Bridgman Corridor Improvement Authority seeks input via survey

The Bridgman Corridor Improvement Authority (CIA) is a group of residents, business owners and other stakeholders connected to the area along Red Arrow Highway and Lake Street. CIA members are appointed by the mayor and approved by the Bridgman City Council to explore and present options to the Council for improvements to those streets and the businesses along them.

A survey has been prepared to learn more from residents, business owners and property owners about their preferences for improvements within the area guided by the CIA, which is called the CIA District. 

Anyone interested in responding to the survey can either visit the City’s website and take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YJCGDCM or complete a hard copy that can be found in the vestibule at City Hall.

Harbor Country Singers Christmas Singalongs

Harbor Country Singers will offer two Christmas Singalong events for families on Sunday, Dec.13. 

The first will be at Sawyer Highlands Church, 13100 Red Arrow Highway, at 3 p.m. 

The second will be at Converge Community Church in New Buffalo at 6 p.m.

Both venues are set up with the addition of two spaces for large gatherings, making social distancing possible. Upon arrival, guests will sign in, and masks will be required, creating as safe a place to gather as possible. Although the concert is free, tickets are recommended. Tickets are available at www.schoolofamericanmusic.com   

Director Cindy Dryden said the Christmas Celebration will include audience participation, talented area musicians and “a robust brass quintet made up of music educators, instructors and members of the LaPorte City Band.”

For those unable to attend, the program will be recorded and can be accessed via School of American Music, Sawyer Highlands and Converge Community Church Facebook Live.

Mobile Food Pantry visit

Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry visits are scheduled as follows: 4 p.m. Dec. 10 at Harbert Community Park, 13443 Red Arrow Highway.

New Troy Santa Drive-Through Parade

As a result of the new Michigan mandate limiting outdoor gatherings to 25 people, the Friends of New Troy are changing the format of Santa’s visit (scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5) to a drive-through parade.

Families will remain in their vehicles to slowly move through the Center’s parking lot, with stops to chat with Santa and receive bags of treats to enjoy at home. Santa will be wearing his mask — and he wants all kids and their families to wear masks too.

Plan to arrive at the community center by 5: p.m. Dec. 5. Remain in your vehicle and follow the directions of Weesaw Township Fire Department and Community Center volunteers to join the parade.

Want to make it even more festive? Decorate your car for Christmas!

Wreaths Across America drive

A local effort is underway to support Wreaths Across America.

The Rebecca Dewey Chapter of the National Daughters of the American Revolution (NS-DAR) are working hard to ensure that all veterans laid to rest at Fort Custer National Cemetery in southern Michigan are honored December 19 on the National Wreaths Across America Day. Locally, the Rebecca Dewey Chapter NS-DAR is collecting funds up to December 15 to sponsor wreaths needed to honor every veteran at Fort Custer National Cemetery. Each wreath sponsorship cost $15. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the local Blue Star Mothers group and a local veteran’s group.

For further information on how to donate, contact Sandy Wilhoit, Rebecca Dewey NS-DAR, at sswilhoit@aol.com.

Call for help

Are you close to receiving a shut-off notice for your utilities, being evicted, or having an empty propane tank? Don't wait, call or text Neighbor by Neighbor for help at 269-231-0648.

Fudge-Raiser

Chef Jackie Shen, who owns Jackie’s Café in New Buffalo, has selected Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan to be the recipient of this year’s Fudge-Raiser sale.

At age 18, Shen left Hong Kong to come to Ottumwa, Iowa, to attend college. To earn tuition Jackie would go to Chicago in the summers to waitress in a diner. She graduated from the Houston Hilton School of Management and then worked at the Ritz Carlton, Water Tower Hyatt, and Hyatt Regency. After success in her first business, a diner on Chicago’s Northwest side, she went to work for famed chef Jean Banchet at Le Mer and then as an apprentice at Le Francais.

Her namesake restaurant, Jackie’s in Lincoln Park, was for 13 years a Chicago destination for out-of-towners such as Robert Redford and Paul Newman as well as local regular patrons Oprah Winfrey, Mike Royko, Studs Terkel and Ann Landers.

As a chef Jackie has received national recognition, numerous awards and honors, including an invitation by Mayor and Mrs. Daley to cook for the President of China during his visit to Chicago. She has also been very active throughout her career in organizing culinary talent to raise money for charity to support local organizations.

You can order fudge several ways: Call Meals on Wheels of SW Michigan at 269-925-0137 to order and pick it up at the office, 1708 Colfax Avenue; or have the fudge sent to or delivered to you.

Those purchasing fudge also can call Jackie’s in New Buffalo at 269-469-1800 and pick it up at the Cafe, located at 801 W. Buffalo St. in New Buffalo. Cash and checks accepted.

Ecosystem presentation

Details in on plant and animal species that call Berrien County home will be shared during a Friends of New Buffalo Library Zoom presentation at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, featuring Ryan Postema, executive vice president of Chikaming Open Lands.

Postema will discuss the wide range of ecosystems, from prairies and wetlands to forests and dunes, that provide the habitat for an abundance of unique, rare and protected plants and animals. He also will share what is being done to help preserve these species and their habitats. 

For log-in information check the events section of the New Buffalo Township Library's website or Facebook page or email new.buffalo.fol@gmail.com.

Virtual Acorn

The following virtual events are being offered by the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks (www.acornlive.org):

• 8 p.m. Dec. 10 — The Bergamot's Holiday Concert is an intimate night of music and storytelling featuring founding members Nathaniel and Jillian with their full band performing a mix of uplifting Christmas classics as well as original songs. The Bergamot will warm the hearts of listeners with songs and stories of inspiration and hope. This is a free YouTube Watch Party event.

• 7 p.m. Dec. 12 — Billboard Magazine’s holiday music Critics’ Choice Bryan Lubeck is back to celebrate the season at the Acorn.Joined by National Hammered Dulcimer champion Ted Yoder, Bryan hosts this special streaming concert event featuring old and new holiday favorites from The Acorn stage. This is a free Facebook Live event.

• 8 p.m. Dec. 18 — Jeff Daniels Online and Unplugged! Join Emmy award-winning actor, director, and singer/songwriter Jeff Daniels for an intimate concert experience full of original songs and personal stories from his stage and movie career that only he can tell. Stick around for an interactive audience Q&A with Jeff following the show. Tickets $15.

Trinity quilt auction

The Quilters of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sawyer are opening their silent auction of 80-by-60-inch machine-stitched and hand-tied quilts (no 2 of the 30 alike) to all residents in the area.

The sale runs through noon Dec. 6.

The quilt display can be viewed and bid on from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Bidding starts at $10 and goes up in $3 increments.

The Quilting Group makes between 50 to 100 quilts per year (and backpacks filled with school supplies) that are shipped through Lutheran World Relief to countries in need.

Proceeds from the quilt silent auction will benefit the church maintenance fund.

For more information on the silent auction or the Trinity Lutheran Church worship service at 9:30 a.m. Sundays, call (269) 426-3937.

Hikers Zoom presentation

Harbor Country Hikers have scheduled a Dec. 3 Zoom presentation showing how the region’s animal residents survive Michigan winters at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3.

Presenter Wendy Jones, a naturalist who has worked at Fernwood Botanical Gardens and Nature Preserve, will explore some of the amazing strategies that animals and plants have developed over time to survive winter in Michigan including long migrations and months of hibernation. For details or log-in information, visit harborcountryhikers.com/events.

Sculptures by Pappageorge

Porcelain and stoneware sculptures by Louise Pappageorge are being featured at Judy Ferrara Gallery, 16 S. Elm St., Three Oaks.

"Clay connects me to the earth, the smell, the feel, the tactility of the material. I surrender to it and give it presence; it gives me form. Following its own frequency, clay dictates its own order. Through the interplay of chance and surrender, mud becomes incarnate; becomes ‘human’ and conspicuous as Adam in the Biblical creation myth. I do not separate the verdure or the terra firma from the human they are part and parcel the same” - Louise Pappageorge.

Judy Ferrara Gallery is open Thursday through Monday 12-6 p.m. or by appointment (574-276-6001).

Food for Fines

A Food for Fines program will be offered by the Bridgman Public Library through Jan. 9.

If you owe overdue fines or have items that are due back to the library, now is the time to take care of them. This holiday season the Bridgman Public Library will accept donations of unopened, unexpired, non-perishable food items, paper products, laundry detergent, dish soap and disposable diapers as payment for any amount of overdue fines (donations will only cover overdue fines, not lost/damaged fees).

Donations collected at the library will be given to two local food pantries, Our Lady Queen of Peace and Woodland Shores Baptist Church, who in turn will distribute to our local Bridgman/Lake Township community.

No fines? No worries. Your kindness and canned goods are welcome here.  

Upcoming programs at the library include: Digital Builders Challenge (through Dec. 14) – Attempt build challenges from your home using computers with Minecraft, Roblox, TinkerCAD, Google Slides or any other program. Register on bridgmanlibrary.com.