The Salvation Army Mission ~ Page 14
Expert Advice
Transitions
Q: How can I get a sense of what it’s really like to have a home at my local senior living community, beyond the standard tour? Madeleine A: The best way to get the Socia inside scoop is through casual conversations with current residents, who are often glad to share their experiences. Create opportunities to meet them by contacting the community’s Marketing Department and requesting an overnight or weekend stay in a guest room. You may also ask to attend some of their resident life enrichment programs, or enjoy a meal in the dining room. Not all communities offer these arrangements, but it never hurts to ask!
Friendship Village
Senior Living Community 1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo (269) 381-0560 www.friendshipvillagemi.com
Roofing
Q: Should we be concerned about the amount of snow and ice accumulating on our roof? A: Since the first week of January, our
total amount of snowfall has been Justin Reynolds significant. Since the weight of snow Manager and ice is substantial, we recommend removing as much of the snow and ice as possible. However, safety should be your foremost concern. Emergency room personnel can tell you many stories of unfortunate homeowners injured while climbing a ladder or getting onto their roofs to remove snow and ice. Therefore, we recommend purchasing a ‘snow rake’, a long handled shoveling device, designed to pull snow and ice off the roof while you stand safely on the ground. Please be aware, however, since a snow rake is made from aluminum, you must kept it away from any electrical power lines on your roof. Once spring weather arrives, we offer to inspect roofs for winter snow and ice damage free. Most new roofs show little or no effect from such a hard winter. Older shingles can be damaged quite easily from excessive snow and ice accumulations. Call us at (269) 342-0153 or visit us at worryfreeroof.com today to learn more.
Sherriff-Goslin Roofing Co.
Douglas Drenth
a traditional IRA if I contribute to my 401(k) plan at work?
A: Yes. Anyone with earned income who is under age 701/2 can open and contribute to a traditional IRA. The contribution limit is $5,500 for 2014 (unchanged from 2013), plus an additional “catch-up” contribution of $1,000 in 2013 and 2014 if you’re 50 or older. Drenth Financial Services
5659 W. Michigan, Kalamazoo 269-978-0250 • ddrenth@fscadvisor.com Securities offered through FSC Securities Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance services offered through Drenth Financial Services and is not affiliated with FSC. HFG Financial Group is not affiliated with FSC or registered as a broker-dealer or a registered investment advisor. Individual situations will vary. Please contact a professional for specific advice. Entities listed here do not offer mortgage services. Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2013.
Some of the things we can do to feel better fast are: 1) Salt water gargles and use of a neti-pot. 2) A long, hot shower. 3) Drink warm/hot beverages. 4) Wear appropriate clothes. 5) Take appropriate OTC medications and talk to your pharmacist.
Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-1
Advanced Health Pharmacy
Health Food
Funeral Services
Sawall Health Foods?
A: YES! We know Santa
definitely does shop at Sawall Health Foods – for Linda Sawall he knows everyone on his list wants to be healthy... Owner Sawall’s has great ideas for gift baskets & unique stocking stuffers:
A: As the weather keeps fluctuating between warm and Arun Tandon, R.Ph cold, the body can’t tolerate the sudden change in the temperature, which causes stress leading to a weaker immune system. Opportunistic viruses become stronger and the body starts producing phlegm. If we are not able to get rid of the phlegm, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. The faster you are able to remove phlegm, the sooner you will feel better.
7916 Oakland Dr at Centre St 269 324-1100 • FREE DELIVERY advancedhealthpharmacymi.com
Q: Does Santa shop at
Q: Can I still have
Q: WHY do people “catch cold” as the weather gets colder?
Since 1906 342-0153 800-950-1906
Member Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo
Finances
Pharmacy
• Local MI. Products • Teas • Coffees • Wines • Beers • Candies • Nuts • Cheese • Bulk Foods • Vitamins • Soap • Plants
Thank you for shopping locally! We appreciate your business (also Santa’s)
Mon.-Sat. 8-9, Sun. 10-6
Sawall Health Food
Oakwood Plaza • 2965 Oakland Dr. at Whites Rd. • 343-3619 • www.sawallhf.com
Q: Who are invited to support groups?
A: Any adult who has experienced the death of a loved one, friend, or co-worker is welcome. You may feel: “out of balance”… “can’t seem to let go”… “I cry a Dana L. Naumann lot”… “I blame myself ” MSW Bereavement Care … “I’m angry”… “I feel so Coordinator alone”… “I’m exhausted”… “Sleep? Eat?” … “I think I’m going crazy”! Expressions of grief are as personal and individual as there are human beings! Time seems to stop… you may feel numb or in disbelief. The grief journey for every person is unique, based on the specific personal loss, personality, cultural influences, and social and religious traditions. It can be extremely helpful to have a place to express your grief, where you can begin to realize that you really are not alone. The support group offers confidentiality, helpful information and companionship thru’ the hardest experience you may ever have to face. When you are ready, we are here to be with you along the way.
Langeland Family Funeral Homes
“Quiet dignity with compassion” has meant so much for many people... for many years. 6 locations to serve you 269-343-1508 • www.langelands.com
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As I am now digging through old bookshelves, pulling out books to give to Goodwill, I am finding most of these brand new books, barely touched by human hands. I tried to buy CDs of the groups I thought they liked but would always be about 6 months behind the trend., hearing comments like, “Dad, nobody listens to Brittany Spears anymore.” Now their interests are quite diverse and if they really wanted something , they would already own it.
Photos: Christmas 1995
ON THE COVER:
What they really need and do not have much of is money. Every year, about a week before Christmas, I madly dash around, looking for unique, one -of -a kind presents that will receive gift-opening exclamations, like, “Wow, where did you ever find this?” But it doesn’t usually work out that way.
So they now receive, fun, smaller items and money.
from the
EdITOR
When my kids were younger, it was much easier. I would buy my son big crates of Lego’s and K’NEX that would keep him busy for days. I also loaded him up with books I thought he should be reading or that I once read-books like The Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown. I bought my daughter lots of drawing and art supplies that kept her busy and helped turn her into a very good artist. I also bought her books I thought she should be reading –books like The Diary of Anne Frank and Nancy Drew.
Jewelry and nice restaurant gift certificates tend to work much better. I may bump into you while I am out doing my shopping the weekend of December 19-21.
All current and past issues can be read at swmspark.com
Inside |
december 2014
Lee Dean: Keep Politics Out of My Pantry.............. 4 History: The Wood-Upjohn House........................... 5 Kalamazoo Celebrity Spotlight................................. 6 Spark Movie Reviews................................................ 7 Spark Book Reviews.................................................. 8 Nature: Why Buy Local? . ......................................... 9 Healthy Living: Healthy Eating During the Holidays................................................ 10 Spark Recipe: Meaty Treats!................................... 11 History: Smith Carlton............................................. 12
I previously attempted to buy clothes for my girlfriend but never found anything that was not returned immediately as being too small, or, “I’m not a 20-yearold anymore!”
Happy Holidays! Steve Ellis, SPARK Publisher steve@swmspark.com
From Left: Major Keith Welch, Kevin Davis – Captain Kettle and Cadet Jessica Martinez.
Photo by Steve Ellis
Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/swmspark
Artist Profile: Madeleine Lakotos Fojtik................. Cover Story: The Salvation Army .......................... Tuesday Toolmen: Home Winterization ................ Volunteering: Jerry and Carol Ebel........................ Amazing Tales: Strange Weddings......................... Business Profile: Bookbug...................................... Sage Advice: Home for the Holidays! ................... Michigan Pickers: Kalamazoo Indoor Flea & Farmers Market .......................................... 4-Chorus Holiday Concert...................................... Tales from the Road: Put-In-Bay, Ohio................... Signature Gallery.....................................................
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Editor and Publisher: Steve Ellis Graphic Design: Jay Newmarch at CRE8 Design, LLC Creativity/Photography: Lauren Ellis Writers and Contributors Include: Area Agency on Aging, Steve Ellis, Lee Dean, Laura Kurella, Dave Person, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation, 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.
To advertise in upcoming SPARK publications, contact: Steve Ellis, 269.720.8157, steve@swmspark.com
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Keep your politics out of my pantry Lee A. Dean screendoor@sbcglobal.net The scene: A holiday dinner in a typical American home. The table legs wobble due to the weight of all the traditional holiday fare: mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, mincemeat pie, and beverages. Family and friends are gathered, stomachs growling, waiting for the word to dig in. Under the old rules, that word would have taken the form of spoken gratitude, a quaint practice known as “prayer.” Under the new rules, the meal does not begin until the host is interrogated about the background of what’s on the table. • • • • • •
Was the turkey, pig, cow or other free range? Was it fed artificial growth hormones? Were the vegetables, fruit and grains the product of genetic modification? Are we drinking free trade coffee? Were the crops and the animals raised within a 25-mile radius of the kitchen table? Did every worker who touched the food make at least $15 an hour?
Thoroughly guilt-ridden, and with appetites squelched by shame, each person silently rises from the table and
shuffles into the living room to watch football. And the host crumples to the floor, overwhelmed by what a BAD PERSON she is. Call me a troglodyte, but I thought the primary questions in buying food, for the holidays or otherwise, were: • Can we afford it? • Does it taste good? • Is it good for us? To some folks, following the second set of rules rather than the first set means you’re exploiting a living creature with every meal. If you disagree with the tenets of what is known as “food justice,” you’re either dumb or evil. I prefer the old rules. The combination of healthy, economical and tasty is the best way to maintain my wellbeing, both in my body and my bank account. The first set of rules is often motivated by politics and fueled by bad science. There’s an ideology behind it that is against anything big (except government). We are supposed to believe that the size of a business is more important than its behavior. Thus, “Big Food” now joins “Big Tobacco” and “Big Oil.” This makes no sense. I would rather buy my apple cider from a big company with the right equipment and good manufacturing practices than from a little guy who doesn’t clean his press. Our choices about food are too important to be governed by any considerations other than science and common sense. Politics should have no place in our refrigerators. If someone wants to pay $7 a gallon for organic milk, they should be free to do so. The problem comes when those who buy the $3 milk (often because that’s all we can afford) become the target of an unholy mixture of ridicule and regulation. If you’re buying that milk from certain stores, then you’re somehow deficient. Have you ever noticed that most of the people who believe Wal-Mart is evil also speak poorly about the people who shop there?
december 2014 I love locally-grown food, especially from a farmer’s market. But it’s not an ideological choice. My parents could have said, “Eat your green beans! They’re locally grown.” They sure were … in a plot of land just to the west of the chicken coop called a “garden.” But this will not be a universal principle until the day I can get bananas grown in Bloomingdale or mangos from Mattawan. The hue and cry over “genetically-modified organisms” is based on ignorance and fear more than science. We’ve been eating genetically-modified food since Gregor Mendel started making crosses of pea plants in the 1850s. There is no proof to support the notion of “frankenfoods,” but the conspiracy theorists will always be among us. I’m surprised no one has yet screamed that the Koch brothers are making the Ebola virus from the basement of a sootbelching coal plant. Anyone who grew up on a farm can barely suppress a chuckle at the notion of “free range” animals. The living creatures benefit most from letting chickens run free are hawks and coyotes. Before you open your wallet to pay extra for coffee that is “fair trade,” do your homework. Not all of those extra funds are actually getting to the people they are intended to help. The new ideology has spilled over into pet food marketing. According to the bag of cat food we just bought, its contents are “natural,” “grain free” and have ingredients supplied by “local growers.” All of this, they say, is part of the “cat food revolution,” and they’re right. Our cats are staging a hunger strike because they can’t stand the stuff. If I want to eat a conventionally-raised turkey, raised in confinement and fed with GMO grain, I do so with eyes wide open. If you want to follow the new food orthodoxy, bon appétit. There’s room for both on the menu. We should all be allowed to eat as we see fit. This is known as “freedom.” It may not always be less filling, but it sure
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In the period during and after the Civil War, no architectural style caught the attention of the American people more than did the “Italian Revival”. Coming to us originally in the Italian landscapes shipped back by traveling American artists, this style came to be associated with suburban elegance and Renaissance good taste. Often severely plain, the style could shift into what was called the “irregular villa.”
The
Wood-Upjohn House
William A. Wood handled his financial affairs imaginatively. In the 1850’s, he joined with Jeremiah Woodbury and Allen Potter in a successful private banking operation, then in the 1860’s, became active in the Michigan National Bank. The Census-taker listed him as thirty-two in 1860 and credited him with an estate of $15,000. Ten years later, he had increased that estate to $75.000. He lived now on West South Street, on a spacious lot next east of the DeYoe house (his wife, Sarah, then in her forties, had been a DeYoe). In 1877, Wood began to build a new home for himself between his house and the DeYoes. He chose to build in the rambling fashion which had come to be called the “irregular villa”. The tower with its rounded windows, the bracketed eaves, the hooded windows on the lower floors and the veranda across the front all closely resembled a plate in Samuel Sloan’s, Homestead Architecture, published in 1860. Sloan had written then: “This design is intended for the country-seat of a man of ample fortune, and to occupy a site in the midst of highly cultivated and beautiful scenery. Though not remarkably ostentatious, its appearance at once bespeaks it; the abode of the wealthy and refined, and demands all the accessories necessary to the highly embellished landscape, such as parks, lawns, and artificial lakes; the possession of these would entitle it to a rank
inferior to few country residences within our knowledge.” Wood lacked the space to provide that “highly embellished landscape”, but in 1878, he completed the building and settled his family into it. He died not long afterward; and his widow, Sarah Wood, liven on in the house for the rest of the century. In 1905, the city directory recorded a new occupant, William E. Upjohn, President of the Upjohn Company. Upjohn would be involved in a variety of other business activities in the next years. He was in 1911, also Treasurer of the Michigan Automobile Company Ltd. This would become Fuller & Sons in a few more years and Upjohn would continue to be treasurer as late as 1919. In that year, the directory would also list him as President of the Kalamazoo Corset Company. In 1913, Upjohn married his next-door neighbor, Carrie Gilmore, President of the Gilmore Company. She would continue to occupy the house after his death as late as the 1950’s. The home is now a private residence. Story courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library. More local history stories and photos at kpl.gov/ local-history
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celebrity
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Kalamazoo
Spotlight Over the years, I have heard several stories of famous people that came to this area. I recently started a list and was very surprised at how many wellknown individuals made it to the Kalamazoo area. They came as performers (Elvis, BB King, Bob Dylan), athletes (Joe Louis, George Bush Sr.) politicians (Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, etc.) or for a variety of other reasons.
In doing some research, I was able to find fifty or more interesting names including: Buffalo Bill, Johnny Weissmuller, Kevin Costner, J Edgar Hoover, Fess Parker, Jackie
Robinson and The Three Stooges. This has peaked my interest enough to begin working on a small book on these individuals and why they came to Kalamazoo. I will include a photo and short bio of each and then details on why they came to Kalamazoo and what they did. I would love to find out more about where they stayed, where they ate, who got to meet them and have their picture taken with them. If you have heard stories of famous people that came to this area (I am probably going to skip folks that grew up here and went on to bigger and better things) or have photographs, etc., please email me at steve@swmspark.com. I would love to hear from you and hopefully share your memories and photos in Spark and an upcoming book.
Irene Ryan (Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies) visiting the Upjohn Company in October 1968. The photos are from the “Memories of the Upjohn Company� website.
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Movie Reviews Autumn Sonata Autumn Sonata (1978) is a masterful portrait of the kind of strained tension embedded within family relationships that are fraught with regret, shame and disappointment. The great actress Ingrid Bergman (who only worked with Ingmar Bergman once) puts in a fantastic performance as the aloof classical pianist who tries to reconnect with her two adult daughters, both of whom she has emotionally neglected over the years in pursuit of her career. Racked with guilt, Bergman clumsily attempts to express her deep feelings of regret and love for her eldest daughter (played by the great Liv Ullman) over the course of a long awaited visit. A brilliant depiction of the corrosive discord between a parent and child, Autumn Sonata’s evocative power revealed that Sweden’s most successful director was still a master at intense melodrama by appropriating both he and Ingrid’s own personal challenges with mediating family, love, art and career.
Rich Hill There is a rich documentary film tradition that has chronicled our nation’s struggle to address the sources and solutions to the pervasiveness of systemic poverty and income inequality. Films like Roger and Me, Poor Kids: An Intimate Portrait of America’s Economic Crisis, Two Nations of Black America, American Dream, The Queen of Versailles, The Corporation, Harlan County, USA, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Down and Out in America, Inside Job, have all in their unique perspectives attempted to shine a critical light on the political, cultural and socioeconomic forces that contribute to endemic hardship in a country where national rhetoric and historical myth about opportunity often run counter to the research data about access to resources, class privilege and wealth accumulation. We can now add the new film Rich Hill to that list, a grim but humane film that details the everyday struggles of several families in the tiny town of Rich Hill, MO. The film focuses on three young men who are entering their coming of age years, fraught and complicated in any context, but for them, the difficulties of growing up without financial advantages are compounded by their parents’ struggle
with chronic unemployment, health problems and incarceration. Each boy clings to the idea that the American Dream is real and attainable even when the statistics are clearly working against the likelihood that the boys will escape such cyclical poverty. While the film concentrates on a very small town, much of the film can be read as a reflection of the challenges facing large swaths of both rural and urban cities alike.
Still Walking The Japanese film Still Walking is a beautiful portrait of a strained but loving family whose complicated history unfolds over a single day under the specter of death and grief. While this may turn away those who seek out escapist fare in their moviewatching experience, the film avoids the trappings of being too grim. With its un-rushed lyricism and thoughtful pacing, the wonderful dialogue unpacks our characters’ anger, regret and nostalgic yearning for what could have been and what never will be. The film never feels preachy or heavy handed. It simply explores how each family member deals with loss and conflict, often through aloof and insensitive ways that only deepen long-standing wounds. Catharsis is depicted as problematic, messy and much more difficult to bring about than any self-help manual would suggest. The message here is that Hollywood endings have no place in the real world and that’s what you’re going to get with this highly personal work from Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda. Set in a hilly, coastal town, the Yokoyama family meets each year to remember their son and brother who died in a drowning accident some 15 years before. It’s an opportunity to eat (and eat they do), catch up on gossip, visit the grave and introduce the parents to new family members. Fathers and sons will spar over legacies, husbands and wives will recall past infidelities, and a young boy will begin to understand his own heartache within a broader context. Fans of films like Tokyo Story and Yi Yi will enjoy Still Walking’s intelligent slice of life approach to exploring the dynamics of family drama. Reviews by Ryan Gage, Kalamazoo Public Library. These great titles are available from the Kalamazoo Public Library.
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Carnegie Hill, to the cobblestone streets of Little Italy, to the snowy plains and white-capped lakes of northern Minnesota, these devoted lovers join and separate, until, finally, the power of their love brings them together in a touching finale.
The Inheritor’s Powder
Book Reviews Book Reviews by the Portage District Library staff The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani Based partially on Trigiani’s grandparent’s life, this sprawling story set at the turn of the twentieth century follows two teenagers’ lives from the small villages in the Italian Alps, to New York City and finally to the plains of northern Minnesota. Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a hardworking, fun loving young man who grew up working for the sisters in a small convent near Enza’s family in the mountains of northern Italy, meet as teenagers and fall in love. When Ciro catches the local priest in a scandal, he is banished from his village and sent to hide in America as an apprentice to a shoemaker in Little Italy. Not know-
ing what happened to Ciro, Enza too, is forced to go to America with her father to earn enough money to support their struggling family. In New York, Ciro masters shoemaking and Enza takes a factory job in Hoboken, then works her way to becoming a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House. Fate intervenes and the two are reunited, but Ciro has volunteered to serve in World War I and Enza, determined to forge a life without him, continues her impressive career at the Metropolitan Opera House enjoying a glamorous life in Manhattan and creating costumes for the internationally acclaimed Italian singing star, Enrico Caruso. From the mountain cliff villages of the Italian Alps to the stately mansions of
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by In Sandra Hempel Fans of many genres will be pleased with The Inheritor’s Powder, a stranger-than-fiction true story about a rich and very poisoned family patriarch. Fleshed out with a cast worthy of any soap opera or crime drama, could the deed have been done by the slacker pretty boy grandson or the maid in debt? Would the crime be solved by the dedicated but underpaid chemist using forensic tactics that revolutionized analytical chemistry? The author explains the mid 1800’s so that readers can truly understand the setting. Though she goes off the main point to explain some aspect in more detail, she always brings it back to the murder mystery. Full of interesting characters, plot twists, courtroom drama and enough science to explain what’s happening without bogging down the plot, this is a highly readable book for fans of history, forensics, or crime mystery dramas.
Alien Hunter by Whitley Strieber Is this book a Mystery? Science Fiction? A Thriller? Actually, it is all three. When police detective Flynn Carroll’s young wife vanishes in the middle of the night, his investigation reveals a string of similar disappearances and draws the attention of Special Agent Diana Glass, a member of the most secret police unit on the planet. Without fully understanding what Glass and her team are doing, Flynn steps in and discovers a world of frustrating secrets and much danger. Because Strieber is a veteran alien writer with his Communion series, he delivers a professionally written action novel. Carroll is cast as the perfect hero: intelligent, experienced in dealing with bad guys, good with guns, strong, indefatigable and pretty much impervious to pain. The plot is laid out at the beginning and does not deviate even though there are a few surprises. This is a solid foundation for a series that has a lot of potential. The second book, “Alien Hunter: Underground” is available at the library as well. 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.
december 2014
The mantra of “Buy Local” is becoming increasingly common. We see the phrase associated with just about everything we can buy nowadays. But why do we hear this so much? Why does it matter if something is actually local? Surely in the age of an interconnected and global economy, any product we could ever need is just a click away, right? Although it is true we have an infinite number of products available to us in large box stores and over the internet, there are some very important reasons why buying local is a wise decision.
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owners are also much more knowledgeable about their own products and services.
Why buy
Investing in the Community: Buying local keeps dollars in the local economy. Locally owned businesses are, well, owned by people that live in the community they serve. Having locals own the business in their community keeps them emotionally and financially invested in the community. They are not as likely to leave, and they help keep the community unique. In addition, if locally owned businesses can buy local themselves, this greatly increases the community’s strength and viability.
Buying local is good for communities, the environment, and the buyer. On Saturday, December 13, the Kalamazoo Nature Center will be hosting the Buy Local Art & Gift Fair. The event features top-quality work from more than 50 local artisans in a fun and festive atmosphere surrounded by the beautiful winter woods. KNC supports buying local and gives back to the community by offering free admission all day long. The event is from 9am to 4pm. More information can be found at www.NatureCenter.org.
Local?
Reducing Environmental Impact: Transportation is one of the largest stressors to our environment. More transportation equals more congestion, more urban sprawl, and more habitat degradation. Local businesses also take up little infrastructure, use less energy, and help reduce the wear on our transportation infrastructure thereby saving tax dollars. Better Buying Atmosphere: Competition from many small businesses drives down prices and promotes innovation without having to sell low-quality items at bulk pricing from manufacturers overseas. Furthermore, large national stores also sell things based on their own interests and national demand, not local needs. Finally, local business owners are more invested in their communities. This means they care much more about the buyer’s experience and take the time to get to know their customers. Local
Buy Local Art & Gift Fair Saturday, December 13 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Kalamazoo Nature Center Top quality work from more than fifty local artisans in a fun and festive atmosphere surrounded by the beautiful winter woods. Hosted by the Kalamazoo Nature Center
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HEALTHY LIVING :
to weight gain. Specifically, calories from alcohol provide calories empty from any important nutrients and can quickly add to our waistlines. Try to drink water before eating to help you feel full and to decrease calories from alcoholic beverages. Remember to keep to 1 serving of alcohol for women and 2 for men.
Healthy
Eating
Keep your holiday treats to one day - While yes, it is called the holiday season, try to keep food-related celebrations to just the day of the event. Leave those leftovers, especially high calorie desserts, for someone else to eat. Most of all, remember each day is a new start, put what you had yesterday behind you and get back to that healthy lifestyle plan.
during the
Holidays
Lexie Timpson MS, RDN, CDE • YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo-Maple Branch • (269) 345 9622 x 160
The holidays are always a great time of year, with lots of family, friends, and of course food! So how can we stay healthy with so many wonderful gatherings in such a short time frame? Being a dietitian, and loving to eat delicious holiday treats, here are some of the tips that I live by throughout the holiday season.
Moderation - I believe strongly in moderation throughout the year, and that we can eat anything depending on the amount. This becomes especially important as we are tempted with treats and special meals that we may only have once a year. So enjoy those treats, but keep a limit such as only taking one plate of food at each meal or a smaller slice of pie and savoring each bite. Maybe even have a family “don’t
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clean your plate challenge” and see who can resist the temptation of just one more bite that is often the one bite too many.
Wear fitted clothes – Sounds silly, but when there isn’t room for your stomach to grow and you can’t loosen the belt one more notch we tend to eat less. Leave the comfy clothes in the closet and put on that fun party dress. Eat breakfast – We often think we can save some calories the day of a big event by having a lighter breakfast, or no breakfast at all right? Well, people that typically skip a meal before a holiday celebration are more likely to overeat and consume more calories than if they would have eaten a healthy meal before going to a holiday occasion. Watch your calories from beverages – When we drink our calories, we often can increase our calorie consumption without feeling full and therefore lead
Enjoy the real reason of the holidays – Remember why we are all getting together, and take the time to enjoy each other rather than what we are putting on our plates. Tips to lighten the calorie content of recipes: Use Splenda or a sugar substitute instead of sugar Broth instead of oil to keep vegetables from sticking Unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin pie filling instead of oil when baking Whipped butter or cream cheese instead of regular Skim or low-fat milk instead of whole Angel food cake rather than regular cake Evaporated milk rather than heavy cream Non-fat Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese or sour cream Two egg whites instead of a whole egg Fat-free whipped topping instead of whipped cream Sugar-free pudding instead of original pudding mix Black beans instead of flour in brownies One tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar with one cup skim milk for buttermilk
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Meaty
Tasty Chicken Tapas 1/3 cup plum jelly, jam or preserves 1 ounce soy sauce, low sodium 1 ounce rice vinegar 1 ounce BBQ sauce Cayenne powder, to taste 1 small onion 1/2 cup Panko or oatmeal 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional) 1 egg
Treats! by Laura Kurella
Well, the holidays, they is upon us and, no matter how old I get, I still fret over the little things more than I should – at least when it comes to food that is. I personally think that good appetizers are a staple to any good gathering and the older I get, the more convinced I become. So much so, in fact, I’ve written an entire cookbook on the subject - Fabulous! Tiny Bites...and beverages (AJoyin Publishing 2011). There are a number of factors that cause me to harvest this belief, with the first being that as we age, our appetites tend to get smaller. Appetizers are perfect for us oldies-but-goodies and for youngsters too, because they have smaller appetites, as well. Older kids tend to be finicky so, appetizers are a good way to go with them because if they don’t like it, there won’t be a plate full of
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food being tossed into the trash - or handed under the table to the dog! Most especially, appetizers work well with adults because with so many people on specialized, restricted diets, serving appetizers offers a way to provide numerous choices to your guests, especially those with critical issues with nuts or flours.
1 tablespoon olive oil 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs—ground Cooking spray 1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into cubes 8 ounces pineapple chunks, in its own juice Garnish: Fresh chives, snipped (optional)
In a small, heavy saucepan over medium high heat, combine plum jelly, soy sauce, rice vinegar, BBQ sauce and cayenne powder. Bring to a boil then simmer until reduced to a thick sauce—approximately 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse onion, Panko or oatmeal, paprika, pepper, if using, egg and olive oil until thoroughly combined. Add chicken and pulse just until well combined. Using a tablespoon-sized scoop, divide chicken mixture into approximately 12 mounds then shape into mini patties. Coat a heavy skillet with cooking spray then place over medium heat. Brown patties on each side until cooked through—about 2.5 minutes per side—then remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, add bell pepper and pineapple then saute until desired tenderness. Assemble skewers by placing a slice of bell pepper on top of the chicken patty then top with a chunk of pineapple. Run a skewer down through all of them then plate and drizzle with sauce. Sprinkle with fresh chives, if desired. Turn off crock and let rest. (I left mine all night and had amazingly moist bread in the morning!) Approximate servings per recipe: 24. Nutrition per serving: Calories 108; Fat 5g; Sodium 98 mg; Carbohydrates 14g; Fiber 1g; Sugar 7g; Protein 3g.
For more on this and other cooking subjects, look for Laura on Facebook at LAURA KURELLA COOKS! Contact Laura at: laurakurella@yahoo.com . For more great recipes, visit laurakurella.com. Laura is host of Radio Recipes- a LIVE show that airs Tues. mornings at 7:15 am (EST) at 99.3 FM - True Oldies radio
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Smith Carlton Kalamazoo’s Last Remaining Civil War Soldier for eight days so his friend wouldn’t be alone while dying from typhoid fever.
“I was 13 years old but keen for war and it seemed a weary wait until I could slip into the ranks of the volunteers... I made good and did my bit with the best. I gained promotion and honorable mention and have lived to enjoy the fruits of war.” Years later, that was how Smith Carlton, the last surviving Civil War soldier from Kalamazoo County, remembered his military service. Little did he know that, as a lad of 13, he would one day become one of Kalamazoo’s most well-known and beloved veterans of that war. Carlton joined the Union Army—the 28th Michigan Infantry—in February 1865 for a one-year stint at the age of 17. He saw combat near Wilmington, Del., was with troops who chased Confederate Gen. Joseph Johnston to Raleigh, N.C., and stayed with a bunkmate
When the war ended, he remained in North Carolina with a Reconstruction contingent where he said, “the forces were constantly annoyed by the bush-wackers and the guerillas and the desperados of Southern malcontent.” After his discharge in February 1866, he returned home to Comstock where he taught school, eventually becoming head of that district in 1895. It was his association with the Kalamazoo Post of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a national Civil War veterans’ association, that brought him lasting recognition. The GAR was created in 1867, dedicated to principles of charity, fraternity, and loyalty, and to preserve the friendships formed during the war. In time, the GAR became a powerful political force lobbying for benefits for veterans and their widows. Carlton joined Kalamazoo’s GAR Orcutt Post No. 79 in 1882, and was elected Orcutt post commander in 1932 and com-
mander of the Michigan GAR in 1937. During those years and following, he became the face of the Civil War in Kalamazoo County. He made more than 300 appearances, gave numerous speeches, attended fund-raising events, marched in parades, and visited veterans’ hospitals. On a number of occasions, he met with Confederate comrades to reminisce about shared memories and to return captured battle flags. By 1940 the last two Civil War veterans in Kalamazoo County were Lewis Sergeant and Carlton. Sergeant died that year, giving Carlton the distinction of being Kalamazoo’s last surviving Civil War veteran. He was one of only 63 surviving veterans in the state out of the 80,865 Michigan men who served. Carlton’s advancing age never stopped him. In 1943 at the age of 96, he spent his birthday at Fort Custer in Augusta, getting a taste of modern army life. He told one reporter covering the story, “This has been my most thrilling birthday since the spring of 1865 when I ran away from home to join the Union Army.” Sadly, just seven months later, this honored veteran was fatally injured after being hit by a motorist in Kalamazoo. His funeral was one of the largest ever in Kalamazoo County. Carlton was buried with full military honors, praised with heart- felt words and stories from citizens, friends, and veterans throughout the county. One speaker reminded the mourners to “never forget the passing of a soldier—the honors of his country belong to him.” Smith Carlton has not been forgotten. museON. Reprinted with permission from the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. The museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its Board of Trustees. For more information about the museum visit www.kalamazoomuseum.org.
This passenger pigeon was caught in the Petoskey area in the 1870s, the site of one of the last and largest nesting grounds for the bird in Michigan. This specimen was donated to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in 1963.
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This Creative Professional is always Learning Madeleine Lakatos Fojtik graduated from Adrian College in 1982 with a BFA and recently a MA in Education Technology from Western Michigan University. She thinks of herself as a creative professional with broad-based knowledge and experience in digital and print graphic design, art direction, marketing and instructional design. Her current job at WMU as the Assistant Director of Marketing for Student Affairs Communication
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requires a variety of skills including graphic and multi media design. Madeleine enjoys working at WMU in an environment that fosters learning. Outside of WMU, Madeleine works in watercolor, pastels, photography, and because of her graphic design background, she tends to gravitate toward working on the computer in digital design. One of her big art inspirations was her great grandfather Arthur L. Halmi who was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1866. Her father showed her a set of pastel chalks when she was very young. They had belonged to her great grandfather and many were worn no bigger then the size of her little finger. Halmi won a scholarship to study in Paris and later came to the U.S. where he painted portraits of William Howard Taft, Mrs. William Randolph Hearst and other famous people. Madeleine never knew the magnitude of her great grandfather’s talent until she was an adult. The drawing in the middle, above, was done by her great grandfather. Madeleine lives in Vicksburg with her husband Joe, and raised three children there. Her art can be seen at Amy Zane: Store & Studio on the Kalamazoo Mall and she can be reached at mlfojtik@gmail.com
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Salvation Army Cadet, Jessica Martinez and Alex Jokich from the Channel 3 News Team.
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a giving heart and the ring of a bell add up big for area families By Dave Person – david.r.person@gmail.com
You see and hear them every Christmas season in front of stores as you do your holiday shopping. Salvation Army bell-ringers taking a stand against hunger and hopelessness, reminding shoppers, with every upward and downward thrust of their hand, of the true meaning of Christmas. Each clang of their bell is an invitation to pause for a moment, pull out your wallet or reach in your purse, and give a gift, no matter how small or insignificant, to someone in need. It all adds up.
“There’s too much feeling of ‘for myself’ and you have to have a feeling of ‘for others,’” he says. “This (bell-ringing) will definitely give it to you.” – Ron Refior
Last year in the Kalamazoo area, upwards of 500 people rang Salvation Army bells seeking donations for its Red Kettle Campaign.
The result? About $150,000 that helped several area families in need to have a merrier Christmas. So where do the bell-ringers come from? They might be there on behalf of a company, service club or youth group. They might be a family or an individual. They could be school groups, or they could
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even be people who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law and are working out their court-ordered community service. “We love it when they sing and dance, people that are colorful, who like to dress up for the holidays,” says Craig Smith, director of development and volunteers for the Salvation Army in Kalamazoo. Shoppers at Big Lots, 4425 S. Westnedge Avenue at Kilgore Road, get to enjoy the high-energy antics of Don McKissic, also known as Mr. Jingles, every Christmas season. McKissic has been a staple there for several years now and brings in a lot of donations for the Salvation Army. In reality, though, the Salvation Army doesn’t expect all of its bell-ringers to be entertainers. The only requirement for the job is that they have “a good attitude and a good heart,” Smith says. That’s an accurate description of Ron Refior, 74, of Portage, who has been ringing the bell for the Salvation Army for the last four Christmas seasons, including this year. You’ll find him four hours a week at the D&W Fresh Market at 525 Romence Road in Portage and six hours at the D&W at 2103 Parkview Avenue in Kalamazoo. Every ring of his bell is a reminder of his late wife, Rosanna, and her legacy of caring for others. “She really did things for other people, and I did things for me,” he says. After her death in 2011 he woke up to the fact that she was the one who had it right all along. “There’s too much feeling of ‘for myself’ and you have to have a feeling of ‘for others,’” he says. “This (bell-ringing) will definitely give it to you.” The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign is not unique to Kalamazoo, nor is it a new idea. It has its roots in a brainstorm that Salvation Army Capt. Joseph McFee came up with in 1891 in San Francisco. With a goal of meeting the needs of 1,000 poor and hungry individuals on Christmas Day, he hearkened back to his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England, when an iron kettle was positioned at a busy boat landing, providing an opportunity for passers-by to toss in coins that would be used to provide food, clothing and shelter for the poor. So he put a kettle at a busy ferry dock there in San Francisco and added a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” That they did, and by Christmas, McFee was able to meet his goal of caring for 1,000 people. The idea of putting out a kettle spread across the United States until today when the Salvation Army, through its Red Kettle Campaign, is able to assist more than four-and-a-half million people during Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. Other countries also have begun their own Red Kettle Campaigns. Nowadays, according to Smith, the local Salvation Army, through its Christmas Campaign, which includes the Red Kettle Campaign, raises more than $500,000 a year and assists about 12,000 households during the holidays, and 3,000 to 4,000
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households year-round. “It is our largest fund-raiser,” he says. The Red Kettle Campaign generally begins the weekend before Thanksgiving, except for years like this year and last year when Thanksgiving is particularly late in November. Then it begins two weekends before Thanksgiving in select locations. Among the major stores that welcome Salvation Army bell-ringers are D&W Fresh Markets, Harding’s Friendly Markets, Hobby Lobby, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, Macy’s and J.C. Penney. The Salvation Army is always looking for bell-ringers, so anyone still wanting to give a gift of themselves to the needy for Christmas this year can call the Kettle Hotline at (269) 743-0834 or register online at tsakalamazoo.org/kalamazoo/ ring-bells.
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Home Winterization tuesday
• Emergency supply of canned goods and necessities. • Bottled water. • Battery powered/portable radio. • Cell phone. • Stock up on medications you may need. • Extra warm clothing, including boots, mitten and a hat.
Ice, snow and cold temperatures can make life challenging. Slippery sidewalks and by Brian Penny, Tuesday Toolman cold weather can cause a wide range of injuries and illnesses- especially for older adults and individuals with disabilities. It is important to safeguard against the common causes of cold weather.
Snow Shoveling
When the weather outside is frightful….
toolmen
• Offer your phone number for emergency calls and check on the elderly regularly to make sure they are safe. • Arrange for someone to shovel and de-ice their walkways and steps. • During extreme conditions, inquire if they need transportation to and from medical appointments or to the grocery store. • Make sure they have emergency supplies on hand.
Avoid Fatal Mistakes That Could Cause Home Fires Home fires are one of the most common causes of winter fatalities among older adults. • Keep curtains, clothing, blankets and other combustible materials at least three feet away from space heaters. • NEVER use kerosene heaters or stoves to heat your home. • Make sure all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order and check the batteries throughout the home.
Cold Weather Kit Plan ahead for winter power outage that may leave you without heat or electricity and always have: • Plenty of warm blankets. • Candles and working flashlights.
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If you need to shovel driveways and walkways, take special precautions. The easiest option is to hire someone to do the work. If this is not an option, seniors should go slow, lift small amounts of snow and take frequent breaks. A sturdy lightweight shovel can be used to “push” rather than lift the snow. Individuals with compromised health or heart conditions should not shovel snow. If you feel dizzy or heavy in the chest stop shoveling immediately and seek medical attention.
Avoid Slips Falling is one of the biggest health hazards that seniors face in the winter months. When venturing out in the winter months dress in layers and wear gloves. Make sure to wear sturdy, low heeled shoes with non-skid rubber soles. Stay clear of unshoveled sidewalks and hilly terrain. If you are unsure if a walkway is slippery, proceed cautiously and walk with your toes pointed outward, taking short, flat steps (like a penguin.) Remove your shoes immediately upon entering your home to avoid indoor falls caused by slippery, wet soles. Use Rock Salt: Frequently salt your steps and walkway. Stay dry: Immediately change out of wet clothes to avoid feeling chilled. Drink wisely: Stay hydrated, but avoid alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, which can alter perceptions of actual body warmth. Have a phone handy: Cell or cordless house phone when doing any activity outside around the house, i.e. shoveling, getting the mail or taking your pet out. Brian Penny is a member of Tuesday Toolmen, a group of volunteers who work with the Home Repair Department of Senior Services to provide home safety checks, minor home repairs, and alterations to homes to allow senior citizens to stay safely in their own homes.
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Couple Finds Balance in Volunteering
course. So for the last seven years, one or two days a week, they deliver meals on the city’s East side. But that’s hardly the extent of their volunteer spirit. Carol also volunteers for Loaves and Fishes, the Portage Police Department Davcliff Neighborhood Watch, the Kalamazoo Area Newcomers Club, St. Catherine of Siena Church, and is a tutor at the SLD Center.
Jerry and Carol Ebel have known each other since elementary school in Allen Park, Michigan. Both attended Eastern Michigan University, married in 1970, and raised two children in Kalamazoo. So it’s only natural that they continue to do things together after retiring in 2007. Instead of travel so common among retired couples, they opted to volunteer together. And volunteer they do, giving their time to a multitude of programs for Senior Services RSVP program, their church and other agencies and organizations. “We have volunteered most of our lives, even while working,” said Jerry, who retired from Parker Hannifin Pneumatic where he worked for 23 years. “When I retired I thought, ‘What should I do?’ I thought food. I started at the Loaves and Fishes warehouse, but those aches and pains started and now I work in the pantry.” Carol had 27 different jobs over the years and says that she “retired from working, not necessarily a specific job.” Among her employers were Senior Services and — her last job — the Portage Senior Center. “My jobs were based on family needs,” she said. “If I needed to be home for the children, for example, or if we needed extra money. I worked part-time for many years.”
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Volunteering: By Bill Krasean RSVP Advisory Council Volunteer
The Ebels joined RSVP in 2008 and one of Jerry’s first volunteer gigs was as a driver for Meals on Wheels. RSVP – Your Invitation to Volunteer, a national service program of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan, connects older adult volunteers with area organizations. It wasn’t long before Jerry wanted to change from driver to being the Meals on Wheels hopper — the person who delivers the hot lunches to clients. And who would be his ideal driver? Carol, of
Jerry also volunteers for the Salvation Army at Christmas time, several Knights of Columbus programs and activities and St. Catherine of Siena where they are both ushers. “I volunteer because there is a need,” Jerry said. “We see people who are truly in need of a helping hand. I’m a basic person and there is nothing more basic than food, clothing and shelter.” The fact that Carol had many different jobs throughout the community gave her a variety of skills, which she now uses in her volunteering. Neither can understand why other retirees, especially those who admit to being bored, don’t realize the personal satisfaction that comes from being a volunteer. “For me I’ve come to realize that the community has given me a lot and now it’s time to give back,” Carol said. “Why not use the skills of a lifetime to help others? Jerry always seeks balance. We volunteer. We have time for ourselves. We have time for the kids and the grandkids. We live a balanced life.” More information about RSVP and volunteer opportunities for older adults at Senior Services of Southwest Michigan is available from Tracie Wheeler at 269-382-0515.
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strange weddings
{
I am fascinated with quirky old stories, and over the years, working in the newspaper industry, I have accumulated more than 500 of these little gems. This is the latest installment in a series, with more to come in future issues of Spark.
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Local Man Had Too Many Wives Donald Coe of Kalamazoo and Battle Creek languished in jail, bound over to circuit court on a bigamy charge, while his two wives, who met Tuesday for the first time, got acquainted. Coe said his work kept him in Kalamazoo part of the time and in Battle Creek the rest of the time. He maintained a wife and house in each town. His wives, Mrs. Emma Fornay Coe of Kalamazoo, whom he married two years go, and Mrs. Helen Carlisle Coe, his Battle Creek bride of four months, sat side by side in court. October 9, 1935
Youthful Sisters Wed Farmer and Son Englishtown, N.J. - Two youthful sisters will wed a 60-year-old farmer and his 22-year-old son, next month. The farmer, William Tilton, of Gravel Hill, will marry Julia Scott, 22 of Tracy Station, while his son Ernest, will marry Celia Scott, 18, in a double church ceremony.
Woman Teacher, 49, Bride of Pupil, 19 Niagara Falls, N.Y. - A classroom romance between a 49-yeasr-old teacher and her 19-year-old pupil was disclosed Saturday when the pair obtained a marriage license. The parents of Leslie William Hodge, who graduated from Niagara Falls high school on Tuesday, signed consent for the marriage. June 27, 1936
Gets Married as He Waits to Start 5-15 Year Term Judge John Hollander married Sidney Payne, 24, of Lincoln Court, who was sentenced by Judge George Weimer to the Southern Michigan in Jackson for a term of 5 to 15 years, Wednesday to 18-year–old Irene French, Eaton Rapids. The bride, accompanied by her mother, visited the clerk’s office, to arrange for the marriage license. June 18, 1936
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{ Business Profile }
Bookbug
service general bookstore (more than doubling in size and inventory). Joanna and Derek continue to operate at a growing pace, celebrating and encouraging community around the best in new books for adults and children. Bookbug was founded in 2008 soon after Joanna Parzakonis and Derek Molitor moved from New York (fueled by their desire to open the bookstore, the announcement of the Kalamazoo Promise and their being wholly impressed by Kalamazoo as a growing, rich and vibrant artistic and educational hub of the Midwest.) They opened in not the best of economic times, but by starting small, curating only the best in children’s literature and nurturing school and community relationships, they survived and thrived through a rougher economic time than they had planned. Since then, Bookbug has quickly grown into a full
This year, Bookbug unveiled a new logo as an emblem of the work and passion brought to a small bookstore that could and the amazing book-loving town that has empowered its incredible growth. A full listing of upcoming events and new favorite books can be seen at bookbugkalamazoo.com or on their Facebook page.
3019 Oakland Dr., Oakwood Plaza • 385-2847 Hours: M-F 10-7, Sa 10-7, Su 12-5 • bookbugkalamazoo.com
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Home for the Holidays! For many of us, the holidays offer a once-a-year time to visit with elderly relatives. Given that 1 in 10 older Americans are abused and neglected, your local Elder Abuse Prevention Coalition, along with the National Center on Elder Abuse wants everyone to know what they should be looking for when visiting elderly loved ones to ensure they are aging with respect and dignity. Remember that abuse and neglect can happen to anyone, regardless of their income, cognitive ability, or stature in the community.
*Caregiver has problems with drugs, alcohol, anger and/ or emotional instability • Caregiver is financially dependent on older person • Senior seems afraid of the caregiver • Senior has unexplained bruises, cuts, or bedsores from lying in one place too long • Senior appears dirty, undernourished, dehydrated, over or under medicated, not receiving care for medical problems
Self Neglect – If the senior lives alone and does not
neglect and your loved one lives in the community, call Adult Protective Services. If the person lives in a licensed facility, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. If you aren’t sure where to start, call your local Area Agency on Aging’s Information & Assistance program that can also help to sort out community supportive service options.
have anyone providing assistance, self-neglect may become an issue. Some things to look for include: • Senior appears confused • Senior is no longer able to handle meal preparations, bathing, bill paying • Senior seems depressed • Senior is falling frequently • Senior appears undernourished, dehydrated, undermedicated or is not getting care for problems such as eyesight, hearing, dental problems, incontinence, etc.
Neglect or Abuse by Others – If the senior lives with others or has someone coming in to help, neglect or abuse may become an issue. Some things to look for include: • Presence of “new best friend” who is willing to care for the senior for little or no cost. • Recent changes in banking or spending patterns • Person is isolated from friends and family
What should you do? If you suspect abuse or
From all of us at the Area Agency on Aging IIIA, we wish you a most wonderful Holiday Season.
MI Adult Protective Services 24 hour hot line – 855-444-3911 Eldercare Locator (for resources outside of Kalamazoo & MI): 800-677-1116 or www. eldercare.gov Local Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program : 269-373-5161
Judy Sivak, MSW Director, Area Agency on Aging IIIA, 3299 Gull Rd., Kalamazoo, Phone: 269-373-5173 (Info & Assistance Line) www.Kalcounty.com/aaa
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Kalamazoo Indoor Flea & Farmers Market One of my favorite local places is Kalamazoo Indoor Flea and Farmers Market at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center on Lake St. The Market is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 8am to 2pm. The Holiday Flea Market will be open on Saturday , Dec 20 from 8am-3pm. This is a great spot for all of the local “pickers” and collectors to meet each week and sell their “finds.”
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PICKERS
You never know what you might find. On a Tuesday in November, there were tables of old tools, books, post cards, bottles, fishing lures, and hundreds of other items. The prices tend to be much more reasonable than what you might see at the larger antique shows in the area. If you have a garage or basement full of things you would like to get rid of, give Mandy Eldred at the Expo Center a call (269 383-8778) and find out easy and it expensive it is to become a dealer. Photos, featured left to right: Top row: Wally, Gene Autry, Shirley. Bottom row: David and Alexandra, Ed and Fran, Karen, Rich, Bob and Bill.
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Thanks for a great year!
All 2014 issues (2012 & 2013, too) can be read at swmspark.com
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4-Chorus Holiday Concert December 13, 2014 Comstock Community Auditorium Shows at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm Mall City Harmonizers • Cereal City Barbershop Chorus (Battle Creek) Mid-Lakes Sweet Adelines Chorus (Plainwell) • Battle Creek Sweet Adelines
Every year, I cannot wait to pick up the new calendar published by Craig Vestal and the folks at Portage Printing. The calendar is a collaboration between Portage Printing and the WMU Archives and Regional History Collections and is full of great old photographs from the area.
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They are available at Portage Printing, 1116 W. Centre in Portage, while supplies last.
All of the Mall City Harmonizers’ net proceeds from this concert will go to benefit a wonderful organization. One which was derived from WMU’s ROTC program: Broncos For Heroes - www.BroncosForHeroes.org. This hard working group of volunteers sends “Care packages” to service members serving overseas...among other outreaches. 100% of all donations made to them go to their very worthwhile cause!
For more information about this great event www.BarbershopHarmony.org
(269) 615-8796
(Mall City Harmonizers is a Michigan Non-Profit organization)
HOLIDAY PERMS
HOLIDAY COLOR
*Long Hair extra. One coupon per customer per visit. Coupons not valid with any other offer.
*Long Hair extra. One coupon per customer per visit. Coupons not valid with any other offer.
EXPIRES 12/31/14
EXPIRES 12/31/14
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$
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95* $ SPK
95* SPK
For your convenience, we will be open on Saturday, December 6 and 13. Santa will be visiting on the 13th from 12pm to 3pm. We will be closed for the holidays from Dec. 20 - Jan. 3. We will reopen on Jan. 5 ... Happy Holidays!
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Tales
from the
road
~ put-in-bay, ohio ~
The town is made up of a few dozen Victorian era buildings, many of which are bars and restaurants packed with people waiting in line to get inside. We had heard that this was once a big “party” island but it had been reined in to now being more “family friendly.” Across from the stores is a nice shady park and marina with hundreds of large boats. Once in town, we found bikes and enjoyed getting away from the large crowds and taking a gorgeous bike ride around the island. We passed dozens of 18th century mansions with views of Middle Bass Island and Kelly’s Island off in the distance. The main means of transportation on the island is the bicycle or golf cart. A very colorful looking three-wheeled golf cart was tempting to rent, but none were available.
By Steve Ellis I have always enjoyed visiting the various islands off the shores of Lake Michigan. A few years back, a friend asked if I had ever been to Put-in-Bay Island located in Lake Erie. I had not, so on a trip to Cedar Point, we made a side trip to see what it was all about. Put-In-Bay Island is in Ohio, about a four-hour drive from Kalamazoo. It has been a tourist attraction since the 1860’s and attracts over 1.5 million visitors a year.
We arrived there by taking the Highway 80 Turnpike through Indiana and Ohio, then heading north on Highway 53 through Port Clinton to the small village of Catawba. Before taking the ferry to Put-In-Bay, we drove around this resort peninsula, which includes a handful of small lakeside towns with many fun tourist attractions. We passed a giant green dinosaur and other large cement statues on our way to Marblehead Lighthouse, one of the most photographed lighthouses along the great lakes shores. A great place to picnic or walk along the rocky shore. The 18-minute ferry ride (millerferries.com) leaves Catawba every hour from March through early November. You pass small islands to your right and approach the southern rocky cliff side of the island. We hiked up the hill and followed the throng of tourists on a two-mile walk into town. We stopped at a bike and golf rental place, only to be told that this was a busy weekend and that just about everything on the island was rented. We were told along the way that this late July weekend was Christmas in July! We continued walking, getting hotter and hotter until a local in an SUV felt sorry for us and stopped and offered us a ride into town.
Some of the other highlights of the island include charter fishing, a museum, gem mining, an antique car museum, cave tours, a chocolate museum, wine tasting and a butterfly house. There are also 55 places to stay on the island. After visiting Put-in-Bay Island, even though there are attractions for kids such as go kart racing and miniature golf, the main group of tourists appeared to be couples spending the night or groups coming over to party for the day. Overall we had a very fun time but may consider the more laid back Kelly’s Island the next time we head to Cedar Point.
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Each year, just in time for the holiday season, an empty storefront is transformed into a vibrant art gallery featuring work in glass, metal, clay, leather, fiber, handmade paper, mixed media, paint, photography, pastel and jewelry. The annual opening of this Kalamazoo, Michigan gallery has become a highlight for the artistic community and for many of our customers. Signature artists invite you to visit them this holiday season to view their latest work and to meet them. You will find one-ofa-kind art and unique gifts at the 35th Seasonal Gallery of the Signature Gallery. Signature is a juried co-operative of professional artists from the Southwest Michigan area, founded in 1978. Since 1981 the Signature Gallery, operated and staffed by our members, features the artwork of approximately 30 talented members Signature Artist Members include:
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Signature Gallery Celebrates 35th Year Lorrie Grainger Abdo, Melody Allen, Susan Badger, Gloria Badiner, Jan Bloom, Carol Caron, Mark Cassino, Peter Czuk, Dawn Edwards, Heidi Fahrenbacher, Carolyn Fink, Jeanne Fitzgerald, Sheila Genteman, Maryellen Hains, Gretchen Huggett, Judith Jansen, Eric Joseph, Trish Joseph, Michael Kifer, Katherine Martin, Brenda Mergen, Paul Mergen, Pam Nivala, Nancy Payne, Eve Reid, Susan Rumsey, David Smallcombe, Nancy Stroupe, Randy Walker, Tami Young, Michelle Zorich. We are pleased to announce that the Signature Gallery will be in the same location as the last two years: 4602 W. Main St., in the Westwood Plaza, at the corner of Drake Road and West Main, in the store that was formerly known as the Wild Goose Chase. This year’s Opening Day is Saturday, November 29, 2014. We invite you to come and meet the Signature Artists at the Artists Reception on Sunday, December 7, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
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Regular Hours: November 29 December 27, Monday - Saturday, 10am - 7pm; Sunday, Noon - 5pm; December 24, 10am - 3pm; December 26, 10am - 7pm; December 27, 10am - 5pm (Last Day). For additional information , please call the Gallery at (269) 337-1956. www.signature-artist.com Story submitted by Dawn Edwards
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community calendar SPECIAL EVENTS
Art Hop, Dec 5 Downtown Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Indoor Flea & Farmers Mkt- Kal County Expo Center, Every Tue & Wed. Special Holiday Flea Market, Sat Dec 20 , 8am-3pm Kal County Expo Center Greens Sale, Sat, Dec 5 (9am-6pm), Sat, Dec 6 (9am2pm) 61st year, Kalamazoo Garden Council Kalamazoo County Expo Center Christmas Expo & Craft Show, Dec 13 (9-4) & 14 (10-4) Kalamazoo County Expo Center FREE Schoolcraft Community Library, Jubilee of Trees Punch and Cookie Celebration, 6-7:30 pm 679-5959 for info Parchment Wassailing, Wed, Dec 3, 6-8pm Festivities begin at 6pm at the Parchment Community Library 381-8636 for info Buy Local Art & Gift Fair, Dec 13, 9am-4pm, Kalamazoo Nature Center Kalamazoo Record and CD Show, Dec 14, 11am-4pm, Kal County Expo Center FREE Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker, Dec 2, 7pm, Miller Auditorium 387-2300 Meet The Holiday Walk Artists Night, Dec 3, 6:30pm8:30pm, W.K. Kellogg Manor House, The Jubilee Christmas Tour-Southern Gospel Tour, Dec 4, 7pm Chenery Auditorium Run Through the Lights, Gazelle Sports, Dec 4, 6:30 pm 342-5996 Late Night Broadway, Dec 4-6, 7:30pm Gilmore Theatre Complex-University Theatre KIA Holiday Art Sale, Dec 5 (4-8:30pm) Dec 6 (9am3pm) KIA Holiday and Tree Lighting Celebration, Dec 6, 7:008:30pm, Portage City Centre How the Grinch Stole Christmas-KSO & Guests Dec 7, 3pm, Chenery Auditorium BachFest Christmas, Dec 7, 4pm Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College Holidays at the Delano Homestead, Dec 7-14, 1-4pm, Kalamazoo Nature Center The Duffield /Caron Project, Dec 12, 7-9pm, Kalamazoo Valley Museum Sounds of the Season, KSO, Dec 20, 8pm, Miller Auditorium
YMCA OF GREATER KALAMAZOO
1001 W. Maple St., 269-345-9622 Classes: Registration for winter Session begins Monday, December 8 Winter Session begins Monday, January 5! Blood Pressure Clinics: Tues, Dec 2, 3p-5p, Wed, Dec 17, 11am-1:30pm, Fri, Dec 12, 10am-12pm, Diabetes Support Group, Monday, Dec 22, 1:30p2:30p. Learn information about living with diabetes, exchange recipes, and meet new friends Chapel SilverSneakers Yoga (formerly YogaStretch), Wed. 9:30am-10:30am. Members free/ $30 Community. SilverSneakers Classic (formerly Muscular Strength and Range of Movement), T/Th 11a-12p. Members free/ $58 Community. SilverSneakers Splash (formerly SilverSplash), M/W/ TH 3p-4p. Members free/ $87 Community, 2 times a week, $75 Community. Tai Chi for Arthritis, T/TH 10a-11a, $32 Mbr/$48 Community. Instr: Glenda Van Stratton. 345-9622 x127. SilverSneakers Circuit (formerly CardioCircuit), M/W 11a-12p, Members free/$58 Community SilverSneakers Cardio (formerly CardioFit) New class, T/Th, 1:30p-2:30p Members free/$58 Community Drums Alive, Wed-3-5pm, Members Free/$45 Community Zumba Gold, Fri 1:30-2:20pm, Members free, $42 Community
YMCA OF GREATER KALAMAZOO
Portage Branch 2900 West Centre Ave., 269-324-9622 Blood Pressure Clinics, Dec 2, 10:30a-12:30p. YogaStretch, Friday 11:45a-12:30p Members Free, Community $23.
Muscular Strength and Range of Movement, Monday 1p-2p, Members Free, Community $30, Wednesday/ Friday 10:30a-11:30p, Members Free/ $60 Community Soothing Yoga, Friday 9:30a-10:30a, Members $27, Community $42
COMSTOCK COMMUNITY CENTER 269-345-8556
Bell Ringer’s Choir: Mon, 10am-12pm. All levels of skill Free. Bingo: Every Thursday at 1pm. Bring a $1.00 value item in a paper sack. Free. Bridge: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month, 1pm. This is a group of experienced players. 324-2404 to sign up to play. 50 cents to play. Ceramics: Tues, 1-3pm, $5 per week includes supplies Conversation Cafe: Every Tues, Wed, Thur. at 11:30am. Enjoy a home cooked meal. Call by noon the day before to order. Cost is $5 and includes beverage. Exercise: Tues & Thur, 10:30-11:30am. Low impact exercises and all levels welcome. Cost is $2 per class. Flex/Yoga Class: Thursday’s, 9:30-10:30am. . Walkins welcome. Cost is $2. Foot Care Clinic: 2nd Monday of the month. Please call 345-8556 to make an appt. Cost is $25 per visit. Knitting and Crocheting: Every Mon and Wed, 1-3pm, FREE Line Dance: Wednesdays at 9-10:30am. Cost is $2. Massage: Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s by appointment only. Cost is $20 for 1/2 hour and $40 for hour. Mystery Lunch: 3rd Wednesday of month, 11am-3pm. Must be able to walk. Call to register. Cost is $3 and lunch cost in on your own. Out to Breakfast: 8:30am. Meal cost is on your own. Dec 2 @, Poor Richards on E. Crosstown Pkwy Out to Lunch: 11:30am. Lunch cost is on your own. Dec 26, Applebees on Gull Rd Potluck: 3rd Monday of each month at noon. Bring a dish to pass and your own tableware. Free. Stay Independent-Prevent Memory Loss: 3rd Mon. of month, 1-2pm. Different memory loss topic each month $5. Tai Chi, Mondays at 5:30pm-6:30pm $5 Texas Hold ‘em Poker: Tuesdays at 12:30 pm. Beginner’s welcome. Free. Therapeutic Swim Class: Comstock Community Center Water Class‚ meets every Tues and Thur from 1011am. (269) 552-2358. Cost is $40 for 8 week class. TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly): Every Tuesday 5pm-7pm. 383-0312. Membership is $26 annually. Zumba: Thursday’s, 6:30-7:30pm. $3 Cooking Class: 6 week class starting in January. Sign ups going on now! Got The Holiday Blues??? December 16, 12-1pm. FREE, call by Dec 11 How to Survive The Holiday Food Fest: December 12, 12-1:30 pm. Holiday Meal: December 11, 11:30am-1pm. Cost is $6 Senior Meal: December 13, 4pm. The Mall City Wings Motorcycle Group are providing a meal for seniors in the community. FREE
ECUMENICAL SENIOR CENTER
702 N. Burdick Street, 381-9750 Monday - Exercise, Free Blood pressure 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Bible Study 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday – Craft (knitting) Ceramic Class Instructor: Tina Krum Cost $4.00 per class Trip to Beauty School – 3rd Tuesdays of each month Wednesday– Bible Study 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Medicine Check 12:30 p.m. - Book Reading Thursday – Scrapbooking 10:00, Spanish Class, (six week class) and Community Prayer Circle @ 2p.m. Friday – Computer classes @10:00, Bingo @ 10:30 a.m. Lunch 12:00; 1:30 p.m. - Wii Bowling, games, and movies. Grocery Bingo- 2nd Friday in each month Monthly Birthday Celebration,
Bible Study Monday - 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Wed. 10:30 to 11:30
PLAINWELL Euchre-Tuesdays 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. singles or couples. Tai Chi M 3-4 pm $ Senior Game Day 1st Th of Month 1-4pm Mid Lake Chorus Tuesdays 6-9pm VFW 1st Monday of month 7-9pm Enhance Fitness Mon, Wed, Fri, 1-2pm Jazzercise M 6:15-7:15pm & T & Th 6-7pm $
PORTAGE SENIOR CENTER 269-329-4555
Alzheimer’s Assoc. Support Group, 7-8:30pm 3rd Tues Art Open Session, 1:00 p.m., Mon, PSC Members only. Bid Euchre & Other Cards, 6:30 p.m. Tues. New players welcome. PSC members only. Big Screen Movie: Monday, Dec 8 1:15 p.m. “The Christmas Blessing”. View the movie for free; popcorn 50 cents. Billiards – 12:30 – 4:45 p.m., Tue, Thur, Fri. Mem only. Blood Pressure Clinic, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., 2nd Thur Body Rebound, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Mon, Wed, & Fri all month. Non-aerobic exercise class. 8-weeks: $42/$52 non-mem. Register at PSC. Book Club, 2nd Monday @ 10:00 a.m. Bridge – Relaxed Pace, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Mon and Wed all month. Relaxed pace, won’t you join our group? PSC members only. Bridge, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Tues and Fri all month. Experienced players welcome. PSC Members only. Canasta Club, 1:00 p.m., Mon. Exp and beginning players welcome. Lessons available. PSC Mbrs only. Chair Volleyball Drop-in Play: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Tues The PSC offers free, drop-in play come and try it out. PSC Members only. Choir Practice, 9:30 a.m. Thurs, Community Service Van (CSV) Program Transportation, 8:30 – 1:00 p.m., Mon - Fri. Trans. available for PSC programs or PSC lunch. Call 329-4555 for apptmt Computer Tutoring: Gordon H., 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, Fri Reg at PSC, members only. Fee $10/hr. Cribbage, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Mon, no fee. You’re welcome to join our group. PSC Members only. Dining Out Club - Dinner, 5:00 p.m. Mon, Dec 1, Martel’s, 3501 Greenleaf Blvd (Formerly Black Swan). Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reg PSC 3294555 by prev bus day is required. Self-pay. Dining Out Club - Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. Tue, Dec 9, Full City Cafe, 7878 Oakland Dr. Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reservation at PSC 329-4555 by prev bus day is required. Self-pay. Dining Out Club -Lunch, 11:30 a.m. Thur, Dec 18, University Roadhouse 1332 W. Michigan, Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reserv at PSC 329-4555 by previous bus day is required. Self-pay. Dominoes, 1:00 p.m. 2nd and 4th Fri. New players welcome. PSC members only. Enhance Fitness, 8:10 – 9:10 a.m., Mon, Wed, and Fri. Improve fitness, muscle strength, & balance. 8-week: $42/$52 non-member, . Register at the PSC. Euchre, 1:45- 4:45 p.m. Wednesdays. New PSC members/players welcome. Foot Clinic, 12:15 – 4:00 p.m. Thur by appointment Hand Chimes, Thursdays, 1:00 p.m. (hand chimes provided) Hearing Screenings, Tuesday, December 16, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., appointments only 329-4555. Holiday Lunch, Thursday, Dec 18, 11:45 a.m., $1 registration fee. $3.00 donation for Senior Services lunch. Kwanzaa Presentation, Wednesday, Dec 10, 1:00 p.m. Join the fun with Kwanzaa veteran, Monifa Jumanne as PSC honors the heritage of African Americans. Register at 329-4555. Laptop Intro to Office, 10:00 – noon, Wed. 7 weeks. Instructor Royce Bland teaches a class designed for those with basic working knowledge who would like to learn how to utilize Microsoft Office $24/Members
only. Register at PSC. Loaves & Fishes Bag Recycling – Bring your plastic & paper bags to the Center the first week of the month. Lunch, 11:45 a.m. (Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri) Reservations required, call Senior Services at 382-0515. Mah Jongg, 1 p.m. Tues. New PSC members welcome. Ping-Pong, 3:30 – 4:45 p.m., Mon and Thur. Have fun and exercise at this drop-in event. Equipment provided. Members only. Pinochle Double Deck, 1:00 p.m., Friday (1st, 3rd, 5th). PSC Members only. Pinochle Single Deck, 1:00 p.m. Thur, PSC mbrs only. Poker Night – Just for Fun, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. on 2nd Tuesday. Free. Dealer’s choice poker game, call PSC for more information. PSC Members only. Portage Rotary, Noon on Wed. PSC Band Practice, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., Tues. New players welcome! For schedule or more info call 329-4555. PSC Members only. PSC Needlers, 9:00 a.m. – 12 Noon, Thursdays. Knitting and crocheting. Items made are donated to charities. New needlers welcome. PSC Trip Office, open for res (324-9239), Tues and Fri, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Quilting, 1:00-4:00p.m., Fri all month. Bring quilting supplies. New quilters welcome. Readers’ Theatre, 2nd and 4th Wed Recycled Card Project, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Tues. New PSC participants welcome, members only. Make new greeting cards from used cards. Red Hat Society, if you are interested in joining this group, contact Marie Tucker at 375-2104. Reminiscence Writing, 10:30 a.m. Wed Write and share essays/poems, family history, travels, etc Instructor: Wilma Kahn, MFA, DA. 7 wks, Fee: $32/$42 non-member, register at PSC. Scrabble, 1:00 to 4:45 p.m. 1st and 3rd Frid. New members welcome. Silver Sneakers Splash, 11:00 – 12 noon. Tues and Thurs. Aquatics based exercise program held at YMCA Portage, designed to build strength, increase range of movement. Fee: Pay at YMCA Portage, $60/7 wks. PSC or “Y” Members only. Sisterhood Group, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., 2nd Fridays. Sisterhood is a women’s social group that meets the second Friday of each month. Welcome new “sisters”. Stay Independent – Prevent Memory Loss, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., 2nd Thursday. Instr: Suzanne Gernaat, fee $7/$9 non-member per ses. A discussion/activity group T’ai Ji, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., Tues. Instructor, Ed Kehoe, 7-weeks. Fee: $42/$52 non-member. Reg. at the PSC. Three C’s: Coffee · Cards · Conversation, 2:00 p.m., 1st and 3rd Saturday. Bring a snack to pass. Information: 329-4555. Members welcome. Walkers with Walkers, 9:30 a.m. Crossroads Mall Tues. and Thurs. PSC Members only. Walking - Daily, 8:30 a.m., Mon – Sat at Crossroads Mall, Food Court entrance. Wii Bowling, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Tues. Have fun with this video game bowling league without spending $$ at an alley. PSC Members only. Woodcarving, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Tues. PSC member’s free/non-members $3.00/wk. Yoga, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Mon. 8 weeks. Christine Peckels, Location: St. Catherine’s of Siena – Stanley Center. $72/82Non-members. Zumba Gold, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Mon, 8 weeks. Instructor, Gretchen Pouliot, $26/$36 Non-members.
SENIOR SERVICES OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 269-382-0515
Lunch M-W at 11:45am. Reservations must be made by noon, one day in advance. 382-0515. (Dec 1 & 15) Mon 11:00-noon Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program: Mon-Fri, call 1-800-803-7174 for appt. Massage: Relieve stress and promote relaxation with State Licensed graduate of Health Enrichment Center; therapist Eugenia Muller, bringing 21 years of experience. Mon. 9:00am-4:00pm-30 minutes for $15. call
december 2014
269-382-0515 to schedule your apt. “Swinging with Susan” Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, M & W, ALL fitness levels. 10:00am-11:00am. Susan Iervolina. $30/7wks (14 classes) TOPS for Seniors. Mon. Lose weight with support and encouragement ($3 per month) 12:00-2:30pm Ballroom Dance. MON. (basic and intermediate) $25/8 weeks. 3:15-4:45pm Chair Yoga: W/Leslie Neuman. Balance your mind and your body. Tue. 9:30-10:30am Voluntary contribution of $5.00 Art Painting. Tue. Bring your own supplies and enjoy the fellowship. No fee. 9:30-11:30am TimeSteppers. Senior tap class with Sue Forrester. Beginners welcome. Tue 1:30-2:30, Thurs. 9:30-10:30am Helping Hands. Tue, Dec 9 & 23 Knit/crochet items to distribute to community agencies. 1:00pm-4:00pm Visually Impaired Group. WED (Dec 3 & 17) Support for the visually impaired. 10:30am-12:00pm Senior Foot Clinic, Wed ($25, & bring bath towel). 344-4410 for appt. 10:30am-4:00pm Tai Chi w/instructor Ed Kehoe. $5/week, 1:30pm2:30pm Intermediate/Advanced Ballroom Dance. W 3:154:45pm Don and Ann Douglass instruct advanced steps of this popular dance style. $25/8 weeks Bridge Experienced Players TH 12:30-4:00pm Line Dance Fri 10:00-11:00am. Susan Iervolina leads this advanced class. $35/7weeks. Prime Time Players Rehearsal. Talented seniors perform for the community. –Fri. 1:30pm-3:00pm
RICHLAND AREA COMMUNITY CENTER 629-9430
Book Club: 3rd Thur., 9:30am Dec book, “Once we Were Brothers” by Balson Bridge: Mon., 12:30-3:30pm Drop-In Coffee Hour: Tue./Thur., 9:30-10:30am Euchre: Wed., 12:30-3:30pm Foot Clinic: Bi-monthly, 4th Tue, call for appt., Kathleen Barnum, 671.5427 GL Rotary: Thur., 7:30-8:30am Kindermusik: Fri., 9:30-10:15 Hand & Foot (cards): Wed., 1:00-3:30 Knitting for Charity: Nov. 16, 1:30-4:30 pm Laurels Lunch & Learn: 2nd Thur., 11:30am-12:30pm Painted Lady Studios Art Class: Wed. 9am-Noon, $30 (call first) PAF: 2nd Tue., 5:30pm Senior Ballroom Dance: 3rd Sun., 2-5pm Senior Dining Coupons: Tue. 9am-1pm, Wed. 9am5pm Square Dance: beginning Sept., 3rd Sat., 7:30-10am “Swingin’ with Susan” Exercise (sponsored by Laurels of Galesburg): Tue./Thur., 10:30-11:30am, $3 per class Yoga-Gentle w/Cathy Tucci: Tue./Thur., 10:15-11:15am, (sliding fee—age 49 & under, $10/age50-59, $8/age 60-69, $6/Age 70 & above, $3. Buy 10 classes, get the 11th free.) Yoga w/Sherry King: Mon., Noon-1pm, Wed, 9:4510:4am, $10 per session WIN: 3rd Mon., 5:30-8:00 Events and Classes: Holly Jolly Sing-A-Long w/Civic Theatre: Dec. 6, 1-3pm, $3/person or $15/family of 4 Perfect for Grandkids!: Weekend Legos at the RACC, Dec 6, 2-3:30pm, $15, grades 3-5
SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES Weekly Fitness classes, Out-to-eat, Matter of Balance Class, Line Dancing Class, Tai Chi, flu shot Clinics 6492901 for info
THREE RIVERS SENIOR CENTER Photography, Calligraphy, Polymer Clay Beading, Open Art Studio, Bridge Club, Hooping, Arthritis Exercise, Balance Exercise, Bingo, bunco, Book Club, Breakfast club, massage, hair cuts, computer classes, wifi, wii. Call the COA for dates and times at 269 279-
27
8083.
Plan Your Trip
Portage Senior Center 324-9239
ZEHNDER’S HOLIDAY SHOW, December 1, Frankenmuth. CHRISTMAS WITH THE OAK RIDGE BOYS, December 6, Shipshewana BETHLEHEM’S TOWER, A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT, Dec 13, Lake Zurich, Ill. A BRANSON CHRISTMAS, December 1 – 5, Branson, Missouri “I LOVE LUCY!” Live on Stage, Feb 14, Wharton Center .Lansing. MORE LOCAL TREASURES, March 31, Kalamazoo.
Richland Area Community Center 629.9430
Branson Christmas, Dec. 1-5, $929/pp dbl occ.
Comstock Community Center 345-8556
A Branson Christmas, Dec 1-5, $929 Rose Parade New Year’s, Dec 30-Jan 4, 2015, $2,399 pp/dbl, includes airfare “I Love Lucy” Live on Stage, Wharton Center, MSU, Sunday, Feb 15, $75
KALAMAZOO COUNTY MEAL SITES Nutritious hot lunches are served by Senior Services Inc. to people 60 and older at Kalamazoo County meal sites. To reserve a lunch, call the Nutrition Center at 269-382-0515 by 1 p.m. the day before you plan to visit. A cost-sharing donation is suggested for each lunch. Here are the meal sites, their addresses and the days they are open: Coover Center, 918 Jasper St., 11:45 a.m. Mon-Wed.
Crossroads Village, 6600 Constitution Blvd., 11:30 a.m. Mon-Fri. Dillon Hall, 3299 Gull Rd, 11:30 a.m. Mon-Fri Ecumenical Senior Center, 702 N. Burdick St., 11:45 a.m. Mon-Fri. Evergreen Community Room, Evergreen North Complex, 5700 Vintage Lane, noon Mon-Fri. Northwind Place Apartments, 1004 Douglas Ave., noon Mon-Fri. Portage Senior Center, 320 Library Lane, 11:45 a.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Spring Manor Friendship Center, Spring Manor Apts, 610 Mall Drive, Portage, noon, Mon-Fri. Spring Valley Crossing, 2535 Mount Olivet Road, Parchment, noon Mondays-Fridays. Washington Square Friendship Center, Washington Square Apartments, 710 Collins St., noon. Mon-Fri.
spark
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY MEAL SITES The St. Joseph County Commission on Aging helps coordinate lunches for people age 60 and older at three meal sites and 11 participating restaurants. Call 800-641-9899 or 269-279-8083 for information on how to make reservations, which are required by 10 a.m. the day before you plan to visit. A cost-sharing contribution of $2 at meal sites and $3.50 for restaurant vouchers is requested for each lunch. Meal sites, their location and the days they are open are: Kline’s Resort Meal Site: Fridays Noon-1:00p.m. Sturgis Senior Center, 304 N. Jefferson St., Mon-Fri. Three Rivers Senior Center, 103 S. Douglas Ave., M-F.
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Call 269-720-8157 to Order Today! Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-5:00pm
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IMPORTANT DINING CARD RULES:
Present your Spark Dining Booklet to receive one complimentary main entreé with purchase of one other main entreé of equal or greater value. Offer does not include beverages, appetizers, desserts or other à la carte menu items. Offer is not good for take-out orders, unless restaurant is take-out only. You may use the card at each restaurant only once. Spark Dining Club Booklets are not valid on these holidays: New Year’s Eve/Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, July Fourth, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Spark Dining Club Cards are not good with any other offers, coupons or discounts, all-you-can-eat specials or senior discounts. Suggested tipping should equal 15 to 20% of total BEFORE discount. Please call for reservations. Dining Club offers expire Nov. 30, 2015. Spark is not responsible for lost or stolen cards. No refunds or replacements given.