§ol I Notes To Dad |o by I Nancy Crago g Allegheny County g o Extension Agent w 1 The Better Life Last Saturday night I went with a friend to see the movie, World Traveler. It is a story about a man who is struggling with personal responsibility and commitment Some persons would think this man has it all. He has the looks of a movie star and is successful in his career as an architect. He has a beautiful wife and son who adore him. But one day, in the midst of preparations for his son’s birthday party, he walks out the door, leaving only a note. He gets in his car and begins to drive. At his first stop, the man pur chases a key chain with a small globe attached, makes a small mark on the globe to show his son where he is traveling and sends it to him for a birthday present. As he travels westward across the United States, the man struggles with his past and pres ent behaviors, encountering situ ations and persons who bring back images of his wife and son and his past life. His travels lead him to a log home in the hills of Oregon. The viewer soon realizes he knows this place. It is his father’s home. He had visited it as a small boy in the summer, until he was old enough to realize it wasn’t just a summer place and that his father was not a world traveler. His own dad had walked out on him and his mother when he was a young child. Now he was doing the same thing to his family. Searching for answers and try ing to understand his own behav ior, he asks his father, “Why did you do this?” The father thinks for a moment, shrugs his shoul ders and says, “I guess I was looking for a better life.” After the brief visit with his fa ther, the man realizes that he has “the better life,” not his father. He returns to New York hoping it is still there. When he enters the home, his son welcomes him with a big hug, just like he was never gone. But guess what the little son was clutching in his hands as he hugged his dad? The key chain with the little blue globe! This is a story had a happy ending. Unfortunately, every night one out of every three chil dren in our country go to sleep in a home without their biological father. Research shows that fa ther absence is associated with numerous social problems includ ing youth crime, teen pregnancy, a decrease in educational achievement and poverty. If you are a dad and are choos ing the “better life,” give yourself a pat on the back for your com mitment to stay involved in your child’s life. If you know other dads who are committed to the “better life,” give them a pat on the back, too. It does make a dif ference. As those TV public service an nouncements sponsored by the National Fatherhood Initiative acclaim, “It takes a man to be a dad.” Pennsylvania is one of the first states to establish a Fatherhood Initiative to increase public awareness of the importance of fathers in children’s lives, to re connect dads with their children, and to strengthen the relation ships between fathers, their chil dren, and their families. If you would like information about this program, call 1-866-MY-PA-DAD (1-866-697-2323). Dads are important! e fe||, ftsk Lancaster Extension Offers Workshops For All Interests LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) Register now for any of the fol lowing Better Kid Care workshops in May and June 2002. Workshops are designed for all caregivers of young children par ents, grandparents and others are also welcome to attend. For more information, contact Debra Naumann at the Lancaster County Penn State Cooperative Extension office at (717) 394-6851. Child Care For Mixed Age This is a great workshop for family home providers or those who work with mixed-age groups of children. You’ll learn new ideas for activities and spaces that can accommodate a wide range of age groups. Ways to involve older children in teaching younger ones will be shared, as well as safety considerations for mixed age groups. Instructor: Debra Naumann, Family Strengths Cost: $5 Date: Wednesday, June 26 Time: 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Financial Planning For Retirement: Getting An Early Start Do you have big dreams but little savings for retirement? Maybe you haven’t even thought about it yet. It is never too early to start planning for your financial security in retirement. Even if you delayed getting started, there are things you can do to reclaim time. Learn about setting goals, calculating retirement needs, determining appropriate investments, and understanding risk. Instructor: Robert J. Thee, Ph.D., CFP, Extension Agent, Housing and Financial Management Date: Thursdays, June 6 and 13 Time: 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Mutual Funds: Getting A Start If you are a participant in a retirement fund that offers mutual funds or if you are looking to invest for other purposes, this workshop will offer an opportunity to leant about types of mutual funds, re searching and selecting a fund, reading a prospectus, and understand ing fund volatility, fees and other expenses, and asset allocation strate gies. Instructor: Robert J. Thee, Ph.D, CFP, Extension Agent, Housing and Financial Management A deadline for registration has been included for the heirloom sewing classes since special sup plies need to be ordered and kits assembled. No refunds or cancellations can be made after the registration deadline. Watch roses come alive under your fingertips as the workshop shows how to embellish a knit shirt with a cascade of dimensional silk ribbon flora woven through with a ribbon bow. This silk ribbon embroidered shirt will make a beautiful addition to your summer wardrobe. Some silk ribbon embroidery knowledge is use ful although the basic stitches will be demonstrat ed. Supply list: knit shirt, embroidery scissors, washout marking pen, embroidery hoop. Saturday, June 8 Time: 9 a.m.-noon Class Limit: Min. 4, Max. 15 Fee: $2B (includes kit with all silk ribbon, floss, needles, and stitch diagram) Student needs to provide the shirt (No refunds or cancellation made after the deadline) In this class, the student will learn the basics of English Smocking preparation, stem/outline stitch, cable stitch, wave and trellis stitches, start ing and stopping and how to read smocking pat terns. The basic mechanics of pleating will be demon strated by the instructor. The student will prac tice on a prepleated sampler and will make a smocked sampler. Going from smocking to con struction will be discussed. This is a handwork class. Supply list: embroi dery scissors, optional: additional task lighting and extension cord. Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (with hour break for lunch) Fee: $45 (includes kit with prepleated fabric, needles, thread and tie off board) Registration deadline: July 3 (No refunds or cancellations made after deadli ne) Instructor: Kristi Elkner Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 1.2002-B7 Date: Mondays, June 10 and 17 Time: 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Heirloom Sewing Workshops Ribbons And Roses Instructor: Kristi Elkner Beginning English Smocking Classes Beginning English Smocking Friday, July 12 Class Limit: Min. 3, Max 15 Beginning English Smocking Saturday, July 13 Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (with hour break for lunch) Class Limit: Min. 3, Max. 15 Fee: $45 (includes kit with prepleated fabric, needles, thread and tie off board) Registration deadline: July 3 (No refunds or cancellations made after deadline) Instructor: Kristi Elkner