Halloween may have been a little different for kids this year, but area churches and businesses did their best to make it just as fun as always.

On Friday, October 30, Cedar Springs Brewing Company held their Jeep Night Trunk or Treat. According to David Ringler, the Director of Happiness at CS Brewing, about 200 people turned out for the event over a two-hour period.

On Halloween, October 31, The Springs Church held their annual Trunk or Treat, and treated lots of masked kiddoes. They practiced social distancing as they snaked through the line to each car trunk.

Several businesses on Main Street were also open to hand out candy.

By Ranger Steve Mueller

Skeleton discovery is exciting and initiates mystery investigation. Who was it? Why and how did she or he die? Who should we tell or show? Should we keep the bones? Will a museum want to keep the bones in their artifacts collection? 

When I was ten, I found a skeleton with dried skin in the corner of the garage. Though it had been dead all winter, I was able to determine it was a robin’s remains. The bird is still in my possession and was shown to visitors recently along with other discoveries from my childhood. 

When exploring a bog with my older brothers in 1961, we walked out on a log. At the end, Mike saw the end of a bone protruding from the bog surface. He pulled it up and saw it was a deer’s femur. We probed and found other bones. We tried to determine where the skull would be located. He thought to the right and I thought to the left. As we pulled up ribs, vertebrae, hip bones and more, I felt something large and hard. 

I lunged my arm deep and pulled up the skull with my fingers holding it by empty eye sockets. It was a thrill to find a skeleton that had been preserved in a bog for who knows how many years or decades. Tannic bog acids slowed decay and colored the bones a rich tan. We guessed the deer fell off the log and became stuck in the bog ooze. That skeleton was shown to recent visitors also. It has been in my possession for almost 60 years. 

Most skeletons are left where found. Once when walking along a dirt road in the upper peninsula near Lake Michigan, my daughter was exploring the roadside and saw bones. She found a monster that was probably ten feet long. She was four years old. We spent time looking at the great variety of bones and determined they were from a horse. Someone perhaps had been riding their horse when it died. They probably retrieved riding gear and left the carcass to vultures, coyotes, and other scavengers. 

I should be so lucky when my demise comes and be returned to the elements by hungry neighbors like a dead tree left to be decayed by fungus, bacteria, hungry beetles and scavengers. For many readers this might bring queasy feelings because many want to be embalmed and kept in underground vaults or be cremated. 

My remains will not get up and wander graveyards each Halloween to frighten people but it is fun to imagine such scary events. Children have fun costuming as zombies or skeletons that wander neighborhoods when darkness ends the day.

When exploring the neighborhood or roadsides, do not be surprised to find tiny to large skeletons. By year’s end, antlers will be discarded by bucks. Mice, squirrels, and other animals will gnaw on them for needed phosphate and calcium. Antlers provide essential nature niche nutrients to those still alive. 

Antlers are bone material grown from spring to fall and discarded after breeding season. Some are giant like those of moose and elk. Others are moderately small like those of deer. 

Horns are different and not shed. They persist from year to year and continue growth throughout the animal’s lifetime. They might be straight like a pronghorn’s or curled as with big horned sheep. Horns are modified hair made of keratin instead of bone material. Hooves are composed of keratin.

Spend time this Halloween season exploring for skeletons. It should be fun and educational instead of frightening. Keep the fun frightening part for Halloween trick or treat events with friends and family.

Natural history questions or topic suggestions can be directed to Ranger Steve (Mueller) at odybrook@chartermi.net – Ody Brook Nature Sanctuary, 13010 Northland Dr. Cedar Springs, MI 49319 or call 616-696-1753.

Hundreds of kids and parents took advantage of the mild weather for trick or treating on Halloween night, October 31. Lines of kiddos dressed as fairy tale characters, super heroes, monsters, dinosaurs, and much more made the rounds up and down Main Street and city side streets to businesses, churches, and homes to get their treats. Thanks to all of you that visited us at The Post! 

Check out some of the fun, fall activities going on in our area in the days leading up to Halloween night.

Pumpkin carving and spooky walk

Oct. 26: Nothing says Halloween like pumpkin carving and a spooky trail walk at Howard Christensen Nature Center. Join us for a thrilling and ghoulish night on Friday, October 26, from 6-8 p.m. The cost is $5 for non-members and $3 for members. Price includes a pumpkin and everything you need to carve it. The event is open to kids of all ages (even the grownup ones). Donuts, cider, and coffee provided. Come in costume if you like! Please register online at www.howardchristensen.org.

Salvation Army Monster Mash

Oct. 26: The Salvation Army Kroc Center is holding its sixth-annual “Monster Mash” Halloween event on Friday, October 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Center is located at 2300 S. Division in Grand Rapids. This free event will feature “trunk-or-treating” in the Kroc’s east parking lot, giving families a fun and safe alternative to trick-or-treating in their own neighborhoods. Multiple Kroc Center and other Salvation Army groups will be distributing candy and other information, along with other local businesses.

Trunk or Treat at Courtland-Oakfield UMC

Oct. 27: The early bird gets the (Gummy) worm on Saturday, October 27, from 4:30 to 7:00 pm at Courtland-Oakfield United Methodist Church, 10295 Myers Lake NE, Rockford. Safe, friendly and fun. We’ll also be serving a free hot dog supper. 

Trunk or Treat at East Nelson UMC

Oct. 27: Trunk or Treat at East Nelson Church, 9024 – 18 Mile Rd., Cedar Springs, on Saturday, October 27 from 5-7 p.m. Come and join the scary good fun!

Fall Fest at Nelson Twp/Sand Lake Library

Oct. 30: Celebrate the season with Autumn crafts, games and process art activities that focus more on the process and less on the final product. Tuesday, October 30 at 10:30 am at KDL – Nelson Twp/Sand Lake, 88 8^th St, Sand Lake. Come in costume for a parade around the library!

Cedar Springs Halloween Spooktacular

Oct. 31: The City of Cedar Springs Halloween Spooktacular will be on October 31, 2018 from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on Main Street. Local businesses will be handing out candy and there will be police on duty to assist with crossing main the street. Residential trick or treating is from 5-8 p.m.

Halloween Warm Up Station at Cedar Springs UMC

Oct. 31: Be our guest at Cedar Springs United Methodist Church for some hot chocolate and popcorn during your Trick or Treat fun in Cedar Springs from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 140 S. Main Street. 

Trunk or Treat at The Springs Church

Oct. 31: Join us for our annual Trunk or Treat at The Springs Church, 135 N. Grant Street, from 6-8 p.m. on Halloween night. Our aim is to provide a safe and fun alternative to Halloween for people of all ages. Everyone is welcome! 

Courtland Fire Halloween open house

Oct. 31: Courtland Fire will hold their annual Halloween open house October 31 from 5-8 p.m. at station 2, 9535 Myers Lake Ave. Donuts, cider, and candy will be available.

Last House Party at Solon Center Wesleyan

Oct. 31:  “Last House” Party at Solon Center Wesleyan. Make the church your last stop Halloween evening or simply come and hang out in a friendly and safe environment. There will be games, refreshments and candy, of course! The church is located at 15671 Algoma Ave., Cedar Springs, and will be open from 7-8:30 p.m.

Trunk-R-Treat at Hillcrest Community Church

Oct. 31: Stop by Hillcrest Community Church, 5994 18 Mile Rd, Cedar Springs, for their annual Trunk-R-Treat on Wednesday, October 31, from 6-8 p.m. Just 2 miles from downtown Cedar Springs. Call 696-9333 for more info.

No trunks, just treats at Resurrection Lutheran

Oct. 31: Stop in to Resurrection Lutheran on Wednesday, October 31, from 6-8 p.m. There you will find No Trunks, Just Treats! The church is located at 180 Northland Dr., Sand Lake from 6-8 p.m.

Zoo Keeper gets lost at the farm

Oct. 31: Trunk or Treat at the Boat n Canoe Club, 401 North Park St. in Grand Rapids from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Halloween, Oct. 31. Mary’s Farm Critters will be there for young and old; there will be games and candy for all; and costume prizes as well. 

Check out some of the fun, fall activities going on in our area in the days leading up to Halloween night.

Free Harvest Party

Oct. 20: Cedar Creek Community Church, 2969 – 14 Mile Rd NE, Sparta, 616-866-9829, will be hosting a FREE Harvest Party on Saturday, October 20 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. We will have hayrides (straw – due to allergies), pumpkin painting, dunking for apples, pumpkin bowling, bounce houses, cake walk, games for all ages, face painting, soup and hot dogs (from 5–6 pm), popcorn, lots of fun and fellowship. All are welcome.

Fall Fest at Spencer Township Library

Oct. 23: Celebrate the season with Autumn crafts, games and process art activities that focus more on the process and less on the final product. Tuesday, October 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Spencer Township Library, 14960 Meddler Ave, Gowen, MI 49326. For families with children.

Pumpkin carving and spooky walk

Oct. 26: Nothing says Halloween like pumpkin carving and a spooky trail walk at Howard Christensen Nature Center. Join us for a thrilling and ghoulish night on Friday, October 26, from 6-8 p.m. The cost is $5 for non-members and $3 for members. Price includes a pumpkin and everything you need to carve it. The event is open to kids of all ages (even the grownup ones). Donuts, cider, and coffee provided. Come in costume if you like! Please register online at www.howardchristensen.org.

Salvation Army Monster Mash

Oct. 26: The Salvation Army Kroc Center is holding its sixth-annual “Monster Mash” Halloween event on Friday, October 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Center is located at 2300 S. Division in Grand Rapids. This free event will feature “trunk-or-treating” in the Kroc’s east parking lot, giving families a fun and safe alternative to trick-or-treating in their own neighborhoods. Multiple Kroc Center and other Salvation Army groups will be distributing candy and other information, along with other local businesses.

Trunk or Treat at Courtland-Oakfield UMC

Oct. 27: The early bird gets the (Gummy) worm on Saturday, October 27, from 4:30 to 7:00 pm at Courtland-Oakfield United Methodist Church, 10295 Myers Lake NE, Rockford. Safe, friendly and fun. We’ll also be serving a free hot dog supper. 

Trunk or Treat at East Nelson UMC

Oct. 27: Trunk or Treat at East Nelson Church, 9024 – 18 Mile Rd., Cedar Springs, on Saturday, October 27 from 5-7 p.m. Come and join the scary good fun!

Fall Fest at Nelson Twp/Sand Lake Library

Oct. 30: Celebrate the season with Autumn crafts, games and process art activities that focus more on the process and less on the final product. Tuesday, October 30 at 10:30 am at KDL – Nelson Twp/Sand Lake, 88 8^th St, Sand Lake. Come in costume for a parade around the library!

Cedar Springs Halloween Spooktacular

Oct. 31: The City of Cedar Springs Halloween Spooktacular will be on October 31, 2018 from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on Main Street. Local businesses will be handing out candy and there will be police on duty to assist with crossing main the street. Residential trick or treating is from 5-8 p.m.

Halloween Warm Up Station at Cedar Springs UMC

Oct. 31: Be our guest at Cedar Springs United Methodist Church for some hot chocolate and popcorn during your Trick or Treat fun in Cedar Springs from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 140 S. Main Street. 

Trunk or Treat at The Springs Church

Oct. 31: Join us for our annual Trunk or Treat at The Springs Church, 135 N. Grant Street, from 6-8 p.m. on Halloween night. Our aim is to provide a safe and fun alternative to Halloween for people of all ages. Everyone is welcome! 

Last House Party at Solon Center Wesleyan

Oct. 31:  “Last House” Party at Solon Center Wesleyan. Make the church your last stop Halloween evening or simply come and hang out in a friendly and safe environment. There will be games, refreshments and candy, of course! The church is located at 15671 Algoma Ave., Cedar Springs, and will be open from 7-8:30 p.m.

Trunk-R-Treat at Hillcrest Community Church

Oct. 31: Stop by Hillcrest Community Church, 5994 18 Mile Rd, Cedar Springs, for their annual Trunk-R-Treat on Wednesday, October 31, from 6-8 p.m. Just 2 miles from downtown Cedar Springs. Call 696-9333 for more info.

No trunks, just treats at Resurrection Lutheran

Oct. 31: Stop in to Resurrection Lutheran on Wednesday, October 31, from 6-8 p.m. There you will find No Trunks, Just Treats! The church is located at 180 Northland Dr., Sand Lake from 6-8 p.m.

Zoo Keeper gets lost at the farm

Oct. 31: Trunk or Treat at the Boat n Canoe Club, 401 North Park St. in Grand Rapids from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Halloween, Oct. 31. Mary’s Farm Critters will be there for young and old; there will be games and candy for all; and costume prizes as well. 

On Saturday, October 21, five boys from Cedar Springs (making up the team Blue Thunder) played in Grant in a 4 on 4 Halloween tournament and took second place in the U10 age division.  They played a total of five games, staying undefeated until the final game, where they lost. Pictured from left to right (with trophies) back row is Keenan Ingersoll, Jacob Smith, Jax Shotko; and front row is Avery Umphrey, and Blake Schultz.  Coached by Dustin Ingersoll and Stacy Shotko.

The Cedar Springs Post is ready for ghosts, spooks, fairies, monsters, princesses and other forms of ghouls that will fill the streets of Cedar Springs this Halloween with a pile of candy* to appease the scary (or pretty) masses.

But beware, there may be a few monsters residing here at our local newsp aper as well. If you say the magic words, “Trick or Treat” they will hand over their candy with a smile and maybe a growl. But do not fear, none of them actually bite!

For more information on Spooktackular Fun courtesy of the Cedar Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, click link to see Hometown Happenings.

*Only available while supplies last!

Are you ready for the all the little superheroes, princesses, ghosts, and goblins that will soon be coming your way? Halloween is just around the corner, and the Post has a list of many of the Halloween and Harvest events happening in our area leading up to Halloween. Included is the Cedar Springs Halloween Spooktacular, with trick or treating from 5-6:30 at downtown businesses, and 5-8 p.m. in the residential area. Click here to see all of the events going on in our area.

Liam Barr decorates his caramel apple in Miss Bostic’s Kindergarten class

What a ghoulish and ghostly October for Creative Technologies Academy! CTA celebrated another great Halloween season with our annual Halloween parade and Halloween parties. The elementary students paraded around the campus in their costumes for the whole school to see. Upon their return, mothers and fathers put on great parties for their youngsters. Thank you to everyone who made the Halloween parties a success!

Mrs. Norman’s fifth grade class looking festive

Our school community also wants to give a HUGE shout out to the parents and guardians of CTA Elementary because you helped us make our goal of having 100 percent attendance at Student-Led Conferences this Fall. Thank you all for coming and supporting your child’s education; your support is extremely important and valued! There will be a second set of student-led conferences in the spring, but all the teachers are free to hear your questions and/or concerns anytime of the year!

Mr. Holtrop bringing the fun to the third grade classroom

Hundreds of little ghouls and goblins (and some big ones, too!) hit the city streets on Monday evening, October 31, when the Cedar Springs Area Chamber of Commerce held their annual Halloween Spooktacular. Businesses, churches, the museum, library and fire department all stayed open to hand out treats to little ones and to make their night much safer and a whole lot more fun!

Seventeen little preschoolers crowded into the adult section of the Cedar Springs Public Library last Friday, October 28, and had a fun pre-Halloween story time.

“Most were in costume,” said, Librarian Donna Clark. “We had Mario, Rapunzel, two dinosaurs, a zebra, a cow, a chicken, a couple of princesses, a mushroom, a fireman from Paw Patrol, a Samurai warrior, Minnie Mouse and a kitty cat. Miss Heidi was a cowgirl, Yippee Ki-yay!”
The best song was the Halloween Hokey Pokey and the best book was “The Spooky Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round.” Craft time included making a monster mouth with a strange smile. Children glued the teeth and tongue onto a smiling open mouth and put it onto a stick—perfect for a costume party. Trick or Treat Stations were scattered about the library. The children left with a small bag of candy and a big Monster Smile!

Area families with preschoolers are invited to mark the date for fun and creative story times at the Cedar Springs Library, Fridays from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. Stories, crafts and songs abound in an atmosphere of joy and creativity.

Family Features

Spooky, silly or symbolic, carved pumpkins are an essential ingredient to any Halloween celebration. This year, scare up some special fun for your party with a wicked watermelon carving instead—but don’t stop there.

After crafting your watermelon into an artful mummy, take advantage of the healthy, immune-system supporting qualities of the lycopene leader among fresh produce. At 92 percent water, as well as an excellent source of vitamins A and C, watermelon is a hydrating post-art snack.

Carving a creative design into a watermelon is a simple way to kick off the festivities and requires only a handful of common tools. Add a twinkling candle to make a fantastically frightful centerpiece. Or fill it with a fresh fruit salad or salsas for a more functional, practical approach.

Even if you’re planning on a hollowed-out carving, keep the sweet juicy fruit and make it a healthy addition to your Halloween party menu with a recipe that puts to use all your carving leftovers.

To take advantage of all a watermelon has to offer—outside of the fun carving—try Frosted, Frozen Watermelon Balls or Kids Watermelon Pizza Supreme. These fun, simple recipes make it easy to incorporate a healthy snack after all your hard work carving up a Halloween masterpiece.

Find more recipes, carving patterns and inspiration at watermelon.org.

Carving Tips

Prior to carving, read through all of the directions.

Cuts are easiest when the watermelon is at room temperature. Once your handiwork is complete, chill the carving and contents before serving.

After drawing your design on the rind, insert toothpicks in key places to guide your cuts.

A sharp knife with a pointed tip makes the easiest, cleanest cuts.

Remove excess flesh in large pieces, when possible, to allow for easier melon ball or cube creation.

Use round toothpicks or skewers to attach pieces to your design as flat toothpicks are not strong enough to bear the weight or stand up to the thickness of the rind.

Choosing a Watermelon

With a thick rind covering the fruit inside, you may wonder how to choose the best watermelon at the market. Here are some tips for picking the perfect one:

Look it over. Look for a round, oval or oblong shaped watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents.

Lift it up. The watermelon should be heavy for its size. On average, a 5-pound watermelon yields 15 cups of edible fruit.

Turn it over. The underside of the watermelon should have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

Mummy

Supplies and Tools:

Oval or round seedless watermelon

Cutting board

Kitchen knife

Small bowl

Dry erase marker

Paring knife

Melon baller, fluted or regular

Scoop

Assorted peelers

Cheesecloth

Straight pin

Battery-operated candle or light

Candy eyeballs or blueberries

Wash watermelon under cool running water and pat dry.

On cutting board, place watermelon on its side and use kitchen knife to cut off 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch from bottom (end opposite stem), being careful not to cut too deep into white part of rind.

Cut 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch from stem end to create opening large enough to fit small bowl.

Using dry erase marker, draw eyes, nose and mouth, along with wavy slits around carving to let more light flow through. Use paring knife to cut out design, being sure to cut through to red fruit.

Use fluted or regular melon baller to hollow out inside of watermelon. Use scoop to remove excess watermelon.

Peel green rind off outside of watermelon. (Tip: Different peelers work well for different parts of the watermelon, depending on how flat or round the melon is.)

Wrap thin strips of cheesecloth around mummy carving and secure with straight pin, if needed.

Put battery-operated candle or light into carving. Fit small bowl into top of carving and trim away excess rind to make bowl fit securely. Fill bowl with melon balls and attach candy or blueberries to make eyes.

Kids Watermelon Pizza Supreme

Servings: 6

1 watermelon slice (8-10 inches around and 1-inch thick), drained

1 cup strawberry preserves

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup sweetened shredded coconuts

Place watermelon slice on serving platter and cut into 6 wedges, leaving in shape of pizza.

Spread preserves over watermelon and sprinkle chocolate chips, raisins, walnuts and coconut.

Frosted, Frozen Watermelon Balls 

Servings: 35-40

1 small watermelon

1 package (3 ounces) watermelon or other red flavor gelatin dessert

Using melon baller, scoop out 35-40 small watermelon balls. Place on paper towels and set aside.

Pour gelatin into shallow bowl. One-by-one, gently drop watermelon balls into bowl, roll around, take out and place on plate covered with paper towel. Repeat until all gelatin is used.

Place plate of frosted watermelon balls in freezer. Allow at least 2 hours to make sure they are completely frozen. Remove from freezer and let sit a few minutes before eating.

Note: To serve with toothpicks, place toothpicks in before freezing to aid in serving.