Harford Brownie Troop 50067 recently received a tour of the Montrose Fire Station and the attached museum as part of earning their badge for Emergency Preparedness. 

Pictured are Harford Troop 50067 Members Regan Mellor, Bailey Millard, Tori Wisniewski, Hailey Miller, Genevieve Larkin, Briana Boswell, Kylee Kozloski, Ava DePew, Paige Strickland, Emma Long, Mikaela Stout, Emilee Lightfoot.

The station, active since 1847, has a museum attached with local and firefighter-related memoribilia including an early fire truck and some of the gear used by firefighters long ago.  The girls enjoyed their visit very much! 

Nathaniel Jacob Wellman graduated from Blue Ridge High School in June, 2013 where he was also involved in Band for 12 years and was on the 2nd place Envirothon team in his senior year.

Now a student at Keystone College with a major in Business Administration,  he received a grant to Keystone for his Community Service activities.

Nathaniel received the Arrow of Light during the Webelos II level in Cub Scouts.  He served two years as a Den Leader and received his Patch upon completion of this Leadership position.  He also received his Year-Round Camping for camping each and every month for 12 consecutive months.  He served as Librarian, Troop Guide (introducing the new patrol to the workings of the troop), Quartermaster, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leader.  He attended the National Youth Leadership Training at Camp Barton and became certified as a troop leader.  He was then invited to participate on the staff and served for two years as a troop guide, instructor and bugler.  He was trained to go back to the troop and train the Scouts there in this Leadership methodology.  It also prepared Nathaniel for his Eagle project. 

Nathaniel also had the wonderful experience to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouting at Fort AP Hill in Virginia at the Scouting Jamboree.  This was the highlight of his scouting years until the Court of Honor for his Eagle Rank.

He was selected by his troop mates as a member of the Order of the Arrow, a brotherhood and community service organization that continues on through the Scout’s life.  Throughout Nathaniel’s involvement in Scouting, he served the community with the Scouting Phone-a-thon, trout stocking, and cleaning the Rail Trail and the Welcome Center.  He marched in numerous parades and played taps at many Veterans’ occasions through school and scouting.

His Eagle project was a Public Awareness project for the Women’s Resource Center, which included an assembly for juniors and seniors in what Teen Domestic Abuse is, how to deal with it, where to get help and the policies of the Center.  They provide all services free and all information is confidential.  In addition to the assembly, provided by Anne Thompson, former director of the center, Nathaniel collected the items needed should people (both men and women) be required to leave their homes.  His project also helped one local newspaper, The Susquehanna Independent to recommit itself to this cause by reopening their offices as a collection site and printing the wish list in the paper as space is available. 

Nathaniel was a member of Troop 98, Harford, PA where Mr. James Galvin is Scoutmaster chartered by the Harford Masonic Lodge, Hop Bottom and he was the second Eagle Scout from this troop.

His Court of Honor was held at the Great Bend Methodist Community Church on October 13, 2013 at 2:30 pm.    It was a “Legend of Eagle Mountain” ceremony emceed by Mrs. Kathy Fuller and many older Eagle Scouts traveled to participate in the ceremony.  Mrs. Sandra Major attended in person and presented Nathaniel with a Citation from the PA House of Representatives as well as Mr. Bob Neira from the Marine Corp League who presented Nathaniel with two certificates – one for Citizenship and the other for reaching the rank of Eagle Scout.   At the ceremony, Nathaniel honored his father as his mentor and Scout leader throughout his years. 

Sandra Major and Nathaniel Wellmam

After the ceremony, a reception was held in the social area of the church, where many tables of memorabilia were on display for attendees to peruse.  Despite obstacles in Nathaniel’s life, he was determined to reach his Eagle Rank and overcame them to reach this goal.

On the 9th of February, 2014 Nathaniel and his family are being honored by the Baden Powell Council at the Binghamton Club as the “Eagle Class of 2013”.

Nathaniel is the son of William and Gail Wellman, Great Bend, Pa.

Williams recently presented the United Way of Susquehanna County with a check totaling $21,506. The funds were proceeds from the very successful Williams 2nd Annual Marcellus BBQ held in the fall. Williams generously agreed to match the event dollars bringing the total donation to $43,013. This figure represented an increase in total giving of more than $26,000 from last year. This also represented the largest increase among all United Way supporters in Susquehanna County.

“Williams and its employees truly represent the spirit of giving and are true champions for improving the health, education and financial stability of families in Susquehanna County,” said Kim Merithew, Director of Corporate and Community Giving, United Way of Susquehanna County.

In addition to financial investments in United Way, employees at Williams continued to donate their time and talent throughout the year in support of the United Way mission. Williams conducted an employee Day of Caring where employees were matched with a child from the Big Brother/Big Sister program and hosted many fun and educational activities. A number of employees assisted the Rail Trail Council of NE PA in maintaining recreational hiking and biking trails, and lastly among numerous other projects, Williams generously provided several employee volunteers and equipment to assist in relocating the WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) office to space shared by the Susquehanna County Literacy program.

“I believe strongly in the United Way and in its network of social service providers. The reach of United Way in the community is outstanding and I always encourage other businesses and suppliers to do their part and get involved. Everyone deserves opportunities to have a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health….and all of us at Williams are proud to do what we can to make this community dream possible,” said Helen Humphreys, Strategic Outreach, Williams.

Don't forget to get your 2014 dog licenses and to make sure your pets are up to date on shots and in compliance with PA law.  This cold weather is taking its toll on everyone's heating bills.  This makes it hard on the budget.  Please don't forget your animal friends and special care during the cold.  If you cannot afford pet food due to hardship please call the shelter or stop in and we will be happy to help. 

Orson and Araby

These two neutered brothers are Orson and Araby.  They are growing up in the shelter as are many others.  The cat situation continues to be overwhelming.  If you are interested in forming an alliance with others to help find a humane solution please call and leave your info at the shelter.  Come in and see all the beautiful cats we have and the dogs too.

Susquehanna County 4-H has been an active program in Susquehanna County for years.  In 2013, the Susquehanna County 4-H Program had 431 members that completed over 800 projects.  Members exhibited these projects at the Harford Fair, multiple district and regional shows, State Shows in Harrisburg, and the Pennsylvania Farm Show.  You might be asking yourself, what exactly is 4-H?  How do I join 4-H and what do I do in 4-H?  I don’t have enough land to have animals; can I still join 4-H?  Who runs the clubs and how do I know how to contact them?  Please read on to find the answer to all your questions about 4-H and what it takes to join the FUN today.

Susquehanna County 4-H member Zach Hricko takes careful aim at a clay with help of instructor Mark Whitehead

My name is Abby Onyon, and I am the Susquehanna County 4-H Educator.  Over the next few weeks, we will be running a series of articles with information about the many things that 4-H has to offer! 

Rohan Hertzog beautifully models her winning Fashion Revue outfit

Susquehanna County Dairy Princess Mercedes Spickerman (pictured) awards the Junior Brown Swiss Champion Awards to Sharon Snyder (right) and Rachel Johnson (left).

4-H is a non-formal program that is open to youth ages 5-18, as of January 1st of the current year.  Members ages 5-7 are considered Cloverbuds.  Members ages 8-18 are regular members.  The only difference is that Cloverbuds may not take large animal or shooting sports projects, but are welcome to try any other project.  When a youth is the right age for 4-H, the next step is to join a Susquehanna County 4-H club.  Currently, there are 28 4-H clubs throughout the county.  Some of are community clubs and some are specialized clubs such as Horse and Pony, Sewing, Livestock, or Shooting Sports Clubs. 

An interested member is allowed to join any club they would like, and can take any project they might be interested in.  Some of the project areas offered are animal projects, sewing, crafts, shooting sports, photography, dog obedience, and many others.  There are too many projects available to list.  Once members join a club by the enrollment deadline of May 1st, they follow the club schedule for meetings, and are encouraged to attend County, District, and State 4-H events, as well. 
Some of you may be wondering what does 4-H stand for?  The four ‘Hs’ are Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.  The 4-H colors are green and white, and the 4-H logo is a four leaf clover.  The 4-H motto is to “Make the Best Better,” and the 4-H slogan is “Learn by Doing.” Currently the cost of 4-H is $20 per member, with an additional $25 for youth interested in the 4-H Horse Program.  The 4-H clubs in Susquehanna County are run through the efforts of volunteer leaders who are required to have background checks and complete Child Abuse Training.  Each club has an organizational leader that can be contacted with questions about that specific club.  Parents can always get involved by making sure their kids attend meetings, and meet the requirements for project roundup.
If this sounds like a program you would like to join, please contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension Office today.  Our phone number is (570) 278-1158 or drop an e-mail to ano3@psu.edu.  Also be sure to check out our website at extension.psu.edu/Susquehanna and find us on Facebook at Susquehanna County 4-H.  I look forward to helping you join 4-H, and be sure to look for our next series article on what animal science projects Susquehanna County offers.     

During cold and flu season, an ounce of prevention goes a long way. But despite best efforts, getting sick is sometimes unavoidable.

This year, Americans will suffer from approximately one billion colds, and as many as one in five will get the flu.

Many people turn to over-the-counter medicines (OTC) for relief from their cold and flu symptoms. When illness strikes, treating your symptoms safely and responsibly is just as important as relief.

During this cold and flu season, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the maker of Tylenol, is educating consumers about the safe and appropriate use of medicines through its educational initiative “Get Relief Responsibly.”

Many cold and flu medicines contain acetaminophen, a common pain reliever used to provide relief from their cold and flu symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and body pains.

Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol but it can also be found in more than 600 OTC and prescription medications such as NyQuil, Theraflu, Percocet and Vicodin.

If you take multiple medicines at a time to treat various symptoms, it is important to be aware of the ingredients and to follow labels to prevent accidentally taking more than the recommended dose.

“Acetaminophen is safe when used as directed, but taking too much can harm your liver,” says Edwin Kuffner, M.D., Vice President of Medical Affairs at McNeil Consumer Healthcare. “Some people may accidentally take more than the total daily dose of acetaminophen because they do not realize they are taking multiple products containing acetaminophen, or because they may not read and follow the label.”

This cold and flu season, get relief responsibly with these tips from McNeil Consumer Healthcare:

Always read and follow your medicine labels carefully. If you’re taking more than one medicine, read and compare the labels.

Never take more than one medicine that contains the same active ingredient at the same time.

Never take more than the recommended dose, unless directed by your doctor. And don’t take any medicine for longer than directed. If you’re not getting effective relief, contact your doctor.

Inform your doctor and pharmacist of your medical history and what medications you take. This will help your healthcare team ensure you’re taking medicines that are appropriate for you.

If you suspect an overdose, even if you don’t have any symptoms, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away at 1-800-222-1222.

During cold and flu season, do yourself a favor. When seeking relief, first learn about the medications you’re taking and be sure to take them responsibly.

With a little easy home maintenance throughout the year, you can prevent emergency repairs down the line. Experts recommend posting a task checklist in a convenient location, such as on the refrigerator or a corkboard.

“Maintenance is usually a lot simpler than a repair, and a lot more affordable,” says Chris Terrill, CEO of HomeAdvisor, a leading website offering resources for home repair and improvement projects. “Keep a checklist handy during the entire year, so you don’t forget any timely tasks.”

Here are six tasks HomeAdvisor recommends not to forget to complete each year.

On a quarterly basis, test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Not only will doing so protect the safety of your family in the event of an emergency, it can also protect your pocketbook. The average national cost of repairing fire and smoke damage is $4,195.

Twice a year, clean your gutters and downspouts. To prevent damage, the downspout needs to be free of debris so it can release water three feet from your home’s foundation. The average national cost of cleaning the gutter and downspout is $181. However, the average national cost of repairing the foundation of a house can cost up to 24 times that amount.

In the cooler months, take a day each year to check caulking for cracks, especially around tubs and showers. Cracks can let in water with no place for drainage, which will cause damage.

Every fall complete an annual roof inspection to help prevent the need for major repairs or a roof replacement. The average national cost of hiring a roof inspector is $360, whereas the average cost of replacing a roof is nearly 19 times that amount.

Before the dog days of summer, hire a professional to service your HVAC unit. Doing so will increase its efficiency and prevent a breakdown. The cost of replacing and installing an air conditioning unit can cost more than 13 times the amount of servicing one.

Annually check for cracks in the grout of tile floors, which can allow water to seep into the floor and cause mold growth and rot. According to HomeAdvisor’s Cost Guide the average national cost of repairing tile and grout is $439. However, the cost of testing and removing mold can be up to four times that amount.

For free home maintenance tips, resources and to find a pre-screened professional to help you with any of these tasks, visit www.HomeAdvisor.com.

Don’t wait for something to go wrong. Inspecting your home’s infrastructure and performing proper maintenance can protect your home from costly damage and deterioration.