This week marks a year since the Odenwald family motored into town. Drawn by the egalitarian values of Southwestern Michigan College and the opportunity to work for a seasoned college president, we left Louisiana State University, Louisiana and our families a literal thousand miles away. At every step of this journey we have been blessed by strangers, who have become our neighbors and friends. We wintered on Sister Lakes, where our landlord pulled this southerner up the hill when my sandbags were misplaced, a rookie mistake. 

When we bought our home in Dowagiac, we were blessed with a local realtor, Martha Hassle, and a host of local contractors who treated us fairly. I cannot count the number of times Tom Hale has taught me how to do something or another involving my plumbing or yard. Judd’s was my go-to spot last summer when I painted the weekends away. Without his scaffolding, I probably wouldn’t be able to pen this letter.  I could really go on and on about how Dowagiac has so quickly become our home, from the festivals to the football games.

As we enter this season of thanks, our family is truly grateful to be a part of this community.

Joe Odenwald

Dowagiac