A LIFETIME OF MAKING MOVIES ~ PG. 10
Expert Advice
Counseling
Kim
Powers, Owner, Licensed Professional Counselor
Neurology
Financial Services
Q: When is the best time to participate in therapy?
A: Right now is the best time to engage in mental health counseling. Each day is an opportunity to pursue your best life. When you improve your mental health, other aspects of your life start to improve as well. Physical, financial, emotional, spiritual, and environmental health encompass holistic wellbeing. As we begin this new year, are you ready to challenge yourself to grow?
Heart Soul Mind Strength LLC Faith. Acceptance. Empowerment. Purpose. Www.HeartSoulMindStrengthLLC.com 510-827-1305
Transitions
Q: How can I make it easier for mom to navigate her new senior community apartment, if she needs something in the middle of the night?
A: Perhaps she can ask Alexa! Many state-ofthe-art senior communities are creating “smart” apartments, with voice activated technology systems like Amazon Echo or Google Home. If this is available, your mother could tell her speaker to turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, call for assistance or perform numerous other tasks, without leaving the comfort of her bed. Check with the administrators of your mom’s community to see if they provide this amenity. If they do, you can both rest easy.
Friendship Village
“Where Connections Matter”
1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo 269-381-0560
www.friendshipvillagemi.com
NP
Bronson Neuroscience Center
Q: When is a headache serious?
Headaches can disrupt daily life and come in various forms like tension, migraine, and cluster headaches. Seek care if you have new, severe, or changing headaches, those worsening with movement, after an injury or during pregnancy. A neurologist can provide specialized care, including preventative medications and recommend lifestyle changes. For more information call the Bronson Neuroscience Center at (269) 341-7500 or visit bronsonhealth.com/neuro.
Bronson Healthcare bronsonhealthcom/neuro (269) 341-7500
Roofing
Justin Reynolds Manager
Q: I had my roof replaced 12 years ago with a 30 year shingle. It already needs to be replaced. What happened? Roofs used to last 20-25 years.
A: Asphalt is the main waterproofing ingredient in shingles giving strength and longevity. Due to improvements in the ability to refine a barrel of crude oil, less asphalt is available for roofing and road projects. And what is left for roofing lacks the quality that we received 20-25 years ago.
We have found that by blending polymers with the asphalt, we can make shingles tougher and more durable. Our shingles will last 25-30 years.
For a free roof inspection, please give us a call at 269 342-0153 or visit us at worryfreeroof.com.
Sherriff-Goslin Roofing Co. Since 1906 342-0153 800-950-1906 Member Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo
Chuck Henrich President & Owner
Q: Is there a certain amount of money I need for retirement in my retirement nest egg?
A: Everybody has different lifestyles that have different income requirements. To put a black and white number out there doesn’t cover all the potential volatility one can expect over their lifetime.
Retirement planning should emphasize Income Planning. Income planning is how best to combine your income from social security and/or pensions with an additional monthly stream of income created from your nest egg. There are many financial tools and options to consider when creating this stream of income. If you would like to discuss these options, give us a call.
The Atriums • 4341 S. Westnedge #1201 269-323-7964
Health Food
Q: What type of produce does Sawall’s carry?
A: Sawall’s has always carried local and certified organic produce. Its the very best quality that can be found. We receive produce orders almost every day! We also carry as much local produce that we can find seasonally. We are always looking for quality produce from local farmers. Come in soon and enjoy the areas largest selection of fresh CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCE!!
Mon-Sat. 8am-9pm, Sun. 10am-6pm
Sawall Health Foods
Oakwood Plaza • 2965 Oakland Dr. at Whites Rd. • 343-3619 • www.sawallhf.com
Mark Sawall Owner
Diana Duncan Director of Sales and Marketing
Thomas Geigert,
When I was growing up, it was not unusual to have salesmen
My mother was not alarmed and did not run for cover when we heard the door bell ring or a knock on the
In many cases, she invited them in. We thought it was very exciting to have a friendly stranger sitting in our living room showing us their wares.
I remember magazine salesman, vacuum cleaner salesman, aluminum siding salesmen and the most famous of all - The Fuller Brush Man.
He was always smartly dressed and brought with him a large leather case, packed with dozens of brushes, combs, and all kinds of other interesting household supplies.
Whether my mother bought anything or not, the salesman would always leave us with a small free gift. I still have a two sided letter opener with a Fuller Brush Man on one side and a Fuller Brush Woman on the other.
I recently found a 1938 Fuller Brush catalogue at an estate sale and it piqued my interest to search online for how they started and whatever happened to them.
Here is what I found:
-Alfred Fuller began what was to become the Fuller Brush Company in a basement shop in Somerville, Massachusetts. In 1906, he moved to Hartford, Connecticut.
-The company began with door-to-door sales of brushes of various sorts,
including hairbrushes with a lifetime guarantee for which they are famous.
-In 1931, the establishment of of what became known as the Green River Ordinance led Fuller Brush to challenge the ordinance’s limits on door-to-door sales. The case went all of the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where on March 1, 1937, Fuller Brush lost the appeal. This limited their door-to-door sales in some communities.
-After the war, Fuller added Débutante Cosmetics to its line of products, sold by a sales force of women, a strategy resurrected after a wartime attempt to have “Fullerettes” sell their core products.
-In 1948 Red Skelton starred in “The Fuller Brush Man” movie.
-In 1966, Fuller Brush hired 17,500 women, motivated by the lack of qualified men (the unemployment rate was 3.8%) and the example set by Avon Products.
-Consolidated Foods, now the Sara Lee Corporation, acquired Fuller Brush in 1968.
-By the mid 1980’s, many women were working and no longer home during the day so sales slowly declined and the company started mailing 10 million catalogs per year.
-Over the years, many well known celebrities were once Fuller Brush Men including: Billy Graham, Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman, Dennis Quaid , Dick Clark and Jack Nicholson, Although Fuller Brush men/women are no longer ringing your doorbell, they do still exist, but on a much smaller scale.
Steve Ellis, SPARK Publisher steve@swmspark.com
FROM THE EDITOR
Chuck Bentley and Donna Kaminski.
Photo by Steve Ellis
More than just an hour on Sunday
Lee A. Dean screendoor @ sbcglobal.net
Have you ever noticed that people who have never performed a particular occupation often think that doing the job is easy?
“Wouldn’t it be great to be a rock star?” they say. “All you have to do is get on stage and play music for a couple hours.” This careless statement disregards all the travel, the sound checks, the rehearsals, and other preparation needed to put on a great show.
Here’s another classic I have heard people say: “Being the pastor of a church is easy. All you do is get up for an hour on Sunday and run your mouth.”
This opinion contains one massive flaw: it is based in the erroneous notion that “pastor” and “preacher” are identical terms. The pastor’s work schedule is far more complicated than “I make a speech on Sundays,” yet is very simple to express. The pastor’s schedule is 24/7 and includes an array of duties that most people don’t see. Pastors are on call – even on vacation -- and must embrace the reality of interruptions. Their phones will ring at 3 a.m. with news of a fatal accident. Their phones
will also ring during a family dinner with a caller expressing displeasure over a trivial matter.
This second type of call is why I never wanted to be a pastor, despite earning a seminary degree. I do not possess the equanimity most pastors possess to react positively to the kinds of complaints parishioners can dish out. One former pastor in another state had the patience of a saint. I only heard his frustration boil over once, after taking the latest in a series of criticisms from a parishioner who was chronically unemployed.
“That guy won’t get a job but he’ll tell me how to do mine,” the pastor fumed. Another pastor, serving a mainline church where he wore a robe during worship, was greeting people after the sermon. One parishioner glared at the pastor and said, “You’re wearing a blue shirt under the robe. You’re supposed to be wearing a white shirt!”
Pastors have big heads. This is because they need to wear a dozen or so hats. Their roles include, but are not limited to:
--Comforter. When my brother was in the last days of his life, I wanted to get to the hospital very early. One morning, I arrived at 7, and my sister-in-law said, “Your pastor was already here and prayed with us.” I was stunned but not surprised.
This pastor demonstrates every day that “pastor” means “shepherd.” If you or your family are part of his flock, you are blessed beyond measure. There are very many others like him.
--Administrator. For every television celebrity pastor (big church, rolling in dough), there are 5,000 other pastors who have congregations of 50 people or less and who must, of necessity, be wise stewards of every penny. In extreme situations, an individual church will close its doors. Churches are not exempt from paying utility bills, or the cost of maintaining buildings.
--Team captain. A pastor mobilizes and equips a team of ministry workers, almost all of whom are volunteers. This is the most difficult kind of leadership because the pastor cannot use a job or paycheck as a motivational tool. The pastor needs to be skilled at casting vision and building enthusiasm. This is particularly challenging in an age where concepts such as “duty,” “loyalty,” and “obligation” are on the decline.
--Psychologist. The most accurate description of a local church came from a former pastor, who said, “A church is as delicate as a flower and as explosive as a bomb.” There are egos to be massaged – plenty of them! – in a church. Successful pastors
possess a large degree of emotional intelligence. In the words of a great theologian (Kenny Rogers), they must know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.
With all these challenges and stresses, why do people still want to be pastors?
--They love God.
--They love people.
--They wish to serve their communities.
The combination of these factors creates a job – actually a calling – that is unsurpassed in its significance. For every high-profile pastor who falls due to a moral failure, there are thousands of others who stay true. They never get the headlines, but they get things done. They tell the truth and bind up broken hearts. They are peacemakers and comforters. They feed the poor and advocate for the least among us.
There are misguided voices who would love to snap their fingers and see all the churches and pastors disappear. Be careful what you wish for, because that disappearance would create a gaping chasm in any community and would, in fact, signal an irreversibly fatal decline for that community.
This is an extraordinarily tough time to be a pastor. For that reason, this is also a great time to express appreciation to your pastor (or somebody else’s pastor). If you don’t know what to say, try this phrase from the Bible: well done, good and faithful servant.
Arcadia Brook Golf Course
by Keith Howard, Kalamazoo Public Library
A babbling brook known as the Arcadia once wound its way through the gently rolling hills a mile or so southwest of Kalamazoo. That’s where Robert Babcock, a successful Kalamazoo merchant and banker, established “a gentlemen’s farm” in 1869 along the south side of the old Territorial Road and built an elegant Italian revival home known as “The Oaklands.”
By the 1890s the Babcock estate had passed into the hands of Daniel D. Streeter, a railroad mogul with an interest in breeding horses. Streeter’s horse farm was perhaps best known as the home of Kalamazoo’s famous trotter, Peter the Great.
Kalamazoo realtor Charles B. Hays later developed the former Streeter homestead as a golf course called the Happy Huntsman Tea Room and Riding Academy, with 18 riding horses and a two-mile bridle path “winding through the hills.” His so called “Tea Room” was in the former Streeter mansion.
During the spring of 1927, Hays introduced area golfers to his new Arcadia Brook public fee golf course, “one of the most beautiful and sporty courses in the state.” The Arcadia Brook “Front Nine” (pictured here) was a 9-hole par 36 course designed by A.M. Worthington along the south side of Michigan Avenue (then US-12). A year later, Hays unveiled a second par 30 “Back Nine” on the north side of the road where K-College’s
Angell Field is now located. The combined 18hole course saw extensive use until the Second World War.
An old brick farmhouse on the east end of the property served as a clubhouse known as the Arcadia Brook Grill during the 1930s, with a dining room, lounge, pro shop, locker rooms, and showers. It stood on Michigan Avenue, roughly where the WMU Student Recreation Center is today.
Western Michigan College purchased the “Front Nine” property on the south side of Michigan Avenue in 1944, which marked the beginning of its westward expansion of the WMU campus. At the same time, Kalamazoo College purchased the “Back Nine” on the north side of the road for its Angell Field athletic complex, although both projects were delayed until after the war. Angell field went up in 1946, while Western used its property to temporarily house the hundreds of veterans who attended as part of the GI Bill of Rights.
The barracks-type student housing known as “trailer village” was cleared out by 1953 to make way for the construction of WMU’s new physical education building and 5,100-seat Read Fieldhouse, both of which stand on the former Arcadia Brook driving range. After a brief time as a dormitory, the clubhouse was remodeled during the late 1940s when it became the Arcadia Faculty Club lounge and veterans dining facility. The building later served as offices for the WMU Safety and Security Department.
More at kpl.gov
Shawarma King
By Richard Martinovich
If you are a Boomer you might remember The Byrd’s song, Turn, Turn, Turn. “To everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season, turn, turn, turn.” That certainly could apply to the preparation of “Shawarma” cuisine! Shawarma is Arabic for “turn.” A large stack of meat is piled high on a rotating vertical spit in front of a heated oven. The continu-
ous turning ensures the meat is cooked evenly. Shawarma was originally street food, but its popularity spread to other countries. Greece had their own name for “turn”— “Gyro!”
Shawarma wrap. It is filled with thin-sliced, succulently seasoned Shawarma chicken, slathered with a luscious garlic sauce, and wrapped in a warm pita! It is delicious, and a goodsize sandwich, and for six dollars, a great deal!
The Shawarma King on Westnedge Avenue is most known for its buffet! A moun-
pudding! If the buffet is too much food for you, the Shawarma King menu has more than a dozen flavorful entrees including Shish Tawook; cubed grilled chicken marinated in a house made blend and served with veggies and garlic sauce; Beef Galaya, beef cooked with tomatoes, onions and parsley in a special sauce!
On my way home, I have often stopped by Shawarma King on Westnedge for their Chicken
tainous feast of mouthwatering Mediterranean classics -- falafel, Biryani rice, garlic roasted potatoes, Baba Ghanouj, chicken and beef shawarma, caramelized onions, Fattoush salad, lentil soup, hummus, garlic sauce and rice
There are also many appetizers to munch on, including a new item, Chili Lime Fries!
Wraps include Chicken Shawarma, Falafel Deluxe -- falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, tahini, hummus -- and Veggie Grape Leaves wrap!
There are also Combo Specials that include a wrap, soup or salad, and a second side -- fries or rice -- and a drink.
There is still construction on Westnedge, but Shawarma King is easily accessible, and they look forward to serving you!
2925 South Westnedge Avenue
Book Reviews
Book Reviews by the Portage District Library staff
The Curse of Pietro Houdini
Derek B. Miller
This WWII art heist adventure boasts a little bit of everything: a fascinating setting, rich and quirky characters, tragedy, suspense, warmth, and humor. Orphaned in Rome by American bombs, a plucky boy meets a charismatic smuggler, and together, they embark on a remarkable caper. Miller fills the novel with factual information about German-occupied Italy. This novel will remind readers of “All the Light We Cannot See.”
The Girls
With No Names
Serena Burdick
Chapter by chapter, this author speaks through her characters’ voices to reveal the life experiences of young women maturing in 1910 New York City at a time when women did not have the power to vote. Through their eyes, we encounter the challenges of liv-
ing in a society with class divisions, urban poverty, and blight, intolerance to other cultures, and a lack of labor laws. In learning their stories, we can investigate our own abilities to be resistant to discrimination, determined to seek the truth, faithful in relationships, and merciful to so many whose struggles leave them with only hard choices.
Hunted
Abir Mukherjee
Hunted by Abir Mukherjee is a standalone thriller that manages to be both a dramatic chase story and quite homely, celebrating family relationships. The book opens with an apparent suicide bombing at a mall in California and takes us to Washington State and across the United States to Florida. There’s a dysfunctional FBI agent, uninspiring presidential candidates, and a deep state conspiracy; all served up with Mukherjee’s trademark humor. The book is nearly 500 pages, but it’s very easy to read in a day or two (especially if you ignore your family and other domestic commitments).
All these titles are available at the Portage District Library. For more information about programs and services available at PDL, go to www.portagelibrary.info
Turn Up at the Farm! Nature Center to host Fall Farm and Music Party
By Tom Springer, Vice President of Development, Kalamazoo Nature Center
If you’ve ever thought that DeLano Farms at the Kalamazoo Nature Center would make a perfect spot for a harvest gathering, then wait no more. On Saturday, September 28, the farm’s gorgeous produce, herbs and flowers will serve as a backdrop and playground for the first-ever “Turn Up! Party on the Farm.” It will feature live music, games for kids, food trucks, and –because this is Kalamazoo – a great local beer selection.
“The DeLano Farm is such a lovely, warm and welcoming space,” said Carli Thompson, KNC’s engagement specialist. “And we’ve decided it’s time to share our good harvest vibes with the community. This will be an eclectic, family friendly and feel-good event.”
The Turn Up! Party on the Farm will run from 3-8 p.m. There will be farm tours, campfires, (KNC will provide roasting sticks, bring your own s’more fixings) face-painting and old fashioned kid’s games. Also,
a Ninja obstacle course, which can’t easily be described in print.
Four music groups will play on a
stage near the greenhouse. The performances begin at 3:30 p.m. with drumming by Samuel Nalangira
and Carolyn Koebel, followed by The Incantations at 5 p.m., Megan Dooley at 6 p.m., and the headliner Belfast Gin at 7 p.m. Belfast Gin describes itself as “searing vocals with a perfect mix of Celtic tradition and modern rock.”
“This will be a good place meet up with friends, meet our farm staff, or even go on a first date,” Thompson said. “We want to raise visibility for all that our Community Supported Agriculture farm has to offer.”
OneWell Brewing of Portage will be on hand to provide a variety of brews and hop water (non-alcoholic beer). The admission fee is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. For info on family passes and more details, visit https://naturecenter.org/events/farmparty
Tom Springer is vice president of development at the Kalamazoo Nature Center and author of Looking for Hickories and The Star in the Sycamore.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN’S MOVIE PHENOM, CHUCK BENTLEY, MARKS HIS 50TH FILM!
By Dave Person david.r.person@gmail.com
Chuck Bentley, a self-proclaimed “one-man movie machine,” is going for the gold this fall as he produces his 50th feature-length film.
The Kalamazoo filmmaker will begin rehearsals for “We Tell Stories,” with a cast of 42, in September, followed by filming which is set to begin in October.
Bentley, 76, began making short films in 1968 while he was a student at Western Michigan University. His first feature film was shot in 1980.
Including plays, documentaries and travelogues, Bentley has more than 100 productions to his credit.
Most of the movies have been shot in Kalamazoo — in the basement studio or backyard of his Westwood home, or on location about town including the Heritage Co., Ladies’ Library Association and O’Duffy’s Pub.
before coming to Kalamazoo in 1966 to attend WMU.
Of the 50 feature films, 18 were made in other countries including England, France and Italy, but with Kalamazoo actors. The most recent, 2023’s “The Secrets of Santorini,” was filmed on the Greek island of the same name.
Integral to all of his work, he says, is his wife, Donna Kaminski. The two were high school sweethearts in Grand Rapids
She is a retired after 37 years on the computer science faculty at the university and now supports her husband full time in his endeavors.
She light-heartedly refers to her skills as “a good technical balance to Mr. Artist here.”
Bentley, who has acted in community theater and also performed in some of his own early movies, uses local talent.
“Kalamazoo is a strong theater town,” he says. “That is where I get my actors from. Kalamazoo is blessed with a lot of them.”
For his 50th feature-length movie, Bentley issued an invitation to former cast members to take part. “Forty-two of them showed up,” he says.
“I really want my previous actors to shine in this,” he says.
Bentley’s unorthodox style of filmmaking has him first identifying the cast, then writing a script that fits their particular preferences and styles.
“I write for my actors to make sure it is something they can do and then I gently push them out of their comfort zone,” he says.
Bentley and Kaminski enjoy traveling and their vacations, such as one to the island of Santorini, have inspired future films.
They also spend a couple of months each year in England’s Lake District, where they have a second home.
So impressed was Bentley with the statues of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses that populate English gardens that he and Kaminski have attempted to duplicate them in their own back yard, which serves not only as a place of quiet reflection but also as a backdrop for some of his movie scenes.
“The great British houses all had extensive gardens … and they emulated the Greeks and Romans,” Bentley explains as he points out the various deities in his yard. “This is a British version of neoclassical statuary.”
Bentley has written and directed eight plays and movies “about the life and times of Shakespeare,” including one, “Shakespeare’s Longest Night,” that was performed in 2001 in Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest performing arts festival.
Writing in the voice of Shakespeare, he says, has been one of his biggest challenges.
“I have to have the audacity to write words for Shakespeare to say,” he says.
Bentley’s career has progressed with changes in the community.
Not only have the movies gone from film to tape to digital, he started out showing them in church halls or friends’ living rooms before the advent of the Commu-
nity Access Center, through which they began airing on the CBS affiliate out of South Bend, Ind., on Sunday evenings following the popular news show, “60 Minutes.”
“I can’t stress enough how much that has furthered and made my career,” he says of the Community Access Center, now Public Media Network.
Bentley worked out of a studio in the Park Trades Building in downtown Kalamazoo until 1993 when he and Kaminski built their house in Westwood that features a high-ceiling basement studio and Victorian touches throughout.
His films have premiere showings at the Kalamazoo 10 movie theater, then are available for viewing on YouTube, Vimeo and his website, ChuckBentleyProductions.com, all free of charge.
Bentley financed his filmmaking through income from a video production company he ran, and which has enabled him to continue his passion in retirement.
“I’ve started drawing my Social Security checks and that’s what I’m using them for,” he says.
Bentley does his own writing, casting, filming and editing, giving his movies a purity, he says, that wouldn’t exist if he allowed others to leave their imprint on them.
It’s for that same reason he has been content to stay in Kalamazoo. “I love Kalamazoo,” he says. ”I didn’t want to go to the rat race in Los Angeles or New York.”
He relies on local costume-maker Donna McKenna for wardrobes, especially for his Shakespeare-related productions.
Composer Randon Myles Chisnell writes the soundtracks for his feature-length movies.
Bentley doesn’t plan to rest on his laurels once he is done with his milestone 50th feature film.
“As long as I’m able to … (make movies), I might as well do it,” he says. “Why would I want to give that up?”
HEALTHY LIVING
Keeping the Torch Lit
There’s nothing quite like watching the whole world coming together through sport and competition through the Spirit of the Olympics. Paris 2024, the XXXIII Olympiad, did not disappoint! My own personal fascination with the Olympics comes from my deep, Greek ethnic pride. And if you know or have heard of Mr. Portokalos, like him, I love all things that are rooted in the Hellenic world, past and present; language, food, philosophy, and of course, the great world-wide unification of brawn, grit, talent, and glory through sport that is the Olympics.
Even for those who don’t follow them, there is a universal understanding of the magnitude of The Games and their unequivocal symbolic place in our human history – this gathering of nations, this gathering of people who are possessed by their passion to excel at their sport, people who were so focused, so relentless; people who often endured loss, but kept on going. The internet (just Google key words and you’ll get a list from here to China) is full of amazing stories of sheer will, determination, and hutzpah (not a Greek word, but generally known as having a great deal of self-confidence) of people who have worked toward building their best selves. These participants, special as they are to having achieved the highest level of their talent to compete against each other, are (IMHO) no different than you and me. And yet, there is a motivating drive that sets them apart…
At a recent life coaching talk on the topic of the barriers we put in place to keep us from achieving our dreams and goals, the facilitator asked this question: What is the difference between the person who stands at the top of the snow mountain facing a black diamond ski slope, determined to push off
and successfully tackle it, and the person who stands looking at it in fear and retreats to the Bunny Hill?
Q: What is the difference? A: How they think about themselves. [That really was her answer.] And I have been mulling this over in my head ever since.
What is it that drives the athletes to excel? What inspires them to hone their skills for elite competition? What pushes them to pursue greatness? Where do they get that drive, that will, that inspiration, to push their bodies to new limits? New speeds? New heights? New strengths?
How powerful is that spirit within that drives them toward stretching their experience and realizing their greatest potential? How immensely powerful, exponentially, is the energy that must exist at both the opening and closing ceremonies, as each country parades their best athletes, winners and losers, walking side by side, bonded by the shared experience, and bonded by their shared desire to realize their best selves? Is it simply, the mindset?
And when the closing ceremonies at these Olympiads extinguish the flame, symbolic of an end to the competitions, do we say to ourselves, “I will try to carry the fire within to be my best self.”
What if we all did this, in our families, in our homes, at our work, where we volunteer, at the gym, and on the sidewalk?
Me thinks: Mr. Portokalos would be so very proud.
Submitted by Vicky Kettner, Association Director of Marketing, Community Relations, and Member Engagement at YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo. As with any new exercise or diet, please consult with your doctor or dietician to determine the right regimen for your personal health situation.
“It’s
the Little Things that Mean So Much” – Vera Harris
By Jim Coppinger, Milestone Senior Services Volunteer
Vera Harris grew up in Covert, Michigan. After high school graduation she began working as a telephone operator for GTE Telephone in nearby South Haven. GTE eventually became Verizon Communications where Vera retired after thirty-eight years of service in a variety of roles. She loved her work and coworkers throughout her career.
Vera’s volunteer endeavors began in earnest after her retirement in 2009. She became a Foster Grandparent volunteer at Woods Lake Elementary. Through the program, older adults work with children as mentors, tutors, and role models to give support.
Vera was a Foster Grandparent for six years prior transitioning to volunteering in the Senior Companion Program. She particularly loved working with children who needed extra attention.
Vera shares the story of a recent chance encounter with a student who was six or seven when she last saw her. That previous student immediately recognized Vera as well and called out, “Grandma V.” Vera recalls that first-grader had a reputation for being a problem in the classroom and in need of loving direction. As they met now, more than a decade later, the young woman expressed how she came to realize the impression Vera (Grandma V) had on her life and the difference it has made. It was a heartwarming experience.
Vera also recounts another young girl who was constantly teased and bullied. Vera offered her words of encouragement, a smile, and hugs. Seeing her in the school hallway, she would come up to Vera and ask for a hug. Vera tearfully recalls that young girl telling her, “Nobody else ever gives me a hug.” That memory has
never faded. Vera recognized it’s often the littlest things that mean so much.
In 2020, Vera became a Senior Companion for Milestone and stays in touch with four seniors with whom she speaks weekly, mostly by phone. Vera says so many seniors feel somewhat abandoned and alone. It’s essential for people to have human contact. The things they talk about—cooking, grandkids, holidays, aches and pains—don’t matter as much; it is the personal interaction that matters. Vera says she does far more listening than talking.
Vera has three adult sons: Elijah, Benjamin, and Markus. She also has five amazing grandchildren and two great-grandchildren–all very much a part of Vera’s life.
And while family members suggest Vera just take it easy and slow down, she says she never plans to slow down. She enjoys being active.
Her hobbies include crocheting and knitting. She is currently teaching a crocheting class at her church. She also enjoys bowling. And, in the past few years, she and a woman friend have gotten into fishing at area lakes for panfish. She says it’s a great time.
On a grander scale, for the past twenty years, Vera has organized an annual bus trip to Chicago. This year, she loaded a bus with fifty friends for Navy Pier and a Lake Michigan dinner cruise on the Odyssey with the Chicago skyline as backdrop.
Vera says she has been blessed by the people she has worked with and served and has cherished every moment.
Milestone Senior Services (previously known as Senior Services of Southwest Michigan) is an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee. AmeriCorps Seniors empowers people age 55 and older to serve their communities. RSVP helps people find a volunteer opportunity that fits their passion. There are currently opportunities in Kalamazoo County and a few in Calhoun County. Volunteers are needed with Meals on Wheels, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Telephone Reassurance for Seniors, Milestone Home Repair, and more. Regular, flexible schedules available. Contact RSVP at 269-382-0515 or apply to volunteer at www.milestoneseniorservices.org.
(2022)
Already a well-respected writer, director, and animator in his home country of Japan, Makoto Shinkai proved the broad appeal of his gorgeously animated films when he burst onto the international scene after the 2016 debut of Your Name. Before long, comparisons to Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away) began to swirl and viewers from across the globe eagerly waited to see what direction his future work would take. Weathering with You (2019) hinted that he would stay the course he had charted thus far and in 2022 he seemingly solidified that premise with Suzume, a contemporary fantasy adventure set in modern-day Japan. Suzume is a high school student who lives with her aunt in Kyushu, having lost her mother some years before. On the way to school one day, she encounters a captivating and enigmatic young man looking for a set of ruins. She directs him to the site of a nearby ruined resort, but unable to shake her curiosity, she follows and inadvertently sets in motion supernatural events simultaneously otherworldly and extremely close to home. To that end, Suzume draws upon modern Japanese history as a central theme that will keep audiences on their toes until the conclusion of its incredibly moving final act. –Submitted by. Patrick J.
Movie Reviews
(2023)
Few films reveal the beauty and richness of a mindful life in the way director Wim Wenders illuminates it in 2023’s Perfect Days. The narrative, a collaboration between Wenders and Takuma Takasaki, follows several days in the life of Hirayama (a most soulful portrayal by Kōji Yakusho), a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Hirayama lives alone and works mostly on his own. Despite the relative solitude – or perhaps as a result of it – Hirayama finds joy in small pleasures: brief interactions with people in his daily travels; capturing photographs of the play of nature in the sunlight surrounding him; precious time with books and music. Hirayama’s routines are reassuring as the days progress; his commiseration with restaurant owners and shopkeepers provides a backdrop of familiarity. Occasionally, the days’ events present disruptions which shed light on Hirayama’s life; as resolve is tested, will sense of purpose remain? Perfect Days is that rare movie experience that leaves one reflecting on the way life, however imperfect, is lived, and how to live it anew. – Submitted by. Karl K.
Reviews submitted by Ryan Gage. These great titles and others are available at the Kalamazoo Public Library.
Fall for Flatbread!
By Laura Kurella
Experiencing what may be considered its own renaissance, flatbread is far from a recent creation. In fact, it is one of the oldest processed foods in history with evidence that flatbread appeared in Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus civilization, each dating back over 6000 years in 4000 B.C., and with charred bread crumbs found in Jordan that date back to 12,400 B.C., it’s possible that flatbread may have helped spur agriculture to take off in the Middle East.
Flatbreads lost their lofty place when softer, presliced breads came to market. Made very simply with flour, water, and salt, these three core ingredients create a dough that’s easily rolled flat then baked, all with great ease. Here now is an easy way to fall for flatbread. Enjoy!
Laura Kurella is an award-winning home cook who loves sharing recipes from her Great Lakes region kitchen. She welcomes comments at laurakurella@yahoo.com, and she invites you to check out her new (free) cooking series that can be viewed on YouTube. Look for direct links to it on Laura’s FB page and website.
Easy-Cheesy Apple Walnut Flatbread
Yield: 4 servings
DOUGH
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 envelope (about 1 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon unrefined (colored) sea salt
1/2 to 2/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
TOPPING
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
5 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (or Feta or Goat cheese)
1/3 cup light cream
Olive oil to drizzle
2 large firm-sweet apples, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
unrefined mineral sea salt, to sprinkle freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces baby arugula leaves
To make dough, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or the container of a food processor), combine the flours, yeast and salt. Put the water in a small bowl and pour in the oil. Turn the mixer on low (or pulse the food processor) while you slowly drizzle in 1 cup of the wateroil mixture. A shaggy dough will begin to form. Continue adding additional water to the mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the mixture forms a ball of dough. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead for about a minute to form a smooth ball. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rise until doubled, about 1 to 2 hours. Deflate dough and transfer to a floured surface. Sprinkle with a little flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes. To make the flatbread, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and set a rack to the lower position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and press the dough out in the pan to cover most of the bottom. Cover with plastic and set aside. Put the walnuts in a heavy-bottomed skillet on low heat and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, with a standing or electric mixer, beat the Gorgonzola (or feta or Goat Cheese) with the cream to form a thick paste. Uncover the dough and press it out again so that it covers the bottom of your pan. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then use a tablespoon to dot the dough all over with dollops of the Gorgonzola cream. Arrange the apple slices over all, and then sprinkle with walnuts, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with a little more oil, and then transfer to the oven and bake, turning the pan once, until crust browns, and toppings are bubbling, about 18 to 22 minutes. Sprinkle with arugula leaves and serve.
WARRIORS Wednesday
Patches
When the word patchwork comes to mind, most think of quilting or mending that stubborn hole in a favorite pair of pants. However, beyond the conventional notion of patchwork lies a fascinating world that weaves together threads of history, artistry and an appreciation for the enduring beauty of imperfection. Welcome to the realm of Japanese sashiko, a traditional patchwork textile that transcends the
simple act of mending. But what makes it so captivating and what can it teach us?
When the Wednesday Warriors show up at one of the preserves of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, there is an impressive display of mending. Our favorite jeans, gloves, hats show the past of our various workdays,
clearing underbrush, planting natives. Once those brambles have had their way with us, we go home with a new reminder of our day. Kind of like a logbook. Then, we mend the holes with various degrees of artistry vs efficiency, and we’re ready for the next big adventure.
It reminds me of our work restoring the habitats of these preserves. There is the original prairie, savanna, woodland. Then there are new plants, holes and hills from the previous owners, plus the non-native plants
that decide all on their own where to live. Sometimes, it’s obvious to pick apart the history, other times, there’s a bit of forensics. Old maps and surveys, new maps and surveys.
Drones and just plain footwork. Decisions are made how to put things back to previous times. Every preserve has its own special history and management plan.
The Warriors get to pitch in, cutting out autumn olive, collecting lupine seeds to take somewhere else. And as the years go by (I think this is our 22nd year!), we can see the results, like a beautiful patch over the original. Unlike our jeans, we even get seasonal fashion changes.
If this sounds like your idea of a good time, please join us. You can join us Wednesdays and Mondays as your schedule permits. No experience necessary, just enthusiasm. Information on both groups is available on a week-by-week basis at swmlc.org/weekly-outdoorstewardship. Hope to see you out there. Old clothes a good idea.
Kristi Chapman, volunteer, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy
Tales road FROM THE southwest michigan
By Steve Ellis
A few weeks ago, I jumped in my car and headed southwest through Marcellus, Thompson Corners, Volinia, Summerville, Pokagon, Dowagiac, Niles, Berrian Springs, Cassopolis, Vandalia and Jones.
My first stop was in Marcellus whose first settler in the area was John Bair, who came in October 1832. Early on, the citizens wanted to call it Cambria; however, on June 16, 1843, the township was officially named Marcellus after the Roman Emperor, Flavius Marcellus.
In the winter of 1870–71 the Peninsular Railroad came through Marcellus, adding new life to the small township. A depot was built, and by 1911, ten passenger trains stopped at the depot every day.
In the early 1880’s Marcellus had grown to include: 2 churches, 3 dry goods stores, 3 groceries, 2 drug stores, 2 meat markets, 2 hotels, a bank, 2 harness shops, a hardware store, a furniture store, a restaurant and a newspaper. During its heyday, Marcellus was also home to two theaters, a bowling alley, and a pool hall.
Just west of Marcellus is Thompson Corners, a small spot at the corner of Marcellus Highway and Lawrence Road with a few old buildings and Volinia, at the intersection of the Marcellus Highway and Gard’s Prairie Road.
Further west is the 580 acre Fred Russ research forest and Newton Woods, named after George Newton. Newton’s Victorian mansion (George Newton House) survives on the Marcellus Highway near the woods and was named as a registered Michigan Historic Site in 1974. It is open May-September, 1-4:30pm the first Sunday of each month.
I continued on along Dutch Settlement road to Dowagiac. The name comes from a Potawatomi word meaning “fishing near home and water” and it is the headquarters of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. It was incorporated as a city in 1877.
Dowagiac was also the final destination for the first group of orphans brought to the Midwest from New York City on the Orphan Train in 1854. The 45 children arrived in Dowagiac on October 1, 1854. Dowagiac gained national attention in June 1964 after police began investigating multiple reports of what became known as the Dewey Lake Monster. The story gained national attention after local residents reported seeing a large, hairy creature with glowing eyes. Police searched the area of the alleged sightings and found nothing. However, reports caused curious thrill-seekers and monster-hunters to besiege the community that summer.
Sadly, 2023 was the last season of the 5 Mile Drive-In in Dowagiac, which was one of the few remaining drive in theaters in Michigan.
The town has many wonderful businesses to explore, including, Caruso’s Candy and Soda Shop, which is family owned and operated since 1922. A visit to Caruso’s is like stepping back in time. I had a nice chat, with third generation owner, Julie Johnson.
Popular downtown restaurants include Wood Fire Trattora, Oak and Ash Barbecue and Catering, and The Wounded Minnow Saloon, located in a classic old building with Heddon fishing lure displays.
James Heddon is credited with the inventing of the first artificial fishing lures made of wood in the late 1890s. The Heddon Company was founded in 1902 to sell the lures, originally made by hand in the Heddon family kitchen. In 1904, Heddon built a large factory in Dowagiac. By 1950 the Heddon brand name was very well known and also made
rods, reels and other fishing gear. The company was sold many times and now many of the popular lures (Meadow Mouse and River Runt) are manufactured by EBSCO.
Vintage Heddon lures are highly sought after and Dowagiac now has the Heddon Museum with more than 1,000 lures, 140 reels and 150 rods on display, including an original James Heddon frog, one of the most sought-after of all collector lures.
I love bookstores and was was happy to see Olympia Books that I stopped into 20 years, still in town. They specialize in used and rare books.
Dowagiac is also home to several prominent old houses including the Lee Mansion that resembles a European castle surround by a stone fence. Niles was my next stop, which is a city in Berrian and Cass counties near the Indiana state line.
Niles lies on the banks of the St Joseph River at the site of the French Fort St Joseph which was built in 1697 to protect the Jesuit Mission. After 1761, it was held by the British and was captured
in 1763, by Native Americans during Pontiac’s Rebellion. The British retook the fort and it served as a trading post. During the Revolutionary War the fort was held for a short time by a Spanish force.
The occupation of the fort by the four nations of France, Britain, Spain, and the United States has earned Niles the nickname City of Four Flags.
Harnessing the power of the St. Joseph River led to Niles’ industrial development. In 1871, work was completed on the first permanent dam.
The Niles train station was built in 1892. This classic station, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. was used as a filming location for Continental Divide, Midnight Run and Only The Lonely.
The Riverfront Park in Niles stretches along about a mile and a half along the St. Joseph River. Many festivals and events along the river include the Niles Riverfest, the Bluegrass Festival and the Hunter Ice Festival.
The Saint Joseph River Park, which includes part of the original Fort St. Joseph is being excavated by archaeologists from WMU. In the summer they host an “Open House” that allows patrons to visit the dig site and see displays of some of the artifacts.
I spent some time walking around downtown Niles admiring the old buildings, stopping in two of the large antique malls and had a great grilled chicken wrap with sweet potato fries at the Downtown Niles Cafe.
