Out and About – Week of April 2nd

Time does fly by, when you’re having fun. This month, “Out and About” will be six years old, and I’m still finding things to write about, and having fun doing it. This column is not a “one-person” operation. Oh sure, I write it, but my wife, Barb, makes sure that the punctuation and grammar are correct. I did well in my English classes, but she taught Language Arts for forty-two years. Elena and her staff at “The Commercial-News” make sure that I have space for the column in the paper every Tuesday. Most of all, I am grateful to you readers who, not only read the column, but on occasion send me items of interest. It’s a “Team” effort, and I’m honored to be a part of the team. Thank you.

In keeping with the Easter spirit, the First United Methodist Church, 215 North Main Street, Three Rivers, will host their Annual Lenten Breakfast this Thursday, April 5, at 10 A.M., in the church’s Fellowship Hall. Music and the message will be provided by Reverend Dan Lane. The cost for the breakfast is $5. Reservations are required and may be made by phoning Barbara Lawson at (269)279-5515.

You still have time to check out two very interesting exhibits on display at the Carnegie Center for the Arts, 107 North Main Street, Three Rivers. The St. Joseph County High School and Fiber Art Mixed Media exhibit is one that showcases the work of high school students throughout St. Joe County. The second exhibit, entitled “Putting It All Together”, is a collection of works by fourteen southwest Michigan artists who explore new twists on traditional art forms by mixing in other media with the fiber and textile arts, in order to create richly diverse wall hangings, sculpture, and wearable art. These two exhibits will show until April 14. The exhibits are sponsored by John Bippus of Bippus USA and James Bippus of Apex Painting. The gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., and Saturday from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.

A bit of a “heads up” on the upcoming Tenth Annual Animal Rescue Fund Dinner/Auction. Saturday, April 28 is the date, with dinner beginning at 5:30 P.M. and the auction starting at 6:30. The place is the Three Rivers High School cafeteria. The cost for adults is $10, and for children 12 and under, it’s $4. If you don’t plan to eat and just want to attend the auction, there’s no charge. More on this later.

PATH (Personal Action Toward Health) is a six-week workshop for individuals having a long-term health condition, who want to build encouragement and confidence in managing their health, while maintaining active and fulfilling lives. The current workshop is being held at TR Health, 701 South Health Parkway, Three Rivers. It is held every Tuesday, through April 24, from 9:30 A.M. to noon. It is available to anyone 18 years of age and older, and there is no charge. Please contact Renee or Jo at (269)279-8083 or (800)641-9899.

If you’ve already filed your 2011 Income Tax return and have received a refund, I congratulate you and wish you the best. If you haven’t had that rendezvous with destiny yet, you still have time to get them done. Because April 15 falls on a Saturday, you have until midnight, Tuesday, April 17, to do the right thing. The excuse, “I forgot.” doesn’t work, should the IRS call you in six months, wondering where your return might be.

Next weekend is special. I’m not talking about the arrival of the Easter Bunny, or participating in an Easter egg hunt. It is a time to celebrate religiously. If you are Christian, I wish you a very Happy Easter. If you are Jewish, I wish you a Happy Passover, which begins Friday, April 6, at sundown. May we all celebrate in harmony, with respect to each other’s choice in how to do so.

You can safely put away the snow blower, but I would advise you to keep the rose cones and fruit baskets handy, in case of frost. Mother Nature gave us a warm March followed by near freezing temperatures. I saw her the other day, and she had a gleam in her eye and a sneaky smirk on her face.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

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