A Cord of Three Strands

A Cord of Three Strands

As Marv and Joy (Carrick) Poelman can attest, sometimes God places special people in our lives just when we need them. Although their upbringings were different, they noticed qualities in one another that drew them together, and their steadfast love has spanned almost...
Comfort Food

Comfort Food

Throughout her 91 years, Marie (Timmer) DeVries has been nurturing bodies and souls. God placed loving people in her life during her formative years, and she has been paying it forward ever since. Marie’s parents emigrated from the Netherlands for a better life. They...
Where Flowers Bloom, So Does Hope.

Where Flowers Bloom, So Does Hope.

Sometimes a simple idea can sprout into something groundbreaking. In 2010, when Maggie Hartman was five years old, her family was planning a vacation. There would be an opportunity for hang gliding, but it would cost $100 per person. Maggie and her family brainstormed...
A Life of Service

A Life of Service

Oftentimes a successful organization begins as a kernel of an idea. The idea germinates and grows when likeminded people unite to invest their time, energy, and talents. About 60 years ago, a “Home for Retirees” in Jenison was first proposed. John Helder recalls...

How Sweet the Sound

At a June 2018 West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game, Jayne Rinkus hit another one out of the park. She led the fans by belting out the national anthem from memory. According to Nick Wahl, Brookcrest Recreational Therapist, Jayne has been singing either the anthem or...