With your help, coming soon to a courthouse near you – the new home of the Rockford Area Museum. Photo by CLIFF HILL

History is a living thing. It’s not only about the past, history is being made today and it will continue being made tomorrow and into the future. You may think history is boring and you may well have hated it in school but nevertheless, everyone plays a role in the making of history.

This article may be rather long and redundant but bear with us and see if you don’t identify yourself at some point in our narrative.

For many years the Rockford Historical Society has operated the Rockford Area Museum (RAM) in an overcrowded and inadequate antique of a building adjacent to the Rogue River Dam in downtown Rockford. The current RAM houses the past history of the greater Rockford community and because of its size and condition it is totally inadequate to the task.

One cannot turn around in the RAM without bumping into one’s self. It is so full of the artifacts of the area’s history that exhibits overflow into one another and cannot be separated to be adequately appreciated. Many large and important artifacts are out of sight and stored elsewhere. The RAM building lacks the simple necessities of running water and restrooms. Lacking air-conditioning, it is stifling in the summer. It is poorly lit making it difficult to discover the many treasures hidden within. The RAM, in this location, lacks adequate parking for volunteer staff and visitors. We could go on and on but you get the idea. The rhetorical question should be, can’t the Rockford community do better?

“Given what the volunteers of the Historical Society have had to work with these many years, they have done an absolutely wonderful job,” said Museum Consultant Gerard Adams, “but it’s time to take the RAM to the next level. What the RAM now has is an antique shop without prices. What the RAM needs is to provide visitors an ‘experience’ in history.” (Adams is a highly credentialed museum designer who at one point served as curator/collection manager at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids.)

Always harboring a desire to move the RAM to larger quarters, the Historical Society and its many supporters were afforded a one-year window of opportunity to relocate the RAM to the vacant Kent County 63rd District Court Building adjacent to Rockford City Hall. At the July Rockford City Council meeting in 2011, the Society was asked to raise upwards of $300,000 within a one-year time frame to make the move a reality.

Monies raised, along with in-kind services, would be necessary to renovate and update the somewhat neglected (by Kent County) interior of the Courthouse Building. New lighting, new flooring, new mechanicals (if necessary), etc., whatever it would take to bring the building up to Rockford standards. A portion of the raised funds would be set aside to insure ongoing sustainability after the new museum opens its doors.

The Historical Society would then be tasked with the design and creation of new displays, some interactive and changing monthly. It will appeal to the youth in all of us. For the first time, adequate space would be available to properly display the extensive collections of the RAM, many newly acquired.

The new RAM will have twice the display area of the old museum. It will be easily handicap accessible, as compared to the long ramp leading up to the narrow entrance and aisles of the current museum. It will have restrooms for both visitors and staff. It will have an office for museum staff. It will have storage space and a research area. And perhaps most important (for creature comfort), it will be air-conditioned and have the added plus of parking at its very front door along with additional parking at the rear of the building in the City’s Main St. parking lots.

The new RAM will, for the first time, keep regular hours. It will hire a part-time Museum Director who will be assisted by volunteers. It is hoped the new RAM will become a signature destination promoting the past, the future, and the excellence of the ENTIRE greater Rockford community. “It will be like no other museum anywhere in a town this size,” said Consultant Adams.

More than just the City of Rockford alone, it’s a Community effort

Raising $300,000 is a daunting task. From the git-go a few thought it impossible but RAM supporters are tenacious. Rockford Historical Society President Terry Konkle is now proud to say, “The Historical Society and its patrons, with 5 months left until the July 2012 Rockford City Council mandated deadline, have already secured donations (both monetary and in-kind) totaling half the required amount.”

“This does not mean we are home free,” said Konkle, adding, “We need to reach out to each and everyone in the entire 66,769 populace of the greater Rockford community, to reach our goal.”

The RAM is more than just the history of the City of Rockford and its peoples. It is the history of a community of peoples, with Rockford at its center, surrounded by the townships of Plainfield, Algoma, Courtland, and Canon. Many, if not most, identify Rockford as their hometown. It’s where they went to school. It’s where they’re employed. Faith based, it’s where they attend almost four-dozen churches. It’s where they play and shop and dine. It’s where they bring friends and relatives from out-of-town. It’s where they participate and attend annual events, festivals, and celebrations. It’s where they voted Rockford’s Farm Market – “America’s Favorite”. It’s where they volunteer their time, their talents, and their treasures to worthy causes. You get the idea. We are all – both the business community and individuals alike – part and parcel of the history of Rockford.

From its very beginnings as a little lumbering hamlet that grew up around a sawmill on the Rogue River then known as Laphamville, Rockford has also become home to a benevolent group of community minded businesses. One such company is Wolverine World Wide (WWW). The history of Rockford is entwined with the 1922 birth of Wolverine Shoe and Tanning Corporation, later to become known as Wolverine World Wide. Headquartered in Rockford, WWW is one of the largest and most prosperous shoe manufacturers in the world.

In Rockford’s more recent past one business, Herman’s Boy, is another example of business benevolence. The family–owned business is ever so proud of its history and loves to promote its home in Rockford as “one location world wide”.

For its part The Rockford Register, known today as the Rockford Squire, is Rockford’s oldest continually operating business. The first issue of the newspaper rolled off the presses on February 8, 1871. Soon to be 141 years old, the Squire has faithfully chronicled the lives and times of the Rockford area community. From the very beginning every single issue of the newspaper has been bound in annual books and presented to the Rockford Historical Society for placement in the museum. The Krause Memorial Library in downtown Rockford also has a microfiche file of every Squire issue. Indeed, the newspaper itself is a living breathing history of the area’s past.

Let’s git ‘er done

Rockford is envied throughout the state of Michigan for 4 things; its commitment to excellence, its reputation for getting things done against insurmountable odds, the all abiding generosity of its peoples, and most importantly, as Rockford Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Shibler always likes to say, “The greatest asset to Rockford is its people.”

“It takes a village” and the Rockford Historical Society is reaching out to the community to fulfill “their impossible dream”. The dream of having a new home for the Rockford Area Museum, a home we can all be proud of.

You can own a piece of that dream. Donations, both small and large, are being accepted. Be it a buck or a $gazillion, all contributions are greatly appreciated. Konkle smiled when he told us, “Nobody’s checked the $gazillion box on the RAM donation pamphlet as yet but hope springs eternal!”

Tax exempt donations may be remitted to: Rockford Area Community Endowment, ATTN: Rockford Area Museum, P.O. Box 781, Rockford, MI 49341-0561 or contact Terry Konkle at 866-0530 for more information.

(**Reporters Note: At the annual January Meeting of the Membership of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, during a segment called “The year (2011) in review”, the best newspaper headline of the past year was announced. On the front page of an August edition of the Squire was a blaring headline: “Market contest ending, please VOTE! …even if you’ve never been to farm market or hate vegetables”.

So it only follows that – “Please DONATE to the RAM, even if you’ve never been to the Rockford Area Museum, or you hate old things.” Dig deep ladies and gentlemen, with the entire community’s support, Rockford won the America’s Favorite Farmers Market contest and it certainly deserves the best small city museum in America!)

Terry Konkle Photo by Cliff Hill

My writing this week will be devoted mostly

to sharing some information about the history of the Rockford area. I call this a “Did YouKnow” column.

Did you know:

• Smith Laphams’ daughter, Amy Ann, was Rockford’s first school teacher.

• Fremont Street was named after John Fremont who was the Republican presidential candidate in 1856. His running mate as vice president was William Dayton, and Dayton Street is named for him. Fremont lost to James Buchanan.

• In 1869, Rockford built a new three-story brick school building by bonding the district for $20,000. The school housed all grade levels most of the time for many years before being destroyed by fire in February 1922.

• A new school, with all rooms on one floor andhousing all grades of Rocford students from 1923 to 1954, was built on North Main Street.

• Parkside Elementary School was built to ease the overcrowding of the school on North Main by moving the lower grades out of the building to the new location on Lewis Street.

• The coming of the railroad to our town caused a name change from Laphamville to Rockford, because railroad officials wanted a different name.

• A major fire in April 1878 destroyed several Rockford downtown buildings.

• Another fire in December 1883 demolished about 75 percent of the Rockford downtown businesses about 10 days before Christmas.

• A third fire in April 1896 burned out businesses on the block between Bridge and Courtland streets on the east side of Main Street.

• Many of the brick buildings that are now (2012) on the east side of Main Street between Bridge and Courtland were built after the fire of 1896. The Hessler Opera House is one of them. So is the building housing the Rogue River Tavern.

Let’s conclude this section with a trivia question. If you know the correct answer, contact me at (616) 866-0530 or The Rockford Squire at (616) 866-4465. Each correct responder will receive a surprise gift that can be picked up at the Squire office.

The trivia question is: “In 1910, what was the tallest building in Rockford?”

Finally, please consider supporting our project

of moving the museum. Donations can be sent to: Rockford Area Historical Society, PO Box 781, Rockford, MI 49341. Thanks for your help with this positive endeavor.

Highlights for the year include:

• Revenue rose 12.9% to a record $1,409.1 million, driven by double-digit growth from each of the company’s branded operating groups: the Outdoor Group, Lifestyle Group and Heritage Group. Foreign exchange contributed $17.3 million, or 1.4%, to reported revenue growth. This year’s revenue represents the second consecutive year of double-digit growth, reflecting strong momentum for the company’s brand portfolio in almost all major geographies.

• Gross margin of 39.5% was equal to the prior year’s reported gross margin, representing outstanding performance in a challenging sourcing and product cost environment.

• Operating margin expanded to a record 12.1%, compared to prior year reported operating margin of 11.4%.

• Diluted earnings per share increased 14.3%, to $2.48, compared to prior year adjusted earnings per share of $2.17. Reported full-year earnings per share in 2010 were $2.11.

• The excellent free cash flow generated in 2011 was used to invest for future growth, fund benefit plans for employees and return value to shareholders through the payout of $22.7 million in dividends and the repurchase of 1.8 million shares for $65.3 million.

“Our portfolio of strong, global lifestyle brands combined to deliver another year of record performance,” said Blake W. Krueger, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Each of our three branded operating groups and our direct-to-consumer business contributed to the year’s outstanding results. Additionally, all major international regions reported double-digit revenue growth, as our newly created International Group focused on the significant opportunities outside of North America. Our distributor and licensee business, which markets our brands in nearly 190 countries, also had an exceptional year, with revenue up nearly 40%. We are very proud of the record performance in 2011 and are excited about the global momentum of our brands, our continued geographic expansion and the impressive product innovations we have planned for 2012.”

Highlights for the fourth quarter 2011 include:

• On top of the prior year’s 23.2% fourth quarter revenue growth, revenue in this year’s fourth quarter rose 5.6% to $406.5 million, representing the sixth consecutive quarter of record revenue, driven by growth from all branded operating groups.

• Gross margin in the quarter decreased 20 basis points to 36.9%, with incremental non-cash LIFO expense lowering gross margin by 80 basis points.

• The company continued to invest behind its most important growth initiatives, with a double-digit increase in marketing investments in the quarter.

• Diluted earnings per share during the quarter of $0.47 compares to $0.52 in the prior year, a decrease of 9.6%. Organic growth across the portfolio of brands was offset by $0.06 per diluted share in incremental investments to drive accelerated growth; $0.04 per diluted share in incremental non-cash LIFO expense; $0.02 per diluted share in higher tax expense as a result of a lower effective tax rate in the prior year; and a one-time gain on the sale of a non-core business that added $0.02 per diluted share to fourth quarter fiscal 2010 results.

Don Grimes, the company’s senior vice president and chief financial officer, commented, “We are extremely pleased with the company’s double-digit increases in both revenue and earnings per share, another record year by both measurements. This exceptional financial performance in 2011 is indicative of the strength of our business model, the drive and focus of our seasoned management team and the discipline with which we manage the business. We remain focused on our goal of delivering superior financial results while increasing brand investments to drive future growth.”

The company’s outlook for 2012 reflects the following:

• the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar versus the British pound, the Canadian dollar and the Euro;

• revenue in the range of $1.485 billion to $1.525 billion, representing growth of 5.4% to 8.2% versus the prior year;

• moderate gross margin expansion;

• modest SG&A deleverage reflecting approximately $11.1 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, of incremental non-cash pension expense; an estimated $2.5 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, of incremental expenses associated with a significant expansion of the company’s distribution infrastructure in support of future growth; and incremental investments associated with retail store openings;

• a full-year effective tax rate of approximately 28%;

• fully diluted weighted average shares outstanding of approximately 49 million; and

• fully diluted earnings per share in the range of $2.60 to $2.70, representing growth of approximately 4.8% to 8.9% versus the prior year. Adjusted for the estimated incremental non-cash pension expense, earnings per share are expected to grow in the range of 10.9% to 14.9%.

Krueger concluded, “We are in a strong position heading into the new year, with several global consumer trends and macro lifestyle trends working in our favor. The expanding footprint of our lifestyle brands and our ability to target many different consumer groups through a variety of distribution channels enables us to outperform in many different economic environments. We are certainly excited about the company’s prospects for 2012.”

With a commitment to service and product excellence, Wolverine World Wide Inc. is one of the world’s leading marketers of branded casual, active lifestyle, work, outdoor sport and uniform footwear and apparel. The company’s portfolio of highly recognized brands includes: Bates, Chaco, Cushe, Hush Puppies, HYTEST, Merrell, Sebago Soft Style and Wolverine. The company also is the footwear licensee of popular brands including CAT, Harley-Davidson and Patagonia. The company’s products are carried by leading retailers in the U.S. and globally in more than 190 countries and territories. For additional information, please visit www.wolverineworldwide.com.

Speese Painting Co. has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service and health providers.

Dave Speese, owner of Speese Painting Co., said, “We are certainly pleased to receive this award. We truly care about our customers and are very proud of our team of professional employees.”

“Only a fraction of the businesses rated on Angie’s List can claim the sterling service record of being a Super Service Award winner because we set a high bar.” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “The fact that Speese Painting Co. can claim Super Service Award status speaks volumes about its dedication to consumers.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their clients and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Seeing is believing—Two pumpkin plants started from the same seed at the same time show the difference between a soil-grown plant (on floor) and one grown in a hydroponic system available at Northern Lights Garden Supply.

Northern Lights Garden Supply is ready to grow with Cedar Springs—literally. The one-stop grow shop is located at 141111 White Creek Avenue and is family owned by Jamie Taylor and operated by her husband Jason. The Taylors note that people who live in the area have to drive a considerable distance for specialized gardening supplies such as those offered by Northern Lights. The store includes specialty growing systems and organic supplies that are increasing in popularity. In addition to the store’s wide variety of products, the advice of a professional who understands options, including economic solutions, is another value of shopping locally.

“We are all about displaying the products we sell,” Jamie noted.

In the store, visitors can see the difference in the speed and vigor of plant growth using products sold by the company. The trailing vines and huge leaves of a pumpkin grown in a hydroponic system dwarf one grown in a pot in soil, an amazing demonstration that gardeners can see for themselves in the store.

Jason Taylor, of Northern Lights Garden Supply, pictured in the shop with twin three-year-old daughters Kaia and Chloe.

A three-month-old banana plant, pumpkin, zucchini and flowers growing in the showroom demonstrate indoor options for year-around growing. Jason said it is fun to experiment with growing plants in different mediums—soil, cocoa, and hydroponics—so customers can see the many different ways to grow indoors.

“We support Michigan growing green,” said Jamie. “Hydroponics is our specialty and it is great for the environment. It saves water and uses less than ten percent water than soil-grown plants. It can also be used anywhere and produces up to five times as much as soil in the same space.”

Northern Lights Garden Supply features a wide variety of products from Foxfarm nutrients, Botanicare nutrients, SunHuts, BC Bloom, Humbolt nutrients, Magnum XXX reflectors, Eye Hortilux and Uship bulbs as well as Roots soil. Coming soon will be House and Garden nutrients.

Indoor gardeners from beginners to seasoned vets will find their needs met, and Jason listens with care to customers in order to bring products and supplies shoppers want. Package deals help keep costs down and a complete hydroponics set-up can be as low as $275. Weekly specials are also offered.

Northern Lights Garden Supply is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is reached by telephone at (616) 263-9465. Visit online at northernlightsgardensupply.com.

According to Dr. Eggerichs, “Women need love. Men need respect. It’s as simple and as complicated as that.”

One conference attendee remarked, “I know my wife truly loves me, but because she practices giving me respect on a daily basis (sometimes I’m not respectable), I have been able to feel fulfilled and my home is by far the best place I want to be at any given time. We are sure that this teaching will revive and restore many marriages.”

Dr. Eggerichs has been invited to speak to the NFL owners and coaches, the PGA players and spouses at The Player’s Championship, and the New York Giants at their new stadium in N.J. But most honoring to him was being invited by the military brass to speak to the troops in Iraq this year.

Dr. Eggerichs is the author of several books, including the national bestseller “Love and Respect, “which has sold over a million copies. He has graduate degrees from Wheaton College and Dubuque Seminary and a Ph.D. in child and family ecology from Michigan State University. Married in 1973, he and Sarah live in Grand Rapids. He is the founder and president of Love and Respect Ministries.

Contact River Rock Church at (616) 874-0400, e-mail connect@riverrockcommunity.com or visit loveandrespect.com/events/details/991 to reserve your space online.

The Healing Fields Project raised $55,000, to be given back to the community through the sale of flags and private donations, as part of the 10-year remembrance of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. RACE will take applications until March 1, 2012, at which time the Board will convene and make grant awards. Grants will be available in an amount not to exceed $5,000, and those agencies who participated in the Healing Fields Project will receive priority funding. Applications can be obtained at the Rockford City Hall and Plainfield, Cannon, Courtland and Algoma township halls, as well as through the Rockford Public Schools Administration Offices.