Jodie Gerard, Sheril Jager Moore, Julie Renzema, Susan Chapman and Holly Jensen attending a monthly meeting.
At Harvest Fest a few years ago, a young girl saw Lisa Beams spinning and asked her, ‘Can I play that game?’ Lisa feels that playfulness captures the essence of their group.
Alisha Siebers, Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center
Jodie Gerard read about a drop spindle in a mystery novel. She was intrigued by the idea of spinning her own yarn. Her husband gave her a spindle for her birthday, but she didn’t know how to use it.
Enter the friendly folks at South County Fiber Arts, a part of the Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center. Jodie called them and they told her, “Come over – we can get you started.” Jodie was hooked; a month later she owned a spinning wheel, and today, five years later, she’s experimented with a wide range of fiber arts – preparing fleece to spin, spinning to make yarn, knitting with the yarn, weaving to create fabric and felting. Jodie explains that there are “endless possibilities of fibers, colors, and textures – and that’s just in making the yarn and felt. There are so many possibilities to being creative.”
The fiber arts are some of the most accessible, with something new to explore for people at all different levels. South County Fiber Arts members range from beginners to some who have been spinning for decades, all learning and solving creative challenges together. Sewing, knitting, and spinning circles have always had a social aspect, and the same tradition continues in our back yard. There’s a generosity and kindness in this group. They chat, bounce ideas off each other, and share their joys and sorrows, brainstorming together – about both their art and their lives.
The group experiments with reviving old-world crafts. Members have re-created ancient processes for creating hand-made decorative and functional objects. They’ve cleaned fleece by soaking it in a fermenting bath, have spun with drop spindles and with spinning wheels, and have recently been experimenting with a type of Scandinavian needle binding that pre-dates knitting called nälbinding. They are up for anything, including teaching kids how to make felt by beating the fiber with pool noodles and how to dye fabric with Kool-Aid. Lisa Beams, one of the organizers of the group, believes that there is something about fiber arts that is incredibly meditative. She explains, “You don’t need a fidget spinner when you can knit.” She finds that knitting helps her concentrate during meetings, and she even can knit and read at the same time!
At Harvest Fest a few years ago, a young girl saw Lisa spinning and asked her “Can I play that game?” Lisa feels that playfulness captures the essence of their group. You don’t need to be an expert to try fiber arts – just dive in and have fun. You’re welcome to come find out for yourself! When the weather is good, you can join them under the Pavilion at 300 N. Richardson, Vicksburg, on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. If you have questions, contact me at the Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center: Alisha@vicksburgarts.com.
The Harvest Festival will return after a two-year hiatus for the 11th annual celebration.
Fantastic fun for the whole family, the Harvest Festival organized by the Vicksburg Historical Society, will be held on Sunday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Historic Village on N. Richardson Street. As always, it is a free event.
There will be free hay wagon rides pulled by a team of horses as well as tons of animals to pet and appreciate. The Depot Museum’s Ford Model A car will also be available for quick rides. There will be antique tractors on display from Dale Sult and the Kalamazoo Valley Antique Engine and Machinery Club.
A pumpkin decorating contest, and a secret word and secret picture search are available for the children. The secret word and picture search will take place on the day. There will be a pumpkin weight-guessing game and a 50/50 drawing which is a fundraiser for the Historical Society.
At the pavilion, visitors will find vendors from the Farmers’ Market, food trucks, and the local Rotary Club selling pumpkins and the Lions Club selling bratwursts. At the township hall, you can catch the latest speaker in the Speaker Series giving a presentation from 2-3 p.m.
The pumpkin decorating contest for children 5 to 12 years old requires entries to be delivered to the Depot Museum on Saturday, Sept. 25 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Applications for the pumpkin decorating contest will be available online at vicksburghistory.org and at the Depot Museum on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in September.
All the buildings in the Historic Village will be open for tours. Docents will explain the history of the print shop, general store, Doris Lee Sweet shop, schoolhouse, township hall, garage and farmhouse. The Vicksburg Historical Society and Historic Village are open during the fall on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. for researching and viewing the collection of artifacts at the Depot Museum and on the grounds.
Ronald and Nancy (Herron) Glenn of Vicksburg will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Sept 25. Married in Kalamazoo at Trinity Lutheran Church in 1971, they were accompanied by Frank Phillips as best man and Nancy Thayer as maid of honor.
They have two sons, Ron and Todd Glenn, who live in Vicksburg with their families, including seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Ronald retired from Graphic Packaging in 2012 after working there for 34 ½ years. Nancy retired from Bronson Methodist Hospital in 2015.
They will celebrate the golden anniversary in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
“God blessed you together these 50 years, Full of laughter and tears. Children and (great) grandchldren, family and friends, A love for each other, a love without end. Through commitment and love, God answered your prayers, You help those in need, and always care. May your blessings be bountiful and friendships grow, You are loved by many, more than you know.”
Each year the Vicksburg Rotary Club identifies a resident from greater Vicksburg, a non-Rotarian who has made a major commitment to improving life in the Vicksburg area, to become a Rotary Mercer Munn Fellow.
This year’s recipient is Dr. Paula Schriemer. Her commitment includes a major role in creating Generous Hands, a Vicksburg non-profit agency which provides food packs for families with children on free and reduced school-lunch plans to help them get through the weekends.
In 2004, Dr. Schriemer was part of a 10-women Bible study group in search of a service project. The group was concerned about food scarcity issues members saw in the community and committed to trying to do something about the problem. Taking the name Generous Hands, it focused on providing and distributing the food packs. Under Paula’s leadership, members started small, distributing Friday Packs from a closet at Sunset Elementary.
Fast-forward to 2021 and Generous Hands is feeding 246 students each week across the Vicksburg Community Schools District. Ultimately Generous Hands won an award for Best New Non-Profit from Western Michigan University’s Non-profit Student Association and a Star Award from United Way.
She is married to Dr. David Schriemer; together they have three adult children: Daniel, Clara, and Anna. Paula grew up in suburban Detroit with her parents and two younger sisters. Upon graduation from high school, Paula was one of 50 persons selected for a six-year Integrated Premedical/Medical program at the University of Michigan.
She met her husband in her fourth year of the program. She was focused on anesthesiology; he was aiming to practice family medicine. Over three weeks in May and June of 1985, she and David got married, honeymooned, graduated from medical school and relocated to Charlottesville, Va. to start their residency programs.
The couple moved to Vicksburg in 1989. She worked full-time at Kalamazoo Anesthesiology for two years until their first child, Daniel, was born. Ever since, she has worked some formulation of part-time work and time raising their children. “Working made me a nicer mommy,” she said.
“Living in Vicksburg has been a joy,” Paula added. She and her family have loved living on the lake and has appreciated the “top-notch” school district. She believes residents value quality community life and Vicksburg is a place where “we take good care of our own.”
“Paula is a savvy woman,” according to Jan Modderman-Hui, current president of Generous Hands. “There is a fire burning inside her and it is great to work beside her fighting for justice and fairness to those who have a hardscrabble life,” she adds.
Sheri Louis, executive director at Generous Hands, said that like Mercer Munn, “Service Above Self” is also a way of life for Paula Schriemer. “Whether it is in her professional life showing empathy and compassion to her patients, serving in her church, or staying attentive to the needs of children in our community who face food insecurity, Paula goes above and beyond in her dedication to making things better.”
Since Paula has passed the gavel to Jan Modderman-Hui she has been instrumental in every new project, including The Period Project, which provides personal hygiene supplies for young women and their families, and The Blessing Boxes, which have been installed at Generous Hands and at a local housing location. Blessing Boxes provide healthy food on an as-needed basis. Paula also leads board education activities at the agency and is an accessible and supportive mentor wherever she is in the community.
The mission of Generous Hands is an easy sell,” Paula said. “Who could say NO to “can you help feed hungry kids in Vicksburg?” The organization’s stunning outcomes prove that virtually no one can say no.
When asked why she was prompted to work on Generous Hands, Paula ticked off five reasons:
• “It was an obvious need in the community.
• “It was a group project with people I loved.
• “I am very goal-directed. All through my life I have worked for long-term goals and pushed through the hard parts, trusting help would be given when needed.
• “As a mom, the issue of children’s health has been laid on my heart, no matter whose kids they are.
• “Early in my medical training ‘the patient comes first’ was instilled in me. That means no matter how you feel – tired, hungry, whatever – you still do your best to care for the person in front of you. That has spilled over into other facets of my life.”
The club will invest $500 in her honor into its endowment fund held with the Kalamazoo Community Foundation.
In the 62 years that Mercer Munn spent in the Vicksburg club, he exemplified all that is best in Rotary. To him “Service above Self” was not a slogan; it was simply a way of life. It was impossible to separate Mercer’s Christian humility and compassion from his Rotary determination. If there was something in our community to be fixed, helped, or healed, you would usually find that Mercer Munn was part of the solution. Munn was a special person, respected and treasured by all who knew him. He continues to set the bar for community involvement long past his time with us. The Mercer Munn Fellow award continues to honor his leadership and inspire all who live in the Vicksburg community.
The Vicksburg Rotary Club recognized member Danna Downing as this year’s Hero, one who lives the Rotary concept of “Service Above Self.” Every Rotary event, activity, and meeting benefits from the contributions offered by Danna Downing. Her actions in the Rotary and the community at large have exemplified the Rotary concept of Service Above Self. When serving as the club treasurer, Danna perceived a need to continue raising revenue for the Club’s Polio Fund. During the last year of social distancing and electronic meetings, she assembled a can and bottle drive which has raised $1,515 to date. For years before that, Danna worked to contribute to the community as the director of South County Community Services. Outgoing Vicksburg Rotary President Mary Marshall describes Danna in two words: “gracious dynamo.”
David Aubry is Vicksburg Rotary’s nominee as this year’s Paul Harris Fellow, an award named for Rotary’s founder and given to a member who has made a significant contribution to the organization.
“I joined Rotary to be helpful, and donating to Polio Plus and the Rotary International Foundation is a way to be helpful beyond my local community and my lifetime,” Aubry said.
He helped set up the local club’s 50-50 weekly drawing with proceeds going to the Rotary Annual Fund and dedicated time to maintaining the Vicksburg Rotary commitment to working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to eradicate polio.
When club member Dick Coppes found himself alone and in failing health, Aubry, along with his wife Kristina and fellow Rotarian Warren Lawrence, saw to it that Dick had transportation and companionship. Most recently, Aubry is leading the club’s metal-scrap fund raiser. He is actively involved, coordinating pick-up and hauling of items to the recycling facility. “He has been extremely creative and personally very generous,” said President Mary Marshall.
Aubry is a native of Monroe, MI, and served as an educator in the Paw Paw Schools for over 35 years before retiring in 2010. David and Kristina live in Vicksburg. He has been a member of the Vicksburg Rotary Club for 10 years.
Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney, founded the Rotary Club in 1905 and served as the third president of the club. During his presidency he worked to expand Rotary beyond Chicago. His death prompted an outpouring of contributions from around the world, inspiring the Paul Harris Fellow program, established in 1957 to show appreciation and recognition for individuals who make significant donations in dollars and dedication to the Rotary Foundation at Rotary International. These ongoing contributions support the organization’s Annual Fund, Polio Plus or any other approved global grant.
