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NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

MICHIGAN BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS AGENCIES DEMONSTRATE SUPPORT OF
NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH THROUGH SEASONAL EVENTS

Muskegon, MI  January 2nd, 2014 – Established in 2002 by the Harvard School of Public Health and MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, National Mentoring Month (NMM) aims to bring national attention to the ever growing need for volunteers to serve as mentors for youth. The initiative provides a wealth of resources and strategies for individuals, companies, and organizations enabling communities to cohesively work together to recruit mentors. Youth paired with caring adult mentors have shown positive trends in social and scholastic outcomes including academic improvements, progressive views regarding higher education ambitions, the avoidance of risky behaviors including drug/alcohol usage and skipping school, and improved socio-emotional responses to both peers and family. Increasing the number of available mentors continues to support optimistic outcomes for our nation’s youth.

As the nation’s oldest donor and volunteer-supported mentor recruitment network, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies provide an evidence-based solution to recruiting and retaining program mentors, serving thousands of children through the U.S. annually. This January, in support of National Mentoring Month, the Michigan Big Brothers Big Sisters Alliance comprised of 16 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies in the state of Michigan, has planned a host of recruitment events and campaigns.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore will be hosting a dinner to honor our Bigs.  Littles who have nominated their Big for Big of the Year will read their nomination letter at the dinner.  The agency will be awarding the Big Brother and Big Sister of the year to those individuals who have gone above and beyond to help their Littles become Confident, Competent and Caring individuals.

The goal of each campaign and/or event is to continue to create community awareness of the need for mentors in the respective areas, as well recognize the ongoing commitment of current agency volunteers. Each agency encourages community participation as they look to celebrate the dedication of local mentors and recruit additional volunteers in support of the children waiting for a caring adult mentor.

For more information regarding local Big Brothers Big Sisters National Mentoring Month activities, contact Cindy Timmerman, Executive Director, at 231-789-1391 or cindy@bbbslakeshore.org.

Upcoming Events:
• January 24th – Volunteer Appreciation Dinner @ United Way of the Lakeshore

• March – Bowl for Kids’ Sake 2014 visit website for dates, times and locations
http://www.bbbslakeshore.org/bowl-for-kids-sake


About Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore
Locally Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore has served thousands of children, volunteers and families in Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Mason and Lake Counties since 1969. The agency currently serves over 165 Littles through traditional one-on-one community based matches and will again serve up to 16 Littles at Edgewood Elementary in Muskegon Heights through a Lunch Buddy’s mentoring program.  For more information visit our website www.bbbslakeshore.org or follow us on Twitter: @BigLilLakeshore and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Brothers-Big-Sisters-of-the-Lakeshore

Start Something.  Be a Friend.  Be a Mentor. Be a Donor.  Just be there!!

Mercury Contamination from the Good Old Days

By Dr. E. Kirsten Peters

When I was a younger and more sprightly woman, I spent part of my life investigating unusual hot springs in rural California. They were salty and quite stinky springs out in the middle of nowhere, and several of them occurred right in the center of an old gold-laced mercury deposit.

No one was actively mining the small area where the springs are found – there just wasn’t enough ore to make the project economic. But the rocks of the location had small veins of chalcedony, calcite and other minerals that had elevated values of both gold and mercury in them. Working with a couple of colleagues, I took samples of the spring waters, the gases bubbling out of the springs, the precipitates forming around them, and anything that looked interesting in the nearby rocks.

The fieldwork had its challenges. In the afternoon it was routinely over 100 degrees, and the sun was relentless. One afternoon I even flirted with heat stroke. Another problem was that the rattlesnakes were numerous and big.

I spent a lot of time in the laboratory back east analyzing the waters of the springs. They were transporting gold, and the question was how. Gold is normally quite insoluble – that’s why it can be used to crown a tooth. Even in an environment rich in warm spit and sips of hot coffee, a golden tooth won’t dissolve away because gold is quite insoluble under most conditions. But clearly the hot springs were different. In the end, I concluded that sulfur in the spring waters was keeping the gold in solution until the waters broke to the surface and the gold precipitated out as temperature and gas concentrations changed.

There were some other interesting things about the strange springs, too. Some of the cooler ones had the larval stage of an insect living in them. I took samples of the wiggling little creatures and gave them to a biologist to identify. The insect normally lives around the ocean in salt-marshes, but it was making use of the salty springs even though they were well inland.

The area where I worked in California hadn’t played a direct role in the Gold Rush of 1849. There just wasn’t enough gold around the hot springs to have caught the attention of the Old Timers who made fortunes elsewhere in California. But the place where I worked had been mined for mercury, including back in the old days. That was because mercury was used to concentrate gold in materials miners elsewhere were processing.

In the old days, miners worked with pans, hydraulic hoses, and sluices to remove and concentrate gold-rich sediment. Because gold is attracted to mercury, the miners poured liquid mercury on the earthen material they had concentrated. The gold moved into the mercury. The miners could then heat the mercury and boil it away, leaving a concentrated “button” of gold behind.

There was a lot of mercury being slopped around in the old processes the miners used. Much of it went into the air when the miners heated the mercury-gold mixture, but some of the mercury stayed behind, in the sediments.

New research is highlighting the environmental challenges those old mining techniques continue to create for us today. As explained in a recent piece on the website Inside Science, one of the key places at issue is the Yuba Fan, a volume of sediment built up around the Yuba River, a tributary of the Sacramento River.

“The Yuba Fan is totally artificial, created by humans,” Michael Singer of the University of St. Andrews said to Inside Science.

The Yuba Fan contains more than a billion cubic yards of sediment. Terraces in the fan act like small dams, keeping the material from moving downstream. But about once every ten years there is a substantial flood that kicks loose materials that then move downhill toward the lowlands – which include agricultural areas like California’s rice fields.

The recent research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which is a measure of its importance. In part because California’s agricultural bounty is a keystone to all of us who like to eat, I’m sure more follow-up research will be done.

Dr. E. Kirsten Peters, a native of the rural Northwest, was trained as a geologist at Princeton and Harvard. This column is a service of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University.

A New Medication that May Help People Stay Sober

By Dr. E. Kirsten Peters

Alcoholism runs in part of my family. I lost a grandfather to it, and a couple of others in the family have been affected by it to greater or lesser degrees. Perhaps something like that is true for you, or maybe you have a friend or coworker who wrestles with the malady.

This is a challenging time of year for alcoholics trying to stay sober. New Year’s Eve alone can be a real test.

But medical researchers are investigating new ways that doctors may be able to help people not drink. One method, recently written up by NPR’s “Shots” website, is a medication called gabapentin. Gabapentin — the generic equivalent of the brand name drug Neurontin — has been used for years to treat a variety of ailments ranging from epilepsy to bipolar disease to fibromyalgia.

Recently researchers at the National Institutes of Health did a study of gabapentin and its effects on people with alcoholism. They enrolled 150 people in a 12-week experiment. Everyone who signed up to be part of the study got counseling. Some of the people in the study were given placebos, while others received either 900 or 1,800 milligrams of gabapentin daily.

The people taking the 1,800 milligram dose of the drug drank nothing during the study four times as often as the placebo group. And, if they did drink, they were more likely to refrain from heavy drinking. In other words, it looks like gabapentin helped — results that were recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Dr. Barbara J. Mason was the leader of the research effort. She thinks that gabapentin is useful to people with alcoholism who are trying to stay dry because it helps lessen some of the withdrawal symptoms people often encounter when they stop drinking.

“Gabapentin improved sleep and mood in people who were cutting down or quitting drinking,” Mason told NPR. Feelings of anxiety and losing sleep are often experiences that drive people to start drinking again, she said.

One good thing about gabapentin compared to some other medications is that it isn’t processed by the liver. That’s important because the livers of people with alcoholism are often damaged from years of drinking. Gabapentin moves from the stomach to the blood to the kidneys and finally into the urine, all mostly unchanged.

But there is still a long road to travel before gabapentin is considered by the Food and Drug Administration as a possible treatment for alcoholism. And even if the FDA took action today to approve gabapentin for such use, people who suffer from alcoholism would still have a tough row to hoe.

“It’s not magic,” Mason said. “And making big behavior changes is hard work.”

Still, it’s good to know researchers may be finding new ways to aid people with alcoholism in the struggle to stay sober.

Dr. E. Kirsten Peters, a native of the rural Northwest, was trained as a geologist at Princeton and Harvard. This column is a service of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University.

 

Muskegon County Calendar of Events

Click on the link below to view the Muskegon County Calendar of Events on the Visit Muskegon web site:

http://www.visitmuskegon.org/events-muskegon-michigan

Ongoing Events:

USS Flier Exhibit
Come to the USS Silversides Submarine Museum for the USS Flier Exhibit! Housed in a replica of the bamboo huts used in the South Pacific during the 1940’s, you will relive the dangers faced by submariners in the war, including a man from West Michigan, and their fight for survival after the sinking of their sub. For more information, visit www.silversidesmuseum.org or call 231-755-1230.

Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964
Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964, a new bilingual (English/Spanish) exhibition, will open at The Lakeshore Museum Center on November 16 with Public Reception from Noon to 2:00pm when visitors will have an opportunity to tour the exhibit and share family stories in A Memory Book.

In 1943, President Roosevelt announced the creation of what would become the largest Mexican guest-worker program in U.S. history. Facing labor shortages on the home front during World War II, the United States initiated the emergency Farm Labor Program, more familiarly known as the Bracero Program, which enabled approximately 2 million Mexicans to enter the United States and work on short-term labor contracts. Bracero is a term used in Mexico for manual laborer.

The exhibit will be on display through January 26, 2014. The Lakeshore Museum Center is located at 430 W. Clay Avenue with free admission every day. The Museum is open weekdays from 9:30am to 4:30pm and weekends from Noon to 4:00pm. For more information, call 231- 722-0278 or visit www.lakeshoremuseum.org

Snowshoe! Luge! Skate! XC Ski!
The Muskegon Winter Sports Complex is officially open for the winter season! Open daily from 10:00am-10:00pm but please always check their snow status website page to make sure before heading out at www.msports.org/snowstatus. There is much to do in the snow at the Sports Complex. You can purchase your annual state recreation pass at the complex for $11.00 and out of state guests $8.40.

Harmony in Stone
Come to the Muskegon Museum of Art for Jason Quigno: Harmony in Stone. Grand Rapids Native American artist Jason Quigno is known for his carved and honed stone sculptures. www.muskegonartmuseum.org

Pauline Palmer, Impressionist: Chicago’s Painter Lady
Come to the Muskegon Museum of Art for Pauline Palmer: Chicago’s Painter Ladym, through February 23, 2014. This MMA organized exhibition is developed around seven paintings from a Michigan collector whose family maintained a close friendship with the
artist. www.muskegonartmuseum.org

The Woodcarving of Lamidi Fakeye
Using sculptures, photographs, charts and maps, this exhibition explores the career of internationally celebrated Yoruba woodcarver Lamidi Olonade Fakeye. In addition to showcasing the artist’s work, the exhibition also examines the traditions surrounding woodcarving, especially in regard to the master/apprentice relationship. www.muskegonartmuseum.org

Thursdays are FREE at the Muskegon Museum of Art
Drop in for a free tour of the Muskegon Museum of Art every Thursday. If you prefer a guided tour, docents will lead you through the Museum’s new Centennial Collection every Thursday between 1:00pm and 3:00pm. No reservations needed! Call the museum for more information at 231-720-2574 or visit them online at www.muskegonartmuseum.org Located at 296 W. Webster Ave. in downtown Muskegon.

Live Music at the Book Nook & Java Shop
There’s always something fun happening at the Book Nook & Java Shop! Come join us every Friday and Saturday from 6:00pm-8:00pm for live music from local talent. The Book Nook & Java Shop is located at 8744 Ferry St. in Montague. Call 231-894-5333 for more information or visit www.thebooknookjavashop.com

Muskegon Indoor Winter Market
Returning for the cold weather friends with hot specialty coffees and breads and so much more is the Muskegon Indoor Winter Market beginning Saturday December 7 at 350 W. Western Ave at Second Street from 9:00am – 2:00pm. To have a table please contact Keith at 231-578-5085.

Sweetwater Winter Market!
Sweetwater Local Foods Market is a year round Farmers Market located at 6401 Harvey St in Muskegon, MI. Open every Saturday from 9-1 through December 28th. Every other Saturday in January, February & March.

Public Ice Skate
Gather your friends, family & neighbors to head over to the LC Walker Arena and enjoy the coolness of the ice while ice skating to upbeat music from 1:00pm-2:30pm. You can be a pro or are skating for the first time, you will see many friendly faces skating too! Admission and skate rental (if you don’t have your own skates) are both just $4.00 each. www.lcwalkerarena.com

Personal Care Product Giveaway at The Gateway Church

December 29th –The Gateway Church

The event is on December 29th at The Gateway Church located at 1641 Pontaluna Rd. Spring Lake on the corner of Pontaluna Rd. and Harvey, just south of The Lakes Mall. It will commence at 2:30 pm and the products will be given away on a first come first serve basis, with absolutely no obligation. The products include but are not limited to shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, deodorant, cleaning products and much more.

The purpose of this giveaway is to help fill the gap that government assistance does not. Our goal is to provide families and individuals, in need, with a one month supply of personal care items. We will be distributing over 5,000 items to help relieve the burden of cost right after the Holiday season. Open to anyone with a need.

If you have any other questions please call 231-799-2141

From Washington State to Washington, D.C.

By Dr. E. Kirsten Peters

I know we are still only in Advent. But at this point in December, my mind starts to turn toward Christmas. It just can’t be helped, especially in light of all the ads featuring Santa.

Christmas is about tradition: traditional foods, traditional songs, traditional church services. For a few geeks, Christmas is also an ideal time to get in a little bit of scientific research. What could be better than to combine some of the traditional activities of the season with the chance to learn a bit more about the natural world?

Katie McKeever is a graduate student in plant pathology at the Washington State University Research and Extension Center (REC) in Puyallup, Washington. She has been hard at work in recent weeks learning about how moisture is lost or retained from a truly mega-Christmas tree. An 88-foot-tall Engelmann spruce was recently shipped from north-central Washington State to what we natives of the Northwest call the “other Washington,” namely the District of Columbia.

It took some 25 days for the spruce to move from its home in Washington State to a place of pride at the capitol in D.C. The 2013 National Christmas Tree was harvested from the Colville National Forest in Pend Oreille County. The last time Washington State gave the capitol its Christmas tree was in 2006. That one came from the Olympic National Forest in the northwestern part of the state.

Once this year’s tree was cut, McKeever placed three small sensors in the canopy of the great tree as it lay on the bed of the semi that would haul it across the country.

“The sensors are data loggers that automatically record temperature every 15 minutes to provide statistics about the ambient environment inside the tree canopy,” McKeever told me.

Professor Gary Chastagner, also at the Puyallup REC, has long worked on various Christmas tree issues. He’s an expert on what’s called the post-harvest moisture and retention of needles of Christmas trees. To be sure, most Christmas trees are not 88 feet tall, but some of the issues with mega-trees and the kind in your living room are similar.

In general, helping Christmas trees retain moisture can help them keep their needles. If you are tired of trying to get a lot of needles out of your living room carpet each January (one tradition I would gladly skip), you might wish McKeever and Chastagner well with their work.

The research on the National Christmas Tree involves cooperation between the U.S. Forest Service and WSU. Forest Service technicians from the Colville National Forest who have accompanied the tree are taking periodic samples of small twigs from the enormous tannenbaum. The samples are sent to Puyallup where they are carefully weighed, dried thoroughly in an oven, and then reweighed to determine how much moisture was in the twigs.

The data the WSU researchers are gathering is part of their on-going work to make recommendations that can help improve the quality of Christmas trees for consumers. That’s the technical challenge for the tree specialists. For the rest of us, their work is just a way of improving our live tannenbaum tradition, year after year.

Dr. E. Kirsten Peters, a native of the rural Northwest, was trained as a geologist at Princeton and Harvard. This column is a service of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University.

Red Cross Offers Tips For Twelve Days of Holiday Safety

image001Having a busy time getting ready for the holidays? While everyone is shopping, baking, gift wrapping, decorating and going to parties, the American Red Cross has holiday tips to help make the season a safe one.

1. Prepare vehicle for traveling to grandmother’s house. Build an emergency kit and include items such as blankets or sleeping bags, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, compass and road maps, shovel, tire repair kit and pump, extra clothing, flares, and a tow rope.

2. Drive the sleigh and reindeer safely. Avoid driving in a storm. If travel is a must, let someone know the destination, the route being taken to get there, and how long it should take to arrive. If the car gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along the predetermined route.

3. Help prevent the spread of the flu. Stay home if sick. Wash hands with soap and water as often as possible, or use an alcohol-based hand rub. Cover the nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing, and throw the tissue away after use. If a tissue isn’t available, someone should cough or sneeze into their elbow, not their hands.

4. Follow Santa’s fashion lead – dress in layers. When it’s cold outside, layered lightweight clothing will keep a person warmer than a single heavy coat. Gloves and a hat will prevent loss of body heat.

5. Use a Red Cross-trained babysitter when attending holiday festivities. Red Cross-certified babysitters learn to administer basic first aid; properly hold and feed a child; take emergency action when needed and monitor safe play. Some may be certified in Infant and Child CPR.

6. Avoid danger while roasting chestnuts on an open fire. Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If leaving the kitchen even for a short period of time, turn off the stove. This is important because unattended cooking causes nearly 90 percent of all kitchen fires.

7. Be a lifesaver during the holidays. The Red Cross recommends at least one person in every household should take first aid and CPR/AED training. Visit redcross.org/training for details and to register.

8. Designate a driver or skip the holiday cheer. Buckle up, slow down, and don’t drive impaired. If someone plans on drinking, designate a driver who won’t drink.

9. When the weather outside is frightful, heat the home safely. Never use a stove or oven to heat the home. Never leave portable heaters or fireplaces unattended. Install smoke alarms.

10. Cut down on heating bills without being a Grinch. Get the furnace cleaned and change the filters. Make sure furniture isn’t blocking the heat vents. Close off any rooms not in use and turn off the heat in those rooms. Turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater.

11. Home for the holidays? Travel safely. Check the tire air pressure and make sure the windshield fluid is full. Be well rested and alert. Give full attention to the road – avoid distractions such as cell phones. If someone has car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible.

12. Resolve to Be Red Cross Ready in the New Year. Get ready now in case someone in the household faces an emergency in 2012.

For more information on how to give, get trained or get involved with the American Red Cross, visit: redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org

Lakeshore Art Festival Launches Exhibitor Registration & New Website

Lakeshore-Art-FestivalMUSKEGON, Mich. December 11, 2013 – The application process for the second annual Lakeshore Art Festival is now open. This year’s festival will expand upon last year’s event featuring a regional network of over 300 artists that offer a diverse variety of quality artwork. In addition to opening registration one month earlier this year, the Lakeshore Art Festival haslaunched a new website (www.lakeshoreartfestival.org). The new website, created by Envigor Design, will enhance the Lakeshore Art Festival’s branding efforts as well as showcase what the festival has to offer to those attending and participating in the event.

The application process for the 2014 Lakeshore Art Festival will be entirely web-based. Event categories include; Fine Art/Fine Craft, Craft Fair, Street Performers, Children’s Lane, Artisan Food Market and local food vendors. Interested exhibitors and vendors are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for the 2014 festival as space will be filling quickly. The application deadline is March 3, 2014. There is a $30 non-refundable registration fee for fine art/fine craft and craft fair exhibitors. Members of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce and the Muskegon Museum of Art will receive a discounted non-refundable registration fee of $15.

The Lakeshore Art Festival is being produced by the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce. Carla Flanders, Owner of CMF Marketing LLC, has been contracted again to direct the event.

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“We are really looking to build on the success of last year’s art festival,” said Cindy Larsen, President of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce. “The new website is just one of the ways in which we will be enhancing the experience for exhibitors and attendees.”

“I’m so excited to be a part of the Lakeshore Art Festival again,” said Carla Flanders, Owner of CMF Marketing.” Last year we made great strides to create a high quality, diverse and unique event and I believe we obtained our goals. This year we look forward to enhancing that solid base and creating new and exciting opportunities for vendors and guests.”

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The Lakeshore Art Festival offers a unique mix of arts, crafts, food and family fun in historic downtown Muskegon. Guests will enjoy a juried fine art/fine craft fair located in beautiful Hackley Park as well as a vibrant street-fair atmosphere with crafts, unique pre-packaged food products, children’s activities, entertainment and more. The event will be held July 4 and 5, 2014 in downtown Muskegon. Last year’s Lakeshore Art Festival was a huge success with nearly 300 exhibitors and more than 50,000 guests in attendance over the two day festival.

Chris-Photo-57More details related to the Lakeshore Art Festival will be released in 2014. Look for more information as it becomes available on the Lakeshore Art Festival website: www.lakeshoreartfestival.org and Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LakeshoreArtFestival. For exhibitor or sponsorship inquires, please contact Carla Flanders at artfest@muskegon.org or 231-724-3176. Those interested in volunteering can fill out a volunteer form at www.lakeshoreartfestival.org. Mark your calendars for July 4 and 5 and get ready for this exciting art-filled event.

ISM Greater Grand Rapids Affiliate Dinner Meeting

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – ISM the Greater Grand Rapids Affiliate is pleased to announce their Affiliate Dinner Meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2014 at the GVSU Eberhard Center, 301 West Fulton Street in Grand Rapids. Nick Little, Assistant Director of Executive Development Programs in the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, will present “Collaboration – What, How, When, Where and Why?”

Registration and networking begin at 5:00 PM, dinner at 6:00 PM, with the presentation at 7:00 PM. The deadline for registration is Thursday, January 9, 2014 at 4:00 PM. Reservations can be made online by email at ISMGGR@aol.com or by credit card at www.ismggr.org. The non-member cost for the dinner meeting is $35.00.

The Greater Muskegon Jaycees Announce Distinguished Service Awards

The Greater Muskegon Jaycees are seeking nominations for their Distinguished Service Awards. These awards honor individuals in our community between the ages of 21-40 for their contributions to the Muskegon community and achievements in their chosen career. The Jaycees will honor an Outstanding Young Man, Woman, Public Servant and Educator. The Greater Muskegon Jaycees will hold their Distinguished Service Awards in conjunction with the Snowfest Battle of the Bowls Soup and Chili Cook off at the Third Street Grille at the Holiday Inn Muskegon Harbor on Saturday February 1, 2014. Awards will be given at 1:30pm.

To download a nomination form, please visit www.muskegonsnowfest.org/dsa.html

APICS-Professional Development Meeting

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – APICS, the Grand Rapids Chapter, will be hosting the professional development meeting on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at The Pinnacle Center, 3330 Highland Drive in Hudsonville. The evening begins at 5:00 PM with registration and networking, dinner at 6:00 PM, and the speaker at 7:00 PM. Mr. Randall Schaefer, CPIM will present “Managing Obsolescence.”

Reservations must be received by 3:00 PM on Friday, January 3, 2014. Cost for APICS members is $28.00; non-members $35.00 and students $15.00. Reservations can be made online at www.apics-gr.org or email to admin@apics-gr.org.

For more information regarding the Chapter’s Professional Development Meetings and speakers, please visit our website at: www.apics-gr.org.

 

Obituaries

Regarding obituaries: Abbreviated listings of area deaths are provided as a free service by FAN staff. Those wishing to have a full obituary printed may submit the complete obituary and $20. A photograph may be included with the obituary for an additional $5.00. If you know of someone who has inadvertently been omitted, please tell us.

ssarachmanSteven Michael Sarachman, a.k.a. “Beaver” passed away of natural causes on October 13, 2018 in Cancun, Mexico.
Steve was born December 9, 1955 in Grand Haven to Helen and Bohdan Sarachman, and lived in Fruitport, Spring Lake and Grand Haven during the first half of his adult life.  He was a 1974 graduate of Fruitport High School, participated in athletics and played one year of football at Northern Michigan University. In his 50’s, he moved to the Lansing area, and then, to fulfill his dream of living in a warmer and less expensive place, he took up residence in Mexico in March of 2018.
Steve had many challenges in his life but was forever striving, with humor, determination and courage to be a better person.  He had the help and support of a multitude of friends, especially those at the AA meetings he attended regularly in both the US and Mexico, as well as the loving assistance of family members.  He was a member of the Bahá’í Faith.  He was much loved by a wide diversity of people who will remember him for his crazy sense of humor, loving and generous heart, curiosity and thirst for knowledge, quest for spirituality, and his various services to others, including youth in sports activities, Mother Theresa Hospice, and others.  He was preceded in death by parents, Helen and Bohdan Sarachman, and is survived by siblings Melanie Smith (David), Robert Sarachman (Sandra), Linda Pearson, Mary Knight (Mike), many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.

BRENT STEVEN WILLIAMS 1974-2017
Brent (“B-Dub,” “Brentley”) Williams, 43, died unexpectedly and peacefully at his home early on the morning of Wednesday, November 8, 2017, in Arlington, MA. Born on January 4, 1974, he grew up in Fruitport, MI, and was a graduate of Fruitport High School. Brent earned a BS in Chemistry and Biology at Hope College in Holland, MI, where he was a member of the Arcadian Fraternity. He later graduated with an MBA in Engineering Management at Tufts University in Medford, MA, after which he set out to become “the smartest man in the world.”

Brent is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Joy Fisher Williams, and his two greatest accomplishments, sons Fisher Eric and Ruben Thomas. Additionally, he is survived by parents Lana and Steve Williams and grandparents Joyce and Larry Williams, all of Sun City, AZ. Brent was preceded in death by his younger brother, Eric Jay Williams; grandparents Leona and Ruben Krentz; and Aunt Barbara Franklin. He is also survived by his parents-in-law, Kathy and Dave Fisher of Fruitport, MI; his brother-in-law, Jeff Fisher (children Isabel, Ellie, and Gavin) of Fruitport, MI; his sister-in-law, Jani and husband Dan Wilkens (children Anika and Eli) of Weldon Spring, MO. Lastly, he is survived by beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and colleagues.

Brent was employed by Northrop Grumman Corporation for 17 years, where he was a mission planning manager for NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory (officially affording him the designation of “rocket scientist”). Previously, he was a chemist at W.R. Grace. He enjoyed riding his Harley, and he was a lover of all foods, scotch whiskey, and PBR. Brent also had a keen interest in DIY projects, firearms, and video games. Later in life, his passions included playing hockey and coaching his sons’ Arlington sports teams. Brent attended Grace Chapel in Lexington, MA, and was a member of the Belmont Life Community. He was a devoted son, husband, father, and friend. Brent did not live an average life; he was a Renaissance Man and self-proclaimed “Dura-Brent,” entertaining as well as challenging others with his good humor and knowledge of a range of topics. He will be sorely missed.

A celebration of life and memorial service took place in Massachusetts.

Sherry Lynn Yonkers
Sherry Lynn Yonkers (Rettinhouse) April 5, 1947-October 18, 2016

sherry yonkersSherry passed away unexpectedly Tuesday October 18, 2016. Sherry was born April 5, 1947 in Grand Haven, MI to Beatrice and Robert Rettinhouse. She was a lifelong resident of Fruitport Mi. She was a Fruitport graduate, class of 1965. After graduation she went on to work for Anderson Bolling, Spring Lake MI. & Howmet Muskegon, MI until she found her passion as a community servant and proudly served over 20 years as Fruitport Township Clerk, later retiring as Hudsonville City Clerk in Hudsonville MI. Sherry loved being a mother more than anything and is survived by her daughter Tamara A Yonkers and grand-doggies Grace Kelly and Danika. Sherry also loved gardening as she was a master gardener. She was a charter member of the Fruitport Lioness Club, a member of Fruitport Congregational UCC where she sang in the church choir for many years and was a member of the Woman’s Fellowship. She was a volunteer for Harbor Hospice and a lifelong member of Camp Paradise in Whitehall, MI. Sherry looked forward to gathering with her girls club every month which they have done since graduating in 1965. Sherry was preceded in death by her parents and her two brothers Sam Rettinhouse and Scott Johnson. She is survived by her daughter Tamara A Yonkers her two sisters; Pam (Mike) Williams & Robin (Grayling) VanderVelde, brother Larry Johnson, sister-in-law Christi Rettinhouse, her three loving exchange students Silverio, Maikka, and Javier and many beloved nieces and nephews. Sherry had many friends, her light, laughter, and beautiful smile will always be remembered. A memorial service will be held at Fruitport Congregational United Church of Christ at 9 S 8th Ave, Fruitport, MI 49415 Saturday October 22, 2016 at 11:00 am. A visitation with the family will be held an hour before the service at 10:00 am. A luncheon will be held after the memorial by the Woman’s Fellowship of Fruitport Congregational UCC. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to Paws with a Cause, American Red Cross, Fruitport Lionesses, or Fruitport Congregational UCC.

Mr. Richard Lee Briggs
briggs-richardMr. Richard Lee “Dick” Briggs, age 71, passed away Friday, September 30, 2016. He was born in Wyoming, Michigan on June 27, 1945 to Charles & Norma Briggs and married the former Rebekah Hulings on May 8, 1982. Mr. Briggs had been employed in Quality Control for Georgia Pacific for years until retiring. He was a Boy Scout and Cub Scout Master. Richard loved children and animals and enjoyed being a crossing guard for Beach School for 18 years.
SURVIVORS
Wife of 34 years, Rebekah; children, Cheryl (Jessee) Briggs-Symko, Richard Briggs Jr., Michael Briggs; Renee (Adam) Botbyl; 7 grandchildren & 1 great grandchild; brother, Charles (Joan) Briggs; sister, Carol Briggs; brother-in-law, Roger Raymor; countless nieces, nephews and his wife’s family who were close to his heart; his beloved dog Rocky. He was preceded in death by his parents, foster parents, Dick & Eva Dubois; sisters, Pat Daggett, Norma Raymor; brother, Howard (Dorothy) Jebb.
SERVICE
Saturday, October 8, 2016, Noon at Clock’s Sunset Celebrations with Rev. Carlos Ramos officiating.
VISITATION
Friday, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Saturday one hour prior to the service at Clock’s Sunset Celebrations. MEMORIAL: In lieu of flowers please consider giving to the Fruitport Education Foundation-Briggs Scholarship Fund. Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.
Clock’s Sunset Celebrations

My father, Richard Lee “Dick” Briggs passed away last Friday, September 30th, 2016 at 11 pm at the age of 71. He was the crossing guard of Beach elementary school. When he retired, the FAN ran an article about his service of 18 years to the school district. Dad had always been involved in FCS, whether it was volunteering for school events or fundraisers. Dad was also a cub and boy scout master, giving his time to the organization and any child he could assist. He loved Fruitport completely and because of this, we are choosing to hold his visitation and funeral service at the Clock Sunset Celebrations location in Fruitport, MI. Visitation will be Friday from 6-8. The service will be at 12 on Saturday with visitation one hour prior and reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, we are asking people to consider donating to Fruitport Education Foundation – Briggs scholarship fund.
–Renee Botbyl

Mrs. Wanda Rettinhouse
Wanda Jean (Mullins) Rettinhouse, age 66, formerly of Fruitport, MI, passed away on Monday, October 20, 2014 at Minnequa Nursing Home in Pueblo, CO after battling a long illness. She is survived by her husband, Ronald Rettinhouse of 48 years, 3 Children; Amy (Theodore) Houston of Appleton, WI, Ronald (Diane) Rettinhouse of Muskegon, MI and Ricky (Dollie) Rettinhouse of Pueblo, CO, 8 Grandchildren; 4 Great Grandchildren; 1 Sister; Many Nieces and Nephews, and 1 Aunt. She was preceded in death by her Parents; Marjorie and Chester Ruthkowski and Brother, Donald Mullins.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at 11:00 am at Anchor of Hope Church, 2815 W. Giles Road, North Muskegon, MI 49445 with Rev. Edward Wilder officiating. Visitation with the family will be 1 hour prior to the service.

Mrs. Ruth Bean
Mrs. Ruth Bean, age 89, of Muskegon, passed away December 11, 2013. She was born September 6, 1924 to Charles and Minnie Schmiedeknecht in Claybanks Township, Oceana County. She was a teacher in Fruitport. She married Delbert Bean in 1947. He preceded her in death.
Memorials: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church or the Activities Department at Lakewoods Nursing Center.

Mr. John Boukamp
Mr. John “Jack” Boukamp, age 83, of Fruitport, passed away Friday, December 6, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on September 12, 1930 to Tom and Hilda (Sorrenson) Boukamp. He married the former Martha Lohman in 1952. She preceded him in death.
Memorials: Pound Buddies Rescue or Faithful to Felines Rescue.

Mrs. Judith Brandow
Mrs. Judith K. Brandow, age 71, of Nunica, passed away Thursday, November 28, 2013. She was born in Muskegon on July 13, 1942 to Lawrence C. and Arlene V. (Loosemore). She was the widow of Jack Brandow.
Memorials: Hospice of North Ottawa.

Mr. Roger E. Breuker
Mr. Roger E. Breuker, age 81, of Muskegon, passed away Saturday, November 23, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on April 22, 1932 to Reverend John and Cornelia (Heemstra) Breuker. He was a member of Fruitport Christian Reformed Church. His wife, Marilyn survives him.
Memorials: Western Michigan Christian High School Gym or Covenant Christian School (Ludington).

Mr. Charles Dagen
Mr. Charles L.”Pat” Dagen, age 90, of Muskegon, passed away Sunday, November 10, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on March 17, 1923, to Charles and Christine (Jensen) Dagen and married the former Donna Hoover in 1947. She survives him. He was a member of the Fruitport Polar Bear Post V.F.W. # 3734.
Memorials: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Mrs. Nina DeVries
Mrs. Nina Arlene DeVries, age 78, of Fruitport, passed away Sunday, November 17, 2013. She was born April 29, 1935 in Muskegon to Charles and Daisey (Haase) Fricke. She married Ronald M. DeVries in 1955. He passed away in 2004. She attended Trinity Baptist Church.
Memorials: Trinity Baptist Church.

Mr. Gordon Eggleton
Mr. Gordon H. Eggleton, age 91, of Fruitport, passed away Friday, October 11, 2013. He was born July 31, 1922 to Howard and Elsie (Turner) Eggleton, and married the former Beatrice Hansen, who preceded him in death. He later married Lucille Mergener, who survives him. He was a member of Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church.

Mr. David S. Fisher
Mr. David S. Fisher, age 62, of Fruitport, passed away Thursday, October 3, 2013. He was born in Grand Haven on October 5, 1950 to Harold and Joyce (McFall) Fisher. He married the former Karen L. Webster in 1998. She survives him.
Memorials: The Lake Effect Chapter of the Michigan Duck Hunters.

Mr. Gary Lee Flowers, Sr.
Mr. Gary Lee Flowers, Sr., age 67, of Muskegon, passed away Thursday, October 24, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on December 26, 1945 to Andrew “Jack” and June (Brown) Flowers. He is survived by his wife, Anita (Alsteen) Flowers.
Memorials: West Michigan Veterans, Inc.

Mr. Roby Hart
Mr. Roby Hart, age 57, of Kalkaska, died Friday, November 15, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on February 11, 1956 to Robert and Shirley (Baxter) Hart and married the former Donna Mitchell. She survives him.

Mr. Ferris Hering
Mr. Ferris Erwin Hering, age 100, of Muskegon, passed away Friday, November 15, 2013. He was born in Nunica on December 3, 1912 to Hunter and Mattie (Nehmer) Hering. He married the former Lois C. Seaver in 1941. She preceded him in death.
Memorials: Lake Harbor United Methodist Church or Poppen Hospice House.

Mr. Richard Huss
Mr. Richard “Rick” Huss, age 53, of North Muskegon, passed away Wednesday, November 6, 2013. He was born April 11, 1960 in Muskegon to Marvin and Edith (Cross) Huss and lived his early life in Fruitport. He married the former Roberta Garber in 2010. She survives him.

Mr. Robert S. Keyes
Mr. Robert S. Keyes, age 46, of Fruitport, passed away Friday, October 25, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on August 9, 1967, to Ralph and Lillian (Stebelton) Keyes, and married the former Carmen Lance, who survives him.
Memorial contributions to the family are appreciated.

Mr. Ronald Lampman
Mr. Ronald D. Lampman, age 77, of Nunica, passed away Friday, October 11, 2013. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean.

Mr. Mark Lee
Mr. Mark Virgil Lee, age 55, of Fruitport, passed away Monday, November 25, 2013. He was born on April 13, 1958 in Muskegon, and married the former Laura Ann Hamstra. She survives him. He was secretary of the Fruitport Township Planning Commission.
Memorials to his three daughters’ education fund c/o Fifth-Third Bank.

Mrs. Janice Marshall
Mrs. Janice M. Marshall, age 63, of Fruitport Township, passed away Thursday, November 28, 2013. She was born in Muskegon on February 2, 1950 to Carroll and Louise (Dewey) Conklin. Her husband, Rex, survives her.
Donations to the family are appreciated.

Mr. Thomas Martin
Mr. Thomas A. “Tom” Martin, age 75, of Muskegon, passed away Sunday, November 10, 2013. He was born February 18, 1938 to Thomas B. and Maxine (Pitts) Martin in Muskegon, and was raised in Nunica.
Memorials: Harbor Hospice.

Mr. Jay Mead
Mr. Jay “Frank” Mead, age 77, of Nunica, passed away Tuesday, November 26, 2013. He was born February 11, 1936 in Kalamazoo to Jay L. and Gertrude (Tyler) Mead.
Memorials: Hospice of North Ottawa.

Mr. Norman L. Murray
Mr. Norman L. Murray, age 66, of Fruitport, passed away Saturday, December 7, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on November 24, 1947 to James “Ed” and Agnes “Jewel” (Wilson) Murray.
Memorials: Harbor Hospice.

Mr. Carl Olson
Mr. Carl Olson, age 93, of Fruitport Township, passed away November 13, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on May 22, 1920 to Carl and Esther Olson. He married the former Nellie Smith in 1954. She survives him.
Memorials: Harbor Hospice.

Mr. Frank Pouch
Mr. Frank T. Pouch, 64, of Fruitport, passed away Friday, October 4, 2013. He was born January 22, 1949 in Cordova, AK to Vernon and Jean (Glasen) Pouch. He was a member of the Fruitport Eagles.
Memorials: American Cancer Society.

Mr. Lester Price
Mr. Lester L. “W8QAY” Price, age 76, of Muskegon, passed away Saturday, November 23, 2013. He was born January 11, 1937 in Benton Harbor to William and Esther G. (Lester) Price, and married the former Judy Coates, who survives him. He was an active member at Trinity Baptist Church.
Memorials: Trinity Baptist Church.

Mrs. Iva Simot
Mrs. Iva May Simot, age 85, of Muskegon, passed away Friday, November 22, 2013. She was born in Cedar Springs on April 27, 1928 to Gerald and Mertyl Spencer. She owned Simot’s Drive-In. Her husband, Edward, survives her.
Memorials: Harbor Hospice – Poppen Residence.

Mr. Bradley Smith
Mr. Bradley Norman Smith, age 66, of Sparta, passed away Wednesday, September 25, 2013. His wife, Karen, survives him.
Memorials: March of Dimes.

Ms. Dorsey Smith
Ms. Dorsey Smith, age 69, of Fruitport, passed away Sunday, December 8, 2013. She was born to Eugene and Verla Scott and had been an RN for the State of Michigan and Mercy-Health Partners.

Mr. George Webster
Mr. George E. Webster, age 59, of Fruitport, passed away November 30, 2013. He was born in Muskegon on December 2, 1954 to Jesse and Mary Webster. He is survived by his wife, Dee. He was a member of the Fruitport Eagles.
Memorials: DAV or Noah Project.

Mrs. Betty Weise
Mrs. Betty Weise, age 88, of Fruitport, passed away Monday, December 9, 2013. She was born in Fruitport on February 5, 1925 to John and Edna (Petersen) McManamey. She had been employed as a bus driver and Administrator of Transportation for Fruitport Public Schools.

Mr. Lowell Zimmer
Mr. Lowell Zimmer, age 88, of Nunica, passed away Monday, December 2, 2013. He was born June 7, 1925 in Grant, Michigan to Jesse and Herma (Cole) Zimmer. He married the former Ruth Wierenga on August 18, 1945 in Spring Lake, Michigan. He is survived by his wife, Ruth.
Memorials: Faith Hospice in Byron Center, Michigan.

Virus Warning

Submitted by: Jack Van Wingerden

Feel this is worth passing along. With the holidays coming up, I can see where this could be a real problem.

The newest virus circulating is the UPS/Fed Ex/USPS Delivery Failure. You will receive an e-mail from UPS, Fed Ex, or USPS along with a packet number. It will say that they were unable to deliver a package sent to you on such-and-such a date. It then asks you to print out the invoice copy attached. DON’T TRY TO PRINT THIS. IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS! Pass this warning on to all your PC operators at work and home. This virus has caused Millions of dollars in damage in the past few days. Snopes confirms that it is real.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/ups.asp

Community: Fruitport Public Safety and local retailers help family recover from fire losses during the holiday season.

On 12/12/2013, representatives from Fruitport Township Police and Fire Departments volunteered their time to help make the holidays a little better for a Fruitport Township family that lost their home to a residential fire on October 29, 2013.

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The fire occurred at approximately 5:45 a.m. in the 3000 block of Birchwood Lane in the Clover Estate Mobile Home Park. The family’s dog alerted the sleeping family to the fire, allowing the family to escape from the burning residence without injury. Firefighters from Fruitport Township and Norton Shores Fire Departments responded to the scene to extinguish the fire. Fruitport Township Police Department assisted at the scene as well.

Firefighters were able to put out the fire before it spread to other nearby residences, but they were unable to rescue the dog from the burning home.

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The fire resulted in a complete loss of the home and contents, and the family did not have insurance to cover the loss. Representatives from the Fruitport Township Police and Fire Departments worked together with Meijer and Walmart to try to help the family get back on their feet during the holiday season.

Donations were collected from members of Fruitport Township Police and Fire Departments. These donations were combined with generous donations from both Meijer and Walmart to provide the family assistance with their holiday shopping.

img4Members of police and fire departments, including some who responded to the residence on the morning of the fire, accompanied the family during their holiday shopping at the Meijer and Walmart stores in Fruitport Township.

Gifts selected by the family will be wrapped by volunteers from the Fruitport Township Police and Fire Departments, and they will be delivered to the family in time for Christmas.img2

Fruitport Township Police and Fire Departments want to recognize and thank Meijer and Walmart for their generous donations and ongoing philanthropic efforts in giving back to the Fruitport Township community. “We appreciate having them as partners in keeping our community strong.”

“We are hopeful this will help get the family back on their feet and that they will be able to pay it forward later in life if they encounter someone in need.”