Greene Publishing, Inc.

This year, Florida reached a milestone, marking the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de Leon’s arrival on Florida’s east coast.

To commemorate that anniversary, Florida 4-H has initiated a goal related to the number 500: The UF-based organization hopes to bring 500 green-shirted young people to the state’s government headquarters in Tallahassee for its annual 4-H Day at the Capitol event on March 14.

“4-H Day at the Capitol is a unique event because it isn’t just about being at the capitol and looking at the legislative chambers, but it is about understanding what is taking place within those chambers,” said Jordan Callaham, state 4-H events coordinator.

The event has drawn several 4-H youth from Madison County in recent years, but event organizers hope to add to their ranks this year, said Madison 4-H Agent Becky Bennett.

Participants will take part in mock legislative sessions, observe government at work, watch the state’s Supreme Court, or any of a number of other activities designed to enlighten them about government.

The 4-H youth also will have the chance to meet and talk with elected officials.
4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization and has more than 230,000 members in Florida. 4-H is part of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Fairfax, Va. – The National Rifle Association of America is made up of over 4 million moms and dads, daughters and sons, who are involved in the national conversation about how to prevent a tragedy like Newtown from ever happening again.  We attended today’s White House meeting to discuss how to keep our children safe and were prepared to have a meaningful conversation about school safety, mental health issues, the marketing of violence to our kids and the collapse of federal prosecutions of violent criminals.

We were disappointed with how little this meeting had to do with keeping our children safe and how much it had to do with an agenda to attack the Second Amendment.  While claiming that no policy proposals would be “prejudged,” this Task Force spent most of its time on proposed restrictions on lawful firearms owners – honest, taxpaying, hardworking Americans.  It is unfortunate that this Administration continues to insist on pushing failed solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems. We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of criminals and madmen. Instead, we will now take our commitment and meaningful contributions to members of congress of both parties who are interested in having an honest conversation about what works – and what does not.

-NRA-
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Be sure to follow the NRA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NationalRifleAssociation and on Twitter @NRA.

Arva Grace Granger, 88, of Madison, died on Wednesday, December 19, 2012.
She is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was a resident of Madison for 18 years and a member of Grace Presbyterian Church. A graveside service was held on Saturday, December 22, 2012 at 3 p.m. at Oak Ridge II Cemetery in Madison.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army.

Greenville Public Library will be hosting the Daybreak Creative Writing Workshop for children on Thursday, June 21. The camp will begin at 2 p.m. Author Angela Y. Hodge will be a special guest and teacher. All children are invited. 

By Jacob Bembry

Greene Publishing, Inc.

As I am writing this, I am in Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. I thank each and every one who has sent up prayers for me. Your continued prayers are my desire. I love each and every one of my readers.

By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.

Each year as the temperature falls and many people spend their days hiding from the winter chill, the amount of blood donations made also drops. This occurrence happens each year around this time, however, there is a simple fix for it. Many people often wonder how to give back during the holiday season, why not give blood?

Blood donations are needed every day, and a single blood donation can save as many as three lives. While over 38% of the American population is eligible to donate blood, only about 8% actually do. Donations of all blood types are needed, especially during the holiday season. 

Some might ask, “Why is more blood needed during the holidays?” Families are more likely to travel during the holiday season to visit relatives and to go see holiday festivals, this increase in people traveling, also leads to an increase in accidents. 

While some people choose to work in soup kitchens and homeless shelters during the holidays, this is not the only way to give back during the holidays. Working in soup kitchens is a great ministry for those with the time to do so, however, for those who are limited on free time, a simple way to give back is by donating blood. Donating blood takes only 30-45 minutes. That includes the sign-in and health evaluation prior to giving blood. The actual blood giving only lasts about 10 minutes of that time. 

Not sure if you can give blood? Below are the eligibility guidelines given by the UCSF Medical Center. 

“Age: You must be at least 17 years old to donate to the general blood supply. There is no upper age limit for blood donation as long as you are well with no restrictions or limitations to your activities.

“High Blood Pressure: Acceptable as long as your blood pressure is below 180 systolic (first number) and below 100 diastolic (second number) at the time of donation. Medications for high blood pressure do not disqualify you from donating.

“Body Piercing: You must not donate if you have had a tongue, nose, belly button or genital piercing in the past 12 months (donors with pierced ears are eligible).

“Cold and Flu: Wait if you have a fever or a productive cough (bringing up phlegm). Wait if you do not feel well on the day of donation. Wait until you have completed antibiotic treatment for sinus, throat or lung infection.

“Diabetes: Acceptable as long as it is well controlled, whether medication is taken or not.

“Diet: A meal is recommended at least four hours prior to donation. Drink plenty of fluids.

“MSM: Men who have had sex with other men, at any time since 1977 (the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the United States) are currently deferred as blood donors. This is because MSM are, as a group, at increased risk for HIV, hepatitis B and certain other infections that can be transmitted by transfusion.

“Tattoos: One-year deferral.

“Travel: Please refer to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you need further assistance please call UCSF Blood Center (415) 353-1809.

“Weight: You must weigh at least 110 pounds to be eligible for blood donation for your own safety. Blood volume is in proportion to body weight. Donors who weigh less than 110 pounds may not tolerate the removal of the required volume of blood as well as those who weigh more than 110 pounds. There is no upper weight limit as long as your weight is not higher than the weight limit of the donor bed or lounge you are using. You can discuss any upper weight limitations of beds and lounges with your local health historian.”
If you would like to give back to those in need this holiday season, simply set up an appointment at a local blood drive. There will be blood drives in the southeast all throughout December. To find a donation opportunity near you, visit http://www.-redcrossblood.org/make-donation. Type in your zip code into the Zip Code box, select within 50 or 100 miles, and press “Find.” Once you find a date and location that suits your needs, call 1-800-RED-CROSS to schedule your appointment.

The Madison County High School Cowboys competed against Delray Beach American Heritage in the Florida 3A State Championship game on Saturday, December 10. The State Championship game was played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando and began at 1 p.m. While the outcome of the game did not turn out the way that Cowboy fans had hoped, that did not lessen the pride felt by everyone in attendance. The Cowboys fought hard and left it all on the field. The final score of the game was 30-3, in favor of American Heritage. The Cowboys were awarded with the title of Florida 3A State Runners-Up and were given a trophy recognizing this prestigious honor. Each player also received a medal recognizing that they had competed in the State Championship game. Congratulations to the Madison County Cowboys, Florida Class 3A State Runners-Up! See the full game story as well as pictures from the game in Friday’s Madison Enterprise Recorder.