The Susquehanna County Jr. Holstein Club recently held its reorganizational meeting during the PA Jr. Holstein Convention in Reading.

Pictured (L-R) Sabrina Clark, Taylor Sebring, Emory Bewley, Jamie Supancik, Mariah Tompkins.

Members elected officers for 2015, they include: President – Sabrina Clark, Springville; Vice President – Mariah Tompkins, Montrose; Secretary – Taylor Sebring, North Abington Township; Treasurer – Emory Bewley, Susquehanna; and News Reporter – Jamie Supancik.  During the meeting the club discussed the possibility of taking a bus trip to tour dairy farms in Connecticut and going to an amusement park.  The club will also hold its golf tournament fundraiser in over the summer at Tall Pines in Friendsville.    

During the annual meeting of the Harford Agricultural Society two new directors, Adam Diaz and Matt Holbrook, were elected to the board.   Both men are native to Susquehanna County and the Harford Fair.  The Board of Directors is composed of twelve members and meets once a month in addition to committee meetings scheduled as needed.  The Harford Agricultural Society is pleased to welcome both Adam and Matt and appreciate their willingness to serve. 

Newly elected directors to the board of the Harford Agricultural Society in Susquehanna County are (left to right) Adam Diaz and Matt Holbrook.

Adam lives in Montrose with his wife Julie and their four daughters.  He graduated from Mountain View High School and Keystone College.  He is president and founder of the Diaz Companies, an eight company conglomerate which includes businesses in land and property management, cabinet door manufacturing, forest products, waste disposal services, and a wide-range of ancillary services to the natural gas industry.  He employees over 250 people consisting mostly of local area residents and has a well-earned reputation for producing quality products and providing excellent services.

Matt Holbrook is a resident of Heart Lake outside of Montrose and lives with his wife April.  After graduating from Blue Ridge High School he worked at Willow Grove Farms for four years before starting his own business.  He now owns and operates Holbrook Lawn Care and Snow Removal and mows about 120 lawns a week during the summer and is now busy with snow removal contracts.  Matt began helping at the fair when he was fourteen and has continued.  He was instrumental in initiating the Zero Turn Lawn Mower Race at the fair a few years ago.

The board of directors is confident that these business men in the community, with their willingness to serve will benefit the fair.

In addition to the board of directors, the members of the Harford Agricultural Society meet once a month all year round to plan and execute its major event, the Harford Fair.  The meetings are open to the public and are held on the first Monday of the month.  The next meeting will be March 2, 2015 at 7:30 PM in the Lecture Hall of the Harford Church.

 Check out the fair’s website www.harfordfair.com and its Facebook page to follow plans for the 158th Harford Fair, August 17-22, 2015. 

Two Sea Scouts earned the highest rank in Venturing (Boy Scouts of America) awarded at a recent event in Susquehanna County. Sea Scout Ship North Star 90 held its 72nd Bridge of Honor on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014 at the Scout Hall in New Milford.

David Stude and LaAnna Farnelli were awarded the Venturing Silver Award. They both received the Silver Anchor Award for being the most active scouts on Ship 90. 

David Stude and LaAnna Farnelli received their Venturing Silver Awards at the Sea Scout Bridge of Honor in New Milford on Dec. 30.

These two scouts have earned Ordinary Sea Scout Rank and the Long Cruise Badge for 14 days of sailing and boating. LaAnna Farnelli is the current Boatswain of Ship 90, while Stude previously served as Boatswain until leaving for his freshman year at Penn State University.

Commodore Ron Hall greeted the attendees, and the port and starboard crews boarded the land ship, under the direction of crew leaders Dave Hudak Jr. and Austin Anderline.

Past Boatswain and Eagle Scout David Stude piped the first and second mate aboard, Second Mate Josh Warner conducted an inspection of crews. Boatswain's Mate Will Farnelli greeted new scouts as they signed the ship's log.

Recognition for  ranks earned and years of service was awarded to ship members by Commodore Hall.

First Mate Judy Dennis received the Phil Johnson Memorial Award for her service to Sea Scout Ship 90.

First Mate Judy Dennis was presented with the Phil Johnson Memorial Award from Chairman Emeritus Don Johnson. This award is in honor of his son, Phil Johnson, a former Sea Scout who was killed while serving with the U.S. Army Rangers.

The crew of Sea Scout Ship North Star, 90 during their Bridge of Honor in New Milford on Dec. 30.

Adam Kovalchick, District Scout Executive, presented the ship with its charter and several awards; The National Flagship Fleet Award and the Journey to Excellence Award.

Second Mate Josh Warner spoke of the ship's plans for 2015.

A Long Cruise is planned for July, aboard the "Der Pelikan", a 46 foot ketch, in the Chesapeake Bay.

The annual white water canoe trip on the Delaware River is planned for June.

Winter trainings will be held in New Jersey and Catoctin, Maryland.

A Sea Scout Regatta is planned on Onondaga Lake in Liverpool, N.Y.

The Sea Scouts will perform a flag ceremony during the Sept. 11 Memorial Service in South Montrose.

Ship 90, organized in 1943, has been in existence for 71 years. Meetings are held at the Scout Hall behind the New Milford Baptist Church, on Route 11, New Milford on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

(Montrose) -  Susquehanna County District Attorney Jason Legg was recently named as the Susquehanna County Boy Scouts of America 2015 Distinguished Citizen Award honoree for his numerous years of service to the youth and adults of Susquehanna County

The Distinguished Citizen Award is an annual honor presented by the Delahanna District which is part of the Baden-Powell Council in Binghamton, NY.  The Delahanna District serves most of Susquehanna County, consisting of 513 registered youth in 19 scouting units.  This year’s event will mark the 25th year that the Boy Scouts have presented a Distinguished Citizen Award in Susquehanna County.

A dinner in Jason Legg’s honor will be held on Saturday, April 18, at the Elk Lake High School Gym with doors opening at 5:00pm and dinner beginning a 5:30pm. Co-Chairs for Jason Legg’s Distinguished Citizen Award are Tom Chamberlain, of Hallstead and Dr. Alice Davis, Administrative Director of the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center.  All proceeds from the dinner will go to support local scouting.  For more information, reservations, cost, etc. please contact Adam Kovalchick at the Baden-Powell Council Service Center at 607-648-7888.

Gizmo

Gizmo is a medium size, neutered young male.  He is playful, happy and housebroke.  He is a Pug/Lab mix with a curly tail and lots of personality.  He would be a great addition to an active family.  We have a large selection of companion animals of all sizes and types waiting for the right person to come along.  Stop in and see what we have.  We are still trying to raise money for our "Feel the Heat" program to help pay for a new furnace and our heating costs.  You can contribute on line at gofundme.com/truefriends or by mail or at the shelter.  We also have Valentines to honor one of our residents, one of your own or in memory of a lost companion.  They are just a small donation.  If you need a Valentine gift for that hard to buy for animal lover you can get Leopold's Chocolate  bark at the shelter or donate in their name.  It's a great way to honor those you love.  Celebrate love - have a happy Valentine's Day. 

As a pediatrician, I know that parents want the best for their children when it comes to their health.  But one important aspect of a child’s health that parents and caregivers might overlook is oral health.

February is Children’s Dental Health Month, and it’s the perfect time for parents and children to learn more about the importance of good oral health.

Why should we be concerned?  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tooth decay is one of the most common chronic conditions of childhood in the United States. In fact, about one out of every of five children – or about 20 percent – between the ages of five and 11 have at least one untreated decayed tooth, which can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning.

To help prevent tooth decay, the CDC recommends the use of fluoride toothpaste.  Children under the age of two, however, should not use fluoride toothpaste unless a doctor or dentist recommends it. Additionally, if your drinking water is not fluoridated, ask your dentist, family doctor, or pediatrician if your child needs oral fluoride supplements such as drops, tablets, or lozenges.

It’s important to watch children younger than age six brush their teeth, and to make sure they use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, and spit it out when they are done.  And the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children should visit a dentist for a first checkup by age one.

Creating good oral hygiene habits

Young children may not understand the causes or effects of tooth decay, but they can learn good oral hygiene habits that can last a lifetime.

For example, proper nutrition is important to everyone’s health, especially growing children, but it’s also important for good oral health.  Too much sugar from candy or soda may eventually lead to unhealthy conditions such as obesity or diabetes – and also tooth decay.  Offer children healthier snack options such as fruits, vegetables and low-fat yogurt or cheese.

As soon as children start getting teeth, brushing them at least twice a day is also important for good oral health.  Getting children into the habit of brushing teeth on a daily basis can be difficult, so here are a few helpful tips from dental.answers.com:

• Play some fun music while your kids are brushing their teeth.
  
  
• Use a toothbrush that features their favorite cartoon character.
  
  
• Have your kids brush their teeth together rather than having them go one by one into the bathroom.
  
  
• Buy a timer and set it for 90 seconds, the minimum amount of time your children should brush their teeth. Tell your kids it's a race against time to see if they can get all of their teeth clean before the buzzer sounds!
  
  
• Let them make up a fun dance to do while they are brushing their teeth.
  
  
• Give your child a small toothbrush and let them practice by brushing their stuffed animals' teeth.
  

It’s also important for parents and caregivers to lead by example. Allowing your child to watch as you brush your teeth teaches the importance of good oral hygiene.  Your dentist or pediatrician’s office may also have materials such as posters, brochures or comic-style books that can help your children learn the importance of brushing and flossing regularly.