 Lucas Gross and Caleb Conklin of Newaygo Fitness "This is one of the best golf outings I've been to. Everything from the food, camaraderie, and love is second to none.” -Quote from Realtor Dean Gibbie about last year’s event
Newaygo Fitness Club and Van Eerden Food Service will be hosting their third annual Charity Golf Tournament at Water’s Edge Golf Course in Fremont on Thursday May 30th. The event is a 4 person scramble so not only is there the opportunity to help support a local organization, there is the chance to see those scramble-produced numbers on the scorecard that most duffers only dare to dream of. NF Manager Caleb Conklin feels strongly about the importance of health and fitness not just in the lives of individuals, but within the community as a whole. It is his hope events like the golf outing will help raise recognition as well as resources for those who share this vision. Despite his hectic schedule we managed to catch a few minutes with Caleb to pose a few questions about the event. How did this get started? It began 3 years ago with the idea of bringing a community together in hopes of sharing our passion and awareness of health and fitness while raising funds for local programs involved in the community and its people. How did the partnership with VanEerden come about? Dean Curtis from Van Eerden was training with me and one day we got to talking about our golf outing. Dean felt this would be a great opportunity for Van Eerden to show it's true colors in our community. Their philosophy on health and fitness directly correlates with ours. I knew then it was a no-brainer and that they would be a partner. Who are the beneficiaries of this years outing and what led you to select them? This year we chose Newaygo County Prevention of Child Abuse. I spoke with Tara Nelson (director) at an event awhile back and knew right then the proceeds were to go to NCPCA. It was quite easy after she had spoken with me regarding her view on health and fitness. Her belief is that healthy children lead to healthy adults. And healthy adults are more productive and drive a healthier economy. Ensuring the physical and emotional well-being of our children through the prevention of child abuse and neglect must be one of our top priorities. The second beneficiary is Randy's House the recovery houses in Newaygo. Tommy and Tabitha Rake have been involved in this in hopes of creating a positive influence for those who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions. Creating a second chance through honesty and accountability is their objective in starting this wonderful program in our up and coming area. Randy's House uses exercise, nutrition and healthy living support, and provide holistic therapy including meditation and acupuncture. Their vision is based on providing multiple paths of recovery to those suffering from a substance use disorder. Golf outings are traditionally a lot of work and take a lot of volunteers so…? The entire Newaygo Fitness staff volunteers each year. We also have a few special people who back us in everything we do. Why should people enter and take part in this years event? We have prizes for Men and Women closest to the pin and longest drive. We also have a putt putt challenge. We give money for first place and second place will be a free foursome golf package at a secret location. We will be serving OLD IRON BAR AND GRILL'S BBQ EXTRAVAGANZA for the second year in a row. We pride ourselves on providing good food. You can sign up online at newaygofitnessclub.com or call Caleb at 616-217-1650.
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 Jill Pulaski gets “Sammy the Baby” into a car seat. Pulaski and Kirsten Telfor are certified car seat technicians.) Gerber Memorial certified car seat techs at Family Expo on Saturday
Fremont- Parents wondering if their child’s car seat is installed correctly can get some expert help on Saturday May 18, during the 2019 Family Expo at Fremont High School, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jill Pulaski and Kirsten Telfor of Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial will be at the expo to assist parents and caregivers with the correct way to strap in infants and young children, properly install car seats, and use everyday items to ensure car seats are safe and secure. Pulaski and Telfor received their national certification as child passenger safety technicians in November. They primarily assist parents who deliver babies at Gerber Memorial’s labor and delivery center, offering their service for those who request it. “I think what we do can help make a difference for families,” Telfor said. “Babies are safe when they leave here and that’s good to know.” Since February, Pulaski and Telfor have helped more than 24 families with their car seats. To help them with their demonstrations, they enlist the assistance of “Sammy the Baby,” a toy infant. “Sammy,” training materials and the certification training were funded by the 2018 Beards for Babies event, a local fundraiser by Spectrum Health Foundation Gerber Memorial. “We volunteered to be part of the project and we really enjoy what we do,” Pulaski said. “I find it rewarding to be able to educate parents so they know their child is safe when they’re driving.” Telfor said she and Pulaski practiced installing more than 100 car seats during the training for their certification, which led to some bruised knees. Altogether, they each spent 40 hours of classwork and education for the certification. Telfor and Pulaski work in Gerber Memorial’s medical records department. Some of the lessons they learned during their class was sobering, Telfor said. “More than 90 percent of car seats aren’t installed correctly,” she said. “Parents aren’t anchoring the seats the right way. The chest clips are too low.” And when a car seat tech isn’t around? Pulaski said: “Read the car seat manual, read the vehicle manual, be familiar with all the parts of the car seat. And if you’ve lost the manual, Google it.” In addition to Pulaski and Telfor, other Newaygo County resources to help parents properly install car seats include Newaygo County Great Start, Newaygo County Sheriff’s Department, the Fremont Police Department, the Newaygo Police Department and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. For more information about Spectrum Health Foundation Gerber Memorial and how you can help the car seat program or others areas at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial, please call 231.924.3681 or email gerberfoundation@spectrumhealth.org.  John Buckley with White Cloud kids Gerber FCU Donates 700 Books to Local Second Grade Students FREMONT- John Buckley, President/CEO of Gerber Federal Credit Union (Gerber FCU), read the book Money Madness by David A. Adler to second grade students at local schools during the month of April. This beginning guide to economics has readers thinking about the purpose, and not just the value, of money. It is a clear and thorough introduction to money discussing bartering, early forms of currency, credit cards, and even digital payment. Following the book read, Buckley discussed good money management and presented every student, their teacher and their school library with a copy of the book. Gerber Federal Credit Union donated a total of 700 books to the following school districts: Big Jackson, Fremont, Fremont Christian, Grant, Grant Christian, Hesperia, Holton, Newaygo and White Cloud. “It is always a pleasure to read to these kids and have them interact with me and the stories,“ said Buckley. “It’s so important to start these conversations while children are young and lay a foundation for financial literacy. Prepare your kids to be Money Smart adults, practice saving with them and start talking about what money is and how it is earned.” Find out more about Gerber FCU’s youth programs at www.gerberfcu.com/youth.  Buckley in action at Grant Elementary  Front: Trent Jones, Madison Smith, Ella Bowman, Alexis Strait, Hannah Brown, Allison Schulz, Isabelle Schulz & Jemi Perrin Back: Jan Tuman, Rylee Hewitt, Kaylyn Kaiser, Cassie Watson, Jordan Richmond, Adrian Rodriguez, Kenzie Keith, Brittney Ringler, Hallie Schulz, Emily Feldpausch, Naomi Thompson & Aleeya Grifford During this year's Day of Service, White Cloud High School's Voice of Reason group worked on community projects for the City of White Cloud from 8:00am until 6:00pm. Those involved raked and hauled leaves at the City Office and the Welcome Center, cleaned out some of the community garden containers around town - near the airport and at the cemetery, scraped paint and painted picnic tables at Raceway Park, raked and cleaned out two garden areas at the high school, and picked up garbage near the railroad track and at the recycling center. After having our dinner grilled by Mr. Canning, the group relaxed at the high school until midnight with games and laughter. Everyone involved worked hard for the White Cloud community and should be commended for working the "Day of Service".  Stop the Bleed event at Tamarac Fremont – Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial will host a free Stop the Bleed training aimed to turn bystanders into rescuers, giving them the training to save lives. Shelly Klochack, MSN, BSN, RN and Susie Gatrell, trauma coordinator with Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial are leading a free two-hour class on Wednesday, May 29, at Tamarac, a member of Spectrum Health, that teaches community members how to take simple actions immediately after trauma. No matter how rapid the arrival of professional emergency responders, massive bleeding from any cause, but particularly from an active shooter or explosive event, can result in death. Stop the Bleed is a program started by the Department of Defense and is supported by the American College of Surgeons and the Hartford Consensus Group, an organization focused on stopping preventable trauma deaths. “The program is designed to work in any situation where there might be a bleeding emergency, not just in the event of an active-shooter situation,” Klochack said. “A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes, so it is important to quickly stop the blood loss. Anyone at the scene can act as an immediate responder and save lives if they know what to do. If bystanders know how to respond, a victim’s odds of survival are much higher.” Similar to how the general public learns and performs CPR, the public must learn proper bleeding control techniques, including how to use their hands, dressings, and tourniquets, Klochack said. “Anyone can do this,” Klochack said. “We encourage all employers, educators and community members to prepare themselves to assist injured people following a traumatic event and register for this training.” For more information or to register, call 231.924.3275.   Free Commemorative T-shirt if registering before May 12 Run Forrest Run is the largest fundraiser for Bellwether Harbor Animal Shelter & Training Center, the island of compassion for abandoned, abused and neglected dogs and cats located just west of Fremont. This year the runners, walkers and canine companions will be participating in the 15th Annual pet-friendly race. RFR has three events with levels to fit every athletic ability. Runner, walker and virtual participant registrations are now being taken for the 15th annual event on Saturday, June 1, at Summer Breeze Golf Course at the Commons in Fremont. According to Danielle Merrill, Bellwether executive director and trainer, the event is named after an unforgettable beagle at the shelter who took every opportunity to stretch his legs around the facility without a leash much to the chagrin of the staff. “In Forrest’s honor, we encourage participants to run with their dog,”said Merrill. “Dog participation is free but we require all canines be up-to-date on vaccines.” The 5K race is timed with medals awarded to the first two fastest finishers for males and females. The first male and female finishers running with a canine companion are awarded the top dog and lucky lady awards. The one-mile event is geared to walkers, isn’t timed and will have a trivia scavenger hunt along the way. The virtual race is for anyone who is or isn’t a runner, can’t make the event or just wants to support the shelter. Every participant receives a free t-shirt and the first 50 to register will receive a commemorative key ring. Registration fees increase after May 12. “We couldn’t help the animals we do without the support of the community,” added Merril. “We want to thank our sponsors who make Run Forrest Run possible.” Gold sponsors for RFR are the Fremont Area Community Foundation, Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., MPH Logistics, Noah’s Pet Cemetery, and Heil/Paulsen Heating & Cooling. Race registrations are available online at http://www.bellwetherharbor.org and available at the shelter, 7645 W. 48th Street, Fremont during open hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays: 3-7 p.m.; Wednesdays & Fridays: 1-4 p.m.; and Saturdays: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. The race fee is $25 for the 5K and walk and $30 for the virtual to cover the cost of postage.
 Free introduction session coming Wednesday
Life is pretty stressful for a lot of folks these days and finding ways to deal with some of the tension and anxiety associated with stress can be a challenge. There are, of course, a number of unhealthy alternatives that are easily turned to for temporary relief but none provide any long term solutions for coping with the pressures life can present. For over half a century, people all over the world have found peace of mind in the practice of Transcendental Meditation. “Research has shown that TM meditators have less anxiety and depression, sleep better, and are mentally and physically healthier,” said Mike Hummel a long time practitioner who began instructing the method over 10 years ago. “Transcendental Meditation is a simple, easy to learn, mental technique that reduces stress, gives us more energy, and leads to the development of our full mental potential.” On Wednesday May 8th at 7pm he will be presenting a free ‘Introduction to Transcendental Meditation’ session at Tamarac 1401 West Main Street in Fremont In recent years Hummel taught the method to veterans with PTSD, a program that yielded positive results with PTSD symptoms decreasing among those practicing TM. He also brought TM to White Cloud Schools under a Fremont Area Community Foundation grant. N3 ran a story on this program last year. https://www.nearnorthnow.com/news/t-m-bringing-calm-to-the-cloud For more information, please come to the workshop. After all, we could all use a little less stress in our lives.   Take Back Event Saturday 10am-2pm
The United States is currently experiencing an epidemic of prescription drug misuse and abuse. Opioid overdose deaths in Michigan have almost tripled in five years. To help turn the tide on this epidemic, The Headway Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is partnering with the Michigan Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network (Michigan OPEN) and Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office, Newaygo Police Department, Fremont Police Department, Grant Police Department to host four medication take-back events on Saturday, April 27 from 10-2PM. Ryan Doornbos Newaygo City Officer: "Improper drug disposal can lead to many problems for people and the environment. Proper disposal of drugs can prevent the negative and toxic effects on our environment that can take place if the drugs are not disposed of correctly. Safely disposing of drugs can also prevent them from getting into the hands of people who shouldn't have them. By participating in drug take back days you can keep unused medication literally out of your own backyards, and make Newaygo County safer for all". Did you know?
Community opioid and medication take-back events provide a safe process for disposing of unused medications while protecting our communities, children and environment. Please, remove the risk from your home and bring your unused opioids to the Headway Coalition medication take-back events at: Hometown Pharmacy – Newaygo Grant Fire Department Fremont Fire Department Family Health Care – White Cloud For more information or to find other take back event locations throughout Michigan, please visit http://michigan-open.org/  Drain Commissioner Dale Twing to address group
2019 Annual General Meeting of the Board of Directors for 3R Environmental Education will be held April 29 at 6 pm at Brooks Township Hall, 490 Quarterline Street, Newaygo. Highlights will include the election of directors, a guest speaker, annual reports, and the presentation of Earth Alive Awards for exceptional dedication to a green community. Guest Speaker is Dale Twing, Drain Commissioner for the Department of Public Works for Newaygo County. Twing will report on the state of recycling and the county’s developing waste management plan. In October, 2018, 3R launched the Citizens' Environmental Watch and Action Coalition (CEWAC) as its environmental action committee. The diverse group of concerned county residents meets the 2nd Thursday monthly at 6 pm at Brooks Township Hall, 490 Quarterline St., Newaygo. Every other month, the group brings in a guest speaker. On May 9, CEWAC will host at least two guest speakers. Luke Cotton, Newaygo County Conservation District Director, will share his vision for a healthy local environment. Randy Butters will introduce the Newaygo Invasive Plants Project (NIPP), and talk about the problem of invasive plants escaping from residents’ gardens into woodlands, meadows, and waters. A third speaker is in the works to talk about favorable native plant options. CEWAC’s current focus is on water issues; invasive species; chemicals used along public throughways; recycling education and support; and business and governmental policy at local and state levels. Former 3-term Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, who retired to Garfield Township, is a boon to the coalition with his depth of experience and knowledge about environmental issues. 3R this month launches its “Heroes Program for Eateries” under its EARTH ALIVE Awards series. Heroes promotes green practices in local restaurants, for example: biodegradable takeout containers, cutlery, and straws; energy efficient appliances; eco-friendly cleaners; and recycling bins for use by employees and customers. 3R volunteers are already out visiting local eateries.  Powerhouse coalition hosting free event on May 3 to empower local communities to act
FREMONT – LiveWell Newaygo County is hosting a free summit and information exchange on May 3 that will focus on major health and human services issues affecting local communities. The summit will be held at the Regional Center for Agri-Science and Career Advancement, located at 5479 West 72nd Street in Fremont, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The keynote speaker at the summit is Anneshia Freeman, author of “The Adult Reenactment of the Childhood Script“ and “The Lies that Bind” workbooks for service providers. The summit will feature workshops on hot topics affecting rural communities, such as opioid addiction and treatment; human trafficking; trauma; suicide prevention; supporting at-risk youth; and homelessness and housing. The summit is geared toward case managers, counselors, social workers, pastors and church leaders, medical staff, program staff and community volunteers. “The LiveWell Newaygo County summit and information exchange is a terrific opportunity for organizations and individuals across West Michigan working to improve the health and wellness of local communities to learn, network, and explore what frontline staff can do to reach more people, maximize resources, and impact outcomes,” said Mark Petz, Collaborative Coordinator for the Newaygo County Community Collaborative (NC3), a LiveWell Newaygo County member and a key event organizer. “LiveWell Newaygo County strongly believes that a healthier community can reduce cost and lead to better hires for local businesses. Healthier kids are more likely to perform better in school and on tests, which benefit the child and local school districts. The LiveWell Newaygo County Summit on May 3 is a step toward building a healthier, more resilient community.” To register for the free event and learn more about workshops and speakers: bit.ly/LiveWellSummit. LiveWell Newaygo County is a collaborative action group working to improve the health of Newaygo County citizens. LiveWell Newaygo County focuses on chronic health conditions and underserved populations, delivering long-term solutions to make Newaygo County the healthiest in Michigan. LiveWell Newaygo County members are: District Health Department #10; Family Health Care; Fremont Area Community Foundation; Fremont Public Schools; Headway: Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition; Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; Michigan State University Extension; Newaygo County Great Start Collaborative; Newaygo County Mental Health; Newaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency; Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial; Tamarac; TrueNorth Community Services; and WE CAN! Newaygo County. |
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