 Shelly Johnson, Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial chief operating officer, welcomes volunteers at a Gerber Memorial picnic to thank its volunteers. Rainy day, clouds don’t dampen Gerber Memorial celebration of its volunteers at Fremont Lake picnic FREMONT – A stormy Wednesday morning and grey clouds didn’t dampen the festive mood at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial’s volunteer picnic, a celebration of thanks for the volunteers who help in just about every corner of the hospital. Currently more than 190 volunteers, recognizable in their purple coats, staff everything from the valet service at the front door to the Gift Shop located on the way to the Sullivan Street cafeteria to roving ambassadors who deliver beverages and help make patients and visitors more comfortable at the hospital. Ruth Rottier, who’s been volunteering since December 2017, said volunteering is both a way to help locally and to enjoy the company of others at the same time. A Fremont resident, Rottier volunteers in the Gift Shop every other week. She said she decided to become a volunteer when others encouraged her to do so. “I like to promote the special. I sell a lot of stuff. And I get to talk to a lot of people,” said Rottier, who used to run a concession trailer and went to horse shows twice a month, in places like Midland and Big Rapids. The picnic kicked off with Gerber Memorial Chief Operating Officer Shelly Johnson welcoming the volunteers and introducing new Volunteer Coordinator Amy Grunow and new Gift Shop Coordinator Barb Pearo. Grunow said: “On behalf of Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial, I want to thank all our volunteers for giving their time, energy and talents to serving our patients and our community. They’re a huge reason we can continue to provide quality care to the families we serve. They’re always smiling and helpful, and a real example of what it means to contribute to our community.” That message was reflected in Gerber Memorial Chaplain Ed Arndt’s prayer. “Thank you to all these folks who show caring for their fellow mankind by volunteering,” Arndt said. For many of the volunteers, time at Gerber Memorial meant caring for patients – and also having some fun. “I’m all about helping others and giving back to the community,” said Nevonda Lankhorst of Fremont, who has volunteered at Gerber Memorial for 25 years. “The camaraderie is very good. It’s only a few hours a day, you get out of the house and it’s a fun thing to do.” Lankhorst, who volunteers one week at the Gift Shop and a week at the adjoining Coffee Shop, and Rottier strongly encouraged visitors to stop by the Gift Shop, which generates revenue for critical hospital equipment, such as a new MedNow telehealth cart. The Gift Shop is located on the first floor on the way to the North Elevator that takes patients and visitors to surgery on the second floor. Lankhorst and Rottier also encouraged others in the community to volunteer at Gerber Memorial for a fulfilling and rewarding experience. Lankhorst said: “I love all these volunteers. Even the men. It’s fun, and I can’t imagine not volunteering at Gerber Memorial.” TO VOLUNTEER AT SPECTRUM HEALTH GERBER MEMORIAL: Contact Amy Grunow, Gerber Memorial volunteer coordinator, at 231.924.1350 or email her at[email protected]. Online: https://www.spectrumhealth.org/volunteer, and go to Gerber Memorial in the lower right-hand box.  Ruth Rottier says volunteering is a rewarding experience that allows her to give back to the community. She enjoys the picnic spread, featuring food from the Sullivan Street Café and dishes brought by volunteers, with Al Smalligan and Norm Weaver, whose wives Nancy Smalligan and Marilyn Weaver are volunteers at Gerber Memorial.
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It’s here! Labor Day. The third of our triplet of 3 day wondrous weekends. The one that spells the unofficial end of that run of fun known as Summer in Bipeninsularland. Are you ready? Because following this weekend it’s all pumpkin spice, Halloween preparations, and the all too soon appearance of Christmas related merchandise crawling onto shelves everywhere. And for those of you who follow archaic fashion rules it is time to put away those summer whites until Memorial Day. Here’s some local doings to help steer your Labor Day Weekend Plans We’re delivering a plug for the annual Pancake Breakfast put on by the Newaygo Fire Department Saturday morning because we like to support our fire folks and besides we’re big fans of breakfast and particularly those that include pancakes. Here’s the skinny: https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/newaygo-firefighters-hold-annual-pancake-breakfast-fundraiser In these parts the Logging Fest in Newaygo will be providing a ton of entertainment and activities that will be filling the downtown area all weekend. The festivities celebrating the area’s logging heritage begin Friday afternoon and will extend through Sunday when the annual parade will make its way through town. There’s lots of music to be had all weekend as well. You need to check out Skyking at Newaygo Brewing Co, Saturday and if you’re fortunate to get there early enough you will appreciate the talent of Nate Dill who will open for the progressive rock group. Friday and Sunday afternoon the Riverstop Cafe will be the site for some great Americana sound when Medicinal Purposes makes a visit. While our only familiarity with these folks is via Youtube they are from Galena a very cool town on the western border of Illinois so.... Feel like kicking it a bit on the pond? Tetrad brings their high energy sound to the Driftwood Saturday and Sunday. And if you’re wandering downtown Newaygo the Kyle Hilton Band will liven things up at the Riverstop Saloon Friday and Saturday. Beyond everything else it’s the final fling of what all but the seasonal purists among us consider summer (we know, we know it’s not really over until 9:54 pm on September 22). Weather permitting (most forecasts call for 40-60% chance of wetness ) get outside and play. If you live on water you’ll see boats being ferried off to their winter storage spots as cottages begin to close up but there’s still time to give it a last cruise or two this weekend. Taking a tube downriver is never a lousy time and does wonders for your mental health. Kayaking the White or the Mighty Muskegon always makes one feel they should be doing it more often and a hike on one of our myriad of trails including a piece of the North Country Scenic Trail does wonders for your state of mind. We’re entering the most glorious of all seasons in this bipeninsula paradise and while we all love autumn, this weekend still belongs to summer, thus, it is deserving of all the good times we can squeeze into a 3 day romp. Revel, my friends, revel.  Suggestion Box is sponsored by Newaygo Brewing Co. Good food, good brew and this weekend good tunes.  Newaygo Fire Department to raise money for Zoll AutoPulse
NEWAYGO– Are you looking for one of the best breakfasts in Newaygo during Labor Day Weekend? If so, the Newaygo Fire Department is once again holding its annual Fireman's Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, September 1 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Newaygo Fire Department located at 177 Cooperative Center Drive, Newaygo, MI, 49337. Last year over 300 people attended donating over $4,000 to help the department secure an enclosed trailer for its Dive Rescue Team. “We are grateful to live in such a supporting community,” said Travis Kroll, Captain at Newaygo Fire Department. “With the funds raised last year, along with sponsorships, we were able to purchase this trailer. This year, money raised will be used toward the future purchase of a The AutoPulse® Resuscitation System for the department. This system provides high-quality automated CPR to victims of sudden cardiac arrest, helping improve the chance of saving a life. “Our members are always looking for ways to improve the outcome for those we protect,” said Jason Wolford, Chief of Newaygo Fire Department. “This device can reduce the physical stress our firefighters encounter when providing CPR.” The annual pancake breakfast is held during Newaygo's Logging Festival. It consists of eggs, sausage, tater tots, juice, coffee and, of course, pancakes—all cooked by Newaygo Firefighters. The public is encouraged to attend and the cost is by donation. Captain Kroll adds, “We take pride in everything we do and enjoy having opportunities to bond with our community outside of stressful emergency situations.”  By N3 Entertainament Team Well, it’s Friday Night Lights time in our bi-peninsular paradise and forgive me if I find it difficult to welcome the season with open arms. Why? Because while well aware of how scheduling must be done to accommodate the playoffs and such and certainly able to recognize the advantages of getting the sports seasons off to quick start, it is an all too clear reminder that summer is careening toward its inevitable end and any remaining denial of that fact is slowly diminishing with each score that comes across our desk. I could pine a bit about “Back in the day” when games began a couple weeks into September and how each contest was played on a cool and crisp nearly perfect autumn night and of course the games were more exciting and the hot dogs tasted better and so on but this guarded enthusiasm I hold regarding the onset of the games, matches, meets, etc. has nothing to do with longing for ‘how things were once done’ . It’s just that another summer is slipping away and there’s still so many fun things to cram into such a short space. But, putting my personal ennui associated with the passing of summer aside, the football season begins this week with four teams in the area playing at home and one doing battle just a jaunt down ‘37 away. And that one might be the best matchup of the night. Newaygo whose football fortunes took a serious turn last season with a half dozen straight wins visits Kent City and an Eagle team that roared through the regular season without a loss and possesses an explosive running attack. In other area games the Grant Tigers host the Shelby Tigers in the Battle of the Bengals, the Rebels of Lee will take the field in the Cloud, while the Packers hope to tame the Wildcats of Evart and maybe start a winning streak. These players are the true student athletes who play for the love of the game. And even if football is not your thing just go anyway and watch the performances put on by the marching bands. These are also student athletes who put in the time and effort in order to provide entertainment for their audience to be sure but also to reach higher. To aim for exceptional. To challenge themselves as do the teams on the field. And just as it is with the teams on the field, you can follow their improvement and the polish in their steps as the season progresses. Take in a game. If not this week, pick a game your home town or adopted town school is hosting and catch the feel of what high school sports is all about. The fire in the crowd during a close game, the elation of a score and the deflation when scored upon, the fence buster guys who hang over the rail and shout what can only be defined broadly as ‘advice’ to coaches, players and (mostly) referees. It’s all great entertainment and as a bonus it takes place outside….under the lights…. because after all summer is on the downswing and the days are getting shorter and...and… “Sigh” Among a certain segment of our population the whole princess thing is a pretty big deal. If you’re acquainted with one or more such aficionados of this genre consider a trip down to John Ball Park Saturday when Princess Day at the Zoo will be taking place from 9am- 2:30pm. And if you hunger for a little golabki and pine for some pierogi the Polish Festival is your ticket to satisfying those epicurean desires as well as your kielbasa cravings. Mix in a little “In Heaven There Is No Beer” type of tunes and you got yourself a party down at Rosa Parks Circle Friday through Sunday. Lots of doings and family fun and if you’ve never been to one of the heritage festivals that take place downtown this is a great one to try. http://www.polishheritagesociety.com/polish-festival-2018.html  Suggestion Box is sponsored by Newaygo Brewing Co.where good food and good drink make for good times I know, I know, we are always recommending the farmers markets but this is the primo time for such places and if you are at all serious about your food and feel like a scrumptious meal goes a bit beyond a fast food burg with a side of faux fries the market is your ticket to the cornucopia (emphasis on corn) of freshly picked wonders from local farms. The Newaygo venue for this outpouring of enticing edibles is Brooks Park where vendors gather each Friday to ply their goods. A bonus is the locale because Brooks is a cool park, has a couple of playground apparati and is within a short skip to the welcoming walls of the local library as well as being just across the street from our museum as well. Things begin to roll about noon and wind down by about 6pm. Working all day Friday and cannot get there? Well, a short Saturday skip to Fremont gets you to their downtown Marketplace where, again the site is aided by being within an amble over to the Artsplace a very cool place where local art abounds and you can find a plethora of available classes for all ages. Open 8am- 1pm with a Tuesday afternoon option (3:30-6:30pm). And stop at the Diamond View Farm booth because they’re friendly folks and have really good stuff on their tables. If you’ve never been to the Friday afternoon Parties in the Park in Muskegon at Hackley Park from 5-9pm it is worth the drive because there’s outdoor music and downtown generally has some doings as well. This Friday if you like brass there’s a different twist on some heavy horn play with the group Flexadecibel doing some finely fused funk/rock/soul for your listening pleasure. Of course if you like your brass brought to you with that classic and always welcome Big Band sound you have to hit the Dogwood Ccenter Main Stage Saturday night at 7:30pm when Jukebox Saturday Night comes to town. This talented troupe will blow you away with the swing era sound that will send you from tunes destined to create a desire to jump up and jive a bit to those smooth timeless hits engineered to make you fall in love all over again. Not to be missed and a bargain at $17.50 a pop. Check itout at https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/jukebox-saturday-night-at-the-dogwood-center-on-august-18 And if they do Moonlight Serenade and it doesn’t resonate in the deepest part of your heart and soul? It might be time for a little self reflection.  Suggestio Box is sponsored by Newaygo Brewing Co. Where good food, good drink and good company blend seamlessly  Shorty’s Ice Cream & Pizza By Alicia Jaimes Attention all ice cream-lovers, if you, like myself, have “eat yourself into an ice cream coma” on your summer bucket list, then Shorty’s Ice Cream & Pizza should be your next destination. Located at 12024 Cypress Ave, Sand Lake, MI 49343, Shorty’s is the place to go when you are craving something sweet at a fair price. As a true ice cream fanatic I have encountered many ice cream facilities where the serving sizes were one size too small and two dollars too much. Imagine my surprise (and delight) when my family of five ordered whatever we wanted--including sundaes, cones, milkshakes, hard and soft serve--and it didn’t break the bank. It was an even better surprise when my small-sized bubblegum flavor burst resembled that of a medium while my mother’s black cherry cone (large) was XL. Though I love the variety this ice cream shop has to offer: sundaes, floats, flurries, cones, shakes and malts; my favorite would have to be their banana split. Not only are these beauties substantial in size, their presentation is impeccable. Being a smaller shop, it can be busy, but you won’t wait in line for too long, the finishing products never look rushed, and the taste will have you wishing it was summer all year round. As summer comes to an end, do not fret, Shorty’s sells pizza to-go as those cooler days begin to creep through. From a person who has spent many nights combining pizza and Netflix, I would definitely order their pizza again as well. Worth the drive.   Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center Speaker Series continues with launch of newest book “Newaygo County History and Biographies Volume II”
The Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center is proud to announce the publication of our newest book, Newaygo County History and Biographies volume II. To celebrate, we will be hosting a book signing and introduction to the volume on Wednesday, August 15th, as part of our ongoing summer speaker series. The signing will be held from 5:30 to 6:15, with signed copies of the book available for $30. Toni Rumsey, Archivist for the NCMHC, will speak about the new book at 6:30. Newaygo County History and Biographies Volume II Is a collection of biographies of citizens of Newaygo County, which includes both well-known names and those more obscure. There is also a section of the book that focuses on the histories of various area business, social clubs, institutions and organizations. For those who like a good story, or those who have an interest in the past that makes us unique, the book is an excellent compilation of the shared history that binds us all together. Toni Rumsey is a longtime volunteer of the Museum, both in its current form and its previous incarnation as the Newaygo County Society of History and Genealogy. She served as President of the Board of Directors for nearly a decade, and she currently manages the Museum’s Local History and Genealogy Room, overseeing organizing, archiving and scanning projects as well as facilitating research requests and projects for both the organization and visitors. Toni has also helped to spearhead the publication of the Museum’s previous literary efforts, such as Newaygo County History and Biographies and One Room School Houses of Newaygo County volumes one through three. Although Toni acted as facilitator for the research for the newest book, she by no means was alone in her work. Contributing authors and editors include Joyce Pearson, Marcia Eib, Joan Wise, Luanne Nelson, and Nancy Murray, all of whom also volunteer their time at NCMHC. The hard work and dedication of everyone involved in the project has yielded an excellent, well researched, and very readable volume that helps to further our knowledge and understanding of who we are as a community, and how our past has helped shape us. Toni will speak for approximately 30 minutes, followed by a question and answer period with a panel of authors. The Speaker Series will be at Family of God Community Church at 90 Quarterline in downtown Newaygo. Doors are scheduled to open at 5:15 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are matched at 50 percent by the Fremont Area Community Foundation, which provides core operational support for the organization. Country music fan? You might think about heading to VanAndel in our metro neighbor to the south because Sugarland is bringing their ‘Still The Same’ tour to that fair city on Friday. We have a bit of an issue with the tour’s name since it coins one of our all time favorite Bob Seger songs: “There you stood, everybody watched you play I just turned and walked away I had nothing left to say ‘Cos you’re still the same” But anyway.... After a 6 year split Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have put out their first recording since 2012 and the tour is drawing well.They still have tickets so if you’ve missed the music of Sugarland the past half dozen years well here’s your chance to get reacquainted. Got an itch to channel your inner Irish despite discovering in your ancestry DNA type search that you are primarily Ukrainian? The Sparta Celtic Festival has grown into a great celebration of song and dance from the highlands and the Olde Sod. The gates open Friday at 5pm and Saturday at 10am and it is FREE. Activities abound including some youth highland games and a slew of vendors plying their goods.It’s not the size nor the scope of the Muskegon extravaganza of course but this is a great small town celebration that brings out substantial crowds and provides a really fun and family friendly atmosphere. And did I mention it’s FREE Don’t miss the Steel City Rovers who will close the fest out both nights as well as performing a set late afternoon Saturday. And don’t forget to grab a meal at one of our fine local eateries this weekend and take a stroll through one of our fine farmers markets with Newaygo putting out the goods at Brooks Park on Friday and Fremont taking over on Saturday at the downtown Marketplace. More and more crops are making their way to the market tables and there is simply nothing like home grown foods finding their way to your kitchen Life is good folks, life is very good indeed.  Suggestion Box is sponsored by the Newaygo Brewing Co, where good food and good drink make for good times By Alexis Mercer On Tuesday evening at the Newaygo County Fair, the spectators got a little extra action for their money. One of the cars in the events burst into flames, causing the driver to jump quickly out of the car and the Fremont Fire Department to rush to the rescue. No one was injured as a result of the fire. Spectators in Sky Box 3 were evacuated while the Fire Department handled the flames. The car was towed off the track and the events resumed as normally scheduled.    Jeff Hilliker (proprietor) and wait staff Cassie Tiny’s Tasty Treats By Charles Chandler Tiny’s Ice Cream Shop located at l98 State Rd in Newaygo, MI is a destination for the seasonal summer crowds that travel along M 37 or gather in River City to float or paddle down the big Muskegon River. Here they ladle up those Michigan favorites, farm fresh soft serve, and Hudsonville scoop in about 50 different flavors or combinations. These can be delivered in cups and handmade cones or on Sundays, shakes, malts, and flurries. The day the N3 correspondent dropped by the Sunday specials were the All American blueberry and strawberry, yum. According to sources Tiny’s began life as a 1960s burger joint when the Newaygo Dam was still operational. After several other changes, the business became an ice cream shop and in 2006 was purchased by Tammy and Jeff Hilliker. The rest of the story is what we now enjoy, a very successful ice cream shop that is a traditional favorite with both the local ice cream devotees and the seasonal crowd. Tiny’s has outside seating and a roomy inside dining area with a great view. This area is for those wishing to escape the cone melting summer heat or the noise when the motorcycle hatch is in progress. If you’re wanting a little more than ice cream, Tiny’s has a full food menu, including appetizers, dogs, barbeque, burgers, and fish and chicken baskets. Tripadvisor gave Tiny’s Tasty Treats a rating of five circles and according to reviewer and apparent road warrior, Fuzzy B, “if you are into Chili Cheese Dogs and Great Ice Crème this is the place 4 U. Great service, Great People” During popular times the parking can be a bit challenging but don’t despair, check a block up the hill around Brooks Park and the Library Complex for a parking spot. Follow Tiny’s on Facebook for popular times and hours of operation. Worth the walk  |
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