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It’s amazing how retail shops around the country have sales tonight and all day tomorrow…. I know that Black Friday is the day that everyone buys their holiday gifts but come on… Don’t you feel bad for the people who have to work?

Did you know that Tanger’s in Deer Park is open tonight at Mid-night?  Or that JC Penney and other retail outlets are open at 3 am, 4 am and even 5 am?

Are the sales really that good?  Should we all rush out and see what we’re missing? Why can’t these stores open during normal business hours?

When I read in the paper that Tanger’s was open at midnight, I was intrigued. Are the sales really going to be better than any other time of year?  Or is this just a marketing ploy to get us out?

For me, I think I’m going to pass.  I would love to go and see what these stores have but you know what, I need my beauty rest!  How about you?  Are you going shopping on Black Friday?

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There are so many people right here on Long Island who cannot afford to have a Thanksgiving dinner.  Thanks to Bob Jesberger from Mid Island Collision and KJOY’s morning team, Steve and Maria, 3,000 turkeys were given out this morning to needy families and soup kitchens across Long Island.

Mid Island Collision in Rockville Centre also gave away a collection of canned food to help complete the Thanksgiving meal and provided clothes through their winter clothing drive.

Speaking for all of us who live and/or work on Long Island, I thank you Mid Island Collision and KJOY for doing such a wonderful deed!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

The Melting Pot Restaurants join St. Jude Children’s Research in the sixth annual Thanks and Giving campaign on-going until Dec. 5 to “give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not” by donating a portion of proceeds to cancer research.

“It is a pleasure for us to continue our relationship with St. Jude as we strive to help our partner find cures for cancer,” said Kendra Shier, vice president of brand development for The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc. “Giving back to the community and programs like this are rewarding for our employees and guests, especially during the holiday season.”

With every donation of $10 or more, guests will receive a Fondue for the Kids Card that offers $20 off any purchase of $50 or more. All proceeds from the Fondue for the Kids Card will be donated to St. Jude. The Melting Pot Restaurants also offer additional support for St. Jude with the ongoing Fondue a Cure for Childhood Cancer signature chocolate fondue bars. For each $5 bar purchased, $1 is given to the hospital.
Since becoming a partner in 2003, The Melting Pot Restaurants have raised more than $4 million for St. Jude to date.

“The children of St. Jude and their families are thrilled to have The Melting Pot Restaurants on board for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Thanks and Giving campaign,” said Marlo Thomas, national outreach director for St. Jude. “The Melting Pot Restaurants’ dedication to this holiday campaign helps ensure that St. Jude can continue the lifesaving research and care that has brought hope to so many families.”
This national campaign unites celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Robin Williams, Antonio Banderas and Jason Taylor with retail, corporate and media partners to help St. Jude continue its work in the fight against childhood cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. St. Jude is the nation’s leading pediatric cancer research and treatment center and the only one that covers all of the costs for medicine, treatment, food, travel and lodging for the patient and one family member. Eighty-five cents of each dollar received supports the research and treatment at St. Jude.

For more information or to make a donation, visit http://www.stjude.org, or
call 1-800-4STJUDE. The Melting Pot chocolate fondue bars can also be purchased online at http://www.meltingpot.com.

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As I entered the Middle School auditorium with my husband and son tonight, I was handed a booklet with the 2009 Science Fair Projects.

Ever hear of the words, Brassica rapa, Phaseolus Volgaris or Gromphadorhina Portentosa? If you have, congratulations! For me, I was utterly impressed with the project names:

• The effect that nicotine has on the assimilation of a pisum sativum…
• The effect that different pH levels have on the time it takes for an M&M candy to deteriorate
• The effect that Iodine has on the assimilation of raniceps raninus
• The effect that ingested pre-conditional tenebrio have on the initial max negotiation rate of tenebrio molitor

My son’s project was “How changes in a fluid’s air pressure brought about by changes in velocity and temperature of a fluid interact with various solids.” It only took him months to do this, more than 700 tests to prove his hypothesis and hours and hours and hours of time to prepare his presentation and powerpoint slides.

Well science fair was finally here tonight and according to the school this is it’s 36th year. (Although, I don’t remember a science fair when I was growing up here….)

In any event, the students did a great job testing and proving their theories.

Nearly 300 students did projects. The school set the fair up like a convention site with booth after booth. I almost fell over myself when I noticed that one of the projects had a slew meal worms crawling around a maze. Then I realized it was my friend’s son!

“Lisa, you had those in your house?” I asked my friend.

She laughed. “I didn’t know they were here. My son hid them from me because if I saw that in the house, they would be gone!”

As we were leaving, I asked my friend if she was going to keep her new pets. She gave me look. I asked her son what he was going to do with them. “Well, they won’t be in your yard or mine,” he said. “I think I’ll put them in the neighbor’s yard.”

As we were packing up the booth, I asked the teachers when the students will get their grades. “Not until the Monday after Thanksgiving,” one teacher told me.

I know for my son, he took months to prepare and put together his project. Is it really fair that the students have to wait until after the holiday?

During the past three years, I have delivered free health seminars at public libraries throughout Rockland and Westchester counties about foot health. On Saturday, November 21st, 2009, I delivered a seminar, entitled: “Diabetes & Your Feet: The Winning Combination You Need to Know.”

I perform these free public health seminars as an educational outreach to the communities I serve. Many people, especially diabetics, neglect their feet and do not understand the risks of infection and possible amputation. My goal is to reduce medical complications in an effort to lower healthcare expenses and improve overall health and wellness of the public.

In addition to that, during the past two years, my practice has collected shoes for the homeless. Last year, we collected over 150 pairs of shoes, which we donated to a homeless shelter in White Plains, NY.

We are doing it again. This year we have already received over 300 pairs of shoes for our Holiday Shoe Drive! Our goal is to reduce frostbite, as well as wounds and infections and, ultimately, amputations. The Holiday Shoe Drive concludes on December 10th, 2009.

For more information on how you can help, contact my White Plains office at 914-328-8000 or my Pomona office at 845-354-2700. Or, you can contact me via email at docpinker@yahoo.com.

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Bruce Pinker, DPM, PC is the owner of Progressive Foot Care in White Plains and Pomona, NY.

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