First indoor parks program teaches CPR

Graafschap Fire Department Captain, Training & Health/Safety Dave Grumney instructs Deb Kryger, left, and Leigh VanDussen, right, on proper CPR techniques at the Felt Mansion on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025.

The shouts of “Call 911!” echoed through the third-floor ballroom of the Felt Mansion on Saturday afternoon, January 25, 2025, as community members learned hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the first indoor winter parks program in Laketown Township.

The next free event is mushroom identification on February 22.

Mary Jo Bertolino, center, of the Laketown Township Parks and Recreation Commission, works with Deb Kryger, left, and Leigh VanDussen, right, on CPR procedures at the Felt Mansion on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025.

CPR training

Each participant in Saturday’s CPR program was able to recognize when a person needed assistance, how to get help through 911 and how to administer CPR, said Mary Jo Bertolino of the Laketown Township Parks and Recreation Commission who organized the class.

“They learned how to be assertive in a situation that requires taking control and stepping in to help someone in distress,” she said.

The class also included hands-on training with an automated external defibrillator – an AED.

The eight participants were led by Graafschap Fire Department Captain, Training & Health/Safety Dave Grumney and Firefighter Zoann Hallam. The class is part of the fire department’s Community Risk Reduction program which includes weekly blood pressure screenings at the fire station, home safety inspections, rental inspections, and Red Cross blood drives.

Graafschap Fire Department Captain, Training & Health/Safety Dave Grumney works with participants at a class on proper CPR techniques at the Felt Mansion on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025.

More parks programs

Other upcoming free programs at the Felt Estate, 6597 138^th Ave., sponsored by the parks commission include:

Saturday, February 22, 1 p.m. Felt Mansion ballroom: Wild Mushroom Identification by Chris Swinson of Mycophile’s Garden in Grand Rapids. This introductory class will focus on providing participants with the best resources for learning to identify both edible and toxic wild mushrooms that grow in Michigan. No registration is required. The ballroom is only accessible by stairs.

Saturday, March 29, 10 a.m. Carriage House: Join experts to learn how to identify and manage common woody invasive species and explore the impacts of the forest pest hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) on West Michigan. No registration is required.

An April program on butterfly gardens is pending.

Where it began

The idea of winter events at the Felt Estate first came up in October after the executive director of the estate asked how the parks commission and historic site could further collaborate.

The parks commission already sponsors Winterfest at the mansion and outdoor recreation programs with the Outdoor Discovery Center throughout the year.

The Felt Estate, 6597 138^th Ave., is next to Shore Acres Park in Laketown Township. The 1920s mansion has been restored and is a top wedding and event destination. For more information about the Felt Estate, visit here.

Graafschap Fire Department responds to fire, medical and other emergency situations in all of Laketown Township and part of Fillmore Township, and assists other agencies as needed. For more about the department and its programs, visit graafschapfire.com.

For more information on Laketown Township parks, visit here.