Encore October2017 by Encore Magazine

ISAAC tackles injustice

Singer’s ‘pipes’ take him on tour

October 2017

Something’s Always Brewing The Schultzes’ growing success

Safety advocate Monica Ferrucci

Meet Steve Rossio

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

UP FRONT ENCORE

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE There are many things to love about living in Kalamazoo County. But the truth is, our community has needs. We believe, by working together, we can make Kalamazoo County a community where every person can reach full potential. A place where we all love to live. There are many ways to show your love for Kalamazoo and be part of our work. Call 269.381.4416 or visit www.kalfound.org to learn more.

2 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2015

Galilee Baptist Church, on North Westnedge Avenue, hopes to create a serenity garden on property at 430 W. Paterson St., across from the church. The Land Bank Adopt-A-Lot program leases properties for use as green space and gardens. Something’s Always “”WhenBrewing we heard that the property would be available, we thought it would be a good place for a serenity garden,” says William Roland, a church elder for outreach ministry and board chairman. “We want to make it aesthetically pleasing and a place for peaceful reflection, and members of the church will maintain the garden.” So far, there have been 12 AdoptPublisher publications , inc. Bank’s A-Lot leasesencore as part of the Land Community Garden program. Editor marie lee Last year Boring approached residents in the 1500 block of East Designer alexis stubelt Michigan Avenue, where there were three empty lots, and asked if they would Photographers be interested garden space brianink.having powers, a audrey klein there. “TheyContributing not only agreed but said Writers they would love to take over the building olga bonfiglio, lisa mackinder and maintenance,” she says. Copy Editor/Poetry Editor The resultmargaret is the Trybal deritterRevival Eastside Eco-Garden, with more than Advertising Sales 100 plantings and 28 species of mostly tiffany andrus kriegand lee shrubs. Funds food-producing trees celeste statler for the garden came from the Kalamazoo Distribution Community Foundation, one of many mark thompson Land Bank partners. Office Coordinator “The neighbors have been great partners,” Boring hope says.smith As the Land Bank and its partners look across the Kalamazoo landscape, they see the fruits of their labors — new homes, rehabilitated homes and Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2017, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Editolush gardens where dangerous eyesores rial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to: — and know that they once stood www.encorekalamazoo.com have changed the face of Kalamazoo in 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 profound and lasting ways. Telephone: (269) 383-4433 ISAAC tackles injustice

Singer’s ‘pipes’ take him on tour

October 2017

Safety advocate Monica Ferrucci

Meet Steve Rossio

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

The Schultzes’ growing success

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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, 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.

ENCORE EDITOR'S NOTE

From the Editor Enterprising, engaging and entertaining. Those three words describe the

subjects of the stories in October’s issue of Encore to a “T” (well, to an “E,” to be more precise). You’ll find an enterprising clan when you read about the Schultzes (Page 24) — a third-generation farming family that has seen a lot of growth in unexpected areas. From expanding their fruit farm to raising bison to brewing hard cider and beer to opening a restaurant, it’s clear that the Schultzes are indefatigable entrepreneurs. You’ll also meet the enterprising Monica Ferrucci (Page 14), whose concerns about her young son joining a rifle club led her to a career focused on women’s safety. Not only is she the gun manager at D&R Sports Center on West Main Street, but she also teaches private classes for women on how to handle firearms properly and classes on personal safety to help women avoid becoming victims of predators. On Page 20 you’ll learn about an organization that engages with the community by fighting social injustice. ISAAC is an interfaith organization composed of 20 member congregations and community partners from the region. This group is dedicated to helping the community identify and solve problems in the areas of early childhood education, youth violence and racism. We also have some entertaining folks to tell you about. Once on track to become a brewer of craft beer, Three Rivers High School graduate Logan Shields (Page 34) now travels the world singing as part of the Grammy-winning male vocal ensemble Chanticleer. And Portage librarian Steve Rossio makes local history more fun and educational for kids and adults when he plays the part of various historical figures (Page 46). We’ve got one more “E” word for you: Enjoy!

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CONTRIBUTORS ENCORE

Olga Bonfiglio A frequent contributor to Encore, Olga brings us a story this month on the interfaith organization ISAAC, which focuses on tackling social injustices in our community. It was a topic right up Olga’s alley, as she recently moved to LePuy, France, to oversee operations for another organization that cares about social injustices, the Centre International St. Joseph. The center aims to promote collaboration and communion among all the congregations of the Sisters of St. Joseph, their associates and lay partners.

Lisa Mackinder

We are jokingly calling this the “Lisa Mackinder Issue” because our intrepid freelancer wrote four stories for it: features on the Schultz family and Texas Corners Brewing Co., women’s safety advocate Monica Ferrucci, Chanticleer singer Logan Shields, and the Back Story interview of Steve Rossio, local historian and youth services associate at Portage District Library. In researching the Schultz family and their third-generation (almost fourth) farm in Mattawan and business endeavors brewing hard cider and craft beer at the Texas Corners Brewing Co., Lisa says one word kept coming to mind: enterprising. “Sitting down with the Schultz brothers — Bill, Dan and Andrew — you quickly grasp that each of them brings different strengths to the table,” Lisa says “and that they are unified — along with their parents — in providing the

community with quality farm-fresh produce and now with a place to gather.” Lisa says Shields, countertenor for the male vocal ensemble Chanticleer, exudes a positive attitude and non-stop smile. “He seems to take things in stride and not let anything stop him,” she says. “He is an open book, speaking of things he is passionate about — his friends and family, girlfriend, singing and craft brewing.” Safety instructor Monica Ferrucci struck Lisa as a “no-sittingon-the-sidelines kind of woman.” “When listening to Monica speak about situational awareness and safety, you immediately grasp her vast knowledge on the subject — and the passion which she brings to teaching it,” Lisa says. “She drives home the simple things we can implement in our lives every day.” Steve Rossio, the final subject of Lisa’s interviews, “makes history fun,” she says. “He seems to know something about nearly every topic and is one of those people you’d like to chat with for hours.”

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October

CONTENTS 2017

FEATURE Tractors, Taps and Tables

How the Schultz family branched out from fruit farming into brewing

DEPARTMENTS 5 From the Editor 6 Contributors 8 First Things Happenings in SW Michigan 12 Five Faves History maven Sharon Ferraro highlights the best old buildings of Kalamazoo

Enterprise

Good Works

Back Story

High-caliber Instructor — Monica Ferrucci teaches safety to women

‘We Make Things Right’ — ISAAC tackles issues of social injustice Meet Steve Rossio — He plays a part — literally — in making history 'fun'

ARTS 34 Logan Shields — How this Three Rivers native found his voice singing with Chanticleer 37 Events of Note 43 Poetry

On the cover: From left: Dan, Bill, William and Andrew Schultz in front of their Texas Corners Brewing Company.

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FIRST THINGS ENCORE

First Things Something Good Hit the court for kids

Grab your racquet and lace up your tennis shoes to support programs that treat and prevent child abuse in Southwest Michigan. The Bill Wright Memorial Serve for Kids Tennis Classic, scheduled for Oct. 14 at West Hills Athletic Club, 2001 S. 11th St., supports the Wright for Kids Fund at the Community Healing Centers. The event and fund are named for the late local businessman and philanthropist Bill Wright, who was coowner of the Seelye-Wright Auto Group and president of the former Kalamazoo Kings baseball team. The event involves more than just a tennis tournament. Tennis will be played from 2-5 p.m., and there will be a reception at 4 p.m. and a buffet dinner at 5 p.m. A tennis mixer and live and silent auctions will also be held. The cost to attend the event is $75 for tennis and dinner. Participants may also choose a tennis-only option for $50 or a dinner-only option for $50. For more information or to register, visit serveforkids.com.

Something Festive

Catch local bands at Bachtoberfest

8 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Partake in some brews, bluegrass and a little bidding to help the Kalamazoo Bach Festival celebrate its 71st year. The musical organization’s Bachtoberfest, set for 7 p.m. Oct. 5 at Bell’s Eccentric Café, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., will feature performances by local musical groups Who Hit John?, The Brass Rail Quintet, Missin’ Peace and the Bach Festival Chorus. The event, a fundraiser for the Bach Festival, will also include a silent auction and beverages for purchase. Tickets are $20, or $10 for students, and are available at kalamazoobachfestival.org.

ENCORE FIRST THINGS

Something Kinky

See Broadway’s high-heeled hit With

an inspiring message that you can change the world when you change your mind, Kinky Boots steps into Miller Auditorium Oct. 20-22. This upbeat musical with songs by pop icon Cyndi Lauper takes audiences from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton, England, to the glamorous catwalks of Milan, Italy. It was the winner of six 2013 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Choreography. Shows start at 8 p.m. Oct. 20, 2 and 8 p.m. Oct. 21 and 1 p.m. Oct. 22. Tickets are $35–$80. For more information or to buy tickets, visit millerauditorium.com.

Something Fun

Something Theatrical

There’s no denying that guitars are cool, but they are also significant cultural icons. How they got to be that way is the focus of a new exhibit at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N. Rose St. Guitar: The Instrument that Rocked the World is on display at the museum through Jan. 7. The exhibit explores all facets of the guitar, from its evolution to its cultural impact, and includes 70 acoustic, electric, historical and unusual guitars, including the world’s largest playable guitar. This interactive exhibit also includes sound stations and hands-on displays. Admission to the exhibit is free. For more information and museum hours, visit kalamazoomuseum.org.

You can see the mother of all stage mothers when Farmers Alley Theatre stages Gypsy Oct. 6-22 at The Little Theatre, on Oakland Drive. With such musical theater gold standards as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and “Let Me Entertain You,” Gypsy tells the story of stage mother Rose and her two daughters, June and Louise, whom she pushes into show business. Shows start at 8 p.m. Oct. 6, 7, 13, 20 and 21; 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 and 19; and 2 p.m. Oct. 8, 15 and 22. Tickets are $35, or $33 for those 65 and older and $18 for students, and are available at farmersalleytheatre.com.

Guitar exhibit rocks museum

Farmers Alley stages Gypsy

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FIRST THINGS ENCORE

Something Wonderful Mary Chapin Carpenter performs at State Theatre

Five-time Grammy winner Mary Chapin Carpenter will blend old favorites like “Passionate Kisses” and “I Feel Lucky” with new tunes when she performs Oct. 20 at the State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick. Carpenter is touring to support her latest album, The Things That We Are Made Of. She was part of a small movement of folk-influenced country singers/ songwriters of the late 1980s and channeled her anti-Nashville approach into chart success and industry awards. She has recorded 14 albums and sold more than 14 million records. The show begins at 8 p.m. with special guest Australian singer and songwriter Emily Barker. Tickets are $39.50—$75 and are available at kazoostate.com.

Something Historic

Tour some hallowed ground in Portage To get you in the mood for that spooky holiday at the end of the month, the last Celery Flats Historical Tour of the season will have an “All Hallows” theme. Take a carriage ride from Celery Flats to Portage’s Central Cemetery on Oct. 8 for a guided tour on which you can learn about some of the historical figures buried in the cemetery. There will also be a presentation on historical grave markings and how to make headstone rubbings, as well as storytelling, pumpkin bowling, demonstrations of basket weaving, a working blacksmith shop, and candle making. The free program runs from noon—4 p.m. at the Celery Flats Historical Area, 7335 Garden Lane. For more information, visit portagemi.gov/newsand-events.

10 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

ENCORE FIRST THINGS

Russ Harrington

Something Musical

See Star Wars with live music Sure, we’ve all seen the original Star Wars movie, but how many of us have heard it live? You’ll be able to count yourself among the lucky few if you attend the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of Star Wars: A New Hope at 8 p.m. Oct. 12 and 13 at Miller Auditorium. The concert will feature the full-length 1977 film with its original voice and sound effects on the big screen while the KSO performs the award-winning score by John Williams. Tickets are $25—$80, and patrons must be 6 or older to attend a performance. For more information or tickets, visit kalamazoosymphony.com.

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FIVE FAVES ENCORE

Five Faves

History maven names favorite old buildings in Kalamazoo by

SHARON FERRARO

Eighty percent of Kalamazoo is old buildings — how could I pick only five favorites? It took

talking to myself as I drove to and from work and visiting and revisiting several buildings and houses to come up with these five, my favorite historic structures in Kalamazoo.

501 Elm St. You can’t miss this little purple Italianate where West Willard Street intersects Elm Street. Built in 1885 or earlier, it won my heart in September 2010 when lightning struck it and a fire raged for hours. The house almost completely lost its roof and was saved by the sheathing on the inside of the stud walls and the brick floor in the basement that allowed thousands of gallons of water to drain away. Over the next four years, the house passed through the hands of as many owners, finally ending up with Max Tibbitts and Jeff Siuda. In the spring of 2014, a team of 20 friends and neighbors stripped Transite siding off the house to reveal its original wooden clapboard. By the end of this year, the “Little House That Could” will be completely rehabilitated.

Appeldoorn House, 532 Village St. The “A” in V&A Bootery is for Appeldoorn, and I grew up next door to Peter “Grandpa” Appeldoorn on Oak Street. This whimsical little house was built for Peter Appeldoorn in 1895, and his family continued to live there until the end of World War II. Built from catalog plans and costing $900—$1,000 to build, the house is perfectly showcased with a deep setting on its lot and the lush plantings of the current owners. The house's open porches beckon passersby to imagine the inside.

Receiving Vault, Mountain Home Cemetery A

little past the stone Sexton’s Lodge in Mountain Home Cemetery sits the marble and concrete receiving vault with its spear-point windows, vents and front door. Back in the 19th and early 20th centuries, before powered excavating equipment was available, winter burials were nearly impossible because of the frozen earth. The receiving vault, built in 1878, would hold coffins until the spring thaw, when they could be interred. Carved lilies adorn the gable, and angels flank the front door. Inside the vault, the black and white diamond-patterned floor of stained concrete is almost identical to the front porch floor at the Ladies' Library, built in the same year.

12 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

ENCORE FIVE FAVES

State Hospital Water Tower Oakland Drive No list of favorite Kalamazoo historic sites would be

complete without including the highest point in the city and the visible pivot point that the city seems to revolve around. When I see the water tower from the highway, train or air, I know I am home. Built in 1895, the water tower saved downtown Kalamazoo by supplying extra water to fight the disastrous 1909 Burdick Hotel fire. The state planned to demolish the tower in 1976, but a campaign raised more than $200,000 to save it. A 2007 assessment showed that the tower will remain in excellent condition as long as its roof is intact and the lightning rods are working.

Chappell-Stewart House 213 Elm St. Every time I see this unique house and matching barn, it enchants me. In 1963, my best friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family bought the house, which was originally built in 1880, and I loved it the minute I walked through the front door. Although the house was empty and echoing on our first visit, my family brought our little portable black and white TV so both families could watch John Kennedyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funeral while we sat in the front parlor. Regular visits allowed me to explore its attic, carriage barn and multiple rooms in the basement. The house's grand front staircase, illuminated by stained glass windows, rear staircase for the servants, call buttons, gas lights, fireplaces and a butlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pantry all inspired my vocation in historic preservation.

Sharon Ferraro is a lifelong resident of Kalamazoo and works at her dream job, as the historic preservation coordinator for the city. She enjoys historical research, working with the Old House Network and reading history and science fiction.

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ENTERPRISE ENCORE

High-caliber Instructor

Monica Ferrucci teaches safety to women by

LISA MACKINDER

Don’t be an easy target Ferrucci understands that guns aren’t for everyone. And even for those who do choose to have a gun in their toolkit, she says, it should always be the last tool utilized — which is why her “big thing” is providing women in her class with other tools. Refuse To Be a Victim is a three-hour class that helps women make safe choices to reduce their chances of becoming a crime victim. Ferrucci teaches it twice a year at the Paw Paw Conservation Club, as well as to youth groups, college sororities and groups of real estate agents and waitresses who work in downtown Kalamazoo. She charges a nominal fee or finds a local sponsor to cover the cost. Students in the class learn how to more safely go about their day-to-day activities, Ferrucci says, such as shopping at the grocery store. One suggestion: Put your cart behind you rather than in front while waiting in the checkout line. This provides a buffer to prevent access to your body, purse or phone. “I think it’s important for all of us to not be chosen by a predator or assailant,” she Right: Monica Ferrucci trains women in personal safety and how to shoot firearms. Below: Items Ferrucci uses in her firearms training.

Brian Powers

n 2006, when Monica Ferrucci’s 10-yearold son joined the Southwest Michigan Gun Club’s Junior Rifle Program, she had no idea that it would lead her to a new career — and passion — instructing women on personal safety. “What I love is helping them feel more confident, more empowered and more safe in their environment,” says Ferrucci, who teaches Refuse To Be a Victim classes, which focus on how a woman can avoid becoming the target of a predator. The gun manager at D&R Sports Center on West Main Street, Ferrucci also offers private instruction to women on how to handle firearms. This career helping women started because her son Joe’s interest in shooting sparked many questions, such as: What’s the studentto-teacher ratio on the range? What kind of instruction does the Junior Rifle Program provide? Ferrucci sought answers. Never one to sit on the sidelines, she says, she became directly involved with her son’s classes and learned how to handle firearms. “I went and sought out NRA training,” she says.

14 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

ENCORE ENTERPRISE

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Brian Powers

ENTERPRISE ENCORE

Ferrucci instructs a student on properly handling a firearm.

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says. “As we’re going about our day, they’re interviewing (us) at the store, at work, in (our) neighborhood. They’re trying to see who’s going to be the easy target. They want a nice, submissive individual who is going to go along with their plan, and there are so many things that we can change in our behavior that will take us out of being chosen. And why not do that?” Ferrucci emphasizes awareness, especially when walking to a parking lot. “Things like not being distracted being on your phone and having all these bags and digging in them or looking for your keys,” she says. “You should have your keys out and ready to go (before leaving the store).” In Refuse To Be a Victim, Ferrucci advises women on what to do if approached by a stranger, such as backing up, raising your hand, projecting your voice and loudly saying, “Hey, do I know you?” This behavior demonstrates strength and alerts other individuals in the area to a potential problem. “I don’t think women should be aggressive,” she adds. “I’m just saying, ‘Speak up.’ When something doesn’t look right, it’s usually not right.” In urging her students to be aware of their surroundings, Ferrucci presents them with an example to make her point: If a person had $10,000 strapped to their chest and sat down on a bench at the bus station, she says, they would be “hyper-aware” of every single person within the vicinity. If they sat down in that same spot without cash strapped to their chest, their attentiveness would likely diminish. Ferrucci emphasizes that a person’s life is worth more than $10,000, so why not treat it as such? “You have to protect yourself,” she says. “No one else is going to do it for you.”

Private firearms training Despite the fact that Ferrucci’s father, Stephen Carroll Pearsall, worked for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, was stationed in various locales around the world and went on to work for the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C., she didn’t have any training with firearms until her son’s Junior Rifle classes. Other mothers dropping off their sons for the class shared

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concerns similar to hers, some even vomiting from their fear of guns, she says. When Ferrucci learned how to handle guns, her own anxiety dissipated. “I just think that knowledge replaces fear, and then you can make an informed decision,” she says. Firearms training unearthed an aptitude in Ferrucci for marksmanship. She went on to coach her son at the National Junior Rifle Match at Camp Perry, Ohio, in 2009 and became a certified instructor in pistols, shotguns, rifles and concealed carry. In addition to her group classes, Ferrucci teaches a one-on-one, two-hour firearm fundamentals class. The students shoot 22-caliber

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ENCORE ENTERPRISE

From far left: Ferrucci helps a student check her aim, models the stance for shooting a gun, and shows how to hold and prepare a gun for shooting.

handguns, which produce less noise than other firearms and have low recoil. A gun’s caliber, she explains, is the approximate diameter of its barrel. Think of the caliber sizes as shoe sizes ranging from toddler to a man’s size 15, she says. For a woman to shoot with precision, she must pay attention to how she grips the gun and how she stands. Men have powerful upper-body strength, so they can hold a gun without concentrating on the basics, she says.

“I can be accurate with any of (the guns),” Ferrucci says, “but I really have to focus on everything. So am I going to be more comfortable shooting a mid-range, not-as-powerful caliber? Absolutely. I can translate those same skills to shooting a higher caliber. I’m just probably not going to prefer it.” When helping women select a handgun at D&R, Ferrucci can detect which gun feels the most comfortable to customers by watching how the women grip and handle the guns. Sometimes, if one of her female customers is shopping with a companion, the woman might not select the right fit. Some husbands insist that their wife purchase a higher caliber, but if the wife can’t handle the recoil or hit the target, Ferrucci says, she won’t practice. “What’s better — to shoot a higher caliber that you can’t control or a caliber that you can control?” she asks rhetorically. Whether Ferrucci’s students opt to own a firearm or not, she believes that everyone needs to remain aware of the possibility of being targeted by a criminal. People often hear stories of bold criminals, she says, and they say, “That’s so terrible.” “What we’re not saying is, ‘This is how the criminal is doing it and it’s working for them. What can we do differently?' Because the last person was a victim and unless you want to choose to be a victim, you’ve got to break the cycle,” Ferrucci says. “We can’t control the criminal. We can only control ourselves and our reactions.”

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GOOD WORKS ENCORE

‘We Make Things Right’ ISAAC tackles issues of social injustice by

OLGA BONFIGLIO

Brian Powers

20 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

ith a mission to help “hope triumph over fear,” the local interfaith organization ISAAC has been advocating and problem-solving on issues of social injustice in the Kalamazoo community for more than 15 years. ISAAC (Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy & Action in the Community) is a faith-based organizing network with more than 20 member congregations and community partners from the region. “ISAAC is all about social justice, people power and policy change,” says ISAAC Executive Director Charlae Davis, who works out of an office at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. “It’s all about people in the community collaborating together to solve our problems. There have been some victories but also many hard-fought fights. It’s like chipping away at institutional inequalities. It doesn’t fall all at once.” ISAAC emerged out of the Northside Ministerial Alliance, a long-standing group of clergy who work to enhance relations with community leaders. During an anti-racism training the Alliance held in 2000, it became evident that there was a need for collaborative work on community concerns such as fair wages, adequate housing for all and racial inequities. ISAAC became a formal organization in 2002 and since that time has tackled those issues and others, including a millage to provide public transportation on Sundays and late nights, health and early childhood education for children in poverty, and prevention of youth violence. ISAAC is affiliated with the Gamaliel Foundation, a faith-based organizing group that trains leaders in 17 states to build political power and create organizations that unite people of diverse faiths and races. It’s the largest group of its kind in Southwest Michigan. Gamaliel had much success in advocating for change in Detroit, and the Northside Ministerial Alliance wanted to effect such change in Kalamazoo in the same way: through a faith-based organization that seeks “to build a world where hope triumphs over fear, where God’s abundance meets the needs of all, where we live in sacred and beloved community.” ISAAC currently has a 14-member board that works with 24 member congregations, strategic partners, sponsors and affiliated organizations like the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Charlae Davis oversees the operations as executive director of ISAAC.

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the Douglas, Edison, Northside and Vine neighborhoods to learn what is going on in those communities and the concerns people have. It does this through one-on-one or two-on-one conversations as well as random surveys. Survey and interview responses are tallied, and the organization holds a convention at which each issue is presented to ISAAC community members along with a skit to understand the issue better. The group votes on the top three issues ISAAC will address over a two-year cycle. The current cycle, which began in 2015, is dedicated to issues of early childhood education, youth violence prevention and antiracism.

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the former Kalamazoo County Poverty Reduction Initiative and a plethora of others to achieve specific goals. “What I love about ISAAC is the members’ ability to come to the table knowing that we don’t have to agree on everything,” says Davis. “But we stay at the table and try to find common ground and a strategy to make things right. That doesn’t always happen in society.” ISAAC follows a strict process in order to decide on the issues it will address and actions it will take. It starts with a “listening campaign” in ISAAC members and volunteers engage in activities aimed at solving social justice issues in the community such as the listening campaign, above, and anti-racism demonstrations, at right.

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Meet Charlae Davis ISAAC Executive Director Charlae (Shar-LAY) grew up in Kalamazoo with parents who were educators and had a strong religious faith. They encouraged her to take time for reflection and to build a support network that would propel her to success, but it is perseverance and strength from God that keeps her going, she says. “I have a God-given purpose, and I remember it especially when I’m tired, because it energizes me. This is what I want to do in this life, and I am fulfilled by that purpose,” says Davis. The Kalamazoo Central graduate is well prepared in terms of education. She holds a Ph.D. in educational policy from Michigan State University and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan. Davis says her parents taught her that God calls you to love and be concerned about your fellow community members. She also learned from them to avoid “living in a bubble” and instead to recognize and understand societal structures of inequity. “They taught me that we are not successful if others are oppressed in society and that we should challenge inequities we experience not only in our own lives but within the community as well.”

A key to achieving its aims is ISAAC members’ efforts to work directly with local government officials to gain support and commitment for the policies of change that ISAAC advocates. ISAAC also works to educate the community about social issues. For example, over the past year, ISAAC has been hosting multiple film screenings in churches and service-related agencies of The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation,” a documentary that examines how racism, poverty, violence and other factors can lead to traumatic stress that affects youth and their behavior. “If people have access to opportunities and they live in a community that is equitable, safe and clean, they have a better chance of succeeding,” says Davis. In its efforts to prevent youth violence, ISAAC volunteers are teaching youth in Kalamazoo County how to be leaders for peace through community organizing. Future Leaders for Peace is a program held once a month at St. Luke's where kids in grades 8–12 learn how to facilitate roundtable discussions, to approach and work with legislators and to work with the community. It is hoped the youth will take this knowledge and do what adults in ISAAC do: pick issues and organize for change in their communities. For its anti-racism agenda, ISAAC has partnered with the local organization ERACCE (Eliminating Racism and Creating/Celebrating Equity). In September 2015 the two groups collaborated to conduct a racial healing and action interfaith service, like those held by Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South

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Courtesy Banners of several of the faith-based organizations that participate in ISAAC.

Carolina, after a June 2015 shooting of nine people at a prayer service there. This approach is also reminiscent of the truth and reconciliation commissions that worked in post-apartheid South Africa and postgenocide Rwanda. Around 300 people attended the ISAAC event, and 100 committed to signing up for ERACCE's anti-racism workshops. “You’ve got to name it, talk about it, before you can be healed by it,” says Davis. “You’ve got to be aware of how racism works and

then go back to the congregation, the community, the workplace and form anti-racism teams that train people to recognize and dismantle racism. You can’t do it alone.” Davis acknowledges that every institution has some element of racism in it because it is ingrained in our society. Many people do not know it is automatically embedded or how that happens. “They say, ‘Well, I’m a nice person. We’re a nice institution,’” says Davis. “But they’ve got to ask certain key questions: Do all people have access? Do all people feel safe? Do all people have the ability to climb the ladder of success?” It’s easy for people to exist in silos where they associate with people like themselves, says Davis. However, when diverse people talk to each other, they discover that they don’t all see the world in the same way. This realization can create continued awareness as well as empathy, compassion and knowledge about what it’s like for others, she says. “Then they can start chipping away at racism as a team,” says Davis. Last spring ISAAC celebrated its 15th anniversary, and one of its founders, the Rev. J. Louis Felton, returned to Kalamazoo to serve as keynote speaker at the organization’s annual fundraising dinner. Felton said that ISAAC was all about its members “being servant leaders” for the people of Kalamazoo and that it was important for ISAAC to continue to “go out and do some awesome work” for the community. And so it does.

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Tractors, Taps and Tables

How a farming family branched out into the brewery business

LISA MACKINDER

ne day in 2014, as Bill Schultz headed out of town for a weekend trip, his cell phone rang. His brother Dan Schultz had some big news. The conversation between the siblings — both operations managers at their family’s farm, Schultz Fruitridge Farms in Mattawan — went something like this: Dan: “Hold the horses. We just bought the church.” Bill: “Bought the church? You said you were going to look at it.” “The church” is the white clapboard, former Christ the King Church at 6970 Texas Drive in Texas Township, a landmark Texas Corners structure that is more than 100 years old. The day before, Bill and Dan’s mother, Denise Schultz, who co-owns Schultz Fruitridge Farms with her husband, William Schultz, was driving by the church and saw a for-sale sign in front of the historic establishment. The Schultz family had decided to expand its operations into brewing hard cider and was seeking a site to open a tasting room. When Denise came home, Bill says, she “kind of jokingly” suggested the church as an option. But everyone’s ears perked up. “Dan and my dad came by the next day to talk to a realtor and see what’s what,” Bill says. They did more than just see what was what — they snatched it up. Walking through those doors that day, William and Dan immediately sensed that it was the future home of their Texas Corners Brewing Co. Everything simply connected, Dan says: the building’s uniqueness, its location, and something even greater — its historical significance. “It hadn’t been used for some years,” Dan explains. “We thought we’d bring life back to it and make it part of the community again.” “It brought people together,” Bill says, “and we still believe the building serves that purpose today. It brings people together.”

The farm

Brian Powers

It was an earlier generation of Schultzes that got the family into the farming business that would eventually lead to the formation of Texas Corners Brewing Co., which now includes not only a cidery but a beer microbrewery and a farm-to-table restaurant. In 1951, William's parents, Victor and Dorothy Schultz, sold their home and general store in the Sister Lakes area of Van Buren County and purchased an 80-acre farm in Mattawan. “It was a big gamble,” Dan says. The Schultz family, from left, Dan, Audrey, Lena, Denise, Ahna, William, Ruth, Andrew and Bill, sit down for a moment at the Texas Corners Brewing Co. w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 25

Audrey Klein

“I don’t know if I could have done that,” his brother Bill admits. In the spring of 1951, most farms in the Mattawan area had lost their peach crops to cold weather — except for the farm that is now Schultz Fruitridge Farms, Bill says. That caught Victor and Dorothy’s attention in their search for a farm, and over the last sixplus decades Schultz Fruitridge Farms has continued performing better than average, says Bill. “Our elevation is unique in the area,” Bill explains. “That helps keep us warmer at certain points in the year. If you go a few miles away, things change.” Its elevation is not the only aspect of the 400-acre farm that has helped it perform well. In the 1970s the family added a farm market, and in 1994 they established Gravel Canyon Bison Ranch in Schoolcraft, which supplies the brewing company’s restaurant with bison for burgers. Around 2012, they added Schultz Donut Depot at the farm. It’s open from the end of September through October and serves freshly made doughnuts and the Schultzes’ award-winning fresh cider. Sitting inside Texas Corners Brewing Co., the Schultz brothers — Bill, 35, Dan, 31, and Andrew, 28, who is general manager of the

26 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

brewing company and restaurant— laugh simultaneously when asked when their grandfather, Victor Schultz, retired from farming. “With farming you don’t really retire,” Bill says, grinning. “You slow down … to 40 hours per week.” Bill shares his grandfather’s passion for farming, saying working from sunup to sundown and beyond makes sense to him. He admits he becomes “pulling-my-hair-out-bored” if he’s not putting in more than 40 hours a week on the farm. “He’s not one to sit still,” Dan agrees with a smile. And Dan says that he, too, knew from a young age that he belonged working in the fields and breathing country air. “I always liked apple harvest — the fall atmosphere and everybody coming out to the farm and having a good time picking apples,” he says.

About them apples When Victor bought the farm in 1951, some apple trees dotted the property, but not nearly the number there are now. The Schultzes have 45 acres of apple trees, or

approximately 10,000 trees. Apple trees can live 40 to 50 years, but, as Andrew points out, the farm doesn’t have many 50-yearold trees. “We still change things based on where the industry is going,” he says, noting that people’s tastes in apple varieties change like other trends. “There are apple varieties that go out, and there’s new ones that come in.”

Audrey Klein

Brian Powers

What’s on Tap?

Schultz Fruitridge Farms offers 20 varieties of apples, most of which are the Jonathan variety, followed by Golden Delicious. The farm also has new varieties like Fuji and Honeycrisp and other lesser-known types. No “exact formula” predicts popularity trends in apple varieties, Bill says, but the popularity of the Honeycrisp apple can be traced to one

When Texas Corners Brewing Co. first opened in March 2015, the restaurant offered sweet hard cider modeled after “the Angry Orchards and the Woodchucks of the world,” says General Manager Andrew Schultz. The restaurant served it for about a year, but then the owners realized that their customers had a palate for something different. “We’ve talked to colleagues in other areas where sweet ciders go over very well,” Andrew explains. “In the Kalamazoo area, people go for a drier, tart, more crisp hard cider unlike the big, commercial guys. That might be different in Chicago or somewhere else. But here it seems like that’s what they gravitate towards.” And what is the restaurant’s most popular hard cider? “That’s easy — Cherry Hard Cider,” says Bill Schultz, one of Andrew’s brothers. The Texas Corners Brewing Co.’s Cherry Hard Cider is so popular that the brewery recently began canning it to sell at Kalamazoo area retail outlets. It was a silver medalist in the Fruit Cider category at the 2017 Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition in Grand Rapids. (Perry is an alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of pears.) Texas Corners Brewing Co. has 12 taps — three of which dispense hard ciders. The remaining taps offer the company’s craft beers, Bill says. The company began brewing beer, he says, because it already had the equipment and licensing. Plus, he says, doing so made sense. “They (the hard ciders and craft beers) complement each other,” Bill says. “Kalamazoo is a beer town. Some people will try our ciders and our beers and then have an appetizer.”

Clockwise from opposite page, top left: A collage of historic artifacts from patriarch Victor Schultz; Andrew Schultz and his wife Ruth, who tends bar at the family’s Texas Corners Brewing Co.; bison grazing at the family’s Schoolcraft ranch; bottles of the beer the family brews.

source: Oprah Winfrey. Engineered in the 1960s, the Honeycrisp tree wasn’t widely propagated until Winfrey purchased some

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 27

Brian Powers Clockwise from above: A bushel of peaches grown on Schultz Fruitridge Farm; the processing facility for brewing beer and hard cider; photos of the farm by Schultz daughter-in-law Audrey Klein that grace the restaurant’s interior; and the taps featuring Texas Corners Brewing Co.’s brews.

dumping them on a trailer”) and thinning peach trees. “A peach tree will put out 10 peaches on a limb,” Andrew says. “You want three on it

Brian Powers

Audrey Klein

Honeycrisp apples and talked about them on her show in the 1990s. “Ever since then, they had the press coverage that propelled that variety into what it is today,” Bill says, but “it’s a very difficult apple to grow.” When deciding what varieties of apple trees to plant, farmers must consider whether an apple variety is likely to continue to be in demand five or 10 years later. Since fruit trees don’t immediately produce fruit, farmers can only hope their decision is the right call — especially when working with a challenging apple variety. “It might be five, six, seven years down the road before you even break even and start to hope to make a little extra money,” Bill says. “Then you start saving for your next orchard. We’re diversified enough where we’re always planting or pulling out, removing something. It’s a cycle.” Besides apple trees, Schultz Fruitridge Farms has approximately 2,500 peach trees and 14,000 cherry trees. Of the farm’s 10 varieties of peaches, Red Havens are the most popular. Peach trees last about 15 years, while cherry trees can survive 20 years. The farm also grows 12 acres of asparagus. That might not sound like a lot, Bill says, but picking the asparagus turns into an all-day affair for their workers. Picking asparagus was one of his first jobs, Andrew says, along with rock picking (“walking a dusty field, picking up rocks and

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Brian Powers

so you get that size and that quality. Yeah, you lose some peaches, but you are gaining really good ones in the process.”

Branching out Although the Schultzes have added acreage and new fruit varieties, they knew the future of their business required more diversification. They found inspiration in two unlikely sources: Michigan’s weather and travels in Europe. In 2011, the family was discussing what was next for their farm; for the previous 15 years, the weather had been difficult. “It doesn’t matter with farming what skill set and knowledge you possess — the weather trumps everything,” Bill says.

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A farmer can lose half of his or her income overnight. “It’s very humbling,” he says. Bill traveled to Europe in 2010 and 2012 and discovered a vibrant hard cider industry there. Restaurants and pubs featured hard ciders on tap. That got him thinking: Who was better poised in Michigan to brew hard cider than Schultz Fruitridge Farms? They had the apples, the cherries and nearly 24 years of experience creating award-winning fresh cider. In 2005, the farm’s fresh cider took second place at the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo in Grand Rapids. “The farm always continues to evolve, and farming is what we do,” Bill says. “But I said, ‘Let us add another dimension to it.’”

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Brian Powers

The Schultzes’ decision to brew and serve hard cider coincided with what has been called “a renaissance” of the drink by The New York Times and online craft beverage publication CrushBrew. Carla Snyder, agricultural entrepreneurship and marketing educator at Penn State University, says that during the past decade hard cider has been the fastest-growing segment of the craft beverage market and the fastest-growing beverage category in the world. The Chicagobased market research company IRI reports

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that hard cider sales jumped 75 percent between 2013 and 2014, to $366 million. For most of America’s history, hard cider outpaced beer as the drink of choice. According to National Geographic, during colonial times people “guzzled it like modern Americans slurp soda.” But with the enactment of Prohibition in 1920, hard cider virtually disappeared as Temperance advocates burned many apple orchards to the ground. Even after Prohibition’s repeal in 1933, hard cider never recovered and heirloom apple cider varieties disappeared. “The whole alcohol industry — wine, cider — it (Prohibition) killed off a layer of knowledge,” Bill says. Bill began talking to other U.S. growers and producers who were brewing hard cider and experiencing strong growth and solid sales. He felt confident that hard cider would be a stable, successful product for his family. But when the Schultzes first started selling their hard cider at the Schultz Donut Depot in 2014, people often asked what “hard cider” was. Awareness of the beverage has risen since then, Bill says. “Thanks to people like Angry Orchard that have done a lot of advertising out there,” he says. “They’ve expanded the knowledge base of the public.”

Home again The Schultzes found their own new enterprise expanding quickly as well. It took two years to get Texas Corners Brewing Co. up and running, and during the process it morphed from only a cidery to a microbrewery and a farm-to-table restaurant as well. Michigan law requires serving food with alcohol, so as the Schultzes’ production led

Audrey Klein At left and above: The Schultzes’ hard cider and beer brewing and bottling facility.

from hard cider to craft beer (see What’s On Tap, page 27), the Schultzes were steered toward the prospect of serving farm-to-table food at their Texas Corners Brewing Co. rather than popcorn or peanuts. They already sold the farm’s produce to local restaurants, Dan says, so they thought: Why not provide it for their own? “We are passionate about growing food and feeding families,” Bill says. “Food always brings people together, whether it’s sweet corn for a weekend barbecue or cider and doughnuts for a fall afternoon out on the farm or a meal out at the local restaurant. With the microbrewery and farm-to-table food, it’s a natural extension of what we do.” While it was Willaim, Denise, Bill and Dan who initially worked to develop Texas Corners Brewing Co., there was no doubt in their minds who they needed to run the operation: their youngest son and brother, Andrew. Andrew, who graduated with a degree in agri-business management from Michigan State University in 2011, was living in Dallas, working as a sourcing specialist for food conglomerate Nestlé. Andrew says he always wanted to return home if the right opportunity arose, but knew that the farm wasn’t large enough to support an additional family. But when Texas Corners Brewing Co. was created, the Schultzes hoped Andrew would return to manage it. “I think for those entire two years (getting the business started) my dad was asking me to come back, and I kept saying, ‘No, no, no,’” Andrew says. Other people expressed interest in the brewery’s general manager position, but the

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 31

Audrey Klein Crates await filling at the Schultz Fruitridge Farm orchards.

Schultzes knew Andrew was the man for the job. About three months before the opening of Texas Corners Brewing Co., Andrew did a 180 for two reasons. “If we’re going to start a business, I wanted to get in on the ground and be there from the beginning,” he says. And “it’s beer and it’s food and it’s people — what’s not to like?” With his experience from Nestlé, Andrew came home, hired and trained staff, and in March of 2015 opened the establishment’s doors. The interior of Texas Corners Brewing Co. has a 1,400-square-foot dining area with 21 tables and a capacity for 65 people. It also has eight seats at the bar. In their renovations, the Schultzes sought to retain the building’s original architecture, keeping its old wood floors and removing a drop ceiling to reveal the church’s cathedral ceiling. The restaurant’s menu changes with the seasons. Weekend features are the most popular selections, and they routinely sell out, Bill says. Other popular items include the House Smoked Wings, Thai Lettuce Wraps and Schultz Farms Bison Burger. “There was a long stretch of time where we sold more bison burgers than beef burgers,” Bill says.

The Schultzes have connections with area farmers who supply the restaurant with items the Schultzes don’t grow or raise. The pork the restaurant uses comes from Jake’s Meats, a family-owned farm in Cassopolis, and it's not uncommon for a Schultz family member to travel to Indiana to purchase Amish-grown produce. The brothers emphasize that all their food — from sauces to salads to homemade chips and French fries — is made fresh daily.

Family focus The Schultzes’ farm life figures prominently in the décor of Texas Corners Brewing Co. Many of the photographs that dot the walls, including a black-and-white picture of the family’s bison herd and a warmly cast bushel of the Schultz farm’s red apples, were taken by Dan’s wife, Audrey Klein, a photographer. Andrew’s wife Ruth tends the bar and manages the farm market, and his stepson, Nolan Fillar, works as a food runner and host at the restaurant. Pointing to a photo of a collage hanging above a high-top table near the bar, Bill says, “That’s my grandpa standing next to his plane in North Africa, then my grandma and grandpa on their wedding day. And that’s the flag he was buried with. He is out at Fort Custer.” Even the names of the microbrewery’s craft beers pay homage to family. The list of brews includes the P51 Porter — named for Victor, who flew a P51 Mustang during World War II — Farmer’s Tan Lager, Idle Time IPA, and Three Brothers IPA. “I’ve always felt that food brings people together,” Bill says, “and to see families come together here and have a good time, that leaves me feeling very warm inside. It means we’ve done our job, and it doesn’t get a whole lot better than that.”

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ARTS ENCORE

‘You’ve Got the Pipes, Man’ Three Rivers native touring with Chanticleer

Brian Powers

LISA MACKINDER

Brian Powers

Throughout

elementary school, Logan Shields toted home handwritten notes from music teachers proclaiming his astounding pitch and ability to sing soprano. But it wasn’t until his junior year at Three Rivers High School that this now-countertenor for the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer finally joined the school’s choir. In doing so, he discovered he also had a natural gift for the formal study of music — “like reading music, understanding music theory and understanding intervals and things,” Shields explains. “So, I thought, ‘If I’m really good at this, maybe I should focus on this.’”

34 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

Above: Logan Shields on the stage at Chenery Auditorium, where he first saw Chanticleer and returned to perform last year as a member of that vocal ensemble. Opposite page: Shields, pictured in the back row, third from the left, has toured the world as a member of Chanticleer.

For the next two years, Shields sang with the Men of the Aristocrats, composed of the male members of the Three Rivers High School Choir and led by the choir’s director, Joel Moore. The ensemble participated in the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, which helped Shields realize that singing was his forte. “Obviously I knew I could sing and that I had a voice that people liked to hear,” Shields says. “But now I had — in a more academic

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ENCORE ARTS

realm — an understanding of that gift. So I said, ‘If I’m going to college, it’s for music.’” In 2007, Shields auditioned for the choir at Southwestern Michigan College, in Dowagiac, and was set to start SMC in the fall. That plan changed, however, after Shields attended a summer camp for instrumentalists and singers at Western Michigan University. A WMU student helping with the tenor section pulled him aside. “He said, ‘I know you’re set to go to school, but we want you to come here,’” Shields says. So Shields went to WMU to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music for vocal performance. Eventually he transferred to Grand Valley State University, where he studied under Min Jin, affiliate professor in the Department of Music and Dance, and worked with Opera Grand Rapids.

Friendly encouragement During his studies at WMU, Shields met another singing phenomenon, Blake Morgan, a tenor who became one of his best friends. Morgan went on to sing for Cantus (a vocal ensemble based in Minneapolis), and Chanticleer, and is now with VOCES8, a British a cappella octet touring Europe, North America and Asia. While Morgan was singing with Chanticleer, Shields took a detour to focus on his second passion — craft brewing — and was enrolled in Cicerone Certification, a program that educates and certifies beer professionals. He also worked as a host and busser at Brewery Vivant, in Grand Rapids. In December 2015, Shields’ pursuits were “sweetly interrupted,” he says, and rerouted

back to singing after a trip to see Morgan perform with Chanticleer in Chicago. Every time Morgan and Shields reunited over the years, Shields says, Morgan said the same thing: “You’ve got the pipes, man. You’ve got the pipes.” At this concert, Morgan persisted further, introducing Shields to Chanticleer members, including the director and the assistant director. No opening on the ensemble existed at the time, but Shields was urged to audition, especially by Morgan. “To have a guy that’s younger and started doing these things before I did — these professional gigs — come back and be like, ‘Hey, you need to do this,’ I was like, ‘I believe you because you believe in me,’” Shields says. “It’s the most prestigious choral ensemble maybe in the world,” Shields adds. “So I said, of course, I’d send in my audition.” Chanticleer liked what they heard, and in February 2016 Shields flew to San Francisco for a three-day audition. Then he returned home and waited — but not for long. “It was a Wednesday night in late April or early May, and I was sitting there in Brewery Vivant drinking a shift beer — because you get a shift beer after doing your job,” Shields explains. “I saw I had a voice mail and email from Christine Bullin (Chanticleer’s president and general director).” Bullin offered him a spot with Chanticleer. Shields’ girlfriend, Gabrielle Snow, also worked at Brewery Vivant, and when he told her, they “freaked out together,” he says. “She cried with me,” he recalls.

New ensemble member In August 2016, Shields walked onto the stage as a member of Chanticleer for the first time, performing at the group’s stomping ground, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Shields admits being nervous, but not

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 35

ARTS ENCORE

Brian Powers

Budapest, Hungary; the Ridalfinum Concert Hall, in Prague; the Moriinsky Theatre, in Saint Petersburg, Russia; and the Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan — where you sing a quick note, he says, and it reverberates for more than five seconds. Of all the venues Shields has performed in, he says, one stands out: Chenery Auditorium. In 2006, Shields and his fellow Kalamazoo's high school classmates sat in the auditorium to hear a Chanticleer performance. A little over a decade later — in April 2017 — Shields returned to Chenery as a member of that ensemble. “Chenery was really symbolic for me,” says Shields, who now lives in San Francisco. “It’s full circle.” Are Shields’ family, friends, educators and colleagues surprised that this kid from the small community of Three Rivers performs with Chanticleer in famous locales across the globe? Excited and proud, yes, he says. But surprised? Not really. “They were like, ‘Yeah, you’re a singer. This is what you were built to do,’” he says. “And I’ve had educators and other colleagues say, ‘It makes sense.’”

Logan Shields' singing talent was discovered in grade school.

about performing for the public. He was more anxious about how his fellow group members would critique his work. “How easy? How confident? How free is it? And can you do it the whole concert?” Shields says of what he assumed they would be wondering. “That first concert, I remember thinking, ‘I just have to get through this.’” He did, and a year later his voice has graced dozens of stages around the world, including the Liszt Academy Concert Center, in

36 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

No left eardrum But there is something besides his voice quality that makes Shields’ singing ability so amazing: his lack of a left eardrum. As a child, he had a cholesteatoma, an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear behind the eardrum. It crushed all of his inner left ear, resulting in conductive hearing loss, Shields says. Surgeons attempted, unsuccessfully, to rebuild it four times. To compensate, Shields makes sure there are plenty of voices positioned on his right side when he’s singing. “I can say my disability causes me to hyper-focus on pitch and intonation as well as other vocal qualities,” he says, adding that he plans to get a hearing aid in the coming year to help. “There’s that kind of party trick aspect behind it,” Shields says and laughs.

8, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6 & 7, Civic Theatre, 329 S. Park St., 343-1313.

The Witches of Eastwick — Three modern witches use their powers to create the man of their dreams, 7:30 p.m. Oct, 6–7, 12–14; 2 p.m. Oct. 15, Shaw Theatre, WMU, 387-6222. PERFORMING ARTS THEATER Plays

Waiting to Be Invited — The story of four black women and their date with destiny at a forbidden lunch counter in 1964, 2 p.m. Oct. 1 & 8, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5–7, York Arena Theatre, WMU, 387-6222.

Gypsy — Farmers Alley Theatre presents this musical about a stage mother who pushes her daughters into show business, 8 p.m. Oct. 6, 7, 13, 20 & 21; 2 p.m. Oct. 8, 15 & 22; 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 & 19, Little Theatre, 798 Oakland Drive, 343-2727. Sounds of the 60's — A Senior Class Reader's Theatre musical revue, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13 & 14; 2 p.m. Oct. 15, Civic Auditorium, 343-1313.

Radiation: A Month of Sun-Days — A one-act play about the grace, courage and humor shown by women undergoing cancer treatment, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6–7, 13–14; 2 p.m. Oct. 8 & 15, Carver Center Studio Theatre, 426 S. Park St., 343-1313.

Kinky Boots — Broadway musical about a shoe factory, friendships and the belief that you can change the world, 8 p.m. Oct. 20 & 21, 2 p.m. Oct. 21, 1 p.m. Oct. 22, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 3872300.

Ghost Stories — 8 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Oct. 6–28, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., 381-3328.

MUSIC

A Midsummer Night's Dream — Civic Youth Theatre/Civic Shakespeare Festival comedy about star-crossed lovers and their escapades in an enchanted forest, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20, 1 & 4 p.m. Oct. 21 & 28, 2 p.m. Oct. 22, 9:30 a.m. & noon Oct. 25 & 26, Civic Auditorium, 329 S. Park St., 343-1313. Macbeth — Civic Shakespeare Festival tragedy about ambition and betrayal, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, 27, 28, Nov. 3 & 4; 2 p.m. Oct. 29 & Nov. 5, Civic Auditorium, 343-1313. The Crucible — Tony Award-winning drama about the Puritan purge of witchcraft in Salem, Mass., 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27, Nov. 2–4; 2 p.m. Nov. 5, Williams Theatre, WMU, 387-6222. Musicals

Young Frankenstein — Musical comedy about the grandson of Victor Frankenstein who creates a monster to rival his grandfather's, 2 p.m. Oct. 1 &

Bands & Solo Artists Mike Gordon — The Phish bassist and his band, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 3, Bell's Eccentric Café, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382-2332. Blue Öyster Cult with Mark Farner — American rock band, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., 345-6500. Bachtoberfest — Featuring Who Hit John?, Missin' Peace, Brass Rail Quintet and the Kalamazoo Bach Festival Chorus, 7 p.m. Oct. 5, Bell's Eccentric Café, 337-7407. Maren Morris — Country music singer/songwriter, 8 p.m. Oct. 5, State Theatre, 345-6500. Never Mine — Musical duo performing jazz tunes, 6 p.m. Oct. 6, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N. Rose St., 373-7990.

Second Sundays Live: Hazeltree Consort — Tunes from the British Isles, 2 p.m. Oct. 8, Parchment Community Library, 401 S. Riverview Drive, 3437747. Lloyd & Pleasure P. — R&B singers/songwriters, 8 p.m. Oct. 12, State Theatre, 345-6500. Big Church Night Out Fall Tour — Worship and music with Newsboys and friends, 7–10 p.m. Oct. 13, Wings Event Center, 3600 Vanrick Drive, 345-1125. The Spill Canvas — Alternative rock band, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Bell's Eccentric Café, 382-2332. May Erlewine — The folk singer's Mother Lion album release, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 14, Bell's Eccentric Café, 382-2332. Michigander — Michigan-based indie rock band, 9 p.m. Oct. 19, Bell's Eccentric Café, 382-2332. Mary Chapin Carpenter — Grammy Awardwinning country singer/songwriter, 8 p.m. Oct. 20, State Theatre, 345-6500. Mustard Plug — Grand Rapids-based ska/punk band, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 20, Bell's Eccentric Café, 3822332. Todd Snider — Americana and folk singer/ songwriter, 9 p.m. Oct. 21, Bell's Eccentric Café, 382-2332. The Accidentals — Indie, folk, rock and bluegrass band, 9 p.m. Oct. 26, Bell's Eccentric Café, 382-2332. Hell's Bell's — A variety of musicians perform, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 27, Bell's Eccentric Café, 382-2332. Yonder Mountain String Band — Progressive bluegrass band, 8 p.m. Oct. 29, Bell's Eccentric Café, 382-2332. Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More Capitol Quartet — A saxophone quartet, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667.

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ARTS ENCORE Moss with Guitarist Keith Ganz — The vocal ensemble performs in the Jazz Masters Series, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Burdick-Thorne String Quartet — KSO musicians perform, noon Oct. 6, Atrium Lobby, Borgess Medical Center, 1521 Gull Road, 349-7759. University of Michigan Performing Arts Technology — Guest artist recital, 8 p.m. Oct. 6, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667.

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Octet — Fontana presents an evening of octets performed by one of the world's premier chamber orchestras, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 382-7774. Gershwin's Magic Key — The KSO performs Gershwin's great works in a story of a poor newspaper boy's encounter with the American composer, 3 p.m. Oct. 8, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., 349-7759.

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Stulberg Silver Medalist Qing Yu Chen — The violinist performs with the WMU University Symphony Orchestra, 3 p.m. Oct. 8, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 387-4667. University Jazz Lab Band — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Cellist James Wilson – 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667.

Star Wars: A New Hope — See the full-length film on the big screen while the KSO performs John Williams’ score, 8 p.m. Oct. 12 & 13, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 349-7759. Lutheran Music Festival — 6:30 p.m. Oct. 14, Chenery Auditorium, 337-0440. Cabaret — Kalamazoo Children's Chorus performance, 7 p.m. Oct. 14, Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, 7028 Oakland Drive, Portage, 547-7183. Prism — Saxophone quartet, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. University Symphonic Band — 3 p.m. Oct. 15, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 387-4667. Zlata Chochieva —The Gilmore Rising Star pianist performs works of Chopin and Rachmaninoff, 4 p.m. Oct. 15, Wellspring Theater, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, 342-1166. University Concert Band — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Burdick-Thorne String Quartet — KSO musicians perform, noon Oct. 18, Garden Atrium, Bronson Methodist Hospital, 601 John St., 349-7759. Flutist Amy Porter — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Wisconsin Brass Quintet — Guest artist recital, 5 p.m. Oct. 19, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Oakland Guitar Ensemble — Guest artist recital, 8 p.m. Oct. 20, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Kalamazoo Concert Band — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, Chenery Auditorium, 337-0440. WMU Choral Showcase — University Chorale, Cantus Femina and Collegiate Singers, 3 p.m. Oct. 22, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Mezzo-Soprano Ema Katrovas — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Tubist Øystein Baadsvik — 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667. Bruckner & Williams — Stulberg International String Competition Gold Medalist William McGregor and oboist Gabriel Renteria perform with the KSO, 8 p.m. Oct. 28, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 349-7759. Jazz Pianist Josh Nelson — Guest artist recital, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 387-4667.

38 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

DANCE Dancing with the WMU/Kazoo Stars — WMU dance students pair with local "stars" in ballroom dancing competition, 8 p.m. Oct. 6, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 387-5875. COMEDY Kalamazoo Improv Festival — Improv teams from Chicago, Grand Rapids, Detroit and Kalamazoo, 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Oct. 20; 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.. Oct. 21; workshops at 1 & 4 p.m. Oct. 21, Epic Theatre, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, 599-7390. VISUAL ARTS Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775 Exhibits

Our People, Our Land, Our Images — Exhibition of 51 works by 26 indigenous photographers, through Oct. 22. Women Warriors: Portraits by Hung Liu — Mixed-media, painted and photographic works show the power and perseverance of Chinese women, through Nov. 26. Kirk Newman Faculty Review — Juried exhibition of work by KIA art school faculty, through Dec. 31.

Circular Abstractions: Bull's Eye Quilts — Twenty-six quilts in the Bull's Eye pattern, through Jan. 21. Events Sunday Tour — Docent-led tours: Rainbow Connection: How Artists Use Color, Oct. 1; Circular Abstractions, Oct. 8; Kirk Newman Art School Faculty Exhibition, Oct. 15; Our People, Our Land, Our Images, Oct. 22; Hung Liu, Oct. 29, all sessions begin at 2 p.m. ARTbreak — Programs about art, artists and exhibitions: Paul Taylor and Postmodern Dance, with WMU Department of Dance Chair Megan Slayter, Oct. 3; Alternate Photo Processes, with David Curl, David Jones and Mary Whalen, Oct. 10; A Century of Quilts: America in Cloth, documentary, Oct. 17; The Nature of Watercolor, with painter Susan Badger, Oct. 24; The Art of Dia de los Muertos, documentary, Oct. 31; sessions begin at noon, KIA Auditorium. Lecture: Circular Abstractions: Viewing the Contemporary Quilt – Art Martin, senior curator at the Muskegon Museum of Art, discusses the KIA exhibit, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11.

Michigan Festival of Sacred Music Oct. 22, Nov. 3Nov.16, & Nov. 26 Various Kalamazoo area venues

Neshama Carlebach and the GospelFest choir, Chenery Auditorium, Nov. 12

Bare and Sobriety Test – Films by Katharine Erickson and a discussion with Erickson, 6:30–8 p.m. Oct. 12, KIA Auditorium. The Muse — Discussion of the book by Jessie Burton, 2 p.m. Oct. 18, Meader Fine Arts Library.

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EVENTS ENCORE

Richmond Center for Visual Arts Western Michigan University, 387-2436

Edward Ramsay-Morin: Animations — Through Oct. 15, Atrium Gallery. The Expanded Print: WMU’s Collection in Context — Collection highlights and works by related artists, through Oct. 22, Monroe-Brown Gallery. Kristen Cliffel: Pretty Pretty Pleas — Works by the ceramist and sculptor, through Oct. 22, Netzorg and Kerr Gallery.

Other Venues

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS

Marcy Peake's "Please Understand" — Photo exhibit showing the lives of vulnerable children to promote change, 5 p.m. Oct. 6, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N. Rose St., 373-7990.

Kalamazoo Public Library

Art Hop — Art at various Kalamazoo locations, 5–8 p.m. Oct. 6, 342-5059.

Arbuino & Raspberry Pi Club — Beginners and the curious are welcome to learn about Arduino and Raspberry Pi, 6:30–8 p.m. Oct. 12 & 26, The Hub, Central Library, 342-9837; registration required.

Arts & Eats Tour — A self-driving tour of Allegan and Barry counties to experience art, local food and agriculture, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Oct. 21 & 22, artsandeats.org.

2017 - 2018 Chris Ludwa, Music Director

Bachtoberfest

October 5, 7:00 pm Bell’s Brewery

Silent auction and live music fundraising event. Who Hit John/Missin’ Peace Brass Rail Quintet

Order Tickets (269)337-7407 KalamazooBachFestival.org

2018 Bach Festival Week Fri June 1 Sat June 9

The Rose Ensemble with Piffaro

Bachfest Christmas!

500th Anniversary of the Reformation.

Celebrate the season with us.

November 15, 7:00 pm Chenery Auditorium

In collaboration with the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music

December 3, 4:00 pm Stetson Chapel

First Saturday @ KPL — Family event with stories, activities, special guests and door prizes, 2 p.m. Oct. 7, Central Library, 315 S. Rose St., 342-9837.

Music and Poetry with Jordan Hamilton — The cellist, improviser and songwriter leads an interactive collaboration of music and poetry, 6–7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, Alma Powell Branch, 1000 W. Paterson, 553-7960. Urban Fiction Book Discussion — Discussion of Judas, by JaQuavis Coleman, Oct. 24, Alma Powell Branch, 553-7960. 4th Annual “Can Poetry Be Funny?” – Friends of Poetry reading, 7 p.m. Oct. 24, Central Library, 342-9837.

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Book Club — Discussion of Murder on the Orient Express, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 27, Oshtemo Branch, 7265 W. Main St., 553-7980.

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Bach Festival Chorus Portage Central High School Chamber Singers Western Brass Quintet

A Distant Shore: African Americans of D-Day — A screening of the documentary featuring accounts of World War II veterans, 6 p.m. Oct. 31, Alma Powell Branch, 553-7960. Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747 Parchment Book Group — Discussion of Our Souls at Night, by Kent Haruf, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 2.

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Meet Your Muslim Neighbors: An Introduction to Islam — Learn about Islam, its history in the U.S. and our common roots, 6 p.m. Oct. 3. Friends Book Sale — 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 7, with early bird sale 9–10 a.m. Mystery Book Club — Discussion of Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16. Front Page: Donuts & Discussion — Learn about the Kalamazoo Community Foundation's efforts and how to make a difference in the community, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 21. Yum's the Word: Feed the World Café — Chef Patrick Mixis explains how he helps stock area food banks each time he serves a meal, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25; registration required. Writing from the Threshold: A Workshop in Generating Memoir — Learn how to write about the past from Gail Griffin, writer and professor emeritus at Kalamazoo College, 1–4 p.m. Oct. 28; registration required.

40 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

ENCORE EVENTS

Portage District Library 300 Library Lane, 329-4544

Nitewalk — Take a spooky walk through a cemetery, caves and dark corridors, 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Oct. 28.

Sci Fi/Fantasy Group — Discussion of Blade Runner and how it relates to life, 7 p.m. Oct. 2.

NATURE

Friends of the Library Book Sale — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 7.

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

Dessert with Discussion: Invasives vs. Natives: Plant Species Race Against Climate Change — Jen Lau, MSU/KBS professor, discusses how humans are changing the Earth, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9. Other Venues Fall Color Golf Cart Tour on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail — Enjoy fall colors and wildflowers along the trail, 10 a.m. Oct. 12, starting at Markin Glen County Park, 5300 N. Westnedge Ave., 373-5073; registration required.

Top Shelf Reads — Discussion of Brain on Fire, by Susannah Cahalan, 7 p.m. Oct. 9, Latitude 42 Brewing Co., 7842 Portage Road, 585-8711.

Family Discovery Hike — Experience a new trail each week: Riverwalk, Oct. 1, Raptor Ridge, Oct. 8, Beech Maple, Oct. 15, Source Pond, Oct. 22, Bluebird, Oct. 29; all hikes begin at 2 p.m.

International Mystery Book Group — Discussion of Bruno, Chief of Police, by Martin Walker, 7 p.m. Oct. 12.

Fall Night Hike — Learn about nocturnal animals and enjoy a quiet hike through the woods, 8 p.m. Oct. 13.

Classic Movie: Some Like It Hot — Two men escape the Mafia by joining an all-female jazz band, 2–4 p.m. Oct. 14.

Golf Cart Tour: Willard Rose Prairie — Ride with a KNC naturalist to view the prairie and forests in fall color, 4 p.m. Oct. 16.

Open for Discussion — Discussion of Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black Renaissance, by Carla Kaplan, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 17.

Constellations and Cocoa — A guided night hike to learn about constellations and orienteering, 9 p.m. Oct. 20.

Portage Market — 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Sundays, through Oct. 29, Portage Senior Center, 320 Library Lane, 359-6727.

Fall in Love with Michigan Authors — Meet New York Times bestselling author Doug Stanton, 7 p.m. Oct. 24.

Boomers and Beyond: What's Bugging our Trees? — Learn about invasive insects that affect trees in Michigan, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Oct. 31.

Kalamazoo Farmers' Market — 7 a.m.–2 p.m. Tues., Thurs. & Sat., through Oct. 31, 1204 Bank St., 359-6727.

Other Venues

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510

Fall Stamp & Cover Show — Buy and sell stamps, covers, postcards and supplies, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Oct. 1, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, 2900 Lake St., 375-6188.

Immigrant to Neighbor: Journeying through Hope and Fear — A reading and panel discussion on the theme of immigration and what it means to be a neighbor, 7 p.m. Oct. 12, Bernhard Center, WMU, kalamazoopoetryfestival.com.

Birds and Coffee Walk — A morning bird walk and discussion over coffee, 9–10:30 a.m. Oct. 7 & 11.

Audubon Society of Kalamazoo — Jeffrey McKelvey speaks on "Avian Pigmentation," 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23, People's Church, 1758 N. 10th St., 375-7210. MISCELLANEOUS

Behind Every Great Man is a Great Woman — Writer and humorist Wade Rouse discusses the woman behind his pen name, Viola Shipman, and reads from his works, 7 p.m. Oct. 19, Richland Community Library, 8851 Park St., 629-9085. Poetry Reading: Mai Der Vang and Rebecca Dunham — 7 p.m. Oct. 21, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Ste. 103A, 3734938.

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

Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked the World – Exhibit with hands-on experiences, through Jan. 7. Hateful Things — Exhibit examining the history of racism to help promote racial healing, through Jan. 14. Sizzle, Glow and Attract! — Deborah Coates shows how to identify rocks and minerals, 1:30 p.m. Oct. 8. Chemistry Day — Area chemists explore rocks and minerals and chemistry experiments, noon–4 p.m. Oct. 14. World Slavery: The Haitian Revolution and the Rise of American Music — Ray Kamalay traces the development of slavery into the early jazz age, 1:30 p.m. Oct. 22, Stryker Theater.

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EVENTS ENCORE Kalamazoo Record & CD Show — Collector records, music memorabilia and supplies, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Oct. 1, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, Room A, 734-604-2540. Kalamazoo Indoor Flea & Antique Market — New and used items, handcrafted items and antiques, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Tues. & Wed. through Oct. 25, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, 383-8761. 21st Annual Senior & Caregiver Expo — Kalamazoo County Area Agency on Aging presents information on community resources, 9

a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 3, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 373-5147. KalamazooKitty Holiday Mini Market — Vintage furniture, indoor and outdoor booths and food trucks, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Oct. 7, KalamazooKitty, 6883 W. Main St., 459-6468. Haunted History of Kalamazoo Tour — The paranormal history of the city, 8–10 p.m. Oct. 7, 21 & 28, starting in Bronson Park, 220-9496. All Hallows in the Park: Celery Flats Historical Tour Series — A tour of Central Cemetery, carriage rides, storytelling, pumpkin bowling

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and demonstrations, noon–4 p.m. Oct. 8, Celery Flats Historical Area, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage, 329-4522. Project Connect — Health/vision screenings, dental cleanings, legal assistance, clothing giveaways and family activities, noon–4 p.m. Oct. 11, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 373-5163. Fennville Goose Festival 2017 — 5K and Gosling Run, car show, arts and crafts, carnival and parade, 6–9 p.m. Oct. 13, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Oct. 14, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Oct. 15, downtown Fennville. Southwest Michigan Postcard Club Show & Sale — 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Oct. 14, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 517-230-0734. Geek Fest — A comic book, gaming, cosplay convention for all ages, with crafts, robotics, artists and authors, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 14, Antwerp Activity Center, 24821 Front Ave., Mattawan, facebook.com/SWMGeekFest. Immaculée Ilibagiza — A survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide speaks about her suffering and commitment to a life of peace, hope and forgiveness, 7 p.m. Oct. 19, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 387-2300. Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Buy, sell or trade reptiles, amphibians and exotic pets, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 21, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, Room A, 779-9851. Monster Mash — Trick or treating, hayride, magic show and costume contest, 5–8 p.m. Oct. 21, Schrier Park, 850 W. Osterhout, Portage, 329-4522.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show — The 1975 film, enhanced by WMU Musical Theatre students, 10 p.m. Oct. 21, State Theatre, 345-6500. Kalamazoo Hamfest and Amateur Radio Swap & Shop — 8 a.m.–noon Oct. 22, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 205-3560. Murder Mystery Dinner — A night of suspense, entertainment and dinner, 6:30–9:30 p.m. Oct. 27, W.K. Kellogg Manor House, 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, 671-2400.

Hocus Pocus — Movies Down Memory Lane Series presents the 1993 Disney classic, 9 p.m. Oct. 27, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., 345-6500. Kalamazoo Late-Night Food Truck Rally — Food trucks, artisans, booths, music and networking, 9 p.m.–midnight Oct. 27, 201–299 W. Water St. (between Rose and Church streets), 388-2830. Safe Halloween — Trick or treating, costume contest and pumpkin decorating, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Oct. 28, Bronson Park, 337-8191. Haunted Fest 2017 — Halloween party with costumes, 7 p.m. Oct. 28–2 a.m. Oct. 29, Wings Event Center 3600 Vanrick Drive, 345-1125. Southwest Michigan Train Show & Sale — 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Oct. 29, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 344-0906. 42 | ENCORE OCTOBER 2017

ENCORE POETRY

I Don’t Want to Know what my father has learned on the high side of the clouds, but to hear him tell again of when he lined his shoes with cardboard from cereal boxes, of when he hoed rows and shoveled chicken shit into the manure spreader. He and my grandfather stared chicken-eyed into the sun and poured their sweat into alfalfa, corn, and apples while they waited for storm clouds to rain silver dollars. “Is that a red-wing or a crow?” he’d ask, pointing to the treetops on the far side of the field. Then he’d pull dry stalks of last year’s harvest and shake the roots until every grain of sand returned to the earth. — Robert Ed Post

Post has published poems and fiction in various journals and anthologies. He teaches writing and literature courses at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

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INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Amy Zane/Earthly Delights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Arborist Services of Kalamazoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Better World Builders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Betzler Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Bronson Health Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Catholic Schools of Greater Kalamazoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Confections with Convictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Constance Brown Hearing Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Consumers Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Dave’s Glass Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 DeHaan Remodeling Specialists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 DeMent and Marquardt, PLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Farmers Alley Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Fence & Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Gilmore Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Great Lakes Shipping Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Halls, Closets & More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Hettinger & Hettinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 HRM Innovations, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

1116 W Centre Avenue 323-9333 PortagePrinting.com

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Kalamazoo Bach Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Kalamazoo Community Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Kalamazoo Public Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 41 Kalamazoo Valley Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Langeland Funeral Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Lewis Reed & Allen, PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 LVM Capital Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

LISTEN. SUPPORT. SUSTAIN. WMUK

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MacKenzies’ Café & Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Masonry Heater Design House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mercantile Bank of Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Metro Toyota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Michigan Festival of Sacred Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 People’s Food Co-op of Kalamazoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services . . . . . . . . . . .47 Portage Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Ray Financial Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Jeff K. Ross Financial Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Sherman Lake YMCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 The Spirit of Kalamazoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Trust Shield Insurance Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Vandenberg Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Vandersalm’s Flowershop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Varnum Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Willis Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

WMUK IS NPR FROM WMU

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BACK STORY (continued from page 46)

What do you wear when talking with children?

And you do lots of speaking?

I have a pioneer costume. The last group I talked to, we talked for an hour and 30 minutes. Second-graders! The teachers were like, “You just maintained their attention. We don’t know how you do it.”

The speaking covers all ranges. I might be speaking to a Cub Scout group of kids who are in first and second grade and then the next day be speaking to the senior center. So I have to be able to adjust.

What do you like most about working with kids?

What is your job like?

The passion that they have. When you talk about a one-room schoolhouse and how it compares to the school that they’re in and you see that explosion of “Wow!” that’s important because I want these kids to appreciate history. And I feel when you start young and you get them excited about it, that will manifest into at least an appreciation (of history) so the preservation will be there for the future. It helps me keep things in perspective as well because I think (when you’re) getting older you start to lose your imagination, and when you have someone so excited it’s like, “Hey, this is pretty cool.” The only downside in working with kids is when they point out things that are in your generation. We had an E.T. doll at one time. One of the kids said, “What’s that?” And I said, “It’s E.T.” He said, “What’s E.T.?”

Every day is different. I might come in with a goal to process a collection and I end up having a patron stop in who tells me about living in Portage in the 1940s. I had a woman recently whose family were celery growers, and she brought in pictures. It’s also going out if they’re going to tear a house down and I’ll have to go get photographs, or if we’re working on a cemetery project. I can change clothes three or four times in one day. A couple of weeks ago I did a school presentation, came back, changed into work clothes and then changed into cemetery clothes, came back and changed into work clothes. So I thought, “I need to have a closet here!”

How did you get where you are today? I started as the local historian, and it was a part-time position. And they had a part-time position in the youth department. It was kind of surprising to them that a historian could work with kids. It’s like the perception of the librarian walking around saying “shhh” all the time. With the historian it’s the round glasses, a little paunchy and wearing a bowtie and droning on for hours about subjects no one cares about. When they saw me working with the kids, they were like, “Hmm. We would like to make you full time.” Originally it was two separate jobs, but it’s all crossed over now.

I heard you originally wanted to be a radio host. I went to Western Michigan University and thought about going into radio journalism or broadcasting. They had the hierarchical thing where you get bumped (from classes) for the seniors and juniors. I always had an interest in history, so while I kept being bumped from those classes, I kept taking history courses. After awhile, I finally got to the point where I thought, “Hmmm … I have enough history courses to have a degree in history.”

What advice would you give to someone wanting to pursue public history?

How are radio and public history similar? I had a great professor who made the comment that if you’re going into public history (meaning that you work outside of an academic setting), you need to be able to either write well or speak well. Speaking was kind of a natural fit.

If you put your heart and soul into it, people notice and you will be a success. I think that’s what happened with me. I put my heart and soul into it. It’s evident, and people like that. — Interviewed by Lisa Mackinder

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BACK STORY ENCORE

Steve Rossio Local Historian/Youth Services Associate, Portage District Library

teve Rossio isn’t afraid to wear a toga. Back when his high school English teacher asked students to give a speech from one of Shakespeare’s plays, he did exactly that, climbing atop a desk and shouting out a scene from Julius Caesar. It wasn’t the best performance, he admits, but the students previously struggling to keep their eyelids open sat up and took notice. Rossio, employs that same creative method to bring history to life for the Portage community while doing approximately 30 presentations per year. “Why, when you go to speak publicly, do you have to make things boring?” Rossio asks. “I guess that’s why I keep getting asked to various venues. I’ve done presentations where college students are present and they’re like, 'Why aren’t you a college professor?'” Occasionally, Rossio catches flak from fellow historians who feel history shouldn’t be “sold.” His response: Just try standing there in a suit and tie droning on to a group of second graders about ethics and history — they’re gone in 30 seconds.

Brian Powers

(continued on page 45)

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