SWMSpark-July 2023

JOHN MEYERS IS LEADING THE PACK! ~ PG. 10

Expert Advice

Counseling

Q: When is the best time to participate in therapy?

Healthcare

Don’t Let Injuries Ruin Your Golf Game.

Financial Services

Q: Should I start contributing to a Roth IRA?

Kim Powers, Owner, Licensed Professional Counselor

A: Right now is the best time to engage in mental health counseling. Each day is an opportunity to pursue your best life. When you improve your mental health, other aspects of your life start to improve as well. Physical, financial, emotional, spiritual, and environmental health encompass holistic wellbeing. As we begin this new year, are you ready to challenge yourself to grow?

Transitions

Diana Duncan Director of Sales and Marketing

Q: How much time should I allow for an appointment with a senior living community Sales Counselor?

A: Allowing up to 90 minutes for a personized appointment will give you a great start in understanding what options work best for your health age and finances as well as timing your move.

Friendship Village

“Where Connections Matter”

1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo 269-381-0560

www.friendshipvillagemi.com

Matthew Militzer, Physical Therapist Assistant

Most golf injuries happen because of poor swing technique. When golfers try to hit the ball harder, they often lose their posture and form, which causes too much stress on one area of the body. This is why most golf injuries involve the back, shoulders and elbows.

To prevent injuries, stretch and then warm up before each round of golf. Start by hitting some balls with the wedge and working up to the driver. When you’re off the course work on glute, hamstring and core exercises to improve control and stability.

Are you suffering from pain caused by arthritis, sports or everyday activities? Bronson Sports Medicine Specialists can help you get the expert care you need to get back in the game.

Bronson Sports Medicine Specialists

315 Turwill Lane, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 bronsonhealth.com/sportsmedicine (855) 618-2676

Roofing

Q: I hear that Sherriff Goslin Roofing uses their own unique shingle. Can you tell me more about this shingle?

Chuck Henrich Owner/President

A: Roth IRAs offer versatility and have tax-efficiencies that other financial vehicles don’t. Roth IRAs are funded with after tax money.  The advantages of having a Roth IRA include:

• Tax-free growth

• Your withdrawals will be tax-free (penalties if younger than age 59 ½)

• Withdrawals will not impact your annual earnings for Social Security or Medicare purposes

• There are no Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

If you would like to discuss your options on establishing your own Roth IRA, give us a call.

Southwest Michigan Financial, LLC

The Atriums • 4341 S. Westnedge #1201 269-323-7964

www.swmif.com

Health Food

Q: I am new to the area and was wondering if Sawall Health Foods carries bulk foods?

Justin Reynolds Manager

A: The Art Loc shingle is SherriffGoslin’s original patented shingle. It can be used as a re-roofing shingle over another layer of existing shingles, or as a primary shingle over roof sheathing. It assures a smooth, windproof and watertight job. The Art Loc shingle provides a unique appearance and lends character with distinction to any home.

Today’s Art Loc shingle has been modified to include an ingredient known as an SBS (Styrene-ButadieneStyrene) polymer, which is used to alter the properties of asphalt, making the asphalt tougher and more flexible. This polymer dramatically slows down the aging process of the asphalt, providing superior waterproofing, low temperature flexibility, impact resistance, high wind endurance and extended life expectancy. Call us at (269) 342-0153 or visit us at worryfreeroof. com today to learn more.

Sherriff-Goslin Roofing Co.

Since 1906 342-0153 800-950-1906

Member Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo

Mark Sawall Owner

A: Whether you need a teaspoon of Cinnamon or a 25 lb. bag of organic whole wheat flour, Sawall’s carries over 400 of your favorite all natural and organic bulk selections. You will find West Michigan’s largest selection of bulk products including spices, whole grains, dried fruits, legumes, rice, flours, coffee, tea, soup mixes, fresh roasted or raw nuts, all natural and organic candy and a wide selection of granolas, gluten free granolas and trail mixes.  We receive weekly deliveries to ensure that our bulk is fresh.

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

Sawall Health Foods

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

A Blast from the Past

I recently did a presentation at the Zhang Portage Senior Center, which I titled, “A Blast From the Past, and was pleasantly surprised by how many folks were genuinely interested in seeing pictures and hearing about restaurants, stores and movie theaters from the past.

If you grew up in this area, you’re probably familiar with the Douglas Drive-in, The Uptown Theatre and Gilmore’s Department Store to name a few. In addition you may have fond memories of the many neighborhood grocery stores that you rode your bike to for a bottle of pop, a candy bar, baseball cards or a comic books. Over the years, things have evolved and changed, stores come and go regularly, but we still have a warm nostalgic feeling for the places we remember from our younger years.

All of the big department stores like Gilmore’s, Jacobson’s, Sears and Penny’s seemed to carry everything and families could spend a couple hours, shopping, eating in their cafe’s, trying on clothes, etc. Mom would head to the kitchen or clothing sections, dad to tools and sporting goods and us kids would head to toys, ogling at the toys we wished we had the money to buy. Riding in the elevator or on the escalator was a draw for me and my siblings as well.

Back in the day, we also eagerly looked through the local paper to see what movies were playing at the handful of theaters downtown. In the early 1950’s, Western movies were popular, and my dad could not wait for the next Tom Mix or Roy Rogers movie. Going to the movies was as much about the experience as it was the movie you saw. I loved the opulent theaters, air conditioning, candy and hot buttered popcorn.

Steve Ellis, SPARK Publisher steve@swmspark.com

Editor and Publisher: Steve Ellis

Graphic & Page Development: CRE8 Design, Kalamazoo

Content/Photography: Lauren Ellis

Writers and Contributors Include: Area Agency on Aging, Steve Ellis, Lee Dean, Laura Kurella, Richard Martinovich Dave Person, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 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.

John Meyers leadig the pack at the 2021 Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race.

Photo by Rob Meendering photography.com

The (car) show must go on

Lee A. Dean screendoor@sbcglobal.net

I have recently been involved in an enterprise that would have made my brother, Dizzy Dean, laugh uncontrollably: helping organize a classic car show.

On an early side note, yes, that was my brother’s real nickname, and he embraced it. My brother was born with a ratchet in his hand and became a shade tree mechanic without peer. He really should have opened his own garage. I, on the other hand, could turn a wrench but usually in a very uncertain direction.

“How can you organize something you don’t know anything about?” would have been his reasonable way of advising me to stay in my lane.

The answer is simple: we can love things we don’t know much about. And for me, one of those things is classic cars.

I devoted a small portion of my bandwidth to cars when I was growing up. By osmosis, I was able to store some tidbits of information away to avoid

sounding like a total nincompoop when the topic of conversation with the guys turned to cars. You don’t want to bluff your way through a discussion with true car aficionados. Pontificating about the merits of a 351 Chevy motor — a completely fictional bit of engineering — will get you black-flagged in a hurry. The 351 is a Ford engine, while the 350 is a Chevy motor, and close doesn’t count.

Much of what takes place at a car show consists of conversations about the machines right in front of you. Knowing when to be silent is therefore important. Conversations of a technical depth beyond motor size will not receive input from me, especially when the combination of letters and numbers becomes too complicated. If you say, “I think the 5.2L V-8 was a better Jeep motor than the 4.7L,” I will now knowingly and hope no one notices my glazed-over eyes.

The average person doesn’t need that level of technical expertise to go to a car show and feast their eyes on these beautiful machines. A good car show appeal to everyone’s senses. A great sounding motor creates a melody to me second only to a power chord from a Fender Stratocaster.

Speaking of guitars, a good car show

needs music and a DJ well-stocked with car-related songs, which will almost all be as old as the cars on display. The hit car song, as a subgenre of popular music, disappeared during the 1980s. The Beach Boys simply could not have written their classic songs with today’s vehicles in mind. “And she’ll have fun, fun, fun, til her daddy takes the Civic away” spoils the plot. Someday, a creative songwriter will come up with a hymn to electric vehicles. My suggestion is to turn the song into something romantic: “My Bolt is so quiet that I can hear your heartbeat as we’re cruising down the avenue of love.”

Car names are another area where nostalgia is appropriate. If you go to a car show today, you want to see Thunderbirds, Cougars, Wildcats, Falcons, Road Runners, Impalas, and Barracudas. Even the non-animal names conveyed daring and class: Imperial, Riviera, El Dorado, New Yorker. My success with the ladies was noticeably lacking, but if I had a Toronado, I could have been a contender.

As with the decline of great car songs, during the 1980s car companies changed their approach to model names. Out went the animal names, to be replaced with Alero, Acura, Elantra, and Ciera. These names sound too much like body parts. Imagine rolling

up next to a potential street racing rival at the beginning of a suitable straightaway and saying, “Hey buddy, that’s a hot looking Uvula you’ve got there. But I’ll bet my Cochlea is faster. Wanna roll?”

We did get our car show organized, thanks to the expert assistance of friends who really do know a lot about cars and even brought their own hot rides. One participant asked me, “What are you driving?” as if I had also brought a vehicle. I said, “2008 Kia Sorrento with strategically located rust spots.”

That was a flip answer, but it did cause me to ponder what kinds of vehicles will be part of a classic car show 50 years in the future. Will any of the beautiful cars we saw at our show still be around? Maybe the passage of time can make today’s SUVs and EVs of today become tomorrow’s classics. My wish is that a half century from now, people will still be able to enjoy car shows and savor those moments when someone arrives with a truly breath-taking vehicle. At one point during our show, someone rolled in with a cream-colored 1956 Thunderbird. Everyone stopped to gawk at it slowly cruise in. I even think the birds hushed their singing for a few seconds. My brother would have loved it.

Michigan Cherries!

by Laura Kurella

most often, while tart cherries are lighter red in color and most often used in baking because they contain less sugar, which enables more cherry flavor to burst forth. Likewise, their potent flavor makes them the preferred choice for cherry juice, dried cherries, and our other cherry products.

For the best, freshest cherries you will ever taste, get your hands on some of Michigan’s finest before this oh-so-short cherry season fades.

Here now is a sweet selection from our friends at Produce Moms. Enjoy!

Cherry and Pork Skewers with Cherry Rosemary Sauce

Courtesy of theproducemoms.com

SKEWERS

2 lb. pork tenderloin cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cups sweet cherries stems removed and pitted

kosher salt

1 tbsp olive oil

black pepper

CHERRY ROSEMARY SAUCE

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp scallions minced

2 cups sweet cherries stems removed and pitted

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar glaze

1/4 tsp kosher salt

black pepper to taste

5 sprigs fresh rosemary plus more for garnish

1. Sprinkle the cubes of tenderloin with salt and pepper about an hour before you plan to grill them.

2. Drizzle pork and cherries with olive oil 30 minutes before grilling and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before grilling.

3. Assemble skewers by alternating cherries and pork.

4. Grill on a hot grill (450 degrees) for about 8 minutes, turning once, or until an internal temperature of 145 degrees is reached.

5. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced scallions to the saucepan and cook for 1-2 minutes.

6. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until the sauce has reduced by half.

FYI: The 45th parallel north runs across northern Michigan for tart cherries, Washington for Washington apples and the world-class grape growing regions in France to produce some of the best champagne in the world!

Offering us two types of fresh cherries, Michigan provides us with a choice of sweet or tart cherries. Sweet cherries are dark, and sometimes almost purple and consumed raw

Laura Kurella is an award-winning food columnist, recipe developer, and home cook who loves life in Michigan. She welcomes your comments at laurakurella@yahoo.com.

WARRIORS

The Other Six

Some people--like me--keep it simple and order the main dish with everything. When I volunteer for the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, that seems to satisfy me. I get to roam the various preserves and restore habitat on a Wednesday with a bunch of dedicated volunteers.

Others in the group are more the ala carte type, choosing their volunteer work from several pages of the menu. If that’s more your style, you may be surprised how many ways there are to give nature a little boost. After all, there are six more days in the week. Depending where you live, you can do good work in your own neighborhood: Parkview Hills, Kleinstuck, Asylum Lake, Kellogg Forest. Like to hike? Help out with North Country Trail Association, or the various rail trails: KalHaven, Fruit Belt.

Who knew the Michigan DNR has a volunteer group, helping with your state parks and recreation areas. The Michigan Nature Association is a state-wide conservancy group, with several preserves near us. Westward, the VanBuren Conservation District has an active volunteer group.

Need to cleanse your palate after removing invasives? Join the Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones

and learn about the value of native plants in home and public gardens. The Audubon Society has its own preserves, great programs, and bird walks to get you outdoors. I’m sure there are more. These ideas came just from conversations with the Wednesday Warriors who shared their other favorite places to help out.

We get a real crosspollination of ideas this way.

The next time you are out, and you see a volunteer sprucing up the place, stop and thank them. Or pitch in! If you enjoy a place, please consider volunteering there and making it your own. If a regular Wednesday gig pushes your buttons, check out our website swmlc. org for details on the week’s workday. And okay, I’ll concede, there really are seven days a week to go out and hug a tree.

Kristi Chapman, volunteer, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy

“My Heart Wants Me to Do More” – Sharon Dickey

By Jim Coppinger, Milestone Senior Services Volunteer

Sharon Dickey and her twin sister, Shirley Bumgardner, grew up on a farm in Schoolcraft with five older siblings. Living and working together as family laid the foundation for a life of compassion and service.

A few years after graduating from high school, Sharon married and began raising her own family. In 1977, she began a thirty-year career at Consumers Energy. The first half of her tenure at Consumers was in customer service. Sharon says she “loved” that work because it involved personal contact with people and the challenge of helping them solve problems— such as helping them manage household budgets and credit. The second half of Sharon’s career at Consumers was in the engineering department where she used computer programs to produce utility maps for field crews to precisely locate underground and overhead electric lines. That work provided Sharon with extensive computer experience.

When Sharon retired in 2007, she says she had two goals: one was to volunteer and the other was to travel.

Sharon saw a newspaper article about Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes needing volunteers to help with the

food pantry’s newsletter. She took that volunteer position and continues to be a Loaves & Fishes volunteer to this day. Eight times a year, she gathers with 30 to 40 other volunteers to get that newsletter out. Sharon says it’s a fun, hard-working group of people and she’s made many lasting friendships. She also helps with the annual Letter Carriers Food Drive.

Sharon also volunteers with her church’s food pantry at Kalamazoo First Assembly of God. There, Sharon is in charge of managing personal-care products the pantry provides for people in need. With her computer skills, she created a time-saving spreadsheet inventory system.

Sharon and her sister Shirley have lived together for more than twenty years and share the same “travel-bug” interest. They often plan their trips a year in advance. Shirley, a wordsmith and longtime newspaper sections editor, does research to discover points of interest and gather historical and other information to enrich their experience. Sharon, with her computer skills, assembles detailed information such as itineraries, reservations, and travel waypoints along their route. On the road, Shirley drives and Sharon navigates.

A favorite aspect of their travel is stopping by libraries and senior centers. Sharon and Shirley enjoy listening to audio books as they travel and donate them to the libraries they visit as well as to purchase new ones for the road ahead.

Over the years, they have been to Alaska several times, Yellowstone, the far West, Virginia, the Smoky Mountains, Michigan’s U.P., Canadian Rockies, and Texas. On a recent trip to the Padre Island National Seashore off the coast of Texas, they drove the scenic and historic 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. Sharon says it was worth every mile.

Sharon’s passion for traveling and volunteering is ever present, and both are a source of joy. She says sharing one’s time and talents is a blessing and everyone has something to share. She adds, “My heart always wants me to do more.”

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.

Book Reviews

Sister Novelists Devoney Looser

There are few more fascinating biographies about women during the Regency period than Sister Novelists by Devoney Looser. Forgotten by the modern world, the Porter sisters—Jane and Maria—invented the historical novel and together published twenty-six books, some of which sold millions of copies. The sisters’ clever wit bought them some recognition during their lifetime, but their fame did not shelter them from heartbreak. Unrequited love was a frequent companion while supporting their widowed mother and three brothers. Yet, through it all, their sisterly bond remained steadfast. A remarkable true story for fans of Jane Austen, the Brontës, Bridgerton, Poldark, Sanditon, or biographies about forgotten figures.

Heartbreak for Hire

Sonia Hartl Brinkley dropped out of school and took a lucrative job at Heartbreak for Hire after a devastating break-up. It turns out breaking inflated male egos is its own sort of catharsis, and soon she will have enough money to open her own art gallery. Creative and ruthless, Brinkley always gets her mark… at least until she finds herself

falling for one. When her boss decides to hire male heartbreakers for the first time, Brinkley anticipates the worst. But nothing could have prepared her for her previous target to walk through the door. Now she has to train him to break hearts before he turns the tables on her. A fun romantic comedy for fans of The Hating Game.

The Last Astronaut

David Wellington

Sally Jansen was NASA’s leading astronaut until a mission to Mars ended in disaster. Haunted by her failure, she lives in quiet anonymity, convinced her days in space are over. She’s wrong. A large alien object has entered the solar system on a straight course toward Earth. It has made no attempt to communicate. Out of time and out of options, NASA turns to Jansen. But as the object reveals its secrets, Jansen and her crew find themselves in a desperate struggle for survival — against the cold vacuum of space, and something far, far worse.

Wellington’s writing is pretty clear-cut, no-nonsense, and direct. One interesting narrative technique is including crew confessionals as in-universe extracts at various points in the book. These breaks in the narrative allow Wellington to drop out of the broader perspective in order to dive into someone’s head for a while. A well-written, suspenseful novel.

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

Book Reviews by the Portage District Library staff

The Fruit Belt Line

by Keith Howard, Kalamazoo Public Library

The story of the Kalamazoo, Lake Shore & Chicago Railway, commonly known as the “Fruit Belt Line,” is a rather long and twisted tale of “wishful thinking and hoped-for wealth.” The short-lived railroad originally was planned to be an efficient electric interurban train connecting Kalamazoo with South Haven. Instead, it became a ramshackle steam train that followed a roundabout route through Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties toward the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The story begins with the Michigan Central Railroad (MCRR) line west of Kalamazoo, which was built in the 1840s and originally followed a route somewhat south of its current location, roughly along today’s Stadium Drive. When the tracks reached the northern shore of Asylum Lake (Drake Road), the line curved sharply toward the southwest and continued through Oshtemo Village and on to Mattawan, Lawton, Niles, and New Buffalo.

As freight and passenger service increased, steep grades west of Kalamazoo and again near Mattawan became problematic. Michigan Central solved this by relocating its tracks farther north in 1905 and abandoning the old portion of the road west of Kalamazoo.

Meanwhile, Kalamazoo-based fruit and produce magnate Samuel Dunkley made plans to build an electric interurban line between Kalamazoo and the Dunkley-Williams boat docks in South Haven. Interurban trains (essentially large electric streetcars) typically were faster than their steam road counterparts and offered swift passage between urban centers. Foregoing the carload freight business, Dunkley instead chose to concentrate on passenger traffic, package

freight, fruit, and produce, which supported his shipping and canning operations.

For a variety of reasons, Dunkley’s electric line never materialized, but he did manage to get a small steam railroad up and running by May 1906. Dunkley purchased a used locomotive with a couple of passenger cars and began operating the Kalamazoo, Lake Shore & Chicago Railway along a stretch of abandoned MCRR roadbed between Kalamazoo and Mattawan. From there, Dunkley connected to other lines, which wandered through Lawton, Paw Paw, Hartford, Lawrence, and ultimately into South Haven. The fifty-five-mile Fruit Belt Line operated largely without profit for some seventeen years, amid a myriad of contract disputes, property right-of-way issues, and inadequate financing. After years of declining ridership and poor maintenance, the line closed in November 1924 and the tracks were removed. The old roadbed near Kalamazoo remained abandoned until 1938 when a “US-12 highway cut-off” project called Stadium Drive used a portion of it to eliminate dangerous MCRR “death crossings” on Michigan Avenue. The freight house and depot near West Main Street survived until the 1970s.

Today, the tracks are long gone, as are “ghost towns” along the route like Brighton, Rix, Newbre, Barrison, and Eassom, yet traces of the old Fruit Belt Line still do exist. A portion of the old railroad bed between Hartford and South Haven now is in use as a linear state park known as the Van Buren Trail. Another portion of the road in Oshtemo Township is being developed as an informal walking path called the Fruit Belt Trail, which begins at Flesher Field on South 9th Street and follows the old roadbed west toward Texas Township. Listen carefully as you walk along those trails, and you can almost hear the old train’s whistle.

More at kpl.gov

Photo courtesy, David Kohrman

JOHN MEYERS - RACING THROUGH LIFE OVER ALL SORTS OF TERRAIN

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

John Meyers has been racing bicycles for almost half his lifetime, and, at 59, he maintains the same enthusiasm for the sport that he had when he was 30.

“I’ve got bigger goals because (next year) I’ll be in a different age group,” he says.

Instead of being the oldest among 50- to 59-year-old competitors, he will be the youngest of the 60- to 69-year-olds.

In order to prepare for the 20-or-so races in which he participates each year, the Kalamazoo Public Library construction project manager who is also a part-time building inspector is up at 4 a.m., but doesn’t rely on a cup of coffee to get his juices flowing.

He does weight training, practices yoga and goes for an hourlong meditative bike ride, which he says provides him with the stimulation to get his day started.

He also rides most Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings with groups from the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club and Pedal Bicycles.

“I do a large percentage of my training on the road,” he says.

But racing is a different story. That usually takes place

over rugged terrain or on gravel or dirt.

Meyers started riding a mountain bike during his senior year at Central Michigan University, but he didn’t begin racing until several years later, in 1994. By the end of his second year of racing, he already had a number of off-road wins under his belt.

Some of his impressive outings include in 1998 when Meyers qualified to represent the national mountainbike team at the world championships in Quebec City and 10 years after that when he and three teammates took first place in the master’s division, and second overall, in USA Cycling’s 24-hour Mountain Bike National Championships.

Meyers says he never seriously considered professional bicycle racing.

“This is all hobby and health,” he says. “I think I took one stab at being a pro (when he went to the world championships),” but “never did I want to consume that much time.”

For Meyers, who was a runner at Hackett Catholic Central High School, it hasn’t been a consistent stretch of bicycle racing.

“I’ve taken my pauses,” he says.

The first was 2002 and 2003, after the birth of his son, Jozef, and another was in 2010 when he stepped away

PHOTO BY DEREK KETCHUM

for five years to concentrate on supporting his son’s activities.

“My time shifted to him,” he says of Jozef, who not only took up biking, but also played hockey and soccer, was a standout tennis player and runner for Loy Norrix High School, and now, as a 21 years old, runs competitively for the University of Michigan.

In 2015, Meyers resumed bicycle racing with an Athletic Mentors-sponsored team.

Nowadays he takes part in about 20 races a year, primarily in Michigan, with one exception in 2023. “This year, I’m going to one national race again, for the first time since my 40s,” he says.

That’s USA Cycling’s Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships in September.

Many races these days take place on gravel, with all styles of bikes — cyclocross, mountain, road and fat —

used by racers.

Meyers, who has owned about 30 bikes over the years, many given to him as part of a team sponsorship, currently has two gravel bikes, a mountain bike, a road bike and a winter outdoor training bike.

One of Meyers’ favorite races is the Barry-Roubaix, billed as “the world’s largest gravel road race.” It takes place near Gun Lake in Barry County the third Saturday of March and consists of 22-, 36- and 62-mile courses.

Meyers also took part, on June 3, in the Dirty Donut, which begins and ends at Martin High School, and includes four different distances over dirt roads.

The third Saturday in June, is the Lumberjack 100, an “ultra-endurance mountain bike race” consisting of 100 miles over trails in the Manistee National Forest.

He also participates in the Michigan Gravel Race Series, last year winning his age group points series.

All the races point toward The Iceman, a 30-mile trek over challenging Pere Marquette State Forest terrain from Kalkaska to Traverse City in November.

“For me it was always prepping for The Iceman,” Meyers says. “Back in the day I did it as an elite racer. My best overall plac-

ing was second.”

In his mid-30s, be began competing in his age group, and has won it 18 times.

Meyers says he has been fortunate not to have been involved in many accidents. His worst injury was a meniscus tear when he crashed after being bumped by a competitor in the Bear Claw Epic mountain bike race at Cadillac four years ago. He had surgery and was back racing — and winning — within a month.

Last year he was fortunate when he came through an accident unscathed in the early spring Melting Mann in Cass County. The trail, he says, was “a soft mess” and he ended up falling in front of a mass of other riders. “I actually covered myself so I didn’t get run over,” he says. “I got up and chased and chased for four miles until I got back in my group.”

Meyers has a long list of reasons he likes bike racing.

“I like the competition and the rewards — the end results,” he says. He also likes setting goals, training, being in good physical condition, and the camaraderie with his teammates.

Another perk is the travel, he says. “There’s adventure that takes place, with preparation and then going to different towns for a race.”

Photo credits: Previous page and far left by www.robmeendering photography.com.

Right: John and his son Jozef at the Iceman, quite a few years back. Photo by Dan Dewitt.

Kindleberger Summer Festival of the Performing Arts And Summer Concert Series - Kindlberger Park-Parchment

Saturday, July 8

6:30pm-Sock Hop

Wednesday, July 12

At the Stage, 5:30pm -The Very UnMerry Adventures of Robin Hood -G 7:00pm -Grease PG

Thurday, July 13

At the Stage, 5:30pm -The Very UnMerry Adventures of Robin Hood -G 7:00pm -Grease PG

Friday, July 14

At the Stage, 5:30pm -The Very UnMerry Adventures of Robin Hood -G 7:00pm -Grease PG

Saturday, July 15 -Festival Day

A full day of events beginning with the Grad Bash Pancake Breakfast in the park at 7am and ending with the The Very UnMerry Adventures of Robin Hood at 5:30 and Grease at 7pm (go to KindlebergerArts.org for complete list of events)

Sunday, July 16

Events beginning at 11am and ending with The Very UnMerry Adventures of Robin Hood at 3:30 and Grease at 5pm Mon, July 17

At the Stage, 6:30pm - Kalamazoo Concert Band with Special Guest Megan Dooley

Sunday, July 23

6:30 pm, Crossroads Resurrection-Blues, Jazz and Funk

Sunday, July 30

6:30pm, The Blue Leaf’s Band-60’s to 80’s music

Sunday, Aug 8

6:30pm, Bronk Bros-Rockin Hillbilly

Sunday, Aug 13

6:30pm, Kaitlin Rose and the Band of ThornsAmericana

Sunday, Aug 20

6:30pm, Gizzae-Chicago’s #1 Reggae Band

Sunday, Aug 27

6:30pm, An Evening of Celtic Music, Dance and Culture

Presented by then Kalamazoo Scottish Festival

HEALTHYLIVING:

Rock It Out!

We know that music is good for the soul. It’s good for motivating us to move, too!

I caught on real quick in the mid 80’s as a teen that mowing the lawn for my parents became less of chore (and was admittedly actually fun!) when I finally got my first Walkman and headphones. (It was a big yard, just under an acre, and I used a push mower. For the record, it was not auto propelled --they purchased that when I moved out, but let me not digress -- this is about music and the power it has to help us keep moving and focused on the task.) I would listen to Tears for Fears, The Gogo’s, Simple Minds, Madonna, Prince, and because I had older friends with awesome music taste, I also had a few home-made tapes with amazing play lists that included a lot of Led Zeppelin, ASIA, Journey, Bob Seeger, and so, so, many others. Anyway… Access to music these days, through

the incredible technology that now allows us to stream music of every genre from around the globe is at our fingertips and can be programmed to belt out hours of song-lists to get us through ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING, especially tedious chores we would rather not do! And, yeah … let me be the one to say it: Music helps us tackle exercise when we’d rather be doing something else.

I see people of all ages come through the YMCA with their little bean-sized earbuds, half-hidden in their ears, running on the tread-mill, pumping weights, counting sets on the strength machines, leaning back on the recumbent bikes, walking the track… and for all I know, the lap swimmers have them tucked under their swim caps – IDK! – do they make waterproof earbuds? If not, it’s just a matter of time, I’m sure. My point is – so many people know the power of music and its role in exercise:

Chord progressions set the mood. Steady tempos and rhythms help to keep pace and to put us “in the zone”. Lyrics inspire to push limits. And let’s not forget the goodold fashioned key-change (think Whitney Houston in “I want

to Dance with Somebody) that can give us a burst of energy at the very end when we thought we had nothing left in us to give.

And then of course when it’s time for the cool down (as all high impact exercise should include) switching to calmer music helps to get our heart rate down, body temperature regulated, and so forth. It’s amazing to me, the difference between having music in my ear and not having it in my ear. And while I now hire out my own lawn-mowing responsibilities, I do still turn on the Led Zeppelin and Journey to get my heart-rate up doing other things. Thank God for good old rock’n roll or I’d never get my steps in otherwise.

Get your music on. Rock it out and keep moving!

Vicky Kettner is the Association Director of Marketing, Community Relations, and Member Engagement for the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo.

Movie Reviews

Baby Face

For decades, Baby Face -- the 1933 film starring Barbara Stanwyck -- has been pre-Code 101. If you want to turn someone onto pre-censorship movies at their most fun, just take them to Baby Face But in 2005, Baby Face got even better. An archivist at the Library of Congress discovered a print of the original version of the film, before it was trimmed and slightly re-shot to get it past the New York state censor board in 1933. Make no mistake: In its familiar incarnation, Baby Face was already risqué enough to qualify as one of the most notorious of pre-Code films, something that could never have been released in any form following the coming of the Production Code in 1934.

Baby Face tells the story of a woman from a sorry background -- her father was her pimp -- who goes to the big city, intent on becoming rich by enslaving men sexually.

The differences between the original and the release versions of Baby Face are small, and yet combined they spell the difference between a good three-star movie and a four-star movie. The rawness goes beyond shock effects. It grounds the audience in a specific world. In this version, we discover, for example, that Lily’s father has been pimping her out since she was 14. We also see how she makes it to New York. In a grim seduction scene that, unlike some that follow, isn’t at all played for laughs, she must have sex with a railroad worker in an empty freighter, to get a ride for herself and a friend.

If you’ve never seen Stanwyck in a pre-Code film, you’ve never really seen Stanwyck. Never in her later career, including Double Indemnity, was she ever as hard-boiled as she was in the early 1930s. – Submitted by Angelina

R.

Soul

What would it take to gain new appreciation of your life, if you found it falling short of your ambitions and expectations? Soul, the latest animated feature from Pixar, allows viewers to contemplate one profound scenario.

NYC middle school music teacher Joe

has long-unfulfilled dreams of making a living as a jazz musician. On the eve of a possible breakthrough performance, Joe has an accident which sets his soul on a course to the “Great Beyond”. An escape attempt lands Joe’s soul in the “Great Before”, where mentor souls prepare souls unborn for lives on Earth. A mix-up involving a reluctant unborn soul (voiced with comical verve by Tina Fey) sends both souls earthbound into unexpected bodies. The ensuing adventures to undo the tangle provide both souls with insights into the sparks, passions, and purposes that make life worthwhile. The provocative plot is beautifully rendered, with playful yet realistic animation in NYC (musicians’ fingerings are spot-on) juxtaposed with avant-garde animation in the “Great” spheres. Appealing to film fans of all ages, Soul joins Pixar’s impressive body of mindful, heartfelt work. –Submitted by Karl K.

In Bruges

Before going on to write and direct Seven Psychopaths and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonagh made his feature film debut with 2008’s In Bruges. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are Ray and Ken, two hitmen who’ve been sent to the Belgian city of Bruges to lay low on their boss’s (Ralph Fiennes) order after botching a job in London. Ken is serene and determined to enjoy the history and culture of one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe – at Christmas time, nonetheless. Ray, however, is perpetually agitated and less than enthused by what he considers to be their decidedly provincial surroundings. Their respective attitudes clash delightfully as the two struggle in vain to fill the time with mutually enjoyable diversions as they wait for word from London regarding their next job. In Bruges is a fantastically dark comedy which soars on the strength of McDonagh’s uncouth and razorsharp script. For fans of Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and/or McDonagh’s later work, this is one not to be missed. – Submitted by Patrick J.

Reviews submitted by Ryan Gage. These great titles and others are available at the Kalamazoo Public Library.

New Mews Provide New Views for Birds of Prey

By Tom Springer, Kalamazoo Nature Center

After 50+ years in their former location, the Kalamazoo Nature Center’s birds of prey have flown the coop. Or at least traded their former coops for something bigger, brighter, and more welcoming for birds and people alike.

Officially, the new enclosures are called mews. Their construction came about because State and Federal authorities were not “amused’ by the old ones. It’s not that KNC was doing anything wrong. Rather, based on recent findings in animal science, the government has issued new regulations for zoos and nature centers that keep birds of prey. The changes require that mews provide more room for flight, resting places away from human contact and better protection from the elements.

KNC has built two mews to the new specifications and is raising funds to build a third. See GoFundMe link at www.naturecenter.org Each mews

cost $15,000 to build and equip with fixtures.

The mews have been relocated from near the Visitor Center bridge to the Monica A. Evans Arboretum. With their lean-to roofs and siding made from cedar, the mews’ vernacular architectural style blends nicely with the Arboretum’s sculptures and landscaping. And with no towering trees over head the mews will avoid damage from falling limbs which often occurred near the Visitor Center.

Most important, the expanded mews offer a healthier environment for the hawks, owls, falcon and turkey vulture that call them home.

“The birds can find places with either more sun or more shade than before. They also offer more protection from cold winter winds,” said Cheyenne Gandy, Animal Ambassador programs manager at KNC. “At their highest point, the new mews are nearly 20 feet tall, compared to 9 feet with the old

mews. With more flight space, the birds exhibit more natural behaviors, such as flying to perches or scavenging for food.” For Tukey the turkey vulture, KNC staff hide food in the mews which helps him rely on his foraging instincts to find it.

Other mews amenities include heating pads for nest boxes and freezeproof water bowls. Taken together, Gandy says these changes make birds less anxious and aggressive.

“They get more exercise, which is important for birds like the peregrine falcon that have powerful hearts designed for rapid flight,” she said. “When they’re not as pent up, the birds have less anxiety. This allows them to develop better relationships with humans. Overall, the new mews have made the birds healthier in mind and body.”

Each mews can house two birds, with a divider in between to keep them separate. Once it receives ample donations, KNC will acquire two new birds to replace two that recently died due to natural causes. This includes another screech owl to provide company for Rufous, as screech owls are social creatures that do better with companions.

“When birds’ basic needs aren’t met you end up doing more damage control than training,” Gandy said.

“The bottom line is that with better housing our birds will be more comfortable and content.”

Tom Springer is Vice President of Development at the Kalamazoo Nature Center and author of “The Star in the Sycamore” and “Looking for Hickories.”

ROAD Trip!

M-40 Adventures

While heading back to Kalamazoo from Holland after a soccer game, I took my time along the old M-40 highway, admiring the interesting old railroad bridge in Hamilton and classic old buildings in Allegan. ~ Steve Ellis

Join Laura Kurella (who provides her great recipes each month in Spark) for a special ingredient testing and sampling-infused presentation featuring excerpts from her new culinary memoir, “MIDWEST MORSELS,” at The Parchment Community Library’s “Yum’s the Word” program on July 26 at 6pm. For more information on this flavorful event, contact the Parchment Community Library at 401 S Riverview Dr, Parchment, MI 49004. Phone: (269) 343-7747

Pro Stock Metal Detectors

By Richard Martinovich

“Metal detecting is the closest you’ll get to time travel,” states Lance, the character on the BBC hit comedy series “Detectorists.” “Archaeologists...gather facts, piece the jigsaw together…work-out how we lived. We unearth scattered memories, mine for stories…fill in the personality. Detectorists –we’re time travelers.”

The legions of detectorists, metal detector enthusiasts, are growing. The stereotype of an old man combing the beach with a metal detector is outdated. Metal detecting is for all ages; men and women, kids, too!

Metal detectors have a long history. Alexander Graham Bell developed one to help locate a bullet lodged in President James Garfield. Metal detectors were used to clear mines in WWII, but it wasn’t until the 1960’s that they became accessible to the public for uncovering hidden treasure. Pro Stock Metal Detectors is the oldest metal detector dealer in

Michigan – with a store front building -- and carries all the top brands, including American-made Garrett and Fisher. In 1931, Dr. Gerhard Fisher was the first to receive a patent for a metal detector.

There are metal detector dealers that operate exclusively on-line, but if there is a problem with the metal detector, they refer customers to the factory…who instruct you to drive to Plainwell to see Al Holden at Pro Stock!

Al Holden became interested in metal detecting at age 17. In 1968, he became a Garrett metal detector dealer, and opened Pro Stock Metal Detectors in Plainwell in 1989.

Metal detectors today are technical, and Pro Stock offers training to fully utilize your metal detector. In addition, there are numerous books and accessories to aid your treasure hunt.

While overseas treasure hunts have uncovered exotic ancient artifacts, there have been surprises locally.

The Hastings fairgrounds had been thoroughly scoured by metal detector groups but when it was bulldozed, and 8-10 inches of topsoil turned over, another layer of history was unearthed, revealing hundreds of rare coins, and even an 1870’s Harvard class ring!

If you’re looking for the best metal detector at a great price, and unrivaled customer service, search no further than Pro Stock Metal Detectors in Plainwell!

1211 M-89 Suite 1 (near US-131 & M-89 intersection) 269-685-1776

By Steve Ellis

The first white settlers arrived in New Buffalo in 1834 when Wessel Whittaker and his crew were bound for Chicago from Buffalo, New York. A rough November storm forced their damaged ship onto the Lake Michigan shore near the current village of Grand Beach just south of New Buffalo. While heading to St. Joseph to report the loss of their ship, they came upon a harbor which Whittaker was certain could rival the port of Chicago. Whittaker returned to the area and found his “New” Buffalo.

Captain Whittaker wasn’t the first visitor to New Buffalo. The Miami, Iroquois, and Potawatomi Indians all fought for control of the area. The Indians, and the game and fish they cherished, also attracted French traders and missionaries. But it was Captain Whittaker who first made New Buffalo a permanent community.

Whittaker, along with friends and relatives, returned in 1835 and began to develop the area. Sawmills were constructed and log buildings sprung up. More settlers arrived from New York and the South.

These settlers soon learned the value of tourists as land travelers between Detroit and Chicago came through New Buffalo and spent money. In the late 1840s, the Michigan Central Railroad Company completed the stretch of track between Niles and New Buffalo, making New Buffalo the end of the railroad line for travelers between Detroit and Chicago. The final tracks were laid in the spring of 1849; 200 people celebrated the arrival of the first train. That year over 100,000 people rode the Michigan Central. Many stopped at New Buffalo and new hotels, restaurants and stores thrived. The railroad built piers and improved the harbor. Three new Ward Line steamers, Pacific, Traveler and Cleveland, ran to Chicago and Milwaukee. and brought more tourists and prosperity to the area.

Sidetracks appeared every mile or so along the railroad, opening up the lumber industry. Logs were picked up on the sidings and transferred to ships headed across the lake. In 1850 one steamship company alone purchased 7,000 cords of wood.

Then in 1853, only four years later, the Michigan Central extended its line through Indiana to Chicago. The passengers didn’t stop. The boom was over. The town lost half its size. Some buildings went by flat car to Three Oaks, where the lumber industry would thrive for another twenty years.

Tourism picked up again in the early 1900s when the automobile revitalized New Buffalo and re-established its link to tourism. In 1934 the State recognized New Buffalo as “The Gate-

Tales road FROM THE ~ New Buffalo ~

and with a warm “hello.” Redamak’s is much larger now, but it still holds the rustic charm of yesteryear.

On our last visit in June, we were delighted with the tasty wood-fired pizza and house salad we ordered at Brewster’s, which has been a mainstay in New Buffalo since 1992. What began as the small, one-room Brewster’s Coffee Shop on Merchant Street in the heart of downtown New Buffalo has expanded over the years into an airy, family-oriented Italian café that serves wood-fired thin crust pizzas off a menu of authentic Italian cuisine. The menu changes every meal, every day but always features a wide variety of antipasto, salads, wood-fired pizzas, amazing pastas and a fresh assortment of meats, fish and seafood. Sandwiches, frittatas and panini’s are available during lunchtime. Brewster’s bakery is open Friday through Sunday, and offers homemade desserts, muffins, cookies and pastries, along with espresso and coffee.

After dinner, we headed to the legendary Oinks Dutch Treat, for ice cream.

Founder Roger Rink, was a long-time teacher in New Buffalo and during his summer break in the early 1980s, he and his wife, Sharon, would go canoeing in Baldwin and visit Jone’s Ice Cream Shop. He got inspired and opened his own ice cream parlor in 1987. The name comes from his nickname, Oink, given to him by a longtime friend. With an average of 25 employees, the shop has been open for more than 36 years and continues to grow in popularity. In addition to delicious ice cream, Oinks has thousands of unique pig and ice cream memorabilia on display to enjoy while waiting in line.

way to Michigan” and built a tourist information center here. This continued throughout the century and gained another burst of tourists when 1-94 was completed in the early1960’s, running parallel to the old Rd Arrow route.

Jackie and I began visiting this part of the state 17 years ago. We loved Union Pier, Sawyer and Three Oaks, but did not spend much time in New Buffalo until recently. However, we have enjoyed riding our bikes from Union Pier to New Buffalo in front of the gorgeous houses along the waterfront on each visit to enjoy dinner and ice cream in New Buffalo.

On our first trip to the area, we stayed

at one of the rustic cabins at Warren Dunes State Park. While driving to New Buffalo for dinner along the old Red Arrow Highway, we could not help but notice Redamak’s sign, with a giant smiling face, that proclaims: “The Hamburger that made New Buffalo Famous!

George and Gladys Redamak, the original owners, ran an operation that was truly the American dream. Dating back to the late 1940’s, they sold hamburgers for many years in a building not much bigger than a 1,500 square foot home. As you entered the building through the famous screen door, either Gladys or George was there to greet you, most of the time by name,

Whitaker Street, the main street of New Buffalo, has some wonderful shops, including gift and home decor stores and the New Buffalo Art Gallery. We stopped into the gallery and stuck up a conversation with resident artist, Chris McLaughlin. Chris was very personable and explained the multi-layer technique he uses on his large scale paintings of the lake.

Whitaker Street leads you over a bridge and straight onto the gorgeous beach on Lake Michigan.

The Stray Dog is another popular downtown eatery that offers rooftop seating and a nice selection of tacos, salads, sandwiches, half-pound burgers and more. A visit to the gift shop is a must for dog lovers.

Our final breakfast while in the area was on the patio at the Woodfire Grill in New Buffalo. The omelets and pancakes were yummy.

We’ve rediscovered New Buffalo and plan to spend time in town again on our next visit.

Schram’s Greenhouse

Schram’s Greenhouse has been a welcome sign of spring when they open each year on S. Westnedge at Garden Lane. The long-time business and their buildings have’t changed much over the years as most of their original neighbors are long gone and have been replaced with large chain stores and restaurants.

I heard rumors that this year was going to be Schram’s last season, so decided to stop in and talk to Luba Schram, who owns the business along with her husband John. Dave, John’s brother, has been involved in the business for years and just retired this past December.

Luba told me that this is her 42nd year with the business and that they will be closing for good mid- July. They grow

Fairyville

I received a message from local artist Brenda Mergen, asking if I was familiar with Fairyville in Vicksburg. I was not, and Brenda proceeded to explain that her daughter Leena, has spent the last several years creating a magical Fairy Garden in her yard south of Vicksburg on Y Ave. I had met Leena’s parents, Brenda and Paul at their house a few years back after riding my bike by and wondering about all of the fantastical art in their yard. They were long-time Signature Artist members and have passed on their creativity to their daughter, Leena.

their own beautiful flowers and hearty vegetables in the greenhouses located right behind the store.

Schram’s has been selling flowers and vegetables in the same location for 75 years. However, the grandparents actually starting growing and selling celery on the property about a hundred years ago!

Stop into Schram’s Greenhouse today to pick up some flower and vegetable plants before they close mid-month. They are open Monday-Saturday, 9am8pm and are located at 7313 S. Westnedge.

I took a drive down to meet Leena and found her front yard, chocked full of her whimsical creations. The first thing you see is a collection of tree stumps embellished with doors, windows and chimneys. A whole neighborhood of gnome or fairy houses.

Near her front door are dozens of fairy houses, trails and miniature villages, tucked in between succulent plants and mushrooms, adorned with colorful stones and other eye-catching attractions.

Lena told me that she is constantly on the lookout for colorful and interesting pieces to add to her creations. When Leena is not working on Fairyland, she is a Program Support Specialist for Community Culinary & Nutrition at KVCC.

Leena Mergen can be reached at 269-823-8400.

For many more pictures of Leena’s Fairyland, go to her Instagram page at messyfairygardener