The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 2, June 9, 2023

having downtown. My appreciation goes out to everyone who help to bring this idea to life,” H.E.A.R.T.Community & Economic Development Director Nichole (Steel) Kleiner. • Contributed

Shelby breaks ground for summer construction

By Nathan Kroon The Oceana Echo Volunteer Correspondent

Hallack Contracting uncovered the water distribution system in portions of Shelby Village this week. The project is a proactive one and not a response to any known issue. Village Administrator Brady Selner volunteered answers to reassure residents. “The work is preliminary in nature and our water system is and continues to be a safe supply. In 2018, Michigan passed a law which stated that over the course of 20 years communities need to replace service lines, [including] galvanized service lines that were previously connected to lead service lines.” This Lead and Copper Rule required the village to inventory its water distribution system. Although no lead was identified, the presence of 260 galvanized lines subjected Shelby to the new law. Selner, together with consulting engineering firm Fleis and Vandenbrink, applied in 2021 to the Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy and was awarded $2.07 million. $621,000 was granted directly. The balance is described as a State loan guaranteed to be forgiven. The village must match funds, boosting this project to $4.4 million. All 425 lines installed before 1980 will be replaced, totaling 11,500 feet of water main. Selner, who has administrated for Shelby over the past two years, maintained his clarity. “This effort is preventative. We have safe potable water that is consistently tested on a weekly and monthly basis to ensure there is no danger.”

Selner offers to keep the public informed in this major undertaking. “Hallack started on Sessions Road, Hawley and Rankin Streets, and just started a second crew on Second Street. On top of the mains project, several roads will be getting a mill-and-fill. We intentionally coordinate water work with road replacement. Much, if not all, of the work should be completed by late fall.”

To connect water to residences, Hallack will bore horizontally under properties. Contractors must coordinate with homeowners to make the final connections. Affected residents were mailed a contact information form, but sadly, only 25 percent of homes responded. Uncertain residents are invited to call the village office at 218 N. Michigan Ave., where forms can be reprinted. One resident whose information is certainly on file is Village President Paul Inglis, who said he was pleased by the excellent quality of the extensive excavation running through his otherwise immaculate front yard. “Hallack has done a great job on the work they have completed so far. I’m happy to see the work is finally being done to protect the public safety and utilize the funds.”

Downtown Hart was buzzing with excitement Friday, June 2 as the Tin Man made his debut by Hart Lake. A few days later the much anticipated Main Street Market shops were installed. “It is so exciting to see this project come together after a year of fundraising, grant writing, community input, and coordination. We are already seeing the “huge” impact the tin man and new market are

The Hart girls and boys track and field teams had plenty to celebrate Saturday as the girls took home their second consecutive Division III State Title, and the boys earned third place. • Brendan Samuels/Echo

Emma Woller was crowned the 2023 Asparagus Queen at the West Michigan Research Station in Hart. Chelsi Walicki earned first runner up for the second year in a row. Mackenzie Leedham was second runner-up • Amanda Dodge/Echo

Construction has been ongoing along Sessions Road in the Village of Shelby as part of its large-scale civil works project • Amanda Dodge/Echo

Foundation hosts 3rd Annual Migrant Child Task Force Donation Drive

PENTWATER – As summer begins, the Oceana Community Foundation is pleased to launch our 3rd annual donation drive for the Oceana’s Michigan Migrant Child Task Force. The Foundation is collecting donations of new hygiene items, children’s books and toys, and more to share with West Michigan’s migrant farmworkers and their families. Each item donated is directly going to a family via the Migrant Child Task Force’s Camp Outreach events!

Oceana’s farmworker outreach effort is organized by our local Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and supports migrant families facing resource insecurity. The task force estimates that around 42,700 children (ages 0 to 19) visit Michigan with their families as seasonal farmworkers. While working to support Oceana’s agricultural economy by harvesting local produce, some young children and their families lack access to everyday necessities. The Foundation is assisting DHHS by collecting in-demand items like toothbrushes, kid’s toys, shampoo, infant diapers and wipes, and soap.

“Agriculture is an essential part of Oceana County’s economy. With the support of our migrant farmworkers who make West Michigan their temporary home, our farms can thrive,” Foundation CEO Tammy Carey shares. “The Foundation is thrilled to collaborate with our local Migrant Child Task Force for the third time. Our community continues to welcome and support our migrant farmworkers with each wish list, sharing their gratitude for all their hard work.”

Oceana’s Migrant Child Task Force Donation Drive is taking

place both online and in-person. Via Facebook and the Foundation’s website, participants can donate items through the Task Force’s Amazon Wishlist (at tinyurl.com/23CampOutreach). By purchasing one of the items on the wish list, donations are shipped directly to the Foundation’s office. Items are delivered to families throughout the county by DHHS during their camp visits or out of their Hart office directly to clients. You can also place items in the donation box at the Founadation’s office in the Pentwater Shelby State Bank building at 388 S. Hancock Street. Any donation would be appreciated and accepted until July 15th, 2023.

For any questions regarding the Oceana’s Migrant Child Task Force, contact Mara Luevano, the Task Force’s Oceana liaison. She is available at LuevanoM@ michigan.gov.

Oceana Center Grange Agricultural Report for June 2023

The weather is usually a hot topic of conversation, and this month is no exception to the rule. Fire danger is at its highest level, with a new outbreak in northern Michigan and many in western Canada that affect, among other things, people who have respiratory challenges. Homeowners desiring a lush green lawn are finding them difficult to maintain. In agriculture, we are experiencing the same challenges, thus creating a great economic impact in many areas.

Animals do not perform well in hot weather. Cows produce less milk; meat animals consume less feed and thus do not gain weight as rapidly. Mortality rates may increase due to heat stress.

Asparagus production and quality started out very well, commencing around Mother’s Day. Processors’ needs were being rapidly met. Now, due to dry and hot conditions, many fields have been mowed, and many patches have been shut down. Growers using H2A migrant labor could be left paying for work that has been cancelled, depending on the verbiage of the contract.

Apples and other fruits experienced very good return bloom. There is an adage in the fruit business: heavy bloom; heavy crop but heavy crop; heavy drop. The heat during bloom has caused pollination to not occur, or if pollinated, fruit pistils dried up before fertilization could occur.

Irrigation systems started up early this year to try to save trees and plants.

You may have noticed that trees are responding to the dry weather as well, with lots of maple helicopter seeds being dropped. Nature has a way of protecting its own during challenging weather. Oaks will drop more acorns; corn leaves roll up to conserve water, among other defense mechanisms.

On the bright side, strawberries are coming on, but expect to pay more, as is the case with most consumable items.

The Oceana Echo Agricultural Consultant Phil Carter is a retired educator, grower, trucker and New Era resident who intends to move into his house in Shelby.

Women Who Care are marching on to a million

When the first meeting of the Women Who Care of Oceana County (WWC) met 11 years ago in June of 2012, who would have thought that these community-minded citizens would contribute a total $680,000 to Oceana nonprofit causes by now? Well, they have.

On June 6, the 150-member group launched its 12th year at a one-hour, quarterly meeting held at Golden Sands Golf Course in Mears. They chose to have each WWC member make a $100 personal donation to the Oceana Conservation District’s (OCD) Youth Program. It is hoped that this will qualify for a $5,000 matching contribution by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, which supplements qualifying contributions made by WWC chapters around the country that are located in the areas served by Best Buy stores.

If so, the OCD program would realize a total boost of $20,000. OCD Summer Day Camps are for children ages 6-11, who join Conservation District staff and field experts for summer camp weeks held at beautiful Oceana County forests, farms and waterways. Campers connect with the natural world and make new friends through games, hands-on activities, drama and crafts and nature hikes. Smaller break-out groups are used to facilitate age-specific interests and abilities. For more information, see https://www.oceanaconservation.org/summer-daycamp.

After the WWC meeting, attendees also were able to see how the collective donations they made a year ago are now being used by the Oceana County Sheriff’s Department’s Dive Team. The Sheriff’s Department used the funds to purchase a new trailer for storing diving equipment, and for transporting it to remote locations where its services are required. Deputy Mike Fillips was on hand at the meeting to show WWC members the many ways the trailer is a vast improvement over the 40-year-old Ford

Econoline van that the team had used for many years.

On the first Tuesday of March, June, September and December, the women meet for an hour, learn about three worthy causes serving county residents, and choose one that everyone agrees to support with $100 personal checks. Socializing follows for those who have the time to stay.

Membership is open to any woman who wants to be involved in this unique, joint effort to support Oceana causes. The next meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 5 at a location to be announced. For more information, contact Amy LaBarge at (313) 268-2086, or check online at facebook.com/ womenwhocareofoceanacounty.

Roskam rides to rid the world of MS

Pete Roskam of New Era started riding for Multiple Sclerosis in 1980, and this year marks his 13th ride. “For 80 years my mother struggled with MS, Roskam said. 20 of these were spent at home, and the last 20 were spent in a care facility.

“MS is a debilitating disease. You lose your ability to walk.,” he said.

When Roskam first heard about this endeavor and decided to become involved his rides were a weekend in length and ran 150 miles over the two days. Over the years, he has continued cycling in spite of a major hip replacement surgery.

His message to those diagnosed with MS and their caregivers is that “attitude is everything and staying in the fight makes a difference.”

This year he will be cycling June 10 and 11, and he hopes to reach a fundraising goal of $5,000. The funds go primarily to researching cures and treatment. If you would like to donate, please scan the QR code here.

Reminiscences of a Festival Founder

By Nathan Kroon The Oceana Echo Volunteer Correspondent

In 1974, John Curtis found himself working for Silver Mills Frozen Foods in Hart. The company was expanding rapidly and owned three factories distributed throughout Michigan. Curtis’s job was to buy raw products from farmers across Michigan, from Benton Harbor to Traverse City. This assorted harvest was frozen individually and sold in bulk to major consumers including Campbell’s Soup, the Army, and school lunch programs. The 70-ft. long freezing machine used in Hart was so large it did not initially fit through the 16-foot-high doors when delivered to the factory. The general manager of Silver Mills was Hugh Bengtsson, who recently moved from Coloma, Mich. to be closer to his brother Sherman in Oceana.

One day, Hugh called a meeting between Curtis, “Sherm” and another buyer named Jerry Gleason. Curtis described for the Echo what happened next. “[Hugh] said he had this idea about having an asparagus festival. As we gathered ‘round and talked about it, we came up with ideas. We thought it would be a good thing to start.” The original concept was to bring attention to asparagus as a crop for the purpose of sparking new agricultural research and, of course, to promote wider consumption of asparagus by the public. Initially, the four founders were concerned about how the idea might be received. “It would sound too much like it was by a processing company. We wanted to get all the local people and local farmers interested.” The plan was to leverage Curtis’ and Gleason’s working relationships with local growers and community leaders. The pair of buyers would spread the word and gauge the level of interest among the most esteemed citizens of the Hart and Shelby area. Local notables included bank managers Jack Griffin and Bill Fitz, as well as one Maxine (Royal) Huggard.

Phase one of the plan was successful. “We had a lot of good people come in, about 20. It sounded like it was a going to be a good thing to have the Asparagus Festival.” This core group considered a variety of elements that could make the festival a success. Asparagus tasting and the development of a recipe book were original staples. “The parade was a big item to talk about to get it off to a good start.” The plan progressed naturally to phase two: leadership and financing. “They elected a board, setting up the first members. They wanted all four of us [to sit], but we had already decided it would be better to have local people and local businesses... and not let it be just a Silver Mills project.” Curtis and Gleason remained central to these early efforts to organize. “We needed some funds to get started. I talked to the merchants in Hart.” Twelve establishments contributed $50 each. “Jerry Gleason called on some of the biggest farmers—Max Kokx, Tom and Gerald Griener, Kenny Lipps...he raised $600 through donations. We did get some donations in the next week or two from merchants in Shelby. As I recall, we had big support from Shelby Bank, the Oceana Herald and Brown’s Grocery Store. In Hart, we had Larson and Sons’s, Farm Bureau, Heggs, Gambles, Don Hansen, Irwin Gale, Cliff Fenton, Jack Corbin, Powers Store, and [Hank] Lorenz’s store.”

A compromise was agreed upon to alternate the location of the parade. The first parade, in 1974, took place in Shelby, and the second annual asparagus parade took place in Hart in 1975. This arrangement was maintained for several years. Hugh and Sherman Bengtsson, Curtis and Gleason quietly withdrew from the project. “We were just the instigators of getting it running. Beyond raising that first money and establishing the board, we were not much involved.” The board proved independent of Silver Mills, as Hugh has originally hoped. It made an early decision not to accept entries from large corporations. Curtis supported their decision, although he had hoped for a different outcome. “I was one who wanted to let big companies come in and sponsor floats. My thought was that letting companies like Coca-Cola come in would bring in a lot of money, but that was their decision.”

Curtis shared fond memories of his participation in the very first asparagus parades. In addition to working for Silver Mills, John operated a family business begun by his father. Naturally, Curtis Nursery and Farms was represented in the festivities. “We usually provided a semi and hauled the Scottville Clown Band around on it playing. Silver Mills sponsored the band [initially] to get them here. They met in Hart and played all the way to Shelby, and I would take them back. There would be 30 to 40 of them on that long bed. It was a lowboy truck with a long low trailer about 2 ½ feet off the ground.”

Curtis moved to Minnesota in January of 1992 and lost track of the festival. Since moving back in recent years, he is proud to see just how far the Asparagus Festival has come. When asked what became of Silver Mills, Curtis explained how the company tried to expand faster than its planners could handle. Silver Mills ballooned from processing 12 million pounds of agricultural products to 126 million in just four years. Hasty plans to build a new factory and poor decisions involving loans doomed the company to a collapse and buy-out. As Proverbs 22:7 warns us, the borrower is indeed slave to the lender. Freeze Pak now operates on the site of the old Silver Mills facility. Curtis’s story offers us a second lesson, one about the value of taking initiative. The Oceana Echo invites our readers to apply this lesson by taking initiative themselves. Say hello to someone new in the festival crowd this year. Get curious about a sponsor who invested time and effort into creating a float. Treat family and friends to breakfast at the Oceana County Airport. As we gather for this 50th anniversary of our festival, let’s make an effort to celebrate not just asparagus but also the community that has grown up around it.

The Earliest Days

By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

The principle source of information for anyone interested in the history of our cozy little county is a book from 1890 called “Oceana County Pioneers and Business Men of To-Day,” by Louis M. Hartwick and William H. Tuller. This book details everything from the formation of our townships and villages to brief biographies of the earliest settlers, and it even covers a fair bit of unique or humorous events that have occurred in days gone by. Chapter four of that book explores the years between 1831 and 1855, meaning it covers the formation of the first settlement: Claybanks. I figured today we would talk about this, as it may prove interesting to anyone who has long roots in Oceana.

The land of Claybanks was scouted by two men, John D. Hanson and Dr. Phillips. Hanson was a sailor working for the lumber baron Charles Mears down on White Lake, and it was his familiarity with the waterways that led to his discovery of the area. Ultimately, they chose to settle here for four reasons:

First, it was on the beach, where all travel was; second, there existed an Indian trail from the head of White Lake into what is now J.D.S. Hanson’s farm; then the land was a heavy clay loam and remarkably fertile, and there were old Indian clearings altogether of 200 or 300 acres in extent, in patches from half an acre to two or three acres.

(Hartwick and Tuller, 1890, p. 26)

Aside from the benefits provided by the locale, establishing a settlement with a sailor and doctor must make for a promising enterprise. By the end of 1849, there were six families plus other single men living in Claybanks. These settlers evidently came in two groups. The first group arrived in April of 1849 and included, “C.B. Clements and wife, Asa C. Haggerty and wife, Alex. Pelett and wife.” Hartwick and Tuller go on to explain that everybody from this group was either dead or gone by the year 1890, except for the wife of C.B. Clements, who remarried and went by the name of Olive Byrne. The second wave of settlers came over several months, with “Dr. Phillips and wife, and his father and mother, in June; A.W. Langworthy, in July; Richard E. Cater, in August; James O’Hanlon, in September; and Alex. S. Anderson, in November or December.” These groups of people make up what the authors describe as the “nucleus” of the first settlement of Oceana County.

From there, they talk about some

of the struggles of the early frontier, such as smallpox. Evidently, Dr. Philips got it from a Frenchman (“Probably Alex Pelett,” Hartwick and Tuller say, as he used to be employed as a nurse in a smallpox hospital in Detroit), and it spread through the whole community, “but thanks to vigorous constitutions and the doctor’s care, they all recovered, although some will bear the marks to grave…”

One of the principal occupations at that time was cutting shingle bolts, or, as they often phrase it, “the getting out of shingle bolts.” They mention two names in regards to this work, Mr. Graham and Lorenzo D. Eaton. Graham was apparently the first settler to die in our county, back in 1850, and Lorenzo Eaton and his family were faced with starvation and other hardships while he was employed with “getting out the shingle bolts.” Incidentally, Eaton claimed to have built the first log house in Oceana, though our good authors refute that. He built his house in 1850, and it would eventually become J. Gibbs’ farm on Blackberry Ridge, today near Cherry Point. “But before this,” wrote Hartwick and Tuller, “in 1849, Dr. Phillips built a frame house and his father another, used as a store at the mouth of Whisky Creek…The honor of erecting the first log house may be assigned to A.W. Langworthy, on lot 3, Section 17, and torn down in 1880; and the first frame to Dr. Phillips.”

Well, that is it for now. I hope you enjoyed this little collection of firsts for Oceana: the first settlers, the first deaths, the first log houses. I imagine there may be a good number of people descended from these settlers still living around here. If any of the names mentioned in this article sparked a curiosity pertaining to your own family tree, well, then I have done my job.

Living Legacies: James Bedell

By Nathan Kroon The Oceana Echo Volunteer Correspondent

This week, 79 years ago, America and its allies invaded France. In the early hours of June 6, 1944, we led the charge to liberate continental Europe from the unspeakable evils of Nazi occupation. The Oceana Echo presents to you a man who fought to free the world in those darkest days of history and has since worked tirelessly to make the free world a little brighter.

Examine a map of the county, and one will find the residence of James “Jim” Bedell, where Claybanks and Benona township lines compete for a view of Stony Lake. Locals know him for his humor, homemade wooden gifts, and as an organizer of the Stony Lake Men’s Breakfast. Jim enjoys an active and independent lifestyle in his 34th year of retirement. In commemoration of D-Day, and in exchange for help starting his rototiller, Jim accepted an interview to describe his experiences in the Second World War - and beyond.

Born in 1927 to a poor family, Bedell’s mother would die in childbirth within five years. His father worked on an enamelware production line during the Great Depression in Vigo County, Ind. Bedell was the middle child of five, with two younger brothers and an older brother and sister. Fortunately, his father remarried and his new stepmother, Jenny, stayed at home to care for them. The family was sustained by early food programs. “I did not get much out of school,” Bedell admitted. By the 10th grade, the shadow of the draft loomed over him. The U.S. had been thrust into the World War II. “I knew I was going into the army anyway, so I didn’t care much.” He hung out with two other hardened troublemakers whose preferred pastimes involved underage drinking and pitching hedge apples at streetlamps. Frequent warnings from the police, who often spoke with Bedell’s father, had no effect. The trio was finally detained one night for drunkenness and breaking curfew while out chasing girls. It was the last straw.

“I was 17 and I was out of control,” Bedell began in his distinctive Indiana accent, “and so the judge and my parents thought it would be best if I went into the Army. You could do it at 17 if you could get parental approval. They thought that would be the best thing.” It was then September of 1944. “[I reported] first of all to Camp Atterbury, Indianapolis, where I received clothing and some immunizations. I was there for only about four days. [I then went] to Fort McClellan, Ala. where I took seventeen weeks of basic training.” Surprisingly, Bedell enjoyed this rite of passage, which most servicemen consider brutal. “I was proud to be in the Army, and I decided I would become a good soldier.” He soon qualified as an expert in marksmanship. “I was bulletproof and not afraid of anything. I volunteered to become a paratrooper

and went to Fort Benning, Ga. where I took five weeks of parachute training. Bedell described the configuration of his lesser-known equipment. “You have a reserve parachute tied around your stomach, a Griswold bag in which the rifle was packed in two pieces and that was strapped to your stomach also. [My most memorable experience was] being in an airplane and knowing I was going to be out the door shortly!”

Once Bedell earned his wings, he boarded a troopship in New York for the nine-day crossing to Le Havre, France. He was assigned to reinforce the 508 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, which was then in Belgium recovering from the Battle of the Bulge. The 508 PIR had seen extensive action and was decorated for its valiant actions on D-Day before it parachuted into Operation Market Garden while “Jimmy Bedell” was still signing his name on army enlistment rolls. He described his initial role in the 200-strong H Company. “I was a rifleman—you don’t go any lower than that,” he clarified humorously. Bedell would parachute into battle with the iconic M1 Garand, the first standard-issue semi-automatic rifle in history. Bedell joked about how his officers preferred a shortened version of the Garand: the M1 carbine. “The carbine was a… not a very good weapon, but it was carried by officers because it was light. The M1 weighed 9 ½ lbs.”

The official history of the 508 PIR recorded Bedell’s first missions in Europe. “For the remainder of the month, regular training problems were held. Many reinforcements had come to the 508th and the old problem of getting them ready for combat was paramount once again.” Bedell recalled these practice drops, but his most exciting mission could not be found in the history books.

“I was only in harm’s way one time, and it was something in which I volunteered. The German army was in full retreat. They left a tank, a tank commander and a crew of two other people, and their job was to cover the retreat. [The German unit] decided they didn’t want to do that—they wanted to surrender. They could have surrendered to a nearby infantry company, but they didn’t want to surrender to regular infantry. They would surrender to parachute infantry -but we didn’t know -- it could have been a trick.” The call went out for volunteers to capture the enemy tank. Bedell was one of 18 who accepted the mission, led by Lieutenant Nance. The tank blocked a road through a village. Bedell parachuted into the surrounding fields, assembled his M1, and advanced on the town. The G.I.s surrounded the tank before Nance called for the Germans to surrender. “The commander came out of the hatch with his hands up. That was when we knew it wasn’t a trick.” The Germans did not speak English, but one thing was clear. “They were afraid they would be captured by the Russians, and they were very happy to be surrendering

to the U.S.” Jim covered the flank while the POWs were led behind American lines. “We took them three miles or so to another infantry company and gave them the prisoners. We then went back to an airfield and were picked up and flown to Germany.”

The remainder of 508 PIR arrived ahead of their comrades. The station was Frankfurt, captured by General George Patton on March 29. H Company was placed on sentry duty. “We guarded the railroad and the trucks that were bringing supplies. I don’t know if we were guarding it against the Germans or against G.I.’s who were stealing stuff!” The company protected bakeries, dairies, and the Supreme Allied Command headquarters, which was being established in the famous IG Farben building. Bedell reflected on life for Germans in the bombed-out city. “It was very much destroyed. [Civilians] were still living there, and they were very happy to see us because, once more, they were still fearful that the Russians would come.” The 508 PIR would remain at this post for 18 months, more than a year after the end of World War Two. “You were very busy all the time doing guard duty. You didn’t have any time off. You constantly trained to be ready in case there was anything else.”

In those turbulent times, the Soviets executed a takeover of many war-torn European countries, including Poland and the eastern half of Germany. These were quickly reduced to communist rule, which would last nearly half of Jim’s extensive lifetime. “Our mission was to reassure the civilians. We paraded all the time so we would be seen and so they would feel safe. The division came home, and we stayed. When we [the regiment] came home, [the civilians] were really upset because they thought that the Russians would come after we left.” These citizens were spared the fate they dreaded. Frankfurt became part of West Germany, and the Americans would return to defend it from communism two years later, in 1948, during the Berlin Airlift. However, Jim would witness these events from the United States. Upon returning in 1946, he was stationed at the 82nd Airborne headquarters in Fort Bragg, N.C. for the balance of his enlistment.

The 36 months he spent in service to his country set Bedell on a better path in life. His parents and the judge were proven right.  In his own words, “I was not a good person when I entered the Army, but my first sergeant straightened me out.” Now a reformed man, he used his G.I. bill to earn a Bachelor of Science in Education at Indiana State University. He first taught at Monticello Public Schools for a sixth grade class of 38 students. His favorite subject was U.S. history, especially the colonial period. The 6th graders shared his enthusiasm. He described them as bright and eager to learn. One memorable teaching aid was his 16-millimeter film projector. In 1950, there were no televisions or even overhead transparency projectors. Monticello students were not the only learners, however. Four years later, at age 28, the troublemaker who once didn’t get much out of school was awarded a Master’s degree in education by Purdue. With it, he moved directly into the role of principal for the Valparaiso School District. Valparaiso included seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school with an annual graduating class of around 2,000 students. “I wasn’t qualified, but that was the only choice they had,” he recalled while laughter rolled. “I enjoyed most of it, but the thing that was very difficult was dealing with non-functioning families.”

Even in the 1950s, family structure proved the key determining factor in whether a student (and indeed a school) succeeded or struggled. Family issues

manifested themselves in behaviors with which Bedell was all too familiar. “I knew all the tricks.” He did not share specific cases but instead offered hope for those of us who struggle with a difficult past. “I’ve been very fortunate; I forget all the bad things.”

Jim oversaw an early pilot program for individualized learning decades before standardized testing overtook the educational landscape. “The name of the program was Individually Guided Education. I had a different elementary school. It was an experimental thing. The community did not like that program. They didn’t understand what was going on, well, I shouldn’t say the community— some of them. It was hard work for the teachers. They had to do a lot of planning. I worked on that program for maybe four years. When I left, the program left also.”

Jim served as principal until 1989. In these four decades of experience, the most noticeable change to the school system was undoubtedly “The amount of record-keeping that was required. They were teaching the kids to pass the standardized testing, and they were not teaching the whole child. The idea was [only] to improve the standardized test scores.” At the close of a fulfilling 34-year career, Jim and his wife Jane retired and moved to Oceana County. Jane also served her community as a schoolteacher, although in a different district. Bedell volunteered as a tutor at New Era for the first six years of retired life. He continues to promote and help plan the monthly Stony Lake Men’s Breakfast. If our readers desire to learn what it means to be a good neighbor in these modern days of isolation, they need do no more than greet Jim Bedell.

Jim Bedell has lived the exemplary life of a model citizen. In uniform, he fought to defend our civilization from the greatest evils of his time. In the schoolhouse, he worked to preserve the next two generations by enlightening and equipping their minds. In his second full career of retirement, Jim has unceasingly cultivated this corner of our world into one in which it is worth living. The Echo has been privileged to present to the public James Bedell, a member of the greatest generation.

Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. Romans 5:7

H Company parades through Frankfurt while German civilians look on. Lt. Nance appears closest to the camera. White neckerchiefs distinguish these paratroopers as an elite force.

Jim Bedell, at center, enjoys life.

BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS

Hovey, Jazwinksi propel Hart girls to D3 state title, boys finish third

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Reporter

KENT CITY – Hart’s girls track and field team left no doubt who the best team was when they hoisted the Division 3 championship trophy into the air on Saturday, June 3.

The Pirates were dominant all day, never slipping out of contention for the top spot. Without heavy-hitters like Kendall Williamson from last year to help carry them, Hart called on their youthful core of talented sophomores to step up and lead.

They did more than lead, they took control themselves.

It started with sophomore Addi Hovey, a force on the basketball court in the winter and now an All-State track star. Hovey churned out a win in the high jump, posting a mark of five feet four inches. Two other competitors posted

the same mark, but because Hovey stuck her first attempt, she was given the win and her first All-State honor of the day.

Hovey continued to perform, snagging third place in the 100-meter dash, seventh place as a member of the 800 relay team and capped off the day with a third place finish alongside teammates in the 400 relay. That made her a four-time All-State honoree on the day, and helped compile 24 points to her team’s final total of 64.

“This year I’ve improved a lot. Taking the time off travel basketball to focus on track has really helped and I’m proud of myself and my teammates,” Hovey said. “It’s been a blessing. Last year I took second in high jump and this year I focused on winning and that’s been the goal the whole year.”

Hovey’s road to first place in the high jump was marked

with stellar outings over the year. That included setting a mark of 5-11, something she noted as a highlight for her. Her placement also had a bit of extra sweetness added as she took down Heidi Newhouse of Lawton, who she finished runner-up to a season ago.

The Pirates were still in a tight race with Olivet, even with Hovey’s massive outing. The Eagles swapped first place with Hart at multiple points on the day. That is, until sophomore Jessie Jazwinski hit the track for the distance events.

Jazwinski, an individual state champion for Hart in cross country in 2022, started the day off in the 1,600 relay with a fourth place finish (9:35.92). Then, Jazwinski took second in the 1,600, third in the 800 and first in the 3,200 – making her a two-time individual state champion and a four-time All-State honoree this year alone. Even then, she wasn’t satisfied.

“I was a little disappointed. I really wanted to take home the mile today, but it didn’t turn out how I wanted,” Jazwinski said. “But I’m a sophomore and I’ll definitely be going for it next year. Overall I’m happy and super excited for our team.”

Jazwinski’s performance, along with nice finishes from junior Alyson Enns in the same races, vaulted Hart right to the top. All the Pirates had to do was earn placement points in the 1,600 relay and hope Olivet didn’t post big numbers in the pole vault. Both of those worked out in their favor and they were champions once again.

“This one was nerve

racking because there were expectations there. Last year was more of a surprise,” Hart girls track coach Calvin Ackley said. “They knew how to be champions because they were here last year. Addi Hovey was great and Jessie Jazwinski was the lynch pin with those long distance races.”

Hart’s boys enjoyed plenty of impressive performances themselves. Unlike the girls however, the distance events put them firmly behind the competition. Senior Clayton Ackley, a model of consistency for Hart, struggled in the 1,600, falling into ninth place and missing out on placement points. Ackley did rebound with a third place finish in the 3,200, but that wasn’t enough to bring his team within reach.

Add to that a surprise second place finish for Kellen Kimes in the shot put throw and Hart’s scores stayed relatively stagnant. Kimes placed first in discus (1743), but thanks to a personal record throw from a PewamoWestphalia athlete, was surpassed in shot put. Kimes wasn’t shocked, noting that

inconsistency in that event has plagued him all season long.

“It’s hard to go into a state meet and think you’re going to PR in both of your events,” Kimes said. “I had a great day in discus, but when I got up to shot put, nothing was clicking. That’s something that I’ve had a lot of this year. Inconsistencies in shot put are something I struggled with.”

Missing out on the trophy wasn’t where Hart’s boys wanted to end up, but they still finished All-State in five events.

HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY • WALKERVILLE

Hart’s girls track and field team make it clear who the No.1 team in D3 is, posing with the newest addition to the Pirates’ trophy case. • Brendan Samuels/Echo

Hart sophomore Addi Hovey stands tall at the podium after becoming a state champion in the high jump event.

• Brendan Samuels/Echo

Hart senior Kellen Kimes lets out a yell after releasing his throw during the discus event. Kimes placed first, taking home an individual state champion title. • Brendan Samuels/Echo

600

Hart softball claims third straight district title

Pirates down Shelby, Mason County Central to advance to regionals

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HART – For the third time in as many years, Hart softball punched their ticket to the regional tournament. It took wins over two conference opponents on Saturday, June 3 to do so, but the Pirates prevailed, taking down Shelby, 24-0, and Mason County Central, 10-7.

In order to get to the finals round, Hart first had a date with their rival Shelby in the semifinals. That matchup proved too much for the Tigers, who were fielding an inexperienced team that played a JVVarsity hybrid schedule this season.

The Pirates got off to a hot start in the shutout win over Shelby, scoring all of their runs in the first two innings. Three Hart batters notched multiple hits with Mackenna Carrier, Gabby Quijas and Ambrielle Duncan all having big games. Duncan was the catalyst on offense, driving in four runs on three hits and crossing the plate once herself.

Quijas started the day on the rubber, pitching just two innings where she struck out five and allowed just one hit. Addison Schiller pitched one inning in relief, striking out two before the game was ended by mercy rule after three frames.

Shelby had just three hits in the loss as they struggled mightily. Claire Gowell, Addison Shook and Aspen Corey were responsible for the Tigers’ only offense. That advanced Hart to the finals where they’d have to face the Spartans in order to claim a district title.

Before they could even take on MCC, the Pirates were forced to wait out a passing storm that brought rain. That wasn’t the last storm they’d weather over the coming hours.

When play began, Hart found itself in a close game in which they held a 3-2 advantage after the top of the third. The Spartans went on to score four runs in that same stanza thanks to an RBI from an MCC hitter, combined with multiple mistakes by the Pirates’ defense.

Kelsey Copenhaver was pulled from the pitcher’s circle in the third inning after allowing five earned runs on three hits and eight walks while striking out three. Thanks to a brief outing against Shelby, Quijas was reinserted to finish out the game.

Quijas flipped the script, allowing eight hits but only a single run over the remainder of the game. That allowed her team to crawl back into the game and steal the win out from underneath MCC thanks to seven runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings.

Offensively for Hart, Makayla Rockwell and Gabby Schmieding were on fire. Both had just a single hit in three at bats, but Schmieding recorded three RBIs and Rockwell had an additional two. Quijas also joined the multiple RBI club, driving in two.

Hart now becomes district champs for the third straight year and will turn their attention to the regional semifinals. That game will take place on Saturday where the Pirates will take on Kingsley (9-10) at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Middle School in Traverse City at 10 a.m.

Kelsey Copenhaver fires off a pitch with Makayla Rockwell ready at first base. • Amanda Dodge/Echo