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November 2007 - .pdf

In this issue:

Statewide Success with The Great Michigan Read

Hemingway on TV

Hemingway Traveling Exhibit Hits 29 Towns

Two Join MHC Board of Directors

Use Stories to Publicize Your Programs

Council Programs Focus on Food and Reading

Steel Drums and Communities

Call for Nominations

Next Grant Deadlines

Learning from the Civil Rights Movement

The Great Michigan Read Corporate & Foundation Support

We the People Bookshelf: "Created Equal"

Poetry, Language, the Spice of Life

On Giving

KIMF Calumet

Michigan Public TV: Howell Opera House

Financial Statement

Thank you to our Donors

November 2007 Electronic Newsletter - .pdf (1.06 MB).

Statewide Success with The Great Michigan Read

From Adrian to Ironwood, from New Buffalo to Alpena and scores of communities in between, The Nick Adams Stories is a hit! Michiganians have purchased thousands of copies of Ernest Hemingway’s The Nick Adams Stories since The Great Michigan Read kicked off on July 9. Retail stores report brisk sales of the Hemingway classic just three months into the statewide reading program. Dozens of community programs scheduled through next year will help support this reading effort. These include Hemingway film series, book discussions, writing contests, and more. And, with more than 150 organizations from nearly 130 communities participating, there is bound to be an event near you!

“Many of the participants stated how much they enjoyed the program,” said Jill Abood, adult services librarian at the East Lansing Public Library (ELPL). The ELPL held a pair of The Nick Adams Stories discussion sessions on October 15 and 22. “It’s important to celebrate both writers from Michigan and those writers influenced by this state. People who haven’t read Hemingway in many years were reintroduced to his writings and the Michigan he loved,” she said.

The Durand Union Station also held a book discussion on October 23. In addition, the station created two of its own Hemingway display cases as a companion to the “Up North with the Hemingways” exhibit from October 19 - 26 (see full statewide exhibit schedule below).

Visit the program website, www.greatmichiganread.org, for a comprehensive, updated list of events and partner organizations. Or, call the Michigan Humanities Council office at 517-372-7770 to learn about events in your area. If your local library isn’t involved, ask them to join the rest of the state to help celebrate reading a classic piece of American literature, made in Michigan, by an American icon.

Hemingway on TV

The Michigan Hemingway Society and the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University collaborated with WCMU to create a 30-minute documentary, Ernest Hemingway: A Life in Michigan. DVD copies were distributed to each Great Michigan Read partner organization. Every school district in Michigan will also receive a copy to include in their curriculum. On November 27, the documentary will debut on the following Michigan public television stations:

8:00 p.m. WTVS (Detroit), WDCQ (University Center), WCMU (Mount Pleasant)
9:00 p.m. WKAR (East Lansing), WGVU (Allendale)
10:00 p.m. WNMU (Marquette)

WDCQ-TV at Delta College will feature an evening’s worth of Hemingway documentaries on November 27:

8:00 p.m. Ernest Hemingway: A Life in Michigan
8:30 p.m. American Masters Hemingway: Rivers to the Sea
10:00 p.m. Hemingway in Cuba

Hemingway Traveling Exhibit Hits 29 Towns

"Up North with the Hemingways,” a traveling exhibit companion to The Great Michigan Read, focuses on the influence of Northern Michigan on Ernest Hemingway and his Nick Adams Stories. Two identical versions of the exhibit will visit 29 communities in nearly every corner of the state. The exhibits are made possible by support from the Michigan Humanities Council, Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University, Michigan Hemingway Society, and Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. For a complete listing, visit www.greatmichiganread.org/exhibit.php

Two Join MHC Board of Directors

The Michigan Humanities Council recently welcomed two new members to its board of directors: Karen Emens Smith from Traverse City and Amy DeWys-VanHecke from Grosse Pointe Farms. They were elected on June 14, 2007, and will serve until December 31, 2008.

Amy DeWys-VanHecke of Grosse Pointe Farms brings to the Council nearly 20 years of volunteer and work experience in nonprofit and cultural organizations in Iowa, Mississippi, and Michigan. She is currently a partner at ASA Consulting Group in Southfield, where she assists nonprofit organizations with client base development, grant writing, and developing curriculum and educational programs. DeWys-VanHecke is also an adjunct instructor at Henry Ford Community College. Previously, she was the curator of education at the Detroit Historical Museum and an educational consultant to Detroit 300, Inc. She volunteers for several community organizations and recently served on arts grant review panels for the Michigan Council of Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Department of Education. From 1991 to 1996, DeWys-VanHecke was a museums educator at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, where she worked on her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership. She also earned a Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Iowa in 1990 and a Bachelor of Arts Interdisciplinary Degree in Archaeology from Calvin College in 1988.

Karen Emens Smith of Traverse City has a distinguished career as both a civic leader in arts and culture and as a national touring soprano soloist from the mid 1960s to early 1990s. She is the co-founder and director of the Young People Theater Series, Inc., of Traverse City, and serves on the 1891 City Opera House Heritage Association Board, the Traverse Symphony Orchestra Board, and the Traverse Area Arts Council. Smith has 30 years of experience with youth educational activities in the Traverse City area. Her leadership includes service on several statewide arts organizations, including from 2002-2006 on the board of the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, from 1991-1994 on the University of Michigan School of Music and Hill Auditorium capital campaign committees, and the University of Michigan School of Music Alumni Society board of governors.

The Michigan Humanities Council’s Board of Directors currently consists of 22 members whose responsibilities include program and proposal review, planning, fundraising, advocacy for the humanities, liaison to projects, and other representation of the Council at activities around the state. Four members of the Council are gubernatorial appointees and 18 are elected by the board.

Use Stories to Publicize Your Programs

by James Karshner, Michigan Humanities Council Board of Directors

The ancient art of storytelling not only forms a basis for humanities, but it plays a key role in public relations. A well-crafted story using words, sounds and images has a much better chance of getting “traction” (a PR term for getting picked up by the news media) than a bland description of a program, product or service.

The recent mud wrestling contest in the Legislature over the budget that included raking state employees over the coals, brought back memories of 20-some years ago. I left the corporate world to join the Michigan Department of Commerce in a public affairs role.

I remember my first few staff meetings trying to figure out the alphabet soup of programs. The MSF (Michigan Strategic Fund) had just been passed and it included CAP (Capital Access Program) and BIDCOs (Business and Industrial Development Corporations). Communities could apply for CDBGs for road, water and sewer improvements, or create a TIFA to qualify for a DDA, Brownfield Redevelopment Authority or Local Finance Development Authority. It helped if they belonged to a CGA.

Then, of course, there were Enterprise Zones, Empowerment Zones and later, Renaissance Zones. The NBA was not the National Basketball Association but the Neighborhood Builders Alliance. The CCC was not the Civilian Conservation Corps but a Clean Corporate Citizen.

Fortunately for me, my boss handed me a memo entitled, “Marketing the Michigan Story.” I don’t recall the author’s name, but one phrase stuck with me: “programs don’t communicate; people do.”
In other words, Joe and Judy Six Pack aren’t going to understand a government program or remember its name unless it directly affects them (and their bank account). Retirement programs (Social Security, IRAs, 401ks, etc.)? Certainly. College savings programs (MET, 529s, Coverdales)? Probably. MEAP? Only if they have school-aged children.

But can the public tell the difference between Work First, Michigan Works and Michigan First? I doubt it.

Maybe if they read about:

* The young, single mother of two who went through Work First and was weaned off of welfare, received training, transportation assistance and encouraged to take a part-time job with upside potential.

* The unemployed Gulf War veteran who sought counseling for medical conditions related to his military service, worked closely with an employment specialist at Michigan Works and was accepted into an apprenticeship program.

* The out-of-state entrepreneur who ignored all the bad news about Michigan’s economy and got accurate statistics from Michigan First in order to make a sound business decision to expand into the state.

Programs don’t communicate; people do.

Council Programs Focus on Food and Reading

by Jan Fedewa, Executive Director, Michigan Humanities Council

Key Ingredients Michigan Foodways and The Great Michigan Read programs have taken me to all regions of the state in the past several months. During my travels, I am reminded by Michigan citizens how invaluable our programs are in helping create an engaged and informed citizenry.

Several months ago, I had the privilege of traveling to Calumet to participate in the opening event of the Smithsonian’s Key Ingredients . . . America by Food and Michigan Foodways exhibits. People shared stories that defined the unique food culture of the area and the Upper Peninsula. I also observed the commitment of the community to make it one of the best experiences ever. The programs planned for the six-week tour were outstanding, ranging from a Victorian Tea Party to “If the Pasty Could Talk” to “Cooking Fish: The Commercial Fishing Legacy of Lake Superior” to so many more engaging opportunities.

However, what is making a difference is the traveling Michigan Foodways exhibit. It’s “value-added” to the national perspective and provides Michigan’s connection within the context of the national exhibit. It’s comparing and contrasting that adds flavor to the tour and conversations. Individuals are gaining a better understanding of the impact of our products in the national marketplace. Many were not aware that Michigan is the nation’s second leading producer of celery and the third leading producer of apples, asparagus, snap beans, carrots, Concord grapes, and radishes. We grow more beans, blueberries, tart cherries, and cucumbers than any other state. Did you know John Lennon wrote the song “Good Morning Good Morning” after seeing a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes commercial on television?

The Great Michigan Read is a community reading program for the entire state featuring The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway. We launched the state’s first-ever, one-book, one-state reading initiative in July, and the response by the media and cultural organizations is incredible. We’ve been interviewed numerous times by radio, television, and newspaper reporters. We have more than 150 organizations, such as libraries, museums, schools, and others participating in the program. Twenty-nine communities are showcasing “Up North with the Hemingways” traveling exhibit. Hundreds of programs are being planned as we encourage people to read literature and reconnect to a literary icon made in Michigan.

I recently attended a Great Michigan Read planning session at the Hoyt Public Library in Saginaw. Participants included representatives from Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland. More than 30 people attended the meeting to discuss their plans for the coming year. Their collaborative efforts use Hemingway and The Nick Adams Stories as the impetus for dialogue, performance, food, trout fishing, school programming, interpretation, writing, film festival, and a lecture series. This is an excellent example of three communities working together, sharing ideas, and presenting quality programs as they embrace reading literature. We anticipate many more such programs and collaborative efforts.

Private and individual support for this program is significant. Supporters include the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, LaSalle Bank, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Central Michigan University at Clarke Historical Library, Michigan Hemingway Society, the Detroit Media Partnership/Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, Upper Peninsula Power Company, the Gerstacker Foundation, and Michigan Media. Recently, we received a $15,000 gift from Meijer Inc., one of the largest corporations in Michigan.

Hank Meijer, co-chairman of Meijer Inc. said, “Ernest Hemingway’s career was shaped by his childhood experiences in Michigan. We’re delighted to help readers young and old across our state come together around his great stories. This project will help create a sense of community that stretches across our two peninsulas.” We echo Hank’s comments. We too are pleased to present Hemingway’s masterpiece to Michiganians.

Join your neighbors, friends, and colleagues. Participate in these program offerings. Both provide a platform for community engagement, reflection, and conversation. For more information on the exhibits, go to www.michiganfoodways.org; for information on the reading initiative, go to
www.greatmichiganread.org.

Steel Drums and Communities

The Gratitude Steel Band (GSB) is a popular family musical group that has appeared in Michigan’s Arts and Humanities Touring Directory since 2003. The band dates back to its gospel roots of 1988. This summer, three communities hosted the GSB’s steel drums through support from the Arts and Humanities Touring Program: the Historical Museum Village in Troy on August 5, Veterans Park in Highland on July 25, and the Rotary Community Bandshell on August 1l. Following is the interview with Charles Russell (CR) of GSB.

Talk about your music. What and how do you play?

CR - My Uncle said, “Don’t stick with Calypso. Take it as far as you can go.” And we have. We play many different styles. Not just classical music from Beethoven and Mozart, but also Jazz, Afro-Cuban, and even Hawaiian. Our beat and accompaniment is upside-down: we are a steel band first, accompanied by European and Western instruments. And, we like to keep people jumping.

How do you pick a theme to your music?

CR – We have positive, uplifting messages. Consider some of the issues in our nation, in the world … we try to respond by incorporating positive messages in the music. Our music provides an opportunity for people to consider their status quo or to find a way to improve the world. We want people to ask, “What is our message?” and “What are we trying to say?”

Why are the arts and music so important?

CR – Music is a vehicle used to bring about a message. It helps us think constructively and helps us to express ourselves. Artwork also is a way to demonstrate a person’s individual freedom, that it is “ok to be me.”

How has the Arts and Humanities Touring Program helped you as a band?

CR – A steel band sounds better in numbers, so the more opportunities we can play with a larger band, the better. The Touring Program provides the financial support for community organizations to bring in our performance. And, it allows us to expand our clientele beyond schools to communities, cultural organizations, and corporate gigs.

Call for Nominations

The Michigan Humanities Council invites nominations for its board of directors. The board of directors consists of volunteer members open to the public. Board members help make the humanities accessible statewide and take active roles in Council fundraising initiatives.

Members attend three meetings per year, evaluate grant proposals, serve on committees, determine policy and Council initiatives, and oversee financial strategies. Nominees should be: supportive of MHC’s mission and goals, interested in the humanities, dedicated to public service, and committed to providing cultural enrichment opportunities for Michigan citizens.

Letters of nomination should include the name and address of the nominee, a brief description of why the person should serve, including experience and interest in public humanities programming. A vita or resume should be included along with a letter of interest from the nominee. Self-nominations are accepted.

A member of the MHC Board Development Committee will notify successful candidates. Please send nominations to: Michigan Humanities Council, 119 Pere Marquette, Suite
3B, Lansing, MI 48912.

Next Grant Deadlines

* Arts & Humanities Touring Grants: February 25 - March 10.
* Michigan People, Michigan Places ... Our Stories, Our Lives: March 15.
* Quick and Planning Grants: four weeks in advance of program.

Learning from the Civil Rights Movement

This year, more than 300 students of Davenport University (DU) and more than 1,000 individuals statewide participated in an interdisciplinary, interactive project to learn about Viola Liuzzo and the Civil Rights Movement. An outcome of the project was a traveling exhibit, Viola Liuzzo: An Exemplary Woman in Remarkable Times. It toured five locations between March 12 and May 3, 2007: DU Lettinga campus in Grand Rapids, DU Saginaw campus, DU Warren campus, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the First Universalist Unitarian Church in Detroit.On October 20, the exhibit debuted at the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in Lansing. It will reside there through December 28, 2007.

The project sparked the interest of many individuals in the Detroit community. It helped several Detroit community organizations interact with the higher education community through a series of collaborative discussions, presentations, and exhibits. “We were able to place the humanities outside of the academic context by taking our passions for this project into the community,” said Dr. David Fleming, Vice President for Academic Services at DU. Collaborating groups included several cultural organizations, churches and church choirs, and the Gray Panthers from the Civil Rights Movement.

Viola Liuzzo left a profound mark on DU students. Several used their artistic talents to lead their classmates in unique projects designed to learn about and to honor Liuzzo, including an original mural of the Civil Rights Movement and a sculpture of Liuzzo. The learning experiences traveled beyond the classroom, allowing students to research biographies, create timelines, and write essays. One student worked with Dr. Sharon Vriend-Robinette, Department Coordinator for Economics and Social Sciences, to successfully nominate Liuzzo to the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. “The project was the most fun work I have done in a long time,” said Vriend-Robinette. “It was a nice, interesting blend of making education relevant to students, learning communication methods, and making content meaningful in a more memorable way.”

This project was DU’s first grant from the Michigan Humanities Council (MHC). As a business school whose mission is to “prepare individuals and organizations to excel in the knowledge-driven environment of the 21st century,” incorporating humanities components into the curriculum may seem incongruent. However, it is the broad nature of the humanities and its ability to help understand diversity and globalization that attracted DU to the MHC. “The Liuzzo project provided a greater awareness of the importance of the humanities for our business students,” said Dr. Jacqueline Taylor, DU’s Vice President for Development. Gary Franchy, DU’s Executive Director of General Education, added: “There was a connection with their core classes. Students could see the practical application with humanities as part of their curriculum.” Added Vriend-Robinette: “It demonstrates how you cannot do other work without the humanities, especially now as you see the evolution of a place driven by changes in business and technology.”

“The bottom line in the humanities is that life is not a spectator sport,” said Dr. Taylor. “You need to be involved every day.”

Davenport University student Stir Davidhi in front of a mural that he helped create as part of the Viola Liuzzo project.

The Great Michigan Read Corporate & Foundation Support

The Michigan Humanities Council thanks the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, Meijer, Inc., Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO), the Gerstacker Foundation, and LaSalle Bank for their support of The Great Michigan Read.

Meijer, Inc., awarded the Council $15,000. Copies of The Nick Adams Stories, reader’s guides, and bookmarks are available at Meijer, Inc. stores in Michigan.

UPPCO awarded the Council $5,000 through the Wisconsin Public Service Foundation to cultural organizations and libraries in the Upper Peninsula that are implementing the program.

The Council also received $20,000 from the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, $5,000 from the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, and $2,500 from LaSalle Bank.

We the People Bookshelf: "Created Equal"

The “Created Equal” Bookshelf provides opportunities for young people to explore what the Revolutionary generation meant when it declared that “all men are created equal.” What challenges has America faced, and where has it shown progress, in its efforts to live up to the ideal of universal human equality? How did Abraham Lincoln, whose bicentennial we celebrate in 2009, contribute to the idea and the reality of human equality in America?

In the fifth year of the We the People Bookshelf program, 3,000 libraries across America will receive a set of classic books related to the “Created Equal” theme. The Bookshelf—a collection of seventeen classic hardcover books for young readers, all related to the Created Equal theme. In addition, libraries will receive four of these books in Spanish translation, a resource kit, and supplementary materials for programming. In return for receiving a Bookshelf, libraries organize programs that highlight the theme and encourage young readers to explore the selected books.

Applications for the “Created Equal” Bookshelf are being accepted now through January 25, 2008. “Created Equal” programs will be conducted in libraries between May 1, 2008, and April 30, 2009. For more information on the Bookshelf, including application materials and guidelines, visit www.wethepeople.gov/bookshelf.

Poetry, Language, the Spice of Life

Sarah Harris may or may not be your typical college freshmen, but one thing she brings to college is her flair for poetry. Sarah, Michigan’s 2007 Poetry Out Loud champion, likens poetry to the spice of life: “When you are reading poetry, it isn’t just what is on the page. You are also looking deeper inside about what the author is writing. The fewer ingredients poets use tells you much more than a book.”

Her parents, James and Nancy Harris, beam with pride when talking about Sarah’s success. From an early age, James impressed his children with the gift of the arts, music, and language. Nancy taught Sarah to read at age four; as the family grew older, annual holiday gift cards would lead them to bookstores for their treasure. “We would rush home with our new books and find a comfortable place in the house to enjoy them,” said James. “Words are very important. Our family enjoys musicals and lyrics, and the ways people express themselves… and, anytime you can encourage anyone to read for understanding is a good thing. You read to learn how to use language.”

As a senior at Holt High School in mid-Michigan, Sarah had a choice: softball or poetry. She chose the latter. “I love softball, but Poetry Out Loud provided a unique and creative opportunity,” said Sarah. “Poetry allows me to create through characterization, to play a part. In sports, you live for a short moment of glory. But in poetry, you can create, live, and relive every moment.”

Not surprisingly, Sarah poured her heart and soul into Poetry Out Loud, practicing weeknights and weekends with her English teacher, Margie Charette, friends, classmates, and tutors. By the time she arrived in Washington, D.C. for the national finals, “she had blossomed and acknowledged that she could do special things and enjoy them,” said James. “She took representing everyone at home very seriously.”

Sarah joined 84 percent of respondents to a Poetry Out Loud participant survey who agreed that poetry can be a powerful tool for expression. And, like 51 percent of respondents, both Sarah and her father agreed that the program greatly improved her confidence in public speaking. “By the time I arrived in D.C., I was very confident and comfortable to perform on stage. It is an important skill to learn,” she acknowledged.

Sarah, now a freshman at Dartmouth College in upstate New Hampshire, is far from home but not far from her poetry. Like many other college freshmen, she brought to school her clothes, her music, her family photos, and books filled with poetry. “Poetry is a useful exercise to see how different people use language,” explained Sarah. The impact of her Poetry Out Loud experience is evident in her course load this fall: she is enrolled in cognitive sciences and linguistics.

“Being a freshman can be so intimidating,” said Sarah. Intimidating, yes. But, we know she has the ingredients to succeed; and, maybe a little more thanks to Poetry Out Loud.

The Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) is entering its third year of the Poetry Out Loud recitation competition. The MHC is presenting the competition in partnership with the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the State Library of Michigan, the National Endowment for the Arts, and The Poetry Foundation. The state competition will be held at the Library of Michigan on March 8, 2008. The national competition will be held in Washington DC, from April 27-29, 2008.

FACTS AND FIGURES FROM 2006-2007 MICHIGAN’S POETRY OUT LOUD

• 400 students in Michigan participated and returned evaluations
• 13 teachers participated and returned evaluations
• Teachers provided 180 hours of their time in addition to 139 hours of classroom time
• Over $100,000 in prizes were awarded to students and schools at state and national levels

Students who returned evaluations reported the following about Poetry Out Loud:

• 94% saw connections between poetry and everyday culture
• 84% understood that poetry can be a powerful tool for expression
• 67% developed their own individual interpretation of poems
• 66% could understand and explain different poetic elements
• 60% understood that poems meet different purposes and were led to explore challenging
and unfamiliar poems
• 51% were more confident in their public speaking from reciting poetry.

On Giving

by Karen E. Smith, Michigan Humanities Council Board of Directors

I love this line from Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker: “Money is like manure: it’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around encouraging young things to grow.”

With that in mind, let’s consider the Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) as “a sower of seeds”; and, without doubt, a sower deserving whatever “fertilizer” you are willing to provide. Each connection MHC engenders of person to place, of performance to audience, of projects and programs strengthening “community,” of correlating the past with the present, of using arts and culture as a tool for introspection and understanding between cultures, generations, or of social issues, evokes a visceral response, creating an opportunity for seeds sown, to grow. In addition to personal growth and lifelong learning, I firmly believe planting seeds through arts and humanities programs has the power to generate an exponential force within our state. The potential of this force, encompassing both intrinsic and extrinsic values of these disciplines, deserves our recognition and support. And, working through the MHC offers a conscientious opportunity to enhance quality of life in all areas of Michigan.

The beauty of seed sowing is one never knows at the outset how far that seed will travel in its own life story, the impact that it will have, or the seeds it will sow. As donors we need to be nurtured, befriended, and informed. Meeting need is a satisfactory criterion for giving. But, meeting need as well as being impressed with excellence of mission and delivery, heightens the satisfaction. It’s at that point that donors take ownership, proud to be a part of a vision that reaches into the future.

Our personal opportunities to “fertilize” are many and varied. Supporting the work of the MHC is easy if you believe in the power of arts and humanities to change lives, enrich communities, be a serious economic driver for this state, and foster lifelong value education. That coupled with respect for the way MHC stalwartly stays on mission, continually striving to deliver the best value for its budget, highlights today’s giving as critical. Ensuring that finances are in place each year to nurture “a steady crop of young things growing” is essential. Total dependence on wavering state and federal funding threatens the efficacy of the mission. However, MHC is fortunately positioned as a state affiliate agency of the National Endowment for the Humanties, with its 501 (c) 3 non-profit status offering the potential for additional funding outside the government matrix.

Winston Churchill challenged us all to “do the right thing” when he said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” I believe our lives are enhanced by what we give, both time and treasure. A gift to the MHC is worthy of everyone’s consideration.

KIMF Calumet

by Kim Hoagland, Key Ingredients Michigan Foodways Calumet Steering Committee

The setting for the Key Ingredients Michigan Foodways (KIMF) exhibits in Calumet was magnificent: a sandstone Gothic Revival church built at the turn of the last century. The pews and main altar had been removed several decades ago, but the soaring space of the nave and the elaborate stained-glass windows created a sense of awe in every visitor. For the past few years, the church has been open only weekday afternoons for two months, July and August, with modest exhibits. This lack of institutional support posed challenges for the KIMF organizers—no paid staff, no regular hours, no habitual visitors.

Our strategy was to take the exhibit out into the community as much as bring the community into the exhibit. Instead of one local exhibit situated in the main exhibit space, we connected with several other exhibits, located off-site: an exhibit on aprons in South Range, an exhibit on potato farming during the Depression at the Michigan Technological University Archives, a furnished kitchen in an old house at Quincy Mine, and storefront exhibits in Calumet. This last project involved 17 merchants who created window displays on the theme of history and food. Also, we scheduled 30 related events—lectures, tours, demonstrations—that occurred throughout the Copper Country. Forty-eight volunteers kept the KIMF exhibit open seven hours a day, seven days a week. As a result, hundreds of people participated in the exhibit, not just viewed it. Each contributed their own history and experiences with food, underscoring the KIMF message that our heritage is all around us.

Michigan Public TV: Howell Opera House

A 15-year old “extra” on a nationwide tour encounters a small-town newspaper owner. The owner sees her talent, creates a new script just for her, puts her on stage, and makes her into a superstar… the rest is history. Vanessa Hudgens and High School Musical? No – this story is closer to home.

Glance into the 125-year history of the Howell Opera House. Back in 1887, Jessie Bonstelle performed at the Howell Opera House as a member of the traveling guild Augustus Daly Stock Theater. Her talent was noticed by E.D. Stair, opera house manager and owner of the Livingston Republican (and, eventually owner of the Detroit Free Press). Stair took Bonstelle under his wing with the play, Trixie the Romp Heiress. It became a huge success and led each to stardom. This story is but one of many that resides under the floorboards of the Howell Opera House. And, it exemplifies what the Matrix Arts and Humanities television interstitials are all about.

“A set of actors would come into town and perform four plays in four days,” said Howell Area Archive president Duane Zemper, a local expert on the history of the opera house. “But the management continuously had trouble with people smoking and chewing tobacco.” Zemper’s engaging personality and role as an archivist provided a glimpse to the past. His commentary in the interstitial helps one understand the role of the Opera House in the identity of Howell. How did Zemper get a starring role in the feature?

“We happened upon Duane in a chance encounter,” said Donna Ryen, producer for Michigan Public Media. “When I was researching the project, I found an amazing photo hanging in the Opera House, a photo with the curtains down. It was taken in 1954 by Duane. Little did I know, he is a world-class photographer.”

Ryen approached Zemper and became mesmerized by his personality. “He’s amazing, and has a very generous spirit,” said Ryen. Zemper had to be an interview subject and the lens for the story. The production crew knew they would have enough A-roll tape – Zemper is a storyteller, after all. “I was really happy with the interview because that is one of the best ways that people now learn about past,” said Zemper.

After interviewing Zemper, the story began to emerge. A basic outline of the story structure took shape, with Ryen deciding to use photography to supplement the commentary. “Photos can speak volumes about the past and can help make the story come alive.” She used current photos with archived photos and film from the 1900s. Her magic touch was superimposing the old film of theatre acts onto a current photo of the stage. “The production was amazing,” said Zemper. “It made me think of the old penny arcade. Seeing the dancers helped make the stage come alive.”

“The Matrix series have been challenging but fun,” said Ryen. “It is a beautiful forum to explore the tastes and samples of what Michigan has to offer.”

The most recent interstitial features The Great Michigan Read and how Northern Michigan inspired Ernest Hemingway with his Nick Adams stories. Thirteen interstitials have been created since January 2006 as a partnership between the MHC, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and Michigan Television, as service of Michigan Public Media. Watch the television interstitials periodically on your local PBS station, or access them live at www.michiganhumanities.org/media.

Financial Statement

October 31, 2006

Revenue and Expenses

Revenue:
NEH $776,898
MCACA $192,776
Gift income $22,580
Program and other revenue $48,765
Total revenue $1,041,019

Expenses:
Program services and grants $721,764
Management and general $258,309
Fundraising $37,943
Total expenses $1,018,016
Increase in unrestricted net assets $23,003
Total expenses $1,041,019

Thank you to our Donors

Annual fundraising success requires broad-based support. Annual gifts help support public humanities programs and events throughout the entire state. MHC depends on the generosity of many donors. We are grateful to each of you.

More than $25,000
Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs
National Endowment for the Humanities

$10,000 - $25,000
Wilfred & Joan Larson*
William A. Meek*
ProQuest*

Sage ($1,000 -$9,999)
Anonymous
City of Big Rapids*
Elizabeth W. Brooks
Bush Insurance Agency*
Calvin College*
Clannad Foundation*
Jan & Ron Fedewa
Fremont Area Community Foundation*
Goodrich Quality Theaters*
Grand Rapids Community College*
LaSalle Bank Midwest N.A.*
May Foundation
Meijer, Inc.*
Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.
John & Judy Rapanos
Gilda Snowden
Marilyn Williamson

Philosopher ($500-$999)
BWW Group, Inc.
Timothy Chester
Sue & Bill Chambers
Yvonne Healy
Sue Ann Martin
Estelle & Kelvin Smyth
Anna Timmons
Michael Young

Master ($250-$499)
Christine Albertini
Dr. & Mrs. William Anderson
Cynthia Dimitrijevic
Jeffrey H Frank, M.D.*
Grand Valley State University
David & Rose Handleman
Dominic Pangborn
Public Policy Associates
Carol Rearick
The A. Alfred Taubman Foundation

Mentor ($100-$249)
Mark Allen*
Anan Ameri
Catherine Anderson
Anonymous
Penelope N. Bailer
Sam & Elinor Benedict
Big Rapids Garden Club*
Betty Boone & Al Ward
Bowerman Funeral Home, Inc.
Dennis & Deanna Boyak
Marlee Brown & Dan Messer
Jennifer & Todd Callewaert
Cambrey Noelle Designs LLC
Daniel Cascardo
Chip-In's Island Resort & Casino
City Year Detroit
Beverly & Harvey Deson
Marguerite Cotto
William Craft
Cuttime Players
The Exchange Club of Livonia
Dede Feldman
Robert & Caryl Ferguson
Richard Charles Ford
W.L. and Mary W. Ford*
Kristi & Alex Graham
Grand Rapids Community Foundation*
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Haneline
Martin M. Herman
John D. and Gwen W. Hibbard*
Scott Hirko & Mary Jo Sougstad
Carole Hoyt
John Hulett, III
Earle & Kyle Irwin*
Odell Jones, III & Cecily Hoagland
Richard Jellum
Anne Kubek
Lawrence Technological University
Patrick LeBeau
Susan & James Lenfestey
Laszlo M. Lukacs
Michael H. Margolin
J. David & Roxie McGee*
Mary & Wesley Maurer, Jr.
Craig McDonald
Margaret D. McIntire
Jane & Ron Means
Mecosta Audubon Club*
Mary Mertz-Smith
Midland Center for the Arts
John X. Miller
Claudia Morcom
Jane H. Morgan
Robert M. Moss
Milton E. Muelder
Shaun Nethercott
Newaygo County*
Erik Nordberg
Walt & Sally North
Gregory Parker
Vicki S. Parker
Pelio School of Dance
Susan R. Poll*
Alex Pomnichowski
John W. Porter
Glenda D. Price
Phyllis Rathbun
Saginaw Valley State University
June M. Schaefer
Schuberg Agency*
Judith Sima
Karen E. Smith
Sam Staples
Sutter Agency, Inc.
Steele & Mary Taylor*
Laurence L. Teal
Wiener Associates
Nancy Wireman
Jennifer Wise
John P. Wright
Roberta Hughes Wright

Scholar ($50-$99)
Wendi L. Afifi*
Jeriel Beard
Irving Berg
Catherine A. Bilow
Linda R Bolton
Edward Burch*
William Burmeister*
Judith & Bernard Cantor
Caring Family Dentistry*
Carol Carlson
Suzette Compton*
Sonia Cosby*
Katherine & Ralph Crew*
Phil & Jane Cummings
Paulette DeVries*
Holly Eads*
Milt Ford
Lora Frankel
Darol Gholston
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence M. Hanson
Mary Lou Hazleton
Sheila Landis
Esther Mackintosh
Ruth Melvin
Carolyn & Robert Meza
Dorie & Bruce Miller
Dr. Irving & Marcia Miller
James N. Miller
Jean G. Nicholas
Gordon L. Olson
Doug & Karol Ross
Petey Semmens
Paul Tai
Jennifer Thomas
Louis H. Washauer
West Midland Family Center
Frank Yon

Other (under $50)
Richard Ball*
Charles & Marian Beadle*
Blakely Realty Company*
Joyce Capen*
Richard Cohen*
Mrs. Helena T.J. Coleman
Nancy & David Cotton*
Michael & Connie T. Cron*
Adnan & Ena Dakkuri*
Theresa & Robert Dawkins*
Jean Eggemeyer
Harold & Patricia Evans
Henry and Judith Gorkowski*
Alan & Sheila Graziano
Bernice Fitzpatrick Green
Suzanne Haskew
LuAnn & Gary Kern
William J. Kimball
Guy Meiss
Arthur Puotinen
Richard & Audrey Richter*
Barbara K. Smart*
Judith Webb
June White
WNZ Publications*
Mary Wolfram

* all or portions of these funds are dedicated to specific programs.

The MHC makes every attempt to account for all financial contributions. If record of your donation does not appear above or is inaccurate, we apologize and ask that you contact us to correct the mistake.