Lumberjacks definitely got talent By Joanne DalPorto
NT SUN CORRESPONDENT
Spirit and confidence was in the air as a group of talented student performers competed for a place in the top three in the “Lumberjacks Got Talent” contest at North Tonawanda High School on Jan. 16. While the majority of the acts involved singing in pairs or solo, there was also a masterful trumpet performance and an expertly choreographed and performed Taekwondo routine set to music. Produced by the high school chorus club with Maestro Dean Vallas advising, the evening was a great opportunity to showcase the individual styles and interests of the contestants. Since the kids chose their own material and created their own acts, their distinct personalities really came out. Judges Gerry Cindric, Patti Zygmont, and Jennifer Reed, along with junior judge Casey Reed
critiqued every performance with words like “confidence, elegance, strong vocals, great stage presence, nice choreography, and goose bumps.” Will Alvarado’s rendition of “Stars,” a ballad from the musical “Les Miserables,” provoked the strongest reactions. “I think you could sing on Broadway,” Casey Reed pronounced. Margie Sawyer, an audience member and mother of contestant Sheri Sawyer declared, “He sang it better than the guy in the musical!” As the judges deliberated with the difficult task of narrowing it down to just three awardees, a comedy duo from the chorus club entertained the crowd with several jokes including, “What do you call a bear with no teeth? … A gummi bear.” Ba-dum- bum. Coming in third place was Hannah Craig for her skillful performance of the wide-ranging song “Sad” by Maroon Five. In second place with her strong, emotionally
charged version of Carrie Underwood’s hit song “Before He Cheats” was Stephanie Falzone. Will Alvarado took first
place for his moving interpretation of the song “Stars,” which depicts a tormented man determined to successfully
hunt down an escaped fugitive. Another event sure to showcase some of these same talented Lumber-
jacks is the 20th anniversary performance of “Cabaret” scheduled for Mar. 13 and 14 at North Tonawanda High School.
Expert advice on enticing kids to eat their fruits and vegetables (NAPSI) As many parents know, kids can be picky eaters. And according to a recent study, moms are concerned that their kids aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables. “We found that moms understand the health benefits of fruits and vegetables but struggle to get their family to eat them,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., RD, president and CEO, Produce for Better Health Foundation. “Today, Americans are currently eating less than half of the recommended cups of fruits and vegetables
each day.” To better understand the situation, the Produce for Better Health Foundation conducted its annual research on “Moms’ Attitudes and Beliefs Related to Fruit & Vegetable Consumption.” The study found: • Ninety percent agree that a diet that includes fruits and vegetables may help their child avoid obesity. • Ninety percent agree that a diet with more fruits and vegetables promotes their family’s overall health
and may prevent disease, now and in the future. • Ninety percent agree that a diet that includes fruits and vegetables may help promote well-being of mind and body. • Eighty-nine percent agree that more fruits and vegetables plus more physical activity means the family can be at its best. There’s been a swteady improvement over time in the level of ease moms reported regarding their ability to access fruits and vegetables for their families at restaurants and quick-ser-
vice restaurants. Setting out a fruit bowl, having vegetables cut up and ready to eat in the refrigerator, and finding ways to hide produce in other foods are some of the ways to get more fruits and vegetables into a family’s diet. The research also found that kids tend to eat more produce when they are involved in the growing, selecting and preparing of food. To get kids more involved, Pivonka provided these tips: 1. Let kids get involved in planning meals for the
week and challenge them to find ways to make sure a fruit and vegetable are included in each meal. Remember, canned, frozen and dried fruits or vegetables, in addition to fresh, are all great options! 2. Get kids involved in using produce to make juices or smoothies. It can be a fun activity for kids to use a blender or juicer to show them there are other ways to eat your fruits and vegetables. 3. Teach kids about produce that’s in season and how to select the best pro-
duce. Take them to a farmer’s market to talk with growers. This also provides a great opportunity to try new produce they didn’t know they enjoyed. 4. Starting a backyard garden can be a great way to get kids interested and involved. Monsanto, through its Seminis Home Garden division, is working to make growing backyard produce more accessible for busy families by creating seed varieties that are easy to grow.
Niagara Falls & Wheatfield Courier / Friday, January 23, 2015
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Wegmans’ $50,000 donation to Food Bank of WNY is a gift for affected agencies In the aftermath of the surprise November storm that crippled many communities, the Food Bank of Western New York will use a $50,000 donation from Wegmans, and funds from other donors designated toward disaster relief efforts, to procure and distribute food in areas hardest hit by the storm. More than 30 member agencies were heavily impacted by the recent storm, including those in the areas of Cheektowaga, Lackawanna, Orchard Park, Silver Creek, Springville, South Buffalo and West Seneca. These funds will be used to replenish the shelves at the Food Bank and designated member agencies. Each agency will receive monies ranging from $1,600 for small agencies to $3,400 for large agencies to acquire food from the Food Bank and distribute it to local families in our community. Collectively, these member agencies distribute an average of 179,480 meals to 24,000 people each month. “Knowing the damage that the storm caused, we reached out to the Food Bank of Western New York and learned they could use our help,” said Michele Mehaffy, Consumer Affairs Manager at Wegmans Food Markets. “We are grateful for the opportunity to help restock local pantries devastated by the storm. As a
CPOWNY
BY THE
longtime supporter of the Food Bank of WNY, we will continue to help in its mission, providing hunger relief in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties.” During the height of the storm the Food Bank of WNY was called upon by New York State to deliver food to an agency in Lackawanna where members of the National Guard delivered packages of food to families in need. In an effort to assist the Food Bank in replenishing its supply of food, Governor Andrew Cuomo encouraged companies and residents to donate. HSBC Bank responded with a donation of $25,000 for disaster relief food and WKBW-TV 7 and the Scripps Howard Foundation donated $5,000 and created a 7 Cares for the Community campaign encouraging viewers to donate on line to the Food Bank or at any First Niagara Bank. First Niagara donated $2,500 and customers added more than $1,000 in donations. Citizens Bank also donated $3,000. “We are grateful to all who donated to the disaster relief efforts and we are extremely grateful to Wegmans. They care, and it genuinely shows in their year-round commitment to our community,” said Marylou Borowiak, President and CEO of the Food Bank of WNY. “These monies will have
a significant impact in assisting our local families in need.” Darlene Sery of the Catholic Charities Food Pantries said, “We are grateful for the assistance we received from the Food Bank during the November storm. Their staff worked around the clock to get food to our agencies so we could distribute to our clients in need. Because of the hard work and the dedication of the Food Bank staff, we were able to provide our clients with food in a timely manner. We now thank them for this opportunity to restock our shelves.” “This is such wonderful news,” added Linette Crelly of the Southern Tier Food Pantry at Trading Post in Springville. “Hundreds of families in our service area who live paycheck to paycheck lost many days of work and pay due to the storm. This is very difficult, especially during the holiday season. We have seen a much larger number of first time clients coming to us for help. This food will help us meet the growing number of clients we serve. We thank everyone for this donation.” “What a blessing these disaster relief funds will be to our clients,” said Brent Doyle of the Southtowns Christian Center’s Feed My Sheep food pantry.
49,113 Community Papers of WNY readers went to a restaurant 4 or more times within the past 2 weeks. Media Audit July-Aug. 2013
Cost-saving winter tips can keep your family safe and warm (NAPSI) There are several easy and cost-effective ways that homeowners can winterize their homes this storm season. Generac Power Systems offers six easy steps that will save you money while keeping your family and home safe during the long and brutal winter storm season. Tips to Keep Your Home Safe and Your Energy Bill Down Though there are many things that homeowners can do to keep their homes safe and their energy bills down this winter, Generac recommends starting with these: Top Off Your Attic Insulation A high percentage of heat loss occurs through poorly insulated roofs. Make sure your attic is insulated with the minimum R-value for your climate (up to R-49 for Northern states). Also, check the rim joist areas above the foundation walls, and plug any gaps with fiberglass insulation. Dial Down the Thermostat Most people can live comfortably with a temperature around 68 degrees. Setting it lower than that when you’re away or asleep will also save on energy. Consider purchasing a programmable thermostat that will lower the temperature automatically during offpeak times. Replace or Insulate Windows Consider replacing old windows with energyefficient ones, or put up window-insulating kits. The clear plastic film can reduce drafts, saving energy and avoiding the costs of window replacement. Fill Gaps with Caulk Sealants Replace old caulk joints around your window and door trim (both inside and outside) that can shrink and leak over time. Use a spray
foam sealant to fill in the gaps left around pipes, wires, TV cables or bath and dryer vents. Get an Energy Audit Most local utilities can arrange a home energy audit to pinpoint where to focus your winterizing efforts. Thermal-imaging cameras, which use infrared technology to show where heat is escaping the house, are available to rent in many areas, so try one out before winterizing to know exactly what needs to be done. Install a Source of Backup Power Because power outages are also a concern during winter storm season, FEMA recommends investing in a source of backup power, like an automatic home standby generator from Generac, that automatically provides power for heat and electricity when there is a power outage. Automatic home backup generators turn on as soon as the power goes out and stay on until utility power is restored. That means homeowners won’t lose money on holiday food costs if the refrigerator won’t work during a power outage. And homeowners can still work remotely, even when the power is out, plus families won’t have to relocate to a hotel. As a leader in power equipment serving residential, light commercial, industrial and construction markets, Generac’s products are available through a broad network of independent dealers, retailers, wholesalers and equipment rental companies. Basic winterizing for a home can be done for less than $200, but by investing in installations like attic insulation and a Generac home standby generator, you get the best level of protection from winter storms.
Maria Love Fund accepting grant applications The Maria M. Love Convalescent Fund announces that grant applications are now available on our website www. marialovefund.org. Submissions will be accepted from Erie Country non-profit organizations. Grant requests may range in amounts from $1,000 to $15,000. To qualify, the non-profit organizations must provide assistance to Erie County residents with medically related conditions while promoting
independence and enhancing their quality of life. Grant proceeds must be used towards programming or operational costs of the non-profit organization. The Maria Love Convalescent Fund is named for its founder, Maria M. Love, who worked tirelessly on behalf of those less fortunate in the Buffalo community in the early part of the 20th century. Deadline is 5:00 p.m. Jan. 27.