814-Unc««ter Farming, Saturday, May 16, 1992 Berks County Holds Spring Awareness Day For 250 LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Fanning Staff LEES PORT (Berks Co.) About 230 women attended the Berks County Cooperative Exten sion Spring Awareness Day, May 5, that focused on meeting the challenges of the world’s families. Topics addressed included healthy attitudes, telemarketing fraud, lifestyles of African fami lies, and flower arranging. The annual event held at the Berks County Ag Center in Lees port also awarded scholarships to two students pursuing a degree in fashion merchandising. The stu dents, Maureen Dundas, South ampton, and Katherine Ritz, Stonetown, are students at Albright College in Reading. Attitude affects health Dr. Leo Frangipane, a surgeon, told partipants at the workshop that when he became in tested in how attitudes affect healing, he con tacted six women who outlived their diagnosis for cancer. He believes four things are needed for people to be happy and do well: Faith in God, faith in the doctor and people attending them, faith in treatment, and faith in self. Out of his concern and love for patients entrusted in his care, Fran gipane organized a support group called SEEK (support, encourage ment, exceptional, kinship) where patients learn exceptional attitudes in defying the odds as they battle their illnesses. “The worst things in life are seeds for the best,” Frangipane said. “God permits things to hap pen because there is something better in it We can learn from them. Cancer teaches the urgency of life. “Everybody is going to die After his speech on “The power within an attitude of healing, Dr. Leo Frangipane took time to meet Individually with those who had questions. tpopui ig> iglngi. y Oasis that adheres to mirrors, candlestick holders, and other usual places. sometime. You can dig a hole and hide or you can say, T may get breast cancer, but I’m not going to worry about it’ About 99.9 per cent of life is tragedy free, but we walk around like it’s the opposite,” he said. Frangipane teaches the need for simplifying, forgiving, and living moment by moment so that healing can occur. Telemarketing frauds Deputy Attorney General Michael Butler, who oversees five counties, warned the audience about telemarketing fraud and other con games in contests, sweepstakes, charities, and invest ment scams. He reported that con sumers lose $3 billion a year to telemarketing fraud. One of the most common ploys is the telemarketing scheme that claims substantial prizes have been won by the householder. To claim the prize, householders are asked to give credit card or check account numbers. “Never give them your credit card number and expiration date or your check account number,” But ler said. “Although that is not a tough concept, many people suc cumb to the high pressure sales. The information is then used to charge things to the householder's account. Seldom are prizes awarded.” Multi-level sales and network ing should be examined thorough ly before participating in them according to Butler. “Although many of them are legitimate, if you sell distributorships instead of pro ducts. it becomes an illegal pyra mid scheme,” he said. Bouquet ideas Marjorie Shiner, owner of The ire of the Family Living Advisory Committee who were honored for their term of service In planning programs Included, from left: Beth Hartman, Carol Reed, and Dale Schwoyer. On right, Fay B. Strlckler, Extension home economist, congratulates the members who served from 1986 to 1992. Nosegay in Bemville, shared an abundance of ideas for combining heibs, flowers, and foliage with antiques or other unique household containers. “I prefer to arrange things in bunches and stick to one color tone," Shiner said. Using bunches of asparagus, parsley, lavender, mint tea, and thyme, she arranged them in a basket “Combining interesting textures are more pleasing to the eye,” Shiner said. She often uses sprigs of azaleas and other flowering bushes and trees in arrangements. Bare twigs also lend height and interest to arrangements. When preparing an arrange ment, Shiner suggested that per sons walk around their yard and garden and look for unusual objects to include in the arrange ment “Flowers do not need to be perfect” she said. “A bent leaf or irregular flower can add interest” She showed the simplicity that can be achieved by arranging puiple tulips in a red-painted basket She added radish leaves, spray asters, and birch sticks as accents. Shiner interspersed helpful hints for do-it-yourselfers while she arranged flowers. When using clear crystal con tainers. Shiner suggests crumbling deflated foil balloons and inserting era upside down In a dry, dark place until air dried, in this arrangement, hydrangea, larkspur, and clover shows how pre served flowers can be arranged for long-lasting pleasure. . y „ County Extension Homemaker’s scholarships are Maureen Dundas, center, and Katherine RRz. Elaine Mauchllne, chairperson of the committee, presented plaques and $350 checks to the scholarship winners who are enrolled In fashion design at *** V- Marjorie Shiner, owner of The Nosegay in Bemvllle, showed how to incorporate vegetables and herbs in flower arranging. Oasis inside the foil so that the silver side of the foil is turned out ward. This hides unsightly stems and adds a silvery shimmer to the glass container. Flower containers that become discolored may be cleaned by using denture cleaner or white vinegar. If roses drop their heads, they may be revived by placing the rose in a deep container filled with hot water. Shiner explained that a rose with a drooping head is often fresh, but air pockets form in the stem and travel upwards. Because the stem connecting die rose is so slen der at the neck, the air pocket becomes lodged at that point and causes the head to droop. By plac ing the rose in hot water, it forces die air bubble through the head and the head will then stand upright. To make flowers from your gar den last longer, use flower preser vative in the water. Hie preserve- m MW mm live may be purchased at flower shops and garden centers. Flowers from your garden last longer if they are cut in the morn ing. Always carry a bucket of water with you to place the flowers into it Roses should be cut under water to prevent air pockets from forming in the stems. Condition cut flowers by plac ing them in the refrigerator for two hours before arranging in room temperature water. African families Mae Hostetler, extension agent from Dauphin County, reported on her visit to Africa during a study tour coordinated by the National 4-H Council and 4-H Youth Exchange Association. Hostetter said that 80 percent of the work is done by women who arise at 4:45 a.m. and work until sundown. The life expectancy of women is SO years, and 2 out of 5 children do not live to enter first grade.
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