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Eaton Rapids

Eaton Rapids

Featured Story

A step back through history

Stacy Holbrook
Contributing Writer

(Photo Provided)

Introducing: The Grand Army of the Republic James Brainerd Post 111 Memorial Hall and Museum. Come help them celebrate their 11th Anniversary, see artifacts from the era (artifacts are donated and on loan to the museum). and walk in the footsteps of Civil War Veterans. September 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 224 S. Main St., Eaton Rapids.

Step back in time to the end of the Civil War. It’s 1866 and Veterans were coming home with missing limbs and emotional issues after four years of war. At this time in American History there was virtually no help for Veterans, no assistance programs for these men.

In Decatur, IL, in 1866 the Grand Army was formed by Benjamin Stephenson. They organized fundraisers to assist families the had suffered losses during the war, formed orphanages and helped support these Veterans that could no longer perform the work they did before the war.

Over the years the Grand Army grew to an enormous organization with over 400 Posts in Michigan alone. To join the Grand Army, you had to be an honorably discharged Union Veteran, of which about 20% of Veterans actually became members. They held regular meetings locally in meeting halls like the one in Eaton Rapids, store fronts and even Veteran’s living rooms if the post was small enough. There were annual encampments statewide and nationwide. The 1911 encampment in Detroit filled every hotel room in the city and the Veterans stayed in people’s homes The G.A.R. was also the first Veteran’s organization that was integrated and allowed black and American Indian Veterans to join.

G.A.R. Posts from Eaton County and one from Calhoun County would hold a yearly weeklong meeting in Eaton Rapids, on the island each August. They became known as the Eaton County Battalion. To memorialize this the Museum holds a Civil War Discovery Camp each August and has done so since 2015. Kids from 8-14 years old are shown the soldier’s drill, food, medicine and get a tour of the museum and “paid” for their service with real fake 1800’s money. To help educate further they have a mobile display that has been seen at Greenfield Village, the Curwood Festival in Owosso, the Jackson Civil War Muster and more!

In 1959 the last Civil War Veteran passed away, ending the Grand Army. The Women’s Relief Corp and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War are two of the five Allied Orders created by the G.A.R. and to this day continue with the legacy of these Veterans.

Mason

Mason

Featured Story

Vietnam Veterans Annual Picnic

Christi Whiting 

Editor

(Photo Provided)

 

This year’s picnic is planned for August 26 at noon at Bennett Park in Charlotte. All Vietnam vets and their spouses are invited and should bring a dish to pass. Whistlepig BBQ in Charlotte will be furnishing pulled pork for the group, with water and place settings also provided. “As long as you guys meet, I’ll help you out,” Whistlepig BBQ owner Jason Strotheide told Jerry Taylor, one of the organizers of the now-annual event. “The guys appreciate this very much,” Taylor added. The last picnic was held in 2022 with 38 people attending.

Many veterans remember some tough stuff about their experience in the military during the Vietnam war. How they were treated when they returned home is especially painful. There were no parades or welcoming parties. Many were treated disrespectfully due to the war being so unpopular. They learned to hide their veteran status, and many have refused to discuss their experience in Vietnam over the years because of the attitudes that were directed toward them. 

Jerry Taylor, Dave Smith, Fred Meyers, and Darrell Gingrich – all Eaton County Vietnam veterans – decided to do something about it and started this back in 2017. They set out to bring as many Eaton County Vietnam veterans as possible together, as a kind of reunion, to talk, share stories, and reminisce about their mutual experiences. They organized a Vietnam veterans’ picnic and invited everyone that they knew to be a veteran of the conflict. “The stories and the camaraderie are what keep many vets coming back,” Taylor said. Taylor is the last man still alive from his unit, so there’s no chance of a reunion with those with whom he served. “We don’t want to see it end,” said Taylor. “We look forward to it.”

In addition to the annual picnic at Bennett Park, a group of Vietnam veterans also meets at the Charlotte Big Boy restaurant about 8 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. They have breakfast, and sit and talk about a little of everything, Taylor said, and they welcome others to join them.

They also utilize the services of Thomas Lewis, Veterans Service Officer for Eaton County. Lewis provides services for veterans and their spouses. “He’s great at helping folks out,” explained Taylor, “whether it’s death benefits, housing, education, insurance, pensions, or medical care, he’s there for us.”

For additional information about the veterans’ events contact Jerry Taylor at 517-242-3048.

DIMONDALE

Dimondale

Featured Story

Cottage Gardens growing strong after 100 years

Christine Terpening
Contributing Writer

(Photo Provided: Cottage Gardens has take over the BestMaze and it will now be called BestMaze II.)

To be in business one hundred years is no small feat. We have endured four pandemics, a Great Depression, six foreign wars, ups and downs in the economy that were tough times for small business as well as conglomerates. Perhaps the secret of success for a time-tested business is strong roots. Cottage Gardens has served Mid Michigan and beyond since 1923. 100 years of growth in large part due to the care of their roots which is something they know a lot about.

Cottage Gardens was founded by Nick Kriek in 1923. It all began with a small but growing farm and landscape business. Kriek passed the business down to his daughter and son-in-law Wilma and Harold Hicks. Cottage Gardens remains in the Hicks family to this day.

“We started off as a small farm in Lansing and now have several growing locations throughout the country, Lansing being the original location and only retail facility,” said retail manager Britney Keiffer. “We sell landscape ready trees, shrubs and perennials. We also have annuals and Christmas greens, too.”

“We work hard to supply the highest quality in plant material for all of their (the public) landscape needs. As we continue to grow as a business our goal is to create more environments that bring our communities together in fun and unique ways, such as our new adventure BestMaze ll Corn Maze now at our Lansing location.” Keiffer informed.

Indoor and outdoor plants, perennials, trees and shrubs cover the grounds in vast variety. Trees make any home or business more inviting. Cottage Gardens carries a seemingly never-ending selection of trees from Maple, Oak, and Beech to Pine, Willow and fruit trees. Your grounds will be the prettiest around with one shopping spree at Cottage Gardens.

House plants have been known to reduce stress, boost mood, possibly stave off depression and improve indoor air quality. However, the massive variety and different needs of individual plants can be daunting and overwhelming. Cottage Gardens vast knowledge of plants can turn even the least skilled horticulturist into a successful plant owner. Some plants require little care while others require great care. The staff can see that you are paired with the species of plant that suits your style.

As a pet owner, the health and safety of your furry loved one is of great importance. Cottage Gardens carries safe plants for reptile enclosures and also are knowledgeable in which plants are safe to have in a home with dogs and cats and which plants could pose a danger to them.

BestMaze ll is the newest expansion at the locale. What was once hosted at the Benjamin Farm in Williamston, Cottage Gardens is proud to carry on the fun family attraction. BestMaze ll is a corn maze with a garden theme. For admission prices, group rates, field trips and other inquiries call (517)882-5728, extension 7. The maze is open Friday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Cottage Gardens is located at 2611 South Wavery in Lansing. Their hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Check them out at cottagegardenslansing.com for a database of in-depth information on the varieties of trees, shrubs and plants that are available.

 

Eaton County

Eaton County

Latest

Eaton County

Featured Story

Bellevue 9/11 Memorial Challenge

Renee Sevenski
Contributing Writer

(Photo by Grandma With A Camera)

We all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing at 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001, when the Twin Towers and the Pentagon were attacked, in addition to the heroic story of United Airlines Flight 93. The attacks killed 2,977 innocent people that day including 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 police officers and 37 port authority police officers.

Stephen Siller, a fireman that had just completed his shift the morning of 9/11 and was off duty when the first tower was hit. He was on his way to the golf course to meet his brothers for a round of golf, something they rarely had the chance to all do together. He heard the call over the radio and turned his vehicle around to head back to his fire station. By the time he arrived back at the station his crew had already left on the call to the Twin Towers. He grabbed his gear from the firehouse and began driving towards the towers. Before Stephen was able to reach the towers, he was caught in a traffic jam caused by the chaos of the morning. Witnesses reported seeing a fireman get out of his truck caught in traffic and proceed to put on all his gear, and then began jogging through the traffic jam. Additional witnesses verified the story as they reported him running through the tunnels leading into Manhattan Island as he attempted to get to the towers to support his station. The tunnel he ran through was almost two miles by itself, and in total Stephen ran almost miles miles in his full gear so that he could help others. Unfortunately, Stephen never made it out of the towers that morning and he is remembered through this incredible organization. “Tunnel to Towers” was created by his brothers to honor his memory. They host an annual run through New York City each year, jogging the exact route Stephen took that fateful morning. With the money they raise each year they help families impacted by the events of 9/11, in addition to military veterans in need.

Danny Brininstool, a Bellevue teacher started the Bellevue 9/11 Memorial Challenge in 2023. He would have his students participate in climbing the bleachers a few times and check their heart rate. Then they would discuss how firefighters in full gear and helping people down flights of stairs would have felt. The students asked last year, “Why don’t we do this for real and climb the level of stairs they would’ve climbed?” Quite an extraordinary question coming from students that 23 years ago did not exist. With the help of the Bellevue Fire Department Danny put the challenge in action. His challenge now is to make The Bellevue 9/11 Memorial Challenge not only community wide, but his hope is that other schools would adopt the memorial in a way to honor and remember all those firefighters, police officers, and emergency service personnel that sacrificed it all on that fateful morning.

The Challenge starts with a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. in honor of all fallen heroes from 23 years ago. The students are given the choice of three activities: Climb up and down the entire length of the bleachers-24 laps in total nearly 2,200 steps the equivalent of the 110 stories of the Twin Towers. Option two is to walk four miles on the track. This option is to remember Stephen Siller that ran through the closed NYC tunnels to get to the Towers. The remaining option was to watch a 9/11 remembrance movie and discuss the impact of that day. Each student chose a badge with the name of a fallen first responder to carry that badge to the finish line.

Brininstool will continue this Challenge every year with hopes of growing the donations that go to the Tunnel to Towers Organization and that other schools start their challenge and keep the ongoing reminder to recognize all first responders. “The Kids exceeded our expectations with their participation and the sense of honor that they approached this with, and we couldn’t be more proud of how well they represented the community of Bellevue. It was one of my proudest moments I’ve ever been a part of during my time in education,” shared Brininstool.

Quoted from J. Steele, a Bellevue Firefighter that participated in the 2024 Challenge, “It is Incredible to see the kids push through and give it all they have.”
“it is inspiring to see the impact on the students and how well behaved and respectful each student was,”said M Flood,  Bellevue Firefighter.

Onondaga

Onondaga

Featured Story

Vietnam Veterans Annual Picnic

Christi Whiting 

Editor

(Photo Provided)

 

This year’s picnic is planned for August 26 at noon at Bennett Park in Charlotte. All Vietnam vets and their spouses are invited and should bring a dish to pass. Whistlepig BBQ in Charlotte will be furnishing pulled pork for the group, with water and place settings also provided. “As long as you guys meet, I’ll help you out,” Whistlepig BBQ owner Jason Strotheide told Jerry Taylor, one of the organizers of the now-annual event. “The guys appreciate this very much,” Taylor added. The last picnic was held in 2022 with 38 people attending.

Many veterans remember some tough stuff about their experience in the military during the Vietnam war. How they were treated when they returned home is especially painful. There were no parades or welcoming parties. Many were treated disrespectfully due to the war being so unpopular. They learned to hide their veteran status, and many have refused to discuss their experience in Vietnam over the years because of the attitudes that were directed toward them. 

Jerry Taylor, Dave Smith, Fred Meyers, and Darrell Gingrich – all Eaton County Vietnam veterans – decided to do something about it and started this back in 2017. They set out to bring as many Eaton County Vietnam veterans as possible together, as a kind of reunion, to talk, share stories, and reminisce about their mutual experiences. They organized a Vietnam veterans’ picnic and invited everyone that they knew to be a veteran of the conflict. “The stories and the camaraderie are what keep many vets coming back,” Taylor said. Taylor is the last man still alive from his unit, so there’s no chance of a reunion with those with whom he served. “We don’t want to see it end,” said Taylor. “We look forward to it.”

In addition to the annual picnic at Bennett Park, a group of Vietnam veterans also meets at the Charlotte Big Boy restaurant about 8 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. They have breakfast, and sit and talk about a little of everything, Taylor said, and they welcome others to join them.

They also utilize the services of Thomas Lewis, Veterans Service Officer for Eaton County. Lewis provides services for veterans and their spouses. “He’s great at helping folks out,” explained Taylor, “whether it’s death benefits, housing, education, insurance, pensions, or medical care, he’s there for us.”

For additional information about the veterans’ events contact Jerry Taylor at 517-242-3048.

Charlotte

Charlotte

Featured Story

Smart food lockers, first of their kind in Michigan

Kelsey Klont
Contributing Writer

(Photo by Kelsey Klont/TCJ)

Food insecurity is not rare in today’s world; there is some level of food insecurity everywhere you look. In Eaton County 12.8% of its population, about 14,000 people, is subject to the challenges and stigma of food insecurity.

Our hard-working local food pantries are a great source for individuals and families who struggle with food insecurity, yet they are only open during daytime hours several days a week. So, they are not accessible for those who are not available during that time. Now there is a resource that can be of assistance anytime of the day or night.

Officially rolling out next month, new smart, refrigerated food lockers will serve as the newest resource providing food for those who face food insecurity issues. They will go hand-in-hand with the many people and projects working to feed local residents. These food lockers are stationed in front of the Primary Care Building of University of Michigan Health- Sparrow Eaton, located at 123 Lansing Street in Charlotte.

These smart, refrigerated food lockers are the first of their kind to be used for food security in the state of Michigan. With innovative new technology they are secure, helping to reduce the many barriers that face local residents who are in need of food. When an order is placed, residents can access a reserved locker by a code that will be sent via smart phone and can be entered into the kiosk during the scheduled time that works best within their schedule. Once entered the locker designated will open where their food items can be received.

This project of bringing these smart, refrigerated food lockers to Eaton County is a collaborative partnership between the new Eaton County Food Council; Eaton Community Health (ECH), a local independent nonprofit; Greater Lansing Food Bank; Capital Region Community Foundation; Barry- Eaton District Health Department; and University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Eaton.

Greater Lansing Food Bank and its local pantries will supply the food, while ECH will manage the program and set up local nonprofits as partners to refer residents to the program and help deliver food to lockers. Partners can order food for residents who do not have the resources themselves.

If someone you know is experiencing food insecurity, please encourage them to seek out assistance through the capable teams at local food pantries. Once the program rolls out, certain pantries can be a resource to connect the people who may need afterhours access to the smart food lockers. More information about how to participate in this program will be provided when the locker program officially rolls out in October. Information and updates about the lockers will be available on the ECH website at ech-eaton.org or by calling Kalli Dempsey at 517-652-3228.

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