Covenant Hills Camp

I never attended an actual camp at this campground, but stayed there for a few retreats and camp-outs. I have nothing but good memories of the place. The cabins and bathrooms were clean and the grounds were well-tended. They had a gym facility for recreation, although you also had the whole outdoors to play in.

As another reviewer said, although the camp has a Christian background, it's open to everyone, and I was even there as part of public school groups.

City Rescue Mission

My experience with the Mission comes from volunteering to serve their nightly dinners. If you're looking for a humbling volunteer experience, you really can't beat this one. The people in charge were always friendly, and they made sure that everyone had a job, from handing out the main course to serving drinks and cups of fruit.

They provide a hot, nutritious and filling meal every night to Lansing's homeless and needy. They have the process of handing out dinner down to a science, so it's a quick and efficient process. As a religious organization, they do require that anyone who eats their dinner attend a church service.

The Gecko Stores of Michigan Lansing Mall

This business is a small kiosk in the Lansing Mall. I'm not always a fan of mall-based pet sales, because it can so easily be cruel to the animals, but the geckos looked well taken care and each one had a nice little habitat of its own.

The associates staffing the kiosk were friendly and knowledgeable about the animals, and you could tell they were really interested in geckos and weren't just working at a random retail job.

Be warned, though. You'll be hard-pressed not to go home with a gecko after you've passed by the stand.

Flat Black & Circular

Flat, Black & Circular is practically an East Lansing institution. After all, what do college students love more than cheap music? And even though the prices are good, the used CDs have always been of good quality and scratch-free. Or if there was a scratch, it was a $3 bargain bin CD, and you knew what you were getting when you picked it up.

I think the thing that I like the most about the place is that it's open to everyone, and no matter what your musical tastes, you're bound to find something you love. I've seen the hipster music snobs in there rubbing elbows with someone buying an Andrew Lloyd Webber soundtrack, and it's all OK.

I don't know much about the topic of vinyl, but they always seem to have a pretty good selection.

Pawing through their bargain bins can be fun, and you never know what little gem you might find (after you've gotten past the easy listening hits).

It isn't the focus of their business, but there is always an interesting selection of music-related magazines and zines available by the front door.

St Johns Professional Associates: Holzhei Gregory DO

I've only seen Dr. Holzhei, as he was the only doctor accepting new patients at the time I first needed an appointment. He was good, but he didn't seem terribly friendly. My husband went to him more regularly for diabetic check-ups, and he said that he got the same feeling from him. Still, I don't want to put the man down too much; he's a perfectly competent doctor, and I received good care. His personality just didn't impress me. I do have to give him credit for giving me samples of an antiobiotic to save me money when he found out I didn't have any insurance.

The selection of doctors seems to be closely connected to the hospital and testing facilities, which is convenient.

St John Family Center

The St. Johns Family Center has been a great addition to the church.

McLaren operates a fitness center out of the building, with daily and monthly/yearly charges. Massage therapy is also available.

The Family Center has a great walking track that is free to use.

The facilities are available to rent, including the gym and several rooms that can be partitioned off into seating areas of various sizes. I had my wedding reception in one of these areas, and it was a great place to have a nice dinner.

There are also preschool programs available at the center, including one based on the Montessori philosophy.

For church members, there is a small library for your spiritual growth. The Family Center has also provided a great venue for PREP, youth group and other religious education efforts.

Clinton County News

The Clinton County News recently entered into some sort of distribution agreement with the parent company of the Lansing State Journal, so I've been receiving it every Monday for the first time since I moved here three years ago. It's been a nice addition to my week.

The news is purely local, including the latest on schools, school sports and community events. The quality of reporting and writing is a step above what I've seen in similar community-based papers. There is a fairly large classified section. There's also a regular column on recycling and waste reduction, which I think it refreshing because the topic doesn't always get enough coverage in the media.

This paper even carries several sale ads, including KMart, L&L and Kroger, which you don't always get in papers with smaller circulations.

St Johns Oral Surgery: Schiro William A DDS

I saw Dr. Meyrowitz, and he explained my potential procedure to me completely and seemed open to questions.

The receptionists were friendly and helpful, although one of them seemed slightly forgetful, asking me multiple times for some basic information.

They explained my payment options to me and were helpful in signing me up for the Care Credit program, which is a medical credit card of sorts that allows for financing.

While I was there, a few people came in that seemed to be emergency appointments, and the office staff was very accommodating.

The only negative is that if you live in St. Johns, you may have to go to their office in Lansing for some procedures, but it's still not that far away.

Lansing Oral Surgery

I just had oral surgery there, inserting a rod for a future dental implant, and I was impressed.

They took good care of me, going over the procedure with me ahead of time, watching my blood pressure, and giving me detailed instructions on how to take care of my mouth for the next few days. The assistant even helped walk me to the car since I had been sedated during the procedure while my husband pulled up to the front of the building.

This office also participates in the Care Credit program, which is a brand of credit card intended for medical procedures. I'm grateful for this because I don't have insurance, and this allows me to take advantage of financing options.

Lucas Mark W Dds

Dr. Lucas was the dentist I grew up with, and I continued visiting him until I moved out of the area a few years ago. He was always nice, and he gave good advice on taking care of your teeth, and was always very open about your options when problems arose.

The receptionist had been there for years, and you felt like she really remembered you when you showed up twice a year. The dental hygenists were always friendly, and I felt like they cleaned my teeth well. The only thing was that it seemed like there was always a new hygenist, so you were never sure who you were going to get.

His office is conveniently located near the Miller Rd. shopping area.