Comstock Park Communicator April 1 2023 : simplebooklet.com

Joe Chamberlin, Whitecaps CEO and managing partner, said the construction project will ensure that LMCU Ball-park remains one of the best facilities in the nation.“This ballpark is full of history, championships and memories for so many West Michigan families, including my own,” Chamberlin said. He said the Whitecaps’ pri-mary objective to grow the fan base and deliver the venue that the “best minor league sports market in the country” deserves.Whitecaps management is working with ROSETTI, a Detroit-based architec-ture firm and leader in the design of sports and enter-tainment facilities. West Michigan-based Erhardt Con-struction is the general con-tractor and Progressive AE is assisting with several aspects of the project. All phases of the project are expected to be completed in five years.LMCU Ballpark is one of small number of privately financed Minor League sta-diums in the country. Phase 1 and all future phases will rely on private investment along with targeted public support. Highlights of Phase 1 -Improvements to home and visitor clubhouses, playing surface and stadium lighting-Rebuild of third base side visitors’ clubhouse to become the home clubhouse with enhanced player spaces, larg-er weight room and training facilities, dedicated space for female coaching staff and state-of-the art batting tunnel-Replacement of grass and infield playing surface includ-ing drainage system. Bullpens will be moved and the outfield dimensions reconfigured.-Upgrades of stadium lights with LED lights capable of colored light shows synced to music-Suite-level club space will be built above the new batting tunnel to accommodate 200 guests featuring floor-to-ceil-ing windows, large balcony and bar space-Enlargement of group space with several tiers of seating and gathering areas for groups of 20 or more-Netting will be extended beyond the ends of the dug-outs for increased fan safetyHighlights of Phase 2-A reimagined stadium entrance-Beautification of the facil-ity’s 45 acres with a beach theme-Updates to the suite level with a home plate club area-Expanded concourse with more food, entertainment and gathering options including group outdoor suites-A new CapSized Shop and ticket office-A new 360-degree con-course modeled after a lakeshore boardwalk that allows fans to walk all the way around the field to view the game from many perspectives-400-seat center field hospitality club and special events center creating a unique venue for weddings, conferences, and special eventsEconomic Driver for Comstock ParkThe LMCU Ballpark is a major anchor for business and entertainment in the Comstock Park area, accord-ing to Cameron Van Wyn-garden, Plainfield Township superintendent. He specu-lates that many businesses have opened or expanded on or near the West River Drive corridor because of the Whitecaps.“It’s an economic driver for the area as well,” said Van Wyngarden noting the full-time jobs to seasonal posi-tions added. The West Mich-igan Whitecaps is the largest business entity in Comstock Park.“We appreciate their con-tinued investment in Com-stock Park and Plainfield Township,” Van Wyngarden said.The Comstock Park Down-town Development Authority was formed just prior to the opening of the Whitecaps ballpark in 1994. The DDA has been able to capture newly generated tax revenue that pays for improvements such as decorative street lamps, pavers, parking, and beautification along the West River Corridor. See more on the history of the West Michigan Whitecaps on pages 6 & 7.West Michigan Whitecaps announces upgrades and expansion for LMCU BallparkWest Michigan Whitecaps recently announced a multi-phase expansion plan that will modernize the LMCU Ballpark. Whitecaps management gave an overview of the plan in a press conference in January. Architect’s rendering of upgrades and expansion of LMCU Ballpark.Joe Chamberlin, West Michigan Whitecaps CEO and managing partner.www.comstockparkdda.org • Spring - April 1, 2023Architect’s rendering of reimagined stadium entrance to LMCU Ballpark.ECRWSS POSTAL CUSTOMER

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www.comstockparkdda.org Comstock Park Communicator April 1, 2023 | Page 3Comstock Park Communicator is published quarterly by Hearst Michigan Media Group for the Comstock Park Downtown Development Authority. Comstock Park DDAwww.comstockparkdda.orgP.O. Box 333Comstock Park, MI 49321Comstock Park DDA Board of DirectorsRichard Frey, chairman – rich@korehicom.comTom Coleman, Plainfield Township supervisor – colemant@plainfieldmi.orgStaci Chambers – schambers@gettommys.comEd Hood – ehood0812@gmail.comJim Jarecki – jjarecki@whitecapsbaseball.comNick Purwin – slpurwin@yahoo.comJohn Stephan – rjohnstephan@lawyer.comJanis Vander Kooy, treasurer – jvanderkooy@sbcglobal.netDavid Washburn – dwashburn@cppschools.comEditorKaren Gentrykegentry@comcast.net(616) 647-2949Sales, Multi Media ConsultantJulie Lewis, Hearst Michigan Media GroupJulie.Lewis@hearst.com(231) 592-8373DesignJohn Eddy, Hearst Michigan Media GroupCari DraftContributorsKathy BushJohn GonzalesDeb HavensKari KippenMill Creek Days to return August 10, 11 and 12Planning is underway for Mill Creek Days 2023, the second year of the return after a 20-year hiatus. Dates for this year’s event are Thursday – Saturday, Aug. 10-12. Possible changes to this year’s Mill Creek Days include a beer tent and 5K run, more arts/crafts and other vendors, expanded chil-dren’s activities, more food choices with local restaurants and food trucks and a variety of live music.Once again the Rotary BBQ will kick off the event on Thursday, Aug. 10. A Sat-urday parade, Renaissance Faire, Comstock Park Com-munity Celebration and the popular duck race on Mill Creek will also return. More volunteers are need-ed to make this year’s event a success – if interested in volunteering email Dawn Swafford at dawn.stafford@edwardjones.com. For infor-mation about becoming a vendor email millcreekday-scp@gmail.com. The complete Mill Creek Days schedule will be pub-lished in the July 1 Comstock Park Communicator. Also look for updates on the Mill Creek Days Facebook page -- www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083564850866More bands and live music will be a part of Mill Creek Days 2023.The popular Mill Creek Days Duck Race will return on Aug. 12.The Rotary BBQ will kick o Mill Creek Days 2023 on Aug. 10.Newest DDA board member – Staci Chambers Chambers has been the general manager of Tommy’s Boats for more than two years. She previously worked at the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids for 16 years.Chambers said Tommy’s has been in Comstock Park for almost seven years and she wants Tommy’s to get fur-ther involved in the commu-nity. Tommy’s took part in the return of Mill Creek Days in 2022 as a parade participant. Chambers would like to see more collaboration between businesses. Chambers believes the West River Drive corridor can become a destination.“We are the last exit people see before leaving the Grand Rapids area and we are the first one before they reach downtown Grand Rapids. We have a lot to offer along West River,” Chambers said. Chambers raised her chil-dren in Comstock Park and has been a part of the commu-nity for more than 25 years and lives near Comstock Park High School. Originally from East Michigan Chambers came to West Michigan to go to Grand Valley State Univer-sity where she earned a recre-ation therapy degree.“I fell in love with the west side of Michigan,” Chambers said. She has been married to her husband Tim for 13 years. They have a blended family of four children and three granddaughters.“It’s an eclectic family but we are all very close and we are very involved in all of grandkids’ lives,” Chambers said.Staci Chambers is the newest board member of the Comstock Park Downtown Development Authority. Staci Chambers

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www.comstockparkdda.org Comstock Park Communicator April 1, 2023 | Page 5North Village PhotograPhy616.485.2042 www.NorthVillagePhotograPhy.com“My photography is a“My photography is acelebration of connections!”celebration of connections!”I believe that when I take you and your loved ones photos, it's really acelebration of the connection that we all have within our own circle offriends and families. It's my hope that during our time together, I'll bringout the very best in you through the lens of my camera.I'm looking forward to meeting you!Specializing in Family, Maternity & Senior photos!616.485.2042kdl.org/events.To check out events going on at all 20 KDL branches, visitJune 5 - August 12IT'S FUN. IT'S EASY. IT'S FREE.PROGRAMS AT THE COMSTOCK PARK BRANCHCritchlow Alligator Sanctuary'sLIVE Reptile Show!Tuesday, June 27 @ 1:00 PMCritter BarnTuesday, June 20 @ 1:00 PMPolymer Clay JewelryTuesday, June 20 @ 6:30 PMTry out our clay tips and tricks to create your own, hand-madeclay piece to take home and bake with easy, providedinstructions. For teens. Space is limited; first come, first served.Doors open 15 minutes before the program begins and you maysave one seat for a friend.Critter Barn's Traveling Farm will feature hands-on fun, entertainment and education. All ages.Presenting live reptiles to entertainand educate the audience. All ages.Best of the Ridge Maple Syrup Contest April 16 at Henze CenterTo celebrate Sugar Shack season in West Michigan Alpine Township will host the 12th annual Best of the Ridge Maple Syrup Contest at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 16 at the Henze Center, 1100 Henze Drive. All are welcome to watch the judging and try some maple syrup samples on pan-cakes cooked up by the Alpine Township Historical Commis-sion. There will be entertain-ment and syrup for sale by local producers.Entry forms are available at the Alpine Township Hall, 5505 Alpine Ave., during regular business hours, or from a Historical Commission member. The contest is open to producers who apply and deliver a quart of their syrup to the township. Pat Cederholm, president of the Alpine Township His-torical Commission, said that over the years more than two dozen contestants from West Michigan have entered the contest, judged by “local celebrities and regular citi-zens.” She said entries are judged by color and taste. The first Maple Syrup con-test took place in 2010. “It came about because some local families were doing the sugar shack thing for late winter production and good gathering fun. This first contest was rather casual, but it got the ball rolling,” Ceder-holm said.The area’s history of maple syrup making dates back to indigenous tribes who camped along the Grand River Valley in the winter. They tapped maple trees with elderberry wood as tubes and made syrup as well as blocks of maple sugar. Some of the product was used by families, and some was used to barter and trade. Maple Syrup Legend and Production Meth-ods—Michigan Maple Syrup Association The Chippewa and Otta-wa tribes of Michigan share a legend that begins with a god named NenawBozhoo, who saw that his people were becoming lazy as they drank the pure maple syrup from the maple trees rather than hunt or forage for food. When he saw this he cast a spell on the maple trees that made the syrup turn into a watery sap that required processing before it could be consumed.To get maple sugar, Native Americans put the sap in wide, shallow bark vessels and left it out to freeze. This would separate the water from the sugar, and they would then remove the ice. As time went on, new and improved ways to process maple sugar emerged. Native Americans started building “sugar bushes” where they would boil the sap with hot stones. When European set-tlers arrived, they boiled sap over an open fire to make syrup.Today, maple syrup har-vesters use tubing that allows the sap to flow from the tree into the “sugar shack” or building where it’s boiled into syrup. Though the production methods have evolved, the rich and delicious flavor of maple syrup has remained a constant throughout history.Conklin residents Wayne and Barb Umlor were past winners of the Best of the Ridge Maple Syrup Contest.Maple Syrup Contest judges Buck Matthews, Penny Weller and Bob Becker check the color and taste of entries in a previous contest.

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Page 6 | April 1, 2023 Comstock Park Communicator www.comstockparkdda.org Fortunately for baseball fans, the two who are the founders and co-chairman of the West Michigan White-caps, ignored the naysayers and pursued their vision.Not only did the team make history their first season in 1994 by being the first profes-sional baseball team to play in the area in 50 years, it set the all-time Class A attendance record boasting 475,212 fans at the then Old Kent Ballpark which became LMCU Ball-park in 2021. The Whitecaps then went on to break their own record the following two years. By the way, the White-caps beat the Burlington Bees 5-2 that first game.Chamberlin’s son Joe was named CEO of the Whitecaps in 2018. Joe remembers the family going to just about every Whitecaps game as well as a lot of Detroit Tigers games. He worked at the ballpark while in high school. While in college he did an operations internship for the Whitecaps and got to know more about the business side of minor league baseball. He previously worked in a large financial services company in Detroit and came to “appre-ciate the different pace, the culture and staff, and the interaction with the commu-nity” in his job.The Whitecaps draw thou-sands of visitors to Comstock Park each year. The organi-zation was recognized as a class act from its beginning. In 1997 the Whitecaps was named Minor League Team of the Year, and in 1999 was named the Class A Minor League Franchise of the Decade by Baseball Amer-ica. In 2021 the Whitecaps were promoted to Class A Advanced Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.Whitecaps HistoryIn the mid-1980’s Lew, who was working in his family’s business when the business was sold. He began exploring his dream of a minor league baseball team in West Michi-gan. At the same time, Denny, who was a CPA working in financial and managerial positions in West Michigan, was investigating the same idea. Lew saw a story in the Grand Rapids Press about Baxter’s pursuit and con-tacted him. The two “hit it off immediately…our visions aligned,” said Denny, adding that his accounting skills, and Lew’s legal and business background complemented each other. They formed West Michigan Baseball Develop-ment Inc. In 1992, a 47-acre proper-ty at 4500 West River Drive along the Grand River became available, and Lew and Denny settled on the site as home to their dream. The scenic location is at the crossroads of two major highways, with ample space for lighted park-ing, which was appealing for a family-oriented venue. In 1993 the business purchased the Madison Muskies fran-chise. The team was renamed the Whitecaps through a “Name the Team” contest. Work began on what was named Old Kent Park, a $10 million state-of-the art facil-ity. The facility was renamed Fifth Third Ballpark in 2002 when Fifth Third Bank pur-chased Old Kent Bank, and later became LMCU Ballpark to reflect a partnership with the credit union. Concerts, Winter Beer Festival and MoreIt’s not just baseball. Con-certs, annual events such as Taste of Grand Rapids, a winter beer festival, and a lighting display in the parking lot during the holidays also take place at the ballpark. The Stadium Club, an indoor party area, is available year-round for business meetings, family celebrations, and the like. Many charitable events and fundraisers are also take place at the ballpark There are some 40 full-time and 200 part-time and seasonal employees that make all those good times happen.Besides the usual ballpark fare like 150,000 hot dogs (that’s more than 14 miles of hot dogs if placed end to end) served each season, there are specialty items like the Mr. Wing-Suvius, made of mac-aroni & cheese, beer cheese, buffalo chicken filling, and onion rings, that are a result of the annual Fan Food Con-test Fire of 2014On Jan. 3, 2014, a dev-astating fire destroyed the entire first base side of the ballpark. Lew and Denny said they were overwhelmed and gratified at the outpouring of community support.“You work very hard to think you made a connection with the community, and that fire certainly reinforced that good, deep, emotional connection,” said Denny. “It’s not our team, it’s the com-munity’s team, and we’re the stewards.”The demolition that took place after the fire became an opportunity to make changes. The Ballpark now has a capac-ity of 8942. There are eight hospitality decks, two indoor clubs, two lawn seating areas, and 21 luxury suites.Lew, Denny, JoeChamberlin grew up in East Grand Rapids, graduating from East Grand Rapids High School. He attended Allegh-any College in Pennsylvania, and then the University of Toledo College of Law. He has two children and four stepchildren and lives with his wife Anne in Cascade. He serves on numerous commu-nity service boards. Baxter grew up in Muskeg-on, graduated from Muskegon Catholic Central High School, and attended Michigan State University where he earned a degree in accounting. He and his wife Rhonda live in Mus-kegon and have three grown children and two grandchil-dren. Joe Chamberlin earned a bachelor’s degree at Wooster College in Ohio and a master’s degree in labor relations and human resources at Michigan State University. He worked for a Fortune 500 financial services company in Detroit before joining the Whitecaps organization in 2013 where he has held several positions. He and his wife Dana live in Cas-cade and have two sons.Play BallThe West Michigan White-caps 30th season opens on Thursday, April 6 with a 6:35 p.m. home games against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. For more information visit www.whitecapsbaseball.com.Whitecaps started with pair’s dream of bringing professional baseball to West Michigan“A lot of people thought we were crazy, didn’t think we had a chance,” said Denny Baxter of a “fantasy” he and Lew Chamberlin had of bringing professional baseball to West Michigan. BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTDenny Baxter and Lew Chamberlin announce expansion plans for LMCU Ballpark on Jan. 12.West Michigan Whitecaps Opening Day 1994 with Lew Chamberlin, Joe Chamberlin, Meg Chamberlin, Denny Baxter and Tara Baxter.

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www.comstockparkdda.org Comstock Park Communicator April 1, 2023 | Page 7It’s an opportunity for young players to establish themselves at the Major League level.“The best thing about young players is that they come with no past. They come with a fresh slate, a clean start, and they have the opportunity to be great,” Hall of Fame Detroit Tigers broad-cast announcer Ernie Harwell once said.As any Tigers fan will tell you, when Ernie speaks, we listen.Known for his down-home charm and genuine good-ness, Harwell was the voice that generations of diehard fans heard each Spring. He understood baseball’s lore. Its cadence. Its chapters.It’s for that reason he began each season by famously say-ing:“Slow and steady, the turtle wins the race. Every Open-ing Day, it’s a reminder that there’s a long, long way to go, and that the key to success is consistency - slow and steady, day in and day out. You don’t have to do everything at once; you just have to do something every day.”As a life-long Detroit Tigers fan, I tend to get a little sen-timental about baseball this time of year.To quote a baseball exec-utive Billy Beane of “Money-ball” fame:“It’s hard not to romanti-cize baseball; it’s the nature of the game. The grass is always perfect; the white lines are always freshly drawn; and the ball always seems to find the hole in the defense. It’s the perfection of the moments that makes you believe in it. And in a way, the perfection of the moments is the enemy of actually doing anything.”Of course he was referring to how romanticizing the game blinds the realities of the game.For me, it opens our eyes to bask in its beauty.So Many MemoriesAs we age, as our life tran-sitions from raising kids to actually finding time to sit down with a good book, we also find time to reflect on our lives. Baseball has always been at the heart of our family.We celebrated the start of EVERY new season.• The start of baseball and softball seasons at Northwest-ern Little League, where I coached for many years at all levels, even before two of our three sons were born.• The inaugural 1994 sea-son of the West Michigan Whitecaps, an affiliate of the Oakland A’s at the time (which lasted three seasons before becoming an affiliate of the Tigers).• And the day Ernie Har-well would welcome fans to old Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park.Whether on those beautiful Little League fields mani-cured and maintained by vol-unteers or the pristine majes-ty of Comerica Park done by professionals, Opening Day has always been our day.As residents of Comstock Park, we are blessed to have the West Michigan White-caps, the High-A affiliate of our beloved Tigers in our backyard.It’s our personal field of dreams, envisioned by some dear friends - Denny Baxter, Lew Chamberlin and Scott Lane, and carried on with the same level of dedication by CEO Joe Chamberlin, Pres-ident Steve McCarthy and General Manager Jim Jarecki.The physical changes to LMCU Ballpark in the upcom-ing years are going to be huge!“Take a picture,” said Whitecaps radio broadcaster Dan Hasty in a recent inter-view. “This ballpark is not going to look the way that it will look over the next 2, 3, 4 or 5 years. This place is about to get a monster facelift!”One thing won’t change is the memories that come from Opening Day.“When we were coaching, opening day meant praying that I could make more peo-ple happy than ticked off,” said retired Northwestern Little League president Mike Brown, my neighbor, in a recent conversation.“Now it means summer is just about here, and I’ll be able to sit in the bleachers with the warm sun on me, not caring if the game goes extra innings.”Here’s to a great 2023.Play Ball!( This article was written by John Gonzalez, a freelance journalist and radio host. He and his wife, Pam, have been Comstock Park residents since 1990. They have three sons, Zak, Ty and Zane, and three lovely granddaugh-ters.)It’s a fresh start for veterans looking to rebound from a mediocre season. Opening Day means so much to baseball fans.Long-time Comstock Park resident and journalist John Gonzales.John Gonzales’ granddaughter enjoys a West Michigan Whitecaps game.

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Page 8 | April 1, 2023 Comstock Park Communicator www.comstockparkdda.org Pizza SlicesOnly $1(From 11AM-2PM)4438 Westshire Dr NW,Comstock Park, MI 49321(616) 784-3620www.Cppizza.netBuy Two16” Pizzas& get a Stix orCinnamon Stix for $30!Purchase two 16” pizzas with 2 topping(s), andenjoy a stix or cinnamon stix for $30!Oer good through May 1, 2023.One coupon per person. Not valid with other oers.Monday: 3-9PMTues-Fri: 11AM-9PMSaturday: 1-10PMSunday: 1-9PMOpen for LunchTuesday thru FridayKimberly Van Houten, owner of KVH Labs, was based in a garage addition in her Cedar Springs home. She outgrew the home facility and started looking around for a new location. Holly del Rosa-rio, owner of Cookie Chicks, suggested the Comstock Park location and she moved KVH Labs in November 2022.“It’s a perfect location,” said Van Houten said about the 700 square-foot space. It’s close to highways and to many of her clients. About 11 area dentists and ortho-dontists rely on KVH Labs to make retainers, bite splints and expanders.Van Houten has worked in the dental field for more than 20 years and started KVH Labs nine years ago. “I worked for several den-tists and orthodontists. I was able to learn a lot from them and decided to go out on my own,” Van Houten said. On a typical day Van Houten checks work orders received and starts the pro-cess of making the retainers and bite splints in her facility. Impressions or scans are used in the making of retainers. Making a retainer takes about 45 minutes. The first step is bending the wire. Liq-uid and powder are mixed at the acrylic station and the mixture put into a pressure pot for about 15 minutes. It takes about 15 minutes for the mouth palate part of the retainer to harden. Van Houten said this is the fun part of making retainers as many requested stickers, colors and designs such as watermelons, kiwi or Ameri-can flags can be used. More 3-D PrintingVan Houten also plans to use upstairs space next door to house her 3D printer. More and more appliance work for doctors and orthodontists use 3D printers that require a room free of any dust. A 3D printer can create retainers with a digital oral scan of the patient’s teeth that can be easily converted to a retainer model for direct printing. These scans eliminate the unpleasant aspects of tradi-tional impressions that can cause gagging. “It’s (3-D printing) has been around for a while. It’s just really becoming popular now,” Van Houten said. “It’s not necessarily cheaper but it’s more accurate and its eas-ier for the little kids.”Running a business has become a bit more compli-cated for Van Houten. She hired her first two employees – Kristine and Karissa --- and now she has rent and payroll. She sought out employees with some experience, dexter-ity and good hand-eye coordi-nation. She’s working hard to create a good work environ-ment with some flexibility for her new employees.Van Houten and her hus-band Jason live in Cedar Springs and are the parents of two young adults, Haley, 21, and Austin, 18.KVH Labs expands with new office space in Comstock ParkLast November KVH Labs moved to its new location at 4005 W River Dr NE Suite B3, the former location of Alter Ego Comics & Books. BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTKimberly Van Houten moved her business to Comstock Park in November 2022.

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www.comstockparkdda.org Comstock Park Communicator April 1, 2023 | Page 9Let ’s make aRACKET!!COST: Includes special T-shirt / Prizes $30.00/personDEADLINE MAY 29THDEADLINE MAY 29TH Any questions – Call 214-1476 Ask for BillNORTHWESTTENNIS ACADEMYMON, JUNE 12 thru FRI, JUNE 16CAMP LOCATION:KENOWA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL COURTSKENOWA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL3825 Hendershot NWSPECIAL EVENTS / PRIZES FOR ALL AGES.9:30a.m. - 11:30a.m – Specialized InstructorsPee Wee (PW) - Just Learning 5-10Beginners (B) - Played a sportIntermediates (I) - Played some tennis12:00p.m. – 2:00pm - Instructors Varsity(AD2) ADVANCED II Middle School / Travel Team(AD1) ADVANCED I Varsity/JV/USTA Travel TeamNAME______________________________ AGE____ Shirt SIZE______Youth-Adult (S/M/L/XL)ADDRESS___________________________________CITY___________________________________ZIP____________PHONE__________________________PROGRAM_____________PW B I AD2 AD1Make Checks to: NORTHWEST TENNIS/Bill SchaeferSEND TO: NORTHWEST TENNIS7369 Willowwood DrBelmont, MI 49306NORTHWEST TENNIS ACADEMYIn February 1932 John E. Morris held a meeting with a group of veterans to discuss the formation of an American Legion post for the veterans in Comstock Park. They got the necessary 15 paid mem-berships. That March a tem-porary charter was granted, and the first official meeting was held. Morris is listed as the first commander. Other officers are listed as John Host, vice-commander; William Saunders, second vice-commander; Matt Siegel, adjutant; H. Lucht, finance officer; Frank Brechting, his-torian; L. Pettengrill, chap-lain; and Joseph Steffens, sergeant-at-arms. The American Legion may be best known for its fish fries. Since the Legion held its first fish fry in 1966 the members have served up almost 200,000 fish dinners and fried literally tons of fish. Profit from the first fish fry was a whopping $100 that helped pay for a new building. Now the Legion serves more than 300 dinners at each of the popular fish fries that take place September through November and January through April.Permanent Charter in 1932A permanent charter was granted in August 1932, and the official name was the Louis Tiestler Post 47. Ties-tler was from Comstock Park and served in the Navy during World War I. He died in October 1917 on a ship in New York. The Comstock Park Auxiliary bought a headstone for Tiestler who is buried at Fairplains Cemetery in Grand Rapids.In January 1934 the Legion purchased a building from Comstock Park Schools on a piece of land on West River Drive near what is now Divi-sion Avenue. The Legion also sponsored its first baseball team that year. Membership grew from the original 15 to more than 70 members in 1939. There were more than 300 members after World War II. There are currently 360 members. More than 90 years of history for American Legion in Comstock ParkThe Comstock Park Louis Teistler American Legion Post 47 has a rich history in Comstock Park. See LEGION, PG 10Jim Saunders, current commander of the Comstock Park Louis Teistler American Legion Post 47 next to a picture of Louis Teistler.Gale Pringer, commander of the Comstock Park Sons of the American Legion.

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Page 10 | April 1, 2023 Comstock Park Communicator www.comstockparkdda.org We are a local family-owned company since 1963 oering fullservice collision repair for large and small jobs. We can alsohelp with towing and rental car arrangements.We are a Direct Repair Shop for many insurance companies andwe are a OEM Factory Certied repair facility for Ford, Dodge,Jeep, RAM, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Kia and Hyundai.(616) 784-53954019 W River Dr NE, Comstock Park, MI 49321ComstockParkBodyShop.comThe current 2022-2023 officers are Jim Saunders, commander; Dennis Rum-baugh, senior vice command-er; Larry Allan, second vice commander; John Schapp, past commander; Scott Boogaard, adjutant; Larry Gravelyn, finance officer; Jerry Hoyce, judge advocate; Joe Kline, chaplain; Ray Looman, historian; and Ray Zuidema, sergeant-at-arms. In 1946 the Legion sold their building back to the school and rented the top floor of what was then Stow-ell’s Hall on the corner of Four Mile Road and West River Drive. A few years later they purchased the building. A fire in 1964 destroyed the building, and a new one was built in its place that is still home to the Legion. The Legion was an active and important part of the community sponsoring dances, parties, Memorial Day parades, fundraisers, and baseball teams. But the organization had its critics in the churches and temperance organizations of the time that frowned on serving liquor. Those critics have mainly gone by the wayside while the Legion has endured and still offers a gathering place for members to get together and enjoy a drink and camarade-rie.Ladies AuxiliaryThe Ladies Auxiliary formed in December 1932 to support the Legion, the veterans, and their families. There are currently 310 mem-bers. Current Auxiliary board members include: Renee Lance, president; Ashley Davis, first vice president; Jill Hubbart, second vice presi-dent; Bernie Gull, secretary; Beth Nash, sergeant of arms; LouAnn Palmer, treasurer; Marnie Stein, chaplain; Jane Covert, historian and Lee Gravelyn, Jackie Lomanacco, and Char Nyland, executive board members. Originally for women only who were spouses of veterans, new rules now allow men who are spouses of veterans to join the Auxiliary. The Comstock Park Legion also has a Sons of the American Legion (SAL), formed in 1984, for sons and grandsons of veterans. There are currently 350 SAL mem-bers. A veterans’ memorial was installed in Dwight Lydell Park in 1946 where a wreath is placed each year. Legion-naires annually place flags on the graves of veterans at Plainfield Cemetery on Memorial Day. They also do a chicken barbeque and flag retirement ceremonies on Memorial Day and Labor Day. LEGI ONContinued from PG 9The Flag of Honor was created to remember and honor the victims of 911, created by John Michelotti. Veterans’ Memorial in Dwight Lydell Park. Photo of the rst CP Auxiliary, founded in December 1932 (Courtesy photo CP Auxiliary)See LEGION, PG 11

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www.comstockparkdda.org Comstock Park Communicator April 1, 2023 | Page 11Pancake Breakfasts, Scholarships, Crafts, Picnics and MoreMembers of the Legion, the Auxiliary, and SAL are still an active part of the community. Members sponsor a Boy Scout Troop 304 and do a monthly pancake breakfast, cooked up by the Scouts who also help with the fish fries, to raise funds for the troop’s activi-ties. They give scholarships to local high school students. Some of the “crafty” Auxil-iary members knit hats and blankets for babies at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. Members host events like spaghetti dinner fundraisers for veterans and their families in need of help. The Post also has an annual picnic and golf outings. There is a kids’ Christmas Party each year, and members cre-ate holiday baskets for needy families. Horns-A-Plenty plays a combination of Dixie-land, blues and ballads on the second Sunday of the month. Auxiliary members volunteer at the Veterans’ Facility on Monroe Avenue in Grand Rapids. For more information visit www.facebook.com/ALAu-nit47.Sources:“Comstock Park: Mill Town to Bedroom Suburb” by Dave Wier“Plainfield Charter town-ship History 1838-1988” contributions by Suzanne CarpenterLEGI ONContinued from PG 10Signups have begun for camp sessions that will take place on June 12, 13, 15, 19, 22 (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.). Maranatha Day Camp averages 400 campers spread out over 22 wooded acres. A spring-fed pond is open for campers for swim lessons or free swim time. The camp features 28 different crafts, recreation time, Bible study, free lunch, team building with counselors and free time.For more information, including sign ups and videos from past years, visit www.mbcmi.org/day-camp/. Maranatha Day camp is locat-ed on the grounds of Marana-tha Bible Church located at 4426 Stony Creek Ave. NW in Comstock Park. Crafts, recreation, Bible study at Maranatha Day Camp in JuneParents looking for something for their kids to do can registers them for the Maranatha Day Camp. Signups Sta and campers from Maranatha Day Camp in 2022. Grand History of River City and beginning square danceUpcoming Golden Panthers programsApril 14 – A Grand His-tory of River City, 1 p.m. Caroline Cook will pres-ent a visual history of Grand Rapids with historical photo-graphs beginning with geolo-gy through present time and into the future. Cook is a spe-cialist in meeting the needs of mature, life-long learners in West Michigan. She leads theme-related walking tours and bus tours, as well as virtual tours and Zoom pre-sentations. The themes vary from Grand Rapids architec-ture to women in Grand Rap-ids history and much more.May 5 – Beginning Square Dance, 1 p.m.Chuck Novak will lead beginning square dancing with do-si-does and more and a little history too. No part-ner or experience necessary. “Two-left feet” welcome!” Novak is a retired elementary and middle school teacher at Kenowa Hills Public Schools. He started square dancing in college with the Michigan State University Promenad-ers. He has called for the Grand Rivers Squares in Grand Rapids for 35 years has been one of the callers for the Happy Soles in Wyoming.Members of the Golden Panthers take part in a decoupage craft project on March 2.The Golden Panthers, an outreach group for area seniors, hosts programs at the Henze Center, 1100 Henze St. between Sam’s Club and Walmart.BUSINESS BREIFSThe Cooking Connections Café officially opened the end of February on 3979 West River Dr. NE. Eternal Coffee ceased operations in Comstock Park and closed its coffee operations. After two days of closure the business reopened as Cooking Connec-tions Café, according to Holly del Rosario, owner of Cooking Connections Café and the adjacent Cookie Chicks.The coffee shop includes earlier hours, now open at 6 a.m. to handle early bird commuters. Curbside pickup is also now available and bet-ter price points on coffee and coffee/muffin bundles. Cook-ing Connections Café is open seven days a week – 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday – Friday, Saturday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Based on customer demand, del Rosario said Cooking Connections Café will adapt and make chang-es. More staff will be hired including special needs young adults to handle the expanded operation.“We want to see how the community responds and adjust accordingly,” del Rosa-rio said.Historic Dairy De-Lite for saleComstock Park area resi-dents with fond memories of Dairy De-Lite on West River Drive now have a chance to own the place. The popular ice cream shop is for sale.Hannah Greening, manag-ing broker with Fancy Real Estate, said the shop has been in the current owners’ family for 26 years but now they’ve decided to sell. Greening is confident that Dairy De-Li-te will remain an ice cream shop. As of mid-March there were a couple of leads for the sale of the business but no firm offers. “Commercial properties take a little bit of time. It is a best fit for an owner/opera-tor,” Greening said. “I don’t think it will be on the market very long.” With an asking price of $325,000 the business includes 734 square feet including an upstairs studio apartment currently sued for storage. Greening said the financials of the business are great and the business is prof-itable. “It’s definitely a fair price. We have the paperwork avail-able if anyone is interested,” Greening said. The sale price includes all of the equipment and training for the new owner “to come in seamless-ly.”For more information contact Greening at holler@fancyrealestate.org, (616) 516-5561.Girl Scouts is the largest leadership organization for girls in the world and builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.Girls Scouts are from kin-dergarten up to seniors in high school where they will learn about STEM, explore the outdoors, and gain entre-preneurship and life skills. For more information visit www.gsmists.org or call (844) 476-4787Girl Scout troops now forming in Comstock ParkCooking Connections Café opens with expanded hours

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Page 12 | April 1, 2023 Comstock Park Communicator www.comstockparkdda.org Open Truck Driving JobOpportunities in MichiganRegular and Flexible Home TimeInsurance BeneﬁtsGreat Beneﬁts & Pay Package!$2,500 Sign-On Bonus!Take theWheeland MoveYourCareerForwardCONTACT AMANDA AT:1.800.958.4959931 Interchange Dr.,Holland, MI 49423The future was calling. And West River Drive went from two lanes to four lanes, demolishing whatever would impede that progress. In some places, left turn lanes and right turn merge lanes would be added, as West River Drive entered the mod-ern world and seemed to leave its past behind. But members of the Plain-field Grand Rogue Historical Society (PGRHS) work hard to keep the past alive, espe-cially in the one house that was preserved from the bull-dozers – the William Hyser House, now the Hyser Rivers Museum. The name of the historical society may sound new and that’s because it is. The former Plainfield Township Historical Preser-vation Advisory Committee has been decommissioned by the Plainfield Township Board of Trustees. Tom Coleman, Plain-field Township supervisor, explains that the township’s historical committee struc-ture often limited certain actions, such as fundraising to purchase antiquities not in the township budget, or pur-suing projects such as a new museum that are not a town-ship priority. “We are not dismissing the committee or its mission to preserve the history of the township,” Coleman said. “Rather, we want to free our committee to pursue goals the members choose. We are excited to see the direction this new historical society will take.”Members of the former township historical commit-tee now serve as a Board of Directors for the Plainfield Grand Rogue Historical Soci-ety, which is organized as a non-profit that will operate independently from the town-ship. Brian DeVries heads up the Membership Commit-tee, Sharon Wells and Norm VanSoest serve as Directors with officers Deb Havens, president, Sue Richardson Irvine, secretary, and Louann Briggs-Larsen, treasurer. The Board came up with the new name, the Plainfield Grand Rogue Historical Society, which honors the two rivers that 50 years ago inspired the name “Hyser Rivers Muse-um,” for the house that sits where the Grand and the Rogue Rivers join.PGRHS Board members are excited by the new oppor-tunities ahead. There are two important goals: “First, we want to welcome everyone into the Plainfield Grand Rogue Historical Soci-ety, something we couldn’t do before because members of the township committee were appointed by the township,” Havens said. “We plan to present interesting programs and fun events for a very rea-sonable membership fee that is geared for every history lover; at the same time, we will be preparing the Hyser Rivers Museum to flourish now and into the future under the care of new generations to come.”The PGRHS Board has already presented a program to Northview Seniors that highlights the history of the Hyser Rivers Museum and Plainfield Village, a town that flourished in the mid-1800s but disappeared in the early 1900s. For more information, contact Brian DeVries, mem-bership chairperson at (616) 363.9258 or email debha-vens@att.net.Preserving the past, present and future of Plainfield Township history Fifty years ago, in June 1973, bulldozers roared on either side of what used to be a fairly quiet country road north of the Grand River. Deb Havens, president of the Plaineld Grand Rogue Historical SocietyThe Hyser Rivers Museum is located on 6440 West River Drive NE in Plaineld Township.

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www.comstockparkdda.org Comstock Park Communicator April 1, 2023 | Page 13An experienced real estateprofessional with over22 years of helping our neighborsnavigate the home selling andbuying journey.“Kari was amazing from the rst moment she walked in thedoor. We trusted her opinion on getting the best returnon our home and she delivered. After making a few minorupgrades and some fresh paint she sold our home almost$50,000 over asking price. That scored us a prot of afew hundred dollars short of a whopping $100,000 prot.Anyone would be blessed to have her in their corner whenbuying or selling. Side note she helped us buy the house3 years prior and was just as amazing then. She is a giftedRealtor and the only option to go with!!!“Virginia FavelaLooking to Buy or sell? I can HelpThe market has done a shift with the higher interest rates; however, we are in still going strong! The demand for hous-es in the Comstock Park area has not slowed down. If you have lived in your home for two years or more, you will have a lot of equity in your home. Buying a home in today’s market is a complex prop-osition for even the most seasoned buyer and seller. Beyond engaging a real estate professional with experience in the local market, you want someone you can trust, and with the negotiating expertise required to navigate trans-actions smoothly. Through my years of experience as a realtor, I’ve gained knowledge and developed negotiating skills that benefit clients. As a longtime resident of the Com-stock Park community, I am familiar with all the neigh-borhoods and how to get the most value when selling. In this market as well as any; price, condition and marketing matter! Preparing your property is very import-ant to be able to get top dollar out of your home. Yes, the market is still bringing in multiple offers on homes that are priced right and in good condition. It is amazing what fresh paint, and some new rugs can do. In some cases, bringing in a stager is a won-derful option. The advice and guidance provided by a profession-al real estate agent can be invaluable, particularly amid a hot or unpredictable housing market. The biggest challenge right now with real estate is low inventory. House prices are still on the rise and the demand is high. As a buyer it is important to get a great lender and know all your options. It is imper-ative to be prepared so when you find that perfect house you are able to write a strong offer. I can guide you and refer you to some of the best lenders in the industry. If you are looking to purchase a home in the near future it is best to make contact early to be able to be informed of the process.Comstock Park has so much to offer homeowners and buyers! The pride of community is second to none. People stay here and children grow up, get married and come back and raise their children here. We enjoy a small-town feel, but with the nearby freeway we are able to get anywhere in the Grand Rapids metro area in 15 min-utes.My family loves living close to the White Pine Trail for walking our dog and riding bicycles. How cool is it to have the Whitecaps and the ballpark in our own back yard?Let me help you make wise real estate choices. Feel free to contact me at (616) 262-5124, karikippenrealtor@gmail.com.(This article was written by Kari Kippen, a realtor with 23 years’ experience. She and her husband Deron Kippen chose Comstock Park to live and raise their four children. Kari enjoyed being involved with the schools and sports teams while her children grew up. For many years she was involved in Relay for Life and served as chairperson. She is currently involved with the Comstock Park Rotary. If you would like to write an article of interest to Comstock Park area residents, please email kegentry@comcast.net)Demand for homes in Comstock Park remains strong Spring market is here and is in full swing! Kari Kippen, realtor.

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Page 14 | April 1, 2023 Comstock Park Communicator www.comstockparkdda.org The NW Youth Soccer Association (NWYSA) is a volunteer-run program thatoffers introductory, recreational, and recreational travel levels of soccerfor children ages 1-15 regardless of the community in which they live.Fall Season Signups:Early Signup Discounts Begin In May,Regular And Late Signups June Through September.Spring Season Signups:Early Signup Discounts Begin In October,Regular And Late Signups February Through April.www.NwSoc13.Org • 616.514.0637 • NwSoc13@Gmail.ComThe new fire engine play table includes fun toys needed to help transform little ones into fearless firefighters.” It’s been a joy watching as children create different games and stories around the theme of rescuing people,” said Dave Fletcher, youth librarian. The WonderKnook gives children opportunities for open-ended play and imaginative thinking. This gives children ways to develop into confident creative think-ers and explorers, all while bringing their unique selves and culture to their play.The library is open Monday – Saturday for many chances for children to visit the Won-derKnook fire engine play table and space and to rescue their favorite book character.To encourage healthy development and learning through regular play, the library also offers weekly story times, craft programs, and Girls that Code program.Along with the new fire engine, the library’s kitchen space has been updated with a new kitchenette set. More toys are made with natural materials in a shift away from plastic toys. The new toys help encourage open play and can be manipulated and used in different ways.Upcoming Spring Programming -Never Too Old Book Dis-cussions – 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 11 and May 9-Beginning Macramé – 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 20 -Growing & Harvesting Herbs – 6:30 p.m. on Thurs-day, May 18 -Lit Wits Book Discussions – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 27 and May 25 Summer Programming -Animal visits from Critter Barn, Alligator Sanctuary and Llamas at the Library-Popular Youth Presenters Tom Plunkard, Alex Thomas and Carmeron Zvara-Comstock Park’s very own Jerry Berg and the Swords-manship Museum and Acad-emy-Crafts for teens including Polymer Clay and HennaFor a complete list of all programs and events at the Comstock Park Branch library, and all KDL, visit kdl.org/events.Library’s WonderKnook Play Space offers imaginative open play for childrenComstock Park Branch Library’s new WonderKnook offers imaginative open play for children and honors the library’s historical past as a former fire station house. Arthur and Teddy try out the re truck in the library’s new WonderKnook.Ellie prepares for a possible future career in re ghting.

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www.comstockparkdda.org Comstock Park Communicator April 1, 2023 | Page 15“I love art,” Melvina said. She and other students at the K-2 school got to select their favorite artwork to dis-play for their classmates and their families at a show in the school’s gym-turned-gal-lery on March 2. Her chosen painting of trees featured tempera paint for the bark, warm watercolors for the background, and recycled cardboard to show texture.Melvina and others also displayed handmade clay pinch pots. “I really like making some-thing with clay, because it’s fun and I love painting clay,” Melvina said.Second-grader Hudson Vanderhoff chose his pump-kin drawing to display. For that project, art teacher Macy Austin taught them about space and shape while stu-dents drew the pumpkins, making them large to fill their canvases. Pumpkins were out-lined with glue to give them a bumpy texture. Oil pastels were used to add color and blended to make light and dark areas. Although most of the stu-dents’ pumpkins appeared to sit on a green surface, Hudson chose brown.“I wanted mine to be a little bit different, so I made it on wood,” he said. He added that they have an art project every week and learned about horizons and landscapes in class in early March. Hudson said he is good at coloring, and espe-cially likes to color drawings made by his older sisters. Many first graders selected a penguin project to display. Austin said those were creat-ed during a printmaking unit, where each student used half a potato dipped in paint to print penguin bodies, which were detailed using tempera. Watercolors were used for backgrounds, and oil pastels were painted over watercolors to make snowflakes.Exposure to MediumsFor young elementary students it’s about exposure to all types of art, said Aus-tin, who also teaches at Pine Island Elementary. She intro-duces students to mediums such as painting with water-color and tempera, drawing with pastels, and paper mache. This spring, students will be exposed to famous art-ists and art history.She said it’s fun to see stu-dents who aren’t interested in one type of art find they excel at another, such as fiber. “By the time they get to middle school they know what they’re interested in and can narrow their focus in art,” Austin said. (This article was originally published by School News Network –To view more articles about Comstock Park Public Schools go to www.schoolnewsnetwork.org/cat-egory/comstock-park/)Pinch pots, penguins, pumpkins and moreStoney Creek Elementary second-grader Melvina Sheriff enjoys her weekly 30-minute art class, especially painting with watercolors. Comstock Park School News3700 Millcreek NE, Comstock Park, MI 49321(Along 131/ Just north of I-96)616-784-52145241 Plaineld Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525(Near East Beltline)616-364-49882 locations to serve you!www.boumastorage.com*CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE*MOBILE STORAGE CONTAINERSThe Bouma Self-Storage Sta: Ralph, Jackie, Jean, Rayboumastorage@comcast.netSecond-grader Melvina Sheri loves art, especially painting with watercolors.

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Page 16 | April 1, 2023 Comstock Park Communicator www.comstockparkdda.org Throughout the year, stu-dents collect tickets passed out by teachers and staff as rewards for doing the right thing, going above and beyond, performing school tasks or acts of kindness. Every one to two months they shop with their tickets as currency in the revamped storage closet colorfully deco-rated and filled with all sorts of toys, trinkets and school supplies that appeal to third, fourth and fifth graders.“I just feel like it’s a really, really good program,” Brae-lynn said. “It helps kids do the right thing in school and you get rewarded for it.” In early February she trad-ed in her five tickets for a small whiteboard that opens up to a mirror to use in her locker. In past shopping days she selected a sugar cookie set, cotton candy hand san-itizer, puppets and a water bottle.“A new thing — I put a ticket in the raffle for a fuzzy blanket,” Braelynn said.For fifth-grader Aeirus Brideforth, the store rep-resents kindness and doing good. She collected 40 tickets for being kind, working hard, believing in herself, showing leadership and doing what she’s supposed to do. One of her classmates was short three tickets to trade for some stickers so Aeirus gave her three of her own.“She’s, like, so kind to me, why not be kind back?” Aeirus said. She is looking forward to next month when she plans to put a ticket in the raffle for a skateboard.A Successful OperationNicole McKay, a non-in-structional and recess aide, supervises the store, which is in its second year. A handful of Parent and Teacher Orga-nization volunteers help.McKay said the store pro-vides an incentive for stu-dents, who often look for ways to earn tickets. The monthly raffle, where students can put in as many tickets as they want, is a way for them to earn bigger prizes. She works hard to fill the store with desirable goods that appeal to 8 to 11-year-olds, noting it’s harder to figure out what appeals to boys of that age.“They get super excited when it’s going to be open,” McKay said. McKay said she has received plenty of positive feedback from parents includ-ing some who wished there was something similar when they were in school. Feeling their way through the pro-gram, teachers are giving out considerably less tickets this year compared to last year.Building Mutual TrustBrian Morrison, principal of Pine Island Elementary, said the district is implement-ing Positive Behavioral Inter-ventions and Supports.“PBIS is looking to reward kids for the behaviors we want to see more of, rath-er than only punishing the behaviors we don’t want,” Morrison said. This focus on students doing well and rewarding that behavior builds trust between adults and students.“Once that relationship is formed, our teaching can begin,” Morrison said.The store is funded by the community. At the begin-ning of the school year a POP (Power of Purpose) fundrais-er raised enough to stock the store every month.Morrison hears from family members about stu-dents going home and brag-ging about the items they “bought.”A trip to the school storeFifth-grader Braelynn Vandenberg believes there’s less chaos and discipline problems at Pine Island Elementary all because of the school store.Fifth-grader Aeirus Brideforth likes the multi-colored pens in the school storeFifth-graders Enrique Rios and Lynnahya Kramer with Nicole McKay (center), supervisor of the school storePine Island Elementary students shop in the school store with their earned ticketsFifth-grader Braelynn Vandenberg shows Nicole McKay, non-instructional aide, her selection from the school store

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Page 18 | April 1, 2023 Comstock Park Communicator www.comstockparkdda.org CCOOMMSSTTOOCCKK PPAARRKK PPUUBBLLIICC SSCCHHOOOOLLSS 2022-2023 CALENDAR August 16 & 17 (Tues. & Wed.) Professional Development for all staff August 22 (Mon.) First full day for students August 26 (Fri.) No School for students and staff September 1 (Thur.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. September 2 (Fri.) No School for students and staff September 5 (Mon.) No School for students and staff October 5 (Wed.) First student count day October 14 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. November 23-25 (Wed-Fri.) No School for students and staff /Thanksgiving break December 15 (Thurs.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. December 16 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. December 19-Jan. 2 No school/holiday break (11 days) January 3 (Tues.) School resumes January 20 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. February 8 (Wed.) Second student count day February 20 (Mon.) No school for students and staff/mid-winter break March 10 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. March 31 (Fri.) No school for students and staff/spring break April 3-7 No school for students and staff/spring break April 10 (Mon.) School resumes May 29 (Mon.) No school/Memorial Day June 1 (Thurs.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. June 2 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. TTHHIISS IISS PPAANNTTHHEERR CCOOUUNNTTRRYY CCOOMMSSTTOOCCKK PPAARRKK PPUUBBLLIICC SSCCHHOOOOLLSS 2022-2023 CALENDAR August 16 & 17 (Tues. & Wed.) Professional Development for all staff August 22 (Mon.) First full day for students August 26 (Fri.) No School for students and staff September 1 (Thur.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. September 2 (Fri.) No School for students and staff September 5 (Mon.) No School for students and staff October 5 (Wed.) First student count day October 14 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. November 23-25 (Wed-Fri.) No School for students and staff /Thanksgiving break December 15 (Thurs.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. December 16 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. December 19-Jan. 2 No school/holiday break (11 days) January 3 (Tues.) School resumes January 20 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. February 8 (Wed.) Second student count day February 20 (Mon.) No school for students and staff/mid-winter break March 10 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. March 31 (Fri.) No school for students and staff/spring break April 3-7 No school for students and staff/spring break April 10 (Mon.) School resumes May 29 (Mon.) No school/Memorial Day June 1 (Thurs.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. June 2 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. TTHHIISS IISS PPAANNTTHHEERR CCOOUUNNTTRRYY CCOOMMSSTTOOCCKK PPAARRKK PPUUBBLLIICC SSCCHHOOOOLLSS 2022-2023 CALENDAR August 16 & 17 (Tues. & Wed.) Professional Development for all staff August 22 (Mon.) First full day for students August 26 (Fri.) No School for students and staff September 1 (Thur.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. September 2 (Fri.) No School for students and staff September 5 (Mon.) No School for students and staff October 5 (Wed.) First student count day October 14 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. November 23-25 (Wed-Fri.) No School for students and staff /Thanksgiving break December 15 (Thurs.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. December 16 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. December 19-Jan. 2 No school/holiday break (11 days) January 3 (Tues.) School resumes January 20 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. February 8 (Wed.) Second student count day February 20 (Mon.) No school for students and staff/mid-winter break March 10 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. March 31 (Fri.) No school for students and staff/spring break April 3-7 No school for students and staff/spring break April 10 (Mon.) School resumes May 29 (Mon.) No school/Memorial Day June 1 (Thurs.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. June 2 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. TTHHIISS IISS PPAANNTTHHEERR CCOOUUNNTTRRYY CCOOMMSSTTOOCCKK PPAARRKK PPUUBBLLIICC SSCCHHOOOOLLSS 2022-2023 CALENDAR August 16 & 17 (Tues. & Wed.) Professional Development for all staff August 22 (Mon.) First full day for students August 26 (Fri.) No School for students and staff September 1 (Thur.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. September 2 (Fri.) No School for students and staff September 5 (Mon.) No School for students and staff October 5 (Wed.) First student count day October 14 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. November 23-25 (Wed-Fri.) No School for students and staff /Thanksgiving break December 15 (Thurs.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. December 16 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. December 19-Jan. 2 No school/holiday break (11 days) January 3 (Tues.) School resumes January 20 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. February 8 (Wed.) Second student count day February 20 (Mon.) No school for students and staff/mid-winter break March 10 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff professional development p.m. March 31 (Fri.) No school for students and staff/spring break April 3-7 No school for students and staff/spring break April 10 (Mon.) School resumes May 29 (Mon.) No school/Memorial Day June 1 (Thurs.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. June 2 (Fri.) K-12 students half day a.m./staff work day p.m. TTHHIISS IISS PPAANNTTHHEERR CCOOUUNNTTRRYY

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www.comstockparkdda.org Comstock Park Communicator April 1, 2023 | Page 19 March 20, 2023 Hello Panther Nation! On May 2, 2023 our community will vote on a school bond proposal for Comstock Park Public Schools. If approved by voters, this bond would provide $59,460,000 for district-wide improvements with an estimated no tax rate increase over the current rate. This proposal focuses on three key, district-wide areas: safety & security, educational environments, and health & efficiency. This proposal is an outcome of our district’s strategic plan. We appreciate the guidance of so many stakeholders, including staff, parents, and community members. In addition to the numerous meetings, we were able to engage a large portion of our community through surveys which helped guide us in this process. You can learn more about the proposal by visiting www.cpps-bond.com. We will continue to share details of the proposal through newsletters and social media. Please reach out if you have questions regarding the bond proposal. Sincerely, David Washburn Superintendent Feeling like youpaid too much intaxes this year?Contact your nancial advisortoday to learn about investingstrategies that could benet you.FAP-1942N-A-AD> edwardjones.com | Member SIPCAndrew N Bok, AAMS™Financial Advisor4582 West River Dr Ne Suite AComstock Park, MI 49321-8941616-988-6428Chiropractic Carefor the whole family“Helping you reach your health care goals.”Visit and follow us on Facebookfor exclusive offers, health tips and more!• Deep Tissue & Relaxation Massage• Hot or Cold Stone Massage• Prenatal Massage• Spinal Adjustments• Extremity Adjustments• Cold Laser• Traction• Decompression• Medical Massagewww.serenitywellnesschiro.comDr. LynnMarie S. Leyderinfo@serenitywellnesschiro.com542 S. State St. • Sparta MI 49345phone:616-887-2178374 Seminole Rd. • Norton Shores, MI 49444.phone:231-375-5995March 20, 2023Hello Panther Nation!On May 2, 2023 our community will vote on a school bond proposal for Comstock Park Public Schools. If approved by voters, this bond would provide $59,460,000 for districtwide improvements with an estimated no tax rate increase over the current rate. This proposal focuses on three key, district-wide areas: safety & security, educational environments, and health & efciency.This proposal is an outcome of our district’s strategic plan. We appreciate the guidance of so many stakeholders, including staff, parents, and community members. In addition to the numerous meetings, we were able to engage a large portion of our communitythrough surveys which helped guide us in this process.You can learn more about the proposal by visiting www.cpps-bond.com. We will continue to share details of the proposal through newsletters and social media.Please reach out if you have questions regarding the bond proposal.Sincerely,David WashburnSuperintendent

Comstock Park Communicator April 1 2023

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