An American Horse, Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park & Linda Weller

I’m sure if most people in The Telegraph area noticed online or elsewhere that Frederik Meijer of Michigan died last Friday, most would not know who this man was or have any inkling of the extent of his “giving back.”

A year ago I wouldn’t have known, either.

Last May, though, I visited the 132-acre, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich., probably the most remarkable example of which the late, super-center store owner established for his enjoyment and that of the public. Either the impressive sculptures placed about the grounds, or the outdoor and indoor gardens, could stand as independent attractions. They are on par with – or even more impressive than – Missouri Botanical Gardens (depending on an individual’s interests or means of evaluation). The gardens are in no way set up as monuments or shrines to Meijer.

The enclosed botanic gardens have temporary attractions, such as visiting colorful butterflies in the indoor tropical area when we were there. There is attention to educating visitors and preserving the environment in the living displays.

I enjoyed the indoor desert with its carnivorous plants; there is an interactive children’s play area and an old “farm,” that attracted school groups. The sculptures throughout appeal to all tastes, from modern to classical., some in tiny individual gardens or enhanced with water. Among the most striking is a gigantic black metal horse.

Mr. Meijer, who had no stores in the St. Louis area, was 91 when he died. An older man visiting the garden last May tried to joke with a docent, asking if Fred was around that day. Instead of laughing him off, the woman responded that Mr. Meijer frequently came by for a visit but could not say when he would be back.

When I left the gardens, I remarked how wonderful it would be to have so much money to create such a large, beautiful gift to the public. At that time I did not know the son of a Dutch immigrant also donated land for a college campus and later paid for its new PBS station that carries his last name; he donated a section of the Berlin Wall that is on display in the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids; $1 million to a Michigan state park; and a large amount of money to renovate an old theater in Grand Rapids.
He also established a college chair for the study of Dutch language and culture.

I’m sure he probably donated untold amounts of money elsewhere, as well, which is what philanthropists do. I hope Mr. Meijer got back a fraction of the enjoyment other people have experienced from his gifts that enhanced quality of life and education in that part of Michigan. He obviously understood, “You can’t take it with you.”

www.meijergardens.org

I can remember how hectic it was the first few days of school each year, so I’m doing you parents and grandparents a favor here in hopes of saving you a $120 fine:

Put down your cell phones in a school zone!

Talking on them is unsafe and illegal in school zones in Illinois. As they did last year, Alton police outright say they plan to zero in on enforcing the laws in those zones starting Wednesday, the first day of school in the district.

The first new school year that the state law was in effect was 2010. City police consequently issued dozens of tickets to motorists in just the first three months, continuing through the school year. Just from mid-August through Nov. 22, 2010, Alton police issued 115 such tickets before posting 25 warning signs in November.

Many of the people, I’m sure, were parents and grandparents dropping off the kids at the schools. Many recipients told police they were unaware of the new law. Others said they forgot about the law in their automatic response to pick up the phone when a son or daughter called, a police officer told me.

One person called The Telegraph last year after receiving a ticket to complain that she was holding her phone, but not talking on it. I don’t know how she expected to prove that, or what we should do about it. If you look like you’re talking on the phone, or just listening to someone talking, you too may get a ticket.

As part of my reminder, Alton drivers should know that the technically vacated Horace Mann and Mark Twain buildings – 2708 Edwards St. and 907 Milton Road, respectively – once again are being used to house students so the “school zone” is in effect at those places.

With extensive renovations going on at East Elementary, 1035 Washington Ave., its student body is being split between the two locations. Therefore, you may see police officers near Horace Mann and Mark Twain, as well as the other schools, in the weekday drop-off and pickup hours.

The special police enforcement also will include looking for speeders in school zones and those violating seat belt and child restraint laws.

Need I mention texting and driving?

Everyone with a drivers license should know it is illegal in Illinois to be texting and driving, regardless of whether you are driving in a school zone or not. I know some people can do it sneakily, but if you don’t crash first, you could get a ticket.

Just from my observations, some people still don’t know that or care. I saw two women texting while driving (in one case coasting, since she didn’t have any hands on the wheel) just last week on busy roads.

The first one was on Landmarks by Henry Street, not a great place for distracted drivers.

The other one – I’m talking to you, lady in the white GM mini-van at about 5 p.m. Wednesday westbound in front of the Wood River Shop ‘n Save and the car dealerships on Rte. 143. She also was chatting to another woman at the same time she was pecking out her message.

I was trying to figure out a good hand signal to convey, “Put it down!” but then she was too preoccupied to see me driving alongside her. She was too preoccupied to see any other cars, I’m sure.

Was I supposed to dig my phone out of my purse and call police – risking me crashing my car – to report her poor driving?

I thought it best to escape, and I scooted away.

Now that is when I really would like to see someone get a ticket.

Be careful out there with all those kids around the schools.

I know parents and other child-tenders probably are weary of being cooped up with the little and middle-sized ones in this intense heat that continues on and on and on.

School won’t start for a couple weeks, and it’s an effort to keep the youngsters occupied so they don’t utter the fateful words, “I’m bored.” (That simple complaint, emphasized with a sigh or whine, always prompted my mother to find some work for me to do so I stopped informing her of my ennui).

Back to the topic.

I have one solution: Get out the crayons, colored pencils or markers and have the youngsters get busy drawing weather pictures for The Telegraph. If their artwork is chosen – and one picture runs every day at the bottom of the front page of the paper so there’s a good chance of that – they will achieve local fame and pride in their creativity.

It also might spur them on to drawing more weather pictures!

Although the pictures are small, they certainly are worthy of posting on the refrigerator, pasted in a scrapbook and for sending a copy to Grandma and Grandpa. A second activity for the young artiste (artiste on purpose) might be coming up with the best way to display said published masterpiece.

There is a second reason I am blogging on this:

The person who carefully selects the daily weather art is running mightily short of colored pictures. She specifically would like some partly cloudy drawings since that is the most common forecast. She already has plenty of snow, tornado and extreme, tumultuous weather drawings, so hold back on those.

(Actually, the snow pictures would look good to me right now!)

Key to getting the pictures published is following instructions, just like in school:

* Drawings need to be in color on 5.5 x 8.5-inch white sheets of paper. The easiest way to get the right size is to take an 8.5 x 11-inch sheet and cut it in half, then draw horizontally. Use lots of color, draw big and take up the whole space, as these are printed very small (roughly one-fourth of the original). It might be helpful to work with the child in coming up with a rough sketch on the other half of the paper, if needed, before starting the drawing.

* Please print clearly on the back the child’s full name, grade and school and the forecast the picture is meant to depict. Mark envelopes with “Weather Drawings.” Drawings can be mailed or dropped off at :

The Telegraph, 111 E. Broadway, Alton IL 62002