🌱 Kik Pool Opens For 2023 Season + New Lending Hands Location

Hello all. Michelle Paul here with your Monday edition of the Kalamazoo-Portage Patch newsletter, full of everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Partly sunny and warm. High: 80 Low: 54.
• Tuesday: Partly sunny and very warm. High: 82 Low: 58.

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Here are the top three stories today in Kalamazoo-Portage:

1. Kalamazoo's Kik Pool will begin its 2023 season on Jun. 7, offering access seven days a week until Aug. 13. Residents of Kalamazoo can enjoy discounted rates on season passes and apply for financial assistance through Kalamazoo Friends of Recreation when purchasing a resident youth pass. Additionally, Aqua Fitness classes will be provided for adults aged 18 and above starting on Jun. 10, with no extra fees. (WKZO)
2. This past Saturday, Lending Hands celebrated the opening of its new facility in Portage with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house. From its humble beginnings in a garage, Lending Hands has grown to a 10,000-square-foot facility, providing a wide range of medical equipment to residents in six southwest Michigan counties. Since its inception, Lending Hands has served over 40,000 clients, saving them a total of $15 million in out-of-pocket expenses, and the organization continues to offer its services on select days each week. (WWMT-TV)
3. This past Friday, five people were injured in Kalamazoo County after two buses collided. The incident happened at Galesburg-Augusta Middle School when a school bus rear-ended another bus, where one vehicle did not yield at a sign. The five individuals who were injured in the crash were evaluated by Life Ambulance and the fire department. (WWMT-TV)

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Today and tomorrow in Kalamazoo-Portage:

Monday, May 22

• KPL Tech Days At Kalamazoo Public Library (10:00 AM)

Tuesday, May 23

• TumbleKids Open Play At Kids Gym, Inc. (10:30 AM)
• Talk Read Sing Playgroup At Kalamazoo Public Library-Oshtemo Branch (10:30 AM)
• Hip Hop With Speak It Forward Showcase At Alma Powell Branch Library (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Portage Northern High School seniors were sent off with style last week with some additional help from the drum line. Portage Public Schools congratulated the seniors for all they accomplished while being students and wished them luck in all their future endeavors. (Portage Public Schools via Facebook)
• The city of Kalamazoo is happy to begin sharing the draft design of the two-way conversion of Kalamazoo Avenue next week at Bell's. The public is invited to attend the conversation, but until then here is a series of videos about the project and the history of the street's planning. (The City of Kalamazoo, Michigan via Facebook)
• The City of Portage is inviting the community in celebrating National Public Works Week from May 21-27! The theme for this year is "Connecting the World Through Public Works;" check the link throughout the week for updates. (The City of Portage MI via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.