• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 1
Traditions
Christmas in the Village Winter 2023
2 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
Pentwater December 2nd, 9th, & 16th 10 Reasons To Visit Pentwater This Holiday Season:
t Lis e c Ni
Share some holiday cheer with:
Good Stuffs Jilly’s Gallery Port View Birch Michigan Green Isaac’s Sew Let’s Be Quilty Cosmic Candy Oldewick Post Pentwater Surf & Skate CRAZE Pentwater Candle Company Studio 161 Painted Frog Art Studio Elise Channel Lane Inn Storybook Village Snug Harbor Marina Honeybee Homebaked by roxann Village Pub Linabella Clutch Food Shop Flowers By Maryann Kook’s Eye Rusted Chandelier EnerG Fitness Shelby State Bank calendar of events available
by scanning qr code
Unique Shops stocked with home decor, specialty gifts, decadent treats & beverages, Candles, books & more to make your holiday gift-giving a breeze! Galleries & a Quilt shop offering classes, kits, one-of-a-kind ornaments, wall art, gift certificates & More!
Stylish boutiques featuring Festive holiday party apparel & Accessories! enjoy fresh coffee, and wine & spirits in town, or grab some to take home and share with friends! Handcrafted Creations by Local Artisans. Perfect for Extra Special Holiday Gifts! caroling, bonfires on the green, Hot Cocoa, Family Photo fun, Buddy the elf & Santa sightings, horse-drawn wagon rides, holiday decor & small-town charm! wear your Ugly Christmas Sweater for specials & surprises! Many businesses offering Gift certificates & free gift wrap! Cast a $1.00 Vote for your Favorite Window Display with Proceeds Going To Pentwater’s Local Food Pantry. Spread joy while shopping small! Giving a gift from a small business is like giving a gift twice!
Christmas In The Village
Tributes: Paul MacDonald & Fred Cisler • Winter 2023 • Traditions • 3
By Madison Lajewski and Ron Beeber • Traditions Writers
Paul MacDonald is remembered as a positive reflection of his Pentwater community. MacDonald met his best friend, Tom Beld, when they were only 17 and 18. They would celebrate their birthdays together because they were only a week apart. This was the beginning of a friendship that lasted for over 50 years. “In high school, we would go camping in Holland State Park,” Beld said. “When we first met, we were teenagers. You don’t have a care in the world. You’re just looking for something to do on the weekends. We’d go out to the park, and our kids grew up together camping. Our kids are still friends to this day.” Beld and MacDonald shared a passion for the outdoors. They eventually bought a sailboat together, which would help create some of Beld’s fondest memories of their friendship. “He was ‘first mate’ on my boat,” said Beld. “Every year we’d sail from Pentwater, go up the shoreline to Manistee, Frankford, Leland, hit all the ports and be on the boat for two weeks. We looked forward to our trip every year.” Beld is from Michigan but lives in Franklin, Tenn. This made their visits together more special, whether Beld was coming to Pentwater or they were together at Beld’s home in Panama City, Fla. “Pentwater was always about us being together,” Beld said. “He was full-time there...I’m originally from Michigan, and we spend our summers in Pentwater. The best memories from being teenagers, being in each other’s weddings, raising our kids and going camping in state parks together. Those were some of the best times.” In addition to sailing, MacDonald and Beld shared a love of motorcycles. MacDonald passed away unexpectedly in a motorcycle accident May 13, 2023. “We both rode Harley motorcycles,” said Beld. “I had an accident two years ago and tried to convince him to sell his. He was convinced he was comfortable on the bike, and he only rode around Pentwater, but obviously that was only half of it.” Beld wants the people of Pentwater and Oceana County to remember MacDonald for his love of the community. “People should know he was an extraordinary guy,” Beld said. “There wasn’t a day that he didn’t walk through the Village of Pentwater, trying to figure out how to help out and how to make Pentwater the special place that he thought it was. I think Pentwater is really going to miss him, and so am I.”
Fred Cisler, a Vietnam War veteran, is remembered fondly by local community members, friends and family. Joe Primozich began his friendship with Cisler through their wives, Judith Primozich and Jenny Cisler, after attending dinner parties and social gatherings together. “Fred was an avid fisherman,” Primozich remembers. “We would go on fishing trips together at Pike Lake and Pentwater Lake for the past 11 years.” Cisler is remembered for his generosity and kindness to the Pentwater community. “He was very social-minded,” said Primozich. “He put a lot of time into the community, helping with projects and high school activities. He and his wife were owners of the Dari Creme in town and used that as a means to support projects by donating ice cream and food. He epitomized small town generosity and was all about supporting and giving.” He passed away May 26, 2023. That same day, Primozich learned he had been selected as the 2023 Citizen of the Year. On Aug. 12, Pentwater Homecoming Parade attendees were surprised to see Primozich riding in a fishing boat pulled by a pickup, because honorees usually ride the parade route in a vintage, red Chevrolet Corvette. Primozich and Cisler had a friendly little competition each year about who would catch the biggest Northern Pike. When they last fished together in 2022, they were almost evenly divided as to who had won over the years. “Fred won the 2022 competition on the last day of fishing that year,” Primozich recalled. So he chose to ride in this year’s parade in Cisler’s 16foot Smoker Craft fishing boat. In his friend’s honor, Primozich leaned Cisler’s seat forward and laid his fishing rod nearby. Two fishing buddies and two honorees for this year’s Pentwater Homecoming Parade day—one there in person and the other there in spirit. Traditions is published by The Oceana Echo © P.O. Box 194, Mears, MI 49436 Nov. 16, 2023 • All rights reserved. Traditions Editor & Designer: Amanda Dodge theoceanaecho@gmail.com Enjoy our new free Pentwater magazine!
4 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
Calendar: lots to do in Pentwater
• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 5
Weekdays
Thursday, Dec. 21
There are lots of things to do at Park Place: • Community Christmas Brunch, 11 a.m. to 1 Mondays: Zumba Gold Fitness, 10 a.m. p.m., Park Place. Tuesdays: Mahjong, 10 a.m. Wednesday: Knitting, 1 p.m. Second & Fourth Thursdays: Cellphone Class, 2 p.m. • Monthly Mobile Food Pantry by the PentwaFull calendar can be found at: ter Jr. Women’s Club, Pentwater Fire Department, pentwatervillage.org/park-place-event-center.php 500 Park St., 11 a.m. Volunteers and donations are always welcome.
Tuesdays, Jan. 16 & Feb. 20
Weekends
Thanksgiving-New Years, Christmas in the Village
Tuesdays, Nov. 21 & Dec. 19
Saturdays, Feb. 10 & 17
• Winterfest - Ice Skating Rink, North End Park, ice skate rental is available at the Pentwater • Monthly Mobile Food Pantry by the PentwaChamber of Commerce during business hours. ter Jr. Women’s Club, Pentwater Fire Department, 500 Park St., 11 a.m. Volunteers and donations are always welcome. • Winterfest - Snowman Scram 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run, fundraiser for the Pentwater cross • Small Business Saturday - Support local country and track teams, 11 a.m. Start and finish businesses by shopping and dining local today! by the bus barn/track at the school $20 for 1 mile Hours vary by merchant. Fun Run and $30 for 5K run/walk. Contact Erika • Christmas Market at the top of the Village Fatura at efatura@pentwater.k12.mi.us Green, featuring wreaths, garlands, berries and • Winterfest - Pentwater Pathways, noon to trees for sale. 3 p.m. The public is invited to use OCCSA’s ski • Santa celebrates Christmas in the Village, equipment on a free, first-come, first-served ba5-6:30 p.m. on the Village Green - Enjoy the holi- sis. Parking and Trailhead at Railroad Avenue and day weekend in Pentwater. The Pentwater Fire Jackson Road. *Weather dependent - if there is Department will continue their tradition of bring- no snow, the event will be Saturday, Feb. 17. ing Santa Claus to town. Santa will be escorted to • Winterfest - Sledding, all day, Village Green the Village Green at 5 p.m. by fire truck. Santa will • Corks and Canvas, 2-5 p.m., five galleries in be available for visits and photos immediately downtown Pentwater. Tickets may be purchased following his arrival. Parents and grandparents in advance at Jilly’s Gallery. are encouraged to bring a camera to capture this magical moment with Santa Claus.
Saturday, Feb. 10
Saturday, Nov. 25
Saturday, Dec. 2
• Band Craft Fair, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pentwater Public Schools, 600 Park St. Come check out wonderful holiday crafts and shop local vendors while supporting the Pentwater Band. Enjoy live music while you browse and get into the holiday spirit. Located at Pentwater Public Schools. • The Sweet Stroll, 1-4 p.m., 48 bags are available for $40 each and attendees can collect a treat from all the participating businesses. Funds raised will go to support the Pentwater Public Schools band.
Sunday, Dec. 3
• Christmas by Candlelight at Centenary United Methodist Church, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 17
• Winterfest - Annual Ryan Williams Perch Tournament, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., $10 per adult or $5 per kid (15 or younger). Registration is 7-10 a.m. at Pentwater Convenience Center or Port View. The final weigh-in will be at Port View no later then 4 p.m. • Winterfest - Winter Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Centenary United Methodist Church. • Winterfest - Poker Run, noon to 4 p.m., the best hand wins a basket from participating merchants.
Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 17-18
• Free fishing weekend.
Saturday, March 30
• Colleen Plummer’s Easter on the Green, noon to 1 p.m. on the Village Green, bring your children • Christmas concert and cookie reception, First and family to meet the Easter Bunny and enjoy an Egg Hunt that begins at noon. Baptist Church, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 10
2023 PAC Grant Recipients
6 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
25% th SAVEth & Nov. 25
de: v. 24 on No App with co r s u y o in olida Join us! 2023H th
8 Annual Pre-Turkey Workie
FREE WORKOUT Nov. 23rd • 8 am in New Era
PENTWATER
Christmas in the Village DEC. 2: Festive Yoga Flow DEC. 9: A Gift to Yourself - Yoga & Breathwork
DEC. 16: Candlelit YIN Yoga
contact Gaby for more info: 231-830-7037
New Era • Pentwater
The Pentwater Arts Council is pleased to announce its 2023 Grant Award recipients, which include four schools in Oceana County. The council annually awards grant money to Oceana schools that apply, define specific needs, and explain how the funds will benefit or affect the school curriculum involving art in some form. This year, grants totaling over $5,500 were given to the following schools: • New Era Christian/Oceana Christian Schools Music Program for the purchase of high-quality glockenspiels for student use at both schools. • Pentwater Public Schools Band Program for the purchase of better quality clarinets for students in grades 8 through 12 who are ready to move up to more advanced instruments and as older instruments are cycled out. • Shelby Elementary School Art Program for the purchase of polymer clay and tools for the addition of clay projects to the art curriculum for 500+ elementary students. • Pentwater Public School Art Program for the purchase of drawing materials for students in grades 8–12. A collaboration between the school and James Oxford, a Hollywood concept illustrator, will help students strengthen their drawing skills in portraiture and perspective drawing. Mr. Oxford is donating his time in kind.
59th annual Pentwater Fine Arts and Craft Fair
The Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club would like to announce that its upcoming 59th annual Pentwater Fine Arts and Craft Fair will take place Saturday, July 13, 2024, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on the Village Green in downtown Pentwater. The Fine Arts and Craft Fair is a juried fair. All work must be original and of the artist’s own creation. Painting, pottery, jewelry, photography, weaving, clothing, sculpture and other media will be available. Admission is free. There is a refreshment stand on the Village Green. Applications and further information may be obtained by writing to: The Pentwater Junior Women’s Club Art Fair Registration Committee P.O. Box 357 Pentwater, Mich. 49449 pentwaterjrwomensclub@gmail.com Those interested can also visit zapplication.org to apply to the Fair.
Celebrating 14 Years of Magical Memories in Pentwater!
• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 7
Saturday, DEC 3 • 11am, FREE, “Memoirs of an Elf” Storytime. Make a paper elf hat in Santa’s Workshop • 1pm, $10, ages 3+, Climb aboard a magical train ride on “The Polar Express.” Make an ornament in Santa’s Workshop.
Join Our FREE Story and Art Sessions: November 25 at 11 a.m. Saturday, DEC 10
Story: “Bunny’s FirstforSnow” • 11am, FREE, “A Cookie Santa” Storytime. Decorate your own cookie in Santa’s Worksh
Art Activity: a snowman ornament, • 1pm,make $10, ages 3+, Climb aboard a magical train ride on “The Polar Express.” fingerprint white on dark blue
Make an ornament in Santa’s Workshop.
December 2 at 11 a.m.
Saturday, DEC 17, 10-6 Story: “A Cookie For Santa”
• 11am, Decorate FREE, “Mr. Rabbit’s Wish” Storytime. Color a 3D forest figure in Santa’s Workshop Art Activity: a Sugar Cookie
• 1pm,Santa $10, ages113+,a.m. Climb aboard magical train ride on “The Polar Express.” Visit with to 2 ap.m. MakeCookie an ornament in Santa’s Workshop. Activity: Sugar & Hot Chocolate Snack Sing Christmas Carols to Santa!
Saturday, DEC 24, 10-6 • 11am, FREE, “A9Cookie Santa” Storytime. Decorate your own cookie in Santa’s Worksh December at 11for a.m. 1pm, $10, ages 3+, Climb aboard a magical train ride on “The Polar Express.” Story:• “The Christmas Humbugs” Art Activity: a Humbug Make anMake ornament in Santa’s paper Workshop.
ornament & decorate a Humbug coloring page
Saturday, Dec 31, 10-6
December 16 Want at 11Snow” a.m. • 11am, FREE, “We Storytime: Make a paper snowflake in Santa’s Workshop. Story: Lion • 1pm,“The $10, ages 3+,the ClimbWitch aboard a magical train ride on “The Polar Express.” and the Wardrobe” Make an ornament in Santa’s Workshop.
Activity: Secret Art Activity! Come and see!
7 Days A Week 10 AM - 6 PM December 23 at 11Open a.m.
Extending hours to 7 PM every Saturday in December Story: “The Polar Express”
Storybook will beOrnament, open through the winter months, Friday, Saturday, and Su Activity: ScratchVillage Art Train Believe Bell, and Golden Sticker www.storybookvillageofpentwater.com 560 S. Hancock St. Pentwater 231-869-3120
www.storybookvillageofpentwater.com
8 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
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Pentwater 160 years ago today • Winter 2023 • Traditions • 9
By Caleb Jackson Traditions Writer
W
ith the population of Oceana County on the rise in the early 1860s, there was a demand for a local newspaper, and it was Pentwater that delivered. The first official newspaper in the county, The Oceana Times, began in 1861 with Frederick W. Ratzel serving as editor, and it was printed right here in Middlesex. But if we could peel back the pages of time and read some of the earliest copies of that fledgling paper, what would we find? What was newsworthy in Pentwater in November 1863? Unfortunately, 1863 plunges us into the depths of the American Civil War. With the Oceana Times being a devoutly political paper, most of its pages were spent covering the latest developments during that very important time in our history. But of course, the war touched the lives of every American in one way or another, and in November of 1863 a draft rolled through Oceana County, prompting a pretty visceral reaction from the Times editor, Mr. Ratzel. “It is outrageous that a draft has to be made in this county, when we know that we have furnished men enough to clear us from this as well as the next call,” Ratzel proclaimed. “Why it is that we have not received full credit for all the men furnished, we are at present unable to state, unless it is because the lists of those enlisted, were not forwarded to headquarters in due season.” In the next week’s paper, we see the results of the draft. It must have been a very tense time. “No less anxiety was felt here in this village,” Ratzel wrote. “The post-office was literally thronging with ‘anxious-ones,’ waiting for the arrival of the mail-carrier, who was expected to bring the names of the ‘lucky’ ones from the County.” Pentwater it seemed supplied eight men. Their names were: “Chas. Gehrey, Wm. Ulrich, James Corlet, John Bamford, Edward B. Flaug, Wm. Lamplan, Peter Dolan, James Piper.” On a lighter note, something that must have been very new and exciting in those days was photography. Louis Daguerre was a Frenchman who invented a photographic process known as the Daguerreotype, which took the world by storm in the 1840s and 1850s. The year 1863 saw the arrival of a Daguerreian artist in Pentwater.
Mr. E. B. Clark initially set up shop in the Pentwater House in early June, and by the next week he had relocated to the Middlesex Hall. “Now is the time for our readers, as also everybody else, to get a good picture of themselves and children, for the purpose of sending them to some dear friends in the distance,” Ratzel wrote, “We advise the loving damsel and the bonnie lassie to put on their fineries, and have a picture taken for the loved ones….” Business for Mr. Clark must have been quite good. After staying for a few weeks through the summer of 1863, we see him returning to endure the winter in Pentwater in November of that same year. Surely some of his handiwork must be floating around in the homes of the village to this day. Speaking of winter, it seems the first snows that Mr. Clark endured 160 years ago came a bit later for him than they did for us here in 2023. “Everybody seemed to be somewhat surprised on waking up last Monday morning to find the ground and everything else covered with snow,” Ratzel reported Nov. 13. But, not unlike the snows we received this Halloween, they faded quickly, or, as Ratzel would describe it, “the pleasant old chap Sol has since looked out upon it several times, with warmth and tenderness, which has caused it to slip away in silence.” Lastly, it would seem the population boom that necessitated the development of a local paper in 1861 was still in full swing two years later when James Brooker opened his brand-new hotel, The North American. “A house of this kind has long been needed here,” Ratzel wrote on November 6, 1863. Just a week prior, he was pointing out, not so subtly, how dire the need for more housing was in Pentwater and that it would be a rather lucrative business pursuit. “As there are more families arriving here most every day, we should think it would be a good investment for our monied men, to build some houses, for they could rent them well,” he wrote. Ratzel went on to say, “There is not a comfortable tenement to be had here at present. This speaks well for our thriving little village; but would speak better if some person would build a number of nice little residences, and then have them occupied.” The North American Hotel seems to have been very well received at that time, as a number of subsequent newspaper articles mention several events that were hosted there.
10 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
Birch Michigan home decor | specialty gifts
Pentwater Candle Company
119 S Hancock Street | Downtown Pentwater
2023 Sculpture Walk Award Winners
The 2023 Pentwater Arts Council Sculpture Walk recently concluded, and the People’s Choice and Juror’s Awards were announced at an October Artists Reception. Over the course of the summer months, Pentwater residents and visitors had the opportunity to view six unique sculptures located within the Village of Pentwater, learn about the artist’s view of their art piece and vote for their favorite sculpture. Following the tabulation of votes, the People’s Choice Award went to “Water Maiden” by artist Robert Barnum. The Juror’s Award was presented to Kenneth Thompson for “Aluminum Spiral.” In addition, the announcement that the Pentwater Arts Council will purchase the “Water Maiden” sculpture as a gift to the Village of Pentwater was revealed, and another popular sculpture, “Constructed Tree,” by Anthony Heinz-May has been purchased by Dave and Deb Zare, as a gift for the people of Pentwater. The location of all future sculptures will be coordinated with the Village of Pentwater and private properWater Maiden ty owners, as applicable, at the end of May 2024. The Pentwater Arts Council is grateful to the residents and visitors who participated in the Sculpture Walk and to the village leadership for their support. This year, 2023, completed the second of a threeyear commitment by the Pentwater Arts Council to present sculpture art to the Village of Pentwater. Work on the 2024 Sculpture Walk has already begun, with plans to showcase new sculpture pieces at the end of May.
• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 11
Pentwater Public Schools wishes you a safe and wonderful Holiday Season!
We had another great year and are thankful for all of our volunteers, donors and visitors!
We look forWard to your continued support in 2024! 85 s. rutledge
WWW.pentWaterhistoricalsociety.org
Aluminum Spiral
Constructed Tree
12 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
Time-honored Traditions - It Takes a Vill By AnnaMae Bush Traditions Writer
T
raditions. What does the word conjure up for you? Warm memories of the flavor of your father’s Wiener Schnitzel during Oktoberfest, the scent of Aunt Ruth’s pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, or the flaky pastry texture of your grandmother’s almond banket at Christmas? Maybe you smile, remembering family camping trips to state parks where you enjoyed your first s’more or made your first hobo sandwich over the fire pit. Then there were those special activities, such as visits to the zoo, Saturday trips to the local YMCA for family swim (followed by pizza for supper) or attending the annual Nutcracker performance at Christmas. Or does the word remind you of certain foods you strongly disliked, of certain relatives like Uncle Nick or cousin Carol who regularly ruined family gatherings for you, or of activities you looked up against and were glad to “grow out of?” Perhaps we all have some traditions we remember fondly as well as some we would be happy to forget. Webster’s Dictionary defines tradition as “the passing of cultural elements from generation to generation, …a mode of thought or behavior, a custom, or a time-honored practice.” Whether consciously or unconsciously, we embody our values in our traditions—the ideas and behaviors we would like to see carried forward by those who succeed us. This is true for family traditions, church traditions and community tradi-
tions. Traditions work like glue to hold people together through generations. Traditions help to form our identity. In this inaugural issue of Traditions, we will be looking at how Pentwater celebrates Christmas in the Village and what traditions keep people coming back to participate in this celebration. Jilly Barnes, Pentwater business owner and member of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) who chairs the Christmas in the Village Committee, has provided information on the special activities that make the holiday season memorable. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, the festive spirit is felt well before one reaches the Village downtown streets. At both the north and south entrances to Pentwater on Business 31, visitors are welcomed by charming gazebos decked out with garland, lights and decorated Christmas trees, while neatly lettered signage announces upcoming events. This year, the holiday celebration begins Saturday, Nov. 25, with Small Business Saturday, which encourages community members to shop and dine locally. Many of the merchants will offer complimentary refreshments to the shoppers in their stores. A Christmas Market will be featured on the Village Green with wreaths, garland, and other outdoor décor for sale. At 5 p.m., the Pentwater Fire Department will deliver Santa Claus to the Green. Sandra Cluchey, who has owned Sandra’s Décor for 49 years, said, “Santa has arrived by fire truck for as long as I can remember.” All the Christmas lights will be turned on, and Santa and Buddy the Elf will be available
Photos by Claudia
• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 13
lage at Christmas & All Year Long for visits and photos. The fun rolls on through Saturdays, Dec. 2, 9 and 16. Twenty-seven merchants will participate in Christmas in the Village activities. In addition to more than 20 boutique shops with home décor, a wide variety of clothing styles, candles, toys, Christmas ornaments, books, specialty coffees, quilting kits, fabrics, wall art, greeting cards, jewelry, pottery, and unique handcrafted gifts, shoppers can purchase beverages and treats of their choice at several locations. Those locations include Oldewick Post, Good Stuffs, Green Isaac’s, and Homebaked by Roxann, the newest store in town. Niki Breazeale (Birch Michigan) enthuses, “I love being a shop owner during the holidays. It’s a fun season because people are out shopping with the purpose of finding something special for someone special. It feels great to be part of that process!” Personal attention from store owners and clerks to find just what you want, plus free gift wrapping and gift cards, contribute to a rewarding shopping experience. If you have a sweet tooth, you won’t want to miss the Sweet Stroll, which takes place Dec. 2 from 1-4 p.m. Attendees can purchase one of the 48 bags available for $40 and collect a special treat from all the participating merchants. Some merchants will surprise you with a discount coupon for merchandise. You will head home with a bag full of goodies and the knowledge that this year’s Sweet Stroll proceeds will benefit the music program at Pentwater Public Schools. Each year, the proceeds support a different program at the school.
Ressel-Hodan
Oldewick Post is a unique gift shop open all year. Longtime owner Crystal Babbin promises her Christmas Open House is the best sale of the year in the shop, and this year it will be Dec. 2 and 3. Treats, discounts and gift drawings are featured. “We give a free bag of coffee for two bags of our specialty coffees that are purchased.” Babbin’s homemade fudge, shipped broadly to corporate customers, is available in holiday packaging to local shoppers. Rest assured, there are multiple opportunities for a treat. Each of the Saturdays from 1-4 p.m., Christmas in the Village will offer free hot cocoa, caroling and a bonfire for warming your hands at the top of the Green. But perhaps the most popular activity occurs in the middle of the street. Enjoy a nostalgic ride in a horse-drawn wagon through the heart of the village. The rides will be provided free of charge Dec. 9 and 16 from 1-4 p.m. Santa will join the passengers on the 16th to delight the youngsters, and the young at heart, on board. Parents and grandparents can plan accordingly. Pentwater may not boast the animated window displays that fascinate shoppers in Chicago, but the Pentwater merchants have a friendly competition for the best window displays during the holiday season. This year’s display theme is “Light It Up,” and shoppers are invited to cast a vote (or two, or ten) for their favorite window display, donating $1 for each vote cast. Participating merchants will have a box to collect the votes and dollars, with the funds designated to support Pentwater’s local food pantry. Stores that are closed during the season still offer win-
14 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
Christmas in the Village Committee Pentwater merchants who serve on the Christmas in the Village Committee are:
• Jilly Barnes, (Jilly’s Gallery) chair • Niki Breazeale and Michael Haack (Birch Michigan|Pentwater Candle Company) • Mark Shotwell (Sew Let’s be Quilty) • Brian Prescott (Green Isaac’s) • Jeff Hodges (Provisions) Breazeale shares “Christmas in the Village is hands-down my favorite Pentwater tradition. I take great pride in how much it has grown over the past six years that we have been open, how much it continues to grow, and how the merchants of Pentwater get behind it to make it a great experience for the whole community.” Barnes wishes to alert readers to the fact that workshops are offered at some of the galleries, and some merchants may extend hours to accommodate customers. Storybook Village and The Painted Frog Studio offer special activities for children. For further details, please contact merchants or check online.
dow art. A few years ago, the Pentwater Art Committee (PAC) initiated a program with Pentwater Public Schools to add visual interest to otherwise empty store windows. The students were invited to produce large murals, which the PAC then mounted in the windows. It has enlivened the town’s appearance. The well-planned and coordinated activities of Christmas in the Village are not the only holiday traditions enjoyed in Pentwater. Pentwater’s High School Band hosts a craft fair at the school the first Saturday in December every year. Artists and craftspeople from near and far rent booth spaces to display and sell their wares. Students contribute baked goods to sell. Proceeds from booth rentals and the baked goods sale support the band program. Local churches also have long-standing traditions. The Centenary Methodist Church hosts a candlelight service followed by a dessert table, scheduled this year for Sunday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. First Baptist Church inspires standing-room-only audiences with its famed choral concert and cookie reception, scheduled this year for Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend these events. It is interesting to observe the development of
a tradition. There is a sense in which the entire Christmas in the Village celebration grew from the volunteer work of one person more than 20 years ago. That’s when Jack Witt began decorating the Snug Harbor facilities he owns, including the laundromat. He slowly started adding lights and garland elsewhere: the municipal marina gazebo, the fish cleaning station, the gazebos at the north and south entrances to the village, the trees at the top of the Village Green and then the large gazebo on the Village Green. When he couldn’t do it by himself, he paid his employees to do it, and in 2020, it required 60 person-hours to complete. Witt continued to purchase all the fresh-cut trees and other décor, and the village reimbursed him. The DDA took care of decorating the streetlight poles on Hancock Street. Witt estimated that his efforts to decorate the village required five trees, 400-feet of garland, 125 strings of white lights, 40 red accent bulbs and four spotlights, in addition to the light pole décor. In 2019, the DDA began paying a company to provide, install and remove all the light pole decorations. In 2021, Mary Schumaker and three additional women volunteers from the DDA took over the work Witt and his staff had carried out for so many years. Everyone who delights in the festive appearance of the village this holiday season can thank Jack Witt for his vision and implementing it for the benefit of all so long ago. And thanks to those who carry it forward. The story of Jack Witt underscores the opportunities each of us has to begin a tradition – whether in our families, our churches or our communities. What values do you hold dear and wish to share with others in your family? My parents shared the values of compassion and hospitality each Christmas in the tradition of taking
• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 15
our family of six to visit shut-ins on Christmas Eve. We sang carols, shared stories and gifted them with homemade applesauce and baked goods. Their responses of gratitude impressed our young hearts. Two years ago, our busy adult children decided time with each other was a priority and replaced a gift exchange with a dinner out together. That inspired my husband and me to take our grandchildren out for dinner. I know parents whose Christmas gift is to transport their entire family for an overnight stay at a hotel with an indoor water park. Shared experiences provide priceless memories, even when limited budgets exist. Attending school sporting events, plays and concerts with children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends builds relationships. What do the children in your life value that you can encourage? Reading? Art? Music? Craft projects? Many churches emphasize the value of generosity by sending shoe boxes of small gifts to children around the world who might otherwise receive nothing at Christmas. The possibilities of new and meaningful traditions are as unlimited as one’s imagination.
Cover: Tim and Marie Husted of Meadow Breeze Farms drive a horse-drawn carriage during Christmas in the Village. Photo by Jilly Barnes.
16 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
EnerG Fitness to Offer Holiday Yoga Classes
As part of Christmas in the Village 2023, the EnerG Fitness Pentwater location will host a variety of holiday yoga classes on Saturdays in December. Christmas can be full to the brim with festivities, friends, family and happiness. It can also sometimes be hectic, stressful and overwhelming! Making it the perfect time of year to carve out a little bit of self-care. EnerG Fitness is offering movement, breath and relaxation for the first three Saturdays of December with the following classes:
Dec. 2: Yoga instructor Amanda Jagniecki will • ONE-OF-A-KIND HANDMADE POTTERY • SEASONAL GIFTS • GREETING CARDS • BOOKS & PERSONAL GROWTH JOURNALS • PHOTOGRAPHY PRINTS • CREATIVE & SPIRITUAL WORKSHOPS
161 S. HANCOCK ST. IN PENTWATER (231) 869-3050 • lauramuirhead.com
lead a “Festive Flow Yoga Class” at 9 a.m. This alllevels yoga class is designed to get participants moving and energy levels up to later enjoy all the holiday festivities in Pentwater. A fun festive music playlist paired with holiday-themed poses is planned to keep participants heart-centered and present, and ease stress and anxiety.
Dec. 9: Yoga instructor Virginia Unkefer will offer “A Gift to Yourself” at 9 a.m. with yoga postures and breath work. Participants can enjoy a warm studio class that is half asana (yoga postures) and half pranayama (breath work). This class offers relaxation and stress relief during holiday preparations, with “A Gift to Yourself” to relax and breathe.
Dec. 16: Yoga instructor and business owner, Gaby Peterson, will lead “Candle Lit Yin Yoga” at 9 a.m. This class is designed to reduce any Christmas stress. Participants can expect a slow class with many supported, relaxed postures to sooth the nervous system and stretch one’s body. This class is an opportunity to re-center and support oneself during this busy time of year. Each week, the classes get more and more soothing, giving everyone a break from the holiday craze. Classes are $15 drop-in, or class passes and memberships can be used. Sign-up on the EnerG Fitness mobile app, or text Amanda at 231-450-3836. For more information, please visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ EnerGFitness2016.
Send a smile with Flowers & Love this Holiday with...
• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 17
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215 S. Hancock St. in Pentwater
(231) 869-3095 flowersma.com
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18 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
Christmas Traditions My familys tradition is sometimes we go on a walk Downtown. We like to go see the Christmas lights. It’s mostly cold. Sometimes I feel like I have frost bites. But it’s worth it. My mom and dad put the Christmas lights up. At my moms store, it’s always pretty. And next door there is cosmic candy and their lights are really cool. And sometimes we would invite over friends. And watch the Santa tracker. We would put crumbs, lettuce carrots and this secrate mix we use to feed the reindeer on the porch. And put cookies and milk for Santa. We would watch a Santa movie. When it’s ready to go to bed. I can’t sleep. I once heard a sound. It was probably Santa. - Atticus Nugent The Joy Of CHRISTMAS By Amelia Skinner Every Christmas me and my sister wake up and then we wake up are parents. Me and my mom set up a breakfast snack tray. We brought it to the living room and turned on the TV. When we’re done we move it to the kitchen table and open the presence from santa. But the presents aret the real JOY OF CHRISTMAS! LOVE & THE PEOPLE YOU SPENDET WITH IS!
I love to go to my Nana’s house and have a christmas party. We have our cousins come up. We give presents to each other and eat cookies. It’s fun with my cousins. I love christmas parties with my cousins. This is my Pentwater christmas tradition! - Wyatt Grondsma Every year on Christmas it is super close to my moms birthday. So when it is her birthday we do a baking competition! I have 3 siblings so when it is her birthday, me and my sisters partner up with each other! I am with Alex and Riley is with Charlie. We bake some cool things. This tradition is AWESOME. I love it! - Hadley Swanger Going too the Johnsons house to sled.
Every year I go to the Johnsons to go sledding. They have a big hill so it’s alway fun to go down it. But I remember one year me and Fern were on sled and we crashed into a tree and we both started crying. I got a big scare on my face and Kyle and Rhett took Fern up the hill to go inside. And the reason why she went with me is because she didn’t weigh enough and can not steer. But it is terrible climbing back up the hill. And then we go inside and spy on Kyle and Rhett and then I have to go. - Kayla Oomen
On Christmas I have a tradition. I eat something good every year. It is delishas. I wonder what present I’m going to get. It will be awesome. I make my own cookies . They are chocolate chips. I love chocolate chips. But they are for Santa not me. I give santa milk too. We decorate every year. I love decorating. I love Christmas!
So every year on christmas eve me and my brothers get to get matching pajamas. Me Harris and Eddie love to get dog toys for our dogs for christmas day We love to see the Christmas lights! And we love to open presents! Me and my family never forget what Christmas is all about. It is all about the day that Jesus was born. Thanks for listening to my traditions.
- Elly Rodriguez
- Grace Powers
• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 19
From Mrs. Macher's Third Grade Students Me and my dad and my brother and my mom and my grandma and my papa and we go to my grandma and we set up the christmas tree. We open our presents and after we are done we go see other people homes. We sometimes go to store and my mom and my dad go to my dad’s shop party and me and my brother go to my grandma house. I sometimes stay the night.
The snow is the best. I like to wrap the Christmas tree with lights. I always run in the snow. Once I was in my under pants then my sister pushed me into the snow and basically buried me into the snow, i was freezing cold. I go play outside then when i’m done i drink hot chocolate. - Alek Acevedo
- Cooper Roberts
My Christmas tradition is we make cookies. I think they make chocolate chip cookies but I When It’s Christmas eve I get so do not.I make volcano cookies the instructions excited for christmas so I go in the are at the bottom of the page.I also drink snow and my dad comes outside he hot cocoa while driving in my car looking at makes a snow tower we race down christmas lights.what are your traditions? the tower then it started to get dark then we went inside and then we drank some hot cocoa then we brush our teeth then i went to sleep Santa left presents for me and my siblings then he left our house and around a couple of hours we woke up we peeked at the presents and we rushed downstairs and woke up my mom and dad and we started opening presents and our elf on the shelf we finally got to touch her the end
- Kennedi
What I do for christmas is i go to see santa and i go outside to build a snowman and we play snowball fight and we go to the store and we go to my aunt house and we play with my cousin and we make hot chocolate and we play games and we like to play on the hay what the cow’s eat and we like too ride are bikes on the ice it is so slippery but we have so much fun and we take are sled down the hill and I go into the chicken coup and I have to feed my pig’s and I go to Janell’s house. - Maddison Gum
Volcano cookies Step-by-step instructions Materials 2 eggs Vanilla extract Baking soda ½ Hot water Salt 1 toothpick All purpose flour Step 1 Take the eggs and flour, milk and ½ water, put them in a bowl and stir well. Step 2 Take the batter and roll them into balls(as many as you want)put it on a table or flat spot then press them down so they aren’t flat but flat on the bottom. Step 3 As soon as all them are flat on the bottom then take the toothpick and poke a hole, throw the bottom or middle patch the bottom and put sprinkles inside the hole. Step 4 Put them in the oven for 43 minutes if not baked enough, put it in for 10 more minutes,as soon as you are done baking, taste test it if too hot let cool for 20 minutes then enjoy. - Jane Vervelde
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Hand-crafted soup, salads, sandwiches, pizza and pasta. Catering available for your holiday party or just a gathering with friends. Brand new in spring of 2023 • Open year-around
Check us out on Facebook to see our daily soup options and dinner specials Fall/Winter Hours: 10 AM to 2 PM & 5-8 PM (Closed Wednesdays)
35 E. Lowell St. in Pentwater • (231) 869-3137
GVSU Seeks Proper Planning Survey R Beginning this fall, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) will seek feedback from landowners in the Pentwater River watershed regarding local water quality and conservation efforts. A randomized sample of 850 property owners in the watershed will be selected to receive the survey from GVSU in the mail. The questionnaire will cover several topics, including experiences with and concerns about local water quality, property management practices and challenges, and landowner opinions about local conservation priorities. Survey responses will direct improvement projects in the watershed, helping the Friends of the Pentwater River Watershed, the Oceana Conservation District, and the Mason-Lake Conservation District target their future efforts. The Pentwater watershed is approximately 166 square miles in Oceana and Mason counties. In 1999, the Oceana Conservation District led an effort to create a Watershed Management Plan for the South Branch of the Pentwater River. To continue that work, several members of that 1999 effort met in 2021 to form the Friends of the Pentwater River Watershed (Friends) group. As a reinforcement of this, water quality was identified as the top priority in the 2022 Oceana Conservation District survey. Since 2021, the Friends have completed several activities and built a wide range of partnerships. Meetings were held with the Oceana County Drain Commission, Oceana County Road Commission, Oceana Conservation District, Mason-Lake Conservation District, and Oceana Parks and Recreation Commission. The Friends supported a Michigan Department of Natural Resources fish survey in 2022. In 2023, a road/stream crossing inventory and a dam inventory were completed. E. coli monitoring was started in partnership with the GVSU Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon. Watershed tours were conducted with representatives from Trout Unlimited and the EGLE Water Resources Division. The Friends also supported the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission with the engineering design work for a shoreline restoration project at Sandy Bend on the South Branch. In June, the Friends became a committee of the Pentwater Lake Association. This enabled them to apply for grants under the non-profit status of the association. The next
rty Owner Feedback with Watershed
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Regarding Pentwater River’s Future step is to conduct a survey to guide the Friend’s technical and educational efforts to improve water quality, use, and habitat for fish, wildlife, and people in the watershed. Funding to conduct this assessment was provided by Fly Fishers International, the Oceana Community Foundation, and private citizens. Survey mailings will take place throughout the fall, and the results of the survey will be shared publicly early next year. If your household receives a survey, we would be grateful to receive your input. Questions about the survey can be directed to Amanda Buday at budaya@gvsu.edu or (616) 331-3137. For more information about conservation social science at GVSU and to view past projects, please visit: https://www.gvsu.edu/ socialsciencelab/west-mi-water-stewardship-10. htm. If you have a conservation project you would like help with or would like to receive an electronic newsletter about the watershed, please
contact the Friends of the Pentwater Watershed group through their website at www.pentwaterlakeassociation/pentwaterwatershed. Friends is a committee of the Pentwater Lake Association located in Pentwater, Mich. Their mission is to support conservation efforts in the watershed in conjunction with local partners.
c k i w Pos e d l t O
Specialty Coffees Homemade Fudge Gift Baskets Pentwater Ornaments
Stocking Stuffers Corporate Gifts Gift Packaging And Much More
134 S. Hancock St. in Pentwater • (231) 869-4322
22 • Traditions • Winter 2023 •
EBAKED H OM by
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Clarifying PLA & PLIB • Wedding Cakes • Pasties • Birthday Cakes • Desserts • Cupcakes • Cookies • & More!..
By Patrick Hooyman
Pentwater Lake Association President
Q
uestions continue to surface regarding the difference between the Pentwater 517-285-2864 Lake Association (PLA) and the Pentwater Lake Improvement Board (PLIB). 560 S. Hancock, Pentwater, MI 49449 millsr2001@yahoo.com The relationship between the PLA and the Pentwater PLIB is a topic that needs to be explained in straight-forward terms. The Pentwater Lake Association, a non-profit formed in 1995, is a volunteer community organization for the Pentwater Lake area that is controlled by its members. Its mission from our by-laws includes promoting a community feeling among Celebrate the Season with Classes for Children residents, the maintenance and improvement of the quality of the environment, the furtherance December 2: Cupcake Decorating of public health, safety, and welfare of residents, December 9: Gingerbread House the cooperation of all citizens with governmenDecember 16: Cookie Decorating tal units affecting the area and cooperation by Ages 5 to 12 • $5 fee per child those units among themselves. The PLA is funded Reservations required through membership fees and fund-raising activities and gets no tax money of any kind. Our volunteer activities are many, as can be seen in our newsletters. PLA volunteers are active on issues of the complete lake system—watershed, lake, shoreland and channel. The Pentwater Lake Improvement Board was in 1999 by the Pentwater Township Board LS_shoreline.pdf 4/11/11 1:33:49formed PM in response to concerns about the condition (in particular, weed control) of Pentwater Lake. It is organized and operates under the provisions of the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act and is a government entity. The composition of the Lake Board is stipulated by legislation. It includes representatives of Pentwater Township, the Village of Pentwater, the Drain Commissioner, our County Commissioner, the Michigan DEQ and a riparian property owner - six A boutique salon members. The PLIB has taxing authority and creatspecializing in facials, ed a special assessment district taxing the properskincare, make-up lessons & ty owners located in the district (riparian lots and lots adjacent to riparian lots) for the cost of a lake applications, and hair color. management plan that is updated every five years. There is no overlap between the PLA and the PLIB; rather, they complement each other. The PLA monitors the PLIB and advocates our members’ concerns to the PLIB for the “Love of the Lake.” The PLIB funds actions that address our 57 E. First St. | Pentwater members’ concerns about the PLIB lake management plan. Hopefully this explanation dispels any lakeshoresalon.com | refresh@lakeshoresalon.com confusion our membership and other community residents may have had about these important organizations.
231.869.4602
• Winter 2023 • Traditions • 23
History of Coldwell Banker Anchor Real Estate:
Ginny McClennan became a real estate agent in 1975 with Lombard Real Estate at 218 Washington Street in Hart. The name soon changed to Westshore Real Estate. McClennan wanted another office in Pentwater, so she opened one in 1983 as Anchor Real Estate in the back room of Gales Insurance Company at 144 Hancock. Lila Free joined the company as an owner that year and was the best real estate agent in the area. It took them two years to move to the remodeled old theater, now the Hancock Building, at 215 Hancock. As the staff and business grew, they bought additional office space and opened a front office. In 2022, the Pentwater office moved to the Mckee Building, located at 279 Hancock. Today, Dodie Stark owns Coldwell Banker Anchor Real Estate and continues the traditions passed down to her from these two amazing women.
Hart Office: 231-873-3400
Silver Lake Kiosk: 231-873-2580
Pentwater Office 231-869-5055
www.coldwellbankeranchor.com
Take Takeaa a Take 24 • Traditions • Winter 2023 • Glass Class! Glass Class! Glass Class!
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