Township sets indoor winter parks programs

The Laketown Township Parks and Recreation Commission is bringing its community programs indoors for the first time with free winter classes at the Felt Estate.

A CPR class is Jan. 25, 2025, and mushroom identification is Feb. 22 in the third-floor ballroom at the Felt Mansion, 6597 138^th Ave. A presentation on invasive species is March 29 in the Carriage House at the estate.

An April program on butterfly gardens is pending.

Collaboration

The idea of winter events at the Felt Estate first came up in October after the executive director of the Felt Estate gave a presentation a month earlier and asked how the parks commission and Felt Estate could further collaborate.

The parks commission already sponsors Winterfest at the mansion.

“We hope you will take advantage of these programs and look forward to your suggestions for more educational opportunities,” said Mary Jo Bertolino, parks commissioner who organized the new winter events.

The parks commission sponsors outdoor recreation programs with the Outdoor Discovery Center throughout the year. Those events include hikes in township parks, frog catching, an owl prowl and kayaking.

Winter programs

The new free winter programs are:

Saturday, Jan. 25, 1 p.m. Felt Mansion ballroom: Hands-Only CPR with Graafschap Fire Department.

About 75 to 80 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home, so being trained to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation can mean the difference between life and death. Space is limited to 25 so contact Parks@laketowntwp.org to hold your spot.

This CPR class is an expansion 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 at the station.

The ballroom is only accessible by stairs.

Saturday, Feb. 22, 1 p.m. Felt Mansion ballroom: Wild Mushroom Identification by Chris Swinson of Mycophile’s Garden, 720 Curve St., 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. The class will discuss the physical features of mushrooms and terminology, and where and when to find different species.

The ballroom is only accessible by stairs.

Saturday, March 29, 10 a.m. Carriage House: Join West Michigan CISMA and the Allegan Conservation District 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. Presentation by Allegan Conservation District, Murielle Garbarino, Invasive Species Management Area Coordinator, and Jason Cass, Conservation Technician.

The West Michigan Conservation Network, formerly the West Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA), covers Allegan, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa counties. This organization is a volunteer organization composed of environmental groups, governmental organizations, nonprofit organizations, and private residents all working to address invasive species on a local scale. The goal of this group is to provide outreach on invasive species and their impacts as well conducting invasive species management on both public and private land.

About the mansion

The Felt Estate is next to Shore Acres Park in Laketown Township.

The Carriage House was built in 1917, and the mansion was finished in 1928.

Construction of the mansion began in 1925 by Dorr E. Felt, inventor of the Comptometer, the first machine that could do all four functions — add, subtract, multiply and divide.

Felt’s wife Agnes died in 1928. Dorr died a year-and-a-half later.

After his death, the estate became a seminary for the Augustinian order then a state prison and Michigan State Police post before the property was purchased by Laketown Township.

The mansion has been restored and is a top wedding and event destination.