Southwest Michigan Spark-April 2023

IT’S NOT THE RUNNING I LOVE, BUT THE RELATIONSHIPS ~ PG. 10

Expert Advice

Transitions

Diana Duncan Director of Sales and Marketing

Q: How much time should I allow for an appointment with a senior living community Sales Counselor?

A: Allowing up to 90 minutes for a personized appointment will give you a great start in understanding what options work best for your health age and finances as well as timing your move.

Friendship Village

“Where Connections Matter”

1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo 269-381-0560

www.friendshipvillagemi.com

Counseling

Q: How do I overcome the shame of mental illness?

Roofing

Q: I hear that Sherriff Goslin Roofing uses their own unique shingle. Can you tell me more about this shingle?

Health Food

Q: I am new to the area and was wondering if Sawall Health Foods carries bulk foods?

A: In accepting and loving yourself just as you are, you learn to believe you are not defined by your illness. You will begin to see your worth and value, regardless of your struggles. Releasing judgement and rejection from others will be helpful as you confidently learn to manage the symptoms of your illness, creating a healthy sense of self and empowerment.

Kim Powers, Owner, Licensed Professional Counselor

Justin Reynolds Manager

A: The Art Loc shingle is SherriffGoslin’s original patented shingle. It can be used as a re-roofing shingle over another layer of existing shingles, or as a primary shingle over roof sheathing. It assures a smooth, windproof and watertight job. The Art Loc shingle provides a unique appearance and lends character with distinction to any home.

Today’s Art Loc shingle has been modified to include an ingredient known as an SBS (Styrene-ButadieneStyrene) polymer, which is used to alter the properties of asphalt, making the asphalt tougher and more flexible. This polymer dramatically slows down the aging process of the asphalt, providing superior waterproofing, low temperature flexibility, impact resistance, high wind endurance and extended life expectancy. Call us at (269) 342-0153 or visit us at worryfreeroof. com today to learn more.

Sherriff-Goslin Roofing Co.

Since 1906 342-0153 800-950-1906

Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo

Hearing Health

Q: Do I need a hearing test before buying hearing aids?

A. It depends. You need a hearing test to buy a prescription device through a hearing center, but not for over-thecounter (OTC) hearing aids. This is mainly because prescription hearing aids are more adjustable and require a professional to set up. OTC devices are a standard fit and have limited settings. If you’re considering OTC, we recommend that you still have a hearing exam done by a licensed audiologist to determine the extent of your hearing loss. You also benefit from finding out if your hearing loss is actually from an underlying health issue. By having a hearing test done before you buy a hearing aid, we can help you make a decision based on your exact needs.

Talk to your primary doctor to be referred for a hearing test. For more information, call Bronson Constance Brown Hearing Centers at (269) 3432601 or visit bronsonhealth.com/hearing.

Bronson Constance Brown Hearing Center

bronsonhealth.com/hearing

(269) 343-2601

Mark Sawall Owner

A: Whether you need a teaspoon of Cinnamon or a 25 lb. bag of organic whole wheat flour, Sawall’s carries over 400 of your favorite all natural and organic bulk selections. You will find West Michigan’s largest selection of bulk products including spices, whole grains, dried fruits, legumes, rice, flours, coffee, tea, soup mixes, fresh roasted or raw nuts, all natural and organic candy and a wide selection of granolas, gluten free granolas and trail mixes.  We receive weekly deliveries to ensure that our bulk is fresh.

Mon-Sat. 8am-9pm, Sun. 10am-6pm

Sawall Health Foods

Oakwood Plaza • 2965 Oakland Dr. at Whites Rd. • 343-3619 • www.sawallhf.com

Funeral Services

Q: How did the Langeland Family get started?

A: Langelands began serving the Kalamazoo community in 1934. Times were tough then, but Langelands treated everyone like family regardless of the services chosen. Our reputation grew from there, and now moving into our fourth generation, it is still our mission to serve your family with compassion, honor, and respect. This is our life’s work: taking care of you and your family with service second to none.

Langeland

Langeland Family Funeral Homes

“Quiet dignity with compassion” has meant so much for many people... for many years.

4 locations to serve you

269-343-1508 • www.langelands.com

Member

Kim Kragt, CCC-A, MA

Tod

A great story, indeed!

I received a phone call the other day from Mike Cloney, who grew up down the street from me, exclaiming “ I’ve got a great story for you!”

He told me that last summer, a man found a 1944 St. Augustine High School class ring in Gull Lake and then proceeded to fill me in on “The Rest of the Story,” as Paul Harvey used to say.

A local metal detecting enthusiast, Bruce Sinclair, found the ring in a couple feet of water at a small beach on the east side of Gull Lake. It had the initials S. M. C. on the inside. Sinclair posted something on Facebook and it eventually got the attention of Michael Janssen, a St. Augustine and Hackett history buff.

A call was made to Monsignor Robert Gettinger, known to most as Father Bob, at St Augustine Catholic Church, who was able to locate a 1944 class picture and match up the initials to Suzanne M. Cloney.

Janssen called his friend Mike Cloney, to see if it could be a relative of his. Suzanne lived a few doors down from where Mike grew up and happened to be a distant relative. Suzanne married Rodney Sweeetland around 60 years ago and passed away in 2013. Her husband Rodney passed away in 2017. The Sweetlands were long-time neighbors of mine and I knew them quite well.

Their son Rodney Sweetland III, who lives in Arlington, Virginia, was contacted and very surprised to hear the news

INDEX APRIL 2023

that his mother’s ring was found. The ring was mailed to him 78 years after it was lost.

I called Rodney and we chatted about the old neighborhood. I asked if his mother had ever mentioned the missing ring and the only thing he could recall was when he was considering buying a class ring. They were starting to become a little passé at the time, and he was not sure if he wanted one. His mother told him that it wasn’t a big deal if he didn’t want a ring. She mentioned that she had bought one back in 1944 and lost it shortly thereafter. She said, “I never lost much sleep over it.”

FROM THE EDITOR

ON THE COVER:

Rodney went on to tell me a few things about his mother that I did not know. She was a noted athlete, involved in softball, bowling, tennis and golf. Suzanne was on the 1954 Family Market City Softball Championship team and had a hole-in-one at Milham Golf Course on the 4th hole in 1974.

On a side note: Bruce Sinclair told me that this is the third ring he has found and returned to its original owner. One ring was lost for 63 years and the other was a Lindy Star ring, given to a girl on her 11th birthday.

Cloney was right.

He sure did have a story for me!

Steve Ellis, SPARK Publisher

Editor and Publisher: Steve Ellis

Graphic & Page Development: CRE8 Design, Kalamazoo

Content/Photography: Lauren Ellis

Writers and Contributors Include: Area Agency on Aging, Steve Ellis, Lee Dean, Laura Kurella, Richard Martinovich Dave Person, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo Public Library, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Portage Public Library, Senior Services of Southwest Michigan, YMCA

SPARK accepts advertising to defray the cost of production and distribution, and appreciates the support of its advertisers. The publication does not specifically endorse advertisers or their products or services. Spark is a publication of Ellis Strategies, LLC. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

Local runner Nancy Ausema on the Portage Creek Bicentennial Park Trail.

Photo by Steve Ellis.

Looking for a comedian? Try your family tree

Lee A. Dean screendoor@sbcglobal.net

There are many definitions of the word “character.”

One is synonymous with being a “card” or a “cut-up,” as in the sentence, “Your Uncle Bob is quite the character.”

“Character” may also be translated as “comedian,” someone who is the life of the party or who has a propensity to create memorable stories that live on in every family’s storehouse of legends.

My family has had our share of characters who have created stories we pass down from generation to generation. Some of these escapades fall into the “don’t try this at home” category.

My Grandpa Dean was blue collar all the way. There was nothing fancy about him. He would tell people that the only two things he was good at were catching fish and breaking wind. As one of his caregivers in later years, I can assure you he was true to his second part of his boast. But this is a fish story, and it concerns a camping trip Grandpa and other men in the family members took to a lake near

Glendale. Great Uncle Bill was competitive and wanted to catch more fish than anyone else. He was excited because Grandpa had told him there were plenty of fish in that lake.

Armed with hope and ambition, Bill woke up before everyone else, quietly made his way to one of the boats, and slid into the lake at the crack of dawn. An hour later, he returned with the same number of fish that he left with. Skunked. Blanked. Shut out. The equivalent of a “19 hand” in cribbage.

Uncle Bill was in a foul mood. He shook Grandpa awake and growled, “I thought you said there were fish in this lake! There aren’t any fish in this lake!” Thus unburdened, he went back to bed.

Grandpa waited until he heard snoring from Uncle Bill’s vicinity, and then set out on a fishing trip of his own. Less than an hour later, he returned with a full stringer of bluegills and bass. He plucked a fat fish off the stringer, approached Uncle Bill on cat feet and started to slap him in the face with the fish (Could we call this “assault and bassery”?)

“I thought you said there weren’t any fish in this lake,” he said with a note of triumph, to the accompaniment of scales meeting skin.

The Shaw side of the family was well

represented by Grandma Dean and her brother, my great uncle Leo Shaw. One hot summer way when Uncle Leo was visiting from Battle Creek, he motioned me to the kitchen. There, sitting on the counter, was one of my grandmother’s many works of culinary art, a wedding cake with light green frosting.

He put his index finger to his lips, swore me to secrecy, then used that finger to write “CAMP GRENADA” in the icing. Then he and I slunk outdoors to wait for the explosion.

When Grandma discovered her marred masterpiece, she shrieked, “LEO!!” We ran to the house to investigate. Uncle Leo, equal opportunity jokester that he was, tried to blame me.

“He would never do anything like that,” Grandma said. “And besides, do you think I don’t recognize your handwriting?”

Grandma got her revenge. She was a loyal Democrat while Uncle Leo was a rockribbed Republican. One day, Leo noticed an unusual decoration in the bathroom. Grandma had carefully clipped a photo of Richard Nixon out of the Kalamazoo Gazette, put it in a small frame, and hung it above the toilet paper dispenser.

“What’s that picture of Nixon doing in the bathroom?” he asked.

“Well, I figure if anyone is constipated, they can just look at that picture for five seconds and their problem will be solved,” Grandma said.

Uncle Leo’s finest hour came at the expense of my sister Pam. She noticed a skunk waddling in the backyard and called Grandma’s house, which was two minutes away. Uncle Leo answered. “How do I get rid of this skunk?” she asked. He said he’d be on his way with the solution: a shotgun. By that time, the skunk had made its way to our dirt road. Leo handed her the weapon and sped away. Unfortunately for my sister, the weapon in question was a double-barreled .12 gauge with both barrels loaded. All she had to do was click off the safety, aim, and fire.

Pam took aim, and then, BL-BLAM!! She toppled backwards and the gun went flying.

Pam wobbled back to the house just in time to hear the phone ring. It was Uncle Leo. “Did you get the skunk?” he asked. “What do you think?” she replied in her most withering tone. “I’ll be picking gravel out of my butt for the next two weeks.”

What are some of your favorite stories of family comedians and characters? Drop me a line at the email address below.

Nina’s Cafe

By Richard Martinovich

If American innkeeper Joseph French would have had a grammar check app in 1724, his name might have lived on forever. Instead, he forgot to add an apostrophe and his French’s Toast simply became known as French Toast. In reality, mixing eggs, milk and sugar with bread dates back to an early Roman recipe. But no matter the origin, French Toast has remained a breakfast favorite in America, and Nina’s Café is known for its French Toast; complete with the cinnamon butter that really sets it apart!

Nina’s Café celebrates twenty-five years in business this year. Located on West Main Hill, Nina’s is open for breakfast and lunch, and is especially recognized for their fabulous breakfast menu. Regulars claim Nina’s has the best breakfast in Kalamazoo, some say the best in the state.

There is so much to choose from; “Breakfast Favorites” like Eggs Benedict and Pot Roast and Eggs, 26 different omelets including the Western Omelet; bacon, cheese, green pepper and onion. Eighteen waffle selections, even the “Elvis Waffle” -- banana, peanut but-

ter, chocolate syrup! Ten types of pancakes, dozens of sides and a la carte items!

The breakfast burrito has become a part of Americana since popping up on a Santa Fe menu fifty years ago, and customers swear the Wet Breakfast Burrito at Nina’s is the best anywhere!

For lunch, there is an equally impressive amount of tasty fare.

Plenty of burgers, tortilla wraps, like the Reuben Wrap with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing. South of the Border selections such as the Wet Burrito and nachos, hot sandwiches, cold sandwiches, desserts, and a wide variety of beverages.

It is amazing Nina’s can offer such an extensive menu while delivering reliably delicious results! With a seasoned staff, and owner Tom Meyer cooking up meals in the kitchen, you will feel right at home at Nina’s Cafe.

Sing with Garlic!

by Laura Kurella

birds hissing and chirping, causing me to exclaim with excitement, “My garlic is singing!” Unfortunately, this joy was very short-lived because another important lesson soon followed: Garlic starts to burn almost immediately after it begins to sing!

These early learning experiences enabled me to eventually master it, which I am most thankful for because garlic not only adds its own unique flavor and aroma, but also adds great health benefits, too!

Buttery Roasted Garlic Spread

Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 40 minutes; Total time: 45 minutes. Yield: 1/2 cup

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 bulb of garlic

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon unrefined mineral sea salt

1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap garlic bulb in foil and bake until softened. In a bowl, using a fork, squeeze garlic from its skins into the bowl then mash well with a fork. Add softened butter and mash/stir until creamy. Sprinkle in paprika and parsley, stir and serve.

Simply Spectacular Garlic Shrimp

Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 12 minutes; Rest time: 1 hour; Total time: 1 hour, 17 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.

25 -30 large shrimp, raw and peeled (or jumbo)

4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons paprika

I felt extra anxious after reading in the recipe that I was to cook the garlic just until it began to sing.

“Sing? What do they mean by that?” I muttered nervously under my breath. Alone in my tiny, windowless apartment kitchen, I white-knuckled my skillet onto the stove, and followed the recipe exactly.

Then, much to my amazement, my kitchen’s silence was broken by what sounded like tiny

Unrefined mineral sea salt, to taste fresh ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

In a large zipper bag, combine everything except the butter. Close the bag and swish it around to coat shrimp well. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat a large heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat. Melt butter in pan then toss in shrimp mixture. Cook, stirring, until shrimp turn pink, and are no longer opaque, about 10 minutes.

at laurakurella@yahoo.com.

Laura Kurella is an award-winning food columnist, recipe developer, and home cook who loves life in Michigan. She welcomes your comments

Lem Trombley

by Keith Howard, Kalamazoo Public Library

During the early years of the 20th century, Lem Trombley became one of Kalamazoo’s favorite musicians. His ragtime-era compositions sold thousands, and his performances with the top local orchestras were inspiring. He was a member of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra from its inception, but his real dream was to organize and direct a symphony orchestra of his own.

George Lemuel “Lem” Trombley was born near Saginaw in 1882. He received formal training in Detroit, Chicago, Boston, and New York. George later studied conducting with Pierre Montreux of the San Francisco Symphony.

Around 1902, Trombley moved to Kalamazoo, where he began to pick up work with local dance bands. He soon started teaching piano and cornet in his spare time and began writing music. Trombley penned a string of self-published dance hall hits between 1911 and 1917, a few of which received national attention. His 1912 composition, “The Story of a Rose,” sold more than 20,000 copies within the first few months of release. Among Trombley’s most successful compositions was a 1915 piece entitled “Under the Summer Moon,” with lyrics by Leonard Marx of the famous Marx Brothers. The song was featured as part of an early Marx Brothers comedy called “Home Again.”

Trombley continued to teach music in Kalamazoo throughout the 1920s. With more than 100

students under his guidance, he established the Kalamazoo Conservatory of Music and Associated Arts in 1924. Within three years his organization grew to include a staff of twenty teachers and four hundred students. But Trombley was just getting started.

Shortly after opening the Conservatory, Trombley gathered 20 of his best student musicians and formed a youth orchestra. Within months the orchestra grew to 40 members as Trombley arranged a series of public performances in Kalamazoo and the surrounding area. During the 1925-26 season Trombley and his students performed for more than 12,000 people in area theaters, churches, schools, and other public places. Money earned from those performances went to support the Conservatory and to purchase instruments for students in need. By the 1926-27 winter season, Trombley’s youth orchestra had grown to 60 members.

During the early 1920s Lem and his wife Maude took the first of several automobile trips across the United States to visit friends and family along the West Coast. It was then that they made the decision to leave Kalamazoo and make “The Golden State” their home.

After considering cities like Pasadena and Santa Barbara, the Trombleys found their “place in the sun” in Santa Rosa, fifty miles north of San Francisco in the heart of Sonoma County. Once things were settled, George opened a music studio, formed a youth orchestra, and realized his lifelong dream by founding the 45-member Santa Rosa Symphony Orchestra.

Sometimes dreams really do come true. George conducted and directed the Santa Rosa Symphony Orchestra for nearly three decades. During his tenure he conducted 179 concert performances and attended nearly 3,000 rehearsal sessions before his retirement in 1957. Following a long illness, George Trombley passed away in December 1963 at the age of 81, but his profound influence lives on. With 80+ professional musicians, the Santa Rosa Symphony today is considered one of the finest orchestras of its kind in the nation..

More at kpl.gov

Movie Reviews

Leave

One of the best films of 2022 was Decision to Leave. The award-winning thriller skillfully stitches emotionally resonant depth to a neo-noir, police procedural. Korean director Park Chan-wook delivers an inventive anti-romance buoyed by the fabulous performances of its lead actors. The unorthodox camerawork and dynamic editing imbue the zigzagging tale with stylish verve, elevating a rather routine story to virtuosity. When Chinese national Song Seo-rae is brought in to be questioned about her husband’s murder, the intense, no-nonsense detective (Jang Hae-joon), a sufferer of insomnia, becomes instantly smitten with the enigmatic suspect. She may or may not have been involved with multiple murders, but Jang’s growing obsession with the suspect begins to cloud his professional objectivity. Much of the film’s success rests upon feeling as though we’ve seen something similar before, while at the same time, being completely fresh. – Submitted by Ryan Gage

Desolation Center

Stuart Swezey’s 2018 documentary tells the story of a series of Reagan-era outlaw happenings that took place in the Mojave dessert. With the punk rock music scene in Los Angeles facing constant shut downs and police

took things into their own hands and put on a series of guerrilla shows, without permits or permission, out in the middle of the Mojave desert. The reverberations from these clandestine shows that featured some now legendary underground bands (Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, and more) have led to the success (and eventual commodification) of destination events like Lollapallooza, Burning Man and Coachella.

Three Thousand Years of Longing

Loosely based on a 1994 A.S. Byatt novella entitled The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye, director George Miller’s latest offering has been called “Aladdin for adults”. While there’s certainly something to be said for that, the Djinn (Idris Elba) here takes center stage. Tilda Swinton co-stars as Alithea, a neurodivergent academic specializing in the field of narratology, that is, the study of the structure, conventions, symbols, and themes of literature. While attending a conference in Istanbul, she inadvertently releases the Djinn who proceeds to offer her the customary trio of wishes. Visually impressive even in an era when viewers have become accustomed to the triumphs of CGI, the Djinn’s stories of ancient Arabia and the Ottoman Empire are really quite wonderous. Fans of fantasy and historical fiction would do well to put this one on their watch-list. – Submitted by Patrick Jouppi

Reviews submitted by Ryan Gage. These great titles and others are available at the Kalamazoo Public Library.

NANCY AUSEMA RECOUNTS HER PATH TO THE RUN KALAMAZOO RUN CAMP

who could run,” she says.

Then about 15 years ago, when she was in her mid50s, she decided to don running shoes and give it a try for herself by registering for a “couch to 5k thing” that she heard about.

Now, at 70, she is a veteran of the run camp currently known as the Run Kalamazoo Run Camp that prepares runners to participate in everything from the nonprofit Run Kalamazoo’s 5-kilometer run (3.1 miles) to the Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon (26.2 miles) to be held this year on April 23.

By Dave Person david.r.person@gmail.com

As part of a committee that organized the former Kalamazoo Deacons Conference’s annual “Run for the Son,” Nancy Ausema was comfortable coordinating the efforts of others who were preparing for distance running.

“I would never (have considered) myself a person

Campers participate twice weekly either in the 20week distance camp that started in early December for those training for the marathon or half-marathon, or a 13-week run camp that began in late January in preparation for the half-marathon, 10k or 5k.

Ausema, who has run about five half-marathons — not all of them with Run Kalamazoo or its predecessor, Borgess Run for the Health of It — is in the former group, but only so she and the runners she hangs out with have a longer period to train.

“We just want to be out there all winter so we have accountability,” she says.

PHOTO BY DEREK KETCHUM

Although she hasn’t decided whether she will sign up for another half-marathon at this year’s Run Kalamazoo, she thinks it would be pretty cool to run (and walk) the 13.1 miles as a septuagenarian.

“I really want to do one more,” says Ausema, the married mother of three and grandmother of 10. While that might make her come across as a fierce competitor, Ausema has other reasons for continuing to run, one of which is related to the title of FOMO queen that her friends have bestowed upon her.

FOMO stands for fear of missing out.

“No matter what it is, running or whatever, I want to be there,” she says.

Ausema is among 300 participants in this year’s run camp, according to Tom Comes, director of marketing for the Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon.

“The beauty of camp is there are people of all sizes and shapes and levels,” Ausema says, “and everyone is happy and encouraging.”

“Within the half-marathon group there are different paces. I’m in the 12-plus (minute mile).”

Ausema, a retired registered nurse, began run camp about 2010 — soon after her couch to 5k experience — with the encouragement of a co-worker at Bronson Methodist Hospital.

Starting in a 5k group, Ausema developed several friendships and she and those friends continued running during the summers. Eventually, someone in the group challenged the rest to run a 10k, and after that a half-marathon.

“I said, ‘That’s never going to happen,’” Ausema recalled.

But it did, for the first time in 2013 when she was 60.

“That was my best run,” she says.

“The key thing for me is I have a love-hate relationship with running,” Ausema says.

“It’s not the running I love,” but the relationships she’s made, and the support and encouragement each of the runners in her group give each other “whenever you feel you can’t go any farther.”

“It’s become a group of friends I wouldn’t have had,” she says.

Ausema has advice for others who might be on the fence whether to begin running.

“If you have even a little desire, do it,” she says.

Also, listen to what your body is telling you, and if it tells you to stop running and walk for a bit, do it. There’s no shame in walking.

She suggests you participate with friends, either those you already know, or at a future run camp where you will make new friends.

“If I had to get up and go by myself, I wouldn’t do it,” she says.

“It’s often a struggle to get up and out the door on Saturday run camp mornings, but when your run is done, the common feeling is, ‘Wow, that was great.’”

Wednesday

Crouch Potatoes

WARRIORS

At the end of a Wednesday Warriors workday, I’ll get asked, “did you get any pictures?” Well, not to toot my own horn, but I show up to work! As part of this merry band of volunteers, I help restore habitats in the preserves that are part of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. We subdue buckthorn, rescue rare plants, collect lupine pods, chop down autumn olive, whatever a bunch of enthusiastic tree-huggers can manage in a half-day. And when I do pull out my phone to take pictures, it seems that most of what we do involves stooping and crouching. Not the most charismatic poses for these big-hearted folks. I’ve worked with many of them for so long that I can easily identify them by their backsides (wearing the same clothes for six months helps, too), but faces-forward definitely make for better photo ops. And since they’re hard at work, they don’t want to stop and pose, brandishing loppers or sizing up a head-high multiflora rose.

So, join me in celebrating these folks hard at work, noses to the task. And if you want to join the fun, with or without photo-op, come out any Wednesday your schedule permits. There is also a spin-off group on Mondays. Just email the Conservancy at conserveland@swmlc.org and ask to get on their email list. Their website www.swmlc.org is also kept up-to-date with details of each week’s workdays. Attendance is weekby-week as your time allows. Hope to see your face out there.

Kristi Chapman, volunteer, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy

HEALTHYLIVING:

Beautiful Scene

One of the most unique and special YMCA experiences is being in the midst of intergenerational foot traffic that occurs in the main lobby as community members of all ages are seen coming and going to and from their respective program areas.

It’s inspiring (and heart warming!) to sit off to the side and take it all in.

At any given time, the super little ones (if they’ve mastered their legs!) oftentimes race ahead of their parent toward the Kids Zone, where they look forward to hanging out with other littles to play, or they might be dragging their towels eager for their next swim lesson or splash time in the pool with their dad. It’s not unusual for the parents to stop for a quick minute to talk to each other, sometimes with a toddler pulling on their knee in an attempt to nudge them out of conversation. But it’s just a few seconds for Mom to catch up with a girlfriend she hasn’t seen in ages. They might plan a play date or a mom activity. This scene happens a lot throughout the day.

Before noon, the coffee pots are still out and members fill up their cups, lingering in the common space where they’re bound to see a former neighbor, maybe

someone they used to work with, or someone they met in Zumba class long ago. It’s not unusual for someone who is newly retired and just getting into the groove of visiting the facility, to do some people watching. More often than not, the cup of coffee in hand seems to be the universal signal for “I’m available to chat”, which inevitably results in conversations with people who are strangers at first, and then, suddenly, not. This scene happens often, too.

Around 3:26 pm the middle schoolers are coming through the doors in droves for their afterschool hang out place. They head for the Youth Development area where they can decompress after a long day of learning. They might head up the stairs to the gymnasium, or turn the opposite way for the quieter study rooms. Or maybe they go chill in the game area. They bring with them an elevated energy, experienced in louder voices as they chatter and swirl through, typically with at least a couple basketballs bouncing. A few minutes go during which some might feel like the shared space is congested. But it’s a lively force that moves through the lobby with its own ripple effect.

In this particular scenario, an elderly person walking very slowly on crutches makes their way toward the door, and a youth holds it open.

And I marvel at the opportunities available under this roof for people to interact amongst the ages, passing on our energies to each other and strengthening not just body, mind, and spirit, but community, too.

It really is a beautiful scene.

Vicky Kettner is the Association Director of Marketing, Community Relations, and Member Engagement for the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo.

Have you ever stumbled upon a body of water in spring, and then come back later in summer to find it dried up? If it’s less than an acre in size, at least a little bigger than your living room, and resembles a flooded patch of land or mucky puddle, then you may have discovered a vernal pool.

Unlike a seep, a wet area created by groundwater that may exist yearround, vernal pools are small, and only temporarily wet. They occur in forested areas, form in the spring and provide ideal habitat for a range of amphibians and other organisms. Vernal pools are fascinating, valuable ecosystems that are hotspots of biodiversity. They are also under threat. According to the EPA, 90 percent of California’s vernal pools have already been lost. Their disappearance marks the loss of rare and important habitat and some of the associated plant and animal species as well.

In our state, the Michigan Vernal Pools Partnership is leading conservation efforts to protect these unique ecosystems.

What are some signs that you’ve discovered a vernal pool? Jen Meil-

In Search of a Vernal Pool

By Kimberly Zewatsky, Kalamazoo Nature Center

inger, research director at Kalamazoo Nature Center, said these small, isolated wetlands fill up in early spring and are dry by late summer.

“There are no fish in a vernal pool,” Meilinger said. “There are, however,

what’s called indicator species. Those include the wood frog, various salamander species, particularly the spotted and blue spotted salamander.”

Meilinger said it takes a little bit of

surveying to confirm if it’s a vernal pool, but several clues point you in the right direction. And there is one indicator species that absolutely defines a vernal pool: fairy shrimp. These are tiny, translucent, freshwater crustaceans that are about one inch long and found only in vernal pools. It’s no wonder that birds such as ducks and hawks use vernal pools as a seasonal source for food and water.

Recognizing the ecological significance of these fascinating ecosystems, MSU Extension launched the Vernal Pool Patrol in 2012, a citizen scientist project that collects data for researchers. Meilinger says it’s easy to participate, as it requires a time commitment of just two to three outings a year. And who knows, there may be a vernal pool waiting for you to discover at the Kalamazoo Nature Center.

Help protect these ‘coral reefs of the forest’ by volunteering with the Michigan Vernal Pools Partnership. The organization has a few spring training sessions in March. To find out more visit www.mivernalpools. com

Book Reviews

The Kaiju Preservation Society

John Scalzi

If you’re looking for a fun adventure story with a mix of science fiction, The Kaiju Preservation Society is a great choice. Jamie Gray had a rough beginning to the pandemic. He was just fired from his executive job at a food delivery service and is now a driver, delivering food to locked-down New Yorkers. On a delivery, he runs into an old college friend who offers him a super-secret job where he will be out of the country for six months each year, looking after very large, very strange animals. Desperate, Jamie takes it. And so begins a fantastical story where Jamie enters a world he never dreamed possible. The story moves quickly, with interesting characters and snappy, witty dialogue.

The Sisters of Sea View

Julie Klassen

This entertaining, Austinesque read transports us back to England in the 1800s, where we meet the Summers sisters, Sarah, Viola, Emily, and Georgianna, and their widowed mother, Eugenia, and experience their everyday struggles and joys

in trying circumstances. As always, Ms. Klassen’s vivid, detailed descriptions immersed every reader in the charming Regency Era setting. Although it starts relatively slowly, the well-crafted, complex plot will draw you in from the beginning and keep your attention to the end. Well-developed, diverse characters, main and secondary, drive the story.

The School That Escaped the Nazis: The True Story of the Schoolteacher Who Defied Hitler

Deborah Cadbury

Anna Essinger ran a progressive school in Germany during the 1920s and ’30s. Seeing the danger to her school and students when the Nazis came to power, she boldly moved seventy Jewish children to a school she secretly set up in England. After Kristallnacht, more Jewish students fled Germany on the Kindertransports to the safety of England. This book tells the story of different families and how they decided to send their children away. We follow Anna’s struggles to set up the school, the children adjusting to life away from their families, and some children who did not escape Germany before the war and see the horror they endured.

All these titles are available at the Portage District Library. For more information about programs and services available at PDL, go to www.portagelibrary.info

Book Reviews by the Portage District Library staff

By Jim Coppinger, Milestone Senior Services Volunteer

John Ceglarek (seg-lar´-eck) grew up in Bay City, Michigan. After two years attending nearby Delta College, John enrolled at Michigan State University and earned a Bachelors and Master’s Degree in Biochemistry. From MSU, John came to Kalamazoo in 1987 as a microbiologist for Upjohn (now Pfizer) where he worked until retirement in 2021.

John is married and has two grown daughters and three grandchildren. In 2000, John became a volunteer docent for the Kalamazoo Air Zoo. In 2021, his volunteer work expanded to the museum’s collection department to assist projects. Those include cataloging items for its Guadalcanal collection and documenting content and updating records for more than one hundred historical films.

John actively volunteers at his church. He has provided communion for shut-ins and says the opportunity to provide communion to those who could not attend church, was spiritually rewarding. John says

his faith calls him to aid others. In 2017 John asked a close friend and former coworker, who had recently retired, what he was doing with his time. That friend shared he was a volunteer for both Meals on Wheels and Habitat for Humanity. John says, that conversation “planted a seed” and when John retired in 2021, he , too, became a Meals on Wheels volunteer. To this

– John Ceglarek

day, John helps deliver meals as a “hopper” three days a week. John especially likes being the hopper because it’s the hopper who goes to the door to deliver and interacts with clientele.

He says it is extremely gratifying to make a personal connection with those receiving meals and in doing so, to care for their wellbeing beyond just nutritional needs. It is very rewarding service for anyone connected to Meals on Wheels.

John says being a volunteer doesn’t take great skill—what volunteers offer are simple tasks but it doesn’t take long to see the enormity of its impact—”it touches peoples’ lives–including ours.” He adds, “don’t sell yourself short” as to what you can do — the potential good from what anyone can provide is significant.

John urges anyone with time to share to take that first step and give it a try. He adds, its actually fun and feels good. Those served also look forward to seeing and interacting with volunteers who are an important part of their lives.

In his off time, John enjoys competitive trap shooting and has been

a member of Kalamazoo Rod & Gun Club since 1987 – Membership Secretary for the past seventeen years. John started competitive shooting as a college student. He also enjoys deer hunting—especially on property in northern Michigan he and a lifelong friend own.

John says volunteering one’s time and energy provides indispensable assistance to those served and a life-enriching experiences for any volunteer.

Milestone Senior Services (previously known as Senior Services of Southwest Michigan) is an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee. AmeriCorps Seniors empowers people age 55 and older to serve their communities. RSVP helps people find a volunteer opportunity that fits their passion. There are currently opportunities in Kalamazoo County and a few in Calhoun County. Volunteers are needed with Meals on Wheels, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Telephone Reassurance for Seniors, Milestone Home Repair, and more. Regular, flexible schedules available. Contact RSVP at 269-382-0515 or apply to volunteer at www.milestoneseniorservices.org.

“It touches peoples’ lives—including ours’”

Tales road FROM THE ~ Historic M-43 Is The Place to Be ~

I pulled into town. The outside of the old building is adorned with dozens of crazy old signs and the head of a large steer. The large outdoor seating area is accented with wagon wheels and a giant cowboy boot. Venturing inside, I found several rooms, chock-full of quirky antiques lining the walls, on the ceiling and inside of display cases. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time for lunch, but the online reviews are very positive and plan to stop back to enjoy a meal in the future.

By Steve Ellis

In January, I drove up to Grand Ledge to see my Uncle John and in the March issue, highlighted the first leg of the trip (along M-66 through Nashville and Vermontvile.)

North of Vermontville, M-66, intersects M-43, which began in 1919 and ran between Kalamazoo and St Charles. After many changes over the years, M-43 now begins in South Haven and ends in Webberville, east of Lansing.

On the second leg of the trip I headed east on M-43 and after a few miles, drove through Sunfield, a small village that has seen better days with a declining population of about 575. Downtown Sunfield does still have a dozen or more old buildings. I stopped at the old Sunfield

A collection of old granary buildings are just down the street. A newer building sits out front and is adorned with an old A & W Root Beer sign. This piqued my curiosity. I headed inside to find a colorful collection of large, neon signs, including: Sunoco, Sinclair, Texaco, Chevrolet and dozens of others. The Neon Guy who produces the signs, specializes in recreating copies of classic signs that were once found at gas stations and car dealerships. In addition, they also design one-of-a-kind neon signs.

I headed east, a few miles to Grand Ledge. I was curious to check out this historic town on the Grand River that was first settled in 1847 and has a population of 7,800. The town is named after the large sandstone ledges that line the Grand River. Grand Ledge was a popular resort area in 1870’s, spurred by railroad access and the building of the Seven Islands Resort. The island resort was accessible by steamboat and later by bridge. In 1888, Grand Ledge became the second city in Michigan with electric lights, helping the resort draw up to 70,000 visitors per year - second only to the Petoskey area as a tourist attraction.

By the 1920s the popularity of the resort had waned as the automobile came on the scene

and tourists could travel further and see new attractions. In 1976, during the National Bicentennial, Island Park was reborn and a gazebo was added. The park is now used for many annual festivals and is a popular walking area.

My first stop in Grand Ledge was at the Flour Child Bakery and Cafe, an eclectic bakery that was voted the Lansing area’s best bakery. I purchased a half dozen smaller pastries, cookies & brownies to share with Jackie & her grandson’s for her birthday celebration. We enjoyed taste-testing and voting for our favorite, which was no easy feat. I also purchased a grilled chicken wrap, dressed with

Sentinel building and took a look at the old newspaper printing presses. Former publisher, Jerry Maurer, gave me a copy of the last paper printed in December 2019 and told me the paper began in 1889. Just down the street is the Welch Historical Museum that is still open and has a great collection of area artifacts.

My next stop, east on M-43 was the village of Mulliken that offered a couple of interesting stops. The Farmer’s Tavern and Steakhouse caught my eye as

romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, parmesan and Caesar dressing that was delicious!

As I was waiting for my sandwich, I noticed the historic Sun Theatre just across the street, which opened in 1931. A few other places that looked interesting for my next trip include: The Brick Haven Brewery, Fitzgerald Bark and Oak Park.

Fitzgerald Park is a 78-acre park, best known as the home of the Ledges. This year-round site offers three miles of nature and hiking trails, picnicking, disc golf course, nature center, two miles of cross country ski trails and access to the Grand River for canoeing and kayaking.

Oak Park is located on a bluff overlooking the Grand River, offering 9 acres of quiet park space and 1,000 feet of riverfront. The park offers a great backdrop for walking and hiking. Nature lovers share the park with rock climbers who use the ledges for recreational climbing and instruction, with 80 climbing routes up the ledge’s sheer rock-face.

I enjoyed exploring these areas and highly recommend taking the road less traveled.

Hank Williams Comes to Kalamazoo!

By Steve Ellis

“Hillbilly Stars Delight 1,000 at CHS Auditorium.”

This is the headline from the small story that appeared in the Kalamazoo Gazette on November 20, 1951.

Little did the folks in attendance understand the magnitude of Hank Williams performing in Kalamazoo.

Hank Williams was one of the most significant singer and songwriters of the 20th Century. During his brief career, he sold millions of records and wrote dozens of songs that are some of the best ever recorded including: I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, Your Cheatin’ Heart, Cold Cold Heart and Lonesome Highway.

Williams was born on September 17, 1923. He was born with for with spina bifida, a birth defect which caused him much pain throughout his short life.

His career had reached a peak earlier in the year on a U.S. tour with Bob Hope and other big stars.

Just days before the Kalamazoo show,

Williams traveled to New York City and appeared on the Perry Como show, singing Hey Good Lookin’ with Como. This was his first television appearance and was viewed by a large television audience.

In addition, Williams experienced a hunting fall in Franklin Tennessee in November 1951, around the time of the Kalamazoo show. The fall exasperated the spina bifida issues he was already dealing with.

Another Grand Ole Opry star, Hank Snow, was on the Kalamazoo bill with Williams. His hit, I’m Movin’ On was number one on the country charts for 21 weeks and set the all time record for most weeks with a hit at number one.

From the small article that appeared in the Kalamazoo Gazette the day after the concert, it is obvious that

the reviewer did not view the event as a major performance. It’s also apparent from the basic story he wrote that he must not have attended the show but simply reiterated a press release that the promoter had provided.

the delight of about 1,000 hillbilly music enthusiasts who turned out for a two-hour stage show booked into Kalamazoo by Harry Smythe, owner of Buck Lake Ranch in Angola, Indiana.

Two specialists in “Americana” entertainment, Hank Williams and Hank Snow were the stars of the show, supported by their musical groups, the Drifting Cowboys” and the “Rainbow Ranch Boys,” respectively. Also featured on the bill were Pie Plant Pete and Bashful Joe, Detroit radio entertainers. Williams and Snow on audience acclaim in presenting many of the songs with which they have become associated via radio and recordings. Both have been star performers on the popular Grand Ole Opry radio program from Nashville.”

Here is how the show was covered in the Gazette:

“The corn grew tall in Central high school auditorium Monday night to

This review of one of the greatest concerts ever held in Kalamazoo, is reminiscent of another show a few year’s later in the same auditorium. The Gazette reviewer was not impressed with a 1958 show featuring Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry and said this music would not last.