Ramsey Resident - 2002 - May/June

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FAMILY MENTORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE Parenting an infant is a difficult and demanding experience under the best of conditions. Add the stress of financial concerns, isolation, or unemployment, and the job becomes even tougher. Healthy Start Family Mentor Program can help by connecting an expectant parent or parent with an infant to a "Family Mentor ", a wise and trusted friend. Family Mentors are trained volunteers who care about and support parents. They know what it's like to be a parent and are willing to share their experience with other parents. Healthy Start is now taking registration for its free, 16 -hour, Family Mentor training. Sessions will be offered May 8, 13, 18, and 22 Healthy Start is a community -wide effort in Anoka County aimed at providing information and support to all parents and their infants so that children get off to a healthy start in life. Over 80 agencies, including school districts, social services, clinics/ hospitals, Head Start, and other early childhood programs, have joined together to form a network of services for families. "Parenting can be one of the toughest jobs that we have in life," said Pam Bohm, Family Mentor Coordinator. "It can be easier if we talk to someone we trust about it. A Family Mentor can be that person." For more information about the Healthy Start Family Mentor Program, call 763 - 422 -7120. RL&MSEY SENIOR NEWS The Ramsey Senior Club met on the first Wednesday of March and had our usual good potluck at noon. The Ramsey Women of Today furnished prizes and called Bingo. We all had a very good time. Bill Wiese furnished tickets from the Lions Club for us to go to the Country Western Show at the Anoka High School on March 22 Thanks to everyone for all they do for the Seniors Club. April had the Cheerful Chuggers 4 -H Club performing a little play for us. Everyone enjoyed it very much. The entertainment for May will be music. Zola Malamen President One pound of learning requires ten pounds of common sense to apply it. FREE CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING PROGRAM 9 A free cardiovascular conditioning program for seniors is beginning at Lord of Life Church in Ramsey on Friday, May 3, 2002. The class will meet in the Community Life Center each Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. and will be facilitated by a registered occupational therapist. All seniors in the community are invited to join us for low impact aerobics and to learn more about how we can promote our own health and wellness. Individuals who use wheelchairs are also welcome to join us. Lord of Life Church is located at 14501 Nowthen Blvd. You may call 763-421-4074 for more information about the program or for directions to the church. NEW HELICOPTER HOTLINE 651-643-8383 is the new helicopter hotline established by the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD). Citizens can call this number to find out where helicopter applications are scheduled for any given day this summer. This same information is available at www.mmcd.org. Each spring and summer, MMCD treats thousands of acres of prime mosquito habitat with a dry granular formulation ofBti, a naturally occurring soil bacterium that disrupts mosquito digestion. MMCD field workers apply this material by hand to wetland habitats smaller than three acres. Larger areas, where immature mosquitoes develop, are treated using helicopters. These treatments occur right after summer rains of one inch or more, and continue for up to ten days. MMCD helicopters fly about 50 feet off the ground and release corn cob granules imbedded with the bacterium. This bio- rational treatment is more than 90 percent effective against immature mosquitoes developing in the water, and has no significant human or animal health risks. So, if you see a low flying helicopter this spring or summer, call 651-643-8383 to find out if helicopter applications to control immature mosquitoes are scheduled in your area.