Campus is a buzz and there is lots of activities that vie for our attention. Here is a reminder about some of the HR-related items before you.
Visit the United Way page for more details.
Professional development brainstorming, that is.
Friday, October 28
10am – 11am
Olmsted Room or Teams
Visit the Brainstorming message for more details.
Six southwest Michigan cultural institutions partner to benefit their collective membership.
From October 1-31, 2022, membership at any of the listed cultural institutions includes FREE admission to the other five!
Learn more about the program by visiting Southwest Michigan Cultural Membership Exchange.
Click the buttons below to plan your visits.
Get free at-home COVID tests by requesting them through Project Act and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Need more tests? No problem! Tests can be re-ordered monthly while supplies last.
No credit/debit card is requested or necessary.
Test availability is based on zip code.
Visit Project ACT’s Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
Contact project-act@careevolution.com for questions about this program.
The Rockefeller Foundation launched Project Access Covid Tests (Project ACT) to provide free at-home COVID-19 tests directly to vulnerable Americans.
In the initial phase, Project ACT offers households in selected communities in six states (Arkansas, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, and Ohio) access to free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kits.
Each State participating in Project ACT identified eligible communities using U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index combined with data on COVID-19 burden to identify areas at high-risk for COVID-19. Eligibility differs by State.
Bob Batsell and Jen Combes earned well-deserved recognition at today’s All Campus Gathering. Read more by selecting the link below.
Elementary students who attend public school in Kalamazoo County are eligible for a free pair of athletic shoes through First Day Shoe Fund.
First Day Shoe Fund distributes brand new athletic shoes through local school districts each fall. During the first two months of each new school year, they distribute shoes to students in need at all Kalamazoo County Public Elementary Schools. First Day Shoe Fund continues to help students in urgent need throughout the school year whenever possible. They distributed 5,291 shoes in 2021. First Day Shoe Fund (FDSF) is a 501(c)(3) organization out of Portage, MI.
Online ordering is open through September 9, 2022.
Students in Pre-K through 5th grade at any Kalamazoo County public elementary school.
Do you have federal student loan debt? Do you know someone who has federal student loan debt? If so, this post is for you. There is a multi-part plan to assist student loan borrowers. Visit https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/ for more details.
Many borrowers and families may be asking themselves “what do I have to do to claim this relief?” There will be more details announced soon. To be notified when the process has officially opened, sign up at the Department of Education subscription page. Borrowers will have until Dec. 31, 2023 to apply.
Borrowers who are employed by non-profits (such as Kalamazoo College), the military, or federal, state, Tribal, or local government may be eligible to have all of their student loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. This is because of time-limited changes that waive certain eligibility criteria in the PSLF program. These temporary changes expire on October 31, 2022. For more information on eligibility and requirements, go to PSLF.gov.
Because of this, no one with a federally held loan has had to pay a single dollar in loan payments during the past couple of years. The final pause extends through December 31, 2022, with payments resuming in January 2023.
There is a proposed rule to create a new income-driven repayment plan that could reduce future monthly payments for lower- and middle-income borrowers.
Additional details will be forthcoming. If you’d like to be among the first to know, sign up for email updates from the U.S. Department of Education.
At the end of the day, do you feel frazzled, quick to anger, and/or anxious? If so, you’re not alone. With all of our day-to-day obligations, the pressures of home and work life, and other issues you and your loved ones may be facing, it is easy to get caught in a whirlwind of stress, frustration and anxiety. These tips can help you wind down and regain a sense of balance at the end of your day.
Take a walk around the neighborhood, practice yoga in your living room, and go break a sweat. Exercise is a tried and true method of stress relief as it gets your heart pumping and releases feel-good hormones that can help give you a sense of well-being.
Select the area of your body where you hold stress. Inhale and tense this area (for example, if it’s your forehead, wrinkle your forehead and furrow your brows) and inhale to the count of three. Next, release the tension while slowly exhaling to the count of four. Repeat as needed, or try this technique on other areas of your body in which you may hold stress.
Try dedicating 5-10 minutes at the end of your day to taking a break to see if you feel better. Just taking even five minutes to sit quietly and follow your breath can help you feel less fragmented and more connected and balanced.
Breathe in the fresh air, listen to the sounds of the environment, and take a good look at the sights. It will help you feel more connected and refreshed after a stressful day. Remember to dress for the weather as we inch towards autumn and winter.
Did you previously have a hobby that you just couldn’t get enough of? Well, what are you waiting for—get back to it! Hobbies are a great way to wind down and get some “me time.”
Spend time free from technology and screens by simply savoring a quiet moment with your eyes closed. Pick a drawer or other out-of-sight place to stash your devices, and enjoy the peace and quiet.
By doing the same activities each night before bed, you can train your body to wind down in preparation for sleep, which is crucial for sleep quality and quantity. Choose a relaxing activity such as reading a book, listening to music, meditating, having a cup of decaffeinated herbal tea or glass of warm milk to help signal to your body that it’s time to sleep.
THANK YOU for your role in rejuvenating the community feel of our wonderful College. It is so heart-warming to see so many colleagues enjoy the presence of others. All of these moments take planning and commitment. THANK YOU!
The past few months have been a lot of fun. Let’s look back at some of our activities.
It is so much fun to collaborate with creative colleagues. Please be invited to share your ideas for future community-building activities in the comments below or by connecting with Renee Boelcke.
Summertime is a great time in Michigan for all sort of activities, including festivals and fairs. Whether you are into food, art, music, or the obscure, there is something for you in the mitten state. Visit event links for more information.
What is missing? Add a favorite event in the comments.
| Date(s) | Location | Event |
| 11 | LocalVicksburg | FreeVicksburg Old Car Festival |
| 11-12 | LocalStatewide | FreeFishing and off-road vehicle (ORV) weekend |
| 12-18 | Marion | Marion Fair |
| 17 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeQueer the Block Presented by Drue |
| 18-19 | LocalKalamazoo | Mac & Cheese Fest |
| 20 | LocalKalamazoo College | FreeJuneteenth Celebration Picnic |
| 24 | LocalPortage | FreeMovies in the Park: Jumanji: The Next Level |
| 25 | LocalPortage | FreeSummer STEAM Day – Engineering |
| 25-26 | Charlevoix | Charlevoix Summer Art Show |
| Date(s) | Location | Event |
| 1 | LocalRichland | FreeLive Dance Performance |
| 1-2 | Bay City | FreeBay City Firework Festival |
| 2 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeJerico Maker Faire! |
| 2-9 | Traverse City | National Cherry Festival |
| 8 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeArt Hop |
| 8 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeHistoric Walks: Edison Neighborhood |
| 9-10 | Charlevoix | FreeCharlevoix Arts & Craft Festival |
| 16 | LocalHickory Corners | Symphony in the Summer: Gershwin + Dvorak’s New World |
| 21-24 | Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor Art Fair |
| 23 | LocalKalamazoo | Free3-on-3 Basketball Tournament |
| 23 | LocalPortage | FreeSummer STEAM Day – Space |
| Date(s) | Location | Event |
| 5 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeArt Hop |
| 6 | LocalHickory Corners | Red Barns Spectacular Car Show and Swap Meet |
| 9-13 | Ludington | Western Michigan Fair |
| 11-14 | South Haven | FreeNational Blueberry Festival |
| 13 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeVintage in the Zoo |
| 20-21 | LocalStatewide | FreeOff-Road Vehicle (ORV) Weekend |
| 26 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeHistoric Walks: Libraries in Kalamazoo |
| 28 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeOshtemo Music in the Park |
| Date(s) | Location | Event |
| 1-5 | Novi | Michigan State Fair |
| 5 | LocalKalamazoo | FreeArt Hop |
| 5 | Mackinaw City | FreeLabor Day Bridge Walk |
| 9-17 | LocalAllegan | Allegan County Fair |
| 16- Oct 3 | Grand Rapids | FreeArt Prize |
| 18 | LocalPortage | FreeFall Festival |
| 23-25 | Lake Orion | Made in Michigan Festival |
Request an additional eight free at-home tests at COVIDTests.gov. One only needs to enter their residential address.
This is expected to be the final round of free COVID tests unless a funding source is identified. Order today!
