“I’ll try my best,” the Mount Pleasant resident said.

He joined his four sisters and foster parents for the 37th annual Turkey Trot 6K Trail Run sponsored by the Mount Pleasant Striders Running Club.

Mount Pleasant resident Rob McConnell said he and his wife run a non-profit foster home where children come voluntarily. His four daughters and foster child are all members of Striders.

“It’s more for exercise than running,” McConnell said. “Some (of the children) like to do it because they like to run, some like to do it because the other kids do it.”

Striders President Kennen White said the race is an excuse to run and have fun for the runners, who ranged in age from 9 to 80-years-old.

“About 40 to 50 people run the four mile loop on the trails,” he said. “After the race we have a cookout with hot dogs for everyone.”

Striders Treasurer Mike Georgia said there is an overall male winner and overall female.

“Each winner gets a can of turkey Spam,” he said. “Every participant gets a little turkey statue as a premium.”

Recreation Parks and Leisure Services Professor Patty Janes said the turkey statues are a badge of honor in her household.

“I love the opportunity to run with my children, it is the highlight of my running life,” she said. “This is our second year doing the run and we have statues from past years at home.”

Patty said her two daughters are cross-country runners and she is an avid runner and Strider member herself.

“It’s a beautiful day to run, we love to run,” she said. “This event is always about socializing more than the race.”

As the runners headed off onto the trail when the clock struck three, Janes made a special dart back.

“This is our favorite place to run,” she said as she started the race.

The Mount Pleasant Police Department is investigating a larceny reported at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday at 1208 Burch St., in which jewelry valued at $4,586 was taken. Police are interviewing a group of high school students that were at the residence Monday, said MPPD Public Information Officer Dave Sabuda. The mother of one of the students noticed the jewelry was missing after the group left.

Debate on tanning beds

There will be an hour-long public debate on “Should the U.S. outlaw tanning beds?” from 7 to 8:15 p.m. today in Moore Hall Room 105. This issue will be debated by Central Michigan University students from COM 267: Introduction to Debate. They will debate both sides of the issue on tanning beds. The arguments are followed by questions/discussion from the audience. For more information, contact Jeff Drury in the Department of Communication and Dramatic Arts at 774-3950.

Scholarship Exhibition

Central Michigan University students who are recipients of Art Department scholarships are featuring their work from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in the University Art Gallery’s West Gallery. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, contact the art gallery at 774-3800.

Issue Day

Issue Day provides resources to the Central Michigan University community through a one-day conference. The presentation covers a wide range of topics that will allow attendees to increase their knowledge about certain issues from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the Bovee University Center Rotunda. For more information, contact the Volunteer Center at 774-7685.

Turkey Trot

Fabiano Hall is having its annual Turkey Trot on Sunday. It is a 5k walk/run around campus from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting in the Fabiano Hall lobby. After the walk/run, participants will be served a pancake breakfast. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. and the race starts at 11:11 a.m. Registration and race starts outside Fabiano Hall by the fountains. There are gift certificate prizes available. Runners/ walkers can sign up by e-mailing turkeytrot2009@yahoo.com with their name, contact number and shirt size, or just register that morning. For more information, contact Celani/Fabiano staff Steve Wincent at (517) 936-8438. Admission is $10.

Box Stuffing

Volunteers can help stuff Thanksgiving boxes at the Salvation Army from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday at Salvation Army, 1308 Burch St. Contact Erin Herrington with questions at the Volunteer Center at 773-4663.

In Whose Honor

“In Whose Honor: American Indian Mascots in Sports” is a documentary on the Native American groups and their struggles, followed by a discussion. The event takes place from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Monday in the Bovee University Center Auditorium. This event is a part of Native American Heritage Month and sponsored by the Native American Programs. For more information, contact Native American Programs Director Colleen Green at 774-2508. Admission is free.

David Garcia Project

Training for David Garcia Project facilitators will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today in the Lake Michigan Room in the Bovee University Center. Training is sponsored by the Volunteer Center. For more information, contact Jenny Jordan in the Volunteer Center at volunteer.center@cmich.edu.

The third annual WCMU Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. now through Dec. 18 in central and northern Michigan. To collect new or gently-worn sweaters, WCMU is partnering with several organizations to give to those in need this winter. For dropoff information, visit cmu.org or drop off sweaters at the Central Michigan University Public Broadcasting Center. For more information, contact Renee Schaver at (800) 727-9268 or shave1rr@cmich.edu.

Fall leaf pick-up

Sunday is the last day for residents to rake leaves into the streets. City crews will make one final pickup Monday. Some guidelines to insure leaf removal are raking leaves into the street along the curb or to the street shoulders in uncurbed areas and to raking leaves into street gutters in low piles. On Pickard, Mission and High streets, where traffic prohibits leaves in the gutters, leaves can be raked between the curb and sidewalk. Bagged leaves, branches, grass clippings and garden cuttings will not be picked up.

FYE Peer Mentors

The selection process for First Year Experience mentors for the 2010-11 academic year is beginning. FYE peer mentors have the opportunity to help students transition to Central Michigan University and the college atmosphere through the FYE 101: First Year Experience course. Students can get information and an online application at fye.cmich.edu/mentors-prosp.htm. For more information, contact Jana Lewis at lewis3jm@cmich.edu or Jason Bentley at bentl1jm@cmich.edu.

Anspach speaker

Laury Silvers, A visiting assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s department for the study of religion, is speaking from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in Anspach Hall room 161. The Female or Shared Authority Movement in North American Islam seeks to open up the role of community prayer leader to women from within the boundaries of traditional Islamic Law and practice. Silvers is a scholar of Islam and a participant in the movement and is discussing the basic legal issues surrounding woman-led prayer, the nature of the resistance to it, how the movement is challenging male-only authority and how the goal of her movement relates to the aspirations of other varieties of feminism. For more information, contact Betty Lewis at 774-3444 or lewis1ec@cmich.edu.

Public debate

Central Michigan University students will debate from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Thursday in Moore Hall Room 105. The public debate will be presented by students from COM 267: Intro to Debate and will debate whether public schools should wear uniforms. The debate will introduce opening arguments from both sides and then the prepared arguments will be followed by question and discussion from the audience. Admission is free. For more information, contact Jeff Drury at 774-3950 or drury1jp@cmich.edu.

Turkey Trot

A 5k walk/run around the campus of Central Michigan University takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday starting at Fabiano Hall’s lobby. Check-ins will begin at 10 a.m. and the race will begin at 11:11 a.m. Immediately following the race, participants will receive a pancake breakfast. Registration and race will be outside Fabiano Hall by the fountains. Prizes will consist of gift certificates. A participant can sign up at the event or by e-mailing turkeytrot2009@yahoo.com. Include name, number and shirt size. The cost is $10 to participate in the race and everyone gets a shirt. For more information, contact Steve Wincent at (517) 936-8438.