My
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PHOTO FEATURE! Relive the Hornets’ game at Ford Field — Page 10
Cozy up with four great winter mysteries!
amston
MY STORIES
MY LIFE
MY COMMUNITY
Hot Spot
Dave Porter’s glass passion a plus for city Unburied Treasures Mitch Lutzke digs up history downtown
PLUS: March event puts spotlight on music
winter 2011 MyWilliamston.com
Contents Covering Williamston and surrounding communities.
SPECIAL PHOTO SECTION
Hornets at Ford Field
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14
Glass passion
Life’s twists lead Dave Porter and Rhonda Baker to glassblowing in Williamston.
10 LOCAL DISH Q&A: Meet Police Chief Bob Young ........................4 Cool pics: See photos from Ice and Fire.......................5 Also: March to bring festival of music downtown ..............6 With: Area singer recording album at Six String . .........6 Community briefs ..........7 Fitness studio expansion brings out history .............7 COLUMNS NEW: Michele Brussow shares winter reads . ........25 Also: Mitch Lutzke unveils some historic treasures . ....8 Benjamin Eichler gives tips on small-town life ........... 27 Gerard Wilbrink says to get out in the cold . .........13
2 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
See photos of the Williamston football team competing in the Division 4 state championship game in Detroit.
Winter 2011 Volume 2, No. 1
CONTRIBUTORS Michele Brussow Benjamin Eichler Cyndi Lieske Mitch Lutzke Bruce A. Pollock Will Whelton Gerard Wilbrink
Find us online at MyWilliamston.com
IN EVERY ISSUE Calendar .........................22 Faces and Places .............26 Advertiser index .............26
Find us online at MyWilliamston.com
On the Cover
Inside Fireworks Glass Studios in Williamston. Photo by Bruce A. Pollock
My Williamston is published quarterly by Yeetown Designs, a division of Yeetown, LLC. Yeetown is a gift shop that features only Michigan-made cards, gifts and food. It is located at 110 E. Grand River Ave. inside historic Keller’s Plaza in downtown Williamston. © Yeetown Designs, a division of Yeetown, LLC
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Local dish
Q &A
A word with Bob Young 1. What made Williamston the right fit for you to continue your career after retiring from the Michigan State Police?
MEET BOB YOUNG Who: Chief of police, City of Williamston police department Background: In his 34-year law enforcement career, Bob has worked everything from police chief and officer or trooper to undercover narcotics and marine patrol. He retired in June 2010 after 32 years with the Michigan State Police and was immediately hired as Williamston’s chief. Bob and his wife Lori have three children, David, Jonathan and Elizabeth. Other interests: Bob enjoys hunting, fishing, camping and enjoying the Great Lakes. He also makes maple syrup.
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Compiled by My Williamston staff
After 32 years with the Michigan State Police, and having lived near the city of Williamston for the past 24 years, I saw the opportunity to return to small-town policing where I began my law enforcement career. In 1976, I was a police officer for the city of Tecumseh and very much enjoyed the community. Also, my three children are grown and out of the house so my wife and I can spend much more time in the local community, which I feel is important. 2. What, if any, changes have you made to the police department? I made a concerted effort to communicate to the community what their police department is doing. We are accomplishing this by every week reporting in the Williamston Enterprise recent police activity. We have established a Williamston Police Department Web site (williamston-mi.us/police.html). On this Web site, you can sign up for Nixle that will send you safety, traffic, weather and community alerts. The Web site also has CrimeDar, which is updated on a daily basis and shows police activity.
Williamston Police 1500 W. Grand River Ave. Office hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday (517) 655-4222 911 emergency E-mail the chief: bob.young@williamston-mi.us Online: williamston-mi.us/police.html Sign up for alerts: Nixle.com 3. How have you introduced yourself to members of the community? Why is developing that relationship important? I have attended Rotary, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, senior luncheons, church meetings, hosted a meet-the-chief meeting and participated in parades. I patrol on a bicycle in order to have closer contact with the community. I’ve attended many neighborhood watch block meetings. I believe it is important for me to know the people in the community I serve, as well as for them to know their chief of police. I’ve attempted to personally meet all the business owners in Williamston. I’ve met many, but have many more to go. 4. What are your goals for the department? — Establish stronger connections with Williamston
Public Schools. Williamston has for many years had a very successful Police and Kids program. My goal is to expand that relationship into the middle and high schools. These kids are our future. — Expand the use of the neighborhood watch, business watch and community watch programs. — Maintain excellent working relations with all criminal justice agencies, in order to maximize public safety in Williamston. 5. Are there any changes you feel the community needs that you can help with? Continue to be the eyes and ears in the community. Do not hesitate to call the police, however minor you believe the situation may be. We have been able to solve many crimes because of concerned citizens involvement. 6. What strengths in general does Williamston have compared to other cities you’ve lived and worked in. I knew before I became chief, Williamston was a nice town, and I continue to discover the city is nicer than I was aware and continues to get better. The citizens strongly support their police department. The citizens have a strong passion for their community and it shows.
QUOTEWORTHY
Talk about a guy who, if he was thrust back into the 1700s, he could immediately adapt. He would be the kind of guy who would be one of the founding members of the community.” — Dave Minock, WKAR radio salesman, on Fireworks Glass Studios owner Dave Porter. Read more about the Williamston business owner and artist on Page 14.
4 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
LOCAL DISH In the four surrounding photos, Scott Miller of Miller Ice Sculptures in Lansing creates a hummingbird during January’s Ice and Fire event in Williamston. Miller created sculptures throughout town, including the hummingbird, which sat on the sidewalk in front of Hayward-Pixley Insurance Agency.
Frozen Art Photos by Teresa Wood and My Williamston staff
From left to right, a swan sits on the corner of Grand River and Putnam; scissors are part of a display at VIP Hair Studio; a replica of the Eiffel Tower stands in front of Keller’s Plaza; and a skier dons the sidewalk in front of Planet Video. The sculptures were four of eight created during the Ice and Fire event.
Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 5
LOCAL DISH
Downtown a stage for music event Each March in Williamston, the downtown becomes alive with the sound of music. This year marks the third annual March Musical Madness, a First Friday event presented by the Williamston Area Chamber of Commerce. “Everybody likes music, it’s universal,” said Wendy Shaft, a Chamber member who owns Limner Press with her husband and co-chairs the March event. “Plus, it’s the idea that you’re going around with your family and enjoying it all.” This year’s event is being expanded to also include the Saturday, making the event March 4-5. Businesses throughout the downtown host musicians and people enjoy free music while shopping around town or pull up a chair to enjoy the sounds. Musicians were spread throughout nine businesses last year and ended with a large performance at Wood and Sons Corn Bin. “Anybody who has sung in a church choir or has taken piano lessons, everyone relates,” Shaft said. “Music is a universal language. You can take any piece of music and each person will interpret it differently. You just never know how you’ll touch people when you do a community event. You’re creating an environment where who knows who will be exposed to what kind of music. Maybe they’ll discover something they like that they didn’t even know they liked.” Don Warren, who owns Six String Place, has helped make the musical event popular.
Charlie George and Keith Earl perform at Six String Place during 2010’s March Musical Madness event in downtown Williamston. This year’s event is March 4-5.
Many of the performers are instructors or students at the downtown music store. This year, Warren said his store will be holding a grand opening for its expansion project during March Musical Madness. “We have a recording studio open now and we’ve expanded the size of the facility,” Warren said. “We’re going to have a grand opening and we’re going to feature singer-songwriters who are working in our recording studio.” March Musical Madness is part of the Chamber’s First Friday series, which features events the first Friday of each month. “We want to make sure we always do
something on the first Friday of every month so people know something is going on each month,” said Barb Burke, the executive director of the Chamber. “If something doesn’t quite work, though, then we tweak it, and we think of something different that might draw people into town.” The music event has become a staple. “If you love music, come to Williamston and enjoy the local talent and be part of a community event,” Shaft said. “It’s free and it’s something you can do with your family. This is a way to support not only local businesses but also local talent.”
Area singer finds fit with Williamston studio Drew Machak is no stranger to the spotlight. As a member of the band The Blue Effect, the East Lansing resident performs frequently as he tries to grow as a musician and advanced to Hollywood after auditioning in Milwaukee for the 2011 season of American Idol. He’s currently working on a solo album that’s being created at the new recording studio in Williamston’s Six String Place. “Every week, I’m in there and we’re recording,” said Machak, who will perform at Six String during March Musical Mad-
ness. “I bring some of my material and Sean (Barrett, Six String’s senior musical advisor) helps me edit it and pick it apart. This album is going to be a giant collage … I’m trying to put stuff out there that isn’t really there.” He first discovered Six String Place three years ago machak when purchasing a guitar, but now he’s a regular. “I just liked the feel of it,” he said. “It’s really small and you get a really personal feel when you go in. I just liked it.”
— Stories by Will Whelton — 6 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
Machak recorded an earlier solo album, but he is especially proud of his new one. “The music I’m doing right now and the level of quality that’s going to be on this album, is really going to be unlike anything I’ve done,” he said. Machak said he will perform some new music during March Musical Madness on March 4, which happens to be his birthday. “If you want to hear music that is happening without regard to the major labels and mainstream music, this is music exactly how I want to do it and how the musicians I’m involved with want to do it,” he said.
LOCAL DISH COMMUNITY BRIEFS
Nature Association hosts photo contest
The Williamston-based Michigan Nature Association launched its first Sanctuary Photo Contest in January. Photographs must be submitted by Aug. 1 and be taken at one of the more than 160 MNA sanctuaries around the state. One sanctuary, the Red Cedar River Floodplain, is in Ingham County. Winning photos will be featured in the group’s October newsletter, on its Web site and may be used in a calendar. The contest is broken into three categories: flora, fauna and landscapes. Entries cost $3 each, but MNA members are each allowed one free entry. Entry forms and contest details are available online at MichiganNature.org.
Beautification Fund presents ‘Beatles Revue’
The Williamston Area Beautification Fund is turning to the Beatles for its sixth annual musical fundraiser. The group presents The Beatles Revue, which features local residents performing music from the popular band. The shows, Feb. 12 (7:30 p.m.) and 13 (3 p.m.), will be at McGoff Performing Arts Center. The Beautification Fund raises money to support improvements in the community, such as the building of the American Legion Band Shell in McCormick Park. Funds from the show will benefit dressing rooms at the facility and costs for bands to perform.
Rosemarie and Cisco Office managers Keller’s Plaza, Suite 3 110 E. Grand River Ave. Downtown Williamston
(517) 655-8485
Grand River fixture gets facelift When Dave and Teresa Wood lost a tenant a few years ago, they didn’t have any trouble filling the space. The owners of the Wood Building in downtown Williamston moved their corn stove and furnace store from the back to the front of the building and expanded. Wood and Sons Corn Bin had been a fixture since 2007. “People liked having a lot of room and it gave us the chance to have a lot of community events here,” Teresa Wood said of the front of the building that was built in 1926-27. Now, the building has undergone a bit of a historical facelift with the addition of the Tina Brookhouse Fitness Studio to the front of the building. Wood and Sons returned to its former spot and the Woods renovated parts of the building, including placing original doors between the two businesses. “Dave was upstairs in the building and was going through an old pile of doors,” Teresa said. “He found these two doors and I thought they’re cool. They’re tall. Now, they’re finished and fit right in and look great.” A walk in through the front garage area of the building reveals parts of its past. A large blue oval “Ford” sign from when the building housed “Wood and Sons Ford Dealership” from the 1930s until 1954 leans on the wall near other items from past businesses. The changes began in mid-November when Tina Brookhouse was telling Barb Burke, the executive director of the Wil-
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Dave Wood of Wood and Sons Corn Bin found the building’s original doors, which are being used to separate Wood and Sons from Tina Brookhouse Fitness Studio, which is now open in the front of the building.
liamston Area Chamber of Commerce, that she was looking to find a bigger space. “I had told Barb we didn’t need all of this space,” said Teresa, who then contacted Brookhouse and began working on an agreement. The expanded fitness studio opened Jan. 3 and is planning to add massage therapy by March.
Find out what’s happening in your community. — Calendar, Page 22
Learning Loving Living for God Sunday worship — 10 a.m. Sunday school, all ages — 9 a.m. Foundations Ministry — 6:45 p.m. Wednesdays 2652 Haslett Road in Williamston (517) 655-2202 westlockechurch.net Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 7
History A LOOK BACK
Learning history with Mitch Lutzke
Unburied treasures connect to past
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raipsing around old barns, dusty attics or dark cellars, one would hope to stumble upon priceless antiques, long-lost family heirlooms or interesting trinkets from years gone by. But who would expect to find similar treasures out in plain sight? Probably not most people; but by taking a stroll around downtown Williamston, one can find several unburied treasures. The picturesque two-story structure at 123 E. Grand River Ave. was erected in 1887 for a clothing store. Now home to Top Flite Financial, the tan colored building, accented with an aqua trim, was purchased in 2002 by Tim and Tracie Baise. Inside, the tin ceiling is part of the original construction, Tracie Baise said. According to a pamphlet called “A Historical Swing Through Downtown Williamston,” the marble mosaic floor is not the original, but was installed in 1918, by the Engardio Family, who operated a fruit stand, party store and an old fashioned soda fountain in the building. Tossing back a hallway rug, Baise pointed out where bar stools had been bolted to the floor and cut through the tile. She said the basement still has cans of ice cream toppings, completely sealed and unopened, sitting neatly on a shelf. What Baise calls the “original safe” sits on four wheels in the front lobby. Adorning the bottom front of the safe is “Hibbard & Richardson Co, General Agts. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.” From 1895-1907, this firm sold safes, safety deposit boxes and bank vaults for the Cary Safe Company of Buffalo. Baise said her husband broke a car jack just “moving the thing” around the building. The safe’s original purchaser was probably William W. Heald, whose clothing store opened in the building. A few feet west down the street, the
The two-story structure that now houses Top Flite Financial in downtown Williamston was erected in 1887 for a clothing store ran by William W. Heald. Sitting in the front lobby of Top Flite is what owner Tracie Baise calls the “original safe,” likely purchased by Heald. It is believed the marble mosaic floor in the building was installed in 1918, by the Engardio Family, who operated a fruit stand, party store and an old fashioned soda fountain. Photo by Mitch Lutzke
famous National Block also carries its own safe lore. The modern portion of the threesection building was the location of a bank from 1874, when the massive structure was erected, until the mid-1960s. Originally, the western section looked similar to the other two remaining buildings all sharing one roof. However, several major remodeling projects changed the interior and exterior appearance. Current building owner, Bev O’Malia, who operated Carriage Travel there from 1983-2008, said despite all of the renovations over the past three-quarters of a century, the old bank bi-level vault remains. The door to the basement level vault was lugged upstairs some time ago and rests in a closet. O’Malia said she has no idea how that job was completed, due to the weight of the safe door. However, the first floor’s door remains on its hinges, complete with the combination dial, while the name “Detroit
Safe Company” and a sailboat are both painted on the front door, along with fancy gold and red trim. Adding a personal touch, “D.L. Crossman” is lettered neatly at the top of the vault’s steel entrance, above the door. Daniel L. Crossman, a state legislator, along with being a merchant, grain buyer and banker, was one of four investors to build the National Block. The town of Dansville was named after him, which he promptly left in 1871 when the railroad bypassed the hamlet and was rerouted through Williamston. Inside the vault is another long forgotten historical treasure. Tucked away was a large, dark brown, wooden chest of drawers, standing about waist-high. O’Malia stated she had never used the chest and it had always been sitting in the first-floor vault. Faded labels on just a few of the drawers, revealed the name of
Mitch Lutzke is a history and video production teacher at Williamston High School. He is a local historian and member of the Williamston Depot Museum's board of directors. He lives in Williamston with his wife and children. Contact Mitch at mlutzke@MyWilliamston.com. 8 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
“Dr. L.S. Dunkin, Williamstown, Mich.,” with handwritten notations of “Bandages,” “Ether” and “Bandages 3” and “4.” This cupboard belonged to Dr. Lloyd S. Dunkin, who apparently practiced medicine in the building. A native of Illinois, Dunkin was born in 1898, but his family moved to Michigan and he grew up in Grand Ledge. A graduate of the Detroit College of Medicine, he had been on the staff of Detroit’s Grace Hospital for a time in the early 1920s. By 1927, the doctor had arrived in Williamston and opened a general medicine practice. The 1930 census had Lloyd and wife, Beatrice Dunkin, living on North Putnam Street. However, by 1936, Dr. Dunkin had left town and moved to Greenville. The doctor apparently lived the rest of his life in the community, as he died there in 1988. Another unburied treasure is simply tucked away in a folder at 111 W. Grand River Ave., commonly known as Barrett’s. Proprietor Tom Mitchell, who has been connected with the store since 1969, has the multi-paged property abstract, for “part of lot 1, block 4.” The property was in the Williams brothers original 1845 plat of the downtown district. But, later, one of the most famous
Photo by Mitch Lutzke
Bev O’Malia, who owns the former Carriage Travel building, said despite all of the renovations over the past three-quarters of a century, the old bank bi-level vault remains. Tucked away in the vault is a large, dark brown, wooden chest of drawers with faded labels on it that suggest it belonged to Dr. Lloyd S. Dunkin, who apparently practiced medicine in the building. Michiganians was connected to the parcel. From Nov. 1, 1870 to June 26, 1871, former Governor Austin Blair had a $200 interest in the land, along with Warren N. Buck, the recently retired mayor of Jackson. Known as the “Civil War Governor,” Blair was an ardent Unionist and was one of the
most vocal supporters of Abraham Lincoln. Working tirelessly and burning through most of his own money in the process, Blair actually raised more Union soldiers from the state than was requested by the President. In addition to his wartime exploits, Blair was on the platform committee of the inaugural 1854 Republican Party meeting in Jackson. Upon his death in 1894, The New York Times hailed Blair as “one of the most active participants” in the convention at Jackson. Following the war, he served as a Congressman for the third district from 1867-1873, which included Williamston, and ultimately finished his public service as a member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents. While serving as a Congressman, Blair, along with Buck, sold their stake in 1871 to local financier H.H. Spaulding. In the summer of 1874, Spaulding and Michael Bowerman built the stately two-story Barrett’s building that remains today. It doesn’t take much to unearth these historical nuggets around town. You may skip the smelly attics, cramped Michigan basements and musty barns and simply open your eyes, as you travel through downtown Williamston and find your own unburied treasures.
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Historic Williamston Hornets football team finishes 12-2 with appearance in state championship game Photos by Bruce A. Pollock
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season! 6
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2010 season W/L
Score
Eaton Rapids Ionia Perry Portland Lansing CC (OT) Corunna L.O. Lakewood Haslett Chesaning
W W W W L W W W W
49-7 35-7 48-6 35-27 36-34 41-6 43-8 35-27 56-29
Division 4 Playoffs Lansing CC Goodrich Marine City Detroit Crockett Grand Rapids CC
W W W W L
57-24 20-0 30-20 33-13 27-23
Opponent
7 1. Tyler Watters carries the ball after one of his three receptions, all in the second half, of Williamston’s loss in the Division 4 state championship game. Watters finished with 29 receiving yards. 2. Quarterback Dylan Schultz (12) celebrates with Nik Jump (8) after Schultz’s 39-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Schultz ran for 54 yards and passed for 35 yards on the drive as the Hornets took a 23-13 lead. 3. Dylan Monette (5) carries the ball on the Hornets’ first drive of the fourth quarter, a seven-play drive that went 91 yards and resulted in a touchdown. Monette finished the game with 44 rushing yards and five catches for a team-high 102 receiving yards. 4. Fans cheer on the Hornets during the state championship game at Ford Field in Detroit. The
MHSAA listed the official attendance at 27,744. 5. Nate Massa tackles Grand Rapids Catholic Central running back Bronson Hill in the second quarter. Massa’s tackle held Hill, who led the Cougars with 149 rushing yards, to a 3-yard gain. Tyler Watters then had an interception on the next play at the 3-yard line and the Hornets ran out the final 20 seconds of the first half for a 10-3 halftime lead. 6. Steve Kersten has led Williamston to a 62-38 record in his 10 seasons as head coach, including five consecutive winning seasons and four straight playoff appearances. 7. Dylan Schultz sprints past Deven Scott-Stith and the Cougar defense for a 39-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that gave the Hornets a 23-13 lead.
Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 11
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10 8. Jeff Thoenes, principal at Williamston High School, dressed up to show his school spirit. 9. Williamston fans brought numerous signs and a sea of green to Ford Field. 10. Dylan Schultz finished the game with 13 completions on 20 attempts for 181 yards. The senior quarterback also rushed for 65 yards and two touchdowns. 11. Dylan Monette gained 155 yards overall and made five tackles. He also ran for a six-yard touchdown in the third quarter. 12. Ethan Wirth (66) leads the Hornets in congratulating the Cougars during the post-game handshake.
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Health WARMING UP
Running with Gerard Wilbrink
Get off the couch for some fresh winter air
“Baby its cold outside” That refrain from a popular holiday song sums up what you feel every time you walk out your door when temperatures are low. But you’re snuggled up on the couch with the remote clutched to your chest trying to watch shows that don’t catch your interest and minding the home fires. You made a resolution to get outside more. To breathe in the fresh air and to get a little exercise and have some fun. But that couch sure is comfortable. You don’t have to be a prisoner to your TV, video game or computer. Throw down that remote or that game controller. Shut down the computer for a while and get outside. Just because its cold out doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the many activities we have available to us here in the winter. Whether it’s running, sledding, cross country or downhill skiing, ice skating or simply taking a walk or building a snowman, you don’t have to be uncomfortable. The secret is to dress in layers. And to have the right mindset about the cold weather. If you are pursuing your winter passion wearing orange nylon basketball shorts over yellow sweatpants with a cotton T-shirt under
your dog-chewed favorite hoodie, not only are you going to be freezing the best parts of your anatomy, you will have the fashion police after you. Cotton is a poor choice for active winter wear as it does not wick the sweat away from your body, but instead absorbs it and holds it. When hit with an icy blast, you’ll feel like you’re being hugged by an icicle. Embrace the beauty of the snow, the ice and the cold and you will find it less tedious to bear. It is much easier to make it through the long, dark nights with a positive attitude and the knowledge that the warmer weather is not really that far off. The most peaceful and serene settings are right after a fluffy snowfall where the landscape is covered in a bright white garment of freshly fallen snow. Whether you are a runner swishing through a new layer of snow on your favorite route, a cross country skier sliding along a trail, or just out for a walk, how you dress will make all the difference in your enjoyment. Because they are exerting themselves more and will produce an abundance of body heat, the runner and skier will not likely be dressed in heavy clothes. They will wear a wicking layer next to their skin with another, looser, wicking shirt over that and top it off with a
light wind-resistant top. Tights or wind pants should suffice for the lower extremities, with gloves or mittens keeping their hands warm. A wicking hat or headband will let the excess heat escape through the top of the head. In extremely windy weather, a neck gator or scarf will keep the wind off your neck and a balaclava will protect your face. The walkers, enjoying their activity at a more leisurely pace, won’t be producing as much body heat and will need to wear heavier clothing, along with thicker socks and heavier boots. If your hands and feet get cold easily, there are products on the market to insert in your gloves, boots or shoes that will generate pleasant heat for many hours. On sunny days, wear sunscreen to protect your exposed skin from the UV rays reflecting off the snow. Sunglasses are a good idea also. When you finish your outdoor adventure, you can enjoy the warmth of your home, have a hot drink and a special treat to replenish the calories you burned off and take pleasure in the great feeling of having been outdoors on a gloriously cold day. “Baby its cold outside.” True, but being out there makes you feel refreshed and alive!
Gerard Wilbrink is a volunteer track and field coach and the head cross country coach for Williamston Middle School. He has been a runner for about ten years and competes in about 50 races a year, running everything from 5Ks to marathons. Contact Gerard at gwilbrink@MyWilliamston.com.
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Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 13
Dave Porter papers a vase to keep the bottom cool while working in his studio in Williamston. 14 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
Life a n d
Glass
Art leads Dave Porter down dynamic path
A
sk Fireworks Glass Studios owner Dave Porter how he came to be blowing glass in downtown Williamston and he will say with a chuckle, “Oh it’s a long story, a long story.”
But, he’ll take the time to tell it and in the process you will learn how working with glass has changed his life. His fascination with glass began when as a boy, he worked in the glass lab at the company where his father was a chemist. The glassblower there taught him to work with a torch creating glass figurines and other trinkets. After graduating from college in the 1970s, Porter worked with a partner, selling glass items while he waited to apply to medical school. “I had a little business opportunity involving the glass and so I started this little retail glass shop where I was making little figurines and stuff,” Porter said. “The business went too well. So, I decided to wait. I said, ‘Next year, I’ll complete the application process for the school.’ And then it was next year. And pretty soon, 20 years had passed. I had been in glass all that time, but in different capacities making glass as an artisan and craftsman.” But he became restless and wanted something new. His partner recognized that and offered to buy him out. “I said, ‘Tell me where to sign,’ ’’ Porter said. “In 30 days we had an agreement and I was out of the business.” So he went back to the original plan of becoming a doctor. In 1990, the 42-year-old Porter began studying for the entrance exam. “I gave myself two years to get into medical school, and if I didn’t get in, I would start another business,” he said. After seven months of intense study, he took the exam and was accepted into medical school at Mich-
Rhonda Baker jacks the neck of what will be the top of a vase while Dave Porter rotates it. The two have worked together at Fireworks Glass Studios since it opened in 2007. igan State University, where his classmates knew him as “Dad.” He graduated from medical school at 46. “I became a full-fledged, board-certified doctor when I was 50,” he said.
Story by Cyndi Lieske Photos by Bruce A. Pollock Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 15
He worked in the emergency rooms at Sparrow and St. Lawrence hospitals, putting in 12-hour days. His wife, Debbie, began referring to him as her “phantom husband.” He loved the patients, but hated the paperwork and politics. Then in 2006, he began getting sick. “Every viral infection that came through the door, I was getting,” he said. He discovered he had leukemia. Glassblowing, which he’d started as a hobby during his residency, became something to focus on to take his mind off his illness. “This style of glassblowing called hot working or furnace work or off-hand glassblowing, I had always been fascinated with it,” he said. “I had always wanted to try and I knew from another glassblowing experience that you have to be focused. If you are going to make things work, you must focus on what you are doing. For me it was a way to kind of forget everything else and just get away from it.” He began twice-monthly drives to noted glassblower Jerry Catania’s studio in Benton Harbor for four-hour sessions. “It was pretty intense and when it became apparent I was not going to be able to continue practicing medicine, and I wasn’t ready to sit in a rocking chair on the porch, I decided that this is what I needed,” he said. He retired from working as a doctor and bought the former candy shop on Putnam Street the same year. “This was therapy,” he said of starting the
Dave Porter torches the top of a vase. A retired doctor, Porter has been fascinated with glass since childhood. glass studio. “This was a pursuit of another dream I’ve always had, which was to try this type of glasswork.” Building it became his obsession. He spent a year on the renovations. “Most of everything in that shop he built himself,” said Dave Minock, a friend of Porter’s and salesman for WKAR radio. “Talk about a guy who, if he was thrust back into the 1700s, he could immediately adapt. He would be the kind of guy who would be
one of the founding members of the community. He could be the plantation guy, the smithy, the doctor. He has all of those fundamental confidences inside of him. He is quite an accomplished musician, as well. He’s a mathematical genius. He’s a very interesting individual. Obviously, I’m a great fan of his.” Porter taught himself to weld when building the shop. The only thing he bought was the electric furnace.
“
When it became apparent I was not going to be able to continue practicing medicine, and I wasn’t ready to sit in a rocking chair on the porch, I decided that this is what I needed.” — Dave Porter
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“Everything else you see here we built,” Porter said. “I bought a welder and then taught myself how to weld. They’re pretty ugly welds, but they’re strong. It was a journey that kept me really absorbed and not thinking about my medical problem.” These days, the leukemia is part of his life, but not something that keeps him home. He’s at the glass studio most weekdays. Every six months, he visits the Mayo Clinic for a checkup. “They poke me and prod me and ask me all kinds of stupid questions,” he said. “So we are just watching it right now and we hope that’s all we have to do for a while.” He works side by side with Rhonda Baker, his partner in the glassmaking. Baker started with Porter when he opened the studio in the fall of 2007. She began as an apprentice, but now Porter considers her his equal in the studio. The two spend their days making ornaments, bowls, vases, cups, consignment pieces and anything else that interests them. “It’s a happy place,” Porter said. “We like to work here. It is a pleasant place to work. It is open and big. Many glass studios are so cramped that you can’t move around in them. The studio was built with many windows
Dave Porter taught himself to weld and then built most of the equipment in his studio. The pipe warmer is needed since glass does not stick to cold metal. instead of walls so that younger visitors can safely watch the action. A mural featuring Porter’s mentors, including Catania working at the Ox-Bow artists’ colony in Saugatuck, faces the working area. “I’ve done several courses at Ox-Bow with Jerry,” Porter said. “He is the artistic director for the glass program at Saugatuck. He’s one of God’s good creatures.” Catania, who began the glass studio at Ox-Bow in 1985, calls Porter “a natural.”
“He’s a very good designer,” Catania said. “He has an excellent sense of design and color. He did not have art, design and crafting in his education, but yet his work is as good as anybody’s glass that works in a contemporary vein. He’s just a remarkable guy, as a person and as a designer and a craftsperson and as a human being.” Having a glassworks studio in the middle of town is a rare gift, he said. “You’re lucky to have him in Williamston,” Catania said. “You need a catalyst in a community; it just so happens that glass is this dynamic spectator sport, if you want to call it that. When you have someone like Dave behind something like that, it becomes part of the community. Not just an entity isolated in the community, but a part of the community because he opens the doors.” Catania appreciates Porter’s kindness, patience and optimism. “When he goes for it, he just really goes for it,” Catania said. “I’ve met people who go for it and they are very competitive and aggressive and he is the opposite of that. He’s just competitive against himself.” Porter’s dream is for the studio to be more than a glassblowers’ shop. Ideally, he’d like it to inspire other working artists. He’s encouraged by those who have set up shop
Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 17
Glassblower
t h e by Rhonda Baker, glass artist Inside a building near the center of town A glassblower’s love of glass is quite profound With sweat on his brow and jacks firmly in hand Lost in a piece oblivious to the land People are gathered to observe the dance To watch this unexpected miracle; as if by chance To watch someone struggle with every fiber of their soul To make the biggest, most colorful and stunning … bowl? It’s a madness for which no cure can be found But one he’d gladly have, it’s that profound For glass teaches a lesson that must be taught Life; like glass must be wrought And when illuminated, it shines so bright Now seeing it’s beauty; what an awesome sight!
18 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
in Keller’s Plaza, the presence of the Williamston Theatre across the street and The Artisan’s Circle on Grand River Avenue. “It becomes a place where creative atmosphere is fostered and creative people can feed off of each other and gain some new insight into their own work,” he said. “That’s what my hope for the studio has always been.” Minock, who’s worked with Porter and Baker for three fundraisers for the radio station, believes Porter has achieved that goal. “If you are feeling that you have any doubts, or that you are not confident, or firing on all cylinders, you can go in there for half an hour and come away feeling completely renewed. I think that vibe is always in the shop,” Minock said. Porter is delighted that Baker adds another artistic medium to the mix each week with an original poem she composes and posts on a chalkboard in their display window. “There are people who are regulars, they’ve never been in the studio, but they come by and they stop to read the new poem,” he said. So many more do come in the studio whether it’s to buy, see what’s new or just shoot the breeze with Porter and Baker. Downtown Development Authority
Chairperson Barb Vanden Berg has purchased several of Porter’s works. She enjoys seeing his latest creations. She also values his perspective as a businessman and counts him as one of the people she regularly checks in with when she’s mulling over ideas for the downtown. “He’s an asset to the business community,” she said. “He wants to be involved with the growth of our town. He has some good ideas on events and things that could happen that could draw people into our downtown. It is great to have that type of a shop here.” Across the street, Williamston Theatre director John Lepard values the relationship that Porter has fostered with his group. When Porter set up shop, Lepard stopped over for a visit. “He has been really great to the theater by staying open late when we have shows,” Lepard said. “What I love about Dave is that he knows the importance of arts in the community, whether it be theater or glassblowing or oil on canvas. Whatever it is, he understands that it is a close community and everybody sort of helps each other out here.” During the Christmas season, Porter took
Rhonda Baker lays frits onto a table (above) that she used to add color to a witch’s ball (Page 18). Dave Porter (top, Page 18) sees if his piece is balanced.
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out an ad in the theater program that gave patrons 10 percent off their purchase at Fireworks if they had a theater ticket stub. “That was huge,” Lepard said. “It helps everybody’s business to have collaboration like that. He has always been very supportive of the theater and it is nice to see that.” Monty Nye, who works at the Williamston True Value Hardware just up the street, took a glassblowing class at Fireworks with his 19-year-old daughter last year. “My daughter was very timid about it,” Nye said. “We were looking for something we could do together and we just had a blast doing it.” Working with glass can be intimidating, but Porter and Baker put them at ease instantly, Nye said. “Everything was upbeat,” he said. “(Glassblowing) is the wrong thing to get into if you get discouraged. Many times at the last minute, it can fall apart on you. You have to be very upbeat and not get discouraged. He was super supportive as an instructor.” While both Porter and Baker enjoy teaching, they both love the chance to show up at the studio each morning and spend time creating something new. Sometimes there are ornaments to make since they sell throughout the year. Other times, they will decide to take on the challenge of a new vase or bowl. “For me to work a couple of hours and make 10-15 ornaments, it’s a kind of centering while creating,” Porter said. “There are those in the art society who look at that aspect of glassblowing more as craft than art. There are parts of the arts society that wouldn’t allow that anything we make is high art. ‘It has to be plainer. It has to be two dimensions or sculpture and it has to have some incredible social comment or it’s not art.’ But I disagree. I think our pieces move people.” Baker recently created a commissioned piece to replace a family heirloom that was broken. “(The customer) broke into tears,” Porter said. “She was so happy to get the piece. It was a piece they had that got broken. So Rhonda duplicated it. It was close. The lady was just blown away. “In my mind, there’s a piece that shows technical skills in its creation. It has a pleasant and pleasing form and it creates an emotional response in somebody. If that’s not art, somebody can kiss my foot. Because that’s to me what art is.” 20 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
Rhonda Baker had never worked with glass before working with Dave Porter, but became his apprentice and then colleague after only a short time.
Baker a ‘natural’ at glassblowing
Rhonda Baker was curious about the work she saw going on in Williamston’s former candy shop in the fall of 2007. She’d recently been laid off from her warehouse job and was working at the McDonald’s in downtown. Each day on her way to work, she passed by Dave Porter’s Fireworks Glass Studios. One day she stopped in to ask Porter if he was hiring. She thought she could work in the retail part of the shop. He told her to come back a week later. The next week he said he needed time and asked her to stop by the following week. When she did that, he asked her to come into the studio. He walked her over to the furnace and opened the door. “That’s the first time I’d ever stood in front of 2,100-degree heat,” Baker recalled. “He said, ‘Are you afraid of it?’ ” She said it felt hot, but she wasn’t afraid. “He said, ‘How about you come in on Monday and start,’ ” Baker said. “He didn’t even ask me for my references. He didn’t even ask me if I had any experience in glassblowing or anything.” She said in the three years since, she’s asked him many times why he hired her. “He said, ‘It’s just serendipity,’ ” Baker said. The married mother of three now works side by side with Porter. “She started out with me as kind of an assistant, and in a very short time, I realized she would be my apprentice,” Porter said. “And not too long after that, she wasn’t even my apprentice any more. Now she’s my colleague. She’s the only natural I have ever met in my life
in terms of glassblowing. He marvels at the color combinations Baker dreams up and admires her boldness to try new things. “She has a willingness to experiment with colors that I would never think of putting together,” he said. “She has this incredible sense of glass.” Many who spend time in the studio watching Baker and Porter describe it as a dance as the two create their works. “They have a lot of unspoken coordination between them,” said Dave Minock, a WKAR salesman who has organized fundraisers at the studio for the radio station. “They know the exact amount of footsteps and strides. They have a rhythm and a choreography that is inherent for them. It is like a little mini-ballet to watch those two work.” Baker shakes her head when she thinks of her days working in the warehouse. There were days where 80 degrees felt hot to her. Now she works on days where it can reach 125 degrees in the studio. “If somebody would have told me four years ago that I would be a glassblower and working in an environment that’s this hot around heat, I would have said, ‘you’re crazy,’ ” she said. “But when you’re working with glass, your total focus is on the glass. You’re mesmerized. You’re caught in the piece to make this piece successful and get it in the box. You lose track of time. You lose track of where you are and how hot you are until after you put that piece away and are totally exhausted.” — Cyndi Lieske
Fireworks, which is across the street from the Williamston Theatre in downtown Williamston, sells glass ornaments throughout the year. Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 21
Calendar
To submit an event, e-mail contact@MyWilliamston.com
WILLIAMSTON February 2 — Blood drive in St. Joseph Hall at St. Mary Church. 1-6:45 p.m. (517) 349-3178. 3 — Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser, 3:10-5 p.m. Discovery Elementary. Proceeds benefit American Heart Association. (517) 655-2855. 4 — Williamston High School Evening of Jazz, with special guest The Fred Knapp Trio. 7 p.m. Tickets: $8 ($5 for students and seniors). E-mail stiehlm@gowcs.net for advance ticket sales. (517) 655-4668, ext. 6470. 4 — Shop Williamston for Weddings First Friday event. Includes $5 tasting of wedding cocktails at Gracie’s Place and corsages and wedding flower help at Vivee’s Floral Garden and Cafe. (517) 655-1549. 7 — Williamston Senior Center board meeting (3:30 p.m.) and potluck (5 p.m.). (517) 655-5173. 10 — E-mail basics, 9:30 a.m. Williamston library. (517) 655-1191. 10 — Williamston Senior Center Valentine’s Day party. (517) 655-5173. 12 — Newspaper drive, organized by Venture Crew 363. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Williamston City Hall. (517) 655-2774. 12 — Valentine’s Day dinner special at Gracie’s Place. (517) 655-1100. 12 — Williamston Variety Show, presented by Williamston Area Beautification Fund. Theme: The Beatles Revue. 7:30 p.m. McGoff Performing Arts Center. Tickets: $10. 13 — Williamston Variety Show, presented by Williamston Area Beautification Fund. Theme: The Beatles Revue. 3 p.m. McGoff Performing Arts Center. Tickets: $10. 14 — Valentine’s Day dinner special at Gracie’s Place. (517) 655-1100. 14 — Un-Valentine’s Day Party. 4 p.m. Williamston library. Teens and tweens. (517) 655-1191. 15 — Book discussion on “The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl” by Timothy Egan. 1 p.m. Williamston library. (517) 655-1191. 16 — Williamston Community Library Foundation hosts a chamber mixer at Williamston library, 4-7:30 p.m. (517) 655-1549. 17 — Read to a therapy dog. 4 p.m. Williamston library. Registration required. (517) 655-1191. 18 — “The Granny Awards” dinner the22 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
Irish band Blackthorn will perform March 5 at Brookshire Inn & Golf Club. ater production, Williamston Free Methodist Church. 5:30 p.m. Tickets: $10 ($8 for seniors and children younger than 12). (517) 655-3668. 19 — “The Granny Awards” dinner theater production, Williamston Free Methodist Church. 5:30 p.m. Tickets: $10 ($8 for seniors and children younger than 12). (517) 655-3668. 21 — Ribbon cutting for expansion and chamber mixer (4-7:30 p.m.) at Gracie's Place. (517) 655-1100. 22 — The rich taste of Spain. 6:30 p.m. Williamston library. Learn about Spanish cuisine from chef Denene Vincent. Seating on first-come basis. (517) 655-1191. 22 — Williamston Area Senior Center bingo. (517) 655-5173. 23 — Crossroads United Methodist congregational potluck. 6 p.m. Fellowship Hall. (517) 655-1466, CrossroadsOfWilliamston.org. 26 — Tot Closet at Williamston Free Methodist Church. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Pick up seasonally appropriate children’s clothing. (517) 655-3668, egrace19@yahoo.com. 26 — Angel Food Ministries pickup, Williamston Free Methodist Church. 9-9:30 a.m. (517) 655-5016, angelfood.williamston@yahoo.com. March 1 — Williamston Community Schools band pre-festival concert. 7:30 p.m. McGoff Performing Arts Center. (517) 655-
2142, boycea@gowcs.net. 4 — March Musical Madness First Friday event. 4-8 p.m. Musicians perform at various businesses throughout downtown. (517) 655-1549. 4 — Williamston Community Schools jazz band festival. 7 p.m. Williamston High School commons. (517) 655-2142, boycea@gowcs.net. 5 — Blackthorn, Irish music and fun at Brookshire Inn & Golf Club. Dinner buffet at 6 p.m. Concert at 8. Cost: $42 per person. (517) 655-4694, BrookshireGolfClub.com. 10 — Williamston Community Schools choir festival concert. 7:30 p.m. McGoff Performing Arts Center. (517) 655-2142, boycea@gowcs.net. 12 — Newspaper drive, organized by Venture Crew 363. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Williamston City Hall. (517) 655-2774. 12 — Harris Nature Center Walking Club Walk at Williamstown Township Park. 1 p.m. $3 per person. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@sbcglobal.net. 16 — Williamston Community Schools fourth- and fifth-grade play: Peter Pan. 7 p.m. McGoff Performing Arts Center. 17 — Williamston Community Schools fourth- and fifth-grade play: Peter Pan. 7 p.m. McGoff Performing Arts Center. 17 — St. Patrick’s Day party at Gracie’s Place. Includes music. (517) 655-1100. 23 — Williamston Area Senior Center St. Patrick’s Day party. (517) 655-5173.
23 — Tom Keys discusses dealing with chronic pain, Williamston Area Senior Center. (517) 655-5173. 23 — Crossroads United Methodist congregational potluck, 6 p.m. Fellowship Hall. (517) 655-1466, CrossroadsOfWilliamston.org. 31 — Williamston Area Senior Center bingo. (517) 655-5173. April 4 — Williamston Senior Center board meeting (3:30 p.m.) and potluck (5 p.m.). (517) 655-5173. 21 — Williamston Community Schools band solo recital concert. 6 p.m. McGoff Performing Arts Center. (517) 655-2142. 26 — Williamston Area Senior Center bingo. (517) 655-5173. 28 — Williamston Area Senior Center bingo. (517) 655-5173. ONGOING Women’s self defense class at Tina Brookhouse Fitness Studio. Deb Popp and Mike Sheffield (personal trainers/martial arts experts) conduct a six-week course beginning Feb. 15. 1-2:30 p.m. tinabrookehousefitness.com, (517) 420-2219. Tai chi, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Williamston United Methodist Church. (517) 655-2430. WilliamstonUMC.org. Oedipus, Thursdays through Sundays, Jan. 27-Feb. 20. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. (517) 655SHOW, WilliamstonTheatre.com. While We Were Bowling, Thursdays through Sundays, March 17-April 17. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. (517) 655-SHOW, WilliamstonTheatre.com. Williamston High School drama club presents “Oklahoma.” 7:30 p.m. March 24, 25. 2 p.m. March 26. (517) 655-2142, boycea@gowcs.net, gowcs.net.
DANSVILLE Make and Take Valentine program, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Feb. 12. Includes snack. Dansville library. Game night, 3 p.m. Feb. 21. Wii, board games. Teens/tweens. Dansville library.
EAST LANSING Artist Bernice Johnson Reagon speaks. 5 p.m. Feb. 5. Kellogg Center. (517) 4324000, KelloggCenter.com. Shrek the Musical, Feb. 8-13 at Wharton Center’s Cobb Hall. Tickets: $32.50-67.50.
(800) WHARTON, WhartonCenter.com. Author and civil rights historian Taylor Branch speaks. 5 p.m. Feb. 10. Kellogg Center. (517) 432-4979, KelloggCenter.com. Dee Dee Bridgewater concert at Wharton Center’s Cobb Hall, 8 p.m. Feb. 18. Tickets: $35. (800) WHARTON, WhartonCenter.com. Lansing Symphony and Spectrum perform the music of Motown at Wharton Center. 8 p.m. Feb. 25. Tickets $12-40. (517) 487-5001, LansingSymphony.org. Spring Night of Singing with John Krumm at Unitarian Universalist Church. 8 p.m. March 4. Presented by Lansing Area Folksong Society. info@tenpoundfiddle.org, (517) 862-0416. Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings with Ralph Votapek at Wharton Center's Cobb Hall, 3 p.m. March 27. Tickets: $20. (800) WHARTON, WhartonCenter.com. Chicago, April 8-10 at Wharton Center’s Cobb Hall. Tickets: $25-55. (800) WHARTON, WhartonCenter.com.
haslett How to meditate, 6:30-7:45 p.m. Feb. 2. Haslett Community Education building. Four-week class costs $56. (517) 339-2665. Alzheimer’s and Dementia Education Series class, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wynwood of Meridian. Meets second Tuesday of each month. (517) 381-8700. Operation Warmth: free coats for those in need, 9 a.m.-noon Feb. 12. St. Luke Lutheran Church. (517) 339-9119. Valentine’s Massage for Couples class, 7-9 p.m. Feb. 14. Haslett Community Education Center. Cost: $33 per couple. (517) 347-7374.
holt Knitters’ circle, 1 p.m., Feb. 4. Learn knitting basics, share tips. Holt-Delhi library. (517) 694-9351, ext. 3. Reading with therapy dogs, 4:30 p.m. Feb. 7. Registration required. Holt-Delhi library. (517) 694-9351, ext. 3. E-mail basics, 10 a.m. Feb. 14. Registration required. Holt-Delhi library. (517) 694-9351, ext. 3. Tea and Henna, 10 a.m. Feb. 14. Join Anshu Varma for traditional tea with a twist. All ages. Registration required. HoltDelhi library. (517) 694-9351, ext. 3. Downloading tutorial, 6 p.m. Feb. 22. Learn to download electronic media, including the library district’s free e-books. Holt-Delhi library. (517) 694-9351, ext. 3.
lansing Jungle Love: The Animal Dating Game, 6:30-8 p.m. Feb. 5, Potter Park Zoo Discovery Center. Cost: $15 ($25 per couple). All tickets $20 after Feb. 3. Registration required. 18 and older. (517) 342-2709, PotterParkZoo.org. Lansing Symphony and Happendance at Lansing Community College’s Dart Auditorium. 8 p.m. Feb. 19 and 3 p.m. Feb. 20. Tickets $15, $10 students. (517) 487-5001, LansingSymphony.org. Lansing Symphony Big Band at Lansing Community College’s Dart Auditorium. 3 p.m. March 6. Tickets $15, $10 students. (517) 487-5001, LansingSymphony.org. Women’s history month reception, 5 p.m. March 10. Michigan Historical Center. Free. michiganwomenshalloffame.org, 517-484-1880. St. Patrick’s Day: Celtic Supper, Kitty Donohoe at Creole Gallery. 6 p.m. March 17. Presented by Lansing Area Folksong Society. Tickets: $25 for dinner and concert. info@tenpoundfiddle.org, (517) 862-0416.
mason Reading with therapy dogs, 4 p.m. Feb. 2. Registration required. Mason library. (517) 676-9088. Make and Take Valentine program, 4 p.m. Feb. 7. Includes snack. Mason library. (517) 676-9088. The Kitchen Assistant, 11 a.m. Feb. 19. Learn money- and time-saving cooking tips from author Darla Jaros. Mason library. (517) 676-9088. Downloading tutorial, 6 p.m. Feb. 22. Learn to download electronic media. Mason library. Registration required. (517) 676-9088.
okemos Chinese New Year celebration, 2 p.m. Feb. 5. Includes games and activities for all ages. Okemos library. (517) 349-0250. 1st Sunday Gallery Walk art exhibit, 2-4 p.m. Feb. 6. Okemos library. (517) 349-0250. Movie: The Princess Diaries, 1 p.m. Feb. 12. Okemos library. (517) 349-0250. E-mail basics, 10 a.m. Feb. 18. Okemos library. Registration required. (517) 347-2023. Winter Weekend Yoga Workshop, 2 p.m. Feb. 19. All ages. Okemos library. (517) 347-2023. Reading with therapy dogs, 4 p.m. Feb. 21. Okemos library. (517) 347-2023. Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 23
calendar okemos cont.
10 a.m. and 1 p.m. March 4. $4 per child or $10 per child for the season (three months). Ages 5-14. Registration required. (517) 3493866, harriscenter@sbcglobal.net. Landscaping with Native Plants, 7 p.m. March 15. $15 per person. Registration required. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@ sbcglobal.net. Chipmunk Story Time: “Leprechaun Hunt,” 10 a.m. March 17. $3 per person. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@sbcglobal.net. Howl at the Moon, 7 p.m. March 18. $3 per person. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@sbcglobal.net. Discover Bird Watching, 10 a.m. March 20. $3 per person. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@sbcglobal.net. Meet the Harris Nature Center Critters, 3 p.m. March 26. $3 per person or $7 per family. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@ sbcglobal.net.
Internet basics, 10 a.m. Feb. 18. Adults. Okemos library. Registration required. (517) 347-2023. Intermediate Microsoft Word, 10-11:30 a.m. Feb. 25. Adults. Okemos library. Registration required. (517) 347-2023. Okemos Arcade, 4 p.m. Feb. 25. Teens. Challenge others in Wii games. Okemos library. Registration required. (517) 347-2023. Drop-in craft nights, 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays. Nokomis Learning Center. (517) 349-5777, Nokomis.org. Weekday Science: “Hawks of Michigan,” 1 p.m. Feb. 4. $4 per person. Ages 5-14. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@sbcglobal.net. Moonlight Ski and Shoe, 6 p.m. Feb. 5, 19. $3 per person with your own equipment, $9 if borrowing equipment. Registration required. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@sbcglobal.net. Walking Club Walk: Northwest PreStockbridge serve, 1 p.m. Feb. 12. $3 per person. (517) Classic Films from 1940s and 50s, 349-3866, harriscenter@sbcglobal.net. 7 p.m. Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24. Stockbridge Nuts about Squirrels: Program and library. All ages. (517) 851-7810. Walk, 3 p.m. Feb. 13. $3 per person or $7 Seniors outreach, noon Feb. 4. Stockper family. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@ bridge library will make books available for sbcglobal.net. checkout to seniors at the Town Hall. Chipmunk Story Time: “Earl the (517) 851-7810. Squirrel,” 10 a.m. Feb. 17. Preschool and Valentine’s Day stories and fun, 11 a.m. elementary children. $3 per child. RegistraFeb. 14. Stockbridge library. Mainly for ages tion required. (517) 349-3866, harriscen3-5, but others welcome. (517) 851-7810. ter@sbcglobal.net. Howl at the Moon, 7 p.m. Feb. 18. $3 per person. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@ webberville sbcglobal.net. Williamston/Webberville Relay for Starry Night: Campfire and Program, Life Kick-Off, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1. Webberville 7 p.m. Feb. 26. $3 per person or $7 per schools community room. Call (517) 664family. (517) 349-3866, harriscenter@ Paintings 1343 to RSVP. sbcglobal.net. Stitchin’ Time drop-in for beginner to Weekday Science Morning: Arthropods,Photography
Pottery Jewelry Wool & Felting Candles A co-op of approximately 20 local artists
The Artisan’s Circle
•Paintings •Jewelry •Photography •Wool & felting •Pottery •and more!
(517) 655-2200 theartisanscircle.com
138 W. Grand River in downtown Williamston 24 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
expert stitchers at the Library, 6 p.m. Feb. 1, 15. Webberville library. (517) 521-3643. Lego club (Legos provided). Elementary children. 3-4 p.m. Feb. 3, 17. Webberville library. (517) 521-3643. Scrabble club, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10, 24. Adults. Webberville library. (517) 521-3643. Fire and Ice Festival, Feb. 12. Downtown Webberville. Drop-in Valentine’s Day crafts, 2-6 p.m. Feb. 14. Webberville library. (517) 521-3643. Reading with therapy dogs, 11 a.m. Feb. 19. Webberville library. (517) 521-3643. Winter Fun at Northfork Outback, 3-5 p.m. Feb. 19, 26, March 19, 26. Cost: $4.50. (517) 881-9142, NorthforkOutback.com. Minute to win it, 3 p.m. Feb. 23. Various competitions for students in grades 6-12. Webberville library. (517) 521-3643. Easter at Northfork Outback, 2 p.m. April 23. Cost: $7. Reservations required. (517) 881-9142, NorthforkOutback.com.
Does your group or organization have an event you’d like to see in our calendar? Let us know! Submit your calendar items by e-mail to contact@MyWilliamston.com
Leisure good reads
Reading with Michele Brussow
Books to curl up with during the winter months
W
hen the temperatures dip and the snow starts to fall, many people go on the prowl for a great book to keep them company in a comfortable chair or near a roaring fire. Four books that definitely fit the bill for the season include “The Ice Princess,” “Starvation Lake,” “The Leisure Seeker” and “The Bath Massacre: America’s First School Bombing.” Each book features either a Michigan or winter connection. The Ice Princess Camilla Lackberg, 400 pages (hardcover) Author Camilla Lackberg’s “The Ice Princess” is the first of seven books that takes place in a small Swedish coastal village. The main character is Erica Falck, who is living a rather tranquil life in Stockholm working as a biographer and an aspiring, yet frustrated novelist. After the sudden death of her parents in an accident, Erica responds to her impatient brotherin-law’s demands to travel back to her hometown and put their affairs in order so that he can move forward in selling the couple’s home. In need of solace and recalling fond memories, Erica calls upon her childhood friend Alex, only to find her dead in the bathtub, an apparent suicide. When Alex’s parents ask Erica to write an article about Alex for a local paper, Erica begins to make some startling revelations that some villagers would prefer to leave in the past. Another childhood friend, now a police officer, helps Erica track down some of the missing pieces, but when the chilling puzzle starts fitting together, Erica becomes the one in danger.
Starvation Lake Bryan Gruley, 370 pages (paperback) If you like your mysteries set closer to home, you will not want to miss “Starvation Lake” by Bryan Gruley. This is the first in a series that takes place during the hard winter in the fictionalized town of Starvation Lake, Mich. Gus Carpenter returns to Starvation Lake after his career as a journalist for the Detroit Times comes to a screeching halt over ethical questions surrounding his investigative reporting. As a result, his career detours back to the place it all began for him, writing for the small Starvation Lake newspaper, “The Pilot.” Once Gus arrives home, he cannot help but flash back to the biggest news story in the history of this small community. Gus was the goalie for a hockey team competing for the state title in the 1970s being led by Coach Blackburn, until the coach mysteriously disappeared while snowmobiling over a frozen lake. When evidence begins to surface that indicates the disappearance may have actually been a murder Gus cannot help following the leads. Readers who enjoy Dennis Lehane and Robert Crais will want to spend a bit of time with this author. The Leisure Seeker Michael Zadoorian, 288 pages (hardcover) Ann Arbor native Michael Zadoorian’s novel, “The Leisure Seeker,” is about an elderly Detroit couple who pack up the camper for one last road trip. Ella and John Robina are both in failing health. Ella, suffering from cancer and left exhausted by
treatments, kidnaps her husband John, who is in the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease, to embark upon a journey to California in their family RV. Ella is quite angry about the turn her life has taken and vows to take some control back in her own life, much to the chagrin of her children and doctors. This book will surprise you. Poignant, at times hilarious, and ultimately about the choices we make. Bath Massacre: America’s First School Bombing Arnie Bernstein, 216 pages (paperback) Nonfiction readers with an interest in true crime will be chilled to the bone with Arnie Bernstein’s account of the Bath Massacre in his book, “Bath Massacre: America’s First School Bombing.” On May 18, 1927, 55-year-old farmer and school board member Andrew Kehoe dynamited the new consolidated school in Bath, Mich. When the dust settled, 45 people — mostly children — were dead, and many more were injured. Before the day was over, Kehoe also killed his wife and destroyed his farm, animals and crops. He then killed himself and the school superintendent with a suicide car bomb. Bernstein’s narration of this little known tragedy — still the largest school killing in U.S. history — is a chilling account of horrific violence and immeasurable grief. Using personal interviews with survivors and previously unpublished photos, he recounts a community in disbelief that one of their own could perpetrate this abomination. In the end, the coalescing of the community during the healing process triumphs above the platitudes of the “deranged bomber” at its center.
Michele Brussow is the head librarian at the Williamston Library, which is a Capital Area District Library. Contact Brussow at (517) 655-1191 or brussowm@cadl.org.
Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 25
Faces and Places
Advertiser index Edward Jones Investments 655-2427 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 GLS Heating & Cooling 655-1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 H&R Block 655-8485 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Limner Press 655-4455 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Mark Buzzitta Productions 882-9768 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Photos courtesy of Gracie’s Place
Keith and Robin Stewart, at left, and Bonnie and John Krauss, above, ring in 2011 at the Red Carpet New Year’s Eve Party at Gracie’s Place.
Nu Concept Salon 655-9095 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Simplified 913-4399 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Smeak’s Lea Estes, Denise Diederich 655-1316 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Artisan’s Circle 655-2200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Topliff’s Tara Bed & Breakfast 655-8860 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Want My Web, design and hosting wantmyweb.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 West Locke Wesleyan Church 655-2202 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Williamston Inn 655-3773 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Williamston Theatre 655-SHOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Wood & Sons Corn Bin 655-2998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Yeetown 655-TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 26
Join the list! Photo courtesy of the Williamston Area Senior Center
Laura Maynard, Michele and Marcia Torosian, Janet Card, Virginia Taschner and Donna Anton dress up for the senior center’s annual Halloween Party.
See yourself here! Submit photos of your family and friends at local events to contact@MyWilliamston.com.
www.deniseandlea.com See listings online!
Smeak Real Estate Co. (517) 719-5159 (517) 230-3093 Estes cell
ABR CRS, GRI
(517) 655-1316 Denise Diederich Office
26 | My Williamston | Winter 2011
yeet wn
Gift baskets for any occasion! Michigan-made gifts, food and more in a basket created just for you.
Deiderich cell
Lea Estes
For information about advertising in future editions of the magazine or on our Web site, send an e-mail to contact@MyWilliamston.com.
ABR CRS, GRI
Inside Keller’s Plaza in downtown Williamston
(517) 655-TOWN
Give the gift of Michigan at Yeetown
Community connection IN TOUCH
A word from Benjamin Eichler
Essential rules for surviving small-town life
I
would like to take a moment to focus on a little brotherly love. This can be a challenge at times when you live in a small community and you know your neighbors in some ways just a little too well. I was raised in a small town. Now that I’ve returned to one, I’ve found that I truly love it. I think this is, in part, because I now know the rules that make life here just a little bit easier. Sadly, some I learned the hard way. However, I’ve taken the time to list them ... at least the most important ones in the hopes of saving you just a little bit of egg on your face. 1. If you don’t know what you need, ask the local hardware store. I will bet my reputation that if you describe the situation, the staff will understand and correctly identify the part, piece or particular that you need. I’ll even go one further and predict that no matter how small the store is, or how bizarrely obscure the item, they will actually have it in stock. Old Mr. Johnson ordered it special in 1974 and never stopped by to pick it up. 2. Your neighbors have long memories. Never say to yourself, “Oh, nobody will remember that.” Yes they will. In a small town, every idiotic thing you do is etched in stone and will be brought up again at the least convenient time. The best advice my dad ever gave me was, “watch your mouth.” Just remember that old aphorism, “better to remain silent and have people think you’re a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” It’s still America and you have the right to remain silent. 3. If you need a referral, ask the local barber. Let me clarify, this barber must have a strop and a red and white pole. Also, the more gray hairs on their head the better. This is someone who knows the customers who remember to tip. You can tell a lot about a person’s character by their willingness to part with money. The barber
has also listened to a lot of opinions and knows without doubt who is happy with their new roof and who is not. When he or she speaks, they do so with the voices of dozens behind them. 4. Expressing disagreement by writing an op-ed piece in the local paper, though customary, is not acceptable. It never has been; it never will be. But, people continue to do it. Neither the school board nor the city council will change the decision you spoke
In a small town, everything you do is etched in stone and will be brought up again at the least convenient time. out against. They will just think you’re a jerk for airing the dirty laundry or targeting them personally. Refer back to the second rule. In a small town, you will run into them at the grocery store and have to look them in the eye. Writing the paper or posting through social media will not add any weight to your argument. It will only allow more people to weigh in and tell you how tacky you are. Not all of them will take the time to compose a coherent argument or well-formed writing style. Please don’t be this person. 5. Our high school has all the same problems with alcohol, drugs and sex that the big cities have. I know this rule is a bit of a downer, but, sadly, this one is completely true. I included it because some small town residents have convinced themselves that “it could never happen here.” Being a teenager has no geographical boundaries. Hormones rage, cars crash, rules are broken and substance use turns into addiction. I believe you cannot possibly shelter your children from all harm, so I recommend taking an
active role in their lives, talking with them constantly and actually paying attention to them. Beyond that, pray often. 6. No matter how long you, Mr. Anderson, live in your home, it will still be the “old Smith house.” Again, refer back to the second rule. My family used to farm our own land as well as several fields around the county. Though the Reinman family had not lived on a particular plot for more than three generations, and we knew the current resident, it was still the old Reinman farm. Small communities view locals differently. Unless you were raised here as an infant, you will never be a local. I think it has something to do with drinking the water. In small towns, we check ID by asking, “Now, what’s your daddy’s name, son?” 7. Despite what the local police may think, road signs are merely suggestions. This especially applies to signs posting U-turns, speed limits and parking spaces. I know, you caught me, I’m kidding of course. The fines for breaking these rules are surprisingly similar to the fines levied in big cities. And, cutting a check to your local municipality will certainly take away a little of your brotherly love. But, for some reason, we delude ourselves in the small towns. They won’t really ticket me. Yes, they will ... whether it’s for making a U-turn in front of a no U-turn sign or parking your car in the middle of the street so you can check the hours at the drug store or pick up your kids at the theater. I truly believe that we who live so close together can find a way to get along. Remember these rules and you will give your neighbors a lifetime of reasons to love their brother. If you need to make up for previous transgressions, service groups like the scouts, food bank, Lions, Kiwanis and Rotary always need extra help. Find your place in our community and let us know what we can do to make you feel at home.
Benjamin Eichler serves on the boards of the Williamston Area Chamber of Commerce and Capital Area Local First, and is president of the Williamston Kiwanis Club. He works in downtown Williamston. Contact Benjamin at communityconnection@MyWilliamston.com. Winter 2011 | My Williamston | 27