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In 1990, Hillsdale County Intermediate School District board member David Steel learned about educational foundations. After further research and input from local residents, it was determined that a community foundation would enhance the community and allow for funding and supporting a wide variety of projects and programs. The IRS approved the Hillsdale County Community Foundation as a 501(c) (3) non-profit entity on June 25, 1991. The Kellogg Youth Advisory Committee, who adopted the name YOUTH (Youth Opportunities Unlimited Throughout Hillsdale) was also formed in 1991. With the Simpson Foundation generously supporting ongoing administrative operational costs, the HCCF has played a vital role in improving the quality of life for Hillsdale County residents since their inception.

In the 25 years since, the HCCF has helped fund many programs and projects to improve life for residents of Hillsdale County. President and CEO Sharon Bisher explains: “We try to find gaps and then fill them instead of creating programs that may or may not really be useful. We want to be the change-makers in the county.” The HCCF evaluates the impact of their programs to affirm that they are yielding real, positive change. Over 8.5 million dollars have been awarded in grants and scholarships since 1991—more than $560,000 in 2015 alone. The funds awarded cover a wide range of needs, including scholarships for county students (some for specific fields of study);

leadership development; arts and culture; human service programs; establishment of the hillsdale County Welding & Manufacturing Program (a collaborative vocational educational program with Jackson College for high school students) and HCCAP (Hillsdale County Career Access Planning), which is focused on ensuring that 60% of county residents will have either a post-secondary degree or valuable credentials by 2025.

One exciting and innovative HCCF program is “love your Community” which accepts project proposals from county residents who want to improve their local communities. Unlike their regular grants, recipients need not be a 501(c) (3) non-profit. According to HCCF guidelines, the proposals should possess creativity and innovation and must not duplicate already-established programs or services. The grant committee reviews the proposals and selects the strongest, which are then posted on HCCF’s Facebook page. Winners are determined by the number of “likes” received through the HCCF Facebook page.

“Community Match Day” brings together area non-profits for a one-day funding blitz that has been very successful. First held in December 2009, the day includes entertaining live-remote radio coverage, bonus hours to enhance donations for each participating non-profit and substantial matching funds from the HCCF. The match day has been of enormous benefit to the participating

non-profit groups, bringing in significant donations.

The yOuth program both provides grants to county non-profit organizations that benefit youth and is involved in community activities that raise awareness of local issues and promote community service. Past projects have included Salvation Army Adopt a Family, Fill the Freezer food drive and Homeless Essentials Supply Bags, among others.

Sharon says that very intelligent initial planning has made all the difference in the HCCF being able to do as much as it has. Because of the administrative endowment from the Simpson Foundation, 100% of donations can go to programs. The Nash family donated the HCCF building, so there are no leasing or mortgage costs. The Battle Creek Foundation helped with the “how-to” of setting up the HCCF, including absolute transparency in operations and accounting.

“Next year we will be doing a community scan to assess and evaluate current programs and look into what else we should be doing,“ adds Sharon. “But, for right now, we’re going to celebrate 25 years of making a positive difference for the county!” The HCCF is planning a celebration on August 18, so be sure to check their Facebook page or website (www.abouthccf.org) for details of the upcoming party!

local spotlight

By Melissa McCance, Simply Hers Magazine

Hillsdale county community foundation

Celebrating 25 years of helping great things happen in Hillsdale County!

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Celebrating 25 years of helping great things happen in Hillsdale County!

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Cover Feature

In today’s hectic, crazy, over-scheduled world, convenience is something many women are constantly looking for to ease their harried schedules. Quick and easy meals, time-saving tips and 15-minute workouts are what ladies need in this fast-paced, high-pressure world.

Health care is not something that immediately comes to mind when we think about one-stop shopping or convenience. Dr. Tariq Abdelkarim, Dr. Mohamed W. Al-

Azem and the rest of the staff at the Medical Plaza in Hillsdale are working to change that and provide high quality services in one convenient location.

“We are a comprehensive health care clinic,” Dr. Karim says. “A one-stop shop for both primary and specialty care. We want to make it easier for patients with both minor and complicated health issues.” Dr. Karim and his staff offer a wide range of services. Dr. Karim is board certified in internal medicine,

pulmonary medicine, critical care medicine and sleep medicine, and his clinic offers x-rays, ultrasounds, echocardiograms; bone density scans and recently began offering mammograms with the help of Dr. Al-Azem, or Dr. Al as his patients call him.

“It had been going extremely well,” Dr. Karim says of the mammography service. “We have been getting great feedback.”

Breast cancer is a very scary diagnosis and, unfortunately, a very common occurrence with 220,000 women in the United States diagnosed every year according to the Center for Disease Control. Breast cancer is also the most common cancer in women. “Mammography saves lives,” says Dr. Al. “If we can diagnose early, when the cancer is very small, we give the chance for the woman to have a complete recovery almost 100 percent.”

Dr. Al has been performing and reading mammograms for the past 40 years, working at Hillsdale Hospital 25 years and other local hospitals in Coldwater, Adrian and Tecumseh for many years. He has witnessed the tremendous growth in mammogram technology over the past two decades – especially after the introduction of digital mammography.

ExpandingtO serveConvenient, high-quality service available at the Medical Plaza

Mammograms now offered at Dr. Karim’s practice

By Sarah Gray Simply Hers Magazine

(Left) Dr. Tariq Abdelkarim. (Right)Dr. Mohamed W. Al-Azem.

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tO serve

“We are able to see abnormalities less than one centimeter,” he says, adding that with digital mammography he can detect irregularities as small as five or six millimeters. “This helps us to diagnose the cancer very early, and we can recommend a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy.”

Although many cases of breast cancer, no matter how early the diagnosis, still require radiation or chemotherapy, Dr. Al says the earlier the cancer is detected, the better the chance for a full recovery. “We want a complete cure,” he says of breast cancer. “But the earlier we can diagnose the breast cancer, the better.” Currently, Dr. Al performs mammograms on Mondays, but as demand for the service grows, the office will offer them on more days.

“It has been very well received,” says Theresa Rutan, office manager for Dr. Karim. She has been working for Dr. Karim for the past ten years and throughout her career has always enjoyed working with people. “It’s the patients,” she says of what she loves about her job. “I like to take someone who is having a difficulty and make their situation better.”

She says she was very excited to hear about Dr. Karim offering mammograms to their patients. “It’s unique for a physician’s office,” she says adding Dr. Karim is the only doctor in Hillsdale County to offer in-office mammograms. “It’s more comfortable for patients.”

Women should begin yearly mammograms at age 40. Those with a family history of breast cancer should talk to their physician and may begin testing sooner. Women should also give themselves monthly breast exams and contact their doctor immediately if they feel any abnormalities.

Dr. Al mentioned a young patient who was in recently because she felt something was not quite right. For her, and many younger patients, Dr. Al uses an ultrasound machine. Mammograms give the patient a small amount of radiation during the test and doctors try to avoid giving younger patients this exposure. Ultrasounds can also be used in women who have very dense breast tissue.

Theresa knows the importance of yearly breast cancer checks. Although the disease does not run in her immediate family, she does have extended family that have had breast cancer, and she and her mother are vigilant about getting checked. “It is important to stay on track every year,” she says. “Early detection is the best thing. The earlier you can get it under control, the better the outcome will be.”

Scott Vanden Bosch is a physician assistant at Dr. Karim’s office and will also focus on family and women’s health. He urges women to get their yearly checks because breast cancer can be so aggressive and fast-moving. “A lot to do with genetics,” he says. “If you have a family history you should definitely get checked out sooner rather than later.” He says that the capabilities of Dr. Karim’s office are unique and attractive to many patients including screenings and base-line labs. Vanden Bosch recently graduated from the University of Findlay Ohio with his masters of Physician Assistant Studies and has been with Dr. Karim since January 2016.

Along with offering mammograms, a potentially scary and uncomfortable procedure, in the comfort of their physician’s office, Dr. Al is also able to give his patients their results quickly, many times the same day. Mammograms are conducted in a separate area of the office where there are no other patients. Private changing rooms are available, and the mammograms are performed on state-of-the-art technology. Dr. Al says they schedule one patient every 30 minutes, but the test only takes about 15 minutes.

Later, Dr. Al reads the mammograms he has taken during the day. The system used at Dr. Karim’s office is top of the line, according to Dr. Al. “One of the best in the world.” Along with his own expert eyes, a computer-aided detection or CAD system is used. This meets the FDA’s requirement to have two sets of “eyes” on all mammograms.

“The detail is better than I am used to,” says Cyndi Morgan, registered mammographer

who works with Dr. Al. “The equipment is state-of-the-art.” Cyndi performs quality control tests to ensure each test is accurate. “We want to make sure patients get quality mammograms.”

One of the many advantages Dr. Al sees in having in-office mammography is the ability to focus on one area. “I do nothing but read mammograms and breast ultrasounds,” he says. In larger facilities such as hospitals, radiologists would read many different types of tests including x-rays, CT scans, MRIs and PET scans. “Here I can concentrate on mammography.”

If a mammogram does detect cancer, Dr. Karim and his staff work with the patient throughout from diagnosis to full recovery. Biopsies are available in the office, and Dr. Karim follows his patients to the hospital, helping them receive the best and most thorough care possible.

“Continuity of care is what makes us so popular,” he says.

For more information about services provided by Dr. Karim, Dr. Al and the rest of the staff at the Medical Plaza, call 517-437-3879. The Medical Plaza is located at 3271 W. Carleton Road in Hillsdale.

By Sarah Gray Simply Hers Magazine

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Potawatomi who were better off economically, and they used many things they purchased from local traders. As the daughter of a chief, Winona would have had lengths of trade cloth, silver items and other trinkets. The Indians wore a mix of their traditional clothing and French styles.”

The statue of Winona shows her in that same mix. She is draped in a piece of trade cloth, but also wears a skirt with traditional Potawatomi designs around the hem and on her belt. Her earrings are made from shells (common for the time), and there is a feather braided into her hair. “The Potawatomi didn’t wear headdresses,” says Heather, “but they did work feathers into their hair.” Her shoes and the beadwork that decorates them are also historically correct for a Potawatomi woman at that time. There is a small, simple cross hanging from a leather cord around Winona’s neck. “She had a friend named Betsy, and Betsy’s grandmother in England sent two crosses, one for her granddaughter and one for the girl’s Indian friend,” Heather stated. Her research into jewelry of that time revealed that a lot was stamped silver, and a small item of that type would be a likely choice for someone to send a young girl.

TThe cost to create the statue is estimated at approximately $50,000. Heather is donating her talent and time, and the Hillsdale County Community Foundation has helped with grant writing for funds to offset the casting fees—the greatest part of the cost. The clay to sculpt the life-sized statue will be the same clay Heather used for the Churchill statue. (She explained that clay that has already been worked is actually better.) The finished piece will be mounted on a cement base in Mrs. Stock’s Park where it can be enjoyed by the entire community. Connie has handled creating the letterhead, writing the mission statement for The Heritage Association, organizes the informational events and coordinates the volunteers. Dr. Birzer directs the project and is working on an illustrated, non-fiction children’s book that tells Winona’s story. The project timeline calls for the statue’s unveiling and the book launch to take place in Spring 2017.

For more information about The Winona Statue Project, visit The Heritage Association page on Facebook. Donations toward the project can be made through the Hillsdale County Community Foundation. Their website is www.abouthccf.org.

tHeWinOnA stAtue prOject

Left, Dedra Birzer; Right, Heather Tritchka

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Are you concerned about your children’s future? Have you ever dreamed of leaving your children a large inheritance? Do you have children who are at high-risk for incurring lawsuits? Do any of your children have substance abuse issues or troubled marriages? Does one of your children require special planning because of government needs-based benefits? These concerns and circumstances, along with many others, can be addressed through thoughtfully designed retirement plan.

Most individuals own one or more tax-deferred retirement plans. The investment growth in tax-deferred retirement plans are untaxed and therefore able to grow exponentially over standard investment accounts because of the tax-free growth. Accordingly, the balances of these plans reach larger amounts than invested money that is taxed yearly. As a general rule, the greater the amount of time before distributions are made from tax-deferred retirement accounts, the larger these plan balances become.

When normal distributions are made to beneficiaries from retirement plans, the recipient pays income taxes according to the applicable income tax rates. As a very simple illustration, if $20,000 was distributed from an IRA as income distribution, and if the recipient was required to pay a 20% income tax, the recipient would only have $16,000 to spend or reinvest. If the individual reinvested the money, the investment returns would only come from $16,000 instead of $20,000, thereby losing the returns available on the extra $4,000 each year. Additionally, the compounded growth on the $4,000 would be lost as well.

When a retirement plan owner dies, the retirement plan assets must be distributed. Although the IRS rules are varied and complex, retirement plans are usually distributed outright, within five years of the owner’s death, or according to a beneficiary’s life

expectancy. The quicker the required distribution, the less money the beneficiaries ultimately receive.

If distributed according to a beneficiary’s life expectancy, the distribution for all beneficiaries could be based on the oldest beneficiary’s age. If the designated beneficiaries are 60 and 41 years old, the distributions must begin when the 60-year-old reaches 70½. As a result, the 41-year-old is also required to begin receiving distributions when he becomes 51½ years old. Alternatively, if the 41-year-old were able to wait until he reached 70½ years old, the amount he inherited would have grown untaxed for an additional 20 years. This is why a thoughtfully designed plan can be beneficial and result in a much larger inheritance for your beneficiaries.

The IRS rules enable retirement plan beneficiaries to receive their individual shares so that their required distributions are based on their own age rather than the oldest beneficiary’s age. Making sure your retirement plan is set up to obtain this result means that the younger beneficiaries could realize tax-deferred growth for many years beyond what would have otherwise been realized.

Even if you make sure that the beneficiaries’ required distributions are based on their individual ages in order to maximize growth, the inheritance is still subject to creditors, being squandered by substance abuse or gambling issues, divorce judgments and also could affect a person’s needs-based government benefits. An IRA Inheritance Trust can be utilized to protect from these types of ills and other problems.

Ultimately, your tax-free retirement plan can grow for years after your death and benefit your beneficiaries a great deal more because of this growth potential, but attention must be given to the distribution plan to make sure it accomplishes what you desire and that it protects your family members.

irA inheritances

By Timothy DixonSimply Hers Magazine

Timothy E. DixonLicensed Michigan Attorney

Law Office ofTimothy E. Dixon

27 N. Broad St.Hillsdale, MI 49242

Ph: (517) 437-4070Fx: (517) 437-4062

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Taking The RoadLess TraveledWoMeN aNd RIdING

“Motorcycle” is a term that, if you ask any rider, will be synonymous with the word “freedom.” The feeling of riding the roads on the back of those two wheels, wind in your hair, sun on your face and the world at your back can only be described as what it truly means to feel free. There really isn’t much out there that can evoke that feeling deep within our souls. For, those moments you spend on a bike just feel different. Almost like you’re invincible to the troubles of the world. The switch to fire up that bike is the same used to shut off your brain. And it’s magical.

Story by Ashley Price

outdoor adventure

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Summer is nearly half over—have you made this summer one to remember? Whether you’re hoping to relax and play in the sun, do some adventure-seeking as a family, catch up with girlfriends or plan a special getaway for two, Michigan’s diverse lake areas offer the perfect setting to experience the

Lake Effect and create lasting summer memories.

Adventure for the Whole Familysilver lake sand Dunes is nestled between the shores of Lake Michigan and Silver Lake in Oceana County. With its pristine beaches and vast sand dunes, this unique location is just waiting for you to come and explore. The whole family can go tubing, canoeing or kayaking on the nearby White River, go horseback riding, bike the William Field Memorial hart-Montague trail, or rent water sports equipment like waverunners. You can even cruise the sand dunes in a buggy or jeep!

Leisurely Family FunFor families that would rather relax and splash in the water, inland lakes such as higgins lake, houghton lake or smaller lakes in the Irish Hills area of Michigan make for a great getaway. These inland lakes allow you to experience the natural beauty of Michigan without having to travel far from home. Renting a small cottage on any of these lakes will give your family the perfect opportunity to unwind and enjoy each other’s company. In the Houghton Lake area, you can spend cloudy days visiting the Ogemaw nature Park or Roscommon Zoo, have a picnic at one of the many beach parks, or go for a peaceful hike in the Marguerite gahagan nature Preserve.

Girls WeekendThere is nothing better than relaxing days on the beach, spent catching up with your best girlfriends – add in a visit to one of Michigan’s best microbreweries or wineries and you have yourself a perfect getaway weekend! Traverse City is known for many attractions like its sugar-sand beaches, sleeping bear Dunes national lakeshore and diverse cherry offerings; it’s also a great destination for your next girls’ weekend. You can book tours at local microbreweries or wineries, visit the Botanic Gardens at historic barns Park, go shopping at downtown boutiques and, most importantly, relax on nationally recognized beaches.

Find Your Perfect

lake effectgetaway

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Now and Zen: Natural materials and colors help create peaceful living spaces. To get the look, dress the bed with relaxed linen or a duvet with a soft, blurred floral pattern. Deep, rich indigo blues are also part of this trend direction and pair beautifully with pure white or neutrals. The blue and white combination will also be popular for table linens and dinnerware this season. Different shades of blue can be layered on the table for added interest.

A Touch of WhimsyWith warmer weather comes the focus on lighter colors, whimsical design and retro design influences. Embrace the trend with bedding and beach towels that feature bold graphic patterns and playful prints. For the season’s get-togethers, infuse the tablescape with textured glass, as well as dinnerware with layered patterns and diamond shapes. Mid-century influences also play a big role in furniture.

Bohemian Escape: Inspired by tropical locales and faraway places, the palette for this trend is darker with a focus on nature. Boho influences will be seen through patchwork design, pom-pom trims and fringe. To infuse this exotic look, add a decorative pillow in a rich tropical floral print or tribal motif. Green will be the “it” color of the season for housewares and outdoor entertaining.

Contents compliments of macys.com.

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Simply DIY YARD JENGAThis is a great project to do with the kids. A giant jenga game with

industrial storage. When it comes time to start sanding all that wood

you’re going to want as many helping hands as you can find.

DIY found at www.mysweetsavannahblog.com

The first thing you will need to do is cut your eight 2x4’s into 10.5” sections. You will need 54 total.

You will then need to sand each piece down until they are smooth on all sides.

You can stain them all the same color, or do what I did and use three different colors. While your stain is drying you can move onto making the storage cart.

Cut two pieces of plywood at 17” x 17” each and stain them. When dry, add casters to the bottom of one, securing with screws.

Next you are going to make 4 side pieces out of pipe. Start with a flange, then a 12” pipe followed by a coupling, followed by another 12” pipe followed by another coupling, and then a 2” nipple, finishing it off with another floor flange. Do this process four times. Use your level to make sure each piece is the same height.

Then one by one screw them onto the corners of the bottom piece that has the casters on it. Place your other 17”x17” on the ground and flip this bottom piece with the pipes upside down on top and screw the other four flanges into the top.

When done, flip the whole thing right side up and add your handle to the top. The handle consists of 2 floor flanges, a 2” nipple, 2 elbows, and 2 black closed steel nipples.

You can actually play the game in this case, or you can take them out and just use it for storing the pieces. Either way, the finished product is really pretty and fun too!

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2 racks pork spareribs, about 2 lb each

6 bottles of beer

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves, 6 to 8 large sprigs fresh thyme,

6 to 8 large sprigs fresh sage

(or 2 tablespoons seasoning salt)

Coarse salt to taste

2 to 6 jalapeno peppers

(according to taste) seeded and sliced

1 cup store-bought or

homemade barbecue sauce

In a saucepan large enough to hold the ribs, combine all the ingredients except the ribs and barbecue sauce and bring to a boil. Im-merse the ribs into the hot liquid, they should be completely covered. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the meat is tender.

Turn off the heat and let the ribs cool in the cooking liquid. This can be done several hours before grilling. Refrigerate if necessary. Keep the ribs in liquid.

When ready to serve, lightly oil the grate and preheat the grill to hot.

Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid and pat dry. Brush both sides with BBQ sauce and place the ribs meat side down on the grill. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, basting with barbe-cue sauce, until golden and crisp. Turn on the other side and cook for another 6 minutes until nicely brown.

Remove from the grill and serve immedi-ately with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

Beer Marinated riBs