Spiritual Salon

Patricia A. Campbell-Castro describes herself as an evangelist and her hair care ministry as a full service salon that emphasizes spirituality and holistic healing. Patricia Hair Care Ministry LLC is located on 1816 E. Michigan Ave. “When they come to the hair care ministry, there is nothing here but them and the spirit of God. And myself, of course,” Campbell-Castro explains that aside from discussing biblical scripture and listening to Christian music, she discusses problems and everyday life with her clients.

More Than a Full-Time Job

Michigan State’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), also known as the Spartan Battalion, enlists 160 students in its program. The program features several elite subdivisions within the Battalion such as Ranger One and Pathfinders, which combined with the general cadet program, create for its participants an intensive and demanding leadership experience culminating in a commitment to active service in the United States military. The ROTC program is instructed by seasoned military veterans who in turn become mentors to the cadets.

The Whole Nine Yards

“It keeps me young at heart,” said Athletic Equipment Coordinator Bob Knickerbocker, who rolls a case of cleats to be loaded onto a truck last Thursday for the football team’s game in Minnesota. Knickerbocker and his crew prepare all the equipment every week, making sure everything the team needs is ready at a whim. Everything is put into a semi and arranged in the locker room, home or away.

The Witches Pit

Eaton Rapids resident Nancy Eddy plays a witch at the “witches pit” Saturday at the Sundance Riding Stables haunted hayride, 9250 Nixon Road, in Grand Ledge. Eddy works at the part of the ride where the wagon stops and riders are given “reptile rings” and “dragon’s drool,” also known as donuts and apple cider by a group of witches. She convinced the owner of Sundance Riding Stables to start the annual haunted house and hayride about 15 years ago and views playing a witch as her reward for helping to organize the event. “It’s really a fun spot to work ’cause you get to banter with the customers a little and tease them a little about cooking them in our pot and various things.” The haunted house and hayride have been running every Thursday through Saturday night since Oct. 15 and will run through Halloween.

What's a fret among friends?

Haslett resident Ben Hassenger, coordinator of the Lansing Area Ukulele Group, or L.A.U.G.H for short, (the “H” is silent), laughs after leading the group in “Monster Mash” with Lansing resident Dave Pasant Saturday at Elderly Instruments, 1100 N. Washington Ave., in Lansing. The group formed last month and has had two of its soon-to-be monthly meetings. Watch to see the group in harmony and listen to a clip of them playing Monster Mash.

The "Ultra-styla-para-funka-normalfication-type s---" of Thearon Clark

“God bless you” says Lansing resident and lifetime drummer Thearon “T.C.” Clark with a smile to passers-by of his “stage” at the corner of Washington Square North and Washtenaw Street in Lansing. The enthusiastic Clark, who seldom lets anyone walk by without at least a smile, comes to the corner almost every day to drum for the sake of drumming. “I look forward to waking up every day just to play some drums, just because I love it so much,” said Clark, emphatically stomping the pedal to his bass drum on select syllables. Clark, who has played with a number of influential acts, including Parliament-Funkadelic, got the two permits necessary to play on the corner in August and is allowed to continue playing until late November or until it gets too cold. Although the cold weather might quickly decrease the foot traffic by his corner and, in turn, his tips, Clark doesn’t go out to his corner every day for the money; it wasn’t until a few weeks in that it even occurred to him to put out a tip jar.

Sacred sound

“I think music might be the natural language of human beings” Lansing resident Eric Dawe explains. “I do feel more comfortable communicating with music.” Dawe plays a multitude of instruments and receives voice lessons in the classical north Indian style. “It’s always been something that really pulled me since I’ve been a child,” 21-year-old Dawe said about his passion for music. “That’s how I pray, that’s how I really express what I’m feeling.” Mostly every morning he practices yoga, chants and sings in order to ground himself and set a tone for his day.

College funding

Susan Haskamp, a sophomore in interdisciplinary studies in social science, Donnie Sackey, a doctoral student in writing, rhetoric and American cultures and microbiology senior Radhika Menawat discuss the increasing difficulty of funding a college education.

The Garden Project

Founded in the 1980s by an MSU professor, the Garden Project Gleaning Program was created to utilize unused food grown for research at the MSU Farms. From August to November, the gleaning is in full swing. Over one hundred volunteers descend on the area farms to harvest surplus produce. Every year over 300,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables are harvested and delivered to Lansing area low-income families. The Garden Project is a program of the Greater Lansing Food Bank that distributes to over 80 different agencies, low-income housing projects, food pantries and schools. “You know that it’s making a big difference getting fresh foods into people’s lives,” said Anne Rauscher, director of the Garden Project of the Greater Lansing Food Bank.