I'd like you to meet Maryanne Darnell. Maryanne is the Chair of the Black Women's Political Caucus in Muskegon County and I have gotten to know her through my step into running for a higher office. I will say this, if nothing else in this candidacy, getting to know Maryanne has been an incredible blessing in the fact that she's an incredible force for accountability, honesty and making sure people are educated when it comes to voting and issues that we face here in Muskegon.
She's tenacious, wise, and committed to people knowing what's going on...who's saying what and who's making promises and not keeping them. She also takes what she knows and who she knows and shares that knowledge with others so they too can have a better understanding of what's important, how things can improve and she even goes as far as to organize transportation to help people who otherwise might not be able to get out and vote. She's an activist at every level and her passion for people and our community is really hard to beat. In a world of "fake news", time schedules and distractions, Maryanne watches, listens and stays active in what she's passionate about and it comes through in our chat.
Along with their work to keep an eye on all things politics and politicians, The Black Women's Political Caucus does it's fair share of work for other causes in town. One of which is a scholarship for young women students here in Muskegon County. Past recipients have been from Orchard View, Muskegon, Muskegon Heights and Ravenna. The applicants are chosen by a committee on their GPA, SAT and financial needs. They have also done great things in the community from sponsoring community clean up's, senior citizen needs, shoes for kids the list goes on and on. It's a ton of great work and of course, if we all pitch in a little, the work is much easier. How do you help? Glad you asked!
April 28th there will be an all you can eat breakfast at Central Assembly Church at 896 Home Street. The event runs from 9a-12n and it's going to have all the fixin's. The cost is $15 and the proceeds will go to benefit this scholarship program to help a young woman out as she heads off to school. Maryanne and I had a chance to sit down and talk a little about the event as well as some of the work her group does, and why. I'd really like you to take the time to give this one a listen. What Maryanne has to say is important, and I think you'll take away a lot from this interview just like I did.
It's a great cause and as we work to help support so many other causes in town, our thanks to Maryanne for her time in sharing the story of her group and what the Black Women's Political Caucus does and why.
I have a theory. We as people, can never really fall completely out of love with someone. We can not live with them, we can grow to REALLY not like them and at times, we can also even know that some people are just toxic and best avoided....they can even become a distant afterthought. But way deep down...if there was a spark there once upon a time, there is no getting over it...and that's what makes break up so awful. When kids are involved....it's even harder.
So often, kids become the pawns in a break up. It's one of my earliest memories actually, my cousins parents called it quits and the bickering, and fighting and the pettiness that went on. The stress it caused on the entire family and the kids. I can think of only one thing that was good about it, if I was around on a Sunday afternoon when my uncle had the kids, we got to go to the party store and get all the candy we wanted. We called it the "Sunday Stockpile". Great when you're a kid, but hindsight being 20/20 and all...you see it a little deeper. Send the kids back home all sugared up and spoiled rotten? It's a game.
Learn More About Papalienation Online
Well, it should be a problem no more. We've worked to address all kinds of issues here and we learned of another resource here in Muskegon that's working to refocus parents on what's really important when it comes to life after the relationship when it comes to kids. Papalineation is here to help show that you have to love your kids, more than you hate your ex. April 25th is actually National Parental Alienation Day where the day is marked to emphasize the importance of not making kids decide between their parents. The long term effects of parental influences on their kids against the other parent and the cycle of repeating events that seem to keep repeating because mom said this about dad, or vice versa.
Do ex's have to get along? No, not really. But, as parents, there is a higher purpose you know. There is a new person running around that you created and it's really on you know to let the differences go and work to find a way to be a stable and steady as you can be for the child while you go on with your lives. That's a hard thing? That's why there's a group! We've got you covered!
Meet Jerry and Lashawn Matthews. We met up at the Upper Room Church just off Apple Avenue to talk about their group and their mission. Take a listen.
Good people working hard to stop a cycle. I know it's hard to face an ex. There stands all the hopes and dreams you once had. There is a feeling of loss. A feeling of failure. A feeling or regret, mistrust, maybe disgust a broken heart and more....but don't pickle the kids in it. If you don't know where to turn for help, get in touch with Jerry and Lashawn and be a part of something a little bigger than yourself. Take the higher road and put the kids first. After all, it really is about them. My many thanks to Jerry and Lashawn for a few minutes today.
Last year, it was a first for me. A first on a few different levels. I had been aware of Girls on the Run and knew a little about what they did, but I found myself being pulled in a little more and as I learned, met the people behind it and found out what they really did for girls...it was one of those times where you just have to realize that "Whatever I can do" has to be what you offer. So I did, and I was thankful.
Girls on the Run is a program dedicated to showing girls some life lessons through running. Pretty simple right? They inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a curriculum which creatively integrates running, according to their website. The site goes on to share their vision of a world where every girl activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams. As an outside observer of most of it, I think too that there is a layer of the program that is strength in numbers. If people of any age know that others are sharing the same things they are, and they can rely on each other in the process, great things happen.
Get Tickets to Muskegon's Lunafest
The actual run is coming up a little later in the season, but leading up to it, there is a wonderful event called the "Lunafest" which is happening at The GVSU Innovation Hub on Muskegon Lake on May 3rd. "Lunafest" is a film festival about giving women a chance to tell their stories and giving film makers a chance to show their art in a setting they might not otherwise get. It sticks pretty well with the mission of GOTR and it's also used to raise a few bucks for the GOTR scholarships that are provided for the girls who want to be in the program. Last year, I was invited down to emcee the "Lunafest" event and I thoroughly enjoyed the films. There were some funny ones, some very poignant films, some about the day to day life and some that really showed struggles women face. It was an enlightening evening and well worth the time to spend viewing.
Lori Burgess is the Executive Director of GOTR of Kent and Muskegon Counties and we sat down to talk about the film festival as well as the GOTR program and the events around it this year here in Muskegon. Take a listen to our talk and learn a little more for yourself.
This past weekend, I was told a story about the Masai Tribe in Africa. They were considered intelligent and fearsome warriors and they had a common greeting among each other. "Casserian Engari", which translated means - "And how are the children" and the response should be "All the children are well". I don't know of a better outlook for any society. It's up to us folks...we need to make sure that our kids have what they need and from what I have seen, Girls on the Run is a leader in providing a base for our girls to plant their feet. I hope to see you at Lunafest this year to help support the cause and our kids. To learn more about Girls on the Run, click on the image below.
We search for great things that happen in Muskegon, and sometimes those great things not only happen in Muskegon, the extend well past our little neck of the woods. They grow well past what anyone imagined because the need is truly there. One of those ideas born here is WINC - For All Women Veterans founded by Zaneta Adams. It's an organization dedicated to women who've served in the military and now need the support of others in their post military life.
When we fist met Zaneta, it was to talk about the organization she founded. As a wounded veteran, she had found that in her experience with the different retreats and ways to cope were kind of outweighed when it came to the men to women ratio. Some of the struggles she felt...well, they didn't exactly match what the guys were dealing with when it came to healing and resolution both mentally and physically and like anyone who's sparked a dynamic change, if something isn't being done right..do it yourself, and she did just that. Zaneta along with some friends founded the organization and began to get the word out about the importance of giving women the opportunity to share, rely on each other, find resources and build that safety net of humanity to sustain and heal.
Get Tickets for the HER2 Awards Ceremony
The organization has grown, the message is spreading and it's time to add a layer of recognition to things. Thursday April 26th at the Folkert Community Hub at 6:30p there will be a great new ceremony called the "HER2" Military Women of Excellence awards. The awards are centered around the acronym, HER - "Honor, Encourage, Empower and Revive and Restore" (HER2) women in the military. Awards will be presented to both veterans and women in the community who go above and beyond for veterans. Honorees will be coming in from all over the country, there will be celebrity guests, and a Key Note Speaker Michelle Jones who is the very first female Command Sargent Major of the US Army Reserves. This event also serves as a fund raiser to help the organization with the services they provide for our female veterans and they hope too to add a military sexual trauma retreat this year. A staggering statistic is that 75% of the women who attended the retreats in the past are survivors of military sexual trauma and the need was seen to focus an event centered around just that.
Zaneta and I had a chance to sit down and catch up on WINC and learn a little more about the HER2 event coming up. Take a listen.
It's an amazing outreach and innovative approach. It's also so great to see something that can change the world take off right here in Muskegon. For as much as we're all kind of the same, some of the coping mechanisms we use are different and Zaneta's vision to change the way that women veterans can use the power of each other to recuperate and recover from what they knew..it's truly remarkable. As we spoke in the interview, her injury while serving was a hint to her that there was a higher purpose for her after her time was up and she's really gone on to take that gift to the next level in the care of others. If you'd like to know more about WINC For All Women Veterans, click on the image below to visit their website.
It's been alleged that once I figured out how to talk, I have not shut up for a second since. Of course, that's the opinion of some and has not been proven by any scientific means in any way. All kidding aside, communicating is the heart of everything I have ever done. All the way back to my younger days, if I wasn't talking to someone, I was passing notes in school and working on keeping communication channels open to anyone. For both my sanity and theirs. To be able to talk is vital.
There are some however who struggle to communicate. Maybe they are just the quiet type, possibly they are the "strong silent type" or maybe they are the type that just sit and watch our world in amazement and have nothing to say. There are those too who want to talk, but for some reason, when they do, their words fail them. They come out broken....they come out staggered...they come out with hesitation and confusion and for both parties, it seems very difficult to manage. I am talking about stuttering and if you've ever been around a person who struggles with it, you know that it seems like an almost insurmountable barrier for them to try and be a part of any conversation.
Visit the Chmela Fluency Center Online
Stuttering seems to come from a multitude of factors and has layers upon layers of contributing factors according to Kristin Chmela who runs the Chmela Fluency Center in Bufflao Grove Illinois, she is also one of the key members of Camp Shout Out. Coming from a background in stuttering herself, she dedicated her life to providing services to those with fluency disorders. With her specialty, she is often sought out by people from around the country to help with their kids who are struggling to speak.
Which brings us to our local tie in....Julie Raynor. Julie is a local speech pathologist who put her daughter down for a nap one day, and when she woke up from it, there was a severe stuttering disorder. Imagine that? Your job is to help other kids and parents with their issues and all of the sudden it's your's to address too. A daunting task, but as we've seen time and time again, there is no greater force to fix something than a mother who is looking out for her child. Thus, the meeting of Julie and Kristin.
As the relationship grew so did the desire to help others. A conference in Cincinnati, a visit to Reeths-Puffer Schools and some discussions about a camping experience led to the "what if" moment of "what if" there was a camp dedicated to people who share this disorder and "what if" top notch speech pathologists, support staff, therapists, consultants, apprentices and seminars could all happen in one spot where the campers could see they are not alone in their struggle and the families too could see that there is strength in numbers. Thus was born Camp Shout Out.
Located on Big Blue Lake in Holton Michigan. Camp Shout Out brings in campers from all over the world to enjoy a week away from the judgement that so many have to deal with. It offers a little respite from the real world and gives people a little access to some services in a setting that's not so clinical. Let's be honest, where do you feel more comfortable....at a campfire or in a clinic? It not only gives the campers and families a unique experience, it gives those in the field a chance to learn and grow and those wishing to join the profession a chance to be around some of the top professionals who practice day after day.
I had a chance to catch up with Kristin and Julie. We met up at a very picturesque spot Downtown Muskegon to learn more about Camp Shout Out. Take a listen to our chat below.
A great conversation and an amazing thing happening right in our back yard! Did you ever imagine that such incredible things were happening right here...and from here...they carry all over the world. Everything about this story is amazing. From the woman who wanted to learn more to help herself, to the mom who wanted more for her daughter and how it grew to be an outreach to so many...for so many different purposes, Camp Shout Out is an inspiration to all and an incredible asset to our area and to know too, we made another fan out of Kristin....from Chicago....shows me we're winning. :)
If you'd like to know more about Camp Shout Out or, you'd like to maybe help the cause out a little, you can click on the photo below and link over to the camp website. Also, there was a film crew there in 2017....could we have a world class documentary on the way?
If you drive on Whitehall road on a regular basis, you can't miss it. It's a hulking building right across from the Goodwill and Northshore Dental. It's the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of North Muskegon. The sprawling complex consists of the church itself of course and the large space for meetings, activities, luncheons, study and more, but what's in the walls is only part of the story, it's what comes out of the walls that helps set the church and it's congregation a part.
I got a note from Pastor Bill Uetricht of the church a while ago, he mentioned a new outreach that they were getting started with Community enCompass here in town and wondered if I could find the time to come up and learn a little more. Well, it's a good thing he's a Pastor and knows forgiveness, because the message kind of got buried until I ran in to him at one of those luncheons a week or so ago and I remembered I owed the guy a visit. We don't need any unwarranted lighting strikes due to forgetfulness ya know. :)
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Like many other churches, the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Muskegon sees the big picture when it comes to worship in today's day and age. There is still plenty of good old fashion messaging, compassion and caring that goes on, but more and more it's become outreach, community work and becoming a community center for gathering, respite and a place that offers security and comfort in times of need. The are also very active in music, arts and sports for the congregation and community and various organizations use their space for everything from an AA meeting to the Lions Club and even retired teachers who like to gather to talk about issues or just reminisce about their days in school. The work closely with Family Promise of the Lakeshore to help house those who find themselves homeless and they reach right into Downtown Muskegon with their work with Community enCompass which Bill sits on the board for.
This summer in conjunction with Community enCompass, the YEP! Program and the First Evangelical Lutheran Church you are going to see a new micro enterprise for young people around Muskegon. Yes, there will be a good old fashioned hot dog cart out on the streets along with an ice cream cart. The fun of being able to walk up to a street vendor for a quick dog or maybe a sweet treat will be happening and in the process, young people will be learning how to manage and run a business. A valuable skill in any line of work.
Bill and I had a chance to sit down and talk about his church, the congregation, the outreach and community work they do. We also talk about their refreshing approach to services and he even brings up a long lost church practice called "Holy Hilarity" which you have got to hear about. Take a listen.
It's a lost art form, a family and faith story. But this is why Positively Muskegon is here. Bill and his congregation have broken the mold when it comes to what's expected from a church. They actively engage all of Muskegon and work to make life better for anyone. My thanks to Bill for his time to talk about their work and for being such a vital part of the betterment for all. If you'd like to know more about the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of North Muskegon you can click on the photo below of the congregation to visit the churches website.
I am going to start off the story with a history lesson. Class, pay attention. Pioneer Resources was founded all the way back in the late 1940's by a group of parents and teachers providing special education and therapy. In 1955 then became a 501c3 charity and have grown ever since. How did I know all that? Well, I was reading it on the other tab, plus, I did do a story on it and everything, BUT I did want you to know, they are a lot more than cool buses you see all over town.
What's awesome about Pioneer Resources is not only the rich history of truly being caring and great people, they have grown and evolved with the times. People with special needs really want to be like anyone else. They want independence. They want dignity. They want to learn, live grow and play...some may need a hand here or there, some may need a different educational approach, some might need some special accommodations around the house, but at the end of the day, we all want the same things. Pioneer Resources works to help proved just all of those things and more every day in Muskegon. They are a true asset to the community.
There are a wide variety of services offered. Pioneer Resources has a pretty deep reach into helping better the lives of the clients they serve. Autism programs, community living support, transportation, Pioneer Trails Camp..it's a lot of things they do. One of the latest is in the process of happening right now, and I was pretty excited to be invited down to come and tell you about it. On Mill Iron Road, a brand new residence is going up. It's a 6 bedroom home that they plan to open for 6 new residents this Summer. It's part of the "Make a House a Home" project going on. A grant took care of the house for the most part, now, it's time to finish it off. That's where the fun begins.
Get Tickets to Hats and Horses
May 5th there's going to be a Hat's and Horses party at The Lake House Downtown Muskegon. It's all centered around the Kentucky Derby and you are encouraged to do it up with a little pomp and circumstance. Get out the fancy hats, dress it up and enjoy a julep. Enjoy some games and a fun ways to get a square on the race and enjoy a delicious dinner done up by one of the best kitchen staff's in town. Tickets are available if you click on the image over to the right. I was joined by Jill Bonthuis of Pioneer resources and her husband Alan who's been helping on the fundraising for this new house to talk a little more about this great event. Take a listen to our talk below!
You know what I love? I love the fact Pioneer Resources was built by the community. Is sustained by the community and has grown in our community. This group is everything Positively Muskegon is about and they were here long before we came along! Pioneer Resources is doing amazing things, for amazing people and hey, if you're looking for a way to enjoy a night at the races in style, look no further than The Lake House May 5th for Hats and Horses. To learn more about Pioneer Resources, click on the photo below.
One of the things we take for granted around here is our town. All too often, we forget just where we live and how incredible of a spot we call home on this big blue marble really is. Sure, like any community we get tied up in the day to day...we buy in to the minutia and we get caught up in the drama of what seems to be the "important stuff", and sometimes it's with very good reason. But once in a while it's important to find a fresh set of eyes to take a look at things.
A week or so ago, I heard from Wes O'Donnell who told me about a new book he's just published. It's called "A Cowboy Without a Coat" - How a Texas Exile Learned to Love Michigan. Not only Michigan, but in particular Muskegon Michigan as he found himself moving here to be closer to his family after his career in the Army and Air Force came to an end. Wes seems to be a go getter too. Not only is this ha second book, he's in the process of opening a new sporting goods store in the heart of Downtown Muskegon called Sunset Kingdom in the near future. Stay tuned for details on that! Another exciting new addition to Muskegon from a young and eager person who's ready to be the change!
Pick up a Copy of A Cowboy Without a Coat
Back the to book. I have yet to read "A Cowboy Without a Coat" however, Wes tells me that it's a comedic look at life from a Texan's point of view on a move to Michigan. Geographically there are a few differences, but if you've ever been to the South West you know too that it's a night and day difference. We talk different, we have different tastes...culture...stories....landscapes...weather...you name it. We're a big country and in as much as we are one, the cultural differences of our "pockets" are really what make us so unique and incredible. Being a Texan...imagine that first winter? How about tying to figure out what the hell "pop" is? A Pasty? You can see, it might be a bit confusing but Wes lays it all out in a humorous but inspirational outlook in his book which is available locally at Barnes and Noble on Harvey Street or you can find it on Amazon too, you'll find the link for it under the photo to the right.
Not being one to shy away from a fresh viewpoint on Muskegon, I was happy to meet up with Wes down at Drip Drop Drink in the Unruly Brewing and Rebel Pies Building Downtown Muskegon to hear a little more about the book and to hear his thoughts on Muskegon and where we are today. Take a listen.
Refreshing to hear that belief is there. Of course, we have all believe all along, it's just been a matter of working on getting past the "what was" and finding a way to reignite "what will be". So many people have worked so very hard to get things moving in the right direction and to see that it's being noticed by young people who are willing to put their time, talent and treasure up to say "we're in" is really a sigh of relief. I have some reading to do. If you'd like to pick up a copy of Wes' book, click on the photo above and order one up! Let's help the local guy get going and let's continue to help push the best for Muskegon!
Where else in West Michigan can you spend an evening in a world class culinary institute enjoying some of the most delicious treats and tempting tastes you'll ever stumble upon while surrounded by the students who prepared them, excited to tell you about their craft all while raising a few bucks to help protect some of the more vulnerable people in the area? It only happens in Muskegon and you only get the chance once a year!
Cheers and Chocolate returns to the Culinary Institute of Michigan on April 14th to benefit Every Woman's Place of Muskegon and it's your one chance a year to help one of our towns most important agencies in a setting second to none. You'll get to stroll the multiple floors of the CIM and see first hand what the students there learn on as they prepare for their career in the culinary industry. You'll get to sample some of the delicious food they make, from indulgent desserts to tasty hours d' oeuvres. You'll be able to bid on a wide variety of silent auction items donated by local folks who want to help and you'll get to rub elbows with a lot of people who enjoy great times for a great cause.
Click Here for Tickets to Cheers and Chocolate
Every Woman's Place is a shelter for women and children who have faced or are currently facing a domestic crisis. It would be great if we didn't need them at all, but...it's simply not the case. Not only does Every Woman's Place provide shelter for women in crisis, they provide counseling, support groups, children's services, education and prevention measures and more. They have also just introduced a sober living element to what they offer. A domestic abuse situation often runs deep and the need for comprehensive help post trauma is key to making sure it doesn't repeat. Every Woman's Place has been in operation since 1975 and in as much as you'd hope they wouldn't be needed after 43 years, the need for their services continues to grow and community support is key for their future.
Lori Rasmussen is the Executive Director of Every Woman's Place and Susan Prell is a brand new face at the agency. She came on a couple days ago as the development director. We sat down to talk about the Cheers and Chocolate event as well as the work at the agency. Take a listen.
I'd love for them to be out of business. I'd love for domestic abuse to be a thing of the past, but...as Lori stated it comes down to control and it comes down to better educating our young men. No woman should ever have to face abuse or the aftermath in her life that comes with that abusiveness. Please help support Every Woman's Place by attending Cheers and Chocolate or you can click on the link below to visit their website to make a donation online. Thanks to Lori and Susan for joining me to talk about the event and agency today.
