The dining room at Windfall Coffeehouse can be reserved for private events.
Customers of Windfall Coffeehouse will find its menu and offerings a short way east on the other side of Prairie, at Apple Knockers. There, they can order from both menus, perhaps a Windfall Cuban Sweet Hottie sandwich and with Apple Knockers’ waffle fries and a special fry dip. Co-owners Rita Sertic and Paula Hochstetler call it a “win-win combination.”
The decision to combine the two businesses was difficult, they said. “With the challenges small businesses are currently facing, particularly, rising labor costs, escalating supply costs, and unpredictable shortages,” Hochstetler said, “we were forced to carefully consider the best path forward for our family and our community.”
Although Windfall Coffeehouse is no longer open for daily walk-in business, the dining area is now available for private party rentals. Windfall is booking bridal and baby showers, birthday, anniversary and graduation parties and business meetings. The space seats 40 people comfortably. It is available weekdays, evenings and weekends.
For rental information, call 269-315-5123. Leave a name and number and the call will be returned.
Windfall gift cards are fully redeemable at Apple Knockers, and balance on the cards can be checked at giftcard.cake.net/balance.
Cardholders who don’t wish to use cards at Apple Knockers can mail them for a refund by April 1, 2022 to Windfall Coffeehouse, PO Box 149, Vicksburg, MI 49097 with a name and return address. After April 1, no cash refunds will be offered, but gift cards will still be redeemable at Apple Knockers.
Sertic and Hochstetler say they made the right choice, adding they’re excited to focus their energy in a new direction. “We truly appreciate the support the community has given us over the years. We are really looking forward to opening in April and offering our combined best of both businesses to our friends and patrons!” Hochstetler said.
Left: The artist Deb Curtis has returned to the area. Middle, right: Kayak Summer and Tire Swing, two paintings by Curtis.
By Alisha Siebers, Executive Director, Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center
To welcome Deborah Curtis back to South Kalamazoo County after being away since 2004, the Schoolcraft Community Library is hosting an exhibit of her artwork.
When Deb was 3 years old, she lived in the apartment above what used to be the Vicksburg Locker Plant on the corner of East Prairie and Kalamazoo. She remembers watching her mother, Shirley J. Curtis, create a pen and ink drawing of a woman in a mink stole. She was mesmerized as she watched her mother’s tiny strokes make the image come to life. Her mother was her earliest and greatest influence in her life – she inspired, encouraged, and supported her in her artistic endeavors. Her father was a painter too, one of the best autobody painters at Checker Motors. He later worked at The Mill and eventually retired from Houghton Manufacturing.
Deb’s upbringing in Southern Kalamazoo County fueled her love of nature; you can see her passion for lake views, wildlife, and rural landscapes in her work. She was raised on several lakes in Portage and, as a teenager, she lived on small farms in the Vicksburg area.
In addition to her love of family and nature, Deborah’s work is influenced by her quest to find meaning and spirituality as she navigated her way through deep tragedies. When she was in her 30’s, Deb lived with her three children and her husband, Mark Kubicek, on a small farm in Fulton. He was killed in an auto accident on his way to work on Portage Road in 1989. Later, after she married her second husband, Rich, and moved with him to Sun City West, Arizona, they discovered that he had a degenerative brain disease. Deborah took care of him for 21 years until he passed away in Holland a year ago. Today, she has finally returned to where she grew up and is appreciating lake life at Klines Resort.
Deborah acknowledges that tragedy brought her to where she is today in her artistic and spiritual journey: “It makes you dig really deep. You need to find out who you are, what really matters, and how to hold on during times you never dreamed you’d experience.” Curtis accesses spiritual peace in nature. She explains, “When out in nature exploring and experiencing, I feel closest to God. I’m not distracted by manmade things or human interaction. It’s just God’s creations and me.” Her hope as an artist is that she can serve as a humble tool to uplift people. To learn more about her journey or to view her work, you can visit her website DeborahCurtis-Designs.com
Deborah Curtis’ work will be on display at the Schoolcraft Community Library until March 18. On Wednesday, March 2, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., you can meet her in person at the Library Open House.
DeNooyer Ford in Vicksburg will take cast-off electronic devices on March 18 in an observance of Global Recycling Day, in partnership with Schupan Asset Management, a scrap recycling company.
Accepted items include computers, printers, scanners, cable boxes and routers, mobile devices and tablets, networking devices, LCD monitors, game systems and accessories, DVD players and VCRs, audio equipment and other household and consumer electronics.
Hours for the event are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. A $10 processing fee will be charged for televisions and monitors. Smoke detectors, hazardous wastes, glass and items containing liquids or Freon gas will not be accepted. DeNooyer Chevrolet in Kalamazoo is also partcipating.
With dumping of trash increasing on Kalamazoo County’s rural roadsides, the Kalamazoo Conservation District is planning a pick-up event from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 9. It’s looking for volunteers.
The pick-up will focus on South County, including Pavilion, Climax, Schoolcraft, Brady and Wakeshma townships.
The district has received a grant from Enbridge Fueling Futures and will provide all required supplies for the event such as safety vests, gloves, trash grabbers and snacks. It’s reaching out to community and civic associations, schools and youth groups, families and friends, business employees and any other group that would like to participate.
Those interested in participating, are asked to sign up at the Kalamazoo Conservation District’s website, www.kalamazooconservation.org, to volunteer. Those with questions may call the Kalamazoo Conservation District office at 269-775-3368 or send an email to kalamazooconservation@gmail.com.
Meet the South County News reporters and photographers. Our writers cover meetings, conduct research, arrange interviews and write it all up by our monthly deadlines. They work hard to keep our communities informed. Many thanks to this talented team!
Mark Blentlinger is a Schoolcraft resident and regular contributor. Mark covers Schoolcraft sports and has been involved in Schoolcraft sports and the community since 2001. He has held various positions over the years, including president of the Schoolcraft Little League, 8th grade football coach, and firefighter for South Kalamazoo Fire Authority. He currently coaches the Schoolcraft bowling team.
Stephanie Blentlinger, who graduated from Schoolcraft High School, is a professional photographer (www.lingeringmemoriesphotography.com) and frequently contributes her work to the South County News. When she was five, she started photography with her first Polaroid camera, and she’s been hooked ever since. After the loss of her eighteen-year-old daughter in 2010, Stephanie’s hobby turned into therapy. At the encouragement of family and friends, she turned her photography skills into a business. She has been photographing high school sports for nine years, primarily for Schoolcraft Community Schools.
Jordon Buell was born in Kalamazoo and went to Portage Northern High-School. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in film, video and media studies and a minor in Journalism. Jordon, who goes by the professional name Jazz Prince, began rapping in 2017 with his best friends, Joey Schermerhorn and Vince Cortellessa. He has a younger sister and younger brother, Jacey, 20, and Jake, 13. Jordon’s biggest goal is to be the best musician he can be, taking care of his friends and family through music. Jordon helps cover Schoolcraft sports.
Jeanne Church, a featured columnist, is a retired special education teacher whose photography hobby began in earnest five years ago with the gift of a decent camera. Several camera upgrades later, Jeanne regularly shoots the nature preserves, sanctuaries and trails in the area with a Nikon D500 camera and a Sigma 150-600 zoom lens. Follow Jeanne on her blog: picturewalks.org.
Kathy DeMott, a regular feature writer, is a certified Flourishing Life coach, writer, speaker, and part of Women’s Global Speaker Collective. After 18 years in corporate sales, she retired early to pursue her passion to encourage others to find their voice and purpose. With a diverse background working with teens, prison ministry and the homeless, she wishes to inspire others by sharing her own journey as a single mother on welfare. Now married to Yancy and residing in Vicksburg, the couple enjoy their nine grandchildren, kayaking and fishing.
Danna Downing, a regular columnist and resident of South County since 1975, is the mother of two adult sons, Matt Downing of Golden, Colo. and Jason (Kristi) Downing of Fairbanks, and the grandmother of Lily and Reilly Downing. She worked as a teacher, health educator, and director of South County Community Services. She served as a commissioner at the Kalamazoo County Road Commission, worked on the 1979 Keep Good Schools for Kids committee and was a member of the Vicksburg Foundation board. She represents South County on the Older Adults Advisory Board and the Michigan State Advisory Council on Aging.
Steve Ellis grew up in Pontiac. He moved to Kalamazoo to attend WMU, graduated and never left the area. He spent 23 years, working for the Kalamazoo Gazette, leaving 2012 to start the local Spark Magazine. While growing up, his family loved to travel and camp. Steve carried on this tradition with his two children. While still working, Steve continues to spend much of his spare time traveling all over Michigan and its surrounding states, searching for interesting and out of the ordinary destinations. Many of these adventures will be chronicled in upcoming editions of the South County News.
Marilyn Jones contributes a poem for publication each month. She is a graduate of Sturgis High School, attended Western Michigan College (now known as WMU) and is a longtime Schoolcraft resident. She retired after 31 years of service to Kalamazoo County State Bank and remains active in community organizations.
Rob Peterson is a Kalamazoo native who graduated from WMU before starting a career in real estate. He moved to Vicksburg when he married Christine, a teacher at Vicksburg Schools. Together they have three grown children. Rob covers the Village of Schoolcraft and special interest features.
Leeanne Seaver, a regular photo and feature contributor, is a published author, writer/ghostwriter, and developmental editor. After 20-plus years in broadcasting, she now writes full-time (www.seavercreative.com). Leeanne’s photos are featured on numerous websites, a couple book covers, and the Nature Conservancy Calendar (2014). Currently, Seaver is writing a book for the Vicksburg Foundation that focuses on its history in the community. It will be published in spring, 2022.
Jef Rietsma has been a contributor to South County News since a happenstance meeting with Sue Moore in 2013. More recently, he has been assigned the Vicksburg village and school beats. Rietsma, a Jackson County native, lives in Vicksburg and is a teacher at Centreville Elementary School. He also covers St. Joseph County government as a freelance writer for the Sturgis Journal. Rietsma is the father of Jessie, a junior at Hope College.
Travis Smola is originally from Decatur and is a graduate of Western Michigan University. After a brief stint at a bi-weekly newspaper founded by Buffalo Bill in the shadow of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, he returned to Michigan and has worked mostly as a freelance writer in the outdoor industry. He is currently a full-time staff writer for wideopenspaces.com where he covers hunting, fishing, camping, and outdoor adventure travel. Travis covers Schoolcraft school board meetings and Vicksburg sports for the South County News.
