1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. spas

Grand Traverse
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Alpha Mail
49684
WOMAN
northern michigan’s network for women ◆ Jan/feb '15
Makeover Issue
Transformations in health, home & heart
SEE JANE LOSE — apply now!
Meet Mardi Jo Link, bestselling author
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Jan/Feb '15
3
a lifelong passion for the Arts
Be transformed by the voice of a preeminent jazz vocalist.
Listen to a live performance for National Public Radio.
Celebrate an unforgettable St. Patrick’s Day.
Watch a debut piece from a Grammy Award winning sextet.
It’s time to experience Interlochen
WINTERLOCHEN
Saturday, February 21
René Marie
Tuesday, March 10
From The Top with
Altan: St. Patrick’s Day
Celebration
Saturday, March 14
Chanticleer
Wednesday, April 15
eighth blackbird
Thursday, April 9
Interlochen Arts Academy Theatre Co.
“The King and I”
May 15-16
Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra
and Michael Thurber
Grand Traverse Woman
WOMAN2woman WOMAN
Diet makeover
Green Fruit Smoothies. They’re all
the rage and there’s a reason why:
They’re fantastic. Why have we waited
so long to start drinking them and using
high-powered blenders to do so? We
are now consuming 2 cups of spinach,
a handful of kale, 2 cups of peaches,
1 cup of pineapple and two bananas
a day.
It’s a bona fide diet makeover. Our
bodies are happy. We are happy. The
guilt is gone. They are delicious. And,
bonus, there are great side effects:
The checkout line
Do you know how good it feels to
check out with four pineapples at once?
You can’t help humming to yourself,
waiting for the world to notice the
amount of goodness on sale 2/$4 this
week. Especially if you’ve spent the
last five years at one store in particular buying bag after bag of chocolate.
The checkout ladies try to hide their
surprise; you’re dying for them to comment on it.
The guy ahead of you
You explode with pride when the
guy ahead of you checks out with just
a brown, waxy pastry bag. When the
cashier asks, “How many?” he replies,
“Two fat pills.” You giggle. Of course
you can. Your own bag of fat pills is
being smashed by four rolling gargantuan tropical fruits with thorny points
sloughing off on the conveyor belt.
Note: Drinking smoothies has not
stopped us from eating sugar, frosting,
cookies or donuts. It has, however, alleviated our guilt of doing so.
The freezer section
Have you seen the “Farm to Freezer”
fruit at Tom’s Food Markets? Fresh
sliced peaches from Smeltzer Orchard
Company in Benzonia, flash frozen in
The prep
Line up four of those fancy
SpongeBob things on your counter and
you’ll finally use that Ginsu knife you
got last Christmas. You feel like Barefoot
Contessa. You are slicing and dicing
when you hear one of the children
exclaim, “You got four of them?” You
almost shout in response but, when you
turn, you see they are looking at something else, the 4 bags of chocolate chips
you also bought. You go back to your
work because it feels good and right,
and those chips feel very, very wrong.
Enjoy the slice of the knife as it sections the yellow fruit. The pineapple
juice will flow off the cutting board and
onto the counter and, eventually, down
the front of it. Curse it, even as you
rejoice in its existence. For you have
cleaned many, many drips of ice cream
and this, this is long awaited.
The straw
Every straw you’ve used in adulthood has been one of three:
1. A Burger King straw. You’ve
just consumed a Whopper. A Double
Whopper. Regret is heavy and so are
you.
Get out your leopard prints, kitty tracks,
zebra stripes or anything wild and trot
it out at the Jan. 14th Network Nite at
Impres Salon and Spa from 5-7 p.m.
The theme is Jungle Night and we expect
you all to be a little on the wild side.
Enjoy a girls night out of food, wine and
laughter. Tickets are $15 or 2/$20. Visit
www.grandtraversewoman.com to join us!
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Grand Traverse Woman
P.O. Box 22
Interlochen, MI 49643
tel: 231.276.5105
fax: 231.276.5106
[email protected]
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Blog: www.grandtraversewoman.com
Facebook: http://companies.to/grandtraversewoman
Publishers
Kandace Chapple
Kerry Winkler
Editor
Kandace Chapple, [email protected]
The greens
You find yourself marking out a
few goals. Can you eat two bins of this
organic stuff before it turns into wet,
lacy slop? Can you fill your blender
until you regret it? Can you stomach a
handful of kale drowned in fruit? How
about two handfuls? (Answer: no) It’s
a glorious feeling to eat triple-washed
spinach by 8 a.m. seven days a week.
Wednesday, Jan. 14 – JUNGLE NIGHT!
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Volume 12, No. 3
January/February 2015
time just for us! Buying peaches feels
great. But buying local peaches with a
label dated by a human hand with a
Sharpie marker? You feel like you grew
them yourself.
Save The Date
tickets.interlochen.org • 800.681.5920
Jan/Feb '15
northern michigan’s magazine for women
By Kandace Chapple & Kerry winkler
Friday, March 13
4
Grand Traverse
Account Director
Kerry Winkler, [email protected]
Sarah Brown Photography
Ignite
Grand Traverse Woman
2. A milkshake straw. Good God,
you’ve just had the world’s best chocolate shake at Don’s Drive-In. There is no
regret. Life is short. We give an all-out
pass to ice cream. Always.
3. A mixed drink straw. The perfect
conduit and stirrer of vodka over ice. It
is tiny and thin, trying to stop you. But
you persist, never a quitter. This straw
holds a place of honor as it is always the
first step to very fun bad decisions.
Finally, we have No. 4: The smoothie
straw, the world’s first guilt-free straw.
They come in neon yellow, bright pink
and life-affirming spinach green. With
these straws, you are responsible and
pure. No wasted calories or surprise
hangovers. And when a wedge of kale
gets stuck in them, it’s satisfying. The
nutrition is so huge that it can’t fit.
So there it is, the biggest diet makeover ever to happen to the chocolatechip-loving twins. It’s a great start to
the New Year and we wish you a
smoooooth 2015!
Account Executives
Deb Dent, [email protected]
Lisa Foley, [email protected]
Sherry Galbraith, [email protected]
Lori Maki, [email protected]
Assistant Editor
Lisa Maxbauer Price, [email protected]
COPY Editor
Christine Kurtz
DesignerS
Bethany Gulde, [email protected]
Erin Waineo, www.erinwaineodesign.com
cover photo
Author Mardi Jo Link with dog Gretchen.
See her story on page 32-33.
Photo by Beth Price, Beth Price Photography
www.bethpricephotography.com
Photographers
Sarah Brown, Sarah Brown Photography
www.sarahbrown-photography.com
Scarlett Piedmonte, Photography by Scarlett
www.photobyscarlett.com
Beth Price, Beth Price Photography
www.bethpricephotography.com
Andree Serra, Dre Photography
www.drephotography.net
Administrative Assistant
Melissa Cartwright, The Beancounter
Contributing Writers
Susan Alexander
Amy Anderson
Terra Bogart
Joy Frawley
Christal Frost
Julie Hartl
Laura Holling
Kandi Kent Lannen
Mardi Jo Link
Kari Massa
June McGrath
Amy Reichard
Erin Simon
Jamie Thompson
Danya Valpey
Advertising
Kerry Winkler at 231.276.5105 or
[email protected]
The deadline is Feb. 16 for the March/April issue.
Visit www.grandtraversewoman.com for rates.
Subscriptions
To receive GTWoman at home,
mail $20 (for 6 issues) to:
Grand Traverse Woman,
P.O. Box 22, Interlochen, MI 49643
Thursday, Feb. 12 – From Broke to BadAss
Meet Mardi Jo Link, author of the memoir
Bootstrapper. She sold her memoir to
the biggest publisher in New York and
optioned the film rights to an Academy
Award-Winning actress. If you’re in the
mood for a Local Girl Makes Good story,
or, Local Girl Goes Badass, this is it. Join
us for a memorable lunch hour! Tickets
$25 or 2/$45. Booths $185.
Articles/Press Releases
Letters, inquiries, press releases and
GTWoman In Business submissions are welcome.
GTWoman in Biz releases are due Feb. 16. See
www.grandtraversewoman.com for guidelines.
Mission Statement
Grand Traverse Woman is a bimonthly magazine
dedicated to the interests of women in the five-county
region. Our mission is to provide women with a
publication that is educational and inspirational. We
strive to maintain a positive, well-balanced and genuine
forum for women's issues. (We also like funny stuff.)
© Copyright 2015 Grand Traverse Woman LLC
All rights reserved.
Jan/Feb '15
5
Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse Woman
my 232-pound
weight loss!
‘Common sense, strength, courage and determination
were what it was going to take and I lacked all of it.’
By Laura Holling
Then: 350 lbs
Being a single parent of an adult son with
disabilities has proven to be profoundly challenging
over the years. I have crossed many difficult hurdles
with my child’s health and our own financial wellbeing.
Yet there was still one obstacle I could never seem
to overcome—my weight!
Topping the scale at 368 pounds, I knew things
were dire. Everything in life at my size was difficult:
walking to the mailbox, walking up and down stairs
to do laundry, bending to tie my shoes, breathing,
sleeping and playing with my son. Plus, I was already
taking three different asthma medications and was
borderline diabetic.
Growing up, I was always average in regards to my
weight, never obese and never the “skinny” girl. I can
blame my drastic weight gain on various happenings
or medical conditions: depression, cancer; parenting
a child with cognitive impairments and epilepsy, the
death of my father, and the list goes on…
The truth of the matter is that I’d done this to
myself. I was the one who made the conscious
decision to put food into my mouth (and at times,
obscene amounts of it). I was ultimately the one to
blame.
My family physician was very direct and did
not sugar coat anything. He told me that I was on a
destructive path towards death. Either I found a way
to change or I would die.
However, the doctor’s direct approach did not
make me stop. Quite honestly, I am not sure what
did.
All I know is that something in me finally turned,
like a switch. I needed to get healthy. I knew I would
never look like a model and had no preconceived
notion that one day I would. I just wanted to breathe
and walk (maybe run) and be the mother I knew
deep down I could be (and so desperately wanted to
be). I guess I finally realized that those things were
never going to happen unless something changed
immediately.
Joining a weight-loss program was not a possibility for me financially. I truly never wanted to belong
to one. Simply put, I didn’t see how buying prepackaged meals would teach me how to eat properly.
6
Jan/Feb '15
How then was I going to change? Common sense,
strength, courage and determination were what it
was going to take and I lacked all of it. Self-esteem,
self-worth and confidence I also lacked. What I did
have was this amazing, special child who loved me
unconditionally and a supportive family.
At the time, I had no insurance and no extra
money to spend. I was desperate and alone. So my
journey began.
Knowing how horrific I looked (and noticing how
people looked at me), I didn’t want to start exercising
in the daylight. So in the evening, I would drive to a
middle school track and walk in half-moons—not all
the way around as I knew I would have to save the
energy needed to walk back to my car. I did this for
months, adding a little distance each time.
Then I moved to climbing stairs at various locations: malls, apartment complexes, school football
fields, anywhere. I would walk up and down until I
could finally reach the top.
I also had a friend with a gym membership and
she was able to bring me to her facility for free from
time to time. That introduced me to weights and I
used them whenever I could.
Overall, I found ways to work out every chance I
could and by every means I could.
While I experimented with exercise, I also cut out
all carbs from my diet and focused on roughage and
protein. That put my body into quite a shock, as I
knew it would, but it paid off.
My weight dropped and I was feeling better; I was
looking better; and I was finally gaining the confidence I thought I had lost forever.
Then came the day I stepped on the scale at my
doctor’s office and learned I weighed 136 pounds. I
looked at the nurse and all I could say was, “SHUT
UP! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” We both laughed.
This is the least I’ve weighed since before high
school. I no longer have asthma or borderline diabetes. My son recently told me I look like a toothpick. I
certainly don’t, but he has seen me through it all, and
he sees how hard I have worked.
I still watch everything I put into my mouth and I
choose water and tea instead of pop.
Truth be told, my body is not as toned as it could
be but that is a work in progress. My skin isn’t tight,
Christy Petrini
Sales & Leasing Consultant
Master Certified
231-922-3377
[email protected]
of Traverse City
3258 N. U.S. 31 South, Traverse City, MI 49684
www.foxmb.com
Transform lives.
Change your own.
Earn a master’s degree in social work
at Grand Valley in Traverse City.
If you’ve earned a B.S.W. degree in the last five years,
GVSU in Traverse City offers a unique opportunity to join
an existing M.S.W. cohort as an advanced-standing student.
• Build on your existing skills and develop advanced expertise in
direct service, administration, or community planning.
Now: 140 lbs
• Program designed to fit the busy schedules of working professionals.
as the elasticity is gone. I hope to have corrective
surgery to repair the damage I have done to myself. I
know I truly cannot afford it, but I would love to see
the final results of all of my hard work. Maybe that is
just a pipe dream, but it is my dream.
Now when I look in the mirror it is much different. Yes, I weigh less, but for the first time in a very
long time, I like myself. Even better is that my son
notices the changes and he is proud of me. So am I!
• Cohort format with face-to-face classes at the NMC University Center.
• Accredited program, outstanding instructors, local internships, and
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• Twenty-year track record with social work programs in Traverse City.
LEARN MORE AT OUR OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, February 19, 5:00–7:00 p.m., Gray Conference Room (202F)
NMC University Center, 2200 Dendrinos Dr., Traverse City
Laura Holling is the owner of Absolute Accuracy
Bookkeeping. She can be reached at 231.360.5634 or
[email protected].
www.grandtraversewoman.com
gvsu.edu/traverse
(231) 995-1785
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15
7
Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse Woman
The Christal
Frost
Show
with Christal Frost & Colleen Wares
An inheritance from her father changed her life

By Kari Massa
Sarah Brown Photography
The inheritance
Imagine this: Your life is simple and, quite
honestly, boring. You get up for work, complete
the daily routine without thought or care. And
each day a part of you dies a little more, just
enough to make you realize how wrong it feels.
My life for roughly the past nine years was just
that: stagnant. I didn’t have any fun stories. There
was no real drama.
There I was, in a lifeless marriage (fault on both
sides, no bashing here) when I decided to take a
leap of faith, so to speak, and pack everything
I owned including my two dogs, and leave.
Literally not knowing where I was going, just
knowing I NEEDED to leave.
Sounds a bit frightening, doesn’t it? Let’s throw
in with the “big move” and the divorce, the death
of my father, plus the death of one of my beloved
pups. All in a three-month period.
Enduring so much loss and change in such a
short period of time was exhausting, mentally
and physically. Leaving my husband was tough,
but freeing. Letting my father go was devastating,
especially because we had no warning. Sadly,
he drowned in Boardman Lake during Cherry
Festival and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t quite done
yet here on earth. But he left with a bang, which
was kind of his style. My dad touched a large
portion of the community. I didn’t grieve alone. It
was a collective loss.
As for the loss of my beloved pup Tess, that was
the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for me.
With everything that happened, I was unsure
of my path in life. I always felt I was meant for
something more, that there must be something
waiting for me just around the corner. But what?
Where?
Death changes you: it either destroys a part
of you or it births a new sense of self. Finding
strength can be daunting. Fortunately I was
born with an overabundance of inner strength.
And little did I know, my dad had left a legacy of
healing in his wake.
8
Jan/Feb '15
After years of searching, “my passion” finally
landed in my lap during this truly hard time
of my life. That’s when I inherited my father’s
firearms, which had given him much happiness.
I knew dad had just purchased a handgun, and
hadn’t gotten much use out of it before passing.
He hadn’t even used the new grips he ordered
for it, so, when they arrived after his death, my
uncle put them on for me. Then I went to a local
shooting range.
I am lucky enough to have a close friend who
is a shooting instructor. He accompanied me. I
was scared, yet very excited. I was horrible at
first, which was tough on me being I am very
competitive by nature.
But that first time, the pistol felt right in my
hand...it felt like home.
Next, I tried dad’s rifles. That was very
bittersweet for me. Dad had modified the stocks
and done a few other things to make them “just
right.” In a way, shooting them made me feel like
he was close.
My friend was patient with me and made
everything seem so simple once I understood the
workings of the firearm. I quickly soaked in every
aspect of the process.
I think the most fulfilling part of using my
father’s firearms was when I began hitting the
metal targets at longer distances.
I kept practicing and I was able to shoot two
rifles later that month at The Marksmanship
Training Center (MTC) in Lake City. I was
immediately hooked. Nothing could compare
to the empowering feeling I got from hitting my
target dead the first time.
‘I found it!’
Now that I am following in my dad’s footsteps, I
want to scream, “I found it!” to the world. I found
that thing I was meant to do. You will know what
I mean when it happens to you, trust me. It’s
euphoric and all encompassing; it becomes a part
of who you are. That moment you rise out of the
ashes and spread your wings to do great things.
I am now a chapter leader for the Grand
Traverse TWAW (The Well-Armed Woman)
Women’s Shooting Chapter. It is a truly amazing
company started by women for women. My
passion to teach Concealed Pistol courses—

training women on the proper use of firearms and
personal protection—is so strong it is literally all
I can think about.
I have had a very positive response from
women in the community about what I’m doing.
I meet so many who say to me: “Oh! I really want
to learn!” or “I’ve always wanted to do that!” and
yet they never have. So many women have come
forward and requested my help. The feeling
of community you get from this industry is
amazing. The response has been incredible!
I have also become part of the MTC, which
is veteran owned and operated. I got my first
taste of precision rifles and AR-15s at the MTC’s
Gunstock event this year. After meeting all of the
wonderful people there, I knew I needed to join.
Death changes you, it either
simplify your financial life is now.
destroys a part of you or it
births a new sense of self.
I still have much to learn in the firearm
industry; three months gets you only so far. But
my dream of helping people through my firearms
passion is coming to fruition.
I wanted to tell my story, not to whine or
evoke a sense of pity, but instead to tell you just
how amazing my life truly is. Following times of
uncertainty or loss, things really do get better,
trust me. You can rise from the ashes.
I leave you with one of my favorite quotes by
Haruki Murakami: “And once the storm is over,
you won’t remember how you made it through,
how you managed to survive. You won’t even be
sure whether the storm is really over. But one
thing is certain. When you come out of the storm,
you won’t be the same person who walked in.
That’s what this storm’s all about.”
Kari Massa is acting deputy director at the Traverse
City Housing Commission, where she has been
employed for almost six years. She has lived in
Traverse City for 21 years, has a pup named
Gus and enjoys everything to do with outdoor life.
To learn more about her shooting chapter, email
[email protected] or call 231.640.0551.
www.grandtraversewoman.com
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
Weekdays 10-12
WTCM NewsTalk 580
a different kind of talk
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The best time
to simplify your
financial life is
now.
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degree at Grand Valley in Traverse City.
Your pathway to becoming a certified physician assistant starts
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www.grandtraversewoman.com
Marc R. Gillespie
Jan/Feb '15
9
Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse Woman
3529 W Front St.
Traverse City, MI 49684
(231) 346-1047
[email protected]
www.johnpolleymd.com
Grand Traverse
WOMAN
MEET DR. JOHN POLLEY
From Broke
to Badass
Dr. John Polley is very excited to have recently relocated his plastic surgery practice
from Chicago, Illinois to Traverse City, Michigan. As an internationally recognized,
Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Polley has spent over the last
two decades practicing plastic surgery in Chicago, where he held the position of
Chairman of Plastic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Polley received
both his undergraduate and medical degrees from Northwestern University in
Chicago, and completed his plastic surgery residency at Butterworth Hospital
(Spectrum) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. To enhance his level of training and
expertise, he completed three fellowships in cosmetic surgery and facial
reconstruction. Dr. Polley has published over 100 scientific articles and book
chapters, and has invented several medical devices and procedures. He has received
numerous accolades including “America’s Top Doctor” by Castle Connolly Press
Ltd. as well as, “Top Doctor” in Chicago Magazine, as well as, many other regional
and national awards. Throughout his career, Dr. Polley’s commitment has been to
achieve the best possible care and results for his patients by individualizing their
treatment plan. Dr. Polley is excited to be in Northern Michigan, the state that he
loves, and promises to continue to deliver the very best care to all of his patients.
Thursday, FEB. 12, 2015 • 11am-1Pm
We all know what we’re supposed to do when life gives you lemons. Add sugar &
stir. But what about when life gives you divorce, debt, foreclosure notices, a broken
well, a broken freezer, and a broken dream? What then? When the going gets tough,
For more information we invite you to visit our website or call our office!
says Traverse City author Mardi Jo Link, the tough do not add sugar. The tough
add cussing, sweat, resolve, and good old Mid-western stubbornness. And, in lieu
of stirring, she wrote about it instead. Then sold her memoir, Bootstrapper, to the
biggest publisher in New York, garnered awards for it, and optioned the film rights
to an Academy Award-Winning actress. If you’re in the mood for a Local Girl Makes
Good story, or, Local Girl Goes Badass, this is it.
Mardi will speak at our Feb. 12 luncheon about her experiences and how to make
the best of the worst. Mardi Jo Link is an award-winning writer and journalist from
Traverse City. Her work has appeared in Creative Nonfiction, Terrain, The Detroit
Free Press, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune among others. She studied journalism at Michigan State University, has a MFA from Queens University of Charlotte,
and lives with her husband, son and dog Gretchen (pictured!) on The Big Valley.
Beth Price Photography
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10
Jan/Feb '15
www.grandtraversewoman.com
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 11
Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse Woman
I tried, he tried, it didn’t work and it wasn’t going to. His
heart broke and so did mine. It was like our story went from
a Taylor Swift song to a Lifetime movie. Then suddenly, in
the midst of our divorce, he was gone. It was Nov. 2, 2012.
Depression is a taboo topic. But it’s also a real illness.
Gluing the
pieces together
after losing him
By Jamie Thompson
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12
Jan/Feb '15
When you’re 27, you’re not supposed to be writing an obituary for the
father of your children. You’re not supposed to be buying outfits that your
3- and 1-year-old sons will wear to his funeral. You’re not supposed to feel
your life was picked up like a glass and smashed against the kitchen floor
into a million pieces.
But that’s what happened.
We were only kids when we met and played on the same soccer team
together. In high school we started dating. We went off to different colleges,
and despite the distance, managed to stay together. After college, we followed
the path we were “supposed” to by getting jobs, moving away from home,
getting married, having our first little boy, buying a house and completing our
family with one more beautiful little person.
Somewhere along the line, things fell apart. I’m not sure where exactly,
but they did. There are only two people who truly know what unfolded: the
breakdown of two best friends who ultimately grew up and grew apart.
I tried, he tried, it didn’t work and it wasn’t going to. His heart broke and
so did mine. It was like our story went from a Taylor Swift song to a Lifetime
movie.
Then suddenly, in the midst of our divorce, he was gone.
It was Nov. 2, 2012. Depression is a taboo topic. But it’s also a real illness.
There is a huge, gaping hole of time I barely remember. There were
countless phone calls, texts, emails and messages… so many people who
stepped forward to do what they could and lend their love and support.
There was so much shock, sadness, anger and broken ties within our family.
As much as I tried to mourn, I really couldn’t. All I could feel was guilt. I
had to keep it together for our two little boys. They wanted to know where
their daddy was. One of the hardest parts was when they would throw
tantrums, crying to me with the same blue eyes that he had.
www.grandtraversewoman.com
It was months and months before I could really grasp what happened.
Slowly but surely, the healing started. In a way, I felt like I shouldn’t be feeling
happy at all—because he was gone, it wasn’t okay for me to feel anything.
I would get through one day fine and then the next I would be a mess. But
day-by-day, it got better.
Instead of focusing on what I should have done differently, I focused on
the present, appreciating every small blessing and victory that I could. I
stopped caring so much about how outsiders looking in felt about what had
happened.
I know without a doubt that a higher power gifted me with some kind of
super strength to get through. I realized I couldn’t think along the lines of:
“I wish I would have changed this” or “Done that.” Instead I figured out that
the only guarantee in life is today.
My boys and I recently passed the two-year mark. There isn’t a day that
goes by that we don’t think of him. The boys have his college photo in their
room and say goodnight to him every night.
While it breaks my heart, it makes me proud to know that they’ll never
remember how he left, and instead they’ll remember how he lived. I see so
much of him in them, from the way they laugh to their wild streaks.
I hope he’d be proud of how I’m raising them. Hope is what gets me
through the tough days—the ones where both kids get sick at the same time
and I’m nursing fevers. Or when I come across that song on my iTunes list
called “If I Ever Leave this World Alive” by Flogging Molly. The one with the
lyric I used at the end of his obit: “Wherever I am you’ll always be, more than
just a memory.” Or when I know how much pain his family still suffers from
the loss. The days where the unrelenting guilt sneaks up on me.
There’s not a blueprint on how to handle something like this. And I know
I’m not alone in loss, or grief. But what I also know is, no matter how dark
the days may seem, it gets better. The sun always comes out after the storm.
Today, I couldn’t be luckier. My little men are superheroes, hockey players,
“Army guys” and the most loving pair of brothers you could ever meet.
My family has stuck by me through thick and thin, and I know they will
support me through every mistake and every success ahead. Then, there are
the friends who have become family. I am who I am today because none of
them gave up on me. People who I thought would have disappeared after
losing their best friend have stepped in, and I know will always be there as
my protectors.
You know that shattered glass? Sometimes I still step on shards of it that
weren’t picked up. And along with my family and friends who helped me
sweep up the mess and try to glue things back together, I was lucky enough
to meet a wonderful man at a Bihlman Brothers concert who has helped me
heal and doesn’t care about all of the cracks in my heart. He’s also made it
his personal mission to be a superhero to me and my two little guys. We’re
getting married in May.
Unlike fairytales, my story doesn’t exactly have a “happily ever after.”
That’s because the story is so far from ending. I wake up every day thankful
for air in my lungs and hope in my heart. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Welcome
Peggy and Linda!
We’re pleased to announce
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416 E. Front Street, Traverse City
Member FDIC • istatesavingsbank.com
Jamie Thompson is a proud mother of two, and the Creative Services Coordinator
at WWTV/WFQX, German-born, Irish-blooded and Yooper-raised, loving living
life in Northern Michigan. Check out her blog at: http://jamielikestv.blogspot.com.
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 13
Grand Traverse Woman
the power of
radio
Unemployed, going through a divorce and nearing homelessness as a single mother of
14
Jan/Feb '15
Ball Drop
By Christal Frost
Downtown Traverse City streets will be closed at 4 p.m. Dec. 31
for revelers to gather at the corner of Park and Front streets for
the illuminated Cherry Drop at midnight to welcome in 2015.
The CherryT Ball Drop began in 2009 in an effort to bring people
downtown on the holiday. Organizers gave the event a charitable
theme when they teamed up with local non-profits to help stock
food pantries. Guests were encouraged to donate a non-perishable food item or give a suggested $3 donation. Last year’s event
had an estimated 12,000 to 13,000 attendees, and collected
12,000 pounds of food.
be working with another broadcasting savant, my
lovely co-host, Colleen Wares McClelland.
I feel blessed every day. The entire cast of
Midwestern Broadcasting is top notch, which is
why it’s almost impossible to get a job there. People
are hired and they don’t leave until they retire! It’s
that great of a place to work.
Discovering self
I have learned so much about myself along this
journey. I’ve learned to say “Yes” to opportunity. I
sometimes wonder what might have happened if
I had said “No” to Cartman that January morning
years ago. Where would I be? Who would I be?
I think the most important lesson I’ve learned
along the way is to be myself. My mom was right
when she used to tell me: Nothing is more authentic than you, so always be yourself. Be real.
The most difficult lesson I’ve learned is that no
matter how “thick-skinned” you are, insults hurt.
Let them hurt. I used to try to pretend that it didn’t
crush me when someone said something disparaging about me.
Colleagues in the industry would say: “You
have to be tough to be in this business,” so I would
choke back tears until I got home. That was wrong.
Radio works because it is human, and if we try to
pretend we’re anything else, we fail.
The power of the human voice, wavering and
breaking during a particularly difficult subject, is
felt through the audio waves transmitting through
your car stereo. Sighs are shared, laughter becomes
contagious and disagreements happen every day.
Beth Price Photography
Raising awareness
As a host, radio afforded me the opportunity to pair my love of community and social issues with the power
of a microphone. I’ve advocated for child abuse prevention and have been able to bring these dark issues to
light by way of radio.
It was radio (and lack of parking) that planted the seed for the CherryT Ball Drop.
I was headed to a promotional meeting, looking for a parking space in downtown Traverse City, when I
saw the crane hovering above what would become 101 N. Park St. Minutes later, I walked into my meeting
and said, “We should drop a ball from that crane on New Year’s Eve!”
Creating community
Then a new verse began in the song of my life.
It was spring of 2012 when I was hired to produce
for The Ron Jolly Show and The Norm Jones Show
on WTCM NewsTalk 580.
It was there I really saw what radio was: an
extension of the community and a vehicle for conversation. People listen to radio to connect. In a
world where information is readily available at the
push of a button, broadcasters are here for conversations. We’re like your neighbor, discussing issues
over a cup of coffee.
Ron Jolly is the master of this craft. Watching
Ron every morning, I felt like I was getting a paid
education in broadcasting. I can honestly say that
Ron was and is not only a mentor to me in radio,
but also in life. He’s just a good person.
In February of this year, after Norm Jones joined
The Afternoon Drive, I was “called up” and given
my own show. It’s been surreal. I am honored to
The CherryT
and how it saved me
two kids back in 2006, I was, quite simply, desperate for a job.
I’d been working for a non-profit that had to close due to lack of funding. I was seriously devastated.
By chance, I answered an ad for a radio sales position with Modern Rock the Zone. I didn’t realize then that I
was shaping an entirely new direction for my life.
As a salesperson, I was terrible. However, on the morning of Jan. 1, 2007, after succumbing to the begging of
my co-worker, Cartman, I begrudgingly woke up at an ungodly hour to sit in as co-host of his show.
Cartman wanted someone to chat with that morning, and I had a difficult time saying no. Five hours later, our
boss called and… “Mizz Christal” was born.
When I was a girl growing up in Benzie County, the radio was the backdrop for my youth: windows rolled
down, WTCM blasting Lee Greenwood’s “Proud To Be an American” on the Fourth of July through the speakers
of my mom’s blue Pontiac. I recall getting choked up listening to the words of that song, but not understanding
why, just yet.
Even then I was in awe of the trade. I remember listening to Terri Ray and thinking: “How does she know what
to say? Is she just talking to herself? How does she do that?”
Interestingly, during the 2011 ball drop, I was
experiencing deja vu: I was once again single and
facing homelessness after my radio position was
cut. I looked out from the stage at the crowd of
15,000 people and at that moment I realized how
close we all are to experiencing loss and homelessness. We are just one job loss, one medical
emergency, one step away from struggle. I was the
founder of that wonderful event, but I had less
than $50 in my bank account and was living with
relatives. It was an incredibly humbling experience.
Grand Traverse Woman
Outdoor entertainment will start at 10:30 p.m. at the site. New
indoor events are: A “Magic for Humans” show,
featuring magician Ben Whiting at 7 p.m. at the City Opera
House, followed by “Magic at Midnight” at the Top of the Park
in the Park Place Hotel.
Learn more about the festivities at CherryTBallDrop.com.
Christal Frost lives with her two boys in Traverse City
and is the host of The Christal Frost Show. The show
is a variety with topics on music, local news and happenings, personal stories, arts, education, food and
family, and can be heard weekdays on NewsTalk 580
from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Christal is also the CFO of
the CherryT Ball Drop, which has raised more than
$60,000 in cash and food for charities in recent years
(see sidebar).
Just like life. If I’m honest about how things affect
me, people will relate. In radio, we can have human
connections without ever meeting. And, that’s
pretty special.
This job with WTCM has truly changed my life.
My children have grown up in the midst of struggle
at times, but they have witnessed their mother
overcoming these challenges. Stable employment
has become our cornerstone for building a stable
life. This thought brings tears to my eyes. I hope,
over anything else, I am teaching my boys the same
lessons my mom taught me.
Now, when Lee Greenwood’s song comes on the
radio, and the emotions flow, I know why…
Only in America! I grew up poor, seriously
poor, but my mom taught me that in America you
can become anything you want. I think people forget that sometimes. We spend so much time calling
attention to what isn’t working in our country. But,
I hear that song, and I remember everything that is
right in this nation. We all get an opportunity. It’s
up to us to employ our ambition!
www.grandtraversewoman.com
(231) 946-5191 | TCCENTRALUMC.ORG | 222 Cass, Downtown TC
YOUare welcome HERE.
Sunday Mornings
Chapel Worship at 8:15 am | Casual Worship at 9 am
Sunday School at 10 am
| Traditional Worship at 11 am
Emily Leuenberger
PHOTOGRAPHY
Call Emily for great
wedding pictures at a
great price!
9838 Martin Rd., Honor, MI 49640
231.632.4193 [email protected]
Facebook: Emily Leuenberger Photography
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www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 15
Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse Woman
I had not thought of myself as making excuses, I learned that my lack of joy
was driven by that very thing!
Never quit striving
Somewhere along the line I had decided that by achieving my initial
goals—a good career, home and new car—I was somehow done with life.
That I had run my course. I even told myself that I couldn’t do better. Was I
ever wrong!
I had stunted my development by not making new goals and climbing
new mountains. I learned life was not a one-time achievement, but a glorious
long-term ride filled with growth. I was ready to dream big again.
The Journey Program
Cancer Exercise Wellness TM
The Journey Program:
Cancer Exercise Wellness is a free
exercise program offered to cancer
patients who are newly diagnosed,
undergoing treatment, in remission and
cancer survivors 2 years post treatment.
We believe that exercise can and should
be used to improve and enhance the
recovery of cancer patients. The class
meets on Mondays and Wednesdays
at Anytime Fitness in Traverse City or
Tuesdays and Thursdays at Betsie Hosick
Health and Fitness Center in Frankfort.
Administrative Director
Jean Mahoney, BS, MS, CPT-ACE
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231-383-0153
New Year, New You!
What’s Your Health Potential in 2015?
Healthy by Choice...
Not by Chance!
Dr. Lea Piché, Chiropractor
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Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children.
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Whole Food Nutrition Counseling.
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CALL 231-995-0990
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16
Jan/Feb '15
The Revamp
No one else could
change the direction of
my life but me
By Joy Frawley
“Am I a doer or a dreamer?” I found myself contemplating in
my living room one day as the tears rolled down my face. What happened to
the woman who laughed all the time? The woman who was engaged in life?
Whose smile could light up a room?
In that moment I saw the truth. I had become complacent. I had spent
years choosing the easy way and choosing “comfortable” instead of the exciting unknown. I remained in a career and a community I had outgrown, where
I no longer reaped any joy. I wanted to feel passion running through my veins
once again instead of drudgery.
The verb “missing” is defined as: “unable to find something.” That kept
occurring to me in regards to reinventing my life and livelihood. I kept thinking I was trying to change my situation, but I remained stuck in the same
place.
I grew tired and discouraged as the years kept going onward. I wanted
more and I was determined to get it. I knew I could get it. So why wasn’t I?
It was time to be brave and find the spark again. Easier said than done.
But, you know what? I finally figured out some of the key steps I had been
“missing” and they made all the difference.
Stop pointing fingers
First and foremost, I had to take responsibility and own up to the fact I was
the only person able to get my life back on track and find happiness again.
There could be no finger pointing. No one else could change the direction of
my life but me.
Facing my shortcomings was not the easiest thing to do. Still, I realized
my lack of contentment stemmed from allowing the status quo—not my passion—to rule my perspective.
How did I do it? I found the old adage, “Fake it till you make it,” really
was true for me in the beginning of my journey. And the bolder I became,
the braver I got.
Look for patterns
I began reading about people who were successful and appeared to be
happy so that I could begin to copy their behavior. During my studies, I
noticed every single one of them had a similar characteristic: no excuses.
Few successful people allow their thoughts to drift to “poor me.” Though
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Set new goals
After much prayer, reflection and study, I knew it was time to take action
and revamp my life. I made fresh goals: I was going to become a published
writer. I was going to relocate to a new city. I was going to be the adventurous
fun-loving woman I had been before I suffocated her with complacency and
the status quo.
For starters, I began writing. I went into the entire book-publishing process with the mindset I had something fun and positive for the reader. Once I
completed my manuscript for a romance novel I sent it to publishers. Simply
setting those wheels in motion led to great things. I got two offers for my first
book: Two Worlds, Two Men!
I also relocated from downstate to Traverse City. Switching gears was exactly the thing I needed. Traverse City offered me the spirit of adventure I sought
to ignite in my life again. In addition to the natural beauty of the region, I fell
in love with the people of the area. Their “can do” attitude was contagious.
Within months, I started seeing the cloud of despair lift.
To rekindle my “fun” side, I stopped talking myself out of new experiences.
Whether it was submitting my book to publishers, or trying other daring
activities, I opened my mindset to the uncharted waters around me. Instead
of talking myself out of success, I engaged my thoughts in enjoying the ride
toward achieving each of my goals.
As I relocated and started a brand new life, I felt more certain of my ability with each new day. I realized the fear of failure was not as terrifying as
remaining complacent. Sure, failure often is a fast fall, but complacency is a
slow drain of one’s spirit and far more damaging.
All these changes weren’t just lip service. I took specific steps and put my
plans into motion. I was no longer going to live life as a “dreamer,” but rather
as a “doer.”
Silence unhealthy self-talk
I also no longer allowed negative thoughts to draw my attention. All my
old self-defeating talk was limiting. It was mental slavery. So I decided to kick
it to the curb where it belonged. I erased “I can’t do this” from my vocabulary.
As a result, I had to change my inner self-talk to manifest the exterior
changes I craved. It could have been easier to stay with what I knew. It was
comfortable. Instead, for every self-defeating thought that appeared, I had
to reprogram my mind by replacing that thought with a confident one. By
changing my thoughts, I broke through to new territory.
Accept the gift of happiness
I constantly reminded myself that I could not only be happy again, I
deserved to be happy. And everyone else deserved to be too. I had let my previous thoughts atrophy my demeanor to such a low level of mediocrity it was
no wonder I was unhappy.
It took discipline to transform my life. I can’t stress that enough. But all
my hard work paid off.
Today, I am not only contented, but I have also accomplished the goals I
set out to achieve. Life is good. Very good. Doers take action. Dreamers just
dream about it. Which one are you?
Joy Frawley is a writer living in Traverse City. Her romance novella; Two
Worlds, Two Men, was released in October and can be purchased on Amazon
or Resplendence Publishing. You can reach her at [email protected].
www.grandtraversewoman.com
The 5th Annual Spay-Ghetti Dinner
Sunday, February 8th
from 4 to 7 pm
Alden Bar & Grille
in Alden
Proceeds promote community spay neuter effort
$12 Donation
(kids five and under eat free)
HOSTED BY ALDEN BAR & GRILLE,
AC PAW AND
NORTHWOODS ANIMAL COALITION
Menu: SalaD, “Spayghetti”, garlic BreaD,
DeSSert – chilDren 5 anD unDer free
entertainMent – Silent auction – faMily fun
www.acpaw.org • 231-587-0738
Dress your kids for the day ahead
Weekday Mornings
4:30–7am
Joe
CHARLEVOIX
Meteorologist
Download the UpNorthLive Mobile App
Fair, honest and professional, the guys
go the extra mile to explain repairs
and arrange for free rentals. Plus, they
guarantee collision work for as long
as I own my vehicle. I wouldn't go
anywhere else. ~Amy Reichard
(231) 941-1137 • 1824 Cass Hartman Court • Traverse City
Jan/Feb '15 17
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Grand Traverse Woman
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MAKEOVER
have lost over 450 lbs. total! can you
handle the spotlight? the sweat? the
success? if so, visit us online at
www.grandtraversewoman.com and
put your name in the hat for this
opportunity to make a big change
with GtWoman!
The Sweat
The Perks
The Start
Our 3 Janes will take part in an
8-week program at our sponsor,
Fit For You Health Club in
Traverse City. The program includes:
Our additional sponsors will offer:
Applicants must fill out a 1-page
application and send us that “before”
picture you want to say goodbye to!
• 16 fat-blasting body transformation
coaching sessions with the Jane team
• 8 confidence-building group
challenges
• 4 educational seminars
• 8 week Fit For You membership
• Done-for-you-meal plan
• A Fit For You towel & water bottle
MAKEOVER
• Ongoing nutritional counseling
• Unlimited email coaching
Lose
Derek Dall’Olmo,
CFP®, APMA®
Financial Advisor
that’s right, gals, it’s time to make that
change you’ve been wanting for so
long. if you’ve got at least 20 lbs. to
lose, are able to commit to an intense
8-week program and have the allimportant “sass” factor, apply today!
this will be our 7th year and our Janes
GTOC:
Skin care for the Janes, plus eyewear
Impres Salon Spa:
Hair color & cut, manicure,
make-up and blow out
Photography by Scarlett:
Before & After Photos of each Jane
Werthmann Life Coaching:
• One life-coaching journal/
workbook per Jane
• A 45-minute one-on-one
discovery session
• Bi-Monthly 1-hour group sessions
(every other week starting the week
they are chosen until program ends)
At Your Service Cleaning
1 house cleaning for each Jane
The program runs March 14 - May
9, 2015. Janes will be featured in
three issues of GTWoman as their
progress unfolds, as well as be
celebrated at a Jane Finale party at
the May 13 GTWoman Network
Nite.
Download the application at:
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Deadline: Jan. 23, 2015
Come on, let's do this!
Plus Janes get free tickets
to GTWoman Network Nites
during the program!
Bill Lee, LUTCF®,
CRPC®
Financial Advisor
tnfgrp.com | 3337 S Airport Rd. W, Ste. 4, Traverse City, MI 49684 | 231.947.6700
Investment advisory services and products are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser.
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. ©2014 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.
911613ACMR0514
18
Jan/Feb '15
www.grandtraversewoman.com
www.grandtraversewoman.com
At Your Service
Cleaning
Jan/Feb '15 19
Grand Traverse Woman
In Touch
HEALING &
CHIROPRACTIC
BETHANY DESIGN
Gentle Chiropractic
CranioSacral Therapy • Massage Therapy
Participates with most major insurances
BETHANY DESIGN
logos • stationary • brochures
posters • graduation cards
wedding invitations • ad layout
231.645.1072
www.bethanydesigntc.com
[email protected]
Hot Beauty Tip:
Make Vibrant Health
Your #1 Makeover Priority
D R . S U Z E T T E C O R B I T, D . C .
3310 Veterans Drive, Suite 215
Traverse City, MI 49684
231-933-9388
Posture Makeover:
231.935.1715 Office
231.357.1123 Cell
[email protected] www.photobyscarlett.com
HOME & BUSINESS MOVES
Did you know?
is a
Michigan-based company?
It started in the early 1980s
in Okemos, Mich.
moving-related services that can
Mara Crofoot, President
• Packing and unpacking services
• Senior facility moves
• Boxes and packing supplies
• Fully insured and bonded
www.TwoMenNorthernMichigan.com
1348 S. West Silver Lake Rd., Traverse City, MI 49685
(231) 947-8880
Start with
your purse!
By Amy Anderson
Grand Traverse Woman
How exactly? Well, we all know we should sit up straight. We know
that good posture is somewhere in the realm of eating more vegetables—
it’s good for us.
But did you know that your favorite handbag could be throwing you
off? Your body actually leans away from the handbag to offset the weight.
Most of us are in the habit of only carrying our handbag on one side of
the body so we are always leaning in the opposite direction.
ABC news featured a segment a while back about carrying handbags.
Amy Robach reported on an NYU study that looked at how carrying a bag
or purse affects posture. The findings were more surprising than some of
the sticky “treasures” buried in our bags.
A heavy handbag worn on the shoulder can cause a woman to lean
up to 6 degrees. Holding that same bag in the crook of the elbow had a
9.3-degree lean, and holding it down at the side with one hand registered
12.7 degrees. That’s dramatic for busy women and moms trying to keep
their balance.
What happens when we become the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Our
bodies are designed to be upright and symmetric. Even a few degrees can
put a lot of uneven forces through your body. This can create tension,
muscle imbalances and uneven wear and tear.
What’s more: Leaning can make the muscles on one side work harder,
leading to spasms and pain, as well as potentially compressing discs in
the spine.
Leaning while carrying a handbag also causes decreased arm swing on
one side, which affects rotation of the spine and pelvis, leading to stiffness
and other problems. Picture the frame of a door in your house. If it is
uneven it will make opening and closing much harder and the wood will
start to wear from friction where it is too high. Not a pretty picture.
If you are having pain, find out if your handbag is part of the
problem. (This is a message from the physical therapy purse police!)
It only takes five minutes to do this handbag check and begin to make
over your posture.
Step one: Put your purse on the bathroom scale. A handbag should
only weigh 5 percent of your body weight. So if you weigh 150 pounds,
your purse should be no more than 7 pounds.
Step two:
Sit at a table and dump your bag out. Is there anything
that doesn’t really need to be there? You may not be able to live without
your favorite shade of lipstick or your cell phone, but perhaps the three
little bottles of hand sanitizer could be culled. Your body will thank you.
Jan/Feb '15
STORMY KROMER
WE HAVE YOU COVERED:
HATS, COATS, SHIRTS & VESTS
Step three:
I am not
one of those women with a purse fetish. I just have one I
use all the time and two that sit in the closet, waiting to be taken out for
a fancy event.
My everyday purse is medium in size and yet I am amazed at how
much I can cram in there. It might carry an extra diaper and wipes or
child’s toy. I am often entertained at work when I reach in the end pocket
for Chap stick and come out with a small wooden monkey, a rock from a
distant beach outing or a package of fruit snacks.
My purse can seem like a bottomless pit at times. Grocery lists, to-do
lists and receipts all add to the paper stash. I know I’m not alone in this.
In fact, many of you may be carrying around everything but the kitchen
sink in your purse, too.
We all know the line from the television commercial: “Capital One…
What’s in your wallet?” So fess up, what’s in your purse? Do you really
need everything in there?
It’s a legitimate question because, as a physical therapist, I can tell you
that it can affect our health.
Consider your purse style. Straps that go across the
body like a messenger-bag style will transfer the forces a little better.
And backpack styles are even better; however, avoid the temptation to
load them up. Recommendations for backpacks are still only 10 percent
of your body weight. (I’m quite sure my backpack in college was more
than that!)
I’ve been known to tote a loaded diaper bag over the years, but lately
I’ve been trying to travel more lightly. And my body is responding. I even
discovered that waiting in the carpool line to pick up my son from school
is a great time to go through my purse and remove unnecessary weight
like those old grocery lists or whatever else ends up in there. Yes, even
the wooden monkey toy!
Amy Anderson is a physical therapist at FAST Physical Therapy. She helps people
move better without pain, which often includes education about posture and how
it affects the body. She specializes in working with women who are pregnant or
in post-partum pain. She is married to a man who makes sure his wallet is not
too thick. (Men, you are not off the hook. Sitting on a big wallet can also cause
problems). She has three young children and hopefully will be done with diaper
bags in the near future. Visit http://fastphysicaltherapy.com.
Each franchise independently owned and operated. • USDOT 1469296 MPSC 32908
20
MADE IN MICHIGAN
www.grandtraversewoman.com
www.grandtraversewoman.com
DIVERSIONS
104 E. Front St, TC
231-946-6500
Jan/Feb '15 21
Grand Traverse Woman
Self-esteem is earned. I remind myself of that every day as I embark on the second
chapter of my life after 18 years of marriage.
Divorce takes a toll on every aspect of a woman, leaving broken and missing pieces to recover
and remake into a new life. As the realization set in that my life was not a fairy tale, I was forced
to come to terms with some hard truths. I had dedicated much of my marriage to raising my two
children, as most mothers do.
Determined to meet the demands of my family, I had lost any sense of independence and often
felt like a failure, just spinning my wheels day-to-day. My son also has some special needs requiring
additional interventions and supports. I was overwhelmed and felt isolated. I became submerged in
loneliness, depression and confusion for many years.
So, when my divorce ensued and my ex-husband decided to return to his home state of
Massachusetts, I had to accept the fact that I was neither physically nor emotionally ready to care
for both of my children alone. My heart broke the day my son moved 1,100 miles away to live with
his father and new stepmother.
A year later, I have not recovered and likely never will, but I have found peace in knowing my
son is well cared for and loved. At the time, my daughter needed me and we needed to find our way
together. We did. Here’s what helped me.
G etting my hands dirty
Th e S eco n d C h a p te r
Health, friends
& business
after divorce
My recovery started on a farm owned by my daughter’s friend, a family I had met only once. But
the draw and need to get my hands dirty, to get dirt under my fingernails, led me to their door. A
big barn door on Old Mission Peninsula.
For me, the best recovery was with work. Dirty, physical, hard work with a great reward—
feeding families locally grown, organic fruits and vegetables. There were days when I just washed
hundreds of potatoes, getting them ready for CSA baskets. It was a heavy, emotional time for
introspection where I could process my situation. I had to completely give myself up to something
hard to heal. I'm certain working on the farm set the stage for my new beginning.
S weat it out
By Susan Alexander
A healthy diet, fresh air, sunshine and hard work built a strong body. I was also cycling, running
and competing in local 5Ks for the first time. I had even lost that extra 20 pounds. However, I
Congratulations Terry
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Fargo
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Terry
is among
a select
group
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Matt W. Russell
Branch Manager
Wells
Fargo
Advisors, LLC
Matt
W.
Russell
10850Manager
East Traverse Hwy, Suite 5575
Branch
Traverse
MI 49684
Wells
FargoCity,
Advisors,
LLC Tel: 231-946-1630
Relationships change after divorce. They just
do. Creating my new community of friends became
a priority last summer. In doing so, I established
a weekly Harvest Dinner throughout the farming
season. Eight single moms and 15 children were
C hase dreams
Then in September another door opened.
It was a chance meeting with Nancy Perry.
While volunteering for a fund-raising event, I met
Nancy. She introduced me to the idea of fulfilling
a dream. So far, my journey after divorce was
all about health and healing, about balance and
relationships, about security for my daughter and
me. Now, I get to chase a dream?
The friendship flourished. One day, Nancy and
I were taking a stand-up paddleboard excursion
on West Bay. We were discussing our strengths
and struggles, passions and talents when we
discovered that we are both artists. I had an
original idea for a business: drawing a keepsake-
quality coloring book journal for children of all
ages to enjoy. She had a brilliant marketing brand
and logo design, Colorwave Studio TC. By the
time we reached shore, we were business partners!
For Nancy and me, it is the opportunity to
overcome the past and build a strong and stable
future for ourselves and our families. We are two
single moms raising our teenaged children and
fulfilling a dream by doing what we love.
We are currently illustrating the intrinsic
beauty of Traverse City and compiling our
drawings into Treasures of Traverse City Color Book.
For me, the book will be the result of hours spent
farming, running, doing yoga, caring for my
daughter and building relationships—because
by doing so I earned the self-esteem necessary to
fulfill this dream.
I’ve learned, when you’re given a second
chance to live your life, you do what you love with
passion and conviction. Wellness and purpose
are top on my list now. With those two things in
place, I am a better role model for my children, a
more compassionate friend and a stronger and a
more purposeful woman.
Susan Alexander is a Michigan native and has been
a resident of Traverse City for 15 years. Follow her
story on Facebook at Colorwave Studio TC where the
progress of Treasures of Traverse City Color Book is
being posted with expected availability in May 2015.
All are welcome to attend this fun-filled event
showcasing an array of area preschools and services.
HOSTED BY
Holy Angels Preschool & Elementary School
130 E Tenth St, Traverse City, MI 49684
(231) 946-5961
The best variety
for your workday.
Listen on the radio at 96.3 FM.
Online at lite96.com.
Or download the TuneIn Radio App
and listen on the go!
MAY Lose Value
Investment
and Insurance
Products:
FDIC
Insured and
NO
Bank Guarantee
Wells Fargo Advisors,
LLC, Member
SIPC, is aNOT
registered
broker-dealer
a separate
non-bank affiliate
MAY
of Wells Lose
Fargo Value
& Company. ©2013 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 0114-05148
Jan/Feb '15
E x pand your world
all sitting down for a meal together, supporting
each other, networking and cooking together. We
shared our homes, wine and laughter.
Other relationships were taking shape too. By
aligning myself with honest, driven, compassionate
businesswomen, I was learning and connecting
with the community. Whether I was harvesting
vegetables for the CSA with Missy Russell at
Nicholas Farm and Vineyards or making soap with
Lynn Rodenroth at Great Lakes Bath and Body, these
hardworking businesswomen and owners became
my role models. They gave me opportunities to
grow personally and professionally. After being a
stay-at-home mom for nearly 16 years, my world
was becoming a lot bigger.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
9 am - 12 pm
Fax: 231-946-1240
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate
of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2013 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 0114-05148
still lacked focus and personal healing. Then last
spring, I discovered yoga thanks to my sister-inlaw. She had given me a gift card to Yen Yoga.
The card was shuffled between wallets and was
misplaced for nearly a year. It turned up when I
was ready.
The thought of trying yoga was intimidating
to me, but I pushed myself to overcome that fear.
I took the plunge into the hot room. I found hot
yoga is the ultimate challenge, both physically
and mentally.
After several months, I am gaining strength,
flexibility and becoming more centered with
personal intentions and forgiveness. Yoga
consistently provides a stable, nurturing, reliable
environment for wellness for me.
The clarity of setting expectations for myself
and others is becoming a reality. You see, there
is a direct correlation among health, discipline,
focus and self-esteem. I was beginning to realize
the benefits of hard work, determination and a
lot of sweat. Finally, feeling well in a whole sense
led to the ability to discover and maintain healthy
relationships with confidence.
Preschool & Child
Resource Fair
10850 East Traverse Hwy, Suite 5575
Investment
Insurance
Products:
FDIC Insured Fax:
NO Bank
Guarantee
Traverseand
City,
MI 49684
Tel:NOT
231-946-1630
231-946-1240
22
Grand Traverse Woman
www.grandtraversewoman.com
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 23
Grand Traverse Woman
From the ground up
My (new) dream job of
farming, food & fundraising
Grand Traverse Woman
of our communities and harnessing that power to create change. It is that
kind of interrelated, holistic change that I believe we need to make a real
impact in this world.
FarmRaiser is part of a movement that is happening all over the country, a
movement that is empowering young people, supporting communities and
building a stronger, more resilient food system for all people.
Looking back to that early seed of an idea from my great-grandmother, I
know this is just the kind of movement I can get behind.
Terra Bogart was born and raised in Traverse City, has a BA in Anthropology
from the University of Michigan and a Master’s Degree from Michigan State
University’s Department of Community Sustainability. She enjoys gardening,
spending time with her family and enjoying the beautiful Lake Michigan
throughout all four seasons.
"High Concept Comedy that is
Provocative and Smart";
"A Razor-sharp Comedian"
- The Denver Post
TICKETS: $20, $35
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17 AT 8 PM & SUNDAY, JANUARY 18 AT 2 PM
Gregory
Alan
Isakov
Music
★★
★★t★Americantoane
★★
By Terra Bogart
A seed is planted
My great-grandmother came to the United
States from Italy, bringing a tradition of strong
women and self-reliance that has stretched several
generations. She once told me that she survived
the Great Depression simply by knowing how to
grow and preserve her own food. This seed of an
idea was planted in me at a very young age.
Some of my earliest memories from childhood
take place in my grandmother’s garden. I remember
sitting next to her, my knees pressed into the
ground as I dug holes and scanned the soil for
earthworms. I can hear my grandmother saying,
“Terra, remember, your food doesn’t come from a
supermarket. It comes from the earth, in the dirt,
like this!” At the time, I wasn’t aware of the true
depth and meaning of those words.
While I was in college, my parents bought an
old farmhouse with 40 acres of land and began
spending time practicing the art of self-reliance.
They planted a large garden, a fruit orchard and
more garlic than you could ever imagine. They
even tried beekeeping. Each time I came home to
visit, I became more intrigued by this new lifestyle
they had taken on. The more I showed interest,
the more the women in my family shared their
memories with me.
My mother, for example, shared how she
learned to can tomatoes from her grandmother.
I realized that the way we all related to the
generations of women who came before us was
through the process of learning to grow our own
food. Recognizing the importance of this shared
knowledge made me want to pursue self-reliance
even more in my own life.
Tending the soil
After college, I spent several months traveling,
volunteering on two organic farms, before finally
24
Jan/Feb '15
landing an internship teaching middle-schoolaged youth about gardening and nutrition.
I will never forget how I left that school on my
first day feeling more satisfied than I had ever been
in my entire life. It was as if something had sprung
to life inside of me as I watched those kids plant
seeds in their school garden and then glance back
up at me, their eyes full of wonder.
As I worked alongside these students, I realized
the immense privilege it was to have grown up
with the knowledge to grow food. I wondered
why every child did not have access to the skills
needed to prepare their own fresh, nutritious
meals. I came to truly understand that the lessons
passed on to me by my great-grandmother were
still deeply relevant.
Years later I moved to Lansing for graduate
school, where I also worked at a local nonprofit managing a school garden-based nutrition
program. There, I facilitated nutrition lessons in
more than 50 classrooms each month and saw
over 1,000 students each year, many of whom
had absolutely no experience gardening with their
families at home.
With a school garden as the staging ground,
we learned together, explored together and grew
together, while developing a positive connecting
to food. I loved each and every one of those kids
for how they taught me about myself and about
human nature.
No matter what kind of day I was having
outside of school, my spirits always lifted when I
heard the excited shrieks of “Garden Club!” and
“Miss Terra!” as I walked into a classroom. Their
sincere excitement grounded me.
A generation in bloom
Eventually, I decided it was time to move back
home to Traverse City. I wanted to continue
working for a better food system in the very place
that had formed me. As luck would have it, I
discovered a job opportunity with an exciting
new company called FarmRaiser right around that
same time.
FarmRaiser coordinates healthy school
fundraisers by connecting schools to local farms
and food producers so students can sell high
quality, locally made products in place of traditional
junk food or wrapping paper.
FarmRaiser was a perfect blend of all the things
I had become most passionate about in my life.
The job description was like a dream come true.
Promoting a strong local food system, teaching
students about eating healthy and providing
schools with an alternative to processed food
fundraising, all the while creating a healthier
school environment and a stronger community for
all. Yes, please!
This year, since joining FarmRaiser, I have
witnessed some pretty incredible things. We have
such kind, genuine people in Northern Michigan,
with so many farmers and food producers working
hard day after day. I have seen teachers, parents
and principals ecstatic to be able to raise some
much needed funds for their school, while also
educating their students about the importance of
eating local foods. I continue to be deeply proud
of my community.
Perhaps most importantly, I have seen young
students become the ambassadors of change. I
have watched them—deeply motivated, energetic,
critical thinkers, questioning the state of our food
system in a way that my generation never did.
These are the leaders of tomorrow. These kids,
they really get it.
I loved hearing one kid say, “Everybody should
be able to eat healthy food no matter what because
people deserve to be happy and healthy.”
I believe that is what FarmRaiser is really all
about. It is about embracing the bounty and spirit
www.grandtraversewoman.com
What is FarmR aiser?
FarmRaiser connects farmers & food
artisans to student-led fundraisers, turning energetic students into
healthy-eating advocates selling locally grown and locally made products
(such as Champion Hill honey, Higher
Grounds coffee and Friske Orchards
fruits, just to name a few).
•
In a FarmRaiser campaign students sell a variety of
wholesome, locally grown and made products.
•
FarmRaiser guarantees a return of at least 45 percent
of the profit back to the school.
•
90 percent of all funds raised stay in the community.
•
Vendors often report that customers who purchase their
products in a FarmRaiser campaign will visit them at
local farmers markets to purchase more of the products they were introduced to through the fundraiser.
•
FarmRaiser allows students to become champions of
good food by educating their families, friends and
communities about their local food system.
•
FarmRaiser is currently active throughout the state of
Michigan, the city of Seattle and plans to be active in
the Washington D.C. area in the near future.
If you’re interested in learning more about this
organization or want to bring a FarmRaiser campaign to
your school, visit www.farmraiser.com or contact Terra
Bogart, FarmRaiser’s Michigan Campaign Coordinator, at
[email protected] or 231.486.5322.
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Ta
ng S
0 BES -Rolli
Top 2Fest 2014
“Consistently
electrifying live.”
- Popmatters
“Stellar shtick. Highly skilled sketch comedy artists.” -Chicago Tribune
TICKETS MAKE A FUN NIGHT OUT.
More unique shows online!
CityOperaHouse.org
231-941-8082
Jan/Feb '15 25
Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse Woman
1545 S DIVISION, SUITE 120 TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49684
Located in Kid’s Creek
TRAVERSE CITY, MI
www.paintingwithatwist.com/traverse-city
w
e
N
The
!
t
u
O
t
h
Nig
g
n
i
n
Celebrate!
e
p
5
O
1
0
d
2
n
,
7
1
y
G ra
r
a
u
Jan
Call for more info! 231.392.5716
26
Jan/Feb '15
www.grandtraversewoman.com
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Food & Dr
i
nks
All Ages
!
Jan/Feb '15 27
PHOTO by Christine Largent
Grand Traverse Woman
The ultimate
(scrap) makeover
By Dayna Valpey
I’ve always been a creative person,
One person’s trash is
another’s treasure.
~English Proverb
someone who would create
something out of nothing. But I never knew a movement existed to support my creativity.
Then about 10 years ago, while living in the Detroit area and attending a festival, I had an
“Ah-ha!” moment that would shape my entire life.
I encountered a booth that provided a hat-making station. Festival-goers were invited
to create a funky, fun hat using repurposed paper grocery bags, bits of leftover ribbon
and yarn and other reuse supplies. In that instant I was introduced to the official creative
reuse movement.
Eureka! Something that I had been doing my entire life was finally defined. Even better,
I discovered there were several people in my community interested in the very same thing.
Creative reuse is upcycling, repurposing or transforming materials that are no longer
wanted for their original function and altering them into something new and useful. Many
of these unwanted items would have ultimately ended up in our already overflowing waste
steam. But instead you can creatively transform these items into works of fine art, wearable
art, decoration, kids crafts or functional objects.
That moment encouraged me to continue with my artistic projects, reusing countless
items and crafting them into new items. I was thrilled finally to find a community that I
could relate to, support and actively participate in.
Grand Traverse Woman
Then life happened and I relocated to Traverse
City in 2009. A couple of years passed, and I was
grateful when a friend introduced me to SCRAP
TC, Traverse City’s only creative reuse center. I was
excited to find out that our quaint, but forwardthinking, community had a center like this. It
made Traverse City feel like home to me!
I hit the ground running and started volunteering
at SCRAP. First, I helped organize craft nights. I
would research unique reuse crafts, gather the
supplies and host these evenings, first at local
pubs and then at the retail location in the Garfield
Centre Plaza. Many times these crafts featured
items found around the house like corks, bottle
caps, old containers or collage materials.
My involvement grew and I started to cover
shifts at the SCRAP store. I loved the people who
came into the center. Like the woman who closed
her scrapbooking business and donated all her
decorative papers. Or the local vineyard worker
who dropped off a barrel of wine corks. Or the
elderly woman who was downsizing and moving
into an assisted living center and wanted to make
sure her lifetime’s-worth of fabric scraps and sewing
patterns—many with precious, handwritten notes
in the margins—wouldn’t go to waste and could be
appreciated by another generation. It was inspiring
on a daily basis!
In 2013, when SCRAP TC was looking for
leadership, I increased my involvement once again
and became the director, a completely volunteer
position. I couldn’t let this creative reuse center
disappear from our area. It’s an important outlet
for our community, especially for women! It is
used by so many educators looking to supply their
classrooms on a budget, as well as moms either
de-cluttering their homes or stocking up on craft
supplies for themselves or their kids.
Where else can you find wonderful arts-andcrafts items priced so cheap, while also helping the
environment by keeping stuff out of the landfills?
Helping to keep this area and its shoreline clean
and beautiful is a wonderful bonus.
It’s amazing what can be created from the items
found at SCRAP TC. I’ve seen children make
robots, dollhouses, greeting cards and repurposed
jewelry using items they buy at SCRAP TC (usually
costing less than $5!). Adults craft handmade
gifts, purchase yarn and fabric for projects, reuse
wallpaper sample books for gift tags or cards or
gather supplies for whatever artistic project they
are starting.
Being involved with creative reuse has changed
me in countless ways. For starters, it has made
me realize how much “stuff” we all have in our
homes and lives. Items that we don’t use anymore,
things that we’ve collected over the years, gifts that
were given to us that we’ve tucked away, or craft
supplies for that project that we thought we were
going to make time for, but haven’t. These things
could be given new life.
Through my journey, I’ve also become much
more conscious of what I’m purchasing and if I
really need it or if I can borrow it from a friend or
create it using something I already own.
I’m amazed at what people can do with a
little paint, a glue gun and some creativity. If
you’re like me, you’ve gotten lost in websites like
Pinterest or Etsy. Where does the time go? These
websites have brought this movement that I love
to the mainstream.
Another thing I’ve discovered: inspiration grows
in numbers and is contagious. Host a makeover
party. Invite your friends to bring a few items
they don’t have a use for anymore and swap
them, recreate them or combine them into a new
repurposed useful item.
Reuse fabric notions and make them into
travel pillows, small bags, party garland or hair
accessories. Old corks make great magnets, or slice
them into pieces and create unique jewelry. Glass
jars make terrific votives, or paint them for a oneof-a-kind vase.
One thing is for sure: The options are endless!
Dayna Valpey lives in Traverse City and is the current
director of SCRAP TC, which has diverted over 11,000
pounds of items from our waste stream since 2013.
SCRAP TC is 100 percent volunteer and donation
run. Visit www.scraptc.org or the retail location in the
Garfield Centre Plaza, 821 Garfield Ave., Traverse
City (next to Honey Baked Ham). SCRAP TC also
occasionally offers craft nights and workshops.
Birch Tree Consulting Services, Inc.
“Serving Northern Michigan since 1998”
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Payroll/Payroll Taxes/W-2’s/1099’s
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Full Bookkeeping Services
Accounting Software Services
Installation/Training/Support
Sage ERP 100 (MAS 90 & 200)
Business Works Gold
Quick Books
P.O. Box 5616 Traverse City, MI 49696
Tel: (231) 935-0153 Fax: (231) 933-6156
Email: [email protected]
“The Executive Choice for DJ Entertainment”
Cell: (231) 218-1004 • Tim Davis
• wedding receptions
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Jan/Feb '15 29
Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse Woman
TODAY’S BEST
HITS
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Corporate Events, Networking Events, Holiday Parties,
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hello. i’m erin.
I own Erin Waineo Design and in case you are
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GR APHIC DESIGN · BR ANDING · WEBSITE DESIGN · PACK AGING
Grand Traverse
Network Nite
WOMAN
Fit For You Health Club
has the program for you!
TickeTs are $15
or 2 for $20
Wednesday • Jan. 14 • 5-7 pm
This program includes:

12 week overhaul Personal
Training Program

24 Progressive Body Altering
Training Sessions

Computerized Metabolic test
with Diagnostic Reading from
a Certified Metotechnition

15 minute Nutritional Analysis
and Counseling

Personalized Nutrition
System based off Metabolic
test

Unlimited Instructor led
and Fitness OnDemand
classes to further
enhance your progress
YOU!
Wear: Get out your leopard prints, kitty tracks, zebra
stripes or anything wild and trot it out at the Jan. 14th network nite at Impres salon and spa. The theme is Jungle
Night and we expect you all to be a little on the wild side. We
will enjoy a girls night out of food, wine and laughter. come
ready to make new friends and catch up with everyone!
Wine by: Verterra Winery
food by: The flavours by sodexo
LoCation SponSor
speaKeR: Of course we will have an animal-themed speaker! meet June mcGrath
who co-founded aC paW, a non-profit animal rescue. Meet the woman who has saved
over 9,000 animals (and their people too)!
BRInG: please consider donating pet food
(dry or canned), and new or used items such
as blankets, towels, washcloths, cleaning
preSenting SponSorS
901 W Front St,
traverSe City
rags and pet beds. The animals & aC paW
foster parents thank you!
pRIZes: Impres will give away a $200
Grand prize! We will also give a prize for
best dressed (meow...) attendees are also
welcome to donate a prize. put a face to
the name of your business! Limited to 10
women. To be on the giveaway list, email
[email protected].
Supporting SponSorS
Grand Traverse
WOMAN
231.922.7285 :: www.fitforyou.info
1226 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686
More info and tickets available at www.grandtraversewoman.com
30
Jan/Feb '15
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www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 31
Stubbornness is Beautiful
Rebuilding life one page at a time
By Mardi Jo Link
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” … “God won’t give you
anything you can’t handle” … “Strong is what happens when you run out
of weak.”
Look around, they’re easy to find. On commercial signs, on Facebook,
on Pinterest and even on good old-fashioned bumper stickers. I’m not
sure when it happened, but ours is now a society that buys into the easy
wisdom of an inspirational saying.
We’ve all probably said those things from time to time and maybe even
taken some temporary comfort from them. Heck, I like a good saying as
much as the next person, and I remember mumbling similar words to
myself, over and over, hoping they might actually be true.
But after surviving one very tough year and writing a book about it, I’ve
since altered my beliefs. Here’s what I think now:
“What doesn’t kill you leaves a great big scar”… “God doesn’t need to
give me challenges; I’m perfectly capable of messing things up all on my
own” … “Strong is what happens when it’s January in Northern Michigan
and you run out of food and firewood.”
Beth Price Photography
A decade ago
Ten years ago this month, my circumstances felt dire. I’d filed for
divorce months before. I was broke and not only trying to make a living
as a writer, but trying to avoid the foreclosure tsunami that was about to
sweep our country.
I’m the mother of three sons. At the time they were 7, 12 and 14. More
than anything else, I wanted to give them what I saw as the benefits of a
rural childhood: hard work, an appreciation for nature and the satisfaction
of raising some of our own food.
In order to do that, we needed to figure out a way to hang on to The
Big Valley, our century-old farmhouse, and the land it sat on.
I didn’t want to give up—in fact, I’d once been told my stubbornness
was my most unattractive personal quality—but there seemed no easy
solution.
As it turned out, I didn’t figure out just one way to save our home and
pull myself up by my bootstraps. My boys and I figured out several.
We raised chickens and pigs, grew a big garden, won a zucchini contest at Potter’s Bakery that supplied all our bread for a year and picked up
firewood off the side of the road. I also edited other people’s books for
money, and, once it became obvious I didn’t have any choice, I even sold
off some of our land.
After the wave of stock market crashes, bank closings, bankruptcies
and, yes, home foreclosures passed over Michigan, we were still standing.
My sons and I threw everything we had at our financial problems and
prevailed. I’m not sure we solved them; it was more like we just outlasted
them.
Years passed, I kept writing, I fell in love and married again. My husband moved in with my sons and me on The Big Valley. His devotion to
woodworking mirrored my devotion to words. My new husband was a
skilled cabinetmaker. He not only built me a china cabinet, he also fixed
the front steps and replaced the door to my home office. The antique one
he installed boasted a big pane of beveled glass; he said he’d chosen it so I
could work and see what my sons were up to at the same time. Our home
didn’t just remain, it improved.
32
Jan/Feb '15
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Grand Traverse Woman
By 2010, I’d had two books published, both true accounts of historic unsolved
murders, but I wasn’t being paid much, nor published by any of the big New York
publishers. I didn’t have a literary agent and was still struggling financially.
I say, anyone can write for a hobby; writing for a living is the sole providence
of the hopelessly optimistic and the economically blind. I suppose I am well suited
for the work though, considering my supreme stubbornness and all.
Through luck, happenstance and, yes, stubbornness, I was finally signed by a
New York agent later that year, seven publishers bid on the right to publish my
memoir, and Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm, was
released in hardcover by Alfred A. Knopf in 2013, then in paperback by Vintage in
2014. I was thrilled!
My book was reviewed by The New York Times, blurbed by Garrison Keillor (“A
heroic-comic saga of pure stubbornness,” was actually part of what he said), won the
Bookseller’s Choice Award, the inaugural Housatonic Book Award, Elle magazine’s
Reader’s Choice Prize and was named a Michigan Notable Book.
The idea that the very things that really did almost, almost, kill both my optimism
and my stubbornness, instead ended up in a book that has a red ax, a cupid’s heart
and my name on the cover is satisfying to me in ways I’ve tried to describe, but cannot. My sons are grown now, or mostly grown, and are forging creative, worthwhile
lives of their own. I guess my perseverance rubbed off on them too.
Most days, I forget all about the times in my life when my stubbornness was considered ugly and undesirable. Now I think stubbornness is beautiful. And you know
what? I might even get that printed on a bumper sticker.
Mardi Jo Link is an award-winning writer and journalist from Traverse City. Her work has appeared
in Creative Nonfiction, Terrain, The Detroit Free Press, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune among
others. She studied journalism at Michigan State University, has an MFA from Queens University of
Charlotte, and lives with her husband, son and dog (Gretchen, pictured!) on The Big Valley.
Beth Price Photography
Grand Traverse Woman
From Broke to Badass
We all know what we’re supposed to do when life gives you lemons. Add
sugar & stir. But what about when life gives you divorce, debt, foreclosure
notices, a broken well, a broken freezer, and a broken dream? What then?
When the going gets tough, says Traverse City author Mardi Jo Link, the tough
do not add sugar. The tough add cussing, sweat, resolve, and good old Midwestern stubbornness. And, in lieu of stirring, she wrote about it instead. Mardi
then sold her memoir, Bootstrapper, to the biggest publisher in New York,
garnered awards for it, and optioned the film rights to an Academy AwardWinning actress. If you’re in the mood for a Local Girl Makes Good story, or,
Local Girl Goes Badass, this is it.
Mardi will speak at GTWoman’s Feb. 12 luncheon about her experiences
and how to make the best of the worst. Mardi Jo Link is an award-winning
writer and journalist from Traverse City. Her work has appeared in Creative
Nonfiction, The Detroit Free Press, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune and others.
Visit www.grandtraversewoman.com for information and to register. Tickets
are $25 or 2 for $45. Plated lunch, vendor expo area and networking at each
event. Join us for a fabulous way to spend your lunch hour!
Home freshening from quick clean ups to deep cleaning
At Your Service
Up North
Services
Bonded &
Insured
• GENERAL CLEANING
• OFFICE CLEANING
• POST CONSTRUCTION
Dentistry for the whole family.
We are a friendly, family oriented practice.
• PARTY PREPPING
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CLEANINGS
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& REAL ESTATE
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Accepting
new patients
of all ages.
www.grandtraversewoman.com
“We Love Making
Things Beautiful!”
Established in 2005, our business is a local
family owned company with over 8 years
of experience. We love what we do! Call us
for all of your household needs and we’ll
make it sparkly beautiful for you!
We treat your home
with individual
attention and our
clients love that!
With many home
cleaning services, we
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231.947.6483
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Proudly serving the communities of: Traverse City, Glen Arbor, Cedar, Frankfort, Suttons Bay,
Kalkaska, Kingsley and the counties of: Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Benzie & Antrim
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231-735-1094
Jan/Feb '15 33
Grand Traverse Woman
GTWoman’s Annual
chicago
Road Trip
Are you or your
child in pain and
worried chiropractic
treatment will hurt?
The Best
Friday - Sunday, October 2-4, 2015
Dr. Donaldson uses KST
(Koren Specific Technique) –
a low force adjustment to
resolve your pain issues
gently and quickly.
No snap, crackle or pop –
just gentle taps and
pain free adjustments.
Hotel
Hotel rusH
Four Points by Sheraton is now HOTEL RUSH CHICAGO
DOWNTOWN. They are completely renovated in a new
European style and are a block off the Magnificent Mile!
www.hotelonrush.com
Holly
Donaldson,
D.C.
Grand Traverse Woman
KST can help with:
• Back Pain
• Migraines
• Hip Issues
• Sport Related Injuries
• Children’s Posture Issues
• And more!
CAREER
ISSUE
You’ll Ever
Call Dr. Holly
Donaldson today at
231-929-1335
www.traversecitychiropractic.com
READ
sHow
Blue Man Group
We’ve booked the first 6 rows of the theathre
for the GTWoman group... and the first 4
come with splash guards. BMG is hilarious
and unpredictable! Even their website made
us laugh. www.blueman.com
cost
Quad: $349 each, Triple: $399 each, Double: $449 each
(Includes 2 nights lodging in downtown Chicago, motorcoach
transportation, 1 Blue Man Group ticket and other goodies!)
Connect with our Readers:
reGister
Articles, advertorials and advertisements available.
Buses 1 & 2 are full. We are now booking the last bus - Bus 3!
email [email protected] to register!
Grand Traverse Woman’s Mar/April 2015 Career Issue
Brought to you by:
Grand Traverse
WOMAN
34
Jan/Feb '15
Sister Sponsors:
Specials on ¼ Page Ads and More!
Email [email protected] or call 231.276.5105
East Bay Calvary Church
2225 Hammond Rd. Traverse City, MI
231.946.4479
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Jan/Feb '15 35
Grand Traverse Woman
More than a career:
Helping elders
age at home
Grand Traverse Woman
which mimics that of a dementia client. It was very emotional for many
of them.
Even if dementia isn’t a frequent topic around your water cooler, know
that supports and services right here in Northern Michigan can help you
or a loved one should the topic present itself in a more personal way.
Knowledge can be incredibly powerful with a diagnosis of dementia and
can make an immense difference in the quality of care you provide or
that a loved one receives.
Erin Simon is the owner of Senior Helpers of Northern Michigan. She lives on Old
Mission Peninsula with her husband, Aaron, and two children, Sam and Sophie.
To learn more about Senior Helper’s dementia program, call 231.933.6600, visit
www.seniorhelpers.com/northernmichigan or email [email protected].
A MAKEOVER WITH
STAYING POWER
It’s time for a change. You’re ready. Whether
you are thinking about returning to finish a
degree, or pursuing one for the first time, Ferris
State University in Traverse City is here for
you. Our faculty and staff are here to make
your scheduling and financial aid processes
go smoothly. Change your journey without
changing your community. Earn both Ferris and
Northwestern Michigan College credit without
leaving campus. Save time and money by
earning your bachelor’s degree at NMC.
You’re ready. We’re here. Let’s get started.
Apply today at ferris.edu/traversecity.
By Erin Simon
Senior Helpers office staff (L to R) Connie Rottman, Erin Simon and Missy Smith
Growing old,
losing independence or
developing dementia may seem unlikely topics
of interest for a 38-year-old mother of two. They
certainly are not “sexy” topics and not something
most people think about without a close family
experience. But for years, these topics have been
my focus and my passion as owner of Senior
Helpers of Northern Michigan.
S enior appeal ?
Anyone who spends time with our clients can
see why one would choose this as a career path.
While some may simply see as wrinkled skin,
slower response times, conversational repetition
and living excessively in the past, my team and
I at Senior Helpers see warmth, wisdom, wit,
determination and humor with compassion.
Senior Helpers is a national franchise with
a close connection to home for me. Founded
in 2001 by my mother’s cousin, Peter Ross,
Senior Helpers was started because of a simple
problem: He lived far away from his aging and
increasingly dependent parents.
For Peter’s loved ones, basic household duties,
medication reminders, meal preparation and
transportation soon required an extra set of eyes
and hands. Peter knew his parents wanted to
spend their final years in the comfort of their
own home. He wanted to make a difference.
So he started Senior Helpers in the Baltimore
area to provide non-medical, in-home care and
companionship for elders. It struck a chord
with the community and Peter quickly grew the
company to more than 300 franchises so that
people all over the country could live at home
36
Jan/Feb '15
longer with consistent, quality care.
While Senior Helpers had always been on
my radar, it was not my first thought as far as a
livelihood. Until one day...
F orever changed by…
an insurance pitch ?
I was living in Kalamazoo with my husband,
Aaron (yes, my name is Erin and his name
is Aaron!). At the time, I wasn’t thinking of
opening my own business. I was in the trenches
at home with my two little ones. Aaron had been
in the insurance industry for the past 16 years
and worked with a lot of families needing Long
Term Care insurance.
I watched one of Aaron’s promotional videos
urging clients to purchase LTC insurance
because it was a way to allow people to
remain independent. The video was filled with
testimonials from people who wished to age in
their home. Many of them were being forced out
because of lack of assistance—whether financial
or family support.
Aging wasn’t something I thought a lot about
at the time. All four of my grandparents were
alive and my parents were active and still
working. But after watching that video, I realized
what my future would most likely hold.
I wasn’t thinking of my own aging process,
rather what I would be witnessing with my older
family members. I didn’t want my grandparents
to end up like those people in the video—
wishing they could stay in their home but being
forced to leave because they had no other option.
I’m sure my husband was hoping the video
would entice me into purchasing Long Term
Care insurance (which it did), but my overall
reaction was how could I help those people in
the video!
So when the opportunity finally presented
itself for us to make a move to Traverse City, I
knew what I wanted to do for a living. And the
local branch of Senior Helpers was born!
O ur community
With 10,000 people turning 65 every single
day in our country, everyone will most likely be
affected by dementia at some point—whether it
be a parent, spouse or friend. Recognizing this
need in our community triggered a powerful
education process for my business.
We worked to develop meaningful
relationships with our care partners and we
earned a the designation as a “Senior Gems”
certified office. This means that over 75
percent of our caregivers are trained in Positive
Approach to Alzheimer’s and dementia care and
we have two certified employees who are Senior
Gems trainers.
This also means our focus is on what our
clients still can do (instead of what they can’t
do). Our community educator, Missy Smith,
provides complimentary training to facilities
and groups who would like to learn more about
this positive approach to working with patients.
The training helps our Senior Helpers
caregivers experience a dementia simulation to
better empathize with many of our clients. It’s
an amazing experience where our caregivers
are asked to complete a series of tasks in a state
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Ferris state University / TRAVERSE CITY
I get a lot of questions when I first talk to new caregivers,
clients, families or the community. Most commonly, people
wonder about the difference between Alzheimer’s disease
and dementia. Many hear these words used more or less
interchangeably and realize that they both have to do with
memory loss. But there is a difference.
Just as an apple is a type of fruit, Alzheimer’s disease is a
form of dementia. (Other forms of dementia include Lewy
body dementia, vascular dementia and frontotemporal disorders.) Furthermore, not all memory issues in an older
person are indicative of dementia. Some forms of dementia are temporary and should not necessarily be seen as
degenerative.
If you or a loved one is concerned about memory loss,
please consult a physician to learn more. There are wonderful organizations, like the Alzheimer’s Association,
which raise money for research and fight for a cure. And of
course, Senior Helpers is proud to provide Alzheimer’s and
dementia care to local elders.
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 37
Grand Traverse Woman
I never thought it would happen to my family, but sadly reality hit when my dad died of heart
disease four years ago. My dad, Richard Kent, suffered a fatal heart attack at the young age of 57.
I was at home when I received the call from my mom. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It
didn’t seem real. My last conversation with my dad was the Fourth of July. Dad called to let me know
that he and Mom were going to their cabin in Grayling. We said that we loved each other and would
talk again before the next weekend…but suddenly he was gone.
Though heart disease ran in my family, my dad had been managing his cholesterol levels for
more than 20 years. Not only did he exercise and eat well, he also took daily cholesterol medication.
My dad was very athletic. I grew up watching him train and compete in karate, canoe racing, you
name it. He liked to focus on setting goals, not just for achieving physical health, but nutritional,
emotional and intellectual well-being, too. My mom helped by providing healthy, balanced meals,
staying active and continually supporting a healthy lifestyle.
I noticed being healthy made Dad feel good in many ways. That impacted how he encouraged my
brother, Jason; my sister, Vicki; and me to be active, set goals and manage our time.
I was inspired to pursue a career in dietetics out of my passion for running and the competitive
spirit I inherited from my dad. I recognized the advantages in eating healthy, knowing my body
and digging deeper into the research of disease prevention.
Given everything I knew, I couldn’t help but wonder: What went wrong?
The heart of our family
The health info
that could have
saved my dad
When my dad passed away he was in the best shape of his life, or so we thought. He looked
great, was eating healthy and training for the AuSable Canoe Marathon with my brother. My dad’s
dream was to finish the marathon with my brother or me. He was only two weeks from realizing
that dream when he passed away.
My dad wanted to live a long, healthy and fulfilling life. He was committed to getting preventive
care. His lipid panel was the best it had been in years. It was so suspiciously good he swiftly went
back to his physician and requested to have his labs re-drawn, just to make sure they were accurate.
Sure enough, all was great.
Dad’s total cholesterol, LDL (low density lipoprotein), HDL (high density lipoprotein),
triglycerides and blood glucose were all in the healthy range. So, what happened?
Unfortunately, a standard lipid panel does not test for indicators of inflammation or blockage.
ThisThisummer
waswasallallabout
them…
s
summer
about
them…
s fall,
summer
was
all
about
them…
ThiThisThi
I
’
m
focusi
n
g
on
me!
s fall, I’m focusing on me!
By Kandi Kent Lannen
This fall, I’m focusing on me!
Grand Traverse Woman
I later learned, my dad’s heart attack was the
result of advanced blockage in two of the heart’s
main arteries. You would have never guessed it by
looking at him.
If only there were stronger preventative care
guidelines in place for people with heart disease
or at risk for heart disease. I often think to myself,
what if there would have been recommendations
for further testing for people like my dad who have
been on cholesterol lowering medications for 10
years, 15 years and so on.
I’m here to tell you what my family wishes
we would have advocated for.
There are so many tests that could have helped
Dad’s physician detect blockage. For example,
there are blood tests such as C-reactive protein
(CRP). CRP is a protein the liver makes in response
to injury or infection (inflammatory response).
CRP is a sign of inflammation somewhere in your
body. Though a CRP test can’t pinpoint exactly
where the inflammation is, it can be a good
indicator of atherosclerosis (fat deposits clogging
your arteries).
There are also lab tests for Homocysteine and
Lipoprotein A levels. Other tests include cardiac
computerized tomography (CT scan), cardiac
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cardiac
catheterization. A CT scan can be used to check
for heart problems by collecting images of your
heart and chest. An MRI provides pictures of
The 15-Day clean
is performed with the use of local anesthesia and
intravenous sedation, and is generally not very
uncomfortable. This is an invasive test; however
the benefit is that the test accurately reveals images
of the extent and severity of all coronary arterial
blockages.
I encourage everyone to make the time to talk
with their physician and loved ones about heart
disease prevention and the best approach for
helping them manage their disease.
Though I wake each morning to a new
day there is forever an emptiness left by my dad’s
physical absence. That pain has motivated me.
In the spring of 2014, I began advocating
strongly for the prevention and awareness of heart
disease. I’m now on the Executive Leadership
Team of the American Heart Association’s Go Red
for Women Campaign as well as a member of the
Circle of Red. I participated in the October Heart
Walk in Grand Rapids and I’m working with
the American Heart Association to build greater
visibility in Northern Michigan.
I’m trying to make a difference. That’s another
thing dad taught me: He always said if I was
dedicated I could succeed in whatever I set my
mind to.
Kandi Kent Lannen is a graduate of Traverse City
Central High School. She is a Registered Dietitian with
16 years of wellness, health promotion and chronic
disease prevention experience.
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depending on your family history and disease state.
The first is an echocardiogram (“echo”), which is
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chest in various places. The ultrasound waves sent
by the transducer bounce off the various parts of
the heart. A computer in the machine determines
the time it takes for the sound wave to return to the
transducer and generates a picture with the data.
During the test, you lie on your back or left side on
a stretcher for about 45 minutes while the pictures
are being recorded.
The other test is a coronary angiography, which
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Grand Traverse Woman
A nurse finds
a risk, a reward
happiness
in new business
By Julie Hartl
For years I had wanted to own my business. I knew I
would be happier in the role of business owner than employee. I think my stubborn personality was the biggest hint!
I had a strong drive to take care of people. I worked my
way to become a Licensed Nurse Practitioner. Little did I
know that my two goals would someday combine.
That day came about six months ago.
After spending 13 years with my last employer—caring
for patients with chronic and life-limiting illness in their
homes—my job description changed and I suddenly found
myself searching for a job. I found a few interview opportunities, but nothing struck me as exciting. I really loved my previous position. I would make frequent
home visits to discuss the patient’s goals, treat their persistent
and distressing symptoms, and help their caregivers and
families understand the diseases.
Although it sounded like depressing work to some, I felt
immense satisfaction when patients looked and felt calmer
after my visits. (I admit that when I was asked: “What do
Grand Traverse Woman
you do for work?” not a lot of conversation would
follow my answer.) Still, I truly felt a calling to care
for others in their homes.
When a friend challenged me finally to “go out
on a limb and do it yourself,” I listened.
As I researched the possibility of owning my
own home-care business, things began to fall into
place. My family encouraged me. My mentor gave
me confidence to move forward. And the medical
community offered endless support.
Thus began Chronic Care Management, LLC.
My patients are the elderly, the disabled, the
chronically ill or those diagnosed with cancer or
another challenging disease that redirects their lives
and makes independence difficult.
These individuals are truly inspirational because
they work so hard to live productive, meaningful
lives, despite their limitations.
Without violating privacy issues, I can reveal
that patients are often left with minimal resources
and no one to check on their medical care following their diagnoses. It may be difficult for them to
travel or sit in a waiting room, sometimes for an
hour or more.
The more I spend time with my patients in their
home environments, the more I learn about them.
They are human and emotional; they have crushes
on the EMS drivers who frequent their homes; they
have stories about the tattoos they received in the
military and the “one that got away”; and they have
hidden worries and frustrations. My goals are to improve these patients’ quality
of life, control their symptoms, diagnose complications and prevent hospital readmissions.
Not everything fell into place perfectly. It took
more than three months of seeing patients on my
own before I began to receive consistent reimbursement from the insurance companies. Not an ideal
situation for a single mother of two children.
Unlike retail or food service, the return on
investment in healthcare is immensely delayed and,
at times, a battle. But I refused to give up. I view
Chronic Care Management, LLC as a new wave of
healthcare, for the better.
I am seeing other returns on my investment
pour in. My patients are getting the convenient care
they need. Their family members are complimenting me on the improvements they’ve seen. And
my children, who had previously experienced an
emotionally exhausted mother at night, now experience one who is more fulfilled. Sure, I’ve become
a penny-pincher. And there is still work stress, but
it is oddly different and seemingly better now that
I’m the boss, doing what I love.
I enjoy the control I have in my life, the freedom
of time and the security of knowing I’ve created
a career, not just a job, for myself and those who
join me. I am thankful for the opportunity to care
for others, to be welcomed into their homes and
families and to be present for their life-changing
and emotional moments. There’s genuine happiness there.
The experience has changed me. In the past
my drive was money, with a goal of working less
and making more. But with this, perhaps with my
pushing 40, I want other things. Experts who deal
with the human mind often describe the stages
of growth as “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.” This
career move allowed me to move up that hierarchy
toward the top tier of “self-actualization.” I want
to be purposeful, to make use of my talents and
inspire others to do the same.
Leaving my old job wasn’t ideal at the time.
But now I know life has a way of falling into place
for everyone. For my patients and me, everything
became easier with a little support and a listening
ear.
My advice to women: Take your intuition and
run with it. Be smart, do your research, find willing investors who share your goals and experienced mentors who are inspirational. At the risk of
sounding cliché... Do something you love and the
rest will fall into place. Julie Hartl, MSN, FNP-C, is president and owner of
Chronic Care Management, LLC, a new local business providing home-visiting nurse practitioners,
nurses and counselors to those with chronic illness.
If you have a chronically ill family member or friend
in need of a better quality of life, call 231.421.6921.
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956 South Airport Road West,
Suite A, Traverse City, MI 49686
231.932.0688
1241 E 8th Street | Traverse City | MI 49686
231 . 947 . 4566
Traverse City 231-929-3200
Charlevoix 231-237-0955
www.schulzortho.com
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Both Doctors are Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 41
Grand Traverse Woman
The Best
CAREER
ISSUE
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READ
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Connect with our Readers:
Articles, advertorials and advertisements available.
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Specials on ¼ Page Ads and More!
Email [email protected] or call 231.276.5105
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Enjoy a peaceful setting within minutes of all the beaches,
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Jan/Feb '15
For more information contact:
Jodi Mesrobian Soper • 231.631.3903 • jodi.mymonat.com
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Jan/Feb '15 43
Grand Traverse Woman
Over
9,000
(cute & cuddly)
rescues
The story behind
the start of AC PAW
June with her
6-year-old dog Daisy.
In July of 1995, I cofounded AC PAW with
Brian Manley, my best friend and partner for the past
35 years. Brian is blind, a special man who sees with
his ears and hears with his heart. The goal of our
rescue organization was to give animals in Northern
Michigan a second chance at life. It was a labor of
love.
We didn’t know it at the time, but it would become
a life’s mission.
It all began from the question “why?” Twenty-some
years ago I read to Brian an editorial written by a local
doctor. The doctor had found a stray puppy and was
hoping an owner would come forward. He said he
would never take an animal to animal control; it was
a dreadful place.
The subject kept coming up in conversations
between Brian and me. We wondered why the man
had felt strongly enough about it to write to the editor
of the paper. We had never put much thought into
what actually happens at a dog pound. Could it really
be that bad? The very next day we took a trip to the
Animal Control facility. It was dark, cold and filled
with many sad animals.
As we were leaving the building, I noticed what
I believed to be several hundred collars hanging on
the wall. They were not pretty, but dirty and ragged.
Some had name tags, some had licenses on them and
some had none.
Once in the car I described the wall and asked
Brian his thoughts. The pained look on his face spoke
volumes and confirmed that the doctor had been correct and most likely all of those collars belonged to
what had once been a family pet.
This was a life-changing moment for both of us.
The thought made us sick at heart. We couldn’t sleep.
Our next step was to go to the shelter and photograph
the animals.
But I realized by the time I developed the photos
in my dark room at home and printed and posted
them around town, those animals were beyond saving. They were already in the freezer waiting to be
taken to the dump.
We did our research. I learned that animals with
no collars had five days. Wearing a collar gave them
seven days. If no one claimed or wanted them by the
deadline, they were put to death to make room for the
How to help!
AC PAW hosts adoption hours at
PetSmart in Traverse City.
Feline adoption hours are Tuesday and Thursday:
3-5 p.m., Saturday: 12-4 p.m. and Sunday: 1-4
p.m. Cats are tested for Feline Leukemia and FIV,
vaccinated, and sterilized prior to adoption.
Adoption Fee: $100.
Canine adoption hours are Saturdays and Sundays
as announced. Canines are vaccinated for Parvo/
Distemper and Rabies, and sterilized prior to
adoption. Adoption Fee: $200.
AC PAW has an interview and application process
for adoptees. Check out www.acpaw.org to see the
animals looking for homes and their stories. You
can also find out how to become a foster parent or
other ways to become involved.
44
Jan/Feb '15
By June McGrath
new arrivals. I believe that time limit still stands today.
An animal turned in by its owner is at risk of being
euthanized within hours. If your dog or cat goes missing, please search your local pound and humane society right away and keep going back to see for yourself.
The situation pulled at my heartstrings, being an
animal lover. We soon realized we had to rethink this
thing that was haunting us.
It was only a matter of time before we started
bringing animals home when their time was up. Our
first dog was Keil, a Doberman with a litter of puppies. Her former family had left her at the pound
when they went away on vacation. There, she had
her pups.
Brian and I were very naïve to think it would be
easy to get people involved. The local paper agreed to
publish a story on our mission. We invited people to
join us in a meeting. Three people showed up, two of
whom just came to eat.
But we kept plodding along, redirecting our
efforts. We eventually found like-minded people to
help with our mission: people to spread the word,
rescue, adopt or foster pets.
Of course, I kept some of the animals along the
way. Like Daisy. This dog was what I would call a
“foster failure” and I just couldn’t part with her.
Looking back, I was always bringing animals home
as a little girl. I see AC PAW as that little girl’s dream.
Now a grown woman, I have as many animals in my
life as a girl could want. Of course, not all the dogs
that come through AC PAW are mine, but they are all
connected to my heart.
Brian would frequently pass me in the hallway at 3
or 4 a.m., just as I was finishing a bottle-feeding session with 3 or 4 orphaned kittens, followed by administering medications for several cats with respiratory
conditions and putting salve on a dog with a burn.
With our first donation of puppies from one of the
dogs we had adopted out, we also learned: along with
rescue comes responsibility. We knew the cycle of
overpopulation must be stopped. So our spay/neuter
policy was promptly put into place.
It has been a wild roller coaster ride with its ups
and downs, lots of sweat and many tears along the
Grand Traverse Woman
way. (Some of us have even given up a little blood once in a while when
challenging a cat or dog that preferred not to be challenged at the moment!)
I’ve been involved in every aspect of the organization from grant writing,
management, long-range planning and coordinating events, but also cleaning
litter pans. Whatever needed to be done.
AC PAW will celebrate its 20th birthday this year, having rescued and
placed nearly 9,000 dogs and cats in new homes. To this day, I’m proud to say
that all our animals are health screened, vaccinated and spayed or neutered
before being adopted.
In stopping the cycle, AC PAW has prevented thousands of dogs and cats
from being born into an already overcrowded world. The reality is harsh.
Many animals are being born to die, facing much pain and suffering along
the way.
As a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, we have been fortunate enough
to build a strong core of volunteers. They are the absolute best people, going
above and beyond the call of duty to help an animal in need and to support
each other. Rescue work is much more difficult than some would think, but
they gladly do it.
Through this, I see the best of people, but I also deal with the worst of
people and that sometimes takes a toll on the belief in all that is good. But
we don’t quit.
The media have been kind to us over the years and we have managed to
keep our heads just above water financially. It is not easy, but nothing worth
doing is easy. Brian points out that I have “never made a penny for the more
than 30,000 hours of work for AC PAW, which leaves me with little precious
time for myself.” But I wouldn’t change anything.
My hope for the future is to remain true to our mission and become a
giant bright spot in our community where the support of the people will be
consistent enough to take the daily struggle out of being able to rescue just
that one more special-needs cat or dog that deserves a second chance at life.
I think some people search their entire lives to find what they were meant
to do and never get there. I am blessed to have found what I am meant to do.
June McGrath is the co-founder of AC PAW. She earned the Michigan
Veterinary Medical Association Community Service award in 2003 as well
as a Doris Day Foundation “Kindred Spirit” award in 2004. To learn more,
visit www.acpaw.org.
Meet
Smudge!
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Seminars are being held monthly at our
following locations:
Elk Rapids Skin and Laser Clinic
516 Bridge Street, Elk Rapids
Reservations: 231-264-0700
The Vein Center
Munson Professional Bldg.
1221 Sixth Street, Suite 312, Traverse City
Reservations: 231-935-2844
Petoskey Weight Loss Clinic
Northview Centre (entrance to Bay Harbor)
3890 Charlevoix Road (US-31 North) Suite 180
Petoskey, MI
Reservations: 231-935-2844
This gorgeous girl has had a long journey.
She first came to AC PAW in July of 2013. She had been hit by a car and a nice
lady picked her up and took her to Banfield Pet Hospital. Smudge was very
frightened, unfriendly, and part of her tail had to be amputated due to the accident. She was also pregnant! Smudge had four lovely kittens who all found
wonderful homes. She is about two years old, and still very much a playful
kitten. She is very active and loves to play with her foster brother. It would be best for Smudge to have a home with another loving and easygoing kitten to play with. She sleeps on her foster mom's feet every night and
snuggles right up in her legs to watch TV. She is still a little cautious of
hands. With love and patience, she will trust you and she will become a very
sweet loving cat that deserves the best forever home. Visit www.acpaw.org
to see Smudge and others looking for a home.
Keil, the first dog June brought home from animal control
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Jan/Feb '15 45
Grand Traverse Woman
Grand Traverse
WOMAN
i n b u s i n e ss
Grand Traverse Ophthalmology Clinic
(GTOC) has launched a new website: www.
gtoc.net. The new site provides a comprehensive overview of all medical and surgical eye
care services offered at GTOC and features a
patient portal for easy access to appointment
scheduling and prescription refills. Grand
Traverse Ophthalmology Clinics are located
at 929 Business Park Dr. in Traverse City,
2061 M-119 in Petoskey and at 511 Ashmun
St., Sault Saint Marie. 231.947.6246, www.
gtoc.net
Traverse City State Bank
announces the promotion of Cindy Godmer
to the downtown
Traverse City branch
as branch manager and
bank officer. A Traverse
City native and graduate
of Grand Valley State University, Godmer
has more than 16 years banking experience. She’s an avid runner and downhill
skier, enjoys biking and practicing yoga. She
recently completed the Traverse City Area
Chamber of Commerce Leadership Grand
Traverse Program. Traverse City State Bank,
the only bank headquartered in Traverse
City, provides a full range of commercial,
consumer and residential mortgage services
in the five-county Grand Traverse Region.
333 W. Grandview Parkway, Traverse City,
231.995.5500, www.tcsb.com.
Century 21 Northland
announces that Jane
Darling has joined its
team of agents. Darling’s
career ties to the real
estate industry spans several decades. A resident
of Suttons Bay, Darling
moved to Leelanau County in 1986. Darling
will serve the Leelanau County community from Century 21 Northland’s Northport
office. Century 21 Northland is Northern
Michigan’s fastest growing real estate brokerage, serving customers from offices in
Traverse City, Suttons Bay, Frankfort, Glen
r
r
Arbor, Beulah, Elk Rapids and Old Mission
Peninsula. 231.929.7900, [email protected], www.c21northland.com
TBA Credit Union
announced the promotion of several employees at their Front Street
branch.
Andrea Stagg was promoted from member
service representative
to member service specialist. She will be
responsible for opening business and personal accounts, preparing loan documents
and evaluating loan requests. Stagg has been
with the credit union for over two years.
Mae
Zimmerman
has been promoted to
member service supervisor, having previously
served as a member service representative and
later as a receptionist.
Zimmerman will now supervise frontline
staff and oversee cash handling and balancing. She has been with the credit union for
almost two years.
Tonia Rogers will now
serve as receptionist, greeting members,
answering
member
questions and scheduling appointments. She
has been with TBACU
for six years and most
recently worked at the South Airport branch
in Traverse City. 231.946.7090, tbacu.com
Katy Lauren Marois is
the newest hair stylist
at Salon Verve. She is
a Traverse City Beauty
College Alumna and
has been in the beauty business just over a
year. Access her professional Facebook page for specials and
announcements. https://www.facebook.com/
KatyLaurenStylist
Crystal
Mountain
announces that Joan
O’Neill has returned to
join Crystal Mountain
Realty as a licensed real
estate agent. O’Neill will
represent residential,
vacation and recreational
properties both at Crystal Mountain and the
surrounding area. She will work alongside
managing broker Karyn Thorr and associate broker Nancy Mullen Call. Together,
the three represent nearly 70 years of combined experience serving the resort. From
1998 – 2008 O’Neill was part of the Crystal
Mountain marketing team, serving first as
the resort’s public relations manager and
later as its communications director. Since
2008, she worked four years as an account
executive at Greenlight Marketing in Traverse
City and most recently two years as the communications manager for The Father Fred
Grand Traverse Woman
Foundation. O’Neill, her husband, Scott,
and their two sons live in Lake Ann. www.
crystalmountain.com
The Center for Plastic
Surgery at Copper Ridge
has added licensed and
certified physician assistant Breena Johnson
to its team of plastic
surgery professionals.
Johnson comes to the
Center with experience as a surgical physician assistant, most recently with the general
surgery department from McLaren Northern
Michigan. Prior to her return to Michigan she
was at University Hospital in Indianapolis
with the hepto-biliary pancreatic surgical
specialty group. She completed her masters
program in Physician Assistant studies at
Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant.
The Center for Plastic Surgery at Copper
Ridge serves Northern Michigan with cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, and aesthetic skin care services from their practices
in Traverse City, Charlevoix and Petoskey.
231.929.7700, www.tc-plasticsurgery.com
Thanks to community support and a new
partnership with the nonprofit Utopia
Foundation, Paperworks, a nonprofit specialty paper products company that employs
disadvantaged adults, has reopened in its first
retail location: inside Great Lakes Bath &
Body, 110 E. Front St. in downtown Traverse
City. “By keeping Paperworks Studio alive,
we can continue offering these jobs and this
lifestyle to people who might not otherwise have those opportunities,” says Mimi
Spaulding, Paperworks Studio’s interim
executive director. A new website with the
company’s full product line, is expected in
early 2015.
The former Premier Health & Fitness has
been sold to Tim and Holly Rudolph
of Traverse City. With the sale complete,
the South Garfield Avenue fitness center,
renamed Club One, is undergoing a transformation. A longtime Premier member, Holly,
and her husband saw an opportunity when
the dated fitness center was put on the
market. “We saw the need for a high-quality
health club in Traverse City. At Club One, we
are looking to cater to health-conscious people who want a clean, first-class gym experience,” she said. Existing memberships will
be honored while they expand membership
through corporate wellness programs, new
classes and other incentives. For information,
contact the Rudolphs at 231.645.5001, or
Club One at 231.995.0920.
KUDOS
TBA Credit Union has donated $5,000 to
six area educators as part of their Classroom
Improvement Grant program. The program
allows educators within Antrim, Benzie,
Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau
counties to apply online for grants for up to
$1,000. Applicants can seek funds for text-
books, technology, curriculum and special
programs. Recent recipients of Classroom
Improvement Grants include TC East Middle
School, Forest Area Middle School, TC
West Senior High School and Long Lake
Elementary School. Teacher Wendy Patton
of Forest Area Middle School is able to
offer an additional resource to her students
through the Classroom Improvement Grant
funds she received: “I am very excited and
honored to have been chosen to receive this
grant from TBA Credit Union. The money
granted will be used to purchase an online
science program that will enrich the FAMS
student’s science knowledge.”
A $160 million (assets) credit union, TBACU
provides financial services to over 13,000
members in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse,
Kalkaska and Leelanau counties. In addition
to two branch offices located in Traverse City,
service is available at 1,800 shared-branching offices and 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs
made accessible across the nation through an
affiliates program. 231.946.7090, tbacu.com
Northwestern Michigan
College
nominated
Holly Jansen to the
newly
developed
Business Administration
Advisory Committee.
Assisting
members
at TBA Credit Union’s
Front Street branch, Jansen has served as a
credit union branch manager for four years.
The NMC committee’s focus will be to share
ideas, opportunities, and marketplace trends
with NMC graduates and interns to prepare
them for the global community they will face
upon graduation. As a committee member,
Jansen will have the opportunity to share job
experiences, assist with classroom projects
and even provide job training and internship
opportunities.
Lisa Rossi of RE/MAX
Bayshore Properties has
earned the Certified
International Property
Specialist (CIPS) designation, placing her
among 2,300 elite real
estate
professionals
worldwide. To date, she is the only member of the Northern Great Lakes Realtors/
Traverse Area Association of Realtors (TAAR)
to have earned the designation. Rossi is a
resident of Maple City and works out of the
brokerage’s 500 Union St. office in Traverse
City. 231.499.9198, [email protected],
www.remaxbayshore.com
Please join us in welcoming
Traverse City’s newest
Pediatrician…
Come see our new DIGS!
Spice up your
Valentine’s
Day
www.pureromance.com/Jenellederusha
[email protected]
231.883.6983
Dr. Megan Stilwill D.O.
Weekday Mornings
Dr. Stilwill is accepting new patients and has a special
interest in children with developmental delays and
neurologic conditions
4:30–7am
Brendan Melissa
KINNEY
46
Jan/Feb '15
SMITH
Traverse Area Pediatric
& Adolescent Clinic
Joe
CHARLEVOIX
Meteorologist
(231) 421-8099 ● 4020 W. Royal Drive, TC
www.tapactc.com ● Like us on Facebook
www.grandtraversewoman.com
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 47
Grand Traverse Woman
The Traverse City chapter of SCORE marks
its 25th year serving small business clients
in the five-county region. The all-volunteer
non-profit organization provided mentoring to over 600 local clients and more than
500 workshop participants last year. SCORE
Traverse City is one of 320 SCORE chapters
throughout the U.S. and ranks in the Top 10
nationally in client service and satisfaction.
Traverse City SCORE was named Michigan
Chapter of the Year in 2013 and has grown
to a team of 40 local volunteer business
professionals. SCORE provides free and confidential mentoring services and educational
workshops as well as online resources, tools
and webinars. SCORE’s office is located in
the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce
building at 202 East Grandview Parkway.
888.796.4913, www.upnorthscore.com
Members of the Blaine Christian Church
gathered Nov. 7 with the goal to make
hundreds of pies before the day was done.
Production and sale of the pies is an annual fundraiser organized by Blaine Christian
Church located near the famous Mystery
Spot at the corner of Putney and Joyfield
Roads. The final number of pies produced
this year…886! Cash proceeds from pie
sales will be directed to a number of mission projects including camper scholarships, Love INC, and Benzie Area Christian
Neighbors. Bonnie Putney, co-chair this
year with Sonja Reitan said, “Pie Day helps
us celebrate the rural nature of our township
and that many are involved in the orchard
industry. Thank you to all the businesses
and individuals who purchase pies. A very
special thank you goes to Smeltzer Orchard
Company for donating, peeling, slicing and
delivering the apples for us.”
Grand Traverse Woman
events
Grand Traverse Woman
GTWoman Luncheon
Thursday, Feb. 12 – “From Broke to Bad Ass” - Speaker Mardi Jo Link
We all know what we’re supposed to do when life gives you lemons. Add
sugar & stir. But what about when life gives you divorce, debt, foreclosure
notices, a broken well, a broken freezer, and a broken dream?
Grand Traverse Ophthalmology Clinic’s
Annual Fall Trunk Show raised $3,000,
which will benefit local nonprofits: Traverse
Health Clinic, Special Olympics and the
Grand Traverse Bay YMCA. “We are delighted to be able to give back to the community
by supporting these wonderful charities and
to bring to the forefront the services of these
organizations who help those in need in
our area,” said GTOC’s Kenneth Musson,
M.D. Each of the organizations received
$1,000. 929 Business Park Dr., Traverse
City, 231.947.6246 or 800.968.6612, www.
gtoc.net
EVENTS
The 2015 Home EXPO, featuring home
trends is presented by the Home Builders
Association of the Grand Traverse Area, at
the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme
on Jan. 31- Feb. 1. Hours are Saturday from
9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-3
p.m. The largest Home EXPO north of Grand
Rapids features more than 120 exhibitors–
including builders, remodelers, renovators
and landscapers, the latest in home technologies, waterfront amenities, home spas and
pools, custom painting techniques, design
and style experts. For information contact Caroline Kennedy, Executive Officer
at 231.946.2305 or [email protected],
www.hbagta.com.
Show: Blue Man Group, www.blueman.com
We booked the front 6 rows in the theater. The first 4 rows come with
splash guards. Everyone who has seen BMG says they are hilarious and
unpredictable! We will
head there together in
all of our (washable)
finery.
What then? When the going gets tough, says Traverse City author
Mardi Jo Link, the tough do not add sugar. The tough add cussing, sweat,
resolve, and good old Mid-western stubbornness. And, in lieu of stirring,
she wrote about it instead.
Then sold her memoir to the biggest publisher in New York, won
awards, and optioned the film rights to an Academy Award-Winning
actress. If you’re in the mood for a Local Girl Makes Good story, or, Local
Girl Goes Badass, this is it. Mardi will speak at our Feb. 12 luncheon
about her experiences and how to make the best of the worst. Mardi Jo
Link is an award-winning writer and journalist from Traverse City. Her work
has appeared in Creative Nonfiction, Terrain, The Detroit Free Press, and
the Minneapolis Star-Tribune among others.
The luncheon is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hagerty Center in Traverse
City. We also have vendor booths available at the event for $185
(includes 2 lunch tix). Thank you to our series sponsors TBA Credit Union
and GTOC and our supporting sponsors TV 7&4, Lite 96, Fox Grand
Traverse, Northwood Animal Hospital, Sarah Brown Photography and
SCORE. Lunch tickets are $25 or 2 for $45. More info and tickets at
www.grandtraversewoman.com.
Classes
begin in
January!
+
PERSONAL
Comprehensive Dental Care for the Whole Family
Let me help you buy a house near the beautiful new YMCA!
8 7 6 E . F r o n t S t r e e t | Tr a v e r s e C i t y, M I 4 9 6 8 6
231.947.6880 | www.RoseStreetDental.com
48
Jan/Feb '14
Call LOU ANNE for help with all the details.
DEVELOPMENT
(14 years of experience & many happy clients)
Lou Anne Ford
NMC Extended Education
nmc.edu/ees
231.995.1700
www.grandtraversewoman.com
cost: Quad: $349
each, Triple: $399
each, Double: $449
each. (Includes 2
nights lodging in downtown Chicago, motorcoach transportation, 1
Blue Man Group ticket
and other goodies!)
Thank you to our presenting sponsor GTOC,
our supporting sponsor Traverse City State
Bank and sister sponsors EmbroidMe, Black
Star Farms and TV
9&10. Email [email protected] to register ASAP!
2015 IS TIME TO
New Year, New You!
PROFESSIONAL
We are already loading for Chicago 2015. At print, buses 1 & 2 were
full. We are now booking the last bus - Bus 3 with 38 seats remaining.
Email [email protected] to register!
Hotel: Hotel Rush
Four Points by Sheraton is now Hotel Rush Chicago Downtown. They are
completely renovated in a new European style and are a block off the
Magnificent Mile! www.hotelonrush.com
GTW Network Nite
Wednesday, Jan. 14 – JUNGLE NIGHT!
WEAR: Get out your leopard prints, kitty
tracks, zebra stripes or anything wild and
trot it out at the Jan. 14th Network Nite at
Impres Salon and Spa. The theme is Jungle Night
and we expect you all to be a little on the wild side.
We will enjoy a girls night out of food, wine and
laughter. Come ready to make new friends and catch
up with everyone! Wine by Verterra Winery and food
by The Flavours by Sodexo.
SPEAKER: Of course we will have an animal-themed
speaker! Meet June McGrath who co-founded AC PAW,
a non-profit animal rescue. Meet the woman who has
saved over 9,000 animals (and their people too)!
BRING: Please consider donating pet food (dry or canned), and new or used
items such as blankets, towels, washcloths, cleaning rags and pet beds.
The animals & AC PAW foster parents thank you!
PRIZES: Impres will give away a $200 Grand Prize! We will also give a prize
for best dressed (meow...) Attendees are also welcome to donate a prize.
Put a face to the name of your business! Limited to 10 women. To be on
the giveaway list, email [email protected].
A thank you goes to our presenting sponsor Credit Union One, our supporting sponsors Northwood Animal Hospital, Image360 and Precision
Plumbing and Heating Systems, and our media sponsors TV 7&4 and Z93.
More info available at www.grandtraversewoman.com. Tickets are $15 or
2 for $20.
GTWoman Chicago Trip Oct. 2-4, 2015
Associate Broker
231-645-3643
[email protected]
241 E. State Street, Traverse City
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Live Your Joy
Psychic Medium, Life Coach and Healer
Brandaleen
Spiritual Connections
& Energy Healing
134 State Street • 231-313-1601
Jan/Feb '15 49
Grand Traverse Woman
momma 1210
Grand Traverse Woman
Is freshwater
in your future?
By Kandace chapple
www.kandacechapple.com
Basketball Love
My son,
Kendall, played his first basketball tournament last Saturday. It was thrilling, crushing, exciting and
exhausting. And he’s only in 6th grade. And I’m talking
about me. It’s my first year of school events where they
actually keep score. And it was a tiny sweat-filled drama
that stretched out the length of a Saturday.
Foul!
I was a fine, calm, courteous spectator at the start of each
game. However, when we got down by 2 points and someone on the other team double dribbled, I was gripping the
seat of the metal folding chair, wedged into the small gym
at West Middle School, and shouting out the call. In my
head, very loudly, without saying a word, leaning forward,
looking at Tim, “Did you see that?”
Only when the ref called it, did I lean back in relief. God
forbid a 12-year-old boy get away with a double dribble
in a 24-minute basketball game, playing for nothing, in a
borrowed jersey.
However, I was just as sure to call our team’s double
dribbles. I was a fair critic, coach and ref, for all. I was able
to sink the ball a dozen or more times in a single game in
a dozen different scenarios, all with the will of my mind
and my grip on a metal chair. Again and again, I saw what
should be done, envisioned it, willed it, telepathy-ed it,
played it, but in the end, usually cursed it.
At no point did anyone ask me actually to touch a
ball. Which was good. I would have
been outed as a dumb-luck player, one
with nothing more than my own sixthgrade experience, molded nearly three
decades ago, a basketball career that
ended almost before it began due to considerable ineptitude and lack of trying.
Free throws
Not the free throw. Anything but the free throw. It’s a
gimmie that almost never takes at this age. What’s worse
than an entire gym hanging on your every move as you toe
the line, launch the ball, bounce it slightly to the left of the
basket and back into the hands of your opponent? When
your team is down by the same number of free throws
you’re allotted, that’s what.
These boys turned into men before our very eyes. One
angst-ridden free throw at a time, forced into the limelight,
their inadequacies and their successes on display for parents and grandparents alike to see.
But I marveled at how they took their misses and their
points in stride, every inch a man on the court. And each
time I held my breath, reliving my Interlochen Lakers days
in a similar gym of similar outcome.
The Glory
In our first game, one of our players made an unbelievable full-court shot in the final seconds of the first quarter.
trouble (in the) hood 1309
Full-court, swish, nothing but net. The crowd was on its
feet, our team, their team, the refs, the lady selling tickets
two hallways down, everyone, and I mean everyone, was
shouting. I cheered, part 12-year-old girl again, part proud
imaginary coach.
In our second game, we faced battle in a sudden-death
shoot-out. There I sat on my metal chair, hoping the dudes
wouldn’t blow it when, out of nowhere, one of our littlest
guys sank it, swish, nothing but net, once more.
I was shouting again, my wildest (sixth-grade) dreams
coming true. I’d never been on a winning team before
(technically still not; benched forever in my metal chair)
and the victory was sweet.
In the end, we took second in the basketball tournament. While the loss of the championship was a (hefty)
blow, we figured second place was a decent (amazing,
butt-kicking) showing.
I’d survived the sweat and the tears and the drama. (Oh,
and the boys did too.)
Freshwater Science and Sustainability Bachelor’s Degree
Western Michigan University offers the Freshwater Science and Sustainability bachelor’s degree
in Traverse City. More than just Science. More than just Policy. This interdisciplinary degree helps
you see the big picture so you can make a big difference.
By Kerry winkler
Hold the fork
Have you ever completed a full, messy meal…..
and turn around to notice one of your kid’s fork and
knife are perfectly clean? Untouched? As in a caveman
just ate at your table and you didn’t even notice. That
is my Brook.
We had prepared a nice, juicy pot roast, potatoes,
carrots, gravy and hot croissants. The table was laid out
with a pretty red tablecloth and napkins with silverware
positioned perfectly, with delicate goblets to hold our
drinks. It is a rare treat at our house to slow down and
enjoy the ambience. Rarer yet for Brook to use her fork.
As the table was cleared, there sat her silverware, sparkling clean on her napkin. Nary a mark. How did she
manage a whole, messy meal without using a fork? Or
a napkin? Simple: That’s what her fingers and the front
of her shirt were for.
I admit it started because of me. As the baby of the
family, if Brook wanted her pancake cut, I cut it. I didn’t
care that she was old enough to throw a basketball, do
triple digit math and pinch her brother when no one
was looking. I was certain I was needed to cut her food
just so.
50
Jan/Feb '15
But I went too far. The food was always nice and
bite size. Perfect for a toddler….not a 7, then 8, then 9
year old. Nice, bite size, easy food. No need for a fork
or a knife.
Then the voice of reason started…not mine, Jeff’s. “It
must stop,” he said.
“It must not,” I insisted.
“She is going to be driving soon with her mother in
the backseat waiting to cut up her McDonald’s,” he said.
“Teenagers need close supervision anyway,” I insisted.
“You will be cutting her food while she is cutting
yours at the old folk’s home,” Jeff said.
“Sounds like a bonus to me; you are only sealing the
deal,” I beamed.
But alas, I caved and started to reluctantly make
Brook cut her own food. Brook was a bit perplexed. She
had to slow down and focus on her food preparation.
Not gabbing and eating finger food while dribbling it
down the front of her shirt.
Jeff took the reins and patiently showed her. (When
his back was turned, I’d reach in for a good cut-up on
a tough piece of meat.)
Picture taken minutes before she pinched
her brother and then spilled her milk.
She actually took to it just fine for the most part….
Now when I play guard, she’s full on, uses cutlery and
best manners. Especially in public, as she’s been forewarned of dire consequences if the other moms see her
eating with her hands. But if I relax and enjoy the meal
and forget for a millisecond, she reverts back to finger
food, gabbing and pure enjoyment of the situation.
And the dinner that night, I ate with relish as did
she. I turned a blind eye when she tumbled her goblet,
smeared gravy on the table and gnawed her food like
a mini monster. Jeff did too. We were determined to
enjoy. After all, we figured there would be one less set
of silverware to wash at the end of the night!
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Where science, business and policy meet
to help you make a difference.
wmich.edu/traversecity/freshwater
WMU-Traverse City – 2200 Dendrinos Drive #201
Traverse City, MI 49684 – (231) 995-1846
www.grandtraversewoman.com
Jan/Feb '15 51
Grand Traverse Woman
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52 Jan/Feb '15
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www.grandtraversewoman.com
231-947-4808 • carpetgalleria.com