LORRAINE CARON, “I LOVE KALAMAZOO SO MUCH” ~ PAGE 12
Expert Advice Roofing
Finances
Dentist
Q: I hear that Sherriff Goslin Roofing uses their own unique shingle. Can you tell me more about this shingle?
Q: What are dental implants and can they really replace missing teeth? A: Dental implants are
Q: My spouse passed away this year. When I file my taxes, what filing status should I claim?
A: As the surviving spouse, you have several filing choices that may be appropriate. You may be able to choose married filing jointly, married filing separately, qualifying widow(er), or head of household.
A: The Art Loc shingle is SherriffJustin Reynolds Goslin’s original patented shingle. Manager 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.
Carrie L. Lintner, DDS metal “roots” that really do
Sherriff-Goslin Roofing Co. Member Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo
200 Turwill Lane Kalamazoo, MI 49006 269-344-9006 www.LindenWoodsDental.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.
Health Food
Funeral Services
Transitions
Since 1906 342-0153 800-950-1906
Linda Sawall Owner
replace missing teeth. They can replace a single tooth, or several can be used together to replace all the teeth, eliminating the need for dentures. Dental implants have been around for more than 30 years and are the next best thing to natural teeth. They have a very high success rate, and even better, they are titanium metal and will never decay! They are a strong, beautiful solution to replace your missing teeth.
Carrie L. Lintner, DDS Lindenwoods Dental
Q: Is Sawalls still
Q: How do I know
celebrating its 80th Anniversary?
everything wil be done right?
A: Yes!!! Stop by soon and sign up for Sawall’s monthly $80 gift certifi-
cate drawing... plus other fun drawings every month. Coming soon will be our new Cafe and Amorino Gelato, our new deli area... and other great surprises... Thanks for shopping LOCAL and your wonderful support for these 80 years!
Mon.-Sat. 8-9, Sun. 10-6
Sawall Health Food Oakwood Plaza • 2965 Oakland Dr. at Whites Rd. • 343-3619 • www.sawallhf.com
Douglas Drenth
If you file a joint return and no personal representative has been appointed, write your (and your spouse’s) name, address, and Social Security number in the regular name/address space at the top of the return. To sign the return, write “Filing as Surviving Spouse” in the space for your spouse’s signature, then sign in the space for your own signature.
Drenth Financial Services 5659 W. Michigan, Kalamazoo 269-978-0250 • ddrenth@fscadvisor.com
Q: Mom is healthy and active, but dad’s memory is fading fast, will they have to scrap their plans to move into a senior community?
A: What we do usually involves a fairly short amount of time, many important things to coordinate, and the expectations of people who matter greatly to us. People like you. But that’s why families call us: they want things done right and believe we can do it. Everyone here has this commitment, because we also believe you deserve nothing less.
Laurie VanderBerg
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
A: Not if they select a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), that offers a full spectrum of choices, from Independent homes to assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing care. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, 70 percent of people over age 65 will need long-term care during their lifetime. But couples often face these challenges at different times. The best solution is a CCRC where all levels are available under one roof. They can still spend time together, while enjoying the best lifestyle and care for their individual needs.
Madeleine Socia
Friendship Village Senior Living Community 1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo (269) 381-0560 www.friendshipvillagemi.com
MARCH 2016
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I went into Walgreens the other day, looking for multivitamins, and was overwhelmed with a whole aisle of every conceivable vitamin imaginable. There were all of the regular letter vitamins-A, B, C, D, E, plus countless other combinations, sizes and shapes for men, active men, older men, women, children, etc. It was overwhelming. It got me thinking that we have way too many choices for everything. I stopped into Barnes and Noble and browsed through the magazines, noticing magazines for every obscure topic imaginable. In the Michigan book section, I was overwhelmed with easily a couple hundred different choices.
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the new comic books, and would eventually make my way over to the candy bars and baseball card packs. Once my decision was made, I could not wait to get home to marvel over my purchase. In today’s world, things are definitely more convenient and accessible, but on the flip side, little things like buying a candy bar or comic book, no longer holds the same level of excitement or appreciation.
FROM THE 48th
EDITOR
Issue! ON THE COVER:
Steve Ellis, SPARK Publisher steve@swmspark.com
Whether you need a hammer, a pair of gloves or a simple food item, the choices are endless. I was talking with my dad the other day and he was telling me about the shortages during World War II. From time to time, word would spread through the neighborhood, “Barkers Store has Milky Ways!” Every kid within earshot would drop what they were doing to run or ride their bike a few miles, hoping to be lucky enough to purchase a 5-cent Milky Way candy bar before they ran out. Can you imagine explaining this to a kid today? I remember being paid a dime to wash dishes after dinner. While washing, I would think of all of the things 10-cents could buy at Deni’s Market down the street-a 16oz. glass bottle of Coke or Pepsi (plus 2 cents deposit) a Batman or Superman comic book or two packs of Topps baseball cards at 5 cents each including, chalky gum.
Lorraine Caron performing at the Old Dog Tavern Photo by Fran Dwight
I would spend an spend an hour or more riding my bike to the store, looking through the pop cooler, browsing at all of
All current and past issues can be read at swmspark.com
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INSIDE | MARCH 2016
Wednesday Warriors: Intrepid volunteers
Lee Dean: Warm memories of cold noses and wagging tails ..................................................... 4
Cover Story: Lorraine Caron ................................. 14
Spark Recipe: Good as gold .................................... 6
Looking Back ..........................................................17
Volunteering: Val Van Orden.....................................7
Artist Profile: Inja Cho .............................................18
Healthy Living: Yoga ................................................ 8
Michigan Pickers: It’s all about tractors .................19
History: Mountain Home cemetery ......................... 9
Amazing Tales: Counterfeiters and forgers............20
Nature: From Paris to you in Kalamazoo ...............10
History: The Brews of Kalamazoo ..........................21
Business Profile: The Bead Shop ...........................11
Sage Advice: Safe, sound & secure conference .. 22
Spark Movie Reviews ............................................. 12
Tales from the Road: New Orleans, Louisiana ...... 24
mix camaraderie with clipping................................13 Spark Book Reviews ............................................... 16
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, Zoe Folsom, 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.
To advertise in upcoming SPARK publications, contact: Steve Ellis, 269.720.8157, steve@swmspark.com
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MARCH 2016
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Warm memories of cold noses and wagging tails Lee A. Dean screendoor@sbcglobal.net There are seven creatures occupying our house, five of which are cats. In a species vs. species confrontation, we would be outnumbered 20 legs to four. What we need is an equalizer in the form of an accomplished herding dog. If there were such an animal as a cat-corralling collie, we would have it working overtime. Cats have their advantages. Dogs need people to let them outside when nature calls. Cats stroll toward the litter box and take care of business without any help from us. Cats are far less noisy than dogs. Rare is the police report that contains the phrase “meowing cat complaint.” All our cats, even the 25-pounder, can curl up snugly (and sometimes smugly) in a lap. None of my dogs, all weighing more than 80 pounds, could manage that feat, except for an elderly bluetick coonhound that needed extra comfort during thunderstorms. But cats, marvelous creatures that they are, fall short of dogs in many ways. Cats aren’t a deterrent. Police officers who have a bad guy cornered never shout, “come out or we’re sending in the cat!” No one has a “beware of cat” sign on their door, although our gang would be formidable if we could get them to work together. The problem with that scenario is the word “work.” There is no such thing as a “working breed” of cat. How much work could get done by a creature that sleeps 20 hours a day?
The Viking Goddess says I’m a cat whisperer, but my record of relationship with dogs is better. Dogs with bad reputations ranging in size from rat terriers to Rottweilers usually end up on their backs at my feet looking for a belly scratch. Shortly after we brought our snowshoe Siamese cat home, he rolled over on his back and showed me his belly. I naively took the bait and nearly had a bloody stump for a right hand as a result. The little demon has quite a left hook. He’s Joe Frazier with claws. Cats are the subject of many entertaining Facebook videos, but dogs rule the printed page. James Herriot’s anthology of dog stories runs 464 pages; his book of cat stories is only 161 pages. John Steinbeck wrote a marvelous book out about his travels with a standard poodle named Charley. There is a kennel full of other literary dogs such as Old Yeller, Beautiful Joe and Buck. Cats are not well represented in literature, with the notable exception of the Cheshire Cat, a character more creepy than companionable. My father told me a classic tale about one of his grandfather’s favorite farm dogs. Grandpa Shaw’s twitching nose detected a foul stench wafting from underneath the porch. He kept his sharp eye peeled and eventually observed the dog stashing a dead animal there. The crawl space under the porch was too small for a grownup, but was the perfect size for a 10-year-old boy, which my dad happened to be at the time. Grandpa deputized him to haul out a dozen or so malodorous carcasses in various stages of decay. Fifty years later, he was still cussing out that dog.
When I was growing up, we had the perfect kid dog, a German shepherd named Joey. He was our secret weapon in football games with the neighbor boys. My brother and I always wanted the dog on our team. He wasn’t much good on offense, but on defense he had the attitude of a middle linebacker, with perfect tackling technique. Of course, in a real game, Joey would have earned us 15-yard penalties for a unique version of holding. He would tackle a kid, latch on to a loose pant leg with his jaws and hang on until we told him to let go. Joey was also nearly an accessory to a murder — mine. One desultory summer day, my inquisitive mind posed a riddle: what would happen if I let the dog loose on the oil deliveryman? As the object of the great experiment got out of his tanker truck, I unchained the dog, who galloped toward his target at full bellow. The deliveryman, a stocky gentleman in his 50s, clambered to safety atop his truck with the agility of an Olympic gymnast. The experiment was a success. My dog had treed his quarry and I was gripped by uncontrollable hilarity. The winded deliveryman shot me an evil glare and spluttered, “laugh, damn you.” Upon hearing the commotion, my mother flew out the back door at a speed rivaling that of the dog to put an end to my first — and last — stupid pet trick. I wasn’t laughing anymore, either. There are more dog tales to be told, but right now my masters are meowing their list of demands at me and they will not be denied. But if you have any great dog stories, send them along to me at screendoor@sbcglobal.net.
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MARCH 2016
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Good as GOLD Offering health benefits that are unrivaled, we are only beginning to understand how olive oil can improve our health and our lives!
by Laura Kurella
A major component of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is being praised for lengthening life expectancy, lowering risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke and, does all this in little, rich, delicious, golden drops that you can’t help but dip something crusty into - Oh, yes
Caramelized Onion ‘n’ Garlic Dipping Oil 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed 2 shallots, minced 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, minced Coarse sea salt + black pepper to taste Bread for dipping
In the bottom of a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil then saute onions until caramelized – about 10 minutes – then add garlic and stir until it begins to sing – about 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, heat until warmed then pour into a dipping bowl. Warm bread, if desired, and serve sliced. Approximate servings per recipe: 4. Nutrition per serving: Calories 233; Fat 25g. (sat 3g.); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 61 mg; Potassium 84 mg; Fiber 2g; Carbohydrates 4g; Protein 1g.
Pleasing Basil Pesto 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed 2 shallots, minced 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, minced Coarse sea salt + black pepper to taste Bread for dipping
Place pine nuts in toaster oven on pan and toast until golden brown and fragrant. Be careful not to blacken. Alternatively, toast nuts in a heavy skillet, shaking frequently, until golden brown and fragrant. Place basil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in food processor work bowl fitted with steel blade. Process until smooth. With motor running, add oil in a steady stream. During processing, if necessary, stop food processor and use spatula to scrape down sides. Transfer pesto mixture to bowl. Add cheese. Serve over hot pasta, on toast points or crackers or spread on your favorite sandwich! Approximate servings per recipe: 6. Nutrition per serving: Calories 216; Fat 23g. (sat 4g.); Cholesterol 7 mg; Sodium 88 mg; Potassium 81 mg; Fiber 1g; Carbohydrates 2g; Protein 4g.
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
MARCH 2016
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Helping Others Brings Positive Results for All By Bill Krasean, Senior Services RSVP Advisory Council Volunteer Ask most volunteers why they volunteer and you will often hear that in giving they get something back, whether it’s the satisfaction of helping others or giving back to the community what the community has given to them. Ask Val VanOrden that question and her answer is quick and to the point: “I belong to Jesus Christ,” said the 59-year-old Kalamazoo resident who volunteers for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and drives for the Amish Community. “I can’t afford to tithe so instead I give my time and my abilities.” A retired medical transcriptionist, Val is on disability for bipolar disorder. She uses her typing and computer skills to help people at DHHS apply for services. Val has also volunteered in the past for Meals on Wheels, although her time this year has been limited. She got connected to DHHS and Meals on Wheels by RSVP – Your Invitation to Volunteer, a national service program of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan that connects older adult volunteers with area organizations. It’s her work with an Amish family in St. Joseph County, however, that is particularly rewarding.
Once, sometimes twice a week, she drives to a rural home to pick up an Amish mother who Val has known for 20 years and drives her to the store or other destinations. “She pays me $5 and we have a nice meal and then we paint and pray,” Val said. “I’m mentored by her. She has taught me to cook and how to be calm. When the Amish pray it is in total silence, except for the clock. It’s very therapeutic for my bipolar. During those quiet moments I get into her life, and see everything from her point of view. I am really close to her.” Val has painted for many years and has 100 paintings posted on Fine Art America, an online art gallery. Val has artwork on display at the Portage City Hall in February. She also has an artistCalligrapher business. “I have taught my friend some painting techniques and now she is really good. Painting for me is a chance to get positive attention, it fills a hole in my heart.” As does, too, her time spent as a volunteer. RSVP - Your Invitation to Volunteer is a program of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan. Additional volunteers through RSVP are needed with Meals on Wheels, Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, Kalamazoo Literacy Council, Volunteers 4 Seniors for medical rides, Mentor Academic Success tutor and mentor program, Medicare Medicaid
Assistance Program (MMAP), Senior Services Home Repair, the VA Medical Center and more. Information about RSVP and volunteer opportunities is available by calling 269-382-0515 or at www.seniorservices1.org.
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MARCH 2016
HEALTHY LIVING :
Yoga can be very helpful for Seniors By Yolanda Mitts, Yoga Instructor, YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo 269 345 9622 • www.kzooymca.org As we age, we all become more aware of our bodies. We have to. Our bodies talk to us—sometimes loud and clear. Yoga is all about body awareness and gives us tools to cope. Yoga means union--the union of body, mind, and spirit. In yoga class, we practice yoga postures, called asanas. Yoga originates from the ancient Indian culture. Many of the asanas have been developed over centuries. They are very helpful for seniors because they focus on the spine and the joints. With regular practice, a yoga practitioner can become more flexible and gain greater range of motion. The power of the breath is also used to get deeper into the postures and safely get in and out of them. The breath is the core of yoga practice. Focused, aware breathing not only helps you to perform the postures, it also helps with stress reduction. Seniors can have very stressful lives. We find ourselves in the “sandwich” generation, helping our elderly parents, adult children and grandchildren. In order to be helpful to others, we also need to take care of ourselves. With restorative and relaxation poses in yoga class, you can let the rest of the world melt away and truly nurture yourself. If you are considering signing up for a yoga class for the first time, take care to
choose a class that will meet your needs. Be sure to let your instructor know of any limitations you may have. The yoga postures are adaptable and can be modified to suit your needs. This may be particularly comforting for seniors who may not have the flexibility of younger students. Everyday movements like getting in and out of a car or going upstairs can all become easier again. With patience and practice, yoga can be a treasured gift to yourself for the rest of your life.
MARCH 2016
Mountain Home
Cemetary
One of Kalamazoo’s oldest and most impressive cemeteries is Mountain Home Cemetery, located on the north side of West Main Street just west of Douglas Avenue. The trustees of Mountain Home Cemetery, including Isaac Moffat, Luther H. Trask, Nathaniel A. Balch, Epaphroditus Ransom, etc., were incorporated into an official entity in 1849. The grounds for the cemetery were purchased from Clark and Gilbert in 1850. The original parcel was 17 acres, roughly square, with two additions in subsequent years that brought the property to 28 acres in size. A small Jewish cemetery adjoins Mountain Home’s southwest corner.
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Many of Kalamazoo’s most prominent citizens bought lots in the new cemetery. The list of lots sold by 1878 shows many familiar names, including U. S. Senator Charles Stuart, Paulus denBleyker, Ira & Charles Burdick, Stephen S. Cobb, Governor Epaphroditus Ransom, Henry and William Upjohn, and Frederick Bush. It is thought that the first person buried at Mountain Home was Mr. Nichols West, who died in 1849. Other well known Kalamazooans who are buried there include Charles B. Hays, Caroline Bartlett Crane, Edwin and Cynthia Van Deusen, John Fetzer, Albert M. Todd, James A. B. and Lucinda Hinsdale Stone, U.S. Senator Francis Stockbridge, and the Gilmore family.
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until their burial, which was sometimes delayed by weather. Another architecturally interesting building, the Romanesque-style sexton’s lodge, was built in 1892. During the first half of the twentieth century, the sextons of Mountain Home did double duty running a floral shop and several greenhouses in addition to the cemetery itself. The sexton’s house served as a florist’s shop into the 1950s. The last greenhouse was taken down in 1960 to make room for an expansion of the cemetery. An important turning point in the history of Mountain Home came in 1940. After being privately owned for 90 years, the board of trustees of the cemetery decided to deed both Mountain Home Cemetery and the Mountain Home Greenhouses, along with cash and other considerations, to the city of Kalamazoo. In the years following, the city government has been responsible for the grounds of the cemetery and for providing perpetual care to the gravesites. A stroll through Mountain Home is usually a quiet and peaceful affair that showcases the final resting places of many of Kalamazoo’s most well known and influential citizens.
In 1878 a handsome Gothic style receiving vault was constructed where the bodies of persons who owned a lot in the cemetery could be kept
Story courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library. More local history stories and photos at kpl.gov/local-history
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From Paris to You in Kalamazoo The Paris Climate Conference received international attention over the winter. Did you follow it in the news? The 196 countries in attendance committed to decrease fossil fuel burning, keep greenhouse gas emissions low, and ultimately limit global warming to under 3 degrees. The agreement becomes effective in the year 2020. While this probably sounds interesting, it may have left you wondering, “What does it mean to me?” At the Kalamazoo Nature Center, we’ve been asking the same question. Our answer has been to develop local-level education and action steps that we can all take together. Our own Kalamazoo Climate Change Coalition (KCCC) is comprised of Kalamazoo-area organizations, businesses and institutions that are committed to increasing climate change awareness and reducing local emissions. Together, we coordinate projects and provide resources to empower every com-
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munity member to action. Here are some ideas to consider as you think about your own impact on earth’s climate:
Good news: There are many opportunities in our everyday lives to positively impact earth’s climate! Decrease your personal consumption of fossil fuels by installing solar, wind, or geothermal technology. These alternative energy sources have become increasingly affordable in recent years, and qualified installers are available right here in southwest Michigan. Reduce your energy consumption by installing energy efficient appliances. Bonus: This also saves money on utility bills! Source your food locally. Buying from local farmers and grocers means food travels less distance to reach you. The result? Your food is fresher and fewer fossil fuels are used in transportation. Plant a garden. Gardening at home provides food for your family - and for pollinators. By leaving harmful pesticides and herbicides out of the picture, our native ecosystems are healthier, too! Walk and roll! Traveling by foot or bike spares fossil fuel consumption provides exercise and exposes us to the out-of -doors.
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When taken as a whole, climate issues may seem daunting – perhaps hopeless. But at KNC, we are learning that everyone has an important role to play – from Paris to you in Kalamazoo. Together we can make a difference! To learn more about KNC’s work with climate issues, visit www.naturecenter. org/Climate.aspx
What causes Earth’s climate to warm? Deep within the earth’s geological structure are deposits of coal, natural gas, and oil. When we burn these non-renewable fossil fuels to power our lives, we release carbon dioxide (CO2) into earth’s atmosphere. Too much atmospheric CO2 traps solar energy as it is reflected off earth’s surface. Instead of escaping back out into space, solar energy is trapped near the earth causing our climate to warm.
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The Bead Shop
Cindy Spiess-Malmstrom was a gym teacher, drove a bus for her softball team, cleaned houses and even owned a bed an breakfast. About 20 years ago, Cindy decided to try yet another career path and buy a bead store. She borrowed money from her father to purchase an existing business and moved the store to its current location. The Bead Shop took off and she was able to pay her father back in just one year and has never looked back. There have been other bead stores in the area that have come and gone and large craft store chains have continued to grow their bead
The Bead shop offers a wide variety of classes including: basic stringing, basic wire, wire wrap stone clads, open bead night (every Thursday from 5-6:30pm) and children’s birthday parties. departments, but The Bead Shop has survived and flourished. Cindy attributes their success to continuing to evolve and offer cool stuff you can’t find anywhere else. They carry a huge selection of semi-precious stones, charms, wood beads, seed beads, delicas, African trade beads that are hundreds if years old, Czech Glass, Indian Glass, cording, beading wire, a large variety of chains and everything else you need to make fabulous jewelry.
I stopped in and met Jen and Katt and was truly impressed with their enthusiasm and knowledge. They were busy making jewelry while telling me about the store and why customers love it. They explained that they do a lot of repairs, offer advice, and enjoy making custom orders for customers. This level of customer service is not something you find very often these days. Stop by The Bead Shop and experience one the areas most unique stores.
3400 S. Westnedge • Kalamazoo • 269-345-8133 The beadshop.biz • Mon-Sat: 10am-6:30pm
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Movie Reviews Queen of Earth Nobody would ever want to be stuck on a train with a character from an Alex Ross Perry film and yet there’s something jabbing and arresting about his work that draws open minded audiences into the demanding interiority of damaged people. They’re pitilessly narcissistic, emotionally impaired individuals who are so lacking in self-awareness and empathy, that audiences are likely to want to leap through the screen so as to shake them from their self-absorption. They also function as absurdist vessels for clever, hilariously dark humor. His newest film, Queen of Earth, is a stylistic and tonal leap from his previous film Listen Up Philip. While Perry is certainly charting his own discrete path in an age of Hollywood re-treads, blockbuster franchises, book adaptations, and sanitized biopics, his newest work feels in many ways like the child of two previously made psycho-dramas, Ingmar Bergman’s beguiling Persona (1966) and Roman Polanski’s unsettling Repulsion (1965). Elizabeth Moss gives an electric performance as a woman slowly descending toward a psychic breakdown over the course of several days while vacationing at a friend’s lake house. The strained relationship between Moss’ Katherine and her friend Virginia leads to questions which may or may not have answers connected to events during the previous summer. One vicious, verbal battle after another between the two women and the peripheral men in their lives drives the film’s plot forward with Moss’ character growing increasingly erratic. With an overwrought, throw-back score that sounds as though it was taken straight from a 1980’s horror film pulsating throughout the film, Perry juxtaposes the film’s bucolic setting with a murky, sinister tone that works to discomfit viewers and their narrative bearings, throwing them off the trail of what kind of movie they’re watching. Is it a horror film or a comedy or something in between? These are the sort of questions I hope Perry continues to ask of his audiences.
The Sapphires Part musical, part feel-good drama with just enough charm to balance the weighty subjects of war and racism, The Sapphires is an entertaining if not typical, rags to riches tale about a collection of young, Australian Aboriginal
women who take their talents for singing Motown on the road to the heart of the Vietnam War. Loosely based upon a true story, actor Chris O’Dowd plays the group’s flaky but lovable manager who encourages the gutsy women to embrace soul music as a way to find success playing concerts for American troops. It’s a predictable film that feels like you’ve seen it before but like a good pop song, the infectious characters groove their way into your sentimental heart and sometimes that’s just enough.
Felix & Meira Felix is single, secular, possibly a bit unfocused, and mourning the loss of his estranged father. Meira is a Hasidic Jew struggling with the fundamentalist constraints imposed on her independence by her devout, rules-first husband. Neither character is particularly happy but when by chance they meet in their Montreal neighborhood, romantic sparks fly as they both locate comfort in one another’s company. It’s a sensitive, thoughtful film that explores the fraught intersection between religious traditions, personal choices and the limits of desire.
The Experimenter Taking a fresh approach to the increasingly stale trend toward historical biopics, The Experimenter is one of the year’s most refined, sophisticated films. The film, which uses an infamous research experiment conducted in 1961 to introduce audiences to still-germane questions about conformity to authority, torture and ethics, approaches its narrative form playfully and without heavy handed pronouncements about what the experiment may or may not tell us about ourselves. In a clever, almost genre-less way of condensing both information about the controversial experiment and its complicated inventor (the social psychologist Stanley Milgram) into an entertaining work, director Michael Almereyda mixes thoughtful rumination with an artful delivery that hits the spot. Reviews by Ryan Gage, Kalamazoo Public Library. These great titles are available from the Kalamazoo Public Library.
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Wednesday
WARRIORS Intrepid volunteers mix camaraderie with clipping
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What started as a few friends meeting occasionally has grown to a community of conservation-minded volunteers who like to get their hands dirty sharing their love of the outdoors. “I had recently retired and decided that now that I had time, doggone it, I wanted to see these nature preserves for myself. I was a bit intimidated to join in with these people who seemed to know all the names of all the pretty posies,” says Kristi Chapman, who is now recognized as the Warrior’s ringleader. “But they welcomed me in without hesitation and were so excited to share. I’ve learned so much from everybody, but even better is that I’ve met so many genuinely great people. And I’ve gotten to see so many lovely places all over southwest Michigan that I would have never enjoyed otherwise. How many people can say that they’ve been on an island in the Kalamazoo River?”
By Nate Fuller
SWMLC owns 51 nature preserves scattered across southwest Michigan. They depend on volunteers to help look after these preserves. So if you notice a cadre of retirees wandering the woods armed with hand tools and garbage bags, no need to call the authorities – you are probably at a SWMLC nature preserve, and it is probably a Wednesday. If you’d like to join the fun with the Wednesday Workday Warriors, call SWMLC at 269-324-1600 or email them at conserveland@swmlc.org and ask to be added to the Wednesday workday email list. Or visit the SWMLC web site, www.swmlc.org, to see where the Warriors are headed next.
Three retired chemists, a carpenter, a groundskeeper, and two former high school teachers walk into the woods carrying hand-saws and loppers with an excited gleam in their eyes. No, this isn’t the start of a bad joke or a scene from a horror movie, but just another Wednesday in the nature preserves of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC). The Wednesday Workday Warriors are on the trail - literally! They are clearing paths, pulling invasive plants, sowing wildflower seed, marking boundaries and whatever else comes up. But most of all, they are enjoying the comradery of being outside in nature with friends. This group of intrepid volunteers visits a new preserve almost every week from mid-March to late October. In this case, no one takes offense at being called a fair-weather friend, as this is a group of folks who know when to come in out of the rain (well, at least most of them do). The Wednesday Workday Warriors is the brainchild of Stan Rajnak, a retired professor from Kalamazoo College. As a long-time volunteer for SWMLC’s Stewardship Team, Stan was looking to be more active in nearby nature preserves. “Retirees often have more free time during the week, so I thought it might be a good opportunity to do more for the preserves,” explains Rajnak.
Kristi (center) along with several other Warriors striking warrior poses after competing the installation of a new trail at our Chipman Preserve in Kalamazoo County.
There are no obligations for regular attendance – remember, these are fair-weather friends in the best possible sense! Keep an eye out for upcoming “reports-from-thefield” in Spark Magazine, as the Warriors migrate into the woods again this spring.
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LIVING IN THE
LIMELIGHT albums covering many genres and seated in front of a window that looked out onto a mesa, Caron lived a music-lovers dream. Music, she discovered, was her passion. “That’s when I realized … I’d do anything to be close to it,” she says. After five years in Albuquerque, Caron decided to move on. “I made my way and learned some stuff about myself,” she says, but “I just didn’t see how I could improve (myself).” By Dave Person david.r.person@gmail.com
Leaders, it seems, get most of the limelight. But it’s OK to be a follower, especially if you’re following your heart as local singer and former radio-show host Lorraine Caron has done.
Besides, she missed family and friends in Kalamazoo, which she had dismissed five years earlier as a onehorse town but over the years grew to realize was “at least a four- or five-horse town.” So she came back, and has remained in the area ever since. “I love Kalamazoo so much,” she says.
Caron says her life has been a succession of enriching experiences that have resulted from her willingness to follow the lead of others into what has been for her uncharted territory.
Caron decided to try her hand at commercial radio and spent the next nine years at WYYY, WKFR and then filled in at WKZO for a news announcer who was on maternity leave.
“People have given me so many opportunities,” says Caron, retired now after more than 37 years of working in radio, most of those at WMUK in Kalamazoo, but still active as the singer for the Dufffield/Caron Project.
What Caron learned in commercial radio was the fast pace and the pressure to be someone for your audience that isn’t you.
Caron, 61, was first introduced to the world of radio after graduating from Kalamazoo Central High School, trying out college life briefly at Western Michigan University, and then, at age 21, following a bunch of friends to New Mexico “just for the heck of it.” “My friends were going and I thought I’d go too,” she says. Caron ended up working at KUNM, the public radio station of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Surrounded by shelves full of record
“It’s not the same animal as public radio,” she says. “You can be yourself in public radio.” So when WMUK’s news director at the time, the late Tony Griffin, offered her a job, she took it, starting Jan. 1,1991. One of Caron’s favorite assignments was as host and producer of “Arts & More,” for which she interviewed a wide variety of artists. There was a certain satisfaction with getting to the heart of what was in their hearts. “People who express themselves artistically, why do
they do it? What drives them?” was what she sought to find out. She interviewed not only people well-known in the arts community but also those she refers to as “outsiders,” such as amateur painters, knitters and carvers. But it was the singers, in particular, who piqued her interest the most. Caron, you see, had been captivated by music and singing since kindergarten at Westwood Elementary School — now King-Westwood Elementary — where she had nervously taken the stage and sung a solo in front of an audience of parents and friends. She doesn’t remember what she sang, just that it was a defining moment in her life. As an adult, Caron was part of a church choir and was sometimes asked to sing solos. Singing, she found, rejuvenated her. “I feel most alive and most joyful when I’m doing it,” she says. That joyfulness surfaced again in 1993 shortly after Mark Sahlgren’s co-host of the bluegrass show, Grassroots, on WMUK left and Sahlgren asked Caron to take his place. It took her back to her time in Albuquerque. “That’s how I started in radio, doing music shows,” Caron says. When the music was playing and Caron’s microphone was off, she would sing along with whatever was on the air and Sahlgren, who had his own bluegrass group, Sweetcorn, was blown away. “I started to hear her sing along with some of these tunes and throwing in these great harmonies,” Sahlgren recalled in a 2001 interview with the Kalamazoo Gazette. “I kept saying, ‘You’ve got to get out and sing somewhere.’” So, following his advice, that’s just what she did. Not
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only that, but she ended up as a member of Sweetcorn. “They let me sing with them for a couple years and that was like a dream come true,” Caron says. “I love singing harmony and I don’t get to sing harmony much anymore.”
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Take, for example, the uniqueness of each performance. Caron says she arrives at the Old Dog never knowing what to expect.
moves you to tears then it’s doing its job.”
Such was the night their duo became a trio.
“Every once in a while we have one of those magical moments where everything is clicking,” she says.
“I showed up for a set and Joe was there with his drum set,” she says.
Caron also later joined a jazz group, Trio DeSole, with Anders Dahlberg of WMUK on bass and Floyd Pientka, WMUK’s former general manager, at the piano. The trio produced two CDs during their three years together before Pientka moved to, of all places, the state where Caron started out — New Mexico.
Caron says performing regularly is hard work, and sometimes she doesn’t feel appreciated, especially when “I feel like I am singing my heart out and nobody seems aware of it.” She looks out over the audience and sees them talking among themselves or glued to their electronic devices.
Caron, of Vicksburg, says her only regret in life is not having learned to read music and play an instrument. She began playing the flute in elementary school, but when she got to junior high, band students were required to purchase their own instruments, and her parents couldn’t afford to buy a flute.
“I love being a singer, and I wish I had more training,” she says. She thought he was with a previous band and was taking apart the drum set, but then she realized he was getting ready to play with them. She didn’t know that Duffield had invited him to join them. “I’ve learned from Tom that’s what a gig is,” she says. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. “I check my emotions at the door and just go in and have fun.”
But she says she knows not to take it personally, because whether or not they show it, they are listening to her to some extent.
Members of the audience are encouraged to keep their emotions with them and let her affect them with her voice.
“Being a singer at my level is often unglamorous, but I still want to do it,” Caron says.
“My favorite song to sing is Willie Nelson’s ‘Crazy,’” she says of the country-music legend’s soulful 1961 ballad. “ I love that song.”
Plus, in her opinion, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
And she knows that she, Duffield and Bradley are doing theirs.
Caron also never had the opportunity to have voice lessons.
Ten years ago, Caron and pianist Tom Duffield joined forces as the Duffield/Caron Project. Three years ago they were joined by drummer Joe Bradley. They bill themselves as a “blues, boogie and ballads” band. From 5 to 7 p.m. Saturdays at the Old Dog Tavern, 402 E. Kalamazoo Avenue in Kalamazoo, they entertain an age-diverse clientele.
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“Music is so powerful,” she says. “If music
Caron’s schedule lightened somewhat when she retired from WMUK in 2013 after nearly 23 years there, but she still keeps busy in other ways. Her husband, Jeffrey Caron, to whom she has been married for 20 years, has three children by a previous marriage and she has two from her first marriage, so between them they have five children and several grandchildren whom she likes to smother with affection. Caron also has more time to spend with her mother, who still lives in the area, and with her books. She says libraries are her home away from home. Caron also makes time for friends and cultivating relationships these days. “Being retired,” she says, “is a lovely, lovely thing.” Photos by Fran Dwight danceswithcamera@gmail.com
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collapsing around him due to a renovation, and Fitger’s personal life is doing the same due to his predilection for using his love life as fodder for his fiction. A light, crankily funny read.
The Big Fix by Linda Grimes Ciel Halligan is in the family business—she is an aura adaptor. Most of her family has this talent—if she has been in contact with someone she can reproduce their physical appearance so that not even their nearest and dearest could see the difference. With a little time with them, she can also recreate their voice and mannerisms, so she has a steady word-of-mouth clientele of people who can pay for somebody else to do something they can’t do, or to be somewhere they don’t want to be. It’s a living—until our spunky heroine takes a job for a scene in a movie for a macho action star terrified of snakes. Then things start happening around her and she and those she loves may be in danger--but from whom? This is the second of Grimes’ Fix romantic urban fantasy novels. Pure popcorn escapism.
American Wife by Taya Kyle with Jim DeFelice
Book Reviews Book Reviews by the Portage District Library staff
Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher Dear Committee Members, Julie Schumacher’s epistolary novel, will have anybody who has spent time in academia (or lived with such a person) snickering to guffawing throughout. Written in a series of recommendation letters penned by Jason Fitger, a beleaguered professor of English and creative writing at a “small and not very distinguished
college in the Midwest”, who has written, by his own count, over 1,300 letters of recommendation, the book has its reader speeding through the correspondence. This task is starting to tell on Fitger, and so exasperation and excursuses enter into the missives recommending students for jobs and fellowships, colleagues for promotion and chairships, leading to such statements as “I have known Ms. X for 10 minutes, but I was the only faculty member here the Friday after Thanksgiving and she would not leave my office.” Said office is
Even though we know the outcome and tragic death of the American Sniper, Chris Kyle, this memoir is still a page turner. This is a most touching and heart rending story written by the widow of Chris Kyle. Taya Kyle’s faith and determination to carry on Chris ‘s goals and dreams and keep her family whole will inspire all who read this book. It is an important story demonstrating the sacrifices not only by our men and women in service but the families on the home front.
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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
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TOP: Miller & Boerman Sporting Goods was located at 502 S. Burdick. This picture was taken in the late 1970’s. The Blue Dolphin now occupies this corner CENTER: The Band Box was located at 2310 Lake St. This picture is from the early 1980’s. BOTTOM: The Capitol Theatre was located at 138 E. South Street. A parking ramp is there now. This picture was taken in April, 1935, shortly before the Capitol opened
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Happy Colors, Happy Life:
The Artwork of Inja Cho By Zoe Folsom zmfolsom@gmail.com Inja Cho moved to Ann Arbor to become a graphic designer for Pfizer when she was only twenty-three. She didn’t particularly care for graphic design—she always wanted to be an artist. Her childhood, in a big city in Korea with four sisters and one brother, was filled with art; most of her siblings are now musicians. However, life as a full-time artist never seemed plausible—until a surprising blessing in disguise. After years of wrist pain, doctors discovered severe spinal cord damage. Although her emergency surgery was successful, her recovery took years. When she began classes for a fine arts degree from Western Michigan University in 2008, she was still on crutches. To this day, she faces neuropathic pain, and has no sensation in the left side of her body. Upon meeting Inja, one would never know of her constant battle against her own body. Even from her art, one might not know. Inja perceives the world with an immense hope and joy. She likes to paint using what she calls “happy colors”—bright and vibrant hues to draw the viewer in and invoke his or her positivity. Ultimately, Inja’s goal in creating her work is to create and spread hope. Painting serves as medication for her; when she experiences serious shocks of pain, she finds her release
through art. Because her art so closely links to her emotions, it is often a spontaneous and unpredictable process. In most of her work, the art serves not as an ends to a means of representation, but as a medium for communication within itself. Although Inja has only been painting full time for five years, she has made a rather distinct impression upon the artistic community. Her unique encaustic pieces (encaustic is a paint made of wax which must utilize a hot palette and be fused to the canvas) have won her spots in various global showcases. She won first place in last year’s Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 64th Art Fair, and was recently admitted into the top art fair in the country—Chicago’s Old Town Art Fair. Inja doesn’t mind if she never becomes famous, but her unique and expressive work sure seems to be leading her in that direction. Learn more about Inja her artwork, while it’s still local, at her website: injachogallery.com
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MICHIGAN
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Full-Sized or Toy, It’s All About Tractors
PICKERS
Steve Gazdag has collected farm toys for as long as he can remember. His first was a mid-1950’s John Deere pedal tractor and his collection now includes over 2500 toy tractors. Steve’s oldest tractor dates from the 1940’s, when the Ertl Company began making 1:16 die cast metal tractors. Steve explained to me that the Ertl Company began shortly after World War II when Fred Ertl had some aluminum aircraft pistons left over from wartime production. He began melting the aluminum in his basement furnace and casting it into toy farm tractors. The company is located in Dyersville, Iowa, also home to the National Farm Toy Museum. Dyersville, incidentally, is also home to the Field of Dreams, made famous in the movie. Steve is especially passionate about John Deere tractors and owns a few full sized ones in addition to those in his toy collection. Deere & Company began in 1837 in Grand Detour, Illinois, making pitchforks and plows. Between 1916 & 1917, they briefly experimented with building tractors for the first time and the most successful was the Dain All-Wheel-Drive. In 1918 they decided to continue to expand into the tractor business by purchasing the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company, which manufactured the popular Waterloo Boy tractor at its facilities in Waterloo, Iowa. Deere & Company continued to sell tractors under the Waterloo Boy name until
1923, when the John Deere Model D was introduced. Deere & Company still manufactures most of its tractors in Waterloo, Iowa. Steve picks up tractors for his collection at various toy shows around the Midwest and says that there is some type of show almost every weekend. When we spoke, he had just returned from a show in Jackson and had picked up a few in Middlebury, Indiana. If you would like to get a hold of Steve Gazdag, feel free to call him at 342-6485
What are the limitations of hearing aids? Hearing aids can significantly improve listening; however there are some limitations, such as environment, degree of hearing loss, and the listener’s motivation. Communication strategies may be needed in combination with hearing aids in difficult listening situations.
Here are some strategies to apply: · Face each other when talking. This helps the hearing aid user read lips and interpret visual cues. · Practice clear speech rather than talking loudly. · Reduce background noise and minimize distractions.
Samantha King Au.D., CCC-A Audiologist Constance Brown has a team of audiologists to help you.
Trusted since 1942, Constance Brown Hearing Centers, where personalized service and technology meet. Kalamazoo 1634 Gull Rd. Suite 201 269.343.2601
Portage 4855 W. Centre Ave. 269.372.2709
www.cbrown.org
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AMAZING
TALES! COUNTERFEITERS Two Youths Held as Counterfeiters Merl Hamacher, 17 of 508 Gibson St, and Albert Kassak, 19, Kalamazoo were apprehended by Detectives Hugh Stevens, Roy Carney and Walter Koons, as suspects in the manufacturing of counterfeit nickels. Polices seized a block, hammer, file and other paraphernalia suspected as equipment which was used in making the bogus nickels. October 2, 1935
Amnesia Defense for Man Accused of Check Forging Harold LeBar, who is suspected of having passed more than $1000 worth of worthless checks in Kalamazoo, Lansing and Benton Harbor, will claim an amnesia defense when placed on trial next week. Prosecutor Dan McCullough said that LeBar’s attorneys have announced that they will argue that LeBar now has no recollection of having written the checks, and that they will contend he cannot be responsible for acts allegedly committed when his mind was impaired. May 17, 1935
Kalamazoo Boxing Twins in Trouble in New York Herman Perlick, one of the Kalamazoo boxing twins, was fined $10 in night court for putting a slug in a subway turnstile, Perlick explained he was out of change and wanted “to get up town in a hurry.” His brother, Henry, paid the fine. July 12, 1934
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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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The Brews of Kalamazoo 1831-1915 Kalamazoo has a long history of breweries operating within the city limits. The first commercial brewery within the state of Michigan opened in Kalamazoo in April of 1837; however, there are conflicting oral histories as to where it was located. One account states that it was located on present day Lake Street, yet another account had it on Kalamazoo Avenue. Just a few years later, there were several breweries and a distillery that called Kalamazoo home. The Kalamazoo Gazette reported that John Hall opened The Kalamazoo Brewery west of the village in 1846 at the same time Holmes & Harlan Brewery, which later became Hall & Holmes, was operating near the newly constructed Michigan Central Railroad Depot. Between 1850 and 1880, local breweries included the Kalamazoo Malt House, Portage Brewery, Burchnall’s Brewery (also known as the Plank Road Brewery and operated by the grandparents of WWI hero Joseph Burchnall Westnedge); Sesemann’s Brewery, Burr Oak Brewery, Franks Brewery, Taylor Thackwray & Co., Kalamazoo Spring Brewery, and Kalamazoo Steam Brewery. The latter was brewed with lager yeast and without the use of refrigeration. Steam beer used bottom fermenting lager yeasts at ale temperatures, which results in a very unique flavor that includes both ale and lager characteristics. It was considered
a cheap and low quality beer consumed mostly by the working class. During the period from 1862-1871, the company produced 46,000 gallons annually. After 1880, there were just three breweries operating within Kalamazoo, which included City Union Brewery, Cold Stream Brewery, and Kalamazoo Brewing Company, whose slogan was “Build up your hometown and patronize home industry by calling for the Brew from Kalamazoo.” They
also touted their beer as being “pure and without drugs or poison.” The decline in breweries was attributed to several factors, including the Women’s Christian Temperance Union movement gaining increased support, rising competition from other cities around the Midwest, and a significant per-barrel liquor tax that was levied. The final blow to the brewing industry in early Kalamazoo came on May 1, 1915, when the residents of Kalamazoo voted to ban the production and sale of alcoholic beverages within city limits. According to the April 6, 1916, headline of the Kalamazoo Telegraph-Press, this act put “One brewery, 46 saloons and 15 clubs out of business.” This was four years prior to the 18th amendment being passed nationally, which started the era of prohibition. 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.
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You’re Invited to the Safe, Sound & Secure Conference The Kalamazoo County Elder Abuse Prevention Coalition is once again sponsoring a free half day community conference on a variety of topics that address preventing financial exploitation, assuring quality of life for long term care facility residents, and promoting better understanding of memory loss and Alzheimer’s Disease. The date is Saturday, April 9 at Galilee Baptist Church, 1216 N. Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo. Starting with a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m., the conference opens with a keynote address by Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller. There are 3 workshops (repeated) to choose from that include:
Knowing Your Rights in a Long-Term Care Facility with Kelly Jonker, BSW, LongTerm Care Ombudsman. This workshop is helpful for anyone who will visit family or friends in a licensed long-term care facility.
Knowing the Pros and Cons of Joint Ownership, Power of Attorney, Guardianship, Conservatorship with Kelly Quardokus, Q Elderlaw PLC and Tom Danielson, Mercantile Bank. This workshop will help you understand these and other documents so that you can determine what is best for you in order to avoid possible financial exploitation.
Knowing About Normal Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s Disease with Erin VanGroningen, Alzheimer’s Association. If you or someone you know is experiencing memory loss or behavioral changes, it’s time to learn the facts. Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease gives you a chance to begin drug therapy, enroll in clinical studies and plan for the future. This interactive workshop features video clips of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, addresses the ten warning signs and what to do if you observe them in yourself or someone you know.
Judy Sivak, MSW Director, Area Agency on Aging IIIA, 3299 Gull Rd., Kalamazoo, Phone: 269-373-5173 (Info & Assistance Line) www.Kalcounty.com/aaa
A resource table and door prizes round out the morning activities which are scheduled to end by noon. People should register by calling the WMU Center for Gerontology, 387-9600 or gerontology-info@wmich.edu. The Coalition wishes to thank the conference sponsors for their generosity: Area Agency on Aging IIIA, Disability Network Southwest Michigan, Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Life EMS Ambulance, Miller Johnson Attorneys at Law, Q Elderlaw PLC, Senior Services Southwest Michigan, WMU Center for Gerontology and WMU Aging Services.
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Tales
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FROM THE
road
~ new orleans, Louisiana ~ At the far end of the market stands the Old US Mint Museum. The Mint was built in 1835 and minted coins until 1909. The Confederates took it over during the Civil War and minted Confederate money. Upstairs is a great New Orleans Jazz exhibit. As we continued walking, on Royal and Dauphine, we found The Marigny area -a funky, inviting old neighborhood of colorful houses, bakeries, corner stores and coffee shops.
By Steve Ellis New Orleans is an amazing city. It is one of the places I have always wanted to visit and finally made it, this past January. We stayed at an Airbnb home in the Garden District, not far from where my daughter is living for the winter. This was a central location and gave us the feel of living in New Orleans. We got in late and asked our host for nearby dinner suggestions. He recommended the Voodoo Grille on St Charles where Jackie and I enjoyed a pulled pork platter, which included corn bread and gumbo-all very good, New Orleans fare. On our first day in the city, we walked a few blocks to St Charles Street to catch a ride on one of the classic streetcars (made famous in Streetcar Named Desire) to the French Quarter. The streetcars arrive every few minutes during the day and every half hour throughout the night –the cost was only $1.25 one-way or $3.00 for a daily pass. In the French Quarter, we strolled down Bourbon St. peeking in the doors of the bars and restaurants. Cutting over to Royal St, we found some of the most unique art galleries that I have ever seen, as well as wonderful bookstores and restaurants. I asked a bookstore owner, how New Orleans got its nickname, “The Crescent City,” and he explained that it came from the shape of the Mississippi River near the French Quarter. We wandered through Pirates Alley, past the Faulkner Bookstore and the house where Faulkner wrote his first novel, “Soldiers Pay.” Not far away is the gorgeous Jackson Square, full of magicians, palm readers and assorted eccentric characters. The square offers one of the prettiest views in the city and is at the center of everything. We crossed through the square to the edge of the Mississippi River, where we watched huge barges and paddleboats go by. My daughter made sure we stopped at Café Du Monde for a bag of warm beignets-delicious fried dough drenched in powdered sugar. Each day there is also a Farmers Market just up the street, where vendors sell everything from voodoo charms to fried alligator on a stick.
The Garden District offers some of the largest and most beautiful homes anywhere. Many are illuminated at dusk. This area was once the richest neighborhood in what was once the richest city in the United States. The huge overhanging trees and brick sidewalks look the same as they would have a hundred years or more ago. Another must-see in the Garden District is the above ground cemetery on Washington St. The vaults are built above ground because of the high water levels and many have fallen into disrepair with grass and small trees growing from the roofs. We were told the cemeteries close at 3:30 because voodoo is still believed down here and theft and desecration of graves can be a problem. A few blocks away is Magazine St., one of our favorite places in the city. The street includes several miles of art galleries, jewelry, clothing, antiques and a large variety of bars and restaurants. A few of our favorite stores included: Aiden Gill for Men-a vintage barber shop with a huge collection of old barber related memorabilia (the manager told us it was voted the best barber shop in the U.S) and Grandmother’s Buttons-a store full of handmade antique button jewelry displayed in old wood boxes. On our final day, we headed back down to the French Quarter to go inside the St Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. The famous towering white steeples are the backdrop to the square and the French Quarter. The Cathedral was completed in 1794 and is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States. We were fortunate to be in town for the first major parade of the Mardi Gras- the Krewe du Vieux. The streets were packed with colorful, bead wearing revelers, and was billed as the most bawdy and political of the parades. Kind of like a PG-13 version of Kalamazoo’s Doo Dah parade. The parade began with brightly lit motorcycle policeman, flying through the streets followed by an hour or more of colorful floats, music and craziness. New Orleans was a wonderful experience and one we would love to repeat again in the future
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New Residents Welcome! Crosstown Parkway Senior Apartments
- Immediate Occupancy! - 1 bedroom apartments for 62 years and up. - Gas, electric, heat, air conditioning, water and sewer included. - Recently renovated kitchen and bath. - Rent based on 30% of income. - Medical alert bracelet in each unit.
- Small pets welcome with deposit. - “Care One� on-site. - Professional, courteous staff. - Free community room for parties. - Weekly resident activities. - Weekly grocery trips.
RENT BASED ON INCOME 550 W. Crosstown Pkwy. Kalamazoo 344-3968 Professionally Managed by Medallion Management, Inc. TTY 711
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR SPECIAL EVENTS Art Hop, Mar 4 - Downtown Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Indoor Flea Market, Tue, Wed, 8am-2pm Kal County Expo Center Millennium Park Ice Rink, 280 Romence Rd, $ Weight Watchers meets every Thur at 5:30pm at the Richland Community Center (weigh in at 5pm) Gilmore Car Museum Lecture Series, Mar 6, 13, 20, 27, 3pm, 671-5089 Up the English, New Vic Theatre, through March 19, 3813328 Drink One Down for Your Town: For the Riverview Launch Project, Marc 1, Arcadia Brewing Co Of Mice and Man, Parish Theatre, Mar 4-19 343-1313 Home Expo and Garden Show, Mar 10-13, Kal County Expo Center All Ears Theatre, Sherlock Holmes and a Case of Identity, Mar 5, 6pm, First Baptist Church Lamb of God, Mar 11-12, Chenery Aud, 387-2300 Weekend Kalamazoo Indoor Flea & Farmers Market, March 26, 8am-3pm Fancy Nancy, The Musical, Farmers Alley Theatre, Mar 12-20, 343-2727 ACHA Women’s DI & DII National Hockey Championship Mar 9-13, Wings West Brahms & Faure, Chenery Aud, Mar 19, 8pm Riverdance, Miller Aud, Mar 29, 7:30pm 387-2309 Opening Reception for High School Area Show, KIA, Mar 24, 5:30pm, Dancing in the Streets Motown Revue, Miller, Mar 19, 8pm Maple Sugar Festival, Mar 12-13, Kal Nature Center 9am5pm Juiliard String Quartet, Stetson Chapel, Kal College, Mar 18, 8pm Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RAD Fest) Mar 18-20, Wellspring Theater 342-4354 Easter Craft and Vendor Show, Mar 26, 9am-3pm, Kal County Expo Center, FREE Kalamazoo Living History Show, Mar 19-20, Kal County Expo Center $ Pop Go the Women, the Other Story of Pop Art-Film, KIA, Mar 17, 6:30pm $ Audubon Society of Kalamazoo presentation: The Great Colorado Chicken Trip by Kip Miller of Love Creek Nature Center, March 28, 2016 at 7:30 pm at the People’s Church, 1758 North 10th St, Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Dance Monthly Ballroom Dance, Sat Mar 19 Lesson-The Foxtrot 7:00-8:00 p.m. Gen Dancing- 8:0010:00 p.m. The Point Comm. Center 2595 N. 10th St. $ Kalamazoo County Association of Retired School Personnel will meet Tues, March 1, at 11:30 at WMU Fetzer Center. Irish Mythology, Monday, March 7th 7:00 PM Portage District Library, Aedín Ní Bhróithe Clements, Irish Studies Librarian of Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame. A discussion about Irish history and how Irish mythology has tied into urban fantasy. Portage District Library Sundays Live: Celtic Concert, Sun, March 13th 2:30pm Jenny Miller on recorder and Ginny Parnaby on hammered dulcimer, Portage District Library - Grown Up Show & Tell: A Reading Together Event, Sat, March 12, 1:00pm Dream Center and Dream Design (thrift store) in need of volunteers-call Erika 269 419-3740 Vicksburg District Library Adult Book Club, Mar3, 9am10am 649-1648 for details Vicksburg District Library, Thurs, Mar 31 6 p.m – 8 p.m. Book Signing & Reception for John Kozak, Author of “Through the Eyes of Rose” Vicksburg Dist Library Sat, March 19 1 p.m. Cabin Fever Afternoon for Adults – Get Out of the House! Recipe Exchange Day. Please sign up for this event. Vicksburg Dist Library Tues, March 22, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Free Tax Clinic. Please call 269-382-0490 ext 221 for appointment. Kalamazoo County Advocates for Senior Issues (KCASI) program: Gillian Stoltman, Director of Kal County Health & Human Services will speak on the “Health of Kalamazoo County” Mar 21, 1:15-2:45 at Senior Services, 918 Jasper. Wed, Mar 2nd 7:15 Double Play Flute Duo: Marches, Minuets and Medleys in the Kiva-Friendship Village Sun, Marc 6th 7:15 Music Appreciation with Sara Amos in the Kiva Mon, March 7th 7:15 Cheryl Beauchamp Honky Tonk piano!! In the Kiva Sun, March 13th 7:15 Music Appreciation with Sara Amos in the Kiva Mon, March 14th 2:00 Vocal Concert with Cat Canyon in the Kiva Tues, March 15th 2:00 WMUK Public Radio…serving the community in the Kiva Thurs, March 17th 7:15 Hazel Tree Trio Irish Music Concert in the Kiva Fri, March 18th 3:00 Trumpet and Horn Recital in the Kiva Sun, March 20th 7:15 Crescendo Music Academy Ensembles in the Kiva Mon, March 28th 2:00 Keyz & Squeeze Musical Concert in the Kiva
YMCA OF GREATER KALAMAZOO
ECUMENICAL SENIOR CENTER
1001 W. Maple St. 269-345-9622
702 N. Burdick Street 381-9750
New Member Meet & Greet: Fri March 11, 1:30pm-2:30pm, Maple St. Chapel Special Presentation: Bill Fitzgerald, Psychologist will be presenting a program “Stress Management” 12:30pm1:30pm Fri , March 25 FREE/ All are welcome Blood Pressure Clinics: Wed March 2, 11am-1pm, Tue, March 8, 2pm-4pm, Wed, March 16, 11am-1pm,Thur, March 24, 2pm-4pm The “Y” Read Book Group, Fri, March 18, 1:30p-3p. Join us for a discussion on One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson, in the Chapel SilverSneakers Yoga, Thur. 10:00am-10:45am. Members free/ $32 Community. SilverSneakers Classic, T/Th 11a-12p. Members free/ $49 Community. SilverSneakers Splash, M/W/TH 3p-4p. Members free/ $62 Community, 2 times a week, $54 Community. Tai Chi for Arthritis, T/TH 10a-11a, $23 Mbr/$49 Community. Instr: Glenda Van Stratton. 345-9622 x127. SilverSneakers Circuit, M/W 11a-12p, Members free/$49 Community SilverSneakers Cardio, New class, T/Th, 1:30p-2:30p Members free/$56 Community
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 AREA COMMUNITY CENTER
YMCA OF GREATER KALAMAZOO
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, 11-12 $ Jazzercise M-Th, 6-7 $
Portage Branch 2900 West Centre Ave. 269-324-9622
PORTAGE SENIOR CENTER
Blood Pressure Clinics, Ist Monday and 2nd Tuesday of each month 9:45-11:45am YogaStretch, Friday 11am-12pm, Members Free, Community $23. Muscular Strength and Range of Movement, Monday 1p2p, Members Free, Community $30, Wednesday/Friday 10am-11am Members Free/ $60 Community
COMSTOCK COMMUNITY CENTER 269-345-8556 Bell Ringer’s Choir: Monday’s, 10am-12pm. All levels of skill welcome. If you would like to join, call Phil in advance at 269-343-6067. Free. Bingo: Every Thursday at 1pm. Bring a $1.00 value item in a paper sack. Free. Borgess Healthy Steps: Tuesday & Thursday, 8-9am. This class is held at Borgess Health & Fitness Center. Cost $20/year. Call (269) 552-2348 to register. 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 $6 and includes beverage. Exercise: Tues & Thur, 10am-11am Low impact exercises and all levels welcome. Cost is $3 per class. Foot Care Clinic: 2nd & 4th Mon 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 Line Dance: Wednesdays at 9-10:30am. Cost is $3. Massage: Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s by appointment only. Cost is $20 for 1/2 hour and $40 for hour. Out to Breakfast: 8:30am.. Mar 1, Uncle Ernie’s on Portage Rd, Mar 15 @ Liz’s in Richland, Meal cost is on your own Out to Lunch: Join the group at 11:30am. March 25, Godfathers on E. cork Meal cost is on your own. **NEW** Qigong: Thursday’s 9-9:45am. Similar to Tai Chi Cost is $5. 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 monthly $5. Tai Chi, Mondays at 5:30pm-6:15pm $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 10-11am. (269) 552-2358. Cost is $40 for 8 week class. TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly): Every Tuesday 5pm-7pm. 383-0312. Membership is $32 annually. Taxes: Low income seniors/disabled, call for appt. Free Chocolate Dipping Class: March 7, $15 St. Patrick’s Day Lunch: March 17, 11:30am-1pm. $7 Easter Lunch: March 24, 11:30am-1pm, $7
269-329-4555 AARP Smart Driver Program, Thursday, March 3, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, register in person at PSC. $15 AARP Member/$20 Non-AARP Member. Alzheimer’s Assoc. Support Group, 7:00-8:30pm, 3rd Tuesday Art Open Session, 1:00 p.m., Mon, PSC Members only. Bid Euchre & Other Cards, 6:30 p.m. Tues. New players welcome. PSC mem only. Big Screen Movie: Mon, Mar 14, 1:15 p.m. “Holy Ground: Worship and Praise with the Homecoming Friends” 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, Experienced 1 – 3 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. Casino Trip, Four Winds Casino, New Buffalo, Tues, March 22. $20 Members/$30 Non-Members. Register at PSC. Chair Volleyball Drop-in Play: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Tues The PSC offers free, drop-in play. PSC Members only. Choir Practice, 9:30 a.m. Thursdays. 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 appt Computer Tutoring: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, Mon & Fri, 2-4pm Weds 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. Mar 7, Chili’s Grill & Bar, 6195 S. Westnedge, Portage, Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reg PSC 329-4555 by prev bus day is required. Self-pay. Dining Out Club - Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. Tue, Mar 8, Rykse’s Restaurant, 5924 Stadium Dr, Kalamazoo 6375 Stadium Dr, Oshtemo 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 am, Thur, Mar 17 Craftsman’s Chop Company, 6905 Sears Drive, Portage. Portage Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance res. at PSC 329-4555 by previous bus day required. Self-pay. Diversity 101: What’s Your GPA? Thursday, January 7, 1:30 PM. In this workshop, participants will explore ethnic and cultural diversity from an African American perspective. Register at 329-4555. Drums Alive: Monday and Wednesday, 9:20 – 10:20 am., $42/52. Call 329-4555 for information. 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. Evening Meal – Mar 15 5:00 PM, includes main entre, sides, dessert and beverage for $10. Register at 329-4555. Garden Talk Series for 2016 with Schram’s Greenhouse, Tuesdays, March 8, 15, 22 and 29 at 6:30 PM. Register at Schram’s 327-5347. Hand Chimes, Thurs, 1 p.m. (hand chimes provided) Indoor Walking at the Stable at Portage Public Schools, Tues and Thurs, 1:30–2:30pm. PSC members only. iPAD Discussion Group, Thursday, March 15, 10:00 AM, 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. Loaves & Fishes Bag Recycling – Bring your plastic & paper bags to the Center the first week of the month. Mah Jongg, 1 p.m. Tues. New PSC members welcome. Matter of Balance Class beginning June 3. Call the Center for specifics and register at 329-4555 Massage Therapy, 1st & 3rd Mon, call 329-4555 for appmt. $20 half hour and $40 full hour. New Member Orientation (NMO), Tuesday, March 8, 10:30 AM. Register at 329-4555. Nursing Facility Transition Program, Thursday, March 10, 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon, register at 329-4555. 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, 6:00 – 9:00 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! Call 329-4555. PSC Members only. PSC Needlers, 9:00 a.m. – 12 Noon, Thursdays. Knitting and crocheting. Items made are donated to charities. PSC Trip Office, open for res (324-9239), Tues and Fri, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Quilting, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., Fridays all month. Bring quilting supplies. New quilters welcome. Readers’ Theatre, 2nd and 4th Wednesday. Recycled Card Project, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Tues. (1st,3rd, 4th) 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 & share your writing. 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 held at YMCA Portage, designed to build strength, increase range of movement. Pay at YMCA Portage, $68/7 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”. St. Patrick’s Day Lunch, Thursday, March 17, 11:30 AM, $5 lunch reservation. Lunch, entertainment and prizes. Sponsor: ComForcare Home Care. 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. Volunteer Van Drivers – positions available one day a week, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm, Monday - Friday. Contact PSC Volunteer Coordinator. 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, 9:45 – 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. $72/82 Non-members. Zumba, 9:20 – 10:20 AM, Fridays. Instructor, Helene Thompson, 8 weeks, $24 Member/$34 Non-Members. Register at PSC.
SENIOR SERVICES OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 269-382-0515 Lunch M-F at 11:45am. Reservations must be made by noon, one day in advance. 382-0515. Bingo: (Mar 7 & 21) Mon. 11:00-Noon Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program: Mon-Fri, call 1-800-803-7174 for appt.
MARCH 2016 AARP Smart Driving Program: Thur. Sept. 17th 9am4pm $15 for AARP members $20 non-members .Call 269-382-0515 for more information and to sign up. 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 $20 call 269-8 to schedule your apt. 269 808-2040 “Swinging with Susan” Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, M & W, ALL fitness levels. 10:00am-11:00am. Susan Lervolina. $35/7wks (14 classes) TOPS for Seniors. Mon. Lose weight with support and encouragement ($3 per month) 12:00-1:30pm Ballroom Dance. MON. (basic and intermediate) $25/8 weeks. 3:15-4:45pm Chair Yoga: W/Leslie Balance your mind and your body. Tue. 9:30-10:30am Minimum $5 donation. Art Painting. Tue. 10am-12pm, Bring your own supplies and enjoy the fellowship. No fee. Helping Hands. Tue, (Mar 8 & 22) Knit/crochet items to distribute to community agencies. 1:00pm-4:00pm Grief Support: Counselor available for support. Weds. 10:30 am-11:30 am. Call 269-382-0515 for dates Visually Impaired Group. Wed (Mar 2 & 16) Support for the visually impaired. 10:30am-12:00pm Senior Foot Clinic, Wed & Fri am-4pm ($28, & bring bath towel). 269-671-5427 for appt. Grief Support: Counselor available for support. Weds. 10:30 am-11:30 am. Call 269-382-0515 for dates Tai Chi w/instructor Ed Kehoe. $5/week, 1:30pm-2:30pm 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 www.richlandareacc.org Book Discussion Group: 3rd Thur., 9:30am , Mar book, Detroit: An American Autopsy, by LeDuff Bridge: Mon., 12:30-3:30pm Crescendo Academy of Music “Music Together” great for grandparents and grandbabies! Tues., 5-6 pm, $ 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 GLA Rotary: Thur., 7:30-8:30am Hand & Foot (cards): Wed., 1:00-3:30 Ping Pong: Tue., 3-5 pm Richland/Gull Lake Area Lions Club: 1st Thur., 5:30-8 pm Senior Dining Coupons: Tue. 9am-1pm, Wed. 9am-5pm Square Dance: 3rd Sat., 7:30-10am “Swingin’ with Susan” Exercise (sponsored by Laurels of Galesburg): Tue/Thur, 10:30-11:30am, $3 per class Tai Chi, Beginning: (Starts Feb. 29), Mon., 6 pm, $5 Tai Chi, Intermediate: Wed., 4:30-5:30pm Intermediate Hatha Vinyasa Yoga: Tue., 9-10 am, (Sliding Fee—Age 49 & Under, $10/age 50-59, $8/Age 60-69, $6/ Age 70 & Above, $3. Buy 10 Classes, get the 11th FREE.) Yoga-Hatha Vinyasa-Core Boost: 6-wk session, Friday 9:15-10:15 am, $60, csdtucci@comcast.net Yoga-Hatha Vinyasa-Evening: Mon. & Tues., 6-7 pm, $10 per session Yoga-Gentle w/Cathy Tucci: Tue./Thur., 10:15-11:15am, (sliding fee-age 49 & under, $10/age50-59, $8/age 6069, $6/Age 70/above, $3. Buy 10 classes, get 11th free.) Yoga Mon. 10:30-11:30 pm, $10/session Weight Watchers: Starts in January. Call ahead. 269.629.9430 Oil Pastels Class w/Carol Yager Mar 6, 1:00-4:00 PM
SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES Certified Veterans Service Officer – Every Thurs from 9am – 1pm. Walk in only. We also offer foot care and a free legal service each month, but interested individuals should call the SCCS office at 649-2901 for an appt.
THREE RIVERS SENIOR CENTER Open Art Studio, Bridge Club, Lunch & Learns, Trips, Events, Rental Space, Health Clinics, Arthritis Exercise, Balance Exercise, Bingo, Bunco, Breakfast Clubs, Massage, Hair Cuts, Computer Classes, wifi, Wii. Call COA for dates and times at 269-279-8083.
PLAN YOUR TRIP Portage Senior Center 269-324-9239 Thirsty Village Tour, March 24, , Saugatuck, MI Step-on guide knowledge-sharing, antiques, tastings, and lunch included. Magic of Neil Diamond, April 8, 2016, Zehnder’s, Frankenmuth, MI
27 The Home Game, April 15, 2016, Blue Gate Theatre, Shipshewana, IN (theatre and meal included) Spring into Grand Rapids-May 3, 2016, Downtown Market, Trader Joe’s, lunch at Arnie’s (included), Create a planter at a local garden center Meadowbrook Hall-May 11, 2016, Tour one of “America’s Castles”, lunch included at the mansion. This spring outing includes a performance of “Sista’s the Musical”. Historic Cities of the East – May 15-20, 2016 (Amish Country, Baltimore, Gettysburg and Philadelphia) “Hazel” (Musical Comedy)-May 19, 2016, 60’s TV show now a world premiere at Drury Lane. Delicious meal included.
Richland Area Community Center 269-629-9430 Four Freshman in Holland, MI: Apr 14 - Carolyn Mack Tours - $80 pp Springtime in Branson: May 16-20, 2016 – Ed & Ted’s Excellent Adventures – $949 pp. dbl. occ. Beauty and The Beast Musical in Chicago: May 25 - Carolyn Mack Tours - $138 pp Cape Cod & The Islands: Jun 11-18 - Ed & Ted’s Excellent Adventures - $1,699 pp. dbl. occ.
WMU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute 800-887-4971 Othello at the Shakespeare Theatre Navy Pier: April 7 Toledo Here We Come: April 14 Grand Rapids Dinner and the Opera: April 27 The Purple Rose and More: May 25
Comstock Community Center 345-8556 Travel Preview March 18, 9:30-11:30 Casino-Soaring Eagle Excursion, March 29 Thompson Museum: April 8, 10am-5pm, $55/$61 The Four Freshman w/lunch, Holland, Apr 14 Stunt Dog Show, April 17 Antique Shopping in Allen, MI: April 19, 10am-5pm, $35/$38 Peru Splendors/Machu Picchu, Apr 24-May 1 Curwood Castle & Carriage Museum: May 10, 8am-6pm, $68/$75 Great Trains & Great Canyons, May 15-20 Historic Cities of the East, May 15-20 Beauty & The Beast, Chicago, May 25 Colorado Rocky Mtn Spectacular, July 10-19
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 269-3820515 by 1 p.m. the day before you plan to visit. A costsharing 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.
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 18 participating restaurants. Call 800-6419899 or 269-279-8083 for information on how to make reservations, which are required 24 hours in advance. A minimum cost sharing contribution can be shared at meal sites and $3.75 suggested donation 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
SPARK