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18 Thursday, July 11, 2024 BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com

On Saturday, July 13, Community

Inclusive Recreation (CIR) is hosting

a community picnic for people that

have been a part of the CIR family

over the last 30 years, said Executive

Director Rhonda Ostrander-Cook.

The event will occur from 1-4 p.m.

at Leila Arboretum’s Fragrant Hill

Pavilion.

“Join us for food, music, games

and reminiscing about all the fun and

friendship over the last 30 years,”

said Ostrander-Cook.

Since 1994, CIR has been the pre-

miere agency serving people of all

abilities with recreation, arts and edu-

cation in Calhoun County.

“It started with bowling leagues and

dances and moved on to offering over

70 programs a year to over 1,

people,” said Ostrander-Cook. “All

are welcome to come and enjoy the

picnic, games and good time.”

Leila Arboretum is located at 928

W. Michigan Avenue in Battle Creek.

CIR celebrates 30

th

aAnniversary

with community picnic July 13

Learn more b y calling 963.1131 or apply today at bcacs.o rg.

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KINDERGARTEN

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St. Joseph Ele mentary School offers two e xcellent programs, tailore d to

your child’s d evelo pment!

WILL KOWALSKI
Sports Editor/Asst. Editor

The annual Vibe@5 free summer

music series held its first concert

of 2024 last Friday (July 5) when

award-winning Denise Davis &

The Motor City Sensations pro-

vided attendees at Friendship Park

in downtown Battle Creek with

an assortment of blues, R&B and

Motown tunes to enjoy.

The group’s performance started

under late-afternoon summer skies

and temperatures in the 80s, but was

then cut short when a hard-driving

rain storm made its way through the

area.

The second of six Vibe@5 gath-

erings is now on deck for this

Friday (July 12) from 5-7:30 p.m.

at Friendship Park – located at the

corner of State Street and Capital

Avenue NE downtown – with a

performance of Soca, Motown

and soul music by another award-

The band Denise Davis and The Motor City Sensations from Detroit (pictured) kicked off this season’s Vibe@5 free

summer music series at Friendship Park in downtown Battle Creek last Friday by playing a variety of soul and Motown

tunes. This Friday’s act, from 5-7:30 p.m., will be the Caribbean Soul Experience Quartet. (Shopper News photo by Will Kowalski)

Vibe@5 kicks off 2024 free summer music series;

Caribbean Soul Experience is next this Friday

winning group, the Caribbean Soul

Experience Quartet.

The members of last week’s Motor

City Sensations group were vocalist

and bandleader Cynthia “Denise”

Davis, drummer Devon Johnson,

bassist Derron Jones and guitarist

and musical director Tony Jefferson.

The members of this Friday’s

Caribbean Soul Experience Quartet

are lead singer Julie Brown; Tim

Brown on drums, keyboards and

vocals; Jeff Davis on percussion and

drums; Jim Evans on guitars and

vocals; Dave Stevens on keyboards,

guitar and vocals; and Bob Withee

on bass and vocals.

After this Friday’s free music

appearance by the Caribbean

See VIBE on 19