With everything going on in Muskegon this weekend, how is one to choose which event to attend? What if we told you that your attendance at an event can benefit the community as a whole? The Michigan Irish Music Festival’s annual St. Patrick’s Party is this weekend and they do a whole lot of good for Muskegon.
Michigan Irish Music Festival on Facebook
The mission of the Michigan Irish Music Festival is to produce a quality Midwest Irish Music Festival that promotes Irish culture and heritage while enhancing the community through entertainment, tourism, education and philanthropy. The festival is proud to support Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry and Kid’s Food Basket with gifts of non-perishable food items and cash donations. In 2015, due to the success of the St. Pat’s Party and the Festival, the Michigan Irish Music Festival was able to do donate over 3000 pounds of food and $37,309 to these organizations. The annual St. Patrick’s Party is this Friday and Saturday March 17 and 18 at the Bella Maria Ristorante & Event Center, located at 513 West Pontaluna Road, Norton Shores, MI. The new venue offers increased capacity and better acoustics, center stage entertainment, and separate gathering areas for guests to mingle. Doors open at 5:30 pm both nights with music starting at 6pm. Tickets are $6 and are available at the door. There are GREAT sponsors of this event who help make it happen. Our special thanks to Mercy Health, Budweiser, G&L Restaurants, Wadell and Reed Financial Advisers and Family Financial Credit Union. Laura Holmes, Marketing Director for the Michigan Irish Music Festival sat down with Positively Muskegon to discuss the event and its exciting new location.
See you this weekend at the party! The Michigan Irish Music Festival is a staple in Muskegon and the work they do to help non profits is astounding. You can click on the image below to visit the Michigan Irish Music Festival online.
It's immediately noticeable...I walked in to the new Great Lakes Fresh Market on Apple Ave and right away....I was caught off guard by the smiles, the people greeting me and seemingly very happy going about their tasks. Not that I once had a bad experience under the former name of Plumb's but where the refreshed look of the stores is still to come, the atmosphere is already changed and Muskegon has a company opening instead of closing. That in and of itself is newsworthy to me.
From the parent company website, Great Lakes Foods, it's pretty apparent that not only is customer service paramount, so is helping retailers like Great Lakes Fresh Market succeed. They help with a lot behind the scenes to assure success, and to the customers....they are focused on fresh food that is healthy, easy to prepare and offers a great flavor and price.
Dan and Lisa Gentz
The cosmetic and branding changes are going to come quick. You'll see the new look over the course of the next couple weeks, along with all the accouterments that make your shopping experience a friendly and inviting experience. As those changes happen, you'll also see premium meats, bakery, deli and produce. Dairy and frozen...your standard grocery items and health and beauty aid's. The main focus though will be customer service...and that begins with making sure they are paying attention to the details with their team members.
Yes, believe it or not, Great Lakes Fresh Market is not only going to invest in Muskegon, it's going to invest in the people of Muskegon who work for them. It makes pretty quick sense that happy employees lead to happy customers. It's that small town type focus that resounded with my talk today with Dan Gentz who's in the process of moving to Muskegon to put some roots down and work to bring the personal touch to shoppers who stop in to see. He's even got "The Boss" in on it, yes...Mrs. Gentz is the customer service lead. It's a family operation. Take a listen to our chat below.
It's a new era! What we thought was lost, is renewed with a fresh outlook, a fresh set of rules and most of all, a Fresh Market. It will be interesting to watch the future unfold with Great Lakes Fresh Market in Muskegon. From what I hear from most people, they are meeting what Muskegon expects. Locally owned, community involved and a willingness to go above and beyond when it comes to service, selection and specialties. Follow along with the changes, and keep an eye on the Great Lakes Fresh Market website for specials, recipes, coupons and a convenient shopping list feature! Welcome to Great Lakes Fresh Market. Click on the Great Lakes Fresh Market photo below to view their website!
It's one of those articles I have to write with not a single excuse of why it took me so long to stop into the Muskegon Historical Railroad Society. Life is busy, there are a million things to do, but to have had something as incredible as the Muskegon Railroad Historical Society pass me by, until now....no one to blame but myself. Well, I got there...and so should you!
Follow the Muskegon Railroad Society on FB
The Muskegon Railroad Historical Society has been around for 33 years. In that time they have amassed one of, if not the largest library dedicated to railroads in the state. They have also built INCREDIBLE displays of multiple scales of model railroads. They have a giant collection of historic items from train lines, items related to the railroad industry and even a local flavor with some of the collectibles you can see in the video that accompanies this article.
The main viewing area, which we've incorporated a glace at in my interview with Michael Wood, is breathtaking. The attention to detail, as well as the expansive area it's laid out over....simply put is the kind of thing dreams are made of. I literally felt like a kid again just being able to see the one room. There are more, and you'll find layouts that show you just what the railroad has meant to Muskegon over the years, and how many neighborhoods had a railroad presence in them. It's a sincerely amazing look at our town.
There is a sense of urgency though, the Muskegon Railroad Historical Society needs a new home. Currently, they are right above the Muskegon Heritage Museum on Western Avenue and the Heritage Museum needs the space to expand. Great for the Heritage Museum....but the Railroad Historical Society will be moving. Take a listen to my chat with Mike about the upcoming move and put your thinking cap on to see if maybe you know where a great new location for this group.
I know the days of the model train may seem a distant memory to some. I know too, that Michigan isn't exactly in tune with just how much goes on still in the railroad business! In states that are heavily populated, commuter rails are essential. In the shipping business, there is a good chance just about anything you buy or use spent some time on a train. We've got a truly historic Muskegon Railroad Society here, if you know of a new space for them, or would just like to stop by to see it for yourself, click on the photo above to be connected to their Facebook page! Wish them the very best in finding a new place for this utterly amazing part of our history.
Remember the days when the comic book swap meet would come to the Knights of Columbus Hall and 10-12 "geeks" would be standing behind crates of old comic books waiting for the mega score to come along and make them rich because they had some rare edition of a Spiderman or Green Lantern comic? Ya....that was then, but today a comic convention is a BIG event and it's turned being a "geek" into an awesome experience shared by participants and observers alike.
Muskecon on Facebook
Comics, games, toys, movies, costumes. Action figures, role play and fantasy worlds and more combine at a comic convention now a days. People who have been life long fans of characters, shows, sci-fi, music movies and more gather together to celebrate what they love! Larger comic events have become staples for the movie and television industry, often attracting the biggest names of their field. Superstars meet with super-fans to talk about galaxies far far away, Vulcan Death Grips are exchanged and fellowship is formed around beloved characters and memories!
We're not exactly on the comic convention circuit in Muskegon, well, we were't until now. Muskecon is set to take place at the Holiday Inn Muskegon Harbor on march 18th and it's pacing to be yet another "must be seen" event in Muskegon!
You'll find comic books for sure, but you'll also find toy collectors, artists, gamers, cos-play characters. You'll also find a horror movie makeup seminar...hey, that could at very least come in handy at Halloween! Do you like He-Man? Transformers? Star Wars? You'll find plenty of other folks who are in to the same things you are and you might even be able to add to your collection of retro toys, or..maybe find a buyer for that still in the box treasure from 1978 when The Six Million Dollar Man ruled supreme!
The event is being organized by Pete McCarthy who's a Captain at the White Lake Fire Authority. Pete hopes to bring together a lot of people who enjoy the fun of everything comic. Take a listen to our chat below to learn more!
True confession time...yes...I am a geek too. Personally, it's Star Wars, Kiss and NASA. Personally, I think it's a trip back to a simpler time when hero's were all larger than life, Infallible idols who had no fault, did nothing but awesome and let me imagine what life would be life to be so iconic. I think too, that having a passion for something that's just fun is an important part of life. The quest to collect the stuff you missed as a kid, or to test wits against others who love the same things you do! Make sure you check out Muskecon March 18th. A great time will be had by all and you might even find that Six Million Dollar Man with the roll up arm skin to actually see the bionics! Plan on seeing you there. Click on the image below to follow Muskecon on Facebook!
We've talked in the past here on Positively Muskegon about the ALICE program. ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed, it's a fancy way of describing the working poor. There's enough to get by, but there's no possibility of getting ahead. The United Way continues to work with employers, showing them the value of investing in employees...but what can they do to better prepare those who are looking for work?
It comes back the very basics. The most basic being the ability to read. March, is reading month and what better time to show you some of the work that the United Way of the Lakeshore is doing. It begins at the youngest ages. It's been shown that if kids know how to read by the end of 3rd grade, they are able to read to learn as they advance through the education system. There are tutors with boots on the ground right now in Muskegon who are addressing literacy. According to Kids Count data 60% of third graders in Muskegon county are not proficient in reading. Many
of our children from low income families show up for kindergarten with a 30
million word gap compared to other children – a gap that many of them are not
able to make up.
Be a Lucky Charm for Kids with Nichols Paper to Match Up to $25k
"We
can change the odds for our kids by supporting programs that will help prepare
our kids for success. Our aim is that every child graduates and is
workforce ready. “As we work to meet our
bold goal of helping 10,000 more working families meet their basic needs by
2025, we are also investing in education programs that will help kids be
stronger readers and improve overall literacy levels in our community,” said
Christine Robere, President, United Way of the Lakeshore. “Literacy is
foundational to obtaining a good paying job”.
The United Way of the Lakeshore programs that will benefit
from the “March is Reading Month—Be a Lucky Charm” matched funding include Pre-K Literacy Tutors through Hope
Network’s Michigan Education Corps (MEC) Reading Corps Program, which works
to improve literacy among the community’s most underprivileged students; Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), a
national program supported by community donations, DPIL works to foster a love
of reading among preschool children and their families by providing them with
the gift of a specially selected book each month; and Quality Child Care, as the need for quality child care solutions in
our community was identified by our ALICE families as a key barrier to success.
United Way of the Lakeshore will be looking to provide funding support to
improve the quality and availability of child care in our community, because high
quality childcare is a key part of setting the foundation for a lifelong love
of learning.
Nichols Paper of Muskegon is doing their part too, matching up to $25,000 in donations to help the United Way continue this work and move our people forward. Christine Robere joined me to talk a little more in depth about the program and the march. Take a listen to our chat below.
Quite a difference can be made it we all do a small part. As we talked in the video, you don't have to be a "huge donor" to have an impact and with Nichols generous matching we can help so many kids become batter readers moving our entire community forward. Please consider you're role in a better future in Muskegon by helping the United Way. For the United Way of the Lakeshore's page, click below.
Today's games are a little different than some grew up with. Today, games are super immersive, almost surreal worlds that can be played across the globe with 1000's of participants, roles, avatars and strategies. There are virtual reality goggles that can literally pull you in and check you out of reality for a while. You can be a superhero, you can lead legions. You can connect with other gamers in ways never imagined.
James Saville
There was a time however, when games were a little more simple. Me? I kind of got lost in the mix about the first time a Playstation came along. I was and Atari guy. Yes, my gaming ability seemed to draw to a close when the controller was more than a stick and a button. I guess that says something about me. As games evolved, beginning with the long forgotten Magnavox Odyssey in 1972, to the Atari 2600, then the NES, PlayStation, Game Boy and on and on the level of play has increased as well as the skills needed to play them. Some people dropped off the register with games.
Well, if you long for the days of just controlling one character on a quest to grab coins, save a princess or just drive around in a car, there's a new way to relive all the golden days of gaming and enjoy some downtime with a Super Berry!
Super Berry is the brain child of local tech geek and all around awesome guy James Saville. He's found a way to cram all the games you loved as a youngin' into a small device that can run on a single screen or your home network. What games you ask? Well, Atari 2600, 7800, GameGear, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, Genesis, NES, and SNES. Pretty good start hey? Think of all the Christmas mornings and birthdays you had hoped for just one or two of those games? Now, they are all there. I won't pretend to understand how it all works, but I did catch up with James to talk about the gadget and try to learn a little more! Take a listen to our chat below!
Wow. I am glad when it comes to techy stuff, there are people like James that get it. Not only do they get it, they find ways to make what's old, new again and share the ability to play a retro game or, share some gaming time with your kids who might just be baffled at how to work a controller that's only got a button and a stick. (The controller actually does have more functions, but we're trying not to complicate things here :) . If you'd like to know more, click on the Super Berry logo below and get in touch with James.
For some, the definition of art, well...it's got a connotation of being a little stuffy, maybe something for the "pinky's up" crowd and a little "high brow". The common thought is that you've got to have some deep appreciation for subject matter...some vast insight on the period, the piece and the artist. Well, now's a good time to let you guard down a little and experience some art of a different flavor!
Smokey and the Bandit Artful Enough For Ya?
Through April 23rd the Muskegon Museum of Art has a delightful display of inflatable art on display, and it's a chance to not only see the museum for yourself, but a great way to introduce your kids to something with a little culture, yet maintain their interest. All the while, they will also get a dose of some of the other art in the museum. See you sneak it right past them and before you know it...you'll have a little art maven on your hands.
Blow Up Inflatable Contemporary Art is a display of how artists use air to develop large size art. You'll be able to admire the work that went into the art as well as think about some of the more abstract ideas that may stream from the displays. It's also a great chance to inspire young minds to the possibilities of creating pretty cool items to get others to think.
This is a fun idea and a great chance to familiarize yourself with the museum before their massive exhibit opens in May "The North American Indian - By Edward S, Curtis". This is said to be the largest and most comprehensive exhibit ever presented at the Muskegon Museum of Art. But for now...let's talk a little about the inflatables. I was able to catch up with Art Martin to learn a little more about this fun exhibit. Take a listen.
Not everything at the Muskegon Museum of Art is "stuffy" and, not everything you'd like to see by way of fun and interesting topics are miles from here. We'll save you the trip to Chicago or Detroit. Come see Muskegon! Enjoy the inflatable display and when you are done, stop into one of our great local restaurants or breweries. We're sure your time in town will build a lasting memory or two. To learn more about the Muskegon Museum of Art and the Blow Up Inflatable Contemporary Art, click on their photo below!
