Encore September 2026

Native Landscape Options

Lessening the Toll of Dementia

September 2026

Can-Am Peace Jam Show Canada a Little Love, Eh?

Events to Enjoy this Month

Meet Katie Timber

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

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ENCORE EDITOR'S NOTE

From the Editor S

eptember is the month for festivals in SW Michigan. Sounds of the Zoo, the Scottish Festival and Highland Games, Portage's Fall Festival and Oktoberfest events, Vicksburg Harvest Festival, just to name a few. But this year, there's one festival that needs a little more love from our community than most: Can-Am Peace Jam. Can-Am Peace Jam (formerly CanadianaFest) pays homage to the best things about our neighbor to the north, Canada: its friendliness, its history (which is part of our country's history), its food (think poutine and butter tarts), its music, its culture and its charming quirkiness. In creating this festival four years ago, founder Channon Russette-Mondoux, a Canadian by birth and a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Kalamazoo, wanted to share aspects of her home country with her those in her current community. But as writer Jordan Bradley explains, Russette-Mondoux's good intentions and the festival have been greatly complicated this year by strained Canada-U.S. relations driven by trade disputes, tariffs and political machinations. This is an opportunity for people to look beyond all that and embrace an event that's all about neighborliness and unity.

Also in this issue, we look at how others' good intentions are helping our community. We meet Bethany Vinatieri, founder of BrainWise, a Kalamazoo psychotherapy practice that specializes in working with those with neurological diseases like dementia and ALS and their caregivers. Dementia is never a disease of one person — it affects the person with the diagnosis, their caregivers and families. Working with a therapist who understands the disease and the toll it takes on everyone involved can be a critical lifeline for many.

We also meet Katie Timber, executive director of the SPCA of Southwest Michigan, which hosts its annual Fur Ball fundraiser this month. Her love of animals and her own history in foster care provide her a unique perspective on the importance of taking care of the furry friends in our midst.

And finally, fall is a time to plant new trees and shrubs, and our friends at Arborist Services have some great suggestions for native options that will beautify and thrive in your yard.

We hope you enjoy reading about all the great folks in this issue, and thank you for being a loyal Encore reader.

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CONTRIBUTORS ENCORE

Jordan Bradley

Jordan went beyond the Buffalo plaid curtain for this month's cover story, taking a detailed look at the deeply complex and vibrant Can-Am Peace Jam, Kalamazoo’s festival celebrating Canadian culture and the connection between our mitten state and our neighbors to the north. “I learned a lot about Canada speaking to Channon for this article,” Jordan says. “Some of it was simple — like what a butter tart is — and some of it was a bit more complex, like the perception we project as Americans versus how our neighbors are receiving us in the present day.” Jordan is an internturned-freelance-contributor at Encore. When she’s not writing, she can be found at a yoga studio or walking her dog.

Native Landscape Options

Lessening the Toll of Dementia

September 2026

Events to Enjoy this Month

Meet Katie Timber

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

Can-Am Peace Jam Show Canada a Little Love, Eh?

Publisher

encore publications, inc.

Editor

Katie Houston

Katie wrote two stories for Encore this month: a feature on BrainWise Psychotherapy and the Back Story profile of SPCA Executive Director Katie Timber. "In both of these stories, the women behind them were personally inspired to do what they do. I loved hearing how Katie (Timber) has been involved with her organization for more than half her life and how she credits the community with helping the SPCA grow and thrive," Katie says. "At the same time, learning that her experience with a grandmother with dementia was behind BrainWise's founder creating a practice that specializes in working with dementia patients and their caregivers was deeply touching.” Katie Houston is a writer and communications consultant specializing in nonprofit marketing.

marie lee

Art Director alexis stubelt

Photographer brian k. powers

Contributing Writers

jordan bradley, zack dueweke, dominic fulton, katie houston, marie lee, breilen maybee, trevor roepcke, tyler sly

Copy Editor

margaret deritter, linda mah

Poetry Editor

margaret deritter

Advertising Sales janis clark kimberly juwong

Distribution ron kilian robert zedeck

Office Coordinator kelly burcroff

Proofreader hope smith

Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2026, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to:

www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Telephone: (269) 383–4433 Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com

The staff at Encore welcomes written comments from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit encorekalamazoo.com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print–ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and published here do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications.

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4 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

16 A Nod to Our Northern Neighbors

With Canadian culture, food, music and fun, Can-Am Peace Jam Festival looks beyond tensions to celebrate our shared connections

DEPARTMENTS 3 From the Editor 4 Contributors

CONTENTS

FEATURE

September 2026

6 First Things A round–up of happenings in SW Michigan

8 Five Faves Native Trees and Shrubs — Local arborists highlight their favorites to add to your landscape

TheArts

22 Theater 23 Music 24 Visual Arts 24 Comedy

25 Events of Note

12 Good Works Lessening Dementia's Toll — Therapy practice specializes in helping dementia patients and caregivers cope 30 Back Story Meet Katie Timber — SPCA leader works to keep pets and owners together On the Cover: Channon Russette-Mondoux, founder of the Can-Am Peace Jam. Photo by Brian K. Powers.

www.encorekalamazoo.com | 5

FIRST THINGS ENCORE

First Things Something Good

Fundraisers support community organizations Those looking for something fun to do and do good at the same time will find a bushel of opportunities to do so this month.

On Sept. 18, there'll be puppy cuddling, a silent auction, food, drinks and more at the SPCA’s Fur Ball Gala: Alley Edition from 5:30–8:30 p.m. at the Haymarket/Desenberg Plaza in downtown Kalamazoo. Tickets are $50.

Gryphon Place will hold its annual Suicide Prevention Walk, on Sept. 19 beginning and ending at Bronson Park.

Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. and the event includes a resource fair and panel discussions. Cost is $30. Register online at gryphon.org/spw.

Glass Art Kalamazoo will be hosting a hot time from 7–10 p.m. Sept. 25 during Hot Glass on Tap! in its studios at Park Trades Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave. The event will feature glass art demonstrations, food, drinks and music, as well as opportunities to bid on one-of-a-kind glass pumpkins and beer mugs created by glass artists. Tickets are $55 and available online at glassartskalamazoo.org.

You can partake in competitive pickleball while helping Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity at the Keys for Home Pickleball Classic Sept. 26 at PickleRage, 525 Romence Road. The tournament will be split by skill levels and feature food trucks and vendors. Registration cost is $45 before Sept. 15 and $50 after that date. To register, visit tinyurl.com/KvhfhPB26.

Clockwise from top: A beer mug being created at Hot Glass on Tap!, participants in the Suicide Prevention Walk, and a happy puppy-cuddler at the Fur Ball.

Something Playful

Toys are focus of museum exhibit Admit it, you've wished for a giant Etch-A-Sketch since you were just a

wee one playing with a Slinky. You'll have your chance to realize that wish at the Toytopia exhibit opening Sept. 26 at Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

With rare artifacts, stories, information and interactive elements, the exhibit explores the origins of toys, who made them and why toys succeed or fail, as well as which toys have become collectors items and why. In addition, the exhibit features a Monopoly car token big enough to sit in, the world’s largest Etch-A-Sketch, and 1970s and 80s video arcade games available for play.

The exhibit runs through Jan. 3. For more information, visit kalamazoomuseum.org.

6 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

ENCORE FIRST THINGS

Something Celebratory

Festivals honor other countries, cultures The history and cultures of three distinct countries will be

feted at events this month.

The Kalamazoo Scottish Festival and Highland Games will be held from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 12 at Parchment's Kindleberger Park, 122 N. Riverview Drive, and will include Scottish games, clans, food and music. Visit kalamazooscottishfest.org for more information.

A week later, all things Canadian will be celebrated at the Can-Am Peace Jam from 1–11 p.m. Sept. 19 at Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St. (see story on page 16).

German culture will be highlighted in the city of Portage's Oktoberfest from 1–7 p.m. Sept.

26 at South Westnedge Park, 9010 S. Westnedge Ave. The festival will include beer, food and live polka music by The Packard Family Band. Visit mypark.portagemi.gov. for more information.

Something Educational

Lecture series returns The principle that humans should give back

to the land that sustains them is at the heart of Kalamazoo Valley Community College's annual Honorable Harvest Lecture Series, which will run from Sept. 15–Nov. 17. The free lectures will be 6:30–7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at KVCC’s Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St. Among the topics in this fall's series are presentations on Kerzna (a grain), helping children connect with nature, climate change and agriculture, and an exploration of Chinese cuisine in America. Before the lectures, attendees can attend Taps on Tuesday, a happy-hour style event at the 418 Restaurant on the ground floor of the Schlack Building.

For a full schedule of the lectures, visit valleyhub.kvcc.edu.

Want to make your charitable giving go further?

Something Different

Have a romp with the Ropers Fans of Helen and Stanley Roper, the

irascible landlords of 1970s television comedy Three's Company, can don their bright caftans, big hairwigs and grumpy faces for the Kalamazoo Roper Romp at 2 p.m. Sept. 19 in Bates Alley in downtown Kalamazoo.

The event, where attendees dress in attire inspired by Helen Roper's bright flowing garments, oversized beads and curly red hair or Stanley Roper's widecollared shirts and cardigans, can partake in themed activities, entertainment and specials at downtown businesses.

Tickets are $35. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.

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FIVE FAVES ENCORE

Five Faves

Native trees and shrubs to consider for your yard

BY ARBORIST SERVICES OF KALAMAZOO STAFF

W

hen it comes to landscaping, planting trees and shrubs can be a significant investment, so it's important to choose plants that will thrive in their new environment. Look no further than trees and shrubs that are native to your area.

Native trees and shrubs have an advantage when it comes to climate and growing conditions — they have grown in the area for millennia and can survive problems with native insects and diseases. Planting native trees and shrubs also saves water and money because these plants already know how to thrive in local rain and soil conditions. They build strong root systems that can stop erosion, filter stormwater and feed local birds, bees and butterflies better than imported plants.

Our certified arborists each have a favorite native tree or bush for you to consider:

American Beech Breilen Maybee

A favorite tree of mine is the American beech (Fagus grandifolia), a large shade

tree that has been a staple of southwest Michigan’s mesic forests for centuries.

As a landscape tree, the American beech is best suited to moist, fertile soils in a sunny or shady location with room to mature into a specimen centerpiece. I love the natural year-round beauty these trees provide; the smooth pale bark and sweeping limbs provide a unique structure to a landscape. The tree's shiny green leaves turn a dark gold in the fall and are often held by the tree through the winter months in a process called marcescence. American beech is a slowgrowing tree that often lives for 200 to 300 years. While you and I may not live long enough to enjoy their full splendor, future generations will thank us for our foresight in planting these magnificent trees.

American Hazelnut Dominic Fulton

American Plum Trevor Roepcke

One of my favorite native plants is the American plum (Prunus americana). This versatile species is native to southwest Michigan’s oak barrens and plains where it thrives in clumps in full sun and the moist, rich soil environments near streams, ponds and lakes. The American plum can be pruned to resemble a small tree or grown into a thicket or hedge. Its sharp-tipped twigs create a natural barrier and provide shelter for small birds and animals. Its spring flowers are showy and aromatic and the late summer fruit is mostly ignored by wildlife and can be harvested for use in jams, jellies or pies.

8 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

My favorite plant is the American hazelnut (Corylus americana), a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub native to Michigan. Tolerant of clay soils, this shrub is naturally adapted to thrive in average to welldrained soils and full sun to partial shade. Prior to human settlement, this shrub would have been found sitting among white oak and hickory trees in our bur oak plains or among red maple and white ash trees in a dry mesic southern forest, both of which are natural plant communities prevalent in Kalamazoo County. If left unmanaged, this plant will spread to form a thicket, which can be perfect for natural screening. My favorite aspect of this plant is the edible nuts it produces, which can be a natural way to attract birds and other wildlife to your yard.

ENCORE FIVE FAVES

Chinkapin Oak Tyler Sly

My favorite native tree species is the chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii). This majestic single-stemmed, large-crowned deciduous tree is native to the dry prairies, oak openings and black oak barrens that historically dominated southwest Michigan.

This species thrives in full sun and well-drained and infertile growing environments, making it a great choice for dry, low-maintenance and open canopy planting locations.

Chinkapin oak provides sweet tasting acorns for wildlife and offers beautiful scarlet leaves in the fall. A separate but closely related species, dwarf chinkapin oak (Quercus prinoides), is a low-growing, clump-forming shrub tolerant to dry soils that generally grows to be 5 to 15 feet tall.

Spicebush

Zack Dueweke

My favorite go-to shrub for our urban landscapes is spicebush (Lindera benzoin).

Spicebush is naturally found within the understory of southwest Michigan’s landscapes of rich, damp deciduous woods and along stream banks. An extremely versatile landscape plant, this showy native shrub tolerates deer, clay soils and varying sunlight profiles. Its small yellow flowers are some of the earliest blooms, providing nectar sources for pollinators in the early spring. Its fall foliage is a brilliant yellow that falls away to reveal bright red berries, which are an important food source for migratory and over-wintering birds. These characteristics make spicebush a great choice when considering native plantings around your home.

About the Authors Arborist Services of Kalamazoo, LLC, is a locally owned practice of International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborists helping clients manage trees and shrubs of all sizes and establish site-adapted native woody plants. ISA Certified Arborists have met a minimum practical experience level, have been tested and certified to known science-based practices in the field of arboriculture and maintain certification through continuing education.

www.encorekalamazoo.com | 9

emporium Explore. Shop. Enjoy

Flair Interiors 427 W. Cork St. 269.372.0110 • shopatflair.com

Kalamazoo Civic Theatre 329 S. Park St. 269.343.1313 • kazoocivic.com From splashy musicals to thought-provoking dramas, The Civic has something for everyone!

For an unbeatable value, purchase a Flex Pass subscription and save up to 42% off regular ticket prices.

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Visit the Flair Interiors showroom and be inspired. We offer custom window treatments, furniture, and interior design services, helping you transform your home with personalized style, quality craftsmanship, and expert care.

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Sherwood Gardens 414 N. Sherwood Ave., Plainwell 269.512.5857 • SherwoodGardens.net Wedding venue specializing in full weekend celebrations. Rehearsals, ceremonies, receptions, and overnight stays take place among the gorgeous gardens and grounds of our historic orchard estate.

Kazoo Books 2413 Parkview Ave. 269.553.6506 • kazoobooks.com Five levels of new and used books, including antique and rare books. Check out our 'blind dates' and watch for our events on our website.

Use the entrance from the back parking lot. We are bigger on the inside.

Genesis Fitness & Wellness 205.433.9377 • genesisfitwell.com Let our certified in–home personal trainers help you reshape your approach to achieving fitness and function. There has never been a better time to exercise in the privacy and safety of your own home.

Elina Organics 4205 S. Westnedge Ave. 269.384.2170 • elinaorganics.com National award–winning, handmade organic, clinical skin care products and services, made in Kalamazoo. Voted Best Facial of Chicago by Chicago Magazine and Best Facial for Glowing Skin by CS Magazine.

10 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

emporium Explore. Shop. Enjoy

Kzoo Cream Wild Birds Unlimited 3015 Oakland Dr. • 269.353.75506 kalamazoo.wbu.com Shop local for all your spring birding needs!

We provide the highest quality bird feeding products available, backed by expert advice to bring the joy of bird feeding into your backyard.

We thank you for shopping at our store and supporting our small business.

1502 S. Westnedge (near Crosstown Pkwy.)

269.599.1849 • kzoocream.com Freshly baked with local ingredients, our Frosted Whispers cookies are the most delicious cream cheese cookies in Michigan! We also serve ice cream, dirty sodas, wraps, coffee and more.

Stop in, call, or order online. Check Facebook for events and hours.

Vintage Inspired 52530 N. Main St., Mattawan 269.668.9042 • vintageinspiredmattawan.com Get a head start on the holidays at Vintage Inspired! From cozy fall décor and festive holiday decorations to unique gifts, gourmet food, and one-of-a-kind treasures from local makers, you’ll find everything you need.

St. Julian Winery & Distillery 716 S. Kalamazoo St., Paw Paw 269.657.5568 • stjulian.com

Mitten Running Co. 6290 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage 269.492.3544 • mittenrunningco.com Whether you are a seasoned runner, dog walker or just looking for quality athletic shoes, Mitten Running Co. has you covered. We offer the best name brands in running footwear, apparel, accessories and nutrition. Stop in for a free digital foot scan and our fit experts will get you dialed in for your next excursion. Located next to V&A Bootery in Portage.

Discover the tradition behind a century-old Michigan favorite. From premium spirits to award-winning dry and sweet wines, every glass is filled with locally grown fruit and the legacy of a family-owned craft.

The Pantry on Tap 7634 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage 269.978.6641 • thepantryontap.com Add some flavor to your life! The Pantry on Tap is a gourmet food & gift store featuring olive oils, vinegars, seasonings, dips and unique gifts.

Bring out your inner chef! Located near our sister store, ChocolaTea.

www.encorekalamazoo.com | 11

GOOD WORKS ENCORE

Lessening the Toll

Practice specializes in helping dementia patients & caregivers cope

BY KATIE HOUSTON

Above: Among the therapists at BrainWise are, back row from left: Megan Gunter, Julie Farman, James Johnson, Allison Ewert and Allison Acton. Front row: Bethany Vinatieri and Brittany Turner.

12 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

ENCORE GOOD WORKS

Dementia never strikes just one person. It is a disease of at least two people — the person with the diagnosis and their caregiver.

That’s how clinical social worker Bethany Vinatieri, LMSW, CDP, NPT-C, describes the social and emotional impact on patients and caregivers dealing with chronic neurological health conditions such as dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis (MS).

In 2024, Vinatieri launched Kalamazoo’s BrainWise Psychotherapy to specifically support adults experiencing chronic neurological health disorders. She previously worked as a medical social worker with the Bronson Neuroscience Center. Vinatieri's practice now includes a team of nearly a dozen master’s-level psychotherapists along with a neuropsychologist and a psychiatrist.

The statistics indicate that dementia is more likely than not to impact us or someone we know or love in the future. The seventh leading cause of death and a major cause of disability among older people, dementia results from a variety of diseases and injuries affecting the brain, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common form of dementia, according to the National Institute on Aging.

While the NIA estimates more than 6 million Americans 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s, the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2026 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report says that 7.4 million or 11 percent of Americans age 65 and older are living with clinical Alzheimer’s disease. That report also estimates about 12 million family members provide care for Alzheimer’s patients.

Those statistics are more than mere numbers for Vinatieri.

“My maternal grandmother died of dementia the day before I started my job at Bronson, so I found myself surrounded by families going through the exact same thing I and my family went through,” she says.

“I didn't know many therapists working with dementia as a main issue, so I developed my own approach, which integrates current neuroscience research with evidence-based psychotherapy, medication management and cognitive testing.”

Joseph Wheeler, a board-certified neuropsychologist with Bronson Neuroscience Center, reports more cases of dementia and Alzheimer’s are being identified as testing advances have equipped the field to more conclusively diagnose Alzheimer’s — which used to require an autopsy to confirm.

“There's a blood test that the FDA approved just last year that can detect one of the protein biomarkers that indicates Alzheimer's,” says Wheeler. The test results are compared against behavioral assessments to make a diagnosis, after which Wheeler says he will refer patients for additional testing and treatment.

“One common referral for me is to BrainWise for the caregiver or for the person that has dementia if they're still at a stage of the disease where they would benefit from psychotherapy and counseling,” he says.

“Caregivers will often come in when they're completely burned out,” Vinatieri says. “They want to take care of their loved one until the end, but in the course of this disease, the patient’s needs will often exceed what one person can provide. It's really about walking them through, respecting how strong they are, but also gently pointing out when it's necessary and okay to ask for help.”

Helping to understand “Connie Miller” and her husband faced enormous challenges after they were given a devastating diagnosis in August 2025.

“My husband had turned into a completely different person in the previous year and a half,” says Miller, whose name has been changed for privacy. “He was doing things that were completely out of character. After a lot of research, I suspected he had a neurological issue and he did.”

Her husband was diagnosed with Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Degeneration (bvFTD), a type of early-onset dementia with no cure or treatment options. In addition to totally altering his personality and executive functioning, the disease would ultimately leave him unable to walk, talk or eat on his own. Miller decided to seek mental health support for both herself and her husband to help them cope with his diagnosis and her growing caregiving duties.

“I felt that my husband needed to talk with someone who understood the disease and its trajectory, and I knew I needed someone who could help me navigate the diagnosis and deal with caregiver burnout. I went searching online for

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 13

GOOD WORKS ENCORE therapists who might know something about bvFTD and BrainWise popped up,” she says.

The couple's college-aged son also began working with a BrainWise therapist.

“Just having people to talk with who were knowledgeable about what we were going through, what we would be going through and how it affected our lives was invaluable,” Miller says, adding that her husband died in January, and she and her son continue to see therapists at BrainWise.

“While our situation has changed, the lingering effects of the disease and how it affected him and our family are still there,” Miller says. “Having someone who understands this and can help us navigate these complexities is crucial."

Supporting patients and families Vinatieri points out that, while dementia has no cure, therapy can support patients through their journey.

“We know there's no cure, no matter what the cause, and that dementia gets worse over time, so our work is often helping families learn how to live life around it,” she says. “If you were diagnosed with a terminal disease like cancer, most people agree they should probably go talk to someone, but when it's Alzheimer's disease, people think, ‘What’s therapy going to do?’ But therapeutic

Save $5

Bethany Vinatieri, founder of BrainWise Psychotherapy

relationships can be quite healing and quite helpful to meet the patient where they're at and help them live with this new reality and hopefully incorporate their family system as well.”

According to Stanford Medicine, caregiving responsibilities for Alzheimer's and dementia patients can last between 10 and 15 years.

During that time, caregivers often experience mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse, along with physical health problems.

“There are many families that we serve that see us throughout the entire course of the illness, coming in early in the diagnosis and staying with us even after a loved one has passed away,” Vinatieri says. “That’s the

best testament to the work that we do, when people keep trusting us to support them through each phase of what they're going through.”

Meanwhile, Wheeler reports that there is hope for improved treatments for dementia.

“There are some new drugs that are out, and they're not as exciting as we would like them to be, but they were the first drugs to ever be approved that actually modify the disease to some degree,” he says. “So I think what is on the horizon is probably another set of drugs that are even better and might be able to modify the disease and slow it down more over time.”

For now, experts advise that those who have the responsibility of caring for a loved one with dementia or other neurological diseases make concerted efforts to maintain their own physical and mental health.

“For the caregiver, you're going to be going through some unprecedented times and therapy is a good thing to add into the mix,” Vinatieri says. “Even if you don't think you need it, it’s a proactive thing you can do to ensure you can continue to take care of your loved one.”

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Sept. 18-27

2026 West Michigan Area Show On view through September 27

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16 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

Festival looks beyond tensions to celebrate our neighbors to the north

BY JORDAN BRADLEY

W

hat is a neighbor? According to Dictionary.com the root of the word is the Old English word “neahgebur,” which literally translates to “near dweller.”

Michiganders have no closer “near dwellers” than Canadians, with whom they share a border, lakes, history, and a love of maple syrup and winter sports.

And yet ... how well do we truly know our neighbor, Canada?

A Kalamazoo festival taking place Sept. 19 — Can-Am Peace Jam 2026 — is out to foster good neighborly vibes among Canadians, Kalamazoo residents, curious Michiganders and anyone interested in learning more about America’s neighbor to the north, says Can-Am Peace Jam founder and director Channon Russette-Mondoux, a local chef, food historian and journalist.

The festival’s fourth iteration is set to take place from 1 to 11 p.m. at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place with a special focus this year on French-Canadian culture. The festival, with its goal to educate, entertain and inspire, is as delightfully complex as the Canadian diaspora, and festival organizers aim to hit “all of the points” with its roster of offerings, Russette-Mondoux says.

Can-Am Peace Jam (formerly called Canadiana Fest) has everything one could want in a cultural festival: a wide array of music and comedy performances; some friendly (and delectable) food competitions; unique Canada-themed mascots; VIP tents; educational talks by historians, professors and indigenous elders; actors spreading peace and unity; a plethora of sports activities; a beer garden and nonalcoholic bar; art; and genealogical experts.

Can-Am Peace Jam founder Channon Russette-Mondoux is serious about the festival's aim to promote neighborly relations and vibes between Michiganders and Canadians.

www.encorekalamazoo.com | 17

The festival weaves indigenous and Native American performers, artists, vendors and craftspeople into the programming, RussetteMondoux says, and intentionally opens the ceremony with a land acknowledgment. With a heritage that includes Metís, First Nations Mi’kmaq and French-Canadian, RussetteMondoux understands the importance of being a multicultural event centered on building community — to do so is simply a part of the Canadian way of life, she explains.

Last year Daisy Kostus, an elder of the Cree Waswanipi First Nations people, welcomed festivalgoers in Cree, Anishinaabe and English. "She addressed the crowd and said, ‘We are here because we are family. We need to remember that we’ve come to join in with each other and be friends.’ That’s how we launch the festival. That’s the spirit that we want people to have as they go about the rest of the day, and to acknowledge that.”

This aspect is something the Can-Am Peace Jam does well, says Jane Ghosh, executive director at Discover Kalamazoo.

“There’s a history behind the land that we need to acknowledge and I think Channon does a phenomenal job at that in making sure that we’re starting the festival in a respectful way,” Ghosh says. “The country boundaries that exist today were not the case back in the day and there’s shared native communities between Michigan and Canada.”

“You cannot find another festival that goes to these kinds of lengths to create an experience — it’s not just some beer and food and music,” Russette-Mondoux says. “It’s a gestalt thing, it really is. It’s the sum of its parts.”

In 2025, in just its third year, the festival hosted approximately 2,500 guests from 11 states, according to Russette-Mondoux, marking an attendance increase of nearly 50 percent from the 2024 festival.

18 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

An organizing committee of six people work year-round to plan the festival, but it takes the contributions of about 120 volunteers to execute the event, she says.

That kind of growth for a new festival “is pretty remarkable,” Ghosh says.

The politics of it all In 2023, when the festival first wrapped itself in buffalo plaid and stomped onto the scene, “there wasn’t this level of angst about Canada going on,” Russette-Mondoux says, referring to current political tensions between the United States and Canada.

The event began as the Canadiana Festival, holding the name for its first two years, before U.S. President Donald Trump entered office in January 2025 and began detailing his desire to annex Canada — a sovereign nation — and turn it into the 51st state of the United States.

The comments sent a shockwave of anger and frustration through Russette-Mondoux’s Canadian compatriots, who were used to being the butt of jokes made by Americans perpetuating stereotypes about Canadians’ inherent politeness, she says.

“Canadians have sat back and tolerated the ribbing, the teasing, but we always kind of shook our heads like, ‘We’re really cool, really good people.’ And here we are in a situation now where Canadians are just completely disenfranchised by the U.S.,” she says. “I think at first, it was shock and frustration at the situation, but then it continued.”

After the president’s comments and the resulting tensions between U.S. and Canadian officials, Russette-Mondoux says she saw a different side to Americans. Whenever she wore Canada-centric clothing in public, she began receiving hard stares and grumbles where before she experienced friendliness or curiosity. As a result, the festival officially changed its name to the CanAm Peace Jam in 2025 in an effort to foster diplomacy around the event.

The political environment has impacted more than just the festival’s atmosphere and its name. Russette-Mondoux says she is often asked why the festival roster doesn’t just feature Canadian musical guests. The answer is a bit more complicated than that it’s expensive — which it is when you factor in travel and visa fees. Simply getting a visa can be a struggle.

According to the U.S. Department of State’s website, a musician from Calgary, for

element to the festival’s atmosphere, but in the end, Russette-Mondoux and CanAm Peace Jam organizers just want to share Canadian culture, foster community connections and facilitate an enjoyable experience for attendees, despite any differences of political opinions.

To Ghosh, the festival is an opportunity to sidestep politics at least for a day.

“We are so close to Canada and so many people in Michigan have a personal connection to Canada, to celebrate our close

neighbors just makes perfect sense,” Ghosh says.

Origins in community For Russette-Mondoux, a CanadianAmerican who has lived stateside for the last 20 years, the Can-Am Peace Jam was born from a deep longing for her home country and its culture.

“The origins of all this came after the pandemic; there were three years that went by and I hadn’t seen anyone in Canada,” Russette-Mondoux says. “I actually had tried

Clockwise from top left: Woodland Stream, a Native drum group, performs at the 2025 festival; Daisy Kostus, an elder of the Cree Waswanipi First Nations people, walks with festival founder Channon RussetteMondoux; a festivalgoer tries her hand at curling; a vendor prepares a tray of poutine; and attendees listen to a history presentation. (Courtesy photos)

example, must schedule an interview after applying for the temporary performer’s visa required for an event like Can-Am Peace Jam. However, the process is so backlogged that estimates for the next available interview simply state “N/A,” as in "Not Available."

The fees, requirements and backlog are ridiculous, Russette-Mondoux says. “And you know what? A lot of Canadian artists don’t want to come here. There is pushback now.

They’re like, ‘I don’t know if I feel safe over there. I don’t know if I’m going to get to the border and get turned away,’ which has happened.”

Ongoing threats by politicians about tariffs and takeovers have added an unwanted

www.encorekalamazoo.com | 19

Can-Am Peace Jam 2026

1–11 p.m. • Sept. 19 • Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St. What can you expect at the Can-Am Peace Jam? A range of activities as varied and vast as the Canadian landscape.

Opening Ceremony and Parade The parade features Canadian-Scottish music from the Kalamazoo Pipe Band, flags and festival mascots including Kalam A. Moose. Canadian-turned-New Yorker comedian Henry Sir will also emcee the event and perform a stand-up set later in the festival.

Musical Performances The day will be filled with music from local and regional acts such as: • Melisande — The festival headliner is a Montreal-based group that combines electronic music with traditional Acadian music. Want to sample their sound? Check out the funky French track, “À l'abri du tempo,” featuring singer-songwriter Damien Robitaille.

• Zion Lion — Reggae with African and Afro-Latin vibes.

• Full Frontal Cortez — Covers of Canadian rock greats such as Bachman Turner Overdrive, Steppenwolf and The Guess Who. • Hen Pecked Dawgs — Canadian sea shanties and more.

20 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

History and Cultural Displays • Cultural Village and Presentations Tent — Features storytellers and culture bearers, including Alliance Francaise de Kalamazoo, a local group dedicated to French language and culture; Voyageur storyteller Genot Picor; and Azure Musketeers, a troupe of 17th-century French military re-enactors.

• Explore Your Canadian Roots — Guests curious about family roots in Canada can connect with representatives from the Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society and the Canadian Citizenship by Descent-Bill C3 Group’s booth, which will share information about becoming a Canadian citizen by descent.

• Canadian Sports Centre — Attendees can try hockey, curling, basketball, lacrosse (also known as the Creator’s game) and crokinole, a Canadian tabletop game best described as a small-scale cross between shuffleboard and curling. In addition, you can hang with athletes from Western Michigan University, indigenous athletes and local coaches.

Food & Drink Beer Garden and Nonalcoholic Cocktails OutFront Kalamazoo will sling pints of Bell’s and imported Canadian brews, while Northern Lights Apothecary N.A. will serve nonalcoholic cocktails.

Food Competitions To whet appetites throughout the week leading up to the festival, Kalamazoo County restaurants will participate in Poutine Week in the Zoo, where diners can vote via QR code for their favorite version of this Canadian classic dish of fries, gravy and cheese curds.

There will also be a Butter Tart Bake-Off held at the festival. A butter tart is a classic Canadian pastry with a filling of butter, sugar, maple syrup and eggs inside a light pastry shell. Anyone can enter and entries will be judged by local members of the American Culinary Federation.

“The first recipe was probably written down around 1850. It’s very similar to a pecan pie without pecans, although some people do put pecans in their butter tarts. And there’s a big controversy: raisins or no raisins,” says Russette-Mondoux, who calls herself an equal-opportunity butter tart lover, raisins or no raisins.

Cost $12 general admission, $8 seniors/ veterans, $5 students, free for children.

VIP tents are available for $75 a person, which will give guests direct access to the stage, musical performances, a set of luxury bathrooms and a dedicated bartender.

For more infomation and to purchase tickets, visit canadianafest.fun.

to cross over and I couldn’t get in — even as a Canadian — and I was heartbroken.”

So she decided to do something about it.

After all, Kalamazoo loves a festival and the city’s annual event calendar has grown into a diverse web of heritage, causes, culture, music, food and more.

“We do Irish Fest, we do Cinco de Mayo — why not celebrate something related to Canada?” she asks.

The prevalence of events such as festivals is one of the things that makes Kalamazoo so vibrant to residents and visitors, Ghosh says. Discover Kalamazoo, the destination marketing organization for Kalamazoo County, owns only two annual events, and everything else the organization does "is just promoting somebody else’s event and good idea — and I would absolutely put the CanAm Peace Jam right in the mix,” she says.

For Russette-Mondoux, founding the festival wasn’t just about comfort foods and familiar music. Establishing the festival was an extension of the societal framework of Canada, which afforded her a different life than earlier generations of her family. She

A festivalgoer holds a Canadian flag while dancing.

(Courtesy photo)

describes herself as “a person who came from an underprivileged family,” and is the first in her “entire lineage to graduate postsecondary.”

She was able to pursue higher education “because the Canadian people wanted to invest in someone like me,” she says. “I was willing to do the work, and they wanted to support me, and it raised me up. It changed the trajectory of my life, the life of my children, and forever more, my family will

have a different life than I had, and I’m extremely grateful for that.”

To honor that community spirit, a cornerstone of the festival is that proceeds go to organizations that support their communities in both Michigan and Canada.

Since 2023, the festival has donated approximately $30,000 in food products and cash, primarily to Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes and the South Michigan Food Bank. All of the registration fees collected from the 2024 butter tart bake-off were donated to the Downtown Windsor Community Coalition.

Other proceeds have been donated to relief efforts for those impacted by the wildfire in Jasper, Alberta, and Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. The festival also subsidizes booth fees for nonprofits, BIPOC- and womenowned businesses and other organizations doing good within the community.

“People ask me, ‘Why do you make it such a point of this festival helping to support others in need?’ It's because that's where I come from, that's what you do for your community,” Russette-Mondoux says.

www.encorekalamazoo.com | 21

T heArts

Sponsored by

and published in partnership with

THEATER Harlem Duet Sept. 11–20 Face Off Theatre

This two-act play, inspired by Shakespeare’s Othello, moves through time to show a couple being torn apart by racial tensions in three time periods: on a cotton plantation in 1860, at the height of the Harlem Renaissance in 1928, and in 1997.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11, 12, 18 and 19 and 2 p.m.

Sept. 13 and 20 at Kalamazoo College’s Festival Playhouse, 129 Thompson St. For ticket information, visit faceofftheatre.com.

My Mother and the Michigan/ Ohio War Sept. 17–Oct. 4 Farmers Alley Theatre

A comedy that blends the 1835–1836 historical Toledo War border dispute with a family's modern-day Michigan–Ohio college football rivalry will be staged by Farmers Alley this month.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, Oct. 1, 2 and 3 and 2 p.m. Sept. 19, 20, 26, 27, Oct. 3 and 4. Tickets are $33–$52 and available online at farmersalleytheatre.com or by calling 343–2727.

Anything Goes

Sept. 18–27 Kalamazoo Civic Theatre This Cole Porter musical about the shipboard shenanigans of a stowaway, nightclub singer and a gangster aboard an ocean liner will grace the Civic stage.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18, 19, 25 and 26 and 2 p.m. Sept. 20 and 27. Tickets are $17–$35 and available online at kazoocivic.com or by calling 343–1313.

22 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

MUSIC

Folk Songs & Memories

Mozart & Stravinsky

Sept. 11 & 12 New Vic Theatre

Featuring an eclectic mix of folk, country and contemporary tunes, this musical revue harkens back to the theater's early history as a folk music venue and coffeehouse called the Side Door.

Showtimes are 8 p.m. at the theater located at 134 E. Vine St. Tickets are $10–$32 and available online at thenewvictheatre.org.

Connecting Chords Music Festival

Throughout the month Various venues

The KSO kicks off its new season with a performance featuring violinist Alexi Kenney at 7:30 p.m. in Miller Auditorium.

Kenney has earned acclaim for his insightful and artistic interpretations and is the recipient of a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award and an Avery Fisher Career Grant. The program will include works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Igor Stravinsky. Tickets are $7–$78 and available online at kalamazoosymphony.com.

Outdoor concerts Biribá Union

From the artists to the venues, diverse is the key word for describing the offerings of this annual musical festival.

Take a hike at the Kalamazoo Nature Center on Sept. 13 and you'll encounter four groups — Selkie, Norse Code, The Birdseed Salesmen and Bahar Ensemble — performing on the trails during the Migratory Music concert from 2–4 p.m. This free concert will spotlight Celtic, Middle Eastern, Scandinavian and jazz manouche musical styles.

Brazilian trio Biribá Union will perform at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 in Bell’s Back Room, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave. The group blends original music with global influences from hip hop and roots to jazz. Tickets are $5–$25.

Local musicians representing diverse faiths and traditions will perform Sept. 27 at Unity of Kalamazoo, 1204 Whites Road, in the festival's Sound & Spirit of Kalamazoo concert. The free performance will begin at 4 p.m. and feature artists including Jonathan Moody and Svetlana Stone.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit connectingchordsfestival.com.

Various performances Throughout the month WMU School of Music HILO Duo

Sept. 26 Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Western Michigan University Gilmore School of Music begins a new school year with several performances. The performances are at 7:30 p.m. in Dalton Center Recital Hall and tickets are $6–$18.

• F aculty and Guest Recital, featuring Christopher Biggs (composer), Erik Sowa (drums) and Ben Schmidt-Swartz (saxophone), Sept. 11 • Benjamin Coelho, bassoon, Sept. 16 • HILO Duo, violin and cello, Sept. 30 For tickets, visit wmich.edu/music/events.

Throughout the month Various venues

The outdoor summer concert series will wrap up this month with performances across the area. Scheduled performances are: • Brass in Pocket, 5 p.m. Sept. 2, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners • Sophia McIntosh & The Sages with Siq Music, 5:30 p.m. Sept.

2, Bates Alley, located between Edwards and Portage streets in downtown Kalamazoo • Chris Karl, 5 p.m. Sept. 9, Gilmore Car Museum • SaxFifth Music with DJ Conscious, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 9, Bates Alley • Full House Band, noon–2 p.m. Sept. 13, South Westnedge Park, 9010 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage • 3 of a Kind, 5 p.m. Sept. 16, Gilmore Car Museum • MexiCuba with DJ Ivan, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 16, Bates Alley • Bourbon Brothers and Dogpatch Lullaby, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Sept. 19, Celery Flats Pavilion, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage • Matt Schultz, 5 p.m. Sept. 23, Gilmore Car Museum • Out of Favor Boys, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 23, Bates Alley • The Packard Family Band, 2–6 p.m. Sept. 26, South Westnedge Park • John Louis Good & Rose City, 5 p.m. Sept. 30, Gilmore Car Museum • The Skeletones with DJ Chuck, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Bates Alley

Sounds of the Zoo Sept. 21–27 Various venues

The week-long, free multicultural music festival returns for its fourth year with 50 musical artists performing in dozens of genres. In addition, there will be a number of workshops on different aspects of the music business.

For a full schedule and more information, visit soundsofthezoo.com. www.encorekalamazoo.com | 23

TheArts

VISUAL ARTS Art Hop

Book Arts in Italy 2026

Sept. 4 Various locations

Sept. 4–Oct. 9 Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

This exhibition will showcase the prints and books created by two groups of KBAC students that traveled in Italy this summer, as well as works created upon their return.

The KBAC gallery is located at 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, and is open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.

With the theme “Journey,” this month’s Art Hop explores inclusion and kinship through art that tells the personal and collective stories of the community.

This free event runs from 5–8 p.m. and features a variety of artists’ works as well as live music and the chance to visit community businesses. For a brochure showing Art Hop sites and information about participating artists, visit kalamazooarts.org.

Continuing Exhibitions

COMEDY

The Carnegie Center for the Arts, Three Rivers: • Inspiring Connections, through Sept. 9

Comedy Performances

• A Journey through the Seasons, through Sept. 9 • Goddesses: You and Me Sister, through Sept. 9

Throughout the month Crawlspace Comedy Theatre

• The Limitless Sky, through Sept. 9

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts: • West Michigan Area Show, through Sept. 27 • For the People, By the People: America at 250, through Oct. 4.

• Resilience: A Sansei Sense of Legacy, through Nov. 1.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts, WMU • 24-25 Foundations Exhibition, through Sept. 6 • Marijo Carney Retrospective, through Sept. 19 • Jacquelyn Ruttinger Retrospective, through Sept. 19

Start September with a giggle or two at comedy shows planned this month. Performing at the theater, located at 315 W. Michigan Ave., will be: • Always Hallways, Sept. 4 • Stuart MacDonald Comedy Magic, Sept. 5 • Crawlspace Eviction, Sept. 11 • We Need a Hero Improvised Adventure, Sept. 12 • The Great Improv Showdown Late Show, 9:30 p.m. Sept. 12 • Crawlspace Sketch, Sept. 18, 19, 25 and 26 All shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise and ticket prices vary. For tickets, visit crawlspacecomedy.com.

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CA L L F O R N O M I NAT I O N S

Do you know someone who is a leader in the arts, volunteers their time in the arts, or is a talented youth with a promising future in the arts? Or perhaps you know of a local business that consistently supports or advocates for our local arts scene? If so please nominate them for a 2026 Community Arts Award!

View all of the award categories and make your nomination on the CAA page on our website:

KalamazooArts.org/2026caa/

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS OCTOBER 5TH. 24 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

ENCORE EVENTS Sounds of the Zoo — Multicultural music festival & symposium at indoor & outdoor sites, Sept. 21–27; full schedule at soundsofthezoo. com.

Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More PERFORMING ARTS THEATER Plays

Harlem Duet — This play shows a couple being torn apart in three time periods, 7:30 p.m. Sept.

11, 12, 18 & 19, 2 p.m. Sept. 13 & 20, Kalamazoo College’s Festival Playhouse, 129 Thompson St., faceofftheatre.com.

My Mother and the Michigan/Ohio War — A full-scale reenactment of the Michigan/ Ohio War turns into a comedy, 7:30 p.m. Sept.

17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, Oct. 1, 2 & 3, 2 p.m.

Sept. 19, 20, 26, 27, Oct. 3 & 4, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, 343–2727, farmersalleytheatre.com.

Musicals

Anything Goes — Mismatched romance, mistaken identities & shipboard shenanigans, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18, 19, 25 & 26; 2 p.m. Sept. 20 & 27, Civic Theatre, 329 S. Park St., 343–1313, kazoocivic.com.

MUSIC Bands & Solo Artists

Lunchtime Concert with Parkwyn Jazz — Jazz music, noon Sept. 1, Portage Public Library Courtyard, 300 Library Lane, portagelibrary.info; bring a chair or blanket.

Faculty & Guest Recital — Composer Christopher Biggs, drummer Erik Sowa & saxophonist Ben Schmidt-Swartz perform, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich. edu/music/events.

Migratory Music — Selkie, Norse Code, The Birdseed Salesmen & Bahar Ensemble perform on Kalamazoo Nature Center trails, 2–4 p.m. Sept. 13, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., connectingchordsfestival.com.

Benjamin Coelho — Bassoonist, 7:30 p.m. Sept.

16, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/ music/events.

Biribá Union — Brazilian music trio, 7 p.m. Sept.

24, Bell’s Back Room, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., connectingchordsfestival.com.

4 Hands Piano — David & Natalia Cordoba perform, 7 p.m. Sept. 25, The Listening Room, Second Reformed Church, 2323 Stadium Dr., 382-6600.

Mozart & Stravinsky — Violinist Alexi Kenney performs with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.com.

Beats on Bates — Live outdoor music 5:30– 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays: Sophia McIntosh & The Sages w/Siq Music, Sept. 2; SaxFifth Music w/DJ Conscious, Sept. 9; MexiCuba w/DJ Ivan, Sept.

16; Out of Favor Boys, Sept. 23; The Skeletones w/DJ Chuck, Sept. 30; Bates Alley, downtown Kalamazoo,kalamazooarts.org/summertimelive.

Sound & Spirit of Kalamazoo — Local musicians representing diverse faiths & traditions perform, 4 p.m. Sept. 27, Unity of Kalamazoo, 1204 Whites Road, connectingchordsfestival.com.

Wagging through the Summer Concerts — 6–8:30 p.m., Kalamazoo Humane Society, 2272 River St.: Schlitz Creek, Sept. 3; Gemini Moon Band, Sept. 10; kazoohumane.org/ waggingthroughthesummer.

COMEDY

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Concerts — Kalamashoegazer 17, 6 p.m. Sept. 5 & 5 p.m.

Sept. 6; Silverada w/Rambler Kane, Sept. 9; The Insiders: A Tribute to Tom Petty, Sept. 12; Pokey Lafarge w/Cicada Rhythm, Sept. 16; Grace Theisen Band & Kylie Phillips, 6 p.m. Sept. 22; Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers w/Hot Like Mars & Headband Henny, Sept. 25; The Verve Pipe, Sept. 26; Marc Scibilia, 7:30 p.m. Sept.

27; Basic, Sept. 30; all shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted otherwise, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382–2332, bellsbeer.com.

Folk Songs & Memories — Reminisce & listen to folk songs, 8 p.m. Sept. 11, 12, 18 & 19, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., 381-3328, thenewvictheatre.org.

HILO Duo — Violin & cello, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

Crawlspace Comedy Theatre — Always Hallways, Sept. 4; Stuart MacDonald Comedy Magic, Sept.

5; Crawlspace Eviction, Sept. 11; We Need a Hero Improvised Adventure, Sept. 12; The Great Improv Showdown Late Show, 9:30 p.m. Sept.

12; Crawlspace Sketch, Sept. 18, 19, 25 & 26; all shows at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise, Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.

FILM

Clue — Screening of the 1985 film, 8 p.m. Sept.

10; pre-show party, 7 p.m.; Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

VISUAL ARTS Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org Exhibitions

West Michigan Area Show — Juried exhibition of works by area artists, through Sept. 27.

For the People, By the People: America at 250 — Reflecting America’s enduring ties to liberty, justice & identity, through Oct. 4.

Resilience: A Sansei Sense of Legacy — Eight artists tell stories of forced imprisonment by law EO9066, through Nov. 1.

Events Free Thursdays at the KIA — Free admission on Thursdays, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Roger Shimomura & Works of Resilience — Artists' responses to Japanese Americans internment during WWII, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 3; registration encouraged.

Collage Crew Kzoo — Create artistic collages, 5–8 p.m. Sept. 4 & 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 5.

For the People, By the People: America at 250 — Docents provide information & answer questions, 1:30–2:30 p.m. Sundays through October 4.

ARTbreak — American Legacy: Lange’s Portrait of a Mother, talk by Ginger Owen-Murakami, Sept. 9; Kalamazoo…and How It Grew!: A Model American City Tours Europe at Mid-Century, Sept. 23, noon, KIA Auditorium; registration encouraged.

Hank Willis Thomas — The artist reflects on his work, 6 p.m. Sept. 11; registration encouraged.

Book Discussion — Victoria Christopher Murray's Harlem Rhapsody, 2 p.m. Sept. 16; reserve tickets online.

I, Too, Sing America — The Harlem Renaissance in art, music & theater, 6 p.m. Sept. 17, KIA Auditorium; registration requested.

John James Audubon: Entrepreneur, Naturalist, Patriot, Fraud — Viewing of lecture by James Denison, 6 p.m. Sept. 24, KIA Auditorium; registration requested.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts Western Michigan University, 387-2436, wmich.edu/art

24-25 Foundations Exhibition — Through Sept. 6, DeVries Student Gallery.

Marijo Carney Retrospective — Calligraphic works, through Sept. 19, Netzorg-Kerr Gallery.

Jacquelyn Ruttinger Retrospective — Drawings & paintings, through Sept. 19, Albertine Monroe-Brown Gallery.

Photography BFA — Angela Dugger & Camille Stevens, Sept. 16–26, DeVries Student Gallery.

www.encorekalamazoo.com | 25

EVENTS ENCORE Other Venues Continuing Exhibitions — Four exhibitions running through Sept. 9: Inspiring Connections, various artists; A Journey through the Seasons, Shannon Dion; Goddesses: You and Me Sister, Susan Teague; & The Limitless Sky, Suzanne B. Siegel; The Carnegie Center for the Arts, 107 North Main St., Three Rivers, 273-8882, trcarnegie.com.

Book Arts in Italy 2026 — Prints & books, Sept. 4–Oct. 9, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 373–4938, kalbookarts.org.

Art Hop — Art on the theme of “Journey,” celebrating inclusion & kinship, 5–8 p.m.

Sept. 4, downtown Kalamazoo, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org.

Portage Community Art Award Exhibition — Showcasing this year’s winning Portage artist, Sept. 11–Nov. 5, Portage City Hall Atrium, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., mypark.portagemi.gov.

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org CTL Writers — Group writing discussion, 4 p.m.

Sept. 4.

Beth’s Book Club — Chris Whitaker’s All the Colors of the Dark, 1:30 p.m. Sept. 10 & 12.

Pride Book Club — Michelle Theall’s Teaching the Cat to Sit: A Memoir, 6 p.m. Sept. 16, registration required.

Ask an Attorney: Understanding Medicare & Medicaid — Presentation with Q&A, 5:30 p.m.

Sept. 21, registration required.

Adulting 101: Job Hunting Basics — Job searches, resumes, cover letters & interviews, 6 p.m. Sept. 28, registration required.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov Friends of KPL Bag of Books Sale — Used books for sale by the bag, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept.

26, Lower level of KPL Central Library, kpl.gov/ friends.

Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org Vinyasa Yoga with Alla — All levels, 5:15 p.m.

Sept. 9.

Parchment Book Group — Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women, 6 p.m. Sept.

14.

Mystery Book Club — Paige Shelton’s Comic Sans Murder, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15.

Chair Yoga — All levels, 11 a.m. Sept. 26.

Lunch & Learn: Medicare 101 — With Jay Simon, 12 p.m. Sept. 28.

Portage District Library 300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info Pub(lic) Library Trivia — Sci-fi & fantasy, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 9; registration required.

Yoga with Apral — 4 p.m. Sept. 10 & 22; registration required.

International Mystery Book Discussion — Zoë Rankin's The Vanishing Place, 7 p.m. Sept. 10.

Documentary & Donuts — Watch After Truth with donuts, 10 a.m. Sept. 11.

Making Sense of Childbirth Education — Informative session, 6 p.m. Sept. 15; registration required.

Fall Home Maintenance — With Community Homeworks, 6 p.m. Sept. 15; registration required.

Plots & Pages: A Local Writers Group — With author Mark Love, 6 p.m. Sept. 15.

Medicare 101 — Presented by Priority Health, 3 p.m. Sept. 16; registration required.

Muffins & the Market — Stock market trends & resources, 9 a.m. Sept. 17.

Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group — Help with Macintosh programs & accessories, 9 a.m.– noon Sept. 19.

Saturday Sound Immersion — Relaxation & well-being experience, 10:30 a.m. Sept. 19; registration required.

Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society — 7 p.m. Sept. 21.

Kalamazoo Plant Swap — With Kalamazoo Plant it Forward, 10 a.m.–noon Sept. 26.

Light Lunch & Literature — Jenny Offill's Department of Speculation, noon Sept. 28; registration required.

Cooking Demo — By Jim Mumford, author of PizzaPedia, 6 p.m. Sept. 30; registration required.

Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org Bridge Club — Noon Tuesdays.

Doing 100 on Route 66 — A pictorial trip down Route 66, 6 p.m. Sept. 1.

How Time in Nature Affects the Brain & Body — Forest bathing introduction, 7 p.m. Sept. 3.

Cookbook Club — Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Essential Recipes, 6 p.m. Sept. 8.

Adult Dungeons & Dragons Bravo Team — New crusade each month, 3–6 p.m. Sept. 9; 5–8 p.m. Sept. 24; registration required.

Richland Area Writer’s Group — Open to new members, noon Sept.11 & 25, hybrid event.

26 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

ENCORE EVENTS Richland Genealogy Group — Discussion group, 10 a.m. Sept. 17, in person & online.

RCL Book Club —Martha Hall Kelly’s Lilac Girls, 6 p.m. Sept. 17.

Retro Trivia Night — Teams answer questions on the 1910s–2010s, 7 p.m. Sept. 22; registration required.

Songs & Stories of Ireland — Irish songs, language & culture, 7 p.m. Sept. 24.

Peace of Mind: Creating a Life Planning Book — Legal documents for one's last wishes, 6 p.m.

Sept. 28; registration required.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum 230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org Exhibitions

Dinosaur Explorer — Animatronics, fossils & current dinosaur science, through Sept 6.

Toytopia— Origins of toys, early arcade games & more, Sept. 26–Jan. 3.

Events KVCC 60th Anniversary — Activities, food & music, 5–7 p.m. Sept. 18.

Take Control of your Financial Future — Presented by Kiss Financial, 6 p.m. Sept. 30; registration required.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration — Planetarium shows & activities, Sept. 26.

Vicksburg District Library 215 S. Michigan Ave., 649-1648, vicksburglibrary.org

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu

Bridge Club — 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays.

Membership Exchange Month — Reciprocal membership with the Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary.

Book Club for Adults — Selection at circulation desk, 9:30 a.m. Sept. 3.

Scrabble Club for Adults — All levels, 1 p.m.

Sept. 8.

Writer’s Motivational Group — Set goals & report progress, 4 p.m. Sept. 10.

Other Venues

NATURE

Birds & Coffee Chat Online — Plants that feed birds, 10 a.m. Sept. 9.

Guided Birding Hike — Fall migration, 9 a.m.

Sept. 12.

Birding Hike — Led by staff, 9 a.m. Sept. 24.

Book Chat Cafe — Chat, recommendations & exchange, 10 a.m. Sept. 12, Java Jones Roasters, 8885 N. 32nd St., Richland, richlandlibrary.org.

Bald Eagles Up Close — Wildlife veterinarian & photographer Carl Palazzolo presents, 6 p.m.

Sept. 24; registration required.

Between The Pages: Romance Book Club — D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterly’s Lover, 6 p.m.

Sept. 23, Ned’s on Gull Lake, 15450 M-43, Hickory Corners, richlandlibrary.org; registration required.

Other Venues Beginning Birding Walk — 9 a.m. Sept. 5; Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery's 2nd parking lot, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, kalamazooaudubon.org.

MUSEUMS

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Public Observing Session — The Summer Triangle, 8–11 p.m. Sept. 5; The Moon & Saturn, 8–11 p.m. Sept. 19; Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., kasonline.org.

Air Zoo 6151 Portage Road, Portage, 382-6555, airzoo.org Sensory Friendly Sunday — 10 a.m. Sept. 13.

Air Zoo Movie Night — Spaceballs, 6 & 9 p.m.

Sept. 19.

KAS General Meeting — An Archaeological Road Trip with the Keck Telescopes, presented

by Evan Kirby, 7–9:15 p.m. Sept. 11, Kalamazoo

Math & Science Center, 600 W. Vine St., kasonline.org.

Guided Butterfly Walk — On the Emma Pitcher Prairie, 1–3 p.m. Sept. 13, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org; registration required.

Mingle with the Moths — After-hours event about moths, 8:30–10:30 p.m. Sept. 18, Chipman Preserve, 8395 E. Main, Galesburg, swmlc.org/ mingle-with-the-moths; registration required.

Marshall to Albion Hike — 11.5-mile North Country Trail hike beginning at 301 Pearl St., Marshall, hosted by the Chief Noonday Chapter, Sept. 27, shuttle service available throughout the day, registration 9:15 a.m., hike 9:30 a.m.; post-hike event at Dark Horse Brewing Co., 511 S. Kalamazoo Ave., Marshall; 808-7334, email: jane_a_norton@yahoo.com.

MISCELLANEOUS Kalamazoo Farmers Market — 7 a.m.–1 p.m.

Saturdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays; Night Market, 5–10 p.m. Sept. 17, 1204 Bank St.; kzoofarmmarket.com.

Vicksburg Farmers Market — 2–6 p.m.

Fridays; 300 N. Richardson St., vicksburgfarmersmarket.com.

Texas Township Farmers Market — 8 a.m.–noon Saturdays, 7110 West Q Ave., texastownship.org/168/farmers-market.

Portage Farmers Market — 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Sundays, through Oct. 11, 125 E. Centre Ave., mypark.portagemi.gov.

Paw Paw Wine & Harvest Festival — Tastings, 5K walk/run, grape stomping, entertainment, fireworks, parade & more, Sept. 11–13; for schedule of events, visit wineandharvestfestival.com.

Scottish Festival & Highland Games — Scottish history & culture event with games, clans, food & music, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 12, Kindleberger Park, 122 N. Riverview Drive, Parchment, kalamazooscottishfest.org.

Gilmore Car Museum 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org Wednesday Night Cruise-Ins — Collector cars, food & live music: Brass in Pocket, Sept. 2; Chris Karl, Sept. 9; 3 of a Kind, Sept. 16; Matt Schultz, Sept. 23; John Louis Good & Rose City, Sept. 30, 5–8 p.m. Wednesdays through mid-October.

Vintage Motorcycle Weekend — 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Sept. 12–13.

Ford Model A Days — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept.

18–19.

Cadillac LaSalle Fall Festival — 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Sept. 25–26.

For Something Fun to Do in Kalamazoo...

See the full event calendar at kalamazooexpocenter.com www.encorekalamazoo.com | 27

EVENTS ENCORE

Emancipation Block Party — Performances, food trucks & Black history booths, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 12, 313 N. Burdick St. Dogs in the Zoo — Activities for leashed pets & adoption opportunities, noon–4 p.m. Sept. 12, downtown Kalamazoo.

Vintage in the Zoo — Vintage & handmade goods, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 13, Kalamazoo Farmers Market, 1204 Bank St., vintageinthezoo.com.

Portage P3: Parks, Poker, Pedal — Bicycle ride to 7 parks followed by music & food trucks, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Sept. 13, South Westnedge Park, 9010 S. Westnedge Ave., mypark.portagemi.gov.

Honorable Harvest Lecture Series — Exploring the principle that humans should give back to the land that sustains them, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays Sept. 15–Nov. 17, KVCC’s Schlack Culinary & Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St., valleyhub.kvcc.edu.

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SPCA’s Fur Ball Gala: Alley Edition — SPCA of Southwest Michigan fundraiser with food, drinks, puppy cuddling & more, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Sept. 18, Haymarket Plaza, Downtown Kalamazoo, see SPCA of Southwest Michigan’s Facebook page.

Gryphon Place Suicide Prevention Walk 2026 — Fundraising 5K walk, 8:30 a.m. Sept. 19, 200 S. Rose St., gryphon.org/spw.

Fall Craft Show — 220 booths, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Sept. 19, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 20, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 903–5820, kalcounty.com/ calendar.

Fall Festival — Tractor rides, bazaar, demos & live music, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Sept. 19, Celery Flats, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage, mypark. portagemi.gov.

Can-Am Peace Jam – Canadian food, music & culture, 1–11 p.m. Sept. 19, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., canadianafest.fun.

Kalamazoo Roper Romp — Activities & fun in homage to Three's Company landlords Helen & Stanley Roper, 2 p.m. Sept. 19, Bates Alley, discoverkalamazoo.com & Facebook event page.

Kalamazoo Fall Bike Celebration — Rides starting & finishing at Vicksburg Historic Village & Depot Museum, 300 N. Richardson St., Vicksburg, Sept. 18–20, fallbikecelebration.org.

Opportunities for Education Scholarship Fundraising Event — Craft beverages & signature dishes from local chefs & KVCC's culinary program, hosted by Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation, 5:30 p.m.

Sept. 24, KVCC Food Innovation Center, 224 Crosstown Parkway, kvcc.edu/foundation.

NSRA Street Rod Nationals North — Street rods & specialty vehicles, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 25, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 26, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, nsra-usa.com.

Hot Glass on Tap! — Glass art demonstrations, food, drinks & music, 7–10 p.m. Sept. 25, Glass Art Kalamazoo, Suite 100, Park Trades Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave.; purchase tickets online, glassartskalamazoo.org.

Keys for Home Pickleball Classic — All-day pickleball tournament fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, Sept. 26, PickleRage, 525 Romence Road, habitatkalamazoo.org.

Oktoberfest — German culture with beer, food & live music, 1–7 p.m. Sept. 26, South Westnedge Park, 9010 S. Westnedge Ave., mypark.portagemi.gov.

Vicksburg Harvest Festival — Demonstrations, historical building tours, petting zoo & more, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 27, Vicksburg Historic Village, 300 N. Richardson St., Vicksburg, generoushands. org/calendar.

28 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

ENCORE BACK STORY Katie Timber (continued from page 30) How did you get where you are today?

I had a really nontraditional upbringing. I was in the foster care system locally, staying with several families and for an extended time at The Ark (Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo’s youth shelter). I got a job at Pet Supplies Plus, and the manager there took me in. She was young and a hippie and fostered animals. As a teenager, doing that with her gave me a lot of purpose. It felt really good to have that level of responsibility and that's how I got involved with the SPCA. I got to this position today by working with my community. The organization didn't have the best start back in the day. There was a great board and group of volunteers, but it had a lot of debt, so they essentially gave me the position along with a vote to close in three months. We didn't own the land we were on, owed $1.6 million on the building and didn't have a veterinarian. Now, 15 years later, we're 100% debt-free, offer a spay and neuter clinic and are really communityfocused.

We have relied on people with a shared passion for animals to help us move forward.

That includes my second-in-command, Tricia Mohney, our staff and volunteers and media partners who promote adoptions: WWMT and WKFR 103.3. We’ve worked with wonderful people in the community like Matt Callander, Tom Huff, Darren Malek and Jim Vandenberg.

Local influencer Olivia Boblet does marketing for us as a volunteer. We have benefited by working with Cathy Bissell and the Bissell Pet Foundation; because of Bissell, our puppy Dan Campbell (named for the Detroit Lions coach) was in the Puppy Bowl on Super Bowl Sunday. He got two touchdowns, and I was lucky enough to be there in New York.

Today, we house about 140 animals at any given time and our foster program can take up to 40 animals. Every single animal in the shelter is tested for disease, fixed, vaccinated and microchipped by our four wonderful veterinarians Pete Vanvranken, Gary Ryder, Aarti Singh and Catie Case.

I try to stay on top of nonprofit stuff and vet med and what's going on in the world of animal sheltering.

I was a fellow scholar at the Harvard Kennedy Business School's education program, called Driving Nonprofit Performance and Innovation and learned a lot from that.

What’s happening at the shelter right now?

We just got five dogs from a Louisiana shelter that had to close. We do a lot of support for local and out-of-state shelters to help with overcrowding and disaster relief. When the tornadoes hit here in 2023, displaced residents of a trailer park were staying at a church with their pets. We went and vaccinated, spayed and neutered the animals and provided help if their owners needed to adopt them out.

Beyond adoptions, we work with pets in the community's unhoused encampment and go out and vaccinate them. The humananimal relationship is sometimes all people have. We work with Loaves and Fishes and senior centers, where people have limited incomes, to help with pet food. We have a long-standing program with the YWCA’s domestic violence shelter. If a woman goes in and has a pet, we will keep it until they get out and give it back to them fully vetted. I'd never been approached publicly before until recently when I had a woman tell me, "You kept my huskies for a month while I could get my life together, thank you."

What keeps you up at night?

Honestly, not being able to do as much as I would like. We're getting more families calling and telling us, "It's cheaper to euthanize my animal than it is to treat it."

They're having to make tough choices and that’s really heartbreaking.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

My pets, my yoga practice and my 5-yearold. I like to live. I like to be around my community. I like my job. I love my family. I'm just happy to be alive and get to do a job like this. It's more of a lifestyle than a job; I’m always on call. But what a great feeling.

Tell me about your upcoming fundraiser.

Our Fur Ball is Sept. 18 outside at the Haymarket Alley and at The Desenberg.

It's business casual for 21 and up, and it’s really fun and different — it's a walkabout with cocktails and activities. We’ve even got Skee-Ball.

What are the SPCA's pressing needs?

Money. Volunteers. We're open every day of the year for volunteers from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. We have three acres of walking trails.

You can pet cats. We're always looking for foster homes. We do corporate days of service if you have a group that would like to come help.

I want to thank the community for all they give to us throughout the year. Those lemonade stands and $10 checks from grandma really keep us going. I want to continue to do more to make sure our Southwest Michigan pets are taken care of and people can retain their animal family members.

— Interview by Katie Houston and edited for length and clarity

www.encorekalamazoo.com | 29

BACK STORY ENCORE

Katie Timber

SPCA leader works to keep pets and owners together

Katie Timber started fostering pets from the

SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) of Southwest Michigan at age 14, when she was herself in foster care. At 19, she joined the pet shelter’s staff as a kennel tech. Seven years later, she was named the organization's executive director.

Today, at age 41, she lives in downtown Kalamazoo with her husband, two daughters, three cats and two dogs (guess where they came from?), and helms a robust nonprofit that rehomed 1,400 neutered and vaccinated pets last year and is on track to do so again in 2026. (continued on page 29)

30 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2026

SPONSORED CONTENT

Back to School… and Back to Learning at Your Airport

By Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport Staff

We Mean Business 10 daily flights on 3 airlines.

Business class seating now available out of Kalamazoo.

AMERICAN AIRLINES I DELTA AIR LINES I UNITED AIRLINES

A

s parents gather school supplies, students meet new teachers, and college campuses come back to life, Southwest Michigan is once again embracing the excitement of a new school year. "Back to school" reminds us that learning is one of life's greatest investments.

What many people don't realize is that learning never stops at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.

Every day, our airport serves as a classroom where future pilots, college students, airport professionals, and lifelong learners are developing the skills that keep aviation moving forward. While most people think of the airport simply as the place to catch a flight, it's also one of the region's most dynamic learning environments.

For many, that journey begins in the cockpit.

We're fortunate to have four outstanding flight instruction companies based at the airport, introducing people of all ages to the joy and challenge of flying. Regardless of their intent, every lesson builds confidence, discipline, and technical skill.

Watching a student pilot taxi out for a solo flight never gets old — it is a reminder that every aviation career begins with a willingness to learn.

Our airport is also proud to support Western Michigan University's internationally respected College of Aviation.

Student pilots regularly use our airport to practice in a busy operating environment, gaining valuable real-world experience that prepares them for professional flying careers. It's exciting to know that many of tomorrow's airline captains and corporate pilots are sharpening their skills right here in Kalamazoo.

Learning at the airport doesn't end when you step out of the airplane.

For more than 45 years, we've partnered with Western Michigan University's Aviation Management program to host interns who work alongside our airport team. These students

gain hands-on experience in airport operations, planning, marketing, finance, public relations, and administration — learning the many moving pieces that keep an airport running safely and efficiently.

One of the most rewarding parts of that partnership is seeing where those interns end up. Many have gone on to become airport directors, aviation executives, consultants, and industry leaders across the country. We like to think their journey started with a desk, a project, and a willingness to ask questions here in Kalamazoo.

Learning is equally important for those of us already in the profession.

This year, we're especially proud that two members of our team were awarded competitive Professional Development Grants from the American Association of Airport Executives.

Steve Lumetta, from our maintenance department, attended an Airport Operations Course in Oklahoma City, expanding his expertise in airport safety and operations. Megan Ianni received a grant to attend a General Aviation Airport Management course, strengthening her knowledge of an important segment of our aviation system.

That commitment extends throughout our organization.

We have a member of our airport team, Thomas Larthridge, currently pursuing his MBA degree while continuing to serve our passengers and community.

Their dedication is a reminder that education isn't something we finish — it's something we continue throughout our careers.

We're also committed to sharing aviation with the next generation. Through partnerships with schools, colleges, community organizations, and local businesses, we work to showcase the airport as a place of discovery and opportunity.

Aviation offers far more than careers as pilots. It includes airport management, aircraft maintenance, engineering, emergency services, air traffic control, information technology, construction, finance, marketing, environmental planning, and countless other professions that keep our aviation system operating every day.

As another school year begins, we're reminded that education isn't confined to classrooms. Sometimes it happens in a hangar, on a taxiway, in an operations center, or during an internship that sparks a lifelong career.

At Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, we're proud to be more than a gateway for travel. We're a gateway for learning, professional growth, and opportunity.

After all, every great career starts with someone willing to learn—and we're fortunate that so much of that learning happens right here at your community airport.