text: Volume 6 Issue 8 Dear Elders, I apologize for not having the funds to make copies again this year of the Elders Voice for all of you attending the Elders Gathering, but it is July 2006 24 pgs. long and costly to print so many. I am including this front page though to try and reach as many of you as possible through your Registration Pkgs. so that anyone who hasn't received issues of the EV will be informed about it. This Dec. will mark the beginning of the 7th year of the EV, which is sent to one Elder's contact per FN office/group who has been asked to make copies for (you) their local elders each month. This July issue is the 67th one distrib- uted and it is important that any elder reading this who does not get it regu- larly back home call in to speak to me on the toll-free line (1-877-738-7288) so we can straighten out any break-down in (your) communication network. BC ELDERS COMMUNICATION CENTER SOCIET Y The EV typically has about half of its pages dedicated to health information, but not only for elders, as I know that you are the primary influences for your children and grandchildren I try to have a mix of info to benefit everybody. The EV also has press releases in it from your FN Leaders in BC and Ottawa as well as news about what is going on in other people's FN communities. Gilakasla, All my relations, Donna Stirling, BCECCS Coordinator 30th ANNUAL BC ELDER'S GATHERING Hosts: Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council and Tseshaht First Nation Dates: July 18, 19, 20, 2006 Place: Alberni Valley Multiplex Address: 3737 Roger Street, Port Alberni, B.C. For Information Please Contact Coordinator: Vina Robinson Office # 250-724-5757 Fax # 250-723-0463 Email: email@example.com Port Alberni Friendship Center Youth Building Fundraiser Breakfast July 18 - 20, 2006 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. (min $5.00 donation) Shuttle provided back to AV Multiplex PA Friendship Center is located at 3555 4th Avenue (Corner of 4th Avenue and Burde Street) Pgs. 9-10: Local Project Management Firm Inside this issue Earns National Honours/Cholesterol Drug See the new Kings & Queens 2 Pg. 11: Squamish People of the Sunset Coast pg. at www.bcelders.com Pg. 12: "Am I A Fireman Yet?" Groups Who Have Paid to 3 Pgs. 13-15: Articles from VCH - Elders Abuse/ support this office for 2006 Be Sun Smart/Mental Illness Facts Pgs. 16-17: Cancer-Causing Agent Found In Okanagan Nation Alliance 4 Urine of Babies Whose Parents Smoke Press Release - May 17, 06 Pg. 18: US FDA Approves Shingles Vaccine BC FN Leadership Council 5 Pgs. 19-20: 1 in 5 Diabetics Don't Follow Press Release - May 19, 06 Guidelines on Hemoglobin Tests Xeni Gwet'in 13th Annual Pgs. 21-22: Dispelling Myths of Dioxins in 6 Plastic Bottles/Dangerous Pancake Mix! Traditional Pow Wow Pg. 23: "You Mother Is Always With You" Spirit Keepers Caravan 7 Back Pg: Proverbs/Bible Quotes/Quotes & The Annual BC Elders Gathering Info Corner AFN Announcement - Forms (Where updates are posted as soon as they 8 are made available from each new Host) Available for 65 years & over Easy Bakers Corner – Banana Kahlua Delight - serves 4 In a large skillet, melt 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine. Sprinkle in 1/3 cup of light brown sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add a dash of cinnamon and 1/4 cup of Kahlua. Heat until bubbly. Slice 4 small bananas in half, crosswise. Then slice each half, lengthwise. Add bananas to the sauce. Cook to heat through, basting often for 3 to 5 minutes. Scoop 1 pint of vanilla ice cream into 4 dessert dishes. Spoon bananas over ice cream. Top with sauce. Sprinkle with a 1/4 cup of toasted, slivered almonds or chopped nuts. Serve. Handy Tips: 1. When making scrambled eggs for a large crowd, add a pinch of baking powder and 2 tsp. of wa- ter for each egg to make your meal go even further. 2. Add 1 Tbs. of water per egg white to increase the quantity of beaten egg white when making meringue. 3. Pierce the end of an egg with a pin and it won't break when placed in boiling water. 4. Beaten egg whites will be more stable if you add 1 tsp of cream of tartar to each cup of egg whites. What Can you please share? The following is a short list of Elders suggestions of what might be shared: Your local Newsletters/Upcoming Local Events/Prayers/Poems/Quotes/Comments/Photo's/Storytelling/Drawings/Articles of Interest/Native Songs Lyrics/Wellness Seminars/Obituaries/Birthday Wishes, etc. Articles/Submissions are best forwarded to me via email where possible so they can be posted on the website as is. If you are interested in providing articles, please do, I look forward to hearing from anyone who wants to contribute to the content. D. Stirling 'PRESERVING THE PAST' New Elder's Website: www.bcelders.com The First Ever Elder's Website "Preserving the Past" is now online (as of Sept. 2002). All registration & booth forms, maps of the hosting territory, accommodation information, etc., etc. concerning the Annual Gatherings are posted on our website as soon as they are made available by each new host each year. Issues of your Elders Voice are also posted on the website each month (though all issues still continue to be mailed out to your Elder's Contact People throughout the province - to ensure that no one is left out because of a lack of access to the internet). And, you will also find info on the BC Elder Council to make sure your area is represented on this important Council and please check-out the new Gathering Kings and Queens page. ***Comments? Please feel free to call in to the Communication Center - contact info is on the back page*** Disclaimer: Health articles, etc. are provided as a courtesy and neither the BC Elders Communication Center Society's Board/Members or anyone working on its behalf mean this information to be used to replace your doctor's and other professional's advice. You should contact your family physician or health care worker for all health care matters. Information is provided in the Elders Voice for your reference only. And opinions contained in this publication are not those of Donna Stirling, Coordinator unless her name appears below the material. Page 2 Groups who have thankfully paid their $250 'Yearly Support Fee' so far For the December 2005—November 2006 year ***SUPPORTING THIS ELDERS OFFICE ONLY COSTS ABOUT $.68 A DAY!!! (This provincial Elders Newsletter and this Elders office have been operating for almost 6 years now) 1. Mamalilikulla-Qwe'Qwa'Sot'Em Band 21. Lower Kootenay Band 2. West Moberly First Nations 22. Chawathil First Nation 3. Ktunaxa Nation Council 23. Adams Lake Indian Band 4. Simpcw First Nation ($100) 24. Coldwater Indian Band ($187.50) 5. Uchucklesaht Tribe 25. Doig River First Nation 6. Bridge River First Nation 26. Saulteau First Nation 7. T'it'q'et Elders Council 27. N'Quat'Qua Band ($150) 8. Carnegie Community Centre 28. Gitanyow Health Centre 9. Osoyoos First Nation 29. Westbank Klux-Klux-Hu-Up Cultural Society 10. Qualicum First Nation 30. First Nations Summit dba FN Chiefs' Health Committee 11. Wet'suwet'en First Nation 31. Sechelt Indian Band 12. Comox First Nation 32. Kamloops Indian Band 13. Cook's Ferry Indian Band 33. Port Alberni Friendship Center 14. BC Assembly of First Nation 34. Ulkatcho Indian Band 15. Tobacco Plains Indian Band 35. McLeod Lake Tse'khene Elders 16. Pacheedaht First Nation ($125) 36. Mount Currie Band Council 17. Akisqnuk First Nation 37. Klahoose First Nation 18. We Wai Kum First Nation 38. Ka:'Yu:'k't'h'/Che:k'tles7et'h' Nation 19. We Wai Kai First Nation 39. Shxw'ow'hamel First Nation 20. Xaxli'p Band 40. Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs Dear Elders Contact Person, ***If your office has paid, thank you very much for your support, especially to those who paid a partial fee this year because I know that it presents some difficulties, but you really came through. ***If your office/group has Voided the Invoice for this year and faxed it back in to this office, then thank you all very much, as it saves office time here having your office checked off the list. ***If you are in the process of paying the fee with the new fiscal year upon us, then thank you very much as the number of paid fees are down so far this year, and your help is really needed. Please call into the office if you require the Invoice to be resent. ***PLEASE remember that the Yearly Invoices come out in Oct. of each year to give Chief and Councils, Boards of Directors, and Elders Presidents time to look into the matter and hopeful pay the fee for Dec. 1st. ***PLEASE also remember that the Invoice is not a subscription fee for the Elders Voice, the EV is sent re- gardless of payment of the $250 yearly Invoice, and that will continue to be the in case as long as someone in your community continues to make copies and distribute to them to your respected elders. Thank you for your continued support, Donna Stirling, Coordinator V O L U ME 6 I SS U E 8 Page 3 OKANAGAN NATION ALLIANCE 3255 C Shannon Lake Road, Westbank, BC V4T 1V4 Phone (250) 707-0095 Fax (250) 707-0166 www.syilx.org MEDIA RELEASE For Immediate Release – May 17, 2006 Okanagan Chinook Left to Fend for Themselves Westbank, BC – The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is shocked and deeply disturbed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada's apparent unwillingness to work on restoring a population of less than 50 Okanagan River chinook salmon, the only remaining run of chinook returning to Canada through the Columbia River system. This has been compounded with a surprise move by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) to down-list Okanagan Chinook from Endangered to Threatened, based on a single year's stock assessment data collected in October 2005. There is limited baseline information and much work needs to be done to address scientific information gaps and to develop recovery plans to rescue the chinook population. Collecting stock information is critical to determine how to move forward with stock recovery. "We haven't been contacted by DFO or COSEWIC to discuss the present status of these fish despite the fact that we were the organisation who wrote the status report," Deana Machin ONA Fisheries Department Manager said "It looks like there will be no program for conducting research and monitoring of Okanagan chinook this year - at least not one that DFO will be involved with." After the ONA developed the salmon status report that lead to COSEWIC emergency listing the species as Endangered in 2005, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) finally allocated a small amount of funds for one spawning season to conduct the enumeration and sampling of Okanagan chinook. That was the first time that the Federal Government allocated funds to spend directly on scientific assessments. However, this seems to be as far as the Federal Government is willing to go. The ONA has developed several project proposals for further research and distribution of information about this compromised stock, but unfortunately, these proposals have not been granted funding. Two funding programs which are awarded by DFO have turned down proposals on Okanagan Chinook and to date DFO has not identified resources to fund chinook assessments this year. "Salmon are an integral part of our culture, traditions and diet. History has shown that these fish can't recover on their own and with fewer than 50 chinook remaining, we are unwilling to take a 'wait and see' approach," said Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band. "We've made our commitment to chinook recovery very clear, but I guess Okanagan Chinook aren't Endangered enough for DFO to take action and work with us on this." Chief Stewart Phillip, Penticton Indian Band and ONA Chairman stated, "We can only conclude that the Government of Canada is not upholding its mandate to manage sustainable fisheries or its obligations to the Okanagan Nation in terms of our constitutionally protected rights to enjoy an assured access to fisheries and other resources for food, social and ceremonial purposes. If DFO will not come to the table and work with us, we will explore other avenues to conserve, rebuild and defend the Endangered Okanagan chinook population." The ONA will be seriously considering its legal options and other opportunities for chinook recovery efforts with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Okanagan Nation's tribal relations in Washington State. -30- For more information please contact: Chief Stewart Phillip, Penticton Indian Band, ONA Chairman (250) 490-5314 Chief Clarence Louie, Osoyoos Indian Band (250) 498-3444 BC First Nations Leadership Council Welcomes Private Members Bill to Implement Kelowna Accord News Release For Immediate Release May 19, 2006 Coast Salish Traditional Territory/Vancouver, BC – The BC First Nations Leadership Council applauds the introduction of a Private Member's bill to implement the historic Kelowna Accord. The enactment of Bill C-292 requires that the Government of Canada fulfill its obligations and commitments reached under the Kelowna Accord and recognizes that the Accord was the result of a collaborative process among the Government of Canada, provincial and territorial governments, and Aboriginal leadership across Canada. The First Nations Leadership Council urges all Members of Parliament to embark on a non-partisan approach to Aboriginal issues, as demonstrated by the BC legislature, in supporting the proposed bill. The Bill supports previous calls made by the First Nations Leadership Council, Premier Gordon Campbell, and the BC Government for the federal government to uphold the financial commitments set out in the Kelowna Accord in order to address critical socio-economic gaps. This includes a dedicated ten-year plan to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal peoples. The Act, cited as the Kelowna Accord Implementation Act¸ enacts that the Government of Canada take all measures necessary to implement the terms of the Kelowna Accord. The First Nations Leadership Council reiterates their demand for the federal government to amend the 2006 federal budget to include the financial resources required to close the gaps in health, education, housing and economic opportunity as set forth in the Accord. This Bill provides an opportunity for the Crown to restore its honour and to acknowledge that a "new approach" for addressing Aboriginal issues was demonstrated in the jointly developed Kelowna Accord and notable tri-partite agreement, the Transformative Change Accord. The First Nations Leadership Council strongly recommends that the federal government cooperates with the Leadership Council and the Province of British Columbia in providing timely investments to ensure that the mutually agreed upon goals of the Transformative Change Accord are achieved. The Kelowna Accord and the Transformative Change Accord are the result of a collaborative process between all parties leaving the Government of Canada accountable to more than just themselves. -30- The First Nations Leadership Council is comprised of the political executives of the First Nations Summit, Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the BC Assembly of First Nations. The Council works together to politically represent the interests of First Nations in British Columbia and develop strategies and actions to bring about significant and substantive changes to government policy that will benefit all First Nations in British Columbia. For more information: Chief Stewart Phillip, Union of BC Indian Chiefs (250) 490-5314 Colin Braker, First Nations Summit (604) 926-9903 Heather Gillies, BC Assembly of First Nations (604) 922-7733 (**Original press release contained logos for the above organizations) SPONSORED BY ?ENIYUD HEALTH SERVICES MC: John Terbasket, Williams Lake BC HOST DRUM: Walking Bear, Mission BC WHIPMAN/ARENA DIRECTOR: Francis Johnson, Alkali BC GRAND ENTRY SCHEDULE: FRIDAY July 28th, 2006: ♦ Intertribals FRIDAY JULY 28 @ 7:00PM SAT JULY 29 @ 1:00PM & 7:00PM ♦ Camp Set-Up SUN, JULY 30TH, 2006 @ 12:00 ♦ Sandwiches provided for Dancers and Drummers NOON SATURDAY July 29th, 2006: ♦ Intertribals/Specials ♦ Xeni Gwet'in Senior Princess/Brave Contest & Speeches ♦ Breakfast/Lunch provided for Dancers & Drummers ♦ Supper Provided to Everyone SUNDAY July 30th, 2006: ♦ Crowning of Xeni Gwet'in First Nations Government Sr. Princess/Brave ♦ Honor Song for 2006/2007 Princess/Brave and outgoing Princess/Brave/Pow Wow Committee and Volunteers. ♦ Pay outs on Drum Groups and Specials ♦ Breakfast/Lunch Provided for Dancers & Drummers LEHAL CONCESSION AVAILABLE AND ***FREE CAMPING *** HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT SECURITY GUARDS ON SITE ALL WEEKEND SAT & SUN ***PLEASE BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS*** No alcohol and drugs allowed on the Xeni Gwet'in Pow Wow Premises. Xeni Gwet'in First Nations Government will not be responsible for injuries, theft, damages or any liability associated with events pertinent to the Pow Wow. DRUM GROUPS: Please call X.G.F.N.G. office to register your drum group with Pow Wow Committee Agnes T. William at 1-866-394-7023 Ext 209 or Priscilla William at ?Eniyud Health Services at 1-866- 394-7020 Ext 216. Office Hours are M-T 8:00am to 4:00pm. Spirit Keepers Caravan August 14 - September 30, 2006 Bringing the Children Home More than 50,000 aboriginal children died in church-run residential schools across Canada between 1890 and 1984. Few of their remains were ever brought home for a proper burial. Their killers were never brought to justice. And the truth of the Aboriginal Holocaust has remained buried. Until now. Clan Mothers and Elders have decided to launch a Spirit Keepers Caravan that will visit the sites of former residential schools and help give voice to the spirits of the children who died there. The Caravan will rally survivors and ask the government of Canada and the Catholic, Anglican and United Church to return the remains of the disappeared children to their homes so they may finally be laid to rest. It is time for the full truth of their fate to be known, and for those who have passed on to receive their healing, too. The Spirit Keepers Caravan expects full disclosure and accountability by those responsible for the deaths of so many children. This is an invitation to your elders and all your people to welcome and participate in our Caravan. We intend to travel across Turtle Island and bring our message to the world, so that all of the residential school children may finally be brought home and have their story told. The Caravan will be leaving Unceded Coast Salish territory ("Vancouver") on August 14, 2006, to be joined by others. Contact us now to plan a ceremonial event or public forum on your territory. For more information, contact our Elders at this email: firstname.lastname@example.com With thanks from The Elders of the Spirit Keepers Caravan: Growing Rock, Anishinabe-Cree Nation Martha Joseph, Getksan Nation Whispers Wind, Anishinabe Nation Government of Canada approves Residential Schools Settlement Agreement Advance Payment Applications now available May 15, 2006 On May 10, 2006, the Government of Canada announced the approval of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, including an Advance Payment program for eligible former students who were 65 years of age or older as of May 30, 2005. For additional information, including copies of the application form, please see attached or contact: Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada 1-800-816-7293 www.irsr-rqpi.gc.ca or Assembly of First Nations www.afn.ca You do not need a lawyer to apply for the Advance Payment. Instructions are clearly indicated on the first page of the application form. Please note, that to apply for the Advance Payment, the application form and all supporting documentation must be submitted no later than December 31, 2006 to the following address: Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada P.O. Box 1503, STN. B Ottawa, ON K1P 0A3 The Residential Schools Settlement Agreement will now proceed through a court approval process and a mandatory five-month notification period. An extensive notification plan will be implemented to inform former eligible students of the court approval process. Pending court approval and student acceptance of the settlement agreement, it is anticipated that the Common Experience Payment applications would then be made available by Service Canada, most likely not until the Spring of 2007 If you require health support before, during, or after the completion of the application, you can contact the: National Survivors' Support Line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: 1-866-925-4419 LOCAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRM EARNS NATIONAL HONOURS West Vancouver's GTM one of only two project management firms to make PROFIT's list of 200 fastest- growing companies in Canada WEST VANCOUVER, BC (June 6, 2006): GTM, the West Vancouver-based project management firm that has worked on some of British Columbia's largest construction projects, yesterday was one of 40 BC companies named to PROFIT's annual ranking of the top 200 fastest-growing companies in Canada. GTM was one of only two project management firms and one of only eight construction-related firms to make the list. The PROFIT 100 is the authoritative ranking of Canada's top private and public companies by percentage sales growth over the past five years. To qualify, companies must be headquartered in Canada and report a minimum of $100,000 gross revenue in the base year of the five-year growth calculation, and at least $1 million in the most recent year used in the calculation. Complete results of the annual survey will be published in the June issue of PROFIT. Since its founding in 1998, the First Nations-owned company has participated in some of the province's most important transportation and construction projects, including the Airport Connector Project ($25M), the New Westminster SkyTrain Tunnel ($30M) and the Stage 2 Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal Upgrades ($3.8M). GTM President Lynne Figgess, a 2005 Business in Vancouver "Top Forty Under 40", said this latest accolade is another positive sign that the growing company is on track to become one of BC's most successful and respected project management firms. "Thanks to our outstanding team members and our increasingly impressive track record, we've gone from being the West Vancouver Chamber of the Commerce's 2005 Business of the Year winner to being recognized as one of the country's best run firms," said Figgess. "In the coming years, we look forward to bringing our successful project management expertise and unique understanding of First Nations culture to a wide range of projects across Canada." GTM is a full-service project management group of companies whose construction and engineering professionals have successfully managed more than $2 billion worth of diverse construction projects since 1998. - 30 - Contact: Norman Stowe 604-646-3556 _________________________________________________________________________________________ MARY PYNENBURG APPOINTED GTM VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS Former New Westminster Director of Planning joins project management and engineering firm that's one of the fastest-growing companies in Canada WEST VANCOUVER, BC (June 7, 2006): Lynne Figgess, President of the GTM Group of companies, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary Pynenburg as Vice President of Operations for the West Vancouver-based project management and engineering firm. Mary was previously the Principal of Mary Pynenburg Consulting, before which she was the Director of Planning for the City of New Westminster from 1992 to 2004. As Vice President of Operations, Mary will oversee day-to-day operations of the company including project management and communications. "We're delighted to welcome a woman with such extensive private and public sector planning experience to GTM," said Figgess. "Mary's experience with municipal planning and hotel projects as well as her international experience will complement the project management, engineering and communications strengths our team applies to every project." Most recently, Mary provided planning policy research to the City of Port Coquitlam. While she was Director of Planning for the City of New Westminster, Mary managed departmental objectives and work programs as well as reviewed rezoning and development permit applications. She created a climate for new business investment and worked with design professionals to achieve well-designed projects that adhered to community goals, policies and future vision. Since its founding in 1998, the First Nations-owned company has participated in some of the province's most important transportation and construction projects, including the Airport Connector Project ($25M), the New Westminster SkyTrain Tunnel ($30M) and the Stage 2 Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal Upgrades ($3.8M). GTM is a full-service project management group of companies whose construction and engineering professionals have successfully managed more than $2 billion worth of diverse construction projects since 1998. - 30 - Contact: Norman Stowe 604-646-3556 Cholesterol drug reverses heart disease, study finds Mar. 13, 2006 Provided by: Canadian Press Written by: MARILYNN MARCHIONE from Medbroadcast.com ATLANTA (AP) - People in a new study got their bad cholesterol to the lowest levels ever seen and saw blockages in their blood vessels shrink by taking a high dose of cholesterol drug, researchers reported Monday. Doctors say it is the best evidence yet that heart disease actually can be reversed, not just kept from getting worse. Two-thirds of the 349 study participants had regression of heart artery buildups when they took the maximum dose of Crestor, the strongest of the cholesterol-lowering statin drugs on the market. It's also under fire from a consumer group that contends it has more side effects than its competitors. It's too soon to tell whether this shrinkage of artery blockages will result in fewer heart attacks, but doctors were excited by the possibility. "The holy grail has always been to try to reverse the disease," and this shows a way to do that, said Dr. Steven Nissen, the Cleveland Clinic cardiologist who led the research and reported the results at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology. The study was paid for by AstraZeneca PLC, the maker of Crestor, a drug that a consumer group has been lobbying to have pulled from the market. Some reports have linked Crestor to higher rates of serious muscle problems and kidney damage, especially among Asians. The Food and Drug Administration last year refused to order the drug off the market but required a warning of the side effects on its label. In the study, Crestor got people's LDL or bad cholesterol levels to around 60 milligrams per decilitre of blood, down from roughly 130 at the start of the experiment. HDL or good cholesterol levels rose modestly, from 43 to 49. "The body needs about 40 LDL, so we're getting pretty close to what the body needs for general repair," said Dr. Christopher O'Connor, a Duke University cardiologist who had no role in the study. Study results were released Monday by the Journal of the American Medical Association, which will publish it in its April 5 edition. By Barbara Wyss 167 Whonoak Road West Vancouver, BC V7P 3R1 e-mail: wyss167 @shaw.ca This is the story of the Squamish people as told by Barbara to her grandchildren. Squamish People of the Sunset Coast Barbara Wyss: email@example.com Price is $19.99 Libraries and schools are entitled to a full 15% discount off retail price; retailers are entitled to a 40% discount Purchasers must pay shipping and pre-payment is requested. Books are sold on a non-refundable basis (excluding damaged goods) Am I A Fireman Yet?? Author unknown In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6-year-old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up & fulfil all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dream to come true. She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?" Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true." Later that day she went to the local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her 6 year old son a ride around the block on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy -- one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast." Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his dream come true, with all the Love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible. One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept - that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition. The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system, that there is not a fire? It's the department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?" About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window--------16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they LOVED him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said. With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been singing." He closed his eyes one last time. Addressing Elder Abuse Provided by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, www.vch.ca June 15th is the First Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and the theme is "Elder abuse should never be ignored." Most people are aware of child, spousal or animal abuse, but few of us are aware of the extent of or devastating effects of older adult abuse. One in 12 or 46,000 older adults in B.C. have been financially abused by an average of $20,000. Five per cent of seniors in B.C. have suffered from one or more serious forms of abuse from family members, caregivers, and strangers. The World Health Organization states that mistreatment of older adults in institutions may be more extensive than generally believed. Older adult abuse is a complex issue. It not only includes the deliberate mistreatment of an adult that causes the adult physical, mental, financial or emotional harm, but also includes neglect and self-neglect. Most abuse and neglect of older adults is hidden because of ageism and disempowerment. Re:act, a program which initially began as a pilot project in 2005, ensures frontline care providers of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority are aware of and understand their obligations in relation to the identification, assessment and reporting of situations involving abuse, neglect and self-neglect of vulnerable adults. The health authority is a 'designated agency' under the BC Adult Guardianship Act and is responsible for investigating these oftentimes delicate and complex personal and family situations. In the past year of working with re:act, director Amanda Brown has supported staff in dealing with cases that require a full complement of intervention strategies and requires the input, when possible, of the patient, family members, various social agencies, government and sometimes, the police. "Every employee has a responsibility to act in situations of abuse, neglect and self-neglect of vulnerable adults," says Brown. "By recognizing older adult abuse as a serious issue and taking appropriate action to address it, we can alleviate the high social and economic costs of abuse and improve the health and quality of life for these vulnerable adults." For more information, call 1-877-REACT-99 or visit www.vchreact.ca. Examples of some types of abuse and neglect* • Physical abuse includes violence or rough treatment, even if it does not leave an injury. It can also be a threat of physical force. • Emotional abuse includes name-calling, intimidation, threats, yelling, ignoring or socially isolating the older person. Treating an older adult in a child like way is another form of emotional abuse. • Financial abuse is the most common form of abuse older adults face. Financial abuse is often a form of theft, and can involve illegally or improperly using a person's money, assets or property without the person's permission. The abuser may take, misuse or conceal the older adult's belongings or money. • Sexual abuse is sexual contact with an older adult without that person's consent. It can include pressuring an older adult for intimacy, fondling, touching, and sexual assault. Sexual abuse can also include sexual comments or jokes, touching or leering. • Violations of rights means ignoring older adults' entitlement to basic rights and freedoms that other adults often take for granted. Some of these include rights to privacy, non-discrimination, access to information or community supports. Violation of rights may also include restricting visitors, or restricting the person's liberty and freedom. • Spiritual abuse or neglect refers to restriction or loss of a person's spiritual practices, customs or traditions. Neglect can be physical, emotional or financial. It refers to situations where a person has a responsibility to provide care or assistance to an older adult, but does not. For example, a neglectful caregiver might stop paying the bills or providing food, shelter, medication, medical attention or other forms of assistance the older adult needs and cannot get on his or her own. Abandoning the person is another form of neglect. In a care facility, neglect includes ignoring requests for assistance (help to eat, to get to the toilet) and withholding food, or medical attention, or not having sufficient staff to provide care. Some people may neglect on purpose. Others simply do not know how to help. *Information taken from: Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse "What is Senior Abuse?" and "Canadian Laws on Abuse and Neglect"; Department of Justice Canada "Abuse of Older Adults: A Fact Sheet"; Ontario Seniors Secretariat, "What You Need to Know about Elder Abuse"; Dumont-Smith, C. (2002). "Aboriginal Elder Abuse in Canada", (Aboriginal Healing Foundation); National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Family Violence Prevention Unit "Abuse of Older Adults in Institutions." and "When a Home is not a Home- Abuse and Neglect in Long Term Care". Be Sun Smart! by Dr. Paul Martiquet, Medical Health Officer Every time your skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun and becomes tanned or burned, individual skin cells and their DNA have been damaged. While some of those cells will die, others repair themselves by getting rid of damaged DNA. Unfortunately, some of those repairs are not successful and those cells become defective, eventually producing a tumour. Sound bad? You bet! Preventing skin cancer starts by being "sun-smart". First, there is no such thing as a "healthy tan". By the time your skin is cooked enough to produce a tan, or worse, a burn, the damage has already been done. And don't think you can find that proverbial "safe" tan in a booth. Still, avoiding the sun is not an option, much less a choice we would make ourselves. But being sun-smart is the way to go. What is "sun smart"? In short, sun- smart is about sun protection. Shade can be your first defense against sun damage. It comes in many varieties: choosing naturally shaded areas; wearing a wide-brimmed hat; considering long sleeves... and of course, staying indoors in your basement all day. Right. Maybe there are a few other ways... Sunscreen lotions and creams have evolved into very effective products. While most people understand a sunscreen protects skin against the sun, not everyone is clear on the SPF thing. SPF, or sun protection factor, is a measure of the "strength" of protection. Think of it this way: if you normally burn in 10 minutes, a sunscreen of SPF 15 will protect your skin for about (10 x 15) or 150 minutes — about 2.5 hours. That is, if it is properly applied and stays on the skin. Being active, getting wet, or sweating heavily all mean you should reapply often. To be most effective, sunscreen should be applied about 15-30 minutes before going out to maximize binding to the skin and effectiveness. And remember, an SPF 15 will only protect to 150 minutes (in our example) no matter how many times you put it on. Sometimes no sunscreen offers a high enough protection factor. That is when we turn to sunblock. If you immediately picture a thick, greasy, glowing paste on some skier's lips and nose you would be right... in the past. Today's sunblocks are far better and much less obvious. They provide complete protection against damaging rays and are ideal for high-risk areas like the nose and lips, ears, shoulders, and the backs of hands. There is more we can do to avoid sun damage than hats, clothing and sun protection creams. One is to stay out of the direct sun during the peak hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you can plan work or activities around these hours, all the better. No matter what time you are in the sun, don't forget about staying hydrated. Your body can lose gallons! (okay, litres) while in the hot sun, so replenishing fluids is important. Drink 2-3 cups a couple of hours before going out, and another one or two just before. While in the heat, drink half a cup or so for every 30 minutes of sustained activity. When you come back in, have another two or more. And by the way, if you wait to be thirsty, it is already too late, as thirst is a signal that you are already low on fluids. Enjoy the sun, but be sun-smart! Use a sunscreen or block, wear a wide brimmed hat and keep hydrated... or maybe just stay in the dark basement. (Did I really say that?!) For more information online, please visit www.vch.ca/living/sun/index.htm Provided by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, www.vch.ca Mental Illness Facts WHO IS AFFECTED? • Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague. • 20% of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime. • Mental illness affects people of all ages, educational and income levels, and cultures. • Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives. • About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or "manic depression"). HOW COMMON IS IT? • Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population. • Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment. • Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds. • Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age. • The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women. WHAT CAUSES IT? • A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors causes mental illnesses. Almost one half (49%) of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never gone to see a doctor about this problem. Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance in the community. Mental illnesses can be treated effectively. For more information, please visit the Canadian Mental Health Association website at www.cmha.ca. Provided by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, www.vch.ca Cancer-causing agent found in urine of babies whose parents smoke: study May 13, 2006 Provided by: Canadian Press Written by: SHERYL UBELACKER TORONTO (CP) - Babies exposed to high amounts of second-hand smoke from their parents' cigarettes have something in their urine that shouldn't be there - a known cancer-causing agent specifically related to tobacco, researchers say. In a study of 144 babies whose parents smoked around them in the home or family vehicle, U.S. researchers discovered levels of NNAL in almost half of the youngsters' urine. The agent has been shown to cause cancer of the lung, pancreas, liver and nasal cavities in laboratory animals, and although a direct link to human malignancies has not been definitively proven, "the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers this compound carcinogenic to humans," said lead author Stephen Hecht. What the research confirms is that tobacco-related toxins don't just stay in the lungs, but also make their way into other tissues of the body where they could have harmful effects, experts say. "The take-home message is: 'Don't smoke around your kids,' " Hecht, chair of cancer prevention at the University of Minnesota, said from Minneapolis. "I think it shows a very highly unnecessary risk to children." The presence of NNAL in the babies' urine correlated to the number of cigarettes smoked by mothers and other family members, he said. In questionnaires given to the mothers, 82 per cent reported being daily smokers and 72 per cent said they lived in households that included other tobacco users. When NNAL was detected in the urine of babies, it was found that family members reported smoking an average of 76 cigarettes per week. Where NNAL levels were not observed, parents smoked less - 27 cigarettes per week on average. However, the test used had detection limitations, Hecht said. "If we had used a more sensitive assay (test), we probably would be able to detect it in those infants (whose families smoked less), as well." Dr. Gideon Koren, a pediatrician and pharmacologist at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, said research at his centre more than a decade ago showed nicotine and a byproduct called cotinine are found in the hair of newborns as a result of women smoking during pregnancy. "This is another marker," Koren said Thursday of NNAL in urine. "Cigarette smoke has 1,400 different poisons and chemicals, some of them carcinogenic. And it all makes sense. "If you are smoking near your kids or even in another room, it will go around through aeration. It's a real risk for children." Scientists don't know yet if exposure to second-hand smoke during infancy is linked to childhood cancer or malignancies later in life. But a cause-effect relationship has been shown between long-term exposure to tobacco smoke and lung cancer among such workers as bartenders. "There's no reason to believe that will not be the case for small children, but convincing research is not yet out there," said Koren, noting that sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory infections and asthma are more prevalent among children living in households with smokers. Dr. Sheila Pritchard, a cancer specialist at the B.C. Children's Hospital, agreed there is little in the medical literature showing hard evidence that breathing in clouds of cigarette smoke as an infant leads to cancer later in childhood or adulthood. But she cited one study, published in a 2004 issue of the British Journal of Cancer, that showed the risk of liver cancer in children doubled in the U.K. if both parents smoked, compared to youngsters with non-smoking parents. Referring to the Minnesota findings, Pritchard said: "It makes sense that this is a carcinogen. And who wants their babies to have carcinogens in their bodies? But I think more studies are going to be needed to prove the link with cancer." Still, parents should consider the fact that infants and young children are more vulnerable to second-hand smoke than grownups because their rate of respiration is 40 times a minute on average, compared to about 12 in adults. Physically dependent little ones are also captive to mommy's or daddy's smoky exhalations, Koren said. "Just think about it: try to smoke at work anywhere in Canada today and you are against the law," he said. "The same individual can go home and smoke in the face of a two-month-old and he's not against the law. "How come we cannot smoke near our fellow workers, but we can do it to our children?" email@example.com Food and You from email@example.com March 28th 2006 issue Organic basics - What does the term "organic" mean? Will eating organic foods boost your health? The term "organic" denotes a method or philosophy of growing food that is sustainable and friendly to the environment. The general idea is to produce as much food as the local farm environment (or farm ecosystem) can support while at the same time not threatening the health or diversity of any plant or animal populations within that ecosystem. A major concern in organic farming is to maintain the fertility and renewability of the soil. This is achieved through different practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, and use of green manure (plants that are grown for the sole purpose of being returned to the soil as a high-nutrient fertilizer). Other focal points of organic farming include: protecting the environment protecting the biological diversity of the ecosystem recycling and conserving resources promoting the health of livestock (through techniques such as adequate housing, prohibition of synthetic hormones or food additives, and reduction of stress) maintaining the integrity of the food through to point of sale (e.g., organic foods may not be irradiated [a process used to kill bacteria and parasites]) While there's much to know about organic products, it's important to keep in mind that the term refers to principles of agriculture. It does not have any claims specific to the health, nutrition, or safety of the food. At present in Canada, the standards for organic production are voluntary. Demand for organic food is increasing, and national regulations for organic standards and a certification program are underway. Such measures will assure consumers that all foods sold under this designation are indeed in compliance with the term "organic." For further information on the development of these standards, visit www.inspection.gc.ca. FDA approves shingles vaccine for adults; company hopes for Canadian launch May 26, 2006 Provided by: Canadian Press Written by: ANDREW BRIDGES From email@example.com WASHINGTON (CP) - A new vaccine that could put the pox on shingles for many adult sufferers of the often painful condition caused by the chickenpox virus received U.S. regulatory approval, it was announced Friday. The Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine, Zostavax, late Thursday, Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) spokeswoman Christine Fanelle said. The vaccine is only for adults who previously have had chickenpox. "This vaccine gives health-care providers an important tool that can help prevent an illness that affects many older Americans and often results in significant chronic pain," said Dr. Jesse Goodman, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. A spokesperson for Merck's Canadian subsidiary, Merck Frosst Canada Ltd., said it hopes to bring the vaccine to the Canadian market as well. "We are looking forward to being able to offer the shingles vaccine to Canadians but really we cannot speculate as to when this will happen," Jean Robidoux said from Montreal. Robidoux would not say whether Merck has yet filed for Canadian licensing approval for Zostavax. "This is considered as confidential information at this point in time. But we're making every possible effort to bring this vaccine to Canada." Shingles, also called herpes zoster, strikes when the chickenpox virus reactivates and resumes reproducing after lying dormant, sometimes for decades, in nerve cells in the body. The vaccine does not prevent infection by the virus, nor does it treat active cases of shingles. Instead, it helps prevent the reemergence or resurgence of the virus by boosting a patient's immunity, Goodman said. There are roughly one million new U.S. cases of shingles each year. It typically affects the elderly, though anyone with a weakened immune system is vulnerable. However, the vaccine should not be given to anyone with HIV or who is on immune-suppressing drugs, including transplant patients, said Norman Baylor, director of the FDA's Office of Vaccines Research and Review. Shingles can cause itching, burning and tingling, as well as a distinctive red rash that develops into pus-filled blisters that later break open and form scabs. The condition is painful and that pain can persist in some patients for months or years. Merck research showed the vaccine reduced the incidence of shingles by half and pain and discomfort by nearly two-thirds. The vaccine's long-term effectiveness remains unclear. Merck has shown that it works for at least four years, and plans to track patients for a decade. The company also pledged to further study the vaccine's safety after patients in clinical trials suffered a slightly higher number of serious side-effects than did those who received dummy injections, the FDA said. Currently, there is no evidence the vaccine was to blame, the agency added. The vaccine is intended for use in people 60 and older. "This is going to be the first product of any kind, vaccine or anything else, that can prevent shingles," said Dr. Jeffrey Silber, senior director of clinical research on biologics and vaccines for Merck Research Laboratories. Anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles. Merck estimates that half of all people who reach age 85 will develop shingles during their lifetime. Shingles can't be passed from human to human. But someone with shingles can give chickenpox to anyone who has never been exposed to the virus or never received the chickenpox vaccine. European and Australian health officials earlier this month approved the shingles vaccine, Merck said. The single-dose vaccine will cost $152.50 US. It could become a $1 billion US or more a year seller for Merck, said analyst Steve Brozak, with WBB Securities in Westfield, N.J. One in five diabetics don't follow guidelines on hemoglobin testing: survey June 13, 2006 Provided by: Canadian Press Written by: ANNE-MARIE TOBIN OTTAWA (CP) - One in five diabetics went a full year without having an important hemoglobin test that's a critical part of managing glycemic levels, suggest the findings of a detailed survey by Statistics Canada looking at care for people with diabetes. The extensive questionnaire, part of the Canadian Community Health Survey, dealt with issues such as frequency of blood sugar testing, eye exams, checks for sores and irritation on the feet and protein in the urine. "We're trying to capture that type of information so that we can compare what type of care is actually being received, and compare that to what should be received," said Jeffrey Johnson, a professor in the department of public health sciences at the University of Alberta, who has a Canada Research Chair in diabetes health outcomes. "We have clinical practice guidelines for people with diabetes that the CDA, Canadian Diabetes Association, produces, and they're kind of the ideal, the best possible level of care." Overall, 4.9 per cent of Canadians 12 and over reported they had been diagnosed with diabetes, a metabolic disorder in which the body does not properly control the amount of sugar in the blood. Diabetes is currently the seventh leading cause of death in Canada. The A1C hemoglobin test should be done approximately every three months by a health professional, according to the practice guidelines. Almost three-quarters of diabetic respondents said they'd had it done at least once in the past year. Diabetics who use insulin were more likely to have been tested (83 per cent) than those not using insulin. The detailed questions were asked in five provinces - Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador. The rate of diabetes is higher in the eastern provinces and among males, and increases with age. Besides hemoglobin testing, the guidelines also recommend an annual foot examination because diabetics often experience lesions, ulcers and infections. Almost half of respondents said they'd had their feet checked by a health-care professional in the previous 12 months. Diabetics are also at high risk of developing retinopathy, a disease of the blood vessels in the eye. Sixty-eight per cent of respondents said they'd had an eye test where their pupils were dilated at least once. Mary Ellen Wright, 48, of St. John's, N.L., was diagnosed about five years ago. She's had a weight issue all her life, she says, and because of it, her doctor was watching for diabetes. Although she routinely visits her doctors, she says her diabetes is "not very well controlled right now," she said. "I make the money for the medication, I make sure that is covered. The additional supplies that require me to test and so on, it's just a lot harder to hit those marks," said Wright, a widow and mother of three who works for a non-profit organization that doesn't have an insurance plan to cover her prescriptions. "By rights, I should be testing it (blood sugar levels) before and after each meal, six times a day. But that's $6 a day for those test strips, so that doesn't take long to mount up. That comes to in the range of close to $200 a month, and that's money I just can't lay out." Peter Fassbender, the mayor of Langley, B.C., discovered he had Type 2 diabetes about six years ago after feeling fatigued during a period when he was doing a lot of travel. Now, he rigorously takes care of his health - he exercises by walking and taking stairs whenever possible, watches his diet and gets needed rest. "Once a year I have my eyes checked to make sure there is no sign of degeneration and in my case, my specialist told me it was fine, other than aging," Fassbender, 59, said in an interview. "I do check my feet and it's the issue of your extremities where you lose sensation and can get infections, and if it gets out of control, then you start looking at issues like amputation and so on." Like Wright, he's been told to check his blood sugar levels routinely and he takes a couple of medications, although he's not insulin-dependant. Unlike Wright, he's got an insurance plan that covers his medication costs. "From Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, across the country, through the 10 provinces and territories, there's a significant spread in availability and affordability of drugs to help deal with it," he said. Johnson said that beyond blood sugar levels, diabetics need to be concerned about managing cardiovascular risks, blood pressure and cholesterol, and there is always the risk of death if people aren't being "adequately treated with medications that we know work very well." "We're losing lives, we're losing productivity in our society and we're increasing health care costs," Johnson said. "By not treating the blood pressure or the cholesterol adequately now, we will have to deal with heart attacks and strokes in the future." Wright said many provinces provide diabetics with some form of subsidy or deductible that's based on income to support the purchase of supplies and medication, but Newfoundland and Labrador doesn't. "They could save themselves a lot of money by providing that support," she said. "If you can't afford to support your diabetes, then you're looking at, you know, amputations, kidney problems, a lot of increased health costs that are a lot more expensive than the things that they could be putting in for diabetes support." Johnson said it's a concern for the health-care system because "we're seeing tremendous increases in the number of people with diabetes." "Part of the problem is that many people have diabetes but don't yet know it." Classic symptoms of diabetes are increased trips to the bathroom, increased thirst, blurry vision and lack of energy, he said. "One of the other important indicators is simply body weight and body size," Johnson said. "Obesity is so strongly linked with diabetes and other chronic medical conditions that people who are overweight should be evaluated." And people over 40 should be screened when there are other risk factors, like obesity, a family history or cardiovascular disease, he said. This article is from firstname.lastname@example.com June 24, 2004 Researcher Dispels Myth of Dioxins and Plastic Water Bottles The Internet has been flooded with email warnings to avoid freezing water in plastic bottles so as not to get exposed to carcinogenic dioxins. Recently, one hoax email has been attributed to Johns Hopkins University. The Office of Communications and Public Affairs discussed the issue with Rolf Halden, PhD, PE, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and the Center for Water and Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Halden received his masters and doctoral degrees researching dioxin contamination in the environment. We sat down with him to set the record straight on dioxins in the food supply and the risks associated with drinking water from plastic bottles and cooking with plastics. Office of Communications and Public Affairs: What are dioxins? Rolf Halden: Dioxins are organic environmental pollutants sometimes referred to as the most toxic compounds made by mankind. They are a group of chemicals, which include 75 different chlorinated molecules of dibenzo- p-dioxin and 135 chlorinated dibenzofurans. Some polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) also are referred to as dioxin-like compounds. Exposure to dioxins can cause chloracne, a severe form of skin disease, as well as reproductive and developmental effects, and more importantly, liver damage and cancer. OC&PA: Where do dioxins come from? RH: We always thought dioxins were man-made compounds produced inadvertently during the bleaching of pulp and manufacturing of pesticides like Agent Orange and other chlorinated aromatics. But dioxins in sediments from lakes and oceans predate these human activities. It is now generally accepted that a principal source of dioxins are various combustion processes, including natural events such as wild fires and even volcanic eruptions. Today, the critical issue is the incineration of waste, particularly the incineration of hospital waste, which contains a great deal of polyvinyl chloride plastics and aromatic compounds that can serve as dioxin precursors. One study examined the burning of household trash in drums in the backyard. It turns out that these small burnings of debris can put out as much or more dioxins as a full-sized incinerator burning hundreds of tons of refuse per day. The incinerators are equipped with state-of-the-art emission controls that limit dioxin formation and their release into the environment, but the backyard trash burning does not. You set it ablaze and chemistry takes over. What happens next is that the dioxins are sent into the atmosphere where they become attached to particles and fall back to earth. Then they bind to, or are taken up, by fish and other animals, where they get concentrated and stored in fat before eventually ending up on our lunch and dinner plates. People are exposed to them mostly from eating meat and fish rich in fat. OC&PA: What do you make of this recent email warning that claims dioxins can be released by freezing water in plastic bottles? RH: No. This is an urban legend. There are no dioxins in plastics. In addition, freezing actually works against the release of chemicals. Chemicals do not diffuse as readily in cold temperatures, which would limit chemical release if there were dioxins in plastic, and we don't think there are. OC&PA: So it's okay for people to drink out of plastic water bottles? RH: First, people should be more concerned about the quality of the water they are drinking rather than the container it's coming from. Many people do not feel comfortable drinking tap water, so they buy bottled water instead. The truth is that city water is much more highly regulated and monitored for quality. Bottled water is not. It can legally contain many things we would not tolerate in municipal drinking water. Having said this, there is another group of chemicals, called phthalates that are sometimes added to plastics to make them flexible and less brittle. Phthalates are environmental contaminants that can exhibit hormone-like behavior by acting as endocrine disruptors in humans and animals. If you heat up plastics, you could increase the leaching of phthalates from the containers into water and food. OC&PA: What about cooking with plastics? RH: In general, whenever you heat something you increase the likelihood of pulling chemicals out. Chemicals can be released from plastic packaging materials like the kinds used in some microwave meals. Some drinking straws say on the label "not for hot beverages." Most people think the warning is because someone might be burned. If you put that straw into a boiling cup of hot coffee, you basically have a hot water extraction going on, where the chemicals in the straw are being extracted into your nice cup of coffee. We use the same process in the lab to extract chemicals from materials we want to analyze. If you are cooking with plastics or using plastic utensils, the best thing to do is to follow the directions and only use plastics that are specifically meant for cooking. Inert containers are best, for example heat-resistant glass, ceramics and good old stainless steel. OC&PA: Is there anything else you want to add? RH: Don't be afraid of drinking water. It is very important to drink adequate amounts of water and, by the way that's in addition to all the coffee, beer and other diuretics we love to consume. Unless you are drinking really bad water, you are more likely to suffer from the adverse effects of dehydration than from the minuscule amounts of chemical contaminants present in your water supply. Relatively speaking, the risk from exposure to microbial contaminants is much greater than that from chemicals. And here's one more uncomfortable fact. Each of us already carries a certain body burden of dioxins regardless of how and what we eat. If you look hard enough, you'll find traces of dioxins in pretty much every place on earth. Paracelsus the famous medieval alchemist, used to put it straight and simple: it's the dose that makes the poison.--Tim Parsons Public Affairs media contacts for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Tim Parsons or Kenna Lowe at 410-955-6878 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Dangerous Pancake Mix – emailed in to pass on I recently made a batch of pancakes for my healthy 14-year-old son, using a mix that was in our pantry. He said that they tasted "funny," but ate them anyway. About 10 minutes later, he began having difficulty breathing and his lips began turning purple. I gave him his allergy pill, had him sit on the sofa and told him to relax. He was wheezing while inhaling and exhaling. My husband, a volunteer firefighter and EMT, heated up some water, and we had my son lean over the water so the steam could clear his chest and sinuses. Soon, his breathing became more regular and his lips returned to a more normal color. We checked the date on the box of pancake mix and, to my dismay, found it was very outdated. As a reference librarian at an academic institution, I have the ability to search through many research databases. I did just that, and found an article the next day that mentioned a 19-year-old male DYING after eating pancakes made with outdated mix. Apparently, the mould that forms in old pancake mix can be toxic! When we told our friends about my son's close call, we were surprised at the number of people who mentioned that they should check their own pancake mix since they don't use it often, or they had purchased it some time ago. With so many people shopping at warehouse-type stores and buying large sizes of pancake mix; I hope your readers will take the time to check the expiration date on their boxes. Also, beware of outdated cake, brownie and cookie mixes. Emailed in to the office to pass on to you: This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece please read this at a slow pace, digesting every word and in leisure...do not hurry.... this is a treasure... For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mom, this is beautiful. For those of us who aren't, this is even more beautiful. For those who are moms, you'll love this. The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning." But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this." Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come." And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, "A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you." And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I 've given them strength." And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: "Look up. Lift your eyes to the light." And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness. And that night the Mother said, "This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God." And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them." And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence......." Your Mother is always with you.... She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every teardrop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space... not even death! PASS THIS ON TO ALL THE MOTHERS & CHILDREN YOU KNOW. MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED... And pass it on to the men because they have mothers too..... BC ELDERS TRADITIONAL HEALING CORNER C O M M U N I C AT I O N For Dani's Devil Club Salve Please call: 250-287-8435 H or 287-9460 W or you can email email@example.com with inquiries or orders. CENTER SOCIET Y Anyone interested in advertising their products please contact the Elders Voice. 1415 Wewaikum Road PROVERBS: Campbell River, B.C. V9W 5W9 The sinning is the best part of repentance. Arabic What the heart thinks, the tongue speaks. Romanian Phone: 1-250-286-9977 When a blind man carries a lame man, both go forward. Swedish Fax: 1-250-286-4809 When one shuts one eye, one does not hear everything. Swiss Toll-Free: 1-877-738-7288 When you only have 2 pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. Chinese Coordinator: Donna Stirling Where God has his church the Devil will have his chapel. Spanish Website: www.bcelders.com Email: BIBLE QUOTES: email@example.com "Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide." Psalm 26:1 'ELDERS VOICE' ISSUES "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want...Surely goodness and mercy ARE SENT OUT TO shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of COMMUNITIES BY THE the Lord forever." Psalm 23:1,6 1st OF EACH MONTH. "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments." Psalm 119:73 If your area's copy is not re- "I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing to the ceived in a timely manner name of the Lord most high." Psalm 7:17 please call in to the office. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 Mail, fax, email, or call in your Special Wishes/Community Events !! Happy! Happy! Bir thday To All Elder s Born In July!! 24 Hours a day - 7 days a week - National Survivors Support Line 1-866-925-4419 The Indian Residential School Survivors Society provides free, immediate, confidential, non-judgmental, support for residential school survivors across Canada Quotations: from Little Treasures by Glen Ridless "A label is easy to stick on, but takes some effort to remove." "Some people are born lighters. Some people are born to be lit. Who are you?" "If your heart can beat without thinking, so can your mind." "Perfect balance is getting everything you want out of life, without compromising any of your convic- tions." "We all lie. The only difference is how we disguise it, to ourselves or to others." ANNUAL BC ELDERS GATHERING INFORMATION CORNER 30th ANNUAL BC ELDER'S GATHERING Hosts: Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council and Tseshaht First Nation Dates: July 18, 19, 20, 2006 Place: Alberni Valley Multiplex Address: 3737 Roger Street, Port Alberni, B.C. For Information Please Contact Coordinator: Vina Robinson Office # 250-724-5757 Fax # 250-723-0463 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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25 Books That Diversify Kids' Reading Lists This Summer
In children's books, it can be easier to find talking pandas than characters of color. Here are 25 books with minority characters and authors to help diversify summer reading.
One principal in an affluent Bay Area School is striving to do more than just "enhance" classroom learning with iPads.

subset: commoncrawl


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|By Marketwired .
Article Rating:
|January 22, 2014 06:06 PM EST
DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 01/22/14 -- Berg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti LLP (BHGR), one of Colorado's fastest growing law firms, is pleased to announce the opening of the company's Boise, Idaho office. With the addition of the Boise office, Boulder-based BHGR, will now have greater reach to serve clients with its depth of experience and expertise in the law related to business, construction, the environment and water, litigation, public entity and real estate.
"We are very pleased to open a BHGR office in Boise," said Giovanni M. Ruscitti, a BGHR founding partner. "Our growth comes in direct response to an increasing demand and appreciation for law firms that have the expertise and sophistication of a national law firm, but the service and responsiveness of a boutique firm."
BHGR was founded in 2001 with five attorneys and has grown to a team of 35 professionals that serve clients across the Rocky Mountains and throughout North America and beyond. BHGR attorneys offer expertise in the following practice areas:
- Antitrust and Business Competition
- Analysis and Litigation
- Appellate
- Construction
- Corporate
- Employment Law
- Environmental and Water
- Innovation and Development
- Insurance Coverage
- Litigation
- Public Entity
- Real Estate
"As we look into 2014, the addition of the Boise office is just one step in our strategy to better serve our clients," continued Mr. Ruscitti.
About Berg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti LLP
Founded in 2001, Berg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti LLP (BHGR) is one of the fastest growing law firms in Colorado. Based on a philosophy of delivering the expertise and sophistication of a national law firm, but the service and responsiveness of a boutique firm, BHGR has three offices in Boulder and Denver, Colorado, as well as Boise, Idaho serving clients in the Rocky Mountain Region, across North America and beyond. The firm's breadth of expertise includes practices related to business, construction, the environment and water, litigation, public entity and real estate. For more information, please visit http://www.bhgrlaw.com.
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Cathy A. Thorne
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Steven Shapiro
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Maryland News
New curfew takes effect in Baltimore
New curfew on Baltimore youth takes effect this weekeend
Rita's Crepes closed on Bethesda Row
The owner of the popular Rita's Crepes kiosk on Bethesda Row has shut the location down.
Gas station clerk shot, killed in Anne Arundel County; shooter at large
A gas station clerk was shot and killed while working at an Anne Arundel County store early Thursday morning. The shooter is at large.
Ravens beat 49ers 23-3 in preseason opener
Flacco gets offense started with 80-yard drive and Ravens roll past 49ers 23-3
Baltimore man gets 28 years for drug dealing
Baltimore man sentenced to 28 years for trafficking cocaine in Maryland
Police officer indicted on perjury charge
Montgomery County police officer indicted on perjury charge
Tennessee couple guilty of killing man's ex-wife
Tennessee couple convicted of killing man's ex-wife in Maryland
Operator injured when bulldozer slides at mine
Operator injured when bulldozer slides down embankment at strip mine in western Maryland
Md. to upgrade light poles on Naval Academy Bridge
Maryland State Highway Administration to upgrade light poles on Naval Academy Bridge
Carjackings drop in Prince George's County
Prince George's County leads Maryland in the highest number of carjackings.
Consumer spending up in Md. since recession
Consumer spending in Maryland rose slowly but steadily in the years after the Great Recession.
Md. Prof: Important details left out of UN climate reports
A Maryland associate professor and a lead author of a United Nations climate change working group says important details about individual countries' emissions are intentionally left out of summaries given to policymakers - making it difficult to craft targeted policies to that would reduce pollution globally.
Court reinstates key Baltimore pension provision
Federal appeals court reverses lower court rejection of key Baltimore pension reform provision
No bail for Md. man in Delaware insurance case
No bail for Maryland man charged with lying to Delaware insurance regulators
Labor secretary to discuss minimum wage in Md.
US labor secretary to join Gov. Martin O'Malley at minimum wage event in Bethesda
A new rule of the road: Don't block the bike box
What's a bike box, and how does a driver approach and move through it?
A Maryland school district wants to snoop on students to keep them safe
Spying on students to keep them safe.
Montgomery Co. rate-payers sound off about WSSC's proposed fee increase
Customers of one of the largest water utilities in the region are scratching their heads over how they could be paying more for using less.
Woman sentenced for stealing benefits checks
Woman sentenced for cashing Social Security checks of dead friend for 19 years
Man pleads guilty to robbing 3 gas stations
Man pleads guilty to robbing 3 gas stations in Maryland
Hi: 88 °F | Lo: 69 °F


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Power Clean (10×2)
Metcon (AMRAP – Rounds and Reps)
AMRAP 8 Minutes
7 Front Squats (155/105) – from the ground
14 KB Swings (2/1.5)
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Is it true that hives and stress are correlated? If it is so how????
Stress can cause everything from headaches, stomach problems, insomnia, and stress rashes (yes, hives!). Stress can affect our bodies in many ways and the skin is an especially vulnerable area. In the event of an existing rash due to another cause such as an allergy or bacterial infection, stress can also make things worse, as it weakens your immune system, therefore preventing your body from healing properly. Excessive worry can wreak havoc on our immune systems.
A rash due to stress is common but it's also important to diagnose it to make sure it is not really due to: an infection, excessive sweating, an insect bite, poisonous plant or allergic reaction.
This isn't something you should take lightly. Hives are just a visible sign of an underlying issue.
There are a variety of possible causes for hives, and the fact that your horse has breathing impairment is of considerable concern. You need to have him medically evaluated asap. If exposure to an allergen is the cause, a serious anaphylactic reaction may occur on subsequent exposure to the allergen, with a number of effects including spasms of the airway which obstructs breathing and can be deadly.
Antihistamines are not the appropriate treatment for hives in many cases, and sometimes epinephrine or corticosteroids are required. The vet should examine your horse before any treatments are attempted. Finding the cause helps to direct treatment, but isn't always easy. You should be sure you have a thorough history from the prior owner as to details about the onset and treatment of any prior episodes. You should read the veterinary article I'm posting, and go from there.
The Hives - Barely Legal - Full Album
My horse once broke out. My vet said it was contact hives. Did he rub up against something or did you add a new feed or try a new spray on him? My vet reccomended bathing him to help relive it. It worked, we threw out the fly spray and he hasn't broken out since.
Hope this helps!
From Wikipedia
Stress and chronic idiopathic urticaria (hives)
Chronic idiopathic urticaria has been anecdotally linked to stress since the 1940s[1]. There is a large body of evidence demonstrating an association between this condition and both poor emotional well-being[2] and reduced health related quality of life[3]. More recent research has investigated hypotheses about stress as a causal factor in triggering the condition. Evidence has been found for a link between stressful life events (e.g. bereavement, divorce etc...)[4] and preliminary evidence has been reported for a link between posttraumatic stress and chronic idiopathic urticaria[5]. Less is known about the individual experiences and characteristics of people who develop chronic idiopathic urticaria following stress. Research into these factors in the relationship between stress and chronic idiopathic urticaria is ongoing by a number of researchers, including an online project[6] currently being undertaken by researchers at the University of Plymouth [6].
Hives are skin allergic reactions that appear as raised skin welts and bumps that also resemble mosquito bites. Well, the actual cause of hives remains uncertain in most of the cases but according to some recent studies the onsets of hives can be triggered by stress.
Especially in chronic hives cases you will see that stress can be a major factor. when somebody in stress the body releases some special hormones which reacts with histamine to cause allergic reactions like hives.
For more information on Hives and stress, hives treatment, etc try the below link
Allergic urticaria is caused by a defect in the immune system (like all allergies). The immune system (like other body symptoms) is affected by stress. The poorly functioning immune system is further hampered when the body is stressed.
Whether you are stressed or not, the key to controlling your allergy symptoms is controlling your exposure. If you are allergic to dust mites then get the special allergy bedding, wash sheets weekly with De-Mite, and make sure you eat properly, get plenty of rest, and drink lots of water. If you are allergic to pollens, then stay inside when pollen counts are high as well as on dry and windy days. When you do come in, shower and change clothes to keep from spreading the allergen in your house. Still eat well, rest, and stay hydrated. In many instances you may want an air cleaner in your room. I will give you lots of links to read about allergies.
Hives are patches of swelling that can vary in size and can occur anywhere on a horse's body, but most commonly occur on the neck, the sides and the upper areas of the legs. Hives can cause itching and make a horse very uncomfortable. Determining the causes of hives on horses requires a careful assessment of a horse's activities and exposures to things in the environment that can cause an allergic reaction, resulting in hives.
To determine if diet causes hives on horses, a veterinarian will take a medical history from the horse's owner, detailing what types of commercial feed, hay and nutritional supplements that the horse is consuming, as well as the type of pasture grass that the horse is grazing on. If the medical history doesn't reveal a cause, horses can be put on an elimination diet, which begins with one protein source and one carbohydrate source to which horses have not been previously exposed. If high-quality pasture grass is available, other sources of food can be stopped, and if the horse's condition improves during the diet period, pasture grass can be eliminated as the source of the hives. Horses that do not show improvement in four to six weeks should not be allowed access to pasture grass for another six weeks, and should be introduced gradually to new foods.
Another cause of hives on horses, especially Arabian and thoroughbred horses, is an allergic disease called atopy. Thoroughbred and Arabian horses have a genetic predisposition to this disease, which usually presents by age 4, and also appears in older horses after a move to a new environment and exposure to allergens. Allergies can be seasonal, such as pollens, molds, grasses or trees. Horses may also be allergic to material in saddle pads or horse blankets.
Insect Bites
A common cause of hives on horses in the spring and summer is insect biters; flies and mosquitoes are the most frequent offenders. Swelling can also result if horses are bitten on the midline, which is under the belly; the udder; or the front skin covering the penis. To keep from attracting insects to the barn area, the owner should maintain clean stalls and locate the manure pile far away from the barn area. Horses should stay indoors during peak insect hours, such as dusk and dawn.
Hives are a sudden skin rash. Usually a result of an allergic reaction your body had, usually to food, medication, your environment and sometimes even stress.
Allergic reactions are basically your body's version of friendly fire, your body is defending itself against a non-enemy. Your body's weapon of choice for this battle is histamines.
Your body releases histamines in order to fight against what it thinks is the enemy. When your body over reacts and too many histamines build up in one spot you end up with what's known as hives.
Hives usually spread around the torso, upper thighs, and arms. It's very rare to have hives appear around the head or neck area.
Some things you will want to do to start getting relief from the discomfort of hives are:
* Avoid scratching the affected areas - although it can drive you crazy, scratching your hives will only make it worse.
* Stay away from alcohol
* Avoid tight fitting clothing - the pressure on the skin will just intensify the urge to scratch
* If the affected area is only in one small area you can apply ice wrapped in a towel to the area to relieve the discomfort.
* Taking cool showers or baths will also help with the itching
* Take an antihistamine to relieve the itching and eventually reduce the swelling
Typically, antihistamines such as Benadryl are taken to treat allergic reactions. The problem with using products like Benadryl is that they also include some not so pleasant side effects.
In this case the side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, coordination problems, heartburn, insomnia, tremor, nausea and vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, and dry cough and others.
I think you will find the natural or homeopathic alternatives to be more favorable since they go to work without causing drowsiness or any of the other negative side effects.
Often times nature has a fix for the ailments we have, the problem is we've been trained to believe that they don't work.
Call your vet and ask him he should tell you what you can give your horse for it thats what i do i never have to take my boyz in cuz he just tells me what to give them and i go to walmart or tsc and get it... Good luck


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7 Tips to Prepare for Your Appointment
The key to a successful appointment is communication. To get the most out of your visit, prepare ahead of time so you can lead the conversation with your doctor. These 7 tips will get you ready
Appointments & Offices
Check insurance plans, locations and make an appointment
Is Dr. Gessler accepting new patients?
- Yes.
What insurance does he accept?
- Aetna
- BCBS North Carolina
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield
- Commercial Insurance Company
- Coventry Health Care
- FMH Benefit Services
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- HealthSmart Holdings
- Humana
- MedCost
- Medicare
- United HealthCare
- UnitedHealthCare
- Wells Fargo TPA
Office Locations
- Piedmont Healthcare Pediatrics
- 129 Sherlock Dr
- Statesville, NC 28625
- (704) 838-8245 (Office)


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Find records of Eric Goodenjr
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Eric C Goodenjr (2010 - 2010) was born on February 2, 2010. He was born into the Goodenjr family.
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In 1963, Joe Johnston founded the Johnston Insurance and Real Estate Company in downtown Statesboro.
Licensed contractors around the state are concerned that work continues to be done by unlicensed builders with little to nothing that is being done about it.
Local car dealer Cleve White has opened Superior Automotive in the former location of Cleve White Nissan on U.S. Highway 301 South.
Georgia House Bill 386, which was passed in 2012, is causing quite a stir among Georgia automobile dealers as well as within the Bulloch County Tax Commissioner's office.
Bulloch Fertilizer Company will celebrate an impressive milestone this week - its 50th year in business. Founded in 1963 by Bill Mikell, John Cobb and Raybon Anderson, Bulloch Fertilizer was created in conjunction with a sister company East Georgia Liquid Feed Service.
Mark Anderson of Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home recently announced that Statesboro native Bland Mathews had become a partner and owner in the business.
The economic impact of tourism in Bulloch County continues to rise as evidenced in the most recent statistics released by the Georgia Department of Economic Development - Tourism Division (GDED).
One of Statesboro's more unusual looking apartment complexes is about to undergo a complete transformation. Located at 15 East Grady Street, adjacent to the McTell Trail, the brown, two-building, 12-unit complex is going to be fully renovated by Hendley Properties.
The Hampton Inn Statesboro is close to completion, and plans are for the hotel to open in March or April. The 90-room hotel is located at 350 Brampton Avenue in the Market District on Fair Road.
Queensborough National Bank and Trust Company recently moved into its new Statesboro headquarters on the corner of South Main and Grady Streets after spending several years in a much smaller location on Zetterower Avenue.
This past year saw continued positive economic development for the city of Statesboro's historic downtown area. An interview with Downtown Statesboro Development Authority executive director Allen Muldrew yielded both highlights from 2012, in addition to the ever present challenges faced in redevelopment efforts.
There has been a major shift in philosophy at Statesboro City Hall in the past two years, and those connected with the real estate development community are glad to see it.
Susannah Lanier, agricultural educator at Southeast Bulloch High School, was one of 39 individuals nationwide who received the Teachers Turn the Key Award, given at the National Association of Agricultural Educators annual convention in Atlanta earlier this month.
Since opening its doors five years ago, Southeastern Gun Supply has carved a niche in the Bulloch County area with gun collectors and enthusiasts with a shift in sales to tactical weapons.
Trish Tootle recently celebrated her 25th anniversary working with Farmers and Merchants Bank.
The Vidalia Onion Committee is currently seeking nominations for their grower Board of Directors. The committee elects four new members each year as part of an annual process. There are currently four member spots and four alternate board spots available.
In the 1930s, while selling insurance in Waycross, Loy A. Waters Sr. called on the owner of a local furniture store. He thought it was an interesting business model and decided to move back home to Twin City and open L.A. Waters furniture in 1934.
Measuring about 500 square feet, Gifted is one of the smallest stores you're likely to read about here, but it has a highly visible location - inside East Georgia Regional Medical Center.
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Found March 21, 2013 on Fox Sports:
PLAYERS: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama
TEAMS: Los Angeles Kings
TEAMS: Los Angeles Kings
President Barack Obama will honor two championship sports teams from California at the White House next Tuesday. Obama will hold a ceremony to welcome the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and winner of the Stanley Cup. He'll also honor the LA Galaxy, the championship Major League Soccer team. After the ceremony, the White House says the teams will head down to the South Lawn to host an exercise clinic for children. The clinic is in support of first lady Michelle Obama's anti-childhood obesity effort. The White House says the children participating in the clinic come from soccer and hockey programs in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, Detroit and Washington, D.C.
Original Story: http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/pr...
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