Snovember and Beyond

It looks like we’re going have a full-blown West Michigan winter this year. It’s only early November and snow has already pelted our faces. Whether you hate snow or are already playing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” winter is coming, and that means your safe passage around campus is our priority.

Keep in mind that not every sidewalk in Holland is heated, so commute carefully to class — give yourself some extra time if you need it. While the Hope grounds crew does an excellent job getting salt on our sidewalks early, sometimes storms sneak up and sidewalks get very slick so sprinting off three minutes before your 8:00 a.m. can be risky. Be even more cautious if you choose to use your bike (yes, some of you still ride yours; you know who you are!) or longboard (ditto), though neither are recommended. It is best to store those for the winter.

For those with cars, you can no longer keep your vehicle parked on the side of Holland streets overnight. Also, be sure to be mindful of areas in parking lots designed for snow removal; those slots are off limits. And obviously, Visitor and Faculty lots are only for Visitors and Faculty. Stay in your appropriate lot, marked on a sign with student-blue S on it.

Here’s more information regarding parking:

  • Parking is not permitted in places designated for snow removal (November-March). Vehicles parked in these spots are subject to being ticketed.
  • Parking overnight (2 AM – 7 AM) is NOT allowed in any faculty/staff or visitor parking areas.
  • On-street parking overnight (2 AM – 5 AM) is NOT allowed per the city of Holland. Any ticket received because of this is from the city of Holland and not Campus Safety.
  • Avoid parking in front of snow piles.
  • If you have a bicycle on campus, please make sure that is is somewhere safe over the cold winter months. For those who live close to Hope, consider taking it home until the weather warms up.

As for receiving weather and other safety-related information, make sure that your Hope College email account and cell phone number are registered to get Hope Alerts. Hope Alerts will immediately let you know when there’s a campus emergency or if there are any shut downs due to weather or other unforeseen incidents.

If you aren’t already registered for Hope Alerts, follow these instructions to make sure you’re up to date:

  1. Log into plus.hope.edu with your normal information.
  2. Click on “Enter Secure Area,” then “Personal Information,” and followed by “Update Emergency Contacts.”
  3. From there you can select “New Contact,” where you’ll be prompted to enter your name and cell phone number.
  4. To make sure you’re the one receiving the texts, you MUST make sure your contact is set to “Self” and is listed in the first spot.
  5. Once that’s complete, click “Submit Changes.”

Winter can be the best or worst of seasons; it all just depends on how well you’re prepared. But if you think ahead and stay alert and informed, you are on track to weather winter well.

Need a Ride?

Crazy weather? Walking alone and it’s after dark? Maybe you just don’t feel like walking? Whatever the reason, the Hope College Campus Evening Shuttle is there for you with a free minivan transportation system that encircles campus.

The Evening Shuttle makes eight stops on campus and can be spotted with an illuminated sign on top of a silver minivan saying: “Shuttle.” The schedule for the stops goes on the digit of that stop number. For example, at stop #1, the shuttle arrives at :01, :11, :21, :31, :41, and :51 on the hour; at stop #2, the shuttle arrives at :02, :12, :22, :32, :42, and :52 on the hour, and so on. The eight stops are:

Stop #1 — In front of Gilmore Hall on 10th Street

Stop #2 — Between Van Wylen Library, and Schaap Science Center on College Ave.

Stop #4 — In front of Welmers Cottage, across from Western Theological Seminary housing on 14th.

Stop #5 — At the corner of 14th Street and Columbia Ave.

Stop #6 — At the corner of 15th Street and Lincoln Ave.

Stop #7 — At the corner of 13th Street and Fairbanks Ave.

Stop #8 — At the corner of 13th Street and Lincoln Ave.

Stop #9 — At Lincoln Ave. side of DeVos Fieldhouse.

The Shuttle operates during evening hours only at these times:

  • 6pm to midnight– Sundays through Thursdays
  • 6pm to 2am– Fridays and Saturdays
  • It does not operate during breaks.

Safety is the shuttle’s top objective with convenience a close second. The Evening Shuttle features the same minivan every night, so there’s no confusion regarding which car is the actual shuttle. On top of that, the Evening Shuttle system typically features the same drivers every night  so you might already know who’s driving you tonight before getting into the shuttle, creating a safer atmosphere for shuttle riders.  Rain or shine, the Evening Shuttle provides your ride around Hope.

Campus Safety Officers Organize First-Ever Hope and Holland Special Olympics Community Run, Scheduled for Sept. 13

Hope’s — and Holland’s — first-ever community torch run on behalf of Special Olympics Michigan is happening on Wednesday, Sept. 13, through the efforts of two Campus Safety officers.

Jeff Vander Kooy and Scott Evans have taken the lead in organizing the 2.6-mile run, which will begin at the DeVos Fieldhouse at 10 a.m. and finish at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium.  And there’s still time to sign on.

The event is being held as part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) campaign, which was established on behalf of the Special Olympics in 1981 in Kansas.  Grass-roots programs now take place around the world, with activities including community runs such as the Sept. 13 Holland/Hope event, long-distance relays that might span hundreds of miles, a variety of other awareness-building and fund-raising efforts, and connecting with Special Olympics initiatives such as the Summer and Winter Games.

“Scott and I have participated in several torch run events, and are excited to have a chance to bring a community run to Holland and Hope,” said Vander Kooy, who became involved in the program in 2015 while still working for Michigan’s Department of Corrections.  “It’s especially meaningful to us because we realized when we attended Michigan’s Special Olympics Summer Games in Mount Pleasant in 2016 that some of the athletes in the Ottawa County area work on campus.  We want to show them that we support them.”

Although the Sept. 13 event is a run, it’s not a race.  Carrying the Special Olympics torch with them, the participants will travel at a pace that allows everyone to stay together.  Those who would feel more comfortable biking may bring their own transportation to ride instead.

Vander Kooy recognizes that the weekday-morning time frame isn’t ideal.  This year’s run was scheduled in conjunction with the statewide program to complement a run in Grand Rapids later in the day.  He hopes, though, that the Sept. 13 Holland run won’t be the last.

“We’d like to continue it in the future,” he said.

Registration is $25, and all who are interested in participating may register and learn more at firstgiving.com/miletr/.  Registration will also take place on-site beginning at 9 a.m. on Sept. 13.  Registration includes a t-shirt, although a limited number of shirts will be available during on-site registration.