Horizons - Purdue University

Dear Extension Homemaker,

The holidays are quickly approaching and it is a busy time for all,

with family and friends gathering and sharing traditions. We have had a

great year and the Hamilton County Extension Homemakers have much

to celebrate as we reflect on the past year’s achievements. Watch for

program planning information in early 2017. We always appreciate your

thoughts and feedback.

During this season, I hope you find time to relax and enjoy...take

time to hold your loved ones near.

My very best wishes to you and your

family for a beautiful new year.

Susan L. Peterson

County Extension Director

Extension Educator, HHS

Dear Friends,

The holiday season began with another successful Holiday Ideas

Program in November. It was very warm outside but the atmosphere

inside generated holiday spirit. The cookie tasting event proved to be a

favorite that night. Many thanks to the members of Friendly Eagles for

organizing it.

This issue of Horizons contains tips for preventing prescription

drug overdoses, lessening holiday stress, and hosting those young guests

for healthy eating. Be sure to tell your friends, neighbors and relatives

about the scholarship opportunities available through Extension Home-

makers and IEHA.

I hope everyone enjoys this festive season and is looking forward

to 2017. May the coming year be a safe and happy one for you and your

family. “Count your blessings and make your blessings

count.”

A publication of Purdue University Cooperative Extension Hamilton County

December 2016

2003 Pleasant Street

Noblesville, IN 46060-3697

317-776-0854

www.extension.purdue.edu/hamilton

Horizons

Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution.

Bernie Huber

Program Assistant

Health & Human Sciences

EXTENSION EDUCATORS

Susan L. Peterson

HHS

County Extension Director [email protected]

Diane Turner

ANR [email protected]

Kathleen J. Bohde

4-H Youth Development [email protected]

Gloria Del Greco

Community Wellness

Coordinator [email protected]

PROGRAM ASSISTANTS

Bernie Huber

Program Assistant, HHS

[email protected]

Lisa Hanni

Program Assistant,

ANR & 4-H Youth [email protected]

Amanda Gray

Nutrition Education

Program Assistant [email protected]

SUPPORT STAFF

Maggie Herrington

Office Manager [email protected]

Cindy Kiggins

Secretary/Bookkeeper [email protected]

Georgia Marshall

Receptionist/Secretary [email protected]

February 13 Board/Council Meetings 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

(NOTE: 2nd Monday)

March 6 Board/Council Meetings 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

March 8 Educational Lessons

-The Benefits of Adult Coloring 10:00 a.m.

-Label Reading: Beyond the Basics 11:15 a.m.

March 9 Scholarship Committee 9:30 a.m.

March 15 District Spring Meeting - Shelby County

April 3 Board/Council Meetings 6:00 & 6:30 p.m.

May 3 Membership & Cultural Events 7:00 p.m.

June 5-7 Home & Family Conference

June 12 Board/Council Meetings 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

(NOTE: 2nd Monday)

June 22 Achievement Day 10:00 a.m.

Calendar 2017

As we approach the holidays, let us reach out to our fellow Extension Homemakers. I am very thankful for each of you and your individual talents and skills. This season, let's reach out to our local club members and the shut-ins and do acts of kindness and service. Please continue to share Extension

Homemaker Club Membership information with your friends. You never know who may be looking for a local club to join. Thank you for all the volunteer community service you have given to the organi-zation already this year. Have a wonderful holiday season. I look forward to working with all of you next year. Sincerely, Rachel Merrill, County President

Need a last minute Christmas

gift? Pick up a Holiday Ideas

Book—Homemade Country

Christmas—for $5.00. Available

in the office while supplies last.

Holiday Hotlines Find recipes and ideas

for the holidays.

Butterball Turkey Hotline

1-800-288-8372

www.butterball.com/turkey-talk-line

Fleishmann’s Yeast Hotline

1-800-777-4959

www.breadworld.com

General Mills & Betty Crocker Hotline

1-800-248-7310

www.bettycrocker.com

Kraft Foods

1-877-535-5666

www.kraftrecipes.com

Land O’ Lakes Holiday Bake Line

1-800-782-9606

www.landolakes.com

Nestle Bake Line

1-800-225-2250

www.nestleusa.com

Reynolds’s Turkey Tips Line

1-800-433-2244

www.reynoldskitchens.com

USDA Meat and Poultry Hot Line

1-888-674-6854

www.fsis.usda.gov

Did you know? *CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions has an Aging & Disability Resource Center that provides accurate, unbiased information to help you make informed decisions about care options. There’s no cost. -317-254-3660 -800-432-2422 -www.cicoa.org (This is from our Caring for the Caregiver lesson.) *We collect the following items in the Extension office for Volunteer Community Support: -pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House -plastic lids to recycle -yarn for Threads of Compassion shawls *We no longer are collecting stuffed animals for Pals on Patrol. They have more than they need. *You can receive this newsletter electronically by letting the office know. Call 317-776-0854 Email Bernie—[email protected] *Purdue has a new online resource of great recipes, tips and videos. http://www.eatgathergo.org/ Find anything from meal planning and reading food labels to being more active and cooking as a family.

*Boots for Kickin’ Cancer is a fun way to collect donations for Purdue Cancer Research. *Holiday Ideas books are for sale until we run out. *4-H enrollment is open at in.4honline.com. *The Grand Park Events Center in Westfield has a winter market once a month. Dates remaining are December 10, January 14, February 11 and March 11, from 9:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m. Admission is free. *You can dial 211-Switchboard to find the needs in an area after a natural disaster or crisis.

First Timer Award

Win $$$$ to attend Home & Family Conference.

If you have never attended this conference, this is an opportunity to receive compensation for the registration

fee for the conference. Home and Family Conference will be in Indianapolis June 5, 6, and 7, 2017. It is a

three day conference filled with educational sessions, fun activities and motivational speakers. It is also an

opportunity to enjoy the company of other Extension Homemakers from your own county and throughout the

state of Indiana.

Our county will choose one First Timer. That application is forwarded to the District. If our candidate wins at

the district, our county will select another candidate which will then give two homemakers in our county the

opportunity to attend the conference. We usually only have one or two apply for this award so your chances of

winning are good because at least one person will receive the award. We encourage all first timers to apply!

Applications are available in the Extension Office or on the webpage at: www.extension.purdue.edu/hamilton.

Click on Family, then Extension Homemakers Hamilton County. Look for First Timer Award link at the bot-

tom.

RETURN APPLICATION TO: Bernie Huber

Purdue Extension – Hamilton County

2003 Pleasant Street

Noblesville, IN 46060

You will be asked to write a short essay of 200 words or less on the topic:

“Why I Want to Attend Home and Family Conference.”

Deadline to our office: March 1, 2017

Flower Show 2017

The 2017 theme is “Gems From our Gardens”

Start looking at what flowers you will have

in your garden for the summer show.

Use the winter to start

working on fair exhibits.

Cultural Arts Special Project—2017

Hat contest One “homemade wearable” hat. One exhibit

per county. Voting to take place at Spring

Celebration in May. Winner will be taken to

Home and Family Conference in early June.

Used Books to

sell during the

Hamilton County

4-H Fair

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Ruth B. Sayre Scholarship for Women

The Indiana Extension Homemakers Association is offering a $500.00 scholarship sponsored by County

Women’s Council, USA. The Ruth B. Sayre Memorial Scholarship is offered for the purpose of fostering

the educational development of women. The scholarship is offered to women who wish to further their edu-

cation, show a financial need and a potential for leadership. Applications are available at the local County

Extension Office throughout the state.

Applications are due March 1.

Continuing Education Scholarships

The Indiana Extension Homemakers Association awards eight Career Advancement Scholarships of

$500.00 each to Indiana women aged 25 and over who wish to further their education, leadership, and com-

munity volunteerism by completing their education or upgrading vocational skills. IEHA Scholarship appli-

cations are available at the local County Extension Service Office throughout the state.

Applications are due March 15 to the State Committee.

Health and Human Science Scholarships

The Hamilton County Extension Homemakers Association is offering four $500.00 scholarships to Hamil-

ton County students who major in a Health and Human Sciences related field such as: Foods and Nutrition;

Family and Consumer Science Education; Interior Design; Textile and Clothing Design; Hospitality and

Tourism; Child Development and Family Studies; Consumer Science and Retailing; Nursing; Fitness &

Health; Speech, Language & Hearing or Health Sciences. Scholarships are offered to graduating seniors or

undergraduate students. Past winners must reapply each year. The Hamilton Extension Homemakers will

also be awarding two $500 scholarships to students majoring in Elementary Education.

Applications are due March 1.

Hamilton County Choral Club (Silvernotes) Scholarship

The Hamilton County Choral Club offers a $500.00 scholarship to one Hamilton County graduating senior

who meets the following requirements: 1) is pursuing further education with either a major or minor in mu-

sic; and 2) has maintained a C grade average or greater. Submit application along with an essay describing

the importance of music in your life. A sealed reference from either your music director or your school

counselor is also required.

Applications are due March 1. Notification of the recipient will be made by May 1.

Scholarship applications may be obtained through the

Purdue Extension Service Office 317-776-0854 or online at:

http://www.extension.purdue.edu/hamilton

Holiday Ideas 2016

A fun evening of crafts, food and fellowship.

Thank you to Friendly Eagles for planning

the evening.

Saving $ for a Rainy (Snowy) Day

You have heard the saying “living from paycheck to paycheck”. Here are a few ideas

to help you save money.

At the end of each day, put extra change in a special place (jar or dresser).

If your check goes directly to the bank, have a set amount put in savings. Money

that is out of sight is out of mind making it easier to save.

Do not be a compulsive spender. Buy only what you need.

Keep your money where it is harder to obtain. Take only the money with you that you intend to spend.

Keep credit cards at home.

Cut down on home expenses (turn off lights, cheaper phone plans, budget plans, pay bills on time, do sim-

ple home repairs). This is money saved.

How much do I save? Decide what you want and approximate cost (car repair, new appliance, Christmas,

etc.)

How do I reach this amount? Make extra income through:

-Selling items in a garage sale.

-Putting items on E-bay or social media sites.

-Save pop tabs and scrap aluminum; turn in for cash.

-Offer to teach lessons on tennis, piano, guitar, etc.

-Do babysitting or tutoring.

-When an account is paid off (car, credit card, etc.), put the payment in savings.

Where do I keep this money? Set up a savings account at a bank or credit union. Use this money for emer-

gencies only.

5 Tips for Healthfully Hosting Young

Guests

Are you hosting family or friends this holiday season? If children will be visiting, there are a few sim-ple things you can do to encourage them to make healthy eating choices while they visit you over the holidays:

1. Adopt a “water first for thirst” approach. When the kids ask for something to drink, pour a nice big glass of ice water instead of high-sugar soft drinks or other beverages. Experts generally recom-mend children 4-8 years old drink 4 cups of water a day (without added sweeteners), and that in-creases to 7-8 cups for ages 9-13, and 8-11 cups for 14- to 18-year-olds. For teens, that translates into drinking enough water to fill a 2-liter bottle. Offer plenty of calcium-rich low-fat milk (unflavored), but limit 100% fruit juice to less than 8 ounces a day, and try to avoid sweetened drinks all together. Water can be dressed up by adding strawberry or orange slices, or cucumber slices and mint.

2. Start a tradition of making healthful smoothies for breakfast or for an afternoon snack. Just pack the blender full of fruit, such as bananas, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, or mandarin oranges, plus ice cubes, yogurt and juice. You could even add fresh spinach for green smoothies. No need for extra sugar or ice cream. For thicker smoothies, try using frozen fruit.

3. Keep a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand. Make them as easy to eat as possi-ble by slicing the fruit and vegetables into bite-size pieces. In one study, younger elementary-school students said they found whole fruit to be too cumbersome to eat comfortably, and started eating much more when fruit was sliced for them. For preschoolers, be sure to cut grapes and cherry toma-toes in half before serving to be sure they aren’t a choking hazard.

4. Double up on vegetables both for snacks and during meals — most children don’t eat nearly enough. For snacks, consider having a large clear bowl in the fridge with ready-to-eat baby carrots, celery sticks, bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, and broccoli and cauliflower florets.

5. Keep other healthful snacks around. Ideas include nuts, whole-grain crackers, rice cakes, and air-popped popcorn.

WRITTEN BY: Martha Filipic and Carol Smathers

REVIEWED BY: Jennifer Lobb Ohio State University Extension

Lessen Your Stress This Holiday As we begin December and the whirl of the holiday season, we may find that our schedules are full, our wallets are light, and our hearts are overflowing with joy. For some, however, holidays bring anx-iety, stress and depression. For most of us, holidays are a mix of all these things. We are challenged by overspending, overscheduling, overeating and under-sleeping. To top it off, we set our expecta-tions even higher during the holiday season. Why do we do this to ourselves? (Or let others do it to us?) What are we trying to live up to?

Here are some ideas to lessen stress and enjoy the holidays more:

Set priorities. Decide on the most important ways to spend your time and money. Make a list of ac-tion steps to keep you on track.

Simplify your schedule. It’s ok to say no. Sometimes it’s a blessing when activities overlap… you have to choose. It’s ok to say no even if activities don’t overlap. Even if you can make all the events, it doesn’t mean you should.

Ask for help. When guests come for dinner, ask them to bring a side dish. Buy prepared foods in-stead of making everything from scratch.

Spend less. Shorten your gift list if you can, ask them what they want… and consider shopping ear-ly on online to avoid the rush. Be sure to stick to your gift budget.

Take care of yourself. Avoid overeating. Too much fat and alcohol can leave you feeling sluggish and irritable. Balance your holiday indulgences with low-fat meals high in vegetables, fruit and grains. Get some exercise. In addition to releasing pent up tension and leaving us re-energized, ex-ercise helps fend off the extra pounds that often creep on this time of year. Make it a priority by get-ting 10-20 minute bursts of activity.

Get enough sleep. Although it sounds simple, American’s are notorious for neglecting this basic need. The truth is, you’ll be twice as productive if you are well rested.

Take time for yourself. What is something YOU really enjoy? Take a walk with your family or read a favorite Christmas story. Get some quiet time. Have “whisper hour”. Turn off the TV and the news for a week and let the silence bring you peace. Find your calm.

Laugh it up. Spend time with family and friends who make you laugh. Laughter can be quite conta-gious. Learning to laugh at yourself will help you to be more light-hearted about your own situations. Watch your stress fade away.

Practice gratitude. Noticing and giving thanks for the positive aspects of life is linked with improved mental and physical health. Keep a gratitude journal and write down the good things that happen each day. Or take time during family meals to share things you are thankful for. This will help you focus on the positive.

Perhaps these tips can help you find ways to lessen your stress this holiday season. Maybe these strategies can become habits and carry over into the new year and make it a less stressful year.

WRITTEN BY: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County

REVIEWED BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Lucas County

PHOTO CREDITS:

Snowman photo taken by Shannon Carter SOURCES:

Bono, G. August 2012. The American Psychological Association. The Cleveland Clinic. 2016.

Happy New Year THIS YEAR I RESOLVE TO…..

-Be still and appreciate each morning.

-Awaken hope for what each day can hold.

-Seek and give kindness to others.

-Not respond to negative comments with negative comments.

-Notice and be aware of any words following “I am”.

-Pay more attention to the things which are good and try to stop talking about what

is wrong.

-Go outside my comfort zone at least once a month.

-Take time to thank others on a regular basis.

-Listen to my breath, feel my heartbeat, and know my body is not replaceable and

treat it with the respect it deserves.

-Open my eyes and notice something beautiful in nature on a daily basis.

-Reflect on my day and my life each night and find gratitude in something, even if

it is only my breath, my heartbeat, my life.