Wednesday, October 3, 2012, 9:00PM:  Wholesale prices have been falling in the Midwest the past few days, finally catching up to falling prices elsewhere, including oil prices.  As of tonight, Grand Rapids retailers are paying $3.60 a gallon, I estimate, which gives us room to $3.50 before we get a hike.  Since  the cheapest in town is $3.67, expect prices to continue falling, at least until Monday. — Ed A.

Food prices are compelling simply because so much of the family budget goes to paying for food.  Most consumers became aware of the fact when gas prices skyrocketed last year and there was less change in the purse to buy other stuff, like bread and milk.  I looked at my own personal budget and found my yearly bill for food was exceeding $11,000 a year!

Until now, I paid no attention to food prices.  Sure, I noticed when things went on sale, and I’d stock up.   If I saw the same item elsewhere for 30 or 40 cents less, it didn’t really bother me.  Time and convenience were more important.  I shopped in places where I could get in and out quickly.  I also liked the little services,  like someone carrying my bags to the car.

But then retirement funds plunged and more friends of mine were losing jobs.  I decided it was time to pay attention to food price and so I’ve been on a mission.  My goal is to trim at least $2000 off my food bill this year and if the surveys we presented mean anything, it is possible to do that.

Tonight, you will see how the lowest priced grocer we found is nearly 48 percent lower than the highest priced grocer in our survey.   On my grocery bill, that’s a savings of nearly $5000 a year.   But like everything in life, there is trade-off.  There are some brands I simply cannot give up.  The deep discounters don’t carry everything I need or want, so then I have to evaluate the loss in time I’ll suffer going from store to store.

I think it’s worthwhile to pay at least one visit to the deep-discounters, just to see what you don’t get that you’re really paying for everywhere else (someone has to be paid to collect your cart in the parking lot!)

I see this pattern on a daily basis with the clients I see. If we focus on the negative, focus on the anxiety, focus on what is going wrong, this only serves to constrain our perspective and we begin to only see what’s going wrong in our part of the world.

Take some time with me today, this week, and this weekend to step back from what is normal and focus on the warm weather, time with friends, laughter with family, and getting outside and enjoying the spring breeze.

Ryan LaRue
9090 S. Rodgers ct.
Caledonia, MI 49316
616-891-8770
ryan.larue@pinerest.org

Last week, the stock market, as measured by the S&P 500 index, staged its third-largest weekly gain since World War II, according to Reuters. The gain was partially attributed to the following good news:

·         Banking behemoths Citigroup, Bank of America Corp., and JPMorgan Chase & Co., all announced that they were profitable in the first two months of 2009, excluding one-time charges. Shares of Citigroup and Bank of America Corp. responded by rising 73% and 83% respectively for the week, according to Associated Press.

·         General Motors said it wouldn’t need the latest $2 billion installment of bailout money because its cost-cutting plan was taking hold, according to Associated Press.

·         The widely watched Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment poll ticked up slightly in early March, according to MarketWatch.

·         The Commerce Department reported that February retail sales were not as bad as economists feared and the January numbers were revised substantially upward.

·         General Electric received a credit rating cut last Thursday, but it was not as deep as some expected and the stock rose 13% that day, according to The Wall Street Journal.

·         A number of well-known market analysts, who had previously been stock market bears, adopted a more bullish posture last week. This list included Doug Kass, Marc Faber, Steve Leuthold, and Barry Ritholtz, according to Yahoo! Finance.

·         Prices for copper and scrap steel have risen recently, which suggests there’s demand from manufacturers, according to The Wall Street Journal.

·         Oil prices are up 23% in the last four weeks on signs that demand may be firming, according to The Wall Street Journal.

So, if you look hard enough, you can find reasons for optimism even amidst the despair. We’ll be watching for more clues this week to see if this is just a blip or the start of something big. Let’s hope for the latter.

Sources: Yahoo! Finance, Barron’s. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.  Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. Three-, Five-, and 10-year returns are annualized.  Assumes dividends are not reinvested.

 HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN a bear market rally and the start of a new bull market? Last week’s huge 10% rally still left the S&P 500 index slightly more than 50% below its October 2007 all-time high. Can we confidently say that we’re now off to the races and we’ll start reeling in that 50% decline?

 Reasonable people can certainly disagree on whether last week’s move is a head fake or the real deal. Let’s look at some history to see if it will help us reach a conclusion. Comparisons to the Great Depression seem to abound these days so let’s start there and see if there were any head fakes. All data comes from Bespoke Investment Group.

 The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a peak of 381 on September 3, 1929. Few people had any idea what was to unfold next. Just 71 days later, the Dow had plummeted 48% and the stock market crash was in full swing. However, the Dow then turned around and by April 17, 1930, it had soared 48%. Case closed – we’re now in a new bull market – right? Not quite.

 By December 16, 1930, the Dow turned around again and dropped 46%. But wait, just 70 days later, the Dow was up 23%. Hold on, 98 days later, it was down 37%. But don’t despair, 31 days later it was up 28%. Dizzy yet? Ninety-four days later, it was down 44%. We’re far from done, though. Just 35 days later, the Dow was up 35%. And 57 days after that, it was down 39%. No need to worry, though, because 63 days later, it was up 25%. Oops, 122 days later, it was down a whopping 54%. Then we received a huge turnaround. Just 61 days later, the Dow was up 94%. At this point, it’s now September 7, 1932, and after all these pops and drops, the Dow is down 79% from its September 3, 1929, all-time high. To prevent boring you with more numbers, over the next two years, the Dow experienced five more swings of 20% or more. Whew!

 As you may have concluded from just looking at the large number of 20% moves up and down during the Great Depression, there were many head fakes interspersed with substantial rallies.

So, back to the question at hand, how do you determine the difference between a bear market rally and the start of a new bull market? Answer: you can’t in real-time; instead, you have to wait until substantial time has passed and you can place the market’s moves in historical context. Our job, then, is to take what the market offers us and do the best we can with it.

Rinvelt & David, LLC

Securities and Advisory Services offered through Mutual Service Corporation.  Mutual Service Corporation and LPL Financial are afiliated companies and are members of FINRA/SIPC.  Rinvelt & David, LLC is not affiliated with Mutual Service Corporation or LPL Financial.

Pine Rest and Metro Health are having a Spring Speaking Series in Caledonia, just one mile south of 84th street on M-37.

Understanding ADD/ADHD, presented by Dr. Grey Larison, Ph.D. will be presenting on Tuesday, March 24, from 6pm – 7:30pm

No fee and No reservations required.

Location: Metro Health – Caledonia, 8941 N. Rodgers Ct., Caledonia, 49316

For more information or if you have questions call 616-891-9770

Ryan LaRue LMSW, ACSW
Caledonia/Hastings/Lake Odessa Clinic Manager
Outpatient Therapist
9090 S. Rodgers Ct. SE, Suite D
Caledonia, MI  49316
616-891-8770
Fax: 616-891-3504
ryan.larue@pinerest.org

Broussard says, People aren’t discussing finances. Money is such a taboo subject. People associate bad things with money. If you’re in a serious relationship, talk about this. If you don’t, it will cause a huge gap.”

Bonnie Fitch, an attorney from Houston, TX, who is a former associate municipal court judge, says money may be the leading cause of divorce because some couples do not unite and work together when it comes to handling their household finances.

The unequal division of money causes problems because control isn’t equal. One person will have control and more money than the other. If one person is mismanaging funds, the strain comes when it doesn’t benefit the other party. It puts a strain on who will be the person to handle the finances,” asserts Fitch, who is sole practitioner of her own firm.

One thing that I definitely know is true is when the economy is struggling and when it is doing well, married couples do not like to talk about money and even when they do they are usually pretty poor at navigating the subject without significant emotional outbursts. A lot of this has to do with how we are raised, sometimes it’s because we don’t know how to communicate on tense topics, often it’s a variety of factors. In any case, learning to talk about money, setting a budget, and trying to follow it are key elements to finding financial and marital peace.

Ryan LaRue LMSW, ACSW
Caledonia/Hastings/Lake Odessa Clinic Manager
Outpatient Therapist
9090 S. Rodgers Ct. SE, Suite D
Caledonia, MI  49316
616-891-8770
Fax: 616-891-3504
ryan.larue@pinerest.org

In general
A withdrawal from an IRA is generally referred to as a distribution. If you receive a distribution from your traditional IRA before you reach the age of 59½, the federal government considers this a premature distribution. Like all distributions from traditional IRAs, premature distributions are generally taxable. You will pay federal (and possibly state) income tax on the portion of the distribution that represents tax-deductible contributions, any pre-tax funds that were rolled over into the IRA from an employer-sponsored retirement plan, and investment earnings. In addition to regular income tax, distributions taken prior to age 59½ may be subject to a 10 percent federal penalty tax (and possibly a state penalty) on the taxable portion of the distribution. You can avoid this federal penalty (known as the premature distribution tax) only if you are age 59½ or older at the time of the distribution, or if you meet one of the exceptions allowed by the IRS (see below).

You’re probably wondering why your age at the time of distribution should matter and possibly result in a penalty on the distribution. The purpose of IRAs and retirement plans is to provide income to help fund your retirement years, and the federal government wants to make sure you use the money for that purpose. To accomplish this goal, the government imposes a penalty tax on taxable distributions taken before age 59½. The penalty tax encourages you (and other IRA owners and plan participants) to leave your money in the IRA or plan until that age or later. This, in turn, reduces the risk that you will deplete your funds prematurely and run out of money at some point in retirement. The assumption is that by the time you reach age 59½, you are either already retired or near retirement and can safely begin using your retirement money.

Caution: This discussion pertains primarily to distributions from traditional IRAs. Qualified distributions from Roth IRAs are tax-free. Even Roth IRA distributions that don’t qualify for tax-free treatment are tax free to the extent of your own contributions to the Roth IRA. Only after you’ve recovered all of your contributions are distributions considered to consist of taxable earnings. Further, special rules apply to distributions taken from Roth IRAs that have funds rolled over or converted from traditional IRAs.
Caution: Special rules apply to distributions to qualified individuals impacted by certain natural disasters and to qualified reservist distributions.

Example showing the effects of tax and penalties:
Income taxes on IRA and retirement plan distributions can really add up. When a distribution is also subject to the 10 percent federal penalty, the portion of the distribution that goes into your pocket obviously dwindles even further. To illustrate the possible effect of taking a distribution before age 59½, consider the following scenario.

Example(s): Joe retired on his 59th birthday. On that day, he withdrew the entire balance in his traditional IRA valued at $100,000. The entire distribution was taxable. Because Joe also had considerable income from working that year, the IRA distribution was taxed in the maximum 35 percent federal income tax bracket. That came to $35,000 in federal income tax (assuming no other variables). Joe was in the 9.3 percent state income tax bracket, so that meant another $9,300 in state income tax. Since Joe was under age 59½ and no exception to the premature distribution tax applied to him, he had to pay $10,000 in federal penalties (the 10 percent federal penalty tax), plus another $2,500 in state penalties (due to a 2.5 percent state penalty). He ended up paying $56,800 in taxes and penalties, leaving only $43,200 for his own use.

If Joe had waited until he was 59½ or older to take his distribution, he would have avoided the federal and state penalties and saved $12,500. Also, if he had waited two months until the next year (when he had no taxable income from working), the distribution might have been taxed in a lower income tax bracket. It would definitely have paid for Joe to get tax advice before taking that distribution from his traditional IRA.

Of course, if Joe had ever made any nondeductible contributions to his traditional IRA, the portion of his distribution that represented nondeductible contributions would not have been taxable because those contributions had already been subject to tax. That portion of his distribution would not have been subject to the 10 percent federal penalty either, since the penalty applies only to the taxable portion of a premature distribution.

If you are close to age 59½ and wish to take a distribution from your traditional IRA, check the calendar carefully to avoid a potentially costly mistake.
Exceptions to the premature distribution tax

Remember, only the taxable portion of a premature distribution is subject to the 10 percent federal penalty. This means that if you ever made any nondeductible (after-tax) contributions to your traditional IRA, a portion of your distribution may not be subject to tax or penalty. In addition, the IRS grants certain exceptions to the 10 percent federal penalty on distributions taken before age 59½. Premature distributions taken from a traditional IRA under the following circumstances will not be subject to the penalty:

• Your beneficiary (or estate) is receiving the funds after your death, regardless of your beneficiary’s age or your age at the time of your death
• You are receiving the funds due to your qualifying disability (IRS definition of disability must be met)
• You are taking the distributions under one of the three annuity formulas approved by the IRS (often referred to as substantially equal periodic payments)
• You are paying unreimbursed medical expenses in excess of 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI) for the year
• You are paying health insurance premiums for you, your spouse, or your dependents during a year in which you collected unemployment benefits for more than 12 consecutive weeks
• You make a qualifying, nontaxable rollover (or direct transfer)
• You are using the funds for the qualified higher education expenses of yourself, your spouse, your children, your spouse’s children, your grandchildren, or your spouse’s grandchildren
• You are using the funds to pay the first-time homebuyer expenses of yourself, your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, or an ancestor of your spouse or you ($10,000 lifetime limit)
• The IRS is levying on your IRA to cover your unpaid federal income tax liability
• Your distribution is a qualified reservist distribution

Some of the above exceptions may need further explanation. You should also consult a tax advisor regarding your situation to make sure which exceptions (if any) you qualify for. F inally, if you participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, be aware that different exceptions to the premature distribution tax may apply.

How do you pay the premature distribution tax?

The 10 percent federal penalty on premature distributions is reported and paid on your federal income tax return for the year in which you received the distribution. You must complete and attach Form 5329, titled Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans (including IRAs) and Other Tax-Favored Accounts. If you receive a premature distribution but qualify for one of the exceptions described above, see Form 5329 for instructions.

Should you take distributions from your traditional IRA before age 59½?

You are allowed to take distributions from your traditional IRA whenever you like and in any amount you choose. That does not mean, however, that you should take distributions. As a general rule, it is not advisable to take distributions from a traditional IRA before age 59½ (or for that matter, at any age prior to your retirement). First, as illustrated above, the portion of the distribution that goes to the federal government for taxes can be substantial–not to mention state taxes and penalties. This is especially true if the entire distribution will be taxable, and if none of the exceptions to the premature distribution tax apply to you.

In addition, even if all or some of the distribution will not be taxed or penalized, taking IRA distributions before age 59½ is still generally not wise. By dipping into your IRA funds at a relatively young age, you run the risk of depleting those funds sooner than you had anticipated. This could jeopardize your retirement goals and financial security later in life. Funds removed from an IRA may also be missing out on several years or more of potential tax-deferred growth, depending on investment performance.

However, the decision of whether to tap into your IRA nest egg ultimately depends on your individual circumstances. Perhaps you have urgent expenses, and withdrawing from your IRA is the only way you can pay them. It is also possible that you have accumulated large balances in your IRAs and other retirement accounts, so that withdrawing from your IRAs now will not pose a risk to your future financial security. In these cases, taking distributions before age 59½ is not necessarily ill-advised. Whatever your situation, though, you should consult a tax professional before taking a distribution.
IRA rollovers

In general, a rollover is the movement of funds from one retirement savings vehicle to another–in this case, from one traditional IRA to another. Rollovers are treated separately from contributions; you are still allowed to make your regular IRA contribution in a year when you have a rollover transaction. There are no age restrictions regarding rollovers, but there are other specific rules that must be followed. For example, a rollover generally must be completed within 60 days of the date the funds are released from the distributing account. If properly completed, rollovers are not subject to income tax or the premature distribution tax. There are two possible ways that IRA funds can be rolled over.

Tip: You can roll over funds from a traditional IRA to another traditional IRA or you can rollover funds from a Roth IRA to another Roth IRA. Special rules apply to converting or rolling over funds from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. See “Converting or rolling over traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs,” below. You may also be able to roll over taxable funds from an IRA to an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

You receive the funds and reinvest them

With this method, you actually receive a distribution from your traditional IRA. To complete the rollover transaction, you make a deposit into the IRA that you want to receive the funds. You are allowed to do this only once in a 12-month period. If you receive a second distribution from the same IRA within a 12-month period, you cannot roll it over (you also can’t make a rollover from the IRA you roll the funds into for 12 months). Also, you must deposit the full amount distributed to you within the allowable 60-day period. If you fail to complete the rollover or miss the 60-day deadline, all or part of your distribution will be subject to income tax and possibly the premature distribution tax.

Example(s):

On January 2, you withdraw your IRA funds from a maturing bank CD. The bank cuts a check payable to you for the full balance of the account (assuming you opt for no income tax withholding). You plan to move the funds into an IRA account at a competing bank. Fifteen days later, you go to the new bank and deposit the full amount of your IRA distribution into your new rollover IRA. Your rollover is complete.
Now assume the same scenario as above, except that when you receive your check from the first bank, you cash the check and lend the money to your brother, who promises to repay you in 30 days. As it turns out, he doesn’t repay the loan until March 5 (the 62nd day after your distribution). You deposit the full sum into the IRA account at the new bank. However, because you didn’t complete your rollover within 60 days, the January 2 distribution will be taxable (excluding any nondeductible contributions, as described above) and possibly subject to the premature distribution tax.
When you take a distribution from your traditional IRA, your IRA trustee or custodian will generally withhold 10 percent for federal income tax (and possibly additional amounts for state tax and penalties) unless you instruct them not to. If tax is withheld and you then wish to roll over the distribution, you have to make up the amount withheld out of your own pocket. Otherwise, the rollover is not considered complete, and the shortfall is treated as a taxable distribution. The best way to avoid this outcome is to instruct your IRA trustee or custodian not to withhold any tax. Unlike distributions from qualified plans, IRA distributions are not subject to a mandatory withholding requirement.

Example(s):

You take a $1,000 distribution (all of which would be taxable) from your traditional IRA that you want to roll over into a new IRA. You fail to tell your IRA trustee not to withhold any tax, so $100 is withheld for federal income tax and you actually receive only $900. If you roll over only the $900, you are treated as having received a $100 taxable distribution. To roll over the entire $1,000, you will have to deposit in the new IRA the $900 that you actually received, plus an additional $100. (The $100 withheld will be claimed as part of your credit for federal income tax withheld on your federal income tax return.)
Tip: The IRS can extend the 60-day period, in limited circumstances, when the failure to timely complete the rollover is not the taxpayer’s fault.

Trustee-to-trustee transfer
The second type of rollover transaction occurs directly between the trustee or custodian of your old traditional IRA, and the trustee or custodian of your new traditional IRA. You never actually receive the funds or have control of them, so a trustee-to-trustee transfer is not treated as a distribution (and therefore, the issue of tax withholding does not apply). Trustee-to-trustee transfers avoid the danger of missing the 60-day deadline, and are not subject to the “once per 12 month” limitation.

Example(s):

You have a traditional IRA invested in a bank CD with a maturity date of January 2. In December, you provide your bank with instructions to close your CD on the maturity date and transfer the funds to another bank that is paying a higher CD rate. On January 2, your bank issues a check payable to the new bank (as trustee for your IRA) and sends it to the new bank. The new bank deposits the IRA check into your new CD account, and your trustee-to-trustee transfer is complete.
This is generally the safest, most efficient way to move IRA funds. Taking a distribution yourself and rolling it over only makes sense if you need to use the funds temporarily, and are certain you can roll over the full amount within 60 days.

Converting or rolling over traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs

Have you done a comparison and decided that a Roth IRA is a better savings tool for you than a traditional IRA? If so, you may be able to convert or roll over an existing traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. However, be aware that you will have to pay income tax on all or part of the traditional IRA funds that you move to a Roth IRA. It is important to weigh these tax consequences against the perceived advantages of the Roth IRA. This is a complicated decision, so be sure to seek professional assistance.

Tip:When you convert or roll over a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA prior to age 59½, the taxable portion of the funds is not subject to the premature distribution tax. However, special rules may apply if you withdraw from the Roth IRA within five years of the conversion or rollover. For more information, consult a tax advisor.

This material does not constitute tax, legal or accounting advice, and neither Rinvelt & David, LLC, Mutual Service Corp. or LPL Financial are in the business of offering such advice.  Any person interested in these transactions or topics should seek advice based on his or her particular circumstances from independent professional advisors.

Roger J. David

Rinvelt & David, LLC

Securities and Advisory Services offered through Mutual Service Corporation.  Mutual Service Corporation and LPL Financial are afiliated companies and are members of FINRA/SIPC.  Rinvelt & David, LLC is not affiliated with Mutual Service Corporation or LPL Financial.

Prepared by Forefield Inc. Copyright 2009 Forefield Inc.

1. Sleep and mood are intimately related. Keep a regular schedule and get adequate rest.
2. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants. Although they give temporary energy, they can deplete your serotonin levels in the long-run.
3. Take a multi-vitamin regularly if you do not eat well. Several vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to depression symptoms.
4. For mild to moderate depression, some find that St. John’s Wort, SAMe or 5-HTP can be helpful and may have fewer side-effects. These remedies cost less than prescription medications and help put you in control of your own treatment.
5. Get in touch with your spiritual side through prayer or meditation.
6. Get more exercise. This doesn’t mean you have to start up a vigorous daily workout. Even a walk around the block can be energizing.
7. Avoid excess alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a depressant and toxic to your body as well.
8. Eat a well-balanced diet.
9. Your thoughts have a direct bearing on your mood. Learning about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help you stop the negative thoughts that bring you down.
10. Stress can be physically draining. Learn to control your stress levels through time management, meditation, biofeedback training, etc.
11. Combat feelings of loneliness by reaching out to others who are less fortunate

Source used was http://depression.about.com/cs/altmedsjw/ht/Naturally.htm

Ryan LaRue MSW
Caledonia/Hastings/Lake Odessa Clinic Manager
Outpatient Therapist
9090 S. Rodgers Ct. SE, Suite D
Caledonia, MI
616-891-8770
ryan.larue@pinerest.org

The experience of applying for jobs at an organization’s website can be very similar to a job fair, for  websites are but electronic means for collecting and managing data coming through a skill-set “supply pipeline” (a term increasingly being used by the Electronic Recruiting industry) versus the humaneness of an encounter with a recruiter.  (Yes, I realize that it is humanly impossible to response to every inquiry.)   Making matters seem even worse, there are consistent disheartening reports of 100’s of people applying for a single position posted in newspapers and on the Internet; we can spam every recruiter’s email inbox with ease now in just minutes, or fill an employer’s database with applications.  We often believe technology is the answer; it isn’t.

Job searchers are increasingly being treated as objects, sets of data, and not like people with roots, families, and contributions to make to our community.  Even senior managers and executives have been heard recently complaining that they cannot find the talent locally; they seem to be communicating to those looking for new work that they have no interest in committing time and money to the process of finding the people with transferable skills and training them, especially those in the community age 40+.  They’d rather let someone else incur that expense, including the state.

Only recently have faith communities seem awakened from a deep sleep to begin helping those out of work, even though their offering plates and ministry have for some time been adversely impacted by decreasing financial support and time available for volunteering from the very members now preoccupied with searching for work.

Finding work where you live in a competitive marketplace takes great persistence, common sense, and the use of one’s analytical, research, and communication skills as well as support and encouragement from family, friends and neighbors.  It’s time for additional approaches using volunteers and funded locally to assist our citizens in weathering the employment crisis and help West Michigan workers re-invent themselves.   Here’s a few:
• Kent District Library, through its Kentwood Branch Library, continues their decade long lead in doing just that with their Jobs & Careers Collection at the Kentwood Branch Library and sponsoring of public programming for career changers and job seekers.  Hopefully the other library districts in West Michigan can increase this type of programming and find means of partnering with faith communities and other local non-profits (such as the well-regarded Women’s Resource Center) to truly help our citizens find work and stay employable; there is some new assistance coming from the Grand Rapids Public Library just announced [http://www.grpl.org/itrain].
• Spring Arbor University, Grand Rapids Center, also has been providing support and encouragement with the Work Search Roundtable℠ weekly job clubs for more than five years, now being replicated by faith communities and other groups
• EaRN | Employment and Resource Network, a Michigan registered non-profit, launched earlier in this decade, has been helping and referring those in transition with volunteer help, including helping faith communities and other community-based organizations; EaRN also resusitated the HopeWorks Project website: www.hopeworksmich.net.  EaRN is now working on finding the funds and means to further help West Michiganders find new careers, work and do what’s needed to stay employable in a flattened world.  If you wish to help, call me at (616) 698-3125 or write me at kensoper@yahoo.com.

What other efforts are you aware of in West Michigan that are reaching out to help West Michiganders find work, change careers and stay employable?  Let’s make them known to our neighbors in the spirit of the life principle commonly called the Golden Rule: “Do for others as you would have them do for you” [http://www.jcu.edu/philosophy/gensler/goldrule.htm].