The Oceana Echo - Volume 3, Issue 27, November 28, 2025
Volunteers and donations sought for area Toys for Tots collection
By AnnaMae Bush The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
It is the season of giving, and a beloved tradition for many is donating to Toys for Tots.
Toys for Tots was initiated as a program in 1947 by the Marine Corps Reserve in Los Angeles, California. That first year they collected and distributed 5,000 gifts. In the 77 years since then, the program grew nationwide and extended its reach internationally in the aftermath of catastrophic events. In addition to its well-known holiday program, it has developed a year-round support program, including a literacy program. In 2022 it distributed 20.4 million toys, books and games.
Its growth was aided by the creation of a logo and a theme song and boosted by the endorsement of Hollywood celebrities and political figures – in particular by First Ladies Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump. Benefit events sponsored by sports teams (New York Yankees in 1962), television networks, shows and businesses were also helpful. Until 1980, the Marines collected both new and used toys and spent three months refurbishing the used toys. But in 1980 they changed policy to collect only new toys.
OCF distributes
In response to rapidly increasing food insecurity and ongoing uncertainty surrounding SNAP benefit distributions, the Oceana Community Foundation (OCF) has activated its Urgent Needs Fund to provide immediate financial support to food pantries and feeding programs
As the program grew, the Marines recognized the need to establish a foundation to help with the funding and administration of their expanded programs. Specific programs were founded for Native Americans in 1980, for victims of hurricanes and floods in 1993, for families who lost members on Sept. 11, 2001, for families during COVID, and for Afghan refugee children in 2021. The foundation to support all the programs was established in 1991. Today both the national headquarters for the Toys for Tots program and the Toys for Tots Foundation are located in Quantico, Virginia.
This rich history is the context for the Toys for Tots holiday program in Oceana County. Since 2001, toys have been collected, sorted and organized, and distributed from the Pentwater VFW Post. Post Commander Jim Carlson explains the process. “October 1 is the nationwide kickoff date, and December 18 is the final date for collection of toys. Collection boxes are stationed in schools, churches, businesses and other places located throughout the county. The boxes are brought to the VFW post.”
Then there is a division of labor. Jen Freed gathers a team of volunteers to help her sort and organize all the toys by appropriate age group. “I need a team of 12-15 volunteers,” Freed reported. "Any-
one who would like to help with this task can call me at 231-578-2354.”
On Dec. 10, Carlson and a team of volunteers begin the registration process. “We start in Ferry, Walkerville, Rothbury and New Era. Then we move to Shelby, Hart and Pentwater. The families have to register their names and the number and ages of the children for whom they need gifts. No questions are asked about income.”
Families have two opportunities to register. The first round of registration is done by Dec. 14. A second round begins on Dec. 18 in the same order as the first round. This time gifts are distributed to the families who registered earlier. “We bring the gifts to the families, so no one misses out due to transportation issues. They come to the location of registration to pick up their gifts. Jen’s team puts gifts for each family in bags with the family’s name and we deliver them,” Carlson explained. “We average a distribution of 1,000-1,200 gifts to 400 families.”
In terms of any changes he has noticed over 24 years, he shared, “We have seen a growing number of families with only one parent or children being raised by their grandparents.”
Readers should note that all toys should be new and unwrapped when donated.
Registration information:
• Mondays, Dec. 1 & 8 - Family Dollar, Walkerville, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Tuesdays, Dec. 2 & 9 - Dollar General, Rothbury, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wednesdays, Dec. 3 & 10 - Ferry Community Center, Ferry, 10 a.m. to noon & Family Dollar, Hesperia, 1-3 p.m.
• Sat. Dec. 13 - Pentwater VFW, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Toy drop-off locations: Family Financial Credit Union, Oceana Eagles, Hairporte, 5/3 Bank, Huntington Bank, Open Hearth Grille, Dollar General, Gray & Company, Shelby State Bank, Hart VFW, Hansen Foods, Ivy Rehab, Family Dollar, Hart Public Schools, Michigan State Police Post, Golden Eatery, Hometown Pharmacy, Big Hart Brewery, Cherry Hill Supermarket, Woodland Farm Market, Images Salon, Shelby Public Schools, Stony Lake Store, Meyers Chevrolet, Pentwater Public Schools, Bella Designs Salon, Supergood, Pentwater Convenience Center, Port View, Rothbury Hardware, VanPatten General Store, Double JJ, Taylor Bridge Store, Hesperia American Legion and Walkerville Pubic Schools,. Please visit hart-mi.toysfortots.org. Checks may also be out to “Toys for Tots”, and mailed to Jim Carlson, 4093 N. Oceana Dr., Hart, MI 49420.
emergency funding to food pantries in response to rising need
across Oceana County. A total of $28,000 has been deployed to help partners meet rising demand.
Over the past several weeks, area food pantries have reported a significant rise in the number of families seeking assistance. United Way of the Lakeshore noted a 35% increase in households attending recent mobile food truck distributions.
Trinity Community Food Pantry is now serving more than 300 families at each biweekly pantry event, and the Hesperia Community Food & Clothing Pantry has welcomed more than 20 new families in just the last 10 days.
Last week, the OCF convened food pantry and food partners to discuss these trends and share updates on community needs. During the meeting, participants were introduced to the newly established Lakeshore Regional Food Hub, which is working to expand access to produce, rescued foods and lower-cost purchased items to strengthen the regional food system.
In total, the foundation distributed $28,000 in emergency support to
local partners, including: Community Dinners at Centenary United Methodist Church, Hesperia Community Food and Clothing Pantry, First Baptist Church Pentwater, New Hope Community Church Food Pantry, Oceana County Council on Aging, Oceana Hispanic Center, Rothbury Community Church Helping Hands Food Pantry, Bread of Life/St. Gregory's Catholic Church Food Pantry, Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry and Baby Pantry.
Allocation amounts were determined based on the number of families, meals or individuals served at each site to ensure an equitable approach that reflects community reach and demand. Additional donor contributions allowed for increased support to
certain programs and expanded the overall pool of dollars distributed.
Each pantry has been notified of its allocation, and funds are being released immediately so partners can continue responding to increased demand for food and essential supplies.
Local food pantries have expressed deep appreciation for the foundation’s rapid response grants during this period of heightened need.
“Wow, thank you so much — it will go to good use. Our numbers increased 30%, and people were so grateful we were there. So many new faces with urgent needs. The big concern was the loss of SNAP benefits; many didn’t know where to turn. Again and again, we heard, ‘Thank you so much,’” shared Kaye Schmidt of the Rothbury Helping Hands Food Pantry.
The OCF remains committed to strength-
ening the well-being of this community by responding quickly to urgent needs and supporting the organizations that serve Oceana County residents every day. Community members who wish to help support this work can make a gift to the Urgent Needs Fund, which enables the foundation to quickly respond to pressing basic and emergency needs as they arise throughout Oceana County. Gifts can be made online via our www.oceanafoundation. org or by mailing a check to Oceana Community Foundation, P.O. Box 902, Pentwater, MI 49449.
Trustee Frank Arvai, CEO Tammy Carey, Trustee Lucy Ordoobadi and Program Officer Hannah Naples
DHHS/OCMCF board hires new plant manager in 2-1 decision
By Claire Marshall The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Oceana County Medical Care Facility (OCMCF) meeting held Monday, Nov. 17 was recently appointed Linda East’s first as an official board member. It was also the annual reassessment for the chairman and vice chair of the board. Larry VanSickle volunteered to continue his position as chair for another year, however, board member Dale Danes made the motion to install East in the position instead, which she supported. Subsequently, East motioned for Danes to be named Vice Chair.
For the MDHHS portion of the meeting, the board was presented with the Fiscal Report for the Tri-County (Oceana, Lake, and Newaygo Counties) area. The report included such things as staff departures and hires, caseload support, the efficacy of the county’s economic stability programs and the county’s performance in comparison to state expectations. Regarding the latter, Oceana County is in good shape, as the State of Michigan requests the Economic Stability Administration be at 80% compliance with regulation, which the county exceeds at 95% so far, with all staff meeting or exceeding expectation. The Food Assistance Program is, likewise, requesting counties reduce their error rates to less than 6%, as the Tri-County area sits at less than a 2% error rate, so the state shows no concern.
During fiscal year 2025, 12 employees left the Tri-County MDHHS either due to departure, retirement, or transferring out of the area. This has been offset by three separate hires or transfers in. While more hands would be helpful, the report did point out that, for caseload support, the MDHHS is overallocated in all departments save in the Administration Support Center.
There are 9,055 unduplicated residents (about onethird of the population of Oceana) who receive help from the MDHHS’s various Economic Stability Programs, primarily in the area of Medicaid. The report also
stated that, following the restarting of SNAP benefits after the federal government reopening, all resultant issues with recipients have been resolved. VanSickle did inquire about the validity of news reports that people were receiving benefits despite not qualifying for such, and he was assured that everyone who received benefits does qualify for them.
The only action taken by the board at the MDHHS meeting was to pay necessary dues and approve the meeting schedule for the upcoming fiscal year, which was unanimously supported.
For the OCMCF meeting, good news was reported as outpatient therapy numbers continue to increase, with 16 physical therapy and eight occupational therapy appointments taking place in the month of October. The administration had also concluded negotiations with SEI Union, and is waiting for the result of the union’s vote.
The greatest discussion during the meeting regarded the hiring of a new plant manager, following the resignation of Eric Strait after the October meeting. Administrator Kurt Sapp reported that 36 people applied for the position, of which six were called in to interview, and Sapp passed out the applications of the top three picks. Due to the request of HR not wanting personal information on public record, much of the specifics of the applications were redacted, and the board was also informed that the applications would need to be returned to HR at the conclusion of the meeting. It was the OCMCF’s request that the board approve Candidate 1.
As a former plant manager himself, the decision was of great interest and importance to Danes, who inquired what sort of questions were asked. East questioned what qualifications were required on the job posting. Danes raised several concerns about the redaction of the applications and questioned why a candidate he personally preferred had not been interviewed, despite his application. Sapp responded that the candidate in question had previously retired from the facility, lacked supervisory experience and said that some staff and vendors at the OCMCF did not wish to work with the applicant.
According to Danes, much of the concerns regarding the applicant were "hearsay,” and “I think that decision to not interview him is based out of that hearsay.”
Danes went on to discuss the candidate’s qualifications, familiarity with the facility and residency in the area. “I’m not in favor of this [going with a different candidate] at all.”
In VanSickle’s opinion, “The best way to solve [the issue] is start with somebody brand new,” and made a motion to approve Candidate 1.
As the tie-breaker, East said, “I’m not really comfortable seconding a motion of a person that I don’t know who they are,” regarding the redaction of the applications. She initially did not support the motion and wished for the search to continue. Since such action would delay training time for the new hire, and the applications had to be returned to HR that day, Sapp requested that the board give advice on how to proceed with the hiring.
Danes made a motion that the administration interview his preferred candidate, and the ensuing conversation was ended by East seconding VanSickle’s original motion to approve Candidate 1. “In the interest of moving on and turning a new page, I’m going to second the motion. Understanding that there is an evaluation period and people will be watching. The public will be watching. Residents of Oceana County are watching. This is a critical position in this facility,” she said.
Besides choosing a candidate, the board was able to unanimously approve policy changes and employee holiday gift certificates.
Three people spoke at public comment prior to the meeting’s adjournment. OCMCF employees Danielle Roberts and Terri Shafer expressed support for the facility.
Lorri Busick, a volunteer at OCMCF for several years, had issues regarding the job posting for the plant manager, not believing it was thorough enough, drawing from her managerial and hiring experience. However, she did wish she’d been able to discuss her feelings before the approval of the candidate was made.
A Faithful Focus: Moms In Prayer groups give thanks
By Sharon Hallack
The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
The act of praying can mean many things to many people. For the Christian, prayer is a regular practice and cornerstone of their relationship with God. It is a way of communicating with Him through praise, confession, thankfulness or intercession.
In this season of thanksgiving, The Oceana Echo reached out to two local prayer leaders and asked if they would share more on the topic and their involvement with the international prayer group Moms in Prayer (MIP).
Monica DeWitt, leader of MIP for Shelby Public Schools, has been involved with the group for over 10 years, saying, “I first heard about it at church. There was an active group already praying for Hart Schools, but my kids were going to Shelby.
According to their website momsinprayer.org, MIP is a non-denominational Christian prayer movement of mothers, grandmothers and other women who have a heart for children and schools. They are not a special interest group and do not support any particular political or social agenda. They seek to impact children and schools with Christ by gathering moms to pray on a weekly basis. The organization has MIP groups in 150 countries and all 50 states.
These prayer groups are all organized around the same Statement of Faith and Ministry Policies. Groups also stay focused on prayer (not the sharing of requests), sticking to a one-hour prayer meeting using the format provided by MIP, and start and end on time. The prayer format is biblical, always beginning with an attribute of God. Moms then pray individual names into scripture so that they know they are praying in God’s will. Most importantly, all prayers are kept confidential.
“We are in our eleventh year,” said Lee Nienhuis, MIP leader for Hart Schools. “We don’t do gossip. We don’t spend time talking. We spend time praying. We
want to focus on what God is doing.”
DeWitt said she started the Shelby MIP group by reaching out to friends and parents who she knew prayed. “Women have rotated in and out over the years, yet we’ve maintained between four and eight moms. Like everything else, we struggled during the pandemic. It was hard to get people to commit. But I kept praying. Then all of a sudden someone brought a friend, and our group exploded. Not only is our MIP group seeing growth, but other parachurch ministries have started up and are supporting students in the Shelby area as well.”
Groups pray for schools, but they do not meet in schools and they don’t solicit prayer requests. Instead, each prayer time opens with “praise” for who God is, His attributes, His name or His character. This is followed by “confession” - a time to silently confess any known sin — then giving “thanks” for the things God has done, and ending with “intercession,” when the moms pray for the needs of others.
“In our first year, there were 13 different students who gave their lives to Christ. Student-led Bible studies and prayer groups were started and are still ongoing. We believe prayer is the best investment we can make as moms. When we work, we work, but when we pray, God works,” Nienhuis said.
DeWitt added, “During our time of intercession, we pray for the students, teachers and administration. One of my favorite things about being in MIP is when people reach out to us with prayer requests or answers to prayer. According to MIP guidelines, we don’t solicit requests, but it is so rewarding when someone who has asked for prayer receives an answer. I love to see God work. We have seen the results of our prayer so many times.”
“So often there’s something we want to ‘do’ when someone has a need. We know there are many needs we know nothing about. But we believe God knows them all, and lifting them up to Him is such a privilege. Due to our confidentiality policy, we can’t share any specifics, however, we’ve seen so many answers. We’ve seen people come to Jesus, we’ve seen rela-
tionships restored and probably the biggest answers are the way God provides for people. We’ve prayed about housing needs, food needs and health needs. The way God has come through is unbelievable and only something He could do. It’s been a blessing to our group, but even more so a huge testimony to the families who are impacted,” DeWitt shared enthusiastically.
“If you asked us how many times we’ve prayed for the administration at Hart Schools, I could easily say thousands of times. What a privilege. We don’t see prayer as a weapon. We are pro-school, pro-teacher and pro-student,” shared Nienhuis.
DeWitt also shared an unexpected blessing as a result of her involvement with MIP. “One of our members recently shared that one of her relatives in California was feeling discouraged and didn’t know what God had for her. Our MIP member told her family member about MIP and what an encouragement the group had been to her. Her relative was so intrigued she ended up finding and joining a local MIP group in California, where she now enjoys fellowship and purpose through prayer.
“God doesn’t always answer every prayer the way we want Him to, but I believe He is sovereign, and trust His plan. Probably the best part of being in this group has been seeing those we’ve prayed for experience real answers to prayer. When they know you are praying and they receive an answer, they can’t deny prayer works,” DeWitt concluded.
MIP International also offers Grandmothers in Prayer and Teachers in Prayer groups. Visit www. momsinprayer.org for further information.
Both the Hart and Shelby MIP groups welcome other women to join them in praying for their children’s schools.
The Shelby MIP group meets Friday mornings at 8 a.m. Please email DeWitt at dewitt87@yahoo.com for more information.
The Hart MIP group meets Fridays at 8:30 a.m. Please email Nienhuis at leenienuis@gmail.com for more information.
This page is brought to you by:
114 Dryden St. in Hart, Mich. 49420 (231) 873-2600
The Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Private tours are available by appointment. oceanahistory.org
By Claire Marshall The Oceana Echo Community Columnist
For Thanksgiving week, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief as I am finished with my series on the Armistice Day Storm. In fact, to add some levity to The 1306, I’d like to recall my viewing of the Hart Drama Club’s performance of Jane Austen’s "Emma" from earlier this month, sing the praises of the students, and gush for a moment about a period in history and an author that I absolutely love.
To contextualize the novel, "Emma" was published in 1816 by Jane Austen, although in the first edition of the novel she was merely known namelessly and as the female author of the previous works "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice." It was the last of Austen’s novels to be published while she was still alive and starred, as she described, “a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.”
Which is unfair. I like Emma Woodhouse, “handsome, clever and rich.” I appreciate the flawed heroine and her character development. Unlike many other Austen heroines, Emma is too rich to be concerned about her inheritance and therefore is unconcerned about marriage. In fact, she’s quite content to never get married, live with her hypochondriac father in
her childhood manor and meddle in the affairs of her fellow townsfolk.
Emma takes a particular interest in a Miss Harriet Smith, the “natural” (illegitimate) child of an unknown man, whom she is convinced is truly the daughter of some landed gentry. Our heroine proceeds to discourage a mutual love match for Harriet, encourages her unrequited affections for a pompous young vicar, and, overall, becomes too involved with her fantasy of Harriet to see the reality of her situation. All the while, the only censure Emma is given is from her love interest, Mr. Knightly, the brother of her sister’s husband (don’t think too much about it), who is 16 years her senior (don’t think too much about that either).
The novel is set in the fictional town of Highbury and is another of Austen’s entries into her preferred genre: a Comedy of Manners. The genre has a longstanding tradition in Western literature but saw a particular flourishing during the Regency and Victorian Eras of Britain. The main indicator of the genre is realistic satire about the manners of genteel society. Basically it can be boiled down to onestar reviews of Austen’s work “Ugh, if only people would sit down and have a conversation about their feelings,” and “Ugh, it's just a book about a bunch of
people going to other people’s houses.”
All this to say, the genre is supposed to poke fun at how the buttoned-up societal expectations for the upper class at this time result in a slew of misunderstandings and pent-up longing. And I eat it up every time.
Many of these conventions of the genre, and how they informed the historical context of the Regency period, were carefully explored by the performers. As told by director Maggie Bowman, her students wanted to do a “serious play” for the autumn, wanting to expand beyond musicals and family-friendly shows. "Emma" was the perfect fit to scratch that itch without throwing the kids too quickly into the deep end. "It has that nice, historical feel, and it’s a comedy. But there’s really dense language, and it definitely pushed the kids,” she said.
A lot of hard work went into the costume and set design to portray a time and place, and Maggie shared some details she was particularly proud of. For the upper class, classical music like Bach and Mozart - including one piece played live by a student — was juxtaposed with traditional reels favored by the lower classes.
Many costumes were made from scratch by the costuming department,
headed by fashion historian Hannah Johnson. The main female cast sported white, empire-waist gowns reminiscent of Greek sculptures - a major source of aesthetic influence for the era - accessorized with trimmings, jackets and bonnets to allow some variety and also show the passage of time throughout the play.
In order to understand the play, the kids had to understand Regency culture, such as the lack of questioning Emma and Knightly’s age-gap (again, don’t think too much about it), and why Emma was so hopeful that Harriet was actually a gentleman’s daughter, as that would make their friendship one of equals.
The students also inadvertently learned another lesson of theater: how to adapt. As Maggie pointed out, of the 12 cast members, seven did not perform in their original roles, rather taking over from someone else who had to leave or switch roles due to unforeseen circumstances.
Izabela Hernandez played Frank Churchill in the show, despite originally being cast as Miss Bates, who “was just really this energetic personality,” in comparison to Frank who is, “more relaxed on some level. He’s also really full of himself, and Miss Bates thinks of everyone before herself.”
Melody Kasza inherited the role of Miss Bates from Izabela, whom she really related to as a character. Zoey Fillips’ change from Mrs. Weston to Harriet Smith was major, going from a character with few lines to one of the most integral characters in the story. For Caylin Hill as Jane Fairfax, this was her first speaking role in a show ever. Calvin Helms stayed as Mr. Elton through rehearsals, much to his relief.
Another detail Maggie
shared was the adaptation from novel to play, complimenting the show’s playwright on the wonderful job in lifting many direct Jane Austen quotes. “It’s a lot of dense language… so we did have to spend a lot of time digging into like, what are you actually meaning when you say this? What story are you trying to tell?”
Despite only having eight weeks to not only learn but also understand the lines, the students did a wonderful job conveying the wit and charm that makes Austen’s works so timeless and enjoyable, and I sincerely hope they’re all proud of their successful venture into “serious” plays.
The Weare Township Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Monday December 15, 2025, at 6 pm. The meeting will be held at the MSU AgBioResearch West Central Michigan Research and Extension Center 5185 N. Oceana Drive, Hart Michigan. The purpose of this meeting is to consider adopting the Solar Ordinance for Weare Township. The public is urged to attend.
There will be copies of the Solar Ordinance available that can be downloaded off the Weare Township webpage or picked up on Sunday December 7th and 14th at the Weare Township Hall 6506 N. Oceana Drive Hart, Mi from 12:30 to 3:30pm. There will also be a few copies available at the meeting.
You can send in your questions or comments to wearedptyclerk@gmail.com if you are unable to attend.
Please contact the Township Clerk if you need any special accommodation prior to the meeting. We hope to see you there.
Ongoing
3rd MON: OCDVA Coffee & Donuts for Veterans, Spouses and Veteran Widows, 9-11 a.m., Heritage Wedding Barn, Shelby.
TUES: Tech Time, Hesperia Community Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Celebrate the Advent Season with Centenary United Methodist Church and friends in Pentwater. Christmas by candlelight welcomes the Advent Season during a candlelight service, presenting a variety of holiday classics from whistlers to harpists. The service is planned for Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., at the Centenary United Methodist Church sanctuary, 82 S. Hancock St., Pentwater. For more information, please visit http://www.pentwaterumc.org/
Dec. 6 - Family Storytime, Shelby Area District Library, 4:30 -5:30 p.m.
Dec. 6 - Holiday Stroll from Shelby Library to Getty Park, 5:30-5:45 p.m.
Dec. 6 - Christmas Tree Lighting, Getty Park, Shelby, 6 p.m.
Dec. 6 - Photos, Cookies & Cocoa with Santa, Getty Park, Shelby, 6:15-7 p.m.
Dec. 13 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Cookie Sale, New Era, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
FBC & RCC present ‘Behold the Lamb of God’
This December, the community is invited to enjoy a special Christmas concert experience as First Baptist Church of Hart (FBC) and Rothbury Community Church (RCC) present Andrew Peterson’s “Behold the Lamb of God” musical Friday, Dec. 12 at FBC, and Saturday, Dec. 13 at RCC. Both performances will begin at 6:30 p.m.
According to Andrew-Peterson.com, Peterson is a singer-songwriter, author, and founder of the Rabbit Room, a nonprofit organization based in Nashville, Tenn. that nourishes Christ-centered communities by cultivating and curating stories, art and music. Peterson has released more than 10 records over the past 20 years, earning him a reputation for songs that connect with his listeners in ways equally powerful, poetic and intimate.
The first half of each evening will feature Christmas music selected and performed by the hosting church. Attendees will enjoy refreshments and be able to join in singing carols. Following a brief intermission, this Scripture-rich musical will tell the story of Christ’s coming—from the Passover to the manger—through songs with melodies and clever lyrics presented by the group talents of more than 30 vocal and instrumental musicians from both churches.
“Both churches are excited to be partnering together to give the gift of music to our community this Christmas,” shared FBC Associate Pastor of Worship Pastor Dave Moul. “I first heard this music several years ago, and it has become part of the regular soundtrack of every Christmas season ever since. It’s soulful, folky and just downright fun. Most of all, I love the way it helps the listener put the pieces of Scripture together and see how God has written one big story for us, whose central character is the Lamb of God.”
75th Anniversary
Paul Maki & Shirley (Olman) Maki are celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary. They were married Dec. 2, 1950 in Muskegon and moved to Holton in 1966. They have five children: Diane (Aaron) Hichue of Muskegon; Debra Maki of Norton Shores; David (Cheryl) Maki of Hudsonville; Denise Maki of Holton and Dawn Heasley of Grand Haven. They have 20 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren.
Paul retired from Teledyne Continental after 38 years. Shirley retired from the Oceana County Sheriff’s Department after 20 years. They will be celebrating with their children by going out to dinner.
23rd annual Tiger Bazaar planned for Dec. 6 in Shelby
The Shelby High School Cheer Team is hosting the 23rd annual Tiger Bazaar at Shelby High School, Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There will be 100 booths, including artists, authors, woodworkers, metalworkers, 3D designers, vendors, permanent jewelry, Christmas decor and bakeries.
The Shelby High School band ensemble will be performing live Christmas music in the morning.
The school kitchen will also be selling full meals and desserts.
For more information, please check their Facebook page.
“Pastor Dave came to me earlier this year proposing that we combine efforts to put on the ‘Behold the Lamb of God’ concert this December,” RCC Pastor Bryan Wolff said. “We appreciate the invitation and opportunity to demonstrate friendship and unity with one another and are looking forward to being able to bless our community through an enjoyable and meaningful concert. Being able to hear the true story of Christmas in a fresh way will certainly encourage many. I’m thankful to God for the opportunity to glorify Him in this unique way this Christmas.”
Tickets are free but necessary to attend, as seating is limited. Please visit gofbchart.org/behold to make reservations. The Friday, Dec. 12 performance will be at FBC, 3258 N. 72nd Ave., Hart. The Saturday, Dec. 13 performance will be at RCC at 2500 W. Winston Rd. in Rothbury.
Prepare your heart for the season by discovering the deeper meaning of each Advent candle through scripture-based reflections. Featuring Christopher and Kristin Barnhill DECEMBER 2, 2025
TUESDAY EVENING AT 6:30 P.M. Trinity Lutheran Church 5631 W. Stony Lake Road (one mile west of US-31)
Hoeing ‘In the Garden’ Part 12: ‘ When the Frost is on the Punkin’
By Janet Van Gunst Hasselbring
The Oceana Echo Community Columnist
…and the fodder’s in the shock…” - John Whitcomb Riley’s poetic description illustrates ice crystals forming delicate patterns on the pumpkins left on the vine and the cornstalks and leaves left after the ears have been stripped from the plant and gathered into a tall bundle. A shock, left to dry and ripen in the field, evokes an image of a farm after a successful harvest as winter approaches.
The harvest was safely gathered in, but Henry’s chores on the farm (present-day Country Dairy), were not over. Fields needed to be cleared of debris, the soil tilled and aerated, with leaves or manure added to build healthy soil for the next season. Cover crops, like clovers or grasses, were planted to provide protection and nourishment for wildlife. Ground-
up straw or shredded leaves insulated soil and prevented deep frost penetration.
Once the equipment was cleaned, repaired and stored for the winter, Henry’s chores were mainly milking. Occasionally, he’d visit the potato cellar and prepare potatoes for spring planting by cutting larger ones into pieces, each with two to three “eyes.”
My mother, Ellen, may have indulged in a slight sigh of relief when she saw the first dusting of frost, signaling a respite from her chores of gathering, cleaning, canning and freezing produce. However, her chores were far from being completed. Along with the daily never-ending tasks of preparing meals, baking, doing dishes, cleaning, dusting, washing and drying clothes, making beds, seeing seven children off to school with lunches and managing the household, she now had time to sew, crochet, quilt, do candlewicking, and work on
8:30 a.m.
Phone: (231) 893-3085
Office Hours: M–Th 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pastor: Rev. Ron Hutchinson stjamescatholicparish.org
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church
3000 Winston Road Rothbury, MI 49452
Mass Times: Sunday - 8:30 a.m.
Please call 231-893-3085 for more information stjamescatholicparish.org
the handmade gifts she gave for birthdays and Christmases every year.
There would always be chores. Yet, as winter approached, my parents had more time to read (their favorite spot - the front porch - was closed off for the winter), take rides through the countryside and sing duets as my mother tickled the ivories. They could linger over breakfast and devotions, reflect on the year past and take stock of their financial situation after a year’s toil.
Henry settled up with his father, Andrew, once a month and brought home his share of the profits in cash, which had to cover expenses for his family of nine. However, whatever he brought home, he and Ellen put one-tenth of the money into a tithing jar, which sat prominently on a shelf on the hutch in the dining room. The jar was a powerful symbol of their faith that everything came from God and their obedience to the Biblical com-
mand to give a portion of their earnings back to Him, in good times and bad.
Over time, their belief that God would take care of them if they obeyed Him and sought to do His will became as strong as marrow in their bones, as necessary to their well-being as the blood coursing through their veins. A belief that helped them through the defining moments that tried and shaped their faith - hard times on the farm, the death of a daughter (The Oceana Echo, Oct. 31), and the estrangement of a son (The Oceana Echo, Oct. 14).
With Job, they learned life’s hardest yet most important lesson: “The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).
My parents may not have been wealthy according to earthly standards, but they were rich spiritually. Giving praise and thanksgiving to God in their daily walks with Him opened them to receiving the riches of His grace and promises. Keeping their eyes on their ultimate destination—heaven—enabled them to trust God in everything and thank Him for it.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name” (Psalm 100). Our Thanksgiving dinner
exemplified a successful harvest and God’s goodness. After prayer and scripture, we dug in! No Costco meal in a box for us!
Everything on the table came from “living off” the land. If a turkey wasn’t available, a chicken from our flock would suffice. There were potatoes from the field, diced for the occasion. Gravy from the animal drippings, vegetables from the garden, home-baked bread, jam from the strawberries and cherries we picked in the summer, applesauce from our Greening apple tree, pumpkin pie from the “punkins’ on the vine, and butter and whipped cream made from the butterfat in the milk. The only things my mother purchased were a package of mincemeat for pie and cranberries for sauce.
“I don’t know how to tell it— but ef sich a thing could be
As the Angels wantin’ boardin’, and they’d call around on me—
I’d want to ’commodate ’em—all the whole-indurin’ flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock!”*
*"When the Frost is on the Punkin," by James Whitcomb Riley.
For more information about the memoir, contact janethasselbring23@gmail. com
In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors
obituaries
Father Phillip J. Witkowski
May 25, 1948 ~ November 9, 2025
Reverend Father Phillip J. Witkowski, age 77, went to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, No vember 9, 2025. Father Phil was born on May 25, 1948 to Richard and Jacqueline Witkowski.
Phil decided to dedicate his life to God at a young age, going to seminary school and becoming a priest on February 2, 1975. Phil loved all of the church communities that he served. He made many lifelong friends. He had a love for the outdoors and football. Phil helped coach many football teams in his life. From Muskegon Catholic Central, Shelby and Engadine schools, he will be remembered by many students. Phil also loved hunting in the fall and gardening in the spring. He always had a large garden that he tended to and loved to give away all the vegetables and gladiolus to friends and family.
Phil is survived by: his siblings, Julie (Bill) Veltman, Janie (Brian) Meier, Bev (Joe) Mieler, and Andy (Sarah) Witkowski; sister-in-law, Diane Mortensen; brother-in-law, Brian Kammers; and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Phil was preceded in death by: his parents, Richard and Jacqueline Witkowski; siblings, Raymond Witkowski, Dan Witkowski and Janice Kammers.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a time yet to be determined, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 1716 6th St., Muskegon, MI 49441.
In lieu of flowers, you can send donations to: Shelby Athletics Department, 525 N. State St. Shelby, MI 49455; or Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry, 5631 W. Stony Lake Rd., New Era, MI 49446.
Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is assisting with arrangements. harrisfhome.com
Daniel Alan Finch
July 24, 1951 ~ November 20, 2025
Daniel Alan Finch, a beloved husband, father, brother and friend, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Novem ber 20, 2025, at the age of 74. He was born on July 24, 1951, in Arcadia, Michigan, and was a long-time resident of Hesperia, Mich. His warmth, kindness and adventurous spirit will be profoundly missed by all who knew him.
Daniel was preceded in death by his parents, Nelson and Margaret Finch; his cherished wife, Vanessa Finch (née Kage); his son, Brian Finch; and his brother, Roger Finch.
He is survived by his loving family: son, Jason Finch and daughter-in-law, Ashley (Delo) Finch; stepson, Jake Hornbrook and his wife, Kendra; stepdaughter, Jesse Hornbrook; and grandchildren Kennedy, Stevie and Opal Hornbrook.
Daniel also leaves behind his siblings: Steve Finch and wife, Marolyn; Jim Martin and wife, Cathy (née Finch); and brother, Mike Finch; along with many dear friends who became family. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Jaime Fletcher, a dear friend who provided immense support and companionship to Daniel over the past few years.
Professionally, Daniel was a dedicated pipe fitter and a proud 47-year member of the Plumbers, Fitters, and Service Trades Local 174. He took pride in his craft and formed lasting friendships throughout his career. Daniel was also an active member of the Sons of the American Legion. Daniel had a zest for life and a love for the great outdoors. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, golfing and riding through nature in his side-by-side. Additionally, he had a passion for making and selling maple syrup and honey, a family endeavor he shared with his sons and daughter-in-law.
A visitation will be held at Crandell Funeral Home - Fremont Chapel on Monday, December 1, 2025, from 4-7 p.m.
Arrangements are being handled by Crandell Funeral Home - Fremont Chapel.
Robert ‘Bob’ Lee Perry
February 28, 1937 ~ November 13, 2025
Robert “Bob” Lee Perry, 88, passed away peacefully No vember 13, 2025. He was born February 28, 1937, in Lan sing, the son of Robert and Geraldine (Jarvis) Perry.
Bob’s life was marked by hard work, curiosity and a deep appreciation for the simple joys around him.
He began his career as a construction engineer in San Bernardino, California, later continuing his work with Ralston Purina in Reno, Nevada. He spent many meaningful years in Boonville, Indiana, and in recent years pursued his craft as an independent contractor in Michigan.
Bob found joy in the things he created, whether on the golf course, in his workshop or in the rows of his vegetable garden. He cherished the chance to see new places, especially his travels to Mexico and the Dominican Republic, where he made lasting memories.
He will be remembered for his dedication, his creativity and the gentle, steady presence he brought to every part of his life.
Bob is survived by: his partner, Eileen Wilson; brothers, William “Bill” (Nancy) Perry and Alan Perry; children, Robby Perry, Michael Perry, Sandy (Gordon) Adamski, Wendy (Kerry) Chapman, Shelly (Larkin) Lottes, Amanda (Joe) Lewandowski, and Justin (Katie) Wilson; grandchildren, Kody (Brittany) Chapman, Kip Chapman, Keri Jo (Carlos) Chapman, Jennifer Adamski, Sophie (Samuel) Goebek, Steven (Jannel) Perry, Christopher Perry, Kinley Perry, Nicole Blinco, Kristen (Jake) Luebbe, Angel (Gary) Bennier, Jayden Wilson and Taryn Lewandowski; as well as many beloved nieces, nephews and great-grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by his loving parents, Robert and Geraldine (Jarvis) Perry, and his stepmother, Aileen (Frees) Perry.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Harris Funeral Home, 267 N. Michigan Ave., Shelby, MI 49455.
Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements. www.harrisfhome.com
Carol Irene Ruster
February 26, 1929 ~ November 25, 2025
Carol Irene (Middlecamp, Beggs) Ruster, age 96, ran into the arms of Jesus, Tuesday, November 25. She was born February 26, 1929, a few months before the Great Depression began, to Bert and Mary (Greeno) Middlecamp. Carol attended Batten Public School and Cartwright Public School of the New Era area as a young girl and then attended Muskegon Central Campus in Muskegon during her teenage years.
Carol married Loren Joseph Beggs, May 6, 1955. They raised three children during their 24 years of marriage, while residing in Mears, Michigan. Later she married Williard Ruster of Grand Haven and lived there for 31 years.
Carol began working while in school at WT Grants Dime Store on Western Avenue in Muskegon, Michigan. She also worked at General Telephone Company in Hart, Michigan; Shelby State Bank, Shelby, Michigan; and retired from Powers Clothing Store in Hart, Michigan, after working there 12 years.
At the age of 78, Carol visited Lily of the Valley Orphanage in Chihuahua, Mexico with her daughter-in-law, Linda Beggs, and they ate and slept with orphans for one week. Her heart broke for the children, and God renewed a passion in her to help others. Carol donated many hours while volunteering at First Reformed Church of Grand Haven, Michigan; International Aid in Spring Lake, Michigan; and Love INC of Grand Haven, Michigan.
Carol loved Jesus and enjoyed faithfully attending her Bible study group for 11 years in Grand Haven, Michigan. It was during these years that she knitted many prayer shawls for the elderly, crocheted hundreds and hundreds of hats for the children and staff at the orphanage in Mexico and local school children who needed hats in the United States. She was also involved in making quilts for the less fortunate. Carol’s hobbies included gardening, feeding the birds, reading, playing table games, going to yard sales and spending time with her dog, Pepper.
Carol is survived by: her children, Dianna Yavonne (Wayne) Fuller and Gary Loren (Linda) Beggs; daughter-in-law, Sonya Beggs; nine grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Carol was proceeded in death by: her parents, Bert and Mary Middlecamp; husbands, Loren Beggs and Williard Ruster; son, James Lee Beggs; great-grandson, Braden Christopher LaPorte; and sister, Evelyn Kleinjans.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., Friday, November 28, 2025 at First Baptist Church of Hart, 3258 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, Michigan 49420, with Pastor Ryan Vander Zwaag officiating. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until services at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church.
Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements.
www.harrisfhome.com
We, at The Oceana Echo, offer our deepest condolences for your loss and are here to help you tell others about your loved one’s life and the plans you have made to honor, celebrate and remember them. If you would like to place an obituary with us, please tell your arrangement specialist or email us at theoceanaecho@gmail.com.
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• On Dec. 1, 1992, police in Lilly, Pennsylvania, were summoned to a video store after a concerned passerby reported seeing a gunman inside, only to come face-to-face with a promotional cardboard cutout of a gun-toting Denzel Washington from the thriller “Ricochet.” The no-doubt amused cops chose to use the experience as a training day.
STRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20251117
FOR RELEASE NOV. 17, 2025
NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20251117 FOR RELEASE NOV. 17, 2025
By JoAnn Derson
By Lucie Winborne
• On Dec. 2, 2023, KISS completed their final “End of the Road” tour at New York City’s Madison Square Garden with a performance featuring the band’s digital avatars. After the actual musicians left the stage, their virtual versions launched into a performance of “God Gave Rock and Roll to You.”
• On Dec. 3, 1847, escaped slave-turned-abolitionist Frederick Douglass, assisted by philanthropist Gerrit Smith, published his first antislavery newspaper, The North Star. The title referred to the bright star Polaris that helped guide fleeing slaves to the North, and freedom. The paper later merged with Smith’s under the new name Frederick Douglass’ Paper.
• On Dec. 4, 1942, a group of Polish Christians in Warsaw, led by Zofia Kossak and Wanda Filipowicz, put their own lives at risk by setting up the Council for the Assistance of the Jews. As their fates were not clear, it is also uncertain whether their mission was ultimately successful.
• On Dec. 5, 1873, Bridget Landregan was found dead in the Boston suburb of Dorchester, the first victim of Warren Avenue Baptist Church sexton Thomas Piper, aka the Boston Belfry Murderer. His second victim, Mary Sullivan, was killed the following year, and his third and fourth victims in 1875 and 1876. Piper was finally arrested and confessed to all four crimes, and was hanged in 1876.
• On Dec. 6, 1921, the Irish Free State (later renamed Eire and now known as the Republic of Ireland), comprising four-fifths of Ireland, was declared, ending a five-year struggle for independence from Britain.
• On Dec. 7, 1909, the U.S. Patent Office granted chemist Leo Baekeland a patent for “a method of making insoluble products of phenol and formaldehyde,” the first synthetic plastic. Dubbed Bakelite after its inventor, it would be marketed as “the material of 1,000 uses.”
• “When there are big family jobs to be done (like getting ready for the holidays), we write all the tasks down on slips of paper and put them in a hat. We take turns choosing tasks until all the paper is divvied out. Sometimes we trade, but we all get a fair chore list.” — V.O. in Oregon
• “Let one person be responsible for putting prep dishes, pots and pans in the dishwasher while another prepares the bird and side dishes for the table. You will be halfway done with dishes by the time the meal is over.” — M.A. in Washington
• Leftover bread can be repurposed as croutons or breadcrumbs. In fact, this is an excellent job for kiddos. With clean hands and a butter knife, older children can cut leftover rolls into manageable size pieces. Spray with olive oil cooking spray and bake at a low temperature (225 F) to dry out. Or crumble stale bread into crumbs and store in the freezer.
• If you love to burn candles, then the odds are good that you have a lot of candle “ends” that can no longer be used. You can purchase new wicks at the craft store and make a new candle from your leftovers. Simply scrape out the leftover wax into a clean tin can with one end removed. Set this can into a pot on your stovetop. Add a few inches of water, and boil to melt the wax. Then, holding the wick in place, you can pour the melted wax back into a candle-safe jar to let cool. Burn away!
• If you have ever had a tough time threading a needle, try this trick. Spritz the end of the thread with a shot of hairspray. It makes the thread stiffer, and it goes right through with no fuss.
Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
• The Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure in the world for more than 3,800 years.
• More than 400,000 illnesses are caused by spoiled Christmas leftovers.
• Royal Air Force uniforms in World War II included a pants button that served as a compass.
• Those lovely aromas of candy and popcorn breezing down the sidewalks of Disney’s Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A. are brought to you courtesy of scent machines called “Smellitizers” that release fragrances throughout the parks.
• Spider silk is stronger than steel.
• Gambia’s citizens elect their political leaders using marbles rather than paper ballots in the voting booths, a method that was adopted in 1965 due to the country’s low literacy rate.
• Humphrey Bogart never actually said “Play it again, Sam” in the film “Casablanca.”
• High-heeled shoes exert more pressure on the ground than a skyscraper, which is why they’re even banned at certain historical sites such as the Acropolis in Athens, to prevent damage to the ancient stone.
• The phrase “Don’t mess with Texas” was coined to discourage road littering.
• The first zippers were for shoes, when inventor Whitcomb Judson was granted a patent for a rudimentary form that he called the “clasp-locker,” an alternative to lengthy shoelaces.
• Ernest Hemingway’s brother established his own micronation.
• Jackie Robinson was the first student athlete to letter in four sports at UCLA. Curiously, baseball was his worst sport in college.
• Olo, a color described as a “bluegreen of unprecedented saturation,” has only been viewed by five people in a laboratory, as it’s beyond the range of normal human visibility.
• Washington State designated Sasquatch as its official state monster.
• There are an estimated 3 million shipwrecks in the ocean.
***
Thought for the Day: “A sign of intelligence is an awareness of one’s own ignorance.” — Niccolo Machiavelli
Oceana County
ANIMAL SHELTER
If you’ve ever wished your dog would greet you at the door like you’re the most important human on planet Earth… meet Tanker. This boy loves people so much he may actually file a petition to become your shadow. Tanker is a toy enthusiast, specializing in squeakers, stuffies, and anything that bounces. He approaches playtime with the energy of a toddler who just learned what sugar is.
Tanker is also friendly with other dogs, making him the perfect buddy for playdates or a built-in companion for your current pup. He believes in sharing toys… unless it’s the really good one, and then he may politely recommend joint custody. Tanker is fun, sweet and ready to fill your life with laughter, love and a little chaos in the best way possible.
Tanker is available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Control. 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 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 231-730-3906. Free tags are also available at the OCEANA County Animal Shelter. Meet Tanker
Shelby Village discusses funding for revitalized downtown
By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
SHELBY - The big news at the Shelby Village Council meeting Monday was a presentation by Village Administrator Phil Morse of a proposed $1.6M “Design for Downtown Revitalization” plan. Vision-casting for this draft design began in January shortly after the village received its Redevelopment Ready Certification from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
A few of the features proposed in the plan include bumpouts at corners to calm traffic and provide aesthetic appeal, several designated handicap parking locations, overhead “Welcome to Shelby” archways, angled parking on Third and Fourth Streets, new landscaping and new light posts.
Morse also presented the potential funding sources for this project. He was pleased to announce that a private donor has committed to a dollar-for-dollar match of whatever monies are collected, whether from village coffers or private donors. He provided documentation related to the village’s fund balances and suggested allocations from each as the village’s share toward the project. Allocations suggested by Morse included: General Fund $200,000; Major Streets $100,000; and Local Streets $50,000. He had also just found out there is the possibility of a Brownfield housing TIF (Tax-Increment Financing), related to the future development of the corner lot at Fourth Street and Michigan Avenue, that could be utilized to cover some, if not all, of the cost of the proposed project.
Morse was seeking feedback from the council as to whether they were in favor of the suggested amounts from the various funds. He shared his reasons behind the amounts, saying, “It shows the community that the council is behind an updated downtown. I believe what we’re doing downtown is why the corner lot (on Fourth Street and Michigan Avenue) is getting developed. And it shows donors the village has skin in the game.”
Overall the council was in favor. They appreciated the homework that Morse had completed thus far. Some voiced concerns about the General Fund balance following such a large withdrawal. Morse shared their concerns but was able to show how the General Fund would still have the minimum fund balance required by law following a $200,000 allocation, then added, “I believe the risk is worth the reward.”
Councilor Mike Termer said he liked
the plan, but he could hear people outside of downtown saying, ‘This is great, but my road is still terrible.’
Councilor Crystal Heykoop said, “Fundraising is really going to determine how much we can do.” Councilor Curt Trott added, “I think it is well worth looking into. Anything we can do to make downtown more appealing.”
A full rollout of the proposed plan to the community will occur Tuesday, Dec. 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at The Ladder Community Center. Morse invites everyone to attend this event where they will hear and see more about the project, be able to ask questions, provide valuable feedback and have the opportunity to donate toward the project.
In other business, the council approved a quote from Northern Well in the amount of $79,976.20 for well motor rebuilding (Well #3) and well abandonment (Well #2). Per Morse's memo to council, following this project, comprehensive analysis and maintenance of all wells would occur every five years as recommended. DPW Superintendent Jeremiah Helenhouse said such maintenance has not been followed for at least a decade.
Next, the council approved a proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for Fiscal Years (FY) 2026-2031. Each fiscal year’s lists were similar - replace or purchase vehicles and equipment, along with various village renovations and larger maintenance projects. Termer asked if road work could be listed on the plan as well. Morse explained that roadwork doesn’t typically
fall within a CIP. Adding that roadwork often has its own implementation plan, as there are usually several steps that go into such improvements. Termer said he was thinking of residents who may look at these lists and say, ‘I pay all these taxes but never see any improvement to my street.’ Morse said he hesitates to put roadwork on CIPs because people may see it as a guarantee, which it is not. He added he’s attempted to address some of these questions through his village YouTube videos.
“A Capital Improvement Plan is a wish list,” Councilor Dan Zaverl said. “Everything listed has to be voted on anyway.”
“It’s a living document. It can be changed,” Heykoop said.
“It’s more of an internal document,” Morse added. “It’s needed for grant applications as well.”
In the end the council did add South Michigan Avenue roadwork to the 26-27 CIP resolution, as that is a project that is in the engineering phase with expected construction in 2026.
The third approval on Monday was to add a PTO (Personal Time Off) Donation Policy to the next update of the Employee Handbook. Recently a staff member was off work and depleted their PTO balance. Two other employees proposed donating a portion of their accrued PTO so the employee did not have to go without pay. As a result, the Personnel Committee and Morse worked together to draft the new policy. While the policy will not allow retroactive PTO donations, the Person-
nel Committee did ask the council to approve a one-time exception for this employee. The entire council voted affirmatively on the policy and the requested exception.
The fourth resolution to come before council presented an opportunity to join the Fire Insurance Withholding Program, administered by the Department of Insurance and Financial Services. According to Morse, if the village were enrolled in the program, the village would receive a portion of the homeowner’s final insurance settlement (assuming the homeowner was insured) to be held in a designated escrow account. Once any restoration work was completed, the village would release the escrowed funds back to the property owner. If restoration did not occur, the escrowed funds could be used by the village for necessary repairs or demolition. While Morse felt the program would “support proactive property maintenance and uphold community standards,” the council discussion that followed included more questions and concerns than answers or an understanding of the finer details. As a result, the resolution died for lack of support.
In closing, Morse told the council he has been busy informing the community to make sure everyone is aware of the Master Plan Update review currently underway. The required 63-day review period will be up Monday, Dec. 15. A public hearing and resolution to adopt the updated plan is scheduled for the Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 council meeting.
Pentwater Village discusses change in meeting schedule
By AnnaMae Bush The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
All council members were present at the Pentwater Village Council's Nov. 24 meeting. It was a short agenda, and the meeting ended with a closed session to discuss a report from the village attorney, Brian Monton.
Chet Janik was present and reviewed with council the most recent version of the strategic plan. The mission and vision statements remained the same, but the guiding principles and goals had been revised. Perhaps the most important and relevant goal was a Feb. 1 deadline for completing a prioritized list of capital, master and recreational plans for the upcoming budget cycle, supported by identified grant funding opportunities and a multi-year funding strategy. Important objectives include reviewing the employee handbook, establishing clear communications protocols and rewriting the civil and zoning ordinances.
President Mary Marshall had circulated a document regarding the distinctive roles of governance and management as related to the roles of village manager and the village council. In a discussion of the document, Marshall suggested a stronger committee structure (with regularly scheduled meetings) would enable the council to return to
PUBLIC NOTICE
one meeting a month rather than having two council meetings. The group was willing to adapt this strategy.
A motion to approve the contract with Michele Bieri as the clerk/treasurer in January 2026 was unanimously approved. A letter of resignation from Katie Anderson as recreation director was received.
Village Manager Toby Van Ess gave his report, which included news that a promising candidate had been interviewed for the position of deputy clerk/treasurer. He also reported on recent problems with lift station pumps, the challenges of finding parts for old equipment and the testing process that a DPW worker is undergoing to become a licensed operator of the water filtration plant. The channel dredging project will move forward with a bidding process as soon as budget signatures are complete. Several compliments were paid to the DPW team for the excellent service they have provided with leaf pickup and removal.
Correction
The Oceana Echo was provided with the incorrect start date for MiniMovers class at the Monarch in Hart. It was printed as beginning Nov. 21, but it is actually Dec. 5. The Oceana Echo apologizes for the error.
Ordinance 17 – Parking Ordinance
Golden Township Board at a regular meeting on November 11, 2025, approved this amended ordinance, Township of Golden, County of Oceana, State of Michigan
Ordinance Titles with Changes: 1. Words and Phrases Defined
Traffic Administration and Authority
Parking Control Devices
4. Stopping, Standing, or Parking
5. Miscellaneous - 5.3: Penalties.
Unless another penalty is expressly provided by the ordinances of this Township, a violation of this ordinance shall be a Municipal Civil Infraction. (Revised November 11, 2025)
The vote was unanimous in favor of the above stated changes in the amended ordinance. This ordinance may be seen at the Golden Township office during normal business hours, 5527 W. Fox Rd. Mears, MI. 49436. Rachel Iteen, Clerk
Shelby’s Edmundo Flores a Hall of Famer
Flores inducted into state wrestling association’s Hall of Fame; only 2nd official to be so honored
By Andy Roberts
The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
Shelby’s own Edmundo Flores celebrated his induction into the Michigan Wrestling Association Hall of Fame Nov. 8, and the very next week he was notified that next May he’ll receive a Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Michigan chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The dual honors mark a huge highlight - but not in any way the end - of a lengthy officiating career.
“I can’t say it’s been a heck of a career, because then people think I’m leaving, but so far so good,” Flores said. “I just hope to keep continuing it until I can no longer do it. When I finally decide it’s no longer any fun, I’ll put my wrestling shoes in the middle of the mat (the universal sign in the sport that you are retiring). I’ll take off my umpiring stuff and leave it on the softball diamond. I’ll walk away.”
Flores grew up in sports, and particularly in wrestling, where he was part of the Shelby Tigers’ 1972 state championship team. He said at one point, his Tigers won 42 consecutive dual matches
career. Officiating and umpiring has taken Flores all over the country and even to Mexico.
• Courtesy Photo
until an upset loss to then-powerhouse Fruitport.
He landed in Shelby through a family connection - his aunt already lived here when his mom, who’d grown tired of the migrant’s life of “following the fruit belt” for work before returning to the family’s native Texas, decided to put down roots with Edmundo and her other six kids in Oceana County. She never left, even when Edmundo’s father passed away while Edmundo was a Shelby freshman.
After years of sacrifice from his mom, Flores offered her a measure of payback when he graduated college - he wrestled at Lake Superior State and Grand Valley State, graduating from the latter after twice qualifying for the national tour-
nament - with the intent of becoming a physical education teacher. Although he could’ve gotten a job at virtually any bilingual district he wanted to, he told his mom he wasn’t going to leave her behind. When his mom shared that she didn’t want to leave the county, Flores’ decision was made, and he instead got a job in shipping and receiving at now-defunct Oceana Foods. He retired from Gray and Company in Hart four years ago.
It’s a story he often shares with kids, especially lower-income kids and Hispanic kids, some of whom remind Flores
of himself. He makes sure they know that their parents are here because they wanted the best for their children - so make it count.
“Especially for the minority kids, their way (to a better life) is, for a lot of us, athletics,” Flores said. “Academically, it’s coming around...(I’ll say,) ‘Your mom and dad, their parents were the migrants who moved it on to their kids. But your mom and dad thought, ‘We’re not doing that to our kids. We’re not
Edmundo Flores continued on page 11
Local squads look to build on great seasons
Falcons hope team chemistry helps fill gaps left behind by graduated stars
By Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
Pentwater had a historic season in 2024-25, winning 21 games and bringing home the West Michigan D League championship and a district title.
Most of the key players from that Falcons’ team have graduated now, and with a lot of relatively new faces to work into the rotation, coach Ashley Lubera is focusing her messaging on two simple words: “Play together.”
“As a program we want to defend our conference championship, but know the road will be challenging with a whole new team of experience,” Lubera said. “We will work to make district finals again and this season find a victory. Our goal as a program is to tackle each and every day, moment by moment. We are prepared for any changes.”
Three senior returnees will lead the team: Abram Kieda, Brody Austin and Wyatt Roberts. The Falcons also have a senior exchange student, Jacobo Martin Fernandez de Mera. Roberts and Austin bring athleticism and playmaking skills, and Kieda will anchor the Falcons’ post offense and defense - but can also shoot it from the outside on occasion. Fernandez de Mera will also be able to chip in in several areas.
There are only four other players on the varsity roster, so conditioning and
Pentwater’s Abram Kieda puts up a free throw during a 2024-25 game against Bear Lake. Kieda will be the Falcons’ “man in the middle” on a team looking to build on a historic season.
• Echo File Photo
avoiding foul trouble will be important for the Falcons. The other four players are all sophomores: Kyle Oomen, Ben Roberson, Edgar Vazquez and Gavin Macher.
“This season will be exciting because on any given night a different 4-5 athletes can fill out the stat sheet and contribute to big wins,” Lubera said.
The WMD race will feature many teams sure to take aim at Pentwater as
With 5 straight regional titles under their belt, Pirates eye the next step
By Andy Roberts
The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
Hart has become a fixture at the state wrestling quarterfinals in Kalamazoo, having won five regional championships in a row. But the Pirates want more. Last year, they almost got it, dropping a tough match to Allegan in the round of eight, and they have another strong team this fall.
“Our leaders this year are Logan Jorissen, Halen Boos, Adrian Lara and Haegan Hansen,” Hart coach Rocky Smith said. “We have a lot of hard-working athletes in the room, and I believe all of them will step up when needed in the big moments.”
Hart’s Adrian Lara grapples with an Allegan foe during last season’s quarterfinal match in Kalamazoo. An allstater last year, Lara is among four senior leaders for the Pirates heading into 2025-26.
• Andy Roberts/Echo File Photo
fident of another deep postseason run.
“If we continue to work hard and do the right things, I believe we will have this opportunity again this season,” Smith said.
The Pirates also bring back starters Sawyer Boos, Aiden Schaner, Pascal Miller and Abdel Lopez.
great competition throughout the season again, including in the West Michigan Conference, where the Pirates have established themselves as a strong number two to longtime power program Whitehall. Among Rivers division schools, Smith believes rival Shelby will be im-
Of those four, Lara was all-state, as was junior Kole Thomas. Boos, Jorissen and Hansen were state qualifiers, as was Jordan Thies. The Pirates clearly have a great base to start a season and good reason to be con-
Hart will be able to measure itself against
Pentwater hoops continued on page 11 Hart wrestling continued on page 11
Shelby alum and wrestling official Edmundo Flores (left) celebrates his induction into the Michigan Wrestling Association Hall of Fame Nov. 8. Flores has officiated in many sports for over 40 years, though he’s best known for working wrestling and softball.
• Courtesy Photo
Edmundo Flores (left) and his brother were able to meet basketball legend Magic Johnson while Flores was umpiring a baseball tournament early in Flores’ officiating
Promising young Shelby team looks to top last year’s 2 state qualifiers
By Andy Roberts
Oceana Echo Community Contributor
Shelby’s wrestling team looks to take another step forward this year behind the leadership of its two state qualifiers from a year ago - Jaylin Henderson (who was allstate) and Brody Fessenden.
The Tiger duo has had quite a year since then, leading Shelby to a historic district title in football, and now they’ll step back on the mat looking to achieve more heroics.
“Brody and Jaylin have both matured so much mentally and physically this past season,” Shelby coach Dustin Dean said. “Brody has a tenacity and mat awareness that is a lot of fun to coach. Brody is able to understand the situation at hand and what needs to be done. Jaylin is the type of wrestler that an opponent can never rest on. Jaylin is so explosive that he can make almost anything happen. Both of these young men have grown into leaders that our wrestlers want to follow and emulate.”
The Tigers also bring back returning starters Antonio Cano and Cesar Cadena. Cano is a senior and Cadena a sopho-
Shelby’s Jaylin Henderson battles with a Richmond opponent during last season’s state finals. Henderson and teammate Brody Fessenden are the Tigers’ two returning state qualifiers from last year.
• Star Maddox/Echo File Photo
more, but both are key cogs in the lineup, as are up-and-comers Max Hagstrom, Colin Fenton and Axel Moritz, who were all part of the Tigers’ football program this fall as well.
“These three are all seniors that I think will be integral to our lineup,” Dean said of the trio. “We have a wonderful class of freshmen that will also be fun to watch as well.”
Dean said the team hopes to bring more than two wrestlers to the individual finals at Ford Field, a goal he deems achievable if the team works for it.
Shelby is hoping to fight its way into the conversation of being atop the Rivers division portion of the West Michigan Conference, though local rival Hart boasts major
credentials. That dual match is always a county highlight, and the burgeoning rivalry between Shelby and Hesperia, two tradition-rich programs, brings excitement to that annual showdown as well. The Tigers will get plenty of opportunities to match up against power programs within the WMC as well as in competitive tournaments.
The growth of the girls’ program is another reason for excitement in Shelby, as six girls are wrestling this year, four of them returners.
“I am excited about the level these young women are at right now,” Dean said. “These young women are trailblazers in our program and I am excited to see how they do this year.”
Edmundo Flores
picking them up and throwing them around. We’re going to stay here and establish something.’”
Flores’ officiating career didn’t begin by choice, he said. Working for the Village of Shelby’s recreation department in high school, he was informed by his boss at the time that he would be umpiring a youth league baseball tournament the next day. Flores enjoyed it enough that he kept coming back when asked, and it became a passion - and a way for him to put his teacher’s spirit to use by interacting with kids.
Flores enjoyed many career highlights, especially in the early years. He once umpired an all-star game at Marsh Field that involved many local legends and also included former Detroit Tiger Howard Bailey, who pitched against longtime Muskegon-area legend Les Gowell in a game that ended 1-0. Flores has done tournaments in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; St. Augustine, Florida; Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and in California.
His roots remained in West Michigan, though, where he’s made a name for himself officiating wrestling and umpiring softball. He’s best known for his gregarious manner - there’s no one he won’t have a chat with - and a couple of signature moves. When he scoops up a ball that’s out of play on the softball diamond, he’ll flip it back to the pitcher behind his back. And when he’s on the mat and a pin is recorded, you’ll see Flores spin 90 degrees and blow his whistle.
“Other officials see that and they start doing it, and I go, ‘Hey, there’s a
Very young Hesperia boys basketball team hopes to build strong culture
By Andy Roberts The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
Hesperia faces an uphill climb this season as the Panthers will enter the season with only one player possessing significant varsity experience. Last year’s team posted a 6-17 record.
Malakai Sellers is the Panthers’ top returner, and he’ll lead a team that does not have any seniors on the roster.
“Our greatest strength is youthful enthusiasm,” Hesperia coach Scott Warsaw said. “As far as our weaknesses, we are small and inexperienced. We need to stress rebounding and help defense.
“We have had a losing record the last few years and our number one priority is turning the program around and building a winning culture.”
Though they don’t have a lot of experience, Warsaw believes Nate Sher-
burn and Keegan Roberson have displayed leadership qualities and will be a key part of what the Panthers do this year. Also on the roster are Dominick Rivera, Marshall Norris, Nate Ruhstorfer, Weston Hasted and Tyler Rumsey.
“I’m looking forward to seeing our level of compete this year,” Warsaw said. The Panthers hope to be competitive in the West Michigan Conference Rivers, but North Muskegon, which has dominated the conference in recent years, is considered the team to beat until someone knocks it off its perch. Shelby and Holton are always standout games due to being local rivals. The Panthers also face county foes Walkerville and Pentwater in non-conference play, and will take on opponents from both bigger (Orchard View, Manistee) and smaller (Mason Co. Eastern, West Michigan Lutheran) schools.
Pentwater hoops
revenge for the Falcons’ championship of a year ago. Baldwin, Mesick, Bear Lake and Marion are among the top contenders for the league title, Lubera said. The Falcons have put together a strong non-conference schedule, and will play several larger schools in order to stay sharp for a postseason run.
continued from page 10
County foes Shelby and Hesperia are among those, along with Oakridge, White Cloud and others.
“With our experience, we need to stay focused on all of our strengths and we could present ourselves as the team to beat in our conference,” Lubera said.
Hart wrestling
proved this season behind a strong group of freshmen.
A season highlight will be the Assembly Dual Dec. 19 against Grand Haven. The Pirates hosted their first such meet last year and it was a big hit with students.
continued from page 10
royalty fee. Every time you do that, it’s a dollar,’” Flores chuckled.
More than a showman, though, Flores is one of the best, and he has the credentials to prove it. He said he’s officiated at 23 individual wrestling state tournaments and 30 finals in all - an assignment that comes by recommendation.
“It’s a different breed of person,” Flores said of officials. “I can’t make you an official. I can’t. You’ve got to have a love for it or you don’t. You can’t be halfway, because if you’re halfway, you’re going to get eaten up because people are going to be jumping on you all the time. You’ve got to have thick skin, but again, if they respect you and you respect what they’re doing, they kind of leave you alone.”
Like any official or any person, Flores isn’t perfect, and he said if he knows he got a call wrong, he’ll say so afterward. He says he’ll engage with most anyone about his calls, as long as they treat him like a human and speak at a normal volume. It’s been close to 20 years since it’s gone as far, he said, as removing someone from a match.
“’Just relax and talk to me,’” Flores said he’ll advise fans and coaches. “’Nobody needs to know what we’re talking about but you and I. If it happens that you have to leave, I’m just going to tell you that you’ve got 60 seconds to do it, and that’s up to you.’”
Flores has been around long enough that he’s seen generations of wrestlers come through. His fellow 2025 inductee, former Hesperia coach Craig Zeerip, has been around Flores’ match-
continued from page 10
“(It’s) a great atmosphere and gets to showcase our athletes in front of the whole student body,” Smith said. “We will also compete against top teams like St. Louis, Freeland, Hamilton, and Cedar Springs throughout the season.”
es for decades. Flores met Justin Zeerip, Craig’s son, as a 6-year-old kid on the wrestling mat, getting “the best seat in the house” as Justin and his younger brothers Collin and Brandon reeled off spectacular Hesperia careers. And now, Flores officiates matches Justin coaches in at Whitehall.
“Being in West Michigan, I couldn’t ask for a more stand-up guy officiating,” Craig Zeerip said of Flores. “He was always consistent and fair. He always had great management. Sometimes as a coach, you get really excited in those pressure situations, and Edmundo is probably one of the best officials I’ve ever seen at being able to come talk to you and explain things well. You’re always so excited to have him available and right there officiating. He cares about the kids.”
Flores is always willing to mentor the next generation of officials if they show they’re up to it. He said a former Grand Rapids West Catholic and current Cornerstone University wrestler, Thomas Zielinski, is one who has what it takes. The MHSAA is often reminding
fans through in-game announcements that there is a shortage of officials, and though he’s not done yet, Flores doesn’t want to see that exacerbated when he and fellow veterans begin to move on.
Flores said he’s been told he’s only the second official to be inducted into the MWA Hall of Fame, and he takes pride in what he’s accomplished. But apart from perhaps having thicker skin than some others, he said there’s no reason others can’t have the kind of officiating career he’s had.
“Who am I? I’m nobody, really, but the life of sports has taken me to areas where I can still interact with a lot of kids and ask them how they’re doing and how things are going at home,” Flores said. “I must touch those people in the right way because they feel comfortable talking to me, not fearing me because I have an official’s uniform on...If I can convince a coach to coach his kids and not coach me, I’ll do it. That’s a big plus, because that’s one less burden on me. It seems to have worked, both on a softball diamond and on a wrestling mat.”
Edmundo Flores (highest in back row) has wrestling roots that go back to his time on the 1972 state champion Shelby Tigers team, and he’s continued in the sport to this day as an official, being inducted into the MWA Hall of Fame Nov. 8. • Courtesy Photo
The
Reflections of our community
White Lake Mirror White Lake Mirror
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YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE Reflections
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YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE Reflections
Area comes together to Fight Like a Belinger
Area comes together to Fight Like a Belinger
Area comes together to Fight Like a Belinger
Fundraising event for family Sunday at White Lake Eagles
Fundraising event for family Sunday at White Lake Eagles
Fundraising event for family Sunday at White Lake Eagles
By Andy Roberts
By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor
By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor
Just eight months ago, Bryton Belinger's biggest worry might have been whether he had enough movement on his off-speed pitches heading into his senior season of Montague baseball. Now, Belinger is facing the fight of his life - but he's not doing it alone.
Just eight months ago, Bryton Belinger's biggest worry might have been whether he had enough movement on his off-speed pitches heading into his senior season of Montague baseball. Now, Belinger is facing the fight of his life - but he's not doing it alone.
Just eight months ago, Bryton Belinger's biggest worry might have been whether he had enough movement on his off-speed pitches heading into his senior season of Montague baseball. Now, Belinger is facing the fight of his life - but he's not doing it alone.
Belinger was recently diagnosed with spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma, a very rare and aggressive form of cancer - so rare, says mom Christina, that surgeons hadn't even heard of it prior to his diagnosis. Bryton discovered a mass Sept. 17, which quickly led to an ultrasound and the diagnosis.
Belinger was recently diagnosed with spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma, a very rare and aggressive form of cancer - so rare, says mom Christina, that surgeons hadn't even heard of it prior to his diagnosis. Bryton discovered a mass Sept. 17, which quickly led to an ultrasound and the diagnosis.
Belinger was recently diagnosed with spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma, a very rare and aggressive form of cancer - so rare, says mom Christina, that surgeons hadn't even heard of it prior to his diagnosis. Bryton discovered a mass Sept. 17, which quickly led to an ultrasound and the diagnosis.
He's undergone two surgeries to combat the disease, including last week's removal of all the lymph nodes on his right side, which doctors say will increase Bryton's chances that the cancer will not recur. Christina said Belinger's chances the cancer will stay away will be very good - "85 percent"following the surgery.
He's undergone two surgeries to combat the disease, including last week's removal of all the lymph nodes on his right side, which doctors say will increase Bryton's chances that the cancer will not recur. Christina said Belinger's chances the cancer will stay away will be very good - "85 percent"following the surgery.
He's undergone two surgeries to combat the disease, including last week's removal of all the lymph nodes on his right side, which doctors say will increase Bryton's chances that the cancer will not recur. Christina said Belinger's chances the cancer will stay away will be very good - "85 percent"following the surgery.
The family has rallied around Bry-
The family has rallied around Bry-
The family has rallied around Bry-
Montague FFA advisor Kate Feuerstein (right) and NBC middle school advisor
Addyson Hall ran the Montague FFA cider sale Oct. 24 at the Wildcats' football game vs. Ravenna. Their efforts raised $775 for the Belinger family, one example of the area coming together to aid Bryton in his fight against cancer.
Montague FFA advisor Kate Feuerstein (right) and NBC middle school advisor Addyson Hall ran the Montague FFA cider sale Oct. 24 at the Wildcats' football game vs. Ravenna. Their efforts raised $775 for the Belinger family, one example of the area coming together to aid Bryton in his fight against cancer.
Montague FFA advisor Kate Feuerstein (right) and NBC middle school advisor Addyson Hall ran the Montague FFA cider sale Oct. 24 at the Wildcats' football game vs. Ravenna. Their efforts raised $775 for the Belinger family, one example of the area coming together to aid Bryton in his fight against cancer.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
• Andy Roberts/Mirror
ton - older sister Bailey came in from out of town to support her brotherand so has the White Lake community. There will be a fundraising event for Bryton at the White Lake Eagles Sunday, Nov. 30 from 2-5 p.m., which will include a taco bar, a silent auction and raffles, as well as free will donations.
The family is also the recipient of a GoFundMe launched by family friend
Bryton Belinger gets in position to field a slow grounder during a 2025
to combat a rare form of cancer. A community fundraiser for the
game. Belinger recently underwent surgeries to remove a cancerous mass and lymph nodes to combat a rare form of cancer. A community fundraiser for the Belinger family is set for Sunday, Nov. 30 at the White Lake Eagles.
for Sunday, Nov. 30 at the White
• Andy Roberts/Mirror File Photo
• Andy Roberts/Mirror File Photo
• Andy Roberts/Mirror File Photo
ton - older sister Bailey came in from out of town to support her brotherand so has the White Lake community. There will be a fundraising event for Bryton at the White Lake Eagles Sunday, Nov. 30 from 2-5 p.m., which will include a taco bar, a silent auction and raffles, as well as free will donations.
The family is also the recipient of a GoFundMe launched by family friend
ton - older sister Bailey came in from out of town to support her brotherand so has the White Lake community. There will be a fundraising event for Bryton at the White Lake Eagles Sunday, Nov. 30 from 2-5 p.m., which will include a taco bar, a silent auction and raffles, as well as free will donations. The family is also the recipient of a GoFundMe launched by family friend
Ashley Blanchard, which was created barely a month ago and has already raised over $31,000. The money helps the Belinger family cover medical bills, travel costs and hotel stays related to Bryton's appointments.
Ashley Blanchard, which was created barely a month ago and has already raised over $31,000. The money helps the Belinger family cover medical bills, travel costs and hotel stays related to Bryton's appointments.
Ashley Blanchard, which was created barely a month ago and has already raised over $31,000. The money helps the Belinger family cover medical bills, travel costs and hotel stays related to Bryton's appointments.
The Belingers were also the recipient of the Montague FFA's annual cider sale at the Oct. 24 football game against Ravenna. The cider sale, which
The Belingers were also the recipient of the Montague FFA's annual cider sale at the Oct. 24 football game against Ravenna. The cider sale, which
is sponsored by donations from Sandy Rollenhagen, was earmarked as a fundraiser for the Belingers this year, and shattered the organization's $500 goal, raising $775 for Bryton.
is sponsored by donations from Sandy Rollenhagen, was earmarked as a fundraiser for the Belingers this year, and shattered the organization's $500 goal, raising $775 for Bryton.
Bryton was selected as the recipient in large part due to his work with the
The Belingers were also the recipient of the Montague FFA's annual cider sale at the Oct. 24 football game against Ravenna. The cider sale, which is sponsored by donations from Sandy Rollenhagen, was earmarked as a fundraiser for the Belingers this year, and shattered the organization's $500 goal, raising $775 for Bryton. Bryton was selected as the recipient in large part due to his work with the
Bryton was selected as the recipient in large part due to his work with the
Bryton Belinger
continued on page 2
Holiday Walk opens the season in White Lake
Holiday Walk opens the season in White Lake
Holiday Walk opens the season in White Lake
The White Lake area opened the holiday season with its festive annual Holiday Walk, which featured the Christmas tree lighting ceremonies in both Montague and Whitehall.
The White Lake area opened the holiday season with its festive annual Holiday Walk, which featured the Christmas tree lighting ceremonies in both Montague and Whitehall.
The White Lake area opened the holiday season with its festive annual Holiday Walk, which featured the Christmas tree lighting ceremonies in both Montague and Whitehall.
Mayors Tom Lohman and Tom Ziemer addressed crowds in their respective cities, and Santa Claus and a reindeer could be seen among the crowds. and each high school had choirs performing carols prior
Mayors Tom Lohman and Tom Ziemer addressed crowds in their respective cities, and Santa Claus and a reindeer could be seen among the crowds. and each high school had choirs performing carols prior
Mayors Tom Lohman and Tom Ziemer addressed crowds in their respective cities, and Santa Claus and a reindeer could be seen among the crowds. and each high school had choirs performing carols prior
to the tree lighting. Horse-drawn carriage rides and hot cocoa were provided, and the fun continued Saturday with trolley rides between the two cities.
to the tree lighting. Horse-drawn carriage rides and hot cocoa were provided, and the fun continued Saturday with trolley rides between the two cities.
to the tree lighting. Horse-drawn carriage rides and hot cocoa were provided, and the fun continued Saturday with trolley rides between the two cities.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror Photos
Lakeshore Museum Center explores environmental history
Lakeshore Museum Center explores environmental history
Lakeshore Museum Center explores environmental history
By Claire Marshall White Lake Mirror Writer
By Claire Marshall White Lake Mirror Writer
By Claire Marshall White Lake Mirror Writer
The Montague branch of the Muskegon District Library hosted “Shaping the Landscape: West Michigan’s Environmental History,” a presentation by educators from Lakeshore Museum Center, Wednesday, Nov. 19. This was the third and final installment of the “Shared Waters” community conversation series put on by several area libraries, meant to foster ecological interest and discussion about the water so integral to our everyday lives in Muskegon County.
The Montague branch of the Muskegon District Library hosted “Shaping the Landscape: West Michigan’s Environmental History,” a presentation by educators from Lakeshore Museum
The Montague branch of the Muskegon District Library hosted “Shaping the Landscape: West Michigan’s Environmental History,” a presentation by educators from Lakeshore Museum
Center, Wednesday, Nov. 19. This was the third and final installment of the “Shared Waters” community conversation series put on by several area libraries, meant to foster ecological interest and discussion about the water so integral to our everyday lives in Muskegon County.
Center, Wednesday, Nov. 19. This was the third and final installment of the “Shared Waters” community conversation series put on by several area libraries, meant to foster ecological interest and discussion about the water so integral to our everyday lives in Muskegon County.
Lakeshore Museum programmers Jennifer Reeths and Kimberlyn Carlson regaled a modest but engrossed audience with the last 200 years of Michigan’s water history, and its primary pollutants, specifically in Muskegon and White Lakes.
Lakeshore Museum programmers Jennifer Reeths and Kimberlyn Carlson regaled a modest but engrossed audience with the last 200 years of Michigan’s water history, and its primary pollutants, specifically in Muskegon and White Lakes.
Starting in the 1830s and ending in
Lakeshore Museum programmers Jennifer Reeths and Kimberlyn Carlson regaled a modest but engrossed audience with the last 200 years of Michigan’s water history, and its primary pollutants, specifically in Muskegon and White Lakes.
Starting in the 1830s and ending in
Starting in the 1830s and ending in
1907, the lumber industry drastically changed White Lake’s topography - infilling the lake to provide land for saw mills, dredging and straightening channels for shipping, and lumber debris
1907, the lumber industry drastically changed White Lake’s topography - infilling the lake to provide land for saw mills, dredging and straightening channels for shipping, and lumber debris
1907, the lumber industry drastically changed White Lake’s topography - infilling the lake to provide land for saw mills, dredging and straightening channels for shipping, and lumber debris
Bryton Belinger continued on page 2
Montague's Bryton Belinger gets in position to field a slow grounder during a 2025 baseball game. Belinger recently underwent surgeries to remove a cancerous mass and lymph nodes to combat a rare form of cancer. A community fundraiser for the Belinger family is set for Sunday, Nov. 30 at the White Lake Eagles.
Andy Roberts/Mirror Photos
Montague's
baseball
White Lake Mirror Editor
Bryton Belinger continued on page 2
Montague's Bryton Belinger gets in position to field a slow grounder during a 2025 baseball game. Belinger recently underwent surgeries to remove a cancerous mass and lymph nodes
Belinger family is set
Lake Eagles.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror Photos
Montague receives $1.2M for Safe Routes to School
Part of over $11M in MDOT distributions
The City of Montague received $1.2 million in grant funding from the Michigan Department of Transportation, MDOT announced Nov. 19, for its Safe Routes to School program.
Montague's grant is one of nine being disbursed by MDOT through the Transportation Alternatives Program. The conditional commitments are from reserved federal transportation funds designated by Congress for
state-approved projects.
The Montague grant will be used for pedestrian crossings and crosswalk lighting, enabling city residents to safely walk to school. Other city residents will be able to use the new projects to enhance their experience walking through the city.
TAP funds specific transportation projects, like separated pathways, pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, bike lanes and other facilities, that improve vulnerable road user safety. These enhancements provide safe alternative transportation options embodying the
Museum program
clogging up the lake bottom. The construction of the Welland Canal in the 1930s allowed for greater cargo shipping through the Lakes through connecting Ontario and Erie; however, it also introduced stowaways in cargo ships’ ballast compartments from the St Lawrence River and oceans beyond - invasive species such as sea lampreys, round goby, and zebra mussels, which have remained constant ecological threats to the Great Lakes since. It is estimated that half of invasive species in the Great Lakes have come from cargo shipping. Particularly in the case of lampreys, various prevention measures such as dams and pheromone releasing have discouraged them from spawning further upstream. Prototype traps have also been created to remove adult specimens and lampricide introduced early in populations’ life cycles can reduce numbers. Improvements have also been made to ballast contaminants on cargo ships to prevent further introduction of new
invasive species. Individuals can help through reporting species at michigan. gov, properly disposing of caught species, and washing boats before transporting between waterways.
In the mid-20th century, chemical pollutants were introduced in White Lake from various factories such as the tannery, Occidental, DuPont and Muskegon Chemicals - primarily in the forms of chromic sulfate and chlorinated solvents respectively. These pollutants drew concern from White Lake area citizens, and the latter half of the century saw a slew of investigation and cleanup efforts from governmental entities, volunteers, and the companies themselves.
In the 1980s, the US and Canada joined forces to identify “Areas of Concerns" in their shared shorelines and waterways. White Lake was identified as an Area of Concern in 1987, and through federal support and remediation efforts, was delisted in 2014. With a greater area and population, Muskegon Lake saw
Bryton Belinger
FFA as a student. Advisor Kate Feuerstein said Belinger's commitment to FFA was obvious often in his Montague days, but no more so than when he "came at the drop of a hat" to help clean up when there was a flood in the group's chicken barn.
"Bryton immediately came, and advisers came, and we spent a couple hours shoveling wet sawdust full of chicken manure, and we had wet cold birds," Feuerstein said. "This is the least that we can do for them, given the situation they're in."
In addition to all this, Fight Like a Belinger t-shirts are now being sold online to help the family and spread support. (For more information, search Fight Like a Belinger on Facebook.)
Belinger is back at home now, and once he recovers from his surgery, he will begin a chemotherapy regimen. He said his surgery recovery timetable involves four weeks of no strenuous activity and eight weeks no lifting heavy objects. Once he begins treatment, he will undergo 10 treatments every three weeks for seven months.
The family has been heartened by the amount of support, financial and otherwise, that they've received amid Bryton's fight.
"We did a prayer circle before his first surgery at our house," Christina said. "(Evangelical Covenant Church youth pastor) Craig Smith came and prayed with us. Chris Stark (of "Get Busy Living" fame) and Steve Darke approached us and they're running the (Eagles) fundraiser."
"mobility for everyone" concept.
"The TAP, including its Safe Routes to School (SRTS) category, truly delivers on MDOT's strategic vision seeking original and innovative projects and investing in mobility options that improve Michiganders' quality of life," State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich said in a press release. "TAP receives modest funding to address large-scale public health and safety concerns, enhance local and regional economic development and provide citizens with alternative mobility options."
many of the same issues as White Lake, but on a larger scale - and was subsequently listed as an Area of Concern in 1985. An estimated 27% of open water was filled to provide industrial space and 74% of wetlands were cemented over. Muskegon and Bear Lakes were cut off at Bear Creek with the introduction of celery fields, and were only recently reconnected. Unfortunately, other features of the Muskegon Lake landscape are gone forever, such as the massive Pigeon Hill sand dune, which was mined until it was completely leveled in the 1970s. Through the same hard work and dedication, Muskegon Lake was finally delisted just last month.
The ecological future is delicate for White and Muskegon lakes, Reeths saying, “just [because] we’re released as areas of concern, doesn’t mean that all of the work is done.” Following their delistments, they will no longer receive federal aid, leaving their continual monitoring to local and state departments,
Recognized by the Federal Highway Administration as a best practice, MDOT's management of TAP and its projects meet stringent federal and MDOT design standards, requiring extensive teamwork. MDOT partners with a variety of agencies to include county road commissions, cities, villages, etc. to facilitate grant application and project implementation. MDOT reserves the funds being committed today subject to applicants meeting certain requirements for implementation. Awards are given when all the conditions have been met.
along with nonprofit organizations.
Reeths provided considerable historical insight on the various industries in West Michigan, alongside visuals provided from museum archives, such as photographs and maps. Carlson was happy to share her special interest in the Arctic Greyling, a fish species once common in Michigan. After years of habitat loss, overfishing, and competition from other introduced stock fish, the visually stunning Greyling could no longer sustain a population in the Great Lakes. Efforts to reintroduce the species in collaboration with MSU, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, and Odin Fishery have seen their first brood released in upper Michigan rivers earlier this summer.
For those curious about the topics discussed, Reeths and Carlson encouraged checking out the Lakeshore Museum Center’s podcast, "Muskegon History and Beyond.”
continued from page 1
"We can't believe the amount of people," added Bryton's dad Brandon, who have reached out to help.
Bryton's future plans have had to be put on hold while he deals with his cancer, but he's not shelving them by any means. He has been working on launching a lawn care business, and his mom Christina said he was set to soon begin an apprenticeship at Meyer Well Drilling in Montague. He's aiming to begin that next fall.
In the meantime, Belinger has plenty to look forward to. Prior to his surgery, he went on a four-day hunting trip in Iowa to keep his spirits up, and he's planned a snowmobiling trip with his dad to Wyoming next February, an engagement he intends to keep.
There's likely no end in the near future to the support the area will provide to the Belingers. Feuerstein said she never ceases to be amazed by what the community will do to help one of their own when in need.
"I've had people message us on social media that they don't even know who the Belingers are, but they want to help," Feuerstein said. "'Can we just donate money instead of buy cider? Can we do this? Where can I get that?' I think that's a testament to the entire White Lake area. Regardless of who it is, people are going to pitch in."
"We're messaged every day," Christina said. "We get cards and people drop stuff off. It's been an amazing amount of support, for sure. It makes the hard days a little easier."
Saturday, Nov. 29
SmittyVision performs @ North Grove Brewers, 7 p.m.
Live trivia @ White Lake Eagles, 7 p.m.
Kyle Brown performs @ Red Rooster Tavern, 8 p.m.
Bonfire Rose performs @ Pub One Eleven, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 30
Steve Thielman performs @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 10 a.m. to noon.
Monday, Dec. 1
Paper Ornament Show begins @ MADL Montague. Pick up an ornament from the libary, decorate it and return it by Dec. 15 for the Jan. 6 show. Kids, teens and adults welcome to participate.
Community Calendar
Knit, Crochet & Connect @ White Lake Community Library, 3 p.m.
Whether you're experienced or just curious to learn, connect with others, share ideas, and enjoy good company.
Build your own graham cracker gingerbread house @ MADL Montague, 3:30 p.m. Registration required at madl.org.
Winter Gnomes Adult Craft Night @ White Lake Community Library, 5:30 p.m. Create your own woodblock gnome for decoration or as a gift. Registration requested at wlclib.org.
Live trivia @ Red Rooster Tavern, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 2
Toddler Storytime @ MADL Montague, 9:30 a.m. Intended for toddlers
ages 2-3 and their caregivers.
Steve Thielman performs @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 10 a.m. to noon.
Pretty Fun trivia @ Book Nook & Java Shop, 6:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 3
White Lake Knitting Club meets @ North Grove Brewers, 1 p.m.
Youth Open Studio @ ACWL-Nuveen Center, 3-5 p.m. Bring in projects you’re working on or start something new with help from staff.
Grounding with Sound @ White Lake Community Library, 5:30 p.m. HeealthWest invites you to participate in a sound bathing session. Relax with gentle vibrations. Registration appreciated @ wlclib.com; wear comfortable clothes.
The Oat Bran Boys perform @ North Grove Brewers, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 4
Adult Open Studio @ ACWL-Nuveen Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring studio materials from home or explore available supplies in the classroom.
Live trivia @ Pub One Eleven, 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 5
Afternoon Hang @ White Lake Community Library, 2 p.m. Tweens 10 and up are invited to play video games, do crafts, eat snacks or just hang out! Carl Webb Band performs @ Pub One Eleven, 8 p.m.
Echoes of History: Local history of masonry (Pt. 3)
By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor
Parts 1 and 2 of this story ran in the Nov. 14 and 21 issues of the White Lake Mirror.
After the second fire, in which the majority of the records of the order were lost, they moved to the block now known as the “Pitkin Block” and where they held meetings for over 30 years, until they removed to their own beautifully appointed temple in 1924.
In early October 1879, wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of the Master Masons were granted a charter to organize the Order the Eastern Star on White Lake. Marie Elsie Staples was the first Worthy Matron, Joseph Hazeltine was the first Worthy Patron and Mable Busby, assistant Worthy Matron. From the time this chapter was organized until 1924, the lodge increased in membership and popularity more rapidly than ever before.
The Montague Lodge was started by George Dowling and first met in the Ferry-Dowling building on the corner of Ferry and Dowling in June 1866. In 1881 the Montague Masons moved to the second floor of the Ripley Block and later the second floor of Sweet’s store. In 1921 the Masonic Building As-
sociation, made up of lodge members, bought the White Lake Inn, once known as the Sadler Block on the corner of Water and Dowling.
They remained at this location until 1970, when sites for a new lodge were selected on the corner of Dowling and Whitbeck. The old building was sold in 1975 and was torn down in 1978. In 1975 Montague moved to their new Temple. In 1979 the Whitehall members began using these facilities as their Temple. In 1998 the Lodges merged into the Montague-Whitehall Lodge No.198 F & AM, which is located at 5425 Dowling Street in Montague.
To realize how fully Masonry has changed in the area from one time to another, it is necessary to look over the old application blanks and under the caption, “What is your occupation?”, we find such terms as these: Camp foreman, river driver, sailor, timber cruiser, stage coach driver, etc., occupations of the days when this community was at the height of the lumbering era. Under the application of today we would not be surprised to find such occupations listed as these: wireless operator, chemical or electrical engineer, radio expert, etc.
Over the years since the building in Whitehall was vacated by the Masonic members, several businesses have been located there. The building is now
home to “The Loft on Colby” and “The Colby Escape Room”.
In 2021, after extensive updating, “The Loft on Colby” opened on the second floor of the Masonic Temple building. The one of a kind property has two bedrooms, two and one half baths and an open sleeping loft (in the former balcony). It can easily accommodate eight guests.
In 2023 “The Colby Escape Room” opened for business. Designed to give you the most thrilling and authentic experience, you race against the clock to “escape” the room by solving engaging puzzles and challenges that promote creative thinking, teamwork and communication.
Free events surround Dec. 6 Christmas parade
A free community breakfast and a pajama giveaway will take place Saturday, Dec. 6 surrounding the White Lake Area Christmas Parade.
The United Auto Workers Local 1243, located at 1116 S. Mears Ave. in Whitehall, is hosting a pajama
giveaway from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6. The event will also include visits with Santa Claus and the Grinch.
Also Saturday, the Whitehall National Honor Society will host a free community breakfast from 8-11 a.m. at Lebanon Lutheran Church, 1101 S. Mears
Ave. Breakfast will include pancakes, sausage, milk and orange juice. Santa Claus may just make an appearance at the breakfast as well.
Donations welcome for gingerbread workshop
By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor
plan to spend about 30 minutes making your gingerbread house.
candy and contained an estimated 36 million calories.
Children’s Program Updates
December 11 is the big day! Mark your calendar and plan to attend this year’s gingerbread house event. The Bette Carlson Community Room will be open from 4-6:30 p.m., with rows and rows of tables full of graham crackers, frosting, and edible decorations. Everyone is invited to come create tasty holiday decorations and happy holiday memories. We provide everything but the imagination! There is no charge to attend and registration is not required. Just drop in when you can, and
We are really looking forward to this popular event, and we are already busy buying mountains of graham crackers, buckets of frosting, and piles of paper plates and napkins. We are also gratefully accepting donations of new, unopened candy items kids can use to decorate their houses. If you would like to contribute candy canes or gum drops or other delights, just bring them to the library by Saturday, Dec. 6. You can see a list of needed items on the website at wlclib.org. Thanks in advance for your support!
FUN FACT: The world’s largest gingerbread house was built in 2013 by the Texas A&M Traditions Club to raise money for charity. The tasty-looking house was 22 feet high and used thousands of pounds of butter, sugar, eggs, flour and other ingredients. It also featured more than 23,000 pieces of hard
Weekly storytime programs are paused until February due to the holidays and the upcoming Calvin University January Series, but interested caregivers and their children are welcome to gather in the Legacy Room every Tuesday and Friday from Dec. 9-Jan. 30. These informal playgroups will be offered from 10-11:30 a.m. The library will provide a cabinet full of toys for the kids to enjoy and chairs for adults who want to chat.
Looking ahead, there will be some special events for kids of all ages during the holiday break. Details are still being finalized, but you can plan on a New Year’s Noon party for kids and families Tuesday, Dec. 30 and some fun scavenger hunts throughout the school vacation weeks. Stay tuned for additional programs and maybe even some spe-
cial guests! Afternoon Hangouts will continue every Friday from 2-4 p.m. through the end of December. All area youth ages 10 and up are invited to join a fun group of tweens and make new friends, do some crafts, play some games, eat some snacks, or just hang out. Each week we'll have the Switch and the VR headset out for gaming as well.
DeMumbrum
The laying of the cornerstone for the Masonic Temple in Whitehall July 21, 1922. A portion of the State Bank building is shown on the right. • Courtesy Photo
NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE community
Mirror Lake Mirror
Whitehall getting set to take the court
Viking boys ready for new era, but still have plenty of talent on the team
By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor
Whitehall coach Christian Subdon joked early in now-graduated Camden Thompson and Kal Koehler's career that he and assistant Matt Shepherd would find out if they were any good at coaching after those two graduated.
That time has arrived for the Vikings, as they sadly sent Thompson, their alltime career leader in just about every relevant statistic, to Western Michigan and Koehler to Aquinas College last spring. However, Subdon isn't dialing back expectations - he still wants to win the West Michigan Conference Lakes.
"We say this not to be cocky, but this is a program expectation to win the league," Subdon said. "If we fall short of that, we didn't meet expectations.
"These guys are out to prove they're more than just being with Cam. Obviously Cam has a special place in what we do at Whitehall, and I'll never say he doesn't. But we want to prove the program is built to last, not just around one or two players. We still have some really good players and I fully expect to make some noise in the league and be fighting at the end."
That doesn't mean things aren't changing, though, as the Vikings enter the season with less cumulative experience than they've had in a while - for example, as Subdon put it, the team hasn't had to worry about practicing breaking the press in a few years because Thompson was a one-man deter-
Whitehall's Corde Anderson keeps possession of the ball during last season's district game against Spring Lake. Anderson and teammate Hunter Osborne are the Vikings' most experienced returners. • Andy Roberts/Mirror File Photo
rent from any opponent trying to do it.
The two returning players with the most court time are third-year varsity player Hunter Osborne and Corde Anderson, who both bring impressive speed, agility and athleticism to the floor.
"(Hunter's) really developing into a leader, which is nice to see, and Corde is the same," Subdon said. "Both of them have been awesome at practice."
Most of the rest of the roster lacks in experience, but there's plenty of talent. A big leap is expected from 6-4 lefthander Evan Thomas, who earned mention for offseason weight room work. With more time on the court should come more confidence for the inside-outside threat.
Last year's JV squad posted a gaudy record, and some of them will be mak-
Whitehall BBB continued on page 5
Whitehall girls look to compete with the top dogs in the WMC Lakes
By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor
WHITEHALL —
Whitehall only brings back five players from its 2024-25 team, which posted a .500 regular-season record, but the Vikings hope to use their toughness and athleticism to compete every night on the court.
It helps that those five include the team's leading scorer and rebounder from last season, junior Clare Westerlund. Westerlund missed early practices dealing with a health issue, but she is pushing to return in time for the season opener against Shelby, or at least soon after that.
Westerlund's plentiful experience in Viking sports makes her a natural leader on the court despite only being a junior, and coach Brian Milliron is optimistic for what she can bring to the team this season.
Also back is senior Janie Fagan, who has gotten even more athletic after a fall season doing sideline cheer. Fagan
Whitehall's Clare Westerlund defends a shot by Montague's Addison Pranger during a game last season. Westerlund, the Vikings' top scorer and rebounder last year, is set to lead the team again this season.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror File Photo
is a big believer in team chemistry pushing the Vikings into being more than the sum of their parts.
"You can have a bunch of really great allstar players, but if they can't work together as a team, they're not going to be that good," Fagan said. "I believe that a bond in a team is the most important part. Since conditioning has started, and even before, we had summer get-togethers, and we've been doing stuff all together as a team all throughout camps."
Sophomore point guard Peyton Schultz will be a major factor for the team. Thrust into a leading role - "a lot more (minutes) than you want a freshman to have to play," Milliron said - due to her ballhandling and passing skill a year ago, Schultz now has that year of experience under her belt, and it should pay dividends this season.
"She's been leading our ballhandling drills for open gym a lot this summer, and I'm hoping
Whitehall GBB continued on page 5
Vikings remain a power program on the mat
By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor
The nice thing about being Whitehall wrestling is that no matter how many great athletes you graduate, there are more good ones on the way.
Such is the case again for a Vikings' team that should again have a good chance to make a run in the state tournament, despite the losses of state champions Gavin Craner and Wyatt Jenkins to graduation.
Whitehall brings back several wrestlers who have qualified for state over the past couple of years and a handful of regional qualifiers as well as they gear up for what projects to be another strong season.
"We have a good mix of young guys and veterans, and I couldn't be more pleased with them as a group," Whitehall coach Justin Zeerip said. "They come in every day as a group with good attitudes and high character. We're just trying to become better so we can have a good season, so we can get better every single day."
One big thing that's a boost for Whitehall this year is that there aren't any longterm injuries hanging over the team. Last season the Vikes lost two projected starters to football injuries, but this year the
lineup is intact as the season begins.
Three 2025 state qualifiers are back for the Vikings, including fifth-place finisher Liam Leeke. After a big year on the gridiron, Leeke is likely to be a star again on the mat. Fellow state qualifiers Cody Manzo and Billy Darke return as well. Darke qualified for state as a freshman at 215 pounds, an impressive feat, and should be even better after gaining experience against the big boys. Manzo, who's qualified for state twice, is eager to step into a leadership role, Zeerip said.
Also back is Max Krukowski, a 2024 state qualifier and 100-match winner in his career.
"He's a quiet leader for us," Zeerip said. "He works super hard. He has very high character."
Supplementing the lineup are some regional qualifiers who will aim to take the next step to state this year. Colten Kyser fell one match short of the state meet in 2025 and brings strength and athleticism to the mat after "hitting the weight room hard," Zeerip said. Tommy Leeke was another regional qualifier a year ago and will be moving up the lineup after a growth spurt since last season, when he wrestled at the lightest weights. Isaac O'Boyle is also back after qualifying for regionals as a freshman.
Other presumed starters will include
Robert Belinger, who racked up a bunch of victories last year; Wyatt McFarren, a West Michigan Conference champ last year; sophomore Blake Wallace; senior Hunter Peterson, who's "bided his time," Zeerip said, and is ready to burst onto the scene; Tanner Woodworth, who's up some 20 pounds from a year ago; and Easton Wisniewski, who like Peterson is ready to step into a bigger role.
Freshman Dom Zygmuntowski should have an immediate impact as well. He comes in after a highly credentialed career in the youth and club ranks and will push for a starring role. Other newer names to watch for could include freshman Brayden Brown and senior
Whitehall's Cody Manzo battles an opponent during a match last season. Manzo will be taking on a leadership role in his senior year and is one of four returning state qualifiers for the team.
• Andy Roberts/Mirror File Photo
Whitehall
Whitehall GBB
that's something that really pays off as the year goes on," Milliron said.
The Vikings' remaining two returnees are seniors Emma Decker and Kate Beda, who should both move into bigger roles this season. Beda joined the team last winter after not having played basketball since middle school, and with some seasoning she can have more chances to display her natural athletic gifts.
Supplementing the returnees are a trio of promising newcomers. Kayden Johnson transferred over from Montague for her senior year and will get some playing time, and juniors Ellie Conklin and Reese Hesse come up from the JV. Others could contribute later in the season, though it seems likely those core eight players will be the focus of Whitehall's work to
start things off.
The Vikings won't enter the season as West Michigan Conference Lakes favorites - powers Fremont and Ludington have those spots - but hope to make their presence felt in the league race. A preseason scrimmage against Coopersville will give the team a good starting point.
"We're going to compete every night against every team that we (play)," Milliron said. "I think we can do that. We're not going to score 75 points a night, but we're going to be able to compete because we've got tough kids... Every night we have the ability to win, and I think every night we also have the ability to lose. It's one of those situations where, if they can come in and show up and be ready to go, we can compete every night."
Whitehall BBB
ing the jump to varsity as well.
Junior Pierce Westerlund is another player whose offseason work has been noticeable, and he'll be in line for a scoring role.
"He's put in more time than just about anybody in the gym, quietly by himself, with trainers or with me," Subdon said. "I'm really impressed with the amount of work he's put in. He's really transformed his body, too."
Alex Winczewski and Isaiah Lewis also project as key pieces to the roster, and both could be weapons, especially in transition. Rex Pumford is only a sophomore, but Subdon believes he's capable of entering the Vikings' recent lineage of excellent multi-year point guards that includes Luc Schumm, Red Watson and Kyle Stratton.
"We've got Rex with that same ability," Subdon said. "When you see a cross-country
Fall all-conference awards!
White Lake area athletes reeled in a bunch of postseason honors this fall, and we've compiled this graphic showcasing all the athletes voted onto their all-conference first teams.
Playoff runs to the district finals by Montague and Whitehall football were big parts of local squads' fall success, and the Vikings
also had a big year on the soccer pitch. All-West Michigan Conference Lakes crosscountry honors were plentiful as well, with those determined by conference standings: Six athletes earned those positions, including state champion Bobby Jazwinski.
runner, sometimes you don't think about how fast they are, but he's really explosive and fast. I'm not sure he gets tired."
Whitehall also should get a boost from Ithaca transfer Elijah Smith, whose brother Vernonell was a WMC star at North Muskegon. In addition to his genes, Smith was a state qualifier in high jump last spring, so his athletic gifts are obvious.
Subdon is excited for the challenges the gaggle of relative newcomers presents, both to him and to opponents. He believes any of 7-8 players on the team are capable of looking like an all-conference performer on a given night.
The WMC Lakes is never easy, despite the Vikings' run of four straight championships, but with sky-high expectations in Ludington, it might be even more difficult this year. Manistee, Subdon said, also could
present a threat, as they return most of the team that stunned the Vikings on their home court last season.
Whitehall's scheduling philosophy continues to be aggressive, though Subdon said some of the high-caliber foes the Vikes played last year didn't want to do so this year. Still, there are plenty of major challenges, including North Muskegon, Mona Shores, Allendale, Zeeland West and Fruitport, the latter in the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame game in Muskegon. Whitehall will also play its now-traditional season opener against nemesis Spring Lake, which Subdon joked he may try to lose intentionally; the last three times the teams have played in the district tournament, the regular-season winner (Whitehall the last two years) lost the rematch.
DCNA updates shared at Fruitland Twp. meeting
By Claire Marshall White Lake Mirror Writer
Dave Rice and the Friends of Fruitland Township Trails gave updates regarding the Duck Creek Natural Area at the Nov. 17 Fruitland board meeting. Rice took to public comment to share a personal anecdote from a recent hosting of an enthusiastic grade school-aged group at Duck Creek, showing the impact the natural area was already having on the community.
Rice and the Friends also shared in previous correspondence that the Community Foundation of Muskegon County had named a fund set up by Rice and his wife Georgiana as an income beneficiary. Proceeds of the fund will be used to continue to improve and maintain the DCNA. Attendees were told that if anyone wishes to help the fund, they may reach out to Rice or the Community Foundation.
The Friends also addressed the issue of hunting in the DCNA in their letter. They stated they do not wish to see hunting totally abolished in the area, but it would be beneficial to see strict guidelines on what is and isn’t allowed. The board shared its agreement.
Board supervisor Jeff Marcinkowski stated, with board approval, that he will draft a letter to the White Lake Association granting the WLA permission to replace its invasive species removal tools at the boat launch as part of its Clean Boats, Clean Lakes initiatives. It will also be authorized to host outreach and educational programs there.
Further park and recreational topics were discussed at the meeting, with updates for both the Fred Meijer Berry Junction Trail and Nestrom Park. For Berry Junction Trail, a paved bike path connecting Muskegon to the Hart-Montague Rail Trail. Trail pioneer Tom Lin-
Whitehall wrestling
continued from page 4
drup's recent passing was somberly noted, and the Friends of Berry Junction Trail organization is discussing the installation of a memorial dedicated to Lindrup and his work. Also discussed was how Fruitland Township will work to preserve its portion of the trail, including the installation of signage and concrete trail maintenance.
The Parks and Recreation Commission was quoted $367,883 from WinBerg Construction to build bathrooms at the park, and the board unanimously approved a contract for that expense. The township previously sold properties earlier this year with this in mind, gaining over $600,000 in revenue that will cover this cost.
Also approved unanimously were the consent judgment of demolition of blighted property on Scenic Drive at the cost of the Township, the Planning Commission's definition of a basement for or-
be any extra motivation from their quarterfinal loss to Lakewood last March.
dinance purposes (the revised definition will be made available to the public), and the changing of a township-sold parcel of property from a mobile home park to a high-density residential zoning.
Finally, Marcinkowski shared a draft analysis and safety review of the Whitehall and Riley-Thompson Road intersection by Michigan’s Adventure. The township is still interested in the construction of a roundabout, which they hope will decrease speeding through the area and discourage drivers from dropping off children at the intersection to avoid parking at the theme park.
This draft will be shared with the Muskegon County Road Commission and will allow the MCRC to approach the State Department of Transportation for funding the construction of the roundabout, though Marcinkowski admitted, “[MCRC is] not in favor of [roundabouts], but in this case, they’re looking into it.”
Liam Waller, who battled illness last year and is back on the roster.
On the girls' side, Kassie Sapp enjoyed an incredible freshman season, making it all the way to the state finals match before finishing second, and she'll be after the top spot on the podium this season. Miley Manzo was a regional qualifier last season and will also be motivated to take the next step in her career.
"Our goal is always to wrestle that last day of the season," Zeerip said. "We try not to read too many projections out there and just try to be the best versions of ourselves."
ford Super Duals soon after. The home Rick Champion Duals gives the Vikes the chance to get some top competition on their home turf.
The Vikings fell one match short of their constant goal of wrestling on the final day of the season a year ago, though Zeerip downplays the idea that there will
White Lake Chorale ready for free holiday concert Dec. 7
White Lake Chorale presents “A Holiday of Harmony” 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Montague High School Center for the Arts. Free tickets are available at the Book Nook and Java Shop in Montague; at the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce; at the Arts Council of White Lake-Nuveen Center in Whitehall; and from Chorale members.
The Chorale’s annual holiday event features yearning for a savior in “O Come, Emmanuel,” great joy in “He is Born” and a message for all times with “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” Children will recognize the haunting “Chorale Suite from Frozen” while their grandparents may recall an era when swing tunes like “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus” were rockin’ their world.
The Chorale is comprised of com-
munity-based singers spanning ages from high school on up. The group offers two free concerts each year. Cindy Moore imbues her directing with great joy and enthusiasm, infusing the Chorale with high emotion to share in family-friendly presentations. It’s the Chorale mission to bring a little joy to the world, building community through song. Come to experience “A Holiday of Harmony,” noting the concert is on a Sunday afternoon this year. Joyeux Noel!
The Vikings' schedule doesn't vary much year-to-year, as the team competes at several high-level competitions. The Martin Clipper Classic is always a pre-Christmas highlight, with the Rock-
After a summer and late fall of largely wrestling one another, the Whitehall team is eager to take some aggression out on opponents.
"I'm really excited for the season," Zeerip said. "They've been working really hard. We're excited to compete against some other guys."
Retirement open house planned for Shelby State Bank's Carpenter
Shelby State Bank has announced that long-time local banker Jean Carpenter will retire at the end of 2025 after an extensive and successful banking career.
An open house will be held for Carpenter Friday, Dec. 12 at the bank’s Montague office, 4555 Dowling Street. Area residents and businesses are invited to drop in from 12-5 p.m. to celebrate her career and wish her well.
Carpenter began working at Shelby State Bank in 1989 as a part-time teller in Shelby. She gained experience through various teller positions until 1999, when she was promoted to Lobby Manager. Thereafter, her career and responsibilities began to grow quickly. In 2005, she was promoted to Branch Officer and added the responsibility of Bank Secrecy Act Officer. Other titles
she held include Vice President, Security Officer, Branch Administrator and Deposit Operations Officer.
“Jean has been an integral part of our management team for many years. We have been fortunate to have her leadership with our branches, our operations area and the BSA area - all extremely important to our success,” said Mishelle Comstock, President and CEO. “She has been a true asset to the bank, and we all wish her a wonderful retirement.” Carpenter
Whitehall school board OKs Hilt's Landing distribution
By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor
WHITEHALL — The Whitehall school board approved a $58,200 contribution from the Community Foundation for Muskegon County at its regular meeting Monday, Nov. 17 for distribution to Hilt's Landing to help with operating costs. The district first took over operations at the site in 2019, and the foundation contributes to help offset the costs.
The district has utilized the site for outdoor instruction, notably with recent visits from Shoreline Elementary firstgrade classes. Sarah Smith and Amanda Webb have brought their classes for "Wednesdays in the Woods," which feature a large variety of themed activities to take advantage of the setting. Superintendent CJ Van Wieren reported that he'd been a part of one such outing where the classes roasted s'mores. Ad-
ditional uses of the space have included the high school's FFA team and other elementary school students.
The board also unanimously approved new policies from Miller Johnson, which included health class policies, after a second reading. Van Wieren noted that this is the first time those policies have been updated since 2007, and much has changed since then, specifically citing widespread social media use and vaping as items that were being addressed far differently 18 years ago than they are now. While sex-education guidelines have been a source of occasional controversy in the district, Van Wieren said the guidelines are not state-mandated, and the local districts still have control over what is taught in the classroom on that topic. He added that the district is always reviewing the curriculum to ensure "it's what we want it to be" and is age-appropriate.
Also during the meeting, secretary
Paula Martin shared a positive report of her first trip to the high school to gain feedback from students about the district.
"I brought a huge bag of candy, and that helped," Martin noted.
She said the positives she heard from students about the district consistently revolved around district teachers and staff, and that freshmen approved of shorter 55-minute classes. Many of the concerns she shared from the students involved items soon to be addressed by the recent millage approval - temperatures and uncomfortable furniture - as well as broken bathroom equipment and "more food!"
Van Wieren noted during the superintendent report that upon taking a closer look at the state budget, it was not as favorable to schools as he originally thought. Due to issues with categorical grants (those that fund programs for atrisk students) and "things being moved
around," the state budget actually expands the district budget by 1.5% over what was originally approved over the summer.
"It is what it is... We'll continue to be aware of that," Van Wieren said, adding that the district will pursue grant money to fill in the gaps and that the budget is helped by the district not having to purchase new school buses or vans this year. The district also shared some of its standardized testing data, as Montague did the week prior. Overall, Whitehall elementary and middle school students were outperforming county and state averages in both language arts and math, while high school students hovered around the average in both on the PSAT and SAT. Whitehall students who took Advanced Placement tests were largely (82% of them) scoring a 3 or above out of 5.
Recent Whitehall police activity
Behind the Badge
Whitehall Police Report
Nov. 21
At approximately 5 p.m. officers were called to the 300 block of Livingston St. on a report of domestic assault. Officers made contact with a 21-year-old female subject originally
from Fremont, who indicated she'd been assaulted by her boyfriend, a 28-year-old man from Whitehall, in an unattached garage where they were residing. She had marks and injuries that fit her description of the incident, including a swollen left eye, some dirt on her sleeve and redness around her throat. She was transported to Every Woman's Place pending further investigation. Contact was made with the boyfriend, who said he'd been assaulted by her and showed injuries as well. A warrant was sent to the county prosecutor.
A debit card and a cell phone were located after being left behind at the Holiday Walk tree lighting ceremony. Both were returned to their owners.
DNR advises precautions amid bird flu outbreak
Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials are reminding waterfowl hunters to take precautions to protect themselves and domestic animals from highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. This fall, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has reported increasing outbreaks of HPAI in commercial and backyard poultry flocks.
The DNR reports more HPAI detections in 2025 than were found in 2024; 130 wild birds have tested positive for HPAI in Michigan, with most detections in Canada geese, bald eagles and red-tailed hawks. Wildlife detections and pending cases are posted on the DNR’s HPAI webpage.
The disease has been found in every Michigan watershed, indicating that it has occurred throughout the state.
Michigan’s earliest waterfowl season opened Sept. 1 and the final season closes Feb. 15. Learn more at Michigan. gov/Waterfowl.
“Make sure to take appropriate precautions when field dressing wild birds. In order to kill the virus, use a food thermometer to ensure that meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Dr. Scott Larsen, DNR wildlife veterinarian. “It’s also important to properly clean and disinfect gear and equipment before coming into contact with domestic birds.”
Anyone who observes a die-off of six or more wild birds should report it through the DNR Eyes in the Field online tool or a local DNR field office.
HPAI has been detected in surrounding states and other parts of the U.S. as well. Hunters traveling out of state are advised to follow all health and safety precautions regardless of where they are hunting.
Local luminaries honored at Chamber dinner
The White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the recipients of its distinguished 2025 awards: the Legacy Award, Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Lady Laker Award, El Award, Honorary Awards, and Board of Directors Awards. The honorees were celebrated at the Chamber Annual Dinner Monday, Oct. 20 at the Curly Horse American Bistro at Double JJ Resort.
Legacy Award
Joel McCormick/McCormick Sand
The Legacy Award recognizes a person or business demonstrating a decade or more of service, leadership, and contribution to the White Lake community. This year’s recipient, Joel McCormick and McCormick Sand, represents four generations of family dedication to the area. Under Joel’s leadership, McCormick Sand has continued to grow while remaining true to its roots — expanding into convenience stores and fuel stations. While some aspects of the company have changed, the heart of who they are and the love they have for the community has not. Joel and his wife Michelle have given generously to community causes and events, while Joel also served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. The McCormick family’s commitment to integrity, hard work, and community spirit remains a cornerstone of White Lake. Joel and Michelle are now turning their entrepreneurial energy toward the growth of their family farm as they continue to look onto the future.
Entrepreneur of the Year
Miranda Coombs, Busy Bee Café
The Entrepreneur of the Year Award honors a business whose innovation and vision have enhanced the local economy. This year’s award went to Miranda Coombs, owner of Busy Bee Café. In just a few short years, Miranda transformed a small seasonal business in The Artisan Market into a beautiful year-round café — a gathering spot loved by locals and visitors alike. After spending many years in Alaska, Miranda chose to plant her roots here in the White Lake community, bringing her strong work
ethic and creativity with her. As a veteran and small business owner, she has poured her heart into growing Busy Bee Café — expanding the menu, adding desserts, custom cakes, and catering local events — all while staying true to her customers and community. Her dedication and spirit have made Busy Bee a local favorite and a shining example of how purpose and passion can build something truly special.
Lady Laker Award
Amy VanLoon
The Lady Laker Award celebrates an individual who mentors, uplifts, and serves as a guiding force for future leaders in the White Lake community. This year’s honoree, Amy VanLoon, led the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce for 20 years with unmatched passion, grace, and dedication. Through her leadership, the Chamber became known for excellence and community trust, launching beloved initiatives such as the “Live White Lake” campaign and signature events that define the area’s spirit. Amy’s influence extends beyond her accomplishments — she has mentored countless individuals, championed collaboration, and inspired others to lead with heart. Her legacy continues to shape the Chamber and community, reminding all of us of the power of service, mentorship, and genuine connection.
El Award
Brad VanBergen
The El Award honors a community member whose involvement, leadership, and compassion reflect the spirit of the late Eleanor Polley, a former Chamber Director. This year’s recipient, Brad VanBergen, embodies that spirit through his quiet yet profound impact on the White Lake Area. A lifelong resident and Montague High School graduate, Brad founded Winberg Construction in 1996, building homes, businesses, and public spaces that shape the local landscape. Beyond his professional success, Brad has served organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Love INC, United Way, and St. James Lutheran Church. Known for his generosity
and humility, Brad’s willingness to lend a hand — whether leading a project or helping a neighbor in need — captures what community truly means. His leadership and heart make him a deserving recipient of the El Award and a model of everyday excellence.
In her remarks, Executive Director Stephanie Ware reflected on her first year leading the Chamber:
“It’s hard to believe that I’m nearing the end of my first year as Executive Director. Stepping into this role after someone who led so faithfully for 20 years could have been intimidating — but instead, this community lifted me up. From day one, you’ve allowed me to show up as myself — to lead with heart, enthusiasm, and a deep love for this place we all call home. This past year has been one of growth, connection, and excitement. We’ve celebrated new businesses, hosted incredible events, and seen our community come together in ways that remind me why I always say this is the most magical place.”
The Chamber’s Annual Dinner not only celebrated its award recipients but also honored the shared spirit of collaboration and pride that defines the White Lake community.
Echo
Award winners, from left, Brad VanBergen, Amy VanLoon and Joel McCormick celebrate the evening during the Oct. 20 White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner. • Courtesy Photo
