Author: Kate Cronan, MD   ,     Source: Nemours.org
Halloween is such a fun time–for kids and grownups! Before you send your little monsters out trick-or-treating, here are some quick and easy Halloween safety tips to make sure your kiddos enjoy all Halloween treats this year.
Dressing Your Little Ghouls & Goblins

• Choose a light-colored costume that’s easily seen at night. Add reflective tape or glow-in-the-dark tape to the costume and to the trick-or-treat bag.
• Only buy costumes labeled “flame-retardant.” This means the material won’t burn. If you make your own costume, use nylon or polyester materials, which are flame-retardant.
• Make sure wigs and beards don’t cover your kids’ eyes, noses, or mouths.
• Masks can make it hard for kids to see and breathe. Instead, try using non-toxic face paint or makeup.
• Don’t use colored or decorative contact lenses, unless they’re prescribed by a licensed eye doctor.
• Put a nametag – with your phone number – on your children’s costumes.
• To prevent falls, avoid oversized and high-heeled shoes. Make sure the rest of the costume fits well too.
• Make sure that any props your kids carry, such as wands or swords, are short and flexible.

Trick-or-Treating BasicsKids under age 12 should:

• always go trick-or-treating with an adult
• know how to call 911 in case they get lost
• know their home phone number or your cellphone number if you don’t have a landline

Older kids who go out on their own should:

• know their planned route and when they’ll be coming home
• carry a cellphone
• go in a group and stay together
• only go to houses with porch lights on
• stay away from candles and other flames
• know to never go into strangers’ homes or cars

For all kids:

• According to Safe Kids Worldwide, the risk of kids being hit by a car is higher on Halloween than on any other day of the year. So make sure all kids:
• walk on sidewalks on lit streets (never through alleys or across lawns)
• walk from house to house (never run) and always walk facing traffic when walking on roads
• cross the street at crosswalks and never assume that vehicles will stop
• Give kids flashlights with fresh batteries. Kids may also enjoy wearing glow sticks as bracelets or necklaces.
• Limit trick-or-treating to your neighborhood and the homes of people you know.

When kids get home:

• Help them check all treats to make sure they’re sealed. Throw out candy with torn packages or holes in the packages, spoiled items, and any homemade treats that weren’t made by someone you know.
• Don’t let young children have hard candy or gum that could cause choking.

Keep Visiting Ghouls Safe Too!Follow Halloween safety for trick-or-treaters visiting your home too. Remove anything that could cause them to trip or fall on your walkway or lawn. Make sure the lights are on outside your house and light the walkway to your door, if possible. Keep family pets away from trick-or-treaters, even if they seem harmless to you.
Halloween Goodies-What You Give Out and What Kids Get

• Make Halloween fun for all-including kids with food allergies. Consider buying Halloween treats other than candy. Stickers, erasers, crayons, pencils, coloring books, and sealed packages of raisins and dried fruits are good choices.
• As you inspect what your kids brought home, keep track of how much candy they got and store it somewhere other than their bedrooms. Consider being somewhat lenient about candy eating on Halloween, within reason, and talk about how the rest of the candy will be handled. Let kids have one or two treats a day instead of leaving candy out in big bags or bowls for kids to eat at will.

ts time again for the DuQuoin State Fair- a true southern Illinois tradition. Once you are a parent, going to the Fair takes on a whole new meaning (and costs!) Here are quick tips to make it a day to remember.

Plan your trip in advance.  It will only take a short time and will be well worth it. Check out the "lay of the land" Know where the restrooms are.
Check out the map and keep your eye out for the Refreshment stations, places where families can sit and relax

Bring the essential you will need and keep them accessible. Backpacks are always a good idea. If you have a young one, don't skip the stroller. You will be glad you have it by the time you reach the gates. Another staple is "wet wipes", even if your kids aren't diaper age. They are great on stick fair food, you can use them to wipe spills on clothing and are especially handy to wipe of chairs and benches when you are ready for a break. 

Decide on your budget before you go.   Know the costs before you go. The cheapest parking is $10.00 and that is for Main Parking lot and Gate 4.  If your kids are older, you can talk with them and give them each their own budget. One might be more interested in fair food, while the other loves the rides. Be aware of any specials and although a $25 armband for rides sounds pretty expensive  you might find it the best deal if you family really loves the rides.  Ride tickets are $1 and it can take 3to 4 tickets per ride. There is a kiddieland for younger children which is great. Remember it closes about 30 minutes before the other rides.  But remember, the fair is supposed to be an agricultural event and although the rides are enticing, there is lots more to enjoy and alot of it is FREE!   The Fair offers a wonderful opportunity for kids to see animals "up front and close" along with other FREE family entertainment.  Click here to see a schedule . The 1/2 mil track hosts a rodeo, tractor pulls, demo derby and motocross. And don't forget the petting zoo.  

Bring cash- most vendors  do not accept debit cards, 
       
Bring some of your own water and emergency snacks, Fair food is great, but also expensive.   Bring some of your own to help keep costs down and tummies full! Prepackaged items are best    because of the heat. Granola bars and fruit snacks are always great choices. It looks like it is  going to be hot, so make sure if you take something that needs to remain cool, you have it in a  cooler.

Get there early. Getting there early means parking spots closer to the entrance, making it easier if you have to go back to the car for something you forgot.You  will avoid longer lines at rides and events and beat the evening rush of teens and adults coming to the fair for a night out.  If possible, go on a week day and avoid the big crowds altogether.

Divide and conquer. While it is important for families to have together time, if your children are of mixed ages, consider splitting off at some point so one adult can go with the older children and another with the younger. If you are a single parent, consider "teaming up" with another family or ask a friend to go. This will reduce wait times when kids tend to get impatient and crabby.

Safety. Safety, Safety. Even the best family trip can get spoiled when someone gets hurt or lost. Bring your cell phone and for your youngest children, write the number on a small piece of paper and put it in their pocket. Point out people who work at the fair and encourage them to go to one of them or a vendor if they get lost. Avoid letting children wear clothing with their name. If you are letting your older kids go off on their own, set up a time/ place to meet and check in on a regular basis.

Pace yourself. You don't have to do everything. It is okay to save some things for  next year.

Know when to call it quits.  A big mistake parents can make is staying too long at
the fair. It is important to remember that kids, especially younger one, don't have the same       stamina as adults. The ones you see running to the gates are often in their parents arms,   being carried back to the car. Before exhaustion sets in and  crying, tantrums or meltdowns occur, consider calling it quits for the day. It will help  end the day ( and whole fair experience) on a good note and create memories your whole family will cherish.





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It’s important to recognize the important role that you, as the adult, have to play in setting the emotional tone for your child and your family. You have the opportunity to help your child to hold on to hope during a really challenging time, and to feel good about returning to school.

​A key first step is to acknowledge and work through your own feelings of anxiety about your child’s return to school. Maybe you’re worried about the physical safety of your kindergartener or the mental wellbeing of your teenager. If you can pinpoint the source of your underlying worry, you may be able to find a way to deal with the issue or to seek some additional support for yourself. Your goal is to get to a place where you can feel calm, confident, and positive when you talk to your child about heading back to school. That doesn’t mean that you’re trying to erase the worry: you’re simply trying to make it a little more manageable.

Know that you’re not alone in “feeling all the feelings” this back-to-school season.  A lot of parents are feeling extra worried this year. One way to manage that worry is by reaching out to other people for support—perhaps chatting with a friend via a Zoom

Look for opportunities to normalize the back-to-school experience as much as possible. Yes, it’s going to be an extra challenging back-to-school season, but that doesn’t have to rob the experience of all of its joy. Look for opportunities to help your child to recognize that there are still things to look forward to—perhaps reconnecting with friends or a favourite teacher.

Help your child to ease back into school-year routines. Routines are important. They help us to feel grounded and secure—which means they’re needed more than ever, right now. Transitioning back to a school-year routine won’t be easy after six months of relatively unscheduled pandemic living, so you might want to tackle it in stages, gradually shifting bedtimes and wakeup times, dialing back the amount of screen time, and ensuring that mealtimes are happening at predictable times. It might also be a good idea to talk about the challenges of being apart from other family members, after six months of “bubbling” together. If this is the case for your child, you might want to help your child to identify ways of feeling supported and connected by you, even when the two of you are physically apart.
It’s important to recognize the important role that you, as the adult, have to play in setting the emotional tone for your child and your family. You have the opportunity to help your child to hold on to hope during a really challenging time, and to feel good about returning to school.

It’s important to acknowledge the fact that not every kid is going to be excited about heading back to school. Some might even experience a heightened level of school refusal and/or separation anxiety.
Express confidence in your child’s ability to handle what is admittedly a very challenging situation. Remind your child that they’ve been through hard things before and they managed to make it through—and that they don’t have to handle this on their own. There are people who care about them, both at home and at school. We can we weather the challenges togather.

Source: Family Care Center  of Ontario  ​https://www.family.cmho.org/ 

Excerpt from: Back to School Tips for Parents-Children's Mental Health, Ontario
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Looking for ways to meet the needs of a child who is trying to cope with feelings of anxiety about heading back to school? Here are a few tips.
Accept and validate your child’s emotions. Let your child know that their feelings make sense (“Everyone is feeling a bit anxious and uncertain right now. It makes sense that you would be feeling that way, too”) and make sure your child understands that there’s no such thing as a “bad” or “wrong” emotion. It’s okay to be feeling whatever it is they’re feeling.
Look for opportunities to address your child’s specific worries and concerns in an age-appropriate way. This might mean helping them to find answer to their biggest questions or role-playing particular scenarios that are causing them undue stress. You might also want to encourage them to zero in on coping strategies that have worked well for them in the past. They might want to work those strategies again.
Remind your child that they can turn to other people for support, both at home and at school. They don’t have to handle this on their own. If your child has some special needs (perhaps an underlying mental health issue or behavioral challenge), ask your child’s school what strategies they recommend for easing your child’s transition back to school. Maybe it might make sense for your child to start school before or after their peers—or to initially attend school for just a couple of hours at a time.
Recognize the opportunity you are being given in this moment. The literature on resilience is clear: children are capable of weathering even the stormiest of storms if they can rely on the love and support of at least one caring adult. You have the opportunity to be that person—an emotional anchor in an otherwise stormy sea.


TIP:Feel like you and your child would benefit from some added support right now? You’re certainly in good company. Four out of five parents who responded to our most recent parent survey told us that they were open to the idea of reaching out to a child and youth mental health centre for support. In terms of the specific supports they are seeking, they told us that they are interested in in-personal appointments and virtual appointments with a clinician or therapist; peer support from other families who are grappling with the same kinds of worries and concerns; and access to online articles, webinars, and other information highlighting strategies for coping with the challenges of back-to-school time.


​Author: Ann Douglas , Children's Mental Health Ontario, ​Back-to-School Tips for Parents | Children's Mental Health Ontario (cmho.org)

The South District Elks Lodges, in cooperation with the Illinois Elks Children's Care Corporation, will sponsor a free children's orthopedic assessment clinic Friday, Nov. 22.
The clinic will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and is by appointment only. To make an appointment, call the Illinois Elks Children's Care office at800-272-0074 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. There are no charges for any services at this clinic.
​The Elks will hold the clinic at the Marshall Browning Hospital, located at 900 N. Washington St. in Du Quoin. Dr. Alan Froehling from Mt. Vernon will be the clinician. The hours for the clinic are 2 to 4 p.m.
No medical referral is necessary for the clinic, but physicians are welcome to refer patients to the clinic for a specific reason or second opinion. School nurses are welcome to refer children and families to the clinic.
The Elks Organization has been working with physically challenged children since 1928, and this is one of the 16 clinic locations throughout Illinois. The clinic is an ideal time to have a child reviewed for bone and joint development.
If your child has feet pointing out or in who complains of back, knee, leg, ankle pain or has a back curvature can be seen at this clinic. There is no charge for any diagnostic services at this clinic. The Elks will provide financial assistance to the best of their ability for children needing further treatment or specialty equipment when the family lacks sufficient resources to do so. In the past, the Elks have purchased therapy services, corrective shoes, braces, wheelchairs and augmentative communication devices to help children overcome a variety of physical challenges.

​ To meet the needs of our regional community regarding COVID-19, SIH has set-up a 24-hour COVID-19 hotline to provide telephone screening, information and to answer general questions: 1-844-988-7800. Clinicians will answer questions, assess each caller and advise on next steps for evaluation or potential testing in accordance with current Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

This resource is for individuals who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, which include fever, cough and/or shortness of breath. SIH urges the public to call this number or their family doctor before visiting a clinic, physician’s office or emergency department.

The SIH COVID-19 hotline is designed to protect the community, healthcare providers and patients from potential spread of the disease.

​For more information on COVID-19 visit: • SIH www.sih.net • Illinois Department of Public Health www.dph.illinois.gov • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov SIH stands committed to the health and well-being of our regional community. Regular SIHrelated COVID-19 updates will be provided via www.sih.net and SIH Facebook and Twitter pages (@sihealthcare). -30- For additional information, contact SIH Public Information Officer Rosslind Rice at (618) 534- 2848 or [email protected].

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 14, 2020
 COVID-19 prompts additional safety measures at SIH hospitals (CARBONDALE, IL) For the health, safety and well-being of our patients, visitors and staff, SIH has implemented changes to entry points at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, SIH Herrin Hospital and SIH St. Joseph Memorial Hospital until further notice. Entry to each hospital will be limited to the main and Emergency Department entrances. Signage is in place to direct flow into each hospital. Upon entry, all patients and visitors will undergo a brief illness screening. Visitors will receive a badge, which will include the date of the visit and department and/or patient room location. If visitors have symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, SIH respectfully asks those individuals to refrain from coming to the hospital at this time. Additionally, SIH will enforce a visitor restriction policy and allow two visitors per patient. Individuals under 18 years of age are not allowed to visit at this time. Exceptions to this policy will be made for end-of-life circumstances. SIH understands this is a challenging time for our patients, families and employees. We ask for your patience and support of these temporary measures. -30- For addition information, contact SIH Public Information Officer Rosslind Rice at (618) 534-2848 or [email protected] . 

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Carbondale Park District Contact:
Kathy Renfro, Executive Director, [email protected], 618-529-4147
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Carbondale, IL – The Beloved Puppetista will host free art workshops to prepare All Species Puppet Parade banners, puppets, and parade costumes. These workshops are held on Saturdays, March 14, 21, 28, April 11, & 18 from 10:00am – 2:00pm and located at Art House, 112 N Williams Street, the little red house behind Hickory Lodge (enter and park for free behind Hickory Lodge, 1115 W Sycamore).
 
This will be the 7th annual All Species Puppet Parade (April 22) in Carbondale, Illinois. It’s become a spring tradition for many families and organizations. The parade takes place  on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22. Who are the Beloved Puppetistas? They are an educational & performance puppet troupe group of volunteers from the community, including many SIU students and faculty. The workshops combine environmental education with art making, letting you add your voice to the issues that shape climate change, animal extinction, or your love for all species. The puppets are all created primarily from cardboard, recycled materials and craft supplies. All are welcome and no experience is necessary. Admission, parking, and supplies are free. Feel free to create a banner for the walk for climate change solutions.
 
For more information, contact Cade Bursell at 618-521-3804 ([email protected]) or Kathy Renfro at 618-529-4147 ([email protected]). A huge thanks to all participating organizations; Carbondale Community Arts, Carbondale Park District, Carbondale Main Street, SIU Touch of Nature, Neighborhood Coop, SIU Sustainability, SIU Student Volunteers, & SIU Honors Program Student Volunteers.

This program assists low- and very-low-income applicants obtain decent, safe and sanitary housing in eligible rural areas by providing payment assistance to increase an applicant’s repayment ability. Payment assistance is a type of subsidy that reduces the mortgage payment for a short time. The amount of assistance is determined by the adjusted family income.

Who: low and very low-income households in Illinois who wish to purchase a home of their own.

What: 100% financing-33 year term-3% interest rate that may be subsidized for qualified applicants.

When: Rural Development accepts applications year-round.

Where: Rural Areas with populations 20,000 or less. Apply at any Rural Development location. The Quincy office is located at 338 S. 36th Street, Quincy, IL.  62301 phone number is 217-224-9307 ext. 4.

Why: You will have a sense of stability, security, and pride of ownership.
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Who may apply for this program? A number of factors are considered when determining an applicant’s eligibility for Single Family Direct Home Loans. At a minimum, applicants interested in obtaining a direct loan must have an adjusted income that is at or below the applicable low-income limit for the area where they wish to buy a house and they must demonstrate a willingness and ability to repay debt.
Applicants must:

• Be without decent, safe and sanitary housing
• Be unable to obtain a loan from other resources on terms and conditions that can reasonably be expected to meet
• Agree to occupy the property as your primary residence
• Have the legal capacity to incur a loan obligation
• Meet citizenship or eligible noncitizen requirements
• Not be suspended or debarred from participation in federal programs

Properties financed with direct loan funds must:

• Generally, be 2,000 square feet or less
• Not have market value in excess of the applicable area loan limit
• Not have in-ground swimming pools
• Not be designed for income-producing activities

Borrowers are required to repay all or a portion of the payment subsidy received over the life of the loan when the title to the property transfers or the borrower is no longer living in the dwelling.
Applicants must meet income eligibility for a direct loan.  Please select your state from the dropdown menu above.
What is an eligible area? Generally, rural areas with a population of less than 35,000 are eligible.  Visit the USDA Income and Property Eligibility website for complete details.
How may funds be used? Loan funds may be used to help low-income individuals or households purchase homes in rural areas. Funds can be used to build, repair, renovate or relocate a home, or to purchase and prepare sites, including providing water and sewage facilities.
How much may I borrow?
Using the Single-Family Housing Direct Eligibility Assessment tool, potential applicants may enter information online to determine if the Section 502 Direct Loan Program is a good fit for them prior to applying.  The tool will provide a preliminary eligibility determination after a potential applicant enters information on their general household composition, monthly income, monthly debts, property location, estimated property taxes, and estimated hazard insurance.  Potential applicants are welcome to submit a complete application for an official determination by USDA Rural Development (RD) regardless of the eligibility assessment results.  Upon receipt of a complete application, RD will determine the applicant’s eligibility using verified information and the applicant’s maximum loan amount based on their repayment ability and the area loan limit for the county in which the property is located. 
What are the interest rate and payback periods?

• Fixed interest rate based on current market rates at loan approval or loan closing, whichever is lower
• Interest rate when modified by payment assistance, can be as low as 1%
• Up to 33 year payback period - 38 years payback period for very low-income applicants who can’t afford the 33-year loan term

How much down payment is required? No down payment is typically required. Applicants with assets higher than the asset limits may be required to use a portion of those assets.
Is there a deadline to apply? Applications for this program are accepted through your local RD office year-round.
How long does an application take? Processing times vary depending on funding availability and program demand in the area in which an applicant is interested in buying and completeness of the application package.
What governs this program?

• The Housing Act of 1949 as amended, 7 CFR, Part 3550,
• HB-1-3550 - Direct Single Family Housing Loans Field Office Handbook

Why does USDA Rural Development do this? USDA Rural Development’s Section 502 Direct Loan Program provides a path to homeownership for low- and very-low-income families living in rural areas, and families who truly have no other way to make affordable homeownership a reality. Providing these affordable homeownership opportunities promotes prosperity, which in turn creates thriving communities and improves the quality of life in rural areas.


Apply at any Rural Development location. The Quincy office is located at 338 S. 36th Street, Quincy, IL.  62301 phone number is 217-224-9307 ext. 4.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019
 
Contact: Amy Dion, Brand Manager, Neighborhood Co-op Grocery, (618) 529-3533, ext. 201, or [email protected]; Jennifer Paulson, Executive Director, Food Works, (618)-370-3287 or email [email protected]
 

Proceeds to Benefit Regional Non-Profit, Food Works
 
Carbondale, Ill. – Want to meet an alpaca? Feed chickens and goats? See how local food is grown and harvested? Sample local produce and products? Area families and individuals can do all of these things and more by participating in the 2019 Neighborhood Co-op Grocery Farm Crawl, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 14-15 from 1pm-6pm both days.
 
Sponsors include AES Solar, Kiki’s Coffee House in Anna, Carbondale Tourism, the Iron Whisk, the Southern Illinoisan, and the Daily Egyptian.
 
Presented by the Neighborhood Co-op and Food Works, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization facilitating the development of a regional food economy in Southern Illinois, this family-friendly, two-day event brings people together to visit and learn about 14 local southern Illinois farms. Participants will meet the farmers, learn the history of each farm, see how high-quality, locally-grown and locally-sourced products make it from farm to market, and learn the importance of supporting a local food economy.
 
The Farm Crawl is a self-guided tour, allowing participants to visit all 14 farms at their own pace for only $20 per car load. Car passes may be purchased in person at the Neighborhood Co-op at 1815 West Main in Carbondale, through September 15. All proceeds will benefit Food Works.
Participating farms include Autumn Ridge Hemp Farm, Bison Bluff Farms, Countrysprout Organics, Dayempur Farm & Dayempur Herbals, Echo Valley, Flora Bay Farm, Flyway Family Farm, La Colina Linda, LCL Farm, Owl Creek Vineyard, River to River Farm, Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch, Shawnee Hills Lavender, and Southern Illinois University Horticulture Research Center.
 
Activities on the farms include guided tours exploring organic processes, permaculture, hoop houses, greenhouses and high tunnels, crop and grazing rotation, alternative energy, and more. The farms feature alpacas, sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, chickens, fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and mushrooms. Children’s activities include feeding farm animals, scavenger hunts, coloring and drawing pages, and plenty of opportunities to play. Many farms will have items to sample and/or purchase.
 
About Neighborhood Co-Op Grocery
The mission of the Neighborhood Co-op Grocery is to serve the needs of owners and patrons by providing wholesome foods economically in the cooperative tradition, in ways that best promote the health of the individual, the community, and the earth. Learn more at www.neighborhood.coop.
 
About Food Works
Food Works is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization facilitating the development of a regional food economy in Southern Illinois. This enduring approach emphasizes access to good food for everyone, keeps food dollars circulating in local communities, and balances human needs with the health of the air, water and land resources on which all life depends. Food Works offers educational, on-farm field days for everyone interested in local foods. Learn more at fwsoil.org.
 
 
--
Amy Dion
Brand Development Manager
 
Neighborhood Co-op
Murdale Shopping Center
1815 W. Main St.
Carbondale, IL 62901
618.529.3533 x 201
www.neighborhood.coop
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