Diane Rogers not only makes her own Christmas gifts — she also has a clever way of tagging them. Following the holidays, the Gowen woman uses her Christmas cards and asks her family and friends to donate their cards as well so she can recycle them into personalized gift tags. In years past, Rogers has crocheted pot holders and afghans for family members and she also bakes cookies for those on her gift list. After wrapping her gifts, she applies one of her special gift tags.

The holidays typically evoke memories of large family gatherings around the table. Sometimes these gatherings involved traveling to different parts of the state or even having to work through congested airports to see grandparents and enjoy grandmother’s world famous pumpkin pie. For some, health issues and the cost of travel means holidays spent at home.

Jur Ree Schneider of Crystal is a 5-year cancer survivor and an attendee of the Carson Health Pink Ribbon Affair.

Fifteen-year-old Belding High School student, Sarah Thompson, decided to take her love of acting to another level when she competed in a regional iPOP competition in Lansing.

A breast cancer diagnosis can prove to be overwhelming and lead to confusion, anger and disbelief. Greenville resident, Melissa Ashman, was caught off guard completely with her diagnosis of colloid carcinoma, estrogen receptive breast cancer at age 23. Colloid carcinoma, according to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure website, only accounts for 1 to 3 percent of all invasive breast cancers and within that total it is typically found in women starting at age 60. How does a 23-year-old woman in good health get through such a diagnosis and treatment? She relied on a support network of friends and family.

Mike Simmons of Greenville bicycles 30 miles every day. He also walks and eats well. These facts may not seem remarkable even for someone who is 68 years old, but what does make Simmons stand apart is that he maintains an active life after receiving a pacemaker more than 44 years ago. Life expectancy rates are difficult to gauge, as there are various types of pacemakers implanted for different conditions and, according to Simmons, records are only kept for 10 years. Based on these factors, Simmons is believed to be the longest living pacemaker patient.

A Belding High School graduate is part of a taxidermy team whose work is among the top 25 entries at this year’s ArtPrize. Jamie Outman of Marlette is part of a team of talented taxidermists at Artistry of Wildlife in Sandusky. The team won a world competition in St. Louis, Mo., four years ago. They entered “The Chase” after a great deal of persuasion from his parents, Richard and Joyce Outman of Belding.

Healthy yoga moves to satisfy the body

Area athletes looking for a new challenge might be interested in participating in a triathlon. Before swimming, biking and running to the finish line, some area tri-athletes offer practical tips for success.

Being active is important in having a high quality of life, but maintaining activity is imperative to staying healthy for a lifetime.