Good News May 2015

May 2015 1 GOOD NEWS

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inside- May 2015Editor and Publisher: Jackie Merriam

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Home Decor

Home Décor: Bring in the Spring!Gardening: Blooming Trees & ShrubsRemember When: Bellisle’s Cut Rate StoreExperts Q & AReading With PetsMay Book ReviewsVintage Memories in the MakingEnvironment: Climate ChangeMindful Parenting: Mom of the YearRecipe: Eat Healthy - Eat Chocolate!Five Local Attractions EAT: Station 702Mother/Daughter Adventure SeriesRelaxation: Stress Relief via. RelaxationHealth: Benefits of Stretching in the WorkplaceNon-Profit: Talons Out Honor FlightDay Trip: Ann Arbor Hands-On MuseumGolf: Putting TipsCelebrate MayCalendar of Free Events

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Bring in the Spring! Spring is here! A time of renewal and a celebration of life; say good-bye to cold and dreary days and hello to birds singing, fresh crisp air and bright colored blooms, herbs and vegetables. After a long cold winter, your home may feel heavy, dark and stale. Spring is the perfect time to bring the freshness of spring to your space.

Out with the old Take down heavy curtains and put away the wool blankets and exchange with light crisp linen curtains and colorful throws. Remove extra furniture pieces that may be cluttering up your space and lighten the room by editing what you don’t need. This is the ideal time to start collecting items that you just don’t use anymore. Start a corner in a storage room of items you can sell either online or at a neighborhood garage sale. You’ll be surprised how much lighter you’ll feel by allowing yourself to be unburdened by the collection of stuff.

Bring the outside in Open your windows and doors and literally let the outside in. Af-

ter a long winter of being cooped indoors nothing can refresh a space like crisp spring air and the sounds of birds singing pouring in. Plant an indoor herb garden; buy a few potted plants or even a vase full of blooms. Bringing life indoors will uplift and invigorate you and your space.

Reconfigure your furniture Change it up. Move your furni-ture into a different configuration, edit pieces and even swap pieces from different rooms in your home. If a piece feels tired, give yourself permission to let go.

Up-cycle There is a big trend for DIY projects where you take an old piece of furniture and transform it with paint, new hardware or repurposing it altogether. If you have been mulling it over and haven’t taken the initiative, spring is the time to do it! Roll up your sleeves and commit yourself to a project. There are tons of resources online on how to get started and garage sales the perfect place to find an inspiration piece.

Color makeover Add a cheerful color to your walls. Even going with white can brighten a dark dingy room. Change out toss pillows for bright cheerful colors. Add a bright new area rug. Add a new lamp or just swap your lampshades for something in a vibrant color or pattern. Replace your shower curtain with crisp white or a bright cheerful pattern.

White as a backdrop Using white for your towels and bed linens is not only a crisp and fresh choice; it also offers you tons of versatility. Since white goes with practically everything, changing out your accent color or pattern is cinch and far more af-fordable. Change out the blanket at the end of your bed a few toss pillows and your bed is trans-formed. Change out the shower curtain and a few accessories and

your bathroom is like new. White linens always feel clean, crisp and fresh in any season.

Julie Hite-Neilitz of HITE HOUSE CoutureYour chic home decor store of downtown Kzoo.www.hite-house.com 210 S Kalamazoo Mall


Mothers deserve at least a day a year to be acknowledged and

spoiled. My mom mothered 7 children, and most of us

are only a year apart. My hat goes off to her for being there for all of us and keeping our names straight…well most of the time anyways.

As a child, I remember surprising my mom with a

hand-painted rock to be used as a paperweight. I could hardly

wait to present this gift to my mom on Mother’s Day. That paperweight sat on her bedside table long after I was grown and gone.

As a mother, I have received many gifts from my children over the years, and like my mother, the handmade ones are

held closest to my heart. Like most moms, spending time with my children means more to me than any gift ever could, not just on Mother’s Day, but throughout the year.

Now that I am a Grandma and my daughter is a mother of two toddlers, I am reminded how much mothers give to their children, totally and unconditionally each and every day. Motherhood truly isn’t for sissies, or, neat freaks.

Mother’s Day is the perfect time to show all moms how much they’re appreciated. Make a point to wish every mother you come in contact with a Happy Mother’s Day this year!

Welcome to the Good News Paper

The Beauty and Benefits of Blooming Trees & Shrubs

Wouldn’t you like to do some-thing “green” for the environment? Planting trees is the original green thing to do to improve our envi-ronment.

What benefits will you get from planting in your outdoor living area? Well, I’m glad you asked! Plants produce oxygen for us as they absorb carbon dioxide. As a matter of fact, the average tree produces enough oxygen for a family of four for a year and can absorb the carbon dioxide from four cars every year!

When you plant in your land-scape, you’ll be providing shade for your home, thus lowering your energy bill. Another big benefit of planting is the immediate increase in your property value.

And did you ever stop to think about the benefit to other species? Trees and shrubs provide shade, shelter and food for animals &

insects that are beneficial to our earth.

That’s the practical side, but the much more interesting reason to plant trees is because of their beauty. Several of my spring blooming favorites follow.

A beautifully shaped tree with beautiful double flowers is the Kwansan Cherry Tree. I challenge you to find a prettier bloom! Have you admired the bright yellow flowering forsythia shrubs in your neighbor’s yard? This is the time to get some Show-Off Forsythia shrubs to brighten up your landscape. The bright yellow blooms will welcome spring every year in your landscape.

For a larger focal point in your spring landscape, get a Jane Mag-nolia. You’ll love the dark pink flowers each year.

Another showstopper in early spring is the redbud tree. The whole neighborhood will enjoy the graceful blooms of a redbud in your yard.

Rhododendron shrubs are so beautiful that they’re nicknamed “queen of the garden”! Some fa-vorites you’d enjoy in your land-scape include the cal sap rhodo-dendron that has white flowers with a deep purple center and the maximum roseum, which has deep red blooms.

Of course, one of the first blooming beauties of spring is the dogwood tree. Dogwoods bloom in graceful pink, red or white.

To add that beautiful fragrance in your yard, be sure to get some lilac shrubs – there are 15 varieties of lilacs that bloom in every color. There’s even the new Bloomerang lilac that blooms in spring and then reblooms later in the season.

Now’s the time to add a show-stopping, blooming focal point in your landscape; the choices are almost limitless!

If you aren’t sure which trees and shrubs would do best in your outdoor living area, check with a Michigan Certified Nursery Specialist. There’s nothing worse than planting the right tree in the wrong place! Another must is to make sure the trees and shrubs you plant are grown locally. This will assure that your blooming choices do well in our area. Do something “green” this week - you’ll improve the environment and increase the beauty of your outdoor living area at the same time.

Terrie SchwartzWedel’s Nursery, Florist & Garden Center

Vintage sundress photo taken at Kindleberger Park in Parchment, by Melanie H. Brothers

Photography

Happy Mother’s Day!


Remember When Bellisle’sBellisle’s Cut Rate Store in

Parchment was opened in 1944 by Robert (Bob) & Gail Bellisle, the year after they both graduated from Comstock High School. The couple continued operating the store for 56 years.

Bellisle’s carried a large inventory and a variety of items. Their soda fountain was a popular meeting place for adults and children alike.

The Bellisles were hands-on business owners and had a knack for making folks feel welcome. They enjoyed talking with everyone and making them smile.

The store building was originally shared with Melvin Harding, who had opened his first Harding’s Market there. Harding later sold the building to Bellisle and

relocated five blocks north, at its present location.

In 2000, after the Bellisles retired, the building was rented to other businesses, but has been vacant for quite some time.

After the deaths of Gail and Bob Bellisle, who died in 2003 and 2013 respectively, their children offered the vacant Bellisle’s building to the city of Parchment as a gift. The city accepted the gift and intends to raze the building to make way for new development on this prime location at 122 North Riverview Drive, in the center of Parchment.

Jackie Merriam

Health Food Foot HealthQ: Why should I choose to buy organic produce?

A: Organic foods provide a variety of benefits. Some studies show that organic foods have more beneficial nutrients, such as antioxi-dants, than their conven-

tionally grown counterparts. Organic produce contains fewer pesticides and is often fresher than conventional produce. Organic farming is also better for the environment. It helps to reduce pollution (air, water and soil), increase soil fertility, and conserves water. Our favorite benefit of organic produce is that organic products are GMO-free. GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology. A growing body of evidence connects GMO’s with health problems and environmental damage. At the NHC, we have a wonderful updated organic produce section with over 100 items. Come check us out, we want to help you “feel better”!

Q: My shoes feel a bit too tight and they hurt my feet after wearing them for a short time. Do you have any suggestions? Yes, shoes can be stretched to give your feet more room. Stretching can increase length and width

(though extending length is most successful on flat shoes), as well as stretch specific areas, like too-tight toes.

The material your shoes are made of will result in varying degrees of success. Leather stretches and holds the stretch the best, fabric will stretch fairly well and man-made materials (vinyl, plastics) do not stretch well, they are very elastic and want to return to their original shape.

You’ll want to take your shoes to a pro to avoid costly mistakes. Bring your shoes in today, and we will gladly evaluate the fit and offer stretching solutions when possible.

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Steven Smith C.Ped.,MC.

Experts Q & A


When I worked to tame my feral felines a decade and a half ago, one of the tools in my tool belt was my voice. Since my kitties weren’t much at sharing with me when I asked about their day, I decided instead of conversation to read them books that I thought they might enjoy. Have you read to your pet lately?

As an avid reader, I have found that my cats do not like being on the other side of the book from me. Reading to them brings us together through the book. At this point in time, they do occasionally converse with me about what I’m reading. Well, perhaps it isn’t exactly what I’m reading, but the tone of my voice, but who’s to say they don’t understand my every word? My brother, a farmer of over 40 years, has found that so long as his voice is pleasant, he can say anything to any animal and they wag their tail, purr, or moo pleasantly. If he says anything in an angry voice, they may cower,

growl, or turn away. Therefore, it could be the content that the kitties are discussing with me, or an inflection in my voice that enticed them to talk with me.

In researching this topic, I found the majority of documentation related to the benefits of children reading aloud to pets. Some libraries and schools across the nation offer programs where children are invited to sit comfortably with a cat or dog and read to them. In an article written by Silvia Foti for WebVet and reviewed by Amy I. Attas, VMD, “According to studies on the subject a young student’s reading scores can advance significantly – two to four grade levels – by reading to a dog for just 20 minutes a week throughout the school year (40 weeks).”

The article went on to state “children who read to pets have less absenteeism, visit the library more often, and improve their grades on report cards.

Also, children with low self-esteem are often more willing to interact with an animal than with another person. Pets can also teach children empathy and compassion.” Some of these programs include foster pets, and this allows the pet to acclimate well to children while they wait for a forever home. Everyone benefits from these programs: children learn in invaluable skills and the cats and dogs become better companions.

Recently, I took one of my cats to the vet for a checkup. The vet said that I needed to calm her, so I pet her. But it wasn’t until I spoke to her that the vet said my cat’s heartbeat calmed and became regular. Have you read to your furry friend or foster pet lately? Whether or not they understand our every word, our furry friends appreciate our time and attention.

Kim BournerKAR Friends February 2015 reprinted with permission from Kalamazoo Animal Rescue

Reading with pets

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For book recommendations from your Kalamazoo Public Library Staff go to

www.kpl.gov/blog/

The top books published this month that librarians across the country love.

House of Echoesby Brendan Duffy

“Eager to get out of the big city, Ben and Caro-line Tierney purchase a large, old house upstate hoping to renovate it into a hotel. However, their house, called The Crofts, has a dark, mysterious past, and terrifying secrets begin to threaten the family. This wonderfully eerie and atmospheric debut novel is a great recommen-dation for fans of Bohjalian’s The Night Strang-ers and McMahon’s The Winter People.”

Sara Kennedy, Delaware County District Library, Delaware, OH

The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg

“George Sand leaves her estranged husband and children to embark on a life of art in bohemian Paris. A talented writer who finds monetary and critical success, Sand adopts a man’s name, often dresses as a gentleman and smokes cigars. Through her writing, politics, sexual complexities and views on feminism, Sand is always seeking love. This novel has spurred me to learn more about George Sand, a woman truly ahead of her time.”

Catherine Coyne, Mansfield Public Library, Mansfield, MA

The Bone Treeby Greg Iles

“Based on a real series of unsolved murders from the civil rights era in Louisiana, and the crusading journalist who uncovered the story, Iles’ novel shines a bright light of truth upon one of America’s darkest secrets. Iles’ compel-ling writing makes this complex tale of good versus evil a must-read for those who love thrillers, and those who want to learn a little bit of American history not normally taught in school.”

Ellen Jennings, Cook Memorial Public Library, Libertyville, IL

At the Water’s Edgeby Sara Gruen

“Set in Loch Ness, right in the middle of WWII, a foolish group of rich Americans arrive in search of the famous monster. Narrator Mad-die must make sense of the circumstances that have brought her to this wild locale. Only then can she discover the strength she needs to make her own decisions. Enjoy a delightfully intriguing cast of characters and the engaging style of storytelling that has made Gruen so popular.”

Paulette Brooks, Elm Grove Public Library, Elm Grove, WI

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Every day I get the unique and rare opportunity to delve into some amazing vintage clothing that has been hanging in the closet or wrapped up in a chest of drawers of my client’s mothers, grandmothers, or even great-grandmothers. The items I evaluate have often been untouched, unseen, and surely unworn for many years. I felt it so fitting for the month where we all honor our mother’s to share a couple stories with my readers from two items I recently had the opportunity to deal with. First a blue dress and secondly an antique muff.

The aqua blue dress pictured here was obtained from the mother’s estate by the daughter-in-law who had no use for it. This dress has three special things going for it to help it move successfully in the vintage

marketplace. First, the maker. The “Sylvia Ann” label originated from a high end fashion designer out of California. It is considered a vintage collector’s label as many purveyors scout for it to add to their shops. Secondly - the fabric. In the case of this dress, it was made from raw or shantung silk. During the 1960s, silk was always imported from the orient and not mass produced as is the case in most silk textiles today. You could tell just from touching it that the fabric is exceptional. Third – the style. This shift style dress with removable jacket was made famous by none other than the most prominent First Lady, Mrs. Jackie Kennedy. This dress mirrors the dresses she wore while in the White House and will always be a timeless style. The note attached to the dress reads, “Worn for 25th wedding anniversary on January 1, 1967”. As a seller, this helps me date the dress, put a story behind it, and price it a bit higher because stories sell.

The muff came to me from the great-granddaughter of its original owner. It had

been handed down from her grandmother to her mother and finally to her. She found no real use for it as women no longer wear muffs and as she was purging some of her own items she relented to look into selling it. Because this was considered more

of an heirloom than anything else, it was always properly cared for. This arrived to me with the note attached that reads: “1930s - Made from a fox caught by Graham Higley made into this muff for Marella, his wife.” This tells a story - a love story even. Not only did this muff ’s condition and

age demand a high dollar, but the fact that a man named Graham loved his wife Marella so much he had this fashioned for her just increased its value.

A wonderful way to honor the women you love in your life may be to grab a special dress from their closet and make a note of the origin of it. This could carry on for generations to come. From this Vintage Stylist, here’s wishing all of you mothers, aunties, and grandmothers a very Happy Mother’s Day! Mrs. Janice Glasser is an expert in Vintage clothing and styling. Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheVintageStylist. For 15 years she has partnered with her mother in operating The Clothing Connection Consignment Boutique in Kalamazoo

Vintage Memories in the Making

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I have heard many people say “Climate change is just part of Earth’s natural cycle. Humans aren’t causing climate change.” This statement is very bothersome to me. It is true that the Earth has natural warming and cooling cycles, but this doesn’t mean that humans aren’t exasperating these changes.

In fact, science has shown that the temperature of the Earth started to go out of balance around the time of Industrial Revolution. I don’t think that this is a coincidence and neither do many scientists. This leads me to another common misconception: almost all scientists DO believe in climate change. There is no con-troversy between scientists about

the existence and cause of climate change.

Even if you don’t believe in climate change, what would be wrong with treating the planet better?

Recycling, composting, and planting trees can help with climate change, but the most important impact you can have is by educating others. Share with them about the climate change situation and how they can help alleviate the consequences.

Judy SmithHigh School StudentGalesburg-Augusta/KAMSC

climate change

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I recently came upon an article calling for nominations for the award of “mom of the year.” I read with interest at the qualities and accomplishments that they suggested would be considered: volunteerism, many children, over-coming adversity, etc. Of course, as any mom would do in such an instance, I compared their list to myself, as in, “would I qualify? Would my family nominate me?” I decided that I probably would not, and was sad that they would only honor one mom. So I de-termined that there should be a general ‘award’ to just about every mom on the planet. That said, what qualities would nominate ‘just about every mom’ to this award?

I think it comes down to the fact that moms just need to be ‘good enough’ to qualify. What does this mean? A good-enough mom is one who is present at a lot of their kids’ athletic events, dance recitals, band concerts, field trips, and school parties, but perhaps not every one of them.

A good-enough mom, although she has to work to support the family, sometimes she takes time out for what is important to her family, when she can. A good-enough mom makes sure kids go to the doctor when sick and make them take their medicine until it is gone. A good-enough mom doesn’t know how to do all of the crafty, Pinterest ideas for birthday parties, but there is generally always cake and fun. A good-enough mom shows up for parent-teacher meetings, helps with homework (when you need it), and gets you up for school on time (most days). A good-enough mom continues to make sugges-tions on things to improve your life, even when you ask her to stop. A good-enough mom makes a lot of the mistakes that people write about in parenting columns, and notices, apologizes, or makes it right, most of the time. Good-enough moms sometimes don’t listen to everything their children say; sometimes dinner is just mac and cheese; sometimes the kids are still up at 10:00pm; sometimes

good-enough moms yell when they have had enough.

So the Mom of the Year Award 2015, in my opinion, goes out to all of the good-enough moms: the ones that wait all night in the ER with an injured child; the ones that cook dinner for the entire swim team before the meet; the ones that come home from a 10-hour work day to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry, read stories, and kiss goodnight; the ones that hold the memories while their kids grow up; the ones that take joy in all their children’s accomplishments - however small, in their own way, in their own time.

So maybe your mom wasn’t always consistent like the parent columns say you are supposed to be, maybe she didn’t always notice when you were down or even when you were really excited, maybe she forgot something that was important to you, maybe her consequences were unfair, or

whatever your complaint. She was good-enough of a mom to get you where you are today. And to all those moms who, like me, don’t feel they measure up to “Mom of the Year,” remember: be pres-ent – when you can; listen to your children – when you can; play and have fun – when you can; have nutritious meals – when you can; teach and model good lessons – when you can; and be human – all the time; and you qualify for “Good-enough Mom of the Year”! Dr. Susan Carter, PhD Licensed Child and Family PsychologistRegistered Play Therapist-Supervisor

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Chocolate – the real stuff - is amazing, not only to eat but also for our health and today there is rock solid research that proves it!A Yale University trial revealed that just two hours after eating choco-late, the subjects’ blood pressure dropped and their blood flow im-proved.

Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical As-sociation showed that eating dark chocolate every day for as little as a week could lower blood pressure so long as you continue to eat dark chocolate.

Scientists determined that chocolate is capable of triggering the pro-duction of nitric oxide in the blood, which is responsible for relaxing and dilating blood vessels and lowering blood pressure.Relaxation of the vascular system can help promote good blood flow, reduce the strain on the heart, offer mild anti-blood clotting effects and help prevent the build-up of plaque in our arteries.The antioxidants in chocolate also slow down the process of low-densi-ty lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and help prevent arterial injury.Trials show that chocolate offers an effect similar to baby aspirin, but at a slightly lower magnitude.

One word of caution though, not all things labeled, “chocolate” are good for us.

White chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate syrups, instant chocolate drinks and pre-mixed hot cocoa mixes may not contain the compounds that improve blood vessel function.In order to be sure you are obtaining the healthful benefits real choco-late contains, you need to consume either dark chocolate or good old

cocoa powder – the kind you find in the baking aisle in the cute can.Chocolate is amazing - in so many ways - that there is no good reason to deprive yourself.

Here are a couple of quick and delicious ways to indulge in this divine delight - Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Marvelous Mini Molten Lava Cakes2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips1 tablespoon cocoa2 tablespoons butter1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1/4 cup powdered sugar1 large egg1 large egg yolk1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extractGarnish: Powdered sugar and raspberries, if desired

DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 4 custard cups. In a glass, 2-cup measure, place chocolate, cocoa and butter, then microwave for 1 min-ute, stir well. To it add flour then stir. Add sugar and stir well. It will become stiff. Blend in egg until smooth then add egg yolk, stirring until smooth. Stir in vanilla, blending until smooth. Divide batter evenly between cups. Bake for 10 minutes. Edges should be firm but the center will be runny. Run a knife around the edge to loosen. Invert onto dessert plate. Garnish with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and fresh raspberries, if desired.Approximate servings per recipe: 4. Per serving: Calories 135; Fat 7g; Sodium 73 mg; Carbohydrates 13g; Fiber 1g; Sugar 9g; Protein 3g.

Recipe courtesy of Laura Kurella

Eat Healthy - Eat Chocolate!

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5 Area Attractions Five local institutions will of-fer free admission during May to each other’s members. The Air Zoo, Binder Park Zoo, Gilmore Car Museum, Kalamazoo Nature Center, and Kalamazoo Institute of Arts are partnering for a sec-ond year as part of the Southwest Michigan Cultural Exchange. The program is designed to celebrate our region’s cultural richness, and introduce organization members to new experiences. Bill Rose, President and CEO of the Ka-lamazoo Nature Center, adds, “This area of the state is fortunate to have some of the best cultural organizations of their kind in the country. Each of these organiza-

tions is committed to providing the highest quality service to our community. By partnering in the “Cultural Exchange”, we all feel that we can make each organiza-tion more accessible to a broader segment of our community.” Guests presenting their mem-bership card from any of the five organizations will enjoy free ad-mission May 1-31. There may be additional costs for special activi-ties or programs. Each organiza-tion is offering added activities during May.

For membership in-formation on the five organizations, visit the websites listed below. The Air Zoo airzoo.org

Binder Park Zoo binderparkzoo.org

Gilmore Car Museum gilmorecarmuseum.org

Kalamazoo Nature Center naturecenter.org

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts kiarts.org

For additional information contact Lisa Panich, Director of Com-munications at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, [email protected], (269) 381-1574 Jackie Merriam

M-W-F 10 AM - 8 PM T-TH-S 10 AM - 6 PM Sun 12-5 PM 229 W. Kilgore Road, Kalamazoo

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EAT Station 702 - Food Fast, not

fast food!

Station 702 is a fun new restau-rant near downtown Kalamazoo. This welcome new addition to the area is an exciting fast ca-sual restaurant serving traditional American Cuisine with a focus on fresh omelets. Brad and Colleen Loomis opened the restaurant 6 months ago, and are committed to provide freshly prepared foods, FAST!

This moderately priced, 30-seat restaurant whips up delicious dishes as quickly as your typical fast food joint. This makes it ideal for busy people on the go, who still want good food.

Although Station 702 is not a full service restaurant, they pride themselves on making your expe-rience memorable and enjoyable.You simply order and pay at the counter, and they bring your freshly prepared food right to your table. You might want to choose a seat on one of the church pews salvaged from the Grand Rapids Park Church. The pews are over 125 years old and were removed from the church to make more space for wheelchair-bound pa-rishioners.

Brad received his degree from WMU in Food Service Adminis-tration. He has cooked at several local restaurants, most recently as Chef at Stryker Corporate. His menu for Station 702 offers some-thing for everyone, but is any-thing but ordinary. Try the Apple Cinnamon Granola Pancake, with crunchy granola and apple slices baked right in the batter…and as big as the plate it’s served on. Or how about some grilled Salmon Tacos? For those with more traditional palettes, you’ll find omelets, salads, and sandwiches made to your liking.

The restaurant is located on the busy corner of North Street and

Douglas Avenue, the major entryway into downtown Kalamazoo. The present building owner and restau-rant partner, Jason Newton, purchased the building at a bankruptcy auction several years ago, after the former

restaurant Dips went out of business. Over the years, this building housed vari-

ous other restaurants, an uphol-stery shop and was originally a gas station, which is how they came up with the name Station 702 (702 Douglas Ave. is the address).

The building underwent ex-tensive external renovation with help from a Façade Improvement Grant Program offered through the City of Kalamazoo. This grant, along with a low inter-

est loan, allowed the Loomis’ to transform the old building into a cool, modern piece of art.

Station 702 has quickly become a very popular eating spot. Stop in and enjoy breakfast all day, or lunch starting at 11am. They are open Tuesday – Sunday from 7am until 2pm (closed Monday). Ca-tering is also available for parties of 5-100.

Jackie Merriam

8324 Portage Rd., Portage • 327-1578

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In Search of our Super-PowersA Mother and Daughter Adventure Series

Ellen: Mom calls a few days before she, my dad, and sister plan to come visit me on the east side of the state. “Hey Ellie, we’ll be reaching Detroit around 3 on Sunday. Do you and Michael want to meet us for an early dinner?”

I nod into the phone. “Sure! Where do you want to go?”

“Wherever you and Michael think is best. Since he grew up there, he’ll know the best places.”

Hmmm, I run through options in my head. “Do you want to see downtown? The suburbs?”

“We want to see the real Detroit--where the natives hang out,

not the touristy places. Text the address to your father when you decide. See you Sunday.”

The real Detroit? It’s hard to define a city as old and storied as Detroit, especially when battling the media prejudice of the past decade. It’s also very difficult to experience any city in one afternoon dinner session. But eventually inspiration hits: Detroit is about the people. We’ll take my parents and sister to the Mercury Bar!

Jane: Dean is driving, Martha is navigating with her cell phone, and I am looking for street signs. There aren’t a lot of them to find. In fact, there isn’t a lot of anything city-like in this part of Detroit. The sidewalks are cracked and crumbled, the traffic lights are blinking yellow, the houses sit in lonesome two’s and three’s sur-rounded by empty lots, and the people—where are the people?

Dean pulls up to the curb in front of a massive Art Deco building with empty windows, boarded-up doors, and chain-link fencing sur-rounding it. He snaps a photo of it

with his phone explaining, “That’s the old train station. At one time it was the largest one in the world. Isn’t it magnificent?”

“Are you sure that this is where Ellen and Michael are meeting us?” I ask, searching for signs of a restaurant.

Martha climbs out of the back-seat and points to a one-story brick building a block away. Cars are lined up on both sides of the street and groups of people are coming and going from the entrance. Still unsure if this is the right place, we lock the car and cross the street.

When we walk inside the Mercury Bar, all our doubts disappear. The place is hopping. The black-haired, gum-chewing hostess in-forms us that it will be a fifteen minute wait for a table. While we wait, the real Detroit surrounds us with humor and humility and welcomes us in. Half the patrons are wearing Red Wings jerseys because there is a home match later that afternoon. The other half is wearing finery of satin pink, black lace, leather, feathers, and grease paint. They have

been celebrating March du Nain Rouge and are here for a burger to complete the day. People are of every race, gen-der, age, and economic bracket, and they are wearing the most thought-provoking t-shirts that exist on the planet earth. The menu is strictly burgers, craft beer, wine, and exotic French fries. The burgers are hand formed and cooked to order. The topping choices range from Hungarian peppers to local cheese to spicy carrots. There is not an unsatis-fied customer in the bunch as the waiters happily provide extra napkins.

Ellen and Michael arrive and we are seated in the basement at a long, narrow table which allows no room for frivolous candles or vases because the hot sauce and condiments take precedence here. We order our burgers and three varieties of fries and quench our thirst with the local brews. But mostly, we just watch the people and read their t-shirts.

My favorite t-shirt? “Say Nice Things About Detroit.”

Jane & Ellen Knuth


Deep Pressure vs. Deep Tissue

Which is right for you?Relaxation Stress Relief

Last month we brought up the fact that the majority of Ameri-cans feel stressed on a regular basis, but very few are actively making a difference in how that affects their daily lives. The Relax-ation Response is a way the body can adjust and learn to cope with stress. The most common forms this technique takes on are yoga and deep breathing. This month we’ll overview biofeedback and muscle relaxation as ways to re-duce your everyday stress.

Biofeedback: this therapy in-volves training patients to control different physiological processes.

A trained professional who con-nects electrical sensors to your body oversees it. These sensors monitor your body’s physiologi-cal state, such as brain waves, skin temperature or muscle tension. This information is fed back to you via cues, such as a beeping sound or a flashing light.

Normally your brain automati-cally controls functions like blood pressure or heart rate. With biofeedback, you are connected electrical sensors that help you re-ceive information about your body and make adjustments to alleviate stress.

Muscle Relaxation: this tech-nique teaches you to voluntarily relax specific muscle groups. When you are under acute stress, your muscles tend to hold onto your tension- even when you think you are relaxing. This can cause painful knots and fatigue in your muscle.

After you use the muscle relax-ation technique, the tension level not only returns to normal, but actually drops, producing even greater relaxation to the muscles. Here’s how you can try this at home:1) Begin by finding a comfortable place away from distractions2) Take a few deep calming breaths3) Tense each muscle group beginning at your feet and working you way upwards: a) Toes, feet, calves b) Thighs and knees c) Hips and buttocks d) Lower back and abdominals

e) Upper back, arms, shoulders f ) Neck, face, jaw4) Now, imagine relaxation flowing over you from the top down: a) The crown of your head b) Over your forehead, jaw, and chin c) Down your neck and into your shoulders d) Across your back and into your arms and hands e) Down your chest and abdomen f ) Flowing through your hips and buttocks g) Into your thighs and legs h) And finally down your ankles and feet5) Take a few more deep breaths and take your time getting upTry one of these techniques your-self or find a trained professional to assist you. Maybe slowly we can start to reverse the statistics from over-stressed to not stressed. One can only hope!

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health Benefits of Stretching in the Workplace

Flexibility of muscles is becom-ing more essential for people in the workplace today. Work-place Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) are the fastest growing category of work-related illnesses. WMSD account for 67% of all ill-nesses reported (OSHA). The in-cidence of WMSD has increased 770% over the past decade. Sit-ting, standing and repetitive motions over long periods of time contribute to WMSD. Routinely performing simple stretching exercises during the work day will improve flexibility, which can alle-viate muscle strain and contribute to employee wellness.

How to perform simple stretches at work:

For most stretching exercises performed at work you will not need any type of equipment. Depending on your job, you may find performing a combination of stretches will work best for you. To get the most out of these exercises, you will need to be intentional and incorporate these stretches into your schedule two to three times a day. It would be good to do the stretches once in morning and once in the early afternoon. If you are staying into late afternoon, then it would be good to add an additional stretch-ing break. Stretching exercises can be done on breaks or lunch hour;

although, most exercises take just a few minutes and you can stay at your workstation to perform them. If you think you will have a hard time actually making yourself take these stretching breaks, it may help to get up from your chair and go to another area to perform the stretches. Stretching can help the body feel refreshed so you can refocus on your work. Most of the exercises can performed while wearing professional attire and in your workspace. Check out these stretching exercises:

Scapular squeeze-While sitting or standing with your arms by your sides, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10.

Seated back stretch- while sitting in your chair reach your head to-ward your knees and reach hands down to the floor. Keep your abdominals contracted. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat twice more.

Wrist stretch- With one hand, press the back of your other hand to help bend your wrist. Hold for 15 seconds. Next, stretch the hand back by pressing the fingers in a

backward direction. Scalene stretch- Sit or stand and clasp both hands behind your back. Lower your left shoulder and tilt your head toward the right until you feel a stretch. Hold this position for 15 seconds and then come back to the starting position. Then lower your right shoulder and tilt your head toward the left. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 3 times on each side. Shoulder Shrugs/Shoulder rolls- Raise shoulders up and down slowly, repeat 10 times. Roll shoulders in a backward motion slowly, repeat 10 times. Do the same rolling the shoulders in a forward motion, repeat 10 times. Seated Hamstring- While sitting in a chair pull leg toward chest. Contract your abdominals. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat twice with each leg. Standing Quad- Using the back of a chair or the wall, grab right leg with right arm and pull toward your bottom. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat twice with each leg. Sarah LarkHealth and Wellness InternYMCA of Greater Kalamazoo


non-Profit talons out

Talons Out Honor Flight is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization honoring World War II Veterans with an all-expense paid Washington, D.C. trip to visit their memo-rial. Talons Out is the Southwest Michigan hub of the national Honor Flight Network, located right here in Portage, Michigan. Top priority is given to World War II and terminally ill veterans from all wars.So far all of the Talons Out Vets from West Michigan have pri-marily flown from Kalamazoo to Washington D.C. for the Honor Flights. They are continuing travel from Kalamazoo, but are also traveling out of Grand Rap-ids, to deliver a flight that is closer to home for their veterans.

The next flight on May 16, 2015 will mark the first-ever Grand Rapids focused Honor Flight offering. The community flight, called The Spirit of Grand Rapids, will honor Grand Rapids-area World War II veterans with what Honor Flight affectionately calls “One Last Mission.” The vet-

erans will have the opportunity to visit the National World War II and other Memorials during their tour of honor. They plan to have 100-110 veterans, as well as their guardians participate. To make this happen, the Talons Out Board of Directors is asking for community support.

“First and foremost, we need vet-erans,” says Flight Day Coordina-tor Jamey Matheny. “If you know of a World War II veteran, a fam-ily member or neighbor please let them know about Honor Flight. We want to honor these heroes who live right in our backyard.

These flights wouldn’t happen without generous community sup-port –through donations of time, financial resources and gifts in kind. All volunteers are welcome and we want to hear from you if you or your group is interested in honoring our heroes.”

Talons Out Honor Flight is also looking for community partners for support in areas including; apparel vendors, apparel sponsor-ship, food donation for breakfast, volunteer groups, printing needs and various other duties, as well as financial sponsors to offset the cost of the flight. If you’d like to get involved, you can call (269) 279-9192 or [email protected] and ask about the Spirit of Grand Rapids flight. Veteran, guardian and vol-unteer applications are available on our website talonsouthonor-flight.org.

Following the Honor Flight, vet-erans are honored by a “welcome home” that they never received. The community is encouraged to help provide a homecoming that the vets will never forget by mak-ing “welcome home” signs, writing thank you letters and awaiting

their return by lining up along the parade route to welcome the returning heroes.

The Grand Rapids inaugural flight homecoming will be held at the Amway Hangar at the Grand Rapids airport. Parade line-up begins at 7pm, with veterans ex-pected back at 8:30pm Enjoy local entertainment and sign-making stations while you await their ar-rival. Thirty five hundred people attended the last welcome home celebration in Kalamazoo, and many of them plan to participate in the Grand Rapids festivities.

Support, donations and applica-tions can be sent to: Talons Out Honor Flight, PO Box 280, Portage, MI 49024

For further information, please contact them at (269) 273-4545 or via email at [email protected]. Please visit their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TalonsOutHonorFlight.

Jackie Merriam


Day trip Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum

For over 30 years the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, has inspired people to discover the wonder of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEaM). More than 250 awesome interactive exhibits await children of all ages.

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Mu-seum believes there’s a scientist in all of us - and the museum’s goal is to help both children and adults to discover it, promoting science literacy through experimentation, exploration and education.

Founded in 1978, the museum opened at its permanent location

in 1982 in the city’s historic brick firehouse with 25 exhibits, and welcomed 25,000 guests the first year. The museum now occupies more than 40,000 square feet, and entertains 200,000 visitors per year. It has become a regional destination, drawing more than half of its visitors from outside the Ann Arbor area.

We visited the museum on a busy Saturday in March with my young grandchildren, and could barely scratch the surface of the offer-ings in the 2½ hours we spent there. Because of their ages, their favorite place was the Preschool

Gallery, which is designed espe-cially for children 4 years old and younger. They could splash in the water tables (complete with waterproof smocks), dress up like fire fighters and play on the child-sized fire engine.

Other favorite exhibits included All About You, where you can climb aboard a full-size am-bulance, and one of the newest exhibits H2Oh! Where you can learn complex concepts about fluid motion without even try-ing. This equated to playing in the water and getting wet for my grandsons, which they loved!

If you would like to visit the museum at a quieter time, plan to go on week-day afternoons after 2pm, weekends are frequently busy all day, but will be quieter on days when it is sunny and mild outside. September, October and November are the museum’s quietest months.

The Museum does not have a cafeteria, but there is a vending area with tables and chairs. Visitors may bring food along with them,

but eating is allowed only in the vending area

Museum Hours are Mon., Wed., Thurs., Fri. 10am-5pm, Tues. 9am-5pm, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday noon-5pm. Admission is$12 for Adults

and Children, $5 after 5pm on Thursdays only, Free for Babies 0-23 months. There are also membership opportunities. For more information see their web-site www.aahom.org, or call (734) 995-5439

The museum is located at 220 E. Ann Street. Suggested parking: is in the Ann St. parking structure, located on E. Ann St. between Main St. and Ashley St.

Jackie Merriam


ATTENTION GOLFERSEver wonder how professional

golfers can leave a 15 foot putt – 3 feet short?

You see it every weekend watch-ing the pros play golf – they con-sistently leave 10-foot –15-foot – 20-foot putts short of the hole. How can this happen? These guys (and gals) play golf for a living! They practice putting every day! And the one thing a golfer has control over in the putting process is how far they hit their putt – so I will ask the question again? How

does a professional golfer leave a 15 foot putt – 3 feet short?

Well - I think most of the time this happens because the golfer isn’t focused on the (right thing at the right time) when they actually stroke their putt – which is what putting is all about – focusing on the (right thing at the right time.) And the ONLY thing a golfer should be focused on when they actually stroke their putt is get-ting the ball to the hole. Because if they are focused on THAT –

they will have a better chance to achieve that which they are focused on – getting their ball to the hole.

Too often golfers – (pros and weekend duffers alike) – are focused on their putting line or putting stroke during the key mo-ment they stroke their putt – and when this happens they increase

the chance that they will forget the most important element in putting – getting their ball to the hole! Because if they don’t get their ball to the hole – it doesn’t matter what their line is or how well they execute their putting stroke does it – because if the putt doesn’t get to the hole…..it ain’t going in the hole.

So to improve your putting – remember that putting is about focusing on the right thing at the right time and the only thing you should be focused on when you actually stroke your putt is getting your ball to the hole.

Another way to think about this is to remember that in golf - dis-tance is just as important on the green as it is off the tee. And when I talk about distance on the green I’m not talking about how far you hit your putt – I’m talking about how far you have to hit your putt.

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May Is…..

May 1 – May Day

May Day consists of numerous holidays and celebrations around the world from

spring celebrations

May 5 – Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico and also celebrated in many areas of

the U.S. It celebrates the legendary and victorious Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

May 5 – Teacher Appreciation Day

National Teacher Day is part of a week long celebration honoring our teachers. On

Teacher Day, be sure to honor the special teachers in your life for the hard work

they do each day.

May 10 – Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is celebrated in the U.S. as a day to honor our mothers. It is days to

show thanks for all that our mothers do.

May 12 – International Nurses Day

Nurses Week begins on May 6th and ends on May 12th (Florence Nightingale’s

birthday), which has been designated as International Nurses Day. This week is

celebrated to recognize the contribution that nurses and nursing makes to the

community.

May 25 – Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday commemorating the U.S. men and women who have

died in military service to their country.

10,000 Copies of the Good News Paper are delivered to over

650 locations throughout

Southwest Michigan each month!

If you would like to find out more about advertising in this great local paper,

call or email Jackie at 269 [email protected]

www.goodnews-paper.com

History: The month of May was named for the Greek goddess Maia. She was the goddess

of fertility. The Romans had a similar goddess named Bona Dea. They held the

festival for Bona Dea during the month of May.

The Romans called the month Maius. The name changed over the years. It was

first called May in the 1400s near the end of the Middle Ages.

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Fun Facts about May

-It is the third and last month of the season of spring.

- The birthstone of May, the emerald, symbolizes success and love.

- May in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to November in the Southern

Hemisphere.

- May was once considered a bad luck month to get married. There is a poem that

says, “Marry in May and you’ll rue the day”.

- In Old English May is called the “month of three milking’s” referring to a time

when the cows could be milked three times a day.

- The Indianapolis 500 car race is held each year during this month. The Kentucky

Derby, the world’s most famous horse race, is also held on the second Saturday

of this month.

- The month of May is devoted to the Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church.

- The United Kingdom celebrates May as the National Smile Month.

- The last week of May is Library and Information Week.

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free May EventsThrough May 17, 2015Kalamazoo for the Union ExhibitCivil War history through the Eyes of people in Kalamazoo CountyKalamazoo Valley Museum373-7990

Through August 30Evidence Found: Explorations In ArchaeologyLearn the real science and methodol-ogy Of archaeology in this new visual and Hands on exhibit.Kalamazoo Valley Museum373-7990

May 1Art HopDowntown Kalamazoo& In Park Trades Center5-8pm342-5059

May 1Music: Double Strung & Steve PeschKalamazoo Valley Museum6-8pm373-7990

May 1Jeff Willson & FriendsCountry, Bluegrass Boatyard Brewing Co.7-9pm226-0300

May 2Craft & Vendor ShowLive music, bake sale & raffle too!Lakeland Reformed Church 9am – 3pm

May 2Natural Health Center’s Open HouseSales, Samples & Surprises10am – 2pm342-9459

May 2Family Fishing ClinicBring a pole if you have oneSpring Valley Park11am – 1pm337-8191

May 2First SaturdayStories, activities, guests & prizesKalamazoo Public LibraryCentral Branch2-3:30pm342-9837

May 2All Ears Theatre Presents:Little Red Riding HoodFirst Presbyterian Church6pm342-5059

May 2A Bach Festival Bonus ConcertRichard Narroway, celloFirst Congregational Church7:30pm (donations accepted)337-7407

May 2Music: Dave JonsonAcoustical guitarBoatyard Brewing Co.8-11pm226-0300

May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market(Saturdays) 1204 Bank St.7am-2pm337-8899

May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30Music: BenJammin and AnalisaEducational entertainers &Kids breakfast 10 – 11am

May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30Music: The Duffield/Carron ProjectSoulful piano and sultry songstressOld Dog Tavern5-8pm381-5677

May 3Sunday SeriesArchaeological Evidence In Kal. CountyKalamazoo Valley MuseumMary Jane Stryker Theater1:30pm (seating is limited)373-7990

May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31Bell’s Eccentric CaféSunday Team TriviaDoors open at 5pmTrivia 6pm – 8pm382-2332

May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31Blues JamsOld Dog Tavern6-9pm381-5677

May 5ARTBreak: Martha Parfet:Keep the Quality Up, author talkKalamazoo Institute of ArtNoon349-7775

May 5,7,12,14,19,21,26,28Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market(Tues. & Thurs.) 1204 Bank St.7am-2pm337-8899

May 6, 13, 20, 27Wednesday night Cruise-InsGilmore Car Museum 5-8pm671-5089

May 6Music: Whisky Before BreakfastO’Duffy’s Pub8-10pm344-5666

May 7Children’s Mental HealthAwareness Day CarnivalKalamazoo County Expo Center4-7pm553-7122

May 7, 14, 21, 28Live Music ThursdaysOld Dog Tavern9pm381-5677

May 8Music: Hired HandsOld Dog Tavern5-8pm381-5677

May 8Cab Town Checkers1940’s Big Band MusicBoatyard Brewing Co.7-9:30 pm226-0300

May 9Family Fun Chamber MusicBy KSO ensemblesKalamazoo Public Library10:30am & 12pm349-7759

May 9Music: The Coz EffectSinger & guitaristBoatyard Brewing Co.8-11pm226-0300

May 12ARTBreak: Wade MacDonald:Recent Work, artist’s talkKalamazoo Institute of ArtNoon349-7775

May 13Music: Carrie McFerrinO’Duffy’s Pub8-10pm344-5666

May 14, 28Crafty Needles Knitting NightBoathouse Brewery4-9pm226-0300

May 14Music: Tom DuffieldO’Duffy’s Pub8-10pm344-5666

May 15The Dow FamilyCeltic 5 Person BandBoatyard Brewing Co.8-11pm226-0300

May 16Family Fishing FairRamona Park10am – 1pm329- 4522

May 16Crybaby ConcertsGreat for kids ages 5 & underKalamazoo Public LibraryCentral Branch11am – 11:45am382-7774

May 16All Ears Theatre Presents:The Importance of Being ErnestFirst Baptist Church6pm342-5059

May 17Stulberg International StringCompetition Master ClassesWMU Dalton Recital Hall12:30 pm – 3:30pm343-2776

May 17Sunday SeriesForgotten Experiences of SW MISoldiers in the Civil War 1861-65Kalamazoo Valley MuseumMary Jane Stryker Theater1:30pm (seating is limited)373-7990

May 18The Importance of Transit MillagesSenior Services Coover Center1:15-2:45pm373-5147

May 19ARTBreak: Is Art Dead, or Only Sleeping?With sculptor Richard LightKalamazoo Institute of ArtNoon349-7775

May 20Music: Out of Favor BoysO’Duffy’s Pub8-10pm344-5666

May 21Music: Megan DooleyO’Duffy’s Pub8-10pm344-5666

May 22Friday Night Highlights SeriesMemorial Day Observance:Capt. Guy D. Grueers, Fighter PilotKalamazoo Valley Museum7-9pm373-7990

May 23Spring Open HouseExpanded outdoor area with many additional vendorsVillage Antiques In Richland10am – 6pm203-7127

May 23-25May’d In MichiganThe Olde World VillageCelebrate Michigan artisans, crafters,Growers & musicians10am – 6pm580-1290

May 26ARTBreak: From Darkness to Lightwith poet Jim Armstrong, ecologist Kim Chapman & artist Lad HankaKalamazoo Institute of ArtNoon349-7775

May 27Music: Joe Wang and The Test PilotsO’Duffy’s Pub8-10pm344-5666

May 27Gun Lake Live –Summer SeriesLive Music, No cover chargeTerrace Grille-Bay Pointe Inn6-10pm(888) 486-5253

May 28Music: Bog RoadO’Duffy’s Pub8-10pm344-5666

May 29Movies in South Westnedge Park - Jurassic ParkBring your chairs & blankets9pm337-8191

May 30Super Summer Flea & Antique MarketKalamazoo Expo Center8am – 3pm383-8761

May 30All Ears Theatre Presents: The BickersonsFirst Baptist Church6pm342-5059

Documents

Good News May 2015