Sept. 1, 2008

The DigestWhat’s Happening at KVCC

What’s below in this edition Welcomers (Pages 1/2) Day-care hours (Page 9) Food schedule (Page 2) CNM update (Page 10) Winds of change (Pages 2/3) Odyssey Day (Pages 11/12)

Grant deadlines (Pages 3/4) Fitness challenge (Pages 12/13) Cougar Connection (Page 4) Haunted house (Page 13) So long, Tom (Pages 4-6) ‘Amazing Castle’ (Pages 13/14) Swap Meet (Page 6) 40th seals (Page 15) Arctic peril (Pages 6-9) Lead safety (Page 15) KVM T-shirts (Page 9) And Finally (Page 16)

☻☻☻☻☻☻Student welcomers to launch fall semester

Faculty and staff will be manning welcome-back-students tables on both the Texas Township and Arcadia Commons campuses for an hour or two to launch the fall semester on the right foot.

Those who would like to volunteer for Tuesday and Wednesday duties can contact Rose Crawford at extension 4347 to sit with a colleague at locations around the Texas Township Campus, answer questions, and give directions. Folks can also stop by her desk in the Admissions, Registration and Records Office to sign up.

Personnel at the Arcadia Commons Campus can contact Jackie Cantrell at extension 7805 to volunteer, offer directions and answer questions. Mary Johnson is also

looking for table sitters as part of Cougar Connection festivities. Among the 63 bringing their smiling faces and affable ways to the tables at the

entrances by the tower and the flags, as well as at the gateway to technology wing and Student Commons are:

Terry Coburn, Cynthia Schauer, Jim Taylor, Michael McCall, Jamie Tucker, Tom Thinnes, Dan Mondouz, Robyn Robinson, Pam Siegfried, Matt Dennis, Colleen Olson, Lois Brinson, Dorothy Kovacs, Teresa Hollowell, Helen Palleschi, Nancy Taylor;

1

Ezra Bell, Muriel Hice, Steve Cannell, Diane Vandenberg, Jaime Robins, Courtney McCaul, Darlene Kohrman, Sheila Eisenhauer, Kathleen Cook, Laura Cosby, Sommer Hayden, Lori Evans, Ray Andres, Jackie Howlett, Tom Lentenbrink;

Mike Hall, Karen Phelps, Haley Crites, Pat Conroy, Stella Lambert, Mary Martin, Deb Bryant, Lori Hatfield, Ray Hendriksma, Wanda Scott, Theo Sypris, Marylan Hightree, Harland Fish, Dwight Coblentz, Terry Hutchins, Mel VanAntwerp, Carol Orr;

Patricia Niewoonder, Pat Pojeta, Rick Margelis, Thomas Hughes, Renee Mielke, John Holmes, Louise Anderson, Bala Balachandran, Denise Baker, Lynn Berkey, Rick Ives, Kate Ferraro, Charissa Oliphant, Arleigh Smyrnios and Karen Visser.

Food-service hours back to normal Normalcy in food service on the Texas Township Campus returns to its regular

hours beginning Tuesday (Sept. 2), while the coffee shop in the Student Commons is also back to full brew with a few new wrinkles added.

The cafeteria hours through the fall semester are 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Fridays. The new food-service manager is Mark Tucker.

The coffee shop will be serving from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. Muriel Hice reports the shop will be offering Starbuck’s coffee as well as some of its other beverages.

Wind turbine to rise on KVCC campus Speaking on the Texas Township Campus Wednesday to launch KVCC’s

entrance into the Wind Energy Era, Congressman Fred Upton echoed T. Boone Pickens’ energy-independence crusade now under way as he lauded the evolving partnership between the college and Western Michigan University to move the process along.

Upton, third ranking Republican on the 57-member House Committee on Energy and Commerce, reported that WMU’s highly visible wind turbine has doubled its generating capacity in the year it’s been operational because of ever-advancing technology, and he predicted KVCC’s unit, which will be constructed during the fall semester on the bluff overlooking the soccer and ball fields, will be equally productive and educational.

Pickens, a lifetime Texas oil man, says the United States can’t drill its way out the current energy crisis. He is urging Americans to spur Congress into creating a renewable-energy network and break the OPEC cartel by emphasizing cleaner, cheaper and domestically produced energy from a variety of sources.

In introducing Upton, President Marilyn Schlack said that “if all goes as planned, in the near future Michigan’s windy days will be blowing good fortune on our state and its economic vitality, and Congressman Upton has been, is and will be playing a key role in bringing that all about.”

Jim DeHaven, KVCC’s vice president for economic and business development, said the original plan was to install the 120-foot, 50-kilowatt turbine – powered by a trio of 25-foot blades – on M-TEC property along I-94 for public-visibility purposes.

But the environmental price of that would have been high because dozens of healthy trees would have been felled to place it there and provide space to maintain it. Besides, he said, the wind there isn’t all that good. But it is ample on the western edge of the campus.

2

The turbine will serve as the symbol of the educational partnership between the WMU College of Engineering and KVCC. One of the offshoots will be the conversion of a lab at the M-TEC for the training of what could be a growing cadre of wind-energy technicians and to offer research-and-development opportunities for regional businesses.

Upton said the WMU-KVCC partnership to create the Wind Energy Center is “American ingenuity at work.” The doubling of the electricity generated by the WMU unit in only one year is another example of that, as are the giant wind-energy turbines being built for national distribution by K & M Machine-Fabricating Inc. in Cass County.

“T. Boone Pickens already has the plan,” the Republican congressman said. “We must do it all. We can’t just rely on one source of energy. Congress is not doing its job to bring this about, to make certain that wind energy and solar energy are part of the picture. Renewable sources of energy have to be part of the mix.

“The technology is advancing every day,” Upton said, “and Congress must follow that lead. Something has to be done because the soaring energy prices impact the most on Americans with limited financial resources.

“Great things happen when leaders work together,” Upton said. “What is

happening here will be great for students and great for the future of our communities.” In addition to serving as an instructional resource for current and future wind-

energy technicians, the turbine will be generating power for the college’s use by some time in November.

Equipment will provide students “real-time” experiences with this alternative source of energy and train the next generation of technicians in this field. A secondary goal is to utilize this equipment to train the existing technical workforce in the design, assembly, maintenance and repair of this emerging technology.

Other objectives include educating the public about alternative sources of energy and to get high school students, such as those enrolled at the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center, involved so that they can increase their knowledge and awareness about the efficiencies of wind energy.

“An educational institution leading by example is the way I see it,” DeHaven said. He believes that the KVCC Wind Energy Center will have educational, job-training, employment, entrepreneurial, and research-and-development ramifications for this part of the state.

Funding willing, four turbines could someday be rotating along that bluff. Last August, Upton unveiled energy legislation that will establish a $1-billion

grant program to develop carbon-capture and storage technology that WMU researchers are already actively pursuing. The program is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and injecting underground the carbon dioxide emitted from electricity-generating plants and industrial emitters that use fossil fuels.

KVCC Foundation sets grant-proposal scheduleFor the 2008-09 academic year, the KVCC Foundation has established funding-

application deadlines for internal grant requests. Faculty and administrators interested in seeking funding for programs and

projects have three application dates beginning in September.Here’s the schedule:

3

● Proposal deadline – Sept. 30; decision by the KVCC Foundation Board of Trustees, Oct. 30.

● Deadline – Jan. 19; decision, Feb. 19.● Deadline May 8; decision, May 21.For more information, contact Steve Doherty, KVCC’s director of development,

at extension 4442 or sdoherty@kvcc.edu.

Cougar Connection 2008 on TuesdayPancakes and omelets prepared by solar power will be among the attractions to

welcome back fall-semester students at the 2008 Cougar Connection on Tuesday (Sept. 2) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the Texas Township Campus.

Instructor “Bala” Balachandran will be setting up the college’s solar-cooking unit in the morning for students, vendors and visitors to enjoy sky-powered pancakes and omelets. He and organizer Mary Johnson are looking for some volunteers to help with the food preparation. People can contact her at extension 4182 to sign up for those duties and to staff some welcome tables in the Student Commons.

In addition to showcasing KVCC programs, departments and services, this year’s "Connection" for new and returning students will also feature:

♦ door prizes and other give-aways, including a computer♦ a variety of games♦ free food provided by vendors♦ fitness orientations by the KVCC Wellness and Fitness Center.♦ a scavenger hunt♦ massages by the Kalamazoo Center for the Healing Arts♦ a local radio station’s remote broadcast♦ food and refreshments.♦ displays by college organizations and programs.♦ and promotions by local financial institutions, restaurants, and businesses.All will be free at the seventh Cougar Connection whose main sponsor is the

Educational Community Credit Union. Vendors for the 2008 Cougar Connection include: Midwest Radio Group AM

1560, Arra Insurance Agency, Boesky Chiropractic, Caricature Drawing, Charter One Bank, the Child Development Center, Downtown Kalamazoo, Inc., 1st Community Federal Credit Union, Frayed, Great Clips, Greenleaf Hospitality Group, JC Penney Salon, Kalamazoo Center for the Healing Arts, Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center, National City Bank, Papa John's Pizza, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Saffron, Sam's Club, Soccer Zone Multi-Sport Complex, S.W.A.T., Sweetwater's Donut Mill, Taco Bob's, The Coffee Bar, The Pointe at Western, The Spicy Pickle, U.S. Army, and the Young Chefs Academy.

KVCC programs and services to students that would like to gain exposure during the 2008 Cougar Connection should contact Johnson, student activities and programs coordinator in The Student Commons.

To arrange for a table and any other preparations, contact her at extension 4182 or

e-mail her at mjohnson@kvcc.edu. Jefferson exhibit closes on Labor Day

4

Thomas Jefferson’s far-reaching interest in the sciences is the theme of an exhibition that will end its stay in the first-floor gallery of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on Monday (Sept. 1).

Featuring scientific instruments, furniture, maps, and Native American objects from the period of Jefferson’s life, all are from the private collection of Paul Millikan, retired professor of history at KVCC.

To augment this special showcase, the museum is showing a series of free documentaries on Sundays at 3 p.m. in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater about Jefferson and his times. 

“I have always had an abiding interest in the genius that was Thomas Jefferson,” said Millikan, who taught history at KVCC for 32 years. “A true Renaissance man, he was statesman, architect, political philosopher, author, diplomat, designer, musician, collector, inventor, and always the keen observer, analyst and recorder of the things around him.”

Born in 1743, Jefferson grew to adulthood during the Age of Enlightenment, and lived to see the beginnings of America’s Industrial Revolution before his death on the Fourth of July in 1826.  In one of U. S. history’s most remarkable coincidences, fellow American Founding Father John Adams died that same day – the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Jefferson had a passionate interest in learning, from political philosophy to the latest invention or scientific discovery. That curiosity was not only a personal thirst for knowledge, but was aimed at applying that knowledge to better the lives of humankind.

In Jefferson’s time, scientists were often referred to as “practical philosophers” who were trying to learn as much as possible about the natural world and scientific phenomena.

Jefferson, who came to be recognized as a pioneer in numerous branches of science, said: “No inquisitive mind will be content to be ignorant of the sciences of astronomy, natural history, natural philosophy, chemistry, and anatomy.”

Following his two presidential terms, Jefferson in retirement at his home in Monticello said: “Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science by rendering them my supreme delight.”

The exhibition provides a glimpse of the range and breadth of his scholarship and pursuits.

“Upon my first visit to Monticello in 1962, I was very much taken with Mr. Jefferson’s interest in natural history and his collections of specimens,” said Millikan, who is also a prolific collector of Civil War artifacts.  “I began to read about all of Mr. Jefferson’s scientific interests.

“When I purchased part of the petrified tusk of a mammoth,” he said, “the collector bug had bitten and I determined to collect duplicates of as many of the scientific instruments, specimens, and objects in Mr. Jefferson’s inventory at Monticello as I could. The results of that collecting interest are presented in this exhibit.”

In the exhibition are an 18th-century electric-generating machine, surveyor’s equipment, telescopes, maps, and a replica of a painted buffalo robe given by the Mandan Indians to Lewis and Clark, who sent it to Jefferson.

Specially featured is a pair of Country Chippendale chairs that were made to Jefferson’s order for him at the joinery at Monticello.  

5

All other pieces are duplicates of items that Jefferson owned. The originals are found at Monticello, the University of Virginia, and the Peabody Museum at Harvard University.

“It is my hope that the exhibit will add to the education, inspiration, and enrichment of this community and the surrounding area,” Millikan said.  “I believe it to be a unique look at an often overlooked facet of one of our most diverse and complex

founding fathers,” he said. Here is the remaining lineup of documentaries:♦ Sept. 7: “Monticello: Home of Thomas Jefferson.”♦ Sept. 21: “Saving the National Treasures,” an account of how a team of

conservators, engineers and historians worked to save the Declaration of Independence and other original documents that are being ravaged by time.

KVCC’s want-ad, bartering network in full swingThe Office of Human Resources’ web page contains a want-ad system to link

KVCC folks with their colleagues in the sharing of talent, knowledge, skills, goods and services.

The “KVCC Swap Meet” provides a forum to barter goods (made or grown) and to post information about services that can be provided -- painting, sewing, computer assistance, etc.

It can also be used to post an announcement about services or goods that are being sought.

There are four categories on the site: Services Needed, Services for Hire, Goods Needed, and Goods for Sale. This site is for KVCC employees only and is intended as a way for employees to network with each other for trade or sale purposes.

KVCC will not be responsible for any transactions or the satisfaction of either party, and will not enter into dispute resolution. “KVCC Swap Meet” is housed on the Human Resources website under Quick Links.

To post a service or item, just click Post Ad, select the appropriate category, complete the online form and click submit.

Co-workers will be able to view the posting by the next business day. It is requested that the postings be made during non-working hours.

Among the services for hire are carpet cleaning, floor covering, sewing, dog boarding, legal services, knitting, and arranging for live music at events.

The inventory of goods for sale includes cosmetics, air conditioners, a car, a food dehydrator, horse bits, a collection of cigar boxes, and scrapbook supplies.

Among other items that are available or being sought are a cadre of volunteers for a fund-raiser, the notice of a garage sale, free puppies and kittens, free vegetables, a time share for a vacation, a swap of plants, and a large dog house.

The KVCC’ers who are using the “Swap Meet” include Jermaine Clark, Lynn Berkey, Nancy Conrad, Sue Nemedi, Nick Meier, Becky Herington, Nick Rankin, Kathleen Cook, Lisa Blewett, Kim Campbell, Jennie Huff, Simonny Breviglieri, Lori McCormick, Lynne Morrison, Diane Vandenberg, Ron Adams, Mary Lawrence, Kelley Asta, Kathy Godin, and Candy Horton.

6

The fatal trek of Kalamazoo’s Arctic pioneerThe story of the 19th-century Kalamazooan whose name is on the roster of

explorers who died on treks to the Arctic in the name of science is the opening installment of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s “Sunday Series” 2008-09 presentations about the history of Southwest Michigan.

“Edward Israel: Kalamazoo’s Arctic Pioneer” is the Sept. 14 attraction at 1:30 p.m. in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater.

Free and open to the public, the presentation by Tom Dietz, the museum’s curator, will trace Israel’s interest in that little-explored portion of the planet and what happened on the ill-fated journey.

Dietz will make all of the 2008-09 presentations with the exception of the second one.

On Sept. 28, Marlene Francis, a former member of the Kalamazoo College Board of Trustees, will use her new book marking the institution’s 175th anniversary as the basis for her perspectives on “Kalamazoo College: 175 Years of Academic Excellence.”

Israel was a senior at the University of Michigan when he learned about a scientific expedition to the Arctic being organized by Lt. Adolphus Greely.

Greely was seeking somebody trained in astronomy and math to be part of a U. S. government-sponsored expedition to set up a post on Ellesmere Island in Lady Franklin Bay at the top of Canada’s territories, a few miles west of the coast of Greenland and 500 miles south of the North Pole.

It was to be the northernmost station of a ring of 12 that were to be maintained by nations taking part in the first International Polar Year. Israel was so highly thought of that the then 21-year-old Kalamazooan was awarded his diploma prior to the normal graduation time.

Israel left Kalamazoo on April 28, 1881, leaving a skeptical and worried mother behind, and was sworn into the U. S. Army Signal Corps when he arrived in Washington three days later. With a rank of sergeant, he would be earning $100 monthly.

The rest of the 25-member party, with the exception of the expedition’s surgeon, were hardened military veterans with tough frontier duty on their resumes. Only the doctor and Israel had college degrees.

By mid-June and with Israel nearing his 22nd birthday, they were steaming to St. John’s, Newfoundland, and then, via a commercial sealing ship, bound for Lady Franklin Bay and dry land where the 25 built a sturdy structure that they hoped, with ample supplies, would be a safe and warm sanctuary for the next two years.

The expedition spent the next 24 months in pursuit of scientific data. Despite the bitter cold, Greely’s group sent a party the farthest north that anyone had reached up to that time.

The first sign of trouble came when a supply ship failed to get through the ice in the summer of 1882.

When the sun disappeared that Oct. 14, it would not appear again until the end of February. Those rays of light were measured in minutes at first, then in hours, and finally, for 20 weeks, there was no night at all.

But even in the dog days of summer, the temperature never reached 40 degrees. At its coldest, the adventurers survived 40 degrees below zero.

7

Rations were supplemented by hunts of wild musk oxen, seals and ducks. On each man’s birthday, he was issued a quart of rum, which was passed around by each celebrant.

By August of 1883 with “summer” beginning to wane, Greely knew that his party had to retreat southerly if a calamity was to be avoided. They loaded their remaining supplies in small boats and headed for Cape Sabine where they anticipated finding a cache of supplies. Behind them was a shelter that had did its job well for two Arctic years.

They almost completed the 225-mile voyage. Within sight of the destination, their boats froze in the ice and they were trapped for days.

According to historical accounts, it was Israel’s astronomical calculations that revealed, because of the northern flow of the ice, they were actually going nowhere in their southbound trek.

The band caught a break when the current shifted and land was reached after 24 days adrift on the ice. With rations dwindling, men were sent to Cape Sabine. The relief ship there had also been crushed by the ice and sent to the bottom. Its crew was lucky enough to escape, and left about 1,000 rations - a few hundred pounds of edibles.

That food, plus any game they were fortunate to kill, would have to sustain 25 men over the next nine months. They built a 25-by-18-foot enclave out of chunks and chips of stone and rocks. With a framework of boat oars, the ceiling was a stretched canvas sail. On top of that was a whaleboat.

Borrowing the native technology of the Eskimos, they layered blocks of snow to keep out fierce gales that took the wind-chill factor to 100 degrees below zero.

The daily food ration shrunk to one-fifth the normal size. Things to burn were few and far between. Drinking water became scarce. They managed to shoot a bear and an arctic fox for food. More often than not, their “meals” were seaweed and sea lice that were each the size of a grain of wheat. The amount of nourishment in those entrees matched the temperature outside.

The first man died of starvation on Jan. 17, 1884. With survival instincts out of control, there were accounts of stealing rations from fellow crewmen, robbing the food store, and cannibalism. The fellow caught stealing food was shot by Greely.

It was May 6 when Israel wrote his last letter to his mother. Greely had listed him as being “in a very bad way” on April 18, but he clung to life while his colleagues died one by one. It was reported that Israel “died very easily” about 3 a.m. on May 27 and was buried under a few inches of gravel.

Only three weeks later, the seven survivors, thinking that the gale-force winds would collapse what was left of their shelter, heard the sound of running feet. They were rushed to the rescue ship where, embraced by warm blankets, they enjoyed real food. While one of the seven died on the way home, Greely was among those who were able to relate the terrible ordeal.

Israel’s sealed casket arrived in Kalamazoo on Aug. 11, 1884. Some 3,000 mourners gathered at the Michigan Central Railroad depot to pay their respects to a “worthy, brave and noble-hearted son of Kalamazoo.” Stores closed, and police, firemen and city officials escorted the horse-drawn hearse from the depot to the home of Tillie Israel in the 500 block of West Michigan Avenue where the closed casket lay in state.

8

Israel is buried in Mountain Home Cemetery where, in 1972, a state historical marker was placed in his honor.

The October schedule for the “Sunday Series” includes “Toys and Games from Kalamazoo” on Oct. 12 and “Murders Most Foul: Notorious Murders in Kalamazoo” on Oct. 26.

The lone billing in November will be “Four Corners of Kalamazoo County” that sheds light on the crossroad settlements that dotted this part of the sate in the 19th century. It is set for Nov. 9.

The 2008 finale will be “Things of History” on Dec. 14 as Dietz tells the stories behind some of the museum’s more intriguing artifacts.

Here’s the line-up for the first half of 2009:♦ “Charlie Hays: Home Builder” on Jan. 11.♦ “Where the Streets Got Their Names” on Jan. 25.♦ “The Michigan Land Survey” on Feb. 8 looks at the origins of the mapping of

what had been the Michigan Territory.♦ “The Sins of Kalamazoo Were Scarlet and Crimson” on Feb. 22 recounts the

city’s red-light districts and speakeasies during Prohibition♦ “The Velvelettes” on March 8 - the Kalamazoo connections to Motown♦ “Famous Visitors to Kalamazoo” on March 22 - notables, celebrities and

politicians who have come to this community for a variety of reasons.♦ “Red Terror in Kalamazoo: The 1948 Shakespeare Strike” on April 26.For more information, contact Dietz at 373-7990 or visit the museum’s website at

www.kalamazoomuseum.org.T-shirts themed to museum’s summer activities available This summer’s exhibit attraction at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum is “The Amazing Castle,” and souvenir T-shirts are available to mark its flashback to the way things were in medieval times.

Children and family activities have been linked to Middle Age legends, myths and cultures.

Available for purchase by KVCC staff and their families are gold T-shirts with a dark red dragon on the front. It contains the words "Once Upon A Time, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Summer 2008.”

Adult sizes L-4XL and others are available at cost of $5 each. “Send checks made out to Kalamazoo Valley Museum to me via office male with

a note as to sizes,” says program coordinator Annette Hoppenworth. “Your shirt will be sent back through office mail.”

Day-care provider to be open in eveningsBeginning with the fall semester, KVCC’s day-care capabilities operated by the

Child Development Center will be offering evening-hour service to students who are parents.

To help students enrolled in evening courses, the center will stay open until 9:30 p.m.

The Child Development Center, which is operated by the Augusta-based Foundation for Behavioral Research, is located at 1521 Gull Road. It assumed stewardship of day-care operations at KVCC in July of 2003.

With a maximum capacity of 100, the day-care service is also open to the public.

9

For more information about the Child Development Center on campus, call 488-4425. The webpage address is www.cdc-mi.org.

New thrusts at Center for New MediaThe workforce-development role of the Center for New Media is targeted to be

expanded during the 2008-09 academic year.The newly established Innovation Center for Digital Arts will strive to increase

the number of internships for students enrolled in KVCC’s programs in animation, illustration, graphic design, web design and development, interactive media, e-Business, and video-game development, as well as promote entrepreneurship and new business ventures in these Information Age skills.

Overseeing the center’s activities will be the M-TEC’s Kathy Johnson, who has similar duties for the college’s Emerging Technology Center (ETC) and its RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) initiatives.

“The new center’s goals are to enable a community of faculty, students and external partners to provide high-technology innovations in these fields,” said Jim DeHaven, KVCC’s vice president for economic and business development. “It’s possible that the Center for New Media could serve as an incubator for start-up enterprises.”

Using the downtown-Kalamazoo’s facility’s instructional, lab and exhibition resources in conjunction with the center’s hosting of the Kalamazoo Animation Festival International (KAFI) and KAFI’s summer animation academies for youths, the Innovation Center for Digital Arts will be based there.

The blueprint also includes sponsoring conferences, competitions and community-outreach programs to benefit students, new-media faculty and entrepreneurs in Southwest Michigan.

“We believe that creating an entrepreneurial environment and offering more internships will enhance the Center for New Media and what it offers,” DeHaven said. “These fields all require creative and advance computing skills, and that is applicable to all kinds of businesses – manufacturing, health care, the life sciences and biotechnology, finance, marketing and other fields of commerce.”

DeHaven said KAFI and the Center for the Digital Arts are prepping to play roles in the state of Michigan’s new efforts to promote the film industry. He foresees the innovation center has having an impact on commercial ventures throughout the state.

Johnson and the ETC, which is a non-profit venture that provides business and administrative services to start-up and existing enterprises so they can concentrate on their prime missions, can be of assistance to new digital-arts enterprises that need a bit of incubation to get off on the right foot.

By making arrangements for the essential nuts-and-bolts of running and managing a business, the ETC allows entrepreneurs to pursue product development, new manufacturers to make and deliver their goods, and budding enterprises to market their services.

The ETC assists both new and existing ventures with such core business functions as: accounting and billing; financial services including banking, cash flow and auditing; facilities operations; office management; human resources and benefits administration; information technology; financing; purchasing logistics; insurance; and advertising and public relations.

10

ETC clients are thus freed from many of the day-to-day administrative requirements of running a business.

Odyssey Day booked for KVCC on Oct. 4 Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s version of Odyssey Day 2008 will go beyond the focus on hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels to include the college’s initiatives into educating the public and training technicians in the emerging field of renewable sources of energy.

The celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on KVCC’s Texas Township Campus.

In addition to linking with the biennial National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Odyssey Day as KVCC did in 2006 at the Arcadia Commons Campus, the plans include forums, presentations and demonstrations of: ● Hypermiling where it is possible to as much as double the gas mileage in conventional vehicles

● Vehicles that are powered by bio-diesel, electricity and other forms of alternative fuels, as well as an assortment of hybrid vehicles available to drive

● KVCC’s instructional programs in wind energy, bio-diesel fuel, geo-thermal energy, and the growing inventory of equipment that complements those initiatives

● Science projects among K-12 students that explore the coming era of alternative sources of energy

● Partnership with a Southwest Michigan tour of solar-powered homes● Training courses for first-responders who must know how to deal with

vehicular accidents involving these types of vehicles.Additional details will be forthcoming as a planning committee continues to make

progress through the rest of the summer and into early fall. Door prizes and give-aways will be part of the attraction.

The 2006 observance centered on what’s already available and what’s coming down the road in future modes of personal transportation, along with the fuels that will power them. People were able to check out the current generation of vehicles designed to free Americans from a dependence on foreign oil and take the sting out of high gasoline prices. 

Southwest Michigan auto dealerships provided more than 30 vehicles for the display as well as representatives to answer questions.  Many of the hybrids were available to be driven. Owners of alternative-fuel and hybrid vehicles were there to discuss their experiences.

Presentations explored the coming age of plug-in, hybrid electrical vehicles, the economic ramifications if energy alternatives can replace petroleum, and why the nation should take those steps anyway, and the evolving world of biodiesel as a fuel source.

Odyssey Day 2006 also offered a seminar designed for fire fighters and emergency personnel who are dealing with different scientific and chemical principles when they respond to accidents involving hybrid vehicles and those using forms of alternative fuels.     

KVCC is one of 29 sites in North America aligned with the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium.

The one-of-its-kind consortium, based at West Virginia University, was established in 1992. Over the last 15 years, it has fashioned instructional courses focusing

11

on ethanol and flex-fuel vehicles, biodiesel and natural-gas vehicles, propane-powered vehicles, emissions testing, alternative-fuel applications for a variety of machinery, electric and hybrid vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cells.

This will be the training consortium’s fourth national Odyssey, with the first two staged in 2002 and 2004. The day of awareness to showcase alternative technologies in transportation was held at 54 sites in 34 states.

Fitness challenge seeking participants A bettering-yourself initiative that sprang from a fitness presentation offered

during Faculty Seminar Days last fall will be paying dividends to students who encounter unanticipated financial and personal hardships, and KVCC’ers can continue the venture during the 2008 fall semester.

A post-presentation conversation among instructors and staff ended in a consensus to “doing something, to challenging ourselves.”

The perfect time to start would be the first day of a semester and the end of that semester would be equally perfect for measuring the results.

Ten picked up the challenge during the fall semester of 2007, while six went to the post for the winter-semester “competition.” They put their money where their workout togs were, and each anteed up $100 in prize money.

The participants – faculty, staff and even students -- decided on a win-win ending. Half of the kitty would go to the winners of categories of “competition” and the other half – some $800 – was deposited in Marilyn Schlack's presidential-discretion fund that serves as a “cookie jar” for students encountering emergency needs.

“We thought that would be good for us, and good for the students as well,” said one of the challengers who all agreed that anonymity would be the code.

Instead of seeing how fast they could run 100 yards or how much weight they could put over their heads, the challengers adopted a format that allowed any of them to win.

The measuring sticks would be sit-ups, body-fat/mass index, how far one could cover in 12 minutes on a treadmill, a stretching and flexibility reading, and pushups.

“So you don’t have to be built like a linebacker to take part,” he said. “What we do is like what happens in a golf or bowling league. It’s handicapped. Age is also factored in.”

The participants were across the board, from those who were somewhat fit to those who were not so somewhat fit.

They all began at ground zero with pre-start measurements of all of the categories. Progress was periodically measured, charted and logged by Fitness Challenge Commissioner Joe Brady, who is also sworn to secrecy.

The measured success and progress earned points, again awarded by “The Commish.” A specific number of pushups or sit-ups didn’t matter, for example. The key was improvement from where the person started.

Other than Brady’s trackings, there was no paperwork, no organization, no structure – just the individual person and the individual challenge to tone the body and mind in the realm of physical exercise.

“Sure, there was some money on the line,” said one of the participants, “but what was important was the challenge you laid on yourself to improve yourself. At the end,

12

the questions you asked yourself: Are you better for it? Did you learn anything? My answers are yes.

“It’s all about trying to be the best we can be by challenging each other,” he said, “and in the process helping some students be and do the best they can in the classroom.”

Those who would like to join in this anonymity in the 2008 fall semester can contact Brady at extension 4877 or jbrady@kvcc.edu.

The pre-test phase will be held during Faculty Seminar Days and the results will be gauged just before fall-semester exams.Informed ‘spooksmen’ seeks haunted-house volunteers

A cadre of KVCC volunteers is being sought to scare the bejeebers out of people for a good cause.

Dean Debbie Dawson is looking for faculty and staff members, along with their families and friends, to have some fun at the notorious haunted house in Niles on a couple of upcoming evenings.

She reports that the money raised at the two evenings’ of effort will be placed in an Ambucs account that is designated to help KVCC’s Kathleen Cook stay up to date with her handicap-driving capabilities.

The KVCC contingent will be assigned to haunted-house http://www.haunted.org ) duties on Friday, Sept. 19, from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 6:30 p.m. to closing time after midnight.

Those who would like to work the first shift should contact Dawson by 5 p.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 3) and by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, for the pre-Halloween fun-and-games.

She would like to know the intentions of volunteers as quickly as possible so that carpooling can be arranged for the trip to Niles and back.

“If you have special circumstances, such as being afraid of the dark, claustrophobia, fear of heights, or if you are under 18 or a high school student, please let me know,” said Dawson, who can be contacted at ddawson@kvcc.edu or at extension 4219.

‘The Amazing Castle’ here until Sept. 14The Kalamazoo Valley Museum stay of a fantasy medieval castle and village

from days of yore, which serve as venues for defining what “community” is all about in contemporary times, will come to an end on Sunday, Sept. 14.             “The Amazing Castle” is targeted to entertain youngsters from toddlers to pre-teens, while at the same time delivering messages about the collaborating roles people play in the success of a community.  It is free and bilingual.              To complement the exhibit, a series of Sunday-afternoon documentaries are being shown into the fall in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater that focus on the Middle Ages and the way things were.  Each is free and scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.  The remaining schedule is below.             So, what’s in “The Amazing Castle” for adults?            Conceived and created by the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul, the eight themes of “The Amazing Castle” and their hands-on activities allow plenty of opportunities for family and friends to be entertained by watching children use their creative energies and imaginations. 

13

The youngsters are actually experiencing village life through the perspectives of characters working together to throw a castle party.            “The Amazing Castle” and its magical role-playing as lords and ladies, carpenters, cooks, gardeners, tailors and seamstresses, entertainers, blacksmiths, and builders will be welcoming visitors in downtown Kalamazoo into mid-September.

While no moat is involved, the slowly meandering Arcadia Creek flanks the exhibition’s home for those three months.            The special duties and roles of the characters will be explored and experienced as visitors make their way through a variety of workshops in the castle village.

Instead of individual pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the activities make the points that a community consists of different kinds of people, and for that community to succeed, people must help each other solve problems and work toward achieving common goals.             An important role in “The Amazing Castle” is that of the town crier.  But this newscaster comes in the form of “Herald the Dragon,” a creature feature that has a tendency to fall asleep on the job.            However, the child participants and their families can get “Herald” to deliver the latest news and make castle-wide announcements by solving an electronic matching puzzle that sends the dragon a wake-up call. 

“Herald” will rise from the top of a tower and tell the world what he knows.            “The Amazing Castle” can launch children into “a world of dramatic play and imagination” as they and their families become inhabitants “of a fanciful castle village and playfully explore ideas related to community life.”            Donning costumes as they assume roles, they can:

● Harvest fresh ingredients from the castle’s garden and become a cook mixing a mouth-watering stew in the Great Hall’s cauldron.

● Capture the creativity of a carpenter in constructing a small chair.● Build a small fortress out of lightweight “stone.:● Try their “hands” as purveyors of entertainment as puppeteers and court jesters.

            The exhibit’s design creates the impression of stepping into a time machine and dialing up the Middle Ages in a playful way. 

Arches, towers, split-beam construction, hand-cut stone walls, and heraldic symbols abound.            “The impression of a small, bustling village within castle walls,” a promotional brochure  states, “is attained by assembling a group of structures related to the basic functions of a community – working, eating, playing – and making them quickly identifiable.  Life-sized images of rather comical castle residents stationed in the doorways and at work further the perception of being in a village or community,” and that it is time for a little fun.            Joining with the museum in St. Paul in supporting the creation of “The Amazing Castle” was the Curtis and Marjorie Nelson and The Curtis L. Carlson Family Foundation, along with the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M) Foundation Inc.            Into the fall, a compendium of documentaries are being shown in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater to complement the exhibit’s focus on the Middle Ages and the way things were back then.   Each will begin at 1:30 p.m. and there is no charge. 

Here is the rest of the documentary line-up:

14

● Sept. 7:  “Visions of Scotland” – a bird’s-eye view of this historic country.● Sept. 21 – “Visions of England” – a similar perspective of Great Britain.

Seal it with a 40th-anniversary stickerTo spread the word about the 40th anniversary of the college welcoming its first

students in the fall of 1968, faculty and staff are invited to place specially produced foil-embossed seals on their external correspondence to mark the milestone.

These seals can be affixed to the back flap of all outgoing KVCC mail. Batches are available by e-mailing Tarona Guy at tguy@kvcc.edu and they can be

used with the arrival of the new year. All should feel free to request additional batches throughout 2008.

M-TEC hosts lead-safety seminar Sept. 25Chinese-made toys have garnered headlines because of their lead content, but the

U. S. construction industry and health officials have been coping with how to safely handle lead-based paint for almost 30 years.

Funded by a grant from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, the city of Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services are sponsoring a seminar on “Lead-Safe Work Practices” at the M-TEC of KVCC in 2008.

The five-module seminar will be held on two remaining dates: Sept. 25, and Nov. 18. Each complete session will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a fee of $30 that includes materials and food. Another series is slated for 2009.

The “Lead-Safe Work Practices” seminar is targeted for: ● Building-code and housing inspectors.● Large and small contractors involved in the renovation, repainting or

remodeling of buildings, and who might encounter lead-based paint.● Maintenance and custodial workers.● Building supervisors and landlords.● Staff members of state and local units of government.● Staff members of community and social-service organizations.● Do-it-yourself homeowners.● Students in the construction trades.Each seminar will cover these five topics: “Why Should I Be Concerned About

Lead Dust?”; “Set Up Your Work Space to Contain Lead Dust”; “Safe Work Practices”; “Clean Up and Checking Your Work”; and “Planning the Job.”

At the end of each training session that will be conducted by Atrium Environmental Health and Safety Services of Reston, Va., attendees may take a 25-question exam to gain a certificate for course completion.

The federal EPA, in conjunction with the National Paint and Coatings Association, launched this initiative because many homes and buildings constructed prior to 1978 featured lead-based paints.

Thus, those involved in the renovation, remodeling and repair of such structures – both externally and internally – should be aware of methods that reduce and control dust and debris generated by their work because even a small amount of dust can pose a health risk.

15

For more information, visit the M-TEC of KVCC’s website at www.mteckvcc.com and click on “Training.” Registration can be done online or by calling the M-TEC at (269) 353-1253.

And finally. . .Bumper stickers seen on the cars of retirees:“I asked my wife if old men should wear boxers or briefs. Her answer was,

“Depends.”“The only trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.”“Goodbye tension and hello pension.”“I was at the beauty shop for nearly hours, and that was only for an

estimate.”“That snap, crackle and pop I hear in the morning isn’t coming from my

bowl of Rice Krispies.”“You know you are getting old when you throw a wild party and the

neighbors don’t even realize it.”“Sometimes I wake up grumpy, and some days I let him sleep.”“Campbell Soup for seniors – Large-type Alphabet Soup.”“The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about

your age.”“I must be getting older. All the names in my phone book end with M. D.”“I’m not old. I’m chronologically gifted.”“Florida and Arizona are heaven’s waiting room.”“Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake

when you make it again.”“Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.”“One good thing about Alzheimer’s -- You get to meet new people every

day.”“Another good thing about Alzheimer’s – You can hide your own Easter

eggs.”“Support Bingo! Keep Grandma off the streets.”“When did my wild oats turn to prunes and bran?”“Retirement – twice as much husband, half as much money.”“My wife always gives me sound advice – 99 percent sound and 1 percent

advice.”“Don’t laugh – my Studebaker may be worth more than what you are

driving.”“Insufficient memory at this time.”“You know you’re getting older when Happy Hour is a nap.”“I stay young by complaining constantly.”“Never do anything you wouldn’t want to explain to the paramedics.”

☻☻☻☻☻☻

16