UPDATE!!!
Mother Nature did it again! Due to Her decision to finally make winter, we have rescheduled this 2 for 1 Event. Winter Native Plant Seed Sowing & Wild Ones! Our Inaugural Chapter Meeting! Now Saturday, January 27, 11am - 1pm Brooks Township Hall, 490 Quarterline St, Newaygo, 49337 The Newaygo County Environmental Coalition (NCEC) will host a native plant event on Saturday, January 13 at 11am. The winter seed sowing and Wild Ones Chapter will be held at Brooks Township Hall, 490 Quarterline St, Newaygo, 49337. Winter is the best time to sow native plant seeds, and Katie Clark of NCEC will demonstrate how to turn common household containers into mini-greenhouses for the future plants. “The containers, with the planted seeds, are placed outside now so they can go through periods of cold and warm during the winter,” explained Katie. “Many types of native plant seeds need this, a process called stratification. As spring arrives, the seeds open and new plants begin to emerge. Then you plant them where you want them to grow as the weather warms.” The first Wild Ones Chapter of the Newaygo Region will also be meeting at this event. Wild Ones Native Plants & Natural Landscapes is a national organization that promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity. “A Wild Ones Chapter in our area will help promote the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities,” states Sally Wagoner of NCEC. “The organization aligns with the NCEC focus area of Healthy Habitats. A local Wild Ones Chapter will bring native plant enthusiasts and the curious together from around West Michigan for resources, education and camaraderie.” The first Wild Ones meeting will explain the requirements of becoming a Chapter which includes starting a membership roster, creating a coordination team, and coming up with a description chapter name. The National Wild Ones organization will help the local Chapter get off the ground with a starter kit of brochures and resources, as well as a chapter advisor. “We are thrilled with the enthusiasm and dedication so many of our community members have about native plants,” added Sally. ”The turn-out at our native plant sales and demonstration programs has been great. We are so happy that our community knows the benefits of native plants. They are essential for supporting our struggling pollinators. And they are key to healthy native biodiversity that is so important for Newaygo County’s unique and endangered habitats.” The public is invited to this free event. Registration for the Winter Seed Sowing and Wild Ones Chapter is recommended. Click here to register: Winter Seed & Wild Ones. Sign up for Newaygo County Environmental Coalition Enews: NCEC Enews. You can follow NCEC Facebook, or visit the website at www.nc-ec.org.
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Nationally known consultant to present at NC RESA
NCRESA has invited Cari Ebert to come to Newaygo County to train their early childhood staff and offer a presentation to the public (target audience - childcare workers and families with young children, birth to 5). She is a highly sought-after national presenter. The Great Start Family Coalition is partnering to offer dinner and childcare for the event. Every family will receive a free children's book and there will be lots of door prizes awarded. Location: 4747 W. 48th St. Fremont, MI (NCRESA's Educational Service Center building) Date: January 11th Time: 5:00 Dinner Time: 5:30 - 7:30 Presentation Families will need to register by January 7th to attend: Scan QR code on flyer or use the following link. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040C48A4AB2EA1FE3-46843556-thepower A little about the presentation... The Power of Play This seminar is based on the understanding that young children learn best through play that is relevant and meaningful to their lives...not through direct instruction, drill work or flash cards! Through play, children discover, interact, absorb, experience, create, explore and learn. Cari provides clinically relevant activities and strategies to create functional learning opportunities that promote cognitive, physical, social-emotional and language development in the natural environment. There will also be an evidence-based discussion of the limitations of screen-based learning for young children with developing brains and bodies. A little about Cari... Cari Ebert, MS, CCC-SLP is a pediatric speech-language pathologist in the Kansas City, Missouri area. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1993 and her master’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1995. Cari is a therapist, consultant, author, product developer, and nationally recognized speaker who gets paid to do what she loves most—TALK! She specializes in autism, apraxia, and early intervention. Cari’s son has dual diagnoses of autism and apraxia, allowing her to engage audiences both as a professional and as a parent of a child with different abilities. The Commission on Aging is a bevy of activity these days and recently they have modified their newsletter to better reflect what the COA is all about and, more importantly, the range of services they provide to the community. Here is a link to their newsletter, The Evergreen. Take a look and see what you just might be missing at the COA. mycommunityonline.com/publication-page/newaygo-county-commission-on-aging?pid=cb0424b7-4c24-44ea-bb7c-bab8e78863b3&type=Community&acc=15-0739 N3 World Headquarters crew poses a few challenges
“Hope Smiles from the threshold of the year to come, Whispering 'it will be happier'...”Alfred Lord Tennyson We at N3 World Headquarters like Al’s imagery here, seemingly speaking to how the advent of a New Year can deliver an unwavering optimism going forward. It feels like a fresh beginning, a way to start a streak of something positive. The possibility could be hanging out there that this might be the year where you wind up sitting around next NYE saying,”Man, now That was a good year.” Then of course there are the resolutions that accompany the new calendar. For the overly ambitious group this might take the shape of something like “We’re going to be smarter when it comes to decisions, take charge of any remaining shortcomings and enter a veritable renaissance period in our personal lives.” For others the bar gets set a little lower. Lose some weight, exercise, or maybe stop pointing out to your spouse each and every one of the lone, abandoned shoes spotted alongside the roadsides…that kind of thing. While personally the list of needed changes among the denizens of N3WH is more than a tad cumbersome it certainly doesn’t stop us from passing on suggestions as to resolutions that might be put forward for those in the community at large who might be in search of a challenge to go with their New Year. Doing More To Support Local While we hope folks did at least a part of their holiday shopping at the variety of shops our area is pleased to enjoy, most of our local businesses are entering the toughest part of the year. We’re not asking for people to engage in the kind of buying generally reserved for November/ December, but hey, maybe visit a few of our local establishments now and then and see if anything catches your fancy. Believe me any action at the main street stores in Newaygo and Fremont will be greatly appreciated and help allow them to continue to be part of our increasingly vibrant downtowns. And remember these folks get hit up for every fundraising initiative that comes along so maybe give them a break if they aren’t thrilled to contribute to the latest worthy cause Listening To Others Start with catching at least a few of the lunchtime Calvin January Series the Dogwood will be hosting. The topics are generally compelling and the speakers present ideas in an easy to relate to manner that promotes listening. And if there is anything we need more these days it’s the ability to listen. Note: Is it me or do you find the people who fancy themselves good listeners rarely even come close? Do yourself a favor and look through these. Then pick at least one you’re really interested in and another that sounds like you wouldn’t be quite so eager to see. See them both. Trust us on this. Oh, and they are FREE. https://calvin.edu/january-series/speakers/ https://dogwoodcenter.com/ Gaining Perspective Now combine this with taking breaks from not just social media but any news program that includes opinions. In fact if you must see the news, try restricting it to local stations.Give it a shot for a month with no cheating by sneaking in a few minutes with your favorite opinion person or station. Sounds scary if you’ve been caught up in what is happening in the world and have a compelling need to know, but anything really big ends up being referenced locally because they also need to fill time between commercials. And it is only a month. A month to focus on the news that might actually have an impact on our day to day lives. Like weather. Gauging the difficulty of doing this is a good self measure of how attached one is to the programming and the weight of its influence. As a bonus if you are going with the Dry January thing it’s likely a good month to wean from the all-news all-the-time stations anyway since their coverage can certainly send one to the liquor cabinet. Like most resolutions these are likely to be forgotten long before any snow we accumulate this year has melted (or even arrived). But should you join us in giving one or more of these a shot we applaud your efforts. If not, carry on citizenry. Our hope is that we all find some achievement, some growth, some laughter and a dollop or two of kindness as we venture out into 2024. “Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”-Ben Franklin Gerber FCU Colleagues & Members donations support local program
FREMONT, Mich.-Gerber Federal Credit Union employees raised a total of $1,495.22 for donation to the Newaygo County Compassion Home for the Terminally Ill. Gerber FCU President/CEO John Buckley and Marketing Officer Heather Wiersema presented the check to Newaygo County Compassion Home Executive Director Diane Rudholm and NCCH Board President Dr. Douglas Johnson. Each year colleagues donate their own funds, collect funds and hold fundraisers such as Squeegee days in our drive-ups or Bake Sales in our lobbies to raise funds for the Compassion Home. Colleagues Patti VanDyke and Sue Carter organized a donation drive in October. Gerber FCU colleagues and members donated items needed to supply homes available to individuals in our community who are nearing the end of life. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Joins Family Health Care
GRANT, Michigan – Family Health Care is pleased to welcome Amanda Weber, DNP, BSN, CPNP-PC, to its team of medical providers. Weber will see pediatric patients from newborn to age 18 at the Family Health Care clinic at 11 N. Maple St. in Grant. Weber received her Doctor of Nursing Practice, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from Grand Valley State University. She is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and is board-certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. Weber brings more than ten years of nursing experience to Family Health Care, having most recently worked at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids. “I’m passionate about providing care for children,” said Weber. “At Family Health Care, I’m able to fulfill this passion alongside an amazing team whose goal is to expand access and provide quality care to everyone. I hope to help bridge the gap to access of care for all children in the community, so that every child has access to quality, integrated, and comprehensive health care.” Weber provides a full array of primary care services to pediatric patients. To schedule an appointment, call (231) 834-0444. By Coach Stephen Smith Splish splashing into quiz bowl action over the weekend, the White Cloud Varsity Quiz Bowl team competed at the Swim N’ Win Tournament held at Kalamazoo Christian High School on December 9, 2023. The invitational featured 24 teams hailing from Michigan and Indiana. The White Cloud Indians posted a record of 5-3 against high caliber teams with experience at both the state and national level. While the team finished in 6th place overall, the defending state champions remained in 1st place amongst Class C-D squads, qualifying for NAQT Nationals yet again in the process. In morning pool play, the quintessential quartet vanquished White Pigeon D 240-10, triumphed over Ionia A 255-55, and dismantled DeWitt B 185-90. The contingent faltered against East Grand Rapids B 145-195 in an incredibly tight match and Grand Ledge 80-210, the eventual tournament champion. Pool time in the afternoon matches started with a tough loss to Saint Joseph A 100-310, a top-rated power from Indiana. The energetic ensemble bounced back and quickly dispatched Holland A 285-70 and secured victory against White Pigeon A 170-120 on the final question. Senior Captain Brian Schaefer drenched the competition with an impressive 245 points, which led the team. Sam Viher added a cannonball of points with 165, his best performance of the season, and Jarrett Warlick soaked into a groove of 150 points. Wyatt Karnes splashed in with 70 points, providing an amazingly well-balanced team effort for the outing. Look to see the formidable foursome back in action for the CSAA League on January 24, 2024, where they face off against Kent City, Newaygo, and Reed City. The team would like to thank Coach Emeritus Tony McHattie, parents, staff, donors, and all the good people in the community for their support as well. County ROD Office Offers Free Fraud Alert The Newaygo County Register of Deeds Office is making it easier for residents to help protect their most valuable asset, their home and property. Through the free Property Fraud Alert service, residents can sign-up to be notified by email if a document is recorded in Newaygo County under their name. With scams on the rise, now is a perfect time to sign up going into the new year. Consider the service as an early warning system for homeowners to stay up to date about their property and take appropriate actions if they determine fraudulent activity has taken place. “Having the ability to be notified immediately should a fraudulent or predatory document be recorded against your property is invaluable. The faster something like this is discovered, the faster it can be reported to the authorities to get resolved,” says Newaygo County Register of Deeds Stewart Sanders. The Property Fraud Alert is a free service provided by the Register of Deeds Office that requires no up-front or monthly fees. This service is a great tool for those with aging parents to ensure that their loved ones don’t fall victim to scams or fraud. To sign up, simply visit www.newaygocountymi.gov.,where you will see the Home Page of Newaygo County. Click on the Elected Officials tab and in the drop down click on Register of Deeds. Scroll down and you will see the tab labeled FRAUD ALERT, click on the tab, and simply fill in the template following the directions provided. Once you submit this the Register of Deeds Office will notify you when your information has been entered into the system, usually within 24 to 48 hours. If residents have any questions, they can contact the Register of Deeds Office at (231) 689-7246 or email stewarts@newaygocountymi.gov or karent@newaygocountymi.gov. The Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary, 6935 Spruce Ave, Newaygo, is having a volunteer work day on Sunday, December 3rd. Volunteers are needed to help cut and haul brush between 9am – 1pm. Volunteers can show up any time and stay as long as they like. It is recommended that volunteers dress for the weather, wear closed toe shoes or boots and work gloves. Some tools will be provided, but it would be helpful if volunteers could also bring pruners, loppers or pruning saws. Water and refreshments will be provided. Brush cutting is important at this time of year for Newaygo’s sensitive and unique native habitats. Clearing out brush gives room for new native plant growth and deters invasive species growth. It also helps to prepare the area for future prescribed burns. Cancellation notice due to weather or other schedule changes will be posted by December 2nd at noon on the Newaygo County Environmental Coalition Facebook Page and their website Calendar of Events (www.nc-ec.org). Stuart Goldman, Conservation Coordinator for the Michigan Nature Association, will lead the workday. He can be contacted at 517-643-6864, or by email: sgoldman@michigannature.org. I don’t want a just a memory Gives me forever Don’t even think about saying good-bye Cuz I want just one love to be enough And remain in my heart till i die- Renae Olsterad “A Love That Will Last” My Lifetime Spousal Companion Lil and I recently returned from a trip abroad that found us sharing a coach with a couple of dozen other travelers. We were one of three couples celebrating their anniversaries including a 50th (ours), a 35th, and a 20th as well as a pair of newlyweds who were just embarking on the wondrous journey of marriage. 4 couples in vastly different stages of their relationship and yet each celebrating the day they decided to say “I do.” There was a rather enjoyable symmetry to it all. Marriage is such a cool thing when it works. Growing together and displaying an elevated regard for one another allows the relationship to be nourished in a positive manner. As a result the marriage doesn’t merely survive, it thrives. Here are the most recent couples who have signed on for their own journey. Tabitha Buck, Fremont & Dean Robeck, Newaygo Mary Rake, White Cloud & Brian Royston Sr. Wyoming, MI Ron Wawsczyk, White Cloud & Shelley Barton, Newaygo Felicity Faye Schlink, Newaygo & Brian Allen Crooks, Newaygo |
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