Every day I am witness to the power of the public library to transform lives. At the Ferndale Public Library, we serve an average of 650 individuals every day. We offer around 30 educational, cultural community programs each month for all ages. We have a baby story time every week to stimulate the emerging literacy skills of our youngest residents.

We partner with the Ferndale Public Schools to support all students in achieving their academic goals. We host art receptions, film screenings, book discussions, community story telling sessions, concerts, local author fairs, and the list goes on. We lend over 10,000 items every month.

At the Library, we offer free access to the Internet, and we have friendly, knowledgeable staff on hand to help. And do we ever help! We help search for jobs, fill out job applications, create resumes, access government services, prepare for the GED, search for housing, navigate databases, recommend books to readers of all ages, teach patrons how to download eBooks onto their devices, and a myriad of needs on any given day. We provide a warm place to relax and friendly human interaction with no expectation that you buy something in exchange.

In this month’s issue of Ferndale Friends, you will read more about some of our great programs at the library, as well as exciting new social media initiatives and mobile apps for accessing library services written by Circulation Specialist Jeff Milo. Some people predicted that the Internet and eBooks would make the public library obsolete. That prediction could not be farther from the truth; we are busier than ever, helping more people than ever.

As Jeff’s column demonstrates, we are embracing technology and using it to deliver the core services that have remained fundamental to public libraries since their inception.

The library is of vital importance to our community, and it is highly valued and enjoyed by our residents. Yet in spite of all of the support that we enjoy from the residents of Ferndale, and the dedicated tax funding that was approved by the voters, library revenues have declined precipitously since the housing market crashed. Even after making significant cuts to our spending, the Ferndale library is still operating at a deficit. Libraries and municipalities will not recover from the recession for many years due to the Headlee Amendment to the Michigan Constitution, which was passed in 1978, and Proposal A of 1994, which means they cannot collect as much money as they did before the recession, even as property values increase. If our statewide system for funding libraries and local government is not reformed, it will likely take 15–20 years for revenues to return to their pre-recession level. At the same time our local funding has been depleted, State Aid to libraries in Michigan has declined 76 percent since 2000. The use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is on the rise in Michigan, which also limits the amount of funding a library receives.

Many libraries throughout the state have been forced to cut their hours and reduce staffing and services due to the depletion of funding. In Ferndale we believe our library is too important to our community; to make such cuts will be an absolute last resort.

We currently have a fund balance that we are using to supplement some of the revenue we have lost. However, this is obviously not a long-term solution. The library is exploring several possible avenues for increasing our revenues so that we can continue to deliver the high level of services that Ferndale residents have come to expect. We’re working with a fundraising consultant, and planning an important fundraising initiative next year. The Friends of the Ferndale Library work enthusiasti- cally to support the library. I encourage anyone who cares about the Ferndale Public Library to consider joining the Friends group and getting involved. The Friends meet at the library on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. I highly encourage you to reach out to our elected officials at the local and state level and tell them that you support reforms that would restore funding to Michigan libraries.

I am grateful to live and work in a community that values our public library so highly. I am confident that we will find a way to navigate these challenging financial times, and emerge a strong institution.

Thank you, Ferndale community, for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Jessica Keyser, Director, Ferndale Public Library

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At this time of year, we often turn our thoughts and efforts to supporting the organizations and individuals who are working to make a difference right here in our own community. If you’re looking for a local charity that will have long-reaching effects on the success of Ferndale education and its youth, look no further than the Ferndale Education Foundation.

Formed in 1989 by then-Superintendent William Coyne, the Ferndale Education Foundation set aim at improving the state of education within Ferndale Public Schools. Coyne recognized a need for a foundation that would support educational initiatives that were not included in the general operating budget for the school district and decided to take action.

Composed of an all-volunteers base, the FEF makes possible a wide range of learning opportunities for all of the students in Ferndale schools.

Along with great work throughout the community, the FEF is responsible for supporting innovative and unique teaching programs through small grants, sponsoring talks and workshops from visiting authors, and the annual support of Camp Skyline — an ACA-accredited camp that hosts summer programs and retreats for many groups throughout Michigan.

The FEF bases all of their work on the principle that all students are entitled to an enriching and quality education, and deserve to be challenged academically.

Funding is dependent on the generous contributions of individuals, businesses, organizations, and other community members. The FEF is also sustained through sponsorships and participation in their annual fundraisers including the Fore Kids golf outing and auction. Many district employees also support the FEF and its endeavors by contributing through a payroll deduction that goes to benefit the organization. Each of these methods of support helps to continue building the Foundation’s endowment for the support of excellence in education.

Along with helping education initiatives, the Founda- tion also works to spotlight and encourage students with various programs and awards. Earlier this year, the Ferndale Education Foundation announced the recipient of their first annual True Grit Award. Ferndale High School Senior Nieyri Cobb received the award in recognition of her academic success in the face of challenges throughout the year.

Planned to be an annual prize, the True Grit Award focuses on honoring a Ferndale student’s persistence and determination.

An important organization like the Ferndale Educational Foundation is only successful through the generous support of the community it works to serve. Recently, the Foundation held a successful fundraiser at the Royal Oak Olga’s Kitchen in an effort to help raise funds for their great work. For information on events like these and other ways to get involved in supporting the mission of the Ferndale Educational Foundation, visit Ferndaleschools.org/fef.

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In a recent open letter to parents, faculty, and community members titled “Ferndale Fights for Fair Funding in Our Schools,” Twomey warns about the dangers of the ever-shrinking public school budget voted on by the Michigan legislature. Refer- encing a newly-released school finance analysis conducted by the Michigan State University Education Policy Center about the long- term disinvestment, demographic shifts, and structural flaws in school financing, Twomey says the problems aren’t just something we hear about in other districts anymore.

“The storm,” she wrote, “is hitting Ferndale.”

Using a personal letter to reach out to the community was by design an effort to inform while leading by example. “I was hoping to reach all of our stakeholders,” Twomey said. “Time and time again I have seen the ‘silence, divide, and distract’ tactic work and I wanted something better for our district. Ferndale has a long history of successful advocacy; if anyone can break the cycle, it is us. I felt it was important to take the first step in building a coalition by communicating honestly about our needs and modeling advocacy.”

Referencing the current budget situation across our state and in our schools, Twomey, who has a Masters of Educational Administration and Leadership from Michigan State University, asserts that the public is being misled about the causation of the cutbacks. “The public is told that this funding drought is a result of Michigan’s current difficult economic situation,” Twomey wrote in the letter dated November 9th. “This simply is not true. The disinvestment in our state public schools is a choice.”

The choice, she says, is being made by an ineffective legislative body whose interest lies in funneling money away from K-12 school districts (like Ferndale Public Schools), and sending it to corporate special interests and higher education institutions.

“In 2011, state legislators chose to cut schools by a billion dollars; in the same budget they also chose to give $1.8 billion dollars to corporate special interests. They financed these business credits through an unprecedented transfer of money out of the K-12 School Aid Fund to pay for higher education,” Twomey wrote. Not everyone agrees with Twomey’s assertions that the legis- lature is at fault. “The Vice President’s comments are not accurate,” said State Representative Tom McMillin, who has served Michigan’s 45th district for three terms.

“What actually happened was that Republicans took charge in Lansing and stopped kicking the can down the road, and actually made the difficult spending decisions.”

McMillin, a Republican who represents Rochester, Rochester Omar MitchellHills, and parts of Oakland Township, currently sits on the House Education, Financial Liability Reform, and Regulatory Reform committees. He made news earlier this year when he introduced House Bill 4276, a legislative ban on the imple- mentation of Common Core standards in Michigan schools.

McMillin says the future of Michigan’s schools is not just about the funding, but the way we use and adapt education.

“I think governments in general, including school districts, are going to need to become more and more flexible so they can react to the changing times,” McMillin told Ferndale Friends. “Technology is going to change education — college and K-12 — dramatically. So is competition from charters and schools of choice. I think employee contracts need to give much more flexibility. This will require boards and administra- tors to be more diligent in negotiations to gain that flexibility.” Karen Twomey isn’t the only one of Ferndale’s administrators who thinks that those in power aren’t in tune to what is really going on within the schools. “I think Mr. McMillin and his friends in Lansing aren’t paying attention to the great things happening in our public schools,” asserted Jim O’Donnell.

Trustee and President of the Ferndale School Board. “Online and charter schools often cut corners and refuse to take kids that need extra help. Representative McMillin expects our public schools to compete blindfolded with one hand tied behind our back. The plain fact is that good education takes money — it always has and it always will. I want my child’s teachers fairly paid for the work they do with all kids, the education they have,
and the experience they bring to the classroom every day.”

The debate about the importance of proper school funding goes beyond just the quality of the education schools provide, Twomey told Ferndale Friends. It is an issue that impacts the community as a whole. “Strong schools affect not only housing prices but also crime rates and the overall climate and pride in a community,” Twomey explained. “Schools provide a social center and vast recreational opportunities. Most importantly, we are educating wonderful citizens.”

Twomey hopes her efforts inspire people within the community to make their voice heard. “Citizens have proven how influential they can be in Michigan.”

She suggests that anyone can get involved by starting small: donating to the Ferndale Education Foundation, volunteering time in the schools, and supporting the PTA are all good places to start — along with contacting your state representative and making your voice heard.

The movement isn’t just relying on community involvement either, there are also planning to take action and push from within the system as well. “Obviously advo- cacy cannot be our only plan. We are currently meeting collaboratively with various district leaders to find creative and collaborative solutions to the budget shortfall,” Twomey explained. “What I do know is that our tight budget has already caused the trimming of valued professional employees, programs, services, and increased class sizes.”

Though no one can predict what the future will hold for Michigan’s schools, one thing is clear: those within the Ferndale Public School system remain passionate about keeping a high standard of education a priority for the city of Ferndale.

“We have award winning music education programs, we are effective at increasing student achievement, we care deeply about educating the whole child, and your children attend school in a commu- nity that cares about them along with their friends and neighbors,” School Board President Jim O’Donnell said. “You can’t beat community public education in Ferndale Public Schools.”

Karen Twomey’s Email

Ferndale Fights for Fair Funding for our Schools

I am writing you as a board member, teacher, parent, neighbor and friend of education. Recently, Michigan State University’s Education Policy Center published a school finance analysis for our state which describes a crisis of long-term disinvestment, demographic shifts, and structural flaws in school financing. These factors have already sent 55 school districts into deficit, and forced many more to cut teachers, gut programs, and close schools. This storm is hitting Ferndale.

In my five short years on the Ferndale Board of Education, I have watched our budget reduced from $43 to $36 million dollars as health- care, retirement, inflation and unfunded mandates increase. The public is told that this funding drought is a result of Michigan’s current difficult economic situation. This simply is not true. The disinvestment in our state
public schools is a choice. In 2011, state legislators chose to cut schools by a billion dollars; in the same budget they also chose to give $1.8 billion dollars to corporate special interests. They financed these business credits through an unprecedented transfer of money out of the K-12 School Aid Fund to pay for higher education. Unlike K-12 schools, colleges and universities are able to raise money through tuition, tax levies, and multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns. The operating costs of a public K-12 district are funded primarily by
the state-established per pupil foundation allowance. Current law does not provide us the same options to raise revenue. Now as Ferndale Public Schools faces a $1.5 million shortfall, our only options are to increase enrollment and to demand our money back from Lansing. This is the key: If the $470 per pupil funding cut in 2011 was to be restored that would return approximately $2 million to the Ferndale Schools. While this would not even come close to restoring us to our pre-recession levels, it would at least cover the current tight budget.

The legislature has succeeded by using three tactics: silence, divide and distract. Teachers and educators have been scapegoated for the current economic woes because they are union members and because they are particularly vulnerable because of inflexible schedules. Our legislators know that educators are dedicated to their children and do not tend to take personal days to drive to Lansing and fight back. They also know that in today’s competitive schools of choice environment, districts are not likely to advertise to the families they serve that jobs and programs are being cut. This makes schools the perfect silent targets. Then legislators try to distract school employees from the real culprits by pitting unions against school boards. When the state cuts the funding, district school boards are forced to make tough choices and sacrifice educational resources, class sizes, programs and quality instruction. Since the school boards are the facilitators of the cuts at the local level, infighting occurs as educators are divided against one another. This playbook of distraction has worked all across America, but it must not be allowed to work here!

Education professionals, community members and parents should be mad. Now you will see Board members, administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, bus drivers, custodians,
and hopefully YOU, fighting together. Your district has never needed support more, and here are five ways you can help.

1. Contact our state legislators: Here in the Ferndale Schools, we are fortunate to have state representatives who are fighting with us, yet it is always helpful to their argument when they can share letters from voters, or when we put pressure on those less support- ive in Lansing.

A. Tri-County Alliance is an excellent resource for staying up to date on legislative issues, join their Capwiz to learn how to have your voice heard.
B. Contact members of the House Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Fiscal Agency. These are the people who have the most influence about our state budget.

2. Support your PTA: Your membership dues and fundraising efforts help to cover many school and classroom instructional costs. In additional to the volunteer hours and funds, our PTAs help provide a strong unified voice.

3. Support Ferndale Education Foundation (FEF): This important fundraising organization provides mini-grants for innovative programs in our district.

4. Volunteer in the schools: Ferndale Schools has several opportunities for community members to volunteer. Please contact our volunteer coordinator Gretchen Abrams at gabrams@ferndaleschools.org.

5. Help spread the word about why you are proud to recommend the Ferndale Schools. If you have a story you would like to share write a letter to a local paper, post it on social media, or email your pride story to the Board at schoolboard@ferndaleschools.org.

Most importantly, take the time to let our family of professional employees know how much you appreciate and respect them. Our whole district will be uniting in some really hard work to find creative solutions to minimize impact on budget-related sacrifices on our children. I am proud to serve this district team; each one is a hero in my eyes.

Karen Twomey, Vice President Ferndale Board of Education
ktwomey@ferndaleschools.org

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As our country continues to struggle through these challenging economic times, we see the impacts of reduced budgets, tightened belts, and changing policy all around us. Especially in Michigan, our essential public services — schools, libraries, government offices — seem to be in a constant state of flux with no clear vision of what their future may hold.

According to a recent report from Education Week, Michigan’s schools rank 24th in the nation — only slightly above the national average. Last year, Michigan libraries received only an average of $0.91 per capita, compared to the $2.94 national average. Both schools and libraries rely on state budgets to determine their funding, and ultimately, their future. With over 1.5 million students enrolled in Michigan K-12 public schools and over 56 million visits to our public libraries in 2012, it is clear that the future of our public resources also represent the future of our state.

While there are many factors that impact the quality of our public services, one thing is certain: all are at the mercy of the budget set by Michigan’s legislative body. No matter what side of the political fence you’re on, we are all tied to the successes and failures
of these institutions. It is our responsibility as voters to take a vested interest in how
they work, why they work, and how we can work to make them better going
forward. In the following section, we hope to examine both the cause, and potential impact, of the budgetary issues that face our great state and the essential services it provides to all of us.

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Thomas and Tiffani Gagne have lived in Ferndale for seventeen years, since the last century, almost since the time that one might compare them to Ozzie & Harriet. Don’t remember Ozzie & Harriet? They were a TV family of the 1950s; nice folks, had a house in the ‘burbs and a couple sons. The comparison breaks down there — the Gagnes are actively involved in the community.

For five straight years they’ve attended every city council meeting. Their concerns have included zoning ordinances, school closings, millage proposals, and where the monies in the city budget were going. Tom expressed some of his political views in a blog as well as in local online and print media. Both Gagnes have voiced their opinions, put together and signed petitions, raised funds, and demonstrated about local issues. Tom has run for Mayor of Ferndale and, later, for a council seat. Tif is an elected member of the library board, and acting secre- tary as well as Chair of Development and Funding. They have two boys, shop and dine in town, and pretty up their home on West Woodland Avenue.

“We’re people with kids, and we pay attention to what’s going on,” says Tif. They both feel Ferndale is a great community and they like the diversity, the neighborhoods and downtown. Tif and Tom = mom and pop Ferndale. Tom has been in the software industry for decades. He’s a member of various civic groups in Ferndale and been involved with his kids in the Cub Scouts. Tif worked, since she was eighteen, for a now retired judge in Wayne County. She also used to walk around town tossing Ferndale Friends on porches, later she became the managing editor as well as circulation manager; it helped with the bills and got her more acquainted with the varied neighborhoods in town.

Tom and Tif keep abreast of local matters. Both assert they are politically conservative and both have strong opinions. It adds up to interesting discussions with other residents. Says Tif, “I’ll say, ‘shut up, idiot’ where Tom will study up on issues and use vocabulary where I don’t even know what he’s talking about.” Pose a question to them together, the answer is batted around like a ping pong ball. How is the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) funded, Photo by Michael Bugard does it come out of the city budget? “No,” says Tom, “they get a certain percentage from TIF.” Says Tif, “That’s not me Tif, that’s TIF as in Tax Incremental Funding.”

“It’s like there will be a tax millage for schools, by state law the DDAs will get a certain share. The DDA can spend it however they want even though you don’t see that mentioned on the ballot,” says Tom. “They get grants too,” says Tif. “Yes, but a lot of them are matching grants,” says Tom.

Tom reads up on issues and contacts people, making a particular point of knowing the whys and wherefores of both sides of a position. It bothers him when people don’t bother to do simple math about fiscal matters; it annoys him that many don’t bother to listen to or read about contrary viewpoints. At a city council meeting (in the mid 2000s) Tom was “so offended by the lack of intelligent discussion, I was inspired to run for office because I couldn’t believe these people were representing me.” Tom ran for mayor in the 2007 race and for a council seat in 2009; he lost both bids for election by just a couple handfuls of votes. Maybe it’s just as well; he thinks the present mayor and council are doing a pretty good job.

Tif is inclined to act from her gut. Tom says, “she has great instincts.” An example: a few years ago there was a bit of furor when handbills were put up at a number of Ferndale stores as part of targeting an issue. One owner didn’t want the handbills in his store and was picketed by an outside group. Tif heard about it, jumped in the car and stood with the owner. “I knew him,” she said. “He was my friend and I shopped there.” Tom looked into the issue and found it specious. “I couldn’t believe that no one official took a stand,” and joined his wife in the counter-protest. Tom likes to express his opinion, take a look at his blog where he enjoys backing up what he often considers a minority viewpoint in a liberal environment. He’s concerned about matters that affect his community, and doesn’t hesitate to give his point of view. “I’ve got the telephone numbers of the mayor and council members,” he says.

Tif loves it in town, her concern is for family and friends. “I go to the dentist and foot doctor here, I shop and eat here. It’s my community,” They’re in town, wearing their opinions and lives on their sleeves. Tif and Tom — mom and pop Ferndale.

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential 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 health 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 medication passes into breast milk.

Retreat inside the enchanted world of Library Bookstore, 169 W. Nine Mile, to satiate your curious mind. Friendly bells jingle a welcome as you push open the door to a space surrounded by wooden shelves on walls packed thick, full of books – real books. Thousands of books create insulation from the noise and bustle of the city outside, allowing for classical music to waft gently through a maze of colors and titles.

Despite the rising popularity of electronic reading gadgets, owner of Library Bookstore, Martha Sempliner, said there are a lot of people who want a real book in their hand. “I get a fair amount of people, whether they’re 20 or 60, who come in and say ‘I bought the Kindle, but I only use it when I go on vacation. I want the feel of a book. I like how books smell’,” said Sempliner.

Sempliner purchased the used bookstore, located between Java Hutt and Naka in the heart of Downtown Ferndale, in the mid 1980s. She attributes the store’s longevity to luck and loyal customers. “We’ve been here for a long time. We’ve had people who came in here when they were 4 and now they’re 24. They go away and they come back to the good old bookstore that they know and love,” she said. What’s the draw? It’s all there: religion, philosophy, travel, politics, music, mythology, the classics, and certainly science fiction. From Terry Pratchett to Dune, Library Bookstore offers a rather large science fiction selection – and an in house science fiction expert to boot! “Denny is a sci-fi expert. He’s read science fiction since he was a kid, so he’s a great recommender,” said Sempliner, regarding her business partner Denny Morland, who you’ll often find reading behind the register.

Morland, who’s been with the store for more than three decades, also appre- ciates the value of real books and recalls some rather unique artifacts that have graced Library with their presence. “We’ve had some very rare things in the store. We had a copy of Kerouac’s first book, The Town and The City, which is really hard to find. It was a first edition, probably worth about $1000,” he said (and somebody bought it!). “At one point we had something signed by Babe Ruth, other small paperbacks that are hard to find…” he added.

Unique paperbacks, young adult novels, and books for children are abundant at Library Bookstore. “We have a lot more kids’ books now. There’s really been a resurgence of quality in stories and in illustrators. There is a lot more out there and they’re also much more conscious,” said Sempliner. If you’re a teacher and need to stock up on kids’ books or YA novels for the classroom, LB might have what you’re looking for. Just ask Denny. “We get teachers coming in looking for multiple copies of Great Gatsby and other classics. We have a storeroom where we keep duplicates. There are teachers who come and they want 20 copies of something and sometimes we’ll have that many. People are amazed at how many books we actually have in the store,” said Morland.

Sempliner said she has a general knowledge of a fairly wide array of books, but couldn’t name a favorite. “People ask me all the time what my favorite book is, but I read the paper a lot. I try to keep up with the news. Right now it’s the newspaper. I’ve read a fair amount in my life, but these days I feel like I need to know what’s going on, because the world is so strange,” she said.

Sempliner praised Ferndale for being a community of learners who want to stay informed on news and current events. “I think there are a lot of people here who want to know things. They’re curious about the world and they want to learn. That’s based on this space here. A lot of people around here are in school or have gone to school or have gone back to school and I guess we’re kind of a peaceful place for people to come in to. I don’t think I please everybody. I’m sure that’s the case. But you do the best you can,” said Sempliner.

Walk, bike, or drive on over, grab your treasure off the shelf, open it and smell the real thing. You can’t find Library Bookstore books online, Sempliner doesn’t sell there and she doesn’t have email. Call the store at 248-545-4300 with inquiries.

If slightly happened with our health, 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 dysfunction. 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 heartiness problem such as soul trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction 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 medication passes into breast milk.

It’s been just six weeks since a small box full of books appeared on the northwest corner of Albany and Farmdale, just south of Nine Mile. Standing in the yard, just next to the sidewalk, the wooden house-shaped box is painted green, mounted on a short leg; its only identifying features are a sticker reading, “Got books? Get some. Give some,” and a Little Free Library placard marking it as an officially chartered Little Free Library.

According to the official Little Free Library website, the concept of the small community library began some time ago with Lutie Stearns. Between 1895 and 1914, she traveled in a horse drawn wagon to upwards of 1,300 locations in Wisconsin carrying small wooden libraries — small sets of shelves with glass and wood coverings over the front — and left them in post offices, stores, homes, schools, and other places for citizens who did not have access to books of their own.

Though inspired by Stearns, contemporary Little Free Libraries work on a slightly different system. Now, the Little Free Library is curated by a steward (a person who either builds or buys the library) and they place it on common or easily reachable property. After the library has been set out, community members are free to take and leave books as they like, shaping the library based on the tastes of the community. The Little Free Library is meant to be both a resource for books on a neighborhood level and a community art project of sorts — a view of what citizens are reading and enjoying and what information they feel is important to share with their neighbors.

Simone, the Ferndale resident who stewards this particular Little Free Library, says that she started the library as a gift for her five year wedding anniversary in January. “It was something I wanted and I just hadn’t had the excuse to get it yet.” She explained that the fifth anniversary is traditionally the wood anniversary and since both she, and her husband Max, are strong believers in the importance of literacy and are adamant in their love of the Ferndale community, they took up the project enthusiastically.

“The library cycles fairly regularly,” Max explained. “We had the whole Hunger Games series, kids books, even a few VHS tapes. And people stop to talk to us about it all the time.” Both Max and Simone have seen several dozen books go in and out of the library that they originally stocked from their own books. They’ve been interested to see the kind of books that appear and their two year old daughter checks every day to see what’s changed. The only book no one seems interested in, Max, a lawyer, explains, is the book about the Supreme Court that he placed in the original stack of two dozen.

Simone declined to have her picture taken with the library, insisting that the project and the library are meant to belong to the community. Both she and Max pointed out that people have spent time decorating the library with their own touches — a small pinecone, and a long piece of poster board bearing the words, “It Only Gets Better,” have been added to their paint and placement of the box. These little touches, on top of the books that have been trad- ed in and out of the library, have made for a vivid
portrait of the neighborhood that Simone and Max are so fond of. They are both transplants to Michigan and have been settled in their Ferndale home for five years after moving to the Metro Detroit area for Simone’s work as an English professor.

Simone was adamant in her support of the Ferndale Public Library that is nearby but explained that it was something special to see people stopping all the time to kneel in their yard and look through the books in the Little Free Library. They’re unconcerned about vandalism as all the books have been well taken care of and either replaced with another book or returned. The box itself has stood up to the torrential downpours of July and should stand up well to snow. And no matter the weather, their little wooden box will continue to provide joy to the entire community, one story at a time.

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Just when he needed a shot in the arm, he got two shots of whiskey. Helped just the same, though. Chris Degnore can’t think of any one moment, specifically; that moment he knew he’d be living his life for music. That “moment” could have been when he was just a child, learning guitar and jam- ming with his dad, hearing their instruments intermingling in a profound musical dialogue. It could have been the notable acclaim he’d received in his early 20s, attain- ing songwriting awards from the local ears down in Nashville, TN (nationally known as “Music City”). Or it could’ve been those two shots of whiskey that somehow turned into a fateful busking odyssey over in Ireland.

Degnore’s got an interesting story to tell, but it wouldn’t have wound its way to the release of Cinema, the debut LP by his power-pop trio The Black Drops (with bassist Joe Bagozzi and drummer John Porter), if this disarmingly generous Irish woman named Danielle O’Neal hadn’t slid him some whiskey, down the bar, a few years ago, making it up to him that day for “…sitting in my seat,” Degnore says, in what was momentarily a preferred watering hole for the 27-year-old. Because, at that point, he was almost ready to give up on music (though, much credit for getting his current musical engagements going goes to his girlfriend Delia Delise).

Anyhow, back in ‘04, the Ferndale-based songwrit- er found success down in Nashville and would eventually take his music overseas. But in ‘08, meeting O’Neal, he was starting to feel a bit drained, a bit disenchanted, ready for something else, something bigger. So this gregarious girl with the rich brogue accent, sensing that he wasn’t happy here in Detroit, called him up one day after they’d gotten to know each other, post-whiskey-shots. O’Neal, somewhat bafflingly in an almost Guardian Angel-esque whim of knocking opportunity, offered him a round-trip plane ticket and hotel room to “come play some gigs around Dublin.”

It turned out to be a motivationally rejuvenating experience for Degnore. He stayed over there for a while, spending a thrilling (and somewhat financially-suspenseful) span of months busking around pubs in Ireland, actually living off his music. He’d even rent the PAs himself, when he had to, despite having to rely entirely on Irish taxicabs for transportation. Now that’s devotion.

It reminded him that he could actually make a living off his music; that music, really, was his life. “Looking back as a kid,” Degnore said, “I’ve never been interested in sports or followed any other hobby, really. I might have lost some friends that way by maybe seeming boring, but all I’ve ever done or wanted to do was read books and write and play music.” His dad gave him the guitar while his aunt gave him the piano; meanwhile his Russian music instructor kept vociferously scolding him with his stark accent: “…to stop playing all those Beatles songs” between lessons.

He never stopped that, really. Ask him about the Beatles and his eyes light up, ready to talk for hours. But there’s also Big Star, Harry Nilsson, Cream and a many other masters of the ‘70s who redefined the traditional tropes of pop-rock. Degnore says that he, Bagozzi, and Porter each appreciate the old school styled power-pop bands who toyed-with and re-tweaked the guttural blues ballads, from dark Delta grooves to the twanging shuffles of Chicago styles; but they’re out to give these jams the sweeter (and often daz-zlingly-produced) pop styles of, inevitably, those Beatles, but also the late ‘90s Southern-styled power-pop from bands like Superdrag, too.

“We’re all each very different, musically,” Degnore says, alighting Porter growing up on a “real metal-listening diet,” while Bagozzi has a proclivity towards the shredding, punk-tinged indie-rock anti-he- roes of the early-to-mid-’90s. “But we all have this common link to the old-school power trios. I want to take that and put our stamp on it, to where every song has a great hook. How much straight-up blues can you play? We’ve all played in blues bands and it’s fun. But if we can bring that in and then add a pop sensibility, right from the start of the song, where there’s something hooky going on and in the middle there’s some- thing else interesting happening and then at the end it’s got you again — you never know…”

Tellingly, Degnore adores the dazzling in-studio feats of visionary producers like George Martin (truly “the 5th Beatle”) and Brian Wilson (who notoriously set his sights almost too high while producing his work and the work of the Beach Boys). Cinema isn’t your average pop record; it’s got grit and swagger but it’s still got a fine, fun glow to it. These are summertime jams, with rhythms as ready to shuffle as they are to start slamming, shouldered along by a soulful bass groove and crackling with the fuzzy fire of Degnore’s surprisingly expressive guitar work; as declarative as blues ballads but as freewheeling as any pop/rock paradigm.

Though the group considered their recent set during Ferndale’s leg of the Metro Times Blowout to be one of the most fun shows they’ve ever played, Degnore is always keeping his options open. A chance at Ireland may not come back, but he said if any opportunity to play music elsewhere came, he may just take it, if at all possible, (more incentive to hear and see the Black Drops while you can, we suppose). Keep your ears open, anyhow, as Degnore hopes to release an album of solo material no later than November. Expect more than your typical singer-songwritery-type fare, Degnore says. “This ain’t gonna be like James Taylor stuff.”

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On September 22nd, the AFSP will be hosting an Out of the Dark-ness Community Walk right here in Southeast Michigan, at Kensington Metropark. Ferndale resident Beth Dzierwa, a survivor herself, is hoping that other people around the community will join her in supporting this important and meaningful cause that carries with it plenty of misconceptions. “(There is a) myth that people who attempt suicide are crazy, but the fact is that no, they’re not crazy. They are in pain and probably have a chemical imbalance in their brain. Anyone can attempt suicide.” It’s a subject Beth knows about first hand.

Although suicide is something people are typically uncomfortable talking about, Beth doesn’t shy away from sharing her experiences.
“As a survivor of suicide, I made it my mission to bring the prevention and education to light,” Beth said. “I openly share my story so that others don’t feel alone in their struggle.” So when Beth’s colleague Kelly Miller, the co-chair of the Kensing- ton walk, asked Beth to contribute to the event, Dzierwa was inspired to do more than just donate. She shared her story with Miller, who lost her 13-year-old son Noah last year to suicide, and it became a bonding experience for both of them. Beth joined Kelly’s walk team, Noah’s Angels, named after her son, and together (along with other teammates) they’re more than halfway to their goal of raising $2,000. Miller and Dzierwa are working hard to not only raise money for the event, but also awareness to help prevent further tragedies, like Noah’s, in the future.

Beth believes it starts with education. Often times, people who are considering suicide are suffering silently with mental illness. “At least 90 percent of all people who died by suicide were suffering from a mental illness at the time, most often depression,” Beth points out. “Among people who are depressed, intense emo- tional states such as desperation, hopelessness, anxiety, or rage increase the risk of suicide.” Although people suffering with a mental illness may think things will never get better, Beth knows that with proper treatment, situations can drastically improve. “Mental Illness is treatable,” Beth says enthusiastically, and it starts with basic compassion and understanding from those around you. “You can make a difference. This will affect you whether it’s your loved one, a friend, a co-worker, etc. Throw away the stigma of mental illness,” she said. “Save a life.”

There are plenty of ways to join Dzierwa and Miller in the fight against suicide. You can visit the AFSP website for more information about how to get involved in their community, campus, and overnight walks. You can also use their resources to help educate yourself, and others, about how to approach the situation if you may be worried about someone at risk. Any step you can take, any small contribution you can make to help fight back against what many people are calling an epidemic, has the potential to make a huge difference in the lives of many. For more information about how to get involved, visit afsp.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 united to erectile dysfunction. 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 dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state 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.