Surf Style, a beachwear company in the South Eastern United States, features a model with Down syndrome for the first time for their latest ad campaign.

Ethan Holt is a 16-year-old boy and if you check out his photos on the Instagram account of Surf Style, you’ll see that he fitted perfectly the company’ brand. His great charisma on camera and his sweet smile have won the hearts of thousands of people across the internet.

Ethan’s mother, Phoy Holt, said in one interview: “He loves the beach. He’s on the Special Olympics paddleboard team, he’s on the swim team, he’s a water baby.”

She also said that things weren’t easy for her family when they found out that their son had Down syndrome. She said:

“Of course the not knowing he had Down syndrome surprised us and you go through the emotions of ‘You can’t do this.’ The denial. Then the acceptance. Once we were able to get over that hump of realizing he had Down syndrome, it was difficult at first, but now we’re just along for the ride and he has taken us along for some amazing journeys.”

The 16-year-old got the opportunity to work for Surf Style after representatives from Help Us Gather (HUG), a nonprofit organization which advocates for inclusion of people with disabilities, worked on pairing him up with the company.

HUG’s founder Robin Lally said: “One in four adults has a disability; there’s not one in four marketing campaigns that features that. Having our friends represented in media and marketing, not only does everyone love it, they can also be role models for others with special needs, for their families who can look up and say, ‘I can model, I can be a professional, I can do things.”

Undoubtedly, this sweet 16-year old sets an example of inclusion. And Tara Malinasky, Surf Style’s marketing manager, shares the same opinion. She said:

“We strive to create an atmosphere of inclusion in all of our stores. We hope this sets an example for other brands to feature those with disabilities in their marketing efforts, as well.”

13-year-old Michael Platt donates a cupcake or a cookie to the homeless and hungry for every dessert he sells. And that’s not all – he delivers the baked goods himself. Twice a month, he visits transitional housing, domestic violence shelters, and parks in the Washington area.

From a young age, this 13-year-old cherished 2 things: cupcakes and Martin Luther King Jr. He used to spend hours watching bakers on YouTube making desserts. But he also spent hours thinking of ways to fight for justice in front of the “I Have a Dream” poster in the house of his grandparents.

Three years ago, Michael’s parents gave him a pair of Toms shoes for Christmas and he came up with an idea about how to connect his two passions: fighting inequality and baking. So, he opened a bakery which operates on a “one for one” model: He gives cake, cupcake, or cookie to homeless and hungry people for every dessert he sells.

Michael said: “I always wanted to have a purpose for what I do. It’s all about helping people — not just having a purpose for yourself, but thinking about, ‘How does this touch other things?’ ”

Instagram

Michael sells about 75 cupcakes a month along with 12 cookies and 12 “chef’s choice” goods. This means that he has to make more than 100 desserts to give away.

Very often, this 13-year-old fills orders placed by people that live in the area. But, his amazing edible works of art can be ordered via Facebook, too, as he recently created a website for his business.

Michael makes cupcakes or cakes for individuals as well as events, such as birthday parties, weddings, and anniversaries.

It’s important to mention that Michael was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was in the 6^th grade. And because his seizures became too frequent, his family decided to homeschool him. Michael’s mother, Danita Platt, said:

“It was a very difficult time for him and our family. He was a real active kid. You know, the type of kid who would go out and climb trees and come back with sap all over his hands and clothes. So it was tough.

“I have no scientific evidence, but baking has been something he could really zone in on and pull all his mental faculties. He could stand and bake for hours.”

Michael’s talent for baking hasn’t been limited to his own bakery or the desserts he donates to the homeless. The Food Network noticed this kind-hearted, talented boy, and he took part in its “Kids Baking Championship” at the age of 11.

https://www.facebook.com/MichaelsDesserts/photos/a.1652380828125281/2707578449272175/?type=3

What’s interesting is that Michael offers his customers 3 types of desserts each month. His customers can choose between a “chef’s choice” item, shortbread cookies, and “freedom fighter cupcakes.”

Michael said: “So I choose a person to base a cupcake off for each month. And each month I have a flavor that represents them — and I’ll tell their story on my Instagram page.”

Maya Angelou, Harriet Tubman, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King are just some of the freedom fighters he’s chosen to base a cupcake on, and each of them has a different flavor.

Well, all we can say is that this 13-year-old has set an example that many should follow.

https://www.facebook.com/MichaelsDesserts/photos/a.1652380828125281/2707578285938858/?type=3

We are quick to judge those people who put up their Christmas garlands, stockings, lights, ornaments, and of course, Christmas tree as soon as November comes, but it turns out that these individuals are more nostalgic and they long for the childhood emotions of excitement.

Yep, you read it right. Putting up decorations for Christmas and pulling the tree out of the EZ rolling Christmas tree storage bag earlier can make you feel happier by bringing back childhood memories.

Steve McKeown, Psychoanalyst, founder of MindFixers and owner of The McKeown Clinic, said in one interview:

“Although there could be a number of symptomatic reasons why someone would want to obsessively put up decorations early, most commonly for nostalgic reasons either to relive the magic or to compensate for past neglect.

“In a world full of stress and anxiety people like to associate to things that make them happy and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of childhood.

“Decorations are simply an anchor or pathway to those old childhood magical emotions of excitement. So putting up those Christmas decorations early extend the excitement!”

But, not only can decorating your home with Christmas trees, lights, and wreaths fill you with joy and happiness, but it could also make you appear more friendly.

One study has revealed that people who decorate the outside of their house for Christmas appear friendly and communicate cohesiveness with their neighbors.

So, whether you’re the type of person who puts up Christmas decorations one week or one month before Christmas, the only thing you should remember is that it is never too early to begin getting festive.

8-year-old Xóchitl Guadalupe Cruz from Chiapas, Mexico, has been awarded a prestigious prize from UNAM’s Institute of Nuclear Sciences for designing and crafting a solar water heater.

What’s surprising is that she made this device from discarded objects, such as bottles, logs, and plastics. And what’s even more surprising is that she constructed the water heater on the rooftop of her family’s house.

And when it comes to the reason why this 8-year-old has decided to craft such a device, trust me, it’ll leave you speechless. Here’s what she said in one interview:

“These are low-income people who don’t have the possibility to buy these heaters, so what they do is cut the trees to get firewood, which affects the world through climate change. So, what I did is make this project, this heater, from recycled objects that don’t hurt the environment.” 

So, not only does Xóchitl’s device have the potential to better the quality of life of low-income families in her community, but it also helps save the environment.

Well, all we can say is that we can’t wait to see what useful device this smart, skilled girl is going to construct next.

If you are looking for a new energy provider and try to compare prices directly, you will find that the process is very difficult and frustrating. The good thing, however, is that you can use the available resources on the internet to do an energy price comparison. This can not only reduce your costs but also shorten the time it takes to do research on the best energy deals available on the market. As you compare energy prices, it is important to take note of fixed rates. Fixed rates are cannot be changed and therefore, if you are looking for a long term service, it is advisable to find a provider with capped rates and tariffs. This is because energy prices just keep on increasing and if you go for a limited rate, you are going to reap the benefits in the long term. The good thing is that you can use resources such as usave.co.uk to compare energy. Usave provides you with a fast and easy energy price comparison on the internet and this can enable you to get the best deals on the market. 

If you are looking for a short time deal, you may want to consider taking up uncapped offers. In such a case, you may want to get discounted deals on the market. The good thing is that Usave has a constantly updated list that can help you with this. However, you need to check this listing as often as possible as the deals keep on changing from time to time. 

Power companies in the UK are in a stiff competition for customers.  Usave visits their websites on an occasional basis so as to get updated on the current energy prices that they have to offer. In addition, they go deeper into the internet so as to find even cheaper deals. That is why the professionals are able to get you information on where to find the best deals on energy at unbelievably low prices. On the other hand, Usave will highlight companies that purport to give their best deals to everyone, but after making an investment, customers find that this is not the case. 

Today, the internet has given us the power to do so many things. And with services such as Usave, it becomes very easy to find the best energy deals whether you are a homeowner or a businessperson. 

The benefits

There are many benefits that come with Usave. They include:

• Saving time.  Instead of going to individual power companies’ websites, you can just read the information on Usave. The site summarizes offers from different companies and this will provide you with tons of information under one roof. In the process, you will save a lot of time. 
• Finding clarifications. The good thing with Usave is that they have a customer service desk where you can get clarifications on different issues relating to energy. You just have to either call them up or use a messaging board on their website to reach them. 

Conclusion

Usave is a reliable service that brings you fast, reliable and easy information on energy deals. With it, you can save a lot of time and resources while looking for your next energy provider.

After claiming that the odors from the barbecue of her neighbors made it impossible for her to enjoy her own garden, Perth vegan Cilla Carden decided to take them to court this week. Now, more than 3,000 people are planning to attend a mass barbecue outside her home. They even set up a page on Facebook and called it “Community BBQ for Cilla Carden.”

The event description reads: “Don’t let Cilla destroy a good old Aussie tradition, join us for a community BBQ, and help Cilla Carden GET SOME PORK ON HER FORK.”

The barbecue is scheduled for October 19, and as you might guess, vegans aren’t welcome.