Spark Magazine
The First Swing
The positive social impact Studebaker Golf Course is making in our community Studebaker Golf Course is known for its unintimidating, inclusive environment with a modest clubhouse and ready-to-play, no-nonsense greens. The course experience certainly doesn’t lack in quality, which is why generations have grown up playing the course after school, learning the ins and outs […]
Happy Birthday, Morris
As the Morris Performing Arts Center embarks on the 100th-year in South Bend as a historic staple to downtown, it’s important to recognize the incredible value the performing arts have in a community. Through the Equity in the Arts Committee leadership, the goal of the next 100 years isn’t simply to sustain, but to thrive […]
Dirty Jobs
Story by Jessica Spoor The alarm clock sounds, and many are off to work with the sun having already risen. But just before dawn when the sky is still dark and the streets are quiet, there’s work already being done: sidewalks are being swept, the stage is being set and the hum of a mower […]
A Tall Order
Story by Jessica Spoor As I walk into the zoo’s side entrance I feel like a VIP, not a soul around. The popular destination is just shy of opening for their season and it’s almost as if I’m in a different time zone. The usual suspects of noise and disorder are all void of sight […]
Succulent Surroundings
The Potawatomi Conservatories Without knowing any better, one could pass the Potawatomi Conservatories without ever knowing the stunning foliage and lush tropics that thrive just inside. It’s these hidden gems within our city that make it such a unique place to call home. I step inside and immediately my five senses take in the surroundings: a warm, humid like atmosphere and floral aroma embody the entrance. It […]
A Storied Past
South Bend City Cemetery Approach the black iron-clad gates of the South Bend City Cemetery and you’ll step foot inside one of the most historic locations in South Bend. Believer of ghosts or not, an early morning visit can lead to a spooky sensation; a layer of fog rises from the soft ground, while a layer of dew covers many of the headstones. There’s […]
Art Infusion
The importance of providing reprieve through public art “Art in public spaces can be a ray of hope amid a dark day or even just the day to day. It also connects people in a disconnected world, where people who may not normally come together just to say, ‘that’s beautiful!’” – Cassi Graber In an unsuspecting […]
Life Over Violence
Story by Jessica Spoor It’s 8pm on a Friday night, and while most people my age with kids are ready to wind down and head to bed, I venture to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center for the first ever Friday Night Life event. As soon as I walk inside, I can feel the vibrancy and positive impact this initiative will ultimately bring to youth in […]
An Urban Thrill
Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be one with the flowing rapids? To be swept up in an abundance of powerful water only to make it victoriously to the other side? Many think to head to the foothills of West Virginia or the well-known rapids in Colorado, but a quick drive to downtown South Bend will […]
Welcome Back Winter
Our homes aren’t just homes anymore. They’re hosts to date nights on the couch, Zoom meetings from the dining room and classrooms from the kitchen counters. Toss that with the thick of winter when dark, dreary days seem to never end…and you’ve got a recipe for pent up energy! To get you and your family […]
New Traditions
In the strange new landscape of our world, more and more are rethinking how social interactions happen whether it’s going to work, out shopping or even for a walk outside. As a result, many engaged couples are having to scale back and consider alternative options. With some creativity and flexibility, there are still ways for […]
Park People
story by JESSICA SPOOR As many Americans secluded themselves to their homes amid this historic worldwide pandemic, many have continued to set their alarms and head off to work. Celebrated essential workers have been the frontline faces as hospital workers, grocery clerks and daycare teachers; however, the invisible essential worker has risen to the surface. […]