richland Farmers’ Market — Local produce, artisans, artists & food trucks, 3–6 p.m. Wednesdays, June 5–Sept. 18, Richland Community Center, 9400 East CD Ave., richlandareacc.org/richland-farmersmarket.

Vicksburg Farmers Market — 2–6 p.m. Fridays, June 7–Sept. 27, 300 N. Richardson St., vicksburgfarmersmarket.com.

Kalamazoo Pride Festival — Live entertainment & information booths, presented by OutFront Kalamazoo, 6-11:30 p.m. June 7 & 2-11:30 p.m. June 8, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., outfrontkzoo.org/pride2024.

Vicksburg Old Car Festival & Historic Village Grand Opening — Old car & steam & gas engine show & opening celebration of the new historic village with farm animals, vintage trailers & more, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. June 8, downtown Vicksburg, vicksburghistory.org.

Do-Dah Parade — Whimsical parade with the theme “Board-Amazoo,” 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. June 8, downtown Kalamazoo; nowkalamazoo.org/event.

Vintage in the Zoo — Outdoor vintage market & handmade goods with live music, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. p.m. June 9, Kalamazoo Farmers Market site, 1204 Bank St., vintageinthezoo.com and Facebook event page.

UKC Premier Nationals Dog Show — Featuring agility, obedience, terrier racing, dock diving & show ring, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. June 12–16, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St., ukcdogs.com.

Three Rivers Water Festival — Annual festival celebrating the Rocky, St. Joseph and Portage rivers, with parade, carnival rides, food, live bands and fireworks, June 13–15, downtown Three Rivers, facebook.com/ThreeRiversWaterFestival.

Buttermilk Jamboree — Music & arts festival with swimming, dancing & local food, June 14–16, Circle Pines Center, 8650 Mullen Road, Delton, buttermilkjamboree.org.

Vicksburg Historic Village Night at the Museum — Live music, 6 p.m. June 14, Vicksburg Historic Depot Museum, downtown Vicksburg, vicksburghistory.org; registration required.

Rootead’s Juneteenth Celebration — Familyfriendly event featuring food, drumming & dance celebrating Black culture, with the theme “AfroCaribbean,” 3–9 p.m. June 15, Bronson Park, rootead.org.

Summer Jerico Faire — Local makers & artists, 2–8 p.m. June 22, Jerico, 1415 Fulford St., hellojerico.com.

History of Magic in Michigan — Presentation by magician Rick Fisher, 2 p.m. June 23, Vicksburg Historic Village Township Hall, downtown Vicksburg, vicksburghistory.org.

Juneteenth Celebration — Self-led meditation & education, during normal park hours, June 17–21, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1000 MLK Drive, Portage, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Wellness Workshop: Sound ‘Scapes — Wind Willow Consortium members play instruments for relaxation and a well-being experience, 6:30–8:30 p.m. June 21, Portage Parks and Recreation Building, 320 Library Lane; registration required.

Cheetah Chase — 5K run through Binder Park Zoo, 8 a.m. June 22, binderparkzoo.com.

Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Reptiles, amphibians, small mammals & other exotic pets, plus supplies & food, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. June 22, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, kalamazooreptileexpo.com.

Yoga 4 Life — Outdoor class for all experience levels, 7 p.m. June 25, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road; bring a yoga mat & wear comfortable clothing; registration required, portagemi.gov/ calendar.

Stand-up Paddleboard Yoga — For all skill levels of paddleboarding & yoga, 6:30–8 p.m. June 26, Ramona Park & Beach, 8600 S. Sprinkle Road; registration required, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Vintage Baseball Festival — 14 vintage baseball clubs from around the Midwest compete in the style of the game from the 1860s, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. June 29, Ramona Park, 8601 S. Sprinkle Road, Portage, kalamazoocontinentals.org.

Kalamazoo 4-H Open Horse Show — Public horse show with over 65 classes & most riding disciplines, 9 a.m. June 29–30, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 806-7169.

Mac & Cheese Fest — Macaroni-and-cheese creations by local food vendors, plus beer sampling & milk stations, 4:30–8 p.m. June 29, with VIP access available 3–4:30 p.m., Homer Stryker Field, 251 Mills St., macandcheesemi.com.

The Celery Flats

At the Celery Flats she sees him whirring along the path opposite hers, but heading in the same direction.

Large dark butterflies twist and dart through the air so fast you can’t make them out.

Happy dogs pass on their leashes.

Last year’s cattails remain, gray, and remembering such different weather.

The train blares through at certain times, taking over everything.

Now there are purple and white phlox everywhere, milkweed rising from the earth, yet no signs of the monarchs.

Once, two deer in the path, even though there were two dogs coming. The deer paused for a long while, and then it was time to go.

“They’ll be enjoying this all day,” said the tired man walking the dogs.

How they scrambled against his control and yelped with joy!

And always the older man on inline skates— back and forth, back and forth— never smiling.

Some will greet you. Others will pass with anonymity.

Yet it seems one must greet another in the company of nature.

You can smell the pines in the sun as a young girl, from behind, announces, “On your left!”

A family throws a stick over the bridge and into the water for their large black dog, who splashes after it over and over.

The sun soaks you at the wetlands, and then it is time to go.

Maybe you will see him again. Maybe next time.

— Karen Schnurstein

Schnurstein is a poet, editor and writer from LaGrange, Ind., who lived in Kalamazoo for 25 years and has a B.A. in creative writing from Western Michigan University. Her poetry has appeared in print and online publications such as Bi Women Quarterly, Steel Jackdaw, New Feathers Anthology, The Dawn Review and Adelaide Literary Magazine. Discover more about her and her work at karenschnurstein. com. She helps edit Bi Women Quarterly and shares her literary journey at apoetinlove.substack.com.

Gail Walters (continued from page 34)

involved with the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo as well Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy and was on the Audubon board when it was discovered that we had peregrine falcons in downtown Kalamazoo.

The falcons had tried nesting on a building which was owned at that time by Fifth Third Bank, but (they) were not successful because they chose a gutter for their site and their eggs would get wet, wouldn't hatch or (would) roll away. Peregrine falcons were endangered in the state of Michigan and under the protection of the state DNR (Department of Natural Resources). The DNR, Audubon and bank officials got together to talk about the options, and the bank was agreeable to having a nesting box installed to see if the falcons would use that to lay their eggs.

The bank wanted to make sure that the box's attachment to the bank was designed by a structural engineer. I happened to be married to a structural engineer (Tom Nehil), and he was 'voluntold' to be involved (she laughs). It was successful — the falcons started using the box in that next year (2014), and four chicks were born and raised and started to fly around downtown Kalamazoo. They have had 39 chicks at last count, and they have successfully fledged 37 chicks out of that nest.

What's your role?

We've had cameras in the nest box since early 2015 to track the birds. I say that I'm the liaison between the peregrines and the community. I administer the webcam, post video clips, write blogs and manage the Facebook page. I interface with the folks who do the website and take care of the cameras, the building's owners and occupants, the community and the DNR. I

keep the community informed about what's going on with the birds, especially when the young are ready to fly. During fledging, I'm downtown watching the chicks as much as I can be. There are some other volunteers who do that as well. We'll be on site if one ends up on the ground, because they don't have the strength or the skill to get up from the ground, and they won't survive in traffic.

Why are birds so susceptible to window collisions?

Birds don't see glass as a solid object. They see it as a passageway. The reflection of the trees and the sky on the outside surface of the glass is really deceptive to them because birds do not understand that those are not real trees. If they see that reflection, they think they can fly to that tree or that shrub.

How do you prevent these collisions?

I would recommend homeowners know which of their windows are problematic. Not every window's going to be a problem, but most people know if birds tend to hit certain windows.

Putting something on the outside of the windows to visually break up the surface of the glass is the most effective. There are products available, like films and dot arrays, that are unobtrusive to someone looking out the window. You can use things like bird netting, which is very effective and not expensive. You can create a Zen wind curtain by stringing cord about three inches apart on the outside surface of your window and just let it dangle. You can use tempera paint and oil-based markers on the outside of the window to create any kind of design that you want. The screens that many of us have that allow us to open the windows in the summer work perfectly too.

— Interview by Marie Lee, edited for length and clarity

in Portage and

From top: Bird netting, whimsical drawings and a grid pattern are all methods Walter has used on the windows of her home.

Gail Walter Avian advocate

Gail Walter has long been involved in the monitoring and the safety of Kalamazoo's beloved peregrine falcons that live on downtown Kalamazoo's Fifth Third building. But it was a tragedy with one of the falcon fledglings that pushed her into a more active role with the bird population at large.

"We had a (falcon) youngster that was doing really well, flying around with his siblings. And then he was found dead at the base of the windows of the medical school, which is just a block from the nest box," she recalls. "For birds, that's a very dangerous set of windows. It's recessed, very large and reflects the trees and the sky on its surface."

The young bird's death propelled Walter into learning as much as she could about bird-window collisions. Now she is an advocate for making buildings bird–safe. She meets with local architects and builders and gives talks and presentations in the area on the topic. Window collisions rank as one of the highest causes of bird fatalities, and Walter advises residential and commercial building occupants on methods to protect birds.

"Window collisions are a big driver of bird loss, and this has become my reason to be," she says. "I try to make the world a little bit better for people as well as birds, because if birds have got a good environment to thrive, so do people." How did you get so involved with protecting birds?

I am a retired veterinary clinical pathologist and professional health and wellness coach and have been a lifelong environmentalist and a naturalist. I had a bird book when I was a child and was familiar with birds, but it wasn't until my 30s that I got back into taking the time to look and listen for birds, going on hikes with my binoculars or looking for birds from my canoe. I became

(continued on page 33)

Brian K. Powers