Jim is a 1966 graduate of Shepherd High School, where he participated in football, basketball, track and field, and band.  Marie also graduated in 1966, but from Mt. Pleasant High School. After serving in the Army in Vietnam, Jim and Marie came back and made Shepherd their home and have been serving ours and the neighboring communities since then.  Jim worked at Saginaw Steering Gear, first as a production worker, and then trained there to become an electrician.  Marie was a lab technician/histologist at the former Central Michigan Community Hospital. They completed their house on Foster Road in 1977, and it became the permanent and active home of their family.  Jim and Marie have been married for 54 years.

Their oldest daughter, Michelle, is married to Mike Gimmey and is a teacher at Shepherd Middle School. Their three daughters are active participants in the Festival. Daughter Kim and Chad Warner have four children, and the girls have learned from Grandma Marie the art of decorating Santa cookies.  Son Chad and Alexandria live in Grandville with their family and he was the first pole vaulter in the family to take after his dad. The youngest, Kurt, and his wife Sharyn, live in St. Johns with their two children. Kurt is a teacher in the Grand Ledge school system. This totals thirteen grandchildren and counting! The Roots have also hosted four exchange students over the years.

When their boys were young, Jim was very involved in youth wrestling in Shepherd, and, consequently, so was Marie!  They volunteered as youth softball coaches, leaders of their church youth groups, and involved Shepherd school youth in pole vault instruction in various places around the state. Jim continues in this capacity today as the volunteer pole vault coach of the Shepherd High School track team.  While accompanying Jim in these endeavors, Marie also volunteered for Central Michigan Pregnancy Services as a counselor/parenting instructor.  She was involved with this organization for over 20 years. She is also a supporter of SHS track by organizing and helping to provide food for meals served to officials, volunteers, and coaches at home meets.

This busy family has always found time to be involved in the Maple Syrup Festival; from Jim as a Cub Scout to grandchildren Josh Warner and Madison Gimmey tapping their woods to help provide sap to the Sugar Bush. With a young family, they always enjoyed camping in town during the Festival but recall the morning they woke up to 4 inches of new snow! In recent years, Jim has completed any needed electrical jobs at the Sugar Bush as well as giving tours during Maple Weekend and at the Festival. Marie continues to serve the Saturday night shift in the Festival cafeteria with New Life Church and also works in the sales area at the Sugar Bush.

When asked about significant changes in the Festival, Jim stresses the changes in syrup production.  With the technology available now, sap collection by tubing can be monitored on a cell phone, giving real-time measurements.  Also, the use of reverse osmosis speeds up the boiling process so that 30 gallons of syrup can be made in an hour!  Marie hopes the number of volunteers helping at the Festival will increase even more. 

For over 50 years, Jim and Marie have volunteered in the village, school and the Festival.  But, if asked, they would say they are the ones who have reaped the rewards!  Thank you, Jim and Marie Root and family!