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Rockford Register — July 15, 2010
Now–August 7
KDL Summer Reading Club—Make reading fun and rewarding this summer, and sign up for the “Make a Splash at your Library” Summer Reading Club at any Kent District Library branch—for kids entering grades five and under, readers and pre-readers. For more information visit www.kdl.org.
Thursday, July 15
Alive & Well Performance at Lowell Summer Sizzlin’ Series—7 to 9 p.m. at the Lowell Riverwalk. This classic rock band includes Roger MacNaughton of Bostwick Lake Congregational Church.Free admission.
Wildlife Safari—2 p.m. at Krause Memorial Library, 140 E. Bridge St., Rockford. Go wild with the Animal Guy and encounter exotic animals from around the world! For all ages. For more information, call the library at (616) 647-3940.
Friday, July 16
Nature Discovery Hour—10–11 a.m. at Howard Christensen Nature Center, 16190 Red Pine Dr., Kent City. Children ages 2 to 6 are invited to explore the Red Pine Center, visit “nature stations” indoors and hear a story. Afterward, families are encouraged to take a hike and bring a sack lunch to eat back in the interpretive center. This event is free. Please contact the Nature Center online at www.kentconservation.org/hcnc or call (866) 675-3158 to RSVP so we know how many children to expect (child’s name, age and phone number or e-mail address).
Saturday, July 17
Christmas in July Sale—noon to 5 p.m. at the Rockford American Legion, 330 Rockford Park Drive (just off Northland Drive), Rockford, sponsored by the Rockford American Legion Auxiliary. Books and gifts for all ages.
Sunday, July 18
Roast Beef Dinner—11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at VFW Post 3946, located at 4195 Thirteen Mile Road, Rockford. Cost is $8 for adults; $3 for children.
Monday, July 19
Free Food for Needy Families—5 p.m. at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 6070 Kuttshill Drive, Rockford, with a Mobile Food Pantry providing free food for needy families in the North Kent community. For more information, call the church at (616) 866-1556.
Beyond Magic with Magician Tom Plunkard—2 p.m. at Krause Memorial Library, 140 E. Bridge St., Rockford. This high-impact magic show is loaded with new tricks! For all ages. For more information, call the library at (616) 647-3940.
Tuesday, July 20
Country Music—9:30 to 11:30 a.m. every Tuesday at Rockford Ambulance Community Center, corner of 10 Mile Road and Shaner Avenue in Rockford. Music by the Rogue River Band. Enjoy free coffee, tea and snacks.
Wednesday, July 21
Teen Iron Chef—2 p.m. at Krause Memorial Library, 140 E. Bridge St., Rockford. Are you an aspiring world class chef? Enter Kitchen Stadium and battle other teens in preparing dishes with a secret ingredient. Registration is required and participation is limited. For grades 6–12. For more information or to register, call the library at (616) 647-3940 or visit www.kdl.org.
Thursday, July 22
Rockford Lions Club Meeting—6 p.m. social, 6:30 dinner and 7 p.m. meeting at the Community Cabin, Rockford. Meetings held every second and fourth Thursday of each month.
Monday, July 26
WaZoBia—2 p.m. at Krause Memorial Library, 140 E. Bridge St., Rockford. Hear the beat! Feel the rhythm of Africa! You won’t sit still for this program full of percussion play and dance for all ages. For more information, call the library at (616) 647-3940.
Tuesday, July 27
Country Music—9:30 to 11:30 a.m. every Tuesday at Rockford Ambulance Community Center, corner of 10 Mile Road and Shaner Avenue in Rockford. Music by the Rogue River Band. Enjoy free coffee, tea and snacks.
Wednesday, July 28
Interactive Story Adventure—10:30 a.m. at Krause Memorial Library, 140 E. Bridge St., Rockford. Help the book “In the Small, Small Pond” by Denise Fleming come to life by wiggling through a tunnel, stacking like a beaver, and much more! For children ages 6 and under with a caregiver. For more information, call the library at (616) 647-3940.
Thursday, July 29
Summer Archery League—7 p.m. at Rockford Sportsman’s Club. Outdoor shooting with targets from 18 to 70 meters. Open to compound bows, recurve bows and crossbows. For more information or to sign up, visit rockfordsportsmansclub.com or call Bill at (616) 485-7373.
Monday, August 2
Blood Drive—noon to 7 p.m. at Rockford Community Cabin, 220 N. Monroe St., Rockford.
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Rockford club produces national champs
May 13, 2010 · Filed Under Top News Stories · 1 CommentA Rockford program which is just four years old is already setting its sights on the highest levels—and reaching them.
On Northland Drive north of 13 Mile Road, drivers may have noticed a sign for the Rockford Sportsmans Club. Neighbors may hear the report of gun shots as members practice their aim.
What you won’t see driving by or hear is the swish and thunk of arrows hitting the target. Every Saturday morning a group of talented athletes have been honing their skills as members of the Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) program.
SHARP SHOOTERS—Stars of the Rockford Junior Olympic Archery program include (front) Alice Billin, Tyler Glenn and Raija McIntyer and (back) Mikaela, Corinne Giersch, Mikayla Venoms, Hayley Giersch and Katerina.
Archery has been a Rockford Community Education program for years and is so successful classes are often full the day registration opens. Four years ago local sportsmen, including 1984 Olympic archery athlete Glen Myers, decided to crank up the level of competition by starting JOAD at Rockford Sportsmans Club. Since, the team has earned two national championships and is competing at a world-class level.
“It’s cool. It’s like an unspoken sport,” said Mikaela (last name withheld by request), 16, who shot her way to 13th place in Indoor Nationals.
Mikayla Venoms, 10, and Alice Billin, 15, are two other stars in the program. Both took first place in national competition.
Billin said she has been shooting her recurve bow for four years. “I fell in love with recurve and look at that, I’m a national champion.”
Most of the archers said they practice daily in addition to the Saturday practice with coaches. In winter the practices are from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. In summer they are outdoors from 10 a.m. to noon.
“Our coaches are the best,” said Raija McIntyre, 18. McIntyre is a coach herself and placed eighth in Junior World Trials. She said archery is more than just a sport. “It’s also the friendships we make. We exchange e-mails and see the same people in competition so we keep in touch. They aren’t our competition, they are our friends.”
Marti, mother of two of the girls, said archery is more a mental sport than physical, and the archers often help their competitors. If one has an equipment failure, it is not uncommon for another, competing archer, to offer use of their gear. “We aren’t competing against each other,” said Arn McIntyre, Raija’s father. “They are trying to beat their own last best score.”
It is also a sport that any student can do well with if they are determined to practice and learn. National Champion Mikayla Venoms is a little bit of a girl, a petite winner who proves you don’t have to be biggest to be best. The Rockford athlete took first in the female recurve bowman division at nationals. Archery is also an excellent sport to receive a college scholarship, particularly to Michigan State University, which has a huge archery program.
Of the 52 students in the JOAD program—from all over Kent County—many are taking state titles are adding to a growing reputation. “People are starting to sit up and take notice when they see that Rockford orange show up at a competition,” said coach David Hinkle.
Hinkle said the program supplies equipment to new members and the cost is small for a sport—under $10 per weekly lesson. Eventually parents will want to buy a child their own gear, but a decent setup can be had for around $250. Hinkle said anyone interested in the sport is more than welcome to come watch the arrows fly on Saturday mornings at the club, 11115 Northland Drive. “It is statistically the safest sport. It is safer than bowling,” he noted. Otherwise, watch the news as these shooting stars continue to rise on their way to someday competing on an Olympic level.
“You don’t realize how big it is until you are in it,” said Raija. To find out more, visit the Rockford Sportsmans Club online at Rockfordsportmansclub.com.
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Riptide places sixth overall in state championships
Rockford Riptide sent its largest contingent of swimmers ever to the 12-and-under Michigan Swimming Short Course state championships March 12-14 in Waterford, Mich. A total of 17 Riptide swimmers qualified and competed in 73 individual swims and six relays during the event. This was nearly double the number of qualifiers in previous years. Riptide placed sixth statewide in the championship, the best showing of any West Michigan team.
Swimmers who qualified and competed in individual events included Ethan Babcock, Russell Brown, Alec Cutler, Jacob Fase, Daniel Haid, Christina Hanssen, Kennzie Hartmann, Julian Kipke, Delayni Kornak-Kortoba, Marissa Marion, Sydney McDowell, David Newberger, Jacob Newberger, Dakota Noble, Peyton Rayburn, Abigail Setterington, and Meegan Snyman.
“Many of our swimmers were relatively inexperienced going into the highest level meet for this age group, but they had what other teams didn’t: a drive to succeed,” said Coach Mike Cutler. “We shattered several club records, and many swimmers delivered personal-best times at the state event.”
J. Newberger placed in the top five in each of the 11 events in which he competed and took first place in the 10-and-under 100-meter backstroke events, setting a new Riptide club record in the process. Snyman also placed first in the 10-and-under 50-meter breaststroke event.
The girls 10-and-under 200-meter relay team of Setterington, McDowell, Snyman, and Hartmann placed second and also beat the previous club record by more than five seconds. The boys 11-12 200 free relay team of Brown, Cutler, Haid and D. Newberger placed first. Other swimmers placing in the top five in events during the state meet were McDowell and D. Newberger,
Swimmers ages 13 and up competed in their state meet March 19-21 and some will go on to sectionals in Indianapolis the last weekend of March.
Riptide is currently registering swimmers for its spring conditioning season, which runs April 12 through May 27. Riptide’s purpose is to introduce children to the benefits of competitive swimming and encourage swimmers to reach their highest level of potential in and out of the water while demonstrating leadership and sportsmanship skills. For more information, visit www.riptide.org.
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Rockford Riptide shines at Super Splash Stroke Championship
Rockford Riptide swimmers perform the Hokey Pokey at a recent competition.
The Riptide team is winding down its winter competitive season with some strong performances. More than 70 local Rockford Riptide competitive swim team members competed in the club’s recent Super Splash Stroke Championship.
Eleven Riptide swimmers took first place in one or more events. They are Russell Brown, Alexa Caster, Stephan Cress, Jessica Cutler, Rachel Gamm, Daniel Haid, Marisa Marion, Sydney McDowell, David Newberger, Jacob Newberger, and Craig Wasberg.
Also placing in Super Splash events were Riptide swimmers Grace Badinovac, Yousef Bennett, Erica Cutler, Jessica Cutler, Sara Fredricks, Rachel Gamm, Daniel Haid, Julian Kipke, Marissa Marion, Sydney McDowell, David Newberger, Jacob Newberger, Rachael Romain, Meegan Snyman, Noah Stallworth, Karrington VanderMolen, Craig Wasberg, and Madelyn White.
Riptide swimmers are almost midway through the very competitive winter season. Upcoming meets include the Junior Olympics trials in Holt, plus the 12-and-under state championship at Waterford and the 13-and-over state event at Jenison.
Riptide’s purpose is to introduce children to the benefits of competitive swimming and encourage swimmers to reach their highest level of potential in and out of the water while demonstrating leadership and sportsmanship skills.
Rockford Riptide swim team is now registering swimmers its spring session, which runs April 12 through May 27. Riptide is a United States Swimming competitive swim program and part of Rockford Aquatics.
A registration session is scheduled for Monday, March 15 and Wednesday, March 17, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the Rockford High School pool.
Competitive swimming experience is not necessary, and swimmers new to Riptide will be evaluated during the registration session so they can be placed in the program that best fits their skills and goals.
Riptide is comprised of several swim sessions over the course of the year. These sessions vary in length and involve some meet opportunities in addition to practices. Fun events like beach parties and pizza and pool game nights are included during the sessions. For complete information about Riptide programs, visit www.riptide.org.
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Teen hero rushes to rescue at Santa Parade
December 23, 2009 · Filed Under Top News Stories · Comment
This year's Rockford Michigan State Police Explorers group includes Alex Kilvington (center, front), who helped a fellow teen with a diabetic reaction during Rockford’s Santa Parade December 5. Also pictured are (not in order) Christian Bomer, Samuel Griswold, Zachary Johnson, Grant Longberg, Zachary McKale, Joseph Punt, Sgt. Amber Sauer, Jacob Scheib, Lt. Jonathan Spanding, and Joshua VanKammen (Joseph Flores not pictured).
Alex Kilvington joined the Michigan State Police Explorers because he’d like to someday have a career helping others. Apparently he’s ready to start doing that right now.
Kilvington was working in his role with the youth Michigan State Police Explorer program at the Santa Parade on Saturday, Dec. 5, when he realized something was wrong. One of the Rockford High School band members was having trouble seeing and breathing. Kilvington said he asked if the boy had eaten. When he found out he hadn’t, Kilvington suspected a diabetic reaction.
Kilvington saw a Michigan State Police (MSP) trooper, flagged him down, located an ambulance, and cleared traffic from the crowded parade staging area by the Rockford Community Cabin on Monroe Street.
MSP Explorer coordinator Trooper Roberto Anaya is very proud of his teen squad leader. He said Kilvington was able to summon an ambulance and get the other teen to the hospital for treatment.
Kilvington said his experience as an MSP Explorer made a difference when he was called to act. “I didn’t really even think about it,” he said, crediting his first-aid training.
Kilvington said his three years in the program have changed him, and he can’t say enough about the value of the experience. The Rockford senior is headed off to Grand Rapids Community College next year and plans to go into law enforcement.
“I recommend the MSP Explorer program to anyone,” he said. “It is a great overview. It amazes me all the things I’ve learned in the last three years. I can’t even describe how well this program is organized.”
The MSP Explorer program is in its fifth year, and is designed to introduce teens to the world of law enforcement. It provides hands-on training in patrol, defensive tactics, firearms, evidence collection, and first-aid. The Rockford group meets weekly at the Rockford Sportsmans Club on Northland Drive.
Anaya said Kilvington has been promoted to the rank of sergeant and acts as a squad leader. He is much more qualified to handle a medical emergency than most young men his age, and perhaps more than most adults.
Kilvington, along with other Explorers, has learned Citizens Emergency Response Training, a program which teaches ordinary people outside of law enforcement how to be of help in a disaster or emergency situation.
“He has really grown a lot, really matured during his time as an Explorer,” Anaya said of Kilvington.
Anaya said the Explorers work actively in the community as in their role as Explorers. During Rockford’s Relay for Life, the Explorers act as security during the night hours and Kilvington was working Santa Parade as an Explorer when this emergency occurred. Kilvington acted exactly as Anaya hopes his team would in such a situation.
“They are very much aware that when you put on a uniform, you are in a glass house. Everyone looks at you,” he said of the responsibility of the position. “When people see the uniform, they don’t see Explorer, they see Michigan State Police. They are representing us. When we accept an Explorer, we are very careful, very selective.”
Anaya said members of the first group of Explorers he worked with are now graduating from college and may be looking for a job in law enforcement. He said the Newaygo Explorers has a graduate of the program who was recently hired by the Kent County Sheriff’s Department.
“We might end up hiring one of our Explorer graduates if we are ever in a position to hire again,” said Anaya, pointing out that the MSP has unfortunately had to cut 100 officer jobs statewide.
Explorers need to be high school students and do not have to be from Rockford. The program takes place during the school year, and teens are encouraged to be in the program more than one year. The Michigan State Police has over 1,000 applicants for a recruit school and only 80 to 120 are accepted. Being an Explorer gives potential law enforcement candidates a great advantage in all fields of law enforcement. To find out more about Explorer Post 2610, call Trooper Anaya at (616) 866-4411.
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