After a busy fall, The Monday Club members get to rest in January and February, before resuming meetings again in March. Our September covered dish dinner was delicious. We discussed events for the coming year and made plans to sell raffle tickets for three beautiful baskets put together by Barb Gallagher and Agnes Whitehead. Seven members attended a play at the Cider Mill Playhouse - Sherlock Holmes: Knight’s Gambit, preceded by dinner at Phil’s Chickenhouse.
October was busy with ticket sales, as well as a delightful trip to the Birchardville Tearoom. November we had a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving Dinner at Cindy’s Café. At this meeting, we drew the names of the basket winners. They were as follows: Family Basket – Tina Pooler, Man Cave Basket – Carol Tingley, Literary Basket – Shirley Travis, and Stuffed Big Bear – Tina Pooler. Congratulations to all our winners! At the December meeting, we had a cookie exchange, made gifts for the residents at SNF, and exchanged Christmas gifts.
Monday Club members enjoying Thanksgiving Dinner at Cindy’s Café
Our spring meetings will include the making of chemo caps, a sharing of favorite books (with several members in costume), a speaker on health issues, a spring trip to purchase flowers for our gardens, an end-of-the-year picnic, and another trip to the Cider Mill Playhouse to see Spamalot.
The Monday Club was organized in 1894, under the leadership of Rachel Kane to promote, encourage and improve the literary, educational, social, and economic status of the members of the club and community, as well as to foster fellowship, understanding, and good will among the members of the club and the community.
The money we raise from raffles, club dues, and other activities enables us to contribute to the following: Susquehanna County Library, Susquehanna Fire Company, Thompson Hose Company, Columbia Hose Company #1, and Children and Youth. We also award scholarships to a graduating senior at both Susquehanna Community High School and Blue Ridge High School. We support the SNF in Susquehanna through visits and donations of homemade crafts.
If you are interested in finding out more about The Monday Club, please contact Barbara Gallagher (756-2726) or Carolee Slocum (756-2497).
With the start of the New Year under our belt, our New Year’s resolutions are at work. For most people that means burning off the calories they consumed over the holidays and/or trying to get in shape for summer. Did you know that drinking chocolate milk after a workout is actually one of the best things you can do?
Chocolate milk has many benefits after a workout. It has electrolytes to rehydrate you, has the vitamins that your body needs, and it’s a good source for protein to repair the muscles. When chocolate milk is compared to regular milk, sports drinks and water it has twice as much protein and carbohydrates. It helps prevent dehydration with the high water percentage. A recent study of drinking chocolate milk post exercise gives you a greater concentration of glycogen in your muscles between half an hour and an hour after the workout.
Next time the kids come home from winter sport practice such as basketball, wrestling, or swimming, try giving them some chocolate milk to refuel. What kid doesn’t like chocolate milk anyway? It’s delicious and it helps them finish off on their three servings of dairy everyday.
Celebrating its seventh year, the Wildlife Leadership Academy provided an unmatched opportunity during a series of summer field schools for Pennsylvania teens.
This summer, the Academy offered two field schools for Pennsylvania youth. The Pennsylvania Bucktails, focusing on white-tailed deer, was June 18- 22 and took place at Stone Valley Recreation Area in Huntingdon County.
Twenty-two new participants, ranging in age from 14-to-17-year old demonstrating leadership skills, were selected from a competitive pool of applicants. Among these students, Rachel Serfilippi of Ararat Township applied in early April and was chosen to take part in this extraordinary statewide program this past summer.
The Academy is an exceptional program offering high-achieving youngsters a comprehensive study of specific wildlife species including classroom and field-based, hands-on education. Led by experts including biologists and educators from across the state and beyond, the program also engages participants in team work, friendly competition, and an awareness on their natural world.
The program guides youth through an intense but rewarding educational experience. John Felix, the principal at Donegal High School, described the program as “all encompassing.”
“It involves the study of biology, botany and plant science, conservation and game management,” he said. “It also provides the opportunity for students to learn from authorities in these fields.”
Instructor and professional ecologist Lisa Smith also commended on the program.
“The high caliber and sheer number of conservation professionals who are involved as instructors in this camp are beyond impressive, but more than that is the commitment of time, energy and passion that each of these instructors give to the students.”
Academy students return to their community sharing what they have learned with their school, conservation organizations, local clubs and more. They also keep a record of their conservation outreach efforts. Top outreach achievements qualify students for educational field trips, opportunities to return to the field school tuition-free as mentors, or for college scholarships.
In the last seven years, over 150 Pennsylvania teens from 52 counties in the state have participated in the Wildlife Leadership Academy. These youth have taken the Academy’s mission to heart. To date, graduates conducted 745 conservation education, communication, and service projects; engaged in more than 3,000 contact hours with the public; and reached an audience of more than 15,000 Pennsylvania citizens across the commonwealth.
Academy Director Michele Kittell said the participants are “the next generation to speak for wildlife conservation.”
“We hope the leadership of Academy youth in their home communities will inspire others to care more and therefore act more on behalf of the environment,” she said.
The Wildlife Leadership Academy is a cooperative initiative involving state agencies and conservation organizations and is administered by Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education. Expert instructors at the field school include representatives from Dickson College, Kutztown University, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania State University, Quality Deer Management Association, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and many more.
Winter is truly here and making life a bit more uncomfortable. We are getting many calls from people in the area complaining about pets left out in the extreme cold for much too long. Please make sure your pets and live stock have appropriate shelter, food and water. Pets should definitely be brought inside in bitter cold weather. Be kind and if you can help a stray with some protection and care please do so.
Ferry
Ferry looks really cute out in the snow but she doesn't want to be out there for more than a few minutes. She is an adult Min Pin. She is friendly but toddlers may be too much for her to handle. She was abandoned and needs a loving, responsible home where she will feel secure. We have many companion animals available at the shelter. Come see and thanks as always for your support. Cub Scout Pack 98 we salute your efforts in donating to True Friends.
