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The INDEPENDENT, June 20, 2002
Community
Rose City MC again brings loads of good will
Health Notes
ByAudeen Wagner
Summer Fun and Exercise
Now that summer is finally here, we can
all look forward to outdoor activities—for all
ages. It’s much easier to get some exercise
outside when the weather is nice. “The very
best exercise is simply walking,” says Laura
Nichols, P.A. at Providence Family Medicine.
“It's so easy to do, doesn’t cost a thing, is
£_______________ easy on the joints, and is a great way to get
some aerobic exercise.” She also says that speed is not impor
tant, just a steady comfortable pace works for most people. A one-
mile trek around the lake several times a week is not only very
pleasant, but very good for you!
Or, how about swimming? Another easy-on-the-body, low-im
pact exercise that is enormously beneficial. Forest Grove Aquat
ics Center offers many organized programs such as water aero
bics, swim lessons, fitness swims. And there are times for open
public swimming, too. Call the pool at 503-992-3238 for their sum
mer swimming schedule. Of course, Vernonia provides its own
pool in Rock Creek—a great place to play in the water and get
cooled off, and get some exercise at the same time.
t
Ticks
Summer fun can lead to some problems, too. The clinic warns
us about the potential danger of tick bites. Some ticks can cause
serious diseases, such as Lyme’s disease. Luckily, we live in an
area that has few ticks of this type. They are more prevalent in the
eastern half of Oregon, but they are out there in our area, too, so
be careful. Some precautions: wear protective clothing, spray with
a repellent containing DEET, avoid brushy or swampy areas (stay
on trails when hiking), check your skin, clothing, and gear (and
your dog!) after hiking.
Finding a tick on your body may give you the heebie-jeebies,
but if a tick is found on your skin, you should get it out of there.
Some advise carefully removing the critter with tweezers, but
since it is easy to break off the head under your skin, a better way
is to shut off the tick’s air supply with a little vaseline applied at the
site. Or heat a paper clip and apply to the bite; in either case, the
tick will immediately back out!
Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bite of an infected
tick. It is treatable with antibiotics but is somewhat hard to diag
nose because the symptoms can vary greatly from person to per
son. The most prevalent symptom is a skin rash, called a bull’s-
eye, or target, rash, which occurs at the site of the bite. Other
symptoms of early Lyme disease may include a flu-like illness. It
is very important to be treated for Lyme disease, because it can
develop into much more serious problems which may involve the
heart, nervous system and joints. According to a study by the Uni
versity of Minnesota, your chances of getting Lyme disease are
slim if you remove the infected tick within 24 hours after it attach
es itself to you.
Mammogram schedule
The next mammovan visit to Vernonia will be July 24. Call 503-
429-9191 for an appointment.
State seeks members for Disabilities board
The Oregon Disabilities
Commission, a 15-member
body whose members are ap
pointed by the governor, is
seeking applicants to fill at least
three vacant positions.
Commission members must
be able to meet six times a year
in Salem and to serve on at
least one standing committee.
State law requires a majority
of commissioners to be people
with disabilities. The commis
sion estimates that one in five
Oregonians has a disability.
For further information, or to
apply, call toll free 1-800-358-
3117 (voice and TTY) or e-mail
eugenia.m.cox® state.or.us
Following the flood of 1996, members of the Rose City Motorcycle Club put Vernonia Cares
on the list of nonprofit organizations they support by soliciting donations and with fees
earned from club-sponsored activities. For the sixth year, club members arrived in Vernonia,
April 8, with smiles and more tons of food transported in a van loaned by Bob Lanphere Hon
da. Their efforts are greatly appreciated by Vernonia Cares and the people who are helped by
the club’s donations.
USDA increases commodity eligibility guidelines
The USDA commodity eligi
bility guidelines have increased
for 2002. If households are
within the listed gross income
levels, they qualify to receive
USDA foods. These foods,
which vary month by month,
are available locally at Vernon
ia Cares Food Bank, 627
Adams Ave. The Food Bank is
open Tuesday and Thursday
from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
You are eligible if you are
currently participating in the
Food Stamp Program, TANF,
SSI, LIEAP, or State General
Assistance, or if your income is
equal to or below the following-
income Guidelines:
HOUSEHOLD
GROSS
SIZE
INCOME
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8*
$960/mo
$1,294/mo
$1,627/mo
$1,961/mo
$2,295/mo
$2,628/mo
$2,962/mo
$3,296/mo
PCC memoir writing class scheduled
“Deep” Memoir Writing, a six week course sponsored by Port
land Community College, will be held in Vernonia from June 27 to
August 8. Classes will be held at the Vernonia Senior Center on
Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with no class on July 4.
Taught by Carol Sawyer, a published poet and Ph.D. candidate
in Consciousness and Transformation, the introductory class will
cover using the five senses and other techniques for accessing
memory and freeing the flow of self-expression. Sawyer, whose
How-to/Memoir, Pulling Up Stakes: a Pioneer’s Guide to Starting
Over at Sixty is presently looking for a publisher, is particularly fo
cused on aging and the creative process.
Those interested may register on the first night of class or by
calling 503-977-4933. The fee is $36.00; those over 62 years will
receive a 50 percent discount.
*for each additional member, add
$334 per month
Commodity foods are for
home consumption only. They
may not be used for commer
cial purposes.