Tri-County Office on Aging’s Executive Director retiring
Marion Owen, the Executive Director of the Tri-County Office on Aging (TCOA), is set to retire on November 18, 2022 after over 48 years of continuous service.
As the state-designated Area Agency on Aging serving Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties, TCOA has been the leader of assistance, advocacy, and planning for older adults to remain independent in their own homes and communities since 1974.
Owen began her career at TCOA that very same year. She was placed as a VISTA Volunteer through Legal Aid of Central Michigan right after graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in Sociology, specializing in aging. Advocacy with and for older adults has been her main focus, with an emphasis on long term care issues and public benefits. Her previous positions with TCOA include Assistant Director, Project Choices Director, Information and
Referral Specialist, and Client Advocate. Owen has served as Executive Director since 2001.
Owen says, “I grew up at TCOA and it has been the mission, clients and the people who work here making it such an amazing and incredible experience. The staff are a unique group of people who tirelessly advocate for older adults and provide support and services whether it is preparing and delivering hot meals or counseling clients and families. The Board is a group of locally elected officials who are very supportive as well, and the Advisory Council is a group of older adults and service agencies who also offer their perspectives on aging issues to help us meet ongoing needs.”
Guided by the philosophy of person-centeredness since the agency’s formation, Owen instilled a culture of mission-driven work throughout all 20+ agency services and programs. Over 48 years and in multiple roles, she has served as an advocate, historian, visionary, and leader in the aging network. As she begins her transition from Director to community member, TCOA is left with a
strong foundation of staff, volunteers, Board and Advisory Council members, and a host of community partners that look forward to continuing to serve older adults, persons with disabilities, and caregivers.
Owen adds, “I was fortunate to have the career I wanted, as I was interested in working with older adults since I was a high school student in Detroit.”
Owen will be honored at TCOA’s 37th Annual Dinner and Auction fundraiser on November 16, 2022 at the Kellogg Center.
Tickets are available at www.tcoa.org/tcoa-events.
Thousands of Midnight Teacher books heading to New York City
Former resident Janet Kloeckner Halfmann’s picture book Midnight Teacher was recently selected for the New York City Department of Education’s new Mosaic Core Curriculum Program. That means thousands of copies of this lost-to-history story will be added to school libraries.
The new NYC program aims to make it easier for teachers and students to read and use books that represent every student in the district.
Midnight Teacher is the true story of Lilly Ann Granderson, who ran a secret night-time school in Mississippi during the 1800s when learning was illegal for the enslaved. She risked being whipped because she believed so strongly in the power of education.
Released in 2018 by Lee & Low Books and illustrated by London Ladd, “Midnight Teacher” has won numerous awards, including the 2019 Carter G. Woodson Honor Award of the National Council for Social Studies.
Janet grew up on a farm in the St. Johns/Fowler area and now lives in Wisconsin with her husband Tom. She is the author of almost fifty children’s books, including the recent How Can We Be Kind? which shows kids everyday ways to be kind by spotlighting the caring behaviors of animals.
Janet’s books are available in retail and online bookstores. Signed copies can be found locally at the Art and Soul Art Gallery in downtown St. Johns and Becker Furniture in Fowler. Find out more at https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com
Remember When – Events held in renovated Wilson Center Auditorium 2010
Mid-Michigan residents had a chance to attend their first events in the newly renovated Wilson Center Auditorium over the past two weekends.
On December 5 the St. Johns Community Band performed in and sponsored a holiday concert, which included the St. Johns High School Choir, a string duet, along with the Capitol City Brass Band. The very next day Sunday, December 6 the community was treated to the second annual “Messiah Sing”.
Then on December 11 and 12 Homegrown Productions presented “Christmas in St. Johns, a delightful theatrical musical variety show.
All three shows used local talent to commence the holiday season, while also showing off the “new” auditorium.
Seated in the restored seats are Beth Webb from “Homegrown Productions,” Tom Webb, co-chair of the auditorium committee who accepted a check from Maralyn Woodbury, treasure of the St. Johns Community Band, with Marti Cooper, chair of the “Make a Joyful Noise – Messiah Sing”.
Auditorium fun facts from Barry Bauer:
– There is a $20,000 payment due at the end of the month on the seats.
– The seats were built in the 20s and the sizes varied (I’m sure everybody noticed that), so they decided to replace all the wood pieces.
– Six rows of seats will be eliminated.
– The spacing between the rows was increased probably because very few people are as thin as they were in high school. Me included.
– They want to hang some tapestry over the windows along with other wall treatments to match the stage which is already painted.
– They have already eliminated the steps going up to the stage. The only way off the stage now is out the back.
Letters – Reader discusses board election
There are 4 seats open this year – 2 partial positions and 2 full term positions.
Let’s start with the 2 partial term positions first.
There are 2 years left in a term that the school board filled earlier. This term expires on 12/31/24. Kathie Elliott is the only person running for this position; she is an excellent candidate, has twin sons who graduated from SJHS in 2018 and a daughter who just graduated this year. Kathie has volunteered in several areas within the school system over the years. She will be a great addition to the school board next year.
There is 4-years left in a term again that the school board filled earlier. The School Board selected Matthew Boak to fill this vacancy. He has been doing a great job on the board this year. Matthew graduated from SJHS in 2014, CMU in 2018 and is currently doing graduate work at Grand Valley. He has a website if you’d like to visit that and learn more.
Now, Matthew is running as a write-in candidate. I’ve never written in a name before, but it is super easy. Look for the term that expires on 12/31/26. There is no one running for that position. Matthew has registered with the county and is an official write-in candidate for that position.
So just write in Matthew Boak and fill in the box. It’s that easy. Please make note of that and write his name in. Let others also know about Matthew.
Then there is the full 6-year term – 2 positions open with 3 people running.
I’d like to put in a good word for 2 excellent incumbents, Rick Drabek and Bob Watson. I worked with both of them during my time on the board. They are both excellent board members. They do their homework, always coming to meetings well prepared. They are trustworthy – always voting in the best interests of our students and the school system. They bring creative ideas to meetings, always looking for ways to improve on what’s happening now. They have attended our state school board association classes over the years, bettering themselves – have a great background, being extremely knowledgeable in the job they have to do. I highly recommend voting for both Rick and Bob.
Bill Tennant
St. Johns
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – How Long Do Parakeets Live?
Parakeets are great beginner birds for any pet lover that is interested in exploring birds as companions. As with any pet, life expectancy of a parakeet should be considered before adding one to your feathered family. Parakeets are charismatic and social birds but can require a lot of attention.
Parakeet Lifespan
The most common parakeet in captivity is the budgerigar or budgie. In captivity, budgies can live anywhere between 7-15 years of age. This is almost twice the life expectancy of a wild budgie. In the wild, budgies can live between 4-6 years because of threats of predation.
What Makes Some Parakeets Live Longer Than Others?
Multiple factors can influence how long a parakeet can live. Good husbandry is essential—if a parakeet does not have good husbandry provided for it, then their lifespan can be drastically shortened.
Nutrition is another important factor. There are many different parakeet diets available, and a balanced diet is necessary to help your budgie live a complete life.
Life expectancy of parakeets in also influenced by the presence of disease.
Parakeets commonly suffer from:
– Obesity
– Scaly legs or face (Knemokotopes mites)
– Chronic egg laying
– Tumors
Parakeet Health and Disease Prevention
To keep your pet budgie healthy, prevention is key. Establishing a relationship with an experienced avian veterinarian will allow the best guidance to ensure your budgie has a fulfilling life. Birds can be good at hiding the fact they are sick, so if you sense they might be, reach out to your veterinarian.
– Help monitor or prevent common diseases by providing your budgie with:
– Regular visits to the veterinarian (yearly)
– Yearly bloodwork and parasite screening
– Quarantine of all new birds for at least 30 days
– Cage enrichment to observe behavior
Desensitize your parakeet to handling which will make transport and visits to the veterinarian easier on them
Parakeet Diet
Parakeets are granivores, meaning they only eat grain and seed. Grain and seed diets in captivity are not the same as in the wild. Wild parakeets often graze on grass seeds, chenopod seeds, and grain crops. Although all seed diets are readily available for parakeets, many of them do not provide the proper protein, vitamins, and minerals to help parakeets live long lives.
Parakeets can develop numerous nutritional diseases when provided an imbalanced diet. Many seed diets do not have adequate calcium and vitamin A levels. A pelleted balanced diet is recommended to prevent any nutritional diseases. Seeds and millet can be used as behavioral enrichment to promote grazing behaviors.
Parakeet Habitat Recommendations
Parakeets should be provided the largest habitat possible. Cage dimensions should be a minimum of 18 inches wide by 18 inches long. For parakeets, it is more important to have a cage that offers a good amount floor space. This will help encourage natural behaviors like foraging. Cage bars should be approximately 3/8 inches apart.
Parakeets should be provided with multiple perches of different sizes and oriented in different directions to mimic their natural environment. Perch diameter should be between 3/8 to ¾ inches. Perches can be made from different soft or smooth materials. Any perches made from abrasive materials can lead to foot injuries, so be sure to inspect each perch before placing them in the cage.
How to Improve Your Parakeet’s Lifespan
There are many ways that you can improve your parakeet’s health and happiness, which can lead to a longer lifespan. Always consult with your veterinarian to determine the best caring practices for your budgie. General tips may include:
– Do your research before adding a parakeet to your family!
– Ensure you can provide adequate care for one or multiple parakeets.
– Provide complete nutrition daily
– Provide free access to water
– Provide adequate social interactions
– Provide active foraging for this species
– Offer mineral blocks, cuttlebones, and wood blocks to help keep their beak trimmed
– Stay up to date on annual veterinary examinations (establish a relationship early with a veterinarian who has experience with birds)-
Make sure to ask your veterinarian about routine bloodwork and parasite screening
– Be sure to quarantine any incoming new pet birds within the home for at least 30 days.