St. Patrick’s Day party planning

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Complimentary Training On The Impacts Of Trauma Open To The Public On March 14

JAMESTOWN, N.Y.:--

The Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene (CCDMH) will provide training on the Impacts of Trauma for the public. The training will be held on March 14, 2023, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the James Prendergast Library, 509 Cherry St., Jamestown, N.Y. The training will be provided free of charge and is open to all community members.

The training will provide an overview of the effects of trauma on individuals. It will include important information regarding the impact of trauma on children, resulting in potential carryover into adulthood.

"This training came from feedback from a previous training I had done," said Vito Randazzo, training coordinator for the CCDMH.

"Since the COVID-19 pandemic, local behavioral health professionals have seen an increase in higher-risk cases with more intensity. The pandemic itself was traumatic, and many of the community members we serve have a history of trauma. We felt having a better understanding of trauma, and its impacts would be helpful to those that have experienced trauma or are supporting those that have."

CCDMH has recently offered trauma training for our local educators, law enforcement, and front-line healthcare workers, but this is the first open to all community members. Space for this training is limited, so advanced registration is recommended. To register, contact Debbie Ostroski by email at Ostroskd@chqgov. com or 716-661-8140.

Each March 17, and even in the days surrounding that date, the world is awash in kelly green. That’s because it is once again time to pay homage to the patron saint of Ireland and perhaps engage in a little spirited revelry.

St. Patrick’s Day is an opportunity to honor St. Patrick and celebrate the Irish diaspora and culture.

From lively bagpiping to delicious foods to spirited parades, St. Patrick’s Day features many chances for merriment, which can even extend to private parties held at home. The following are some party-planning ideas to ensure this St. Patrick’s Day is as jovial as ever.

Customize invitations

Get guests in the mood with themed party invitations. Whether paper invites or electronic ones, take advantage of the many designs available online and in-store. Entertaining puns and plays on words can be the way to go with invitations, which also can showcase shamrocks and other symbols of St. Patrick’s Day.

Incorporate white and orange

The color green garners its share of attention on St. Patrick’s Day. However, the earliest accounts of St. Patrick associate him with the color blue. Green was later adopted, perhaps in homage to the Emerald Isle. But green is not the only color associated with Ireland, as the nation’s flag can attest. White and orange decorations also can round out displays on St. Patrick’s Day.

Stock up on gold coins

Party stores may sell foil-wrapped chocolate coins this time of year, and they can be used to create a “pot of gold” display at your St. Patrick’s Day party.

Hire a piper

Bagpipes feature prominently in St. Patrick’s Day parades, and hosts can book a piper to play a few tunes in traditional garb during a party.

Create an Irish pub at home

Set up an area of the space and provide the accoutrements one would find in an Irish pub. In addition to having Guinness available, stock other classic Irish spirits, including Irish Mist, Poitín, Jameson, Sheridan’s, Baileys, and Irish red ales. Keep Irish folk music playing in the background to impart a cozy feeling.

Invite a crowd

One of the best parts of a St. Patrick’s Day celebration is having plenty of celebrants together to reminisce and enjoy each other’s company. A crowd means better sing-a-longs and more opportunities to toast to good luck for the future. There are many ways to make private St. Patrick’s Day parties as special as public gatherings like parades.

How crafting benefits kids

Kids have boundless energy. Parents of young children can look to various activities to harness that energy, and crafting is one endeavor that makes use of kids’ enthusiasm and creativity.

Craft projects are more than just a means to getting energetic youngsters to sit down and focus their attention. Crafting pays various dividends for youngsters, some of which may surprise parents.

Crafting and handeye coordination

Crafting helps children develop hand-eye coordination. The Illinois-based North Shore Pediatric Therapy notes that crafts that involve drawing shapes, cutting patterns and writing require youngsters to use their fine motor coordination. Coloring, drawing and cutting also require children to use their hands together, helping to develop and strengthen their hand-eye coordination. That development can help kids perform a host of additional tasks, including tying shoes, buttoning coats and eating independently.

Crafting and creativity

Crafting presents a great opportunity for kids to explore their creativity. The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents to prioritize creative, unplugged playtime for infants and toddlers, and that can include time devoted to craft projects. Craft projects can include more complicated undertakings in which kids fol - low directions, or they can simply allow kids to create something from their own imaginations. Each type of project involves creating something new and encourages kids to develop their creative skills.

Crafting and patience

Parents know that patience is not necessarily a virtue of young children. Craft projects, particularly those that require cutting and gluing, do not provide instant gratification because they require multiple steps and time to dry before they’re completed. North Shore Pediatric Therapy notes that such projects teach kids self-regulation because they require youngsters to exhibit self-control and patience until the project can be considered finished.

Crafting and the classroom

A 2018 report from the AAP noted that children who use their hands are strengthening areas in the brain that are associated with spatial and mathematical learning. This is an important benefit of crafting and one that the AAP report notes is not gained by kids who forgo physical activities like crafting for play that relies on interactive media. The benefits of crafting associated with spatial and mathematical learning could help younger children once they begin their academic careers.

Crafting is a fun activity for kids and it’s also one that benefits their development in some surprising ways.

-BY CASSANDRA SKAL