Made In Walker

Loneliness can be deadly, and it often hides in plain sight behind closed doors, missed appointments, and days that feel a little too quiet. We’re joined by Suzanne Callahan, president of Senior Neighbors, and Rachel Taplin, director of volunteer services, to break down what real support for older adults looks like in Walker, Michigan and across Kent County. 

We walk through the three big ways Senior Neighbors helps people stay independent: personalized support with case managers who can untangle confusing problems, transportation for seniors through RideLink that gets people to doctor visits and daily errands, and community life through senior centers and wellness classes. Suzanne explains why their Walker location at Fire Station Number Three matters as a “front door” to services, and how the team is expanding programming to meet rising demand as the 65+ population grows. 

Rachel shares what makes volunteering so powerful, including a story of Ruth, a Walker resident who visits Gloria, age 94, and how that relationship supports both the older adult and the family. We also talk about caregiver burnout and an on-site respite pilot built to be easy to use, supportive for people living with dementia, and genuinely helpful for families who just need a few hours back. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to help an aging parent, support a neighbor, find senior resources in Kent County, or volunteer in a way that actually matters, this conversation gives you a clear place to start. Subscribe, share this with someone in Walker who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these services when it counts.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

A million-dollar surprise doesn’t happen by accident, especially in local government. We sit down with Walker, Michigan Mayor Gary Carey to replay the moment from the State of the City when he announced Meijer’s $1 million gift toward Walker’s new library and to explain what that kind of investment really means for residents. We talk about how the partnership came together, why it was kept quiet until the right moment, and why this building is being treated as more than a traditional public library. 

We also dig into the real “quality of life” details people will actually feel: flexible spaces that welcome every age group, areas built for kids to be kids, meeting rooms for work and community groups, high-speed internet for remote workers, and a design that makes the library feel like a true community center. Along the way, we highlight the behind-the-scenes collaboration with Kent District Library and the city team that kept the project moving on a tight timeline. 

Then the conversation turns to public safety, including the loss of Fire Chief Rusty Schultz and the leadership impact he made in a short time. We break down what an ISO rating is, why it matters for risk and insurance rates, and why Walker is asking voters to consider a public safety millage as the city grows. We close with an honest conversation about legacy, effective governance, and what it means to pass the baton to the next mayor and a largely new city commission. 

If you care about Walker’s future, local government leadership, and smart community investment, listen now, subscribe for more, and share the episode. After you finish, leave a review and tell us what question you want answered next.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

A 1954 GMC fire engine doesn’t just show up every day, and it definitely doesn’t come with a paper trail that stretches back to the original purchase. We sit down with Ben Willcome, the City of Walker fleet supervisor, to tell the story of Walker Engine 117, one of the city’s earliest fire trucks, in service from 1954 until 1986 and now getting a second life outside the station.

We talk through what “preservation” really means when your goal is to share history with the public. Ben walks us through the barn-find reality, why seized brakes became the biggest challenge, and how he made the call to prioritize safety and long-term serviceability over a museum-only build. The most surprising fix is also the most practical: a donated 2010 school bus provided axles and a modern hydraulic brake system that can be repaired with parts that should stay available for decades.

Then we get into the details restoration fans love, from hunting down a hard-to-find water pump to converting the truck from six volt to twelve volt, swapping in electronic ignition, and making sure this classic starts and runs confidently. We also dig into the artifacts that bring the story to life: historic photos, original titles, spec sheets, pump brochures, and drawings that guide the cosmetic details and prove where this apparatus came from.

Ben’s end goal is simple and big at the same time: bring Engine 117 back to city events, put kids in the seat, and help Walker residents see how the department and the community evolved. Subscribe for more local stories, share this with a history or restoration friend, and leave a review so more people can find the Made in Walker Podcast.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

A river can look perfectly calm from the bank and still put someone underwater in seconds. We sit down with Chief Keith Mankel and Scott Kiernicki to share how Walker, Michigan builds a swift water rescue program designed for the Grand River, local lakes, and the flooding that can hit low-lying areas when storms roll through.

We talk about what changed for the Walker Fire Department and Walker Police Department: moving from waiting on outside agencies to building a more self-sufficient response with a dedicated rescue boat, shared standards, and a joint team that can deploy quickly. You will hear why equipment compatibility matters, what goes into spec’ing a Zodiac rescue boat, and how real training goes far beyond “driving” a boat. Swift water certification, self-rescue skills, and precision maneuvers are all part of getting to a victim through debris, current, and tight river paths without wasting time.

We also get practical about what responders carry and why: life vests, helmets, whistles, lights, knives, ropes, carabiners, webbing, and patient-extraction options for tough recoveries. The conversation does not dodge the hard truth either: some calls become recovery missions, and speed still matters for families waiting on answers.

We end with the simplest takeaway for every paddler, tuber, angler, and ice-season explorer: wear a certified personal flotation device (PFD). If this story makes you think differently about water safety and emergency preparedness, subscribe, share the episode with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people in Walker and beyond can find it.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

A career change can be a fresh start, but it can also be a new way to serve the same neighbors. I’m joined by Mitch Harkema, the City of Walker’s new communications manager, and he brings a perspective you rarely hear in municipal public relations: more than a decade working inside the City of Walker, including years as a Walker police officer and hands-on community engagement work that already had him communicating with residents every day.

We dig into what makes city communications work when trust is the goal. Mitch talks about building real relationships, showing up consistently, and translating city operations into plain language people can actually use. With Walker growing and shifting, that steady approach matters, especially when residents want transparency, quick answers, and fewer surprises from local government.

We also spend time on the proposed public safety millage coming before Walker voters and how the city plans to educate the public. Mitch walks through the outreach plan, including updates on walker.city, dedicated information at walker.city/public-safety-millage, and the City of Walker, Walker Police, and Walker Fire Facebook pages. He explains why in-person conversations still matter, from community events to open house opportunities at all three fire stations and the police department, where people can see facilities firsthand and ask direct questions.

If you care about public safety, local government, and how a city communicates through change, this conversation is for you. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, share this with a neighbor in Walker, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY