by Justin Gibson | May 10, 2019 | Schoolcraft, Vicksburg
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South County Community Services volunteers help sort donated food picked up by local letter carriers from the three post offices Climax, Schoolcraft and Vicksburg.
Every second Saturday in May, letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns across America collect food items that are directed to those in need. By doing this, they capture the goodness and compassion of their postal customers, who participate in the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) help with Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive. It’s the largest one-day food drive in the nation.
In Vicksburg, Schoolcraft and Climax the letter carriers have participated for many years. Postal patrons will receive a notification in May on how to donate according to Vicksburg’s Postmaster Travis Graham.
They get plenty of help from the rural letter carriers, other postal employees and other volunteers with the drive Graham said. The nationwide drive has delivered more than one billion pounds of food the past 25 years while locally at least hundreds of pounds of food has been collected for the South County Community Services food pantry, according to Danna Downing, executive director.
Carriers will collect whatever is left by mail boxes and transport it to SCCS where the food gets organized and stocked on the shelves by volunteers. “It literally takes an army of people to help sort the amount of food collected. The most important thing is to make sure the expiration dates on cans or boxes of mix are not outdated, Downing pointed out.
by Justin Gibson | May 2, 2019 | Community, Schoolcraft, Vicksburg
Vicksburg
5/4 – Sat. Vicksburg Community Education Dance Recital at the Vicksburg Performing Arts Center. Performances at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
5/11 – Sat. The Hearty Hustle starting at the Vicksburg Bulldog Stadium. Tickets $20 if registered in advance, $30 the day of the race. Registration ends May 10. Register at http://www.runsignup.com/vicksburgheartyhustle
5/11 – Sat. Highview Shores Neighborhood garage sales, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Take Sprinkle Rd. to E. UV Ave, Go East on E. UV Ave to Highview Shores.
5/11 – Sat. Horticulture Student Plant Sale, VHS Greenhouse, Saturday May 11, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
5/10 & 5/11 – Neighborhood Garage sale at Greensborough’s Angels Crossing off W Ave., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
5/17, 18, & 19 – Fri., Sat., & Sun. Vicksburg High School Cabaret in the Vicksburg Performing Arts Center. 6:30 p.m. on Friday – Saturday, 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
5/17 – Fri. Vicksburg Farmer’s Market Opening Day at the pavilion. From 2 – 6 p.m.
5/17 – Victorian Garden Club plant sale at the Vicksburg Farmers’ Market, 2 – 6 p.m.
5/18 – Sat. May Meander opening day at the Vicksburg Historic Village from 4 – 7 p.m. lots of community vendors with buildings open to the public. Speaker at 5 p.m. as part of History Day with Middle School students competing in the afternoon.
5/18 – Fri. Movie Showing: Three Coins In The Fountain at the Vicksburg District Library. 1 p.m.
5/18 – Sat. Village Clean-Up 7 a.m.
5/23 – Thurs. Senior Honors Reception sponsored by Lions and Rotary Clubs, 7 p.m.
5/26 – Sun. Gospel Concert with the Dunnemans at Kline’s Resort. Outdoor concert, bring lawn chairs and finger food to share. 6:30 p.m.
5/27 – Mon. Pancake Breakfast at Kline’s Resort from 8 to 10 a.m.
5/27 – Mon. Memorial Day Parade in downtown Vicksburg. Begins 10 a.m.
6/2 – Sun. Vicksburg High School Graduation in the Bulldog Stadium. Begins 2 p.m.
Schoolcraft
5/1 – Wed. Spring Student Art Open House, 5:30. Meet the Schoolcraft high school and middle school art students. On display through May.
5/10 & 5/11 – Fri. & Sat. Friends of the Library Book and Bake Sale at the Schoolcraft Community Library. Shoppers can fill a provided bag with books for only $3, Friday, 9 – 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
5/10 – 5/11 Fri. & Sat. Village Wide Garage Sales 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
5/18 – Sat. Village Wide Clean-up 7 a.m.
5/20 – Tue. Tournament of Writers Awards Ceremony at the Schoolcraft Community Library. Begins at 6 p.m.
6/2 – Sun. 141st Commencement Exercises in the Schoolcraft High School Gymnasium. 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Mattawan
6/1 – Mattawan High School’s alumni dinner will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Later Elementary building. Guests can come in the door to the All-Purpose Room. Wheelchairs will be provided and a cart to collect potluck dishes will be ready. Two meats and scalloped potatoes and rolls will be provided. If you have things to share and want a reserved table contact Caroline Miller Wiley at eveavenue@gmail.com or 269 808-3353.
Mendon
6/2 – Sun. Graduation at Mendon High School. Begins 2 p.m.
Scotts
5/4 – Sat. Spring Garage & Bake Sale at Scotts United Methodist Church. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 8458 Wallene St. All items newly donated.
by Justin Gibson | Apr 19, 2019 | Community, Vicksburg
Each year the Vicksburg Ministry Alliance comes together to lead the worship on Good Friday at noon for the greater Vicksburg community. The Alliance is composed of the following churches: Vicksburg United Methodist Church (where the service will be held), Chapman Memorial Nazarene Church, Country Christian Evangelical Free Church, Grace Community Church, Lakeland Reformed Church, St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, and Vicksburg Bible Church.
by Justin Gibson | Apr 10, 2019 | Community, Vicksburg
Sponsoring an Art Hop for several years, Syd Bastos and Lisa Beams will be stepping down from day to day work at the Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center. They have been very influential in creating events and fundraising during their three-year involvement which first began at 200 S. Main Street.
See what a little independence can do: A new home, new faces, new programming for the Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center. Previously a project under the Village of Vicksburg and its Downtown Development Authority, the center was designated as a 501c3 non-profit organization in November. On Jan. 1, it entirely separated from the Village and Authority.
This change has spurred a tremendous amount of activity for the three-year-old cultural arts organization. Chief among the changes is a new location at 105 S. Main Street in downtown Vicksburg previously occupied by Coco’s Gallery. Frederick Main Street Properties, LLC, is in the process of preparing the space and occupation is expected in April. The new Cultural Arts Center will accommodate exhibits, classroom space and room for live performances. “The new space will provide a great backdrop for both visual and performing arts,” said Rex Cummings, board treasurer.
On the staffing front, Syd Bastos has resigned as executive director and was appointed by the board as board president. She’ll stay on as acting director until a new director is in place. “At this point in the organization’s life cycle, it’s time for a new director with a different set of skills” she explained.
Lisa Beams has also left her role as gallery manager. She won’t be far away, staying on to chair the South County Fiber Arts program. It’s been in existence for two years, but is newly minted as a program of the VCAC. She will also teach classes in fiber arts and pottery for the VCAC. In February, Kelly Bergland and Deb Christiansen, both very active in the Schoolcraft community, joined the Board of Directors. These ladies bring a special set of skills and an abundance of enthusiasm to the organization.
On the education front, four classes designed for adults will be offered this spring: Knit Fix, Spring Flower Arranging, Basket Weaving, and Mosaic Design. An Arts Exploration Lab for Teens, held March 28, will help identify what teens are looking for as they grow into fledgling artists. “Although the Vicksburg Community Schools has great arts programming, teens are looking for opportunities to experience all forms of art, either not available in the schools or to concentrate more deeply on a particular subject,” explained Jake Munson, VCAC Board member.
One of the outcomes of the Exploration Lab will be a week-long Arts Day Camp for teens, designed by teens, adding to the Arts in the Burg camp for 8-12 year old students. The VCAC has also joined South County Community Services’ Wednesday Winners, a program for adults with disabilities, to provide arts experiences. Nancy Smith, a retired arts educator and experienced artist, has participated and says, “It has been my pleasure to present two lessons to my new friends at Wednesday Winners. Their enthusiasm for art is contagious and I can’t wait to create with them again.”
For more information on the Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center, check out their website at http://www.vicksburgarts.com, follow them on Facebook, email them at info@vicksburgarts.com or call (269) 200-2223.
by Justin Gibson | Apr 10, 2019 | Community, Vicksburg
Intra Staders wrote the book that she is sharing with Syd Bastos, Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center president, in preparation for her talk to those who wish to attend Destination Latvia on April 28.
Latvia celebrated 100 years of independence last year. But it was a tumultuous hundred years, with half of that time occupied by either the Soviets or Nazi Germany. During these years, many Latvians fled their home country and settled in the United States, including many in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph Counties.
The Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center is bringing the story of Latvia to Main Street Pub on Sunday, April 28 from 1-3:30 p.m. Maira Bundza, past president of the Kalamazoo Latvian Association, will begin the presentation of Latvian history. Inta Srader, who just recently published “Choices and Serendipity – My Family’s Journey out of Chaos” will also speak. Although her book does document some of the traumas endured by her family, Srader explains that her book focuses on “the resiliency of Latvian peoples and the love of their country and its heritage.” Anita Gauthier Spolite will be collaborating with Mike Moore, chef at Main Street Pub, to create an authentic Latvian meal.
The Kalamazoo Latvian Association was founded in 1950 by Latvian refugees from WWII. Most had narrowly escaped their homeland after the Russian invasion of 1944. There is now a third generation of Latvians continuing to gather and celebrate their culture in Kalamazoo.
In addition, participants will hear about Garezers, a campground and education center in Three Rivers. Garezers prospers as a meeting place for Latvians of all ages, to raise and educate Latvian youth, to strengthen the Latvian language, culture and spiritual values, to promote the Latvian heritage and develop links with Latvia.
The Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center will also feature a very special exhibit of artifacts and artworks from Latvia and local Latvian artists. The exhibit will be located at 101 E. Prairie in Vicksburg and will open on Friday, April 19 at 6 p.m. Additional hours are listed at http://www.vicksburgarts.com/events. You can also request a special viewing by calling (269)200-2223. The exhibit will close May 3.
Tickets to Destination Latvia are now on sale for $28 and can be purchased on line at http://www.vicksburgarts.com/events, on Eventbrite at http://www.eventbrite.com or reserve by phone at (269) 200-2223.
by Justin Gibson | Apr 10, 2019 | Community, Vicksburg
Vicksburg School Superintendent Keevin O’Neill and Assistant Superintendent Steve Goss present the findings on the air quality study at Sunset Lake Elementary during a press conference.
By Travis Smola
Concerns about air quality at Sunset Lake Elementary have prompted air quality testing at the Vicksburg school. The result? Recommendations for improvement but no findings of contaminants or toxic substances.
The testing was prompted by the illness of a teacher in a pre-kindergarten classroom.
Vicksburg Superintendent Keevin O’Neill and Assistant Superintendent Steve Goss recently addressed the issue.
“Vicksburg Community Schools is committed to the safety, security and health of all our students and staff,” O’Neill said at a press conference. “That is our priority and will always be our top priority.”
The ill teacher returned to work briefly before her doctor sent her home for more recovery. She’s currently awaiting clearance to return to work. Due to confidentiality reasons, O’Neill and Goss wouldn’t identify her or comment on the specifics of her illness, noting only that she exhibited a wide range of symptoms.
The district conducted air quality testing on January 31. While the district was waiting for results, rumors about Sunset Lake began circulating on social media.
Ann Arbor-based Nova Environmental performed the air quality testing. Nova President Kary Amin said he focused his initial investigation on testing for carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide and chlorine. The tests did not detect a harmful level of contamination. He said he also did a visual inspection for signs of mold.
“I didn’t see any discoloration or water infestation or moisture infestation that may have caused mold,” Amin said.
He also conducted TO-15 testing, which measures for volatile organic compounds. While the test did show approximately 54 compounds detected, Amin doesn’t believe they were related to the teacher’s illness. “They were at very low amounts,” Amin said. “Each one was thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of times lower than the permissible exposure limits established by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).”
Amin made recommendations for improving air quality. He noted air ventilation in the room was likely not as efficient as it could be due to older equipment. Amin said items were stacked on the vent when he first inspected the room, which likely affected air circulation.
He also recommended the district clean and maintain the ventilation units and change the air filters. Other Nova recommendations included more frequent cleaning of the carpets in the room and removing paints from storage under the sink in the room that were causing an odor.
The room in question is still being used. O’Neill said he was unaware of anyone else in that room getting sick. But Goss did say it isn’t definitive that the teacher’s illness did not originate at the school. “The initial concerns appear to be related to air quality, so we investigated that,” Goss said.
Amin said in his experience, cases where an environmental hazard is affecting health are often much more obvious. He said multiple people will often exhibit symptoms such as dizziness and vomiting. The district is currently inspecting attendance records, but its first look at the data hasn’t revealed anything abnormal in student attendance.
But the district wants to address community concerns; O’Neill also announced it will be forming an environmental safety committee comprised of local health care professionals, environmental safety experts, teachers, parents and community members to study the district’s current practices and make suggestions for any changes to the school board. O’Neill said they hope to have this committee formed before the end of April.
The district will also be adding an environmental safety section to its website for the public to get information and reach out to the district with their concerns. They will also perform additional tests to look at additional parts of the building for problems.
“We’ve tested and we’re going to continue to test,” O’Neill said. “We’re going to rule out anything that could cause any type of illnesses if they exist in the building.”
