Greene Publishing, Inc.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

With three weeks left until the drawing at the Fifth Saturday Farmers and Friends Festival Oct. 29, there are still plenty of Rifle Raffle Tickets available from the Rotary Club.  The prize is a $500 rifle or other firearm from Madison Sporting Goods and Pawn on SW Range Street.  However, if the winner prefers to have $500 worth of hunting and sporting equipment instead, he or she can choose that.  Also, if the winner would like a more expensive firearm or more than $500 worth of merchandise, he or she can simply pay the difference.

Alan Sowell, proprietor of Madison Sporting Goods and Pawn, will be on hand to offer advice about his merchandise, if needed.

Tickets are $2 for a chance at the big prize, says Charles Dean, who is overseeing ticket sales.  The Rifle Raffle is the Rotary Club’s biggest fundraiser, and the proceeds go toward the Rotary’s many charity projects throughout the year.

For your chance at the big prize on Oct. 29, see any member of the Rotary Club for tickets.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

The Photographic Treasures of Madison County, on downtown Range Street next to the RATT Pact Theater, houses more than just photographs.  For the next few weeks, this series will look briefly at some of the more unusual bits and pieces of history that have found a safe haven in the little museum, funded by donations (no admittance charge) and staffed entirely by volunteers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and Saturdays 10 a.m. to noon.
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Bill Bunting, a volunteer at the Photographic Treasures of Madison County Museum, points proudly to the “First Responders’ Display,” one of the most recent additions to the museum’s collection depicting the history and daily life of the people of Madison County.

The museum solicited articles and photographs from all segments of Madison County’s emergency response and law enforcement divisions, including the county’s EMS and Sheriff’s departments, the city police and fire departments, and the volunteer fire departments of Cherry Lake, Hamburg-Lovette, Greenville, Pinetta and Lee.

Barbara Funk set up the display, arranging all the photos and the items in the glass case the first week of September, in plenty of time for 9/11.  It includes antique fire extinguishers and miniature replicas of emergency vehicles, as well as more modern items such as a Kevlar vest.

The museum will continue to enhance the display as more items are brought in on loan, throughout the entire month of October, honoring Madison County’s heroes.

“It would be an excellent field trip experience for school children around here,” Bunting said of the display, as he lifted the Kevlar vest, estimating the weight at 15 to 20 pounds.  Allowing a child to try to lift that and asking him or her to imagine a police officer wearing that all day would give that child a much better appreciation for what an officer’s job is like.

Bunting added that he would enjoy showing the children around should their teachers want to bring them in.  He is usually at the museum on Wednesdays.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

At the Sept. 15 Kiwanis Club meeting, President Willy Gamalero announced the installation of new Kiwanis Club Officers along with a formal welcoming of new members.  He also spoke about the Chamber of Commerce’s recent shift in focus to sponsor only one major event per year in Madison, in order to allow other civic organizations to take on these special events for the community.  It was indeed a great opportunity, said Gamalero, for the Kiwanis Club to step up and be of even more service to the community.

Within the next few weeks, the club will do just that, taking the lead role in the Dec. 10 “Light Up Madison” event, and Gamalero was asking for volunteers to help with the various processes and activities involved.  In other service projects, the club will continue with its mentoring projects with Madison school children, another service it has provides for the community.

But what do you do with 24 million paper clips?

That was the basis of the meeting’s presentation, a viewing of the second half of the powerful documentary, “Paper Clips,” the story of the small town of Whitman, Tennessee, and its unique Holocaust memorial.

What started as an effort to help the local school children visualize the millions of people murdered in Nazi prison camps – collecting one paper clip for every person who had died – quickly grew into something far bigger that captured the hearts and minds of people everywhere.  Once the national media picked up the story, letters poured in from all over the world, from holocaust survivors sending in paperclips for loved ones they had lost, to people donating boxes of paper clips just to help with the project.

Soon, with over 24 million paper clips on hand, there was the question of how to store and care for the display; when a chance conversation produced the idea of placing them in an actual German railcar that had once transported the doomed prisoners to Nazi prison camps, the idea for the memorial was born.

Such a railcar was eventually found in a German railyard; an ordinary cattle car, manufactured in 1919, its purpose changed in 1933, when it was put to a much different use by the Nazi regime.  As many as 100 or more prisoners would be crammed into such cattle cars for transportation to prison camps; many suffocated before they even reached their destination.

A tangible piece of a dark period in history, it was purchased and shipped to America, arriving by a sheer accident of fate at Baltimore Harbor September 9, 2001 – two days before another cataclysmic historical event that would also change the world.

As the Twin Towers fell in New York, a train was quietly winding through the Appalachian Mountains toward Whitman, Tennessee, bearing another piece of history that would stand as a symbol against hatred and intolerance.  As one of the townspeople noted, sometimes symbols are all we have to help us keep our resolve.

Four years in the making, the memorial was dedicated Nov. 9, 2001, and the railcar, with its precious cargo of millions of paper clips, representing the souls of Holocaust victims, still awes visitors.  The school children of Whitman conduct the tours themselves, changing the world, one class at a time.

Following the presentation, Gamalero addressed the Kiwanis members briefly, saying that changing the world one class at a time could even mean changing the world one person at a time; if even one person does the right thing, what he or she is supposed to do, that too, will eventually make a difference.

A lot of little paper clips sure did.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

Sheila Combs, Outreach Counselor for Refuge House, Inc., invites the public to attend an event at the Madison County Courthouse, Friday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m.

Refuge House/Madison Outreach is committed to ending the conditions in society that foster domestic violence, and Friday’s event on the courthouse lawn will help kick off October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The event will include a proclamation for the month of October as well as several speakers who have survived domestic violence.  They will be celebrating their survival and taking a stand against abuse of women everywhere as they ask for the public’s support in their continuing efforts to educate people and promote awareness.  In doing so, they hope to eventually put an end to it, in a world that will one day be safe for all women.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

Most of them dressed in purple tee shirts and purple beads, and even a few wearing purple capes and butterfly wings, the women (along with a few men) of Relay For Life gathered to celebrate “Ordinary Heroes.”  Whether cancer survivors, caregivers or relayers, it is these everyday heroes who are front and center in the fight for a world with “less cancer and more birthdays,” as Relay For Life Chair Marcia Webb stated in her opening speech.

At the Kickoff event Tuesday evening, Sept. 17, in the NFCC Student Center, with tables full of streamers, balloons, glittery party decorations and candles, it was a festive atmosphere full of hope and energy as the evening got underway.

Relay For Life began in 1985, when Dr. Gordy Klatt of Tacoma, Washington, ran around a track in a grueling 24-hour one-man marathon, raising $17,000 for the fight against cancer.

In 2012, an estimated four million people will participate in some 5200 Relay events in the United States.

Madison Relay For Life’s goal for 2012 is to raise $56,000, which they hope to exceed by a good margin.  Their 2011 goal back in April was $45,000, and they raised $51,000.

Another cause for celebration was the fact that so many teams had already registered for the 2012 Relay, as Webb and Team Developer Judy Bentley acknowledged each one: Madison County Community Bank, Eli’s Friends and Family, Sweet Tees, Fellowship Baptist Church, The Seven Ups, Nestle Waters, Madison County Central School, Madison Academy, The Brown Bombers, Lake Park of Madison, Wells Fargo, Tri-County Electric Co-op and MDL Training Union.  Webb and Bentley also announced the Top Team champion fundraisers for 2011, Team Nestle Waters.

Even so, the fight against cancer is a grim reality for some, as an emotional Cindy Vees, Publicity Chair of Relay For Life, related in her own story, one laced with a double dose of irony.

When she arrived in Madison three years ago, Relay For Life was very much in the local news, so much so that she ended up participating in her very first Relay.  New to town, she knew only a handful of people, “but by the time I finished, I felt as if knew hundreds,” she said, after spending so much time reading all those names on the luminaria, names of those who had lost their battle with cancer.

In her story’s first shock of irony, when she arrived at home that evening after her first event, she learned that one of her dear friends had just died of cancer.  Less than 60 days later, came a second shock: Vees herself was diagnosed with cancer.

“After that,” she said, “Relay For Life took on a whole new meaning for me.”

In the ensuing months of rounds of doctors and chemo, Cheryl Abercrombie became her caregiver, driving her to the doctor for her chemo treatments and making sure that she and her children had always had plenty of food and regular meals.  Abercrombie was her hero, said Vees, keeping her focused on healing, and her children were her heroes, telling her they loved her and that she was beautiful, even after she was bald from the chemo treatments.

She walked her second Relay without hair.  The following year, she walked her third Relay as a personal victory.  It was the first anniversary of her very last chemo treatment.

“It is only because of everyday heroes like the people in this room,” she said.  “There would not be survivors without you all.  Thank you…for being everyday heroes.”

Then, with the lights in the room dimmed, those gathered lit candles in honor of friends and loved ones who had lost their battle.

But the fight goes on, and the evening ended on another note of hope and celebration.   Madison Relay will be spreading the word in upcoming months and encouraging others to form teams and participate in the 2012 Relay for Life at Boot Hill, Madison County High School, April 27-28.

A team consists of 12-15 people, and each team needs to register.  To register your team online, go to www.relayforlife.org/madison.fl.

Beginning October 25, there will be team parties on the fourth Tuesday of every month, in the Madison County Community Bank’s boardroom upstairs.  Team members can gather to encourage each other, share fundraising tips, and enjoy each other’s company as they celebrate together the upcoming fight for a world with more birthdays…and less cancer.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc

Ten dollars is all it costs for a chance to win a five-cubic-foot freezer full of yummy foods, including meats from local farms and frozen casseroles made by local grandmothers.

Janna Barrs, Head of Madison Academy, was doing a brisk business selling the tickets to Rotary Club members on behalf of the Grandparents’ Club of Madison Academy.  Last year, she said, the winning ticket was purchased at the Rotary.

The Grandparent’s Club is chaired by Bunny Maultsby, grandmother of Catherine Maultsby.

The drawing will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, during Madison Academy’s Fall Festival.

To purchase a ticket, contact Madison Academy at (850) 973-2529.

Tickets are also available at Madison County Community Bank on Base Street in downtown Madison, and the Busy Bee at the corner of Base and Duval.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc. Photo by Lynette Norris, September 22, 2011 Merv Mattair explains the positive impact of Christian male role models to the Kiwanis Club.

Greene Publishing, Inc.

Merv Mattair’s organization, “Boys to Kings” started out with 12 boys in the program; now it has grown to 20.  Currently, there are nine adult men serving as mentors and role models, and when Mattair addressed the Kiwanis Club at their Sept. 22 meeting, he emphasized the need for more adult men to volunteer.  With more adults, the program can benefit more young men as they struggle with the issues of growing up and taking on adulthood.

To emphasize the importance of a positive Christian male role model in a young boy’s life, Mattair shared his own story of growing up in Madison and running with the wrong crowd; when he got a young girl pregnant, his friends told him to walk away; it wasn’t his problem, they said.

His father did not agree and forced him to do the right thing.

Then something happened – during the nine months of standing by the girl instead of abandoning her, he began to like helping her and taking care of her during her pregnancy.

Today, she is his wife.

Another male role model, Allen Cherry, hired him for a full time job that gave him an income and allowed him to stay in high school.

Realizing the importance of positive Christian male role models, Mattair now seeks to bring that same positive influence to other young men who need a little help making the kinds of decisions that effect their lives.

The program is not a babysitting service, he said.  It is a family affair.  If the parents are not involved, the child cannot join.  The program receives no grant money or any other source of funding except what the parents contribute.  The meetings are “potluck” with all the parents bringing a dish, and they hold car washes and other fundraisers to take care of basic expenses.

The program consists of adhering to 12 basic principals needed for a successful life: honoring family, respecting women, respecting elders, staying physically fit, positive decision making, reading literature, learning from other people’s mistakes, never giving up, self respect, silent prayer, accepting accountability and proper appearance.

“People are judgmental creatures,” he said, in reference to the final principle.  “How you look plays a major role in how far you go.”

Boys to Kings also teaches helping others and giving back to the community, whether it’s helping out one’s elderly neighbors or bringing Thanksgiving turkeys to less fortunate families.

The role models meet once a week with their charges, and then everyone, including parents, get together once a month.  The families getting together become like a larger family themselves, a family not only helping and supporting their children, but helping and supporting each other another as well.

Mattair believes the movement will take off in other states because, “it’s grassroots.  It’s driven by passion, a passion for Christ.  It’s not about money, it’s all about Christ.”

First Week Of October Is Mental Illness Awareness Week

By Kristin Finney

Greene Publishing, Inc.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in four adults in the United States suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. About 1 in 691 children will be born with Down Syndrome. October is a month dedicated to raising awareness for these two issues. The entire month of October is dedicated to Down Syndrome awareness, while the first week of October is dedicated to Mental Illness awareness.

There are many different types of Mental Illnesses and they effect nearly 25% of the population. They include autism, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, depression, Alzheimer’s, Asperger syndrome, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, physical abuse, perfectionism, psychotic disorder, sleep disorders, stuttering and many others.

There are over 400 different types of mental disorders and mental illnesses. What is included as a mental disorder or illness is officially decided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the American Psychiatric Association.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness’s website shares some facts on Mental Illness. “Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.”

“Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.”

“Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan.”

“In addition to medication treatment, psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups and other community services can also be components of a treatment plan and that assist with recovery. The availability of transportation, diet, exercise, sleep, friends and meaningful paid or volunteer activities contribute to overall health and wellness, including mental illness recovery.”

Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition that is caused by the presence an extra chromosome. There are normally 20 chromosomes in the human DNA, people with Down syndrome have a 21st chromosome. This disability is much more likely to occur when the parent is older than 35.

Some of the physical characteristics of Down syndrome include an abnormally small chin, almond shaped eyes caused by an epicanthic fold on the eyelid, shorter arms and legs, an oversized tongue and an unusually round face. Some cases also report having a single transverse palmar crease, which means they only have one crease in their palms, while most people have two.

The National Down Syndrome Society’s website says this of Down Syndrome, “People with Down Syndrome have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer’s disease, childhood leukemia, and thyroid conditions.  However, many of these conditions are now treatable, so most people with Down syndrome lead healthy lives.  Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent decades – from 25 in 1983 to 60 today.”

“People with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays, but the effect is usually mild to moderate and is not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses.  Children with Down syndrome learn to sit, walk, talk, play, and do most other activities; only somewhat later than their peers without Down syndrome.”

“Quality educational programs, a stimulating home environment, good health care, and positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down syndrome to develop their full potential and lead fulfilling lives.  People with Down syndrome attend school and work, and participate in decisions that concern them, and contribute to society in many wonderful ways.”

Mental illness and Down Syndrome effect the lives of everyone in the United States. Almost everyone knows someone who suffers from one of these issues. October is the time to show your support for those suffering from these disorders and to give them the love and hope they deserve. For more information on Down Syndrome visit www.ndss.org. For more information on mental illnesses visit www.nami .org.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

Tri-County Family Health Center of Greenville is offering free monthly educational workshops for diabetes patients, to help them sort through the mountain of information on the subject, and help them plan their care and management for the maximum possible benefit.

Diabetes is a condition in which the body produces too little or no insulin to allow glucose to enter the body’s cells and be used as energy, and Madison County has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the state.

Without sufficient insulin, glucose remains in the blood stream and glucose levels keep building up, causing damage to the delicate capillaries of the retina, which can result in loss of vision, and peripheral nerve damage, resulting in loss of feeling in the hands and feet.  Excess glucose is stored in the liver and some of it is eventually filtered out and excreted by the kidneys, putting an extra strain on these organs.

Diabetes can also contribute to heart disease.  Wounds, even small cuts and sores, are slow to heal, and infections take far longer than normal to fight off.

Proper care and management of diabetes is essential, to allow the patient to have as healthy a life as possible, with as few of these complications as possible, but sometimes that can get a little confusing.

First of all, there are two types of diabetes with slightly different treatment regimens.  Type I diabetes, also known as “juvenile diabetes,” occurs when the body’s own immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.  The symptoms are dramatic and often sudden: frequent urination, excessive thirst and sudden weight loss.  This type of diabetes is incurable, but can be successfully treated with daily insulin injections.

Type II, also known as “adult-onset” diabetes, occurs when the body’s cells become resistant to insulin, making it less effective; it is also known as “insulin-resistant” diabetes, and although the complications are the same, the symptoms are far more subtle.  Patients may be sluggish, tired and irritable, but able to continue functioning, while a moderately high level of glucose circulating in their blood damages their internal organs.  The treatment for this kind of diabetes includes diet, exercise and weight loss, and may or may not include drugs to increase insulin’s effectiveness and/or insulin injections.  This type of diabetes can even be successfully cured in some patients, with the proper changes in eating and exercise habits.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that “adult onset” diabetes now shows up frequently in children, and juvenile diabetes can strike adults.

Then there is the plethora of information available regarding diabetes treatment and management that involves not only calculating the body’s glucose levels on a daily basis to determine insulin dosage, but also being able to calculate the glycemic index of various foods and how these effect glucose levels in the blood.

However, it’s not just weight, glycemic indices and glucose levels; there are blood pressure and cholesterol levels (HDL “good” and LDL “bad”) as well, all of which go into the successful management and treatment of either diabetic type.

Whether patients are new to realm of diabetes management, or want to learn more about how to better manage their ongoing care, Tri-County Family Health Center’s diabetes education workshops are there to give them the information they need and provide an opportunity to ask questions of health care professionals.

The workshops are held once a month at Tri-County Health, 193 NW US 221, in Greenville, on the third Tuesday of every month.  The next workshop is Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more information on the diabetic education workshops held each month, contact the Tri-County Family Health Center at (850) 948-2840.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

For those who were inspired by the Sept. 24 BMX Show to stop smoking, but need a little extra help getting there, Tri-County Family Health Center of Greenville offering free weekly smoking cessation classes.

Tuesday, Sept. 27, kicked off the first class, part of a six-week series of classes that will meet every Tuesday from 10 a.m. until noon at the Tri-County Center, 193 NW US 221, Greenville.   Anyone can join the classes at any point during the six weeks.  The next four classes are:  Oct.11, 18, 15, and Nov. 1.

After that six-week period, Tri-County plans to start a new six-week series of classes, said Shawn Hamm, Center Manager.

Currently, one person is enrolled, and “we’re thankful that one person has made that choice for a healthier, tobacco-free lifestyle,” said Hamm.  “If we can change one life at a time, that’s what we’re here for.”

For more information about the quit-smoking classes, contact Tri-County Family Heath Center at 948-2840.

United Way Celebrity Waiter Dinner Coming Soon

By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Each year, the United Way of the Big Bend in Madison goes above and beyond to help those in need. One of the ways that the UWBB gains their money to do this is through charitable donations, the other is fundraisers. Without the community’s help, the UWBB would not be able to help nearly as many people.
On Oct. 11 the United Way of Madison would like to invite everyone in the community to their annual Celebrity Waiters Dinner. This year the dinner will be hosted by Shelby’s and will take place at Shelby’s Restaurant beside Yellow Pine Subdivision on Hwy 90, heading towards Lee.
Some might ask why this event is called “Celebrity Waiter” Dinner. This is because the people who are taking the orders, bringing the plates and cleaning the tables are local celebrities. They are local politicians, people in power and heads of business or schools.
The event will begin at 5 p.m. and last until 9 p.m. Any money that is raised through tips or purchases of their deserts will help the United Way of Madison reach their goals for 2011. Last year the group raised over $1,000 and this year they hope to gain even more.