The Post recently traveled to Colombia with Shana Poll. While there, Shana visited the cities Guatape, Medellin, and Nuqui.

In the photo, you can see her standing among some ruins. “Hello, from Guatape, Colombia. I’m on the pool house overlooking the burned out home of Pablo Escobar,” she said. And if you look closely at the photo, you can see she is pointing at a picture of herself from her last “Post travels to” earlier this summer when she went to China.

Thank you, Shana, for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

Shana Poll, a 1994 graduate of Tri County High School, spent 16 days in China. The first 10 days she taught PE at the Zhaingjaigang Liangfeng International School, a sister school to the Rochester Hills school where she teaches PE. Then she returned to Shanghai for more sightseeing before returning home.

She is shown above at a traditional restaurant in Zhaingjaigang.

Thanks so much, Shana, for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

The Post traveled all over the world this year, including the old walled city of Lucca, in the Tuscany region of Italy, where Steve and Judy Reed visited in September. Photo by J. Reed.

It was a great year for our “Post travels to” feature in 2017. The Post traveled far and wide. It traveled as close as Traverse City, and as far away as New Zealand. Other places the Post traveled included: Weidman, Mich. to see Dr. Pol; Canada, the Danube River in Hungary and Germany; Great Britain; Peru; St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.; Beartooth Highway in Montana and Wyoming; the Bahamas; Beijing; Big Bay, Mich.; Branson, Missouri; California; China; Cozumel, Mexico; Disney World; the Dominican Republic; Los Angeles; Fort Myers; Hawaii; Italy; Kentucky, Ohio; Shipshewana; and Spain.

We have run out of Post travel photos, so if you have one, please send it in! (See details in other Post travels story on this page.)

From October 4-13, The Post traveled with the Bauer family and others to China. “We were in Shanghai and Beijing on a business trip,” explained Tim. “While in Beijing we visited Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, along with The Great Wall and The Temple of Heaven. This picture was taken in front of the wall that surrounds the Forbidden City, which was the emperor’s palace.”

Pictured from left to right is Tim Bauer, Shelley Bauer, Ana Bauer, Melissa (Bauer) Dykman, and Randy Badge. 

Thanks so much for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

J-Star‘s new facility will manufacture linear motion and lifting systems for the office furniture industry.

J-Star Motion Corp. adding 122 jobs; investing $4.9m in manufacturing facility

On Wednesday, August 30, The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), announced a local Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by Chinese furniture component manufacturer Jiecang Linear Motion Technology Co., Ltd. The company, operating in the United States as J-Star Motion Corporation, will establish a new manufacturing facility at an existing location in Cedar Springs, Michigan. The company intends to hire 122 employees and invest $4.9 million.

The company recently opened office and warehouse facilities at 83 South Main Street, Kent City, and with a new available site, is adding manufacturing operations at 500 West Street, in Cedar Springs (in what was the Wolverine building). The company will inhabit the north side of the building. Display Pack is located on the south side.

The new facility will support J-Star’s American business growth, which centers on making linear motion and lifting systems for the office furniture industry.

The MEDC is supporting the expansion effort with the approval of a $738,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

“Securing this new Chinese Foreign Direct Investment is significant for our region,” said Birgit Klohs, President & CEO, The Right Place, Inc. “The investment reaffirms that West Michigan is a global destination for international investment and business expansion.”

J-Star has maintained a small presence in the country since 2014 when it opened warehouse and administrative offices in Southern California, which is still serves as its American headquarters.

Parent company Jiecang Linear Motion Technology Co., Ltd was established in 2000 in Xinchang, China as an original equipment manufacturer of linear actuators and lifting columns. Due to the company’s high standards, its products quickly became globally respected for use in medical and home care equipment. With an annual production capacity of 600,000 actuators – lifting columns and 200,000 control boxes, Jiecang has become a leading supplier for companies around the world.

The company had considered expanding closer to its California base, but The Right Place was able to build a business case and convince J-Star leaders that the region’s historically-significant furniture manufacturing roots were worth exploring.

“West Michigan was identified as an excellent location due to the proximity to many of the leading office furniture manufacturers and the skilled manufacturing talent available in this area,” said Michael Fedrigo, General Manager, J-Star Motion Corporation. “The support available through The Right Place and the MEDC was a significant factor in their final site selection.”

J-Star is in the process of building its team and hopes to begin local production by mid-2018.

The Right Place, Inc., is a regional nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1985 and supported through investments from the private and public sector. Its mission is to promote economic growth in the areas of quality employment, productivity, and technology in West Michigan by developing jobs through leading business retention, expansion and attraction efforts.

The Post traveled on a special adventure in January with Kelly Tompkins, of Solon Township, and her mom, Jan Brower. The two went to China to finalize the adoption of Kelly’s son, Jase. Here they are shown at their hotel in Zhengzhou, China.

What a cutie Jase is! Congratulations to Kelly and her family, and thank you for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

Almost 70 Chinese high school students visited Cedar Springs last summer and took a little bit of Red Flannel Town home with them.

Tim and Shelley Bauer, directors of Network 153, a local nonprofit organization, teamed up with Pine Ridge Bible Camp for the third summer in a row, worked with Lu He Cultural Training Center in Beijing to bring the students here for a three-week English immersion program. They spent two weeks with host families and one week having fun at camp.

When the students left, they each took a copy of the Post back to Beijing, and took a group photo.

Thanks so much to the Chinese students for visiting, and then taking us home with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

These Chinese students spent three weeks in Cedar Springs this summer.

Almost 70 high school students from China have made an impact on Cedar Springs over the last few weeks, and will also take a little bit of Red Flannel town with them.

Tim and Shelley Bauer, directors of Network 153, a local nonprofit organization, teamed up with Pine Ridge Bible Camp for the third summer in a row, in order to work together with Lu He Cultural Training Center in Beijing to bring the students here.

Chinese students learned about some of America’s founding fathers in their ESL class this summer.

The Chinese students are here for a three-week English Immersion program. They spend two weeks in local host families, and one week at camp. While here, they participated in twelve hours of ESL classes under the theme of “All men are created equal,” as well as visiting some of our local attractions. Not only were there guest appearances from famous Americans in their ESL classes such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, a pilgrim, and Paul Revere, but they also learned of our struggles as a nation with racism and prejudice. An African American, and a Native American Indian speaker also shared their cultural difficulties within our land. Whether Chinese or American, it was very moving for all who heard them share their hearts.

The students cleaned the Kent Theatre as part of a community service project.

The students also did a thorough cleaning of the Kent Theater in Cedar Springs, as part of a community service project.

The students’ final week is spent having fun at Pine Ridge Bible Camp August 1-6. When they leave, they hope to take some copies of the Cedar Springs Post back with them to Beijing.

The Bauers and Pine Ridge Camp are grateful for this exciting relationship with those from the other side of the world. They hope to visit Lu He next year in Beijing for their 150th anniversary. The school was founded in 1867 by American Christian missionaries, and many of the buildings on campus have American names after those who first began their school. It is a growing relationship that the Bauers pray blesses both countries.

Kaleigh Vanderlip, of Coral, Michigan, traveled with a Post to Yantai, China, in May, as part of Montcalm Community College’s study abroad program. Three teachers and nine students, including Vanderlip, went to China for a week. They also spent one night in South Korea.

“While in China, we learned about their culture and we even got to do group presentations with some of the Chinese students,” she explained. “We did some traveling as well, and saw some amazingly beautiful sights.” She said the picture was taken from her dorm room at the Shandong Institute of Business and Technology.

Vanderlip, who graduated from New Beginnings High School in 2008, graduated from MCC this year with an Associates Degree in Liberal Studies.

Thanks, Kaleigh, for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

Recently the Post traveled to Tianjin China, with Thomas Waite, a 2013 graduate of Cedar Springs High School. Thomas and the Harvard Polo Team played in the Metropolitan Intervarsity Polo Tournament against Yale, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge and London U. The trip also included cultural exchange forums, tours and youth polo coaching sessions.

Thank you, Thomas, for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

Learn how you can immerse yourself in the rich culture of China and discover this country of more than one billion people during Montcalm Community College’s eight-day study abroad trip from June 20-28, 2013. In partnership with EF Educational Tours, MCC offers this trip to its students as well as community members not enrolled at MCC. An informational meeting is April 10 at noon in room D308 in MCC’s Beatrice E. Doser Building in Sidney. The trip is led by MCC Performing Arts Coordinator Val Vander Mark and MCC Psychology Instructor Jessica Snyder. Contact Vander Mark at valv@montcalm.edu or 989-328-1218, or Snyder at jessicas@montcalm.edu or 989-328-1229 or visit www.montcalm.edu/studyabroad.aspx for more information.

Submitted by Shellie Bauer

On Monday, July 11, 24 students and two chaperones arrived in Cedar Springs from the city of Chongqing, China for a two-week cultural exchange.

The city of Chongqing is situated in the southern part of China and has over 30,000,000 people. They were amazed at our small town.

The two weeks consisted of English class in the morning, followed by activities in the afternoon. The students all stayed with host families that were from Cedar Springs and the surrounding area. Many students shared that they attended middle school five days a week, for 10 hours each day, so they really enjoyed the interaction they had with their host family and with each other. China has a “one child” policy so they also enjoyed having siblings.

The students commented on the friendliness of the people and were amazed at the smiling faces they saw. Many people asked them where they were from.

The activities included Mac Dune Rides, a trip to Country Dairy (which some will not forget), shopping, a White Caps baseball game, several picnics, a sports day with a brief golf lesson at Cedar Chase, a scavenger hunt, and a family softball game.

Families and students shared with the group the fun they had together in the short time they were in Cedar Springs. Many of us hate to see them leave. We know we may never see them again. We’re reminded of the quote that says, “You can meet people who forget you. You forget people you meet. But sometimes those people you can’t forget. Those are your friends.”

Our lives have become richer because of our friends from the other side of the world!