The Press-Dispatch
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A-8 Wednesday, December 12, 2012 The Press-Dispatch Lock your property during the holidays 2012 Railroad Christmas Party Petersburg Railroaders had their annual Christmas party Monday, Dec. 3, at the St. Peter and Paul Parish hall. Those attending were as follows: front row (l to r) Joe Purl, Bill Elkins, Dave Camp, Maury Cundiff, Bill Cochren, Chester King and Bill Collins. Second row (l to r): Steve Barnhart, Denny Nunley, Roger Huff, Larry Catt, Larry Seymour, Bob Deffendoll, Gary Richardson, Kenny Lewis and Ron Robling. Think twice before giving pets as holiday gifts Many people consider pets great holiday gifts. But in spite of their popularity as presents, pets do not always make the most appropriate holiday gift. Giving a pet as a present seems like a great idea, but shoppers might want to give it more consideration before giving a gift that is such a considerable responsibility. A puppy at Christmas or a bunny at Easter may be given with good intentions, but that well-meaning sentiment can easily backfire, ending with the pet being given up for adoption when recipients don't feel up to the task of raising a pet. In such instances, the companion animal pays the steepest price. Though it often is, buying a pet should not be an impulse purchase. You see sad eyes looking back at you from behind a cage door and want to give that animal a new home. However, introducing an animal into a family is not a decision to take lightly. You must factor how well the pet will fit in with the family dynamic. Do schedules allow for quality time spent with the animal? Is it a financially good time to care for an animal that will cost money? Are you aware of how long the pet will live? Making those big decisions for a person on the receiving end of your well-intentioned gift may be crossing a line. Would you want to have such a lifechanging decision made for you? Furthermore, the holiday season is not one ideally suited for making careful decisions. People are often swept up in emotions and even stress, and shoppers may not be thinking rationally. The hectic nature of the holiday season can be a difficult time for a pet to grow acclimated to its new envi- tions may be easily distracted and miss how their child is interacting with the new pet. • Once the glow of the holidays wear off, children may be disillusioned with the new responsibility that has fallen into their hands. They may not like the responsibility that comes with being a good pet owner. Reputable pet breeders and animal shelters often discourage individuals from adopting or purchasing pets as holiday gifts. Many organizations and animal businesses require a careful vetting of potential pet parents to ensure the animal will be placed with a family and in a home that is suitable. Animal welfare groups warn that an estimated 50 percent of pets adopted during the holidays end up right back at shelters. This can scar the pet. Avoid the temptation of giving a companion animal as a present. If it is your intention to gift an animal, talk to the gift recipient and discuss the pros and cons beforehand. Then you can work together and "This is one of the great make the right decision for things about this project - all parties involved, includthis is completely a commu- ing the pet. nity decision made by local boards," Abbott said. "We do ask them to decide what needs to be done and come up with a plan to do it, but we do not interfere in that decision at all." An additional portion of the study involves testing the effectiveness of a community coach in helping the county implement these programs. One county in each state has received a coach who guides the community through the assessment, planning and enactment phases of the project. At the end of the five years, the research investigators will compare data from each county to determine best practices for implementing positive change in the community. "Obesity is a national concern and, as such, is a high priority for both Purdue Extension and health organizations around the world," Abbott said. "It has a huge social impact, and there are huge needs in our Indiana communities that we hope to meet through the results of this study." ronment. He or she may be frightened to assimilate or take longer to settle down. Pets often need several weeks of quiet and constant care to become comfortable in their new environments. Here are some other reasons why the holidays are not a good time for new pets. • Holiday visitors may frighten the new pet and he or she may become weary of strangers at the outset. • The activities in the household may pose safety hazards for the young animal. An abundance of rich foods and various decorations could be ingested, potentially causing illness. • New pets should be carefully supervised around children to see how they behave. A child may not be accustomed to handling a puppy or kitten and could injure the animal. Similarly, the pet may be skittish and lash out at the child. Adults busy with holiday obliga- Research assessing obesity in rural preschoolers A five-year, multistate study involving Purdue Extension is aiming to find causes and preventions for childhood obesity in low-income preschoolers in rural communities, including two Indiana counties. The study, "Communities Preventing Childhood Obesity," helps community health coalitions to identify and correct problems that could be contributing to childhood obesity, such as lack of easily accessible playgrounds or grocery stores. The project, led by Kansas State University and funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, involves two counties each from Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The project began in March 2011 and will end in March 2016. "The structure of this study is a model that includes the whole community," said Angie Abbott, assistant director for Purdue Extension in the College of Health and Human Sciences. "It takes the individual, the family and the environment we live in to make a change. It's great if I, as an individual, say that I want to eat more fruits and vegetables. But if I live in an area where fresh fruits and vegetables aren't available, then I won't be able to meet my goal despite my good intentions." Adams and Henry counties in Indiana were chosen to participate in the project after completing an application that assessed their community health coalitions' connection with local neighborhoods and ability to effect change in their areas. The counties' health coalitions are using a combination of observation, written assessments and parent surveys to form a comprehensive picture of what improvements their communities need. Once the assessments are complete, the coalitions will implement programs to address these needs. If they wish, they can choose from a list of research-based programs compiled by a team of faculty and graduate students working with the main research team. Evaluations at the end of the five years will assess the effectiveness of each county's programs. Christmas Sale Friday, Dec. 14 – Monday, Dec. 24 10-50% OFF Wreaths, Silk Flower Arrangements, Christmas Ornaments, AND MORE! New items added daily. Discount does not include our always low priced fresh flower arrangements. 1853 N. SR 57, Petersburg 812.582.0905 Pike County Sheriff Jeremy Britton and Petersburg Police Chief Chuck Baumgart want to warn holiday shoppers, home owners and everyone that this is the season to use caution and to lock your vehicles and homes to help prevent theft. Despite this being a festive and joyful season, there are people in and around Pike County as well as neighboring towns and the City of Evansville who use this time of year to prey on others and to steal things when they have a chance. They are looking for unlocked vehicles, garages and homes as well as other opportunities to break into vehicles and homes to wreck the Christmas season for others. Petersburg Police Chief Chuck Baumgart warned area residents to be careful this time of year and not leave presents in vehicles as they invite thieves to break in. He urged residents to take presents and other items of value out of their vehicles and also make sure the vehicles are locked up. He also reminds area residents to lock their homes to not give potential thieves easy access to their Christmas presents and valuables. Both the police chief and sheriff warn all residents to use extra care to prevent theft at this time of year and to keep the holiday season cheerful. Take time to take that extra precaution to protect your gifts and your homes. Tree lighting tips Lighting a Christmas tree may seem like child's play, but time and again people struggle with the task. Untangling wires and wrapping them around boughs can be nerve wracking, but lighting a tree doesn't have to be a chore when you follow some tips from the professionals. First, keep in mind that wrapping lights around the tree horizontally is more work and often doesn't produce a multi-dimensional effect. Rather, string the lights from the trunk up to the top, working vertically. This is actually how the tree decorators at Rockefeller Center in New York City do the famous tree year after year. This method helps eliminate tangled wires and empty spots. Remember to plug in the strands of lights before you begin to check for burnt-out bulbs and to adjust the spacing of lights to prevent dark spots. Think about varying light bulb sizes to add more dimension. String an inner layer of small LED white lights to produce an inner glow on the tree before adding larger, colored lightson top to increase visual appeal. Just be sure to match the same wattage of the lights so that you do not have power surges and can prolong the life of the bulbs. netedition It's the paper. Just digital. PressDispatch.net/Subscribe