The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 23, November 3, 2023 by theoceanaecho

Volume 1, Issue 23 NOVEMBER 3, 2023

Pasha Ruggles of Hart places in top 25 at ArtPrize By Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

PERMIT NO 62

PRE-SORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE

RESIDENTIAL POSTAL CUSTOMER PAID ECRWSS BIG RAPIDS, MI 49307

Pasha Ruggles of Hart was walking on the beach with her kids in September 2015 when they came across a couple pieces of driftwood and wanted to take them home. Kids being kids, Ruggles herself ended up carrying them most of the way back to the car, and when she tossed them into the back, she found herself fascinated at the way they landed— looking exactly like the body and tail of a small fish. The rest was history. Ruggles, who owns and operates Rugglesville Big Springs Goat Milk Soaps, has been using driftwood as a medium for her art ever since, and she achieved a milestone at this year’s ArtPrize festival in Grand Rapids. Her driftwood art, a collection she dubbed “Michigan Eden,” was named a top-25 selection at the festival. Ruggles spent the first few years of her time as a driftwood artist making gifts for family, starting with a blue herring (complete with a smaller fish in its mouth) she gave her parents for Christmas just a few months into her new pursuit. Those gifts marked the extent of her art journey until 2019, when she put together a rooster and

The soccer fields at the Norman E. Kuhne Recreation Park, above, were vandalized last week, along with the property at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Weare. A reMichigan weather due ward has been offered for identification of the vandal or vandals. • Contributed to her unheated garage, Ruggles spent three summers, she said, working Hansen Foods has donated a $250 partment in pursuit of identifying the on her “Michigan Eden.” reward for information leading to vandal or vandals. The work was inspired identifying the vandal or vandals who Anyone with information can in particular by two difdamaged the soccer fields at Norreach out to the sheriff’s office. ferent pieces she came man E. Kuhne Recreation Park on or across: a large piece of Submitting Tips wood that she thought around Thursday, Oct. 27. If anyone has information that The park is located at 3986 N. looked like the Marvel they believe may be helpful to deOceana Dr. in Hart Township, adcharacter Groot’s head— tectives in solving a case, the Oceajacent to the District Health Deshe later found a hollow na County Sheriff’s Deparment partment #10 0ffice. The vandalism log that could pass for would very much appreciate anyincludes multiple burnouts or doughhis torso—and a small one reaching out to them. There nuts performed on the playing fields, tree with vines wrapped are multiple ways to get in-touch, resulting in significant damage to the around it that evoked including: grassy turf and necessitating multiple images of snakes in her • Email: tip@oceanasheriff.net mind. The tree worked repairs. • Private message us on Facebook The maintenance of these fields is well with a large collec• Call the Silent Observer line at largely supported by donation funds, tion of wood-knot apples (888) 786-7274 pay-for-play fees and public support she had amassed, fitting • Call one of their detectives at from our local communities. Thouthe Eden theme. (231) 873-2121 sands of dollars are spent each year “I had all these wood on seed, fertilizer, weed control, irriknot apples, and I didn’t A similar incident occurred at St. know what I was collect- gation and on-going regular maintenance. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Weare ing them for, but I colThis gross act of vandalism ultiTownship near the same time, and lected 60 of them,” Rugmately affects the children and grandit is believed that the two situations gles said. children, who benefit from this famay be related. The Eden had sevAny questions, concerns, or intereral other animals in cility. The Hart Area Recreation Club is asking for public input as to who est in volunteering to help our cause it, such as an eagle, a may have witnessed or can otherwise may be directed to: hartrecclub@ turtle, a buck, a koi fish assist the Oceana County Sheriff Degmail.com. and more, but Ruggles’ favorites were a duck and a bullfrog. The duck was made of two different pieces of wood she The Oceana Echo is elated to wel- events for Shoreline Media Group. found that she said fit come Andy Roberts and Madison A Ball State graduate, he came to together “like magic” Lajewski to its team! the area in May 2012 to cover local to form the animal, and Andy is an award-winning writ- sports and has never left. He, his wife the bullfrog consisted of er and photographer who comes to Amy, and their two sons live in Rothjust one piece of wood, the Echo after 11 years covering local bury. Most recently, he was editor of which Ruggles added the White Lake Beacon newspaper. small sticks to make it “I’m thrilled to team back up with appear as though the several colleagues at the Echo,” Robfrog was leaping forward. erts said. “Our group cares deeply There are no humans in about providing the best local coverEden. Ruggles joked that age in our community, and we have “Adam and Eve were on big plans that we’re looking forward vacation.” to bringing to the area. Stay tuned!” Ruggles’ top-25 finish Madison is originally from Flint wasn’t the only way her and graduated from Central Michwork was noticed at Artigan University in 2022, where she Prize; she said the Gerald studied journalism, and women and Ford Art Museum’s depgender studies. “I am excited to inuty director, Jim Kratsas, troduce myself to Oceana County approached her during and begin writing for and workiing ArtPrize and offered with this community.” space as a venue if she “It is wonderful to work with entered the show again. Andy and Madison again. Their work “I think he really liked ethic and sense of community make my artwork,” Ruggles them a great fit for our Echo team,” said. “It is super cool. It’s Echo Publishing Inc. Vice President definitely unique.” Andy Roberts and Madison Lajewski Amanda Dodge said.

$250 reward offered in vandalism case

put it on display at the spring arts and crafts show in Pentwater. “Within the first hour of the two-day show, I sold the rooster for $800,” Ruggles said. “I couldn’t believe it. An interior designer lady bought it for her friend, an art collector who lives in Aspen. After that, I decided I wasn’t going to give (my art) away as gifts anymore or sell it, but make something big for ArtPrize.” Ruggles’ art isn’t made by woodworking, but simply by using her artist’s eye to devise the best way to display the pieces of driftwood she comes across. “I don’t carve anything,” Ruggles said. “Nature shapes it, and I just put it together. People at ArtPrize thought I carved it.” Making Ruggles’ artwork even more impressive is that she has a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, which is slowly taking away her peripheral vision. Ruggles finds the artwork relaxing, though, and said she believes her condition actually makes her a better artist. “Honestly, I think that’s why I can do such good detail in my art; I have a smaller area to focus on,” Ruggles said. “It’s very therapeutic to work out in my garage and lose myself in my art.” Because she had to work on it in her spare time and was limited by

The Oceana Echo team is expanding

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TIFA to take ownership of Hart Congregational United Church of Christ by year’s end By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor HART - Tuesday, Oct. 24 the Hart TIFA (Tax Increment Financing Authority) board made the decision to take ownership of the 155-year-old Hart Congregational United Church of Christ Dec. 31, 2023, when the church will cease operations and officially close. Earlier this fall, the church announced it would hold its last service on Christmas Eve. The church leadership stated that they are relieved to have found an entity willing to take ownership of the historic building. If a new owner could not be secured by year’s end, it would have reverted to the denomination’s church council. “Thank you so much for your cooperation and coming up with a solution,” said church member Tom Osborn at Tuesday evening’s city council meeting. “TIFA is excited yet cautious,” said City Manager Rob Splane. “They’ve agreed to allocate funds for maintenance and plan to hold some community vi-

sioning sessions in the coming year.” In other city council news, Splane gave brief comments on the recently completed Oceana County Workforce Development Study, which was the culmination of a year’s worth of work by DataWise. They were was contracted by the Oceana Economic Alliance and The Right Place of Grand Rapids. The 400-page document holds a wealth of information that will be “...ideal for courting new business,” said Splane. The council approved the creation of a Parks and Recreation Department and position to provide “ongoing improvement, beautification, enrichment, and programming in all city-owned parks and recreational property.” The position will be paid for using the annual revenue generated at John Gurney Park Campground. The position, to have been posted by this week, will be a non-union, superintendent-type position, with pay equal to other entry-level positions within the city. It is the city manager’s hope to have the position filled by the end of November. The council also discussed the parliamentary

procedure, Robert’s Rules of Order (RRO) and what type of parliamentary procedure the council wished to use. “The council has always had loose guidelines in the past. We could not find in the city charter where it (RRO) was ever officially adopted,” Splane said. “The city has purchased a copy of the manual, it’s an 800-page document. The pros are it is a defined set of rules to abide by. The cons are that it is a defined set of rules you have to abide by.” Mayor Vicki Platt told the council she personally was not in favor of adopting RRO, not because she didn’t want to have some type of parliamentary procedure in place, but because she liked being able to be a little more flexible if necessary. Council member James Evans said, “It’s (RRO) been revised 12 times. It was originally only 100 pages.” Council member Cat Burillo said, “The importance of having some type of parliamentary procedure is consistency. If we don’t have policies in place, I think it affects the credibility of the council.” Further discussions by the council will be had before any formal operating procedure is adopted.

Man of many hats speaks at Trinity Lutheran Men’s Breakfast By Linda Jonseck The Oceana Echo Volunteer Contributor For many years, Trinity Lutheran Church in Claybanks Township has hosted a once- to twice-monthly free men’s breakfast with a featured speaker of interest following the meal. On Oct. 17, the featured speaker was Paul Erickson, a sixth-generation native of Oceana County who has a long-standing love for local history. His roots stem back to Elbridge at Camp Houk, where his Native American Grandmother Moon, the “Chippewa Que,” was from the Ottawa Tribe of Flat River Chief Cobomoosa. He was taught his Native American history, and it has had a significant influence on his passion for the past. Paul’s parents were very active in the community he also takes pride in, and he states, “It rubbed off on me.” After many years in farming, banking and automotive, Paul started a hands-on business

Paul Erickson in Mears, PM Collision. His ardent lifestyle has developed this endeavor into a successful body shop. Energetic, Paul sits on several boards. He is president of both the Oceana County Fair and the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society board, and serves on the Parks and Recreation board and the Department of Health and Human Services board. He is also the District 4 Oceana County Commissioner and is involved with the Oceana County Medical Care Facility.

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To top this off, he is one of the driving forces behind The Oceana Echo, which has mailed over 200,000 free newspapers to homes across Oceana County since its inception in June of this year. He helps to deliver those newspapers each week, a job he also enjoyed as a boy. It is easy to see that no grass grows under his feet. The TLC men’s breakfast takes place every first and third Tuesday of each month (September through May), and once a month in the summer at 8:30 a.m. The church is located at 5631 W. Stony Lake Rd. in New Era, and more information can be obtained by calling 231861-4059.

Gail Zieger The Oceana County Medical Care Facility has been awarded several grants to beautify its dining room courtyard. This is the courtyard to the north of the dining room. The grants awarded are from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council/Holland Area Arts Council, the Community Foundation for Oceana County, the Great Lakes Energy People’s Fund and the Oceana County American Rescue Plan Act. One of the first major projects completed was locating an artist to paint a mural on the north brick wall of the courtyard. “We are proud to say that one of our very own local artists was sought out for the project and accepted. We would like to give a huge thank you to Gail Zieger for bringing the life of the beach at the Little Sable Point Lighthouse to our courtyard,” OCMCF staff said.

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The Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Private tours are available by 114 Dryden St. in Hart , Mich. 49420 Please join the OCH&GS for “Oceana County in Global Context: Bracero and POW Labor appointment. During World War II” at the West Michigan Research Center, Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. oceanahistory.org (231) 873-2600

Big Mike: terror of the community By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist In July of 1869, there was an arrest warrant out in Oceana County for a man named Mike Hayes, otherwise known as Big Mike. This man was apparently a rather notorious individual in the early days of our county. Hartwick and Tuller describe him in their book “Oceana County Pioneers and Business Men of To Day,” as being “…a powerfully built man, quiet and harmless when sober… but a perfect terror to the community when intoxicated.” They go on to recount that, “he used to visit Pentwater periodically, fill up with liquor and then set about to destroying property, fighting and otherwise terrorizing the people.” Even though Hayes’ troubling behavior was a known issue, it seems many were just too scared to do anything about it, and even the officers of the time were “loth” to pay him a visit. And so it was that when Constable James Roddy went to arrest Big Mike one day in late July, a sense of dread was in the air. Roddy, described as also being a “powerful man without fear,” expected things to head south, and yet Mike Hayes quietly surrendered. Hayes had a club with him, which Roddy ap-

prehended and together they made their way to the Justice’s Office. “On the way,” Hartwick and Tuller wrote, “Mike slyly drew a large knife and was slyly watching a favorable opportunity of plunging it into the officer’s breast….” But somebody warned Officer Roddy before Hayes was able to strike. Roddy turned around quickly and smacked Hayes atop the head, “with terrific force, felling him to the ground like an ox, making an ugly scalp wound and rendering him unconscious.” Hayes’ was then taken to the doctor to have his wound treated before being taken to the justice’s office, where he pleaded guilty and received a fine. This brief story from our past might bring us a laugh in the present day, with a method of problem solving not unfamiliar to a Looney Tunes skit: hitting someone over the head with a club. Heck, in the modern era, it is humorous enough that Big Mike was carrying around a club to begin with. Back in the day, though, Mike Hayes behavior was a very real problem, and his arrest must have been a very exciting turn of events for the community. Even in their book, Hartwick and Tuller begin their discussion by saying, “Many of the old settlers will remember this character.” Unlike in the Looney Tunes too, we learn it really doesn’t pay to be

such a detestable character. The authors tell us a bit about what happened to Mike Hayes following his arrest. “This event seemed to break his spirit, and although afterwards he was several times arrested for disorderly conduct, his power as a terrorizer had passed. Liquor made a total wreck of him in a few years.”

A home in many senses of the word By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor With recent remodeling happening at the fire-damaged funeral home located at 301 State St. in Hart, many have been wondering about the building’s history. The following timeline and details have been pieced together after talking with local historians Jeannette Lipps, Esther Moul and Karen Urick and researching document archives at the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society. The structure was originally built in 1926 as a private home by a man with the last name of Snyder (the name of the homeowner is unknown). Lipps, hired as a receptionist by Paul Tate of Tate Funeral Home in the 1980s, recalls seeing the blueprints for the building many times. “We would get them out every time someone new purchased the building,” she said. Moul believes the home was built shortly after the historic Bates house, a home located one block west at the corner of Church and Courtland. Ac-

cording to Urick and Moul, the story goes that the owner of the home on State Street wanted to outdo Mr. Bates by building something even more grand. While it is not an original Frank Lloyd Wright design, several parts of the home mimic the style of the famed architect. The smaller white house, located just to the west of the main house on Church Street, was built at the same time and used as the maid’s quarters. The home was eventually sold to Clarence Joslin, who turned it into the first funeral home in Hart. It is assumed that sometime in the early 1940s, the Joslin Funeral Home was purchased by a Mr. Brokering, who operated the Brokering Funeral Home until 1946, when it was purchased by Hollis Tate and became the Tate Funeral Home. In 1960, the Tate Funeral Home merged with the Weaver Funeral Home (owned by Don Weaver) and became known as the Tate-Weaver Funeral Home. In 1974, Weaver bought out Tate’s interest but kept the name of the funeral home the same. In 1981, Weaver sold the funeral home to Jon-

athan Kruer, who operated it as the Tate-Weaver Funeral Home until 1985. Kruer sold the funeral home to Paul Tate, Hollis Tate’s son, and his friend and business associate, Herb Brown, in 1985, and the name was changed to Tate-Brown Funeral Home. In 1986, Paul Tate bought out Brown and changed the name back to Tate Funeral Home. At that time, Hart resident Jeannette Lipps was hired as a receptionist for the funeral home by Paul Tate. Nearly 40 years later, Lipps still holds that position for Hart’s only funeral home and has been a familiar face and a bridge between the community and the many funeral directors since. In 1992, Kenneth DeVries attempted to purchase the funeral home but

was unable to complete the transaction. Doug Walls purchased the funeral home in 1993 and continued funeral operations there for the next eight years, as many had before him. Eventually, Walls would remodel the former Hawley Nursery on 72nd Avenue and move the Tate Funeral Home to its new location sometime in 2001. Following the business’ move to 72nd Avenue, the former funeral home was sold and reverted back to a private residence, only to be sold again and turned into apartments in the mid-2000s. The building was nearly a total loss when the structure caught fire in June 2022. In August 2022, Elevate Oceana was formed, and since that time, it has been in the process of converting the historic home into an in-residence program for men wanting to leave their lives of drug and alcohol addiction. The building has had quite a journey over the past 100 years. It will be gratifying to see it in operation once again, meeting needs in our community.

theoceanaecho@gmail.com • November 3, 2023 • Volume 1 • Issue 23 Office hours: Mondays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.

THE OCEANA ECHO NOVEMBER 3, 2023 5

Obituaries Tails of Hope In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

William Danny Barefoot April 21, 1947 ~ October 31, 2023

William Danny Barefoot, 76, passed away peacefully at home Oct. 31, 2023. He was born April 21, 1947, the son of William and Eunice Barefoot. William proudly served in the United States Army for 25 years, retiring as a Master Sergeant. After his time in the military, William found himself keeping busy; for a short while, he spent his time at the local Ace until he moved onto being a bus driver for Hart Public Schools. During his time as a bus driver, William thrived. He loved to be the first and last face each child got to see during their school day, and he did his best to make each day a good day. William and his wife, Debbra, would have reached their 27th anniversary in December. The love William and Debbra shared was unwavering; he always made sure she was cared for, never needing nor wanting for anything. Although it did take some time to break through William’s outer shell, once you saw his heart, you knew how big it really was. He had a love for life, hard work, and his family. William’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren created a new vigor for life and a love with no bounds; they were his world. William will be terribly missed for his strength, love, acceptance, hard work and even his stubbornness. William is survived by his wife of 26 years, Debbra Barefoot; son, Joe (Nancy) Barefoot; daughter, Heidi (Mike) Moul; nine grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and his loving dog, Topper. William was preceded in death by: his parents, William and Eunice Barefoot; Deb’s parents, Axel and Leota Johnson; son, Timothy Kaat; sister, Media Robins; and brother, Kenneth Barefoot. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Faith Christian Fellowship Church, 400 Hart Street, Hart, MI 49420. Memorial services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, 2023 at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, 2370 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, MI 49420. Visitation will take place at 11 a.m. until the time of services at the funeral home, with a luncheon immediately following at Faith Christian Fellowship Church, 400 Hart St., Hart, MI 49420. Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements. www.beaconfh.com

Johnny Dean Ingalls

December 7, 1948 ~ September 19, 2022 Johnny Dean Ingalls, 73, of Hesperia, passed away Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. He was the son of Russell and Florence (Davison) Ingalls. Johnny enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a Sergeant in the Vietnam War, receiving the Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service stars, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the National Defense Service Medal. He was also an avid outdoorsman who loved deer hunting, coon hunting, raising coon hounds, trapping and taking his nephews along with him. He was a beloved brother and uncle and will be greatly missed. Johnny is survived by: his children, Jessica Ingalls and Jacob Ingalls; grandchildren; brother, Larry (Sue) Ingalls; sister, Marlene “Chippy” Forbear; brother-in-law, Lowell Kludy; and nephews. Johnny was preceded in death by: his parents; and sister, Patricia Kludy. Graveside service with military honors will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, at Otto Township Cemetery, 2801 E. Garfield Rd., Hesperia, MI 49421 with a luncheon following at American Legion Post 411, 4075 S. 198th Ave., Hesperia, MI 49421. Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is handling arrangements. www.harrisfhome.com

Josie is looking for a laid-back home where she can chill out and relax. Josie is a senior Border Collie who is easy to walk and wants to please people. Are you that special person who will provide this gal with a forever home?

Josie is available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Shelter. If interested, please call the shelter at 231-861-5395. The adoption fee for cats is $35, and you receive certificates for $25 towards spay/ neuter and $10 towards rabies if not already done. The adoption fee for dogs is $95 and you will receive a $50 certificate good for spay/neuter, if needed. Every dog should have an ID tag. L.A.S.S.I. provides free dog ID tags to all Oceana County residents. To request tags, send a text to 231730-3906. Free tags are also available at the Oceana County Animal Shelter.

Meet Josie

Her mentoring lives on at the PALC Weaving is the craft or action of interlacing threads to form fabric. Search on the Internet for the phrase “beauty of weaving,” and one finds this statement: “The way yarns go to form a fabric symbolizes relationships that we build and hold in this world. Nothing is created without weaving - be it mother/fatherhood, childhood, sister/brotherhood, friendship or a love relationship.” Friendships and weaving go hand in hand at the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center (PALC). And all the fun happens in “Bet’s Weave Corner,” the area named after the late Betty Christians. She was an experienced weaver who brought her skills from Grand Rapids to Pentwater, and mentored other PALC members in the art of weaving. Betty passed away in 2019, but her memory is still deeply woven into the hearts of many. Arlene Tiemeyer is one of them. “I’ve been weaving for about 25 years,” said Tiemeyer, who lives in Borculo, Mich. The mother of 13 children added, “I thought I’d just weave rag rugs, but a rug loom was just too expensive. So I joined the Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild in Grand Rapids years ago. Betty was also a member. When I bought an old barn loom for $100 so I could weave rugs, Betty taught me everything.” Then Christians moved to Pentwater and became the PALC’s weaving mentor. Continued Tiemeyer, “I wasn’t familiar with Pentwater until I drove up here for her funeral. I got here and said to those I met, ‘is there anything I can do here to help, in honor of Betty?’ And they said, ‘well, we don’t have a weaving mentor anymore.” And so Tiemeyer filled the void, driving 2.5 hours roundtrip in good weather. “I found out that Betty would set up the looms late at night so members could just come in and weave the next day,” explained Tiemeyer.

“I’ve now taught these basics to others. I’m working myself out of a job,” she said jokingly. Added PALC member Vern Blocher, “I know Arlene would love to learn other crafts here. But I have her by the neck,” he joked. He further explained that he learned weaving under Christians’ tutelage at the PALC when both of them were still working. “We both had day jobs, and were here in the evening. I’ve since learned more about the basics of weaving from Arlene.” “This is what Gene lived for,” added PALC co-founder Barb Davidson about her late husband’s motivation. “Sharing and caring, and love for one another. Gene wanted to start a place where everyone could get together and use their smarts to help mentor everyone.” The nonprofit Artisan Center has so far raised $130,000 of the $250,000 it needs to repair, replace, and add new equipment. For more information, call 231-869-5323. Tax-deductible gifts can be given by logging onto oceanafoundation.org/give/ our-funds. In the “Search Funds” box, enter “Equipping the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center for the Next 20 Years Fund.” Click on “Give Now,” and then scroll down to where the words “Equipping...” are shown in a gray background. Click on those words, and the background shading will turn blue. Then, follow the prompts to charge a contribution.

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fall events calendar

The Ladder Community Center: Tuesdays: Pit Stops for Men 12 & Up, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays: Recovery Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Fridays: Open Jam Session, 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m.

Historical presentation set for Nov. 9 The Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society invites the public to hear a special historical presentation Thursday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. at the West Michigan Research Station (WMRS), located at 5185 N. Oceana Dr. in Hart. Andrew Schlewitz, Assistant Professor in Area and Global Studies at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), along with his research assistant Jacey Adams, will present their latest research findings in a talk entitled “Oceana County in Global Context: Bracero and POW Labor During World War II. The team recently spent four months conducting research in collaboration with the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society (OCH&GS), the Kutsche Office of Local History, located on the GVSU campus, as well as local and regional libraries, and is looking forward to presenting their work to the greater community. “Still edging out of the Great Depression, world events came crashing down again on Oceana County—the Second World War. Once the US joined the Allied war effort, farm labor became scarce as men and women joined the military effort or took jobs in military plants. I plan to share my research on how foreign workers, German POWs and Mexican Braceros, became crucial to Oceana County farmers during the war years, setting up the region for economic success after the war,” said Schlewitz.

DAR to meet Sunday in Mears Michigan Dunes Chapter, NSDAR, will meet Sunday, Nov. 5 at noon at the Mears United Methodist Church, 1990 N. 56th Ave, in Mears. The program will be “Good Citizens Reception” at 2 p.m. Refreshments provided by Michigan Dunes Chapter members

Veterans Day program at SMS next Friday The public is invited to attend the Shelby Middle School Veterans Day program on Friday, Nov. 10, at 10 a.m. in the middle school gymnasium. Please enter the building through the west entrance by the central office. This year’s speaker is Dave Johnson, retired Army. The choir and band will perform.

OCDVA 5K to raise funds for area veterans The Oceana County Department of Veterans Affairs annual 5K fundraiser will take place at Getty Park again this year. All proceeds go to supporting Oceana County Veterans with rides to and from medical appointments throughout the state, keeping the food and clothing pantry stocked and supporting veterans emergent needs. Race time is 10 a.m. and registration is still open. Please use this link to sign up: runsignup.com/Race/MI/Shelby/CharlieMike5K or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094085113306.

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November Nov. 4 - Craft Show, Hart VFW, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 4 - “Caturday” Open House, OCAF, noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 7 - All Pro Dads, Pentwater Elementary School, 600 Park St., Pentwater, 7:30 a.m. Nov. 8 - All Pro Dads, Thomas Read Elementary School, 155 E. Sixth St., Shelby, 7:15 a.m. Nov. 9 - All Pro Dads, Spitler Elementary School, 302 W. Johnson St., Hart, 7:45 a.m. Nov. 9 - “Global Encounters in Oceana: Mexicans, Germans and WWII”, West Michigan Research Center, 5185 N. Oceana Dr., Hart. Free to the public, 7 p.m. Nov. 10 - All Pro Dads, Walkerville Elementary School, 145 Lathrop St., Walkerville, 8 a.m. Nov. 10 - Veterans Day program, Shelby Middle School, 10 a.m. Nov. 11 - Vet Day 5K Getty Park, Shelby Nov. 11 - Holiday Craft Fair, Rothbury Community Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oceana County Animal Friends to host Nov. 4 event The Oceana County Animal Friends, a nonprofit volunteer cat rescue will host Nov. 4, from noon to 4 p.m., a “Caturday” Open House and Nail Trim Clinic from noon to 4 p.m. at its shelter located at 5714 W. Fox Rd. in Mears. Folks can bring their cat, dog, rabbit or guinea pig for a $10 nail trim; kids can enjoy cat-themed activities; and best of all, everyone can meet the cats and kittens! Donations are always appreciated. Friskies canned or dry food, and unscented scoopable litter are needed. And they’re always looking for more volunteers. OCAF rescues strays, traps, neuters and releases feral cats, adopts out approximately 25 cats per month and is funded by donations and grants only. They house cats and kittens, maintain a presence at PetSmart in Muskegon and bring their cats to various local festivals to be adopted.

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THE OCEANA ECHO NOVEMBER 3, 2023 11

A Faithful Focus: Elevate Oceana By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor Sadly, it’s everywhere. The reason for too many deaths, too many broken lives, shattered families and lost dreams. It’s hard to admit, but addiction and its effects are far reaching. Will the tide ever change? What if more could be done? Read on, as that is where Faithful Focus is headed this week. God works in mysterious ways; redeeming really horrible circumstances and turning them into something beautiful again is one of His greatest character qualities. God is also known for creating each person with certain talents, dreams and passions to be used for His honor and glory. God is always at work. Built around 1926 in the Frank Lloyd Wright style and located at 301 State St. in downtown Hart, the building was once a funeral home, then a private residence, then an apartment building, until a fire ravaged the historic brick structure in June 2022. But just four months before that fateful day, God was already planting “seeds.” A group of guys were already dreaming, praying and planning. They had a vision for something bigger than themselves. Something only available in bigger cities where there’s more people and more resources. Something only God could do. By August 2022 Elevate Oceana was officially formed, with the hopes of creating a residence for men wanting to leave their lives of addiction. A safe place to start the next phase of their life without drugs and alcohol. The group filed for nonprofit status, and what should have only taken a few months has taken over a year. But in that time, they have seen God at work as a community has come together. The dream has caught on, and it is slowly becoming a reality. “Elevate Oceana will be voluntary, not a court-appointed program. This will be a sober-living program, not a homeless shelter,” said Elevate board member Gary Nienhuis. “This is a place where guys fighting drug addiction can get help moving forward and out of a recurring cycle. When you’re addicted, it’s hard to get unstuck. We want to help men coming out of addiction to ‘elevate’ themselves to a new level, a new life.” Elevate plans to follow the model of similar programming usually only found in larger cities. The goal is to be completely self-sufficient for the day-to-day operations; with program fees paid by the residents themselves, going to pay for staffing, programming and maintaining the residences. The State Street House, facing State Street, will house those in Phase I of the program. It will be completely remodeled to include a common living area, resident director’s office/apartment, a conference/private meeting room and industrial kitchen on the main floor, with six double-occupancy bedrooms and two full baths located upstairs. Residents will sign an agreement upon entering the program to abide by all program requirements. As residents meet their goals, more freedom and flexibility may be extended. One opportunity for qualifying residents may be the option to move into the Church Street House, the white house located just to the west of the State Street House. There, residents will be able to live in a smaller home setting. The residence, in operation as of Nov. 1, includes four two-person bedrooms, two full baths, a kitchen, living and laundry areas and a private room for the house manager. In both residences, the house manager, usually someone who has lived in the program for a time, will be responsible for running the day-to-day operations, including daily breathalyzer and weekly drug tests if needed. “This person’s main focus will be to keep the guys heading in the right direction,” Nienhuis said. All residents will be required to hold a job, meet regularly with sobriety counselors, agree to regular drug testing and participate in other center programming. “We’ve already been approached by Mason County about getting a similar program going up there. We’re nowhere near ready to expand into other counties, but with a name like Elevate, we could easily add a county’s name and have other sites named ‘Elevate Mason’ or ‘Elevate Newaygo,’” Nienhuis said. “We’re a faith-based organization; however, having or practicing the Christian faith is not a prerequisite to enter the program. We just want to be Jesus to these guys. Wrap our arms around them and support them in their journey,” said board member Scott Butcher. “This isn’t about complaining; it’s about doing something. This is about people’s lives—letting them know they’re valued and loved by God. If we only help one person, it’s worth it. It multiplies, though. If even one person is changed, everyone around them can be changed. There is life after

• Sharon Hallack/Echo addiction. It’s about not being stuck.” Butcher first heard of this type of model through his employer, who’d been asked to participate at a Building Men for Life fundraiser in the Holland area. “He asked if I would attend and check it out,” Butcher said. The Building Men for Life program started with just two guys and now has over 100 men in their program, with 95 of them holding jobs.” The board says they plan to be very fluid as they progress through the buildout and development of not only the structures but also the programming. “This is God’s project,” said Nienhuis. While, from the outside, the project seems to have advanced at a snail’s pace, people with the passion to see this type of ministry come to be have been giving and donating time and materials from the beginning. From gutting and removing debris to a new roof, a new water main and drywalling, all have been donated. “We thought we could save more of it, but the building has not been a fast flip. We had to completely gut it. If we would have gone out and just bought a place, we could be further along, but this project has really brought people together. And we’re saving a historic structure. It has a lot of nice space. It will be nice when we’re done, but it’s taking a lot of

work,” Nienhuis said. “We were really discouraged and down last year about this time; we really needed to get a roof on the place. Then one of our board members got a surprise call from someone who wanted to donate some money to the project, and it was the exact amount needed for us to be able to get the roof on and windows before winter. It was a God thing for sure,” Butcher said. “We took a leap of faith. We all have a heart for something like this and have our own reasons for joining the board,” said Nienhuis. “We’re at all ages and stages of our lives. We each have other family and life responsibilities, but we have a passion for building a safe, structured place for guys coming out of addiction to live,” said Butcher. Elevate Oceana, an official nonprofit organization, is now able to apply for grants and accept tax-deductible donations. The current board of directors includes Butcher, Nienhuis, Paul Heffner, Bill Ryder and Wes Vanderwilk. The organization’s biggest need right now is the completion of the State Street House, with estimates ranging from $200,000 to $250,000 to make it habitable. Donors with time or finances are encouraged to connect with Elevate Oceana at elevateoceana@gmail.com. For more on the history of this iconic building see page 4.

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12 NOVEMBER 3, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

SPORTS

HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY • WALKERVILLE

Hart and Kent City line up for a snap in the rain during Friday’s pre-district football game at Hart. The Pirates defeated Kent City, 44-22, to advance to the district finals. • Brendan Samuels/Echo

Pirates make history with playoff triumph By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HART – Another week, another win for Hart football as they took down Kent City 44-22 in district tournament action. A playoff win is always special, but this one means even more to the players, coaches and community that surrounds Pirate football. The program had never made it into the playoffs, let alone play host to a game of that magnitude. The stage wasn’t too big for those on the field and sidelines, however, as Hart rode some rough waves early before exploding in the second quarter. Kent City solved Hart’s defense to great effect in the first quarter, utilizing runs right up the middle for chunk gains. That led the Eagles down the field on their opening possession, ending with a huge 43-yard rushing touchdown to put them on top 8-0. “It was tough in that first half. It was not looking good,” Hart head coach Joe Tanis said. “We could not stop (Kent City). They were keeping our offense off the field, moving the ball, getting chunk runs and chewing up time.” Where Hart’s defense faltered, their special teams and offense thrived. In need of a response to their opponent’s score, Eman Hertzler tore off a 78-yard kickoff return that set up the Pirates inside the Eagles’ 15-yard line. Hart turned the remainder of that short drive over to Joseluis Andaverde, capping it off with a six-yard touchdown run. A successful two-point attempt had the game knotted at 8-8. Kent City continued to chew clock on their next drive, eating nine minutes of clock as the first quarter expired. Shortly into the second quarter, the Eagles added another score but failed to convert on the two-point attempt. That missed attempt proved to be a big play in the first half. “Our defense stepped up in those critical spots and we

Hart’s Joseluis Andaverde tries to get away from Kent City tacklers, including Josh Anderson (8), during Friday’s playoff football game in Hart. • Brendan Samuels/Echo talked about it possibly coming down to two-point conversions tonight,” Tanis said. “It was huge for us to get ours – especially in that first half. We made it a two-score game, which was huge for us.” As they did following the Eagles’ first touchdown drive, the Pirates got another huge yardage answer on offense. Connor Edwards exploded up the middle for a 71-yard touchdown run and Alex Hicks punched in a two-point attempt to push Hart in front 16-14. “To have Eman rip off that huge kickoff return and Connor to rip off a one-play, 70-some yard touchdown, it was huge,” Tanis said. “Those kids are huge (for our program) and they’re great leaders. Connor has been running out of his mind the last couple of weeks. To see how hard our 150, 155-pound kids run with the ball was really impressive.” Ten minutes later, Kent City continued the back-andforth affair with another touchdown, pushing them back in front 22-16. That left Hart with just under two minutes in the first half to make something happen. Momentum found its way firmly onto Hart’s sideline on the final drive before half. Mistakes from Kent City’s

special teams unit forced them to attempt the same kickoff three times before the Pirates eventually took over near midfield. Hart then turned that momentum into a methodical drive that ended with 13 seconds left. Edwards motioned Andaverde out to his left and was surprised to find his top target wide open for a 13-yard passing score. The Pirates waltzed into the end zone with a 24-22 lead, hoping to go two-for-one on touchdowns with possession awaiting them to start the third quarter. “They call it the middle eight in football. You want to score last right before half and prevent any scores, then score in the first four minutes (of the second half),” Tanis said. “We knew we were getting the ball back.” Hart dominated the second half completely, starting with a 50-yard touchdown run from Andaverde to start the third quarter. A 32-22 lead allowed the Pirates’ defense to let loose. Andaverde quickly got involved on the opposite side of

Football Playoffs

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Football Playoffs the ball, recovering two fumbles in the third quarter. Hart turned the first of those turnovers into points the other way as Edwards scored his second rushing touchdown from 33 yards out. The fourth quarter was a formality for Hart, as it owned a 38-22 lead and had completely stalled Kent City’s offense. Still, Edwards found yet another score, running in from 40 yards out this time and leaving the final score at 44-22. Edwards’ day was full of big plays on the ground as the senior quarterback had 204 yards rushing on 11 carries and three touchdowns to boot. Edwards also was 1-for-3 through the air for 13 yards and a touchdown. Andaverde was Hart’s next-best option, taking 15 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, Joaquin Flores led the way from his linebacker spot. Flores had a team-high 15 tackles to lead a quartet of Pirates who surpassed double digits in that category. Ty Thomas (13 tackles), Chase Gale (11 tackles) and Ivan Lara (10 tackles) were right behind. Hart had already made plenty of history heading into

their first playoff game in program history after passing several benchmarks over the course of the year. The biggest thing the Pirates are celebrating now is a 1-0 record to start the school’s first postseason run. “This is huge for our program and huge for our community,” Tanis said. “This community has had a lot of success in a lot of sports, and football is kind of the last missing piece. To be able to bring this to our community is cool.” Make no mistake, this is not the end of the road for Hart. They’ve heard the doubts surrounding the team and have one message to anyone who says they aren’t capable of continuing their success. “All I have to say is have faith in us,” Andaverde said. “Believe in what we can do when we’re in a tough situation like today. We were down and (Kent City) was getting big plays on us, but we kept our heads up and got the job done. That’s what we do.” Tonight (Friday, Nov. 3), Hart (9-1) will take part in a battle between Division 6 heavyweights as they travel to Reed City to take on the 7-3 Coyotes.

continued from page 12

Hart defender Austin Martinez keeps up with Kent City’s Carson Gorton on a deep pass play during Friday’s playoff football game. • Brendan Samuels/ Echo

Hart’s girls cross-country team won its ninth straight regional championship at Saturday’s meet at Chippewa Hills. • File Photo

Hart Girls win 8th straight Tigers fight off pesky Holton squad, advance to district finals regional title

Shelby’s team celebrates setter Audrey Horton’s 2,000th career assist after earning a district semifinal victory over Holton Wednesday night at Hesperia. • Andy Roberts/Echo

By: Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Sports Writer HESPERIA - Sometimes the mark of a good team is gutting out a win when it doesn’t have its best night. The Shelby Tigers pulled that off Wednesday in the district semifinals, fighting off a tough effort from Holton, 25-23, 26-24, 25-18, to reach the finals against Morley-Stanwood. The Mohawks, like Shelby, received honorable mention in the final regular-season state rankings in Division 3. They beat White Cloud in the other semifinal. “We’re pretty fortunate to get the win tonight,” Shelby coach Tom Weirich said. “Holton was better than us most of the night.” Shelby perhaps owes its season to the strong work it did pulling itself out of deficits in both games two and three. The Tigers trailed 7-1 in game two, but a couple of points later, junior Navea Gauthier stepped to the service line and fired off several impressive serves, including three aces to get Shelby back in the game. The Tigers outlasted Holton down the stretch, despite giving Holton five points on errors in one stretch later in the game. Gauthier got a key kill in the late stages, and the Red Devils made a couple of errors to close out game two. The third game saw another hot start for Holton, which scored an ace to go up 14-7 and force a Weirich timeout. Whatever he said in that timeout worked, as the Tigers exploded on a 16-3 scoring run and secured the win. “We said going into game three, ‘They don’t give any awards for winning two games. We’ve got to go out there and finish them,’” Weirich said. “Even in the beginning of that game, it was not our best work. As soon as we got a little run going, it just felt like they got that feel. Maybe that’s what we’ll carry over (to Thursday) a little bit.” While the Tigers got an all-around effort and had several players contribute, Gauthier was obviously at the center of everything. Even on a somewhat off night by her standards, the all-state star made several important plays, none bigger than that serving run in game two. “I’ve said it before with her; teams get her in the back row and then they take maybe a sigh of relief that they got her out of the front row, then she strokes them for five or six or seven serves and gets us right back into the game,” Weirich said. “We rely on her for so much.”

Shelby’s Audrey Horton sets the ball up for a teammate to spike during Wednesday’s district semifinal against Holton. • Andy Roberts/Echo The teammate passing Gauthier the ball got the spotlight after the game, though, as the Tigers celebrated Audrey Horton’s 2,000th career assist. Horton, only a junior, surpassed the milestone Saturday at a tournament in Sparta, but the Tigers elected to celebrate Monday in front of a larger crowd of supporters. “I knew (2,000) was coming, but getting the surprise was just really amazing,” Horton said of the postgame scene, which included balloons and a poster celebrating her achievement. “I’m really happy I had my team there with me to celebrate it.” “We’re happy for her that we can keep that going through,” Weirich said of Horton. “She’s working hard and getting stronger every day. She serves tough for us now. It’s a big accomplishment for a junior, too. She could throw up another thousand before her career’s done.” For now, Horton’s just thrilled to have another match to play against a tough opponent. Shelby exited Wednesday’s win very aware it’d need to step up a notch to earn a third consecutive district title. “They have one of the best coaches in the area (Robin Kozuch) and it’s fun to watch them play,” Weirich said of the Mohawks. “They’re good. They’re solid everywhere. We’ll have to play better tomorrow night to have any chance to beat them at all.”

Hart’s cross-country teams continued their dominance of the MHSAA postseason Friday at Chippewa Hills, as the girls team claimed the Division 3 regional championship for the eighth straight season, and the defending state champion boys placed second. Freshman star Bobby Jazwinski was unable to finish the race, but the Pirate boys still had all five of their scorers finish in the top 16. Bobby’s sister Jessica Jazwinski ran away with the girls regional title, finishing with a time of 17:23.0, an incredible 1:38 ahead of every other runner. So dominant was Jazwinski that her time would have placed fourth in the boys’ race. The Pirate girls had two other top-10 finishers, as Lexie Beth Nienhuis placed eighth and Natalie Rosema was ninth. Their times were 20:42.3 and 20:58.5. Lauren Pretty placed 16th (21:49.4), and the Pirates’ fifth scorer was Kenai Kokx, in 22nd place (22:19.7). Tyler Vanderzanden led the Hart boys with a fifth-place finish, posting a time of 17:39.6. Max Stitt (17:54.2) and Jack Slotman (17:55.2) were 10th and 11th respectively. Avery Guikema (18:00.5) and Aiden Schaner (18:04.8) took 15th and 16th respectively. Hesperia finished eighth in the boys’ race, led by a 26thplace finish from Andrew Sherburn, and had four finishers in the girls’ race, one shy of being able to post a team score. In Allendale, Shelby qualified two runners to this season’s state meet after they qualified from Saturday’s regionals. Tiger stars and siblings Tanner Soelberg and Lydia Soelberg punched their tickets to state with strong runs Saturday. Lydia, a freshman, finished ninth in the girls’ race, with a time of 20:21.7, and Tanner, a senior, ran a personal best time of 17:17.2 to place 15th. The Tiger teams finished sixth and ninth in the girls’ and boys’ races respectively. Pentwater had a spectacular day to end its team season at Saturday’s Division 4 regional in Buckley, with two state qualifiers and an incredible 16 of 18 runners setting personal bests in all. The Falcons’ star senior boys runners, Abe VanDuinen and Mitchel Daniels, earned the right to finish their careers at state with impressive finishes. VanDuinen took sixth place and had a time of 16:16.8, and Daniels ran a personal best 16:44.4 to finish eighth. They led the boys to a fifthplace team finish. Walkerville had three boys finishers in the regional race.

THE OCEANA ECHO NOVEMBER 3, 2023 14

Pirates JV volleyball celebrates successful year

Hesperia’s Kayla Rumsey dives to the floor to save a ball during Monday’s predistrict match against Holton. The Panthers lost a close battle in three games. • Andy Roberts/Echo

Pentwater on to the finals as county spikers keep at it

Pentwater defeated Mason County Eastern Wednesday night in a district semifinal match in Walkerville, 25-21, 25-15, 22-25, 25-18, to earn a date with Big Rapids Crossroads in Thursday’s finals. Samantha Schaefer spearheaded the Falcons’ effort with seven kills and five aces. Charlie Swanger contributed 13 assists. Belle Powers posted 14 service points, including three aces. Also in county volleyball district action, Hesperia played a tough match against Holton Monday but fell just short in three close

Hart’s JV volleyball team capped one of its most successful seasons in years this week. The Pirate JVs finished with a 29-7-3 overall record, including 5-1 in WMC Rivers play. The team also won two championships and one runner-up trophy in tournaments. • Contributed

Pentwater’s volleyball team enjoys a moment during Wednesday’s district semifinal win over Mason County Eastern. • Contributed games, 25-23, 25-23, 25-18. Walkerville fell to Big Rapids Crossroads in Monday’s

pre-district match, 25-20, 19-25, 25-23, 25-21.

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