 Front: Brody Thayer 2nd Row: Selma Barnett, Crystal Burns, Me, Raven Wirts Back: Spencer Naffziger, Ryan Burns, Tyler Naffziger, Avery Geisen By Megan Wirts
Ed. Note: The inimitable Ms. Wirts, columnist, comedian, and cheesecake creator extraordinaire, shares her TOT experience as only she can. It’s that time of year again, where families are going to pumpkin patches, apple orchards and reveling in the wholesome autumnal season. It’s also the time where my family goes all out and celebrates our favorite holiday, Halloween! Our house has been decorated, costume ideas have been discussed and debated and our annual trip to the Trail of Terror in Holton has happened. All that we are waiting for now is the big night for a little trick or treating and spooky, scary, fun stuff. “What is this Trail of Terror?”, you may be wondering to yourself. Well, I’ll tell you, it is the hands down best haunted trail that I have ever been to. This is the third year that I have been bestowed the horror, I mean honor, of covering the event for N3. The Trail of Terror has been a staple in Holton for the past 15 years. It is 10 acres of woods filled with up to 70 live monsters, that will scare the socks right off of you, or your hat or your glasses, which I have first hand experience with. Don’t worry, if you get halfway through the trail and it’s just too much for you to handle, you can go off to a scare free area and a trail worker will come pick you up and take you to safety. Also, if you are sensitive to strobe lights, this may not be the trail for you. However, if you are into screaming until you laugh, reliving childhood nightmares and enjoying some safe, fun frights, this is the place to go. The past two years I was accompanied by my mom, my children and various other family members. This year, my mom sat the trail out. I know, many of you are sad to hear this. We were all a little disappointed too. If you know my mother, you know that she is over the top when it comes to being scared, and honestly it’s one of the most hilarious things to witness. The first year at least two of us left with scratches and bloody lips from her flailing about in fear. So, I guess this years trail experience was a little safer for all of us. Love you Mom. On this fateful fright night, there were 9 of us in total ranging in age from 9 years old - me, that made the brave trek through the trail. The group included first timers and veteran trail attendees. We arrived just as the sun was setting, filled with great anticipation and excitement, ready for the adrenaline rush. They split our group up into two, which was bit unnerving at first as we entered through the black curtain. I was counting on more people around me to protect me, but I was left with my teenage daughter, Raven, her best friend, Avery and my cousin Tyler. Once inside we were met by the heinous Michael Myers and our fearful foursome tried to keep him at bay as he followed menacingly behind us. The further we went all I could hear were the screams from our family up ahead and the loud thumping of my heart in my ears. We then were greeted by a terrifying figure standing in the darkness that screamed in our faces as we passed by and the only way to get around them, was by entering a maze filled with creepy little girls and haunting lullaby music. I kept screaming, “Tyler, Tyler, are you behind me!”, “Raven, Avery, OH MY GOD!” “NOO, NOO, I DO NOT LIKE YOU!”. It was chilling and I am certain I will have nightmares. The trail is filled with scene after scene of unspeakable terror straight from some of the best horror movies ever made. You will encounter Children of the Corn, The Exorcist, IT, that horrible clown from the Saw movies, an axe wielding maniac, Freddy Krueger, and a pig with a chainsaw, just to name a few. But, the part of the trail that really gets me, each and every year, are the chainsaws. The smell, the sound and the terrifying masked maniacs, is almost too much for me to handle. Every single year it makes me pee just a little bit. One of the first movies I remember watching as a very young child was Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I was much too young to have watched it,(but it was the 80’s) and it definitely stuck with me. When all nine of us were safely out of the trail and reunited we were all buzzing with adrenaline and laughter as we relayed our tales of terror to each other. We all agreed that this year’s trail was the most frightening yet. I was even able to chat it up with Buffy Murphy, owner and operator of the Trail of Terror. When asked about her favorite part of the trail, her answer, “My family of 15 years!”. This isn’t just a chance to scare people senseless for Murphy, this is a labor of love and family. She says that the entire staff, newbies and returning members, are deeply committed to excellence. Which I have seen first hand for the past three years. The trail is a small family owned operation that competes against million dollar organizations in the haunted house industry and year after year they have won the title of “Scariest Place in West Michigan.” A title that I agree, is very well deserved. Don’t miss your chance to get your scare on! The Tail of Terror opens to the public on October 19, 20, 26 & 27th, beginning at dusk until 11pm weather permitting. Tickets are $14 for regular admission or you can upgrade to VIP for $19, a portion of proceeds goes to the Dakota Dean Murphy scholarship fund. The Trail of Terror is located at 7582 Crocker Rd. in Holton MI.
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 The String Doctors will perform in the Dogwood Black Box on Saturday, October 20 at 7:30 p.m. Together, the four musicians of The String Doctors will bring a new kind of country swing to your lives, joining forces to present an evening of extraordinary musicianship, story-telling, and stage banter. And they throw in “Michigan” humor that will keep you grinning.
The band is led by Joel Mabus with his superb songwriting and savvy stage presence on the guitar and mandolin. Ray Kamalay is the crooner and jokester on guitar. Peter Knupfer has a swinging, bluesy fiddle style that will have you tapping your feet. On bass will be Dave Rosin, an accomplished jazz bassist and teacher of all stringed instruments. His luscious low tones frame their music with beauty and grace. Tickets are $15.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. 
Be Curious: Dinosaurs at Grand Rapids Public Museum By Alexis Mercer The grand opening of the new exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum was Saturday, October 13. This highly anticipated exhibit is held on the 3rd floor of the museum. In anticipation of the crowds being huge, I planned for my family to attend plenty early enough so that we could patiently navigate without worrying about closing time. As it turned out, the crowds were not an issue. Though there were many people enjoying the exhibit, there is plenty of space and a multitude of activities and sights to keep everyone busy without it feeling overwhelmed. That extra time I had planned, however, was needed to stay and soak in every last detail. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! Kids of all ages will enjoy this dinosaur exhibit. It was built to be interactive, informative and realistic. The museum website states "From life-sized and lifelike animatronic dinosaurs- some controlled by visitors – to mechanical and electronic learning stations, the exhibit has something for all ages. Visitors can learn about modern imaging techniques like high-energy neutron beams that reveal the inside of a T. Rex skull in microscopic detail never seen before. The exhibit includes a number of hands-on interactives that explain dinosaur movement, digestion, and evolution, and show the life and methods of dinosaur hunters from the 1800s to today. In addition to large animatronic dinosaurs, interactive highlights include a digital sandbox, paleontologist camp, and an interactive robot that allows visitors to manipulate dinosaur eggs!" All three of my children (ages 6, 8 and 11) enjoyed the exhibit. In the past we have visited exhibits at other museums that reaches one age group, but not the wide range of all our children. This wasn't the case today. The three of them explored, read, manipulated dinosaurs, looked and learned. I highly recommend taking a trip to see this newest addition to the museum. It will run through April of 2019. This is a unique, exciting way to foster creativity and curiosity in a museum close to home!
Newaygo North Country Trail Section 12 By Bret Brummel Nichols North Trailhead to 16 mile rd. Distance: 5.67 miles What a difference a few weeks makes in Michigan! The fall colors we witnessed on our drive up to this section of the trail were beautiful and the 40-degree morning temperature was refreshing to say the least. I’ve read that you should dress for running as if the air temperature was 20 degrees higher than the actual thermometer reading. For me, that meant I replaced a Tech performance t-shirt for a normal cotton t-shirt with some shorts. Anna thought I’d freeze. Meanwhile, she is in her running tights, long sleeve tech shirt, running jacket, and thin gloves. What a wimp! I’m convinced Anna extended our warm-up stretches because I had made fun of her attire. By the time she was ready to go, I was cold. We crossed Cleveland Dr. and headed toward Walkup lake. The scenery was awesome. Not even a quarter mile in, and I was stopping for a picture. The trail wound its way around some marshy areas with standing water where some startled ducks flew adding to the scenery. At the 2-mile mark, we passed some hikers on the banks of Leaf Lake. They were dressed appropriately for a hike with multiple layers, backpacks and boots. I completely understand their confused looks as we jogged up to them in our running clothes, quickly stopped for a picture of the lake, and ran off. We had warmed up by then and were in good spirits. It seemed that every half mile, we would approach another beautiful lake. I couldn’t resist leaving the trail to run down a steep bank to get a picture of Condon Lake. Anna wisely opted to see the lake from the top of the hill. On my trek back up the hill to rejoin Anna, I realized my legs would appreciate me taking fewer pictures. It seems that at the four-mile mark of every trail run, it becomes harder to pick up your feet. You have to stay focused enough to get over some of the tree roots or bad things will happen. Today, the trail was carpeted with beautifully colored leaves. Unfortunately, that meant the roots that can be found on the path were hidden. It wasn’t long before Anna tripped and fell, then it was my turn, then Anna once again. Nothing was hurt but our pride. We joked that this hike should be titled “A beautiful Michigan Fall”. We exited the trail at 16-mile road having enjoyed another wonderful section of the trail. Our next section will bring us to the Lake County line and the end of our journey. Please get out and enjoy the trail. The scenery is as good as it gets. You won’t be disappointed.  It’s a bit on the nippy side now, just the kind if weather one might normally expect as we surge into mid October. The trees are proffering their near-peak performance as colors abound., thus even a sometimes annoying drive back to the store after having forgotten items vital to an in-progress dinner can be a feast for the eyes, so pay attention. This is an all too short display that ends with barren branches and trunks stripped down and ready to provide a bleak backdrop to the coming season when the great outdoors transitions from color to black and white reception. There’s a cornhole tourney going on at Old Iron Bar & Grill in Grant starting at noon Saturday with registration from 10-1130am. Proceeds will be going to the GR Home for Veterans so indulging in this opportunity to test your mettle against other tossers also supports those who served. In downtown Montague, a most pleasant drive these days, this Saturday’s annual Pumpkin Fest is one of those events we at N3 World Headquarters have rarely missed. Partly because the Cedar Creek Cloggers perform there each year and the landlord of N3WH is part of the group, but also because it is consistently a good time. There are vendors, seed spitting contests, and all things pumpkin culminating in the infamous pumpkin roll down Dowling Street hill a competitive event with accompanying emotions passionate enough to rival a major NASCAR race. Stuff starts at 930 and runs until 4pm and there’s a cool farmers market to boot with some outstanding goodies from a local bakery if I recall correctly. We just saw the latest Jurassic World last weekend and the end (no spoiler here) makes the compelling exhibit “Expedition: Dinosaur” arriving this weekend at the GR Public Museum even more enticing. We will be hopefully getting you an up close and personal review of the event in the coming days but this sounds like just the ticket for any of the young (or not so young) dinophiles in your posse. https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/all-things-dinosaur-at-grpm Steven Potter is known throughout these parts as Two Dogs and has been a friend to the residents of N3WH for a good couple of decades or so. A house fire displaced he and his family and the fine folks at the River Stop Saloon will be holding a fundraiser for the family Saturday beginning at 1pm. There will be live music including, we’re told, the rockabilly bluegrass sound of Luke Warm and the Not So Hots. There will be an auction, a pool tournament and the effervescent socialization often associated with such events. Half of the $10 admission goes to the family. These are good folks and this is a good cause. Oh and if you’re not spending a car payment or two to see Elton John Monday, two of the candidates vying to be your representative in D.C. will be holding a debate at Newaygo High School beginning at 7pm. Tickets are free but must be reserved. Info? https://www.rivercountrychamber.com/events/details/debate-u-s-rep-bill-huizenga-dr-rob-davidson-30894  Suggestion Box is sponsored by Newaygo Brewing Co. where good food good drink and good times can be found with rather remarkable consistency  Ms. Lil in one of 2 photos taken on the entire trip By Ken DeLaat
For nearly each of the last 46 Octobers I have had the good fortune of accompanying LSC (Lifetime Spousal Companion) Lil on a road trip. The first one was our honeymoon. Yes, on a sunny Friday in October four and a half decades ago she and I wed (though why she introduces me to people as her ‘current husband’ continues to baffle me). This year we were heading out to take in a bit of a fall tour. About a month or two ago we spoke of a time to venture forth in search of the autumn splendor of Up North country. Eschewing September dates as too soon and latter October times as already filled with obligations, we chose to depart in the first week of the month. As a public service to those who might be planning to head north for an autumn adventure here are a few impression acquired from our quest for color. Our first destination was winery country and if you’ve been anywhere in the NW part of our peninsular paradise of late you’ll have likely noticed the presence of more than a few wineries. It reminds me of the burgeoning bevy of breweries in our Metro sister to the south where if you fall down in the downtown area you are likely as not to hit one. They are everywhere with a rich variety of names that range from elegant French influenced monikers to geographic influenced titles to creative twists. Favorite title? ‘45 North’ located at the parallel signifying the halfway point between the equator and the north pole. Favorite winery? Black Star Farms. Lil remembered this place from a trip she took with friends many years ago and it did not disappoint. The young lady at the serving table was likeable, knowledgeable and possessed more than a dollop of charm along with what one might call a generous pour. The vineyard was breathtaking as were the grounds including the riding stables. Though only ever a wannabe horse person, the setting spawned an age old and familiar yearning acquired during a childhood heavily influenced by a steady diet of westerns at the movies and on the tube. It was the last after several stops and armed with a few purchases we moved on to our hotel located on the outskirts of the Beauty by the Bay. A word about Traverse City. Having visited this appealing town from the late 50’s through their 70’s boom era and subsequent spurts of what seems to be gargantuan growth I am still impressed by the charm it possesses for a visitor. TC gets the whole tourist thing and accommodates it with the right kind of downtown, a blend of eateries, shopping opportunities and entertainment venues including the impressive State Theater smack dab in the center of the city. Their outlying areas are, of course, riddled with strip malls and the usual franchised businesses seen on Alpine or 28th street but downtown remains retail-oriented and exudes what can be loosely described as a contemporary quaintness. The hotel. Cambria Suites proved to be an ideal stopover for several reasons. They have a shuttle that runs downtown so one is freed from both the traffic as well as the buck an hour parking meters (when you can find them). The desk guys were uber accommodating making reservations at our favorite downtown eatery (Amica. Food to die for.) and arranging the shuttle to carry us there. And then there was the shower. A huge personal factor in rating places we’ve stayed has to do with the shower. Sometimes places seem to scrimp a bit with regard to this essential amenity and to be honest I gotta say this colors my experience. This one was the bathing enclosure that will one day grace our home if found to be constructionally feasible. If not we’ll have to move. Large with an open entrance a glass half door and nicely tiled with a water source that brought a full and luxurious rush of H2O. It was exquisite. The shuttle? Well, when your LSC is browsing through the multitude of selections at the wonderful bookery that goes by the name Horizon after an appetizing array at Amica? And suddenly you are struck by the notion that the shuttle service ends at 9pm? And you relate this to her causing a most unwelcome premature break in the browsing? It doesn’t. So after delivering the warning and cutting Ms. Lil short by perhaps an hour or so in experiencing that unique and wonderful late night ambience that thrives in a truly fine bookstore I made the mistake of double checking with the driver on the way back as to how long the shuttle runs. “Midnight. We can pick up folks as late as midnight.” Yep. That all too familiar look of resignation wrought from a near half century of being wed to one with questionable thought patterns and rather severe organizational limitations. And speaking of those limitations, the next day we spent walking the downtown area and I discovered a glitch in my packing procedure. Currently in possession of my 4th pair of identical brown loafer type Merrell shoes the newer ones somehow got mixed up with a pair of the much older ones. When it comes to shoes I tend to buy infrequently and wear them until the soles have transformed into thin leather strips with no discernible tread. The difference between one of these nearly decomposed models and the newer version is pretty dramatic when doing a bit of walking and still it took nearly the first hour of wondering why I seemed to be striding with a noticeable limp to realize I was wearing one old and one new shoe. One would not think this situation should make much of a difference but I am here to testify as to the fallacy of this line of thinking. It was as if my whole equilibrium seemed shaken. We shopped several shoe stores with Lil on the hunt for a particular style and make that was not to be found in any of the plethora of places we visited on this trip. Somewhere near the halfway point of this process I found a display shoe identical to the ones I had recently purchased. Word of advice here. When asking about purchasing just the shoe off of the display rack and not its mate while tossing in the possibility of it being half price as well as marked down for being a display item? Be prepared to garner some rather quizzical looks and a request delivered to the store manager is unlikely to be granted. Thus, having been resigned to doing without the most comfortable of my non sandal footwear, I considered chucking the old one out of pure frustration. Somehow this connected to a possible reason one sees orphaned footwear along the road, a mystery that has puzzled the more inquisitive among us for years. I considered bringing this up later when we were back on the road but not long ago there was this kind of pledge of sorts made about discussing the theory behind the shoe conundrum or even making announcements of discoveries when my passenger is knitting or napping. Besides, whole shuttle thing was still fairly fresh. Beyond the whole shoe thing, the shopping, the shower and the oenophilist indulgence here’s a word about the color on our color tour. Mostly green at that point. Mostly green. Next: The Tunnel, The Bridge, and Homeward Bound Bounty  Greg Kingston and Max Morrison Ed Note: Max Morrison continues his trek across Australia and his mother Kathy Morrison has been kind enough to chronicle this rather incredible journey for our readers. In what he has repeated hundreds of times in the past month and a half, Max Morrison threw his leg over the crossbar of his bicycle in Darwin, Australia on September 16, pumped up for what he anticipated would be 40 days on the road, bicycling some 5000 km to Perth, Australia. This is a fundraising ride and he is attempting to raise $5000 or more for three environmental protection organizations – two in here in Michigan and one in Australia. It has been 44 days now since he left Darwin, 39 of them on the road, peddling 3708 km (2,300 miles) to date, approximately the distance from Fremont to San Francisco, and he still has about 1200 km more to go. In total, the 3000 plus miles covered will be like biking from New York City to Ireland, though not as wet. The miles and calendar days have extended as he has chosen to take a longer route and make a few forays to explore areas away from the Victoria Highway, which is the only “real” main road in that area of the country. He also spent some down time here and there – a day recovering from a bout of illness, a few days’ delay due to huge brush fires which closed the roads, and a “rest” in a place called Broome. The “rest” turned out to be three days in the ocean brushing up on his swimming so that he could compete in his first triathlon, a shortened, non-Olympic length one. Max has been a distance runner since middle school, running for Fremont’s Cross County team and then at Alma College, so the running was a breeze. The biking? Well, it isn’t likely anyone else competing had spent the previous 28 days traversing nearly 1400 miles on a bike, but the swimming was a challenge. Max was one of the last out of the water. Luckily, he made up for lost time in the biking and running and took 1st place. Then it was back on the road that afternoon to continue on his way toward Perth. He has seen incredible places in some of the most spectacular and rugged landscapes on Earth, one of them being Kakadu National Park, an area rich in wildlife, including 10,000 crocodiles! Between the thought of those huge hungry fellers and the blitzkrieg of mosquitoes, he hardly had a wink of sleep camping in his little ridge tent!  Kakadu National Park The entrance sign to Kakadu park reads, “Indigenous people talk about country in the same way they talk about a person; they speak to country, sing to country, visit country, worry about country, feel sorry for country, and long for country. People say that country knows, hears, smells, takes notice, takes care, is sorry or happy…country is a living entity with a yesterday, today, and tomorrow…” After spending several days in their land, Max wrote, “Perhaps we all need to think of the land a bit more like a brother, sister, father, or mother that we love...As I was leaving Kakadu, I was brought to tears. I can’t quite explain it, but as I was nearing the end of the road, I started thinking about how to describe Kakadu: to me, the land felt like a warm, friendly person — like a grandfather, and it honestly felt like saying goodbye to him. I thanked him for my special time spent there before leaving.” Biking and hiking, he went on an excursion into the Bungle Bungles, fascinating sandstone formations in the Purnululu National Park and relished his time singing a lovely Irish tune, “The Parting Glass”, in the park’s Cathedral Gorge where he said the acoustics are amazing.  Bungle Bungles in Purnululu Max has explored areas that are rich in gorgeous Indigenous Aboriginal rock and cave paintings, some dating back 50,000 years. There have been days at a time when he is out of range of phone and internet service and quite on his own. The long, solo ride each day suits him, but a bit of loneliness and longing for home have crept in as well. However, the “Lucky Country”, as they call Australia, is crawling not only with snakes, but also with outstanding people and he has had the good fortune to meet so very many of them along the way. He has been offered food and drink by fellow travelers and locals alike, invited in for dinner with families and after a recent post his Mom put up on a Western Australian Facebook board about his fundraiser, he instantly had an offer to stay the night in a local family’s home. A few days back after arriving at a small town, he was amazed to walk into a roadhouse (their name for a restaurant/accommodation), only to have the guy at the counter said, “How ya goin’ Max?” The worker could tell Max was confused as to how he knew his name and explained, “Your reputation precedes you…do you want your beers now or later?” He then handed Max two bottles of Corona and told him that a couple that drove past had left them there for him. Max reckoned it was a nice couple he met shortly before leaving Coral Bay. One Aussie couple, Anne and Greg from Tasmania, are following much of the same travel route in their vehicle and befriended Max several weeks ago. They have been extremely kind and generous to him when their paths cross. They have fed him, gotten him water, and tended to him when he became ill from some dodgy water or perhaps dehydration. When they’ve had Internet reception and Max has not, they have been so very thoughtful to message his parents here in Fremont to let them know they have talked with him on the road and that all is well. Greg tells Max’s Mom that as a distance bicyclist himself, he knows that the trek Max has followed is one of the most challenging anywhere due to the heat, the dryness, the bugs, the snakes, the isolation, and the incredibly huge “Road Trains” as they call them, passing you on the road. In the remote areas of Australia, semi-trucks are allowed to haul multiple trailers, weighing over a quarter of a million pounds and measuring about 170 feet long – that’s more than a half a football field long! Imagine that semi whizzing by you as you are peddling into the dry and dusty wild wind. His route on the Victoria Highway passes through some very isolated areas of Australia. On one stretch of the highway it was 380 miles between towns. The largest town after leaving Darwin was Broome, population about 15,000, but most towns have been much, much smaller. Despite the fact that it is winter time in Australia, the air temperatures have been averaging 95 to 104 and road temps 120 to 140 degrees. The searing heat, coupled with a lack of shade, snakes, and billions of flies, have at times, made for a grueling bike ride. Max often rises early, rides until the sun is too scorching to continue, rests in what shade he can find or create, and then continues in late afternoon when the worst of the day’s heat is over. He is not the only Beast of the Road. Max has met others who are doing their own fundraiser bike rides – one young man is trying to raise a quarter of a million dollars for “Beyond Blue”, an Australian depression/anxiety assistance organization. Amazingly, the fellow is pulling a bathtub on wheels behind his bicycle to stow his equipment and food and the bonus is, that it doubles as a place to sleep!  Anbangbang in Kakadu With the Kimberley, the Great Sandy desert, and the Pilbara behind him now, the hottest, driest leg of the trip is over and in the past few days, as he rounded the upper northwestern corner of the country, the winds coming off the ocean have been cooler, but stronger yet, making it seem as if he were peddling through molasses. The predominantly southwesterly winds can be brutal in W.A. (Western Australia) and he has been riding into it much of the time. His Tasmanian friend, Greg, tells us that for the locals, W.A. stand for, “Windy Always”.
Greg answers the question: Why would anyone do this ride? “You get to meet the real Australians who all admire people like Max who take up a challenge.” As Max dips south now, the coastal road will give him an opportunity to see some virtually untouched, pristine beaches. He is likely about two weeks or so from reaching Perth, assuming he takes it a bit slower to explore some of the coastal wonders of the West. H is work/travel visa lasts until the end of December but he has already applied for a similar visa for New Zealand where he may or may not go decide to go. Regardless of when he returns to Michigan, this odyssey in the Land Down Under will be a life changing experience, as the best travel often is. Max is about half way to reaching his goal of $5000, thanks to the generosity of many family, friends near and far, and Newaygo County residents. If you would like to donate toward the fundraiser for the environmental groups, please see his GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/ride-for-nature039s-health or contact Kathy at 924-6924. He has a blog chronicling his journey at: https://cyclingforearthshealth.wordpress.com/2018/08/17/the-cycle-trip-darwin-to-perth/  5K Trail Run/Walk To Raise Scholarships For Children
Newaygo- Camp Henry, Camp Roger, and Camp Geneva, three summer camps in West Michigan, are partnering in the Run for Camp 5K Trail Run/Walk to raise scholarship funds for children-in-need to attend camp. The trail run/walk, presented by Howard Miller, takes place on October 13, 2018 and costs $20 for adults, $15 for students and children. Family and group pricing are available. Volunteer opportunities are listed on the registration website. More information can be found at https://runsignup.com/runforcamp. The race will be held on the grounds of Camp Henry in Newaygo, Michigan. The course winds throughout 212 acres of scenic, natural trails. The 5K Trail Run will be timed and awards will be given. The 5K Walk can be walked at a leisurely pace. Kids are welcome to participate! Prizes will be awarded for these categories: 12 and under, 13-17, 18-39, over 40. Run for Camp T-shirt provided if registered by October 3. 100% of proceeds benefit camp scholarships. Everyone is welcome! “While we represent three different summer camps, each of us share the same desire to see all children, regardless of financial needs, attend camp. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from an amazing, positive, loving, and life-changing Christian camping experience,” shares Jake Jacobs, Executive Director, Camp Henry. Doug Vanderwell, Camp Roger’s Executive Director adds, “We’re all passionate about children growing in their self-esteem, confidence, and faith, and feel that there are few places that develop these character traits better than camp.” “While we all offer excellent summer camp programs, we don’t see ourselves as competing with one another; we simply want all kids to experience the fun and benefits of camp,” shares Kevin VanderKlok, Executive Director, Camp Geneva. Race Day Details: Location: Camp Henry, 5575 S Gordon Ave, Newaygo, MI 49337 Phone: (231) 652-6472 Registration information: https://runsignup.com/runforcamp Facebook: @runforcamp  If you like music we have a wide range of options available to us this weekend. The Dogwood Center is delivering a one-two punch this weekend featuring a pair of performances on Friday and Saturday. Tonight (Friday) Sandi Patty the renowned contemporary Christian music artist will be taking to the stage. Ms. Patty was forced to cancel her scheduled visit here in early August and her fans are happy to know her show is, at last, making a Newaygo County stop. http://www.dogwoodcenter.com/?p=7080 Saturday marks the arrival of An Dro, an enticing gathering of talent performing in the club-like atmosphere of the Black Box. Those who were fortunate enough to be at the Luthiers Concert this past winter should recall Jim Spalink performing on the harp. As part of An Dro he expands his instrumental repertoire and together with fiddler extraordinaire Michele Venegas, the multi-instrumental skills of Cara Lieurance, and innovative percussionist Carolyn Koebel creates a sound destined to charm an audience of listeners. http://www.dogwoodcenter.com/?p=7057 Lean a little more to Rock and Roll? Tetrad is a favorite draw in these parts for those who like their music with a bit of edge. You never know what will be coming up next given Tetrad’s wide swath of musical journeys, but you always know it will be delivered with an abundance of energy. They will be making a stop at the River Stop Saloon in downtown Newaygo Saturday. And make sure to take advantage of the variety of dining establishments we have available to us in our region. Weekends should have a celebratory feel to them and a morning, midday or evening dining experience provides a little food and a little fun all the while giving the mealmakers among us a bit of a break.   'Expedition: Dinosaur' Opening Party Takes Over the Grand Rapids Public Museum This October Including Special Appearance by Dinosaur Train’s Buddy the Dinosaur
Grand Rapids -The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is excited to be hosting a special Expedition: Dinosaur Opening Party to welcome the newest traveling exhibit on Saturday, October 13! Expedition: Dinosaur lets visitors become paleontologists as they explore the Mesozoic-era dinosaurs and see and control life-sized animatronic dinosaurs! Expedition: Dinosaur will open on Saturday, October 13 with a special Opening Party fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. benefiting the GRPM. Visitors of all ages will have first access to the exhibit at this party to explore the fascinating world of dinosaurs and the hunt for their fossils. The Opening Party will be first access to Expedition: Dinosaur and take over all three floors of the GRPM with live dinosaurs roaming and additional dinosaur hands-on activities. Activities include cracking geodes with Dr. Diggs, going on a fossil dig, seeing and touching fossil artifacts from the GRPM Collections, and a special photo opportunity where visitors become dinosaur in special face morphing technology! Community partners will also be hosting special dinosaur themed activities throughout the Museum as well, including making dinosaur buttons out of retired dinosaur books with Kent District Library, DIY geological dig with 4-H Tech Wizards, live birds, reptiles and amphibians with Blandford Nature Center, a raptor vehicle outside the Museum from Keller Ford, and special appearance of Buddy the Dinosaur from PBS Kids’ popular Dinosaur Train program. Thanks to sponsorship from WGVU Public Museum, Buddy the Dinosaur will be at the Museum from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 13. Buddy the Dinosaur is a curious, funny, and intelligent T-Rex and the star of PBS Kids show Dinosaur Train. He is cautious, but always ready to jump into action and start asking questions. While on the Dinosaur Train, Buddy makes a hypothesis and begins searching for the answers to his questions with the help of his Mom, the Conductor, and the new dinosaurs he meets on the train. The Expedition: Dinosaur Opening Party will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $13 for children, $10 for member adults and $5 for member children. The Opening Party has limited capacity. Special meal deals will be available throughout the day. For tickets and more information on the Expedition: Dinosaur Opening Party visit grpm.org/DinoParty. Before the Opening Party, visitors can join the Museum for an exclusive Breakfast with the Dinos on Saturday, October 13 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Breakfast with the Dinos includes access to Expedition: Dinosaur, special hands-on activities, breakfast and make and take your own fossil! Breakfast with the Dinos is open to only 200 visitors. Breakfast includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, fruit, donuts, juice and coffee. Breakfast with Dino ticket holders are invited to stay for the Opening Party. For tickets and more information on Breakfast with the Dinos, visit grpm.org/DinoBreakfast. Breakfast with the Dinos and Expedition: Dinosaur Opening Party are sponsored by Arnie’s Bakery & Restaurant, Aunt Millie’s Bakeries, Kaat’s Culligan of Grand Rapids, Old Orchard Juices, Tyson Foods, Pepsi and Van Eerden Foodservice. Expedition: Dinosaur Expedition: Dinosaur taps into our fascination with these incredible creatures. It is perhaps the closest experience to what it would have been like to be in the presence of a living, breathing Mesozoic-era dinosaur. This exhibit has something for every age and interest, from life-sized and lifelike animatronic dinosaurs to mechanical and electronic learning stations. Visitors can learn about modern imaging techniques like high-energy neutron beams that reveal the inside of a T. Rex skull in microscopic detail never seen before. The exhibit includes a number of hands-on interactives that explain dinosaur movement, digestion, and evolution, and show the life and methods of dinosaur hunters from the 1800s to today. Exhibition: Dinosaur comes to the GRPM from Stage Nine Exhibitions and is on display from October 13, 2018 through Spring 2019. This exhibit focuses on the science of paleontology. Exhibit developer Stage Nine Exhibitions engaged renowned paleontologist Dr. Thomas Williamson to consult and inform the exhibit. Dr. Williamson, Curator of Paleontology at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, was featured in the PBS documentary "The Day The Dinosaurs Died." |
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October 2018
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