Here are five stories to start your day on December 8, 2020.
1. You might be seeing the signs of a project aimed at helping people stay warm this winter on trees and lamp posts downtown. The organizer, who stays anonymous, has been making scarves and tying them up downtown for people to just take.
That person does this every December 6 in honor of her father's passing. When she started the project in 2015 she only had ten scarves. But this year she and volunteers made and gave out 293 along a stretch from Degage Ministries to the Veterans Memorial Park. There are still some scarves left in the park and a few along Division Ave.
2. The Vera Bradley store at the Woodland Mall is helping feed West Michigan. Today through December 13th, you can drop off nonperishable food for "Feeding America West Michigan."
Woodland Mall is also matching each food item with a one-dollar donation to help fight food insecurity in the area. They're asking for items like peanut butter, mac and cheese, and canned soup, fruits, and veggies. For more information visit www.shopwoodlandmall.com.
3. Don't forget the furbabies this giving season! Subaru of Muskegon is having a pet food and supply drive to help rescues Heaven Can Wait and Pound Puppies. For every bag of food or tub of litter donated, the dealership will match up to $4-thousand dollars. And anyone who donates a bag larger than 12-pounds will be entered to win a Yeti cooler. The drive runs through the month of December. Monetary donations can also be mailed directly to the rescues.
4. There's a unique way to support restaurants in Muskegon County. It's called "Restaurant Bingo." Taste of Muskegon says you just have to make a purchase at one restaurant in each column and post about it on social media using the hashtag #tastemkgbingo. Then when you're done, submit your entry online. The competition runs now through the end of the month. Winners get a 25-dollar restaurant gift card.
5. If you're looking for a challenge before assembling any new furniture this holiday season, IEKA is offering a free kit to make gingerbread furniture for gingerbread houses. You start with gingerbread dough. You download templates, cut them out, and use them to cut the pieces you need out of the dough. Then, you bake the gingerbread and assemble the pieces using online instructions. It should be a snap, right? You can make six different types of furniture. They include a bookcase, table and chairs, bedframe, rug, and armchair.
