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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

You usually meet a police officer or firefighter on one of your worst days. National Night Out in Walker is built around the opposite idea: come out on a good day, bring your kids, meet your neighbors, and talk with first responders in a relaxed setting where questions are welcome and the goal is simple trust. 

We sit down with Officer Tyler Glass from the Walker Police Department and Kylie Lopo from FZ (Feyen Zylstra) to explain how National Night Out works, why it matters for neighborhood safety, and what it looks like when a local business and a city team up to serve the community. We talk about how the event helps residents connect with police, fire, commissioners, and the mayor, and why that “more human” contact can make a difference long before anyone needs to call 911. 

You’ll also get the practical details you need to plan your night: National Night Out is Tuesday, August 4 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at FZ headquarters, 2396 Hillside Drive at the corner of Alpine and Hillside. Expect a free, family-friendly community event with bounce houses, face painting, balloon twisting, kid prizes, and free food. We also cover how Walker has three National Night Out gatherings, including more traditional neighborhood block parties, and how the event has evolved over the years while keeping its core purpose: safer neighborhoods through stronger relationships. 

If you care about community policing, local government access, and practical crime prevention tips, this conversation will point you in the right direction. Subscribe for more stories from Walker, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.

If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at [email protected]

If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at [email protected]

A goalie with a record that still hasn’t been touched walks into a community rink and stays for 15 years. That’s the path of Mike Fountain, former professional NHL hockey player and longtime ice manager at the Walker Ice and Fitness Center, and it says a lot about what makes Walker, Michigan feel like home.

We talk about Mike’s journey from North York, Ontario to the Grand Rapids Griffins, to hockey stops around the world, and then back to West Michigan when it was time to settle down. From there, the conversation turns into a behind-the-scenes look at what many people miss when they drive by: a city-owned ice rink that functions like a full community center, welcoming everyone from three-year-olds in learn to skate to seniors still skating in their 80s.

We also get practical about access and growth. Mike explains how municipal ownership helps keep beginner programs like learn to skate and cross-ice hockey more affordable, why the facility draws families from across the region, and how girls hockey and figure skating are booming alongside traditional youth and men’s leagues. You’ll hear what’s available right now, including open skate, stick and puck, drop-in hockey, freestyle skating, rental skates included, and a pro shop to help you get started without overthinking it.

If you like local stories with real utility, subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a new way to stay active, 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 [email protected]

A new public library can be just another building, or it can become the place where a city’s identity comes alive. That’s the question we dig into with Walker Mayor Gary Carey as the new Walker Library rises in full view and creates buzz everywhere from breakfast spots to the grocery store. You can feel the pride as we talk through the “why” behind the project: Walker had the smallest physical library in the Kent District Library system, and a growing community needed a space that finally matches how people live, learn, and work today.

We walk through what a modern library in Walker, Michigan is being built to do. Think reservable rooms for quiet work, study space for students, strong Wi-Fi capacity, and a podcast room for creators. Add indoor-outdoor spaces that invite you to stay, including a fireplace area and a patio overlooking City Central Park. We also get into the intentional design choices that make it welcoming for every age, from toddlers who need room to play and make noise to adults who want a calm spot to read or decompress.

Then we tackle one of the most surprising features: an e-gaming space designed with skill-building and career pathways in mind, not just entertainment. We also talk candidly about stewardship and logistics, from competing city priorities to the rare win of construction staying on track and on budget, plus what the opening timeline looks like as finishing touches move inside.

If you care about community spaces, public investment, and what libraries are becoming in the digital age, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a neighbor, 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 [email protected]

Walker is growing quickly, and growth has a way of turning “city hall” into something personal. We’re joined by Shay Gallagher, the new City Manager for the City of Walker, Michigan, to talk about what the job actually demands and why Walker’s stability and momentum made the opportunity impossible to pass up. Shay shares where he’s from, how his career path led through other communities, and what he learned before stepping into this role.

We also break down the city manager role in plain English: the mayor and city commission set the direction, and the city manager leads the staff that delivers the work. That includes the unglamorous but essential parts of local government like roads, finance, water and sewer, labor issues, and the daily coordination that keeps services running. Shay  explains why strong department leaders matter and how he balances staying informed with letting experts do their jobs.

Public safety becomes the heart of the conversation as we talk about the city’s push to modernize fire services toward a 24/7 fire department, building on Fire Chief Rusty Shoultz's vision after a heartbreaking loss. We dig into what it takes to fund and sustain that shift, what station upgrades might be needed, and how improved fire protection can influence an ISO rating that may lower insurance costs for both residents and businesses. We also look ahead to strategic planning, trail connectivity, the new library opening, and the opportunities and challenges tied to future road funding.

If you care about how Walker makes decisions as it grows, this is a must-listen. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review with the topic you want us to tackle next.

If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at [email protected]

Peppinos is a name most West Michigan locals recognize, but the origin is pure Standale: one shop, a family hustle, and a neighborhood that has transformed around it. We’re joined by Joe DiLeonardo as Peppinos celebrates 50 years in business in 2026, and he takes us back to the earliest days, when the drive felt long, the back lot still had trees, and a kid could grow up learning the rhythms of a pizza kitchen. Along the way, we swap memories of Walker landmarks and how a local restaurant becomes part of a community’s personal timeline. 

We dig into the real reasons long-running restaurants survive when so many don’t. Joe shares how Peppinos stays consistent by investing in people and refusing to let quality slide, from grinding their own cheese to keeping core ingredients made from scratch. We also talk about adapting to modern realities like volume demands and post-COVID challenges without abandoning what made the pizza special in the first place, including the operational shift from old-school deck ovens to equipment that can keep up. 

The conversation widens into the next generation and what growth looks like when it’s driven by family passion: catering, the Peppino's Hospitality Group, an event center, and West Side Social. Joe also lays out blunt, practical entrepreneurship advice for anyone starting a business in Walker, Michigan or anywhere else: the first 5 to 10 years take real sacrifice and being all in. We wrap with details on the 50th anniversary celebration, including half-off 14-inch pizzas and free pizzas for the first families at the Standale location. If you enjoy local business stories, family business leadership, and the craft behind great pizza, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find Made in Walker.

If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at [email protected]

Your child might know the rules, but would they remember the steps when their heart is racing? Safety Town is finally coming to Walker, Michigan, and we sat down with Jenna Wilmers to explain why this hands-on kids safety program can make a real difference for families. A late-night 911 call from her little brother became the spark, and it turned into a community effort to give local kids practical skills they can actually use. 

We break down what Safety Town in Walker looks like: a half-day summer program at Zinser Elementary with a life-size street-style setup where kids can ride bikes and practice road safety in a safe environment. From there, children rotate through age-appropriate lessons that cover bike safety, fire safety, weather safety, water safety, vehicle safety, and home safety. One of the most memorable features is a smoke-filled trailer experience supported by the fire department, helping kids learn how to move and think clearly in a simulated emergency without the risk. 

You’ll also hear how city teams like police, fire, and DPW partner with local businesses to make the program possible, what ages the sessions are designed for, and where organizers want to take Safety Town next as it grows year after year. We also share what the Walker Community Engagement Committee does and how volunteer residents help bridge the gap between the community and city services. 

Listen now, share this with a parent in Walker, and subscribe for more local stories. If you have questions or ideas for future topics, leave a review and send us a note.

If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at [email protected]