We spoke with Ben Swayze, Director at Kent County Parks and Recreation, about green spaces, trails and trail systems, development, community outreach, funding of county parks, and accessible recreation for all. The Kent County Parks Department enriches lives in Kent County by providing outstanding parks, natural areas and trails that are accessible and inclusive for all County residents. The Department achieves this vision through efficient operations, sound stewardship of resources, active comm...
Nov 08, 2023•15 min
We spoke with Carla Ludwig, Founder and Executive Director of Hope For Single Moms Grand Rapids, and Taryn Taplin, Event Coordinator, about support systems for single mothers, education, aid for families in poverty, and the resources Hope For Single Moms provides mothers with. Hope for Single Moms is on a mission to ensure children in single mom families thrive. Their program is for single parents who are full-time students in college or trade school. Their goal is to help parents and their youn...
Nov 08, 2023•15 min
We spoke with Olivia J. Bailey, Development Director at Hope Unexpected, about support for single mothers, unplanned pregnancy, affordable housing and rent, poverty, and access to child care. Hope Unexpected's mission is achieved by showing mercy, love and grace through hospitality and support through multiple services offered to their clients. Their goal is to bridge the gap and offer support to make success and self-sufficiency possible. Online: Hope Unexpected...
Nov 08, 2023•13 min
We spoke with Jessica Young, Director of the East Hills Council of Neighbors, about neighborhood crime, LGBTQ+ engagement, affordable housing, and historical homes and preservation. East Hills has always reached beyond the status quo to address the needs of their community. With the collaboration of passionate neighbors they have worked to build and maintain a beautiful, diverse, friendly and safe place to live, work and play. Online: East Hills Council of Neighbors...
Nov 08, 2023•13 min
We spoke with Jason Wheeler and Bruce Ling from Great Lakes music camp about performing arts, music, education, the history of stringed instruments, and bluegrass music, square dancing. Great Lakes Music Camp provides a unique opportunity to study in intimate small groups under award winning musicians and spend the weekend on Michigan’s unbeatable shoreline. Online: Great Lakes Music Camp
Nov 08, 2023•16 min
We spoke with Sara Simmonds, Director of Environmental Health, and Joann Hoganson, Director of Community Wellness, at Kent County Health Department on lead poisoning in children, lead abatement in homes in Kent County, safe drinking water, and providing clean water to at risk families. The Kent County Health Department is responsible for continually assessing the health of the community and ensuring that certain services are available and accessible for its citizens. To this end, the Health Depa...
Nov 07, 2023•15 min
We spoke with Derek Reed, Co-Founder of Rockford’s Rotary Rocks for ShelterBox, about this years music festival that was held in downtown Rockford. Rotary Rocks held their 2nd annual event on August 22, 2023 at Garden Club Park. The evening featured music from Jack Droppers and the Best Intentions, Low Phase, and Roosevelt Diggs. Fan favorite Roosevelt Diggs won the band competition by garnering the highest number of "votes" via donations for the night. But the big winner was ShelterBox, an inte...
Nov 07, 2023•14 min
We spoke with Chana Edmond-Verley, Executive Director of Vibrant Futures MI, about how Vibrant Futures MI helps people in West Michigan gain access to childcare, affordable childcare, and funding for childcare. Vibrant Futures creates cradle-to-career opportunities and experiences that hold sacred the vibrant promise and potential in every child, youth, family, and caregiver to ensure more vibrant futures for all. Vibrant Futures aims to ensure more children and families from all walks of life a...
Nov 07, 2023•15 min
We spoke with John McNaughton, Executive Director at Grand Rapids Public Library, about resources the library offers for residents of Grand Rapids, whether that be through checking out books and media or through the plethora of events they host. The library is our community’s source of accessible information, resources, and programs. They offer a wide selection of books, movies, music, that can be checked out physically and/or downloaded digitally. The library also offers a wide range of program...
Nov 07, 2023•14 min
We spoke with Evelyn-Esparza-Gonzalez, Executive Director, and Gabriella Cordova, Communications & Development Director, of the West Michigan Hispanic Center about their goals of empowering West Michigans Hispanic community. Located in the heart of the Roosevelt Park, the largest Latino neighborhood in Grand Rapids, the Hispanic Center directly serves more than 30,000 individuals annually. Not limited to Grand Rapids, they seek to address the needs of Latinos in West Michigan. The staff is l...
Nov 06, 2023•15 min
We spoke with professor and author Dr. Randal Jelks about institutional racism, impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., race, relations, black owned businesses, black history and more. Randal Maurice Jelks is an award-winning author, documentary film producer, and professor. He is the author of four books. His writings have appeared in the Boston Review, the Los Angeles Review of Books, blogs, journals, and periodicals.Randal Maurice Jelks is represented by Crichton & Associates Inc. Online: ...
Nov 06, 2023•14 min
We spoke with professor and author Dr. Randal Jelks about institutional racism, impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., race, relations, black owned businesses, black history and more. Randal Maurice Jelks is an award-winning author, documentary film producer, and professor. He is the author of four books. His writings have appeared in the Boston Review, the Los Angeles Review of Books, blogs, journals, and periodicals.Randal Maurice Jelks is represented by Crichton & Associates Inc. Online: ...
Nov 06, 2023•14 min
We spoke with Dave Bulkowski, Executive Director of Disability Advocates of Kent County, about serving people of West Michigan who live with disabilities, the history of Disability Advocates and more. Disability Advocates strives to eliminate systemic barriers and enhance programs so that people with disabilities can live the self-directed life they choose. They look to aid in community benefits by becoming more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming for all. They have become recognized locally an...
Nov 06, 2023•15 min
We spoke with Noemi Gonzalez, Girls Rock GR's Community Engagement Coordinator at the Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities about opportunities for girls in the music scene in Grand Rapids. Girls Rock! Grand Rapids (GR!GR) is a week long summer camp that exists to empower girls and gender-expansive youth through music. Each year, kids and teens at camp get to participate in instrument exploration, workshops, band forming, song writing, and logo and album art creation. They also get to record t...
Nov 01, 2023•12 min
We spoke with the League of Women Voters Greater Grand Rapids Chapter President Courtney Winell and Board Secretary Kristin Brace about voter rights, voting rules, and regulations, election safety, voting laws in Michigan, and their get out the vote efforts. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. They empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education, and l...
Nov 01, 2023•15 min
We spoke with Paul Soltysiak, Vice President and Co-Founder, and Steve Tibbe, Chief Officer, about historical preservation, arts funding, neighborhood improvement, baseball funding at Valley Field. Fans of Valley Field exists to preserve the heritage and promote the usage of Sullivan (Valley) Field. They intend to create a year-round community space for the surrounding neighborhoods and all of Grand Rapids. They seek to expand their offerings to include numerous events. Fans of Valley Field work...
Nov 01, 2023•14 min
We spoke with Jazz McKinney, Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Pride Center, about pride month, LGBTQ+ equality, gender, equity, transgender education, housing challenges and equal employment opportunities. The Grand Rapids Pride Center works to create positive change for the 2-SLGBTQ+ community by breaking down barriers, creating awareness, providing inclusive services, and bridging relationships. Online: Grand Rapids Pride Center
Nov 01, 2023•15 min
We spoke with Steve Salter, President of The Killer Blues Headstone Project, about blues music, blues culture and musicians, and headstones for blues musicians in unmarked graves. The Killer Blues Headstone Project exists to provide headstones for blues musicians lying in unmarked graves. They have placed over 150 headstones in 14 years. In 2009, The Killer Blues Headstone Project became a non-profit 501(c)(3). Online: Killer Blues Headstone Project...
Oct 25, 2023•13 min
We spoke with Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss about city funding, affordable housing funding, public safety, Homelessness, Mental health co- response in policing. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss became the City of Grand Rapids’ first female Mayor when she took office on January 1, 2016. She was re-elected for a second term in November 2019. She previously served as a Second Ward City Commissioner for 10 years. As Mayor, she is committed to supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs, working to create ...
Oct 25, 2023•16 min
In this episode we welcome Brianna Shahly, Communications and Marketing Coordinator of the Humane Society of West Michigan. Brianna touches on animal welfare, pet adoption, spaying and neutering of pets, pet rescue, and feral cats. The Humane Society of West Michigans mission is to promote the humane treatment and responsible care of animals in West Michigan through education, example, placement & protection. Humane Society of West Michigan serves Kent County, other counties in Michigan, and...
Oct 25, 2023•15 min
In this episode, we welcome Mariah Malone, Communication Specialist with John Ball Zoo. Mariah spoke with us about the Zoo's Lantern Festival is a one-mile light tour through John Ball Zoo. The festival features handcrafted Asian lantern displays that will illuminate the Zoo and tell the intersecting story of wildlife and Asian culture. John Ball Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation committed to the advancement of public education on the need for wildlife conservation and preservation. On Ja...
Oct 24, 2023•12 min
In this week's program, we welcome two members of the Grand Rapids Prime Time Brewers Association: Jeremy Gavin and Mies Martin, President of the GR Prime Time Brewers. According to the team of club historians, GR PrimeTime Brewers goes back to the late 70's. Originally, this loosely associated group of homebrewers would sporadically meet to share beers and generally try to get others to drink their garbage. By 1994 the club registered with the AHA(American Home Brewers Association) as an offici...
Oct 23, 2023•15 min
In this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes GRPD's newly named Deputy Chief, Joseph Trigg. Incoming Deputy Chief Trigg has held additional duty assignments as a Field Training Officer, a member of the department’s Board of Awards, and an advisor to Grand Rapids Police Explorer Post 1871, working with young people who are interested in learning more about policing as a profession; he is a member of the department’s Peer Support Team. Online: Grand Rapids Police Department...
Oct 23, 2023•15 min
This week's program welcomes Sara Olson, marketing and communications manager with the Grand Rapids Public Museum. We spoke with Sara about their Sensory-Friendly Museum Night at the GRPM. During a Sensory-Friendly Museum Night, the Museum adapts sounds, lighting, and activities within the current exhibits to create a low-sensory experience for the evening. One in every sixty-eight children is on the autism spectrum, with another diagnosed every 20 minutes. Online: Grand Rapids Public Museum...
Oct 23, 2023•13 min
In this week's program, we welcome Broadway Grand Rapids and Meghan Distel, their executive director. Broadway GR celebrates its 35th year with a stellar lineup of performances, including the Michigan premieres of “MJ” the musical, a revival of “Funny Girl.” Plus “Tina,” the Tina Turner musical, and Disney’s “Aladdin.” “To Kill a Mockingbird," a new critically acclaimed play will debut next year as well. "Les Misérables” and “Wicked,” are also a part of the series. Broadway Grand Rapids was esta...
Oct 20, 2023•15 min
In this episode, WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower welcomes Guillermo Cisneros, President & CEO of the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 2003, The West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to working with all members of the community to increase the economic advancement of Hispanic-owned businesses and to assist the professional growth of Hispanics in West Michigan. Online: West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce...
Oct 20, 2023•15 min
In this episode we welcome Liz Nienhuis, executive director of Gracious Grounds located in Grand Haven, MI. Gracious Grounds is a nonprofit housing community that supports successful independent living for adults with intellectual disabilities. Gracious Grounds was established in 2013 and has been serving adults with disabilities for over 10 years. Gracious Grounds has 3 housing locations with a total capacity of 50 residents, plus 6 Resident Assistants who live on campus. Online: Gracious Groun...
Oct 16, 2023•14 min
On this week's program, we spoke with Lisa Hegenbart, the Executive Director of Girls On The Run West Michigan. Girls on the Run® exists to enhance participants' social, emotional, and physical skills to navigate life experiences successfully. Girls On The Run seeks to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running and interactive lessons to meet the unique needs of participants of all abilities and backgrounds. Onli...
Oct 16, 2023•16 min
In this week's program, we speak with Sydney Baxter, marketing and communications manager at Blandford Nature Center. Sugarbush allows visitors to experience the science of maple syrup production in the heart of Blandford’s Sugarbush! The educational program helps visitors identify maple trees and learn the history of maple syrup production through the centuries. The mission of Blandford is to engage and empower the community through enriching experiences in nature. Their vision is a thriving, d...
Oct 16, 2023•14 min
This episode features a conversation between WYCE Station Manager PhilTower and Lynne Brown Tepper, Executive and Artistic Director at Circle Theatre Grand Rapids. Lynne spoke about the rich history of Circle Theatre here in Grand Rapids and profiled their upcoming season. Circle Theatre is the only community theatre in the West Michigan area that specializes in summer theatre. The Theatre was founded in order to allow community performers of all ages to continue honing their craft and to provid...
Oct 13, 2023•15 min
