Give military a Halloween this season - by Monica

Tomorrow is Halloween (or for me, I celebrated Halloween the last two days and will spend Halloween night working, but that's beside the point). For kids though, that means one thing...candy.

For dentists though it means another thing...cavities.

But Waterford Township dentist Kurt Heuerman wants to put good use to the extra candy that kids are bound to get (instead of stuffing it in their faces to the point of throwing up).

If you have extra candy, Heuerman will give you $2 for every pound of candy and will donate this candy to the military who won't get a Halloween at all this year. So then the men and women overseas who don't get to celebrate with their children can at least eat a Hershey bar and think of home.

From 4 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, the dentist office will be accepting unopened candy to send overseas. The office is at 4450 Walton Blvd. in Waterford Township. Call 248-674-0495 or visit www.thewaterforddentist.com.

To read the original story by Carol Hopkins on The Oakland Press.

Taylor Swift - by Kristy

Taylor Swift has a new album, "Speak Now" which was released this week. Taylor is a fantastic and creative artist who is inspiring to all her fans across the world. I admire her for her courage as she lives her life in the spotlight with such grace.

Trunk or Treat - by Kristy

Trunk or Treat is an amazing event that is held in many cities all over the country during the week of Halloween. The idea is to provide young children with a safe and friendly environment for trick or treating. The events are usually held at churches, but can be held at any public area in the community. People volunteer and park their cars around a parking lot and kids can come around and get candy from trunk to trunk. Usually these events are held during the day and are specifically targeted for children who live in urban cities that aren't completely safe to trick or treat from home to home at night.

Keep your eyes peeled for a Trunk or Treat event in your area! It's fun for both kids and adults!

The day has come where zombies rise from their graves - by Monica

Every guy I know has a plan of what they will do when there is a zombie attack on the world someday.

Well, on Saturday, be ready to put that plan into action, guys! Because the zombies will roam the earth.

But don't shoot these "zombies" in the head, because these zombies are actually doing something for the good of humankind...instead of eating their brains like most of us know zombies for.

On Saturday night in Hazel Park, at least 900 people are dressing up at zombies and roaming around the city, freaking out unsuspecting people.

And they are doing this for a cause -- to donate food to St. Justin's food bank in Hazel Park that recently ran out of food and, therefore, has to turn away homeless families. The only admission fee for this event is to bring three cans of food for St. Justin's. I think it's great what Mikel McClellan, 23, and Jonas Grabill, 21 (the creators of the Zombie Walk) are doing.

This is a fun way to help those in need.

If you are interested in attending Hazel Park’s Zombie Walk, meet outside of the Hazel Park City Hall at 111 E. Nine Mile Road dressed as a zombie.

For more information, read my article about the Zombie Walk on the Oakland Press' website.

WEAR PURPLE TODAY - by Monica

“All are equal in the eyes of the force. Give everyone the same size of portions. And rid the world of being bias.”- Tai-Da Vrikaurvan

In the morning, when you are in your closet picking out what to wear for work or school, I strongly recommend that you pick something purple.

Why you may ask?

Because today, Oct. 20, people from around the world will be wearing purple in memory of the six gay boys who committed suicide this year due to harassment and bullying. I want the whole world to look like Barney exploded today -- where you can't go anywhere without seeing purple.

No, today is not about your specific beliefs – it’s about dignity for ALL humankind. It’s not fair that people are made to feel lesser than others because of their sexual orientation.

So, I hope that all of you reading this will take a stand for all those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community who are being treated less than they deserve. Take a stand to show that this is not right. Show those who are bullied that they are loved and supported and that life does get so much better.

To read the article I wrote in the Oakland Post and to find out more information about Spirit Day, go to “Fight bullying by wearing purple on Spirit Day.”

Fun Things to do in October - by Kristy

-Visit a cider mill



-Go on a hay ride



-Try a seasonal drink from Starbucks, like the pumpkin spice latte



-Pick apples/pumpkins



-Check out some haunted houses



-Attend costume parties



-Carve a pumpkin



-Trick or Treating

Thirty-three Chilean miners rescued! - by Monica

Imagine being trapped underground, no clothes but the clothes on your back, no bathrooms, no showers and hardly any room to move around, with 32 other people for a little over two months. I personally wouldn't want to be trapped anywhere for two months, let alone underground with the constant possibility that the earth above you may cave in at any moment. I would just assume I was a goner.

But these 33 men were not goners, which was a miracle in itself, and the video above, watching the men emerge from the ground, gave me chills. As many of you have probably heard, due to all the coverage in the news, 33 miners in Chile were trapped in a mine for 69 days. And Wednesday, all 33 of them were rescued.

Coming up from the ground, seeing the sunlight for the first time in 69 days, would definitely make you stop taking things for granted, that's for sure. These men had so much strength and so much hope. I would personally be sitting in a corner, panicking, if this happened to me. But, no, they remained positive, which I think is the reason why they survived. They didn't give up hope.

Read original article by Associated Press on Oakland Press' website.

Inspiring Visuals - by Kristy

Take a look at these inspiring billboards from the values.com website.

Children Making Changes - by Kristy

My inspiration for this post came from something I read over the summer. It was something that, at first glance was really heartbreaking, but I want to turn it into something inspiring. My dad teaches middle school in Detroit and over the summer, he taught a composition English class. One of their journal assignments was to list their favorite things and their least favorite things about the city of Detroit. Many of these young children were listing things like “too many abandoned houses, too many murders, too much crime, too many drugs, too many homeless people” and so on. It’s so sad that these types of things are considered regulatory in the city in which they live. They did have many things they love about Detroit though.

Now, I read these student’s compositions back in June and it’s stuck with me all these months. And today I was thinking about how I could turn this sad story into something inspiring. I think it’s great that these kids have recognized these serious problems, now they just need the encouragement to help seek and advocate change both now and in their future. Children are the future and they can help change it for the better. The worst thing would be for them to simply accept this as their fate.

Luckily, I know there’s many organizations which help kids realize they really can make a difference in their lives and in this world. Disney: Friends for Change is just one example. Disney Friends for Change website.

Donate your birthday - by Monica

Read original article at San Diego 6.

After learning the words "ma ma" and "da da," one of the next words we learn is "Mine!" And as we get older, many people still live by the words, "No, that's mine!"

Well, 9-year-old Luke Nelson learned early in life that there are things more important in life than things.

When Nelson invited his friends to his birthday party, instead of asking for a gift like most kids his age would, he asked for his friends to give a donation to the make-a-wish foundation for a child he had never met. Online, he saw this child on the make-a-wish foundation's website -- a 10-year-old who was suffering from a liver disease and wanted to be able to see the Yankees play. Nelson raised $600 in place of presents he would have received for that money in order to make this child's dream come true.

For people who would like to donate their birthdays to those less fortunate, a website has been created called The Birthday Club. The birthday club encourages people to ask for others to donate food tofood pantries instead of giving them a birthday present. Or you can pick a foundation, as Nelson did, to give the money you would have made from your birthday presents instead of asking for another DVD or another video game or another pair of shoes.

Human-friendly diamonds - by Monica

Image credit: Brilliant Earth

Many women dream of the day when their boyfriend (or future boyfriend) proposes with a beautiful diamond ring. Ironically, my friend Margaret and I went into a diamond store at Somerset mall today as we imagined what the rings would look like on our fingers (and Margaret took pictures of the rings in case my boyfriend needed suggestions...oh how I love my friends!)

When I got home from the mall, I came across the website brilliantearth.com. And there I learned the sad truth about diamonds and what this company is doing to try and stop this. All of the diamonds come from Canadian and Namibian mines that follow human and environmentally friendly practices. For anyone who has seen the movie "Blood Diamond" or heard the song "Diamonds" by Kayne West, you know of the unethical ways diamonds miners in countries such as Zimbabwe and South Africa are treated. According to Brilliant Earth's website, in Zimbabwe, killings, rape, torture, forced labor and child labor are all used to subdue the local population and extract the diamond wealth for the benefit of the military and the political allies of President Robert Mugabe. In order to achieve wealth and power, these countries overlook the way they are treating their workers...and then sell the diamonds to us, Americans who don't realize the practices that are going on in these countries or who want diamonds so much they try not to think about it.

I think what Beth Gerstein and Eric Grossberg, a married couple from San Francisco, did for the diamond industry is amazing. When trying to find a ring to propose to Beth with, Eric could not find any diamond stores that sold conflict-free rings. So, Eric and Beth decided to create their own company where they sold ONLY conflict-free diamond rings. They are the founders of Brilliant Earth, and just looking into what they have done is very happy news. All of the diamonds they sell are conflict-free diamonds. All of their diamonds are tracked to make sure that they come from ethical and environmentally responsible sources. You can still have a diamond and not put your money into an industry that hurts others for their own personal gain and wealth. So I encourage anyone who is thinking of proposing anytime soon to seriously look into buying a conflict-free diamond for your significant other. If countries who treat their workers so badly stop making money for their diamonds, maybe then they'll finally reconsider the way they treat others.

Breast Cancer Awareness - by Kristy

October is breast cancer awareness month. Throughout this month, fundraisers and charities raise money and awareness for breast cancer. There's several ways to get involved this month, so keep your eyes peeled.

Many sports teams are stepping up too. The NFL players wore pink in their games yesterday for the cause. This season I am interning with the Plymouth Whalers hockey team and their next home game is a "pink out" in order to raise awareness and money as well. This game is October 16th, at 7:05pm. All money raised goes to the Barbara Karmanos Cancer Institute.

You're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off of you - by Monica

Today is the first day of October. What does October make you think of? Halloween, leaves changing color, cider mills...football? Well, today schools in Oakland County such as Oxford High School, Lake Orion High School, Royal Oak High School and Notre Dame Prep are only thinking of the last thing mentioned on my list as they sit cheering for their high school at their homecoming games tonight.

And, obviously, since their homecoming football game is tonight, that means that hair salons will be packed tomorrow with girls getting their hair done for the homecoming dance.

So, my happy news for today is about how my best friend Felicia's little sister Mary was asked to homecoming this year. I've known Mary since she was born (wow, that makes me sound old haha), and this year she has her first date to homecoming (and I will definitely be there helping get her ready). I know you are probably thinking that me being all nostalgic and sappy isn't what you came here to read. But the way she was asked to homecoming is 100 percent news worthy!

Have you guys ever seen the movie "10 Things I Hate About You"? If you haven't, or if it's been a while, here's a little refresher:


Well that is the way Mary was asked to homecoming a week ago. Her date, Michael, got the school band to play, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You." One of her friends is on the color guard team and asked her to come out to the football field to "watch her practice." In reality, she was getting Mary out onto the football field so the band could play the song while Michael, with a microphone in his hand, sang "Can't Take My Eyes off of You" on the bleachers.

I don't know about you, but that's probably the most romantic thing I've ever heard of. So I figured it was an appropriate happy news to share today, on the day where many highschoolers are looking forward to their homecoming.