HEADLINES:
Cantata Performance At Nursing Facilities
Dairy Princess Visits Area Schools
Dairy Princess Visits First Baby Of 2011
Become Aware Of Hypothermia Symptoms
Rep. Pickett Named To Appropriations Committee
Pickett Participates In Dairy Contest
Protect Your Children From Internet Predators

Cantata Performance At Nursing Facilities

Both residents and caregivers at area nursing facilities recently enjoyed the celebration of the birth of our Lord with a crafted and stylized Appalachian Anthem sung in three part harmony that was unique, unusual and very comfortable with a Bluegrass flavor. It was a perfect way to begin the Christmas season. Entitled, “I hear the Profit Callin,” this Cantata tells the Christmas Story from Prophesy to Fulfillment.

The Ecumenical Choir organized at the Thompson United Methodist Church to warm up; the joy of the singers is shown as they got ready to present an encore performance of the most recent Cantata to the residents of Barnes-Kasson Skilled Nursing and Forest City Skilled Nursing facilities.

Lead by the baton of Brenda Potter Tiffany, with the accompaniment of Mr. Jeffery Keyes (foreground), the choir, gathered from all denominational churches in the area, sang Listen to the Story, I Hear the Prophet Callin’ and The People Who Walk in Darkness, along with many others.

Written by gifted composer Pepper Choplin, who called upon the styles of Appalachian, Irish, Latin, Cajun and Early American forms of Music, succeeded in stirring souls when these timeless rhythms, harmonies, and melodies blended together in this authentic and sometimes earthy music.

The Choir is organizing for next Christmas and encourages everyone who loves to sing to contact Brenda Potter Tiffany.

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Dairy Princess Visits Area Schools

Submitted By Olivia Mitchell, Susquehanna County Dairy Princess

I recently spent a few days with elementary students from the Blue Ridge and Montrose Area school districts assisted by Dairy Maid Madeline Mitchell and Dairy Ambassador Mariah Tompkins. One of my favorite activities as a Dairy Princess is spending time with young students and teaching them the importance of replacing sugary soda and other sports drinks with delicious, healthy milk.

Dairy Princess Olivia Mitchell and Dairy Maid Madeline Mitchell pose with a group of Blue Ridge Elementary School students showing off their cow craft.

Research suggests that having at least 3 servings of dairy every day may reduce the risk of many adverse health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis. The University of Tennessee researchers found that overweight people who downed three servings a day of calcium-rich dairy lost more belly fat than those who followed a similar diet minus two or more of the dairy servings. Researchers also discovered that calcium supplements do not work as affectively as milk. They believe that while calcium may increase the rate at which your body burns fat, the other eight essential nutrients in dairy products provide an additional fat-burning effect.

Lathrop Street Elementary School first grade students salute the dairy industry with their cups of calcium-rich milk.

Milk is also one of the best muscle foods on the planet. The protein in milk is about 80 percent whey and 20 percent casein. Both are high-quality proteins, but whey is known as a "fast protein" because it's quickly broken down into amino acids and absorbed into the bloodstream.

It is very important that elementary students consume the right amount of dairy products as their muscles and bones continue to grow quickly, during this stage of life. Thank you to all the teachers and students for such an enjoyable time in your classrooms and remember to get your 3 servings of dairy every day!

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Dairy Princess Visits First Baby Of 2011

Submitted By Olivia Mitchell, Susquehanna County Dairy Princess

The Susquehanna County Dairy Princess, Olivia Mitchell, recently presented a gift basket and a gallon of milk to the family of the first Susquehanna County baby of the new year. Congratulations are extended to Jason Cook and Kristy Byham of Heart Lake on the birth of their son, Aeden Scot Cook, born on January 1, 2011 at 3:30 a.m. at Moses Tyler Hospital.

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Become Aware Of Hypothermia Symptoms

TOWANDA, PA - With the first measurable snowfall now on the ground, the Area Agency on Aging for Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Tioga (B/S/S/T) Counties urges people to make themselves familiar with the symptoms of hypothermia and to remember to check in on their elderly friends and relatives.

Hypothermia occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce, causing your body temperature to dip dangerously low. When your body temperature drops, your heart, nervous system and other organs are not able to work properly. Hypothermia, if untreated, leads to failure of the heart and respiratory system, and, eventually to death.

Most often caused by exposure to the cold weather, hypothermia for an older person may also be caused by prolonged exposure to indoor temperatures that would be tolerable for a younger, healthier person. Mild hypothermia may result in symptoms such as confusion, dizziness, lack of coordination, fatigue, or nausea and vomiting.

Individuals age 65 and older are more vulnerable to hypothermia due to the lessening of the body’s ability to regulate temperature and sense cold that happen with age. Older people are also more likely to have a medical condition that can affect temperature regulation. Some older adults may not be able to communicate when they are cold or be mobile enough to get to a warm location.

If you are taking care of an elderly friend or loved one who may be at-risk of hypothermia, it is important that someone check-in on them regularly and make sure their home is warm enough for the cold winter weather. Often times, older adults try to conserve energy by lowering the temperature in their home. This makes regular check-ins to ensuring their homes are adequately heated even more important.

Other things you can do to make sure your elderly friends and relatives are not at risk of hypothermia are:

Check to make sure they are warm, have heat, food and medications during the winter months and the extreme cold.

If you see an elderly person outside who is not dressed appropriately for the weather, stop and become involved.

Notice your neighbors’ living patterns. If you have a neighbor whose light is usually turned on by a certain time of the day and off around the same time each night and you notice a difference call or go to their home to check on them. If the mail or newspaper has not been taken in, check on them. Take them a hot meal from your left over dinner.

Adopt an elder. Family members of older friends or family members may not live close enough to check on their loved one. If you know of an older person who no one checks on or has infrequent contact with anyone, make it a family project to check on this person.

If you know a person who is at risk of hypothermia and needs warm blankets, an electric space heater, or a telephone reassurance program to check on them, call the Area Agency on Aging at 800-982-4346, to make a referral for a Care Manager to make a visit to the individual to evaluate the person and the situation. Recommendations and referrals can then be made to help the older adult.

In an emergency, you may call the Area Agency on Aging 800 number to contact the on-call worker.

If an older adult is dependent on electricity for medical equipment during an emergency, call the Area Agency on Aging to have the individual registered with Emergency Management Agency for contact during an emergency or a disaster.

For more information on the B/S/S/T Area Agency on Aging and the services offered, please call 800-982-4346 or visit the agency’s website at www.aaaseniors.org.

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Rep. Pickett Named To Appropriations Committee

HARRISBURG - Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) will have a greater voice in developing the state budget while continuing her work in the areas of rural affairs and transportation after receiving her committee assignments from Speaker of the House Sam Smith (R-Jefferson/Armstrong/Indiana).

This legislative session, Pickett was named to the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which has the responsibility of considering every bill that has a financial impact on the Commonwealth, including the state budget. As part of her duties, Pickett will participate in the series of budget hearings that will take place after Gov. Tom Corbett delivers his budget address on March 8.

“My placement on the Appropriations Committee will allow me to ensure that the voices of Northern Tier residents are heard on state spending, as well as the wealth of legislation that is referred to this panel,” Pickett said. “This is a very active committee, and I am honored to join its ranks.”

Another new assignment for Pickett will be her service on the House Consumer Affairs Committee, which deals with such issues as automobile lemon laws, unfair trade practices, consumer protection, and matters involving the Public Utility Commission (PUC).

“This assignment will allow me to have greater involvement in energy issues from the consumer viewpoint, which will be an asset as our area,” Pickett said.

In addition, Pickett was assigned to the House Transportation and Agriculture and Rural Affairs committees, where she previously served last session.

“Transportation will again be a major focus of attention in Harrisburg, especially as federal stimulus funding is running out and our highway, road and bridge infrastructure continues to age,” she said. “In the coming session, we will need to find ways to be creative in terms of financing transportation improvements, including the use of public-private partnerships which has huge potential to upgrade our roads and bridges while not adding to the taxpayers’ burden.”

Finally, Pickett will serve on the Committee on Committees, which helps organize the committee structure in the House, and the Rules Committee, which governs operating procedures. She also was appointed by Republican Whip Stan Saylor (R-York) to be a deputy whip, which assists in member head counts or helps promote certain tough issues facing the Republican Caucus.

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Pickett Participates In Dairy Contest

HARRISBURG - Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) again demonstrated her ability to show dairy cattle at the Second Annual VIP Dairy Showmanship Contest January 12, at the 2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show.

This is the second year that Pickett has participated in the event.

“As I learned last year at the first-ever competition, showing an animal takes great skill, practice and a willing animal,” said Pickett, who has been a member of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee for several years. “I’d like to thank Courtney Campbell of Gratz, Dauphin County, and Michala Kuhl of Kuhl’s Cows from Rome, Bradford County, for assisting me. As my coach, Michala showed me a lot of great tips in how to show, and Courtney was gracious in having me lead her cow.”

In total, 16 state legislators from the House and Senate representing both rural and suburban districts participated in the event, which was organized by the Center for Dairy Excellence and PennAg Industries Association. The event consisted of legislators working with a local dairy cow exhibitor and a member of the Pennsylvania Dairy Task Force to learn the basics of dairy showmanship and the importance of dairy issues in the Commonwealth.

“As was the case last year, I was the lone female legislator participating in the showmanship contest, and although my animal was quite nervous in the ring, I had a great time and learned so much about the intricacies about showing dairy cattle,” she said. “It was a privilege to join my colleagues from our agriculture committees and work hand in hand with local farmers to bring greater awareness to the issues currently faced by the dairy industry.”

During the contest, the 11 House members and five senators, including Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford), led the dairy cattle around the Large Arena and demonstrated how well they could keep their animals under control and looking their best in front of their judges.

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Protect Your Children From Internet Predators

With winter upon us kids are spending more time indoors and often, more time on the internet. The internet is a great way to pass time, make friends and learn about the world, but it is also a dangerous place to be if users are not aware of the proper safety precautions. Kids need to know how to protect their identity and to understand why it is so important to do so. Parents need to monitor their kid’s computer usage and learn the warning signs that may indicate danger.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation the internet is full of online child sexual predators that fill chat rooms and social networking sites, looking for the opportunity to make a connection with a child they can eventually exploit. These predators are smart and often very patient. They lure kids in with attention, affection and sometimes even gifts. They make it a point to be aware of the latest movies and music and other interests of their victims. They slowly introduce topics of a sexual nature until the minor is willing to engage in conversation about sex. This is an easy thing to do with teens who are often curious about the subject anyway. The goal of many on-line sexual predators is to gather and trade child pornography; others will continue the relationship until they are able to set up a face to face meeting with their victim.

To protect against predators kids need to know what they are doing online. They should never engage in conversation with anyone they don’t know in a chat room. If they are in an open forum it is essential that they do not give any identifying information. Social networking sites are equally as dangerous. Just because your page is private does not mean that others cannot see your information. You must know who your friends are and make your wishes about your privacy known to them. Everything you post on a friends wall can be seen by everyone they are friends with. If that person’s profile is not private, it can be seen by anyone. You may not post pictures of yourself, but if you go to a birthday party with ten friends who are taking pictures, your face may end up on ten different profiles, with your name attached, and you have no control over who can see it. One or two simple posts to a friend about after school plans can reveal what school you go to, where you live, when you arrive home and if you are going to be home alone. This information is not only being used by sexual predators, it also has been used to identify opportunities for bullying by classmates and peers.

Parents can help to protect their kids. The most important thing you can do as a parent is know what your kids are doing online. Keep the computer in a central place for the entire family to use. It is more difficult to engage in an inappropriate conversation when there are other people walking through the room. Know your child’s password. If they are unwilling to give you full access to their computer you should assume that something is not right and suspend their computer privileges. Be especially alert if your child starts receiving packages in the mail, withdraws from their friends, or suddenly starts spending more time than usual on the phone. If you do find pornography on your child’s computer, they receive inappropriate gifts or you have other suspicions that they are being victimized, the FBI suggests you call your local authorities immediately.

The internet has become a part of our lives; for some, including students, it is unavoidable. Using it safely is possible if you are careful, know who you are talking to and stay informed. If you or someone you love has been victimized, help is available. Call Women’s Resource Center at 1-800-257-5765. A trained counselor/advocate will be there to assist you 24 hours a day.

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