Our Board of Directors

Laurel Dykema

Hi, I’m Laurel! I was born in Grand Rapids and spent my elementary years moving between Michigan, Iowa, and Arizona. When I was in middle school, my family settled back in Grand Rapids. My husband, Dave, and I chose a house on the northwest side in 2016 when we began planning to grow our family because it was close to his work and just a few streets away from my grandparents’ home. My grandparents, Jim and Lois Ritzema, raised their family, including my dad, in this neighborhood on the northwest side. It was a joy to be within walking distance of my grandma in her last years of life. 

For over a dozen years, I was a writer for Christian nonprofits. Most of my career was at Mission India, and I even had the opportunity to travel to India in 2011. I loved having the privilege of sharing the incredible true stories of what God is doing in the world. I continue to enjoy writing. My articles have been featured on Nonprofit Marketing Guide’s blog and in The Banner magazine. In 2025, I published a book of poetry written for (and illustrated by!) my son called “Little Poems for Big Imaginations” and a practical guide for Christian nonprofit writers called “Prayer & Ink Drops.”

In 2026, I became the administrative assistant at Westend CRC, where our neighborhood association meetings gather. Our church loves having the opportunity to partner with the community in this way! We also regularly host free events for our area, so keep an eye out for more information about those in upcoming neighborhood newsletters. I volunteered to create our neighborhood newsletters and look forward to making each edition in collaboration with all of you!

I have gotten to know many of my neighbors through our dogs! We currently have a 5-year-old rescue Shih Tzu named Lucy who loves going for walks and meeting new friends. Please say hi if you see us out and about! In my free time, I also enjoy playing games with my family, reading, writing (of course!), and trying new crafts. I learned how to crochet over the summer! I also love the theatre and opera.

I am excited to be on the neighborhood association board. What fun to come in right at the “ground level” and build something together! I am most looking forward to connecting with more neighbors and helping promote community through events, our newsletter, etc.