 Photo by Russ Tindall, ProPhoto Image
This year’s Deb Emerick Summer Celebration of Music, honoring the memory of a beloved Fremont artist and musician, will again feature an impressive and diverse collection of Newaygo County talent. The concert is scheduled for Tuesday evening, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Dogwood Center for the Performing Arts. Admission will be free, with donations going to the Newaygo County Compassion Home, a community-supported non-profit that provides free end-of-life care for local people. An anonymous donor recently offered to match any donations that come in for the Compassion Home, up to $20,000. Concert impresario Dean Morehouse said that donations toward the $20,000 match will be accepted before, during and for a few days after the show. Like last year’s show, this year’s event will include the Braunschweiger Blues Band and the Outhouse Band. Deb Emerick’s son Tracy Veenstra and her brother Dan Price will again perform as a guitar and vocal duet, and Deb’s husband, local Entertainment Utility Man Mat Emerick, will do some clowning or juggling or both. Internationally acclaimed mandolin virtuoso Brian Oberlin of Rockford will play and sing, as will The Vandenberg Family of Grant and Mick Hanna of Fremont. Solo vocalist Jean Howarth of Croton and pianist Bernadine Johnson will perform, and Frank Sinatra devotees Miguel Escobedo and Luis Gomez of Hesperia will return for more crooning. Newaygo County Compassion Home Executive Director Diane Rudholm said that, since welcoming the first guest to a small house in White Cloud in July of 2018, the non-profit Compassion Home has served 347 guests and their families. The home served 88 guests in White Cloud and then moved into its current building in March of 2021. The former dental office at 20 S. Stewart Ave., remodeled into a roomy, quiet and comfortable home, offers four guest rooms and a room that is used primarily for five-day respite care. The free round-the-clock care is provided by dedicated paid staff members, with help from local volunteers. “Without the staff,” Rudholm said, “we couldn’t do what we do. They’re in it for the right reasons. They have great hearts.” Volunteers help with patient and family support, maintenance, special events, grant-writing, advisory committees and other work Rudholm’s files are full of expressions of thanks from families whose loved ones have been guests of the home. “The Newaygo County Compassion Home is the epitome of community caring for community,” said the wife of a recent guest. “I cannot imagine having gone through this experience without their support, wisdom and compassion.” Nurse Ann Hindes and colleagues Amy Drilling and Brandee Chase saw the need for the Compassion Home and began working to see it become a reality. People like Dr. Douglas Johnson, the current president of the Compassion Home’s board, helped make it happen. The Compassion Home does not replace hospice care. It works with several hospice care providers, and placement in the home is a collaboration between clients, hospice agencies and the Compassion Home. More information about the Newaygo County Compassion Home is available online at newaygocountycompassionhome.org. To take advantage of the $20,000 matching offer, supporters can donate directly to Newaygo County Compassion Home online or by check, including a note mentioning the Summer Celebration of Music. Donations to the home will also be accepted at the Aug. 13 event. Deb Emerick, whose art-filled life was cut short by a brain tumor last year, left behind a colorful collection of artwork, including a multitude of mosaic pieces displayed around the Fremont area. She taught art in the community for many years, injected artistry into her devoted church ministry, performed extensively as a musician and singer, and co-founded the Outhouse Band. She and her husband, Mat Emerick, performed together as The Patchwork Pear
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 Ted Yoder, known for his groundbreaking and innovative approach to the hammered dulcimer and widely recognized as the “Bela Fleck of the hammered dulcimer,” will perform in the Dogwood Center Black Box on Friday, August 2 at 7:30 p.m. Yoder gained widespread attention when his hammered dulcimer cover of Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" became a viral sensation on Facebook, amassing over 100 million views. Yoder has redefined what's possible with the hammered dulcimer. His original compositions blend rock 'n roll sensibilities and unmistakable innovation, creating deeply moving and joyous music. He has won the title of National Hammered Dulcimer Champion, performed on NPR radio, opened for Jake Shimabukuro, performed at Busch Gardens, and the historic WGN radio in Chicago. Ted’s unwavering dedication to his craft has also led him to release 10 albums, perform at Busch Gardens, travel to a Brazilian island, and stage concerts in 40 of the 50 states. Join us for a great night in the Dogwood Black Box! Tickets are $15.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line by clicking here. Beer and wine will be available at a cash bar. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.  Clubhouse Arcade operator Alex Harmon working the flippers and avoiding the drain  Clubhouse Arcade’s annual tourney to honor Rich Tanis By Zoe Wilbur Just outside downtown Fremont lies Clubhouse Arcade, hosting over 100 pinball, arcade, and redemption machines. Every year, the arcade hosts a large charity pinball tournament during the National Baby Food Festival (NBFF). This year the tournament is a fundraiser for the American Heart Association in memory of a wonderful family member and friend, Rich Tanis. In March 2023, our cousin Rich passed away unexpectedly due to a heart attack, leaving behind many loving family members and friends. It was a deep loss for all those who knew Rich, because to know him was to love him. He was the life of the party, and a man who treated everyone he met like family. Rich was a huge supporter of Clubhouse Arcade’s charity pinball tournaments and when the tournaments were held downtown, he spent hours canvasing around town encouraging folks to come check us out. This is why we have chosen to hold a memorial pinball tournament in honor of Rich. “The reason we love to hold charity pinball tournaments is because not only do we get to support causes we care about, but they tend to be more approachable for both new and seasoned players,” commented arcade operator, Alex Harmon. “We like to create a friendly tournament atmosphere that everyone feels comfortable playing in, whether this is your first time hitting the flipper buttons or your 1,000th – it doesn’t matter to us, we just want you to have a good time while supporting a good cause.” And that is truly what this event is all about - coming together to have fun, just as Rich would have wanted. The fun will begin on Tuesday, June 16 (4:00pm-9:00pm), and continue Thursday, July 18 (1:00pm-9:00pm), Friday, July 19 (1:00pm-9:00pm), and Saturday, July 20 (1:00pm-9:00pm). Each day there will be multiple pinball tournaments that folks can enter including: a Thursday Daily tournament (with finals on Thursday at 7:30pm), a Friday Daily tournament (with finals on Friday at 7:30pm), a John Wick Launch Party (with finals on Saturday at 8:00pm), a Main Division tournament, and a Classics Division tournament. To enter a tournament, all you must do is submit scores on the selected machines – and just by doing so you will become a world ranked pinball player! How about that for a fun thing to brag about? If you catch the bug and want to participate in the Main or Classics Division tournaments finals, they will be held on Sunday, July 21 at 1:00pm (arcade opens at 10:00am for tournament players only). As an added incentive, Ameriprise Financial, office of Phil Harmon, Zoe Wilbur & Trey Schuiteman in Fremont, has committed to donating $10 for every person who successfully enters the Main and/or Classics Division tournaments. So, bring a friend and help us rack up the donations! In addition to pinball tournaments, Clubhouse Arcade also invites you to come on down and play “The Price is Right” Plinko. The large-scale version of Plinko will be available to be played during all open hours of the event – first play is FREE and each additional play is $5, with proceeds being donated to the American Heart Association in memory of Rich Tanis. Everyone who plays is a winner, and when you hit the 100, 200, 300, or 500, you will receive raffle tickets to enter to win one of the grand prize baskets! Local Fremont businesses have donated awesome prizes and each basket is valued at $50+. The arcade will also be open for regular game play. You do not have to participate in the tournaments or Plinko to come out and have a good time! With over 100 machines to be played, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy. The cost to play, whether regular game play or tournament play (or both!), is a suggested donation of $5+. All proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association in memory of Rich Tanis. There is no doubt Rich knew how to have a good time wherever he went and whatever he was doing, so we hope to honor him by having an enjoyable and successful event. We hope you will come out and join us at the Rich Tanis Pinball Tournaments where folks of all ages and skill levels are welcome and encouraged to participate! Clubhouse Arcade is located at 7020 W. 48th Street, Fremont, Michigan. The arcade is open to the public most Tuesdays (4:00pm-9:00pm), Fridays (1:00pm-9:00pm), and Saturdays (1:00pm-9:00pm). The arcade is also available to be privately rented for parties and events. Be sure to check out Clubhouse Arcade on Facebook for any changes to these hours or to contact a staff member with questions.   NBFF Grand Parade 2024 welcomes George Lessens as Grand Marshall!
The 33rd Annual National Baby Food Festival announces this year’s Grand Marshall for the Grand Parade will be Meteorologist George Lessens. Help us welcome George to the National Baby Food Festival! The grand parade will step off Saturday, July 20 at 10:30 am from the Fremont Middle School. George Lessens began his career at 13 ON YOUR SIDE in 1980 as weekend meteorologist and became Chief Meteorologist in July 2001. In October 2007, he became the longest-tenured meteorologist at any single West Michigan TV station: 26-years, 11-months. George has been passionate about weather ever since the 1965 Palm Sunday tornadoes hit West Michigan. He grew up in Lowell, Mich. and formed a weather club as a youth to scan the skies for storms and tornadoes. Although he has never seen a tornado, he has been inside the damage paths of many of these storms. Over the years, George has provided weather forecasts for many West Michigan radio stations, agricultural weather forecasts for West Michigan farmers and numerous ski resort forecasts George edited a weekly weather column for the Advance Newspapers, enlightening readers with his vast knowledge of West Michigan weather trivia, facts and folklore. George is a member of the American Meteorology Society (AMS) and holds its highest seal of approval as a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM.) In his spare time, George loves working with computers, gardening and landscaping around his home. He lives in East Grand Rapids with his wife, Sherry. Watch George Lessens weekdays at 5, 6 and 11 p.m. You can email George at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Thank you to our parade sponsors – Gerber Life Insurance Co and Gerber Products Company. The parade route begins at the corner of Pine Street and Gerber Avenue at the Fremont Middle School, then heads north on Gerber Avenue to Sheridan Street, and continues east on Sheridan Street to Division, then heads south on Division, ending at Cedar Street. For more information on the National Baby Food Festival, visit www.fremontcommerce.com or stop at your local Fremont businesses for a schedule of events. |
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