Blazing Trails: New Troy ‘Gather and Stroll’ event offers tours of volunteer-built trail, bridges

A group of hikers walk down one of the footbridges Views from the trail (with the old mill in the distance)

A group of hikers learns about the trees along the newly formed trail

Pat Fisher, president of Harbor Country Hikers and a volunteer with the Trailblazers, added tidbits about the surrounding nature

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA

For Terry Hanover, the process of installing two footbridges by the newly formed Weesaw Trailblazers to create an approximately half-mile path through the woodland and wetland with the Trailblazers “hand in hand to create the trails and bridges.” Weesaw Township Supervisor Gary Sommers used his skit steer to clear a path to bring in heavy telephone poles for the bridges. areas behind the Friends of New Troy (FONT) Community Center was akin to planting a tree.

“Really, those volunteers are doing something for their grandchildren,” he said, adding that having had a part in the trail’s creation has made it “more meaningful.”

Members of the public had the chance to view the finished product – the Marsh Loop - during two separate hikes at a “Gather and Stroll” event Saturday, Jan. 8.

The event was sponsored by Red Arrow Roasters in Harbert. Hikers could enter their names into a raffle to win a coffee and tea sampler (valued at $50) from Red Arrow Roasters or a gift card from Baroda Tap.

Complimentary coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and donuts were served in the gym throughout the morning.

According to Hanover, who’s a founding member of FONT and president of its board of directors, a group of more than 12 volunteers spent last fall clearing the trail as well as building the bridges.

The second bridge was finished in November – a less than ideal time to be out blazing trails. But the group remained undeterred.

“It snowed and it rained, and it was cold – I said, ‘Only someone from Michigan could enjoy getting out in this sleet and building a bridge,’” Hanover said.

One bridge consisted of 12 people working on it for five hours, he said.

The Trailblazers was born after an attempted effort by the township to log 28 and a half acres that were acquired by the township a few years ago.

The plan garnered quite the response from residents, who let their voices be heard at an outdoor meeting that was held in the summer of 2020.

“And with that attention, which was negative, the Weesaw Township Board actually paid attention and decided not to log it,” Hanover said.

The result, he said, was the township working Today, the only remnants of the possible logging project are seen on red marks on the trees (which Hanover pointed out to the group on the late morning hike). As a result of doing the trail, Hanover said volunteers have formed a bond with one common interest: to get to know and to develop the land more. “Having the Trailblazers not only gets you the result of what you saw, it gets you to know your neighbor…We’ve had great fun doing what we’ve done so far,” he said. Now, members of the group have set their sights on a bigger goal: creating a loop trail by connecting the newly formed trail to the Mill Road Park located on Mill Road right as one is driving into town. (The Mill Road Bridge is an historic site.) The project would require funding and “much more work,” Hanover said. “We hope to build another bridge that would access it to the park itself and then eventually get a grant to complete this loop trail that we’d like to have here,” he said. Some members of the Trailblazers have joined with the township in a committee to create a Five-Year Plan to develop what the township currently has even more. The Plan, which will be submitted to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, will help the township acquire funding for such improvements. In that respect, the trail is a harbinger of even bigger things to come. For now, though, Hanover is reveling in the present. “What we have now is a good start – and we’re proud of it,” he said. The “Gather and Stroll” event kicked off a series of “social hours” that FONT hopes to hold once a month, with the next one, “Gather, Pamper and Play,” being scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 12. For those who are interested in joining the Trailblazers, Hanover said to contact him so they can be placed “on the list.” The Friends of New Troy Community Center is located at 13372 California Road in New Troy.

SCHOLASTICS

New Buffalo school board members elect new officers for 2022, schedule meeting for masking discussion

Members of the New Buffalo Area Schools Board of Education elected Lisa Werner as president of the board at their Monday, Jan. 10, meeting.

Trustee Heather Black was elected to retain her position as vice president and trustee John Haskins was elected to retain his position as treasurer. Trustee Chuck Heit was elected as secretary.

Board members agreed to meet Monday, Jan. 17, to readdress the ongoing issue of masking within the district.

Superintendent Dr. Jeff Leslie said that the district has had to go remote for the rest of the week due to increasing Covid cases, adding that they’ve had an additional 12 positive student cases that day. He added that there’s been issues with staffing classrooms and that a change in state law for the remainder of this school year allows district employees to work as substitutes, which he did that day “just so we can have coverage.”

“We’re getting positive cases that are coming in faster than I can process all of that paperwork that I’ve got to get to the

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA health department, so we needed to put a pause on the in-person instruction,” he said.

Leslie said that the Berrien County Health Department was scheduled to meet the next morning with district superintendents. The health department has recently put out new quarantine and isolation guidance in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, with the isolation period changing to five days if the symptoms subside and then people mask for an additional five days and the quarantine period being decreased down to five days.

Werner said she would like the district to consider a “face mask addendum” to their Return to Learn Plan. The addendum would be like the one that’s at Niles, which is based on the population of the school that’s quarantined and the number of cases and “that’s determined whether you would wear a mask,” Werner said

The district went into remote learning the week before Christmas break due to the number of Covid cases.

Currently, the district’s Return to Learn Plan states that masking is optional. “I think we need to protect each other, we need to protect our kids and with the number of cases and certainly being pediatric cases and child cases, I think it’s really important we consider having an addendum to our Return to Learn that would including depending on the population of our students that are either quarantined or cases,” Werner said. Heit said that he wasn’t in favor of making any decisions that night, since the item wasn’t on the agenda. He added that he liked that the addendum was based on local data.

Trustee Joyce Lantz said she felt the board should meet sometime before the students are scheduled to resume in-person learning, which is Tuesday, Jan. 18, as she felt that two weeks (which is their next board meeting) is a “pretty long time for us to wait.”

Board members agreed to do a special meeting Jan. 17, to discuss a potential addendum.

Leslie said he’ll ensure the Niles addendum is made accessible to the public before the meeting.

Leslie said that Niche.com released their grades and that New Buffalo Area Schools as a district earned an A, with the elementary school, middle school and high school each earning an A. The district also was rated three out of 552 districts as the district with the best place to teach in Michigan, seven out of 562 districts for the best teachers in Michigan and for safest schools in Michigan, was rated 13 out of 578.

Board members approved the employment of Chase O’Donnell as the district mechanic.

Longtime mechanic Rodney Craig will be retiring at the end of the January. Leslie said that there were three applicants, and that O’Donnell was the committee’s “top choice.” Leslie said his experience includes working the last 18 years with the Indiana Department of Transportation.

The employment of Natalie Walter to coach seventh grade girls’ basketball was approved.

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THE ACORN PRESENTS MONTHLY ‘OPEN MIC NIGHT’

Come experience Harbor Country’s most exciting array of acts, packed into one night on the fabulous Turner Stage at The Acorn. The Acorn presents the area’s premier Open Mic Night monthly with a diverse lineup of performers and hosts. Events are free, with donations encouraged.

Local duo Dirty Sally will host the Open Mic Night at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21. With Nikki Gauthier on keys and vocals and Rob Skibbe on electric guitar, Dirty Sally plays a diverse mix of creative covers and original music. The duo’s catalog includes tunes from the likes of Coldplay, Sara Bareilles, Fleetwood Mac, Carole King, Sia, Ingrid Michaelson, The Beatles and more.

Dirty Sally’s sound has been described as “dynamic,” Gauthier’s vocals have been called “haunting” and in the way of an overall description, Dirty Sally was recently summed up this way: “Think Sirius XM Alt Nation meets Lithium.”

Performance credits include The Acorn, Box Factory for the Arts, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra’s RESPECT concert, Krasl Art Fair Block Party, The Livery, Benton Harbor Art Hop and Benton Harbor Arts Association’s Arts in the Park series.

Patti Shaffner will host the Valentine’s Open Mic Night at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12. Shaffner performs a wide variety of musical styles including folk, blues, jazz, theater and improvisational singing with ease. She has studied improvisational singing with both Bobby McFerrin and Rhiannon and is skilled at leading groups of all ages in the style of spontaneous song known as “Circle Singing.”

Shaffner writes and performs her own music, solo as well as collaboratively. As a seasoned performer, Shaffner is dynamic and engaging on stage. Her music is thoughtprovoking and reaches out to the heart of our longing for connection with love and hope. She puts her heart and soul into whatever she sings.

Upcoming Open Mic dates are Thursday, March 24; Thursday, April 21 and Wednesday, May 18.

For hosting opportunities and performer inquiries, please email openmic@ acornlive.org.

The Acorn’s current COVID-19 Policy requires proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test with photo ID. Masks are required to be worn over the nose and mouth.

The Acorn is located at 107 Generations Drive in Three

Oaks. — STAFF REPORTS

SPORTS

From the Bleachers

COLUMN BY KURT MARGGRAF IN CHICAGO

Do you remember that extra

special feeling you got when something or someone you hoped would succeed because they were so wonderful, actually had a chance to end up on top.

I’m talking about the David versus Goliath kind of victory, the kind of win no one expected. But even better than that, these guys seem to be really good guys. They are friendly. They are unselfish. They are highly skilled. They are great teammates, and they’re taking the city by storm.

Yes my friends, I’m talking about the Chicago Bulls. As of this moment, they’re riding a nine game winning streak and are in first place in the East. Most experts put three teams from the West ahead of them, but the way they’re playing right now, they’re as good as anybody. This past week gave us all an inside look at why the team is playing so well.

Have you ever had to go to a new school, start a new job, or join any group where friendships had already become established? The process is difficult and nerve racking. When the next new person joins, we might go out of our way to make them feel comfortable.

But think how easy it would be if the culture was so good that every newcomer was made to feel like they had been there from the beginning. And to top it off, the most popular and important person in the organization went out of their way to welcome you. That would sure be nice, wouldn’t it?

Now, imagine you’re the second round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls, Ayo Dosunmu. Ayo was the 38th player chosen this year in the NBA draft. Many second round picks fail to make the roster.

But Ayo, a Chicagoan from the south side and a star at the University of Illinois, almost immediately became an important player for the Bulls. The Bulls, who failed to make the playoffs last season, added a lot of new faces and they’re meshing beautifully.

One of the stars of the team is DeMar DeRozan and he is proving to be as valuable off the court as he is on the court. When Ayo was summoned to Champagne Illinois to be honored by having his Jersey hoisted into the rafters, I’m pretty sure that you figured out who wanted to join him for his special night.

Yes indeed, the star of the team, DeMar DeRozan. Those kind of teammates are the type of players that make fans even happier to cheer for their team. After years of mediocrity, the Bulls are fun to watch again and I’m proud to be one of their fans. I sure hope the Bears and Cubs have plans to be contenders in the near future.

Coach John Wooden said, “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.”

There are 3 guys on a boat with 4 cigarettes, but have nothing to light them with. So they throw a cigarette overboard and the boat becomes a cigarette lighter.

Talk to you next week. Peace, love, and happiness.