‘Branding’ sessions continue this week

  The process to determine how KVCC presents itself to the

public and the college’s various constituents in the future continues this week.

Called “branding” in the marketing professions, the KVCC version is being orchestrated by the Chicago firm of Lipman Hearne, which has performed similar chores at these institutions of higher education:

Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt University, the University of North Carolina, Northwestern University, Duke University, Calvin College, Brown University, the University of Southern California, Northwest Iowa Community College, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Representatives of Lipman Hearne are scheduled to meet Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 20-21) with a variety of stakeholders.

● Faculty members and instructors – Monday (Oct. 20) from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in Room 4370.  Among those signed up for this session are Jim Ratliff, Erick Martin, Scott Myers and Kate Ferraro.

● Administrators and staff – Monday (Oct. 20) from 10:30 to noon in Room 4370. Participants will be Mike McCall, Lauren Beresford, Dennis Bertch, Karen Phelps, Nancy Taylor, Blake Glass, Lesa Ward, Carol Mallinson, Jim Taylor, Mike Thompson, John Payne, Dick Shilts, Marylan Hightree, Mary Lawrence, Janet Alm, Diane Vandenberg, Tim Welsh, Carol Heeter, John Chapman, Grant Chandler, and Lydia Hines

● Current “traditional” students – Monday (Oct. 20) from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Room 4370.

● Alumni – Monday (Oct. 20) from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Room 4370. – Shawna Vanderveen, Amber Hutson, Jaimie Robins, Rhonda Garthe, Robyn Robinson and Travelyan Chambliss.

● Added to the schedule for Monday (Oct. 20) will be a session from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Room 4370 to accommodate the workdays of alumni, nontraditional and continuing-education students.

● Staff members who are involved in the college’s external relations – Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in Room 4370 – Cindy Buckley, Lisa Strausbaugh, Trish Schroeder, Lauren Beresford, Jim DeHaven, Karen Visser, Steve Doherty, Pat Norris, Lisa Breithaupt, Elspeth Inglis, Gina Fischer, and Tom Thinnes.

● Community leaders – Tuesday (Oct. 21) from 3:30 to 5

p.m. in Room 4370.  Among those who will take part are members of the KVCC Board of Trustees, the KVCC Foundation Board of Directors, and the advisory boards for the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the M-TEC.

Tuesday sessions originally scheduled for a second group of faculty and instructors, along with one for nontraditional and continuing-education students, have been cancelled.  However, administrators, faculty, staff and students are still invited to sit in on an appropriate session, space willing.

In its response to the college’s request for proposals, Lipman Hearne stated:

“Branding is more than creating a beautiful logo or sharp tagline.  It’s more than a striking ad campaign or a public-relations blitz.  These things are essential, but at its core, branding is about creating an enduring and emotional attachment between your audience and your institution.”

In announcing the branding project to the college committee, President Marilyn Schlack said the process boils down to “conducting an in-depth study of KVCC and its impact on the Greater Kalamazoo community.  We are hoping that by the first of the year, we will have a new brand and a comprehensive marketing plan in place.”

The Lipman Hearne report indicated that KVCC will be starting the process from a positive position.

“There’s much to tout about KVCC,” it stated.  “Its impressive 85-percent retention rate, its focus on student success, its top-notch facilities, its role in making downtown Kalamazoo a vibrant destination, and its strong relationships with business and community leaders. . .

“The challenge and the opportunity for KVCC lies in the articulation of what it distinctively has to offer the residents of Michigan’s western region,” according to what the firm stated in its proposal to the KVCC Board of Trustees.

“Opportunities also exist in the creation of a brand identity that tells its story persuasively and effectively,” the proposal stated, “and the delivery of the brand experience through multiple channels in a powerful and targeted way.”

In that light, the firm’s strategy in forging that new brand must include roles for faculty, staff, students, administrators, and other community stakeholders.

And all must speak to how KVCC has responded to the needs of the residents it serves in the past and how that can continue to be accomplished in the future.

The results should include:● A better understanding of what the institution means to its

constituent audiences.

● A focus on what must be accomplished to continue reaching these audiences and building new ones.

● Improved efficiency and effectiveness in how marketing resources are used.

● A common language that improves the quality of dialogue, especially about the future.

Members of the college’s branding committee include Mike Collins, Deborah Dawson, Jim DeHaven, Steve Doherty, Mike Keller and Karen Matson.

 

Hospitality industry gets academy treatment

With other vocations and occupations in the pipeline, the hospitality industry is the next in Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s workforce-development academies.            Slated to begin Jan. 5, the Hospitality Academy is joining the college’s growing roster of specialized, targeted training programs.            “It’s a fast track to employment,” said Lesa Strausbaugh, KVCC’s director of career academies, “and it is our response to what each industry is demanding to meet its workforce needs.  From our point of view, the college seeks to provide people with the skills that open up employment opportunities.”            But the college does take a close look at the industry-driven idea before it leaps, and area businesses aid in that step by staffing focus groups.  The No. 1 and No. 2 questions are:  is there a need for this kind of training and, if so, are there jobs out there to be filled?             The Hospitality Academy will run daily for five weeks through Feb. 6 at the Arcadia Commons Campus’ Anna Whitten Hall in downtown Kalamazoo. 

“A career in hospitality can be glamorous and exciting,” said Strausbaugh, a marketing major at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, “but it involves long hours and hard work.  Virtually every job in the field requires regular public contact, leadership skills, and an emphasis on customer service.”

During 157 hours of instruction , students will learn the workings of the rooms division and food-and-beverage division in hospitality, which includes front-desk management, reservations, housekeeping, bells services, restaurant service, and banquet organization.  A major component will be job shadowing and an in-the-field training practicum.

Acceptance into the academy will be competitive and be based on a written application, feedback from references, results of assessment tests to determine fitness for the occupation, and interviews.

Those who complete the academy will receive a certificate in hospitality from KVCC and a globally recognized certificate from the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

“It’s been proven that certificates and diplomas from the educational institute of the association open doors to graduates looking for careers in the lodging industry,”  Strausbaugh said. “We’re excited to offer students this opportunity.” 

The lead instructor, complemented by professionals serving as guest presenters, will bring many years of experience in all aspects of the hospitality industry to the training.

Hospitality will become the focus of the college’s third academy, joining automotive technology and the criminal-justice field of corrections, both of which are in the middle of their second class of participants.  Other occupations and professions are being studied to determine the feasibility of an academy approach.  Response will determine whether a second hospitality academy is scheduled.

 Infused in the new academy will be components provided by the KVCC Student Success Center that enhances job-search skills and employability.

The fee for the five-week academy is $750.Applications are available by calling Strausbaugh at (269)

353-1253 or by visiting this website at www.kvcc.edu/training/.  The deadline to apply is Nov. 19.

 Workshop preps for Volunteer Fair on Thursday

 A “Volunteer and Community Services Fair” will be staged at KVCC on Thursday (Oct. 23) and it shapes up as a win-win experience for 50 human-service, educational and recreational agencies and for students.           

The organizations, some of them affiliated with the Greater Kalamazoo

United Way, will be in the market for a cadre of new volunteers to help them achieve their missions, while students will able to expand their networking among professionals in their career fields as they give something back to the community.           

All that will come into play the evening before when students are invited to a free workshop that will detail how experience as a volunteer can lead to success in a career.

Staged by KVCC’s Student Employment Services and Career Services, “The Volunteer Workshop” is set for Wednesday (Oct. 22) from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Student Commons Forum. More information is available by contacting career adviser Karen Steeno van Staveren at extension 4272 or careercenter@kvcc.edu

The community-service organizations will be sending representatives to the Student Commons to meet with students on an individual basis from 9 a.m. to noon. 

The 2008 “Volunteer and Community Services Fair” is being hosted by the KVCC Student Success Center’s Student Employment Services unit.  For more information, contact Karen Phelps or Lois Brinson.            

“Students should think about volunteering,” said Phelps, the unit’s work-experience coordinator, “because the experience can assist in making career decisions.”           

She and Brinson can come to classes to promote the event with students.  Instructors can also give extra credit to

stimulate attendance.

Already signed on to participate are:

American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Great Lakes Peace Jam, Borgess Medical Center’s volunteer unit, the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency’s Croyden Avenue School and its Young Adult Program;

 Southern Care Inc. at 4341 S.

Westnedge, the Kalamazoo Deacons Conference at 1010 N. Westnedge, YWCA of Kalamazoo, City of Kalamazoo Department of Parks and Recreation, Kalamazoo County Community Action Agency, New Genesis Inc. at 1340 Cobb in Kalamazoo;

Fair Housing Center for Southwest Michigan, Family and Children Services, First Day Shoe Fund, Free Clinic of Kalamazoo Advocacy Services for Kids at 414 E. Michigan Ave., The Volunteer Center of Greater Kalamazoo, the Air Zoo;

The Smartshop Metal Arts Center at 516 E. North St., MRC Industries Inc., Oakwood Neighborhood Association, Residential Opportunities Inc., the Michigan Department of Human Services, the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission;

Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Greater Kalamazoo Inc., Eastside Neighborhood Association, Girl Scout Heart of Michigan, the Gilmore Car Museum, Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan, and Guardian Finance and Advocacy Services;

Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan, Heartland Health Care Center, Hispanic

American Council,  Housing Resources Inc., Greater Kalamazoo Girls on the Run, Gryphon Place, Kalamazoo County Poverty Reduction Initiative;

Kalamazoo Drop-In Child Care Center, In-House Hospice Solutions, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kalamazoo, Douglass Community Association, Kalamazoo County chapter of the American Red Cross, Kalamazoo Gay and Lesbian Resource Center;

Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity, Family Division of the Ninth Circuit Court, Pretty Lake Vacation Camp, Kalamazoo Humane Society, Ministry with Community, and the Portage Community Center.            “These community organizations will invite students and visitors to explore volunteering as a method to increase their career opportunities while benefiting the community,” Phelps said Karen Phelps.             “Part of the college's mission,” she said, “is to produce well-rounded students and future members of the workforce who are more than willing to give back to their community and to invest in the human-service agencies that all serve us well.  This is also a really good opportunity for students to network with people who are involved in the career fields they are pursuing.”            The event is free and participants can drop in at any time during the three-hour period. 

Safe at home from fires

             As part of the observance of Fire Safety Month in October, KVCC is arranging for the purchase of fire extinguishers, ladders and

smoke detectors at discounted costs for administrators, faculty and staff.           

Arranged through Jane Westra, safety specialist in the KVCC Office of Human Resources, orders can be placed until Nov. 4 by contacting her at extension 4471 or jwestra@kvcc.edu.           

Here’s what is available and the costs:           

2.5-pound fire extinguisher with vehicle bracket -- $25

Five-pound extinguisher with wall hook -- $35

10-pound extinguisher with wall hook -- $60

13-to-15-foot chain-metal escape ladder -- $43

25-foot chain-metal escape ladder -- $68

Photo-electric smoke detector -- $33

The purchases will be delivered by Nov. 6.

Westra passes on these statistics about fires:

(1)   80 percent of fire deaths occur in the home.

(2)   Having a working smoke detector more than doubles a person’s chance of surviving a fire.

(3)   An all-purpose extinguisher for grease and electrical fires should be within reach in a home’s kitchen. 

(4)   It’s a good idea to store extinguishers near the furnace, garage, or anywhere else a fire is likely to ignite.

(5)   Have an escape route for each area of the home and a designated meeting place outside.

(6)   Practice an escape plan periodically so that it can be easily remembered in the event of an emergency.

   

Home buying, resume writing

are workshops for students

  Factors to consider in buying a house, creating an

effective resume, and the health aspects of proper breathing are among the topics to be covered in upcoming workshops scheduled by the Student Success Center.

Free, open to all students, and mostly slated for the Student Commons Forum, the schedule of sessions is:

♦ “Thinking About Buying Your First Home?” – Wednesday (Oct, 22) at 11 a.m.  Sharilyn Parson, deputy director of Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services, will talk about the investment aspect of home buying, mortgage readiness, and what to look for in purchasing a house.

♦ “Pranayama:  Power of Breath” – Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m.  Occupational therapist Renu Sharma will explain and demonstrate an ancient yogic breathing technique that promotes health and a more positive perspective.

♦ “Resume Workshop” – Thursday, Nov. 13, at 3 p.m.  KVCC’s Lois Brinson and Karen Phelps takes students through a step-by-step process to crafting a resume that can assist greatly in the search for employment.  They will also evaluate a student’s existing resume.

♦ “Psychology of Buying” – Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 1 p.m.  Building on his previous presentation about the psychology of spending, Chris Palmer of GreenPath Debt Solutions will provide some techniques in how to overcome “the urge to splurge.”  This session is set for Room 4370 on the Texas Township Campus.

♦ “International Fest” – on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m.  This offers U. S. students the opportunity to meet their peers from around the globe, enjoy their ethnic foods, and experience their cultures.

Slated for December will be a workshop on resume writing and job interviewing and ways to overcome the stress that can come with the year-end holiday.

For more information about these and upcoming workshops for students, contact Pamela Siegfried, the center’s life-resources coordinator, at extension 4825.  Refreshments are part of the attraction.

 

Kalamazoo murders that made national

news 

With the approach of Halloween, “Murders Most Foul:  Notorious Murders in Kalamazoo” is the Oct. 26. “Sunday Series” program at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

While sensational slayings are the stuff that fill the columns of tabloid newspapers and the airtime on cable news programs these days, 75 or more years ago sins against the Sixth Commandment in little ol’ Kalamazoo were enough to attract the attention of newspapers across the nation.

Tom Dietz, the museum’s curator, will tell some of these not-so-tall tales of terror and termination at 1:30 p.m. in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater.  All presentations in the series are free and open to the public.            “Major New York and Chicago newspapers took note of the murder of Sheriff Benjamin F. Orcutt on a cold December evening in 1867 during an attempted jailbreak,” Dietz says. 

“They also provided coverage of the story of the ‘Flying Bandit’ murder in 1935,” he says, “as well as when one priest murdered another in 1924. And, when a respectable middle-aged couple murdered their elderly neighbor because they believed she was a witch, papers across the country picked up the story.”

“The Flying Bandit” murder, which was something of a twist of the traditional love-triangle situation, garnered coverage in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune and The Atlanta Constitution.  It involved the slayer driving the body of his victim cross-country in the trunk of his car.  His plan, be that as it may, was to sell the car and head for China.  The tale gets wackier from there.

The national newspapers not only reacted to the sensational nature of the cross-country flight, but they also recounted the slayer’s earlier criminal history for which he had earned the nickname of the “Flying Bandit.” In 1928, the Kalamazooan hired a flight instructor. On a flight from Pontiac to Kalamazoo, he hit the instructor  over the head with a hammer, crash-landed the plane in Kalamazoo, and rifled through it for jewelry, cash, and other valuables. He spent six years in Jackson State Prison.

Dietz will also look at the case of Bessie Voeth who forgave her lover and killer, asking only for a dying kiss, as well as the unsolved murder of butcher Lewis Schilling. Another is  the story of the “Half-Murdered Man.”

“These cases fed the public appetite for sensationalism just as much as the public hangs on every new revelation of similar stories today,” he says.

The lone billing in November for the “Sunday Series” will be “Four Corners of Kalamazoo County” that sheds light on the

crossroad settlements that dotted this part of the sate in the 19th century.  It is set for Nov. 9.            The 2008 finale will be “Things of History” on Dec. 14 as Dietz tells the stories behind some of the museum’s more intriguing artifacts.            Here’s the line-up for the first half of 2009:            ♦ “Charlie Hays:  Home Builder” on Jan. 11.

♦ “Where the Streets Got Their Names” on Jan. 25.♦ “The Michigan Land Survey” on Feb. 8 looks at the

origins of the mapping of what had been the Michigan Territory.♦ “The Sins of Kalamazoo Were Scarlet and Crimson” on

Feb. 22 recounts the city’s red-light districts and speakeasies during Prohibition

♦ “The Velvelettes” on March 8 - the Kalamazoo connections to Motown

♦ “Famous Visitors to Kalamazoo” on March 22 - notables, celebrities and politicians who have come to this community for a variety of reasons.

♦ “Red Terror in Kalamazoo:  The 1948 Shakespeare Strike” on April 26.For more information, contact Dietz at 373-7990 or visit the museum’s website at www.kalamazoomuseum.org.

Time to roll up your sleeves, and give the gift of life

  Let's see if you can guess what this item is all about from

these clues:* Shoot the juice to me, Bruce.* How 'bout a gallon, Allen.* Need some red, Fred.* It won't hurt, Burt.* There's no pain, Jane.* We're short on claret, Garret.No, this is not a sequel to Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave

Your Lover."  It's time to donate some blood, Bud.KVCC faculty, students and staff can take part in the

“Drain the Vein Blood Drive” on Thursday, Oct. 30,  from 10:30 a.m. to 4:15  p.m. on the Texas Township Campus.

Prospective participants must have a photo identification, a driver’s license, or a blood-donor card.  Donors must also know the exact names of the medications they are taking or have taken during the last month.  Those who are at least 17, weigh a

minimum of 110 pounds when fully dressed, and are in good general health may be eligible to donate blood at this clinic, which is co-sponsored by KVCC’s Phi Theta Kappa and PeaceJam organizations.

To schedule an appointment, type in www.givelife.org and plug in “kvcc” into the sponsor code.  Walk-in donors are also welcome.

Every 12 seconds, someone in the United States receives a life-saving transfusion.  In Michigan, that translates to about 2,000 units of blood a day.  A pint of blood is truly the gift of life.

The process, which can be repeated every eight weeks, takes about 75 minutes, most of which involves registering, taking a donor’s medical history, and staying in the refreshment area.  The actual blood-donating part takes between six and 10 minutes.

The donor gives a little less than a pint of blood.  The typical blood transfusion in a hospital amounts to 3.4 units (pints) of blood.  The average adult has eight to 12 such units flowing through his/her veins. 

It is recommended that donors eat within four hours of donating. Donors should also drink extra water and fluids prior to rolling up their sleeves to replace the volume being donated and to prevent low blood pressure.  Keep up the process after the donation.

Coffee and tea really don’t cut it because their caffeine causes the body to lose more fluids than taken in by consuming those liquids.  

Eating foods loaded with protein and carbohydrates (bread, cereal, fruit and lean meat) makes the process more comfortable.

Here are a few more reasons for rolling up your sleeve on Oct. 30:

Volunteer donors are the only source of blood products for hospital patients.

Approximately 20 percent of the blood used in the United States is donated by students.

One donor can save as many as four lives with a single donation because each donation is divided into its component parts – platelets, plasma and red cells.

All donated blood is tested for transmitted disease. You cannot contract the HIV virus or any other

infectious disease by donating. Those with sickle cell anemia, cancer, heart disease,

leukemia and other major illnesses may need blood transfusions to survive.  Some 22 percent of the people who need transfusions are over the age of 65 and consume 52 percent of the donated blood.  About 5 percent of the U. S. population donates blood.

According to the Red Cross, a “reasonable” supply of blood

needed for emergencies is a three-day inventory in each region.  There are some days when this part of Michigan can bank on only a half-day’s backup.  The inventory must be constantly replenished because blood’s various components each has a shelf life.

Blood transfusions are also needed for life-saving medical responses, hip and knee replacements, heart surgery, hysterectomies, and treatments for many chronic conditions.  Thus, the chances are great that members of all families will someday need this gift of life.

The American Red Cross also reports that a potential donor might be thwarted because of a low iron level, which impacts one’s red-cell count in the blood.

The answer is to take supplements or eat more high-iron foods – red meat, fish, poultry, liver, fortified cereals, beans, raisins, and prunes.  Consuming Vitamin-C-rich foods enhances iron buildup in the blood.  Citrus fruits, broccoli and tomatoes can do that job.

So, step up and come across with some cells, Nell.

Best practices in college teaching

  The KVCC Faculty Book Club will continue its discussions

of Ken Bain’s discourse on “What the Best College Teachers Do” this week.

Instructors are asked to read the first three chapters of the book in preparation for the dialogue, while also writing a personal reaction or response to one of the three or to a section in one of them.  The optional exercise can help seed the dialogue.

Here’s the upcoming lineup for the Texas Township Campus sessions in rooms 7332 and 7334:

Wednesday (Oct. 22) at 7 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 23) at 2 p.m. Friday (Oct. 24)  at 9 a.m.Among the talking points will be:

           1.   What are some ways that you might create "a natural critical-learning environment" in one of your courses?  What are some ways that you might create "a natural critical-learning environment" at KVCC?     

            2. What is an "important question" a student can ask in your course?  

            3. How might we use the "Major Conclusions" to improve

teaching and learning at KVCC? 

             Contact instructors Keith Kroll or Cynthia Schauer for more information.

 

 Here’s your chance to be in a parade, and on TV, too

  KVCC wants to be a part in the Kalamazoo Holiday

Parade on Saturday, Nov. 8, and staff, faculty and students are invited to join its team of volunteers.

Those interested in participating can visit Mary Johnson’s office in the Student Commons in Room 4220 and sign up.

The parade in downtown Kalamazoo will begin at 9:30 a.m. on the day that officially launches the shopping season for the holidays.

The Community Access Center will be televising the parade live and living color, and will be rebroadcasting it on four other occasions on its five channels.

Quilting, TV legends profiled in ‘docs’

  The art of quilting and America’s new toy of the 1940s

and ‘50s – television -- are the themes of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s fall program of documentaries, which begin Sunday (Oct. 19), and two of the films in its movie series.

Running through the end of the calendar year, the free documentaries complement the exhibits on display during this period – “Great Lakes Native Quilting” and “Kid Stuff: Great Toys from Our Childhood.”  Each will be shown in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater.

Slated for 1:30 p.m. is “A Century of Quilts:  America in Cloth,” which focuses on some of the best American quilts of the 20th century, the stories behind their creation, and the people who made them.

The Sunday doubleheader is completed with a 3 p.m. showing of  “Pioneers of Primetime,” which tells the story of the medium’s first superstars and how the likes of Bob Hope, Milton

Berle, Jack Benny, Sid Caesar and Red Skelton transitioned from vaudeville to radio and the movies, and finally to the small screen that eventually was in the home of just about every American family.

Here’s the 1:30 line-up of the remaining quilting documentaries:

● Nov. 16 – “American Quilts” chronicles the days from the earliest settlers to modern times when quilts with their kaleidoscopic colors have adorned American homes.  Both the history of the art form and its symbolism are covered.

● Nov. 30 – “Art of Quilting” explores the diverse techniques and artistry reflected in the U. S. form of creative expressions.  The boundaries of traditional American quilt-making have expanded to an art form that now adorns the walls of exhibit halls and art galleries around the world.

Here’s the 3 p.m. schedule for flashing back to the pioneers of television:

● Nov. 16 and Nov. 30 – “Pioneers of Television” flashes back to the early situation comedies, variety shows, game shows, and late-night talk shows that gave television its first class of celebrities.

Also augmenting the two exhibitions are a pair of movies booked for the museum’s Thursday-night series.  “How to Make an American Quilt” on Oct. 23 is the story of one family’s women and their loves lost and won, while “A Christmas Story” on Dec. 11 has evolved into a holiday classic about a boy’s quest to receive a B-B gun from Santa and his typical-American family life.  Curtain goes up at 7:30 each evening and there is a $3 admission fee.

Student author to present her book

Mystery novels written by a KVCC student will be in the spotlight on Monday (Oct. 20) in the Student Commons Forum.           

Free and open to the public, the presentation will focus on “Rune Stone Murders,” written by KVCC student author Jessica Blasdell, who writes under the name of “Gatekeeper,” from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Blasdell will read from the latest in her murder-mystery series. The plot is that the killer uses rune stones to predict the future.  She enrolled in KVCC’s pre-nursing curriculum last summer.

A rune is typically a raised stone with an inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock.

They were generally used as memorials to deceased men. The tradition began in the 4th century, but most of them date from the late Viking Age into the 12th century, and are located in Scandinavia.

Western is next tour stop for prospective transfers

              Instructors are asked to advise their students about the opportunity to visit the campuses of four-year universities around Michigan during the 2008-09 academic year to gauge whether they intend to continue their studies at those locations.            Those interested in transferring should contact Ezra Bell in KVCC’s Transfer Resource Center in Room 1364 on the Texas Township Campus and register to take part in any of the tours.              Prospective tourists can also call the center at extension 4779 to determine whether they can meet the criteria to participate. 

At each university, the students will meet admissions representatives, visit dorms and other campus facilities, and learn about financial-aid opportunities.               Here’s the next trek:

● Western Michigan University – Thursday, Oct. 30.

Students must register for the trips at least two days before the date because certain criteria must be met.  The departure time is 9:30 a.m., with the return scheduled for around 4 p.m.

KVCC students can get another indicator of college life at Western Michigan University  next month. 

WMU will be on the Texas Township Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 18, for its “On-Site Admission Day” to serve KVCC students who intend to transfer to Western.

They can sign up for appointments by contacting Robyn Robinson in the college’s Transfer Resource Center and Focus Program office in Room 1364 or by calling her at extension 4779.

WMU personnel will be on campus on Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to review applications, to update each student’s admission status, outline future steps to take in the entering Western, and to discuss the prospects of financial aid.  

 Blugrass bass player next in concert series

        Blugrass bassist Ben Luttermoser, who took part in the 2008 Fretboard Festival, returns to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on Thursday, Nov. 6, for a one-man show.             In the second of the 2008-09 series of concerts in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater, Luttermoser will perform his own brand of bluegrass at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 and seating is limited.            The Jim Cumming Band will be the Dec. 4 billing in the  up-close-and- personal, 84-seat, surround-sound Stryker Theater where the artists  are close enough to reach out and touch, as opposed to a Rolling Stones concert in which there is a good chance to be seated in the next time zone or area code.            Luttermoser, based in Grosse Pointe Park in the Detroit area, primarily plays string bass, electric bass and tuba, with a little guitar, banjo and mandolin thrown in when appropriate.  He also teaches those instruments.             He regularly joins as a “sideman” the Royal Garden Trio, The Detroit Acoustic Trio, The Cass Avenue Ramblers, Roy

Cobb and the Coachman, and the Mountain Top Trio.“I also play at The Pentecostal Temple in Grosse Pointe

Park on Sunday mornings,” he says on his web page. “Different situations that I find myself involved with require at least some fluency in most of the major styles, but I have to admit that I prefer to play country, bluegrass, blues and jazz.”

Still time to sign up for wellness assessments

Linda Howard of Holtyn and Associates will be conducting the free wellness screenings and counseling on the Texas Township Campus through Oct. 30 for full-time KVCC employees and their spouses who are both new to the college’s program or continuing participants.

Appointments for spouses should be made by calling Howard at 998-1609.

Beginning with the 2008-09 initiative, two key changes have gone into effect:

● KVCC’ers can make their own appointments through their own computer instead of making a telephone call.  This can be done by going to the Holtyn website: www.hol.com. and following the directions.

● Appointments now span 30 minutes instead of 20, meaning the available time slots are on the hour and half hour.

While payoffs in the past have focused on one’s personal and individual health, it is now starting to pay off in the pay checks of employees.

The one-on-one appointments include a glucose analysis, an HDL and cholesterol evaluation, a blood-pressure check, a body-composition reading, an assessment of cardio-respiratory fitness, an overall health survey, an individual fitness assessment, and a personal

consultation. The 30-minute screenings can be

done on work time.  For more information, contact Blake Glass, manager of the college’s Employee Wellness Program, at extension 4177 or bglass@kvcc.edu or Howard at 998-1609 or lbhow1@charter.net.            All full-time staff, faculty and administrators – and their spouses -- are encouraged to sign up for this college-sponsored program, even if previous screenings had not identified any health risks.

Participants should wear comfortable, loosely fitting clothing.  Short-sleeve tops are recommended.  Fasting is not required, but it is advised not to consume caffeinated beverages two hours prior to the assessment and to refrain from smoking.

The testing is paid for by the college.            “Our employee-wellness program has been successful in helping to control health-care costs for the college and in assisting staff members achieve their personal goals,” Glass said. 

KVM movie examines the patterns of life

 “How to Make an American Quilt,” a 1995 American film

based on the novel of the same name and featuring a star-studded cast, is Thursday (Oct. 23) offering in the Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s movie series.

Films from France, Australia, Italy, Belgium and the United States, including one that has emerged as one of the staples of the holiday season, are the Thursday-night attractions at the museum through the end of 2008 and into the new year.

Each will be shown in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater.  Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. and admission is $3.  Financial support for the series is provided by the KVCC Foundation.

The cast of “How to Make an American Quilt” includes Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Winona Ryder, Kate Capshaw, Jean Simmons, Rip Torn and Maya Angelou.

With the overriding them of “there’s beauty in the patterns of life,” the story revolves around a graduate student who is finishing a master's thesis at the University of California and preparing for marriage.

But thoughts of the end of the free life  and a potential summer fling, intrude. She goes home to her grandmother, where, over the making of her wedding gift by a group of quilting-bee friends, some shared laughter, bickering, love, and advice lead her toward a more open-eyed examination of her course.

Here are the rest of the movie billings: “Noise” (Australia) – Oct. 30 “Days and Clouds” (Italy) – Nov. 20 “A Christmas Story” (U. S.) – Dec. 11 “Ben X” (Belgium) Jan. 15.

 

 Dancin’ the ‘tight’ away, and havin’ some fun

On Mondays through Dec. 8, KVCC staff members and faculty have the opportunity to tone up their bodies and their

dancing skills.   

Sharon Fisher from Sharon's Dance Studio will be leading free classes in ballroom dancing, the cha-cha, mambo, salsa and other saucy steps in Room 6040 of the Wellness and Fitness Center. 

Students are invited to take part in the fun and games as well from 4:30 through 5:30 p.m.

PBS’ers to get training at Center for New Media

  As part of their yearly convening at the

Fetzer Institute, outreach directors from seven PBS stations across the country will engage in

a workshop at KVCC’s Center for New Media.Instructors Linda Rzoska and Aubrey

Hardaway will be teaching the seven the techniques of digital storytelling on Saturday (Oct. 25) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The seven represent stations in Baltimore, Grand Rapids, Rochester (N. Y.), Charlotte (N. C.), Eureka (Calif.), San Diego and St. Louis.

The outreach directors are coming to the Kalamazoo-based institute as part of the partnership between PBS and Fetzer’s “Campaign for Love and Forgiveness.”  Two documentaries related to the campaign, “The Mystery of Love” and “The Power of Forgiveness,” have been broadcast nationally.   Additional information about this aspect is available at loveandforgive.org.

“Launched in 2006,” said Fetzer program officer Linda Bell Grdina, “the campaign combines PBS programming, community activities and discussion to encourage contemplation and conversation about how love and forgiveness can effect meaningful change in individuals and society.   PBS stations serve as the neutral convener for this project, identifying and working with organizations within their communities to carry out the conversations.”

Populations served by the partners include the community at large, at-risk youth, refugees, cancer survivors and care-givers.  Among the issues addressed are racism and racial healing, torture and genocide, the high homicide rate among at-risk youths, and spiritual and religious intolerance.

PBS outreach staff meet annually to assess past efforts and plan future activities, which is what will bring them to Kalamazoo later this month.  Because two PBS stations have used the digital-storytelling method to record and share stories told by campaign participants, the Fetzer Institute wants to extend those skills to others.

“The training gives Fetzer an opportunity to engage with staff at KVCC’s top-notch Center for New Media,” Grdina said,

“and gives our project partners a glimpse of Kalamazoo.”

“This will be a win-win situation for us,” Rzoska said.  “We’ll be able to provide training that we see as valuable while interacting with PBS staff members from across the country.  I think another aspect is that when people come to the Fetzer Institute for various reasons, they seldom get to see the community and our downtown.  This time they will.”

The workshop will detail the concept of digital storytelling, how it works and what it doesn’t do, provide practical experience in storyboarding, scriptwriting, image downloading and voice-over techniques, and provide the skills that can be applied in producing video accounts of compelling stories at their home stations.

Established by Kalamazoo broadcast pioneer John Fetzer, who also owned the Detroit Tigers for about two decades, the institute seeks to foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community.  The missions rests on a conviction that efforts to address the world's critical issues must go beyond political, social, and economic strategies to their psychological and spiritual roots.

Working with the likes of Desmond Tutu, The Dali Lama, and the documentary-producing talents of Bill Moyers, the institute strives to develop research and education programs that explore how love and forgiveness can effect transformation and healing for individuals and communities.  These initiatives are carried out through both scientific rigor and spirituality. Among the researchers are Ev Worthington, who spans forgiveness research and education, and neuroscientist Ritchie Davidson.

 Harmony, compliments of

Hollar and friends 

Math instructor Sue Hollar reports that her Mid-Lakes Chorus of Sweet Adelines International will be staging its Fall Cabaret Show on Saturday (Oct. 25).            “Harmony Cabaret” will be performed at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. in the Kalamazoo Latvian Heritage Center, 100 Cherry Hill, which is located west of the Western Michigan University campus off of Kendall Avenue. .             Tickets can be purchased in advance from Hollar. The fee is $8 for the afternoon performance and $11 for the evening show.  Hollar reports that evening songfest will also feature “some tasty appetizers.”  She can be reached at extension 4667 or shollar@kvcc.edu.            Further down the line, the Mid-Lake singers will stage their annual Christmas show on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church on Center Street in Portage.  It is a fund-raiser for a Kalamazoo County charitable organization.

Magic man at museum performs for kids, families

  Delivering some real-life lessons for living through

the unreal world of magic is the next installment in the Kalamazoo Valley Museum's 2008-09 series of entertainment events designed for pre-schoolers and families.

Magician Thomas Plunkard, who is based in Warren, Mich., will give a pair of performances on Saturday, Nov. 1. Storyteller Carrie Wilson is booked for the Dec. 6 doubleheader.

The 10 a.m. attraction is targeted to pre-schoolers while the for-family show begins at 1 p.m. Both will be held in the museum's Mary Jane Stryker Theater and have $3 admission fees.

Plunkard, who introduced himself to magic as an 8 year old, has been traveling the Midwest for more than two decades performing his presto-chango seasoned with  plenty doses of humor. His shows incorporate a rabbit and three white doves and Plunkard engages audience members to take part in zany antics.

Commented one teacher in an elementary school:  "We hired you to reward our students for reading during the summer. What a fantastic reward it turned out to be! You

kept our students thoroughly entertained. The students are still talking abut you and encouraging other students to read next summer so they too can be included next year. Again, thank you for a terrific program. P.S. Where did the doves go?

Van Buren FOP creates Police Academy scholarship

  Thanks to the generosity of the Van Buren County

Fraternal Order of Police, the number of scholarships offered through the KVCC Foundation has reached the range of 40.

The Van Buren FOP Scholarship will award $500 to a student who has been accepted into the Kalamazoo Law Enforcement Training Center based at KVCC for the fall Police Academy and a second $500 for the spring academy.

Among the other criteria is that the recipient must be a resident of Van Buren County, must earn an “outstanding” rating in the academy’s pre-admissions interview, and score a certain grade in the state-required pre-employment tests for prospective law-enforcement personnel.

The process includes completing a KVCC scholarship application and a needs-analysis workshop through the KVCC Office of Financial Aid.  Financial need will be taken into account in the awarding of the twice-a-year scholarships.  The Office of Financial Aid will choose a recipient from each applicant pool based on the criteria and notify all applicants of the selection.            More information is available by contacting Robert Zinkil of the

Haunted-house volunteers again ready for goosebump duties

                 A cadre of KVCC volunteers will again be scaring the bejeebers out of people for a good cause.

Dean Debbie Dawson has been looking for faculty and staff members, along with their families and friends, to have some fun at the notorious haunted house in Niles as part of the buildup for Halloween.            Stepping forward to join Dawson for haunted-house duties on Saturday (Oct. 25) from 6:30 p.m. to midnight are Sue Hills, Palmer White, Kristin DeKam, Kate Ferraro, Jim

Taylor, Dawn Pantaleo and work-study Korin Seals, who is active in the PeaceJam initiative on campus.  Seals, a Plainwell High School graduate, is enrolled in a pre-med curriculum            The money raised will be placed in an Ambucs account that is designated to help KVCC’s Kathleen Cook stay up to date with her handicap-driving capabilities.              Dawson can be contacted at ddawson@kvcc.edu or at extension 4219.

Spreading the word

              OK, your new program, project, activity, community service or happening has been given the green light by the powers-that-be.  Or, you have been selected to make a presentation at a statewide or national conference.            Your next telephone call or e-mail should be to Tom Thinnes (extension 4280, tthinnes@kvcc.edu) to begin spreading the word both around the college and around the community.            Don’t – REPEAT – don’t wait around until the week before to contact those whose duties include public relations, promotions, marketing, communication and dealing with the news media.              What’s important to remember is that members of the news media and other vehicles of communications don’t sit on their hands waiting for calls giving them clues on what to do.            As with all of us at KVCC, they have schedules, full platters, agendas and days, and plenty to do.  They appreciate as much advance notice as the rest of us so that they can properly apply their resources and their responses.            The same modus operandi

applies to those who organize and present annual and repeating events.  They, too, are often just as newsworthy and require as much advance notice in order to generate the public exposure many of them deserve.            Helpful Hint No. 2 – There is no such animal as making a contact too early.            Helpful Hint No. 3 – If something in the program, project, activity, community service or happening changes or is eliminated, make another contact – and quickly -- so that the material/news release can be revised or updated.            When the college’s “branding” initiative reaches its conclusion, all of this will come into play – so be ready.

 ‘Safe Halloween’ has home at museum Saturday

              Four hours of free craft activities will be the Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s contribution to Downtown Kalamazoo Incorporated’s annual bid for youngsters and their families to have a “Safe Halloween.”            Slated for Saturday (Oct. 25) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the museum and its staff will be hosting a score of activities, many of which have an Egyptian theme.  Each half hour, the museum’s “Nightwalk” and “Haunted Castle” attractions will welcome a new cadre of youngsters to scare the bejeebers out of.

Using materials found around the house such as paper plates and towels, yarn, cups, beads, ink, marbles, and stamping pads, children will make and decorate a variety of items that can be used as part of a Halloween costume – collars, headdresses, jewelry, arm bands, mask and necklaces.  They’ll also have the opportunity to make dolls, puppets, bookmarks and stationery.

The youthful participants are urged to come to “Safe

Halloween” in their trick-or-treat costumes because they will have the chance to do just that up and down the Burdick Street mall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., along with having their faces painted, making creatures out of balloons, take part in an eating contest and a howl-like-a-wolf competition, being part of a noon parade, and make masks.

Season’s first art show, sale on campus is Saturday

The first in a fall season full of art and crafts shows on the Texas Township Campus is scheduled for Saturday (Oct. 18).

The 18th annual Holiday Boutique Arts and Crafts Show will be up and running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The show will feature arts-and-crafts artists displaying their products for purchase.

Among the creations at past boutiques were stained-glass pieces, doll clothing, jewelry, hand-made soaps, teddy bears, Christmas wreaths and ornaments, embroidered shirts, handmade hats, crocheted towels and ornaments, glazed plates with photographs, painted wood, baby clothing, quilts, and wood products.

There is no admission charge.  Artisans who want more information about how they can

display their creations and the fee structure can contact Mary Louise Szostek at 327-5373 or e-mail treasuredcrafts@comcast.net.

Coming up later in the year will be the People Make the Difference Arts and Crafts Show and the “mother of arts shows and sales” featuring the Weavers Guild, Art Etc., and the Handmade Paper Guild.

And finally. . .A fatigued trucker needed a stay-awake cup of coffee and pulled off of the highway into one of the 1950-ish diners.           

Right afterward, one of those rough-and-tough motorcycle gangs from that era parked their eight bikes and swaggered inside.           

The leader of the eight, in his best imitation of Marlon Brando in “The Wild Ones,” decided to show his macho.  He approached the trucker and stuck his cigar into the cup of

coffee.           

They stared at each other, but there was no eruption. 

The trucker paid his bill and left.           

“Not much of a man,” sneered the biker boss.           

Commented a waitress:  “He’s not much of a truck driver, either.  As he was leaving, he ran offer eight motorcycles

 

Classic-toys exhibit on two telecasts

  The Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s current

exhibition about the classic toys of our times will be getting some TV time this weekend.

The Grand Rapids television personality known as Miranda will be featuring “Kid Stuff: Great Toys from Our Childhood” on a pair of broadcasts:

“Where You Live” on Saturday (Oct. 25) at 6:30 p.m. on WOOD-TV (Channel 8)

On WOTV (Channel 4) at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 25)

The toys of our childhood – some of which are still going strong – has turned the third floor of the museum into a mecca for memories and mirth.            From G. I. Joe to Barbie, from Lincoln Logs to Tinker Toys, from Nerf balls to Wiffle Balls, from Cootie to Monopoly, from Slinky to the Magic 8 Ball, and from Silly Putty to Play-Doh, “Kid Stuff: Great Toys from Our Childhood” sparks a bit of nostalgia and flashbacks to the way things were when it came to fun and games.            Created by The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Mass., the exhibition, in downtown Kalamazoo through Jan. 4, is based on a book of the same name by David Hoffman.            Showcased in 10 categories that reflect familiar childhood expressions and offer ample playful encounters with classic toys of the last half

century, “Kid Stuff” is accompanied by hundreds of illustrations, period advertisements, and vintage commercials.            For example, Erector sets, Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys are clustered under “Look What I Made,” while “Go Outside and Play” features balsa airplanes, Frisbees, Hot Wheels, a Radio Flyer wagon and Tonka toys.            The single entry in “I’ll Never Ask for Anything Else” is the ever-popular Lionel train sets that made their inaugural runs on the morning of Dec. 25 under millions of Christmas trees each year.            Under the umbrella of “Don’t Make a Mess” are an ant farm, Crayola crayons, Magic Rocks, an Easy-Bake Oven, and that bastion of flexible creativity, Play-Doh.            “Can I Try?” is the home of Duncan yo-yos, Etch A Sketch, Mr. Potato Head, Spirograph, and the View-Master projector that could put the wonders of the world on any kid’s wall.            “Many of the toys are the result of an engineering or scientific endeavor gone awry,” said Sharon Blume, the Berkshire director.  “Others were created by economic necessity and some were simply made for the fun of it.  The stories behind the toys are part of the exhibition.”            The Slinky started out not as an amazing, mesmerizing toy, but as a marine engineer’s prototype device to stabilize the device used to measure horsepower on a rolling battleship.  When it fell off his desk and spiraled end over end across the floor, a light went on.            Inventor James Wright thought he discovered the wrong stuff in seeking a rubber substitute, but astronauts found a use for Silly Putty and toy history was made. 

The Duncan enterprise borrowed the concept of rock-and-vine hunting tool in The Philippines to make the yo-yo one of the world’s most self-entertaining toys.            Beach-goers and dog trainers can thank a baking company for blueprinting the disk that can be flung for long distances and easily caught.            One of the more interesting tales involved the Mattel Toy design staff that initially reached the conclusion in 1950 that American mothers – the

June Cleavers of the country – would never buy for their daughters a doll with a bust line. 

A zillion later, Barbie has been produced in many sizes, hair styles and colors, but the shape has remained the same.            Another near miss involved the decision-makers at Parker Brothers.  In 1934, the powers-that-be gave the “thumbs down” to Monopoly because of “52 fundamental errors” in its concept.  It is not known if they were given “Go Directly to Jail, Don’t Pass Go, Don’t Collect $200” cards.            “The great thing about the exhibition,” said Hoffman, who has been a reporter and correspondent for Good Morning America, “is that people have the opportunity to see the artifacts, and learn about their histories and how they were packaged and marketed.  They also have a chance to play with them.”            He said “Kid Stuff” possesses “tremendous cross-generational appeal.  More and more Baby Boomers are buying these toys for their kids, or secretly for themselves.”            Every holiday season, a toy comes along that captures the imagination of the buying public and their checkbooks – such as Power Rangers, Tickle-Me Elmo, and Cabbage Patch dolls.              “They were hot one day and gone tomorrow,” Hoffman said.  “Meanwhile Barbie will be 50 in 2009.   Mr. Potato Head is nearing 50, Lincoln Logs is in its eighth decade, Silly Putty is over 50, and View-Master is nearly Social Security age.”            Hoffman believes the exhibition also has inter-generational appeal, sparking interaction among children, parents and grandparents as they share memories and experiences.            Among the hands-on attractions are throwing a Nerf Ball, Hot Wheels racing, yo-yoing, walking a Slinky, operating a Lionel train, playing Twister, building with Lego blocks, watching the ant farm, tossing balsa planes, and having photos taken next to a life-sized G. I. Joe and Barbie.

   

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