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Story by Jeff Milo | Photos courtesy of Woodshed Studios

When I walk into Woodshed Studios on an early summer’s evening, I can feel excitement. Secluded, subdued and soundproofed so as to affect a startling silence, I can still hear all of the music that’s been captured here. I can particularly catch the passion for the craft of recording, emanating from my two hosts, Ed Sertage, head engineer, along with his protégé, Jonathan Berz. They’re bustling through one of their busiest years ever in terms of clientele. Lots of exciting new releases from local artists are on the way, thanks to their recording work.

The goal at Woodshed, Sertage says, leading me around the main tracking space, is to provide a professional environment with a relaxed atmosphere, optimally conducive to the creative process. That responsibility, in balancing a certain welcoming ambiance along with applying their skills as collaborative (and adaptable) producers, is one of the many things they’ve learned from having worked inside this space in the past with their own bands when the studio was run by local music icon Tim Pak.

Producer/musician Tim Pak started Woodshed back in the mid 1990’s. Local punk and rock groundbreakers like The Suicide Machines, The Amino Acids and Thoughts of Ionesco have recorded some of their greatest albums inside these modest walls. Although, beyond the romanticized rock glories captured here, Woodshed has also served as an ideal facilitator for a wide range of clients and genres, from jazz to metal, gospel to hip-hop.

“This place means a lot to so many people, including myself,” said Sertage, who took over Woodshed from Pak in 2007. “(Pak)’s legacy around here is very well known; his shoes are definitely big ones to fill.”

For Berz, it’s essentially a dream come true. “A handful of records (Pak) made here had a huge impact on me when I was just discovering local music. It’s great to have the ability to work out of such an inspiring space with a lot of history.”

Sertage and Berz have collaborated continually for several years, currently with the group experimental pop outfit Songs From The Moon. Berz is also part of local throwback country/pop group The Walking Beat while Sertage serves as lead guitar in the rock group Bedford Drive.

Sertage says he started recording out of necessity. “When I was 13 and playing with my friends, we didn’t have the money for a big studio. We had to get creative with what we had available.” Sertage says these early trials with two-track tape decks and microphones were not only an invaluable learning experience but also the spark that started his “love affair with the recording process.”

Berz, who started assisting Sertage at Woodshed more than a year ago, had made recordings even before he started playing music, recording the radio or samples from cassettes to mash them up into his own rock remixes or maybe sonic sketches of his own “phoney radio shows.” He started recording an album with Suicide Machines bassist Royce Nunley in 2005 and soon after joined (and released three more albums) with the group Blasé Splee. Ever since,

Berz hasn’t had his keen ears away from headphones for very long.

Sertage and Berz are in the midst of a particularly busy year. The studio helped record/produce new albums from local bands like Yes Wait No, My Shaman Dentist, Matt Dmits, The Walking Beat, The Mythics, Zombie Jesus & The Chocolate Sunshine Band, High Arrow along with more work with their own group Songs From The Moon.

There’s also the forthcoming launch for their own YouTube channel featuring original Woodshed content and Sertage’s continued collaboration with licensing company ALP Music. That’s 2015, alone! As we went to print, Berz reported finishing the Zombie Jesus album, his first official project as an engineer (and not just an “intern”). Meanwhile, High Arrow’s album is likely already streaming online as you read this…

“Woodshed is essentially full-service,” Sertage said. “I have access to an extensive amp and pedal collection for all the gearheads out there like myself and work hard to keep all the equipment in great shape.”

Berz & Sertage try to make bands feel like they are jamming in their basement and not under the microscope in a laboratory. “’No’ is the worst thing” that you could tell a band, says Sertage. “The world is full of ‘no’s…’ and none of us play music to be told ‘no!’ We play music to be told: Yes, you can do that…”

At Woodshed you can try anything. And as several local bands with new releases on the way can assure you, you’ll find accommodating collaborators at Woodshed.

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Interested in recording at Woodshed? Contacts and more information at: http://www.woodshedsound.com

If some happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Story and photos by Jeff Lilly

Who are you, deep down inside?

We all try to answer this question. We define ourselves by race, gender, sexuality, creed, and many other factors. Society has made great strides recently in accepting personal expressions of identity, welcoming people of all sorts. Some, formerly derided for “deviating from the form,” are not rightly lauded for their bravery in challenging cultural stereotypes. Some people are straight, other gay. Some are cisgender, others trans.

Others feel that they might not be human at all.

Meet the Furries. Often misunderstood, and still widely derided, some members of this small local community recently made contact with Ferndale Friends, wishing to get the word out. I met three local Furries in Geary Park on a lovely August Day to talk and lean. I found Chase and Raina sitting on a park bench, enjoying the sun. They were easy to spot. Chase wore a tail and a pair of paw-life slipper; Raina had orange fox ears mounted to a headband, a tail, and a sky-blue collar. Ryzen joined us a few minute later, sporting an orange hoodie with attached ears and a thin black collar.

Anthropomorphic characterization (ascribing human characteristics to inhuman things) has a long tradition in storytelling (the Big Bad World, Mickey Mouse, Rocket Raccoon) and advertising (sports mascots, the Geico Gecko.) Humans taking on animal characteristics do, too, from ancient Native American takes of skin walkers to cat girls in Japanese animation. Like any other person, Furries can’t be pigeonholed. There are different levels of involvement. Some Furries are simply fans of the genre and don;t go any further than cosplaying. Others identify a spiritual connection to a totem animal, or discover a personality within them that they bring to the surface. This is the “fursona,” a sort of anthropomorphic alter-ego.

Chase, recalling her orginins, says, “One day I went to Pinball Pete’s in Ann Arbor and saw someone in a fur suit for the first time. Mine sister said, ‘Ew how creepy, I don’t like Furries.’ and I was like, what’s a Furry? So I went home and looked them up and it really connected to me. I saw that everyone (in the Furry community) saw each other as a family. I’ve always loved animals, always had a connection with them. So I decided to give it a shot.” On the development of her fursona, she explains, “I looked up different animals. Researched how they act, how they live. I found that German Shepherds are really loyal, playful, and happy. It really fit me.”

Raina’s story is similar. “When I was a little kid, I always liked putting a towel in my (waistband) pretending I was a fox.? She said with a smile. She only found out about the Furry community a year ago.

Ryzen is also new to the lifestyle. “I’ve always felt a connection with wolves and foxes.” He explains. “Wolves have this loyalty to their pack, and I’m loyal to my friends. As for foxes, you hear about them being sneaky and sly…I’m also like that.” He said he first became aware of Furries in high school. “I’d always liked the idea of anthropomorphic animals, but I never knew what it was called.” Finding that there was a community was a watershed moment for him.

Chase shows me her head…a full head-and-shoulders mask of her fursona, a black, brown, and white German Shepherd with a working jaw. The goal for most curries is to have a full-body fur suit made, but those are expensive. Chase’s head, paws (for hands and feet) and tail cost $600. There are individuals online you can contact to have them custom-made, but a lot of Furries learn to sew and make their own as well.

All three go out in public clad in their ears, tails, and collars. So how do people react? Raina smiles and says that she got some funny looks crossing the border into Canada. But at a shopping mall, “A child asked her mother, ‘Why is she wearing that stuff?’ and the mom said, ‘Because she wants to.”

“I love making kids smile when they see me.” Chase says. “Going out into public, seeing these characters come to life.” She recalls how once a place offered her free ice cream to just sit in the window for a white to advertise. But there have been bad reactions, too. “I was riding my bike the other day with the tail on, and this woman was just like, ‘Eww!’ I started laughing. It Can be funny.”

“Sometimes,” Sighs Ryzen. Sometimes, though, it hurts. Sometimes, there’s the wish to just be accepted at face value. Not being well-understood, Furries also often are conflated with others of their ilk who have a large web presence and are into some very adult themes. “We’re not all like that.” Chase says.

But the Furry community has found Ferndale, on the whole, to be an accepting place. Other common places Furries gather are conventions, mainly those for science fiction, comics, and Japanese animation. There are also a lot of online forums and get-togethers.

Finally, I ask what they’re like the general public to know about them.

“I just want people to know we’re not scary.” Raina says.

“If you see someone in a fur suit, don’t pull on anything.” Chase laughs. “The tails do come off.”

“Yeah.” Ryzen nods. “But then again, most of us like hugs.” So come on up and say hello, keep an open mind, and meet the cool cats… Or dogs, or foxes, on your block!

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You can learn a lot more about Furries online. http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Furry is a good place to start. For fan website, try Furnation (www.furnation.com) and SoFurry (www.sofurry.com)

There’s also a few groups on Facebook made just for Michigan furies, such as Furry Michigan, Michigan Furmeets, and Michigan Furs: Home to Many, Loved By Most. Michigan also has two conventions, Great Lakes Fur Con and Motor City Fur Con.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you have to look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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Story by David Wesley

Life Skills Village (LSV) helps people with brain injuries reintegrate into the broader community by providing a wide variety of therapeutic services: (psychotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, community reintegration day program, and others.) The LSV Sheltered Workshop exists to give people with brain injuries the opportunity to earn a paycheck while they perform a meaningful service for numerous non-profit groups. By giving people with a TBI the chance to do something purposeful, we show them that they can still make a positive impact on the community. With treatment centers already established in West Bloomfield and Farmington Hills, LSV recently opened a “sheltered workshop” on Nine Mile Road in Ferndale.

Dr. Bryan Weinstein, who owns Life Skills Village says that a little bit of fulfillment in life can lead to an expo- nentially greater amount of enjoyment in life. “Our hope is that by giving our patients purposeful work and helping them reintegrate into the community, they will be on the road to independence and view their rehab and doing something positive for the community as vital elements of that process.”

Ferndale Friends spoke with Drew Bufalini, Chief Marketing Officer at Life Skills Village.

FF: Why did Life Skills Village decide to open a location in Ferndale?

Drew Bufalini: After looking at numerous properties around Metro Detroit, we decided on Ferndale because of its central location; its downtown area provides our patients with many opportunities to practice the social and behavioral skills they learn at LSV; and, admittedly, the visibility of our business on Nine Mile was a big factor.

Ferndale Friends: What are some of the nonprofit organizations you work with?

Drew Bufalini: Arts & Scraps is one. We help recycle materials that are then made into various items and sold to benefit children’s literacy. For Volunteers of America, we wash and sort donated professional clothing that is then donated to VofA for their Veteran’s Program. For The Detroit Chessed Project, we have assembled dressers for them. Overall, Chessed’s mission is to help the Detroit

Jewish community in their time of need. LSV Sheltered Workshop employees have also assembled hygiene kits, which we then don- ated to the homeless population. The plan is to do this on a regular basis. We are actively seeking additional non-profits who could use our help.

FF: Have you gotten support from the Ferndale community, and who are your biggest supporters?

Drew Bufalini: Yes. The folks at the Ferndale DDA welcomed us into the Ferndale community and has kept us updated on all the exciting local events and have offered to connect us with other local organizations.

FF: What are the future plans of Life Skills Village?

Drew Bufalini: LSV will be opening a new treatment center in Oak Park in October. This will be our primary treatment facility. The LSV Sheltered Workshop will continue in Ferndale. We hope to dramatically increase the work we do for non-profits as well.

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For more information, visit LSV’s website at www.lifeskillsvillage.com. The Sheltered Workshop is located at 914 West Nine Mile Road. Phone: 248-788-4300.

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states united to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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Story by Ingrid Sjostrand | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

Communities come together for a variety of reasons; whether in excitement for celebration or in wake of a tragedy, the results are always awe-inspiring. Ferndale’s most recent rallying cause proves that four-legged members of the community are just as beloved as those standing on two.

Buster Keaton, a seven-year-old American boxer, is somewhat famous among the neighbors, runners and walkers who frequent Allen Street. “Everyone knows who Buster is. He is just a happy dog,” his owner Sandy Ungerman says of the bright-eyed, caramel-colored dog. “He has to greet everyone who walks by, he gets upset if people don’t stop and say ‘hi’ or acknowledge him.”

In June, Buster suddenly began dragging his back legs. Ungerman and her husband, Ed, took him to the vet and were given the heartbreaking news that he had developed a tumor that prevented communication between his brain and his legs.

“He has feeling in the legs — they aren’t paralyzed — but his brain isn’t telling them to work,” Ungerman says. This didn’t stop Buster from wanting to greet everyone, which caused some concern.

Screen Shot 2015-08-31 at 10.44.20 AM“By dragging his back legs, a lot of people thought we were abusing him,” Ungerman tells me. “Animal control came but the man across the street said, ‘That dog is taken better care of than most children,’ and thankfully they left.”

It quickly became apparent how beloved Buster is to the Ferndale community when neighbors and friends took to Facebook to find a solution. The membership group Ferndale Forum covers everything from items for sale and city events to positive discussions within the community. On June 27, member Suzanne Janik posted in the group asking for help making or buying a wheelchair for Buster. Within two hours of the post, group members shared their personal stories of Buster, gave suggestions and volunteered to donate a total of $350 for a wheelchair prosthetic.

Ungerman was brought to tears when she heard of the generosity of her community. A lifelong Ferndale resident, she works at Rust Belt Market for Ida Belle Handmade Soaps and is no stranger to giving back.

“There’s so many people in need — I crochet scarves for the homeless, make blankets for cancer patients — I work really hard to help other people,” Ungerman says. “I thought the money could go to people that really need it”

Ungerman attempted to make her own wheels for Buster out of an old children’s stroller but was unable to figure it out. “There’s no axle from wheel to wheel, each wheel is individual and that’s where I was having trouble,” she says. “I am mechanically inclined but I just couldn’t figure out in my mind how to put one together.”

Donation offers continued to pour in and the forum prolonged their efforts to find him a wheelchair. By July 12th, a wheelchair had been donated for free and a member of the Michigan Humane Society even helped with getting Buster fitted in his new wheels.

Ungerman and her husband are so grateful to see that their neighbors care for their dog as much as they do; she says they are already planning how to pay it forward to others who might be in the same situation.

“We want to try to see if we can get different sizes and help other dogs,” she says. “There’s a dog around the corner that is going to need one soon.”

As for Buster, he is once again moving with ease and loving all the extra attention his new ride has brought him. “I walked him around the block and literally stopped traffic because people were stopping to see him,” Ungerman quips.

If slightly happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states united to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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Story by Julia Sultes | Photos courtesy of Go Comedy!

Go Comedy! Improv Theater has been an important part of the Ferndale community for the past seven years. The theater company was started by four friends, PJ Jacokes, Gerald Knight, Chris DiAngelo and Tommy LeRoy. Jacokes and LeRoy sat down with Ferndale Friends to talk about their ties to the community and what Go Comedy! offers to our neighborhood.

“We turned our pipe dream into reality when we opened Go Comedy!” LeRoy says. The group had looked into other surrounding cities and decided that Ferndale was where they wanted to be. “We live here and it has nice heart,” Jacokes explains.

According to their website, the company is “based on three principles: integrity, inspiration and innovation” and they “execute these principles for the benefit of the audience, the community…” The theater company applies these principles in many ways, and Ferndale Friends set out to discover just how they do it!

Integrity “helps them grow into a respected community in improv, in theater, in Detroit and nationally.”

Inspiration aims to “instill in (the community) the passion that got us started in the first place and the love of the craft that grew from that. Help them grow as individuals and as a community. Energize them.”

And innovation allows them to grow; “challenge them to raise the bar. Challenge them to challenge us. Demand imagination.”

Introducing people to improv is something the theater group takes to heart. When talking about the difference between stand-up comedy and improv, LeRoy explained that improv is simply “more scenic than stand up.” The team at Go Comedy! even created the Detroit Improv Festival, which takes place at the end of summer and attracts over 250 participants.

Go Comedy! offers classes, summer camps and workshops. Classes have already started; however, they will be available again for upcoming terms. This summer, the improv company is hosting Kid’s Improv Camps; they are divided by age range and run June through August. Looking for a workshop? Try their “Last Saturday Workshop.” Each workshop features a different improv skill; June’s was “Improv as Chess.”

Innovation is something that the cast and advanced students showcase on a regular basis at the theater. Wednesday evenings feature newer Improv participants and includes “Bits,” the popular, head-to-head, improv competition. Thursday and Friday evening boast a great date night atmosphere with tons of laughs and improv fun! The GoBar! is also open after each show, giving the audience a chance to rub elbows with the cast.

Go Comedy! Improv Theater is an exciting place to experience improv at its best. Make sure to visit them Wednesday through Sunday when hilarity ensues.

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For ticket and show information, visit their website at gocomedy.net or call 248-327-0575. The theater is located three blocks East of Woodward on East 9 Mile Road.

Go Comedy! just won Best Live Comedy
in the Click on Detroit Vote 4 the Best contest!

If something happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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THE THOUGHT OF CRISTINA SHEPPARD- DECIUS doing anything other than serving as the Director of the Ferndale DDA is a bit startling to all of us in Ferndale. And yet, as of May 27, 2015, she is now pointed in a new direction on her life-map. For fifteen years, to say that Sheppard Decius served with dedication is to say not nearly enough. It was not her job — it was the center of her universe and the font of her personal pride. Everyone in Ferndale has benefited, and will continue to benefit for many years beyond, from her sacrifice, initiatives and her legacy.

We now present her farewell message.

I have had the privilege and honor to serve my hometown, my community, for 15 years as Executive Director of the Ferndale DDA, bringing to reality the dream and vision of so many residents and businesses of a revitalized downtown that mirrors the passions of this community…smart, progressive, creative, open-minded. Working tirelessly all of these years to make sure we are top of mind in the Metro Area, we have not only successfully attained that goal, but also notably in Oakland County, across the state and nationally as a Great American Main Street Community. We have the respect of the region for leadership in downtown management, and I hope that you will help and continue to be a part of that great tradition.

When I first began, we had a 30% vacancy rate and a downtown that few said that they wanted to be a part of, nor had much faith in at first. I pushed hard for us to adopt the Main Street approach because it is the right organizational tool for a downtown, and although we only had a small contingency at first, I built a base of volunteers and community involvement in the process of revitalizing a downtown that has changed our culture and opened up many other minds to Downtown Ferndale. We even defied economics, by reversing vacancy rates and increasing investments and property value leading up to and during the state’s toughest economic conditions. This was not done by myself alone, nor this organization alone, but we all played a major role in providing a secure economy to weather the storm. We have now ascended from it, and there are many opportunities now in the near future that we need to make sure we nurture and guide to the finish. A collective voice is needed to do this, and I hope the recent vision session the DDA held is a good start in doing this, but don’t stop there!

I am Downtown Ferndale’s biggest fan…biggest advocate….biggest promoter. I always will be. I am proud and stand behind the work I have done, but more importantly those of my fellow co- workers, volunteers, businesses, residents and board along the way, many of whom I now call friends. I am so proud of all of the great things we have accomplished, and literally changing the culture and perception of Downtown Ferndale into this amazing downtown that it is. This community has made my job so rewarding. I will forever be grateful and have wonderful memories of all that we have accomplished together.

It is with bittersweet emotion to say good-bye to Downtown Ferndale and the Ferndale DDA. This has been my life, and I have so enjoyed living it, but it doesn’t stop here for me. I will continue to be passionate for downtowns, and plan to bring this knowledge and know-how to the rest of Metro Detroit area. Ferndale is still my home, so I will be ever watching, and hope you will uphold our successes and make more along the way.

Thank you for allowing me to serve and work with you all these years! I know that we will continue to see each other around these parts, just under different premises….perhaps as a friend, a neighbor or a consumer.

Please keep Downtown Ferndale strong and growing!

All my best– Cristina Sheppard-Decius, CMSM

If slightly happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you have to look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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Story by Jeff Lilly | Photos courtesy of Ferndale Schools | Portrait of D’Anne McNeil by Jeff Lilly

Good habits learned early can lead to a lifetime of benefits. That’s the hope of every teacher and parent. In the Ferndale school district, one of the hoped-for benefits is a better, greener world

Five Ferndale schools were certified as “Green Schools” in a program managed by Oakland County. Signed into law in 2006 by former governor Granholm, the program gives interested schools a list of 20 environmental and energy-saving targets, fulfilling ten of which earns the school a “Green” designation, certificate, and flag. Fifteen targets fulfilled gets the school “Emerald” status. Twenty confers the coveted “Evergreen” designation. Currently, Coolidge Intermediate School, Ferndale Middle School, and Roosevelt Primary have achieved Green status, and Ferndale High School has made it to Emerald level.

John F. Kennedy Elementary School, however, has gone all the way and is currently the only Evergreen school in the district. Now in its seventh year of participation in the program, kindergarten teacher D’Anne McNeil and parent volunteer Susan Christin were the prime movers.

“I live in Royal Oak, and my kids had the ‘Oakroots’ movement in their school for Green School certification.” McNeil tells me, as I sit in a kindergartner-size chair in her classroom. The little whirlwinds have just left for the day, and the room still has all the evidence of their bustling activity. “I thought, wow, I want to do this for my school, too.” She hooked up with Christin, who’d had the same thought, and worked to turn Kennedy green.

It starts with educating the students on recycling. Students in Ferndale have a good head start, because many recycle already at home. In the classroom, McNeil says, “Anything paper, plastic or glass” goes into bins. In the main hallway, next to the office, is a large station where students can bring in electronics, batteries, and cords. A large container holds old prescription medication bottles, which are cleaned and sent to FernCare Clinic for re-use. The recycled electronics are purchased by a company that sends a bit of money back to the school, to be used to help run the program.

Another component of being a Green school is reducing waste. Kindergartners receive a “waste- free” lunch kit, including a water bottle, snack bag, and reusable napkin. Still, a lot of garbage is generated in the lunchroom, which is where parent volunteer Jennifer Krycian steps in, spending about a half-hour each day sifting recyclables from the lunchroom waste, doing things like rinsing yogurt cups and styrofoam trays. It’s a job that requires “rubber gloves and a strong stomach,” according to Krycian, but she believes in the program and the results.

“It sets a good example for the kids.” She says. It also has financial rewards for the school; a company that takes and recycles applesauce containers returned $190 to the school last year, for example. Other companies handle hard-to- recycle items like foil drink pouches. Krycian hopes that soon the styrofoam trays can be phased out in favor of biodegradable ones. She’d also like to get a few more volunteers to help start a comprehensive composting program. Still, the efforts are making a difference. The janitor, Krycian says, has noted that there’s a lot less garbage being produced in the lunchroom than before.

A third component of Green school certification is energy efficiency. McNeil talks about the solar cooker they acquired to make applesauce. The school has also installed programmable thermostats to cut heating and cooling bills.

Then there are the ecological initiatives. 6th grade teacher Greg Williamson raises salmon in his classroom for the DNR, releasing them into the wild. There are guidelines for adopting endangered animals.

The most visible initiative at Kennedy, however, is the gardens, supervised by Stacy Budzik and Jennifer Vermeersch-Bacon. McNeil shows me photos of the raised planters. “We grow kale, lettuce, beans, herbs.” She says. Some are sold to raise money, others are harvested and served at the school’s fall festival. Rain barrels have been installed on four corners of the school. There’s also a native plant garden, run by

Gretchen Abrams. The school’s latchkey program has students caring for the gardens, weeding, digging, planting, and refilling the bird feeders. Kennedy Elementary’s grounds are a certified wildlife habitat and a waystation for monarch butterfllies, as well.

Susan Christin, who gathers information and statistics and compiles and sends the needed reports and documentation to Oakland Schools for Green certification, acknowledges the positive effects of the program. “My kids and others now have a huge awareness of what’s recyclable. They also take the initiative to recycle on their own.” She says.

It’s a lot of work, and a lot of progress! D’Anne McNeil just smiles at my amazement, though. “The hard part was getting started. From there, we just added a little bit every year.”

Everyone doing a little bit can add up to a whole lot, including a greener, healthier world. Here’s to the teachers, parents, students, and

administrators of Ferndale schools, working hard to keep it green!

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction switch on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Story by Brandon Toy

On April 7th, my family and 20 or so other people protested drone warfare in front of the main gate of the Battle Creek Air National Guard base in Michigan. In 2013, the base was named a Reaper Drone Operating Station and should be operational any day, if not already. Weaponized drone operators are dropping bombs from my back yard.

We stood in the mud on the side of the four lane highway from Noon to 1pm. A few of us held signs with slogans like “Stop Drone Warfare,” while others offered conversation to each other or waved at honking cars. One father and fellow protester brought fresh-popped popcorn, which he passed out in little blue bowls to the few children present.

This wasn’t the type of protest that drew the me- dia or police in riot gear. The only law enforcement present was a lone sheriff’s deputy who was on hand to escort us across the highway from the muddy field we parked in to our assigned area. The only pictures taken were by a pink-haired woman who slowed down in the median to snap a few with her camera phone.

“Who said we weren’t going to get any press,” I said as she drove away.

I couldn’t help wondering what point or purpose our protest had. Obviously, we weren’t going to shut the drone program down or change the USG’s policies on drone warfare. I imagined soldiers and airmen trading snide comments at our expense, and commanders deriding us to their troops in formation. It all seemed a little futile and inconsequential. Halfway through the hour, soldiers and airmen started driving onto the base, probably returning from lunch.

Each drive-by was the same. The soldiers would slow down to turn onto the base, avoid eye contact with us and then disappear through the gate.

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I thought back to my time in the service and remembered the early days of the Iraq war when I used to watch Fox News and listen to right-wing talk radio. I had consumed media that had saturated me with the belief that the USA was the greatest country in the world and that it was our job to teach the people of the lost and misguided nations how to live. What would I have thought if I had seen an anti-war protest at the entrance to the base?

I didn’t know. I never had to pretend to ignore protesters, because the street sides were always bare when I drove to base. All I ever encountered were waving flags, yellow ribbons and well-wishers who thanked me for my service. It dawned on me that if we weren’t on this corner right now maybe these soldiers and airmen would have the same experience. Instead of smiling protesters and children playing, they would see only a dirty snow bank.

Perhaps, this was the purpose. We were asserting an idea into their world counter to those put forth by their bosses, colleagues and government. Perhaps we were planting a seed of doubt that would one day blossom into curiosity and eventually lead them to reject the precepts of war and embrace peace. Perhaps.

Maybe it’s more realistic to view our gathering from a more modest perspective. The hour our small band spent proclaiming our rejection of what we view as illegal and institutionalized murder is overwhelmingly offset by the entrepreneurs of war toward the side of injustice. Those who support drone warfare flood millions via the US media with a hundred pro-war messages a day for every minute we stood at that gate.

But there we were, humbly banded together, devoting a bit of our precious time to trying to solve a cypher whose key will surely only be revealed by either a true miracle, an epic amount of compounding serendipity or ages of enlightened human evolution.

And yet, my overriding emotions as I accepted the logic of the situation were peace and serenity. I hadn’t come with any delusions anyway. Like many of us, I know firsthand the enormity of the war machine and the mindless momentum of its consumption and destruction.

My thoughts returned back to the scene in front of me. I watched the children throw snowballs and hold signs with their mitten-covered hands. I remembered the stories of the children in the war zones; the ones that live each day of their lives with drones hovering above. I thought about the ones who were in the “wrong place at the wrong time” and were indiscriminately killed by the same drone operators that ignored us as they returned to their war.

The personal belief that drove me to turn my back on the war machine occurred to me again: there is no difference between my family and those killed by drone operators. There are no differences between my son and sixth-grader Mohammed Saleh Qayed Taeiman, who was killed by a drone strike in Yemen earlier this year — the latest of dozens of children murdered in US drone strikes in Yemen since 2002. Nor is there a difference between my community in Pontiac, Michigan and the communi- ties of the people that live with the terror of drones every day. Our children are their children, our voices are their voices and their tragedies are ours.

Or, as President Obama, the Commander in Chief of US drone warfare, succinctly stated: “There is no us and them, only us.”

Luckily, there are no drones that hover in the skies above me today. It’s this accident of geography that allows me to protest safely as my children play in the snow, while our brothers and sisters down- range from the drones can only pray that firebombs are not dropped on them from thousands of miles away by someone behind a computer screen sipping a latte. Since they can’t be here to remind the soldiers – and the rest of us far removed from the war zone – that they are also sentient beings with a right to life, we have to do it for them.

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Bio: Brandon Toy is father, husband and active member of the progressive community in the Greater Detroit area. He serves on the Board of Di- rectors of The Michigan Coalition of Human Rights (MCHR.org). In 2013, he publicly resigned his position at General Dynamics Land Systems where he had worked for five years as an engineering project manager on the Stryker Combat Vehicle Program. He is an army veteran who served in Baghdad. bmtoy79@gmail.com. Protests at the Battle Creek Air National Guard base will continue on the first Saturday of every month from Noon – 1PM. Everyone is welcome!

If slightly happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Story by Sherrad Glosson | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

IN A PERFECT WORLD THE SKY IS ALWAYS BLUE, the weather is always nice… and people are nice to each other, too. In a perfect world, people accept one another in all of our diverse shapes, sizes, colors, creeds, and gender identities.

Life hasn’t always been perfect for Rachel Crandall, but she’s taken the lemons and is making lemonade. A victim of transgender discrimination, she’s working hard so others don’t have to go through what she has.

“With unity comes power,” Rachel said. I sat down with her recently at Affirmations, where she’s been working for the last ten years, and heard her story.

Rachel was fired from her job at a hospital after she came out as transgender. Then, as now, under Michigan civil rights laws, transgender persons are not a protected class. They can be dismissed from jobs, denied apartments, and in many ways be legally treated as second-class citizens.

“I felt really angry,” Rachel said. And out of that anger she founded Transgender Michigan, a non-profit organization with roughly 1,000 members and two major chapters in Saginaw and Traverse City. She started it in 1997 with her now soon- to-be legally-married girlfriend. The intent was to bring together the whole state.

“A lot of people were lonely and there wasn’t a connection. I really wanted unity and everyone to be treated fairly” said Rachel.

Because of her diligent work to bring equality to everyone, she has received numerous awards over the years. Among others, she has received a special tribute from the Michigan legislature, a statewide award from the Human Rights Campaign, a statewide award from the Michigan Bar Association, and most recently in May 2015 she received the Ferndale Good Neighbor Award.

Rachel has been so adamant in her quest for equality that she started the International Transgender Day of Visibility in 2009. When I asked her the intent, she explained, “There had never been a day for transgender people. I wanted a day where all transgender people all over the world can come together and celebrate what they are.”

She even has a help line that started with Transgender Michigan, and now has a line in California to aid those who have never told anyone who they really are, and to help those who have to deal with the problems that arise. The help line has received calls from as far as Dubai and Saudi Arabia. “I’m one of the few transgender activists anywhere,” said Rachel, so the calls come in from everywhere.

When I asked about her short and long terms goals, this is what she said. “Our short term goal is to get more rights for transgender people in Michigan. As far as long term I want to open a transgender shelter, but it will require a whole lot of money. That’s why we need all the support we can get.”

With that support, maybe we can move a bit closer to that perfect world, where our differences are cause for celebration, not division.

For more information on how to donate, go to www.transgendermi.org

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile malfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Story by and photos by Rebecca Hammond

The mighty monarch is struggling.

Monarch butterflies, those beautiful and familiar harbingers of warm weather, are facing multiple threats, their numbers down more than 90 per cent. GMO crops, pesticides used on farmland and in home gardens, deforestation in Mexico (the winter haven of monarchs): all have contributed to this huge decline.

It’s time for the people to lend the monarch a hand. When I posted on the Ferndale Forum Facebook page that Ferndale should be a city-wide haven for monarchs, with as many milkweeds (a favorite monarch food) planted on as many properties as possible, the city yelled back, “Hey! Okay!” Within a day, a new Ferndale Monarch Project page was pulling in as many as two dozen “likes” a day; any time that slowed down, a reminder on Ferndale Forum produced a burst of new ones.

This is a community-driven project. We distributed about 15 packets of last-year’s milkweed seeds. Seeds can be unreliable with milkweed, so as my front-yard milkweeds began to sprout I began

digging up extras and offering them on our page. And they were snapped up. Green Garden Child Development Center in Madison Heights took two. Pinwheel Bakery was the next business to contact us, planning a front-window display. Renaissance Vineyard Church is the first house of worship to state an intention to plant a garden.

A request to Ferndale resident Douglas Christie for help with a logo and signs led to involving his artist brother Dan; the two are at work, and the prototypes are gorgeous. Jessica Keyser, director of the Ferndale Library, asked for a butterfly garden to be planted on the city’s cleanup day. Gretchen Abrams will add another at Ferndale High School late in May. Not only that, we’ve spread to Ypsilanti and Clarkston as well as Madison Heights and Pleasant Ridge, with interest from Highland Park. We’ve sent seeds to several spots in Ohio, and to Illinois and Colorado. A corridor of habitat up the metro area, and then the state, is our long-term goal.

A butterfly garden can be as few as two plants: one milkweed, and one nectar plant. Monarchs lay eggs only on milkweeds, monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed leaves. With these plants under such strain due to agricultural practices, I’m led to believe that if we save monarchs it’ll be in urban areas. One urban risk remains, and it’s a big one: the systemic garden pesticides called neonicontinoids, which end up in every part of a plant, reportedly being able to kill a monarch caterpillar after a few bites of leaf.

Nectar plants are common flowers many of us already had. Bee balm, coneflower, goldenrod (an important one, because it’s a late-bloomer needed by the last of four generations of monarchs to live, breed, and reproduce each summer, the generation that leaves here and flies thousands of miles to Mexico,) dandelions, and lobelia, to name a few.

Ferndale resident John Hardy told me he used to see many monarchs in his garden, but none at all the past few years. “I really miss the beauty and gracefulness they add to my garden. They also contribute to the ecology of the garden. There will always be a place for them in it, so I wanted to do all I could to try and make sure that their numbers are restored and they can once again return to the numbers seen in the past.”

Chantel Maloney was poignant: “I love butterflies and it breaks my heart to think that monarchs are becoming endangered. If I can help turn the tides simply by planting milkweed, then I have a responsibility to do that. I started last year on my own, trying to plant butterfly-attracting plants that were not treated with insecticides, but joining with the Monarch Project has helped me tremendously. It is empowering to know there is a community of people all working towards the same goal. Plus, the group keeps me educated and updated on events while also offering insights on gardening and attracting butterflies. It’s been a pleasure being a part of the project and I am excited for the positive change we can bring.”

Look for the Ferndale Monarch Project on Facebook and around town.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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