 Students of Big Jackson Public School holding white pine seedlings courtesy of Newaygo Conservation District and Newaygo County 4-H. 150th Celebration of Arbor Day Arbor Day is a great way to celebrate nature and the importance of trees in our environment. Newaygo Conservation District along with Newaygo County 4-H marked the 150th Celebration of Arbor Day this week by providing white pine seedlings to 2nd grade students in school districts throughout Newaygo County. Over 575 seedling which were grown at the Newaygo Conservation Nursery in Newaygo were given out along with planting instructions to youth to take home and plant with their families. Arbor Day, much like Earth Day, focuses on nature and encourages people to plant trees. Arbor Day has a long, rich history dating back to 1872 when J. Sterling Morton encouraged his fellow Nebraskans to plant trees in their communities. Nearly 1 million trees were planted in the first year! Within 20 years, Arbor Day was celebrated in nearly every state. It wasn’t until 1970 that Arbor Day became recognized nationwide as a holiday thanks to President Richard Nixon. Now it is celebrated around the world!
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 Recognizing 4-H Volunteers during National Volunteer Week!
National Volunteer Week, April 17—23, is an opportunity to recognize the impact of volunteer service and the power of volunteers to build stronger communities and the force that transforms lives. With over 15,000 4-H volunteers across the state contributing to the success and expansion of the 4-H Youth Development program, volunteers are very much an intricate part of Michigan 4-H. They are, undeniably, the “heart and soul” of the program. Through their efforts young people experience new projects, leadership experiences, and engage in their communities. Leadership in 4-H doesn't depend on the amount of knowledge you have about a project. It relies on your willingness to help youth learn. While a young member's project might be photography, horses or sewing, the leader's project is always the YOUTH. Leadership is the ability to get along with people; to tackle a job and see it through. 4-H volunteers are valued partners and the key to the success of a member's learning, experience, and continuing interest in 4-H. A 4-H volunteer is many things - mentor, advisor, friend, teacher, referee, role model, pacesetter, and much more. Most importantly, a 4-H leader genuinely cares about young people and wants to help them learn and grow. 4-H volunteers volunteer for many reasons. Some want to work with youth, or pass along skills, and others just want to help out. Whatever the reason, 4-H leaders right here in Newaygo County play a vital role in the ongoing growth and development of youth within our county. When 4-H youth and adults work together, young people become more educated, independent, and responsible. This prepares young people to take their rightful place as caring, competent citizens and leaders in their community and the world. A special thank you to all of our 4-H volunteers and to all of the past volunteers that have built the Newaygo County 4-H program! To become part of the Newaygo County 4-H program, contact Laurie Platte Breza, 4-H program coordinator, at 231-928-1056 or email at platteb1@msu.edu.  Movement Disorders Specialist Ashok Sriram, MD Parkinson’s virtual, in-person support group features Spectrum Health expert April 21
FREMONT, Mich., April 13, 2022 – A Spectrum Health neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s disease will be the featured speaker at a Parkinson’s support group meeting on Thursday, April 21, that will be offered virtually and in-person. Ashok Sriram, MD, a board-certified neurologist and fellowship-trained movement disorders specialist, will share insights at the free event from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. With the hybrid virtual/in-person option, anyone with a laptop or a phone can join from anywhere. Participants choosing to participate from the comfort of their home can join via smartphone and laptop, or through a conference phone call. In-person attendees will meet at Room 1 at Tamarac, 1401 W. Main St., Fremont. At the support group meeting, Spectrum Health will share education on symptoms, treatments and living with Parkinson’s. Participants also provide support to each other as the meeting is an opportunity to share experiences and coping skills. The Parkinson’s support group meets every third Thursday of the month. “Spectrum Health’s Parkinson’s support group bring people together every month to share experiences so they know they’re not alone, and being able to offer the virtual option allows more people in more communities to connect with each other on this journey,” said Spectrum Health support group facilitator Shelly Klochack, RN. “Our Parkinson’s support group encourages a sense of belonging and acceptance. We look forward to having Dr. Ashok Sriram share his expertise in Parkinson’s research and empower families with helpful information.” To join the virtual support group, copy and paste the following link to enter the meeting: https://bit.ly/2X5EDRC. Then click: “Join on the web instead” and the meeting will open. For help getting the link or other questions, call Klochack at 231-924-3275. For those who don’t have a smartphone, laptop or tablet and want to call into the meeting, please dial: +1 616-773-2109, then enter conference ID 666 108 443#. (Be sure to press the “#” sign at the end of the ID numbers.) Dr. Sriram uses a multidisciplinary team approach to care for people with Parkinson’s disease, tremors, dystonia, ataxias, and other movement disorders. His clinical interests include surgical treatment/deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and tremors, and botulinum toxin injections for cervical dystonia, blepharospasms, hemifacial spasms, spasticity, sialorrhea and chronic migraines. Based in Grand Rapids, Dr. Sriram frequently visits and speaks with communities across West Michigan. To set up an appointment, contact: 616.267.7900.  April is Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month
Autism 101 Fact: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. Autism Acceptance: “Please don’t ignore us or look the other way when we approach you. Doing that to us will note make us or our disability go away. We didn’t have a choice about our disability, but you definitely have a choice in how you accept us.” Annie Forts Fact: ASD is the fastest growing developmental disability in the U.S. There are 3.5 million individuals on the autism spectrum. 1 in 54 children will be diagnosed with ASD, boys being 4 times more likely to be affected. Autism Acceptance: “Autism is part of my child. It’s not everything he is. My child is so much more than a diagnosis.” S.L. Coelho Fact: The learning and cognitive abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to significantly impacted. Autism Acceptance: “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. Each one of them is so wonderfully different.”Autism Parenting Magazine Fact: Oftentimes there are no differences in how people with ASD look that would set them apart from others, but they may communicate, interact, behave, learn and experience the world in ways that are different from most. Autism Acceptance: “Different, not less.” Temple Grandin The Newaygo County Autism Community is a nonprofit organization supporting families impacted by autism. Prior to the pandemic, the NCAC held an annual walk to promote awareness and raise funds, planned educational support group meetings and sponsored a monthly swim time at Tamarac for individuals with ASD and their families. The organization also awards grant monies to Newaygo County residents living with ASD. In the last round, 6 grants were awarded. The next grant round will be in July and all grants are made possible by donations from generous individuals and businesses throughout Newaygo County. Donations are always welcome. For more information, access the Newaygo County Autism Community Facebook page or send inquiries to NCAC P.O. Box 56 Fremont, Michigan 49412. |
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