Expert Advice
Financial Services
Chuck Henrich President & Owner
Q: Can I Shop Around for New Medicare Each Year?
A: Yes. It is highly recommended that a Medicare eligible person look at all their Medicare options on an annual basis. For 2025, new laws and regulations will impact the way that Medicare works for most people. As a result, many health care plans have changed their formularies and how they cover certain prescriptions. Shopping around the various health care companies offering Medicare plans could potentially save a participant a large sum of money.
Please call our office with any questions you might have relating to the 2025 Medicare program.
Southwest Michigan Financial, LLC
The Atriums • 4341 S. Westnedge #1201 269-323-7964
Health Food
Q: What can I find at Sawall’s deli?
A: You can find a wide selection of salads, risottos, prepared meats, Panini, Tamales, Quesadillas, Lasagne, Hummus and much more at our DELI! All our food is prepared in-house with all natural ingredients. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. We also offer authentic Artisanal Italian Gelato & certified vegan Sorbets, Frappe’s and Sorbet Drinks.
Enjoy our Coffee Bar! Indulge in a variety of aromatic and finest quality coffee beverages from authentic Espressos to Lattes, Cappuccinos, Hot Teas, and Ice Teas. All organic freshly brewed coffees!
Deli Hours:
Mon-Sat: 10:30 am - 9:00 pm Sun: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sawall Health Foods
Oakwood Plaza • 2965 Oakland Dr. at Whites Rd. • 343-3619 • www.sawallhf.com
Transitions
Roofing
Diana Duncan Director of Sales and Marketing
Q: What is the timeframe for move-in for an independent living apartment or cottage in a senior community?
A: A move to a community may include a visit to your physician, a medical interview from a qualified health professional, financial qualification and proof of assets, as well as the renovations or building of your new home. This process may take 30 days to a year or more depending on your specific circumstance.
Friendship Village
“Where Connections Matter” 1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo 269-381-0560 www.friendshipvillagemi.com
Counseling
Kim
Powers, Owner, Licensed Professional Counselor
Q: Why would I set a boundary in my relationship?
A: Boundary setting creates a framework for how you can simultaneously love others and love yourself in a healthy way while communicating your wants and needs, without compromising yourself. Without safety and parameters, the relationship may become dysfunctional, leading to bitterness and resentment, even abuse. Boundaries can enhance the quality of a relationship, end a toxic relationship, or create better balance and improve the dynamics, helping you to honor yourself and your worth.
Heart Soul Mind Strength LLC Faith. Acceptance. Empowerment. Purpose. Www.HeartSoulMindStrengthLLC.com 510-827-1305
Justin Reynolds Manager
Q: With all the recent stormy weather, should I have my roof repaired?
A: We recommend that roofs be inspected about once every five years if the roof is under 15 years old and then once every other year for roofs older than 15 years. These inspections can and should be done after the kind of stormy spring weather we have had this year. We have seen a little of everything since the first of the year including wind related damages and even hail damage on roofs that have been inspected so far this year. Inspecting a roof in this manner can often lead to minor repairs that can prolong the normal life expectancy of your existing shingles that are still in relatively good condition as this is confirmed more times than not during our inspections. 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
Sleep Health
Eric T. Anderson, FNP-C
Q: Does my body need to adjust to the end of daylight saving time?
A: When we turn the clocks back an hour on the first Sunday of November to end daylight saving time, it may seem like you’re getting extra sleep, but your body still needs time to adjust. If you didn’t prepare by going to bed earlier in the days before and you’re finding it hard to sleep, try keeping a regular bedtime, avoid naps and spend time in natural light during the day to help your body adapt.
Do you struggle to get a good night’s sleep? Bronson Sleep Health Specialists can help. Visit bronsonhealth.com/sleep or call (269) 324-0799.
bronsonhealth.com/sleep (269) 324-0799
Mark Sawall Owner
The November 2024 issue in your hands, is the 150th publication of Spark.
After 23 years with the Kalamazoo Gazette, I was told in late 2011, that my job was eliminated and I left the company in early 2012.
While at the Kalamazoo Gazette, I started a senior section years ago. I wondered if something along those same lines, could work on its own.
I began talking to former Gazette writers, local organizations and advertisers, asking if they would be interested in participating in a lively, “baby boomer” publication; a monthly paper including local stories about health, fitness, travel, books, movies, history, volunteering, antiques, recipes, food and much more!
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and I quickly began work on what would become Southwest Michigan Spark.
The first issue, April 2012, was printed and on the streets by late March.
It featured Pete LaRouech on the front
cover. Pete played football for WMU, ran the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon and won over 100 age group championships in running, canoeing, weight lifting and biking. Since then, we have featured local folks from all walks of life including: musicians, artists, athletes, farmers, business owners and much more.
Dave Person, a great interviewer and local writer, has written each and every one the 150 cover feature stories.
Lee Dean has written 150 of his great insightful columns on a wide variety of topics.
In the beginning, my goal was to set up a few hundred distribution locations in Southwest Michigan and hire a few delivery people to deliver each month.
Well, it’s been over 12 years, and I am still out delivering Spark at now over 500 locations. I have some deliver help, but still do the majority myself. I stop at several dozen locations, 3-4 extra times per month, filling up our empty racks. Doing some quick
math, I figure I have stopped over 75,000 times and driven well over 100,000 miles. This was not my original plan, but it’s how I see my advertisers, hear interesting stories, find new businesses and organizations, check on old friends, stop at a few estate sales and grab a quick lunch or treat at some of my favorite local businesses.
It takes 4-5 days to get to all the stops but it is like a fun road trip through the countryside each month.
I love the emails, messages and phone calls I receive from readers. Some are about a place I wrote about years ago (“we finally made it down to Starved Rock State Park in Illinois and loved it”) or about a well-deserved story, profiling a local volunteer.
I still love publishing Spark and can’t wait to get up each day and start tracking down a lead for a new story!
Steve Ellis, SPARK Publisher steve@swmspark.com
FROM THE EDITOR ISSUE #150!
Paul E. Morrison Jewelers is celebrating 90 years!
Photo by Steve Ellis
The sky is not falling
Lee A. Dean screendoor @sbcglobal.net
As you read this, the results of the 2024 presidential election may already be known. Recent elections have not followed a predictable pattern, so I cannot say with confidence that we will know who won and who lost.
I can say the following with absolute confidence: some of us will be extremely upset at the results. Some of the reaction will be chalked up to sour grapes. The aggrieved parties will repeat the old Mad Magazine greeting card a Democrat sent to a Republican:
Now that the election’s over Let’s conduct ourselves with class I’ll agree to kiss your elephant If you’ll agree to kiss my donkey
The reaction I’m more concerned about is the prediction of impending national calamity. “I don’t know if we’ll have a country anymore, ” they say. “If we don’t win this election, there won’t be another election.”
My message to the hand wringers is simple: calm thyself. The sky is not going to fall. Take a deep breath and then thank our country’s founders for creating an original system of government that makes the rise
of a despot next to impossible. Our checks and balances can be frustrating for those who want to ram through an agenda with minimal opposition. This is by design. Guardrails to curb absolute power are baked into the constitutional cake. No would-be Mussolini is going to strut down Pennsylvania Avenue, stand on the Truman balcony with arms folded and declare himself “Il Duce,” which is Italian for “the big cheese.”
Today’s climate is challenging, but we’ve seen worse. America has a well-established history of passing severe tests, including world wars, economic depressions, pandemics, and slavery.
We hear dark mutterings about a national divorce, or even the need for another civil war. This is dangerous talk. I wonder what my great-great grandfather, Cpl. Levi Bush of the 13th Michigan regiment of the Union Army would think about such careless speculation. “That’s a thought you don’t want to entertain,” he might say. “You wouldn’t say that if you have walked across a cotton field in Bentonville, North Carolina into the teeth of withering fire unleashed by fellow Americans.”
I believe our current divisions will not result in such a disastrous scenario. However, my optimism depends in two big “ifs.” First, we’ll be fine if we remember, or
reclaim, or learn for the first time the meaning of citizenship. What are some of the characteristics of a citizen?
--Citizens have responsibilities. They vote. They run for office and offer their services to make the machinery of democracy function. They step up because citizens see themselves as part-owners of the nation. “I can’t be bothered” is not in their vocabulary.
--Citizens pay attention to current events. This is now difficult because national media has largely abandoned its duty to objectivity in favor of advancing narratives. I consult a trusted few – very few – sources that give me the news without slant. After that, I regularly visit one site that leans a bit left, another that leans a bit right, and a third that is downright contrarian. The goal is information over confirmation, understanding over uproar.
Second, and perhaps even more important, we will be fine if we are good neighbors.
--I have heard this sentiment expressed far too often: “How could people vote for that candidate? They must be stupid/racist/evil/cult members/naïve, etc.” There is another possible explanation. Maybe, just maybe, your neighbor voted that way based on careful consideration of the candidates, after which they came to a different conclusion. Why not allow them
the grace to follow this process? Why make a short-term opponent into a long-lasting enemy?
--We often see two adjoining houses with different political yard signs. Do they still speak over the back fence? I hope so. This winter when one neighbor is stuck in the snow and needs a little push, I pray the other will quickly come to the rescue. More than anything, being a good neighbor requires what ancient writings call “the fruit of the Spirit.” These qualities are listed as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
The original audience for these words were a people living under foreign occupation and oppression, which makes the words that follow the list even more profound. “Against such things,” writes Paul, “there is no law.”
We don’t wait for permission to practice these behaviors. We go first. If for some nefarious reason a government is foolish enough to pass laws against these practices, you can sign me up for civil disobedience. That would be my duty as a citizen and a neighbor.
The combination of love of country with love of neighbor is stronger than any misfortune that may strike us. In a fairy tale, Chicken Little said, “The sky is falling.” In “The Grapes of Wrath,” Ma Joad said, “We’ll go on forever ’cause we’re the people.” Ma Joad — I’m with her.
William E. Hill & Co. / Hammond Machinery
by Keith Howard, Kalamazoo Public Library
With roots that run deep in the lumber and mining industries, a firm that once began as a small manufacturer of sawmill machinery has endured more than 140 years of changing technology to become a Kalamazoo-based world leader in industrial fixed abrasive finishing.
The son of a highly skilled millwright, William Ely Hill (1835–1897) began manufacturing sawmill and coal mining machinery in Pennsylvania during the 1860s. His first major invention, patented in 1870, was a steam-powered device for loading and turning logs on the sawmill carriage. Hill’s device revolutionized the lumber milling industry.
In 1875, Hill packed up his belongings and moved to Michigan where he could put his skills and manufacturing ability to work during the state’s great lumber boom. He set up a sawmill and shingle mill machinery manufacturing business in Big Rapids and operated there for several years before moving his operation to Kalamazoo in 1881. During the years that followed, Hill developed and patented the better part of 20 laborsaving devices for the lumber milling industry. With his business success well established, William Hill pursued a late-in-life career in local poli-
tics. In 1888, Hill was elected to the city council and later served two terms as mayor of Kalamazoo in 1890 and 1892. By that time, the Hills were enjoying their stately new home on West Kalamazoo Avenue while their son, Anthony S. Hill, took over the reins of the family business as general manager.
William Custer Hammond (1881–1979) was an industrious inventor from Wisconsin who joined William E. Hill & Co. in 1917 as general manager. Soon after, the company bought Curtis & Co., a large sawmill machinery manufacturer in St. Louis, Missouri. Both firms were well recognized within the industry, so the name was changed to
Hill-Curtis and W.C. Hammond was promoted to company vice president.
As the lumber trade waned, Hammond saw the need to diversify and began manufacturing machines for the printing and publishing trades. Hill-Curtis grew to become the largest manufacturer of such machines in the country, offering several lines of abrasive belt grinders, polishing and buffing lathes, deburring machines, tool grinders, etc. William Hammond purchased the company himself in 1926 and changed the name to Hammond Machinery Builders, Inc. The company has since remained a family-owned firm. In 1928, Hammond Machinery Builders moved to a modern new facility at 1600 Douglas Avenue next to the Michigan Central Railroad Line near Ravine Road. The decades that followed saw the business expand considerably, from a 15,000 square foot plant during the 1920s to a 167,000 square foot facility in the 1960s, an 11-fold increase. By then, Hammond Machinery was manufacturing some 250 different types of machines for the printing and metalwork industries.
Today, the family-owned business is known as Hammond Roto-Finish, one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of industrial grinding and polishing equipment. Within its 150,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility on Douglas Avenue, the company designs and manufactures high tech cutting and forming tools, buffing and polishing equipment, and specialty machines for the aerospace, automotive, medical, and other industries.
Book Reviews
Book Reviews by the Portage
The Life Impossible
Matt Haig
Matt Haig, author of The Midnight Library and other novels, excels at writing stories set in our world with a hint of magic. His latest novel is no exception. The Life Impossible tells the story of Grace Winter, a 72-year-old retired teacher in England living a life of sadness and regret. Recently widowed, she also bears the longstanding grief of the loss of her son years ago when he was eleven years old. She discovers that a long-lost friend left her a house in Ibiza, Spain. Curious, she decided to check it out. In Ibiza, her life changes in ways she could never have dreamed. More importantly, through the people she meets and the experiences she has, she can forgive herself and learn to enjoy life. This is a beautiful story about love, grief, acceptance, and appreciating life, even the painful parts.
Medusa
Nataly Gruender
Many of us know how Medusa’s story ends, but Gruender has taken on the challenge of letting Medusa tell her own story. This debut novel gives a voice to Medusa (and her charming snakes!) and brings readers along on her struggle to remain human in a world that has branded her a mon-
District Library staff
ster and a villain. This book is a fresh take on the story of Medusa and many other characters you may recognize, like Athena and Dionysius. While still a heartbreaking story, Gruender also offers readers a chance to see Medusa work through her internal struggles and find moments of peace and clarity. A worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys Greek mythology and retellings. It starts as a slow burn but quickly picks up speed once the groundwork is laid.
Playground
Richard Powers
It is a powerful new novel from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Four people from around the world meet on the history-scarred island of Makatea in French Polynesia, marked for humanity’s next great adventure: a plan to send floating, autonomous cities out into the open sea. As the seasteaders close in, how will Evie play the ever-unfolding oceanic game? Will Ina engage in acts of destruction? Todd and Rafi find themselves in competition: Todd unravels while working on an idea to redraw the boundaries of human immortality, while Rafi and the residents must decide if they will greenlight the new project on their shores and change their home forever. Set in the world’s largest ocean, Playground explores that last wild place we have yet to colonize and interweaves profound themes of technology and the environment, and a deep exploration of our shared humanity in a way only Richard Powers can.
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
Casa Tequila
By Richard Martinovich
The pond behind Casa Tequila is stocked with colorful orange Koi fish. Watching from a table widow, you can see them dart gracefully across the water. When the weather is pleasant there is seating outside to enjoy the scenic surroundings. Since opening in Mattawan in January 2023, reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting the best Mexican food they ever had was at Casa Tequila.
The restaurant is nicely decorated with art. The menu is wide-ranging, and endless, with chicken, beef and seafood selections. There is so much to choose from, there is simply no way you won’t find something to like. Burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, tacos. If you have a hankering for American fare, there are even burgers, like the Hawaiian burger with grilled pineapple!
There are lunch specials and combos -- over two dozen offerings -- combo platters, vegetarian plates, ten quesadilla choices, nachos and appetizers galore, numerous a la carte items, taco and fajita salads. Portions are large, and prices reasonable. I had the Burritos Mexicanos, a chicken and bean burrito, with red sauce, sour cream and guacamole. Delicious!
Tequila is the second bestselling spirit in the US. Danny Flores who wrote the hit “Tequila” for The Champs liked tequila, and famously shouted
out the word in the catchy instrumental tune.
As in their name, Casa Tequila is known for tequila drinks. Casa Tequila carries premium tequila brands for their margaritas, like Don Julio tequila. Casa Tequila margaritas are very popular with customers. There are dozens of house and specialty margaritas: Miami Vice Margarita -- strawberry and Pina Colada -- The Explosion -- pineapple and cranberry juice! -- Island Margarita and La Bomba – pineapple and orange juice, grenadine.
There is a long list of beers, imported Mexican Estrella Jalisco on tap, wine and mixed cocktails. As always, drink responsibly.
A Kid’s Menu is available with special pricing.
By Dave Person david.r.person@gmail.com
Ninety years ago, in the middle of the Great Depres sion when people were struggling to make ends meet, Paul E. Morrison, did the unimaginable. He opened a jewelry store in Kalamazoo.
PAUL E. MORRISON JEWELERS A SPARKLING 90 YEAR HISTORY
Paul Morrison’s philosophy from the start, his granddaughter says, was: “No one needs what we do, but what we do connects them with people they love.”
Paul Morrison’s first store, in the State Theatre building, flourished for two years before it moved to a more spacious location across Lovell Street where it was a Kalamazoo institution for 67 years.
Morrison was “an amazing, fearless guy” who was determined to do what he loved, says his granddaughter Diane Morrison, who is now owner and president of Morrison Jewelers.
Over the years, Paul was succeeded by his son, Howard, and then by three of Howard’s four children, Diane, Cynthia and Michael.
In 2003, the siblings moved the business across Burdick Street and a tad north to 321 S. Kalamazoo Mall, where all three, along with a small but dedicated staff, whom they consider family, are keeping it going.
Diane remembers her grandfather, a trained watchmaker and stone-setter, for his sociability and desire to help those who came into the store.
“Grandpa was one of the most positive, cheerful people,” she recalls. “He was at his best when he was working with clients.”
Howard, Paul and Leona, right.
Paul Morrison also was involved in the community, serving as Kalamazoo’s mayor and traveling to Numazu, Japan, with his wife, Leona, in 1963 where they helped set up a sister-city relationship between the two cities. He died in 1985.
Howard, who was Paul and Leona’s only child, at first had designs on a career in a different field. An artist at heart, he “felt compelled to teach,” Diane says.
But the family business beckoned and he spent his career working there with no regrets, she says. He died in 2015.
Howard’s oldest child, Barbara McNeil, followed her father’s initial dream and became a teacher. A resident of Idaho, she is retired from teaching, but now works in a jewelry store, employing skills she learned from her father and grandfather.
Diane, the second oldest, started working at Morrison’s in 1976 at the age of 14.
“At that time, both my grandpa and my dad were still involved,” she says.
After graduating from high school, she attended college in Missouri with aspirations of becoming a singer. Upon receiving an associate’s degree in music, though, she returned to Kalamazoo, studied business at Western Michigan University and returned to working at the family store.
Cynthia, grandchild No. 3, tried an assortment of jobs: working at a nursing home, dental office, dance studio, in child care, at Gilmore Bros. Department Store and summers at Boy Scout Camp Rota-Kiwan before joining other family members at Morrison’s in 1992.
Michael, the youngest, also grew up working in the jewelry store.
“When I was 10 years old I was in a three-piece suit working on Saturdays,” he says. “I thought it would be cool to help Dad.”
He continued working there through middle and high school when he ran into a situation that would be anathema to any teenage boy.
“When my sister became manager, I was in high school and Dad said I had to do what she said,” he recalls. Michael says he wanted to enlist in the Air Force or go into theater, ultimately choosing the latter accompanied by other jobs to support himself.
He waited tables, drove school bus and worked for a pest-control business before his father informed him of an opening at the jewelry store in 1996. He took the job and has been there ever since.
“After cutting my teeth on the other things, I do like what I’m doing here,” he says.
While each of the Morrisons and their employees have specialty areas, they all pitch in where needed.
“If we’re a Morrison, we do everything,” says Cynthia, who is office manager but also works on the floor.
Michael, who like Diane is a Gemological Institute of America graduate diamond grader, specializes in bridal design, custom-designing engagement rings, wedding bands and other newlywed jewelry.
Many of Morrison’s customers are going through a transition, Diane says, and carry with them “tremendous joys and the deepest sorrows.” What Morrison’s offers can provide them with a new identity for that transition, she says.
When Covid hit in 2020, Morrison’s was forced to make changes in the way it does business.
“We were closed for four months trying to figure out how to reinvent ourselves,” Diane says.
When they reopened, it was by appointment only, she says. They still encourage appointments, but if someone comes to the door without one they won’t turn them away.
Barbara’s daughter and Michael’s three children make up the fourth generation of the family. Michael’s older daughter, Marlyre, works at a jewelry store in Texas and his son, Nicholas, who is carving out a career as an electrician, helps out at Morrison’s from time to time. The other two are not involved in the jewelry profession.
Diane, Cynthia and Michael, all in their 50s and 60s, aren’t likely to retire anytime soon, if at all, Diane says, and aren’t thinking of handing over the reins of the business at this point.
“We will keep it running as long as the three of us can keep it going,” she says. “No one in the Morrison family has ever retired.”
Good Gravy!
By Laura Kurella
You’d be hard-pressed to think of any meal that depends on gravy as much as the one we serve on Thanksgiving, which is why so many fuss over it. In truth, making an oh-my-goodnessgood gravy can be a challenge, especially for those who only attempt this skill on special occasions. However, all it takes is a little knowledge (and quality ingredients) to make a gravy that’s so good you’ll want to eat it all by itself!
The gold standard for any great gravy culminates when there’s an infusion of fabulous flavors found only in pan drippings!
Too often today, this critical step is skipped, and foolishly given to canned stock or broths, which leave a gravy tasting more like the container it came from!
Adding quality ingredients will elevate it to
levels you may have yet to experience and one of the easiest ways is to roast quality root vegetables right along with the meat or poultry you plan to serve.
1. Browning vegetables adds a new dimension of flavor and a caramel color that adds a richness to a gravy that nothing else can.
2. Placing vegetables on the bottom of a roasting pan guarantees more dimensional flavor-building caramelization.
3. Having vegetables coated in oil around meat or poultry helps prevent it from getting dry. There is a documentary out there that explains this in depth, for anyone who is interested in learning more.
Lastly, be sure to push aside any white-colored table salt (aka sodium chloride) as this will add bitterness. Instead, use an unrefined (colored) sea salt (preferably U.S.A sourced like Redmond), along with a few simple twists from your pepper grinder, because fresh-ground pepper
is the best there is, and these two spices come paired for a special reason: Because together they elevate everything!
Here now are some special ways to make a great gravy with anything you plan to serve.
Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Laura Kurella is an award-winning
Good (Pan) Gravy
3 tablespoons quality unsalted butter or ghee
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups homemade stock or lowsodium chicken stock, heated Pan drippings (from roast cooked
home cook who loves to share recipes from her Michigan kitchen. She welcomes comments or questions at: laurakurella@yahoo.com.
Laura Kurella is an award-winning home cook who loves to share recipes from her Michigan kitchen. She welcomes comments at laurakurella@ yahoo.com.
with desired stock vegetables) 1/2 cup red or white wine (same as being served)
Unrefined (colored) sea salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
In a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter then add flour. Whisk non-stop, and cook until flour begins browning, about 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add hot stock while whisking continuously. Simmer while whisking occasionally for about a minute. Remove from heat, cover, and keep on the back of the stove.
When meat/poultry finishes roasting, remove it from the roasting pan to rest on a warm plate.
Pour all liquid from the pan into a glass measuring cup, then place the roasting pan with any roots/vegetables/herbs on the stove over medium-low heat. Pour the wine into the roasting pan and, using a metal spatula, scrape the bottom of the roaster to loosen the browned bits and swish wine over solids. Once well scraped, pour roaster pan contents through a strainer, pressing to release as much as possible, into the saucepan mixture. Discard solids in a strainer and place the saucepan over medium heat.
Skim excess fat from pan drippings in a glass measuring cup, reserve/freeze for future use, then pour remaining drippings into the saucepan, too. Bring the saucepan to a boil then reduce to a simmer for five minutes. Season to taste.
Makes approximately 4 cups of gravy. Freezes well and is a great way to freeze meat in, too!
“It’s
Much More Than a Meal”– Janyce Darrow
By Jim Coppinger, Milestone Senior Services Volunteer
Janyce Darrow says she landed the perfect job years ago when she was offered a position working with autistic students in the Plainwell school system. She loved every minute of it, and no doubt, her students loved her too. What she is most proud of is the number of students who went on to graduate from high school, and many who earned college degrees.
Six years later, the program was moved to a different school system. Rather than leave Plainwell, Janyce turned her talents to working with Title 1 students in grades K through 5, focusing on reading. That work was equally enjoyable and rewarding.
At the same time, Janyce also volunteered at Bronson, helping family members of patients in outpatient surgery—that is, until the COVID pandemic began.
The pandemic dramatically impacted both the school and hospital operations, so Janyce decided to retire.
However, knowing her life revolved around being with people, she knew she had to do something. That “something” began with a call to Milestone to see what volunteer opportunities were available for her and her husband, Mark.
Since then, she and Mark have paired up to service a Meals-on-Wheels route in Kalamazoo’s Northside—a very familiar neighborhood, as it’s where she grew up before moving to Plainwell. Every Tuesday morning, Janyce and Mark deliver meals to people who have become like family to them.
But Janyce says Meals-on-Wheels goes far beyond delivering a meal. For some, it is the only social or personal contact they have. It also provides a vital opportu-
nity for a welfare check—to make sure the heat is on, someone answers the door, and there are no signs of potential danger. It warms her heart to have even a brief, friendly chat with the people she and Mark have come to love and care for.
And for Janyce and Mark, Meals-on-Wheels is only one way they help ensure people and families get the nutrition they need. They also volunteer for the Christian Neighbors Food Pantry in Plainwell.
For Janyce, staying active is an essential part of life. She is an avid Pickleball player and plays several days a week at various locations, including with a group of women who meet at Borgess Fitness and have bonded into close friends. She is also an active member of an aquatics fitness program at the Portage YMCA.
In addition to her volunteer work and fitness activities, she enjoys gardening and admits she borders on being a gardening fanatic.
For the past few years, she and Mark have wintered in Florida, taking along Mark’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle and enjoying long rides. Being “bikers” for many years, they have toured many parts of the country, including Yellowstone, Utah, and the western mountain states.
Janyce encourages anyone with even a few moments to spare to look into volunteering—there’s an endless list of things that need doing. And, like most volunteers, she acknowledges that she gets much more from the experience in terms of a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and immense gratification. It just takes one simple call to get started.
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.
Returning and Reskilling Teaches Earthy Life Skills
By Tom Springer, Vice President of Development, Kalamazoo Nature Center
It’s a little steel box with a fuel tank, cast-iron burner and tidy blue flame that sparks to life with the turn of a plastic knob. It’s otherwise known as a camp stove. And while Frank and Cindell Sopjes still own one, they’ve since found an earthier, no-tech alternative. Their cookout cuisine now sizzles over an open campfire, as taught by the Returning and Reskilling program at the Kalamazoo Nature Center.
“We went to a Campfire Cooking program that was held after dark on Nature Center grounds,” said Frank Sopjes. “It made me confident that we don’t have to cook over a propane stove anymore. My favorite is to grill carrots, squash and asparagus on a grate above the coals.”
It is these practical skills that Returning and Reskilling (R&R) programs are designed to impart. R&R classes focus on everyday knowledge about the local world that your great-grandparents took for granted. Consider the overlooked elderberry bushes that grow with abandon along roadside wetlands across Southwest Michigan. In early summer, their pancake-shaped flowerheads can be cooked as fritters. In late summer, their purple berries -- as taught at an R&R class -- can be cooked down into a gourmet syrup.
The two-hour R&R programs are suited for adults of all ages and skill levels. They mainly focus on food preparation and preservation, both for native and garden plants. A program on fermentation led by Kirsten Clemente, director of DeLano Farms, taught the joys of making sauerkraut. An October program taught participants to make jams and jellies from an assortment of fruits and berries. Everyone took home their own jar. A late summer program taught foragers to find hen-in-the-woods, a wild, tasty mushroom that is easy to spot and hard to confuse with anything else.
Along with useful knowledge, the Sopjes say they enjoy the company of others who want to learn about nature. “We started coming to programs during the Covid lockdown, because we wanted to socialize,” Frank Sopjes said. “And we’ve
never stopped coming.”
R&R has opened the Sopjes’ eyes to a once unknown world around them. “On a program to find first greens, it took us about an hour to go 100 yards on the trail,” he said. “There were so many wild plants that we could eat and use in salads. After this experience, I started to look at my backyard differently. I don’t feel the need to cut everything down.” One tasty ‘weed” is wood sorrel, a shamrock-looking plant with yellow flowers whose lemony flavored buds are known as fairy pickles.
As befits the R&R ambience, many programs are held in the Greek Revival farmhouse at DeLano Farmstead. It was built in 1858 by William Smith DeLano, who moved to Kalamazoo from New York state in 1837. The farmstead includes a granary with a hand-cranked machine for shelling corn, and a shed with a working forge that hosts blacksmith demonstrations during Maple Sugar Fest in March. To sign up for R&R programs, visit www.naturecenter.org Classes fill up quickly, so register early.
Tom Springer is vice president for Development at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. He found wood sorrel growing two steps from his backdoor.
HEALTHY LIVING
Do New Things. Rinse and Repeat.
Recently, I was lucky to have been invited out for a week in Utah and got to do some pretty cool stuff with my stepdaughter and her husband who are raising three little girls to love and
embrace the amazing adventure opportunities the state has to offer. I got to get a little taste of what their adventuring life looks (and feels!) like.
The Littles are a five-year-old and set of twins, at three. The things they do together has left quite an impression on me: Scaling canyon slots, crawling down into volcanic crevices, climbing up to mesas – and the topper (no pun intended) – they all ride dirt bikes! The motorized kind! And they do these (and a myriad of other things) FEARLESSLY.
I marveled at these tiny humans armored with the skills and caution to watch and be mindful of danger while
simultaneously physically trusting their bodies for balance and strength –what a gift! And the level of confidence in themselves, space to act on curiosity ---- what a great foundation from which to grow!?
I tagged along, mostly holding up the rear, not so fearless and not so trusting of my balance. (Maybe a function of age? At 57, these things don’t come as easily!) but it was a reminder that these kind of activities – “adventuring” – are at the root of how we feel about ourselves, how we perceive the world around us, and the zeal with which our minds can be actively activated.
Chasing adventure. Chasing the new experience. What role does this play in how we feel about life?
How do we gift ourselves the opportunities to have the where-with-all to exert our bodies, our confidence, to keep up on sharpness, physically and mentally? Sure, we didn’t all grow up with opportunities like my granddaughters (good job, Sarah and Alex for exposing these little girls to big experiences!) but in our own environment, here in Southest Michigan there are different ways to work on ourselves. The questions we should ask are ‘What holds us back from adventuring through:
• Exploration?
• Trying new things?
• Seeing new places?
• Tasting new foods?
• Listening to different music?
• Talking to a stranger?
• Stopping to smell a new flower?
DID YOU KNOW?
When we experience something new and like it, our brain triggers a release of dopamine. Dopamine makes us experience pleasure. And the benefits of doing something novel extend beyond just feeling good. Learning makes our brains better. Healthier. And there’s a whole trickle-down effect of positivity that affects Body, Mind, and Spirit.
All this to say: I chased three little girls around in Utah for a week and I came back feeling like I had a new lease on life.
And I’m going to look at all the mountains I can climb in my back yard and community.
Come, do new things -adventure with me.
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.
Writer-Director
Justine Triet received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for this slowburn legal drama, which also took home the Palme d’Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Sandra Hüller (The Zone of Interest) and Samuel Theis (Softie) portray a married couple who share their respective actors’ first names. They are both writers, they have a son named Daniel who is legally blind, and they keep a house where the tension is palpable. The film opens as Sandra is giving an interview on the topic of her successful career, which Samuel, from off-camera, proceeds to derail with an egregiously loud and obnoxious instrumental version of 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P. A short while later, Daniel returns from a walk with his seeing-eye dog to discover Samuel has apparently fallen from an attic window, lying dead in the snow. Following an inconclusive investigation, Sandra finds herself indicted by a French court and her life spiraling. In a film packed with stellar character portrayals (even the family dog brings his A-game) Hüller turns in a spectacular performance that shouldn’t be missed. –Submitted by. Patrick J.
Movie Reviews
(2001)
As the crisp weather of Fall descends, and the days become shorter, cozy up to a classic domestic dramedy that will draw you into its rich tableaux of oddball characters, deadpan humor, literary allusions (see: J.D. Salinger), and charming storybook-style worldbuilding. This perfectly describes Wes Anderson’s third film The Royal Tenenbaums, a colorful film that recounts the hijinks of a highly dysfunctional collection of siblings as they attempt to normalize relations, first amongst themselves, and then with their self-centered, absentee father Royal (played by an amazingly funny Gene Hackman). Royal has re-entered the family’s life after years of neglect, eager to reconnect with his adult children and ex-wife. Given his rather poor record of paternal love, his family is rightfully skeptical, believing that his intentions are mostly self-serving, motivated less by family affection, and more because of a recent eviction. A wonderfully gifted cast of actors dressed in amusingly rendered costumes, leach the droll pathos and zany plot points that have become Anderson’s stock and trade over the years. –
Submitted by. Ryan G.
Reviews submitted by Ryan Gage. These great titles and others are available at the Kalamazoo Public Library.
Native plants are part of our rich natural heritage here in Southwest Michigan. Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones (KAWO, https://kalamazoo. wildones.org/, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KalamazooAreaWildOnes) was established to help inform, educate and offer resources to people interested in learning about native plants. As co-founder Nancy Small said, “By planting a diverse assortment of native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses in your yard, you’ll be doing your part to replace the vast amount of habitat that has been lost to development or destroyed by invasive non-native plants.”
KAWO provides expertise to individuals who would like to add or expand native plantings on their property. It also makes small grants to community organizations who want to develop native gardens, and teams of experienced gardeners will often work with a local neighborhood, church, or small business to assist in installing native gardens. Recent community projects include establishing or improving native plant communities in Glen Park, the main offices of the Kalamazoo Public Schools, and at Axtell Creek.
Monthly public presentations, on the third Wednesday of each month at the Portage District Library (or on Zoom in the winter months), provide the community with in-depth information on the importance of native species. A monthly informal gathering at Brewery Outré presents an opportunity for novices and experts to mingle and swap ideas, tips, and tricks for successfully cultivating natives.
Twice a year KAWO hosts its community Native Plant Exchange, at which locals can swap native plant materials, free of charge. During the summer months, the organization hosts field trips to regional preserves and parks, and tours of members’ native gardens.
New members are eligible for a site visit from an experienced KAWO leader who can help them develop ideas for introducing more natives to their yards. They can also receive ongoing mentorship as they begin to plant.
KAWO was founded in 1999 by Tom and Nancy Small, as a local chapter of the not-for-profit Wild Ones (wildones.org) organization, which has nearly 100 chapters nationwide.
Celebrating its 25th year, KAWO currently has more than 250 members in 4 counties. For more information please visit: https://kalamazoo.wildones.org/
Tales road FROM THE london
By Steve Ellis
This past August, Jackie and I took whirlwind trip around the United Kingdom. We took an 8 hour flight to London, where we spent three days before visiting Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland which I will write about in future issues.
After leaving our bags with the concierge, we headed out into the sunny 75-degree day for breakfast. We stumbled upon Pret A Manger, a great chain of healthy, quick, reasonably priced breakfast and lunch fare, which became our morning go-to spot. Great coffee, pastries, oatmeal, soups, sandwiches, etc. We both agreed that the U.S needs places like this.
A couple blocks from our hotel, we marveled at Westminster Abbey, The House of Parliament, Big Ben and the Thames River.
Piccadilly Street, nearby, is lined with historic buildings and stores. The Royal Arts Academy and Fortnum & Mason, an 18th century, multi floor candy, tea and preserves store, were a few of the highlights.
went to the wrong place across town. He offered us the hard cider he ordered her ahead of time. The Theater District was packed with tourists, including tour groups on bikes careening down the hilly, winding streets.
At this point, we were worn out and called it a night at 7:30pm, having been up for two days straight because of the flight and time change.
The next day, we headed the other direction on Victoria Street, stopping at the large Westminster Church for part of a service and peeked in the famous Victoria Station.
Walking through the 350 acre Hyde Park was fun. I later learned that it was established by Henry VIII in 1536 when he took the land from Westminster Abbey and used it as a hunting ground. It opened to the public in 1637. The Great Exhibition of 1851 was held in the park as well as many other celebrations and rock concerts. A large gold statue of Price Albert (dedicated in 1872) stands at the far end of Hyde Park, directly across from Royal Albert Hall.
etc. It’s definitely where the “rich and famous” shop.
We ate dinner at the quant, Old Queens Street Cafe’ near the hotel. The chicken pot pie comfort food was delicious.
We spent our last day in London, visiting the Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel, a 300-meter long underground tunnel covered in bright graffiti paintings below the Waterloo Station. This was very cool and included graffiti by the world-famous graffiti artist, Banksky.
We took took the Tube a mile or two down the Thames to walk across the London Bridge and see the 900-yearold Tower of London.
Jackie wanted to tour Westminster Abbey and I’m so glad we did. It was one of the most impressive architectural churches we’ve ever seen. Since 1066, the church has seen coronations of 40 British monarchs, the burial site of 18 British monarchs and 18 royal weddings.
We landed in London at 6am (11:30pm Chicago time) so got little sleep and had to quickly figure out the currency (England uses the pound) and the subway system called the Tube to get to our hotel. After a few questions, we learned that you simply swipe your debt or credit card at the entrance and swipe again when you exit the Tube.
We stayed at the Hub by Premier Inn near Victoria Street in the Westminster area, chosen for the location-just a few blocks from many famous landmarks. It was a compact room that was updated and very clean.
Buckingham Palace was gorgeous and the changing of the guards was quite a sight. The fabulous fountain and the grounds at St James Park with the Princess Diana Trail was the perfect way to spend our first morning.
We enjoyed the Theater District the first evening: Trafalgar Square, Lyceum Theatre and other other famous landmarks. We sat outside and shared a Guinness at the Wellington on The Strand and had a great fish and chips dinner at the Nags Head that opened in 1847. We met a nice man sitting next to us from Oslo, Norway, who planned to meet up with his wife that
We toured the fabulous Natural History Museum in South Kensington. The Victoria and Albert Museum across the street, will be on our next visit. The walls of the building still have large indentations from the German’s World War II shelling.
Lina Stores was great outdoor lunch choice for a tasty pasta dish. We noticed there was quite a line next door for Venchi Gelato where we decided to go for desert. It was well worth the wait.
The walk back along the upscale Kensington Street shopping district was great for window shopping. Jackie could not wait to go in Harrods, a store like no other. Several floors of everything imaginable: food, clothes, jewelry, books, accessories,
Over 3000 people are buried or commemorated in the abbey including: Mary Queen of Scotts, Queen Anne, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Stephen Hawking, Laurence Olivier, Lord Tennyson, Charles Dickens and Rudyard Kipling. Many of the earlier royalty were buried with full tomb effigies-large, lavishly carved rooms. We even got to see the coronation chair where Queen Elizabeth took the throne.
Our last meal in London was at Grafton Arms, a cozy pub that originally opened in 1850. We enjoyed a great meat pie, peas and potatoes and a Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, which became our favorite beer in London.
When I glanced at my phone, I saw that we had walked over 83,000 steps during our three whirlwind days in London.
