1. Wreaths will once again be laid at the headstones of veterans at the Grand Rapids Home for veterans cemetery on December 14.
Here's how you can help. They'd like to cover every headstone but still need wreaths. By going to wreathsacrossamerica.org you can purchase one for $17, or 2 wreaths for $34.
The deadline for orders is Thursday, November 21.
2. The Van Buren County Road Commission will have painted plows this winter, courtesy of some creative area high school students. Now the organization wants you to pick your favorite.
There's a lot on the line here: the winning school team gets a pizza party. Seven schools participated in the program, including Bangor, Gobles, Lawton, Mattawan, Paw Paw, South Haven & the Van Buren Intermediate School District.
Students at each school put their creative spin on the plows, so you know going into it which school you'd be voting for!
This is the first year for the program with the Van Buren County Road Commission as a way to promote winter driving safety, and to create awareness of career opportunities in transportation.
The public is encouraged to vote on the commission's website.
3. The Kalamazoo State Theatre announcing it will pause operations later this month as it looks for new owners.
The theatre's last event will be Almost Queen and Lisa Can't Sing on Saturday, November 23.
The theatre says the closure is intended to be only temporary and will be used to look for a new organization to operate the venue. The goal is to find a nonprofit to take over.
The theatre opened on July 14, 1927 and was designed by architect John Eberson. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021 and in 2022 won the governor's awards for historic preservation.
4. The Felt Mansion in Holland invites everyone to celebrate the magic of the holiday season.
There's a new experience this year, "The Felt Estate Holiday Premiere" on November 30. Be among the first to see the historic estate decked out for the season. The evening includes festive cocktails, heavy hors d'oeuvres, live music, and you can donate for the chance to win a variety of raffle prizes including an exclusive overnight stay at the mansion.
Other events include Winterfest, Coffee And Cocoa Self-Guided Tours, and more. Get the full events schedule at feltmansion.org.
5. God's Kitchen of Michigan is hosting its free community Thanksgiving dinners.
This year, they'll serve three delicious dinners with two in Battle Creek
and one in Kalamazoo.
Everyone is invited to enjoy a hearty meal featuring roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet corn, green beans, desserts, and bottled water.
For more information about the free community Thanksgiving dinners and how you can get involved, visit their website at godskitchenofmichigan.org.
