Spark February 2016

PROVIDING A FRESH START FOR SOME OLD CLASSICS ~ PAGE 12

Expert Advice Transitions Q: How can I get the exercises my doctor recommends without any wear and tear on my joints?

A:

Make a splash at a local indoor pool! The buoyancy of shoulder-deep water offers safety and stability, along with light resistance. In just 30 to 60 minutes you can achieve a healthy cardiovascular workout that will be relatively easy on sore joints. Aerobic exercise, calisthenics, swimming, walking through the shallow end or leaning on a flotation device and kicking your legs can improve your circulation, balance and range of motion.

Many community centers, or senior living communities, offer classes with professional instructors. Because these are usually group activities, you may also make waves with a few new friends in the process! Happy New Year!

Madeleine Socia

Friendship Village Senior Living Community 1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo (269) 381-0560 www.friendshipvillagemi.com

Finances Q: Are my Social Security benefits subject to income tax?

Dentist

Roofing Q: Should we be con-

cerned about the amount of snow and ice accumulating on our roof?

A: Since the first week of January, Justin Reynolds our total amount of snowfall has Manager been significant. Since the weight of snow and ice is substantial, we recommend removing as much of the snow and ice as possible. However, safety should be your foremost concern. Emergency room personnel can tell you many stories of unfortunate homeowners injured while climbing a ladder or getting onto their roofs to remove snow and ice. Therefore, we recommend purchasing a ‘snow rake’, a long handled shoveling device, designed to pull snow and ice off the roof while you stand safely on the ground.

Please be aware, however, since a snow rake is made from aluminum, you must kept it away from any electrical power lines on your roof.

Sherriff-Goslin Roofing Co. Since 1906 342-0153 800-950-1906 Member Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo

Health Food

Carrie L. Lintner, DDS

Q: Who can benefit from sedation at the dental office?

A: • If you have a real fear that keeps you from going to the dentist.

• If you have a low pain threshold • If you can’t sit still in the dentist chair • If you have very sensitive teeth • If you have a bad gag reflex • If you need a large amount of dental work There are many options that include nitrous oxide, oral sedation and IV sedation. Give our office a call to see what option is best for you.

Carrie L. Lintner, DDS Lindenwoods Dental 200 Turwill Lane Kalamazoo, MI 49006 269-344-9006 www.LindenWoodsDental.com

Funeral Services

Q: When is your

Q: How did the

annual NOW® Vitamin & Supplement Sale going to be this year?

Langeland family get started?

A: A portion of your benefits may be subject to Douglas income tax if your modiDrenth fied adjusted gross income (MAGI), plus one-half your Social Security benefits, exceeds specific limits. Your MAGI equals: Adjusted gross income including wages, interest, dividends, taxable pensions, and other sources.

Tax-exempt interest income.

Amounts earned in a foreign country, U.S. possession, or Puerto Rico that are exempt from tax.

If your combined income exceeds $32,000 ($44,000 if married and filing jointly), up to 85 percent of your benefits is taxable.

Sawall’s annual 25% Linda Sawall off NOW® Supplements Owner SALE runs for the entire month of February. Save on all your Favorite NOW® Supplements including: Vitamins, Herbs, Essential Oils, Flax Oils & Acidophilus (NOW® food products not included). Sawall’s also carries the largest selection of vitamins supplements & herbs in Michigan, with healthy choices in every aisle.

STOCK UP NOW®!

Drenth Financial Services

Mon.-Sat. 8-9, Sun. 10-6

5659 W. Michigan, Kalamazoo 269-978-0250 • ddrenth@fscadvisor.com

Sawall Health Food

Securities offered through FSC Securities Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance services offered through Drenth Financial Services and is not affiliated with FSC. HFG Financial Group is not affiliated with FSC or registered as a broker-dealer or a registered investment advisor. Individual situations will vary. Please contact a professional for specific advice. Entities listed here do not offer mortgage services. Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2013.

Oakwood Plaza • 2965 Oakland Dr. at Whites Rd. • 343-3619 • www.sawallhf.com

A:

A: It started in 1934, when times were tough.

The Langelands cared for friends just like they were family and their reputation grew. Each generation has, in its’ own way, stepped up to the challenges of the founders’ best practices– and added their own. This is our life’s work: taking care of you and your family with service second to none.

Tod Langeland

Langeland Family Funeral Homes “Quiet dignity with compassion” has meant so much for many people... for many years.

6 locations to serve you 269-343-1508 • langelands.com

FEBRUARY 2016

3

As I was out delivering copies of Spark the other day, I stopped into Franco’s Italian Pizzeria on South Westnedge, just south of Centre. I asked Franco how things were going and he said, “Good, Steve, this is our 33rd year!”

At first it seemed hard to believe and then we began reminiscing about when I sold them ads while working at the Kalamazoo Shopper.

Franco and his wife Fran started Pizza Italia on Idaho Street off Westnedge behind what is now the Guitar Center. I remember stopping in right after they opened.

It was in a bright red house. I knew Fran’s parents, Joe and Carmella Renda, from their carpet store in Vicksburg.

They later expanded to a second location, which I believe was called the Sub Station (their current location). The whole operation was eventually moved there and Martini’s (now on Westnedge at Village) moved into their old location.

I was also reminded of how things in life just kind of happen.

After graduating from WMU in 1980, I took a little time off to travel around the country and then came back to settle down and begin working. I was able to land a job selling computers for the Radio Shack Computer Center located in the basement of the Kalamazoo Center (now the Radisson.) I sold a handful of computers (Norm Langeland was one of my first customers) to business around the area including one to Ron Clair, the owner of Flashes Publishers. While setting up the computer in his office, he asked me if I would like a job selling advertising. I had no experience but it came with a company car (a brown Chevy Citation) so I took it and figured if I could sell computers, I could sell advertising. A few years later, I got a call from the folks at the Kalamazoo Gazette asking if I would like to sell for them. This ended up being a 23-year career.

FROM THE

These two encounters, within a few minutes of each other reminded me of just how quickly time flies. It seems like yesterday, that I began driving around working with local businesses and I have now been doing it for almost 35 years.

All current and past issues can be read at swmspark.com

EDITOR ON THE COVER:

I left the Kalamazoo Gazette in early 2012 and started the paper you are now reading.

These 35 years have flown by and even though this is not the career I had planned (I wanted to be a Finance professor) I wouldn’t trade the experiences and relationships I’ve formed for anything in the world!

After leaving Franco’s, I stopped into Right Way Rental on Portage Road, leaving a few papers and chatted with the owner Gary Vermeulen. I have been stopping into Gary’s place since the early 1980’s and asked him how he has business and he told me he opened in 1976.

INSIDE |

SPARK

Steve Ellis, SPARK Publisher steve@swmspark.com

Nelson Breech Nave in front of the Food Dance building on E. Michigan.

Photo by Steve Ellis

Photo, top left: Steve Ellis sitting at his desk (note the clutter even back then) at Flashes Publishers in Allegan about 1985.

Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/swmspark

FEBRUARY 2016

Lee Dean: The Givers are Gone .............................. 4

Cooper’s Glen Music Festival .................................14

History: Prohibition ...................................................6

History: Lull Carriage Company............................. 15

Nature: Preparing Your Garden for Spring .............7

Spark Movie Reviews ............................................. 16

Spark Recipe: Unbelievable Banana Bread............. 8

Business Profile: Selner Bros Music ........................17

Artist Profile: David Smallcombe ..............................9

Sage Advice: Understanding Ageism – Part 2 ..... 18

Spark Book Reviews ............................................... 10

Michigan Pickers: Jim Short ....................................19

Volunteering: Lesley Reed ......................................11

Tales from the Road: Oxford, Michigan ................ 20

Cover Story: Nelson Breech Nave ....................... 12

Tuesday Toolmen: Handy Household Tips ............ 21

Healthy Living: Top 10 Tips for Healthy Living...... 13

Community Calendar ..............................................22

Editor and Publisher: Steve Ellis Graphic Design: Jay Newmarch at CRE8 Design, LLC Creativity/Photography: Lauren Ellis Writers and Contributors Include: Area Agency on Aging, Steve Ellis, Lee Dean, Laura Kurella, Dave Person, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation, Kalamazoo Public Library, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Portage Public Library, Senior Services of Southwest Michigan , YMCA SPARK accepts advertising to defray the cost of production and distribution, and appreciates the support of its advertisers.

The publication does not specifically endorse advertisers or their products or services. Spark is a publication of Ellis Strategies, LLC. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

To advertise in upcoming SPARK publications, contact: Steve Ellis, 269.720.8157, steve@swmspark.com

SPARK

4

FEBRUARY 2016

The givers are gone, but the gifts remain Lee A. Dean screendoor@sbcglobal.net My annual reflection on the people who have passed on during the previous year often settles on a theme. One year, it seemed as if all my remaining mentors decided to leave at the same time.

In another year, it was a clutch of family members and close friends. For 2015, the common thread is entertainers and artists in genres ranging from literature to professional wrestling (that’s about as wide a range as you can get). Their physical bodies are gone, but they leave behind their work and the memories it evokes.

Every so often, a person comes along that seems to be good at everything. That was Fred Thompson, who was a United States senator, prosecuting attorney, TV star, radio talk show host, writer and film actor. I hung on every word of the Senate Watergate hearings and remember my shock when a Thompson question smoked out the existence of President Nixon’s taping system. And that voice! I could listen to him read names out of the phone book.

One of my guilty pleasures is professional wrestling, of 1960s-1990s vintage, primarily because of the colorful interviews and storylines that would hype the matches and establish each wrestler’s character. Think of it as “soap opera for dudes.” Two of the best passed away in 2015. Dusty Rhodes (real name touted himself as a blue collar Everyman and was the ultimate “babyface” (i.e., good guy). Rowdy Roddy Piper went back and forth

between babyface and “heel” (bad guy) and excelled in both roles. His kilt, bagpipes and unhinged rants added up to an unforgettable character.

This avid reader, I said goodbye to two of my literary heroes, one who took vastly different approaches to their craft. E.L. Doctorow was a master of historical fiction, particularly “World’s Fair” with its portents of what would happen to the Jews in World War II and the Civil War tale “The March.” Sir Terry Pratchett blended fantasy and satire in his Discworld novels that were both knee-slapping funny and laced with insight about the foibles of human beings. “The Truth,” about journalism, hit particularly close to home.

The sports world lost a quartet of classy champions. As a Cubs fan, no star shone brighter than Ernie Banks, whose sunny disposition was a ray of light during many a dark season. Yogi Berra became a cultural icon with his tangled phrases, but we shouldn’t forget that he was a magnificent player. In 1950, he had 597 at-bats and only struck out 12 times, a number so low as to seem delusional. Meadowlark Lemon was the leader of the Harlem Globetrotters, and responsible for more good feelings than a lifetime supply of booze. Charlie Sanders of the Detroit Lions was the best at his position (tight end) in team history. I can still see him on a snowy Thanksgiving game in old Tiger Stadium soaring to catch a touchdown pass.

In the world of music, there’s a whole lot less soul after the departure of some all-time greats. I was fortunate enough to see B.B. King perform twice, including a memorable appearance at the State Theatre when he silenced an overbeveraged fan who kept shout-

ing for “The Thrill is Gone” by replying, “We’ll GET TO IT, okay?” Back when people actually sang love songs, Percy Sledge scored with “When A Man Loves A Woman” Ben E. King gave us “Stand By Me” and Natalie Cole (with father Nat) became “Unforgettable.”

I haven’t watched television on a regular basis since about 1971. But I watched plenty of it before then, and a clutch of actors passed this year who were large on the small screen (they were all small back then). There was Donna Douglas, the critter-lovin’ Elly May Clampett.

Wayne Rogers, aka Trapper John, was Hawkeye Pierce’s partner in crime and surgery at the MASH 4077th.

Patrick Macnee was a dapper spy on “The Avengers.”

Martin Milner caught bad guys as one of the cops on “Adam-12.” Al Molinaro was another, far less serious cop, playing Murray on “The Odd Couple” and then innkeeper Al on “Happy Days.”

But no TV actor rose to the level of enduring cultural icon like Leonard Nimoy, Mr. Spock of “Star Trek.” He had it all: the pointy ears, the Vulcan nerve pinch, cool logic as a foil to Captain Kirk’s frequent testosterone overdoses. Best of all were Spock’s arguments with Bones McCoy, so reminiscent of the interplay between Doc and Festus on “Gunsmoke.”

The Spock character is so universal that most of us have tried to duplicate the split-fingered “live long and prosper” gesture (I can do it right-handed, but not lefthanded). Nimoy got the gesture from an ancient rabbinic blessing, which is fitting because we have been blessed by all these contributors to our culture. They all lived long, and did we ever prosper because of it.

SPARK

The manufacture, sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages was outlawed in the U.S. with the passing of the 18th amendment in 1920.

Prohibition was now the law of the land, but it was nothing new in Kalamazoo.

6

Prohibition!

As early as March 1836, a Kalamazoo Total Abstinence Temperance Society had been organized.

The society had much work to do, however. Eight licensed liquor retailers together sold 9,000 gallons of alcoholic beverages in 1838 to a village with a population of about 1,000 people.

The “drys,” as temperance advocates were known, finally carried the day in 1915 when Kalamazoo County voted to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol.

Kalamazoo bars, including the notorious “Saloon Row” along East Main Street (now Michigan Avenue), were shuttered. The ban on alcohol also closed “Dutch Arnold” Van Loghnen’s saloon on Burdick Street where a trained monkey collected payment for each patron’s drinks.

Although Kalamazoo police had a five-year head start when Prohibition became the law of the land in 1920, they were no more successful in eliminating alcohol consumption than were authorities anywhere else.

Newspaper accounts report police raids and criminal trials resulting from efforts to suppress the traffic in bootleg liquor.

Occasionally these efforts attracted national attention as in 1922 when John D. Dodge, an heir to the Dodge

The Harvester Club was a private club in the Burdick Hotel where members could drink hard liquor, but had to bring their own bottle to the club.

Brothers automotive fortune, was arrested for drunken driving in Kalamazoo. Dodge was found guilty of violating Prohibition laws and fined $1,000.

Orville Sternburgh was hired in 1920 as a special officer with the Kalamazoo Police Department. In his diary, he recorded his daily activities with the vice squad from June 1922 through August 1929.

On almost every page, Sternburgh describes arrests for drunkenness, suspicion of drunkenness, and possession or sale of alcohol. Sometimes, Sternburgh and his partner simply confiscated the liquor and told the offending party to go home.

Some individuals flaunted the law. On Dec. 31, 1922, two couples dining at the downtown Oriental Café were arrested with a bottle of wine on the table. Officer Sternburgh and his partner found they also had moonshine concealed in their coat pockets.

Sternburgh also described raids on illegal distilleries. In one three-month stretch in early 1924, the police raided 13 distilleries. Some were small-scale operations with

FEBRUARY 2016

five-and 10-gallon stills but one on Fourth Street had a 20-gallon boiler and 250 gallons of “rye mash.”

The police also worked to close the speakeasies where alcohol was served. On a single night in August of 1928, they raided six speakeasies in Kalamazoo. Another night, they found alcohol being served at the Keystone Club, located above the Rose Tire Co. at 230 N. Rose St. (Coincidentally, today that is the location of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.)

Yet another such police operation in 1923 was directed at a cigar store, bowling alley, and pool hall located on the southwest corner of Vine and Mills streets.

While they attempted to enforce Prohibition, the police also made arrests for other illegal substances. On at least two occasions, Sternburgh took people into custody for the sale and possession of cocaine.

The national experiment with prohibition is widely regarded as a failure. Still, the anti-booze sentiment did not vanish when the ban on alcoholic beverages was repealed in 1933. Michigan allowed counties to impose a form of local option. Each county could enact its own restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages.

In Kalamazoo County, bars and restaurants could serve beer and wine. Hard liquor was available by the bottle from state-licensed retailers for private consumption. Private “bottle clubs,” such as the Harvester Club in the Burdick Hotel or the Beacon Club in Portage, could serve liquor to members who brought their own bottles of whiskey with them. Only in the mid-1960s did Kalamazoo County vote to allow the sale of liquor by the glass. museON. Reprinted with permission from the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. The museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its Board of Trustees.

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SPARK

The winter solstice has come and gone, we are on our yearly journey towards spring. That means it is time to start preparing for the upcoming growing season. Taking this time when it is still cold outside to do garden planning and maintenance will save some headaches when you are ready to work in the garden. A cold winter day is a great time to do garden planning and research which plants to add to the garden this year. Take time to inspect garden tools, making sure they are sharp and repaired or replaced if broken. The winter season is also good time to get out and prune trees and shrubs. Dormant pruning is recommended for some species to prevent harm from disease like Oak Wilt.

Preparing your garden for Spring

by Dave Brown, KNC Experiential Facilities Coordinator

When the ground thaws, it is time to get out in the garden to remove and compost the dead stalks of perennials that were winter food for birds and other wildlife. Turning the compost pile will at this time aerate the pile, improving ventilation and promoting faster decomposition.

When plants start growing get out and weed your garden, mulching bare spots and amending with compost after weeding will help suppress weed growth while promoting healthy growth of plants.

Gardening can be hard work but remember to have fun and enjoy time spent in your garden.

If you would like to learn more about gardening, farming, invasive species identification and management, or trail maintenance, consider volunteering at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. It’s a great way to gain knowledge, meet new people, and connect with nature. VisitNatureCenter.org/Get Involved to fill out a volunteer application or phone 269 381-1574 ext. 25.

How often should hearing aids be

replaced?

Hearing aids are high-tech devices that wear out over time and technology is always improving. Hearing aids should be replaced, at most, every 4-5 years.

After 5 years, repairs are more expensive, and your hearing aid may no longer be made by the manufacturer. Talk with your audiologist once your hearing aids are 3 years old about available technology, and to plan ahead for replacement costs.

Kim Kragt M.A., CCCA Clinical Director, Audiologist Constance Brown has a team of audiologists to help you.

Trusted since 1942, Constance Brown Hearing Centers, where personalized service and technology meet.

Call us to schedule an appointment Kalamazoo 1634 Gull Rd. Suite 201 269.343.2601

Portage 4855 W. Centre Ave. 269.372.2709

www.cbrown.org

SPARK

8

Go

BANANAS! Winter can make us feel like we are going bananas so I say, “Go bananas!” and indulge in the benefits of a banana all baked up into an aromatic loaf that tastes like it came straight from heaven – ah!

FEBRUARY 2016

Winter can make us feel like we are going bananas so I say, “Go Bananas!” Research at the Southern Cross University (SCU) in Australia, has shown a definite relationship between bananas and mood. Research also shows that in addition to lifting our moods, the potassium packed in a banana can help normalize the heartbeat, send oxygen to the brain, making us more alert and clear-headed; regulate our body’s water balance and help reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. In fact, according to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Bananas can also reduce digestive irritation by coating the lining of the stomach so, if you suffer from heartburn, a banana may provide you with soothing and often instant relief!

High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and help those with anemia and offering lots of cleansing fiber, adding some bananas to your diet can help improve and even restore normal bowel action.

Unbelievable Banana Bread 5 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed 1 large egg 2 large egg whites 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 over-ripe bananas, mashed smooth

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray 1 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter at high speed until light and fluffy – about 5 minutes. Add both sugars and beat well. Add egg, egg whites and vanilla, beating until well blended. Add mash bananas and beat at high speed for 30 seconds. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

Add flour mixture to banana mixture alternately while adding cream. Fold in nuts, if using, then pour batter into prepared loaf pan, spreading out evenly. Bake until brown or until toothpick when inserted in center comes out ALMOST clean – about 55-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Flavor will improve if loaf is allowed to sit at room temperature overnight before serving. Freezes well, too!

Approximate servings per recipe: 12. Nutrition per serving: Calories 238; Fat 9g (Sat. 4g.); Sodium 130mg; Potassium 182 mg; Carbohydrate 35g; Fiber 2g; Sugars 18g; Protein 4g.

For more on this and other cooking subjects, look for Laura on Facebook at LAURA KURELLA COOKS! Contact Laura at: laurakurella@yahoo.com . For more great recipes, visit laurakurella.com. Laura is host of Radio Recipes- a LIVE show that airs Tues. mornings at 7:15 am (EST) at 99.3 FM - True Oldies radio

FEBRUARY 2016

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SPARK

Local Jewelry Artisan A focus on beautiful, clean and simple David Smallcombe grew up in Three Rivers. As a boy, he struggled with dyslexia and was challenged with some of his classes but excelled in art.

David went to Ferris State University receiving a degree in Commercial Art. He spent four years in the Air Force before coming back to this area and being accepted into the WMU Art program.

During his time at WMU, he explored many different art forms but was most passionate about jewelry making.

In the beginning, David worked very hard to build up his inventory, before heading out across the state on the art fair circuit. He set up almost every weekend from May-September. In the colder months, he headed south.

Forty years later, David is still setting up at art fairs including: Ann Arbor, St Joseph and Bronson Park, but spends much of his time at his studio.

David graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in jewelry making and metalsmithing. Quite an accomplishment for a young man who wasn’t sure he was going to finish high school.

He has a great website where you will find many photos, descriptions and details on proper sizing and fitting. David says that having the proper fit is a very important part of the comfort and enjoyment of wearing jewelry.

He told me that he was drawn to jewelry making because it allows for creativity but also requires accuracy.

Many online bloggers have reviewed his jewelry, helping make it quite popular all over the world.

Once David was out of college, he had a wife and newborn child to support and needed to quickly find a way to earn a living.

He bought some jewelry-making equipment, headed down to his basement and began creating jewelry.

David Grabowski has been working with David Smallcombe for 25 years and his daughter, Abby Gasper, has joined her dad in the business.

David’s goal was to make jewelry that was beautiful, clean and simple. He also wanted to make pieces that were affordable for most everyone.

He started out making thin bracelets that could be worn individually or in sets. David has since added earrings and pendants, but the bracelets are still his most popular pieces.

Locally, David is one of the Signature artists that open the Signature Gallery each year during the holiday season. This past year was their 36th. He also is an exhibitor the Garage Sale Art Fair at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center, coming up on Saturday, February 27 from 9am-4pm.

To find out more about David Smallcombe’s wonderful creations, go to smallcombe.com.

SPARK

FEBRUARY 2016

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restaurants, wine cellars and sunsets take you to France and may send you off to buy a bottle of Bordeaux or Beaujolais nouveau.

Departure

by A. G. Riddle Flight 305 crashes in the English country side and the survivors fight to keep themselves together until help arrives. But when help does not arrive, it has become evident that they did not crash in the same world as when the plane took off. Five passengers hold the key to solving the mystery of when and where they are. Riddle’s main theme in the book is about how our decisions not only affect our lives but also the lives of the people around us. It is a good look at human nature.

Departure is Riddle’s first standalone novel since the Origin Mystery series.

It is a well-paced novel with enough twists and turns to keep the reader wondering what’s on the next page.

There is also a healthy dose of science fiction introducing some very plausible technology. The point of view in the book continues to switch between the main male character and the main female character. It is done so well that because of this, the book is appealing to both a female and a male reader. This is a must read

Circling the Sun

by Paula McLain

Book Reviews Book Reviews by the Portage District Library staff for anyone who loves action, science fiction, or just a good story.

Vintage Caper

by Peter Mayle If you are looking for a delightful, sensuous read this mouthwatering mystery full of delicious culinary delights, full bodied wines and delectable scenes of Los Angeles, Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille is for you. Sam Levitt, former sophisticated criminal and now cultured detective and wine connois-

seur is called in to solve a perfectly orchestrated multimillion dollar wine heist from a pushy, high profile entertainment lawyer. To help him better understand Bordeaux wine country and navigate several magnificent chateaus he is joined by a savvy and beautiful insurance detective and her rough and tumble journalist uncle.

Together they must plan and execute their own clever heist to recover the wine without harm to an eccentric billionaire who is obsessed with everything French including wine.

The descriptions of the French countryside, narrow French streetscapes,

This novel charts the fascinating story of Beryl Markham who was the first woman aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic from East to West. Beryl, who was born in Britain, grew up in Kenya with her father. She was up educated in the jungles and befriended by the native Kenyans. Always ready for adventure and paving new trails, she became the first licensed female horse trainer in Kenya and was very successful at that. This story is not just about her many romances along the way, but also the story of the rather decadent society of the Europeans who invaded Kenya in the 1920’s.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

FEBRUARY 2016

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SPARK

Volunteer Finds Her Place Visiting Veterans

By Bill Krasean, Senior Services RSVP Advisory Council Volunteer Not long after Lesley Reed retired in September 2013 she confronted a problem, “I got bored pretty quickly,” said the 69-year old Kalamazoo resident who still has a delightful hint of an accent of her native New Zealand.

She rectified her dilemma by attending an RSVP session for people interested in volunteering that provided a list of the 70 area partner agencies that need volunteers. RSVP – Your Invitation to Volunteer is a national service program of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan that connects older adult volunteers with area organizations.

While there Lesley found a place that attracted her: The Veterans Administration Hospital in Battle Creek. Two months after retiring she was a volunteer at the Dementia Unit at the VA Medical Center.

She admits the first day there was not easy. “They seemed so sad,” she said. But the unit supervisor told her to persist and that the next time would be better. It was. “Now I love it,” she said. “They aren’t sad. They are relaxed and laid back. Many of them are happy. I’m not sure they remember me by name each visit but I am not good at that either so it all works out.”

Lesley has lived in the United States since 1970.

She met her former husband after camping around Europe then working in Germany for the

winter season in the late 1960’s. Once settled in Michigan she worked for Kalamazoo Radiology before quitting to raise their twins. Later, she took a job with Heco Inc, where she worked for 24 years. These days she also has a part-time job at the Fountains at Bronson Place. “I also play Texas Hold’em poker at the Comstock Community Center - for fun and socialization, not money.”

Many of the veterans on the Dementia Unit are Vietnam vets. “Sometimes I just sit with them and talk to them. They have so many interesting life stories. I wish everybody could be a volunteer.”

Additional volunteers are needed with the VA Medical Center, Meals on Wheels, Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, Kalamazoo Literacy Council, Volunteers 4 Seniors for medical rides, Mentor Academic Success tutor and mentor program, Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP), Senior Services Home Repair and more. RSVP Your Invitation to Volunteer is a program of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan. Information about RSVP and volunteer opportunities is available by calling 269-382-0515 or at www.seniorservices1.org.

RSVP - Your Invitation to Volunteer is a program of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan. Information about RSVP and volunteer opportunities is available by calling 269-382-0515 or at www. seniorservices1.org.

SPARK

FEBRUARY 2016

12

NELSON BREECH NAVE IS

AFFECTING KALAMAZOO

BY BEING A PART OF IT

By Dave Person david.r.person@gmail.com

Dogs and Bimbo’s Pizza, Nave has had a hand in refreshing the face of downtown.

Nave’s work is mostly in the commercial corridors of downtown, but he also does some residential work.

At the end of a cul-de-sac that snakes through stacks of paper, antiques and an assortment of other items in the downtown Kalamazoo office of Nelson Breech Nave, Architect, are a drawing board, an Apple computer and two chairs.

It’s from this cluttered, but comfortable, nest that many ideas on how to convert Kalamazoo’s crumbling past into a flourishing future have taken flight.

“I love the downtown,” says Nave, who not only works in the city, but also lives there. “You can affect this size (of a) city by yourself.”

And affect it he has — from helping Bell’s Brewery through 20 years of renovation of a downtown warehouse at 355 E. Kalamazoo Avenue, to renewing the facades on the East Michigan Avenue buildings that house Coney Island Hot

He has participated on his share of boards and committees over the years, as well, including the Kalamazoo Historic District Commission for 25 years. His urban-planning efforts also have benefited the Northside and Vine neighborhoods.

He has worked not only on buildings, but also on green space, such as designing the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park downtown.

Nave, 67, has been a resident of Kalamazoo since 1978.

A veteran of eight years of working in architecture in his home state of Indiana, where he received a degree in architecture from Ball State University in 1971, he came north to take a job at Kalamazoo’s Kingscott Associates architecture firm.

After 10 years of working mostly on school and hospital design projects — a renovation of Parchment Middle School and Borgess Medical Center are on his resume from those days — Nave moved into an office in the Rose Street Market

Building in an attempt to make it on his own.

With the exception of five years in which he served as inhouse construction consultant for Borgess, Nave walked away from modernizing schools and hospitals and began concentrating on waking up downtown Kalamazoo’s tired commercial stock.

In 1993, Nave and Rodger Parzyck, along with some partners, bought the old building in the 100 block of North Edwards Street in which Parzyck now has the Heritage Co. and Nave owns the Kalamazoo Antiques Market, which is directly north of his office.

Nave and Parzyck bought out their partners in 2000.

The building originally was made up of eight long, narrow rooms, called bays. in 1893, a carriage maker named Nelson Newton — Nave chuckles at the similarity of their names — owned the three southernmost bays that Nave now occupies. In the back is an old elevator that Newton used to transport his carriages upstairs where paint, wood trim and upholstery were added.

Being on his own has agreed with Nave, who offers services in architecture, design, planning, interiors and project

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Library Association on South Park Street and challenges first-timers to the building to determine what is original and what is the addition.

“I always try to make the additions — especially the historic

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well and Schoolcraft.

When he’s not working on someone else’s project, Nave and his companion, Pat Hirsch, with whom he owns the former Fuller Theatre Building on the Kalamazoo Mall, which houses Hirsch’s Petals & Postings store, have been restoring the 4,500-square-foot brick Italianate structure on West South Street where they live. The building dates back to 1851.

Nave also has been at the forefront of preservation efforts unrelated to the projects on which he has worked.

In 1983, when he had been in Kalamazoo for only five years, Nave and others successfully fought a Michigan/ Kalamazoo Avenue rail overpass project that would have resulted in the demolition of several locations that were lightly regarded at the time, including the Bell’s and Food Dance buildings that Nave worked on years later, as well as the Arcus Depot that was the former train station and is now home to the Kalamazoo Community Foundation.

management as well as dealing in antiques.

He has done two makeovers — 13 years apart — of the downtown Rickman House, and considers that project and restoration of an adjacent block-and-a-half of buildings as one of his most satisfying accomplishments. The renovations preserved the stretch from almost certain demolition.

“I think it saved that whole section of downtown,” he says.

His biggest project, in terms of dollars, is the 401 E. Michigan Building — better known as the Food Dance Building — for which he led a $13 million renovation for building owner Jon Stryker over a five-year period from 2002 to 2007.

The work on the Coney Island and Bimbo’s Pizza building facades, including the addition of six upstairs apartments in the latter, also are among Nave’s crowning achievements.

Nave points out that he brings in teams of professionals to do the construction, which was especially important in dealing with the fragile facades on East Michigan. “I always work with a structural engineering group,” he says.

Recently, Nave designed an addition to the historic Ladies

ones — look like (they are part of the original building),” he says.

While most architects rely on computer-assisted drafting, Nave continues to be old school.

“I still draw by hand,” he says. “I find it mentally restful.

Even the Food Dance Building (design) was all by hand.”

With the renovations Nave and others have been doing over the last several years, there aren’t many downtown projects left. “We’re running out of buildings downtown to change,” he says.

As a result, this year Nave is designing restaurants outside of the downtown area. The first is a Big Apple Bagels on South Westnedge Avenue.

Other restaurants are planned for Allegan, Paw Paw, Plain-

Nave was on the losing side, however, of efforts to preserve the Kalamazoo Mall as a pedestrians-only mall and, more recently, save historic East Campus buildings at WMU. Currently, Nave is attempting to rescue Vine Neighborhood structures from demolition, arguing in favor of renovation, which he says could save 20 percent in costs “and it’s got more character.”

He also is hoping for more of a balance in the businesses in downtown Kalamazoo, which he sees as being saturated by restaurants and breweries.

The downtown area could use another hotel and more shopping outlets, in his opinion.

“One thing we worry about is the retail is continuing to disappear,” he says.

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HEALTHY LIVING :

Portion size – Over the past years portion sizes have continued to grow, the easi-

Top 10 Tips For Healthy Living

By Lexie Timpson The YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo 269.345.9622 • www.kzooymca.org Eat a colorful plate – The best way to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs is to eat a variety of different colored foods. Some examples include: • Leafy greens provide folate that helps maintain your cells and prevent anemia.

• Red tomatoes provide lycopene which may reduce cancer risk.

• Orange carrots provide vitamin A, promoting good vision and skin health.

• Blueberries and other blue fruits provide antioxidants that protect cells from damage and may improve memory function.

The best part is how good a colorful plate looks!

Budget your calories – Try to think of food as your body’s currency, everyone has an amount that they need and staying within your healthy budget is best for weight maintenance.

Stay away from liquid calories – Sodas, juice and other sweetened beverages are sources of empty calories. Empty calories provide energy with no little nutritional benefit, and these beverages make it extremely easy to consume large amounts of these calories. Look for beverages that have 0 calories in the entire container.

est way to maintain your weight and eat a healthy diet is to start with your portion sizes. Try using dessert plates rather than dinner plates to help keep portion sizes small.

Read food labels – Food labels can be a great source of information, make sure to read labels so you know what you are really eating. Remember – when looking at food labels to check the serving size on the label in comparison to what you put on your plate or in your glass.

Fresh is best – Fresh ingredients are always going to be the best. When shopping at a grocery store shop the perimeter of the store first, that’s where the healthy fresh ingredients always are. Also check out farmer’s markets for fresh and local produce. If fresh isn’t an option, frozen fruits and vegetables are a good second choice and a lower sodium or sugar option than canned.

Snack smart – Snacks are often the big culprit for forgotten calories. Candy bars, cookies and chips while satisfying when you consume them, however often leave you feeling hungry soon after. Choose snacks with fiber and protein to keep you feeling full until your next meal.

Pick a cereal that doesn’t change the color of the milk – Cereal is one of the most common breakfast meals, and it can be one of the most healthy options to start your day off right. However, some are better choices than others, so make sure to pick a cereal that keeps the milk you use the same color.

Are you really hungry? Most are victims of eating when we aren’t even hungry.

I like to think that there are two different types of hungry – hungry in the tummy and hungry in the head. Try to remember what hungry in the tummy feels like before heading to the pantry for a snack.

Know what you’re eating – Look at the list of ingredients on the label, how many of those words do you actually recognize? As a rule of thumb, if you aren’t really sure of what it is, you might want to think twice before you put it in your body.

Cooper’s Glen Music Festival Great Lakes Acoustic Music Association (GLAMA) presents its 14th annual festival on Friday and Saturday, February 5 and 6 at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Downtown Kalamazoo.

Headliners include Michigan’s “The Voice” finalist Josh Davis and his trio. Blues legend Josh White, Jr., current Grammy nominated bluegrass stars the SteelDrivers, Virginia’s The Steel Wheels with their original Blue Ridge Mountain music, Kalamazoo’s own Red Sea Pedestrians and from Canada Ten Strings And A Goat Skin with original Irish, Acadian and French music. Rounding out the festival are performer-hosted workshops, special presentations and jamming in every corner until early morning hours.

CREDIT: MAZAWI

Top row, left to right: Joshua Davis, The Red Sea Pedestrians, Joshua White Jr., Middle: The Steel Drivers Bottom, left to right: Ten Stings and a Goat, The Steel Wheels

New this year is Bell’s Brewery cozy “Bell’s Room” will provide musical entertainment ( Duffield/ Caron Project, Megan Dooley, Darcy Wilkin and other great performers), food and drink.

For festival schedule, tickets and other information go to: greatlakesacoustic.org CREDIT: JON BURKE

CREDIT: MEREDITH MASHBURN

FEBRUARY 2016

Lull Carriage Company A century ago, many of the people who were “dashing through the snow” were probably doing so in one-horse open sleighs produced by the Lull Carriage Company of Kalamazoo. The company produced more carriages than sleighs, but judging from the number of requests for information that the Kalamazoo Public Library receives, it is their sleighs that are still hanging around in barns waiting to be restored.

The Lull Carriage Company had its roots in several earlier businesses here. Linford C. Lull was born in South Haven in 1856, but he was raised and educated in Kalamazoo. He established the L. C. Lull Company about 1883 with Oscar M. Allen Jr. to manufacture agricultural implements. By 1891 they were also producing vehicles. He was joined that year by Tabor S. Skinner, who had previously been part owner of a dry goods store, and by 1893 they were known as Lull & Skinner Company, advertising “buggies, surreys, phaetons and road wagons,” as well as harrows and other farming equipment.

Although Skinner continued to be associated with Lull in other businesses, the Lull Carriage Company was incorporated without him on 19 September 1902 with a capital stock of $75,000. Lull was joined in the new venture by J. F. Beuret and H. Alexander Crawford, both of whom had been in the carriage business in Flint.

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The factory occupied the same large building that Lull & Skinner had, on a three and a half acre site near the corner of South Pitcher and Grace (now Gibson), adjacent to the Grand Rapids & Indiana and the Lake Shore railroads, which easily accommodated the shipment of their products. The plant had the capacity to produce ten thousand u wheeled vehicles and five thousand sleighs and cutters w per year, and by one account employed about 175 workers p iin 1906. It was a medium sized company in the city, larger than most, but smaller than the well known paper mills, th Henderson-Ames Company, Kalamazoo Corset Company, H or Kalamazoo Stove. o Lull was not in the best of health, so he moved to Los AngeLu les about 1905 to take advantage of the mild climate. There le he bought a share in the Auto Vehicle Company and became its vice-president and general manager. He maintained his business activities in Michigan, but died unexpectedly in Debu troit in 1908, apparently while he was on a business trip. H. Alexander Crawford, who had been the treasurer of Lull Carriage Company, became its president after Lull’s death and remained so until the company ceased manufacturing here in 1920. It became clear that automobiles were rapidly replacing carriages and sleighs, so the factory was sold to the Dort Motor Car Company of Flint, which planned to manufacture auto bodies here.

Crawford announced his intention of moving the business south, where there was still a market for carriages, although there is no evidence that this was actually done. Instead, he became president of Kalamazoo Motors Corporation and continued his business interests here until 1937, when he returned to Flint. The continued interest in Lull Carriage Company sleighs nearly a century after they stopped being manufactured is a testimony to the high quality of the vehicles that they produced.

Story courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library. More local history stories and photos at kpl.gov/local-history

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Movie Reviews I’ll See You in My Dreams Sad and funny never worked so well in this pitch perfect movie that steers clear of preachy messages about love and aging. It’s a slyly written, humane depiction of a lonely but independent woman exploring the third act of life with grace and a few glasses of wine. Actress Blythe Danner gives a heartfelt performance of a long-time widow attempting to re-energize her comfortable but dispirited life in I’ll See You in My Dreams. It’s a rare film in that all of the characters feel refreshingly “authentic” rather than artificial constructs put inside of the plot to satisfy a formula. It eschews sentimentality in favor of depicting the genuine, emotional obstacles faced by seniors struggling to connect to others who may or may not be around for a long duration.

Pather Panchali I don’t like to throw around the term ‘masterpiece’ when describing a movie unless I really think it warrants such a superlative. So without any trepidation, I can easily suggest that the newly restored version of the 1955 film Pather Panchali (the first film in the Apu Trilogy) fits into that small pantheon of films whose artistry transcends time and whose universal themes and capacity to expand our understanding of the human condition set them apart from other films.

Essentially, a film without a standard, narrative plot, Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali sets out to simply depict with a poetic lens, the mundane life of a poor Bengali family and their everyday struggles to survive. Ray’s stylistic approach to form echoes the influence of Italian Neo-Realism, especially the films of Vittorio Di Sica.

There are beautifully rendered moments of joy, discovery and love intercut between the often trying financial circumstances faced by the family, but a great deal of the emotional power of the film centers around the desire for a better life. What makes this an even more remarkable achievement is that this was Ray’s debut film, having worked as a graphic designer before embracing the art of cinema. As perfect a film as Di Sica’s Bicycle Thieves, Ray’s masterwork portrays overlooked and everyday people with sympathy and with a sensitive respect for their stories of hope and toil.

Code Unknown Award-winning Austrian director Michael Haneke has spent most of his career skillfully unsettling his audiences with films that rouse strong emotional responses (Funny Games, Amour, The Piano Teacher, Cache, The White Ribbon). The newly restored Code Unknown tackles themes and subjects that are as relevant today as when the film was released in 2000. As Haneke points out in his introduction to the film, the title works as both a literal and symbolic reference point. Most importantly to the overall tone of the film’s portrait of a Europe in transition, it signifies the failure of language to communicate between groups and individuals. As today’s European nations struggle with issues like mass migration, cultural assimilation, terrorism and economic woes, Code Unknown feels altogether timely and deserving of a re-engagement with its discerning revelations.

Alfred Hitchcock Revisited Later this year, a documentary filmed calledHitchcock/Truffaut (based upon the seminal book of the same title) will once again draw our attention to the brilliant career of arguably the art form’s most important director. Over the last couple of years, his life and career have been the subject of two different films (The Girl and Hitchcock). His 1958 pyscho-drama Vertigo was deemed the number one “greatest” film by a collection of critics in 2012, replacing the once immovable Citizen Kane. Often deemed the ‘master of suspense’, Hitchcock’s influence can be seen in the work of filmmakers as different as Brian De Palma, Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, and David Fincher. For the uninitiated, give the following classics a try: Pyscho (1960), The Birds (1963), Vertigo (1958), Rear Window (1954), North by Northwest (1959), and The 39 Steps (1935).

Reviews by Ryan Gage, Kalamazoo Public Library. These great titles are available from the Kalamazoo Public Library.

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Selner Bros Music A few weeks back I popped into the new Selner Bros Music store. Two folks were playing guitars in the front room and I could hear a guitar and drum beat coming from another room.

I lived near the corner of Vine and Westnedge while going to WMU back in the late 1970’s.

This little neighborhood had everything I could want-classic old houses, a grocery store, bakery, pizza, sub shop, a record store and lots of other cool stores.

Fast-forward to today and you will find that this area has made a remarkable transformation (thanks to the hard work of Steve Walsh at the Vine Neighborhood Assn. and many of the great local store owners) and now has as many or more interesting businesses as it ever had.

I met owner Jarad Selner, who looked familiar. It dawned on me that I had seen him many times over the years, playing his saxophone while at Art Hops and festivals-with his long blond hair blowing in the wind.

Jarad grew up in a musical family and has played music around town for years. He started out with a pawnshop, buying and selling instruments around the area.

A few months back, with a little help from his brothers (Jarab and Jakab) he decided to open his music store. Selner Bros. sells a wide variety of instruments and accessories and offers lessons for playing guitars, drums, trumpets and the trombone.

Jarad told me that he always wanted a place for area musicians to just hangout and play. Now Kalamazoo has a place just like he envisioned.

The next time you’re down in the Vine area, stop in and say hi to Jarad, feel free to pick up an instrument and start playing-you’ll have a lot of fun!

505 W. Vine (at Westnedge), Kalamazoo • 269 224 2429 11am-8:30pm Mon-Fri, 12-7pm Sat, 12-6pm Sun • selnerbros.com

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FEBRUARY 2016

Understanding Ageism – Part 2 Have you ever heard the following comment from a healthcare professional…..”What do you expect; you’re old.” In this article, we’ll review some issues associated with ageism in healthcare.

For years, we have known that the demographics of aging necessitated more doctors with a specialty in geriatrics, but that hasn’t yet happened.

Many physicians in training haven’t received positive reinforcement from their teachers or their experiences to think that geriatrics is interesting or important enough to consider. For a long time, medical schools only utilized nursing facilities or hospitals for training, leaving out older adults living in the community. Luckily, that is changing here in West Michigan with WMU’s new medical school having community based service learning opportunities. In fact, we at the Area Agency on Aging are pleased to have 5 first year med students working with us and 3 second year students finishing their experience!

We must also look at the reimbursement system for healthcare, noting that adequate payments for visits to a geriatrician for assessment and follow

up just haven’t been available in our healthcare system. This is another deterrent to physicians choosing geriatrics.

Negative or just erroneous views of aging by healthcare professionals can lead to both undertreatment and over-treatment of older adults.

Assumptions that depression, social isolation, dementia, pain and fatigue are part of growing older aren’t true for everyone, but oftentimes this is the attitude of medical providers and guides their diagnosis.

Did you know that clinical trials for most drugs have not included older adults, making it difficult to sometimes hit the mark on appropriate antibiotics or pain relief?

So what can be done? All medical schools should require some geriatric education and rotations that include community elders. To address the geriatric physician shortage, physician assistants and nurse practitioners should be encouraged to obtain geriatrics training and certifications.

Adequate reimbursement for geriatrician assessments should be available in all insurance plans.

New Residents Welcome!

Crosstown Parkway Senior Apartments

Apartments - Immediate Occupancy!

- 1 bedroom apartments for 62 years and up.

- Gas, electric, heat, air conditioning, water and sewer included.

- Recently renovated kitchen and bath.

- Rent based on 30% of income.

- Medical alert bracelet in each unit.

- Small pets welcome with deposit.

- “Care One” on-site.

- Professional, courteous staff.

- Free community room for parties.

- Weekly resident activities.

- Weekly grocery trips.

RENT BASED ON INCOME 550 W. Crosstown Pkwy. Kalamazoo 344-3968 Professionally Managed by Medallion Management, Inc. TTY 711

Judy Sivak, MSW Director, Area Agency on Aging IIIA, 3299 Gull Rd., Kalamazoo, Phone: 269-373-5173 (Info & Assistance Line) www.Kalcounty.com/aaa

Clinical trials need to include older adults to test new drugs.

Finally, all of us need to consider our own attitudes and how that affects talking to medical professionals. Don’t be afraid to tell your provider about those aches and pains as they might be related to a medical condition that can be easily addressed. Don’t be afraid to question a diagnosis, especially if it’s prefaced by an ageist statement. In the end, it’s your quality of life that is most important, and your medical provider plays a big role in that.

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Keeping history from vanishing While enjoying all of the great old photos and stories on the Vanished Kalamazoo Facebook page, I noticed that Jim Short was one of the regulars and had a plethora of great Kalamazoo ephemera.

I called him and we chatted for an hour or more, having much in common, and he sent me a few photos from his archives.

Jim grew up in the Edison neighborhood and worked for the Kalamazoo State Hospital. He told me that his passion for Kalamazoo history began shortly after he attended his 20-year Kalamazoo Central reunion. At that time he began picking up everything he could about the history of the school, with the intentions of someday writing a book. The book never materialized but dozens of scrapbooks full of Kalamazoo Central (Kalamazoo High School when it first opened in the late 1800’s) turned into a passion that branched out into most of the other schools in the area.

His collection includes a complete set of Kalamazoo Central yearbooks as well as the monthly school news bulletins, issued from 1901-1915. He now had over 300 local yearbooks in his collection.

Jim also collects just about anything else related to the history of Kalamazoo I asked Jim if he had a favorite item in his collection an he said it would

MICHIGAN

PICKERS

be hard to pick one, but a very old scale, once used in the chemistry and physics classes at the school would be right up there.

A few years back, Jim won an award from the Kalamazoo Board of Education for his work on the history of the area schools.

State Championship Basketball Ticket from 1918

If you share a passion for the history of this area and would like to contact Jim Short, he can be reached at jshort@ameritec.net

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Tales

FROM THE

road

~ OXFORD, michigan ~

By Steve Ellis I grew up in Pontiac and many of my family members still live in the area in the town of Clarkston.

Historical Museum. The museum is housed in the former Oxford Savings Bank Building that was built in 1922.

The museum volunteers were very friendly and proud of their great museum. The old high ceiling bank building, located on the corner at the main light downtown, is the perfect place to display old photos and artifacts from the past 150 years or so.

My sister enjoyed the many mannequins dressed in period attire and my dad loved the basement full of old tools and mechanical devices.

While in town, celebrating the holidays, we typically spend Saturday, having breakfast in Clarkston and then visiting one of the small towns in the area.

My sister suggested that we take a ride over to the Village of Oxford, about a 30-minute drive from Clarkston and 40 miles north of Detroit. Six of us packed into her truck and headed over, not knowing what to expect.

We were lucky enough to get a parking spot on the main street of the three-block downtown lined with gorgeous old brick buildings. My sister (an avid picker and garage sale addict) headed into Salvage Sisters Boutique before the rest of us could even get out of the truck. We quickly followed her to get out of the cold and found a store that we all enjoyed. They describe themselves on their Facebook page as a “Boutique and Consignment Store For Home Decor, Shabby Chic, Antiques and More!”

We crossed the street and headed into

We found out that Bruce Beemer, the original radio voice of the Lone Ranger was from Oxford and the museum has a nice display case dedicated to him.

We also learned that in the early 1800’s, northern Oakland County and Oxford was believed to be swampland and was largely avoided. Its first settler was a wolf trapper named Avery Brown The museum had lots to offer and we were all glad we found it. More details about the museum can be found at neohs.net

Funky Monkey Toys-a great toy store that has a little of everything and boasts that they have, “ the best in unique and children’s toys and hard to find games.”

My dad asked about the museum next door and was told that, “It was well worth visiting and would be opening in 15 minutes. However, if the flag was hanging by the front door, they were open.” I peaked out the door at 12:55 and saw the “open” flag billowing in the wind so we headed over to the Northeast Oakland

On the way back to the truck, Jackie and I wandered into the Sweet & Savory Bake Shop-I can’t walk by a bakery without stopping. This bakery was chock-full of great looking pastries, intricate Christmas candy creations and wedding cakes. I found some delicious macaroons dipped in chocolate to enjoy on the ride home.

We wished we would have had more time to explore this historic area. Our our next visit to Oxford, we will definitely stop into Williams Art Glass Studio, Sullivan’s Irish Pub and a handful of other interesting places we noticed.

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tuesday

• Yearly, replace smoke detector batteries.

• Yearly, lubricate garage door.

• Every other year, schedule septic tank pumping.

toolmen

By Ken VanEseltine

Handy Household Tips This month, I am sharing a few more tips I’ve collected over time from my fellow Tuesday Toomen, my own experiences, and other sources.

You can sharpen a utility knife blade on a kitchen knife sharpener. It is a lot quicker than going to the hardware store to buy a new blade.

You can use flexible straws or surgical tubing to make your own specially made caulking tips.

Pour very hot water down your sinks’ drains monthly to help them flow well and prevent clogs.

Use a calendaring program or feature (such as that available in Microsoft Outlook) to remind you of periodic tasks. Following is a schedule I (try to) adhere to.

• Twice a month, check water softener salt level.

• Monthly, change furnace filters.

• Monthly, lubricate paper shredder.

• Monthly, poor hot water down sink drains.

• Monthly, shake and check fire extingishers.

• Monthly, make sure computer backup system is working.

• Quarterly, replace whole-house water sediment filter.

• Twice a year, replace refrigerator water filter.

The Coffee Cup was located on Portage Rd. at Lovell. It is now a parking lot.

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Of course, your schedule will vary, depending upon your house, the equipment you have in it, and occupancy. Your employer should not object to you using minimal company resources to keep yourself safe, secure, and healthy in your home. Talk to your supervisor and see if it would be a nice idea to recommend this practice to people you work with through your company’s personnel, safety, and/or information technology people.

Ken VanEseltine is a member of Tuesday Toolmen, a group of volunteers that works with the Home Repair Department of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan to provide home safety checks, minor home repairs, and alterations to homes to allow senior citizens to stay safely in their own homes.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR SPECIAL EVENTS Art Hop, Feb 5 - Downtown Kalamazoo Coopers Glen Music Festival, Feb 5-6, Radisson Plaza Hotel 459-5144 Kalamazoo Indoor Flea Market, Tue, Wed, 8am-2pm Kal County Expo Center Stulberg Gold Medalist Yaegy Park with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Feb 19, 8pm, Miller Aud, 343-2776 Other Desert Cities, Feb 5-21, Farmer’s Alley Theatre, 3432727 Richard Marx, Feb 5 ,State Theatre, 345-6500 Millennium Park Ice Rink, 280 Romence Rd, $ Taoist Tai Chi Society Open Houses, Feb 15, 6:30-8:30pm, Feb 16, 10-11:30am, Hillside Center, Portage. 323-1974 Golden Dragon Acrobats Present Cirque Ziva, Feb 20, 8pm, Miller Aud, 387-2309 Beethoven & Nielson, Feb 19, 8pm, Miller Auditorium, 3497759 Weight Watchers meets every Thur at 5:30pm at the Richland Community Center (weigh in at 5pm) Family Crimes- Thru Feb 14 Dungeon Theatre, 129 Thompson St 337-7130 Time for Three, Dalton Center Recital Hall, Feb 26, 8pm, 382-7774 Special Olympics Michigan State Unified Basketball Finals, WMU Student Rec Center, Feb 27, 8:30am-4:30pm, FREE Winter Blast Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k, Portage Central H.S, Feb 28, 329-4522 20th Annual Garage Sale Art Fair, Feb 27, 9:30am-4pm, $, Kal County Expo Center Stulberg Bronze Medalist Hae Sue Lee with the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra, Feb 21, 4pm Chenery Aud, 343-2776 I am Going To Dance For You, Wellspring Theatre, Feb 27, 8pm, 317 652-0591 Al Jarreau in Symphony, with the KSO, Feb 27, 8pm, Miller Aud, 349-7759 Creature Feature: Owl Feb 6,11am-12pm Kal Nature Center 381-1574 Gilmore Rising Stars: Igor Levit (Russia/Germany), Feb 7, 4pm, State Theatre, 342-1166 Mid-Winter Auto Swap Meet, Feb 6-7, $, Kal County Expo Center, Steel Magnolias, Civic Theatre, Feb 19-March 5, 343-1313 Chicago, Miller Aud, Feb 29-Mar 1, 7:30pm 387-2309 13th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival, Feb 20, 2:30pm, Chenery Aud, 349-7775 Record and CD Show, Feb 21, 11am-4pm, Kal County Expo Center, FEEE Shipshewana on the Road, Feb 20-21, Kal County Expo Center, $, 979-8888 Cross Country Ski Class, Feb 6, 9am-11am, Milham Park Golf Course, $, 329-4522 Winter Jamboree, Feb 6, 11am-1pm, Milham Park Golf Course, FREE Singing Valentines, Feb 12-14, 8am-8pm, The Mall City Harmonizers 350-4085 All-Star Blues Bash, Feb 12, 7:30pm, State Theatre, 3456500 Gilmore Car Museum Lecture Series, Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, 3pm, 671-5089 Kalamazoo Dance Monthly Ballroom Dance, Sat Feb 20 Lesson-The Waltz. 7:00-8:00 p.m. General Dancing- 8:0010:00 p.m. The Point Community Center 2595 N. 10th St. $ Kalamazoo County Association of Retired School Personnel will meet Tuesday, Feb 2 at 11:30 at WMU Fetzer Center.

Gold Company, Feb 13, 2 & 8pm, Miller Auditorium All Ears Theatre, Faiths Nuggets Feb 6,, 6pm, First Baptist Church, FREE Mon, Feb 1st 7:15 Christopher Sloan Guitar Music –KIVAFriendship Village Fri, Feb 5th 2:00 Mighty Medicine Musical Show -Kiva Mon, Feb 8th 2:00 Vocal Concert with Cat Canyon -Kiva Thur, Feb 11th 2:00 Elizabeth Cameron With Justin Rio -Kiva Sat, Feb13th 2:00 Sigma Alpha IOTA Musical Concert –Kiva Sun, Feb 14th 7:15 Fred Walker The Songs We Can’t Forget -Kiva Tues, Feb16th 2:00 John Hill Presents: The Appalachian Trail -Kiva Thurs, Feb 25th 2:00 Henrik shares a Violin & Piano Duet -Kiva

YMCA OF GREATER KALAMAZOO 1001 W. Maple St. 269-345-9622 New Member Meet & Greet: Fri Feb 5, 1:30pm-2:30pm, Maple St. Chapel Special Presentation: Lauren Johnson, Occupational Therapist will be presenting a program “Are You Stroke Smart?”

12:30pm-1:30pm Fri Feb 19. FREE/ All are welcome Blood Pressure Clinics: Wed Feb 3,11am-1pm, Tue, Feb 9 2pm-4pm, Wed, Feb 17 11am-1pm,Thur, Feb 25, 2pm-4pm The “Y” Read Book Group, Fri, Feb 19, 1:30p-3p. Join us for a discussion on Dear Life by Alice Munro SilverSneakers Yoga, Thur. 10:00am-10:45am. Members free/ $32 Community.

SilverSneakers Classic, T/Th 11a-12p. Members free/ $49 Community.

SilverSneakers Splash, M/W/TH 3p-4p. Members free/ $62 Community, 2 times a week, $54 Community.

Tai Chi for Arthritis, T/TH 10a-11a, $23 Mbr/$49 Community.

Instr: Glenda Van Stratton. 345-9622 x127.

SilverSneakers Circuit, M/W 11a-12p, Members free/$49 Community SilverSneakers Cardio, New class, T/Th, 1:30p-2:30p Members free/$56 Community

YMCA OF GREATER KALAMAZOO Portage Branch 2900 West Centre Ave. 269-324-9622 Blood Pressure Clinics, Ist Monday and 2nd Tuesday of each month 9:45-11:45am YogaStretch, Friday 11am-12pm, Members Free, Community $23.

Muscular Strength and Range of Movement, Monday 1p-2p, Members Free, Community $30, Wednesday/Friday 10am11am Members Free/ $60 Community

COMSTOCK COMMUNITY CENTER 269-345-8556 Bell Ringer’s Choir: Monday’s, 10am-12pm. All levels of skill welcome. If you would like to join, call Phil in advance at 269-343-6067. Free.

Bingo: Every Thursday at 1pm. Bring a $1.00 value item in a paper sack. Free.

Borgess Healthy Steps: Tuesday & Thursday, 8-9am. This class is held at Borgess Health & Fitness Center. Cost $20/ year. Call (269) 552-2348 to register.

Bridge: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month, 1pm. This is a group of experienced players. 324-2404 to sign up to play.

50 cents to play.

Ceramics: Tues, 1-3pm, $5 per week includes supplies Conversation Cafe: Every Tues, Wed, Thur. at 11:30am. Enjoy a home cooked meal. Call by noon the day before to order. Cost is $6 and includes beverage.

Exercise: Tues & Thur, 10am-11am Low impact exercises and all levels welcome. Cost is $3 per class.

Foot Care Clinic: 2nd & 4th Mon of the Month. Please call 345-8556 to make an appt. Cost is $25 per visit.

Knitting and Crocheting: Every Mon and Wed, 1-3pm Line Dance: Wednesdays at 9-10:30am. Cost is $3.

Massage: Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s by appointment only. Cost is $20 for 1/2 hour and $40 for hour.

Out to Breakfast: 8:30am.. Feb 3 at Poor Richards on E. Crosstown Pkwy Feb 16 @ Niko’s on King Hwy- Meal cost is on your own Out to Lunch: Join the group at 11:30am. Feb 26 @Ten Ten on Gull Rd Meal cost is on your own. **NEW** Qigong: Thursday’s 9-9:45am. The benefit of this class is balance and harmony consisting of gentle movements that nurture greater flexibility and coordination, Cost is $5.

Potluck: 3rd Monday of each month at noon. Bring a dish to pass and your own tableware. Free.

Stay Independent-Prevent Memory Loss: 3rd Mon. of month, 1-2pm. Different memory loss topic monthly $5.

Tai Chi, Mondays at 5:30pm-6:15pm $5 Texas Hold ‘em Poker: Tuesdays at 12:30 pm. Beginner’s welcome. Free.

Therapeutic Swim Class: Comstock Community Center Water Class‚ meets every Tues and Thur from 10-11am. (269) 552-2358. Cost is $40 for 8 week class.

TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly): Every Tuesday 5pm7pm. 383-0312. Membership is $32 annually.

ECUMENICAL SENIOR CENTER 702 N. Burdick Street 381-9750 Monday - Exercise, Free Blood pressure 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Bible Study 1 to 2 p.m.

Tuesday – Craft (knitting) Ceramic Class Instructor: Tina Krum Cost $4.00 per class Trip to Beauty School – 3rd Tuesdays of each month Wednesday– Bible Study 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Medicine Check 12:30 p.m. - Book Reading Thursday – Scrapbooking 10:00, Spanish Class, (six week class) and Community Prayer Circle @ 2p.m.

Friday – Computer classes @10:00, Bingo @ 10:30 a.m.

Lunch 12:00; 1:30 p.m. - Wii Bowling, games, and movies.

Grocery Bingo- 2nd Friday in each month Monthly Birthday Celebration, Bible Study Monday- 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Wed. 10:30 to 11:30

PLAINWELL AREA COMMUNITY CENTER Euchre-Tuesdays 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. singles or couples.

Tai Chi M 3-4 pm $ Senior Game Day 1st Th of Month 1-4pm Mid Lake Chorus Tuesdays 6-9pm VFW 1st Monday of month 7-9pm Enhance Fitness Mon, Wed, Fri, 11-12 $ Jazzercise M-Th, 6-7 $

PORTAGE SENIOR CENTER 269-329-4555 A Matter of Balance Class, Friday, February 5 – April 1, 9:30 – 11:30 AM., partnership with Area Agency on Aging IIIA. Register at 329-4555.

Alzheimer’s Assoc. Support Group, 7:00-8:30pm, 3rd Tuesday Art Open Session, 1:00 p.m., Mon, PSC Members only.

Bid Euchre & Other Cards, 6:30 p.m. Tues. New players welcome. PSC mem only.

Big Screen Movie: Mon, Feb 8, 1:15 p.m. “The Amish: How They Survive” View the movie for free; popcorn 50 cents.

Billiards – 12:30 – 4:45 p.m., Tue, Thur, Fri. Mem only.

Blood Pressure Clinic, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., 2nd Thur Body Rebound, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Mon, Wed, & Fri all month.

Non-aerobic exercise class. 8-weeks: $42/$52 non-mem.

Register at PSC. Book Club, 2nd Monday @ 10:00 a.m.

Bridge – Relaxed Pace, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Mon and Wed all month. Relaxed pace, won’t you join our group? PSC members only.

Bridge, Experienced 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Tues and Fri all month.

Experienced players welcome. PSC Members only.

Canasta Club, 1:00 p.m., Mon. Exp and beginning players welcome. Lessons available. PSC Mbrs only.

Caring for the Caregiver by Bronson Methodist Hospital and Bronson Heart Failure Clinic, Tuesday, February 9, 6:00 – 7:30 PM, register at 341-7723.

Chair Volleyball Drop-in Play: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Tues The PSC offers free, drop-in play. PSC Members only.

Choir Practice, 9:30 a.m. Thursdays.

Community Service Van (CSV) Program Transportation, 8:30 – 1:00 p.m., Mon - Fri. Trans. available for PSC programs or PSC lunch. Call 329-4555 for appt Computer Tutoring: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, Mon & Fri, 2-4pm Weds Reg at PSC, members only. Fee $10/hr.

Cooking Demonstration – It’s a Mystery! by Chef Roger of MediLodge of Portage. Thursday, February 4, 1:00 PM, $3 Members and $6 Non-Members. Register at PSC. Cribbage, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Mon, no fee. You’re welcome to join our group. PSC Members only.

Dining Out Club - Dinner, 5:00 p.m. Feb 1, Old Country Buffet, 5220 W. Main, Kalamazoo Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reg PSC 329-4555 by prev bus day is required.

Self-pay.

Dining Out Club - Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. Tue, Feb 9, LaRue’s Family Restaurant, 6375 Stadium Dr, Oshtemo Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reservation at PSC 329-4555 by prev bus day is required. Self-pay.

Dining Out Club -Lunch, 11:30 am, Thur, Feb 18 Panda Dynasty, 7716 S. Westnedge, Portage Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance res. at PSC 329-4555 by previous bus day required. Self-pay.

Diversity 101: What’s Your GPA? Thursday, January 7, 1:30 PM. In this workshop, participants will explore ethnic and cultural diversity from an African American perspective.

Register at 329-4555.

Drums Alive: Monday and Wednesday, 9:20 – 10:20 am., $42/52. Call 329-4555 for information.

Dominoes, 1:00 p.m. 2nd and 4th Fri. New players welcome.

PSC members only.

Enhance Fitness, 8:10 – 9:10 a.m., Mon, Wed, and Fri. Improve fitness, muscle strength, & balance. 8-week: $42/$52 non-member, .Register at the PSC. Euchre, 1:45- 4:45 p.m. Wednesdays. New PSC members/ players welcome.

Evening Meal – Feb 16, 5:00 PM, includes main entre, sides, dessert and beverage for $10. Register at 329-4555.

Hand Chimes, Thurs, 1:00 p.m. (hand chimes provided) Hearing Screenings, February 16, 9:00 – 11:00 AM, register at 329-4555 to schedule an appointment (required).

Indoor Walking at the Stable at Portage Public Schools, Tuesday and Thursdays, 1:30 – 2:30 PM. PSC members only.

Laptop Intro to Office, 10:00 – noon, Wed. 7 weeks. Instructor Royce Bland teaches a class designed for those with basic working knowledge who would like to learn how to utilize Microsoft Office $24/Members only.

Loaves & Fishes Bag Recycling – Bring your plastic & paper bags to the Center the first week of the month.

Lunch, 11:45 a.m. (Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri) Reservations required, call Senior Services at 382-0515.

Mah Jongg, 1 p.m. Tues. New PSC members welcome.Matter of Balance Class beginning June 3. Call the Center for specifics and register at 329-4555 Massage Therapy, 1st & 3rd Mon, call 329-4555 for appmt. $20 half hour and $40 full hour.

Methamphetamine – what is it? Thursday, February 4, 1:30 PM, presentation by Portage Uniformed Narcotics Team.

Register at 329-4555.

Ping-Pong, 3:30 – 4:45 p.m., Mon and Thur. Have fun and exercise at this drop-in event. Equipment provided. Members only.

Pinochle Double Deck, 1:00 p.m., Friday (1st, 3rd, 5th). PSC Members only.

Pinochle Single Deck, 1:00 p.m. Thur, PSC mbrs only.

Poker Night – Just for Fun, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. on 2nd Tuesday.

Free. Dealer’s choice poker game, call PSC for more information. PSC Members only.

Portage Rotary, Noon on Wed. PSC Band Practice, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., Tues. New players welcome! Call 329-4555. PSC Members only.

PSC Needlers, 9:00 a.m. – 12 Noon, Thursdays. Knitting and crocheting. Items made are donated to charities.

PSC Trip Office, open for res (324-9239), Tues and Fri, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Quilting, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., Fridays all month. Bring quilting supplies. New quilters welcome.

Readers’ Theatre, 2nd and 4th Wednesday.

Recycled Card Project, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Tues. (1st,3rd, 4th) New PSC participants welcome, members only. Make new greeting cards from used cards.

Red Hat Society, if you are interested in joining this group, contact Marie Tucker at 375-2104.

Reminiscence Writing, 10:30 a.m. Wed Write & share your writing. Instructor: Wilma Kahn, MFA, DA. 7 wks, Fee: $32/$42 non-member, register at PSC. Scrabble, 1:00 to 4:45 p.m. 1st and 3rd Frid. New members welcome.

Silver Sneakers Splash, 11:00 – 12 noon. Tues and Thurs.

Aquatics based exercise held at YMCA Portage, designed to build strength, increase range of movement. Pay at YMCA Portage, $68/7 wks. PSC or “Y” Members only.

Sisterhood Group, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., 2nd Fridays. Sisterhood is a women’s social group that meets the second Friday of each month. Welcome new “sisters”.

Stay Independent – Prevent Memory Loss, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., 2nd Thursday. Instr: Suzanne Gernaat, fee $7/$9 non-member per ses. A discussion/activity group T’ai Ji, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., Tues. Instructor, Ed Kehoe, 7-weeks.

Fee: $42/$52 non-member. Reg. at the PSC. Travels with Mr. Lincoln Presentation, Tuesday, February 23, 6:30 – 7:30 PM, Register at 329-4555.

Valentine’s Day Lunch, Thursday, February 18, 11:30 AM, $5 lunch reservation.

Volunteer Orientation, Tuesday, February 9, 10:00 AM, register at 329-4555.

Volunteer Van Drivers – positions available one day a week, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm, Monday - Friday. Contact PSC Volunteer Coordinator.

Walkers with Walkers, 9:30 a.m. Crossroads Mall, Tues. and Thurs. PSC Members only.

Walking - Daily, 8:30 a.m., Mon – Sat at Crossroads Mall, Food Court entrance.

Wii Bowling, 9:45 – 11:30 a.m. Tues. Have fun with this video game bowling league without spending $$ at an alley. PSC Members only.

Woodcarving, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Tues. PSC member’s free/ non-members $3.00/wk.

Yoga, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Mon. 8 weeks. Christine Peckels, Location: St. Catherine’s of Siena – Stanley Center. $72/82 Non-members.

Zumba, 9:20 – 10:20 AM, Fridays. Instructor, Helene Thompson, 8 weeks, $24 Member/$34 Non-Members. Register at PSC.

SENIOR SERVICES OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN 269-382-0515 Now Scheduling AARP Tax Appointments! Call for more information on this free service for seniors.

Lunch M-F at 11:45am. Reservations must be made by noon, one day in advance. 382-0515.

Bingo: (Feb 1 & 15 ) Mon. 11:00-Noon Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program: Mon-Fri, call 1-800803-7174 for appt.

AARP Smart Driving Program: Thur. Sept. 17th 9am-4pm $15 for AARP members $20 non-members .Call 269-3820515 for more information and to sign up.

Massage: Relieve stress and promote relaxation with State Licensed graduate of Health Enrichment Center; therapist Eugenia Muller, bringing 21 years of experience. Mon. 9:00am-4:00pm-30 minutes for $20 call 269-8 to schedule your apt. 269 808-2040 “Swinging with Susan” Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, M & W, ALL fitness levels. 10:00am-11:00am. Susan Lervolina. $35/7wks (14 classes) TOPS for Seniors. Mon. Lose weight with support and encouragement ($3 per month) 12:00-1:30pm Ballroom Dance. MON. (basic and intermediate) $25/8 weeks. 3:15-4:45pm Chair Yoga: W/Leslie Balance your mind and your body.

Tue. 9:30-10:30am Minimum $5 donation.

Art Painting. Tue. 10am-12pm, Bring your own supplies and enjoy the fellowship. No fee.

Helping Hands. Tue, (Feb 9 & 23) Knit/crochet items to distribute to community agencies. 1:00pm-4:00pm Grief Support: Counselor available for support. Weds. 10:30 am-11:30 am. Call 269-382-0515 for dates Visually Impaired Group. Wed (Feb 3 & 17) Support for the visually impaired. 10:30am-12:00pm Senior Foot Clinic, Wed & Fri am-4pm ($28, & bring bath towel). 269-671-5427 for appt.

Grief Support: Counselor available for support. Weds. 10:30 am-11:30 am. Call 269-382-0515 for dates Tai Chi w/instructor Ed Kehoe. $5/week, 1:30pm-2:30pm Intermediate/Advanced Ballroom Dance. W 3:15-4:45pm Don and Ann Douglass instruct advanced steps of this popular dance style. $25/8 weeks Bridge Experienced Players TH 12:30-4:00pm Line Dance Fri 10:00-11:00am. Susan Iervolina leads this advanced class. $35/7weeks.

FEBRUARY 2016 Prime Time Players: Rehearsal. Talented seniors perform for the community. –Fri. 1:30pm-3:00pm

RICHLAND AREA COMMUNITY CENTER 629-9430 www.richlandareacc.org Book Discussion Group: 3rd Thur., 9:30am , Feb book, Missoula: Rape and the Justice System, by Krakauer Bridge: Mon., 12:30-3:30pm Crescendo Academy of Music “Music Together” great for grandparents and grandbabies! Tues., 5-6 pm, $ Drop-In Coffee Hour: Tue./Thur., 9:30-10:30am Euchre: Wed., 12:30-3:30pm Foot Clinic: Bi-monthly, 4th Tue, call for appt., Kathleen Barnum, 671.5427 GLA Rotary: Thur., 7:30-8:30am Hand & Foot (cards): Wed., 1:00-3:30 Ping Pong: Tue., 3-5 pm Richland/Gull Lake Area Lions Club: 1st Thur., 5:30-8 pm Senior Dining Coupons: Tue. 9am-1pm, Wed. 9am-5pm Square Dance: 3rd Sat., 7:30-10am “Swingin’ with Susan” Exercise (sponsored by Laurels of Galesburg): Tue/Thur, 10:30-11:30am, $3 per class Tai Chi, Intermediate: Wed., 4:30-5:30pm Intermediate Hatha Vinyasa Yoga: Tue., 9-10 am, (Sliding Fee—Age 49 & Under, $10/age 50-59, $8/Age 60-69, $6/ Age 70 & Above, $3. Buy 10 Classes, get the 11th FREE.) Yoga-Hatha Vinyasa-Core Boost: 6-wk session, Friday 9:1510:15 am, $60, csdtucci@comcast.net Yoga-Hatha Vinyasa-Evening: Mon. & Tues., 6-7 pm, $10 per session Yoga-Gentle w/Cathy Tucci: Tue./Thur., 10:15-11:15am, (sliding fee-age 49 & under, $10/age50-59, $8/age 60-69, $6/ Age 70/above, $3. Buy 10 classes, get 11th free.)

Yoga Mon. 10:30-11:30 pm, $10/session Weight Watchers: Starts in January. Call ahead.

269.629.9430 Laurels Lunch & Learn: Stay Safe Online! Protect Yourself From Cybercrime, Thur, Feb 11, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Must Register Random Acts of Kindness Week Feb 14-20, All Day Scarf Felting Class w/Dawn Edwards Feb 20, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM Soft Pastels Class w/ Carol Yager Feb 21, 1:00-4:00 PM

SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES Certified Veterans Service Officer – Every Thurs from 9am – 1pm. Walk in only.

We also offer foot care and a free legal service each month, but interested individuals should call the SCCS office at 649-2901 for an appt.

THREE RIVERS SENIOR CENTER Open Art Studio, Bridge Club, Lunch & Learns, Trips, Events, Rental Space, Health Clinics, Arthritis Exercise, Balance Exercise, Bingo, Bunco, Breakfast Clubs, Massage, Hair Cuts, Computer Classes, wifi, Wii. Call COA for dates and times at 269-279-8083.

PLAN YOUR TRIP Portage Senior Center 269-324-9239 Thirsty Village Tour, March 24, 2016, Saugatuck, MI Stepon guide knowledge sharing, antiques, tastings, and lunch included.

Magic of Neil Diamond, April 8, 2016, Zehnder’s, Frankenmuth, MI The Home Game, April 15, 2016, Blue Gate Theatre, Shipshewana, IN (theatre and meal included) Historic Cities of the East – May 15-20, 2016 (Amish Country, Baltimore, Gettysburg and Philadelphia)

Richland Area Community Center 269-629-9430 Four Freshman in Holland, MI: Apr 14 - Carolyn Mack Tours - $80 pp Springtime in Branson: May 16-20, 2016 – Ed & Ted’s Excellent Adventures – $949 pp. dbl. occ.

Beauty and The Beast Musical in Chicago: May 25 - Carolyn Mack Tours - $138 pp Cape Cod & The Islands: Jun 11-18 - Ed & Ted’s Excellent Adventures - $1,699 pp. dbl. occ.

WMU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute 800-887-4971 Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra Baroque Coffee Concert: March 4 Lifestyles of Chicago’s Rich and Famous: March 15 Othello at the Shakespeare Theatre Navy Pier: April 7 Toledo Here We Come: April 14 Grand Rapids Dinner and the Opera: April 27 The Purple Rose and More: May 25

Comstock Community Center 345-8556 Casino-Soaring Eagle Excursion, March 29

23 Stunt Dog Show, April 17 Peru Splendors/Machu Picchu, Apr 24-May 1 Historic Cities of the East, May 15-20 4th of July on the Queen Mary, July 1-6

KALAMAZOO COUNTY MEAL SITES Nutritious hot lunches are served by Senior Services Inc. to people 60 and older at Kalamazoo County meal sites. To reserve a lunch, call the Nutrition Center at 269-382-0515 by 1 p.m. the day before you plan to visit. A cost-sharing donation is suggested for each lunch. Here are the meal sites, their addresses and the days they are open: Coover Center, 918 Jasper St., 11:45 a.m. Mon-Wed. Crossroads Village, 6600 Constitution Blvd., 11:30 a.m.

Mon-Fri. Dillon Hall, 3299 Gull Rd, 11:30 a.m. Mon-Fri Ecumenical Senior Center, 702 N. Burdick St., 11:45 a.m.

Mon-Fri. Evergreen Community Room, Evergreen North Complex, 5700 Vintage Lane, noon Mon-Fri. Northwind Place Apartments, 1004 Douglas Ave., noon Mon-Fri. Portage Senior Center, 320 Library Lane, 11:45 a.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Spring Manor Friendship Center, Spring Manor Apts, 610 Mall Drive, Portage, noon, Mon-Fri. Spring Valley Crossing, 2535 Mount Olivet Road, Parchment, noon Mondays-Fridays.

Washington Square Friendship Center, Washington Square Apartments, 710 Collins St., noon. Mon-Fri.

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY MEAL SITES The St. Joseph County Commission on Aging helps coordinate lunches for people age 60 and older at three meal sites and 18 participating restaurants. Call 800-641-9899 or 269-279-8083 for information on how to make reservations, which are required 24 hours in advance. A minimum cost sharing contribution can be shared at meal sites and $3.75 suggested donation for restaurant vouchers is requested for each lunch. Meal sites, their location and the days they are open are: Kline’s Resort Meal Site: Fridays Noon – 1:00p.m.

Sturgis Senior Center: 304 N. Jefferson St. Mon-Fri Three Rivers Senior Center: 103 S. Douglas Ave., M-F

SPARK

ED & TEDS EXCELLENT ADVENTURES in conjunction with the Portage Senior Center & Richland Area Community Center

present...

Biloxi / New Orleans

The Buffalo Round Up*

Also Featuring The French Quarter Festival

Featuring Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse & the Badlands

April 2-11, 2016 10 Days / 9 Nights

Sept. 24 - Oct. 3, 2016 10 Days / 9 Nights

$

00

1,999

PER PERSON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

Your excellent adventure includes: s 2OUND 4RIP $ELUXE -OTOR #OACH 4RANSPORTATION s /NE NIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS IN .ASHVILLE 4. s 4WO NIGHTS ACCOMMODATIONSAT THE "EAU 2IVAGE #ASINO (OTEL IN "ILOXI -3 s 4HREE NIGHTS ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE 7YNDHAM &RENCH 1UARTER IN .EW /RLEANS s 4WO NIGHTS ACCOMMODATIONS (OLIDAY )NN $OWNTOWN -EMPHIS 4. s /NE NIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS (ISTORIC 'ALT (OUSE IN ,OUISVILLE +9 s "ILOXI 6ISITOR #ENTER AND THE "ILOXI ,IGHTHOUSE s #ITY TOUR OF "ILOXI INCLUDING THE *EFFERSON $AVIS (OME AND ,IBRARY s ! 3HRIMP "OAT 4OUR FOLLOWED BY A 3HRIMP "OIL s ! *AZZ "RUNCH #RUISE ABOARD THE 3TEAMBOAT .ANCHEZ s ! DEMONSTRATION AND DINNER AT THE .EW /RLEANS 3CHOOL OF #OOKING s ! (ORSE $RAWN #ARRIAGE TOUR OF THE &RENCH 1UARTER IN .EW /RLEANS s 4OUR OF -ARDI 'RAS 7ORLD s 4OUR OF THE .ATIONAL 7ORLD 7AR )) -USEUM s #ITY 4OUR OF .EW /RLEANS s 4OUR AND LUNCH AT THE /AK !LLEY 0LANTATION s &REE TIME TO ENJOY THE &RENCH 1UARTER &ESTIVAL s 4OUR OF %LVIS 0RESLEY S 'RACELAND HIS !UTO -USEUM AND PLANES s /THER -EMPHIS ATTRACTIONS 4"! s -EALS $INNERS ,UNCHES "REAKFASTS s !N %D 4ED S %XCELLENT !DVENTURES 4OUR $IRECTOR s "AGGAGE (ANDLING TAXES AND TIPS ON ITEMS INCLUDED

Springtime in Branson* May 16-20, 2016

$

94900

PER PERSON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

Your excellent adventure includes: s 2OUND TRIP TRANSPORTATION ABOARD A $ELUXE -OTORCOACH s NIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS AT $RURY (OTELS IN THE 3T ,OUIS -ISSOURI AREA s NIGHTS ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE (ILTON AT "RANSON ,ANDING s !DMISSION TO AND RESERVE SEATING FOR THE $OUG 'ABRIEL 3HOW 0RESLEY S #OUNTRY *UBILEE 3HOJI 4ABUCHI 4HE (ITS OF THE S AND S 4OO AND THE "RETT &AMILY 3INGERS s $INNERS ,UNCH AND "REAKFASTS $INNERS INCLUDE #ARMINES IN 3T ,OUIS AND 3HORTY 3MALLS IN "RANSON s !N %D 4ED S %XCELLENT !DVENTURES 4OUR $IRECTOR s !LL BAGGAGE HANDLING TAXES AND GRATUITIES ON ITEMS INCLUDED s ! FEW SURPRISES ALONG THE WAY

$

1,79900

PER PERSON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

#USTER 3TATE 0ARK IN THE BEAUTIFUL "LACK (ILLS OF WESTERN 3OUTH $AKOTA IS FULL OF LUSH FORESTS QUIET AND SERENE MEADOWS AND MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS %ACH FALL THE GROUND RUMBLES AND THE DUST mIES AS COWBOYS COWGIRLS AND PARK CREWS SADDLE UP TO BRING IN THE THUNDERING HERD OF OVER "UFFALO

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$50.00 deposit due at registration ямБnal payment due 3/1/2016

$50.00 deposit due at registration ямБnal payment due 4/16/2016

$50.00 deposit due at registration ямБnal payment due 8/20/2016

Rates: $1,999 double / $1,919 triple / $2,679 single

Rates: $949 double / $899 triple / $1,149 single

Rates: $1,799 double / $1,709 triple / $2,329 single

ED & TEDS EXCELLENT ADVENTURES 117 State St. Hillsdale, Mi 49242 s 4OLL &REE WWW EDANDTEDS COM Portage Senior Center 320 Library Lane Portage, MI 49002

Richland Area Community Center 9400 E. CD Avenue Richland, MI 49083

269-324-9239

269-629-9430

REGISTRATION FORM: (Please Print) Biloxi/New Orleans, April 2, 2016 ____

Springtime in Branson*, May 16, 2016 ____

The Buffalo Round Up*, Sept. 24, 2016 ____

3INGLE ???? $OUBLE ???? 4RIPLE ???? .AME???????????????????????????????????????? .AME 4AG ????????????????????????????????? !DDRESS ????????????????????????????????????????????? #ITY ??????????????????????????????

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Make checks payable to Ed & TedтАЩs Excellent Adventure. *Only available at the Richland Area Community Center.