From the Editor

What's not to like about a success story, a come-from-behind tale of surviving and thriving? Well, get ready to feel good, because this month's issue has several stories of people and places doing just that.

Our cover story is on Vicksburg, the small village 15 miles to our south that just 10 years ago was on the brink of financial ruin and under the threat of being taken over by a state-appointed emergency manager. Enter some very dedicated leaders and residents, including retired former Kalamazoo police officer Jim Mallery, and today it's a community to be envied — financially solid, growing and in the midst of transformative projects that are making the village a destination and a desired location to live. Veteran Encore writer Robert Weir takes a look at how Vicksburg government officials have achieved this and what makes this town so special.

In 2019 we wrote about Pamela Coffey, who established Healthy House, a home for women struggling to overcome addiction. Just four years later we are happy to be revisiting Pamela as she embarks on turning a former union hall on the outskirts of Kalamazoo into a place for healing and recovery that can accommodate nine women. Coffey's vision and hard work to make this happen are inspiring.

We also meet a younger member of the Kalamazoo community who is seeking to make a difference by reviving a type of event known as a lyceum, first held here in the late 1800s. Matthew Miller's first two Kalamazoo Lyceum events were successes — the next is this month — and he is hoping to make the discussion series a way to bring disparate people together to talk about issues relevant to our community.

And after what seemed like a long, wet winter, spring has arrived! As you bask in the warming days, we hope you do so with a refreshing beverage of choice and the warm stories in this month's Encore. Enjoy!