1. Only one month left to submit your entries for Lake Superior State University's Banished Words List.
The tradition started yearly in 1976 to “uphold protect and support excellence in language by encouraging avoidance of words and terms that are hackneyed, redundant, oxymoronic, cliched, illogical, nonsensical and otherwise ineffective, baffling or irritating.”
The deadline to submit is November 30 at 8:00 a.m., head to lssu.edu/banishedwords to get in on this very serious business.
2. Now that Halloween is over, it's time to start holiday shopping.
This Friday night you can start in downtown Kalamazoo at "Kalamatopia".
This event will feature artists and merchandise vendors that specialize in anything made in Kalamazoo County as well as Michigan. It's designed as an expo where vendor booth tables will line the Kalamazoo Mall from East Michigan Avenue to Eleanor Street.
It's free to attend and runs from 5 to 8 p.m. For a full vendor list you can visit their website.
3. November is Epilepsy Awareness Month.
On November 5 the Epilepsy Foundation Of Michigan is connecting with the West Michigan community by turning the Blue Bridge purple at 5:30 p.m.
This is a new event and the organization hopes to increase awareness in the Grand Rapids area and beyond as they honor the nearly 109,000 people in Michigan living with epilepsy.
You can learn more by going to epilepsymichigan.org.
4. Kent County non-profit, the Santa Claus Girls, is getting ready to deliver gifts to families in need this holiday season. But they need your help to get it done!
The organization is looking for volunteers to load cars, and other volunteers to actually make the deliveries.
Each present you'll be dropping off includes a toy, book, hats and mittens, and pajamas. Delivery day is December 10 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
If you're interested just fill out the form on the group's website: santaclausgirls.org/volunteer.
5. As the weather cools down, the holiday season is heating up in the kitchen. So it only makes sense to celebrate the spice of the season with its own special day: National Cinnamon Day!
It balances the sweetness of apple pie and all pumpkin spice lovers know it's crucial for your Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
It also adds warmth to savory dishes, so think about pairing it with sweet potatoes or butternut squash.
Cinnamon is often the most purchased holiday spice, but cinnamon celebrations didn't start until 2019.
