B. I. News on the 'Net, October 26-November 1, 2015

Beginning November

by Cindy Ricksgers

Bruce Struik Obituary

Phyllis' Daily Weather

for November 1, 2015

First of all, Happy Birthday to our youngest, Andrea Jo Moore, on her birthday today. So different to have her so far way in WA state. Back here on the island it's dark thanks to Daylight Saving Time, temperature is 49° and feels like 43° with the windchill as it's breezy and mostly cloudy. Wind is at 18 mph from the west- south-west with gusts to 27 mph, humidity is at 87%, pressure is rising from 998 mb, and visibility is 8.6 miles. Today: Cloudy. A 50% chance of rain showers in the morning. Highs in the lower 50s. West winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph decreasing to 20 mph after midnight.

Trunk or Treat

This event was very well attended with many more people coming in to provide their Halloween treats for the kids. The event was not held in the parking lot, but inside the Gregg Fellowship Center due to the rainy weather that continues outside right now. The 8:30 p.m. weather is report is that it is "raining cats and dogs" out there right now.

Here are some pictures of the event showing the youngsters that attended along with some of the adults as well.

Lot of candy, lots of treats, hot dogs and chili, and apple cider! What a wonderful gathering for this All Hallows' Eve!

Video of Trunk and Treat

Phyllis' Daily Weather

for October 31, 2015

Happy Halloween! It's going to be a spooky one with rain all day and into the night. Hopefully everyone has a costume with built-in waterwings. Just be careful, as it's going to be difficult to see kids in dark colors. Right now it's 49°, feels like 44°, wind is at 11 mph from the west south west with gusts to 26 mph, humidity is at 85%, pressure is steady at 1013 mb, and visibility is 9.2 miles. Today: Chance of rain in the morning (it's already raining), then more rain in the afternoon. Highs around 50°. South winds 5 to 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Tonight: Rain in the evening, then a chance of rain or drizzle after midnight. Lows in the mid 30s. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.

On this date of October 31, 1517 - Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Palace Church. The event marked the start of the Protestant Reformation in Germany.

Did you know that the dishwasher was invented in 1889? On an ordinary day in the 1880s, a Shelbyville woman took a dirty bowl and plate and made history. Josephine Garis Cochran was the first person to build a practical dish-washing machine, succeeding where some had tried and failed.
And it was the chore of washing dishes by hand and trying to save her good china from breaking that caused her to proceed with an idea to invent a unique machine. She also wanted to relieve tired housewives of the drudgery of dish washing.

Working in a wood shed in back of the Cochran house, with the help of George Butters, a young mechanic, she built a dish-washing machine. The United States Patent and Trademark Office said she measured the dishes first, then made wire compartments, each designed to fit plates, cups or saucers. "The compartments were placed inside a wheel that lay flat within a copper boiler. A motor turned the wheel while hot, soapy water squirted from the bottom of the boiler and rained down on the dishes."

The invention, though practical, also required manual labor .One article said the soapy water was forced on the dishes by hand pumping. Cochran discovered the dishes would dry in the air after clear boiling water was poured over them from a tea kettle. Operating instructions for the later models said, "Put concentrated lye, with gold dust or sal soda, as needed in the water:"

Excited about the invention, friends and neighbors urged her to manufacture the machine for home and commercial use. She applied for a patent and received it on Dec. 28,1886. People wrote testimonials, such as "Dear Mrs. Cochran, Please accept my congratulations on the success of that wonderful piece of mechanism, the 'Dish Washer.' Having Seen it work, I can testify that it will do all work required, as advertised, and am assured that it will be as indispensable to our homes as the sewing machine. No one who is in need of such an article and understands the worth and value of such a machine would think of doing without it. Respectfully, Mrs. L.S. Baldwin, Windsor, ill., Feb. 5, 1889."

Cochran showed the dishwasher at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair , but only restaurants and hotels showed interest in it. She founded a company to manufacture her dishwashers that in time became Kitchen Aid, but it wasn't until many years after her death that the machine captured the attention of the average housewife. The machine didn't gain popularity for home use until the 1950s.

Word of the day: ignis fatuus (IG-nis FACH-oo-uh s) which meand something deluding or misleading. Ignis fatuus comes from the Medieval Latin word of the same spelling that literally means "foolish fire."

Special Library Board Meeting Scheduled

Thursday, November 5, 2015, 9 a.m. at the library

Phyllis' Daily Weather

for October 30, 2015

It's 30° this morning, partly cloudy, wind at 3 mph from the west with gusts to 17 mph, humidity is at 81%, pressure is rising from 1015 mb, and visibility is at 9.5 miles. Today: Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 40s. Light winds changing to the southwest at 10 mph in the afternoon. Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers after midnight. Lows in the lower 40s. Southwest winds at 10 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.

On this date of October 30, 1972 - In Illinois, 45 people were killed when two trains collided on Chicago's south side.

Did you know that the typewriter was invented in 1829?

Word of the day: epicedium (ep-uh-SEE-dee-uh m, -si-DAHY-uh m) which means a funeral song; dirge. Epicedium entered English in the late 1500s. It stems from the Greek word epikḗdeion, the noun form of an adjective meaning "of a funeral."

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR 2015

Sunday, November 15, 2015, is the date for this year’s Christmas Bazaar at the Gregg Fellowship Center.  Doors open at 11:00am.

There will be a lot of returning vendors as well as a few new vendors.  You will have your choice of a wide variety of Christmas gifts for family, friends—and yourself!  Candles, stuffed animals, evergreen wreaths and swags, jewelry, Flattail Furs, Pampered Chef, Rustic Heart, baked goods and much, much more.
Each vendor will donate n item for a drawing.  Tickets are $0.25.  All proceeds from the drawing will go to the Beaver Island Food Pantry.  If you place a donation for the Food Pantry under the Christmas tree, you will receive a free ticket (s) for the drawing.  You can also place an unwrapped toy, game, book, etc. under the tree to be distributed to local children.  (Thank you!!)
Shop ‘til you’re hungry—then take your choice of a number of delicious soups—and support the Food Pantry.
Music—voting for the best decorated table—something for everyone!!
Sunday, November 25, 11:00 – 2:00
See you there!!

Reservation forms for tables will be at the Community Center, the District Library, and the mailbox at Jean Kinsley’s real-estate office starting Saturday morning, October 31.

Emergency Services Authority Meeting

October 29, 2015

More than half of the just little over an hour meeting of the Beaver Island Emergency Services Authority meeting today was taken up by a presentation and Q&A period by Valley Med Flight out of Iron Mountain. The island residents will be provided a discount for a subscription and membership. The current cost of the insured membership for Valley Med Flight services will be $25 per year and the uninsured membership for this service will by $35, the normal costs are $50 and $70. The applications for this membership will be available at the BIRHC. This membership will allow the family to have no out-of-pocket costs for the flight service using the Valley Med Flight fixed wing aircraft.

The Valley Med Flight group was invited to attend the BIESA meeting and make a presentation by the BIRHC manager Donna Kubic.

. For this small amount of membership fee, there would be no reason not to become a member. It is, however, important to note that the time to get the Valley Med Service from Iron Mountain to Beaver Island Township Airport will be no less than 65 minutes. Since Valley Med normally transfers patients from a licensed facility to another licensed facility, namely doing inter-facility transports, their response time and patient transfer time could be up to 90 minutes before the Valley Med aircraft leaves Beaver Island.s)

Update: The previous statement was made in error. BIEMS was a participating provider for Medicare and Medicaid, as well as Blue Cross Blue Shield. There may have been a policy change by a Director of BIEMS in the past few years that may have changed this. While this is being investigated, it appears that some have received bills. BINN was going on information believed to be true, but is not true as of this moment. Our apologies for suggesting something that is not accurate. It may all be a mute point as BIEMS moves into the future.

Within that 90 minute time frame, the Beaver Island EMS licensed air transport vehicle could already have the patient at the hospital if flying to Charlevoix or Harbor Springs, and the patient would already be at the Traverse City Airport if flying to TVC for Munson Healthcare. This "Time to Definitive Care" in trauma," "Time is Muscle" in a cardiac emergency, and "Time is Tissue" in a suspected stroke would delay the definitive care while waiting for Valley Med to get the patient to the hospital. These points were brought up by Kevin White, BIEMS Director. A letter of excellence in service was read by Bill Kohls that was sent to him by Dr. Smith, Charlevoix County Medical Control Authority Director. This letter praised Kevin White for his work and his dedication to Beaver Island EMS during this trying time.

Rick Speck spoke up and stated that BIEMS would probably not be able to exist if the air transport income were to disappear. He quoted approximately $39,000 in payments were received for air transport with BIEMS netting $17,000 from those flights. The ground ambulance was not netting anywhere near this amount with less than one-third of that income. BIEMS could not function without the income from the air transport. Rick Speck also stated that he will send Bill Kohls three months of income statements to be posted on the Peaine website shortly after the end of October.

Bob Turner, retired firefighter/paramedic from Detroit Metro,asked a question after the Valley Med crew had left. He asked what weather conditions can the Valley Med aircraft fly in that Island Airways can't. Paul Welke took a few moments to make a couple of statements. One was that Island Airways usually has the emergency patient to the mainland within about 35-45 minutes after the page. He further stated that the Island Airway's aircraft and pilots have the same ability to fly using instrument flight rules and GPS. He stated that the only condition that he would not be able to fly in that Valley Med might be able to fly in would be the condition called "icing" since the Valley Med Aircraft might have the ability to fly in those conditions.

The FLSA labor and wage complaint has not been acted on by the state. (Update on this: The FLSA complaint has been denied, pending appeal.)

The remainder of the meeting was related to the formal documents that need to be worked on and approved starting with the November and December meetings.

Video of this meeting HERE

Update on October 31, 2015

The following quotations from several recent EMS magazines provide the true importance of getting a pateint to definitive care in the shortest period of time possible:

“Our job in EMS is threefold: 1) get to the patient quickly, 2) fix what we can fix, and, 3) quickly get the patient to the right hospital. Anything we can do to compress each of these time periods is good for the patient. We’ve known this in the traumatically injured, and now we use it for STEMI and stroke patients; more are sure to follow.”

“At least 3 links in trauma care can be identified: (1) the time from the event to the 911 call; (2) EMS total transport time; and (3) the interval from arrival to definitive care.”

“Sometimes old dogmas help save lives, allowing people with diverse levels of knowledge to grasp a simple concept. The golden hour of trauma is a classic example of this, and, as imperfect as it is, the concept of timely care must survive; no need to reset your clocks.”

The above three quotations seem to represent the best practice in the use of emergency medical services.  These quotes also represent the positions of many associations and agencies regarding EMS including the American Heart Association, the International Trauma Life Support, and University of Miami Stroke Programs.  Time to definitive care is one of these most important concepts.

In discussions amongst BIEMS members after the ESA meeting, the following issues were discussed and the questions were asked. If someone wanted to know about the effectiveness and efficiency of the BIEMS licensed aircraft transport operation, why didn't interested parties ask those that transported the emergency patients? Can those with no Beaver Island emergency air transport experience determine the effectiveness, efficiency, and the ability to treat patients in this licensed aircraft? If anyone was interested in answering these questions, would they not better ask someone who had flown the patients in the aircraft with primary responsibility for the care of the patient during the flight? What treatments have actually been provided by either Valley Med or Northflight that weren't already provided by BIEMS?

Joe Moore, BIEMS paramedic and EMT with over twenty-five years right here on Beaver Island stated, "I flew over fifty emergency patients off Beaver Island in this aircraft in the last three years. There was never any treatment needed by the patient that could not be completed in the aircraft including IV pump and drip medications." When asked about the possibility of other issues suggested by some concerned citizens, Joe stated, "You obviously have not asked the patients and the patients' families any of these questions either. BIEMS gets thank-you cards from many patients for the obvious excellent patient care and efficient transport. We listen to our patients and our patient's families, and then do our best to accomodate their wishes."

In regard to the treatments that Valley Med or Northflight could provide that BIEMS had not already completed, Joe responded, "In the last fifteen years as a paramedic on Beaver Island, I believe that the assessment and treatment including the monitoring equipment of BIEMS have all been completed successfully right here on Beaver Island with these other air transport operations providing only continuing treatments and monitoring already started by BIEMS."

Joe continued, "We have successfully transported and maintained treatment of patients on a USCG ice breaker with an IV pump drip medication, a faster USCG vessel, a private yacht, and in many unusual conditions including blizzards and fog. We have flown with the USCG medivac helicopter with very little monitoring equipment due to weight restrictions. We have transported patients not only to Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, and Traverse City, but also St. Ignace. We get the job done efficiently and effectively. We have demonstrated not only competence, but also creativity in the completion of emergency transport of patients. We have mostly had successes in the return of spontaneous circulation in non-traumatic cardiac arrests even getting a congratulatory letter from a cardiologist. We have been on the cutting edge of emergency medical care wtih many treatments including, but not limited to AED, EpiPen, D50 for diabetics, and Narcan for overdoses. We have actually been part of the original studies for many of these treatments. We have successfully transported physicians, pediatric intensive care nurses, and registered nurses of many specialties. We have never received a complaint from any patient about transport method or treatment. Of course, I can't speak about individual patients due to patient and family privacy regulations. We have worked alongside BIRHC providers for successes that did not require transport after treatmentswere completed there. We maintain certifications above and beyond the minimum requirements for licensure. Programs in International Trauma Life Support, AHA Basic Life Support, AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support, AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support, AAP Pediatrics for PreHospital Providers, Advanced Stroke Life Support, and Emergency Driving. Basic EMT programs, and MFR programs as well as continuing education programs are taught right here on Beaver Island. . . . . I hope that all of these things will be considered before any major changes are made."

Waste Management Committee News

This morning, October 29, 2015, at 10 a.m. a special meeting of the WMC took place at Peaine Township Hall. The members present were Bill Kohls, Joe Moore, Jean Wierenga, Paul Welke, Bill Haggard, and Ernie Martin. Brad Swearingen, the manager of the Beaver Island Transfer Station had resigned after providing two and a half years of excellent leadership for the transfer station. Brad Swearingen gave his final report, and Brad recommended that the committee appoint Bob Marsh as the new manager.

The committee appointed Bob Marsh as the interim manager, and decided to post the manager's position. The committee also set up a sub-committee to include Paul Welke, Jean Wierenga, and Bill Haggard as the interview committee, as well as keep the application period open until November 30, 2015. The interview committee will gather the applications and interview the candidates and provide the WMC with a recommendation.

The WMC also determined that the transfer station, being a public building, should not have smoking inside the building. It was agreed that a sign to that effect would be posted in the building. All smoiking, by employees and/or customers should take place outside the walls of the building.

BICS Searching for Substitute Teachers

Phyllis' Daily Weather

for October 29, 2015

It's a tad bit chilly out there this morning at 40° and a wind chill of 32°. I'm taking another guess that by 9 am (if not a few minutes earlier) it's going to rain again (like we didn't get enough yesterday). Wind is at 17 mph from the southwest with gusts up to 28 mph, humidity is at 85%, pressure is rising from 990 mb, and visibility is at 9 miles. Today: Rain showers or snow showers in the morning, then rain showers likely in the afternoon. Breezy. Highs in the mid 40s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon. Gusts up to 35 mph. Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers in the evening, then a chance of rain showers and snow showers after midnight. Lows in the mid 30s. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 5 to 15 mph after midnight. Gusts up to 35 mph.

On this date of October 29, 1956 - "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" premiered on NBC. The show replaced "The Camel News Caravan."

Did you know that the only letter which doesn't appear in the Periodic Table is j?

Word of the day: barghest (BAHR-gest) which means a legendary doglike goblin believed to portend death or misfortune. Barghest most likely stems from a combination of barrow, meaning "an artificial mound, especially over a grave," and ghest, an Old English variant of ghost.

West Side Color

The view of the island from above shown in another story down below incited a desire to view this color from the ground level. The trip around the island was for this purpose, but getting the car covered in mud was not part of the plan. Thank goodness for the car wash, not the location, but the automatic sprayer one. It cost twice as much as normal due to the caked mud all over the new car. The colors were unbelievable. It was a great way to spend part of the afternoon. Not too exciting for some, but well worth the trip for those of us into the beauty of the island.

Barney's Lake

West side from the airport to Fox Lake

Fox Lake

Headed south past Greene's Lake

Looked like a giant spider's web

On the way to the Lighthouse School and South Head Light

A unique view of the lighthouse at the South End

Video Clip of the fall colors for this trip

Phyllis' Daily Weather

for October 28, 2015

Just in case you haven't noticed, it's raining out. Right now I'm showing 46° with a wind chill of 38°, wind is at 20 mph from the east with gusts to 30 mph, humidity is at 94%, pressure is falling from 1006 mb, and visibility is 4.5 miles. Today: Rain showers. Highs in the mid 50s. Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 40 mph. Tonight: Rain showers. Lows in the upper 30s. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 40 mph.

On this date of October 28, 1636 - Harvard College was founded in Massachusetts. The original name was Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was the first school of higher education in America.

Library Seeks Millage Renewal

Although there isn't a lot on the ballot for this coming November election, the district library is hoping that you will vote to renew its operational millage. Here is the language for this renewal:

Sheriff's Department News Release

News Release

Sheriff Don Schneider is pleased to report that Corporal Fred Hasty Jr. returned to duty on October 26, 2015 after being shot and wounded while on duty by James Cook. Cpl. Hasty went through an intensive recovery process from the critical wound that he received.  Cpl. Hasty was very pleased with his doctors and support staff in aiding in his recovery. Cook faces multiple charges by the Charlevoix County Prosecutor, Allen Telgenhof, with the most serious charges being assault with intent to murder and assault on a police officer with a gun. Cook's case is pending in 33rd Circuit Court at this time.

Sheriff Schneider is elated with the overwhelming support of not only the people in Charlevoix County, but those in all of Northern Michigan in regards to Cpl. Hasty's recovery.

Cpl. Hasty is thankful to be back to work and serving the citizens of Charlevoix County.

Waste Managment Committee Special Meeting

This Day

by Cindy Ricksgers

BICS Board Meeting

Rescheduled for October 26, 2015

Video of this meeting HERE

Fall Colors from Above

Whether it's rainy or dry, cloudy or bright, the Emerald Isle is not so emerald this time of year. It is more yellow and orange except for an occasional red unless you are seeing the pine trees. The beauty of the fall season is truly upon us even in the rain or the haze.

For those who are not able to be on the island for this much cooler season, a quick video of a drive from the corner of King's Highway and Carlisle Road in to the intersection of Brother's Road and King's Highway might give you some perspective on the beauty at ground level.

Video of the fall colors from vehicle headed in toward town

Phyllis' Daily Weather

for October 27, 2015

It's 36° outside this morning, wind is at 8 mph from the southeast, humidity is at 94%, pressure is steady at 1030 mb, and visibility is at 2.2 miles. Today: Partly sunny. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the mid 50s. Southeast winds at 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph in the afternoon. Tonight: Rain after midnight. Lows in the mid 40s. East winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.

On this date of October 27, 1962 - The Soviet Union adds to the Cuban Missile Crisis by calling for the dismantling of U.S. missile basis in Turkey. U.S. President Kennedy agreed to the new aspect of the agreement.

CCSD News Release

News Release

Charlevoix County Sheriff Don Schneider is pleased to announce a new Deputy has been assigned to the Sheriff’s Office.  The new Deputy is an 18 month old German shepherd named Ezo from the Czech Republic. 

Deputy Benjamin D. Speigl just recently returned from four weeks of intensive K9 handling with Ezo.  Ezo is certified for tracking and drug detection. 

The K9 program is a remarkable asset for both public safety and for Law Enforcement.  The Sheriff’s Office K9 Program is here to support not only the Sheriff’s Office, but also City Police Agencies within Charlevoix County.

This K9 program was made possible by the generous support and donations from the citizens of Charlevoix County.  Sheriff Schneider sincerely thanks everyone who has helped make this Program possible.

Sheriff Schneider, Ezo, and Deputy Speigl

Phyllis' Daily Weather

for October 26, 2015

It's looking to be one of those perfect days to curl up in a corner with a good book or your knitting. Right now it's 37°, overcast, and by about 10:30 it'll probably be raining. Wind is at 5 mph from the southeast, humidity is at 95%, pressure is steady at 1032 mb, and visibility is at 9.2 miles. Today: Mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of rain. Highs around 50°. South winds at 10 mph. Tonight: Mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of rain in the evening; then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows around 40°. Southeast winds at 10 mph.

Video for the meeting HERE
        

Petroqueen Maiden Voyage

Bud Martin's Shamrock tug and the new fuel barge Petroqueen entered Paradise Bay tonight, October 18, 2015, at about 5 p.m. This was the first true fuel voyage, and it had been delayed by government paperwork for months.

The Petroqueen herself was awaiting the arrival of the fuel barge with her cousin.

The Petroqueen had quite a load based upon the depth of the barge in the water.

Video of the Petroqueen's arrival in Paradise Bay

 

A Beautiful Tribute

Today, October 17, 2015, the communities, on Beaver Island and Escanaba, said goodbye to a wonderful man. LaDonis Mooney's funeral was at 11 a.m. with a full Holy Cross Church. After the Mass, a graveside service took place at the Holy Cross Cemetary. This was followed by a wonderful luncheon at the Holy Cross Parish Hall.

Cover and Inside

Sheri's Lyrics

Inside and Back cover

Change

by Cindy Ricksgers

BIA Posts Letter About Healthcare on Beaver Island

After extensive research, interviews, and many discussions, the Beaver Island Association has posted a letter on their website related to healthcare on Beaver Island. While possibly upsetting to some people on the island, it is obvious that a lot of hard work that went into this. This letter was addressed to the Beaver Island Rural Health Center Board, the Beaver Island Emergency Services Authority, and the two township boards.

The BIA has completed some specific activites in the summer season which included the "Thank You to First Responders" and the Maine Islands Institute. The BIA has been working to get information about many aspects of the island, as well as attempting to gather information about other islands and how these other islands have handled some of the same issues. Whether you agree with the letter's content or not, the hard work deserves accolades.

Read the letter from the BIA website HERE

Beaver Island Community Players Present Radio Play

Vintage Hitchcock: a Live Radio Play was presented by the Beaver Island Community Players on Oct. 24th at 8 p.m. Community Center. Tickets were $13 and wereavailable at the community center.  Kids are $8. The play was much like we did last fall with It’s a Wonderful Life.

 We had a great group, some familiar faces and some new faces. We’ve had help from techno wiz, Kevin Boyle with the sound and music.

Spies, murder, love, and other trademarks of Alfred Hitchcock come to life in the style of a 1940s radio broadcast of the ‘Master of Suspense's” earlier films. A daring train chase, a psycho killer and the magic of live sound effects create a thrilling evening of theatre!

The following pictures were taken by Deb Bousquet of a rehearsal:

Beaver Island News on the 'Net contacted the author's lawyers and got permission to live stream this performance for a fee. The directors and the cast chose not to have their performance live streamed on Beaver Island TV.

Taekwondo Michigan Cup

Results from the Michigan Cup Tournament held in Kalamazoo on September 26, 2015
Sarah Avery                             silver in weapons
Jewell Gillespie-Cushman     gold in breaking
John Brady Robert                  gold in weapons, bronze in breaking
Quinn Jones                             gold in fighting, silver in breaking, bronze in forms
Riley Williamson                     silver in weapons
Susan Myers-Dixon                 silver in weapons, bronze in forms
Kainoa Drost                           silver in breaking, bronze in weapons
Jared Robert                           silver in breaking, silver in forms, gold in fighting
Chris Vanthof                          gold in forms, gold in breaking, silver in fighting

A total of 18 medals were won out of the 25 events that the students were registered in.  All of the students did amazingly well, especially since we took the month of August off.
The evening before the tournament, at the 136th Black Belt testing, Sarah Avery tested for her first Dan Black Belt.  She was presented with her belt and certificate by Grand Master Sun Hwan Chung, the tournament director, and one of the highest-ranking taekwondo grandmasters in the world.  At the same time, Susan Avery tested and received her 2nd Dan black belt and Master Dave Avery for his 7th Dan black belt, of which there are very few in Michigan. 

Community Center Movies for October

Fire Safety

The heating season is upon us ready or not. Some will be heating with wood, some with fuel oil, some with propane, heat pumps, and some with electricity. No matter what there should be something that you can do to prevent the disaster of loss of life due to a house fire. Luckily, FEMA has plenty of information about this including tips on fire safety.

Fire Prevention Week: Learn the Dos & Don’ts of House Fire Safety

CHICAGO –October 4 – 10, 2015 marks Fire Prevention Week, a commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 and an opportunity to emphasize fire safety and preparedness.

Remember these dos and don’ts to help you and your family protect against the dangers of a house fire:

• DO keep a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Half of home fire deaths happen between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Stay safe with smoke alarms outside of every bedroom and each separate sleeping area.
• DON’T forget to test your smoke alarm every month. The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. If your alarm doesn’t sound when tested, it’s time to replace it.
• DO address your needs. If you require eyeglasses, hearing aid, cane or a wheelchair, ensure they are next to your bed to quickly grab if necessary. If there is a fire, you may have less than three minutes to get out of your home. Be ready to act immediately.
• DON’T assume you’ll hear the fire alarm if it sounds. If you test the alarm and can’t hear it, consider getting a strobe light that will flash or a bed shaker that will shake when the smoke alarm sounds.
• DO make a fire escape plan that shows at least two ways out of every room. Identify a meeting place in the front of your home, to verify that everyone is safe and help firefighters ensure everyone exited safely.
• DON’T stop to call 911 until you’re safely outside and away from danger. Stay outside until the fire department says it’s safe to go back inside.

For even more fire safety tips, visit the U.S. Fire Administration’s webpage at www.usfa.fema.gov. You can also follow FEMA Region V at twitter.com/femaregion5 and www.facebook.com/fema. Individuals can always find valuable preparedness information at www.Ready.gov.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

(The above poster can be printed. Open the bigger picture by clicking on the thumbnail. Right click the larger picture and download it to your computer. Then you can print it out on your printer.)

Donate to the Food Pantry

Use this button below to donate to the Food Pantry.

Donation goes to the Christian Church Food Pantry--Click the Donate Button on the far left and above.

Donate to the Live Streaming Project