Portland...  On the Move |
Issue 73 ~ News from your Town Hall ~ February 2000
Attention all Seniors! from: Beth Morrissette Exercise Classes Everyone hears about the benefits of exercise and how important it is to remain active. But when the thermometer is reading ten degrees it makes it rather difficult to get outside and enjoy that daily walk. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday the Center offers an aerobic classes at 9:30a.m. that will definitely get the circulation moving. Wear loose comfortable clothing and sneakers. There is also a seated exercise class led by a physical therapist provided by the Portland Visiting Nurses Association. Don’t let the name of this class fool you, it is a total body workout and they will put you through the paces with trained professionals who are there to assist the individual who is recovering from a setback and needs to continue with therapy. They meet on Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30. There is also Tai Chi and a Chi Kung class offered on Fridays at 1:30 and 3:00p.m. Many physicians are now prescribing these classes for the elderly. They are a very slow moving form of exercise which helps to improve balance and coordination, is believed to help alleviate stress and enhance the immune system. Classes run for eight weeks and a new session will begin on March 17. Insurance and Medicare Counseling Individual consultation is available on the first Thursday of each month regarding any questions you may have. A trained counselor is available by appointment only. Recreation Programs A variety of recreation programs are offered. The traditional (such as bingo, cards, rummy cube, crafts and volunteer knitting and crocheting for the Red Cross) are available each week. One of the more unique classes being offered is a stained glass progeam on Tuesday afternoon taught by Paul Bartalotta. There is no fee for this class and they will be glad to help you with a beginners project, supplying you with the necessary tools and sample glass. If you decide that you want to join, it is recommended that you purchase your own supplies. This month there will be two dances offered. The Prytko line dance will be on the first Friday of the month, Feb. 4, starting at 7:00p.m. On Thursday, Feb. 10, the Prickley Heat band will be playing variety music for ballroom dancing. For each dance there will be a cover charge of $1.00 when you bring an appetizer or dessert, otherwise a $3.00 general admission fee will be charged. If you would like more information regarding any of the above programs please call 342-6760. AARP Providing Free Tax Assistance to the Elderly Free assistance with Federal and State income taxes will be provided to older and retired people in Portland. Trained volunteers will be available at the Portland Library from February 1 to April 11 on Tuesday mornings. For and appointment, please call 346-2387. How to Help Your Doctor Help You To make the most out of a visit to the doctor, the American Medical Association recommends writing down questions and health concerns beforehand. AMA offers this advice about what doctors want to know about symptoms:
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Whether anyone in your family has or has had similar symptoms. Safety First! 
Talking to Teens about Drinking
Tips From The Dog House brought to you by: Charlie Jarzabek Savory News Nothing is more enticing in the winter than a hot, tasty stew, a one-dish meal of meat and vegetables, simmered for hours so that the flavors meld. Here’s a recipe for a slow-cooker beef stew that’s delicious and good for you, full of protein, fiber, vitamins A and C, the B vitamins, potassium and other minerals. 2 lbs. Boneless beef for stew1 lb. Carrots, peeled and sliced 8 potatoes, peeled and diced 2 cups celery, sliced 1 cup green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 large onion, diced 3 Tbs. Minute Tapioca 4 cups tomatoes 1 Tbs. Brown sugar Combine ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste, in a slow cooker on high heat. Cover and cook 5 hours. Serves 8. Charlie  Special Hours! The 1st Selectman's Office, along with the Planning Department, Building Department, Environmental Health Department, Finance Office and Public Works will stay open on Tuesday evenings until 7 PM. They will close on Fridays at noon. Other offices at the Town Hall will remain open at their usual time. |
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There's  Always Something New at the Portland Library
In addition, the library has 1999 CD-ROM Federal Tax Products installed at a computer workstation; all the IRS products are available for viewing and printing. Patrons can also copy forms from an IRS notebook kept at the adult reference desk. Anyone needing forms and publications while using the Internet at home may go to: http://www.irs.gov/forms_pubs/index.html The website for general information is: www.irs.gov
No phone registrations will be accepted February 17. Phone registrations begin Friday, February 18. Story Time is offered to two-, three-, and four-year-old children. The 8 week program begins the week of March 6. Two-year-olds and their parents have a choice of two groups: Monday evening at 6:30 or Tuesday morning at 10:30. Parents must accompany their children. Siblings may not attend. Three-year-olds may join either the Tuesday evening group at 6:30 or Wednesday morning group at 10:30. The program for four-year-olds is Thursday at 10:30 AM. Portland residents have preferred registration. Out-of-town families may begin to register Thursday, February 24.
Stories, songs and fun are always a part of Bedtime Stories. According to Jacqueline McMahon, also known as Mrs. Applesauce to her young fans. Bedtime Stories is for children ages 3-5 years. Parents must accompany their children. There is no registration required for the program. 
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On Tuesday, February 22 at 10:30 AM, Andrea Dean will be here with her Wild Art program. Children do not need to bring supplies. Ms. Dean will have them create energy stone and draw plants from the wild. Her program is for grades 3 and up. On Wednesday, February 23, at 1:00 PM, Jay Mankita will be presenting The Day the Library Went Wild! Jay will tell "wild songs and natural stories." The program is for school-age children only. Sign up will begin on Wednesday, February 9, at the Portland Library.
Looking for new and interesting ideas for Valentine's Day? Want to find the perfect way to express your feelings to your sweeties? There are many websites to help make this day special. Sending cards and virtual flowers by e-mail is fun. You can design your own cards and write your own messages. Some cards even come with music. They're free to do and fun to receive. 1001 postcards.org creates e-mail postcards with 12 designs just for Valentine's Day. The address is: browse.postcards.org/postcards/cards/0430/ Blue Mountain Arts' Valentine's Day Animated Electronic Greeting Card Page has 11 different categories of cards including "Friends and Family" as well as "150 Valentine Dogs." The address is: www.bluemountain.com/eng/valentine/index.html Greetsome.com has virtual cards, gifts, and flowers from which to choose. This site allows you to create the message on one day and you can either send it right away or have the message sent on a specified date. The address: www.greetsomeone.com/february/valentine.htm Looking for craft ideas? One place to try is Valentine's Fun – Wendy's World of Crafts. There are directions for several projects including making Heart People and weaving a heart. The address is: ntl.sympatico.ca/~whogan/valenin.htm Activity ideas to do with children abound. The page was created for teachers and parents of toddlers and preschoolers. Activity Idea Place: Valentine's Day includes links to art projects, books, songs, and games. The address is: www.geocities.com/~chicky-ma-ma-/val.html Another fun site is Billy Bear's Happy Valentine's Day. With delightful graphics, this site has games to play and crafts to make as well as designs for Valentines to send by e-mail or to print. The address: www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/valentin/fun.htm If you'd like some ideas for new recipes to delight the loves in your life, look at The Kitchen Link, whose address is website: www.kitchenlink.com Click on search and type in Valentine's Day. Finally, if you want to learn how to know how to say I love you in many different languages, look at: www.dina.kvl.dk/~fischer/alt.romance/language.html Happy Valentine's Day from the staff at the Portland Library! For more information, call us at 342-6770. |
Youth Services
By Bill Forman
(The following was provided by the Hartford Courant Wire Services.) As doctors struggle to understand why asthma is rising at an alarming rate, a report released by the prestigious Institute of Medicine concludes that microscopic dust mites, that lurk in carpets and bedding, can push children who are susceptible to develop asthma (but don’t have it yet), to develop that disease. The report stated that dust mites, cockroaches, cat dander and, for preschool children, breathing second hand smoke are the proven culprits in making asthma worse for those who already have the disease. There is suggestive evidence, but not proof, that mold, dog dander and pollution from poorly burning gas stoves also play a role in worsening asthma. For more information, call State of Connecticut Public Health Department at 1-800-509-8073. PYS February 2000 Programs, Activities & Meetings Time for Tots (Mondays/9:30 - 11:30 AM. Program for parents & Pre-Schoolers) with Mary Pont & Sarah Richards. Playground Plus Before/After School Program (K-Middle School students, Monday - Friday. 7:30 AM to 6 PM), with Ellen Williams, Jan Jankowski, Tracy Wooley, Nicole Brown, and Anna & Bill Foreman.. Teenage Youth Commission Meetings (for high school age teens, announced Mondays 6:30 to 7:30 PM) TYC sponsors dances for 6th to 8th graders (date to be announced) with Lauren Jeffers, Stephanie Heizman, Jan Janowski and Anna & Bill Foreman. Chatham Court Activities Day (Tuesday afternoons) with Mary Pont. Chatham Court Thursday Bingo & Social Night (including occasional trips, 6 PM) with Brianna DeKorte & Bill Foreman. |
Girls’ Teen Group (joint PYS/Mdsx. Hosp. Mondays, 3:30 - 5:30PM) with Cynthia Cordova, Coordinator (Family Advocacy/Middlesex Hospital). After School (Special Assignments) Job Bank with Bill Foreman. Advisory Board Meeting (Monday, February 28th, from 7 to 8 PM) with Anna Foreman, Chairperson. Crisis Intervention/Prevention: Counseling & Resource Center (late afternoons & evenings, byappointment only) w/Laurie Rhines & Chris Napolitano.Juvenile Diversion Board (for confidential hearings for Police & Juvenile Court referrals), with Lorraine Noone, Bonnie DeCarli, Richard Murphy, Joe Piatti, and Anna & Bill Foreman. Joint PYS/School Programs (to be announced), with Carol Gilbert, John Sieller, Mary Pont, Ann Marie Candela & Bill Foreman. Out-of-School Suspension Plan (for youngsters referred by schools and/or parents) with tutor or school representative, & Bill Foreman. Home visitations with Anna & Bill Foreman, Jan Janowski & representative from CASSP. Provisions for Community Service Work Hours for Youth (as ordered by court or JDB) with Bill Foreman. For more information, call: |
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Parks & Recreation 
by Sandy Darna We will be sponsoring a Valentine’s Day Arts & Crafts workshop on Tuesday, February 8th from 4:15 – 5:15 PM at the Portland Senior Center. Participants will make Valentine’s day Chocolates and prepare them for gift giving to that someone special. The cost of the class is $5. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Mrs. Valerie Mainelli will be teaching the class. Maximum enrollment is 20. Spring Soccer Registration The Portland Soccer Club will be holding spring soccer registration in February. The dates, times and locations are as follows: Portland Library, February 7th, 7 – 8:30 PM, and February 12th, 10 AM – noon. Portland Senior Center, February 15th, 7 – 8:30 PM, and February 17th, 7 – 8:30 PM. For more information, contact Sandy Booth at 342-4462, or Mike Gallacher at 342-3618. Trips March 11 – 12 (new dates). Philadelphia Flower Show. Bus leaves at approximately 6 AM on March 11th. Return date is March 12th. Cost: $183 single, $143 double, $133 Triple and $126 quad (prices are per person). Price includes round trip motorcoach transportation, 1 night at the Westin Hotel, 1 full American Breakfast, admission to 2000 Philadelphia Flower Show, transportation to Longwood Gardens and a tour director. Deposit of ½ is required when making a reservation. Any cancellations made after February 21 will lose their deposits. |
March 18 – Bus to Boston. Plan your own day. Visit a museum or the Boston Flower Show. Bus leaves Portland at 8 AM and leaves Boston at 6 PM. The cost is $23 per person.
May 20 – A Taste of Newport. Trip includes bus transportation, lunch aboard the Newport Train with a wine tasting party of local wineries, a visit to the Green Animals and leisure time for shopping. Trip has a tour director. Cost is $73 per person. May 27 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees. Cost to be announced. Buses are currently filling. Don’t miss this opportunity and register early. Bus will leave Portland at 8:45 AM and return approximately ½ hour after the game ends. June 3 – Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, leisure time at South Street Seaport and tour director. Cost per person is $39 adult and $36 child under 17. July 15 – Boston Tall Ships. Sail Boston 2000 with the return of the tall ships. Trip includes bus transportation, 2 hour narrated cruise on board Boston Harbor Cruises vessels to see the ships up close. Leisure time to board ships on your own and leisure time to visit Quincey Market. Trip has a tour director. Cost is $55 per person. To register or inquire about any of the programs listed, please contact Sandy Darna at the Portland Parks & Recreation Department at 342-6757. 
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"The only place where success come before work is in the dictionary" Vidal Sassoon "Every disorder of the soul is its own punishment." St. Augustine "If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost" Aristotle Boy Scouts’ 90th On February 8, 1910, newspaper publisher William Boyce founded the Boy Scouts of America. The Chicago native got the idea on a visit to London during which a young boy helped him find his way through foggy streets. The boy refused Boyce’s offer of money, explaining that he was a boy scout. Boyce was deeply impressed and visited the scouts’ founder, Lt. General Robert Baden-Powell, who supplied him with literature, uniforms, and insignia. Upon his return to the U.S., Boyce and friends met in Washington D.C. to establish an American counterpart: the Boy Scouts of America! |
Ever Healthy, Ever Green 
Roadblocks to Good Eating
Why is it that we can believe in good eating habits, and yet can never put them into practice? Many of us know that a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables is most beneficial to good health, yet the rate of obesity in America continues to skyrocket, and the majority of us still don’t eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Well, one strategy to help us begin incorporating good eating habits into our lifestyles is to look at what is stopping us, and try to gradually overcome the roadblocks that are keeping us from eating the foods we know are good for us One major barrier to poor eating habits is a busy schedule. Many people find they have little time for planning meals, food shopping and cooking. One solution is to schedule regular times to meet basic health needs, such as exercising and nutritious eating. Planning meals for the week ahead can be helpful, especially for days that might require super-quick or ready-to-eat meals. Cook extra portions to have for that late or rushed day, and make a list of ideas for super-quick meals. Keep grocery lists that can be used again the next time you make certain meals. Another major obstacle to healthy eating is overeating – to cope with stress, boredom or sadness. This habit may have been established as far back as childhood. However, when other ways of dealing with such situations are learned, the need to use food in these unhealthy ways disappears. Feeling deprived leads some people to give up healthful habits, too. This feeling may be prevented if you avoid perfectionistic eating goals, such as making some foods "forbidden." Instead, think about which less-than-healthful foods are really your favorite treats, and eat a moderate portion as an occasional (perhaps weekly) indulgence. If you have been frustrated by feeling unable to improve your eating habits, think about where the obstacles have been. Most likely, you can overcome these obstacles if you make good eating choices that are realistic for you and your lifestyle. |
Words of Wisdom
Anniversary