PRESS RELEASE (WHTC-AM/FM) — Shandra Martinez, managing editor of The Lakeshore, talks each Friday on WHTC about people and organizations making a difference. (Listen to the full interview.) Here are some of the highlights for the week of Nov. 13-20, 2020:
Gentex makes a commitment to fight hunger. The Zeeland manufacturer will donate $60,000 annually for five years — for a total of $300,000 — to help Kids’ Food Basket combat childhood hunger in Allegan and Ottawa counties. Grand Rapids-based Kids’ Food Basket opened a new location in Holland last month to help expand services in Ottawa and Allegan counties.
Patty Janes writes about launching Michigan Cares for Tourism. The GVSU professor and Spring Lake resident used her experience with the hospitality and tourism industries to create a nonprofit initiative that engages Michigan industry professionals in volunteerism. Thousands of volunteers have participated in efforts to rehabilitate state attractions in need.
Holland diver breathes life into an 80-year-old tragedy on Lake Michigan with new museum exhibit. Valerie van Heest is an experienced diver, a shipwreck aficionado, and a museum display designer. Her fascination with The Armistice Day Storm led to an exhibit at the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum that shines a spotlight on the deadliest storm in Great Lakes history.
Brewpub shifts focus during COVID with help from Lakeshore Advantage, MEDC. Tripelroot is known as a Zeeland community gathering place, but COVID-19 forced the brewpub to change course. A pair of grants from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation helped owners Laura and Nate Gentry reimagine the establishment as more.
COVID-19 prompts many Michigan farmers and farmers markets to offer online sales for the first time. One example of this is fifth-generation Visser Farms The Zeeland farm expanded its online presence to include market sales in Ada, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Holland, and Rockford. In spring 2020, the farm began taking online orders for grab bags filled with some of each fruit or vegetable that the farm had harvested that week. Farmer Shelby Visser, who
manages the website, considers the transition to online orders a success.
Weekend adventures
Check out the latest monthly installment of Sally Laukitis’ popular column about activities to do in Ottawa and Allegan counties. There’s lots of good indoor and outdoor options in November. This weekend, downtown Holland’s “Shop ‘Til You Drop” event gets started. Expanded from its usual one-night format, this year’s event begins Nov. 13 and runs through Nov. 20, with participants offering discounts, promotions, and giveaways all week long. Be sure to check out downtownholland.com for more information and participating merchants.
Winter’s Eve Holiday Market also begins this weekend. Hosted at Saugatuck Center for the Arts. This holiday shopping event runs Nov. 13 & 20, from 5 – 9 p.m. Shoppers can enjoy artisan craft cocktails and live music while they shop for Michigan-made wares from 20 vendors. COVID-19 guidelines apply to shoppers.
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