1985-12-04; Central Michigan Life

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12 Days of Christmas cost lovelorn giver
by KATHY PETERSEN
LIFE SUIT Writer
$SGA23m
By the 12th Day of Christmas my true lote sent to me
worth of presents.
Such is the fate of starry-eyed lovers determined to follow the
gift-giving instructions so distinctly identified in the familiar carol.
Stan Bimkowski, who raises birds in Mount Pleasant, said a
partridge costs $18. A pear tree is $14 at Alwood landscaping and
Nursery, 2945 S Meridian Road
With cost for the bird and tree at $32. 12 days wurth would co.-t
$3H4.
Turtle doves are not available in Mount Pleasant, but regular doves
are $15 each. $30 for two. and $330 for 11 days.
French hens also are not available locally, hut a mimeograph picture
of one is 15 cents. Multiplied by throe pictures for 10 days, cost comes
to $3 30
Calling birds are similar to Mynah birds, which biology department
graduate assistant Arlene Westhoven said are $700 each in a previous
interview. The total cost to buv four Mvnah birds for nine davs is
$25,200.
Fourteen-karat gold rings are available at Arthur's Catalog
Showroom, 1805 S.Mission, for $100 each. The rings come to $500 per
day, for eight days, for a grand total of $4,000.
Bimkowski said geese would cost about $5 each. Total cost to send
six of them for seven days is $210.
Just when your true love's house seems filled with birds, the
seventh day of Christmas rolls around.
Swans range from $150 for a young swan to $600 for full-grown
♦See "Twelve Days"—page 2
African holiday Kwanza
celebrates, gives thanks
by CHERYL JACKSON
LIFE Copy Editor
Although usually not observed
by students, the African holiday
Kwanza may be celebrated by
campus organizations this year.
The Residence Hall Black
Caucus hopes to incorporate the
celebration of Kwanza, usually
observed Dec. 26 through .Ian. 1,
with the celebration of Martin
Luther King Jr.'s birthday in
January.
"What we'd like to do is go
through the Office of Minority
Affairs and implement our plans
for that week." Caucus President
Dairyl Lewis said.
Lewis, Flint sophomore, said
the caucus, along with the Office
of Minority Affairs and other
campus student organizations, is
expected   to   combine   ideas   for
celebrating King's birthday.
The seven-day Kwanza celebration is a time when blacks
celebrate their survival and thank
ancestors for their strengths; give
thanks for children and re-assess
values and plans for internal
growth
The word Kwanza is Swahili
meaning -first fruits."
The event originated when
Africans gathered to celebrate the
first crop harvest Following
harvest, the entire community
engaged in singing, dancing,
eating and drinking. Kveryone
gathered to give collective thanks
for efforts to make the community
prosperous.
During the observance one of
seven principles is fix-used im each
day.
When attempting to achieve
Umoja   lunity).   the   first   of  the
seven principles, the focus is to
strive for and maintain unity in
the family, community, nation
and race.
Kujichngulia (self-
determination) is obtained by-
defining, naming and speaking for
one's self instead of being defined
and spoken for by others.
Building and maintaining the
black community and collectively-
solving problems of individual
members is the third principle
purpose. Ujima (collective work
and responsibility I.
Ujama (cooperative economicsi.
the fourth principle, focuses on
building and maintaining stores,
shops and other business«*s and
profiting from them as a
community
Building and developing the
black community as a collective
ISee -Kwanza"—page 2
Houghton County tree
spruces up Capitol Hill
by BETSY MINER
LIFE Ass't. News Editor
The '."2nd annual lighting of the United States
Capitol Christmas tree Dec. 11 will be a special
one not only for Michigan senators and
congressmen, but all Michigan residents.
The tree chosen this year came from the
Ottawa National Forest near Watersmeet in
Houghton county.
The white spruce was planted in 1933 by young
men involved with the Civilian Conservation
Corp., a program implemented by Franklin
Roosevelt to provide work relief to men during
the Depression.
Ironically, the same men who planted the tree
52 years ago. cut the tree down after it was
chosen by the I* S Forestry Service to be
trimmed at the Capitol, said Kim Brennen. press
assistant in Senator Donald Riegle's (l)> Mich,
office.
The tree is ~>4 feet high and has a branch
spread of 32 feel, Russell said.
The towering spruce was transported by truck
from Michigan to the nations capitol where it
arrived Monday, and was put up soon after,
Russell said.
The national forests from each state compete
for the honor, press secretary Mike Russell said.
Fach year, a tree from a different state is chosen.
Each year the Forestry Service usually
considers choosing the tree from a forest that is
celebrating a special occasion, press assistant
Joan Huffer said.
The tree was chosen from the Ottawa National
Forest in Michigan's upper peninsula because the
forest is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the
James W. Tourney Nursery which is part of the
forest, she said.
Russell said usually the architect from the
Capitol as well as the senators and congressmen
from the state the tree was chosen from are on
hand for the lighting. In addition, either the
Senate or House chaplin attends to conduct a
ceremony for the annual lighting. The lighting is
open to the public.
♦See •T're*"—page  2
(       LIFE-line
News Brief
Payment of tuition billing statements for winter semester are
due December 16. Students must return the statements to
Receivable Accounting, Warriner 110
Inside Index
Bells are ringing for the LlFE-wiropage2B
Salvation Army. Q&A page3B
page 6A      Comment page-IB
Bloom County  pagc4R
Entertainment pagefiB
University   officials   plan       Sports SectionB
$20        million science       Chippewa Comer...   SectionB
building. Classifieds page23B
pag« IB       Police Reports SectionB
Santa arrives by fire truck
by FRED POLENZ
LIFE SUIT Writer
Von better not pout, you better not shout, you better nut cry. I'm
telling you why...Santa Claus is in town'
Youngsters and people of all ages can visit the bearded, jolly old
fellow at three Mount Pleasant locations this Christmas season.
Santa visited downtown Mount Pleasant in the Town Center on
Main Street Nov. 29. The city's antique fire truck transported Saint
Nick from the cold winter of the North Pole.
"A town isn't a town without Santa Claus." said Mike Foshaug.
president of the Downtown Business Association "It adds holiday
spirit to the community."
The DBA wanted to do something a little different this year; the
transporting of Santa on the fire truck and the addition of Santa's
elves are new attractions
Many kids are apprehensive and get scared of Santa on the fire
engine, so this year elves were added to the attraction to help solve the
problem, DBA member Marsha Tillotson said.
Santa's visitation hours at the Town Center will be Monday through
Friday. 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 pm.; and Sunday, 1-5 p.m.
Santa also visited the Mount Pleasant Shopping Center Nov. 29,
trom 10 a m. to 4:30 p m at his house in the driveway between Fox's
Jewelers. 2201 S Mission, and Michigan Consolidated Gas Co , 2155 S
Mission
At the Shopping Center location, Santa will be assisted by Mrs
Claus every' Saturday and also an occasional Sunday.
Albert and Marjory Hyder. who portray Santa and Mrs. Claus, said
their jobs are fun and enjoyable.
"We do it for the kids and the people," Marjory Hyder said. "Some
kids are scared of Santa so they come to me."
Albert Hyder attended Santa Claus school to learn more about the
famous pot-belly man he portrays.
"Answering the questions of the youngsters is the hardest thing to
do." Hyder said.  "I must stay on my toes at all times."
Santa's visitation hours at the Shopping Center location are 4-8
p m weekdays; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m.
Sunday.
A photographer is available each Saturday. Prices vary for the
portraits according to quantity and photo size, Terry Tackett, JC
Penney general merchandise manager, said.
Another jolly fellow will hear the wishes of little ones at Santa's
house in the Westown I G A Plaza, Dates and times for Santa's
arrival were not available at press time.