Spark November 2014

Tom Otto Knows Turkey ~ Page 14

Health FoodQ: We heard that Oakwood Plaza is now joining Art Hop. What is happening? A: Yes! Very true! We start Art Hop on

Friday, November 7 with Darren Bain of Kalamazoo Coffee in our store with his art work and new book “Kip & Knor Meet the Pot Belled Pig” and Maria Brennan of Victorian Bakery will be here for a holiday cookie demo. Hope you can join us from 5 to 8 pm for WINE TASTING!

Mon.-Sat. 8-9, Sun. 10-6

Sawall Health FoodOakwood Plaza • 2965 Oakland Dr. at

Whites Rd. • 343-3619 • www.sawallhf.com

Linda SawallOwner

Funeral ServicesQ: Does Langelands offer veteran holiday wreaths?A: Yes, From November 1-26, Langelands (which has many veterans on staff) will be taking orders for wreaths to be placed on the gravestones of vet-

erans. The wreaths are made by veterans and all proceeds will be donated to aid in veteran’s living expenses. The wreaths will be ready for pickup on Saturday, De-cember 13th. If your loved one is buried at Ft Custer, veterans will be placing the wreaths on the sites for you. Orders may be placed at our Langeland Burdick Street location or call 269-488-8139. Only 80 wreaths available and still only $25 each.

Lee SimpsonCommunity Education Program DirectorFamily Services Consultant

TransitionsQ: I’m in the middle of downsizing and my kids and grandkids are coming home for the holidays. Would it be tacky to include some of the items from my home that I

planned to give them eventually anyway with their other gifts?

A: Absolutely not…as long as there aren’t any lumps of coal! Those who wait to bequeath jewelry, furniture and keepsakes, deprive themselves of watching their family and friends enjoy these items during their life-time. Just make sure you really know who wants what!

Madeleine Socia

Friendship VillageSenior Living Community1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo

(269) 381-0560www.friendshipvillagemi.com

Expert Advice

FinancesQ: What will happen if I die without a will?

Douglas Drenth

A: Some people leave instructions about who gets what property in

a legal document known as a will. If you do not have a will, you leave no legal instructions about how your property is to be distributed to your heirs.The state then steps in and dictates how your property will be distrib-uted. The state does this by following laws known as intestacy laws. Each of the states has adopted its own intes-tacy laws, so the pattern of distribu-tion varies from state to state.

Drenth Financial Services5659 W. Michigan, Kalamazoo

269-978-0250 • [email protected] offered through FSC Securities Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance services offered through Drenth Fi-nancial Services and is not affiliated with FSC. HFG Financial Group is not affiliated with FSC or registered as a broker-deal-er or a registered investment advisor. Individual situations will vary. Please contact a professional for specific advice. Entities listed here do not offer mortgage services. Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2013.

RoofingQ: I had my roof re-placed 12 years ago with a 30 year shingle. It already needs to be replaced. What hap-pened? Roofs used to last 20-25 years.

A: Asphalt is the main waterproofing ingredient in shingles giving strength and longevity. Due to improvements in the ability to refine a barrel of crude oil, less asphalt is available for roofing and road projects. And what is left for roofing lacks the quality that we received 20-25 years ago.

We have found that by blending polymers with the asphalt, we can make shingles tougher and more durable. Our shingles will last 25-30 years.For a free roof inspection, please give us a call at 269 342-0153 or visit us at worryfreeroof.com.

Justin Reynolds Manager

Sherriff-Goslin Roofing Co.Since 1906

342-0153 800-950-1906Member Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo

PharmacyQ: Are you healthy?A: Lack of disease does not mean you are healthy. I talk to my patients all the time who don’t have a particular disease but they:

1. Have NO energy and feel low mentally.2. Have erratic sleep.3. Don’t feel hungry but keep eating.4. Have constipation and bloated feeling or diarrhea.5. They just don’t feel good.

They go from doctor to specialists and with all the testing, can’t give a diagnosis, but still keep treating (masking) the symptoms.

At this point, actually you need to step back and take a closer look at your life and REBOOT your system, physically and mentally. Ask us how.

Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-1

Advanced Health Pharmacy7916 Oakland Dr at Centre St

269 324-1100 • FREE DELIVERYadvancedhealthpharmacymi.com

Arun Tandon, R.Ph

Langeland FamilyFuneral Homes

“Quiet dignity with compassion” has meantso much for many people... for many years.

6 locations to serve you269-343-1508 • www.langelands.com

november 2014 3 spark

All current and past issues can be read at swmspark.com Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/swmspark

I spend several days a month driv-ing all over southwest Michigan,

delivering copies of the paper you are now reading.

This affords me the opportu-nity to stop at a few garage sales, check out fun new stores and my biggest weakness – bakeries.

I have always loved donuts, and am

now tempted several times a day by large

glass cases of delicious pastries.

Wherever I am, it is always in the back of my mind,

what wonderful choices of sweets, I will be passing.

If I am anywhere near Parchment, I cannot help stopping at Renzema’s Bakery. They

close at noon, so I try to plan deliveries around their hours. If it is later than noon, the Harding’s down the street has a nice selection.

The Wesco gas station in Plainwell makes their own donuts and is hard to beat. I always seem to need gas while driving through Plainwell.

I am thrilled that Sarkozy’s is open again and a quick stop for brownies or cookies livens up my day.

Mackenzie’s has three locations with great donuts and Sweetwater’s has been a mainstay for years and their two Kalamazoo locations are regular stops.

I have shared this weakness with a group of friends around the state and they enjoy my daily cell phone photos of

tasty pastries.

I am a regular run-ner, so this addiction has not been a big weight issue, but spending some time in the produce aisle while delivering to grocery stores wouldn’t be a bad idea..

Sincerely,

Steve Ellis, SPARK [email protected]

from the EdITOR

To advertise in upcoming SPARK publications, contact: Steve Ellis, 269.720.8157, [email protected]

Lee Dean: Mandatory winter gear .......................... 4Spark Movie Reviews ................................................5History: The Capture of Jefferson Davis ................. 6Nature: The Urban Nature Park .............................. 7Spark Recipe: The Pleasures of Pumpkin ................ 8Healthy Living: Water and the Older Adult .............9Artist Profile: Jamie Whitledge .............................. 10Amazing Tales: Trains, Trains, Trains ..................... 11History: South Westnedge Park............................. 12Volunteering: Judy Riccio........................................13

Cover Story: Tom Otto’s Turkey Farm .................. 14Spark Book Reviews ............................................... 16Business Profile: Kalamazoo Candle Company .....17Tuesday Toolmen: Home Winterization ............... 18Celebrating a Lifetime ...........................................19Sage Advice: Flu Vaccine ...................................... 20Michigan Picker’s Spellbound by Silhouettes ...... 21Fern Enos: 100 Years Young! ................................. 22When Elvis Came to Town ......................................23Tales from the Road: South Haven ........................ 24Loaves and Fishes Benefit Concert ........................25Community Calendar ............................................ 26

SPARK accepts advertising to defray the cost of production and distribution, and appreciates the support of its advertisers.

The publication does not specifically endorse advertisers or their products or services. Spark is a publication of Ellis Strategies, LLC.

No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

Editor and Publisher: Steve EllisGraphic Design: Jay Newmarch at CRE8 Design, LLC

Creativity/Photography: Lauren Ellis

Writers and Contributors Include: Area Agency on Aging, Steve Ellis, Lee Dean, Laura Kurella, Dave Person,

Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation, Kalamazoo Public Library, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Portage Public Library, Senior Services of Southwest Michigan , YMCA

InsIde | nOvEmbER 2014

Tom Otto at Otto’s Turkey Farm in Middleville.

Photo by Steve Ellis

oN the CoVer:

Cutline

spark 4 november 2014

Lee A. [email protected]

For the last 20 years, I have heard people say that winters just aren’t the same as they were when we were kids. The sentiment was bliss-

fully true.

Until last winter, which was the meteo-rological equivalent of a four-month root canal.

All the weather forecasts predict that we’re facing a winter at least as bad, if not worse, than the last one. Get ready for the sequel: “Son of Polar Vortex.” This prospect has caused some family and friends to rub their hands in anticipation. I’m rubbing my hands, too: to get a head start on keeping them warm.

These well-meaning winter fanatics have tried to convince me of the merits of the season. They should save their collective breath (which they’ll be able to see any minute now), because there is nothing good about winter except its departure each spring.

“Get out and enjoy the cold, ice and snow,” they say. This often means winter sports, none of which have ever made my list of top 50,000 things to do. When I think of skiing, two words come to mind: Sonny Bono. I will only fish while standing on something that’s solid or sitting in something that’s floating. My two times snowmobiling were both cut short from sheer boredom. The exception to all this was winter camping, which I thoroughly enjoyed, largely because I had the proper equipment for it, i.e., I could stay warm.

Otherwise, my major winter activity has always been staring out the window and muttering darkly through clenched and chattering teeth.

After last winter, I have never wanted to move to a warmer climate more in my life. But God, being the greatest humorist ever, put me together with a wife who absolutely adores the cold weather. “January is my favorite month!” she says, in words barely audible through my cocoon of blankets.

She can’t help it. Her ardor for any sort of chill comes with her Viking blood. I’m from northern European stock, too, but you can’t get much farther north than Sweden. While I’m bundled and shiver-ing (and ever mindful of not running up the heat bill), my beautiful Erika the Red is running around in a t-shirt and shorts exulting, “I love it! I love it!”

That statement about “winters weren’t like they were when I was a kid” was actually true in my case. That’s because I spent my formative years in Bloomingdale, which is the buckle of the snow belt. Recently, I was talking with someone in Sparta. She asked me where I grew up and I told her. “Bloom-ingdale?” she said. “Isn’t that the place where the schools are always closed?”

I don’t have warm memories of winters as a kid, unless I somehow develop a demented nostalgia for the frigid jolt that came from bare feeling on a linoleum floor or bare fundament on porcelain. Shoveling a driveway 30 yards long? You

can have it. Snowball fights? Don’t miss ‘em. Building snow forts? They all turned into the Alamo.

I’ve always been averse to cold. One of my nicknames growing up was “register hog,” due to my habit of sitting atop any handy warm air floor vent. I have altered that habit. Today, whenever we bake something in the oven, my ritual is to head for the kitchen, open the oven door, lift my shirt and let the warm air go up my back. It’s heavenly.

Now I’m trying to prepare myself for what’s to come. Per-haps this year the wretched weather won’t come as such a surprise. I can brace myself for the following events:

•Snowpilesfromplowingandshovelingattheendofthe driveway so tall I can’t see vehicles coming down my street.•Atwo-inchthicklayeroficeonthedriveway,whichI

will hack at with a scraper, causing my vertebrae to do a country line dance. •The15-foottriponthatsameicetoourvehicles,whenI

will identify completely with Bambi on the frozen pond.

Other preparations need to be made, including the pur-chase of more sweatshirts and hoodies, buying a long-over-due new pair of boots, moving a pile of blankets downstairs and having plenty of Beach Boys and New Orleans music close at hand. Then there’s my secret weapon: Simon, the cat. His 25-pound bulk makes a great lap warmer.

Equipped with all these assets, plus patience, I will patiently await the magical harbinger of winter’s impending depar-

ture: the day pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Until then, let it snow. There’s nothing I can do to stop it in any event.

And if we’re going to have winter, it may as well include one of those epic blizzards, like the one in 1967,whennothingmovedforfourdays.Ifyou’regoing to be snowed in, there’s no better company than a Viking goddess.

Mandatory winter gear: boots, shovels and patience


Top Hat & Tales: Harold Ross and the Making of the new YorkerIt probably shouldn’t

come as a surprise that the visions, personalities and creative minds behind the formation and running of the New Yorker were colorful types who sought to bring about something new for the magazine world during the roaring twenties. Established by a quirky, high school dropout from Aspen who loved to gamble and drink (Harold Ross), The New Yorker almost didn’t survive its first few issues. Hav-ing figured out early on that the suc-cess of the magazine relied heavily on the creative talent of its cartoonists and writers, Ross tracked down some of the leading writers, journalists and illustrators working in pre and post-war America including Dorothy Parker, James Thurber, J.D. Salinger, Rhea Irvin, E.B. White, and Ed Arno. Fans and readers will delight in this celebratory summary of an influential magazine that came to define cosmo-politan sophistication and highbrow culture.

IdaEvery year there is at least one movie that stands out among the rest, one that possesses the entire creative pack-

age and that works substantively on a variety of levels, including emotional, intellectual and visual. Last year, it was the film The Great Beauty that blew me away. This year’s pick is the Polish language film Ida, a masterful work of direction, acting, writing, and cinematography (you won’t find a more beautifully lit and framed film). It’s a film that seamlessly weaves together the residue of historical tragedy into the contemporary lives of its two main protagonists, echoing the truism that to a certain extent, societies and individuals are held hostage by their ever present pasts. It’s1962andforthe18year-oldAnna(an orphan who grew up in a con-vent), history will reveal itself in the form of an Aunt Wanda, a woman she was told to meet prior to taking her vows. Anna quickly discovers that her

birth name was Ida and that she is Jewish. Wanda is a bitter, hard drink-ing, state judge whose disenchanted life is filled with lost faith (both in religion and Communism), grief, and the embrace of the kinds of material-ist vices unknown to her pious niece. Plotted along a linear path that takes the form of an unfolding road trip, Ida and Wanda’s investigation into the death of their family members forces each woman to recognize internal contradictions about themselves (Wanda’s past may also include her complicity in wide spread death and imprisonment) as well as to shine a light on Poland’s conflicted history, where religious identity, communism, and the Holocaust intersect. Subtle in its storytelling, tender and humane in the depiction of complex charac-ters, classical in its framing of imag-es, Ida is a flawless film that will leave you mesmerized and wondering as to Ida’s future.

The Big ChillBoth critically applaud-ed and commercially successful, The Big Chill was everyone’s favorite moviein1983.Especial-

ly fond of this dramatic comedy about a weekend reunion of college friends were baby boomers who saw frag-ments of themselves and of their gen-eration, expressed honestly and with a restrained sense of sentimentality. The movie’s strength comes in the form of a skillful ensemble cast, many of whom went on to have successful careers (Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Glenn Close). Moving in and out of emotional tones, from somber reflections to playful humor, director Lawrence Kasdan’s classic portrait of a loving but fraught gather-ing of Yuppies explores the themes of personal growth (or the lack thereof), retreating from one’s values, the endurance of friendship, and the real-ization that youthful perspectives are invariably imbued with the potential to disappoint.

Reviews by Ryan Gage, Kalamazoo Public Library. These great titles are available from the Kalamazoo Public Library.

MovieReviews


OnaSundaymorninginApril1865,JeffersonDavis,president of the Confederate States of America received a telegraph from Gen. Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, Confederate capital, stating “I advise that all preparation be made for leaving Rich-mond tonight.”

That night, Davis and other high-ranking officials of his government boarded a train and left Richmond. They planned to move the capital fur-ther from the front lines and to rally the flagging Confederate cause.OneweeklateronApril9,Leesurren-dered his army to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia and shortly there-after, virtually all organized Confederate resistance ceased. The Civil War was over but President Jefferson Davis was still on the run.

OnMay2,1865,PresidentAndrewJohnsonauthorizeda$100,000rewardforthecaptureofDavisandtwounits,the4thMichiganCavalryandthe1stWisconsinCavalry, were on Davis’ trail in Georgia.

OntheafternoonofMay9,bothunitslearnedthat12wagons had been spotted near Irwinville, Ga. The two commanders met and Col. Benjamin D. Pritchard of the 4thMichiganwentoffinonedirectionwhilethe1stWis-

consin pursued the wagon train. Receiv-ing additional informa-tion about the wagon train, Col. Pritchard

changed his mind and de-cided to cut it off by another route. He caught up with it around 2:00 am the next morning and the 4th Michigan advanced and seized control of the camp where the wagon train had stopped for the night.

Then disaster struck. Suddenly a heated firefight broke out. In the darkness, the 4th Michiganandthe1stWisconsinhadfailedto recognize each other and before firing ceased, two members of the 4th Michigan

lay dead and several men from both units were seriously wounded. Pritchard took stock of the situation and, as he reported to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, determined that the 4th Michigan had captured Jefferson Davis, his family, and several associates, as well as his bodyguard.

The confusion of the skirmish between the Union forces, however, contributed to two long-standing con-troversies. Who actually captured Jefferson Davis and what was the Confederate President wearing?

As the 4th Michigan entered the camp, several people, all apparently women, stepped from one tent and started to walk away. Corp. George Munger of School-craft noticed that one of them was wearing men’s boots and, since he was still saddled up, rode over to the small group, pointed his Spencer carbine at them, and ordered them to stop. Mrs. Davis stepped in front of her husband and pleaded with Munger not to shoot. At

this point, Davis uncovered his head and identified himself.

The evidence suggests Munger had the keyrole,however.Whenthe$100,000rewardwasdi-vided among the members of the 4th Michigan Cavalry, only the four officers received larger shares than he did. Mungerreceived$369.

The second controversy surrounds Davis’ dress at his capture. Northern partisans claimed that Davis sought to escape wearing a full set of woman’s clothes—hoop skirt, petticoats, and all. Davis wrote in his autobiogra-phy that he merely had thrown a woman’s shawl over his shoulders. Still, Northern newspapers delighted in printing cartoons showing Davis dressed as a woman.So it was that, one month after Lee’s surrender at Appo-mattox Courthouse, Corp. George Munger and the 4th Michigan Cavalry brought the Confederate government to an end.

museON. Reprinted with permission from the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. The museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Com-munity College and is governed by its Board of Trustees. For more information about the museum visit www.kalamazoomuseum.org.

The

Spencer Repeating Carbine*, carried by George Munger at the capture of Jefferson Davis, May 10, 1865, and detail showing its engraved presentation plaque.

Captureof Jefferson Davis


After years of contamination and pollution, a 4-acre parcel in downtown Kalamazoo is getting a revival. The Kalamazoo Nature Center is in the process of creating the Urban Nature Park, a green space that will be a safe and assessable park representing the historic natural habitats that once dominated the area. Situated at East Michigan Ave. and Pitcher Street, the site was once was a rail yard. Later, the site was a coal dump. In 2005, the process of converting this highly contaminated area into a usable green space began with initial

funding from the Arcus Foundation. The site was contaminated with wide variety of debris including scrape metal, broken concrete slabs, and coal remains.

After the initial clean up, the Kalamazoo Nature Center began working alongside the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA began dredging polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from sections of the Portage Creek, which intersected the Urban Nature Park. The work was a part of the greater cleanup efforts related to the Allied Paper, Inc. / Kalamazoo River/ Portage Creek Superfund site. The superfund site was heavily contaminated with PCBs, byproducts from a history of paper production pollution in the area.

Now with the PCBs removed, the plans for restoration can go forward. This spring, the Kalamazoo Nature Center plans on applying a layer of topsoil and planting native trees, shrubs, and other plants to the wetland portion of the area. After the wetland portion is complete, invasive species will be replaced by native prairie plants in the upland portion. Finally, a hiking and biking trail as well as art and educational materials will be added.

Studies have shown that using and even living near Green Spaces improves both health and happiness. The Urban Nature Park is one of many spaces that are under development in Kalamazoo and Portage. The Kalamazoo Nature Center is excited to be a part of the plans for the Portage Creek Greenway, a project that hopes to restore and revitalize downtown Kalamazoo and its waterways though connecting Green Spaces such as the Urban Nature Park.

The Urban Nature ParkA Green Space Planned for Downtown Kalamazoo


by Laura Kurella

For more on this and other cooking subjects, look for Laura on Facebook at LAURA KURELLA COOKS! Contact Laura at: [email protected] . For more great recipes, visit laurakurella.com. Laura is host of Radio Recipes- a LIVE show that airs Tues. mornings at 7:15 am (EST) at 99.3 FM - True Oldies radio

Pleasurable Pumpkin Bread

In the bowl of a mixer, beat oil and sugars. Add beaten eggs and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients then slowly introduce to wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Pour the batter into a greased and floured pan that will fit into a 5 qt. crock-pot, leaving room around all sides.

Add two cups of water to the crock-pot and then place the batter-filled pan into the crock-pot.

Wrap lid of the crock-pot with a towel then place it on the crock. This will prevent condensation from dripping down onto the bread. Set crocktemperaturetohighandleaveundisturbedfor21/2to3hours.

Turn off crock and let rest. (I left mine all night and had amazingly moist bread in the morning!)

Approximate servings per recipe: 24. Nutrition per serving: Calories 108; Fat 5g; Sodium 98 mg; Carbohydrates 14g; Fiber 1g; Sugar 7g; Protein 3g.

1/2cupsunfloweroil1/2cupcanesugar1/2cuppackeddarkbrown sugar2 extra large eggs, beaten15ouncessolidpumpkin11/2cupsall-purposeflour

1/2teaspoonfineseasalt1teaspoongroundSaigoncinnamon1/2teaspoonnutmeg1/4teaspoongroundclove1teaspoonbakingsoda

The enchantment of the pumpkin extends well beyond table-scapes and jack-o-lanterns because the power of a pumpkin health-wise continues to grow. In fact, most recently, a Stratford Ontario-based psychiatrist, Dr. Craig Hudson, discovered that pumpkin seeds are one

of the highest sources of tryptophan.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps to boost the body’s production of the brain chemical serotonin, which creates feelings of well-being and relaxation and even make us feel sleepy. However, in order to be absorbed into the brain, tryptophan needs to be taken with a carbohy-drate.

A pumpkin’s bright orange color, which is simi-lar to carrots, is an indicator that pumpkins are also loaded with beta-carotene and since cur-rent research shows that diets rich in beta-car-otene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease - and even some degenerative aspects of aging - it just adds another reason we should eat more of this powerful produce.

Pumpkin is powerful and is not only packed with nutrients but also provides a multitude of preparation options - pretty much anything from a savory soup to a super-sweet treat!

Here now is my oh-so-favorite way to indulge in this autumnal treat because its what I like to call a, “Set it and forget it” recipe that requires no oven to complete – Enjoy!

The Pleasures of Pumpkin


Last month, I wrote about the benefits of water exer-cise. The low impact of the water exercise is created by the buoyancy of the water. Resistance provides the advantage of working opposing muscles, such as biceps and triceps, and also provides cardiovascular workout. For the older adult, exercising in the water is also an excellent way to improve overall well-being as well as relieving symptoms of arthritis, joint stiffness, fibromyalgia, and circulatory problems. The benefits of low impact water exercise can also provide relief from many chronic medical conditions.

The low impact of the exercise is created through the buoyancy of the water. Buoyancy reduces the effect

of gravity on the body. Standing in chest-deep water reduces weight bearing to 25-30% of body weight. This helps to reduce stress on joints such as knees and hips. The Arthritis Foundation encourages water exercise for those experiencing pain and arthritis because of the increased range of motion of the joints due to the buoyancy of the water. Other benefits of exercising in the water include improved heart and lung func-tions because the water exercise elevates the heart rate. Increased muscle strength is another benefit as the water provides resistance to the working muscles and improved balance as the body moves against the resistance of the water. By exercising in the water, less stress is placed on joints allowing for a longer period of exercise.

The pool temperature is another beneficial factor. The Arthritis Foundation recommends a water temperature between83-88degrees.Jointsmayflareupifthewateris too cold but there is a chance of getting overheated

and severely dehydrated if the water is too hot. There should also only be a six degree difference between the air temperature and the water temperature. The warmer water temperature helps relieve joint and muscle pain.

Socialization is another benefit of water exercise. Research has shown that socializing is a key motivator for older adults to participate in aquatic classes. Group water classes provide the opportunity for interacting with other people, especially if the person lives alone. Often the socializing will extend outside the pool with class potlucks, birthday parties, dinners out and shop-ping trips.

Despite its advantages, water exercise may not be for everyone. For example, people with high blood pres-sure, congestive heart failure and breathing disorders like emphysema and asthma should consult with their doctor or health care provider to be sure that the warmer water temperatures will not adversely affect these conditions. Exercising in water deeper than the waist could also cause problems by making it more dif-ficult to breathe, thus causing blood pressure to rise.The benefits of water exercise for the older adult include increased muscle strength, physical endurance and balance. It can also provide relief from arthritis, fibromyalgia, joint stiffness and circulatory problems. Exercising in the water also provides an opportunity to interact with others while exercising. The YMCA offers a variety of aquatic exercise classes for older adults. Check the website, www.kzooymca.org, program guide,theY’sLife,orcall2693459622,formoreinfor-mation.

*The YMCA recommends that you check with your doctor or health care provider before beginning an exercise program.

HEALTHY LIVING: The benefitsof Waterand the olderadult

Matt Barretta, YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo(269) 345 9622


Jamie Whitledge was born and raised in Portage and moved toMattawanin1984.

She has always been inter-ested in art and her talents started to blossom when she was caught drawing in the bottom of my mom’s kitchen drawers with a purple crayon when she was four years old. Jamie took as many art classes as possible throughout her grade school, middle school and high school years. After high school, she attended KVCC, KCC, and took art classes at the KIA as well as other workshops.

She took her first watercolor workshop about ten years ago and that is when she started painting with acrylic inks and Yupo.

Jamie’s artwork is currently on display at both Erbelli’s locations, the Java Joint in Mattawan, the Garden Griddle in Mattawan and the Energy Mill in Plainwell.

[email protected].

Art Blossomsin mother’s Kitchen


Awakes to find Self Under Railroad EngineLos Angeles - Awakening, Alexander Balderama found himself en-veloped by mist so hot it sizzled. He raised his head with a jerk, and bumped it. Then he learned where he was-under a locomotive. He told the police hospital surgeon he had been out rather late the previ-ous evening and didn’t recall how he happened to get into the railroad yards.

Engineer Finds Own Kin Killed by Train Goreville, Ill. - Thomas Kelly, engineer on a fast moving C. & E. I. passenger train, dropped swiftly from his cab Thursday and ran to examine the tangled wreckage of an automobile caught on his train. A child was dead and a man lay nearby in agony. Kelly paled and stooped to give what aid he could. The injured man, Chelsey Kelly, 39, was his brother, and the dead child, Melba Kelly, 14, his niece.

Caterpillar Hordes Halt Railroad TrainsFort William, Ont. - Railway trains north of here were experiencing considerable difficulty in moving southward Wednesday as millions of caterpillars continued to swarm over the countryside in a gradual descent upon the centers of population around Lake Superior.The caterpillars settled so thickly on the rails that the trains could not get traction. One train was forced to turn back when it could not make headway and the others were behind schedule at various points.

Train Wreck Plotted by WifePensacola, Fla. - Arrest of four persons during investigation of the strange story of the unsuccessful plot to wreck a loaded passenger train to kill the engineer brought R.W. Vann, 70, the railroader, hurry-ing Thursday to the defense of his wife. “My wife is innocent, “asserted Vannn. The sherriff, however had the sworn statements of two wit-nesses, that Mrs. Vann planned the engineers death to obtain $3000 in life insurance and the freedom to marry a younger man.

I am fascinated with quirky old stories, and over the years, working in the newspaper industry,

I have accumulated more than 500 of these little gems. This is the latest installment in a series, with more to come in future issues of Spark.

{ {

trains,trains, trains


This passenger pigeon was caught in the Petoskey area in the 1870s, the site of one of the last and largest nesting grounds for the bird in Michigan. This specimen was donated to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in 1963.

It may come as a surprise to the modern reader that the natural beauty of at least one of Kalamazoo’s “oak openings” as described by James Fenimore Cooper has survived to the present day. It is so well integrated into our city’s landscape that most Kalamazoo citizens

probably pass it without a second thought. The area in question is currently known as South Westnedge Park, and in addition to being a beautiful example of an oak opening, it is also the location of Kalamazoo’s first cemetery.

Kalamazoo’s original cemetery was first named West Street Cemetery, but was also called South West Cemetery and in more recent years has been referred to as the Pioneer Cemetery. The three acre parcel was originally donated by Cyren and Mary Ann Burdick in 1832.FromthattimeuntiltheopeningofRiversideCemeteryin1862SouthWestCemeterywastheonlypublic burial ground in Kalamazoo. As such, many of the city’s earliest pioneers and citizens were buried there.

The first person buried in the new cemetery was Joseph Wood, a member of the family that gave Woods Lake its name. The names and exact numbers

of people buried there will probably never be known. However,athoroughstudyconductedin1987hasshed some light on the subject. The study concluded that between 325 and 500 people were buried in South West Cemetery at one time or another. In ad-dition,itidentifiedthenamesof270peoplewhoarelikely still buried there. Many of the familiar names of Kalamazoo’s founding families grace the list: Axtells, Shakespeares, Sutherlands, Burdicks and den Bleyk-ers all rest there. The cemetery was probably near its capacity when the Kalamazoo Board of Health ordereditclosedin1862.Someofthebodiesweremoved to the privately owned Mountain Home, oth-ers to the newly opened public Riverside, but many

remain where they were originally placed. Probably the last person to be interred there was Rev. H. G. Klyn, who was the second pastor of First Reformed Church. He was buried beside his wife the year after the cemetery closed.

The cemetery apparently was not well maintained for twenty years or so after its closure. After a public peti-tionin1884,thecitydecidedtoconvertittoapark.Itwas graded, seeded, the trees trimmed, the decayed grave markers sunk beneath the soil, and a record made of the location of the graves. Later walkways and benches were added, and the park was used for political rallies and social occasions. These develop-ments shocked the Burdicks’ son R. Carlyle Burdick, when he visited from his home in Minneapolis. He filedsuitagainstthecityinCircuitCourtin1895,requesting that possession of the land be returned to his family, or that they be compensated for its value, thenestimatedat$12,000.Thecourtheldthatsincebodies were still buried there, it was still being used for its intended purpose, however distasteful some of the surface activities might be to some people. The city retains title to the land, and it has remained a park ever since.

Story courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library. More local his-tory stories and photos at kpl.gov/local-history

South Westnedge Park: Pioneer Cemetery


Judy Riccio’s passion for literacy led the now 66-year-oldPortageresidenttoamaster’sdegreeatWesternMichiganUniversityin1976in the teaching of reading. And while she spent most of her career outside of the field, once she retiredonthelastdayofDecember2011,herpassion was reignited. “I didn’t do much volunteering while I was working and raising the children,” said Judy, a Manistee native. “But now I find it wonderful to volunteer for those kinds of things -- to meet people and to help out.” In the search for volunteer activities after she retired, she discovered and joined the Senior Services RSVP program. Since joining two years ago, Judy has been teach-ing literacy one-on-one, with small groups of children and with adults, through Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo Lit-eracy Council, respectively. She also volunteers with the Kalamazoo Center of Michigan Blood, assisting in patient after-care. RSVP – Your Invitation to Volunteer is a national service program of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan that connects volunteers with area or-ganizations. RSVP currently has 400 volunteers workingwithover80agencies.

Her Communities in Schools volunteering has taken her to Woods Lake Elementary School, teaching reading and math to first graders. She also has volunteered with the Kalamazoo Public Schools summer program, teaching language arts at Milwood and Hillside schools.

“We work on reading, comprehension, compo-sition, and vocabulary,” she said. “Whether it’s children or adults, when you see the light go on in their eyes, it’s wonderful. It’s really exciting to see them learn new things – a new word or understand a new concept. RSVP is a great program. I found them when I was looking for volunteer activities. The Gazette had an article, and RSVP was one program listed. The need for more volunteers is great. Volunteering is a two-way street -- it benefits the participant, and it benefits the volunteer.”

Volunteering: By Bill Krasean RSVP Advisory Council Volunteer

Passion for Literacy Ignites Volunteer

More information about RSVP and volunteer opportunities for older adults at Senior Services of Southwest Michigan is available from Tracie Wheeler at 269-382-0515.


putting the gobble, gobble into thanksgivingBy Dave Person – [email protected]

The Monday through Wednesday leading up to Thanksgiving are a blur for the Otto family as customers from far and wide converge on the store at their turkey farm near Middleville to pick out the edible centerpiece for their holiday table.

“It’s kind of fun, if you can live through it,” says Tom Otto, a fifth-generation Mid-dleville farmer, of the three-day period in which hundreds of people stop by his Tom Otto Turkey Farm to purchase a fresh turkey.

He’s seen numerous family traditions play out during those days, including a grand-fatherwhoformanyyearsrentedalimousinetobring15to20grandchildrentothefarm.

“It’s an event to come out and get your turkey,” Otto says, likening it to going to a Christmas tree farm to pick out the annual yule tree. “They come from all over.”

“People drive here from hours away just to get that fresh turkey,” says Otto’s son and business partner, Nate Otto. “The three days before Thanksgiving is just nuts. Two thousand people went through the store last year.”

Why would people travel great distances to buy their turkey rather than head to their neighborhood grocery store?

“By and large it comes down to they want to know where their meat comes from and how do you grow it,” Tom Otto says.

With that in mind, he is glad to show off the farm and the many barns, each of which houses between 3,000 and 4,000 turkeys.

Tom,59,andNate,25,workthefarmfulltime,whileTom’soldersonNick,29,isaschoolteacher who switches to part-time mode on the farm during the school year. Their families and a lot of part-time helpers, particularly during the holidays, help out as well.

TheOttosraise,slaughterandsellabout30,000turkeysayear,withcloseto12,000ofthem finding their way to people’s tables during the Thanksgiving holiday.

There’s never been a down year.


“The 30 years I’ve been doing this we’ve been blessed,” Otto says with gratitude for the people who come back year after year for their turkeys.

The Ottos sell turkeys year-round but, as might be expected, the highest demand is during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

The family buys newly hatched birds, called poults, and then raises them for about 20 weeks when they are ready for the table.

They purchased nearly 20,000 poults this summer in order to meet the demand this fall and winter.

“That’s going to get us through Thanksgiv-ing and Christmas and well into next year,” Nate says. “Then we’ll start with a new flock.”

Tom says ready-for-cooking hens gener-allyweighbetween14and20pounds,withtoms — the male turkeys — usually top-ping 25 pounds. There is no difference be-tween the two as far as taste is concerned.

“It’s strictly a size thing; taste is immaterial,” he says.

Every year, the Ottos grow 200 acres of corn, which they grind into feed for the turkeys.

In addition to growing and preparing the turkeys’ food, the Ottos stay busy feeding the birds, replacing their bedding to prevent the spread of diseases, and slaughtering and packaging the birds to get them ready for their customers.

“We’re all busy doing things to keep the operation going,” Nate says.

“A lot of them are sold here,” Tom says of the fresh turkeys available at the store lo-catedathisfarmat7640W.StateRoad.

“Typically it’s just our store and smaller mom-and-pop groceries,” he says, adding that a handful of Harding’s Friendly Markets in the Kalamazoo area and one in Okemos also carry their turkeys.

Many of the turkeys are pre-ordered by companies that provide them to their employ-ees as holiday gifts.

Rarely does Tom Otto’s Turkey Farm supply restaurants, with an exception being Cornwell’s Turkeyville, north of Marshall, which serves up turkeys year-round from the Otto farm.

Charles McQueen was the family patriarch who started farming about 500 acres in theMiddlevilleareain1846.Hehadthreedaughters,eachofwhominherited160acres.

One of those daughters, Kittie, married John Otto, who farmed her portion until their son Harold — Tom’s grandfather — took it over. Up until that time, it was a typical farm with a wide variety of farm animals.

But Harold changed all that.

“He traded a hog for 500 turkeys and that’s how it all started,” Tom says.

David Otto, Tom’s father, continued raising turkeys and, though he relinquished thefarmtohissonin1984,stilltakesaninterestinthebusiness.Inhisday,thetur-keys were truly “free range,” spending most of their time outside, which left them vulnerable to predators and weather changes.

“He always tells me I don’t know how good I’ve got it,” Nate says.

But Nate does know.

The birds keep warm and comfortable in the shelter of the barns and “have every-thingtheyneedinfrontofthem24/7,”hesays.

“What we have here today is a real bless-ing.”

After 30 years of continuing the farming tra-dition begun four generations before him, Tom says he still enjoys the work, and has never felt pressure to continue the opera-tion in order to keep it in the family.

“God put me on this earth for this job,” he says.

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Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Ancillary Justice is the first of a trilogy by Ann Leckie. Breq, its

main character, is an artificial intel-ligence in a human body called an ancillary. Formerly part of a larger number of ancillaries and a ship con-stituting one being, Breq sets out on a personal quest for vengeance after an act of treachery destroys her ship and her other ancillaries. The author does a great job putting the reader in the mind of a very human-like artificial intelligence with all the emotions and thought patterns of a regular person, without sounding hokey. This is a splendid debut that is well worth the read.

My Real Children by Jo Walton

Have you ever won-dered how your life would have changed if you had made one

different choice? Jo Walton explores this very thought in her latest novel, My Real Children. Patricia Cowan has lived a very long life, and now that her life is near its end, she can recall two very distinct lives, one where she has three children and one where she has four. As she reflects on her life she can pinpoint the split came when she had to make a choice to marry her fiancé Mark or not.

This book reads easily but the writing is sophisticated. This book will touch your life.

Mr. Churchill’s secretary by Susan MacNeal

This riveting historical mystery captures the

dramaofLondonin1940.WinstonChurchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, a Blitz looms larger by the day, and there is a threat of betrayal and treachery from within the highest ranks. Despite her dexterity as a math wiz and because of her gender, Maggie Hope qualifies onlytobeatypistatNo.10DowningStreet, but it gives her the knowledge she needs to unravel a deadly plot to assassinate Mr. Churchill and destroy

the will and confidence of the London people. Her courage to seek out fac-tions even within her acquaintances who want England destroyed and her remarkable gifts for code breaking expose her to deadly situations and introduce her to a father she thought was killed years ago in a car accident. Susan MacNeal draws the reader into the constant fear and struggle to maintain an “ordinary life” which Londoners balanced. She revealed Churchill’s gruff and soft sides and created a determined, unwavering character in Maggie Hope who we will continue to root for in MacNeal’s suc-ceeding novels.

Book Reviews by the Portage District Library staff

Book Reviews


Adam McFarlin, grew up in Texarkana, Texas. He came to Kalamazoo to attend WMU, fell in love with the area, and never left.

Adam’s first jobs out of college did not fuel his passions. He needed a creative outlet so he began experimenting and discovered the art of candle making.

Adam says that candle making is something he will never perfect and he likes it that way. Every few months he will make a tweak to the candle line to make them last longer, burn cleaner or some other improvement.

The process of making a candle is pret-ty straightforward but there is quite a bit of experimenting that takes place for every new fragrance. If everything goes right the first time, a new fra-grance takes about a month. He started the business with just five fragrances because that’s all her could test at the same time. His first candle was sold on October6,2013. Adam loves Kalamazoo and wanted to create a product that he believed could represent the city well and celebrate its unique history. He began with the name but the photos were definitely a product of circumstance...what he calls a “happy accident.”

When he started the business, he was working for the Kalamazoo Public Library and found himself walking past the historic photos on the walls in the Local History Room. After walking by them countless times , one day the idea to use them just clicked.

Most of his fragrance names are pretty straightforward but sometimes he likes to have fun with the names like “I’ve Got A Gal,” inspired by the classic Glenn Miller piece with a sweet and fruity aroma that is hauntingly familiar. The name for Men at Work was inspired by the historic photo used on the candle la-bel of bricklayers and is the musky scent of manliness. Adam says he has had

a blast in the first year of operation for Kalama-zoo Candle Company. He enjoys reminiscing with customers over the photos and is driven to continue to provide a product that is worthy of the name “Kalamazoo.” Adam’s candles can be found at over twenty locations in the area and the complete list can be found on his website.

Kalamazoocandle.com

{ Business Profile }

Kalamazoo Candle Company


Home Winterization Preparing for the upcoming winter months can save you both money and headaches in the future. The majority of these projects can be done with little effort and finances.

Clean Your GuttersYou’ve heard it before, but I can’t stress this enough. Making sure that water can flow freely through your gutter system now will help prevent icicles and ice damns from forming later. Gutters that are dammed up with leaves can result in all kinds of costly outdoor repairs — damaged shingles, roof leaks, broken gutters, etc.

drain Your external FaucetsWater that is sitting in pipes that lead to outside faucets can freeze and burst. Remove all garden hoses from the exterior spigots and simply close off the interior faucet valves by turning them clockwise all the way to the right. Then go outside and make sure that every last drop has come out of the faucet.

seal out Cold & RodentsSimple leaks can sap home energy efficiency by 5% to 30% a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That means it pays to seal up gaps with caulking and weather-stripping. Take a close look at places where two different building materials meet, such as corners, around chimneys, where pipes or wires exit and along the foundation. In larger holes or gaps, try spraying in Great-Stuff expansion foam to seal the opening.Draftguardscanhelpsaveheatfromescapingunderthedoor.Cost:$10to$15.(Ifyou don’t want to shell out for a draft guard, a rolled towel placed at the bottom of an exterior door will also do the trick.

Flush Your Hot Water HeaterYou can flush a hot water heater any time of year, but you might as well throw it in with the other maintenance work you’ll be doing since you really only need to do it about

once every couple of years. If you don’t, sediment can build up at the bottom of your water heater and cause it to lose efficiency or even leak.Simply take one of your water hoses and fasten it to the water faucet at the bottom of your water heater. Turn off the water heater so that you don’t get burned by hot water accidentally. Run the hose outdoors, preferably, but if you can’t do that, then a laundry tub should be sufficient. Open the valve and let the water drain out completely, rinsing out the sediment with it.

Insulate Your PipesPay less for hot water by insulating pipes. That can also help decrease the chance of pipes freezing, which can be disastrous. Check to see if your pipes are warm to the touch. If so, they are good candidates for insulation. (Use the same method to deter-mine if your hot water heater would benefit from some insulation.)You can get pre-slit pipe foam at most hardware stores. Cut it to size and fasten in place with duct tape. Ideally, choose the insulation with the highest R-value practical, which is a measure of its heat-blocking power. Pipe insulation is often R-3 or, for batt stylesthatyouwraparound,astrongerR-7.

Clockwise Ceiling FansCeiling fans are everyone’s favorite summer budget-saver. But they can help out in the winter as well! Have your ceiling fans move in a clockwise direction so they push hot air along the ceiling towards the floor.

Replace FiltersRegularly changing the filters in your central air and heating system can significantly improve its efficiency and longevity, while easing the pressure on your wallet.

Change BatteriesFall is a great time to install fresh batteries in your smoke detectors and Carbon mon-oxide detectors. Also check to see if your thermostat uses batteries. If you have a digital programmable thermostat, low batteries in the unit could cause your furnace from working properly.

Brian Penny is a member of Tuesday Toolmen, a group of volunteers who work with the Home Repair Department of Senior Services to provide home safety checks, minor home repairs, and alterations to homes to allow senior citizens to stay safely in their own homes.

toolmen tuesday

by Brian Penny, Tuesday Toolman

Mel Ciesa-one of the original “Fab 4” along with Clair Branch, Raleigh Bloch and Bob Berg


I received an email from Joan Suther-land the other day. The subject line simply stated: Newsworthy? As I receive many emails a day, from folks hoping for a story or coverage of their business, I did not immediately open it. I was glad when I finally did.

Joan had sent me pictures and back-ground on her grandparents, Al and Jean Weber, that had recently celebrated their 70thWeddingAnniversary.

Al & Jean were married Thanksgiving Day1944Day,nearClevelandOhio.

Al was a Merchant Marine in WWII. He sailed the Great Lakes to deliver supplies and when the Great Lakes froze, he sailed the Atlantic to the Mediterranean

... to Italy, Southern France and North Africa. After the war he worked for a display company and was a carpenter for Cleveland Schools. He went to college to learn art design and got a job at Goodyear Aerospace where he later retired.

Jean worked in Cleveland for the precursor to what is now NASA.

Jean went to college when daughter Rosie was in high-school. She taught school then went on to get her masters in library science.

Al & Jean retired to Florida. During retirement Al continued to work, taking ajobatPier66,workingonthedocks.Aldesigned marinas and designed a ma-rina somewhere in Spain. Jean worked for a SIRS publishing company in Boca. She also taught a young boy who’s family spoke Spanish to read.

Several years ago they returned to the Midwest, Kalamazoo to be exact. Jean tutors one of her great-great children.

Theyhave1daughter(RosieJess),14grandchildrenand13great-grandchil-drenand12great-greatgrandchildren.

CelebratingA Lifetime


In some countries, the flu virus is a threat all year long. In our area, it is most common from early Fall to late Spring. The best way to prevent the flu is with a flu vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recom-mendsthatmosteveryone6monthsofageandoldergetaseasonalfluvaccine,anditisavailablenow!

Vaccination is especially important for those who are at greater risk of developing complications from the flu. This wouldincludepeopleage65andolder;thosewhomayhaveothermedicalconditions,suchaschroniclungorheartdisease, cancer, or blood disorders. If you have a condition that prevents you from receiving the flu vaccine and are at high risk of complications, it is important for those who live around you to get vaccinated. This will provide greater protection for the person who cannot protect themselves.

As we get older, our immune system does not work as well as it used to, so there is an alternative “High Dose” vac-cinedesignedforpeople65andolder.Thisvaccineisassociatedwithastrongerimmuneresponseandisavailablethrough your doctor’s office or local pharmacy. You may want to call them first to make sure they have the High Dose vaccineavailable.Forindividualsages2-49,youmaybeabletoavoidtheshotand get the vaccine via nasal spray.

Two weeks after receiving the flu shot, your body will have developed full immu-nityanditwilllastforabout6-months.Afterthattime,theimmunitiesbegintodecline, but continue to provide some protection.

Good health habits are also essential to defend against the flu too. Cover coughs, but avoid using your unprotected hands (do it in your elbow!). Washing hands often with soap and water is still the best defense, but hand sanitizers works in a pinch. You should also avoid people who are sick AND avoid being around others if YOU are sick.

If you do develop flu symptoms, seek medical advice quickly to see if treatment with an antiviral medication would be beneficial? Medicare Part B will cover the cost of the vaccine when you go to participating providers. If you do not have insurance or your plan does not pay for vaccines, check with your local health department for resources.

Remember, the flu vaccine is safe; does not cause the flu, and can protect you and the ones you love. Spread the word (not the flu!) and GET VACCINATED!

Spread the Word… Not the Flu!

Judy Sivak, MSW Director, Area Agency on Aging IIIA, 3299 Gull Rd., Kalamazoo, Phone: 269-373-5173 (Info & Assistance Line)www.Kalcounty.com/aaa


MICHIGANPICKERSSpellbound by SilhouettesWhile stopping by Tom and Carol Minne’s house to pho-tograph Tom’s bottle opener collection (featured in the February 2014 issue of Spark), I noticed Carol’s large collection of “silhouettes” hanging on the walls. Carol told me she purchased her first silhouette over thirty years ago for ten cents and now has over six hundred. Her rarest is a matching pair that is worth about $150. A few of Carol’s pieces are featured in Shirley Mace’s book, Vintage Silhouettes on Glass and Reverse Paintings. Silhouettes have been around for hun-dreds of years and were originally known as “shades” or “profiles” in Great Britain. The word “silhouette” is derived is named from Étienne de Silhou-ette, a French economist whose friendship with Madame de Pom-padour got him the lofty position of Controller-General of France in 1759. The word was an insult to the bumbling de Silhouette, mocking and comparing him to, what some people felt, was a simple and cheap art form.Later, there were profes-

sional silhouette-painters and cutters. In the mid-19th centu-ry, several artists

patented various machines and devices intended to help with the accuracy or duplication of

silhouettes.I remember seeing an old article

in the Gazette from the 1930’s, announcing a famous silhouette artist coming to Gilmore’s

Dept. Store to do children’s silhouette portraits.Silhouettes have continued on in popular culture and artwork and American artist Kara Walker has developed the use of the silhouette to present racial issues in confronting

images.


FernEnoswasbornonApril10th,1914inAlbion,Indiana.ShemarriedRayEnosandthey lived there until all their children, (Perry, Katie, Mary Lou, and Ike) were born, later moving to Michigan to live with Fern’s sister in Alamo Township.

ThefamilyeventuallymovedtoC.Avenueonan80-acre farm. Fern always had a desire to take care of people so decided to build a nursing home on their property. The men in the family built the original Alamo Nursing Homethatopenedin1955asthefirstindependentfacility in Kalamazoo County that was not located in a family home.

Thenursinghomewasstartedwith13residents.Whena nurse was needed for the facility, Fern and her daugh-ter, Katie went to nursing school to become LPN’s. They both graduated from nursing school at the same time and ran the nursing home together. One of Fern’s hob-by’s was doing ceramics in her spare time so she moved her Kiln to the nursing home and the residents made ceramics. Fern later opened her own ceramic shop on Douglas Avenue in Plainwell and taught ceramic classes there.

When the nursing home needed a beautician, Fern went to school and got her beauty license and opened her own beauty salon behind the nursing home doing the resident’s hair whenever needed.

Inthelate1970’sthefamilydecidedtodevelopsomeof the land adjacent to the nursing home into a family campground around a small lake called Hidden Lake. In the clubhouse it was decided that they would operate a Bingo game once a week for the general public and money raised would be used to purchase equipment for the nursing home and fund the resident council at the nursing home.

Fern ran the nursing home for many years until she felt it was time to retire. She passed

the reins of Administrator to her daughter, Katie who ran the nursing home until she retired in June 2002. At that time Fern’s granddaughter, Patricia Perry had gotten her Administrator’s license and became the third generation Administrator and remains in

that position today.

The three grandchildren are now the current owners with Pat and Jim still living on the property of the origi-nal farm in their own homes.

In2007,withthenursinghomeindustrybecomingmore competitive, the family, including Fern, sat down again and decided to add to the existing building and builta15bedRehabilitationwing.

When Fern wasn’t working, she found time to sew and quilt and made each one of her children, grandchildren and even her great-grandchildren a quilt and made several ceramic dolls sewing all their clothes either by machine or by hand.

Today, she makes her home in her own apartment behind the nursing home and this past April she turned 100yearsold.Justpriortoherbirthdayshesuffereda fall and broke her hip but was determined to walk again and walk the halls of the nursing home on her birthday. She rehabilitated herself and on her birthday she walked arm in arm with her son, Perry and her grandson, Jim in the hallways of the nursing home greeting each resident as she went along. Fern is fully retired now but still fiercely independent. She comes over to the facility every Wednesday to get her hair done and still recognizes many of the employees who work at the nursing home and who she’s trained to work there over the years.

Fern’s a remarkable woman who was ahead of her time, at a time when businesses weren’t owned and operated

by women. She saw a need and answered the call of duty and has left her family with a legacy of caring for others.

Fern Enos100 Years Young!


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Twenty Five years ago, Vicksburg resident, Louise Welling created quite a stir by proclaiming she had seen Elvis shopping in the local Felpausch grocery store. He was wearing a white jumpsuit and a motorcycle helmet. Welling also spotted Elvis driving a red Ferrari at the drive-in window of a local Burger King and at the J.C. Penny store in Crossroads Mall.

Word got out and the World Weekly News ran a cover story with the headline, “Elvis is Alive.” The large cover drawing shows a bald, bearded man of 53, leading a “secret life in Michigan. Reporters descended on Kalamazoo and Vicksburg and the story was covered in the New York Times, New Yorker magazine and many other prominent publications.

The Detroit News sent reporter, Frank DeCaro to the area to check out all of Elvis’s hangouts and to interview Welling. The feature includes big photos of Welling and of Neil Juhl in front of his Flipside Records Store, bear-ing a striking resemblance to the recently revealed, “receding hairline,” Elvis.

Former Vicksburg resident, Sue Hubbell, wrote the best and most in depth story. Hubbell had grown up in Kalamazoo and spent time as a child on a lake near Vicksburg. She had moved away and gone on to write several notable books and has written for New Yorker and the New York Times.

Hubbell’s mother was still living in the area,

andwhenshecametovisitherinthesummerof1989,shedecidedtolookintotheElvis story. Her in depth research and story took up two full pages in the Sunday, October1,1989editionoftheKalamazooGazette.AverylargedrawingbyGazetteillustrator Richard Jordan graces the cover of the section. Jordan is retired from the Gazette but still draws and was featured in a past issue of Spark as the founder of the local Plein Air Artist of West Michigan.

Hubbell met with Louise Welling and interviewed many Vicksburg residents and suspected the whole story may have been an elaborate prank, put on by the guys that hung out every day at Mar-Jo’s restaurant (now Rise and Dine) . She talked to Skip Knowles who is head of the Vicksburg School Board and puts on the Annual Vicksburg Old Car Festival and Ray Kajkowski, a Gobles resident and Elvis impersonator.

I have long suspected that it may have been Kajkowski, a truck driver who had regu-lar stops in Vicksburg, who caused some of the sightings.

While I was at the Kalamazoo Gazette, I once hired Kajkows-ki, to come to one of our sales meetings to liven things up. I told our couple dozen reps in advance, that I was bringing in Kalamazoo’s most famous resident to help inspire them. I had to sneak him up in a freight elevator and hide him in a broom closet until it was time for his performance.

Well, it’s been a quarter century since Elvis came to this area (he actually came one other time in 1977toWingsStadium)butforthe folks that have lived here for a while, the mere mention of Elvis, brings a quick smile and a conver-sation about where you were “The Day Elvis Came to Town.”

When elvisCame to Town


Two cool newer businesses worth stopping into include the Olive Cart (lots of great samples) and the Spice Merchants. I loved this store with all of its vintage “industrial” displays and old freight carts.

Our favorite places to eat include Captain Lou’s (if we are looking for a drink and something quick with great views of boats on the Black River) and the North Side Memories for a great sandwich while out bike riding.

If we have a little more time and are spending the night, we love the pizza at Amicarelli Vineyard Italian Restaurant & Pizza.

Su Casa has been a great addition to South Haven and is a new favorite for their great Mexican Food.

Clementine’s is still a great place to eat as you can tell by the folks waiting out-side for a table.

Over the years, we have stayed may times at the Old Harbor Inn, and then had dinner and a movie at the classic Michigan Theatre. This classic old theatre has very reasonable ticket, popcorn and beverage prices.

A unique place we stayed a few years back is the three-story, Asylum Inn. This isacozyplacedowntownthatwasonceaprivatehospitalinthe1930’s

A few other highlights include Blue Star Junque on Blue Star Highway a few miles north of South Haven (large, crazy, one of a kind antiques spread over a large outdoor area) and stopping for an ice cream cone at Sherman’s Dairy.

South Haven is a great summer beach town, and you will find that most of the businesses stay open in the winter and it makes for a close weekend getaway.

By Steve Ellis

IfirstvisitedSouthHavenin1975whenImovedtothissideofthestatetoattend WMU. South Haven had lost some of its luster from its early days as a major tourist attraction for Chicago folks. It had declined in popularity as the cities up the coast including Saugatuck, Grand Haven, Holland and Ludington continued to grow and attract more tourists.

On the drive over, I would pass the remnants of famous old Jewish resorts on M-43, a few miles east of the lake.

Over the last twenty years or so, most of the old resorts have been torn down and replaced with condos. Many of the classic old Victorian houses are now bed and breakfasts and fun new stores and restaurants now fill downtown.

Jackie and I drove over for the day in late September and had a great time biking along the shore, walking out on the North Pier, and eating and shopping downtown.

Some of our favorite stops include the Black River Book Store (one of the best used and rare bookstores in the state), Murphy’s Antique Mall (lots of great funky stuff to decorate your cottage), The GoldenBrownBakery(greatbakedgoodssince1938),McDonaldsDrugsandRenaissance & Papyrus -a great old two story building full of cool women’s clothes, jewelry, home decor and books.

Tales roadfromthe

~ south haven, mi ~


Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes is the largest charita-ble food distribution organization in SW Michigan.

Area Musicians include The Winsome Hags, Cre-scendo Fiddlers, Third Coast Ensemble, The Sod Busters, Franklin, Meade and Webster and Joel Co-burn. They will perform a variety of folk music with a kick of bluegrass in this family friendly venue.

Admission is a free will donation of non-perishable food items such as canned meat, tuna and peanut butter. Cash donations also welcome.

K’zoo Folklife Organization began the benefit con-certsin1997,andhasraisedover10,000poundsof food and thousands in cash donations to help Kalamazoo County families supplement limited food resources. Area musicians continue to donate their talents to make the concerts possible.

ForconcertinformationcallJuneKucks269-649-4529oremailarchival39@aol.com

17th Annual Loaves and Fishes Benefit ConcertSaturday, November 22, 2014

Concert 6:30pm - Doors Open 6:00pm.

Trinity Lutheran Church,

504 S Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo


SPECIAL EVENTS Art Hop, Nov 7, Downtown KalamazooKalamazoo Farmers Market, Sat 7am-2pmKalamazoo Indoor Flea & Farmers Mkt- Kal County Expo Center, Every Tue & Wed.Kalamazoo Holiday Parade, Nov 15, Downtown Kal-amazoo22nd Annual Holiday Art Sale, Sat Nov 1, 9am-3pm, Prudential Nursery-Vicksburg 649-161017th Annual Christmas Boutique Arts & Crafts Show-Nov 1, 9am-3pm, Kal county Expo CenterKalamazoo Dance, The Point Community Center, Ball-room Dancing Nov 15 344-5752 for detailsKalamazoo Numismatic Club Annual Coin Show,Nov 1, 9am-3pm Kal County Expo CenterKalamazoo County Advocates for Senior Issues, “Know your Medicare Rights” Nov 17, 1:15-2:45pm, Se-nior Services BldgHoliday Expo & Craft Show - Nov 15th 9am-4pm Kal-amazoo County Expo CenterHoliday Art Sale, Nov 22-24, Kalamazoo County Expo Center 873-0537Kalamazoo Jaycees Holiday Vendor Fair, Nov 2, 2pm-5pn, Bronson Athletic Club, $5Holiday Hop-10am-4pm, various Mattawan, Texas Corners, Mattawan, Paw Paw and Almena business locations 668-5186 for detailsRomeo & Juliet, Balch Playhouse, K College, Nov 6-9, 337-7333Grand Ole Music, Parish Theatre, Nov 14-22, 343-131360th Circus Maximus Antique Toy show, Nov 29, Kal County Expo Center, 9am-2pm, chargeKalamazoo During the Civil War, Kalamazoo Valley Museum-Tom Dietz, Nov 16, 1:30pm-2:30pmKalamazoo in “Real” photos-Kalamazoo Public Li-brary-Oshtemo Branch, Nov 18, 6:30pmHair, Nov 14-23, The University Theatre, WMU, 387-622219th Annual Kalamazoo Russian Festival, WMU Fetzer Center, Nov 15, 9am-5:30pm, 269 317-9491Warren Millers “No Turning Back, State Theatre, Nov 21-22Fontana Presents the Vienna Boys Choir, Nov 30, 3pm-5pm Chenery Auditorium,. 382-7774People’s Church Holiday Bazaar & Fine Art Sale, Nov 22, 9am - 3pm. 375-3262 for infoHoliday Bazaar and Luncheon, Nov 14-15 9am-2pm, Ladies Library Assn, 344-0158Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at WMU-Trip to Frankenmuth, Nov 18, 387-4200 for detailsKalamazoo College Football vs Trine, Nov 1, 1pmKalamazoo College Football vs Adrian, Nov 8 1pmWMU Football vs EMU , Nov 15 TBAWMU vs Northern Ill Nov 28, TBA

YMCA OF GREATERKALAMAZOO1001 W. Maple St., 269-345-9622Blood Pressure Clinics: Tues, Nov 4, 3p-5p, Wed, Nov 19, 11am-1:30pm, Fri, Nov 14, 10am-12pm, Diabetes Support Group, Monday, Nov 17, 1:30p-2:30p. Learn information about living with diabetes, exchange recipes, and meet new friends Chapel“Y” Book Read Group, Fri, Nov 21, 1:30-3pm, , “Major Pettigrew’s Last stand by Helen Simonson. ChapelSilverSneakers Yoga (formerly YogaStretch), Wed. 9:30am-10:30am. Members free/ $30 Community.SilverSneakers Classic (formerly Muscular Strength and Range of Movement), T/Th 11a-12p. Members free/ $58 Community. SilverSneakers Splash (formerly SilverSplash), M/W/TH 3p-4p. Members free/ $87 Community, 2 times a week, $75 Community. Tai Chi for Arthritis, T/TH 10a-11a, $32 Mbr/$48 Com-munity. Instr: Glenda Van Stratton. 345-9622 x127.SilverSneakers Circuit (formerly CardioCircuit), M/W 11a-12p, Members free/$58 CommunitySilverSneakers Cardio (formerly CardioFit) New class, T/Th, 1:30p-2:30p Members free/$58 CommunityDrums Alive, Wed-3-5pm, Members Free/$45 Com-munityZumba Gold, Fri 1:30-2:20pm, Members free, $42 Community

YMCA OF GREATERKALAMAZOO Portage Branch 2900 West Centre Ave., 269-324-9622Blood Pressure Clinics, Nov 4, 10:30a-12:30p. YogaStretch, Friday 11:45a-12:30p Members Free, Community $23.Muscular Strength and Range of Movement, Monday 1p-2p, Members Free, Community $30, Wednesday/Friday 10:30a-11:30p, Members Free/ $60 Community Soothing Yoga, Friday 9:30a-10:30a, Members $27, Community $42

COMSTOCKCOMMUNITY CENTER269-345-8556Bell Ringer’s Choir: Mon,10am-12pm. All levels of skill Free.Bingo: Every Thursday at 1pm. Bring a $1.00 value item in a paper sack. Free.Bridge: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month, 1pm. This is a group of experienced players. 324-2404 to sign up to play. 50 cents to play. Ceramics: Tues, 1-3pm, $5 per week includes suppliesConversation Cafe: Every Tues, Wed, Thur. at 11:30am. Enjoy a home cooked meal. Call by noon the day be-fore to order. Cost is $5 and includes beverage. Exercise: Tues & Thur, 10:30-11:30am. Low impact ex-ercises and all levels welcome. Cost is $2 per class.Foot Care Clinic: 2nd Monday of the month. Please call 345-8556 to make an appt. Cost is $25 per visit. Knitting and Crocheting: Every Mon and Wed, 1-3pm, FREELine Dance: Wednesdays at 9-10:30am. Cost is $2.Massage: Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s by appoint-ment only. Cost is $20 for 1/2 hour and $40 for hour.Mystery Lunch: 3rd Wednesday of month, 11am-3pm. Must be able to walk. Call to register. Cost is $3 and lunch cost in on your own.Out to Breakfast: 8:30am. Meal cost is on your own. Nov 18 @, Scooter D’s in ParchmentOut to Lunch: 11:30am. Lunch cost is on your own. Nov 28, Bennigan’s on Gull Rd Potluck: 3rd Monday of each month at noon. Bring a dish to pass and your own tableware. Free.Stay Independent-Prevent Memory Loss: 3rd Mon. of month, 1-2pm. Different memory loss topic each month $5.Tai Chi, Mondays at 5:30pm-6:30pm $5Texas Hold ‘em Poker: Tuesdays at 12:30 pm. Begin-ner’s welcome. Free. Therapeutic Swim Class: Comstock Community Cen-ter Water Class‚ meets every Tues and Thur from 10-11am. (269) 552-2358. Cost is $40 for 8 week class. TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly): Every Tuesday 5pm-7pm. 383-0312. Membership is $26 annually.Walking Group, Every Mon & Wed 9-10am, Meet at the Center at 9:45, $5Zumba: Thursday’s, 6:30-7:30pm. $3Thanksgiving Lunch: Nov 20, 11:30am-1pm. $6Casino Excursion, Nov 23, 9am-4:30pm, $35Out to Dinner Excursion, Nov 10, 4-7pm, Craftsman Chop Co, $5, meal on your ownSynchronized Ice Skating Competition Excursion: Nov 22, 12:30-3:30pm. Turkeyville Lunch Theatre Excursion: November 7, 11am-4:30pm.

ECUMENICAL SENIOR CENTER702 N. Burdick Street, 381-9750Monday - Exercise, Free Blood pressure 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Bible Study 1 to 2 p.m.Tuesday – Craft (knitting) Ceramic Class Instructor: Tina Krum Cost $4.00 per classTrip to Beauty School – 3rd Tuesdays of each monthWednesday– Bible Study 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Medicine Check 12:30 p.m. - Book ReadingThursday – Scrapbooking 10:00, Spanish Class, (six week class) and Community Prayer Circle @ 2p.m.Friday – Computer classes @10:00, Bingo @ 10:30 a.m. Lunch 12:00; 1:30 p.m. - Wii Bowling, games, and movies.

Grocery Bingo- 2nd Friday in each month Monthly Birthday Celebration, Bible Study Monday - 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Wed. 10:30 to 11:30

PLAINWELL Euchre-Tuesdays 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. singles or couples.Tai Chi M 3-4 pm $Senior Game Day 1st Th of Month 1-4pmMid Lake Chorus Tuesdays 6-9pmVFW 1st Monday of month 7-9pmEnhance Fitness Mon, Wed, Fri, 1-2pm Jazzercise M 6:15-7:15pm & T & Th 6-7pm $

PORTAGE SENIOR CENTER269-329-4555Annual Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale featuring PSC Soup Café. Open to the Public. Sat, Novr 8, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM.Alzheimer’s Assoc. Support Group, 7-8:30pm 3rd TuesArt Open Session, 1:00 p.m., Mon, PSC Members only.Bid Euchre & Other Cards, 6:30 p.m. Tues. New players welcome. PSC members only.Big Screen Movie: Monday, Nov 10 1:15 p.m. “Old Fashioned Thanksgiving”. View the movie for free; popcorn 50 cents.Bike Club (PSC), Wed, 8:30am, May-OctBilliards – 12:30 – 4:45 p.m., Tue, Thur, Fri. Mem only.Blood Pressure Clinic, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., 2nd ThurBody Rebound, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Mon, Wed, & Fri all month. Non-aerobic exercise class. 8-weeks: $42/$52 non-mem. Register at PSC. Book Club, 2nd Monday @ 10:00 a.m.Bridge – Relaxed Pace, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Mon and Wed all month. Relaxed pace, won’t you join our group? PSC members only.Bridge, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Tues and Fri all month. Expe-rienced players welcome. PSC Members only.Canasta Club, 1:00 p.m., Mon. Exp and beginning play-ers welcome. Lessons available. PSC Mbrs only.Chair Volleyball Drop-in Play: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Tues The PSC offers free, drop-in play come and try it out. PSC Members only.Choir Practice, 9:30 a.m. Thurs, Community Service Van (CSV) Program Transporta-tion, 8:30 – 1:00 p.m., Mon - Fri. Trans. available for PSC programs or PSC lunch. Call 329-4555 for apptmtComputer Tutoring: Gordon H., 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, Fri Reg at PSC, members only. Fee $10/hr.Cribbage, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Mon, no fee. You’re wel-come to join our group. PSC Members only.Dining Out Club - Dinner, 5:00 p.m. Mon, Nov 3, Olive Garden, 6700 S. Westnedge. Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reg PSC 329-4555 by prev bus day is required. Self-pay.Dining Out Club - Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. Tue, Nov 11, Grand Traverse Pie co, 5303 S. Westnedge Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reservation at PSC 329-4555 by prev bus day is required. Self-pay.Dining Out Club -Lunch, 11:30 a.m. Thur, Nov 20, the Vault, 110 W. Praire, Vicksburg, Hosted by Hal & Shirley Ray. Advance reserv at PSC 329-4555 by previous bus day is required. Self-pay.Dominoes, 1:00 p.m. 2nd and 4th Fri. New players welcome. PSC members only.Enhance Fitness, 8:10 – 9:10 a.m., Mon, Wed, and Fri. Improve fitness, muscle strength, & balance. 8-week: $42/$52 non-member, . Register at the PSC. Euchre, 1:45- 4:45 p.m. Wednesdays. New PSC mem-bers/players welcome.Foot Clinic, 12:15 – 4:00 p.m. Thur by appointmentGarden Pals, volunteer to help beautify the Gardens at PSC. Call 329-4555 for more information.Grocery Bingo, Monday, November 8, 1:15 PM, Free to members ($5 non-members) Register at PSC.Hand Chimes, Thursdays, 1:00 p.m. (hand chimes pro-vided)Laptop Intro to Office, 10:00 – noon, Wed. 7 weeks. Instructor Royce Bland teaches a class designed for those with basic working knowledge who would like to learn how to utilize Microsoft Office $24/Members only. Register at PSC.Loaves & Fishes Bag Recycling – Bring your plastic & paper bags to the Center the first week of the month.

Lunch, 11:45 a.m. (Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri) Reserva-tions required, call Senior Services at 382-0515. Mah Jongg, 1 p.m. Tues. New PSC members welcome.New Member Orientation, Thursday, November 13, 10:30 AM, Register at 329-4555.Old Stores & Businesses Presentation by Steve Ellis, Thursday, November 6, 2:00 PM, register at 329-4555.Ping-Pong, 3:30 – 4:45 p.m., Mon and Thur. Have fun and exercise at this drop-in event. Equipment pro-vided. Members only.Pinochle Double Deck, 1:00 p.m., Friday (1st, 3rd, 5th). PSC Members only.Pinochle Single Deck, 1:00 p.m. Thur, PSC mbrs only.Poker Night – Just for Fun, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. on 2nd Tuesday. Free. Dealer’s choice poker game, call PSC for more information. PSC Members only.Portage Rotary, Noon on Wed.PSC Band Practice, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., Tues. New play-ers welcome! For schedule or more info call 329-4555. PSC Members only.PSC Needlers, 9:00 a.m. – 12 Noon, Thursdays. Knitting and crocheting. Items made are donated to charities. New needlers welcome.PSC Trip Office, open for res (324-9239), Tues and Fri, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Quilting, 1:00-4:00p.m., Fri all month. Bring quilting supplies. New quilters welcome.Readers’ Theatre, 2nd and 4th Wed ,Recycled Card Project, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Tues. New PSC participants welcome, members only. Make new greeting cards from used cards. Red Hat Society, if you are interested in joining this group, contact Marie Tucker at 375-2104.Reminiscence Writing, 10:30 a.m. Wed Write and share essays/poems, family history, travels, etc In-structor: Wilma Kahn, MFA, DA. 7 wks, Fee: $32/$42 non-member, register at PSC. Scrabble, 1:00 to 4:45 p.m. 1st and 3rd Frid. New members welcome.Silver Sneakers Splash, 11:00 – 12 noon. Tues and Thurs. Aquatics based exercise program held at YMCA Portage, designed to build strength, increase range of movement. Fee: Pay at YMCA Portage, $60/7 wks. PSC or “Y” Members only. Sisterhood Group, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., 2nd Fridays. Sisterhood is a women’s social group that meets the second Friday of each month. Welcome new “sisters”. Stay Independent – Prevent Memory Loss, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., 2nd Thursday. Instr: Suzanne Gernaat, fee $7/$9 non-member per ses. A discussion/activity groupT’ai Ji, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., Tues. Instructor, Ed Kehoe, 7-weeks. Fee: $42/$52 non-member. Reg. at the PSC. Thanksgiving Lunch, November 20, 11:45 AM, $1 regis-tration fee at PSC. Senior Services lunch $3.Three C’s: Coffee · Cards · Conversation, 2:00 p.m., 1st and 3rd Saturday. Bring a snack to pass. Information: 329-4555. Members welcome.Walkers with Walkers, 9:30 a.m. Crossroads Mall Tues. and Thurs. PSC Members only.Walking - Daily, 8:30 a.m., Mon – Sat at Crossroads Mall, Food Court entrance.Wii Bowling, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Tues. Have fun with this video game bowling league without spending $$ at an alley. PSC Members only.Woodcarving, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Tues. PSC member’s free/non-members $3.00/wk.Yoga, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Mon. 8 weeks. Christine Peck-els, Location: St. Catherine’s of Siena – Stanley Center. $72/82Non-members.Zumba Gold, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Mon, 8 weeks. Instructor, Gretchen Pouliot, $26/$36 Non-members.

SENIOR SERVICES OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN269-382-0515Lunch M-W at 11:45am. Reservations must be made by noon, one day in advance. 382-0515. Bingo: Mon. Bingo Nov 3 & 17, 11:00-NoonMedicare Medicaid Assistance Program: Mon-Fri, call 1-800-803-7174 for appt.Massage: Relieve stress and promote relaxation with State Licensed graduate of Health Enrichment Center; therapist Eugenia Muller, bringing 21 years of experi-ence. Mon. 9:00am-4:00pm-30 minutes for $15. call 269-382-0515 to schedule your apt.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR


“Swinging with Susan” Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, M & W, ALL fitness levels. 10:00am-11:00am. Susan Iervolina. $30/7wks (14 classes)TOPS for Seniors. Mon. Lose weight with support and encouragement ($3 per month) 12:00-2:30pm Ballroom Dance. MON. (basic and intermediate) $25/8 weeks. 3:15-4:45pmChair Yoga: W/Leslie Neuman. Balance your mind and your body. Tue. 9:30-10:30am Voluntary contribution of $5.00Art Painting. Tue. Bring your own supplies and enjoy the fellowship. No fee. 9:30-11:30am TimeSteppers. Senior tap class with Sue Forrester. Be-ginners welcome. Tue 1:30-2:30, Thurs. 9:30-10:30amHelping Hands. Tue Nov 11 & 25 Knit/crochet items to distribute to community agencies. 1:00pm-4:00pmGrief Support: Counselor available for support. Weds. 10:30 am-11:30 am. Call for dates 382-0515Visually Impaired Group. WED (Nov 5 & 19) Support for the visually impaired. 10:30am-12:00pm Senior Foot Clinic, Wed ($25, & bring bath towel). 344-4410 for appt. 10:30am-4:00pmGrief Support: Counselor available for support. Weds. 10:30 am-11:30 am. Call for datesTai Chi w/instructor Ed Kehoe. $5/week, 1:30pm-2:30pmIntermediate/Advanced Ballroom Dance. W 3:15-4:45pm Don and Ann Douglass instruct advanced steps of this popular dance style. $25/8 weeksBridge Experienced Players TH 12:30-4:00pm Line Dance Fri 10:00-11:00am . Susan Iervolina leads this advanced class. $35/7weeks.Prime Time Players Rehearsal. Talented seniors per-form for the community. –Fri. 1:30pm-3:00pm City Dance: ($5.00 per person) Entertainment Fri. (Oct 17) 6:00-7:30pm

RICHLAND AREA COMMUNITY CENTER629-9430 Book Club: 3rd Thur., 9:30am Bridge: Mon., 12:30-3:30pmDrop-In Coffee Hour: Tue./Thur., 9:30-10:30amEuchre: Wed., 12:30-3:30pmFoot Clinic: Bi-monthly, 4th Tue, call for appt., Kath-leen Barnum, 671.5427GL Rotary: Thur., 7:30-8:30amKindermusik: Fri., 9:30-10:15Hand & Foot (cards): Wed., 1:00-3:30Knitting for Charity: Nov. 16, 1:30-4:30 pm Laurels Lunch & Learn: 2nd Thur., 11:30am-12:30pmPainted Lady Studios Art Class: Wed. 9am-Noon, $30 (call first)PAF: 2nd Tue., 5:30pmSenior Ballroom Dance: 3rd Sun., 2-5pmSenior Dining Coupons: Tue. 9am-1pm, Wed. 9am-5pmSquare Dance: beginning Sept., 3rd Sat., 7:30-10am“Swingin’ with Susan” Exercise (sponsored by Lau-rels of Galesburg): Tue./Thur., 10:30-11:30am, $3 per classYoga-Gentle w/Cathy Tucci: Tue./Thur., 10:15-11:15am, (sliding fee—age 49 & under, $10/age50-59, $8/age 60-69, $6/Age 70 & above, $3. Buy 10 classes, get the 11th free.) Yoga w/Sherry King: Mon., Noon-1pm, Wed, 9:45-10:4am, $10 per sessionWIN: 3rd Mon., 5:30-8:00Fall Events and Classes:KIA: A Basic Watercolor Experience, Nov. 2, 1-4pm, Members-$45, Non-MembersKIA: Copper Bracelets in an Evening, Nov. 10, 6-8:30pm, Members-$45, Non-Members-$65West Michigan Glass Art Center: Fire Up Glass Art Class, Weds. 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 6-8pm, $110Deco Mesh Wreath Class with Betty Miller, Nov. 11, 6-8pm, $15Holiday Bazaar, Nov. 22, 7:30am-3pm

SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES Weekly Fitness classes, Out-to-eat, Matter of Balance Class, Line Dancing Class, Tai Chi, flu shot Clinics 649-2901 for info

THREE RIVERSSENIOR CENTERPhotography, Calligraphy, Polymer Clay Beading, Open Art Studio, Bridge Club, Hooping, Arthritis Ex-ercise, Balance Exercise, Bingo, bunco, Book Club, Breakfast club, massage, hair cuts, computer classes, wifi, wii. Call the COA for dates and times at 269 279-8083.

PLAN YOUR TRIPPortage Senior Center 324-9239HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER, November 6, Farm-ington Hills. SHIPSHEWANA CHRISTMAS PARADE, November 8,TROPICAL COSTA RICA, November 3-11. “CAMELOT”, November 20, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. ZEHNDER’S HOLIDAY SHOW, December 1, Franken-muth. CHRISTMAS WITH THE OAK RIDGE BOYS, December 6, ShipshewanaBETHLEHEM’S TOWER, A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT, De-cember 13, Lake Zurich, Illinois. A BRANSON CHRISTMAS, December 1 – 5, Branson, Missouri

Richland Area Community Center629.9430Pre-Christmas Shopping at Woodfield Mall, Nov. 15, $63Branson Christmas, Dec. 1-5, $929/pp dbl occ.

Comstock Community Center345-8556Fireside Christmas and More, WI, Nov 20-21, $320Christmastime in Chicago, Saturdays, Nov 29 and Dec 6, $41A Branson Christmas, Dec 1-5, $929Rose Parade New Year’s, Dec 30-Jan 4, 2015, $2,399 pp/dbl, includes airfare“I Love Lucy” Live on Stage, Wharton Center, MSU, Sunday, Feb 15, $75

KALAMAZOO COUNTY MEAL SITESNutritious hot lunches are served by Senior Services Inc. to people 60 and older at Kalamazoo County meal sites. To reserve a lunch, call the Nutrition Center at 269-382-0515 by 1 p.m. the day before you plan to visit. A cost-sharing donation is suggested for each lunch. Here are the meal sites, their addresses and the days they are open:Coover Center, 918 Jasper St., 11:45 a.m. Mon-Wed.Crossroads Village, 6600 Constitution Blvd., 11:30 a.m. Mon-Fri.Dillon Hall, 3299 Gull Rd, 11:30 a.m. Mon-FriEcumenical Senior Center, 702 N. Burdick St., 11:45 a.m. Mon-Fri.Evergreen Community Room, Evergreen North Com-plex, 5700 Vintage Lane, noon Mon-Fri.Northwind Place Apartments, 1004 Douglas Ave., noon Mon-Fri.Portage Senior Center, 320 Library Lane, 11:45 a.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.Spring Manor Friendship Center, Spring Manor Apts, 610 Mall Drive, Portage, noon, Mon-Fri.Spring Valley Crossing, 2535 Mount Olivet Road, Parchment, noon Mondays-Fridays.Washington Square Friendship Center, Washington Square Apartments, 710 Collins St., noon. Mon-Fri.

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY MEAL SITESThe St. Joseph County Commission on Aging helps co-ordinate lunches for people age 60 and older at three meal sites and 11 participating restaurants.Call 800-641-9899 or 269-279-8083 for information on how to make reservations, which are required by 10 a.m. the day before you plan to visit. A cost-sharing contribution of $2 at meal sites and $3.50 for restau-rant vouchers is requested for each lunch.Meal sites, their location and the days they are open are:Kline’s Resort Meal Site: Fridays Noon-1:00p.m.Sturgis Senior Center, 304 N. Jefferson St., Mon-Fri.Three Rivers Senior Center, 103 S. Douglas Ave., M-F.

New Residents Welcome!Crosstown Parkway Senior Apartments

550 W. Crosstown Pkwy. Kalamazoo 344-3968Professionally Managed by Medallion Management, Inc.

TTY 800-649-3777

Apartments- Immediate Occupancy- 1 Bedroom Apartments for 62 years and up. - Gas and electric included. - New countertops and oak cabinets, plus new appliances.- Rent based on 30% of income.- In-house medical alert system. Community Health Directions services on site. - Small Pets welcome with deposit.- Free heat

RENT BASEDON INCOME

Ale HouseAndreas CaféAndreas Café and PizzaApple KnockersA Tai CaféBella CreameryBig Burrito Bilbo’sBlue DolphinBuddha’s BellyColdstone CreameryCornerview Cafe

Derks RestaurantFood StreetGreat Harvest BreadJersey Giant SubsJulianna’sLiz’s Parkview CaféLondon GrillLouie’s GrillLost Raven Mancino’s PlainwellMancino’s-MattawanMatt & Mikes Eatery

MexicalliMichelle’sMichelle’s-Romence Nancy’s KitchenNina’s Cafe Niskers Papa Pete’sQueen’s CupboardRed’s GrillScooter D’sSmashburgerSpice & Rice

Sports ForumStudio GrillSugar BearTim Horton’s TJ’s Pour HouseTotally Brewed CafeTreat StreetYO’PA Frozen Yogurt

AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 4 AT:Home Builders Assn.of Greater Kalamazoo Office

5700 W. Michigan (Off Stadium Drive, just west of 131, behind Bob & Kays

Auto Wash). Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

IMPORTANT DINING CARD RULES:Present your Spark Dining Booklet to receive one complimentary main entreé with purchase of one other main entreé of equal or greater value. Offer does not include beverages, appetizers, desserts or other à la carte menu items. Offer is not good for take-out orders, unless restaurant is take-out only. You may use the card at each restaurant only once. Spark Dining Club Booklets are not valid on these holidays: New Year’s Eve/Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, July Fourth, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Spark Dining Club Cards are not good with any other offers, coupons or discounts, all-you-can-eat specials or senior discounts. Suggested tipping should equal 15 to 20% of total BEFORE discount. Please call for reservations. Dining Club offers expire Nov. 30, 2015. Spark is not responsible for lost or stolen cards. No refunds or replacements given.

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Spark November 2014