Today's Feature

United Way Completes Citizen Reviews.

News release

The 2005 Citizen Review Team of the Carthage Area United Way, Inc. just completed their review of all sixteen United Way agencies. This team functions as part of the annual allocation process of the local United Way.

During the process, the allocations committee reviews applications and budgets submitted by the agencies. The applications must include a list of services they provide, costs of those services, and their projected goals and financial needs for 2006 funding. A member of the Citizen Review team has a site visit with his/her assigned agency to review those program and budget needs for the coming year. Then based upon that visit, the Citizen Review member attends the Allocation meeting as the agency’s representatives make their presentations. The reviewer will make a suggested recommendation to the committee to either continue or discontinue, increase (if possible) or decrease funding from the United Way.

"These local citizens serve an important part of the review process of each of our partner agencies," said Susan Williams, Executive Director. "Their input is an integral part of setting the fall’s campaign goal and the allocations the agencies will receive for 2006 when that goal is met."

First-time volunteer reviewer, Lora Samuelson said, "I learned so much about the CP Center (her agency she reviewed). I had no idea it is meeting so many needs of children and their parents in our community. More people need to be aware of all the good things they are accomplishing."

"Thank you for asking me to interview a local organization this year," said Gay Lynne Dawson, another first-time review team member, "I appreciated hearing all the Jasper County 4-H is doing for the young people in Jasper County."

The 2005 Citizen Review Team members were: Kimberley Bass, Leggett & Platt, Inc.; Darren Collier, Edward Jones Company; Ron Graber, The Carthage Press; Tracy Asbell and Stephanie Brammer, Southwest Missouri Bank; Amanda Bearden, McCune Brooks Hospital; Tami Adams and Gay Lynne Dawson, RE/MAX Classic; Linda Riley and Debbie Ralston, Hometown Bank; Amy Campbell, Schmidt Associates, P.C.; Chief John Cooper, Carthage Fire Department; Jeff Jones, Schreiber Foods, Inc.; Lora Samuelson and Katie Schmidt.

After the reviews and committee recommendations, the Carthage Area United Way Board of Directors will set the goals for the 2005/2006 campaign with the funds to be given out in 2006.

Currently the partner agencies that receive funds from the Carthage Area United Way, Inc. are American Red Cross of Southwest Missouri; Boy Scouts of America, Ozark Trails Council; Carthage Crisis Center; Carthage Crosslines Ministries; Cerebral Palsy of Tri-County; Children’s Mercy Hospital; Citizen’s Advisory Board; Community Clinic of Carthage; Family Literacy Council; Girl Scout Council of the Ozark Area; Jasper County 4-H; Lafayette House; Ozark Camp Quality; The Salvation Army; Missouri Special Olympics and Sunshine Home, Inc. For more information about the local United Way or to volunteer in many different capacities, contact Susan Williams at 358-2948.

I suppose it’s good to know they aren’t sneakin’ in a dose of vitamin B in your water, or some other nutrient.

It’s also good ta know that all those zeros are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. After drinkin’ two full servin’s of water, who could be hungry?

‘Course the fact that this opinion is bein’ read just goes ta show that some people are interested in nothin’. Then there are prob’ly those who would agree that nothin’ is better.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Dear Tom and Ray:

We recently had our family’s 2003 Honda Odyssey in for the 30,000 mile service at a Phoenix honda dealer. During the visit, the service adviser counseled us that the coolant system contained acid and would require a complete flushing, at a cost of $199. Since we plan to keep the vehicle and want to ensure long life, we proceeded with the work. Given that this car has only been serviced by the dealer and we have never added coolant, how could there be any acidic content? Thanks for your advice on this puzzling problem. - Loren and Cindy.

TOM: Why didn’t he just throw in some Rolaids? That’s what we do.

RAY: I suspect the dealer was trying to scare you guys. And unfortunately, it worked. You forked over $200 when you almost certainly didn’t have to.

TOM: Acid IS the enemy of your cooling system, because acid leads to corrosion. And it builds up over time due to interactions among the coolant, the metals in the engine and things like oxygen and impurities.

RAY: But how long should your coolant resist corrosion before it needs to be changed? Honda says 120,000 miles or 10 years, on this vehicle - even under extreme conditions, such as the heat of Phoenix.

TOM: So, having acidic coolant at 30,000 miles would mean that something is terribly wrong.

RAY: So if your coolant is, in fact, acidic (it should normally have a pH of at least 8.5), you should insist that your dealer tell you what’s wrong with the engine and why it’s breaking down your coolant so quickly. And then insist that he fix it under warranty.

TOM: If he tells you that your acidic coolant is just due to normal wear and tear, you are then free to invoke the "bite me" clause, and go elsewhere for your service.

RACING
By Greg Zyla
Sponsored by Curry Automotive

Counterclockwise Racing

Q: Greg, I am by no means an auto-racing enthusiast, however, I am becoming one. I have been to one or two auto races in my lifetime and watched several on TV, and my question is this: Why are all races run "counterclockwise"? I may be mistaken, but it also seems that all races — foot races, horse races, dog races — seem to follow this pattern. — George, Gold Canyon, Ariz.

A: George, you are mostly correct in the counterclockwise assumption. Many people say the reason cars go counterclockwise on ovals is because horses raced counterclockwise on their respective tracks. Many of the first automobile races in America were run on horse tracks at places like county fairs, so the cars just ran the same way.

As for road-racing tracks, they can go either way, but usually go clockwise. Top U.S. road courses such as Lime Rock, Mid-Ohio, Sebring and Watkins Glen all run clockwise, while Laguna Seca runs counterclockwise. Some say counterclockwise is popular because the majority of people are right-handed.

Thanks for the question, and take a look at a merry-go-round, baseball runners, revolving doors, the famous chariot race in "Ben-Hur," and the flow of water into a drain or toilet north of the equator. They are all counterclockwise.

Senior News
By Pam Madole
Sponsored by Generations

Seniors at risk for fires

Research indicates that approximately 80% of the fires occurring in the United States are in the home, causing about 3,000 deaths each year. 1000 of those deaths are seniors over age 65, and at age 80 you are three times more likely to die in a fire than any other age group. Many seniors live alone and having a fire with no one to help creates part of the problem. Reduced mobility, second medications that reduce the ability to make quick decisions can also contribute to the higher rate of fires and deaths.

Smoke from fire causes three of every four deaths with smoking the number one cause of fire related deaths.

If you are smoker and don’t get any of the common smoke related diseases you could still die from smoking in bed. You should not smoke when you are impaired from drinking or when taking medications that diminish alertness or when you are very tired. Always use deep ashtrays that you empty often. When empting ashtrays always wet the ashes before dumping so that embers don’t start a fire in the trash receptacle.

Many of the deaths each year could have been prevented with working smoke detectors. Smoke detectors are very inexpensive starting at about $5.

More on fire prevention next week.