West Student-Athletes Build Beds for Charity
Zeeland West varsity soccer coach Ben Hondorp and Dux student-athletes (from left) Clarice VanDort, Alexis Glennie and Brooklyn Haight build a bed for the nonprofit Sleep In Heavenly Peace at an April 30 build day.
Photo courtesy Zeeland West athletics
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
About 70 student-athletes and coaches from Zeeland West High School took time away from their usual rhythm of practices, games and meets on April 30 to build beds for kids who do not have a bed to sleep on.
Dux junior and senior student-athletes and coaches built 30 beds for Sleep In Heavenly Peace, an organization that provides beds for children who do not have a bed of their own. The organization has more than 300 local chapters around the country, including one in Holland.
“We build the beds at build days like we had at Zeeland West, and then we take those beds and we deliver the beds to kids who don’t have one,” said Lisa Ghiardi, who is co-president of the local chapter with her husband Ryan.
Ghiardi worked closely with West Athletic Director Jordan Bandstra to coordinate the build day.
“She (says), ‘hey, we got a donation for a bunch of wood, would you want to work through our process and build these beds?’” Bandstra said.
It’s not the first time West athletes have come forward to help with Sleep In Heavenly Peace. About 50 athletes took part in a similar project during the winter, building 23 beds. Along the way, the athletes develop valuable skills, Bandstra said.
“They’ve got to learn how to run a drill and a drill press and a sander. The kids really like it because they learn some skills while they do it, and it’s actual work and they see the progress,” Bandstra said.
The support from Sleep In Heavenly Peace doesn’t end with the building and delivery of the beds, Ghiardi said.
“When we deliver the beds, it also comes with a new mattress, mattress protector, brand new sheets, brand new pillow – everything, so the household doesn’t have to worry about anything when we get there,” said Ghiardi, who is also director of the Zeeland Education Foundation.
Ghirardi praised the work of the West student-athletes.
“They were in it to help us with the mission. They did a great job. The beds turned out beautifully. They were really taking pride in their work, and they had a great work ethic,” she said.
To learn more about Sleep in Heavenly Peace, visit shpbeds.org.
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
About 70 student-athletes and coaches from Zeeland West High School took time away from their usual rhythm of practices, games and meets on April 30 to build beds for kids who do not have a bed to sleep on.
Dux junior and senior student-athletes and coaches built 30 beds for Sleep In Heavenly Peace, an organization that provides beds for children who do not have a bed of their own. The organization has more than 300 local chapters around the country, including one in Holland.
“We build the beds at build days like we had at Zeeland West, and then we take those beds and we deliver the beds to kids who don’t have one,” said Lisa Ghiardi, who is co-president of the local chapter with her husband Ryan.
Ghiardi worked closely with West Athletic Director Jordan Bandstra to coordinate the build day.
“She (says), ‘hey, we got a donation for a bunch of wood, would you want to work through our process and build these beds?’” Bandstra said.
It’s not the first time West athletes have come forward to help with Sleep In Heavenly Peace. About 50 athletes took part in a similar project during the winter, building 23 beds. Along the way, the athletes develop valuable skills, Bandstra said.
“They’ve got to learn how to run a drill and a drill press and a sander. The kids really like it because they learn some skills while they do it, and it’s actual work and they see the progress,” Bandstra said.
The support from Sleep In Heavenly Peace doesn’t end with the building and delivery of the beds, Ghiardi said.
“When we deliver the beds, it also comes with a new mattress, mattress protector, brand new sheets, brand new pillow – everything, so the household doesn’t have to worry about anything when we get there,” said Ghiardi, who is also director of the Zeeland Education Foundation.
Ghirardi praised the work of the West student-athletes.
“They were in it to help us with the mission. They did a great job. The beds turned out beautifully. They were really taking pride in their work, and they had a great work ethic,” she said.
To learn more about Sleep in Heavenly Peace, visit shpbeds.org.
Graduates Encouraged to Be ‘People of Hope’
Hope College President Matthew Scogin shakes hands with a graduate during Sunday’s commencement exercises at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium in Holland.
Photo courtesy Hope College
With the members of Hope College’s graduating Class of 2025 about to leave the familiar routine of the school year on Sunday, May 4, commencement speaker Dr. Lauren Hearit offered a new way of structuring their lives — one guided by hope, even as their time at Hope was drawing to a close.
“Up to this point, your time and, by extension, your life, has been measured in semesters and academic years, by credits, by weekly chapel services, by final exams,” said Hearit, who is an assistant professor of management at the college,” in her address, titled “People of Hope.” “After today, no one is grading you on how well you’re doing. There’s no syllabus to follow.”
“This is where, if you might indulge me, I’d like to offer one last lecture about building a framework for sustainable hope in a world that often challenges our faith and beliefs,” she said.
“How do we sustain this hope outside the structure and rhythms of Hope College?” Hearit asked. “Well, Steven Garber, from the Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation and Culture, found you actually need three things: a worldview, a mentor you can go to for advice and Christian community.”
More than 730 graduating seniors from throughout the United States and 17 foreign countries, and three graduates of the Ready for Life program that is based at Hope participated in this year’s commencement, held at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium. The program also included the names of the first nine graduates of the Hope-Western Prison Education Program, who will be honored during a separate ceremony in June at Muskegon Correctional Facility.
In addition, the college presented an honorary degree, the Doctorate of Humane Letters (LHD), to emeritus professor John Yelding.
Yelding, who retired in 2019 as the Susan M. and Glenn G. Cherup Associate Professor of Education and department chair, joined the Hope faculty in 1994 after serving as a teacher and administrator in K-12 education for 25 years.
As it happened, the occasion also included a surprise honor for Hearit. Prior to her address, she was announced as recipient of the 2025 Hope Outstanding Professor Educator (H.O.P.E.) Award. Presented annually by the graduating class, the award is a closely-held secret until the ceremony.
Hearit opened her discussion of the importance of holding a worldview with a down-to-earth example: eyeglasses.
“A worldview is much like that: a lens through which you view the world. It has to do with what you believe to be true,” she said.
“As you leave Hope College, you’re going to encounter people with different worldviews than your own,” Hearit said. “Some may view your Christian worldview differently - but, these are opportunities to continue to explore how the worldview of your childhood might become the worldview of your adulthood. That is exciting, but hard work.”
“And it is work you must do in order to live a life of integrity,” she said. “Who you are at home, on Sunday morning, is the same person who is at work, presenting in the boardroom, sitting in the school drop-off line or grabbing a coffee with your friends.”
Mentors, she explained, provide invaluable perspective, but needn’t be older. “I’ve also found mentorship and guidance in what I’ve heard called providential friendships - friends that God has placed in my life to walk alongside me,” Hearit said. “What’s important to remember is that who you become is influenced by the five people you spend most of your time with. So be wise about who you surround yourself with.”
Christian community, Hearit said, is found most readily with a church. She described her own faith journey, which led her to teach at Hope and ultimately to find a church home at Pillar Church where, she said, “I began to find Christian community, and mentors.”
“For the first time, I realized that my faith wasn’t just a feeling, it was also something to intellectually pursue and wrestle with,” she said. “My worldview, the values I was trying to hold, the habits I was seeking to cultivate, and the ways in which I wanted to be present in the classroom and as a scholar all came into alignment.”
From their values, Hearit said, the graduates should next consider the virtues they will practice to reflect them. Referencing the college’s motto, “Spera in Deo” (“Hope in God”), she commended to them the virtue of hope.
“Please understand that the hope I speak of is not mere optimism or naiveté,” she said. “While optimism depends on things going well, hope sustains us even when they don’t. It is a firm foundation that remains solid even when the ground shifts beneath us.”
Such hope, she said, is a virtue that the graduates can live and share whatever their path.
“[Y]ou are called to see the face of Jesus Christ in those you work with, those you live next to, those you interact with,” she said. “You’re called to be a peacemaker. You’re called to do things differently. You are called to be a People of Hope.”
The commencement ceremony was preceded by the college’s baccalaureate services, which were held in Dimnent Memorial Chapel and featured the sermon “The Fragrance of the Knowledge” by the Rev. Dr. Nathan Hart, who is the Hinga-Boersma Dean of the Chapel.
“Up to this point, your time and, by extension, your life, has been measured in semesters and academic years, by credits, by weekly chapel services, by final exams,” said Hearit, who is an assistant professor of management at the college,” in her address, titled “People of Hope.” “After today, no one is grading you on how well you’re doing. There’s no syllabus to follow.”
“This is where, if you might indulge me, I’d like to offer one last lecture about building a framework for sustainable hope in a world that often challenges our faith and beliefs,” she said.
“How do we sustain this hope outside the structure and rhythms of Hope College?” Hearit asked. “Well, Steven Garber, from the Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation and Culture, found you actually need three things: a worldview, a mentor you can go to for advice and Christian community.”
More than 730 graduating seniors from throughout the United States and 17 foreign countries, and three graduates of the Ready for Life program that is based at Hope participated in this year’s commencement, held at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium. The program also included the names of the first nine graduates of the Hope-Western Prison Education Program, who will be honored during a separate ceremony in June at Muskegon Correctional Facility.
In addition, the college presented an honorary degree, the Doctorate of Humane Letters (LHD), to emeritus professor John Yelding.
Yelding, who retired in 2019 as the Susan M. and Glenn G. Cherup Associate Professor of Education and department chair, joined the Hope faculty in 1994 after serving as a teacher and administrator in K-12 education for 25 years.
As it happened, the occasion also included a surprise honor for Hearit. Prior to her address, she was announced as recipient of the 2025 Hope Outstanding Professor Educator (H.O.P.E.) Award. Presented annually by the graduating class, the award is a closely-held secret until the ceremony.
Hearit opened her discussion of the importance of holding a worldview with a down-to-earth example: eyeglasses.
“A worldview is much like that: a lens through which you view the world. It has to do with what you believe to be true,” she said.
“As you leave Hope College, you’re going to encounter people with different worldviews than your own,” Hearit said. “Some may view your Christian worldview differently - but, these are opportunities to continue to explore how the worldview of your childhood might become the worldview of your adulthood. That is exciting, but hard work.”
“And it is work you must do in order to live a life of integrity,” she said. “Who you are at home, on Sunday morning, is the same person who is at work, presenting in the boardroom, sitting in the school drop-off line or grabbing a coffee with your friends.”
Mentors, she explained, provide invaluable perspective, but needn’t be older. “I’ve also found mentorship and guidance in what I’ve heard called providential friendships - friends that God has placed in my life to walk alongside me,” Hearit said. “What’s important to remember is that who you become is influenced by the five people you spend most of your time with. So be wise about who you surround yourself with.”
Christian community, Hearit said, is found most readily with a church. She described her own faith journey, which led her to teach at Hope and ultimately to find a church home at Pillar Church where, she said, “I began to find Christian community, and mentors.”
“For the first time, I realized that my faith wasn’t just a feeling, it was also something to intellectually pursue and wrestle with,” she said. “My worldview, the values I was trying to hold, the habits I was seeking to cultivate, and the ways in which I wanted to be present in the classroom and as a scholar all came into alignment.”
From their values, Hearit said, the graduates should next consider the virtues they will practice to reflect them. Referencing the college’s motto, “Spera in Deo” (“Hope in God”), she commended to them the virtue of hope.
“Please understand that the hope I speak of is not mere optimism or naiveté,” she said. “While optimism depends on things going well, hope sustains us even when they don’t. It is a firm foundation that remains solid even when the ground shifts beneath us.”
Such hope, she said, is a virtue that the graduates can live and share whatever their path.
“[Y]ou are called to see the face of Jesus Christ in those you work with, those you live next to, those you interact with,” she said. “You’re called to be a peacemaker. You’re called to do things differently. You are called to be a People of Hope.”
The commencement ceremony was preceded by the college’s baccalaureate services, which were held in Dimnent Memorial Chapel and featured the sermon “The Fragrance of the Knowledge” by the Rev. Dr. Nathan Hart, who is the Hinga-Boersma Dean of the Chapel.
Council Approves Amendments to Klunder Contract
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland City Council Monday approved an amendment to its contract agreement with City Manager Tim Klunder, increasing both his severance and health insurance in case he should ever be fired from his job.
The council unanimously approved increasing the length of Klunder’s severance from nine months’ salary to a full year salary, and his health insurance coverage from six months to a year. Klunder has been Zeeland’s city manager since 2002.
Klunder recently asked for the increase during his performance evaluation, during which he received glowing reviews from the council, Mayor Kevin Klynstra said,
“He wanted to have some security in case he was terminated,” Klynstra said, noting that Klunder was happy with his job and his salary. “We thought after his excellent years of service that he has here (that it was appropriate).”
Klynstra and Mayor Pro
Tem Sally Gruppen conducted Klunder’s performance evaluation.
“I don’t think anything’s going to happen like that (where he would need to be terminated), but you never know. I’m sure they didn’t think that at (Ottawa) County either before a new board came on,” Klynstra said.
Klunder’s annual salary is $176,500.
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland City Council Monday approved an amendment to its contract agreement with City Manager Tim Klunder, increasing both his severance and health insurance in case he should ever be fired from his job.
The council unanimously approved increasing the length of Klunder’s severance from nine months’ salary to a full year salary, and his health insurance coverage from six months to a year. Klunder has been Zeeland’s city manager since 2002.
Klunder recently asked for the increase during his performance evaluation, during which he received glowing reviews from the council, Mayor Kevin Klynstra said,
“He wanted to have some security in case he was terminated,” Klynstra said, noting that Klunder was happy with his job and his salary. “We thought after his excellent years of service that he has here (that it was appropriate).”
Klynstra and Mayor Pro
Tem Sally Gruppen conducted Klunder’s performance evaluation.
“I don’t think anything’s going to happen like that (where he would need to be terminated), but you never know. I’m sure they didn’t think that at (Ottawa) County either before a new board came on,” Klynstra said.
Klunder’s annual salary is $176,500.
Teen Seriously Hurt in Olive Twp. Crash
A 15-year-old Jenison girl was seriously injured last Friday when her car was struck by a pickup truck in Olive Township.
The crash occurred shortly before 6 p.m. at 104th Avenue and Van Buren Street.
According to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, the teenager was driving her 2019 KIA Niro. She had been southbound on 104th and turned onto Van Buren Street, but then attempted a U-turn and disregarded the stop sign, entering the intersection into the path of a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 26-year-old Zeeland man. The driver of the Silverado took evasive action but was unable to avoid crashing into the KIA, sending both vehicles through the ditch and into a nearby field, Sgt. Shane Ryke of the sheriff’s office said.
The teen was pinned in her vehicle as a result of the crash and had to be extricated by Olive Township fire rescue crews. She was taken to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids with serious injuries. A 24-year-old West Olive woman who was a passenger in the Silverado suffered minor injuries, Ryke said.
The crash remains under investigation.
The crash occurred shortly before 6 p.m. at 104th Avenue and Van Buren Street.
According to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, the teenager was driving her 2019 KIA Niro. She had been southbound on 104th and turned onto Van Buren Street, but then attempted a U-turn and disregarded the stop sign, entering the intersection into the path of a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 26-year-old Zeeland man. The driver of the Silverado took evasive action but was unable to avoid crashing into the KIA, sending both vehicles through the ditch and into a nearby field, Sgt. Shane Ryke of the sheriff’s office said.
The teen was pinned in her vehicle as a result of the crash and had to be extricated by Olive Township fire rescue crews. She was taken to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids with serious injuries. A 24-year-old West Olive woman who was a passenger in the Silverado suffered minor injuries, Ryke said.
The crash remains under investigation.
Holland Author Pens Tulip Time Murder Mystery
Holland author Myron Kukla has just published his latest book, “Murder At Tulip Time,” a mystery set against the backdrop of the famed flower festival. Kukla draws upon his experience as a former reporter for the Grand Rapids Press in developing the characters and storyline for the book, now available at local bookstores.
Photo courtesy Myron Kukla
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
As the annual Tulip Time Festival is well underway in Holland, a local author has published a murder mystery that takes place during the famed flower festival.
“Murder At Tulip Time” is the latest book by former Grand Rapids Press and MLive.com reporter Myron Kukla.
The story begins with the discovery of a body buried among the tulips in the shadow of the historic DeZwaan windmill at Windmill Island Gardens. The victim had been murdered, and a local newspaper reporter begins to investigate what happened.
“It’s been called a ‘light-hearted murder mystery’ and is just packed full of Holland history, local sites, intriguing characters and of course tulips, parades, Klompen Dancers and carnival foods,” said Kukla, who set the story during the 2000 Tulip Time Festival.
Kukla takes a gentle jab at the producers of the recent movie “Holland” that starred Nicole Kidman, a movie that was set in Holland but with the vast majority of the footage shot hundreds of miles away.
“Unlike a recent movie supposedly set in Holland, Murder at Tulip Time is a positive look at the city and its tulip festival – except for the murders of course,” he said.
The story follows the coverage of the mysterious death by Lakeshore Press reporter John Garth, and his main competitor and sometimes girlfriend, Jennifer Jones of the Holland Sentinel, as the two uncover essential details even as their own lives are threatened.
Kukla draws deeply from his own reporting experience into capturing all the details that make up Holland in the story.
“I based the hero and many of the reporters in the book on people I worked with,” he said. “Holland city is also a main character in the book, from its founding by Christian Dutch from the Netherlands, to celebrating their homeland with the creation of a tulip festival that embraces the customs, costumes and traditions from a nostalgic time in the 19th century.
This is Kukla’s fourth book. He has previously written two books of humor: “Confessions of a Baby Boomer” and “Guide to Surviving Life.” He also wrote the 75th anniversary book on the Tulip City Airport: Ascent. He writes a humor column for the monthly magazine Lakeshore Living and online The Lakeshore WM.
“Murder at Tulip Time” is available locally in paperback at Readers World and local bookstores. It is also available in e-book format and paperback at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com and other online bookstores. The e-book sells for $3.99 and the paperback $14.99.
Zeeland Record
As the annual Tulip Time Festival is well underway in Holland, a local author has published a murder mystery that takes place during the famed flower festival.
“Murder At Tulip Time” is the latest book by former Grand Rapids Press and MLive.com reporter Myron Kukla.
The story begins with the discovery of a body buried among the tulips in the shadow of the historic DeZwaan windmill at Windmill Island Gardens. The victim had been murdered, and a local newspaper reporter begins to investigate what happened.
“It’s been called a ‘light-hearted murder mystery’ and is just packed full of Holland history, local sites, intriguing characters and of course tulips, parades, Klompen Dancers and carnival foods,” said Kukla, who set the story during the 2000 Tulip Time Festival.
Kukla takes a gentle jab at the producers of the recent movie “Holland” that starred Nicole Kidman, a movie that was set in Holland but with the vast majority of the footage shot hundreds of miles away.
“Unlike a recent movie supposedly set in Holland, Murder at Tulip Time is a positive look at the city and its tulip festival – except for the murders of course,” he said.
The story follows the coverage of the mysterious death by Lakeshore Press reporter John Garth, and his main competitor and sometimes girlfriend, Jennifer Jones of the Holland Sentinel, as the two uncover essential details even as their own lives are threatened.
Kukla draws deeply from his own reporting experience into capturing all the details that make up Holland in the story.
“I based the hero and many of the reporters in the book on people I worked with,” he said. “Holland city is also a main character in the book, from its founding by Christian Dutch from the Netherlands, to celebrating their homeland with the creation of a tulip festival that embraces the customs, costumes and traditions from a nostalgic time in the 19th century.
This is Kukla’s fourth book. He has previously written two books of humor: “Confessions of a Baby Boomer” and “Guide to Surviving Life.” He also wrote the 75th anniversary book on the Tulip City Airport: Ascent. He writes a humor column for the monthly magazine Lakeshore Living and online The Lakeshore WM.
“Murder at Tulip Time” is available locally in paperback at Readers World and local bookstores. It is also available in e-book format and paperback at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com and other online bookstores. The e-book sells for $3.99 and the paperback $14.99.
Compassionate Heart Ministries Holds Benefit Run/Walk
Brady Bruins and his cousin, Maria Veenstra, run during the Flamingo Fun Run last Thursday at Compassionate Heart Ministries in Zeeland. The annual Hearts in Motion 5k and Flamingo Fun Run is the largest fundraiser of the year for Compassionate Heart, a ministry that serves teens and young adults with cognitive and physical disabilities.
Photo courtesy Donna Bunce
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
About 400 people turned out last Thursday in Zeeland for the annual Hearts in Motion 5-kilometer Run/Walk and Flamingo Fun Run to benefit Compassionate Heart Ministries.
It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for Compassionate Heart, a ministry that serves as a drop-in center for teens and young adults that have cognitive and physical disabilities, autism and Down Syndrome. Here at the ministry’s center at 404 Centerstone Ct., participants find connection – making friends and taking part in social and recreational activities.
“People with disabilities are very often left behind and not included in many social or recreational activities,” Compassionate Heart founder and executive director Donna Bunce wrote in an email to the Zeeland Record.
Bunce started Compassionate Heart in 2007. Her oldest son, Jacob, has autism and is cognitively impaired, and struggled to find connection. She saw an opportunity to help her son and others with disabilities find a place where they can not only belong, but thrive.
Compassionate Heart offers two different programs. The day program, The Donut Club, is offered Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is intentional in its programming to instruct and provide life skills, social skills, physical activity and other kinds of fun and emotional support. It also offers an afterschool program, Club 404, which is heavily activity-oriented but is not as intentional with life skills support, Bunce said.
Peer volunteers from local high schools and colleges, as well as adults with a heart for people with disabilities, join ministry participants to offer friendship and connection, Bunce said.
Compassionate Heart has held the Hearts In Motion Run/Walk since 2010, and a few years ago added the Flamingo Fun Run as a way to better accommodate some of the ministry’s participants and to incorporate younger members into its community, Bunce said.
Compassionate Heart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is fully funded through donations, fundraising events, and occasional local grants. They do not receive any funding through the local, state or federal government, Bunce said.
Events like the Hearts in Motion are vital to the organization’s ongoing sustainability. For further information, contact Bunce at donna@compheart.org.
Anyone interested in becoming part of Compassionate Heart, either as a participant or volunteer, can contact Ashley Roon, the organization’s family life manager at ashley@compheart.org, and she can arrange for the initial interview.
Zeeland Record
About 400 people turned out last Thursday in Zeeland for the annual Hearts in Motion 5-kilometer Run/Walk and Flamingo Fun Run to benefit Compassionate Heart Ministries.
It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for Compassionate Heart, a ministry that serves as a drop-in center for teens and young adults that have cognitive and physical disabilities, autism and Down Syndrome. Here at the ministry’s center at 404 Centerstone Ct., participants find connection – making friends and taking part in social and recreational activities.
“People with disabilities are very often left behind and not included in many social or recreational activities,” Compassionate Heart founder and executive director Donna Bunce wrote in an email to the Zeeland Record.
Bunce started Compassionate Heart in 2007. Her oldest son, Jacob, has autism and is cognitively impaired, and struggled to find connection. She saw an opportunity to help her son and others with disabilities find a place where they can not only belong, but thrive.
Compassionate Heart offers two different programs. The day program, The Donut Club, is offered Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is intentional in its programming to instruct and provide life skills, social skills, physical activity and other kinds of fun and emotional support. It also offers an afterschool program, Club 404, which is heavily activity-oriented but is not as intentional with life skills support, Bunce said.
Peer volunteers from local high schools and colleges, as well as adults with a heart for people with disabilities, join ministry participants to offer friendship and connection, Bunce said.
Compassionate Heart has held the Hearts In Motion Run/Walk since 2010, and a few years ago added the Flamingo Fun Run as a way to better accommodate some of the ministry’s participants and to incorporate younger members into its community, Bunce said.
Compassionate Heart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is fully funded through donations, fundraising events, and occasional local grants. They do not receive any funding through the local, state or federal government, Bunce said.
Events like the Hearts in Motion are vital to the organization’s ongoing sustainability. For further information, contact Bunce at donna@compheart.org.
Anyone interested in becoming part of Compassionate Heart, either as a participant or volunteer, can contact Ashley Roon, the organization’s family life manager at ashley@compheart.org, and she can arrange for the initial interview.
Corewell Zeeland Earns Top Grade from Watchdog Group
Corewell Health Zeeland Hospital earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2025 from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog that sets standards for excellence in patient care.
The distinction recognizes the achievements of the hospital in protecting patients from preventable harm and error.
Corewell Health Greenville Hospital, Corewell Health Ludington Hospital, Corewell Health Trenton Hospital, Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital and Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital also earned an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group for spring 2025.
“We are very proud to have six Corewell Health hospitals receive an ‘A’ Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group,” said Jeffrey Ditkoff, M.D., chief quality officer for Corewell Health. “We are extremely thankful for our clinical teams who have achieved excellent clinical outcomes and always keep patient safety at the forefront.”
The Leapfrog Group assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country twice annually. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 30 national performance measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and information from other supplemental data sources. Taken together, those performance measures produce a single letter grade representing a hospital’s overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors.
The distinction recognizes the achievements of the hospital in protecting patients from preventable harm and error.
Corewell Health Greenville Hospital, Corewell Health Ludington Hospital, Corewell Health Trenton Hospital, Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital and Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital also earned an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group for spring 2025.
“We are very proud to have six Corewell Health hospitals receive an ‘A’ Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group,” said Jeffrey Ditkoff, M.D., chief quality officer for Corewell Health. “We are extremely thankful for our clinical teams who have achieved excellent clinical outcomes and always keep patient safety at the forefront.”
The Leapfrog Group assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country twice annually. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 30 national performance measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and information from other supplemental data sources. Taken together, those performance measures produce a single letter grade representing a hospital’s overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors.
Final Second Church Recital for Season May 18
The final recital for the Recital Series at Second Reformed Church for this program year will take place Sunday, May 18.
The “Everlasting to Everlasting” Cantata features Psalms 113-118, the Hallel Psalms. It is scored for a small ensemble of winds, strings, continuo, and vocals. The composer of the cantata is Greg Scheer, who lives and works in West Michigan.
Scheer is known for a wide range of musical styles. He has received commissions from the Holland Symphony Orchestra, Baylor University, The Chagall String Quartet, the Calvin Community Orchestra, as well as having arrangements in many church hymnals.
In addition to being a composer, Scheer is an author and speaker. His life’s work includes two sons (Simon and Theo), two books (“The Art of Worship,” 2006, and “Essential Worship,” 2016), along with his hundreds of compositions, songs, and arrangements.
A reception to greet Scheer and the musicians will take in the church’s Gathering Place following the performance.
Second Reformed Church is located at 225 E. Central Ave. Convenient parking is available at the corner of Church Street and Cherry Avenue, with accessible entry from the parking lot into the facility and throughout the building.
The “Everlasting to Everlasting” Cantata features Psalms 113-118, the Hallel Psalms. It is scored for a small ensemble of winds, strings, continuo, and vocals. The composer of the cantata is Greg Scheer, who lives and works in West Michigan.
Scheer is known for a wide range of musical styles. He has received commissions from the Holland Symphony Orchestra, Baylor University, The Chagall String Quartet, the Calvin Community Orchestra, as well as having arrangements in many church hymnals.
In addition to being a composer, Scheer is an author and speaker. His life’s work includes two sons (Simon and Theo), two books (“The Art of Worship,” 2006, and “Essential Worship,” 2016), along with his hundreds of compositions, songs, and arrangements.
A reception to greet Scheer and the musicians will take in the church’s Gathering Place following the performance.
Second Reformed Church is located at 225 E. Central Ave. Convenient parking is available at the corner of Church Street and Cherry Avenue, with accessible entry from the parking lot into the facility and throughout the building.
MAX Announces Service Changes
The Macatawa Area Express transit system will implement service changes later this month designed to better serve the community and support local workforce demands.
These updates follow recommendations from a yearlong transit study conducted in partnership with nationally recognized transportation consultant, Transpo Group.
The study, which began May 2023 and ended August 2024, included open houses, rider and stakeholder surveys, and engagement with employers. The findings highlighted a significant need for earlier weekday service to accommodate first-shift workers.
As a result, MAX will implement the following changes to its service on May 19:
• Weekday service will begin at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday.
• Saturday fixed-route service will be suspended, including the MAX Night Owl service (7 p.m. to midnight).
• Reserve-A-MAX demand response service will be open to all riders within the MAX service area and available on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on vehicle availability.
These changes allow MAX to reallocate limited resources and address the most urgent community needs during the week. Like many transit agencies across the U.S., MAX is also facing ongoing bus operator staffing shortages, which have also influenced these adjustments.
“We are committed to listening to our riders and being responsive to what the community tells us they need,” MAX Executive Director Ryan Novotny said. “By starting service earlier during the workweek, we’re helping more people get to their jobs on time, which supports both individual livelihoods and our regional economy.”
MAX continues to recruit and train new operators and plans to reassess Saturday and evening service as staffing levels improve.
For more information about service changes or to view updated schedules, visit www.catchamax.org or call (616) 355-1010.
These updates follow recommendations from a yearlong transit study conducted in partnership with nationally recognized transportation consultant, Transpo Group.
The study, which began May 2023 and ended August 2024, included open houses, rider and stakeholder surveys, and engagement with employers. The findings highlighted a significant need for earlier weekday service to accommodate first-shift workers.
As a result, MAX will implement the following changes to its service on May 19:
• Weekday service will begin at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday.
• Saturday fixed-route service will be suspended, including the MAX Night Owl service (7 p.m. to midnight).
• Reserve-A-MAX demand response service will be open to all riders within the MAX service area and available on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on vehicle availability.
These changes allow MAX to reallocate limited resources and address the most urgent community needs during the week. Like many transit agencies across the U.S., MAX is also facing ongoing bus operator staffing shortages, which have also influenced these adjustments.
“We are committed to listening to our riders and being responsive to what the community tells us they need,” MAX Executive Director Ryan Novotny said. “By starting service earlier during the workweek, we’re helping more people get to their jobs on time, which supports both individual livelihoods and our regional economy.”
MAX continues to recruit and train new operators and plans to reassess Saturday and evening service as staffing levels improve.
For more information about service changes or to view updated schedules, visit www.catchamax.org or call (616) 355-1010.
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